1:00 Church

A couple of Sundays ago, (I was at work) Jarel took the kids to church. When they got to primary, Kali was so tired (Kali was awake before I left for work that morning at 6:00) that she fell asleep during sharing time. Her teacher snapped this picture for us! We now have church at 1:00 and it is hard on my kids. Kali still takes naps 75% of the time so come 1:00 she either sleeps during sacrament meeting, or she falls asleep in primary!

Happy 3rd Birthday...Tyler!!

Happy Birthday, Tyler!!
What a fun day we had. You woke up to the house decorated with balloons, birthday sign and crape paper. You also got to have donuts for breakfast, and loved it!
We took Makena and Kali to school, and then came home and played games and read books. You picked chicken nuggets to have for lunch. You fell asleep while watching Toy Story with Kali. When you woke up, it was time to get Makena from school.
Dad was able to come home early and spend time with you.
For dinner you chose to eat chicken nuggets (a favorite of yours), apples and hot cheese sticks.
You were excited for Grandpa and Grandma Boyack to come over for your little birthday party (Grandma and Grandpa Hathaway are in Hawaii, but sent some money for you bat cave). When Grandpa and Grandma came, they handed you a bowl of strawberries and you were very excited about that.
We started the party off with a little game downstairs, where you had to follow your string until you found your surprise. Everyone had a fun time and Dad did a great job putting all that string around the basement.
After the game you opened up your presents and wanted to play with them right away. You got all the boy toys that you wanted.
We then had cake and ice-cream and you especially enjoyed the frosting off the cake. You were fascinated with the glowing candle, and did a great job blowing it out.
After cake, you played with your toys again, and hit quite a few balls with your new bat.
You then went to bed and fell right asleep with all that excitement from the day.
It was a great day!
You brighten our day. You are a silly boy, favorite color is green and orange (but you always like picking things that are purple as well), you eat any kind of fruit and vegetables and will eat those before you eat anything else on your plate, you love riding your four wheeler outside, love drinking apple juice or stealing some of Dad's Dr. Pepper, love doing puzzles and having books read to you. You are a climber and jumper. You like to tease. When football comes on TV, regardless of what teams are playing, you shout "GO COWBOYS!" You finally are liking going to nursery. You love singing "I am a Child of God, Do as I'm Doing and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." You always want to be the one to say prayers (you say them very quietly).
Hope you had a great day. We love you!!

Hailey found her prize

Tyler with his Birthday breakfast donut! (When it is someone's birthday, we have donuts for breakfast.)

Tyler almost to the end of his string

Getting tangled up with Grandpa

Makena crawling under an obstacle

Makena and Kali trying to untangle their strings

Grandpa helping get out his Bat Cave

Opening his gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Boyack

Tyler's Birthday cake...I had a great idea envisioned on how I was going to make this cake look great. As I was putting on the second layer, the cake broke and it just wasn't going to work out. I was bummed and was complaining about it looking bad and Tyler says to me, "Mom, it looks perfect, perfect!" Made me smile. All he wanted for his cake this year were Woody and Buzz.

Reading his card from Grandma and Grandpa

As we were singing to him

Blowing out his candle

When I asked Tyler what he wanted for his birthday a few weeks ago, he told me: "I want boy stuff. No girl stuff. I want lots of boy toys." One day as we were in Target his eye caught this batman cave and so that is what he ended up getting. He got some characters to go along with it from Grandma and Grandpa Boyack. He also got a bat and ball.

Getting ready to hit the ball...love how he is standing. He picked out this bat and ball himself. While we were at the "cowboy store" (Fanzz) looking for a Christmas gift for Jarel, he saw this bat and really wanted it. I told him I would buy it, but he had to save it for his birthday. He was excited today when he got to play with it.

His expression after he hit the ball

His expression when he missed the ball

I'm thinking of signing him up for T-ball this spring!

Riding the Train

Being that Tyler's birthday fell on a Monday this year, today we decided that we should do something fun for his birthday. I gave him suggestions...but when I mentioned a train ride...that was it and all he wanted to do.
We got ready and Tyler was so excited to get on the train. We rode it downtown to go to the Children's museum, but when we got there, the museum was just closing. It was very disappointing and the kids were bummed that we didn't get to go inside. And it was too cold to walk around...so we got back on the trax train and decided to go out to dinner at Joe Morley's BBQ. Doing that ment we had to switch trains 2 extra times, and by this point I had had enough of riding the train. Tyler was still loving it...so off we went to dinner. Food was great and the kids were so hungry, they sat and ate. It was a pleasant dinner outing.
After dinner, we got back on the train and headed north to our stop where we had to get out and switch trains to get home. I think by this time, all were done with the train and just wanted to get home. We were gone for 4 1/2 hours. As long as Tyler had a great time, it was all worth it. And he did. He loves riding the train (we don't do it often) so it was a special treat for him.

Tyler and Makena on the way uptown

Tyler looking out the window watching all the stuff we rode by

One happy boy...riding the train

Tyler waiting for dinner

Tyler

Kali and Makena waiting for dinner

Kali lying in the aisle of the trax train

Kali on the ride home

Kali and Hailey

Hailey tasting a lemon for the first time...always gave a sour face, but kept going back for my tastes!

"I can pump!"

So far this January has been warmer than usual. Who would have thought we could play outside without jackets and no snow, in January? It has been nice to be able to go outside and play and not freeze.
The kids were playing on the swings, when all of the sudden Kali yells: "I can pump!" She was so excited...as was I (once less kid to push!) She can now pump all by herself and can go high.