Family Pictures

While we were in Utah we had family pictures taken. It was well, rather cold. The kids were not having a good time at all. But that being said, I think we got some rather cute shots. Colton being the only exception, he was soooooo cranky, tired, cold, hungry, etc, we just didn't get much out of him at all. So, here are a few shots of everyone.


Our sweet little princess.



We call him Lil Griz. (short for little grizzly bear)



Danny Jr or cute little Josh



Handsome Nate.



Us, after 9 1/2 years of marriage!



Our eternal family.



The whole family on my side.

Still Alive

Ok, so we are still alive. We're just pretty busy. We had a wonderful time up in Utah the week before Halloween. It went to fast, it just wasn't long enough. Kellen and Holli's wedding was beautiful. I wish I could say that I had pictures to post but sadly our camera wasn't working. We thought it was dead batteries but it turns out that it died on us completely. I hate not having a camera because I feel like I'm not capturing some of their childhood moments and I'll never get them again. So, it's a good thing there is Black Friday sales coming I should be able to get a good deal on one. Anyways, it was a fun dinner, a beautiful sealing and reception. We had a great time. Congratulations to the newest couple in the family. We enjoyed our halloween party with all the cousins- it was a lot of fun. The boys absolutely loved the treasure hunt grandma and grandpa created for them. They carry their treasure chests everywhere, filled with all sorts of odds and ends. I enjoyed just chatting with mom in the hot tub. And a big thanks to mom and pop for babysitting for us for a much needed date night. SLC's art museum was really bad but we had a good time getting out anyway. We enjoyed hanging out with everyone, too many things too mention in this post but we really enjoyed being there with everyone. I do have to mention that Colton really enjoyed playing with Sofie, just tonight we were talking about him missing EVERYONE and when I mentioned Sofie he said, 'bye' he remembered having to tell her bye and it was a LOOOONG bye. She's his friend. One day we'll live closer.

So, now we're home and in the daily grind of life again. Danny is busy with work, guard, school, school and more school. It takes up a lot of time. Nate had a eye appt today. His vision was up to 20/25 which is fabulous from were we started at like 20/400 when he was 3. We're very happy with his progress. So the Dr wants to keep him patching 4 hrs a day and see him in a month and if there is no more improvement then we'll drop to just 2 hrs a day until we are finally weaned from the patching. But we're thrilled with his vision at this point. Josh is doing well in school. We are working on his alphabet and him recognizing his letters. He doesn't tell me a lot of what he learns at school because he says it's a secret. You'd think that would raise some red flags but he tells me that about his church lessons too. He's just a stinker, super stubborn boy. Colton is working on his speech. It really has come ten fold since this summer. He's trying really hard to say things. We have flash cards with the alphabet on one side and pictures on the other. So, we go through the alphabet with Josh and then we do the same with Colton on the pictures. He really has a desire and thirst for words right now and we are super excited. Next on the agenda is going to be potty training. We want him trained by June for our trip to Yellowstone. Audrey has mastered her army crawl; she has now moved onto trying to stand. She wants so badly to pull herself up onto things. Currently she has a big scrap on her cheek because of her efforts to stand. She loves our piano, she will sit there and "sing" while she plays. It's so adorable, she's so adorable. And well, me, you can sum it all up in one word: mom. Whatever mom's do, that's what I'm doing. My work never ends. But I'm trying to find little treasures in life. I've been spending more time on the floor with the kids just playing and laughing. My house has suffered from it but my kids seem a little happier. Just this afternoon, we were geocaching in the woods and all 3 boys were running a head of us into an open meadow. I watched as they ran and marveled at the sight. It was a moment in my life that I wish I had had a camera to capture the image of them in the beautuful fall scene as they then stopped to look at a ditch. It was a picture that could have summed up my boys' curiosity, innocence, vivaciousness for life all in one. It's just hard to explain what I was feeling. And of course my Audrey girl was happily playing in the stroller as I pushed her. I guess it was a moment in my life of quiet contentment and joy. So, with that, I think it catches everyone one for now.

Here are some pictures that I took of the kids before our camera went on the fritz- (hehehe, like the pun there?) I just needed a new post to look at.


I wanted one of all the kids lined up like this but notice we have no Nate.

Oh, wait there he is. What's he doing over there? He's mad at us. He's refusing to get in our picture because something was said to tick him off. I begged and pleaded for him to join us to no avail. Only when the other kids had enough pictures and the camera put up did he want to take a picture.



Josh loving his "gull"


Colton loves his little sissy.


She's the light of her daddy's eye's. Daddy love's tickle time.


My Josh and me. I love that little boy's smile.