Brant is 9 months old!

To explain the pictures below I have to explain that a few months ago I started doing a point system for the kids and chores. So now they get fifty cents every time they earn 10 points....anyway. Mason has been saving up to buy a pez dispenser since we started and he finally had enough to buy one plus a package of refills. Anyway, if you look close in the picture you will see some of the fruits of his labors. Brant ate the orange ones....paper and all. Yum!




So, Brant is 9 months old today and I feel like he has grown up so much over the summer. Here is what he has been doing. Brant wasn't a big roller. He physically could do it since he was just tiny, but unless he was REALLY mad, he didn't use this form of movement much. He was pretty mad for a long time that he couldn't crawl because he soooooo wanted to play with Mia and Mason. The first form of movement he mastered was cruising (yes kinda out of order) at 7 months. Then he started crawling.....backwards at 7 1/2 months. Then fianlly at 8 months old he started crawling forwards...YAY! It looked funny because he used one knee and one foot to push himself, but now at 9 months he is crawling normally and pulling up on everything and cruising EVERYWHERE! Brant was a really fussy baby until I quit eating dairy products and now he is such a happy and smiley baby. People stop and smile at him all the time and say what a smiley baby he is. I love his fun and intense personality. I love the kissy noises he makes. I love that he uses his teeth to help him pull up on things. I love the way he says go go go all the time (sometimes in a whisper and sometimes very loud). I love his chubby cheeks. I love to watch him watch his siblings. I love watch him wrestle Mason. I just love this kid to pieces! Ok enough gushing....I'm done. But I reserve the right to be mushy again in three months.

Conference Weekend

Did anyone else have a fabulous conference weekend. Not only do we get to hear from the Prophet and leaders of the church, but also......WE DON'T HAVE TO GET DRESSED! Since Jared flew out to California on Sunday for work, the kids and I stayed in our jammies ALL day and just relaxed and enjoyed.


We did the kids conference packet that was all over the internet the last week. My kids may not have gotten tons out of conference, but hey they know what color of ties the apostles were wearing! =) One last story: Mason was trying to fill out his conference bingo and we were going to blackout, so all the easy ones were filled in already so for most of the conference he just kept saying the last word of every sentence someone said and asked me if it was on the list.......I don't know if this was the best way for me to get the most out of conference, but it sure did make it more fun for the kids.

Mia is 7!

Mia had a fun birthday week. She got to take donuts to class. We made sugar cookies that she personalized. She got tons of fun gifts and cards and phone calls. She had a fabulous party with lots of friends. Between the craft paint, friendship bracelets, pinata, pizza and cupcakes, I think we are all partied out.....Until we do it all again in a week for Mason!

Brant and Jared Chillin'

Brant doesn't usually like to sit still. He refuses to let me rock him to sleep or snuggle with him in the rocking chair. The only person I've seen that can consistently make him just chill is Jared.



Jeez, if looks could kill....."stop taking my picture; I'm trying to chill."



AWWWWWWWW!

Happy 32nd Jared

Here's the only snap shots of Jared I got on his birthday. We love him and love what a hard worker and wonderful father/husband he is.

Mia's First Day of 2nd Grade

Here are the first day pictures....yes I know it's almost fall break, but better late than never. She loves her teacher, Mrs. DeWitt, and is doing great. This won't make sense to anyone but her, but she has already made it to the sun, been a cudo kid and gotten a good works ticket award.

This is Mia being patient for yet another picture.

This is Mia telling me that the bell rang and I need to stop being a crazy picture taking Mom.

These are Mia's BFF's since Kindergarten. Mia-Bella-Courtenay-Lizzy.

Dancing kids

Every now and again I wonder when Mia will start thinking she is too old for Mason or not want to dress up and dance with him anymore. I am so glad that these two get a long so well. And I hope that is always the case. (Yes I am about to brag about my kids so stop reading if you don't like it). People ask me all the time why my kids are so easy and awesome....I tell them that Mia just came that way and she raised Mason. And it's true. Mia has always been an angel and so easy. She hasn't hit a difficult stage or phase in her seven years and I'm so glad she loves her brothers as much as she does cause she makes my job soooooo much easier. Since all Mason needs to be happy is someone to play with, she is such a good sport. Now, I just hope she doesn't get burnt out before she can raise Brant!

Landon's Baptism

Wow, this is long over due, but I have a lot of catching up to do, so here goes.

While we were home this summer my nephew Landon got baptized. This kid is awesome and we were so glad we could be there for his special day! Congrats Landon.