The Pulleys

shake your... booty

2011-11-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

1. You gotta love when kids mix up their words. The other day Luke was shaking his hips side to side and he says, "This is called shaking your wienie." Just as I was about to give a big, "What?!", he corrects himself and says, "Oh, I mean shake your booty." Honest mistake, right?

2. Here are a few pictures that capture a few of Elise's tendencies. First one - she loves hair. Especially mine and hers. She often lays on the ground like so:

This is the greatest source of comfort to her. If she is within arms reach of my hair, she inevitably has a handful of it while sucking on her lower lip:

And, her "Oh" face. She uses it often (side note: she is suffering from post pig tale hair in this picture. Super funny looking):

3. It was Luke's turn to be the "special leader" at school - needless to say he was quite excited. So, off to the store we went to pick out the snack for his basket. He tolerated me stopping by another store first, and as we got in the car, he tells me not to forget to go to Day's.

"Don't worry, I plan on it."

"You're brain keeped it?'

"Yes."

"Good. My brain keeped it too."

Pictures:

I was so excited when Asa showed me this picture. I was shocked that he drew a 'G'. "Did you draw a 'G'?!". Nope. It's a snake. But, he was so proud of it, that he wanted a picture.

So sweet.

These next two picture are.... ummm.... precious. I know you shouldn't make fun of your kids. But, sometimes they leave me no choice. I figure by the time he ever reads this, he'll be old enough to laugh at himself as well... I hope. And, although I am slightly embarrassed to post these pictures, they are too good not to.

a much need break and some big steps

2011-10-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

1. We headed down to Moab, for some much needed QT. It's been a long summer/fall of refinishing the outside of our house on top of a busy season for the business, so there hasn't been much fun had in this house for a while. Some might even use the word 'neglect' when describing the care of our children. Adam, miraculously, had a few days open in the books, so I set down the paintbrush, packed up our sandals, and off we went.

We had so much fun! We went for a ride in the Ranger, chased lizards, hiked to Delicate arch, went on a bike ride, played mini golf, went swimming, chased more lizards, tried to explain why we can't live in Moab to Isaac (for the 10th time), and why that doesn't mean that other people shouldn't be allowed to, did another hike, finally caught a lizard, and celebrated Elise's first birthday!

Like I said, it was a welcomed break from a lot of work. The only bummer was that Elise woke up sick on her birthday... oh, and that the time went by too quickly, but we were grateful for the chance to have some fun together.

Game: Find the commonality in the first four pictures.

Give up? Luke... and his rock.

Oh look, another rock.

Elise loved the ride in the Ranger.

The lizard!

Elise loved the sand!

The boys loved the big sand hill on our way out.

2. Today, at church, Elise took her first steps! I was in the middle of my lesson and some kids in my class got her to walk to them. It was actually quite cute to see how excited they all were with her big accomplishment. Unfortunately, Adam was on his way to Canada, so he missed out on the fun.

3. As I just mentioned, Adam is on his way to Canada for a moose hunt. He will be gone for over a week -unless he ends up taking one earlier (fingers crossed). We're already sorta kinda missing him. Isaac was pretty emotional all morning because he missed his dad. When he was talking to Adam this afternoon I overheard him say, "I love this family. I love you and mommy because you plan fun stuff for us. I really love you daddy." Now, if that doesn't just melt your heart.

4. I had a flashback to my childhood as I overheard a conversation that Isaac and Luke were having. They were looking at a toy catalog and talking about all the toys they wanted, as they often do. Here is their conversation:

Luke: "This is a baby toy."

Isaac: "I think it looks fun."

Luke: "Yeah, it's cool."

Luke: "Oooo! Is this really cool?"

Isaac: "Dumb."

Luke: "Yeah, I think it's dumb."

Luke: "Is this dumb?"

So, my older sister Steph, who I oh-so looked up to, would always mess with my pathetic, insecure little self. She would say something like, "Oh, I LOVE this." So, of course, I would voice my love for said thing, only to have her retract her love and replace it with disdain, which would leave me no choice but to do the same. And, although Isaac wasn't intentionally setting Luke up, it had me laughing.

5. The painting is done! Thanks to the selfless service of family members, the painting on the house is done! I did about half of it myself, but thankfully we have an amazing family, who jumped in and helped finish the rest... I wouldn't have been able to finish it before it got too cold, otherwise. Painting (and calking!) an entire house? So not fun! I would like to give a special shout out to Carol, Jon, Adrianna, Lynn, Maddy, Ifti, Dani, Katie, and Chris for all of their help! And, let's not forget Jer, Wes, Jon, and Matt, who helped us get the fun started! Once the soffit (sp?) and facea (sp?) is finished, I will post some pictures.

Some pictures:

What is this, you ask? Well, isn't it obvious? It's a fireman with his oxygen tank, breathing devise, and water hose.

And now, here's three fireman.

This was the boy's summer project: Nailing scraps of wood from our house project onto the stumps in the chicken pen. It evolved into something new on a daily basis. And, although Adam wasn't too happy about the constant disappearance of his hammers and nails, I enjoyed the countless hours that it kept them busy (Remember what I said? Neglect).

Any reason for concern? BTW, those are not my 'nude' colored pantyhose. I bought them to store onions in... yes, onions.

Yet, another item that quickly disappears from Adam's garage - latex gloves.

Luke was quite excited about the size of this potato from our garden, so he insisted on a picture.

little miss turns one

2011-10-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Can I believe it? No. I just cannot believe it has really been a whole entire year since we first welcomed Elise into our family. And, now I absolutely understand why people have a hard time with their youngest child growing up too fast. It's a bummer. Especially since she has been my most enjoyable baby. But, this is a fun stage, so I will try to cherish this moment before it flies by like the rest of them.

Elise has been such a welcomed change from my three rowdy boys. I know that makes is sound like I didn't enjoy my boys when they were babies (or even now). But, I did/do. I adored each and every one of them. But, I feel like I have finally caught a break with Elise. You see, I once was that type of person who thought they knew everything about parenting before even being a parent... I had a lot humility and empathy to learn. I wouldn't be able to count how many times I thought, "I'll never do that with my kids". Ha! What a silly, stupid girl. I now fully realize the ignorance of my ways and have been thoroughly humbled by my three beautiful, bouncing boys. Now my thoughts are more along the lines of, "Oh, you poor mom, I am sorry for what you are going through, right now." Thankfully, Heavenly Father must have felt I had learned my lesson and sent me my mellow little girl. Insert *sigh of relief*. Here are a few things about my sweet little miss:

1. Have I mentioned she's sweet? Well, she is. Not that there are many ornery one year old's out there, but I'm pretty sure she is sweeter than most (at least more so than her older brothers were - no offense to them). It makes her pretty dang easy to love.

2. Part of her sweetness is the fact that she is very easy going. Her brothers can smother her with kisses or knock her over with their hugs, but she (usually) doesn't seem to mind. I often have to tell Luke to ease up with her (as his love and playfulness can get pretty overwhelming), but it doesn't seem to bug her - instead, she is usually laughing.

3. The biggest difference in Elise compared to my boys, is how content she is. She doesn't have to constantly be getting into EVERYTHING like my boys did (do). She doesn't have to constantly climb onto EVERYTHING like my boys did (do). She has been able to climb up the stairs for a while, but doesn't feel the constant need to revisit them. And, she lasts a whole lot longer on my lap or in my arms than my boys ever did. It has been such a nice change!

*Update: I spoke too soon. Over the last few days, Elise takes any chance to climb the stairs. Once she gets to the top, she start hollering until I come and get her down. Anytime she climbs up onto something, she will just holler until someone helps her off.

4. I absolutely love how she sucks her lower lip and plays with either my hair or her hair when she's tired or just needs some soothing. It doesn't bode well for my ever so fancy ponytail, which is usually half pulled out. There are a few things about babies that you realize you will miss terribly - especially when you realize you are experiencing it for the last time... this is just one of them.

5. She adores her brothers. Like I mentioned earlier, she never seems to get sick of all the love and play that they force upon her. They crack her up at times, which is just about the cutest things ever. I love seeing the love they have for her. I sure hope it continues down the road.

6. She gets super excited when she sees someone she recognizes from afar (especially her brothers and dad)... I love it. She laughs/squeals/yells out of excitement.

7. She loves saying "hi" and waving to people. It's pretty cute. She doesn't seem to have much stranger anxiety - none of my kids have. And, although it has sometimes made me feel a little insecure about how much my children might love me, they have usually made their preference for me clear at some point. Whew.

8. She says, "ooo" a lot lately... super cute. It makes it seem like everything is fascinating to her. She also does it when she's starting to upset, which is also cute.

9. Oh yeah, she's also really sweet.

So, I asked my boys (and niece) at the table what they love about Elise. Here are their answers:

Halle: "She let's me carry her."

Isaac: "She's my sister."

Luke: "I do funny stuff to her and she laughs. And, I love her."

Adam: "She's super cute. She waves at me and says, 'Hi daddy, and bye daddy.'"

We were in Moab during Elise's birthday. Unfortunately our little Miss woke up sick on her birthday. This pretty much sums up how she felt all day.

We still got her a cupcake and sang 'Happy Birthday' to her.

Despite not feeling well, she still enjoyed her cupcake.

Not too sure what Asa was doing.

But, he sure enjoyed his ice cream cone.

please bless the food

2011-09-20T21:33:00.001-07:00

1. The other night I made some soup. Of course, Luke - seeing that there was a variety of veggies contaminating it - started having a bad attitude. So, Adam asked Luke to bless the food and said that maybe he should ask Heavenly Father to make his soup yummy. Luke's prayer: "Please, bless my soup to taste yummy and bless daddy's soup to taste yucky." Followed by a bit of giggling. No wonder Heavenly Father loves children.

2. Luke's on a kick lately of saying, "It's the master of...". His latest one is, "Coconut oil is the master of good foods, huh? And, sugar is the master bad food."

3. We love our chickens. So, of course, we have honored a few of them with some names. Well, I guess the boys deserve the credit for the names. Here are the names that they have come up with so far: Liz, Goldie, Hawkie, Cutie (because they think her black eyes are cute), and Zebrie (because she is black and white striped-ish). I love my little chicken farmers.

4. Elise started standing on her own a few weeks back. Man, I've been bad at documenting her milestones. My prediction is another month or so before she walks. Which is fine by me. It already seems like time has been shifted into warp speed this last year, I'm fine with her taking her time.

So, she's not standing here, but she sure is cute, nonetheless.

5. I ran my first half marathon with the best running companion one could ask for. My brother, Matt, is pretty much the funniest person you will meet, so, I try to tag along with him any chance I can. If it means running 14 miles, then so be it. Well, I think I can say it wasn't as bad as I expected... until about mile 10, then my body was ready to be done. But, I kept plugging along and crossed the finish line. Yay! Cross that off the list... and erase 'Complete full marathon' from it. If you want to laugh out loud, check out Matt's breakdown of the race. And, if you feel like laughing some more, just continue reading through his blog:http://loveridges.blogspot.com/2011/08/running-on-empty.html

The pictures:

I think I'm going to stop taking my camera on hikes...

... We spend half our time posing by various plants...

... and rocks...

... and fighting over who's turn it is to pose on the rock...

... but, I guess it's worth it.

Oh, yeah, I had a birthday. And, Adam, being the stud he is, pulled off a surprise party and new bike without me ever suspecting either. What a good man!

We went camping with Grandma Loveridge and the Hopkins for the Johansen reunion. Uncle Chris was good enough to help the boys catch some fish, since Adam couldn't make it.

Isaac's first day of school at Soldier Hollow. He is loving it (except for when I have to wake him up in the morning).

Asa, running up for the big hug when he spotted Isaac. I'll miss the day when my boys are afraid of PDA.

asa at three

2011-08-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

This look is very 'Asa'... a little mischievous, a little sweetheart

Mr. Asa Joseph Pulley. What a character. It is so fascinating (and challenging) to see how different each one of your children turns out. Which means, if you happen to figure out how to deal with one child, don't expect it to give you any sort of advantage for the next. Because it won't. They require a whole new set of instructions. But, it's great! They each add something different to the mix. And, Asa definitely adds a lot. He is such a fun, lovable, naughty little guy. Here are a few things about Asa:

1. He is so very affectionate. He loves to give hugs and kisses. Especially when he has gotten in trouble. It's quite hard - even for his brothers - to stay mad at him, because he forces a big hug and kiss upon you if he suspects you are mad at him. It would be easy to assume that he is a master manipulator, but I really think he needs it for his own reassurance that he is still loved - despite his actions.

2. He is very good at saying he's sorry (again, I think he hates the thought of you staying mad at him). If he has a melt down, or carries on (and on) about something, he will make sure and say sorry afterwards - it's sort of like he will all of a sudden realize that he's being a tad bit ridiculous (or realizes his crying isn't going to work) and so he abruptly stops and apologizes.

3. He is very playful. He is always up for chasing some brothers or letting them chase him.

4. He is usually very sweet and lovable... unless he decides that he is in the mood to be a stinker - then watch out.

5. He wants to try to do everything himself (he is three, after all). As long as I let him give it a try, he's good at asking for help after he realizes that he can't do it: "I do it... help me."

6. A few days ago I would have said that we are completely potty trained, but alas, we are having a few too many accidents to claim such. Hopefully, with a diligent mother, we will be official within the next few weeks.

7. He is very silly. He loves to laugh and he has a pretty good sense of humor. Some times he surprises me with the things he comes up with. Of course, I can't think of a good example at the moment.

8. He always wants to eat the food from someone else's plate - even is it's the same exact thing that's on his own. He especially loves to sit close by when I'm feeding Elise and still her cheese, bananas, avocado... whatever he can get his thieving paws on.

9. He asks "Why?" a lot. Usually when I'm getting after him about something. And, he uses the most innocent voice, like he really had no clue that he shouldn't be running around with a knife. And, after you explain "why", he follows it with a big, "Oohhh", like, it makes so much sense to him now... not that it means he won't commit his crimes again.

10. He also answers everything with, "Because." If I ask him why he did something, or why he got in trouble, the answer is always, "Betause."

11. He is a little mimic to everything his brothers do - which is why I try to stress to them that they need to think about what they say/do, because he will inevitably copy them. It's pretty cute to listen to him as we are driving. He's like a little parrot, copying everyone's conversations.

12. When he runs, he punches his arms out to try and look like a train. At least I think that's how it started, but now he just does it out of habit. It's cute now... not so much if he's still doing it when he's twelve.

13. His voice is very expressive. Even though he has had difficulty with his speech, he has always had great inflection in his voice. When he repeats something back to you, he turns it into a question and his voice usually goes into his highest pitch, like he is shocked about what you have just told him. Or, say, he just went potty, he asks, "I get gogic bips (chocolate chips)?!", in an extremely high pitched voice. Hard to explain, but super cute.

14. Oh, and he is really into wearing makeup lately:

A little birthday fun at a park. Notice the identical, unexciting birthday cake as Isaac's. This year it's all about quick and easy (and gluten free - which is part of the unexciting :)

Too bad this picture is blurry - his face cracks me up!

isaac at seven

2011-08-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

What a great kid! I am so blessed to have Isaac in my life and it's easy to list the reasons why. He has so many wonderful/unique qualities that make him who he is. Here is a list of things about Isaac at seven - mostly good, with just a few annoying ones... I have to keep it real, right? :) But, one thing is for certain - I love this kid to pieces - the good, the bad (which isn't much), and everything in between.

We had some cousins help us celebrate Isaac's birthday with an ATV ride (which covered them from head to toe in dirt) and some cake. After that we went on over to the carnival, where I managed to get sick enough to puke! No joke. What a wuss!

On with the list:

1. I think the word that best sums up Isaac is persistent. Many of the characteristics on this list all boil down to the fact that it is his nature to keep pushing, and pushing, and pushing... which puts a lot of pressure on us as his parents. If guided correctly, this could end up being a great quality, but if misguided, he'll just end up pushing people's buttons throughout his life.

2. Another word that strongly describes Isaac - inquisitive. I've mentioned before how Isaac is constantly asking questions. He has this dire need to know how everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - in this vast universe functions. I was talking to his new teacher today and she told me what a great kid he is and then adds, "And, he is so inquisitive!"

3. He does not like action heroes. And, he'll make sure you know this. But, Transformers are okay.

4. One of his most favorite activities is riding his bike. Which is why I was surprised that he wanted to go to Soldier Hollow so bad - there will be no more riding bikes to school. I guess he likes the thought of cross country skiing (which he has never done) more than riding his bike.

5. Oh wait, I thought of another word for him - sensitive. He gets emotional and is extremely sensitive to things like: spiritual moments/conversations/prayers, missing his dog or a grandpa he never knew, being in the outdoors, discussing the fact that we may eat our chickens someday or Asa holding said chickens by the neck... just to name a few.

5. He is a very social kid. He loves his friends (even if he just met them 5 minutes ago) and cousins. He wants in on any sort of social gathering he catches wind of and DOES NOT like to leave until everyone else has. You can almost guarantee an emotional scene of Isaac crying and begging to stay longer because there was something he didn't get to do before his departure. It doesn't matter how long we have been there, he will have his moment. I try to get him to understand the concept of overstaying your welcome, but he doesn't seem to get it in the slightest.

6. He loves to laugh - he's a pretty light hearted guy. Not to say that he can't be very serious - he can and is, but he loves a good joke, a funny story, and his main concern in life is to have a good time.

7. He is an engineer in the making. What kind of engineer is yet to be determined. If there is wires, pipes, water, electricity, engines, pumps, batteries, lights, explosives or tools involved, you have his undivided attention - whether you want it or not. He is fascinated/obsessed with figuring out how ev-er-y-thing works, what purposes they serve, and all the details about them. And when possible, he has to do this in a very hands on way - often requesting (or just going ahead without permission) to take things apart that are supposedly broken, or in need of his expertise.

9. I reckon that Isaac will be a big traveler/tourist when he grows up (fanny pack and all). Whenever he sees any sort of destination spot on TV, or hears of someone else's adventures, or watches shows like UP, he inevitably says, "Can we go there someday?" And, he is constantly talking of the places we have been and asking when we will go back. As of now, his favorite places are Moab and Zions, says he. Another thing about Isaac's traveling, is his need to know everything about the place he is visiting. He is that person who stops at every kiosk or trail sign to read all the facts.

10. He loves scary, suspenseful, or adventure type movies. He asked to watch my favorite movie a while back, so I popped in The Princess Bride, and he loved it. Which made me happy. It's exciting for me to have a kid old enough to enjoy things that I did back in the day. Of course, I did try to get him to watch What About Bob the next day, but it didn't do it for him. Which makes sense; it wasn't the humor in The Princess Bride that captured his interest - it was the adventure and fantastic special effects.

11. He doesn't handle the word 'No' very well. I know that most kids don't like to be told 'no', but Isaac will push and push and whine, to try to get us to change a decision, and it drives me crazy. What drives me crazy, is the fact that he consistently earns a consequence when he does this, but he still does it. Constantly. I know I need to learn to loosen up a lot, but come on!

12. One more annoying tendency of his (and then I'll stop complaining about my wonderful kid), is the frequent question, "How do you know?", after I've just answered one of his questions. Ahh! I know I'm not the most credible source of information, and I'm sure that I do answer many questions incorrectly, but I'm not too prideful to answer, "I don't know", when I really don't. So, the constant doubt of my intelligence is down right hurtful.

catching up (part 2)

2011-07-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

1. Elise is growing up so very, extremely fast! She is NINE. MONTHS. OLD! When did this happen? Where was I? She's been crawling for a couple of months now and has even started to pull herself up to stand a couple of days ago. She's still cute, sweet, and pretty dang happy all around. Luke still can't seem to control his excitement around her and she still gets ultra excited whenever he's around. We love, love, love her!

A few things that she does, that I love, and need to capture on film before it's too late are: 1) She sucks on her lower lip when she starts to get hungry or tired - it's a sure sign that she is needing something. 2) One of my favorite things that she does is blow raspberries when she is on the verge of getting cranky... almost like a warning signal... I love it. 3) She does this funny squirming thing with her little body when she's happy. I call her my wiggle worm because of the way she wiggles from side to side... so cute.

2. One thing I love about my boys is how good they are at telling us how much they love us. How can you not feel good when you have 3 little shmoozers expressing their love for you constantly. The way Asa says it is too sweet: "Mommy! I sure (sir) love (wuv) you." And Luke... well, let's just hope his feeling never change: "Mommy, I love you. I'm sure glad you're not dead."

3. Isaac's got some mad skills. So, our DVD player broke a while back, and I set it aside to through out, but for some reason, never did. Isaac asked me if he could take it apart and try to fix it - I said sure, figuring it would keep him busy for an hour or so. Well, wouldn't you know it, the little handy man fixed it! Even at one moment when Adam told him to just through it away because it wasn't looking so good, he persevered, got it back together and we now have a working DVD player again. He was quite proud of himself, as was I.

4. As we were driving down the road, Isaac asked me if the van we passed was a police van. I told him that I thought it was a van full of convicts doing community service. Of course, he needed further details, so I told him how some people in jail have to do good things to help make up for the things they did wrong. Isaac's reply, "And sometimes they have to break rocks." You know, like the prisoners in the cartoons do... so funny.

5. So, my first Ragnar experience that I "trained" for? A big, fat DNF. I was so excited/nervous for the big race and in the end, I got sick and couldn't do my last leg. It still frustrates me to think about it. Really, the only reason I wanted to do the race was to get one of those stickers to put on my car to earn the respect of the general public. But it looks like I'll have to wait for next year to redeem myself and earn my sticker.

Life in pictures:

The boys first T-ball game... can you feel the excitement? Note the yawn from Isaac... and then there's Luke. Luke just refers to it as "Isaac's T-ball" now since he refuses to participate. At least Isaac finds some fun in it though.

Nap hair... but, still cute.

The boys scored some sweet trophies from Fast Track and Luke has carried his around with him non stop. He loves it so much I saw him trying to ride his scooter with it.

Elise's first time standing.

Asa's footwear choices are quite comical. Usually he grabs whatever pair of flip flops are by the door (I'm impressed at how well he is able to keep Adam's on), but I guess this time the only thing nearby were these knee pads. Why not? And, he didn't want a picture because he was mad that I took a hammer and nail away from him.

Elise is such a good sport - she puts up with Asa constantly insisting on holding her.

I had to include this picture, because it showcases Asa's LOVE of avocados (babacados). If Elise is eating some, he makes sure to stay close so that he can clean up any leftovers. And, when we have guacamole, he will always finish up whatever is left in the bowl.

catching up

2011-07-06T20:56:00.001-07:00

Wow. I feel like I have so much to write about... or maybe it just seems like I've been really busy for the past few months, which makes me feel like I have so much to write about. So, in no particular order:

1. We have chickens! Lots and lots of chickens! Seventeen to be exact. You can't imagine what an exciting addition this has been to our family. Luke has been the most excited about it - and, true to his nature, he has become obsessed with egg collecting. It starts as soon as he wakes and continues until dusk. And, his enthusiasm beams with every. single. egg. "MOMMY! Aren't you SO glad that the chickens laid an egg?!?!"

Although, not as obvious as Luke's love for the chickens, Adam is quite taken with them as well. I was the one who had suggested that we get a chicken coupe, but Adam has been the one to take care of their every need - without me ever asking it of him. He even has a chicken forum that he now spends more time on then his beloved hunting/snowmobiling forums. I'm relieved that he has taken on this responsibility, because I have been busy with...

2. a garden! My weak attempts with a couple of small "practice" gardens haven't produced much, other than a few peas. This year is going to be different. I'm going big (or big-er). And, with my mom holding my hand along the way, I hope to not only gather some peas, but a few other things along the way. Now, I'm a realistic girl, so I'm not expecting to get anything out of at least half my plants... but, if I can get a few tomatoes and an ear of corn or two, all the hours of work this summer will be worth it.

3. The ol' Loveridge family reunion went down earlier this month. So much fun! Adam and I had the "privilege" of planning the big event. We decided to take the family down to Pinewood's (down by Brianhead - Adam has ATV's down there). It was a much needed vacation for our family. We had fun spending a day at Zion's, doing some Ranger riding, and getting attacked by mayflies while trying to catch some fish. We had tons o' fun just relaxing with my family, whom I think are pretty much the coolest people I know (aside from Adam's family, of course). And, of course, Isaac DID NOT like the fact that it had to end (neither did I). When I asked him what his favorite part of the trip was, he said, "The fire and the park (there was a playground at the lodge)." I'm glad it doesn't take much to make my boys happy.

4. Well. One of the more exciting things I did over the last couple of months (or years, for that matter), is go to the U2 concert with my brother, Matt. Adam ended up renting out some machines to some of their roadies and they told him they could get him and a friend into the concert. He knows I am a fan, so he told me to invite someone and go. Well, as I considered who to invite, I thought of Matt... and our days in Moroni, when he would play his collection of U2 cassettes for me - telling me various U2 facts that only a true fan would know. I felt cool that my older brother let me in on this super cool band. It was a time in my life when I was anything but cool (not that much has changed). We had recently moved, and I was painfully shy, so it took me a while to make any friends. I don't know what I would have done in those days without my siblings. Seriously.

Anyways, enough about my debilitating shyness. We had SO MUCH FUN! I must be getting old though, because instead of being ecstatic, like I should have been, upon receiving the news from Adam, my first thought was, "I'm not sure I want to go... I would be up pretty late... and, I might have to go out of my comfort zone and call someone I don't know (the roadie who gave him the tickets)" What?! I'm such a loser! Well, I knew I would regret it if I didn't go, so I mustered up a little life, and headed out. Oh, I'm so glad that I did! The girl gave us a backstage (or understage) tour and it was pretty dang cool. The concert was great - I think both of us were surprised by how much fun we had... and we were proud of ourselves for doing something as crazy and youthful as going to a concert (seriously, when did I become so old?).

5. Speaking of old... my boys are on a kick lately. Isaac has learned that there are a lot of things in his life that haven't always existed (imagine - no computer, cell phones, or DVRs in a home!). So, he continually asks me, "Did they have (fill in the blank), when you were little." My favorite was when he asked me if there were roads when I was little. Luke's constant question, lately, is "Mommy, did you used to do this (whatever he's doing at the moment) when you were little?" He loves hearing about what I did when I was his age.

An onslaught of pictures:

We managed to get the boys out for a ride before the snow was gone (May?!). Asa was definitely ready to head out.

Luke and Uncle Neil

Neil and Kilee. Poor Kilee.

Anybody's claustrophobia kicking in?

You know, I am almost intimidated by his web slingin', but then I notice the pink & purple flip flops, and his credibility goes down a notch. Thanks Dani, for the hand-me-downs - Asa loves them, as usual.

Luke graduating preschool. I was relieved by how much he learned this year. It just takes a loving professional to teach my children.

Luke and Drew

lukester turns 5

2011-05-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

Five years old. FIVE. Why does that sound so old to me? Once again I'm surprised by how quickly my kids are growing up without me knowing it.

Luke is truly one of a kind. He has earned the title of my most loving kid and my most challenging kid (although, Asa has just about taken his place on the latter). He often leaves me scratching my head or pulling out my hair. But, he also makes me laugh and reminds me that I need to stop and smell the roses more often. He truly brings something special to our family and we are grateful for this sweet, loving little guy.

Here are some of the things that make Luke, Luke:

1. Luke LOVES his sister. L O V E S! I can't begin to describe just how in love with her he is. He literally cannot see her without going into a lengthy rambling of baby talk. Intense baby talk. I tend to intervene and tell him to take it down a bit, but Elise thinks he is hilarious. It's just the rest of us that it seams to bug.

His favorite nick name for her is "Cutie Miss". There are other similar names that I have mentioned before, but I wouldn't be able to count how many times in a given day we hear the words "CUTIE MISS! cutie miss. Cutie Miss!"

2. Second to the love he has for his sister, is his love of flowers. If he could have his way, he would transplant every flower/weed he found in our yard into a cup and keep it alive in our house - but, I've limited him to two. It's not enough to just pick the flower - he wants it to live, so he carefully tries to keep the roots intact.

3. Luke is a collector. I always joke that he is going to be a hoarder someday. He will collect the most random things, but his favorites are: feathers, rocks, bugs, leaves/flowers, and anything shiny, colorful, or beautiful. Endless amounts of baggies and jars have been filled with Luke's treasures.

4. He loves arts and crafts. It's interesting to see the difference in my boys as they get older, and one area that I see these differences the most is with their artwork. While Isaac tries to be meticulous in his artwork and doesn't handle mistakes very well, Luke is much more relaxed in his approach. He doesn't worry about making sure his colors are appropriate - the more the better, is his style. And, he displays his work proudly all over his room.

5. Once Luke gets something in is head, there is no deterring him. The words 'wait', 'hold on', 'later', and 'in a minute' are just about the worst possible things you could say to Luke. If given such an answer, he will usually proceed with his agenda anyways. It absolutely has to be done right at that very moment!

6. Luke is extremely affectionate. So much so, that he often inflicts pain from the act of hugging. It can get pretty intense. Adam's family has told stories of Adam as a child and how he was constantly hanging on them - craving affection. I imagine he must have been just like Luke as a kid.

7. It's always interesting to listen to Luke's interpretations of various subjects. He is always explaining how or why something is the way it is, and his reasoning can get pretty out there. He especially likes to speculate on why Heavenly Father made certain creatures. One that I heard today was, "Heavenly Father made rattle snakes so that they could make medicine for when someone gets bit my one, huh?"

8. That leads me to the next one: Luke ends almost every sentence with "huh?". He pretty much speaks in question by doing so. And, if you don't respond to his "huh", he'll keep saying "huh", until you acknowledge it. I guess he needs the reassurance that you are listening to him.

9. Luke is extremely loud. His volume control seems to be stuck on high. Even when you are just inches away from him, he talks as though you are in another room.

10. He is still a big fan of Spiderman. But, he's expanding his love to include ninjas.

My mom gave him a bouquet of flowers, and it ended up being one of his favorite gifts. I took this picture the next morning when I saw him admiring them. Did I mention how much he loves flowers?

six months... where did go?

2011-04-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

1. Wow! Elise is six (well, almost 7) months old! Half a year! And, I am SO GRATEFUL that I have her in my life. The other day I was thinking about how excited I was when I found out that I was having a little girl. Now that I have her here, I realize that I never could have imagined the happiness that this little girl brings me. She is sweet, content, easy going, and lovable... all wrapped up in a little bundle of cuteness. I'm glad that my boys love her to pieces as well. Although, I tend to get a little annoyed when they borderline smother her, I appreciate the utter love they show her.

2. The Pulley's have a pet! Four, actually. Isaac and Luke filled up their charts and decided they wanted fish as their reward. So, a couple of goldfish in a glass bowl is what I was thinking, but about $100 and a couple of very excited boys later, we now are the proud owners of an aquarium. Adam had to go and get all sentimental on me while we were at the pet store - reminiscing about his youth and the excitement of fish gazing. I actually have fond memories of a whole month in my life when my family had an aquarium as well, so I concurred. I have to admit, I find myself doing a little fish watching while sitting at the table. I consider it my meditation time.

3. We managed to get away for spring break. I was quite surprised that the universe aligned in such away that allowed Adam to take this much needed "break", so we seized the opportunity when it presented itself. We headed down to Moab for a few days of fun and sun. Adam and the boys went on an ATV ride with some family one of the days, while I stayed back at the hotel with Elise. Bored? Not at all. I relished the peace and quiet that it offered me... I think Elise may have noticed the lack of chaos as well. The next day we spent the day hiking around in Arches. Isaac was disappointed that we didn't hike to every single arch in the park, but we still managed to wear ourselves out. Isaac was also upset when we didn't heed his request to move down to Moab right then and there. After all, it is much funner than Heber. One thing about Isaac - he absolutely hates for fun to end.

4. Funny conversation while driving to Moab: We passed a Wingers on our way down and Isaac asked what it was. I told him it was Wingers and that it was a restaurant. So, he asks me if I had ever eaten there.

"Yes, I kinda like Wingers", I told him.

"It looks like a cool place. I want to eat at Wieners someday", he says.

I start laughing.

He asks me why I'm laughing.

I explained why it was funny.

He starts laughing. He has never been aware of slang terms before.

Then I told him that some people call hot dogs wieners. And, that dachshunds were sometimes called 'wienie dogs'.

He laughed some more.

5. Driving home the other night, Luke asks me the following: "Mommy, can I have Elise when I grow up so that I'll have a mommy?" What I think he meant is "wife". He sure does love his sister. Unfortunately, I have already betrothed her to one of her cousins, so we'll have to keep searching :)

A million pictures and a pledge not to let it get this out of control again:

Elise's first taste of real food. She got crazy excited.

We managed to go sledding one time this winter with some friends. You could tell it was a first for Asa - he was content scooting down on his bum. As fun as that was, he did have a blast once he got on a sled.

This is what happens if you lay down on our floor - you get attacked by a gaggle of pesky boys.

Luke decided that Elise would appreciate a little company.

It's always fun to see what you might find when checking on kids before bed... naked child in a pee soaked crib, the entire bookshelf emptied onto the floor, same naked child in a poop smeared room, and this - a scooter in the crib.

Elise showing of some mad skills. Up on hands and knees.

The only picture I got of our Easter festivities.

This is a first for us - a child falling asleep while eating.

He really loves this scooter. What to do with this goofy boy.

hush little baby

2011-04-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little emotional tonight. It seems like every so often I get hit with the fact that my babies are growing up and that my memory isn't the video camera that I wish it was. Tonight Isaac told me that there was a book under his bed that he wanted me to read. It was one that I hadn't seen for a few years. I was quickly taken back to when Isaac was a two year old and would request that very book every night. It was his favorite because it was one that I would sing to him (Hush Little Baby). As I sang it to him and Luke tonight, I had to fight back tears. It seems like an eternity ago that these two little guys were tiny little bundles that fit in my arms... and I don't remember it like I want to. Elise is already six months old. I'm trying to cherish this moment in time before she grows up as quickly as her brothers have. And, I am willing my brain to hold onto some memories better than it has with my boys. But, I know better, and so I'm a little sad.

I hope I don't sound ungrateful for who my kids are today. I love them. I love watching them grow and learn. I love seeing the differences between them. I love that I know them so well that I can (usually) predict how they will react to something. I love that I can see the greatness of their spirits. I love that despite my weaknesses being forced upon them, they are good and loving and happy. And, I'm grateful that my Heavenly Father has allowed me this opportunity to grow and learn and love. I am a much better person today because of the things I've learned as a parent. And, I still have so much to learn.

little elise is 5 months!

2011-03-02T13:33:00.001-08:00

1. Isaac noticed the holes in Uncle Mark's ears and asked him if they were holes for earrings. Uncle Mark said yes, and Isaac said, "Why did you take them out? Because, you realized earrings are for girls?"

2. You know the preschool saying, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit."? Here's Luke's version, "You get what you want, and you don't throw a fit." It's amazing how just one word completely changes the point of a quote. I love when he uses that on his brothers, thinking he knows what he's talking about. Isaac just laughs.

3. Adam was driving home with the boys the other night when, unfortunately, he hit a deer. Another horrifying, exciting, and saddening moment of reality for my boys. Isaac made sure to tell me that he said a prayer for the deer. And, as Luke was saying the family prayer that night, this is what he prayed for: "Grateful that the deer is dead so that animals can eat it. Bless it to be alive before they eat it all." I'm hoping for the sake of the deer that that child's prayer is not answered.

4. Elise is 5 months old! My, oh my, how time flies! She is just about the sweetest thing there is, next to sugar. We are at a really nice stage right now. She is fun, interactive, immobile, and takes good naps. I guess she isn't completely immobile - she has figured out how to roll over the last month.

My boys are more than willing to talk to her every minute they can (sometimes, I have to force them to give her a break... mean mom). Adam is even starting to become quite taken by her now that she is out of that 'boring newborn stage'. She's just so stinkin' sweet. Luke has an assortment of nicknames for her: 'Sweat, sweat', 'Missy, miss', 'Little miss, miss', and 'Cutie miss'. He continues to be her biggest fan.

She is my first baby to fall into a nap schedule on her own... well, with a little help from me, I guess. From the very start I have been able to lay her down when she needs a nap and she will just go to sleep... no pacing for what feels like hours, no having to fall asleep while nursing, no binkies. Nights, on the other hand, could use some improvement. For some reason, she won't fall asleep on her own at night, and it ends up being quite a process to get her to bed. We'll get there.

As good and sweet as she is, I definitely feel maxed out with this one. In sort of an arrogant way, I expected this fourth one to be a piece of cake - you know, because I'm such a pro. Not so. I can't seem to accomplish the simplest of tasks these days. But, I figure there will be plenty of time for clean houses, bathed children, and exercise down the road.

Pics:

I sure hope that Elise will someday look as cute in her hair accessories as her brothers do.

Some super cool posing going on during one of the boy's photo shoots. This one turned out so well that I just had to post it :)

So, I was telling Isaac about how me and my bff from childhood, Bethany, used to stick toilet paper in our waistband's and pretend that we were tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and such. Of course, he had to try it out for himself.

I have to show off Elise's rolls. I've never had such a chunky baby!

Luke finally got the ladybug pillow pet that he had been dreaming of since the first time he saw the commercial. He earned it by filling up his sticker chart. And let me tell you, we were on our way to Walmart the second that last sticker had been earned.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is over... I'm pretty sure that's what I have been saying for the past six years now. I had a bunch of "Christmas things" I wanted to do to celebrate this special time of year, but the time flew by way too quickly for this procrastinator. But, we did manage a few simple things that brought in some Christmas Spirit. We went to some family Christmas parties and enjoyed catching up with loved ones. Isaac really wanted to go to Temple Square and see the lights, but he settled for a family drive around town to see the lights on the houses. It was actually really enjoyable... Isaac and Luke yelling out, "LOOK AT THOSE ONES!", while Asa would say, "'Mas 'ights (Christmas lights)" every time he spotted some.

Christmas morning came and I ended up waking the boys up... of course it's the only time they decide to sleep in. I guess they made it on the 'nice' list, because Santa delivered the goods. And, he even got them a few things that were on their lists (although, Luke didn't really remember what was on his list... except for a tie). Isaac was very excited that he got the Air Hog that he had requested.

Christmas Pictures:

The snacks that Isaac chose for Santa along with a snack for the reindeer, a picture for Santa, and a note telling Santa he was sorry for a mistake he made. He wanted to make sure and leave him a healthy snack along with the cookies.

Luke a little excited about a slinky.

The Air Hog!

Luke was the most excited about his new tie. And it goes nicely with his new snowshoes.

Adam enjoying the new toys as well.

Isaac's actually quite good at flying his Air Hog. He made the comment, "Everyone loves watching my mad skills of my Air Hog, huh?"

I forgot to get some pictures of Elise on Christmas, so here are a couple of random ones so that she isn't left out.

we've got smiles!

2010-12-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

1. Elise started smiling and cooing within the last couple of weeks. Yay! What a wonderful day it is when those vacant expressions turn into acknowledging smiles. The boys are eating it up. She is getting so big and so cute!

2. Adam was complaining about his calf bothering him and Luke asked him, "Does your leg have issues?"

Adam says, "What? You have issues?"

Luke laughs and says, "Daddy thinks I have issues. That's funny."

3. My boys got to meet Santa for the first time. He decided to make an appearance at Heber City's Christmas celebration, so of course we just had to go. Isaac asked me if it would be the real Santa and I told him I wasn't sure. But, once we got there Santa's assistant assured Isaac that he was the real deal. They were very excited.

4. We let the boys unleash their artistic talents upon some gingerbread houses and the results were... messy.

5. Isaac lost yet another tooth, earning himself the nickname of "Toothless". I asked him to give me a big smile and he asked me (in a non-insecure way) if he looked like a dork. Oh, and the tooth fairy actually made it here that very same night. She had been dropping the ball with some previous teeth. Maybe she had been very busy... or just down right tired.

A ton of pictures:

Oh yeah, Thanksgiving! We broke Grandma Loveridge out of rehab (knee surgery) and enjoyed a low key Thanksgiving dinner with her. It was the first time that I made an entire Thanksgiving meal by myself... what a grown up I am becoming :)

Asa hitchin a ride on Grandma's sweet walker.

I love the excited kicking when babies are happy.

Asa took a fall off the play kitchen and got this shiner. Maybe it will be played with properly now that we have a girl.

An entire poptart shoved into his mouth (well except for the pieces stuck on his shirt and face). I'm not sure if he was just extremely excited for his first ever poptart, or if he was extremely hungry, but he didn't waste time with biting or chewing.

This is how Luke hugs Elise. He does this about 500 times a day.

I'm pretty sure this is Luke's hand as well. He has to constantly be touching her... so much love!

Asa trying to write with his toes. What a funny little guy.

Luke preparing for his big role as a wise man in his preschool Christmas play.

a blur of a month

2010-11-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

Has it really been six weeks since Elise was born?... Crazy. It's been a blur of sleep deprivation and breast feeding. Despite feeling like I am incapable of accomplishing the smallest task, we are loving our wee one.

Although, nothing too exciting has happened around here aside from the poopy diapers and endless feedings, I have dug deep to come up with enough for my 'list of 5':

1. Halloween came in the knick of time to offer some excitement for my poor boys. We managed to carve pumpkins (Adam manned that one, thank goodness) and hit a few Halloween bashes. The boys had some good times. Isaac was a very scary vampire. On our way to the Pulley party, he was asking me if I thought people would recognize him. Bless Uncle Mark - he was very surprised that the super scary vampire was actually Isaac... just what Isaac was hoping for. Luke wanted to be Spiderman and has loved dressing up as the super hero on a daily basis. Asa was Mickey Mouse thanks to Grandma Pulley giving him a costume that saved me from having one more thing to do.

Isaac carved his all by himself.

Not Luke. But, he did pick out which picture he wanted on his :)

2. We finished the home improvement project that was started about a week before Elise was born. Yes, it was poor timing. Now that it's all done I'm glad that we did it and I feel like I have regained a tiny bit of my sanity since finishing... between trying to get everything painted and taking care of a newborn, I was worried I had completely lost it (my poor boys).

3. Isaac lost his 3rd tooth. Luke wanted to try to pull it out for him once he saw that Adam and I were unsuccessful. Unfortunately, not even his tiny fingers could get a good enough grip on it and it was Uncle Neil who ended up pulling it out a few days later.

4. We blessed Elise last Sunday. It was a great day with tons of family. I was a little worried about trying to squeeze two very large families with oodles of kids into our humble home, but it worked out. We are so blessed to have such an abundance of love and support around us.

5. I finally managed to schedule a 2 week checkup for Elise... just four weeks late. I knew she is doing fine, so I wasn't too concerned it. But, I was curious to see how she was looking on the growth charts... to see if all that eating is paying off (for her :). Here are her impressive stats: Weight - 8 lbs 5 oz (14%), Height - 21.5 inches (49%), Head - 15.5 inches (86% - yes, she is one of ours).

She has been a pretty good baby. I do wish that she slept better at night and that she was more chill, but at least she eats good and she isn't colicky, so I guess I'll keep her :). I think the hardest part about her is that she has horrible timing (I know - she's a newborn). It seems like anytime I need to go someplace immediately, or I need to stop Asa from taking off a poopy diaper, or someone knocks on the door, or I need to get my boys ready for school, etc., she is at her neediest. I know that I shouldn't expect anything else with four kids, but she could throw me a bone every once in a while :).

We all continue to love her to pieces, though. The boys still think she is the greatest thing since chocolate cake. She enjoys constant kisses and sweet words being whispered in her ears. Luke is still the one who is the most enamored by her. He cannot help but kiss and hug her almost constantly. Anytime she cries, he wants to know, "Why is my baby sister is crying?". Isaac still enjoys picking out which bow he thinks I should put on her. Asa continues to surprise me with how gentle he is with her.

So, what do you get when you have a newborn and don't do a post for a month? A butt load of pictures:

Luke wanted to show off his scarecrow.

Asa trying out a little pink.

Deer in headlights

Little goofball

elise rebecca

2010-10-11T09:02:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, we were happy to welcome our sweet baby girl into the family. I thought that it would be at least another week before she would arrive, but it was a pleasant surprise when she decided to come a few days earlier than her due date (I've never gone early). So, here is how it all went down that night...

I had been feeling like I might be going into labor that day, but wasn't fully convinced until around 6 o'clock that night. Adam and I had planned one last date night before the baby came. We were going to drop the boys off at his mom's, but I started to think that it might be THE night, so we took a bag with us, just in case. I called my sister, Steph, to see if she happened to be working, and thank goodness, she was. She was my nurse at Isaac and Asa's deliveries, and now she would be there for this one - this brought a huge amount of relief to the night. By the time we got to Adam's mom's house I was pretty sure it was the real deal, so she took the boys back to our house and spent the night with them while Adam and I waited - as long as Adam would allow - at her house until we went to the hospital. I was wanting to do this one "natural", so I wanted to wait as long as possible before going to the hospital. Once the contractions got about 5 minutes apart, Adam was pretty anxious to get to the hospital.

We got to the hospital around eight and when they checked me I was only at a 5. I thought I would have been more like a 7 by the way I was feeling. I started getting nervous (okay, I had been nervous ever since deciding to do this natural). How bad was this going to get... I guess I would find out :). About an hour later I was about an 8. My doc asked if I wanted him to break my water (that always produces an immediate baby for me). Oooo, scary. I still had one last chance for an epidural. If I had him break my water, that chance would be gone. Seriously, just how bad was this going to get?

I told him to go ahead and do it. So, he did. He joked about not wanting to jinx me, and stepped out of the room for a few minutes.... about one minute too long. So, it was just me, Adam and my sister, Steph. You know, Adam and I loved having Steph at the other births, but this time it was a huge blessing. Even though I knew she thought I was nuts for not taking advantage of an epidural, she was her calm, reassuring, encouraging self - exactly what I (and Adam) needed. I didn't feel any pressure from either Adam or her to get the drugs, or not get the drugs. They just tried different ways to relieve some of the pain - my back was killing me! I guess the baby was turned in a way that put a little more of the pressure at my back.

Well, the contractions got crazy intense once he broke my water... thankfully, there were only three of them. On the last one, I had accepted the fact that I was going to die (me being dramatic) then I felt some burning and to all our surprise she came out all by herself - right onto the bed. I didn't even push... or feel like I had to push (like everyone told me I would feel). Steph (jokingly) said, that I was suppose to let her know that I was feeling the need to push before the baby came out, but I never felt that urge... only hideous pain. She called the doctor in, he tortured me some more, and then we were done. It was amazing how great I felt once it was all over. No epidural to wear off - that was awesome. I felt like I could walk around better than when I had gotten there.

It was horribly painful, but it was something I'm very glad I experienced. Adam even liked this birth experience a lot more than the others. I think it made him feel more useful and the whole experience more real compared to the other times... that, or he enjoyed watching me suffer :). I am definitely glad it's over with and that our baby girl is here and that she's healthy.

Elise was born at 9:46 pm on 10/01/10, weighing in at 6 lbs 11 oz, and measured 19" long. She is tiny and sweet and we are loving the over abundance of pink that has been added to our home.

The boys have nothing but adoration for their new baby sister. Her head has been smothered in kisses, and she never lacks for a set of arms wanting to hold her. I've even been surprised at how gentle Asa is most of the time (when he's not making abrupt movements around her). He is happy as long as he can give her plenty of kisses and a few love pats. I have also been surprised at just how much Luke has loved his baby sister. I knew Isaac would be head over heals for her, but Luke has been equally - if not more - excited about her.

Here are a couple of sweet moments from Luke:

I came home from the hospital the following evening - after the boys were already in bed. They weren't expecting me until the next day, though. As I was sitting in our front room, Luke came down to use the bathroom, and was clueless that I was there. When I called out his name, he turned around in surprise. He got teary eyed and asked, "Who brought you home?", then he came over and gave me a big hug and, in the sweetest, shaky voice, said, "I'm so glad you're home, mommy."

The next day when he got to meet his sister again, he asked if he could tell her something. So, he went up and whispered in her ear, "Elise, I'm four."

Here are a bunch of pics... I'm sure there will be plenty more to come:

Me looking awesome.

Isaac and Luke meeting their new sister.

Asa's turn.

And, finally grandma's turn.

The first thing Isaac wanted to do when she got home was put this bow on her head. He had been so excited ever since Dani gave us these bows. I have to admit, it does make her all the cuter... or at least look like a girl.

A wiggly two year old by your newborn = nervousness

My neighbor, Brit, made these adorable booties for her.

yay! school!

2010-09-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

1. Isaac started kindergarten! He had been eagerly awaiting this day all summer long, as had I. Not that I was excited for him to be gone 2 1/2 hours a day (okay, maybe a little excited), but I really thought that he would just love it.

So, I don't think he 'loves' it, but he definitely doesn't hate it... I guess that's good. I feel like we are both feeling a little let down, though. Him, because it's not what he had imagined or hoped for, and me, because he doesn't love it like I had hoped for. He has already started asking me if he 'has to go to school tomorrow', and looks forward to Saturdays, even when it's only Monday. I'm not quite sure why he has that attitude, because he loves playing with the other kids and overall speaks positively when I ask him about his day. Maybe it's just not as fun as his preschool experience, and he isn't really learning anything yet that he doesn't already know. At least he isn't the same kid I was at his age. I was socially paralyzed, but he doesn't hesitate to join in the fun on the playground. It's helped ease my anxiety about him going to school to be able to watch him play with the other kids when I drop him off. So, hopefully we will see a little more enthusiasm about school as the year roles on.

I had to include this picture because Isaac and Luke's smiles are so goofy.

2. Luke started his first year of 'real' preschool. He had been equally as excited as Isaac about going to school. Luckily, Luke has LOVED his school experience. Of course, preschool is a lot more fun than real school and he only goes two days a week, but I'm pretty sure he would be happy if he could go every day. I'm very excited to see what Luke picks up this year. I haven't been a very diligent mom when it comes to teaching alphabets and numbers and writing (that's what professionals are for, I say :), so he will benefit immensely from his experience. It's cute when I ask him what his favorite thing about school is, he says, "All of it!".

Asa had to get in on all the pics. He was quite bummed that he didn't get to go anywhere like Isaac and Luke.

3. Asa got stitches for the first time. It's actually the first time that any of my kids have had stitches (shocking, yes). He slipped in the bathtub and hit his chin on the side of the tub. It was not a fun experience to hold him down while they stitched him up. I'm sure he has forgotten all about it, but I'm still traumatized from it.

4. Okay, so for some reason, Isaac feels the need to give you updates and/or observations while he is using the bathroom. The other night was probably the best 'observation' that I have heard yet. As I was sitting on the couch, I heard:

Isaac: "Mommy, when I look down, my testicles look kind of weird, like they're old."
Me: "Yeah, sometimes they look kind of silly."
Isaac: "Like an old man's?"
Me: "Yep."
Isaac: "That's weird."

5. Adam got his 'big bull elk'! There had been much anticipation around here for the past few weeks as to whether 'today was the day'. Adam would go out almost every morning as me and the boys would eagerly await his return to see if he had gotten one. I can't count how many times Luke would talk about daddy getting a 'big bull elk'. The boys even got pretty good at identifying a few different elk calls that Adam would practice. Asa even got pretty good at doing his own elk call and identifying any animal with antlers as an 'eh-oh'. So, finally on Saturday morning, we got the call and waited the rest of the day until he finally made it off the mountain to see the prize. Isaac and Luke have been as excited about showing it off as Adam has.

asa turns two

2010-08-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

Asa has been two for almost a week now... does that mean I should stop referring to him as a baby? Maybe once the official baby is here I'll be ready to call him a toddler. Whatever he is, he has me wrapped around his finger. Maybe I've chilled out a little as I've gotten 'older', or maybe my other two boys have broke me down enough that a freight train could run through my house and I wouldn't even notice: either way, I think I have been able to endure Asa's toddler antics with more humor and 'patience' than I did with the other two (I feel kind of guilty admitting that). So, even though he's a total stinker, he brightens my day with his fun, goofy, lovable personality. Here are a few things about him at the ripe ol' age of two:

1. He is very lovable and affectionate. He gives us all lots of kisses, hugs, and cuddles that help him get away with a lot. One of my favorite things that he does is pat me on the back as I'm hugging him.

2. He is not shy at all. There was a very brief moment when he considered having some stranger anxiety, but he got through it quickly and is back to not caring whether or not I am there to save him. He will climb into pretty much anyone's lap who sits on our couch.

3. He loves himself a good book. It makes it hard at bedtime, because he doesn't quite get the 'each kid gets to pick out one book' rule, so he will keep coming back with book after book. And, since he's so dang cute, he often gets two or three books (favoritism?).

4. Like I mentioned, he can be a stinker. Isaac and Luke have shed many tears over destroyed projects or pictures that Asa has gotten his hands on (all while laughing).

5. He is a man of few words... but a lot of sounds. He can't say a lot, but he's trying, so I guess that's good... right? One thing he's got down is a good scream (probably thanks to his older brothers example/encouragement), especially when he's in one of his loopy moods, running around.

6. One of my favorite things that he does is give me hugs while he is in the shopping cart. Whenever I stop to grab an item, I get a big Asa hug along with it.

7. Another one is how he backs up into my lap if I am sitting on the floor (which is getting harder these days :).

8. I love his over exaggeration of a lot of things, like: his cheesy smile, the way he turns his head away and draws out his 'no' like you have just suggested something unbearable, and the way he throws himself off balance as nods and says 'uh-huh'.

9. I also love how over dramatic he can be when he gets wet and comes in and says 'brrr' as I take his wet clothes off and wrap him up in a towel, and when he gets hurt, how he says, 'ow, ow, ow... ' in a totally phony voice so that you will baby him.

the loveridge's hit up lava hot springs

2010-08-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

1. It was reunion time for my family and this year we found ourselves in Lava Hot Springs. We had been counting down to this trip for a while: my boys, because they were extremely excited to play for four days straight with cousins and have some fun; me, because I have been feeling guilty about my boys not having much of a summer... and I like my family.

So, the questions from Isaac started pretty early on in the drive, but surprisingly nothing in regards to the name of our destination. Surprising because every little boy seems to have a fascination with lava... hot lava. Instead, he asked if they spoke a different language in the state of Idaho. He was a little nervous about leaving Utah until I reassured him that it wouldn't look or feel too much different than Utah... and that they spoke English. Once grandma brought up the exciting topic of 'lava hot springs' then the questions really got going. So, we talked of lava and volcanoes, prickly soy fields, when we would cross the border, and whether we would see any aspens in Idaho, and before we new it, we were there!

One of the days we went to the swimming pool in town - which was surprisingly nice. It had water slides and Isaac, being the fearless boy he is, wanted to go down the speed slides. So, Adam took him over to watch someone come down to make sure he was sure he would still want to go down. He was confident, so up the stairs they climbed. It was so fun to watch him come down and then jump up, beaming with pride.

Another day we spent a few hours on some tubes in the river. This was probably the funnest part of the trip for most of us... except Luke. After one run he decided that the cold water wasn't worth the thrill and decided to hang out in the car with grandma and Asa (I can't thank you enough, mom!). It's amazing just how different Isaac and Luke are from each other.

The rest of the time was spent visiting at camp and enjoying some adult time around the fire once the kids were in bed. We had a great time with my family, and once again I am reminded of just how blessed I am to have the family that I do. Now me and Adam have the fun job of planning next year's reunion... goody. Here are the only pics that I got up there. I guess I was having too much fun to pull out my camera :)

I wish this picture wasn't blurry so you could really see his face.

2. The other day Isaac asked me, "Are blood cells made in the heart?"
Me: "No, actually blood cells are made inside your bones - in bone marrow."
Isaac, in a very impressed voice: "Do you know that because you used to be a doctor?"
That's right, I'm a freaking genius.

3. Luke and I were watching TV and Ellen Degeneres (sp?) came on. Luke asked me, "Is that a girl?". I told him 'yes', and then he asked, "What kind of girl?" That's perception for ya.

4. Adam was practicing his elk call while driving with the boys, when Isaac says, "Maybe people are driving by thinking, 'What the hell is that guy doing?'". I know we shouldn't laugh, but you've gotta admit, that's funny. Plus, I actually think that's the first time that I've heard Isaac 'swear'.

5. Isaac was creating a flower garden on a computer game and was pretty proud of his green thumb. He asked me to come see his fine work and said, "Mommy, try not to cry when you see this because it's so beautiful."

Random pics:

Luke fell in love with this dog when we went up and spent a day at the Johansen camp. It reminded me of why we need to get a dog... maybe next year.

isaac's sixth birthday

2010-08-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Isaac's sixth birthday last week. I was able to steer him away from the 'water fight party' that he had requested (thank goodness), and we kept the day pretty simple but fun. Me and the boys had a picnic lunch at the 'old house' at Wasatch State Park (one of his favorite places), then that evening some of his cousins came over for his official party. I can call it a party because we had a pinata and played a game (pin the arrow on the Avatar... I'm so clever).

Isaac is still the same inquisitive, lovable, playful, inquisitive, intelligent, uncoordinated, inquisitive boy that he was a year ago, but he does seem older (and look older! Holy cow!). Here are the things about Isaac right now that stick out to me the most:

1) Like I mentioned, he is EXTREMELY inquisitive. He does a great job of making our drives go by quickly by filling the time asking one question after another. You would think that we have covered every single topic that there is known to man, but he likes to re-ask and re-evaluate things over and over. He also asks questions that most kids (or adults) wouldn't even think of (nor care to know about). I think I have gotten pretty use to it, but he can do a good job of exhausting the minds of even the most loving grandma.

2) Kind of going along with his questioning, he has to know the 'why' in everything, so he often draws his own conclusions when he hears the phrase, "I don't know." For example, he often asks questions that I wouldn't possibly know the answer to: "Mom, why did that tree die?". Well, when you say the obvious, "I don't know.", he will proceed to think of all the possibilities... "maybe it has bark beetles", or "maybe it got a disease", or "maybe it didn't get enough water", or....

3) He is very mechanically minded. He loves to figure out how everything works. This is why he loves to hang out in the garage while Adam works on fixing machines or any other project.

4) He loves the cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender.

5) He has a huge fascination with plants. That makes up about 75% of his questions lately.

6) Although he lacks some in coordination, he is not afraid to try new things. I'm very glad he has the attitude that he can do anything. Although, he can get pretty frustrated when he can't figure something out. But, he's extremely excited when he does. The bad part about his lack of coordination comes when you combine it with his floppiness, his size, and his obliviousness to who/what is next to him. You end up with a lot of 'accidents'.

7) He takes warnings/cautions very seriously... almost too seriously at times. Say you tell him to watch out for some stinging nettle on a trail, he has to come to a complete stop, then give himself as much distance as physically possible between himself and the threat before proceeding at a snails pace. We often wonder if it's better not to say anything at all in certain situations.

8) He's very outgoing. I don't think I've ever seen him hesitate to talk to someone.

9) He loves, loves, loves playing with his cousins.

10) He has a huge sweet tooth. I think it even rivals mine.

11) He is a really good brother. He seems to appreciate all the cute things that Asa does and he plays with Luke pretty well. He has his moments when he can be a stinker, but he does love them (as I'm typing this he is bugging Luke... but, with love :)

12) I think that the phrase 'To have the faith of a child' directly refers to Isaac. If he knows of someone who is sick, or if he is sick, or if his mom hits a baby deer while driving, he doesn't hesitate to say a prayer for the one in need. And, I get to have my faith strengthened by witnessing his sweet prayers being answered.

There is so much more about this sweet boy that I could say. I'm thankful for what a gift he is to our family. He's definitely one of a kind and has taught me a lot over the last six years (like what an impatient person I am :).

Wasatch State Park

Isaac warning us about some stinging nettle.

Asa managed to cover himself from head to toe in dirt and mud.

Isaac's cake request this year: An Avatar cake with 3 layers

Isaac's first attempt to pin the arrow on the Avatar.

Isaac taking his new bike off a sweet jump in our backyard.

Isaac got to go with Adam and pick out a new bike for his birthday. He has been SO excited about his 'mountain bike with gears'!

pulley time

2010-07-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

1. Adam's sister, Turauna, and 3 of her girls came out from Michigan for a few days to visit. His other sister, Kelly, and her two boys also came up from Vegas, so it was a bit of a Pulley reunion last week (minus Ann and Andrew's families). Each day offered some fun and a chance to spend time together. I had been feeling pretty bad about our summer thus far, but I think we squeezed in a lot of fun in a few days, so the guilt has been relieved a little bit. The boys had a blast getting to play with their cousins for four days straight and staying up way too late. It was sad to see them go. This was only the second time that I had met Turauna & her daughter Stacie since being married to Adam, and the first time meeting her daughters, Rachel and Kelli (I have yet to meet Natalie). That just doesn't seem right... it makes me realize just how lucky/blessed I am that all of my siblings live within an hour of each other (it's a good thing we like each other). Here are a bunch of pics. We didn't get any at the candy factory - which Isaac is still talking about with great enthusiasm (SO MANY MACHINES!).

ATV ride:

A little rain couldn't keep us from having fun.

Asa sharing a cookie with uncle Mark.

Picnic in Provo Canyon:

One of many times I heard, "Mommy look at me!".

Hike to Stewart Falls:

Kelli and Stacie

Yet another sweet firework show right in our own front yard:

2. So, as we were eating breakfast this morning, Luke says, "Let's call the baby Floozy".
To which Isaac replied, "Floozy? That's a hot name for a girl."
Okay, so I'm pretty certain that my boys don't know what a 'floozy' is, but it's kinda odd that a) Luke came up with it out of the blue, and b) how much sense Isaac's comment made afterward... weird.

3. For a while now, Luke has a line in his prayers that makes me laugh. He says, "Thank you for the opportuners." Isaac keeps trying to correct him into saying 'opportunities', but I think it's funny, so I tell Isaac to just leave it alone (no wonder Luke has speech issues - I'm unwilling to correct him). I'm not exactly sure what 'opportuners' he is thankful for, but he is definitely thankful for them.

4. Adam's brother Mark has been trying to quit smoking, and has now been smoke free for over 3 weeks. This was very exciting news for Isaac, since he has worried about his uncle Mark smoking. He keeps saying, "It's good that uncle Mark stopped cigaretting."

5. Warning: the following story involves the 'P' word: So, you know that feeling in your stomach that you get when you go over bumps in the road? Well, the other day we went over a few bumps in the road and Isaac (in all seriousness) says, "Mommy, when we go over those bumps in the road, it kind of scares my penis." Holy cow, did I have a good laugh!

More pics:

A first: All 3 boys sucked into a movie at the same time.

So creepy...

so very, very creepy.

determination at it's finest

2010-07-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

1. My poor Isaac. The kid has the heart of a champion... he just lacks the coordination of one. But, this week he conquered one of the most humanly difficult skills. Pumping himself on the swing. Yes, there are many a 3 & 4 year old who have mastered this skill, but for Isaac (who is almost 6), it hasn't come so easy. The effort has been there... just too much of it. I really wish I would have thought to record his attempts, because it is probably one of the funniest things to have witnessed. There is such a thing as overdoing it when pumping. You just end up working against those natural forces that you're trying to use in your favor. But, I guess he toned it down a bit, and got a little rhythm going. I had actually given up hope of this day, but his determination payed off. Way to go little dude!

2. The very next day Luke figured out how to swing by himself as well. Which sorta surprised me, because he is the complete opposite of Isaac. He may have the coordination to do something, but he doesn't always have the attitude to try. Where Isaac will keep trying, Luke usually gets frustrated and gives up (then collapses into a heap of body when you try to encourage him to try again). There have been a few short-lived attempts by him to learn how to swing, but nothing that would have led me to believe it would happen so soon. Good job little buddy!

I'm not sure what to say about this one.

3. Speaking of slow: Asa has FINALLY decided that I am worthy to be addressed by name. Up until the last couple of days, he has only said 'mama' a couple of times. So, I knew he was capable - he just hasn't felt the need to say it (uncool). He says 'dadda', Isaac (Eye), and Luke (Oooo) plenty, but nothing for the one who brought him into this world. Granted his speech isn't all that impressive at this point, but come on!

But, he's finally giving me something now. Of course now he usually says it when he's upset about something... kind of like an expletive. But, I'll take whatever I can get.

4. While watching a show about hippos, I heard Isaac ask, "Daddy, are hippos dangerous?"
Adam: "Yes, they probably kill more people than any other animal in Africa." (You may want to google that before taking that as fact :)
Isaac: "How? By sitting on them?"

5. Luke was chewing on a piece of steak and apparently he had been doing so for a while, because he spit it out and said, "Ah, this is not working in my mouth."

A few pics:

The boys running circles around our sweet firework show on the 4th of July.

an end and a beginning

2010-06-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

1. My time in the Young Women's has come to an end. I've been dreading this day (mainly because I can think of plenty other callings that I wouldn't want to do :). These last 3 years have been some of the greatest in my life. I am extremely grateful that God knows what I need better than I do - and reminds me of it. He really is good to me. When I was first called, I was nervous. I didn't know how I could handle being around a bunch of obnoxious, dramatic teenage girls... oh, how I was humbled. I quickly found out that these girls were not only the opposite of what I had imagined, but they were so much better than me. I VERY soon realized that this calling was more for my own personal/spiritual growth than it was for anything I could offer them. These girls made me not only want to be a better person, but, more importantly, a better mother. There are so many of these girls that I would be proud to call my own daughter (kudos to their parents).

I'm going to miss them. A lot. It's only been about a week since being released, and I already feel the void. They were so much fun! If nothing else, Wednesday nights were a great opportunity to laugh and play with a bunch of girls (seriously - it was my social life) and as a bonus, I didn't have to worry about getting the kids to bed (thanks for all the support, Adam!).

But, at least a great new presidency was called in, who will love and care about them in just the way they deserve. I can at least feel great comfort in that. My turn is over... now the big question: what next?

2. My littlest bro got married on Friday. The baby of the family is all grown up now and it feels sorta weird. If he's old enough to get married, then that means I'm old enough to have 3 kids with one on the way... wo.

But, it's a good thing. He found the perfect girl for him (and I'm not just saying that because she might happen upon this). I really feel like he got really lucky to find such a down to earth, well prioritized, smart, and beautiful girl. I'm very excited to have her as a sister-in-law.

Their wedding day went beautifully. The sealing was extremely nice. I think all of us married folk there got more out of it than the new couple (disagreements? What disagreements?). One of my brothers pointed out that it would be great marriage counseling to be able to sit in on one of those every week. Amen to that. It was a great reminder of the covenants we make and where our priorities need to be - just what I needed.

3. It is now possible to feel the baby move from the outside of my belly. This is very exciting for the boys. She finally shifted upward (or maybe she grew :) and now the fun starts. I can't wait for the boy's reactions when you can actually see the baby moving around. I've always loved that part.

4. Asa figured out how to get out of his crib. Not cool. It is among my least favorite 'mile stones' as a parent. It's a good thing he's cute.

5. We finally did something summer-ish. We loaded up the family along with a few friends in some OHVs and went for a little ride. We finally got to roast the ginormous marshmallows that I found at the store a couple of months ago. My boys had been dieing to get out and roast some dogs and mega marshmallows... but, summer was slow to get here.

The Barkers

The Dyrengs

huge marshmallows = huge mess

More pics:

Isaac's preschool graduation

Our great adventure on Memorial Day was to "hike" Memorial Hill.

sometimes it's cool to be wrong... extremely cool

2010-05-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

So, I guess there are certain things that are better left to the professionals. Take ultrasounding, for instance. I should not assume that me and my sis + an old ultrasound machine = 100% accuracy. Despite my concern of getting my hopes up - only to get them dashed, I went ahead and tried to get a sneak peak (I had to know now!). And, I swear what I saw was 100% boy. I had seen it before, and I so I knew I was right. But, apparently, sometimes I am wrong... thanks goodness. Was it a strategically placed umbilical cord? Maybe. But, whatever it was, it wasn't there today. CRAZY!!! It literally blew my mind when the ultrasound tech said it was a girl - not just a girl, but unmistakeably a girl. Well, I am obviously on cloud 9 right now. I don't think my mind has completely grasped the realness of this, but maybe as I now transfer that bin of boy clothes into the growing garage sale pile and buy my first pink item, it will sink in. WOW!!!!!!

p.s. Just so my sister's reputation isn't completely tarnished, I must mention that she was right on my last one. Lucky guess? :) (Love ya Steph!!!)

The proof:

love thyself

2010-05-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

1. The other day I caught the tail end of a conversation between Luke and Isaac:
Luke: I love myself.
Isaac: You can't love yourself (said in a 'your crazy!' tone).
I jumped in: Yes you can. It's important to love yourself. If you don't love yourself, then you can't love other people.
Isaac: I do. I just think it's weird.

2. As Isaac was saying a family prayer, he said his usual, "I love you Heavenly Father and I love Jesus and all he's done for us and I love the Holy Ghost." Then he added, "Please bless you guys to be safe up there." Seriously, it is so hard not to laugh during prayers sometimes.

3. This last Sunday both Isaac and Luke got up and bore their testimonies at church for the first time. It was definitely a proud parent moment - I was a total goober soaking it all up. Of course it was the only Sunday that Adam has had to miss in months... lame. Isaac got up first and said something like, "I know that Jesus died for us... I love my family and Jesus". Then he gave the bishop and 2nd counselor a high five as he passed them on his way down... very appropriate. I'm actually surprised that Isaac hasn't asked to go up before now - since other kids do - but I guess he hadn't noticed until now. Once Luke saw Isaac get up there, he wanted a turn, so he got up and said, "I love Jesus", and ran back down beaming. I was quite surprised that he went up there all by himself. I'm so extremely glad that my boys don't suffer from the debilitating shyness that I experienced as a child.

4. A few things that I love about Asa right now: 1) How he pats me on the back while he is giving me a big ol' hug. 2) How he squeezes his eyes shut and laughs and cheeses it, thinking that I can't see him. 3) His powerful nod and 'uh-huh' to tell you what he wants. For example: he'll say 'nana', then do a big ol' nod of the head (almost knocking him off his feet) and say 'uh-huh'. 4) And, surprisingly, I love when he says "no,no". He says it in the cutest tone, while exaggerating the 'o' with his mouth. I don't necessarily encourage him to say no, but I still think it's super cute when he does. I wonder how long before I'm changing my tune on that one.

5. Now for the big one.... Isaac is no longer a thumb sucker! A few nights ago he asked me to take his blanket away because he wanted to try to sleep without sucking his thumb (blanket = thumb sucking). Well, he made it. He came out the next morning so excited that he didn't suck his thumb. Good job, little dude!!! Now Luke is the only remaining thumb sucker in the family. Just a note: I was once a thumb sucker, myself. So far 2 of my 3 have also been thumb suckers... I wonder what number four will be. Of course, I was also awkwardly shy (as previously mentioned), and 0 out of my 3 have been dealt that hand. Interesting... or is it?

A few pics:

Silly batman, don't you know that you don't wear socks with heels.

Mmmmm... pie.

While going through old boxes I discovered my old school discman. Isaac immediately dug out some CD's. This is Isaac winding down to a little Enya.

it's all good

2010-05-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

So, I must be a very mature, understanding, get-the-big-picture sort of person. Okay, not really, but I am a little surprised at how quickly I got over my self pitty. I really thought it might take me a little longer to get over my disappointment. But, I can actually say that I think of my little baby boy with excitement instead of mourning that he is not a she. It's cool, it's okay... it's all good. I look at my three rowdy, unruly, crazy boys and I'm thankful. I wouldn't trade them for the world (most of the time). And, I can't wait to add yet another level of craziness to my chaos, for whom I also won't want to trade (hopefully) once I meet him. Yeah, I'll still be a little bummed that I won't get to raise a little girl, but there's a bigger picture. And, at least I have an abundance of nieces to live vicariously through. Yay! Boy number four! :)

p.s. I just overheard my boy's playmate ask if we had any "pepsi, which is pop". Luke told him very enthusiastically, "No, but we have pickles!" I love that random boy.

the Lukester turns 4

2010-04-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

The little guy turned 4 a couple of days ago. I feel that we have had a lot of growth over this last year when it comes to Luke. I'm sure it's been more on our end than on his, but either way I'm pretty sure we have made some progress. Maybe I have just learned to appreciate him more and see what a special kid he is. It's no wonder why he is a favorite among grandmas, aunts, and uncles - I don't think that I have met anyone, big or Luke-sized, who loves like Luke loves.

This year for his b-day we kept things pretty low key. Hangin' at some parks with family and friends... doesn't get any better than that. He did get the Bumblebee gun that had been his only request. He was pretty stoked. Of course, he decided it would be a great idea to take it outside and fill it with dirt and rocks. So, we (Adam) had fun taking it apart and cleaning it. That, my friends, is why you shouldn't waste money on toys. Bubbles and boxes. That's all they need.

Luke requested yet another volcano cake. Well, actually he first requested a 'girl cake'. When I asked him what a girl cake was he said he wanted me to be on it with a volcano. I talked him into putting dinos and spiders on it and he was content.

Here he is flying his new Spiderman kite. It's a good thing the wind was blowing 100 miles an hour that day.

So here are a few things about Luke at 4. I noticed that a lot of them are the same as the list from his last birthday - just worded differently:

1. As mentioned above, he is full of love (unless his brothers are bugging him). He is constantly covering us with kisses. Whatever body part is in the line of fire is what receives the kiss (yes, sometimes it's a little awkward) - usually it's my legs, which explains all the food stains on my pants. He is extremely cuddly and can give the best hugs ever - he just wraps his entire little body around you just like a baby monkey. He tells us he loves us about 3 dozen times a day and finds something to compliment us on at the same time. He simply has a big heart.

2. He can be quite dramatic when he doesn't get his way. He will usually run to his room and sulk until the drama queen in him has subsided. Other times he just collapses into a heap on the floor - unwilling to cooperate or function in any sort of way - I think he knows this is the one that drives me the most crazy. But, one good thing about him, is that when he is done with his 'moment' - he is done. And, he goes back to his pleasant (or semi-pleasant) self.

3. When Luke disappears for more than a few minutes I am usually guaranteed to find him chillin with his blanket on his bed, just taking a break, OR under the table with some gum or candy that he knows he's not suppose to have - he can be pretty sneaky.

4. He is obsessed with getting the mail. Literally, obsessed. His first thought of the day is to go check for mail. It doesn't matter if you tell him it hasn't come yet or that the mailman doesn't deliver on Sunday - he has to see for himself.

5. He is extremely playful. Chasing, laughing, tickling, teasing, wrestling, and spanking bums are what Luke is all about.

6. He loves being with his dad. If Adam is going anywhere, Luke wants to go. The folks at Weller's have the balloons ready for him when they know that Adam will be stopping by since he is his little shadow.

7. When he says, "Thanks Heavenly Father for the food", during a prayer, he usually points to the food as he does so. It's pretty cute.

8. Luke's goal at the moment is to catch a bird. Whenever he spots a bird on the ground, he will immediately go after it and try to chase it down. He's frustrated that he hasn't managed to wrangle a bird yet. Adam told him he needs to sneak up on it, so he's been practicing that technique.

9. He finally enjoys books.

10. I asked Isaac to list some things about Luke and he said, "He likes spiderman, and he likes bumblebee. Oh, and he likes to pick flowers." Luke LOVES to pick not only flowers, but anything that grows in the ground - dead or alive - weeds, grass, leaves, whatever - he loves them all. And, everything he picks ends up in the house - usually in a baggy, since a lot of what he picks are tiny remnants of plants.

disappointed gratefulness

2010-04-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

1. I did what I swore I wouldn't do this pregnancy... get my hopes up. I went into it completely expecting to have another boy, but I guess the hormones messed up my logic or something. There were moments I really thought I might have a girl after all. But, it's a no go. I visited my sis at the hospital and she did an ultrasound for me, and I swear the first shot we saw was the ever so recognizable penis. I feel guilty for feeling disappointment because I know of so many people who struggle just to have a child, but that's what I feel... disappointment. Of course I know that I will welcome him with open arms and he will be all I could ever want. But for now, I'm a little bummed. Oh, and I don't want to come up with another boy name.

2. This morning Luke came up to me and said, "You are sure a good mommy." Then kissed my leg. Maybe he could sense my mourning. :)

3. As we were eating dinner the other night, Isaac kept going, "Mmmm...mmmmm...mmmm..." as he was eating. Finally, Adam asked him if he could stop making that noise (cute at first - after a while, not so much). Isaac managed to keep quiet for a few minutes, but then said, "It's so hard not to make that sound because it's so yummy."

4. Another dinner moment: As we were eating Luke said, "This will make me strong, huh?". Then he ran into the other room for a brief moment and ran back to the table and said, "Nope, can't lift up the couch yet."

5. Isaac started his second year of soccer. So fun. It really is. It's fun to see him get excited about it. It's also pretty amusing to watch the pack of kids fighting for the ball - elbowing teammates and opponents out of their way so that they can get the goal. Isaac actually managed to score a goal on his very first game! So cool!

Isaac after his goal - he was very excited.

Still excited.

Go team yellow!

A couple other pics:

Asa is constantly bringing me his shoes (ooo) to put on him so that he can go outside (si). The other day he brought me some shoes, these socks, and this belt to put on him so that he could go outside. I thought it was a well thought out number.

Adam built a birdhouse per Isaac's request the other day. Then the boys painted it in a variety of beautiful colors. Now if we can convince a bird to take residence in it, we will have two very excited boys.

easter 2010

2010-04-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

Another fun Easter filled with egg hunts, family, and way too much candy. Isaac did a great job of reminding us why we celebrate Easter, and I did a great job of overeating. I really love this time of year. Spring is busy trying to break through and I am soaking up every minute of sun and warmth that is willing to come our way. Here are a few pictures of our Easter happenings this year:

the salesman

2010-04-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

1. I know what Isaac is going to be when he grows up. I use to think he'd be something like an engineer, architect, or rocket scientist. Then I heard one of the most convincing sales pitches,ever.

He came running up to me, and very enthusiastically says, "We need to get a minnie swivel sweeper!" I guess he had been watching an infomercial. He continued, "It comes with two! You don't have to worry about plugs! It doesn't have wheels, only sliders (as he starts running around the room, imitating how it works). It slides on carpet OR tile! It's awesome! The G2 - it's called the G2." If only he had written down the phone number - I would have SO bought the G2.

2. So, it's pretty hard for most people to understand Luke (which is why it was pretty surprising to me that he didn't qualify for speech therapy through the school - but, that's another story). Sometimes I even have a hard time trying to figure out what he is trying to say. That is because he sometimes makes up his own words.

One of those is 'wocco' (pronounced 'walk-oh'). Every time I would make him chocolate milk or hot cocoa, he would say, "I want to wocco it." I would ask him, "What is wocco?", and he would show me the action for stirring. So, I would tell him to say 'stir'. He finally started saying 'stir', but I never quite understood where 'wacco' came from. But, then the other day, I heard him say, "wacco, wacco, wacco", as he was stirring his cocoa. Then it dawned on me. It was the sound effect for stirring.

One more. He wanted me to make him a sandwich and he wanted 'junk' on it. I told him I had no idea what 'junk' was, and asked him if he wanted a PBJ. He said "Yeah, I want junk on it." Not having the slightest clue what he was referring to, I asked him to show me where the 'junk' was. He points up to the cupboard, and just a little to the left of where the normal peanut butter is. There it was. Chunky peanut butter. He was trying to say 'chunk', but since he can't pronounce the 'ch' sound, it was 'junk'. So, now we have 'junk and jam' sandwiches around here. Well, except for Adam. He prefers not to have any junk on his food :)

3. Isaac was noticing Adam's chest hair one morning and said, "Someday I'll have hair on my chest, huh?". Yep, someday. Then he adds, "Someday I'll have big nipples too, huh?". Now, I need to point out that Adam doesn't have big nipples, but it was still funny.

4. So, it has finally happened. My potty mouth has bitten me in the butt. So far I have been abnormally lucky not to have my boys repeat any swearing they may have heard from me (although, they have repeated words like stupid and crap, and I did trace those back to me). It's not like I'm a sailor though - I've definitely improved dramatically since having kids, but accidents still occur. Anyways, a phrase that, unfortunately, I tend to say too often when frustrated is, "Good hell!" So, now Luke, when frustrated/confused/surprised, has started saying the same. I have apologized to him for my poor example and told him that if he won't say that word, then mommy won't either. He has been doing good (so have I), but sometimes he mixes up the 'okay' words with the bad word. He now tries to say things like 'oopsie' or 'oh nuts!', and being a true Utahn, 'good heck!' And after each one he'll ask me, "Is that okay?".

5. I can't wait until I regain some level of motivation. For now, it has completely disappeared... along with my waistline.

Pics of the week:

Asa before his recent haircut. I miss his shaggy hair.

x or y?

2010-03-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

I heard the heartbeat today... it's official. There is a little Pulley number four in there. Now the big question: is it going to be boy number four (more than likely), or will we be introduced to pink, princesses, and ponies (one can hope)? Obviously, I'm planning on a boy. But, no matter how hard I try, I still have that glimmer of hope just waiting to be dashed.

The boys are pretty excited for us to have a new baby. It's kind of weird, though - I think Isaac new even before we told him (maybe he noticed mommy's rapidly expanding waistline). A few Sundays ago I asked Adam to make me a sandwich before church (since I can't seem to make it more than an hour without eating). When the boys wanted one, Adam told them that mommy needed it because she hasn't been feeling very good. Isaac turns to me and asks, "Is it because you're pregnant?" What?! I was shocked that he would know that. Crazy.

When we first told the boys, Luke seemed only semi interested in the whole thing. But, after I came home today from my appointment and told them that we were for sure going to have a baby and that I had heard the heartbeat, he looked around and asked me where the baby was? After I explained that it's inside me and that it has to grow for a long time, he has been asking none stop questions: "Can the baby see me?", "Can he hear me?", "Can I hear him?", "Does he move all over?".

Before leaving for my appointment today, I asked Luke if he was excited to get a new baby. He says, "We need a new baby so that Asa won't bite us, huh?" First of all, Asa has never bitten him, so I'm not sure where that came from. But, secondly, I was a little saddened that he was so cool with the idea of trading Asa in. I remember when I was pregnant with Asa and I had told Isaac that we were going to have a new baby, his response was, "No! Don't throw Luke in the garbage!". I guess I should learn to rephrase that statement when talking to a four year old - maybe 'another' baby would be more appropriate than a 'new' baby.

all grown up

2010-03-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

1. Something major happened this week in our home... well, actually it happened at Isaac's preschool. Isaac lost his first tooth! I wasn't prepared for the feelings I experienced as a parent. My boy is growing up! This is the next step in his childhood. He is now losing those sweet little teeth that I have known for 5 years... the last piece of evidence that he was once my little baby. And now, some unknown, gnarly 'grown up' teeth will take their place, as we journey into the next stage in Isaac's life... the awkward years :) Everyone has to admit: this is about the time in a kids life where their cuteness starts to nosedive. Add to that an increase in social awkwardness, and there you have it: the awkward years. How long a kid stays in these years is unpredictable... some of us have a long struggle, others seem to only get slapped with a year or two. But, at least most of us are blessed with parents who love us despite it. At least for now, that new gap in his teeth is super adorable.

Oh yeah, and the tooth fairy? Isaac thinks he/she (he says a boy fairy visits boys, and a girl fairy visits girls) is the best thing, ever! He has had such fun speculating on the life, reasons, and mysteries of the tooth fairy.

2. Apparently Luke knows himself pretty well. The other night as we were about to sit down for dinner, Adam says, "We have pie for boys who eat their dinner." Without even knowing what was for dinner, Luke says, "Oh darn it." He knew he wouldn't be getting any pie.

3. For family home evening this week, I was talking to the boys about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I asked them, what we do on Sunday that we don't do on other days (trying to get them to say 'go to church'). Luke yells, "Go to grandma's!". After a few other answers, I said, "Do we go to church?" To which they answered, "yes". Then I asked them why we go to church, and Luke said, "Because we have to."

4. Luke's new thing: "It's a secret (swecret)." He'll ask me things like: "Mommy, you know what song you should sing?", "You know what color vitamin I want?", "You know what I want to watch?", "You know what I'm going to draw?", etc. And the answer is always, "It's a swecret." Then he tells me his big secret.

5. Last weekend I was privileged enough to go to a friend's cabin for an all-too-looked-forward-ed-to girl's night. Man, it was a nice little break! The ever so thoughtful, Heather, sent an invite out to any of us 'girls' in the ward (area), who could use such a night. I am SO thankful to be apart of such an incredible ward, where there is such abundant friendship and love for one another... no matter who you are or what your social status may have been in high school (thank goodness for me :). No clicks, gossip, drama, etc. Just one big happy family (okay, that may be a bit much). Anyways, we had a blast going out on a late night (late for me, anyways) snow shoeing adventure, ate lots of yummy food and goodies (at least I did, anyways), and stayed up WAY. TOO. LATE! (I am still trying to recover). Thank you, Heather, so very, very much!!! Oh yeah, and thanks Adam for being so cool about me ditching you for a night!

PICS OF THE WEEK:

Asa's thing lately is to stick his hands down the back of his pants. Luckily it doesn't usually make it down the diaper, but this is what happens when it does. I'm so not wanting this to become a habit... I don't think I could handle another poop-player.

Asa and Luke are becoming good buddies. Maybe it's because Asa's gaining on Luke in size, so he's not as afraid of him.

I've had to wake Asa up from him nap a couple times (which goes against every fiber in my being) and this is how I have found him. It's just so cute!

don't i know better

2010-02-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

We just got back from taking Adam's mom out to eat. With the boys. I'm pretty sure that I fully remembered how challenging it is to take them to a sit down restaurant where you are waited on (waited on - as in, Cafe Rio doesn't count). Yet, for some reason, we talked ourselves into attempting this monumental task again. So, did I somehow forget just how exhausting it is to keep my boys under control/entertained at a restaurant, or was there some crazy part of my brain suggesting that maybe, since the year ago we last attempted this, we had made improvements in our parenting? I don't know. But, I was, once again, reminded of why I avoid such an outing at all cost.

The night did produce a few cute/funny moments from Isaac, though. After our waiter introduced himself and went to get our drinks, Isaac says, "He looks handsome. I should tell him that, huh?" Now, remember that he is only 5, and he is a very complimentary boy... so, this doesn't worry me. Do I sound a little too defensive? Anyways, I told him that would be nice. So, as soon as the waiter comes back, Isaac yells, "You look handsome!" Awe, what a sweetheart.

Well, as we were waiting for our food, the boys were getting fidgety, restless, obnoxious, etc. We told them that they needed to try to sit still so that they wouldn't bug the people around us. We got our food and Isaac was very impressed with it. When our waiter came by to check on us, he tells him, "You make really good food!". He continues to eat and says, "I really like this food. So much that I'm not going to bug people."

So, we made it through dinner... barely. Adam's mom thanked us for dinner and the show. I'm so glad that she loves those boys despite all their energy. As Isaac hugged her goodbye, he said to her, "Have a good night Grandma. Drive safe." I guess it wasn't all bad after all.

scary toothpicks

2010-02-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

1. I think that Luke is finally understanding dreams. The fact that when you sleep, some crazy stuff can happen inside your head. Lately, he comes out in the morning and tells me what he dreamed about (like scary toothpicks and ice with eyes). Then he asks what everyone else dreamed about. He also tells you what he is going to dream about before he goes to bed. Last night he wanted to dream about spiders and spiderwebs and Spiderman (he has been watching Spiderman lately, and has me draw endless amounts of spiderwebs with spiders).

2. The other day Luke was jumping on his bed. Adam went in and picked him up and (jokingly) in a stern voice, says, "You quit jumping on the bed or else I'll body slam you!"
Luke's reply was, "Yes! Do that!"

3. Speaking of Luke's bed being jumped on too much; Adam had to fix it because a board had busted on it. Of course, the second you pull out tools you have the boys undivided attention, so they crowded in to observe/help/annoy Adam while he worked. When Adam asked them to leave while he fixed it, Isaac says, "But I need to watch so that I can fix things when I grow up."

4. So, I was reading a list (a HUGE list) of words that my friend's 18 month old can say. Yes, I am already aware that Asa is seriously behind in this area, but it showed me just how behind he is. Here is Asa's list of words: Dadda, Isaac (I-ya), light (hight), woof (dog, or any other animal, for that matter) - he also does a pretty killer growl when he sees animals - oh, and he makes a zebra noise, uh-huh, da or dah (for everything else). One in particular that I love is when he says his own name (A-ya) when he needs help. If he is stuck up on my bed, or he is caught in something - whatever the need - I know he needs help when I here him call out "A-ya". He doesn't usually panic (unless it's serious) - he'll just keep saying "A-ya" until I come. It's really cute.

5. My boys love to tell me that I look beautiful: "Mommy, you look beautiful", "Mommy I like your shirt", "Mommy, your hair looks pretty", and so on. The other day I was getting dressed for church, and was in my slip, when Isaac says, "Mommy, you look beautiful. You'll look really beautiful when you have all of your clothes on." Isaac also likes to bring me the earrings and necklace he thinks I should wear for the day. It adds the final touch to whatever sweats and t-shirt combo I've got going on.

6. We went tubing with Joe & Dolly. The boys had a blast! Isaac could have gone all day long... Luke was done about the time he found out he could get a treat when we finished. Isaac raced to the tow rope as soon as he was at the bottom of the hill - he didn't care if he knew where we were or not. Luke, on the other hand, expected us to pull him every inch of the way, so he pretty much stayed on his tube the entire time. He definitely had fun though, because before we would even make it to the bottom of the hill, he would say, "Can we go again?!".

Isaac and Emma

Lazy Luke

Joe and Sophie

Luke was completely kicked back on this run... even once the tube was released at the top, he didn't budge. It made me laugh.

Pics of the week:

Hey Slick. This is what happens when Isaac does his hair.

How to wear a bag.

Luke invented a bottle holder.

Best buds

frosty the snowman

2010-01-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

1. Isaac has been dying to make a snowman, but unfortunately the snow hasn't quite cooperated. He has talked about it a lot, asked many a question, and has had his plan ready to go. During one of our conversations he told me how he would construct his snowman: "I will make a big snowball, then a medium snowball, then a little snowball. Then I will put a good looking carrot for his nose... mom, do we still have a good looking carrot in the fridge? Then I will put 3 rocks on the middle part, and buttons for his eyes, and coal for his mouth. And, I will put a scarf around his neck... mom, do you have some string that we can use for his scarf? And, put a hat on his head." Last week we finally had just enough new snow to allow Isaac to fulfill his snowman making dream. He named him Frosty.

2. My boys love to give gifts. These gifts are usually items they have found around the house, wrapped in paper that they have decorated. Luke's last present was a plate. He was in another room trying his best to wrap it, and, as usual, I had orders not to look. But, after a while he asks me, "Mommy, could you help me? Close your eyes." So, with my eyes closed, I wrapped a plate so that Luke could give me a present.

3. Isaac and I were talking about names. I was telling him what some of our family member's full names were, then asked him if he remembered what his was. He said, "Isaac Pulley Stephen". After I corrected him, he said, "That sounds like a handsome name."

4. The other night I saw Isaac with a pair of plastic tweezers (the kind that come in those bug catcher kits) telling Luke to hold still while he attempted to pluck his eyelashes. Laughing, I stopped him and told him we don't pluck eyelashes. He says, "Oh. Do we pluck eye boogers?"

5. Asa is at that age where pretty much everything he does makes you go "awww". Other than his climbing, eating markers, writing on walls, and playing in the toilet, he is so much fun. He still says very few words - just a lot of inflection and a lot of variations of "dah". But, one thing he does that is all too adorable is say "uh huh" to any question you ask him. And, he says it in the cutest way - drawn out and serious. I know he understands some of the questions, like 'do you want a snack/drink', but a lot of the time he just says "uh huh" when he can tell you have asked him a question.

Pics of the week:

Isaac had Luke pose so that he could paint his portrait.

You can't lay on the floor without Asa trying to sit on you. Usually he tries to sit on your head.

The boy's morning ritual: crowd the heat vent for warmth.

Cutest super heroes ever!

Another ritual: waddle out of the bathroom wrapped in towels after bath time. They don't like to be cold.

I think Asa needs a haircut. Or a comb.

Another perfect outfit for fighting crime.

One of Asa's common expressions. He looks ticked, but he's not.

coinsidence or divine inspiration?

2010-01-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

Being a parent has opened my eyes to the fact that you can see God's hand in your life every day, if you just open your eyes. It's easy for me to look at my life and see how God has blessed me in major ways, but I need to do a better job of looking for those subtle moments in every day life that are inspired moments . Having three boys has required a lot of hard work from the heavens - I believe their safety has depended on it. I think most parents, when they think about it, wonder how their kids make it through childhood without more serious injury, loss of eyes, or worse. Yes, bad things still happen, but I wonder how much is prevented by those heavenly 'whispers' every parent has experienced (recognized or not). How many of those "I'd better go see what my boys are up to" moments are inspired from a loving God. I can think of a couple of these moments off the top of my head, that I want to write down. It's sad that I can only come up with a couple, because I know it occurs much more frequently than that.

The first one happened last summer. Adam and I had just gone to bed (I think I was already asleep), when Adam had the impression that he needed to go and make sure that he had disconnected the power to the hydrolic lift on his big trailer. He realized that the boys liked to play on the trailer and that if one of the boys pushed the button, it could result in someone being crushed by the ramp. Although he really didn't want to get out of bed, he knew he needed to go right then, instead of putting it off. Sure enough, it was still connected. And, sure enough, the next morning the boys had decided to go play on the trailer. Now, obviously I don't know if something terrible would have happened that day, but I'm thankful that we didn't have to find out the hard way.

Another moment that recently happened, was at a family Christmas party. We were at an old church, and some of the kids were playing around some stairs in the building. My sister, Carrie was on her way to the bathroom, when she felt like she should go check on the kids. As she got to the stairs, she saw Asa at the top, squeezing through the railing (the building was definitely built before safety codes). I hate to think what could have happened if she had not been there. I'm very grateful that she didn't ignore that feeling.

I know that if I did a better job of keeping track of my boys and keeping them out of mischief, then their guardian angels wouldn't have to work so hard. I am very grateful for a merciful and loving God who helps us out more than we realize. I think for as many forces are out there working against us, we have as many (or more) stronger forces watching out for us. I'm making it a goal to do a much better job at recognizing God's hand in my life. Wait, didn't someone give a wonderful talk about this very thing? :).

the trickster

2010-01-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

I know that there will be so many disappointed people out there, left wanting more of the usual obnoxiously long, wordy posts that I do, but I apologize - just one wordy story this time. I wanted to write down this example of what a trickster Isaac thinks he is... and, how things that are obvious, don't seem to be obvious to Isaac. So, while at my mom's house, my sister and brother were sucking helium, cracking up all of the kids. Isaac starts talking higher to try to sound like them and was cracking himself up. He leaves the room and says 'hi' in the voice, then runs back in - CRACKING up to the point of weakness. I say, "What was that noise? Isaac, did you get into the helium?!", and he is thinking that he really tricked me. He continues to laugh and we all continue to laugh at him. Then, he comes up with a great idea. He is going to trick daddy when we get home. And, he is once again, cracking himself up as he tries to tell me his plan (Isaac has as much fun just talking about something, as he does actually doing it). All the way home, he plots with such excitement: "I will go where daddy can't see me, and say 'hi' (in the voice). Then, daddy will wonder what that noise was, and he will probably think there is some kind of creature in there. Bugs are creatures, huh mom." And, as he goes on and on, I am thinking, I need to make sure to clue Adam in on Isaac's plan, so that he can play along and not destroy the excitement in this sweet, goofy, gullible little boy. So, we get home, and while in the bathroom, Isaac does his high voiced 'hi'. I whisper to Adam to act surprised. Adam plays along, and asks what that noise was and if there was a mouse in the bathroom. Isaac comes running out, laughing uncontrollably. He honestly thinks he has just tricked his dad. I tell Isaac to tell daddy why he was doing that voice, and Isaac says, "No, I don't want to tell him yet. I want to trick him again." So, he goes back into the bathroom and, yes, he tricked his daddy a second time. And, if we are lucky, there will be more tricks in the morning.