Did I forget to mention . . .

It's a girl!

Fall

This year I felt like Fall flew by. We did manage to enjoy the beautiful weather just a bit before winter started settling in. We went on a little hike at Cascade Springs.

My two little boys. Noah is missing a shoe because he walked right into a swamp a few minutes earlier.

Pumpkin carving with the cousins.

Halloween, before the weather turned terrible.

Lake Powell

We went to Lake Powell in September and had such a blast. The boys made an extreme slip and slide and it was a huge hit.

Both the boys loved playing in the sand. Noah especially loved being almost naked the whole time.

James was ok with the water as long as he was not actually in it.

James with a few cousins, Hudson and Cooper.

We discovered a new passion of James'. Fishing. Who knew? I'm not sure he would actually like catching real fish, but he sure loved casting and reeling it in.

Yellowstone

A few months ago, we went to Idaho and spent some time in Yellowstone. It was a nice to get away for a few days and the boys loved it as you can tell in the following picture.

James and his cousin Lydia checking out the hot pots.

Belated!

OK! So here's a quick update on our lives. . . finally! Hans had knee surgery awhile ago. What you can see in this picture does not even begin to do justice to how bad it looked. All is well now.

We went to Summerfest awhile ago. It was way too cold for June, but the boys loved it.

Hans passed his Journeyman test with a little study help from James. He helped him prepare for the practical test and it all paid off.

James turned three last week! His cake was decorated with his favorite things on the planet. Tractors! We can thank Hans for the design of the construction scene.

He is never happier than when he has a sucker in his mouth. Thanks Haley and Zach.

He was even kind enough to share one with his brother. How mature of him.

We bought a van. Sorry, no picture, but it's sweet. All you SUV lovers out there can mock all you want, but I bet you can't open your doors with the touch of a button. Ok, so I might be a little bit of a minivan snob. I'm sure it'll wear off after the first road trip with two screaming kids, but right now, I'm in love!

One last minor update on our lives. We are expecting a third BABY!!! Are we crazy or what? Don't answer that, I already know what you're thinking. I'm trying to be positive. But seriously, we're really excited. Honestly, I'm starting to feel like having three kids might be easier than being pregnant. This time around, it's really taking a toll on me. This baby is due February 11th, the day after Noah's 2nd birthday. James thinks it's a baby sister. I have no clue. I've stopped guessing because I'm always wrong. Time will tell.

Spring!

It's been a busy few weeks ago. We celebrated Easter and then left a few days later for a much-needed getaway in St. George. As soon as James realized there was candy in the eggs, he did just fine in the Easter egg hunt. Noah required some help, but he made out alright.

While in St. George, we took a little trip out to Zion's and did a few short hikes. The kids loved it. James loves his little cousin, Lydia and his aunt, Marissa.

A short hike up the base of the Narrows.

James is wary of the water falling from Weeping Rock above his head.

Yesterday . . .

While stopped at a stop light, I noticed the license plate frame on the minivan in front of me. It read, "Caution: Under the influence of children." I laughed out loud. Isn't that the truth?

It's Been Awhile . . .

Well, we haven't been up to much lately. Noah is up to his same crazy eating habits, as you can see. James has been up to his same mess-making habits. We went to Ikea and got a great storage system for the toys. As you can see, it's really doing a lot of good.

Appreciation

Last night, I was cleaning the kitchen and James said, "Good boy, Mommy."

It's nice to be appreciated!

Oh Boy!

Remember how Noah is a crazy eater? Well, he has taken it to a whole new level.

Homemade

So awhile ago, I was looking through a Pottery Barn catalog and saw some throw pillows that I just had to have, but I couldn't bring myself to spend $25 for just the pillow cover. So I looked closely at the picture and made my own. It's the first time in my life that I have ever sewn anything without a pattern. I'm feeling pretty good today.

Cookie Monster

The pantry is one of Noah's favorite hangouts. A few weeks ago, he found a grasshopper cookie in there and this is how I found him. At least he's happy, right?

Four years!

Today is our 4 year anniversary and since I don't have any pictures of our wedding on my computer, you get this one taken when we were newlyweds. Wow, we looked good back then.

Sorry, but there will be no long narrative about how I'm so blessed and how I have the most incredible husband in the world (even though I do). I just wanted to acknowledge our special day and say that life is good.

Holidays!

The holidays have come and gone and they were wonderful. About a week before Christmas, we took the boys to see the lights and reindeer at Thanksgiving Point. The lights were a huge hit, the reindeer, not so much.

Christmas morning! Can you tell that Noah just woke up. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera for the rest of the day. No big deal though because the kids got sick and most of the day consisted of vomiting. No fun!

On New Years Day, we were all well enough that we could go sledding. It was a blast. James warmed up to it over time and Noah just hung on for the ride.

Hans and James

Noah and Papa

James wasn't so sure about the saucer.