Books and Bagels

This morning we took the kids to Books and Bagels over at the school. This is a fun little tradition that the school puts on once a month. I haven't been able to attend very often, since it doesn't really work with my schedule. I was excited though that both Tara and I could attend. Even if it's a small thing, spending time together is always worth it.

It's funny to see the kids different reactions had when we woke them up to get ready. Kennedy was excited - she practically jumped out of bed. Dylan started slow, but quickly warmed to the idea. Alex hid his head under his pillow. After a few moments of prodding he finally volunteered the reason - "There's not going to be anything for me to eat. I can't stand bagels." We assured him that life would move on and food would be found.

In the end it was bagels for everyone (except Alex).

Big D turns 4!

So Dylan is four years old. It's crazy to think that my baby is growing up so fast. We had lots of fun celebrating his birthday. He's not quite old enough for a friend party, so Dylan got to spend his birthday with his family. We tried to make it fun for him. He had three different parties so I think he had plenty of fun!

We started with dinner on his birthday. We went to Cowboy Grub, a place that Dylan didn't necessarily pick, but loved because it had a playroom to hang out in while we waited for our food. Needless to say, he was way more interested in the playroom than eating any food.

 After dinner, we tried to find a fun ice cream place and ended up at Sub Zero. The kids were so excited and loved watching the girl make the ice cream with all the smoke and fun stuff. The problem was that the line, on a Tuesday night, was out the door and the girl doing the ice cream, was the only one there. So we ended up walking across the parking lot to the Fresh Market and the kids all picked out their own little ice cream and were quite happy with that. We will have to hit the Sub Zero another time.

After ice cream, we headed home and Dylan finally got to open his presents. He got some fun stuff, scooter, some fun toys, but the most beloved present of the day was... the Skylanders Giants Wii game. Dylan has been asking for this game for months, so we gave in, and he was very excited. The kid is a little addicted to the Wii, so I was a little leery to invest money into a game that has 50 or so characters that you can buy to go along with the game and encourage him to spend more time on the Wii. But, we did, and he loved it.

The party continued on Saturday as we spent the afternoon at Planet Play. We did some bowling, mini golf, go carts and played some video games. The kids had fun, but were a little sad that none of the cousins could join in.

Sunday was another party for the extended family. We had dinner at our house with the family. Dylan got to spend time with his cousins and open even more presents. We did his cake (Skylanders, of course) and had a nice evening hanging out with family. It was a nice way to end the week of celebrations!

I can't believe my baby is 4 years old. It seems like yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. I've loved but almost dreaded watching Dylan growing up, knowing he was probably our last kid. I've cherished each milestone, knowing it was the last time I would see all the firsts in a little ones life.

First time eating baby food-love that mess!
Learning to crawl
First steps
First words
First tantrum-not so much!
First day of preschool...and there will be so many more firsts. I can't wait to experience them together with my little guy.

Dylan, I want you to know how much I love you. I love your sweet smile, your eyes, your stubbornness, your football build, your excitement about life. I love how much you love your brother and sister, even though you try to beat them up sometimes! I love when you sneak in bed with us to cuddle with mommy and daddy. I love you, little man. You are a special kid and I hope you always remember that. Thank you for being my "Big D".  I love you.

Mommy

For Your Birthday

Dylan,

Another year has come and gone. I can't believe it, but somehow you've gone from being our Big D to a little man. Where did the time go? It's as though we were helping you walk one minute and now you're off and running. It's been a wild ride and one I wouldn't live without.

This year has been one of new opportunities. Going off to preschool and learning about new things, with new people. You've adapted so well to your surroundings. We always knew you would, still it's been fun to watch you have this experience. Have fun at school - it's a great place to see the world and make friends. Look to reach out to others and make them part of your life. You''ll always be happy when you're sharing with others. The lessons you learn in the earliest grades as those that are most important for your life.

It's been so fun watching you love your brother and sister. I already know that you want to be part of the action. Seeing you jump right in with older kids and making your presence known is a trait you certainly possess. Never lose that sense of adventure and a willingness to mix things up. People who sit on the sidelines usually end up with regrets - be part of the game.

D - you are a wonderful boy who can bring a smile to the faces of those around you. I know you have touched my heart and brightened my spirit. I love you. Happy Birthday.

Daddy

Shredding it at Mountain Dell

One of the things I like most about my calling in Young Men's is the fun times we get to have with the kids when we're all together. Once a month we pack up both the Young Men and Young Women for an evening of fun. This month we headed up to Mountain Dell for a little late night sledding.

My favorite part of the night was taking Kennedy with me. She loves hanging around the older kids and, fortunately for us, they like her too.

We had a total blast tonight. The hill was slick and sent us down at some pretty good speeds.
I'm not going to say I kept up with the teenagers, but Kennedy and I managed to hold our own. Even better, no one got hurt - always a plus when you're rocketing across ice on a piece of plastic.

Thanks for being my sled partner Dede!

Science Experiment

Winter time can be a pretty boring time for the kids.  With bad weather outside, there wasn't a lot going on for us yesterday.  One good thing about the weekend's storms was it finally cleared out the inversion and we had a "green burn" day.  So we fired up the stove and the kids performed a little science experiment.  Take a look:

Hiking Time

Yesterday we took advantage of our trip to Southern Utah and headed to the red rock.  My dad had mentioned a few short hikes that would be perfect for the kids.  So, we packed up the van and headed to Silver Reef to explore the country.

I knew Alex and Dylan were in for sure when we learned that the first hike we went on was to some dinosaur tracks, fossilized in the rock.  It was awesome.  I can't really remember the name of specific species, but the fossils looked like a large bird.

Since our first trail wasn't very long we continued our trek and headed up the next canyon.  I think our final destination was a waterfall, but we were really just happy to be outside.  The kids played on the rocks, jumped over the streams, and had a total blast. 

In the end we had to call our hike off a bit early due to darkness, but no one cared.  It was great to breathe some fresh air and get outside for a change.

Nana's New Knee

For years my mom has struggled with her knees.  She's known for a while that she would end up doing a total knee replacement at some point in her life.  For the past couple of years, stairs have killed her and it's tougher and tougher to get around.  So, when she told us she was ready for the surgery our family was excited for my mom.

We were fortunate that my work schedule had me teaching in St. George this week.  I could complete my trainings and still have time to be there for the surgery.  She went under the knife earlier this morning and after a couple of hours it was over.  She slept much of the afternoon and by evening - they had her strapped up to machine that would keep her knee moving.  It's unbelievable how quickly the hospital gets people moving.

Surgery is never easy, but my mom is committed to the process - especially the rehab that will follow.  I know she can do it.  She's a tough lady who can accomplish anything she put her mind to.  Good job Mom - we'll have a race in a couple of months!