Cute Boys!!!

I have some MAJOR updating of the blog to do... but I couldn't wait to put these up!

Notice Chase sportn' the new hair... some of the updating that needs to happen.

9 Months and the cutest thing ever!

Thanks Robs!!!

THE HAIRCUT...

Before...
And let me mention that two days earlier I had already "cut" his hair so it was actually longer than this...

Look at all those long blond locks on the floor!

... AFTER!

It took me a few days to get used to my Chaser looking so different. He just didn't seem like the same kid without "the mop".
There were so many people who didn't even recognize him at first and even one of the mom's at preschool thought there was a new student in class... for three whole days!
She asked some of the other mom's who the new kid was and they had to tell her it was Chase.
I asked him if he was sick of everyone talking about his new haircut and he kindly told me, "YES"!
Now that we're all used to the new look around here I really like it and I'm sure considering the heat and humidity of Iowa, Chase is LOVING it!

Happy Birthday Bryce!

Bryce turned 32 this year!...

... and I made the BEST cake EVER!
(by the look of Bryce's eyes you might think I added a special ingredient) :)

Happy Easter!

These are the boys dressed up in their traditional Easter clothes...
SO cute! :)
Bryce always gives me a hard time for all that I get the kids on Easter. He never understands why I insist on buying them new church clothes for the occasion every year.
Doesn't everyone get new Easter clothes? I always did.


The family at the Ward Easter egg hunt.
It was held on the property of a ward member, it was PERFECT!
There was so much land for the kids to find eggs and run around, I'm so glad we went.
It was a little chilly and early, but the kids had a GREAT time!

Hunter and Chase before the big hunt... these two did very well for themselves!

Downward Dog...

I Could Just Eat Them Up...

Fun at the Park

LOVE, love, love having out at the park with good friends on a nice day!

Spring is Coming!!!

The weather here has FINALLY started to warm up a bit and we are taking advantage of it any opportunity we get.
The boys got this Razor 360 big wheel for Christmas so Landon and Bryce decide it was a good time to put it together and take it for a test run. This thing is so much fun!
Landon was a bit hesitant at first thinking he was going to tip over as it spun around, but it didn't take long!
The kids were doing 360 turns like they were experts before you knew it.

Brady was even out and enjoying some sunshine.

Brady... Again

Maybe I should just start naming the blog "The Brady Blog". What can I say, He's my best subject and always willing to cooperate for the camera.
I just can't get over how much joy he has brought into our family.
We all LOVE this little guy so much! Chase practically smothers him to death on a daily basis, but I love watching it!

Can't get enough of those big blue eyes!

Thanks for taking such cute pictures Robs!
It was so much fun to get all our little guys together to take some pictures.

Brady is growing, growing, growing!
He weighed in at just under 20 lbs.

This is our little man in his "Brady" jersey that he got for Christmas.

Chocolate Covered Brownies and Marshmallows...

I bought a little mold for brownies on a stick a couple weeks ago at the store and Chase has been harassing me ever since to make them so...
today we went to get the sticks, the chocolate, and the yummy outer candy goodness.
These things are dangerous people!
I haven't eaten much sugar lately, but I had to have one and it almost made me sick it was so rich and YUMMY!
We had a lot of leftover chocolate so I stole the idea from Jen's blog to cover marshmallows on a stick as well... also yummy!
Chase and I had so much fun making these today. He always loves to help me in the kitchen.
The family LOVED them and tomorrow I'm taking little treat bags to my primary kids to share.
(I need to get rid of them quickly)

Just a Little Off the Top...

It was time for a little trim...

Isn't he handsome!

Will You Be My Valentine?

Chase has made these for me for the last two years on Valentines.
He gets SO excited to give me his little creations and I love them more than anything!
This year was no exception, my favorite gift from one of my favorite boys.

6 Months

Where does the time go? I know everyone says it, but really... 6 months already!
I am LOVING having this little guy around! He has turned into the happiest baby ever. He will smile all day long at anyone who talks to him. He LOVES his dad and smiles the second he walks in the door at night. All his babbling is Da-da-da and Bryce swears he's calling him that.
He is so loved by his two older brothers and they are both so good with him.
Why did I wait so long for another precious baby? Why did I think this was going to be so hard when we found out we were expecting?... okay, it is hard, but SO worth it!

I am having SO much fun learning how to finally use my camera! These are some pics I took of Brady for his 6 month shoot and I think they turned out great for an amateur. It's fun to play around with the editing as well and see what different looks you can come up with. I can spend HOURS on my computer playing around with these pictures so here are a few different looks that I kind of liked.

BRADY...


A few weeks ago I gave him one of these just to see what he would do with it
(He refused one for the first two months of life)
He loves it now and I am so grateful! It makes things a lot easier.
He still loves his fingers and thumb though...

Can't get enough of him and EVERYONE thinks he looks so
much like big brother Chase...
We think so too.

"Hope for Haiti"

A few weeks ago Landon got to participate in the "Hope for Haiti" 3 on 3 tournament. All proceeds went to the Red Cross so we thought it would be a great opportunity to participate in a good cause and play some basketball with some great friends.
Landon played with some of his best buddies from school and Bryce ended up being their coach for the afternoon. They called themselves "Team Blackout" and all wore black shirts.
They played all teams made up of first and second graders and I can't believe how tall some of those kids are at that age! They won their first game, but lost the second... so sad. If that loss was any indication of many more losses to come than Landon has a lot to learn about loosing. He doesn't take it very well, but quickly got right back into it for his other games.
They had to play one team that was so much taller than them 3 times to make it the championship! Who did they have to play in the championship?... the only team they had lost to. Of course!
Both teams had 4 players so instead of subbing in and out all 4 team members from each team played. It was such a close game and at the end it came down to a tie! They had to go into a sudden death, first team to score wins, tie breaker!
Team Blackout won the coin toss and received the ball first...
Landon was passed the ball and went for an outside shot...
And it went in!!!
We were all so excited and if this small tournament was any indication of me as a mother watching her boys play basketball... I'm going to be psycho! I had so much fun watching Lando and his team play and I was so nervous for them, but ex-tactic that they won!

The first huddle as a team and their coach

This was not the game winner, but his favorite shot none the less!

Aren't they all so dang cute!

5 Months

... and loving solids!

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!