Pajama Time

Last week we had a night where it got cold enough for me to break out sleepers for bedtime. I am a huge fan - I think they look adorable on kids and so I couldn't resist getting a few pictures. They started out posing pretty well - getting them both looking and smiling is a challenge...

Then, tiring of the traditional picture taking, Chloe decided to get silly and Noah, being the copycat, followed suit...

This turned into giggles and then wrestles.

Having them around is so much fun - they make me laugh and bring joy to my life!

Horsing Around

We were excited last week to be invited by Karen, one of Joe's sargeants, to her home for dinner and to feed the horse she had "visiting" to eat down some of her land. Chloe talked of nothing else for the week leading up to the visit, but when we actually got there, they were excited to see the horse from far away, but were very hesitant to get close, let alone feed the horse a carrot or hay. Here are some pictures and video from our evening!

Trying to get Noah to pet the horse Karen's husband, Nick, taking Noah in the gate to get a closer look



Chloe refusing to pose for a picture with the horse

Joe helping Chloe and Noah feed the horse hay

Thanks again Karen, Nick, Megan, and Trace! We had a great time!

My Wild Things

"Hi! My name is Chloe and I am cute and adorable, and practically perfect in every way"

"Hi! My name is couch, and this is what I looked like before you got to me little miss Chloe."Chloe: "Uh-Oh"Yes my friends, this is what happens when your child and her friend decide that in the event that you run out of paper, a couch is an acceptable drawing surface. The images are somewhat hard to make out but the picture on the left in a portrait of me (cause that makes it so much better!). The second picture features dizzying circles mixed with the yogurt she spilled while drawing. I am currently accepting suggestions on how to remove this "art" NEXT:

"Hi! My name is Noah! I am courageous and brave like Batman and defend my sister against evil doers (mean kids). I love my Mom and Dad and would never do anything to make them upset!"
"Not so fast" Mommy says. "You are a very good little brother and as sweet as can be, but I am not sure you could call this:

"... not making us upset or worried that you will fall you crazy little mister."
Noah: "Uh-oh!"

Although there are bruises, replacements, and unwanted repair expenses along the way, there is nothing better than being the parents of these two cuties!

Sold...Again

Let's hope it sticks this time. Let's hope I can find a house I like. Let's hope we don't have to move in with our parents. Let's just hope it all works out the way it's supposed to. Oh the changes ahead are freaking me out!

Just the Beginning

"Did you have fun at your first day of pre-school today?" I ask my cute little 3 and a half year old.

Chloe's response: "Kinda"

Don't let the lack of enthusiasm with that answer fool you. Although she has gone back and forth with whether she has wanted to start pre school this year, when she got there, she LOVED it. She love's her teacher, Ms. Hill, the carrying bag she got to decorate, the books she got to read, and the songs she got to sing. Playground time with new toys, a pudding snack, and toys to play doctor with all rated pretty high as well. No matter what they did, she did everything, answered every question, and loved every minute. There was a slight issue with a boy that is still learning to be nice, but he's three - it's going to take years and years for him as a boy to perfect that art. Overall I would say the first day of pre-school was a hit!

On the other hand are MY thoughts about the first day of pre-school. I look forward to watching Chloe learn and grow, and am excited for the opportunities she is becoming old enough to experience. While I am excited, this little innocent first day of pre-school, while a beginning, also marks an end. An end of a portion of her childhood and the beginning of the road into schedules, responsibility, and sooner than I would like, teenage years and adulthood. To be able to stop this road is futile, and I would be foolish to keep her from things to avoid it, but I still mourn the beginning of the end of my children's early years. Am I a little lame? Probably, but I can't deny the mixed feelings of happy, I am really am happy for her and excited to watch her grow, and sad that have accompanied this day. I have no idea what I am going to do when she starts kindergarten, but either way, my little girl is growing up!

So, I ask myself: "Did I enjoy sending my daughter off for her first day of pre-school?"

My response: "Kinda"

Was it the Outfit?

Recently we had dinner, as we often do, up at my mom's house. All of the kids were excited that they were going to to get to eat outside on the deck at the kids table. I set Noah up outside with food and then went inside. One by one Camden, Raegan, Chloe, and Riley brought their chairs into the house to eat with us. I went out to find Noah happily eating all by himself.

Camping Fun

One year ago about this time is when I first ventured into the world of blogging. I am still figuring it out, but really enjoying the opportunity and ability to, since I am horrible at scrapbooking and journaling, record the memories and happenings of our family. In the second year, the second verse starts same as the first with pictures and video from our annual camping trip with our friends the Sherwoods.

Again we camped near Bear Lake and again we had a great time. When we first arrived, Noah loved that he was free to wander the outdoors in a campground area that was really pretty.

At first, we were pretty and clean too, but that did not last long......can you see the black hands of these little kids who thought it was fun to just pick up and play with the endless dirt surrounding them? If not, you can see it in this little boy's dirty but cute face with his "Mountain Man Snorting"

A trip to the Bear Lake area would of course not be complete without actual time spent at the lake. We would like to have a boat and/or jetskis in future years, but for now our kids enjoy the beach, sand, and shallower waters.Noah liked the actual Bear Lake, but he even more so enjoyed his private lake he found because it was perfectly Noah sized. This video did not capture it, but he kept laying down with the side of his face in the water with the cutest little grin. Whatever makes them happy...

Back at camp, we had a little "kid's tent" courtesy of the Sherwoods in which the kids were free to get in with shoes on, climb all around, and do whatever they wanted as long as they weren't doing it in the tents we slept in.

Joe, sometimes being the eternal kid, thought he would give it a try too.Being outdoors unleashed the kids creativity. They loved exploring and pretending and Chloe loved having little friends to join her...

...and her big friends too. Bryce was such a good sport to do this with the kids and to allow Joe to catch him on camera.

We had a great time, but above all I am glad for the opportunity that we had to get away from phones, computers, televisions, work, and everything else and just have the opportunity to enjoy what is most important - our family!