CHRISTMAS 2009

We had a very good Christmas. They boys were spoiled, I was spoiled, and of course Dusty was spoiled :). The boys got up about 8:00 am. We decided not to wake them up because they had a long day ahead of them. My family came up about 8:20 am because my parents were leaving for California. So Cale, Cameron, Bailee, and my mom and dad were there when we opened all of our presents. Santa brought Rayce a big truck and trailer with a backhoe on it, Wayke got Spike the Dinosaur and Ridge got a harley ride-a-long. Dusty surprised me BIG and got me a treadclimer. I had been trying to figure out all month what he got me. He said it was to big to fit under the tree - but I also new he didn't have any money in his possession. I take care of all the money and pay the credit cards so I tried to figure out all month where he had gotten the money. I would talk to Staci about it and we tried to figure out what it could be and how he paid for it. I thought he might have got me a desk made by someone in Roosevelt the he would pay for later. I kept telling Staci he would NEVER borrow money from anyone. Well, I found out on Christmas that it was Staci who had paid for it. Wow, they sure surprised me! I got Dusty a pistol, bullets, Ipod, running clothes, and watch.

Grandma and Grandpa Olsen gave the boys plasma cars. They have been some of the most entertaining presents ever! My boys ride them all day long. Yes, they are kind of annoying and loud but well worth the energy they waste riding them. When spring comes we will put them outside where they can ride them easier. They also gave Dusty and I some money. I bought a BIG basketball (arcade style) game for the boys. (Not the one in the picture at the top. I bought that one then a couple days before Christmas saw this 2 person, heavy duty one. So we bought it a couple days after Christmas.) Actually I don't know who likes playing it more, they boys or Dusty! We also bought some more exercise equipment. Grandma and Grandpa Cook gave the boys each a quilt. I love they quilts my mom makes the boys - you can never have to many!

CHRISTMAS EVE

Every year it has been a tradition to give the boys PJ's on Christmas Eve. They also buy a present for each other that they get to open. We go to my family's Christmas Party every year so we either open there or wait until we get home, which is usually late, and open them. This year I decided to try something different and let the boys open them in the morning of Christmas Eve. I thought it might be better because then we wouldn't feel like we were in a hurray and they could play with them for a little while. Plus, they were just so excited to open a present. So there pictures are of their Christmas PJ's and then each of the boys had bought a present for the other boy. Rayce got a Bop-It, Wayke got a Helicopter, and Ridge got horses and toy helicopters. They have played with them all day. We are going to Cameron's tonight for the Christmas Party and we are all excited. We have a white elephant game we are playing and eating, of course!!! My boys are so excited, they can't wait!! (I don't have a picture of Wayke's helicopter because he wouldn't let me take one of him. I will get it tomorrow)

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RIDGE IS POTTY TRAINED

Well, I am actually quite surprised... Ridge is REALLY potty trained. My mom put underwear on him while we were gone to Vegas. He never had an accident but he only pee'd all day. Then on Sunday Sheirl had him and he had a diaper on so he went the poop in his diaper then she put underwear on him and he pee'd in the toilet the rest of the day. I got home Sunday night and decided I would try it for a little while. He has never had a diaper back on since Sunday, Dec 5. I haven't put a diaper on him to go to bed or even to church. The first week he did pretty good, had about 5 accidents. I decided to stay with it. I really thought he would just keep having accidents so I would eventually put the diaper back on. BUT we are on day #12 with NO ACCIDENTS. He has done so good. He tells me every time he needs to go. He says the word poop really funny. He puts his tongue out and then says it. It sounds nothing like it is suppose to!!! He is so proud of himself that he can use the toilet. It is an act of congress to use though - he has to do EVERYTHING himself. Turn on the light, take off his pants, get on the toilet, flush the toilet, put his pants back on - seems like a 10 minute ordeal every time he goes. But it is SOOOO nice to be diaper free right now. I have 4 months then I get to start again, but I'll enjoy them :) Who would have ever thought at 2 years and 2 weeks old he would be taken off the bottle and potty trained!!! And since he got taken off the bottle he now sleeps through the night (which doesn't surprise me - I knew he got up in the middle of the night because he got a nice warm bottle to go back to sleep to). So December has been good for Ridge - off the the bottle, potty trained, sleeps through the night, and now he shares a room with Rayce and Wayke. All three of them share a bed!

RAYCE'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

There was a Christmas Program at the Neola Elementary School on Thursday. Rayce did such a good job singing. He really tried to pronounce his words so you could see him singing. This was his first Kindergarten program - I am sure it will be the first of many :)

RAYCE

Rayce has been chosen as the Top CATS (celebrating a terrific student) at Neola Elementary school. You get to go to lunch before the other students, have their name announced over the intercom, help lead the student body in the Pledge of Allegiance, have a treat with the other top cats, and finally - have display in the case in the hall to hightlight themselves. We decided to make a picture post board of Rayce and put it in. Here it is - he wanted to add alot more pictures but we didn't have room.

WAYKE

On Tuesday Wayke had a dentist appointment in Heber. We left on Monday night and they wanted to eat cereal before we left - do you think he was tired?

We stayed in a hotel in Heber on Monday night. The boys swam and had so much fun. Wayke's appointment was at 8:00 am. Dusty stayed at the hotel with Rayce and Ridge and I took Ridge to the dentist. I think I was more nervous for his appointment then he was. I knew they were going to totally put him out with anesthetics and I was really nervous. The anesthesiologist came in and made me hold him why he put a shot in his hip. He said he should fall asleep. He didn't for over 10 minutes. They kept coming back to get him and he was still awake. He couldn't talk but he just kept looking at me because he knew something wasn't right. He finally shut his eyes about half way and they came and took him. I started bawling - I don't know why, I felt so bad for him. They gave him a IV to keep him asleep while they worked on him. It took over 1 1/2 hours until he was finished. Then I got to go back with him until he woke up. It took about 45 minutes and then they had me try to wake him up. He didn't talk all the way home, mostly slept and looked around. His eyes were huge but he couldn't talk. When we got to Myton he started throwing up all over. He threw up most of that day. When he tried to walk he looked like he was drunk, he couldn't even stand up and he kept running into everything. I am SOOOO glad that day is over. I have dreaded doing that for a long time. He ended up getting 12 caps (only has 20 teeth) so hopefully we'll be good for while. Unfortunately he had no dental insurance so I say his teeth should be his Christmas present!!! (Actually probably mine because it is my fault his teeth are so bad...)

ALMOST... A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Every year we make a ginger bread house for Christmas. Of course, I am not "crafy" enough to make the ginger-bread on my own, so we buy the kit at the store. This year it didnt' go so well. Ridge kept sticking his finger in the top so eventually it all crumbled... And we just ate the candy. I told the boys I would buy another one and we could try again. I sure wish I would have got some sort of craft talent - but I didn't.

WE LOVE THE SNOW

The boys have been so happy about the snow. They have actually went outside everyday and played. It is nice because they use some ENERGY! They beg me everyday to take them sleigh riding. Luckily, Dusty is working here right now so when they take lunch - he takes them. I use to love being in the snow. I still love snow - I just like to be in a nice warm house and watch it fall. I wouldn't mind if we had lots and lots of snow, but I'll enjoy it from the indoors.

BABY UPDATE: I have made it to week 21 - I guess that is more than half way there ;0 I have gained 23 lbs, which is the TOTAL amount I gained with Ridge. Yes, I am to my 9 month weight at 5 months. (And some people say you probably didn't start at the same weight, but yes, I actually did. I have started at the exact same weight with all of my kids.) We have not found out what it is. I made it though the ultra sound at the hospital and didn't find out. Many people think I am dying to have a girl. I would be happy with a girl but I would be happy with a boy too. I guess we'll find out in April what it is - Yeah! Only 4 more months...

Dusty and I went to Vegas the first weekend of December. We left the kids with my mom for 4 days. I asked my mom when we left for 4 things: The kids all be alive when I get home, Ridge off the bottle, potty trained (he turned 2, 2 weeks before... that one was a joke) and talking good (he doesn't talk much). Well she took me serious. She took him off the bottle and started potty training him. While we were in California he kept taking his diaper off if it was a little bit wet. Now he refuses to even wear one. He has done very well. He hasn't wore a diaper for 8 days. He has had a few accidents this week but I am still trying to stick to it. I think sometimes it would be easier to just put a diaper back on him but I am a firm believer in either wearing a diaper or wearing underwear, not going back and forth. We even took him to church today with underwear... And NO accidents! I am going to keep him in underwear for 1 more week and see how he does. If he doesn't have it down, I will put a diaper back on him. I hope he gets it though. He will go to the bathroom by himself and will tell me when he needs to go. He sleeps with underwear on and wakes up dry!!! We will see how this week goes.

O CHRISTMAS TREE

Every year we go get our Christmas Tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year we were gone to California so we went on Monday night for Family Home Evening. Right when we got there Wayke fell asleep so he didn't get to help pick it out. We went home and put it up and decorated it. Rayce put the lights on the tree and Wayke and Ridge put on the ornaments.

THANKSGIVING & CALIFORNIA

We went to California to see Staci and her family for Thanksgiving. We left on Monday, November 23 and came back on Sunday, November 29. We had a lot of fun. We went to Knott's Berry Farm and to the beach a couple of times. The boys loved the beach and could play for hours. We also had a nice Thanksgiving meal prepared by... Staci and me! YUM YUM! We went to a pizza place that had huge slides and places for the kids to play. It was kind of like the old McDonald play places but about 10 times as big. The kids had so much fun. We had bought the kids guns at Knott's Berry Farm and I forgot about them until I was going through security at the airport. That is not a good idea to take a gun (play or not) on your carry on luggage. The lady asked me "If I learned my lesson?" They had to call a police officer to inspect them - it was embarrassing. I did learn my lesson and won't take a gun again :) We had a fun time. A couple days before we were leaving Rayce asked me if Dusty was going with us. He was surprised when I told him he was coming to. Even Dusty had a lot of fun. When we got on the airplane to come back home he said "Our boys love the beach, maybe that's where we should be living!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIDGE!!!

My baby boy turned 2 yesterday. He woke up really early he must have been excited... Ok, he asked or a bottle then wanted to go back to bed. Yes, he is still on a bottle. The "rule" at our house is off the bottle by 2. We we haven't made it yet but that should be the next thing to come. Grandma Marlene says she'll take it off of it when he stays with her for 3 days in December while Dusty and I go to Vegas.

Ridge is a fun kid. He will give you a heart attack if you pay to close attention to him. But if you don't pay close attention to him he'll get hurt. He loves his brothers and is so excited to see them. He loves to wrestle and tackle everyone. He wants things his way but can't really talk to tell you what he wants. He usually only says one word at a time, and it isn't fun trying to guess what that one word it. Bottle - Baa, Outside - Owww, Drink - Dri, Eat - EEEE, he can say mom and dad very well. He usually screams those words all day long. "MMMMMOOOOOOOOMMMMMM" - then says something like "DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD" and I get to guess what that means. He has the cutest blue eyes and a fun loving personality. He loves his "G'ma WEEN" (Grandma Marlene). The other night we had put him to bed and heard the door open and shut a few times. I thought he would come walking out but he never did. Dusty and I were getting ready to go to bed so Dusty went to check on him and couldn't find him in his bed. He looked in his closet and couldn't find him, went to our room and nothing. He went to the boys room and still couldn't find him. He finally looked in the hall closet and he was wedged between the vacuum and the wall sitting up sleeping. I wish I would have got a picture but I fell bad for him so I just picked him up. He must have went in there closed the door and just went to sleep. He never cried to or made a peep. We love our little Ridge!

SERIOUSLY... RIDGE

People probably think I don't try to protect this boy but I really do... He is just CRAZY!!! I can't imagine what he would look like if he fell the other 20 times a day I actually caught him. At least once a day he falls off my counters - the other 100 times I get him off before he does fall. He jumps from couch to couch to coffee table - and usually misses a few times. He climbs on top of the bath tub and tries to jump out, I usually catch him before he falls to hard. He runs everywhere but doesn't quite pick up his feet so he trips alot. I would be scared to death to take him to the doctor because he always has so many bumps and bruises. On Sunday we were getting ready for church and him and Rayce were playing on the top bunk. Rayce tripped him and he landed on his eye and hit the bar across the top. He bled for quite a while but we still went to church. A couple days before that he was climbing in his windows to see the cows. He fell out and bounced back and forth between the wall and the bed and hit is ear. You can see the big purple bruise. After church he was running to the car and he tripped and scratched his nose. Really, he is crazy and the worst part is that he is VERY independant. He has to do EVERYTHING on his own. Get in the car, out of the car, up on something, even get his own bottle out of the microwave. He won't let you help him do anything. I hope this isn't a sign of what is to come in the future because if it is I better save more each month for him and his hospital bills!!!

OCTOBER 31, 2009

This year we carved pumpkins a little late. We usually do it 2 weeks before Halloween but we did it the night before. The kids still had a fun time. We usually go to the corn maize also and this year we didn't. It was kind of crazy with Bailee in the hospital. Next year we'll try to do a little bit better.

On Halloween there was a carnival at the school. We were going to go then decided not to -crowds and 3 kids don't go together :) We dressed the boys up then went to Roosevelt and hit the boys house, G. Grandma Olsen's, and a few houses around there. Then we went out to Grandma Marlene's for Pizza and breadsticks. The boys had a lot of fun. Hopefully one year we will do the carnival but I haven't braved it yet... And next year we'll have 4 kids so it isn't looking good to do it then either!

HALLOWEEN PARTIES

(This is Dusty's cousin Rod... His costume was the BEST :))

The Zager Family has a pary every year for Halloween. The last couple of years I scramble around for something for Dusty and I to wear. This year I decided at the begining of October I would have our costumes ready. I bought pirate costumes for everyone. Rayce wanted to be Optimus Prime (Transformers) and Wayke wanted to be a T-Rex. I got them those costumes that they will wear on Halloween night. But I wanted us all to match at the family and church party. So here we are in our pirates costume. I can't believe I forgot to get a family picture of all of us. We played a couple of games but the best one had to be when Sandy gave everyone a can a silly string, told us to stand in a circle and shake it, then said "go and spray your neighbor". It was so funny and the kids loved it. I couldn't believe how easy it was so clean up. Anyway, it was a lot of fun - the kids had a very good time and so did we.

RIDGE * RIDGE * RIDGE

You can't help but just love this kid. I won't lie - sometimes I wonder if he will put me in the crazy house though. He is SO WILD. This boys jumps off counters, furniture, beds (top bunk)... He's just crazy and brave. I am honestly surprised he has not broke a bone yet. He rides this truck toy up and down my house. Sometimes he gets a little front heavy and falls onto his face. (You can see his fat lip) He cries for a minute then gets back up. Sometimes he hurts himself and will bleed for 15 minutes bad as soon as we let him go he is back at it. I don't know how many times his teeth have been through his front lip. When he gets older and people ask him if he fell on his head when he was little - the answer is YES... MANY TIMES!

CRAFT DAY

A couple weeks ago my mom's sisters and their daughters/in laws came out and we had a craft day. The kids each made these pictures with thier names on it. They all had fun. We also made cookies and candy, boxes with scrap-paper, and a cute center piece. Of course I didn't take any pictures of that :)