Family Update

Last month, I just started meeting together once a month with my sisters and cousins to do "Power of Moms".  Our assignment was to do 3 new things each week that we've been wanting to do (little things, phone calls, whatever).  So this was on my list. In my mind, it's really only been a month since I've posted on my blog. But in reality, since it's been over a year, I'm only going to attempt to do a brief update on our family. 

Glen holding on for dear life at the Grand Canyon, or just practicing his acting skills. Just like all of us, Glen is staying busy with family, church calling, and work. Beginning of June he spent a week with 12-13 year olds on a 50 mile hike at Greens Peak. He was supposed to come home Saturday, but surprised me and got home Friday night, only because they had been evacuated because of the fires. He returned with several blisters on each foot and limped around for a couple days. But I know it was worth it, he LOVES the outdoors!!! His hobby the last few months has been our little garden. We picked lots of squash, zucchini, radishes, tomatoes, green onions, basil, carrots, and beets. Out of the huge green bean plant, we've only picked a hand full, and out of the hundreds of blossoms on our cucumber plants, only one grew and it tasted horrible. We've picked a couple little red bell peppers and one cantaloupe and we have another growing.  With the summer heat, our squash and zucchini have died, and our garden doesn't look as green anymore, but we are still picking a few things.  Here is some pictures when they are full grown (before they started dieing).  It has been really fun for the kids to go out and see the progress and pick.  Anyways, enough about the garden. Glen is actually on his way home from Clay Springs. He was there a couple days to help his dad clear out the house there. He took Kade and Bryson so they could enjoy the cool air and run around outside and get dirty!  I've got Tim and Cara's kids here spending the night so Cara can stay in the hospital with the baby. Kade will be so excited when he sees them here.  

As for me, I love having 3 little boys and a husband who comes home to wrestle them to get out their energy!  It's been about 2 years now I've been working with the Wolves in Cub Scouts and absolutely love it. My new goal has been to train for the St. George Marathon in October. I'm on week 5 of a 16 week program, and it's been a killer. But once the marathon is over, I know I'll be glad I did it!  I'm excited my sister Janae and sister-in-law Sarah will be doing it with me!

I don't know where to even start on my kids. I've missed writing so many cute things, but I guess for now I'll do the present.

Kade is 4, and can't wait until his birthday on September 17.  He keeps telling me he wants a black watch.  He has been my master artist.  He loves to draw and color, which has been a life saver for me because he will sit at the table for long periods of time just drawing.  It has been so cute to see what he comes up with.  When he was in our little joy school trade and when I pick him up from primary class, he is always the last one coloring and I have to pull him away. He likes to color every inch of the paper and is very detailed. Lately, he has also been learning how to read.  My sister Esther told me about this book, "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" by Siegfried Engelmann.  I love it! It's short simple lessons and I like the way they teach it.  I also didn't feel so overwhelmed on how I was going to teach him and what are all the materials I would need.  It's just one book and they tell you everything to say to your child so you don't confuse them. Anyways, it's been working for us.  He's on Lesson 23.  At the end of 22 he could read "That is a seed.  See a ram eat it."  I'm so proud of him!

Bryson is 2.  He'll be 3 on August 8th.  He is my tease, but he's so darn cute.  He's got this laugh that is kind of deep and mischievous. It makes me laugh every time. He may be half the size of Kade or other cousins that are over, but he will jump in wrestling them anyway. He's a tough cookie.  He's also become a great swimmer this summer.  We've spent lots of hours in the pool because we didn't have AC until July 1 ("Oh, happy day!"), and so he has been practicing.  Even when he was a baby, he loved jumping off the side into the pool.  We still have to be near him, but he can swim a good 10-15 feet. He will pull his head out to breathe.  Our next goal with Bryson is to get him potty trained!!! Any suggestions?

Teagan is 8 months.  He's got blonde hair and weighs 20 pounds now.  He's our "Teagers" or "Tuggers".This squishy boy has brought our family so much joy!  He was born November 4, 8 lbs. 9oz.  I'll have to post the birthing story later.  Kade and Bryson are so good with him.  I have caught Bryson trying to wrestle him and Kade carrying him down the stairs, but they also watch for little pieces on the floor, and put in his binkie, and get me diapers and wipies.  They have been great helpers.  As Glen has been gone with the boys, I found out it's actually harder to watch Teagan by himself, when the boys are here they entertain him.  But I did have a chance to have a little Teagan mommy time.  He's been crawling on all fours for about a month now and he picks up the tiniest pieces.  The last couple weeks he's been pulling himself up.  He has 7 teeth and likes to use them on everything, he's even grinding.  He's a smilin' cuddly boy!  I just love him!


Here's some random cute pictures of the boys over the last month.

One night Kade decided to be a pirate and came up with his whole outfit. I thought it was pretty good.

Bryson at the 4th of July flag raising.