Family Pictures 2012

Life is hard when you have a good friend that's an amazing photographer and will do a photo session whenever you want! I feel like Leah is our own personal photographer and if you look back at our family pictures over the years Leah's been the one behind the camera. Not only is she a great photographer but she is also a great friend! Yes Wendell did eat your oreo's.... get over it! It's been 5 years! ha ha kidding. But seriously check out her out @ LEAH LORNA PHOTOGRAPHY!

wendell+ashley+wyatt+jake :: family

my baby you'll be!

snap, crackle, POP!

W.W.W.

Pre-Christmas Extravaganza!

Here it is! The inevitable Christmas post Part I. This year I wanted to start a few traditions with our little family as Wyatt is old enough to participate and enjoy them. At our ward Super Saturday the RS President gave a wonderful presentation on how to keep Christ in Christmas and I loved the ideas she gave us. One of the new traditions we started this year was to read one scripture a night and then hang an ornament on a little tree. It is simple but perfect for us.

We've had a fun month doing all sorts of activities. From Zoo Lights, to the Nativity, to making Ornaments, and finally to visiting Santa and going on a sleigh ride. But of course I always forget my camera in the car so I've gotten very few pictures!

Meeting Santa!

Waiting in line for the sleigh ride

Making ornaments

and gingerbread houses!

Only 4 more sleeps till Christmas!

Family of Four

I love my boys! What more can I say?

A Day Out with THOMAS

A few months ago I bought tickets to A DAY OUT WITH THOMAS! Luckily Jake came early because the tickets were for 4 days after my due date!

Wyatt loves loves loves THOMAS. He watches the DVD's all the time and he has a small train set. So when I found out Thomas was coming to town I had to jump at the chance to take him. When I was younger I LOVED THOMAS TOO! So I guess it was just as much for me as it was for him!

Wyatt was absolutely star struck. He just stared at Thomas as he chugged on by and then immediately wanted to go for a ride!

Meeting Sir Topham Hat

Playing with the trains

Meeting THOMAS!!

Finally going on a ride on Thomas!

We had a great day and the weather was perfect. It started raining when we boarded Thomas and stopped as soon as we got off! Jake was perfectly content all day in his stroller. I can't wait until next year when Jake will be older and he can run around with Wyatt!

Anything like Wendell....

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this new song by Brad Paisley.

It's the perfect song for Wendell & Wyatt!

Anything Like Me

I remember sayin' I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm okay
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said, "You see that thing right there, well you know what that means"
I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me

He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast
End up every summer wearin' something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street

He's gonna get in trouble, oh he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now, knees all skinned up

With a magnifying glass tryin' to melt the Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on?
That'll be his first love 'til his first love comes along

He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens

And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket, he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skippin' class and be grounded for a week

He's gonna get into trouble, we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by and I already dread the day

He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he can't wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out if he's anything like me
There's worst folks to be like, oh he'll be alright if he's anything like me

One of THOSE posts!

I normally don't do posts like this. I usually talk about Wyatt & Wendell and our trips or special occasions. I don't know if its the hormones or the upcoming Christmas season that's making me even more emotional than normal or what. I just feel like I can never articulate how I truly feel but I am going to try because I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for and want to share it.

It's sad that sometimes it takes an accident or illness to make you realize what's really important. My brother Brett recently got into a dirt biking accident. We were able to go down to Lethbridge on Friday night after he got out of the hospital. While it was fun to laugh at his memory loss it was still scary to think about what could have happened.

This experience and also the experience of watching loved ones go through illnesses has truly made me realize what is important and what I am thankful for!

I am thankful for our parents.

I know with all my heart they love us and would do anything for us. I just wish I could repay them for all they've done for me and my family.

I am thankful for our siblings.

(I couldn't find my pictures!)

Even though we don't get to see them as often as I would like I know they would do anything for me and vice versa.

I am thankful for best friends.

I love these girls so much. They have always been there when I've needed a shoulder to cry or someone to go get a pedicure with.

I am thankful for amazing cousins!

I have many more cousins that I love too but these girls were the closest to me growing up. I will never forget our cousin sleepovers and riding bikes singing "Peanut, Peanut Butter & Jelly!!"

I am thankful for my husband.

He is not perfect (don't tell him I said that!) but I love him anyways. We have been together for 5 years this month. (Another post to come about our story) He has been there by my side through the ups and downs of marriage and is an amazing daddy to Wyatt.

I am thankful for my little man!

I never thought I could fall for someone as quickly as I fell in love with him. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, and he makes me very thankful for bed time!

I am thankful for eternal families.

I have never been so grateful for the knowledge that I can be with my family forever as I have been lately.

Like I said it's sad that it takes an accident or illness for me to truly appreciate and be thankful for the important people in my life. It makes me want to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend to those around me. I guess I've learned that life is too short to not be thankful especially to those that really deserve our thanks!

Busy...busy...busy!!

Where to begin? The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of busyness.

To start off I guess I can introduce the newest member of our family.

Meet

Rhonda the Honda!

That's right we are mini van owners! We knew we would get one eventually but the opportunity arose to get it now so we took it. It has a few glitches and flaws but we love it. Wendell actually likes driving it which is really shocking! So that being said we are selling an amazing white Mercury Sable!! If you are interested let me know!!

My big man turned the big 27 a few weeks ago! I decided to surprise him with a birthday dinner with a bunch of our friends. Needless to say I am not very good at surprises and blew it! Oh well...I think everyone had a great time! Of course I forgot to take pictures so here is one from last year!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE!!

A few months ago I blogged about how bored I was and needed a craft or hobby. Well I wish I could be bored again and have time to do my crafts! My days are filled with driving kids to school and chasing around two toddlers and my nights are filled with school work. I am in school again this semester taking two courses for my Early Learning and Child Care Diploma. I just keep telling myself get through this semester and you will be done. For now anyways....

My little man is as active and outgoing as ever. He goes non stop. Apparently he's the little escape artist in nursery because he is constantly opening the doors and trying to get out. I guess his new thing is turning off the lights too! How did he become THAT kid?

I pulled my camera out the other day because I haven't taken pictures of Wyatt in so long! Every time I told him to say cheese he did this little head tilt thing. Of course I had to video it! I think it's funny because I did that until I was like 10. Every picture of me is with my head tilted!

ENJOY!!

Date night with my little man!

Wendell was away tonight so it was just me and Wyatt. Normally I would clean up after dinner or go on facebook or check out blogs until Wyatt goes to bed! But tonight I decided to spend some quality time with my little man. We built a fort and had snacks. He LOVES Toy Story. He can always spot Buzz & Woody on different items when we go to Walmart. So of course for our date we watched Toy Story in our fort. I had so much fun laying next to him and watching him.

Where did the time go?

I can't believe my little man is 18 months old already! He is closer to turning 2 than he is to his 1st birthday. It amazes me how smart he is. I am always shocked when he does something that most kids his age do because in my mind he is still a baby!

18 things I love about my 18 month old

18. I love that he is finally sleeping through the night!

17. I love that he gives me hugs & kisses whenever I want.

16. I love the way he says “mommy” & “daddy” like we are his favourite things in the world.

15. I love the fact that he looks like Wendell.

14. I love that he plays so well with the other boys in my day home.

13. I love it when he sees another child crying he will give them hugs and kisses without being asked.

12. I love the way he wants to snuggle when he wakes up.

11. I love the way he tries to help me sweep by insisting on holding the dustpan.

10. I love that anytime he hears or sees a dog he calls out “PUPPY!”

9. I love that he loves coming to our Sr. Nursery class with us. (We’ll see how it goes when we take him to his Jr. Class on Sunday!)

8. I love the look on his face when he is trying to be sneaky.

7. I love it when he tells me he has pooped. (It makes my job a lot easier)

6. I love the fact that he can entertain himself when mommy needs a second to do things.

5. I love it when he folds his arms for prayers.

4. I love that he loves his FROGGY and would take it everywhere if I would let him.

3. I love the fact that he loves to play in our little pool even if the water is cold.

2. I love the way his rosy cheeks bounce when he runs.

1. I love the fact that he is ours forever and for all eternity!

I LOVE YOU

WYATT WILLIAM WALTON!

A Weekend with the Waltons

This last weekend we spent it with Wendell's family. We went to Lethbridge for bowling and Chinese food. This was Wyatt's first time bowling and he was a natural.

They had the cutest size 6 bowling shoes for him. Somehow he knew exactly what to do.He would go get a ball ( it was 5 pin so the balls were little) and walk to the lane and throw it. He did it all by himself before anyone else had even started. He was loving it so much that he started throwing tantrums when we wanted to use the lanes. One of his aunties even tried tricking him into throwing the ball into some shoes but of course that didn't work for him. We all had alot of fun and we will definitely be taking him more often.

(He is saying ball)

For Father's Day I made Wendell the "6 Layered Chocolate Dessert." I gave Wyatt the spatula and cool whip container to lick! He went outside and climbed up on the chair and this is what I found! What a mess!

Apparently I'm Selfish......but I'll do a post anyway!!

Recently I was told that bloggers are the most SELFISH people in the world. All we do is talk about ourselves and what is going on in our own lives. So I'm going to be selfish........

For Easter we were able to go home to Cardston for 4 days. We went swimming in Lethbridge at the Ramanda with my sisters and their families on Friday. On Saturday we had our Easter Dinner with the Walton's. My mother in law does an Easter egg hunt for all the grandchildren and Wyatt found all his eggs with the help of his daddy! On Sunday morning the Easter bunny came and brought us tons of chocolate!! I don't know why I buy Wyatt treats because I just end up eating them all. My bro also blessed my niece Georgia on Sunday and we had another family dinner. And finally on Monday my mom and a few of my sisters and I spent the day cooking freezer meals! It makes for such a long day but its nice when you get a full freezer out of it! As you can see we had a crazy but fun weekend with the family!

On Tuesday I found out that the mom of my 3 day home kids got laid off so she gave me her two weeks notice. I am sad because the children have finally started to enjoy coming to my home and actually play with Wyatt. I'm also a little stressed about trying to find some more clients. So I've been smothering my worries with Easter chocolate!! If you know anyone in Calgary that needs child care send them my way!!

So back to bloggers being selfish.....I understand their point. We talk about our day or our children or our problems. So to end this post I'm going to ask you about you!! How was your day? How was work? How are your kids? There.....now I don't feel so bad!!