Our Little Family

Camping at the Potato Patch

2010-08-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Once the Arizona heat really starts to set in, it is always nice to head up north and try to escape the heat. We decided to do this the first weekend in June. We went to a camping spot that we found a couple of years ago near Prescott called the Potato Patch. Russ makes camping a breeze as he is the one that gets the gear ready, packs the car, drives to the camping spot, unloads the car, sets up the tent and gets the fire going. (My work comes later, when we get home and I get to wash all the smoky-smelling clothes and every blanket that we own, clean out the cooler, etc.)

Although we didn't really escape the heat, we had a great time roasting hot dogs, S'mores, and the enjoying the great outdoors.

Trent spent most of his time looking for precious stones, whereas Ryan spent every moment looking for firewood and asking if he should add more wood to the fire.

Saturday morning, we packed up and headed up the hill to the Mingus Mountain paraglider and hang glider take-off spot. It was a couple of hours before ideal wind conditions allowed them to take off, but we enjoyed chatting with the brave souls who jumped off the mountain.

When it was time to leave, I went to start the car and get the air-conditioning going. Then Keira had to go potty, so I shut the car door to take her and locked us out with the car running :( All the hang gliders were so nice to search everywhere for a wire hanger to try to jimmy the lock, but no success. We finally called roadside assistance and after about two hours were driving back down the mountain. (This is not the first time I have done that. I do it at least once a summer as our car doors automatically locks when you start the ignition).

We drove home through Jerome, stopped for a sandwich and made it home safe and sound.

Ryan is 5!

2010-07-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan turned 5 years old on April 6, 2010. His cousin, Lexi, was here from California to help celebrate his birthday; and he had a "Friend Party" at the park by his pre-school. They played tag in the sand, had relay races and then opened presents and chocolate cake that Ryan helped to decorate.

Ryan has loved attending pre-school the past year. He makes friends so easily, and he always has a big smile on his face. He still loves to tease, but he is also the most thoughtful, caring big brother Keira could ever ask for.

Ryan likes to play Wii sports - especially boxing, play spies and dress-up, play Bakugans, swim, help mom cook, and ride his two-wheeled bike. He asked me to also mention that he does NOT like to clean.

Ryan brings so much fun and laughter to our family - we are so grateful he is ours.

We love you Ry-Ry!

Lexi's Visit

2010-07-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

My niece, Lexi, got to come and stay with us while her parents went to look for a new home in Kentucky. We had so much fun playing with her at the park, at the splash pad, and we were so glad that she was here to help celebrate Ryan's birthday.

We love you Lexi!

I Hate Homework!

2010-07-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

One of Trent's assignments was to write 5 sentences, each one containing one of his spelling words. This is one of the mundane tasks that Trent dislikes. He decided instead to interview his younger brother, Ryan, and write a paragraph about him as well as illustrate what he wrote about. I submitted the homework at the end of the week and asked his teacher if she would accept that instead (as I thought it was much more innovative than simply writing 5 sentences). She happily accepted it and said that we could tailor Trent's assignments as needed to motivate him to complete it.

Happy Birthday Trent

2010-07-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Trent turned 7 years old on February 16, 2010. Since his birthday was during the 2010 Winter Olympics, we decided to have an Olypmic-themed birthday party. We had an Athlete check-in table where each athlete chose a country to represent. They colored their country's flag for the Parade of Nations. Then we had sack races, egg-in-the-spoon races, and a tug-of-war that was seriously intense!

Trent has grown up so much over the last year. He is an excellent reader, and tested into the Gifted and Talented program at school. He has worked hard to improve his penmanship and his teacher said his writing skills have improved immensely.

Trent likes to play with his friends, ride his bike, play Wii Sports, and said that he likes when I teach him to cook.

Trent is a wonderful, amazing boy, and we are so glad that he is in our family. We love you, Trent!

Snow Day!

2010-07-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Keira Turns 2

2010-02-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

Our baby girl turned 2 on Tuesday. She has learned early to spread the birthday fun out over as many days as possible. On Sunday, we had Robin, Justin and Shelby over for a birthday dinner and cake and ice cream.

On Monday, we let Trent skip school and go on a 'Family Field Trip' to the zoo. Roxie and Brody went too, and Roxie had the brilliant idea of riding our bikes around the zoo. I borrowed a green bike with a baby seat, Roxie has a green bike with a baby seat and Trent and Ryan had their green bikes, and we cruised around the zoo enjoying the beautiful weather and the beautiful animals. That is the BEST way to see the zoo!

On Tuesday, Keira woke up to a brand new (for her) bike! She has been wanting a bike for a long time as she always has to sit in the stroller on the way to the park and watch Trent and Ryan ride their bikes. She was really excited about it and hopped right on (with Ryan's help). Then we went for a run with Keira in the jogging stroller; and after we picked up Ryan from pre-school, we had Tracy, Jerrett and Jeremiah over for lunch and more cake.

At age 2, Keira can:

- Say lots of words

- Climb the monkey bars at the park

- Get her daddy to do just about anything for her

- Get her brothers to do just about anything for her

- Hold her own jumping on the trampoline with her brothers

- Go to nursery all by herself

- Get out of her crib (or our bed) all by herself in the morning

- Close the garage when we go for our runs

- Help mom cook and clean and fold laundry

She likes:

- Anything Sweet (one of her first words were "de dough", meaning "cookie dough")

- Her Daddy and Brothers

- Her aunts, uncles and cousins

- Jumping on the trampoline

- Going to the park

- Sleeping with mom in her bed at night

- To be a helper and a peacemaker

We are so grateful that Keira came to join our family. We love you, Keira!

Wii Love Boxing

2010-01-20T14:16:00.000-08:00

This is how Ryan gets his daily workout. He is literally dripping sweat after a few rounds of boxing. Yesterday, when he was playing with his friend from pre-school, each time he saw his score he would say, "I didn't know I was so good!" (He is pretty good. He whoops me - if not knocks me out - every time I get in the ring with him).

From the Mouths of 4-Year-Old Boys

2010-01-19T15:44:00.000-08:00

We have a patch of dirt in our backyard that may one day become a splash pad, a garden, a backyard pond...there have been lots of plans for that patch of dirt. But for now, it serves wonderfully as a patch of dirt for boys to dig in.

The boys will have their friends over and say, "You wanna go dig?" And there friends always respond with a resounding 'Yeah!'.

Today, Ryan and his friend from pre-school were out digging in the dirt. I heard the following conversation in the midst of shoveling and throwing dirt:

R: Jason, do you want to be an old man someday?

J: No way

R: Why not?

J: I don't want to be fat and bald!

Summer Vacation

2009-08-03T13:06:00.001-07:00

Our Summer Vacation this year was a drive up the Pacific Coast highway from Newport Beach to San Francisco and then over to Lake Tahoe. It was a wonderful trip with beautiful scenery, good food, good company, and A LOT of time in the car (Russ' GPS tracked us at 40 hours in the car).

What we liked about our vacation:

Trent
- Going on vacation
- Watching movies in the car
- Swimming in the pools
- Keira being silly at the pool
- Digging for clams at Pismo Beach
- Cable Car ride at Squaw Valley (near Lake Tahoe)

Ryan
- Playing with Keira
- Cable Car ride
- Swimming in the pools

Mom
- Watching Trent make friends at all the pools and beaches
- Watching Ryan be a good friend and brother to Keira
- Pier 39 and the Harbor Bay cruise in San Francisco
- Keira seeing the Ocean for the first time
- Womack's BBQ in South Lake Tahoe

Dad
- Using his new GPS
- The scenery along Pacific Coast Highway
- BLT's at Dana Point Harbor with Jeff, Jen and Lexi
- Womack's BBQ in South Lake Tahoe

I am going to give a daily itinerary for our own family history.

Day 1: Saturday, July 11, 2009
- Drove to California
- Stopped at the Addidas store in the outlet malls at Cabazon, CA for some new running shoes
- Ate and Pat & Oscar's in Newport
- Swam in Jeff and Jen's pool

Day 2: Sunday, July 12, 2009
- Went to Sacrament Mtg. at the chapel across from the Newport Beach LDS Temple
- Had a picnic of BLT's on marble rye at Dana Point Harbor
- Trent and Ryan rode their scooters around the Harbor while Keira took a nap
- Saw crabs in the water by the boat slips
- Went to Yogurtland for some frozen yogurt
- Went swimming and ate Pat & Oscar's left-overs for dinner

Day 3: Monday, July 13, 2009
- Packed up and cleaned Jeff and Jen's apt. (Thanks for the hospitality!)
- Drove to San Luis Obispo by way of Pacific Coast Highway
- Hit lots of traffic in LA
- Ate lunch on the beach along the highway
- Got to our hotel, unloaded our stuff and went to Pismo Beach to play and dig clams
- Ate at a restaurant by the Pier (Trent got the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl that he had been wanting and Dad and Ryan had shrimp and chips)

Day 4: Tuesday, July 14, 2009
- Ate breakfast at Pismo beach (O.J., nutrigrain bars and pop tarts)
- Played at the ocean (it was chilly!)
- Drove to San Franciso via Pacific Coast Highway with a detour through Santa Barbara
- Ate at Black Bear Diner somewhere along the way
- Arrived at San Francisco Marriott at 11 pm

Day 5: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
- Ate breakfast (muffins, danishes, hot chocolate) at a cafe near our hotel
- Rode the F-line to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
- Aquarium of the Bay
- Bay Cruise Adventure under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz (It was COLD!)
- Ate Pretzels for lunch and bought some salt water taffy
- Rode the Trolley back to our hotel
- Walked around looking for a place to eat
- Ate at Tad's Steakhouse
- Dad and the boys went swimming after dinner
- Mom wished she could have participated in all the shopping available

Day 6: Thursday, July 16, 2009
- We all slept in until 10:15 am (Darn hotel curtains! I hate sleeping in that late)
- Ate breakfast at Tad's Steakhouse
- Packed up and loaded the car
- Drove through China Town and over the Golden Gate Bridge on our way out of San Francisco
- Arrived at South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Unpacked and settled into our villa at Marriott's Timberlodge (we started a load of laundry right away)
- Dad and the kids went swimming while Mom went grocery shopping
- Trent and Ryan loved the pool and the four hot tubs and sat in each one
- Ate microwave pizza for dinner
- Fell asleep watching a movie

Day 7: Friday, July 17, 2009
- Ate cereal for breakfast
- Mom got to go running all the way to Nevada (The state line was a block from our Hotel)
- Left to go hiking thinking we would be back for lunch
- Hiked one mile down to Emerald Bay
- Took a tour of Vikingsholm
- Dad and boys hiked to Eagle Falls
- Hiked the (steep) mile back up to our car
- Ate snacks for lunch
- Rode the Cable Car in Sqaw Valley up to high camp
- Played on the play ground at High Camp where the 1960 Winter Olympics were held
- Drove back to the hotel along Lake Tahoe's coast line
- Swam at the hotel
- Ate at Womack's BBQ (The BEST BBQ we have ever eaten!)
- Fell asleep watching movies

Day 8: Saturday, July 18, 2009
- Mom got to go running again
- Cinnamon rolls and O.J. for breakfast
- Went to Marriott's private beach at Lake Tahoe and played
- Snacked on grapes, crackers and string cheese for lunch
- Swam at the hotel pool
- Ate Baja Fresh for dinner
- Mom and Keira walked around the city looking sight-seeing and looking for souvenirs
- Did some laundry and packed our bags

Day 9: Sunday, July 19, 2009
- Woke up at 4:30 am and left the hotel at 6:00 am
- Ate bagels and cream cheese in the car for breakfast (not recommended)
- Ate lunch at a questionable Subway in Ridgecrest
- Ate dinner at an even more questionable Denny's in Blythe, CA
- Hit a monsoon storm as we drive into PHX (beautiful!)
- Arrived home at 10:00 pm (almost to the minute that the GPS predicted)

Pomp and Circumstance

2009-05-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

Ryan's First Day (August 2009)

Ryan's Last Day (18 May 2009)

Ryan and his Teacher

Ryan in his Cap

Ryan in his Cap with in Diploma

Ryan 'graduated' from his first year of pre-school today. It might be more fitting to say he was promoted to his second year of pre-school, but the event held all of the Pomp and Circumstance of a real graduation (No, President Obama did not speak at his graduation).

Ryan's teacher said that all of the students worked very hard this year and learned so much. We definitely noticed how much Ryan learned about the alphabet, numbers, colors and even some writing skills. Ryan's teacher also said that Ryan was her 'smiley boy' as he arrived at pre-school each day with a grin from ear to ear. She said he was always the first one to help pick up and put toys away and left preschool with the same grin. I have to agree that he was always smiling and happy when I picked him up each day.

Ryan made some great friends and learned a lot. It is amazing to see how much he has grown in nine short months. Congratulations, Ryan!

Happy Easter

2009-04-14T09:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Ryan!

2009-04-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

In just over three months, we have come to the end of the birthday line-up for our 'Little' family. After waiting patiently through Keira's, Trent's, mine and Russell's birthdays, Ryan finally got to celebrate his special day. He turned 4 on the 6th of April. I think that he had a wonderful day. He actually got to start celebrating the night before at Grandpa and Grandma Checketts' house where he received what he had been asking for most - an Umbrella! Then on Monday morning, his actual birthday, his dad made the family a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, orange juice, sausage and eggs. He received a new razor scooter (different from Trent's, but the same as Trent's) and lots of money from his Aunt's and Uncles. Grandma and Grandpa Little also sent money to go buy a Star Wars video game.

Ryan got the take the snack bag to pre-school, and then from 3:30 - 4:30 that afternoon, he had his first 'friend' birthday party at the park. He invited his friends from pre-school as well as some of our neighbors. They played on the playground, had a tug-of-war, opened presents, ate cupcakes and swung at a pinata. They had a blast! Then it was home to jump on our new trampoline and eat pizza for dinner, per Ryan's request. He was a tired 4-year-old at the end of the day, but a very happy and content one.

At 4, Ryan can:

- Ride a bike with training wheels

- Ride a Razor Scooter

- Climb the rock wall at the park

- Count to 20

- Recognize his letters and their sounds

- Make his little sister laugh

- Play games on the computer

- Tell jokes

- TEASE

Ryan likes:

- To play at the park

- To look at books

- To play or work with his dad

- To play with Grandma's and Grandpa's

- To play with his brother and sister

- 'Sunbeams' at church

- His big pants (jeans), his hooded sweatshirt, socks and his New Balance running shoes

- Star Wars

- Scooby-Doo

- Dora and Diego

- Sugar

- Pizza

- Pre-school

Ryan does not like:

- To be told what to do (I am sensing a theme here with my children)

- To be told 'No'

- When Mom and Dad don't listen intently to him

- When Trent won't share with him

Happy Birthday Trent!

2009-02-18T10:12:00.000-08:00

Trent turned 6 years old on Monday, February 16th. He was so excited that he had a day off school for his birthday. He had a fun time helping me make cupcakes for his party, playing with his friends at the park, and then eating at Pita Jungle with us, Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Matthew, and Robin, Justin and Shelby. He even got an ice cream cone after that at Cold Stone!

The next day, he got to celebrate his birthday with his Kindergarten class. I took cupcakes to his class and they sang to him. Then his teacher played a birthday party CD that has the Holey Pokey, Hot Potato, and other fun games they get to play. The video is of his class doing the Hokey Pokey. It was so much fun to watch them.

At 6, Trent Likes:
- School
- Primary
- Riding his Bike and Scooter (he got a new 18" bike for his birthday)
- Playing at the park (I think this is his absolute favorite thing to do)
- Watching PBS kids and Noggin
- Bakugans
- Wii Sports
- Stuffed animals (He takes really good care of them. His favorite right now is Rocky the Racoon. He takes Rocky wherever he goes - in his pocket or even under his bike helmet)
- Cinnamon Toast
- Cream of Wheat
- Ice Cream

Trent Can:
- Read very well
- Write his letters and numbers
- Ride a two-wheel bike
- Cross ALL the monkey bars at the park by our house and at school
- Play soccer
- Make his own PB&J sandwich

Trent does not like:
- To be told what to do
- To be teased by Ryan
- To brush his teeth
- To leave the park

Trent is a wonderful boy and I love being his mom. I hope that your 6th birthday was as special as you are, Trent!

Life is Hard

2009-02-17T15:30:00.000-08:00

Keira is at that age where she likes to follow me around all day pulling on my proverbial 'apron strings' and saying 'Ma'. She was especially so today because she is teething. Well, I had been trying to clean the house all day long and then was trying to get showered and dressed so that I could pick Trent up from the bus stop(yes, PICK UP, not DROP OFF) and Keira was so devastated that I could not pick her up, she just collapsed into a little ball and started crying. Ryan came over and started patting her and hugging her and said to her, 'Little Keira, Life is Hard, Honey...Life is Hard...It will all be okay...' It was so sweet the way he said that to her. I asked him where he learned that, and he said that Dad told him that. I think what Russ actually said to him is that life can be hard sometimes when you are three, but it is amazing what kids learn from watching us.

Wind Cave

2009-02-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

Russ and I took the kids to Usery Park to go hiking on Saturday; and Uncle Matthew joined us as well. The boys have been wanting to go hiking with Russ for such a long time and they have also been wanting some 'Camera Packs' (What Ryan calls Camel Backs) like the one Russ has so they didn't have to carry a bottle of water with them. So, we finally found some kid-size Camel Backs (they have the CUTEST kids' hiking gear out there) and headed to the beautful Arizona mountains.

I was going to take Keira as far up the trail as I could with the jogging stroller, but a couple of hikers on their way down said the stroller would never make it. So, Keira and I parted ways with Russ, Matt, Trent and Ryan and found a smoother trail that we could walk on while enjoying the gorgeous weather.

Russ said that Trent and Ryan did a great job hiking and that all the hikers at the top were so impressed that such "Little" boys had made it that far. It was 1 1/2 miles to the top where they stopped and ate the trail mix and granola bars they had packed up, and then another 1 1/2 miles down. It took them about 3 1/2 hours to complete the hike.

On the way down when they were about 100 meters from the parking lot, Ryan said, "I had wanted to go with Mom!" because he was so tired. You'd have thought that they were worn out for the rest of the day, but when we finally got home, they wanted to go to the park! So off we went....

Happy Birthday Keira!

2009-02-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe that a whole year has gone by since our baby girl was born. It literally seems a moment ago that I held her in my arms for the first time. At that moment, I never would have guessed that in one short year that baby girl would be walking, speaking a few words, wanting to wear shoes and a purse before she leaves the house and trying to do everything that her big brothers can do.

Keira has never really wanted to be a baby and she has loved reaching each new milestone as it means she is turning into a big girl. She LOVES to wear shoes and got a gorgeous pair of glittery Buster Browns for her first birthday. She learned at an early age that fashion and beauty don't come without a price as she had little blisters on her ankles from wearing her new shoes around at her party.

Keira has brought so much joy to our home this past year. She loves to give hugs and kisses and is always laughing and smiling. Her brothers love her and protect her (and tease her) and she thinks they are the greatest brothers in the world. Whenver Russ gets home from work, Keira will squeal, “Daddy” with delight and run to the door as fast as her little legs will carry her to give him a big hug and a kiss.

Keira loves to:
•Play with her Daddy and her brothers
•Follow mom around the house and help her with everything
•Put on her shoes and her purse and wave “Bye Bye”
•Eat anything that is not baby food
- Yogurt
- French Fries
- Pizza
- Cinnamon Toast
- Bananas
- Cookies
- Applesauce
•Ride on the ‘Big Red Car'
•Go to the park and play in the sand
•Slide down the slide at the park
•Ride in the jogging stroller and take a nap while mom runs
•Play in the toy room
•Sit in the forward-facing car seat
•Ride on the Rocking Dog from Ikea that Grandma Little gave us

Keira Says:
•Daddy
•Ma
•Dee Dee (Binki)
•Doll-ee
•Dogg-ee

Keira does not like:
•When mom tries to work on the computer
•When Ryan teases her too much
•Going to bed without being rocked
•To have pony tails in her hair

We love you so much, Keira, and hope that you had a wonderful Birthday!

What the Heck?

2009-02-05T03:41:00.000-08:00

Ryan came home from pre-school the other day with the cutest little three-sided house. One side had straw colored on it, another had sticks and the last side had bricks colored on it. Then, he also had a 'Big, Bad, Wolf' puppet on a popsicle stick. They had been learning about the story of the 'Three Little Pigs' at preschool, and Ryan said he would share the story with me.

H e proceeded to tell me that the Big, Bad Wolf knocked on the door of the Little Pig who lived in the straw house and said, "Little Pig, Little Pig, Let Me In!". Then I asked, "What Happened?", and he told me that the Little Pig rseponded to the wolf by saying, "Not by the HECK of my chinny- chin -chin".

I almost died laughing, and appearantly the pigs who lived in the wood house as well as the brick house responded to the Big, Bad Wolf in exactly the same way, "Not by the HECK of my chinny-chin-chin".

The Lord Even Cares About Laundry

2009-01-08T05:32:00.000-08:00

Although my mother would probably be appalled to learn this and claim she taught me better, I ususally throw ALL my boys' clothing in the wash together - colors and whites alike. However, yesterday as I was putting their clothes in the washer, I had just a small thought to put the whites in separately. Many times, I will ignore those little thoughts and push them aside as just that: a little thought. Thankfully, I didn't this time! When I went to take that particular load of darks out of the dryer, I noticed some blue ink spots on some of the clothing, and then noticed one of those tiny, key-chain sized store club cards at the bottom of the dryer. It was blue, and it had melted in the dryer leaving a residue of blue ink in the dryer and on many of the clothes (as mentioned previously). I had given the little card to Trent, and he had put it in his pants' pocket. In my haste to get the laundry done, I forgot to check the pockets (a MUST when washing little boy's pants), and thus the card ended up in the load of laundry.

I realized then that if I had put the whites in that load, they would have been covered in blue ink! Thank goodness most of the clothes with blue ink on them were already blue and are now play clothes anyway. I am glad I took the time to listen to the still, small voice, and I am so grateful to have that in my life. Now, if only I can have the faith and wisdom to listen all the time!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

Although I didn't post anything right at Thanksgiving time, I thought a lot about the many things I am thankful for. I think like most people, I am most thankful for my family. I am so grateful and relieved each night when I climb into bed that all my babies are at home safe in their beds, and that they are healthy and (most of the time) happy.

I am very grateful for a wonderful husband who works hard to provide for our family. I am grateful that we both have parents who love us and continue to provide guidance and support to us.

It is truly the basic and simple things in life that bring me the most joy.

Another First

2008-08-11T15:09:00.001-07:00

Ryan went to his first day of pre-school today. He has been so excited for this long-awaited event. He already has some friends in his class and his teacher is so nice. He wore his favorite color - orange, and took his beloved backpack with him.

Where Does the Time Go?

2008-08-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is 6 months old! She already crawls all over the house, and I think it is so cute that she follows me around wherever I go. She is usually smiling and if her brothers are playing with her or around her, she is in heaven. In fact, that is what she has brought to our home - a little bit of Heaven!

I've Been Tagged!

2008-07-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have ever been tagged in a blog. My kids were actually napping when I discovered this, so I decided to do it!

#1 Self Portrait.

I could go on for hours about what is wrong with this picture. But, the kids could wake up at any time, so I will put vanity aside and move forward.

#2 What Are My Kids Doing?

Trent is at kindergarten. This is his first week at school and he has loved it!

As I mentioned before, Ryan and Keira are both napping, thus allowing me to post this. Yes, it is summer in Arizona, but Ryan wakes up every morning and insists on putting on his "Big Pants" and his long-sleeved shirt so he can "stay warm". (I think he gets cold in the air conditioning drafts inside.) But, you can see the poor baby Keira is sweating in her sleep.

#3 My Fridge. It seems to be always half-empty, although I am always stocking it.

#4 Kitchen Sink. I usually try to keep this empty, but sometimes I have to decide what is more important. Today, I decided to look at the grocery ads while watching 'Alias' and then post this to my Blog. As long as it is empty before I go to bed...

#5 Favorite Shoes. My running shoes. I just bought these at the Adidas outlet on our way home from California. (We used to have one right next door to us in Draper, and I miss it!) These shoes are awesome! It is almost just like wearing a pair of socks. I just wish I got to use them more. Since I work from home in the mornings until 7 or 8, it is too hot to take the kids out after that. I am just waiting for the mornings to cool off and get my double jogging stroller fixed so I can take Ryan and Keira out running every day.

#6 Favorite Room. I guess it is the boys' room since it is the only one with decent furniture and half-way decent wall hangings.

#7 Dream vacation. I would love to go back to Portugal. I served in the north, Porto, so I want to go back there. But I would love to see the south, Lisbon, as well!

#8 Bathroom . This is the kids' bathroom. It is kind of fun with Turtle bath mats and mongrammed towels. I guess I should start thinking about getting Keira a towel as well...

#9 The room I spend the most time in. The office. As I mentioned before, I work from home from 3:15 - 7:15 am (It's not as bad as it sounds) and then I check my email in here periodically thoughout the day. However, Keira does not like it when i sit down in the office chair as she knows my attention is about to be diverted from her.

Now I am supposed to tag 4 people. Since most of my family was tagged with me, I will tag my sister-in-law, Aquamarine, Mikell, Stephanie and Laurie. Have fun girls (and I won't be mad if you don't do it).

Tent City

2008-06-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

Trent and Ryan LOVE to build tents: tents at our house, tents at Grandma's house, tents out of cushions, tents out of tables and blankets. any type of tent will do. Well, Keira was sitting in the high chair in the kitchen watching me work. I left the room just for a minute and came back and found Keira in a custom tent that Trent had built for her. He must have figured that if he and Ryan like tents so much, then so would Keira. (She actually didn't mind it for a while, but then she wanted out!)

Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?

2008-06-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

It is HOT in AZ right now! So what have we been doing? Trent and Ryan are taking swimming lessons, and Keira and I get to sit for an hour to watch them. I finally gave up showering before lessons because I need another shower afterwards. However, it is fun to watch the boys' confidence grow as they learn to swim like "little" fish (I know I use that play on words too much). Trent and Ryan have also learned that water + dirt = MUD, and that a run through the sprinklers will wash the mud off nicely.

Park Daze

2008-06-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite things to do is to go the "Park By Our New House" with my kids. There is a covered playground there and usually there are other kids for the boys to play with and other moms for me to visit with. Granted, it can be a lot of work getting there what with making sure to pack enough water, diapers, wipes, snacks, etc. to keep us nourished for the journey. But it is always worth it.
We found out that Trent's school will not be offering half-day kindergarten as we had hoped, and so Trent will be attending kindergarten ALL DAY starting July 28th. I cried myself to sleep for about 2 nights after we found out, because I kept thinking that it will be the end of our Park Daze. I know, I know, I can still take Trent to the park when he gets home from school, but he won't be just mine anymore. I'll have to share him with his teacher and his new friends at school. I even get emotional thinking about it as I write this. The time does go by so quickly, just like everyone says it does. For now, I am just trying to enjoy each day with my kids at home and be grateful when we all fall into our beds safely each night.

3 "Little" Cuties

2008-05-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

When Trent was 3 months old, we got his picture taken. This one (the photo at the top) became a family classic with that smirk on his face and his hair sticking up everywhere. So, when Ryan turned 3 months old, I took him to get his pictures taken in the same outfit, just to see if we might replicate the picture. As luck would have it, his also turned out with a cute little smirk on his face and his hair sticking up everywhere (see middle photo). Recently, I took Keira to get her pictures taken when she was 3 months old (to the day), and we got this darling photo - without the smirk but with her hair sticking up everywhere in classic "Little" baby style. Although they have all started out looking very similar, they all have unique personalities and character traits that make us love them not a "Little", but a whole lot!

Keira's Blessing

2008-04-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful weekend as many of our family members from out-of-town came to participate in Keira's baby blessing. It was so nice of them to drive so far to make this weekend special for us.

Keira's Aunt Jenny was so nice to let us use the dress they used for Lexi, and she looked beautiful in it.

We enjoyed having everyone here, and we are so grateful for all of the love and support we receive from our families.

Ryan's 3rd Birthday

2008-04-07T15:02:00.001-07:00

Ryan turned 3 on Sunday, the 6th of April. He was so excited for his birthday, as he has patiently waited through Trent's, Russ' and my birthday. Ryan said that he wanted an orange bike for his birthday (orange is his favorite color), but we couldn't find an orange bike, so he settled for the cool green one he saw at Toys 'R Us. He also got a Diego Helmet, knee pads and elbow pads from Grandpa and Grandma to protect him while riding his bike, and he got a cool Diego scooter from his aunts and uncles. He loved each card that he received - expecially the one that came all the way from California that had money in it.

We love having Ryan in our family. He is a big tease, but also very sweet and tender-hearted. He ADORES his baby sister, Keira, and is constantly giving her kisses and hugs, and he wants to be present for each on of her diaper changes and baths . He still likes to crawl in bed and snuggle with Mom and Dad in the mornings when he wakes up.

Ryan can talk very well for his age. He is learning his letters and numbers. His favorite color is orange. His favorite things to wear are his "Big Pants" (his jeans). He loves to play at the park with his brother, Trent, and any other kids that may be at the park. He enjoys watching Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and most recently, Scooby Doo DVD's.

We love you Ryan and hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Where we are now

2008-04-04T21:33:00.001-07:00

I am way behind the times when it comes to blogging, but I wanted to start one so that I was motivated to keep some kind of family journal. There is no way I can catch up on 8 years, so I will just start from where we are at now.

Keira Shae Little was born on February 9, 2008. She weighed 8 lbs, 0 oz and was 20 inches long. It's funny, before she was born, I wondered what she would look like. I was born with white hair, but both Trent and Ryan were born with a full head of dark hair. Well, so was Keira. Now that she is here, I said to Russ, "What else did we think she would look like?" She definitely fits the mold of a "Little baby". It has been so much fun to have a girl and Keira is such a sweet baby. She is our best sleeper yet. I almost feel like I am cheating somehow, because I actually feel more rested now than before she was born. Keira has started smiling and talking, which of course, endears her even more to us all. Her big brothers love her. Ryan can't stop giving her hugs and kisses and he likes to be present for every diaper change and bath.

Another piece of exciting news is that Trent successfully rode a 2-wheeled bicycle with no training wheels on April 2, 2008. He has been asking us for weeks to take his training wheels off, but we just haven't gotten to it with the new baby and all. A friend in our neighborhood kindly brought over a bike they weren't using so that Trent could practice with that. Trent went outside, got on the bike, and just took off. I think he must have been practicing in his mind all this time he has been waiting to get his training wheels off. Great job Trent!