Darci's Baby Shower! We had an excellent turn out, and lots of wonderful baby girl clothes. Thanks for coming!

Girls on the Run Harbert Lumber 5K

My super cute niece, Kylie did her first 5K with Girls on the Run on November 7th in sunny Grand Junction. I am so proud of her. Her beautiful Mom, Shelley at her side. You go girl!

Thanksgiving

I can't wait for Thanksgiving to have all my family over and host a huge dinner with lots of home cooking. Yummy Thanksgiving Yams, homemade rolls, homemade pies, and lots of fun!

Sleeping Babies

So Keeton started climbing out of his crib again, even after we took it from the lowest setting to the floor, little stinker. So now he is sleeping in a twin bed at 19 months old. This causes a little problem with Austin's routine however. Austin doesn't like to sleep alone, so Ryan or I will lay down on the spare bed while he falls asleep, well now that Keeton is using that bed, that causes a problem. So for the first hour of naptime today they were both sleeping in the same twin, and then Austin finally relented to sleeping in his own bed. I took a video because it is quieter than taking a picture, and after 1 1/2 hrs of getting the kids to sleep I did not want to wake them up! But I had to document this momentus occasion. I am already dreading bed time though, wish me luck!

Playing at Grandpa and Grandma's

Corn Lake

We went to Corn Lake, which is right by my house and let the kids feed the ducks, and throw rocks in the lake. The kids had a ball. We had to drag Austin away from the lake at the end of the day.

Breaker One Nine, Can I get a copy?

Austin wants to be just like Daddy, and Keeton wants to be just like Austin, cute boys!

Working Out

So my Mom came a couple weekends ago to spread her positive attitude and zest for life. Along with which I went running with her, and decided I LOVE it! So since then I have decided I will run a 5K with Jolene and go from there to see if maybe I would want to do a 10K or something. But I have been running outside as often as I can, with my supportive husband (who watches the kiddos when he is home)at my side. I am excited about this new hobby, and found some new workout clothes at Old Navy today. Nothing gets me jazzed about working out like new workout clothes!

Avocado Salad

Avocado Salad

1/2 C. chopped, peeled cucumber
1/3 C. chopped yellow bell pepper
6 roma tomatoes, diced
2 T. finely chopped sweet onions
1 T. minced fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
Dash of garlic powder
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
Feta cheese

In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients, cover and refridgerate for 15-20 minutes. Add Avocado. Toss gently. Sprinkle with Feta cheese. Serve immediately on lettuce lined plates.

Every year my family gets our favorite recipes together and scrapbooks a few of our favorite. Lacey added this one to the book this year and it is super yummy, and very lifestyle change friendly, so enjoy!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my Mom and Michael's Birthdays, and I just wanted to make a little post about how awesome they are. My Mom has always been an inspiration to me, she is always striving for something better. Whether it is with her education and getting her bachelors degree at 43 or raising money for cancer research with Relay for Life. She has been doing Triathlon's for about a year and a half and is now training to run the Salt Lake Marathon in April. She is so health conscious and always giving me encouragement to be healthy and happy. She is a wonderful mother, grandmother, and friend and I am so glad to have her in my life. I love you Mom!

As for Mike, what a great kid. He is adored by my kids, and is a hard worker and a great friend and brother. Not to mention a hottie! I hope he keeps his head on straight so I have an awesome sister-in-law one day. Plus he is like the best player of Catch Phrase ever! Here is to more phone crackers and War's where all the people died.

Love you guys so much!

Skiing at Brighton

This was my second ski experience, and it was awesome! My Mom has been trying to take me for a couple years now, and finally the planets aligned and we were able to go. Ryan was a little over confindent in his skills and ate it a couple of times, Melissa and Mike were boarding fools, and my Mom is in the best shape of her life and showed us all up on the slopes. All in all it was awesome weather for most of the day and we all had a great time, I can't wait to go again.
This experience reminded me of the first time I went skiing when I was about 17 and I went with my girlfriends from High School (which I am still really close to). First let me prefece this story by saying that Adrienne, K.A., and Lindsay had taken ski lessons several winters growing up, and were excellent instructors on how to snow plow. However after one or two runs down the bunny hill, they were confident in my and Emily's skills and took us up to the back mountain, a black diamond run. It was quite foggy and we could only see about 5 feet in front of you. So I would snow plow for about 5 feet, and call out for my friends ahead of me, who were patiently waiting, then snow plow another 5 feet, taking time to fall on my butt about every 10 feet. But it must not have totally scarred me for life because unlike Emily I skiied the rest of the day and decided to try it again. Thanks guys! Love Ya!

Are we too old for funny pictures?

More Christmas Pics

Austin is so lucky to have so many people that love him so much!

This is my brother Ryan, Lacey, Melissa, and her husband Travis.

Christmas in Utah

Ryan worked over Christmas this year, so we went to Utah over the 31st and spent time with our families there. Ryan's Mom and Dad had scooted off to Vegas to see their newest grandson, so we had just a brief visit with them. So this is at my Dad and Karilynn's house, Tammy and Steve came over there and we had a big Christmas dinner together and presents with the babies. It is so great to have everyone together this year.
Aunt Melissa is such a cute little Auntie.
My Mom, Tammy gave the boys these little fuzzy pillows, which they love. Austin has to sleep with his every night.

Backyard Sledding

Daddy got dressed with Austin and took him out for some fun in the snow yesterday, and a little cross country sledding? Well Austin had fun, that's what matters right?

Christmas Day!

Well we had a wonderful Christmas, Ryan was home with us all day, so we were so lucky. The kids had a great time playing with all their new toys and opening presents. That is by far the best part about it, is watching them. Austin got a train table from Santa, which required many people to get everything put together, but it all worked out and he loved it. Keeton was the early riser and started playing with the trains immediately. This was our first Christmas away from our parents so we got to do all of our own family traditions. Austin and I made Santa gingerbread men on Christmas Eve, he opened the new Christmas movie for him and Keeton and of course the P.J.'s. We had a chocolate orange in each stocking, and instead of life saver books, we had gummie life savers. Later on Shelley and Steve and family came over for a Ham dinner with great appetizers, cheesy potatoes and peppermint cheesecake for dessert. What a wonderful day!

Christmas Eve

Tynley Jo wanted Tysons whole piece of prime rib, silly girl.

Ryan was working up until about 11pm on Christmas Eve, so early on in the evening the kids and I went over to Jolene's parents for dinner and presents. I brought the kids Christmas P.J.s over and we opened them there. We also had yummy prime rib and ham and many warm holiday exchanges. Jolene's whole family has been so wonderful to us since we moved here, constantly inviting us the Sunday dinner and other family functions. I am so grateful to their family and all they do for us.

Christmas Sunday

Austin is growing up so fast. His potty training is going very well, and he went in Church today, which I was very excited about. I am also just plain excited for Christmas. Mostly to see Austin and Keeton's faces as they come out of their rooms on Christmas morning at all of the presents. This is the first year that Austin is excited about Christmas and Santa, so I think he will be the most fun to watch. I just love these boys!

Model Train Show

Jolene and I took the boys to a Model Train Show, talk about old boys and their toys. It was mildly impressive to the layman. I am sure if I was a model train enthusiest it would have been amazing, but needless to say the boys thought is was great. They had replicas of the surrounding towns to Grand Junction, with the mines, and tunnels, and mountains. Then we took them outside to see the old rail cars. What a couple of cheesers. Ty and Austin will sit at Ty's train table and play for hours. They are so cute, they might as well be blood brothers.