Gingerbread Houses

A couple of weeks ago we made gingerbread houses with my sister's family and my parents. We had a great time and Levi and Michael really got into it. We even had to break out the power tools to cut the doors and windows.

Michael covered every inch of his piece of gingerbread with candy.

The finished product.

Winter is Here

One of my favorite traditions is going to get our Christmas tree. We usually go the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but the trip had to be put off a week because Levi had to work. It was great to go with my whole family even though I didn't actually get to pick out my tree this year. I stayed in the jeep with Liam because it was too cold for him to get out. Levi picked out a great tree though.

Here is Michael and Jade playing in the snow while they waited for all of the grown-ups to get back. They were standing on the road and then falling face first into the snow pile next to the road.

Liam all bundled up against the cold. He was so confused about why he had to have so many clothes on.
A few days after we got home with our tree, Levi set it up and he and Michael decorated it. Michael was very helpful and did a great job. He still rearranges the ornaments for us if he notices one in a place he doesn't like.


Michael's placement of the ornaments before Levi explained to him about needing to spread them out a little bit.

This picture of Liam is just so cute that I had to throw it in.

We hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season.

A Review of November

I know that it has been a while since I posted anything, and I apologize to all of you who have been anxiously awaiting news of our family. Maybe after you see what we have been up to, you might find it in your hearts to forgive me.
The first thing that happened is we discovered a leak in our basement. This prompted tearing up half of our concrete driveway, digging out the side of the house, and resealing one of the walls of the basement. Needless to say, it wasn't a small project.


After that small set back, we got right back to work, and I am so happy to announce that it is finished and ready to be rented out. Here are a few pictures of the completed work. I am so proud of my husband. He has spent the last year and a half doing this job practically by himself, and it looks great. He does amazing work.


The boys are doing great and growing like crazy. They love to play together. Michael will lay on the floor and just laugh at Liam. Here's a video of it. (Make sure to pause the playlist so you can hear for this one.)



We have had to buy Michael a whole new winter wardrobe because all of his warm clothes are too small. Michael is also developing quite the imagination he spends a lot of time pretending that he is one animal or another and he loves to sing and dance.

This is baby lion Michael in his cage.

Then he decided Liam should try the cage.

Michael has also become quite an architect. He uses his blocks to build these elaborate houses and castles, usually for Batman. Then he tells me all about the stairs, bridges, porches, etc. that he has put into them.

A close up of the house.

Liam has been learning to roll over. He can roll from his tummy to back and back to tummy; although, the former is much easier. When he's trying to roll over his feet move quite a bit more than his head does. It results in him moving around in a big circle with his head at the center as he rolls around. (Sorry this one is so shaky. Michael was jumping on me when I was filming it.)

And this is the most recent addition to our family. We got her from Levi's brother. Levi just can't resist a free boxer.

Her name is Roxy my accident. I didn't like the name she had, and the first name that popped into my head when I saw her was Roxy. Then I had to laugh because that name is way to close to Rocky. On our way to Grand Junction to pick her up I told Levi the story. I didn't realize how closely Michael was listening. As soon as Michael saw her, he started calling her Roxy, so that has become her name.

She is a pretty good dog. We're just trying to teach her the specific rules of our house. She's just over a year old, so I expect she will be with us for a while.

So now you are all caught up. Hopefully I will do better in the coming month. I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Halloween

HERE ARE OUR CUTE LITTLE TRICK-OR-TREATERS

Pumpkin Carving

Last night we invited our aunt uncle and cousins over to carve pumpkins. We all had a great time getting dirty and making cool jack-o-lanterns.
Here's Dad and Michael hard at work. Michael wasn't too excited about cleaning the pumpkins out at first, but then he got into it.











Here is Liam just watching all of the action.



Here is Mom and Michael working on Michael's pumpkin.






The finished product.






The proud boys with their pumpkins.

Pictures From the Hospital...Finally

I know it has taken forever, and I have actually had these pictures for a while now. We have just been so preoccupied with the basement and hunting season that I have not gotten around to putting them up. I think they're totally adorable, but I might be a little prejudiced.

The most innocent face I have ever seen.

Papa Brad, Liam, and Daddy

Me and my little boys. I must say that I was overjoyed to not look like the walking dead in these pictures even though they were taken only a few hours after having given birth. It was a total turn around from how I looked the last time. I'm even smiling in some of them.

The proud Daddy.

Here are all of my boys.

Our happy family. (Well, most of us are happy anyway.)

What have we been up to? Let me tell you...

WARNING: THIS COULD GET LONG

Most of our time has been spent in our basement. We are finally finished taping, mudding, and texturing. Now it's on to painting and putting in cabinets in the kitchen. It's fun to be doing things that actually make noticeable differences when we're finished. It makes the work more rewarding and it's easier to talk yourself into going down there and doing it.

We're also grateful for all of the help that we have been getting. It's good that Jasmine and the kids don't mind getting dirty because we can't seem to stay clean when we paint.
Even Michael got into the painting. We let all the kids help on the primer coat. They were so proud of themselves.

Michael has been having quite the month. He had another moment that proves once again that he is my son. I had to giggle when Levi called me in to witness this scene.

This small bag of candy has begun to cause quite the drama in Michael's life. He has been showing some interest in being potty trained, so we let him pick out a treat at the store that he could have every time he went to the bathroom in the toilet. He gets one for trying to go to the bathroom and two if he actually goes. When he starts running into the bathroom to try just to get the candy then he doesn't get any. This last rule led to the next picture.

Here is Michael sitting on his toilet for about half an hour. He was pretty determined to sit there until he had earned his candy. It wasn't happening, so we finally bribed him with a movie to give up for the night. Major props to Michael though for the effort.

Here is Liam during his bath. This is pretty typical of his facial expression during his whole bath every time I bathe him. He hates to have a bath. He screams like I am torturing him. It's totally opposite from Michael who loved to have baths.

And here is my sanity. Sometimes looking forward to this is all that gets me through our totally hectic, crazy and wonderful life. I hope you all are as lucky as we are.

Down Sizin'

I am forewarning anybody who is about to read this post by telling you this is Levi. As some, if not most, of you might know I am kind of a nut. A month or two ago I sold my beloved Jeep Cherokee Chief. It had been in my family for about nine years. I became the first in my family to own it after my older sister split up with her first husband and some how I got screwed out of my truck. My dear father took pity on my vehicle less state and bought me a 1983 Jeep Cherokee Chief. I drove it until I realized I could not afford to feed it. I then grudgingly sold it to my father, who put a lot of cool stuff on it then sold it to my older brother. My older brother then sold it to my younger brother, who drove it like it was stolen and left it for dead in my dad's yard. Until I returned home from my mission I was once again vehicle less. I purchased the old beast from my younger brother. Reunited once again at long last. I spent countless hours and enumerable dollars reviving the beast. I have had the thing since.

I have many fond memories of wheelin' and wrenchin' with the ol'girl, but alas! In the end I sold it to some one outside of my family. It was a tear filled event (mostly Cassie's tears.) Now you may be thinking why in tarnation is Levi telling me this terribly sad story. Well, my friends it is so I can share some wonderful news with you. We have received an adventurous new member to our family.

Tada! Isn't she so pertty! She doesn't have a name yet, but I am open for suggestions. When I bought her a few days ago she had some issues, but what new addition doesn't. We have worked out most of the bugs (mostly spiders) and are ready to go wheelin'. Whose up for a ride!

Birth Announcement

Thanks Aunt Stacy for the adorable birth announcement and the super speedy service.

A Quick Update and Pics

I thought that I would just get on and post a quick update of how we are all doing. Things are going pretty well. Liam is a great baby and he sleeps a lot at night which is a big change from Michael, so it took a little getting used to. Liam is growing so fast. He had already gained 4oz. at his week check-up, so we expect him to be a big boy. Here are a couple of pictures of all of my boys.

Michael really loves Liam a lot. He tells everyone that Liam is his best friend ever. It's so cute that he always wants to hold Liam and sit with him and love on him. It's fun to see them together because, apart from their noses, they look nothing alike. Michael is so light haired and fair skinned with his green/blue eyes and Liam is dark haired and skinned and will probably have brown eyes. Liam also has super long, skinny legs, feet, and toes. Actually all of Liam is long and skinny. It's amazing how different two kids from the same parents can be.

Levi has been so much help to me over the last week. I am constantly amazed by how lucky I

am to be married to such a wonderful man. He has taken care of all of the cooking and cleaning, so that I could have a chance to rest and recover. It is also amazing what a natural parent he is. I must confess that sometimes I get a little jealous. The boys absolutely adore him. Even Liam watches his every move as soon as he comes into a room. He is also amazing at calming them down and comforting them.

Welcome Liam!!!

Our newest little boy has joined our family and we are so excited. I was in labor for about 8 1/2 hours and everything went fairly well. Liam had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck a single time that was cutting down on his oxygen as he delivered. Things got a little tense for a minute, but we got him out fine. He was a little pale for a while, but otherwise healthy. He weighed 7lbs. 9oz. and was 21 in. long. He also has quite a bit of black hair and my nose. The hair was a total shock to us, and was actually the first thing that I noticed about him.

Here is a picture of Levi introducing Michael and Liam to each other. Michael was a little uninterested at first, but he has quickly overcome that. He wants to hold, touch, and help Liam all the time.

Here's a picture of me and my little boys. We did get some family pictures taken, but I don't have copies of those yet. I'll put them up as soon as I do.

Grandpa and the Kids

The other day we were helping my parents lay some sod at their house and I got this picture of my dad giving all the grandkids a ride on his little "tractor". It's not the best picture because I just took it with my phone and they were moving, but I thought it was still pretty cute.

Putting the Crib Together

Here are a couple of pictures of Michael helping me put together the crib this weekend. He's pretty excited to get a little brother and share his room. (We'll see how long that lasts.) He was a great helper though, and he got pretty good at using the allen wrench.

Michael wanted to sleep in the crib after we had it put together even though we didn't have a matress to go in it yet, and he's too big for a crib. He climbed right up there and laid down with his frog pillow and blanket.
I just had to add this picture that I took when our cousins Daxton and Jade got to come play. The kids looked so cute in their silly glasses.