Kiddos

In February Ranee went to Vegas (with a quick stop @ Tyson and Kendra's) and then on to LA for a quick visit @ Tara and Jon's.

Molly likes her rocking horse she got from Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Bill.  Next to the horse is a little kitchen toy that plays music.  Molly likes to sing along to the music it plays.  She also likes to sing along to Tyson's ring tone.  

Here she's playing patty cake with Daddy.  They had previously played Ring Around the Rosie and then Tyson helped Molly dress up like Cinderella.  He's a good Dad to his daughters.

Kendra and Molly were playing with the camera on my phone.  :)

And Evie?  Evie slept pretty much the entire time I visited.  Cute little baby.  I can't wait to see her again.

On to a quick trip to LA.  Ethan, as always, played with the luggage.  Here he is using it as a landing pad for his airplanes.  He and Corryn were climbing on it and he dragged my carry on through the entire apartment several times.  He loves things with wheels.

Corryn using a hammer...ish.

Ethan's first visit to the ice cream truck.  He did it all himself.  

Hooray for Popsicle!

While Ethan was purchasing the frozen treat, Corryn was swinging and swinging and swinging.  

Tara and I went out for an early birthday dinner to the Depot in Old Torrance. It was super yummy.  Happy Birthday Tara!

Silly Kids

The kids in our family sure are silly.  For example:

Collin blinding himself with his new mouse.

Hunter bowing.

Hunter trying to do a pull up (and Debbie giving him a boost).

Tausha spinning and spinning under the Christmas tree at the Capitol building to make herself dizzy.

Corryn and Ethan exploring Grandpa Bob and Grandma Katherine's house.

Ethan found a treasure box.  He then put the PT Cruiser toy car that Grandpa Bob gave him in the "treasures" box.

Hunter explaining the rules of Settlers of Catan.

And finally, Ethan insisting on being tossed around in a laundry basket until Dad was tired, then he asked Mom and when Mom was tired he asked Nay Nay and when Ranee was tired he asked Grandpa Bob. And when Grandpa Bob declined, Ethan wanted to take the laundry basket home to Nana's, cause she wouldn't be too tired for sure.

G-Chat with the Great-Grandkids

We sent to visit Mom today and she got to visit with Tara, Jon, Ethan and Corryn while they were out on the porch enjoying some time in the kiddie pool. Corryn floated around in her tube and Ethan showed us his boat and how fantastic he is at scooping water from the pool and pouring it back into the pool. Mom really enjoyed being able to see the great-grandkids (and the grandkids). Hooray for technology!

A little sneak peek of time spent with the kids

Little Corryn giggling at her mama and big brother Ethan showing how adorable he can be :-)

December Cali Visit Part 3

Some of my favorite photos from the trip:

Dad, Kat, Kendra, Tyson and Molly by the Teacups. Molly LOVED the Teacups. She didn't ride them (only Katherine and Ranee did) but she LOVED the lanterns above the ride.

Tara and family in front of Haunted Mansion, all decked out for the Holidays. Haunted Mansion and Small World were the two "must do" rides for almost everyone at Disneyland, both having Christmas decorations incorporated into the rides.

While Tara, Jon and Corryn were riding Haunted Mansion, Ethan found a ramp and started running up and down it. Of course, he didn't mind all of the other people on the ramp at all, he just weaved in and out of them wherever he found an opening until he got to the bottom of the ramp, stopped and looked around for Ranee...who was apologizing to all of the people he was cutting off and she was running into trying to keep tabs on him. Half the people looked at her with disdain - who lets their kid run around in a crowd? (he's not my kid...that's how...I'm just concerned with making sure he doesn't bleed while in my care) and the other half just laughed and smiled that Ethan was having such a great time at the Happiest Place on Earth - jealous that he didn't have to wait in a long line for a ride to have fun...he was pleased as punch just to keep running up and down the ramp.

Above Ethan kindly points out the water he found...that kid loves water...and wheels (see above). The wheels above did not belong to his stroller, nor to the stoller of anyone we knew. Of course, that didn't stop him from playing with them - thanks, Random Stranger, for parking your stroller so Ethan could play with it.

December Cali Visit Part 1

Turns out that Ethan is infatuated with wheels. Ranee, Grandpa Bob and Grandma Katherine visited Tara and Jon and family earlier this month. Grandpa Bob on a trek of the Southwestern US, having spent a few days with Tyson, Kendra and Molly just prior, is apparently travelling the country visiting his great grandchildren. Lucky them!

Corryn chilling...but just seconds later she lost it (see Tara's blog for the photo taken 2 seconds after this one).

A neighborhood in Torrance goes ALL OUT with the Christmas lights. We spent several hours walking around, admiring them all and taking out of focus photos.

Ethan is not a fan of the Grinch. At such a young age even he knows that the guy is trying to steal Christmas.

Grandma Katherine meeting little Corryn for the first time.

Next up: Tyson and Kendra surprise us all and join us in Disneyland.

Happy Birthday, my Tara

Twenty-three years ago, I gave birth to a beautiful girl.
Only Heavenly Father knew how much she would change my world.

Three months after she was born, our great journey began.
For three years she melted everyone’s hearts in Deutschland.

Life for her couldn’t get much better, playing in the Oklahoma rain.
But soon it was cut short because her Daddy had to go fight Saddam Hussein.

Back to Boise she went for six months, to live with family, it was bitter cold.
Grandparents gushed over how she was the best behaved three and a half year old.

Soon, she became a big sister, wanting to be just like her Mommy and breastfeed.
In Texas she received 1st prize for a drawing at school. That’s my girl, yes indeed.

After returning to Idaho, she explored soccer, jump-roping and swimming.
Brimming with talent, junior high and high school brought track, volleyball, art and singing.

Excited to move on, it was then time to go to college; BYU was her choice.
Does she know I cried all the way home from Provo? But soon there was a reason to rejoice.

She met a righteous, worthy companion there during her first days away from home.
“Jonathan Evans is his name, Mom, he’s from Canada and wants us to make a life of our own.”

Then it was time for her to receive a precious gift from God above.
Sweet Ethan Patrick Evans brought to her life celestial love.

Now her journey continues in California where there is waves and sunshine.
Dearest Tara, you have been so blessed, know that everything will be just fine.

Love you lots and lots!! Mom

Some very large & inflatable Canadians wanted...

&

...to wish Tara a Happy Day! (hee hee hee)

Yet Another July Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Tara and Jon!

Mine! Mine! Mine!

In February Tara came up to Seattle for a visit and a foto gig. We went to Pike Place Market and got a dozen of the yummy donuts. We had a bunch left and decided to feed the pigeons. Much to Tara's surprise the seagulls swooped in within seconds. Swooped in. Almost attacking Tara...notice the flinch?

The seagulls were not sharing with the pigeons at all.

Here the seagulls are at least pretending to listen to Tara's lecture about sharing. But it didn't stick in their little bird brains. Poor pigeons.