San Gennaro Feast!!

A month or two ago the San Gennaro Feast was going on at the Silverton Hotel. Every time we would take Eric to work the boys would see the rides in the parking lot. He told me he really wanted to go on the rides. That Saturday we decided to go. We called Jeff and Erica and they met us there. As soon as we got there we headed right over to the little kid rides. I went on a few of them with Kade and Kyle and did not get sick. When Jeff and Erica arrived they went on a few rides with them too. After they rode on all the rides they wanted to Eric and I saw a ride we really wanted to go on. It looked like a ton of fun! We didn't think it would go around and around so we had Jeff and Erica watch the boys while we rode the ride. After it was over, Eric and I both regreted it. We both felt incredibly dizzy and almost threw up. Needless to say we had to leave because neither one of us felt good anymore. I guess we just aren't young anymore!

 Some of the little rides.

Jeff, Erica, Kade and Kyle waiting to go on the ferris wheel.

Jeff and Kade

Erica and Kyle

The only ride Connor could go on was this choo choo that went slow.  He enjoyed though!!

Jeff, Erica and Kade went to the haunted house ride. Kade thought it would be fun, but afterwards he didn't like it at all. He said it was too scary.

Here is the ride Eric and I thought would have been fun.



Kade loved this slide. He kept wanting to slide down it.

Jeff decided to slide down too.

Jeff waiting while we were on the train. Eric was with him. 

Kyle leading the way back to the car.

Thanks for going with us Jeff and Erica. Other than the ride Eric and I went on it was a blast. We are sure glad they have the "feast" before it gets too hot! Can't wait for next time!!!

Connor is so proud of himself!!!

On Mother's Day Connor figured out how to come down the stairs. He had mastered going up the stairs for quite awhile. Here is a video of his first time. I love the little sounds he is making and how happy he is at accomplishing something. I also like how we are all there supporting him. What a funny and cute little guy!

Here is the picture Kade wanted to take.

A Little Bit about Daddy!

The boys love their daddy (and so does their mommy)! He is a great example of love, strength, support and hard work to our family. He works super hard during the week to make sure we have everything we need. Luckily we get to have him on the weekend! We love to laugh at his silly jokes, comments and singing. He takes the boys for hikes and to the park. I appreciate the way he backs me up when the boys are not behaving as they should. Overall, we think daddy is a really incredibly great guy and we love him immensely!!

Here are some questions Kade answered about him.

What makes dad happy? Giving him a surprise.

How does your dad make you laugh? When he says funny things.

What does your dad do when you're not around? Go to work.

What is your dad really good at? exercising

What is your dad not very good at? making trophies

What does your dad do for a job? look on computers

If your dad were a cartoon character who would he be? he would be Fred from Scooby Doo because he takes scary faces off.

How are you and your dad the same? he likes cars and trucks

How are you and your dad different? we don't wear the same hair and the same shirt

How does your dad shoe he loves you? He doesn't get mad and take away my cars

What does your dad like most about your mom? giving her kisses and hugs

My little helpers!!

I feel like I spend half of my life cleaning up....after three little monkeys. Somedays it is really hard to get them to do what I need them to. Other days it is all they want to do. All three boys will help me transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer. They think it is really fun to throw the clothes in the dryer. Once the clothes are out of the dryer I fold them and Kade puts them away for me, sometimes without complaining. Kyle has just recently been interested in putting his own clothes away so he takes his pile and Kade helps him shove it into his drawer. Getting them to clean up their room is the hardest thing to do. They are really good at not taking their toys downstairs, so if their room is messy that is ok. At least it is not all over the house, usually. Lately, Kade and Kyle have been interested in vacuuming. Here is a picture of Kyle vacuuning. He stopped to pose for a picture. Notice Connor is watching him.

  

Kade is my biggest helper, of course since he is the oldest. He is in this phase right now where he likes to help me cook dinner and of course, treats. For the most part he is a really good helper. He does have "chores" now like feeding the dog and unloading the dishwasher. I really need to make a "chore" chart for him because the other day he was complaining and telling me how he didn't want to unload the dishwasher. I looked at him and asked him if he thought I wanted to be cleaning up the house. He said no, but it was a pain getting him to do his "job". I think a chart will really help.

 Overall, as the boys get older they are more helpful. Little Connor will even help throw things into a box or bag. I love these little guys!!

How Great Thou Art!

Carrie Underwood is probably my all time favorite singer. She is amazing! I love how she is so  down to Earth and not so "Hollywood". This song of her singing "How Great Thou Art" with Vince Gill made me an even bigger fan. Here is the song.

Mother's Day Questions

I have seen these "mom questionaires" and always thought it would be fun to see what the boys would say. This year I had Kade give answers and this is what he said.

My mom's favorite song....anything Carrie Underwood.

My mom's favorite thing to do at home is....play the piano.

My mom's favorite place to go on vacation....California.

My mom's favorite place in the house is....getting in the bathtub.

My mom's favorite chore is....taking the clothes out of the dryer (ummm, ok).

I like when my mom takes me to....see trucks.
My mom's favorite food is....macaroni and cheese.
My favorite thing about mom is....driving in the car to the zoo.
Something that makes my happy is....give her a present.
My mom's favorite place to shop is....Walmart.
I love when my mom....takes me somewhere.
My favorite thing to do with my mom is....make a present.
If my mom had one day without kids she would....have another kid.
Something my mom loves about me is....playing with toys and cleaning up the room.

What is something mom says to you?   a good boy
What makes mom happy? give her a present
What makes mom sad? being mean
How does your mom make you laugh? tickles me
What did your mom like to do when she was a child? put her dress on
How old is your mom? 600
How tall is your mom? 96
What is he favorite thing to watch on T.V.? American Idol
What does your mom do when you're not around? look at things on the computer
If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? "What's famous?"
What is your mom really good at? doing stuff on the computer.
What is your mom not very good at? riding on horses
What does your mom do for her job? stay with the kids
What makes you proud of your mom? give me stuff
What do you and your mom do together? take a picture
How are you and your mom the same? we both have shirts on
How are you and your mom different? you're wearing black and I am wearing green
How do you know your mom loves you? when you give hugs to me
What does your mom like most about your dad? loving him
Where's your mom's favortie place to go? to one of the stores

He answered some of these right but some of the answers I was thinking "what?????" It will be fun to see what he says next year and what Kyle will say.

 



The Boys!

It has been awhile since I posted about the boys and what they are like right now. There are a few things I have been wanting to right down so I don't forget.

KADE

Kade is starting to be such a big boy! As usual he is a really good helper. He helps me with the dishes, laundry, and daily cleaning. He loves his little brothers, even though there are some days where him and Kyle argue constantly. He loves going to his sports class on Fridays. The teacher says he is always the first one to be ready for the games and helps clean up. He is very friendly and affectionate. He loves to watch Scooby Doo and any other great movie. He likes to eat mac n cheese, pizza, chicken nuggets, PB & J sandwiches, cheeseburgers from McDonald's, and corn dogs. He despises broccoli. Sometimes I will ask him to have just one bite. Being the good boy he usually is, he will eat it. Afterwards, he will act like he is going to gag and throw it up. His favorite candy right now are those Reese's chocolate and peanut butter eggs and chocolate chip cookies. He loves to go outside and play in the little kiddie pool. He enjoys going for walks and playing at the park. I am super proud of him for learning all of the alphabet and handwriting. At the beginning of the year I didn't think he would write the alphabet or his name for a long time. He is now doing both. His pictures of people look more like people. They no longer consist of only a head and legs. He likes to draw limos. I am starting to teach him addition and how to sound words out. Maybe he will for sure be reading well by the time he enters kindergarten.



KYLE

Kyle is still Kyle, but better. Earlier in his life I thought he was going to be the "hard" one. However, these past few months I have started to see a different side of him. First of all, he is starting to follow directions much better. He communicates more by being able to say more words. He loves naptime, which he really still needs. However, he will not go to sleep until we have read some stories. His favorite books are "Go, Dog, Go" and "Are you My Mother?" When I read "Are you My Mother?" there is this part Kyle loves to laugh at. I don't know if it is because of the way I am saying it or what it says. The part he really laughs at is the line when the baby bird says "I want my mommy". It is so fun to hear him laugh like that. At nap and bed time, he will not go to sleep unless I am laying down with him. If I get up to leave he will pat his pillow and say "lay" or "down". He likes to snuggle a lot more too! Kyle can be really friendly and compassionate. Last Friday when we were leaving from dropping Kade off he notices a little girl fell and dropped her stuffed animals. Her dad was there helping her so I don't think anything of it. Kyle, on the other hand, walked right over to her, picked up her stuffed animals and gave them to her. He then put his hand on her shoulder and looked at her as if to say "are you alright?" I have learned with Kyle to not think he is one way because he will completely surprise me by the some of the things he does. There is a really kind and compassionate side of Kyle which I have noticed even more being his nursery teacher. Kyle will eat almost anything we give him. He, opposite from Kade, loves broccoli. In fact he will sometimes eat only that for dinner. He loves to play with Kade in the backyard and the pool. He also loves to go for walks and to the park.

CONNOR

Connor if finally starting to walk. He will take a few steps and fall down. After he falls down he gets right back up and tries again. The whole time he is laughing and smiling, acting like he is so proud of himself. Of course he has all of us clapping and cheering for him. He is really patient and loving. He likes to clap and wave. When he waves he says "hi da". He also likes to say "mom". He seriously will eat anything we give him. He is still an incredible eater. There are times when I am sitting on the floor and he will come up to me and lay his head on my shoulder and give me a hug. He loves to play with his brothers, as long as they are being nice. I think he is going to have curly hair too. It is starting to curl in the back. He also likes to go for walks and to the park. He is starting to be a really good climber. I am sure he appreciates Kade taking him down the slides.

All of the boys are super excited when daddy gets home. They start screaming and run downstairs to see him and give him a hug.  For the most part, they all play really well together. Each of them are learning to share and to be kind and loving. I hope they will continue to become friends and stay best friends through out their lives. Eric and I are truly lucky to be the parents of these three amazing little boys. We love them with all our hearts!!

Little Reese and the March of Dimes!

Close to this time last year we received a phone call telling us that Kelly, Eric's brothers wife, was going into labor. It was two months early. We can never imagine what they were going through at the time. It has probably been one of the most difficult circumstances in their life. I can imagine not being able to hold my baby as soon as they come out. However, I only had to wait until the doctor was done doing the C-section. What I can't imagine is not being able to hold my precious little baby until a few days or even weeks later. To celebrate Reese's first birthday, Justin and Kelly are running in the March of Dimes in Tacoma, WA. They are trying to raise money to donate to their run. If you are able to I know they would greatly appreciate it! Here is their story and how to donate.

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Our daughter Reese was born nearly one year ago, two months early and after some serious in utero complications. We are celebrating her first birthday by participating in the March for Babies, a walk organized by the March of Dimes to raise money to research and prevent premature birth. We'd love for you to join us in the walk on April 30 in Tacoma and/or donate to this cause.

Reese's first weeks in this world were tough -- for her and for us. Born at 32 weeks, she weighed just more than 3 pounds. I remember seeing her for the first time. Unable to hold her, we grasped her hand through a hole in her isolet. She was tangled in cords. Her tiny face was nearly covered by the tape holding the breathing tube down her throat. She slept -- curled in the fetal position -- amid the bright lights and constant beeping of monitors at the UW NICU.

It was not the warm, cozy, loving introduction that I so wanted for my little one. I distinctly remember thinking, "This is not the way to start a life." Fortunately, the March of Dimes doesn't think so either.
That's why the nonprofit organization is dedicated to funding research that investigates why premature birth happens and what can be done to prevent it. The money we raise for the walk will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.

Reese came home to us after five weeks in hospital. She's now 11 months old -- smiley, chubby, babbling, active, and healthy. We are so thankful, especially knowing that not every preemie has such good outcomes. So help us help babies! Here's how:

Contribute to our team online. It's fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from our March for Babies web page with a credit/debit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on our web page.

Walk with our March for Babies team and the millions of compassionate people across the country who support the march. You can help fund raise or just support the walk with your presence.

Here's the link:  http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1559668

Thanks!
Kelly and Justin Johnson



Easter Bunny!

Today we went to visit the Easter Bunny at the Galleria Mall! It went a lot smoother this year. Last year we went really close to Easter, so we had to wait about an hour or more. By the time we got to the bunny Kyle was throwing a huge fit. When we arrived today we walked right up, the boys sat on his lap and they took their pictures. I really didn't think Connor would cry because he was so happy with Santa Claus, but he attempted to start crying with the Easter Bunny. The only one giving a real smile in every picture was Kade. When we were done we went over to the food court where there was this clown show. They brought out a bunny, had a little Easter egg hunt and gave prizes away (no we did not get anything). Connor was finally smiling and getting excited. Kyle just stood by me, but Kade went and sat by the other kids and even did the little parade.

Here are their pictures from last year.

This is my favorite picture from this year. Like I said, Connor did not know whether he should smile or cry.

                                                      Pictures from the rest of the trip.

Bellagio!

We have made it a family outing to go to the Bellagio when they change the gardens. We love doing that! The boys like to go out front and watch the water show to. When we went this time the theme was, of course, spring. It was beautiful, as usual. Kade and Kyle loved looking at the butterflies and the fish.

                                           Kyle is looking at the fish in the pond.

                                        Connor is looking down into the water.

This "picture" is made from flowers. It was amazing!.

Right below this big bird was the pond with the fish.

This is where the boys liked to run back and forth. Luckily, nobody else was really walking through it.

What a fun morning!

Our New Backyard!

Grass has been put in our backyard. It so nice to have grass! The boys love it too, especially when the sprinkers come on. The day these pictures were taken the sprinklers came on while they were playing. I looked at Kade and told him to run through the water. I really didn't think he would do it, but he did and loved it! Of course, Kyle had to follow. They stripped down to only their undies and diaper. Since tomorrow will be about 88 degrees and Friday will be about 91 degrees we are going to pull out the fun kiddie pool with a giraffe slippery slide. Should be fun! I am sure Eric will be thrilled to come home and jump into it :) There is not very many trees or shrubs, but I am just glad they have grass to play on instead of dirt. They also play a little bit of soccer. We put the soccer goals Nana and Papa gave Kade on each end so they try to make a goal. They really love the water table shown in the pictures. They get soaked every time they are there playing with it. Of course, being boys, they had to make their very own mud puddle. Kade cleared some rocks and dug a little hole and threw water on the dirt. Kade and Kyle had a blast though!

Connor decided he was done, so he came and sat inside the door with me. Love that little face!!



Kade and His Pictures!

When Kade gets a hold of the camera he takes pictures of everything. This is what I found on my camera this time.

My personal favorite....



Joseph Smith

Since moving back to Las Vegas I have had a lot of "extra" time on hands. To use up some of that time I have been studying church history. As I have read my testimony of Joseph Smith as the first prophet of this dispensation as grown. We, the Church of Jesus Chirst of Latter Day Saints, do not worhsip him. We believe he was an instrument in bringing back Jesus' gospel and all of the ordinances that were here on the Earth before the apostles died and the world was left in darkenss. I think it is miraculous that he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am ever grateful for the keys of the priesthood being brought back because without them we would not be able to live with our families forever and ever. I appreciate everything the pioneers did to further the restoration. I would never have been able to do what they did. What great examples of faith! The other day I came across this video which depicts Joseph Smith and his life perfectly. It is an hour long, so watch it when you have time or in spurts. It is truly amazing and inspiring!

http://www.youtube.com/user/MormonMessages#p/c/295254BDC885BDB5/0/1xVw6PsSinI

Bath Time!

Kade, Kyle, and Connor love bath time. When they hear the water all three of them are running/crawling to the bath tub. Of course they make sure they have plenty of toys.  Kade has a giraffe towel. Kyle has a puppy dog towel with his name on it. Connor has a monkey towel. He also gets a kick out of seeing the boys in their towels. They love their toothbrushes, just not getting their teeth brushed all the time. They make sure there is plenty of water on the floor. It takes a big towel to clean it all up. I like bath time to because it allows me to either get the bathroom or my room cleaned up or blow dry my hair. What some cutie patooties!