just a few happenings

I finally uploaded the pictures from my ipod and here are some of them. The kids have been busy growing. They are funny and cute. Sydney got to bring her school's "Buddy Bear" home this weekend. We had to love him and do fun things all weekend to keep him entertained. Anyway here are some pictures.

Sawyer's stiches.  He was a trooper at the hospital.

The massive crayon bandaids that covered the stitches.  It drove me nuts that they didn't go the same direction.

Sydney at gymnastics the week of Halloween.

Sydney's school Thanksgiving feast.  She was obviously dressed as a pilgrim.  She was so cute.

Slumber party with Buddy Bear

To the park we go.

At the park.

At gymnastics.  On the vault.  Sydney loves gymnastics.

That's right.  He was walking around like this for a while before I was nice enough to pull his pants up.  It was too funny. 

What I'm Thankful For

Here's what I'm thankful for!

Can't imagine life without you three.  Thanks for all you do to make my days great.  Nick thanks for all the hard work you do for us each day.  We are so grateful for your willingness to go "work" hard everyday.  Thanks for being so handy and being able to fix everything in our house.  You're awesome. 
Sydney thanks for being spunky and silly.  You're a goofy girl and we couldn't get through the day if we didn't have you to make us laugh.  You're such a sweet little lady and you are a great big sister to Sawyer.  Thanks for keeping mommy happy.
Sawyer, thanks for being just like Daddy, but smaller.  You make me laugh because you are so silly is such a serious way.  You think you're the coolest little man alive.  You are don't worry.  Keep growing, and stop screaming!   

More Pics!!!

Has a goose egg in the same exact spot his stitches are.  He ran into the corner of the wall.

This is just one of the many pics.  Sydney put on a fashion show of her dress ups for my mom.  It was so cute.

My mom's six grandkids

Brighton

Cambree

Carter Man

Lincoln

Soy Boy

Sydney Bean

Blue Bell could use a new model.  She would be perfect.

Loves running around

Houston Zoo.  The Elephants

Sydney being eaten by a lion

Here are some pics of when my mom came to Houston and some time spent with my family in Utah.  Enjoy the adorable pics of the cousins!!!

Utah Trip

We just got back from a three week trip to Utah.  It was a blast, and everytime we go home we find it harder to come back to Texas.  This time was especially hard.  Anyway, here are the details.  My mom came down the week before we went up.  She didn't know we were going to be coming up.  She turned 50 on the 4th, so we flew up as a surprise gift.  Well, she didn't know the surprises were going to keep on coming.  That next weekend my sister's and I threw her a surprise party.  She was an absolute pain to get up to Northern Utah, but I prevailed and got her up there.  She was surprised to say the least.  We had so much fun seeing family come and celebrate my mom.  Mom you're fabulous, and your hot too!  Love you lots.  Nick came up that weekend for the party, and was able to take 12 days off.  (never happens btw).  We spent the net two weeks with Nick's family.  It's always great to be with the Staples'.  They are wonderful to us, and always let us have a place to crash and cars to steal from them.  Scott and Susan rented a cabin up in Heber for the whole family (15 of us now) to go spend the weekend.  It was absoulutely beautiful in Utah.  The mountains were turning and time with the family was great.  We celebrated Nick becoming a CPC.  We played games, had a dance party, had the 3rd annual Staples Egg-Mazing Race (usually held during Easter but postponed so the Texans could participate).  My team won.  No thanks to the huge crash that I took while running through the forest.  Yes, some things never change.  I'm clumsy.  We also ate so much good food.  It was a great weekend.  On the last day there was one minor accident that took Nick, Sawyer and Me to Primary Children's to get Sawyer a glued forehead.  The cut was so small they did glue instead of stitches.  He's a total boy and cried for about 5 minutes and was completely fine after that.  Anyway, the last week I spent a couple of days with my sister Holly.  She keeps asking when we are moving back to Utah, because "it would be so much fun to live by each other."  I couldn't agree more.  It was a great vacation. 

Some Random Ditties

Here are some random little ditties.

This is the squirrel has taken residence on our front porch.  He was trying to stay in the shade.

Sydney's Birthday

Now don't judge me too harshly when I post these pictures.  I know Sawyer didn't get a birthday party, and Sydney's was over the top.  Anyway, judge if you want.  I'm a bad mom.  Sydney turned four on the 29th of August.  She is the light of our little family.  She has such personality and attitude.  I am frequently getting a look and a hand on the hip and a little toe pop when she doesn't want to do something.  Here are her stats.  She weighs 32 lbs 8 oz (25%), and she is 4 ft 3 inches tall (75%).  She is healthy and happy most of the time.  The only fits she throws are when I ask her to clean up her messes.  She's a good kid, and extremely funny.  We love her and we are so happy that Heavenly Father blessed us with this little beam of sunshine. 

For Sydney's birthday she wanted a Wizard of Oz party. She loves that movie. This was quite a task for me, but I think we pulled it off. I got ideas from the wonderful website One Charming Party. She invited some of her friends over and we had a party. When the kids got here we decorated "Dorothy" house shaped cookies. It was funny to see the difference between the girls and the boys. The girls loved decorating and the boys, well, they loved the candy. After we decorated houses, we played pin the heart on Tin Man. Nick drew a marvelous tin man so we could play the game. After tin man we had a wizard of oz trivia game. They knew quite a bit. After the trivia game we played a mean game of duck duck goose. So funny. This kids were so cute. We then opened presents. Sydney loved all the presents. Then we had cake and no ice cream. Isn't that so mean of me. Anyway, enjoy the pictures.