Temple Square

Dinner table

I took this one and thought it turned out pretty well!

Travis & me with all of the kids

The boys...Wilson wouldn't keep his gloves on, so Mike tucked his arms down inside his coat so he couldn't really move at all. You'll notice he's still sitting in the stroller being lifted up!

Whitney did not want to smile with me...

One of the main reasons for making the trip to Salt Lake was to take the kids to Temple Square to see the lights. We met up with my cousin Jennifer and her family and my cousin Travis for dinner first and then headed to Temple Square. Mike, Travis and I took 6 kids there! It was a little crazy and fairly cold and then it started raining...It was beautiful as always and I enjoyed seeing the lights again!

Old Friends!

Whitney's photography skills. She told the kids to pose like this!

Nicole & Alli doing what we do best--talking!

Whitney and Tess making ice cream

Wilson playing dress-up

About six months after we were married, Mike and I moved into a cute little duplex in Salt Lake. We loved living there and became good friends with the couple on the other side. We used to be bored in the evenings and we would knock on the adjoining wall and then if the others knocked back we would get together. Lots of great memories!

We haven't seen them since Whitney was about 6 months old, so it was really fun to get together. We went out to dinner at Red Robin (one of our old favorites) and then went back to their house for a couple of hours and let the kids play while we all caught up. This was one of my favorite parts of our trip!

Sledding

Sledding is a lot of work for Daddy! The second time we went, Mike hooked a tie down to the sled and then around his waist to pull the kids up the hill!

These garbage cans were at the bottom of the hill--too funny!

While we were in Utah, Mike took the kids sledding a couple of times at Sugarhouse Park. We used to live just down the street from there so it was fun to take the kids there too! They absolutely LOVED it and were not happy about leaving. They've gotten to do a little sledding around the neighborhood; we have plenty of snow, it's just been too cold to go! Hopefully we'll see a few warmer days and they can get out again this season!

Gateway Children's Museum

We decided to take a weekend trip to Salt Lake the first weekend of December. Our kids did AMAZING in the car. They watched only 1 or 2 movies each way of the 8 hour drive! We only got out once and they pretty much kept themselves entertained in the back!! We drove down on a Thursday and our first stop was the Quilted Bear. I love that store! It is a craft mall and it is so fun to look and see what I could possibly make. I got a few ideas and picked up a couple of little things.

On Friday, we took the kids to the Gateway Children's Museum. They had so much fun when we went to the one in Phoenix that I knew we had to take the opportunity to go again! It was a great place for the kids to run around too! We didn't take too many pictures, but Mike took a lot of video. Whitney LOVED the mini stage and dress up clothes. She twirled all around in the princess dresses only stopping to put on more lip gloss! I think Wilson's favorite thing was all of the little cars they had for the kids to drive. He just moved from one activity to another--definitely busy. I wish we had one of these closer--it would be so great for all of the cold winter days!

Halloween

Little Jessie

Little Woody

Wilson's opinion of picture taking...

Whitney's Halloween Outfit--She was so happy to pose for this picture and picked the pose herself!

I suggested to Whitney that she be Jessie for Halloween back when we saw Toy Story 3. I found lots of other cute ideas that I tried to convince her to be, but she was not going to be swayed. So, we had a cute little Jessie and Woody! I had fun making their costumes--a tradition I hope I can keep up!

Mike loves Halloween, but has just been too busy to get into it the past couple of years, but we got out the boxes of his spooky Halloween things. Our kids are totally freaked out by anything to do with Halloween. Wilson saw some masks in a box across the garage and started crying. It was pretty fun (okay maybe mean, but we got a good laugh) taking them near the Halloween aisle at the stores...Maybe they'll grow out of it...

On Halloween, we had a fun little neighborhood party in the afternoon. That evening we went to our church's Trunk-or-Treat. Whitney did pretty good saying "Trick or Treat"; Wilson, of course, wouldn't say anything, but gladly held out his bag to get the candy. After Trunk-or-Treat we went around to a few houses and then ended the night by stopping by our old neighbors' house for homemade donuts! They were delicious!

Wilson Michael

Making a funny face. Poor kid--he is definitely going to need braces, probably sooner than later!

He usually puts this little hard hat on at some point during the day.

Wilson is becoming quite the character! He is so busy!!!

At least once a day someone says, "You are such a handful!"

Here are some Wilson highlights:

• Loves to play in the dirt and be outside.

• LOVES to ride on the dirtbike with daddy. We got him a bike helmet and he did not want to wear it until he realized that if he had the helmet on he could ride with daddy--now he wants it on all of the time!

• He thinks the bar stools are there to help him--he pushes them all over the kitchen so that he can get up on the counters/stove/anywhere else he needs to get up on!
• He takes his pants off when he poops! Fortunately he doesn't take his diaper off too!
• Likes to climb and jump. He especially likes to climb up on the counters to help himself to whatever is up there.
• He has a cute little hop he does when he's running. He will run a few steps and then do a little hop.
• He doesn't say very many words, but he is quite vocal. He really tries to get his point across. He says NO and MORE very well.
• Very snuggly and loving. When we're at the store he will reach his arms around me and give hugs. When I ask him for kisses, he will lean his cheek out to me. He will usually do this a few times and then tell me no.
• He is learning to be funny. He knows that making faces will make us laugh.
• Drinks well from a cup, but tends to throw it when he's had enough. Learning how to use a spoon and fork--it's still easier to use his fingers.
• Finally sleeping in his own bed! And through the night most nights.
• Starting to wean from his binkie--he's only using it when he's sleeping.
• Folds his arms during prayers and is even trying to say them. He gets some words out, we just don't understand a lot of his words.

It's hard to believe that he will be 2 so soon! We sure love him and are enjoying watching him learn and grow.

Preschool

After School Cupcakes & Juice--I want this to be a school tradition from now on! I almost forgot to get the cupcakes made, my mom had to bring me cupcake wrappers and Mike picked Whit up from school so I could finish frosting them!

Last fall I got Whitney on a waiting list for preschool. I took her in for a screening toward the end of August and she did great. The 3-year-old preschool class is mostly for children who need extra services like speech and OT/PT. I knew she didn't qualify, but they said that they accept some other children depending on how many there are with needs. I hadn't heard anything so I thought she didn't get in, but a couple of weeks later they called and had room for her! I was so excited! And so was she! She goes for two hours twice and week and is really enjoying it. She never remembers very much of what they do when I ask, but throughout the week things will trigger her memory. Just the other day we were driving and she was singing some little songs to Wilson that she has learned at school. It is so nice for her to have something special to do during the week.