climbing with 8 kids

We ventured out with some friends of ours, their 5 kids and a friend of their 9 year old to do some bouldering and rapelling a few weeks ago.  It was really fun and kind of crazy with all of the munchkins!  We ended the day with pizza at their house and then their 6 year old gave all of the little kids a bath while the 4 adults played "Just Dance" on the Wii.  Responsible parenting at its finest.  Aaron has been avoiding that game for forever... it turns out he's pretty good!  Thanks for a great Saturday, Julie and Jay!

this girl not only gives a great bath to 4 other little kids, but she is an awesome little climber too!

the mommies

the daddies

happy humpday!

Ah!!  It's Wednesday!  So to further avoid the rental, grocery budget balancing and check writing I need to do... here's this week's addition of Happy Humpday!

• I'm happy that Van loves to help... even if it usually does more harm than good.
• I'm happy that Van loves that salami we got for Christmas. 

  

  That's a giant salami and a small white truck in that hand.  Totally Van's style. 

• I'm happy that my little buddy was so sad about his shot this afternoon that he scarfed down his whole dinner (sniffling, or maybe just still crying...) and then fell asleep in my arms. 
• I'm happy that I read my scriptures and Ensign this morning before we left the house.  And said my prayers.  It must be a good day! 
• I'm happy that I got 30 minutes all alone with this sweet girl before I plunked her in bed. 
• I'm happy that Aaron is coming home "early" (he'll be home at 9.  ha!). 
• WAIT - EXTRA happy because I just got a text.  He'll be home at 8:30!  WOW!!  And he brought me leftovers from Lemongrass last night.  That curry I just ate for dinner is making me happy still too. 

Happy 29th Birthday, Aaron!!

My cute hubby turned 29 at the beginning of the month! 

Here are 29 things I love about my hubby on his 29th:

1. The only thing he ever wants for his birthday is this apple pie.  
2. He can't pass an unmarked dirt road without driving up it. 
3. The first think he does when he gets home from work is kiss his wife, then he goes up to kiss his sleeping babies. 
4. We found his 1st gray hairs this year.  So hot.  
5. He's really worried that he's balding.  And it's really cute. 
6. He always gives me the leftovers. 
7. He calls me so much his co-workers started to think I'm a crazy controlling wife who makes him call.  He just loves me! 
8. He's always the 1st to say he's sorry.  
9. He's made his co-workers so aware of my extreme foodiness that they always send the restaurant leftovers home for me.  
10. He's the best dish-doer and stair vacuumer at our house.  
11. He really loves his siblings and parents.  
12. He's the king of PMA (positive mental attitude).  
13. He thinks my birthday is a sacred holiday.  
14. He'd rather cuddle than get out of bed in the morning. 
15. He loves adventuring with his kids so much that he hasn't really climbed much in 2 years.  
16. He can still do this (below) even though he "doesn't climb" anymore. 

    

    Bouldering on Emery's birthday

    
17. He loves yoga.



On his birthday date... a food marathon.  appetizer at Applebees (we had a giftcard), green curry at our favorite little Thai place and then concrete from Nielsen's for dessert.  There was supposed to be another course, but we got full!

18. He likes to eat healthy as much as I do - and actually likes vegetables a lot MORE than I do.
19. He totally fits in in the Deacons Quorum (the 12-year-old scouts he works with at church). 
20. He's not materialistic at all.  He thinks our kids should have just a few toys and wonders if Emery should wear fancy boots.  :)
21. His contagious imagination has given our kids the gift of creative play.
22. He refills my water... downstairs from the fridge... or gets up to get my eye drops or excema cream... even if he was already in bed. 
23. He likes to help me paint furniture.  
24. He makes friends with guys twice his age.
25. Old ladies love him.  
26. He's such an enthusiastic scripture reader that Emery loves morning scriptures now. 
27. He's never lucky... he's always "blessed".  
28. He hasn't failed to make me brilliantly cute children.  
29. He puts ketchup on everything.  And thinks our kids should too.  Sick.  :)

The circus and a hockey game

We have done two things we've never done before this year already (thanks to my friend Marissa who finds out about all of these fun things and lets me in on the secret...and lets us tag along...).  We went to the circus and to a hockey game!  They were both really fun! 

At the circus, we couldn't convince Emery to ride anything but the pony.... meaning her pony obsession led to her not being able to ride an elephant!  Stubborn little girl.  :)  My kids had cotton candy for the first time, too, at the circus, which they loved and Emery had her face painted for the 1st time.  Emery's favorite act was the girls who climbed the ropes and did tricks and Van loved the motorcycles doing jumps (of course).  

Van and his best buddy Tyler watching the elephant

Van riding his pony

Emery the butterfly

Van LOVED the hockey game.  He yelled at the ref with the other fans, danced to every song and clapped vigorously for every goal.  I think we have a sports fan on our hands!!

crazy mom and cute girl

Valley of Fire

 I'm blogging back in time trying to catch up.  Before Christmas we spent all day hiking at Valley of Fire.  I hadn't been there since I was a kid and it was fun to take our kids there.  We had a magical day playing in the dirt, hiking and climbing in every hole we could find. 

3 people + 1 tiny whole = lots of fun!

These rocks were bright orange and purple!  The picture just doesn't do it justice!

Van had an awesome mega tired tantrum in the middle of this rock.  It was hilarious.

Emery's 4th Birthday!!

My 1st baby turned 4 right after Christmas!  I really can't believe how grown up she's getting.  It's crazy to think she's gone from tiny infant to mini-teenager in just 4 years.  From this -

look at that giant head!

this is actually EXACTLY what she looks like still when she sleeps

 ...To to a girl who reads and asks me how to spell texturize!  One really fun thing about having your birthday right after Christmas is that often your birthday gets spread over many days - birthday party a different day than your actual birthday which is different from the day dad can be home to celebrate with us, etc.  :)  So we did lots of celebrating for Emery this year.  It was really fun to celebrate our good, sweet girl so much.  Here's the run down on the birthday events:

Birthday morning - opening the last 5 of her Princess Barbies (she got 1 for Christmas from mom and dad and 1 from Santa.  The other 5 she got for her birthday.  Mom and dad got a great deal on the huge pack...)

 We had crepes (her favorite) for breakfast and then she requested some crafts. 

Then she wanted to go climbing for her birthday.  Let me tell you this girl is turning into quite the little climber!!  

Look at her stepping on those tiny edges with her feet!

 And her little brother is trying, too!

Then on Aaron's birthday, actually, we had Emery's 1st party with friends.  She couldn't be talked into anything but a Princess birthday party, so that's what we did!!  They made their own mini pizzas, dug through sand for jewels, painted on huge posters like Rapunzel and decorated pink cupcakes and then all had their own candles to blow out together.  They had soooo much fun!!  

Blowing out their candles

Em and Prince Jack - the token Prince at her party!

We've begged her not to grow up, but she assures us she'll still love the rest of us as she does.  Lucky for us, she's just about the sweetest 4 year old girl around!  We love you Emery girl!