The Boulter Bunch

2011 Winter so far...

2011-03-06T22:47:00.003-07:00

Oh........so many fun things to report.

I don't want to get too wordy so I'll just post pics and explain.

Yesterday was MONUMENTAL for two reasons. First, Halle's now roll'n on 2 WHEELS! We were completely shocked it only took 20 minutes of instruction and she was done. Yay, now I have a mini-me biking buddy.

Definitely time to upgrade the bike...

Second, Taya attended her first Princess Birthday Party. Her best friend turned 3 and invited her to her royal event. Honestly the cutest little party I've seen. She even walked away with a hand made princess pillow and crown. Rakel - fantastic job! We had to teach Taya how to pick up her dress as she walked due to her short stature. She doesn't quite fit into the dress-ups...poor thing.

Also, these two had a Daddy/Daughter date yesterday morning at the Home Depot Kids Workshop. Halle made a Nascar racer and raced it on a pinewood derby track. We've decided she and Taya will be attending these workshops monthly. TOO COOL!

February pics (because I was lazy on the blogging)

The worst goose egg we've seen on our little clumsy girl. She fell from the kitchen stool onto the tile floor. She is getting better at reminding us not to let her stand on the stools because she'll "fall and hit her heady again".

One Saturday in February was a scorcher (by scorcher I mean, near 70!) We HAD to get out the suits and towels. The girls begged for the hose to be on, but it had to stop somewhere. We layed, played, and weeded in the sun for a couple hours. It was lovely...

After playing in the sun, we left home and walked around the Demonstration Garden. Lucky I had a little point and shoot camera in the car.

There is some serious love between these two when they're not fighting and screaming at the top of their lungs.

Oh, and I have to admit one thing......I finally learned the art of french braiding. Yes, I'm finally catching up with everyone else.

5 years old!

2011-02-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was 4 days of partying! Thursday was Halle's actual birthday so we threw a little family get-together that night with Grandpa, Peggy, Cassi, and Sarah. Grandpa gave Halle "Just Dance for Kids" for the Wii. We danced most of the night away until Sarah popped her knee out of place and had to be sent to the hospital. We later found out that she had chipped her bone and will need surgery to have the fragment removed. She blames Justin Beiber because it was one of his songs she was dancing to. Total bummer...
Mom and Dad gave Halle a new tennis racket and balls which she is very eager to use. Mom is eager too!!

Friday night was our babysitting co-op night at our place. The kids danced for a full hour and wanted to stay even when their parents came to get them. It was some true entertainment for Brandon and I.

Saturday was Halle's Hula Hawaiian Birthday Party with her friends. 12 of her friends came and celebrated with us. Halle's cake was an island cake that Mom designed. One thing I learned from this party is not to shout general questions out...like who wants ice cream with their cake. It was GREAT!

After the party we neglected the mess and drove to Vegas for a little down time, shopping and a pirate show. It was great and the girls LOVED the show. Sunday was Hayden's party at the other Boulter's house. So, all in all, a great weekend!

*note* the mirror in the back ground behind our dinning table was a Christmas present from Kimmie. It was my grandparent's and had moved from their house, to my house growing up, to Kimmie's house, back to my own house. It took an army to get it here due to it's size and weight. Very exciting for me to have this family heirloom, even though I once thought it was hideous. When it arrived, I sanded and painted the frame to match my place a little better.

Getaway

2011-01-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

So we took a weekend away from the kids...so hard...but so wonderful. San Francisco was our destination and we enjoyed every minute of it. Of course there was that moment when the GPS was taking us in circles...dang downtown area! The weather was beautiful and a tad bit warmer than our St. George weather in the winter. Any way, we took some beautiful drives, took in that fresh ocean breeze, got in some decent shopping, bought THE best sourdough bread ever, all in all...did what we wanted when we wanted.

LOVELY!

Christmas

2011-01-11T11:52:00.003-07:00

Lucky for us and for the second year in a row, Kimmie and Luki came to visit for Christmas. We had a lot planned and little time to do it in. Christmas Eve was spent making tamales for dinner. We began the night before and continued with only a shower break until dinner time. It was worth the effort and there was a lot of laughing being in the kitchen with Kimmie. After dinner we went to visit Mr. B in the rehab facility. In the morning Mr. B and Helen joined us in opening gifts. Thankfully, the facility allowed us to steal him for a couple hours. It was also fun to have Brittany and her friend Taylor over for a visit. We enjoyed lunch together...left over tamales, spanish rice & beans, etc.. and zebra leg for dessert. Then for dinner had our same Christmas Eve dinner guests once again. No, no tamales...roasted turkey, zucchini casserole, rolls, etc. It was a baking Christmas!

Our wild little bugs in front of the Christmas trees.

Kimmie crushing the peppermint for the Zebra Leg dessert.

Our Christmas Eve dinner party guests.

Sometimes the only way to get a cute doggy on your lap is to sit in its bed.

An after bath snuggle...

Brandon on his Inversion Table...think he likes it?

Halle and tired mama

What? No November post?

2010-12-03T11:48:00.001-07:00

Well, November went by in a FLASH!
Here's whats been going on here the last few weeks:

First and foremost....NO MORE DIAPERS!!! What a wonderful thing.

Second, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving trip in Salt Lake. Karen and Jeff invited us to their Thanksgiving feast where we had great food amongst friends & family. We also had a feast with my Mom, Mac, GG, Kimmie, and Chad & Karen's family. And yet ANOTHER feast with my Dad and crew, thanks to Kimmie and her delicious fajitas. Halle's excitement was the snow and trudging through it with her Hello Kitty boots. Taya wanted to enjoy the snow just as much as Halle but didn't like how cold it was. She preferred snuggling with someone instead (as usual).

Halloween Part II

2010-10-31T22:33:00.001-06:00

Brandon's evil pumpkin lit up our front yard Saturday night. Of course lit to Brandon means.....ON FIRE!

Our little Princess and Woodland Fairy ready to hit the streets together. Some of our neighbors really get into the Halloween spirit. This year they served scones, hot dogs, cotton candy, & root beer floats and had a tractor ride, bounce house, games and a movie. The girls had a blast yet again.......and so did we!

Our welcoming committee

We had over 200 trick-or-treaters......it was a wild neighborhood...but fun!

Halloween Part I

2010-10-29T22:14:00.001-06:00

This door decoration was an idea I saw in Parent's magazine last October and saved to make this October. It's the one and only NEW Halloween decoration this year! (Ok, ok, there was one other but it doesn't count because I bought it in August.) Hey, that's really good for me!

Can you find Halle? We already had the costume, so it took some convincing that Snow White really is the prettiest princess ever!

Halle's preschool had a Halloween parade and cute singing program on Wednesday. Halle LOVES school and being where her friends are. She's ready to hit the hard stuff next year, that's right - Kindergarten!

Ahhhh, he was the only one to come dressed up to work.....

~~~ More to come...stay tuned...

New Ride & New Do

2010-10-22T17:39:00.001-06:00

I'm calling it a mid life (ok, 30's) crisis. You call it what you want.

With Brandon driving almost 100 miles per day, he thought this little Honda Insight would fit just right. Plus, the lime green color made it the right price.

To us it looks like a toad, but you can't go wrong with a Hybrid and having your MPG in the 60's.
YES!

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I decided to go brunette. It's more natural and personally I think it fits me better.
Ta Daaaaa

A few things...

2010-09-22T15:37:00.001-06:00

I've been meaning to attach some pictures of what we've been busy doing lately. Halle started preschool after labor day. Today she was the "Super Kid" which means she got to have Ted E. Bear over for a sleepover, she and I decorated a star with her name on it which will be displayed in class, she said she wore a pretty cape during class, and she brought her favorite treat to share. She attends preschool with friends and goes 3 times a week to prepare her for school next year. Taya and Mommy get some alone time while she's gone which is awesome. Taya has been singing her way into our hearts. She loves to belt it out every where she goes. She talks in full sentences even if it takes her a minute to remember the words. There's nothing more precious to her than her "Icky Baby". She calls it that because we all hate how used it looks. One day that baby will go missing....mark my words.....

When this guy isn't working or on the road, this is what he's doing.

With both of us involved in Scouting, we get to go on some fun excursions. Brandon went on an overnight hike up Red Mountain with his scouts. This is the second annual trip, so this time he knew what his body was in for. I think he's still talking about his jello legs.

Arrow points to our house

I have been peer pressured into making a quiet book. At first, I really didn't want to put forth the effort, but once I saw it I had to have one. I'm trying to work on it a little each day so I at least have it done by Halle's baptism.....he he. Seriously....it's time consuming! It'll be one of the items I grab for if my house starts on fire. I'm using cotton fabrics, muslin, craft fuse, felt (each piece of felt is doubled, with craft fuse in between to give strength, then hand sewn), snaps, velcro, buttons, ribbons, etc. The finished product will have 16 pages with a cover. If you come over and my kids are screaming and my house is a disaster, you can find me at my sewing machine.

Surfer girl

2010-09-08T11:47:00.000-06:00

On Labor Day we went surfing. There's a fun way to surf just off the back of your boat. Some friends of ours invited us to go boating and they've been wake surfing for a couple of years now. Once you get up on the small surf board while holding on to the rope, you can let go of the rope and ride the curl the boat's wake puts out as the boat cruises around the lake. Their boat has a whale tale prop which helps create the curl and there's also some prep, like inflating some large reservoir bags of water to sink one side of the boat which helps create a bigger wake. It took some serious concentration and practice for Brandon and I to get up and stay up but we finally conquered it. Our friends looked like pros and made it look so easy. Wade even took all the kids on a ride. Halle took her turn and smiled the whole time.

When I get a hold of the picture of me surfing I'll attach it.

My duty the past 3 days

2010-09-02T14:46:00.003-06:00

Call me nerdy if you want, but I have always wanted to be called to jury duty. I was officially summoned here in St. George a few weeks ago and served my 3 day term ending late last night. Of course, you have to first be selected which wasn't difficult for me. I did what they asked, and didn't raise my hand and blurt out that I didn't like cops. (Yes, one gentleman got the "boot" as soon as the judge heard that comment.) They must have really thought my life was as basic as you get...boy the things they don't know. Especially because it was a motorcycle/car accident and failed to ask any questions as to whether we'd ever ridden on a bike or even if we'd ever been in a motorcycle accident. (Yes, for me on both of those.) Oh well, I'm sure they had reason to ask the questions they did and as a result ended up choosing a very good jury in my opinion. The whole experience was interesting and educational for me, maybe even more so since I previously worked in a law firm. We were given a civil case where we were responsible to determine negligence on one or both sides. After all the discussion of this case, laws of the road, and preponderance of evidence, I'll be more cautious in making left turns and be sure my loved ones wear helmets when riding bikes. If you're as nerdy as I am and have an hour to kill, ask me about it sometime.

A BIG SUPER HUGE thanks to those great friends of mine who watched my girls over the past 3 days. They keep telling me to go back to "work". Love ya!

Yay for Family Reunions!

2010-08-19T14:36:00.002-06:00

Family reunions have a bad rap....well they do with me. Normally there's a lot of groaning when I think about a cheesy family reunion but ours are never like that....thank goodness. The week was low key, me and my brothers and their families just hanging out. It's been two and a half years since I'd seen Jason and his girls so that alone made the trip for me. Unfortunately, Brandon couldn't make the trip with us which was super sad, but we filled him in via our nightly phone calls. There was a LOT of relaxing, watching the kids play, laughing, a treasure hunt, crafty time, a mountain excursion, an evening hiking experience, a little shopping, and late night talks with snacks. The trip wouldn't have been complete without a famous quote from my niece Morgan. While on our hike she yelled, "Hey, I just saw something,.... it was either a rabbit or a jack ass!" After we laughed our guts out, we figured that she was referring to a "pot gut". She also called them "jack pots". I guess that's where "jack ass" came from. So cute!

Halle, Livia and Annecy. Long lost cousins - found!

Our moment of craftiness...

The much anticipated treasure

Donuts on strings = hour of fun

My Mom surprised the girls with burlesque/slip skirts.

My super cute dad posing

There's a munchkin in the grass

Ahhhh. Let's not wait another 2 1/2 years ok?

Our first baby

2010-08-14T00:04:00.003-06:00

Tiara came into our lives as an awkward and clumsy eight week old puppy. Brandon and I both payed our equal part of $400 each so we could take her home. We weren't married yet but new we couldn't wait any longer once we met our puppy.
Tiara (T-Bone) passed away in Brandon's arms early Wednesday morning from natural causes. She lived to be ten years old, which is super-granny for a Great Dane. T-Bone was the BEST dog!! Those who knew her would say she was sweet, yet protective, energetic when she needed to be, and loungy the rest of the time. She was the most obedient of the Boulter kids. Around kids she was accepting and would allow them to play on her and inspect her body without snarling. She only gave kisses to those she really, truly loved. She would let us dress her up for Halloween (Snoop Dog, Reindeer, Angel). She rafted the Snake River with her doggy cousins. She was a little bit feminist and had a weapon for a tail. She demanded soft bedding and would sneak around to find the perfect spot, even if it was in a forbidden zone. She loved sniffing around at the dog park and running freely in the mountains. Tiara was a joy to have around and loved being surrounded by her family. Her final resting place has a beautiful view of Zions National Park and the Pine Valley mountains.

We'll miss her!

L-A- J-O-L-L-A

2010-07-28T14:42:00.004-06:00

Last week was quite the party with the Pratts in La Jolla, CA!

I'll just say we...

ate some of the best food,

cleared our lungs breathing that wonderful ocean air,

road a fantastic roller coaster,

saw wild dolphins, sting rays, sea lions, and a jelly fish at the beach - who needs Sea World

took a major wrong turn thinking we were above the GPS - wrong,

had some of the happiest children,

saw the most seaweed ever wash up on shore,

relaxed every night in what seemed to be our own personal hot tub (Taya's pronunciation, ha bub),

laughed to tears on more than one occasion - in fact...still laughing,

watched Halle's eye's light up after finding the first sand crab,

road on an eight person bike along the boardwalk with Chad at the wheel (must I say more?),

sat at Powerhouse Park watching the surfers until dusk,

wished for sun all week and got it on the last day.

We all came home with something...

Brandon - a lovely sand burn on his forearm

Nat - a new hat

Halle - a bucket of shells

Taya - a new found love for her cousins

Photo Shoot & Hair Flowers

2010-07-14T17:07:00.000-06:00

Yay!

Steph and kids were in town the last few days and the girls and I were lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with them yesterday. We hit the splash pad for a couple hours which was fun to watch Macky, Morgan, and Halle running and playing together again. After a little rest we had a little photo shoot of the girls wearing Steph's mom's crocheted hair flowers (which are SUPER CUTE - buy some for sure). I just shot a few pics of the operation and some of the timid interaction between Taya and Sophie.

Our 4th

2010-07-07T16:04:00.002-06:00

We had another sweet 4th of July weekend! Brandon and I decided to take the girls (Tiara included) to Pine Valley for a stroll around the lake and a picnic by the river. Halle thought it was super cool because people were catching trout left and right. It was so fun to see Tiara galloping through the grass and wading through the river like she was a little puppy again. Taya was a little freaked out over the abundance of flies but soon learned to swat at them instead of screaming "BEE". When we returned home we took a quick dip in our backyard kiddie pool, then over to Craig and Peggy's for a dinner party. That night we went to the Sunbowl for some good ole live Country Music. I wasn't too thrilled...............but it turned out pretty fun, plus the kids loved dancing to the tunes. The fireworks were the best I've seen in a long time! Taya cried in the beginning but eventually calmed down when she realized they weren't going to stop.

Our weekend continued into Monday where we took the trip of a lifetime, (meaning, we won't be doing that trip again anytime soon.) We, along with Peggy, Mr. B, and Helen decided to take the back road to the Grand Canyon. Our destination (we thought) would only take us a couple hours to get to. Reality?.... The entire round trip took us 8 hours. Plus we had to stop several times, once for lunch, and once because Taya was car sick. Brandon and I love road trips so for us it was adventurous.

3,000 foot drop ~ Dreadfully terrifying!

Historical school house ~ perfect stop for lunch and a swing

The Party

2010-06-28T16:50:00.002-06:00

Unfortunately, Taya had to wait patiently for her party to be held yesterday due to a few sicko's in the house. We had the usual fun crew, Craig & Peg, Sarah, Mr. B, and his new friend Helen. We feasted on your usual party food, pizza, salad, and fruit. Taya was so dang cute when it came time to open gifts. When she opened a gift with clothes, she would hold each of them up to see if they fit, then toss them into her new baby stroller that Grandpa B gave her. The stroller was a hit...maybe too much of one because Halle had to be sent to her room a few times and all we heard the rest of the night was, "I WANT A STROLLER!!" I guess she'll have to put that one on her list.

Another hit was this puppy purse given to Taya by Helen. Inside were some hair accessories and animal crackers.

It took several blows to blow out the two candles.

Can it really be true?

2010-06-23T15:08:00.002-06:00

Taya is 2!

~ Got daddy's curls!
~ Favorite song right now is "Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone". She only sings, "Oh where, oh where" but sings it in her dramatic voice.

~ Counts to 12 - no help.

~ Good eater and couch potato - hopefully she changes her priorities later in life.

~ Hates to be left in nursery at church.

~ Loves dressing up in princess garb and following Halle around like a puppy.

~ Screams when she sees flies.
~ Teases Halle with a smile on her face.

~ Our Super Snuggler, she says "hold-jew" forty-nine times a day.

~ Quite the talker...our favorite word she says is, "EXCITED!!"
~ "My daddy ummmmmm......." and then never finishes the sentence. She wants to tell everyone about him. He must be pretty special to her.

This girl is a super ham and loves her family. We think she couldn't be any more perfect!! Happy Birthday little one!

STUPID Bunk Bed

2010-06-22T17:13:00.001-06:00

Halle fell out somehow, either while asleep or trying to get down, at 2 am this morning. Blood everywhere.....Mom almost passed out.....and Daddy to the rescue! 6 stitches and a swollen chin - poor thing. Good she's a strong little girl because she'll be back to playing hard in no time. A special thanks to good friends and Mr. B who supplied some much needed goodies and activity books for our day inside. We're just looking forward to healthier days ahead!

Change of plans

2010-06-21T09:10:00.001-06:00

With a sick Taya, what do you do?

We originally planned to go to Sand Hollow for a little wave running, but ended up taking a road trip to one of our favorite cool spots, Kolob Reservoir, instead. The drive is spectacular because the road winds in between Kolob and Zions. Halle loved romping through the wilderness in search for caterpillars or any new find. She made us promise to bring her back for some fishing too.

So giddy while on the prowl for crawlers.

When we returned home we celebrated Father's Day ~BBQ style~ with some family and friends.
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A random picture this week was this BEAUTIFUL SIGHT!

Brandon's '71 429 Cobra Jet Mach 1 Mustang. It's been gutted and sitting lifeless (as a storage shelf) for 3 years in our garage. This pic proves a glimmer of hope?

7 kids for the night

2010-06-16T16:35:00.001-06:00

It was our turn Friday night to host the co-op group at our place. Good old fashioned dinner. Chicken nuggets and apples, with a side of edemame.

I hope everyone with kids does this. How great it is to get a night-out TO OURSELVES 3 nights in the month!
Seriously, the very best part is giving that much needed night-out to three other couples!

Oh......there's a weight limit?

Taya is just getting a ~tiny~ taste of what boys are like. She giggled the entire bounce session.

100+

2010-06-08T15:35:00.006-06:00

It's summer....ok not officially....but it sure feels like it around here. We've hit 100 degrees! We went from the 80's to the 100's just about over night. Usually May is full of 90 degree weather, but this year mother nature was kind to us here in St. George.

I just had to snap a shot of this clematis growing in my yard. People ~ these are easy to grow if you have a shady spot, and the rewards are super beautemous. Just give it something to attach to, and in 3 months it will grow from 1 foot to 10 feet tall!

~ Lately ~

Swim suits and popsicles are TAKING OVER

Sleep is RARE

We're jumping non-stop......even in our PJ's

Grandpa B & other stuff

2010-06-03T19:01:00.004-06:00

We had a visitor last week. Grandpa B came to live with us after having surgery. Can you believe he lasted 6 whole days here? It was really a wonderful time to have him in our home. He was up early every morning and loved to watch the girls eat breakfast. He was a gracious guest and didn't ask for much, which made it easy on me. He even napped while Taya napped! Even though he's been gone about a week, the girls still refer to the front bedroom as Grandpa's room. We'll probably leave it the way it is just in case we have any more visitors (hint, hint). Eventually, it will turn into our office. To make room for Grandpa, we set up the bunk bed we brought back from Salt Lake in Halle's room. The girls absolutely LOVE it and Mom loves having them a little more organized, in one room!

We picked up a tramp last weekend--- yes! The boat finally sold which opened up some room in the yard. I would have inserted a clip of the kids doing their awesome tricks blogger is having issues so I'll post it later.

We had an "end of preschool" pool party yesterday at the Hawkins. Halle and I became such great friends with the other kids and mom's in our group. We're so totally going to miss it this summer!!

Here's a funny thing that happened earlier last month that just keeps me giggling. I was using the potty in my bathroom and noticed there wasn't any TP-------perfect. Taya was playing in the next room so I asked her to get me some toilet paper, (just curious what she'd do). A few minutes later she returned with TP, except she didn't tear some off. She'd pulled the toilet paper from the other bathroom all the way to where I was across the house without tearing it. Hilarious!

Fruit of our Harvest

2010-05-13T12:56:00.005-06:00

Lately, we've been raiding our garden of these tasty treats. Our snap peas and strawberries are keeping our tummy's full. This years crop of strawberries is larger, with much larger fruit. Even though they are smaller than the ones you buy in the store, their flavor is so much sweeter...super delicious! Soooo, glad I chose to plant snap peas because the girls gobble them up like candy. Every day I find the girls hanging over the garden with strawberry stained mouths and pea shells scattered around their feet

How sweet it is!!

Other tasty treats we're looking forward to:

Peaches, Pomegranates, Zuchini, Yellow Onions, Tomatoes, possibly a Watermelon, and PUMPKINS!

Two weekends

2010-05-03T18:47:00.001-06:00

Who knew we'd be having Kimmie as a guest two weekends ago. It was such a wonderful surprise! The weather was cold and rainy but we made it fun anyway. We drove through snow canyon and looked for turtles and watched some free climbers. Taya called out to entice the turtles saying "Hey turtle turtle turtle...". Since it wasn't warm enough to eat our picnic lunch outside, we threw down a blanket on our bedroom floor and ate it there. The following day was spent at home with a sick Halle. We didn't mind much because at least we had Kimmie to make us laugh and feel like we were on vacation.

This last Saturday was the Ford Ironman here in St. George. Oh, what an event! I spent 6 hours volunteering at a running aid station at mile 1.2. Our table was in charge of handing out Coke. I couldn't imagine runners wanting Coke, but we ended up being one of the busiest stations. Coke helps settle tummy's and gives a little extra boost. We were set up in the middle of diagonal street with the bike lane behind us and two lanes of runners in front of us. I met some great people and enjoyed every minute of it. The athletes came from all over the world to compete in the most difficult course (St. George), next to Kona, Hawaii's.

The "Coke Girls"

Campout

2010-04-19T15:00:00.002-06:00

Our first annual Boulter Backyard Campout was held over the weekend. Halle has been asking to sleep in our tent for weeks and she finally got her chance. The girls played house inside the tent while we prepared the fire for roasting marshmallows. Every year we save our live christmas tree so we can torch it when we start using our fire pit in the spring. The dried tree is perfect fire starter!

We were worried the girls wouldn't last the night in the tent... but we were pleasantly surprised. It was their parents that didn't last. Brandon and I had to come in and get warmer pj's on around 3 am. Now we did this as a trial run, but had fun doing it and will probably make it a new tradition.

Golf & Trail

2010-04-12T22:00:00.002-06:00

Our family had a wonderful weekend. The weather was divine so we opted for some outdoor fun. Brandon took Friday off, so that became our resting day (so says Brandon). Saturday morning Sarah watched the girls while Craig, Mr. B, Brenda, Scott, Brandon and I went golfing at Sand Hollow. Now, I am NO golfer, but I don't mind a little golf when there's no pressure. Brenda and I really enjoyed ourselves because we let the boys lead and play their own game. We followed behind laughing at ourselves the whole way. Amazingly, Brenda and I would hit our balls the same distance until we hit the green. Some skills for me to work on... stay away from the sand traps and focus on that ball!

Sunday's are hard to keep the girls busy, so we took them on the Temple Quarry Trail. Tiara also came for some outdoor trotting and sniffing. The hike is 3.3 miles round trip and we finished in about 2 hours. The early Latter Day Saint colonizers used the trail to haul mined stones to the temple site and used them in building the foundation. You can still see remains of blasting powder and chisel marks. Halle loves airplanes so she enjoyed watching the planes come in while hiking. Taya loved throwing rocks over the cliff and laughing at her silly daddy.

~It was a beautiful evening~

Easter

2010-04-06T16:32:00.001-06:00

Just a bundle of flowers given to me by my man today. He knows when I need a little boost! BEST HUBBY EVER!

Easter for us this year was a little lonely. Usually we have a household of Talbots to enjoy it with. Since they spent their holiday up north we kept the event real casual. Casual enough that all day was spent in our pj's. Grandpa B came to visit us in the morning. The girls eye's were huge while hunting for eggs and after gathering their loot, we enjoyed a nice german pancake served with strawberries. The two sessions of conference that day were very enjoyable and magically the girls kept busy coloring and listening here and there. That evening we had dinner guests, Craig, Peggy, Sarah, and Grandpa B. What an enjoyable Easter Feast: steak, green salad, baked new potatoes, and for dessert Strawberry Cream Trifle.... ooh delish!

M - E - X - I - C - O

2010-04-01T22:54:00.005-06:00

We just returned from our week long Mexican Riviera cruise. It was a perfect trip because everything we experienced was new, the weather was awesome, plus we had a great couple to enjoy the vacation with. Jamie and Jon invited us to join them over a year ago, so the anticipation has been great. We left our kids in good hands with Craig and Peggy over the weekends, and with our friends the Ramirez' during the week. It was a little tough for us because we didn't get a chance to talk with them until our sixth day! Luckily all was well.
The first two days were spent on the ship at sea, we were in serious relaxation mode, although we did play a mean game of beanbags and ping pong. We also hit the water slide and watched dolphins as we lounged on deck. From our stateroom we saw whales and even more dolphins as we passed by Cabo.

Our first port was Puerto Vallarta where we rented a jeep and drove ourselves along the coast and into the jungle where we zip-lined over huge ravines, rivers, and lush vegetation. Natalie and Jamie even went upside down on a couple of the lines, which was exhilerating.
Next, we gave ourselves our own tour with Brandon and the wheel and Jon navigating. People say you can die on Mexican roads and we can attest to that. It's really just one big free-for-all and anything goes. Brandon became our designated driver because he became accustomed quickly to the non-rules. Our jeep also didn't provide much safety. We could view the road through the floor, the check engine light was covered with tape, and our seat belts unlatched while driving...yay. The funny thing was once we stopped, Jamie and I couldn't release our seat belts without the help of the boys.

Our boat didn't depart until ten pm that night so we spent our last hours walking the boardwalk viewing sand sculptures, and walking along the beach.

That night we sailed to Mazitlan where the next day we took a zippy little open air taxi to the golden zone where we shopped til we dropped on the beach. Unfortunately it was super touristy, and all the vendors were on the beach which made it difficult to relax. Luckily, we attempted some body surfing and swimming in the ocean which allowed us some private time and a break from saying "No thanks" over and over. This beach was perfect for combing for sea shells for the girls.

Our last port was in Cabo San Lucas. After much deliberation over what to do, we finally picked a glass bottom boat tour which included, whale watching and snorkeling at lovers beach. First of all I would have paid forty bucks just for the boat ride on the ocean. It was a wild ride into and out of those big ocean swells. We started out sitting on the bench near the rear, then moved to the front, soon we were standing on the front of the boat holding on to the roof for dear life. Miguel (our driver) was always the first to find the whales. He was only nineteen but had been driving since he was eight years old. He searched for whales by standing on top of the boat and steering with his foot. On our way out, we were super lucky to see a huge sea ray jump and twist out of the water twice. Lover's beach was our snorkeling destination. The water was crystal clear and we were able to view tons of colorful fish. There were sea lions and pelican's everywhere which added to the atmosphere. Too bad we didn't see the line to get back on the ship before we did (yuck) because we could have added another hour or two of fun.

Our last day at sea was cooler because we were cruis'n super fast which made it windy and we were headed back to cooler weather. I think we took three naps and spent the rest of the day eating our lives away. Creme Brule was the dessert of choice, says Jamie and I. Jon was in heaven over the amount of food always available, and Brandon was our only inspiration for doing time in the gym. On shore we did plenty of hiking, swimming, and walking to work off the amount of food we consumed on the ship.........hopefully?

All in all, we missed our girls dearly and enjoyed coming home to hug them over and over again. Back to life as usual............

Volunteer Opportunity

2010-02-24T22:22:00.001-07:00

How cool is this?

I just signed up today to be a volunteer at a running aid station. The race is May 1st!

The fact that anyone can put their body through such torture and live through it is INCREDIBLE!

I can't wait to watch.

Spring yet? Of course, it's St. George!

2010-02-11T22:49:00.002-07:00

Dogwood Tree...Wish these grew here

I love how spring comes early here in Utah's warm little bubble. I actually saw buds on my trees, yep... keeping tabs on buds.

Things on my To Do List:

Finish winter pruning
Spray Volck Oil on my peach tree (No way are those dang, ~always pregnant~ aphids getting us again!)
Preen (weed seed killer) on EVERYTHING
Chop bottom half of Desert Spoon - anyone want to volunteer to prune a cactus?
Prepare veggie garden for planting early spring veggies like onions, cabbage, spinach, and radishes
Get Taya some garden gloves. Kim gave us some gloves for Halle when she was born. She used them last year for the first time. Love gardening with the girls!

A-H-H-H S-P-R-I-N-G

Co-Op / Down to one / "Soup"er Bowl

2010-02-08T21:18:00.003-07:00

Friday was the Boulter's turn to babysit the kids in our Babysitting Co-Op. It was a little different this time around because Brandon happened to be out of town (aah huh...) and all the kids plus two more showed up. Lucky for me I had Sarah, Kaitlyn, and Scarlett to help me out. My thought is, anyone can last 3 hours watching 9 kids. And we didn't only last, we had tons of fun doing it. At the end of the night the 3 teenagers were pooped, I was pooped and my kids were pooped. Sleep came very easy afterward so a thanks goes out to the kids for that!

Well, I DID cry my eyes out. I tried to be strong...but it didn't last. My baby Ellie Bell is gone. She met her new family on Saturday and drove home with them instead of us. The Morgans really fit the mold we invisioned for our little Ell Bell, so we couldn't have asked for more. The Morgans have a 2 1/2 acre lot, another Beagle named Mondo, and three kids in their tweens. When we met them they ran to her with open arms and were so excited to finally meet her. And Bella Boo of course was happy for the new attention.

We spent the rest of the day hang'n with Brenda, Shara, and kids who were down from SLC. It was great to get our minds off the situation and just play. We went to Jumping Jacks and then sat in front of the Wii playing Boom Blox for hours (nasty little game).

Today we received some pictures from the Morgans. She seems pretty spoiled, what do you think?

This year for us, there was no huge hype over the Super Bowl. I think our plans were made definite about an hour before kick off. We met at Mr. B's and had homemade Chicken & Cheese Soup in soup bowls (our traditional Super Bowl meal) and enjoyed the game. It was low key but very enjoyable.

:( - - 4 - - :)

2010-01-26T22:43:00.005-07:00

My first baby girl is 4 tomorrow....and I don't know whether to cry or to shout for joy. It's been so fun seeing her grow up into this lovely little thing but it is happening too fast. One day I'm cradling her chubby baby body in my arms and the next day that body is long and lean and hanging from my neck like a monkey. Lucky for me she still loves to snuggle. There's nothing like her early morning hug.

Last Saturday we held her first friend birthday party. It was a very "bug"y party. The theme of her party was either going to be bugs or princesses. I think every other party she's been to was a princess theme so bugs it was, plus we wanted to invite the boy friends she has. The party was a hit! There were plenty of activities, pin the spider on the web, bug musical chairs, grow a bug, decorating buggy bags for their take home goods, searching the yard for toy bugs (which they had to pick up with sticks), and eat a caterpillar (the cake). It was super fun to plan and see in action.

Numbered Days - 13 to go

2010-01-19T11:32:00.001-07:00

Our little Ellie Bell's "Boulter" days are numbered. I can't believe this is actually happening because we've been discussing it for over a year. Ellie will be adopted by a new family that we've selectively chosen. She has had some anxiety issues that cannot be tolerated any more. We've done all we can to resolve the issue - adding extra love, comfyness around the home, keeping her somewhat restricted, dog park field trips. The last resort is medicating twice a day for the rest of her life. Even though we HATE to see her go and will CRY to the bitter end, we know it will be in her best interest.

Boooo hooooo..waaaahhh!

Our New Year FUN

2010-01-01T23:30:00.007-07:00

Yeah, we're really not too into this holiday so today after waking up around 10 (thanks Brandon) we took down Christmas. It usually makes me a little sad to put my Christmas stuff away and see a naked house, but this year I was happy to see the stuff go. Once we were nearing the end of the pile Brandon says to me in his humdrum voice, "ok...are we going to do anything fun today?" We decided to take the girls sledding on some new sleds we purchased while in SLC. Since we don't have snow here we packed the car and headed north to Cedar. We drove up SR14 and found a little side road that we made our own hill. We saw several busy sledding hills but needed our own little spot since Halle and Taya aren't quite snow accustomed and the dogs need plenty of sniffing room. It turned out to be quite a fun afternoon/evening. Halle was obsessed with riding fast and screamed all the way down. It was hard to pull her away. Maybe this can be our new New Year's tradition?

SOMETHING FUN!

Ahhh Christmas!

2009-12-28T15:15:00.002-07:00

This year we almost skipped out on our Salt Lake Christmas trip due to a nasty fever and croup. Stinky sickness! Luckily my mom took us in. There's nothing like being with your Mom when your kids are sick. Love You Mom! Normally I don't take my kids ANYWHERE if their sick but when family calls---you'd better come! Sooooo glad I did because it beats sitting home alone. Unfortunately we couldn't visit with Chad and Karen's family because we didn't want to get Cooper sick before his tonsilectomy. So instead we planned a conference call with both of my brothers. We also planned a dinner out with my Dad which is always fun. I miss you tons Dad!!! Brandon's family begged us to drop in to our Boulter Christmas party which we did for about an hour...we'd planned on skipping the whole thing so it was a nice surprise and fun to see everyone happy and well.

When we returned home, we invited Mr. B over to help us make carmels for our neighbors. I didn't expect him to get right in there and stir for what seemed like an eternity...but he did. I had to get proof.

Kimmie and Luki came for Christmas! We enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner at Craig and Peggy's, a little drive to see the lights, then home to open one gift under the tree. Christmas day was one big lazy fest. We were even lazy with the gift opening. We probably finished around noon. After Taya's and Kimmie's naps and Brandon's game playing, we made our luminaries for the front stairs and ate our Christmas dinner - Salisbury Steaks with Mashed Potatoes, Zuchini Casserole and Biscuits... holy yumminess!

18 Months!

2009-12-28T14:24:00.002-07:00

Can't believe it! Our Baby Taya is 18 months old!

This little girly is snuggly, spunky, tantrumy, and funny. She loves wrapping her babies in blankies, stealing mom and dad's chapstick, pushing Halle's buttons, saying just about anything we ask her to say, squalking just like her big sister, and sitting in her favorite place....yeah YOU try to remove her!

Taya is a JOY to have in our home!

Christmas Happiness

2009-12-15T14:56:00.001-07:00

Why is it that around Christmas time I feel like I have forty seven billion things to do and then I add a couple more. I'm sure everyone is thinking the same as me. Yes, it is a busy time but I'll completely miss it once it's all over so I'll stop complaining. Here are a few things that I've loved about this Christmas month so far.

I loved helping a friend of mine sew aprons and chef hats for her girls for Christmas. I didn't use a pattern, we just gave it a go. They turned out so cute I'm going to make Halle one. Brandon was kicked out of the bedroom for 5 hours while we completed them over a two night period (one night working until after midnight), so I give my love to him for being an understanding man.

I love that Halle told me this morning that she was going to ask Santa to bring Taya a coloring pad so she doesn't keep coloring on Halle's.

I love that I've turned my bedroom into Santa's Workshop. Yeah, really wishing for that 4th bedroom right about now.

I loved being a part of the committee in charge of our ward Christmas party. It was a lot of work six weeks prior, making decorations and planning for the big day. It was an absolute hectic night!

I love that that Christmas party is over.

I love that Taya points to our Nativity and says "Thesus" (Jesus)

I love that Chad's family and Kimmie are coming to our house for Christmas. How lucky are we?

And the last thing I'll mention that I love is....No More Homework For Brandon!! He completed his Master's program yesterday! This guy worked so hard to reach his goal. I am in awe at how he has been able to do it all - work, his own business, homework, church calling, the gym, and still keep us number one on his list. Good job babe!

Grays...Turkey...Snow - PERFECT

2009-12-01T12:35:00.008-07:00

Thanksgiving weekend was quite exciting at the Boulter home. The Grays came to stay with us for a few days which we thoroughly enjoyed! I think one of our favorite sites was seeing Halle, Macky and even Taya crawling on all fours barking like puppies all through the house.

Thanksgiving morning Brandon and Ty headed out for a little Turkey Bowl Football game. We told them not to get injured. At least Tyler obeyed. Brandon pulled his hamstring in the last play of the game. Thanksgiving dinner was held at Craig and Peggy's home. Dinner was divine! One highlight was Ty and Nat heading out for some Black Friday shopping at 4 the next morning. NUTS, I KNOW! We waited in a half mile line to get some great deals at Target an hour before it opened. Kohls was next on our list. Lucky for us, we were quick to grab and conquered our shopping list. Once we were back home safe and sound, Ty graced us with a little of his breakfast cooking (who knew) ....pretty tasty!

Saturday was our traditional Christmas Tree Hunt. We bundled ourselves up and headed up the canyon to chop down a tree for Halle & Taya. Craig, Peggy and Sarah went along too. It was a perfect day, the roads were pretty clear and a light and fluffy snow was falling - LOVED IT! Since Brandon was injured, Nat picked out the tree and dragged it down the hill to the car. Luckily it was only a 6 footer. We live in a warm bubble here in St. George. It's so nice to drive 45 minutes to get our feel of snow when we need it.

T-R-I-A-T-H-L-O-N

2009-11-15T15:32:00.012-07:00

Yesterday was race day for me. I competed in the SHAC Turkey Triathlon that's held here in St. George. I can't believe how much fun it was!! My six months of training really paid off because I felt ready and I gave it my all. This is me and Halle, my little supporter, at the finish line.
Thanks to my love - Brandon for all the time he gave up so I could prepare for this day.

My friend and workout partner, Heidi and our spin trainer, Tiffany. It was a bitter cold morning (especially for St. George...burrrr)

The swim

The bike - Maybe Santa will bring me a road bike for Christmas...hint...hint

The run

Me, Rakel, Hailey, and Heidi after the race.
What a beautiful day! Next Tri is in April and I am IN!

Halloween Weekend

2009-11-02T14:01:00.008-07:00

Halloween came and went so fast...SO FAST! This year the Talbots celebrated Halloween with us and boy was it a party. It always is when they come. Friday we started off with a visit to Grandpa B's, then over to Snow Canyon High for some early Trick O Treating fun. Afterwards, we held our *second annual Pumpkin Carving and Pizza Party. That party had to be cut short so some of us gals could head out for Odessey Dance Company's Thriller at Tuacahn. Oh, so good! Saturday for dinner we had blood, worms, & eyeballs, then headed out for the real fun. Unfortunately Grandpa B spent his weekend in the hospital and so did Brandon, Karen, Brenda and Craig. We're hoping for a quick recovery this time. Halle and Taya are missing their Grandpa!

Our little sea creatures, Little Miss Mermaid and Little Miss Octopus. I'm hoping to get them back in their costumes for a second photo shoot. This one just wont cut it.

Now this woman is Entertainment at it's best!

Thriller is one of my favorite Halloween traditions. Year 4 is just as good as year 1. Especially when you bring the lady in the previous picture. Too bad she was taking a potty break (hiding out in the ladies room) when her friend here came by.

Our Trick O Treating clan. We visited the Ramirez' haunted house which was a huge hit and super freaky, then up to the Nobis/Cash scone party. We arrived a little late but were still served. Fabulous!

Owen & Taya getting to know each other again. We couldn't get enough of these little punkins. Taya literally clung to Jon the whole weekend. Mom was a little jealous!

Lov'n October

2009-10-21T21:57:00.002-06:00

I know I know, I'm so behind on my posts. A lot has been happening and I just haven't had a second to think. I LOVE being busy so it's nothing bad. As soon as things cool down I'll get caught up. October has always been my favorite month - it just happens to be crazy this year.

BTW - Halloween is 10 days away! Yessssssssssssssssss......

Preschool

2009-09-09T11:16:00.004-06:00

~Halle has been waiting for this day for a long time~

It was her first day of preschool - backpack and all. Four other gals in the neighborhood and I formed a mommy preschool for our three year olds. There are five kids total, so every fifth week I get to teach. The great thing is, the kids will get to know each other before kindergarten. We've been talking about doing it for a while now, so I'm excited it's come together. It's going to be great fun!

VISITOR

2009-09-03T10:53:00.003-06:00

There's nothing like walking out your back door and seeing
THIS right in front of you.

Oh yes, it happened to me and I'm still having AnXiEtY over it.
Yesterday we were preparing to head out to Grandpa B's to help him hang his shower curtain and I spotted this tarantula under Halle's lego car.
I don't kill bugs or any living thing.
If I find a big spider in the house I put a cup over it until Brandon comes home.
I called Brandon at work because I knew he could calm me down enough so I could put a bin over him.
This morning Brandon took him into work and gave him to one of the Biology professors. Brandon said the professor was giddy like a school boy.

Spelunking the Bloomington Caves

2009-08-31T12:14:00.006-06:00

Brandon had a little adventure planned for us Saturday afternoon. First of all, he didn't ask me if I wanted to go - he told me I was going. Normally I don't tolerate that kind of abuse, but I was actually quite excited. I believe caving is one of those things you have to do before you die. Plus, I figured I'd get to wear a headlamp - yay! Brandon bumped into an old friend from his frat days at a college event and he invited Brandon to go along.

There are two entrances to the caves and we tried both of them out after the first one took us on an almost vertical descent. The BLM claims you don't need ropes and harnesses but I beg to differ. We decided to turn around after about an hour. Our second entrance included a bat, some rats, and required a very long crab walk and belly shimmy. The inside was cool and damp about 75 degrees compared to the 105 temp outside. I thought I'd have trouble being in such tight quarters but I was surprisingly comfortable. Another bonus - we were there mid day on a saturday and we didn't see another soul.

The Bloomington Caves span a distance of 1.3 miles and drop 240 feet and a permit is required. The caves are not for small children. I'm sure we'll be going again so let us know if you want to come along.

Ride'n

2009-08-28T22:16:00.003-06:00

I'm heading out for another little ride tomorrow with the gals. Every Saturday lately, a bunch of friends and I go for an early morning ride on our bikes. Last week was a ride to the college to run a 5K, then ride back. It was a doozy, but well worth it. We've also taken the Bloomington loop, and a ride to Washington Fields. Tomorrow is a ride to Ivins. This will mark the furthest I've been on my bike... I think. And, I think, I'm starting to really like this biking thing. My bike is now equipped with a speedometer/tripometer/odometer (10 bucks at Walmart) which for some strange reason is fascinating to me. Hopefully- I'll soon learn how to steer away from pot holes while working the computer. It's been quite exhilarating getting ready for this Triathlon. My workout schedule has been crazy and I have to hand it to my cute hubby for giving me SO MUCH of his valuable time. He's my rock and I love him! Other family members like Sarah, Craig and Peggy have also put in some good babysitting hours with my girls. Thanks to them! What I'm hoping for is to do a beginner race this fall, and then compete in the sprint distance in the spring.

We'll see....

D-E-L M-A-R

2009-08-17T16:13:00.006-06:00

Our girls belong on the beach!

In fact Brandon and I do too. Too bad we live so far from that fabulous ocean air. We stayed Del Mar which is just north of San Diego. We absolutely fell in love with this hip and friendly beach town. We couldn't get enough in the 5 days we were there so it's in the works to go again next year. Hopefully, there will be no emergency surgeries that get in the way - Chad and Karen. We missed you!

Halle was OBSESSED with the sand crabs, shells and seaweed. After stepping on a bee and being stung, Taya loved the feel of the sand between her fingers and toes ~surprising.

That's my hunky man after his boogie boarding stunts.

A HUGE highlight for me was meeting up with my girlfriend from the old days. Ashley Johnson (now Dunaway) and I were best buds when we were growing up in Salt Lake. Now, Ashley lives in a beach house in Del Mar just a block from the beach...SPOILED!!! Ashley was our own personal travel agent - giving us beach gear, tips on where to go and eat - yum, and even offered to watch the girls so Brandon and I could have an evening to ourselves. YAY! Thanks Ash!

Ashley suggested we go to Quail Botanical Gardens with the girls. SO FUN! I wouldn't have missed it. It was BeAuTiFuL and there was even an area just for kids to play and learn about plants.

One day we biked around Coronado Island. We strapped the girls into the trailer and took off. We had no idea where we were going - could have been better prepared - but it turned out great. Unfortunately I forgot the camera that day. Too busy I guess....

The last day was spent at Sea World. I can't believe how well the girls did running from place to place. It was tiring but well worth it.

Goodbye HOT Desert!

2009-08-08T13:03:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow we leave for the beach
Our destination...beautiful Del Mar, California
See you in a week

H-A-V-A-S-U-P-A-I

2009-08-06T07:42:00.005-06:00

Besides a couple blisters on his feet and a huge bruise on his thigh, Brandon and the boys returned safe and sound from a great trip to Havasupai.

Along the trail, random horses wandered and welcomed hikers.

One of the steepest descents to a waterfall.

This hike is definitely on my to do list. We'll leave the H and T at home for this one.

Wish I was there too...

2009-07-31T12:17:00.006-06:00

Missing my man!

Brandon and the young men of our ward set out for Havasupai last wednesday. How lucky is he?
The trail is approximately 8 miles long to Supai (Indian reservation), with an extra 2 miles added on in order to reach the campgrounds, and descends some 3000 vertical feet. They hiked down on thursday, and today I imagine they're swimming in that beautiful water.

~Jealous~

They hike out and drive home tomorrow. I think I'll plan a girls trip next month. Who's in?

Can't wait to get the full story on Sat!!

Peer Pressure

2009-07-21T11:31:00.006-06:00

So...lately I've been having some ~crazy~ thoughts in my mind about a Triathlon. I say ~crazy~ because never have I thought seriously about doing one of these. To be honest, every time I think about it I kind of chuckle a bit. Yes, I love working out and staying as fit as I can... but am I a swimmer? No. Am I a runner? No. Am I a biker? Not really. So..... why am I training for this Triathlon in November? I'll tell you what it is - PEER PRESSURE! I have some friends in a spin class I attend and all they talk about are races. It's such a positive fitness environment I can't help but be hooked. In fact, ever since we moved to St. George I've felt the exercise bug. The bug runs thick here. The more I attend the class the more I think about this race coming up. And, having a set goal in my mind like this Triathlon has kept me going day after day. The training so far has been fun and very addictive, so hopefully nothing will get in the way of me crossing that finish line in November.

Walk

2009-07-19T21:32:00.003-06:00

There's a long story as to why this hasn't been documented until now. Don't worry, I'll spare you the boring details and skip to the good part. About a week and a half ago Taya took her first steps on her own. Soooooo exciting for us!! She is walking and LOVING IT!

(Not a great video but it does the job.)

Catching up

2009-07-14T14:57:00.006-06:00

Can you tell she liked the cobbler....or was it the attention...

It's been a busy few weeks since Taya's birthday so I'll quickly recap. We held a little get-together for Taya's day and enjoyed a little peach cobbler with our badmitton. We ditched the traditional cake and tried out our dutch oven. Thanks to all who came to help us celebrate...it was a fun night!

Here's Macky about to take a swing at it. Too bad our yard isn't a little wider :( I love this picture because Peggy looks like a little kid standing next to Hayden. Man...he's tall!

Here's me and my cute dad (Halle snuck in there too). Silver Lake was pretty and the temperature was just right.

We attended a Pratt family reunion in Salt Lake at my Aunt and Uncle's house. How fun it was to see my family again!! I love them so much and enjoyed the relaxing evening watching the kids run from the bounce house, to the putting green, to badmitton, and of course the delicious food. It was also great to catch up on those Pratt giggles.

She's One!

2009-06-23T10:47:00.005-06:00

Today is Baby Taya's Birthday!

I guess we can't refer to her as "Baby" anymore. Taya is a true delight to have in our home. She and Halle make great sister pals, and love spending countless hours giggling together. Taya loves...

giving cheesy smiles
pointing at things she wants
playing in the sand (and potted plants)
Halle
clicking her tongue
her binky
hugging and patting backs
oreos
and being outside

We just love this girl!!

The Bug Lady

2009-06-14T15:31:00.007-06:00

I like to call Halle the bug lady because she is FASCINATED and all bugs are "SO CUTE".
She just can't help herself and she has to hold them. Some of her favorites...worms, potato bugs, lady bugs, dragon flies, and frogs (ok, not a bug but still). Flies are definitely the enemy because it's freak-out-city when they come around. She also loves to check for spiders every where she goes, because they scare her. Many times she tells mom and dad that there are spiders in the bathroom so we'll accompany her to the potty.

Mom caught her looking into a present that we'd placed in a gift bag for a friend of her's. When she was caught she said very reassuringly, "Mom, I was just checking... and there are no spiders inside."

This morning Dad was laying on the floor (in preparation for church?) and Halle said, "Dad you have spider webs in your nose." Dad replied, "No honey...those are nose hairs."
She was very relieved!

MOAB

2009-05-28T16:46:00.004-06:00

It was a short trip, but WELL worth it!!!
If you're ever in Moab with two kids and two dogs, Bill Negro Canyon's hike to Morning Glory Natural Bridge is where you have to go. Halle was a real trooper! She hiked about 80% of the 5 hours we were on the trail. She also loved trying to catch the tadpoles and crawfish. Taya had the best ride of all as you can see from the pics below. The dogs were in doggie heaven. We crossed the river a couple times on the way up, but walked in the river with the dogs most of the way down.

That night after we were washed and rested, we took the car into Arches National Park. This was a first for both Brandon and I. The dogs weren't allowed to hike, so luckily it was cool enough to leave them in the car. (They didn't mind at all.) Seeing Arches for the first time is unbelievable! Our favorite spot to take Halle was Sand Dune Arch. To get there, it's a short walk from the car, through a narrow slit in the mountain. From then on, it's soft cold sand on your feet. It was one huge sand box to Halle who just wanted to play. Who cares about the arch...

Cousins forever!

2009-05-22T14:48:00.004-06:00

Halle and Morgan are two peas in a pod. They love doing just about anything together. Here they are on the shore at Sand Hollow.

Tubing isn't as scary when your best pal can fit in the tube with you.

The gal pals on Kolob Reservior with Captain Chad!

Boating and Dancing

2009-05-13T22:22:00.011-06:00

BOATING
Last Saturday we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.
The place ... Sand Hollow (nope, no swimmers itch)
The people ... Craig, Peg, Sarah, Halle, Taya, Brandon, Nat (no dogs, this time)
The water ... 67 degrees (took a 3 minute swim)
The boat ... Third successful trip (this time we have proof)

DANCING
Tuesday was Halle's first official performance.
The place ... Westside Studio
The people ... Miss Cassie, Halle and her six friends
The dancing ... Practically non-existent but the entertainment was priceless
The Halle ... Enjoyed every moment, and never stopped moving. They even sang a cute song at the end about having a date with their daddy, which was followed by a cookie picnic. Fun Fun Fun

Lady Bugs aren't just Ladies....

2009-04-24T13:39:00.003-06:00

Here are two lady bugs going at it. We released hundreds of lady bugs two weeks ago to save our peach tree from an aphid attack. The instructions on the jar of bugs said if the bugs are happy you'll know it and they'll make your yard their home. Sure enough, I spied some happiness and caught it on camera. And there weren't just two of them in action. Any who...lady bugs can eat up to 50 aphids a day so they are a bonus bug for your garden.

Easter Happenings

2009-04-24T13:02:00.003-06:00

Better late than never??? These are our Easter girls all dolled up.

We had a fabulous Easter Holiday. The Talbots plus Brittany came to visit for a few days. We went to Warm Springs, had Stephanie's baby shower, did a little Pampered Chef, had an egg hunt...etc...etc...
The kids after finding all their precious eggs!

Babysitters Granny and Grandpa with Owen and Taya

McKadin and Halle after a little makeup party in our bathroom. We watched McKadin while Steph was having her baby. (Mackie - Love the lipstick teeth and blue eyebrows...)

Nature lover

2009-04-02T13:49:00.002-06:00

Isn't Spring the greatest! Seeing brand new growth on woody stems puts me in the best mood. I know I'm strange...but really, seeing something come back to life after winter is truly beautiful. I was granted a few extra minutes this morning while Taya napped to do a little photo shoot in my yard. The unusual looking blooms above actually came from Costco. Brandon came home with them a couple days ago. He said he just HAD to buy them because they were so unique. Do I have this guy trained yet? Pretty cool.

My baby Ice Plant. Succulants thrive here.

My Eastern Redbud finally bloomed this year. There was no flower display last year. I was quite depressed.

Chaste trees bloom early summer, but here's a sign of life...

My nature lover sunning herself amongst the Rose of Sharon.

Lately...

2009-03-18T21:18:00.007-06:00

Isn't it crazy you can be soooooo busy, but you can't really tell anyone exactly what you've been doing? I feel like that every day. I guess I could say..."two kids?"
Ok, so I know it's not, "three kids or four kids" but for me, two kids right now is plenty.
Here are a few things that have kept us busy...

Halle and Taya were sick for two weeks with fevers, coughs, barfeys, etc. Brandon and I never thought it would end. Lucky for everyone...it did! There's nothing like getting five hours consecutive sleep...and not smelling like barf.

Some family came to visit. Karen and Jeff one week, and Brenda and Shara and kids the next. We did some serious playing at the park and at Jump & Jacks.

The EN&T doctor confirmed that Halle indeed needs her tonsils and adnoids out. Her surgery is scheduled for Wednesday.

We just returned from a four day stay in Salt Lake with Kimmie. Halle lotioned up the cat our first day with Kimmie's favorite smelly good lotion. Washing the cat took both me and Kimmie. We didn't see the cat much after that. Saturday night was dinner at my mom's. There was southwest chicken wraps for dinner and afterwards a little princess wildness (Halle & Morgan & Brandon).

Just the girls took a fabulous car ride on Sunday to Park City while Brandon stayed back to do some homework. The air was crisp and warm while we watched the skiers and snowboarders take the hills. Kimmie took us out to eat Tibetan food at Cafe Shambala...or Shamalan? I liked Kimmie's pronunciation better. Halle Mo loved the Mo Mo!

Upon returning back home, Halle had to spend another couple hours in the ER. While running naked after her bath she slipped and smacked her face on our tile floor, cutting her gum line and bruising her upper lip. Thankfully no stitches.

The latest visitors to the Boulter pad were the Pratts. We camped at Sand Hollow and played in the sun.

An evening fishing excursion. No fish! Love the princess pole Brandon!

So, the boys found a peculiar looking rock, and to determine if it really was a rock, Chad took a little bite. Who does that! My brother...
What's funny about that is it looked exactly like poo. He actually put it back in his mouth for the picture.

Karen, Cooper, & Chad

Brandon in the relaxy hammock

Gotta have the marshmallows

Good Friends

2009-02-15T12:06:00.003-07:00

Taya & Tiara getting acquainted

Ellie is everyones best friend

Halle & Hudson

We said goodbye to our cute little neighbor family this morning. The Werlichs are moving to up to Lehi and leaving us and many friends here in St. George behind. Halle will miss Hudson and Madi knocking on our door just about every day to play. Halle and Hudson would snuggle on the couch together while they watched their favorite shows. It was a regular occurrence and I finally snapped a pic a couple days ago.

Taya and Hallie

Hallie LOVES Baby Taya. She would rather hug and kiss Taya than plan with Halle. When Taya's not around, Hallie and Halle make great friends!

Halle & Paige

Paige lives behind us but we rarely see her since the wall was completed. Now they have to walk CLEAR around the corner to see each other.

3 Years Old

2009-01-28T10:23:00.005-07:00

Our little Halle girl turned 3 yesterday. Halle is an energetic, happy, and caring 3 year old. She loves using her imagination, playing the computer, making messes, making Taya laugh, riding bikes with the neighborhood kids, wrestling with Dad, and dancing in pretty dresses. She makes our lives very meaningful and rewarding.

We absolutely LOVE this girl!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Oasis

2009-01-22T21:46:00.009-07:00

Ahhhh, who knew a ~natural oasis~ was just an hour drive from our house. Brandon heard about this place through the St. George grapevine so we decided to check it out while the Talbots were visiting last weekend. Upon arriving it seems like you're driving into the middle of nowhere and then suddenly you see a cluster of palm trees. Unfortunately, when we arrived they weren't expecting us or anybody else so they had to quickly fill the pool. Luckily the fresh warm spring water flows pretty fast and the extra large pool was ready for swimming in about 30 minutes. This beautiful place is called Warm Springs Ranch and it's owned by the LDS Church. The previous owner was Howard Hughes and he sold it to the Church in 1976. There are two couple missionaries that run and take care of the property. Not many people know about Warm Springs which makes it a gem of a vacation spot. When we arrived the air temp was near 70 degrees and the water was about 85 degrees. We'll have to hit this place again sometime soon!

Taylor, Owen, Taya, Halle

Mckadin & Halle watching the water flow & waiting to swim.

Halle, Taya & Nat enjoying the nice water.

That's Brandon.....

Dancing At Last!

2009-01-07T09:22:00.006-07:00

We've been looking forward to this day for a LONG time. And it finally came! Halle began dance lessons yesterday. I don't know who was more excited, me or her. I enrolled her at Westside Studio just a few blocks from our home. To some, having their daughter in dance lessons is just another milestone, but for me it means a lot more. I danced for 18 years - and still wish I was doing so. I have attended a class here and there but it's just not the same when you're 30 and and no longer 90 lbs. As a mother I was worried she'd be shy her first time, but Halle jumped right in. The class is called "Too Much Fun" and it's the class right before pre-ballet. With each song the girls get a pretty dress or prop to dance with. Halle (Mom) can't wait for next week!!!

Our Holidays

2009-01-03T17:22:00.008-07:00

Another great holiday season has passed. What a fun time we had!

So, Chad thinks my babies look like the babies in "Wall-E" Here he is doing his impression. Should I be upset?
Halle opening her Christmas Eve gift from Santa. Hippo pj's.
Big Grandpa and Granny helping Taya open the gift instead of eat it.
Halle finally got her Lego! Come on Dad, give Halle a turn.
Good job Santa!
What a cute bunch. What do we do while at Nana's? Princess dancing, lolipop suckers, eating candy that's meant for the gingerbread house, Pirate's Booty (if you don't know what it is, find it at Costco...yum), sledding, GG, etc...
Helping Nana in the kitchen. Chocolate dipped fortune cookies!
Sledding was a must!
New Year's Eve at the Talbots...Food, Mafia, Partini. Baby Taya(6 months) and Baby Owen (5 months).

My Little Bro

2008-12-22T11:57:00.009-07:00

This is my cute little brother Jason.

This kid is the most hard working person I know. Giving up could have been easy. After years of schooling, studying, stress...he's going to dental school!

Congratulations Jason!

Doesn't he look like a dentist?

He's been accepted to a couple dental schools, so good luck with making that decision J. We love you and wish you and your cute little family the best.

I'll guess I can no longer be an "anti-dentite".

Jason and Livia studying hard.

Miss you guys!

Winter getaway...

2008-12-11T12:26:00.007-07:00

You have to really love Lake Powell to stay there in the winter. We do... so we tried it and we had a blast! We were in desperate need for a little vacation so we took the 2.5 hour drive to Wahweap and stayed for two nights in the Lake Powell Lodge. You're probably wondering what you do at Lake Powell without a boat and when it's 50 degrees outside? We found some great sight seeing adventures and took the 3 hour boat tour. Our tour guide was very informative so we learned a lot of new interesting facts about Lake Powell. It was a fabulous relaxing trip for us and for our traveling companions/babysitters, Mr. B and Arlene. It was fun having them with us.

Searching for fish

The scenic overlook was a great view of the dam from the river side.

p.s. We forgot our camera so we we had put our trust in a walmart disposable. Love the streaks!

It's a Tradition

2008-12-01T16:26:00.011-07:00

Last Saturday was our annual Christmas Tree Hunt. It's just too much fun, now that we live in sunny St. George to drive up a snowy canyon and play in the snow for a couple hours. The trees we chop down are never like the ones you'd find at a tree lot in the city, they're actually quite Charlie Brown-ish. The tree we found will be Halle & Taya's and will be theirs to decorate. Craig, Peggy, Hayden, Sarah, Holly, and Porter also went along and found a tree of their own. Tiara and Ellie couldn't have been happier running in and out of the trees so freely. And Halle's favorite thing? Eating snow of course!

The eyeballs in the blue coat - that's Peggy.
Holly in yellow. Sarah in green. Halle in stripes.

The snow princesses

Taya stayed cozy warm in the car.

Halle before her nose turned red and drippy.

Get out the wakeboard & ski...IT RUNS!

2008-11-05T21:28:00.017-07:00

This is where our boat is normally....

And this is where it was on Saturday...Sand Hollow!

For all of you who've heard about our "boat woes" here's some news.

It finally had a great run!

Unfortunately for Natalie, it happened without her and the kids, but hey, is that a smile on Brandon's face? No frowns, cuss words, or boat parts flying? If you know our boat, you know it's kind of a joke. We bought it about two years ago, spent the first year redoing the interior and the second year getting the engine to work. We've taken it numerous times to the lake and spent what seem to be countless hours at the doc.

So this was a break through.

CANDY..Candy..candy.....

2008-11-04T14:25:00.007-07:00

Well, our favorite holiday has come and gone.

Here's what we did!

Our Pizza & Pumpkin carving Party

The Ramirez's Halloween Party 2008. Halle & Hallie... same name/great friends!
Sorry you were working Daddy.

Halle & her Mackie after some serious trick-o-treating @ Snow Canyon High. So much candy, mom had to carry the loot.

Mom & her baby cow. So huggable!

Halloween season happenings

2008-10-26T17:14:00.019-06:00

It was fun to grow our own pumpkins this year. We came out with 7 good ones. We LOVE Halloween at our house!!!!

Funny happenings from our Halle

We were watching the news one morning and they had a story about Brian David Mitchell (the man who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart). Of course he was looking straggly and hairy as usual. Well Halle took one look at the TV screen and said, "There's Jesus!" in a very sure voice. She also thinks the cavemen on the Geico commercials are Jesus.

Lately Halle has been getting scared of things she normally wouldn't be afraid of (probably because it's Halloween season). The other day she was coloring in the other room and I hear her say in a slow terrified voice, "Mom... there's... a... bunny... in... here."

Halle is my emotional butterfly. I can't remember why she was crying one day in the car but when I started in on my tactics to get her to stop crying she said, "Mom, I just need to cry ok?" Well, it shut me up because I had to turn and smile at that one.

Halle likes to visit her Daddy at work and play in the fountain there. One night we were walking towards the fountain and Halle said she wanted to swim like a turtle. She began taking off her shirt in preparation to jump in. Before I could say no, we don't undress in public, she was down to her just her pull-up. I have never seen her undress SO FAST! Soon, her little bummy was out in the open. Yikes! Luckily I was able to distract her enough to explain that clothes are required in public and I got her dressed as quickly as possible.

Halle loves to dress up, but even more she likes to dress Ellie up.

Taya

Our littlest munchkin is getting strong. She can now sit up in the boppy. She loves this new view and giving us smiles the whole time. She also loves to watch Halle in her busy-ness. Taya is lucky to have such a loving big sister.

Anniversaries rock!

2008-10-14T17:09:00.004-06:00

Ok, so I'm not a big shopper. This weekend however...I was on fire!
Brandon and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary last friday 10/10/08. And instead of making a big deal about it we decided to spend the day together with the girls and do a little clothes shopping. Lately, I've been very conscious about where our $$ is going and trying not to spend it where I shouldn't. Usually, when I shop I buy for Halle & Taya only, but Friday was all about me.........and Brandon too. I guess I don't shop for myself that often because I rarely find anything I have to have. Or while I'm out I forget that I need something until I get home and then remember. The stars must have been aligned because everything we needed was either on sale or a really great deal! Our luck didn't end that night because Saturday morning we found a lady who was selling brand new furniture in a yard sale (THAT never happens). I picked up a set of chairs for by bedroom for less than half price and some MaryKay for 50 cents a piece (sorry Kimmie).
Well, the shopping was great while it lasted. I'm glad my love for my husband is much more constant than my shopping. I'm greatful for my hubby of eight years and friend for over twelve. Don't know what I'd do without him. He is my rock.

a Birthday a Blessing and a Wedding

2008-10-02T10:55:00.017-06:00

Our last trip to SLC was a doozie. Brandon celebrated his 34th birthday, we blessed Baby Taya and Brandon's dad (Mr. B) was married. Why not cram it all into one weekend...? We did, and we added family pictures too! It was great to reconnect with friends and family and be able to relax a bit after the festivities.

Baby Taya is wearing the blessing dress that her Nana made

Love Birds

Mr. B is a LUCKY guy. Arlene sure is a treasure. Halle loves her new Granny!

The trick is getting Halle to smile and look at the camera... two strikes on that one.

Hello Nature

2008-09-09T15:52:00.008-06:00

Ok so, if in my next life I had to live as an insect, (there's no hesitation) I would choose to be a dragon fly. I absolutely think they're beautiful. This lovely one flew into our back yard the other day and I had to run for my camera. It wasn't until I got up close that I realized he was missing one of his four wings. I sat and watched him nibble on my Red Yucca for about ten minutes, hearing every bite he took into the blossom. When he finally took off, it seemed effortless for him, even though he was handicaped.

Nature amazes me and I love having time to just sit back and watch. My Chaste Tree's are swarming with bumble bees this time of year. The blossoms are a brilliant purpleish blue which makes them very attractive to bees and wasps. Lucky for us I planted one right by our front door... hmm...

~Spidee update~

2008-09-01T10:57:00.005-06:00

Our garden spider died this morning. While we were out doing some yard clean up, Brandon noticed a baby spider in her web. Not knowing he was a she-spider, we decided it was time. Plus she was getting bigger and BIGGER by the day. Brandon was surprisingly sad. He said he felt like he just killed a family member. Personally, I am quite relieved.

Our garden friend... not so itsy bitsy

2008-08-27T16:14:00.011-06:00

So, if you know me at all - you know about my plant fettish. If it weren't for my kids and hubby, I'd spend all my time with them. It's a sickness really. In finnishing up our yard last year, we built a garden to hopefully sucessfully raise veggies. Who knew I'd have to learn to share my garden with this guy.

Now, lucky for you I have a great zoom on my camera. If I didn't, there would be no picture. I am terrified of my garden friend but also...fascinated by him! I can't have Brandon kill him because he's eating all the creepy crawlies that could possibly ruin my crop. So, I'm learning to love him. Just last night Brandon threw a moth into his web just so we could watch him hunt. I tell ya, you have to witness this if you have a spidee friend lurking around your house. Seeing it on TV doesn't do it justice. So, next time you're at our place, come check him out. He's fabulous!!

Reunion a la Park City

2008-08-18T17:17:00.010-06:00

So, we just returned from another trip up north. This trip was special for us because we were able to introduce Taya to some family members who hadn't met her yet, and we also had a condo in Park City to make it even more fun. Baby Taya and Baby Owen, exactly one month apart in age, had their first introduction and photo shoot. Plus, it was Cooper's 1st birthday (the only boy grandchild on the Pratt side and dang cute at that).

We love our double-smoocher kiss picture with Halle so Nat and Kimmie had to recreate it with Taya
Babies Taya and Owen (future kissing cousins?) Hopefully NOT!

For Halle, there's nothing like popsicles.......and her Morgan

Cooper stole the show with his monkey crawling abilities - on hands and... feet?

Cooper eyeing his cake. He eventually needed a little help from Dad

That's our Halle... :)

2008-08-12T12:06:00.006-06:00

It was Halle's bedtime a couple nights ago and as Halle went to pick out some books before bed I hurried to the freezer where an ice cream sandwich was calling my name. I just needed a little bite before the long drawn out bedtime process began. As soon as I turned around there was Halle. "What are YOU having, mama?"
"Nothing..." I said with my mouth full. And with a very serious face Halle said,
"Mama, say ahhh........say ahhh mama."

Days here in St. George can be PRETTY hot, so every once in a while we'll take Halle to the park in the evening. In the car on our way home one night it was dark and Halle kept asking for us to turn on the light. We kept saying no, and giving reasons why we shouldn't have the light on while driving. She insisted again and again and soon we heard, "Turn the light on... I HAVE to see the boogie!" She had picked her nose and wanted to check out her treasure.

Halle is our little marathon runner. She doesn't walk anywhere. She runs from the car to the house, from the couch to the fridge, from the toilet to the sink (well I haven't actually witnessed that one...yet) and her recent run we encountered was in the shower. She was running from one wall to the next, and it went on for about 5 minutes. Unfortunately, I was too slow to get it on video.

Halle and Ellie are best friends these days. We're not sure if Ellie really enjoys being pulled around the house by the collar, chased and cornered with kitchen utensils, and covered with diaper rash cream, leave in conditioner and baby powder. She has been a great little companion for Halle though, and has learned to take the abuse well. When Ellie's had enough I'm glad she snaps softly at her to show her she's reached her limit. Halle usually comes running back to us saying with a sad face, "Ellie bite me. "

Ellie sporting diaper rash cream which is impossible to get out since it's waterproof.

Time's a Fly'n By

2008-08-04T16:35:00.019-06:00

Yep, she's 6 weeks old as of yesterday, can you believe it? We sure can't. Taya seems to be loving life and so are we. She's practicing holding her head up on her own and even smiles every once in a while. Brandon is out of town for work for a few days so it's going to be a girly party every night! Here are some recent snaps.

Halle modeling a new summer dress (great find @ neighbor's yard sale)

Halle eating goodies & people watching @ the yard sale

Who's going to catch the ball - Halle or Mackie?

"The Girls"

2008-07-22T16:38:00.004-06:00

Halle & Taya are great friends. We were hoping it would happen and it did. Who knows how long it will last (hopefully a lifetime). Life has never been sweeter in our household. It's really fun to refer to our kids as "The Girls". I always thought I'd have boys....who knew?

We've also been giving a little more attention to our "First Girls" lately. Sunday night we visited St. George's first dog park. It was recently completed and looks to be a real hit with all the local dog owners. It was a little bit rainy and windy so Natalie and Taya stayed in the car while Brandon and Halle took TT and Ellie Bell into the park. The dogs LOVED it, so we'll try to make the dog park a weekly outing. Then yesterday, all six of us went on a walk. We were gone about an hour and Natalie is learning what pushing two kids uphill in a stroller is like. YIKES! All we have here are hills, so hopefully that baby belly & butt will be outta here quick. On the way home we walked through our neighborhood park where we encountered the funniest thing we've seen in a while. We didn't even know Ellie liked to swim or was even boyant. As soon as she saw a duck in the pond, she was after it. The duck looked like he was enjoying the swimming chase but never let Ellie catch him. He swam just fast enough to keep two feet infront of Ellie. The poor beagle wouldn't give up so we had to call her back to shore so she wouldn't drown. We were all laughing so hard we could hardly speak on the way home. Next time we do the dog/pond thing, I'll bring the camera so we can get some video.

Baby Taya!

2008-07-02T18:13:00.008-06:00

Yep, she finally came! We know, a week and a half early isn't bad.... no one's complaining around here. Taya Regene was born June 23rd at 4:00pm and weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. and was 19 in. long. Labor was a breeze this time around! There aren't too many women who can say that so we feel lucky.

Taya has been a delight from the very moment she was placed in our arms. We feel so blessed to finally have her with us. Halle even loves to hold her, kiss her forehead, and count her toes.

Potty Girl

2008-06-10T16:59:00.004-06:00

So, the big change in our lives here is potty training. Halle finally decided to take it on and is in full potty mode. She loves that she gets a goody if she goes. We didn't plan on this happening before Baby Taya's arrival, but are welcoming it with open arms. Who wants to have 2 kids in diapers - 1 is enough for me, thank you.

We're still on target for the 4th of July. The Doc said she's measuring about a week large but didn't want to change the due date. Of course, in my mind I'm planning/hoping for an early arrival. Brandon will be in Chicago next week for some IT training, so we've told her not to come that early. Halle's kiddy pool just wasn't fun enough without a slide, so we pulled the slide off of her castle and made it work. When she saw it, there was no time to put on a swimsuit. Halle and cousin Mackie had a blast that day.

Memorial Weekend

2008-05-28T15:45:00.012-06:00

Another great weekend has come and gone. Shara and Justin's family came to visit. The kids played 24/7....park, frogs, horses, bunnies, bumper boats, miniature golf, big wheels & bikes, bubbles, fire pit, and even on the X-Box, (kids pictured above). The weather was a little on the cool side so not a lot of outdoor water activity, like we're used to around here. The time together was a blast and hope we can get together again soon.

5 weeks left and counting. The time is drawing near and the aches and pains are in full swing. I don't know how many times in the day I have to ask Brandon to do something. It's really getting on my nerves, but he doesn't seem to be bothered. What a great guy!! Baby Taya is measuring 6 days large but the doc doesn't want to change the due date. We wouldn't mind if she came a week or two early.

Halle surprised mom today by reading a book from front to back before her nap. She has a few that she's memorized now. What a smart gal! Due to my Usborne Book party, she'll have 19 more books to memorize. Can't wait!!

7 weeks left.....

2008-05-13T15:25:00.005-06:00

We're finally nearing the end of this pregnancy. Wha hoo!!! Tomorrow will mark the 33rd week, with 7 weeks to go. All three of us have agreed on a name for our little one. We've decided on Taya Regene. We are so very excited to meet her and get to know her.

Last weekend Shara held a dual baby shower for me and Jamie in North Salt Lake. Jamie's baby is due just two weeks after ours. It was so fun to spend time with all the ladies in the family again. However, it was hard to be away from Brandon and Halle for a couple days. While Mom was in Salt Lake, Dad and Halle drove to Lake Powell to be with Mr. B and Craig's family. The main event was a car show and Mr. B's Benz won 3rd place in the whole show!

Spring time fun

2008-04-24T15:57:00.005-06:00

It's definitely getting hot here, so once a week we head towards water. Stephie and Mackie meet us at the Townsquare water park every Tuesday afternoon for lunch and water play. It's becoming a favorite place for kids and parents alike because of all it's amenities. There's a splash pad, a water walk with rocks, water falls, a water garden, room to run (for Halle's enjoyment) and of course, SHADE.

We just returned from another fabulous trip up north. Luckily, this trip there was no snow and the trees were even in bloom. We stayed at Nana's, Mac's, and GG's and had a blast from the get-go. We were fortunate to look out the window Monday morning to see a heard of eleven dear in the yard. They didn't stay long so we enjoyed every minute they were there. Halle and Morgan loved prancing around in Nana's dress-ups, getting into trouble in the pantry and riding the elevator-- giggling all the way. Nana and Mac were also nice enough to allow me to hold a get-together with my girlfriends from highschool. The kids were invited too so as you can imagine it was a whirlwind night of fun, food and craziness. What a wonderful opportunity it was to get together with my gals again and especially meet their kids.

New to Blogging

2008-04-16T16:14:00.008-06:00

So, I finally caved and decided I was savy enough to have a blog. Why not? Everyone else has one. Hopefully I'll master this soon and become a pro like all those before me. I promise I'll do my best at keeping you all informed about our Boulter Bunch of five - soon to be six. And yes, we always count the dogs.