then and now

 Gager having his first french fry! He totally scored and he knew it!

The whole gang after soccer on Saturday! 

Thanks dad for taking us all to eat!!

My Aunt Babe, yes that is what she goes by, just opened up a new restaurant. It's called Our Diner and it's really cute and small and good. They serve breakfast and lunch only and they are open until 4:00. Check it out if you are on the Guide sometime and are hungry ;)

Back in my other life, the one before I was married, I worked for my Aunt Babe. I started working for her when I was 13 years old. First I bussed tables and then I was a waitress. It's funny to think about now. I seriously feel like it was another life time ago.

Saturday morning were always my shift. I seriously think I worked every Saturday morning from the time I started until I got married and moved away. I loved that shift. It was always busy and I always made bank. When I stop and think about it I can still do the whole opening routine. I can see myself parking my car on the dark morning before 6:00am. I would walk in and greet the cook who would already be prepping in the kitchen. I would clock in and turn on the coffee pots. Then I would start putting out the creamers on the tables.... you get the idea. I did it for a long time. The regular customers would come in and sit at the counter and ask me what I did the night before to which I would never really answer just blush and smile and change the subject. I would put their orders in without even asking them what they wanted because I already knew, they ate the same thing every Saturday. 

Later in the morning the families would start coming in. Asking for highchairs and making huge messes.

It's funny being on the other side of all of that now. I don't miss those days. They were really good days and I have really fond memories. I also have some not so fond memories but that's to be expected. I don't really know what my point is here except that time goes so fast and life is so good and the phases we go through are all so unique and important. I am so glad that I got to work for my aunt for so long and I am so glad that now I don't have too. And that's just about it.

Rockin the Hawk

Gage is growing…. fast!

I don’t know who told him he should grow up but it wasn’t me.

This past week he is getting up onto all fours!! My girlfriend was over and all of a sudden she was like, “Andrea, he’s going to crawl!”

Braxton has been heading up the crawling lessons. They include but aren’t limited to all three kids getting into crawling position, placing one of Gage’s toys across the room and then cheering for Gage to, “go get it, go get it. You can do it, you can do it…”

Hilarious!

Yesterday I cut Gage’s hair. Jeff had nicknamed him “whispy” because of his little whisps of hair that would fly down his neck and behind his ears. I left the hair on top, as you can see in the pictures. It’s pretty funny still but much better.

The babe is just cute as can be. Always happy! Some would say he is spoiled, as he really likes me to hold him or for someone to entertain him, but I don’t call him spoiled, I call him special. He is just a doll and maybe a bit of  a mommy’s boy. Gage is all smiles and when you talk to him you make his whole world.

Gage got his first tooth, finally, after months of drooling and working on it. I was trying to capture the tooth in the photos, but no such luck. It’s just cute. One little bottom tooth.

Look closely can you see all those long, whispy hairs!!??

I'm officially crazy!

So I don't know the exact definition of a crazy person but I feel like one lately. Tonight topped it off. I am unloading the dryer and Jeff comes to help and hang out. He opens the washer to transfer the clothes from the washer to the dryer. All I hear is, "what the heck?" and then a long pause before he pulls out an extremely full diaper that he got out of the wash! Apparently I threw it in there with the last load of laundry and washed it.

We were both laughing hysterically. I have been telling him that I feel like a crazy person so now he actually saw it for himself. Then I told him to throw it in the dryer and maybe I can use it again tomorrow. Ha.
(that's a joke, by the way, for those of you who take me way too serious sometimes).

I told him he could turn me in if he wanted but he seems to like me crazy!

a little dejavu

Braxton Allan age 6 months…..7 years ago!!

Gage Joel age 6 months…. a few days ago.

It was crazy dejavu for this momma!!

I was sitting outside on the blanket with Gage going, “this has totally happened before!” Then tonight as I was uploading my pictures from the week I started browsing old pictures of Braxton and sure enough, it had basically happened before, just a different babe. A whopping seven years ago we bought our home and I was so happy to have a yard I would bundle up Braxton everyday that it wasn’t raining and we would go sit on a blanket in the grass.

Sigh. I love spring. I love baby boys. I love sunny days in the green, green, grass.

little voices

It's true. I think my kids are absolutely hilarious!

The other day Braxton informed me, "everyone in my class knows about Harry Potter but me!" Apparently he is deprived. I told him I didn't know about Harry Potter either but he didn't seem to care. Seems as though we will be figuring this whole Harry Potter thing out together, soon. He called his Gramy in Utah, who has the whole collection, and she is sending us the first book to get started on.

This morning Adelle got picked up by her little friend for school. Braxton and Emmett came out to say goodbye to Adelle and hello to Jackson.

Braxton, "Hi Jackson." Jackson says hi back to Braxton. Adelle chimes in, "that's Braxton my brother, he's just 7."

Braxton after they walk off, "what? Just 7??"

Like she was totally undermining his capacity or strength as a seven year old. It made me laugh out loud. I told him he was funny and he just stood there, totally bewildered as to why his biggest fan referred to him as a mere seven year old.

I am still laughing.

Happy Place

Picture me laying on the pillow next to Gage, reading my book, while the boys napped. That was my peaceful Friday afternoon. First I fell asleep with them, then I awoke and instead of getting up and getting busy doing something I just continued to lay there and enjoy the sweet moments of rest and relaxation.

I am thankful for a home where my family can feel peace.

Emmett is totally out in this picture. His eyes never quite close all the way ;)

"Many voices from the world in which we live tell us we should live at a frantic pace. There is always more to do and more to accomplish. Yet deep inside each of us is a need to have a place of refuge where peace and serenity prevail, a place where we can reset, regroup, and reenergize to prepare for future pressures.

The ideal place for that peace is within the walls of our own homes, where we have done all we can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece." - Elder Richard G. Scott

Thursday again???

Thursday is soccer practice over here. Here is my little soccer girl. I say that generously as she is sure cute but definitely not a soccer player:)

I love Adelle. She is quick, smart, obedient, helpful, and very kind and funny. But, she does not have an aggressive bone in her little body. So, soccer is just funny to watch her play because she honestly runs away from the ball. If the other team has it she doesn't want to take it from them, like it's not a nice thing to do, right. So it's been interesting. She loves the teammates. She is the friendliest little player. She knows all their names and what their moms and dads all look like. She is the youngest player on the team. But, she is totally happy just watching others kick the ball while she stands and watches or picks flowers for everyone from the field.

Lesha totally captured it in this picture. Carson on the other hand is a defensive maniac. He doesn't really care about the social aspect of the sport but he knows the ball and knows how to get it and what to do with it. Notice Adelle's fishy face she is making, just completely un-engaged.

My brother in law was coaching these little guys with me until he dropped us all like a bad habit and moved to Portland to start a new job.  Sad! He was awesome and we made a really good team. Him with the plays and concepts, me with the engaging the kids and making it fun and practical.

Now Lesha is helping me which is great too. I love being with my sister. 

Tuesdays and Thursdays have turned into family fun days. My sister shows up with her kids. My mom shows up to watch the little ones. My sister and I take the big kids to soccer, we can walk there. Jeff comes home and goes straight to Braxton's practice to watch/help. Lesha and I coach Adelle and Carson. My mom watches Kate, Emmett, and Gage at my house. 

We come home all tired and hungry. We all eat dinner together. Lesha and I take turns doing dinner for that night and it cooks while we are practicing. Everyone eats. The kids all play. It's a beautiful thing and one that I am realizing I have taken advantage of.

Braxton is playing soccer too and he is on an older team this year. He is doing awesome. I don't get to watch him practice because it's at the same time I am coaching Adelle, but his coach is continually telling me how great he does and what a mature young man he is. Braxton loves the sport and is really getting good at it. I am excited to watch him in the games.

And here is a shot from last Thursday. The weeks have been going so fast I don't know what to do about it!

Riley spent the night last Wednesday night and on Thursday we had fun painting faces. 

Riley is such a good cousin and we love it when she comes and visits. Her and Braxton and Adelle all play together so nice and it's so fun to listen to them communicate.

This is what I remember from last week.

Riley to Adelle: "Wow Adelle, you are a good colorer. How did you learn to color so good?"

Adelle: "From my brother, Braxton."

Adelle to Braxton: "Brax, come show Riley how to color!"

Riley: "I know how to color!!"

It was really funny! Riley was just being nice and complimenting Adelle and Adelle naturally asked her brother to come help Riley. So funny these little ones.

Need a new breakfast idea? Check this out!

Easter Sun

I think Easter was the hottest day of the year this far. It was so beautiful.

We had some special visitors surprise us from Utah. Gabe and John came to town and came over Easter Sunday to hang out with us outside in the sun.

The kids were happy to share their cheetos that the Easter bunny had left in their baskets with their cousins.

Braxton rocking his new shirt that was stuffed in his basket.

Cutie Teagan looking so big!

Here are the happy sports posing for a kodak moment.

 Then for dinner we went out to my parents at the Bay.

As to be expected Bryce found his egg first during the adult hunt. My dad had strategized for weeks where to hide Bryce's egg so that it wasn't the first one found and sure enough before we even started the hunt Bryce had spotted his egg.... at the top of the flag pole!

Auntie always has arms for "G man" as she calls him.

 Easter was a beautiful day. I love going to church on Easter and singing songs about the atonement and resurrection. Our choir at church is so amazing and the Spirit was so strong.  Jeff made us an Easter breakfast which was really amazing and he even made doughnuts for me to bring to my Sunday School class. What a guy!

I love being with my family outside. There is nothing better. I love having so many cousins around for my kids to play with. They were so stoked to see Riley and Laney!

I love a good potato salad and baked beans to dip my potato chips in on Easter Sunday. You can save the chocolate bunnies for someone else ;)

It was a glorious day.

And if you remember any of these egg hunts you know that Jeff is always last to find his egg and it drives him   absolutely crazy. This year was no different but I think he got over it when he and I whooped on him and Chelsey in a game of bocce ball. Go us!

Lucky at the Zoo

Monday was so beautiful. It was warm and wonderful and we spent the day up in Canada at the Zoo. It was Peter’s birthday and he requested a day at the Zoo with all the women to himself. Lol! It was Peter and Lesha and their kids, my mom, Chelsey, and me and my kids. Lots of kids and lots of women ;)

Driving up through the border the woman in the box asked if all the kids belonged to me. I said yes that they were all mine. She then said, “wow, you are really lucky.” She said it in such a profound way that I knew she was being serious. I said, “thank you,” and continued through. My mom and I were so impressed with what she said. Normally when people notice I have 4 kids they say things like, “you’re crazy!”, or “so are you done with 4!”, or I don’t even know what else but no one has ever said, “wow, you are really lucky,” and it was really refreshing. I know I am lucky but it was nice for a stranger to recognize my kids as a blessing.

The kids were so so  good! My mom and Chelsey rode up with me and my kids and it was nice to have a few extra hands to hold Gage or push the stroller when I was taking kids back and forth to the bathroom. Also, I brought my camera but I never once dug it out of my bag which was so nice.  Chelsey took all the pictures. If you ever go someplace I recommend bringing your own personal photographer with you!

Braxton was the star of the day. The boys were most excited about seeing the bears and when we got to their refinement the one bear was way off and asleep and we could barely see her. Braxton starts growling really loud and obnoxiously and all of the sudden the bear sits up, then proceeds to walk towards us. Braxton kept growling and the next thing we knew the bear was right at the gate, nose to nose with us! All the zoo kids were happy and pretty soon there was a mob of people all excited to finally get to see the bear. Braxton was pretty pleased with himself!

After the Zoo I thought for sure the kids would fall asleep on the way home but no such luck. Lesha and Peter left their kids with me so they could have a birthday date. The kids were all totally spent and cranky and in the heat of it all my brother Bryce called to see if he and Chelsey could pick up stuff for dinner and come to our house. It was sweet!  I rocked Gage to sleep while Chelsey cooked taco meat and Bryce jumped on the trampoline with all the kids. Then once he was asleep I chopped up toppings for tacos and when Jeff got home we were all hungry and ready to chow.

We finished off the night watching a family favorite, “Free Willy.”

So far we are having the best spring break ever!

And just so you know I really love having family close and I am having a hard time grasping the fact that my sister and her family are moving to another state, soon. But that’s a whole nother story.