we "heart" disneyland.

disneyland was as wonderful as ever. we really love disneyland. this time was especially fun because grama linda volunteered to take levi for the long weekend. (and boy did he receive the royal treatment) as much as we missed our "little angel" we loved going on all of the rides together. kate is finally tall enough to go on most of the big rides. she loved raising her hands high and squealing on the roller coasters. (one of the most adorable things in the world to watch). some of our favorite friends went too, which made it perfect. everybody should enjoy a few days at disneyland. it really is the "happiest place on earth."

big boy.

at the rate my little levi is growing up, it will a month before he is 6ft. 5in. 220 pound man.

levi's latest milestones:
-rolling (back to stomach)
-sticking his little but in the air and trying to scoot forward
-releases enough drool daily to fill a sink bath tub
-laughs at diaper changes
-laughs when his clothes get changed
-laughs when he sees anyone
-cry's when they leave
-grabs my hoop earrings out a few hundred times a day (and then eats them)
-pulls taylor's hair (and eats it)
-enjoys eating his fist and sucking his fingers
-enjoys ripping up, crumpling, then eating paper
-loves to "foot clap" an amazing talent
-lost his dark head of hair and now its turning blonde
-carries on full conversations with all of us
- 21 pounds large

We love our little "501"..... (thanks sheri for the nickname:)

thank you 2008.

2008... in a nutshell.

january
made a lot of resolutions
(i think the only one that i succeeded at was the only watching 3 hours of T.V. a week, as for the rest, i failed miserably)
told the world i was having baby #4
surprised Taylor with tickets to the Hannah Montana Concert
gained 5 pounds

february
disneyland vacation
found out we were having a boy
made lots of chocolate
gained 5 more pounds

march
taylor's first dance competition
del mar beach for spring break
disneyland again
easter
our car along with "blanky pink" was stolen
gained 5 more pounds

april
found our car (w/o wheels) and blanky pink was still inside
kate turned 4
princess party
family obsession with American Idol (me with Jason Castro)
jackson's baseball games
gained 10 pounds

may
jackson turned 6
ward talent show... {kate was a super cute maniac}
spring "Girl Next Door Show"
more of Jackson's baseball
singing kids
gained 10 more pounds

june
school got out
swim lessons
waiting and waiting for baby
10th wedding anniversary
chad turned 35
family obsession with "So You Think You Can Dance"
dance recitals
gained 10 more pounds

july
waited and waited and waited for baby boy
American Idol Concert
summer fun
aunt Lisa and boys came to town
gained 5 more pounds (yes, that makes a total of 50 pounds. i owe you one levi.)
Taylor turned 8 years old
LEVI WAS FINALLY BORN

august
smothered levi with love
went to Santa Barbara for a week
went to Del Mar Beach for a week
levi laughed
Taylor was baptized
school started
lost 10 pounds

september
I TURNED 30!@#%&*@$
Levi was blessed
Jackson started soccer
renovation of the new house began
lost 10 pounds

october
continued renovation of house
trip to Kolob
Halloween fun
middle of tennis season (i still have yet to win a game)
photography endeavor
lost 10 pounds

november
moved into new house
continued renovation of house
lots of sewing
"girl next door show"
Thanksgiving
lost 5 pounds

december
it snowed in las vegas!
kids had a snow day
lots of Christmas activities
had a beautiful Christmas
lost 0 pounds

For 2008, my words of the year were "SIMPLE and STILL".

My word of the year for 2009 is "BALANCE."

Here's to a new year....

our christmas story.

have a ...

mamma's boy.

levi really likes everybody... but i am trying to make him love me the most:) thanks aunt krista for the cute onesie that reminds him how much he loves me.

my "sun."

today as i was trying to put levi in a sling (thank you amy) and he was seriously laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes... i looked up and said out loud "thank you for my little sunshine."

drama queen.

mi casa.

hi, my name is levi. welcome to a little place i like to call home. i know you are probably feeling sorry for me right now, but don't. i actually enjoy my cozy little abode. think about it... in these tight quarters i actually get to do quite a lot; i go to dance classes, soccer games, to and from preschool and elementary school. i go to the grocery store, costco, the park, singing lessons, the mall, and target. now how many of you out there can say that you can go to all of these places from the comfort of your home?... that's what i thought. i also can eat and poop all from this same spot. if you ask me, i'm pretty lucky to have such a nice "mobile" home and to get to see the world through the back seat of a tahoe. i bet your jealous now.

roly poly.

i know, i know.... how can this be my 4 week old Levi? he is much to big, and there are way too many rolls for that to be my baby right? This is what happens to a baby when they eat 24-7 and can somehow still be hungry. we have been loving are roly poly little man and all the joy he has brought to our house.

back to school.

I can't believe how fast my babies are growing up. I have a 3rd grader? What?! I was so proud of them as they walked right into their new classrooms in a new school with so much confidence. I know they must have been nervous, but they came through like champs. Levi had a hard realization that he isn't the only child and he may have to cry a bit more than he is used to in order for everyone to get out the door. He also found a new home... the car seat. What a hard knock life for a newborn. Kate and I celebrated the "back to school" day with Krista for lunch, and she enjoyed having me "mostly" to herself again. And so the craziness begins.... tap, ballet, jazz, singing, soccer practices, games, preschool, the car, homework, and the car.... I can't believe that I am actually looking forward to it, but I am.

the good life.

do you ever tell yourself "life is good?" i just love those moments. they don't come all of the time and in between there are the: "can we just get through the day," "can it get any worse," or "can everyone just leave me alone" moments. i'm on vacation with a family of six, (the majority of whom I had a hand in bringing to the earth) and i am feeling extremely grateful and blessed. as i watched taylor, jackson, kate, and chad playing in the waves, and looked at levi sleeping peacefully in the sand, i thought to myself.... "life is good."

special day.

taylor was baptized this past saturday and what a beautiful day it was. she is so mature and was so sure of her decision. it was amazing to see someone so young with so much light and faith. chad and i always told ourselves that we couldn't consider ourselves old until we had a child that was baptized... well, it looks like we are officially old.

first laugh.

“When the first baby laughed for the first time,
The laugh broke into a thousand pieces
And they all want skipping about,
And that was the beginning of fairies."
J.M. Barrie (from Peter Pan)

cuteness.

kates album.

Kate's First Year Album is complete! I sent all of the digital pages to shutterfly and had it made into an 8 x 8 book. I got it in the mail yesterday and it was so exciting to see it all finished. Her album is WAY more complete than the other kids, but more compact (It's 64 pages and has everything from her first year). I even scanned in little cards, certificates, ultrasound pictures and notes so that her album wasn't missing anything. Ahh... it does feel nice to start something and finish it....

american idol.

maybe a concert with loud music, screaming fans, and cute jason castro will make the baby want to come.... nope.

We did have an awesome time at the American Idol concert. My favorite, Jason, sang "Over the Rainbow," and i loved every second, and I thought Michael Johns and David Archuletta did great also. For all those people who think American Idol is too "trendy" or "not cool enough," you are missing out. My family and I had a great time enjoying music together and cheering our favorite singers on. Kate loved seeing Brooke White on her piano and was adorable as she clapped along to the music. .... We are all excited for the next season to begin, but for now "So You Think You Can Dance," keeps us all excited for Wednesday nights.

happy 4th.

maybe swimming, a BBQ and loud fireworks, will make the baby come.... nope.

the city.

aunt lisa's in town with noah and e.j. and we have been having a marvelous time. i usually take a trip up to utah with the kids to visit them, but considering i am 9 months pregnant, i figured it wasn't the best idea. yesterday we headed to the mirage to see the dolphins and wild animals. we all thought that walking around in 112 degree weather for 2 hours with 6 kiddos would maybe make this baby want to come out.... nope. despite the heat, the animals were beautiful, kate freaked out about the dolphins (she LOVES them), and i got to mess around with my new camera lens. (the animal pictures were taken through a fence!) fun times in the city.... (that's what my kids call the strip)

kate's album.

one of my goals before the baby is born was to finish Kate's first year album. considering i just started a couple weeks ago, this has been quite the task! I have 30 pages (digital) and I am only up to month 4.... quite a ways to go. here is one of the layouts, we'll see how much more I can crank out!