Summer Razor Rides

We have really enjoyed our new "toy" this summer.  I feel quite spoiled that we are able to hop in the razor from our house and drive up the canyon in just a matter of minutes.  Nature is where I love to be the most.  It is certainly a treat for my nervous system that I often find frazzled and shot by the non -stop energy of three little boys.  We are so blessed to live in such close proximity to two very beautiful canyons, Millville and Providence Canyon.  We went on a few long rides this summer and many shorter ones.
I'm making a greater effort to take more pictures and put them on my family blog more frequently.  For various personal reasons I've decided to back off a lot from "social media".  I need a way, however, to document my life and my kids milestones and to share them with family and close friends.  I find blogging a great way to do this.  I need a place where I can be honest, express myself, and be sincerely informative about my life. I need a way to share my life with those who are closest to me, who truly care,  and to keep a record for my children  for the future.   Therefore, I'm going super duper old school.  Bringing it back to the blog baby. Why did I ever stop?  Oh yeah.  Instagram.  Facebook. Snapchat. The instant access to check our phones any time of the day to view everyone's lives and what they are up to, or supposedly up to.  Who blogs anymore? Now I do!
Okay.  I'm off my blog and social media tangent.  Back to our razor rides.  We enjoyed a beautiful day ride up Right Hand Fork all the way to Bear Lake.

Here we are at the start.

It was a beautiful day.  We stopped several times to stretch and find a tree to pee on, because for boys, that's fun. 

When we arrived at Bear Lake we ate Merlins.  Yum!

Exploring on our way back. 

A cool tree.

This ride was from Millville Canyon to Blacksmith, back down Paradise Canyon.

Owen's scare face. 

Love these boys.

Kaleb turns 1

Kaleb where did the time go?  You have brought our family so much joy this past year.  You are such a happy and easy going baby with such a sweet personality.  Your smile melts our hearts and anyone else who is with you.  You are starting to take steps and can stand on your own but you still prefer to crawl.  Some of your favorite things to eat are cheese, chicken, and blueberries, but you will eat almost anything we offer you.  You still love your bottle and you are sleeping so well at night.  During the day you love to play with your toy cars and watch your older brothers run around the house.  You are pretty quiet and sometimes timid around strangers but you are a little charmer and we love you so very much. 

So big!!

Owen turns 4

Owen you are such a fun boy, full of personality and love. You have become quite independent and always say what is on your mind.  You are very good at sharing with your brothers and love to make them happy. Your voice is so sweet and your vocabulary has grown so much this past year.  Your favorite place to be is outside playing with your friends, especially Jameson and Johnny.  You love to ride your bike but you're a little weary of trying it without training wheels.  If Daddy is ever fixing or building something you are right there to help him.  Some of your favorite foods are canned peaches, hummus with carrots, toast with chocolate syrup, and strawberries.  You are definitely a Daddy's boy but you love to cuddle with Mommy. You are a very deep sleeper and you snore frequently.  You will be starting your second year of preschool and although you aren't very excited, I know you will make many friends because you are very kind and interests in others.  We love you so much O-bear.

Weston- Soccer

A couple months ago Weston participated in  a week long soccer camp in River Heights.  His coach, Hary, from England traveled all the way to Utah to do summer soccer camps.  Wes loved it and learned so much.  He couldn't stop talking about how much he enjoyed it every day.

Summer 2014 Recap

family walks in the canyon...the 4th in Fillmore...fourwheeling...rodeo...water party with cousins...willow zoo...sunday walks on USU campus...temple dedication...parks...sleepover with cousins...parades...feeding the ducks at first dam...smore's with friends...swimming at the pool...picnics...

As usual, the summer flew by!

The Move

Kyle finished his 8 year employment with Rio Tinto in June and took a new job in Logan! He applied back in January, but didn't hear from them until the end of April.  By then I had come to terms that he didn't get the job or even an interview.  Salt Lake would be our home for a while until an opportunity came to work out of State with Rio Tinto.   I was disappointed because living in a smaller city, especially beautiful Cache Valley, would be a dream.  It's funny how when I was younger all I wanted was to 'get out of Cache Valley.' And although I love to be away and experience new places and travel, I really love being home too.  Now that I have kids, I can't think of anywhere else I would rather them grow up.   

 In June, Kyle was offered a job and everything just worked out!  We put our house up for sale and were blessed to have it sold quickly.  We put so much work into our little house in West Jordan and have so many memories there.  There are certain things I miss about it but am happy to move on as well. 

 This is how breakfast happened every morning for a week or so of packing.  Packing is stressful!

When we arrived at our apartment  in Logan the boys were dead on their feet!  

Now the house searching begins...

Owen 2 yrs

It seems like a lot of parents say "I can't believe my child is a certain age!"  I don't feel this way with Owen because he's always wanted to be involved and doing what Weston or older kids are doing.  He just wants to be able to do anything and everything and be a big boy!  Owen isn't afraid to try anything new, he is adventurous and very observant too. This boy can also be described in one word.  Active. "Where's Owen?" is a common question that comes out of my mouth daily.  He's fast and quiet about it.   I turn my head for a minute and he is into something or trying to take something apart.  Definitely a "two year old", but he is also very loving and sweet.  He loves to cuddle and give hugs to anyone who is willing:)  He is really tall and big for his age and can 'hold his own' most of the time.  He likes to wrestle with his older brother and usually wins.  He prefers to hold Daddy's hand over Mommy's and loves to ride on Daddy's shoulders. Some of his favorite things to play are trains, trucks, and hide and seek.  He doesn't talk a lot on his own but he will often repeat phrases that Weston or others say.  Love you Owie!

Weston 4 yrs

Weston is a very fun, loving, and sensitive boy.  He loves to be around his friends and cousins and is always concerned about other people.  Being outdoors or in the water swimming are some of his favorite things to do.  He just finished a week long soccer camp and really enjoyed it.  

Wes has a sweet little voice and still trying to get his letter 'T' down.  He says 'F' instead which can make some words like "Truck" sound...interesting.  He is tall and thin, weighing in at only 33 lbs (his brother only 3 lbs lighter) and his skin gets very brown in the sun.   He makes friends easily and is excited to start at a new preschool this year. Weston is very "cautious" and not a big risk taker.  It takes him a while to get the courage to do certain things.  He is a heavy sleeper and not exactly a 'morning person'  He looks after Owen and his safety and tells him "I love you sooo much Owen' daily.  Cuddling with anyone but his mommy is rare for Wes as he is definitely 'Mommy's boy'.

He is growing so fast we love him so much. 

  

Insta-Fall

I can't believe Fall has come and gone already.  Ever since Instagram came a long I find myself blogging less and less. I am determined to keep up on the blog though, so I threw a bunch of pics together.  This Fall included Fillmore and Logan trips, homecoming football game, witches night at Gardner Village, pumpkin patch, the zoo, Lagoon, trips to the park, and playing with cousins. Our chickens started laying eggs the end of August.  Sadly, one of them was eaten by a weasel in September:(      R.I.P Sunny. Maybe I'll write a separate post about that because it was kind of a funny/sad story:)

Weston Update

Weston is sure growing up fast.  He is really into "negotiating" with me lately which is testing my discipline skills. He is attending Little Learners Academy for preschool twice a week and seems to enjoy it.   He won't share with us what he is learning so I hope he is learning something! He does tell me about his preschool friends especially Ryker who is is "favorite"  Weston is very social and loves to be around his friends and family.  He loves his cousins and asks to play with them every single day:) He recently participated in his first primary program in sacrament meeting and nailed his speaking part:)He loves to have fun but is a little 'safe' and won't try anything scary or risky. ( a good thing I guess:) Weston is also very sensitive and has a soft heart.  He loves to cuddle with Mom and Dad and read all his books. His beautiful hazel eyes and chin dimple melt my heart, he is so handsome. 

We love you Weston!

Summer Rocks!

Yeah, this collage is my attempt to document our summer.  I've really been a slacker with the blog.  This past summer consisted of a few camping trips and hikes, four-wheeling, playing at parks, and just hanging out in the backyard swimming and slip n' sliding.  Anyone that knows me I am kind of obsessed with summer. Perhaps a deficiency in vitamin D is to blame.  Dunno, I just love the sun.   Winter and cold is not my thing but we will try and make the best of it! Bye Bye Summer:(

18 months

This handsome boy is 18 months old!  We love Owen so much. He has so much personality and is very active, curious, and in love with life!

Things he has been doing.... 

He says, 'No' 'Up' 'D' (Drink) 'Mine' 'Mom' 'Es' (Wes) 'Gama' (Grandma) 'Nack' (snack) 'Ba' (Bottle) 'Woof Woof' 'Quack' and 'That!'

Still loves his bottle. 

Takes one short nap. (Mom isn't too happy about that:)

Loves to be outdoors. 

Chases the chickens around and says "No Chichi!"

Eats about anything but recently loves pineapple, oatmeal, meat, cheese, and crackers. 

Loves to climb anything and everything. 

Very clingy to his mommy.  

Starting to have stranger danger. 

Eyes are turning more green. 

He is a big boy, taller than all his peers. 

Loves nursery. 

Gives open mouth kisses that I LOVE:)

Love you Owie!

Weston's Current Ramblings.

This kid.  I love the stage that he is in.  He is becoming so independent.  I don't want to forget the things he says so I must write them down.  

He makes me laugh.  

Here are some of my favorites as of late. 

Me:  Wes we should probably buy a kitty pool huh?

Wes:  (confused look) No Mom, we don't have cats, let's buy a 'chicken pool' instead. 

(for our chicken of course)

Me:   Owen has my shoe! 

Wes:  "No Mom, Owen has your pain in the bum" (ha! what?)

Me:  Weston I lost my soccer game tonight.

Wes: It's okay, Daddy will find it.

Wes: What in the world Mom!!

Wes:  Mom, your a big girl, you can do it.

Wes:  I love my "buzz lightyear" hair cut!  (his buzz cut)

Wes:  Can we PLEASE put Owen back in your tummy Mom?

Weston is signed up for preschool in the Fall and there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't mention how excited he is.  He wants a batman backpack because he is really into superheroes these days.  He is somewhat 'careful' and not much of a dare devil which I guess is a good thing.  The carousel scares him but he did ride the Ferris Wheel at Scheel's the other night after much bribery so he is making progress.  He will be taking swim lessons in a couple weeks so we will see how that goes:)  Weston loves pretend play and enjoys playing with his friends, especially Dallas that lives down the street. He is funny and energetic and loves to ask questions, especially "Why?"

We love you Weston. 

Owen- 1 Year Old

I'm not sure how he went from this...

to this so fast!! Geez.

Owen turned one in May!

  He is such a content, smart, active, and curious little boy.  

Here are his stats from his one year appointment. 

Height: 33 in. (115%tile-off the charts!)

Weight: 25 lbs (85%tile)

Some other things he has been doing...

Says "that" and points to things all day. 

Loves trains and says "choo choo"

He is into everything and anything.

Has been walking for a couple months and is getting really good and really fast. 

Can climb up and down the stairs.

Eats anything I put in front of him.  (So nice:) He especially likes blueberries or any fruit.

Sleeps through the night (finally) but still wakes up kind of early between 6/6:30

Loves his bottle. 

Can sign "more" with his hands.

He has beautiful blue/green eyes.  (hope they don't change!)

Looks just like his daddy did when he was young.

And I'm pretty sure he liked his birthday cake:)  We love you O!

Weston turned 3

Weston turned 3 last month.  He has grown so much this past year and is learning so many new things. He  is a so smart and has an amazing memory. (Obviously got that from his dad, not me.) He remembers peoples names, places we've been, and things we've done so easily.  Half the time I don't remember  the things he does! Weston is a big helper to his mom and an amazing older brother.  He greets Owen every morning with a big smile and a "Hi Owen!"  Wes is talking a lot and is always reminding me of what "garbage words" are, like "oh my gosh", and "oh darn." He is funny, a little goofy, and creative with a good imagination. He loves to joke around and say "Just kidding!!!"

Superman, spiderman, and "mad robots" are his favorite things to talk about.  Dressing up in his superman and fireman costume has become a daily event:) Weston has started attending primary and he loves it.  He comes home and tells me about his friends in his primary class, naming every one of them and why he likes them.  The past few months he has become a "big boy." He uses the potty now very well and gave his binkie up at bedtime without any problems. ( YAY!!) He still is a very picky eater but has become a little less picky these last few months.  His favorite foods are eggs, ham, sausage, toast, and anything with hamburger or any meat.  Weston is very good at negotiating, communicating, and justifying things.  We joke that he would make a great lawyer someday. 

I love my Weston so much.  Some days he drives me crazy:)...but I can't imagine life without him.  

The Helmet

Owen has been sporting a pretty sweet helmet since Oct. 30th.  I never thought I'd have a 'helmet baby', but when the doc said the back of his head looked like a pancake we decided to do something about it.  A few months of wearing plastic on his head was worth it to us to reshape his little head. 

He will thank us later I am sure. 

The molding of the helmet was a bit traumatizing for him.

 (not happy)

I was really worried about him being uncomfortable in it. This was my main concern.  He has to wear it 23 out of 24 hours and I was afraid he wouldn't sleep well or be super cranky with it on.  Thankfully he got use to after a day or two and carried on like nothing was different.  Owen is just a content baby and not much bothers him.  So thankful for that. 

The looks, questions, and people's comments I have found pretty humorous and entertaining if anything.  I always knew why babies wore those helmets but apparently some people do not.  And then some people just can't keep their mouth shut or awkwardly want to say something but don't know if they should. 

"Does he have seizures?"

 "Oh poor thing?" 

 "If you put him on his stomach to sleep, that would not have happened." 

"Mommy, mommy look at the weird thing on that baby's head!"

"What the heck is that for?"

" What's wrong with him?"

"Ohhhhh.......look."

(Lost of stares and double takes......)

and the likes...

I just explain it's purely cosmetic and that he is perfectly healthy and beautiful. 

I love my little helmet baby.  

(The helmet worked. He is done with it in just one week!)  

So remember Christmas?

Yeah, it was a while ago.  Just bloggin' it up here, trying to catch up on this thing.

  We spent Christmas Eve at the Krogh residence just partying like nobody's business.  Festivities included basketball, lots of food and goodies, pinata,  pageant, presents, ugly sweaters, white elephants, and pajamas. 

Christmas morning at our house!

 and then off to the Emmett's!

Fall

I love the fall.  It's a close tie with summer as one of my favorite seasons.   The leaves, the beautiful colors, and the cool crisp air is something I look forward to every year. This year we took the kiddos to the pumpkin patch. Weston insisted on picking up and carrying his pumpkins all by himself.  He is growing up so fast. 

Pumpkin carving went well.  Daddy did most of the work and Wes lost interest after a grand total of 5 minutes, but he still had fun.  Owen was just happy to be there...

And of course what is fall without playing in the leaves

and some pheasant hunting! Okay well, the pheasant hunting is more in our family tradition.  Weston didn't realize the thing was dead in this picture. Kyle had to explain it to him and Wes was less than happy about it....:)

It's also tradition that we go to Fright mares at Lagoon.  I was excited to take Wes on the kiddy rides but I did something totally dumb when we first arrived and took him on a full blown roller-coaster. It's a fairly new ride. It's no colossus, but it's no kiddy ride either.  He was barely tall enough so I thought what the heck and took him on it. I don't think he took a single breath on the entire ride. He was TRAUMATIZED to say the least. As a result he refused to go on nothing but the kiddy boats and cars.  He wouldn't go on anything else that left the ground. I felt like a horrible mommy....:(

At least he had fun on the boats and cars...over and over and over and over and over again. 

"Hi Mom!"

We did talk him into the carousel.  This was the result...