Happy Birthday and Saturday Soup

Tomorrow is Shawn's 29th Birthday!! Woo-hoo! His last year as a strapping young lad. We are going to be celebrating (in other words eating) our way through the day tomorrow, so I'm doing a Happy Birthday post and our Saturday Soup tonight. Shawn is an incredible guy and ANYONE who knows him, LOVES him. You just can't help it really! I feel so incredible lucky, blessed, and grateful to have him be MINE. Here are some fun facts about Shawnee-poo:


He's lived in: Idaho, Venezuela, Utah, & Iowa. Idaho weather is his favorite.
He loves to: Golf, play/talk about/watch football, camp, watch movies, and listen to music
He is an expert in: FEET, Aerosmith, Movie Trivia, Drawing/Art, and Tai-Kwan-Do (not really)
He has: hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim twice, white water rafted, and simulated ski-diving, oh, and he's been on the world's scariest ride on top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas!
He is the best father, husband, son, brother, friend and anything he sets his mind to he excels at!

Giving Bull Rides to the kids

What lucky boys!

My Demon of Screamin'!! I love you, Shawn.

On to Saturday Soup: This week after getting home from Idaho with the great news that a sister is on her way, we finally got serious about decorating for Christmas. AND, since we don't have ANY of our decorations with us, we have been making our own. Behold..... the Summers' family Christmas trees, complete with shape ornaments courtesy of Sam.

The other day while I was doing something else I heard Jack making noises from what I thought was the boys' room. I went in to investigate and didn't find him. I thought oh, know... he's in our bathroom tearing apart the drawers under the cabinet. No... I found him like this:

He thought he was pretty darn hilarious and I win the mother of the year award by instead of pulling him out and putting him on safe sturdy ground, ran and grabbed my camera. He got into the sink all by himself, and how he didn't fall off the tiny counter and knock his head is beyond me. This boy is going to give me a run for my money!

Happy Saturday to all - I have a Christmas TidBit Tuesday on the works for this Tuesday, and have some really good gift ideas, for really any holiday or birthday.

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Its a .....

We aren't 100% sure! Uh.... the tech thought she was pretty sure, but the baby was sitting indian style at a wierd downward angle, which made it virtually impossible to get a clear 100% shot! So her guess, which she felt was pretty good - is a oh, my can I even type it:

GIRL!!

Ahhh.... bring on the ribbons and bows. BUT this is subject to change, we'll be doing a follow up ultrasound next month to make sure. Until then we'll enjoy the thought that we'll be having a bundle of curls, pink, and giggles coming our way. We are super excited that the baby is a girl, that she was healthy, and that she is already showing her stubborness/modesty by not allowing us to know for sure.

I loved this shot - it was hard to get any clear shots because of the angle she was sitting, but here is a view of her nose and lips.

Saturday Soup - Ho! Ho! Ho! and Days of OUR Lives

We took the boys to see Santa at the mall today and I was very pleased with the look of the Santa, very traditional, nice natural beard, etc. Sam was super excited to AGAIN ask for a white tiger, Jack wasn't as excited about this Santa though. Whether it was the beard, the hat, or the big belly - we can't be sure but Jack was NOT going to sit on his lap!

From Bad to Worse.. Fast!

Lately I've been finding myself wanting to record the boys at this stage in their everyday hum-drum activities, just so I can remember them. They are at such fun and frustrating ages so here's my debut of the Days of OUR Lives with Sam (4.5 years & Jack 15 months). One day they will thank me for cleaning up after them......Sam starting the day with a nutritious breakfast of Cookie Crisp WITHOUT milk!

What happens while I'm showering and getting ready - mind you it usually only takes me 5 minutes to shower, and a total of 30 minutes to get ready...The boys playing farm with the tractors - they play really well together in their room.Fireman Sam - one of the many costumes he goes through each dayJack has had enough of lunch - what its not going to be candy and fruitsnacks!!

Playing Candy Land with Sam - skating over Lord Licorice

Tiger/Dog/Wolf/ Who Knows What the animal Sam is pretending to be....

Playing the Wii Fit & Playing Peek-a-boo in the Shark Tent

(just before the tackling and crying starts)Jack is such a smart boy - blows his nose, climbs on the folding chairs (safe!), table, toilet seat, anything that he might fall off of and require stitches afterSwimming Lessons - Sam is rocking it at the pool and is becoming quite the little fish

Jack can also now raid the fridge and get himself his favorite treat: Go-Gurt

A little bit of Golf before bed - and a fistful of JUNK. Jack has to sleep with something in at least one hand, he prefers wadded up scotch tape, wrappers or small plastic animals.

Happy Saturday to all - we are headed up to the Ultrasound tomorrow and will be posting as soon as possible.

When Parenting Backfires.... and other fun tales

As Christmas approaches a very special visitor has made an appearance at our home - Marty the Elf. He is a scout for Santa Claus to report on all of the behavior, good or bad in the house. I also have high hopes that this will be the thing to make Sam (and my) behavior turn into hugs and kisses, I love you's to Jack and sharing! HA! Well today after being put into a time out for pinching Jack and sticking his tongue out at me - he opens the door and yells....

"Marty's watching YOU!" How do I not laugh at this! He has also informed in the last few days since Marty's appearance that I will not be getting socks (the gift I asked Santa for) and that I can't watch Dancing With the Stars anymore (since he's biggest punishment is to not let him watch a show). What do you do when parenting backfires on you, and you start to hear yourself in your children? Sometimes I laugh, other times I feel a little ashamed that I don't have more patience, other times I shake my head and think how can I deal with this and he's only 4?

In other tales - Jack had a big fall in the tub last night peforming another one of his death defying splash moves, and cut his eye pretty good. Luckily no stitches were required, just some love.

Finally - I'm 20 weeks, half way through and can hardly believe it. We get to find out next Tuesday what this little one is, but no exactly at the ultrasound. Shawn can't make it, since my doctor is in Idaho, so I'm having the tech put the gender in an envelope and driving like a maniac back to Utah to open it with Shawn! So word to the wise, don't be on the road between Idaho and SLC Tuesday afternoon - I'll be in a hurry.....

Thanksgiving 2009

This year we spent two nights at Midway, UT with the entire Hill family (38 people - that is right) We had a great time and ALOT of great food!! Our first night we went to the Polar Express on the Heber Railroad. Sam thought this was great, and was so excited to see Santa Claus telling him he wants a white saber tooth tiger! (I'm not sure if Santa can do one of those) We then spent Thanksgiving Day eating, swimming, playing flag football, eating, swimming, eating, and swimming, oh and then eating again. We did our Christmas celebration here too with the Hill's - now that our families are getting so large its really hard to get everyone together for Christmas with presents in tow, so this was a great way to do both. I love my family so much and it was great to all be together for a few days.

Shawn and I were in charge of dessert - we supplied 2 pumpkin pies, 2 apple pies, cherry cheesecake, raspberry cake dessert, fudge, and peanut putter ricekrispy treats! We also had two turkeys, 4 bowls of dressing and ALL of the fixings. Its amazing to see how much 40 people can eat. Sam and Jack both had a great time playing with their cousins and we hardly saw them, so it was a nice vacation for us too. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great holiday - we had a great time.

Hayden, Addi, Ledger, Brooklyn, Tyleigh souping it up

Ryker, Sam and Cole ready to board the Polar Express

Jack telling Santa he wants a chair

Playing Football - Sam was a great little running backWe headed to Temple Square one Friday to see the first night of Christmas Lights. There were a lot of people with the same idea, but the lights are really an INCREDIBLE site. It is one of the top 100 Holiday things to see in the nation. Sam loved seeing the inside of the tabernacle and Assembly Hall, as well as seeing the presentation of the nativity in front of the North Visitor's Center. He is so smart and remembers so much of the Christmas story! Jack on the other hand tried not to fall asleep being strolled around in a bundle of blankets. It was a great way to start off the Christmas Holiday.

Finally to end the holiday PEFECTLY we went HERE (nothing better than a burger animal style):

and watched THIS! GO COUGS!!! Shawn was able to go to the game and enjoyed storming the field at the end of the game. Thank you Blake Family for making his dream come true!!

Happy Thanksgiving

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I want to express gratitude for my three greatest blessings - Shawn, Sam, and Jack. What a wonderful life it is to be surrounded by these wonderful, handsome, fun, loving BOYS!!! Here's a few things I'm grateful for about each of them.

Shawn - the GREAT father he is. Really, I don't think there is a more dedicated, loving father out there. He loves being with his boys and they love him. He is also incredibly smart, and humble about it, which I admire since I'm one to gloat about my own "smarts!" Its hard when you know everything:)

Sam - His imagination - right now he is crawling around on all fours, with Bolt ears, a collar and tracking "food". He always is the first to remind me to say a prayer at meals, he loves to learn, and is so BRAVE to have mastered swimming!!

Jack - I LOVE this little guy. His jabber as he totters around, his smile, his laughing at things that are funny, and naughty. I love how he gets his shoes when we're leaving, how he snuggles up to me, and how he shakes his head no to everything - even when asked if he wants a pony!

I'm so grateful to be with my family, since I know many of my friends and their families have been away from their spouses. I'm grateful for the gospel that allows motivates me to be better so that I will qualify for the chance to have my family for eternity. I'm grateful for the freedom of living in America. I'm grateful for wonderful family and friends who have supported me and our family - we love you all. Thank you!!

A New Look Alike?

Jack has always had, how should I put it, a "big ol' round head" - Shawn made the observation the other day that he had an Elder Oaks-like head. I think that is a good sign! What do you think?