ChRisTmaS ReVieW

Well it is sad to say, but another Christmas has came and gone. This time more than ever it passed by without warning. Mckay had to work most of Christmas Eve as well as the day after Christmas...so part of it flying by was the fact that Mckay had such a short break! We enjoyed ourselves anyway and had our first Christmas at home! We woke up when the kids did at 8:30, I guess we will let them sleep in on Christmas, before they know any better! Then we let the kids dig in their stockings as well as opened gifts. Payton is a pro at opening gifts in no time. McKenzie is more of a leisurely opener, and takes her time getting small pieces at a time. It is cute to see the difference a couple of years can make. After enjoying our presents we then got ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa's (my parents) house to exchange gifts with them and hang out for a while and eat a nice HAM dinner. The roads were icy and drifts were everywhere so we decided to go home in the daylight (and Mckay had to work the next morning). So for the rest of the evening we came home to set up some of the kids presents. McKenzie got a kitchen set that we wanted to put together. Payton likes it too and enjoys making food for us to eat. Mckay and I thought that this would only take a few minutes, but to our surprise and nearly 2 hours later it was completed. For coming in such a large box it sure did have a million little pieces. It was an all GIRLS Christmas for McKenzie. She got her kitchen set, dolls, bottles, cell phone, and a stroller. Payton got some games to learn with, a remote control Mater and McQueen set (grandparents), Madagascar the movie, McQueen PJ's and slippers, a snow shovel to help Daddy clear off the sidewalks (It has been really snowy here lately), etc. Mckay got a new router table and some bits. I got a new digital camera with a case and some SD cards. We also got an area rug for our dining table and 72 hour kits, etc. It was a great Christmas and now we are all having withdrawals from the Christmas spirit and the constant songs we play in the backgound putting us all in the Christmas mood.







Now we await the beginning of another year and have lots to look forward to in the upcoming months. Baby #3 will make it's appearance in no time. I just have to get through the horrible heartburn and growing stomach! I am a little nervous because the baby is due right when Mckay starts to get really busy with tax season...great timing, I know.

Payton is getting so big and is officially a Sunbeam! I can't believe that we have a child old enough to be in primary. He is such a sweet little boy and loves to wrestle with anyone who will give it a try, especially his Dad, if he is in a sad mood, nothing will cheer him up faster then a wrestling match!!


McKenzie has sure grown up lately. She is almost in nursery, YEAH!! I have never seen a child her age love books so much. The first thing that she wants in the morning is a good ol' book. The routine consists of me getting her out of bed, her pointing to the bookshelf, me picking out a book, her shaking her head "no" until I finally pick just the right book for her particular mood, and then looking through it time and time again. This happens several times a day, this is also how we have made it through the last few weeks of church. McKenzie is saying more and more lately. She says: sshh (fish), more, da da, mommy, Payton (not quite that well though) various animal sounds, baby (she is really good at that one and says it so clearly), ball, hi, bye bye, yes and no, poo poo (although not ahead of time unfortunately), na na (banana), shoes, jabbering, various body parts, etc. She is a happy little girl and loves her big brother, and dancing to fun music!

SANTA CLAUS is Coming to Town!

On Monday we drove back from a quick trip to Montana. Mckay had earned a few days off from work and we decided to use them up before they expired. The weather was freezing and we spent a lot of time indoors and hanging out with family. We did get to see one of Levi’s basketball games though. It was short and sweet as usual. We had to hurry back home because there was a family work party starting at 6:00 PM, and the roads were bad. We made it just in time to rush home for a quick change and head to the PARTY! The kids were both so happy to get out of the car (and so were we)! At the CHRISTMAS party there was pizza, drinks, and treats. Then every family was in charge of a fun carnival like game as the kids would make their way around. We made a FroSTy the SnOWmaN bean bag toss. Then the highlight of the night arrived as we all heard bells JinGLinG in the distance and an all familiar…HO HO HO. It was Santa himself!! Payton was in shock and so excited, while McKenzie was still busy exploring. Then Santa sat down to read “It was the Night Before Christmas”, while the children all listened so quietly. After the story, one by one the children were called by name to come and sit on Old ST Nick’s lap for the “CHAT”, and to receive a present. Payton told Santa, “My name is Payton”, then the rest was too quiet to hear so hopefully Mckay and I get the right thing!! When it was McKenzie’s turn we were unsure what she would do, but sure enough she too sat on his lap and received her present. When all the children were done we all counted down and they were able to open their special gifts. It was such a fun little PARTY and the kids were spoiled. Payton got a castle with a lot of different action figures, he loves it so much. McKenzie got an interactive Teddy Bear, and was so pleased and began cuddling it and dancing with it immediately. I feel so blessed that Mckay works with such a family oriented company, his boss, and bosses wife love children and you can just feel it.

Now we only have about one week left to finish preparing for Christmas. I feel like it really has snuck up on us this year!

A FreSH GReeN TREE & A LaTe NiGHt PHoNe CaLL!

Last night for Family Home Evening we went to Walmart with some of the people that Mckay works with, to buy some Christmas presents for families in need. Then we went out for pizza as a group. When we returned home we finished decorating our TREE. This is the first year that we have purchased a real Fresh Christmas TREE. It was fun going to the TREE lot and picking the "Perfect" TREE for our family and home. While Mckay was at work I put all of the lights on (this is my least favorite part of decorating for Christmas) and got it all ready to be finished later that evening. Payton is really good at putting the decorations on the TREE, but on the other hand McKenzie thinks that they are all pretty and will occasionally take them off or knock them off the decorated TREE. Payton does a good job of cleaning up after her though. I have some presents wrapped for the kids, and placed them under the TREE. There are times that the kids both get a little interested in them and other times when they just leave them alone. This is such a fun time of year and it is fun to watch the kids enjoy these moments as well, I guess all of these little curious acts come with the territory!


It was getting late so we put the kids and ourselves to bed. It was a little after 1:00 AM that we quickly jumped out of bed due to an urgent phone call. It is amazing the fear that runs through your mind when you think something could be wrong. I noticed that it was my MOM, and she doesn't make it a habit to call us that late, so it was panic at first and then I realized that my sister is just about to have her little one so that began to cross my mind as my MOM began speaking. Sure enough...it was "That Time". They have about an hour drive to get to the hospital and were on their way (the downside of living in the country), so they were going to bring the two little girls over to stay with us while they took care of buisness. As time progressed my mom called back and asked if I could meet them at the hospital instead because they just might not make it in time. When they arrived I took the girls and headed back home to let them sleep. As I arrived in our driveway I got the official call that she had delivered her little (or shall I say...VERY healthy baby BOY). He was a whopping 9 lbs 3 ounces (I think that is correct), I just heard 9 something and thought ouch!! She delivered within minutes after arriving at the hospital and ran several red lights while speeding to make it there. What a rush! Congratulations Michelle and Mark he is a cutie...I am such a bad aunt and didn't take pictures, sorry! Enjoy your special little present during these holidays! Just glad that everything turned out okay and that the phone call was a good one.

HoME SweeT HoME!

Well, it is official...we are now homeowners. On November 18th we signed all the important papers, then the 19th it was all official when we were handed the keys, but we waited until the weekend (November 22nd), when Mckay was out of school to make the BIG move and spend our first night in our brand new first home. We have been living in our house for a little over a week now. So you can imagine what we have been up to lately, (packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking, setting up house) you get the picture! One of the first nights that we spent together here as a family, we made a nice dinner when Mckay got home from work and topped it off with SPaRkLinG CiDeR (one of our favorites to celebrate something special with). Payton even got his own fancy glass and enjoyed doing the "CHEERS" with us over and over again. He could not wait until Daddy got home and we could "CHEER" , even now he wants to do it with forks or whatever when he remembers, and requests a fancy cup! He is such a fun little boy, I sure do love my kids and hubby and feel so grateful to have each of them in my life! It still seems a little like a dream to be living here but we LoVE it!! It was so fun to watch the kids wake up the first morning after sleeping here. They were both scanning the house and I think they were unsure if we lived here or just happened to spend the night. They love to play and run around in all of the space. Several days ago I returned the keys to our apartment and checked out with the manager. While we were driving there, as we got closer, Payton said, "OH...I don't want to go back to that house", in such a heartbroken little voice. While traveling in the car, Payton usually knows where we are and can tell us when we are getting close to where it is that we are going, as well as the correct turns we should take, (such as: Walmart, Aige's house, our "TWO houses", grandparents, movie rentals, etc.) so I was not surprised that he knew we were going back to the apartment, but I was surprised that he was so disapointed. He has told us several times that "I love our new house"and makes it clear that he wants to live here instead of the apartment. I would have to say he speaks for us all! I thought I would post a few pictures of the finished product, but as far as the rest goes...you will just have to come and see for yourself!

The kitchen...I am so excited to finally have a dishwasher again!!

This is one of our favorite rooms in the house...Our SWEET Master Bedroom/Bathroom!

Payton taking a break from all the hard work (aka PLAY).

Amongst all of the other things we have been unpacking, we also brought out some of our Christmas decorations. It was fun to see the kids enjoy the lights on the tree...they were both so excited and fascinated by it. We sure do love this time of year!

And the stockings were hung!

This is our new fireplace/entertainment center. We actually upgraded from that small nightstand that I made in high school shop (the TV was bigger then the stand).

Don't mind the small TREE, we are planning on getting our first real one, but until then the kids have enjoyed this little one!

I am so excited for Christmas this year. We are having our first Christmas at home, and while we will miss family during the holidays, we look forward to starting new traditions here and open presents under our tree. We spent Thanksgiving with my family and relatives. It was fun to have Mckay home from work for a few days! I did some shopping on BLACK Friday- bright and early, and then Mckay went to a BSU Football game that evening. To add to all of the things going on around here we all got SICK...yuck. Just glad this time we have a nearby washer and dryer! I started to feel bad Friday evening, and then McKenzie later that night, followed by Payton at 2:00 in the morning. Just when we were beginning to think that Mckay had missed out, he broke out with it last night. Rough way to get out of a day of work, but I'll take him anyday! :)

This last part is a little late but I wanted to put up actual Halloween pictures of the kids!! They were so cute while Trick-or-Treating. Payton would knock and say the magical words, but don't get me wrong McKenzie sure mastered the part of snatching candy and putting it in her bag! It was like we had trained her, she was a natural!

Who could resist that face!

All dressed up!

Daddy taking the kids Trick-or-Treating!

Both kids with their loot and looking so cute!

Payton had a hard time deciding if he was going to be a Dragon or Batman so we let him be Batman underneath the Dragon costume...It was warmer!

We are grateful for our home and glad that maybe things will start slowing down here so we can enjoy the Christmas Season, (and so I don't have an early baby)!

A PoSt wiTh FeW WorDS!

I was tagged by Megan. Each answer is supposed to be only one word...

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket
2. Where is your significant other? Work
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Amazing
5. Your father? Hardworking
6. Your favorite thing? Family
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your dream/goal? Heaven (with all my family and friends)
9. The room you're in? Family
10. Your hobby? Crafts
11. Your fear? Death (I agree Megan…I can’t imagine losing a loved one)
12. Where do you want to be in six years? Happy…around family
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you're not? Packing (I probably should be though)
15. One of your wish list items? Home (I am ready to be moved in already!!!)
16. Where you grew up? Adrian
17. The last thing you did? Diaper (changed one…it is never ending)
18. What are you wearing? Jeans
19. Your TV? On
20. Your pet? Fish
21. Your computer? Slow
22. Your mood? Anxious (Mckay comes home soon for the weekend, love weekends)
23. Missing someone? Mckay
24. Your car? Small (will soon need something a little bigger)
25. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
26. Favorite store? Fred Meyer, wait maybe WINCO?!
27. Your summer? Hot
28. Love someone? Lots
29. Favorite color? Red (to wear), Brown (to decorate with)
30. Last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Recently (give me a break I am pregnant!)

I tag: Liz (if you feel like blogging that is J/K), and Susie.

BOO @ the ZOO & FamiLY FuN!

On Saterday the Boise Zoo was having "Boo at the Zoo", where kids can come dressed up, see all the animals, Trick OR Treat, and other various activities. As a family we headed for some fun, little did we know it was going to take us 45 minutes just to find a parking spot!! By that time there was no turning back though because Payton had already spotted all of the other children in costume heading for some fun and was so anxious to see the animals. It was very packed but still fun to let both of the kids enjoy the festivities!

Little Skunk! McKenzie loved to peek in the windows to see the animals.

Trying to catch a pose but the kids were interested in other things.

Payton was so busy going everywhere and would not even stop to take a picture of him all dressed up, due to all the distractions...maybe on Halloween I'll have better luck.

For Family Night we decided to carve the pumpkins, that Payton picked out at grandma's house. For the past few months he has been spotting the pumpkins growing in the garden. When it was time to pick what ones we wanted Payton picked the BIGGEST one he could find for himself, one decent sized one for Dad and Mom to share, and the tinnest one for little Kenzie! Payton is such a good brother to McKenzie. Here he is trying to put his arm around her for a cute picture before we began the messy carving.

Time to DiG IN!! After touching the slippery seeds, Payton was a little reserved so here he is trying to assist McKenzie to try it instead of him.

Still not to sure about the insides!

Daddy helped Payton draw a funny face on his pumpkin and then cut it out...after lighting it up Payton was well pleased with the outcome!

The finished product. I know, I know...we are all beginners at carving. McKenzie's pumpkin is supposed to be whistling, lately she has descovered how to whistle and does it quite often. It is so funny to see such a little thing whistle, Payton on the other hand tries to do the same but ends up mostly just blowing air all over.

Mckay and I have recently been addicted to Craigslist. Not really, but we have found some great deal$. First we found a great table saw for cheap (Mckay has been wanting one for years and we will finally have a place put it soon enough), and then we found a stainless steel, side by side fridge and talked down the price even more. (Thanks Lane and Liz for being our storage until we move.) I feel like in addition to the cost of a home there are several BIG appliances, blinds, and other purchases that need to be made so this has really helped us cut down the cost and save where we can. We also bought a nice looking but used washer and dryer set, and can't wait to wash things without having to find quarters or take loads to grandparents! We will soon be homeowners, and it seems even more official now that we have some appliances of our own!

Lately Payton has been really good at complimenting us. He always says "You are my favorite, Mommy" or "We are all favorites", "Best friends", and such. Then he also tells McKenzie and me that we are pretty or cute, and tells Mckay that he is cool. He expects us to tell him that he is cool, if we ever slip up and tell him that he is cute he will say, "I'm not cute, I COOL". He never messes any of this up. GIRLS="Pretty or Cute", and BOYS= "Cool". Neither Mckay or myself have taught him that but for some reason it has stuck! He always makes us laugh.

Wow that was a long post but I guess I have been kind of slacking lately, so there you have it.

TaKinG SHaPE

No...this time I am not talking about my growing tummy taking shape (which by the way, seems to have "blossomed" lately), but instead, our "soon to be home". We will be moving in, in just about a month!! Just thought I would post a few of the lattest pictures for those who are interested. Both Payton and McKenzie, love to go and visit the house. They love the chance to dig in the dirt and explore the construction site. It will be fun to really move in and see how they both adjust to the new place!

This is our stairs coming up from the front door.

The master bedroom, everything inside the house is sheet rocked, taped, sanded, etc. and ready for texture. (I'm not exactly sure of all the correct terms)!

The backyard!! The picture doesn't quite do it justice. We are so happy with the size and will have plenty of room for playing, garden, swimming pool, etc.

This is the house all sided! They are still working on the details but you get the overall picture.

HoME ImProVeMeNTs

As promised I have been meaning to post some updated pictures of the progress on our house. Today I met with our supervisor to do a pre-drywall walk/inspection. I can't believe how fast it is all coming together, although I must say that everytime Mckay, the kids, and I go to visit the "new house" we come back wishing that this whole building process was all over, and that we could just move in already!! This might not be all that exciting to the rest of you but some have asked to see pictures so here they are:

This is the basic start of our foundation and our lot. You can see where our garage will be and part of our yard.

The first floor in progress and this is part of our driveway.

This is the latest...our entry way with a small patio in the front.

This was also taken today and it is the front of the house.

Just can't wait to use that huge garage!

As far as family life goes...we are all doing pretty good. The kids are really playing well together more and more and love to chase each other around the apartment. Also they always dance to music in the car and laugh when they are being funny together. They both love bath time as well and are getting better at sharing!!! Mckay is working hard for our family. The other day when Mckay was leaving for work after a quick lunch, McKenzie was sad when he left and shut the door behind him. I was telling her that daddy would be back later and that it was okay, then I heard Payton tell her that Daddy was going to make money for our new house. I have kept busy with the kids and making a few crafts with friends when I get the chance.

McKenzie is going everywhere and loves moving around. Lately she has been so funny, she is the best little eater and will out do Payton at any meal (okay maybe not pizza, that is one of his favorites). She will eat anything and everything that we offer her and anytime we ask her if she is hungry she always nods and says "Uuh". She is good at giving kisses and is normally such a good little girl, until I head for the kitchen to make something to eat, and she just can't wait any longer!! She will cry and pull on my pant legs until she gets some food. She is also sooooo GirLY and will hug/cuddle with any baby or stuffed animal in sight. She pats them on the back and tries to be their little MoMMy! Forget the battle of putting shoes on her...instead she will bring you shoes and beg for them to be put on, she enjoys getting dressed.

Today is a cooler day, our weather is changing and it sure feels like fall. Can't wait for Halloween. This year Payton was going to be Batman, because I found a costume for a quarter. He was really excited about this until he recently spotted a Dragon costume and has been talking about it since, so we caved in and bought it for him (guess he will use Batman for fun dressing up). McKenzie is going to be a skunk that our friends let us borrow. They both look so cute.

I 'm ReaDy FoR FaLL!

Lately I have really been in the mood for fall. I am so excited for Halloween and the other hoildays that follow, ThanKsGivinG, ChRisTMaS. It seems like the weather here is already beginning to change and it is nice to not be so HOT constantly, although there are still warm days. During the hot summer days I don't really feel much like cooking, I would rather eat sandwiches or cool meals. Now that it is cooling off outside I am ready to rededicate myself in the kitchen. I think that it is fun to cook new recipies and look forward to the soups, rolls, pumpkin desserts, apples, or other warm foods that remind me of fall. I also look forward to my new kitchen where I will have a dishwasher, and plenty of space to move around, this kitchen is so small and hardly has any counter space! (Oh some of you have asked for the website of our home and it is: http://www.hubblehomes.com/. You have to go to the Greyhawk community and the L2000 floorplan and that is pretty much what we will have, although we have made some changes to the floorplan so there are now 2.5 baths and 4 bedrooms, etc). We have peeked at our house a few times and plan on going there again tonight. I am surprised at how fast it is taking shape. I will post pictures soon!

On the lighter side, last week I was getting ready to cut Mckay and Payton's hair. Mckay put the cutting kit with the scissors on the table and we told Payton he was going to get a haircut after we put McKenzie to bed. So Mckay and I ran upstairs to put McKenzie in her pj's and put her to sleep (all of which took maybe 5-10 minutes MAX)...you can probably see where this is going!!! When we came back downstairs, Payton was attempting to give himself a haircut. Yikes...Good thing he is a boy and his hair is short as it is. I was able to make it look halfway decent, but if you look closely you can see he had fun! I just hope that is the last time that he does this, and I'm grateful that his hair grows fast. Again no pictures...Mckay's laptop needs a new cord and that is what I use to upload pictures, it is much faster!

Life's Changes

So lately it seems like we have been so busy in our household. Most of the time we have been deciding on what to do about getting into a house (our rent is going up soon and we are ready to take the plunge and say goodbye to apartments), after much thought and prayer we decided to have our house built. We already went through the process of picking out our floor plan and all of the colors/features as well as the location and lot that we wanted as well. It is going to be in Kuna, Idaho, which is where I grew up as a little child until we moved to Adrian, Oregon. It is only about 20 or so miles to Mckay's work, but is doesn't have the rush and busy feeling of Boise... it is more of a smaller town feeling area. Now it is out of our hands and we have a dig date, which means that they are starting the building process on September 17th. I am told that the closing date will be around November 17th! We are really excited to have a place of our own (it will be 2,000 square feet), and a back yard for the kids will be great, although at the same time it is a little intimidating to be buying our first home!! I plan on taking pictures throughout the process so I'll keep posted.

It will be so nice to have a yard and just let them both play...they will love it.

Don't mind Payton he is pretending to be a puppy (silly boy)!

This week I also canned a lot of peaches and peach jam with my mom and sister. It was nice to do it together instead of alone, which would have been difficult with little children. I love peaches...especially this time of year when they are so sweet and fresh. I guess I am working on my food storage finally!!

On Saterday we woke up bright and early to go to a huge RC Willey parking lot sale. I have heard that they have great furniture for awesome prices, you just have to get there early in order to get what you are looking for in the mad rush. We were hoping to find some nice couches and possibly a dining set that we could grow into, as well as other small items. Most of the furniture that we already had was handed down from others when we were married, but we really could use something new...not that we didn't like or appreciate what we had :)!! Well we ended up finding some great deals. We bought a couch and loveseat set, and a new dining table. It was such a crazy rush to find what we wanted in a crowd of people who were all trying to do the same, but we are well pleased with our purchases. The couch set is beige/cream micro fiber and so comfy, and the dining table has a dark wood top with black legs and has a hide-away leaf that collapses and stores under the table. Now the daunting task of keeping it as spotless as possible, no more eating on the couches!!!

The couch...the loveseat looks the same but didn't fit in the picture. Payton actually posed for this one although I meant to take it of the couch, he looks cute too. I heard him say "Cheese" after the flash.

The table --don't mind the chairs we will replace them too, although Mckay thinks they match well :)!

HaPPy BiRthdAY Mckay!!

Yesterday was Mckay's birthday! It just so happen to fall on Labor Day this year, which was really nice because he got the day off. Mckay is truely my BEST FRIEND...I have no idea where I would be without him. He is such a great father and husband and I love him soooo much. We had a fun day off, Mckay went golfing, we went shooting, had cake and ice cream with family, and ate at Mckay's favorite place RED LOBSTER, (YuMMy). I just love spending time with him no matter what it is that we are doing, life would just not be complete without him.

One thing that both of the kids love, is to sit on his lap (one on either side...although not in this picture) right before bedtime and read stories. They both really like reading books and Daddy makes it so fun and interesting in different ways then Mom does! They could read all night with him and once they finish one book they often get another to bring to him. Maybe the kids are also trying to get out of, or postpone bedtime...but I think that it is mostly because they cherish this special time with their DAD and miss him while he is gone!

We hope you had a great day Mckay and want you to know just how much we LoVE you!!!

On another side note...I had my Dr. appointment today, 15 1/2 weeks along, and I just so happen to be in a room with an ultrasound machine. The Doctor asked me if I wanted to see the baby so I agreed. Then he asked if I wanted to know what "it' is.

Drum roll please!!!

We decided this time to be surprised, (mostly my idea but Mckay is okay with it since we have one of each) so I told him that we didn't want to know this time around. Later he told me that he knew what it was...this made it more tempting but so far I stayed strong. My next appointment is the full ultrasound, this pregnancy is sure going by fast.

LindSeY TaggED Me foR 6 Un-SpecTaCulaR QuiRKs!

1. I absolutely have to clean up a meal as soon as we are done eating. I hate having food/dishes sitting on the table after the fact. Mckay would prefer to sit down and relax and come back to it later. If I were to try that, I am pretty sure that I would just sit there and think about all of the things that I should be putting away (not much relaxing would be going on)! It is just no fun not having a dish washer… I think the process would go much faster and all of the dishes would always be done!!

2. I have been receiving e-mails about homes for sale in the Boise area for months now. Now that our rent is going way up, I think we are getting close to taking the plunge! I could spend hours looking at homes and dreaming about what mine will look like someday. We are thinking about building a home and it could possible be done by Thanksgiving or the beginning of December…time will tell!

3. I really don’t like being alone. This last week Mckay spent 3 days and 2 nights away from us while he was on a business trip… I will confess that I missed him soooooo much. I think in our 4+ years of marriage we had only spent one night apart and that trip put us up to a total of 3 nights apart. I am such a wimp and was so glad to have him back home.

4. I dislike it when the toilet seat is left up and the shower curtain is left open. Not to point the finger at anyone :) (Hun). I follow behind and close them all…I think it makes the bathroom look a little cleaner!

5. I can tie a knot in a cherry stem inside my mouth, using my tongue. Same as unwrapping a Starburst! Maybe this is not that neat and I am sure that plenty of other people can do the same!

6. I really enjoy doing crafts to decorate my home. When I know that a craft group is coming up, or I think of a new fun project that I can do…I get really excited. I will admit that there are times that I don’t always finish all of my “projects” but it is nice to have something to do on a rainy day. I enjoy having new decorations in my house to spice things up! (Wish I would have gone into interior decorating…I might be better at home decorating!) I often see other’s ideas and want to copy!!

I did not tag anyone this time because I am pretty sure that this one has made its way around! :)

Payton's LittLE SecReT!!

A little over a week ago Mckay and I shared a special secret with Payton!! This past weekend Mckay's family was visiting and we told Payton that he could share this secret with them when they arrived. Shortly after their arrival Payton was distracted and went upstairs to show the boys (his uncles Levi and Oliver) all of his toys. When it was time for Payton to go to bed Mckay reminded him to tell everyone the "Secret", Payton was reluctant so Mckay had to spill the beans. For those of you who don't already know, or who haven't figured it out yet... the so called secret is that "There is a baby in Mommy's tummy". Yep, we a having BaBY #3 sometime around February 18th, so that makes me about 13 weeks along! Payton is really excited and loves to look at the ultrasound pictures. I think he understands more this time around...he even rubs my tummy and tells me to be careful with my baby when I am working around the house. After telling the rest of Mckay's family we found out that Payton had already shared this news with the boys when they were playing with toys upstairs. Levi and Oli told us that Payton told them earlier that "My Mommy has a baby in her tummy". Good thing we were ready for this secret to come out (note to self: don't tell your children you're expecting until you want others to know as well)! It was kind of funny that he confided in the boys when they were alone and out of sight!

I've BeeN TaGGeD!!

4 Things You May Not Know About Me:

1. I love to play sports (volleyball, basketball, softball, and I will try others)
2. I like to kneeboard and can even do a 360
3. I was a CNA in high school but didn't care to go beyond that
4. I really don't like talking about myself!! :)
   

4 Places I Go Over And Over:

1. Wal-Mart --Who doesn't
2. Dollar Store --Payton is always looking for a new fun toy
3. Home --this could be in Montana or Oregon
4. On walks with the kids to nearby parks/stores
   

4 People That E-Mail Me:

1. Mckay
2. My Mom
3. Junk offers
4. Does anyone e-mail anymore?!

4 Of My Favorite Foods:

1. Ice Cream/chocolate
2. Pizza/pasta
3. Fruit Smoothies
4. Broccoli

4 Places I'd Love To Be:

1. With family (Montana/Oregon)
2. The Coast/ or somewhere tropical
3. Australia so Mckay could show me around his mission
4. Theme Parks -I love going on rides but it seems like forever ago
   

4 Movies I Watch Over And Over:

1. Disney
2. Disney
3. Disney
4. Disney

JOYS

1. Being a wife and mother
2. Going on dates with Mckay
3. Playing with my kids
4. Being outdoors fishing, boating, camping, etc. (When it is not too hot)
5. My religion

FEARS

1. Loosing a loved one
2. Not being a good enough mother
3. Is Payton ever going to want to become Potty Trained?!!
4. Other kids being mean to my kids...I don't mean the typical fighting over the same toy, but rather, really bullying my children or making fun of them.
5. Gas Prices $$$

GOALS

1. Get in shape
2. Eat healthy
3. Be more spiritual (I agree Lindsey)
4. Raising good children and teaching them well

CURRENT OBSESSIONS

1. Always "TRYING" to have a clean home
2. Scrapbooking
3. New craft ideas
4. Looking online for homes (Wishful thinking)

SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT ME

1. I finally joined the cell phone group (I think we were the last ones in the world!!)
2. I love to be around family and friends
3. I also like to try to cook new things (I only wish I had more ingredients on hand so I wouldn't have to skip certain recipies to get to the ones that I "can" make)
4. I really dislike having a messy car, but with children I seem to have no choice!

People I'm Tagging:

1. Susie
2. Brandi

It HaS BeeN A WhiLE

It seems like July has just zoomed by! Believe it or not Mckay has started work at his new job. I have been waiting for this time to come for quite a long time...and now that it has finally arrived I have mixed emotions. While it will be nice to actually have an income, the trade off of having Mckay around less often is not ideal. I am really going to miss having him around and will look forward to 5:00 PM everyday for his arrival. I guess you could say that I have been a little spoiled to have him around so much!!

This last few weeks we have been really busy. We headed to Montana to spend some time with family before starting the big job. Before we went there we stopped in Rexburg for a day or two and stayed in a hotel. We went to the temple, visited family, and walked down memory lane as we visited the BYU-Idaho campus, as well as went to the splash park and rode the horses as well. Rexburg will always hold a special place in our hearts... after all that is where I met and first kissed my sweetheart, tore my ACL, we had two children there, graduated from college, played sports, and were surrounded by family and friends, etc. It was fun to revisit!!

Then while in Montana we had tons of fun as a family! Payton had a blast playing with his boy cousins (Kade and Kason) as well as all of the family. As you can see they are ALL BOY and not a one of them wanted to be left out of going on a 4wheeler ride with GRANDPA!!

He even talked Grandpa into a horse ride (we are talking about the kid who is afraid of fireworks), he would go outside by himself and make his way to the horse pin, and if no one had caught him by then... he would even get in with them. I think this time Grandpa was the one who found Payton and caved in, to a ride on the horse (which made Payton's day!!) Payton loved the horses and showed no fear.

Then we celebrated the 4th of July! We rode on a famliy float in a parade titled "The strength of the nation is the strength of the family" as part of the Swensen family reunion. It had been a hot few days, but just as dinner rolled around and the party was about to start the rain came!! (That is the reason for the jackets) I think this was the first 4th I've seen with rain. It did stop not long later and we were able to let off fireworks. (Payton was so nervous and hated the loud noises so we ended up putting the kids to bed, he didn't complain at all and was happy to sleep through the chaos!)

Birthday Time

Payton turned the BIG 3! He is getting so big. (You may have noticed his eye...that would be a mosquito bite.) We opened presents and then he got to play all day. Payton is such a good boy. We are so lucky to have him as a big part of our family. We love you BUDDY!!

Payton picked out his own cake and yes he is still a fan of Mater and McQueen!!

Later that day we also went to a nearby town that had a park we played in and a museum with dinosaurs (another favorite of Payton's) and yummy ICE CREAM CONES to top it off!

Birthday Time Again!!

McKenzie also had a birthday and is now 1! My how time flies. She is also such a happy little girl. She is an easy baby and we are so happy to have her as a part of our family too, and can't imagine life without either one of our children.

Time to open presents! She did have fun unrapping the gifts that she could get to before her older brother beat her to them. He was trying to be a helper. At least she doesn't understand quite yet, but it may be a battle for years to come. I guess that is what we get for having their birthdays so close together (Payton was still in the mode of unwrapping his presents)!

And last but not least DiGGinG in the cake!! She didn't even wait for the candle to be blown out before she was grabbing at the chocolate messy frosting. It was funny to watch her dig in!! I'll try to be better at blogging, we have just been so busy and the computer has been acting up when I have tried. Sorry so much all at once!