For the Ute fans in our life!

And he is smiling too!

Our Tough Little Girl!

Yesterday at the last minute I decided to take Katelee to get her H1N1 shot. Grandma Blackburn and Ethan joined us for this joyous event. We waited in line for about 30-45 minutes which is a huge improvement compared to when Ethan got his shot. The whole time I was thinking how well Ethan does and dreading Katelee's reaction to the shot. We have been so spoiled to have Ethan who doesn't mind getting shots. When I take him to the Dr. I never have to worry about him crying to get a shot, however with Katelee I was a little nervous. My little Princess likes to cry about things, mostly out of her own frustration. As we got closer to the front of the line I started getting a little nervous of her reaction and started prepping myself for some major girl drama. We sat down, I placed her legs between mine and squeezed her into my chest so she couldn't hit. The nurse wiped her leg with alcohol and got the needle ready. Katelee was just looking around the room when the nurse poked her leg. She didn't flinch, she didn't whine she just sat there. The nurse placed a Band-Ade on her leg and I picked her up. The nurse was silent and just stared at Katelee. I finally asked if we were all done and she said "this is the first kid I have had all day that didn't cry." Of course my shoulders raised a bit higher and I think my smile nearly encompassed my entire face. We walked out the room and into the night, untouchable! What a great girl she was. I think it might have had something to do with the little prep talk Ethan gave to her. He said, "Katelee you be a big boy like me, okay?" Well I think she took those words to heart and was a "big boy" just like her brother! I love my kids and am so grateful that they do so well with shots, it makes me not feel like such a mean mom!

Finishing Halloween.....

Okay so we are a little behind on all the pictures we have, but here is the last post on Halloween... I hope! So on the 29th of October Aunt Anna and Uncle Enrique had their annual Pumpkin Carving Party and of course we were all excited to go. Chris grabbed two pumpkins this year, one for Katelee and one for Ethan! We drove all the way over to their house and the party started. Ethan and Katelee both love that house because Aunt Anna lets them get into whatever they want! So we ate dinner which was a chili cook-off and then we carved some pumpkins. Chris did the carving for us and they turned out cute. After the carving the "witch" came out for all the kids to beat on!Katelee was quite intrigued by the whole process of the kids lining up to hit the witch.
And this is Ethan REALLY excited to go!

Some of the other little kids there were afraid of the witch, but of course not my daughter. Give her something to hit with and she will hit anything. She kind of just held the stick but she was able to hit it a few times.

Then our aggressive little man went and gave that witch a few good hits. He was quite entertaining!

While Ethan was waiting in line he would cheer for everyone else and get excited for them when they got a good hit in!

Finally way past bedtime we headed home. This is what out pumpkins looked like.

Chris made Katelee's with some big buck teeth to match her teeth! In the process of carving all the pumpkins we lost the top to Ethan's pumpkin!

The next night our ward had a trunk'or'treat that we attended. Katelee dressed up as a Princess (that she already is) and Ethan dressed up as a BYU football player. While waiting in line someone asked why Ethan dressed up as a Loser and I just had to smile!(BYU had just lost to TCU the weekend before, by quite a few!) Ethan's friend from nursery and older brother were dressed up as BYU Football players too. Their younger brother was dressed up as a Cougar and had a Jersey on over it to be Cosmo! Ethan went trick-or-treating with his 'team' and the little Princess got to ride with Cosmo in their stroller, or carriage! Ethan received a whole bunch of candy and had a load of fun!
Ethan wore his helmet almost all night long and was even slapping his own helmet and his other teammates all night long! The next night we also went to another Trunk'or'Treat at my brother and sister-in-law's ward, where Ethan racked in even more candy that we still have at our house! Aren't these two cute? Happy Halloween to EVERYONE out there! Hope you guys had as much fun as we did this Halloween!

Sorry Ethan, I Just Had To!

Last Sunday Katelee was napping and Ethan and I were downstairs just hanging out. Ethan was slowly getting out of his PJ's one item at a time and I was letting him. Pretty soon he was naked and I started bugging him about getting dressed. I was getting some things ready for church and looked up to see this. My son completely naked and wearing his BYU football helmet. What a sight. I got the camera out and immediately Ethan faces me and smiles. I couldn't put that picture on the blog so I told him to turn sideways. He did and then out of nowhere he posed his leg, priceless! I know, one day Ethan will kill me for putting this on the web, but it was just too funny not to! What would I do without these little things in my life to make me laugh??

I Love my Husband!

I just found these pictures from my work Christmas party last year and thought I'd post them with a few reasons why I love my Husband! #1-I love to talk and my husband is always willing to listen to me go on and on! Even if he isn't paying the best attention he never tells me to be quiet. He listens to my random thoughts and ideas and sometimes he even agrees with them. I can always vent to my husband about anything and he will always take me side, unless I'm completely off base!
#2 He will dance with me when I ask (make) him. When we were dating we'd often go to parties at our friends house. There was always dancing and anyone that knows me knows I LOVE to dance. I might be white, but I pretend like I know how to dance. Chris would sit back and let me dance. He never got embarrassed by my crazy dancing and would come dance or hang out with us for at least one song. He lets me be who I am and doesn't criticize me for it! Thanks Babe, one day we'll have to take some formal dancing classes and dance in our living room!

#3 He keeps me laughing and hates to see me sad. I'm often emotional these days, I blame that on kids. Before I had them I was a rock, no emotions from this girl, but now-a-days it's a different story. Chris is always good at keeping me positive and making me laugh.

#4 He wants the best for me and the kids. He is constantly trying to do his best at making sure all of us are taken care of. He loves to spoil me and I know it bothers him that I don't let him most of the time. If Chris had his way, he'd get me everything I ever asked for or ever wanted!

#5 He is a good Dad. I don't feel like I can't leave him with the kids. He knows how to change the poopy diapers just as well as I do. He knows how to get the kids to go to sleep. He knows how to play with them and keep them happy. Whenever I'm away from them I know they are okay with Chris. He's not afraid of being alone with them, and that makes me feel good while I am away from them.

#6 He makes me try harder to be a better person. He doesn't do this one on purpose and this may come as a surprise to him, but I try to be the best wife and mother I can because I want to make him happy. I want him to be proud of his wife and her accomplishments. He has made me a stronger person and I appreciate that very much.

#7 And last but not least, he's a great kisser!

These are just a few reasons why I love my husband and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him! Love you babe!

Ethan's 3rd Birthday Party

So Ethan turned three last month and I'm still a little in shock that my little boy is growing up so fast. We threw a party for him on the Saturday after his birthday and I didn't invite as many people as I did for Katelee's party. (I don't think our little house could have handled another party like that) We planned the party for after Ethan's nap so he could be in a really good mood, and we lucked out because he was in a really good mood.This year he wanted a Cars cake so I borrowed a pan from a family friend and decorated it the night before the party. It's not my best but I guess it turned out alright.
Ethan was really excited this year to open presents and he did a very good job at it. I didn't really have to do anything but just sit there and hand him presents. I felt a little left out, but I was able to see how excited he was for each present, even the clothes and that was just as fun as opening the gifts with him.

Thanks to Aunt Anna and Uncle Enrique, Ethan now owns a Bow and Arrow. Of course it's not a real one, but as soon as Ethan got outside to try it out he said, "where the birds at, I want to shot one!" Uncle Matt defiantly has an influence on Ethan. Fantastic, if the birds know what is best for them they will stay away from our house!

Then Ethan opened his Aunt Lisa's gift which was a BYU helmet and outfit. Ethan was so excited about this one that he didn't want to open any more gifts. Before the party was over he had the jersey on and the helmet! Thanks Aunt Lisa, this was a perfect gift right before Halloween!

And here is a random present opening picture to show you that he really did like the clothes as well!

If you don't know Ethan and his many facial expressions, this one demonstrates his excited face. He was such a thankful boy and very appreciative of all of his gifts. It made me proud when he was so excited for each gift.

And here is Ethan blowing out his candles. Don't mind the guy on TV, by this time the game wasn't really being watched.....

Grandma Alberta was able to make it to Ethan's party. This was a great shot of her doing her best YMCA impersonation! Just Joking!

We had Spaghetti and salad and bread for dinner and enjoyed every ones company. We were able to hear each other talk this time and when everyone left my ears weren't ringing for an hour like they were after Katelee's party! We are so blessed to have so many friends and family that shared Ethan's special day with him. I really think he had fun and that is ALL that matters! Happy 3rd Birthday Ethan, we are so glad 3 years ago you joined our little family!

Upcoming....

I know, Ethan turned three like a month ago.... I have been slacking in the blogging department but should have his party stuff up soon!

We're Famous!!....and a little crazy!

Why are we famous, you might be asking? Well because Ethan and I had our picture in the Las Vegas Review Journal! You read right, we're in that picture. (for those of you that can't tell where we are, we're right behind the lazy people in the chairs) Yes that is the line Ethan and I waited in for over three hours so Ethan could get the H1N1 Flu Vaccine. (Katelee had been running a fever so she couldn't get one) The free clinic was Saturday from 10-6. I figured everyone would wait until last minute so we showed up around 9:45am. Of course it just so happens that EVERYONE else thinks the same way I do.... The line wrapped around the building in the center of the picture, down the side on the left of the picture and then back up to the building again. Ethan was a very good boy the entire time, which I'm not all that surprised about. He is a crazy boy, but knows how to behave (most of the time) in certain situations. He played with his cars in all the landscaping, whenever there was any or wanted me to hold him. I figured me holding him would give me some exercise and make my arms stronger so I held him whenever he wanted me too. By 12:30 we were in the building and getting the shot. After arguing (nicely, I might add) with the nurse inside Ethan was ready for the big moment! The nurse asked me to sit down and hold Ethan on my lap, with his legs between mine so he couldn't kick. I did as she asked, but told her Ethan would give her no problems. The whole time in line I kept reminding Ethan that we'd get a Slurpee if he was a good boy. I don't like to say "if you don't cry" because I think it's okay to cry, sometimes shots just plain hurt and crying makes me feel better. Anyway, Ethan watched as the nurse cleaned his arm, he watched as she put the needle (which was crazy big, in my opinion) in his arm and watched as she pushed the serum in. When she was done he reached up to hold the cotton ball and raised his arm up high. The nurse looked at him and said, "If only all of the kids were as good as you!" What a proud mom moment that was. Of course it makes me feel good to have such a brave son, and well behaved at that! It is also a little sad that he does so well but helps me see the bigger picture to a challenge I posed to myself lately. During Scripture study one morning I challenged myself to look for things of opposition in my life and how they can make me stronger. Ethan's medical issues have been a source of opposition in our lives and it's amazing to see how he has grown because of it. He doesn't care if he gets shots or even blood drawn, for that matter. Although it may only seem like a little thing, in this mothers eyes it is a huge thing! And that is how Ethan and I spent Saturday morning! We of course went to 7-11 and got Ethan and Mommy a Slurpee, I figured I deserved one for waiting in the heat for that long! It was fun to hang out with Ethan and see how brave my son is!

Some October Pictures!

A while ago before we had Ethan, Chris and I were coming home one night and saw a Care Bears couch out in someones garbage. I'm not a garbage lover but this couch was in perfect condition so we scooped it up. When we got home I cleaned it up real well and it became the dogs couch. After we had kids it became where we put all of Soley's toys so they were off the floor. And as you can see from this picture, it has now become the kid's couch! Ethan loves to sit on it and read books, and Katelee loves to climb all over it and also brings books over to it and sits there. One night before Katelee went to bed Ethan was reading to her. He loves to read and especially to Katelee! Of course Katelee loves to turn the pages before it's time but they don't usually get mad at each other while books are being shared! Our friends from the ward were very nice to watch the kids while Chris was set apart as the new Elders Quorum President a few weeks ago. The kids were great for Brande, (they were sleeping, thanks heavens!) so a few nights later we watched their little boy Brody, who is just so stinkin cute it shouldn't be legal! He was a great boy and the kids loved having him over, especially our little mother, Katelee.

Poor Brody had Katelee following him around the whole time. Katelee would keep pulling his Binky out and then shove it back in. Each time she did this she would then turn to me and laugh! She started getting pretty mean about it and had to be separated for a bit! But all in all she was nice and loved having a baby younger than her around the house! She is going to make a great older sister one day!

Brody was probably happy to go home and be by himself without the crazy kids around!

Ethan loved talking with Brody and would get him toys too! Ethan is really such a sweet boy most of the time! We really enjoyed having Brody over and hope he can come and play some more....

One day we went to Aunt Anna's house and she took us over the "The Farm" where they had a free pumpkin/squash festival. This place in really just a farm with crazy looking chickens, turkeys and a mini horse but the kids had fun none the less!

Here is a picture of me and two of the loves of my life!

Here is one of the GIANT turkeys there. This thing was so big it had cankles and was having problems breathing. Seriously, after having seen this thing I don't feel too bad eating so much turkey! He looked like he was about to POP!

Ethan and Katelee loved the turkeys and the chickens. Ethan kept putting his hands on the fence and I could have swore the silly turkey was going to gobble them up!

I like how in this picture they are both looking at the turkey like it's going to come through the gate and get them!

Here is a picture of Grandma and Katelee.

And here is Aunt Anna and Ethan in the hay maze! Luckily they didn't get lost....

And here is Ethan having the time of his life on the tractor. He just sat there and felt like a real big boy! While we where there Grandma got Ethan some pumpkin chips that he loved and then at the very end she got him a pickle, which he REALLY loved. It was a lot of fun and even more fun that it was free! Thank you Aunt Anna for taking us, we had a blast! And this is just some stuff we did in October!

This Girl...

Katelee is the kind of girl that just loves to have fun! She loves to laugh and squeal! I love when she smiles and shows her two HUGE front teeth! For the amount of attitude this little girl has she makes up for by the laughs she is always willing to give! Silly little girl with Ethan's helmet on! She was loving it!
What is a mother to do? Katelee can now climb onto the couch.... Oh it started yesterday and she is already a pro!

The other night we put Ethan's sunglasses on Katelee and she was too funny. Notice how wide her mouth is open? She must have thought that if the glasses were on she had to have her mouth open! She keep looking around and laughing!
Another picture of her and the glasses and the FRO the girl has on the back of her head!

Katelee is a 'character' and we just love her to pieces. She has started throwing tantrums where she drops to her knees, falls to the floor and then rolls over to her back and starts swinging her arms and kicking her feet. This ALWAYS happens when you tell the girl no or take something away. The other day Ethan took a toy away from her and she was not too pleased with that so she did her "I'm mad" grunt and grabbed two FULL handfuls of his hair! She started pulling and refused to let go. I had to go over and pry her little hands off of his hair. I told her to stop it and a tantrum began. I had to laugh, it is just too cute right now. It was kinda funny because while Katelee was pulling Ethan's hair he was yelling, "Let go of my hair, Katelee, stop it!" and then when she was throwing her tantrum he says, "Katelee got Attitude!" I hope we can nip this in the bum before it gets too bad and she gets too old!

Taught by a Three Year Old....

Today I bore my testimony in church. I had a real learning experience while reading the Book of Mormon this week and I wanted to share it. I was reading about Lehi's dream of the Iron Rod and how the people were clinging to this rod. Some who were clinging to it saw the people in the Great Building and were ashamed and let go of the Rod. The Mist of Darkness was also present in some moments and many let go of the Rod because they could not see the Tree of Life through the Mist. It struck me that it isn't good enough to just cling to the Rod, we had to believe that what was at the end of the Rod was worth it. That just living the Gospel principles wasn't good enough, we had to believe in them and know that they will eventually bring us to our "Happy Ending." I finished up my testimony and went back to my seat. When I sat down Ethan said, "Mommy, you forgot Joseph Smith!" I sat back and realized that I had in fact forgot to mention my belief in Joseph Smith, I had completely left that out and my little three year old had been paying attention enough to know that I hadn't mentioned him. Ethan continues to amaze me on a daily basis, most times multiple times in one day! He is such an energetic kid that I often times think he isn't paying attention to ANYTHING we say to him and then little moments like this happen and make me realize how much he really does pick up from us and listen to. One more moment that happened last week... We were having Family home Evening and I had really only planned that we were going to play Memory, but I wanted to get something spiritual to it so the following went down:

Me: Does anyone know who Nephi was?
Ethan: He a Prophet!
Me: (shocked that he said that) Yes, good job and where can we read about him?
Ethan: Book of Mormon Stories that my teacher tells to me.
Me: (Once again shocked) Very good, and who was Nephi's Father:
Ethan: President Monson!!!

Okay so 2 our of 3 isn't bad if you ask me! And at least we were still talking church and not something like Soley's his Father or better yet Handy Manny! Keep teaching your parents Ethan, I'm always willing to learn, especially from you!