Walking with a Painting

Another day, another afternoon of Katharine being so cute. 

She was practicing walking for like 20 minutes, and as she practiced she insisted on holding this painting of Natalie's. 

It's a picture that Natalie painted for the school art contest, and she didn't win (snifff) so she brought it home, and Katharine was very drawn to it. 

She kinda used it as a cane a few times, or like it was like a balancing pole for a tight rope walker. It was so cute and funny to see her do her little workout. I just enjoyed watching her walk around with it and took too many videos. I loved her balancing and jabber, her stumbles and little squeeks and grunts, heavy breathing as laughs... so adorable. Two short videos here and here, and a 5 min video, 

I'm in love with this adorable baby. I wish that everyone could have all the babies that they want. She gives us such joy. 

Watching her try new things and learn is so fun. 

Being a mom is the absolute best. 

Katharine was enjoying a fun and easy part of growing up today. Peter's been having a harder time with his growth lately. He fell on the trampoline and hit his head super hard on the metal frame and had a big goose egg. The bruise is still visible, but the swelling has gone down. Then tonight, Corey and the kids were all in an intense game of soccer, and the game ended when Wes did a super hard kick that went straight into Peter's face and knocked poor Pete off of his feet. 

Corey was calling out kids' names for recognition tonight, and said "And let's hear it for Peter who was so tough when a ball hit him in the head!" and Peter was so sad at the memory of it, he just shriveled in Wesley's arms. He's on the functioning human level, and that puts him out in more dangerous terrain than Katharine faces on the fuzzy carpet. It's tough, but he survived another day! We love you Peter! Kids are the best.

New Year's Eve

Hi, it's January 2, but I'm catching up and logging this past weekend and am just going to set the date as Dec 31st... We had a great and fun New Years Eve. Around 1:00 I went to Momentum with Corey and OP, I bouldered, Corey belayed the boys and then they bouldered a little bit too. 

We gotta get them to boulder so that we can all climb when we take them, rather than they just climb while we belay the whole time (cause I don't find that very fun). I did a purple V1 that I hadn't done before, on east side of north boulder! Now the only V1 I still need to do is the hot pink one, but alas, it is impossible. I tried it like 10 times today, but I can't get both of my hands on the 3rd and 4th to last holds. It's so slippery. 

So then back home and we got ready to head up to Brighton with kids for a New Year's Eve gathering with our neighborhood friends. I left around 4, hoping that it would still be light and we could get in some sledding time. I took Corey's car, it's so nice to have 4 wheel drive. The roads were slick and there was snow everywhere - a few cars were stuck but we were good in Corey's car. I left Katharine and Peter home with Corey and took Mel, Wes, Abi, Lily, Sophi, Natalie, Owen, and Daniel with me. I was going to go back down to get Corey, but they were able to all get a ride up with Ethan's friend Truman. Here's a cute pic of Katharine at home - searching for tiny legos and earrings on the floor. 

She's starting to roll around quite a bit (this video Mel made - so cute. Yes she IS lovely.) Katharine always seems to find tiny things - tiny papers, legos, bits of food, etc. I'm glad she usually keeps her binky in her mouth and just rolls around the tiny objects between her fingers, like this earring. Those sweet eyes...

Katharine! Be careful, I'm trying to be careful, but your siblings do not - please don't choke on anything you find on the floor around here! 

At the cabin we got set up in a room where I was going to sleep with Katharine (having a baby helps you get room priority, hehe) We didn't go skiing today and won't be skiing at Brighton this year, but did go sledding. Most of the kids didn't take me up on it, they wanted to stay inside where it was warm - playing with their friends and watching Elf - 

...but Mel and Lily did. 

I should have put my hair back...

As we'd sled down, our feet would make the snow powder spray in our faces a ton. 

Lily gave me her neck thing...

It helped a little. We only went down the hill like 5 times, but we sure got covered in snow! 

We had fun. Back inside - kids reading...

playing...

Corey, Joseph, Ethan and Peter arrived a little after 6pm - Yay! You brought my baby!

Adults visiting - 

Ethan asking Mel to give him more time on Instagram on HIS phone...

I'm glad they keep each other in check. 

Ethan and Truman playing chess. "Eth, who is going to win?"

Ethan had been feeling a little sick last night and this morning, but was determined to not miss out on the celebrations. When I passed by him I asked "Eth, how are you feeling?" and as he took a Superman stance he said "Feeling completely normal and healthy!" Haha. Natalie was feeling fine earlier but then felt a bit sick tonight... and threw up. I was very grateful that she made it in the toilet - no clean up, hooray - and with that she was feeling better. (I'll spare you the mess in the toilet)

Cute Peter - 

Wes spent a good portion of his time in the basement playing foosball and ping pong - 

Kids playing Telestrations. They were laughing so hard, it was fun just to watch them!

Kids talking smack playing foosball. Video of one of their games here. 

Joseph scored on Wesley, and then said (paraphrased by Ethan) “In Wesley’s defense, I’m super good.” - Joe. Haha, so funny. Another quotes from foosball by Eth (I think): “As Jim always says, put enough sauce on it and it’ll go in.” Joe: “I’ve never heard him say that.”

Corey enjoys playing foosball. He got really good at it back in his TenFold days. I enjoy watching. I have no skill, but sometimes I have luck when I play. It's not as enjoyable when you're depending on luck though. 

We watched the New York Ball drop at 10pm, and then we all hooped and hollered - the kids and a few adults ran around the cabin for the Polar Bear challenge. I did half of the cabin with toddlers. That video is of the second half. The snow was so deep! I was worried they'd fall in and get lost and no one would see them, but we all made it back inside with hopefully no long term frostbite. Lily was still feeling brave and decided to enjoy her glass of sparkling cider out on a snow couch -  

"It's not even cold! I can't even feel it..."

Corey headed back home with Natalie, the rest of us are sleeping over and will go to church up here and then head home after that. It's been snowing all evening and is forecast to snow all day tomorrow, hopefully we'll make it out! Happy New Year!

Boys Holding Katharine

Wesley probably holds Katharine the least. He knows that K is a kid magnet, and tries to avoid having his noisy siblings swarm around him. So I was able to get these pictures on the 4th of July when everyone had left to the breakfast and parade except me and Katharine - SHE'S SO PRETTY! 

And she's so little!!

I love this little jumper so much, a neighbor Jill gifted it to us and it is sooo adorable. I want to get more of them, it's just so cute. 

Wes and K Sharing amazed and concerned expressions - 

You can try to be excited and happy and smiley and make yourself act crazy talking and goo-gooing at her, but she will not crack a smile. She is the "try not to laugh" champ around here! One more with Wes, just cause it's a rare thing - K snuggled to his neck -

I also got a pic of J holding K on the 4th when he came up to celebrate with us. He was trying to recreate when she smiled at him (pic 5) but she didn't cooperate. That's ok - it happens. 

Every morning, Owen come into our room and knocks on my door and says to me (if I open it) or through the door if it is closed "Can I hold Katharine?" It's sweet.

It's overbearing, but it is sweet. Daniel holding K - 

Peter doesn't get a lot of turns either, but he's sweet and does a good job! 

He's very careful. 

That picture almost looked like he was nursing her. I am often impressed by her ability to sleep!

Another pic of K with the boys - I gave Joseph a haircut on Sunday morning, Abi was holding Katharine, Ethan wanted a selfie, and Joseph said "I want to be in it!" and Ethan got Joseph via the mirror, ha. 

Funny boys. Wes again, loving on her soft squishy cheeks!

So they love holding Katharine, but when it's not their turn, they are happy to be boys. 

Lily painted all of their faces again cause the paints were still out from the 4th. They are Avatar Batman's! Posing like Spiderman - 

Owen has also been having a "store" with his friend Oliver. They try to sell Oliver's snacks, but the overhead is a bit much. One package of Pringles is $2 bucks. I went to take a pic and would have bought something, but their store is too expensive for me. 

Ethan letting K stuck on his nose again tonight. His siblings think it's funny, most of us think it's gross and we go to rescue K. 

Easter Sunday

We had Stake Conference today, and we went the extra mile by going in person and not watching it on zoom, go team. I thought it was appropriate to try and step it up for Easter Sunday. It was 2 hours long, and the kids did great sitting through the whole thing. No one even went out for a bathroom break! The teenagers did really well listening too. Elder Clark Gilbert was the visiting authority and he and all the other speakers shared touching and heartbreaking stories about deaths in their lives or their friends and families lives and how Christ helps us through those hard times. They also shared stories about trials and conversion. Jocelyn, a recent convert who is awesome and in our ward, shared some of her story of how she came to know the Church is true. She was baptized 5 months ago. It was all really good. It started at 10, but we got there early at 9:20 to make sure we got a soft bench and weren't on the metal folding chairs. I grabbed some old notebooks for the kids to draw in to keep themselves entertained. Before the meeting started Wes was at work entertaining Peter. He drew some cars, a few faces, and then started doing math. 

"I can't just draw anymore... math is more interesting!"

He really likes geometry, which will help him if he does become an architect, which is what he is thinking he'd like to do. He proudly showed me the correct answer he just got. 

Abi found this in the notebook she was using, from a time that Natalie was getting ready to play school ~ funny! 

People: 

Joe - Principal

Natalie - School teacher

Owen - Student

Daniel - Student

Peter - Student

Sophia - Art Teacher

Mom - Janitor

I'm glad she notices what I do all day here at home! Haha. At home after conference was over, Wes was showing off his baby soft skin from his leg wax last night, which he and Mel did when they were up past midnight last night. Fun things happen among the siblings in the late hours of the night. 

We watched a little bit of the Chosen to catch Melodie up, and then we went over to Coreys' parent's house for dinner. Joseph drove up from Provo to join, as well as Corey's siblings and all the cousins. A package that Corey's parents sent to Mel in November was returned - it went to Brazil and back! Impressive. It had Christmas presents and Mel's birthday presents in it, so Mel got to celebrate Easter and Christmas and her birthday today! 

Before we ate, the adults visited a little and the kids wrestled with each other - Peter taking on Owen...

And Owen hanging on cousin Seth - 

And showing affection to one another too - 

Grandma had an old bunny mask that the little kids had fun wearing. 

Joseph wore these funny bunny glasses when he was a toddler, as evidenced by this card that Joseph found today as he looked through the scrapbooks in Grandma's room. 

That is an Easter card I made many years ago, when I was a bit more creative. We thought Peter looked especially cute in the glasses - it's Peter Rabbit! 

After dinner, cousin Rhyan hosted an egg hunt for the little kids.

They enjoyed it, of course. 

Finding the last of the eggs - 

Showing off their loot.

And then the adults visited some more (Wes had my phone...) 

and we made strawberry (and blueberry) shortcake for dessert (that was our family's contribution to the dinner) and watched another episode of the Chosen, and Grandma gave a cute treat to all the kids. Peter holding his carrot full of treats.

It was a nice Easter Sunday. I especially liked watching the Chosen. I thought more about the Savior today than I think I have done during Easters of years past. I am grateful that he conquered death and to know that He Lives today. I believe with all my heart that because of him, I will live again and will be able to be with my family forever. I am so grateful for that knowledge!