Hiking Around

A couple of Sundays ago we took the boys hiking behind the temple. There is a good trail that goes right by the river, nice and shady. Lucy loved the river and got muddy and wet. Sam had a good time hanging out in the backpack, eating sticks. And Aydan hiked the whole time without once wanting to be carried. We love the outdoors and everything about being outside. Hopefully this was the first of many hikes to come!

Aydan at the trailhead.

Annie, Peter and Sam on the trail.

Peter and Sam. They look so much alike!

Crazy Lucy!

For Katrina

Sam had is 12 month doctors visit yesterday. And its been down hill ever since. He had to get 4 shots! Lets just say he is not taking this very well. He was up until almost 1am, fussy and crying and just plain miserable. So now lets assume I am not taking THIS very well! Hey but I can't complain too much at least we have vaccinations that keep him healthy and alive!! So here are his stats:
weight 23 lbs (53%), he gained almost 5 lbs in 3 months
height 32 1/4 inches (98%), he grew 2 inches
He is doing great, growing rapidly and getting big!

Growing Up

Today Sam is 1 year old! I am a little sad today. One because my baby is growing up so fast, he is getting to be more like a toddler and less like a baby and two he is still not sleeping through the night! But with that sweet smile that could melt your heart and is energy for life you can't help but forget about all the sleepless nights, well almost. We love you Sammers!

Meet Lucy

We got a new puppy!! Ever since Sophie died we have felt there was a missing piece in our family. A piece of my heart was taken when she passed away. Oh how I miss my Sophie. The last couple of weeks I have been looking for the perfect dog for our family. Not a replacement for Sophie just another member for our family. I am such a dog person, I needed another dog. So on Thursday I found what I was looking for. Lucy is a miniature poodle mix. She is about 4 months old and 10 lbs. We are taking her to the vet on Monday for a checkup and a question and answer session. We would like to know what mix dog she is and how big she could get. We got Lucy from the Humane Society. And here I am on my soapbox... I would encourage anyone looking for a dog or even a cat to check petfinder.com or local shelters. There are so many animals out there looking for good homes, and some of these poor animals were rescued from puppy mills. These precious animals just need a loving home! Okay I'm done for now. We are so excited to have Lucy in our family. In just the short time she had been her she has been great. She is so cuddly and loves the boys. She slept with Aydan the first night, and likes to check on Sam when he is taking his nap. Sam has pulled on her tail and ears and she doesn't growl or snap. Eventually she does cry because it hurts, poor Lucy!

Lucy sleeping with Aydan.

Lucy, she really needs to be groomed.

Lucy our little mop. But trust me she is so dang cute!

A Little Culture

Sometime in April we went down to BYU's (boo!) art museum. They had a exhibit on the I Spy books. We thought it would be interactive, and fun for the kids. Unfortunately we were wrong. There was like 10 pictures from the I Spy books in frames on the walls, with lots of signs that said DO NOT TOUCH! It was fun to look at the pictures, but it just was not what we expected. Next to the I Spy exhibit was another "art" exhibit. There was a room full of packing peanuts with fans to blow them around, there was a sink and PVC pipe and there were lawn chairs stacked on top of one another. It was different, that is all I have to say about that. It was still fun to hang out with the girls and all the kids. We had a nice picnic and went to another museum with lots of real stuffed animals. Now that was really cool and the kids loved it. Thanks for the great outing idea Lorri!

Sam hanging out in the stroller.

The Balloon Art, yes its art.

All the children.

Again Sam in the stroller, its a nice babysitter!

Aydan and the I Spy exhibit.

Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. On Saturday we went to a little Easter party and Peter's sisters. We dyed Easter eggs and had an egg hunt. Aydan had a great time playing with his cousin Halle and trying to find all the eggs. Sam had a good time sleeping, he took a nap during the entire party. On Sunday the boys woke up to find that the Easter bunny had stopped by. They both got Easter baskets with some candy and a toy then they had an Easter egg hunt in the house. Aydan found the most eggs, seeing as Sam was more interested in eating the Easter grass then finding eggs. Later that day we went to my brothers house for dinner and some family time. MiRanda made some really yummy soups! We again dyed eggs and had another egg hunt. Aydan never got sick of hiding and finding the eggs. It was such a nice day we spent most of the day hanging outside enjoying the weather. Finally Spring is here! Well sort of.

Sam hanging outside.

Aydan on the egg hunt.

Sam and Tuck.

Aydan at the park.

Aydan dying eggs.

Sam and his ducky.

Sam eating Easter grass.

Aydan helping Sam with his eggs.

Aydan finding his basket.

Halle, Joshua and Aydan.

Oh The Joys of Parenting!

It has been a very tiring couple of weeks. Aydan and Sam both got really sick, especially Sam. He saw two different doctors and was tested for pertussis. Thankfully it was negative, but he was still really sick. Aydan ended up with bronchitis and was put on antibiotics. Sam got a double ear infection and bronchitis. He got antibiotics, ear drops and nebulizer breathing treatments. His cough was too weak so he needed the nebulizer at least twice a day to help him breath. It was kind of scary and of course he wasn't sleeping very well. Not like that is a change, he is still going strong on not sleeping through the night. Oh and let me tell you have fun it is to try to give Sam his antibiotic. I am surprised that he is better, he pretty much spits out all of it. It took both me and Peter to hold down Sam, open his mouth and blow in his face. And yet he still would spit and wiggle enough so most ended up on his neck. What a pain! The boys are doing better now. It seems that most of their cough is gone and Sam is no longer wheezing. They are both back to their normal crazy selves!

The Norton pharmacy.

Sam and his nebulizer. He would sit still for about 5 minutes then it was wrestling time!

Sam getting grumpy, he really didn't like the nebulizer.