Super Star

Makena got these glasses from the prize box at school and brought them home and put them on Hailey. Hailey sat there for quite some time with them on. She didn't even try to take them off. She is our "Super Star"

Happy Birthday Mom

Every month we get together with my side of the family to celebrate the birthdays for that month. The month of January brought about Tyler's and my mom's birthdays. We had dinner and then cake/cupcakes and ice-cream. It is always a great time to get together. Tyler didn't know what to think when people where handing him gifts (since he had his birthday party a couple of weeks ago) but he loved every one.
Now a little tribute to my mom: She is the greatest. We didn't always get along when I was a teenager (and yes, I regret some of the things I did and said to her) but we are great friends now. She is always there to support, encourage and love me and my family. I love our outings together and love spending time with her. She is a great Grandma to my kids! She is always willing to help out on a project, help watch the kids and just do what she can to help us. I love that she still wants to take everyone camping each year. I know it is a huge project for her and my dad, but they do it and I couldn't be more happier up in the mountains with everyone. She loves to know what is going on in our lives and remembers all our important dates and will call to wish us a Happy Birthday, or whatever the occasion is. She will call to see how the kids are doing in school or if one is sick. She is a very caring person. She is fun to tease, fun to hang out with. I am a lucky to have her in my life! Love you Mom!

Being sung too

Blowing out their candles

Makena and Gretchen

Hailey

What?

We have been sick these last couple of weeks with the cold. So being not able to leave the house...the kids are coming up with ways to entertain themselves.

Tub Coloring

Tyler got crayons for the tub for Christmas...and the kids have loved using them. Today, Makena drew a cute picture...I had to take a picture of it. Her picture is the second one and it is a picture of herself. Kali's pictures are starting to take some shape to them. Today she drew circles after circles to cover the whole tub wall!

"T"

My kids are the smartest...let's just face the facts. At a tender age of almost 4 months...Hailey is doing sign language and is already signing the letter "T" and does it multiple times a day! Must get her smarts from her MOM!

As I was taking pictures of Hailey...Tyler wanted to join in and went and grabbed Kali's camera. It's upside down...but he was able to capture her.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

Here is the annual picture on the couch! On his actual birthday (which was a Sunday) we went to church and took Tyler to nursery, which he hated. He lasted until about 30 minutes left of the meeting, so I took him and the little ones home and got them lunch and then Tyler went down for a nap. He slept about 3 hours and then woke up and we just hung around at home and played with his new toys. It was a nice day. Happy Birthday little man!

Birthday Party

Today, we had Tyler's birthday party. We decided to go out to dinner for his birthday and when I asked where he wanted to go...he said, "Donalds" (McDonald's.) We got there around 5:00 and it was crazy busy with another birthday party going on. He had a fun time playing on the toys, seeing Grandparents and eating his chicken nuggets. I was going to do his presents and cupcakes there, but it was so noisy, we decided to go back to our house and do them there.
All that day we kept telling Tyler "Happy Birthday, Tyler" and he kept telling us, "no, Ma-Na's" (No, it's Makena's) He did not want it to be his birthday. We would get embarrassed and hide his head and then get mad and yell "Ma-Na's." It was pretty funny. So on the way home from McDonald's I said, "Tyler, it's your birthday" and he once again got mad and said, "No, Ma-Na's." Then I told him, "if it is Makena's birthday, she gets the presents" and he said, "hey, mine." Once he figured out he got presents on his birthday, he was happy with that!

Tyler eating his chicken nuggets!

He is a big eater and ate all 4 nuggets plus a hamburger!

I'm glad we came home to do his cupcakes because we were able to put candles on it. I put sparkler candles on it (they were pretty cool) and he loved them. We sang "Happy Birthday" and he tried blowing out his candles. One time he got a bit close and the flames touched his lip, but he kept trying to blow them out. He finally got them all blown out with the help of Dad!

Enjoying his cupcakes. I asked him what kind he wanted and he told me "Woody" so we got Buzz and Woody cupcake holders and little stars to put on top of the cupcakes.

He was having more fun taking the stars off the top of the cupcakes and then putting them back in.

Opening up his gifts. He got a race track with some cars from Grandpa and Grandma Hathaway, a Buzz and Woody ball house from Grandpa and Grandma Boyack and a bicycle from Mom and Dad and a car from Hailey, Makena and Kali. He liked them all!

As he was opening up his gifts, I was taking pictures and he told me "No Cheese." He didn't want his picture taken again and he wasn't going to say "cheese." He runs or hides from me everytime I try and take his picture.

The gang watching Grandpa Boyack blow up the ball house. The kids couldn't wait for him to blow it up so they could play in it.

Finally able to play inside the ball house and loving it!

He loves riding his bike and can't quite do the peddles yet, but he can get around using his feet.

Happy Hailey enjoying the party.

After Grandpas and Grandmas left, we got the kids in the bathtub. When Tyler was done, he got dried off, but he ran from Dad and wanted to come play with his toys. He touched the bike and it was cold...which caused him to pee on my carpet. We got that cleaned up, and he was on the back when I turned and having a great time, diaper or not!

Tyler playing in the bike box.

Happy Birthday Tyler. Wow, 2 years already. You have grown so much this last year. Some things you like are: chicken nuggets, hotdogs, avacados, tomatoes, teasing your sisters, Buzz and Woody, your pacifier, sleeping in a big boy bed, helping dad work in the basement, running, climbing, making sure everything is clean in the house (especially your hands and the kitchen table), you love wearing your sister's clothes and shoes, love playing with your tool work bench, and you love your blanket. You are such a great boy and we sure do love you!!

Camping

Tonight the kids wanted to "camp" in their bedroom. We pulled out the tent Kali got from Christmas and the girls got their stuff and put it inside the tent. Tyler was not going to be left out and he got his stuff as well and they climbed inside. They didn't complain at all tonight about going to bed. They were excited to be sleeping in the tent. We started the night with 3 kids in the tent and in the morning only 2 kids were left. Kali woke up crying about 1:00 in the morning and decided that she didn't want to sleep in there anymore and crawled into her bed.

80

My Grandma Kofoed turned 80 on the 31st of December. But tonight we were able to celebrate her birthday with a surprise party for her. My family gets together once a month at my parent's house to celebrate the birthdays in the family for that month. We told my Grandma that was what we were doing, but instead we just had her party. All of my dads siblings were there along with my cousins that we don't get to see all too often. It was nice to see them and to celebrate this day with my Grandma. She is a Grandma that has always been involved in my life. She is concerned for my family and always remembers our special days. I remember going for sleep overs at my Grandma's house. Each Grandkid got a turn, and when it was my turn I was excited to sleep in the bed in the "loft." I don't remember a lot what we did, but I do remember going to the mall and I got to pick out a toy for myself and then we would get ice-cream and sit on the bench and watch people go by. I love watching people, and I got this from my Grandma. I remember going on trips to the Heber Valley railroad, I remember having my Grandparents come to Fish Lake with us, I remember going to my Grandma's house each Christmas day and being able to bring 1 gift with us to show her, I remember when my Grandma handed Jacob her boobs (she had a double mastectomy and wore fake boobs) and I can still see the expression on my brother's face when she did that. She has always been in my life and I am so grateful for that. She cares about me and my family. When I called her for her birthday she commented "Amy, I never thought I would make it to 80" and I am so glad she did and many more years ahead for her!!! Love you Grandma!