My boys with many faces

Tonight I went Halloween Costume shopping with My 3 boys, Yes you heard me right I had 3 kids tonight and the worst one of all was the Biggest. Next year I will be going alone. Here are some pictures of my oh so exciting night

As you can see we had such it was an adventure. You should have seen the looks we were getting from people. One lady couldn't help it and she busted up laughing when Stewart had on the Bee suit. She said "That is the biggest Bee I have ever seen" Stewart thought it was so funny. Every time he put something new on he would tell me to take his picture. Its something about Halloween that brings the kid out in everyone.

There's nothing quite like Old Friends

So this is what happens when 5 Provo buddies move on with life and get married:

Yes all these Kids

Top to Bottom left to right: Alex, Abby, Chelsea, Owen, Luke, J.J, Raygen, Brooklyn, Ashley, & Ethan

Savannah Brians daughter left before the picture

Some friends from college came into town this weekend for a wedding so we had a little Provo reunion. These guys were such great friends of mine in Provo. We have all since gotten married and had kids. We have all had fun times, sad times, and struggles throughout the years but some how when you get us all together it is just like the old ol days listening to Matts same stupid jokes and still laughing, no worries in the world and we thought life was hard back then. All of our spouses mesh so well together and the kids play good and it really is a great time. We missed Brian he was the only one not there tonight he had to work but we got to see is wife and daughter which was just as good. Here are some pictures from the night

Ethan, J.J(Joel& Bryns), Ashley(Matt & Melissa)

Playing Frisbee

Brooklyn (Matt & Melissa I used to babysit her when she was a new born where did the time go) swinging Ethan

Raygen(Tyler's)

Alex (Matt & Melissa) pushing Owen

Thanks Joel and Bryn for coming into town and planning the get together we had a great time it was so fun seeing everyone and for everyone else who lives within minutes of each other we need to do this more often.

Happy Birthday Sista Sista

Today is my sisters and my best friends birthday crazy how they both have the same special day, well that is because they are the same people. Lynsey is truly one of my very best friends. I am so grateful for her in my life. There are so many thing I love about her but I will narrow it down to just a few

* She once thought that a cars muffler was gun shots and dove for safety

* She would throw up every morning before school in hopes my mom would think she was sick and let her stay home

* She is a great Mom she loves her little man so much

* She is such a good example to me, she gets so excited to read "The Book of Mormon Made Easier" every night

* My day isn't complete with out talking to her, I talk to her about dozen times a day

* She is also a hair dresser and works very hard

* She may have brown roots but she is a blondie at heart

*She always makes me laugh

* I still remember the day my mom cut her bangs really short they looked like a little sausage roll on her for head, she didn't want to hurt my moms feelings so she pretended to like them

* She is the next "Mother Theresa" she cares about everyone

* She once fell into a mans shopping bag and her jelly shoes went airborne

*She used to strip down the mannequins at the mall until they were naked, my mom couldn't take her anywhere

*She wont take a bath unless the tub is a brand new and never been used once

* When my little brother started kindergarten she was in the 5th grade and she didn't want him to stand in line by himself so she would skip lunch to stand in line with him

* She would push the fire alarm in the elevators

*She is a germ freak she carries hand sanitizer at all times

* The only meat she will eat is chicken but she once hate a hot dog from Costco when she was pregnant

* She is a good Auntie to my boys they love her and her family so much

*She is a loyal friend and sister

Lynsey you are a great person. I love spending time with you. I hope you have a great birthday. I love you

Watch out folks she might seem nice and sweet on the outside but she can also be your worst nightmare so don't mess with her and her family and she wont cause bodily harm :)

Ethan's Birthday Part 2

We took Ethan to Fuddruckers for Dinner tonight for his Birthday. The Martin Family joined us in celebrating Ethan's birthday. They played lots of games and then came back to our house for cake and Ice Cream. Here is Ethan on his new scooterI thought a Monkey cake would be most appropriate for my "Monkey Boy"
Owen, Ethan, Sydney and Preston all geared up and ready for the party!!
Happy Birthday Ethan we love you

My Baby is 2!!!

When I found out we were pregnant with Ethan I couldn't have been more excited. We had been trying for almost a year, 2 of my sisters were pregnant, one of my best friends was pregnant and it seemed like every women within child birth age was pregnant, why not ME!! What I didn't know at the time was the Lord was preparing me for my 2nd child. Ethan brought on a whole new meaning to LOUD when he was born. He never really cried he would just yell, grunt and grumble all day long. As he has gotten older it as also gotten louder. Ethan is a very independent child a free spirit if you will. He knows what he wants and he wont stop until he gets it and he wants NO help. Although Ethan has left me in tears plenty of nights I cant wait for him to wake up in the morning to see his bright smile and eagerness to start another day. I cant imagine my life with out him. All the things that make me pull my hair out are all the reasons I love him so much. He makes me laugh everyday. It is funny to see him be in control with almost every situation with Owen. He man handles him like you wouldn't believe and has his whole life. I don't know if its because Owen is so sweet or if he is really afraid of him, which ever one it is Ethan usually wins. Although Ethan is crazy active he can also be my little snuggle bug. I am grateful everyday for Ethan and feel very blessed to be his mom. He is such a sweetie and I love him so much. Here are some pictures of him throughout the last 2 years:

He has loved to swing since he was a baby and still does thankfully we live across from the park

Can we say CHEESE

This is what happens when he has to feed himself spaghetti

This always made us laugh. He would do leg lifts in his high chair it was seriously the funniest thing

We got Ethan this walker when he was about 6 months and Holy crap that kid was a maniac. He didn't care what was in his way he would plow right over it, baseboards, toys, shoes, TOES!! We were all so afraid of him when he was in it. We call it the "Toe Torturer" Owen wouldn't dare get off the couch it he was in it. He loved it and would run around the house all day fully content

He loves to wrestle and ruff house as long as he is on top and in control

This picture says it all. Ethan is such a fun, happy little boy. He is active as all get out but I wouldn't trade him in for the world. He has made me a stronger better person. I am grateful for the time we get to spend together just the two of us it is priceless time. I cant imagine my days with out him.

I am so glad that I have a front row seat in his experience of life and learning. He makes us proud and we all love him very much.
So I have to ask, if the terrible 2's started when he was born when do they end?

Happy Birthday Ethan I love you more then you know

Ethan's Eye Surgery's

As Many of you know Ethan was born with some small simple eye problems. Being that I am using my blog as a journal I felt it to be appropriate to post on his eye surgery's. It was 1 year ago today that he had the Surgery. For those of you who don't know what happened I will give a quick recap. Ethan was born with a Dermoid (over growth of tissue) on his right cornea and a Dermoid on his left brow bone. I noticed this on his eye about 1 minute after he was born. It took me probably the next 6 months trying to find a doctor that would see what I saw. I finally found one that saw it and diagnosed it as a Dermoid. He was a pediatric eye specialist not a cornea specialist. Since the Dermoid was on his cornea I had to go to a cornea specialist. He referred me to a couple, one of which scared the heck out of me. He told me he wouldn't remove it because he would then have a whole in the place of the Dermoid and said that he didn't feel comfortable working with babies. So why he even agreed to see him I'll never know. I clearly never went back there again. I really wanted to get it removed and felt that is was important that is was removed as well. Thankfully the next specialist I saw said that it needed to be removed or it would case a lazy eye, vision problems, eye development issues and more. I was so glad he was willing to do the surgery ,thankfully at this point Ethan was almost 1 years old, due to the fact that he was going to have to do anesthesia they wouldn't have done it until then. Since there was 2 Dermoids, and 2 doctors, there was 2 surgery's and 2 different hospitals with 2 copays. Oh lucky me the joys of being a parent right. The cornea surgery was done on September 4, 2007 at St Joseph Hospital. The doctor was amazing he did however have to tell us the cons of the surgery, one being that he may not be able to remove it all depending on how deep it was, and the other that he may not have a full circled cornea. Both were scary possibilities but the risk was better then all the other alternatives. To remove it he went in and basically sanded and shaved it off his cornea, it took about 45 mins. I was a nervous wreck. When I saw the Doctor come into the waiting area he had a smile on his face so I instantly knew that the out come was good. He said that he thinks he not only satisfied Mom but Grandma too. They took us back to were Ethan was and when he looked at me I couldn't believe it, it was totally gone, like it was never there before. His eye was a little red that was it.

The second surgery was on September 11, 2007 one week later at Primary Children's hospital. The doctor did incision on his brow bone to remove the dermoid. He said the the growth of tissue was a bout an inch long which is big on a little kid. That surgery took about 20 minutes but man when he was done he looked like he had been in a toddler boxing match and lost miserably. He had stitches, and big black, swollen eye.

Both Surgery's successful!!! No holes in his cornea, no lazy eyes and they said his vision is perfect. Below are some before and After pictures. I can't believe what a difference it made.

Here's Ethan before the Surgery in his cute little gown playing in the hospital bed happy as ever little did he know he was just about to be tortured.

Before: if you enlarge the picture you can see it better, its the white spot on his right eye and the puffy spot on the side of his left brow bone

This is after the second surgery. His poor little eye was black & blue for about a month. I wouldn't take him anywhere and if I did I would get the worst looks from people. My poor little boy had stitched, and a black eye NO I didn't beat him!!

Is that not the saddest thing ever

After:

Can you believe it its like it was never there.

I am so glad that we took the chance and did the surgery's his eyes look so good and we haven't had any problems. When I look at him now and look back at pictures I cant believe I had to do that much convincing to get someone to remove them, they were so obvious!! Moms do know best. Oh well its over with and he is more Handsome than ever.

If anyone every need a pediatric eye or cornea specialist please let me know, Both the Doctors did a fabulous job!!

Owen's Birthday Continues

On Monday Owen's actual birthday I took him Burger King for lunch at school and Dinosaur cupcakes to share with his class. We picked him up from school and took the kids to Makuta's Island. My sister was taking her daughter Ashlee for her birthday too so we decided to make it a family affair. No one was there but us, maybe everyone saw all us crazy people and decided to come another night, do you blame them. The kids had more then enough room to run and play and to be honest the adults did too :)

Here's the birthday kids

Owen & Ashlee

We are large and we are in charge the Whole Fam Damily
(minus Jason who is Utah)
Owen, me, Jim, Austin, Stewart, Ethan, Kayden
Brian, Ashlee, Stacy, Lynsey, Kylee, Angie, Adam, Gma, Katie, Alyssa, & Gpa

Can you say "Cheese"

Ethan loved coming down the slides until we put him down the one that goes faster then light by himself he was scared to death when he got to the bottom and kept crying "No slide" the rest of the night

Owen was so on the move the whole night I couldn't get him to stand still long enough to take a picture so here he is on the move

Owen, Ashlee, and Alyssa

Owen swinging across the bar

Even Grandma got in on the action. She climbed through the big tube up to the high slide that goes faster then light. I will save her some serious embarrassment and I wont post the picture of her flying out of the tube slide and landing flat on her back, I will however save it for blackmail :)

Daddy is such a good sport!! Anything to make his boys happy we went to dinner with Stacy and her family afterwards and Stewart some how ended up with all the kids at his table.

Jim Braving the big purple tube with Austin what a good Dad!!

We had a great time, my back hurts from being in the crouched over position climbing through tiny openings going down crazy spinning slides, climbing rope ladders barefoot, but the kids had a great time and slept great. As you can see Owen had a really good birthday now we have to explain to him that his Birthday doesn't last 3 days every year. Thanks everyone for some great memories!!