Christmas...

I LOVE being in my own home for Christmas and just enjoying the day! I realized after all the presents were open and I had cleaned up most of the chaos that I didn't take any pictures of our kids opening their gifts. Then I realized it didn't matter because I just sat back with my baby in my lap and loved every minute of it.

It also could have been the lack of sleep from the night before...

The second Bryce and I finished with the gifts under the tree at around midnight Landon comes up the stairs wanting to check it all out. He was SO excited the kid couldn't contain it! We quickly sent him back to bed and told him to stay there... he didn't.

I heard something around 1:30 a.m. downstairs and quickly realized what it was. I looked over and saw Landon moving from the couch to the tree scoping out all the presents. Back and forth he went trying to control himself from touching everything. I told him to go back to bed, but do you think he did?... NO!

He probably came up into our room at least once every hour asking if he could open his presents and each time we told him to GO BACK TO BED!

Then at around 3:30 he brought a side kick along with him to join in our torment. Now we have Landon and Chase in our room every half hour begging to open their gifts. At 4:00 Bryce wanted to throw in the towel and get it over with, but I REFUSE to give in and get up. By this time Landon and Chase have grouped every present under the tree and organized them for each person. I have never seen two kids more excited. We FINALLY got up around 6:00 and started the festivities. No pictures of the tree, none of the kids coming down the stairs waiting anxiously, none of them opening that favorite thing they asked for, but it was a great day anyway!

... and who slept peacefully through the entire night...

BRADY!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

A picture is worth a thousand words...

... Iowa winter's are the worst!

4 Months

Long Drive Home

It was a fun filled two weeks home.

One plane ride to Chicago followed by a three hour drive home to Iowa...

...I think everyone had a great time, but we were tired!

I think next time we should take a few days vacation from our vacation!

Hangin' with Papa Tom

Yes, we did go to the Dinosaur Museum again while we were home.

It is Chase's favorite thing about going home to Utah, but I think there are enough pictures of that on our blog. I don't think any of you even need to go... just look at all of our pictures from our many visits.

I do have one from when we went to the Bean Museum with my dad. The kids LOVE this place and I had never been. It was just nice to spend some time with my fam and my dad all in the same afternoon.

Brady even enjoyed himself.

Landon's Baptism & Brady's Blessing

My baby got Baptized!!!
We were home over Thanksgiving and thought it would be a good time to bless Brady and Baptize Landon with all of our family. It was such a special day! Bryce baptized Landon and blessed our little guy all in the same morning. It was such an amazing day and I'm so glad we waited so all of our family could be there to share it with us.
Landon was so excited and he was lucky enough to share his baptism day with his cousin Sydney. The two of them were so dang cute! I don't think the day could have been any better.

The brothers that could be twins...
Sydney and Landon with their dad's before the big event.

Haslem Christmas Party

The Haslem Christmas Party...

1. Play and Watch a LOT of football.

2. Beat the heck out of a pinata.

3. Grab as much candy as you can.

4. Make gingerbread houses with all the cousins.

Happy Holidays!!!

If I had the energy to do a Christmas card this year this would have been the pic to go with it, but since I don't...
Happy Holidays From the Haslem's!

(I will try and update from our trip home soon... to busy and to tired, but just because I love it so much
here is one more for your viewing pleasure )

3 Little Hawkeyes

3 Months Old Already!

Flag Football 09'

Landon LOVES football! He has so much fun playing this year on the "Raiders". It took a few games for him to get over the fact that he wasn't playing with kids that he knew, but quickly grew more aggressive as Bryce "encouraged" him with football cards for pulling at least 5 flags in a game. Let's just say Landon has quite the collection of football cards after this season.

Halloween 09'

Halloween was a hit this year... My kids got to be what they wanted and between the trunk r' treat and going to houses for a couple hours they got a TON of candy!

All my boys wore this costume at this exact age
(seeing as how they were all born in July or August)
They all look SO much alike too... maybe I'll post some later to compare.

Chase's Class
There were a couple really creative costumes in his class this year.
A Humpty Dumpty, and a Tree... I'm sure you can pick them out. CUTE!

These are the boys out with their friends.
Landon was Obi Wan Kenobi and Chase was Anikan one day and Jengo Fett another.
We're really into Star Wars here if you couldn't tell.
I tried to get Brady an infant Darth Vader costume, but when it came down to it I didn't want to spend the money... maybe next year, that would be cute!

Carving Pumpkins

I put off carving pumpkins this year until the night before Halloween. I was trying to get away without doing it at all, but Chase had been BEGGING for weeks to do them so Bryce was finally home one night and we stayed up past bed time to let the kids have some fun.
Don't they look like they're having fun?

It was SO cold outside by the time we put the pumpkins out,
but we had to have a picture of all their hard work.

Picking Pumpkins

We found a great place to pick pumpkins this year. It had a small corn maze that the boys LOVED with some trick mirrors and few other fun things for them to do.
It was a great night to spend with the family since those nights don't seem to happen all that much with Bryce working so much.
I love just spending fun family time with ALL my boys!

What did we ever do without him?

Family in Illinois...

Last weekend my dad and my brother Keith took a trip out to see his folks in Illinois and we were lucky enough to be invited. I love being able to see my family, I will do so any chance I get. It was going to be my first road trip by myself with all three kids, but Bryce was able to come last minute... whew!
It also happened to be my mom's dad's 91st birthday while we were there! We took him an ice cream cake and some hard candy to celebrate.
The boys of course went golfing, even though it was only 45 degrees and my Nana and I took the boys to "Where the Wild Things Are" (Not recommended!)
My dad's dad also has a birthday this month so we took the time to celebrate that while we were there. We had a great weekend!
I miss my family!

91!

Landon LOVES showing anyone who will pay attention his football card collection.
My Grandpa loved talking football with him... it was so cute!

The Whole Gang!
(minus Bryce who was nice enough to take the picture)

Love these People!

Who's Kid is he Anyway?...

I have nothing to say about this picture...

I can't get him to take the bink.... he prefers this instead.

'Tis the Season...

6 1/2 Weeks

44 1/2 Weeks...

... Is how I feel!

This only difference between now and a month ago is that I'm carrying him on the outside. Brady LOVES to be held! I can't set him down without him crying 2 minutes later. This wrap was a gift from my oldest brother Ken and I love him for it! It is getting a lot of use since this is the only way I can do anything around here with this little guy.
I still love him to death though!

Every Dad's Greatest Day...

... When your son is big enough to mow the lawn!

Landon came home from school one day while Bryce was mowing the lawn and wanted to try it. Bryce was so excited when he could actually do it! He called me on the phone to tell me that he was looking at the greatest thing... his son mowing the lawn!

When there were some tougher terrain Landon would get between the bars and push the mower like this. Bryce gave him $5 when he was finished for a job well done.
I wonder when he will increase the price?

Brady / 3 weeks - 1 month

3 Weeks Old!

I stole the comparison next to a teddy bear from a few people and thought it was a great idea.

One Month!

Unfortunately this is the face we usually see if he is awake and not being held

First Days of School & Grandma Josh

The school year couldn't have come soon enough at our house. With the new baby things have been pretty crazy... or I'm just going crazy!
We decide to hold Chase back this year due to the fact that he has such a late summer birthday. He was not pleased AT ALL that he was going to preschool again this year! I literally had to drag him into the classroom with both hand kicking and screaming. He knows the system and the teachers so why does he have to make it so difficult?! Needless to say these pics were taken after the first day was over. You can see he survived and had a great first day.

Landon is getting so big! I had to force him to sit down for 1/2 a second just to get a picture on his way out the door. He is starting 2nd grade and is in the same class as his best buddy which he was very excited about. Hopefully it will be a great school year!

This is the desk he chose at the school open house when he found out
who his teacher would be this year.

On the same day Landon started school his Grandma came into town. My boys (especially Landon) LOVE their Grandma Josh. For those of you who don't know how she got the name Grandma Josh it came from Landon. She used to watch him a few days a week before we started medical school while I went to work. He would get confused between his Grandma Cindy and Grandma Sydney when he was little so he simplified it. His uncle Josh, Bryce's youngest brother, was also a favorite at the time so instead of saying the Grandma where Josh lives he just started calling her "Grandma Josh".
She is now and probably will forever be known in our house as Grandma Josh.

Unfortunately with all the craziness of a new baby we forgot to get a pic of Grandpa. He also payed us a visit to see Brady and we were so glad that he did. We were so happy to have Bryce's parents visit us for a few days to celebrate Brady with us.
Thanks again for making the effort to come out. We loved it!