Pretty Girl!

Teeka is our pretty girl and she is growing so fast. She is almost 8 months old and that really blows my mind. She has been so much fun. She has recently added a third tooth and is working on her fourth. I would say that she is ready for steak and potatoes, but the girl is picky to say the least. She is totally resisting solid foods and I have resorted to feeding her solids through a syringe. She hates it, but she is definitely in need of more calories, so we will do this until she decides that mom really is the boss and gives in. Girls really are bossy, huh? I love it!

Teeka is defying all milestones and doing things at her own passe and exactly when she wants to and in no particular order. It cracks me up. I think that is that sassy little attitude again. If the book says do this now....she does it later! She is getting up on all fours and rocking and she army crawls and rolls all over the living room. She is getting into her bothers toys now and they are so patient with her. Things that they would get mad at each other for, they give Teeka kisses for. They are so good to her!

Teeka destroying the track the boys made...She received a kiss for it!

Teeka in the swimming suit the boys picked out for her.

Teeka grinding her teeth. She does this a lot. I think they are really hurting her.

Mom and Teeka enjoying good weather and going for a hike with the boys, Kaycee, Loren, Compton and Grandpa! She loved it!

Daddy and Mommy According to Garrett

This is Kaycee and Tiffany, Texie's sister-in-laws. We saw this on a blog and we thought it was a cute idea. So we decided to ask Garrett these questions and secretly post it on Texie's blog......And she thought she could trust us with her password! LOL! We love you!

Kayc and Tiff

DADDY according to Garrett.

1. What is something dad always says to you? He won't let us have toys ever....when we want a new toy, he says no.

2. What makes dad happy? When we wrestle.

3. What makes dad sad? When we don't give him 'huggins.'

4. How does your dad make you laugh? When we're on the computer and I go eeeee really loud.

5. What was your dad like as a child? Teeka.

6. How old is your dad? 8.

7. How tall is your dad? BIG.

8. What is his favorite thing to do? Give us piggy-back rides.

9. What does your dad do when you're not around? Just hangs out with mom.

10. if your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? Thats a really hard question.

11. What is your dad really good at? Volleyball.

12. What is your dad not very good at? Playing basketball.....he's not as good as me.

13. What does your dad do for a job? Work.

14. What is your dadd's favorite food? Salad.

15. What makes you proud of your dad? When I make scores on the computer.

16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be? Rhino!

17. What do you and your dad do together? Mess on the computer.

18. How are you and your dad the same? When we play in the sun, we both get brownish.

19. How are you and your dad different? Don't have the same hair....his is black.

20. How do you know your dad loves you? Because he wrestles me.

21. Where is your dad's favorite place to go? Burger King

MOMMY according to Garrett.

1. What is something mom always says to you? Oh kids, pick up the toy room.

2. What makes mom happy? When I say, "You're the best mom ever!"

3. What makes mom sad? When we don't give her kisses.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? Tickling me.

5. What was your mom like as a child? Teeka too.

6. How old is your mom? 200.

7. How tall is your mom? Big like daddy.

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Take us to fun places.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Hangs out with daddy.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Good at games.

11. What is your mom really good at? Playing games.

12. What is your mom not very good at? Playing the question game.

13. What does your mom do for a job? Clean buddies teeth.

14. What is your mom's favorite food? Pizza.

15. What makes you proud of your mom? When she kinda gets happy, when I kinda clean up my room.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Rhino.

17. What do you and your mom do the same? Go to Chuck E Cheese.

18. How are you and your mom the same? We don't do anything the same.

19. How are you and mom different? About our hair.

20. How do you know that your mom loves you? Because she gives us hugs and kisses.

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? To Chuck E. Cheese.

ONLY IN WYOMING!

I saw this on a friends blog and it made me think of my sister-in-law, Edie. Her and my brother Luke and their family live in California and will soon be moving to Wyoming. We are so excited about that, but of coarse Edie has a few concerns, one of which is the weather and specifically the COLD weather. She has this saying that totally cracks me up but it is soooooo true....."ONLY IN WYOMING"! We can't wait for you to get here, so here's to you Edie and "Only In Wyoming".

COLD IS A RELATIVE THING. . . . . . .65 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat. People in Wyoming plant gardens.60 above zero: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Wyoming sunbathe.50 above zero: Italian & English cars won't start. People in Wyoming drive with the windows down.40 above zero: Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats. People in Wyoming throw on a flannel shirt.35 above zero: New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Wyoming have the last cookout before it gets cold.20 above Zero People in Miami all die. Folks in Wyoming close the windows. .Zero: Californians fly away to Mexico. People in Wyoming get out their winter coats.10 below zero: Hollywood disintegrates. The Girl Scouts in Wyoming are selling cookies door to door.20 below zero:Washington DC runs out of hot air. People in Wyoming let the dogs sleep indoors.30 below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Wyomingites get upset because they can't start the Snowmobile.40 below zero: ALL atomic motion stops. People in Wyoming start saying...'Cold enough for ya?'50 below zero: Hell freezes over. Wyoming public schools will open 2 hours late

Don't Blink...

...I really do believe 100 years goes faster than you think! Lance and I celebrated our 33rd birthdays this week! I realize that it's not quite 100 years, but I can see how time really does go faster than we think. I don't really know what it is, but 33 was a little hard for me this year. Although, I am still greatful that I'm not 20 again...I kind of like who I've become (although I wouldn't mind that body back again).:)

I think that it is just that so many important things have happened in our lives in the past 10 years. It seems that you spend the first 20 years of life learning from your parents, being shaped into the person you hope to someday become, imagining what your future holds and setting and achieving goals in hopes to become and have all that you have dreamed of .

In the past 10 years I have chosen a carrier path, met Lance, graduated from college, found a great job, got engaged, shared the gospel and saw the man I love be baptized, got married, got sealed in the temple, shared 3 amazing years with my husband doing EVERYTHING together, established a home and foundation to start a family, had 4 beautiful children, experience the most stressful times in my life with 3 of them....and turned 33!

There are many more things that have happened in between all of that, all of which are incredibly important as well, but those are the highlights that come to mind. And in the next 10 years I will spend my time (as my parents did)....teaching my children, shaping them into the people I hope they will someday become, imagining what their future holds and helping them set and achieve goals in hopes to become and have all that they dream of......And continuing to love my husband and build on the relationship that got this whole thing started.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANCE...THANKS FOR HELPING ME MAKE ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE! I LOVE YOU!The boys were so excited to make their Dad a birthday cake, sing to him and most of all help him blow his candles out.

These are the flowers Lance bought me for my birthday. He is always so thoughtful that way and he has always been a "flower guy".

Also for my birthday, Loren and Kaycee were over because Lance was working on their apartment. So, Kaycee made us a spagetti dinner and the most amazing chocolate cake ever. She cleaned my kitchen and helped Garrett decorated his sugar cookies for school. Thanks so much Kaycee I really appreciated that and it made for a great birthday!

Before I Was A Mom....

Before I was a Mom ... I slept in as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got to bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday. Before I was a Mom ... I cleaned my house each day, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry about whether or not my plants were poisonous. Before I was a Mom ... I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, chewed on, or peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night. Before I was a Mom ... I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests, or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep. Before I was a Mom ... I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never new something so small could affect my life so much. I never new I could love someone so much. I never new I could love being a mom. Before I was a Mom ... I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know the bond between a mother and her child. Before I was a Mom ... I didn't know something so small could make me feel so important and happy. Before I was Mom ... I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every hour to make sure all was well. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much Before I Was A Mom.

For My Four Sweet Babies; Garrett, Sawyer, Chase & Teeka! I lOVE YOU! Thanks for making me who I am today.

Home Sick!

We have been home sick for a few days now. I am so hoping that this is going to end sometime soon. Lance and I wanted to go out tonight for his birthday, but I don't think it is going to happen. Oh well, hopefully another night.

This is what we have looked like this week. None, and I mean None of us have left our PJ's. The kids still look cute running around in their PJ's day in and day out, but I can't say much for myself. That's why I'm not pictured!

I just had to throw this picture of Teeka in. I thought that both of her Grandpa's (George & Marlin) would be pretty impressed with the way she is already handling a gun. Okay, so maybe we need to send her to hunter's safety class a bit earlier than normal. Grandpa's, are you proud!

Just When You Think They Never Will....They do!

We experienced a lot of "firsts" with our sweet Teeka-Bear this week. She has been such a joy for the boys to have around and it is so fun to watch their relationship with her grow. They are definitely going to be the "BIG BROTHERS" with all that that entails....Good and Bad!

Teeka had her first helping of rice cereal...Do you think she liked it? Okay, not really, but she was a trooper and just kept going.

Teeka is sitting all by herself for long periods of time. Just like the little champion that she is. It is so fun because she can sit with us while we play games etc. and she loves it!

Teeka rolled over for the first time on Feb. 1st and hasn't stopped since. Front to back, back to front...she's like the energizer bunny....she just keeps going and going.......she thinks she's pretty hot stuff now.
Teeka also experienced her first cold this week. Coughing, stuffy-runny nose, achy body, the whole works, but she is holding out like a trooper. She is waking up once or twice in the night with this cold and that is a bad night for her. I feel bad even complaining about that....she is such a good baby!