Finally an Update

I guess you can say this year has been pretty crazy! It is very embarrassing to look at our blog and see pictures from last Christmas. It has been way too long since I have updated it. It's overwhelming to think of all that has happened this year and trying to catch up on everything so I just uploaded a handful of pictures to tell the highlights of 2010.

We took a trip out Colorado in April to celebrate Mike's mom, Pam's, Birthday! It was a week filled with fun. We took a trip to the Denver zoo. This is Kade and his cousin Jace. They look pretty exhausted by this point but they loved it!

Mike Graduated in May!!!!! Well he walked anyway. He had to finish up a class over the summer. It is wonderful to have him done with school and home a little bit more during the week.

Kade playing at the sand dunes in North Carolina.

In May we headed to North Carolina for a few days. From N.C. we headed to Ohio because my sister had been in a fire and was severely burned. Thanks to wonderful doctors, nurses and the prayers of family and friends she recovered quickly. We were very blessed as a family to see a miracle take place before our eyes.
I competed in two triathlons over the summer. They were a lot of fun and I even talked some friends into doing them with me. Amanda and I raced in the Salem Tri in June. Then Mary, Amanda and I did the bountiful Tri at the end of June. Kira and Kade playing together

I headed back to Ohio in June to be with my family and help out with my sisters kids during her recovery in the hospital. It was definitely a bit of a stressful visit but it was wonderful to be with my family.

Kade making a card for his Dad since we were in Ohio during Father's Day. Carter was helping him out what a great cousin he has!

Kade and I had a blast over the summer. It was so good to spend lots of time with him. We took trips to splash parks, swimming with his friends, we went to the farm at Thanksgiving point, a trip to Seven Peaks, up to the mountains to go fishing and lots more. This picture is from the day we went to the Dinosaur Museum with Mary and her boys.

On the Fourth of July we took Kade to Discovery Gateway. He loved it!




Mike and Kade building at Discovery Gateway.

We took a camping/boating trip to Flaming Gorge with Mike's Family. I think Kade's favorite part was riding the jet ski. He didn't even mind if it wasn't in the water, he even started it up when we were back at camp and it was on the trailer. (Actually this picture looks like we took it Colorado when we went out in July to go boating and to a Rockies game. It is much too green in the background to be Wyoming.)

This was at our Pioneer Day BBQ. The kids enjoyed the sparklers and poppers.

As if our year hadn't been crazy enough we decided to remodel our kitchen. I don't have any pictures of after our tile was put in I will have to post some later. Maybe in about a year from now with my blogging record. Mike is still working on the cabinets. It took me a while to decided on a stain. We bought a microwave to go above our stove which I love. It makes for lots of extra counter space. In the next few months our plan is to get new fixtures, counter tops, sink faucet and back splash.

Our trip to Gardner Village to see the witches in October. Kade was checkin out the ducks.

Kade pushing the pumpkins off the ledge right by a sign that said "Do Not Touch the Display". The boys heard a thump and looked back. Kade thought he was pretty funny. I got a couple pictures and with each one there are less pumpkins in the background.

Kade, Petra and Hudson

We finally got them to sit still for a moment.

My dad and Bridget came out for a week in October. It was so much fun having them here. We decorated haunted houses one night they were here with Brook and her boys. Kade didn't really care much about decorating he just wanted to eat it.



Beck and Kade all dressed up in their buzz costumes. Kade totally stole Beck's wings for the picture.

We finally got Kade potty trained!! Mike decided to start potty training him a couple weeks ago while I was working late with Parent/ Teacher Conferences. He is talking a lot and getting so big. Yesterday he asked for a big boy bed. Yes he is still in his crib and almost 3. He hasn't tried to climb out and sleeps twelve hours at night. So I guess this week we will try to find a big boy bed for him.

Since Mike just finished school I decided to go back to school in September to get a gifted endorsement. (learning how to teach the really smart kids in my class) I just finished my first class last week. It is really weird to get back into the college mode.Then about a month ago I was called into the YW's in our ward. I think I may have to put my endorsement on hold for a while.

A Happy Holiday

We have had a wonderful couple weeks with family and friends. I am so lucky to get two weeks off of work. It was a much needed break and definately helped relieve some of the stress from the busyness of the holidays. Mike's parents and sister were able to come into town for a couple of days for Christmas. We were able to eat at In-N-Out twice while they were here. We probably would of eaten there everyday while they were here but it was closed on Christmas day. We went down to Mike's Grandparents house on Christmas Eve and enjoyed a wonderful night with family, friends and great food.

We headed down to temple square so see the lights. Kade loved being around all the people and the lights. It was really busy downtown so we had to park far away and were freezing on the way back to our car.

This was supposed to be a family picture but somehow Mike got out of it. Maybe it was because he took the picture of Kade and I.

Kade was so cute on Christmas morning. He had lots of oos and aws as he opened presents. After he opened a gift he would run to one of his Grandpa's and say opee opee. (which means open in Kade talk)

His Elmo potty training book he got from his Grandpa & Grandma Wilson.

One of his favorite gifts was his power tools he got from Santa. They look like the real deal.

Kade got to be a shepard in the Nativity Christmas story with all of his cousins.

Because of Christmas and his Birthday, Kade gets all of his gifts in one week and loves it. He jumps on his scooter he got and says "ready, ready" so he can be pushed around the house. We are trying to teach him how to do it on his own but it isn't going so well. Hopefully he will have it down by spring.

We had a joint birthday party for Kaden and Petra. I couldn't get a picture of them blowing out the candles because Mike was recording it and I was making sure he didn't get burned by the candles. Neither of them would dig into their cake. I guess they were being shy. Kade just stood there with a limp wrist as Petra picked each sprinkle off her piece of cake.

The boys rockin out!

Kade use every single lego and built this tower this morning. I was the proud mother who had to get a picture before he knocked it over.


I can't believe our little guy is two already. He is full of energy and keeps us busy chasing him around.

Here are of a few of the things he does to make us smile:

He eats salsa with a spoon

He loves books and at night after each book he says " one more, one more"

No ne means shoe

He loves playing with anything that has a handle; brooms, mops, shovels, vacuums, etc.

When he goes to bed he has to say bye to everything; pictures, lights, toys...

He calls cartoons carts

He thinks Dora is the only cart there is and gets mad when were turn on another cartoon and will say cart over and over again until we find Dora

Frequently takes my keys and purse and heads for the door saying bye, bye all the way