SURPRISE!!!

So this morning was nothing unusual. Up and out of bed by 7am, kids hungry...Chris made yummy breakfast and did chores~cleaned bathrooms and kitchen. Chris had vaccumed yesterday and clean up...no wonder! I was almost ready for the day when the doorbell rang...and it was Breanna, Haley , little Dave and Aunt Christina! I was so surprised! YAY! I couldn't believe it! What a great surprise!! After we visited a little bit, we went to the Green Valley Book Fair, lunch at Cici's, of course a Walmsrt run, home for some playtime, sprinklers, walk around the block with bikes and scooters, then dinner and cleanup....all before everyone left! WOW! What a great day!
Christina is my best friend....my sister forever! I love her and don't see her as much as I would like to, but when we do see each other, we do have fun! Thank you Christina for making the trip! Enjoy the pics....

Some of my favorites recently...more pics....

Today, Hunter got tubes b/c of constant fluid in his ears and 7 ear infections since birth, not to mention all the crazy hours of sleepless nights....so I hope this helps. It sure has made a difference today. He has been happy and babbling ALL day long! It's been great! I think he can hear much clearer now. These were taken today....











These were taken a few days ago....

Happy Birthday Hunter

Hunter turned one on the 24th. I just can't believe it! What a year it has been. I am completely shocked at how fast it has gone. I think that with each child, the year goes by faster! Makes me sad! But, Hunter, being the 3rd child, has been such a blessing to our family. Besides not really sleeping through the night but about 2 weeks since birth, he has been the perfect child. He's fun, makes us all laugh, easy going, and completely loveable! His personality is so much like Ethan, he's always smiling and happy all the time! He is also quite the charmer. Unlike any of the other kids, he will let just about anyone hold him. Most of the time, he wants back soon, but then he makes it a game, going from one person to the other. He loves to give wet kisses and LOVES TO SNUGGLE! He has been sick with many ear infections and almost 1 entire year of waking up several times a night...but ear tubes were placed today...so, hopefully it helps! We love you little buddy! Happy Birthday! We celebrated on the 22nd with family. Enjoy some pics...

May Memories....and moments

So I am way out of date with May. Since coming home from Utah, things have been a little busy. Here's an update!
Mother's Day was fantastic this year. We celebrated on Saturday b/c I had to work on Sunday. The kids and Chris surprised me with a 1 hour massage! It was a little piece of heaven! After a Costco run for food, flowers, and lunch, I finally used my gift from Christmas from work and received a pedicure! I didn't cook, clean, anything! Even the kids helped daddy with dishes and setting the table! What great kids! I got many kisses of all wetness (as Lexi puts it) from daddy, Ethan, Alexis and Hunter! Thank you for making me feel really special. I love you!

Ethan lost his first tooth! It was wiggly for quite some time and with each day, he was wiggling it more and more, till Chris said, "Let me see...." and he pulled it out. Ethan said it didn't even hurt. It was time. And within several days, his new adult tooth was coming in! I love looking at him with his little gap at the bottom. It's the middle, bottom right tooth. He's growing up and getting so big. I really love his smile! What a sweet-heart of a boy! Today he told me he was 'handsome'! You are handsome, I told him....what a boy!!!



Hunter began walking on May 11th! He was cruising the furniture up til this day. He began with about 4 or 5 steps on this day and then within a matter of 1 week, was really walking up and down the hallway and suddenly into everything! I love it though. He makes me so happy. His little facial expressions are priceless! He is so proud of himself. I love when we are excited when he's done something and he'll plop right down on the floor and begin clapping, with the fullest grin smile on his little face! Just love it!

Alexis had her end of the year program on the 23rd. Her first year of preschool behind her! Can't believe it! What a year. She has really blossomed! She has learned how to read this year. That's right! She's only 4 1/2!! She can write well too. She loves to learn and we are so proud of her! Now, she needs to be challenged and come out of her shell alittle bit! She doesn't really play with anyone at school, mostly, she loves to read and do things by herself. Although, she can't get enough of Ethan and all her buddies in the neighborhood! Silly girl! We are all excited to have a break for the summer!









Then Alexis had her 'picnic' on the 25th....Fun for everyone!!!

Utah Trip part 4

Tuesday was also a very fun day! We did a little more boondocks, family fun center in the morning to use up the rest of our card money, and then little shopping~ thank you grandma for watching the kids! Then Vicki watched the kids while everyone that could went to the Bountiful Temple! What a great experience. I know it was one that we all will remember. Then we came home and had a yummy dinner and visited with some family that came over, Chris' uncle and aunt. It was lots of fun to stay up and chat and visit way too late, but hey, we were on vacation! :)

Wednesday was nearing the end of our trip. We ate at Village Inn for breakfast and then headed to Provo to drop Joshua off at the MTC. It was a bitter sweet moment. Then we went to Nick and Emily's house to visit and relax before eatting at the Mayan. The Mayan is an old High School redone mexican style with a pool and divers and thunder/lightening. It's quite the atmosphere, but they redid their menu and the prices are a bit ridiculous!!! Anyway, then we headed to Natalie's apartment to see it, by this time the kids were asleep in the vehicle! We then stopped off at Andrea's new salon, which was amazing, before heading back to Grandma's house to finish packing and travel to the airport to fly home. Chris and I had a red-eye flight, which was to leave at 11:38 but actually took off after 3am! We landed at JFK at 9am, missing our connecting flight! We were tired to say the least! But, we took off about 5pm in JFK and landed safely in Richmond. We got our luggage and our van and were finally home a little after 10pm! What a day!!! Saying good bye was not easy, but we will visit again as soon as we can...good bye for now! This was a trip the kids will remember forever! A special thanks to MRS. TANNER for making this trip possible!!!

Utah Trip part 3

Monday we celebrated Ethan's 6th Birthday by doing what HE wanted to do. Ethan loves ice skating...and he's good at it. With only going one other time with the cousins here in MD, he really was excited to be able to do this in UTAH with family. It was quite a day! We shopped in the AM for a bit, then went ice skating. Then we headed to a park for a bit that Grandma wanted to take us to~ it was really neat! Everything was a giant castle! Then we went to Boondocks, the family fun haven for kids, where we rode go-karts, bumber boats with squirt guns(those were really fun), bowling, laser tag, arcades gallore!! It was such a fun place in there to say the least! Then we headed over to Johnny and Andrea's for a BBQ and cake...the kids were ready for bed when we got home!