Bird Update

So, the birds aren't getting the hint. They are determined to nest in our entry way. One of Dan's coworkers suggested putting aluminum foil in their nest. She said they wouldn't like the shininess or roughness of it and would move on. Well I guess these aren't your typical birds. They didn't seem to mind it and made themselves at home on top of it.

In fact by the next morning they had simply taken it out of their nest and left it on our door step. This didn't make Dan too happy.

So the next evening, after getting home from his weekly church meetings he decided to throw a pitcher of water at them. This was about 10:30 at night. The next morning before heading off to work he knocked their nest down. This may have done the trick. So far, they haven't been back.

Memorial Day 2011

We had some last minute visitors join us this year for Memorial Day. Grandma Lynie and Papa Mike decided to pay as a visit. The even brought their dog Buddy with them. Since it was so last minute and Grandma had to work on the Friday, they arrived Saturday afternoon just in time to have lunch at Taco Bell. Then they spoiled us with Ice Cream at Steve's Ice Cream. By then most of the day was gone. So, we headed home for some visiting.

Here's Jack sitting in a high chair at Taco Bell. Doesn't he look thrilled? He really enjoyed their rice and refried beans.

Sunday, was Church. So we enjoyed our morning meetings and then had lunch at home. Mommy and Jack took a much needed nap while the others watched movies.

Monday, we all woke up and had brunch at the Black Bear Diner. Then somehow Noah talked them into going back to Steve's for more Ice Cream. Twice in one weekend? What spoiled kids we have. Then it was time to say goodbye. Both of them had to be at work early the next morning and they had about a 10 hour drive ahead of them.

Here is the results of the photo shoot we had prior to going to brunch. I found matching flag shirts for all the kids.
After Grandma and Papa left town we decided to take the kids to the local Veterans Cemetery. We had never been there, but have heard how cool it is on the holidays that honor or service men and women. I couldn't believe how many flags were displayed and how many artifacts and monuments they have to explore. I think next year we will try to make it to the ceremony. It was nice to explain to Noah and Zoe the importance of Memorial Day. That it is more than just an extra day off of school or work.

The front gate...

Overlooking the field of flags, marking all of the graves.

The kids had fun spotting all the lizards along our walk...
A missile launcher used by the Marines...
A Torpedo...
It was a fun filled weekend.

Feeling Crafty

Here is a sample of my latest projects:

Family Sentiments...

Flower Clips for Zoe, made from Dollar Tree Flowers...

Ouch

So, remember that nice park outing I wrote about a day or two ago? The one where Jack fell asleep in the swings? This is how the rest of the afternoon went. He managed to stay asleep during the stroller ride home. I was even able to lay him down on my bed. I placed pillows around him and didn't go too far. He usually cries when he first wakes up and doesn't move an inch, so I figured he'd be fine at least while I went to the bathroom. Then I realized the other two kids had become suspiciously quiet in the family room, so I went to check on them. Well, Jack decided to wake up and in the process fell off my bed. He didn't cry too long or two bad. He stopped as soon as I picked him up. His nose was a little red, but for the most part he looked fine and there was no blood. Well when he woke up the next morning his nose looked like this:

I know it is only the first of many ouchies he will sustain as he becomes more and more mobile. However, I'm not entirely convinced that this ouchie is from the fall of the bed. Noah and Zoe love to drag him across the room by his legs, rubbing his face on the carpet. I like to think it is the later of the two, or at least a combination of the events. That way I don't feel as guilty, or stupid for leaving him for a moment.

For the Birds

I think our house is a magnet for birds. We always see them in our yard and walking up and down the sidewalk in front of our house. Last year a Quail built a nest in our backyard, and barn swallows built a nest in our entry way. This year Chuckers (or as Noah calls them, Peckers) have started making their presence known. This has made the kids really excited.
The birds have returned this year to nest again in our entry way.
We aren't as nice this year though. Since we discovered it before they have finished building the nest or laying their eggs, we have been knocking it down. We don't want our guests to be dived at every time they come to visit, nor do we want our entry way covered in poop. However, these are very stubborn birds we are dealing with. We knock the nest down and they start rebuilding, the next morning, in the opposite corner. This has gone on for days, if not a week now. They don't seem to get the hint that we don't want them. They could build anywhere else on our front porch, just not by the door. Dan is very determined, I think it is funny and maybe we should just give up. It will be fun to see who wins....Dan, or the birds.

Neighborhood Park

I got brave one afternoon and decided to take the kids on a walk to our neighborhood park. It was a very nice day to be out and about and the kids have been begging to go for weeks, but the weather hasn't been very cooperative this spring.
I decided since Jack has been doing so much better at sitting up, that I would try the baby swings with him. Noah hated them as a baby, but Zoe loved them. I was really curious to see what Jack would think.
At first he wasn't too sure what he thought.
But he ended up loving them.So much, that he fell asleep.
It was a fun little outing.

Fun

To celebrate the end of a long week and to reward good and improved behavior, we headed to the local Family Fun Center, to let the kids run wild.

Kambrie finally got the courage to venture in and have some fun. A big milestone to hit right before her 2nd birthday.

This is one of Noah's favorite people. He is continually looking out for her and would love to steal her and keep her for his very own. She's very fond of him too.
Last week our friends, The Steffens, had a Glasses Party at the park. What is a glasses party? We were celebrating the fact that Dayton now gets to wear glasses to help him see better. The kids had a ton of fun running around, swinging, sliding, eating cupcakes, and breaking open a pinata. They also loved getting their own pair of sunglasses.

Here are a few cute pictures highlights:

Jack chilling in his stroller. Noah and Zoe insisted that he get his own sunglasses.
Zoe and Kambrie showing off their matching glasses.

Moo and other News

Zoe completed another successful year of COW Bus preschool. She was lucky to have a lot of her church friend in her class this year. She looked forward to spending time with Mrs. Natasha each week as well as time with Dallin, Shayla, Jenna, and Kysha, plus Chloe from the other ward. A ton of us LDS moms took advantage of this great program, as I think half of her afternoon classes were our kids too. Mrs. Natasha had better health luck this year and we are looking forward to participating in the summer program. It is strange to think that Zoe only has one more year before she enters Kindergarten. So, in the fall she'll have the chance to attend preschool two afternoons a week. This year Daddy was able to attend the end of the year party with us. He took the day off for a chiropractor appointment and to volunteer in Noah's classroom. Too bad the weather didn't cooperate, it was one cold, gloomy morning at the park. At least it didn't rain.

After Zoe's end of the year party we had lunch at Round Table Pizza with the Christensens. After lunch Zoe, Jack, and I headed into Reno with Jalyssa and her girls to do a little shopping. Dan had the pleasure of entertaining Erik and Noah.

This is what I found when I got home. The boys constructed a Zoo in my living room.

8 Months Old

He's growing up so fast. I can't believe it has already been 8 months since we welcomed this little guy into our family. Every day has been filled with new adventures and new adjustments. New laughter and a ton more love. I don't know how we got along without him.

He is a happy and busy guy. No new height or weight stats, that will come next month. He is still army crawling, he can get up on all fours, but finds the army crawl much more productive and a lot faster. He is very determined and doesn't let anything get in his way. He has gotten better about sitting up and has even started pulling himself up on all sorts of things. He has also started to experiment with his voice. I've nick named him my holler monkey. He lets out shrieks if he feels you are ignoring him by passing by him, or leaving the room. It is very hard to keep him contained to one spot these days.

I am happy to report that he finally likes his jumperoo. This is his new hobby while I am cooking or cleaning the kitchen. It is the only way I can protect him these days. Some days that doesn't even work - his siblings love to bug him.
He gets himself stuck very often these days. He is able to climb between the couches and tables, but hasn't learned how to turn corners.
Baby Jail. This is Zoe's solution to keeping him out of trouble. Jack thought it was funny, me not so much.
An example of climbing on things. Look how proud of himself he is.
He loves the vacuum. And all other electrical cords.
Trying out the big boy stroller. I've decided to take up walking with the two younger kids while Noah is at school.
Can't wait to see what this next month brings.

Friends

We are so blessed to have good friends in our lives. I volunteered to watch my friend's kids on her birthday while she got her hair done. It was the first time I have ever had a full, I mean full van of kids. We started the morning by dropping Noah off at school, then we dropped Zoe off at school, and picked up Kambrie. Kambrie, Jack, and I hung out at the house for a couple of hours and then it was time to do the afternoon pick up. First we picked up the girls from COW Bus and then we picked up the boys at Cottonwood. We probably weren't entirely legal for the short distance between Cottonwood and our house, but everyone was buckled in. Noah sat in the front passenger seat, in his booster as far back as possible, Jack had his normal car seat, Kambrie sat in Zoe's car seat, Zoe sat in the back in a booster, Kysha used the other booster, and Erik was belted in between them. It was a big adventure getting everyone buckled in. Then it was home for lunch and a quick craft. Got to love clearance Easter activities, the kids all made Candy Necklaces.

Here is a sneak peek at the process and results:

Noah
Erik
Kysha
Zoe and Kysha
It was a fun day.

Too Tired

Jack couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

I guess this is what happens when Mommy ignores you a little too long in an attempt to get the kitchen cleaned up after dinner.

Mother's Day 2011

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Here is a look at my fabulous gift....
Take a closer look...
Yes, I really asked for a Gas BBQ.

This insures many wonderfully grilled meals throughout the summer with little effort on my part. So, it is a gift that keeps on giving. Can't wait to put it to good use.

Here are the happy gift givers.
I was also treated to a nice cooked breakfast before church and a nice nap after church. I milked the day for all it was worth.

Mother Daughter Fun

May's Relief Society Activity was a Spring Fling Mother/Daughter Style.

In honor of the upcoming holiday all about mothers we decided it would be fun to kick back and enjoy an evening with our daughters.

The evening included a dinner of Hawaiian haystacks followed by a pampering station, a quilting station, a cupcake decorating station, and a photo booth. We had such a huge turn out that we ran out of rice for the dinner. At least everyone, except the committee got a bite to eat. I ran around most of the night trying to keep everything stocked, so I didn't get to participate in everything. Luckily I have a few good friends who were willing to adopt my daughter for the evening.

Here are a few pictures I took of her enjoying our "girls" night.

Zoe with a mud mask....
Zoe and her friend Jenna.Zoe and her friend Kysha. Zoe ended up eating her cucumbers. Brya painting Zoe's nails.Letting them dry.Everyone seemed to really enjoy the evening. I can't wait to see the pictures from the photo booth.