Beach Blast

Weather is no hindrance--not to my boys, at least; the beach is appropriate at all times of year for them. We've been having a blast taking them to Marina Park--one of my favorite beaches as a child. They run and splash in and out of the water--both ending up completely soaked by the end of the day. The latest has been the sand dune adventures--leaping from the top (Rob demonstrates) or making it into a slide (see Ty). Ty has the most "jumping guts" running full speed and lunging from the cliff--totally eating it face-first sometimes. Robbie's the "water devil" braving any wave that dare comes near him. So fun (except that now my camera is BROKEN--I think there is sand in it!)

While in Utah this weekend for my little brother's wedding, Rob stayed with the boys and had a blast at low tide. They caught a crab, found a huge group of anemones to touch, and a starfish the size of Ty's torso. They didn't want to leave--I've got little beach boys in the making. Love it.

Hottest Pool Boys Ever!

The boys can't get enough of Grandma and Grandpa's pool. It's freezing cold so they haven't even been in it, but they spend most of the day by its side. They brush the steps and bottom; they get the brooms wet and "wash" the deck; the latest, though, is the sea kayak--they go for boat rides all day. So cute.

Yesterday Hunter, the dog, tried to hop in with Robbie and totally missed! He panicked, reaching desperatly for the edge but couldn't get up. Imagine the fat pregnant lady lifting the obese wet dog from the pool--hilarious, I'm sure!

Big Green Dinosaur

My mom interviewed Robbie after mowing the lawn and turned his responses into a poem.
i like it when i get to help
dad mow the lawn
it’s the funnest ever
only big boys can ride
with dad
--cause grandpa’s lawn mower
is like a tractor ride
it is REALLY dangerous

it kind of looks like
a BIG green dinosaur
but it has some black on it too
the seat is yellow
and it has lights on it
so after dark
we can see

i can’t drive it by myself yet
it is really tricky
when you turn it on
it kind of hurts my ears

i get to sit on dad’s lap
it is like a car
because it has a steering wheel
he lets me steer sometimes
i’m like a big man –a little bit

my favorite part
is when it’s going up hills
it is really fun
we go up there
and get the grass

it is like a weed eater
because it eats grass
it chops it up
then it goes into bags
sometimes it spills
on the sidewalk

when the bags are all full
we dump it out
way back in the yard
it’s hard to turn it around
but that’s alright

i like riding on it
cause it’s a little bumpy
specially when we go over rocks
sometimes I get off
and pick them up
i found a brick too
and toys and sticks

the seat tickles and shakes me
it’s kind of funny
we run over the dog poop
it’s really yucky
i wish I could do it again
right now
it’s the bestest ever

A Life of Work

My parents live on a little less than three acres, which really just means tons of room for the boys to explore. I learned to hate Saturdays growing up; it wasn't a play day at our house, it was a work day. My boys got a sweet taste of it on Saturday. They woke up and spent almost two hours mowing the lawn and yard (though it was way more fun than tedious), and that afternoon they helped Grandpa plant a plum and nectarine tree in what will be called the "Family Orchard" (we each get to pick a type of tree to plant etc.). That evening, Robbie went to the hardware store with Grandpa and got his first real hammer and wrench. What a day!

Baking with Grandmas

We're back in California for Rob's ICU rotation--a perfect escape from the snow and cold. Anyway, Grandma Harp taught the boys how to make a treat all by themselves:

One round, braided pretzel
One Rolo
Bake at 350* for one minute
Put one pecan into the warm Rolo & viola!

The boys loved, especially since they made dessert for everyone.

My Big Fat Excuse!

So I've had a few people ask to post a picture of my growing self--always a pleasure, right? Wrong. I got on the scale two weeks ago and my checkup and saw that I am only 9 lbs shy of what I DELIVERED Ty at! No worries; three months to go. But, I do have an excuse . . . I get fat shots. Well, sort of. Rob has to inject me with progesterone weekly in hopes that I won't have any complications this pregnancy. Side effect: sore muscles and an increase in appetite. Awesome. So there it is.

Thanksgiving

I haven't hosted Thanksgiving for years, so it was a real treat when Rob's family came up for the weekend--a perfect excuse to decorate!
Ty loved sledding--couldn't get enough . . .

Robbie tried out his new skis we got at a garage sale for $20! He did great, right on the ice on the street.

More sledding, but with a little more flare! Poor Aunt Kristen was freezing, but stayed on for Ty who wanted to go again and again and again.

The pretty table . . .

Robbie was introduced to Kristen's iPhone; we couldn't get him off of it. He keeps asking us for an iPhone for Christmas--not a chance--but as it turns out, the kid as a knack for video games . . . who knew.

We've Ruined Them!

It was darling getting them all dressed--Robbie a BYU football player, Ty a frog. Still, Rob and I were both shocked when we tried to pep talk them into going to the Trunk-or-Treat. Robbie kept arguing with us. "Why would I want to go get candy? Candy isn't good for us; I don't want any!"

What?

Each night Ty asks, "Does this have vitamins in it?" before putting it into his mouth. Still, he's the true sugar tooth. Once he realized that he was venturing out for candy, he was all enthusiasm. We ditched the ward party and headed to our neighborhood for some real trick-or-treating--four-wheeler, rain and all! Ty practically screamed "Trick-or-treat" before the door opened.

As we headed home, we asked what they were going to do with all their candy. Robbie looked at us in all seriousness and said, "I'm gonna give it to someone who wants cavities."

Unbelievable. Can't even enjoy Halloween!

Still, Rob let them gorge for the night and then pick out a dozen pieces to eat at their leisure. The rest is "gone." Ty ate all of his within two hours--he's our glutten. Robbie saved his, gave half of it to Ty, and eventually let his inner-child imerge and ATE it! We couldn't have been more pleased!

Gloomy Weekend Turned Bright

I hate those cloudy, cold days that seem to pile up on each other. I just want to bake and sit under a blanket, but I'm married to Rob; he doesn't quite know what sitting still means, and for that, I'm secretly grateful. Such was this weekend--ugly and rainy. Rob saw no excuse for staying in, though.

We started at the bowling alley . . .


Ty scored a 68. Robbie a 58 (though to Robbie's credit, Ty used the ramp most of the time).
Then we went horseback riding! Some horses are stabled just behind our complex, and on a whim, Rob left a note asking if we could ride sometime. To our total shock, we got a call back from the owner saying YES! Rob has his own saddle here, so we just headed over and had a blast. Robbie was very daring--even trotted and rode bareback (on a lunge line). Ty kept explaining that he really wanted a PONY not a HORSE!! Still, he loved his ride with Daddy!!



The next day we headed to a rainy Provo for the football game, where Rob scalped four tickets for $10. We were shocked when the usher led us to the second row on the 40. Each ticket was priced at $83.33. What a deal! The rain stopped at kickoff and the Cougars won!

Master of Two Wheels

Yep! Robbie is a bike-riding machine now. He asked us to take his training wheels off on Friday night--he's asked us to do it a few times before but it always ended in quick tears. Still, he just needed to know he could do it. This time when I let go, I ran next to him clapping so he KNEW no one was holding on. By the next day, he was unstoppable. Starting, stopping, turning, going up and down hills, standing . . . he even tried a split-second wave. It's so amazing how fast they learn. We're so proud of you, Robbbie!!


Oh, and Ty has finally decided to stop flying down the hill without Mommy and Daddy. We're extatic!

So Outnumbered!

I know I rant about this frequently, but as much as I love fall and football season, I hate it. Rob seems to live in a distant world of kickoff times and upsets. I think my nagging took the fun out of the season (I'm such a great wife, I know)but regardless, he made a new goal only to watch the BYU games and check out byucougars.com. No more ESPN. No more cougar board. My life has been paradise this season! Still, he laughs when I get smug about it. "Just wait, Kyrsten, until we all want to watch . . . you're totally outnumbered three to one." True.

Well, it just so happenes, that the ratio is getting much wider. We just found out yesterday that we are having ANOTHER BOY in March. My powers are slowling diminishing. I'll never forget a devotional Sister Bednar gave at Rick's. She's alone in a house of 4 men, too. She said, "I never won! If it was a chick flick or Sports Center . . . it was always Sports Center!" So my future.

We are excited! Rob always wanted three boys in a row . . . it's a dream come true. I'm excited, too. I love boys! Years ago when I was in high school, my mom said, "Kyrsten, you're gonna have boys; you're just meant for it." She knows me well.

Rise and Shout!

We took the kids to the BYU vs. San Diego State game on Saturday, and what a game to see! The weather was great; we won; the kids made it through the WHOLE thing! Aunt Kristen was with us visiting from CO, and Aunt Haley and Uncle Kane made it through about five minutes before Madelyn started crying. Still, it was wonderful.


This is of the boys playing under our bleachers. The secret . . . warm clothes, lots of junk food, and seat cushions. Magic!

Climbers, Jumpers, Sliders . . . BOYS!

Yes, this is my child leaping for his life.





It's their daily bed adventures. They climb my bed (it's got perfect little steps, though, right?) and then . . . you saw.





I thought it was darling when they started racing on their tummies like this. Then they took the skateboards outside and flew down the huge hill of a street. Not so cute anymore--more like stitches waiting to happen.





The tree outside has become a new jungle gym now that Robbie has developed his climbing skills. Ty brings out a stool and smacks at the branches (if we put him in the tree he freaks). This is him and his friend Cole.

It's just a day in the life. I love these little boys.

Swimmers

Robbie now swims the entire length of the pool (around 30 feet)--through the deep end and all! We're so proud of him. He actually is starting to swim laps with Daddy. So exciting.

Ty swims half the length with little motor kicks--no help from Mom and Dad.

We love our little fish!

Oh, but Robbie has to have a mask and snorkel, and Ty wears floaties.:)

Prove Nothing

We're bikers. Well, in a hand-me-down mountain bike with a trailer attached kind of way. Still, we go on family bike rides several times a week and look forward to each one. Well, the other day Rob told me to follow him up this little mountain, and once at the top, laughed and said we were going down (this wasn't a laugh of jest, but pure adrenalin). I looked at the steep dips marked by ATV tracks and hesitated, while Rob charged down the slope with my kids in the trailer!!! Well now what! "I can't" has been deemed a "bad word" in our house since we've started trying Robbie out in the deep end and without training wheels, so I had no choice. I'd barely gone two feet, when my bike slips from under me, sending me skidding down the mountain--rocks tearing holes in my clothes and skin. I curled in a ball, unable to stop the tears.

"Are you serious?" I hear Rob say as if he is completely dumbfounded that someone could fall off the ridiculously dangerous hill. I look up and start laughing and crying at the same time; the boys are totally confused.

I ride home in stinging pain (I have so much more sympathy for my kids with scrapes now--I've forgotten!)--everyone staring at the girl who looks half-dipped in chalky paint.

The picture does no justice. My body is scabbed from ankle to bicep and there is a gash/bruise four inches around on my hip. Needless to say, I'm trusting my instincts next time and proving nothing to anyone.

Hogle Zoo

We've been wanting to check out the Hogle Zoo for sometime, and were so glad that we finally did. There was a darling little baby elephant, the giraffes got just feet away from us, and the massive male tiger was on the prowl. Plus, Robbie finally mastered the carousel (no, seriously, we have spent the last 4 years buying tickets only to pull a crying child off the ride).

I thought this was so funny. We were surrounded by exotic animals of the world, and Ty was most fascinated by the squirrel in the tree. Go figure.

Pumpkin Patch

It's our second year in a row, and I am just as pleased. The pumpkin patch in Paradise, Utah is fabulous! Any pumpkin, any size, $2. Robbie had been begging for a white one, and Ty gravitated only to those he could carry himself (so his is like the size of a grapefruit) but it was a blast. We went with Rob's parents and sister Haley & her family. I so love fall!!!

Horsies

They're obsessed! We seem to be surrounded by horses, and with that comes the responsibility to feed them, right? It's so cute; the kids save their wilted carrots or wild apples that we pick from a nearby orchard and regularly make trips to feed our neighboring horsies. Just this morning we went for a little four-wheeler ride and happened upon four horses in an alfalfa field behind our house. You got it--15 minutes of picking and feeding. The craziest part is the kids have no fear--at all! Ty and Robbie both boss 'em around and get mad if they bite or nudge. So funny to watch!

Well, when my friend Aimee told me how cheep the pony rides were at Thanksgiving Point, I knew it was time for a trip. $3.50 and the kids were in heaven (we even went back for a second ride). Robbie had to wear his "cowboy ring"--the nail rings they make in Nauvoo--and then it was giddy-up from then on! Ty's been so proud of himself that he tells everyone he's a cowboy.

Answers to Prayers

Robbie's job everyday is to venture to the mailboxes and get our mail. Well, a few days ago, our key wasn't in it's usual spot in the junk drawer. The three of us (Robbie, Ty, and I) began our search but were unsuccessful.

"Wait, Mom," Robbie said, "I have an idea! Let's ask Heavenly Father where it is! He'll help us find it!"

"Great idea, Robbie," I said before we all knelt down in their bedroom.
When we were done, I looked up to find Robbie's eyes full of faith. Before us was the boys' hamper; I immediatly dug in, grabbing Ty's shorts first thing--the keys were hanging from its pocket.

We said a prayer of thanks . . . I lingered a little longer, thanking God for teaching my children that He does listen and answer their prayers.


Not a week later (tonight, actually) I was putting the boys to sleep. Robbie was very concerned about a scab on his leg. I brushed it off, saying he was fine and quietly snuggled next to Ty. Minutes passed and Robbie must have thought I was gone, so he quickly whispered another darling prayer:
"Heavenly Father, please bless that my scab won't hurt me anymore . . ."
Thirty seconds later, he was asleep.

The Big 4!

And there he is! He got a custom-made BYU football uniform (with his name and number, 7--just for Rob, on the back). He wouldn't wear the jersey, but was in this all day (a little confused, though about where the shoulder pads go!). He has no desire to be a quarterback or reciever--no, he wants to tackle people . . . hard.

On Saturday we had a little party for him. Cupcakes, a pinata, slip 'n' slide fun . . . it was perfect!

And now, for the official interview:

*Disclaimer--these things often change by the day or hour, but I just had to put them down for the record.*

Favorite Color: Green and blue

Best Friend: Caden and Cole

Favorite food: Beans and avacado sandwiches

Favorite Drink: Water

Favorite Dessert: Chocolate

Favorite Sport: Football, "I don't like baseball anymore."

Favorite Movie: Berenstein Bears

Favorite TV show: Super Readers (Super Why!)

Favorite Animal: Lion

Favorite Toy: My football helmet and "light saver."

What do you want to be when you grow up: "A tummy fixer. When someone's tummy hurts, I want to get them water and make them feel better. Or else a guy who goes into the forest and makes sure all the animals are okay."

Robbie weights 38.6 lbs (75%) and is 41 1/2" tall (75%). He is like his mom in that he loves people! He loves to play and socialize. He is gentle-natured and tender like his daddy, but competative and aggressive. He is a very obedient little boy, very aware of right and wrong. He is a protector of all, especially Ty and anyone whose feelings might be hurt. He is delightful and wonderful and we love him to peices. Happy Birthday, Robbie!

Surgery Day

After years of pain, Rob finally decided to go under the knife and get his knee fixed. The funniest part is how apathetic he was at first. He's been doing orthopedic rotations for most of the year, it seems, and kept telling me to just come get him in an hour--"This one's no big deal!"

Ha! Hours later, I went to the recovery room to find him completely GREEN! He dry-heaved the whole way home and was sick for the rest of the day. His actual knee hasn't been hurting him at all (and he's taken NO pain medications for fear of more nausea), but the anesthesia was terrible, as are the blisters that are forming from tubing and the brace that rub his leg. Still, he came home from two months of out-rotations on Saturday, had the surgery Monday, and was back to work on Wednesday. He's an animal, that one.