18 Months

Wow, time flies when you're busy.

And let me tell you, these boys are keeping me busy.

Deano is ALWAYS on the move.

He can make my heart flutter with his smile one second then the next make me so angry with his mischief.

He climbs everything.

My mom says I'm getting what I deserve because I was a climber.

I'm now to the point that I let him climb.

He has pretty good balance and if he falls then maybe he'll learn.

But according to Mark he's learning the wrong lessons.

He simply tries to figure out what he did wrong while climbing.

I like that he's trying to figure things out, it's an awesome trait to have when older.

But for now it's kinda driving me crazy.

He really seems to think he's one of the big kids.

He's kinda always fallowed Scott around wondering what he's doing.

But now he thinks he can do whatever Scott does.

He tries to play with Scott and his toys but Scott doesn't like that much.

He learned how to climb on the kitchen chairs and now refuses to eat in his high chair.

He just wants to eat in a big boy chair.

He also wont let me feed him anymore.

He has to feed himself and he likes to try to use utencils too.

I don't remember Scott needing to be this independent. 

He has drive.

He is doing a great job at repeating words and sounds.

He has to walk up and down the stairs, not crawl, but walk.

He still hates getting his bum changed which makes me wonder when he'll be forsing me to potty train him.

I had to force Scott to potty train but I have a feeling that Dean is going to be different.

Dean is a sugar addict.

I know it's my fault.

But he's doing awesome at eating a variety of foods.

He's still a mamma's boy but knows his daddy is a lot of fun too.

He is insanely persistent.

You say no, say he can't do something, that wont stop him from crying.

He will keep going back to whatever he wants and is not easily distracted or persuaded away.

Oh but I love this boy.

He loves to help.

He loves to hear me say, "Thank you, good job."

He get's such a grin and tries to do more good things.

He loves to go swimming.

He loves to jump on the bed, or rather fall onto the bed.

He doesn't like to cuddle anymore but he does love hugs and kisses.

He is still so good about going to bed and taking naps.

He is trying but so adorable.

Height-   32"   37%

Weight-   24lbs 11oz    59%

Head- 19.29"    89%

Green Thumb

I guess I got it.

Mom's dreams are coming true for me.

I think my grandma is helping me out.

I've lost a few plants along the way, but I'm not thinking about those.

My garden has exploded.

My pumpkin vines are ten feet long and growing.

We also have pumpkins growing.

My squash is trying to take over any and all empty space around the other plants.

And this zuccini grew without me ever seeing it.

Seriously, Mark's the one who pointed it out to me today while I was standing right in front of it looking at something else.

If it was a snake, it would have bit me.

Oh, I love zuccini.

Mark and I have decided to fry it in our new fryer.

Mark is in heaven with that thing.

So it's not the healthiest way to eat them but we are going to have so many of them and hopefully they will all be huge like this one so we'll be fine.

I'm so excited for the fall for the first time ever.

McEvoy Family Reunion

We went to the first ever McEvoy family reunion.

It was a lot of fun.

We went to Bear Lake which Mark and I love.

The weather wasn't great so we spent a lot of time in the huge house that we rented.

My dad's brothers and sister came along with all the James McEvoy family, except Josh :(

Scott loved his cousin time.

Mark road his motorcycle up and did a lot of fun rides around the lake.

I also got to go with my grandparents and dad up to Idaho to a museum and out to lunch.

It was fun to get to spend some time with just them.

While Mark would go out on his rides we would head out to our favorite, La Beau's.

Love their shakes.

Had a great time at the house by the lake, not so much the lake.

Oh well, we had great company.

Chick-Fil-A

So it was "eat more chicken" day at Chick-Fil-A.

So if you dress up like a cow you get a free meal.

Melissa always does it but this was our first year.

Scott totally loved it.

I loved that with some black paper and white shirts I got free food.

Mark called us nerds but he sure enjoyed the food.

MMMMMMMM!

Bryce Canyon Half Marathon

Here we are, we did it!

Over Easter April caught me at a weak moment and somehow I agreed to do a half marathon.

I really did want to do a half marathon but I never thought it was possible.

But my sweet Lexi Soper did one and I saw her training and working hard for her goal and that inspired me.

I wanted to set a goal and see it through.

I haven't really been good at long term goals.

If I started at Easter I would have enough time to get myself where I needed to be.

I am really amazed that I followed through.

Every week I would do something I never had before.

But I would get very discouraged during training too.

I was constantly wondering why I signed up.

Constantly wish I could quit.

Constantly wishing I would finally break a bone to get out of it.

Constantly needing people to help encourage me.

Which my sister Katie and my friend Kelsie were always ready to help.

I totally felt the mind game not just during the training runs but throughout the whole week.

I am amazed that I was able to do this.

I did not love training for it.

But at the same time, I did something that I really didn't know I was capable of.

That's what I wanted.

I wanted to expand myself past my limits.

I wanted to push myself.

And I did just that.

AHOY, I RUN!

Independence Day

We had a fun Fourth of July.

We went to my parents house for dinner and played fun outdoor games.

Then we went to the Alpine park for fireworks.

So I guess everybody in Alpine goes there.

Including those who buy fireworks.

Seriously if you want an AMAZING and free fireworks show go there.

There are at least 5 different people setting them off at any given time.

And we're not talking about the little ground spinners or the loud annoying ones although there are plenty of those too.

I'm talking about the cool sky ones.

I was stunned but everything going off.

We were way too close to the action because I got ash in my eye while looking up at it and we had a spinner go right over our blankets that was pretty freaky.

It's a big park and there are plenty of safe places to observe.

We stayed for about an hour after dark before that spinner went off and we decided to leave.

But we decided to go home over Suncrest and we could see them still going off from there.

It will definitely not be the last time we go there.

So grateful for all our freedoms

God bless the USA. 

Just Cause

This kid makes me happy everyday.

I can't get enough of him and his smile.

Anytime he lets me cuddle with him I can't help but smile too.

Love you Bubba Dean.

Puzzling

I have been BFF with Melissa for 5 years now but I just found out that we are both puzzle people.

We were able to get together for her birthday this year.

The big 30.

I think she found it to be less then exciting.

I tried in my own small way to help by bringing her some Texas Road House ribs and rolls and a doughnut cake and a new puzzle.

Sometimes a night in with comforts is all you need.

So we stayed up late, watched chick flicks and did a puzzle.

We are pretty dang good at them too.

Melissa, sorry I'm not a better party thrower.

I love just hanging out with you.

You can make me giggle like I'm 8 again.

You are often the only one I can talk to.

You never judge anyone unfairly.

You are truly the kindest person I know.

Thank you for excepting me.

Happy Birthday!

Picnic in March?

 Seriously, how is it warm enough to have awesome picnics in March?

I love how warm it has been.

I love early springs.

I love having our own private back yard.

I love having it fenced (Dean needs fences).

I love hanging out with these crazies all day.

Now I think I'll lay down and take a nap with the sun keeping me warm.

Oh wait I can't cause I have a Bubba that crawls all over me the second I lay down.

Oh well, we shall still lay down and bask in the warm March sun.

Lunch Date

Sometimes we just miss our dad during the day.

And being this close to his job now means it's super easy come stop by.

Plus we love their Dinosaur park at City Creek.

Love you Daddy.

Thanks for working so hard.

Crazy Soper

Last night or this morning, however you want to look at it, I went with Tami and Kylee up to Antelope Island so support our Crazy Soper.

She was running the 100 miler and she was bond and determined to finish this year.

But we were worried about her from the updates we had been getting.

Chad was saying that she had been throwing up since mile 23 and can't keep anything down.

Well it was the night time stretch so we drove up there to give whatever love we could.

The Whipples are always up for a crazy adventure and I was excited for whatever they were up to.

We got there at 10 and found the gates closed.

But we new there had to be a way to get in since the race was going on.

We waited, and waited till a friend of a ranger came and had sympathy on us and let us in.

Talk about good luck.

We got to the tent around 10:45ish and found out that Soper had been through the tent a half hour earlier and was going out and around the whole island.

She was on her longest stretch and we were left to wait in a cold tent.

So we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It was fun hanging out and joking around, getting caught up on all the news from the old ward.

Come 2:30 she made her way back through the tent and we gave her our cheer.

She was staying strong and grabbed some noodles and left.

She was an animal.

I can't help but be completely amazed at her amazing drive and strength.

She is strong physically but even more strong emotionally and mentally and spiritually.

Coming from a girl that gives up on goals regularly, I can't help but be inspired but her drive.

She finished her race in 22.5 hours (I can't run for half an hour let alone 22.5)

Way to go Soper!

You're CRAZY!!!!!

Hungry Bubba's

Every morning Mark get's up and has breakfast with Scott.

They've been doing it since before Dean was born.

Scott loves it.

I love listening to their conversations.

Well Dean and I have gotten into our own morning routine.

I get up and get Dean a bottle.

I get myself a bowl of cereal and open the blinds in the front room.

I sit down on my new couches and enjoy to sunlight of the morning.

Before long Dean comes in and looks up at me like this.

This is his "feed me" face.

I have started pouring more cereal for us.

I love this face.

He get's in moods where he'll be happy for two seconds then starts to cry.

That lasts until I start to laugh and then he laughs too.

I love our mornings.

Treasure Hunt

Scott has been telling me that on St. Patrick's day he's going on a treasure hunt.

I don't know where he got the idea but am I to do?

I have to follow through.

So I got some candy, green paper and made up some silly clues.

He had to read the underlined words himself.

He loved it.

And Mark and I love seeing him light up with excitement.

Dean of course enjoyed the spoils.

  

Life is Good

I have months and months of catching up to do.  This past year of Dean's life has been so busy that I am over come with guilt over all that is already forgotten.  I get so sick just thinking about it because I love to remember.  This past year has been so wonderful and full of wonderful things to remember, but some will be lost till the next life to come.  Before all are gone I wanted to share a few happy thoughts and happenings of late.

Scott is so much fun.  Can I say that again?  I think I will.  Scott is SOOOO much FUN!  He isn't in preschool right now and it scared me at first, not only did he need the extra help but I needed that extra break.  But he has been so good and such a help.  He has taken his responsibilities as a big brother very seriously lately.  He wakes up early every morning and waits for Dean to wake up.  He asks me if he can go in and when I'm ready he goes in and greats Dean with a happy good morning.  He plays in there and keeps him entertained till I go in. And when it's time for Dean's nap Scott has to come with me to put him to bed every time.  He whispers, "Good night Dean, have sweet dreams, I love you." Scott is doing such a great job playing too.  Play didn't always come easy to Scott.  But now he does a wonderful job playing imagination with all of them.  Of course his favorite are still Dinosaurs and sea creatures.  He still soaks up any and all information about dino's and animals and such.  He is so smart and curious and... and... FUN!  So far this has been my favorite age of his.  We are best buds.

Dean is also so much fun and growing WAY too fast.  He is smaller then Scott was at this age but has developed in some ways sooner then Scott did.  He took his first few steps when he was around 10 months old but didn't adopt it as his main mode of transportation till a week before he turned 12 months old.  He has been constantly on the move since he could crawl.  He gets into everything, so much more then Scott ever did.  He is trouble but oh boy I love that trouble.  He brings a smile to my heart with just the thought of him.  His face is just so sweet and innocent.  His cheeks are still big and soft and squooshy.  I could kiss those cheeks all day.  Scott has always had the same ones.  Mmmmmm, love them.  Dean is also beginning to repeat us more.  He has been repeating us with mama and dada for a long time now but he was just having fun saying sounds.  But he started saying hi to us a week or so ago.  Its so sweet because he says it high pitched like I say it and Scott and mark have started saying it that way back.  He has also been waving.  On Sunday he started saying and waving bye also.  It's been so long since we've gotten to experience this stage that it has become new and fun all over again.  

Mark just got a motorcycle and to say he is obsessed is a huge understatement.  But because he is so happy that I let him get one, yes, he needed my permission, I am getting to do a lot of the things around the house that I've always wanted to do.  We don't know how long we will be staying in this house but we do know that we love being here, more then we originally thought we would when we moved back.  We are enjoying making thins more into our home.  I shall post pictures later but it will be a while since we have some very big projects going on.  

As I say life is good.

We have our stresses and worries still but more then that, we have so much to be grateful for.

We are so bless.

SO SO BLESSED!

Carrot

This is Carrot.

Scotty and I made him.

Scott's been begging me since summer to make a snowman with him.

Between our weird warm winter and moving it's been difficult.

But today I decided to make his dreams come true, that's what I do.

After we were done Scott named him Carrot.

A few hours later this is Carrot.

Wow was he sad.

He had tears in his eyes and a stiff upper lip.

I explained the sad truth about weather, then we sang the snowman song and I had to swear on my life that we would build another snow man someday.

Then he was happy again.

So he went and kicked him the rest of the way down.

What a funny kid.

And what a weird winter we are having.

It is March and we are outside after a snow storm without jackets.

I'm going to get really mad at mother nature if we get an ugly winter later when it's been close to nothing earlier.

Exciting Things to Come

Take a good look.

It's all going to change.

We are getting ready to paint.

First the walls then I'm going to do the cabinets.

Holy cow it's going to be a lot of work but I'm so excited for the outcome.

We are even going to get new floors.

I can't wait to see how this place is going to look.

A New Kinda Bike

Mark finally got a motorcycle.

We have always talked about getting one.

Even before we were married I knew that he wanted one and we would dream about going on long rides across the country on one.

No one likes the idea.

People keep calling me wondering what the heck he is thinking.

I'm not the one who controls that man.

And even if I did I wouldn't stop him from getting one.

I married him knowing that's what he wanted.

Heck I've wanted one too.

Not this kind but still.

I wanted a Harley cruiser type bike.

But we'll get that eventually.

It's been nice for him to have.

He rides it to work and can now go to places without taking the car.

But he loves it so much that he likes to just go on a ride for fun.

I don't love him going out all the time but it's his new toy so I understand that he wants to play with it.

He also got all the protective gear for it.

He can't ride it without his full suit.

He has the helmet, the leather coat, the leather gloves, the canvas pants, and even the boots.

And all those items have tons of hard protective things sewn in.

I'm not too worried about him.

He's used to not being seen while on his road bike so he knows how to be an overly defensive driver.

He's also taken a course to help give him lots of new tips.

He knows that he has to be incredibly careful.

I worry about the other drivers on the road but I've had to put that worry aside when he goes on his road bike rides.

He's happy with it and that's all I could ask for.

Well almost all.

I kinda wish it was a different color but then I remind myself that yellow is pretty visible so I guess it's fine.

Don't Even Think About It

My sister, Anne gave Scott Natalie Ann's old chair way back when we lived in the village.

Scott liked it but he prefurred to cuddle with mom or sit on the floor and play with toys.

Not Dean.

Dean loves this chair.

He will yell and push you off if you sit in it.

He picks it up and moves it around the room to where he wants.

He's even just started using it as a stool to get onto the couch.

Scott gets bugged at times but for the most part he doesn't care.

I think it's adorable.

New Furniture

We got new furniture.

I'm completely in love.

I've been wanting front room furniture in here since we moved in the first time.

James let us use his for a bit and I loved it but it wasn't mine.

I never picked it out.

Mark and I were given a lot of really nice furniture pieces when we got married as gifts and I am so grateful but I never picked them out.

But these, Mark and I went furniture shopping around and we talked about what we both wanted.

Mark was a sweetheart and let me get whatever I wanted.

Obviously if he really couldn't stand it he would have said so but he really just wanted me to be happy.

He knew and stressed to me that we weren't going to be getting new couches every few years so whatever we got would have to be what I really wanted and wouldn't get sick of quick.

I already knew this but I'm glad he knew that to get what would last a long time, functionally and aesthetically, would cost money.

Well he found out that when I am free to get what I want I don't get the most expensive thing, I don't get the most flamboyant thing, and I don't get the most feminine things.

I like things to be some what neutral so that when I do want a change I can simply change the pillows and decor.

I think these are similar to the ones he would pick out too if he were left to get what he wanted.

They were a great price too and came with tables and lamps even.

I do not like the pillows and I will be sewing some new ones up real quick.

Also, way back in the village we picked up a chair by the dumpster.

I wanted it so I could redo it.

Mark liked it cause it was close enough to the couch we had and we could just use it for a few years and give it away.

He really did NOT want me to redo it.

He didn't want to sink money into something that wasn't worth it.

I knew that if I put a little money into it I could make it look like a million bucks.

Ok obviously not a million but I could make it look like we spent a lot more money into it then we really would.

And so I waited till I knew what I wanted.

I waited a long time cause I could never pinpoint a style.

But I finally figured it out about a year ago.

Then I had to wait for the fabric to go on sale at the same time that I could use a coupon, it's the best way to buy the expensive home dec fabric.

When I finally got it a few months ago we had started talking about moving so I decided to put it off till we moved.

After we moved in I knew we were going to get furniture and I really wanted it to be ready when we got it so I could just love my room.

Well I do love my room and I love my chair.

It's my statement piece.

Here's the before and after.

LOVE LOVE LOVE how it turned out.

 And here is our room arranged.

Scott added his own decor by adding a shark.

I suppose it'll do till I get the right pillows I want in there.

And after that we shall paint.

I love being able to make this house the beautiful home I've always dreamed it could be.

Quick visit

Kels came to town for a quick visit and we went to Melissa's to hang out.

I love these girls.

And I adore their children.

I missed the baby round with Brayden and Brock but we all jumped back on board with these three.

I really want a daughter but I love that I get to be there and see these two grow up.

If I never have a daughter then I will be adopting them and spoiling them rotten.

And another good thing is that my boys are going to know how to act around girls.

They will respect girls and treat them right.

I wont let Jaeley, Keni, Lezi, and Poppy get pushed around but my boys.

I love these three to bits and pieces.