THE Bike Trailer

We have gotten a lot of use out of this bike trailer.  We got it when Gracie was a baby and have been able to use it with all 3 kids.  This is Chase's 1st time in it.  He sort of had a blank face like he wasn't sure what to think, but was content.  So cute!  I actually biked to Parker's school to pick him up in this picture.  Four miles pulling 80 pounds was quite hilarious considering I haven't exercised (consistently) in ages. :)  Parker kept saying, "Mom, why are we going so slow?  Can we go faster?!"  I was like, "Um, sorry, but this is as fast as my poor legs can go!" Haha!

Happy 7th Birthday Gracie!

I wish I could stop my kids from getting older!  I want them to stay little!  But each year Gracie insists that we let her get older!  This year Gracie really wanted a dog "Pillow Pet" and an iPod.  So she got that and some summer clothes.  We celebrated with just our family this year, which in my opinion was wonderful!  Gracie wanted to go out to eat at Famous Dave's so that's what we did.  She also wanted to sleep outside in the tent.  Phil and I didn't think the kids would make it through the night out there all by themselves, but they did!  It took them a while to fall asleep though.  Gracie kept coming in and complaining that the ground was too hard and hurting her back.  So we put some more blankets under her and eventually she fell asleep.  It was funny because Oscar went out to lay with them and wouldn't come in.  So he slept in the tent with them all night!  It was pretty cool outside too in the high 40's - low 50's.  Then of course we had double chocolate cake and cookies and cream ice cream.  I continue to be truly amazed out how much Gracie grows and learns with each year.  This year was huge for her because she learned how to add and subtract large amounts.  She learned how to tell time, how to count money, and most of all she became a reading maniac.  She flies through chapter books like it's nothing!  She's continually asking us to get her harder books to read.  We love this girl!

Parker Graduated from Preschool {again}!

 

Our little guy graduated from his 2nd and final year of preschool!  Parker had a great time at preschool this year.  For some reason he never actually wanted to go, but every time I picked him up after school he had always had a really good time.  We're so proud of Parker and all that he has worked hard to learn this year.  Now, only 3 more months and he'll be in all day Kindergarten!  I can't believe it though.  It will be so weird to not have my little pal around all day.  :(

It's About Time

Well, truth be known I don't exactly have a green thumb.  Ever since I was a little girl I have hated working in the yard and never wanted anything to do with gardening or yard work period.  I always opted to clean the house instead.  Reason being, I am terrified of snakes.  Our house in West Weber had TONS of snakes.  I remember one time in particular I was weeding in a flower bed next to our house and a snake popped its head out right next to my hand.  I think that was the defining moment that I through in my gardening gloves.  :) 

I've been thinking over the years that I really should try and put that fear (of working in the yard and seeing a snake) behind me because I understand it's preventing me from really enjoying the serenity of planting flowers and plants and seeing and appreciating the beauty that results.  So I FINALLY decided to plant some flowers.  All of us headed to Home Depot after the kids' soccer games a couple weeks ago and I picked me out some pots and flowers.  Ummmm...expensive!  I couldn't believe how much it was for just a few flower pots on my porch.  But I took the plunge and went for it anyway.  Phil (I might add was so nice and supportive) kept saying this was my thing and it was all up to me.  (Phil definitely has more of a green thumb than I do...if only he had more time...)  So I came home and planted some marigolds and petunias.  I LOVED it!  I felt such a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.  As I write this, I am fully aware that some of you must be thinking how crazy it is that I have never done this before.  I don't blame you! :)  I love going out and looking at them knowing that I did it myself. :)  Now, just keep your fingers crossed they live!  Oh maybe I should also note that a couple days later I even got ambitious enough to mow and trim the lawn.  I was driven by my desire to NOT look like white trash any longer.  :)  Poor Phil, he's been so busy with work, being on call, and studying for boards.  His little spare time is spent with the kids.  As well it should!  :)

Gra-Par-Isms!

3-31-10

This morning...

Parker's brushing his teeth and Gracie walks in and sees him licking the top of her toothpaste.

Gracie: "Your dead Parker!"

{Gracie pushes Parker off the stool.}

Parker comes out and whines to me: "Gracie did it a million purposes!"

{Parker goes back in the bathroom.}

Gracie starts yelling: "OW, OW, OW!!!"

Me:  "You guys, get along!"

Gracie:  "He hit me with his tooth brush like 50 times!"

Parker: "You're lying!"

I LOVE starting my mornings like this!  What happened to the good old days when they got along so well!?!  I've been in denial that we'd ever hit this stage.  But WHAM, here it is! :)

4-1-10

Parker was frustrated about something and said, "Why did Jesus have to send me to this world?!"

4-10-10

I signed the kids up for soccer and when I told them their team names, this is how it went:

Me:  "Gracie you are on the Beetles and Parker you are on the Cheetahs."

Parker:  "Gracie, Cheetahs EAT Beetles!"

4-27-10

Gracie was reading me a book that she's using for a report she's preparing to write and Parker wanted to see the pictures so he was trying to get close to her. 

So Gracie says, "Parker, you're in my space!" 

Okay, seriously...she's 6! 

I said to her, "Gracie, you're 6, you aren't supposed to have space yet." :) 

5-11-10

Today at school some girls were telling Gracie that they love Justin Bieber (the most popular teen singer for the time being...apparently) and Gracie had no clue who he was.  Well she came home from school and coincidentally Justin Bieber was on Oprah, which I had turned on.  Well of course there's a bunch of little girls on there screaming for him and googling over him.  So Gracie decided to jump on the bandwagon. 

Gracie (in her well practiced teeny-bopper/Valley-girl voice):  "I love Justin Bieber.  He's so hot!"

Parker (dead serious):  "Have you felt him before?"

5-13-10

Gracie has been asking for a dog Pillow Pet for her birthday and keeps asking me if I got her one.  Well, yes I did order her one on the Internet over a month ago, but of course I'm not going to tell her that.  So I was bathing her and she says to me, "Okay, I'm reading your mind and it's telling me that you got me a Pillow Pet."  I said, "Oh really?!"  She then sits there for a second and says, "Okay, I'm reading your mind again and...it's tellin' me nothin'! 

5-19-10

Gracie's class was putting on a little play today called 'The Ugly Woodpecker.'  Before school we were talking about it and Parker says, "I don't get it.  So do they just dress up like an old pecker?"  Haha!

5-19-10

We were driving in the car and a 'Toyota' commercial came on the radio.

Parker:  "Mom, did they say Toyota?"

Me: "Yes."

Parker:  "What is Toyota?"

Me:  "It's the name of a car."

Parker:  "Does it have a picture of Yoda on it?"

Me:  "No."

Parker:  "Well does it look like Yoda?" 

{Get it?  Toy-Yoda!  Haha!}

5-20-10

Parker:  "Gracie, do you hate Obi Wan?"

Gracie (with attitude...of course):  "NOOOO-A"

Parker:  "Oh, because I had a dream that you hated Obi Wan because of his mustache."

The Baby GAP

Have you ever seen a {teeth} Baby GAP with so much gap?!

Mission Accomplished!

 

Chase started "Army Crawling" at 8 months and hands and knees crawling at 9 1/2 months.

What we've been up to since the snow melted and the sun came out...

Bunch Ball {Soccer}

So we have officially started the soccer madness!  The time has come where we are running kids here and there and having to be in two places at once.  It's been a lot of fun though entering this stage.  A lot of Gracie and Parker's games and practices end up overlapping and so Phil goes in one direction and I in the other.  Phil is Parker's assistant coach and I think Parker really enjoys that.  Gracie's team is called the Beetles and Parker's team is the Cheetahs.  When I first told the kids that, Parker said to Gracie, "Gracie, cheetahs EAT beetles!"  Haha!  At the first game I told the kids that if they score a goal we'd take them to Dairy Queen to get a Blizzard (in hopes that would help them to be more aggressive).  So every game they give it their all!  {I mean who wouldn't for a Blizzard?!}  Both of the kids have surprised us by their performances.  Gracie runs her guts out.  She is chasing that ball constantly and she even gets some really good kicks in!  She's not afraid of getting in there and fighting for the ball.  Parker is quite hilarious.  He's comfortable just hanging on the outskirts (spinning around, jumping up and down, celebrating, karate kicking the air, smiling at me, enjoying the fresh air) and then going for the ball when he's good and ready.  And boy can he kick that ball far!  But his strategy must work because he's scored 7 goals in 4 games so far!  Fortunately for the rest of us, we get to eat a Blizzard too! :)  When Parker is out on the field he's constantly blowing me kisses and giving me a thumbs up every time he kicks the ball.  I am constantly shouting to him to keep his eye on the ball.  Cracks me up!  I love it!  I'll take those blown kisses for as long as I can get 'em!  In Gracie's defense (as to why she hasn't scored yet perhaps), her fields are much larger and more kids are playing on the field than Parker's.  She actually kicked the ball all the way down the field toward her goal and just as she was getting ready to kick it in and score, another girl on her team came up and kicked it from her and scored, thus stealing her glory!  :)  She wasn't happy about it.  :)

Random{ness}

Happy 31st Birthday Phil! You're the best! We love you!

Holy SMOKE!  Check out Gracie in the 3rd pictures.  She's waving the smoke away and coughing!  Haha!

Grandma and Grandpa Holgate's spontaneous visit!

One day my parents decided they wanted to come see us and a week later they were here!  I decided to surprise the kids this time since I'd only have to keep it a secret for a week.  Gracie and Parker were shocked and so excited to see them!  While they were here we went to soccer games and practices, Liberty's Carnival, Dairy Queen for Blizzards (our "incentive" to Parker and Gracie for scoring goals in soccer), Olive Garden, and watched a few Jazz games.  My dad stayed busy making his 20 stops to Home Depot and fixing things around our house, painting, washing and vacuuming the van, and mowing the lawn.  Thanks Dad!  My mom helped me with a sewing project...well okay, I guess if I say "helped" then that means I would have had to contribute to the project, right?  Yeah, let me rephrase that...she did the sewing project. :) ...among other things!  Thanks Mom!  And they still found lots of time to play hard with the kids!  We love having you guys!
{Okay after reading this it kind of sounds like we just put them to work when they get here.  I would be thrilled if they just came and did nothing!  But anyone that knows my dad and mom, knows that they love (or so they make us feel :) ) to serve their kids.  I'm afraid my dad would be bored out of his mind if there wasn't some projects for him to do around here. He's so great!  He's already got more projects planned for when he comes the next time.  My neighbors are even joking that they are compiling their own lists for him when he comes next. :)  Just so you know dad and mom, you don't have to work so hard every time you come!}

The latest with Chase!

3-6-10

He started rolling around everywhere to get where he wanted.  He'd get on his stomach and spin in which direction he wanted to go and then he'd roll that direction.

3-20-10

Started the "Army Crawl."  Great!  Now he's into EVERYTHING!  It is now officially hard to get anything done!  We have a board put up in front of the stairs so he can't fall down, but he likes to grab the board and push it back and forth.  I'm afraid he might get a sliver so I have to keep him away from that.  He gets into the dog food, DVD player, the bathroom, the kitchen drawers,  Oscar's toys, he picks up little things off the floor and puts them in his mouth, he sticks his fingers in the vents...the list goes on and on.  I was folding the laundry the other day and he unfolded the clothes I had on the floor including my "G's" which he held up to his face and then started sucking his thumb.  I had to laugh because it was so cute.  He has a "silky" blanket that he loves to hold while he sucks his thumb so I guess they reminded him of that.  :)

The other day he hit his face on the kitchen floor and cut his lip with his tooth.  It was awful!  It was bleeding really bad.  Broke my heart.  Speaking of blood, he also stuck his finger in the vent on the wall and it cut his finger a little.  :(  He is one tough little cookie though!

He started copying some of the noises we make.  If we let out a little scream or a hissing (snake) sound then he'll mimic us.   We'll go back and forth doing it.  It's so cute!

2010 Easter Moments!

The kids got up Easter morning so excited to see what the Easter Bunny had brought them.  Then they started finding Easter eggs and when Parker had found about 2 he told us he was sick.  So Gracie finished finding his Easter eggs and he spent the rest of the day lounging out on the couch sick.  Poor little boy!  He didn't even eat 1 piece of candy.  It was so nice to spend the day relaxing together and watching conference.  I can't wait for the day the kids will actually sit and watch too!  Then maybe I can get more out of it.  :)