September 2010

Lots of fun times to report for us Welkers this past month, that's for sure! Here's a look into what some of our past month has looked like. I can't believe it's almost October. I am starting to realize how precious TIME is. In fact, I have really been evaluating lately how I spend mine. My kids are growing up so incredibly fast. I am really trying to embrace each day, even the crazy ones that I could do without. :) Here's some of our month in pictures....

I made a quick trip to Utah at the beginning of the month to spend some time with some of my FAVORITE people in the world. We went up to Logan for Time Out for Women. It was kind of like BYU's Womens Conference. I left feeling almost like a new person, the messages and the music were AMAZING, to say the least. I bought a book while I was there to read on the plane back to AZ, called the Time Starved Family. I have been amazed at how much I am enjoying it. It is written by a mom with 7 CHILDREN. It has really given me a lot to think about. She talks about priorities, and how valuable our time is, among many other wonderful and thought provoking things. If you want a good read that will give you lots to think about check this one out! Thanks so much girls for the fun time and for being such wonderful examples to me. Being with you always makes me happy. I really miss you all a lot.



Easton is changing everyday. He has a couple of new tricks that he has learned recently. Probably my favorite is that he is now waving goodbye, however it's not your typical wave, instead it's more like a hail Hitler type of thing. It's hilarious. He is also saying ba-ba meaning bottle and bi-bi for bye. My least favorite thing he is doing is climbing the stairs. I NEED to get a gate for these stairs of ours all day long he is constantly climbing them. I am getting my workout by merely chasing him up them!


Taylor was the superstar student in her class a couple weeks ago and she made this cute poster to display. She made the whole thing herself. She is really enjoying her new school. She even started a Star Wars club there with some of her hew friends. She cracks me up!

This past Sunday was a rough day for Taylor. When we first moved to Arizona my Grandpa gave the kids 3 lovebirds to have as pets. Taylor has been really wanting a dog for a couple years now. I told her that if she could proof to be responsible with the birds than she could eventually get a dog. She has actually been pretty good about taking care of them. Well, on Sunday morning before church we looked out at the birds and they all seemed fine, but later that afternoon when we were outside we noticed 2 of them on the bottom of the cage. They had died. Taylor was crushed. I had to keep reassuring her that it wasn't anything she did. We buried them that night and Taylor made them a sign with their names. She kept saying the 2 that died were the girls, who she named what else? Padme and Asuka from Star Wars.
RIP Padme and Asuka. Poor Obie Wan seems so lonely now.


Cort's sister came for a visit and we all met her adorable little girl for the first time. Her and Easton are only 3 months apart and Talan and Brewin our only 6 months apart. It is so fun to have cousins the same age. We enjoyed having them and we are excited to hopefully be seeing them a lot more now that we are only about 5 hours from them verses 10.



We started a new tradition too this past month. We have been wanting to do a weekly family movie night for awhile now, but Friday we try to make me and Cort's night out and Saturday is crazy with church. So we opted for Sunday afternoon. It has been perfect! Plus, we finally joined the rest of the world and got a DVR! I have been recording lots of family friendly movies throughout the week. I have about 20 or so now recorded. The kids love it cause they have so many new ones that they have never seen to choose from. Cort says I'm obsessed! :) It has really been a lot of fun. Easton still isn't clear on the whole concept of movie night, see pic below. Regardless though, we are loving our new Sunday afternoon tradition.

This past week we have just been hanging out at home. It has felt so nice to be lazy. Here's a pic of the boys lounging around. Hope your month has been grand and that you are all enjoying my favorite season of the year. There is just something about fall that is so magical to me. Can't wait for Halloween! Good thing it's around the corner.

Mr. Talan goes to playschool

Talan started his first year of preschool last week. His cute class is just down the street from our house. A couple of the cute kids in his class have been having a hard time when they get dropped off, but His sweet teacher Mrs. Kristen told me that Talan is doing great and isn't phased by the craziness of it all. And that's our Talan in his own little world and just happy to be there.

When I dropped him off on his first day, he walked in like he owned the place, opened up the toy cupboard and started pulling stuff out. I love watching him grow and learn and see the differences in my four kids.
Talan proudly showing me what he did he class on his first day.

The other day after I picked him up and I asked him how his day was, he told me "I didn't cry mom, I fine. I fine." Love him.

cuteness overload

If this picture doesn't make you smile, well than quite frankly NOTHING will! This morning as I was rushing sround trying to get Taylor ready for school, Talan ready for his first day of play-school, (that post soon to come,) Chase up and going for his big day at school, trying to get breakfast made and eaten, scriptures read, house picked up, Taylor's superstar poster done that we were informed of last night at like 9:00 pm, in the mist of ALL this crazy-ness I found Easton grunting his way between the chairs under the kitchen table, probably eating the cheerios along the way that had fallen on the floor during his breakfast. THANK GOODNESS the camera was on the table! So glad I captured him doing what he does best, and that is oozing cuteness and making me smile. SO sad that he is going to be a year old in 2 months. Life goes by way too fast.

Talans 3rd birthday

Talan turned three a couple of days ago. We love him so much, for obvious reasons and for many not so obvious reasons. For anyone that really knows Talan they can concur what a good time this kid is. He is always doing something fun. He has such an imagination and can make just about anything fun. I wish I could visit the inside of his head because I just know there is a non-stop party going on inside there.

Top ten things we love about Talan

1. He loves to cuddle and give hugs and kisses
2. He is pretty good about sharing, especially for a 3 year old
3. He makes the best sound effects. Sword fighting, (ching-ching) is my absolute favorite.
4. His ability to make friends. Even at his young age people tend to be drawn to him, even adults. There have been several occasions when complete strangers have just given him stuff for free. We have lived here in our new house for a total of one month and he has already made several cute friends. Last week at church his nursery teacher asked me if him and a little girl in his class play a lot outside of church. I told her they have once or twice...but not a lot...then she informed me that they are inseparable. Talan still talks about his best little buddies from Utah on a daily basis too and still asks to go to their house and play. He really is quite social and loves to be around people.
5. His love of sweets. This is something we share. He isn't a big fan of vegetables and fruits. I think it's a texture thing. Another thing we share, I have issues with certain foods because of their textures. However, he LOVES to eat baby food and will lick the jar clean. No lie. His favorite is carrots.
6. His concern for others. Whenever me and Cort are goofing around I'll I have to do is scream for Talan and he comes running to my rescue.
7. His imagination is top notch. The things he comes up with. He plays so good by himself. I find him constantly off by himself having the time of his life, playing some sort of game.
8. Whenever we walk in the room, it doesn't matter how long we have been gone he greets you with so much love you can't help but feel special.
9. He is hil-ar-ious! He makes me smile and laugh on a daily basis. Right now he is obsessed with Star Wars and walks around singing the theme song for Darth Vader all day long. I'll bet you can't guess what he's going to be for Halloween??!
10. He is VERY independent. He doesn't want help with much. He is a kid who knows what he wants and how he is going to get it. I hope this trait serves him well later in life, I'm sure it will.

The day before Talan's birthday this year, since we are only 5 hours away from Disneyland now, we took him and the rest of the fam there for the day to celebrate. When we got there they gave him a button and he enjoyed all of the extra attention he got there as a result. On his actual birthday we spent the day together and did a little family party that night. It was a lot of fun. We sure our grateful that he is ours. Happy Birthday Talan! What a joy you are.

monkey see monkey do

Lately as Easton has been getting older I have really begun to see how close him and Talan are. They truly have a very strong bond. Whenever Easton wakes up Talan always greets him with a smile while screaming "IT'S A PEASTY!" and jumping up and down. And Easton is in absolute awe of Talan too, he loves to be near him and follow him around. Talan has always been very protective of Easton. If someone he doesn't know real well tries to pick him up or talk to him Talan is right by his side, sometimes refusing to let anyone he doesn't know near him. In fact, when Easton was just a newborn there where several occasion when Talan threw an absolute fit when anyone he didn't know would go near his baby brother. As a mom, there is nothing better than seeing your kids be one another closest friends.

Our little Scripture Star

Chase started his second year of preschool today. When I went to drop him off he told me that he didn't need me to walk him in, he could do it himself. I told him ok, so we pulled up, got out of the car said good-bye and he turned to me and said "you can walk me to the door, but then I don't need you." And he didn't. As soon as we got to the door he walked right in and I heard him proceed to tell his teacher that he had already read 5 books since we meet with her last week for our meet the teacher day, which means he gets his first sticker on his reading chart, only four more to go til he gets to pick a prize from the treasure box, and that's how I left him. Doesn't he look great?? I am one proud mom.

He was so excited to go to school today. He kept asking me all morning long if it was time yet for him to go. I kept asking him "WHO TOLD YOU, YOU COULD GROW UP!??! My little baby boy Chase is officially gone and now in his place I have a big boy on my hands. Which makes me excited and sad all at the same time. One of my favorite things that he does lately is just randomly come up to me and give me a big fat kiss and say I love you. Who wouldn't love that??
All four of my boys. Tay was already at school.

His school is called Scripture Stars. His teacher uses the scriptures and the stories from the scriptures to teach the kids the basics. Genuis. I was looking at his calendar and next week he is learning the story of Adam and Eve along with all things that start with the letter A that our found in the Garden of Eden. Alligator, Adam, Apple. I just know he is going to have a great year.

It's hard work being 9 months old

This is how I found Easton at 10:00 this morning in my room. I knew he was in there playing, but then I noticed it got really quiet and so I went in there to check on him and this is what I found....

Our little Easty Peasty fast asleep. It's all he needs...his blanket and his binkie and he is in heaven. I guess Chase is the one who actually brought them to him. Why can't we all be so easy to please? This poor kid has been teething big time. He got his first two bottom teeth at 6 months and his first one on the top came in no prob, but that darn second one his making his life MiSeRable! Which makes my life...a little more crazy too. I think though after one long week of trying to get that tooth through it finally made it's debut this morning! I couldn't be more excited.
When he isn't getting teeth, Easton is still the same happy-go-lucky little guy who just goes with the flow. He is our little chatter box, I really think he likes the sound of his own voice. He is now army crawling all over the place and has started to pull himself up to stand. He loves to stand and if you pull him down he gets upset at you big time! He is an awesome sleeper which is very much appreciated by his mom and dad and he loves meeting new people. Whenever someone new greets him he will just stare and stare and then he will usually just grin away like he's known you forever. Got to love this kid! We all sure do.