Life with the Larsons

Jace is Mobile!

2011-12-10T14:21:00.002-08:00

Okay, so he has been mobile for two months or so now. But now Jace moves across the floor with a purpose! He can get to anything he wants, and rather quickly now! It is not exactly crawling, but a bit of an army crawl mixed with a scoot and throw yourself forward motion--rather funny to watch in fact, but major movement just the same! He really loves the wood floor because he can slide so easily on it!

This is his serious face. He makes it when he has something in mind to get to!

Watch me go!

Jace's favorite toy right now is his jumper I think. He absolutely loves it! He literally bounces like a basketball in it! He is so funny to watch! He will jump to his heart's content...or at least 45 mins or so till he gets so tuckered out he can't jump anymore. Weird contraption, but a great invention for stiff, active, and crazy baby boy!

Halloween Fun

2011-12-10T14:21:00.001-08:00

(Our Halloween fun really started with a trip to the pumpkin patch...but I will have to load those pics and add them later looks like...)

Carving pumpkins this year was great! Reagan did her own smiley jack-o-lantern and Daddy did Jace's J, and Travis just wanted his little mini pumpkins to be potato head people! So easy--so fun! Good job everyone!

Gotta love those sweet faces!

Reagan and Travis both have pumpkin pictures...meaning they were both in their pumpkins. Jace however is a far too big to fit in his pumpkin, but it is his pumpkin pic just the same!

Mom...trying to squeeze him in!

Cool jack-o-lanterns!

Halloween came and luckily we had a plan...a cheerleader, a football player, and the football of course! I think it turned out pretty cute...thanks to Daddy's added touch of the grass and hash marks!

Go Team! Go Eagles!

Daddy threatened to were a bulldog shirt. Reagan said he couldn't-- "No boo dogs in her family!"

Halloween night, we went to Aunt Amy's to go trick or treating in her distinguished neighborhood. It was a great idea. The kids loved the trick or treating and they got a load of candy and it was rather safe! Good idea Aunt Amy! Thanks for having us!

The cool cousins:

So silly! So cute!

Twins!

2011-12-10T14:20:00.004-08:00

Not twins.... Twins:

Travis loves to be twins with Jace so we have lots of matching polos. I need to catch a few more twin photos before they both grow!

These two look so much alike sometimes, but so different other times!

My two cute favorite boys! I love them so much!

Soccer 2011

2011-12-10T14:20:00.003-08:00

Whoa! Mom almost forgot about soccer! Can't believe its already over! This season went by fast!
We finished the season with a great record...I think the blue dolphins only lost once. Reagan was as competitive as ever and took everything pretty seriously. On hot days though, she always asked to be golly. She like the rest ;)
We skipped pics this year as we were out of town, so all we have to go on are Mom's snap shots. Reagan was on Christina Marble's Solomon team. Kiley Dodge carpooled with us which made Mom's life much easier and Reagan loved hanging out with her. It was a fun season!

Reagan was aggressive most of the time and was always in the middle of the ball. She scored lots of goals...she would keep track and Mom would owe her a dollar for each or a snow cone. Needless to say, we ate lots of snow cones at Oasis this year!

Good job Reagan! Thanks for a fun season! We love you and are proud of you!

Travis-O-Saurus turns 4!

2011-12-10T14:20:00.001-08:00

Mom's invitation attempts....

The Travis-o-saurus!
(in his favorite dino shirt even!)

Travis is addicted to dinosaurs these days, especially after our family vacation to Utah where we saw so many cool dinosaur things. So, when it came time to pick a birthday theme--there was no question in Travis's mind...it had to be a dinosaur party!

Unfortunately, Travis's birthday came right at the same time as the Fall Festival for PTO...so Mom had to push his party back a week. But we still gave him his presents from us on his birthday.
A new bike!

Travis liked it, but he isn't so sure about the pedals. He totally loves his balance bike,but this is a new experience for him!

Happy Birthday Travis!

Oh, and can't forget the presents from Jace and Reagan.... These are the things Travis actually asked for specifically. A Spiderman motorcycle:

A new Frog movie:

And a Transformer:

I love my big sister!

Look at me now Mom! I love this thing! By the end of the day, Travis got to be a pro at the pedals!

Birthday Pizza! (Because this is what Travis wanted for dinner...his favorite--Little Cesar's!)

Mom made Travis's dino cake. It was quite the endeavor, but Mom and Misty found a cool pic on Pintrest and just had to recreate it so here was the end product:

Not too bad for a novice!

And it even had peanut butter frosting inside with chocolate cake, just like Travis requested!

Mom also made a dino cake for Travis to decorate. Reagan helped him and this was their creation:

Daddy helped us plan some of the fun for Travis's party. Digging up dino bones?! Of course! You just have to!

The kids so loved every minute of this! It was an old dried and weathered cow skeleton, but they didn't care at all! It was fun...a bit weird, but fun just the same!

I think digging was half the fun for them!

Look what I found Mom!

Check out all our treasures! These are amazing! And YES--you all can take home the bones you found! Best party favors ever!!!

Next, was cracking dino eggs. Mom took some dirt, flour, and water and made some mud balls with dinos in the middle. They were hard as rocks and the kids had to use hammers to get the dinos out, but I think they loved it!

Travis had lots of fun and got lots of great gifts! Thank you everyone!

(Travis loved his hotwheels wall track from Grandma and Granddad! Probably his favorite toy now!)

ps--no pics of blowing out the candles...can't believe we missed that one! Oops! Sorry Trav!

We love you Travis and are so grateful for you! You are full of stories and love to give hugs and kisses (when it is your idea). You love being a big brother and help lots with Jace. You love being the little brother and doing everything that Reagan can do. We love your independence and your honesty. You are a sweet little guy and we love you! Happy Fourth Birthday Travis!

Sept 17, 2011: Pima Air and Space Museum

2011-12-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

When we have a day off together, the Larsons love to play! So off to Tucson to the Pima Air and Space Museum it was!
We had never been before and thought the kids would enjoy seeing the planes. We were right! It was a hit with everyone! Daddy loves the history of it all. Reagan loved climbing inside anything she could and Travis just plain loved looking at all the planes! Jace and Mom were along for the ride and loved watching the excitement in everyone's eyes as they saw new and exciting things.

Daddy would read Travis the names of the aircrafts. Travis would then run and tell Mom. He was a wealth of information by the end of our visit!

Reagan trying to fly...

Some planes were huge!

Travis wants to be a pilot. Mom and Dad think that is a great idea!

Jace and Mom just hanging out...

Look Mom--we can drive this thing!

Look Mom! Travis is playing with something he shouldn't be! (Ha! Caught tattling on photo even! Gotta love it!)

An airplane that is our size!

Reagan like the yellow one:

Helicopters are so cool! Daddy and Travis both liked this one!

Look Mom--I fit underneath!

Travis didn't mind getting his pictures taken...I think it was just because he liked the thought of the airplanes and helicopters being in his pictures too!

Long day for Jace, but he was a trooper!

Where is Travis?

The Pima Air and Space Museum was a fun outing! We will have to do it again on a day that isn't so hot so we can check out all the planes outside!

Jace-- Not a Baby Anymore!

2011-11-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

10-4-11
Well, it is so official. Jace just isn't a baby anymore! He is rolling every chance he gets and even pushes up and gets on all fours and tries to crawl! He can make his way across the room though--either way!
He is way too young for all this craziness! I want to keep him small...and not mobile! He is so cute! And so grown up! It makes me sad to see him growing up so fast!

I'm going to catch Travis!

Watch me go Mom!

Jace also is a big boy in the eating department. He wants food...he loves his baby cereal for lunch and dinner--mixed with some apples or bananas of course. We are starting to try new things and Jace is loving it!

Such the little pale boy, but we still love him!

School Stuff

2011-11-07T15:49:00.001-08:00

Reagan and Travis bring home some really cool and amazing artwork, crafts, and just fun stuff. They want to save it all, but Mom thought the best think to do was take pictures of it all. That way the memories are saved, but we don't have to keep everything. Take a peek at all their fun stuff:

Cool story!

Travis loved his butterfly because it was so colorful and his lady bug 'cuz he could shoot it across the room!

Reagan made these for art one week: So cool!

Reagan's project on the Ringtail cat... and other cool coloring projects.

Travis loves his "crafts" and can't wait to show them to me everyday after he gets home from preschool!

Travis is working hard to be able to write his name on his own. He is almost there! He is also getting better at coloring in the lines.

Check out more of Reagan's fun 3rd grade projects:

Good coloring Travis!

Travis's cute frog:

Don't ya love his fish?! And the dinosaur binoculars were his favorite for days!

Jace likes baby school---or playing that is!

Just hanging out with Denim...

Our cute little guy who found his tongue!

PTO is still keeping Mom busy with cookie sales, the Fall Festival, and everything in between. I took this picture for our thank you cards. Cute kids--even if I do say so myself!

More cute projects!

I love the getting to know you stuff....you always find out new things about your kids!

School is so much fun!!!!

Reagan's Baptism

2011-11-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

It was a special day that was long awaited. Reagan had to wait to be baptized on the Stake Baptism Day in September since her birthday fell in late August.
She could hardly wait, she was so excited! We got ready: dress, amazing pictures by Amber, and Bishop's interview. Plans were made and the date and time was set and soon everything fell into place.
Our princess was baptized by her Daddy on September 10th at the Thatcher Stake Center. Reagan's Papa and Papa Gene Robert were the witnesses. Reagan's Daddy also confirmed her a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
It was a special day that Reagan shared with her friend Olivia Lunt and her cousin. Liv and Reagan were also blessed on the same day as babies. What amazing things to share...
Liv's grandma Holladay spoke on baptism and Reagan's Nana spoke on the Holy Ghost.
The girls sang "I Love to See the Temple" at their baptism and did a beautiful job. They were both beautiful in their white dresses. We were so excited and proud of them all. It was simply an awesome day!

Such a beautiful girl....

Showing her personality....

Gotta love this one:

So sweet and innocent and pure....

I love that smile!

My favorite girl....so precious, so grown up!

After Reagan's baptism, we went to the Temple to take some fun cousin pictures for Nana. They turned out so cute!

What a bunch of cuties!

Silly kiddos!

Mommy and Jace:

Our cute little family:

"I love to see the temple....I am going there someday."

We are so proud of Reagan's decision to be baptized. Being baptized is the first step she will take on her road to the temple. Reagan is a sweet and compassionate girl whose smile brightens our days. Reagan, we want you to know how much we love you and how truly proud of you we are! You are such a good example to your brothers!

Life is in Full Swing!

2011-11-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

WOW! Life has been in full swing! By that, of course I mean busy! Life is rushing by us so fast it seems... here is a bit of a recap of what we have been doing:

Daddy....He is working hard to get his little John Boat finished in every minute of his free time... Not to mention working his real job and watching the kiddos when Mom isn't around. He is making jerky and cooking dinner lots (which Mom is loving by the way). Oh, and don't forget Deacon's which keeps him busy too.

Mommy....Work, YW, plus 3 NAU bachelor's classes this semester. And don't forget squeezing in a few runs which keeps her sane! Then, there is the Mom job and the cleaning the house job...so much to do and so little time. Last but not least...crafting with the girls whenever time allows!

Reagan...loving 3rd grade! Mrs. Petersen is amazing; she knows just how to push Reagan to do her best (which is totally commendable!). Soccer on Mondays and Saturdays, which she loves and is doing great and scoring lots of goals. Dance on Tuesdays, and dancing around the house all the time these days. Then, gymnastics on Wednesdays and working hard to get her back handspring. Don't forget Activity days on Mondays--which Reagan adores! And playing with friends any chance she gets....and even helping Mom with a smile these days!

Travis.... Laughing and entertaining Jace is his favorite thing to do! But don't forget Pre-school on Tues, Weds, and Thurs 8:30-11 with Ms. Tia and Ms. Aubrey which he completely adores and wishes was everyday! He loves hanging outside with Dad and jumping on the trampoline and playing with neighbors. And don't forget riding his bike and playing with the rabbit and checking for eggs. He such the busy guy!

Jace....what a baby! So cute, so naughty, but ya just gotta love him! Mom is hoping for him to sleep through the night soon, but he does nap well--about 2 hours twice a day. And he loves his walker and is moving all over the house. Don't forget tummy time--which really means he pushes up on all fours and moves all around and pushes himself about! He talks, spits, and blows bubbles. He loves his baby cereal and is trying hard to hold his bottle. He is still skinny little guy and doesn't sit well. He loves attention and lights up especially when Travis talks to him and any blonde girl, especially Reagan, smiles at him. So cute and so fun! Loving this stage! He even kisses his mom on the cheek!

We are so blessed to be happy and healthy. We are loving life and enjoying our busyness!

Jace is GROWING up TOO FAST!

2011-08-26T23:04:00.001-07:00

Okay, so these pictures aren't in much of a chronological order....but the first few are more recent as you can tell by a bigger, stronger Baby Jace. He is our entertainment these days. He loves to spit, give slobbery kisses, giggle at his brother and sister, and be entertained by anyone who will pay him any attention. Isn't he the cutest?! We love him so much! (Even if he isn't sleeping through the night yet!!) Jace...hanging with Mom while she gets some homework done....

He kicks his legs like crazy and even pushes himself up with his arms. Silly boy--he is growing up far to fast!!

In the mornings, Jace and Travis are buddies. They both are little morning guys...it is fun to see their smiling faces, but I do miss my sleep!

Jace is loving being a big boy and eating food...or baby cereal at least. I shovel as fast as I can and sometimes some gets away from him!

These pics were actually from his first ever tasting...he loved it and hasn't looked back!

Yumm Mom!

Jace loves hanging out under his toy from Ross and Annie...

He also is starting to love his plug...and put it in his mouth himself!

Jace loves to talk to us!

Cute guy...but definitely a moving target when it comes to picture taking!

The bouncy chair is fun, but he has already almost outgrown it!

Our cuties posing for a pic for Grandma's birthday this summer:

Sometimes Jace plays so hard, he wears himself out! Poor little guy!

We love our little monkey!

Jace so loves his baths! He laughs and splashes and laughs some more! He even cries when you get him out sometimes! What a funny little guy!

I so love this little guy! He isn't always easy, but he is always cute and that does go along way with Mommy! We are so blessed to have such a sweet little spirit in our home!

Happy Birthday Reagan! (Can't believe she is 8!)

2011-08-26T23:03:00.000-07:00

Mom: "It's Reagan's birthday."
Travis: "I know--KEAAHH!" (as he practices his karate)
Birthdays wear Jace out...

Reagan was so excited to turn 8! She loves "catching up" to everyone else since she is a young one for her grade. Eight meant a little more though....with her baptism finally in sight!

Reagan asked only for a gun for her birthday, so of course her Daddy couldn't not get her one! She loved it and was so excited to finally get "her own gun!" Silly girl!

The gun was the highlight of the day....

Reagan wanted to have a small friend party, so of course Mom gave in on this one. Reagan had a PEACE party with 15 friends...it was impossible to try to downsize with her, but it worked out really well just the same.

First, we 'spray' dyed the girls' t-shirts. They were super fun and easy to do and looked so cute too!

Next, we colored trendy dolls....

We ate peace cup cakes and then made our own sundays...the girls loved this!

PEACE is so "in" right now--the girls loved the motif!

Blowing out candles....only a few boyfriends!

Yummy ice cream...

Check out all those toppings!

Reagan got some really fun gifts from her friends...lots of crafty things and even some bling!

EVEN an IPod shuffle from Emma and the Kings! So cool!

These girls are so much fun! Don't ya just love the cute shirts we made?! AND the so cool glasses! I think fun was had by all!

PEACE!!!

Don't forget the backs....

I can't wait to show these pics to them when they are 16!!!!

For her "REAL" party, Reagan had a big family get together at Curtis Landscape where we ate lunch, swam, and just enjoyed each others company. Of course, it was a PEACE party too!

I won Reagan's cute cake last year at our silent auction. The lady did an amazing job don't you think?! The peace sign was white chocolate and it was a chocolate cake with an oreo filling....yumm! It was cute and yummy!

Playing in the pool was so much fun...it was a beautiful day for it! Not too hot, just beautiful!

Even baby Jace liked the water!

Travis was his usual fish self!

Reagan of course loved the attention and the water! No one wanted to get out!

The adults sat and talked and watched the fun...

Reagan and Carson racing...

Mommy giving Travis and Rusten motorboat rides around the pool...

All the kids....lots of family and some special friends :)

Reagan got some super cool gifts....like an autographed book from Aunt Dana and the boys

Blowing out sparkler candles isn't so easy!

Our birthday girl!

All the cousins:

More fun presents...like a new cookbook and apron from Nana

Kaela and Grandma enjoyed the party too!

And a rock tumbler from Grandma and Granddad!

And don't forget playing with these fun gifts! Reagan loved making her own perfume...a cool idea from Aunt Kris and family.

Happy Happy Birthday Reagan! We love you!

School Starts!

2011-08-26T22:57:00.001-07:00

I could hardly wait for school to begin this year...but then it finally did and I so miss summer and having my kiddos around to hang out with. Believe it or not, I actually like them and enjoy just hanging out with them. But August came all too quickly and it was back to school...back to schedules and homework. This year did bring one very new thing--Preschool for Travis! He goes Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:30 to 11 with Mrs. Tia and Mrs. Aubrey. He was so excited to go--he could hardly wait! And it has been that way every day since. He truly loves school and the interaction with "friends". He always has stories of school to tell and loves his teachers too! What a handsome little grown up guy our Travis is!

Buzz Light Year backpack Grandma got him last year for his birthday was a must! There was no convincing him otherwise!

The first day was a hit! Travis absolutely loved it...but we have a ways to go in learning what to do and what not do at school. Lesson # 1-- No taking your shoes off! (It was just too funny that he came out carrying them though!)

Reagan started third grade this year at a new school with a new teacher! She was scared and a nervous, but it all when off without a hitch. Reagan now goes to the Elementary school where she has Mrs. Petersen as her teacher. Mrs. Petersen has taught for years and is a pro. She is strict, but fun and Reagan absolutely adores her. Reagan was sad not to have any of her friends in her class this year, but so far it has worked out okay. She is doing really well and Mrs. Petersen doesn't mind pushing her to do her best. (Mom and Dad love Mrs. Petersen too!)

Cool new outfit that Reagan picked herself...

IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR!

Deleted Blog?!

2011-08-26T20:33:00.000-07:00

Deleted?! What do you mean deleted?! Our blog was deleted yesterday and I was near tears...all this lost?! I would be so sad and was yesterday. I write on here to keep the memories and then print them at the end of the year and to think I had lost this year made me sad and even sick inside. But....after several hours of reading and then finally getting smart and turning to my blog savvy sister-in-law Amy, our blog is back up again. WHEW!
Thanks so much Amy! You are my hero!

Baby Jace is 2 Months Old!

2011-08-14T22:04:00.004-07:00

Our baby boy is getting so big! He is now 25 incheslong and 12 lbs 12 oz at 2 1/2 months old! He is such cutie white boy...so light compared to Reagan and Travis....with the bluest eyes!

He is a good sport about most things. We love him so much!

Our New Fun--A Boat!

2011-08-14T22:04:00.003-07:00

With all the fishing he was doing, Jason couldn't resist getting a little john boat this summer. That meant he could do even more fishing! He spent alot of mornings out with Scott and Travis. Then, later in the summer we got a call from Brother Householder who wanted to sell his ski boat. Now--that made Mom excited! One day on the lake in it and we were hooked--so so much fun!

Roosevelt was great...Jason and I spent a day there alone. It was a fantastic day.

Then, we took the kids for a day. They loved it too!

Hold on tight kids!

We love our boat!

Happy Pioneer Day!

2011-08-14T22:04:00.001-07:00

Happy 24th of July!
Papa drove his tractor and train in the parade. The cousins loved riding along! Fun--Fun--Fun!
Travis rode with Frankie! They had fun waving to everyone...

Reagan and Emma had fun riding along too!

Keeping Busy with Summer

2011-08-14T22:03:00.001-07:00

Oh, boy! MORE summer fun! We definitely kept busy! Reagan played softball with her friends. That kept us busy at night and even up late! She did great! And even got to be a pretty great hitter. She usually played right field and backed up first base. She loved it! She especially loved winning of course and her team went undefeated! Way to go Angels! The championship game lasted over 3 hours though--it was crazy!

Travis loved going to the fields. He made all kinds of new friends like Wally and Ava and hung out with Rhett too!

Way to go Angels!!!

Loving softball!

Meanwhile...Jace is growing by leaps and bounds! Makes Mommy so sad....I want him to stay a baby forever! I so love this stage....and he is learning to be such a good baby!

Reagan and Travis had fun goofing off lots this summer too. On this day imparticular, Reagan helped make Travis a Buzz Light Year costume.

Another fun thing the kids did this summer was catch doves in Dad's trap. Crazy kids!

No birds in the house Reagan! :)

Look at our cutie--he found his tounge!

Roxy loving summer life and all the attention she gets...

Reagan also had dance pics--what a beautiful little girl she is!

Check out the two cuties: Callie and Reagan!

More doves--in the house again!

Dad grilled a lot this summer and we loved eating all his experiments!

Dad also went fishing lots this summer! The kids loved it... Mom--not so much (unless she got to eat them!).

Travis dressing up again! Crazy Spider Man Boy!

Jace LOVES his baths! He loves to kick and play! So cute and so much fun!

Dad took the kids and went crawdad fishing too! They loved it!

Dad worked on getting his red tractor all finished. Looking good!

Arizona summer sunsets are amazing!

Jace loves going for stroller rides!

I see you!!!

We loved getting lots to of bountiful harvests from our garden this summer!

Getting bigger still!

Many a hot afternoon was spent in our backyard pool! We so love that thing!

Our beautiful garden sunflower!

Travis is still loving being the big brother...and Jace loves all the attention Trav gives him!

Travis got to go to scout camp with Dad. He was the patient for the first aide station. He loved it and couldn't wait to show Mom his pictures!

We also got new neighbors this summer. Brother and Sister King moved in to the Bryce's old house and brought 5 new friends for Reagan and Travis to play with!

Brother King had a Luau and roasted some pigs in his back yard...um...yum?

Reagan and Travis met the pigs before they got roasted even.

Reagan still loves dressing up--check her out...such the fashionista!

And here she is as BuZZ the Girl Lightyear!

Travis loves to hold Jace and give him lots of kisses. Jace doesn't mind...most of the time!

When Mom and Dad went to PHX for the weekend of their anniversary, Reagan and Travis spent the weekend with Nana. They even went to Tucson for a fun day and ate at Chucky Cheese's Pizza! They had lots of fun with their Tucson cousins!

These girls are beautiful!

Reagan also went to basketball camp at EAC this summer. She was one of only 2 girls. She had lots of fun hanging with Hunter who won the dribbling contest! Good job Hunter!

Next, Reagan went to Volleyball camp at EAC also. She loved this too! She was on Livi's ASU team. Fun! (except her shirt said USA and she was glad!)

Busy Summer Fun...Swim, Camps, and Just Chillin'

2011-08-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! Summer days and evenings flew by. Mom was busy with two online summer classes, Dad was busy with work and scouts, and the kids were busy with swim, camps, of course--just chillin'!

Travis took swim lessons from Mrs. Leiah and Ms. Demi. He cried and screamed until his last two lessons when he realized it was fun. This frustrated Mom and Dad immensely since Travis literally swims on his own at home in our back yard above ground pool. He is a bit of a naughty boy for sure! By the end though, he was loving it and even went down the slide a few times and showed his stuff. Good job Travis!

Jace liked hanging out with Mom and getting lots of attention. He loves laying under his play toy and watching the dancing animals.

Check out those smiles! What a cutie!

We love summer!

Jace also loves to swing...it puts to sleep!

One summer morning, it got really quiet and I went looking for Travis. This is what I found:

Yuck! Silly boy! Those are dirty clothes!

Jace loves to watch the kids as they watch TV.

Jace loves talking and laughing. He is such an active little guy! He is already trying to roll over!

Reagan went to Cheer camp at the high school. She loved it of course!

Swim also kept Reagan busy. She was on swim team in Thatcher and had swimmer every morning at 8am at EA's pool. Mom actually like having the excuse to get up. Travis, Mom, and Jace walked and ran to kill the time. Reagan loved swim, even the meets! She managed to win a few ribbons. She really improved her strokes!

Go Reagan!

Good Job!

Karate camp was also lots of fun! Reagan and Travis both loved it...maybe it was the karate, or maybe it was because they got to do it with their cousins I'm not sure :)

Travis loved-- KIAH ----Karate!

What great summer fun we had!

Jace's Blessing Day, June 5, 2011

2011-08-14T22:01:00.004-07:00

Travis absolutely loves being the big brother! From the minute Jace was born, Travis took his role and ran with it. He smothers Jace with kisses and hugs and Jace's blessing day was no different!
My handsome little boys... Jace is a big, long baby boy. We were nervous his Blessing outfit made by Nana Rose wouldn't fit, but we got lucky! It was just perfect! It must have been pretty comfy too 'cuz Jace slept lots in it!

Such a precious baby boy!

Jace was blessed by his Daddy in Sacrament in the Thatcher 7th Ward. He slept quietly while Daddy gave him his name and a beautiful blessing. Jace was blessed with health and strength and also the desire to serve a mission and go to the temple someday. Several sweet members of our ward even wrote the blessing down so Jace could have it forever. Very cool!

After the blessing, our family came home with us for a little brunch of sandwiches, fruit, and cinnamon rolls. Jace loved the attention!

Our cute little family on Jace's blessing day:

Jace was exhausted by the time everyone left...he needed another nap!

Nana loves baby Jace!

Granddad thinks he is pretty cool too!

Jace is certain Granddad is a giant!

Almost a laugh...definitely a smile! So cute! We sure love having Jace's sweet spirit in our home!

More fun.....

The weekend before Jace's blessing was Memorial Day; we went up to the cabin and spent the night. Jace did great and the kids loved the dirt and riding their bikes all over. We had fun and enjoyed the coolness and quietness of the mountain. My three cuties!

More fun pics of our little sweetheart! Okay....so Jace hasn't been the easiest baby, but lucky for him he is so darn cute, we forget about his naughtiness most of the time!

I love Jace in his "littlest brother" shirt!

Ready for church in Travis's coming home outfit. So sweet!

Jace loves to be swaddled, but always works his way out. He is such a strong little guy!

Okay...I can't figure out why my pics are sideways....so frustrating! But my babe is a cutey just the same!

Reagan's Dance Recital

2011-08-14T22:01:00.003-07:00

May 2011
For Reagan's dance recital this spring, she got to dance to some really fun songs. Her favorite was of course Material Girl--the dance was too cute and she loved "just shaking it." Her ballet number was to "Good Ship Lillipop" which was may have even been cuter...at least to a mommy who loved Shirley Temple when she was a little girl.

These little ballerinas looked so sweet!

Reagan "shaking it"! Too fun!

Jace went along to watcht the fun and did great. What a handsome littl guy! (His coming home outfit finally fits good!)

Jace loves his plug!

Life with Baby Jace...

2011-08-14T22:01:00.001-07:00

Check out our little cuties! This was before Jace's first day at chuch. So sweet!

Life with baby Jace has been fun! Reagan and Travis love him! Can you tell? They drew this picture for him the week he was born. Sweet huh?!

Jace made it home from the hospital, but he didn't like his car seat...and continued to hate it the first few weeks of his life. Slowly, he got used to it and now he has trouble keeping his eyes open when he is in it.

Jace had the cutest, chubbiest cheeks when he was born...they only lasted a few weeks though!

Jace slept like an angel at the hospital, but then reality set in and he didn't sleep so well at home. It made for one tired Mommy! (It is a good thing he was so cute or she may have gone crazy!)

Jace liked going outside and watching the dogs....they are very entertaining!

Travis loves his new brother and smothers him with kisses, but when the baby finally falls asleep--Mom sends Travis outside to play....and of course Travis is his mischievous self, even outside!

Roxy loves Jace too! (But we keep her from kissing him!)

This is Mom with baby Jace in Reagan and Travis's chalk picture. Too cute!

On Jace's first trip to Nana's, he met all his cousins! Camm loved holding Jace.

Papa meets Jace:

"Yep, looks like a Larson!"

We love our new baby!

Big Brother:

Big Sister:

Look! Travis loves Jace...and broccoli from our garden!

Nana loves Jace too!

Hunter thought Jace was pretty cool, but "so tiny!"

Yikes!

2011-08-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

When you fall off the blog bandwagon, I think you fall hard--at least I do. The days...weeks...and now months have flown by since I last blogged! I can hardly believe it! SHAME on me! I have excuses of course--it was summer and I was busy with the kids, I had a new born baby at home, and I was taking 6 fast paced credits from NAU...the list goes on! But, I guess I just got out of the habit and need to find time to get back in the habit because I so love my blog books and want to keep this up for journalizing purposes. SO....that said....it is catch up time!

More Pics From Jace's Arrival...

2011-05-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

When I was going through Jace's pics, I realized that I hadn't loaded the ones from the other camera...and I don't want to miss any memories...so here they are.

Just waiting for the excitement....

He's finally here!

It's so cold out here!

Love my hats, but my little head is almost too big for them!

My mommy loves me!

Gram and Nana are here to see the new sweet baby Jace.

At first, the kids couldn't come visit--but they lifted the ban that day around noon so the kids came later that afternoon to meet baby Jace officially!

Jace loves his Aunt Jos!

Daddy hold Jace...Daddy was so tired. Can you tell?!

Travis loved Jace from the minute he saw him!

My cuties! All THREE 33333! Crazy!

Travis loves to give Jace kisses

My cute little guys:

The big sister!

All my cuties together--meeting Jace officially for the first time!

Our sweet little family!

Jace is a good sleeper at the hospital.

Check ou all those chins! What a sweet little guy! He looks so grown up already!

Jace loves his Aunt Amy!

Granddad came to see baby Jace.

Aunt Amy and Rusty came to see baby Jace too!

Rusty was the first cousin to hold Jace. I'm sure Jace will love Rusty as much as Travis does!

In Travis's words: "WE LOVE HAVING A BABY AT OUR HOUSE!"

Just Being A Cute Baby....

2011-05-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Some babies are just cute...and you guessed it--ours is one of the CUTEST! (We think of course!) Jace is so sweet and we love him. Mom is enjoying just holding him and watching him grow everyday. Dad is...waiting for him "to do something" of course. And Reagan and Travis just "love having a baby at our house" as Travis would say!

Jace smiles lots in his sleep!
(I think it is all that gas--poor guy!)

Brothers are Forever!

Okay--here is the proof that sometimes Jace is just not that happy of a guy. But we are working on that...He's definitely cute either way!

piano recital

2011-05-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

Can't forget Reagan's piano recital either...
The boys were dressed and ready to go.... And off to Reagan's piano recital with Sister Innes. Reagan played Book of Mormon Stories. She is getting better every day as she practices. We are so proud of you Reagan! Good job!

Reagan had it memorized, but insisted she needed her music. Silly girl!

Our piano-playing beauty!

Gynnastics Meet

2011-05-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Just because Mom had a baby didn't mean life slowed down any....especially because May is such a busy time. Grandma went to Reagan's track meet, but Mom and Dad went to the Gymnastics Meet. Reagan loves gymnastics and is working hard to get her backhandspring right now. Go Reagan!

Check out the Dazzlers:)

just playing

2011-05-20T17:06:00.001-07:00

While Mom was enjoying holding her new little bundle of joy, the big kids were enjoying having Daddy around for a few days. They got to "just play" and hang out. Their favorite thing to do was ride the three wheeler and the tractor. Yeah for summer to come so we can have more fun days like this!

Two tractor cuties:

Watch out--Reagan is one crazy driver!

Roxy wanted to ride too!

Jace's First Bath

2011-05-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

Jace's little umbilical cord fell off when he was a whopping 5 days old! Crazy it was so quick--maybe it is because we don't put anything on them anymore...and they actually dry out quicker this way. I'm not too sure, but this meant Jace got to have his first bath at just 6 days old. Thanks to some help from Daddy and Travis, it went off without a hitch...Jace didn't think so though. He didn't enjoy any part of it! We have definitely established he has great lungs!
Jace tries to get his fingers into his mouth anytime he can!

Mom was grateful for lots of help on bath day!

Jace did not enjoy his first bath! Poor baby!

He was not excited...even from the beginning. Hopefully he will learn to like baths one day!

Jace's Announcement

2011-05-17T21:08:00.001-07:00

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Here is Jace's cute little announcement! What a sweet baby he is!

(Jace's Aunt Dana took these pics when he was 6 days old! Thank you Dana!)

Jace: Home at Last

2011-05-16T16:45:00.001-07:00

After a few days at the hospital, Jace and I were ready to come home and be with our family. Jason spent the first night with us (since it was almost over!) and the second night he went home to hang with the kids. My mom also stayed with us the first few days home. It was nice to have an extra set of hands--Thanks mom!

Jace and the kids on Sunday when they got home from church. Cute aren't they?!

Jace doing the "One-Eyed Pirate." He does this look alot--especially when he is not sure he wants to be awake, but wants to know what is going on. Reagan loves Jace and has started to play dolls again lately. She said, "I can't wait to be a Mom like you." Sweet girl...take your time though!

Travis loves his "Little Buddy"--that's what he calls him! Travis says over and and over, "Mom, it's nice to have a baby at our house." It is too cute! I love their "brotherly love" already!

We had lots of wonderful visitors at the hospital and at home! Thank you all for coming to visit! We have an awesome family and such sweet friends! (I need to upload lots more pics on that note!)

Travis was so excited to get not just a baby brother this week, but some more baby chicks too!

Jace saw Dr. Batty on Friday after he was born and he had lost 12 oz since Tues/birth...so Dr. Batty was a little concerned and said we might need to start formula also. That night, after lots of no sleeping and a fussy baby, I gave Jace formula. It seemed to help some. Also, Jace got his Bilirubin checked on Friday and it was high, so he got placed on a "bili blanket"--it was a bit of a pain, but we only had to use it until Sunday pm....the formula also helped the bili go down and so to Dr. Batty's surprise and ours, Jace only had to use the bili blanket for a short time.

Reagan's Welcome Home Decor:

Jace slept alot his first few days, but when he was awake, he was on the fussy side...like he is colicky already. Maybe it is just going to take some time to adjust with him.

Travis loves his baby brother and always wants to hold him.

My boys!

Reagan loves to hold baby Jace too!

My kiddos just after Jace got home from the hospital!

Travis hold Jace for the first time at home!

Jace didn't want to come home initially--he didn't like his car seat...or maybe he was still upset at Dr. Smith over his circumcision! Poor baby!

Jace's Arrival

2011-05-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

Jace's Arrival...it took some time, but he is finally here!
I went in to the hospital on May 2--Monday morning at 7am to start the induction process. I wasn't thrilled about an induction, but was ready to have a baby...and felt like it was probably the best plan since I was still on my blood thinners and didn't want to have to worry about any of that stuff. SO...to the hospital we went. After some cytotech and after hours of walking around MGRMC (I'm pretty sure we got in a couple of miles--we walked outside most of the time), not much progress--dilated to a 4 and contracting, but by the afternoon the contractions were slowing...and Jason and I were bored to say the least! Patiently, we waited until about 6 pm when the next shift of nurses came on and we got things going! They put me on pitocin and I got my epidural. My friend and nurse--Erica was fantastic and I even got Jason as my nurse anesthetist. Things were going great...I started to dilated and of course contract. I didn't mind though since I had the epidural. After a few hrs. though, the epidural stopped working on my right side completely--it was crazy to be in full labor, but only on one side of my body. Luckily, Jason came back in and fixed me up. My labor was a long and slow process--no real surprise there as my other two had been also. I pushed and pushed...that was a really strange feeling because you didn't really know if you were pushing or not or what you were really doing--I could only feel pressure down there, not really pain....finally, Dr. Harrison asked if I needed some help, and by that point I really did. I had been pushing off and on for over 2 hours I think...So, Dr. Harrison "helped" me along with the vacuum and pulled little Jace out at 0143 on Tuesday, May 3rd! (Dr.Harrison said my pelvic bone was just too much in the way to get him out on my own--so that is my problem--rotten pelvic bone!) He came out a bit blue, but started crying right away! He was beautiful! A blessing from above!
And he was big! He was 8 lbs. 9 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long! I can't believe it--I had joked that Reagan was 6 lbs 6 oz, and Travis was 7 lbs 7 oz, and this guy had better not be 8 lbs 8oz and he was! Too crazy! Also...my weird number thing still stands--Reagan was born on the 23, Travis on the 13, and Jace on the 3rd! Cool, but crazy!

Erica and Jason--my heroes!

Waiting....

Having a baby is such a miracle! I will never be one to say that "Labor is just so beautiful"....labor is painful but I am happy to say this was the best delivery yet...and my baby--HE IS BEAUTIFUL!

Getting Ready...

2011-05-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

9.5 months and counting

Travis thinks he has a big belly too!

Colored bubbles...not such a great idea after all!

Brody--Travis's favorite chick these days...

We have been getting ready for baby Jace's arrival for some time now...Reagan practices her piano and Travis--well, he's making sure everything is nice and comfy for the the baby's arrival!

Oh BOY...and another boy to join the fun! This is going to be exciting!

INTRODUCING...Jace Cooper Larson!

2011-05-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

What a blessing from above! Jace Cooper Larson arrived on May 3, 2011 at 0143 am. He was 8 pounds and 9 ounces and 21.5 inches long. He is so sweet and precious! We love him so much!

More about his arrival later...My sister-in-laws are aspiring photographers so they took these cute pics of Jace at 6 days old...Thanks Dana!

Easter Blessings 2011

2011-04-25T15:00:00.001-07:00

I love Easter...all it stands for and the feelings it brings. It is holiday we hold dear as we remember our Savior, his life, his death, and his resurrection. As we ate lunch after church this Easter, I was pleased both of my children knew that Easter isn't just about eggs and bunnies, but that they both knew Jesus died for them them and was resurrected...and that we can be resurrected one day because of Him. I love my children's faith...and am so impressed with their gospel knowledge sometimes! We are so blessed!
Easter morning brought beautiful Easter clothes from Nana: Cute kids aren't they?! Thank you Nana!

Travis loved his "grown up" shirt!

And Reagan was a doll in her spring time dress! So sweet!

When we got home from church, the Easter Bunny had come and left behind some candy and...bikes! The kids were thrilled...they both needed new bikes and the Easter Bunny managed to bring just the ones they were hoping for!

Crazy Daddy even rode Reagan's bike around the house!

The Easter Bunny also hid the kids' eggs out front. They had fun trying to find them. Reagan was a pro and gathered hers quickly and then helped Travis. What a nice big sister!

Showing off their eggs:)

One last Easter Blessing--Mommy is doing great and Jace will be here soon! (37.5 weeks! Almost done!)

The kids couldn't wait to eat the eggs! Yummy!

Getting Ready for Easter

2011-04-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

One of the most fun things about Easter is coloring the eggs of course! The kids set out to make some really cool ones this year and I think they really succeeded! Crazy kids!

Travis was very proud of his colorful and stickered eggs!

Reagan made rainbow eggs and dyed her fingers! Too fun!

April Flowers

2011-04-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

April 18, 2011
Crafting is fun...and in the beginning of the year, I started crafting once a month or so with some friends. It really was fun so I suggested we do it as sister in laws and all get togther and make great things and theses cute flowers are just one of the fun things we've made lately. I really love "creating" so I hope we keep this up! Jason also brought me home some of the most beautiful pink roses I have ever seen. What a sweet and thoughtful husband I have. I really am lucky... he has taken good care of me lately with roses, cooking, and just loving me despite my pregnancy grouchiness. I truly am blessed to have married such a wonderful guy!

Being A Boy Is Hard WORK!

2011-04-19T13:43:00.001-07:00

April 13, 2011
Travis plays long and hard. He maybe home all alone right now with Mom, but he spends a lot of that time outside with Dad. Travis also thinks he is too big for NAPS...and he can spell that word even! So, after long hard days, he has a tendency to crash...and crash hard. This night, he actually fell out of his chair his dad said. Poor guy! Being a boy is such hard work!

2011 Gymnastics Show

2011-04-19T13:36:00.003-07:00

April 16, 2011
This year, Reagan's gymnastics show came early. I was glad though--one less thing in May to do right?!
Reagan is a Dazzler this year and she and her class performed a song from "Annie" the musical. It was really cute. Heidi came out at the end of the song as Ms. Hanagan even.
Reagan was very excited for weeks about the perfomance...and she did great. She really loves gymnastics. It was fun to see how talented kids are...they can do some amazing things! My beautiful little girl...not so little any more I guess!

Performing:)

All finished!

Spring Break 2011

2011-04-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes....sometimes....it is nice to know brothers and sisters love each other!

This year, Daddy really wanted to go camping for Spring Break. Mommy really wanted to go to San Diego...well, as you can tell by the pictures--Dad won the battle and it was off to Point of Pines for a few fun filled days of camping. (To keep Mom happy though, we made a trip to Phoenix at the end of the week. Mom's camera died after a fatal fall camping so we don't have any pics of that part of our trip! It was fun though--hotel, lots of yummy food, shopping, a sunny Diamond Backs baseball game--which they lost--bummer!, a trip to Amazing Jakes--which everyone of us really enjoyed and included rides, food, bowling, golfing, and go cart riding!--and just plain hanging out as a family! Doesn't get much better right!?

More about Point of Pines...We went on some long drives, found some cool fishing ponds, and froze--'cuz it snowed on us our last night there! Amy, Scott, and the boys came too and even Nana and Papa for two days! Yeah--very fun to hang out with family...makes camping so much more fun for everyone!

While driving, we saw antelope...and some coyotes. Very cool.

Dad tried to call the coyotes in; they headed toward us, but got spooked and ran off. The kids were very impressed though!

Reagan caught a lizard at the pump station. She was very proud and wanted a picture so she could show Uncle Levi. (She "wants to be as good of a lizard catcher as him someday!" Too funny this girl is!)

Looking down at the river from the pump station... beautiful land!

This was the coldest morning...crazy that we woke up to snow and then days later were roasting at 90 degrees in PHX!

Roxy loved the snow--most of which was melted by lunch time.

Snow on spring break--only at Point of Pines! (There was snow on the ground when we came up a few years ago also!)

Snow--what a fun breakfast discovery!

Travis loves Roxy...Roxy is a great dog and tolerates Travis really well!

Reagan wanted to be a photographer while Dad was fishing...so Travis and I posed lots! Good job Reagan!

Travis with his newly found "gun". Boys so will be boys!

Reagan decided she would be the model after a short while...I'm not sure Travis and I were modeling up to her expectations!

Reagan was excited to real fish in...she doesn't even mind touching them!

Travis loved catching fish too...Dad would hook them and Travis got to be a pro at realing them in, but as for touching them much--he left that for Reagan!

Only Travis dances on a stump in the middle of the wilderness!

The kids were excited to catch lots of crawdads and then build a "farm" for them at camp. They were smelly and even mean (as they pinched hard!)little critters, but the kids loved playing with them anyways!

More crawdad friends!

We also saw some elk!

And don't forget the turkeys...

We drove to some far off ponds--that giggle Mom to death--where we caught even more fish. The kids had a great time!

Reagan is gonna hate this "tom boy picture" some day!

Rusty is Travis's idol...he loves Rusty and just wants to be like him and do everything he does. It is cute! Notice--Travis is holding the fishin in Dad's rag...he didn't like the way they feel!

Boys love fishing...and MUD!

We even caught a few big ones!

Two cuties!

Travis gather wood over and over...he loved building fires....as did all the boys....a bit of pyro in them I think!

Roxy tried to be well behaved...her and Dank were our camp mascots.

The kids played army men in the rivine behind our camp. This was a great place to play...away from parents and full of dirt.

At night...everyone was exhausted, especially Travis. But we still read books and scriptures before bed--these kids hate to mess up routine!

The moon was amazing while we were there!

The first trip down to the lake....excited weren't they?!

It really was fun to camp...we are lucky to have great family to camp with! Thanks for hanging with us Scott, Amy, boys, and Nana and Papa!

cRaZy DaYs

2011-04-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

Ever just have crazy days? We do and some of our favorite the last few months have been with Kaela and Travis just making Mom crazy. (Aunt Tanya works at a tax office and so she comes to visit/play one or two days a week lately.) These two are the best and worst of friends. They hug and fight..."mine" is word we hear a lot when they are together. They are crazy kids, but I still love them!

Gila Trout

2011-04-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Did you know there are huge Gila Trout in the Frye Mesa Lake? Okay, so there was and here is the proof! Daddy and Travis and Uncle Seth made a trip up to Frye Mesa after hearing they had stocked the lake with some amazing fish. It took them lots of time and effort to figure out what the fish would bite on, but in the end our mighty fishermen prevailed and caught the limit-one each! They were near record in size and tasted awesome too--we ate them that night! Way to go boys!

Thomas the Train

2011-04-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

March 5, 2011
Travis is still a huge train fan so when I heard that Thomas the Train was coming to Globe, I knew it would be a hit with him. And it was! Even Reagan, who thinks she is far too big to be a Thomas fan, had fun. There were lots of things to do...like play on slides and in bouncy houses, goofy golf/putting, bean bag tosses, mini train rides, and even lots of miniature toy trains to drive and play with. The day itself was blustery and actually a bit on the cold and miserable side, but we had fun just the same! Travis--sliding with some help from big sister Reagan. Nice shirt huh? Travis loved it--Grandma Mayrice actually came by to visit just the week before and brought it to him. Perfect for our day out with Thomas!

Fun mini train, but it was SLOW compared to Papa's so our kids weren't as impressed as all the others!

Fancy train cars though!

Travis was excited to see Thomas. He kept asking if it was the "real" Thomas, which he eventually was satisfied with since smoke came out his smoke stack. Sometimes this little guy
is too smart for his own good!

Fun as it was to see Thomas, we didn't get as close as we were hoping. We stood in the long line almost 45mins to take our pic in front of him and then just as we were next to get our pic, Thomas was off on another drive! I was frustrated...as was Travis. They definitely need to talk to Disney--and make some better photo ops!

All in all--a great day though! After Thomas, we ate some awesome Mexican food and then drove out to Roosevelt Lake and visited Grandma and Granddad and Uncle Levi on the far side of the lake. The kids even got to go for a long boat ride. What fun!

Some Days Are Meant For Fun...

2011-04-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

Occasionally a day of peace, fun, and relaxing comes along in our busy life and we just have to slow down and enjoy it.

This was one of those days...As Dad is into fishing these days, we made a trip out to Cluff Ponds to "drown a worm or two" (as Daddy says). The kids weren't the most interested in fishing as there wasn't much catching, so Reagan rode her bike all over around the lake and Travis just climbed, dug, and even managed to fall into the pond by the end! Silly boy!

On the way home, we stopped by the Carter's to admire their new colt and all their other beautiful horses. Reagan was in absolute heaven and wanted to bring them all home. She is such a little animal lover...especially when it comes to horses! Travis was a bit more apprehensive, but still loved meeting the awesome animals.

Just playing innocent...

Just fishing...

Just thinking....

Kid Fun

2011-04-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

February 2011--Travis had been begging Daddy to put out his John Deere train so he could play with it. Finally Daddy agreed and Travis loved having it out to play with for a few days. He is quite the Engineer!

We got our 2010 blog printed into a book--just like last year! Reagan spent one entire evening just looking at the pictures and reading the entries. These books truly are a great way to journal your life and family...now if I can just stay committed and do better this year!

Travis keeps busy most days--all day long. He hates to nap and if he does, manages to stay up until 9 or 10pm (which Mom and Dad are not fond of). But if he misses a nap, sometimes he just can't quite stay up until bedtime and crashes early!

Susical Musical

2011-04-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

April 1, 2011
Jack Daley Primary School has quite the music program. With a new (temporary as I think Ms. Lawson is out due to illness, but coming back for next year) full time music teacher, Ms. Allred, the kids have continued to have lots of fun! Reagan has been singing Dr. Suess songs for weeks and couldn't wait to perform her musical. The "Susical Musical" was quite a success! Reagan loved it and I think it was pretty cute myself. Initially, Reagan was a "yellow person," but soon came home and announced she had a small part and was a "blue fish." She got to be realled in by one of her "boys" in the musical. It was comical. Maybe Reagan's true calling is being an actress...she is a lot of drama! Funny though....I actually have been told lots lately that she really is a great actress as the kids had a an assembly and Reagan got to be "the bully" and apparently acted the part out just perfectly. From teachers to Mr. Allred, her principal, she got rave revues! I'm just sad we missed that performance!
Cute second graders! :)

Reagan and one of her "boys"--Grayson Whetten--a friend from school and church.

A New Gardening Technique...

2011-04-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

Everybody is doing it....at least lots of the cotton farmers here in the valley! In order to save approx. 30% more water (than used to irrigate), many local farmers are turning to "underground plumbing" so to speak. So, Jason, being the farmer that he is, has tried it out on our garden. Hopefully it will water better and save us some $$$. We'll keep you posted on how it is going! So-- far so good actually! (These pics were taken in early March when he was just getting things started and now our garden has already begun to flourish as of 4/25/11.)

Okay... Time to Play Catch Up!

2011-04-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

...This make take a while!.....And so our story of 2011 begins. Yes, a bit late seeing how it is already almost the end of April. (Actual BLOGGING DATE: 4/25) I have a million excuses--school, work, being tired, etc... but the biggest is that I just haven't felt like blogging. So not good for my "blogging family journal" which I print at the end of the year so I promise to try to do better the rest of the year.

Just a brief overview....January went by quickly as it is a busy month with birthday fun and even Hunter's Baptism! Reagan happily gave a talk at church and Travis became a Sunbeam! Crazy--I taught Sunbeams for years and can't believe my little guy is that big already!

February was really rough early on... I got the Influenza ("the flu") officially for the first time in my life and literally felt like I was going to die. (I'm sure it was just the fever--I had trouble keeping it under 102 degrees with only Tylenol and was worried so I actually went to the Dr. They thought I was a new patient since I hadn't been there in so long!) Luckily, I got better after 5 or so long days. The kids got sick, but not as bad or so it seemed. Jason stayed a million miles away from us all--trying to stay well. It worked! He made it out unscathed the lucky guy!

The rest of February is a blurr. It went by even quicker than January with me working on my school work in addition to daily life. Jason continued to spend much of his free time working on the Model A and Reagan kept busy with all her after school activities. Travis got to go to his first "friend birthday party" and thought he was so grown up. Fun!

March came with the wind and I found myself without an OB doctor. My wonderful Dr. Tran, who had gotten me through two miscarriages and helped figure out a way to keep me pregnant with Travis and this time, confided in me the month before that he was moving. I was devastated, but understood since he was doing it for his family who had already moved. (He told me early because he wasn't going to even be there for my next appt....I was grateful he told me, but glad when it came out officially because I wanted the world to know how bummed I was about the situation.) So, I started seeing Dr. Harrison...the doctor that Dr. Tran had brought in to work with him. He is nice, but no Dr. Tran.

In March, Reagan also had a small piano recital at Sister Innes's house. Reagan really is loving playing primary songs right now. Jason and Travis got our garden up and going...using a new technique even! March also brought Spring Break...but more on that in a future post!

April....is blowing by in a blink also. Reagan sang in her grade's musical, "The Susical Musical" and was a very cute blue fish. Speaking of fish--Jason and Travis have kept busy fishing every spare minute they have lately. They have also been tinkering with one of the old tractors these days.

With each day speeding by, we have been keeping busy with the usual things also. Reagan is dancing, doing gymnastics, and continues to plug away at the piano. She loves school and plays soccer most every day. Mrs. Waltrip, her teacher, must be doing a good job because there is never a day she wants to stay home. In fact, when we were all sick in February, she cried because she had to stay home. I hope all my kids will love school as much as she does!

At the beginning of April, Reagan had "Parents Day" at dance so Daddy, Travis, and I all went to watch. Reagan is a ham and loves to perform, but quickly loses interest when they have to repeat parts of the dance they mess up on. Reagan was really excited to see all of us there to watch her though! She is growing up so fast!

Reagan and Travis are learning to enjoy each other's company more and more. They love playing outside together, especially catching bugs, playing with the baby chicks, and riding bikes/tractors. They also play lots of school--Reagan teaches Travis lots of new things! One of their favorites by far though is playing Legos together. They build and build, each coming up with a more outlandish story to go with their castle, house, or spaceship. It really is cute. I love their imaginations!

Pregnancy is going well and Jason insists that we have to have a few belly shots to prove I was pregnant. I am pretty positive I have never allowed him to take so many in the past! But since I am almost done, I guess it is okay.(Approximations:) 36 wks:

35 weeks:

32 weeks: Crazy how fast your body changes--that is for sure!

Travis had been keeping us on our toes the past few weeks...he is just naughty! Or is he just a boy? I'm not sure which, but he is sure a handful lately. But with his cute grin, it is hard to stay mad at him!

Cluff Pond Fishing

2011-04-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure of the date on this one, but Jason and Travis and Uncle Seth went out to Cluff Pond and managed to catch a bunch of yummy trout one morning not too long ago. The fish was great--Jason even came home and cooked it for dinner. It doesn't get any fresher than that in the Gila Valley! Travis was very proud of the fish....except he said he didn't like fishing in the "tippy canoe!"

Good job guys!

More Fishing, But Ginormous Ones This Time!

2011-04-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

More fishing trips for Daddy, Travis, and Uncle Seth. Check out these monsters! These are Gila Trout caught at Fry Mesa. They swim up close to the water so you can see them, but they aren't so easy to catch! And the rule is--only one per person. These were yummy too, and made one huge dinner! Way to go again our mighty fishermen!

Jason was really proud of the big one--almost a record! Maybe next time....