Happy Birthday Ridge!!

Five years ago today, we added number 5 to our family. He has been such a wonderful addition! Ridge came into the world with personality spilling out all over the place. He is full of ideas and very full of life. He makes me smile or laugh every single day. I am amazed by his energy and determination. I am trying not to think of this coming fall when he will go to kindergarten. I can't believe it is going by so quickly! I enjoy our days together when it is just Ridge and Mom home. He is such good company and fills the house with joy. He is my little buddy and I am so glad he was born!!! I love you Ridgey McRidgerton! :)

Christmas!!

We had a great Christmas! It is always so much fun to see how excited the kids get. They still don't dare wake us up. I laid in bed waiting for them to come and get us but instead I heard the TV turn on. (I have been told I'm a little scary when woken up)
It is fun to see the differences in their personalities. Ridge rips open all his presents as fast as he can, Raygen sits and looks at each thing and takes her sweet time, and Gabe likes to get things out of the package and figure it out before moving on. So of course Ridge was all out of presents right away and tried to convince the other two to let him open theirs! Cute little Raygen let him open a couple of hers because she has a kind heart. Ridge got a little tent from Gabe and slept in it the next 4 nights, Raygen got a digital camera, and Gabe was pretty excited about his new Ipod. (He still has the best reactions ever!!) Santa had wrapped his Ipod in about 5 different sized boxes and he had fun opening each box to find another one inside. Tyson got a smoker and has been smoking everything in sight! And I got some new clothes and money towards a camera I want.
Later that day we went to Mom and Dad's and had dinner with some of the family. Lisa and Brett were there with their families. It is always good to see everyone and spend time together. I am so thankful for our family. I feel blessed every day to be related to such amazing people!

Christmas Recital

The kids survived another piano recital! Raygen played "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" and Gabe played "I'll Be Home For Christmas". They have been practicing these songs since October so it is good that they will be able to move on to something else now. :) It is fun to watch them gradually progress and start to play songs that I can recognize and sing along with. Now they have a couple weeks off which Gabe is pretty excited about. (Dad too!) I am looking forward to not having to argue with Gabe about his practicing also. But I keep reminding myself that it will all be worth it. And watching them play at the recital is a little glimpse a hope for the future. . .

Dinosaur Museum!

We had lots of fun at the George Eccles Dinosaur Museum in Ogden this weekend. Braydon and Brittney invited us to go with them to help celebrate Branson's 3rd birthday. The kids loved it! Well my kids did. Branson and Bridger didn't know what to think about the life size robotic dinosaurs. Ridge was a little hesitant to go very close to the dinosaur's "cage" but ended up liking them best of all. We learned all kinds of facts about dinosaurs and fossils and looked at all kinds of minerals. The kids liked playing on the dinosaurs that were outside even though it was pretty cold that day. Afterward, we went to McDonalds and shopping. It was a great day!

Pictures Don't Lie

Ridge is at a very fun age right now. He says random things that make us all laugh and he is full of energy. Sometimes he is just down right too big for his britches! He is starting to think he is pretty sneeky. The other day my camera wasn't where I left it, so I asked Ridge, "Have you been playing with Mommy's camera?" Of course he looked at me with big innocent eyes and said, "No way! I know I'm not suppose to!" While uploading the pictures, I found about 50 that I don't remember taking. Hhhhmmmm. . . . seems pretty suspicious to me.

Happy 12th Anniversary!

After 12 years together how can I put into words what Tyson means to me? He is so many things to me. We have been through so much and have grown. We have 3 awesome kids and have built our life with blood, sweat, tears, and lots of laughs. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into 12 years ago and to be honest, I was scared out of my mind. It definately wasn't what I had planned and all that has happened isn't what I would have chosen for my life, but I wouldn't give back one single second. I feel lucky to have been blessed with a person who loves me as deeply as Tyson does, and who tells me everyday. He is my best friend and still makes me laugh all the time. I feel enormous gratitude to him for all he does for me and the kids. If there is one thing that I have learned throughout the years, life and love aren't always easy. But at the end of the day if you can go to sleep knowing that the person next to you is on your side no matter what, and that the good days far out weigh the bad, then you know it is all worth it.
Happy anniversay Tyson! I can honestly say that I love you more everyday!

Free digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

Tie Dye Shirts!

For one of our Family Home Evening projects, we made tie dyed shirts. The kids thought it was absolutely amazing because they got to make a big mess and didn't get in trouble. They had fun experimenting with the different colors and had bets on who's shirt would be the best when it was all done. (They all like their own)Dad wasn't home that night so we will have to do it again! He doesn't want to use the "sissy colors" like we did, so I bought him a camo-kit. We will see how it works. . .