The Keyser Family

When you are 7 this is what your Christmas List looks like!

2011-11-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn handed me her Christmas list last night and this is exactly what it looks like. I am actually not sure what half of these things are to be honest and the misspellings are adorable. Number 17 is precious. She makes me smile...a lot :)

1. Make-up
2. Zoobles
3. Blizzard Maker
4. Ipod
5. Vanity
6. Church Dresses
7. High Hills :)
8. Pagamas
9. Notbook
10. Cosco big fat bear
11. Fake nails
12. Singing Tori
13. Pants
14. Rug
15. Cote
16. Bike
17. A jingle bell off your reindeers
18. DS
19. Dove deoderant
20. Banana chair
21. Computer
22. leegins
23. books
24. Crans
25. Password journal
26. Head bands
27. Animal Planet Air
28. Crayola Magnetik double easel

Halloween!!

2011-11-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

A glimpse into our last few months

2011-08-15T00:12:00.000-07:00

If there was a "WORST BLOGGER AWARD" I would definitely be a running contender. Life has been so crazy and BUSY! I started this blog as a journal and a fun way to share our lives with friends and family..but yes I have slacked. We are currently living in Springville and have been for the last 6 months. We LOVE it, we are CONTENT, and I can't possibly move again for a while. 4 moves in less than 2 years has been really hard on all of us and it feels good to have some place to call home. I miss my friends in Monroe dearly, and my mom...but hopefully she will be up here soon as well. Our neighborhood is fantastic, I have amazing neighbors and my kids have so many friends. We have sidewalks and sewer systems..lol Only my Monroe friends can appreciate that comment :) We love the school here and my kids go back next Monday. Tyler will be in 4th grade, Kaitlyn in 2nd, and Nick will be attending the preschool at the same school. He will only be going for 4 1/2 hours a week, but I think Jackson is going to have a hard time not having his best buddy home all the time. They are so close...Nick asked for a picture of Jackson for his 4th birthday, which still makes me smile when I think about it. Life is beautiful and I am trying to soak it all up right now. I am blessed.

California Trip- DiSnEyLaNd!!!

2011-08-14T23:49:00.000-07:00

The Happiest Place on Earth..yep!

California Trip-The Beach

2011-08-14T23:04:00.000-07:00

Who plans a spur of the moment California trip in less than 48 hours..that would be me. As crazy as that sounds, sponenaeity really works for us. When we plan things in advance something always comes up or someone gets a cold. We had a great time even though it was more of a "mini-vacation" We didn't tell the kids until we were a few hours into the trip. I actually wanted to video tape their reaction, but didn't. I thought they would be screraming in joy, but actually their first reaction was disbelief, then the screaming and excitement followed soon after. It was a great moment and a memory at least the older two will always remember. We also got the chance to go and see one of my really good friends Lori who lives in Carlsbad, just outside of San Diego. It was an amzing trip and we are already making plans to go back in a few months.

WE LOVED THE BEACH...ESPECIALLY AT SUNSET!

Miss Kaitlyn Brianne turns 7!

2011-08-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn turned 7 and this year she actually got 3 birthday parties...because she is fabulous..and because it was impossible to get everyone together at the same time. Here are some pictures of her "friend" birthday party!

Nick's 1st Day of Preschool

2010-09-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

Pretty much since he turned 3 Nick has been so excited that he could start preschool. All summer long he asked me frequently when it was time to start school. The days leading up to his first day were so exciting for him. The excitement continued all the way to school...that is until we actually got out of the car. My super happy and excited boy decided maybe school wasn't for him afterall. With my mom powers I am able to coax him into his classroom, but pretty much only because I got desperate and bribed him with candy. After staying for a few minutes I decided I better try to sneak out. He has this amazing instinct that tells him when I am trying to slip out a door without his consent or knowledge and it was in full swing yesterday. He runs to me crying and so I decide maybe I should take him home and try again next week, but his teacher assures me he will be fine. She takes him from me and he tries to hold on to me, in fact takes a large hair sample of mine with him as he's trying to. I made the walk of shame to the door wondering what all the other parents were thinking of me as I was leaving him there. I wish I could have stayed and had I a babysitter for the lil boys I would have. It's hard to balance all their needs sometimes. Needless to say I cried all the way back to my car and there I sat for the next while, asking every parent that left afterwards if he was ok. They all replied he was fine and it made me feel better, but I still stayed. When I picked him up he had on a little crown he made and even better he was wearing a great big smile. He says he wants to go back next week, but we'll see come next Thursday.

Here he is MY BIG PRESCHOOLER:

Our Summer Recap...in no particular order!

2010-08-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

Summer is ending and Fall is in the air. Back to school and the craziness of life. We had a great summer we spent our time camping, swimming, picnicking at the park,having movie nights, pretty much just hanging out. I will miss the laziness of summer, watching Ratatouille with the kids until midnight, and sleeping in. I will miss PB&J's at the park and popsicle drenched faces. But, each season brings something new to look forward to and I love the Fall!

Here's the kids on the first day of school-Kaitlyn in in 1st grade and Tyler is in 3rd!

What's summer without ice cream?

Best buds wear matching PJ's :)

It's hard to tell, but inside that yellow circle is a huge snake who was just chilling in from of my house the other day. Seriously..the picture doesn't do it justice. Gotta love country livin'!

I have a ton of camping pictures I will post later. Hope everyone had a great summer!

Day Out with Thomas

2010-06-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

Nicholas' new obsession is Thomas the Train, and we are talking obsession. By the way super expensive obsession, but regardless his sweet little smile is priceless. We went to Heber City a few weeks ago and went to Day Out with Thomas. Just the two of us went and we had so much fun!! They has all sorts of fun activities, crafts, storytime and the main event we got to take a ride on Thomas. This cute little boy had the time of his life and he has been talking about it everyday since. He asks everyday if we can go again.

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Let me explain...

2010-06-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

I thought once school was out my life would slow down a bit, but really it's been crazier than ever. We moved again, that makes it 4 times in 16 months. Life has been really difficult for us since we sold our house because we keep coming across obstacles that prevent us from settling. I know everyone is so confused and doesn't understand the need for us to change our residency again,or where exactly it is this time so let me lay it out. We made the decision to sell our house last year in hopes of re-establishing in Vernal where Kurt has been working the last two years. The house sold the 2nd day it was on the market and we thought, wow this is really meant to be! We moved to Vernal and it was a real struggle. For different reasons we decided Vernal was not going to work for us. It's extremely over priced, extremely!! The environment just isn't the same and we were all just really homesick for Monroe. We moved back in hopes Kurt could find a job around here, it has yet to happen. So long story short, he is there, we are here and we are still hoping Kurt finds a local job. We had decided to go back to Vernal at one point because the job search had not been successful, but we didn't and we are not going to. We are back in Monroe! :) I hope I clarified for everyone! This living situation has not been ideal, but we are doing our best to make it work, wish us luck that we can stay for a while.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

It didn't take long for me to fall madly in love with Kurtis, he is a rather amazing man. I loved everything about him and that love grew to unmeasurable proportions when we had children. There is really nothing like seeing the man you love, the person you have chosen to spend your life with hold your child in their arms. The love he has for our children is so deep and he cherishes them with all his heart. He works so hard and sacrifices so much to give them such a great life. I couldn't have chosen a better husband and father to share this beautiful journey with. Thanks babe for everything. Happy Father's Day!

Friends Forever

2010-06-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the awesomeness of Facebook I was able to reconnect with some of my childhood friends from Salt Lake last year. We hadn't seen each other in about 8 years, since Ty was just a baby. We have been wanting to get together for the last year or so but since I live here and one my friends, Vangie lives in Virginia that has proven to be tricky. Well last month we were finally able to. The kids and I met everyone up in West Jordan at my friend Jennifer's house (which is super gorgeous btw) and had a great time reminiscing and catching up. The last time the 4 of us got together there were only two kids between us and now that number has grown to 11, going on 12. The kids played and we looked through old pictures of our group together and can I just say I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. It was great seeing everyone and I am looking forward to our next get together.

We used to get our pictures taken together each year.
Here is a picture of us in I think 1994--- I have to say this is definitely one of the most awkward, hilarious pictures of me. With the braces, poofed bangs, and large amount of denim I was sporting, I simply have to share! LOL

Here we are 16 years later, recreating our ever so classic pose:

Here's another with a few of the kids:

Ice Cream Social

2010-05-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

I love to plan parties, especially for my kids. I try to find a fun and creative theme for each of the kids' birthday parties and this year we decided to have an ice cream social for Kaitlyn's. She doesn't turn 6 until next week, but because of Kurt's schedule we did it a couple of weeks early. It was so much fun and I have decided that I prefer the parties with the more laid back approach. We toned it down a bit this year and concentrated on the main event, making our own ice cream sundaes. The kids were so excited that they got make their own delicious creations! I found a really cute ice cream cone pinata (btw super dangerous--but happy to report no injuries) and I think the funnest part was the decorations. Kaitlyn had a a lot of fun and I think we did a good job planning a special day for her. Thanks to everyone for spoiling her rotten, she was one satisfied birthday girl!!

It's hard to believe

2010-05-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it has been 4 years today since my little brother died. It's hard to believe that I never get to see him get married or hold his first born. It's hard to believe that there will be no more holiday or birthday parties with his contagious smile present. I wish my kids could have known him, he was an incredible uncle. He was patient and kind, quiet but confident. He always had a joke he thought was much funnier than they really were and a story that always topped yours. I miss our comical debates and the pure silliness you found in things when you were with him. I miss being little and riding our bikes around the block and outdoor sleepovers on the trampoline. I just miss him. I have a picture of him I get to look out everyday and a heart full of memories and I am so grateful I got to have such a special person in my life. He taught me so much about tolerance and kindness and love. Losing someone you love so dearly really makes you appreciate life so much more. It's reality that we may not always have the ones we love at an arms reach. Tonight I hug my kids a little tighter because life is too short. Cameron I love you so much.

The 1st Day that really felt like spring!

2010-04-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to finally have a warm (non windy) day. The weather has been crazy here and we were all so ready to spend sometime outside!! FINALLY:)

We bought the kids a 4 wheeler a few weeks back and today was the first day the actually got to ride it. They absolutely loved it, and I admit I thought it was pretty fun too. We spent most of the day soaking up the sun and just hanging out at our house and I am looking forward to many more days like this one:)
Here are some pictures of our fun day (sorry about the blurry spots, I guess I need to clean my lens!)

Ty and Kate having fun on the 4-wheeler

Overally Enthusiastic wearing his famouse "cheeser" smile!!

My big girl who is now riding her bike training wheel free!

Happy Kids :)

Look at that cute little face--This kid melts my heart!

Our Week In Review (aka: me rambling on:)

2010-04-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter weekend, we went to the egg hunts and a fun event Lin's had. We colored eggs, which could have went on for hours had there been more eggs. Jackson was not the least bit interested and I could see from his point of view how weird that activity must have looked! Easter night my best friend Kim and her kids came from Wyoming to stay with us for a few days. We hadn't seen each other for almost 2 years so it was great to see them. The boys picked up where they had left off like they had seen each other the day before. They have always had that kind of relationship. Devan and Ty have been friends since they were babies and have always had this amazing connection. The weather sucked the whole time they were here, but we still had a great time.

On Friday we took the kids to Cove Fort. We always enjoy going there, it's a really spiritual place and a great experience for kids to see just how good they have it. Tyler also needed to do that type of activity to work toward his wolf in scouts. Trust me we are working on that thing like crazy, he is so into it, it's adorable.

I officially got Jackson off the binky and bottle. It wasn't an easy task and in a way it kind of made me sad-it's just another right of passage-closer to getting out of the baby stage. It's funny how I just can't imagine myself without a baby, I guess maybe it's because I have had one non stop for 8 years. Anyways it's inevitable they grow up!

We're on the move again soon and I am not looking forward to it, my poor kids must feel like army brats. I am getting to be a pro at packing, but that's really the only good that has come from it. I want some stability for my kids and my own house again, but all in due time I guess. It seems I never know what the best decision is, I know they are better off and happier here, but I also know that it is important for us to be together as a family, actually it's the most important. I have prayed so much about it and I trust in my Heavenly Father that it will all work out. Well I guess I am done rambling for one night!!

BY THE WAY I AM OFFICIALLY A BLONDE AGAIN-WHAT DO YOU THINK?

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

2010-04-05T14:37:00.000-07:00

I CAME ACROSS THIS AND IT MADE ME SMILE, JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU MOTHERS!!

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last
time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold
them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard
only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper,
a frown--you pick up the baby
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten
to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until
you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it
off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour,
whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to
complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing,
Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter,
you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to
leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees
blood.

At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child
isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from
the children

Swallowing Coins (a favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
hospital and demand x-rays
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully
watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his
allowance!

PINEWOOD DERBY

2010-03-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tyler recently turned 8 and so now he is in scouts and absolutely loves it. He talks about it constantly. On Saturday we went to his first Pinewood Derby which was extremely exciting for him and dad as well. They had a lot of fun carving and painting his car and Tyler actually took First Place! He was so excited he called everyone he could think of to share the news, here are a few pictures:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY nIcHoLaS!!!

2010-02-27T22:29:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to say Happy Birthday to our sweet and funny little boy who turned 3 today! We love you so much!!XOXOXO MOM,DAD,TYLER,KAITLYN, AND JACKSON

We're Back!

2010-02-21T19:20:00.001-08:00

Okay so I have been a total blog slacker, but with good reason, I haven't had a working computer in the last 4 months, so I finally broke down and got a new one. :) Not too much in the way of news has happened since I last posted. We moved to Annabella and I really love it. But now that we have moved back Kurtis' job has picked up again and I am certain we will return to Vernal when the kids finish the school year. Trust me I really hate moving, but it is in our best interest. I was hoping we could figure out a way to make a decent living here, but Kurtis has such a good job over there and I am grateful for that with the economy being the way it is. This really isn't a good time for a career change!! I hate that Kurt has to commute back and fourth (it's a 4 1/2 hr drive one way!) and I need my family to be all together all the time. It's a lot of work being the full caregiver to 4 adorable, but buisy children. I believe it will all work out, we always find a way for it to.

Tyler turned 8 and he is getting ready to be baptized soon and he is so excited. I think he is more ready and prepared for it at 8 then I was at 22 when I was baptized. He loves the gospel and knows so much, I feel like he teaches me more than I could ever teach him. He has taken a real interest in Basketball and so any given nice day you will see him outside practicing and he is proud to tell everyone he alsways wins me at "horse". He is in 2nd grade and loves school. I help out on Thursdays and I love to see how wonderful of a student he is and how well he interacts, he makes me very proud.

Kaitlyn has grown up so much these past months, it's been neat to watch her transform into this cute little gal. She is such a help that some days I wonder how i would get by without her. She still gets teary eyed about going to school in the morning because she says she misses me. I am trying to cherish that because who knows how long before that changes! She is very good at reminding me of things, which is sometimes good and sometimes bad (she never forgets a promised treat or reward) She is doing wonderful in school, and she has taken a real interest in art. She's a really sweet girl and I am so grateful to have her in my life.

Nicholas turns three in 6 more days, I can hardly believe it. He is a very buisy little boy, very clever at hiding in closets and under beds when he has sneaked chocolate or a whole bag of powder sugar (that was fun to clean up!!) He is a very cuddly kid and he always remembers to hug me first thing in the morning before he does anything else. He talks so well now and he says the funniest things, I see him being the class clown. He has really started to love Thomas the Train, thank heavens because I didn't have it in me to watch Cars one more time. He potty trained really easily, which was wonderful. Our new goal is getting him to sleep in a big boys bed, which we started tonight(so far a so good). He keeps a smile on all of our faces :)

Jackson is just about 16 months and he is walking around and getting into everything. He is definitely a momma's boy, ask anyone that "tries" to watch him. Dad is about the only one I can leave him with so as you can guess he is my little shadow. He really is the sweetest little boy. He is so content for the most part and he loves to be held and read to. He loves music, anytime he hears a Taylor Swift song he goes crazy, it's so cute! He has been doing really well on his RAD meds and he has been sick only a few times this winter and so hopefully this pattern continues. He's a tough little boy. He is such a blessing in our lives.

change...again

2009-09-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

We are officially Sevier County residents again, woo hoo!!! We moved back on Sunday and the kids were so happy to be with their friends again and back in the school that the LOVED!! Vernal was an okay place, but there is something about this valley, I always seem to come back to it, it's just home. We sacraficed a lot, including selling our home, which we loved(but had outgrown) to move over there hoping for the best, but like things tend to, they just didn't work out. So here we are starting over, but I think good things will come from this.

Tyler's First Day of 2nd Grade

2009-08-26T08:02:00.000-07:00

Today was Tyler's first day of 2nd grade. I can hardly believe it. People say that your children's lives will go by so fast and they really do. He was so excited to go today, he woke up at 6:30 even though school doesn't start untl 8:30. I know it sounds silly, but the title of second grader made him look a little older today. I know I am biased, but he is really an adorable little boy. He will be a heartbreaker for sure!

He was so excited about wearing his school clothes. I thought it was so funny this year how picky he was about them and how he had developed his own style. Last year I picked his outfits and he was fine with it, this year he had his own ideas. It just makes me realize how mature he is getting. He is an excellent student, in behavior and academics. He is sweet and approachable and makes friends easy, I look at him and think Kurt and I must be doing something right. He makes me very proud. Geez I sound like I am sending him to college. The truth of the matter is that as parents we struggle because our kids outgrow us long before we outgrow them!

Tyler at his desk, ready to go!!

Brave Kids

2009-08-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Jackson is on the move. He has had it in him for a week or so to crawl, he was just a little nervous. Friday we looked over and there he was, crawling across the floor like he had been doing it all along. It was a rather bittersweet feeling because I know he is my last baby. It is hard to grasp that this stage of life is ending for me. I have 2nd grader this year and I wonder where did the time go? On the other hand I am so happy that he is developing and becoming this little boy with such a sweet personality.

This weekend we had a BBQ with some of our friends and we found this praying mantis on the house. Anyone that knows Kaitlyn knows that she is extremely afraid of ANY bug. Consderig she has been stung by a bee 3 times, who would blame her. I was really surprised when our friend Chris talked her into holding it. She was the only one who dared!! On a sadder note Nicholas also had the opportunity to be brave. We were outside playing yesterday morning when he tipped his little toy car over and hit his head on the cement. He actually didn't cut his head open, but it made a rectanglar hole in his forehead. The cement actually cracked. He is so accident prone I have considered wrapping him in bubble wrap. He did so well considering we were at the ER for over 3 hours. Well 4 stitches later here he is:

Kids Say the Darnest Things

2009-08-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

My kids are always coming up with the most hilarious things. Typical boy...Today Tyler told me that when he grows up he is only going to have 2 kids so that he can drive a mustang, I then asked well what if your wife wants more than 2 kids and he said, I never said anything about a wife! Yesterday at church when the sacrament was being passed, Nicholas handed the water cup back and asked for ice, embarrasing, but so funny. I watch the food network a lot and I realized I watched it to much when Kaitlyn thanked me for a delicious dinner and told me she loved the texture of the chicken and the way it was plated, priceless! My life would be so boring and uninteresting without them!!

A Trip to the Dinosaur Museum

2009-08-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

Since we moved to Vernal 6 months ago my kids have been begging us to take them to the Dinosaur Museum here. It seems like an appropriate outing considering we live in Dino Land. Driving down mainstreet is an adventure in itself considering there are huge statue throughout the town. Needless to say it was a lot of fun and it was neat to see just how much history comes from our very backyard.

Going Private

2009-08-04T10:27:00.001-07:00

We have decided to make our family blog private so anyone that wants to read it please e-mail me your e-mail address and I will give you an invite. My e-mail is keyserb0524@msn.com. Hope you all continue to follow along!!!

What a week!

2009-07-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I sponataniously decided to load up the kids and spend a few days with my mom over the 24th. Kurtis had to work all weekend anyway so I figured instead of being home bored this would be a good time to see everyone before school starts. We had so much fun on the 24th. My sister and her baby Tristan went with us to the parade and all the fun activities in Monroe and we really had a blast. Then come Saturday, my car decided it wasn't going to start anymore. The next couple of days it was in the shop getting fixed and so I just extended my vacation until today when it was finally fixed, yea!! So I am making the 4 hour drive home when 5 miles out of Price it decides to die in the middle of the highway. So I get it over to the side of the road as far as I can and then I start to smell gas, bad bad bad. It is 96 degrees outside and here I am all by myself with 4 little kids in the middle of nowhere. The closest person to me is over 2 hours away and I felt so helpless and I just started crying. I called the mechanic who had worked on my car and he was nice enough to find me a tow truck, but I couldn't stay in the car because gas was leaking everywhere, but it was too dangerous to get the kids out. I ran to the nearest highway sign which was just a few yards away so I could tell them exacty where I was because like I said I was in the middle of nowhere. A nice guy driving by seen that I was in trouble and offered to give us a ride into town. I hesitated of course because you never know, but I was desperate. He was such a nice person and I am so grateful that he helped us because we were in a very dangerous situation. I was truely blessed today. I kept thanking him and he said that he would hope someone would do the same for his wife if she was ever in my situation. I can think of so many times that Kurtis has stopped and helped people out, he never hesitates. So today I felt grateful that some of that goodness was passed back to our family. The car won't be fixed for a couple more days, so Kurtis came and picked us up from Price. Even though I am going to be over $700 into getting the darn thing fixed I still feel very blessed that we are all safe, and I am grateful that my kids were able to experience first hand what it means to be a good samaritan and help others out. These are the times when I am reminded to always pay it forward.

Children's Museum

2009-07-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

For all of you haven't been to the Children's Discovery Museuem at Gateway- you have to plan a trip. I took Kaitlyn, Nicholas, and Jackson(Tyler was at the theatre seeing the new Harry Potter with my mom) there on Wednesday, and they had so much fun! We were there for almost 3 hours and still didn't do everything there was.

Kaitlyn and Nicholas as news anchors

Touring a Life flight helicopter

Role playing at the supermarket

little helper

4TH OF JULY

2009-07-09T22:14:00.000-07:00

I know this is sort of a belated post, but I just never got around to uploading the photos until tonight!! We spent the 4th of July weekend in Richfield and Circleville this year. I love the parade in Circleville because it is not too long, plus we love to watch Gramps on the float. We had a really nice visit with my mom and siblings, unfortunately it was too short. My mom moved into a cute new place, which is also great news for us because now we can visit more often, the old place was a little too tiny for the family. Here are some pics!

This was the night before the 4th doing some sparklers with the kids. As you can see my brother Darren is the biggest kid of them all! It was Tristan, Jackson, and Kayson's first 4th and they really liked the fireworks as long as they weren't too loud.

Here is Kurt trying to copy Nick's face, he was not in a great mood that morning as you can see, but he came around once he got some candy!!

These are some pictures of the kids at the parade, and of course Kurt's grandpa who is in it every year. The baby was really into the whole thing, he just sat there and watched the whole thing so patiently.

On the 4th we also celebrated my nephew Brennan's 6th birthday so we had a bounce house and slip and slides, it kept thm buisy all day. They didn't even want to leave to go to the park for all the activities. The kids had a great time and we enjoyed spnding time with Kurt's grandparents.

Tagged

2009-07-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY, July 7, 2009
Tagged!

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. Getting together with friends on Friday
2. Company picnic this weekend
3. American Idol concert
4. Disneyland
5. Nicholas being potty trained
6. Going back to school in August
7. Weekend getaway with Kurt
8. 24th of July

8 things I did yesterday:
1. Baked cookies
2. went grocery shoping
3. cleaned my house
4. talked to Kim on the phone
5. went for a walk with the kids
6. returned books to the library
7. took the garbage out
8. went to bed

8 things I wish I could do:
1. lose weight
2. eat like i used to and not gain weight
3. have a date with my husband
4. finish my degree
5. see my family more
6. move to a bigger house
7. add a few more hours to my day
8. grow my hair long

8 shows I watch:
1. Jon & Kate plus Eight
2. Grey's Anantomy
3. Private Practice
4. House
5. Seinfield
6. Friends
7. Chelsea Lately
8. Tori and Dean

FuN In ThE SuN..aNd rAin ToO!

2009-06-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that school has been out for a month already. I guess with the weather being so crummy it really hasn't felt like summer just yet. It has been a big adustment moving from a house with a big yard to a townhome where the grass is just starting to grow. Because of this I try to take the kids to the park and splash park as much as possible. This isn't always the case somedays. Kurt has a very demanding job and 4 kids is a lot of work all by yourself, but I do try my best to give my kids fun and fulfilling experiences. I can definitely say being a mom is the hardest, but most rewarding job there is and I feel so grateful that I am able to stay home with them. My husband works so hard for us and I am so grateful for his sacrifices! Well here is a little recap of June!!

This is trip we took to Flaming Gorge a few weeks ago. It is only about 30 minutes from our house so we just decided to check it out one Saturday. It's a really bautiful place. Unfortunately we were 20 minutes too late for the tour so we are definitely going to make another trip back for that.

I know it's kind of silly, but this is a picture of my kids enjoying one of my favorite childhood pastimes, the ice cream man. I haven't seen one of these around since I was little and lived in Salt Lake so this was a fun experience for them and me too.

Here is a picture of Jackson while we were waiting for the specialist at Primary Children's, I think he was happy to finally get some answers too. He was diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease. He is on a new treatment plan and has been doing wonderfully so far. Winter is going to be scary again especially with 2 kids in school, but hopefully his airways will be a little bigger and we won't have another winter like the last.

In the top pictures you can see us trying to get some fun park time in before the down pour showed up (note the big black sky). Then just 2 days later the sun was shining at sweltering 92 degrees while we enjoyed some time at the splash park.

TYLER'S 1ST DRIVING EXPERIENCE

2009-06-23T21:41:00.000-07:00

So lately we have noticed that Tyler and Kaitlyn were really in the need of some one on one time with me and Kurtis. It's so hard with the two little boys, because they demand so much attention and so I think it is probably hard on them. We decide to get a sitter for Nick and Jax and take them to Boondocks last Saturday. We had so much fun and it was so fun to spend that much needed quality time with Tyler and Kaitlyn. Sure it rained and poured a good deal of the time, but we managed to get a few rides in on the go-carts. Tyler was so cute. He was really excited that he was tall enough to drive one himself, well until it was almost time for his turn. His smile went to a straight, strictly business face, it was priceless. He kept doing this really dramatic breathing in and out thing, he was so nervous. The whole time he was driving he never smiled once and I thought that he really wasn't enjoying himself, but he has been raving about the experience since.

Tyler when he first got in line, all smiles!

Tyler not so sure

All business

We all had a really great time and we also took my niece Megan, she was such a big help and we are so glad she came along!

Megan and Kaitlyn having a blast!

Nick's Fall Day 2

2009-06-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

The poor little guy looks worse today, all the bruising has appeared and he is really sore. I feel so sorry for him!! :(

The Saddest Thing I have Ever Seen!

2009-06-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Today we went on the mountain with some friends of ours to enjoy a nice day outdoors. The men and kid were target shooting and having a great time. I had to leave early because the baby was tired and had enough, but the kids wanted to stay behind with dad. Well soon after the weather started getting cloudy so they decided to pack up and head for home. Nick was so tired and wanted to sit on the tailgate of Kurt's truck like he has many times. Just as Kurt sat him down and started to walk over a ways to pack some stuff up, somehow he fell a plummeted to the gravel encased groung, straight on his face. Kurt picked him up and there was blood everywhere so he rushed him back to town. We got him all cleaned up and I found that he had both upper lips swollen past recognition and massive road rash on the lower half of his face. I was worried about head trauma because I was't there and I didn't see how he fell so I took him to the ER. They did an ultrasound to check for internal bleeding, a CT scan on his brain, and an x-ray of his lungs. All checked out to be fine, but his face will show the signs for a while to come. Kurt is just overcome with guilt and I feel so sorry for both of them. Here are some pics, sad huh!

What a Wonderful Couple of Days!!

2009-06-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night I was making dinner when I heard someone banging on my door. Since we really don't know anyone here I was confused as to who it was. When I opened the door there stood my mom. We were all so excited becase we had no idea she was coming and we always love her visits. We were inseperable before we moved out to Vernal so it has been really hard being away from each other. She is the best mom and grandma we love her so much!!

Yesterday my mom and I took the kids to a little place over here called Splash Park. It is full of different water features and the kids had a blast. One of the great things about living in Uintah county as opposed to Sevier county is that there is a lot more places like this around. We have this amazing rec center with big water slides and a park inside the pool and at least 3 museums.

Yesterday was also mine and Kurtis' 6 year anniversary. We have come a long way in 6 years, including 3 kids!! We went to dinner and had a great night out, we rarely get one alone. I am looking forward to many more anniversaries, love you babe!!

mY BaBy gIrL iS 5!

2009-06-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we celebrated Kaitlyn's 5th Birthday with family and friends in Monroe. The weather didn't cooperate and decided to be windy and rainy, but we made the best of it. She had a a great time and is still talking about it. She is such a sweet girl and is so full of life, the littlest things excite and please her. She is such a good helper and so kind to everyone. I am truely blessed to have her in my life. Here are some pictures of her over the years.

That's My Kid!!

2009-05-22T12:47:00.001-07:00

May is almost over and we are looking forward to the fun of summer (sleeping in after 6:30 a.m.). Tyler has 4 more days of school left. I thought he would be ready for a break, but he is already begging me to sign him up for the summer school program. He is a wonderful student and an excellent reader. Kaitlyn is anticipating her birthday party on the 30th, and of course it has become an exagerrted affair, but I love putting on these special events for the kids and they love it too. She is ready for kindergarten and is counting down the days. Nicholas has all the sudden started talking and he has a lot of funny things to say. My new favorite is LALICIOUS instead of Delicious. He can say everyone's name, but his favorite word is still "no"! Jackson is sitting up really well and he has enoyed this. He is still a mama's boy, just ask anyone who tries to watch him around bedtime. I am looking forward to seeing all you. I hope everyone has a fun weekend!!

MOTHER'S DAY ZOO TRIP

2009-05-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

ON MOTHER'S DAY KURT AND I, ALONG WITH MY AUNT WENDY'S FAMILY, AND KURTIS' COUSIN RUSSEL'S FAMILY TOOK THE KIDS TO THE ZOO. THERE WAS QUITE A CROWD, BUT THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS MAKE IT TO THE ZOO IN LATE JUNE OR JULY AND IT IS JUST TOO HOT, SO FROM NOW ON WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND MAKE IT THERE THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE KIDS HAD SO MUCH FUN AND IT WAS THE FIRST FAMILY OUTING I CAN REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS NOT MASS CHAOS. EVERYONE WAS GO WITH THE FLOW AND IT MADE FOR A REALLY NICE DAY. I AM STARTING TO SEE THAT IT IS GETTING EASIER TO GO PLACES WITH THE KIDS SINCE THEY ARE GETTING A LITTLE OLDER. ( as i said that nick just dumped a diet coke all over my living room carpet, go figure!)

Phew!

2009-05-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

We finally got Jackson's test results back tonight. His Cystic Fibrosis test came back negative, and can I just say we are so relieved!! Now we wait to see the Pulmonary specialist at Primary Childrens in June and then we will go from there. We feel truely blessed and from this experience I have learned a great deal. Life is so precious and tomorrow is so unexpected, so enjoy today like it was your last!!

Jackson is 6 months old!

2009-05-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

We took Jackson to get his pictures taken on Saturday, they turned out really cute. I cannot believe he is already 6 months old. Here are some of them.

Tyler's 1st Game of the Season

2009-04-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Tyler's first babseball game of the season. This was his first year to wear the full uniform and also the first to actually keep score. Although I was excited for this new chapter I do miss the days of tee-ball, which I must say is very entertaining. No one keeps score and everyone gets to be up to bat until thy hit, it's a reaally fun experience. Kurtis and I obviously just want him to have fun in sports with no expectations, so I was hesitant to put him in machine pitch where everything was going to change. I must say that Tyler really embraced this new challenge and I am proud of him for putting in so much effort to practice and do his best. He has had a rough couple of months with moving and leaving his friends behind so this has been such a wonderful thing for him. It was rainy and cold, but still a lot of fun and his team won so he was really excited about that. He is growing up!!!

Jackson- The Sequel

2009-04-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

I have no "wonderful" news to give on the status of Jackson except for the fact that we are being referred to a Pulmonary Specialist at Primary Children's. This has been a long road in such a short amount of time with Jackson already being hospitalized twice and recently having pneumonia with one infection after another. At 5 months old he recognizes a doctor or hospital setting and becomes very destraught, it is really sad. Hopefully from this we will get some answers. The specialist is going to test him for a number of things. We could not get an appointment until June 17th, so until then we will just have to wait and hope for the best. Within the next couple of weeks we will be heading to Primary Children's to have him screened for Cystic Fibrosis. The mere thought of that being the outcome keeps me awake at night worried for my sweet little baby. I am trying not to worry until there is something to worry about, but I am a mother,any mother would feel the same way if they knew their baby's life could be drastically shortened. Please keep him in your prayers. We are hopeful that it is not CF and that this will turn out to be a mild diagnosis. Once again I will keep you updated.

Here We Go Again

2009-04-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

Well we found out today that Jackson has pneumonia. I had to take him up to the hospital to get picked on all day today, it was awful. None of the doctors can explain why he keeps getting sick so often. If he doesn't recover from this in a couple of days my pediatrician is going to refer us to a pulmonary specialist. I really hope we can figure this out, the poor baby can not get a break! It's hard to see him always struggling. Although he always carries such a happy demeanor, he is such a good baby. Well, I will keep you updated!

EASTER

2009-04-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

The kids and I spent spring break in Monroe with My mom, Amanda, Darren, and Sara. We went to an Easter egg hunt at Wal-Mart on Thursday. Kaitlyn found one of the prize eggs and actually won a camera! She was so excited. We colored Easter eggs and had a little egg hunt at the park for the kids on Sunday. It was Nicholas' first official egg hunt. He was confused, but he had a lot of fun. We all had a good time and we were also able to get everything else moved out of the house. We closed Monday so that chapter is officially closed. I never want to sell another house again!! It was a bittersweet feeling, but I am glad to have it over with. We had a lot of fun memories in that house, but at the end of the day its just a house and we can take the memories with us! We are going to miss Monroe, and all our friends.

VERNAL ARE YOU READY FOR US?

2009-03-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

WELL, WE ARE HERE AND ALMOST COMPLETELY UNPACKED. THE WEATHER IN VERNAL HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST ADJUSTMENT, IT IS FREEZIN HERE!!! TYLER IS LIKING HIS NEW SCHOOL, HE LOVES THAT IT STARTS 30 MINUTES LATER THAN HIS OTHER. THIS CITY IS SET UP WIERD TO ME DIRECTION WISE, SO IT IS COMMON FOR ME TO GET LOST ON ANY GIVEN DAY. I MISS EVERYONE AND MY CUTE LITTLE HOUSE, BUT WE ARE LOVING HAVING KURTIS HERE WITH US EVERY NIGHT! I THINK WE ARE GOING TO LIKE IT HERE!!!

2009-03-30T18:36:00.001-07:00

THEY ARE ALL GETTING SO BIG!!!

2009-03-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

HERE ARE SOME NEW PICTURES OF JACKSON, ISN'T HE A DOLL!!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-19T21:55:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone just wanted to say happy holidays to everyone since we rarely get to see any of you. This has been a buisy and very interesting year for us. Our family is finally complete with the arrival of our newest son Jackson. He is such a sweet addition to the group and we fill very blessed to have him in our lives. All the kids are getting so big and we are enjoying activities with our older two as well as experiencing the milestones with the little boys. I hope to hear from all you and best wishes for the new year!