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.