As Requested

My mom sent my kids to pre-Christmas gifts this year. She found some aprons on clearance last year and bought a bunch and then altered them this year for all the grand kids. She then made some chef hats. She asked me to make sugar cookies with the boys. She said she wanted pictures of the boys and she wanted flour everywhere. Lets just say she got her pre-Christmas wish. My pictures are a little out of order but you can get the general idea :) It was fun and I am hoping my boys will remember it.This was the very end, oh what fun :)

Andrew loved the flour!

The only cookies that actually got rolled out. Thank you Ethan. (I didn't end up baking them I think they ended up in Ryan's hat) After I realized that we weren't really going to be making the sugar cookies I put my dough away so I could roll it out while the boys watched a movie :)

Ethan hard at work.

Jake concentrated pretty hard at the beginning too.

Ryan started it all (should we be surprised?)

Group shot #2

Jake

Ryan and Andrew having SO much fun.

Andrew finally made it on top of the table at the end. He was so proud of himself.

Mark was so kind to give all the boys baths while I cleaned up the flour.

Merry Christmas!

TOO quiet

That is never a good thing at my house unless its the middle of the night, and even then you can never to too sure. Mark and I were in the living room with Ethan and Jake. Andrew was down stairs toddling around. I realized we didn't know where Ryan was. I found him in my room (don't mind the mess) He immediately said "I'm sorry mom, I'm sorry mom" over and over. I asked what he was doing. Ryan's response "I wanted to be black spiderman for Halloween" I now need to go and buy some more mascara and eye liner. Thanks for the laugh Ryan.

Flour game

I just wanted to say Thank you to all of you who made a comment on my family pictures. We got our free 8 x 10 and we couldn't have done it with out your help. Thanks so much.

I have finally gotten around to updating so sorry about all the pictures but today both Ryan and Andrew took naps while Ethan and Jake were at school. The house is SO quiet and the blog is officially caught up.

For family home evening we taught our kids how to play the four game. Mark and I played this when we were first married for FHE one week. He ended up losing three times in a row and I don't think we have played since. Last night Mark never lost but I did. Mark has been waiting for this moment for 9 years. Here are some funny pictures of the boys.

Karate

Our elementary school has an incredible PTA. They have organized after school programs for the kids to do. The students can choose from Karate, choir, tumbling, dance, and a lego class. They run fro 10 weeks, just once a week and are only $20. We did Karate this time. It was so fun. On Friday night there was a little assembly for the parents. I couldn't find my camera I was so bummed. On Monday they had a school assembly. Ethan forgot to change into his Karate outfit. But I think he still looks pretty good. The videos aren't the greatest since I was trying to take care of Ryan and Andrew while video taping but you can get the point.

On Friday night Jake was SO nervous to break the board in front of everyone. After he did it, it was all he talked about for the rest of the weekend. When I told him there was another Assembly he asked if he got to break the board again. He couldn't wait.

Here is the video of Ethan breaking the board.

Fall

Our neighbors have a huge box elder tree. I take full advantage of it since some of the branches hang in my yard I have a couple of swings on it :) In the Fall we get TONS of leaves. (The only trees that we technically have in our yard are in the back, a peach and an apple tree, that my kids have tried to kill several times) Anyway, each year my boys look forward to the day that we rake up all the leaves. We had a lot of fun this year. Here are the pictures. (note Mark on the stairs, not really in the mood to play in the leaves... yet)

Ethan loved throwing them up over and over again.

Andrew wasn't too sure how fun the leaves were.

After all the throwing I buried each of the kids in the leaves. Here they are.

Ethan

Jake

Ryan

Andrew didn't get buried just a really cute picture :)

Me and Mark

Family Pictures

We just got our family pictures taken about a week ago. Quite the event seeing as how I have to prep Mark for about 6 months that it will be ok. I didn't want to spend a lot of money so we just wore what we had white shirts. Anway if you will go HERE and check them out and then leave a comment on thier BLOG. If we get 30 we can get a free 8 x 10. Thanks so much.

Mark Left Us (just for 4 days)

Here's what we did.

I like to plan things to do when Mark goes out of town it helps the time pass a little more quickly. On Tuesday Emily came over and cut everyone's hair. It was Andrew's first hair cut.

He is smiling here because he didn't know what he was getting into:) I also think in this picture he looks like me. Yeah! I just want one of my little guys to look like they belong to me.

Max was very entertained by the beaters.

I also decided to sew a new purse for myself. I had seen a few free patterns on UCreate and here is the one I decided on. I think its practically the cutest thing I have sewn. I love it. So fun to have something new to put the diapers in.

We are so glad to have Mark back. Ryan won't let him out of his sight. He actually cries every morning that Mark has to go to work.

Happy Halloween!

Here are some pictures of my boys in their Halloween costumes. My parents went to their annual Endo club and this year my mom wanted to take pictures of her grand kids to show off so I took these pictures last week. I love this picture of all the boys I feel like it really shows their personalities.

Ethan -- the black ninja

Jake-- the red ninja

Ryan -- the happy skeleton (that's what he calls it)

Andrew-- the candy corn


And just two days ago Jake said he wanted to be a vampire for Halloween. We had this costume from a previous year and so I just had to find some teeth and at Jake's request he wanted his hair black (we have a vampire wig but he insisted on the spray) So this picture was taken just before we left for his school party. So funny to see Jake without red hair.

Disneyland

Well we survived our first trip to Disneyland as a family. It was definitely something we will remember. Here are the pictures I took. They are in a pretty random order. I had this bff in jr. high named Stephanie Tomlinson and these are her parents Jill and Todd. They were at Disneyland with Steph's kids. It was super fun to see them. I was so sad that Steph wasn't with them. It would have been nice to see her. I don't think I have seen her in over 10 years.

Jake said he was so excited to meet the real live Mickey Mouse. A few days before we left for Disneyland we were eating dinner and talking about the rides. I told my kids to remember everything at Disneyland was just pretend. ( I really didn't want Jake to get scared of things, he can be really sensitive) He looked up at Mark and me and asked is Mickey Mouse pretend. I didn't really know what to say. Mark was quick and said when we get to Disneyland and you see Mickey Mouse you tell us what you think.

Jake rode this with my dad. My dad told me he kept saying you take the wheel now grandpa. He loved the cars.

Ethan was pretty excited to meed Mickey mouse as well.

We went on the train ride all the way around the park so we could figure out what we wanted to do next.

Jake and Ryan waiting to go on the ladybug ride in CA adventure park.

Ethan, Jake, Me and my parents waiting for the celebration parade to begin.

Jake, Ryan and Grandma going to the Island.

Here are some funny things or not so funny things about our trip.

-Ryan and Andrew were pretty sick the entire time.

-Our hotel was "going green" which meant they were no longer going to be washing our sheets every day, due to Ryan and Andrew being sick they had to wash our sheets every day.

Ethan's favorite ride: Indiana Jones

Jake's favorite ride: Pirates

Ryan's favorite ride: Buzz lightyear 3D in CA adventure

Mark's favorite ride: CA screamer with Ethan

JanaRae's favorite ride: CA screamer

-Ethan's first time on the CA screamer "this is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me, can we go again" all before the ride finishes.

-On Saturday I went to the park with just my dad at 8:00AM we rode space mountain and then went and rode the Matterhorn. We had to share a seat. It was pretty crowded. My knees kept hitting the front.

-One night we were in the hotel eating ice cream my parents were in our room. Ethan was on my bed watching TV. He was calling to everyone, "come here" finally my dad went in. Ethan said "can you do me a favor and watch this cartoon while I go to the bathroom and then tell me what happened" Grandpa said "no" and left the room. I haven't stopped laughing about this still.

-Jake going on Splash mountain with out being forced. After the ride my dad telling him when Spencer was 6 he went on this ride and it made him cry. Jake responding, "it made me cry too"

-We were driving home and got to Spanish Fork when Andrew threw up all over himself. We had to pull over and clean him up the best we could and all the cold air woke up Ryan and Andrew who then started screaming all the while Ethan was pretending to gag because of the smell.

Ryan's Birthday

These are two videos from Ryan's birthday. They make me laugh so hard. I feel like I could watch them over and over. I hope you enjoy.

Ryan wanted a pink Iron Man cake for his birthday. My parents were in town the day before so we had them over for a little cake and ice cream. I just did a plain pink cake for Saturday. On Sunday Mark's parents came over. Mark did an Iron Man cake for his actual birthday. His reaction was priceless.

In case you can't hear what he is saying here is the basic run down

Mark asks who is on the cake

Ryan says you

Then he says its a Robot

Mark says its Iron Man

Happy Birthday Ryan! We love you.

quick update

Ok well I know its been a long time since I lasted posted and I am crazy busy. I don't really know why everything has to happen the last 3 months of the year.

Mark had his birthday it was lots of fun. He ordered an enormous carrot cake from SYSCO. Our home teacher is SYSCO salesman.

My neighbors keep giving me their produce from their garden. Not that I am complaining but it just means a lot of work. I have frozen 3 dozen ears of corn, made raspberry jam, blanched and frozen 2 gallons of broccoli and this week I am doing spaghetti sauce and grape juice.

I am also in the middle of sewing Halloween costumes. WE are going to Disneyland next week and the kids can wear their costumes on Friday. So they all have to be done by then.

Sorry no pictures but that is about all the time I have for an update.

Jake's First Day

Jake has been so excited for kindergarten. He knew that he could go when he turned five and the day after his birthday in March he asked if he got to go to school. It has seemed like forever waiting. I have been so excited for him to start.

Kindergarten starts one week after everybody else. So for Jake school started on September 1.

Jake with his first day of school balloons

My mom bought Jake this entire outfit for the first day of school while he was in Arizona. It included underwear, socks and shoes. He was so happy to wear it all.

We decided to put Jake in the same school as Ethan. They both go to Orem Elementary.


On the first day of school while Jake was eating lunch he told me he was sick and that he felt bad that he was going to have miss school on his first day. I asked him if he was nervous and he said yes and that he was kind of shy. I told him it would be ok and that he would make lots of new friends.

self portrait by Jake on the way to school

Jake was a little disappointed that he didn't make any new friends on the first day and told me he didn't want to go back on Thursday. Thursday morning came and he was still nervous. I told him there were probably other boys at home who didn't want to go to school because they hadn't made a new either.

Jake at a table in his classroom

Jake came home the second day and told me that there was a boy crying and he went up to him and told him he would be his friend. (I know I have such a kind son)

Ryan thought he was going to school too.

Jake has recently told Mark that he doesn't like school because you have to do what the teacher says, everybody has too and you can't say no. (I thought those were the same rules at home...hmmm guess we need to work on that one)

Ethan's first day of school and other random pictures

Ethan had his first day of school last week. I am pretty excited because I think he actually likes school this year. The past few years he has hated it. I can't believe he is in second grade. WOW what a big little kid. This past weekend Shade had a warehouse sale. My sister-in-law Michele told us all about it. Becky went with Michele. Mark and I went for our date on Friday and we saw Noelle there. We all bought the same shirt. YEAH for Matching. We had a Western family reunion the next day so we decided to all wear them. It was pretty funny. Of course we had to get a picture.

I just took this picture this morning. We were working on Jake's homework, a book about himself. He has to put a book together of himself. When Jake grows up he want to be batman and a construction worker. Ryan really wanted to be in the picture. Sorry I couldn't turn it.