The Utley Family

TO: my S.F. PIC's

2009-05-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

bringin' back some memories

I left my heart...

2009-05-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

IN SAN FRANCISCO

Here's my better-late-than-never post from the Girls Weekend to S.F.

I know it's been said but...words can't even begin to describe the amount of crazy fun that we had. And to cap't Nick...until next time...

HERE.

2009-04-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

oh, my poor bloggity-blog...we need to be reconnected!

I am sure all my fans out there are HEARTBROKEN over my unexplained absence. You see, the truth is...nothing could be posted until i rememebred to brush my teeth. Now that my pearly whites are nice and pearly again, here's what has been going on:

took the kid0s here

went on my first girls-weekend here (you can find pictures here & here. but i just might post some of my own)

saw them here (F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!)

&

read this.

I am HERE!

absent minded or mind absent?

2009-01-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

DOES THIS HAPPEN TO YOU?? OR IS IT JUST ME?

A conversation occurred over my holidays between me & my brother...

I had mentioned that I forgot to brush my teeth that morning (yes I did just admit that to the world...do i see a "NOT ME" in the works. Read on and I just might not be alone on this one.) He proceeded to ask in an appalled tone, " how do you forget to brush your teeth?" Well, Andy, this is how:

morning (my 3 yr old) awakes me earlier than i would have liked begging for some breakfast. i placate him with cartoons in my bed long enough for me to wake up and drag myself downstairs to make him a bowl of cereal. while down there, i remember that i didn't want to do the dinner dishes or start the dishwasher from the night before so after satisfying the kid, i work on getting those dishes done. once complete i realize the other one-third of the family (trace and tori) is awake...back upstairs to retrieve them from their beds. but not before i make sure that i take something that is supposed to be put away upstairs with me so that i am efficient at my homemaking skills. while upstairs, I put "whatever is was" away, get the twins out and smell something fowl coming from one of them, usually trace, & make sure that smell is gone ASAP. while changing the diaper, tori gets excited that she can run around & find ty, ty runs upstairs excited that tori is excited! once both kids are smelling cute enough again, we try make our way downstairs to start on the second shift of breakfast...but not before ty has remembered that he lost one of his many collections of random things (this explanation is for another time...basically he's a little OCD...ok a lot.) i try to help but have no idea where he could have possible left it. while i am helping ty find his prized toy at the moment I realize trace and tori have been too quiet for comfort & find them experimenting with their new favorite...my make-up. once that is finally cleaned up we, again, try to make our way downstairs. we manage to make it to the top of the stairs but then a fight ensues over who gets to hold which hand of mine all the way down. I end up getting frustrated & walk myself down in hopes that they will all follow. no joke...one whole hour has past, it is now 9:00. breakfast is finally accomplished, for the kiddlets. now its my turn...you can't brush your teeth BEFORE you eat that just doesn't make sense!

i hide myself in the kitchen while i scarf down my breakfast. apparently the breakfast that i made for my children isn't enough & they expect hand-outs from dear-old-mom. once i am finished i make sure that all dishes are in the dishwasher get it started and hike back upstairs, kids in tow, to get dressed for the day. realizing that laundry still needs to be folded i think, "well it would make more sense if i fold a little before i get everyone dressed." makes sense, right? in a perfect world with children who sat quietly & obeyed their mother. Tori is my "big helper" as she likes to remind me often. she tries to "fold" some, she also tries to pile some on my already created piles which just ruin what I have tried to do. so i give up trying to fold just in time for ty to realize he has been left out of being a helper so he tries to "help." it works just as well as the other "big helper." a small argument between ty & i occurs but eventually we resolve our differences and get back to our original reason for coming upstairs: getting dressed. tori always fights getting dressed...but mothers always win. Trace just does whatever. Ty gets upset because he can't get his pajamas off & then upset again when his shirt doesn't go on right the first time. socks & shoes for some reason in my house takes an eternity, but it eventually gets done. just in time for me to glance at the clock and realize we need to get loaded in the car to take ty to school...i leave at the very latest 1130...yes, that much time has passed. i don't want to show up to his school in my adorable pj's so i rush in my closet, throw something decent on and start the loading process. to keep this already long post shorter, i'll just say loading in the car is an ordeal. ty gets dropped at school & i rush over to joe's lab to start my other job. i finish my other job just in time to pick ty up from school & start the drive back home. once home, its a chaotic evening of events of making dinner, cleaning up dinner, cleaning up toys & whatnot that were spread throughout the house while making dinner, bathing children, and our nightly routine of "wash-brush-flush." while the triple t's are brushing, it is then that I realize, "i forgot to brush my teeth this morning."

And THAT is how it happens!

oh and if your wondering, i showered the night before just in case my morning got a little hectic.

WISHING

2008-12-24T21:20:00.001-08:00

...that my house AND tree looked as cozy as this

...that my wrapping was complete so i can curl up and watch THIS (tradition)

...that I didn't eat santa's whole plate of cookies...and drink all the milk

...that there was a real santa to set up all the toys for me.

Oh well...Merry! Merry!

I FOUGHT THE LAW

2008-12-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

...and the law WON...

I went in with a determination to come out on top! I even had my angry music on to get me pumped up. I was going to tell them that I was RIGHT and they were WRONG!

But then the judge said in light of Christmas, everyone would get the traffic school waived AND in most cases, reduce the citation down to a parking ticket...so, i took a bite of some humble pie that i brought along as a just-in-case, wiped my mouth so that there were no crumbs, turned my angry music down (just a tad) and plead...guilty.

~MERRY CHRISTMAS, YOUR HONOR, MERRY CHRISTMAS~

"Not Me!" Monday

2008-12-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

** Things I most definitely DID NOT do this week**

I did not subject my children to profanities while I was manuvering my way through the cold, white stuff. And my finger did not raise when that crazy driver cut me off while trying to text and drive at the same time. I am a good example to my children so I DID NOT do that!

I did not neglect my children while i listened to my fully stocked iPod for a few hours. And my voice did not go a few decibles higher when I found them emptying an economy-size bottle of baby powder in their rooms while I was listening to said iPod. I am very responsible so...not me! never!

I did not eat a whole plate of treats by myself in one sitting. I am very health consious and DO NOT want to gain my weight back that I recently lost. And when joe asked where that plate of goodies went...I, of course, did not lie and say i didn't know what he was talking about.

NO! NOT ME! NEVER!!

another thought...

2008-12-21T22:35:00.000-08:00

today the twins turned 21 mo. why is that significant...well i guess only to me, but they are the same age as ty was when i had them. am i ready for another round? I THINK NOT and also not possible thanks to the ol' snippity-snip. I will just live vicariously through other people...like jenna who is going to have her baby tomorrow. good luck, jenna!

something to think about

2008-12-21T22:20:00.000-08:00

SO...

it snowed in vegas this past week...two times!

does the phrase "hell froze over" apply here??

the end of the world is coming guys...get ready!

Not Me!

2008-12-15T23:55:00.001-08:00

From the innovator of Not Me! Mondays:

"I have found that there is little more satisfying in my journey of motherhood
than admitting that I am not perfect, that I do not know it all, and that I cut
corners at mindblowing speeds. It's so satisfying to write about my shortcomings
and funny mistakes and then share them with you. I'm not
sure exactly why that is, but instead of trying to figure it out, I
instead offer you my Not Me! Monday list. Enjoy, and then join in with
some Not Me's of your own!"

Here goes my "Not Me" Monday list...

"Not Me!" Monday

2008-12-15T23:45:00.000-08:00

**Things I most definitely DID NOT do this week**

I did not stay up well past midnight to read Twilight again...and I most certainly did not read it four times in a row. I am not that obsessed with Edward...or the book...or anything related to Twilight!

I did not see that silly movie Twilight again...for the fourth time. Really, I am NOT obsessed!! And I did not see it by myself because that would prove that I don't have any friends and I do not not have friends! Everybody likes me and wants to be around me!

I did not mop my floors for the first time in 4 weeks. That is just gross! My kids play around on that floor and I am not that kind of mother.

I did not wear the same outfit more than twice this week. That would mean I have poor hygiene and I do not have poor hygiene!

I did not give my kids fruit snacks and the holiday treat left on my doorstep for breakfast because I haven't gone to the grocery store in...I don't remember...because that would mean I was lazy and a bad mom. I am NOT lazy!

NO! NOT ME!!

Please share some of your "not me's" so I can see that I am NOT as bad as you are....

my obsession

2008-12-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

If you don't know this about me already then you'll find out now... I LOVE music. I can't get enough of it...i love it, any and all. I love the way music makes you feel, i love the way music makes you move, i love the way music triggers your "feel-goods" and "feel-bads." I love finding new music for my earballs...simply put, I can't get enough of music.

Speaking of can't getting enough of something...

These guys are touring starting in January...so far I have not been able to find a Vegas show date (which is SHOCKING!) The only one close enough is San Fran...

I told Joe (hint, hint...) that tickets to see THE KILLERS would be an awesome Christmas present, even if it's a few hours of flying away. Anyone want to join me? I promise you'll love every minute of our little jaunt!!

Introduction...

2008-12-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

...to the cold, white stuff: SNOW!

Our family along with Jenna and Kam, & co., spent last weekend up at their cabin. All the kiddos LOVED playing outside despite the cold weather and snow. Ty was very excited to finally see that stuff called snow and he really wanted to make a snow-man but there just wasn't enough...or that was what he was told. But we did get so do some sledding on the make-shift hill in the back yard. Here are a few pics of our sledding advetures. You can check here to see if there are more pictures...I was just too cold to break out the photo snapper...

Kaden and Tori getting pushed down the hill

Ty and his daddy swingin'

Trace getting pushed down...he called it a "weee"

relaxing outdoors...trace reminded me of Ralphy in The Christmas Story

Thanks Jenna and Kam for hanging out with us. We had a lot of fun!

Thank Goodness For Little Boys

2008-12-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

GOTTA LOVE LITTLE BOYS

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter. The man at the counter asked the older boy, 'Son, how old are you?'

'Eight', the boy replied.

The man continued, 'Do you know what these are used for?'

The boy replied, 'Not exactly, but they aren't for me. They're for him. He's my brother. He's four. We saw on TV that if you use these, you would be able to swim and ride a bike.

Right now, he can't do either one.'

I got this from my S.I.L. as an email so I thought I would share. For some reason, Ty (and now Trace and Tori-due to Ty's example) think that they make terrific "rockets" . We were at the grocery store one day and I turned around and saw Ty showing his "rocket" to some lady in the isle. I can't even imaging what was going through her head. I have found countless "rockets" around the house...and just incase you were worried, they aren't used...some may call it sick and wrong, I call it imaginative...

I've decided...

2008-11-21T09:44:00.001-08:00

...that if i stop at ANY moment today, i won't be able to get going again...

...that someone needs to remind me of my TRUE age...i'm not as young as i once was...

...all-nighters are for the birds...wait, birds don't even pull all-nighters. birds are the smart ones...early to bed early to rise...or is it the early bird gets the worm. well we can all see where sleep deprivation gets me. i just hope my kids aren't scarred for life after they realize that my great and wonderful mothering techniques won't be so great and wonderful... i've fallen off the mom train today... (or just fallen asleep)

...that nap time simply cannot come any faster ..

(D@%* you, Twilight!)

P.S. how are my P.I.C.'s doing??

From the mouth of Ty

2008-11-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

Occasionally when the twins are crying for what Joe thinks is unnecessary, he will say "stop your boobin'!" Well apparently Ty has picked up on this...yesterday when we were getting undressed from church and hurrying to get to my parents house, Trace was crying and Ty said to him "stop it with your boob, Trace!

On a side note: BOOB has become a bad word in our house over the past few months due to some recent events...why do boys like boobs!?

B-I-N-G-O!

2008-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

A new love (not habitual) was found several months ago...we all may be about 3-4 decades off than what we should be but nevertheless there is nothing like sitting in a quiet room with your girl friends, sipping our "drink" of choice, letting our machine do all the work for the 11pm BINGO game. Anyone care to join us?

buddies

2008-11-15T08:45:00.001-08:00

...nothing better than spending a day at the park with your best buds...

all grown up

2008-11-14T15:33:00.000-08:00

So there's something to be said when your child reaches the age to where he gets to "go play" with the neighborhood friend. Our neighbors across the street have two kids around Ty's age and the three of them have gotten to know each other from playing outside in the cul-de-sac. But today, Ty was asked to go play with them at their house...

Oh, and don't worry...we know the parents and family and they check out to be a really nice family.

I really hope he behaves himself...

TY'S Amazing Alphabet Adventures

2008-11-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

I recently ordered and recieved THIS as a recommendation from a friend. It is really cute and I think Ty will love this as a Christmas present. It was a little pricey if you think about it as just a book but I liked the fact that it is personalized for him so, for me, it was worth "every penny." Ty LOVES books and books read to him so this was perfect for him. You can even put your own message on it for you child!

SAN DIEGO

2008-11-11T05:13:00.000-08:00

Our recent trip to San Diego was a lot of fun...but it is good to be back home in our own beds and to have the triple t's back on a normal schedule of daily life. We were gone for 1 week but it flew by way to fast! Here are some of our adventures:

Day 1:

hung out on the boardwalk and enjoyed the best waffle cone and soft serve i've ever had...

...and we went to the big "castle" in the sky as Ty so adequately descried it

Days 2 & 3:

we experienced the SAN DIEGO ZOO & the WILD ANIMAL PARK...

...saw this and many other types of monkeys...

...of course, marty the zebra was found by ty...

...we visited the serene pandas, who only slept both days we saw them...

...and we took a "safari into africa" at the wild animal park. this was a lot of fun to see animals in the "wild."

Day 4:

we went back to the zoo so ty could finally see mellman, the giraffe...

(sorry for the back-of-the-head shots, he wouldn't take his eyes off of them)

...we "rode" a rhino...

...and saw lots of flamingo -not sure why but these birds fascinate me

Day 5:

we loved, loved, loved IT!!

...ty got his driver's licence...

...saw a lego-version of las vegas (there's more but i won't bore you with the others)...

...just about everything was made out of legos...

joe and i both loved legos as kids so this was just as much fun for us as it was for ty.

...and rode the "splash mountain" of legoland. i think you can tell from the face on joe just how intense this ride is.

Day 6:

the weather was perfect for a day at the beach...so that's just what we did...

...ty and trace tried to decide if trusting joe is a good idea...
...tori played in the sand and brought enough home in her diaper to play with later...
...ty got to finally build his sand castle...
...ty loved chasing and splish-splashing in the water...but not quite sure of the taste of it...

all three kiddos loved the beach and cried when mom, having had enough of the sand EVERYWHERE, told them it was time to go.

HOME (and standing on my soapbox)

2008-11-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

pictures from our vacay will soon be posted...i know all my fans out there are just dying to have a visual of our trippity trip. but i have some other pressing business to take care of...(becky, here are my thoughts)

I have been reading (blog surfing...call it what you want) other peoples comments about the newly elected president, and it's amazing at all the negativity there is about Obama. I do have a confession to make...I am a registered democrat and I voted for the "anti-Christ" as I saw one blog describing him. I like what he has to say and I read all the pros and cons and am happy that he is our president...that said please don't stop being my friend just because I am an Obama supporter...there is a lot more to me than who I voted for...

Oh yeah, one more thing...being in CA during the election, it was interesting to see the reaction of Prop 8. This is what I have to say about that: I don't care if gay/lesbians want to be united, that's their choice and I am not the one to pass judgement on THEIR decisions. If they want to be "married" call it something else, not marriage. But I do think it's ridiculous that the blame is on the mormon church...

OK...off my soapbox...next post....pics!!

Off...

2008-11-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

to fabulous San Diego!! Gone for a week of fun and relaxation (much needed of both)

remember: no fun while I'm gone, absolute bordome...until I get back.

AND...bonus present when we return to anyone who can tell me what San Diego means according to Ron Burgandy...

see ya in a week!

that's how i roll...

2008-10-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

finally...we got our new ride! after a lot of discussions and let-downs and surprises with our dealer friend, our new mode of transport has arrived. so much room...all it needs is one of those privacy windows that limos have between the driver and passengers and doing all my runs for joe will be C-A-K-E!! Now all we need to do is replace the other P.O.S. that we have.

(thanks , joe, for your hard work to allow us to have such luxuries...he made me say that)

"rollin' down the street sippin' on my gin & juice...LAID BACK.

with my mind on my money and my money on my mind"

just laugh it off!

2008-10-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

and for those of you out there freaking out about the economic crisis: sit back and relax our trouble are now over.

Read THIS article and all your cares will go away!

president schmesident

2008-10-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

i've given up...getting involved in this election is just causing me emotional stress. i mean, who can really trust a politician anyway! isn't that an oxymoron...honest politician? here's my coping method through all this mayhem of politics...thanks to the onion:

How to pretend you give a $%@& about the election:

1. Invite your friends over to dinner and have the news on. When they get there, turn the TV off while apologizing and say “I promise I won’t talk about politics tonight”. It won’t be hard to keep your promise.

2. When they ask if you are a Democrat or a Republican – here are a list of political non-opinions for you to offer.

- “At this point, there isn’t much difference between the parties anyway.”

- “Politics today has too many labels”

- “We take voting for granted - much of the world doesn’t even get to choose their leaders.

- “I’m an independent.”

3. Talk about how sad it is that so many refuse to get involved with politics. Blaming other people for being uninformed is a good way to seem informed yourself.

4. It’s important to keep your cell phone on vibrate so if they happen to corner you on a particular issue, you have an excuse to change the topic without the need for a sound.

5. For ‘election day’ madness – it’s easy to get your hands on a sticker. It’s important to wear that sticker, it puts it right out in the open. It’s smart to have some sort of story about being at the polls. “I ran into my old college roommate” works, but “the roof caved in” does not. It has to be something that no one can check up on.

6. If they still don’t believe you, draw a child-esque drawing with markers and crayons (nothing too sophisticated) and show it to them. Tell them you saw it at the school where you voted and it was just so cute you had to take it home. (For those in Clark County Nevada, this still works if your voting station is a high school. Yeah for public schools in Clark County!)

Other tidbits of information that can help you:
-The less you know, the more you should pretend to know.
-Most people also know nothing, so they won’t question you.
-‘Election Day’ is November 2.
-Women can ‘vote’ too. Animals cannot.
-Candidates are “Barack Obama” and “John McCain”.
-Barack is the Black guy, John is the old guy.
-Mention ‘Swing States’ to sound smarter

i'm baby wise! how 'bout you?

2008-10-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

i don't concider myself brainwashed as much as well-trained...

but i still revert back to the methods of this book when it comes to planning my day out with my children. Even though they are well out of the baby stage, i still think about keeping them on a ridgid schedule. Maybe it's because when i was a new mom my paranoia got the best of me. anywhoo, i'm still holding out for the user manuals for your children. i am happy to say that i can finally relax...no more babies!

i absolutely love this book and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. i found this review about the book and thought it was utter nonsense!

ONE OF SATAN'S LARGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS

"a sickening, disgusting book that is helping destroy this country. Satan works extra hard in hospitals and anywhere a newborn is, since they are the foundation of God's people. The latest media alert by the American Academy of Pediatrics says it all: A strong correlation with this book has been documented in babies who have failure to thrive."

REALLY!! one of his LARGEST accomplishments?! This book is nothing if not plain common sense. if you are a baby wise mom, what did you think of the book?

i thought i had a girl

2008-10-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

this was taken on a recent trip up to mt. charleston. all this girl would do is sit and play with the dirt. needless to say she was a dirty girl!

What do you get...

2008-10-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

...when you have three names with the letter "T"...triple trouble, that's what.

I love it when I notice that its been a little too quiet and I ask Ty what he's doing and he answers me with this response: "Umm, I'm just doing nothing." Yeah right!

Last time this happened, just a few days ago, the three of them emptied an entire bottle of baby powder in the twin's room...a big economy size bottle. Literally, you could see the powder in the air and it still smells like baby powder. No pictures though, my anger just couldn't break for a photo opportunity...

one of those days

2008-10-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

i can remember when ty was a baby and he said daddy first instead of mommy...

i can remember that i was a little hurt...

i can remember practicing with him, pointing to myself and saying "mommy" over and over...

i can remember that it took forever for trace and tori to say mommy and really wanting to hear it.

TODAY: i can go without hearing "mommy"...i'm just being honest.

but just to clarify, there is no greater joy than to come home from a night out with friends and hear three excited kids say "mommy"

I Googled myself!!

2008-10-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

interesting...this was really interesting. it was fun to do and see what pictures came up with the corresponding information. you should try it and post it on your blog.

here's what you do: type in your answer to the following questions & pick your fav pics from the first 3 pages of results. it would be fun to see what you come up with. here is what Google had to say about me:

my first name

my middle name

my last name

my age, 29 (this was the best picture i could find)
my fav place to visit (slo, ca)
a place i'd like to visit (milan, italy)

a past celeb crush

my grandma's name (carol)

my college major
a nickname

my first job

a pet i've had (or have)

my favorite food

my favorite treat

my favorite color(s)

a bad habbitwhats for dinner

with this for dessert!!

what i'm doing right now

A little of this And a lot of that

leash training

2008-10-14T10:50:00.001-07:00

we recently purchaced THESE our upcoming trip HERE and HERE.

we spent an evening out at the store "training" trace and tori to walk on a leash.

it made me think of when we had to leash train kona...

pictures are to come with our newly trained twins!

FREEBIE ALERT!!

2008-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

For all you handbag/purse fanatics out there read up! Go to this website for a to-good-to-be-true offer!

genuine, heartfelt thanks

2008-09-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

To my Friends:

I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me.
I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be;
I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day
As you have meant, old friend(s) of mine, to me along the way.
-edgar a. guest-

thank you for your friendships...i have cherished our growing relationships

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!

2008-09-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

it's going to marked as my life before and then my life after...for those of you who are anxiously awaiting my return, get ready!!

PEACE OUT 'TIL MONDAY, YO!!

And that's all I have to say about that....

24 hours from now i will be at my destination

Fun in the Sun

2008-09-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

thanks to Brit, she gave the twins a fabulous gift for their 1 year birthday that I finally opened up and set up for the kids a couple of weeks ago. all 3 love to play in the water...especially trace and ty.

our last month of summer has been fun enjoying the wonderful outdoors.

here are some pics to show just how much fun we have had.

How to fill my spare time...

2008-08-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

I came across this quiz and thought that I would give it a try. I would love to see what you guys come up with as well so post one on your blog to share. Especially if you love music as much as I do! How it works, is that you pick a band/singer and answer questions using only the titles of their songs. Because I grew up listening to him and really enjoy his music, I chose Neil Diamond. It was harder than I thought; sifting through hundreds of song titles to answer all the questions (it took me over an hour.)

Here is goes:

Describe yourself using one band/singer & song titles from them

Are you male or female: Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon

Describe your self: Beautiful Noise

How do people feel about you: God Only Knows

How do you feel about yourself: Crazy

Describe an ex boyfriend/girlfriend: Courtin' Disaster

Describe your current relationship: Delirious Love

Describe where you want to be: At the Movies

Describe what you want to be: Dancing to the Party Next Door

Describe how you live: Forever In Blue Jeans

Describe how you love: River Deep-Mountain High

Share a few words of wisdom: First, You Have to Say You Love Me.

Off to Wally World we go...

2008-08-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

Instead of waiting it out with all the crazies back at the other place to get our plighted book, we decided to meet up with some friends at Wal-mart with no wait at all. Gotta love that! I was at home, in bed by 12:45.

The first box to opened and distributed. I'm getting chills just taking the picture!
The suspense was killing them! It was just to tempting to be holding that precious book and not reading it.
And here is Jenna, making the purchase and proudly showing her support for "Team Edward"

Thanks again for a great night, girls!!

GNO at Twilight

2008-08-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

Some great friends and I went out to, of course, get THE book at the stroke of midnight on Saturday and had so much fun! I love, love, love my friends (all of them) and what they are in my life (but that's for another blog.) The 3 F's were definitely involved: FUN, FOOD, and FREAKS. Thanks to this place, more enjoyment and conversations were spent. Brittany and Stacie, thank you sharing this experience with me. It couldn't have been better!

This was taken when we first got there. Do you see the giddiness in our faces?
We had to get a picture with the vampire girls. One even had red eyes, I think she was a newborn...
The girls out for a "bite"
This is the ravenous sea of females and (and some males, either true fans or "supporting" their ladies, but we all know what the means, right?) all waiting for the clock to strike 12! Where is the world is Brit?
Oh, there you are! I thought I lost you. We need to keep with our buddy system. We don't know who's out there.

I wish I was able to get a picture of Dude all glittered up, it just wouldn't have done him justice. That would have been perfect. But I am keeping my new set of "white teeth" as a just in case. And I really wish I got a shot of Brittney Spears...that was classic!

Moving Out

2008-08-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

So the time has come, Joe officially moved out this past weekend. It was a hard decision to come to for us but we realized that it only for the best. I didn't cry at least, to let him know that it was hard not to have him around the family anymore. It left me wondering how this new change, new life was affecting him...? Just like men are, I don't think that I will ever know the true feelings...

There are some positives that come from all of this...I have my garage back.

This is the new "front" door
One of the various stations: this happens to ceramics
My attempt to be artistic. A desk to do something...
And this is where it all used to happen...

I am going to miss you, Joe. We had some good times in that garage/dental lab of ours. But it will be strange not being able to walk out and bug you. Don't be a stranger, you're welcome at your other home any time. I'll try to have a hot meal waiting for you...with just my apron. :)

...decisions...decisions...

2008-08-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

What should I do...read my new book or post my long list of blogs...it would take me about 90 minutes to write and post all what needs to be posted. That's a lot of time that can be covered in a book...

But it's like my new "dope." I just can't stay away from it while its just sitting there yearning for my return to injest it...

Comprimise: Write about how I want to blog but just can't be torn away from my current fix...still a posting right?

P.S. Please stay tuned, my fix will soon be over and I will be back with a vengence with all my posting!

Reminiscing...

2008-07-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

For the 4th of July, Ty, Trace, Tori and I ( joe had to stay home and work) spent the weekend in a small town in Nevada called Panaca. Its a funny name but if you've been to either Caliente or Pioche then you've seen Panaca. My brother and sister and I spent many summers and visits to this small town where our grandparents lived as well as our aunt and cousins. My sister and I can spend hours recounting the memories that we have of our time spent there along with our cousins. My grandfather passed away when I was only 14 (i think?) But my grandmother passed away February 2007. Over the weekend that we were there, we visited the grave site with the new headstone and a wave of emotions over came me...

My Grandma was slightly on the unorthodox side. Children were to eat last at every meal, us girl cousins were always "too fat to stay inside or in the kitchen" and she catered to the hard working men. But don't get me wrong, I loved my grandma. Maybe it's because that was all I knew, but although there wasn't physical evidence that she loved me, it was just understood.

Visiting Panaca now is 100% different than when I was growing up. Grandma's house is gone...it was a very old house that needed constant repairs and needed to be sold. So several years ago my dad bought another house for her to live in 3 blocks down the road (which my parents now use as their vacation home.) When we were up there a few weeks ago, my brother made the comment "when I think of going to Panaca, I think of grandma's old house. Not this new one." My aunt who still lives there said she does too. Every time I drive past the lot that Grandma and Grandpa's house once stood I feel an absence. My grandma started getting sick years before she died. She suffered from dementia and later Alzheimers. The grandma I have memories with growing up in the old house was not the grandma that I was around in the few years before her death. It's times like these, thinking about her or being in that small town that makes me miss her...

some of my favorite memories of Panaca (can you remember any of these, Jenna?):

sneaking Grandma's ginger snap cookies out of that cookie jar under the counter
"exiled" to the sun room to eat our dinner (children should neither be seen nor heard)
4 words: COPS IN THE BASEMENT!
climbing court rock and it never getting old
grandpa taking us to The Spring on the tail gate of his truck or walking there when nobody would give us a ride...
grandma's famous cooking, i.e. her chicken soup, home made bread, "hot cakes"
all the curse words we heard under grandma's breath and then her soft humming of some random song
fighting over who got to sleep where
running through sprinklers in the field
telling jenna (and maybe even megan) that the reindeer down the street were "alive" and you believed me...i'm laughing just thinking about that!
oh the flatulence!
the "merc" and all the 1 cent candies we would stock up on

To Grandma, Erin, Kate, Taylor, and Jenna: Thanks for the memories!

SPOTLIGHT: All About Trace

2008-07-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

As I have previously posted (about 3 months ago), I spotlighted my oldest child, Ty. But as one friend so kindly commented to me, I do have two other children and need to finish what I have started. Just so I clear up any confusion, I think on a methodical level. I am only putting the spotlights in order of age, not in preference...not that Ty isn't my favorite child right now. Since Trace is technically second oldest, he is the next to be spotlighted. And on another note, as some of you know, it was more than just two eggs dropping that got me twins. Basically, it wasn't coincidental that I was blessed with two babies at once. I think that God knew that if He didn't send the two of them down at the same time, then one of them wouldn't have made it at all. So, I've never really got used to the term "twins" in referencing Trace and Tori. I remember having a conversation with my mom shortly after they were born. I said "mom, there isn't one thing similar about these two except that they share the same birthday." She agrees. They are nothing more than "womb-mates." With "twins" it's hard NOT to compare everything that they do since they are doing they are supposed to be doing and going through the same things at the same time. I find myself doing that but always have to remind myself that if wasn't for God's divine plan, they wouldn't have shared their birthday. In my spotlight I hope to individualize them, really just for me. Sorry for my rambling...here is:

TRACE CHRISTOPHER UTLEY

Its a strange experience to carry more than one baby at a time. The normal swimming around feeling that is enjoyed with one baby just isn't felt with multiples, at least in my experience with it. I only felt small, slow movements-nothing jabbing, poking, rolling, jumping, etc. One positive of being pregnant with more than one baby, I got to see my bundles of joy through my monthly ultrasound. Early on I noticed that one was always more active than the other. I really wanted at least one girl and since Ty was an active baby, I immediately thought that the active one (baby B, at the time) was the boy and the other was my sweet, precious, mild girl...not the case! Poor Trace was baby A, the one that just hung out quietly on the ultrasound monitor, the one that was constantly being kicked by his sibling. He just took it all and still does.

Trace is the child that makes enduring multiples more endurable. He is a very happy, chilled out kid. For the most part, he can go with flow of life at ease. I love this trait about him but have realized that he can get lost in the shuffle and can get overshadowed by his two other siblings. Trace is always looking for something fun to do, something fun to play with. His resent obsession is any kid of ball.When he is sad, a smile will always cross his face when I show him a ball. His motto in life should be, "when life gets you down, go have a ball!" (i know i'm corny.)

Trace adores his older brother. He loves to be involved with anything that Ty is playing with. At times, he's pushed away but I can only hope that their relationship will grow and strengthen. Even though they have such different personalities, I hope that it will balance them out when they are older and grow to be very close.

Trace was the first of the two to smile and it's a great one! Along with that smile, is a great laugh. I had to wait a lot longer than I did with Ty to see him smile but it was well worth my wait! I love to see him smile and it just makes me want to smile back. Trace was also the first one to walk! Which I was really surprised about since he didn't start crawling until he was 10 months or so. He is a very determined kid and will hopefully use that determination to overcome hurdles in his life to come.

I love to snuggle Trace and he loves to snuggle me back. He's a very affectionate child (takes after his father.) I love you Trace!

S.O.S.

2008-07-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Dear {anyone}:

I am having a hard time tyring to entertain my 3 year old boy. I am finding that he is bored a lot during the day and that boredom is turning into destructive chaos. I don't like sitting him in front of the television but at times find that is my only saving grace. Does anyone else have this problem or is it just me? I'm feeling totally alone on this one. A lot of people tell me its his age and that he's a boy but there has to be games or activities that others have used that seems to mentally stimulate and entertain a 3 year old at the same time. If any of you mothers of little boys out there have any suggestions, I am willing to take it.

Sincerely,
Desperate Mother

P.S. I have used some ideas from a friends blog and have seemed to help a little but it's starting to lose some excitement.

My 100 list...

2008-07-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Just like I saw on a friends blog, I decided to write 100 things about me that you may or may not know about. Hopefully you enjoy my crazy list and not decide that I'm just another weirdo...so here it is:

1. I have never lived anywhere else than fabulous Las Vegas!

2. A quarter of the blood that runs through my veins comes from northern Italy...you can say that I'm Italian.

3. I would love to be a professional chef.

4. When I was little I had imaginary friends...and I still remember their names.

5. I didn't like my husband the first time I met him.

6. I started dating Joe before he left on is mission and wrote to him when he was on it...sort of like waiting but totally different.

7. I was a very shy girl growing up.

8. I was baptized in a river in New Mexico.

9. I went to school to be a nurse...

10. I worked at an airport for 10 years.

11. I know how to fly an airplane.

12. I flew an airplane to Catalina Island...

13. I love to eat breakfast for ANY meal!

14. My favorite restaurant is Original Pancake House...well one of them at least -it's in my top ten.

15. I've never thought of myself as a good mother...despite what others may see.

16. Patience is NOT one of my virtues!

17. I'm very comfortable inside my comfort zone. I don't take change very well.

18. I'm a member of the 3 Sisters Club.

19. My 2 sisters and I are the 5th generation of 3 sisters. Sorry Tori, you're not part of that club.

20. I've recently started running again and realized how much I love it and missed it. (and I lost 20 pounds, too!)

21. My high school was called Basic High School. It was for accelerated students and was academically challenging...juuust kidding!

22. I have had several things happen in my life that I said would never happen...never say never I guess.

23. I never wanted to stay and live in Las Vegas.

24. I said I would never wait for a missionary...but I dated a lot!

25. I never wanted to get married in June. June 1st is our anniversary.

26. I never wanted more than 2 kids...but I don't think I had much control in this one.

27. I said I would never name my kids with the same letter. Technically this is not the case since Tori is really Victoria. But Tori is the only name she knows.

28. I will NEVER own a mini van!!! I may have just cursed myself but so far I'm holding strong to this one!

29. I own a Doberman Pincher named Kona-I love my dog!

30. I think I'm a dog snob. I don't think I can "stoop" to another breed of dogs. Sorry if this may offend someone...

31. I think my friends are the greatest and love all the fun we have together! When is the next GNO?

32. I love hanging out with friends...even if we do absolutely nothing, I still love it!

33. I would give anything to be a make-up artist...I love make-up...

34. Although I made fun of them in high school, I'm a girly-girl through and through! I love pink!

35. I'm the third oldest in my family, but I'm the oldest girl.

36. I love, love, love music!! I can tolerate pretty much anything.

37. I love to read! I'm so glad I got this trait from my mom and grandma.

38. I'm the 6th generation girl to have the middle name Anne (with an "e") Tori is the 7th.

39. I absolutely love a clean house but procrastinate to get there. But when I do get there, I love the feeling of sitting in my clean house. I hate the feel of crumbs on my feet when I walk so I will spend hours getting every last crumb off the floor.

40. I married into a great family and absolutely adore my mother-in-law.

41. My mother-in -law is one of my heroes.

42. I started playing the piano when I was 7. I started taking lessons when I was 8 and continued with them until I was 20 years old.

43. I taught myself how to play the organ.

44. I love playing guitar hero...anyone up for a challenge?

45. I can entertain myself...if I'm out somewhere and others might be bored I can always find something to amuse myself. I love to people watch!

46. Ty was born ON his due date.

47. The fact that I have twins is either luck of the draw or God's will, one of the two, but no infertility drugs were used.

48. I believe that Disneyland is THE happiest place on earth! Who wants to go with me?

49. I love to travel anywhere!

50. I love taking road trips...although now that kids are involved the love has subsided a little.

51. I have a hard time keeping my opinions to myself. Thinking before I speak is not a strong point with me.

52. I'm not offended easily.

53. I can go camping any time, any place-I love to camp!

54. I love to take pictures, I just wish I was better at it.

55. I consider myself to be a good friend...

56. I love to cook but hate cleaning up the mess.

57. I used to think that we lived inside the earth until my dad educated me...last year...haha!

58. I love having a little girl, but ONE is all I need or can tolerate!

59. I wish I wasn't a procrastinator but I am!

60. I like to set goals but I never accomplish them.

61. I want to run a marathon in my life time. (And by run I mean run the whole 26 miles. Not run for a while and then walk a little and then run some more, 'cause then I would have to say that I ran and walked a marathon.)

62. I don't advise anyone to start their own business in the dental lab industry.

63. I own half of a business called Desert Crown & Bridge but I don't do half the work.

64. I cherish the time when Joe isn't working...that's all he does it seems...

65. I'm an early-to-bed-early-to-rise kind of person. But I love staying up late when fun is involved.

66. I love, love, love Christmas time!! There is a feeling in the air that makes me truly happy!

67. I love listening to Christmas music and would even listen to it in the summer when I was younger until my mom made me turn it off.

68. I love the rain--better yet, I love the smell of the desert when it rains. There's nothing like it in the world!

69. I'm a sucker for homemade cookies!

70. I am not a baker in the slightest.

71. I'm addicted to blog surfing...you know you all are, too!

72. I am a very curious person-or maybe its borderline nosy...

73. I can spend hours (and I mean hours) people watching.

74. I feel that I am more a sheep-I like to follow the crowd. But at times I might break off and do my own thing for a minute.

75. I only have a few shows that I have to watch. Currently it's SYTYCD and Deadliest Catch.

76. I have a tattoo...yes, my parents did find out and no, it's not a pleasant story...but when is it pleasant when your parents find out you did something stupid...but I still like it and don't regret it...

77. I love getting pedicures.

78. I can go to Sonic anytime of day or night for one of their drinks...my faves are strawberry limeade, lemon-berry slush, and strawberry cream slush.

79. I hate the color of my eyes.

80. I can't live without Burt's Bees lip balm.

81. I love to dance but can't. If I'm in a really laid back mood or have some alcohol in me you might catch a glimpse of my stellar moves...but I don't drink.

82. I can't live without my DVR and don't know how I did before I had it.

83. I don't have an appendix...

84. I have a brother who is on a mission in the Kiev, Ukraine mission.

85. I love to eat food but I'm not willing to try new things...I just like what I like.

86. I like black and white photography.

87. One of my most embarrassing stories involves a guy, my bra, and some padding...

88. I might be addicted to diet coke...or just coke...from Sonic with their crunch ice...yummy!

89. I love taking Sunday afternoon naps...

90. I miss my Sunday afternoon naps!

91. I love to shop!! Let me know if anyone is up for a shopping trip!

92. I love make-up! (Did I say that already?)

93. I love to go to the beach but I despise going into the water at the beach.

94. I'm obsessed with air fresheners. I have them everywhere!

95. I love taking hot bubble baths but never have the time to do it.

96. I totally copied my 100 list from someone else's 100 list...

97. I was totally lying on the above entry...

98. I don't like snakes or spiders...or creepy, crawly things in general.

99. Getting old frightens me a lot!

100. I love watching movies!! Good or bad I'll watch them all...and I'm a sucker when it comes to corny chick flicks...they just make me feel good!

Make a 100 list of your own and tell me random facts about yourself. If you want, leave me a comment about my random facts! Thanks for reading mine!

Hmmm....so it's been a while?

2008-07-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Wow! Almost 3 months? Where did the time go...oh yeah...3 kids 3 and under, a crazy/stressful business, and utter laziness on my part. What can I say...for those of you who see me on a regular basis, i.e. church...i guess that's pretty much it (man, i need to get out more), know that my intentions are there to post more but just can't find the time...just in case all of you crazies out there want some good excuses as to my "disapperance" drop me a line. I think I might be able to whip some out that just might suffice!

As far as more posts go...well my intentions are really good! I actually have a long list of things that I need to blog about so...stay tuned!

SPOTLIGHT: All about Ty

2008-03-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

So I've been doing some thinking...and thanks to someone that I consider one of my closer friends...I've decided that I need to appreciate me, my life, and my children a lot more than I have been. So I thought that I could share with all of you who read or come across my blog 3 positive aspects of my life; MY CHILDREN! I tend to get caught up in my own emotions and dwell upon all the frustrations that I have with being a mom. I need to adjust and start thinking about the positive qualities that my children have. I have decided to spotlight my first child, Ty. In doing so I not only want others to know what a unique kids he is, but also it will help me to think of all the great qualities he has to offer to me, our family, and anybody else he comes in contact with...so here is

TY JOSEPH UTLEY

From the moment I could feel Ty in the womb, I knew he was going to be active. And I realized very early in his life (around 6 months) that he was going to be very strong willed and only do the things that he wanted. One of Ty's best qualities is how strong-headed he can be...it's also very stressful for me! I have no doubt in my mind that Ty will be leader among his friends when he gets older. My prayer is that that leadership is in the right areas...

Even though Ty's energy can be exhausting, his energy is full of life. He wakes up each morning with a charge to tackle the day (he might tackle his brother and sister while he's at it.) Ty loves to have fun! Ever since he's learned to laugh, it isn't hard to get him into hysterics. He has a contagious laugh that makes me love him so much! He loves to have fun with anything that he's doing...he doesn't have quite the imagination that I thought he would have (I thought that since I had imaginary friends, my kids would too) but he is able to take the weirdest things and turn them into toys, ex: my hair clips that I use to do my hair with are now his "sharks" because they have teeth just like sharks do. And he goes around pretending that his "shark" is eating anyone or anything.

The hardest part about being Ty's mom is that he is too smart for my own good! Now, I'm not trying to be one of those moms who say, "my kids the smartest kid ever!", but he surprises me with the stuff that he remembers...he can remember that he left his hat at Grandma Utley's house on Christmas Eve, but can't remember that hitting his brother or sister gets him 3 minutes on the naughty step. Ty is a very observant kid...and along with that comes curiosity. There are innumerable questions throughout the day that are because he watches everything around him.

I love my Ty! I'm so happy that he's in my life! I love it when, after we've had a conflict of opinions, he tells me, "mommy, Ty so sorry you yelled. I love you." That's my kid! Next time you see him, ask him for a "thumbs up", he loves to give them (especially to the garbage men!)

Mommy look...I color!

2008-03-25T21:39:00.001-07:00

This is a CLASSIC mom moment. The day is coming to an end. We have made it through dinner unscathed and are spending the rest of the evening upstairs. I look forward to 7:00 every evening...that means that I can start our bedtime routine:

7:00 p.m. : bath time-play time, wash time
7:35 (ish) p.m. : getting-dressed time-drying off x 3 kids, lotion x 3 kids, dressing x 3 kids = 25 minutes of time passes!
8:00 p.m. : BED TIME! The babies routine consists of laying them in their cribs, make sure the pacifiers are with them and blankets are on them...easy. Ty on the other hand can take some finessing...I lay with him, sing "I'm A Child Of God" about 4 times, and read him 1 book. On really good nights I'm "done & done" by 8:30 and on my way to...
8:30 to 8:45 p.m. : Stacey time...need i say more? Any mother knows ALL about this time of the day.

So, we were upstairs playing with toys and having fun; I was running around getting the bath going, setting out pajamas & diapers, making sure things were ready to go for bath time. I may have stopped by the computer to do some quick checking of the email...I must have left Ty alone a little to long because when I came into his room I found his lovely art work! What did I do about this? I did what every mom would do in this situation...

Me (somewhat elevated voice, slightly aggrevated): "Ty what did you do?"

Ty (totally innocently, excited that he "colored"): "Umm, Ty colored Trace."

Me (very motherly): "Oh, Trace, let me just get a quick picture or two & then I'll put you in the bath ."

...I took pictures so that I could blog about it later!!

2 peas in a...basket!

2008-03-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

There are very few situations that I enjoy having twins. Most of the time I silently complain to myself that my life is just too stressful. But then there are times like this...when having twins is perfect for pictures like this. I love the expressions on their faces...there were about 6 people standing around trying desperately to get them to smile...all we got was this! I think the expressions says everything! I think this will be one of those pictures that will get pulled out when they are teenagers and totally into doing their own thing and they will say "mom, why did you do that to us?" My answer: have your own twins and maybe you'll understand.

EaSTeR eGG HuNt...

2008-03-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

The Day after the PARTY, Grandma Utley had us over for a Easter Brunch and an egg hunt for all the cousins. TY had so much fun finding his own eggs (grandma utley wrote names on all the eggs so everyone had the same eggs.) Despite all 5 of us being exhausted from the night before, we had a good time (as we usually do with momma utley) hanging out with family! We love you, Grandma!!

THE PARTY OF ALL PARTIES!!

2008-03-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

OK...so it wasn't the party of ALL parties but, WOW, what a blast!! We all had so much fun...at least I did...and we didn't even need any liquor! None of it could have been done without the help of many people. Thank you to Stacie and Lyn, Jenna, and Mom & Dad! Trace and Tori were a sticky mess after the eating of the cupcakes and Trace ate EVERY single bit of that cupcake! CUte Ty had so much fun playing with all his friends that night he CRASHED on the couch right before it all ended. Because there are so many pictures, I am going to attempt to run a slide show...hopefully it will work. Sorry to those who missed it, because it ws F-U-N!!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!!!

2008-03-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

...ThEn...

...NoW...!!!!

Two Down...One to go...

2008-03-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

This week has been 1 crazy week...every night this week I have been busy doing something. Two major events that I had to deal with are now over (pampered chef party and YM/YW activity) I can now focus entirely on tomorrow...March 21, 2008. I've finally made it through one whole year of surviving twins! There will definitely be some pictures posted of the big event! Thanks to a great friend, here 's the invitation that was sent out to family and friends.

Ask me if I ready...I'm not...i did manage to finally locate beach pails with shovels and tiki torches thanks to this place. I think a strawberry-mango"rita" is in need of after all this...

better late than never...that's what I always say!

2008-03-18T10:55:00.001-07:00

So about 2 months ago, we took a small family vacation to our favorite city...San Luis Obispo, CA! We had a great time visiting with Mike and Beth and their kids. Our days were filled with visiting the elephant seals (it was their mating time...very national geographic!), feeding the ducks, and visiting the beach (from our car.) And our nights were filled with lots of talking and laughing, our first taste of guitar hero, "just adults" dinners, and late night snacks! Thanks Mike and Beth for letting us come and visit! We gotta move there!

...so sick...

2008-03-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

So I thought for sure we were clear of any more sicknesses for the season and then we were hit with a nasty cold/flu bug! This time it got all 3: Ty, Trace, and Tori. Trace got the worst of it, like usual. Trace went to see the doctor yesterday and we found out that he has a double ear infection, some sort of chest infection and if he didn't see the doctor soon, he may have ended up with pneumonia. Ty keeps telling me over and over all day long, "Mommy, Ty so sick, need medicine." He isn't that bad with the exception of a cough and a slight scare the other night of croup. But today is a new day and we are on our way to getting better. Here are some pictures that I took only because Trace always looks so sad when he gets sick. And of course there is Ty, hamming it up when there's a camera around...I just hope this is the last of our colds for the season!

COUSINS!

2008-01-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

For a week during Christams & New Years, Ty got to play with his cousins Ryan and Natalie. He had a lot of fun following them around everywhere. These are just a few pictures of the many that were taken during the very fun week. One night we got the grandkids together for a picture - they are all in order from youngest to oldest...all we are missing is the 3 older grandkids: Brittany, Jessica, & Mathew.

It's gonna be great in 2008!

2008-01-09T14:23:00.000-08:00

Fun times were had at the New Years Eve party at Grandma & Grandpa Belingheri's house (ma & papa according to Ty.) We invited our friends Lyn & Stacie Gibson over there as well. So with Andy & Holly in town and Grandma Leggett there, it was a full house of fun! Our tasty treats included various types of chicken wings, hot bean dip, spinich dip, flautas and other kinds of junk food that just aren't remembered at the moment. But there was plenty of food! Joe, Stacey, Stacie Gibson, Andy, Holly, Mom, & Dad all raised their glass to a fabulous 2008 at the stroke of midnight.

Ty got to stay the night at Ma & Papa's house with Ryan and Natalie (a sleep-over of sorts.) But it gave Joe and Stacey a little break for one night...nobody's complaining...

"Santa came to Ty's house!"

2007-12-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

This year was exciting for us since Ty was older and had some what of a clue as to who Santa was. Christmas morning was an exciting place at our house. Ty must have been happy with everything that he got because he kept saying "wow, look it's Ty's favorite toy!" after every present that he unwrapped. A few highlights of his toy collection were Thomas trains, his very own tool set, and cars from the Disney movie Cars. Trace and Tori experienced their first Christmas this year and were very interested in what Ty was doing with all that paper! They both enjoyed playing with the paper and packaging from the other gifts. Trace must have been overwhelmed with all the excitement of the day...we came downstairs and found him asleep on the floor, curled up with Kona's bone...

Christmas Train Ride

2007-12-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

Ty and his friend Riley Gibson took a train ride with Santa Claus. Riley's mom, also Stacie, and I had a lot of fun watching our boys get excited about their train ride. They both loved every minute of it! They even got to give the conductor their own train ticket. Ty loved seeing Santa and Mrs. Claus on the train. While we waited for Santa to come, Ty and I had a conversation about who Santa was and what he brings. I asked Ty what Santa bring to good kids and he answered "toys!" I guess he didn't understand when he would actually get the toys because after Santa said hello to Ty, he asked me "where's my toy?" The understanding will come next year I guess!