DORA'S HAIR, AND FINGERNAILS

As you know Brystal has been potty training. Which she has been doing very well at by the way. So yesterday after getting out of the tub, she had to go potty and went in my bathroom. She turned back and looked at our trash can while sitting on the potty and looked back at me and says
"It's Dora's hair!"
What? I was confused what she was saying.
"Dora's hair!"
Well when I looked at the trash can I remembered that I had given Nate a haircut a few days ago and his clippings were in the trash...

I guess it could pass as Dora's hair. I asked her how did Dora's hair get in the garbage?
"I don't know" was all she could answer.

I've been letting Brystal play with markers while I sit at the computer and she usually scribbles on a piece of paper. Well this day she said "Look mommy!" I look down and she shows me her fingers. "I colored my fingers!" Well yes she did and she did a mighty fine job of it too if you ask me, but I had to put the marker away after that. Who knows where she'll start coloring next.

Then after that she built these out of her blocks and told me they were snowmen.

WE'RE BACK!!!!

Boy it's been awhile, but we just returned home from Utah on Monday and we had a great trip, so prepare yourself for a full blown update!! We drove up to Utah with us and our dog Sophie, Sophie was more of a problem than anyone, besides Brystal throwing up, Sophie also threw up. Sometimes, I just want to throw her out the window, but she is a good dog. Anyways, we got there on the 18th of December, and spent the whole time with family, going to concerts, playing lots of games, going bowling, and skiing, and sledding, and eating lots of good food, and just spending time together. We also got a much needed updated family picture since we had 3 babies born this last year.

We had a hard time getting Brystal to cooperate, it was freezing outside though so we were all in a rush.

Here is my family. My little brother leaves on his mission next week so this will be our last time all being together for a couple of years.

Boston has the prettiest big blue eyes. I don't know where he got them from. Not me.

I also had a chance to catch up with my good old high school friends. We always have a little gift exchange and I went home with these lovely red and green striped slippers, thank you Emily Bott. I always love getting together and laughing about old times and remembering people from the past.

Christmas Eve, we have a tradition of having a great big dinner by candlelight. It was nice to have everyone there.

This is Brystal and her cousin Lilie, they are also eating by candlelight, just a little battery operated candle.

This is Alex. He is Boston's cousin who was born on the same day he was. They are just 5 hours apart. Here they are meeting and playing for the first time.

After dinner all the kids rounded up around the tree and Grandma read them The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck. The kids loved it and were completely still and quiet until Brystal announced that Zack had bugers in his nose, then she noticed that so did Grandma.

On Christmas morning, everyone was so excited and ran to their presents and stockings, but not Brystal, She ran straight over and ate the left over cookies that Santa didn't eat.

Brystal got some fancy new princess heels for Christmas. Maybe these will replace mommy's shoes.

I surprised Nate and got all his diplomas framed for him. I am so proud of all the hard work he has done going to school, it deserves to be hung on the wall.

We tried to take Brystal sledding. It was like pulling teeth to get her to come. She could barely walk in all this snow get up. She was in a pretty bad mood about it, but later lightened up a little.

If looks could kill.....

Sophie had more fun than anyone, she had the time of her life!

Here is my brother Dustin. He was always so nice to come and hold and play with my kids.

Doesn't he look so grown up? He is looking more and more like Nate.

Here is all the Grandkids. Starting on top: Jaxon and Lilie, Brystal, and on the Bottom: Alex, Zack, and Boston.

Here is Boston spending some one on one time with Grandpa.

and Grandma.

Here we are saying our last goodbyes as the trip is coming to an end. I am here with my Dad. I spent alot of time with him at home on this trip.

This is my little brother Tyler, he is going on his mission to Sweden next week so this was the last time I will get to see him in 2 years. He is such a great kid and I know he will do amazing on his mission and we will miss him very much.

Tyler and Boston.

On our way out of town we stopped in Springville to visit Kristie. I love Kristie, she is my favorite sister, and she is always so cute and funny. I always laugh when I'm with her.

Well that's it. We had a great trip, it was awsome, and it's good to be home and get back to normal, but we already miss everyone and look forward to our next trip up there.

DECEMBER HAPPENINGS

Christmas is around the corner, and we are getting ready to make our trip up to Utah this year, but mostly we are just enjoying the cold weather here in Houston. It snowed the other day and I loved it!! It is so cold here, I got to put on a coat. Unfortunately all of our plants are dead. On a brighter note, here are a few things happening around here the last couple weeks. Brystal loves to color on her magnedoodle. She mostly just makes scribble lines and tells me it's a monkey.

There is nothing I love more than a naked baby fresh out of the bathtub.

What is Brystal doing here? Looking for pennies in the couch? Nope, she's sleeping. Don't ask me how this happened, one minute she's watching Dora the next minute she is doing this.

Boston is learning how to grab toys now so he is able to entertain himself a little more. He just gets cuter by the day.

See what I mean?

Brystal came down with a terrible cold and ear infection this last week. It was torture for all of us. No sleep for anyone, but she still managed to look cute regardless. Despite her scraggly hair.

We like to go on family jogs. Nate jogs and pushes one kid in the stroller, and I ride the bike and pull the other kid in the trailer. Boston looked so cute in his new jacket all bundled up for a chilly ride. We are so excited for the Holidays coming up and hope all you Utah people will be able to see us while we are there.

THANKSGIVING 2009

We spent this Thanksgiving with Nate's sister and her in-laws along with Nate's parents. It was a great day to spend with family. This is my favorite moment of the whole day... My cute husband being a cute daddy holding our sleeping babies.

Other cute moments of the day included Nate playing kick ball with Brystal...

And Brystal getting tickled by Grandpa Bennett.

Enjoying a conversation with good family, this is Nate's mom.

And Boston's first Thanksgiving with us. It was a pretty cold night and it was fun to get bundled up together. He was a very good baby on this trip.

We found Brystal playing with blocks all by herself just enjoying the evening. We also watched football and cuddling. I love Thanksgiving so much and it makes me remember how thankful I am for my family, and the one that we are creating.

WHO WANTS TO SEE A CUTE BABY!?

I DO I DO!

Boston is getting so big now. He will be 3 months old this week can you believe it? he weighs around 13 pounds and is getting bigger by the day. Brystal never was this big at this age. He also gets to wear cute outfits now! Here he is ready for church in his little sweater vest. I could just squeeze him!

He sometimes like to just chill out in his bumbo.

And he likes watching us work around the kitchen or carve pumpkins.

Another adorable little outfit that I will cry when he grows out of. Thank you Jordan Frazier.

This is the face that I love the most. His crooked little smile that he gives me. He is starting to smile more and laugh. It takes alot of work to get him to laugh but he does it and it's adorable.

Like my undies?

I DID IT!!!

Brystal is growing up so fast now I can't even believe it. She is not a baby anymore and is turning into a little girl. Here is a little bit about what Brystal is up to these days.

Brystal likes to take things like her dolls, or her little people, and the silverware when we are doing the dishes and line them up. Then when she's done she says one of her classic sayings..."I DID IT!!"

Brystal has lots and lots of friends who love to play with her. She is still learning how to share and play nice sometimes, but most of the time she is nice to play with.

This is her friend Samari, they are playing with sidewalk chalk and decided to hug eachother.

Brystal loves her little brother. She is so helpful with him now and when he cries, she grabs his binky and puts it in his mouth for him and pushes on the bouncer to bounce him and make sure he is happy. He fusses alot during the days, but he always stops crying when Brystal plays with him. She'll say, "it's ok little guy" when he get sad. She also comes and tells me that Boston is sad when he is crying.

Brystal loves the park and is not a big fan of the big kid swings. I finally am able to trust her on them.
And for some reason the last week or so, "somebody" has had an influence on her because she randomly begs me to watch football. She'll say "I wanna watch fooball!!" I don't get it. I have no clue where this came from but anytime she sees any kind of sport on TV with a ball, she exclaims "FOOTBALL!"

Brystal loves to color!! She'll color a page and everytime she uses a new color she'll say "Look mommy!!" and she'll bring it to me for me to see the color she used. Sometimes she colors where she shouldn't....like the floor.

We are trying a little bit of this. It's not really going great, but we are getting a good start. For now she just enjoys sitting on the potty in hopes that she'll get a pee pee treat when she is done. And when she does go she yells "I did it!!" and then she can't wait to get her treat, but then, she is totally done and doesn't want to do it again. Oh well. It's a work in progress.

Brystal likes to help me cook sometimes. She especially loves to stir things. This time I let her scoop out the chicken mixture and put it in the rolls for Chicken Squares. She actually did a pretty good job.

She is so smart I can't even believe all the things she can do now. She knows all her colors, can count to 11 ( I know random) She loves to sing songs, and loves to listen to songs when she goes to bed. Her favorite thing to do is watch Dora the Explorer, She loves to give mommy hugs when she is "sad" so that she'll be happy, She likes to say "I'm a Big Girl!" She loves nursery, and "monkey snacks" or fruit snacks. She is changing so much, it is so fun!