Belated Birthday Updates

I think Anne Elyse was the only child that had her birthday blogged about last year.  What a naughty mom I am.  I really want to remember what the kids are doing and what they're like right now.  I was a good girl and took lots of pictures on their birthdays, except for Tyler and Tori who lost most of their pictures when the puppy ate my memory card.  That's a fun story I'll have to fill you in on.

In 2011, Austin turned 9, Anne Elyse 7, Tyler 6, and Tori 2!

We'll start with Austin.  The kids and I were in Utah this year for Austin's birthday.  We were so sick of our blah "summer" weather around here, we headed "eastbound and down" to my sister's house to get some HOT, SUNNY weather!  My sister-in-law Stevie caravaned with me down there, and we had a great time.  We spent Austin's birthday, July 28, at the water park with the cousins.  Then I made him a curry dinner that night (his choice), and we invited Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie over to help us eat ice cream cake.  He got a new BB gun for his present from mom and dad, a (generous) amount of money from Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie, a float toy from cousin Jack, and a very cool Army dress up outfit from Uncle Donavon and Auntie Eleasa, which they actually purchased for him when we visited Ft. Lewis up here in Washington in June.  Uncle Shane bought him a very "manly" CTR ring when we met up with him the next day at Temple Square.

Austin keeps things very interesting around here.  He can be quite a nut, and often says some really funny things but also can be pretty insightful.  He is so inquisitive.  He is always asking questions.  Sometimes I have to say, "O.K., I can't answer questions right now.  You need to wait until later."  He will jabber your ear off no matter where you are.  Just the other week, I'm very clearly taking a nap, and he comes in to start asking me questions!  I was like, "I'm (was) sleeping?!"

Another cute thing he said recently was, "Mom, I think 2012 is going to be a good year for our family."

It's also neat to see him mature just a little when it comes to spiritual things.  We were talking about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith translating it, and I said something like, "You know, there are a lot of people who might try to tell you that the Book of Mormon isn't true."  He was so shocked to hear me say that.  He was like, "What?!  Well, it IS true.  I know it is, because I can feel a burning in my chest when I read it."  Now don't think he'll ever get up in sacrament meeting or primary and tell you that.  He is VERY shy when it comes to speaking in front of a lot of people.  He successfully dodged the microphone this year at the primary program, so he wouldn't have to say his part.  We have finally gotten him to say the prayer or do a talk in primary, but don't ask him to sing.  In fact, I have never in my life heard this child sing.  Now that I'm the new primary chorister, we're going to have to work on that!  He comes from a family with some musical talent, so I told him you never know, maybe you have a great voice and don't even know it.

He is motivated to do his cub scouts and Faith in God program, which is good.  Now I just need to make more time to work with him on it.  We've done very little in his Bear Book, and he's going to be 10 in 6 months!

Favorite color:  Red and blue

Favorite food:  ice cream and curry

Favorite book:  Diary of  a Wimpy Kid

Favorite place:  Lake Roosevelt

Favorite xbox game:  Cabela's Big Game Hunter

Favorite sport:  football

Favorite TV show:  Good Luck Charlie & The Military Channel

Favorite Movie:  Spy Kids


Tyler turned 6 in October.  He was kind enough to "share" his party with his sister, who's birthday is 6 days after his.  Papa and Grandma, Uncle Ryan and Auntie Stevie, and Jack and Marlowe came down to our house for lunch - sub sandwiches.  Both Ty and Tori are way into Cars, so we had a Lightning McQueen cake.  After lunch we went to the movie theatre and saw Puss 'n Boots.

Tyler started all day kindergarten this year, attending on Tuesdays and Thursdays and every other Friday.  Kind of a crazy schedule, but I actually like it.  I don't know that he loves being at school all day, but it's good for him.  He does well in school, and he's pretty obedient.  Now that I've been in primary for a couple of months, I've been able to see him in there, and he sits so reverently and sings his very best, which is kind of ironic, because he really doesn't like going to church.  I have to prep him that church is in 1 day or 2 days, etc.  Pretty much every week he has a melt down about not wanting to go to church.  I think part of it is he hates wearing "church clothes."  He LOVES to wear pajamas, and in fact he has been known to lay out on his bed which pajamas he's going to change into when he gets home from school.

Ty says some pretty funny things sometimes.  He still gets his pronouns mixed up.  Recently he was playing the Cabela's hunting game, and you're only supposed to shoot the bucks.  You loose points if you shoot the does.  He says, "Don't shoot the females.  He is laying him's eggs."

We recently became owners of a new puppy.  Lulu is her name, and he loves to wrestle with her.  He's very good about feeding Lulu and Ruger every day.


Favorite color:  Green

Favorite food:  apples

Favorite treat:  Airheads

Favorite xbox game:  Puss 'n Boots

Favorite TV show:  Max 'n Ruby

Favorite movie:  Shrek Forever After

Favorite person:  Mommy

Favorite phrase:  "Oh, for the love!!" (But it sounds more like "Oh, for the wuv!")

Last, but oh so not least, is Ms. Victoria who turned 2 on 11/1/11!  This baby girl and her sweetness give me so much joy.  She hasn't quite turned all the way to the dark side yet, although believe me, she can be a sassy pants.  She's really starting to talk.  She is always saying, "Mommy will you help me please?"  Usually it's "Mommy help me.  Help, help.  Help me," when she gets impatient.




She gets sooo excited when Dad comes home.  No matter what she's doing, she stops and runs to the front door or even out the front door to greet dad as he gets out of his van.  She runs and jumps into  his arms.  She could be the poster child for the song "I'm so Glad When Daddy Comes Home."

She is a bit obsessed with the toilet right now, but has yet to do anything in it besides play in it, flush things down it, or swish somebody's toothbrush around in it.  She loves that her nursery class at church on Sunday has a little bathroom for little people.  It's a real toilet and sink, etc. but everything is toddler size.  It is pretty cute.  Her teacher handed me her soaking wet onesie last Sunday and said that she was a bit excited about the toilet.  She snuck in there, stripped down, and then dipped her onsie in.

She's also got a thing for Toy Story.  We have to watch it at least once a day.  She says, "I want Woody."  or "Watch a show.  Woody?"  Snuggling on the couch (with mom is even better), sucking her thumb with her "Night night" (blankie) and watching Woody is one of her favorite things to do.

Favorite food:  pasta

Favorite treat:  Beer!!!  (Rootbeer), but she calls it beer.  Better hope nobody is calling CPS on you when you're at the store and your 2 year old is shouting, "I want beeeerrr!!"

Favorite person:  Mommy all the way, although sissy comes in a close second and Daddy too.  Least favorite person is probably Tyler.  She's recently learned how to stick her tongue out at him.

Favorite movie:  Toy Story!!!  Cars comes in a close second and also Shrek.

Favorite toy:  Her baby dolls.  She's very sweet with them and takes good care of them!