Thanksgiving 2011

I thought I better blog about Thanksgiving before Christmas gets here. We spent Thanksgiving in Saint George with Michael's parents. We braved the 7 1/2 hour drive but it was worth it. This was our attempt at family pictures. Some turned out bad....and some turned out better than expected.

We had a screaming time
With a trip to the Temple
And an afternoon of swimming with Grandpa


It was a great trip with much needed rest and relaxation.

What a Month

This last month was a busy one. My parents came for a visit at the beginning of October, we love it when they come. My dad and Michael went to work redoing some shelves in our pantry while my mom and I talked up a storm, well as least my mom did. I lost my voice the entire time they were here and it was not fun as all but that didn't stop us from having fun. We took the kids to an aquarium. Esther and Henry had so much fun it was hard to get them to take a nap when we got home. I wish I had taken more pictures but I did get a cute video, it is at the end of all the pictures.
After my parents left we had planned on potty training Henry. That makes potty training 2 kids in one year. Henry pick out his own underwear, potty stickers, potty seat, and treats. We made a count down chain to the potty day and talked and talked about going on the toilet. We even practiced running to the toilet the weekend before we got started. Michael had the 17th, 18th and 19th off so that gave us three days to get Henry potty trained.
Monday we spent the day in the kitchen so we wouldn't have any accidents on the carpet. He drank and drank and drake a ton of juice and then it started coming out. He had 10 accidents between 9am-noon. My kitchen floor was getting very clean but Henry kept forgetting to tell us he needed to go potty. I would say "Henry tell Mommy when you need to go potty" he would say "OK" and then pee on the floor. The next morning we have a little talk. I had purchased a couple of match box cars for when he would poo in the toilet but that was not the issue; he had no problem going poo in the toilet it was the pee. I made him a deal. I would give him a car at the end of the day if he did not pee on the floor. He had one accident later that day and did not get the car and that was the ticket. The next day no accidents and he started telling me when he needed to go. He received 4 cars total and has not had an accident since. He loves his new underwear and I love not having 2 kids in diapers.
We had a great Halloween this year. Henry was supposed to go as a lion but wouldn't wear the costume so a quick trip to the fabric store to make a cape. Esther was the cutest witch ever and Ainsley was a fish. It was definitely a new experience trick or treating in shorts and sandals. Here in Arizona everyone sits out on their porch or in the driveway and hands out candy. It is like having a big block party.
The weather was perfect around 75-80 degrees. We went trick or treating for about an hour and have enough candy to feed a small army. Henry and Esther keep asking when we are going trick-or-treating again.



October has come and gone and I feel like Ainsley does here in this picture. I hope November is a little less busy. I am sure it won't be since we are trying to get the yard done by Christmas, the garage needs to be organized, I want to paint the kitchen, and of course all the normal day to day stuff that goes on with a 3yr old, 2yr old, and a 9th month old running around. But I am looking forward to cooler weather and more time spent outside.


Here is a video of Esther and Henry at the aquarium

Tug-A-War

Cool Tricks Cool Tricks

Our Utah vacation

This last August we spent two weeks in Utah visiting family and friends. Our first stop was Grandma and Grandpa in Saint George.

Since Michael's parents were unable to come to our house for Esther's birthday we had a birthday celebration at their house. Don't you love the grin; I think she was just happy to be out of the car.


While in Saint George we went swimming at the city center.




After a couple of days in Saint George we drove to Fairview Utah to spend time with my family.

After a fun filled weekend camping with my family we drove to Lehi to stay with my sister Carrie


Esther and Henry had fun playing on the swings with their cousins Roxie and Peter. This is Esther and Peter on the swings.
Esther discovered dressing up with her cousin Roxie. She is wearing two tutus'
Of course we had to see Heather and her family while we were in Utah. It is always fun to get together.

And of course a good run around with uncle Thomas and Aunt Laura

Ainsley with Aunt Laura

We didn't forget to get some reading in.
Our trip wouldn't be complete without a visit with Debbi, Monica, and Meslissa. We love you guys.

We had a great time in Utah and enjoyed visiting with everyone. We hope to see you all next year or come visit us if you want to make it sooner.

Swim Lessons take 2

As you can see there has been much improvement. Esther and Henry just completed 4 weeks of swim lessons and did great(once the crying stopped). They cried the whole first week but after that they started to get a hang of things. Swim lessons were Mon-Thur for 30min. They can't totally swim on their own yet but that will come with age. They are totally comfortable around the pool and I am more comfortable swimming with them. It is so much more fun to go swimming with Esther and Henry because they love the water and have a great time practicing what they learned. We still watch them like a hawk when they are around the pool or in the water. We will continue swim lessons next year.

Blackmail

I am sure when Henry and Esther are in their teens we will use these videos to embarrass them or threaten to embarrass them. I just love the 2 and 3 year old meltdowns.

Some cute pictures

Ainsley looking cute. It is hard to believe she is going to be 6months on the 19th.

We had a flat tire on the mini van so we had to move the car seats to the Camry so Esther and Henry could get to swim lessons. Then the car seats were moved inside for day till we put them back in the mini van. Here is Henry and Ainsley(who is sitting in Esther's car seat) watching TV together.

Possible Olympic Diver?

Ainsley's Firsts

Ainsley got to try out the pool for the first time yesterday. The Temp was around 113 degrees outside so we went swimming to cool off; she didn't cry.
This was her first attempt at baby food. I feed her some rice cereal and carrots. Neither one she cared for.

Day 1 of swim lessons

We will have to see if they are still crying after 8 days.

Not what one wants in their kitchen

This is what I found in our kitchen Monday night, yes a scorpion. The joys of living in Arizona. It was around 10pm or so, I was walking into our very dim lit kitchen heading toward the pantry when I saw something on the floor. At first I thought it was a piece of paper left by the kids and just as I was about the step over it my brain kicked in. I stepped back taking a closer look and it was exactly what I was hoping to never come across in my kitchen, a scorpion. It was about 2in long which the smaller they are the more poisonous they are. I quickly ran up stairs to get Michael. We both headed back down stairs with Michael having a shoe in his hand. With one quick Whack that was the end of the scorpion. Since then we have found 2 large dead cockroaches, one in the kitchen and one in the front room. The next day the bug man was called; he just finished spraying. It still creeps me out.

Birthday BOY

Yesterday was Henry's Birthday. Here is a little tribute to Henry. Sorry the pictures didn't want to go in order.
Henry is a little clumsy he tends to fall a lot. Here he is with a bruise between his eyes and one over his eye brow and a small black eye.

Henry has always loved tools and putting things together and taking them apart.


He still has his blond hair and it usually is sticking straight up.
He loves this firetruck and still rides it all over the house.



Henry was and is a very cute little boy though getting not so little.

The Party
Henry loves cars, trucks, airplanes, and helicopters so that was the theme of his party.

A birthday cake fit for a two year old. Michael's family joined us to celebrate Henry's birthday. Michael's parents have been staying with us for the past couple of weeks.

I printed pictures of cars, trucks, trains, and airplanes and put them on the walls the night before so it would be a surprise in the morning. He was so excited when he saw the pictures he couldn't stop talking about them. I also blew up balloons and put them in his room while he was sleeping but that didn't go so well. The sun comes up at 5am here. He woke up and the balloons scared him so he started crying. He wouldn't go back to sleep so his birthday started at 5am.
Of course we went swimming.
Henry's favorite things to eat are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and french fries. So that was what we had for dinner

Henry got a new bike from mommy and daddy, books and a fire fighter hat from the Kirby's(Michael's sister family) and a fire truck toy and car toy from grandma and grandpa. Michael's mom also made him a new blanket that has tractors on it. He had to take the hat, the fire truck toy and the new blanket all to bed with him last night.

Continuation of the tribute

When he is doing something he is not supposed to he says "look a me, look a me." I tried to get it on video, this was as close as I could get.

What we love about Henry,
Henry loves his blanket(not pictured). Ever since we moved here he has become attached to his blanket. He has to have it when he watches TV and when he reads books. It has to be over his legs and all straightened out. He does not like to share it. When it is not over his legs it is in his mouth. It has food all over it most of the time and usually some blood. He has a melt down when it goes in the washer. Henry is the filling in our Oreo cookie(the blond between the 2 browns). He can be absolutely adorable and crabby all at the same time. He is our alarm clock; always the first to get up(usually around 6am). He is his father's son and his mommy's little boy. We love you Henry. Happy Birthday.