Thursday, April 26, 2012

Gymnastics Performance 2012


 Livvy finished off her gymnastics season with a bang.  She did so awesome, showing off her skills at the gymnastics performance.  She is such a cutie!!  The boys really did try hard to watch but ended up outside playing around.  Good job Livvy!  I am so proud of you! 







Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Sunday Naps

Some of us like Sunday naps and some of us don't.  And sometimes Sunday naps happen whether we want them to or not...




Hot vs. Cold

Early one morning a couple of weeks ago Coy woke up to SNOW!  He was so super excited and wanted to get all bundled up to go play in it.  So I bundled the boys up and out they went.  It pretty much melted within the hour but it still made them happy! That (so far) is the last time I got their coats out because Summer has moved in here fast!  Cohen is already complaining that it is too hot to play outside.  I keep trying to tell him this is the best it's going to be but he's not buying it.

It has been so crazy warm that I couldn't be inside any longer.  I really need this baby out because I can't do much with it in.  So when J came home from work, I U-turned him around and we all went to the park.  It was fun.  Coy kept going down the slide, and loved it.  He usually won't because he's too afraid he will fall off, but this slide was just his size.  It was fun and wonderful to be outside in the nice weather!







Monday, April 16, 2012

Easter

Easter Bunny time! I love this holiday where big secret bunnies sneak around hiding eggs and leaving gifts. But this Easter, Saturday night found me in tears.  I pulled out the bin where I kept Easter fillers and to my surprise it was nearly empty.  Reality set in that I didn't have much to fill their baskets.  I started to cry.  In their basket I had sidewalk chalk, a chocolate Easter Bunny, and Bubble Gum Bubble Tape.  MAN!  I totally dropped the ball.   After a hug from Jeremy and the knowledge that there was nothing I could do because nothing is open in Blanding, I took the jelly beans that I had and put couple in as many eggs as I could and hid them all over.  The next day, Coy was SOOOOO excited.  He kept telling anyone who would listen that the Easter Bunny made a big mess! 
As usual Cohen was super fast and it is hard to get a picture of this cute guy!  He realized that Coy had collected most of the eggs and knew he had to start collecting.  Livvy didn't care much to collect more than the ones she had in front of her.  She is not a big candy girl.
Yep, coy found his basket with the bubble tape and chocolate bunny.  He was happy!
I wasn't totally off my game.  I did manage to get each kid a little toy to hide.  Coy got a "yellow" whatever that thing is!  Scooter??  He is obsessed with yellow.
Livvy got a pair of roller skates and has already ripped holes in her jeans trying them out.
Cohen got a bow and arrow thing.  And yes he did shoot me and lost his privileges for it the rest of the day.
Easter dinner was at Grandma's house.  Most of Jeremy's siblings were in town for a few days and we had fun hanging out with them.  Well... I guess not all of us.  Cohen had been sick with a high fever and breathing problems for days.  I was so worried about him.  He does not do well when he is sick.  Cohen and I missed the annual picnic at Recapture with the family.  I made Jeremy swear to take a ton of pictures and even text Stacy to remind him to do it.  The saddest part is I had the camera on manual and all the pictures he took (about 50 of them) were over exposed and didn't turn out.  Super disappointing but thanks for trying J!
Addi and Livvy were side by side for 4 days.  In this picture Livvy was telling the others what a beautiful Stigma that flower had.  For reals?????? 
We missed having Cohen dress up cause he was too sick to go to church.


Oh my goodness, Coy is so funny.  I was trying to get a good angle with my pregnant belly and was leaning down so he thought he should lean down to take the picture too.  Cute little guy!!!
My sick little Cohen could barely eat.
Livvy in her new Spring outfit.  Noelle bought me some clothes at the new City Center 77 Kids in Salt Lake when I was having some serious shopping withdrawals so I found them and put them in the kids' baskets to fill them up.  She is sure growing up fast!!!

Choir Concert


 Livvy had been practicing her songs weeks before her performance.  She was so excited for it so there was no way I was going to miss it!  She did great!  Such a cute 1st grade.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

The "Brake" down!

Sunday morning after the wedding, we geared up and headed out of town for the long drive home.  We got warned of the snow that was falling in AZ of all places.  I decided that I want to drive in the beginning and as the roads starting getting more slippery and the snow falling harder I wanted out of the driver's seat.  We decided to drive to the next town on the sign.  That was Kingman, AZ.  As soon as I pulled off there was a huge metal on metal sound.  I pulled into a gas station and we both looked at each other and knew we weren't going to be driving anymore that day.

We were very blessed because across the street from the gas station was a Hotel and across the street from that was a car repair place.  It was 5 pm on Sunday night so we knew nothing could be done until the next morning.  So ... we went swimming!  The kids spent a lot of time at the pool in the next 2 days.  We found out that they closed I-40 and would probably be stuck somewhere on the road not able to get home even without the breakdown.  The next morning we found out that our front brakes were totally out.  Turns out our hub bearing was shot and it ate up the brakes.  I am soo glad we broke down where we did because it could've been a lot worse.  We stayed in Kingman for 2 days waiting for repairs.  We tried to make the best of it!  After all, it was an extended vacay!
Holly got us lots of crayons and coloring books so the kids spent lots of time coloring.


More swimming and games.  Cohen and Livvy were sea animals and coy fed them food and when they were "bad" Coy hauled them into the hot tub!
Lucky for us there was a McDonalds to the right of the hotel so we spent a few hours playing there too.  I honestly have never seen a McD's with these video game stations.  The kids could sit and play games on these touchscreens.  There was 3 of them and Coy was so excited he could play one by himself.  Usually Cohen just "lets" him watch him play games.  Needless to say the kids thought these days were sooo much fun!  We are glad to be home!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Wedding Day Finally Here!

There is no going back...Benita and Scott Fairbarin are married! YAY!!! Benita made an absolutely beautiful bride!

Jenna Cole Photography took these (above and below) photos and let me steal them a little early.  Jenna was a great photographer and is one of Benita's best friends.  She did a great job despite the downpour of the day!  Finally a picture with all the sisters! (Update: more photos of Benita's whole day are http://jennacole.com/fresh/2012/04/wedding-benita-scott/ )
Scott and his Mom, Sandy and Jim
Funny story, but not so funny to me:  At the rehearsal dinner, dessert was brought out before a couple of speeches.  Scott's Dad and Step-Dad spoke and Cohen was dying for cake.  So during Jim's speech, up walks Cohen, and hits Jim in the leg while he's talking.  Jim looks down and Cohen asks if he is almost done.  I was completely mortified.  I grabbed him as fast as I could as my face was turning beet-red and my body temp hit an all time high.  Oh man, that little Cohen.
I do have to say that the San Diego temple is absolutely beautiful.  So much more so than you can imagine.  We had a wonderful time attending and feeling the sweet feeling you get from being there. 


At the reception, Benita had a big pin board and a Polaroid camera.  Who knew those things still existed?!  They do.  And each group of guests were asked to sing in using a picture that Benita could make into a book later.  It was a super cute idea and worked well.
 

Benita's reception table was gorgeous.  My mom spent a great deal of time planting tulips at her house so they could be fresh on the table with little lights highlighting them.  They were so pretty.  Tulips were my flower of choice at my wedding too.  Jolynne made all the table placement names and put them in lemons.  My contribution was the Jelly Belly jars mixed and filled with a label for each guest.  The flavor yellow was lemon and the white was coconut but mixed together made lemon meringue pie.


 Cohen and Grandpa Bates spent time together after each event.  I am sure he was thoroughly entertaining.
Grandpa gave him a dollar if he would behave during the ring ceremony.  I am not sure he earned it, but how do you say no to this face?
Cohen and Scott's nephew, John became fast buddies.  They shared the same love for playing games on phones.  They were cute together.  Cohen is a friendly guy and has no trouble with friends.
The first dance of the night, Benita and Scott danced.
The second dance was Benita and Dad.  They danced to "Butterfly Kisses"
Then Scott and his Mom danced. 
During their dances the kids lined the stage to watch.  Cohen reached over and put his arm around Olivia.  I almost fell out of my chair.  I asked Livvy if  she noticed his arm?  She said yes and she thought it was cute so she didn't want to take it off.  Cohen just said he just felt like doing it.  (They might love each other!)
I didn't do a great job taking pictures.  None of all the cousins together and NONE of my 3 kids in their cute wedding stuff except this one.  I need to do better!



The dance floor was opened up to all.  Livvy took her daddy and they got their groove on.  NO WAY was I going to go out there and dance.  I probably would've had my baby. :)



I was surprised at how many people danced.  Even Tayslee found her groove!
Coy said that Cohen was sad and that's why he hugged him.  My sweet COY!!

Benita and my Mom at the reception.  Benita is just getting ready to take her departure.



Unfortunately Benita's wedding shoes sat on the sidelines for a bit.  But I do have a disclaimer.  I am not that short. Benita towered over everyone in these shoes. :) 
Love you B!  May your life only become better and better after this best day of your life!