{merry christmas}

{traditions}

Ever since I was a little girl (and even before I was born), my family has had an advent calendar that was handmade by a sweet couple who were neighbors to my Dad and his family while they were all growing up. As kids, we all looked forward to (and possibly fought over) who was going to get to place that day's ornament on the tree.





Two years ago, I received my own advent calendar, made by the same family. It is a gift I will treasure for as long as I live, even more so with the creators (Shorty & Glo S*) having passed away. Although last year was technically the first Christmas season that I had put it up, I had just had a little baby and moved (in the same week) and so the calendar was leaned up against the wall. We only put on 10 decorations before leaving for the Christmas holidays (and more help).









I have been waiting all year to put it up. And tomorrow the countdown begins!

{let it snow}

I know what you are thinking. Snow? In Portland? Before Thanksgiving?

It happened.

And yes, they closed school.

Ridiculous?

Perhaps. But this city is not equipped to handle snow. Not even a tiny bit.

It was a fun 'snow' day for Keegan.

And a fun home day for the rest of us.

{yum yum}

From our turkey to yours...............

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!

{tis the season to give}

I don't know about where you live, but here in the greater Portland area, there are a lot of people suffering from the struggling economy. And although everyone struggles in different ways, there has definitely been an increase in the amount of begging at intersections, freeway on-ramps/off-ramps, stores, and almost any other place that gets a large amount of traffic. One of the many random blogs I follow had a guest post today that focused on how you can help these people and it really made an impact on me.

I'm not usually one to use this blog as a soapbox, but I was really touched by this because it's something I have encountered, and being a Christian, I want to help but am not sure how.

"I always have this train of thought: Do I hand him money? But then what will he spend it on? Do I drive through that McDonald's and buy him some lunch instead? Are they even homeless, because their clothes don't look shabby. Maybe it's just a scam. Maybe I better roll up my windows and hit the lock button on the doors."

Read more: http://www.joyshope.com/2010/11/i-heart-big-hearts.html#ixzz15PafR8E3

This is exactly how I think. And then I feel guilty as well.

I loved the idea of "Blessed to Bless" bags that you can stash in your car and hand out to these people that are in need. If it was me, I would love a toothbrush, some soap, a snack, anything to help make things a little more bearable. You can also find more ideas for giving humanitarian aid at this site.

So, I'm thinking that for our Family Home Evening next week, this is what we will be doing. Because we are blessed - and because we have been given much, we too must give.

{for your entertainment}

Check out this cute dude practicing his skills............

(sorry for the lack of quality, I took this on my iphone)

{getting into character}

Keegan and Kayden were really excited for Halloween this year.

This little spider was really hard to get a picture of, on account of a spiders creepy-crawly nature. He didn't stop moving - unless it was just long enough for you to put candy in his basket as he said "Trick or TREAT!" enthusiastically.

We met up with a local vampire who wanted to get in on the Halloween fun.....he was pretty scary!

Zach tried to tell Keegan that he could just dress up in his regular clothes and still go as a vampire, because that is what vampires wear these days, but Keegan didn't quite understand.......

He made a pretty awesome vampire though!

*edit* I forgot to put up a pic of the cutest fireman in town...

And if you trick or treat by our house tonight....you will get the cutest candy-hander-outer (??) ever!

Happy Halloween!

{i love me some kyler}

This kid is irresistible.

Everyone loves him.

Everyone.

Especially his Momma.

{spirit of the restoration}

Last weekend I took a trip to western New York to be there for my college roommate's wedding. She was sealed in the Palmyra, NY temple, a short walk from the Sacred Grove.

On Saturday, Oct. 16th, I stood here.

And looked down here.

And I was overwhelmed with the beauty of this simple grove of trees that is overlooked by a simple, but beautiful temple. Nearby is a nondescript hill, a humble farmhouse, and rolling fields. This is where the gospel was restored.

{i know what you did last summer}

But I bet you don't know what WE did last summer. Hmmm, I wonder why that would be?

Ohhh yeah, I fell off the face of the earth. It hurt a bit, but I'm alright.

This post may be long, but its not going to be as long as it could be. Brace yourselves.

-June-

* Zach's brother graduated from dental school and we had a blast visiting with Sugar Mama, Bwana, and cousins.

* Keegan turned 6, followed by the end of his first year of school, followed by breaking his left arm. It was super. He did have a really cool glow-in-the-dark cast that was decorated by family and friends alike. I was quite proud of my piece, his cast came above his elbow and I gave him his one (and only) "mom" and heart tattoo. Yeah, I'm awesome. Moving on....

* We finished up the month by celebrating Kayden's 3rd birthday at Chuck E Cheese (he had been waiting for this for MONTHS) and our 7 year anniversary. Yeah, we are getting old, 7 years?

-July-

*Found us down in Corvallis at the farm. We had an awesome H* family reunion at the cabin on the Alsea river. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. We could not have asked for better weather. It was a blast camping out in the tent with all my cousins, aunts, and uncles. It was so fun to see my girl cousins again, and watch our kids play together. Keegan did surprisingly well keeping up with his cousins with a busted arm, although his cast got SO dirty. Kayden LOVED everything about the experience (especially his cousins, Morgan, Hailey, and Sara) and I was extremely grateful that Kyler was NOT crawling at this point.

* Zach went on a week-long backpacking trip with the Boy Scouts in our ward and I left with the 3 Ks to head back to the beach!!!!! Keegan got his cast off right before we left (thank goodness). My departure was complicated by a severe cold and a ear infection that left me with a ruptured eardrum and frantically calling a friend and PA from church at 4 in the morning on the day of our 5-hour long flight from Portland, OR to Baltimore, MD. Although it was a long and painful flight, the boys took pity on me and were all AMAZING for the trek.

-August-

* We were still in Delaware at the beach for the first part of this month. Zach flew out and met us at the beach after his 50-mile hike was done, and we were so glad to see him again! I was glad for his help in talking - the cold took my voice and I literally could not talk for the first week we were there. We all had a blast, got tan, swam in the ocean (even Keegan!), went for kayak rides and saw the dolphins, ate custard every night, and topped it off with our annual trip to Funland. Even with being sick, I think this years beach trip was my most favorite!

* After getting home and recovering (sort of) we filled up the remaining days before school started with dr. appointments, playdates, school shopping, and life. It was crazy.

-September-

Keegan started 1st grade.

Kayden started preschool.

Kyler started crawling.

It was nice knowing all of you.

{hiatus}

That is all that can describe my absence from the blogosphere this summer.

Perhaps other words come to mind.

Lazy.

Busy.

Sleeping.

Vacationing.

Lazy.

I'll stick with 'hiatus'.

Time has flown by. Seriously. Where did summer go? The last thing I remember, Keegan had just broken his arm. Then he was getting his cast off. What? 6 weeks already? And now school is starting? And my forgotten 'middle child' is starting preschool? And my baby is 3 months away from his 1st birthday?

WHOA.

I think I'm going to go crawl back in my bed and hide some more. Real life is too cRaZy.

{we live}

Remember us? We fell off the face of the earth and ended up at the beach in Delaware. Catching up to come. For now, we are enjoying the sun, sand, and sea.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

No more monkeys

Or monkey bars. On Wednesday, one week since Keegan finished kindergarten (more on that later), he fell off the evil monkey bars at the park and broke his left arm. Neither Zach or I were close by because I was heading up a Cub Scout pack meeting and Zach was helping me. Keegan calmly walked over to Zach and stated "Dad, I broke my arm." Zach thought he as just being dramatic until he took his hand off his arm and we saw it was in a u-shape just above his wrist. The tough guy never cried at all!



Thankfully, one of my den leaders is a nurse and we were surrounded by friends who helped us get into the car and take our other kids. We made a great improv splint and headed off to the children's hospital again. They were so quick and had him xrayed and set in a little over an hour. He had a conscious sedation which mommy couldn't handle! I left the room while Zach stayed.



He is doing great all things considered. He has a temporary splint until Monday, when he will get a full cast. The cast will be with us for the majority of the summer. Poor Keegan!!!!!






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

{she's our master}

On Saturday, my sister became the first of my siblings to graduate with an advanced degree.

She's awesome like that.

We heart her.

Zach and I got a babysitter for the older Ks, and took Kyler with us to hoot, holler, and catcall (only a few times) for her as she was hooded and received her diploma.

Kyler was enthusiastic in his support of his Aunt Jessie.



You go, girl.

{6 years}

Whoa. How did he turn six already? My sweet Keegan is growing up WAY too fast.


(at a visit to Tillamook Naval Air Station)


This month he learned to whistle. He worked hard at it too, and finally mastered it. It is a true saying that 'practice makes perfect.' When he first started, it was nothing but some blowing air. Now, after a week of listening to him struggle, he whistles a lovely note. That's right, it's just one note. And that one note is getting pretty good, but I'm looking forward to the day he learns to whistle a tune, instead of just a note!

Keegan, you are six. You are the oldest of 3 boys. You have a LOT to show them. Kayden adores you, and wants to do EVERYTHING you do. Because of you, he rides his bike, picks up his room, loves to read books, and tell knock-knock jokes. He knows who all the Star Wars characters are, CARS characters, and many others. You are a wonderful big brother, love to help me with Kyler, and are always trying to be 'kigatsuku' (a japanese word that means helping without being asked).


(Keegan and his cousin, Alix, at the Oregon Coast earlier this month)

YOU LOVE TO READ. And read you do. Daddy is always saying "Keeg, you are just like your Mom." And it's true. I am always finding you reading a book when you should be doing something else - homework, cleaning your room, etc. I mostly just laugh, and realize that I really can't get mad at you for it, because I did the same thing!!!!!!! You read voraciously, anything you can get your hands on. Grandpa Reed let you borrow a book he read as a child, Great American Fighter Pilots of World War 2, and you think it is pretty cool. You are always reading me a snippet of some dogfight between the Japanese Zeros and the P-51 Mustang (I hope I got those planes right...). For your birthday, we got you the "How to Train Your Dragon" series, by Cressida Cowell. We thought it would be good to give you some new material, since you have read everything in the house!


(Tillamook Naval Air Station - standing in front of a Corsair)

You ride your bike so well - I am constantly amazed at your ability to manage a bike bigger than you! It seems like just yesterday you were riding the bike the Kayden is on now. You are pretty athletic, and had a ton of fun playing t-ball/coach pitch this spring. I loved seeing you out there in the field, ready for the ball if it came your way. It made Daddy so proud to see you playing his favorite sport!


(playing his favorite position - catcher. He liked to wear all the gear)



(Lovin' his Sugar Mama)

Keegan, we love you so much. You are a sweet boy with a strong testimony of the gospel and Heavenly Father's love for you. I am thankful for you in our family and love to see you grow and learn so much each day. I can't believe you will be in 1st grade in the fall! We love you Keegan!

Build & Grow at LOWES

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

{i'm behind}

This little man is 5 1/2 months. He weighs 19+lbs. That is more than both his older brothers weighed at a year.



He eats cereal. A LOT of cereal. You know those IKEA kid bowls? He will eat a FULL IKEA-bowl of cereal .

He also blows raspberries. The noisy-spitting-cover-my-face-and-shirt-in-drool kind.



He struggles with naps; he usually only takes one quality nap a day. The other is a 30-minute cat nap. But he sleeps great at night (now that he is no longer sick!). We're working on improving the nap situation.


He is obsessed with his tongue. You can always tell when he is ultra-happy, because he's usually smiling with his tongue sticking out. It's adorable and I love it. I have high hopes that he will be the next in the extended G* family to be able to touch his tongue to his nose.






He's gorgeous. Chubby everywhere. The kind of chub that makes it physically impossible to not smooch on......


We love you Cutie-Kyler!