sibling rivalry

coming home from church yesterday...

Kaleb: It's mine...give it to me!

Barrett: NO!

Kaleb: GIVE IT TO ME!

Barrett: WAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Daddy: (In his best grumpy voice) WHAT is going on back there?

Barrett: WAAAAAHHHHHH! Kaleb BIT me!

Daddy: KALEB! Did you bite Barrett?

Kaleb: (starting to cry...frantic voice...knows trouble is coming his way). No, no, Daddy, listen! I was just sitting here and all of the sudden my teeth just flew into his fingers!

Daddy: Uh-huh.

Mommy: (giggling...quietly)

So, I don't know if teeth just fly into fingers at your house, but I guess that's how sibling contention goes around here. Luckily, Kaleb and Barrett are best friends and the fights are few and far between.

Wow...I am BEHIND on pictures...haven't posted any pictures here from my trip to Las Vegas yet, and haven't uploaded my Easter pictures. Well, I am taking the easy way out...my trip was wonderful...if you want to see my pics, visit my photo blog...HERE. I will post pictures of Easter soon.

Have a great day!

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pink sucks

Happy Easter (from a household of boys and one mommy who is alone in her love for pink)!


We decorated eggs today and I asked the boys why no one was putting an egg in the pink dye water. I explained that pink is not just a girl color on Easter...it's an everyone color on Easter. Barrett decided to try it out, but obviously regretted his decision, because when it was time to decorate the eggs with stickers, this is how the pink egg ended up. He just couldn't handle having a pink egg in his collection...so he covered it up.

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it's a miracle

FINALLY...my baby crawls! I'm at peace...he will be able to read now (who started that rumor anyway). 11 months and just barely crawling...oh well...better late than never...


Do you remember my posts just two posts ago about him army crawling, scooting, and rolling to get to where he wants to go? NO MORE...he started crawling two days ago. Hmmm...now I wish he weren't mobile...I liked him stuck in one place.

Ok...I am leaving town from Sunday to Wednesday for a photography convention in Las Vegas...YIPEE!!! So, unless by some miracle Travis decides to post, I will catch up with you all later next week!

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Joy

Meet my friend, Joy. She lives in Arizona, and of course, I live in Michigan. The following is an excerpt from a recent phone conversation.

Jean: Blah, blah, blah, blah (insert useless girl talk here). You know, that would be so much fun to get together!

Joy: Yeah it would. Let's do it! What are you doing this weekend?

Jean: Nothing, wanna come over and play?

Joy: Sure, I'll see you on Friday!!!

Ok, so the conversation wasn't EXACTLY like that, but pretty much. My point is that Joy gets to fly for free and can therefore pick up and go whenever she would like (can you feel my jealousy seeping through). Although I don't have the same luxury, at least I got to benefit from her luckiness because she came to visit us this weekend!

WOW...how great was it to have another girl around?!?! We talked a lot, photographed a lot, ate a lot, shopped a little, and slept very little. It was so much fun!!! Thanks for coming to hang out with us!

Sidenote: To all you future visitors (we love visitors), don't listen to Joy's description of the horrid, cold weather blessing our great state of Michigan...I told her not to come in March...her fault.

And of course, since I can't post without a picture (or ten), here are some pics from our weekend.

Kaleb and Barrett were with us, but they sacrificed face time to photograph the adults. Sniff...I'm so proud of my budding little photographers. Look how centered the picture is.

This is Joy's beautiful little one, Sarah. Look how sweet and nice she performed for me and then scroll down to see what I got from Isaac...

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when kids are naughty

I don't know about you, but this is what happens when kids are naughty around our house...they get locked up or thrown under the table.



Or...maybe a better explanation is that I am not an abusive parent and lately Isaac keeps cramming himself into corners and crevices all over the house. He is 10 1/2 months old and STILL not crawling. But, I swear, if that kid wants to get somewhere, he manages with a combination of bum scooting, rolling, and army crawling. We're pretty sure he's just going to skip the crawling bit...oh well...who needs it anyway?

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ai

Forget family life for one post...let's talk TV.

Ok, so I am not much of a TV watcher, but there are two shows that I like...well, that I love...OK, that I am OBSESSED with. Those shows would be American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. Of course, everyone knows what American Idol is, but do any of you watch So You Think You Can Dance (it is on the summer)...it is the best show EVER.

Anyway, since Travis does not share my American Idol obsession...he actually detests it...then I must find others who like it! Are any of you watching it this season? It's still kind of early for me to choose favorites, but I've got my eye on a few of them. How do you choose...there are so many good ones! By the way...did you know that these two...Brooke White and David Archuleta...are mormons? They are both really good!


Anyway...now you know I am an American Idol groupie. I'm not ashamed.

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8 YEARS OLD

I am still in a bit of a shock that I am now the owner of an eight year old. WHAT? When did that happen and where did the time go?

Kaleb's birthday was last Monday, February 11th. We celebrated as a family by going out for pizza, bowling (which, by the way, i received my highest score ever...but i won't steal kaleb's thunder...besides...am i SERIOUSLY bragging about a bowling score...i am pathetic) and having cake and ice cream.

We continued with the festivities on Saturday with a friend birthday party. Can you guess the theme? LEGOS (of course)! So, after a lego treasure hunt, lego races, and lego tower building, i think the party turned out to be a success.

I know, it's got to be the worst looking cake ever...cake decorating definitely isn't my specialty. But, PLEASE tell me you can at least tell it's a giant lego.

My baby is 8...sniff sniff

Am I the only mom in the world who has the kids pull funny faces instead of smiling? You should try it...the kids practically run to get in the picture if you tell them they don't have to pose and smile...hee hee!

Ok, looks like a normal party photo with the boys all watching Kaleb open presents, right? Well, as soon as I saw the picture, I started giggling...DEJA VU! Scroll down to see what it reminded me of...

Ha ha...remember this? A little kaleb in the middle surrounded by a sea of dark heads while in china!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KALEB!

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CAUTION: mushiness ahead

Ok, so I have been "tagged" twice by this one. I have never done one of these tagging things, but this one is a must! So, don't read on if you don't want to bored by my tribute to Travis...

How long have you been together? TEN YEARS on August 12th!
How long did you date? Ten months from the time we met until the time we got married.
How old is he? 31
Who eats more? Food...Travis. Treats...ME.
Who said I love you first? Travis. Scared me to death. But, I came around.
Who is taller? Travis...three inches (he would tell you 3 1/2)
Who sings better? Me, although we both pretty much suck. BUT, in Trav's defense, he can karaoke a mean version of "Pour Some Sugar On Me."
Who is smarter? Travis...can't even argue that one.
Who does the laundry? ME
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? ME...I try to be spontaneous and switch sides for a night, but he won't have it.
Who pays the bills? Me...oh wait...Travis fired me from that job and now he does it.
Who mows the lawn? Don't know yet...first house that we have ever had to mow our own lawn...we'll find out this summer!
Who cooks dinner? Mostly me, but Travis is the better cook...hands down!
Who drives when you are together? Travis...so I can put on my makeup, make phone calls, beat the kids, you know...multitasking.
Who is more stubborn? Hate to admit that we are equally stubborn.
Who kissed who first? Travis kissed me on our second date
Who asked who out? Travis asked me out...I still remember him leaning over the Circuit City counter acting ever so suave (his friends STILL tease him about it).
Who proposed? Travis...one of the most amazing days of my life.
Who is more sensitive? Me. ALTHOUGH, you get him in front of a heart warming or sad movie, and the tears are just-a-flowin!
Who has more friends? What kind of question is this? Travis and I like to compete, but come on...who has the most friends??? My friends are his friends and vice versa.
Who wears the pants in the family? Isaac...he has us wrapped around his pinkie.

I'm not usually one to open my heart to the public, but there are way too many things to be grateful for when talking about Travis. He has so many wonderful talents and qualities...I am amazed by him and am so lucky to have him in my life. Honestly, how could I NOT love this...

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sorry, too cute

Had to post these just for the fun of it. We've given Isaac "real" food a couple of times, and man, is that kid happy.

He has always loved food and starts to dance (well, bounces around and flaps his arms vigorously) if he sees any non-baby food in sight.

Today, iI gave him some of my spaghetti at lunch. He loved it SO much. Just look at him concentrating (to make sure none would escape his mouth).


And do you want to see my canvas gallery wraps? I love them and want to fill my whole house with canvases (don't worry, i won't). Anyway, this is the wall above Isaac's head...aren't they fun?

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our happy day...or not

Oh, that's so cute...the boys are getting all bundled up to go play outside in the snow! Ummm...not so much...more like...gettting bundled because our house was 48 degrees...INSIDE!!! Yes, it was awful.


We had HORRID winds last night and I guess there were power outtages all over the place (hence, the no heat situation). So, school got cancelled (hmmm...that seems to happen a lot in Michigan) and we thought we would have a rockin day at home...just mom and the boys. Well, we were too cold to do anything, so we bundled up in our snow gear and snuggled in mommy and daddy's bed and read books until the power came on!

Here are some pics of the boys all bundled up and ready to play...er...legos with gloves on? Well, Isaac tried REALLY hard to play, but picking things up with covered hands proved to be a bit difficult...

hmmm...wanna stick that it my mouth...

that didn't work, maybe i can get this...

dang it...why can't i pick anything up?

poor kid gave up and went to bed...

Two other very important sidenotes...Happy Birthday Mom...love you! Also, I wanted to include this picture of President Hinckley, as it is one of my very favorites. My feelings are so sad yet so happy for him at the same time. He is perfection in my eyes and he will be greatly missed.

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Happy 2008!

Woohoo! I am back to the blogging world! All right, not many words, just a little story of our awesome Christmas trip to Utah...

Our story begins with the traditional gingerbread houses the boys make with Grandma Liz every year. As you can see, they take this art very seriously.


Of course, we loved hanging out with everyone at our various family and friends Christmas parties and get togethers. Unfortunately, Jean didn't pull out her camera at most of these parties, but we did manage to find a few pictures taken along the way.


Sometime during these functions, Isaac managed to get lost in the wrapping paper and Travis somehow got a hold of the camera and took many pictures that I am sure he would proclaim is "self-art." I'm just pleased he managed to get the boys in a few of them.


Christmas day was fabulous and the boys were ecstatic that Santa somehow knew to find us in Utah. Travis spent the bulk of the day (7.5 hours in fact) figuring out how to solve his new challenge...the 5x5 rubiks cube. Oh, and yes, he did figure it out, if you were wondering.
Next, we headed off to our annual New Year's trip up to Island Park with our friends, the Dalpias', the Roylance's, and the Baker. We had so much fun and here are few pics to prove it.


Before the New Year's trip, and a little after as well, I found time to indulge in my favorite hobby, photography. Wow, I just realized red was a popular color for all four sessions...it looks so great with the snow! None of these guys have seen these yet, so I hope you likie!!!


Sadly, we did not get pictures of everyone and everything, but we love everyone back home will see you summer 2008! The End.

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