Happy 8th Birthday Andrew!

We were able to celebrate Andrew's 8th birthday with our cousins

 in Cape on the day after Thanksgiving.

The we celebrated at home with the Burke family.

Andrew requested this snake cake. He drew up the 

plans and picked out the colors.

With the Burke cousins.

We are so proud of the great young man Andrew is becoming.

This was before school on Andrew's actual day.

He was excited to be 8!

Opening gifts.

Doughnuts for the class.

Andrew has matured so much this past year and as he turns eight and gets ready to make more grown-up choices, our family is so pleased with him and his behavior and attitudes.  Eight things we love about Andrew right now:

1. Andrew is a great brother. He spends quality time with each of his siblings. From soccer with Tanner and animals with Margaret to making Nathan chuckle he is sensitive to the needs of others.

2. He is growing up big time. He is becoming more responsible and mature. Jason and I are so happy to see these changes.

3. Andrew is smart and a good student.  He can do anything he puts effort into.

4.  Andrew has a great memory. He especially loves facts about animals.  He also loves to read and I love to see him curled up with a book, which happens more and more often these days.

5.  Andrew is FAST.  He loves to run. He loves to be fast.

6.  Andrew is kind to others. He has a kind heart.

7. Andrew has a great smile. He has a great sense of humor to go with that smile. He has his own style of wit and make us smile and laugh.

8.  Andrew is ready to be baptized.  He knows what is right and tries to live by the truth.

Big Sis

Meggie and Natey. Meg is such a wonderful big sister. She watches out for and entertains our little man with such love and care. She is patient with him and knows just what makes him laugh. He absolutely lights up every day when she gets home from school. He grins from ear to ear and shakes his hands and twists his feet in circles.

 This fall we had the goal of planting more trees on our lot to provide some screening and beauty. So Jason went big and we planted way too many (and way too big) trees.  But there is not much I love more than working on a project with everyone doing their part.

Our muscles on the crew- Andrew kept the trees happy and well watered. 

 Our big-lifter Tanner stayed by Jason's side the entire long day.

Some day we will look back and be grateful for all this work, but by the end of the day we were all spent. But a special thanks to Jason for spearheading the whole project!

The Life of our Party

Nathan learned to open cabinet doors.  He will sit here forever and just listen to the sound of the door slamming. This along with flipping the handles on his dresser to make noise is his new favorite pastime. 

 So of course his fans had to join him on the floor for a snack the next morning. Nathan you are so loved. Wherever you are, these three kids are too.

October Happenings

Nathan is growing and filling out the picture frame more

and more these days. He is still fascinated with his

own toes.

Serious Blues

Margaret is having fun with spelling and learning to read.

She is really getting used to kindergarten.

A good ending to a day. Nathan is getting more physical and does

not want to be left out.

Halloween 2012

 Our beat up British soccer player.

 Margaret changed at the last moment from an angel (which I thought was so cute) to a princess (also cute).  She was just excited to be wearing make-up.

Andrew has requested for several years now to be a black ghost-so no one could see him at night. This was pretty close and he loved it.

Our pea pod- very appropriate these days. So sweet!

Our Little Guy

 Growing into big boy toys.

 We just adore this boy with his glowing blue eyes.

Blurry Soccer Pic

How totally appropriate that this photo of Tanner  (#28) playing soccer is blurry. Jason coached two teams this Fall without much assistance and it left us all feeling more than a little bit blurry ourselves. Live and learn -right? I took this from the sidelines while carrying Nathan and staying near the van because both Margaret and Andrew fell asleep on the way to the field. I wouldn't have gone at all, sorry Tanner, except Jason had to go back into work after the game. Fun times, folks!
To say the least, we are happy the season is done.

Blast from the Past.

 With the big kids in school all day and Nathan FINALLY taking decent afternoon naps (we are still waiting on the whole night sleep thing but naps are a good start) I have been able to get some desperately needed projects done. While organizing in the kitchen I braved the mess that I call our craft cabinet. It holds our paper, markers and odds and ends. I keep extra school and office supplies there as well. So when I discovered an abundance of tab dividers (I guess I just keep buying and we don't keep using them) I took a closer look. Yep, I have an unopened package circa 1999. When I told Jason he laughed and said that at least we are thrifty enough to hold on to things. Isn't that the truth.

Seven Months Already

Mr. Nathan is seven months old today. He is sitting up fairly well on his own. When I know I can not stay right by him to watch for falls, I still leave him with a pillow around him. His new favorite toy is the beloved cat piano. All kinds of buttons to push and animal noises to hear. He is a fan.
I love this picture because of all that personality shining in his blue eyes. Also because that cute little outfit has made it through all three boys, and I get attached to silly sentimental things like that.

Margaret's Locks

Margaret has been patiently waiting on her hair to grow since the day after her last big cut.  Now that it is getting longer, we are having some fun trying out new braids.  Her very favorite style is "crimpy" meaning I braid it while still damp after her bath and in the morning we remove the braids and she has fun tossing her curls for a day or two. And I love the ponytail/ braid combo below, because her fine hair will actually stay in place.

Pumpkin Patch

 We always go to Bandy's Pumpkin Patch in the Fall. We have been so busy (too busy actually) with Jason coaching two soccer teams this year, that I took the kids on Columbus Day. They were wonderful and helpful. We had one of those perfect little outings that I always hope for when we venture out.

 My boys really looked forward to shooting this corn canon. It launches corn cobs toward a target into the field beyond. Complete with sights and a high powered trigger, they love it!

 Nathan was patient as we picked out pumpkins, shot corn cobs and went on a hay ride.

 We completed the morning by introducing Nathan to the corn tubs.

Funny guy. I can just see him thinking "What is this stuff and how quickly can I shove it in my mouth?" Thank goodness he wasn't fast enough.

Back-To-School Colds.

Poor Nathan caught a cold. I am blaming it on school and all the germs that make it past our door despite my endless Clorox wiping and squirts of Germ-Ex. So he has reverted to sleeping in his little rocking cradle.

 

But as long as he is sleeping, I am happy.

Conference Cinnamon Rolls

We love conference weekend and all the extra time it affords for us to be together as a family. 

 Margaret and Tanner help me in the kitchen this year. They did most of the work when it came to spicing and slicing our dough for cinnamon rolls.

 They got those rolls just right for baking and helped deliver them to our neighbors between sessions of General Conference.

Center of the Universe

Who knows what they are thinking, but these boys just love being together. 

Tanner is Eleven!!

 Happy Birthday to the boy who started it all! We love you Tanner and are so excited for you as you grow and learn. We know that you are becoming a wonderful young man.

 This year you requested a soccer cake again. So we changed it up by adding a sugar cookie foot to kick the ball. You and Shannon helped me make it.

                    Celebrating on Sunday with the Burke cousins.

                                 

Early before school on your "real" birthday.

That night we had pumpkin cake for dessert because it is your very favorite these days. (And I love the way it makes our house smell!)

                               

And finally, on Friday we had your school buddies come help us celebrate. What a great week we had! A great week for a great boy!

Birthdays in Cape.

 In between Margaret's and Tanner's birthdays, we headed to Cape to celebrate with the McMullin cousins. The kids had a pinata in the front yard.

 Here are our boys practicing their muscles.

 Sharing the loot after Tanner burst the pinata open.

 Make a wish!

Our little birthday princess.