Teeka's First Christmas 2008

Teeka loved her first Christmas....Didn't have a clue what was going on. Just sat there and watched her brothers open her presents...It was fun! I love the Christmas outfits Edie sent her from Cienna. She looked so cute with her Mrs. Claus, first Christmas doll! Thanks Edie & Luke! Teeka, partying down on Christmas Eve!
We took the kids on a Kubota ride in the snow after Christmas. Teeka didn't know what to think about her over sized snow suit. We about lost her in it:) She loved the ride!

Just threw this crazy picture of Chase and Sawyer in for the fun of it. They have been "gooby goobs and tigger" for a few days now!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the "Geo Trax Team"

LOVES & KISSES!

I just happened to catch this picture of Sawyer trying to comfort Teeka with a kiss. How cute is that?

GRANDMA LOVIN' ON HER BABIES!


Marcus Teeka & Chase

COUSINS COUSINS COUSINS.......

All of my siblings except for Luke and his family and my baby brother Tate were able to get together for an early Christmas celebration this year. We had a really good time and we hated for it to end. here are some pics of 9 of my parents 12 grandchildren! We missed you Carter Caden & Baby Cienna! You too Luke, Edie, Mitch, & Tate!

Parker, Kaeson, Avery, Marcus, Chase, Teeka, Sawyer, Garrett, Compton

Kaeson & Teeka Tangled in her dress!

4 of the 6 new grandkids born this year! Marcus, Teeka, Kaeson, Compton. Missing...Caden & Cienna.

I love this picture! It looks like all the boys are ganging up on Teeka. I'm sure there are many more years of this to come....Where's Cienna when you need her? At least Teeka & Cienna will have their big cousin Avery to protect them from all these boys!

Avery is the oldest cousin and definately the little mommy! She is always holding a baby and is rather good at it too! We love ya Avery!

BIG BROTHER, Garrett!

As I look at all my photos, I am realizing how far behind I have gotten during this wonderful holiday season. We had such a great Christmas, although we did miss having all of our family around. Thankfully, Lance's parents were able to come spend a couple hours with us on Christmas day. The kids really appreciated that!

As I was looking through my pictures, it dawned on me what a great big brother Garrett is and what a huge part he plays in his brothers and sister's lives. He is such a good example to them and is also very much their keeper! This is just a few of the things he does for us. We Love Our Garrett!

One night Lance wasn't home to help me get the kids to bed. After I read them a book, Teeka started crying and really needed me to feed her and put her to bed. I usually rock the twins for a minute before I put them down, but this night I wasn't going to be able to and still stay sane. Garrett stepped up to the plate and said, "mom, I'll rock the boys for awhile for you". It was so sweet that I had to get a picture of it. He rocked them then put them to bed for me. Then came in to ask me if there was anything else he could do to help me. And he is only 5!

We were getting ready to go look at Christmas lights around town and Lance and I were running around trying to get things ready to head out the door. I'm sure those of you with multiple kids can relate to the chaos of getting out the door. When it was time to finally get the kids out the door, we went into the living room to see all four kids lying there waving their arms around and Garrett talking about the moon, the stars, the dirt the earth and anything else that came to his simple little mind....And then he said, "So there Teeka, that's all you need to know about life!" So there you have it. From the mind of a 5 year old!

Every Christmas Eve we make Santa cookies and leave them with milk and carrots for the reindeer. This year we also left reindeer food in the front yard (grain) and the reindeer really came and ate it! The boys were so impressed about that and it made it even better that they left true sign of their presents....REINDEER POOP! How exciting! Garrett was so proud to show and tell the boys all about Santa!

Aunt Nett got the boys PJ's for Christmas and they loved them. They were so cute running around in them for 3 days straight....they wouldn't take them off. I love that Garrett's says, "I do my own stunts!" How true is that?

Jill got the boys these cool forms to make snow castles with. The boys were so excited when it was finally warm enough to go out and play. This is the start of their first snow castle. I would highly recommend these forms to everybody with kids. They are so much fun.

Just the other night Chase decided there were MONSTERS in his room and he was so scared. I just couldn't bring myself to make him stay in there when he was so terrified. So I made them all a bed at the foot of ours in our room. Garrett decided he would be in the middle so he could protect his brothers. I told them they needed to go right to sleep or they would all have to go to their own rooms. A few minutes later this is what I found. All cuddled up together with Garrett taking good care of them!

I couldn't have hand picked a better biggest brother!

UNCLE LOREN CONVERTED!

Uncle Loren & Aunt Kaycee came over the other night to visit. We always have so much fun when they come. Loren is always so much fun and there is never a dull moment! We were hearing a lot of commotion coming from our bedroom, so Kaycee went to investigate. She found that Uncle Loren had CONVERTED over to "nakie boyism". The boys tried to convince him to take off his sweats, but they compromised by letting him pull them up to mid thigh! They initiated him by making him throw them in the air for what seemed like hours!

CHECK THIS OUT!

IT'S A BIRD..... (CHASE)

IT'S A PLANE.... (SAWYER)

NO, IT'S THE "NAKIE BOYS"! (GARRETT)

You just can't take a picture like this and make it serious!

WE LOVE YOU UNCLE LOREN & AUNT KAYCEE!

P.S. Thanks Loren...Lance spent the entire following evening doing the same thing. What a workout!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.....

Last Thursday on our way to work Garrett called Lance and asked him if he could bring us home a "really beautiful Christmas tree". The conversation was so cute that Lance couldn't resist. When we got home, of course, there was a Christmas tree standing and ready to decorate. The boys could hardly wait, so out came the decorations. We had so much fun with the boys. This is how it went... Garrett is getting really good at taking our families self portraits!

But when I take a picture....Look what happens! ONE Time......

TWO Times.....

Third Times A Charm!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

MAY YOUR CHRISTMAS BE AS EVENTFUL AS OURS!

Snowball Fight!

It was such a beautiful day here in Sheridan. It snowed a couple inches last night and the boys were so excited when they woke up this morning. They could hardly wait to get out and play, so it being 50 degrees outside, we decided it was the perfect day. I dug out an early Christmas present...each a pair of snow pants....and off they went! I make it sound easy, but really it took us a good half an hour just to get all decked out! Teeka was so patient! In the midst of trying to capture their fun on film...I was attacked by the little monsters! Here they are....

The boys high-tailing it after me...Garrett tripped up the stairs and I caught it on film just before I got slammed with a snowball!

Sawyer in hog heaven!

Garrett making snow angels!

Chase, just about ready to nail me with this snowball! NICE SHOT!

My Three Snow Angels

I just had to share this story about Chase. A couple of days ago he came out with this get-up on and he looked so cute that I took this picture. Little did we know what was going on in that little brain of his. Right after this picture was taken Lance and I heard a loud crash coming from the kitchen. Lance ran to find Chase flat on the floor, face down with a bloody nose. Apparently, Chase decided he was ready to ride the skateboard standing up. He was obviously feeling rather brave with his helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads on. To bad they didn't help...he now has a big old bruise and goose egg on his head. Lessons learned the hard way, right!!! LOL!!

As always, Miss Teeka is so patient with the circus that goes on in this house. She just sits there and smiles, so naturally I have to share a picture of her too. She is now starting to try to grab objects. Funny how it takes so much brain power!

The Cutest Picture!

I forgot to add the cutest picture of our Thanksgiving celebration. Jill helped the boys make these turkey puppets and they were a hit! And ooh so cute. Chase's puppet was pretty much done the first night! Thanks Jill!

Teeka's enjoying the show!

Thanksgiving 2008

As we are recovering from our Thanksgiving feast, I was just reflecting on Tiffany's question of "What Are You Thankful For?". And we have so much to be thankful for. First I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to share Thanksgiving with not only some of my own family, but also Kaycee's family who were in Sheridan to celebrate Compton's arrival. We had a great day of great food, long walks through the golf coarse, movies and great company. The boys had a blast playing with Kaycee's little sister Carly (not sure of the spelling). We were all completely exhausted by the time we got home and had a great night sleep.

Next, I am so thankful for a close loving family, extended family and all my in-laws. I have been so blessed by close relationships with each of my family members and I am so thankful for that. I am thankful for my husband and my four healthy children. I am thankful for the good health that we all share and the opportunity to be a live in these days. Although, it does sometimes seem a little scary.

I am so thankful for Lances job and my own job in these challenging times and I am especially thankful for my daycare provided (although she is much more than just that), Jill and her husband Jake and their sweet baby, Grace! They have been a huge blessing in our lives and are actually becoming more like family than anything else. The boys have so much fun with them and they love them so much! What a huge weight off our shoulders as parents!

There are so many other things I am thankful for, but the list could go on forever, so instead I want to share what the boys are thankful for. At daycare on Tuesday Jill asked the boys to list a few things they are thankful for and it is so cute what they came up with:

What I Am Thankful For:

Garrett - I'm thankful for my Mom and Dad, Brothers and Sister, Heavenly Father and Jesus, helping hands, and being able to help people.

Sawyer - I'm thankful for a Mommy and Daddy, Uncle Loren, Kaycee, Grandpa, Grandma, Baby Boy AKA-Compton, Garrett, Chase, Teeka, and Baby Grace.

Chase - I'm thankful for Mommy and Daddy, Brothers, Baby Teeka-bear, Grandpa and Grandma, and rainbows.

Teeka - She can't talk, but I think she is thankful for Mama's milk and sleep!

Here are a few pictures of the Fam!

Teeka and Compton Sharing Their First Thanksgiving Together. Hand in hand!

Grandpa & Teeka Hangin' Out.

Thumbs Up Boys!

Teeka Is Almost As Big as Chase, But He Still Loves To Hold Her!

Teeka, Pretty In Pink

Kaycee let me borrow her bumbo seat. We love it! Teeka can sit up and hang out with the naked boys so well in it! Sorry they are always in their "big boys"....they strip down the second they walk in the house.

Teeka watching me cook Thanksgiving salads. She's getting a little tired!

Garrett turned the boys into "Pop Stars"

I got a front row seat at the concert!

SK8-ers OR POSERS?

Garrett became interested in skateboarding this past summer. I'm not sure how? But Uncle Loren was sure proud of that, so he gave Garrett his precious skateboard that he has had forever. At first it was a nonstop activity because Loren had told him that when he quit playing with it to give it back, so Garrett thought he could never put it down. Soon Garrett figured out what he really meant, so every now and again the boys pull it out and try to break their necks! I have restricted them to sitting or lying down on it and this is what they have come up with. I thought it was pretty clever! Teeka just watches in amazement and sometimes thinks they are pretty funny! So....SK8-ers Or Posers? You decide.

Chase Likes To Ride!

Sawyer Likes To Do It Himself!

Teeka's Wondering What The Heck Is Going On!

Teeka's First Bath With The Boys!

I decided to try bathing Teeka with the boys to save a little time the other night. It was a hit! The boys thought having her in with them was so much fun. Garrett is such a great big brother. He held her the whole time and he loved it when she would suck on his finger. He thought that was so funny that he couldn't stop laughing. Teeka once again was their little princess!

As You Can Tell...Never A Dull Moment At Our House!

Garrett's The Best Big Big Brother Ever!