A Little About Us...Alot About The Kids!!!

Football.

2011-10-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

I have a football player...a tackle football player!!

Noah absolutely loves it!

His first game is this weekend. I'm pretty excited for him! I asked him a couple of days ago if he was nervous for his first game. He said "kind-of". I asked him why and he said "cause it hurts when you get tackled". Obviously, it doesn't hurt too bad because he gets right back up and continues to play.

He is tuff!!!

Kyra's Surgery

2011-08-16T12:24:00.000-07:00

Kyra went into surgery today for her left eye. We were supposed to be at the surgery center at 6am, but had slept through our alarm and didn't wake up till 6:30. I've been so deprived of sleep since I had Cody, but even more so this past week. Getting ready for Noah to go back to school and starting up cub scouts again, has really put me even more behind on sleep than I already was. Her surgery wasn't until 7:45, so off my husband went in a frantic! We had some time to spare:) The nurse had called to make sure we were going to be there. I'm glad we made it in time for the surgery and was able to still get the procedure done. Kyra and my husband got home around 9:20am and she has been sleeping ever since. She hasn't ate a thing since 11:30 last night, I'm sure her cute, little body is starving! The doctor says that everything went well and that we should see results no later than 2 weeks. I hope and pray that all works out well! It is always alittle scary for your own child to go under anesthesia. Brandon gave here a priesthood blessing last night. What a sweet blessing! In it it said that she would be comforted and that things would go well. I am really grateful for the priesthood in my life!! What a huge blessing this has been for me and my family! I love my husband and that he is so worthily holds the priesthood! Kyra's eye is swollen and super blood shot:( Poor Girl! The doctor says that her eye will only feel dry and that there shouldn't be any pain. I can't wait for these next two weeks to fly by, and I can't wait to see the results!

"Hasta la vista to her patch" Yeah!!!

2 Months Old.

2011-08-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Cody had his 2 month check-up today. He weighed 13.4 pounds and was 22.5 inches long. He is such a chunk! He is such a sweet baby! His little personality is so chill! He just hangs out, which is so nice! Total opposite of his sister:) His pediatrician says he is healthy.

Smiling:)

2011-07-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Dimples and All..

Today, Cody is smiling.

He is so SUPER CUTE!!!

Baby Cody.

2011-06-23T15:04:00.001-07:00

Cody is now 3 weeks old and his siblings can't get enough of him! I will just say that he isn't lacking any love!!! Noah thinks it is so cool having a brother, while Kyra seems to ask me non-stop "where is your baby?". I always remind her that she could ask where her little brother is, but without prevail, she still asks me where my baby is:) One of these days, she will get it. They are both so willing to help out with the new baby in the house. But amongst all the help, having three kids is a huge adjustment!!

Blue & Pink!

2011-06-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Kyra reminds me daily that her two favorite colors are

Blue & Pink:)

Everything that comes into play has to be one of the two colors, and if it isn't then she decides whether or not the "green" cup or the "yellow" plate (for example) is good enough.

38 Weeks & Counting...

2011-05-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

Once again, I am depressed!!! It just isn't fair!

38 weeks...

and no baby boy yet:(

I had my membranes striped yesterday. I've been dilated to a 2 and a half and 80% in-faced for over a week, now. I guess my body just loves being pregnant...It stinks!

My doctor is aware of how big this baby is and has scheduled for an ultrasound next week along with being induced if I don't go before then. I expressed to him earlier through my pregnancy, that my husband weighed over 9 lbs. when he was born and that I wanted to be induced if he saw any signs of me having a big baby. I'm nervous!!

My husband says I'm a ticking bomb waiting to go off. I hope for sooner than later!

All I can say is I better not go over my due date again!!!
I went a week over my due date with my last pregnancy. Poor Me!

Oppositional Children!

2011-05-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

I feel as if my prayers have been answered, and I cry right now because I'm happy. For the past 6 months or so, I have had this constant nag to get control of my boy Noah. Our 10 year old son is exceptionally rude, grumpy and disrespectful and defiant at home. School is a different story and always has been. He is a wonderful student, a leader, teachers enjoy him and have great things to say about him. They are always shocked when I share the difficulty that we experience at home. None of this behavior is ever displayed at school. He has many friends, plays sports and piano. He is a welcome guest at play dates. Parents of his friends often comment on his polite behavior. Obviously, many convey to me of what a great kid he is, and I truly believe this! I've always said that he's 85% great but the 15% that's hard, is absolutely grueling. For the last couple of months, many ideas have gone through my head, of what might be triggering this at home....I have thought to myself that maybe we need to go and talk with a counselor. Maybe he needs to talk with someone or maybe I need to go talk with someone. I'm not someone who looks at counseling as a bad thing. We all need counsel in our lives, whether it be from a friend, from a professional, or simply from our mother's. We all need someone we can trust to talk with. I have also thought alot about how our situation, use to be, before meeting my wonderful husband Brandon. I have also considered that his behavior could be coming from him being an only child for so long, and not having a stable father figure in his life. In which, I know he has always had stable people in his life, especially ones he has been able to look up to. So, I know for a fact that this isn't it. But who knows....this is why I have had my uncontrollable nag, because I don't want him treating me like this anymore! I've been tired of it for a long time and just thought that this was his personality and who he is. I should have delt with it along time ago, but I guess when you don't know....you just don't know. Thia is the website I found to be very helpful. What a relief it has been knowing that other parents are dealing with the same issues as I am. Noah is truly a wonderful kid! I Love Him So Much!!!

My Little Anne Geddes.

2011-05-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help but take a picture of her. Isn't she cute!! The way she fell asleep reminded me of the famous photographer, Anne Gedde.

Labels...

2011-04-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

Water bottle labels, food labels, chap-stick labels...just about any kind of label.

My sweet Kyra has a infatuation with peeling labels! She always peels them off just perfect. You know it is her water bottle if the label is torn off:) No one else does this at our house, so there is no mistaking that...

She probably learned this from her Aunt Brookie. I don't know who else would have shown her.

Scouts...

2011-03-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

Ugh....That is all I have to say! I was called to be Cub Scout Committee Chair last November, and this calling demands alot!!! They don't have anyone to help me do advancements/achievements, and our cub master doesn't help with anything. So, in conjunction to all the other things my calling demands, I am stuck planning everything and keeping track of everything. Maybe, this is one reason why I haven't been able to keep up with my blog, in addition to being so tired because I am pregnant. There is soooo much fun and exciting things that I didn't blog, but oh well.
Last night was our Blue & Gold Banquet and I am so happy to see it done and over with! I never realized what goes into all these church functions, until now. I thought Pinewood Derby was busy enough for me, but Blue & Gold topped that. I appreciate those that put on all the fun events more so now!
Mid April is our Stake Day Camp. I am putting together 2 classes for that. It should be fun for the boys to participate and give them lots of opportunities to pass off some of their requirements. The end of June and beginning of July the boys will be going to Summer Camp. Noah loved going last year, it was a good experience for him. I went last year as a volunteer and it's a blast. Although I will be the one in charge of putting everything together, and I won't be going. That is if I can get enough volunteers, which I have to because I will have a new born.

Anyways, wish I had some pictures to share, but I don't:( To busy being the one in charge and I haven't mastered me taking pictures along with that...I have learned alot with Cub Scouts thus far! It has been good for me!!!

It's a Boy!

2011-03-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

All Boy!!!
Although we have known for awhile...

We are all so excited, especially Noah and Brandon!!!

My intuition was right:)

I was super tired and sick throughout my first trimester. I'm talking sick & tired all day! It was pretty disgusting, and I felt bad for my family. They were neglected! My poor house was a wreck and my kids pretty much didn't eat anything nutritional. Glad that that is over with and I am on the home stretch of this pregnancy!! Woohoo!!!

I'm due June 8th, but of coarse I'm like every other woman and hope that this little guy will come sooner! Amongst my belly being as big as it is, I am still running in the morning. I know this won't last much longer, maybe another 2 weeks. I get exhausted quite easily. I can't wait to get my energy and body back! Those are the two things I miss the most!! Over all, I shouldn't complain so much...I've been able to exercise alot, sleep well, and haven't had much acid reflux. Thus, making me a happy mommy and wife:)

I love my husband and kiddos! I'm thrilled to have another little one in our home soon...what a blessing this little boy will be!!

Family Pictures

2010-11-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Recently we had family pictures done here.

Kid #3

2010-11-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

That's right...I'm pregnant!

Even though I hate being pregnant, we are all excited!! Both the kids can't wait for the baby to be here...

3 Years...

2010-10-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

And many more to come!!

Happy Anniversary!!

We went to dinner at Brio Tuscan Grill. So delicious, I love that place! After, we went and saw a movie. It was pretty good. We enjoyed eachother and that's all that counts.

I have to admit, and I'm glad Brandon probably won't be seeing this. I almost forgot. Yeah you read it right, almost forgot that it was 3 years ago that I married the man of my dreams:) Brandon woke up this morning and gave me a big hug with a kiss and wished me a Happy Anniversary. I played it off and said that I thought he had forgotten. When really I was caught off guard and was thinking "what did he just say", and remembered that yeah...it is my anniversary today. Duh!!

Schnepf Farms

2010-10-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year! It is so fun to get out with the kids and enjoy the fall season! Every year my family gets together and goes to Schnepf Farms for their pumpkin and chili party. Kyra was able to go on some of the rides this year and her being our thrill seeker child, she loved them! She cried cause she didn't want to get off, it was quite cute. We all enjoyed being with each other!!

Mark, Noah, and Isaac

My pictures didn't turn out too great because of all the dust.

Kyra was excited for the little piggy races.

This was the ride that Kyra cried on:(

Classic...what would we do without the i-phone?

Mr. and Mrs. Carter

2010-10-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

Danielle and Jeff were married October 15th in the Mesa Temple. Danielle is one of Brandon's younger sisters. Calan was also sealed to them. That was a neat experience and I am anticipating the day when Brandon and I will have that opportunity with Noah. Congratulations to them and their new family!

Grammie & Papa's House

2010-09-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

We spent the day over at Grammie and Papa's house. The kids helped Papa plant the garden and some flowers. Kyra had a blast playing all day outside with Calan. Especially since the kids don't get to play outside during the summer. The whether has been getting nicer and so it was one of those days that they got to spend all day outside. It was pretty difficult getting my kids packed up for the ride home, as if they hadn't been there long enough. We all had fun! Thanks for letting us spend the day with you!!

The Big 3-0!!

2010-09-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

Happy 30th Birthday Babe!! I Love You!

No candles so we resorted to a tealight.

Frost Family Reunion.

2010-09-08T22:07:00.001-07:00

Labor Day Weekend=Frost Family Reunion
We head up north just outside of Alpine each year. It is alot of fun and my kids love it!

Setting Up Camp:

The Family:

Beth, Cade, Mom, Aunt Pat, and Chris in the background.

Tenea, Noah, Uncle David

Before...

After...

Too sweet! Gotta love it!

Sexy Carrie!

Brooke and Ryah

Toys:

Alittle one-on-one fun with daddy.

Noah's first time playing paintball, he was brave! He loved it, and wants to buy a paintball gun now!!

Going for a walk:

The Rock Crawlers:

(more toys)

This is one of Brandon's hobbies and so he couldn't forget to bring them with us. They had a good time mess'n around with them.

Scavenger Hunt:

Beth and I came up with two scavenger hunts while we where out there. One for the younger kids and another for the older kids. This is something we will do again, the kids all had a good time doing them.

Candy was their reward. I wasn't able to get pictures of the older group scavenger hunt:(

Food:

We didn't starve thats for sure! We all enjoyed the watermelon and cantaloupe from my mom's garden. It was delicious!!

Silly Bandz

2010-08-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Silly Bandz are the latest fad in kids collectibles. I found this out the other day when Noah came home from school wanting to go buy some. Silly bandz are rubber bracelets that are shaped like animals and objects. I guess they aren't as bad as some of the fads we had growing up. Just to name a few...slap bracelets, garbage pail kids, pogs. Wow, those where the days:) It is just so much fun being a kid, isn't it?? I took Noah to the store yesterday to buy a pack. Kyra seemed to love them just as much, if not more:) Noah can't wait to wear them to school and trade them with his friends.

2nd Employee.

2010-08-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Avid Off Road hired a 2nd employee....Yeah!! Even better, a full-time employee. Mid July was when we hired him. This can only mean that good things are happening...our bussiness is growing:) So now we have a full time employee and a part time employee. We were so glad to have hired the new guy when we did cause we would sure have been up a creek if we hadn't. Sales were high this month and Brandon would be stressing more than he is, if we wouldn't have hired him when we did. What a blessing things have been and we are so very grateful for everything we have learned thus far!

Fourth Grade.

2010-08-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Holy Crap!! I have a 4th grader...

Noah's first day of school is today. I couldn't tell you if he was more excited to see his friends again, or more excited to wear his new shoes. I'm sure it was alittle of both...

Mrs. Tate is his teacher this year. I don't know much about her, but I am sure she will be great for him. I'm excited to see what this school year brings.

Mr. Balloon Man!

2010-08-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

Eric never ceases to amaze me....He has all kinds of hidden talents up his sleeves!

Balloon Pro, Balloon Man, Balloon Twister, Balloon Artist

Whatever you wana call him. Noah, Pace, Kyra, and Cade all got to enjoy Eric twisting balloons for them. This was a first for all of us. Noah got a motorcycle, Pace got a monkey, Kyra got a teddy bear, Cade got a dog.

From what I hear, Eric did balloon twisting at restaurants way back in the day. This was his job throughout High school. He said it made pretty dang good money, and that's all that counts:) Right?

My kids are so lucky to have an Uncle like him! He is great! Eric taught Noah how to make a lizard.

Eric didn't forget about us girls...He twisted me a heart with 2 love birds and Beth got a pretty flower.

The kids also got swords & parrots. Kyra's sword was purple, how cute is that!!!

I Hold You...I Did!!!

2010-08-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

"I Hold You"

Just another cute saying that Kyra loves to say when she would like you to hold her. Makes us laugh every time she says it.

"I Did!!!"

She always says this with such enthusiasm. When asking Kyra just about any question, her response is "I did".

For example:

Kyra do you want to go play with Cade today? "I did"

Kyra do you want some milk? "I did"

It is really cute to hear.

Done Away w/ "Slug-Bugs".

2010-08-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

I picked up Noah today from being at Nick's. He has been there for two weeks which has been the longest he has ever stayed with him. It was hard not being able to see him. Noah really had a hard time being gone for so long! He really missed us, it was quite sad:(

On the was home, Noah and I played the new version of "Slug-Bug". We played PT Bruiser. Everytime you spot a PT Cruiser, you get to slug someone in the arm. Since you never see Volkswagen Beetles around anymore, I guess kids have come up with this new version. It was pretty fun and I never realized how many PT Cruisers are on the road, especially red ones. Personally I think they are pretty ugly, and I would never own one, but obviously alot of people like them. Glad Noah is home and we get to enjoy him again!!!

Circle Circle Round Round...Twinkle Twinkle★

2010-08-02T07:38:00.001-07:00

Circle, Triangle, Star, Square, Heart, Balloon
Yes, Kyra has figured out her shapes. She is getting so smart and growing up ohhh so fast! She can point to the correct shape when called out and can place each shape in its appropriate spot in a shape-sorter.

She also has become quite the little singer. She loves to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, and I Am Like a Star Shining Brightly.

One more funny thing she did...Reading to her before she goes to bed is one of my nightly rituals. Last night we were reading a book and there was a picture of a mouse. Kyra pointed it out and said "Mickey Mouse". The picture was of an ordinary gray mouse so it was really cute of her to say that.

Her are some random photo's that I have taken of her. She is now 20 months and getting cuter by the minute:) If that is at all possible. We love what she brings into our family. She is such a sweet little girl!

Doritos is one of Kyra's favorite snacks and obviously eating them naked is the most fun!

She loves any accessory she can get her hands on, especially these glasses!

Sometimes I don't wake up early enough to workout before Kyra wakes up. So the only way to get a workout in is to give her her own yoga mat.

Sunday morning before we went to church. So Cute!

4th of July!!!

2010-07-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

We got to enjoy the fireworks twice this year!

I really love watching fireworks, it is one of my most favorite things! Just ask my husband...he probably gets annoyed with me, because throughout the entire fireworks show I probably say "babe, did you see that one? I like that one!", about 50 or more times.

Of we go to celebrate:)

Since the 4th fell on a Sunday, some cities were celebrating it on Saturday and some weren't. Ahwatukee celebrated the 4th on Saturday. Some friends of ours were going and invited us to join them. It was fun! I knew Kyra didn't remember the fireworks from the previous year, so I was kind of excited to see how she would do this year. She stared in ahhh up at the fireworks for a good 10 minutes, not taking her eyes off of them while holding onto my neck tightly. She was so cute!

My HOT husband waiting for the fireworks to start.

Kyra and I watching fireworks.

Ryan my nephew came to visit for the summer. Noah and Ryan got fireworks painted on their hands.

We also went to Payson on Sunday after church to their celebration. It's a tradition in Brandon's family to go up to Payson for the 4th. Payson has an awesome fireworks show, so I don't mind at all. They spent $20,000.00 on fireworks this year. Crazy!! The Payson celebration was way better than Ahwatukee's celebration.

Kyra loves daddy's "juice" as she would say and...she got away with it!

Carrie joined us in Payson for the 4th.

The light up gun we bought for the night.

We also bought this really neat light up binky that Kyra loved once it was dark.

We didn't get back from the fireworks until late both nights, so come Monday morning, the kids and I were very exhausted! We slept in till 9. I can't remember the last time I slept that late, and Kyra has never slept past 8.

Noah's Lego Gym.

2010-06-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of what Noah decided to build today. He thought he was so clever, and I like to think so too. I hadn't seen him for awhile and just as I noticed this, he came down the stairs with his sweet lego gym. It had two yoga people, a lego dude bench pressing, a lego dude rowing, a lego girl arm curling, and a bicyclist. I loved it!

A Burrito.

2010-06-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

I made burritos for lunch today.

Yummy, Yummy burritos!!

Both Noah & Kyra loved them, and I just wanted to jot down how Kyra said burrito.

It was her first time saying burrito, and it was super cute!

Although this won't justify how cute it really was and how cute it sounded.

She said B-O for burrito:)

Lego Land.

2010-06-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

We took the kids and my mom to Lego Land. Noah loves anything and everything that has to do with lego's and so I wanted to go before he grew out of that stage. He had a blast, but the perfect age to go would be 5 or 6 years old. It seemed like that was the age that would enjoy it the most. Kyra is only 19 months and she loved it. Surprisingly, they had lots of things for her to do there.

I missed out on alot of photos from the first day. I specifically charged my camera the night before, but when we got to the park it showed a low battery. I was only able to snap one shot before my camera shut off. I was so mad! I wanted to use my new camera. I guess I didn't know what I was doing when I went to charge it the previous night so Brandon took the responsibility in charging it once we got to our hotel later that night. Needless to say, I was happy to be able to get some pictures the next day.

I'm so glad that we were able to take my mom with us! The kids loved having grandma there too. My mom really enjoyed "Miniland". Miniland is a specific area where they had built historical buildings, scenes, and cities out of lego's. This was really neat!

We also went to the Lego Land Aquarium. That was alot of fun! The kids loved seeing all the different kinds of fish. Noah loved the sharks. Kyra was so brave...she stuck her hand in and felt the starfish.

We spent our last day in California at the beach. You can't go to California without visiting the beach. This was Kyra's first experience to swim in the ocean. It wasn't the best day to go to the beach, there was an overcast. Kyra still had a good time, despite it all. We buried Noah in the sand.

Twenty Nine & Not Gett'n Any Younger.

2010-06-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

I celebrated my birthday this year at my sister Beth's house. We had a pool party and all my family came. It was alot of fun!! My husband bought me a cake that said

"Happy Birthday Hot Stuff".

I'm glad to see that I still have him fooled. I also requested homemade ice cream, my absolute favorite! I'm picky when it comes to homemade ice cream. This is my momma's recipe, which is super good. All the other recipes that I have tried are to creamy and rich for me.

Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

2 cup sugar

1 qt. half & half

1 qt. cream

dash of salt

3 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve sugar in cream. Add salt and vanilla; chill 30 minutes and churn in ice cream freezer.

My husband got me what I have been wanting and what I have needed for along time...a new camera:)

He got me the Nixon S8000.

I told him I didn't care what brand he got me, just as long as he got me a camera with 10x the zoom. Of coarse he read some reviews and did some checking around to make sure this one was a good camera cause he knew we would be having it for along time. My last camera was about 5 or 6 years old and technology has come along way since then. It was time to get an upgrade!

My family always does gifts. I think it makes birthdays more exciting, so even though we are older, we still do them. I got some other cool presents. I got a gift card to Designer Blvd. (my favorite place to shop) and a ring from Beth & Eric, a shirt from Carrie, and Brooke & Brian got me sandals, toenail polish, and a swimsuit cover up. They were all things that I needed so it was great!

1st Movie Experience.

2010-06-21T13:57:00.000-07:00

Kyra had her 1st experience at the movies which lasted only approximately 10 min. She has so much energy it is impossible for her to sit still!

I bought some summer movie tickets this year for the kids. I usually just take Noah and my nephew Pace, but my mom is in town and so I thought it would be fun for all of us to go together.

Alvin and the Chipmunks the Squeakquel was the movie for this week.

Amongst all the popcorn, candy, and soda. I ended up leaving early with Kyra. Everyone said it was a good movie.

Day Camp 2010.

2010-06-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

Noah attended day camp for his first time this year. I volunteered to be a leader, so I was able to go with him. We both had lots of fun!

1000 Pages.

2010-06-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Noah has set another reading goal.

He read 800 pages throughout the summer last year. This summer he is stepping it up, and said that he wants to read 1000.

I know he can do it! All he will need is a little more reading time on his part and a little less playing time. haha:)

The 1000 pages doesn't include his daily scripture study. Right now he is reading "The Light Thief " by Rick Riordan. It is book one from the series Percy Jackson & The Olympians. They recently came out with a movie of the first book.

Tractor?¿

2010-06-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Kyra seems to think cars and trucks are tractors. She loves tractors... I guess?¿ We will be driving down the road and we will see some cars and she will make it known that she sees a tractor. I think it's cute and besides the point she says it really cute!!

Camping with the Wind.

2010-05-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our camping trip up on the rim. All in all we had a great time, it was just the stupid wind. The wind wouldn't stop blowing. This resulted in having a mangled up canopy and us being beyond dirty. The wind blew it over and bent the the poles....Darn it:( It's one thing just camping and not getting to shower, but with the wind blowing the dirt around, man we were really quite filthy!

Excuse the crappy pictures, they are very blurry. They were taken on my phone.

It was us and the Richin's family. They have 2 boys and 1 girl, so the kids had a great time.

Look very close and you can see her purple flowers in her hair. Not the best picture cause she kept movin'.

Kyra had fun picking the flowers the whole time we were there. Every time she would see a patch of flowers, she couldn't resist but to pick them.
The first time I saw her picking them, she had these little small purple flowers that she would place in her hair. I guess she is use to me putting her pretty flowers in her hair each day, and that is where she got the idea to put these little purple flowers in her hair.

Noah shooting the bow.

Noah and Troy sword fighting.

We also took the kids to Woods Canyon Lake to do some fishing. Even though we didn't catch any fish, the kids still had fun.

First Book of Nephi

2010-05-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Noah and I finished the first book of Nephi this morning. It was exciting to see that we are getting somewhere. He loves chapters 3-5 where it tells about the story of Laban getting his head chopped off (as Noah would say) by Nephi so that he can obtain the plates. Nephi must have been one great man, because I couldn't have done that even if I was told by the spirit. It also makes me think just how important it really was that Nephi was to get these plates, because it wasn't an everyday occurrence where the spirit tells you to kill someone, let alone him being a ruler.

I'm amazed by how many visions Nephi and his father Lehi had. The vision of the tree of life always seems to stick out. Nephi and his family traveled in the wilderness with no food for their families. All they had was a bow & an arrow and stones & slings. Nephi's bow breaks and so they don't have food. He makes himself a bow out of wood and a stick for his arrow. Nephi built a boat and his brothers rebeled against him. They tied him up and great storms came, and because of their wickedness, the compass stopped working. His brothers repented and so they cut him free, because of this the liahona worked again.

Nephi was a righteous man with great faith. I really enjoyed reading first Nephi. Hopefully Noah continues to enjoy reading with me.

Noah's Journal.

2010-05-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Noah has seen me do some blogging and has shown some interest in it. He asked me a few months ago if he could have his own blog, and I thought no way. He doesn't know much about how to use a computer besides playing games on it.

So today, the question was brought up again...Mom, I really want my own blog so I can write about what I do? Well, I thought about it and then thought about it some more, and came to the conclusion that maybe it isn't a bad idea. He could write in his own journal and learn how to use a computer at the same time. He could also perfect his writing skills., and hey all in all it's paperless. Which to me....is a great thing.

Noah's journal is private, so if you are wanting to keep up with it, well I will just say that you will have to take that up with him:) I'm hoping this lasts longer than I think, but hey who knows he might become a devoted writer.

1st Employee.

2010-05-19T15:39:00.000-07:00

Avid hired its first employee about a month ago. Yeah!! He is working out great and catching on to things quick. Brandon and I have been pretty stressed on who to hire and if they would work out. So far so good...He is only working part time since he goes to school, which was just what we wanted for right now. Now that we are heading into the summer he will probably be able to put in a few more hours. Which can free up Brandon's time a little, in hopes to start a rear bumper. Over all things are looking good for Avid:)

Schools Out.

2010-05-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

There is only 6 more days of school left and Noah is counting down.

I'm excited to have a break from homework! Can't wait for Summer! Not only is he counting the days left, I am too!

I have a lot of things planned to keep us busy. We are first kicking it off with a camping trip, Memorial day weekend. I'm excited to get out of here and get some fresh air!

I plan to take the kids to the library again this year. I'm in the works of planning a legoland trip, should be lots of fun! Especially cause Noah is a lego fanatic. I bought some summer movie passes, so we will be at the theater a lot. Day Camp for Noah is in June. He is looking forward to that. Ohhhh, and lots of swimming:) My sister has a pool, so we will be over there quite a bit.

I'm sure I will be planning a few other things besides the ones I mentioned...I will keep ya updated:)

Thank-You Much!

2010-05-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

Kyra is just so stinking cute!!!
I just freak'n love her!!!

For as old as Kyra is, she talks really well and is easy to understand. Ever since she had her ear tubes put in, she has picked up talking quite quick. There isn't anything this girl can't say. She knows her manners and loves to use them. She just recently started saying "thank-you much". Brandon always puts a "so much" at the end of his thank-you's, so this is where she got her "much".

Well, now you know why I think Kyra is just so stinking cute...she say's the darnest things!

Scripture Study.

2010-05-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

While I was sitting and listening to our last General Conference, what really stood out to me was how much we need to be teaching our children, so our children will be ready for the obstacles they will be faced with in their lives. It was as if I wasn't already having family pray or family home evening with my family, it was the fact that I haven't been having scripture study with my kids.

While growing up, my mom showed us the importance of daily scripture study. She would always read to us kids while we ate our breakfast before heading off to school. I know now that eventhough I hated sitting there and listening to my mom read something that I never really understood, that her hard work payed off and because of her hard work I know that it has made me a better person than what I would have been without it. Realizing that, I know that it is important to read to my kids and hopefully they will recognize how important daily scripture study is.

Let me just tell you how much Noah can understand. We have been reading the Book of Mormon together for the last month now, and he just is something else when it comes to knowing exactly what is going on. I sometimes think that he really is not my kid, I mean how can he be. When I was his age, it was just a bunch story's that didn't make sense and words that I couldn't even pronounce. Noah really is the exception.

I really enjoy reading to my kids and taking turns reading with Noah. I hope that I can continue reading with my kids, so they can gain a testimony of the scriptures and get to know who their savior is

New Living Quarters.

2010-04-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

We have been living at our new place for about month now, and we don't miss our old house one bit! There are so many things we like about our new living quarters. Here are just a few...

The Extra Space
Our Neighbors
The Backyard
Our Ward
Closer to My Sisters
Closer to Noah's School

Noah loves having the stairs and he loves having shutters in his room. It's funny cause every time I walk in his room he has them open a different way. Kyra loves her new big bath tub. She adjusted to the move without any problems. So like I said...it's been a month and we still have a few boxes to unpack. Hopefully that is normal when it comes to unpacking. I'm tired of putting things away, so I took a break, hoping that they would either disappear or that someone else would finish unpacking them for me. But lately nothing ever gets done around here, if I don't do it! So that was some wishful thinking...

Brandon still needs to finish up the garage and I need to finish doing some decorating. Even though we don't now how long we will be here, this is our home for now and we love it!

Relay for Life.

2010-04-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Brooke and I did the relay for life. It was the first time doing it, and I didn't know what to expect. This is an event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones that have lost, and those that are fighting back against the disease. It is an overnight race and you basically camp out with your team. Nothing that I expected it being. I think Brooke and I were the only ones that actually ran, everyone else walked. It was super cold that night. We were frozen. While the teams take turns running/walking, they have a stage set up for different shows. They had hypnotist come out and do a show. I have seen a show done before at the Navajo state fair in Holbrook, but this show topped it. This one was freak'n hilarious! If you haven't ever seen a hypnotist show, go to one, you will laugh so hard.

Anyways, glad I could run with Brooke and support her. We had a good time!

Pat's Run.

2010-04-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is my second year to participate in Pat's run. I really enjoy this race. If you don't know much about the race you can read who Pat Tillman is by going to this link patsrun.com. There were so many people this year, a record of 20640. It was like running in a mosh pit, shoulder to shoulder full of people running down the road. We managed to get around, but I'm pretty sure they thought we were rude. Even though Beth and I had a hard time keeping our pace. I was still able to finish with a 36:49. Which for me, is a good time.

I hate this picture, but it was the only one of us two together. I look fat standing next to Beth, and my glasses are all crooked.
I ran this race with my sister again. She is seriously so fun to run with, someone I look up to and want to be like one day! Maybe I will get there, just maybe...I say this cause she runs a 7 1/2 minute mile. That is something to definitely brag about!

This is Beth & Eric after the race. This was Eric's 1st time running Pat's run. He said he loved it:)

This is what happens when you don't have running shoes...Eric forgot to get his running shoes out of Carrie's car before she left to California for the weekend:( Man that stinks!! Eric was a trooper and still ran it.

London's Run.

2010-03-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

It was cold!

Noah with his ribbon

I've been meaning to blog about this, but keep forgetting...so here it is!

I decided to include Noah in my running adventures.

I have been wanting Noah to set goals and not only set them but achieve them too. So I talked him into running London's 2 mile race with me and finishing it without walking. This would be a race that wasn't too tough for him but still something that he would need to practice at so that he would be able to finish it. Last November I had him start waking up earlier then the norm to run with me daily so that he would be able to finish the entire race.

He did it!
I could tell that he was proud of himself...he said to me once he crossed the finish line that he felt good and that he wants to do it again next year. This was a great experience for the both of us and something that the both of us will probably always do together!

I am so proud of him!!!

Update: Kyra's Ear Tubes.

2010-03-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

Today, Kyra got her tubes put in. We woke up early and left the house by 6:45 so that we could make it to her 7:30 check-in time at the hospital. We got there and we didn't have to wait long before they took us in to get her dressed and ready. As you can see, she didn't know what was going on, which was a good thing! Her little gown was cute but kinda boyish, why couldn't they just bust out some pink. The whole procedure took a wopin' 15 minutes. Yeah, for Dr. Gambino...he's so good! Dr. Gambino was the doctor that Beth use to work for. Dr. Gambino said she definitely needed the tubes, especially her left ear. He said that he had to suction her left ear out and that the infection was so bad that it looked like rubber cement (goowie and stringy). I can't believe how happy my little girl was eventhough she was having these incredible ear pains. Unbelievable, what babies go through and they are still so happy!!! I think I need to learn from her and be a bit more happy:) When she was in recovery, it was so sad! I walked in and she was screaming. You know that scream/cry when they are in pain...it was that kinda cry:( It was all I could do but to cry with her. It wasn't that she was in pain, it was just that she was still waking up and she wanted me and didn't know where she was. I sat and sang "I am a Child of God" to her. She never did stop crying until we left the hospital. All she did was want me to hold her and so I did. I stood in the parking lot for another 15 min. holding her. I finally got her in the carseat and she was out-cold. She woke up around 1. She was so hungry!! She had been fasting for the surgery. She is doing good now and you would never guess that she had surgery this morning.

Ear Tubes.

2010-02-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

Took Kyra to the Dr. today...she is sick again:( Poor thing...we were up all night with her(which is very unusual despite she has been sick half of her life, she is just a super happy girl). I'm tired! Dr. said she has ear infections again. I made a appointment with the ENT for this coming Monday. Looks like we all have something to look forward to....Kyra is getting TUBES!

V-Day!

2010-02-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!!

14 Things I Love About Brandon:

Hard Worker- He doesn't just put 100% into his work, he puts 150% of himself. Yeah...remember the time he had MRSA. He was working 2 jobs at the time. He was supposed to be on bed rest for a month after his surgery and he still went to work.
His Hot Body- We all know how sexy he is:) I can't keep my hands off of him, literally!!
He isn't Picky- He goes for anything when it comes to food! He loves to eat, just about as much as me...
His Testimony- He is such a strong person spiritually! What a great knowledge he has of the gospel.
His Desire to Serve- He is always willing to help anyone out. If you ask me, this is one of the best qualities anyone could have!
His Smile- I wish he would smile big always...He has such nice teeth(me working with teeth as long as I did, you knew I would say something along those lines) and I always love a great smile, especially his:)
His Family- What a wonderful extended family I have...they are all so awesome! His momma is just the sweetest lady ever!
His Love- We are two peas in a pod....we get along so well and he never gets sick of me. With him being raised around 5 girls he knows how to put up with me. He is always wanting to hug on me(don't know if it is just a guy thing to always be so lovey dovey) but it's cute! It makes me feel wanted and loved! Also, he loves his kiddos and can't wait to see them when he gets home from work!
His Addiction to Off Road- He has always loved to go four wheeling, and he knows everything about it! Its fun going with him, too!
His Neatness- Glad that he has to have things in order and clean. This definitely applies when it come to his garage and tools.
He goes Grocery Shopping- Yes, you heard it right...he does most of our grocery shopping!
He is Optimistic- What a great outlook he has...always thinking that things will work out. He always thinks positive with any situation. I tend to stress or look on the negative side of things a bit more, so its great the he can balance me out and help me look on the brighter side of life.
He is Athletic- Even though he doesn't have the time right now for sports, he absolutely loves them! Church basketball is his thing, he enjoys playing with everyone in the stake.
He's a mechanic- So glad that I don't ever have to worry about my car breaking down! He is always on top of it and one more thing...since he loves cars & drivin' and he is such a great driver, he is my personal chauffeur. If I don't have to drive then even better!

I love you, Babe!!!

Girl Crazzzyツ

2010-02-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Noah admitted to me the other night that he is girl crazy....Ohhh no, I'm in trouble now! He said that he likes Kennedee Martinez and he thinks that she likes him too. I said oh really, so how do you know that she likes you too? He said that he over heard her talking about him....hehehe...isn't that so funny!!

FYI: This is between you and I, so don't go asking him about his girlfriendツ

Happy Day.

2010-02-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Recently, Kyra has been walking around the house saying "happy day, happy day, happy day"....and she is just so cute about it! Maybe it is just the way she says it, but she is cute!! Don't ask me who she learned this from, but ever since she started saying it, it has set the tone just right in our home. If you weren't having a good day, well you are now...

Way Too Long.

2010-02-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

WoW...It has been way too long since I posted last! I am still alive, for those that were wondering:) I will have to update my blog later...cause there is ohhh so much!

Life is busy for the Harrops!! Besides selling our house, being busy with Avid Off Road, and being a mother & wife....we are all good! I continue to count my many blessings! I was getting ready today and just began to cry. I have felt pretty overwhelmed lately, about whether or not Brandon and I were making the right decisions for our family. I now know that my Heavenly Father is aware of us, he loves us and wants the very best for my little tiny family!!! I definitely feel good about the things that will be happening, and I'm excited!

We had a buyer for our house, but the buyer dropped. So now it is back on the market, darn it! I'm tired of all this headache! Anyways, we will be moving to Gilbert, in about a month. We are going to rent from Beth and Eric for awhile. They needed a renter and so it worked out just perfect. We should be able to save and eventually be able to move into something bigger and something that works for the company. This house will be closer to Noah's school which will be nice:) I always hated driving him so dang far....but since I am so picky about his schooling, I had too.

Brandon will be quiting Toyota soon...Yeah! He is super excited and we are too! Avid is really picking up, and we aren't complaining:) It has been just 6 months since we started Avid and what a great experience this has been! For all those who haven't heard or are wondering what the heck Avid Off Road is. It's a off road fabrication company that we originally started for some extra income, but it has begun to take off and it is becoming more and more of a full time job for us. We recently purchased a Xiom system, so that we could offer powder coating to our customers. That is fun news!! Brandon just thought he was up to his ears, but now he really is.

The kids are all well, finally!! The flu has been crazzy this season! Ever since Kyra got back from our Halloween trip last October, she has been sick with ear infections. They just never have seem to go away with any of the antibiotics. She just finished her last medicine and if this medicine didn't work then they were going to put tubes in her ears. I took her in to see the doctor on Wednesday and got some great news! She is free of ear infections, Yeah! Noah is busy with school, trying to keep those grades up. Him and his homework keep us busy! I am so proud of him though, I never really have to study with him, he just seems to know it! It makes it alot more easier for me let me tell ya...He is still playing piano, and is getting better with every lesson! He can't wait for summer to be here, so he can play football.

As for me, busy has become my middle name. I'm trying to stay sane and be there for the kids and my hubby. I don't know how well I'm doing but I have almost lost my mind a few times, just ask my 9 year old. He will tell you how crazy his mother is:) I've been waking up at 5:20 every morning just so I can get some alone time in for myself. It has been working out pretty good. Anyone that knows me well, knows that I absolutely love to exercise. So that is just what I have been filling my alone time with, and I simply love it!!!

Semi-Sweet vs. Almond Bark.

2009-12-16T16:02:00.000-08:00

So, I attempted on making caramel & chocolate covered pretzels this year to deliver to some family and friends. Note-to-self: Semi-Sweet Chocolate doesn't set up hard:) After dunking a few of them I just knew that they weren't turning out to be the way I thought they should....so I did some googling (good thing for the internet) and came to the conclusion that I should have used either paraffin wax w/melted chocolate or almond bark. My husband, being the sweety that he is, ended up going to the store for me. He came back with the almond bark. And everything came to a happy ending...they turned out just perfect! I succeeded!! They taste pretty dang good too, if I may say so myself:)

Obviously, I'm an amateur when it comes to baking. But, you can only learn from your mistakes, right!

Shots¿?

2009-12-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

I had picked Noah up from school and we where headed to the doctor. Noah needed to get 2 shots. He is always really good when it comes to shots and I never have to worry that he is going to flip out on me while at the doctors office. I guess that comes from going to the doctors all the time, at such a young age. While I was driving, Noah and I where talking about how he needed shots and how he wasn't scared. He mentioned how most of his friends hated getting shots and how he was so brave. Anyways, I will get to the point....

Noah asks "Mom, Promise you won't tell anyone?"

I responded with a quick, "yeah."

Noah responds, "Um...Shots really do hurt." He pauses, "I just hold my breath, until the nurse is done."

I smiled and said, "oh really, so your not scared..."

Noah with a smile on his face, "Yep, but you promised you wouldn't tell anyone, not even my friends at school."

I started laughing at that point. "Haha, I promise!"

Noah did great, with the shots, that is:) He is still a pain in the butt!! I s there any way to fix that ¿?

Joseph Noah.

2009-12-12T15:28:00.000-08:00

For our ward Christmas party, the primary did a live nativity. Noah volunteered to be Joseph. He made a cute Joseph!

Phone and Noses!?

2009-12-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

Where's your nose?

Where is mommies nose?

Where is Noah's nose??

Kyra has figured out where her nose is at and everyone else's...So fun! She just about smashes your nose into your face ~~and it sometimes hurts~~, but it is still so fun!!

Ring Ring...Ring Ring...

She loves to put the phone up to her ear and pretend that someone is there...hehe:)

Turkey Pluck'n.

2009-11-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

This is Noah plucking a turkey. It was quit the experience!

Noah says to me after leaving...

Mom, it was alot of fun and cool to see the turkey's head get cut off. The only part I didn't like was when his head was chopped off and it was flapping its wings and goin' crazy, a rock flew up and hit me.

It isn't the greatest picture, I forgot the camera so we used Brandon's phone. Oh well, at least we got one picture...

The Annual Horseback Riding.

2009-11-21T15:06:00.000-08:00

Grandpa takes the grandkids out horseback riding every year. The kids love it!!

Family Pics:)

2009-11-11T22:56:00.000-08:00

Kyra Turned 1.

2009-11-10T22:04:00.000-08:00

My little girl is now one...She is getting big so fast!! She enjoyed her birthday as much as she could. She was coming down with something that night. The sad thing is, is she just got over being sick:( We enjoyed pizza from Papa Johns and I made some yummy cupcakes. It was alot of fun!!!

Out On The Farm.

2009-11-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

Recently, I took the kids out to Troy's house to play on the farm. Noah was so excited to go ride horses. He got right up on that horse like he knew what he was doing. He never ceases to amaze me! I thought he would have been alittle timid, especially cause it has been awhile, but he wasn't:) He is a true cowboy, he just doesn't know it yet.

Kyra's 1st time to ride a horse. She loved it!

Halloween Time At Disneyland.

2009-11-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

For Halloween this year, my side of the family went to Disneyland. We took the kids to Mickey's trick or treat party. Talk about a ton of fun! We all dressed up. I went as a cat, Brandon was a vampire, Noah was dracula, and Little Kyra was a bat.

Us in front of the castle.

Notice Brandon's stash...he insisted on growing it out.

Kyra loved to pull out all the tissue at our hotel, had to take a picure of her in action.

Gett'n away before she got introuble. (She knew what she was doing!)

Venison Anyone?

2009-10-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

Brandon was successful on his deer hunt. He was able to get his deer on opening day. He brought home all the meat in a cooler and we spent the next few days cleaning, cutting, and grinding. It was quite the experience learning what to do, but we now have a freezer full of meat.

FHE & Pumpkin Cookies.

2009-10-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight was family night. We had a lesson on service, and that by serving others we can become more Christlike and find true happiness. Noah also wanted to make sugar cookies to decorate, so we did. It was lots and lots of fun!! We thought it would be nice if we took them to some families in our ward. Noah had a hard time giving up some of the cookies cause he wanted them for himself, but he did anyways and I know he will be blessed:)

I love our FHE nights, and the extra time that we get to all sit down together and be a family and learn together!

10 Year Reunion.

2009-10-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

Jessi & I

Brooke & I watch'n some football

It was my 10 year class reunion this weekend. Can't believe it has been ten years! Crazy!! I am getting so old! Friday night we all met at the Joseph City football game. It was homecoming for them. It was good to see all my old friends from high school. We had a luncheon at the high school on Saturday. Everyone brought there kids. It was fun seeing everyone's families, and catching up on old times!

Kyra's Patch.

2009-10-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

Kyra has to wear this patch because she has had a hard time focusing with her left eye. I took her to the doctor and the doctor gave me two options for her, wear a patch or eye drops. The doctor said that most children don't keep the patch on and if not then we would have to resort to the eye drops. The eye drops are put in the good eye making it go blurry, causing the lazy eye to focus and therefore making the muscles stronger in the lazy eye. We tried the patch out the first day and low and behold she didn't pull it off. I was very excited...we didn't have to do the eye drops! Kyra will be wearing this stylin' patch for 2hrs per day for 2 months. We pray that the patch will work for her and that we don't have to do anything else!!

BOO Blocks!

2009-10-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for Halloween this year! It is such a fun holiday! My girlfriend, Misty & I got together and we made these Boo Blocks! They were super fun and easy to make, and look how cute they turned out...

Miss'n My Honda.

2009-09-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

So I sold my car...My car that I have had for 6 1/2 years. My car that has been hit 3 times and I wasn't even driving it. My car that I bought all by myself. My car that has been so reliable and I haven't had one stinking problem with it. I figured that since it had 80,000 miles on it, that if I wanted to sell it to get something out of it, that I should sell it soon. A week ago, I was feeling alittle spontaneous and decided that I would put it on craigslist. Thinking that it would take 2 or so weeks to sell. Low and behold...it sold the next day:( I hadn't even cleaned the dang thing. The dude called me to come look at it and he gave me an hour before he was wanting to come. Oh man...I hurried and got the vacuum out and got to cleaning. Let me tell ya, it has been Brandon's commuter to & from work and I soon found out how often he cleaned that thing. Never!! I got it done though, and it must have looked good cause he wanted it. I couldn't believe it...my baby was gone! When we were done with all the paper work at the bank, I told the guy when I gave him the keys that he better take good care of it. I know he will too, cause I sold it to a returned missionary. HaHa!! He is going to meet his wifey in that car. HaHa! I am excited for the RM, it will be a great car for him! Anyways, even though I miss my honda, I know we don't need 3 vehicles. I asked my husband when I was getting my Lexus....he just laughed. So for now, I will be happy driving my four runner around.

-Kyra Can Walk-

2009-09-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with Kyra, she use to kick and stretch all the time. She would kick and stretch so hard that you could see the impression of her foot. Brandon and I use to joke when she was in my belly that she would come out running. We just knew how strong she was and that she would be an early walker. She proved us to be right! At barely over nine months, our little Kyra took her first steps. She is now ten and a half months and has had lots of practice. What a good walker she has become!!

Brandon's Birthday.

2009-09-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Brandon's birthday over at Beth's house. His actual birthday fell on a weekday so we decided to have it the day before (Sunday) so that everyone could party with us. Let me tell ya...It was loads of fun!! Since he loves BBQ's, that is what I planned. Everyone who came brought a side. I made a potato salad and some deviled eggs. My husband loved his cake! It was a delicious cookies & creme cake. Later that night my husband says to me that this was one of the best birthdays that he has had. How sweet was that...I tried:)

I hate Busy Days!!

2009-08-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow...yesterday was a busy day!!! I left my house at 9:45 this morning to go help with the primary activity. Got home around 12:00. Fed little Kyra and jetted out the door to go pick up Brooke for Lexi's baby shower. Got to her shower around 1:00. Left to go rescue my brother at about 3:30, from watching all the kids. Got to brooke's house around 4:00, just giving me enough time to put Kyra in the car seat and head home. Pulled up to my house about 4:15. Unpacked all the crap that collects in the car from having a busy day...changed Kyra's outfit, so it didn't look like I neglect my child. Packed the diaper bag again and was out the door to race to my sisters house. Got to Beth's house alittle after 5:00 to feed the baby. Packed her up again to go out to eat with my family. Gecko Grill was great as always! Just crazzy cause Kyra was tired and she threw up on me. No biggy though, cause that is what comes along with having kids. Left Gecko to head to Beth's to pick up my car. I road with Carrie to eat since Noah and Brandon didn't go. Finally, I arrived home at about 8:45. Kyra was of course passed out in her carseat, poor little girl!!! I didn't care one bit what the house looked like or what still needed to be done. It was lights out!!!!

9 Month Check Up.

2009-08-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

Her cute little band-aid

Kyra went to the doctor today for her 9 month check up. She was lucky, and got away with no shots! But...she did have to get the finger prick, to check for anemia. She did fantastic, she didn't cry one bit!! She now weights 17 1/2 lbs. which puts her at 34% on the growth chart, and her height is 28.5 in. which puts her at 82%. She is going to be tall and skinny. She definitely got her height from her daddy.

Kyra has lots of new tricks. Just this week, she has learned to stand on her own without any help. This is her favorite cause she knows she can get our attention. I am sure she will be walking before we are ready! She has discovered some more neat new noises that she can make with her mouth. She loves patty cake and peek-a-boo! Kyra has 8 teeth. 4 on the top and 4 on the bottom. Even though she is so skinny...she loves to eat!!

Brandon said to me the other day "cute kids like Kyra are like tattoos, people say that once you get one you want to have more"! I thought this was something well worth writing about! Kyra is so lucky to have such a great daddy! He loves her so much!!

3rd Grade Here I Come!!!

2009-08-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Noah had a big day today!! Today was his first day of 3rd grade. Noah was really excited to go back to school this morning. Last night he got his lunch made and his new backpack packed. He was all set...He was thrilled that he got to wear his new clothes today! Ohh and I can't forget his new shoes, which I might add he insisted trying them out the night we bought them. He said they made him JUMP SUPER HIGH and made him RUN REALLY FAST!! He is so funny!!

This will be Noah's second year at Benjamin Franklin Charter school. We really love it there!! I really think this year will be alot better than last year because

1. He already has friends.

2. It is his second year, nothing new.

3. He isn't playing catch-up.

BFCS is a accelerated school. They teach a year a head, which means Noah will be learning 4th grade curriculum. Mrs. Ferree is his teacher this year. He is excited to be in her class. She seems like a great fit for him! I am hoping for a good year!!! We started it off right, so we will see....

Noah's Reading Goal.

2009-08-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

Summer is officially over for Noah!!! Noah set a goal at the beginning of the summer to read 800 pages. Noah didn't meet his goal, but he did an amazing job trying to get there!!!!! Noah read 656 pages. He really tried hard and for that I am soooo proud of him!! What a good reader he is!! We visited the library quite often.

Here are the books that he finished:

Dream Thief
Into the Land of the Lost
Buffalo Before Breakfast
Swimming with Sharks
Ms. Krup Cracks Me Up
Day of the Dragon King
The Case of the Glow-in-the-Dark Ghost
Scooby-Doo and the Seashore Slimer
Vikings Don't Wear Wrestling Belts

Kyra's 9 Month Photo Shoot...

2009-08-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

I had Kyra's 9 month pictures taken about a week ago. As you can see we had alot of fun dressing her up! These are just a few....She is so incredibly cute:) Our friends at Still Life Studios took them. What great work they do!! We have become really good friends with Matt and Dani. They are such sweet people!! They have done just about all of our pictures since our wedding. We owe them...

"Moo"

2009-07-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Kyra doesn't laugh too much unless she is with Noah. While driving to church this morning Noah was making the "Moo" sound. She loved it! She was flat out giggling and wouldn't stop. We wanted Noah to keep mooing, because it was just soooo cute!! We got to listen to Kyra giggle the whole way to church. We absolutely couldn't get enough of her:) What a good way to start out our Sunday morning!!

Monsoon Madness.

2009-07-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

I took the kids to Monsoon Madness here in Queen Creek. It was a blast!! Tons of water slides, slip & slides, and mud slides for Noah. They had a toddler section for little Kyra to play in. She loved splash'n the water. It was super hot, it was 113 degrees. Good thing for sunscreen, we would have been fried!!!! Even though it was 113, it really didn't seem that hot because we were play'n in the cold water.

Kyra couldn't wait to get in the water!!

Brooke and Ryah came with us. My "Sweet Cherry Pie" and little Ryah had fun playing with eachother!

Noah waiting in line...

This video is of Noah on one of the slip & slides:)

Independence Day!!!!

2009-07-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun filled 4th of July!! We went up to Payson for the day. We went to the motocross event that they had going.

We ate some taco bell, and had some dairy queen for dessert....it was real yummy!!

The fireworks were awesome! We all enjoyed watching them, even Kyra got a kick out of them!!

Summer Break!!!

2009-07-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

This summer has been unlike any other! I have been able to enjoy it with my kids. Being able to stay at home has been such a blessing!! I love it!! Noah has had so much fun...so far! In May, he finished up playing AAA baseball for the Queen Creek city league. He was on the diamond backs team. It was his second year playing, he improved alot!! Noah is now in a swimming strokes class. Man, he can't get enough of the water! It's awesome to see him catch on so quickly, especially because I can't swim worth a darn!! We have taken lots of trips to the library with his cousin Pace. Noah loves to read, and I don't mind it one bit! At the beginning of the summer we set a goal for him to read 800 pages. I will have to keep you posted on whether he makes it or not. Kyra loves having Noah home all the time. She just tags along wherever we need to go. She can't get enough of the silly, goofy things that he does to make her laugh! It is just so amazing to see them get along so well!!! We have planned to do alot for the summer.....ohhh what fun it is!!

Attempting to blog...

2009-07-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

So here I are trying to attempt the whole blog thing. I have been thinking for quite some time now that I need to jump on the ban wagon and blog my family. If you know me well enough...I am not a person who has a camera in their hand at all times, ready to take the next cute shot of my kids. Maybe I would do better if I had a sweet camera, but since I don't, I will just have to be a better mommy and a better wifey and start taking more pictures of my family:) And then putting forth the effort to write and keep you up to date on what we are up to. So wish me luck!!!

My Birthday!!!!

2009-06-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. I'm getting too old!! We went to Grimaldi's pizzeria to celebrate. My sisters and brother were there to join us along with there families. The pizza was delicious! I would definalety recommend this place! I opened up some gifts there. I got some workout clothes from Brandon, a shirt from Brooke & Brian, another shirt from Carrie , and a pair of shorts from Beth & Eric. We all ate cheesecake. I had oreo cheesecake...my favorite!!! We went to Beth's house for the rest of the night to hang out. All of us ate too much, so we went on a walk to finish off the night. I had such a fun time enjoying my birthday with everyone!!!

Noah's Baptism.

2009-01-10T21:34:00.000-08:00

Noah's Baptism Invitation

Noah was baptized on January 10th. A long waited day for him, he was excited!! The whole experience was really neat!! Noah's Grandma Tracy gave a talk about baptisms and Noah's Uncle Eric gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. We sang Search, ponder, and pray and I'm trying to be like Jesus. His dad baptized him. There were lots of friends and family there that came to support him.

We had a luncheon afterwards at Lance and Jeana's home. We had hawaiian haystacks. Noah opened up a gift from us afterwards. We gave him a set of scriptures and a baptism bookmark. What a special day! I really enjoyed it!!