Tate at Linder Farms

Tate's school fieldtrip!

Tate's fieldtrips for school always take place on Saturdays. They like to make them a family event and figure that's the best day to hold them for the whole family to be able to attend. Well, Nate had to work, Bailee was baking a cake for her friends birthday and I can't handle Eli and Tate on my own. So, just Morgan and I took Tate. It was so much fun! They had a hayride to a pumkin patch, a petting zoo with llamas, baby goats and a calf, pony rides, and inflatable bouncy houses. We spent 3 hours there and could have been there longer. I love his school and it seems that he does too!

Eli's Spaceship

Eli comes up missing at least once a day. It sounds aweful but it has been something I have gotten used to. He is just always moving and getting in to something. So, the other day as I was searching the house looking for him I must have walked past the laundry room 5 times before I heard him chuckle from inside the dryer. I find him there at least once a day now. He thinks it is his spaceship. I just hope Tate never figures out how to turn it on!

Halloween

Our kids all went different directions this Halloween (Bailee and Morgan to different parties and we took the boys "trunk-or-treating" at our ward activity) but we made them get back into their costumes on Sunday so I could get a picture. Aren't they cute?

Our Girls

The girls dad (Cody) just came to visit them and he brought their little half-brother, Pearce. They had a good visit and love to see them. They have been able to see him a lot more frequently lately. Which has been really good for them! He brought with them pictures they had done while in Denver this summer. Aren't they gorgeous young ladies (if I do say so myself!)? Cody, Nate and I are all very proud of them.

Tate's first day of Pre-Kindergarten

Tate went back to school today. He was so excited and loves his new teacher. Eli didn't handle it so well. He screamed at the top of his lungs when we walked out of the classroom. It wasn't that he didn't want to leave Tate but that he wanted to stay and play. Luckily, we only have one more year until he can start pre-school!

Laguna Beach

The beach was a little scary with the boys. They have no fear of the ocean and would take off running into it with or without us. Eli can disappear in a moments notice anyway and I was terrified that he would get washed away before we even knew he was missing. We all survived and made it back to tell the story. Morgan spent most of her time looking for sea shells while the rest took turns keeping the boys alive. It was and exhausting adventure!

Disneyland

We took the kids to Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. We found a really great deal and couldn't pass it up. Even though the timing wasn't the best ( Nate had to work for 7 days a week for almost the entire month of August to get caught up enough to leave and the girls started school the day before we left).

We had a ton of fun! We ate at In-n-Out Burger at least once a day, my Uncle James cooked us dinner our first night there at his home in Hollywood, we spent 3 days at Disneyland, and finished out the week playing at the beach and shopping.

While at Disneyland we told the girls they could take off and ride some of the "big kid rides" by themselves, but they mostly stuck with us because it was so much fun watching the boys enjoy it all. It was definately more fun seeing it through the eyes of children.

Dad the Turtle

Nate was entertaining the boys while we were watching t.v. the other night. Tate balanced the bean bag on Nate's back and then climbed on and of course Eli followed. When Nate started to crawl around the floor Tate said,"Look Mom! Dad is a turtle." It was all fun and games until Eli went tumbling off the side. Good thing he has a hard head!

Boise Zoo

More Zoo

I had to go to the Boise mall this weekend to finish our Christmas shopping. I had heard that the zoo had a new baby giraffe. So, we decided we would take the boys to the zoo and make the girls suffer through it so it would be fair for the boys to suffer through the mall. It is always a challenge to make everyone in our family happy at once because of the age difference. However, it all worked out in the end. Bailee's highschool choir was performing at the zoo and Nathan let the boys ride on the quater toys at the mall while they waited for us. And it was the icing on the cake that I got nearly all of our Christmas shopping finished!

It was brought to my attention that there are few pictures of me on this blog (that was intentional). I am not as photogenic as the rest of my family and I am usually the one taking the pictures. However, for those of you who don't get to see me very often here I am with my darling husband. CHEESE!

Daddy's boys

The boys are always so excited when Nate gets home from work they rarely let him out of their sight. He had to make room on his lap for both of them while keeping them far enough apart that they don't pummel each other. Snuggling Dad while watching Spongebob is their idea of the perfect evening.

Go Skyview!

Bailee just finished soccer and now Basketball season has started and taken over our lives. I love watching her though and things have gotten a lot easier since Morgan can babysit. I leave one of the boys with her and take the other with me to help cheer Bailee and her team on. Bailee is point guard this year (whatever that is). She made the sophmore team which is impressive considering she is a freshman.

The soccer pic is from this season. The basketball pic is from last year. They haven't had basketball pictures yet this year. The picture of the court is her crouched down getting instructions from her coach. When she is playing she is moving too much to catch on film.

Morgan's band concert

Morgan had her first ever band concert. I was so proud. She inherited Bailee's flute and plays in her school band. After attending Bailee's first concert several years ago, I went prepared for it to not be very good. I was pleasantly surprised. They did very well. It was even enjoyable. She is the one on the far right side at the end. One of these day I will actually bring my camera to an event and not have to display pictures taken with my phone.

Morgan Plays Volleyball

Morgan hasn't found her sport (other than karate) just yet, but she recently participated in a volleyball jamboree her school had. They practiced two days a week at 6 am for two weeks. They then had a "jamboree" that took place on one afternoon where they played several teams until they were eliminated. I am very proud of her for sticking with it and waking up so early to practice. They did great! She is the one in the back row with her hands on her hips. So cute!