Rulon is a Big First Grader!

Today was day one of grade 1 for Rulon!

His teacher is Mrs. Sutherland and he thinks she is nice.

 Rulon was especially excited to have his very own desk with a built in cubby for his pencil box and supplies. 

He said his favorite parts of the day were eating and recess... which is funny because when I picked him up he had only eaten the mandarin oranges in his self made lunch because he wanted as much recess as possible. He ate his sandwich and brownie before we got back home.

Someone pinch me please, I have a first grader...

Where have we been?

I cannot believe how LONG it's been since I posted something, ANYTHING!!!

So here goes everything.

In the last month...

Chester tried really hard to break his ankle but only succeeded in almost breaking it.

Better luck next time babe! This was before it got all swollen, seriously.

What better place to recover than at home in Raymond?!?!

It was like having his ankle on ice 24 hours a day!!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, who goes out in that kind of weather?

The men go out in that kind of weather! They did some hunting...

 IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!! How nice, Steph is giving that poor hurt deer a sled ride!

 They went to a football game...

 Good grief, what a buch of crazies.  I love them ALL!!

Chester had the best trip ever, he was spoiled rotton and got to hug and kiss his momma and tell her how much we miss her.  He was so sad to leave that he told me he had to hug his mom extra long to hide the tears filling up his eyes when it was time to go.  We love Mona and Gord so much.  The boys were super sad they did not get to go to Raymond with their dad!

A few days later it was time to celebrate thanksgiving.  Mads was thankful for his food, his bed, his body and Heavenly Father and Jesus.  Rulon was thankful for his family, his sister little Birdie (he mentioned her specifically), and for pilgrims... and food.

Lets see... Then it snowed a bunch! The boys were bouncing off the walls to go out and drive their vehicles in the snow like the "ice road truckers" we watch on TV.

 Mads was packing snow in to the back of his mini coup and then eating it... like packing a lunch, right?

 Chester got an early christmas present... and Mads tried them out.

Ta Da!!

 I have done a few things with the boys to raise my "cool mom points."  The boys have been on a pirates kick lately so we made telescopes in one afternoon (papertowel rolls, tissue paper, mod podge), and treasure boxes just today... I think I was the "best mom ever" for like 5 whole minutes!!!

 When we make things two things are sure to happen: Rulon will get a bit frustrated that his project is not as perfect as he wanted it to be (uh huh, I  know it's my fault, genetically speaking) and Mads will get more paint, glue, water, dough... on himself than on the project.  Either way, they have fun and I love watching them be themselves!!! 

At the end of each day I wish I could have half the energy of my little Madser... he is determined NOT to stay in his bed.  I suppose sneaking out of his room for the 10(hundredth)th time and finally falling asleep in the living room fort is not the worst thing in the world.

I am so in love with my family, how blessed I am.

Rulon's Bday Cake

I only have two of my pictures ready to post, but they are pretty cute!!  Rulon wanted a "Wall-e" theme for his big 5 birthday, sooooo, here is his cake.

Side note:  it was decorated by yours truly while bouncing a fussy Mina strapped to me in the Baby-Bjorn carrier thing (thank goodness for that "thing"!!)  and while being "helped" and/or watched the whole time by two certain little boys... so I am especially happy with how it came out!

And here is the game we decided on... pin the plant on Eva.  If you've seen the movie it totally makes sense.  Plus I think Mads has a crush on Eva, she's still on the wall.

Skiing at Sundance

Rulon came home with the biggest smile on his face!!! He and Chester spent the afternoon at Sundance skiing and Rulon told me he was really "bookin it" today! He said he didn't even tumble (fall) much either. Here's a few clips from Chester's perspective...


Mads and I stayed home and had some much needed resting time. He was practically asleep at the table when we had lunch and I was glad because I did not really want to venture out to Sundance today :) I'm either wimpy or pregnant, you decide.