"Packin Up"

As we were packing up and getting everything ready to move out of our apartment, these where some of the things the boys did to keep themselves entertained...

Camped out in the empty closets. Complete with lantern.


Nate figured everything else was going in boxes, why not try it out himself?

Thomas colored not only on the boxes, but on the walls, cement patio and on Nathan, of course!


After packing up everything and cleaning, practically all in one day, (thanks Ashley and Matt for all your help!) I have the brilliant idea of just jumping in the car and heading up to Utah. Mind you it is 2am. Well, 13 hours and many potty breaks later (including pulling over to nap), we finally rolled in to good old Layton, Utah to once again live in the "Happy Shack." Gotta love my great ideas. The thought was that we should travel while the kids were sleeping. Good thought, but probably one that we will not try again;)

FOUND!!

Right before we left for Utah, I got a phone call from the Glendale Police Department that our Civic had been found! The crazy part is that the insurance company was just shy of one day from paying us. They said that we could decide to either take the money or the car. I wanted to see what condition the car was in before we decided. When we went down to the tow yard, the car looked like it had amazingly survived the whole ordeal, minus the stereo. We debated about what to do, but in the end we took the car. Then on the way home, the engine sounded like it had been replaced with a lawn mower and we began regretting our decision. (The insurance company would pay to have it fixed ONLY if we could prove that the repairs needed were exclusively from the theft...how do you do that??)We were leaving for Utah/London the next day, so there wasn't much we could do until we got back. Long story short, our catalitic converter had been cut out. We picked up the car today, new converter, new stereo, even detailed. I feel like I have a NEW car! I am just so happy to have our Civic back!

Birthday Boys!

I can't believe my boys are getting so big! While in Utah we had a fun family birthday party for both of the boys and some of the cousins too. Thomas turned 3 on May 23rd and Nathan will be 1 on June 1st!


This is the result of just trying to take the paper from off the cupcakes. Don't worry, the cupcakes were soon returned and Nathan and Brooklyn were again happy.

Same, same. Grandma was smart and got both the boys identical soccer balls...it sure makes things easier!

More pictures for Daddy!

Watching movies and eating popcorn...what could be better?
Nate insisting on feeding himself his yogart.
Thomas and Lyza's sleepover. (Thomas actually slept in the trundle bed.) We listened to them with the monitor. It was so funny to hear them whisper. Thomas kept trying to convince Lyza to get out of bed and play, but Lyza would say, "My dad said we are NOT supposed to get out of bed EVER...or grandma will be mad!" (I told Thomas that Lyza would be the only girl allowed to have sleepovers in his bedroom!)
"Put me in coach." Nate's new love is the football.
The flash messed this picture up. We found Kelli and Thomas hiding under the table, playing with the flashlights in the dark.

We LOVE and MISS you!!!

The new attraction at Grandma and Papa O's house

My parent's neighbors put a chicken coop in their yard. The boys think that it is the greatest thing in the world.
Thomas insisted on the ski mask. The funny thing was that it was so big that it covered part of his nose and he kept sneezing into it!!
Nate, of course, had to be right down by the chickens. It was like he was teasing them. There is a hole under the fence and he kept sticking his feet close to it. The chickens would start pecking at him and then he would pull back quickly. I'm not sure if he thought it was funny or scarey (probably both), but he kept doing it.
Nate didn't want to be in the stroller, but pushung it.

Puddle hunting

The weather here was so nice the first couple of days. Then, today it started to rain. I thought that Thomas would be disappointed, but he surprised me by being excited and exclaiming, "Mom, now I can use my firefighter rain boots and go puddle hunting!" So, while Nate was napping, that is what we did. There is nothing like watching the pure joy on a child's face as they jump in a puddle. With mom's permission, of course!

London/Utah

The boys and I are up in Utah for a couple of weeks while Ryan is in London for school. I apologize ahead of time, to the rest of you veiwing this blog, for the many pictures that will follow...they are mostly for Ryan to see the boys and what we are up to.

Nate discovering the tupperware cabinet at "Mama Bulls" house.
Thomas loves having all the greenspace and not one, but two grandpas to play with. Here he is working on his swing with "Papa Bull."
We went shopping at the mall and Thomas picked out some new shades and of course Nathan had to have a pair as well!! It is so cute how he wants to do everything that his big brother does.

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Thomas is in heaven working out in the yard. He works really hard, but, I am not sure how much help he really is! Nathan just loves being outside and discovering grass for practically the first time. (After he was attacked by ants in Arizona, I wouldn't really let him crawl around outside anymore. I'd forgotten how nice Utah grass is.)