Tilton Family

Oh too funny.

2011-10-04T12:53:00.001-07:00

Family fun

2011-09-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

The past month or two has sure helped me better appreciate my family. Not that I didn't appreciate them, but I love and appreciate them now more than ever. I try to treasure each moment with them, because it feels like those moments come way too infrequently now that I've started working.

Even moments like this make me smile...

Yes. Yes. That is gum smashed all across my one-year old's head. Logan got a hair cut after that one. This little incident was courtesy of Dallin.

Also, John has now left for TX. One more thing to help me treasure the time we have together. His job here was breaking his back, and not paying a whole lot, so after a lot of thought/prayer/stress we've decided to send him to find a job in TX. He doesn't officially have the job, but has been told the next job opening will be his, so here's hoping...!! Meanwhile, I will stay behind and work and get the house ready to sell. The kids and I will be moving in with my parents. I have to be to work by 4am (sometimes earlier), and getting them up between 3-3:30 am on a school morning just didn't make sense. And this way, they can have the stability of a constant routine. On nights that I work late, they will still have dinner at the same time and with the same people. I appreciate my parents for helping us so much.

The day before he left I was determined to have some family fun. We pulled the kids out of school for the day, and just ran errands as a family. Then, in the afternoon, I dragged a family full of grumpy boys to the county fair. Once we got there they all cheered up, and we had a blast. Cory was excited to go on some of the bigger rides with daddy, including the Gravatron!! Here they are on the ferris wheel, although you can't really see them.

Dallin and Bryson decided to play it a little safer, and had some fun riding the smaller rides.

I love this shot! Brothers having FUN!

My handsome boys!!

The next morning John headed off to TX at 4am. Dallin woke up first. He grabbed his little orange blanket, and followed Daddy into the car, assuming he was going too. We had to tell him he couldn't go. He went back to bed, and then the older boys woke up in time to all give Daddy a hug before we sent him off to the great unknown. We'll miss you, Daddy!

Oh Dallin, what entertainment you are!

2011-09-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

The other morning, there was a mad rush to get ready on Sunday morning, as there usually is. I was putting on my make-up when Dallin got out of the bath. I told him to go put his underwear on, and put on his church clothes. A few minutes later he came to me, telling me he was all ready for church. His voice had a hint of mischief in it, and when I turned around, this is what I saw:

HA HA! Oh, Dallin, you are so funny.

Then, the other afternoon I came into our front room, and found Dallin meditating. Hee hee.

Dallin's 4th birthday

2011-08-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

Yay! Dallin turned FOUR!!!!! I just can't believe it. He used to be my baby, it doesn't feel like THAT long ago!!

I was scheduled to work on Dallin's big day, but my preceptor (trainer) allowed me to switch days so I could be home with my little boy! THANK HEAVENS!!

So, we started the morning with a special breakfast: pancakes with sprinkles and white chocolate chips, and his own bottle of apple juice. :) He was a happy camper.

So were his brothers.

We sent the bigger boys off to school and had some fun around the house. He got a batman shirt as his first present (see the first picture), and he was THRILLED with it. He decided to get ready to go...so he got dressed with his hat, gloves, sunglasses, and two...yes, TWO belts.

Then he wanted a photo shoot. He wanted me get his front side...

...and his backside. :)

Oh, Dallin. I love you. You provide ENDLESS amounts of entertainment!!

Just before the kids got home from school, Nanny Goates (my mom) picked up Dallin and took him out for ice cream. The kid at the table next to him said to his mother "MOM! That boy has a BATMAN shirt on!" Dallin felt like cool stuff!

While Dallin was away, the older boys decorated the house with streamers and balloons. We picked up a pizza and a cake - yes, store bought. *shaking head* That's what being a working mom has done to me.

We had Nana, Grandpa Tilton, and Jacob over for dinner and dessert.

Such a handsome group of boys!!! You can just feel how happy Dallin is!!

Cake time!!!! Captain America!! Dallin loved it!

Snug as a bug in a rug!

Night night, little Dallin. You are my joy. You are so much fun, you add so much to my daily life. Thank you for being you. Oh, and happy happy birthday!!

.

New job

2011-08-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

So - as many of you know I started a new job this last week. I wanted to load a picture of me in my scrubs here, but I'm always in a rush getting out the door, and by the time I come home, I just look nasty. So, no visual aides for this post, sorry. To clarify, my motive for going back to work is not to fill some need to "keep my sanity" or to pursue a career I felt I missed out on,or put on hold while having kids. I keep getting the comment "Good for you, going back to work!" and it just puzzles me. There is one reason, and one reason alone: money money money, stupid stupid money. Or maybe I should say "bills bills bills. Stupid bills." Well, that and John's back - we're hoping him not being the sole "bacon bringer" will ease some of his burden, so his back doesn't end up with permanent damage. So, we're keeping our fingers crossed for that.

So, what's the job you ask? I work as a patient care technician at a dialysis company. I will be working 40+ hours per week, and my responsibilities will include caring for 4 patients at a time, checking blood pressures, reacting to dialysis alarms, connecting patients to the dialysis machine (Yes, that means I'll be putting in large needles into frail veins), administering some forms of medication, etc.

I'll only work 3 days a week most weeks. Sure there will be some long (like 15 hour) days - which will likely start just before 4am, but the other 4 days I will be home with my family. Since John usually gets Friday and Saturdays off, this means I only have to find a sitter 2 days a week. The company provides full benefits, bonuses, frequent raises, etc. It really seems like a good job. Something to carry us through until John gets done with school.

I've now worked 3 days (in a row). It's going good, I think. Usually training is like 10 weeks, but they're hoping to condense it into about half of that because they are so short-handed. To someone who has no previous medical experience, it definitely feels more than a little overwhelming. Plus I miss the kids horribly. I could lie and say that it's not that bad, but it is. I hate leaving them. It completely breaks my heart. I'll have to work on Dallin's 4th birthday on Tuesday and so that's just salt in the wound.

As for your next question: Who's watching the kids? I have to divide them up during the week. One of John's coworkers lives just a couple streets away, and she takes the older kids before and after school both days. She also takes the younger ones during one of the days (all day). The other day, Dallin and Logan go to my in-laws house. It makes for some early mornings for the kids, being dropped off just before 5, and on a school morning! Ah. Once again, breaks my heart. But what else can I do?

So, that's the scoop. It's a good job, in fact it's fascinating. I've learned a lot. I like the people I work with, they all have been nice. Just kind of a bummer that I have to leave my babies...

Back to School 2011

2011-08-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

First of all, LOOK WHO IS A STANDING MAN!!!

He's taken a few steps. First to Daddy. I love it!!!

And now, let me introduce my sons. Cory, a third grader, and Bryson, a second grader...

And here's Dallin with the big boys, so wishing HE could go to school TOO!

Yes, there are a lot of smiley pictures, but here's what REALLY happened once we got out the door...

but the boy can sure turn on the charm once he knows I'm taking pictures...

(love you, Cory.)

But once we got to the bus stop, they were eager to go. Never even looked back once the bus came.

Dallin wasn't that sad when they left...

...but Logan was a bit sad to see them go.

We had lots of fun with just the three of us home. I couldn't believe how much smoother the day went. It was just so nice. Somehow I didn't think the big boys going back to school make THAT big a difference. Boy oh boy was I wrong. It's just so nice and calm and quiet with "JUST" two. :)

This one deserves its own post.

2011-08-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

Caught you.

Just a bunch of kidlette shots

2011-08-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

I just love my four beautiful boys!

Here's Bryson riding his bike around our back yard.

Yes, that's a mohalk on my son's head. And I love it.

I just love this picture. My crazy kids. That's all I can say.

Yup, Logan is his father's son. Tee hee hee!!!

Silly Logan being goofy!!

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot of Bryson! What a handsome boy!

And my sweet Cory! What a special kid. And I mean "special" in a good way!!! :)

And you can't forget Dallin! ha ha ha! What a nut.

My and my baby, who's not as much of a baby these days.

4th of July - 2011 edition

2011-07-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July this year was very fun. We had a Goates family reunion, so everyone, including spouses and children, were there! Nothing in the world like family! Sierra Vista usually has a spectacular fireworks show, but due to the recent fires in the area, it had to be cancelled. But that's ok, we had fun putting mentos in diet soda and watching some non-flammable explosions!

Wish I had gotten more pictures, but oh well. This picture of me and the kids was the best I could get...crazy boys...gotta love them!!

Logan Utah

2011-07-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

My little sister Reenie was put on bedrest at only 14 weeks along in her pregnancy due to a subchorionic hematoma (look it up if you're curious). Logan and I have had the opportunity to go visit her this last week in Utah! Thanks everyone who made this a possibility, especially my darling husband who took care of everything back home while I was gone, as well as my parents and in-laws who watched the kids while said husband was at work.

We've had lots of...well...memorable experiences. Here are some fun shots of Logan enjoying himself with Aunt Reenie. They were pals from the beginning.

Sweet little Logan provided endless amounts of entertainment for Reenie. This was his favorite spot: between her legs on the couch. :)

Monument Fire

2011-06-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I finally have set the time aside so I can chronicle the happenings of last week. Two weeks ago a fire started in the mountains near our home. Now, a fire is never good. However, this one was especially awful. Earlier this year we got a hard freeze, which killed off a significant number of plants, shrubs, and trees, leaving a dry, extremely flammable layer to the ground. This, in combination with 100+ temperatures and single digit humidity, and strong winds made this fire very difficult to manage. This has a ton of pictures and lots of details, more for my benefit than anyone elses. I know I will forget most of this, and so I wanted to have it written down somewhere.

Sunday, June 12

There had been several fires in AZ, so we were quite used to seeing smoke in the air at this point. After church, in the afternoon, my neighbor Ben came knocking on my door. He notified me that another fire had started, this time in the Coronado National Monument - about a 20 minute drive from our home. I looked out the door and saw quite a bit of smoke. Oh dear. For the rest of the afternoon I would glance out and each time the fire got bigger. I didn't feel like me or our home was in any danger. It was just fascinating.

Monday, June 13

The fire got bigger and felt closer, but still, didn't feel like I was in any kind of danger. Just went along with my normal routine, but kept a closer eye on the smoke.

Tuesday, June 14

The fire made it's way down Ash Canyon. Lots of smoke. The fire consumed a friend's home. I felt very strange going about my daily life while I knew their house was burning. It was hard to concentrate, I felt like I should be doing something, but all I really could do was take care of the kids.

This is the view from our driveway.

It's hard to tell in the picture, but we could see the flames from our home.

I couldn't get ahold of my in-laws, so I went over there to check on them. They were fine, and I hurried out of there.

These pictures just don't do it justice. I felt like I was driving into the bowels of the fire. We finished up, and as I drove away, it felt like those movies where the tornado is right behind you. I knew this wasn't the case, it was just odd and unsettling. This is the fire in the evening. Everyone on our street just stood in middle of the road in awe.

And another smoke shot...blogger is so hard to edit...

Later that night...

Wed, June 15

The fire continued to creep closer. We went out to Huachuca City to get Starbucks (our dog) neutered. As we came back, the fire really started to kick up because of the wind.

The mountain began to resemble a volcano. Here's the intersection of Fry and HWY 92. As the fire came over the peak of the mountain, it looked like a fireball. It was orange, and glowed from the inside, and it was at least as tall as the mountain was. It was spectacular. I was at Fry's in the parking lot, and everyone just stopped and starred. What else could we do?

The view from our house.

And that night...

It was just incredible to watch.

Thursday, June 16

My in-laws were put on Mandatory evacuation. The fire jumped across HWY 92. They had helicopters and airplanes and over 500 firefighters working on it, but they were no match for the extreme heat and dryness, along with the strong 20-30 mph winds, with gusts up to 40mph. I like this next picture, you can see it glowing from the inside.

Mandatory evacuation was ordered up until two blocks from our home. I began to pack the car, just in case. I didn't feel comfortable being so close to a mandatory evacuation zone. I knew I needed to be prepared, especially because stronger winds were in the forecast over the weekend. My 10 year high school reunion was planned for this weekend, and we had planned a girls night out with some of my HS buddies, but it was cancelled because we were all too drained, physically and emotionally.

Breathtaking.

Friday, June 17

My HS friends had planned a pot luck in the park. We decided it was worth a try to go, so I left, with all my important documents and belongings packed into the car. Cory had to sit in the front seat so I could fold down the back row of seats. Here's the view from my house as we left.

While I was at the park, my neighbor called and told me our neighborhood was given a pre-evacuation notice. We were told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. So, we headed back home. I wanted to be sure we could get our dogs out in time, if needed. John came home and helped me. On my way back home I called the sheriff's office to confirm our pre-evac status. They said we weren't on pre-evac. Ughh. A friend of ours (Stormy) called and asked for help packing some stuff, so we headed on over to her house, with our car packed. After we got home, I went online to see what was going on, and sure enough, we had been put under pre-evac. There was so much bad information going around, I was frustrated that the sheriff's office had told me incorrect info. Anyways, I was able to pack some more stuff in the car. We were ready. Come what may.

Then, about 2pm, we looked outside and another fire had started. This one in the opposite direction, on Ft Huachuca. A huge plume of smoke was spreading FAST. Helicopters and manpower was diverted from the monument fire to what was to be called the Antelope Fire. It burned 2400 acres in about 2 hours before it was put out. My parent's house was put under evacuation.

Here's the intersection of Buffalo Soldier Trail and Avenida Cochise. My mom left to my brother's house, and offered to take a couple kids with her, since I figured at this point we would be evacuated shortly. There were multiple car accidents on the road because of the histeria. Everyone was jumpy. By the time she got to Benson the fire was contained and she was able to return home.

Here's the monument fire that night. Quite lively.

Saturday, June 18

We remained on pre-evac notice all day. It was difficult to be ready at all times. We knew when the fire jumped HWY 92 again, it would move fast. I felt uneasy taking a nap (which is a necessity for me), I stayed home, and close to the radio and internet. I wanted to know as soon as I needed if we were to leave. It was hard to get anything done. The winds were relatively low, it was almost the calm before the storm. Weather forecast for Sunday was HOT and winds 25-35 mph, with gusts above 50 mph. I stayed up late making sure the house was clean and laundry was all put away.

Sunday, June 19 - Father's Day

The Church building was in a pre-evac zone, so they opted to only hold Sacrament Meetings for the three wards in the building. We all came to church with our cars packed with important docs and belongings. We had a very peaceful meeting, putting things in perspective for us. I left feeling like I didn't need to be scared. Prepared? Yes. Scared? No. Before we left the meeting we got word that aircraft had been grounded because of high winds. There were over a thousand firemen working, and over 100 fire engines.

The peace from the meeting carried over into our home. I finished chores and started preparing for our Father's Day meal while John went to a friend's house to replace his brakes on the car. We were going to have company over, if we weren't evacuated. Meat was thawing, everything was ready to go.

Around 1 the smoke really started turning dark. The fire looked angry. John was back home and we started taking pictures of our furniture and home for insurance purposes. Our neighbor Matt Taylor came over and told us the officials were getting ready to move everyone in our area out. The fire was heating up and getting ready to jump 92. I looked out the door, and saw this:

You can see it glowing from the inside of the smoke plume. And look at the size of the smoke cloud in relation to our mountain. It was huge. We hurried and got everyone packed. Another came over and told us we were officially under a hard mandatory evacuation order. John took the dogs, I took the kids, and we got out of there as the officials came in with their loud speakers telling everyone they should leave immediately.

As I drove down the road, I snapped this shot:

It was incredible to see. I just felt so humbled by the sheer power of this natural force.

I drove to my brother's house in Casa Grande, and John stayed at a co-worker's house in Huachuca City. Jason (my brother) was moving that weekend, but was still kind enough to put up me, my four children, and my mom. What a saint!

The three hour drive to Jason's house was one of the shortest in my life. I was on the phone almost the whole time, making sure my VT families got out ok, talking to insurance, notifying family members of the new update, and several friends calling to make sure I had gotten out safely.

As we got further away, it was odd to be more disconnected to the town. The Tucson and Phoenix radio stations weren't giving regular updates, and I had no idea where the evacuation lines where, if there were more houses being burned, or in what areas. I spoke to John on the road, and he had gone back to help his home teachee family move out their belongings. He said he didn't have time to talk, and he would call me when he was safe.

By the time I got to Jason's house, I had no idea if my house was still standing even. It was interesting that I didn't really feel concern for the house. It was just that: a house. My home was with the kids and hubby. Sounds trite, but that's how I felt.

John didn't call me for TWO HOURS, which felt like a very long time. I was happy to know he was safe. But then he got a call that the firemen needed help because it was so out of control. They needed John to drive a water truck. So, back into danger my husband went. And again, I started to feel uneasy.

I got on facebook and everyone was saying how much dark smoke there was, and how it was bad. Really really bad. Yikes. John called me about an hour later, they had gotten things under control, and his help wasn't needed anymore. John was in front of our home, and it was fine. Our whole neighborhood was fine. And same with my parents. I was just relieved that my hun was safe. Hats off to you army wives. I have a newfound respect for you.

We remained on evacuation status until Tuesday, and went down to pre-evac status. By then we learned that my in-laws house was fine, although 2 houses down from them, a house had burned. The fire had come to within a mile of our house. The firemen truly did an EXCEPTIONAL job. Reading the report of where the fire had gone, it was truly a miracle. They channeled the fire into the washes, and around the homes, but didn't allow many houses to go. About 50 homes were consumed, but compared to what it could have been...I can't even think about. Sadly a friend of ours lost her home, and EVERYTHING in it. Not even metal bowls could be salvaged. My heart goes out to her.

The fire has consumed 28,000 acres to date.

During our stay with Jason, we had a lot of fun. It was nice to be away from the drama caused by the fire. We were able to play with my neice, Kali (SO SO SO adorable), we got to go to the temple with the kids, out to bahama bucks, swimming, lunch with Shelisa, yummy dessert with my sister in law. Allissa and I got our hair done. All in all, it was a very very fun trip.

We headed back home on Wed. By the time we got home, we learned that our pre-evac status was lifted. What a blessing. The fire is now behind the mountain, where we can't see it. Apparently it's headed for Ft. Huachuca. We have been cautioned to not get complacent, the fire is still raging. We desperately need rain. They don't expect the fire to be gone within a month. But, for now our houses are safe. We don't have a constant dark plume of smoke hanging over our heads, and we don't see the flickering lights on the mountain at night. I feel so very blessed.

Here is my "home" while we were visiting the temple. After all, home is where the heart is, right? Totally cheesy, I know, but I feel it more now than ever!

Monument Fire Movie

2011-06-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a strange and sobering experience to watch my hometown go through a natural disaster. Sierra Vistians will likely know the landmarks in this video. It's long, but such beautiful photos of what happened, I couldn't help but post. Sure makes you remember we're not in charge in the big scheme of things.

Oh Happy Day!

2011-06-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

For those who have been concerned about our family in regards to the Monument Fire - we are fine. We were evacuated Sunday, but we are home now, safe, and the house in undamaged (albeit full of smoke smell which is driving our asthmatics crazy). As of this afternoon we are no longer on evac or even pre-evac status. A longer post will come when I have the time, but wanted to let everyone know - WE'RE SAFE and so is our HOME! Thanks for all the prayers and concern.

9 years...and counting!

2011-06-12T12:04:00.000-07:00

John and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary this last week. (June 8th) Yay for us!!! We decided we wanted a weekend away. We thought going to Mesa (where we were sealed) would be a fun place to go. So, we divied out the kids between grandparents - Dallin with Goates and Cory and Bryson with Tiltons. Logan stayed with us. We figured he was a little young for an over-nighter with grandparents.

So....off we went!! First stop: check-in at our hotel suite! Complete with living room, two TV's, and yes...whirl pool bathtub! Oooh la la! The sofa had a hide-a-bed for Logan to sleep on. Fun stuff!! Then off to the mall to pick up some items that we forgot at home - whoops! Forgot my pajamas and John's nice shirt. Shelisa was so sweet and babysat for us so we could go to dinner by ourselves. John and I had never been to Cheesecake factory, so we had a yummy dinner there, with dessert to go. The above pictures is us after gorging ourselves on delicious food. :)

The next morning, Logan slept in until 7:30 (WHAT?!?! He rarely gets up after 5:15!!) So we figure that was his anniversary gift to us! (Thanks Logan!) Our original plan was to go swimming, tour ASU campus, drop Logan off at Shelisa's and go through the temple, but John's back just wasn't up to it, so instead we just headed to the temple with Logan and walked the grounds. It was very very nice.

Here John and I are with a sunglasses shot. ha ha!

Sweet little Logan slept at all the right times!

John and I at the temple. Here's to us, hun!!

Logan's 1st Birthday

2011-06-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Along with all the videos I posted, here are some pics of Logie Bear's first birthday. He's so cute. We had fun celebrating his little life.

First thing in the morning, about to have his favorite breakfast: YOGURT! (Thanks for being so easy, buddy!)

All dressed and clean! We blew up balloons and let him chase them around the room.

I love how he kept carefully grabbing and pinching the end of the balloon.

Logan trying to be a big boy by wearing Bryson's hat.

Yes, that's right. You're a big boy now.

Logan's birthday cake. I won't tell you how many hours I ignored the birthday boy so I could make this cake. ha ha. Irony for you. Turned out fine. Not fantastic, but the kids sure liked it, so I guess it we'll call it a success. Probably won't do it again for a while because it did take so long.

Birthday PARTY at Nanny and Grandpa Goates's house.

Dallin enjoyed munching on treats.

Balloon head! (Check out the video about this a few posts down! HILARIOUS!)

Opening Nanny and Grandpa's presant. He wasn't so sure about the whole thing.

The big event! CAKE! All stripped down and ready to partake.

After the party. All cleaned up and ready for bed in his new jammies from Nana and Grandpa Tilton.

Utterly lovable!

Night night, birthday boy. Thank you for being mine.

Logan having his cake and eating it too!

2011-06-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Blowing out the birthday candle

2011-06-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here's Logan, surrounded by a bunch of people who love him. He doesn't really know what's going on, it's cute.

Logan's Birthday Balloon Mullet

2011-06-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Bath time!!

2011-05-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

My boys always love bath time. I've never had to struggle with them to get them in the tub (maybe getting them out, but not IN). Here Dallin is, having fun as "Santa Dallin"

Taste testing the beard.

Logan!!

*CHEESE*

"Why are you taking pictures of me, mama?"

And of course, the nakie bum shot. hee hee!

You're so cute, Logan!

Logan and Dallin are the best of friends. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot. Nothing in the world makes me happier than seeing my kids loving eachother. :)

Doggies and Gardens

2011-05-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Dallin came in saying that Bella (our dog) had thrown up in the backyard. Poor Bryson thought that menat she was going to die and he was all shaken up about it. So, I told him I could take some pictures of him with Bella. He said he didn't want anyone to see him crying because that was embarassing, but I assured him it was ok, and if she ever did "leave us", that he would be grateful for these pictures.

So, here are the pictures of Bryson and Bella, best friends.

This picture is so cute!

At first I was sad that this picture was blurry, but it's kind of sweet like it is.

Then, today, while I was gardening Dallin wanted his picture taken. I love having this boy home during the day with me.

Bryson was home sick today, so he spent the morning cuddling with Bella outside.

And here's Cory with Starbucks. I love that Starbucks is totally grinning in this picture. He LOVES getting love!

My garden is finally growing. I've had to replant it THREE TIMES THIS YEAR! Stupid dogs keep getting into it. Grumble grumble.

Here's our squash

Our first Jalapeno!

Tomatoes!!

It doesn't look like much now, but it will! (unless the dogs get into it again!)

And here's our 2nd garden that we planted this last weekend.

All in all, we have:

Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Pumpkin
Tomatoes
Corn
Lettuce
Carrots
Bell Pepper
Jalapeno Pepper
Squash
Onion
Cucumbers
Radishes

Here's hoping we get some fruits from our labors...

Bathroom Remodel

2011-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog post, documenting the beginning of our bathroom remodel. Please note that this particular blog post was dated OCTOBER 2009! Yes, that's right about a year and a half ago. But, here we have it!...

John's BEAUTIFUL tiling job! It was worth the wait.

His new toy...a tile cuter, complete with lazer. ha ha! What is it about boys and tools with lazers? Or is it just my husband?

He's really good about bringing the boys in on the jobs.

Might be a little more of my husband than you want to see, sorry! But just check out the utter disaster zone!

Tile layed, and being grouted...

And THIS was Saturday! Ooooooh! Ahhhhhh! I love it! There are still SEVERAL things that need to be finished, but we're definately over the hump, and things are beginning to look better, rather than worse.

Thanks, John! I love it!

Dancing Dallin!

2011-05-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

Dallin loves to dance. It's so funny watching him MOVE! He's such a character! His whole life I've found myself thinking "Oh, I'm going to miss the stage so much" but then the next one is even more fun! Maybe it's not the stages, maybe it's just HIM that is so neat! Love you, Dallin, you CRAZY little boy!

...and yes, it was Laundry day, so ignore the piles of clothes everywhere. In a perfect world, these cute little moments would only happen when your house is clean!

Logan videos!

2011-05-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a compilation of video clips from Logan the past week. He's FINALLY learned to crawl, well, kind of anyway. He can move from point A to point B, at least! Only took him 11 1/2 months, but as long as he's moving by the time he's the big ONE, I'm good!

...and once again, the background is not a spotless house...sorry!

Babies have bad hair days too!

2011-05-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

Logan woke up this morning with this hairdo. ha ha ha. Poor kid thought we were all just happy to see him when we saw him and started laughing. We love you, Logan. We really do.

Just a summer evening at the Tiltons

2011-05-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

I know it's not technically summer yet, but this 80 degree weather makes us feel like it is! I LOVE it!! I mean, I really LOVE IT! (Although I may be singing a different tune when it starts reaching the low 100's)

Anyway, last night after dinner, chores were done, dishes were put away, and the kids and I all went out to play (...does that rhyme, ha ha)

Just perfect weather. Did I mention I love it? :)

The brothers all take turns carting Logan around in this red wheel barrow. (No wonder he can't crawl yet, his brothers make him plenty mobile without any personal effort). Cory is especially sweet about taking care of Logan, always rushing to his aide the moment he lets out a peep...

...or a holler!

Logan just watches his brothers. You can tell he wants to be just like them when he grows up.

Look how big Cory is!!!

And my precious Bryson. What a nut! He's been practicing baseball lately.

He's been trying to teach Dallin how to play. Dallin doesn't really get it, but they have fun anyway.

And Dallin. Oh Dallin. This picture says it all.

You can see how happy Logan gets when his brothers come around to play with him. They give him cool things to look at, like sticks or rocks. He just LOVES it.

And when they run off to play, he just watches intently.

So sweet. I can't wait to get this guy moving. He'll love it so much!

No yelling.

2011-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things as a stay-at-home mom is to send my kids off to school. Not in a I-can't-stand-you-for-one-more-second kind of way, but I love making a nutritious breakfast, packing up lunches and backpacks, and sending my freshly bathed kids off to learn stuff. It's just very satisfying. Every morning before they get on the bus, as a piece of my heart walks away, I tell them "I love you! Have a good day! Make good choices." This morning Bryson replied with "You too, Mom. Make good choices. No yelling, ok?" ha ha ha.
...not that I ever yell... 0:)

Honey, I'm LOST...

2011-04-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to a doTerra class on how to use essential oils. (It was a LOT of fun, very interested, and had some fun giggles with friends)...but getting there ONCE AGAIN I got lost. I'm always getting lost. Always. John constantly gets calls from me "Hey, hun, do you have internet access right now cuz I'm lost".

After I got home from the class John was still awake (10pm is way late for him). He told me to go wash my face, which was weird, but he was obviously "loving the world" on his sleeping pill (I have to make allowances for his odd behavior on his pill sometimes...ha ha ha!) Anyways, I went to wash my face and found this next to the sink:

Woohoo! Finally a GPS! For ME!!! He'd taken all the kids out and got me a GPS! Isn't he the sweetest?

But the best part...with the GPS was this little note...

Aww! I know! He's the greatest. Always leaving cute little notes. :) Love you, John!!! You make me happy.

Easter 2011 and two failed photo shoots.

2011-04-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, fair warning...lots of pics today. :) But they're of cute subjects, so it's ok...

Logan had a lot of fun with his Easter bucket. He LOVED the thing.

The silly boy kept trying to put the bucket on his head.

This year I decided we would dye Easter eggs. I've never done this before, ever, so it was fun trying to figure out with the boys. I think they turned out ok. Also, I've noticed that I don't have very many pictures of me and my boys, so I wanted to take some.

This is me and my rascally Dallin. I love how he's giving me a hug. :)

All ready to dye some eggs!

Everyone kissing little Logan! They love their little brother. And boy does he adore THEM!

Me and Bryson!

No, I didn't tell him to give me a kiss, he just did and so I snapped a shot. I love this boy.

Working the egg spinner!

The finished product! Aren't they cute?!?

I LOVE spring! Look at my beautiful flowers in the front yard!

After church (and naps) we went over to the Goates house for a delicious Easter dinner provided by Shelisa. I wanted to get a good picture of the boys, but...um...they're four boys. So, here's the photo shoot. They were all so funny, I thought I'd put em all up! ha ha

Cory looking handsome!

Oh Dallin.

Dallin got mad half way through the photo shoot. ha ha

Logan put the bucket on his head himself. ha ha

Dallin looking a tad mischievous.

Crazy boys.

After the photo shoot, it was off to find the eggs scattered all over the backyard. This was a very serious competitive event for them.

Bryson racing to find the eggs!

Logan played happily with his bucket during the hunt.

So, as if one failed photo shoot weren't enough for the day, John and I attempted photo shoot #2. Oh boy.

Flattering, no?

I love this one of John! hee hee

Eyes closed.

Double chin.

Um...pinky?

Shelisa playing peek-a-boo.

Wind tunnel.

Giant arm. ha ha. Oh well. Maybe for our anniversary we'll get some better pictures. At least John looks great...

Logan playing some more with his beloved bucket and eggs.

This little guy refuses to crawl. Here's his mad face when he gets on his belly and can't figure out how to move forward.

He's so darn cute, though!

After dinner we went back home and Nana and Grandpa Tilton came over with a special something for Logan. How he adores this little bunny.

So, that was our Easter. Lots of fun. I love family.

Come to MEEEEE!

2011-04-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the snake on Jungle Book? All you have to do is look into his eyes, and he can make you do anything...well, that's what my little Logan is for.

You see, my sister just moved from Utah to AZ, but is staying up in Phoenix for a week before coming to visit me. But I want her to come visit me NOW. :) So, I'm pulling out the big guns. Shelisa, come to meeeee! (And look into this cute little face)

How can you resist???

He WANTS you!!!

He NEEDS you!!!

Look how innocent he is!

You know you wanna! :)

...and he only bites a little bit!

Love you, Isha! Glad you're in AZ with the rest of us COOL KIDS! :)

Reenie's Wedding, cont.

2011-04-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

I was so bummed after Reenie's wedding when I couldn't add pictures!

BUT NOW!! Things have changed, and I can add as many pictures as my little heart desires.

So prepare yourself for a picture overload of my beautiful sister and her handsome hubby!

She made a perfectly beautiful bride!

Here is the happy couple in Utah! Such a beautiful backdrop!

Don't they look twitterpated? I love it!

I love this shot! They couldn't be happier!

Here's Reenie with her brides maides. Yeah, if you notice my face looking a little weird, I was still recovering from a very fun illness called Bell's Palsy. Look it up if you don't know what it is. It was lots of fun.

Sisters!! There are few things in the world that are better than sisters!

...and here's a picture of my new haircut. Chopped it all off right before the wedding. As much as I love long hair, my hair is just too thin to let it get too long. Blah. But I have fun with it short.

...oh, and Shelisa looking a little twitterpated with me...HA HA HA! Love you too, Isha, love you too.

So, that's the happy couple...Mr. and Mrs. Merrell!

Hacked Blog

2011-04-19T16:12:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the random posts that have been coming in. I hope I've fixed the problem, we'll see if it persists. Just ignore the jibberish if it pops up agian!

By George I think I've Done it!!!!

2011-04-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

Oh thank heavens! I finally figured it out! I can add pictures through blogger again!! It only took like 3-4 hours fiddling with settings and uninstalling stuff - and really not having a clue what I was doing - but I DID IT!!!!

Here are some pictures I wanted to add - just because I CAN!!!!

Little Logan sleeping in random positions!

This crazy kid is weaning himself off naps. That's right. He doesn't sleep during the day anymore...at all. I'm hoping this is just a stage, or he's getting sick or something, because I LIVE for my naps. How can a ten month old be too old for naps????

...And Bryson...my little nut! I love this kid! He brightens my day, just about every day!

Oh what a week!

2011-04-14T11:40:00.001-07:00

I've had "one of those weeks". Nothing terrible, just a bunch of little annoying things.

Monday Bryson had croup, then I injured my foot by dropping a wooden train on it. By the evening I couldn't even walk on the darn thing. Plus there was a hastle with the pharmacy, and then a mess with the insurance. Blugh.

Tuesday rolls around, foot is feeling better, but Bryson still has croup and it was getting worse. Finally get the perscription thing figured out but then Bryson took a turn for the worse. I had to take him to the Dr. because he was retracting while breathing, turned out his ox sat was down to 90, and they suspect he may have asthma, so now he's on nebulizer treatments. While I was getting his perscription filled, he barfed in the parking lot. Poor kid!

Wednesday comes and Bryson feels better, but I keep him home anyway because he'd puked within the last 24 hours. In the evening Dallin falls on a walk with Daddy.

The pictures don't really do it justice. You can't tell how deep that cut is, and all around the cut is a dark bruise, not dirt. (This is the day after the accident) I took him to the ER because I couldn't tell if he needed stitches. Turns out there wasn't enough skin to stitch, so we'll just have to let it grow back.

Today is Thursday and Cory has croup, which of course means he's got a full-blown asthma attack going. Logan refuses to take naps anymore...mama is tired.

John has been so patient with the messy house and no home-cooked meals, but it's getting old. And today I just don't want to make dinner - again.

Just anxious for the week to be over!

Pinewood Derby

2011-04-04T15:00:00.001-07:00

My "little" Cory has started cub scouts - which he LOVES - BIG TIME! One of the fun things he gets to do as part of scouts is to participate in the pinewood derby contest!

Cory and Daddy designed the race car together, and then we all finished it up. It turned out NICE!! I was quite proud! He came in 2nd for his class, and 3rd in the ward! He also got an award for having the sportiest car!

Reenie got MARRIED!!

2011-04-04T14:35:00.001-07:00

One of the biggest events in the past few months while I have disappeared from blog-land was that my beautiful little sister got married! It was such a wonderful experience! I was overjoyed to be there with her!

T - 1 Day
The original plan was for Reenie and Caleb to fly in on Wed night, have all Thurs to prepare for the wedding, and then Friday morning they'd get hitched. Well, weather conditions changed their flight plans, so they didn't get in until the afternoon before their wedding. Reenie still had to get her nails done and find a piece of jewelry. So, I was able to go with her to take care of her errands :) while dear Shelisa watched the hurricane (my kids) for me. We had a lot of fun giggling and chatting while we got pampered. When we got back we were able to meet and have a nice meal with Caleb's family. (For any who are wondering, Reenie totally scored BIG with choosing a good husband! He's perfect for her!)

T - 12 hours
Reenie's roomates came down Thursday evening, and I decided we HAD to have some fun as we sent Reenie off into married life, so I threw her a little bachelorette party at my house. The sisters, the roomates, and even mom, Aunt Carolyn, and Grandma Marilyn came over for drinks (pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris - nonalcoholic, of course - hee hee). And some of the girls painted their nails. So much fun - it was wonderful! Lots of giggling!

The big DAY!

Reenie and Caleb were getting married at 10am in the Gila Valley temple in Thatcher. To get there by 9:30 meant we all had to leave nice and early. Somehow we made it in time. There was babysitting at the church next to the temple while John and I got to attend the ceremony. I sat behind Caleb, and I could only see Reenie's little eye over his shoulder, but I tell ya, the expression in her eye - so in love, it was adorable/beautiful/touching! I was so happy to be there, and I made it through with only a tear or two. So happy and proud of my little sister!

Then we had a delicious lunch at the church next to the temple. Lots of fun mingling. Unfortunately the kids were all sick and feverish. If it had been any other event I would have quarantined them, but I refused to miss my sister's wedding....so sorry to anyone they got sick!!

Pictures were after lunch - and how I wish I could post more pictures on this blasted blog!!! They turned out beautiful! Then we rushed home, dinner at my parent's house and then the reception at the stake center. My mom did a BEAUTIFUL job transforming the gym into a beautiful reception hall. Reenie and Caleb just looked so happy! After the reception they left for a mini-honeymoon. They had school the next week, so the extended honeymoon will be this summer.

What a wonderful experience!!! Just perfect!

Caught Red Handed

2011-04-04T14:12:00.001-07:00

A few nights ago John commented that he was craving cookies. He was working hard on his homework, so I decided me and the kids would make him cookies while he was working hard, and suprise him with them when he was done.

When the cookies were done we divided them amoung ourselves. We made a small batch - everyone got two, except Daddy, he would get three.

Well, Daddy took a long time to finish his homework, and the kids were already in bed when he came out, but when he did I told him excitedly "Look on the stove, we have a suprise for you!" He yelled from the kitchen "What is it? There's nothing here. Did you make cookies?" Me: "Yeah, they should be right there." I came in, and sure enough, they had "disappeared".

Later when I came to check on the kids I found what had happened. Don't look the innocent look on his face deceive you.

I figured it out!!!

2011-04-04T14:11:00.001-07:00

So, see the previous blog for my posting woes. I have finally figured out how to post pics to my blog, but it comes with a BIG drawback...I can only post 10MB at a time, which is only like 2 pictures. As you may have noticed, I generally post a LOT more than that. So, I guess this is better than nothing...

Anyways, here are a few of my little Logan, his personality is starting to burst through! I love it! He's started talking.

He knows:

Mamamama (Either "mom" or "I want that")

Duh Duh Duh (Dog)

Buh Buh Buh (Bird)

Mo Mo Mo (More or Milk)

and last, but definately not least

"NNNNnnnnnuh! Nnnnnnnuuuh!" (No! He'll say this with an angry face and usually while trying to either pinch or scratch you. Yeah, that's a fun one.)

He still REFUSES to crawl. When he's laying down, he can turn himself around so he's facing the opposite direction, but he won't move forward at all. I'll put something in front of him that he wants, and he just CRIES, but WILL NOT MOVE. I'm sure it'll come sooner or later, but I'm just so excited for him to take that step! I can hardly wait!

He weighs 18.5lbs and is 28.5", which is between 5-10th percentil for weight, and around 50th for his height. Even though he's stationery, he's sure not chunky!

Our new little puppy!

2011-04-04T14:08:00.001-07:00

This is the new addition to our family. She is three months old (born Jan 12th) and is a boxer/mastiff mix. John's been dying for another dog, and I decided to let him have his way on this one, as long as he didn't bring home another Pitt. She's sweet and playful and COMPLETELY adorable! We love our little Bella!

I'm Mad!

2011-03-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

Blogger and I are fighting right now. I haven't been able to upload pictures for some unknown reason for almost 2 months now. I must have a setting that needs to be changed or something - I really have no idea. And I'm not sure what to do to fix it. Grumble grumble. And what fun is a blog without all the adorable pictures of my offspring?!?!

So, if there's any input on what could possibly be wrong, or where to go to get help, it would be MUCH appreciated!!!

The Love Toilet

2011-01-30T16:31:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks I have been tending to sick kids...a lot. I love the kids, and I love taking care of them, but nonetheless, there has been fatigue on my part. Over the past five nights I think I've averaged about 3-4 hours of sleep per night, most of that in a sitting position holding a baby. Plus naps have been scarce. So, my mental state was already precariously teetering.

To keep from going bonkers in the middle of the night while Logan just won't stop fussing (poor boy), I turn on whatever movie I can find on netflix that strikes my fancy. Last night I watched Saturday Night Live: best of commercial paradies. So, already sleep deprived, and at about 2 am, with a crying baby in my arms I watch the following video....

...and I laugh....

....I laugh HARD. Perhaps it's really that funny, or perhaps I'm headed for a psychotic break from the sleep deprivation, but I found this freaking hilarious.

So, enjoy. Or just think to yourself how crazy I am. Either way.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/61322/saturday-night-live-the-love-toilet

Sometimes being a mom is just plain fun

2011-01-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

So, this morning we were doing our "Saturday morning chores". Boring.

While the kids were in their room "cleaning" I hear Cory shout "Move it! Move it!" to one of his brothers. Not so nice, but it gave me an idea. I go to playlist.com and find the song "I like to move it move it" from the movie Madagascar and run into their room dancing away. They start laughing, and then they start screaming "AHHHHHHHHHH, mom's shaking her bottom again!!!!" ha ha ha So, of course the song has been on repeat all morning. They keep running into whatever room I'm cleaning in and then run out screaming "Ahhhhhhh, Mom's shaking her bottom!!!!" he he he The cleaning hasn't gotten done any faster, but we've sure had a lot more laughs doing it this way.

Cory's baptism

2011-01-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate enough to experience one of those "proud mama" moments this weekend.

Cory was baptized on Jan 1, 2011.

Here John and three of our boys are right before the baptism. I wish Logan had been awake to be in the picture too.

Look at those two glowing boys! I guess it was one of those "proud wife" moments too. So very happy that Cory chose to be baptized, and that my handsome husband could be the one to do it.

We were a little nervous about Cory getting baptized because of his fear of the water, coupled with the fear of the unknown and the fear of being watched by people. He told me he wanted to do the right thing, he was just scared. So, we practiced and practiced and practiced. We even went down to the font a few days before to familiarize him with the room.

We said many prayers together asking Heavenly Father to give him peace so he wouldn't be scared. As always, Heavenly Father came through for us. Cory was just beaming once he got to the church. He wasn't scared, just happy and excited. He went through the baptism beautifully.

Because of how the chairs were set up, he couldn't go in through the men's dressing room, he had to go in through the women's (which is different from what we had practiced), and we almost lost him, but he was able to do it. I think we all breathed a little sigh of relief...and then beamed with pride. :)

After the baptism Cory went in the dressing room with his Daddy to get changed. Later John told me Cory kept saying "I feel so happy. I just feel so good. DON'T LOOK AT ME! I just feel so happy" ha ha ha

After the baptism we went to my parent's house to have a little open house in Cory's honor. We originally chose to invite only immediate family to the baptism because we knew the situation was going to be difficult for Cory, and the more people watching him, the more stress there would be. The day before the big day, Cory asked if his friend Hannah could be there, which I thought was sweet.

...so, if you didn't get an invte, please understand it's not because we didn't want you there, we were just trying to help our little dude get into that water.

Then of course we had to get some family shots.

What a super-happy day!

California!

2011-01-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Goates family had a fun trip to CA over the Christmas break. My parents, all my siblings along with their spouses/fiances/children came. The only one missing was John. *sad face* He couldn't come because of work. Here we all are at the hotel.

We had a heck of a time getting out there. We were hoping to break up the 8-hour drive by leaving Christmas Eve to stay with my brother in Casa Grande, and then head to CA the next day. Unfortunately Bryson, Dallin, and myself ended up with strep right before the trip, so we stayed back and left Christmas morning, after antibiotics were fully in our systems. My sister Shelisa was so sweet and stayed behind with me to help me in the car. I don't think I could've gone if she hadn't helped me. Thanks, Isha!

We got to my Grandma's house Christmas evening in time to have dinner with her. My aunt Carolyn was there too. What a wonderful crew. Then we went back to the hotel to have a suprise b-day party for Carolyn. So fun.

The next day we went to church with my Grandpa. Cory had a hard time with the change so he spent most of the time at church in the halls with aunt Carolyn.

Then off to my Grandpa's house. He read "The Funny Thing" to his great-grandchildren. Cory and Bryson were totally into it. His parents read this book to him, and I remember him reading it to me as a kid, and now my kids got it too. Such a fabulous Goates tradition.

We had fun exchanging gifts, and the babies had fun playing with the wrapping. Here's my neice Kali attacking an empty package someone had disgarded. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Here's Reenie's fiance dancing with Banana. He's a ballroom dancer, so the women in the family were eager to take their turn dancing with him. :)

Logan being adorable.

Sorry, Shelisa, had to put this one up. We were all so tired.

Kali and Logan attempting to share. They actually did pretty good for how young they are.

In the hotel the next morning, all ready to go out and have a super day at the Aquarium. (Cory got to have a sleepover with Caleb in his room)

Touching sting rays!

This looks like something out of a nightmare. These lobsters were freaky. So very big.

Cory observing the Jelly fish!

Reenie, Caleb, and Bryson touching a shark!

Nanny and Logan looking at the fish swim by. So cute.

Logan was quite intrigued.

Logan loves his Nanny Goates. I love this picture, what a hug!

Afterward, lunch at Chili's. Here's our table. Aunt Carolyn, Cory and Bryson.

...and Logan too, though he didn't contribute much to the conversation.

It took three tables to fit us all.

What fun.

After the Aquarium we headed to the beach. We arrived just before sunset. A little cool, but BEAUTIFUL. Cory fell in almost immediately. Poor kid was soaking wet, but they had SO MUCH FUN.

Love this picture.

Dallin wasn't interested in the water, only the "giant sand box". He spent his time looking for treasure. He was a bit disappointed when we had to leave and he hadn't found any yet.

Caleb found a little crab.

Nanny helped Logan have some ocean-time. Here's the proof.

Logan being crazy on the way back to AZ. What a little nut. He didn't like the car ride home. Thank goodness I had Shelisa with me again to help me keep my sanity.

What a fun trip. Lots of neat memories.

Cory turns 8!

2011-01-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe it! Cory turned 8!!! Wasn't it just last year he started kindergarten?!?!

First thing in the morning: PRESANTS! He was totally excited about his Lego fire truck.

Eating corn dogs for lunch.

And of course, I've got to throw in a baby Logan picture. Oh the cutie.

In the afternoon he invited some friends over for a very low-key birthday party. They each got to decorate a gingerbread house. My good friend Sarah Avalos came over and helped me keep control of the group. :)

Cory working his artistic hand.

Here he is the next day with his gingerbread house. Notice, nothing has been picked off. He was so proud of it, he didn't want to eat it.

Well, Cory, happy birthday. You are such a neat addition to our family. We love you, kiddo! Thank you for being such a big help. I love that you are eager to learn things to help me, and that you always express appreciation for the work I do. :) You make it easy to love you. I'm looking forward to seeing the kind of man you will become. Thanks for being mine.

So totally random

2010-12-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

Over the past few days I have been enjoying playing with my kids. Let's be honest, my housework has been neglected, and there may have been a burned dinner incident, but it's ok. The time playing was worth it. I'll have to go back to reality on Monday, but today, I'm going to enjoy my growing boys a little bit more.

I love how Logans arm is over Dallin. They've got such a strong bond already.

Is he pooping or smiling? Let's just hope it's the latter.

Dallin looks a little bit like an army dude with the face paint on. I think this was hot chocolate.

But he sure cleans up nice!!

(how is he so BIG???)

My mom comes over every once in a while to entertain the boys while I do this'n'that around the house. What a good grandma!

Boys have tea parties too...they just don't call it that

2010-12-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

For the past few weeks, Bryson has been organizing parties for him and his brothers. He makes sure there is some sort of snack (today was chips, carrots and ranch, and a cup of water). He spends about an hour gathering supplies (today was napkins and a newspaper) and putting together his little party.

...now if only I could get him to spend that much energy cleaning up after his party. :)

Boys are so fun!!!

The Manslater

2010-12-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

Dear Shelisa

2010-12-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Isha,

These are for you.

This is little Dallin after getting his stitches out. It was a traumatizing experience for him, but once they brought him the popcicle, 2 bags of teddy grahams, stuffed cow, and turned on the TV, he was ok.

Logan 5 months and so adorable in his hoodie.

...And a cowboy needs a rope, needs a rope, needs a rope. And a pair of boots, fancy boots, fancy boots, if he wants to keep ridin', ridin' along...

...the song forgot about the shorts, camo shorts, camo shorts...

Cory helps almost every morning with breakfast. He stirs the eggs, he'll flip pancakes, mix the protein shakes. He's awesome. AND he loves doing it. We may have a chef on our hands.

Dallin waiting on Thanksgiving day for the pie. He didn't let that thing out of his site the entire time.

The day after Thanksgiving we put up our Christmas decorations. I just couldn't wait anymore, I got way too excited. We invited Jacob over for the special occassion. This year the boys were able to rearrange the furniture so we could put up the Christmas tree. I would just yell, "I NEED MUSCLES" and they would all come running to see what needed to be moved. I LOVE HAVING BOYS!

Then they helped assemble the Christmas tree.

Logan with his adorable little santa hat.

Dallin loving on his brother, although it looks like he's giving him the heimlich. :)

They were just so cute in their grubby faces.

Logan has decided he loves his bouncer.

You know in the movie Thumbelina when the leaves all fall and he says something along the lines of "Oh. It's fall" Well, that's what happened the other day for us in SV. One morning we woke up and all the leaves had fallen off our tree. The kids enjoyed playing in them.

Little Logan just turned 6 months, and has learned how to sit up. Awww, ain't he cute?!?!

And seriously, ladies, who wouldn't kill for those eye lashes?

And here's a blackmail shot. Sorry Logan. I just couldn't resist.

This is better.

Gratitude Tree

2010-11-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

Wouldya look at that! I made a craft with my boys...AND it turned out totally cute!

I got this idea from a friend of mine and HAD to try it. The boys went hunting for the perfect "tree" (stick), then Cory and I drew, cut out, and colored the leaves, then we all sat down and wrote down the things we are thankful for.

There were some very cute things the kids were thankful for...

Cory: "School, friends, my teacher", "Jesus, church, temple", "My family", "Sun and dark", "Mom"

Bryson: "Logan", "My pumpkin painting", "Everyone, except the bad guys",

Dallin: "Dad, food, money", "Heaven, Jesus, Heavenly Father", "Friends and toys", "Nanny, food, Heavenly Father, and treats"

hee hee hee

...and as a side note, I had so much fun doing this with the kids. House clean. Christmas music on. Dinner eaten. Dishes done. Baths out of the way. Just me and the kids working on a fun project. It was perfect. Why don't I do this more often?!?

Teeth a-comin' and a-goin'

2010-11-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

The first teeth to come in on your baby are so exciting! As is the first tooth to fall out! We've had both this last month. It just reminds me how precious motherhood is - and how precious my special boys are. :)

Bryson came home from school today looking a little different than usual...one less tooth in his mouth...yay!!!

And Logan finally got his 2nd tooth. For the longest time he had one lonely little tooth, but the 2nd one finally came in, so everything is evened out again. Good job, buddy, I know you've been working on that.

My little cuties.

The Macarena

2010-11-17T17:06:00.001-08:00

Had way too much fun dancing the macarena with my Cory tonight. Yes, I'm a dork. I know.

Initiation to Boyhood

2010-11-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

Dallin had his initiation to boyhood last night.

Poor kid ran into a dresser (at least that's what I can gather). The three boys were in their room "cleaning" when Cory and Bryson ran out screaming "Something REALLY BAD happened! Dallin has lots of blood". Eeek. I was on the couch nursing Logan and I see Dallin come out just covered in blood from the mouth down and so upset he couldn't even breathe.

So, I practially drop poor Logan and scoop up my little boy who looks like he is about to hurl, so I run to the bathroom and he makes it to the toilet before he starts that process. I was just praying that the chunks I was seeing weren't pieces of his teeth. John was at school about to take a math test, and I called him and told him there was blood everywhere, I couldn't tell what was wrong, and I needed him to come home. He rushed home, and by the time he got home I could see a decent sized cut on his lip. The bleeding had stopped, but the cut was so wide that I figured he needed stitches. So, we went to the ER, covered in blood and puke. (Nice mental image, huh? I just didn't want to pull a shirt over Dallin's head and risk making his lip worse, and I figured I'd get more blood on me before the night was over and I didn't want to ruin TWO shirts)

We got in fast and the woman in charge of Dallin happened to be Bryson's best friend's mom! Yay for a familiar face! I had the option of rolling him in a blanket like a burrito and going at him with the stitches or sedating him. Um. Duh! Knock the kid out! So they did, and I almost fainted in the middle of the whole thing. I felt so stupid, had to sit down and put my head between my legs. You'd think all that Grey's Anatomy would have me more desensitized! Since it was about 4 hours in the ER, my mom came and brought Logan, along with some stuff for Dallin to play with and some food for me. (Thanks, ma!) Then my dad came in and visited with Dallin for a bit too.

We're home now, Dallin is in good spirits (and really has been this whole time, except for his initial reaction to the injury and when he had to get the two shots that put him under). The nurse in triage asked him to pick which smiley face he felt like (there were 5 faces that either looked happy, sad, or anywhere in between) and he chose the happiest face. :) My sweet Dallin.

As you can see from the pics, he's back to his rascally self - you know - the little boy who jumps off furniture, wrestles his brothers, and attempts to run around the house with his eyes closed. Sheesh, I can foresee a few more trips like this to the hopsital in the future for this kiddo. But I'm glad we both made it through your initiation.

He's now got 5 stitches holding his lip together, three in front, and two behind his lip. He's on a soft-food diet for a week, and then we'll go back to the hospital and have the same mom-friend take out the stitches.

Logan 5 month stats

2010-11-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

Logan went to the doc a few days before he turned 5 months.

Here are his stats: 15lbs 3 oz, 26 1/2 inches

He got his first tooth a couple of weeks ago, and the second one is right there, but refuses to make its appearance.

He can roll over as of about a week ago (which is a little late compared to most babies, but compared to my little ones, it's actually a little early). He doesn't like apples or bananas, but he likes sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash.

He just learned to enjoy standing, which again is a little late compared to most other kids, but sooner than my other kiddos.

And...since my 5 months post delivery stats are still +15lbs, I've decided to enter a 5K race. I'm totally excited/nervous to do it, but what the heck, I've got nothing to loose, except this weight! :)

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

This year we had 2 Spidermans, an Iron Man and a tiger.

Cory wanted to be Hulk, but I couldn't find a Hulk costume in SV (apparently that is Sooo last year), so I actually made one for him, per his request, but Halloween night he decided he wanted to wear an old costume. Dallin was quite proud of his muscles.

Our little tiger...

We spent Halloween at my parent's house with Jason, Alissa, and Kali. Logan and Kali were quite curious about eachother.

Here they are keeping track of Grandpa. :)

Jason spent some time teaching Cory how to tie knots, then unleashed Cory to do his worst to him.

Nanny Goates and Tiger Logan

All in all, a very fun evening. Kids got way too much candy, which is most of the way gone now. Love my crew!

Paid in Full

2010-10-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

We did it!!!

As most of you know, Bryson had a leg injury three years ago. We were not on insurance at the time (long story short, our insurance coverage was to start on Oct 1st, and the accident happened on Sept 10th). So, we have been making monthly payments to the individual doctors/hospitals, etc. The largest amount owed was to the surgeon who operated on Bryson's leg. We paid $1000 down and have been making monthly payments of $80 for the last three years. Quite a chunk of change, especially as we have had some...uh...fun financial challenges. .

Well, we did it. Yes, we finally did it. I have mailed our last surgeon payment. Huge sigh of relief.

I asked Bryson if he wanted to make a note to the doctor who made his leg better and this is what he wrote on the back of the envelope:

We are so very very VERY grateful to Dr. Vincent and the excellent work he did on Bryson's leg. He took his time and reconnected everything and he now he has no residual pain, and has regained full function of his leg. We consider him a miracle worker. It was worth every cent. Thank you, Dr. Vincent.

My little pumpkins

2010-10-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

With the changes to blogger, I just don't have the time right now to put all the pics in order, so here are my October pictures, in no particular order...at all.

We went to a pumpkin patch with some friends and had a blast.

After the pumpkin patch we were all hot and hungry, so we stopped at McDonalds for lunch and ice cream. I wouldn't let them eat the ice cream in the car...any ideas why??

I guess mostly because I'm a mean mom.

Even little Logan had a fun time.

I gave the boys a choice between each choosing their own small-ish pumpkin, or we could all get one big giant pumpkin. Being boys, they wanted the big one. Here's their first look inside.

Ewwwwwww....

The finished product.

Mom giving Loggie Bear some love. He's such a fun little baby!

And look who found his feet.

And look what we found in our front yard. This thing is huge, probably a good four inches. Elckk!

Logan has started to use his saucer. I love his little feet in this picture. :)

For my mom's birthday, we had a little party over at our house for her. It was fun. After cake she read to her grandsons. What a good grandma.

Logan in his camo.

Brothers! This is Dallin and Logan while the older two are at school

More pumpkin patch pictures. (See, I told you the order was off.) The girl is Hannah and the other little boy is Jethro. Cory and Bryson really liked Hannah, they kept fighting over who was her best friend.

The little ones in the stroller. Logan is in front, and Jonah is in back.

Picking the perfect pumpkin is serious business.

Hay bale maze. What a good time. The kids all got lots of exercise running back and forth in this thing.

Dallin pulling Hannah and Jonah in the wagon.

And last, but not least, our darling little elf. :)

Yeah, I know, it's not even Halloween yet, but I was looking through baby clothes, and I found this, and he's almost grown out of it, so I wanted him to wear this cute little outfit at least once. He's got the sweetest smile in the world. I could stare at it all day.

Back to my roots

2010-10-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

So, we all know that pregnancy does some crazy things to us. I mean, really whacked out things! Well, besides making me swell to practically twice my size, and making me act like a loon off her meds, pregnancy also changes my hair color. That's right. It's done it every pregnancy. My hair comes in brown. It's hard to tell while I'm pregnant because the change is so gradual, but after I give birth, I definatly have "roots". The picture looks a little like it's a shadow, or my hair is wet or something, but no, this is the actual color.

I'm never quite sure what to do with these roots. I would love to dye them, especially because the light roots make me look like I'm balding, but I don't want to mess up my hair color, or have roots from that. So, all four times I just deal with it until it grows out, and meanwhile try to wear my hair so it's not quite as obvious. I guess this time will be no different.

Why Don't Moms Have Time?

2010-10-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the small text of the article, maybe adjust your screen size to view it.

Lately I've been trying to figure out where on Earth my day goes. It seems like I can only successfully do one thing a day, whether it be grocery shopping, laundry (which has to be done twice a week), playgroup, visiting teaching, cleaning the house, etc. On a super-efficient day, I might be able to get two things done...maybe. I'll admit, it's a tad frustrating. I often say to my hubby, "I don't mind doing what I'm doing, I just wish there was more of me to do it!" This article helped me regain the perspective that is so easily lost when sleep-deprived. It's good to have the reminder that these certainly aren't the only things I'm doing. And yes, I know things will run more smoothly once our little one gets a little older. And I also know that I will miss it. :) Ah, gotta love motherhood. And I do. I wouldn't have it any other way...except maybe a 30-hour day. he he :)

Little miracles everywhere!

2010-10-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

After baths the other night, we were a little ahead of schedule for bedtime, so I pulled out my camera and snapped a few shots of my beautiful handful of boys.

Yes, they're a crazy group, but I can't help but love 'em!

Poor Logan.

After the pictures, Dallin wanted to hide from me, this little nut cracks me up all the time.

Just a second before this picture, all I could see were his little toes, then his head popped up just in time for the picture.

Our dog.

It's amazing watching the kids get older. Bryson loves to read to Logan, and I think Logan enjoys it as well.

The biggest thing going on in our lives right now is that John got a new job! (HOORAY!!!) He's needed a new job for a while. He loved the company he was working for, but between a herniated disc, attending school full-time, and inconsistant hours and pay at his current job, it was time to move on. We didn't even know what to apply for because we needed so many things out of the job. We have a mortgage and bills that have to be paid, he needs to be able to go to school during the day and/or night depending on the semester, he needs to be able to rest his back as needed, plus the new employer would have to not care about his record.

A brother in the ward owns a Dish Network/Direct TV franchise down here, and has hired John as a Sales Associate. It meets all our criteria, we feel oh-so-blessed. He can choose when/how he wants to work (i.e. door to door, tent, or mall) He can sit or stand, depending on what is more comfortable for his back (which sounds like a small thing, but it really is a huge deal), and he can even do homework while working.

He starts today! What a miralce.

Here are some shots of John at his old job. I know he will miss working there. He's given that company about eight years, but it's time to MOVE ON!!

I'm not sure who will miss this job more, John or Dallin! :)

I am proud of John for enduring to the end with this job. It wasn't easy with his back. Especially because he's been trying to work without pain meds because he found they were affecting his clarity of thought for school. Eeck, I can't even imagine digging ditches and lifting heavy pipes with a bad back. Thanks John for hanging on!!

And poor Logan will never get to experience riding on the back hoe with Daddy!

However, I bet we'll be able to find a dirt hill or two for him to climb on.

My brother actually took these shots from the last time he was down here with his family. The boys LOVE their little cousin Kali!!! It's so very much fun having them close!

Cory the nurterer!

After-school conversation

2010-09-22T14:24:00.001-07:00

Bryson: Mom, are you having another baby?
Mom: No.
Cory: Yeah, Bryson, Mom's not having another baby. She's just getting fat.
Bryson: Mom, why are you getting fat?
Cory: It's just because she's getting old.

Thanks guys. If I hadn't been laughing so hard, I would have been highly offended.

ha ha ha

2010-09-15T07:05:00.001-07:00

Cory this morning:
"Mom, I really want a little sister. Can you make one for me?"

Picture Overload

2010-09-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

I've got so many pictures documenting special memories! Most of these are of little Logan. I've tried over and over to catch a smile, and I finally got a few! Yeah!

Bryson and Dallin eating something gooey over at Nanny Goates' house.

Bryson had the wonderful opportunity to go to California with my mom to visit with my grandparents. Fun was had by all involved.

Banana and Grandpa! I don't think I'll ever be too old to call her Banana! How I love this couple!

This is my mom's mom. She's suffering from alzheimers, but Bryson LOVED her. He kept talking about how cute she was. ha ha ha

Grandpa Kowallis (mom's dad) - with a beard? I've never seen him with a beard before.

Here's my parents with Logan. I tried to decide which picture of Logan and my mom was cutest, but I couldn't decide, so I thought, what they heck, I'll just put em all up here. Why not?

We had a combined birthday party for Bryson and my dad over at my parent's house.

I made a "dirt cake" for the event. The boys thought it was cool.

My BEAUTIFUL neice Kali.

My brother recently moved to Thatcher, so it's been fun having him close by. For his birthday, we had a little get-together at my parent's house. We didn't have any candles for him to blow out, so we had him blow out the gas stove instead. :)

My parents and Kali!

Logan smiles!

Cory came up with these poses all by himself. ha ha ha!

Little Logan and his Daddy!!

More smiles!

Babies always look so small in their Daddy's arms.

Tummy time!!

Logan's first meal! Bananas!!! He LOVED it!!! Here's how it happened:

I was eating a banana in front of Logan and he looked totally interested, so I gave him a little lick. His eyes got big. His arms and legs started moving. So, I mashed a little up for him with some water. I sat him up, all his brothers gathered around, and in went the first spoon. Eyes wide. Feet kicking. I pull it out to get more and he immediately starts screaming. But then he seems the spoon coming back and he starts kicking again. :) He kept trying to pull the spoon into his mouth, and he'd cry every time I took it out. Oh, the little darling. Cory took this picture for me. Aparently I still had some paint on my hands from the painting project I'd been working on.

Logan is my first child who enjoys tummy time. I love it! He rolled over for the first time a couple days before he turned three months. Yes, I'm a proud mama!

A little something to remember

2010-09-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

It makes me so sad to know that I can't remember every single precious moment with my children. I ache to think about how much I've forgotten with the older two boys. Shame on me for not keeping a journal! Anyways, since I've kept a blog, I have a place now to write all the tender little memories, and I love scrolling back and looking over them. I love seeing over time how much they all have grown. So, here's a few little memories about my sweet little three-year-old Dallin that I don't want to forget.

One of his new favorite words is "Awesome!" I'll give him a treat or show him something gross - such as a bug - and he'll say "Awesome" in his little voice.

After the kids get on the bus we have some semi-alone time, since Logan is still too young to contribute to conversations. He'll yell from the back of the car "Mom? Mom! MOM!!!" Until I say "Yeah?" and he'll say, in his darling voice, "Li Luv Yloo" Melts my heart every time.

When we have a quiet moment (yes, it does happen every once in a while) I get to pull him on my lap and marvel at how he can be so big and so little at the same time. I tell him he's my joy. He corrects me and tells me that No, he's my BIG joy, and I'm his BABY joy. I was having a crummy mommy morning today (sick, tired, dirty house, daddy at school), and he did that, and it totally changed my day around.

Thanks, son.

Sibling dialogue

2010-09-04T14:49:00.001-07:00

Cory: Mo-om! Bryson was shaking his booty at me!
Bryson: No I didn't!
Cory: Yes you did, I saw you.
Bryson: But I didn't! I don't even HAVE any little shoes!!
Mom (in the background): tee hee hee hee

2010-09-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

Oh, my beautiful baby boy!

He'll be 3 months in a couple days. He is now 14lbs and 24.5" long. He's between the 75th and 90th percentile for both. All my other babies were short and fat, it's different to have one long and chubby. He can go from his back to his side now, and he smiles ALL THE TIME. But once the camera comes out, he immediately looks puzzled.

ha ha.

He loves it when I sing to him, and the more dramatic the song, the more he loves it. His favorites are Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera) and Hopelessly Devoted to You (Grease). He'll try to sing along too. It's absolutely adorable.

A couple weeks ago we got to go down to Thatcher. The ride was very nice in our new big vehicle.

Texas Canyon, or what the kids call "The place with big rocks" was the hit of the trip.

John and I got to go through the new temple, and we all visited with Jason, Alissa, and Kali.

I know this next picture is horrible of me, and if I could, I'd crop myself out, but don't Kali and Logan look like cousins??

Also, this week I'm painting my front room. I've had a few helpers.

Yes, I was brave enough to have all four boys present while I painted, and I let them "help" paint, one at a time. They all had a lot of fun. Too bad I didn't get a pic of Cory painting too.

At what point do you throw away a treasured toy?

2010-09-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is tape holding the truck together.

John treasured this toy long ago, and with great pride and joy he passed it down to his eldest son. His eldest son demolished the toy. But Cory still loves it. He doesn't really play with it anymore because he's afraid pieces might fall off, but he has it on his bed and sleeps with the thing.

So...do I toss it while he's at school and hope he doesn't notice, allow him to say good-bye and be the one to lovingly throw it away, or do I just let him keep holding on and treasuring this crumbling family heirloom?

Blonde? Utterly sleep deprived? or Complete and total idiot?? Hmmm....

2010-08-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to decide which word describes me best after this weekend's "incident". Oh boy.

Thursday night rolled around and after a few nights of not sleeping (courtesy of my adorable baby), and I was exhausted. The thought crossed my mind that I should give the kids baths, but instead I found myself on the computer. The internet had been down for two days and I finally had a quiet moment to sit down and try to get it working. After about an hour of fiddling with settings it started working. Yay! I was pround. The thought about the kid's baths came around again, but it was getting late, so I figured I'd give them baths in the morning. So instead, I sent Cory to brush his teeth. Cory obeyed and a moment later he yelled, "Mom, there's water EVERYWHERE!!"

Oh crap.

I ran in, and aparently I had turned on the bathwater. I still have no recollection of doing this, but the kids say that I told Bryson to get in the tub, so aparently I did.

There was an inch of water in the bathroom. I was literally scooping it up by the cupful. When that was done, I went to see what the damage was to the carpet. The water had spread all the way from the bathroom almost to my bed (about 10 feet), and entirely across the width of the bedroom (around 15 feet). I could literally step on the carpet across the room and it was splash it had so much water in it.

While all this was happening, John was still at school and Logan was screaming his sweet little head off. But that's just how these things go.

After about a half hour of attempting to get some of the water out, John came home. (Ahhh, my knight in shining armor!! What relief!) And he didn't even say anything about my "little mistake", he just dug in and helped clean and with the baby. He called his parents and they came over with their carpet cleaner, so we had two going trying to get the water out. My carpet cleaner got 5 1/2 jugs of water (probably about a gallon each) out of the carpet, and I only did the portion furthest from the bathroom. John's parents stayed until almost midnight helping me with the baby and with the carpets. (Don't I have the best inlaws ever??)

Two days later, the carpet is still moist and now the stench of mildew is breathtaking. I'm praying we don't have to tear up the carpet, but I'm not sure we'll be able to get around it. Ughh....!!!!

The song "If I only had a brain" comes to mind.

Dallin turns 3!

2010-08-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

Little Dallin turned this many...

...wait...no...THIS many...

For his birthday, we planned a SUPER fun day. Nana and Grandpa Tilton treated us to a day at the Tucson zoo. We took Uncle Jacob along with us.

Logan came along for the ride too, and stayed asleep, snug as a bug in the sling the entire time.

Kissing the peacock... (???)

The highlight of the trip for Dallin was the train ride.

Such a happy three year old!

Then came the animals!

Dallin was trying to sneak up on the peacock.

Dallin got a little airplane/fan/sucker from the gift shop, he loved the thing!

He kept trying to fan off the animals to help them stay cool. :)

At the zoo there is a little water-play area for the kidlettes. Dallin had lots of fun.

After the zoo we went over to Nanny and Grandpa Goates' house for a birthday party.

There's nothing in the world like family!

I made a volcano cake for Dallin. It was better in my head than in reality, but Dallin sure loved it.

Presant time!!

Bouncing around on his birthday presant. :) He's such a nut!

Dallin is a wonderful addition to our family. He is so rascally, but then the next minute he's ultra-loving and sweet. He's great at obeying and wrestling. He loves hanging out with his older brothers. In his mind, he IS one of the big boys. I am so enjoying my time with him during the day with the older boys at school. He adds so much to my life.

Happy birthday, Dallin! You're awesome.

Back to School 2010

2010-08-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's ba-ack!

School-time, that is! Cory is in 2nd grade this year. That's right. Second grade. Blows my mind. He's done WONDERFUL this year. The transition back to school has gone very smoothly. It helps that he's got the same teacher and classroom and mostly the same students that he had last year. He was a tad hesitant going into the classroom, but once we got him in, we were all home free. I am so proud of him. He's grown up SO MUCH since he started school just a few short years ago.

Bryson is now in first grade. Once again, blows my mind. He didn't get the teacher I wanted him to get. I've seen his teacher around school quite a bit, and she always seemed frustrated with her students. I wasn't going to tell Bryson this, I just told him that in 1st grade it's even more important to do what the teacher tells you to do. Well, when Cory heard which teacher Bryson had, he said "Oh no, that's the teacher that yells a lot." (Thanks, Cory) So, Bryson spent half the day being scared to go to school, crying that his teacher was going to yell at him. Then he spent the rest of the day trying to be extra good and helpful. Every time he would do something especially sweet he'd say, "My teacher will like it when I do that, and then she won't yell at me." So sad. When we met his teacher the night before school started he told her, "I don't like being yelled at." Yeah, you tell her, kid. So far she has been very nice. I hope it lasts and she can see how truly special my kid is. (Yes, I know, I'm totally a biased party, but HE IS!)

He was so funny, he HAD to wear his sungasses to school. ha ha, cute boy.

Poor little Dallin was left behind again. At least this time he's got his baby brother too.

We've had a lot of fun with the older boys gone. He's gotten to make cookies with me, ride a back hoe with daddy, and we did a little photo shoot after he helped me with yard work.

I love his little mohalk. :)

What a little sweetheart.

To see how much they've grown since last year, click here.