Happiest Place on Earth...

So since both the big boys birthday fall in October, and with all the attention the new baby is getting, I thought it would be fun to take them to Disneyland for their birthdays. Fall Break fell the perfect time, and we were able to get both my sister-in-law's to fly in from Utah and Louisiana to come with us. I was a little worried about the drive with Brenner, since he hates the car. I mean HATES it! But he only cried for about ten minutes and was awake and happy more than half the drive. Thank heaven for small miracles.

I had heard about Mickey's Trick or Treat on facebook, and after looking into it, we thought it would be fun to do. SO after a few hours settling in tho the hotel, we all went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner and then went back to change into our costumes. We got to California Adventure at 6:30, right when it opened, got our treat bags and started to navigate the park. Once we figured out where the treat stations were, as well as the characters we finally got a flow and it was nice. We even took turns with the little ones so we could go on a few of the rides. Berk was so tired, and fell asleep while we walked around the park. So we didn't stay very late, but we had a good time. It was cute, every time the characters saw Berk they would say, "Oh hi Buzz!" he thought that was cool.

The next day we spent the entire day in Disneyland, with a break for "nap time" for Berk. "Nap time" just turned into "I really like the hotel and want to play with the stuff I have bought time." Braden is finally tall enough to ride every ride, and he bravely went on everything we tried. Splash Mountain was his favorite, and he rode it the most. It was really muggy, and I am used to the dry heat of AZ, so carrying Brenner in the sling or the Snuggli got really not fun. Luckily, we had lots of eager hands to share pushing the stroller, or carrying a kid or two or three. We left the park after dinner and put the kids to bed and Jill, Kelcie and I went back till closing to do some rides and shopping.

Saturday we started at Disneyland and then headed to California Adventure for a while. We did Bug's Life, which freaked Braden out completely and rode Grizzly River, which he loved. I got a little wet, but my FIL Russ got soaked! Braden and Rusty rode it again and Braden got soaked.

Saturday was my favorite day there because we got to do something really special. For lunch we were going to Club 33 at Disney. I linked a few sites that tell about the Club so you can read about it, but basically, it's a private club inside Disneyland where they have 5 star dining and a really cool atmosphere. We are able to go because of Rusty's work, and it is the second time we have gone. It's in New Orleans' Square and there is basically this door and a bell that you have to push to get in. Crazy secretive. There are all kinds of dress codes for there too. THe waiters are amazing, the menu is superb and everyone is so accommodating. They were so sweet and brought the boys out each a special dessert because they were wearing their Birthday pins! Our lunch was sooooo yummy, and the dessert bar was unreal. We had to get one of everything to try. My favorites were the lemon tart, that looked like a bird and the Smore's in a glass. So cute and creative! We didn't even have dinner that night because we were so full still (aside from a churro that is)!

After Club 33 we did a few more rides for the kids and headed back to the hotel to hang out. After a few naps we went back to the park for one more chance at using our fast passes and then headed to Downtown Disney to end the day. All three boys were good, especially Brenner who only had a few crying spells! Can't wait till he is old enough to go to "Mickey's House" and enjoy it!

Happy Birthday Berkley!!!

(My lil multi-tasker--Open gifts and smile at the camera!)

(His new DSi, he was so excited!)

(Opening the early gifts)

(His YUMM-O cake)

(His new Imaginext set)

(Trying to show me 3 fingers)

Well my Berkley is THREE! He is getting so big, but if you ask him he will say he is "middle" or "median" because Braden is 'big" and Brenner is "littler."

He has just changed so much in the last few months. He is a non stop chatterbox and generally the things he says crack me up. He wasn't so sure about the baby at first but now he is the first to tell me if Brenner is crying, or smiling/. He loves when Brenner "Miles at me." He still loves to "wing" outside and he shocked me speechless last week when out of the blue he told me he needed to "pee on the toy-let." He has been potty training himself ever since and I couldn't be happier about that! His favorite thing to do is play with his cousins- even tho they are 16 and 15. He loves when they come over. He gets the funniest look on his face when he is searching for a word and he finally will smile whenever the camera is around.

We did his bday in three parts- he got to open presents last Wednesday from the grandparents. He got a DSi and a case and accessories and games. Then Thursday thru Sunday we took the whole family to Disneyland for the boys' birthdays. (more on that in my next post). Then on Monday, his actual birthday, we had balloons, play time and a family party with even more presents, cake and ice cream. He is so happy for his "Berk-day" and that now he is old enough to go to "cool" with his "bap-pat." Berk we love you so much, you little comedian!!!

Makes My Skin Crawl...

I swear, this time of year is the worst for the creepy crawly things at my house. While I am beyond grateful that scorpions have yet to invade our neighborhood (knocking on wood and all those other superstitious things--insert here), we do have our fair share of other things I can't stand.

It started a few weeks ago, when I brought the little dirt devil in from the garage wall to clean up a mess in the boys room. It smelled a little funny after I used it so I went to dump it out and clean it. Boy was I surprised (screaming and hyperventilating and gagging--insert here) when I opened the little trash collecting part to see a dead field mouse. (shudder) And wait, did you catch the part about it being in the vacuum that hung on the wall??? That poor mouse must have been starving to shimmy up the wall and then get stuck in my dirt devil. And if you're wondering what I did with it--the vacuum-- not the mouse, I threw it in my garage and texted Rusty that he needed to empty the canister out for me. (Hee hee hee)

So then, naturally, with the doors and windows being open so much more with the weather being beautiful- a few of those pesky outdoors things have come in to places where they just DON'T belong. Like the 8 legged baseball sized spider that was laying in wait in my pool. Just waiting on top of the basket ready to pounce. (So it was really golf ball sized)And MAN, did it take a long time to drown that sucker.

Moving along to the cricket in the toilet, just swimming around. And around and around and around... thankfully easy to dispose of.

And just the other night, I had a moment straight out of Arachnophobia when I went to wash my hands in the bathroom and a monster was trying to hide in the corner, but I saw it (screamed- waking the baby) and skillfully trapped it under the plunger so Rusty could do his husbandry duties.

And what exactly is the need for earwigs in the grand scheme of things anyway?

My point?

I know it's Halloween, and so fun to decorate with cute glittery spiders like these ones. And even funner to bring them home from school and drop them where ever. But if I find one more freaking PLASTIC spider laying around my house, in my shower, my laundry basket, my closet, the kitchen floor, or in the playroom- I will freak. And please don't get me started on those obviously FAKE 3 foot spiders that are all the rage to decorate with, but they still give me the heebee jeebies! I'm just saying (Braden & Berk) feel free to have these (gross) plastic bugs if you want, just don't forget to tell Mommy where you left them (so she doesn't have a heart attack). Oh and BTW, I am on a first name basis with our pest control guy. (Ron, you'll be getting a call from me this week...)

Happy Birthday Braden!!!

Braden turned 7 years old today! It seems like we've been parents forever but I guess we've just crammed a lot into only 7 years! Braden had a fun friend birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese and a family get together for pancakes, ice cream cake and presents on Sunday. He got a PSP, new riding boots and pants (the real ones, not snow pants & boots like we've been passing off for years...) and a bunch of cool other stuff.

Here's a little bit about Braden at 7...

• He loves to be outside with friends
• He knows just how to egg his brother into a fight
• He loves to hold Brenner
• He is a fantastic reader and loves math
• He is looking forward to snowboarding season and is happy the weather is cooling down enough to ride his quad.
  
  
  
  

I can't believe in just a year he will be baptized. Crazy. Hope you had a great day buddy, Mom and Dad love you!

Officially Introducing...

Thanks to Kim Shirley for the design!!! (See her link on the right...)

Better Late Than Never...

A week or so after I had been home with Brenner, Rusty mentioned that he had had a funny conversation with a co-worker. They were talking about Brenner and her new baby due soon and she mentioned her "Push Present" from her first baby. Now Rusty totally thought she made that term/ idea up and related that to me later that night. I happily informed him that Push presents were not a made up idea, and they even counted when the lady had a c/s delivery. I tried to refrain from asking where my present was, but I think the hormones got the best of me and I blurted it out anyways.

So Brenner is 5 weeks old now, and Rusty came through in a big way...

Better late than never, my Push Present showed up at my house Thursday night. We traded in the Tahoe I have had for 7 years and 99,871 miles and upgraded to a brand spanking new Suburban. I have been dying for bucket seats and cargo room and this fit the bill. It has all the bells and whistles-even heated and cooled seats, XM radio --the works. I even got them to put my Tahoe's custom wheels and tires on it. I am pretty sure I need to practice parking in an empty parking lot for a while, and forget about backing up even with that camera thing... I am so excited to have a new ride. Thanks Honey! I think this clears the slate for all THREE boys' push gifts!

Also this week my sister Robyn flew down with my niece Audrey to help out and visit. This was the first time Rhonda and Chelli's kids had met Auds and Robyn met Talia. It was fun. We had the whole gang over for dinner, the four sisters went to BJ's for dinner, we watched SYTYCD, held fussy teething toddlers and a VERY colicky baby and had such a nice time. She even cooked for me, let me nap, and did the dishes. I miss her already! This photo of her and B3 show his new personality. He is C-R-A-N-K-Y. We are trying to figure out if he is lactose intolerant like Berk was or if it is something else. Whew, all I know is feel free to drop by and relieve me of my holding duty, because my arms are toast. And yes, I have a sling, but that hurts my back and he still cries...

Rochelle, Robyn, Rhonda & I

My sisters and I with our "babies". Gabrielle is 11, Audrey and Talia are 1 and Brenner.

Oh, did you catch that my sister's names all start with an "R" and mine doesn't? Don't worry, I'm not bitter, and I don't feel left out. And there is NO correlation between that and my boys all having to have "B" names what so ever.

Ok, maybe a little, but that's a whole 'nother blog post.

Dark Circles...

SO it is a given that Moms to newborns are going to get crappy sleep. I have no qualm with that. It get it. I expect it. And frankly, my two year old still gets up in the night, a lot. So when Brenner came home I was all prepared to be sleep deprived and napping as much a possible. Which, thanks again to that 2 year old, napping has never been an option.

But what I really take issue with is the superhuman sense newborns come with. Do you know the one I am talking about?

Not their ability to eat nonstop or pee and poop like crazy. Or even how much they can cry.

It's how they are able to sense when your head finally hits the pillow. Not just hits, but you know when you finally sink in and sleep is near -- and just then, the baby makes a noise or cries or spits up? That's the superhuman sense I am talking about.

And Brenner has that superpower down to an art.

I need to learn how to sleep with my head levitating inches above my pillow. I'll work on that when I'm not so tired.

And just cause he's so stinking cute, here is b3 at 4 weeks old.

I'm Feeling Old...

Well, despite my best efforts to stay 29, 30 caught up with me anyway. But Rusty and my boys did a good job spoiling me so I was able to overlook my age and have a nice mellow day. It started with the breakfast of my choice, doughnuts-yum, and 30 red roses. Then I got a cute balloon bouquet, that Berkley was particularly proud of. We opened gifts that afternoon, and once again I have the bestest hubby ever. He got me the Atlas Necklace from Tiffany's. I have been wanting it for more than a year-ever since I got the Atlas Charm Bracelet.

You have to have the matching set-it's a Tiffany's Law- at least in my book... But he fooled me by hiding my little blue box in a box for a new iPhone 3GS-which I will also be getting this week.

Me with my necklace

I also got the new Suzanne Collins book, and the first one too since I didn't have my own copy. And Wii Sports Resort. This game is sooooo fun, If you have the original WiiSports,mark this one down on your Christmas list. You can wake board, skydive, and a bunch of other fun stuff. The kids loved playing it.
After dinner at Outback we had a few fun friends over. We watched the end of that amazing BYU game, had cake and ice cream and chatted. With about a dozen kids under 7 there, it was a riot. Thanks to the Beck's, my fam, Farnsworths, and both Burkinshaws for helping me celebrate. Here's to being Thirty, Flirty and Thriving...

Adjusting to the New Normal...

I cannot believe we have had Brenner for almost three weeks! It seems crazy to me. He is such a good baby and I'm not gonna lie, he is easier to handle than the other two mot of the time. He is a good eater and sleeper. In fact he thinks he is hungry ALL THE TIME. And if he spits up he expects you to replace what he 'lost'. Pretty funny. Berk has had the hardest time adjusting. While Braden loves holding him and feeding him, it too nearly two weeks for Berk to even hold him. But now he is Brenner's buddy. He asks at least twice a day "When Brenner be big?" because he wants him to play cars with him. Having Braden at school all day was a nice adjustment. I'm keeping it real, he and I butt heads over everything so it is nice not to have to break up fights for most of the day. Berk is losing out on naps most days, because he wants me to lay down with him, without the baby. When he's really tired, however, we find him like this

or this

Brenner is so much more alert now, and he is bound and determined to hold his head up for as long as possible. And he will turn to the sound of mine or Rusty's voice. Love it. We have had lots of visitors come meet Mr Brenner and we can't wait for everyone else to. My back is finally feeling better, and aside from a root canal I had over the weekend I am finally feeling back to my old self (almost). It's amazing what a difference not carrying around a huge belly makes on my mood. And how cute are these B1 B2 B3 shirts? My sister in law Jill made them (and cute jammie pants) for the boys. She just started a cute baking/sewing blog called Sew Tasty. There's a link on the side of my blog.