These two....

crack me up! Seriously could they be any cuter? I'm sitting in the family room this afternoon when I hear these two little rascals just giggling as they came bee-bopping down the hallway. I smiled so big when I saw them come around the corner. Oh, how I love these kids! After we took a much needed picture, they both decided to perform for me. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.

Kasey's Big day

Well, it's offical my little sis got married last night. She has always been such an important part of my life and I love her dearly. Thanks so much to everyone who helped make her day so special. She looked amazing. It was a fun time, and now we have a new member of our family.
Introducing Chance and Kasey Noyes..........

Everyone had such a great time too. Especially the kids, my kids just live for this kind of stuff. Here's Taylor in all her glory. She was sooooooooo in her element. Seriously, getting her hair all done, wearing lip gloss, carrying flowers, wearing a beautiful dress, dancing to her hearts content, this is the type of stuff Miss Taylor lives for. She was in heaven. Her, Riley and one other little one where in charge of getting the gifts and Taylor really took her job seriously. I went to check on her at one point just as some people were arriving and I heard Taylor say "oh, a customer!", as she ran to greet them.


Little Chase had a good time too. He worn his little suit that we got for the ocassion the ENTIRE time. I was shocked! I orinigally thought 20 minutes TOPS! Ahh! This kid melts my heart. He was all about the chicken dance, (see pic) I wish I had it on tape, and of course the chocolate dipped strawberries. YUM!


And here's Tally Wally doing what he does best, looking so darn cute. He loved the dancing too (see pic below). This kid is just the sweetest.

And here's a couple fun random shots.



Cort and Talan dancing

the fam.


And here's one of all the flowers from the reception that we took over to my mom following the reception. We did this for my wedding and Whit's too. It's always so fun to go and do this with who ever is still around. I know my mom just loves this. And we love doing it too.

One last of Talan on the way home after a long day of fun. All three of the kids crashed hard on our way home late last night. We really wore them out.
Congrats again Kas and Chance, love ya both!

Update

Seven years
Last week was me and Cort's 7 year anniversary. Hard to believe it's been seven years! 7 years, 3 kids later, and still going strong. I feel so blessed to have Cort in my life he truly is my best friend. He works so hard for our family and always has our best interest at heart.
Here's a couple pictures of us about eight years ago or so, I can't believe it's been that long. I remember when I was younger and eight years felt like an eternity, now I feel like I blink and eight years passes by.....


And here's one of us with Taylor when she was six weeks old. (still can't believe she's in kindergarten.)

For our anniversary Cort planned a little trip for us. We went up to Portland for the weekend while his parents stayed with our kids. It was a nice little break even though I missed the kids like CRAZY.
Cort sort of surprised me with tickets to Phantom of the Opera that first night and dinner at a resturant right on the water. The play was amazing! The special effects were incredible. Of course I forgot to take a picture, (I am so bad at taking pictures if it doesn't include our kids). However, I did have Cort stop by the theater so we could take a picture by the poster on our way out of town at 5am!
And here I am.....

The second day we went to the beach, did some shopping, had some fresh seafood and just enjoyed being together.
Cort really is quite a guy. I know I don't tell him that enough. I look forward to many more years with him. I am a lucky girl!!
Sick day
Well, a couple days after we got back poor Tally got pretty sick. He had a stomach bug of some sort I guess. I made him a little bed in the family room and put in a movie for him and he just laid there and watched it, which he NEVER does. Anyways, I thought this picture of him and Chase was so cute I had to post it. Chase was so concerned about him. What cute brothers.

Growing up
I love this picture of Chase. I took it right before he was about to go to one of his little buddies birthday parties. He was so excited to go. As I watched him get ready to walk out the door, I realized how big he was getting and that's when I decided we needed to take a picture to remember how I felt at that exact moment when I realized he really isn't a baby anymore, he's a little boy. Or as he would say "a big boy!!" Get it right mom!

Campout
The whole fam actually got to go to our ward's campout this year. We had a blast! Chase was totally in his element, as was Taylor. They are true campers for sure. There was a great big hill right by our camp sight that the kids climbed up and down I don't know how many times. We had hot dogs for dinner, roasted marshmallows, and slept in a tent. Honestly, does it get any better then that? Not in my kid's world! Ever since we got home, almost every night in Chase's prayer he thanks his Heavenly Father for the campout. I think it's safe to say we will be going a lot over the years.


Talan is one!
Tally turned one on August 27th. Once again I can't believe it! He was so cute at his little party. When we sang him happy birthday he just stared at us like we were crazy. It was hilarious. I got it on tape, I really need to learn how to upload videos. If anyone wants to teach me that would be great. Of course Tally enjoyed his cake. We had him eat it outside, good thinking on my part. He made a mess and as soon as he was done he crawled right over to the sandbox and started playing. He now plays peek a boo with us with him being the one who hides on his own. He's not walking yet, but he did take his first step at church today, but honestly he's really not that interested in it yet. He loves to eat just about anything, and makes all of us smile on a daily basis. I can't believe he's one. Happy Birthday little guy!!


And I am 32!!
I had the best birthday this year. I felt very humbled by everyone thinking of me on my big day. I truly do have some of the best people around in my life. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by such amazing people who are such wonderful examples to me. I really am so blessed in so many ways. As I look back on the last year of my life and think of all the many times and ways my Heavenly Father has blessed me I am overwhelmed. I am so grateful for the good times and of course even the bad times that have made me better and stronger. Thanks to everyone who made my day so special, it truly was because of all of you, here's to another great year!

Time flys

For those of you who have been concerned, no the Welkers have not fallen off the face of the earth, we are still here, just a little behind with the blogging world. I can't believe that we are already half way through August....I guess it's true what they say time flys when your having fun.
Here's some of the fun stuff we have been up too lately....
We went down to St. George a couple of weeks back and did some hiking, shopping, swimming, and just had a grand old time. Me and Taylor also went and saw the Sound of Music at the Tuccan theater down there. She couldn't take her eyes off the stage. If you have never been you MUST go. Here's a couple pictures of us hiking the red rocks down in St. George when we were there. The kids absolutely loved the hike, regardless of the fact that it was over 100 degrees! When we first got there Chase was hoping so hard that we would find a snake and of course no surprise to those who know me well, I was praying that we didn't!



However, we did find this little guy and one of his buddies on a bench that I almost had the kids sit on to take a picture. YIKES! Thank goodness I didn't! Cort actually saw him and I found his friend on the way back to the car.

We have also been doing a lot of swimming over the past two months too, the kids just simply can't get enough of it. Chase is our little dare devil, the phrase "no fear" comes to mind. He absolutely hates that I make him wear a life jacket when he sees that Taylor doesn't have to wear one. He just wants to be like his big sis in every way. I seriously think he'll be swimming before long.


Our little Tally has been going through a lot of big changes lately too. He is really turning into a little boy. He was leading the music in church yesterday. And he is now waving, pointing at things, giving kisses, saying mama, and dada, and he LOVES playing along side Taylor and Chase, (no big change there, no one can make him laugh like they do). However, probably my favorite thing he does is when he is all fussy and whining and I'll ask him if he wants a cracker or a drink and he'll stop crying and babble back at me, I swear he's trying to tell me that he does. I really need to get it on tape. Also, his new love is the hose in our yard. He will seriously sit and play with it forever. The other day he was outside playing with the hose, and eating crackers, when we brought him in he was a big wet mess, so Cort threw him in the kitchen sink and gave him a bath. He loved it. It was pretty cute stuff.

And of course, one of are most exciting news is that Taylor is now a big time kindergarter!! She started last week. I can hardly believe it! Even now when I drop her off I have to remind myself that yes she is old enough to be doing this. Her teacher is adorable and she is already having a lot of fun. I was driving around the other day and I was thinking about her starting school and I couldn't believe that it has already been FIVE AND A HALF years since we welcomed her into our family and lifes. She is my little gem! Here she is on her first day of school. She is such a poser, she loves to have her picture taken. I just know that she is going to have a great year.

Memories

Memory Game
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Fun Family Trip

We took a long old memorable trip this past week, we were gone for 8 days, are longest yet with the kids. We decided to head down to Arizona and visit some family and friends there before our annual Lake Powell trip. We had such a good time. I love going there. My mom's family all lives down there and when I am with her sisters and parents I always feel so close to her.
Here's the kids with their great grandparents. Every time we visit my grandparents they always send me back with all sorts of treasures from around their house. The last day we were there, Taylor was admiring my Grandpa's rock collection and he ended up giving her one that he'd brought back from Nauvoo, which she carried in her lap the whole drive to Powell.


Here's Taylor with her cute little cousins who she was SO excited to see again. Before we left Utah she kept talking about them and asking me what their names were again. They got to have a big sleepover the first night we were there and when I went to check on them around midnight all I could hear was them giggling like CRAZY! The funny thing is that me and their mom were super close as kids too, so it was so fun to watch our girls enjoy being together so much. Such cuties!! Taylor was so sad to go. Janee you guys need to come visit us now. We love our Arizona family so much! We missed seeing you Nelsons though. Thanks again Leone for letting us stay with you and for everything else as well. And Thanks Diane for getting the family all together on Friday night, it's always so good to see everyone again.


We also got to see some good friends the Becks who use to live across the street from us and now live down there as well and who are hopefully going to be moving back soon. No pressure though guys! The kids were so cute and had so much fun.
Here's Talan and Chase.... with Chase giving his classic "I'm not going to look at you when you have that camera in your hands no matter what you say or do pose". The last time these boys were together they were just babies, regardless of that though they were just as excited to see one another and play as the girls were.

And Here's Taylor and her adorable little friend Maddy. Taylor had so much fun playing with her again. These girls have been friends since they were babies too and we were so sad when they moved from across the street from us. Taylor talked about Maddy for the longest time after that, she just couldn't understand why she had to move!

Here's another picture of them as well, on the night before they moved. They look so young! I think that they are 2 years old here, correct me if I'm wrong. No doubt about it these girls will be friends for a long time to come.

Lake Powell was a blast! I love that place and the tradition continues, Taylor and Chase had so much fun and can't wait to go back. Chase was a die hard, jumping off the back of the boat, a mini "cliff", (if you can call it that), riding the big whale tube behind the boat, he is so fearless! Taylor had a grand old time as well, I couldn't keep her out of the water either, and she to took her turn on the whale behind the boat, riding the waverunner and just having the time of her life.
Poor Cort had a little mishap in Arizona while riding his bike on some trail and was unable to really enjoy Powell the way it's suppose to be done. Needless to say, him and Talan got some good bonding time in. So thanks to him for that!

Here's my crazy brother showing off while we where cliff jumping, with my dad in the background. Once again FEARLESS! This was probably at least a 25-30 foot cliff. Which doesn't sound like much, but when you are standing at the top of something like that believe me it looks a lot higher then it sounds.

Mini me
Here's Chasers with my other brother Bry. Everyone always tells me that Chase is a minituare version of Bryce. So, we staged this photo of them so everyone could judge for themselves. Unfortunately Chase wouldn't cooperate of course, and that's why they are looking at their hands and not the camera.

Miss Taylor jumping off her first "cliff."

Part of the group hanging out in our top of line sweet shade tent which provided much relief from the sun. Good call on this one Whit.

My dad jamming out to his new favorite Keith Urban. Last year I believe it was Tom Petty and the year before Savage Garden or as he would call them "ravage savage." It just wouldn't be Lake Powell if my dad wasn't busting a move and singing at the top of his lungs at some point. Seriously though, he can get down with the best of them.

And here's Chase FINALLY riding the waverunner. I say finally because he asked over and over again before we got him out there on it. He was absolutely mesmerized by that thing. He is such a boy!

And once again here's Chase the first night we got there at the hotel. We went out on the balcony and he was all excited yelling "look come see! Come see! Lake Powell!"

Here's one of most of the grandbabies back at the hotel climbing all over and playing with their Pa-pa.

And here's Talan enjoying his first swim at Powell. He loved the water and his new little floater that we tried out for the first time while we were there. He was seriously such a trooper. He even took his naps on the boat, and didn't have one meltdown the whole time there.


And just for fun here's one of me trying to decide if I really want to jump off of that there cliff we are standing on, with a little encouragement from my dad and brother. I am either losing my nerve as I get older or I am just getting smarter. Depends on who you ask I guess. Also, notice that I'm the only one wearing a life jacket, bunches of crazies I tell ya! And just in case you were wondering where you could pick up one of those jackets like the one I'm wearing for yourself, I think your out of luck. We've had those things since I was like ten years old(I know you were admiring it). I still don't know why we haven't got rid of them yet. However they are functionable, and hopefully still coast guard approved and without a doubt, I think it goes without saying, VERY stylish! Retro's back right?