Blogging is coming to an end....

Well, it's been fun. Real fun. But my blogging time is coming to an end. As much as I have loved it and love looking at all of your blogs, I think it is time to start doing something productive with my life.  :)  Just kidding. Actually, my new year's resolution is to start working on photo books for my kids. I've been in this dilemma for a long time now: whether or not to blog, scrapbook, digital photo books, etc.....and the dilemma about what to do with the millions of pictures I have goes on and on. BUT, I think the digital photo books is a good idea. So, adieu for now. You can find me on facebook, but probably not very often since I'll be working on those photo books. :)

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving was so fun this year. We spent it with Kimball's mom's side of the family including Kimball's grandma Twitchell. Nelson's "gobble gobble" shirt charmed everyone. McKay enjoyed making his candy house. I am thankful for my family! 

 This is the first year we have cut our own tree together. Kimball did this growing up, so he and his siblings showed us how it's done. We cut a pinnion (sp?) pine and it smells so wonderful in our house!

Now we're getting ready for Christmas. There is so much going on in December! It's hard to believe that in 1 month we will be celebrating Christmas with my parents in Seattle...can't wait!

Oh and Nelson is 10 Months old!! Such a cute 10 month old.

Howl-o-ween

 Howloween (shouldn't that be the correct spelling??) was a lot of fun at our house!! We started off making these spider eggs. McKay kept telling people they were "scary."

 Carving pumpkins is always fun for me. And I'm not lying. I really do enjoy it! I love Halloween!

 McKay liked coloring his pumpkin

 All the pumpkins at Grandpa Holt's house that the grandkids carved

 Our adorable little fireman and dinosaur!! (Thanks Costco)

 We were lucky to have Grandma Thacker with us for "trick-or-treakin" this year. We loved having her along! 

Big 3 Year Old

 McKay had his birthday, shout HORRAY!

 The dump truck was a hit. McKay helped me make the cake in the morning, but I wanted the dump truck to be a surprise. During his nap, I cut up the cake and arranged it and hid it, so when he got up from his nap....the first thing he says is, "where'd my cake go?" I told him we were saving it for the party that night. Thankfully, he was okay with that. 

 We took McKay swimming with his buddy, Mason. They had so much fun!

Daddy and his boys

I am glad McKay is 3. Terrible twos are gone, right??? :)

I have found it easier to reason with him lately. I'll explain something and most of the time he gets it. That has been really nice. We are switching over to a big boy bed next week (my parents are coming this week to visit, and I figured it would be nice for them to have something to sleep on). I think some people can't believe I have kept McKay in a crib so long, but I am SO glad I have!!! I think that is why he still naps. He has never tried to climb out until last week he did and he fell, and he hasn't tried it again. Quick learner, eh? :) 

In other big boy news, potty training is slow going. For several weeks now he has been willing to go in the potty when I have asked him to. So the other day, I thought, he is probably ready for underwear, so I made a huge deal out of it and got him lots of drinks and treats and stickers and we had fun....until the accidents started happening and kept happening. I didn't honestly know whether to push through it and not give up or just call it quits and be thankful for diapers. Finally I decided, we are just going back to diapers. It's not worth the loss of my sanity. The problem is that he is perfectly content to sit in his wet AND poo (he hates me changing his poopy diapers). I really hope that's not a longterm thing...wink wink.

So for now...he is a big 3 year old who still wears diapers. Lovely! I sure do love him. He got a bike for his birthday and has been in heaven. It is nice for him to have something new to do. 

Cedar Mountain

We had a really fun time up at Woods Ranch this past Friday night where we cooked foil dinners and just played. It was a MUCH needed family outing...Kimball has been working looooooooong hours for the past 3 weeks in the fall harvest (and the end is not in sight yet)....so we were all delighted that he took a night off to hang out with us!!!

The scenery was very pretty with the colors changing

Cute McKay...we found some swings and a big tire

The chef with his little helper

8 Months Old

So I realize that every parent thinks their kid is the cutest, but does your heart not just light up by seeing this little man's smile??? Nelson is such a fun baby. He is not so much of a social baby, but I think it is because he is extremely active and so curious. At this age, McKay couldn't move around at all, so he would just sit and look at people and smile at them. Nelson doesn't really observe people as much because he would rather move! 

Generosity

John Holmes said, “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

Today I was reminded that there really are some very good, generous people out there! I came up to get in line at walmart. A middle-aged man was in front of me. He looked back at me and could see my two boys (who were actually being pretty good) and my cart full of stuff. I just said hi to him and started unloading my cart. He paid and went on his way and as I got up to the check stand, the checker said, "that man left $60 to go towards your groceries." Sixty dollars? That is a lot of money in my book! I was shocked. That was the most generous thing a complete stranger has ever done for me. I almost got teary-eyed just thinking of how nice that was! I plan to do the same for someone else....it made such a difference to me!

7 months

 I can't believe my little man is 7 months old! He is doing the army crawl all over the place. McKay is constantly building "gates" to keep his toys protected....we have had numerous conversations about sharing. :) Nelson is such a cute little baby, especially when he smiles. I love it. 

It's raining, it's pouring

 Has anyone else in Utah been surprised by how much rain we've been getting????

Thunderstorms and rain showers are pretty frequent in the late summer here, but this year has been more than usual. And I am in LOVE with this weather!!! It's not so good for the farmers...but it sure does remind me of home!

Rebekah & Grandma Hatch

 While we were in Seattle, we spent some time visiting with grandma Hatch (my mom's mom) and cousin Rebekah and her cute little boy. Rebekah and I grew up together and we are "bosom friends." {Name that movie!!} She is the best! Such a great example to me in so many ways. I love her. It was also really nice to be at grandma's house again. Her yard was beautiful, and she made us some tasty food, as always. :)

July 2012

More Beach

I LOVE the Beach!!! I could sit or play on the beach all day long. 

This is my brother, Scott

 A tradition we have is doing a cook-out on the beach with foil dinners and corn on the cob...yummy!

 My dad and Nelson

 Two Thumbs Up

Me and my boys. We missed Kimball a lot. We sure wish he can come to the beach next time.