Rewind . . .

Kellen's Baby Blessing in November

Nightly reading before bed with all four boys

When you don't take the time to journal or blog on a regular basis, it is so discouraging  to sit down and look through all of the pictures and realize how much you've really missed reporting on!  This blog, is a quick rewind of the past 6 months so that I can be current with what's going on!  We have been having so much fun lately.  Kellen is 5 months and growing like a weed.  I've already discovered so many clothes that he's not even going to get to wear because he just had a huge growth spurt!  He loves to be in the middle of the action so he can keep an eye on everyone.  The older boys make him sooo happy!  It will be so much fun when he can race around with the rest of them.  They just adore him and are so good to help me out when I need their extra hands to take a diaper to the garbage or grab a blanket or binki. 

 Grant has also grown so much and has a birthday coming up this month.  The clothes that he started out in for kindergarten look tiny now compared to the pants that he's wearing.  I don't know what we've been feeding these boys this year, but whatever it is, it might have been genetically modified with growth enhancers!  They all seem to be growing so tall.  Grant just started USA wrestling in Greybull and it's all he can talk about.  He loves practicing on the whole family, so when I'm making dinner I have to watch out for his killer takedowns!  I tell Grant that he makes being a mom so easy because he's so obedient and kind.  I never have to worry about how he will act for his teachers at school or church or how he will treat other kids.  He's doing great in kindergarten and it has been fun to watch him learn to read and write this year.  It is amazing how much he has changed over the last 6 months in school.

 Grandpa brought HoneyBear out to our house for Grant one day after school this Fall

Kyler started preschool at CRC and loves it.  This has made it even more evident that he has a strong mind of his own.  He doesn't outright disobey the teachers or even bother any other kids, but when he doesn't care to join in an activity (usually the dancing and singing), he just plain will not participate.  They try to motivate him and give lots of encouragement, but if it's not his idea, it's not going to happen. (period)  Lately, I've decided it's not all that bad.  In our day and age, sometimes it's a good thing to have independent thought and actions apart from the group.  Last week was pirate themed and they gave all the kids a sticker tatoo.  Kyler didn't want to be a pirate and so therefore, didn't participate in any pirate songs or games.  When we got out to the car he told me that they wanted him to get a tatoo and he knew that he shouldn't get one, so he didn't think he should be a pirate!  It was a good lesson for me.  With Grant we have always had the idea that conforming to everything that is asked of us is the best, but I'm starting to realize that we also want our children to think and act for themselves given the principles we've taught them, even at a young age.  Kyler is pretty fun-loving and a big helper during the day when Grant goes to kindergarten.  He really enjoys laundry, so that's a good balance for me, since I usually dread doing the laundry.  I would say that he is the one who also entertains Kellen the most.  He could spend all day trying to make Kellen happy.

Kyler's 1st day of CRC Preschool!

Taft is quite a character.  He loves to wear his boots and hat around the house and spends hours with a horse and rider.  For Christmas he got several sets of horses with little guys to ride them and he just loves them.  He also loves books and will sit and look at books for a long time too.  He's very self entertained and content.  He is a trickster and mischevious!  You can always tell by the look on his face that he has something up his sleeve, but you're never sure what he's got on his mind.  Unfortunately, he still loves his binki at 2 years old, but his parents dont have the heart to take it away.  He gets absolutely "getty" when he sees it and runs to his bed at night so he can have it.  He is talking a lot now and loves to sing and dance.  He's still a "daddy's boy" and hates it when Dalin has to go anywhere.  He is great at copying anything his older brothers do, so it is a good reminder for them to be doing what they're suppose to!  He's kind of a brute and doesn't like to be pushed around, so his older brothers respect him and his space!

Dalin and I are usually kept busy with the four boys, but we did just go on a trip to Dallas, Texas for a meeting with TCT.  It was a nice little break for us (and Kellen) while the three boys stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Winters.  We ate at a lot of really nice places and visited Dalin's Aunt Karen and Uncle Mike and their family.  Little getaways like that always make you appreciate your everyday life so much more though and I was dying to get back to the wonderful and wild home of ours! :) 

Family Elk Hunting Excursion in January above Meeteetsee.  Everybody brought their cap guns just in case we saw something.  Even though we didn't see any elk, there were a lot of loud caps going off!