8 years

So, 8 years ago yesterday, we looked like this:


And now, or the fairly recent now, we look like this:


Yep, it's been 8 years. 4 kids, 4 jobs(2 for each of us), 1 house, lots of fun, hard work(Bryce) and a little chubbiness(me). The time flew. 8 down, forever to go.


I love you, honey!

Mmm... Pork

So, if you live in Arizona you may know about this place...


It's in Queen Creek and is basically a shop where they sell pork (go figure). But it is super yummy, and in March and October they sell super cheap Bratwurst outside the shop and everyone has a great time. They also sell pork sticks which go like hotcakes at our house. Here are the kids eating their Brats in the back of the car (it was really windy on Saturday).


Check it out if you haven't been there.

The Pork Shop

A Boy and His Bike

Good Job Ethan!

Ethan is riding his bike without training wheels now. Thanks to Bryce. I've been really bad about helping him, but he got it after only a couple tries with Bryce.

Okay, it's Not

All right, I guess it's not that warm yet. I was nice and toasty waiting for my kids to finish swimming lessons, but this is how they were returned to me....




They don't look too cold, do they?

Is it Summer, Already?

The kids just started swimming lessons again. Well, the older two. I'm not starting Avery until school gets out, but she couldn't be without her suit, too. I can't believe it's warm enough already for swimming! You gotta love Arizona...until June, that is.

Noelle's Announcement

I was so slow doing announcements this time, that everyone's already seen her. So we're only sending a few out to far away people. That said, here it is if anyone wants to see the baby princess!

Kid of Character

Last week Ethan got the "Kid of Character" award at school. Each class picks one student each term to receive it. It says "for displaying outstanding respect, responsibility, caring, citizenship, fairness and trustworthiness".


The awards are presented at an assembly for the whole school. Bryce and I were able to go watch, and my dad came too. Ethan was so happy to have everyone there. Thanks Lindsey, for watching the girls. We are so proud of him!


He also got a gift certificate for a free meal at Souper Salad, so he and I are going to go on a date there.


Ethan with the other winners for Kindergarten. Way to go, Ethan!

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Yesterday was Ethan's 6th Birthday! I'm not sure what to say about it. I feel like I just keep saying "how did he get so big?" and "can't we just make them stop growing?" I guess I should just enjoy them the age they are...but, really, it goes sooo fast! Ethan is such a sweet and funny kid. He is a great helper. Everyday I ask him to do things for me while I'm feeding Noelle. He always does them without complaining. And way faster than the girls who seem to do 12 other things as well, when I send them on an errand. Maybe it's an oldest child thing, but he has always seemed really responsible.

Ethan was pretty excited with his presents this year. He has really started to get into Legos and Hot Wheels tracks. Thank goodness! Better that than Bakugan, right? Nothing against it, but I just don't understand what they are or what they do. I know, I live in the past. I don't know if I mentioned it on here at Christmas time, but Ethan asked for some funny things for Christmas. He wanted a back scratcher and a shoe horn. Yep...you heard me right. For scratching his back and horning his shoes. I don't know why I'm worried about Ethan being 6, I should be worried about him being 40. Anyway, the retractable metal back scratcher he got in his stocking broke pretty much immediately. So for his birthday he got a new heavy duty (Dollar Tree) wooden one. He was a happy camper.

I let Ethan decorate his own cake this year (...but, Mom, Olivia gets to!). I usually like to do something fun (he's had pirate ship and airplane cakes), but I think this was probably more fun for him. Oh yeah, and less work for me! Yay! He wanted half blue frosting and half green. Half gummy bears and half gummy octopi. And every sprinkle we had in the house. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm.

Happy Birthday sweet Ethan! We love you!

2 Months

Noelle is two months old today. It's gone fairly quickly and poor Noelle has fallen prey to 4th child syndrome. Yes, it's true. I have hardly any pictures of her and I only sit and stare at her for an hour a day instead of the requisite five. So sad. But we sure do love her. She's already almost eleven pounds. She still sleeps a lot, and is starting to smile more. We finally caught it on camera. What a cutie!