Dinner with friends

My friend, Nichole, called us on a Friday asking what we were doing for dinner and brought us Pei Wei. We loved the company! Thanks so much for the fun night! Here our Kylie and Joe enjoying some ice cream

Hilarious lines from Joe lately
He is playing with Taylor and Parker in his room (Jamie and I think/hope they are playing nicely) Joe comes out in his boxers and plastic fireman hat and says, "Mom, I am having SO much fun playing with MY boys!"

We are getting ready to walk around our complex (me, Joe, Nichole, Jacey, and Kylie) and Joe says, "Mom, can you please get my lady a jacket (Kylie)? I think she is going to be cold.

I wish I was more on top of things to write down more stuff, but this will have to do!

Easton's 3rd Birthday

Joe was soooo excited when he found out Easton was having a fire truck party just like he did, and then even better the fire engine actually came for a visit! It was so cute because Steve doesn't get to go on the field trips or most of the things I do with Joe anyways because of work and he was enjoying it as much as Joe was. He was following him around the fire truck with the camera and was taking tons of pictures. I loved it! Wish he could do more of that "boy" stuff with us!

Here is the birthday group with the firemen

Me, Joe and Lynden who is not interested in the camera as much as she is the excited kids running around the truck

Love my sweet girl who refused to take a nap, this girl does not like to miss a party!

Pinata time!

Go Joe! I was so proud of him, it's not like him to participate in group things!

I was even more PROUD that he went into the crazy picking up candy circle without me and Steve holding his hand and helping him. Easton's dad, Kevin, is Steve's boss and it was crazy because I met his father in law, Tony when I got there. Steve and I started talking to him and he was asking where we were from, where we started out with Marriott, etc and when I said Southern California, he said he was from Sunland, Tujunga area. Well so is my dad so I mentioned his name and Tony went to high school with my Uncle John and Uncle Tim. My dad had heard his name during the football games, but he was older than him so he didn't really know him. Such a small world!

Wonderful family day

We don't get very much family time during the week, if any, so by the weekend we are loving Saturdays with our kids. Joe and dad love playing soccer at this super nice park we have by where we live. There is a huge bowl of grass and Steve stands at the bottom so that the ball will roll back down to him even if Joe doesn't kick it far :)

The little athlete in motion, and miss easy baby taking a nap

Joe really enjoys climbing the wall and rock wall by himself, but demands that we be there just in case he slips

Here is our new thing. Joe has always been sweet to Lynden, but doesn't like to hold her...Well now he does, on the slide!!! He is super careful with her and loves taking her down. Yes, I woke her up from her nap so that he could hold her.

Then afterward he wanted all of us to go down the BIG slide! Fun day at the park with my sweet family! I'm loving having a boy and a girl. They are so sweet and patient with me as a mom.

Joe is riding his bike! He is still a little nervous because it is bigger and takes more work than his little trike, but he can do it. He just has to remember to look up while pedaling so he doesn't steer himself off the road! I'm so proud!

Miss the Krommenhoek's

I decided everybody needs a friend like Jamie Krommenhoek. I visit taught her in San Francisco and now we have gone our separate ways---Arizona---Texas and who knows where else we will go, but for now we are on opposite sides of the country :) Jamie has been so sweet to me. She has tried some of my new recipes and has said they were delicious when they probably weren't, was the first one to watch my baby Joe while I enjoyed a date with my husband and let Joe completely rule the house, went on numerous walks with me and let me do all the talking, made me fabulous cd's that my brothers have since stolen (sorry), and was the last one I said goodbye to in San Francisco. Now that we have both become a little bit busier, I barely get a chance to talk to her, BUT she did have Joe's Elvis costume from his 1st Halloween that she borrowed for Caleb. (Joe is 3 and has since had 2 Halloween's :) and I was figuring Jamie would just keep it and told her to. In the mail probably a couple months ago, since I'm so on top of things, here came this package from Jamie. Not only was there his costume, there was an adorable dress for Lynden, treats for Joe, and a sweet note. I love friends like Jamie because they are the most genuine kind. She doesn't have to be my best friend, we don't have to talk on the phone once a month, or in our case 3 times a year, and we don't have to live even remotely close to each other. She is just a genuine, kind, did I mention beautiful (model type) person and I'm so grateful for the genuine friends I have come across during the different adventures Steve and I have been on. Thanks Jamie!

Reunion with the Osness family!

Sarah and Joe reunited!

Lynden enjoyed meeting Sarah, Hillary, Roger and William

Hillary and me, I love this girl! She took me right in in San Francisco and our kids just got along great and I miss her tons! I was so glad that she called to let us know she was in town for the weekend and was thrilled that she had the time to see us. We got to have dinner together and catch up a little. It made me a little homesick for the city, but I'm glad I have a washer and dryer now :)

Joe, Sarah, William and Lynden (and Steve trying to get all the kids to look and smile, A for effort!) Crazy that we moved from San Francisco when will was only a week and a half old!We will have to meet up again soon! Thanks for being such good friends!

The Sheriff makes a drop in to preschool

The Sheriff (Wendy's husband) came to visit and Joe got busted!

I didn't get the memo that the Sheriff was coming so I ran home, got the camera because I knew Wendy would want some pictures and took Joe back to the 4's class. Here he is with his deputy badge.

With the awesome Sheriff car waiting for the class to come out

Jim was so great with the kids and let Joe turn on the lights and show everyone since he had already been there that morning

Here is Miss Wendy with her 4 year old class and Joe. Lucky little boy got the police car tour twice and he loved it! It was so cute!

Grandma & Papa come into town

Papa and Grandma came into town during their spring break to see us and Uncle Bill and Aunt Barb. We had a really fun time relaxing, eating, and playing with the kids. I have a sweet picture of Joe and Papa, but can not seem to find it at the moment so this is going to look like an "all about Lynden post"

Here is the little sweetie enjoying tummy time and the puppy Spike at Aunt Barb's. Joe was loving the time he got with Grandma and Papa. He was completely spoiled and even got a sweet Wolverine toy for eating his lunch for Grandma! The guys enjoyed some golf before the rain came and the girls just hung out. Every time Joe saw papa, he'd let him know he had the "Dr" waiting for him (Dr Pepper).

Our cute cousins were in town

Love these girls! I'm so lucky to be related to them! I have so much fun when they come into town and love that they actually hang out with us! There are tons of Canadians here during the winter and the Gibson's are pretty popular wherever they go, so we know we are liked when we get to see them a few times during their trips!

Joe running through the water, dancing like a crazy person, enjoying lots of attention. The singer made a note to say that Joe would be a great Olympian (this was during the Olympics), in front of the crowd.

Aunt Barb with "Lynnie" at dinner. We had a good dinner at Islands even though poor Steve made it as we were just finishing. Luckily we went to their place and got to watch some of the olympics after and let the kids play. I love Aunt Barb, she reminds me of my mom in some ways and takes the best care of my kids. I wish they would stay in Arizona during the summer months too :)!

Love my in laws

I think I lucked out in the in law department. I hit a havalina with my car in February and this is what my father in law sent me. My mother in law came into town and brought me a whole pound of See's Candies, which I took a picture of but can't seem to find it so maybe it will make an appearance later. I love it how they know me so well and get me things that they've actually put thought into, even if it's a making-fun-of-me gift.
A few months ago (since I have been barely keeping up with this blog), I hit a havalina with my new car. It wasn't a stressful day or anything. I was taking dinner to a family in the ward that had just had a baby and Steve was at the church helping the Bishop give blessings. I'm driving down a busy road (I wasn't in the middle of nowhere) and I see a truck with its lights shining into the road. Not 2 seconds later does something literally JUMP into the road and I took it out. It didn't even have time for its little hooves to hit the ground. It was huge and I was an absolute wreck. I watched another car definitely take the last breath from this animal and I was able to get to the side of the road. Both of my kids and my warm dinner were with me. Joe was the one in control getting me to pull over and calm down, yes he is 3 and I am 24...I had no idea what I had hit, for all I knew it could have been someone's dog, child, etc. It was super dark and an industrial area. I pulled up far enough away from it and some people on bikes told me I had just hit a havalina-wild desert pig/boar. Then the person from the truck pulled up and said he must have spooked it when he was locking up the gate in front of a building. I didn't have to stay because it was out of the lanes of traffic now. Thank goodness because I didn't have my license on me, I had a headband for Lynden and Joe was looking all handsome, but no license or purse. Obviously my priorities are in the right place! The stupid animal took off my front bumper and did about $3000 worth of damage. Fabulous! My car has only been in my possession for 2 months and I've gotten hit by a flying construction pylon and a havalina, both not my fault but somehow we have to pay $1000 to get our car fixed. Hmmm...
So my in laws now think I would be great luck for hunting season because I attract wild animals...

Joe is hilarious and Lynden is a sweetheart

It is 11:00 at night and yes my 3 year old is still awake bouncing off the walls. He usually stays up late because if he ever wants to see his dad, late is when he gets to see him. Mondays & Wednesdays he goes to bed between 9 and 10 so he isn't too tired for preschool, but the rest of the week he is quite the trooper. He thoroughly enjoys spending time with his best buddy. So tonight Steve got home at 8:23 and left to play basketball at 9:04. Not enough time for Joe so Joe has decided to wait up for him, hoping that they can make a car out of the cardboard box that Lynden's bedding came in today. I, thinking that it is a man's job to know what to do with a cardboard box, volunteered Steve's expertise for the job. We'll see how it goes...
Anyways while we have been waiting Joe has talked on the phone to Grandma Sue, Grandpa Joe, and Aunt Chelsea.
For Grandma Sue and Grandpa Joe he sang, "I like to move it move it. I like to move it move it. I like to move it move it. I like to MOVE IT!" (Madagascar movie) So cute!
He told Grandpa what a good basketball player daddy is and that when he grows up he would like to be a basketball player, an instrument man and a train maker.
He told Grandma he can't wait to see her, Grandpa, Uncle JK and Uncle Ben, but not to bring Ellie the dog. He told her how this week at school is Dr. Seuss week.
He got on the phone with Chelsea and I walked up to him and he said, "You know you're not supposed to talk to me while I'm on the phone." Of course Chelsea was dying laughing really helping out the situation going on about how Joe is her favorite and the funniest boy ever. Luckily soon after that he got off the phone and decided to go "fishing."
Funny funny boy!
Lynden has had a few extremely easy days for me. We had Uncle Bill, Aunt Barb, Ashley, Brittany and Summer over for dinner last night. She ate at the right times, slept at the right times, played at the right times and was a sweet happy girl. Anytime Joe comes around she smiles and laughs at him and tries to copy his screams. I got to cook the entire meal and desserts with not too much stress before they got here. Lynden found her toes yesterday and is enjoying playing and becoming quite the little flexible baby. I love these sweet kids!