The Horlacher Family

More Christmas Pictures

2011-01-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more Christmas pictures to enjoy!

Christmas in Utah, 2010

2011-01-27T12:29:00.001-08:00

We were lucky enough to spend Christmas in Utah this year! We had the best time visiting and spending time with family. Christmas Eve we had the traditional delicious Christmas feast at my parents' house, followed by a devotional and opening of family pajamas. Early the next morning we were back to "Crash Through The Paper", a tradition I had since I was a little girl, which led the children into the room with all the gifts! Hayden's favorite gift was her first American Girl Doll (which happens to look just like her!), Noah's was his Plasma Car, and Nicholas and Brigham liked everything! The kids LOVED playing in all the snow, too.

Summer Fun 2010

2010-09-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Our grand adventure this summer was moving to McKinney, Texas at the beginning of June! By the time July rolled around, we were ready to see family in Utah. We decided to brave the 21-hour drive each way, and off we went! We stayed for 3 1/2 weeks, and had a wonderful time. We may not be driving again for a long time, however! It just about did us in. While we were in Utah we went fishing, canoeing, lots of swimming and water play, went to the Aquarium, Children's Museum, Gateway Fountains, movies, dinners, and most importantly, spent time with family. Here are a few pictures to show you how big the kids are getting!

You've Come a Long Way, Bab(ies)!

2010-04-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

Nicholas and Brigham are 14 1/2 months old now and they fill our lives with joy! They do something new every day and are keeping us on our toes. Their favorite things right now are "exploring" the drawers and cabinets, and somehow they always know when mom has forgotten to put the locks on them. They yelp when their twin takes something from them, they are still learning how to share, but they LOVE their older brother and sister, and they love to be snuggled. Brigham clings to you like a little spider monkey, and Nicholas will sit on your lap and be cuddly for a little while. I am amazed how far they've come these 14 months.

Hayden's birthday lunch at Rainforest Cafe

2010-04-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

We decided to start a new tradition this year. We are going to take each child (starting with Hayden and Noah) on a "date" for their birthday. Hayden chose lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. We had a blast! The best part was when a few of the staff sang to Hayden and brought her an ice cream sundae. She even received some fun neon green frog slippers from Rainforest Cafe for her birthday.

Brigham learns to walk

2010-04-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

Little Brigham beat Hayden and Noah's record and began walking at 13 months. Both Hayden and Noah walked at 15 1/2 months. Nicholas is still working on it, but just this week (at 14 1/2 months) he has taken 3-4 consecutive steps. Yeah, Bean! (nickname for Nicholas) Briggie is running now and we sometimes lose him for minutes at a time. All we need to do is listen for that giggle and there he is!

Rub a Dub Dub

2010-04-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Seriously, can you believe these 4 kids can fit in the tub?! Little Brigham, our crazy one, has done everything from stand up and put one leg out of the tub, to cutting his lip and eyelid on the faucet (which now has a rubber protector like a whale) Hayden and Noah love to get in the bath with the babies, even though it is a little tight. Nicholas LOVES the water and he never minds having water poured over his head.

Hayden turns 7!

2010-04-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little Hayden turned 7 on February 22nd. I know that every mom says this but I really, really can't believe that she is 7! She is so tall and looks like she is that old, but my little baby girl is growing up! Hayden is the sweetest, most precocious little girl. She reads like a fiend, and is the top reader in her class. As of today, she has read 920 books this school year. I always tell her, "Hayden, you are so beautiful, but even more importantly, you are beautiful on the INSIDE." She is such a good friend, big sister, and Mommy's right hand. She had a birthday party with 28 friends (yes, that's right ... and yes, Riley and I and my mother-in-law deserve medals for throwing that party at our house!). All the kids ate pizza, played outside on the trampoline, playset, and bouncy house, and watched a movie with popcorn. Everyone had a blast. I am still finding popcorn kernels from that party. One of her requests was to go to Build-A-Bear. Sweet Hayden wanted to include Noah, so part of her birthday wish was that Noah got to choose a stuffed animal, too. That is our Hayden!

More of the Professional Photos

2010-04-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

I am finally trying to get back on track with the blog! I will never be able to "catch up" but I wanted to post more of these photos from our family photo shoot back in Oct 2009. They turned out so well!

Latest Pictures of the kids

2009-12-26T23:40:00.000-08:00

Hayden (almost 7), Noah (5), Brigham (11 mos), and Nicholas (11 mos.)

Almost 7 months old

2009-08-28T14:42:00.001-07:00

Brigham (1st picture) and Nicholas (2nd picture) are just about the cutest twins we have ever seen (and we are not biased at all!) They are so interactive. They love to smile and "talk" to us. Brigham's smile that reveals his two bottom teeth melts our hearts, and Nicholas' babbling and expressive eyebrows (just like his dad's!) make us laugh. Brigham is so good at manipulating things with his hands. He can grab anything small ... especially his binkie ... and twirl it between his fingers. Nicholas is great at rolling over and holding his head up so high! We have never had a child with as much hair as Nicholas has. We are so grateful for these two babies. We marvel every day that they were sent to our family. We can't imagine life without them.

Hayden and Noah start school 2009

2009-08-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

Hayden started 1st grade this Fall. This is a HUGE change for us because she now goes all day! She has the best teacher this year. Everyone had told me, "Oh, we hope you get this teacher!" and we did! Yeah yeah! She is super organized but so loving to the children. She had every child do a "Child of the Week" poster that will hang for one week in the classroom during the school year. Hayden and I had a great time choosing photos for this and putting it together. Noah is in his last year of Preschool and he goes to 2 different preschools. His teachers are Miss Greta, Miss Sheri, and Miss Rita. It is wonderful for me because he has school time every day, and he learns so much! He loves school. Here's to a great school year!

Swimming with Mom

2009-08-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

I decided to get in the pool with Hayden and Noah yesterday because it was just so hot! We had such a good time. The third picture is of Noah watching Hayden and I after we have jumped off the deep end of the pool. We were supposed to do it together, but he had other ideas! The last picture is of us laughing when we saw that Noah had played a joke on us. I am so proud of the swimmers that Hayden and Noah have become this summer.

Starting Solids

2009-08-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

Nicholas and Brigham started solid foods last week at about 6 1/2 months old! Rice cereal first, then carrots (as pictured), and this week it's pears! Pears are definitely their favorite. They are both eating well ... Brigham takes a little more finesse to get the food to stay in the mouth. He likes to blow it out! Nicholas has never met food he doesn't like, the little chub. Hayden and Noah like to help feed them, too!

Riley just needs a little nibble

2009-08-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know when it started, but Riley sure loves to nibble on our kids when they are babies. And even sometimes as they get older ... here he is nibbling on Brig.

Park City and the Alpine Slide

2009-08-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

It is a tribute to my wonderful husband that he agreed to take all the kids, along with my dad and brother Rob, and drive about an hour to Park City. I really wanted to take Hayden and Noah to the Alpine Slide. It was a cold and rainy day (about 50 degrees) and we borrowed warm clothes, bundled up, and headed up the canyon. The rain stopped just long enough for Riley and Rob to take Noah and Hayden on the Alpine Coaster, and then Riley and Grandpa Ty to take Noah and Hayden on the Alpine Slide. I was on baby and picture duty. Noah started off crying and very nervous: "Is it going to be fast?" and Riley said that on both rides he was yelling, "Faster, Dad!" Hayden of course was our little daredevil. They could have ridden the rides all day. It was an absolute BLAST For all kids and adults involved. We finished the day with the best hot chocolate I'd ever had (cinnamon makes all the difference) and headed home for naps.

Daybreak Beach Park

2009-08-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

I had been wanting to take Hayden and Noah to the Daybreak Beach Park while we were staying nearby. With Riley out of town, I wondered how I could do it alone. Enter Uncle Rob! He took Hayden and Noah BY HIMSELF (I stayed and took pictures for 10 minutes before I had to get back to the twins, who were sleeping) and they all had a blast. What a fun uncle! Hayden and Noah jumped to him off the end of the pier (and it took some coaxing to get Noah to do that!), they played in the water, sand, and even threw a frisbee.

Loving the twins

2009-08-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how loved these little twins are. Nicholas and Brigham are so lucky to have everyone want to hold and play with them. When they smile their little smiles it is just the best. On the drive up to Utah Brigham started with 1 bottom tooth (he was the first to sprout a tooth!) and by the end of the drive his 2nd tooth had broken through and so had Nicholas' 2 bottom teeth. They were remarkably good sports about it! They also both learned to roll over the first 2 days we were in Utah. The first time we saw it was on a blanket on the grass at the Jacobsens' house. Yeah for the twins! Here are a few pictures of them being loved by Grandma Renee, Grandpa Ralph, Grandma Di, and Grandpa Ty, and Uncle Rob.

Cute Grandpa Ty

2009-08-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

We spent an afternoon swimming with our cousins and Grandma Di and Grandpa Ty. Noah wouldn't go in the water until Grandpa got in with him. After that, he had a blast! Grandpa pushed him on all the inflatable toys and swam with him. Hayden had a great time playing with her cousin Avery and going down the slide.

Wheeler Farm

2009-08-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

We always love visiting Wheeler Farm in the summer. This time we had quite an entourage: all 6 of us, Grandma Renee and Grandpa Ralph, Aunt Jan, and Uncle Rob. More than 1 adult per child (well, the twins need 2 each!). We fed the ducks, climbed trees (thanks, Aunt Jan for the boosts!), saw all the animals, played in the treehouse, and Hayden and Noah each got a turn to milk the cow. We ended the evening with a visit to the Iceberg, one of Riley's favorite childhood eateries, and had hamburgers and raspberry shakes. It was a fantastic day.

Miniature Golf with Uncle Rob

2009-08-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hayden and Noah love to miniature golf. When we passed a huge miniature golf course a few times, they begged to go. My brother, Rob, volunteered to go golfing with us. The twins were really fussy, and he ended up singlehandedly doing the golfing while Riley and I handled the twins. Yeah for Rob! Hayden, Noah, and Rob chose the "Haunted House" course and it was so fun! Rob helped Noah hold his club the right way, even though Noah insisted on "throwing" the ball into every area. Hayden even got a couple of hole in ones!

Digging potatoes and irrigation

2009-08-28T10:43:00.001-07:00

There is something magical about Grandma and Grandpa Jacobsen's (my maternal grandparents) garden. There is always something growing, and the food just tastes so good! Aunt Jan helped Hayden and Noah dig baby potatoes, and then the irrigation water came in! I have such fun memories as a child of playing in the irrigation water and floating "boats", sticks, and anything else I could find down the ditches. Hayden and Noah LOVED the water, loved the mud, and they especially loved "rescuing" a baby quail bird that we found in a bucket. He had fallen out of his nest into the bucket. We were trying to help him and he climbed up an irrigation pipe. The kids and I stood by the pipe waiting for him to float out so we could rescue him. I was a little bit hysterical at the thought that the poor little guy wouldn't make it. Luckily Dad stepped in and saved the bird, and Aunt Jan found him a new home.

Water balloon time

2009-08-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Our kids are obsessed with water balloons. Aunt Kimber first bought them water balloons and now they can't get enough! Riley found a "ball" with an internal timer that pops the water balloon inside when the timer runs out. It was a perfect game for a hot Saturday in Utah with Grandpa Ty. Aunt Kimber made huge bowls filled with water balloons, and Grandpa Ty played "catch" with Hayden and Noah. Grandpa even found some old shirts and hats they could wear. I was amazed by my dad! He played "catch" for the longest time, let them squirt him with the hose, and set up sprinklers for them to run through. What a fun grandpa! Noah's favorite part was when Grandpa stuffed a water balloon down his pants ... and it popped! Hayden loved squirting Grandpa with the hose "mister." It was a great day!

24th of July

2009-08-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

We drove to Utah (yeah, us!) just in time to be there for the 24th of July! We spent the evening at my grandparents, the Jacobsens', house, with extended family. We bought fireworks (outlawed in Arizona) and lit them in the street, just like I did when I was a kid. The twins loved all the attention, and Hayden and Noah learned how to play croquet with Aunt Jan. We had a delicious barbecue dinner with fresh corn on the cob. Yum! We love being with family.

6 months old

2009-08-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more fun pictures of Nicholas and Brigham. Oh how we love them!

4th of July 2009

2009-08-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

On the 4th of July it was blazing hot, as July days in Arizona are. Luckily, Aunt Kimber was here to add to the fun! We started off the day with the annual "Pancake Breakfast" at Riley's parents' home ward, then a little time in the backyard with dad squirting with the hose, a pool party with our Horlacher cousins and Aunt Kimber, and we finished off with a family barbecue where we watched the fireworks. It was a great day!

Welcome Home Elder and Sister Horlacher

2009-08-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

Riley's parents returned from their 23-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on July 1st. They were called to the Switzerland Zurich mission but spent their mission in Southern Germany. We have missed them so much and eagerly awaited their return. Hayden was 4 and Noah was 2 when they left, and Ralph and Renee had never met the twins. What a happy reunion it was! We are so glad that they are back.

Nicholas and Brigham and Dad

2009-08-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

RIley can always get the best smiles out of Nicholas and Brigham. They especially like it when he "nibbles" their necks. Who can resist a soft and warm little neck?! Not us!

Swimming with Dad

2009-08-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

One of the ways we have made it through the summer in Arizona is by swimming almost every day in our pool. We spend so much more time at home now because of the twins, and we have really simplified our lives. Yeah! Many days Riley jumps in the pool with Hayden and Noah while I watch or hold Nicholas and Brigham. Riley devised a new game where he picks up the kids and throws them in the water! I don't know how he does it, because they are heavy! They love it and beg him to do it every time.

Noah learns to swim

2009-08-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Noah started off this summer not wanting to get in the pool. I started off this summer determined that Noah was going to learn to swim and be able to swim across the entire length of our pool. How did this happen?! Noah and Hayden had the most amazing swim teacher ... our good friend Kourtney Garner. She has taught swimming lessons for 5 years and she is also our Mother's Helper. She taught Hayden and Noah in our pool, and within a week Noah was swimming lengths on his own. Now we can't keep him from jumping in the 10-ft deep end, coming up, taking a breath, them putting his head and arms in the water and swimming like a fish. Kourtney has also taught Hayden to dive. Hayden, as usual, spends more time under the water than on top of it. She has learned some new strokes, though, and Riley says she still beats him in swimming races.

The Twins' First Time in the Pool

2009-08-27T12:06:00.001-07:00

Oh how much I have to catch up on! We put the twins in the pool for the first time when they were about 4 months old. The water was warm and they loved it! Since then we can hardly keep them out of the pool. Every time I try to go and sit by the pool with one of them on my lap and the other in a bouncie seat, they are straining to get in and swim with Hayden and Noah. We are so proud of all our little fish!

5 1/2 months

2009-07-16T12:06:00.001-07:00

Nicholas and Brigham are changing every day! Brigham cut his first tooth yesterday. He was nursing and "bit" me. He has done this before with no teeth ... and it has hurt, but not like this! The little barracuda! I was talking to my friend Debbie, and when he bit me I jumped! Debbie said, "Let me feel in his mouth," and she felt a tooth! He has another one on its way and Nicholas has two that are about poking through as well. Nicholas loves to smile with his mouth wide open, and Brigham is the loudest little squealer (not good in church!) and he just babbles and talks to everyone. We love these boys.

They are growing!

2009-06-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures of the twins at 4 months. The twin on the left is Nicholas, and the right is Brigham. They are just getting cuter and cuter.

Riley and the twins

2009-06-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

I can't resist pictures of Riley and the twins. He is the best dad ever!

End of School 2009

2009-06-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

School in Arizona finished this year on May 20th. It was so fun to go to Hayden and Noah's end-of-year programs. Highlights were Hayden reading more than 100 books on her own since January, and earning TWO gold medals for her effort. She is an extraordinary reader. Hayden and Noah each had an ice-cream sundae party at their school, and I was able to come to all of their parties and see their awards and their friends. Riley and I attended Hayden's "Kindergarten Sing" and listened to some fun songs, and Hayden was one of four children (out of 150) asked to recite a poem. She recited "Ladybird," complete with props of a bird and a pan. She did it perfectly into the microphone, even with everyone watching her. We are so proud of you, Hayden!

Newport Beach

2009-06-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

We were able to get to the beach twice during our weekend in Newport Beach. It was a bit cold, but it didn't stop Hayden and Noah from wading in (and our little fish, Hayden, from getting completely wet). They chased the waves, and the waves chased them. It took a little coaxing for Noah, but soon he was jumping in the waves and laughing as the spray hit him. Riley and I each had a twin in a baby Bjorn. We also took a trip to Crystal Cove, where we saw all kinds of tide pools. We spotted sea cucumbers, sea anemones, starfish, and neat rock formations. Our favorite place we ate while in California was Wahoo tacos. Yum, yum!

Balboa Beach

2009-06-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

We decided to throw caution to the wind and head off on the ultimate adventure ... a 6 hour road trip with 4 kids! We went the weekend before Memorial Day and it was so fun! We stayed in Newport Beach and had such a blast. We spent a morning at Balboa Beach, the cutest little beach town with its gingerbread-like, quaint houses, and the most fun main street. In keeping with our family tradition, we had to sample all the goodies and sweets the town had to offer. We ate homemade salt-water taffy, the most deliciously gooey cinnamon rolls we'd ever tasted, and frozen bananas/ice cream "Balboa bars" which were dipped in fresh chocolate and the toppings of our choice. Half of a vacation is about the treats, right?! We also had fun seeing how surprised the locals were when we traipsed down the street with our 4 little kids, including twins in a double stroller. I bet they don't see that every day!

Smiles

2009-06-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Oh my heavens these twins are so smiley! Nicholas has a coy way of looking at you by tilting his head down and looking up at you. Brigham just smiles these jack-o-lantern grins. We are putty in their hands. You just can't be grumpy at them for waking you up at 1 and 4 in the morning when they smile at you the minute you look in their crib.

Riley loves his boys

2009-05-21T16:38:00.001-07:00

Riley loves to snuggle with Brigham and Nicholas. They are getting so strong now ... they lift their heads completely off his chest. They are growing so quickly! They will lock eyes with you, "talk" to you with their ah-goos and squeals, and they have big jack-o-lantern grins (especially Brigham). What would we do without these twins?!

What I Wanted for Mother's Day

2009-05-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

Riley said, "What do you want to do for Mother's Day?" and I said, "I want a family adventure!" Back in the days before I was pregnant with the twins I used to have lots of energy (smile!) and I would take Hayden and Noah all over the place to all these fun activities. With the progressing pregnancy and then the delivery of our wonderful twins, our adventuring days have dwindled. The night before Mother's Day, however, I said, "Let's go bowling, then go out for dinner, and then go get ice cream!" I am sure that Riley gulped a little but he put a smile on and said, "Okay!" Loading everyone in the car, packing the diaper bag, driving 30 minutes to the nice bowling alley, waiting 45 minutes for a lane, entertaining and carrying 13 week old twins ... none of that phased my positive husband. Hooray for Riley! You would have thought Hayden and Noah had won the lottery, they were so excited to go bowling! It turned out to be a great evening. The kids bowled to their hearts content, I managed to breast feed at a bowling alley, dinner and ice cream were delicious, and we even had enough energy to put the kids to bed when we got home. It was a fantastic Mother's Day present.

Splish, Splash

2009-05-21T16:12:00.001-07:00

Is there anything more fun than giving a slippery, wet, smiley baby a bath?! How about two babies?! Lucky us! Nicholas and Brigham (also known as Nicco and Briggie) LOVE the bath. They smile and splash and grin at themselves in the mirror next to them. They have just stolen our hearts. Hayden and Noah also love to help scrub these little bubbas. Here is Hayden helping out one morning before school. We love bath time!

Blessing the babies in Utah

2009-05-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

We made our first official trip with the babies when they were 3 months old to bless them in Utah. We were only there for 72 hours, and it was a whirlwind! Everything we did was family related, and it was so wonderful to introduce everyone to Nicholas and Brigham. Saturday night my parents (mostly Dianne!) put on the most amazing dinner, which followed the blessings. There were platters of food everywhere and even 2 cakes! We had the whole extended and immediate family out in full force and it was just a blast. Riley gave the twins beautiful blessings and I was so grateful for a husband who is a worthy priesthood holder (as well as a bit of a boob ... smile!) These little boys are so loved. Welcome to the family, Nicholas and Brigham!

Easter 2009

2009-04-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Easter this year was very relaxed, as many things have become for our family! Hayden and Noah played "hot" and "cold" to find their Easter baskets hidden in the house. Hayden's had "Bolt" the movie, candy, and new book to read (she has become such a good little reader) and Noah's had the newest Baby Einstein called "World Music", another book, and candy. Then came the much-anticipated egg hunt in the yard. I think they found all the eggs in 3 minutes flat. Then they wanted me to hide the eggs again, even without candy! It is a great game. The huge accomplishment of the day was getting the entire family to church for the first time with the twins. It went better than we had hoped, although we had to do a little juggling during Sacrament meeting to get them both fed. We had lots of help from friends in our ward. We all came home pretty tired, and were glad to go to Easter dinner at Robb and Amy's house (Riley's brother and our sister-in-law). Good food and great company. Happy Easter!

Pictures, pictures

2009-04-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

More pictures of the twins

2009-04-19T12:04:00.001-07:00

As they grow ...

2009-04-19T10:07:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be fun to post some pictures of the twins over the past 2 months (they will be 11 weeks this coming Tuesday!) They have changed so much since they came home from the hospital. What a big difference chubby baby fat can make! Nicholas has the rounder head and Brigham is more oval, but little Brigham is gaining on his big brother in cheeks and weight!

Help, Help, and more Help

2009-04-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

Many people have said to us, "How are you doing it with twins?!" Well, our secret is that we had so much help! Besides many amazing friends, neighbors, and family here in Arizona who brought us dinner twice a week for 2 months, drove our kids everywhere, and took care of Hayden and Noah ... we had almost 6 weeks of guests who came and stayed in our home and helped. I think we would have gone crazy if we hadn't had these wonderful people stay with us! My parents, my sister, Kimber, my brother, Rob, my aunt Jan, and my dear friend Wendy (who I wish we had a picture of!) deserve our highest thanks and devotion. We couldn't have done it without you guys ... thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We also had the chance to do some fun things while they were here (mostly thanks to Riley, who stayed home taking care of the twins), like eating yummy Mexican food, going miniature golfing, riding the train at the Railroad park, and Wendy and I even spent the afternoon at the Sanctuary Spa in Scottsdale. I think all these guests just loved the Arizona winter weather, and loved holding the babies and playing outside with Hayden and Noah. Come back soon!

Hayden and Noah meet the twins

2009-04-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hayden and Noah were so excited to meet their new brothers! They could hardly stand the wait until they arrived, and when they walked into my room the night the twins were born, they were itching to hold them. Hayden had broken her arm the night before (which was an unexpected surprise) but it didn't stop her from holding a baby! Noah was so gentle and sweet with his brothers. It was really neat to see how excited they were with the new additions to our family.

The big day arrives

2009-04-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

On February 3rd we went in for a doctor's appointment and ended up going across the street to the hospital so the twins could be delivered via C-section. Our Baby B, Brigham, wasn't growing as fast or as well as the doctors had hoped, so I needed to be delivered at 36 weeks. After a flurry of activity, Nicholas Henry and Brigham Ralph (middle names for my dad, Henry, and Riley's dad, Ralph) were both at 1:56 and 1:57 p.m. Both boys came out crying and pink. Brigham was the feistier one even though he was 4 lbs, 10 oz. His brother, Nicholas weighed 5 lbs, 14 oz. They are treasures and we are so grateful they are healthy and strong.

Hayden's 6th Birthday

2009-04-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

Our sweet Hayden turned 6 at the end of February, but we held her birthday party a month early in case the twins arrived early (which they did!) Hayden wanted a party at the inflatable bounce place that Noah had his party, too. She was able to invite 25 friends and they all came! It was a wild and crazy party. Every child left tired and happy. Hayden jumped and played and had a blast being the birthday girl. Mom was happy there were plenty of places to sit down, and Dad jumped right along with the kids. Happy Birthday to our big girl, Hayden.

Riley's 34th Birthday

2009-04-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

We are playing catch up with the blog! Riley's 34th birthday was at the end of January, about 10 days before the twins were born. It was low key, because I was so pregnant, but sweet Riley didn't seem to mind. I bought him (notice I didn't make it!) his favorite, a 2 layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Hayden and Noah helped him blow out his candles. Happy Birthday, sweetheart!

More fun pictures of the twins

2009-04-16T11:11:00.001-07:00

Oh how we love these sweet babies! They love to "talk" and say "Ah-goo" when you smile at them. Nicholas looks like Noah and Brigham like Hayden. We are having so much fun.

Crazy busy with the kids=behind on the blog

2009-04-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

The twins are growing so fast---they have officially doubled from their birth weights and are thriving. (Hooray for Heidi who is breast-feeding these little guys) They are getting to that fun stage where they make eye contact, smile, and make happy little sounds. It is fun to see their distinct personalities manifesting.

6 weeks old! It has been a wonderful, wild, and exhausting 6 weeks. We wouldn't trade it for anything!

2009-03-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to the wonderful family and friends that have been so helpful! We literally could not do this without you.

Twice Blessed! Brigham and Nicholas

2009-02-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

We had our sweet twin boys arrive a month early on Tuesday. They were delivered by C-section and have surprised everyone with how strong and healthy they are! Brigham was 4 lbs, 10 oz. (18" long) and Nicholas was 5 lbs., 15 oz (19" long). They are so tiny, but perfect in every way.
The doctor had told us that it was possible that they would need to be delivered early because Brigham wasn't growing at the quite the pace he should in the womb. But we were still a little surprised on Tuesday when, after an ultrasound that measures the babies' progress, the doctor decided that we needed to go across he street and have the babies. We checked in at 11:30 and the babies were delivered around 2:00pm without any complications. We are especially grateful that neither of the boys had to spend any time in the NICU.
Our two older kids, Hayden and Noah, ADORE their brothers and want to hold them constantly. Noah informed us that he want them to sleep in his bed with him.
We couldn't be happier. Thanks to everyone has helped and has offered to help! I want to pay tribute to my sweetheart, Heidi. You are truly amazing! I love you more than I can say! -Riley

33 Weeks Pregnant

2009-01-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

So ... here's what a person looks like who is 33 weeks pregnant with twins! I haven't talked a lot about being pregnant so far ... but I want to record how wonderful it is and also how crazy. I have been more sick, more tired, and more sore in various places than I ever was when I was pregnant with 1. But would I trade any of it?! No way! Now that I feel both these boys moving around so much, I get even more excited to meet them. Riley calls them "little aliens" because they both just move around and around. They love to be sung to, and they love to hear Daddy's voice. They especially love the hours between 9 to 11 p.m. Hopefully this is not a premonition of things to come. We love you, little twin boys! We are excited to meet you.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

The day before Christmas we went miniature golfing as a family. Hayden proved to take after her dad and surprised us all with her golf skill. Dad only had to dig one ball out of the river for Hayden (and one for himself, too!) Noah just wanted to drop the ball and watch it roll out where it was supposed to go. Christmas Eve Riley made his famous homemade chicken noodle soup and we spent a quiet and low-key night reading the Christmas story and playing Hungry, Hungry Hippo. Christmas Day the kids were up bright and early to "crash through the paper" (a tradition from my childhood) out to the family room to see all the presents Santa had brought them. Santa brought lots of sports gear this year ... tennis racquets, every conceivable type of ball, golf clubs, baseball bats ... these were a big hit. Favorite presents from mom and dad were a remote control airplane (that thing is COOL) and a remote control Thomas the Train. We went to brunch at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale and stuffed ourselves silly. It was a relaxing, fun day.

Hayden lost her first tooth

2009-01-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

Our big girl Hayden lost her first tooth a few weeks ago. It was a bottom tooth, and the new tooth had been growing in behind it for a while. Despite our best efforts, we could not wiggle the old tooth out, so a trip to the dentist was in order. Hayden LOVES the dentist ... loves the waiting room, the staff, the attention, the prizes, sitting in the chair, all the little gadgets ... so it was a fun day. The dentist pulled the offending tooth out in about 2 seconds and Hayden took the tooth to Show and Tell in Kindergarten that very day. She proudly put the tooth out that night and received 2 dollars from the Tooth Fairy! Wow was she excited! This picture should show you the missing tooth and the tooth behind it growing in. Our little girl is growing up!

Christmas Season 2008

2009-01-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

Even with mom so pregnant this Christmas season, we managed to do quite a few things! Highlights were Hayden's dance concert, Hayden's Kindergarten Christmas Sing, Hayden and Noah's school parties which mom volunteered at, seeing the Christmas lights at the Mesa temple, and riding the Christmas train at McCormick Railroad Park. We also found time to build our traditional gingerbread house (which the kids begged to start eating the minute it was finished) and sit on Santa's lap at our Ward Christmas Party. Noah was not going to sit on Santa's lap for all the bribery in the world. Oh well, maybe next year!

Noah's 4th birthday

2009-01-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Noah's 4th birthday was at the beginning of December and the celebrating continued all week! First, we were able to celebrate his actual birthday with a family dinner in Salt Lake which ended with cupcakes, his favorite. He wanted to light the candle over and over and blow it out. The boy is obsessed with fire. Later in the week was the much-talked about birthday party at Bounce U, where 12 of his friends and Hayden bounced, slid, and played with balls for hours. It was a blast. Noah wanted a "Thomas the Train" party and he received lots of fun new Thomas gifts. He sat on the special "throne" chair and opened his presents ... it was a perfect day. Happy Birthday, Noah!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

As you can guess from the pictures, our family was "The Incredibles" for Halloween. If you asked Noah what he was for Halloween, he would have said, "A Muscle Guy." He was absolutely terrified of his costume until we finally got it on him the night of trunk-or-treat at our ward, and then he couldn't wait to put it on again. I ordered the "one size fits all" female Mrs. Incredible costume, and of course, one size does not fit all if you are 6 months pregnant with twins. Hence you see me with the made-up costume of a black shirt and red cape. Oh well! Highlights of the Halloween season were trunk-or-treating at our ward building with our friends the Hughes family and going trick or treating in Grandma Di and Grandpa Ty's neighborhood in Salt Lake City with Grandpa Ty, Aunt Kimber, Uncle Rob, me, and Daddy for 2 little kids. Who had more fun ... the adults or grown ups?! Let's also not forget the fun Halloween Party we attended in Salt Lake with all of our extended family and their children. Noah won the title of "cutest kid" in the costume contest. It was a great holiday!

Playing in the Leaves at Grandma J's

2008-11-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa J were kind enough to set aside a pile of leaves for Hayden and Noah to play in when we visited their home in Salt Lake City. They had a great time raking the leaves, throwing them, and jumping in the piles. Grandma J was doing it right along with them (maybe not the jumping part, though!) Hayden and Noah came in their costumes to trick-or-treat and then changed for some leaf fun. Hayden even picked a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the garden with Grandma J's help. It really made it feel like Fall!

The Witches

2008-11-13T07:28:00.000-08:00

As you can tell from our previous post, we were really missing Fall weather and all that comes with the changing seasons. We decided to take a weekend trip to Utah so we could get our fill of Fall. It was really an adventure because we chose to drive, since it was last minute, and we have never made the drive from Arizona to Utah with the kids before. They actually did better than we expected. Thank goodness for DVD players in the car. While we were in Utah we went to Gardner Village to see the "Witches", who are scattered all over the village doing funny things. We met our cousins there and had a great morning. We walked around, sampled the yummy fudge in the candy shop, rode on the ponies, fed the ducks, and ate lunch together.

Pumpkin Festival

2008-11-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

One of the things we miss the most not living in Seattle is the Fall Festivals and Pumpkin Patches that pop up everywhere during the Fall. Here in Arizona it is still 90 degrees in October. We waited until the end of October to go to our favorite Pumpkin Festival, but it was still in the high 80s in the sun and it is still the desert. Regardless, we had a lot of fun. Noah loved riding the rugged trikes through the hay bale maze. You can just see the delight on his face. In fact, every time we look at these pictures he says, "I want to do that again! Let's go back there." Hayden and Riley dared to ride the pretty crazy little roller coaster. Our Hayden is always up for an adventure. She amazes me with her ability to try new things. Noah was a little leery of the swings ride but once he got going he was fine and he wanted to go again. The newest addition to the Festival were these fun pedal go-carts where Riley drove the kids through a maze in the woods. He is the best dad. We finished up with a visit to the pumpkin patch.

Hayden the Cheerleader

2008-11-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

There is a cute cheerleading camp at the high school that is held once a year as a fundraiser. It is for 6-12 year old girls and run by the JV and Varsity Cheerleaders. These cheerleaders are so cute with the little girls. They spend a Saturday afternoon teaching them cheers and then they perform during the entire 2nd quarter of the next football game. We were so proud of our little Hayden. She was out there cheering her heart out. She did a fantastic job and has been wanting to wear her "cheerleading shirt" over and over. Maybe she'll follow her Daddy's example and cheer at BYU one day!

Shamrock Farms - take 2!

2008-11-12T20:05:00.000-08:00

We visited Shamrock Farms this Spring, but after listening to Noah beg to go again, we headed off for a family adventure. Riley had not been the first time, and he was amazed at the cleanliness of the farm. After we finished the truly fascinating tram ride tour of the farm he said, "Okay, so we are not buying any other kind of milk ever again." Seriously, once you see how they treat their cows it is worth buying the milk. Hayden and Noah loved playing on the "cow playground" where they learned how to use the cow milking machines, sat on the cow statues, and slid down the slide. Of course the best part of all was choosing the fresh-made ice cream cones at the end of the tour.

Disney Adventure Part 2

2008-10-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

After our Disney Cruise, we stayed in Orlando for another 2 days. We found the greatest way to see the Magic Kingdom ... "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!" We were able to get into the Park around 5 p.m. and stayed until 10 p.m. There was trick-or-treating, we never waited more than 5 minutes for a ride, we saw lots of the Disney Characters because the crowds were small, and best of all ... the entire place was decorated for Halloween! Riley and I agreed this was the best "amusement park" experience we'd ever had. Our brave Hayden rode Space Mountain with her dad. Afterward, she said, "I want to do it again!" Noah surprised us all and rode on more rides than we expected. His favorites were still Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Carousel. We finished off the week with a trip to "Pirates Cove" for Hayden and Noah's first-ever experience with miniature golf. They didn't exactly follow the rules but they sure had a good time.

Disney Adventure Part 1

2008-10-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

Last week we threw caution to the wind and decided to do a week of Disney. Since I am about 19 weeks pregnant we knew if we wanted to do a "last hurrah" crazy family vacation, now would be the time to do it! We started our week with a Disney Cruise. It was a blast! Our first stop was Atlantis, in the Bahamas, where we took advantage of the 2 aquariums, the private beaches, and the amazing pools. The next day took us to Castaway Cay, Disney's private island, where we swam some more and played in the sand. We were pleasantly surprised at how beautiful our ship was, how big the rooms were, and how everything was catered to the kids! Hayden and Noah made "Flubber" in the kids clubs, danced with Stitch, met Mickey, Minnie, Pinocchio, and Goofy, and gobbled down mounds of ice cream. A family favorite was sliding down the Waterslide that ended in the Mickey Mouse-shaped pool. The minute we got off the ship the kids were asking to go back!

Labor Day 2008

2008-10-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Labor Day in Arizona is still scorching hot so we decided to spend it in our backyard pool! Aunt Kimber was visiting from Utah and we had the most relaxing, wonderful weekend. Here are some Kamikaze pictures of Riley, Kimber, Hayden, and Noah jumping into the pool. Noah has completely overcome his fear of the water this summer and loves jumping to Riley and me in the pool. Riley was the star of the jumping show with his flips into the water ... I think he's amazing!

The twins are both BOYS!

2008-09-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

(Riley here) Ok, I had to post this because I know many of you are anxious to hear. I think that Heidi is still a little incredulous that we could be having two boys since we had imagined a boy/girl for a while. The ultrasound was quite conclusive---Baby "A" was being modest for most of the ultrasound (I guess that leaves the door open for the slight chance we could be wrong) while Baby "B" was very cooperative---in the end, though, it seemed pretty certain that we were having two boys.
Riley is delighted! Heidi is stunned! Hayden and Noah are excited! We couldn't be happier.

Twin Update

2008-08-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

So ... we had a Doctors appointment yesterday and we saw Baby A and Baby B. Both were moving around, and both are the size of a small fist. Heidi is almost 14 weeks pregnant and looks and feels a lot more pregnant than a normal 14 week single pregnancy. Twins are proving to be an adventure already, and we wouldn't have it any other way. More ultrasound pictures will come in about 10 days, along with the genders. Yeah!

Noah's first day of Preschool

2008-08-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

This was a big week for our family ... Noah also started Preschool! He is 3 and in his very first official "Preschool" class. He has an amazing teacher this year named Miss Greta. I was so proud of Noah for being brave and being willing to try something new. The first day I dropped him off he was crying a little when I left but when I came to pick him up he was sad to leave! They do all kinds of fun art projects in his class: this week they colored gingerbread men to look like themselves. The classroom is decked out with every learning toy imaginable. He can't wait to go back this next week!

Hayden's first day of Kindergarten

2008-08-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Our Hayden started Kindergarten this week! I really can't believe it. She was so excited, and so ready for a challenge. Hayden has a wonderful teacher who has a sweet, soft voice and is really patient with her students. She loves playing on the playground, having P.E., Music, Art, and Computer time, and being in a class where she is seated next to 2 of her friends. She looked like such a big girl walking into her class on that first day. Yeah for Hayden!

Amazing Jake's/Getting out of the heat

2008-08-16T08:25:00.001-07:00

One of the tricks about living in Arizona during the summer is knowing what fun things to do inside. We decided to get out of the heat and visit a family fun center in the area called Amazing Jake's. Hayden and Noah had been begging to go back there ever since we had gone with their cousins a few months ago. So we did! Hayden always amazes us with her daredevil nature. She will try anything! She was the smallest person in line for the "disco dark" bumper cars. As you can see from the picture, she had a blast! Noah was a little more reluctant to get on the spinning tea cups or the high-jumping frog hopper. He was more content to play with the foam shapes in the play area, and he really built some amazing towers. He is our "build-it" boy. The highlight of the afternoon was playing the arcade games (like Skee-ball and basketball) and earning lots of tickets. We left with a bag of prizes that kept the kids busy for days. What a fun indoor afternoon!

Take me out to the Diamondbacks

2008-08-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hayden and Noah experienced their first Major-league baseball game last week when we saw the Arizona Diamondbacks play. What made it even more fun was experiencing it sitting in 8th-row seats behind the catcher (thanks Robb and Amy!) Hayden and Noah loved asking questions about the game, loved seeing the players hit the ball, and especially loved all the treats I had brought in my bag. It looks like we'll be returning to cheer the Diamondbacks on again!

Fishing

2008-07-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of our Utah trip was going to a trout farm in Ogden with my dad. He found this beautiful place for fishing, stocked to the gills with lots and lots of fish. It was Hayden and Noah's first experience with fishing and they LOVED it! I remember doing this as a child so it was especially fun for me to see their excitement. At first, Noah had more fun throwing the cups of fish food in the water (the fish would madly rise to the surface and jump for the food). After a few minutes, though, he got the hang of dangling his line in the water. Hayden ended up catching about 5 fish, and Noah caught 2. Noah put his line into the waterfall and yanked a fish out! Hayden was a natural. They have talked about that fishing trip for weeks! Thanks Grandpa Ty!

4th of July 2008

2008-07-24T14:34:00.001-07:00

For the 4th of July we were in Utah because everyone in Arizona makes a mass exodus to escape the horrible heat. Seriously ... it's no fun watching the fireworks at 9:30 at night when it's still pushing 100 degrees. Not normal. We had a wonderful time the night before the 4th watching the big fireworks display with my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. We lay on the lawn and the kids oohed and aahed over the different colors in the sky. On the 4th of July we had a barbecue at the Jacobsens, my mom's family. We bought a bunch of fireworks (they are allowed in Utah!) and set them off. The kids couldn't wait until it was dark. The neatest thing was seeing all my first cousins, many of them in high school and college, get such a kick out of how excited Hayden and Noah were about the fireworks. We had a big group picture where everyone had a sparkler in their hand. Later, all of us sat out on the driveway and watched Riley put on a spectacular fireworks show (thanks Dad, for finding that blowtorch!). Lots of fun memories. Happy 4th of July!

Water, water everywhere

2008-07-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

How our two little kids love the water! Besides swimming in our pool they really love playing in water fountains. Even Noah could participate with his rubber cast shoe. We had a great time playing in the Gateway Fountain in Salt Lake with Aunt Kimber. They used water cups to put over the water jets and laughed when the cups shot up in the air. Kimber and I also collected water in the cups and poured it on Noah. There is also a really cute picture of Hayden swimming with Grandpa Ty on the 4th of July. He is such a fun Grandpa ... so patient about being squirted with the water gun.

Brave little Noah

2008-07-22T11:13:00.001-07:00

Our sweet boy broke his foot at the beginning of the summer jumping on our trampoline. He had jumped a hundred times and this time he just landed wrong! He chose a purple cast and did so well getting around on it. It didn't slow him down at all. The amazing thing is that Hayden also had a cast on her right leg when she was 3. Are we seeing a trend here? These pictures are of the wonderful day the cast came off. Noah sat so still as the doctors cut it off, even though it tickled like crazy. Now you can swim all you want, little man!

Pea Pods, Raspberries, and Irrigation at the J's

2008-07-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

My maternal grandparents, the Jacobsens, have a magical yard. I spent many, many days there as a child, and now my children are doing the same. Although their garden is much smaller now, they still grow (among other things) a great crop of pea pods and raspberries. Hayden and Noah both picked pea pods with Grandma J, and after a small amount of coaxing, Hayden tried a pea from a freshly washed pea pod. "It's good, Mom!" she said. I, myself, ate an entire small bucket full. Yum! Hayden wanted to pick raspberries and much to our surprise she came back with quite a bucket full! We all enjoyed these. The hit of the evening, however, was when the irrigation water came through the ditches. This brought back so many fun memories for me as I remembered floating sticks in the ditches, planning routes, and following the sticks. Grandma J became Noah's best friend when she found him the greatest stick ever and showed him how to float it. Hayden developed a great game of making mud pies. We finished up the evening with a bath in Grandma's tub for our little mud-covered adventurers.

At the Salt Lake Temple

2008-07-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

When we were recently in Salt Lake City, we stayed in a condo that was literally across the street from the Salt Lake Temple. Hayden and Noah loved it! Every time we would drive by it they would talk about the temple, how they wanted to go inside, and they would mention the "nice man on the top of the temple." (Moroni, of course). One morning we walked across the street to the temple. We saw the waterfall outside the Conference Center, then walked around Temple Square. It is amazing how small Hayden and Noah looked next to the majestic temple.

Grandma and Grandpa Theurer

2008-07-09T15:31:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful visit in Salt Lake over the 4th of July. We have such a good time visiting the great-grandparents! Hayden and Noah just love them and ask to see them all the time. My dad's parents, the Theurers, are just amazing great-grandparents to our kids. Grandpa Hank gets down and plays with Hayden and Noah on the floor. How many great-grandpas do that?! Grandma Ruth thinks up the cutest little gifts for them. They still use coin purses and other toys she has bought for them. This time she washed out pill containers and filled them with a few bills and coins. They carried these around the entire time we were in Salt Lake, "trading" them with each other. Grandma always has a supply of new wind-up toys to play with, a few little candies, and balloons to blow up. They don't mind when Hayden and Noah pretty much take over their house and the noise level gets a little high. We were talking about Grandpa Hank the other day and Noah said, "I want to hold him!"

Bowling Fun

2008-07-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hayden and Noah love to bowl! So on a day when we knew Daddy would be working I managed to talk my friend Katie Hughes (who is always up for an adventure!) into taking our 5 kids under 7 to a bowling alley. It was so fun! Hayden and Noah love the "bumpers" and the "bowling helpers" that they can roll the balls down. They also love choosing their own balls. Somehow they always end up with balls that are much too heavy for them, but that's what they want! I think that Noah had the high score for our family. Just like his dad! Katie and I didn't have much time to talk because we were too busy supervising the crazy kids, but Hayden and Noah sure had fun being with Ruby, Betsy, and Cannon. After bowling we went to an old-fashioned soda shop that is a favorite of the Hughes family, where we devoured comfort food like chicken fingers and fries, grilled turkey and avocado sandwiches, grilled cheese, and sodas. Then the kids got to pick out their favorite candy to eat on the drive home. What a fun afternoon!

The Tempe Wave Pool

2008-06-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a marathon family fun day! After hiking Camelback Mountain in the morning we decided to visit an indoor wave pool in the afternoon. It was a busy day at the wave pool! Lots of people wanted to get out of the heat. Hayden, who was born a fish, jumped right into the waves ... even finding her way to the side, where the waves were the strongest. It took Noah a little longer. He wanted to sit in the chair and observe. Finally, Riley coaxed him into the shallow water, where he splashed and splashed and even lay down in the water. Swimming lessons are really paying off for him! He's getting much more comfortable in the water. After this eventful day we were all ready for bed last night.

Hiking Camelback Mountain

2008-06-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

My dear, sweet husband has heard me talk about hiking Camelback Mountain with the kids for 2 years. Riley and I have hiked it together probably 10 times since we've been married. It is not an easy hike, and it takes about 2 hours total if you are really going fast. It gets quite rocky at the end and you have to use your hands to pull you up. I love it, however, because of the beautiful view of Scottsdale, Phoenix, and the East Valley at the top. It is really fun. Each time we'd hike it I'd say, "Don't you think the kids could do this? Maybe part of this? You could carry Noah in the hiking backpack?" and Riley would look at me like I was slightly nuts and say, "Yeah. Maybe YOU could carry Noah in the backpack?" Anyway, yesterday morning we did it! I decided yesterday would be the last morning we could possibly do it this summer before it got really hot. Well, guess what ... it was still really hot. It is a long hike even to the start of the trail. But Hayden and Noah, completely slathered with sunscreen, wearing hats and sunglasses, were such troopers! Hayden even carried the backpack a lot of the way. We certainly didn't set any records for speed but we hiked quite a bit. The kids did great with the rocky terrain. Riley got a workout carrying Noah (and even Hayden at one point) in his arms and on his shoulders, but I told him he was just burning calories for brunch. We finished off the morning with brunch at a really cool spot called Le Grande Orange, where we tried the French pancakes (yum!), and egg white omelets. We'll have to go back to Camelback when it's cooler ... anyone want to join us?

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo

2008-06-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

We had some free tickets to the zoo on the amazingly cool Memorial Day weekend (70 degrees in May, wow!) so we decided to take advantage. In the past, I have not loved zoo days because it is just so hot and there is so much walking involved. This was our favorite trip to the zoo by far! It is so fun to have Dad along at the zoo. He pushes the double stroller, he lifts Hayden and Noah up to see the animals, and he knows lots of fun facts about them. We started with a ride on the old-fashioned carousel, then started our walk through the zoo. We especially enjoyed the extremely tame squirrel that came right up to the stroller begging for food. I thought he was going to start nibbling on my shoelace, he was so close. The giraffes, elephants, flamingoes, and monkeys were also out and ready to play. The kids were able to see them up close. We also loved the playground/treehouse at the end where the kids could climb around, slide down the tube slide, and stand on the frog statues. We headed to a new Mongolian barbecue/stir fry place for lunch called Genghis Grill ... our morning was a success!

Disneyland (California Part 2)

2008-05-31T14:03:00.001-07:00

We decided our first trip to Disneyland with Hayden and Noah would have to be during the week, on a Tuesday. Riley and I had not been to Disneyland since high school, so we weren't sure what to expect. We really lucked out with an overcast day, and not too many crowds. We spent most of our time in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, where the kids could ride almost all the rides. I was determined to take Hayden on a more "big kid" ride, so we went on the Matterhorn. I don't remember that being so intense! Our very adventurous, crazy girl started crying about midway through the ride. I said, "Is it all the hills and the fast turns that are scaring you?" and she said, "No, Mom, it's that scary monster!" She was not a big fan of the Abominable snowman/ice monster creature. Noah was more hesitant to try the rides and Riley spent quite a bit of time with Noah clutched to his chest. Noah surprised us all when we took him on Pirates of the Caribbean, which also turned out to be a little scarier than anticipated. It has some big drops at the beginning where you get wet, and some of those pirates are kind of grumpy-looking. At the end of the ride, you start to go up a big hill and you think you're going to go down and get splashed again. Noah was very worried. Then the ride ended, without a big hill, and Noah said, "Let's do it again!" Riley and I were amazed. We did get to ride on quite a few rides. I think the highlights of the day were the Dumbo ride, meeting Mickey Mouse (Noah's favorite), Hayden and I riding the fast Inspector Gadget coaster (could have done that about 10 times ... so fun!), and eating lunch at the Blue Bayou. It had the best gumbo I've ever tasted (even Noah, our picky eater, ate half my cup!) We'll be back soon, Disneyland!

Downtown Disney

2008-05-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

After San Diego, we drove north to make our first ever visit to Disneyland with the kids. The night before, we decided to explore Downtown Disney. Two highlights were the Lego Store and Build-A-Bear. At Build-A-Bear, Hayden and Noah agreed to share a bear, and both wanted to dress him as the character "Stitch" from "Lilo and Stitch." He turned out so cute! Noah had a great time putting in the heart after making a wish, and Hayden loved dressing "Stitchy." We met our friends the Trepaniers (who had driven from San Diego) and the Thompsons for dinner at a huge Rainforest Cafe ... the night couldn't have been any more exciting.

Beach, glorious beach (California Part 1)

2008-05-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

We decided we needed a little getaway so we courageously piled the kids into the car and made the 6-hour trip to San Diego. I have to tell you, this was a leap of faith because it was the longest road trip we have ever taken. I piled the car high with every game, snack, and DVD imaginable. We probably could have made it to Seattle ... but hey, at least we made it to San Diego. The highlights of our trip were seeing our dear friends the Trepaniers and the Romneys for pool parties and Sunday dinners, and of course, our trips to the beach. We have discovered two amazing beaches (thanks to advice from friends!): the Torrey Pines beach and Seal Beach in La Jolla. Beautiful, amazing, beaches! Even amazing enough that we would love to move to San Diego just to be near them! Torrey Pines beach had lots and lots of sand and areas to run and play. Seal Beach we hiked down stairs to get to, it was rocky and interesting, and it had this amazing rock where about 50 seals were resting in the sun. We had stopped and bought Hayden and Noah some big shovels and sand pails and they were the hit of the day. Hayden and I had a great time finding 2 buckets of shells. Riley and Noah dug up lots of sand and made some great sand castles. We love the beach!

Hayden's End of Year Dance Recital

2008-05-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

We have been excited to see Hayden's end of the year dance recital. Hayden has been working hard every week and was excited to show us what she has learned. This was the first time that Riley has seen Hayden in action as a dancer. Even Noah was very patient and sat still throughout the show. We are so proud of the way that Hayden has learned to move gracefully. She danced and twirled and used her legs and arms to be right in time to the music. We were happy to see that she understands rhythm and how dancing along with the music is fun and beautiful. We especially loved all the different costumes she wore. Our sweet Hayden is getting to be such a grown-up, accomplished girl. We are so proud of her.

Hayden's Graduation Program

2008-05-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Our big girl Hayden graduated with flying colors from her Pre-K class. She will be in Kindergarten next year and we can hardly believe it. Hayden's teacher has been focusing all year on helping the children "Discover the World." Each unit has helped them learn about the world ... examples have been the Rain Forest, the Savannah, the Arctic, etc. where she goes all out and decorates the entire classroom with amazing things that help the children learn about the unit they are on. For the Graduation Program, each child dressed up in costumes from different parts of the world and performed the best of what they had learned all year. It was amazing! Riley and I laughed and loved hearing Hayden's little voice singing about things she had learned or piping up answers to Mrs. Jackson's questions: "Oh, it's hibernation!" "That's called camouflage!" Seriously, we are proud. What a great year for Hayden. We are still amazed at the things she has learned that come up ... as I was helping her brush her teeth a few mornings ago she said, "Mom, did you know that giraffes eat leaves from the acacia tree?" What a smart girl!

Western Fun at Rawhide

2008-05-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of Saturdays ago we braved the afternoon heat to visit the Western Town of Rawhide. This was another adventure on my list that I had been wanting to do since moving to Arizona. Riley remembered going to Rawhide as a child, and we thought it might be fun for Hayden and Noah to be around some cowboys for the day. It was a really fun, quaint town! Hayden rode a pony and visited the petting zoo, where she pet hogs, goats, baby horses, and plenty of sheep, and Noah, our little snuggler, rode on Daddy's shoulders and observed from a safe distance. Noah did have fun poking his face through some of the people cutouts, and choosing an old-fashioned lollipop at the end. What fun!

Let's Play Music

2008-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

This year Hayden has been taking a music class called "Let's Play Music." It is a preparation for piano class that starts at age 4 and goes for 3 years. Every part of it is gearing the children to learning the value of a scale, learn rhythm, and how long notes should be held. In the meantime, they sing some really fun songs, do puppet shows with classics like the "William Tell Overture," dance, and clap. The moms are required to come every other week. It has been a great year and Hayden has grown in leaps and bounds with her understanding of music. Next year she will learn to play simple songs on the keyboard. We had her recital last weekend and it was fantastic. Hayden played her xylophone for all the parents, and remembered when her teacher, Miss Aria, asked what "harmony" was. Yeah for Hayden! Noah sat still and listened ... he is excited for when it's his turn!

Museum of the Dinosaurs

2008-05-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Lately the kids have loved learning about dinosaurs. I had heard that the Mesa Southwest Museum had a fun dinosaur exhibit, so one Saturday morning we went! It was even better than we expected. To start off, the dinosaur skeletons were awesome! Our favorite was the indoor waterfall and robotic T-Rex that Hayden and Noah just stared at for 10 minutes. Noah wasn't a big fan of the waterfall, because it was "too loud." We traced dinosaurs in the art area, saw our first geode rock, walked around an old Southwest jail cell ("Mom, why do they have to use the potty where everyone can see them?"), were videotaped as part of an old- fashioned Western movie, and ended up in the outdoor "Panning for Gold" area. This was the hit of the day. We spent 45 minutes picking little gold chunks out of the sand with our "pans." I think Hayden could have done this for hours. Noah hunted for awhile, and then wanted to play in the water instead. Hayden proudly displayed her "bag of gold" at the end. It was a really fun morning!

Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

Almost every year since we've been married Riley has wanted to have a Cinco de Mayo party. And this year we did! We invited 3 families who are our dear friends: the Rheads, Davises, and Monks, and their assorted 14 children. We had ages 5 months to 18 years. It was an absolute blast! This was our first pool party of the summer, but the weather has been in the 90s, making it perfect for swimming. Riley potted some plants to put on our pool patio, and they looked fantastic! I kept telling him it made such a difference and made the patio look like another room of the house. Hooray for my talented husband. Dinner was tacos, refried beans, and Spanish rice -- every topping you could imagine, with Demi Davis's amazing salsa. Dessert was Kristin Rhead's chocolate cake and ice cream bars, followed by a pinata that wouldn't give until 12-year old Connor Monks gave it a mighty whack. We talked well past the kids' bedtimes and when Hayden said, "Mom, can I please go to bed?" I knew it was time to call it a night. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The amazing Miss Kristen

2008-05-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

This past year Noah has been in "playschool" with the amazing Miss Kristen for 2 hours, twice a week. Originally Riley and I thought playschool would be a good thing for Noah because he was so clingy, and hesitant to try new things. For the first 3 weeks of playschool, I would drop Noah off kicking and screaming. The minute we drove into the area Miss Kristen lived, Noah would start to cry, "No Miss Kristen!" Let me tell you, I felt like a monster mom leaving him. He still had red eyes when I came to get him. Miss Kristen would say, "He did a little better today. Let's try it a little longer." Finally, on the 3rd week, Noah began to enjoy it. Miss Kristen and I would see him smile and laugh and he would tell me all about what he did at playschool. Then, every day he would ask, "I go Miss Kisten?" He couldn't get enough! This week was the end of year program/graduation. The 9 3-year olds in his class sang us songs like "I'm a little teapot" and "Mother, I love you" complete with actions. I am a little biased, but our little Noah was the most theatrical! I can see him in Musical Theatre, like his dad, someday. Noah and his friends presented the moms with a little butterfly magnet they had made. Noah was so proud. Then he put on a graduation cap and sat on Miss Kristen's lap while she read something about him (she did something for each child). She said, "Noah is such a sweet and nice boy. He always treats others kindly and is so good at sharing the toys. Noah always makes sure that I don't go too far and is sweet at giving compliments and loves. Sometimes Noah had a hard time choosing to stay at school, but it never took long for him to find his smile. I was always glad he stayed." Yeah for Noah!

A temple adventure

2008-05-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, I will admit that often when Riley is not around in the afternoons I feel the need to create an adventure. Sometimes it is as simple as trying a new place for dinner or playing with the trains at Barnes and Noble, and other times more elaborate. I have been wanting to see the exhibit "Reflections of Christ" at the Mesa Temple Visitor's Center. I thought, "Hmm ... how will the kids do with this?" It was a gamble either way but we decided to try it. We had a great time! It was a beautiful day and Hayden and Noah love the temple. They loved the fountains and really wanted to wade in them (not such a good idea). We went inside to look at the pictures depicting scenes from Christ's life. There was reverent music playing and they were reverent for about 3 minutes. It was like seeing the exhibit on fast forward, but hey, we did it. The only slightly interesting part was the fascination Hayden had with seeing the picture of the Crucifixion. She couldn't stop talking about it ... "yes, Hayden, that would have hurt ..." and then she showed remarkable tenderness about the suffering of the Savior. We ended the evening trying out a new Mexican restaurant. As I sat with my beautiful children on the patio munching on chips and salsa, I thought, "Now, this is the life. Having an adventure with my little buds." I am so blessed.

Hayden's Parent Program on the Savannah

2008-05-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hayden's last Parent Program of the year was on the Savannah. She was so excited because she was assigned the chance to speak about the ostrich. She could decide whatever she wanted to say and then she would have a chance to say it during the program. When it was her turn she held up the paper plate ostrich face and said, "I am an ostrich. I have wings but I can't fly, I can run really fast, and I have a beak and like to snap at people." Then she showed a picture of her taken when she was about 2 1/2 years old and on Riley's shoulders at Thanksgiving Point farm. This ostrich behind them nearly snipped at Riley! He was a grumpy ostrich. Anyway, that picture was a hit! It was so fun to see Hayden perform and she did a great job. She wasn't even nervous. I loved seeing her in her African savannah headdress. She showed me all around the room, rode on the "safari Jeep" that Mrs. Jackson had created, and showed me all the Savannah animals. The best part of the day was that Riley was able to get away from work and come see the program. We are so proud of our Hayden!

Jumping Beans

2008-04-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

All right, I couldn't resist posting these pictures. They are just too fun! Who wins the jumping contest (hold your breath) ... I think it would probably be Riley and Hayden!

Four Seasons Brunch and Aunt Kimber Visit

2008-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

My sister Kimber was visiting from Utah this weekend! Yeah! We LOVE to have Kimber visit. She is so fantastic (and fantastically patient) with the kids and she is just so fun. She doesn't mind driving across half the valley to try a restaurant I had wanted to try (even though it was a disappointment) and she is quite the adventurer. Saturday we all trekked up to the Four Seasons in Scottsdale for their fantastic breakfast buffet. We had tried it for Thanksgiving breakfast and we were dying to go back! The weather was absolutely beautiful, the windflowers were out, and we ate and ate and ate. Riley and I are huge fans of breakfast fare. Riley especially. I actually think he ate enough to make the entire bill worth it (just kidding, sweetheart!) We took some fun pictures with the kids and Kimber. Kimber and I then spent the afternoon at the Spa at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale. Ahh ... relaxing on plush lounge chairs by the pool, sitting in the jacuzzi, and then a massage ... this is the life! The only thing we needed was a bag of treats by our chairs ... next time!