A Family of Four

Baptism

This past weekend we went to our friends baptism, Kaleb has been to a few but it seems like this one stuck with him a little more. That night while in the bathtub with his sister he said that he wanted to baptize her. Being concerned for her I told him that he could not, seeing that he did not have the right authority. He told me he was just pretending so it would be okay. But again I told him no since she can't hold her breathe. So while I was getting her out he was repeating part of the prayer and then splashing in the tub. Apparently he was baptizing himself. Funny kid!

Little Fry

This little fry

Gave me this black eye!

She was holding my phone and I was laying down and "handed" it to me before I could get my hands out. She hit in just the right place and there you go a black eye! Good thing she is so cute!

The Little One

I have been feeling guilty lately about the lack of blog posts about Avery. There just seems to be less time to do things like this. Anyway, she is growing so fast!

She is 22lbs at almost 17 months
She loves to eat peas
She does not like meat
She loves to color (scribble) oh and loves to eat them too
She signs a few things and understands lots
She loves all things related to Dad, Dogs and outside
She is great at following directions, smiling, cuddling, being cute (she knows how to work it), and following Kaleb around.

She is one messy eater!


Cute pigtails

Painted toe nails are so cute on little girls!


Just chill'n

Getting ready to say prayer, she folds her arms and starts to mumble and even says Amen!

We love our Avery and love seeing her grow!

R is for Rainbow

Kaleb and I have had a great week doing activities with the letter R and Rainbows. I love watching this little man learn and grow every day. He is one smart cookie (so what if I am biased)! Here are a few of the fun things we have done!

On other news Kaleb is still obsessed with working, but thank goodness the weather allows it!

He loves to chase Avery and help her too! They seems to get a burst of energy after dinner and take laps around the dining room table. I love to watch how they laugh and giggle together.

Kaleb is also obsessed with his Dad. Just today he was talking all about how he needed to eat more breakfast so that he could be like Dad and go and do the things he does. It is super cute and I think Kevin likes it too!

And here is this cute kid just being silly! (Please excuse the annoying mom voice)

We're Alive

It is true we have been very absent from this blog but we are alive and well!

Kaleb is loving Legos and I love them too!

Kaleb has become quite the "worker!" He loves to work out in the yard. He has a lawnmower, edger, weed-whacker and a few other tools. He even got Grandpa to give him a pair of his ear muff things! He even wants to work when Grandpa and Dad are worn out and ready to quit.

We love spending time outside in this sunshine. I love to watch them play together and giggle with one another! They are even beginning to cause trouble together!

They love their cousins and a new favorite thing to do when they are here is to ride the tractor that Kevin fixed! Even Avery wants to ride it!

We are having a great time in California and are settling in slowly. We miss our Portland friends but are enjoying family!

There is plenty to blog about but that will have to wait!

Belated Halloween

This year I again decided to make Halloween costumes, in my head it seems like a lot of fun but in reality I usually wait to long to start and then I get stressed out! This year a few people helped me get started earlier than I would have on my own so that was good! I also learned a few things about sewing by doing it, and believe it or not I actually want to sew more! On to the Christmas projects!

This was the first year that Kaleb had an opinion about what he wanted to be and for some reason he choose to be a bat. I think he choose this because he saw a Diego Halloween episode where he was a bat and we have also been reading in an animal encyclopedia which has lots info about bats. So he decided and I reinforced that he was going to be a bat, I did not want him changing his mind that day. So we went with that theme and Avery was a black cat.

I love this sleeping bat picture :0)

I also decided to make the kids bags, good thing they were super easy!

Saturday we went to our ward Halloween party. There was a chili cook-off, crafts, a costume parade, and of course trunk-or-treating. That was the best part of course! Kaleb really got into it and was so excited to see all the candy. He had a few treats but surprisingly he was satisfied after that and did not even ask for any the next day.

Then on the spur of the moment (like 10 minutes before) we decided to carve pumpkins with the cousins. As you can see they loved it!

On Halloween itself we went to the Children's Museum where they had some Halloween themed activities. I also got to visit with an old friend from Utah, unfortunately I did not take any pics of that! Kaleb for the first time loved the face painting area, he went to town!

And last but not least the big event, trick-or-treating with friends. Kaleb was very observant and wanted to see everyone get their candy. He was also a bit shy/scared of the Halloween decorations. But of course he had a blast, Avery not so much! She lasted about 20 minutes and then was a crying mess. It was her bedtime, poor thing. Oh and he wanted to walk/run from house to house with his great friend Cohen, too cute!

Gratitude

Since November is upon us and I want to celebrate it before we jump right into Christmas I have been thinking a lot about the things I am grateful for. I love this quote from President Thomas S. Monson "If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days -as much as we can- with those things which matter most."

I am thankful for healthy children who are loving, fun and bring so much joy to our home.
I am thankful for a warm house and clothing to keep us warm through the winter months
I am thankful for an amazing husband who loves and supports me, helps with kids and parents them with such love and patience.
I am thankful for the beauty of the earth, that a loving heavenly father created.
I am thankful for a body that can hear, see, run, exercise and so much more.
I am thankful for a hard working, smart, fun husband to be my partner.
I am thankful for family, who are great examples and who show me how to serve, love, parent and so much more.
I am thankful for General Conference where I can read and learn how to be better and live as my Father in Heaven would have me.
I have so much to be thankful for and I think that as we are thankful we are happier, so what better way to spend November than thinking about and recognizing all that we are blessed with!

A little face painting fun at the Children's Museum

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Growing so fast!

Oh and here are a few pics because really what is a blog post without pictures!

Bithday Girl

Our little Girl is ONE! It is hard to believe Avery joined our lives one short year ago! I can't imaging life without her.

This little lady bring so much joy to our family!

I love seeing her smile, I love to watch her and Kaleb play, I love watching her discover how things work. I love to hold her when she is in a cuddly mood and buries her head in my neck. I love her 7 tooth grin. I love her squeals of delight when she walks around the house, testing her new skill. I love her big blue eyes looking at me. I love her concern for others when they are sad. I love her curiosity to learn about the world all around.

For her birthday we had family and a few friends over to eat cake and ice cream and watch her tear into her cake. It was fun to have others to celebrate with. Avery was a bit timid at first just putting a finger or two in the frosting and then she decided it was good and she went to town.