Happy Father's Day!

  

We love you Brett!

Let's Go Back...

This post has been sitting as a draft for way too long, but has some great pictures so I thought I'd go ahead and hit "publish".  Not sure what I was waiting for....

Remember way back in August when Brett had a birthday?  I'm only

We celebrated at the pool, which was as equally fun for Owen as it was for Brett.  Owen ate his face in Cotton Candy and Brett fell on his face doing the surf simulator.  Just kidding.  He didn't really...he was a little shaky at first but quickly became a natural.  We need to get that boy to the beach:) Update he just went to Hawaii and I'm sure this practice on the simulator 7 months ago totally helped!  These pictures make me SOO ready for some warm weather and pool days!

We celebrated at Outback Steakhouse with friends for an early birthday dinner.  Brett was a sport and rode the saddle while everyone made  a big scene.  

On his actual birthday I surprised him with a hot dinner date.  He wasn't expecting me to leave Miles with a sitter so soon. We  did Thai Village takeout and a picnic in the park.  To him, a good hour of quiet conversation without the kids was an awesome little present.  

Miles @ 6 Months Old

I guess the saying is true that if your first child is "difficult" you'll be blessed with an "easy" one the second time around.  At least for us.

---- We love you Owen, but you were difficult {wait. sometimes you still are.  but we seriously love you and your funny, stubborn, imaginative little self}.  I don't think we thought you were a difficult baby until Miles came along and was so easy.  ----

Miles is so laid back and content most of the time, and he gives us an endless amount of smiles.  He's earned the nickname Smiles with our friends.

At six months his favorite things are his bouncy chair, Owen's toys (particularly Thor and any Ninja turtle), loves his big brother, and most recently, the bottle.

But at least he's finally taking a bottle.  Once he figured it out and guzzled his first one down, he never looked back and has preferred it ever since.  Which would explain his rapid weight gain over the last two weeks:) 

I can already tell Owen and Miles are gonna be best buds, I love watching Owen play with Miles and trying to make him happy the rare times he is sad or fussy.

A look at December

Ping pong with dad at work

Shopping, ice cream cones, and diet coke... and making do with a single stroller

creating a future violinist 

6 month check up!!

Celebrating being 6 months old with sweet potatoes and applesauce.  

Getting lots of snuggles after the 6 month check up and too many shots

Finding a new best friend (for me and Miles)

Owen's first train ride with his little buddies.  They were so excited! It was our free Polar Express experience...

O being the best big brother around

And the cutest little beggar!!!

The Ho Ho's Gonna Get Me

When it snowed here for the first time back in November, I took Owen outside to show him.  He ran inside screaming and crying "The Ho Ho's gonna get me!"  And for several days after that anytime we went out in the snow he freaked out and thought the Ho ho was going to get him.

I'm not sure where that came from, but after telling him the Ho Ho would bring him toys if he was a good boy, he seemed to like the idea of Santa.

But the second we got in line to see him and the second he actually saw Santa, he wanted to run the other way...screaming and crying.

The best picture we got.  

 Miles on the other hand didn't even notice a strange, old, long-haired man was holding him. 

Halloween

Owen wore his Captain America costume every day in October leading up to Halloween (and even several days into November).  When he is in costume, he's in full character.  His little imagination amazes me.

We just went to our ward Trunk or Treat and I dressed up as She Ra.  Owen loved having a super hero mom.

Miles in his skeleton jammies with Frankenstein-- happy as can be.  

Tour de St George

A few weeks ago Brett and I made a little weekend trip to St. George with our good friends the Johnsons, so Brett and Seth could ride in the Tour de St. George.  It was Brett's first 100 mile bike ride.  Saddle sore a bit?

The ride started early Saturday morning and the boys were done around 1:30pm.  Manina and I were     there for the start to cheer them on, met them at the half-way point, and then again at the finish.  And in between treated ourselves to a nice {long} pedicure! 

Justin is Home!

The first week of September we headed to Colorado.  First to spend a day with Craig and Sheri in Denver and then to spend time with my family, and greet Justin home from his mission! Crazy how fast two years flew by for him. 

Owen thought flying in a plane was so cool.  He kept yelling at the pilot to "Go Faster!"  Miles was a peach and slept most the flight.  Flying with the two of them was actually a piece of cake. 

Craig and Sheri met us at the airport and Owen got a free ride from Papa Craig. 

Justin was flying in to the Colorado Springs Airport on Sept 5th so we hit up the Colorado Springs Zoo before meeting my parents and heading to the airport. 

I didn't get any pictures at the airport--I had my mom's phones on speaker with my brother on the line so he could hear all the excitement.  But here is all grown up...and handsome...and taller than both of our older brothers.  

Everyone was able to come home for his homecoming.  We had 17 people staying at my parents house. It was crazy and wild, but so fun, especially for the kids.

Tyler and Ashley bless Cash while everyone was together too.  Cash and Miles are just one month apart.  And pretty stinkin' cute.