A Gingerbread House Clark Griswald Would Be Proud Of!!

For Family Home Evening Jordan decided that we needed to make a gingerbread house. At first we were neat and tidy and losing Tayaunas attention. Then I said why don't we just frost the roof and let her put stuff everywhere. So we did and she enjoyed every second of it. She ate goodies as she placed them on and put stuff everywhere. Mostly as you can see the roof is plastered and everything else is naked, but sometimes that is the way it goes.

Halloween Party

Our last day home we had a Happy Halloween Party. We had many special visitors and we came in special costumes all home made!!! It was a fun way to end our trip and to see some people one last time. The girls ate a ton of JUNK. They had a cup cake walk, we did the hokey pokey, and my dad played the guitar. Monika brought out lots of treats and the girls each got to take home a treat bag with fun straws.

Paradise

We made a trip home to Washington this summer. It was paradise, the nicest summer I can ever remember. The water on the lake was bath water and we all enjoyed it daily. I had the wonderful oppertunity to see all of my family and spend time with all of them on multiple occasions. Thank you do daddy (Jordan) for working so hard so we could go on this really wonderful vacation. We missed you. We had many laughs and "made many memories." The kids played with their "friends," that would be, Jill, Tayauna, and Riane. It is so nice that they think of each other as friends. We sucked up as much sun as we could possibly get and there was plenty to get some days I think that we almost would have turned to raisins if it would not have been for the lake. A great time was had by all. Who knew that we would think of Washington as Paradise.

The Last Frontier

Bogie went to Alaska and brought back some trinkets. We had a lot of fun modeling them when we went to visit them in Portland.

NO GUTS NO GLORY!!!!

Today Tater took her first run!!! Our friend Alan was on the boat and asked our brave little gal if she would like to go and the gal that has no fear said YES.

Happy Birthday To You!!!

Tater is the big THREE today I cannot believe three years have gone by already. She keeps saying my birthday is next... and it is finally here. She is so excited. I always wondered when birthdays and Christmas would be exciting well that time has arrived and she is pumped up for her special day. It just seems like yesterday that Jordan and I were anxiously awaiting her arrival. Our daughter has an extreemly kind heart, loves life, and her family. She hasn't been short on words since she started talking and always wants to be part of the party. We love our little Tater Bug and wish her the happiest of birthdays and a great year to follow.

Five Years...

We celebrated our fifth anniversary on the 25!! YES I got the date right. Jordan had to work, that day and when he left that morning, he left me thinking that we wouldn't be doing anyting. We only had a small window of time to do something and no babysitter. He told me that this would be an anniversary that I would remember!!!I went about my daily routine of things to do...I had to go to the laundry mat that day, there are toys there...Tayauna squatted and peed in the toys (she is trying to give Finley a run for her money at the Childrens Museum) so since there was a puddle I had to go ask the worker there for the things to clean it up with! Then Jordan sent me up to Jenn's for a paper he needed for "work." It was an invitation to meet him for dinner at Walkers. At this point in time. I had Jill and Tay, Jensen had to go to the Hospital because he wasn't doing very well so I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to meet Jordan. The girls played all afternoon, and around 5:00 I got a call from Jayne. I was to take Jill there, and a good friend of Jordan's from HS was going to take Tay so we could have 30min together for dinner, before he had to work again.
I walked in to Walkers and Jordan was sitting on the Wendy's side. He had gotten a table cloth and laid it on one of the tables in the corner. He had gone to the Outback and ordered my favorite meal and his. We sat and ate a great meal in the time that he had..here's to making it count. He had also gone to Tres Jolie and gotten me the Noelle set... for those of you that don't know that is my middle name he put a lot of time, effort, and thought into making me feel special on that day and I am greatful to him for that. Yes, it was a memorable day, in time the crazy parts will fade away and the wonderful memories of the sweetness of my husband I will remember. Thank you Jordan for all that you do for us and the efforts that you put forth in making each day a special one. I love you.

Happy Birthday UNCLE JACOB!!!!

To our uncle Jake we wish you a Happy Birthday. I think that the song says it all. It is probably one of our fondest memories of Jake. Kereokee night I think he chose one of the longest songs of all time... what a blast that was. Hope that you had a great day.

I'm Going To The Temple

We went with the Devoe's to the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple open house. The girls seemed to have a good time. It was a self guided tour and we waited outside for our time slot (the gals got a little antsy). I was a little worried that my child would act up or not be as quiet as she should be but have no fear... she had a shining moment!!! We walked in and it was beautiful as every temple is. Since we were not with a group we just walked on through and as we were downstairs, I leaned down to ask my darling daughter if I could hold her hand and she put her small two year old finger to her lips and said, "Shh Quiet Mommy." My worries had left me, she had told me in the temple to be quiet. For the rest of the tour, she reminded us all that we are to be quiet and reverent in the House of the Lord!!!

Happy Fathers Day Jordan

Jordan is an awesome dad. He is very involved and will do anything with Tay. When he has time to be home with her he loves to spend that time with her. She wants to go on dates with him and enjoy his company. If he is gone before she wakes up she is always looking for him and wondering where he has gone, however quick to realize that he is at work. She knows where he works and nothing gets past her, her dad is SUPER, he works at every Costco that we go to!!! What a lucky daddy to have such a great employer to give him so many hours. We love our dad and are so lucky to have such a hard working, loving daddy. Thank you Jordan and Daddy...Love Kyra and Tayauna...

Happy Fathers Day!!!!

To all the men in my life that have "Fathered" me at some point in time, or taken me under their wing, Happy Fathers Day!!! Also a big thank you for all the help in the growing up department. All of your knowledge, wisdom, or example through the years has been appreciated. Each of you have a qualities that are admired and I hope that some day I will have just a smidgen in me of what I find wonderful in you. Grandpa Archie you are honorable and respectful in everyting that you say do. You are not looked upon down for it and people young and old respect you for it. Uncle Steve, you always had a great time with us and us with you. Whether we were at Disneyland or at holiday, I have always felt welcome and loved by you and Auntie Di. Uncle Terry, you have a very stressful job but have managed to not clout that with your marriage that is hard and amazing. Grandpa Cal you still to this day try to have one on one talks with me if you answer the phone I admire your stregnth and heart to keep living life. Dad you let me know what was right and wrong, when I was younger that was a learning process but as I have gotten older it has become more ingrained.

A Love of the Water

We always wished that our child would have the same love for the water that we did and sure enough she does!!! She has no fear of it which is a little scary but she absoultly loves it. Last summer she was jumping off the dock at my moms place out at Summit Lake, riding on the inner tube, and now going down the water slides at the "dumping pool" by herself. We were driving around in the car the other day and "the boat song" came on the radio!!! She was so excited that she wanted it played again. She didn't realize that when on the radio you can not repeat a song over and over again (it was Brad Paisley "I'm Still a Guy"). She has a great time whenever water is involved and so do we. We can't wait to get going this summer and see what she will do.

Gone Fishin"

Jordan went home for about two months and while he was home he spent a Saturday with my neice Riane. She had the time of her life fishin' on the lake with Jord and his Uncle Roy. She caught lots of fish and froze her little tushy off. She didn't even want to get off the boat. She was so cold that she took the shower of her life after words. Great Job Riane!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE T!!!!

Happy 23rd Birthday to our special uncle T. He is so kind and always willing to help with Tater, or give a kind word. Tater called him this morning to wish him a special day. I don't know if she got all the words right but it was the thought that counts. She loves her uncle "T". And we all hope he had a great day. This is one of my favorite pictures of him. It has so much personality!!! We all love you Trev!!!!

OUR NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER

Jensen Russel Gray was born on St. Patty's Day. It is so amazing to me the difference in first children and second. Though I am only a proud Auntie when I got the call that he was coming my eyes welled up with tears. What wonderful gifts these children are Riane, Tayauna, Jill, and Jensen!!! Oh how they change our family in such a wonderful way. They make us learn, grow and laugh. Congrats to Jenn and Russ and we cannot wait to get to know our little Jensen Gray

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DADDY

To Jordan HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Your laughter and smile have been missed in our home these past couple of months and I am counting down the days until we will be back together. You are special to me and each day we are apart I learn something else I appreciate more about you. You are a wonderful father and a great friend. I cannot wait to see you again. I love you and I miss you dearly. Have a great birthday

THIS FEELS LIKE A GIRLS NIGHT OUT

We took a trip to that other country (Portland) yesterday. We got to stay at Bogie's fish house, and go shopping for fun things for Ninny's new lake house. We sang songs in the car on the way down to Portland of course what would a trip with Ninny be with out a SLURPEE!!!! My child is corupted she calls Burger King that Dinner Place and I think that she has them all on her radar. Needless to say she had her kids meal and we were singing tunes and on our way. We got to the condo late and so we got in to jammies and got ready for bed. We had a orange juice and and a toast and went to bed, well tried to. An amped up Tater wanted toes painted (not really just pretend), and criss cross apple sauce, and make up on. She loved it and it was really fun...three gals on a themed girls night out "Under the Sea"

CHUNK E CHEESE

Our Ninny called and wanted to take us out for the big V Day!!!! After being cooped up in a house for a few days packing I decided that the best place to take a 2 year old was none other than to the
Chunkster himself!! That was one excited Tater she could not even eat her pizza. We started out on the little kid rides...then we moved on to the bus. Where she first was very nice taking a little girl for a ride quite a few times till her parents said that was enough. She slowly put almost every token in the "fun bus" all by her self why Ninny and I watched from a booth about two feet away. She moved on to Spirit the horse with about two tokens left after they were all gone she ate some pizza keeping an eye out for anyone who would share a ride on the fun bus with her and she would go bum a ride or two or three. Finally we had to tell her that was enough that we had to go no more bumming rides so nice of all to share their tokens with a bus riding Taty.