Meet our sweet baby Tommy

THOMAS STEVEN HERIFORD

Born Oct 9th

at 11:02 pm

weight:  7lbs

Height:  19 inches

We are so happy out sweet baby is here.  He has been such a joy.  Every time Tommy fusses Max sprints to give him his binkie and then sings to him.  Today I walked in my room and Max was just laying on my bed singing to him.  Precious.  Jacky boy loves to give his brother kisses and asks me 30x's a day to hold him.  He also notifies me when he thinks Tommy needs his Mommy or his Mommy's milk.  Tommy is so lucky to have 2 brothers that adore him.  Hank is so cute always talking baby talk to him.  He also enjoys holding him.  I can't get enough of this little lover.  I can't put him down.  I love when he snuggles into me and falls sound asleep.  Oh how we love this little boy!

Thanksgiving...and 5 days of SUCCESS

 

Hanks 2 cousins flew in from Cali for Thanksgiving.  There parents were suppose to come but decided not to because of the bad weather conditions.  Cousin Kara made the ENTIRE dinner by herself and everything was ready right on time.  So impressive.  It was so delicious!  She is so talented.  I hope I can cook and bake like her someday!  Cousin Doug was so cute with the kids.  I think he needs to have 12 of his own.    He played trains and puzzles with the kids and thy just loved him.  My vote is they come every Thanksgiving, instead of every other.

Now lets talk about Jack.  Monday night for family night we made Jacks crib into a BIG BOY bed.  He got out of bed 2x's that night and after placing him back in bed he fell asleep...I think it helped that he was exhausted.  Then the first nap he got out of bed 4x's and cried some big alligtor tears but finally fell asleep in his little green chair. Yay!!!  Ever since he hasn't gotten out once.  So we have had success for 5 days now.  Hopefully this continues.  I know 17 months seems a little early but I think the younger the better.  Because they don't know how to open the door and they don't think about getting out and playing with their toys, so they are just stuck in a boring room.

  

LEARNING HOW TO COMPARE

Max:  Mom boogers are kind of like enchilada's


Mom:  Oh really, in what way?


Max:  ummm they are both GREEN.

Family

Yay!!!  I finally got my braces off.  And the next day we got family pics.  

Tis the Season

Yes, last night we put up our Christmas tree.  I couldn't resist I LOVE Christmas time.  Plus my kids were ecstatic.  This year we got a train at Costco for around the tree and I just love love love it.  Max played with it for 2 hours last night and 1 hour this morning.  Jack just pointed and said steam for 20 min then tried to grab the train a million times and knocked it off the tracks a million more times.  So finally I said, "Okay kiddo's when dad gets home he will fix it, he's the best at fixing things."  That satisfied them for now.  But really its so cute the train blows out steam.  Lets enjoy it now because I think it will be broken before Christmas.

PLEASE READ:  I hate blogs that just jibber jabber...but I promise you will be glad you read this one!

So here is the deal...I was talking to my sis Jess and she told me this wonderful idea that her sister Jen told her.  So I would like to share it with you.  Do you feel like we sometimes forget what Christmas is really all about?   Well I do.  I get caught up in the shopping and making sure my kids have enough from Santa and enough to open Christmas morning-but this year I decided that I am going to take Jess's advice and do things a little different.  Here is how it goes: Each of my kids will get 4 things.......(plus a little something from Santa)


                        1.  Something they want
     2.  Something they need
            3.  Something to wear
            4.  Something to read


I thought this was such a great idea.  I hope by doing this I will remember the true meaning of Christmas and also create a more enjoyable holiday.

Mom can I go to school?

My friend Staci told me about this cute class in PG for moms and kiddo's.  Its once a week and each time we make a craft and snack and then then there is an activity and story.  So October was our first month and I signed up for the rest of the year because I think its a great way to get out during the cold months.    Plus Max loves the class and he also loves his new friend Kade.

Field trip to Hee Haw Farms

Halloween party

Pumpkin decorating day

Today...

      Me:  Max sit on your chair and finish your grapes. Now!  (in a firm voice)
      Max:  Okay mom...settle down

Max:  Mom is Jack just going to take a nap or me too?
Me:  Ya you and Jack are both going to take naps.
Max:  But mom you will have no one to play with :)

      Max:  Mom I want to order that other puzzle from dot com...Okay?!

Max:  Mom I am going to teach my Buzz Light Year how to speak Spanish.

      Max:  Mom can I paint these rocks when I get to Grandmas
      Me:  Ya, sure
      Max:  Yay!!!  Oh thank you thank you so much mom.  I sure love you.

Happy Halloween

First chili at Grandma Sue sues and Papa steves.  Then we went trick or treating to only 3 houses, in the neighborhood where Hank grew up!  After that we had a pinata at Grandma Jan and Papa Bills.  We liked that better because it was warm and the kids filled there buckets with candy in seconds instead of hours.  To end the night we played games with Puck, Jess, Megs, and Jenner.  I was a bit grumpy but still had fun because me and Puck won...well only because we cheated!  

Baby Benson

Yay!  Baby Benson is here!  He was 8lbs 1 oz and born on Halloween.  He is such a doll.  We are all so excited for this sweet blessing.

PumPkin fUn!

Grandma Jan took all of us to Thanksgiving Pointe for some pumpkin picking.  Then the kids painted there pumpkins and were so enthralled.  They loved every minute of it.  Thanks Papa Bill and Grandma Jan.                                                                 

The big #3!

Oh how we love our favorite Max.  He has been such a joy.  We have grown and learned so much from this little boy.  He loves Toy Story so he was so excited for his Buzz birthday this year.  Thanks for all that you add to our family Max.  We love you.

p.s. he informed me that he is not going to use the big boy potty until he is 4!  

7 years!

Happy anniversary!

Heart you.

Happy Birhtday Daddy!

Happy 31st Birthday

We were in Midway for Hanks birthday this year.   We ate at a yummy Mexican resturant for dinner, with the boys and Bryce and Kelly.  I made cupcakes but for some reason we never got around to eating them.  On Sunday we had dinner at Hank's parents and he got to make a wish there when he blew out his candles!  

Dear daddy,

    Happy Birthday.  I hope you had a fun day spending time with me.  Thanks for letting me open your presents with you.  I am so thankful you are my dad.  Thanks for reading me stories and making up stories for me at bed time.  Thanks for tucking me in and giving me double loves even when you get home and I am already asleep.  Thanks for checking on me once every night to make sure my covers are on and that my pillow is next to my bed (incase I fall off).  Thanks for waking up and comforting and hugging me when I have a bad dream.  Thanks for getting up at 6am every morning  and getting me a daddy bar or making me eggs.  Thanks for playing ball with me.  Thanks for playing games  with  me.  Thanks for being goosey with me.  Thanks for talking to me and for explaining the problem to me when I get in trouble.  Thanks for showing me how to love and hug mom.  Thanks for your  example of obedience.   Thanks for making me feel special.  Thanks for telling me I am smart and that I can do it all by myself.   Thanks for all that you do for me but most of all thanks for loving me.  Double love double love.  I love you daddy.  Love MAX

Dear Daeee,

   Happy Birthday to you.  I am so glad you are my daeee.  Thanks for getting me out of bed in the morning.  I get so excited when I see your smiling face.  I love that you show me the picture of Jesus every morning.  Thanks for making me breakfast so mom can sleep in.  Thanks for teaching me to Sign and talk and walk.    Thanks for taking the time to play with me and read me stories.  Thanks for taking care of my moma. Thanks for protecting me.  Thanks for being so gentle and kind and loving.  Thanks for loving me.  You are the very best daddy of all.  I love you love Jack Jack

Fall break!

We made a quick trip up to Midway with Bryce and Kelly. We had a great time realaxing. And of course its so nice to spend ALL day with our daddy!

For all you homemakers or wanna be homemakers...

here is an easy and delicious recipe for french bread.  My friend Jen wanted this recipe so I decided to share it with everyone!

In your mixer add:
2 1/2 C warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 packets of yeast
-combine these 3 ingredients and let sit for 5 min
-then add
5 1/2 - 6 C flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon oil
- mix all ingredients
-knead until smooth (you can add pam to counter top and hands)
-place in big mixing bowl and cover bowl with saran wrap and (clean :)) dish towel
-let raise for 30 min then punch down and recover and raise for an additional 30 min
-CUT into four pieces
-roll into loaves and cut 3 small slits on an angle across the top
-brush with butter
-cover with saran wrap and let raise another 30 min

Cook @ 400 degrees for  10 min then put the bread on the top rack on the bottom and visa versa.  Then place tin foil on the bread that is browned to prevent burning:) my favorite trick (thanks staci) and cook for another 10-15 min!  Butter and sprinkle a little garlic salt.  Let cool.  The end.

I promise its really easy and yummy too.  Let me know how you like it!

Little buddies

My boys are growing up way too fast. Max just turned 3! (birthday pics on their way) Jack is now 15 months.
Maxs stats:
90% height
50% weight
Jacks stats:
75% height
75% weight
I think 3 is one of my favorite ages. Max has been so fun. I love the questions he asks and the things he says. He talks all the time to himself and everyone around him. In nursery I overheard him saying this to some of the kids. "Hi, can you talk?" If they didn't answer he would move on to the next person...I guess until somebody talked to him. Today he said, "mom what color am i brown or white?"  I said, "You tell me"  then he said, "I think I am orange, see mom look at my hands they are orange!"  He is so cute with jack-well most of the time :) He is always saying where is baby? Mom, baby is crying. I think baby wants milk.  Mom, where is baby?  It's okay baby...
Jack is just now starting to walk. He is such a strong baby. He can squat down and pick things up and then stand back up and then usually ends up throwing that thing. He is also really good at letting us know what he does and doesn't want. He can say and sign so many things now but my personal favorite is birdie.  He also just learned how to say Aubrey.   He is so silly.  He smiles and laughs all the time.  He has been such a blessing to our family.   Oh how we love him!

Little Trip

On Thursday my dad, the boys, and I headed up to Strawberry. Thursday night Brandt came up. And on Friday night, after MV football game, hank met us up there. Then last minute Bryce and Kelly came up on Saturday. It was so relaxing. Max's favorite part was his 5 min dip in the hot tub.

26.2

I can't believe I made it! On August 28th, I ran my first and, pretty much, my last marathon. Now I know if you can run a marathon you can for sure deliver a baby natural. I did the super small, Provo river marathon . Only 40 people ran it!!! I was so nervous I would come in last, but fortunately I didn't! At about mile 12, my mom, dad, Maddie, and Tanyail met me with smiles, food, and water. I was so happy to see people who knew me and thought i was cool:) My mom ran about 6 miles with me. It helped so much to have her encouragement and to simply just have someone by my side. At about mile 22, I saw Hank and little Jack-I loved it. When finishing, I saw my friend Amber and her 3 girls, thats when the tears hit. Running a marathon is so emotional, it stripes you to the core spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. I learned so much in just 4 hrs and 20 min. I am so grateful for my experience. Thanks everyone for all of your love and support. You will never know how much that meant to me.

almost there

Thanks hubbie for all of your support

The best parents I could ever dream for

my sweet dad

One of my biggest fans

Love these people

Zoey, megs, me, and Jan the best mother-in-law

The fam. Can you tell they are barely ready for their naps:)

Thanks ladies

My sweet friend Amber and her girls

Me and Hayley

Can you see the blisters?