6 months later and not much has changed....

I still don't take pictures and each day I regret not having a better record of my kids, but I am not a photographer. Since our family photographer's (Grandpa Jim)last visit was in August, these are the most recent pictures of our family and what we have been up to:

Tommy, Nathan, and cousin 1st day of Kindergarten

Elaina and Lucy first day of 1st grade

Mom and Lucy at ward party

Nathan and Lucy being Nathan and Lucy

Really, the more I think about it the past six months have been quite full, we have have survived and enjoyed a new car, tonsils and adenoids surgery, birthdays, camping trips, family outings, youth conference, girls camp, shots, dentist appointments, a trip or two to Utah, summer fun and summer heat- thanks to our pool, air conditioning, and large pine trees, a few colds and strep throats, substitute teaching, Ragnar Relay Training (Dan not me), 1st days of Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade, and most recently a PTA fundraiser. I still would refer you to my sisters blogs or facebook for cute write ups and pictures of my little ones.

Now for the changes, I am hoping to start blogging a little more frequently- I often read others blogs, I just don't write anything, so I am going to write maybe once a quarter instead of every six months- for sure the next time our photographer (Grandpa) comes to town.
I realized today that I do not have an infant for the first time in six years, and will hopefully be free from changing diapers as soon as I teach Lucy how to open doors. This left me with a little longing for those not so distant days as I realized that we will probably not be entering into that time of our life again unless it is unexpected. I finally grasped a tiny bit of the feeling of old ladies when they say "enjoy them while they are young." Now I am not yet willing to accept that I am old or am I saying my kids aren't still young to enjoy them, but I am just finally separated enough from that phase in my life that I can see how you might miss it, and I, of course, wish I had understood it then. Oh well, nothing like the present to start trying harder to enjoy it now.

The best thing about blogging is that every time I sit down and write something I always feel so grateful by the time I am done.....

Savor the Teaching Moments....

While driving to my moms tonight, the boys started their usual brotherly kindness:
Background noise- Pogi blowing zirbits

Thomas(Yelling): "Stop Spitting on me!"
Mom (patiently): "Tommy please use your manners, ask him to please stop spitting on you."

Zirbits continue
Tommy (Still yelling): "Nathan, Please STOP SPITTING ON ME!"

The spray continues

Mom (still patiently): "Nathan do we use our mouths for spitting?"
Nathan(very confidently): "Mom, I am not using my mouth for spitting, I am using my mouth for tooting"

Spraying commences
My original plan was to remind him we use our mouths for kind words not spitting, but completely caught off guard by his reasoning it goes like this-
Mom: "Nathan we do not use our mouths for tooting, we use our bottoms."
Nathan: "OK"

Spraying stops.

About a half hour later. We are at my moms and Nathan with a grin...uses his bottom for you guessed it....as he puts it...tooting on his brother.

I know I am a Pro. I am raising little gentlemen.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, January, and Others

Where to begin? I really need to do this more often. The last few months have been a whirlwind. Some exciting news. I found my camera so here are some random pictures:
Labor Day Campout

Elaina's 1st day of Kindergarten

September Swimming


Thanksgiving was really nice this year. We got together with my mom's side of the family. It was so fun to see all, well most, of my cousins with their families. We had planned to have Thanksgiving outside, one of the perks of living in Vegas is Thanksgiving weather, but due to rain (go figure) we reserved the church building and I think it ended up working out really well. Dan's parents were able to join us and thanks to Jim I took some pictures, although I didn't get pictures of everybody. We were about 80+ in all. Warning: I am a terrible photographer, but I would rather have bad pictures than none at all. I know that it is not difficult for the majority of the human race to hold the camera still, but perhaps, as you will see, I am not human after all.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Christmas went by so fast. We stayed in Henderson for the before Christmas festivities and only had only a few hiccups with the seasonal flu and my ever present procrastination. The day after Christmas we took a vacation to Utah to be with Dan's family. It was COLD and FUN. I do not normally use those words in the same sentence unless I am saying the cold is NOT fun, but I was pleasantly surprised. Dan's parents are more than accommodating and work hard to help us feel welcome and entertained. We are spoiled, lucky, and extremely grateful. While there we went skiing, ice skating, sledding, running, bowling, played games- Rockband and Speed Scrabble (my new favorite), and just took it easy. Dan and I spent some much desired one on one time, and we got to visit with some friends and family. The time always seems to fly by so much faster than we would like so next time we hope to catch up with a few more friends. I still did not have my camera so it is again thanks to Jim, Dan's dad, that I have any photos.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Tommy's fifth birthday was the next order of business. He is such a fun and happy little guy, I mean big boy. It is hard for me to believe that he is five years old. When I think about it I get teary. It really caught me by surprise. While in the thick of the toddler years time just seemed to drag on forever and now that we are finishing up with them completely, it seems like a dream and I don't feel ready to wakeup. Tommy loves Transformers and infomercials. He is always telling me about the latest craze. Recently, he wanted me to buy the bendaroos and when I told him I didn't have the money, he said, "Just use your credit card, MOM!" Everything is just so simple when you put it that way.
Transformer Cake
Birthday Breakfast
In January, I ran my first half-marathon. I was hog-tied by my pride and gently persuaded by my Gibson sisters. We started training just before Thanksgiving and I thought I was going to die. Now that I am all done, I have decided this kind of venture is similar to pregnancy and childbirth. The training just bites. It takes forever, and it is painful. However, after the rush of the race and some recovery, you find yourself thinking, "Hey that wasn't so bad, I'd like to do that again." While your husband is thinking,"Really???? Do you know what you are like while you are training?"
In all seriousness, it was well worth it. I couldn't have asked for better training partners and it was a perfect first race experience for me. Even though it desecrated any slight desire or aspiration of mine to run a marathon. 13.1 miles is far enough for me. I have been thinking a triathalon might be fun....well, if I could swim, had a bike and had three great partners to train with...What do you think ladies???