711...

...Is a great place to get a slurpee, and also the number of miles I ran in 2010.  Knowing that I was going to train for a half marathon, I started keeping a log of the miles I ran each day beginning the second week of January.  It was something I did just for fun, really.  June came and I finished the race, but I figured since I had been logging my miles for six months, I should just keep going.  I never actually tallied the total until November, and I found I had run about 630.  I made it a goal to hit 700 by Dec. 31.  I actually reached my goal on Christmas Eve.  We were in Provo with my family, and were just finishing our Christmas Eve dinner, when Adam came in with a cake with "700" in candles on it.  My sister starting singing, "Happy Miles to You," and everyone joined in.  It was super cheesy but funny, too.  I'm grateful for a sweet husband who recognizes and celebrates my personal accomplishments, even when there's no real cause for celebration!

The new year starts tomorrow, and so does my mile count.  Try it, it's fun!  How many miles will you run/bike/swim/walk (or whatever is fun for you!) in 2011?

Christmas #3

We headed up to Salt Lake on Christmas afternoon to spend time with Adam's family.  All of his brothers were there with their families, too--a packed house!  Our gift from Adam's parents was a bit different this year.  They gave us a box filled with ten different clues.  With each clue came a wrapped object--a pair of flip flops, a ukelele, a coconut, an umbrella, etc.  This was clue #10:

We're going to Hawaii, baby!!  We will be spending eight days on Oahu; four days and nights on the North Shore at Turtle Bay, and four days and nights down south around Honolulu and Waikiki.  None of us have been there before, and we are beyond excited!

The rest of Christmas with the Marchants was good, though maybe a bit anticlimactic! :)  The boys sure thought they were in heaven with so many presents and so many cousins!
Here they are modeling their new church clothes from G&G Marchant.  Grandma sure knows how to choose cute clothes!

Other highlights from our trip to Utah included a visit with Doug and Heather and their cute twiners; a tour of Sean and Angie's newly remodeled home; a trip to IKEA (always a favorite for me!); going out to breakfast with G&G Marchant and Bry; for Adam, playing tennis with his brothers and friend, Jon; and for Ty, building his first-ever snowman with his daddy.

We were planning to go to Temple Square to see the lights on Tuesday, but unfortunately we had to leave early to beat the bad storm that was coming.  Even still, it was a really great trip.  We loved being with all our family members, but when it was all said and done, we all felt like this:

Christmas #2

We spent our first few days in Utah with my family in Provo.  The boys were the center of attention, and loved every second of it. 

 

Our days in Provo were highlighted by playing lots of games, eating junk, and having fun together.  On Christmas Eve, we became the Kaiser Family Singers and caroled to several of my parents' neighbors and friends.  That's a tradition I really love.  As it turns out, Ty does, too.  After we finished singing at each house, he would shout, "Merry Christmas!" and then run down the driveway saying, "Let's go to another house!"  He was terribly upset when it was time to head home!

Christmas morning at my parents' house did not disappoint.  The funniest part to me was when my sister and I both opened gifts that the other had chosen--and we chose each other the exact same sweater (in different colors)!  What are the odds?

 

The second funniest part was giving my sister the ornaments I got at my "old lady ornament party".  A few weeks back, I attended an ornament exchange with several older women, and Ashleigh kept telling me how jealous she was.  I decided to give her all the ornaments I acquired, and believe me, there were some real beauties!  :)

Ty's favorite part of Christmas morning was opening his LeakLess car and LeakLess Mack (from Disney's Cars movie) from Grammie and Tooge.  He has been asking for them for at least two months.  He was so excited about it that I couldn't get him to pry his eyes off them for even a minute to take his picture, and they have been his inseparable companions since they came out of their box.

McKay's favorite part?  Hard to say.  But that watermelon had to be close to the top of the list.

If I had to take a guess, I would say that all the Jazz gear Adam received would top his list this year.  Between our three Christmas celebrations, he got a Jazz hoodie, blanket, salt and pepper shakers, and corn bags made by my brother, Matt (you warm them in your microwave and put them in bed with you to keep your feet warm all night--fabulous!).   Ty also got some mini Jazz basketballs from my parents.  All in all, it was a Jazz-y Christmas, I'd say!
Our time in Provo was wonderful.  We loved being with my parents, brothers, sister and brother-in-law, and grandma.  We definitely had a great time!

Christmas #1

We were able to celebrate Christmas three times this year:  once with our own little family in Colorado, once with my family in Provo, and once in Salt Lake with the Marchants.  Our first Christmas was celebrated a week early just with the four of us, for two main reasons.  1.) Traveling is far easier without hauling all the presents to the kids and each other along and 2.) As much as we LOVE being with our families on Christmas, it's really important to us to establish our own family traditions, too.  

So on "Christmas Eve" (really Friday the 17th) we went to downtown Parker and enjoyed the small-town lights displays and festivities there.  

We got hot chocolate at a little coffee shop downtown and listened to some Christmas stories read by some ladies from the library.

And then we went on a carriage ride.

It was chilly, but oh, so fun!

 We headed home, read the Christmas story from the scriptures, and the boys opened their new Christmas jammies.

Cute jammies on cute boys!

I won't give a blow-by-blow of Christmas morning.  Suffice it to say that we had a fabulous time together and felt very blessed.

On Saturday afternoon, we went swimming at the Lone Tree Rec Center as per tradition.  The boys had a blast!  After watching his daddy go down the big water slide, Ty took off to go try it, too.  He wasn't even close to the height requirement, nor can he swim well enough to get to the side after being spit out at the bottom, but that didn't seem to bother him a bit.  Adam went to the bottom and caught him.  I was afraid he was going to be freaked out after riding such a big slide alone, but when he got back to me, he said, "That was awesome, Mom!"  The kid has zero fear of water.
The best part of our Christmas?  Having a whole day together as a family.  Now that's what I call awesome!

Christmas Comedy

I think most little kids are hilarious, and mine are no exception.  Ty has been saying some really funny stuff lately.  I told him that his daddy wanted a football for Christmas, and then I took the boys shopping to pick one out.  After we purchased the football, I spent the day telling Ty that he could not tell his dad what he was giving him for Christmas or it would ruin the surprise.  That night before bed, Ty said to Adam, "Daddy tell me [meaning ask me] what I am giving you for Christmas."  Adam asked him, and Ty replied with such earnestness, "Oh, no, Daddy, I can't tell you.  It's a secret.  You just have to wait, Daddy.  When Santa comes down the chimney on Christmas Eve and leaves us our presents, then you can have your football, ok, Daddy?"  Adam and I both busted up.  Then Adam said, "But what are you going to give me for Christmas?"  And Ty repeated, "No, Daddy.  I can't tell.  It's a surprise."  He hadn't even realized that he had told!!
Earlier that same day, Ty came to me and asked, "Mommy, what do you want for Christmas?"  I said, "Oh, I don't know.  Maybe a pair of boots or a sweater."  Ty responded sternly, "Well, remember, Mommy, you don't get everything.  You probably only get one or two things."  Oh, thanks, Ty.  I will try to remember that.
Unrelated to Christmas, but also comical, a few days ago McKay was napping, and I was down in the kitchen.  I heard some raucous noises coming from upstairs, and went to investigate.  I found this:

I asked Ty, "What are you doing?  Your brother was asleep!"  He responded, "I know, Mom, but he needed to wake up.  It was time for us to jump and have some fun together."  How could I be mad?!

And one last one, this one from McKay.  Yesterday he wanted to be held the entire time I was making dinner.  Since that wasn't really possible, I set him down, and he started crying.  I asked, "Why are you so sad, McKay?"  He said, "I don't know.  I have no idea."  Believe me, coming from the mouth of a 20-month-old, it sounded pretty hysterical!

I love these boys!  They wear me out but keep me laughing every day!

Ty and the Amazing Technicolor Eye

On Friday night, I went out with some friends to see a performance of the Nutcracker ballet, leaving Adam home with the boys.  I got home late, and had only been asleep a couple of hours when I awoke to the sound of Ty crying.  I went to his room to see what was the matter, only to find that he was lying in a puddle of vomit.  I woke up Adam, and we cleaned up the mess.  As I was changing the sheets, I glanced over at Ty, and was shocked to see that his eye was terribly bruised and almost swollen shut.  Apparently a few minutes after he put Ty to bed, Adam heard him crying in his room.  He went to see what was the matter, and Ty said he had bonked his head on the wall.  Not thinking too much of it, Adam told Ty to lay back down and go to sleep.  So, we are not totally sure what happened, but we are guessing he probably really smacked his eye on his headboard.  

The next morning I called my dad, who works in sports medicine, to ask if he thought the two incidents were related.  He said yes, they probably were, and that Ty likely had at least a mild concussion.  So yesterday we just took it really easy and hung out at home.  The injury has not seemed to slow Ty down in the least, but it's one of those things that is really scary for a mom!

Ty's eye is pretty colorful, but it's not nearly as swollen today as it has been.  We still got lots of questions at church, though!

40 Years and Counting...

Last weekend Adam's parents celebrated their fortieth anniversary.  To celebrate, they decided to take the entire family out to dinner.  As a gift, Adam and all his brothers chipped in for a private concert in Dwight and Rosemary's home.  

Adam wanted to be there SO BADLY!!  I felt like it was just too much to do, to make the 9-hour road trip with our two little boys twice in three days.  I was especially worried about McKay, who is somewhat high-maintenance as it is, and really doesn't travel well.  After much discussion, we finally decided that Adam would drive to Salt Lake with Ty to surprise his parents, and I would stay home with McKay.

Apparently, Dwight and Rosemary were VERY surprised to see Adam and Ty!  It sounds like they had a super fun weekend.  I felt badly that McKay and I were the only ones of the entire Marchant clan not present, but I was glad Adam was able to be there.  

And, just a side note, after forty years, Dwight and Rosemary have six sons, five daughters-in-law, and sixteen grandchildren (10 boys and 6 girls)!  Not bad!

I was especially sad to miss the concert.  Marshall McDonald is a fabulously talented pianist and LDS recording artist.  Steve Nelson is the cellist that plays with John Schmidt.  The two of them have gone viral on Youtube for their hit, Love Story Meets Viva La Vida.  Adam said the concert was just unbelievable.  I really wish I could have been there for that.

As resistent as I initially was to the idea of even Adam and Ty going to Utah, I have to say it was exactly what I have been needing.  McKay took a 4-hour nap each of the three days the guys were gone, and I was able to have tons of time to myself.  I deep cleaned the entire house, worked on Christmas projects (Christmas tends to bring out the crafter in me!), finished my Christmas shopping, got all of the boys' and Adam's presents wrapped, and read two books (462 pages total).  It was blissful!  I also got to spend lots of one-on-one time with McKay, something I have never been able to do much of, since usually we have Ty around, too!
By the time the weekend was over, though, I was more than ready to have my boys home.  At the end of the day, it's always nice to have Adam to snuggle with, and to know my babies are sleeping peacefully down the hall.
Happy Anniversary to Dwight and Rosemary, the best in-laws and grandparents anyone could ever ask for!

O Christmas Tree

We bought, set up, and decorated our Christmas tree last night for our Monday family night.  This is our sixth Christmas married, and we have always bought a real tree.  I just love the smell of pine that fills the house with a real tree, and I think they look so very lovely, too.

As we started our hunt, Ty requested that we get a "medium tree".  The fir we ended up with is certainly the smallest tree we have ever had, but Ty still said it was too big.  It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose!

Though we have had our other decorations up since Thanksgiving weekend, now that we have our tree it really feels like Christmastime!  

All Aboard!

Last Saturday we had the opportunity to attend the Denver Toy Train Show with our friends, the Lecheminants.  There were model train displays of all different sizes and types.  It was a little boy's heaven!

I love how Trey and Ty are pointing at this one going by!

Completely enthralled!

And after they had gotten their fill of trains, the boys got to visit with Santa!  

Ty asked for a scooter and a new toy car (Leakless and his hauler from Disney's Cars), and McKay just said he wanted toys.  Way to keep it easy for Santa, Mac!

Thanksgiving

Last week was pretty great for us.  My parents (or Grammie and Tooge as they are known to the kids) and my younger brothers, Zach and Matt came to visit from Utah.  We didn't do a whole heck of a lot, but it was fun to relax and be together.  

Grammie and Tooge kindly raked our backyard one chilly afternoon.  McKay was thrilled that finally someone would let him go outside!

 

After putting the leaves in the garbage can, Tooge and the boys jumped on them to push them down in the can.  Ty thought it was hilarious!

The relationship between my boys and my brothers' dog was love/hate.  They thought we was super cool, but were pretty scared of him, too.

On the actual Thanksgiving day, I only took one picture.  I wasn't in "compose mode" and that's ok with me.  I only wish we had more documentation of the day.  It was mine and Adam's first time hosting Thanksgiving Dinner, and it was really fun!  We all worked together and it turned out fabulously!  My Uncle Kirk and Aunt Kendra, their 4 kids, and my grandma all drove down from Broomfield to be with us, too.  Lots of people, lots of food, lots of fun!

Here's Matt modeling our Thanksgiving splurge:  a peanut butter chocolate pie from Cold Stone.  It was HEAVEN!!

It was great to have my family here, and we miss them already.

We are grateful for...

...AWESOME grandparents!

We got a super fun package in the mail today from G&G Marchant.  Inside was a singing and dancing Frosty the Snowman! 

Ty was entertained, to say the least!

It also had a Frosty book which had recording ability, so G&G had recorded their voices reading the book to the boys.  I'm still not sure who likes it more, the boys or Mom and Dad!

Here's McKay sporting his new turkey visor while he listens to Grandma and Grandpa reading to him!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!  We can't wait to see you next month!

Pudding painting

What's up with my mom and brother always doing fun things like pudding finger painting together in the afternoon while I am asleep?!  I'll show them--I can paint, too!!

Baby Bodyguard

The boys and I got flu shots this morning.  I was the last of our trio to get mine.  I was holding McKay in my right arm, so he wouldn't run away, and requested the shot in my left arm.  When Mac saw the nurse prep my arm and pull out the needle, he shouted at the male nurse, "No, no no!" and tried to swat the needle away.  The nurse was a bit perturbed, but it was a heart-melting moment for me.  I imagine that if McKay could string together a sentence of more than two or three words, he would have said, "Hey, dude, you just stuck me with that thing, and it hurt.  Don't you dare do that to my mommy!"  Anyway, his intent was clearly to protect me, and I thought it was so sweet that my 18-month old was trying to come to my defense!  It reminded me of when Mac received his baby blessing, and Adam blessed him that he and I would have a very special bond throughout our lives.  SO, SO true.  He may seem like a tough guy, but this one is a serious mamma's boy!

Prepare to laugh your head off!

You have got to watch this on youtube.  Maybe it's because I can totally see myself making a video like that, but whatever the reason, I literally laughed til I cried...twice!

Forklift

I bet you didn't know that we have two forklift operators residing and working in our home.  It's true.

"Forklift" is a game that Ty invented singlehandedly (but which McKay is always more than willing to be a part of), which consists of "driving" chairs tipped on their sides around the kitchen, usually while Mom is cooking dinner.  Though very clever and inventive, it also has a tendency to wear on Mom's nerves a bit as the two forklifts crash into one another, or when the operators argue which forklift is whose.  But, as Mom has come to understand, it's all in a day's work.

Happy Halloween!

Tonight was our final Halloween celebration--our ward party and trunk-or-treat.  Ty has been excited about this all week, and has told everyone that would listen how we was going to dress up as a fireman and McKay as a golfer.

The boys had a great time, and got/ate too much candy.  It's going to take some serious self-control on my part to stay out of it!

Small rant:  does it bother anyone else when the "tweeners" come around the parking lot 3 or 4 times at the ward trunk-or treat parties?  I mean, when you go trick-or-treating you don't go to the same house 3 or 4 times, so why is it ok to hit the same trunk that many times?  It irritates me.  In fact, I chased some obnoxious boys away from our car tonight who were doing just that.  I wasn't dressed as a witch, but I certainly could have passed for one!!