Spring break

Kind of on a whim, (We had been talking about it for weeks) me and the kids decided to pack a few bags and head to Utah for the week while the kids were out of school for Spring Break. So glad we did! We had a great time. Like always. Cort had to stay in Arizona while we went because sadly his Spring Break was not at the same time, but lucky for us he flew up to drive us back home the day before we needed to be back.
Utah bound

I can't believe I didn't get a picture of us making it, but I asked Maryan to help me make a quilt for Easton's new toddler bed that Cort had made him, since all three of our boys are sharing a room now. Plus, I have been wanting to learn. Seriously from start to finish she (we...she did most of it and I observed) had that entire thing done within a few hours. She is amazing! Thanks Maryan. Here is Easton's new bed in all it's glory. Now if only I could get him to continue to take his 3 hour naps, instead of the 1 hour he is down too since we switched him we would be set!

My cute sister threw me a surprise shower while we were there. And again I forgot to take pictures. It was a such a great night full of family and some of my very favorite friends. And our sweet little Avery got some very fun new goodies. Love all you ladies so much. So grateful for you all! Your kindness means the world to me.

We spent lots of good times with our McKell cousins while there. Chase and Taylor have really been into making money lately. I was just told yesterday that Chase and one of his little buddies here in Arizona, were going door to door the other day selling pine cones that they had found at the park for 50 cents. Crazy kids! While we were in Utah all they had to do was tell Whitney they wanted to do a "sale" and of course she set it up for them! Here they are with some very happy customers! Chase made 4.00 that day not too bad!

Easton and Hadlie only 8 months apart. Hadlie is older, although you can't tell by their size!

Chase and Holden. 6 months apart. And bestest cousins since the day they were born!

We got to together with some friends and went and saw the Lorax while we were there. Here we all are after the show. This is what a picture looks like when you are trying to take one of about 12 kids all at once after a movie. Not to bad considering!

The Friday night we were there, my sweet friend Lynette invited us over for dinner and some fun. We sure do miss our cute Hafen friends!


The weather was perfect while we were there. Shockingly enough! You just never know what you are going to get weather wise in Utah. Taylor and Chase loved riding their long boards up and down the tennis court. And Easton and Talan had fun too just exploring Grandpa Bryce's yard.




Uncle Tyson stopped by for a bit and we were happy to see him.

My dad took Chase to the Jazz game while we were there. The night before they left my dad went over and bought Chase a BYU hat and shirt for him to wear to the game. Chase loved it! And has seen wore that hat several times and been found walking around chanting BYU! BYU! BYU! My dad said Chase was really quiet on the way up to the game and even when they got into the game, but once it started Chase came alive!

My dad also bought him a new football, because on our way up there Chase's old one popped??? So weird. Not sure if it was the altitude change or what, but Chase was sure excited to get his new one. He slept with it every night! I think I have a similar picture of Chase at age 2 fast asleep with a baseball.

Trying to get Easton to take naps there was kind of tricky. I had to lay with him tell he fell asleep. When I would tell him to close his eyes this is what he would do....

TOO FUNNY! Made me laugh right out loud.
The kids watched several movies while we were there too. So nice to have some down time to just chill and hang out.

Taylor and Chase actually slept in while we were there! So, while they slept me, Easton, and Talan still got up at the crack of dawn (not by my choice!) and went into the exercise room and watched shows. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get them to stay off of the equipment. So, instead I opted to take a picture of them watching a show!

Taylor is 9

I can hardly believe that our Taylor Debra is 9! 9 years ago this beautiful little girl made me a mother for the first time. For her birthday me and Easton meet her for lunch at her school. Then we went to Pei Wei for dinner that night (her choice), opened presents, had cake and then I surprised Tay with tickets to see Wicked for her first time that night. I worried that she wouldn't be into the whole time. But she was. She loved it and so did I.
9 things we love about Taylor
1. She always has a smile on her face. She is a pretty happy kid.
2. She is able to let things just roll off her back. She can come home tell me about the horrible day she had at school and within the next 2 minutes she's as happy as can be either off to find someone to play with or leading her brothers in some sort of game or activity.
3. She is very social. And has friends of all ages. Really she can play with just about anyone and have a good time.
4. She is senitive to other people's feelings and hates to see anyone hurt or left out. At running club a couple of weeks ago, Chase told me that he watched Taylor stop running her laps to go and help a little girl who had tripped while running. She is aware of people around her and is always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.
5. She sets such a good tone in our home. She hates contention and is our little peacemaker.
6. She is secure with who she is and what she believes. And she stands up for what she knows is right.
7. She lets her little brothers follow her and her friends around. I have never once heard her complain about having any of the boys with her and her friends. As a mom I so appreciate this about her.
8. She is very patient. On road trips or movie nights, her brothers are always laying all over her and you will never hear her complain about it.
9. She's dependable. She helps me out so much and I don't know what I would do without her.
At age 9 Here are 9 things Taylor loves
1. She loves to draw
2. She loves salad. Whenever we go out to eat this is what she orders.
3. She loves music. She loves to sing and write songs.
4. She loves Math and anything to do with numbers.
5. She loves to pick her own clothes. She is really quite the little fashion diva. I bought her a ferdora recently and when I did I told her when are you going to wear this?? Little did I know she wears it almost every day! And although it drives me a little crazy, if I let her she would change her clothes at least 3 times a day. She loves putting outfits together.
6. She loves to ride her bike and play with her friends.
7. She loves going to school and learning.
8. She loves gymnastics and tumbling, floor being her very favorite.
9. She loves to read. She just finished reading the 4th Harry Potter book and is about to start the fifth.

The day before her birthday, Chase came home from school with this adorable birthday crown that he made all by himself and several birthday cards, that he had his friends at school make for her. Chase loves her so much. They are so lucky to have one another and I'm so grateful for their bond.


Birthday Balloons

Birthday lunch at school


Me and Taylor at Wicked waiting to go in.

Birthday cake

Opening presents. The boys seriously can't get enough of her. Really this picture says it all. If she is around this is pretty much the way it is. There hoovered around waiting for her to decide what they are going to do.

We love you Taylor! Seriously can't believe that you are 9! Slow down girlie, you are growing up way too fast.

Disneyland Febuary 2012

One of the major perks to living in Arizona, is the fact that we are only about a 5 hour drive away from Disneyland. For Cort's birthday we decided to head on down and live it up Disneyland style for his big day. Talan had been talking about this trip in his prayers for weeks. And ever since we got back he never forgets to say thanks in his prayers that we were able to go and celebrate "daddy's birthday" there.

Taylor and Cort dancing down the street on the big day. Since Taylor's birthday was only a week away, we decided to celebrate her birthday there as well. I believe that was Talan's idea. He loves birthdays! Even when it isn't his own. Any reason to celebrate is a good one for Talan.

Riding the Buzz ride at least a couple times is always a must!



Chase trying to comfort Talan as we are entering the Haunted Mansion. Glad I had my phone handy so I could snap a picture of this cute Kodak moment.

Easton has never been more excited than when we saw McQueen and Mater. He kept saying "that McQueen! that Mater! Hi McQueen! Hi Mater!" Pure Joy.



"Patiently" waiting in line

Toy Story ride in California Adventureland is always a favorite too!


Chase was FINALLY tall enough to ride the Indiana Jones ride. He has been waiting for this day for at least two years! And it was everything he has hoped for! I think Cort, him, and Tay rode it at least twice each day we were there.

Feeling the love

Valentines came and went, super fast, and we tried hard to make the most of it.
Talan and Easton right before Talan left for his Valentine's party at preschool, holding one of his homemade Valentines. Easton still hates when Talan has to leave for school. They really are great friends.

Taylor with her Valentine's box, she made for her goodies from her friends.

One of my favorite Valentines

Chase's Valentines

Taylor's Valentines

Checking out their loot

Chase and his buddy at his Valentine's party at school

Since Cort had to work on Valentines AND left for school before the kids got up we had to celebrate without him. Major Bummer. But we still had fun. Dinner by candlelight with four of my LOVES.

And last but not least, our love note tradition lives on! So fun to hear the things they come up with.

They are growing up! literally & everyday glimpes from our lives lately

Last April I made a growth chart, (Ok Cort made most of it, love him and his willingness to help me with my "projects") that I could use to track the kids growth over the years. Didn't seem like to me that they had changed all that much in the past 9 months, but a few days ago I decided to measure them again and lo and behold, to my surprise, they have each grown about 4 inches. Talan and Easton the most at almost 6 inches each.

Chase decided to take his own measurements without me knowing a couple months ago. That's why there are like 4 markings for him with the date April 2011 on it. Grrrrr At first the perfectionist in me was so mad that he did that, but now I actually think it's cute and think I'll leave it like that instead of painting over it.

Taylor and Chase are taking drawing class again this month. I was so impressed with what had both done yesterday. I am so glad we signed them up for this class.

Taylor's

Chase's

Today was Spirit Day at Taylor and Chase's school. Which meant they got to wear jerseys to school. Chase wore his football one from last fall and Taylor wore Chase's soccer one.

And then a couple weeks ago was crazy tie day at their school. This is as crazy as they got. Very cute kids, if I do say so myself!

Every day, once we drop Taylor and Chase off at school at the crack of dawn! (They start school at 7:30! Way too early for me.) Me, Tal and East try to head out for a walk and on our way home we stop at the elephant park in our neighborhood. It's good quality time together. I know I'll look back on these times of life and smile. Especially when I look at pictures like the one below. They truly are such happy times. I love being a mom. :)

Taylor has been reading the Harry Potter series recently. She is on book 4 and because Taylor is obsessed with Harry Potter these days, so are all the boys. Even Easton. Found them all "reading" together the other day. Monkey see, monkey do!

These boys have gotten quite close the past few months, with Taylor and Chase at school all day they are spending a lot more time together. Walking in on moments like these just melts a mom's heart.

100 days of school celebration for Chase was a couple weeks ago. Chase decided to do a 100 piece puzzle for the celebration. Right up his alley. He also did a lot of other 100 day activities in his class that day. I can't get over how much he has changed since starting kindergarten. He is growing up way too fast for my liking.

Easton HATES when Talan goes to school. The other day he packed himself a back pack and had high hopes that he could go with him. He was so disappointed when he couldn't. But this week he started his own little "school" with some friends in the neighborhood. The first time was at our house. We made and played with play dough. He loved having his friends over and so did Talan!

Talan and Easton had their well child check-ups last month. (Only a few months late, no biggie) Talan got his 5 year old shots at the appointment. We weren't planning on doing it, but the doctor said why not, so we did. Talan was a champ! I told him you are going to get shots today and he said "ok." He asked does it hurt? I said a little, like a pinch. But he still hopped up there and let the nurse do her stuff. Sooo different from my sweet Chasers who was hiding under my chair and who I had to hold down in order for him to get them (kinda like I did when I was 5, I remember my mom saying how embarassed she was) Gotta love the differences between these kids.

Last night Talan gave the lesson in FHE. He used his Plan of Salvation Wheel that he made at preschool. He did such a good job. It went something like this, "Once upon a time, we were babies, then we came to earth, then we get dead, then our spirits get together, then we are judged, (he had some help with the resurrection), then we go to live with Jesus on the sun, or we go to live on the moon or the stars." I think my favorite part was when he said "we get dead!" I wish I could bottle him up and keep him as a 4 year old for a couple more years.

Portland

This past weekend I headed up to Portland, Oregon with two of my dearest friends. We have been through a lot together. I first meet them both when all of our girls where about one year old. Since then we have had babies together, gone through trials together, raised our kids together, and had lots and lots of good times together. We will be friends through the eternities I have no doubt about that!

We had to go to Portland because Audrey just moved there a few months ago and we wanted to go check out her life there. Talk about beautiful! What a great place to live. It was cold and rained a lot, but it was a nice change for me. We don't get a lot of rain down here in the desert.
On the Street Car taking us to some downtown shopping. We spent the first night walking around downtown with our umbrellas in hand, checking out some very cool and unique shops.

We spent at least 40 minutes in the store Moonstruck, sampling all sorts of yummy chocolate. Some of the YUMMIEST chocolate I've ever had! It would be so dangerous for me if I lived that close to one.

In our hotel room in Portland. We stayed up talking til around 2am I believe that first night. We never run out of things to talk about.

Out side of our hotel. Headed to get some breakfast and more shopping! We had the most amazing breakfast Quesdillas at a place called Mothers that day. Oh sooo good!

Later that night, we headed about 20 minutes out of Portland to Lake Oswego where Audrey actually lives and spent sometime at the Temple and enjoyed seeing Audrey's neighborhood, house and her new life up there. She drove us around the Lake on Sunday while we jammed out to Blind Pilot. Oh the memories. Those houses around that Lake are amazing!
Lake Oswego

It was time well spend. And although I missed Cort and the kids like CRAZY, so glad we did it. I always leave these girls with a renewed desire to be a better mom, wife, person, and friend. Sooo grateful for good friends and influences in my life. Can't wait to do it all again! Love you girls!!

funny girl

When I opened the microwave today, this is what I found. What a crack up!

(FYI: Blokus is a tetris-like game that we played when we were in Mexico. It is seriously one of the most fun games I've ever played. I totally went and bought it the day after we got home. We are all totally addicted to it!)