Our Little Family

Kai's First Day Of School

2011-09-15T07:41:00.001-07:00

It was an exciting day for everyone in the Thompson house! Kai was SO excited, I couldn't even get a picture of him with his "real" smile...see for yourself. :)

This was a tradition in my family...to take a picture on your first day of school in front of the fireplace.

And then come the poses!
And they just keep coming...I have about 6 more but didn't upload them.

Of course little Reese just had to get into the picture taking frenzy.

See...the kid just can't give me a smile.

Ahhhh....thats better!

He was SO happy that he had his very own spot for his back pack.

I hadn't cried at this point. (Yes, I cried just a little. When he asked, "Daddy, can I have a hug before you leave?")

The two most important men in my life.

His little friends

Reese was definitely not ready to leave! She sat in the chair almost the whole time we were there. Two more years girl!

It was so fun to go pick him up from school too! He said he really likes his teacher and all of his new friends...we are just working on him learning their names! Silly boy - as long as they are nice and fun to play with, names don't matter to him.

We're BACK!

2010-12-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

So...here we are! I know its been about eight months or so but we've been busy. Not with anything really exciting, but with life! And its been good!! We had a super fun summer that included small vacations, trainings for tkd, a wedding (my lil' brother, Wyatt), and lots and lots of water fun! The kiddos are growing so fast and I'm just trying to keep up with them. Reese has definitely shown her personality. She is the most adorable monster we know! And Kai is becoming the best superhero ever!! He cracks us up with some of the things he says and comes up with and surprises us constantly. We love them SO much!! Anyways...theres the short version of our lives recently. Hopefully more to come...last time I wrote that was 8 months ago! Our computer did crash a little bit ago, so we are working on getting all of our pictures onto this computer so I have the option of updating my blog. :) Who knows when that will happen, right?!

*This is my favorite family picture to date!! We just had it taken in October. I know the bow for Reese is a bit much, but I was excited that she actually has it in for once!!!

Reese is Potty Trained!!!

2010-06-24T16:20:00.001-07:00

Well, she knows where the potty is! Thats a start! She has figured out that if she climbs up on the very top of the toilet, she can play in the sink (which is super fun!). While climbing this particular time, she discovered she can only climb to the top if the toilet seat is down (thanks boys). I love her wild and crazy hair - just like her personality!!

More to come....
Someday, when the kids are quiet long enough...

What Have We Been Up To?!?!

2010-03-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

We've been a little busy since the kids had their birthdays! I know its only been a couple of months, but I figured I'd update with some fun things we've done.
We listened to a lot of music! I love that my kids both really enjoy music...singing, dancing, playing - they love it all!

We played a lot as well. How can you not smile, when you see the pure joy on a child's face?!

Kai practiced hard for his next belt test (which was back in January)

And, he passed with flying colors!! He is now an Orange Dragon!

We also watched Kai compete in his first tournament - doing all solo events, no demo team.

Yes, he did get to wear his cape! I really debated, but Troy was just so excited that he wanted to compete that he didn't care about the cape. I know you would think he is Superman, however, its a reversible cape with Batman on the other side. And because the Batman side is touching his back, that makes him Batman!! He is waiting for the music to start for his creative form.

He won GOLD!! They all won gold in his division, but I'm a nosy enough mom to actually look at the scores...he tied for first with one other boy.

He also won gold in Power Breaking! Basically they keep breaking boards (while gradually getting harder boards) until there is one boy left standing.

And they all "tied" for first in their breaking division. They get three boards to do whatever breaks they choose. Again, I looked and Kai actually did get the best scores. I know they do this so no one goes home crying - but I'm okay with winners and losers...thats life!

Back at home, Reese is still climbing on everything! She knows she can get away with almost anything if she gives me a cute pose! She's on top of the table here.

The kids and I went on a trip with my mom! They did pretty well in the car. We first went to Arizona to visit friends (although I missed all of mine).

Then we headed to California!

We stayed with my sister and her family...and their dog! Reese loved Daisy. The feeling was not mutual. But it was pretty cute that when Daisy growled at Reese, she growled back!!

We went to the park

I got to see my good, good friends!!! We were so tired in this picture!

And we went to the beach!!!!

Kai and Riley (Amanda's son) did a lot of this! Just playing in the sand.

WOW! Someone should cut Kai's hair!!

This was Reese's first time at the beach and she wasn't too sure at first.

(I love that you can see her curls in this pictures)

But as soon as she figured out how to walk in the sand, she was all over the place!

Amanda and her cute boy, Riley and my cutie pies and me!

Love, Love, Love the beach and that warm California sun!!

We were so pooped!! Kai rocked himself to sleep!

Reese was lucky enough to have her daddy snuggle with her!

So thats what we've been up to!

Kai

2010-01-13T16:52:00.000-08:00

Kai recently had his birthday...my little man is 4 years old!! I can hardly believe its been four years that we've been blessed to have Kai in our family. He is so much fun and we can always count on him to make us laugh. He is quite the ham and we absolutely love him!!

I could go on and on about how great Kai is, but this blog isn't big enough! And I don't want to make anyone jealous. ;) My boy is AWESOME and I wouldn't change one thing about him!! Happy Birthday Kai...we love you tons!!!

Reese is One!

2009-12-28T19:12:00.000-08:00

Reese Evelyn

Born December 25, 2008

8lbs 10oz 21in

One Month
Two Months
Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

Six Months

Seven Months

Eight Months

Nine Months

Ten Months

(and walking!)

Eleven Months

(Love that pucker!)

Twelve Months

(Girl LOVES her yogurt...lesson learned: no more playing in the fridge)

Happy Birthday Buttercup!!

Our Reeses is beyond fun to have in our family. She is always such a joy and a monster at the same time...but we wouldn't have it any other way. Her personality is larger than life and we are so excited to watch her learn and grow.

Sweet November

2009-11-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken just days before the snow got here! The kids had a blast playing in the leaves...I got a good work out raking them up three times. ;)

Busy October...

2009-11-11T16:10:00.001-08:00

We started off the month with belt promotion testing at Taekwondo...Kai's first official testing!!! It was so cute to watch him test - and he did GREAT!! Every score he got was above an 8 (out of ten).

Proud Daddy!!
I was also super proud of Kai - its so fun that he is starting to do activities like this. Definitely growing out of being "my baby".

All three head instructors had their sons testing...pretty cute!

I also tested - just no pictures to prove it. You might notice the bright pink on my hand - its the new accessory for fall...I broke my hand doing my board break for my test (three nights before). Its my first ever broken bone - and will be my last!!! Not the funnest experience. Good news, I did break my board and no one knew I was even hurt until after my test was over - I waited to cry.

The kids, my mom, Tyler, Aubrey, Duncan and I went to Moab to support Wyatt's BIG race...24 hours of Moab. Wyatt's team KILLED their divison by a lap and 49 minutes - EXPERTS next year!!

My mom and Kai in his pajama pants - refused to get dressed, but I obviously didn't care that much.

Kai and me waiting for the race to start.

I was doing the dishes when I heard a loud crash - I followed the noise to the bathroom. Reese discovered that the bathtub is fun without water also! She is always trying to climb into the tub - we keep the doors shut now.

I "hired" Wyatt to remodel our bathroom. He has done an AMAZING job and I am so thankful to have him as my brother. Wyatt - YOU ROCK! If you want to hire him, let me know. ;)

Before - ugly, ugly, ugly (Wyatt had already ripped up the floor)

After - with beautiful tile.

Kai discovered how to save on water...pee off the back deck - no flushing! The toilet was not installed...however, Kai has tried this since then.

Reese is CLIMBING - AHHHHH!!!!

I love her face in this - Oh no...I got caught!

The computer table is a favorite to climb on.

Trying to climb through. I love her chubby legs!!

Climbing on top of stools - smart girl, getting closer to the fish (she loves to watch them).

Climbing in cupboards!

Reese is also walking!!! This is to show that she took 7 steps in a row - she is now walking a lot more than she is crawling.

Before Halloween I pulled out the big bucket of costumes for us to go through. Kai found my super woman costume from last year, when I was big pregnant. He wanted to be super-Kai for Halloween...

But he ended up being Spider-Kai (any surprise there?).

Kai has also started chores - don't know if its "too early". But he wanted to help out and so I jumped all over that!

We had quite a busy month - I also went up to Idaho to be with my mom for a couple of weeks. I had a great time up there with my family. I can hardly believe that its almost the middle of November...time starts flying at the end of the year!

Montana

2009-09-25T21:02:00.000-07:00

We recently went on a trip to Missoula, Montana for our friend's wedding. It was so beautiful there and we were so grateful to be able to attend James' wedding. We started the 7 and a half hour drive around 4am, so the kids would sleep for most of the trip...that was a good decision! Reese thought she was hot stuff sitting in the front seat while we got gas.
This has to be my favorite outfit Kai has ever put together...a batman t-shirt, spongebob pajama pants and Spiderman shoes - Oh yeah!!!!

After arriving - first on the list, shower and get ready for the rehearsal dinner. "Thank you Aunt Kari for making my beautiful dress (it fits, my mom is just holding me weird and making it ride up), Love Reeses Buttercups".

Me and my babies!

We took a chairlift ride up the mountain - about a 20 minute ride. It was so gorgeous and so peaceful...the kids were really quiet and just looking around at everything. The only not-so-good thing...the only thing keeping the kids from falling was us, it was a bit scary but nothing happened, so totally worth it.

The Thompsons at the top of the mountain!

We went swimming whenever we could. They had a kiddie pool that was about a foot deep and Kai and Reese loved it!

I realize I look a bit drugged here...but Buttercups is so cute!! She is our water-baby.

We were actually there for the wedding...see?! This is our very good friend James just minutes before the ceremony.

During the reception the music was provided by Reese and her good friend Paxton! Again, thanks to Aunt Kari for Buttercups adorable flirty skirt!

LOVE IT!

Kai wanted to dance so badly...he asked during the entire wedding dinner, "When is the music coming?"

Congratulations James and Ruth!!! We love you tons!

The Fab 5

2009-08-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm continuing this from my sister-in-law...should be fun...

The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something specially made by me for you! Of course, there are some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make - yet, its from me, so you should like it!

2. What I create will be just for you.

3. It will be done sometime this year.

4. You will have no clue what it will be. It could be ANYTHING from a story, to an article, to something baked or sewn (yeah right), or painted! Who knows? Not you, thats for sure!!

5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

6. I will send it anywhere! It doesn't matter where you live!

The catch? The catch is you have to repost this on your own blog and offer this to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will when a FABULOUS homemade gift by ME!!!!

Oh! And be sure to post a picture of what you won when you get it!

What Happened to July?!?!

2009-08-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that its August...and practically the middle of August - summer is almost over!! AHHHH!!!! So, what did we do in July?!?! We started off by going down to Cedar City for the Utah Summer Games. Kai competed in Demo Team competition and he got his very first Gold medal!! He was super excited and he keeps it safe in his special "Treasure Box".

Troy also competed at this tournament. He got bronze in his forms division and gold in his sparring division - I wouldn't want to compete against those long legs!! Troy is in blue.
God Bless the USA
The kids and I watched a parade that Troy participated in - don't they look super excited?! We got there an hour and a half early to drop off Troy and by the time the parade started the kids were ready to go home - hope next year is a better experience for everyone. But don't they look cute?! :)

Reese got a pretty necklace from a Princess in the parade.

Afterwards we went to a carnival and watched fireworks!

We also goofed around and read a lot of books.

We also went to Las Vegas for the Martial Arts Supershow! Troy got to meet a lot of awesome people and the kids and I got to have a great vacation!! We hit the strip and M&M World - chocolate is a favorite for the kids and me.

Troy got to meet and train with Chuck Lidell...he said it was awesome!

We went to the pool A LOT!!! The kids LOVED it and I am so happy that Kai will now put his face under water and Reese absolutely loves the water!!

Reese has also been advancing in her activities...she is standing and walking along furniture. She is standing on her own, but not moving. Her favorite place to stand is in the bathtub.

We were so busy in July, the kids slept where ever they could!! Kai is in the stroller while we are checking out of our hotel in Vegas.

I also took pictures of the kids, finally!! Reese's 6 months and Kai's 3 year pictures. I did these myself and I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out!

I LOVE this picture of the two of them together. I just LOVE my kids so very much and I'm grateful everyday that they are healthy, happy, playful kids - it makes my days easy!!

Reese is 6 months!!

2009-06-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Reese is already six months!! She is an absolute perfect fit in our family and have loved every minute of having her with us. So, what can she do, now that she is six months?

-She sits on her own

-She is crawling (still a bit wobbly...but getting around)

-She smiles everytime you talk to her

-She loves Kai and thinks he is the funniest guy on the planet

-She recognizes her name

-She sleeps great at night (only getting up once or twice)

-She laughs (although she makes you work for it)

-She loves to grunt

-She tries to feed herself - not super great at it yet

-She still puts everything in her mouth

-She loves starring at our fish

-She makes very dramatic yawns and we love it

For her half birthday, I let her eat a blueberry pancake for dinner with bananas - she gobbled it down and still wanted more!!! Reese is just so much fun and we know we are so blessed to have her as part of our family. We are excited to see what the next six months bring. As a reminder - that means that Christmas is exactly six months away!!

(In your face, Uncle Josh!!!)

So Much To See...

2009-06-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I've posted, obviously! The kids have kept me quite busy - and I'm loving it!!

Kai discovered that Reese's carseat doubles as a rocking chair
It was a beautiful day to go to the park - and Kai loved being able to run, run, run!!

Kai has also ventured into helping me feed Reese - this is very nerve-racking for me

Kai helped Grandpa tear up the deck

And recently Spiderman was captured!!! (Although he escaped)

Showing me his sweet dance moves

Still falling alseep in the real rocking chair

Pucker-up!!

My sweet little girl!!!!

She is a finger-sucker. She only gets her binki when she goes down for a nap or bed, so her fingers substitute for other times.

She absolutely loves Kai and he is SO good with her

She is starting to crawl - not super great at it yet (thank goodness). She "inch-worms" around for now.

I love her big cheesy grin!!

This is her new thing - grabbing her toes

First bad hair day

Nudey-Booty after a bath

Thats us for now. Just a bunch of fun, random times in May. Summer is going to be super busy and I'll do my best to keep everyone updated, but no guarantees!! :)

If You Were Wondering...

2009-04-29T11:38:00.001-07:00

Kai does wear regular clothes sometimes!

My Chunky Monkey

2009-04-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

My beautiful baby girl is 4 months old!!! Time seems to just keep flying! She is 15lbs 13oz and she is a whopping 26 inches! Already three points off the chart for height - holy cow!

Things she has done so far:
*Rolled from her belly to her back
*Rolled from her back to her belly
*Grabs toys (and put them in her mouth)
*Talks (goos & ahhhs)
*Smiles all the time
*Giggled (although she really makes you work for it)
*Sleeps 7-9 hours at night (WOOO-HOOOO!!)
*Scoots around
*Turns her body in circles on the floor
*Eats baby cereal
*Survived Kai trying to teach her how to wrestle

We just love our little Reeses Pieces and feel so blessed to have her as part of our family. She is so much fun and such a happy little girl!!

A Famous Guest

2009-04-15T15:06:00.001-07:00

We've had a very famous guest in our house over the last few weeks. He has done so many things with our family, like...

He plays on our computers, literally!

He gets down on the floor and plays with Reese!
He really likes playing with Kai's toys, while sitting in one of the toy cubes.

And he is really good about cleaning the toys after he plays with them!

He takes naps in Kai's bed with some of Kai's "treasures". (Yes, Adele, that is a picture of Anna)

And he is so sweet to pick up clothes - we don't always get them put away...but picked up and put somewhere else. :)

When night time rolls around, he fights "bedtime". He prefers to crash in Reese's bouncer - good thing he is still under the weight limit!

I sure do love having "Spiderman" around...but I can't wait to get Kai back!!!!!!!!

Easter 2009

2009-04-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

Our Easter this year was beautiful! The sun was out (yeah!!), the kids were happy, and we got to be with family.

Kai woke up and Troy gave a small lesson on Our Savior and the Resurrection. Then we told him that the Easter Bunny had left him a special gift, but he needed to find it. He bolted out of the bedroom to find it! As soon as he saw it had candy in it, he dug in right away!
Reese was also very excited!!

I love my kids - they are so stinkin' cute!! Kai got an Easter basket, Reese got an Easter basket and Troy got an Easter pot - the Bunny forgot me...although my sweet husband pointed out that Reese can't eat her candies...thanks Troy! :)

I love this picture - can you tell that Troy forgot to comb his hair? :)

My Little Man

And my beautiful baby girl!

Does She Look Like Me?

2009-03-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Lazy Man Rosies...

2009-03-11T14:03:00.000-07:00

Anna & Kai singing, "Ring Around the Rosies". Instead of actually walking in a circle, they spin!

A Special Visit

2009-03-11T13:35:00.001-07:00

Adele, Anna & Piper came to visit us! Kai was so excited to have "Banana" stay with us for a whole week!! The kids had a blast together and it was so nice to have Adele here, too. Piper and Reese were funny to watch together...I'm excited to see them grow up together (in different states). :)

Jill came into town and brought her two boys, Rhett & Caden. Rhett assisted me in baking some cookies - although I think he could have done it on his own. All the kids had fun together and it was a great visit!

The two monkeys in the popular rocking chair - they shared most of the time.
Piper on her last day with us was begging her mom not to leave the party!

Thanks for coming to visit us! We miss you already and love you so much!!!!

Reese's Blessing

2009-03-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

We had Reese's Blessing on Sunday, March 1st. We were so lucky to have almost all of our family on both sides attend. We were missing my brother, Paul and his family and our nephew Brian (Troy's side). It was a beautiful day and a wonderful blessing for our precious little girl.

The circle of men who participated. We are missing Brother Gustaveson from the picture. Reese is so lucky to have so much love in her life!!
My super awesome family!!! WOW! We take a great picture!! :)

Sweet Sydney - always ready for the camera.

Anna loves kisses from Uncle Travis!

Rhett, Brian & Caden - just being boys.

Our beautiful family of 4

My mom made Reese's blessing dress and its absolutely gorgeous!!

Olympic Museum

2009-02-18T20:21:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend, we took the kids up to Park City for a day out. None of us had been to the Olympic Park/Museum up there, so we thought it'd be fun to check it out. It was quite fascinating - they had uniforms worn by USA competitors, gear, official olympic medals, and some sweet bobsleds! We weren't quite sure if it was okay to get in this one...but there was no sign saying we couldn't!

Kai really wanted to pick this up (I can't remember what its called). I think it weighed 40lbs! Kai had fun and we learned a lot about the olympics - so, well worth the trip!

Kai's Photos

2009-02-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

Recently, Kai has shown a passionate interest in taking pictures of EVERYTHING!! With all of his practice, he is actually pretty good, for a 3 year old. Here are just three of the pictures from his last "photo session". :)

His 2 favorite toys - they play with Kai, take a bath with Kai, eat meals with Kai and even go to bed with Kai. Its so fun to watch him!

Bubbles

2009-02-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

I know this is sideways...my niece didn't realize that when she was taking the film. But this is a song that Kai made up about bubbles and I thought it was so cute. Notice the hip action!!

Quick Trip to California

2009-02-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

The kids and I recently took a quick trip to Fresno, California. We met up with my mom and all of my siblings and some of my nieces & nephews. It was so fun to be able to get together with everyone - even though we were there for my Grandma Ruby's funeral. This is Travis, Lucas and Reese!

This is Reese and Piper (P-Lilly)! The cutest girls under 1 at the party!!

Kai and Anna (Kai still calls her Banana). This was not the mandatory photo-studio, the kids just really like the play-pen...until bed time.

Gotta Love It!!

2009-02-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

No explanation necessary - just an AWESOME picture!!

Kai's Birthday!!

2009-01-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

My baby boy is no longer a baby! Kai turned 3 earlier this month and I just can't believe it! For is his birthday we let him open his gifts in the morning so he could play with them all day...he had a ton of fun!! We had a special dinner for him and a cake - which he was so excited about when he saw the candles. That weekend, we had a little birthday party for him. We had family and really close friends over and it was so fun. The kids played games and the adults got to relax and chat with each other. Then we sang "Happy Birthday" - I had to hold him above the crowd of kids so he could actually blow out the candles. Then he got to open his gifts - with the help of all the other kids there...I don't think he minded the help. He loved all of his gifts and we thank all of you who came to help Kai celebrate!!

OH BOYS!!!

2009-01-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

The other day I asked Troy to help me get the kids dressed. I had Reese and he was in charge of Kai. In the left-hand picture, notice that both of his legs are in one leg of the pants. Kai thought it was so funny and hopped around the house for a little bit. Finally Troy "fixed" the pant situation. I was looking at Kai and just laughed. Notice in the right-hand picture that his pants are on backwards! I don't know about these boys!! But I love them both so much - so I suppose a little lack of style sense is okay. :)

My Special Christmas Gift

2009-01-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

About a week before Christmas I was talking to my sister, Adele and she said that if I had Reese on Christmas I needed to take a picture of her with a big bow on (like a present). This is what I got. I had a lot of fun trying to get the perfect picture of her as my little gift...she didn't have as much fun as I did, but I'm sure she is over it. :) She is a really good baby!! I was a bit nervous, because I've heard that #2 isn't as good as #1 - but I have no complaints!

Reese is one week

2009-01-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Reese is one week already! She has been such a joy to have at home...she sleeps a ton and really only fusses when she is hungry. She has sleeping stretches for 4-5 hours at night and I really have been enjoying that! :) Kai has done so well with her so far. He really likes to hold her for about 10 seconds at a time...but he always gives her a kiss on the head before he gives her up. He is very protective of her already and I love it!! We are so blessed to have her here and are looking forward to many more moments of happiness!!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-27T20:19:00.000-08:00

We got a little something extra in our stocking this year!!

Introducing

Reese Evelyn Thompson

It was quite the Christmas celebration this year with the arrival of our daughter, Reese. I woke up quite early Christmas morning feeling uncomfortable and woke up Troy shortly after to let him know that our day would not go as planned. Instead of an extended family Christmas party...we were going to extend our family! I was dead-set on having our Christmas before we went to the hospital...so we quickly ripped open our gifts with a very sleepy Kai. Didn't clean up or even have breakfast before we left. All went really well with the delivery...Reese was a trooper! We checked in at 9am and finally got to hold her at 2:26pm. She is one chunky baby, weighing in at 8lbs 10oz and measuring 21inches long!! She has some of the chubbiest cheeks I've seen on a baby...and is as beautiful as I imagined! We hope you all had a great Christmas - because ours was stinkin' AWESOME!!!! Merry Christmas!

Just a couple weeks left...

2008-12-18T21:37:00.000-08:00

So, its been a long while since I've updated!! A lot has happened in the past couple of months. We moved into a cute little house (pics will come when I finally get organized), Troy started a new job, which he absolutely loves, and we've gotten quite a bit closer to having our little girl here. This is my sad, sad attempt at a self-photo of my belly. With Troy being gone as much as he is, its tricky finding the time and remembering to have him take the picture...so I thought I'd give it a shot. I have just over two weeks left, but my midwife says I shouldn't expect to make it to my due date. I don't want to get my hopes up, so I'm planning on January 3rd still - Kai was 5 days late. Kai is starting to talk to "baby sister" a lot more - and its the cutest thing when he thanks Heavenly Father for her in his prayers. He is also grateful for sandwiches and cake. :) Thats pretty much all the excitement here...we hope you are all well and enjoying this wonderful Christmas season!!

A Winter Bath

2008-12-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

I just want everyone to know that the bath was not actually cold. Kai said his hair was cold and we needed to keep it warm with his hat. I just thought this was a cute picture and I wanted to share it with all of you. :)

Halloween 2008

2008-11-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

We had a lot of fun for Halloween this year! We went to a small pumpkin patch and Troy and Kai found the perfect pumpkins for carving and coloring. Troy did a great job carving, as usual - such a perfectionist. And isn't Kai's drawing amazing?! He is pretty advanced. :) We had a party for the school this year and everyone seemed to really enjoy that. Kai absolutely did not want to put on his costume. He would carry it around and play with it, but putting it on was out of the question! Troy and I tag-teamed him and forced it on...he then decided to throw a fit and cry for about 15 minutes...which I just let him do, because I wasn't going to take off the costume. When the kids started to show up for the party, he started having fun and when it was time to take off the costume, he wanted to keep it on! Go figure! Kai was, obviously, Spiderman. Troy was Superman and I was Supergirl...sorry, no family picture to show. Second year in a row we didn't get around to having a picture taken, but oh well. Hope you all had happy hauntings!

Wyatt's 24 hours in Moab

2008-11-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Wyatt did a 24-hour Mountain Bike Race in Moab, Utah this past October. Troy and I were able to go watch and "help out" a little bit. His team pretty much had everything covered, but we pitched in where we could. It was so fun to be there for Wyatt...I haven't seen him race in anything since high school, so it was great to be able to share this with him. Wyatt did AWESOME! He was part of a 3-man team (which was cut to 2 at about midnight due to a knee injury). Wyatt and his teammate were able to keep the team going by doing two laps at a time - the laps were about 15 miles each. The third team member was able to rejoin the group around 10am and he finished off the race. It was quite cold and VERY windy - but fun nonetheless. The picture below is Wyatt on his first lap - he's in blue! Great job Wyatt and good luck in AZ!

Prego Pic

2008-09-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

All-righty...here it is...a picture of the "baby bump". Only, I am cheating a little bit, this was taken when I was only 21 weeks along...and now I am 25!! I can't believe its gone by so quickly - of course, I may not be saying that in a month. My little girl is getting more and more active each day. I will usually feel her moving around once every couple of hours. She is sitting quite low and keeping me near a restroom, but I am loving every minute of it! When I took Kai to California, and we got to see Adele's new baby, I was very excited to see how careful and gentle Kai was. I really think he is going to be an awesome big brother and am super excited about our new addition coming this winter!!

Piper Lily

2008-09-22T18:37:00.001-07:00

My newest niece, Piper Lily, got here on September 12, 2008. This is Adele's second little girl, and what a gorgeous little baby! I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to be there for the big day. Kai and I got to San Diego on Tuesday, the 9th...in plenty of time for the arrival. Adele was so funny to be around while she was in labor - and I am sure she appreciates me posting this! It took just about a shove to get her out the door to go to the hospital...she wanted to put Anna down for a nap first. So, with a lot of convincing, Josh got her to the hopsital right before it was too late. I was able to bring Anna to the hospital that night to meet her little sister. Piper is a really good baby!! Kai asks to see "Diaper" all the time...so we can't wait to come down for the blessing. Congratulations Adele and Josh - she is a beauty!! And thanks!!

2008-09-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

Kai had so much fun in California!! He got to play with his cousin, Anna...aka "Banana", for a week and a half. They had a good time together...of course, not without their moments of wanting the same toy at the same time, but they always recovered quickly. They would take turns pushing each other in this little car.
They would read stories together...mostly because they usually wanted the same book, so we did it together!

They got to go the beach with Uncle Josh and Grandma!! Notice, my chicken-boy no where near the water and Anna in it. Kai was a bit nervous with all those big waves coming in - he screamed like a little girl!! But he was content playing with the dry sand...and the wet sand that Uncle Josh brought him. Anna was thrilled to be at the beach...even after she got knocked over by a wave! We eventually wandered over to the little playground - it had a grass hill between Kai and the ocean.

Besides these activities, we went to the park down the street from Josh and Adele's, hit the mall a couple of times, made a day trip to Murrieta to see Amanda and Riley, and played with sidewalk chalk!! It was a very busy and fun-filled couple of weeks...and with all of that, who wouldn't want to curl up on the couch with a towel as a blanket?!

Kai's Choice

2008-08-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

The discussion for the baby name has been interesting. With Troy's and my opinions being polar opposites, we decided to ask for some help. Yesterday, on our way to Grandma and Grandpa's house we asked Kai what we should name the baby...his suggestion? "Shrek"! I know some people let their kids help decide what to name their siblings...but I think Kai is going to be left out on this one. :) I just don't think his baby sister will ever forgive him, or us, for naming her after an Ogre!

Its a Girl!!!

2008-08-15T16:05:00.001-07:00

We are so thrilled to be expecting a little princess in January!! Here she is at 19weeks 5days. She is measuring perfectly...except her legs are about five days ahead. If you look at Troy, its not hard to see why. :) She is healthy and everything is in perfect development. As for the name...we had a boy's name picked out, but when we found out it was a girl I turned to Troy and said, "Let the battle begin!" We have not come to a conclusion for a name yet...but sorry to say that even when we do, it'll be a secret until she is born. We are, however, still open to suggestions. Hope you are all well and I will try to get better at posting...I've been slacking.

Bee Sting

2008-06-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Kai got his first bee sting yesterday! He was playing up in a "tree house" at Grandpa Thompson's at a honey bee landed right on his face and stung his cheek. He was such a trouper! Kai didn't even cry...just a couple of whimpers, an ice cube and a cookie later he was just fine. :) Although about three o'clock this morning he woke up saying his cheek and his tummy hurt, but a class of milk fixed that. FYI: You don't know if you are allergic to bee stings until you have been stung twice.

Okay...I've Been Tagged?!

2008-06-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

So...I guess I will do this...I'm kind of bored. :)

5 Things on my list of things to do today:
1. Wake up
2. Puke
3. Give my notice at work
4. Do some office work at Taekwondo
5. LOVE MY BOYS!

5 Snacks I enjoy (right now):
1. Chewy Sprees
2. Carrots
3. Peanut butter & honey sandwiches
4. Mambas
5. WATER

5 Things I would do if I suddenly became a billionaire:
1. Shout HOORAY!!! (Thanks Kachelle)
2. Buy my dream house!
3. Set aside most of it for school, weddings, missions
4. Get my mom set up for as long as possible
5. Not worry about the price of gas

5 Places I've lived:
1. Murrieta, CA
2. Thatcher, AZ
3. Taylorsville, UT
4. SLC, UT
5. (Sad...thats it)

5 Jobs I've held: (The ones I’m allowed to talk about)
1. Office manager for an insurance company
2. Nanny
3. Childcare teacher
4. Food Service for the Gold Club
5. Babysitter

5 Things People don't know about me:
1. I have an extra vertebrae in my back
2. I really don't like balloons (because they pop!)
3. I actually do like to cook
4. I still listen to N'sync
5. I can drive a stick shift

5 People I tag:
1. Adele (when you eventually get on and update!)
2. Jill
3. Tyler & Aubrey
4. Wyatt
5.Frankie

THE KID BARN

2008-05-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

We took Kai to the KID BARN this past weekend and he had a blast!! Its this warehouse that they have turned into a kid's playland. There are seven to eight of these blowup toys, all different, spaced out in the warehouse. They have a spot to watch movies, play on computers and lunch tables. Its so cheap and there are no time limits to play! This is just one video I took of him going down the slide...he had so much fun!!

KAI FREDRICK

2008-04-24T18:50:00.001-07:00

Kai is now 2 and we can't believe the time has gone by so quickly!! He is so much fun to watch and listen to. He talks SO MUCH! He even sings in church. He really enjoys music, books, movies, and his "Buddy". "Buddy" is his daddy. He is Troy's best teaching assistant in Taekwondo - or at least the most adorable one. His favorite movies: Happy Feet, Enchanted, "Spideryam", "Toey" (Ratatouille), and "Incrediguliguliguls" (Incredibles). He loves his "banana", is cousin Anna. He is just such a miracle and a joy in our lives. We are so blessed to have him with us and we look forward to watching him learn so much more!!

Hawaii

2008-04-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

Troy & I were recently lucky enough to go to Hawaii. It was our first real vacation (no work or family activities to attend) since our honeymoon! We had an absolute blast!!!

Troy got to play with a sea turtle...he later named "Tony".

We got to see so many beautiful waterfalls. This one was right down the cliff from where we were staying.

Troy & Tyler both found coconuts...did you know that in Hawaii, 6 people die per year from having coconuts fall on their head?

We went ziplining while we were there. It was so much fun!!! I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about it all...but I quickly got over that. Troy was all into it, he couldn't wait! Tyler and Aubrey came with us too, we all had so much fun together.

We took a 7-hour catamaran boat ride around the Napoli coast. It was so gorgeous and quite a fun ride. Troy got "kicked off" the front of the boat when we went through the chanel, because the water is so rough, but he was the only one out there. We were also taken to the "Forbidden Island"...really interesting history to go along with it. We did some snorkeling out there. To the right of the boat was abou thirty feet of water with coral and lots of fish...to the left of the boat was 180 foot drop! I didn't get too close to that side. We saw tons of dolphins and about four whales...it was so beautiful and exciting!