Grizzly Times

Is anyone still out there?

2011-12-17T01:02:00.001-05:00

Hello, does anyone still read my blog? If so, I want your address! I'm working on Christmas cards and would like to get them in the mail in the next few days. So, please send me your address! Also, I will try to post some new pictures sometime in the near future. Thanks for your patience!

Back to School

2011-09-13T02:00:00.004-04:00

Well, I feel like I just blogged about the first day of school last year and here we are again!

Kody started 2nd grade last week actually, but I wanted to wait and get the girls' pictures on here too. He is at a new school this year but thankfully has some friends in his class. So far so good!

Watch out world, Mollie is in kindergarten! Since she has afternoon kindergarten, I took her out for a haircut while Madi was in school. She was so excited she could hardly stand it! At dinner Brett asked her what she learned in school today and she said "nothing." Oh well, maybe tomorrow...Madi is in preschool 3 mornings a week and just loves it! I dropped her off this morning for her first day, and she barely even said good-bye. It's okay, I know she loves me...

The Jokester

2011-07-31T10:55:00.001-04:00

Madi: knock knock
Kody: who's there?
Madi: boo hoo
Kody: boo hoo who?
Madi: uh-oh, I jumped on your head!

I didn't say it was hilarious, just silly!

My Mom the College Grad!

2011-06-06T13:12:00.003-04:00

We went to Utah last month to attend my Mom's graduation from Utah State University. Isn't she amazing?! And isn't she so cute in her cap and gown? We are just so proud of her, and all of the hard work that she has put in these past 4 years to reach this goal that she made for herself. She received a bachelor's degree in Horticulture, with a focus on Horticulture Therapy. For her senior project she set up (and will continue to maintain) a therapy garden at the local nursing home for the dementia patients. As you can see from a few of these pictures, she has created a jungle in her own house. What you might not know is most of these plants were rescued from the trash heap. She nursed them back to health, sometimes grafting them together. Now all I want to know is why didn't I inherit her green thumb?!

Seven Birthdays...

2011-05-31T17:04:00.003-04:00

My baby is 7, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Buzz Lightyear and Lightning McQueen have been replaced by Legos, Pokemon and Wall Ball. Kody is finishing up 1st grade and has made some really good friends. I've had so much fun reading books like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson with him at bedtime. He started taking Karate this year and absolutely loved it (although he said there were too many push-ups and jumping jacks for his taste). This little man is so sweet and kind, he even received recognition in school for his kindness! We love you so much Kody, and are very proud of the person you are becoming.

This Girl...

2011-05-24T21:20:00.003-04:00

What can I say about Madi? She turned 3 last month...

We had a party, complete with grandparents...and she continues to entertain us every day!

Those Eyes...

2011-02-22T16:20:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to upload a funny video of Mollie making cross-eyes for 2 days now, and it's just not working. So I'm sorry you don't get to see it. It's funny. I have a 2-year-old screaming and kicking me to get some attention so for now all you get is this:

... that's right, Mollie got pink eye. She's better now, but I just had to share these, they were too pathetic to keep to myself.

Long Time Coming

2010-12-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

I know, dear blog, that you are feeling so very neglected. I know that I should be more on the ball and posting as soon as wonderful things happen. I just can't. I don't know what my problem is, but the first step is recognizing it right? I'm working on that one. For now, you get a fast update in pictures. Here's what has happened in our world since Halloween:
Mollie turned 5

and had a princess party

We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Sizzler (don't ask)with our Grandmas and Grandpas*We fed some ducksspent time in San Francisco with dear friends

visited with Santa

made some treats

got messy

celebrated Christmas morning with lots of presents

and had a visit from Auntie B!

*Flat Grandma & Grandpa D really wanted to join us, even though they didn't eat anything! ;D

A Few Thoughts (plus some pictures)

2010-11-12T08:02:00.000-05:00

I know it's been a couple weeks, but I wanted to post a few pictures from Halloween. But first, I want to share a few of my thoughts from yesterday. I took the kids to our Veterans' Day parade and couldn't help but feel such a strong emotion for the men and women who serve our country and provide the freedom that we very often take for granted. I actually teared up a little when a float with a few of the families went by. These people sacrifice so much, I can't even begin to imagine living in fear of deployment, and then just wondering if your husband/wife/son/daughter will return home. It game me so much to think about, and I just wanted to say thank you to all our friends and loved ones who are serving our country. Both my dad and my father-in-law served in the army, as well as my Uncle and cousin who are currently serving, and several of our friends. We love you all, and pray for your safety!

And now for some pictures...

We actually shaved Kody's hair just for this, so that he could really look like Aang, the last Airbender (cartoon not movie)This was the only picture I got of the kids in their costumes. The girls were fairy princesses

the fabulous Dr. B was Harry Potter, and we had a table downtown giving out candy to the masses

Our good friends the Dubs came all the way from Japan just to go trick-or-treating with us!

yes, my costume was just that exciting. I needed something fast, what can I say?

Princess Mollie with her BFF Princess E!

Do you want a sucker Daddy? Psych, I'm not sharing!!

Something new!

2010-11-09T17:51:00.003-05:00

I guess by now everyone knows we have a first grader, but did you know...

Mollie is absolutely loving her preschool class?She has also been taking ballet and loves it

Brett & Kody at the historical BYU vs. USU football game last month (31 to 16, go Aggies!) Needless to say, Brett was quite disappointed. They had a good time though!

Thanks for the Halloween clothes Grandma & Grandpa B, we love them!

A trip to the pumpkin patch with some good friends always makes for cute pictures!

PS I felt like I was doing a picture overload here, so I'll post Halloween pictures later. Don't let me forget!

My First 1st Grader

2010-09-07T17:32:00.003-04:00

That's right folks, we are the proud parents of a 1st grader!

Of course we had to take the obligatory front door shot, ready for school!
(in my best Chandler voice) Could that backpack be any bigger??The desk shot.

He was super excited for first grade, and I know he will do great! He has several kindergarten friends in his class, as well as some friends from church. His teacher, Mrs. W seems nice too. I don't know why, but I was nervous for him this morning, and when I told him so he said "Mom, you're weak." That's right I am, but I held it together and only misted up a tiny bit!!

For Posterity's Sake

2010-08-27T23:45:00.003-04:00

I am really starting to question whether we should be teaching our children to be totally honest. For example, here are a few conversations I've had with Mollie recently:

I have been working with the kids to be more polite, so when they demand something from me I make them stop and say "Darling Mother, you are so beautiful and the best mom in the world. May I please have..." As you will see, this has now backfired on me.

Mollie: "Mother, beautiful darling - well, I mean you aren't really beautiful today. But I really like your shirt! - Can I please have a drink of juice?"

Me: *gasp* "Just don't say it if you don't mean it."

a few weeks later

Mollie: "Mom, I think you are getting old."
Me: "Oh, what makes you say that?"
Mollie: "You have all these lines by your eyes."

a few weeks later

Mollie: (after I sang her a made-up song she requested) "Mom, I'm going to wish on the star that your voice will get better."
Me: "You don't like my voice?"
Mollie: "Well, I mean your voice is okay but it's just a little bit wrong."

There was another encounter last night, but I just can't talk about it yet. Maybe in a year or so. I think you get the idea though.

So Far Behind

2010-08-22T17:06:00.004-04:00

I'll never catch up to where I need to be, but I am going to try. Today I just want to post some pictures of our fabulous visit with my sisters and some of their kids! We had so much fun, and there are a million pictures but I'll try to keep it simple.

"All for one!"Swimming at the pool

TJ & Kody at the Lego club meeting - you can't tell from this picture, but they really did have a blast!

Just a little casual rock climbing on a sunny day

This is Mollie in Newport saying "Mommy, thank you so much for bringing me here!"

Take me to your leader

Love these cousins!

3 braids

There's my mountain man!

Sydnie, TJ, Kassi, Mollie and Kody & Flat Grandma in the back

Ali & Syd by the waterfall, aren't they so cute!

Playing tag on the beach with daddy, always a great time!

"oops, I lost my pants!"

Oh, just a little sand surfing

My big sis Jul and her beautiful daughter Kassi, don't they look like sisters?!

Thanks for coming girls (and TJ), we had such a great time and now we miss you all like crazy! Y'all come back now!

My Guy

2010-07-13T00:28:00.003-04:00

I love this kid! I'm a little slow on this post, but I just couldn't let it pass by. Kody turned 6 at the end of May, and I really wanted to tell you a little about him. Kody is such a sweet boy, and I'm so glad he still loves to snuggle with me and give me loves.

For his birthday, Grandma & Grandpa D gave him some money to spend in the Lego store. I wish you could have seen his face when he walked in the doors! He just stood there, dazed, almost as though he didn't know what to look at first.He spends hours playing with his Legos, building these elaborate sets. He follows me around the house, explaining what he's making and what each part can do. At the end-of kindergarten celebration, the teacher announced each child and what they wanted to be when they grow up. Most of the kids were doctor, teacher, race car driver, fire fighter, etc. Not Kody! He wants to be a Lego game creator when he grows up and I wouldn't be surprised if that's what he does!He also loves superheroes, so for his birthday we had to have a Batman birthday party. We had a fun obstacle course that Brett put together, and the kids had such a good time!After the obstacle course, the boys went on a treasure hunt to find their capes that the Riddler had hidden away! The capes were all Batman on one side and Superman on the other, except Kody's was Batman/Robin to make his a little special.Kody also loves goofing around and being silly. He's really good at making his sisters laugh (and scream at times). Don't you just love those eyes of his? I swear you could get lost in them!I'm so glad this little man came to live with us 6 years ago, he was worth the wait!

Pardon Me

2010-06-07T12:00:00.004-04:00

I'm trying super hard to figure out how to make a photo collage from Kody's birthday, but it is proving to be quite difficult. In the mean time, please enjoy this picture from Kody's first visit with a real life Storm Trooper. Thanks for your patience!

Are Ya Feelin' Lucky?

2010-05-19T10:12:00.004-04:00

Okay folks, I apologize for not posting our winners yesterday. I don't really have any excuses other than life got busy and I just plain forgot. I had a messy situation (no details, but Madi likes to take her diaper off now) to deal with, and then there was errands, school and t-ball.

I guess you didn't really need to hear any of that, so here we go: First, I counted all the votes. These are the 2 winners:Next my 2 helpers and I made a list of all the people who chose our winning shirts.Time to pick a winner for the "Survivor" shirt...

Sorry Kody, not your mom! Grandma B is the winner (this was completely random)

Now for the "Perfect" shirt...

Can you read that? It's Elder P from the Fresno California Mission. Way to go Elder!

Thanks so much to everyone who helped us decide which shirts to use! For the winners, we will get your shirts sent out as soon as they are printed. I had such a good time with this contest, I may just have to do it again!

Contest & Giveaway

2010-05-11T11:10:00.005-04:00

Hey You Guys (in my best Electric Company yell), we need your help! Brett has been working on several t-shirt designs for his practice. He'll hand them out to his new patients and if they wear them on days they have appointments they get extra tokens that can be turned in for prizes. The only problem is, we now have so many designs we can't decide which one to go with! We may end up doing 2 or 3 different styles, but we need your help to choose. I'm posting the designs here, and you can leave a comment with your vote for which one you like the best. We will take the top 2 and have them printed up, and 2 lucky voters will win a shirt! We'll choose the winners at random from those who voted for the most popular. are you confused yet? I am a little, but that's not new! SO just vote and you could win a BB original design t-shirt. I'll put a number above each picture for your convenience. Here they are:
#1#2

#10

Now go out there and vote! Contest will end on Monday, May 17th!

Couldn't Be Better!

2010-05-10T17:39:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and it was really a great day. I got to sleep in as long as I wanted (until Kody woke me up with cards he made) in my big comfy bed.Brett made a delicious breakfast. The kids all made pictures and cards for me.

Mollie wrote "Mother I love you" all by herself!

Kody's card says "I love my mom because she gives me good birthday." Can you tell what's on his mind?

We went to church, were I got even more cards and some chocolate! As I was coming out of my classes, the kids were right there to surround me with tokens of love they had put together in primary.

When we came home, I got to relax while Brett made a delicious dinner of Asian chicken salad with homemade wontons and my favorite asparagus.

After dinner, I called my mom and wished her a happy Mother's day, we called Brett's mom to do the same, and then he went back in to the kitchen and made dutch oven peach cobbler while I just relaxed and snuggled/wrestled with my babies. I feel so lucky to be the mom of these beautiful children, and the wife of such a loving husband. My life couldn't be better!

Ten and Two

2010-04-28T00:55:00.003-04:00

Before it gets too far past these events, I want to post some pictures. On April 22 Brett and I celebrated our 10th anniversary. The very next day was Madi's 2nd birthday! Auntie B came all the way from Maryland to be here for the birthday celebration, and I took the opportunity to sneak Brett away for a surprise trip to the coast! We had such a great time, and the kids loved having Auntie B with them. I'm pretty sure they didn't even miss us! Here are a few pictures of all the fun.

The cake. Made by Auntie B, devoured by all!Presents!

Bridge

Yaquina Head lighthouse, we walked up all 111 steps to the top!

To Die For

2010-04-05T23:28:00.004-04:00

For my birthday, Brett made me such a fancy cake I just had to share it with you! See how he spelled my name in chocolate? Now that's love!

Oh, and here's a picture of the kids saying "Happy Easter" in their new Sunday clothes.Before you ask: yes, this is the best we could get. These kids absolutely hate getting their picture taken unless they are acting silly. Maybe we should have weekly photo shoots, just for the practice!

A Birthday Story

2010-04-02T12:53:00.003-04:00

It all happened many years ago. You see, I love my birthday. I have always loved my birthday, and I have always been too impatient to wait for opening presents. The year I turned 8, I begged and begged to open a present a day early. My mom was pretty firm that I had to wait, but my 2 sisters took it upon themselves to bring me a beautifully wrapped present. I took the present in my hands, and just couldn't resist. It was so heavy and wonderful, I just had to open it! I could not believe my luck! I hurried and ripped the paper off, opened the box and there it was - a big, heavy, dirty brick that they had found outside. It was even a little wet still because of the April shower (much like today). I was furious. Why, oh why did my birthday have to be the day after April Fool's Day?! And why were my sisters so mean?The next day I had a great 8th birthday, here I am showing off my new wallet and the money that was inside. And do you see that lovely microscope my sister Alison is holding? That's right, all mine!

I'll never forget that birthday, and if I did my sisters would take it upon themselves to remind me. I was humbled just a little that day, but I still love my birthday (even though I stopped getting older) and occasionally still peek just a little.

Happy Birthday to me!!

You Never Know

2010-03-26T16:34:00.002-04:00

I've always been taught to be nice and kind to everyone, with the knowledge that you never know when a smile from you will brighten someone else's day. Today I was on the receiving end. After a rough time at the DMV this morning (I won't go into details, let's just say I still don't have an Oregon license and our car is still sporting Michigan tags), I headed into Staples to make a return for Brett and buy a few supplies for the office. Have I menitoned how much I love office supplies? It's really almost an illness with me. Anyway, I am an emotional wreck when I walk in the store and start fighting with Madi to get her into the cart. The store is pretty empty, and the 2 girls at the front register both smile at me and say hi and welcome to the store. They talked with my girls, and when I realized I didn't have the receipt they looked up our rewards account and then searched for the right transaction so that I could make my return and not have to come back later. It's hard for me to put into words how much they did for me, you really just needed to be there. But these 2 Staples girls really made my day, and I wish I would have told them how much that meant to me. They helped me to feel like a real person instead of just another customer, and I really needed that. I have really tried to be that person to compliment someone or give a smile when I feel like someone is down. I don't always succeed, but after today I will try a little harder, because you never know when you'll make a difference in someone's life!

For the Ducks

2010-03-18T23:42:00.003-04:00

No, I don't mean those Ducks! We went to the park by our house today to feed the ducks. I was able to snap a few pictures before Madi did a perfect somersault right into the water. When I pulled her out there was duck poop touching her lip. Poor little thing, at least I restrained myself and didn't take any pictures before running to her aide. She was in the water about chest deep and I imagine it was pretty cold. Brrr! She lived to feed the ducks another day, and for that I am grateful. Too bad I didn't take an "after" picture, though. Guess I'm more Mom than blogger?

You Would Think...

2010-03-16T13:10:00.002-04:00

It would be easy to find raincoats for children in Oregon. You'd be wrong though.

Ready or Not...

2010-03-02T14:43:00.002-05:00

The practice is now ours (actually 2 practices and 1 building)! And it only took 12 years, 3 universities each in a different part of the country, 10 years of marriage, 3 kids and a. lot. of. debt. the day has finally arrived.Brett signed all the papers yesterday and was in meetings with the staff all the rest of the day.

Out with the old, in with the new! Dr. L will be greatly missed, but we hope the patients will like our Dr. B just as much if not more.

On a side note, Madi is trying to give up her naps. This is what no naps looks like! Timing isn't always the best, but I'll take what I can get.

Madi Madness

2010-02-17T00:10:00.004-05:00

That's what we say around here when Madi goes into destruction mode. When I hear Grandma say "MM Alert!" I know to come running. She is so fast, and goes from one drawer/cupboard/electronic to the next in less time than it takes for me to clean up behind her. I don't know why I was surprised one night last week when she climbed out of her bed and joined me in tucking the other kids into their beds upstairs. It was only later when I went to put her back to bed when I realized just how crazy her acrobatics were. Let me explain:This is Madi's bedroom for the past 8 months. She falls asleep quite well to the gentle hum of the dryer (can we get a noise machine to replace it?) usually. In this picture, you see the open cupboard doors and the open washer. Not only did she climb out of her bed, she climbed up onto the open washer, stood there long enough to pull out the laundry soap scoop (thank goodness she didn't dump the whole box) and a bar of soap and throw them into the washer. Then somehow she shimmied down (without falling into the washer), opened the door and made her escape!
This past Sunday I wasn't fast enough getting in to get her up from a nap and went in to find her like this. Don't you just love that "who, me?" look? I found her in the sink again last night when she was supposed to be sleeping. Oh, and did I mention that she does all this in the pitch darkness of the laundry room?! This little girl is definitely giving me a run for my money, it's a good thing she's so darn cute!

P.S. We now make sure the washer is closed at all times, just in case.

Not-so Picture Perfect

2010-02-15T11:51:00.004-05:00

Okay, here are a few of the better pictures we got from our photo shoot yesterday.

Happy Heart Day!

2010-02-14T15:18:00.002-05:00

I should have known I would never get an awesome picture of all the kids together, but we did our best and a video will have to be good enough for now. Grandma B. made matching dresses for the girls and a tie to match for Kody. So adorable! Maybe I'll post a few of the not-so-perfect pictures so you can at least see them. Hope you have a great day full of love and chocolate!

Boys Will Be Boys

2010-02-10T23:46:00.002-05:00

I was getting the kids ready for bed tonight, and Mollie went in to use the bathroom after Kody. This is the conversation I heard:

M: "Kody, you should always put this toilet thing down when you're done."

K: " But Mollie, boys don't really use that part at all, well not very much anyway."

Poor Mollie, she is starting the toilet seat war so early in life!

Or - y - gun

2010-02-04T10:20:00.004-05:00

I've been keeping a secret, and I'm so sorry! We have been working on a deal to buy a practice in Oregon, and until now I haven't been able to talk about it. Brett had to sign a non-disclosure agreement until we were 100% sure it was going to work out. Also, it's all so surreal I haven't wanted to talk about it just in case something falls through. We have signed the contracts, gotten a bank loan and found a house to rent, so it looks like it's going to happen! Because of privacy issues, I won't give the exact location (feel free to drop me an email to get the details), but it is near Corvallis which I guess makes us Beaver fans instead of Ducks! I tried to get a few pictures up here from the internet, but I'm suffering from a lack of sleep and a killer sore throat so they are a little wonky. Needless to say, we are very excited for this new life adventure and feel like this is where we need to be. After 8 months of partying it up with Brett's parents (thanks Mom & Dad B, you guys are the best!) it is time to spread our wings and get a real life. Wish us luck, and come visit once we're settled in!!!

Dear, Neglected Blog

2010-02-02T18:27:00.002-05:00

They say the road to h*** (censored just for you, Mom!) is paved with good intentions. Oh, I've had such good intentions with writing new posts and witty updates but alas, I have failed miserably. There are so many events that I never posted. Important events, and I do feel guilty now. The world will never see Kody as "star of the week", a trip to the truck pulls, the magic of Christmas morning and many other fabulous festivities. I can't go back now and play catch up, so I will just have to start from now and say I'm so sorry you missed all that other fun stuff. To make up just a little for my slacking, I am posting - a little bit late - a birthday video for my big sis. Jul turned 2 years older than me a few weeks ago, and I am finally saying "Happy Birthday Jul!" This was from this summer when we had a fun kareoke party at my mom's. Jul and her kids were quite the entertainment!

Infinite Power of Hope

2010-01-03T14:25:00.001-05:00

I know that I have been MIA for a while now, and I have a lot of catching up to do. Now is not the time, though. I was just looking up some information for a talk I'm giving in church next week, and this is something I found on lds.org. I hope it touches you as it did me. I'd like to wish eveyone a New Year filled with Hope. Please click on the words below for a beautiful message from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Infinite Power of Hope

Need Info!

2009-12-07T15:11:00.002-05:00

Hello to all my faithful readers (and those who stumbled in to my blog by mistake and have nothing better to do)! It's that time of year again, when I become one big ball of stress. I'm working on my Christmas cards, and if you want one I need your address. If you like privacy as much as I do, please feel free to email it to me at kimbrown22@gmail.com or send it to me as a message on Facebook. Also, if you want my address for your Christmas list, please let me know. Thanks for your help! I'll try to post some fun Thanksgiving pictures this week, but don't hold your breath!

Party On!

2009-11-23T00:56:00.003-05:00

We just celebrated Mollie and Brett's birthdays, with very different celebrations. For Mollie we had a "Fancy Nancy"-esque tea partyWe invited 2 of her little friends to come and bring their moms

of course they had to wear their fanciest attire!

Here's the group sitting down to "tea" (little sandwiches, fruit & pink lemonade)

we played a fun dress up game, where everyone won a tu-tu

these were the goody bags, filled with hair clips nail polish and sunglasses

fancy place settings (Grandma B made the butterfly placemats)

doesn't the table look nice? what yummy cupcakes!Daddy's celebration was quite a bit different. He had 2 special dinners and here he is blowing out the candles on his pumpkin cake. Madi was a great little helper!

Hallo-week

2009-11-01T22:56:00.005-05:00

Last week was great. We packed all kinds of Halloween festivities into the week, including the acquisition of dumptruck loads of candy. I think we'll be working on this candy for years! Some of the fun activities included... (warning, there are a ton of pictures in this post)a fun Halloween dinner with Vampire blood, apple bites and of course

Mummy dogs!

a playgroup costume party complete with trick-or-treating

cookie decorating and delivering

Madi even got in on the frosting fun!

spooky story time

here are the kids in all their finery: a cheerleader, a clone trooper and Jessie the yodeling cowgirl (if this costume looks familiar, you're right! I made a red yarn wig to change it up a little, but she wouldn't wear it. boo hoo.)

They had a great time trick-or-treating in our neighborhood, then we headed over to the church for some trunk-or-treating action. Madi loved putting the candy in her little bag and wouldn't move on until it was safely secured. So funny!

Just in case you needed more, here's another cute picture of my little monsters! Hey, did I mention that Kody won a costume contest at a little festival we went to? I'm glad, because Grandma B and I worked real hard on getting his costume just right. What was the prize you ask? More candy! I hope you all had a great Halloween, because we did!

Movie Monday

2009-10-19T20:00:00.002-04:00

For your entertainment, here's a classic Madi video clip, circa sometime after Christmas and before we moved. Hope you get a bit of a smile from her laugh!

Happy Monday

Fall Field Trip

2009-10-17T17:19:00.005-04:00

Kody had his first kindergarten field trip on Friday, and Mollie and I were lucky enough to be there with him! Where else do you go on a field trip in October besides a pumpkin patch? This was at the high school (yes, as it turns out they are pretty big into farming around here), and the high school students took the kids around to a few different stations:First, of course, was the hayride...

then lots of animals to pet and smell...

craft projects involving real sheep hair...

storytime, where they learned all about pumpkins...

planting pumpkin seeds (do you think anything will grow?)...

and last but not least, they got to bring home their own baby pumpkins!

Character

2009-09-18T19:03:00.003-04:00

They say scars give you "character". Now both my girls have some great character.

Mollie got her character in May while visiting Grandma & Grandpa D,and poor Madi just got hers yesterday at Grandpa & Grandpa B's.

Can you see the blood highlights in her hair? Poor kids, they were both troopers. I wasn't able to be with Mollie when she had her accident, so while I was in the E.R. with Madi I just couldn't help but think of what my poor mom went through comforting Mollie all the while trying to stay strong herself. I broke down a little, but tried to remain calm for Madi. If it wasn't for my awesome mother in law, I'm pretty sure I would have just fallen apart. Thanks Moms!

Help me win!

2009-09-13T18:29:00.001-04:00

One of the blogs I follow is having a giveaway of her newest dress pattern and I must have it! Go here, and you can see the cuteness. Wish me luck!

Pretty Little Schoolgirl

2009-09-11T20:15:00.004-04:00

Mollie has started preschool now, and she loves it! We are just doing a little group with some of the kids in church and they meet once a week for about an hour and a half. Perfect! They are working on letters and numbers, and they do a cute show and tell each week. Mollie loves having her own little school to go to.first day of school - the gratuitous front door shot

journal writing

what a little supermodel!

Kindergarten (I only cried a little)

2009-08-22T11:25:00.007-04:00

We survived the first week of Kindergarten!

Kody was a little nervous on the first day, but has overcome his fears and absolutely loves his new school!

He has a great teacher, Mrs. R, who has been teaching Kinder for quite a while and just loves these little ones. She is so sweet! Day one was this past Monday, and it was just an hour to help the children get familiarized with the teacher and class. Parents stayed, so you can imagine it was a little crazy.We only live about a half mile from the school, so we have been walking him to and from school.Here he is with the school mascot.This picture is for Grandma B, otherwise known as the Frog Grandma!

Yesterday when I got to the school to pick him up I noticed this red stuff all over his shorts. Mrs. R assured me it wasn't blood, just frosting from the birthday cupcakes that his classmate brought. Seriously folks, who brings cupcakes with RED frosting to a kindergarten class?!? Apparently, Kody had some fun with the red frosting and covered himself from head to toe. In the picture, I had already started to douse the stains with my trusty stain remover (thanks Chel, it works like a dream!) when I decided to take a picture for posterity. So no, that's not blood and pee on his shorts! And would you believe, it all came out!

Yosemite National Park

2009-08-17T18:45:00.006-04:00

On Saturday morning we headed out bright and early for Yosemite National Park. Yay!

It was so beautiful, I'm always amazed at the wonders that our Heavenly Father created for us.The kids were all little troopers too, which made the trip even more special! The park was very crowded, but we managed to find our way to a few secluded areas. We had so much fun "hiking" around and getting dirty,and the favorite activity of the day was throwing big rocks into the river.

So many people thought Madi was a boy that I've decided to fight her to fix her hair anytime we go out. Any suggestions?

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2009-08-03T02:11:00.003-04:00

Or something like that! Okay, I have a hard time coming up with new and interesting titles. Miss Mollie got a haircut this weekend! I've been thinking about it for a while now, and finally bit the bullet. I was getting a trim anyway, so Mollie tagged along and got a new big girl haircut.She was so brave and good, I'm sure she was a little nervous.

Now she wants it even shorter, like her friend Maggie, but I have my limits. One step at a time!

Isn't she so cute?? Thanks Amy, we love our hair!

Summer Recap

2009-07-31T01:46:00.003-04:00

I know, I've been silent all summer. I'm sorry, I don't really have any excuses. So what have we been up to? A little of this, and a little of that. We are in Central California trying to find ways to beat this heat while looking for employment. What's that you say? You thought we had a job? That's right, we did. Unfortunately, the guy Brett was supposed to work with gave us the old "it's not you, it's me" spiel and said he's not ready to commit. So it was back to the pavement. We do have a couple things we're working on, but I don't want to speak too soon. I'll let you know as soon as Brett signs on the dotted line. In the mean time, we have been so lucky to have more time to spend with Brett's parents. It has been fun to catch up with them since they got home from the mission. Kody is instructing them in the finer art of Mario Kart, Mollie is teaching them all about how to be a little girl and Madi is giving them plenty of exercise. We made a quick trip to Utah and spent the 4th of July with my family. The kids had a great time with all their cousins and I loved spending quality time with my sisters. We even got to visit with some friends who happened to be there too! I've put together a slide show so you can see a little of what we've been up to, and I'm working on a few ideas to keep my blog going on a more regular basis. Until then, grab some popcorn and enjoy the show!

The Other Grad

2009-06-10T10:42:00.004-04:00

Kody had his preschool "gradutaion" on the same night as Brett, so we were lucky that some good friends who have a daughter in the same class took him along with them. Thanks "G" family! Here are some pictures they took that night for us.

Kody has really enjoyed preschool this year, and he has learned so much! He can write his first and last names, and he is starting to read a little. What a little smarty pants! Thanks Marifran and Desiree, you have been great teachers, we will really miss you.

Dr. Papa Bear DDS, MS

2009-06-08T09:38:00.004-04:00

It's over! Brett is finally done with school and we are so proud of him. We had his graduation last Thursday night,

and all 4 of our parents were able to be with us.He and his classmates have been such a tight-knit group, everyone was commenting on how special this year was. I do wish I had been able to spend more time with the class over these past three years, but that's hard to do when you have 3 kids. It will be fun to stay in touch though, and see what life brings to each of these 7 families!

We are now traveling across the country, visiting some of our church historical sites along the way. I feel like a pioneer! Where are we going, you ask? We are headed (if all works out) to Monterey, CA where Brett is going to join a practice as an associate and work up to a partner/buy out situation. They haven't gotten the contract settled yet, so we will most likely stay with his parents in Madera for a week or two until the papers are signed. If it takes longer, we may move on to Utah and stay with my parents for a while as well. Who would have thought, at 30-something, with 3 kids, that I would be moving back in with parents again! Oh well, hopefully it will be a quick transistion and we can be in our own (rented) home by the time Kody starts kindergarten.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to post again, but when I do it will be full of information and pictures. Wish us luck, I hope we survive this trek!

We'll Pick You Up?

2009-05-14T21:55:00.004-04:00

Here's my rant for the day. We are in the Seattle area today, looking at a few practices (and visiting our good friends who just moved) and needed a rental car. I made a reservation with Enterprise because they say in their advertising that they will pick you up. I called this morning to have them come get us and they said "I'm sorry, you are out of our area and won't be able to pick you up." Maybe I should add that we are staying a mere 5 miles away from that particular Enterprise location. And they wouldn't pick us up. He suggested I call another location, which I did, and they didn't have any cars available. Brett calls next and argues for about a half hour with the original location and gets them to call around and find a car for us at a closer location. They call back 15 minutes later and say they weren't able to find anything closer and they will, in fact, pick us up. I couldn't believe it! We decided they need to change their slogan to "Enterprise: we'll pick you up, but only if you are within walking distance."

Giveaway

2009-04-25T07:53:00.001-04:00

Okay, I'm not giving anything away. Unless you want my couches! But go here for a great flatiron giveaway (but really don't because I want it)! Happy Saturday!

Easter, Potty Fun, an Anniversary and a Birthday!

2009-04-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

Whew, we've been busy! Not to mention Brett getting ready to take his boards and still looking for a job. So, where do I start? How about Easter! Auntie B came to spend the holiday with us, and she went with Brett and the kids to a spring scrimmage game at the Big House.

Here are the kids on Easter morning in their new fancy clothesYes, Mollie has finally decided to start using the potty (I'll spare you all the gory details)

Our little darlings at the community Easter egg hunt

Here's the birthday girl with her cake (another Auntie B original)

she's just too dainty to really dive in, but she did enjoy her very own cupcake

and then went around scrounging for everyone's leftovers

love that toothless grin! (she does have 2 tiny teeth on the bottom, though)

On top of all this, Brett and I celebrated 9 adventurous years of marriage! I love him more each year, and am so grateful for all that he puts up with! I can't wait to see what is in store for us in the years to come. We'll keep you posted as our plans come together for graduation and beyond.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-04-02T08:45:00.004-04:00

It's my birthday today! I think I might actually turn 30 (ahem) this year, I could feel like a 30-year-old. Do I look it? Wait, don't answer that! So far the day started out pretty good. Madi woke up very early, but so far nobody has thrown up. In my book, that makes for a great day! We've had the stomach flu around here the past week or so, and I just knew I'd get it for my special day. So far so good. Maybe my prayers have been answered!

How do you like the fabulous birthday banner I made?! I'd like to say I came up with the idea all on my own, but there was a group of us who did it (and we copied a group before us who copied a group before them) all together. Pretty cute though, right?Kody made me the sweetest birthday card this morning, I just had to show you. I love that he is learning how to spell (Daddy helped him a bit) and write. The picture is some people getting a stream of water on them, and they are trying to get away. Or something like that. You should see all the Jedi knights that he's been drawing lately. If I can get my act together, I might scan some in and show you!

Anyway, I just wanted to publicly wish myself a happy birthday. Feel free to do the same in the comment section below! I mean, after all you only turn 30 once, right? *snicker*

Not a Baby

2009-03-15T23:30:00.004-04:00

My baby is not such a baby anymore. What a fun little girl she's turning out to be!

Where is the Love People?

2009-03-10T09:25:00.002-04:00

Okay, I think I am going to take this personal since nobody is wanting to sign up for a handmade gift from me! Come on, it will be fun. So far I only have 2, and I have lots of fun ideas for the gifts I will make. Keep in mind, it's quite possible that I won't even check up on you to see that you do the same thing on your blog, so don't stress about it. So, what do you say, do I have any takers?

I'm a Winner! (or, What Goes Around Comes Around)

2009-03-06T11:03:00.003-05:00

My friend Amy did this contest (?) on her blog, and I was one of the lucky 5! I know I probably shouldn't start a new project (much less 5) this close to our move, but it will be fun. I've seen a few of these and have always missed it by one or two so I was super happy when Amy told me I was number 3! Here are the rules, copied straight from her blog:

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make for you!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year.
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a song. It may be a self portrait or maybe even some creation I haven't yet dreamed up. I may draw. I may bake you something and mail it to you. It may not be big or impressive. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure! But lets be honest here. This is me and I will likely do something amazing. =) So come on, sign up!
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to post this same information on their blog and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Let's keep the chain of love going around!!

I know, you can hardly contain your excitement. So, let's see those comments! I will work really hard to find the right gift, just for you!

PS I have quite a bit of catching up to do, with lots of pictures and videos. For example, our trip to a giant indoor waterpark, Madi climbing and WALKING, Kody writing and trying to read, Mollie being a great help at home. I'll try to update you soon.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T17:06:00.004-05:00

The photo shoot didn't go as well as I had planned, but we had fun anyway. Hope you have a great Valentine's Day. We love you!

You Know It's Cold When...

2009-01-20T22:59:00.003-05:00

Katie and I were walking home from Megan's house tonight, discussing how cold it has been and I thought I'd share a few things with you. As I type, in fact, I am looking at my weather center desktop icon and it's a cool -9 (then I click on it to get more info and it tells me that it actually feels like -19) and that is just too much! Last Friday, they canceled school because it was just too cold! So here it is. You know it's cold when....

your nose (or what's inside) freezes shut the second you walk outside.
the frost INSIDE your car needs to be scraped off!
the sludge that collects in your wheel wells (you know, that stuff you can just kick off) is SOLID ICE
they cancel school because it's colder than -20.
your kids have absolutely no desire to play in the snow.
you actually drive to the bus stop that is only 100 yards away.
the icicles at the church go all the way to the ground.
you pray for snow, just to warm things up a little.

...and finally you know it's cold when it's 30 degrees warmer in ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!!!

Already Behind in 2009...

2009-01-02T23:15:00.003-05:00

I hope this isn't going to be my theme for the year! I feel good about this being the year that I catch up on all scrapbooking/finish all projects/lose 1000 pounds/eat less chocolate (who am I kidding?)/become the most perfect mom there ever was. At the very least, this will be the year we leave our college life behind and become grown-ups. Brett is currently looking for work in the West, so if you hear of any orthodontists who are looking to sell their fabulous practice for a teeny tiny price, send them our way! I know I promised you some pictures of our fun little Christmas at home, and I'm sorry I haven't done that yet. So, here you go:

Mollie was so cute, she wanted to wear Kody's pajamas on Christmas Eve. And yes, Madi actually did pull the tree down. Twice!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T12:31:00.002-05:00

We're busy with all our Christmas fun, but I'm sure Mommy will post pictures a little later!

Still Here

2008-12-21T23:36:00.002-05:00

I know, it's been too long. Did you miss me? I don't really have any excuses, and actually you won't get any pictures out of me tonight. I'm babysitting at a friend's house and just thought I'd say a quick hello to let you know I'm still here and I promise I'll blog something this week. Maybe tomorrow.

Oh, and check this out. Wouldn't Miss Mollie look so cute in this little frock? Oh, I hope I win! If not, maybe my next project needs to be making aprons for my kids?

Is it Too Late?

2008-11-28T20:28:00.003-05:00

Yesterday is over, today's shopping has come and gone (I was very successful I might add) and the kids are nestled all snug in their beds. Is it too late to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving? We had a great day, but it was over waaay too fast.

Brett fried our turkey again this year, with much success. He improved upon last year's bird that was a little extra cripsy. He did 2 and they were both quite yummy (that's saying a lot coming from someone who doesn't love turkey). Brooke returned with Mollie, after spending the week together in Maryland, and then we also had the missionaries, our neighbor from across the courtyard and some good friends from the ward. After the meal was finished, and we'd rested a bit before tearing into the yummy pies and dutch oven apple cobbler (thank you Brett) we all realized that we did not take one picture of the meal or the people involved. Just take my word for it, we witnessed a small miracle with all those people crammed into our tiny apartment. Brooke and I got up super early (like 4:30) this morning to hit the sales and it definitely paid off.

And now.

The moment you've all been waiting for.........

I finally finished the turkey headbands I started for last Thanksgiving!!! I know, aren't you so impressed with my raw talent and lightning speed?! I'm going to go watch a movie with B & B now. Good night!

PS Please excuse the spooky red eyes, I was too lazy to fix it I guess!

Nine Dancing Princesses and One Handsome Prince

2008-11-25T20:41:00.005-05:00

We had Mollie's birthday party over the weekend and it was fantastic! It was a princess themed party, complete with tu-tu's for everyone. (I don't want to tu-tute my own horn, but they turned out so cute!) We were a little nervous that the party wouldn't happen, because Mollie was quite sick all week with a high fever and absolutely no energy. I took her to the doc on Monday and everything looked great (ears, nose, throat) but she just wasn't getting any better. Finally on Thursday I took her in again and sure enough - double ear infection! The good thing was, we pumped her full of antibiotics and she was good to go for the party on Saturday.Of course, Auntie B came up and made a fabulous princess cake! She even took Mollie home with her for a few days. Check her blog here to see what crazy things have been happening to them.We had so much fun, and as a bonus all the little girls got along perfectly! Kody took a spill and split open his lip, but Dr. Daddy took care of him and he was running around again in no time! We made crowns,played "Kiss the Frog"

and "Duck, Duck, Goose", listened to a cute story,and ended the festivities with cakeand presents. I went a little overboard, making all those tu-tu's plus little purses for goody bags with hairclips inside (and ring pops and candy necklaces). I've been preparing for weeks, and she's only 3! I think I'm gong to have to tone the birthday excitement down a little or I'll go crazy!

PS Did you notice the cute crown Mollie was wearing? I found the pattern and instructions here, it was so easy!

3 Years Ago Today...

2008-11-20T16:56:00.001-05:00

Miss Mollie is three years old today!

Feliz Cumpleanos

2008-11-15T02:03:00.003-05:00

Today is Brett's birthday! We went shopping the other day for his presents, and I think I spent a little too much time encouraging the kids to keep it a secret. As soon as he walked in the door, Mollie ran up to him and told him what we got! Last Sunday, Brett was conducting in sacrament meeting, and it really hit me how much he has "grown up" since I first met him. I look back at all we've been through together, and I am so thankful to have him in my life forever!

Here are just a few of the reasons I am so in love with this guy:

HE is such a great father, I love watching him with the kids and they absolutely adore him. Kody told me one day that Daddy is his best friend and I believe it. They can be so silly together, it makes me giggle.
HE is an awesome husband, too. There was a day not too long ago, Brett came home from school and could tell that the kids had been less than good all day. He took both Kody and Mollie with him and headed off to the store to get a couple of things we needed. When they returned, the kids ran up to me with my favorite chocolates and apologized for being mean to me. I know they didn't come up with that on their own!
HE has worked so hard in school, and now that it is coming to a close I just want him to know how proud I am to be his wife.

Happy birthday Babe, I hope we can help you to have the best birthday ever - you deserve it!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

2008-11-02T09:56:00.003-05:00

Okay, I didn't win a chicken dinner, but I did win something equally wonderful! I will post some pictures of the kids from Halloween when I get around to uploading them from the camera, but for now I'll just tell you about my fabulous prize. A few weeks ago, I found this blog and she just happened to be having a giveaway at the time for these darling wrist warmers. I entered the drawing of course, thinking there was no way I would win. It's a good thing I subscribed on my google reader, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when her next post was this one! I even wrote a comment asking if it really was me, since I never win any of these. Sure enough, they came in the mail yesterday and they are so warm and cozy! Of course, we are currently having a bit of a heat wave these past few days, but they will definitely get used this winter! Yay me, I feel so special right now!

Who Takes Care of Mama?

2008-10-29T22:34:00.002-04:00

The answer is: Kody does! I was lucky enough to come down with the stomach flu last night (I know, aren't you so happy for me) and was quite sick all day today. Kody and Mollie had the pleasure of watching me throw up in the toilet, which I think could be pretty terrifying for small children. I mean really, mommies aren't supposed to get sick, right? The kids were all sick over the weekend, so I knew this moment was coming. This morning, while I was getting breakfast for the kids and setting them up in front of Nick Jr. (don't judge, I was sick!) I made the comment that I felt like I was going to have to throw up again. Next thing I know, Kody is running into the kitchen and rummaging around for a bowl. He said, "it's okay Mama, I'll get you a bowl." Isn't that the sweetest thing? I really do have great kids! Mollie just played on and around me all afternoon while I snuggled under a blanket on the couch. They both chose their own clothes and got dressed with minimal help from me, and hardly complained when I told them I was too sick to do much today. I should also give a big shout out to Papa Bear, because he took care of Madi all last night while I was sick, she had gotten shots and was very sad and had a hard time sleeping. He wasn't able to stay home and take care of me, but he was able to come home just in time to pick the Kodester up from the bus and clean up the house (I can't believe how much mess can happen when I let the kids do whatever they want!), make dinner, feed the kids and then bathe them and get them in bed. What an awesome husband I have!

Tomorrow will be a better day, I'm sure.

Zero-and-a-half!

2008-10-25T00:25:00.002-04:00

Someone asked me the other day how old Madi is, and I couldn't believe that it was her half birthday! These past 6 months have gone so fast, and she is so fun and sweet. Just this week she's learned that loud screeching gets attention so much faster than quiet fussing and sometimes it's hilarious! She might actually be louder than Mollie, more ear-piercing at the very least. She rolls and scoots all over the place, I even had to make bumper pads for her crib because she kept scooting into the corner and bonking her head all night. If I lay her down on a blanket on the floor, she doesn't waste any time in rolling right off the blanket and exploring the world around her. She loves her exersaucer and is just starting to enjoy the jumperoo. Madi absolutely loves food - anything I give her! So far it's just baby cereal and a few veggies and fruits, but she will grab for anything within her little reach. Mollie's hair is a fave at the moment. Oh, and if I have a cup of water you know she won't give up until I give her a drink. And then another. And another. Madi loves to sing. In church, as soon as we start singing, she pipes in with her cute little voice. She even sings while she eats! Most of all, she loves her brother and sister. Her face lights up and she actually gets the giggles if she even hears them coming down the hall. I love this little girl, and I am so happy she came to live with us!

GROSGRAIN

2008-10-25T00:18:00.001-04:00

Oh my goodness, these skirts are so cute! I just stumbled across this blog the other day and it is amazing. This girl makes all these gorgeous dresses, etc. and then just gives them away! Can you believe it?! I hope I win these skirts and shirts, they would look so cute on Mollie. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Just Finished

2008-10-22T22:56:00.004-04:00

I just finished the third book in the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini and I feel like a part of me is gone forever. This is what I love about reading: first, you see the book in the library or book store. You think it looks interesting, read the teaser on the jacket and decide to take a chance. You wait a few days to either finish any other book(s) you've been trying to finish or get some things accomplished around the house so you have time to just sit and read. The first few pages may not suck you in right away, but you are interested enough to keep going a little while longer. Before you know it, your house is a mess, the kids are scrounging for food in between the couch cushions and begging for one thing or another yet you don't hear them because you have been transported to Alagaesia, England, Forks Washington or somewhere in Middle Earth. For days, your life is what you are reading and you can hardly focus on anything else. And then you finish the book and fall back into reality. You bathe the kids, feed them, spend time with your husband and do all the things that have been pushed aside. But a part of you remains in the book, waiting for the next installment. I hope the next one comes soon!

PS Anyone who knows me, knows I like to embellish just a tad. My bathroom may not be clean, but the children are clean and fed and entertained (and currently sleeping peacefully in their beds). Please don't send child services just yet!

Quarantine and Other Randomness

2008-10-17T16:26:00.005-04:00

Kody was home sick from school a few days this past week, talk about stir crazy! I was trying to get some work done and he was really bugging me so I just sent him down to the basement to "organize" his cars. I thought that would take at least an hours, considering the 3000 cars he has down there! (okay, maybe it's more like 1,075 but who's counting!?) I'm not kidding, 5 minutes later he comes back up and says "okay Mom, I'm all done with my cars!"

He had taken most of the "Cars" cars, as we call them (from the movie), and lined them up on top of his storage drawers. Of course, all the hot wheels, matchbox cars and train cars were strewn all over the floor, but hey at least he partly did what I asked him to!

Mollie was also bouncing off the walls, feeling very cooped up and not so happy that our quiet afternoons had been invaded by Kody, so I sent her to her room one morning to get dressed by herself. (she really loves this particular freedom)

This is what she came up with! Her fashion sense is not quite perfect, but at least she's trying.

Now for a random bit about Madi - she is suffering from baby-patterned baldness. I was so hoping that this one would keep all her hair, as she really hadn't lost much until now. She has lost it completely in the front, the top is going quickly and the back is pretty much gone.And then there's this mullet in the back. A very dark mullet (the picture doesn't do it any justice). What little hair she does have is gong lighter, but the mullet is just as dark as the day she was born. So here's my question, do I go ahead and shave it to match the rest of her hair or let it go and see what happens? It won't be long before I can pull that mullet in to a ponytail and she can look like a tiny little ninja master, which could be quite entertaining!

Field Trip

2008-10-11T21:10:00.005-04:00

Kody's school had a family field trip yesterday, to the Wasem's Apple Orchard. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and I even got a little sunburned! Brett was even able to come with us! This cute lady was called Grandma Judy, and she kept calling the kids things like cherubs and sugar pies.

Sampling different apples

Ready for those yummy donuts and cider!

Kody and Rachel, his new girlfriend

Mollie and Nathan - I just thought this pose was so cute!

Love those happy smiles!

Birthday Surprise

2008-09-22T21:46:00.003-04:00

Madi and I flew to Utah this past weekend (thanks Daddy!)for my mom's birthday, and by some huge miracle we were all able to keep it a total secret from the birthday girl! My "big" sister came to pick me up at the airport, and then we met the family for lunch. We got there first, so we were able to plan and carry out the perfect "surprise!" moment! Buffy was holding Madi in the doorway, ready to greet mom, and said "Look what I found!" It took about .05 seconds for mom to figure out it was Madi and start looking around for me. She cried and laughed, and then the rest of the weekend everytime she thought about it or anyone talked about it she got teary all over again! We had such a fun weekend, just hanging out together. My dad and sisters had planned a surprise party for Saturday afternoon with all her friends and loved ones, and it was my job to keep her entertained and get her to the party without blowing the secret. Then we hung out at my parents house with all the sisters, husbands, nieces and nephews - even my workaholic brother-in-law came (it was great to spend some time with you, Terry). On Sunday I was able to go to church with my parents before flying home, and my dad just happened to be speaking in sacrament meeting. I missed my kids and Brett, but it was so great to see everyone again. Here's a little slideshow with a few pictures. I realized that I didn't take very many, we were having too much fun! PS to see pictures of Kody's first school bus ride, click here.

Big Man on Campus

2008-09-10T22:29:00.004-04:00

Well, the big day has finally arrived... Kody's first day of preschool! We've been waiting anxiously all summer for this blessed day, and now it has come and gone.His teachers, Marifran (pictured here) and Desiree, are great! I can tell this is going to be a fun class. I have to admit, part of me was looking forward to a few tears (from Kody, not me) and lots of hugs, but as soon as we got to the classroom he was gone in a flash.

You'll notice that some of the pictures are a bit blurry, because I couldn't get him to hold still long enough to focus.

Here is our conversation in the car on the way over:

"Mommy, are you going to talk a long time today?"
"Why, do you want me to just drop you off and leave?"
"Yeah."
"Don't you want me to stay for a little while?"
"Uh-uh.

I got a little choked up, and I might have been the only mom there with a camera but at least he's still too little to be too embarrassed by my overprotectivness!! (is that even a word?)

Mollie was sad that she couldn't stay and go to school too,but she cheered up when we came home and she got to ride her little red trike all afternoon and go for a walk with Mommy! (I only had to bribe her a little.)

Camp Photos

2008-09-04T22:00:00.002-04:00

I was finally able to sit down and get the pictures organized from our camping trip. We had such a great time, I'm really glad we did it! The kids were such happy campers, and we had lots of adventures. We took a few short hikes to see some waterfalls, of course a few lighthouses and some fun at the beach! We even got to take in a little art, at this place called Lakenenland. It's this drive through sculpture forest, created by Tom Lakenen. Our last night up there, the skies opened up and we actually had a river going right under our tent! The water eventually started leaking through the roof of the tent, but Brett and I were able to keep the kids dry while we packed everything up in the early hours of the morning and they slept through the whole thing!

Mud Pie

2008-08-30T22:13:00.003-04:00

I'm working on a slideshow from our camping trip, but in the meantime I thought you might enjoy this video of Mollie one evening at camp.

Hilarious!

2008-08-29T15:13:00.002-04:00

I've come across a few blogs that I think you might get a chuckle or two from reading. To give credit where it's due, Emily told me about this one where you can see some pretty funny and also disturbing cakes; and Trisha told me about this one that was featured all over the news in Utah and is just a funny spoof on all the mormon bloggers!

PS I'll post some of our awesome camping pictures as soon as I get around to it!

Love, Kim

Mischief and Silliness

2008-08-18T20:19:00.004-04:00

We're leaving in the morning for a 5-day (if we last that long) camping trip to Pictured Rocks National Park, but I thought I'd leave you with this little gem. While I was upstairs feeding Madi the other day, Mollie comes up and throws out her arms saying "I'm Batman!" and when I looked at her, I saw her costume: she'd taken a sharpie to her arms and face. I hate to admit it, but I yelled a little too loud and sent her to her room while I finished up with the baby. Then I went in to have a little chat. I wanted to take pictures without her thinking I was entertained by the mischief (even though I was) so I told her I was going to send them to Daddy at school and show him what she'd done. Kody had done a little decorating as well, but you'll see that his was not quite as extensive. Have a great week!

Kissin' Cousins

2008-08-14T21:46:00.002-04:00

Okay, there wasn't much cousin kissing going on, but the kids had a great time with their cousins last week, and I loved hanging out with my sisters. We stayed up late being silly every night, just like old times! We tried to pack a lot of fun in to just a few days, without tiring out the kids (there's nothing worse than grumpy kids). We went to the lake, the Hands-On Museum, Hell for ice cream and hung out at home. We even broke out the bounce house! Here are a few pictures to document all the fun:

Look Who I Met in Hell

2008-08-08T23:10:00.003-04:00

I took my sisters to Hell today, and look who I met! I was so excited, it's embarrassing.For anyone who doesn't know who this is, I feel sorry for you! Just kidding, it's Erik from Survivor: Micronesia. He was great, so down-to-earth, and we chatted for a few minutes about the show and his experiences. He even scooped our *ice cream!
*sorry, I wanted to take a picture of him doing that but my kids were scared to death of the ice cream shop and wouldn't let go of me

Screams in the Night

2008-07-28T14:15:00.003-04:00

I have to document the night we 2 nights ago. It started around 2:00am, when Kody came into my room saying that the scary animals were coming to get him. I reassured him that we had locked all the doors and windows so there was no possible way any animals were going to come in the house. Brett took him back to his bed, tucked him in and turned on some lullabies. I had just drifted back to sleep when I heard this scream and there was Kody in my doorway. Of course, I was half asleep so I let out this loud scream and start freaking out which makes him even more upset. He ran faster than I've ever seen him run, over to the bed and jumps in with me. He was shaking and whimpering and I felt so bad! We both got calmed down, I apologized and told him that I was just startled and there was nothing to be afraid of and the I took him back to his room again and tucked him in again. By this point Mollie is awake, laying in her bed so quiet I thought she was sleeping, but she had her hands up over her face and freaked out when I tried to move them. She said she was hiding from the scary animals. They were both up and down a few more times, so by 4:00 I just gave up and they both slept with Brett while I went into Madi's room and slept on the futon. The next day I was so tired and grumpy, and of course the kids woke up early and never took a nap. I hope this doesn't happen again anytime soon.

Better Late than Never....

2008-07-21T09:56:00.003-04:00

Life is just going way too fast! I've been trying to get on here to update the blog, but there always seems to be so many other things that need my attention more. You know, the kids, the cleanliness (or lack there of) of my house, meal preparation - silly things like this! I mean really, shouldn't the blog be numero uno on my list every day?

So a few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to have my parents come visit us for a week! We had such a great time with them, and miss them terribly now that they're gone. My dad brought his Uncle Remus storybook, and we borrowed a guitar from a neighbor so bedtime was very entertaining every night! We even had some fun adventures! We went to the Toledo Zoo, Frankenmuth, hung out by the pool, got haircuts and went to a pirate party. I didn't use my camera much because of trying to wrestle 3 kids but here is a slideshow of what I did capture

What a Week!

2008-07-07T10:57:00.003-04:00

Whew, we just had a great week! Brett had the week of the 4th off, so we took full advantage. We left Monday, and headed out to Interlochen, which is a few hours north west of us, near Traverse City. We were lucky enough (thanks to some generous classmates) to stay at this great cabin right on the lake for 4 days! The drive getting there was a little rough, as we discovered that sweet Madi detests being in her carseat for long periods of time and our directions were a little off, but once we got there it was perfect! We spent Tuesday at the lake, Brett paddled the kids around in a kayak while Madi and I soaked up the sun (completely in the shade of course), and we found a fun little playground too. It rained all day Wednesday, but we didn't let that stop us from doing a little sight-seeing. We drove out to Old Mission Lighthouse on the 45th parrallel, let the kids play in the playland at the mall and had a great dinner at Culver's and yummy homemade ice cream at Moomers. Thursday we braved the highway again to head home just in time to pick up Auntie B at the airport. The rest of the weekend was spent celebrating, Brett even said yesterday that he'd had way too much meat this weekend with all the BBQ's and picnics. We even took a little trip to Hell! I've put together a little scrapbook with pictures from this past week, I hope you enjoy looking at all the fun we had - wish you could have joined us!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2008-06-23T14:42:00.005-04:00

I have some ideas for new posts, but I'm not feeling like searching for matching pictures and witty explanations. So for now, this will have to do:

Mollie has been going through a "hold me Mom" phase and I just can't do it all the time. One morning when she was whining to be carried I said to her, "you have 2 perfectly good legs to stand on..." Kody was just playing nearby, and I had no idea he was paying attention until he said this:
"if you only had one leg you would have to hop, hop, hop all the day."

upon receiving a postcard of a castle in the mail from Gma/Gpa B, Mollie said this:
"When I was a princess I will live in that castle"

Kody: "Mommy, where was you are?"
Mollie: "When I was a boy I will play in the bounce house."
Kody: "We are supposed to be a family forever Mom, we are sealed."
Mollie: "I will comb Kody's hair. I will be gentoly." (gently)

Oh, Mollie

2008-06-15T21:41:00.004-04:00

How do you solve a problem like Mollie? She is the sweetest little girl, so full of excitement and love. But there are times when she just snaps and throws these huge tantrums, and these times are getting more and more frequent lately. We never know what is going to set her off, and when it does we don't know how to get her calmed down. She has even been waking up at night and throwing tantrums. The other morning she screamed for 2 hours, I'm pretty sure because she wanted her milk in a different cup.

This video was after the pencil she was coloring with wasn't working the way she wanted it to, and it was a pretty mild one. We were starting to see a little improvement with her temper before the baby came, but in the past few weeks it has just gotten worse and worse. I've tried everything I can think of, but she just doesn't calm down until she decides she's ready. I usually just ignore her until she's done, but I feel like I need to help her control this anger now before it gets worse. Especially since Mollie's screams scare Madi and make her cry and I can't console both of them at the same time. I know that spending more one on one time with Mollie will help a little, and I've been trying to do little things with her when I can. I just hope we can get this taken care of soon, so that our relationship doesn't suffer down the road.

Tiny Blessing

2008-06-11T07:49:00.003-04:00

Brett blessed little Madi last week (June 1) and I am finally posting pictures now. She was so beautiful in the dress that was made by our bishop's wife in San Francisco for Mollie, I'm glad I got to use it again! Brett gave Madi such a nice blessing, even though she cried through the whole thing! I am so grateful to have a husband with such a strong testimony of the gospel. He is always willing to give blessings when we are sick, nervous or just in need of a little extra comfort. Thanks Babe, for your faith - you've held me up more times than you even realize!

The Long and Short of it

2008-06-07T13:36:00.004-04:00

It's about that time again. My hair has gotten pretty long, and it is going to start falling out in clumps any day now. I've enjoyed having it long (let's face it, there's nothing simpler than a ponytail), but I really hate dealing with all that hair once it starts falling out. So my question is, what should I do with it? I found a few styles I like on the internet, narrowed them down to these two, and now I'm open to any suggestions or polite criticsm. So, what do you think?Should I chop it all off and go short again?

Or keep it long and just get my layers re-defined and maybe add bangs?

Birthday Boy

2008-05-29T12:02:00.003-04:00

Happy birthday Kody! Our little boy is growing up way too fast. He is 4 years old today!Kody has really grown up a lot in the past few weeks, and he is such a good helper with his sisters. We had a Pirate party for him on Monday afternoon, with a rockin' treasure hunt and costumes. We got him his first bike, and he is loving it! I'll try to post pictures and maybe even a video a little later. Right now, the baby is crying and Kody is bugging me to look up "Panda Master" on the internet. Aah, the joys of motherhood!

My Baby

2008-05-19T11:54:00.003-04:00

My friend Leslie wanted to practice her newborn photography, so we had a little photo shoot for Madi. It was so much fun to hang out and pose the baby, thanks Leslie! Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Home Sweet Home

2008-05-17T14:12:00.003-04:00

Well, our ceiling is now fixed and life is almost back to order. We have moved back home, but for now it's just me and little Madi. But where did everyone go? The 2 older cubbies have gone to visit Auntie B for some much needed R & R after the chaos we've had the past couple of weeks. Here's the short version of the past few days: We took my Mom to the airport Wednesday morning (we miss you already Mom) and on the way home Mollie kept saying that we forgot Grandma. That afternoon we took baby to the Dr. to get her belly button cauterized (I guess it wasn't closing on its own), and that evening we stopped at our apartment to pack the kids for their big trip.

Thursday morning we got up, scrambled to get everything packed up and ready to vacate the temporary apartment and set off for our big trip to Pittsburgh where we met up with Auntie B for the big hand-off.The kids are now having the time of their lives and getting spoiled like crazy, did you expect anything less?! Click here to see pictures of their adventures.

Friday morning we were able to sleep in a little before heading back out on the road to take Brett and his classmates to the airport for a conference this weekend. Now it's just me and the little one, and I have to say it's a little too quiet around here. I've just been doing laundry and catching up on my sleep (I didn't get up till 10 this morning!). It's been nice to spend some one on one time with my baby, I might even take some cute pictures of her tomorrow.

Pardon Our Dust

2008-05-13T16:34:00.003-04:00

It all started last week. I was up feeding Madi in the middle of the night (I know, don't you wish you were me!) when I heard a little critter of some sort scratching away in our ceiling. Of course, I called housing and they sent over a pest control guy who basically told me to give it a few days and the mouse (or whatever it was) would find its way back outside and we'd never see it. Gee, thanks for the help. Fortunately (I think) for us, the pest guy did notice a crack in our bedroom ceiling. Later that afternoon 2 guys showed up from housing and said the pest guy had called and told them about the crack. I was in the middle of my nap so I have to admit I was a little annoyed that he'd made such a big deal of it. I mean, I had noticed the same crack like 6 months ago and chalked it up to a bad paint job - this is student housing after all! Anyway, these guys took a look and could actually lift the whole ceiling up (that's not supposed to happen). They immediately called to get someone in to put up supports until the contractor could come and fix it. They also told me that we had to vacate our bedroom right away and not even sleep in it. With my mom visiting, there really was no room at the inn so we ended up sleeping on our mattress in the living room all weekend, and Madi slept on the couch. First thing Monday morning the contractor came and got to work. At first they said that it was just a couple of loose nails and maybe one bad spot that they would re-do. As it turns out, when they opened up the ceiling to take out the bad part, the whole thing basically came tumbling down, insulation and all! So, we were moved to a temporary apartment while they finish the ceiling. Whew, I don't know how much more excitement we can take!!

** PS, if you need to reach us for some reason you have to do it via email because we are just otherwise unreachable!

What's in a Name?

2008-04-28T11:51:00.005-04:00

For anyone who doesn't know about our strange naming habits, little Madi's middle name may have come as a shock that you still haven't figured out. Even if you do know, but are unaware of what the reference has to do with Michigan, I will try to shed a little light on the subject! First, for anyone completely in the dark:

To make a long story short, we decided when naming our children that we would give them names that have a special meaning to us.It started with Kody - since we met in Alaska and were finally able to get pregnant our last summer there, it only made sense that his name would be something Alaskan. So rather than look in a baby name book we pulled out the map and came up with Kodiak. It's actually his middle name, so there have been a few people who thought we actually named him Kody Kodiak - we're not that strange people!

When baby #2 came along I just really loved the name Mollie, so we took out the map again for her middle name (we were living just south of Marin county when she was born).

Have you figured it out yet? The map of Michigan wasn't very helpful, unless we wanted to name her Kalamazoo, Petoskey or Ypsilanti. Ann was an option, but we have too many friends with the name Ann or some derivative.

Brett had mentioned the name Madeline, and we had joked about naming her Maizy for this reason and then when it came down to it we put the two together and really liked it!

That's the story for our crazy naming habits, and we're sticking to it!

p.s. Be assured that even though Papa Bear has adopted the wolverines and his youngest has a middle name of maize he still bleeds blue, royal blue that is; although the cougars are no longer royal blue papa bear grew up with royal blue and that is still in his blood. GO COUGS, and Wolverines!!!

The Moment You've all Been Waiting For...

2008-04-25T20:58:00.006-04:00

As you know, the newest cub in the Bear Family has arrived. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Madeline Maize...The stats: born April 23 at 12:45pm, weighing 8 lbs. 1.5 oz. and measuring 20 1/2 inches.The vote is in, and we all adore her!Kody and Mollie took to tiny Madi immediately, with lots of hugs and kisses . They both wanted to hold her, and they couldn't wait to open up the burrito blanket to see her little toes. Mollie kept saying, "I want to see she toes" until we finally agreed to unwrap her.

2008-04-23T15:27:00.001-04:00

The baby is here and healthy and Mama Bear is doing great. To be continued....

Baby Time?

2008-04-23T11:16:00.002-04:00

Well we are at least in the hospital and have been since 2 am (it is now 11:15). So here is the good news bad news stuff.
Good news - we are in the hospital.
Bad news - we are still in the hospital.
Good news - The epidural finally seems to be working (after 2 babies with unsuccessful epidurals). Bad news - it was really hard and painful to get the epidural placed.
Good news - the epidural seems to be working.
Bad news - the contractions stopped after the epidural was placed.
Good news - they carry pitocin at the hospital.
Bad news - after the pitocin started to bring on the contractions the epidural didn't seem to be working.
Good news - they upped the epidural and the pain went away.
Bad news - Mama Bear got sick.
Good news - they had some medicine to take care of the nausea.
Bad news - the antiemetic knocked her out.
Good news - she can sleep now.
Bad news - she has to wake up to deliver.
Good news - the epidural still seems to be working and she can start pushing as soon as she wakes up.
Good news - the baby is doing great
Good news - the baby won't be born on our anniversary, so Mama Bear doesn't have to share her special day and neither does baby.
Good news - I think I can get out of my craniofacial anomaly final for a little while longer
Good news - they have cable here
Bad news - daytime television stinks
Good news - they have internet here
Bad news - daytime television stinks and they have internet here so I blabber on on Mama Bears blog as she sleeps.

Ocho

2008-04-22T09:05:00.005-04:00

Happy Anniversary Papa Bear! Thank you for eight wonderful years, I wouldn't have wanted to spend them with anyone else! We've changed and grown in so many ways (I'm afraid I've grown a little more than you) and been through so many ups and downs together. I feel like you lift me up and have helped me to become a better person. I sometimes wonder where I would be if I hadn't taken that summer job in Alaska, and the one thing I know is that someone was helping me out because He knew how good you would be for me.So, in honor of our anniversary I am going to fulfill my obligation to a request from a friend. Amber tagged me way back in December and I just never got around to doing it, but this is a perfect time to ask forgiveness and give you a little info about me and my true love!

1. How long have you been married? 8 years today!
2.How long did you date? We knew each other for about a year, but actually dated 8 months.
3. How old is he? Old enough to be legal!
4. Who eats more? I'd like to say he does, but right now it's me.
5.Who said "I love you" first? He did, Christmas Eve 1999
6. Who is taller? Do you even have to ask?!
7.Who sings better? We both sing like angels!
8. Who is smarter? Book smarts, him for sure! But I happen to be way smarter in the "useless random information" category.
9. Who's temper is worse? Now I'd say we tie on that one, but I'd like to think I control mine a little better. (he might tell you different)
10. Who does the laundry? Me
11. Who does the dishes? Me again. Okay, he helps quite a bit.
12. Who sleeps on the right side of th bed? He does.
13.Who pays the bills? Depends on the bill.
14. Who mows the lawn? Lawn? What lawn? I'm sure that by the time we actually have a lawn it will be Kody!
15. Who cooks dinner? I do most of the time, but he's so much better at it!
16. Who drives when you are together? He does, I'm too directionally challenged.
17. Who is more stubborn? Again, I 'd say we're pretty even on that one.
18.Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Since I'm never wrong, I guess that would be him!
19. Who's parents do you see the most? Neither, and that's so sad. We miss them like crazy!
20.Who proposed? He did, and I was totally clueless - he took me to the lake, sang a song he wrote about us and at the end it said something about me being his wife. I looked at him and said, "are you asking me to marry you?" He was like, "duh" and handed me the ring!
21. Who has more friends? Me!
22.Who wears the pants in the family? We both wear pants; I hate dresses, and he would look pretty silly!

The Waiting Game

2008-04-20T08:49:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure what is going on, but I keep thinking "today's the day" and then another day goes by with no baby. You may look at our freaky little baby floating off to the right and say, "you still have 10 days to go, what's the problem?" but I'm telling you that my body keeps tricking and teasing me into thinking this might be the day. I won't go into all the gory details, but I will tell you that I have been having very real, very intense contractions everyday for the past week. I didn't have anything like this with the other 2, so it always makes me think I'm starting to go into labor. My Dr. told me at my last appointment that the 3rd baby is always a little strange and I'm starting to believe her! So for now I will just keep living my normal life and breath through these contractions, and maybe sometime in the next 10 days I'll have some results! I'm just really ready to take this big giant baby in my arms and give her a big squeeze and lots of kisses and then put her in time out for being so stubborn!

*Good thing I made my rice crispy treats for primary in advance, because today just could be the day!

Cravings

2008-04-17T08:48:00.005-04:00

The other night as I was laying in bed trying to sleep I got a sudden craving for a cheeseburger. Now, I don't mean just any cheeseburger -- I'm seriously craving a cheeseburger from In-N-Out, animal style of course. Heck, I might even make it a double double if I could! And fries and a chocolate/vanilla shake. Oh why don't I live in California anymore? Or Vegas for that matter! I don't have cravings very often, but when I do I kind of obsess about it until I am able to satisfy the beast. During my mission I craved a corn dog of all things, and I couldn't find one for over a year! I'm afraid it will be that long before I get to pay a visit to In-N-Out, but it will be worth the wait!

Not Much, but...

2008-04-11T05:07:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures from our snowy Easter morning that I just haven't felt like posting because I want Spring to come already! (we did have great weather last week, but now it's cold again and supposed to snow/rain this weekend)Yes, even big Mama decided to make an appearance!

The boys in their ties watching basketball before church

A tender moment (I'm sure daddy told them to do this)

What a handsome boy!

I just love her happy laughing face!

P.S. In case you're wondering, the name poll was very successful in my mind (Sophie was my first choice) but Brett doesn't agree. We're back at the drawing board, and the clock is ticking! Hopefully this little one will receive a name before she's 25, but it's been tough this time!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-04-02T05:52:00.006-04:00

It's my birthday and I'm wide awake wishing I could get back to sleep. I woke up about an hour ago (the current time is 5:53am) when Kody got up to use the bathroom. Of course, I had to follow suit and since then have been unable to get back to sleep. It's funny, they tell you to get as much sleep as you can before the baby comes because you know there will be none for the next several months. Doesn't anyone (doctors and experts, I mean) realize how hard it is to sleep when you're in my condition?! I can't even remember the last time I had a good night's sleep, or even slept in the same bed as my hubby for that matter. Kody has taken over my spot and I'm in the other room most nights.

It's now much later (10:00am) and I did go back to sleep for about a half hour before Kody came in to say happy birthday and snuggle with me. Here's the conversation we had:

K: Mom, what party do you want?
(we've been discussing what theme he wants for his party next month)
Me: Oh, I don't know. I don't really need a party.
a few minutes of snuggling go by, and then:
K: *gasp* You need a cake!
Me: Yes, I guess I do but I don't really feel like making one today.
K: I love you, Mom.

Do I have the sweetest boy in the world or what?!

Are You Still There?

2008-03-20T22:15:00.005-04:00

I know, it's been way too long since I posted anything of substance on the blog and I wouldn't blame you at all if you've gone away. Just in case some of you are still checking and wondering if we're still around - here's a little something!We haven't been doing much lately, but at the end of February we took advantage of Brett's mid-winter break from school and

went to this cool hotel in Frankenmuth.

They had an indoor waterpark,

so we played in the water and had lots of fun

while the weather was snowy and cold outside!
(check the cubs blog to see more of our fun activities!)

What's for Dinner?

2008-02-18T16:56:00.002-05:00

Help! I have really been slacking in the meal department lately. Mostly because I just don't feel like cooking, but also I'm sick and tired of my "usual" fall-backs. Do you have any quick and easy recipes that are also yummy and new? I know my family - namely Papa Bear - would greatly appreciate any and all suggestions. Better yet, any volunteers to come for a visit and become my personal chef?

Better than Chocolate

2008-02-14T10:33:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentines Day Papa Bear! When we got married, you said "our song" should be Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan and it is so fitting! You know I love ice cream, chocolate and basically anything full of sugar. I am still so in love with you, and last night you made me love you even more! After such a terrible day with the kids kicking, screaming, hitting, fighting, throwing tantrums, etc etc and I was so tired on top of it all - the only thing I wanted to do is curl up in bed and throw a tantrum of my own. You came home and helped the kids finish their dinner, entertained them and then got them ready for bed so all I had to do was tuck them in. And you did all this when you should have been preparing for your presidency meeting. And then, to make it even better you surprised me with chocolates and a rose when you got home! You'll never know how happy you make me, especially on those days when you walk in the door and want to run right back out because I'm so grumpy. You don't complain when I haven't fixed anything for dinner and it looks like all the toys have taken over the living room, you just gather the kids and encourage them to help pick up and get ready for hot dogs again - or whatever we can find. Thank you so much for being the best husband in the world! I love you forever and eternity!