Beecroft Family Blog

Dinner surprise

2011-11-20T19:10:00.001-08:00

My mom did this occasionally for us when we were kids. The boys all seem to really like it as well. Everyone just picks a spot and hopes for the best. Your cup, plate, and fork could really be anything!

Summer of the Cicadas

2011-11-20T19:02:00.001-08:00

These things are amazing. Apparently they live under ground for 7 years here and then all come out to mate one summer for like four weeks. It was all in the news so we knew this would be the summer. When they finally came out there were so many. They made a noise that was almost deafening with so many of them joining in. They seemed to be everywhere. And they were huge. The birds loved it. I saw a dive bombing bird take a large flying cicada right out of the air a few times, which is doubly impressive when you saw that some of the birds weren't that much bigger then the bugs. In a couple of weeks the bodies littered the sidewalks and streets. The kids had fun catching them and learning about these fascinating little bugs.

Some of the things Alexa loves

2011-11-20T18:38:00.001-08:00

She is growing up so fast. Alexa has a bouncy chair that she loves. She is a lot like Matthew was as a baby. He would've loved a chair like that. She goes crazy bouncing and throwing herself around. She has a stuffed bunny that she loves, also. We actually have two (we learned a lesson with Andrew and his Ellie) one at each house. She always has it when she sleeps. She has also established a relationship with our dog, Anubis. He is always interested in her, but especially after she started eating food. I had to give up on trying to feed her in the bumbo for obvious reasons. She didn't mind him licking her at all, she thinks he is hilarious. And he just sits there and lets her grab him and pull on his ears or pull the hairs out on his paws.

Father's Day

2011-11-20T18:25:00.001-08:00

Matt had a nice father's day. He was eating super healthy so the kids made him egg whites with jalapenos and tomatoes from the garden. They love their daddy!

Brentwood Library

2011-11-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Owen tripped on the way in.

There is a great library in the city next to ours. The children's section is really amazing. It looks like a magical forest and it has these books built into the walls everywhere. It is a really fun place to visit.

Rodeo

2011-11-20T14:34:00.001-08:00

We got tickets to a rodeo this year. The kids had never been. They had some fun exhibits outside before we went in and of course they had a bunch of booths set up to sell things like giant belt buckles. We saw the bucking horses, barrel racing, and a few other events, but we missed the bulls because they were at the very end and it was a school night. The kids couldn't believe how hard those horses would buck. It looked like a hard job for sure!

Anyone order a hot air balloon?

2011-11-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

Early on a Sunday morning a loud noise woke us up. Hot air balloons are out frequently in the summer here. We've had a few pass very close over our neighborhood before. One even bumped a chimney down the street once. So I was familiar with the sound, and it sounded REALLY close. I ran outside to see the balloon land in our cul-de-sac. They later told us the wind stopped cooperating and they got stuck and had to land. I woke everyone else up to come and see. The kids even got to help bag the balloon. They were really excited about the whole thing. I'm pretty sure they won't see that again so we didn't mind getting up a little earlier then usual on a Sunday in June.

A garden

2011-11-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

After a hot day, the garden looked like it really needed a drink. It amazingly recovered!

First thing out of the garden!

We decided to do a bit more of a garden this year then we have in the past. The kids really liked helping. Andrew helped water every morning. We planted some of the things from seed and transplanted a few. It ended up growing a lot better then we expected. We only had a few set backs. First of all, some of the plants were mislabeled so when we thought we were getting one jalapeno plant and four green pepper plants, we actually got five jalapeno plants. That was A LOT of jalapenos this summer. We also had a problem with the heat. The plants dried up quickly in the pots on hot days. I took a picture of the garden when I had been gone all day. I was surprised when I watered it and it came back to life! The cucumbers and tomatoes were delicious. We also had radishes, cilantro, basil, and jalapenos, jalapenos, jalapenos! We learned a lot. It will be fun to do it again.

Sullivan Farms Pool Party

2011-11-19T19:52:00.001-08:00

Our housing development has a big party to open the pool. They have races, games, and icecream for everyone. It was Alexa's first time in a pool. She wasn't a big fan. Everyone else had a blast!

Painting class

2011-11-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

Emily, Kiana, and I have taken a few painting classes at a place called Paint Along Nashville. It is so much fun. I can't paint at all, but I bring home something that actually looks like a painting. Amazing. Even the boys are impressed.

End of School

2011-11-19T19:19:00.001-08:00

It is hard to believe that Matthew and Andrew have already finished 2nd grade and kindergarten. The end of the year parties were a lot of fun- Andrew was feeling particularly silly. Both Matthew and Andrew had such a good year. They loved their classes and teachers (Ms. Cook and Ms. Bradley), but they were also ready for summer break!

More Alexa!

2011-11-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

We can't get enough of this cute girl! When Alexa was just a couple weeks old she found her thumb. Matthew was a thumb sucker and we didn't really want to have to go through that again so I kept her hands in mittens for a while. Well, she ended up sucking on fingers anyway, now it is two (the same two Matt's dad sucked on when he was a baby). It is kinda cute. Rock on!

I love Sunday

2011-11-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

May 1st 2011.

Field Day

2011-11-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

I was able to go in for field day- or as Matthew calls it, "The best day of school ever!" Unfortunately, this year he sprained his ankle just before. He was so sad, but he still ran around the best he could. I actually got to play a few games with him, but didn't get any pictures. Oops. I did get some of Andrew. He also had a blast!

Dirt Project

2011-11-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

Matthew had a big dirt project for school. Everyone from his class had family or friends send dirt from special places all over the country. Matthew asked Grandpa to send something. Grandpa collected some dirt from a sacred Native American site. It did make it to school, but it was only back home for a few hours before this happened. I wonder if the vacuum could tell a difference between regular and sacred dirt.

School Projects

2011-11-19T18:13:00.001-08:00

The boys always work really hard in school. I wish I had a way to keep everything they do! Since that is impossible, I'm trying to take some pictures of their favorites. Matthew is also showing off one of his favorite books. In 2nd grade he read almost every Roald Dahl book ever written. They do really well in every subject and we are really proud of them and all their hard work!

Mother's Day

2011-11-19T15:02:00.001-08:00

It was a great mother's day. My boys brought me breakfast in bed with really cute cards. Andrew's said:
Mother's Day Card
My mother is the most wonderful mom in the world. She is as pretty as a "flowr" and smells like a "dase(daisy)". He favorite food is "frot (fruit)". I think mom looks funny when she "stickx out her tung". I wish Mom would "play" with me every day. I wouldn't trade my mom for "toys". Happy Mothers Day!
(Then when you turn it over:) "Your don with your mothrs day card mom"

Matthew's said:
My mom is special because she "takes care of me". My mom's favorite TV show is "Opra". My mom loves when I help her "do the dishes". I love when my mom cooks "eggs" for breakfast. I love when she cooks "mac n' cheese" for lunch. I love when she cooks "taco soup" for dinner. I love when she reads "books" to me. Thank you for being a great mom.

Look what we did with a cereal box

2011-11-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

Boys.

Renaissance Fair 2011

2011-11-19T14:31:00.000-08:00

We love the Renaissance Fair they have in the spring here. It is so fun to go and eat a giant turkey leg while watching some jousting. The boys love to see all the people in Renaissance/fantasy clothing. This year they each picked either a wooden bow/arrow or a wooden shield. They had a great time watching all the different activities going on. Their favorite this year was a really funny juggler/jester. They were quoting him for months "Flaming ball (or insert any word really) of death!" "No not the boots!" The fair is one of the many things we will really miss about Tennessee!

Easter 2011

2011-10-30T08:34:00.001-07:00

We had a very nice Easter this year. We've tried the last couple of years to really make Easter Sunday more about the Savior. We dyed eggs for family home evening on Monday. Then Sunday the kids each had a basket with a couple candies and a picture of Jesus, a religious book, and a new tie for church. We found the dyed eggs around the living room then we read over the Easter story and tried to talk to them about what Christ's resurrection means for them. And doesn't Alexa look cute in her Easter dress?

Our big girl!

2011-10-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

Here she is at 2 months old.

Now here she is at 2 1/2 months old.
Now here she is at 3 1/2 months old.

And she can already roll over at 3 1/2 months!

I don't know if it is because she is number 4 or just because she is so good or maybe because I have so much help with her, but time has flown by. What a difference a few months makes. She is growing up so quickly. She is amazing. We love having her in the family! The boys love her so much. Sometimes Matthew is getting ready for bed and will say, "Where is Alexa, I haven't got to talk to her today!" If she is already asleep he will tip toe in just to look at her for a second. They all take such good care of her and love talking to her and playing with her. She is a lucky girl, and we are lucky to have her!

Atlanta

2011-10-30T07:06:00.001-07:00

We went to Atlanta on April 21, 2011. We stayed for a couple of days. We went to go through the Atlanta temple open house (they have done a lot of renovations). Apparently I went through the first open house in Atlanta when I was really small so it was actually my second time in the Atlanta temple. Everyone else thought it was really pretty. We were really happy we could take the kids and some of Matt's family to walk through it. We did a lot of other fun things over the weekend as well. We went to a big mall with a fun lego store and other fun stores. We also went to the Atlanta aquarium. It was really impressive. They had lots of big sharks, dolphins, and other big fish. We went to their dolphin show which was really like a short broadway show with singing, dancing, battles, cool lights and effects, and of course the dolphins doing amazing tricks along with the story. We also went swimming in the hotel pool and ate yummy food. Alexa was still really easy to travel with so it was a really fun weekend!

Pine wood derby

2011-10-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

This was our first pine wood derby. We didn't realize how seriously people took this car-making business. Seriously. We didn't know about the weights you are supposed to attach until the car was already made, so we improvised a little (go-go power). Still, we had fun. I think Matt and Matthew did a great job on his first car.

Look at me!

2011-10-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Alexa is so cute and such a smart baby! These were taken April 7, 2011. At barely 3 months old Alexa was already very busy. She discovered her fist and would watch it float by with such interest. She would also concentrate really hard on trying to grab things (and was even occasionally successful). She is a really calm baby and so great to have around.

David and Mandy's Wedding

2011-10-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

We left the boys with Matt's mom and took Alexa with us to Arizona for David and Mandy's wedding. It was a great trip. Alexa is such a good baby that the flights weren't bad and we were able to help out a lot with set up, take down, etc when we were there. It was also great to spend some time with my family. The wedding was beautiful and David and Mandy looked so happy. It was especially great to be able to go to the temple sealing (my brother Jared walked Alexa around the temple in a stroller) and be reminded of the promises we made when we were married. The reception was in the backyard at this really amazing house (friends of Mandy's). The colors were black and white. They had a great string quartet, dessert bar, and a really relaxed environment for socializing. What an amazing time for them. We love David so much and we are so excited to have Mandy in the family! We were so happy to be able to be there and be a part of everything. And- special thanks to Emily for making Mandy two really great necklaces as a wedding present!

Disney's Tangled- Cassy Child version

2011-10-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine does these crazy parties for her kids. Really, crazy. It must take months to plan for these. She does everything herself. Anyway, she did a Tangled party for her daughter who loves the movie. I just had to post pictures. AMAZING. She had themed food (served in frying pans), painted decorations everywhere, and an amazing homemade cake (seriously, how?). The activities included painting, making hair clips, breaking a tower pinata, and following Repunzel's hair around the house to find the satchel, among other things. Oh- our boys weren't invited to the girl party, we just showed up without any kids because she is super fun and we wanted to see everything and eat some of her incredible food!

St. Patrick's Day 2011

2011-10-09T14:01:00.001-07:00

Each year the boys build a leprechaun trap and try to catch a leprechaun. Matthew made one for school this year that caught the little guy's map. It sent the kids on a treasure hunt around the house until they finally found some candy gold coins. We also had some green food throughout the day.

Andrew's 6th Birthday

2011-10-07T17:55:00.001-07:00

March 9, 2011. Andrew had a great birthday. It was party, party, party. He had the traditional donuts for breakfast and one present. He picked cookies for his class snack. He had a super fun party at JumpZone with all of his friends from school. He is our first boy to invite girls to his party and it was fun to see how much the girls in his class love him. He plays a lot with Gabrielle and Lily. They love to follow him around and play tag with him. Of course Andrew is nice to everyone so everyone likes him. He also had a family party at home. He got everything he wanted and more. His favorite present was a pair of light up roller skates, just like his cousins have.

Andrew the Artist

2011-06-26T18:52:00.001-07:00

Andrew really enjoys doing art in school. Here are some of his kindergarten masterpieces.

Tae Kwon Doe

2011-06-26T16:15:00.001-07:00

h

The kids started Tae Kwon Doe this winter. They like it half of the time. It is a little difficult to sit still and be quiet when they are supposed to. I'm really impressed with their kicks and punches now (as long as they aren't trying to use them on each other). They got their orange belts a couple weeks ago and they were pretty excited. They all think they will be black belts by the end of the year!

Oh the the things girls wear!

2011-06-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Alexa has such cute clothes. Although I must admit that some seem like a good idea on the hanger, but are not really that awesome once she is actually wearing it. This would be one of those... It looked so cute and warm, but it didn't work out so well.

Fasching/ Mardi Gras 2011

2011-06-26T15:57:00.001-07:00

We are always looking for a good reason to party so we decided to celebrate Mardi Gras (Fasching in Germany) this year. We had some shrimp jambalya and a king cake (Owen got the baby). We also played some games we found on-line and a cup game my family growing up. It was a fun night!

Alexa's Baby Blessing

2011-06-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Alexa's baby blessing was on March 6, 2011. She wore the dress that I wore for my baby blessing (thank you mom for saving it) and a bow and bracelet from her Aunt Kendra. She looked so cute and was so well behaved during the blessing (the boys all cried). She wasn't in the best mood after church when we tried to take pictures, but hey, you take what you can get. Matt gave her a beautiful blessing- my favorite part was that she wouldn't be prone to complaining. We can already see how that will be true. She'll cry for a little while if she is upset or hungry, but it doesn't last long. She was hungry once and I was out, she was crying so Emily started to make her a bottle, but by the time Emily was done Alexa had given up and gone to sleep! She really is such a good baby.

Matthew's 2nd Grade Program

2011-06-26T15:37:00.001-07:00

The 2nd graders at Winstead Elementary do a patriotic program for parents in February. It was fun to watch them sing. He and his cousin Gio did some awesome singing. After the program we went to their class and got to listen to them talk about their famous American project. Matthew chose Davey Crockett. He did a great job!

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-06-26T15:31:00.001-07:00

The kids went across the street for a couple hours so Matt and I could have a nice dinner together. It was nice to have the quiet. The kids got some yummy treats from us. Even Alexa got into the spirit with a cute Valentine's Day outfit. It was a fun day!

Alexa's first bath

2011-06-26T15:22:00.001-07:00

It took more than two weeks for the rest of Alexa's umbilical chord to fall off so everyone was eagerly awaiting her first bath. Everyone squished into our bathroom to watch. Owen even got into the bath with her. She wasn't a big fan of being in the water the first time, but now she loves her splashing in her bath. A quick side note- I love not getting peed on in the face every time I put her in. Go girls!

Matt's Birthday 2011

2011-06-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

Matt enjoyed his 31st birthday. It was fun to have family around and he was only slightly sleep deprived from having a new baby in the house.

Alexa's first few weeks

2011-04-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

Seriously? What are you doing to me mom?

Pink, pink, pink!

I will sleep anytime, anywhere.

Andrew wrote these during free writing in kindergarten. The top one says, "I'm gonna visit her at Sunday. She is gonna cry and cry." (That was the Friday before I had her.) The next one says, "Alexa is my baby. She sleeps and sleeps."

Alexa was a really good baby from day one- which we can really appreciate at this point! Her daddy was really protective for a while. We didn't even walk across the street to visit everyone or leave the house for over a week. They did come over to see her often though. She was adjusting to everything (like her noisy brothers and Anubis wanting to smell her constantly) and we were adjusting to having some pink around the house. She is the sleepiest baby we've ever had and it was really hard to wake her up to eat so she figured out how to sleep/eat really well. The first few weeks we had a few highlights including having Grandma come for a week to help and finally getting to put her in all the fun clothes everyone got for her!

Baby, Baby, Baby

2011-04-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Jan. 8, I went in to the hospital to be induced. While we were checking in they asked us if we wanted to be on TLC's A Baby Story (They were there filming). Now don't get all excited- you will NOT being seeing us on TV. We said, "No way!" Who wants to be filmed giving birth? Seriously? Anyway, I was induced late that evening and ended up having Alexa Addison Beecroft early the next morning. Everything went really well, despite an epidural that only worked on the left half of my body. :-) I went from a 6 to having her out within 15 minutes. The doctor almost missed it. She came out so easily and I felt so good that even though I had her on Sunday January 9th, they let me go home the next day. There was a big snow storm, which pretty much shuts down the city here so I was happy to get out before the next wave hit. The only other funny thing that happened in the hospital was when Nana and Kiana brought the boys to visit. They weren't really sure about having a girl in the family (Matthew actually cried when we told them she would be a girl) so they were kind of sizing her up when they came. They each took turns holding her and when Matthew held her she passed some major gas. The boys looked at each other then burst out laughing. Matthew kept saying, "She passed gas on me!" I think that is the moment they decided she would be OK. They also love that she has to burp so much (and enjoy demonstrating how when it is time) and thought she was great when she peed everywhere when I was changing her diaper. What can I say- so far our little lady fits in just fine.

New Year's party

2011-04-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

Owen. Literally seconds after the new year.

For New Year's Eve we all stayed up playing games until midnight. The Pence family came over to play with us. We set up brackets and kept track of who won the most games. We had yummy food and fun games that we kept going until midnight when we turned on the TV and watched the ball drop. Andrew was the big winner this year. Surprisingly, everyone made it to midnight (even a very pregnant Kyla). Owen passed out seconds after the ball dropped and was down for the count. Emily carried him back across the street for us. Here is to a great 2011!

Christmas!

2011-04-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve. Everyone opens one present.

Matthew playing with one of his science presents- digging for fossils.

Andrew enjoying one of his daddy's presents- a back massager. AAAAGH.
Yes all of these toys are for you!

Anubis wondering what the heck is going on.

Pure excitement!

Andrew was up first!

Oh how we love Christmas! This year the boys got up around 6am and were so excited (and still a little sleepy). Nana and aunt Jenny came across the street to open presents with us. It was a great Christmas with tons of fun stuff. Bey Blades, Mighty Beans, science stuff, Legos, and video games were the most requested items. (Andrew did want an ipad, but didn't get it- but everything else was pretty much delivered!) And of course it was great to spend time with family!

Christmas Fun!

2011-04-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

The month of December was filled with fun activities. We made and decorated gingerbread and cookies, picked out and decorated Christmas trees, a did a lot of other fun Christmas activities.

Piano recital December 2010

2011-01-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

Matthew did great!

Christmas Parties and Snow!

2011-01-08T16:42:00.000-08:00

We actually had snow a couple of times this December. It is pretty unusual here. It was actually the first white Christmas here in 17 years (where snow actually stuck to the ground). The kids love a lot of things this time of year. Their school Christmas parties (and getting out of school for 2 weeks) and the snow were great highlights this December!

Carnton Plantation

2011-01-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

We took the kids over to the Carnton Plantation on the anniversary of the Battle of Franklin. There were lots of people in period clothes reenacting various things from the time and answering questions about the battle and time period. There are still bullet holes in some of the buildings and blood stains on the floor of the home where they treated the confederate soldiers. There is also one of the largest confederate graveyards in the country because the battle was such a bloody one. The kids were actually way more interested then we expected. They listened to a black smith and a gun expert for a long time. These guys take it very seriously. It is good for the kids to feel a little piece of history and learn a little more about the civil war (or as one man called it, "the second revolutionary war" Ha!)

Matthew's Baptism

2011-01-08T15:28:00.001-08:00

December 4th was a big day! We had been looking forward to Matthew's baptism for a while. Grandpa Richardson flew in for the occasion. The kids loved having him around for a few days. Matthew got his first suit for the special day as well. Our chapel is right next to the Nashville temple so we took some pictures outside before heading in. Grandpa Richardson was able to give one of the talks. Afterward, Matthew really wanted to eat at Jason's Deli for lunch. It was a very special day and Matt and I felt so proud!

Thanksgiving

2011-01-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was a lot of fun. The Kindergarten did a really cute program at school. Andrew was an Indian who said, "Big and brave!" Joey was a turkey. They both did a great job singing all the songs. We also had a lot of family in town. Jenny and Jeffery both made it. Nana's brother Steve and his wife and her step dad Grandpa Ed were also able to make it for the day. There was, of course, tons of food and fun!

Poverty Awareness

2011-01-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

Every year before Thanksgiving we try to do a little poverty awareness with our kids. Basically, we make the kids eat things that people in third world countries eat for a few days. This year we had corn mush, rice and beans, simple vegetable soup, and so on. The kids are relieved they still get to eat school lunch! I think it is a worthwhile activity that really helps them remember how lucky they are. This year we also played Mancala (an African rock game that Matthew got for his birthday) to see what kids do without all those electronics.

Japanese Steakhouse

2011-01-08T15:18:00.001-08:00

We all went out to a Japanese Steakhouse for dinner one night. The food was OK, but the entertainment value was excellent. The boys were all so excited by the knife flipping, volcano onion, and fire! Fun!

Matthew's Birthday!

2011-01-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

We were all pretty excited for Matthew to turn the big 8! The weekend before his bday he had a big party at Laser Chase. It was so much fun to have a big party with a lot of his friends. He was a little disappointed that he didn't get the high score during either laser tag game though! On his birthday he started the day with donuts and one present. He opened the box from his grandparents and loved the scriptures he got so much that he started reading them right away. I also took cupcakes to school and he had a family party with presents that night. Beyblades were his favorite gift this year. They spin those tops in the battle arena for hours! We still can't believe Matthew is 8 years old!

Veteran's Day 2010

2011-01-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

Every year we try to talk about what Veteran's Day means with the kids. We try and call/write to Great Grandpa Skousen who served in WWII and talk a little about what that was like. This year we also added red, white, and blue pancakes (strawberry, whipped cream, and blueberries).

Soccer

2011-01-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

One of Matthew's forte's was scoring from over half field. He would just blast it.

Andrew on the fast break and then scoring.

The boys had a great time playing soccer this fall. Andrew and Joey were on the same team. Matt coached Matthew's and Gio's team. They loved playing together (even though Andrew's and Joey's coach had to remind them a few times to stop wrestling and taking the ball from each other). Mostly, it was just a blast!

Ward Trunk or Treat Party

2010-12-27T08:13:00.000-08:00

Halloween was on a Sunday this year, but our ward Trunk or Treat was on Sat. so the kids were still able to dress up, have some fun, and get lots of candy! Matthew (and all of his cousins) were ninjas this year. Andrew really wanted to be Scooby Doo. Owen made a great Captain America. We also took them to the Boofest in downtown Franklin earlier on Sat. where they got more candy and we lost Matthew in the crowd for a while. Yes police were involved and everything. After a while I felt like I should go back to the car and he was there waiting for us, praying that someone would come find him. Talk about one of the most stressful half hours of my life! But hey, the kids got lots of candy and I bet that is all they will remember!

Halloweeen pancakes

2010-12-11T12:12:00.001-08:00

Halloween was on a Sunday this year and we knew we wouldn't go trick-or-treating on Sunday, but we did want to do something fun, so we made Halloween pancakes for breakfast. To be honest, there was more candy then pancakes, but it was a fun activity. They also got to go through the Halloween box that Grandma and Grandpa sent. The candy grillz were their favorite!

Halloween FHE

2010-12-11T12:01:00.001-08:00

i

Our Halloween family home evening was so much fun this year. It is so great to have so much time with all of our family. Holly made yummy pumpkin soup for dinner (it was almost too pretty to eat) and I made some mummies for the kids. Then we voted on designs and carved Jack-O-Lanterns. Some of the boys weren't too excited to help clean out the pumpkins. Still, we ended up with two great looking pumpkins. Throw in some spooky music and Halloween treats, and it was a great night!

Fall Farms

2010-11-07T17:02:00.001-08:00

One of the fun things about fall is hitting all the fun farms. We went to Gentry and Honeysuckle Farms this year. They had fun picking pumpkins, playing on farm equipment, doing corn mazes, seeing animals, watching the pumpkin cannon, watching the hillbilly hog races, and trying the other fun things they had for the kids to do. Matthew was a little bummed because he could do the long corn mazes because he already had his boot/broken ankle. Matt took him to a haunted forest later when his boot was off. The farms here are a lot of fun, but we miss Patterson Farm in Cleveland because they had a yummy fresh bakery. Maybe we will find one here next year!

My funny Owen

2010-11-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

Owen is such a fun kid. Since he is the only one home all day, we get to spend a lot of time together. Right now two of his favorite things are Ben Ten (we pretend battle with different aliens all the time- his favorite changes all the time) and cars. Not like Disney cars, but real cars. He can tell you if the car is a Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Dodge, etc. We recently went with Emily to take her BMW to the shop and Owen decided he wanted this BMW convertible. He asked if he could have it for Christmas. When I said, "Sorry," he said, "But I will share with Daddy!" Another one of his favorite things right now is his Captain America costume. He loves wearing it. He even fell asleep the other day fully decked out. He didn't even bother taking off his shield. Oh, and I threw in a picture of Owen's curls all combed out- fro style, just because it is funny. Gotta love that Owen!

Owen's 4th birthday

2010-11-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

Owen turned four on Sept. 24. Earlier in the week he was in charge of snack at school and he took in these fun Ben Ten cupcakes. For his birthday Matt had the day off (he just got back from a 2 week conference in Tucson). We had the traditional donuts for breakfast. Then we took Owen to Jump Zone in the morning, which he loved (even by himself!). His daddy played with him during the day. When the boys got home from school we went directly to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner and lots of games. When we got home we had a family Ben Ten party. Owen requested his favorite- cheesecake, which Nana made. Then he opened a ton of Ben Ten presents. He really loved his new Ben Ten sheets and Humongosaur stuffed animal, the Ben Ten movies from the Richardson grandparents, Ben Ten omnitrix and toys, Cars color changers, a kung zhu pet, and a new bike. (More family around = more presents I guess!) Anyway, it was a great day and he is happy to be a big 4!

Science Center

2010-11-07T14:38:00.001-08:00

Nashville's science center is always a big hit with the kids. I've blogged about it before, but this time the favorite was the space walk. Usually there are big lines for this so we don't do it, but they do love it (even though they yell, "Atomic Wedgie!" the whole time).

After school snack

2010-11-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

We try to do fun after school snacks sometimes with the kids. This one was a big hit!

Owen at Mrs. Jenny's preschool

2010-11-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

Hatcher Dairy Farm

Feeding and milking cows!

Fire truck!
Owen all tired out after the trip to Gentry farm.

First day!
Holding his "Owen" that he made for the first day.

Mrs. Jenny lives just around the corner and does a preschool Monday and Wednesday from 9-11:30am. Owen has four other boys and one girl in his class. He loves it! Mrs. Jenny taught K and 1st grade for a few years before she had her son Tyler, and she does an excellent job. He says his favorite part is snack. He also likes riding his bike there everyday and all the fun activities they do. We've already done a few field trips- Gentry Farm, Fire Truck, Hatcher Dairy Farm. On one we even got to ride on a bus- his favorite thing they've done! She blogs about all the fun things they do every week and I added her blog under our friend's blogs in case any of you grandparents want to check in on what they are doing!

Croup

2010-10-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we had a pretty scary night. We were watching tv when we heard Owen start coughing. He sounded pretty bad. Soon he wasn't really able to catch his breath at all. Holly came over to stay with the other sleeping kids while Matt and I rushed Owen to the ER. He ended up having to get a breathing treatment and two steroid shots before he started breathing easier. The Dr. said it was croup- an infection of the vocal chords that can cause swelling, closing up his breathing tube. We were all a little scared, Owen especially. I've never been seen so fast at an ER before. After a few more hours of monitoring, they sent us home. He slept in our room the next couple of nights with the humidifier, just to make sure he was ok, but he never showed any other symptoms or had any other problems. It was very out of the blue and we were really grateful that they were able to help him. Listening to him struggle for breath was horrible. The only lasting effect was actually the monitoring stickers- it hurt too much to peel them off and it took weeks for them to fall off, even with much soaking in the tub. That Owen bounces back fast.

Nashville's Parthenon

2010-10-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

Nashville has a full size Parthenon replica. Percy Jackson went there in The Lightning Thief movie, so the kids were pretty excited to go check it out. They were a little bummed when it looked different then the movie. They were especially disappointed that there was no hydra. Still, it was a fun day!

Labor Day and Lollipops

2010-10-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

Every year we plant lollipop seeds, then the seeds grow on Labor Day. Andrew is the best when it comes to things like this. You can tell from his picture how excited he is (he was the first one to notice after they came up). Little boys love their candy!

First day of Kindergarten

2010-10-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten here starts almost 2 weeks after the rest of the school. Andrew and Joey couldn't wait to get started. It was a little hard to watch the kids head off on the bus everyday, but finally their time came! Andrew's teacher, Ms. Bradley, seems really kind. After a year in preschool where he cried about going, then a year at home, I thought he would have a hard time going to school, but he just grabbed his backpack, and headed out the door. He was excited when we got there and sat right down to get started on a project she had there for him to do. I think he takes his work seriously. So far, he still loves it. He loves riding the bus with his brother and cousins and always talks about the fun things he gets to do. Now we just have to get Owen adjusted to being home alone with me all day!

Williamson County Fair

2010-10-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

s

The kids had a great time at the Williamson County Fair. There were rides, lots of deep fried foods, a pretend farm with jobs to do, and lots of animals. Andrew begged to bring one of the piglets home- he thought they were so cute. It was a fun Tennessee time!

First day of school

2010-10-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Mario is in 3rd grade and Matthew and Gio are in 2nd grade this year. They were so excited to get started. It helped so much that they all get to go to the same school and do stuff at Winstead together. Matthew's teacher, Ms. Cook seems great. It should be a great year!

Ocean City 2010

2010-10-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

We love the beach! This year we went for 2 weeks and of course the boys said it wasn't long enough. Highlights this year were boogy boarding, skim boarding, ball playing, swimming, sand digging, some surfing (for Matthew), having Jared around to play with, a visit from Aunt Jenny, Aunt Betty's icecream, and the boardwalk. Matt even made it for a great week. Go Ocean City!

Wildhorse Saloon

2010-10-01T13:35:00.001-07:00

We've been to the Wildhorse a few times. It is a fun Nashville spot to hit. We were really happy we got to fit it in while Jared was in town so he could check it out too.

Mixed up dinner

2010-10-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

When I was young, every now and then my mom would have mixed up dinners. After setting the table with random dishes, she would cover the place settings with kitchen towels. Everyone would then pick a spot and lift the towels at the same time to reveal what you would eat your dinner with. Every spot would have some type of utensil, some type of plate, and something to drink from. This was a HUGE hit with the kids. They asked to do it again every night for a week.

Summer Fun

2010-10-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

One of our summer highlights was the waterslide that Emily put in her backyard. It was HUGE. The kids spend hours and hours on it. Even Aunt Jenny played on it with them when she came to visit. They also enjoyed hours on the trampoline, and of course lots of water ice and popsicles. Fun!

Jared's bday

2010-10-01T07:11:00.001-07:00

My brother Jared got to celebrate the big 1-7 while he was here with us for the summer. I took him the see Knight and Day the weekend before, got the customary donuts for breakfast, and had cake and presents after dinner. I hope it was a good one Jared!

Neighbors

2010-10-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

So, Emily, Kiana, Mario, Gio, Joey, and Nana (Matt's mom) moved to TN for a year. They moved in at the beginning of the summer and we LOVE it. This is actually a picture of their house from our driveway. That is how close they are and it is so great! The kids and I are constantly back and forth. We eat dinner together almost everyday and of course the kids play together every possible free second. They also ride the bus together, go to the same school, and still complain about not seeing each other enough. We are already dreading when they leave. It will be so lonely!

Sleepy Anubis

2010-10-01T07:01:00.001-07:00

Dogs. Need I say more?

Andrew's lost tooth

2010-10-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

On June 11, Andrew lost his first tooth. I was wiggly for months and he didn't want to touch it because it would hurt. Finally one morning we hear, "My tooth! I lost my tooth!" To which we asked, "Where is it?" I wish I had a picture of his face. He looked so distressed when he admitted he swallowed it, then he started crying. Big brother Matthew came to the rescue, telling him that they could write a note to the tooth fairy and he would still get the money. Talk about major relief. The funny thing is that he has already lost a second tooth and he swallowed that one as well! We look forward to the day that Andrew actually has something to put under his pillow!

Haircuts

2010-09-06T19:13:00.001-07:00

How Andrew will look in 60 years.

Our boys love their short hair. Good thing they look so good with it!

Renaissance Festival

2010-09-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

Watch out for the troll!

This was soooo much fun! We had a really fun morning tromping around in the woods amongst the various attractions. There were all kinds of booths. There were really fun things for sale (swords, armor, Renaissance clothes), lots of food (including big turkey legs), man-powered rides, and tons of entertainment. We stopped to watch one comedian/magician and when he asked for a volunteer, he asked Matthew to come up and help with a magic trick. Matthew loved it.

There were so many people decked out in period clothing. We saw the king and queen and their entourage and guards, along with other nobility and other peasants. They also had magical/mythical creatures. Owen got fairy dusted by a fairy, and they all loved seeing the trolls. There were so many fun things to watch. They had a Shakespeare play, knife throwing, a falconer, and of course the jousting! We are already excited for next year!

The TN Aquarium

2010-08-15T14:44:00.001-07:00

My 17 year old brother, Jared, came to visit us for the summer. He was great to have around, and a huge help. One of the things we wanted to do while he was here was go to the TN Aquarium. It is huge, and really fun. The kids really like the hands-on parts, like petting fish, rays, and holding butterflies in the huge butterfly room. This trip they each caught one!

Little super hero

2010-08-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

What is it about little boys and super heros? They talk about them all the time, practice their moves, and will of course be one when they grow up. Owen, just like Matthew and Andrew, loves all things super hero. His favorite for a long time was Hulk, because Hulk is the strongest ever. He even drinks this thick, green veggie smoothie I buy at the store because we call it Hulk juice and say it will make him strong. Here he is on a typical day at our house, wanting to wrestle his daddy to show him how strong he is. He is, of course, laughing and loving it.

Matthews's end of school party

2010-08-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

1st grade has come and gone. Goodbye Mason, Justin, and Carson! (Matthew's best friends) Goodbye Miss Melissa. Goodbye Spikey the crab! Oh how we will miss you!

Matthew's spring soccer team

2010-08-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

We love the soccer program here. They have great facilities, staff, and (my fav) uniforms!

Nashville Flood

2010-08-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Nashville's flood in April 2010 was pretty devastating. Well known areas like downtown and Opryland were completely under water. So were many surrounding areas, including parts of Franklin, where we live. Matt was out of town at a conference in DC for all the excitement. The hard rain went all weekend along with tons of lightning and tornado watches. We didn't leave the house for the days during and afterward. We constantly watched the unbelievable news coverage and spent time in our bedroom closet (our tornado safe spot). The kids even slept in there one night. Luckily, we were high enough to not have many problems, but we knew a lot of people not so lucky. Matt works with another resident who lived in Bellview. They had 5 feet of water in their house and lost basically everything. Matt went a few days to help. I was able to go one day as well. It occurred to me that I should take a picture as we were driving home. Every house there had everything they owned just in trash bags or piles in the front yard. Very sad. Most of the people in the hardest hit areas are still displaced. Downtown Nashville is almost all open again, but the Opryland/Grand Ole Opry/ Opry Mills Mall is still closed and looks like it will be 2011 before anything opens there. All in all, I felt very blessed that we were safe and had no lasting damage!

6 week Bran-Date muffins

2010-05-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

We love these with a little butter, honey, or plain. I also add in veg or fruit puree if I have some!

2c boiling water
5t. baking soda
1c shortening (may sub for something healthier)
2c sugar
4 eggs
1 qt buttermilk
5c flour (I use 1/2 wheat 1/2 white)
1T. salt
4c All-Bran
2c Bran flakes
2c chopped dates
1c nuts

Add soda to boiling water, mix, let cool. Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, mixing in one at a time. Stir in buttermilk then flour and salt. Add water and soda to mixture. Mix in cereal, etc. Store in covered container in fridge for up to 6 weeks. When ready, spoon into muffin tin without stirring. Bake at 375 for 20 min.

Owen's Curls

2010-04-25T17:51:00.001-07:00

Owen has such fantastic curly hair. He gets it from his dad/Nana. Matt and I constantly debate about how long it should be. I like it longer, he likes it shorter. So ultimately we let Owen decide- each pleading our cause. Today he finally sided with his dad and this is the sad, sad result.

Andrew's first talk

2010-04-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

April 18th Andrew gave his first talk in primary. His subject was that Christ restored the fullness of the gospel through Joseph Smith. For 5 years old, he was really specific about what he wanted to do. He really wanted to open with a joke (with no encouragement from us- he must take after his Grandpa). The hardest part of preparing for the talk was coming up with a joke that Drew liked. Then he helped us come up with the rest. He memorized most of it for Sunday and did a really great job. Owen was in the audience and helped out with the knock knock joke. Here is his talk-

Andrew- Knock knock.
Audience/Owen- Who's there?
Drew- Saturn.
Audience/Owen- Saturn who?
Drew- Saturnday I wrote this talk!

Drew- When Joseph Smith was a boy he had a question. He wanted to know which church to choose. He said a prayer. Jesus and Heavenly Father visited Joseph Smith. They told him to join none of them. None of them had all of the gospel. Later Joseph became a prophet. He helped restore the whole gospel and the church of Jesus.

Then he bore his testimony. Great job Drew!

Easter

2010-04-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

This year for Easter we focus more on the Savior. We tried to talk with the kids about what Christ was doing each day of His last week. The Monday after we also dyed eggs and found eggs as part of family home evening. The kids didn't even miss the Easter Bunny. They really enjoyed acting out the story of Christ's resurrection. We also watched a church movie about Christ's life and resurrection. I think we will do this again next year, and maybe even have a dinner that is similar to what Christ would have eaten. Family traditions are so important- sometimes it just takes a while to form some good ones. We are working on it!

The Nashville Zoo

2010-04-25T16:38:00.001-07:00

Suzette was nice enough to invite us to go to the Zoo with her and her girls twice in the last month. The weather has been great and the zoo has a lot of great stuff to do. My boys really liked the atrium where the birds fly all around you, the snake/spider/frogs section with the giant anaconda, petting the goats (our kids were basically the only kids petting the goats with the big horns), and the huge playground. Thanks Suzette!

Quilts for Haiti

2010-04-25T16:27:00.001-07:00

Recently our church, along with some other local quilters, came together to make some quilts for the people in Haiti. It was a great chance for me to go and learn a little about quilting, while being able to do some fun service. The boys came with me once during the day and I went on my own at night to help tie them. They turned out so great and I learned a lot about quilting!

Valentine's Day 2010 and a Blanket fort

2010-04-25T16:18:00.001-07:00

This year for VDay we made a yummy breakfast (complete with heart and lip shaped eggs) and gave the kids stuffed animals (instead of candy). Owen got a frog, Andrew a lion, and Matthew got a red dog. Our kids love to play in piles of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals- so they loved their VDay presents. Just a couple of days later they built a giant blanket fort and slept in it with their new "friends."

Date Night

2010-04-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

Here is Savannah Jack. Mike (from our ward) is on the left.

The last couple of months we've had two really fun date nights. One was to a Savannah Jack single release party. (Mike from Savannah Jack and his wife Alli are in our ward, and I see Alli at the gym almost every day so she was nice enough to invite us.) It was so much fun to go and listen to them play some of their music. We don't know a lot about country music, but we did think these guys were good! Their first single, "I Know" is supposed to drop on May 3 in case anyone is interested, and I know they are playing at something in UT this summer- maybe Draper? Check their website/facebook if you are interested!

We also went with Suzette and Matt Pence to a popular spot in Nashville called the Wildhorse Saloon. We ate their BBQ and fried pickles, listened to the live band, and even did some line dancing. We had such a fun time. Yeehaw!

Oops

2010-04-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Something is missing below...

What can I say? With three boys, these things happen. Let's just say that when I'm in the other room and I hear a loud SMASH and shattering of glass, I already know to yell, "Nobody move!" And the kids already know to hold still!

Olympics

2010-04-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

Winston- the Winstead Wildcat is always fun to see.

One of the ten at-home olymic games was bob sledding (thanks to really slick winter coats). I think it was all the kids favorite, even though Matthew's time could not be beat.

These are supposed to be olympic rings!

Now I'm going to play a little catch-up on things that I've missed, like the Olympics! We loved the winter olympics. We made olympic treats and had our own at-home olympic events (with medals and medal ceremonies, everything!) The kids went around singing the olympic song for a month afterwards. We watched some of the events on TV, which the kids loved, and kept a running medal count on a USA poster we made together. Matthew's school even did an olymic inspired family night. The boys wish the olympics were every year!

Bon Jovi

2010-04-25T14:20:00.001-07:00

Tuesday night, Matt told me he had a dinner for work to go to. Our friend Suzzette came over to babysit and we headed out. When we got to the downtown area there was special event parking everywhere. I told Matt something must be going on so I was bummed we would have to pay extra for parking. He was like, "Yea, looks like something is going on. I think the hockey team is in the finals. They must have a game." As we are walking toward where he said we were eating I noticed some girls dressed really nicely. So I told Matt it couldn't be a hockey game, and maybe it was a concert. He agreed. As we are walking by the arena I say something like, "If you are gonna go to a concert, you better see someone really cool like Bon Jovi." (I've told him this before.) Unbelievably, when we get to the front there are all these Bon Jovi tents selling shirts and stuff. I couldn't believe it! I told Matt that was so funny I just said I would like to see Bon Jovi and we were walking by their concert on our way to dinner. He's like, "Maybe we could skip dinner and go." I tell him no because we couldn't skip his work thing and besides getting tickets would be so expensive from a scalper. He's like, "I know, but you want to go." I tell him it's ok the at we can't. He's like, "But I already have to tickets," as he pulled two tickets out of his pocket. I couldn't believe it. I was so shocked. He apparently got the tickets the beginning of Jan and never hinted about it this whole time! Later he asked me why I hadn't screamed with excitement because I was so shocked (I was saving it for Jon of course!) It was such a fun time. I loved it. Matt is so great. I couldn't have been more surprised. And my voice was actually a little off the next day from screaming and singing along. Some might think we are too old to be screaming like crazy at concerts, but hey, it's my life, it's now or never, I ain't gonna live for ever! I just wanna live like I'm alive (Sing it Jon!)

Boys at home

2010-04-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when the boys get bored they think of really random things to do. Strangely, Matthew really liked being a chair.

The Bball party

2010-04-11T19:09:00.001-07:00

Our Carnton Ward team B did really well at bball this year. They made it to the final game, only to loose by a few points after a great run at the end. It was so exciting. I loved being able to help out with the girls, and actually learn a little about basketball. Another highlight was getting to spend more time with Suzette Pence who is A LOT of fun. We had the end-of-season-team party on April 1 (my bday- because that was the only day they could). We had a lot of fun coming up with the awards for each of the girls, with a candy to go along with it in their gift bags. It a lot of time, but I have to say I'm gonna miss basketball!

My birthday- 29 really?

2010-04-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

I had a great birthday this year. I actually love getting older. I can't wait to be in my 30's! Matt and the kids did a great job this year. They had donuts for breakfast and I opened one present- the last Percy Jackson book. So, after hitting the gym, I read that for a good chunk of the day. Latter some girls from our church youth bball team came over for the team party (it was the only day they could do it), and when they left Matt and the kids gave me a great party with more presents. I also got calls from family (I missed some of them- sorry!) and like a million emails/facebook messages. I was feeling the love- thanks everyone!

Butternut squash and stitches risotto for dinner

2010-04-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Let's just say it was a mom moment. And let me add, if you are easily grossed out, you probably shouldn't read this post.

If you are still reading, don't say I didn't warn you. So, I was making dinner as usual a couple weeks ago, cutting the butternut squash with my very nice knife from my mother-in-law. There was chaos in the background as usual and somehow while mediating between Andrew and Owen and cutting the squash, I sliced through my finger. I quickly pulled it back (seeing the bone, by the way), spraying blood all across the kitchen floor. Owen saw it and started crying, saying, "Mommy's gonna die, mommies gonna die!" I grabbed a kitchen towel, applied pressure, and asked Matthew to come and call Matt to see when he'd be home. While Matthew made the call (leaving a message), I calmed down Owen, and Anubis (dogs really are disgusting) cleaned up the blood (I warned you it was gross). Anyway, Matt made it home about an hour later and finished the risotto while I went to get 6 stitches on the really deep part of the cut that went down to the bone. I did slice all the way across my finger, but not all of it needed the stitches. The really weird part has been getting used to the fact that I have feeling on the whole pad of that finger. It feels like it is asleep. It makes it hard to pick up things with that hand now because I can't tell if I'm touching with that finger or not! I have noticed some feeling return in the last couple of weeks, so hopefully it will be back to normal eventually. One final note though, that knife has been making my life easier for about three years now, and if I have to get stitches once every three years, let me just say- it is totally worth it!