Rides for Free!

Spur of the moment last weekend we decided to go to Heritage Square and invite Ryan, Jess, Macey and Connor. When we got there it was a little rainy and this guy came up to Jess and I and offered us FREE wristbands for the kids to ride anything .

They had a BLAST. I was a little nervous that Tanner would be scared, but he was lovin it.

We had a great day!

This is Tanner's first ride on a horse. Okay, no it's a dinky little pony! He loved it though...you can tell by his tongue hanging out.

We had a lot of fun, ALTHOUGH little AVA whined a lot because she had to hang out in the stroller and just watch. I on the other hand had to ride most of the rides with Tanner............MAYBE that is why I look dizzy and stoned in this LOVELY picture.

Good Friends

A couple weekends ago our good buddies came to visit us. We used to hang out almost daily when we all lived in Burlington. Tanner and Carter became eachother's first friend ......and that gave Jenny and I lots of time to talk and become friends. We haven't seen them much since they moved back to Kansas City in Feb and we bought a second house in Castle Rock. Jenny and Carter left daddy and little baby Jack to come see us though. We had a fun time, it was just like old times. Even better though because now Tanner and Carter could actually talk to eachother!

Here are the two little buds. You should have seen them when they saw eachother at the airport. SO CUTE!

Unfortunately, it rained like crazy all weekend(sorry). We tried to do fun stuff indoors. Here is me and the kids at an indoor water park in Castle Rock. Carter, Tanner and even Ava loved it. The next day we went to a museum to try and wear out the kids. We also went out to eat a lot. YUM.

Thanks Jenny for being such a a good friend! I'll never forget all the times we had hangin out with our kids in Burlington(aka .....the middle of no where.) Thanks for coming to visit us in Colorado. We miss ya.

Tanner started school!!

Tanner wasn't quite sure about the whole thing. He started preschool Tues and Thurs for a couple of hours in the morning and the first day he did great. The second day and everyday since he cries on the way and ofcourse as Ava and I are dropping him off. No big suprise there! Good ole' Tanner Boy.

Here I am trying to encourage Tanner to wear his backpack so I can take a picture, I think I look a little too excited to send my firstborn away for a couple hours!

I got tagged!

Thanks to Nicole (my first little friend& neighbor growing up), I have been thinking about the weird, quirky, and down right embarasing things about myself.
My husband couldn't stop listing things off. I think he had more fun than I did coming up with stuff.

Here it goes in no particular order of quirkiness,


1. I always put a clean pillowcase on my pillow at night. ( I have a lot of pillowcases)
I think I started this in High School when I had hideous skin and would try almost anything to have pretty skin. By the way, my skin is still a mess ( so I guess it doesn't help acne) but I love having a fresh pillowcase to lay on. It's like being in a hotel or something.
Oh and the best part is that I didn't tell Brandt about this until after our honeymoon was over ( when we were back in a house without daily maids.....out come the pile of pillowcases!)

2. I am neurotic about a clean house. It is exauhsting and I'm the only one in the family that cares about things being put away, and everything being wiped down. As hard as I try to walk away from a stray toy, sock, or a couple crumbs ..... I'm almost constantly cleaning up.

3. I don't really love TV or the internet. I know, how do I live without reality TV? I guess I'm always busy cleaning, ha! Although I do love TV for my kids........they learn so much and I love how they almost instantly are quiet. TV is a lifesaver.

4. Even if I'm not sure if I'm leaving the house...... I put on my make up. Crazy, huh? I just feel better that way.

5. I don't drink calories......thus, I love love Diet Soda.
One of the first little phrases Tanner said as a toddler was"Diet Coke.....easy ice." I know, I'm not proud of it!

6. Even after having to drag kids with me the last couple of years, I love grocery shopping.

7. Just like Nicole, I too wear flip flops almost year round......and I live in Colorado!
People look at me like I'm crazy when it's snowing and I have on my huge coat and sandals. By the time I get my kids all bundled up to go out, the last thing I want to do is put on socks and shoes, plus my feet dry off faster than some shoes would. Lazy,huh?

8. I love spray butter. What is better than spritzing...okay DUMPING, ha, zero calorie butter tasting deliciousness on your food? Plus...spray butter is one way my kids and I will eat veggies.

I'm NOT Pregnant..........

BUT, my sister LORI is!!! COngrats to LO LO and Ryan. THey are expecting their first in March. Considering how great they are with my kids, their baby is set!

Lori came for a visit and we had a great time, minus the fact that her and I both got sick, UGH! ALSO, my mom and dad came by and while they were at our house we celebrated my Dad's BIRTHDAY..................

It got really exciting, HE has a lot of food ALLERGIES, so I made him OAT BRAN muffins and EGGS for his birthday BREAKFAST. Those are some of the foods that don't make him feel like dying. LOVE ya Dad.

AVA blowing out Grandpa's candle.

SPECIAL NEEDS

While Lori was here visiting we almost peed our pants the day TANNER wanted to wear his huge McQueen HELMET for a WALK!
Then he wouldn't take it off for the rest of the evening.




We thought he looked so SPECIAL, so I had to document it.





LORI finally tricked him out of wearing it by telling him she couldn't throw him around on the couch over and over again unless he would take it off. (Pretty ironic because maybe a helmet would be GOOD with an activity like that!)

ROCK BAND or CHURCH?

Okay.......BOTH

This is the scene that I came upon after I left Brandt to finish up SUNDAY Breakfast and play with the kids. I got ready for CHURCH and came downstairs to find 2 half naked kids and Brandt rockin' out.
Gotta Love It!
Somehow we even made it to church on time that day.

What's a Mombie??

Our little AVA is crazy about her blankie. It is soft, silky and pink and she always goes to get it out of her crib and drags it around the house. She calls it her MOMBIE....we think it is a combination of the words blankie and mommy.

Here she is lugging it around, she doesn't even mind that she pretty much trips over it all the time. She's gotta have it.

Notice her WITHOUT her mombie, but it isn't too far away(on the table)........she can't eat with it, I have to draw the line somewhere.

WE LOVE YOU AVA!

Shout out to Rock Band

In the past couple of weeks my little Tanner has pretty much learned to play the "air guitar" and mimic the moves of those creepy characters on ROCK BAND.
I'm not sure this is a good thing, but our friends and FAMILY seem to think it is very amusing.

I don't think ROCK BAND is appropriate for 3 year olds(Brandt purchased it as a gift for himself for Father's Day!), but at least it is something the family can do together....sort of.

Brandt's brothers and their wives love it too. Here are some pics of our last JAM SESSION

The Wedding Day!

 
 
 
 

Amberlyn and Chase's Wedding Weekend

Congrats to Brandt's little and only sister.
Amber married Chase Weed this past weekend in the Denver Temple. It was a fun and BUSY weekend. They are such a cute couple we are so happy for them. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.


Amber was such a pretty bride. WE are so LUCKY to have such great family members.

 
 
 
 

Amber and her handsome BROTHERS!! I think they are still in shock that Amber is married.

Backyard Complete!

The sunset from our backyard