Friday, January 23, 2015

End of 2014 Update

I don't always update my blog, but when I do it's with LONG marathon posts.  All the random stuff that didn't fit in its own entry since October 24:

Between our family and the Goold's we had 4 riding vehicles for the 3 kids to drive around the school parking lot one night.  Rogan had driven the tractor and then left it to get a different one, so Jason retrieved it for us: 
Toddler Time at Altitude:


Video of knocking down the towers and jumping into the block pit:
Jumping on the trampolines:
The 2 turkeys we brought to the Lillywhite's "practice Thanksgiving" or "Friendsgiving" the week before Thanksgiving.  It felt like a real Thanksgiving dinner with 30 people there:


We went to the Frosty the Snowman ICE! exhibit at the Gaylord Texan with the Duke crew:

With Nana at the awesome rental in Roswell on Thanksgiving:

Roasting Marshmellows, or rather a game of Avoid the Swinging Marshmellow Pokers and Fire Sparks:

Dylan got some really cool puzzles for his birthday:
This arctic one was a tough 100 piece puzzle.  I did help him with it, but I was proud of him for doing as much as he did with so many sections being very similar in color:
Snowman cookies and hot chocolate for FHE treat:


I didn't actually put the ornaments on the tree.  But Tony Chestnut brought the nativity ornaments out for us:
"I found him!"
Hmmm...it's been so long since I took this picture I don't remember why we had this extra wood, but we did.  And Autrey made swords out of it and let the boys paint them:
We were giving the boys a bath one night a week before Dylan's birthday party and Autrey says, "Does the toilet look like it's sinking to you?"  That was the beginning of a 2 month MESS:


Playing with his birthday Legos (before Autrey built the Lego table as a result of losing/finding pieces all over the house):
Dylan told Ms. Tiffany what he was thankful for before Thanksgiving.  I almost made the list.  When I asked Dylan about it he said, "I love you, Mom.  I'm just not grateful for you."  Swell.  I don't think that word means what you think it means.
Decorating Thanksgiving cookies at Giovanni's house:
Smashing the torn up bathroom tile pieces while dad was working in the garage:

We were getting ready to go to piano one Wednesday morning and found Tony practicing:
Dylan was a wise man for the Primary Nativity at the ward Christmas party:

With Santa and Mrs. Claus:

Santa came to Ms. Tiffany's Polar Express preschool party too:


Dylan:

5 year old stats:
height: 46.4 in (97%)
weight: 50.5 lbs (96%)

*While listening to a song with a high soprano part...
  D: "Is that a mouse singing that song?"
  C: "That's funny!"

*As we got out of the car to go into Walmart, Dylan buckled up his stuffed puppy in his booster and said, "If the bad guys come to the car they will ask puppy if they can take the car.  Puppy won't say anything.  Then they will say, 'Uh, let's go take a different car.'"  Who needs a security system?

*Aut looking at Dylan's drawing:
 Aut: "What's that?"
 D: "I don't know, Princess...*giggles*...I called you a princess."

*Singing "All About that Bass" song as "Gonna buy that vase, buy that vase.  No trouble!"

*Aut: "Did you know that all 5 year olds are good listeners?"
  D: "No.  I didn't hear that."  Haha.

*Dylan picked Corner Bakery as his birthday restaurant.  He ordered Mac-n-Cheese, fruit, chocolate milk, and a cookie.  Day made.

*On his actual birthday, a week before he got a ton of Legos at his party, we went and let him pick out his 1st REAL Lego set, a 3-in-1 Mountain Hut set.  He was beyond excited!

*D: "You are the best momma.  Nicer than a monster."  Thanks???

*Aut: "Do you want this (fake) credit card?" 
  D: "Yes, so I can buy my own Legos."
 (He asked what he could do to earn Legos.  He has a simple chore chart now and earns a dime a day, which makes teaching tithing easier.)

*Chloe Kemp was at G-ma's house with us and Dylan asked her, "Do you like my new house?"

*Dylan colors very monochromatic, but when he concentrates he can color very neatly.  He just doesn't always concentrate.

*D: "My poop is cooler than yours because it clogs all the toilets."  Yay.

*Dylan gave his 1st talk in Sharing Time.  Proud parent moment.

*Since going to Tommy's Ninja party at Altitude last week he told me he "wants his next party at a building or someone else's house so the kids don't wreck his Legos."  We've had a lot of friends over and babysat a lot of kids that have messed with his creations.  That's life.  But I still agree with him about his next party, for very different reasons.

Colton:
*"Inja Turtles" = Ninja Turtles

*While talking on the phone to G-ma: "My glow ball is green."  Holds it up to the phone "See?"  We really need to figure out how to Skype. :)

*Colton wants to do everything Dylan does...at the same time.  I used to hear Colton whine "He's not sharing" a lot.

*Me: "Ms. Carra has a new baby."
 C: "Carra doesn't have an Angry Bird."
 Me: "Nope.  Do you want a baby?"
 C: "When I grow up."
 Me: "When you're a dad?"
 C: "Yes.  I want to golf better when I grow up."

*Colton opened the fridge and saw the treat I bought Autrey and said,
"I want reindeer milk."
 Aut: "Egg nog?"
C: "Yes.  It's my favorite."

*Colton asked G-ma if he could "borrow her house" the day we got there.  Right after we landed he said, "I wanna go to G-ma's house."

*Colton LOVES babies and real puppies.  They both really like their stuffed animal "pets".  So affectionate!

*We were listening to the Disney station on Pandora.  When a Mulan song came on he asked, "Is that a princess song?"

*Colton looked at the new 2015 calendar I made.  When he saw the picture of Matt and Allyson's family in Mimi's pool (on August page) he asked, "What are these goofballs doing?"

*Colton loves to help me cook.  He will pull up the chair and asks to put on the chef hat.

*On Monday we started up potty training again.  We started almost a year ago, but last year was nuts for me and I was the rate limiting factor.  Couldn't handle one more thing!  It is calming down a bit, so we're going for it.  And he is doing great!  Very few accidents the last few days...and we are putting a dent in our Halloween candy.  He asks to go many times in a row for the potty treat.  He knows how to work the system.  But he's had dry underwear all day and woke up from his nap just now with a dry diaper!  Excuse me, I need to dole out some sugar. :)

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

1st Miller Christmas in Utah

The boys and I were in Utah from Dec 17-Jan 6.  A glorious 3 weeks with family and friends.  I LOVED being around my parents and siblings.  The cousins LOVED being together and LOVED the new house.  Definitely a kid paradise!

We had a Tournament of Champions in the basement.  The events were ping pong, pool, foosball, double shot, and air hockey.  Teams were: Autrey and I (tied for 1st), Kristen and Danny (tied for 1st), Meagan and Ken, Desiree' and Atim.  It was so fun...and quite intense!
 Yeah, I beat Atim.  That made me happy.
  After Kristen went on a winning streak, I beat her.  Admittedly it was an ugly win, though.  She was a good sport:
 Guess what game I'm not so good at?  Foosball (well, and pool too):
But, thankfully, Danny was good!
"I'm Kobe!"
G-ma is still an amazing ping pong player.  Teaching Ashlyn:
My kids playing Legos first thing in the morning.  Surprise, surprise:
And again the next day:
And the next:
Crazy Aunt DeeDee:


Uncle Atim is pretty awesome.  Loved the monsters up in the castle:
Reading Elf on the Shelf in the cave under the tower before bed.  I started to read, but 1st grader Ashlyn was excited and took over.  I was floored by how well she did on a cold read with tough vocabulary words.  I only had to help a few times:
Sleeping in the 'bat cave'.
Dylan is a great sleeper.  This one?  Not so much when he's not in his bed at home:
Lookin' good at Grandma Holdaway's house:
The kids getting G-ma and G-pa's tree decorated:

















Christmas morning:

The Millers:
Meagan, Ken, and sweet baby Gideon:





Kristen, Danny, and crew:





G-ma and G-pa got 2 wiggle cars for the kids to ride around the main floor of the house.  It was like a Nascar race most of the time.  Huge hit!  From the basement it sounded like jets were flying overhead:
I'm with you, buddy!  Nap time!

We played in the snow a few times since Utah had REAL snow to play with:

Colton doesn't have a snow suit, so we borrowed from G-ma's clothes stash.  We later found her other size 9 BOY boots.  But not in time to save him from the pink boots that 1st adventure:

 Twin tubers: 

 Snow angels:
 Travel-sized snowmen are the way to go: 
 I think that used to be Meagan and Desiree's snow suit:
Clip of Autrey sending Dylan on a tubing ride:
The 3 amigos:
 Tube train:

 Playing on Grandpa's tractor:

G-ma and G-pa's house.  I am in love with the wooden nativity mom designed and dad built:
  Grandma Miller with the great grandkids on Gideon's blessing day:
 

More bars in more places:
Panorama just before the blessing:
Proud momma of our little miracle baby.  Gideon had his 3 month MRI while I was in Utah.  The results came back inconclusive as to long term effects, but the words of his blessing gave great hope.  Just love him and pray for him always:















Reading to Aunt Marilyn and Aunt Elaine.  Once teachers, always teachers!

With Aunt 'Lane

Colton was lovin' on baby Gideon as often as possible:
Photo shoot at Sleepy Ridge Golf Course club house:




The funny one:
Twinners:

Moved venues to sit on the house front steps:





Soldiers, marching to bed:
Grandma and Grandpa Holdaway came up to the media room to give us our Christmas presents:
Which included pens with cool doctorish flashlights on the end:
And to see our family HELIUM MOVIES on mom and dad's big screen!  Kristen filmed everyone telling 30 second stories.  She then, without warning us, used an app on her phone to mess with our faces and voices.  They were so funny.  We watched them over and over.  I wish I had all the other ones.  Autrey's middle school basketball story:
Shilo's G-ma and G-pa's 7 Dwarves story:
Dylan's shy Tony Chestnut Elf on the Shelf story:
Colton's true story about how he dropped his new Paw Patrol toy down the crack between the plane and the jetway as we were boarding in Fort Worth to fly to UT and the pilot man got it for him.  It was a traumatic story.  He told everyone who would listen during our trip.  Colton sounds hilarious with a deep voice.  Also he looks just like my cousin, Mitchell Riley, does now in his 20s:
Snow much fun going off the jumps:




Snuggling to warm up:
Can I play The Great Dalmuti with you guys?
Nope.  Adults only at this fun game that starts after bedtime and goes until the wee hours of the morning.  Or until someone's kids wake up crying/coughing.  *sigh* There was a lot of kids not sleeping.  Danny always started as the Greater Peon.  Kristen rocked the Great Dalmuti hat.  Ken just happened to be wearing a random hat unrelated to the game:

The cutest Greater Dalmuti, who could never get the hat to stay on:
The twins turned 2 on New Year's Eve.  They flew out early on the 30th (because they were still free fliers), so we celebrated with Theresa's Torte on the 29th:
About 3 seconds after this, Avery had her face in the Torte.  Wish I had that pic:
New Year's Day bowling with Grandma Holdaway.  Long-standing yearly tradition.  The Riley Family was there too.  Sad we didn't get a big group pic.  Grandma pays a quarter for each strike.  I think Meagan and Ken got the most strikes, garnering $4.25:
Even both boys got at least a quarter:
 

 Colton rubbing his hair because he was tired:
And fell asleep on the way home in his cool shades: 
 Went on a double date with Alison and Nick to the Body Worlds exhibit.  There was a lot of physical therapist talk:

The museum had a weather green screen we played with:

We battled the cold to see the Draper Tree of Life.  Pictures don't give it justice because it doesn't show the twinkling fruit:

Ali and Nick:
 We went and had lunch at Traci's house a couple days later:


 My dear TX friend, Annalee Dinkel, came up from her new house in Nephi to hang out and have brunch:

We went and saw Pat and Anndalyn Hobbs one night:

 Big Autrey and little Autrey:
 Mt. Timpanogos temple night with Ali:



 We spent a day with Dylan's future wife, Chloe:

Seriously.  This was the conversation as soon as Chloe saw him:
C: "I love Dylan.  I'm going to marry him."
D: "Yes, but 1st I have to grow as tall as my mom."
C: "AND serve a mission."

Meagan and I decided it's all settled.  I could handle one of my besties being my son's mother-in-law.  (Ali, I have made a note of your request to have Colton marry into your family.  Let's get you married, shall we? *wink, wink*):
 GG and Grandpa wanted to treat the boys to an Arctic Circle dinner and play place before we flew out early the next morning:
 So hard to say good bye:
We had so much fun!
  
And can't wait to come back as soon as possible!
Thanks for the Legos!  *muah*