Spring Break 2016

Oh boy did we need the break.  I was so excited to have some time with just us as a family to play and have fun.  We had tried to make plans to go to Disneyland for Spring Break, but it just didn't work out this time.  So we found something that was just as fun but not as expensive.  We bought a POGO Pass.  It is a pass that has like 15 different venues on it where you can go and play or do whatever there but only a few different times throughout the year.  We got them for a great deal and were so excited to try them out.  We decided to do some of the bigger places first.  

We started our first day by going to the zoo!  I think I was almost more excited than the boys were.

Kayton was most excited to see the giraffe

Nate chose to go in and pet the sting rays!

It's nice when Daddy helps them see high 

Brushing the goats, my favorite thing I got to do when I was younger

 

Merrick was excited to see the elephant because he is obsessed with his Dumbo stuffed animal

Nothing like some Dippin Dots and getting to pick something from the souvenir shop

They loved all of it. Kayton was mostly excited to see the giraffes and Merrick was excited to see the elephants because he loves his Dumbo stuffed animal.  We didn't make it to everywhere so we are glad that we get to go again before the year is over.
That night for dinner we got to go hang out with Dad and Mom and their house in Gilbert.  I love that they live so much closer now and we can do that.  

Kayton read a whole book to Papa

By the end of the night, we were totally wiped out, so we went back to the house and crashed. 
The next day was Castles and Coasters. 

Bumper Boats

Kayton was tall enough to drive the bumper car all by himself!

The carousel

 

Water log ride

Some of their winnings from the weekend

Our last day we decided to go off of our POGO Pass and we went and paid for the boys to go to Krazy Air.  It's just a big giant room that has lots of trampolines and foam pits and nets to climb on.  The boys were in heaven.  We could only play for an hour but they had such a blast.  We are totally coming back there again.

 

 

 

Of course Nate wanted to join in on the fun with them.  I loved watching it.

 

 

After that, we left and came home.  It was a perfect trip and break for us.  We really needed some fun family time and we definitely got it.  Now back to finishing the school year!

22 Weeks

We made it to the halfway point!!!  

I love this stage of pregnancy.  I'm finally feeling better and am able to do the things I want and I can feel baby a little bit too.  

Sister Missionaries

Having sister missionaries come to our ward has been so much fun.  I love getting to have them over when possible and getting to know them.  It's much easier for me to bond with them instead of with the elders.  We got lucky enough to see one of them again after her mission.  Brandy Taylor stopped by our house while she was passing through town and I just loved getting to see her.

Later that same night though, we said goodbye to another sister missionary.  Sister Margot Christensen.  She started and ended her mission here in Show Low so we got to see her grow up out here. I made sure I was already friends with them on Facebook cause they feel like such good friends to me.

Cleaning helper

While we have chores for the boys to do, every once in a while they each want to do some of my chores.  I love watching them do my sweeping or vacuuming and they think it's fun too, but only when it's their idea.

Reading night

Nate's school celebrated Dr. Seuss night so we headed out to join him.  All the teachers were dressed as a different Dr. Seuss character.  Nate chose to be Mr. Brown and even made himself a mustache.  The little party they had was a lot of fun and Kayton got to do all kinds of activities. Happy Reading Week!  

Merrick playing with the decorations

Baby #3 is a....

Boy!

This is how we announced it to everyone.  

Merrick really wanted a little brother and totally got his wish.  Kayton didn't care either way. Nate was fine either way too.  I really truly thought it was going to be a girl this time and so when they said boy at the ultrasound all I could do is a laugh/cry/shake my head cause it just took me a while to wrap my head around it.  I guess we better get to finding a name for this little guy now.  The ultrasound showed that everything was great and measuring normal so we just feel so blessed to know that much.  I am now officially more than outnumbered in our house.

Our Valentines weekend

What a weekend it was. It started with our stake throwing a Valentines dinner for the adults on Friday night, and we were able to go.  We had steak and ate with friends.  There was dancing afterwards, but our little group decided to go back to a house and play games instead of sticking around for dancing.  All the husbands were excited to ditch the dancing.  We thought it was a great night.  

The next day, we got up and headed to the valley.  We went down to help my mom and step dad clean out Grandma Peterson's house to get it ready to sell.  There was a lot to do and we stayed there all day.  We were able to take home a few things like some instruments, books and pictures.
On Valentine's Day Sunday, we headed off to church with my grandparents and got to eat dinner with them.  Then, we had to leave their house for a little while so we went temple hopping.  We started at the Gilbert temple, finally got to see it in person and walked around admiring all of it.  Then, I really wanted to head to the Mesa Temple since it is my favorite one.  We got to hang out at the Visitors Center for a while and let the boys try all the cool gadgets they had there.  I loved watching them enjoy the church videos and seeing their love for going to the temple.  I thought that getting to be at the temple where our eternal family began was a great way to spend Valentines Day.

 

 

Kayton turns 6

Kayton turned 6. I just can't believe it sometimes.  He only has 2 more years until he gets baptized and it's making me a little sad.  He is such a great kid though, I don't know what we would do without him.  With my pregnancy making me so sick, I wasn't able to do as much this year as I wanted, but we started his birthday off with taking cupcakes to his school for his class.  They sang to him and ate treats and just loved getting to celebrate.  

His birthday was on a Sunday this year, so I made sure to pull out our banner and make him a yummy pancake breakfast.  

After church, we let him open the presents we got him. He got some games and a Transformers toy. 

Then, a few days later, we had a little family dinner and he got even more presents.  

and had cake and ice cream.  

He was really bummed he couldn't have a friends party, but he still had a great birthday weekend and we love getting to celebrate with him.  I love getting to watch his excitement every year.