Bevan's Birthday

Bevan's birthday was on Memorial day this year so it made for a CraZY weekend but a FUN one! We celebrated his 4th birthday at the Firehouse. (Bevan thought for a long time we were going to the Firehouse restaurant- it took some talking to convince him the real firehouse would be just as fun!) The firemen were so good to us. Fireman Scott acted genuinely happy to have us there and let the kids climb in the fire engine and ambulance and even try on his fire hat!

Bevan trying on the fireman's hat. Bevan's jacket was almost just like the real firemen's jackets. Fireman Scott kept telling Bevan how much he like Bevan's jacket.

Most of the group in the hats and badges I made.

Bevan and the firemen.

After the firehouse we went back to our house and had hamburgers and salads and cake and ice cream. My mom made this cute cake (because I was too busy doing a million other things.) The idea was the chimney (made of sugar cubes and soaked in vanilla) would start on fire. Unfortunately, it didn't work but the fire engine candles were sure cute anyway!

Stitch wanted to join in the fun but we wouldn't let him so instead he sat in the window of our bedroom and wished he could join us.

Katie's Birthday Dinner

Katie wanted to go the El Toro Viejo for dinner for her birthday, she loves their shrimp enchiladas. Alesa and kids, Aunt Juli, Grandma Meikle and our family all went. Katie got plenty of nice presents; Polly pockets, DS games and more...

Happy Birthday Katie!

Ahhhh Katie, how I love my Katie! As a mom I love everyone of my children and there is no way that I love one more than the other, but the first born holds a very special place in my heart! It was Katie who first made me a mother and it is Katie who is teaching me how to be a mom. (Poor Katie, she's breaking us in!)

Katie is one of the kindest, most giving people you will ever meet! She will share just about anything and naturally thinks of people before herself. She loves to help and loves to take care of kids. She is friendly and loves other people.

Katie is terrific at math. Loves to read and has read (or listened to the books) of 6 of the Harry Potter books. Her reading retention is amazing! She remembers things about books that I never even noticed.

Katie has become a good cook and even made snicker doodle cookies all by herself. She loves to go to movies and really loves the popcorn at movies. She loves to eat ice cream and shrimp.

I am so glad Katie is my daughter. I'm loving watching her grow up and become a wonderful person! I look forward with excitement to the fun and adventures Katie has in front of her!

Happy Birthday Bevan!

I love this little studious face, when Bevan is trying to figure something out.

I can hardly believe my little boy is three years old already! Time sure does fly when you're having fun and Bevan brings so much fun to our lives! Bevan can always make me laugh, whether he's being a scary T-rex or a pirate or batman or singing the alphabet song he is so happy.

Now that Bevan is turning three he thinks he needs to be a little more independent, sometimes that's hard for mom to handle. I would love to keep him little forever. Having a boy is more fun than I could ever imagine it would be. Every stick he finds is a sword or a gun or some other fighting device. He love fire engines, police cars and helicopters. All those things girls never thought about. We call him our "stinky little boy" and that he surely is. He loves to be outside and will often go out before we get his bum changed and clothes on. The sand pile is his home. Bevan is also a tease, the other day he locked his friend in our outside playhouse. He wasn't being mean, just a tease, but his friend sure didn't enjoy it! I guess he is definitely related to his grandpas!

At the same time I can't help but think about the rough start he had when he was born. Maybe it was because of that first trip on the life flight helicopter to Primary Children's that he loves helicopters so much. Our lives are forever changed because of our beautiful little Bevan and we are grateful! We love you Bevan!!!

It's the BIG 4-0!!!!

Happy birthday to my sweetheart! Doug is turning 40 today! He is not here to celebrate with and I'm very sad about that but I want him to know we are all thinking about him and hoping he has a good one anyway! 40 wonderful things about Doug.

1- He's a hard worker

2- He's smart, if he doesn't know the answer to something, he finds it.

3- He likes to take pictures- but not really of people, mostly scenery

4- He makes dinner almost every night.

5- He puts the kids to bed

6- He can fix almost anything

7- He honors his priesthood

8- He has a strong testimony of the Gospel

9- He loves his children

10 He loves me

11 He isn't afraid to be true to himself

12 He supports me in everything I do

13 He (almost) never gets mad at me

14 He loves to read

15 He has just started watching The Office and he loves it

16 He is a good teacher

17 He goes along with all my hair brained ideas

18 He lets me hang out with my sisters and mom whenever I want

19 He folds the clothes

20 He puts away the clothes after he folds them

21 He get up every morning at 4:45 so he can work out

22 He likes his family

23 He follows the Lord's commandments

24 He helps the girls practice their instruments

25 He studies his scriptures

26 He'll watch chick flicks with me

27 He started a whole new career to try to provide better for us

28 He doesn't complain when I spend money

29 He loves Dr. Pepper- but has recently quit it

30 He takes a Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich for lunch almost everyday

31 He lets me have "my" time

32 He like to have alone time

33 He is learning how to build a house (I think he can do about everything but the plumbing)

34 He loves M&M's

35 He loves dark chocolate

36 He loves to go to movies and will often go by himself (if I can't get away or it's a movie I won't like)

37 He likes to go out to eat

38 He likes to spend time looking around at Home Depot

39 He loves to travel and is willing to go anywhere (and is not afraid)

40 He's my eternal sweetheart! Who is very patient with me!

Love you honey!!! We'll celebrate together when you are home. We miss you!

Happy Birthday, Katie!

August 11th was Katie's birthday, I wrote this post and have been trying to get pictures uploaded, but who knows if that will ever happen. So, I'll post it now, and maybe come back and add some pictures.

Wow! I can hardly believe it's been 9 years. Having a first baby is such a life changing event. Katie is a wonderful little girl. Such a mothering, helpful person. She gets up every morning and makes breakfast for herself and Maddie and Bevan (she won't even let me help). She wants to do everything for herself, every once in a while I can talk her into letting me help her with her hair. She thinks she's a grown up, but I still want to have her stay "my girl" for a while longer.

For her 9th birthday she and I went and got her ears pierced.



She was also able to pick out another pair of earrings.
After getting her ears pierced we went to a Mexican restaurant for Shrimp Quesadillas (Katie loves shrimp). Grandma Austin, Grandma Meikle, Bevan, Maddie, Doug, Grandma-great Meikle and Aunt Juli joined us as well. Katie was very, very spoiled with gifts! Most of them having to do with her new ear piercings!
Then on Wed. Katie took one of her friends and we met Alesa at Cherry Hills- fun times! We didn't get home until 10:30 but the kids had a great time. I think we are finally done celebrating, but we had fun while it lasted!
What a wonderful girl Katie is and how lucky I am to be her mom! Love you, Katie!

Very belated Happy Birthday Maddie!

Well, after much technical difficulty with Maddie's birthday pictures, I finally have them.

Maddie's birthday was last Sunday (Oct. 7) but we had a birthday party on Sat. She invited Savannah, Dallin, MaKaylee, and of course Katie. The theme was High School Musical and a good time was had by all! Maddie wanted to paint her hair black so she would look like Gabriella (from the show) but I did put my foot down with that. She was excited when she woke up and there was a High School Musical Happy Birthday Banner, and cups, and plates, and a table cloth. What fun! She was soooo excited!

We started the party with the kids making their own pizzas. Then we had a pinata while the pizzas cooked. Then they ate the pizza and finger jello. Afterwards Maddie opened her presents. Everyone was so generous! And then the cupcake cake that was a dotted eighth note with pictures of the High School Musical characters. I think it was a success!

The next day we had Grandma Austin over for dinner and a little Dance Factory and she brought Maddie some darling clothes. Maddie thought her birthday should go on forever and was actually a little disappointed that we didn't get to celebrate it on Monday!

Maddie is such a fun girl. She is in kindergarten this year and is doing so well. She loves to write and I am surprised at the words she can already spell. She has been my shadow for the last few years, attending all my meetings and appointments with me. She loves to play with her friends and she loves to dress up and be a princess. Every Monday night we watch Dancing with the Stars and she puts on her high heeled dress up shoes and dances with them. Maddie is a joy! She always tries to make you feel good. We love Maddie and are so happy she's part of our family!