Christmas morn vid

Christmas 2009

So I do have to say that this Christmas was definitely one of the best yet. I think 3 years old is a great age for Christmas. Carter finally understands the whole Santa thing and knows how to open up presents without help from us. He totally got into making Christmas cookies with his grandma and loved helping me decorate the tree and even tried to help me wrap presents. He has so much excitement and love for everything he does. I wish I could be more enthusiastic about things like he is. Lincoln was content just watching Carter doing stuff and would occasionally try to tackle something himself. He did enjoy decorating (or undecorating I should say) the tree. The boys loved what Santa brought them (Carter got his Transformer cars and a new bike and Lincoln got his Radio Flyer car and lots of other stuff). These boys were so spoiled! I really enjoyed shopping for them and everyone else on my list and actually spent quite a bit less than last year and still got a ton of stuff (thanks to couponing and watching the ads for deals). Brandon and I actually took the time to sit down with the boys and tried to tell them the Christmas story as well. Carter enjoyed learning about Jesus and his birth. I'm not sure how much of it he will retain, but I think every year he will be able to learn more and more, as I feel I do every year. We have been so blessed and are so greatful for everything the Lord has blessed us with. We love our family and friends and most of all our Savior and Redeemer. May we forever keep him in our thoughts and actions.

linc trying on Dad's tie

Always such a happy kid...unless being bullied by Carter of course!

Sunday before Christmas

Carter's at it again...

So...I have discovered that 3 is definitely worse than the terrible twos. Carter has been so full of energy and says no to everything I tell him to do. He is so strong willed and independent (I know these are qualities that will be good for him later in life). I just have to bite my tongue and count to 3 a lot these days. He is definitely teaching me patience and tolerance. He really is a sweet kid...just one that knows how to push my buttons. This morning I was on my normal 3 mile run when he decided he didn't want to ride his bike next to me anymore. He decided he wanted to go to school even though I've told him a million times he can't go to school until he's 5. So, he sped off on his bike in front of me (I'm pushing Linc in a jogger by the way so I'm not super fast) and rode his bike right into the elementary school down the street. He paused briefly to push the handicap button to open the automatic doors to the school and then took off through the school. I was about 10 ft behind him at this point and had left Linc in the jogger right outside the doors. Carter rode full speed right past the office, several classrooms, the bathroom, and right into the back doors of the school that lead onto the playground. As soon as he hit those doors I grabbed him and dragged him right out of the school with the ladies in the office staring after us. Isn't he a joy? Needless to say he spent the rest of my run strapped into the jogger with Lincoln. I know I'll laugh about this one day, but today it's not quite so funny.

Halloween

On Halloween we took the kids during the day to a carnival at Highland Gardens. They had lots of fun. Lincoln got wrapped up like a mummy in toilet paper and Carter ate his first donut off a string. That night we took our boys to our ward's trunk or treat. They really enjoyed getting tons of candy and seeing all of the other kids dressed up. We did actually have a melt down with Carter before the trunk or treat. He decided he no longer wanted to dress up. He was screaming and crying and stated he didn't want to wear the dragon costume he had been begging me to wear the entire month of October. He did finally consent to wear and old skeleton costume my mom had given me from her costume box. I didn't uderstand his reasoning for changing his mind like that, but I guess that's what being 3 is all about.

Pumpkin Land!

Here are some pics of our recent visit to Pumpkin Land. It is a working nursery that grows a perfect sized corn maze for little kids and they also have several play areas, animals, and of course pumpkins!

Sister's trip to Vegas

It had been a while since my sisters and I had all been together, so we all took a trip and met up in Vegas for a fun filled weekend of shopping, site seeing, and bonding.

Zoo trip!

So what do you do with 2 little boys who are bored out of their minds and are getting into trouble around the house? You take them where they probably quite honestly belong...the zoo. They both had a great time, especially Lincoln who loves animals. The monkeys came right up to him and he loved it. Too bad the Hogle Zoo is so small, though. They had some good animals but it's definitely not an all day thing. I guess I just come from a place where the zoo is a lot bigger and you can spend all day there. All in all the boys had a good time and we will go back again sometime.