Kim

Lately, I have been feeling like I'm in a little "mommy funk."  All I do from the minute I wake until the minute I go to sleep is Mom stuff.  I think the hardest part is just no one to talk to and have adult time and lately my baby weight is getting on my nerves so I'm making an extra big push this month to get ready more, get out of the house more and get to the gym more.  We'll see how it goes.  It wouldn't be the first time I committed to these goals.  In other news, It is full on winter in Provo with lots of snow.  Noah actually loves playing in the snow.  We took him sledding behind the four-wheelers and he was brave enough to sled down the eight lane racer at Seven Peaks, which surprised me.  He is getting brave in his old age.  He is always such a trooper and never really complains, just enjoys whatever it is he is doing at the time.  Wish I could be more like him.  Isabella is still making me laugh every day.  She just keeps getting smarter and scarier

This year was pretty low key.  Noah's favorite thing we did was probably Hee Haw Farms (Noah loved the tractor ride and corn pit as well as the ducky water pump, hated the petting zoo-I think that's my fault because I screamed when a cow wouldn't stop chewing on my coat chasing me around) and of course trick-or-treating.  In fact, Kale and Noah decided to go trick-or-treating the 29th and the 30th.  I let them go because we were at my Mom's house and no one in the neighborhood would recognize him and he already had his costume on from school.  It actually worked out great since everyone pretty much had their candy by then and we got to squeeze it in a couple extra times.  He doesn't even care to eat any of the candy.  Just couldn't get over the fact that if you rang someones doorbell they would give you candy.  He thought he had struck gold.  I was reminded of how sweet and non-aggressive Noah is. All the kids would run up to the door and Noah would just

The last few months have felt a little strange to me.  I'm reminded again at what a personal journey all of us go through in overcoming life's challenges and remaining faithful until the end.  Of all things I am grateful for in my life, it is my testimony of Jesus Christ.  All other beliefs I have hinge upon this very truth.  I wonder why I have never doubted it.  Sometimes I wonder if my testimony is as strong as others because I haven't really questioned it.  Do they know something I don't know?  Am I just believing what I have been told since my very earliest childhood?  Can I be sure of this without going through this difficult wrestle with the Lord?  For a long time I wondered this.  I also wonder why others around me find it difficult to believe in a loving Heavenly Father.  I have had more siblings fall away than believe and it weighs very heavily on me every day and has given me a lot to be sad about. Quite frankly, it makes me very upset with them and I am reco

Noah turned three this past week and to celebrate we threw a Cars Lightning McQueen party.  I have to say that this was the first year it was worth it to go through a lot of effort on behalf of a kids party because he totally appreciated it.  I felt bad that last year I was on bed rest so this year I tried to do something special for him.  We surprised him that morning with a bunch of balloons trapped in front of his door so when he woke up and opened it they would all come pouring in.  He was speechless for about ten seconds just confused and trying to figure out what was going on but he loved it.  Next we made him three pancakes in the shape of the number three since pancakes are his favorite breakfast.  Then I took him and Drew to the Provo Beach Resort to play around.  Then for dinner we took him out to eat for pizza and then dropped by the toy story and let him choose out his favorite toy.  He had to wait to get the rest of his presents until his party. His real birthday was forec

Noah had his first soccer "game/practice" this week for team San Jose Earthquakes.  Scott took him since the baby had just fallen asleep and even Grandpa and Grandma came to support.  You know the phrase where people say "She came out dancing!"?  Well Noah, he came out loving soccer.  As early as he could recognize a ball he's loved them, soccer being his favorite. He LOVES it.  And I have to say, we didn't even pressure him into it, which is probably why I try so hard to accommodate this passion of soccer in Noah.  Not because I want him to play, but because he wants to play so badly.  I may have fibbed and said he was older than he was since you have to be three and he would have missed the deadline by 5 days.  Without wanting to sound bias, he was the biggest kid on the team and probably had the best skills anyway so I guess I can still sleep at night. Scott was very into it making sure he had the full attire.  One of the few times I can remember Scott as

She is growing so fast and she could not get any cuter to her Mommy.  She started her first foods and actually did much better than Noah.  She still has no teeth and is on the verge of sitting on her own.  She drools ALL day and it's hard to keep her dry.  I switch her clothes three times a day!  She is still a very tender and sweet little girl who loves to smile and laugh.  Her favorite game is chasing Noah around the house and just today she started playing a game where every time I kissed her head she would kick and I would make a sound then she would belly laugh, this went on for a good while and it's the first time I think she's started a game.  She is getting so smart.  She loves Noah and any little kid for that matter.  She loves to cuddle and actually loves it when you kiss her.  How lucky am I?  She is doing much better on her new antibiotic and we are finally starting to get some sleep around here.  I definitely love to spoil her.  I'd rather go shopping for h

Noah is going through his first superhero fetish and I have my Mom to thank for that.  He actually has never even seen any show having to do with spiderman but if Kale thinks it's cool, so does Noah.  So much so, he even had to ride the alpine slides in his costume. I did make him take off the mask because I was worried it would blow away and then we'd really have a dilemma on our hands. Slept in this for three days straight A new habit of biting his nails Can I just say that I love the alpine coaster best/worst toy ever I feel guilty even saying this, but I only let him do this on the days I know the cleaners are coming!

May is always a fun time of year with everything warming up and summer around the corner.  It also is special because Rylee and Kale were both born this month, which means two birthday parties for Noah.  Rylee's was the the Hogle Zoo and Noah loved it.  I didn't realize that kids three and under were free so I'll be taking him more often since he had so much fun.  His favorite animals were probably the elephants.  There was a "Daddy,"  "Mommy," and "Baby Noah" elephant that were really active.  Eating, splashing in the water and taking mud baths.  He couldn't get enough of it.  I was sort of let down by the tigers who just slept the whole time we were there.  I swear this happens every time I go to the zoo.  He also loved the turtles which surprised me because I realized how creepy turtles are when you stare at them for a long period of time.  They started to look dead to me but they yet they still were moving, it freaked me out a little.  

First time falling asleep while playing! First time in her johnny jumper Graceland, Memphis, TN She was severely allergic to something out there in MO This lasted a couple weeks, still have no idea what was the culprit Just had to throw this picture in Grandpa McHenry's Grave Killed in WWII                                                   We were actually able to visit him on Father's Day Bored driving to Chicago from Missouri but the kids did great! Shore of Lake Michigan Noah loved throwing rocks into the water So my SIL is going to Jerusalem for the next couple months and I want her to be able to follow what is going on in our lives and just realized how outdated this thing is and wanted to get it current so it's time for a little update...first off, we have had a pretty busy summer.  We were spending a while in Poplar Bluff, MO while Scott was working on opening/hiring/training a waterpark out there (as well as fishing wi