We're Building a House!

A couple of months ago, Jason and I looked at a model home and fell in love with it. Since interest rates and prices are so low right now, we decided to buy our first house! We're so excited. It should be done sometime in mid-June. We'll still be in Eagle Mountain...it's just so much cheaper to buy a house out here, and we really do love it here...it's nice and quiet and still only about 10-15 minutes away from Wal-mart...can't beat that! All the quietness and calmness of country living, but just a short drive to civilization if we need to grocery shop or take the kids to the doctors.
Here are some of the pictures of the progress of the house so far...

Gavin & Connor's First Baseball Game

We finally had a nice sunny Saturday...a perfect day for Gavin and Connor's first baseball game. I love this little video of them. Connor is first up to bat followed by Gavin. I love how Connor gets half-way to second and then stops not sure what to do. It's so cute! I love watching little kids play baseball!

Mommy & Connor.

Gavin & Mommy.

Connor, Jason, Aidan & Gavin. Aidan has a cold so that's why he doesn't look very happy.

Gavin waiting for his turn to play.

Connor up to bat...our cute little lefty.

Connor & Gavin waiting for their turn to bat. Aidan insisted on sitting on "Dabin's" lap. I love my kids!

Fun at the Park

We have had a few nice weather days in between a lot of not-so-nice weather days, so when we get some decent weather we have to go to the park or play outside while we can! Gavin was with us at the park, but somehow I missed getting a picture of him...probably because he doesn't like to stand still long enough for me to snap a shot of him!

My cute little niece, Taylyn, is the one pushing Aidan on the swing. The two of them are like two peas in a pod...they really love each other and are good buddies.

No More Snow...Please!

On April 30th, this is what it looked like outside. Gavin and Connor's first baseball practice was done in the snow...and it was windy! Their first baseball game was canceled...because of snow! We've been having snow/sleet/windy weather off and on for the past couple of weeks now. At least yesterday it switched to a good ol' thunderstorm...but there was hail! It's May! All I can say is no more snow...please!

Movie Night

Last night we took our big boys to see "How to Train your Dragon" in 3D. My sister-in-law, Trudy, was kind enough to watch our rascally two-year-old for us. We didn't think he'd last through the movie. When we got there, Gavin and Connor were so excited about the 3D glasses. When the first preview came one I helped Connor put his 3D glasses on and right away there's this crazy alien cartoon commercial where this alien pops up on the screen and points right at you...in 3D it kind of surprises you, and since this was the first thing Connor had ever seen in 3D it really surprised him. He started to cry. And, refused to put his glasses back on. I tried to talk to him about it because I didn't want him to watch the whole movie with double vision without the 3D glasses. It was about 10 minutes into the movie before I was able to convince him to put the glasses back on...even then he looked down and refused to watch the movie! Finally, he got caught up in it and said, "you were right Mom, I am having fun." I was glad. And, now it's all the boys can talk about. It was a really cute movie and especially fun to watch in 3D...once I got Connor calmed down that is!

Aidan Gave Me Quite a Scare

Yesterday I took the kids with me to Fresh Market where they were having a lot of awesome sales. They had helium balloons everywhere for the kids so each of mine had one tied to their wrists. At the checkout, I lost sight of Aidan for a second (he refuses to sit in the cart...because, you know...he's two and has a mind of his own). Then I saw this little red balloon bobbing on the other side of the checkout and made a comment to the cashier about how it helps that I can just look for that little balloon and find him. She laughed and said, "that's true, it does help." Then I looked down to slide my card and put in my pin and saw the receipt printing out. Then I looked up for Aidan and the red balloon...and he was gone! I did a 360 degree turn and nothing! I started getting nervous because the doors were right by the registers which open automatically. I ran outside real quick to make sure that he wasn't about to get hit by a car. Then I called his name and couldn't see him, so I ran back in the store and asked the cashier to page over the store for everyone to help look for a little boy with a red balloon. She did, so I ran back outside to double check that he wasn't out there anywhere. I still couldn't see him, and when I called his name I didn't hear anything in return. I ran back in the store and asked if they'd found him yet. She said, "No." That's when my heart really started pounding...all the worst-case scenarios for a mom started to quickly go through my head like, "maybe he really is outside, and I can't find him and he's going to get hit by a car unless I do! And, what if someone took him!" I was praying so hard that I would find him. I was about 30 seconds away from calling the police when an employee at the store said she thought she'd heard something about the pharmacy and pointed the way. I started jogging that way when I saw a group of about 10 employees headed my way...and a little boy with a red balloon. I almost cried. Aidan just looked up at me and said, "Hi Mom" not afraid at all. This kid has no stranger anxiety. Aidan came up to me and gave me a hug and then looked at the people who helped find him and pointed to my shoulder and nodded his head and said, "Mom." I'm guessing they asked Aidan where his Mom was, and he was telling them, this is Mom. Oh, that scared me so bad. He's just so little and it was sooooo scary to have lost him even for that short time. I'm so glad he's safe!

Whoops...I Forgot to Post about Connor's Birthday!

I don't know how I forgot to post about Connor's birthday. My only excuse is that we're in the process of building a house, and my mind has been a little preoccupied! It seems like there are so many details to deal with and think about. I'm really excited about our house; we've been dreaming of owning our own house for the whole 8 years of our marriage, but the process of buying a home and dealing with banks, insurances and the builders has become all-consuming at times...at least of my thought processes anyway. But, then again, I do tend to over-analyze EVERYTHING!...it's a weakness I hope to someday overcome... Anyway, back to Connor! Our important birthday boy that turned five on April 8th! We drove to Eastern Idaho (at Connor's request) to celebrate his birthday there. I can't believe Connor is five! The other day as Connor and I were snuggling I asked him if he'll always be my little boy. He said, "Uh huh...even when I'm 99." So sweet. Another thing he said to me recently out of the blue is, "I love you and Bo the same." Bo is our cat, but coming from a five-year-old, I think he meant it as a compliment...at least I'm going to take it that way! lol!
So, on to the birthday pictures!
Connor used some birthday money he got to buy this kitchen...he's wanted one for a while so he was really excited about it.

Nerf gun...specifically requested by the birthday boy down to the details of the laser on the gun! haha!

Opening up some more presents...


Uncle Jason...a favorite for the kids to play with, jump on, crawl around, etc. Anytime Jason lays on the floor like this...it's a matter of SECONDS before the crowd of nieces and nephews and our own kids climb on Jason! He loves it.

Blow out the candles Birthday Boy!

Gavin and Connor were really excited to see their good friends Ruthie and Rose.

Profiles of the Party-Goers!
My niece, Shelby.

My niece, Abby.

My kids' friend, Rose.

My kids' friend, Ruth.

My niece, Taydem.

The birthday boy himself!

My niece, Taylyn.

Gavin.

My nephew, Talen.

Aidan.

I Like This Quote

I recently came across this quote, and I liked it so much that I've decided to post it.

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

By Marjorie Pay Hinkley

Children's Discovery Museum in Salt Lake City

Last week we decided to have a family fun day together, so we started out window shopping at IKEA. Then we drove to Salt Lake City and had lunch at Tucanos. It was a beautiful day outside...the restaurant actually had their windows open and we got to sit by the window and enjoy the sunshine while we ate. After lunch, we walked over to the Children's Discovery Museum. The kids had so much fun. I know there are a lot of pictures here, but it was just one of those fun days where you end up taking a lot of pictures. I accidentally left my camera in the car in the parking garage, so instead of walking all that way back to get it, we used Jason's phone to take pictures instead...I think it actually took decent pictures.
This first picture is of a helicopter they have outside for the kids to sit in and play in. It makes real helicopter noises when you push the buttons and move the stick to "drive" it.





Inside, they had a news room where you could sit and read the teleprompter and have your picture show up on the cameras.
Here's Gavin's turn.

Here's Connor's turn.

Aidan loved the huge building blocks. With Daddy's help, he built it really tall and then knocked it over and laughed hysterically...typical for a two-year-old!

This is one of those things that has a fan at the bottom and you try to shape the papers so they'll "float" up and over the top of the glass...always a favorite for these boys.


This was on the third level of the Discovery Museum where you could send flags with messages on them back and forth across a rope. There's Jason all the way on the other side with Gavin.

Here's Connor sending a flag with a message on it over to them.

Here's Aidan making the balls "pop" in the air.

This was one of the kids' all time favorite things at the museum. You'd gather up these balls and then send them up the tubes and watch them suction up and around tubes and land back in another pile.
Here's Connor gathering up some balls.

Time to send them up.

Aidan really loved that part!

Up they go!

So much fun!

Water play!

Building time. This area was a big hit too.


Time to dig for some "artifacts" in the Utah sands.

This was our last stop at the museum and we had a hard time tearing the kids away from this fun "sand" box (I think it was actually some sort of foam made to look like little rocks). We tried to dust them off the best we could, but they all ended up with sand in places you don't want to get sand!