{growing old...er}

my boys...my little boys...aren't so little anymore...

for a long time people would ask me when i was going to move them into their toddler beds...

...and my reply was always "when they learn to climb out of their cribs, or when they start potty training...whichever comes first"

...well they learned to climb out of their cribs...so we changed, or rather dad, changed their beds...

...keegan has decided that carter's bed is much better to be in...

...especially when carter's already asleep...carter has amazing sleeping habits...he almost always falls asleep within 5 minutes of his head hitting the pillow...never have to worry about him and insomnia...

...lately, though, keegan has decided the floor is much more desirable...
...just a guess but i'm thinking it is due to my laying on the floor while they try to fall asleep during nap time...
seriously though, the boys have done amazingly well...all things considered...and they fall asleep...during naptime...within 15-20 minutes, so i am able to still have mommy time...yay for that...

{not lions...not tigers...but bears...oh my}

this halloween was full of fun.  we really enjoyed watching the boys' wonderment and awe with the holiday.

a couple of weekends before halloween we decided to take advantage of our zoo pass and military discount and go trick-or-treating at boo and the zoo.  the boys had a lot of fun collecting candy and seeing the animals at night...especially the nocturnal ones which are usually asleep when we have gone to the zoo in the past...

then the day before halloween we took the boys to a party in a town close by specifically for kids.  they played games...and of course, collected more candy...

after the party, we partook in the good o'le mormon tradition of trunk-or-treat...which the boys had more fun handing out candy than actually going trunk-or-treating...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE...my favorite wife!

Katie and I have been married now for over seven years. I would say that seems like a long time, however it has flown by so very fast. I always knew that she would be a good mother. She will do anything to comfort them…to make them happy. Even to me she makes it look so easy.

This is what she lives for; it’s everything that she has always wanted. To her, it doesn’t matter if she is “stuck” at home all day, doesn’t matter that we don’t go anywhere once I get home. There have been countless times I’ve woken with her in the boy’s room, either rocking one to sleep or simply just comforting one. I can see how much Carter and Keegan love their mother. She has that great warmth that calms them down.

Katie, we love you for all of that which you do.

The other day was Katie’s Birthday. Happy Birthday again… Her birthday was on Sunday so it was nice I had the time off from work so that I could spend the day helping out with the boys (just ask Katie how many diapers she changed on her birthday!).

For her birthday cake she wanted a Tiramisu…for those who haven’t tried one…it’s not too bad!
Well, here are a few photos…just a few…

{family photos}

we had some family pictures taken at the beginning of october...

...and they turned out a lot better than i thought they were going to...

i didn't realize just how hard it is to have a photo shoot with 2 toddlers who inherited both families stubbornness...i know recipe for disaster...but miss heather lowery did an amazing job!!!

{have you come to sing pumpkin carols?}

last saturday we had the opportunity to visit the wishing star pumpkin patch.
there was a lot of fun to be had...


...we gazed at the animals...and tried to feed them our fingers...

...then dad gave us a snack to share with the goat...ram...not sure...

...then we played king of the hill...

and took a train ride...

...and best of all...mom and dad took us down a really big slide...