a little love

alright, I know I haven't posted Christmas pics yet, I will get to it. I have made a goal to clean up the wrapping paper and boxes and tremendous amount of mess and toys first...

and I almost didn't post this cuz I am not a huge fan of "love ya" posts...but it's my 8th anniversary. YES, 8 years...makes me feel crazy old. And I had to document something somewhere.

Love you, Michael. I really do. Thanks for everything you do for our family. and for me. You make me feel safe and protected. You are a wonderful dad. You are one of a kind, that's for sure. Happy Anniversary. Here's to many more :)

history...

I have to post this before I forget...
So I mentioned before that Payton is in Kindergarten. He is learning so much and nearly reading, sounding out lots of words. He loves his teacher and his friends, it has been a good experience. In fact, he helped his class win a pizza party by collecting the most canned food to donate to needy families. Thursday night Payt and Mike took the wagon around the neighborhood to our good friends and asked for dontations. He did all the talking himself and I was a proud mama. And then taking him to school yesterday with a wagon full of food, all the kids looking and saying "Payton, you're going to make us WIN"...it was so fun. He was so happy. And indeed they did win. So it was a good day for all of us.
And then there are lots of behaviors/words/attitudes he is coming home with that I am not thrilled about, including the Santa Claus questions, which I also mentioned before. Add sarcasm and even one "shut up" and it makes me cranky. Anyways, this one was funny: He has learned many poems and christmas carols. He's been singing "Rudolph" with all the "like pinnocchio" add-ins that we all sang when we were in elementary too. But this kid never ceases to make me laugh out loud. In the car on the way home from Flagstaff, he said, "mom, listen, I thought of a good one" and proceeded to sing "Rudolph" from the top with all the usual funnies, until the end when he said "Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, you'll go down in history! Like OBAMA!" Oh my word, I was first stunned, because I really didn't know that he even knew who Obama was...then it caught me so funny, I just died laughing. He is a clever smart little cookie. He then went on to tell me that Obama is the new president of the United States. Guess he's learning something in Kindergarten! Merry Christmas...

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

yes, it's official, I have the christmas spirit at last. I don't know what's wrong with me...but with all the "busy"ness of my life, moving and chaos, I have not been able to think about or embrace that it was really Christmas. But I got over myself, put up a tree & a little decor {very little} and yesterday we took a little trip to the North Pole! yes, you heard me right. We went to Williams, AZ (close to Flagstaff..and don't tell my kids that's where they went, they slept on the way up and when they awoke, there was snow everywhere and we really had them fooled. Sydney kept saying "this is amazing!"...it was amazing to hear her say that and see her bright eyes. Maybe I should disclaim now that Sydney is my favorite child right now...she is so easy to please and I could shop for her ALL day and she loved the "skating" in the snow{skating=running/falling/spinning. Anyway, back to the North pole {I do love my other kids, by the way} We went to the depot and got our tickets for the Polar Express! We ate a delicious dinner before, got hot chocolate and waited at our train stop in the FREEZING snow...climbed aboard, had more hot chocolate and cookies, sang songs, read through the story as we took the train to the North Pole and then we saw Santa and he came aboard and gave the kids each a bell. It was perfect. We stayed in a hotel there near the railway and then had breakfast this morning and came home. The roads were covered with snow and it seriously looked like Idaho and then before you know it, you're down the hill and back to the AZ we all know and love. I had a great time with my sweet hubs and kids. It will be a fun memory for us. The kids all "believe" that's for sure. Even though Mr. Payton is quizzing us out on all the Santa logistics :) He's a thinker, that one. Anyways, now that I have had my share of winter wonderland, Merry Christmas! Our love to you all.

Avery

Our little baby girl is 7 months old! I can't believe it. She is getting more fun and expressive and sweet as the days go by...She said "da da" (why is this ALL of my kids first word?) and she smiles when she sees her brother and sister. She loves her mama. She hugs my face and kisses when I get her out of bed. She is growing too fast, last appointment she weighed 14 pounds. Her nick names are "Aves" "Gangsta" and "Bumbo" (possibly because she lives or has lived {next story} in that thing for the last 3 months. Ok, so don't turn me in to CPS or anything, but she was sitting in the bumbo on the counter while I was cooking. I forgot the chicken on the grill so I went hurriedly to check it, barely got around the corner and bam, she leaned into the sink to get her spice bottle she was playing with and all I see when I come around the corner is bum and legs sticking straight in the air, head first into the granite sink. If it hadn't freaked me out so bad, I would have stopped to take a picture because it was so funny. Poor baby. No more bumbo on the counter ;) Avery loves to be out and about, especially outdoors. She sits up and plays with her toys. She is a mover, I think she will crawl soon. She has totally struggled in the sleep department her whole life :) but recently she has given me a few nights of peace. Hopefully we will continue with that! She goes to sleep for her dad really well and she doesn't love the binky anymore! What? I know, I am mad about it, but what can I do? She is starting to eat more things. She loves to eat real food, not so much the baby food...she's a girl after my own heart...loves the treats. We are blessed to have her in our family. She is quite a girl.

Sydney

And here's an update on our little miss Sydney. She had her dance recital this past week and it was so cute. Please note, this is the youngest age group her teacher has and they some are a little shy and lots of times they just dance aimlessly and Sydney is always having to watch what the other girls were doing ;) BUT it was darling and the songs were just too cute and it made me have the Christmas spirit for the first time this year! Hope you enjoy the pics and video. She is one beautiful dancing girl. We are proud of our sis.

Payton

Here's a quick update on the 6 year old, yes folks...he turned 6! He had a really fun party with ALL of his friends (23 to be exact & my oh my, it was busy) and it was great. Payt wanted a Suns basketball party and it was just that, lots of balls and the bounce and a pinata and face painting (thanks Hailey)...it was a fun night and Payton truly is thankful for his friends and misses his friends from the old neighborhood desperately. We'll have to get him over there to play more often. Thanks a million to all of you who came and helped and brought wonderful gifts for our boy. He had a blast. We love you!

hiatus

Um, did you think we were all dead? Well, it was a close call, but we are all alive and well. Officially moved into our new house and officially worn out. Rammell trip to Cali was a good time, so many pics to post but you'll have to settle for a few of the kids at the beach. Big event: Payton cut his hair! He looks handsome I think. Halloween was fun as always (so happy to have the cake walk in our driveway this year!) Princess Jasmine was the highlight for me this year. Watching that long pony tail swing as she RAN house to house trick or treating made it all worth it! (thanks mom for saving the day) Mike has returned from Hawaii (cauliflower ear and all) and he didn't die so we are thankful for that. I went to UT for a visit and Jenna's baby shower for our little Q and it was lots of fun (I'll have to post those pics later) Mom, Kate & Arleigh came to AZ for a few days and helped us get organized. We still have a long way to go but I have to say it's been kind of a fun project and I am really loving this home. Hopefully all of you haven't stopped checking my blog because I have been such a slacker! I have missed all you bloggers ;) Much love and enjoy the pics. And Happy Thanksgiving. Can you believe time flies so quickly. My baby is six months old {that's a whole other post, I will get to it}

Pics from Hilo......

I don't have much time, but wanted to post a few pictures.

home again...

Well home for a few days til it's no longer home. yuck. I don't love moving or huge changes...but it will be a good one for us. The house is coming right along and we are hoping to be moved in by Halloween (so Amy & Jared have a place to stay ;) Our Rammell family trip to Cali was awesome and more pics to follow asap. I had to post this picture of our girlies. They both look like their dads in this pic, I think! Mini Mike & Mini Andy? what do you think?

moving.

I hate moving. Ok, I try not to say hate around my kids...I really dislike moving. As exciting as this whole thing is, it is work. Now that I think about it, maybe most of you don't know that we are moving. Well, we are--not too far away, though. It will be a good change for us and I am anxious to have it all over and done. Mostly excited to stop walking around boxes in my kitchen and family room :) and stop having anxiety at night about decisions that I've made in the other house {we are remodeling}. most of all I need to get some new pics up so I can get the "stringy hair" picture off this blog. I am sorry you all had to see it for so long. After this whole moving hoopla, I will make a concerted effort to actually do my hair on a regular basis. yikes.

Star Student

Our sweet Payton was star student of the week last week. The letter of the week was appropriately "P" and he was so excited. We got to make a fun poster all about him and Mike and I even got to go to lunch with him in the lunchroom, which was fun for all of us. Friday all the kids wrote a page for him and they compiled them all into a little book...he was thrilled. Each page was about the same, cute picture of Payton drawn by each kid, the date, and "Payton is...nice. smart. cool." It is cute and he loves it. His teacher said he kept asking all week when the kids were going to make his book. We chatted with her at lunch and after clearing up some concerns she had about Mike {rumor has it he is going to train to BE a UFC fighter for 6 MONTHS...funny} she was really nice and complimentary of Payton :) She said she just loves him and he is a great student. He is learning a lot, brings home TONS of work from school...including many drawings (I am including a picture of one because I thought it was so funny...it's a drawing of bats if you were wondering) and really doesn't mind his homework so much. We love our star student!

4 months of high maintenence

I finally got Avery into her pediatric "well check" and she is "well". Actually, after four months of having an appropriate nick name of "high maintenance"...I am pleased to say that she has turned a leaf and has become a chubby, happy baby. She is a joy to me, I love to squeeze her! Thought I'd give a little update of what she's up to these days. She has officially found her feet and she loves to grab them and stick them in her mouth {see photo}. I think it's so cute. She grabs for toys and sits up so great in her bumbo. She is smiling and talking, laughing and cooing...all those cute baby things. She is also slobbering like crazy. Hoping that ends soon. She is sleeping better all the time and starting to lay down and put herself to sleep. Still loves her binky, pulls it in and out of her mouth, drops it most of the time. She is exhausted by about 8:30 at night...she basically falls asleep in my arms if I don't get her to bed soon enough. That is nice to have a few hours with all the children asleep. She is 13 pounds of love with a slightly flat head on one side :)(why do they tell you things like that? rude. It totally freaked me out) that I am anxiously engaged in trying to correct!! She loves her brother & sister and her daddy. But I think I am her favorite. I feel bad for this third little child...she just has to be dragged all over, in her car seat the majority of the day, no real naps. She is a good sport though, love her to pieces. If you are all wondering why we ocassionally refer to her as "gangsta"...here's the story. Mike has a way of making nick names stick and it has... he turned her bow to the side of her head one day and started calling her "gangsta aves" and then the kids made up a song about it and we all sing it often :) "Gangsta, Gangsta Aves...I'm so pretty I have to say...Gangsta" {repeat endlessly} Anyways...love you Avery girl!

my baby

Ok, so this is out of the blue...Avery doesn't look like this anymore! She is officially 4 months old but that's beside the point. I had a goal to be in bed at 9 like the rest of this family, but I sat and wasted time for another hour or more. I have been playing a bit on the website I mentioned before {and because you all asked so nicely... picnik.com} It is kind of fun and since I have started the photoshop "how to" lessons about 30 times and had to stop to attend to little naughties, this will have to do for now. I played with this pic of Avery...she's a sweet little one. Miss snuggling that little body but I sure am enjoying her giggles and chubby legs. She is happy and a sweet bald little girl.

update pics

Here's a few pics to update the world on what we've been up to. And I have been trying my hand on photo editing website my sis in law told me about!