Merry Christmas

If you thought we forgot to send you a Christmas card, we didn't. We didn't send them to anyone. And when I say "we" I mean "me", and I'm sorry. Next year I'll be on top of things.

We've had a busy year! We were so lucky that Johnny's job took us out to Philly for a couple years, and even more lucky that it brought us back here to be close to family and friends. We moved back in May and shortly after moved into our first house. Right after that, we welcomed another chubby little boy into our lives, Conrad.

This year, 3 year old Drake has learned to speak in sentences, saying things like "I'm telling you to stop it mom 'cause yore be-in annoyeen" and "How-why do I need to stop hittin Bubbs?". He's now potty trained and loves to wear 12 different pairs of underwear a day, sometimes at the same time.

21 month old Bubba is developing a feisty little personality and continues to show us how fearless he really is, belly-flopping off the couch and running on the counters. He loves to sing and can be heard, while endlessly entertaining himself, singing the ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle. I love it.

Little Conrad, 4 months old, is as pleasant as can be - that is, if I don't eat dairy, fried or greasy foods, tomato based sauces, or beans (not leaving me much to eat). He's starting to laugh and smiles at everyone, and doesn't even mind when Bubba pokes his eyes.

Johnny loves his job and I love being home with my boys. We get cabin fever from time to time and wish we could take a weekend trip like we were able to back east. We then look at our three boys and realize that family vacations will be have to be put off for a few more years : )

We are happy and healthy and are grateful for the wonderful friends and family in our lives!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Meeting Santa

Last week we went down to The Riverwoods in Provo to see the lights and let the boys meet Santa for the first time (although Johnny doesn't want to introduce the Santa concept to the them, wanting all credit for the gifts they receive on Christmas). The boys loved running around the lights and playing with Mimi and Papa.

Papa and Bubbs waiting in line

They weren't quite sure why they were supposed to sit on this mans lap, and were a little apprehensive. When Drake was being held by Santa, he said "I'm getting a roller coaster". Maybe next year he'll learn how to ask.

Bubba grabbed some candy from a basket and booked it out of there, not to fond of the old man.

Me and the Chubbacon keeping each other warm

These boys LOOOVE their grandparents. It was a fun night!

Yesterday morning we woke up to this. I'm excited to have a white Christmas!

Shoes

I am not a shoe girl, to my mothers dismay. However, once every few years a pair of shoes will catch my eye that I just LOVE and long for. Here are two examples:

Would I wear them to drop kids off at a playdate? Or to the park? Or getting groceries? No. But I like to think of a lifestyle that would include these shoes, and escape there when Bubba has eaten wet toilet paper for the 5th time, or Drake has drawn on the wall and couch and chair and floor, or when the baby has spit up all over me again...

November

November went by way too fast. Here is our month in photos:

It started off with an outing in the park (with help of Mimi and Papa, of course) with beautiful fall weather and lots of leaves on the ground.

Johnny getting ready for winter, cleaning and doing yard work in the rain.

There was plenty of torturing kitties

Johnny's Christmas present, seeing the Lakers up-close and personal. I've never seen Johnny wink so much and blow kisses, it was weird.

Drake and Johnny went on a "gate" to see Tangled 3D and Drake LOVED it.

We spent most of our time in this room, lounging and watching cartoons

There were many beautiful sunsets

And after Thanksgiving (which I have no pictures of, unfortunately) we put up some Christmas decorations. When I hung the stockings it finally hit me that I have a family of five...

...which made me think back on this Christmas 3 years ago, with little Drakie under the tree.

Where does the time go?

I have so many picture to put up and not enough time or energy to get it done!

In the meantime, you can look at chubby Con and see how big he's getting!

I think this little guy will finally be my blond baby, yay!

Drake LOVES little Con and is such a good big brother, always asking to hold him. Here they are watching Shrek.

A Conversation

While putting on Drake's pj's, after he stripped down to use the potty for the 5th time,

we talked:

Me: "I don't like when you get out of bed so many times. That makes me upset."

Drake: "Don't get mad at me mom."

Me: "I get mad when you don't listen to me."

Drake: "If you get mad at me I will fly away."

Me: "Why will you fly away?"

Drake: "I will fly forever and be bye bye."

Me: "I don't want Drake to fly away, that would make me sad."

Drake: "Don't worry mom, Superman will fly away and bring me back."

Me: "Oh good, that would make me happy. Why is your hair wet?"

Drake: "Because it was in the potty."

Me: "Why was it in the potty? Did you put your head in the potty?"

Drake: "I did! Its like a bathtub."

Me: "Its not a bath tub! That is very yucky."

Drake: "No, I liked it!"

The End

Toilet

This happened an hour ago. I don't have the energy to retell it.

Can you see how high the toilet water is?

Can you tell how soaked Bubba is?

Can you see the water leaving the bathroom?

Can you see Drake's wet hand in his mouth?

What you can't see is a whole roll of toilet paper and Lightening McQueen, guess where they are?

Leaving the bathroom, getting my camera, taking a picture, while taking deep breaths, helped control the situation.

Did I mention Johnny has been out of town for about 4 days and we still have 3 to go?

Help me.

Random

Random facts:

Drake has watched Mickey Mouse Choo Choo Express about 50 times.

Of all the places around the house he could play and/or watch a movie, he picks the stairs.

This is how I feel at least once a day, imprisoned and dazed.

This video says a lot.

I can block off dirt, but they'll always find more

Bubbs likes to get dirty - duh

Drake only allows fingertips and toes to get dirty (this applies to eating as well)

Drake hates shoes

Bubbs is always running and on his toes

Drake uses the sundial method to tell time

Halloween

This year's Halloween was pretty low key. We visited Great Grandma and saw cousin Shawn, who happened to be in town from San Diego. We then went to my mom's house and the boys helped hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters.

It was cold and rainy, and if the boys didn't care about going out and getting candy to keep them wired for a month, then I didn't care either. Maybe next year!

Drake was the same thing he was last year, white Dwight Howard, minus the shoulders

Bubba was Nemo

Con was a cow

View

I'm so happy to see snow on the mountains, and I thought this sky was amazing

Dance Club

A few weeks ago we went to a Jazz game with Dave and Amanda Bateman. Following the game, Dave wanted to go to a dance club, to which Johnny readily agreed. After much head shaking and leg squeezing in the back seat by me (all ignored), we ended up at Area 51 - easily the coolest dance club in Salt Lake....Not.

We were the whitest, nerdiest group there, but at least we were dancing! My only regret was that we didn't go in costume like the rest of the group...

Lets see, how can I describe my favorite costume without offending the younger audience - opalescent sheet/gown adorning lit bilateral holiday light fixtures marking two prominent areas north of the navel. Now I know what to do next year.

Proof we were there:

Question: What was Dave have to be on to get in a cage on a stage and dance like this?

Answer: Adrenaline

Dinosaur Museum

Drake and I went to the Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum with Drake's new friend Shaeffer, and my old friend Ambrie. He wasn't as interested in it as I'd hoped he would be, but I had fun! Maybe in a year or two we'll be back, when he knows what a dinosaur fossil actually is.

The day before he'd gotten his flu vaccine, which made his eyes swollen for some reason.

Checkups

A couple weeks ago, Drake had is 3 year checkup, Bubba had his 18 month checkup, and Conrad had his 2 month checkup. Here's a summary

Drake: Height 37", 30% percentile

Weight 35 lbs, 73%

Bubbs: Height 29", 70%

Weight 25 lbs, 20%

Head Circumference, can't remember, but small

Baby Con: Height 23" 90%

Weight 14 lbs, 90%

Head circumference, small like his brothers

They all did pretty well during their immunizations!

Drake and Con are chubby, bubbs is tall, and all are healthy!

Birthday Celebration

On October 13th my little baby boy turned 3! I can't believe it, seriously, where does time go?

We had a pizza party with family, complete with a big chocolate cake (that Johnny fed Drake for breakfast every morning for the next week). There were presents and best of all, balloons. Next year I will remember that balloons are a better gift than anything else, and get most played with.

cake

inhale

exhale

thanking cousin Camille for the wonderful picture she colored for him

sleeping with his favorite gift