A difficult task...

I've learned something in having three children. It gets increasingly difficult to get a great picture with all three smiling and looking at the camera. :) This one is pretty great though!

A facelift...

We've been wanting/planning to get new windows on our house for over a year. Finally the timing and price was right. The new windows are amazingly beautiful and the visibility difference is truly shocking. I'm hoping that the energy savings are equally staggering come next summer :)

I'll tell you what else was staggering... the decibels of noise created by smashing the old glass window panes and sawing apart the metal frames. Holy Moly! Notice the boys covering their ears in the picture below. :)





Before: (Well, kind of... the big front window is already put in. Just imagine huge black screens in its place. You couldn't even see any of the grids before)


After:

Brothers...

These brothers must have a special bond. Maddox is happy to sit in Garrett's arms and Garrett is ever anxious to hold him. Along with his ceaseless kissing of Maddox's cuteness Garrett, just as regularly, begs "I want to hold my baby. I really want to hold my baby." I could have a million pictures taken just like this from each day of the week. So cute. Garrett will sit there and make up songs for Maddox, kiss his hands and cheekies, and rock back and forth.

Yes, these two brothers must have a special bond.





But Maddox is also adored by Brexton. I caught this cute moment of Brexton "reading" one of our Christmas books to Maddox as he lay watching the lights on the tree. He "read" all about baby Jesus, the star, and all the animals. I love these boys!

Boys and more Boys...

I'm really getting used to the concept of having only boys - probably because I rarely even see little girls :)

This particular day I had the joy of playing with 6 boys ages 4 and under. Give them a handful of cars and put them outside. :)

Ward Christmas Party...

Santa came for a special visit at our Ward Christmas Party. Brexton had no fear, but Garrett took 30 minutes of coaxing and prodding to get within 10 feet of Santa. He was finally convinced it was safe when he saw Maddox sitting in Santa's lap safe and unharmed. :) When Garrett successfully went to sit on Santa's lap nearly the whole ward clapped and shouted HOORAY! Too funny. He was really most interested in getting his bag of candy anyway :)

Meat for another year...

The mighty hunter returns with deer in tow. Thank goodness for another year of meat in the freezer :)

Happy Birthday Brexton...

Brexton turned 3 years old! In many ways, it's crazy to me that he is just barely turning three years old - I guess with his height, early cognitive and speech development, potty training 7 months ago, and his closeness to Garrett it was easy to forget that he was only 2 this whole time :)

I love my Brexton. He is either "hot or cold" - super happy or super sad. Sometimes he demands/requires physical affection and other times he refuses any attempts. Brexton still loves his cowboy boots and frequently asks if he can sleep in them.

Brexton is a little "twirler" - he puts himself to sleep by twirling his hair. But he will wrap anything he can think of around his finger, wrist, and even his neck (we've had to talk about that a time or two). He uses strands of my hair, drawstrings, the hem of his shirt, stray string, etc.

I love how randomly he will look at me with his sweet smile, sparkling eyes and long eyelashes and say, "I love you too, Mom." I love how during a particular conversation he was adamant that he did not want to grow up... ever. He kept saying "I don't want to get bigger. I just want to stay little." Me too buddy. I wish you could stay little too. Already you're growing up too fast :)

For some time he thought that if he used the phrase "Well, my Mommy said so" that he would get his way. When he realized that wasn't working he got creative. Now he says, "That's what my Jesus said. My Jesus said I have to."

Brexton is my reverent child. He will sit quiet and still for the duration of Sacrament Meeting. I think his transition to Sunbeams will be quite smooth. He can hardly wait!




For his birthday cake he said he wanted chocolate with a car on top. Done!




Love you Brexton!

Happy Halloween!

Buzz and Woody
(This is Garrett's version of "dressing up" - last year he wouldn't even wear a orange shirt with a pumpkin on it :)






Brexton CRACKS ME UP!!! Ha!

Happy Birthday Garrett!

October 29 - Garrett turns 4! Garrett is definitely a bundle of energy that rarely runs out :) Garrett loves to show affection to anyone and everyone - but especially to baby Maddox. He is always kissing his toes, hands, cheeks, head... pretty much anything he can get to his lips he'll give a little smackaroo. He may or may not have been squishing and kissing the cheeks of the boys sitting on either side of him during the primary program :)

Garrett loves to play ball and is quite good at "coach pitch" baseball. He's hit the ball completely over our house a few times and thinks that is pretty amazing - he's right! Garrett also LOVES to play puppies. Ironically, he is terrified of real puppies, but he will crawl around on his hands and knees ALL DAY LONG. His knees and the tops of his feet have built up some serious calluses because of it :)

Garrett got a big bike for his birthday along with a ToyStory puzzle and Timex watch from grandparents. And his cake request was that it had a car on it - done!

Two Weeks Old...

Maddox, you are growing so fast!




Love your funny faces :)


Brotherly Love