Ballantyne Clan

Parker Wakeboarding 2011

2011-08-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Finally Snow!!!

2010-12-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

We finally have snow! Its just a few days before Christmas and this is our first "good winter storm". We woke up to about a foot of it. Some good friends (Bryan and the boys) from Texas are here in Utah visiting and I was able to watch the boys so Bryan could go snowboarding. My kids loved playing with Logan and Jeremy... they played in the snow for almost 2 hours, built a snowman, made cookies...and have been playing together all day long!!! I wish we lived closer to our good friends so our kids can be closer together and also because I miss them soooo much.

Tough Love...

2010-09-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

On Wed. night we told the kids if they go to bed good and stay in bed that we would take them to Trafalga (mini golf, bumper boats, rock climbing, race car driving, roller coaster ride, arcade, and more)-a place made for kids.... (I know its very sad that we are bribing our kids- but it sometimes take a good hour to get them to fall asleep)so they actually went to bed good...until 12:30am...Ashlyn woke up, came down stairs and wanted to sleep in my bed. Somewhere after I went to bed and Ashlyn coming down stairs Parker tip toed into our room and weaseled himself into my bed without me knowing it! So Mike told both kids to go back to bed. Parker was awesome and went without a problem...Ashlyn on the other hand cried. and cried and then screamed. the crying and screaming got louder and louder. After about and hour and 1/2 we brought Parker downstairs and told him to lay on the couch and if he were to get off the couch 1 time he would not go to trafalga. Mike locked Ashlyns door to keep her from coming downstairs and into our room, thinking she will get tired enough from crying and go back to her bed. Wrong! Thats when the start of louder screaming, louder crying, and kicking the door started. Mike told me to try to ignore it- after 30 more minutes of this-Mike went upstairs and got her to stop and we finally were able to fall back asleep around 2:30am. YES Im talking a 2 hour tantrum that went on!
So that morning (thursday) we woke up, tired of course, and told the kids they were not going to Trafalga. We ended up going....only because Hayden slept the whole night with out a peep. So Parker and Ashlyn stood and watched the whole time we were there. Although Hayden was way too young to fully enjoy the activities that take place there, we had to do it to show the other 2 kids what they were missing out on. Surprisingly they didnt complain at all or throw a fit about not being able to do anything. When it came time for bed last night we once again told the kids...go to bed good, stay in bed until the sun comes up and we go to Trafalga tomorrow.
The next day (this morning) we woke up to an empty bed (no kids) and we actually had a good night sleep! And they did NOT get out of bed at all when we put them down last night. Maybe this "tough love" will actually work (for now)!
*** hayden went on the bumper boats, the roller coaster ride, and the swing thingy. he did have fun! But i know the older kids would love it so much more than hayden did***

First day of Preschool

2010-08-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

Parker had mixed emotions about starting preschool today. He couldnt wait to get dressed and wear his new backpack but then kept saying things like "Im shy. How am I going to make friends. Mom dont leave me." But as we were driving to his school we talked about how to not be shy, how to make friends and that I would stay for a few minutes until he was comfortable... we got there and he kept right to my side. Every time I said I was leaving he would tell me he wanted to hug me (I swear I got at least 20 hugs/kisses - which Im not complaining.. it was rather cute!) About 5-10 minutes later he warmed up and I then left. After school was over, I picked him up and on the way home he told me how much he loves school and all about his day. I knew he would love it!

Dinosaur Museum

2010-08-06T12:19:00.001-07:00

I went with the kids and some neighbor friends to the Dinosaur Museum today. My kids loved it. Tons of dinosaurs to look at, on hands looking for fossils in the sand, and great company! On the way home Ashlyn kept asking why we were leaving...we will have to go again!

Company in town....

2010-06-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

Mikes mom and grandma came to visit us for a few days. Grandma Carm and Great Grandma Bev took Ashlyn on a special "date" to McDonalds for lunch, then Grandma took Parker to the movies for his special date. They absolutely were so excited for their "dates". While they were here, Mike, Parker, and Carm got into a big water fight. We BBQ a lot, hung out, went garage sale hunting, and enjoyed each others company.

Cabin Fever (a lot of pictures...)

2010-04-20T06:31:00.001-07:00

My neighbors have a cabin in Cedar City area, so we were invited to spend the weekend with them. We didnt know what to expect- but it was beyond our expectations.... this place wasnt a typical cabin I think of- in the mountains, older-- not used very often so there are cobwebs and spiders all over, dusty and so small where were all sharing one room..--- it was a large, new, clean, log cabin that had: a waterfall, clear pond for fishing and canoeing, a play ground, a area to golf (putty green). It was so beautiful. so quite and relaxing. We LOVED it there and wish we could have stayed a lot longer than just one day/night. We also went to Zions National Park for our first time. We hiked and the kids did awesome, it was again so beautiful. We had a great time and hope to do it all again very soon (hint hint Betsy :) haha)

blog of just pictures

2010-04-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

Instead of writing... im just posting some pics of the kids this past month.

Open Wide

2010-01-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

My two older kids went to the dentist for the first time (yes I know Parker is 4 and is a little old for it to be the first time) Parker did awesome. He was so excited to sit in the chair, have the assistant clean his teeth and take x rays of them, and have the dentist check and count them. Unfortunately he doesn't know that he has a cavity :( As for Ashlyn, she had to wait for Parker to go first to then know it was ok to do it herself. We were only able to look at her teeth and clean a few bottom teeth before she was done. Overall... they both loved it and want to go back. The best for them was when they were able to get a surprise from the surprise box.

So its been a while...

2010-01-07T18:36:00.001-08:00

I know its not like me to go TWO months without posting a blog... but Ive been busy with the kids, sick with the swine flu, having my parents here for the holiday (Thanksgiving) Parker's 4th b-day, Christmas w/ my in laws (Wyoming) and then celebrating the New Year with friends. No busier than anyone else! It was awesome to have my parents here for Thanksgiving, the kids just loved spending quality time with them. A week later Parker turned 4. We had a Spider-man birthday party for him and his friends. He loved every moment of it! Then I got sick... AWFUL... in bed straight for 5 days. Mike had to step in and be Mr. Mom. He took work off and did a wonderful job w/ the kids (who were also sick) not as bad as me. About 4 days after we were all better... we headed to Mikes grandmas for Christmas. It was a wonderful time spending it with loved ones. How grateful I am that we have our Savior and that we have the opportunity to celebrate His birth and His life. The only bad thing about Christmas was that my camera of course acted up on Christmas Eve and wouldn't work at all until the day before we left to come home. So my pics of the kids on Christmas morning are slim and were taken on Mike camera phone. Here are a few pics from the past 2 months:

Fall Fun

2009-11-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

The kids seemed to enjoy this month because they got to do a lot of things.... from Ashlyns 2nd b-day, to playing in the leaves, going to the pumpkin patch, carving them, going to a Halloween party, trick or treating, but most of all they LOVED dressing into their costumes. They cant wait until next year.

Family Pictures

2009-10-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

I got my little brother to come and take a few family pictures of us before the weather was too cold to take them... he did a pretty good job considering that he doesnt own a camera. We took them up Provo Canyon. Because we were on limited time (it getting dark, and the kids being in a good mood) we took pictures of a place i wanted to for a long time. I wish i would have had more of the fall colors in the trees... but thats ok. Good job John :)

Happy Birthday Ashlyn....

2009-10-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today my little princess is getting bigger and bigger. She turned 2 years old today. How it seems like it was yesterday that we were in the hospital getting ready to have her. She in the past 2 years has brought so much joy into my life. Her adorable dimples as she smiles. How she wraps her arms so tight around my neck to give me a hug.Always wanting to give me kiss after kiss and smiles thinking its funny. She loves her brothers and copy's everything her big brother does. When it comes to her little brother- she tries at times to be the "mother" to him. Its very cute. Everything about her makes my heart melt. She is for sure my little princess. Happy Birthday Ashlyn.

Haydens Baby Blessing

2009-09-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we blessed Hayden in church. It was a great experience for the family. We were able to have some family and many friends come to the blessing. I am so grateful for the gospel that is in my life, and that i have the opportunity to teach my children about our Savior and the truths of the gospel. I am thankful that Mike is a worthy preisthood holder and was able to give such a wonderful blessing. After church we had a little lunch-in with some family and friends. It was overall a great day!!!

Mike's New Car........

2009-08-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

This is Mike's new car that he just got today. He sold his Honda Civic that he's had for 2 1/2 years and bought this 2001 Audi A4 Quatrro. He got a good deal and really likes it a lot.

The start of reality

2009-08-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

So its day 2 of me being solo with the 3 kids. I think to my self.... I can handle 3 kids, its not as hard as I thought it was going to be. But then its haydens feeding time and thats when it all changes. They fight, hit, yell, want something that requires my full and undivided attention, and or get into something they are NOT allowed to get into. I know it will take time for them and for me to adjust. While my mom was here I watched her and got ideas of what I needed to do to make things go smoothly w/ my kids. And that is to keep them busy all day long. By playing w/ play do, painting, playing- swimming outside, reading, putting puzzles together, play hide-in-seek. But I do have to admit- me doing it for 1 day wore me out! :) I am very sad that my mom is gone, no more clean house, cooked meals every night, and 2 happy kids. I will do my best to do as she does because I did notice that everything ran so smooth. I am so glad that I had help for almost 3 weeks (thanks for Mikes mom and grandma coming as well as my mom) the help will for sure missed!

ITS A BOY......

2009-07-26T14:26:00.001-07:00

Im sure most of you have heard but we had our baby on, July 21- (tuesday). We were so excited to go in and finally have the little one. His name is Hayden Michael and he was born at 3:36 pm. Weighted: 6 lbs 11 oz. and was 18 inches long. It was SOOOOOO exciting to wait to find out what we were having. I would suggest that to anyone who can do it. For me it was a little more emotional and like i said exciting. He (along with the rest of us) are doing well. Mikes mom and Grandma were here when I went into the hospital, so it was nice to have someone for the kids to be with- while Mike was w/ me at the hospital. After Hayden was born, Mikes brother came into town. Now they are gone, and my mom is coming here to help my out tomorrow for the next week and a 1/2. Thank goodness for helping moms! Here are a few pics of Hayden.

they say.... NO news is Good News...

2009-07-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

they say.... NO news is Good news... thats what "They" say, but not what I say. if your wondering Im talking about this baby that has been kicking, hick-uping, moving around, sitting RIGHT on my bladder (for the past few months), keeping me up all throughout the night- in my tummy STILL. I havent carried a baby this far along w/ both kids... so why is this one holding out on me? I was always told that it seems like the more kids you have the earlier you deliver each kid? i guess that is wrong. I am 39 weeks and go to my check up tomorrow. My doc and I never scheduled an inducement date because I (and he) honestly thought the baby would have come already. I didnt go to my 38 wk check up because I was in the hospital thinking it was time. Nope I was wrong. I was contracting every 5-6 minutes (consistent for nearly 3 hrs + ), so I got a sitter for the kids, mike left work early to take me to the hospital. Once we were admitted, the RN checked me, I was dilated at a 2- she left and we sat in the room getting monitored, a little over an hour she came back in and checked me again- no progress, still contracting the 6 minutes. She told me because I wasnt 39 weeks they couldnt do anything to speed up my contractions and get me dilating more.And if I was 5 minutes or LESS i could have stayed. But I wasnt So i got sent home :( * I was only shy of my 39 weeks by just a few days* So now im chilling dealing w/ the massive heat, dealing w/ the needy kids, and trying to enjoy the most uncomfortable part of the pregnancy (the last few weeks.) Im crossing all my fingers and toes that things will happen very soon- like today would be nice! Or that when i go to my docs tomorrow morning he will tell me " WOW MISSY YOU NEED TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL- ITS TIME" ok thats wishful thinking. Im sure the next post on here will be pics of the new addition to our family. :) Just be patient is all i have to tell my self.

Pictures of the kiddos..

2009-06-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I took pictures of the kids and its hard to get 2 kids to sit, pose, smile, listen and get the "perfect" shot by your self.... but i think in the 10-15 minute attention span that they had there were some that I thought were cute and turned out well. I didnt want to post them earlier because Mike got them as a partial gift for fathers day.

in-n-out of the hospital...

2009-06-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Im not having the joys of being pregnant w/ this pregnancy. Ive been blessed cause my life can be much worse or difficult, so i shouldnt complain.... but I am!!! I am only 34 weeks and i went into the hospital to get checked out for "prelabor" directed from my doctor. 2 days ago i had contractions ALL day about every 4-6 minutes apart. I called labor and delivery Sunday afternoon and they told me to drink lots of fluids and take a bath. It seemed to help a little so i choose not to go in. Monday was fine... Today (tuesday) I contracted a little but then i got a bad stomach pain in my tummy. After a few hours of the pain-not going away at all- i called my doctor to see if he wanted to see me. he said go straight to the labor and delivery. so i did...after getting checked and sitting in there for 3 hours + the results are that it seems that I have a kidney stone. :( and that means it can cause the contractions to get worse. about the Baby coming... i look to be OK in that department-so far! thank goodness because 1: im not ready, mentally or physically 2: because it is way too early- the baby needs to continue to grow, develop, and be fully healthy. and 3: if i were to have the baby soon... my mom is going to be out of town and wouldnt be here w/ me and i would need here w/ me :) (Selfish me i know) Like i said it could be TONS worse. I just pray that I will be able to survive the next 6 weeks w/ all the tummy pains plus the uncomfortableness of being prego. I know im a complainer! sorry!!!!

Talk about a fun week...

2009-06-07T20:08:00.001-07:00

We had the opportunity to have Mikes parents come for the week. The kids LOVED their grandpa and grandma and wanted to know where they were at all times. Ashlyn always took them books so she could be read too, and Parker wanted to do anything and everything with them. We first went to Great Grandma Pats for dinner and then came back to our place.

Bless Jims heart (Mikes Dad) he spent most of his so called vacation working/fixing things on our house. He did such a great job, never complained about doing it and got more than I expected. He refurbished a picnic table, fixed our steps to go outside, fixed our kitchen faucet, our many sprinkler heads and system, fixed a leak that was in our laundry room. He told us other things that we needed to do and how to do them. So while he was doing "work" grandma and I and the kids shopped, ate, played, and had fun.

Here are just a few pics of the week. We went to a pro soccer game their last night (grandma stayed home w/ the kids so Mike and I could go) and it was a blast. David Archeleta performed afterwards. Overall it was a great week. The kids were sad to say their goodbyes.

GO FISH

2009-05-29T20:09:00.001-07:00

A little history, about 2 months ago Mike got a scooter for super cheap- turned around a sold it (made 150.00) then put that money on a little fishing boat. He hopes to use it for a little while and then turn around and make a lot more money since he fixed it up. Mike took Parker fishing with him and a friend of Mikes (Brad). They went to a lake up Provo canyon and Parker did absolutely well. He had a blast. Every time they (Mike or Brad) caught a fish Parker was right there with the net to help out. They went for a couple of hours which Im sure was plenty for a 3 year old. They ended up catching 10 rainbow trout but only brought back 6. Parker called me a few times on the way home to tell me about the fish that they caught and made sure that I was out side waiting when they came home.

Memorial Fun...

2009-05-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

We had a fun yet relaxing day for Memorial Day. We did yard work, played together, an had family and friends come over for a BBQ. After the BBQ, the guys played a little basketball while the girls watched the kids play together and we visited. Here is a picture of Mike and Ashlyn... she was worn out from the sun and all the excitment while Mike was resting after a long and intense basketball game. Thank you to all those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom!!!!!

Uncle Matt and Aunt Liz came to visit

2009-05-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

I am the worst ever... Mikes brother and his wife Liz came to visit us for a few days and I only took 2 pics. Only of Matt and parker. Im sorry Liz. Next time for sure i will be better. Parker LOVED having them here. It was also nice for me to have "girl time" with Liz.

A trip to Washington....

2009-05-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went to visit my older sister Trina in Washington. It was a nice, relaxing visit. We didnt do too much- but just getting away was all that I needed. Here are a few pics of her kids and mine playing together.

Tulip Festival

2009-05-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Georgia, the kids, and I went to the Tulip festival a week ago and it was so beautiful. Thousands of tulips were in blossum. Many different colors too. Parker and Ashlyn enjoyed it more than I thought they would have. I want to go every year!!!

Stay off the sidewalks....

2009-04-28T19:03:00.001-07:00

Here is Parker and his new little toy we got. (I love craigslist- a whole whopping 10 dollars.)He LOVES his new bike and isnt afraid to go fast. I am more worried and scared than he his.

Its a bird, Its a Plane, NO Its Parker in a Plane.....

2009-04-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

My neighbors sister works at a small airport so we took our kids there and they were able to look at the airplanes, sit in them, and watch them take off and land. His favorite part was being able to sit inside the aircraft and pretend to be the pilot. On the way home he kept saying "mom this is awesome. I want to do this again."

A House means a new Dog ???

2009-04-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Besides getting a home we also got a dog...so here are a few pics of the inside of the home (decorated) and of our dog, Roxie. She was already named, so we just kept the name. She is a 4 month old Boxer. And so far is a good dog. The kids love her, although it took a little while (few hours) for both kids to adjust to a puppy jumping all over them.
The house is coming along. I wish we had more money to fix up thing the way I want- Yard- trees, flowers, plants, etc.; to plant a gardern, more decor for the outside and inside of the home; and just the little things in the house... you know. I know it will come in time, but I want it all NOW. I only took a few of the main floor- so kids' rooms will come at another time- (they are asleep so i do not dare walk foot into their rooms to take a picture.)

Its OFFICIAL....

2009-03-31T20:33:00.000-07:00

We have OUR OWN home. It was a home we put an offer on back in Dec. and as of today (the loan went through) and the home is officially ours. We are so excited to have
our own place. Mike took the day off work to paint. His kind friend, Troy, painted pretty much all day with him. Once Troy left, Mike stayed to paint. He is determined to paint everything tonight. I just wish i was able to paint... being prego and having kids is pretty impossible. So i am here packing away. *Believe me I would much rather paint than pack!* Everytime I talked to mike and was at the new home, he asked me to bring the camera- video and digital.... i forgot until the sun was just to go down, so here are a few pics. I will for sure take more once we get it all decorated. Parker is SOOOOO excited. He has been asking all day long... when can we go to my new house. When can I sleep there. Its an exciting time for our family. More pictures to come shortly.

Tough winter for Ashlyn...

2009-03-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately Ashlyn has had one rough winter because of all of the little sicknesses she has had. Poor little girl! On Sunday night she was UP ALL NIGHT long crying and slept all Monday, then Monday night, same thing- up, crying screaming.. so i thought it was ear infection, i tried ear numbing drops, gave her Tylenol, and had the humidifier going, but she still screamed bloody murder. All day Tuesday she cried,Tuesday night she cried, and Wednesday morning... even if we held her she cried... it was a nightmare for me, Mike, and our poor little Ashlyn, so finally Wednesday morning Mike took her in. She didnt have an ear infection but DID have bronchiolitis. We caught it a the "very early" stages. they did a breathing treatment on her because her oxygen levels were very low. THANK goodness for andibiotics and a breathing machine treatments to help make her better. Hopefully this will be the LAST sickness she has this winter! I dont know how much more a little one can take.

Happy 5 year Anniversary Mike...

2009-03-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Today is our 5 yr anniversary. And how fast the 5 years have gone. I just wanted to tell Mike (and everyone who reads this) how grateful I am for you. Thank you for being the provider for the family, for working so hard to make it possible for me to
say home with the kids. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and always thinking of me and the kids. I cant wait for the next 5 years- and many more to come! THANK you so much for the great, thoughtful, loving, creative anniversary gift. Your the best and I love you so much.
**** For our anniversary, Mike first got me a sewing machine. He gave that to me a few days before our anniversary. The day before, we went out to a nice, quiet resturant and arranged for our neighbor to watch the kids. He told Kim that we would be back in about 2-3 hours to relieve her from the kids. As we left the resturant..

he drove into a hotel called the "THE ANNIVERSARY INN" we have never been there, and "INN" that is decorated into different themes. We has the Treasure Island Suite. And oh was it "sweet" He surprised me... he had his coworker come and get the kids from Kim, and they (Becky and Brad) stayed the night at our house w/ the kids. Then in the morning he asked my sister to watch the kids until we got back. I was so shocked that he made so many arrangements. That he would actually take the time to do something to surprise me WITHOUT telling me before hand. And that he made our 5 year anniversary so special to me. It was a nice, relaxing evening alone w/ no kids. I cried for a little bit because it was my first time away from them. It was hard but it was also very much needed! Today, we are together, he took the day off to spend it with me and the kids. I got a great husband and I love everything about him.

Mike's Brother wins North Dakota......

2009-03-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

Mike's brother Ian just swam in the North Dakota High School State Swim Meet this past weekend and took a First Place and Second Place in the state. He was the only 9th grader swimming in the meet and is only 14 years old. He took 2nd place overall in the 200M breaststroke and 1st Place overall in the 200M IM with a time of 1:58:00.

how quick kids catch on...

2009-03-05T07:19:00.001-08:00

2 nights ago, Parker was taking for ever going to the bathroom before bed and I was waiting in his room to tuck him in... i walk in to the bathroom and what do i see...Parker peeing in a little cup. My first reaction was "PARKER WHAT ARE YOU DOING" he said, "mom i saw you do this at the doctors before, so its ok to pee in cups." (i have no choice than to take my kids w/ me to the docs for my monthly check up! I guess that is my fault to what he was doing at our house!) I then had to explain that its only ok when your at the docs and he asks for it and no where else.

our little princess...

2009-02-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Mikes mom bought Ashlyn this adorable dress... I promised when she wore it, I would take her picture... Ashlyn loves getting her picture taken and it shows for it in the out come of the picture. I love our little princess! Carm, thanks for the dress. She looked like a doll.

Parker at his first "Soccer Practice"

2009-02-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

Today Parker went to soccer practice for his first time. We were unsure whether he would like it or not but it turned out he did a great job and will be back next week. His first practice was with the 5 year olds, but next week he will begin playing with the 3 and 4 year olds. He was so excited to get his new shinguards and cleats..he still hasn't taken them off since we got home 2 hours ago.

what would YOU do?????

2009-02-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

I am debating whether to find out the sex of our "new baby" I have to decided in 2 weeks when I go to get the ultrasound. I am torn because about 70% of me wants to wait and make it a surprise, while the other 30% wants to know so I can "plan and prepare". Plan and prepare what? I dont know - i guess it just for me to know. Mike wants to find out... but he will do what ever I want. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? if you already have a boy and girl, have everything you need already.. would you wait and make it a surprise, or would you find out? let me know because your opinion matters :)

Family Gets Together (all but 1)

2009-02-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

Because of the death of my grandfather, all but my little sister were able to make it came to Utah for the memorial service. My sister,Keri, her husband got deported the day of, so she stayed home to be with him (and the kids)and say their goodbyes. We had a great time together and it was fun seeing my brothers and sisters again- and of course my parents. I hate that we live so far away from eachother.
- There is a family picture of us (w/out Keri)
- There is a picture w/ my dad and my brothers
- There is a picture of Mike, my bro-in-law Corom, and my 2 brothers wrestling...i got the picture of just mike and corom because it was the funniest one of them all. Mike iving Corom the "fish hook"
We thought of Keri a lot wishing she could have made it....but one day soon I hope we can all get together.

Mommy and Son date...

2009-02-04T21:08:00.000-08:00

Parker and I went to the circus. It was a lot of fun to be on a "date" with my son. It doesnt happen as often w/ Parker and I as it does with Mike and Parker. So it was nice for the change. Parker LOVED every moment of it. It was so excited to see the elephants, the white tiger, the lions.. all of it. We didnt have the best of seats, so I tried to zoom in with my camera... and they didnt turn out as good as i was hoping for. oh wellthe dark picture is of the white tiger.

In LOVING Memory of my Grandfather....

2009-02-01T14:54:00.001-08:00

My Grandpa, Tony Hansen, passed away this morning. Being 104 and in a nursing home for the past 2 weeks we all knew that it was going to happen soon. I am so grateful that my dad was able to come out this weekend to spend it with his father before he passed. It was is hard but thankfully for the gospel we are all at ease and have a lot of comfort knowing that he is with our Father in Heaven. I have many stories and memories of my grandfather.... but one of my best memories that I shared with him was when Mike moved to Texas and I still lived in Utah, before I went to Texas, I was able to go to the temple with my grandpa and his wife, Mary, in the Manti temple.(where Mike and I were married). It was a live session and it is something that I will always remember doing with him. I pray that his wife, Mary, will be comforted through this hard time for her. I love you Grandpa! And will be missed!

Parker Parker Parker...

2009-01-22T20:04:00.001-08:00

In the past 2 days Parker has gotten dressed by him self and this is the out come of him doing so. Same pj bottoms! He is such a joy! He makes me laugh every day. Today his buddy gabe wanted him to play at his house... so I told parker to get dressed if he wanted to go. The picture of him w/ his hat is the one for today. the others were of yesterday. The one for today... its freezing cold outside and he knew that- that is why he had the hat on (which he told me). Kids are so fun and so worth having!

!

1 week in the making....

2009-01-21T08:47:00.001-08:00

One night last week I wasnt home to put the kids to bed and Mike put the kids to bed... ( i normally do cause hes at school) anyhow.... Mike let Parker go to bed in big boy underwear. he has been potty trained since summer but I was never ready for him to go to bed w/out a diaper... Mike apparently thought different. (Parker, in the 7 months had only have 1 wet diaper). Ever since then Parker will not wear a diaper to bed. So far so good. Its been a week and we are so proud of our big boy! He turned 3 in Dec. so we are glad that he picked up on that so quickly!

OK...Its official

2009-01-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

Its official... To those who dont know yet... Mike and I are having another baby! Yep it makes it #3 for us. I am a little over 12 weeks. I didnt really spread the word to too many people because I wanted to go to the docs first.. I did at 10 weeks and he wasnt able to find the baby's heartbeat, so he told me to come back in 2 weeks... i did just that. Once again- news that I wasnt wanting to hear. The Doc couldnt find or hear it again (with the doppler) so after my appointment, I waited for Mike to get off work and we went to get an ultra sound done. Right away I saw a little baby. And a heartbeat... the doc told me that everything looks great and that I dont have to worry anymore! Now I dont mind telling everyone the exciting news I was holding to so many people for the past month or so... My due date is July 21st (my oldest sisters b-day). We are relieved to know that everything is ok!

Christmas Celebration

2008-12-30T07:36:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas this year. It was the first year, since I have been married that I was able to carry out a tradition that has been going on in my family since I was little. Christmas eve dinner... we made and ate yummy GREEK food. My sister and her family and my Aunt Georgia came to spend Christmas eve with us. It was Mikes first time trying Greek food, and was a good sport. He didnt like it but ate it. So now I dont know what the future tradition will be since Mike doesnt like the food we eat. (make him starve, make something else, - i like the make him starve :)/jk)
My aunt stayed the night and spent Christmas morning with our family. I am so thankful that she was able to spend some time w/ family during the holiday season. We were lucky because our kids didnt wake up until 8am and when parker was up he came into our room, Mom Dad, lets go down stairs. I said who came last night and he got all excited... Santa did mom. lets go. So we got Ashlyn out of bed (she was awake just playing) and headed down stairs and woke up Aunt Georgia. We were blessed by so many family and friends this year. The kids got SO many gifts, that I actually put some that I bought away for next year. Parker was so excited and was ready to open every present. Which he did... Ashlyn, w/ the help of Parker, opened up her first gift from Great Grandma Mathis, a baby doll- and she was done. She just wanted the baby and didnt want do w/ anything else. It was fun watching the joy in Parkers face. I miss those days when I was little where I got all excited about Santa coming.
We of course didnt forget to take a few minutes to talk to Parker about why we have Christmas and whos birthday we celebrate. I cant express my Love and appreciation for my Savior. He is the best example to me and I am so grateful that we have a holiday where its all about Him. I hope we were all able to express our graduate to our Savior. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Ashlyn cant go without Justin...

2008-12-23T09:38:00.000-08:00

I dont know what it is.... but Ashlyn literally cant leave Justins sight if he is here. If we say his name and he isnt here, she begins looking around the house for him. Its a little scary. Here are a few pictures of a typical day when Justin is here. The minute he walks in, she walks to him, reaches for him, and will stand there until he picks her up. Once he picks her up, she is in his arms pretty much the WHOLE time he is here.

This quote is a MUST read!!!!

2008-12-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

To you who are parents, I say, show love to your children. You know you love them, but make certain they know it as well. They are so precious. Let them know. Call upon our Heavenly Father for help as you care for their needs each day and as you deal with the challenges which inevitably come with parenthood. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them."
President Thomas S. Monson

To many times, by the end of the day I am tired and at times have little patience w/ anyone especially my kids, so by reading this it brought my back into perspective and made me feel awful that I don't always show my kids that I love them as much as I truly do. and that goes along w/ my husband. He, along w/ my kids are my world and I love them more than my life it self. I need this quote tattooed on my body somewhere because I need to read this everyday. it really touched me! I know that by reading this and asking the Lord for help I will have a TON more patience with the ones that are the most important in my life.

Grandpa TURNS 104 YEARS OLD

2008-12-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

I cant believe that my Grandfather is 104! He had his Birthday yesterday (on the Dec. 10th) We are getting today for his b-day party. Hes an amazing person and he swears that the reason he is as old as he is: is by drinking a coke a day. He has done that for many many many years. I love him and hope that he will be around for another birthday! Happy birthday Grandpa!

Santas here and Ashlyns not happy!

2008-12-09T20:57:00.001-08:00

My friend got her kids in their Christmas outfits to get their pictures taken w/ Santa. I tagged along w/ my kids not thinking that they would let me take my own pictures w/ my camera... but they did but I only had a second to do so... and I wish I would have had them in their Christmas outfits- but thats ok. Ashlyn was soooo afraid of Santa. It didnt last long. I was lucky to get a few pictures without having to pay. As you can tell the kids werent looking or smiling but I am glad that they let me take pics.

Pakers 3rd B-day

2008-12-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

Ok so Im only a week late posting this, but Parker had his 3rd B-day on Monday (Dec 1) And we did things a little things differently than we planned. My mom was in town, so we did more of a family b-day this year and next we will have a friend party. But we went to my sisters house, had dinner, had cupcakes and opened a few gifts. (that was on Nov 30th) On his special day, Mike had the day off and so we spent the day together. He opened a few more gifts, and he really wanted to go to McDonalds for dinner. So we had his best friend, Gabe, come and them two played and enjoyed their happy meals. We also got our Christmas Tree and went home decorated it and had more cupcakes. He had fun and that is all that mattered!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

A few pictures of us at Mikes grandmas home for thanksgiving. We were there for a few days and enjoyed every momment we had.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

The kids had fun trick or treating. They liked being in their costumes and along w/ Mike liked dressing up for work. Parker had fun at a halloween party, decorating yummy cupcakes (thanks aubry), trick or treating at the mall and then doing some door to door too. Ashlyn.... it was exciting to her the first 5 minutes- the rest of the time she could careless, but was a good sport and didnt complain the whole time.

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins

2008-10-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

On Monday we went to the pumpkin patch. The kids had a blast. Parker ran all over the place. There was a huge corn maze that we went through and had to find the "witch" that was hiding from us. Ashlyn at first was afraid of pumpkins- but so got over that. They picked out their own pumpkin. On Tuesday, we carved them. Nothing crazy- just the plain jane carve.... diamond eyes and some happy faces. It was a mess but we all had fun.

Grandma and Uncle Ian came to see us

2008-10-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Mike's mom and brother Ian came to visit for the weekend and it was so much fun. Paker LOVED his Grandma and Uncle Ian. He was so sad to see them leave. Ashlyn also loved them visiting too. They were spoiled! Staying up very late; eating candy, cupcakes, chocolate, and ice cream; and got their very own toys from grandma too.

Bonfire...

2008-10-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Despite the cold- freezing weather- we went up Provo canyon to have a bonfire with some friends. Other than staying close to the fire pit to stay warm and the kids roasting marshmellows we had a blast.

Ashlyns 1st b-day bash....

2008-10-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Ashlyns birthday. At first she didnt know what to think of the gifts that she had to open. Parker had to correct her by telling her that we dont eat the presents we open them. She LOVED the cake and had no problem getting dirty. She loved the balloons and all the company that were here. We had a couple of neighbors, a few friends, and famly members. She was wore out by bed time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLYN

2008-10-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

Today my sweet baby girl turns 1 year old. I cant believe how fast this past year went by. And how grateful I am to have her apart of my life. She has brought so much joy and happiness to our family. She is so lovable, is always smiling and happy, and puts up with a lot from her big brother Parker! I am so blessed. I love you baby girl.

Fall- Favorite Season

2008-09-28T13:47:00.001-07:00

We went up the canyon to check out the fall colors on the trees...It was so pretty. But I would say that in about another week or so every tree will be sooo colorful and beautiful. It is my favorite time of year. I love the varity of colors and the cooler breeze that comes along the fall season. I love it when there are different colors of leaves covering the trees and also the grass- like what the kids are sitting in... here are a few of the kiddos at a park up Provo canyon.

Picture Tag!

2008-09-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

Picture Tag... Here's the deal, grab your camera and take a picture of all the things listed below and then post them... NO cleaning!! Have fun!

**** I TAG: Keri, Karen, Britni, Tiffany, and Heather! **** I want to see it on your blog! :) ****
#1 KITCHEN SINK

#2 FRIDGE

#3 BATHROOM

#4 SELF PORTRAIT

#5 FAVORITE ROOM

#6 CLOSET (I know it needs to be cleaned!)

#7 SHOES

#8 MY KIDS

#9 LAUNDRY ROOM

#10 DREAM VACATION
I would love to go to hawaii! But I love the beach- so anywhere on the beach is good for me!

We converted!

2008-09-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

We traded in our SUV Mercedes for an Honda! We converted to the MINI! I never thought I would- but I really do like them, so we had a great deal come our way and couldnt pass it up! It rides so nice and I really do LOVE my mini van.

Oh Dear what does Ashlyn have???? YUCK

2008-09-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

I probably shouldnt post this, but it was so funny to see her with this... shes all happy to have that now... but just wait 15 years and she will never want to see one of those things again :)

TAGGED..

2008-09-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Tagged

48 ODD Things about you!

1. Do you like blue cheese? No not really.
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? NO!
3. Do you own on a gun? Mike does- not I
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic? I always get a Dp. Pepper, but sometimes I will get a strawberry lemonade.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No not really.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? I like them, They have to be COOKED the the BBQ and pretty much burnt. Yummy
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Ummm, i cant think. The first that pops in my head is Home Alone ( Its not my fav. but it was the first that I thought of :)
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? I could drink OJ evfery morning if we had it.
9. Do you do push ups? Whats that?? that is a No.
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? my wedding ring of course, Im not a huge jewelry person- Mike got lucky there
11. Favorite hobby? Photography, Running- races that is.
12. Do you have A.D.D.? No.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? Like Heather, I can be shy with people I really dont know too well.
14. Middle name? Dont have one.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I should eat breakfast, clean house and get the kids dressed ( and 4: waiting to have Drezden come over)
16. Name 3 things you bought yesterday? Baby Formula (cant wait for that to be over), 20 oz. Dr. Pepper, and a box of lemon heads. Havent had that for years and standing in line at Walmart.. I saw it on the shelf and talked my self into buying them.
18. Current worry? My children. I always worry about them. ( a good worry that is)
19. Current 'hate' right now? Being broke, in debt, and that we havent found a house to buy.
20. Favorite place to be? the beach.
21. How did you bring in the New Year? Playing games with Dee and Josh.
22. Where would you like to go? Greece, I would like to see where my mom grew up her early years of her childhood. Hawaii for sure. Anywhere really
24. Do you own slippers? I did until my little brother wore them home and hasnt returned them! that was like 6 months ago or more- thanks for the reminder :)
25. What's your nickname? Missy, Miss, Babe (only by Mike)
26. What year would you go back in time to? The 50s- seemed like they had fun in the poodle skirts and all.
27. Can you whistle? yes
28. Favorite color? red
29. Would you be a pirate? maybe
30. What songs do you sing in the shower? Depends what song is in my head.
31. Favorite girl's name? Ashlyn, Zaylee, Eden
32. Favorite boy's name? Parker, Umm- I would have to think about that
33. What's in your pocket right now? my cell
34. Last thing that made you laugh? Watching Mike play with the kids- Parker was getting his "game on" face and it was funny.
35. Most wonderful job you ever had? Home w/ the kids, taking pictures for people,
36. Worst injury you've ever had? I never broke anything or have been injuried really bad (knock on wood)
37. Remember your first kiss? I do.
38. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2
39. Who is your funniest friend? i guess Jen. And her husband Corom, ok maybe not the funniest but for sure the craziest.
40. How many dogs do you have? None right now, but Im sure we will again someday.
41. Does someone have a crush on you? Its more than a crush.
42. What is your favorite movie(s)?: how to lose a guy in 10 days, wedding planner, and Guess who. there are more...
43. What is your favorite candy? M & ms
44. Favorite Sports: I really like Softball, like to run races
45. Your favorite meal? It depends. love mexican though.
46. What were you doing 12 AM last night? for sure asleep
47. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I better hurry and shower before Mike leaves, kids wake up, and Drezden comes over for me to watch.
48. Do you have any odd habits? Ummm... When I am thinking, playing sports or trying to concentrate I stick out my tounge

Sleepy time...

2008-09-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

I put both kids down for their naps and they fell right to sleep. Ashlyn has to sleep with a doll everytime. Its adorable to see her cuddle and hold on to a baby. Parker as well likes to have a toy with him when he goes to bed. Hey.. what ever works to get them in bed and to stay in bed...

Puppet Show...

2008-09-07T12:33:00.001-07:00

Parker and his 2 girl friends, Alayla and Lavender, put on a puppet show for their moms. (Me and Christina) It was really cute- I had to capture a picture of it because they were so excited to do it. Christina and I just laughed at our adorable children :) and the stories they thought of. Children really do come up with the craziest things.

Family Pics at the Beach

2008-09-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

We took family pictures at the beach, but I didnt want to post them until we sent pictures to our parents. My friend Jessica took them and she did a great job. The kids listened and other than the sun beating down on us we had fun getting our family pictures.

Nana and Papa visit us

2008-08-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

My parents came to visit my sister, brother, and I. (and of course their grandkids) They were here for a week and it was so nice to have them. We spent time w/ my dads father who is 104 years old and will be 105 in December! We saw other relatives and visited with them. We went to Thanksgiving Point where they had a petting zoo. The kids LOVED to feed the animals and more so ride on the horse. Ashlyn was in awe and just watched the animals. Its nice living close by where my parents could visit.

2008-08-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Trip to California

2008-08-26T07:12:00.001-07:00

We took a trip to California last week. We went to Southern CA. We stayed at both of my brothers house and had a blast. We got there on a Friday... that night my brothers and their boys, Mike and Parker went to a dodgers baseball game. I stayed with Ashlyn w/ my sister-in-law (Jen). The Sat. my nephew Cooper turned 7 so we went to his B-day party. Parker loved the swimming slide thingy they had and got to hit a pinata for the first time. That night we went to my other brothers (Mike) place. My kids were entertained the whole time. It was nice to have a break from holding Ashlyn or worring about what Parker was getting into because his cousins (the oldest is 12) took care of that for me. :) Mike (my brother) and his family went beach camping so we tagged along. (We hung out at the camp ground during the day and went back to their place at night so the kids could sleep the whole night long) they only lived about 20 minutes from the beach- so we had the best of both worlds. The kids LOVED the ocean. We saw 2 small octopus, crabs, sea slug, and also a small star fish. The ocean tide was so low that the water was far back and that was when kids were searching for all the different sea creatures. I also had a good friend of mine- Jessica take family pics of us at the beach. We were able to spend the day at the beach and let our kids play together. We had a blast. We left on Tuesday and stayed the night in Vegas. We were able to see 2 of Mikes friends- Nick and his wife and then Cameron, Tara and their 2 cute kids. I didnt think that trip was long enough! We came home on Wednesday and my parents came into town the same day, so we have had a busy week- I havent unpacked my suitcase yet because we are gone ALL day long and dont get home until its night and I am so tired that I say- Ill do it tomorrow, everyday for the past 4 days is Ill do it tomorrow... TODAY is the day for that :) .... Ill post pictures of them when they leave tomorrow-

Take me out to the ball game

2008-07-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Mikes work had a work party at the Salt Lake "Bees" baseball game. We had a blast other than the fact it was SOOOO hot. We ate dinner and watched the game. Around 9 pm the kids were getting fussy, tired of the heat, and were ready for bed... so we left the game(at the top of the 6th) to come home. Because it was July 24th, pioneer day, there was going to be a fire work show after. We missed that but lucky for Parker there were people outside by the house that were doing some of there own that he got to watch.

Uncle Matt was in town...

2008-07-14T09:14:00.001-07:00

Mikes brother Matt came to visit us for a few days and the kids LOVED him. Parker always asked "wheres matt" if matt was showering or something. He always sat by him and Matt was very good about playing with him. Ashlyn also enjoyed all the attention that Matt gave to her! We had fun while he was here.

Crazy child

2008-07-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

this is one picture that we took of parker just being himslef while riding his scooter. We all thought that it was funny so I had to capture it on my camera!

NO MORE DIAPERS.....

2008-07-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

Paker has out grown the diapers. Its been almost a month that Parker has been wearing underwear. We never pushed the issue too much. We would ask him and some times he would go many times he wouldnt. One morning he woke me up telling me he had to go "pee pee" so we went and that was the last time he wore a diaper during the day. I still put a diaper on at night, but for the past 3 weeks he has woken up with a dry diaper. He goes by him self. I dont have to take him or remind him. That is for # 1 and #2. We were lucky to have him potty train sooooo well. GREAT JOB Parker! Mom and Dad are so proud of you (like he can read this:) )

4th of July

2008-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great but interesting 4th. We went to Wyoming to spend the weekend with Mikes Aunt, Uncle and family. We went to a lake and camped out in tents. They had boats and jet skis' and we had a blast. UNTIL it was time to put the kids to bed.... the first night it was no problem for Parker to fall asleep. Ashlyn on the other hand was a different story. Mike was up ALL night (on the 4th). Everyone we went camping with was up because Ashlyn just cried and cried. She wouldnt eat, sleep or calm down. When Mike would get her to sleep he could come back into the tent and as soon as he layed down she would start the whole procedure again... Finally around 2:30am Mike puts her in the carseat and drove around the camp grounds until she fell asleep. He ended up sleeping in the car with her because he didnt attempt to take her out in fear of her waking up again. About every hour she woke up and Mike continued the journey again around the campsite. Until 7am he finally came back and we started our day (Saturday). During the day the kids were great. We had so much fun. Parker LOVED the water. He loved to ride and drive the jet skis. He had fun going for a boat ride but most of all liked going for a ride on the tube. Ashlyn seemed to enjoy the dry ground more than getting into the water. So she played on the ground and loved to be held the whole time. NIGHT CAME.... we crossed our fingers. This time it took Parker just about an hour to fall asleep. We were praying that Ashlyn would go to sleep ok but once again.... She wouldnt eat, sleep, or relax. She screamed until 12am so we finally loaded the car and went to a hotel about 30 miles away. It was our only option because we didnt want to keep everyone else up all night long again. Plus the wind was blowing so hard that the tent was making soooo much noise to make it impossible for Ashlyn to sleep. So we went to a Hotel and with in 5 minutes of us getting there, she fell asleep and didnt wake up until 8am. ????? what happened???? we dont know! Over all it was a blast. We wont go camping again until she is a little older! Happy 4th everyone!

Ashlyns milestones...

2008-07-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

Our little girl sits, started to crawl and will now pull her self up. There have been a few times that she has taken a few steps while holding onto something. She is getting so big and still is our little "angel". She is so much fun and we are so blessed to have a "calm" little girl. Where as Parker is the handful child. :) We love them both so much...

laundry time

2008-06-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

I was taking laundry out of the dryer and told Parker to help me, so this is what I saw when I walked back into the laundry room. It was really cute.

Fun in the Sun

2008-06-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Parker, Ashlyn and Parkers buddy Gabe played on the slip n slide. Ashlyn pulled herself up for the first time so I had to take a picture of it.

Catching some fish...

2008-05-31T20:57:00.000-07:00

Our family and my sister Jen's family went up Payson Canyon and went fishing. It was a warm yet beautiful day and we wanted to spend the day outside. Of course we both forgot sunscreen so we did our best to keep our little babies covered-And watch the toddlers and watch our hubbys fish. We had a lot of fun. It was cute because the kids (Parker and Koula) fished- that lasted about 2 minutes. Mike and Parker caught a fish and he loved it until Mike told him to hold the fish so I could get a picture taken. The fish would move so that made Parker not want anything to do with it. We all had a great time and cant wait to do again. I hope that our little ones didnt get burned from the sun.

What a weekend....

2008-05-26T07:48:00.001-07:00

Mike went to Vegas for the weekend with some co-workers... so I was with the kids- which was fine because I am with them everyday so it was nothing new. But of course pretty much the whole time he was gone it was COLD and RAINED! We spent most of the time in the house, until I would go crazy for being inside- so we would leave for a short period of time. It would have been so much easier if we could have played outside the whole time. It makes me realized how much I appreciate the help from Mike and was sure relieved when he got back. He surprised me with a dozen peach roses. I was shocked- I needed that after a busy weekend.

Indoor fun

2008-05-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

It was raining one day last week so I decided to build a fort and let them play in it. It was nothing big- but to Parker- it was awesome. Ashlyn just smiled and laughed when Parker would go in and out of the tent. It seems that just about every time Parker gets a blanket he tries to make a tent himself.

OUCH!!!

2008-05-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

Parker has got ot be one touch kid.... he factured his foot a little over a month ago and was in a cast for a few weeks. The cast was off for about 2 weeks when a little girl friend of his accidently slammed his fingers in the door. We had to take him to the ER because the back of his finger nail was lifted from the skin. They had to cut it down and push the nail back into place. He was in a lot of pain but did really well. POOR KID! They say things happen in sets of 3- I hope that it wont be the case with him :)

We love our scooter!

2008-05-21T21:07:00.001-07:00

We purchased a scooter about a month ago and we have a blast. Its nice to use it for the small -quick trips that need to be made at the store or gas station or something. It has surely saved us a few dollars on gas. Parker looks forward to Mike coming home so he can take him for a ride.

Enjoying a nice day outside....

2008-05-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

We were enjoying a nice day outside and couldnt resist taking a few pictures of the kids. Parker LOVES the swingset that we have and Ashlyn is sure an outdoor girl. Parker likes to talk to people on the phone and when we tell him to talk louder this is what he likes to do.... YELL