Recent Happenings

I feel the need to catch up on life.  This will probably be long and rambling, so I don't know if anyone will make it through to the end, but here it goes...

My blog has been completely neglected, as well as many other things around here lately.  I was doing so well on catching up but life has gotten crazy as it sometimes does.  We have had some very life changing events in the past couple months related to Darren's work.  Things I never imagined having to deal with.  It is a long story, and one that I don't really want to post on the world wide web, but we are now in the process of purchasing the practice as Darren's business partner has passed away.  There was a lot leading up to that, but I won't go into it.  It is a very sad situation and I feel terrible for those involved.  Especially his family. It caused a lot of stress on our family and left us with a lot of questions and pretty hurt as well. I think over the course of a couple weeks, I felt just about every emotion.  I felt sad for the situation and his family, excited for us and the possiblity of having our own practice, stressed over what was going to happen and overwhelmed with everything going on and at times, I felt so alone.  It also threw our schedule into total chaos.  Things at the office changed from one day to the next, so Darren's 6 hour schedule suddenly became a 12 or 13 hour schedule in order to cover all the patients.  It was a big change!  Things are starting to settle back down and he is going to 8 or 9 hour days now.  It is still a lot different to not have him around as much and to change a lot of the way we do things.  For instance, I used to do all my volunteering at the school on his mornings off and now I'm having to scramble to find people to help with my kids and things like that.  I realize most dads work that many hours, but we just are not used to it yet and the kids are having a hard time with it.  (And I am, too)  We are excited for the opportunity though.  I think in the long run, this will be a really great thing for us.  It is just very sad that it happened the way that it did.

It is also tax season.  I hate that.  I do the books for Darren's office, but I don't keep up on it very well during the year so I end up with lots of work to get things finished up for the CPA.  I just got the file emailed today.  I feel so much better!  It means that I don't have as much time for blogging or anything else. 

I also have a new calling.  I am the Stake Women's Sports Specialist.  Or something like that.  I am not sure what the official title is.  I really like it.  It just means that I have to be at the church once a week at night to run things, even when I have other stuff to do.  It has cut into my blog time, too.  But I am having fun with it and it is a pretty perfect calling for me, although I don't really feel like I know what I am doing yet. 

And, winter is turning into spring!  Well...it started to and then it snowed...  I hate that part of Utah spring!  We seem to get MUCH busier in the Spring and it has already started.  Rylee has started figure skating.  She really likes it.  At least she did the 2nd time she went.  The first time was pretty rough.  Hopefully, it keeps getting better.  Avery is taking dance and has a recital this week.  I'm excited to see if she will actually perform on the big stage.  She is pretty excited about it though.  She has 2 rehersals and 2 performances this week!  BUSY!  And soccer starts up for Logan next week. 

It is also birthday season at our house.  Rylee lost her first tooth and turned SIX the last week of March.  She had a Hello Kitty Extravaganza party and spent the day shopping at the mall.  We even had our pictures taken in one of those photo booths and she picked out best friend necklaces for us.  I felt like I was back in Jr. High.  When she picked them, I asked who she planned to give it to and she said, "you, of course."  I wanted to bawl my eyes out!  Of course I bought it after that.  I hope that she will want to wear best friend necklaces with me when she is 16.  But chances are, she won't.  So I'm enjoying it now!  She loved her day at the mall and shopping and having her nails done - She is such a girly-girl!  And she LOVES her birthday party and loves helping me plan and has such high expectations for them!  Her Hello Kitty party was great and she loved all the decorations and everything. 

After her birthday, it was Easter, which was so fun but lots of traveling to family events and super busy.  We had a really great time though and the kids looked so cute in their outfits.  The following week was Spring Break and we took a quick trip to St George.  We had a great time enjoying the warm weather and hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa Webber's brand new home down there and spent some time hiking and hanging out with Brian and Val and their family.  It was a good trip and we were able to see some friends, too.  And have some delicious sugar cookies and Dirty Diet Coke from Swig's.  That was a highlight for sure. 

We came home from our fun Spring Break, and I turned 32 yesterday.  I think.  I kept telling people I was turning 33 and I had to be corrected.  I don't think it matters once you are 30.  Everything just kind of blends together.  I had a fabulous day and was spoiled by my family.  I love them.  The kids were so excited for my day and it made my heart feel good.  And my phone buzzed all day with Facebook notifications and texts and it just put a smile on my face.  It feels good to be remembered sometimes.  I guess Facebook is good for that.  Darren treated me to breakfast in bed from Kneeder's (Chunky French Toast...YUMMM!!!) and then surprised me and got a babysitter and took me to lunch at Paradise Bakery.  I went in to Rylee's class to volunteer and her cute class sang to me.  It was so sweet!  Darren took the kids out shopping for me and we had dinner at Cafe Sabor and then had cake.  The kids got me some lotion and lip gloss and sunglasses and Darren got me a bike and a bike trailer/jogging stroller!  I am excited to try it out.  Except that it SNOWED yesterday!  All that warm St George weather and then...snow!  No fun!  I love birthdays.  I love my kids' birthdays and mine.  There is just something so great about having a day for you.  It makes you realize how blessed you are.  And I am so blessed.  Really.  I have everything I need and I have the greatest family.  I love them. 

I felt like this rambling post needed a picture.  So, now you can see how blessed I am.  And, how cute my kids looked in their Easter outfits. 

Up next...  Darren and I are taking a trip with no kids.  I am a bit nervous, but also excited!  We haven't done that for a LONG time.  I'm just worried about leaving my Bronson.  I hope it will be OK.  I stress over that stuff so much!  And then when we get back, Bronson will turn ONE!  My baby!!!  I am freaking out a little over that, too.  Time goes much too quickly! 

Miss Avery - 3 Years Old

Here are Avery's 3 year old pictures.  (They were taken in October) She is SO grown up!

 

 

 

 

 

And these are a few pictures from her Doc McStuffins themed birthday celebrations. 

 

This little lady has some serious sass!  We love her!  She keeps us laughing all the time and she has SO much personality lately.  I think this is my favorite age.  They are so funny and have formed their own personalities and opinions but are still so little and talk so cute.  If I could bottle her voice, I would!  I love it! 

Here is a bit about Avery at 3 years old.

Favorite Color:  PINK  (Is there another choice?)

Favorite TV Show:  Doc McStuffins  (before that it was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)

Favorite Movie:  She said Doc McStuffins again, but it isn't really a movie.  A couple I would say are favorites are Despicable Me and Tangled

Favorite Princess:  "The one on Beauty and the Beast"  - This changes almost daily...

Favorite Book:  "The one we read-ed"  She loves all books.  She likes to make up her own stories and read to us more than she likes us to read to her though.

Favorite Bedtime Song:  I am a Child of God  (The RSL anthem is a close second...)

Favorite Game:  To play Little People

Favorite Stuffed Animal to Sleep With:  Coconut (Or Toconut) her little monkey

Favorite Food:  Chicken Nuggets

Favorite Treat:  Chocolate

Favorite Cereal:  Lucky Charms  (She usually only eats the marshmallows though)

Favorite Game:  Where is Sock Monkey?

Favorite Toy:  Fairy Little People Set and Doc McStuffins bag

Favorite Restaurant:  Chuck-a-Gramma  (better known as Chuck-A-Rama.  The morning of her birthday I asked where she wanted to go for her birthday dinner and she said "that place where you get your own food"  It took awhile, but after she said where Logan went for his birthday, I asked, "Oh, Chuck-a-Rama?"  And she said, "yeah, Chuck-a-Gramma"  and that is what she called it all day.  It gave us all a good laugh!)

Favorite Drink:  Chocolate Milk

Best Friend:  Hallie Bladen

Favorite Ice Cream:  Chocolate

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Doc McStuffins

Favorite Birthday Gift:  Doc McStuffins Doctor Bag

Favorite Pet:  A dragon like Stuffie (Also from Doc McStuffins...)

Favorite Song:  Rapunzel Song.  (Ever since Rylee's recital in May, she requests to dance to the song from the Tangled soundtrack called "Something that I want" all the time and has some very cute little choreographed moves to it.  So funny!)  She loves the whole Tangled soundtrack, too and also "Everyday I'm Shufflin'" (thanks to Uncle Jeff!) and I Am a Child of God.

What makes you Happy?  Playing

What makes you Sad:  That nobody shares with me

What makes you Laugh:  Gig-ga-ling

What makes you Scared:  Dragons

What makes you Angry:  Who doesn't like me

What do you Dream about:  I love Bronson, Mom, Rylee, Dad and Logan.  Whose mean to me, I don't love.

Favorite Things to do or Play:  Play Family, Play Little People, Ride my scooter and bike, Swing, Watch shows, play daddy's "hi-pad"  

We love our Avery!  She is so full of life.  She is ALWAYS pulling a silly face or doing something silly.  She loves anything pink, baby dolls, princesses, her baby brother and doing whatever her big sister is doing.  Her and Rylee fight a lot but she really looks up to her and wants to do everything Rylee can do.  She will sit by Rylee and color and "write" just like Rylee does.  She is always asking when she can go to school like the big kids, too.  Avery has a lot of energy!  She is always on the go and she is fearless!  She loves to pick out her own clothes and prefers to wear jammies whenever possible.  She changes her jammies multiple times a day, but rarely matches tops and bottoms.  She especially loves her silky pajama pants.  Those are her favorite!  She also loves to pick out her OWN outfits and comes up with some VERY interesting ones.  She hates jeans and always wants leggings.  Avery loves people and is very friendly most of the time, but she can take a few minutes to warm up.   She loves watching shows on TV and she is very adept at using our electronic devices.  She can find games and anything she needs on my phone or daddy's ipad.  (She has also reset my phone and lost all my memory twice...)  Avery loves to dress-up and she loves to dance.  She loves Tangled.  She loves to perform recitals for us.  She will always make Rylee "pronouce" her before a show.  She loves to snuggle and cuddle and she is so little that it is so fun to cuddle up with her on the couch.  She has the cutest little voice and talks really well for a 3 year old.  She knows all her colors and can usually sing her ABC's without a problem.  It does have to be her idea though.  And she can count to about 8, and then it gets a little sketchy.  A lot of random numbers start after that, including eleventeen.  She hates having her hair done and gets SO mad if I attempt piggies or anything with elastics.  She wants "only a clippie!"  everyday.  Shortly after her birthday, Avery decided to start going potty and she was totally potty trained with in a couple weeks!  The youngest baby at our house yet!  Yay Avery!   

We are so glad Avery is part of our family!  She keeps us all laughing and happy!

Daddy's Bday

August 15 - Our Daddy turned Double 3's this year and we had a great day celebrating!  Mommy and Daddy went out the night before for dinner and a movie.  Then, we started out the morning by opening presents.  He got a new jacket, new swimsuit, some new tshirts and a button up shirt and a massage!  And some BIG hugs from these guys.  They LOVE their daddy! 

We usually celebrate birthdays by going out to dinner, but we had some plans for the night, so we went to breakfast instead.  We went to Kneader's - Daddy's choice!  Yummy chunky french toast!

Sweet little Bron.  He isn't as crazy as the other ones.  Yet....

The birthday Boy!!! 

That afternoon, we surprised Daddy at his office with a Cold Stone cake.  It was delicious!  We probably should have coordinated better with his employees because they brought in treats for him, too, but it was still fun to surprise him! 

Our youth had an activity at the Redneck Water slide so we spent the evening playing there.  Daddy is in Young Men's and they also invited all the leader's families.  First we had some dinner and then it was off to the slides! 

We had heard a lot about how fun it is, so we were really excited to go!  It was a blast and the kids went down the little slide over and over! Rylee was the first one to try it and she went over and over again! 

Logan's turn

Ry gives it a BIG thumbs up! 

Daddy playing volleyball with some of the youth. 

 Flexing some birthday muscle.  We had the youth sing Happy Birthday.  Daddy didn't like that much.  He hates to be embarrassed! 

Avery wouldn't go down the slide without Daddy. 

Daddy finally got the kids to go down the BIG slide!  They loved it!  At first they were pretty nervous.  I think Daddy just kind of grabbed them and went, but then they wanted to keep going.

Look how much fun they are having!  This activity was combined with the 10th ward, which is mostly the ward that was split off of ours at the beginning of the year.  This little girl just jumped on Darren's lap when he was getting ready to go.  We didn't even know her.  She ended up being in Rylee's Kindergarten class and they are friends, but it was kind of funny that she just jumped right in there. 

Daddy and Bronson - Bronson always seemed to be asleep when I took other pictures of the kids with Daddy. 

Playing with Daddy.  He may have missed out on the fun on the slides, but Bronson loved being out and about and got lots of attention from the youth and the other leaders there.  I love that BIG smile and those chubby cheeks! 

 

Raspberries! 

We had to talk Logan into going down the big slide and he finally did it right at the end and wanted to keep going and going...   I wish he would have tried it earlier!  He was the last one off the slides.  He would have kept going all night if he could have. 

Another birthday in the books!  I think it was another fun one.  We have the BEST daddy at our house!  I love how much the kids adore him.  He is my best friend and I am so grateful for him and all he does and loved celebrating him on his special day.  Happy 33 D!