Season of Thanks

Thanksgiving 2011

Football

Playing

Being Cute

Lots of sliding

Conversations with Cousins

Chillaxin' with buddies

(Barrett with his cousin, Christian, who is 2 months older)

Eating

Lots of yummy food

(the luscious 4-layer pumpkin cake I made)

Making turkey rice-krispie treats

Jumping on the trampoline

Turkey Hunt

"I Found One!!!"

More sliding

More being cute

(he can't help himself!!)

Snuggle time

Hangin' with Gramps

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We had a GREAT Thanksgiving. We went up to Darron & Ann's this year, along with David, Kevin's parents, and Georganna and her family. As you can see, we had a lot of fun! We have so much to be thankful for; our Savior and the Gospel, our family, our health, wonderful friends, a good job...the list goes on and on. We're grateful for the time we were able to spend with family this weekend and look forward to the upcoming Christmas Season and the time we'll have to reflect more on the birth and life of our Savior and Redeemer!

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Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Happy Birthday...

Alexa is FIVE!!!!

Five years ago today, I became a Mom. Kevin and I became Parents. It. Was. A. BIG DAY! And today, that sweet baby girl has turned into a beautiful young little lady!

I cannot believe she is five!

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A little bit about the birthday girl:

*She became a big sister again this year and thoroughly loves her baby brother!

*She started preschool and LOVES it! She asks every day if it is a school day!

*She does not like crusty food (totally not my daughter, the crispier the better for me!!!)

*She loves blankets and sleeps with several of her favorites each night

*She loves pretty things...dresses, skirts, shoes, purses, jewelry, hair

*She loves to sing and I can quite often find her during the day making up songs as she's playing

*She's 43 1/4 " tall (75th percentile) and 39 lbs (50th percentile)

*She would live in dresses if I would let her (I love her in jeans and a t-shirt too!!)

*She loves anything princessy

*She has a growing infatuation with Justin Bieber thanks to her cousin, Norah (I do not feed or encourage this infatuation)

*She still sucks her thumb but only at night now (too bad we can't just get rid of the thumb)

*She took a gymnastics class and had a lot of fun with her friend Evie

*She loves going to Primary at church and gets so excited when it's her turn to give a talk

Alexa decided that she wanted a family party and since her birthday fell on a Sunday this year, this worked out perfectly. We went out to dinner yesterday as a family, to Chili's...Alexa's choice, so she could get the free chocolate cake! Then today, she got to open presents before church. After church, I made her requested birthday dinner...steak, risotto and fruit salad. She has good taste!! She went back and forth all year as to what kind of cake she wanted but she finally settled on a strawberry cake with vanilla frosting and she wanted purple flowers. Easy peasy! Pretty low key...but I'm pretty sure she still felt special all day! I think her favorite part was probably getting her birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa Mortenson and her birthday package from Grandma and Grandpa Baker. She absolutely LOVES to get mail just for her and she was equally excited to find birthday money from both grandparents!

Happy Birthday Alexa!

We love you too much! :-)

A little too much love???

Little do the girls realize, for all their love and good intentions, one day Barrett is going to be bigger than them!!! :-)

..::Barrett: 7 Months::..

Seven months have come and gone. My baby is 7 months old!! He is getting soooo big and he's just so much fun to have around! His funny little personality is really starting to shine and I love it!

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The Happenings this month:

*Says Da-Da - November 4th

*Gets up on all fours - November 4th

*FIRST TOOTH!!!! - November 16th (bottom left central)

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Barrett is still scooching backwards and rolling everywhere he wants to go. Now that he's getting up on all fours and rocking to and fro, we know it won't be long until he's crawling all over the place! The girls love to make him laugh and he enjoys watching all of their antics! I hope they are always as protective and loving of him as they are now!

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Happy 7 Months Bubba!

..::New Tradition::..

One thing I really enjoy with my own little family is incorporating traditions that Kevin and I had growing up into what we do and especially starting our own new traditions. Last year, Kevin and I went to the Christmas production at The Gaslight Theatre and decided that would be a fun NEW tradition to start with the kids...something to kick off the Christmas season each year. And so we took the girls tonight. We got a babysitter for Barrett as he wouldn't have enjoyed it and then neither would have the rest of us!! Anyways, the girls LOVED it. It was so fun to watch them totally enthralled with the singing and dancing and fun of it all, especially when Payton would get her little bootie shakin' along with the music! Soooooo cute!

We will most definitely be keeping this one as a favorite Christmas tradition!

Sooooo close...

...to crawling!!! Barrett can pretty much get wherever he wants to these days, but it's usually by rolling to and fro or scooting backwards on his belly. But now, he's up on all fours and rockin' away. He wants to be crawling like there's no tomorrow!!! Man, this kid just melts my heart. I mean, look at those baby blues!!!

These videos are for my family who doesn't get to see Barrett very often. Don't mind my crazy-person laugh in one of the videos...it's what was making Barrett laugh!! I love that I'm the most funniest person in the world to him!! He gives my ego a boost on a daily basis!!

-happy halloween-

We had a fun Halloween this year. We, once again, went to IHOP for their free scary face pancakes for the kiddos! I sure hope next year is easier because me vs 3 kids was a little much! The girls had a fun day and couldn't wait to go trick-or-treating.....their anticipation was huge! So we got them all ready and headed out the door at 5:30. Back in Louisville, that would have been late. Here in Arizona...apparently, that's too early. We were practically the only ones out and there were several very dark houses still with no one home (or at least not answering their doors yet). But by the time our two fairy princesses and one fierce lion were heading home, the sidewalks were packed, lights on and people answering their doors!!! We'll know for next year that we better not start until at least 6pm!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Annual Painting of the Pumpkins!

The girls were so excited to finally paint their pumpkins that they picked out at the pumpkin patch a couple weeks ago! One day they'll actually get to carve their own pumpkins, but for now...painting is MUCH safer, so we'll stick with it for a few more years!

Primary Program 2011

Today was Alexa's second Primary Program at church. She was sooooo excited about it. We even had to cut our trip to Gramma & Grampa's house short so we could be back for today, otherwise we knew Alexa would be heartbroken. She loves to get up in front of our congregation and sing her little heart out. She works hard all year to learn the songs and she memorized her little part. She's such a confident little girl...had no trouble or nervousness over getting up in front of all those people, unlike her mama!!! I sure hope she can keep that confidence as she gets older! We're so proud of the little lady she's growing into!

To Grandma's House We Go...

We ventured down to Elfrida this weekend to visit Kevin's parents. It had been way too long since our last visit! And the girls had a blast! I was a little wary, seeing as both Payton and Barrett had their flu shots on Friday morning, as well as Barrett's 6 month shots, and you never know how kids are going to react to shots. But they were troopers and handled it like pros! And we all had a great time. We played with the bazillions of grasshoppers in Gramma and Grampa's yard, jumped on the trampoline, rode horses, gathered eggs from the chickens, rode tractors...just to name a few things!! It was a fun-filled, activity-packed 24 hours!

Thanks Gramma & Grampa for a fun weekend!!

..::Barrett: 6 Months::..

HALLELUJAH....Barrett is 6 MONTHS OLD!!!!

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I look forward to this milestone like none other!! Yes, half of my baby's first year is over....but that also means that HALF OF MY BABY'S FIRST YEAR IS ALMOST OVER!!! :-) I do enjoy the tiny-ness and snuggles of a new baby but everything else that goes along with having a newborn in the house...not so much. But now that we've reached 6 months, not only am I feeling more sane and more in control after having a baby...but Barrett is getting to a point where he's just easier. He's always been a good baby...but now, he's started to play with toys more and is interested in things around him and has started to eat baby puffs which helps for times when I'm making dinner and just need a few more minutes before feeding him. It just seems like things get a little bit easier each and every day, starting at 6 months.

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His stats at 6 months:

Weight: 22.5 lbs (98th percentile)

Height: 28" (95th percentile)

Head: 46 cm (98th percentile...yay, he's actually ON the charts now!)

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Milestones this month:

*Rolled over back to front - Sept 22nd

*Starts shaking head side to side - Sept 29th

*Has started eating baby puffs

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Barrett, we love you more than we can possibly imagine. Our family would be lost without your funny little personality, your sweet smiles and snuggles, your adorable laugh, your squishy-ness!!! We just can't get enough of you!

Halloween Cookies

There are some traditions you just have to keep up with...even if it means dealing with a big mess to clean up afterwards. It's worth it. The kids LOVE making Halloween sugar cookies. And who am I kidding...despite the mess, I sure enjoy nibbling on a warm sugar cookie covered with frosting, or two...or three...!! :-) And it's even more fun when you have friends over to share in the fun!

~Pumpkin Patch 2011~

It's tradition every year to head to a pumpkin patch. And this year, one opened up just 20 minutes from us. We had heard a lot of negative things but the close proximity sealed the deal for us and we decided to check it out anyways. And we enjoyed it. Yes, they were charging a lot for the activities going on but there were still plenty of FREE things for the kids to do. And we like free!!! The girls enjoyed picking out their perfect pumpkin and we had fun continuing on with our yearly "Fall" tradition...even though the 100 degree weather didn't really feel very fall-ish at all!

We will definitely be heading back next year!

Thanks Marana Pumpkin Patch for a fun afternoon!!

..::Tasty Toes::..

This funny boy has discovered his toes and boy does he LOVE them!!! He is constantly putting them in his mouth. And I just love that he can actually get them up that far with all his delicious rolls!! Look at that thigh....oh my, he's just so darn squishy and I can't get enough of smooching on this poor boy! One day he'll push me away, but for now, I'm gonna enjoy that he lets me do it!!

{Eating Crow}

It's NO secret...I've never been a big fan of minivans. Never liked them. Never wanted one. Never wanted to own one. It wasn't me. I'm more of a Tahoe kind of girl! Always have been. Always will be. And one day will most definitely own one! Howwwwwwwevvvvvverrrrrrrr.....at this present juncture of our lives, a Tahoe just isn't practical. And since having Barrett and squishing 3 car seats side by side in our Rendezvous, the picture became clearer and clearer that a van would be the most practical approach...for THIS season of our parenting. I stress THIS! As soon as the kiddos are big enough...you can bet we'll be shopping for a Tahoe! :-)

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Anywho, onto the eating crow portion of this post...

MEET LUPE! (loop-ay)

She is the much younger, prettier sister of Kevin's car, Rosa!

And we are oh so happy to welcome her into our family! :-)

There...that's it...We. own. a. minivan. Crow eaten!!!

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Now onto cuter things...I was feelin' a bit festive this morning so I decided to put Barrett in a Halloween shirt. Good thing I was thinkin' ahead when I bought it several months ago and got the 12 month sized shirt otherwise it wouldn't be fittin' our little chunker-munker. Oh goodness...I could just eat him up!

I know I have my hard days....but I have been sooooo blessed! I get to call these three adorable kiddos mine, M-I-N-E, mine!

Happy October!