Kenzie's Field Trip

 These were my girls for the day.  Such well behaved little sweethearts, I got so lucky! :)  

Me, Sidney, Kenz, & Alexis.

 Playing at the punkin patch. This was the coolest part - a giant ummm, hay tub??? full of dried corn. The kids were going nuts.  Diving in it like it was a swimming pool, Kenzie went for the snow angel, burying themselves in it like it was sand.  And it was like sand - only no wet or mess, like snow - only nice and warm, like swimming - but better!  Even one of the moms got in!  We need to take the boys there.  And there's no waste, because it's a dairy also, so once the kids have all had their fun, the cows eat it :)  Oh and did you know that cows LOVE pumpkin?  So all the leftover pumpkins that don't sell are like dessert to the cows!  Maybe that's how Harry Potter got the pumpkin juice?

Kenzie's class & her teacher Ms. Dean.

Dillon's Big Day!!!

Dillon's baptism was back in September and it was such a wonderful day.  So proud of our little - not so little - guy!!!  I can't believe 8 years has come and gone so quickly.  Oh man.  Well, I guess I've got him all to myself for 10 years and then I'll have to share!!! 

I suppose it's been a while!?!?!?!

First day of school!!!  New school, new neighbors, new classmates, new house!  Pretty much new everything going on those days - but now we've been here a whole 4 months, we're like a comfy pair of old sweatpants now :)  The kids are loving the new school.  Popcorn day being the FAV.  Every Friday the PTA has a table set up at recess and they can use box tops (or a quarter) and buy popcorn or fruit leather, they love it.  Kenzie seems to have friends everywhere, she's certainly Miss Social.  Dillon we're never quite certain what's going on but he does have a few friends he's been talking about.  Mr. BabyPants walks around like he owns the place when they are gone, I think he loves having them gone - free reign of the toys but he loves just as much having them come home - all that boring mom of his does is dishes!  :)

PreSchool Grad

Kenz & Miss Brenda (and Chloe:)  )  We LOVE Miss Brenda and Miss Donna, we are going to miss them.  Yep, I'm intentionally saying we, I loved them too!  Her teachers were so great, Kenzie is going to do so awesome in  kindergarten and it's all because of them!

Her little buddies.  Khushi, Kenz & Kayda

Wiping away yet another tear on Thursday.  Kenzie had her preschool graduation.  It was so adorable.  I videotaped the whole thing but I didn't take any pictures of her walking down the isle.  She is headed to Kindergarten in the fall.  I guess I could try holding her back again but I don't think she'd let me this time, she's figured out my game.  Rats.  Starting in September it's just Andy!

Her best bud, these two were sealed at the hip every second of preschool.

Dillon's At the Zoo...

Dillon's class went on a field trip.  He asked to bring the camera (yikes!) but since our camera is getting rather old and we've been talking about replacing it anyway - I mean, because he needs to learn responsibility - He took it!  I was expecting strange - okay, well, I don't know what I was expecting - he's 7!  He took a picture of every single animal he saw and 3 of his friends :)   I took one - I made him pose with our sweet friend Ashley - it's a terrible picture of her so please excuse that but we were in a hurry :)  I just love her.  We've been carpooling this year and its so fun to see Dillon interact with a friend, they really are so cute together, talking about recess and other kids and teachers, it's just cute seeing him grow up.  {wipe imaginary tear}

(The kids are all way into The Avengers - apparently this kid is HawkEye)

Yes, yes, I should have taken another one, dang my rush to get home! (The only picture of him the entire day...)

Another animal from the zoo :)

He's a pretty good little photographer, I think we'll keep this little camera as the kids and they can practice without ya know, breaking something...

Crazy Days

The last week of preschool they did 'special' outfits everyday.  PJ day, backwards day, crazy hair day, mismatch day and fav sports team (she was TOTALLY unimpressed with that one, until Daddy fixed it by getting her a Seattle Mariners necklace :)  )  Here are two of the days, I must have forgotten to take a pic on mismatch day - she looked awesome - I'll help you paint a mental picture ...  Pink and brown paisley skirt with  bright pink, green, yellow, orange and blue flowered leggings, neon green t-shirt that has chips jumping into a bowl of dip and it says "Chips {HEART} Dip" brown boots and pink & white princess tennis shoes, and one princess lea esque bun and one french braid.  We specialize in mismatch, pretty sure we were born to mismatch.

Crazy Hair - there were about 10 mini buns.

Her french braid is upside down...

NW Trek!

 This place was so great.  I can't believe we haven't gone there sooner, our membership expires the end of August so if ya'll wanna go, you better hustle.  It's basically a zoo, but ummm, cooler and only the local species.  There's animals in enclosures like a normal zoo, but only the meat eaters.  The rest are wandering around this giant area with a beautiful lake in the middle.  There is a tram ride that goes around the open area and you can see all the animal up close and in their own environment - just doing their thing...  We're planning on going again next month.  A lot of the animals were pregnant and the animal person said that May & June are just hoppin' with babies.  Wouldn't that be fun!!?!!  I like baby anythings :)

 Dillon is into doing his own hair.  It's really entertaining.  I could probably do an entire post on his hair styles. 

 This stump was SO NEAT!  It was a baby tree in 1335!!!!  Wow.

Dillon's Surgery

 Dillon had oral surgery March 8th.  Poor kid, his mouth had/has so many issues.  The surgery took out 5 teeth, he had to be put under.  He had 3 baby teeth that wouldn't come out and 2 extra teeth that we blocking his adult teeth from coming down.  There is a possibility that because those adult teeth were blocked for so long they might never come in.  If those teeth don't come in, there will be another surgery, braces and false teeth.  If they do come in there will definitely be braces anyway because there isn't enough room for them even if they did come.  He was so swollen.  He was on the liquid/soft foods diet for a week but even after the week was up and all the stitches fell out all he would eat was pudding, yogurt, mashed potatoes, popsicles and pediasure.

 WARNING - Slightly bloody and gross...

What?! She's posting again?!?!?!?

 I had some pictures on my phone that were just too cute and I wanted to save them.  Andy, at Target, hat shopping.

 This is what happens when you forget to finish clearing the table and a little boy is left to his own devices...

 Andy in a laundry basket.  Ya, we're still totally in LOVE with this kid.  He's like magic, I can ask the kids to do ANYTHING and if it's for Andy they do it.  Andy really needs you to clean your room, Andy needs a snack, Andy needs the remote :)

 The kids were riding bikes and decided they needed goggles in addition to helmets.  Speaking of, Dillon finally got his training wheels off a few weeks ago.  He loves it, he keeps telling me he wishes we took them off sooner because he can go so much faster!  Yes, that is the key to a little boy's heart - speed...

 Dillon's mustache.  This was his pre-surgery consult and he got to choose a toy, he wore it the whole day - even into 7-11 for a Slurpee fix...

Kenzie's wedding (see earlier post) I found this veil at the thrift store on $1 day and I couldn't resist.  She loves it and pretty much wears it all day long.  The dress is one my Mom made her for her birthday a couple years ago - Kenzie's special request.

Andy's First Time Out

Just a little boy standing in the corner in his pjs.  I think it is so adorable.  He's hit a bit of a naughty streak, he likes to push everyone's buttons and he knows exactly how to do it.  Isn't it funny how #3 figures things out so much faster than #1 & #2?  He's only 20 months old and he's got it down.  His favorite naughty-ness includes biting, throwing cars/toys/anything he can find off the balcony, hitting, scratching, throwing toys at people and jumping on the table.  Really he's so stinking cute that we should have been getting him in trouble long before now but with that face he can pretty much get away with anything.  He doesn't say very many words - he can say them but this boy has the most stubborn streak.  If you want him to say something he refuses, like Dad, I know he says Da-da but he calls him Mama - see, button pushing ways in action :)  His favorite things to say are car, ball, boat, binkie, ba-ba, Mama, bird (which is usually referring to an airplane), one, Dillon, Kenzie, dog, fish, he had a new word today - usssssssssss (bus).

Kenzie's Wedding.

This is for my memory box, when I'm old and senile I want to remember this moment.  I wish I'd gotten pictures of her acting this out, alas, there are none - I was too busy taking notes.  You don't have to read it all but someday I hope Kenzie does :)

Scene - Kenzie standing in the center of the room looking very serious holding a flower and wearing fake earrings (of which one is lost).  (she's acting out all the parts in this play)

• Do you want to spend the rest of your life with this man?  Yes
• Do you want him to pinch you?  No
• Do you want him to take your picture?  Yes
• Do you want to wear earrings?  Yes
• Do you want him to hug and kiss you all the time?  Yes.

Mom!  Come catch my flower!!!
 Oh good, we're married now I need to go shopping!
Well, I actually didn't get married because we forgot to dance - so we're not really married, he's just my boyfriend :)
End Scene.

Imaginary play witnessed while I was making lunch so while we ate lunch I asked her to tell me what she wants her wedding to be like, there was some coaching on my part like you have to choose wedding colors and what bridesmaids are; the rest is all her, these are my notes for posterity :) (She is currently wearing a towel on her head like a veil and dancing around the room while she watches tv)

Pink balloons

Red flowers

My dress is going to be white with a ribbon on the top and flower tights and flowers on the bottom of the poofy part.

Bridesmaids dresses will be pink with white flowers.  Mommy's dress is going to be pink on top and red on the skirt she gets to hold daisys.

The ribbons on the top of the room are going to be red all the other ribbons are going to be yellow.

We are going to eat cake with the people getting married on top.

We're having grilled cheese for lunch and Mommy has to make them.

There's going to be a candy table like at Uncle Spencer's wedding.

The drinks are going to be rootbeer, Sprite and water and that juice at Uncle Spencer's wedding dinner (as you can tell it was her inspiration...)

My dad and husband and brothers get to wear a white shirt with a yellow tie and black pants and a mohawk or whatever hairdo they can do.

There is going to be bikes and fun stuff for kids to do.

There will be pictures everywhere of me and my boyfriend and I will be doing this (shows different poses and facial expressions) and there should be some pictures of me from preschool.

Everything is going to be gluten free.

The walls are going to be green and red and yellow.

Everyone gets to dye their hair any color they want.  (I just colored my hair, she's pretty fixated on it)

Mommy always has to be close to me.

(I say - Kenzie is that all?  I'm almost out of room on the page.  "Mom, you can just start a new page."  Okay then...  New page :))

Don't forget that when I get married I'm going to have a beautiful top and a beautiful dress and a beautiful table set up.

Everyone has to be happy and smiling and Kayda (her little preschool buddy) has to be there.

There's going to be a bathroom so nobody goes outside. (yup, Uncle Spencer's wedding :)  My little nephew went outside in full view of the windows during the reception - it was hilarious, she was less than impressed.  I told her it was just a funny thing for a little boy to do and she told me very matter of fact - "it wasn't funny - it was gross". )

Well, that's it.  Conversation with my beautiful 5 1/2 year old :)

The Last 3 Months

Not too many pictures to capture the last 3 months of our lives - which have been quite busy...

• We went to Texas and spent a week with my Mom & Pop  
• Dillon had oral surgery and had 3 baby teeth and 2 extra teeth pulled and could only eat liquids and soft foods for a couple weeks - he still won't eat really crunchy things because he's scared.  We're waiting to see if his adult teeth will ever grow in - if they don't he'll have another surgery and braces or another surgery and braces and fake teeth.
• We moved into a 2 bedroom apartment - yikes.
• Nothing on our house yet, still waiting, stupid short sales.  We drove by yesterday and there was a 'sold' sign up.  I had a mini freak out thinking someone bought it out from under us and went and knocked on the door.  I'm a genius, it's 'sold' to us (or will be in the future, he was just tired of people coming to see it)  But we did get to meet the seller, he's really nice and wants it sold just as bad as we want it bought.
• My brother got married (while we were moving to the apartment) so Kenzie and I took off for Utah and happily spent a few days not unpacking.  Such a beautiful wedding.  Mikell looked so perfect, oh and Spencer looked nice too - that kid is too handsome for his own good :)  Did I take any pictures?  Nope.  I left my camera at my sisters house in Provo... 
• While Kenzie and I were care free and gallivanting around Utah my sweet friend was watching Andy for me and unbeknownst to her was passing along Hand Foot Mouth Disease to Anderson.  The name is really dumb, it needs to be changed, hand foot mouth disease???  Really?  That's the best they could come up with?  He's okay, it was pretty rough the first few days, but now he just needs extra cuddles and I've got plenty to spare!!!!!  The ward probably thinks we're inactive, we've been out of town or sick almost all of February and March.  It's okay, we're technically not in the ward anyway...  :)
• Today is the triplet's FIRST birthday.  They are 1 today!  My sister and her husband amaze and astonish me.  I feel like such a slacker when I'm talking to her! 
• Brandon turns 31 tomorrow.  We've both been feeling rather old lately, but I suppose someday we will daydream about being in our 30's again.  He is such a wonderful man.  I won the husband lottery when he got stuck with me.

The day after surgery

Dillon's teeth are gone!

On the airplane with my girl.

Kenzie with some cousins - Hazel & CC.  They had a sleepover with us at the hotel, it was a party! 

The cake my sister made for my niece CC, she wanted a Scooby Doo cake - she rocked it!

Sick baby...