HALLOWEEN! Shiver me timbers....

So, Austin wanted to be a pirate for Halloween this year (because of the sword). And since Austin was a pirate I knew Aaron would want to be a pirate...He LOVES to be just like his brother...it is soo cute how he looks up to him. Austin does not understand that yet.
My SIL kids were characters from The Little Mermaid. Ariel, Sebastian and the shark. My SIL was Ursula, but I don't have a very good picture of that...
All this kids had fun Trunk or Treating...Especially the little ones once they figured out what people where putting in thier bags...

Aaron is TWO!!!!

I cannot believe how time flies...it was just like yesterday that I was sent to the hospital because of low fluid to be induced to deliver Aaron. AND NOW he is TWO years old. He is an amazing little man...LOVES affection, hugs, kisses and cuddles. He loves to sing, dance and have these amazing conversations with complete strangers, I honestly have NO idea what he is saying, but he sure does and most of the time gets a kick out of himself. Since Chris works the MID shift, Aaron usually crawls into my bed in the middle of the night...moments I will cherish since he never slept with us as a baby.

Here are some cute pictures over the past two years....

1st Day of School...KINDERGARTEN

Austin was SOOO excited to start school. The first week they weaned the kids into it.

1st day- 2 hours with a parent

2nd day - half day leave after lunch

3rd day- was when the full days started

Chris went with Austin on his first day...I made him take the camera, he did a pretty good job considering he is not our usual photographer.

Austin posing with his shoe box he decorated...He is SOO proud of it!

Listening to his teacher read...Don't Eat the Teacher, he loves that book

Here is Austin with his cousin Emmalee...They are in the same grade at the same school. Doesn't her hair look cute, her mom does a FAB job with it!

Breeanna Barrett...my new niece!

My SIL just had here first baby, and it was a sweet tiny little girl. She is adorable. Aaron and I make the trek down to Durango to visit (Austin went ahead earlier with his Aunt Lisa). Let me tell you the trip down there was NOT pleasant. Out of the 6 hour drive...Aaron literally screamed half of the time. AHHH....an in car DVD player would have definately been a lifesaver, but next time... Ok... on to the sweet baby girl!

Here is a sweet picture of her and her parents on her blessing day. And here is some of Austin and Aaron both taking thier turn holding her....

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Meet Redneck Austin...

I don't mean that in a flattering way... if there is a flattering way.

About 2 weeks ago Austin was screaming bloody murder in his room for me to come to him. I came in asking what all the comotion was about. He was crying, no screaming because he hit his mouth on his bed. I took him into the bathroom an his mouth was bleeding, with a loose tooth. Yes, my son knocked his tooth out (seriously, this kids has not had one injury from hockey, but from just being a boy he has had a split head and now a knocked out tooth). SO now my son has 3 missing teeth! Yesterday is when the tooth finally decided to make and exit. I am still "talking" sith the Tooth Fairy on if she is going to visit for knocked out teeth... well see.

So again I present Redneck Austin...

Check Out My Famous Friends: MANITU

Check out their first music video...PRETTY AWESOME... I so need to learn Spanish!

I have known these boys (Lex, Lukas and Marcos)...now men for over 12 years...WOW they are now touring in Mexico. Pretty cool! Marcos is the youngest, and he is the lead Main singer, Lex the oldest has the gotee (sp?) sings backup and plays the guitar... Lukas plays the bass he has the nice curly hair. All brothers living the dream. GREAT JOB GUYS!

I'm Pregnant!!! Thank Goodness

I am pregnant, and thank goodness for that. I have had SO MUCH anxiety, and I never have anxiety. I was supposed to go down to Durango for SIL baby shower and for some reason I was really freaking out. I honestly have no idea why. My reasoning was I better be pregnant, if not, What on earth is wrong with me... Amy for not making it down I seriously apologize...

I did not tell Chris for about 2 weeks due to him freaking out, not about the baby, just the typical money, room situation...but all is well and he did fine We did tell our families in August by having the boys wear shirts with the announcements of being a big brother and big brother again... here is the pic...

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They Grow So Fast...

It is amazing to me how fast my kids are growing...I wish there was a way to keep them small forever, but not feeding them is looked down upon. So I guess they will just have to grow (good thing for pictures.)
Austin is growing up SO fast! I just registered him for Kindergarten the other day, he is so excited. I permitted him to the same school as his cousin Emmalee (but we requested that they not be in the same class, that is trouble, they totally feed off eachother). It is amazing to me all the things they expect the kids to know...we will be having some learning time during Aaron's nap time. Hockey this Spring has just been awesome. Last Spring as you may recall Austin split his head and missed half of the season, so he missed out on learning alot of the skills. This Spring we have seen a huge difference. I have some fun videos...I will post as soon as I download them. He LOVES checking!

Aaron is now sleeping in a big boy bed. One Monday I put him down for a nap in his crib (which was in our bedroom), closed the door. I heard him cry every once in a while like usual, but when I heard scratching on the door, yes...the door I went in and found him out of his crib, playing in the closet. That was the day he moved to the bottom bunk in Austin's room. (I have heard horror stories about kids climbing out of thier cribs and breaking arms or/and legs, I did not want that to happen) He is doing FABULOUS sleeping in his big boy bed. I believe having no bars around him makes it more easier for him. He is also VERY active like his brother...will try to do anything Austin does, which is cute, scary and a little annoying...depending on the activity.

Chris just graduated with his Bachelors...he actually just walked (since they only have 1 graduation a year), but he is taking 3 classes this Summer and he will be officially done...I joke with him saying you can walk the walk, but you can't talk the talk...not yet that is. He is an amazing man...He has so many things on his plate and is still a wonderful father and husband. He has been taking at least 2 classes a quarter and been holding a 3.86 average GPA, working full time (just took on a new job having to get certified in the systems they work on and doing rolling shifts - one week days, the next week swings, and the next week mids), he has a pretty heavy duty calling at church, and really takes it seriously. Seriously this man is pure Awesomeness and Attractivness! thank you love for all you do!

Me I am I think figuring out this stay at home thing....is it sad that I throw an at home party so I will clean my house??? an added bonus besides the clean house is the free stuff, right??? ;) I have some sewing things in the works...I am trying to earn some money on the side...I will let you know when I have it up and running...I have a great idea just have to do it.

I am missing the rain...maybe someday we will move to WA, Chris LOVED serving his mission there (Tacoma, WA mission). Just a little bit of useless information...as I was reading the book Twilight, it was describing a place called Forks, WA...it sounded very familiar...because I heard Chris talk about serving his mission there, that's right folks, rubbing his shoulders with vampires and werewolves. So I had fun verifying some of the facts with him that were in the book.

Ok...this looks way cool.

Saw one of my friends post this on her facebook and wondered what it was...so I went to the site it is is pretty darn cool. Thought I would share it with everyone firstly there is a contest...if you post their link on you blog, facebook or myspace you would be entered in...and I thought I would share it with everyone. Secondly it is pretty cool...neat looking dinnerware that has decor to help measure your food, so you know approx what your serving should be. Take a look it is very nice!

All I want for Easter is my two front teeth

Austin has lost his two bottom frontteeth... He lost them about a month apart from eachother. I will post the 2 missing teeth picture soon. The ToothFairy brought 4 quarters eachtime, Austin was SOOOO excited.

Day Two....WooHoo

Well...I might as well update you on the boys...

Austin- almost 5.5 yrs old. He cannot wait to go to school...He knows he goes to school when the leafs turn yellow. He just started his second year playing hockey and is LOVING it! He is a wonderful big brother to Aaron...but sometimes too wonderful (he can defiantely annoy Aaron).

We have started a button system with him, which works really well. I would do an allowance, actually have already tried, but everytime he got any form of money, he wanted to spend it on candy (not good for the teeth). So my SIL mentioned a reward/discipline system that I believe she saw on one of the nanny shows.

You have two jars, one for the child and one for the adult (filled with payment ie beads, rocks...I used buttons.) With every chore, good deed, even immediate obedience you would give them payment to put in thier jar. With disobedience, backtalk, lying etc. they would have to pay you in to your jar. (we have Austin put the buttons in and out of his jar...not a problem when he gets them, but he is not happy when he has to put them back in our jar...I tell him he needs to do it, but if he refuses he looses an extra button. Also if he knocks his jar down (which he has done only once) he looses the buttons that fell on the floor.

So far this has worked pretty dang good (THANK LISA) Once he fills the jar (which he could do in a month to a month and a half, if he doesn't loose a ton of buttons... we will let him choose to go to Chuck E Cheese or pick out a toy. I also have lines on the jar as milestone when we get to do cheaper fun stuff..like icecream at McDonalds.

Aaron - 18months is growing soooo fast. He is walking/running like mad and nothing, I mean nothing can restrain the boy! We take the ladder off the Austin's bunkbed so Aaron wouldn't climb, since there was no ladder he climbed up the side. None of the baby gates work...he always finds a way...pretty smart kid. He is a huge talker, was told if he had a twin, they would have there own language. He totally is speaking his own laguage, and even laughs at what he says. I only understand a couple of words, his favorite one is "NO" or "No way"..this could mean either yes or no. He has a blanket, which he LOVES...Austin never has something like this. This blanket is not the design I would have picked out, but he doesn't go any where without it. He is a Linus. He definately looks up to his brother ans want to do EVERYTHING his brother does.

Six Months....SERIOUSLY...I suck!!

Wow...I CANNOT believe how time flies and how much of a slacker I am. And I am truely sorry, and yes I know my last post pretty much started out the same way. But I am going to change!
Reasons:
1. I need to post more..This is my journel
2. Keep family updated
3. To get off of Jessica's Blogs in Time Out list

A lot but not too many things have went on...but to keep this post from being uber long I will give a quick overview and in future might do some "flashbacky" posts.

Beginning of October I went back to work to help out for 2 months while a girl went on Maternity leave (THANK YOU mother for watching the boys!)

Halloween was a blast! Austin & Aaron LOVED getting candy.

Austin's Birthday nice and small

Thanksgiving was lots of fun also...spent it with my family.

Christmas is always fun..it was neat seeing Aaron more excited about opening presents. Plus I got a new sewing machine! :)

New Years..Totally fell asleep before the ball dropped.

January & February not too much that I remember.

March Chris got a new job..5 year contract baby! WooHoo!

And here we are in April...Austin started his new Hockey Season. Aaron is our little daredevil following in his brothers footstep. (he climbs the bunkbed EVEN when we take the ladder down and still makes it to the top).

Just some cute thinks I heard today...

At Austin's hockey's practice, one of the kids forgot his stick and we had an extra one for him to use...The mother told me she asked her son "what is a hockey player without his hockey stick"..he no joke said "a figure skater"

Tonight we had FHE on the Easter story...we had Chris's sister's kids over for it. We got to the part about how Jesus died...Emmalee my niece said "all we need to do is put bandaids on and He will be all better".

Sorry I have been away...

I have an actual legitimate reason too. I went away, no husband no kids for a scrapbooking retreat in Silverthorne, CO and had a BLAST. I would have taken pictures, but I left my camera here for Chris to take pictures of the fun things he did with the boys. I hope to get some pictures from the other scrapbookers. It was georgeous up there (Amanda, you would have LOVED the leaves, fall has already taken a toll there and it was beautiful)!

I had TONS of fun, and met some awesome women. We headed up there Thursday morning (I went with my MIL and two SILs. The cabin we stayed in was awesome, I think I might want to move there. We did lots of scrapbooking, and of course some shopping. They have an outlet mall with some wonderful stores which had some great sales. I bought Chris a pair of dress slacks from Calvin Klien for only $10.00. I would have bought stuff for me, but man do I need to loose weight. (reason you never see pictures of me) I always get so depressed when I go shopping. I need to change that!

There were a ton of fly fishers there. I decided that would be a fun sport(it is a catch and release there) to take up, it looked soooo relaxing standing in the water just casting a reel listening to river flow past you feet.

Chris had a blast with the boys while I was gone. He said he didn't loose it once, and when he almost did, he called me and I was in the parking lot of our condos and life was good. On Thursday he took the boys to Chuck E Cheese. This was actually a prize for Austin to skate around the ice rink without falling, which he did. He really is a good skater, he just has a fascination with running himself into the walls as if he is checking someone. I don't have any pictures of this, because Chris forgot the camera (I let him know that was unacceptable, and he did great after that).

He did get some pictures of the boys wrestling on our bed. Aaron is a real go getter for a 1 yr old.

Austin also participated in a pumkin run at the Venetucci Farm with Rhianna and Emily. They had such fun, they all got a blue ribbon and would have been able to get a pumpkin, but they had a bad season.

(Don't you just love the pumpkin shades Austin is sporting?)

They also went to McDonalds to play afterwards and Austin and Aaron had a blast in the play area.

:::NEWS FLASH:::

Aaron (13 months) has just taken his first two steps, like 10 minutes ago! My little boy is growing up too fast!, *sniff, sniff*.

Other things Aaron is doing:

-finds a tissue, he puts it to his nose and blows with his mouth, then tries to eat it.

-finds a marker (don't worry lid is on) and pretends to color (then of course he puts it in his mouth)

-climbs, he is a climber. His favorite is climing on to Austin's mini recliner, then onto my rocking chair, oh and he LOVES to stand on the chair - he has not fallen ....yet.

-He wants to feed himself, he won't eat hardly a thing if he is not doing the feeding.

Yes, I Am a Country Girl!

My lovely sister Katariina got some Carrie Underwood tickets from a friend at work this past Tuesday (that is also when the concert was). She called me up (since she new I liked Carrie) and asked if I wanted to go...hmmmm...of course I said YES! It was an awesome concert. It was honoring the military, they they had the Color Gaurd post the Colors, and they honored 52 Medal of Honorees. It was really neat seeing all the men and women who served/are serving our country. (I was very disapointed though, the person who ran the ceremony , could not have been military, had the crowd sit down before the Colors were dismissed).

The concert it self was really awesome. There were two groups touring with Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum and Randy Travis (He has an amazing deep voice). They did a fabulous job. Carrie's performance was awesome, she is great with the crowd, and really interacts with her band. (wasn't a fan of her costume though) Katariina and I didn't get home until midnight, but ohh it was fun!

I would have took pictures if they allowed cameras, I could have snuck one in but I was trying to be honest (next time I will bring one, everyone else and their brother was taking pictures, and they actually encourage it on the artists' website, with and "upload your concert pictures here") I found one of Carrie and Randy posing together, you get to see the outfit I am not to fond of. She is wearing shorts, not pants.

Craft Fair

Last Saturday I went to the Craft Fair at the White Horse Ranch (it is not called this anymore). We had lots of fun, and saw some interesting thing. Of course I found some things I could not live without, and spent some money.
Here are a couple of the things I found/bought:
Appalachian Bow Knife (Walnut) - Cuts bread (even hot fresh bread without smooshing, and you get thin slices) cheese, vegtables, etc. I love this. The first time I saw this was at my SIL Amy's house in Durango, her husband bought it, and neither of them knew where they got it.

Next is Patty's Pantry Preserves. This was SOOOO delish! I fell in love with the Tayberry (mix between blackberry and raspberry) and the Pumpkin Butter. It tastes soo good on the french bread I so thinly sliced with my new bow knife.

Next was Soup/Chili Mixes from Plentiful Pantry. These were sooo good. We tried the red Chili (not pictured because we ate it) and all of us loved it, even Austin and Aaron. I cannot wait to try the rest of these. The nice this is they are ready in 20 minutes, and usually you only have to add water and meat (optional) - Great food Storage.

Wow, I go to a Craft Fair and find/buy everything food related.

My New Addiction...

Ok, I feel (key word, not a promise) I can forever give up my favorite caffine drink (Dr. Pepper) and replace it with this. It is ohhh so delicious! (reminds me of my Sonic working days)

Santa's Workshop - The North Pole

We went to the North Pole a couple of weeks ago with Grandma Burns and Lisa and her kids. I have never seen Austin have so much fun. He wanted to ride all the rides over and over. Luckily, I think there was only like 3 other families there, so it was like we had the park to ourselves.

When we first got there, we did the tilt-o-wirl. I asked the girl who ran the ride how old do the kids have to be, she said 1 year old and I decided it was time for Aaron's first ride (sorry I don't have a picture I was riding with him) He didn't cry, but he didn't laugh, the way he was holding on to me I could tell he had no idea what was going on. I didn't make him ride it again. Austin LOVED it though. I think he could have rode it over and over for the rest of the day. There were lots of rides the kids enjoyed. Dominic (Lisa's boy) was not very excited about the rides after the tilt-o-wirl. It took forever to get him on the ride, then Lisa just put him on it and he cried for about 5 seconds into the ride and then was fine. I got some great pictures of his soo sad faces. Austin was such a sweetie and rode a pink rocket with Emmalee, and a school bus yellow bug to help Dominic ride. We were also able to go and see Santa. (sorry about the pictures, they don't allow flash photography in his house) Austin jumped right in his lap and asked Santa for a fishing pole and a bunny (I didn't know he wanted a bunny?) Then it was Aaron's turn, he looked so comfortable in his lap, like he could fall alseep there.

We had soo much fun, but with the cost of $15.00 a person this will have to be a once a year trip.

In a Galaxy Not to Far Away...

Last Saturday we went to the Pottery Barn 4 Kids Star Wars Meet and Greet. We got there about half an hour ahead of 12pm(when it started). You had to have tickets to get in, so I went the day the I got the email.

It was a fun 2 hours waiting in line. There were a lot of fanatics there, little boys lightsaber fighting in line. They had security there (don't know why since they had the storm trooper and Jedi there?) ;) Darth Vader and the Storm Trooper came out for a little moment before they started letting people in. We also saw the Jedi and Padwaans arrive (I didn't see there ship though) We had lots of fun, and Grandma Burns bought a frame with a mat that had been signed by all the characters so we could put his picture in it.

Enjoy the pictures!

Here Fishy Fishy!

We went fishing up in Woodland Park, CO end of August. Sorry I haven't been very good at blogging.

This was Austin's first time, and he was SOOOO excited. We went with the Scadden's, Brian and Vanessa (goods friends and home teachers). While the guys were fishing, Vanessa and I had fun talking. We only caught four fish, and Chris did all the catching (YEAH Chris!) Chris also go to learn how to clean out the fish (I chose the least grusome picture). Austin was exhausted, as was Aaron. We had such a fun time, so fun, thinking about getting a season permit rather than a one day. Thanks Brian and Vanessa!