Happy Valentine's To Me!!!

I JUST LOVE PICTURES!

This is my Valentine's Day gift to myself. A 24X24 Gallery Wrap on my kitchen wall will make me happy the whole month of February! I love my kids.................. even when they drive me crazy!

Snow Trip

While Justin was off over the holiday's he took the kids up to Twilight Canyon our favorite tubing spot on Mt. Graham. I stayed home with Mr. Grant and worked on things at home. They had a wonderful time I heard. I got a little worried when they were gone for 4 1/2 hours. I guess they were just having too much fun to come home! The kids loved this snow house they made and they kept asking their Dad if he could bring it home for them. I think Kiersten could live in the snow and be happy. Logan all bundled up. Having warm snow clothes makes all the difference! Thanks Mom and Tif for letting us use all your stuff. Most of the snow clothes are the ones Justin wore when he was a little kid which is kind of cool. The kids liked wearing stuff that they knew their Dad wore and played in. Of course Logan just kept laughing because he didn't believe that his dad was ever that little! He thought that was a pretty fun joke! Hunter loved tubing! This year the kids did more tubing on the actual tube then last year. They still like sliding down just on their bums and Twilight Canyon is the perfect place for "Bum Sledding!"

Kiersten getting ready for a little "Bum Sledding!"

WEEE HAAA!

Logan taking his turn. He had a great time this year! Last year his hands got cold in like 45 minutes and he was done!

Kiersten and Hunter getting themselves ready!

On your mark, get set, GOOOOO!!!

Even though their faces are blurry I love their expressions..............half fear half excitement!

Hunter having a ball! Once I saw all these pictures I was really bummed I didn't get to go. I had a blast last year "Bum Sledding!"

Landed right before the trees, nice job!

Kiersten striking a pose. Justin was such a good husband to take all these pictures for me. Thanks Sweetheart! He had a fun time with the kids and they always LOVE Daddy Time!

And there she goes!

Kiersten was so very excited to get up to the snow and build a snowman! They first made the snow house, then tubed for a couple of hours and then the boys were getting cold and they hadn't yet made a snowman. Kiersten was bummed but told her dad that it was OK and they should just leave because the boys were cold. She is so sweet and of course Justin had to stay and help her build her snowman after being so sweet about it! They had asked me to give them a carrot for their snowman before they left, but between making green chili burros, snacks, and hot chocolate (complete with ready whip) I forgot the carrot. They were lucky to find a carrot up there..........what luck huh?

So all in all they had a wonderful time and even brough back a truck full of snow for all the neighbor kids to play with. They had snow ball fights for two days!

Cookies For Mr. Claus

Another tradition is making cookies for Santa. This year some good friends of ours, the Saline's, brought by cookie dough and cookie cutters, so we used that to make Santa his cookies. The kids love putting on their aprons and using the rolling pin to flatter their cookie dough. Mr. Grant over saw everything from his Bumbo.

By the time we were done Logan had flour everywhere, but I knew that would happen.

Hard at work!

They had fun making the cookies and decorating them for Santa. They made sure that each cookie had as many sprinkles on it as it could hold. Hunter said, "We need to do it this way so Santa will have enough sugar in his body to make it to every one's house!"

Up, Up and Away Party

I copied my Wonderful cousin Alison and threw a Up, Up and Away Party the week the movie Up came out on DVD. Each of the kids got to pick on friend to invite.............Kiersten asked Maranda, Hunter asked Kendall, and Logan asked Brinner!

These two little boys are just hilarious! They truly have a great time playing together..............it's like they were friends in the preexistence! Hunter just loves Kendall even though Kendall is in the second grade. Hunter always enjoys playing with boys older than him and they don't seem to mind it! Kiersten and her good friend Maranda! They were so giggly this night, it was cute! We were going to have mini hamburgers with ketchUP, but I was tired and fed UP so Justin brought home pizza and we had 7-UP to drink!

7-UP for the UP Party

Cute little Kendall with pizza sauce lips!

Silly Logie

These two boys were hilarious. They kept laughing at each other. It was so funny it made me laugh. I love Brinner because he is just as rough and tough as Logan so no one gets mad.

These two really truly enjoy each others company! And Brinner kept burping which made me feel good as a mom because Logan burps all the time. I guess that's just what little 4 year old boys do!

Love Brinner's smile!

The kids did push UPs

Hunter showing his strength

Then they did sit UPs

And then they all played heads UP 7-UP! They thought all the activities were fun!

Logan and Brinner couldn't stop laughing long enough to really play the game but they had fun just the same!

After the activities we had push UP pops for dessert!

Silly 4 year old boys

Enjoying a little sugar

Nice tongue Maranda!

Then the kids got dressed UP in their p.j.'s before we started the movie UP. Maranda had to go home early, but Kiersten was a good sport and didn't mind.

Kendall and Hunter all cosy and comfy!

Logan and Brinner took over what I think is the best seats in the house! Thanks Al for the great idea, you're the best! Hope you don't mind us copying your fun idea. Wish you lived closer so we could have partied together! The kids all had so much fun I think we'll do a little movie party night again before Christmas if I can think of somethings clever and fun!

Ready for Halloween

The kids were so excited for it to be October so they could start wearing their Halloween clothes. Logan wanted to know when he gets to "tick-or-teat". What "spooktacular" kids!

Cute little Grant with his pumpkin beanie!

Recycled Snake

The kids school fair project this year was to make a desert animal out of recycled goods. It couldn't be bigger than a piece of paper. So this is what the kids and Justin came up with. A Rattlesnake made from gun shells! The kids were in heaven making it with their dad! I think Justin loved the project just as much.

They were so excited to take it to school and we even finished it before the due date! Pretty good after just having a baby we think! The kids each wanted to take it to their classroom to show their teacher before they had to take it to the computer room. Hunter made sure to ask if they were going to get the snake back after the fair! He fully plans on it decorating his wilderness themed bedroom. The kids teachers were very impressed and really made the kids feel like they did a great job on their family fair project. Thanks Justin for helping the kids with their fair project! You are an amazing DAD!

Kids with Grant

I have never seen our kids so excited! It was better than Christmas morning! We got home Wednesday night and boy were the kids ready to meet their brother!

Kiersten is going to be a wonderful help. She already wants to know when she can start changing diapers! Kiersten said, " Ahhh Mom, he is just perfect! How do I already love him so much?" She is going to be a wonderful mother one day!

Logan was so happy to finally hold Grant or "Brant" as he says it. Justin said we need to ask Logan's speech teachers at preschool to work on the letter "G" sound.

Hunter loves his brother Grant. and was way impressed with his Mohawk. Hunter asked if we could do Grant's hair like this everyday!

No too sure about some lovin' from his brother, but he'll just have to get use to it!

So Sweet! So far Grant is a wonderful baby but we know that can change. After having 3 colicky babies we are a little worried that Grant is too good of a baby and that one day we'll wake up and the crying will start. But until that happens we are loving every second of having a good baby!!! We have more than earned a good baby, but that's what we thought when we had Logan, and he was really colicky so we hope for the best. Justin and I never knew having a newborn could be this fun, what a difference a happy baby makes.................hope it stays this way. Kiersten even complained today that Grant doesn't cry enough! I never would have thought anyone would say that about one of my babies :)

The kids were so excited to put Grant in the swing for the first time! Love my kids!

Hunter is a great helper and just adores his little bother!

See Grant's already getting use to the kisses and lovin'.

Logan is just thrilled too be a Big Brother!!! i have found Logan sitting next to Grant while he is sleeping and i ask Logan what he's doing he says, "I no wake him up, i just talking to my little friend!" So sweet! Logan always wants to know where his "little friend " is.

So Sweet!