Our Recent Happenings

With all that has been going on lately, I decided that I needed/wanted to work on some projects.  I am so grateful that Andrew was so willing to help me out with them.  I absolutely LOVE how they all turned out. 

Deker and Bauer (Keagan was at school) were so excited and couldn't wait to help paint. 

Here are the finished projects.  These first two pictures are of things we put up in the living room.  We had gotten an old window from our friends who were remodeling a house.  I finally got around to cleaning it up, painting it and adding vinyl.  I also found this quote "Family, like branches on a tree we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one."  I also remembered that I saw a metal tree at a new store and thought it would go well with the quote and I had a 20% off coupon.

Next, I wanted to make this sign.  We had some boards in the garage that were cut too small when the bunk bed was being made and they worked perfectly and we used paint that we already had. 

This one is at the end of the hallway which I always thought needed something.  So, after looking at things I pinned on Pinterest, I decided on doing this with the 6 "B"s from President Hinckley. 

This one was all pretty much Andrew, but we finally got around to building this teeter totter that my sister Vera showed us several month ago.

Now, for some other random happenings in our house. 

Last Sunday when we got home from church, I didn't put my shoes away right away.  This is what I found Bauer doing after lunch.

Last Wednesday evening, we were all out in the back yard.  I was reading a book, Andrew was working on a project and the boys were playing.  Bauer was at the swing when he started crying.  I had figured he just fell of the swing and that he would be just fine, but when I went to check on him he was bleeding really bad from his mouth.  After getting him inside and looked at where the blood was coming from, we realized that he had knocked out one of his front teeth.  We took him to the dentist the next morning to make sure that it hadn't been pushed up or broken off or anything.  They took X-Rays and much to our relief it was just knocked completely out.  He will now just have 1 front tooth for quite a few years. 

What a Weekend

As you all probably know, my little brother has been living with us this summer while he attended the Northwest Lineman's Collage (where they teach them about electrical work on power poles and stuff) which is about 5 miles from our house.  This past weekend was his graduation so my parents and my sister Vera came and visited for the weekend.

First of all though...Last week Neal asked Bauer if he would carry him upstairs, Deker decided he wanted to help.  Here is how it looked: 

Now onto the graduation festivities.  On Friday morning was the Lineman's rodeo.  There were 4 different stations that each crew had to do.  Here is a picture of Neal doing the Pole Top Rescue (rescuing someone, in this case a dummy, who got hurt at the top of a pole).

My Mom and two of my boys watching. 

There was a Bucket Truck that we could get rides in if we wanted to.  We all did, with the exception of Bauer.  Here is Deker and I ready for our ride. 

Keagan and Aunt Vera ready for their ride.

Bauer trying on Neal's hard hat.

Here is a picture that my Dad took from up in the bucket truck.  I included this because when Deker and I were up in the truck, there are several things to look at.  All of a sudden Deker says "Mom, I see a farm tractor".  If you look out at the top right hand of the picture, you can barely see a Farm Tractor. 

That night was the actual Graduation.  Since Andrew was working, I got a babysitter to watch the boys so that I could go.  Here we all are outside our house after we got back. 

Neal's favorite dessert is Striped Delight.  So I made that for him.  The top is cool whip and I wasn't sure what to use to pipe something on top because he doesn't like frosting.  So I tried using chocolate syrup.  It didn't turn out the greatest, but it was worth the try.  (You can get the recipe Here on Smithalicious.)

Saturday was another fun filled day.  When I was getting my boys ready for the day, Keagan asked for a Mohawk, then Deker decided he wanted one and of course Bauer didn't want to be left out.  So,  here are my cute Mohawk boys. 

We decided to go to the Farmers Market in downtown Boise.  Vera, being the wonderful aunt that she is got "animal balloons" for each of the boys.  They all chose swords. 

Keagan has really outgrown his bike, but we were going to wait until Christmas to get a new one, but a neighbor of ours who has older boys called us earlier in the week and gave us this bike.  Keagan took a few days to figure out how to ride it since it is bigger than he was used to, but he finally got the hang of this on Sunday.  Neal got on it play with Keagan.  Keagan saw him and said "Neal stop you are making my tires go flat". 

I had read earlier in the week that the city of Boise was hosting a Celebratory ride and birthday celebration with Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong (she is from Boise and won the gold medal in 2008 & 2012 in the Time Trial).  Being the cyclists that a bunch of my family has become, we decided to go and participate.  She lead a short 1.5 mile ride from the Boise Depot to the Idaho Capitol where the celebration was held.  They had cake to celebrate her birthday and she signed posters that they gave out with a picture of her on the medal stand with her son. 

Here is Kristin talking to us for a minute before we started the ride.  She also talked at the celebration.  One thing that she said was something to the effect of when she was on the medal stand she wanted to show her son that dreams are possible and she also wanted to show all the moms that you can have dreams and goals and it is all about having a balance.  That was something that I really needed to hear. 

I was able to get a picture with her.  Then we all got a group picture with her. 

I don't have any picture of this, but Friday was also my Dad's birthday.  Because of all the stuff for graduation, we didn't really get to celebrate until Saturday.  We all got to go do dinner then came home and had Black Forest Cake, which is one of my Dad's favorite desserts. 

Up, Down and Up again.

Up:  

In July, Andrew's parents took the boys for a week.  We met them in Twin Falls one Saturday afternoon so that they wouldn't have to drive all the way to our house.  Andrew and I decided to rent a Hotel in Twin Falls and stay there for the weekend.  We went to the temple, relaxed and discovered a little of Twin Falls.  Here is a picture of us by a waterfall we happened to find. 

Down:
We were so glad that we had that weekend to spend together because a lot of crazy stuff happened during the week.  On Thursday of that week, I excitedly went to an OB appointment where I should have been 10 weeks along.  During the ultrasound, it was discovered that the baby had died about a week before.  I ended up going in the following Thursday for a D&C.  It was a hard time, but thanks to all the many wonderful prayers and the support from our family and friends (both near and far), we have made it through. 

Up:
The kids have been having lots of fun playing outside, swinging, riding bikes and any other activities that we have done.  Here are some pictures my sister took while she was here of the boys swinging and Keagan jumping off the swing (his new favorite thing to do). 

Up for Keagan, I am not sure for me:

Keagan started 1st grade this past Tuesday.  He was so excited for 1st grade and eating lunch at school and it has definitely lived up to his expectations.  He loves 1st grade, being gone all day, eating lunch at school and his teacher.  He actually told me that he loves school because it is less time at home.  I still don't know how to take that comment. 

While Keagan was at school Deker, Bauer and I made him his giant first day of school cookie.

Up:
Last night, we took down the crib and put Bauer in a big boy bed.  He was so excited and kept saying "mine, mine" while pointing at his bed.  When we put him in bed last night, he didn't try to get out and just went right to sleep.  And he didn't even fall out of bed at all.  He was all smiles when I went into his room this morning. 

4th of July, Train, Goldilocks & Announcement

Wow, I sure do get behind fast.  This is going to be a bunch of little things in one post. 

First off...The 4th of July.  We decided to make some shirts for the 4th of July.  We had fun painting the shrits and seeing how they turned out.  Then on after I had gotten the boys dressed, Bauer walked into his dark room and when I looked in on him, I was surprised to see that the blue paint glowed in the dark. 

We have been having fun telling people some great news lately.  We sent this picture out to our family a little over a week ago.  We are just so excited!

The first Sunday in July a train was parked at the Boise Depot and they were celebrating 150 years of the Union Pacific Railroad.  We decided to take our boys down there after church.  They loved it. 

Deker and Bauer looking at the brochure of the train. 

They were giving out these cute visor hats and flags as we waited in line to get into the museum car. 

There was also a mini train that we could ride on which the boys LOVED. 

This past Saturday, I rode in my very first Bike Ride.  It was the all girls Goldilocks Bike Ride.  My sister Vera came down from California to join me.  She choose the 100 mile option (her 5th 100 mile bike ride since last October) and I choose the 40 mile option.  I LOVED it and I am so glad that I was able to do it.  I finished the ride in 4 hours (including rest stops) I was originally hoping to get it done faster, but since finding out I was pregnant and being told by my doctor to be careful and not feeling the greatest, I am just glad that I was able to do it.

Here are Andrew and the boys cheering me on as I came into the finish line.

Vera and I before her ride started. 

I wish I had gotten a picture of me, Andrew and all my boys, but I didn't think of that until after Andrew and Bauer had gone home for naps (Andrew had just gotten back from work and was up since 1 am.)

We all had such a Wonderful time visiting with my sister Vera and getting spoiled by her last week and we were all sad to see her leave on Monday. 

Deker's Birthday

Last Tuesday was Deker's birthday.  He turned the big 4.  He has been planning his party for about 2 months now (since we started planning Keagan & Bauers birthdays which were the beginning of May).  Some days Deker wanted a tractor party, some days it was a John Deere Tractor party.  But we finally decided on a Construction theme party.  We had his friend party on Monday morning because Andrew is home on Mondays. 

We bought those plastic hard hats and personalized them with their names.  We also got Home Depot tool belts for each kid.  We played "Dump that Dirt" (this was Deker's idea).  We have a little trike that has a bucket in the back.  We put dirt in a sand box and then had a tarp on the other side of the driveway.  Each child started at the start/finish line, rode the trike got a shovel of dirt and put it in the bucket, rode around the end of the driveway and dumped the dirt onto a tarp and then rode to the finish line. 

After that, we played "Pin the Dirt in the Dump Truck".  Andrew drew a great dump truck for that.  Then we had cake and Ice cream.  Had a Dump Truck pinata and then played outside until it was time to go.  We also set out a lot of the tractors we have for the kids to play with.  Deker loved his party and the great presents that he got from his friends.

Here is Deker in his birthday shirt that we made for him. 

The Bulldozer cake that Andrew made.  I found the idea on Pinterest, showed it to Andrew and he used his building skills to cut 2 9x13 cakes and stack them into this.  We used fun-size Kit Kats for the tracks and a big Symphony Bar for the blade. 

We used Caution tape & yellow and black balloons to decorate with. 

Here are all the kids in their construction hats and tool belts. 

On the morning of Deker's actual birthday, I made him a number 4 pancake. 

Deker had to wait until Tuesday after dinner to open his presents from us, which was really hard for him.  It was just going to be our little family, but it ended up being a little impromptu party.  A friend of Neals came over, our good friends, Brandon & BarrieJo stopped by as well as Andrew's sister Anna and her husband Chris stop.  We all ate more of the Bulldozer cake and ice cream from the day before.

All the pictures from Deker' opening his presents that night turned out really blurry.  But, Deker was super excited to get a combine & a jack hammer (something he has been asking for for quite some time now). 

Happy Birthday, Deker.  We love you tons!

Camping & Fishing

The Monday after Keagan got out of school we headed up by Anderson Ranch Reservior for camping and fishing.  We stayed 3 days and 3 nights.  The boys had fun having lots of places to dig, explore and do a little fishing.  Andrew had fun fishing and I had fun doing lots of reading.  Here are some pictures of our adventures.

The fishing boys.

Exploring in the tall grass by the water .

Keagan wacking the weeds with a stick he found.

Our place we choose to camp did not have tables, so this was our makeshift table.  It worked well.

Andrew and Keagan fishing.  None of the boys lasted very long fishing, but Keagan lasted the longest. 

The last day fishing, Bauer decided he wanted a turn.