The Royce Family

Look Who's 3

2011-09-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Colt celebrates his birthday a few days after Christmas. He was born on Grandpa Kelly's birthday so we have been lucky enough to do a combined party with him each year. This year Colt wanted a race car party.

This is the birthday cake I created for the big day.

Here are the birthday boys!

Colt got more parts to his "Cars" geo-trax and an adventure/discovery kit from his family. His favorite gift was probably a pair of 'work gloves' from Grandma and Grandpa, hands down!

They became baseball gloves, work gloves, football gloves, snow gloves, you name it, he needed his gloves. Right here I think they are sleeping gloves.

Colt just wants to be 10 so he can play football, and basketball, and baseball and be a big kid. I just want to keep him little forever. We are so glad to have this wild, crazy, and fun boy in our family!

Christmas 2010

2011-04-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

I know this post (and many, many more) is long over due- but better late than never.

Here we are at Grandma's

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house this past year. We had a delicious prime rib dinner, sang Christmas carols, and told the Christmas Story. The cousins also had a small gift exchange and then we headed home to get the cookies and milk ready for Santa and carrots ready for the reindeer.

Santa had it pretty easy trip to our house this year- no big toys with major assembly!! Jason and I loved it.

Hallee got Tinkerbell and her fairy friends from Santa. She also got some Littlest pet shops, new black boots, clothes, and a snow hat.

Jadyn got squinkies from Santa. She also got a new bike, helmet, clothes, and a snow hat from her family.

Colt got both Monster Mater and Monster Lightning from Santa. He also got Iron man, a bike helmet, clothes, and a snow hat from his family.

Baby Bristol got a Singa-ma-jig from Santa. She also got clothes and books from her family. (please excuse the half asleep, not cute picture of me and focus on my sweet baby!)

By tradition, the kids got new church clothes for Christmas Sunday. They got to sport them a week early to Jordan's farewell too.

The kiddos

The Girls

My Boys

Colt went through a phase when he wore Jason's socks on his feet AND his hands (clean or dirty as well-I know, gross). Here he is dressed up as Santa. Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas Time Activities

2011-02-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend before Christmas in Nampa to attend Grandma Robertson's Christmas party and Uncle Jordan's farewell.

Here are each of our kids with Santa at the party. It appears that Santa has Colt in a choke hold....?. We didn't put Bristol on his lap and I'm not sure why we didn't- would have been fun to have a picture.

We ate pizza, salad and desserts and then played a gift exchange game for the adults and one for the kids. I had to sabotage the kids game so that Colt could get the gift he wanted (the one we brought). It was a Lightening McQueen car and he was convinced that he would "Run so fast and win!" His face was priceless when he opened it.

The following day was Jordan's farewell. We got some pictures with him and our family so we could do a 'before and after'. He gave a great talk and musical number as well. He is now serving in Perth, Australia. Colt is very excited for when he can be a missionary too. He puts on his suit, grabs his scriptures and tells us to take him on his mission.

After the farewell we had a luncheon at Shane and Kim's. We took a ton of pictures. It had been a while since all the brothers and sisters were together so we took full advantage.

all the boys

all the brothers and sisters

brothers, sisters, spouses and parents

the grandkids and grandbabies

parents, kids and grandma

We didn't get one with EVERYBODY....I doubt you could catch us all in one photo. :) We had a fun time but then had to say goodbye to Jordan, which wasn't any fun. We miss him but we know he is a great missionary and is doing what he should be doing. Can't wait to see him again!

The Leg

2011-02-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

I had minor surgery 5 weeks after Bristol was born. From genetics and from having 4 babies, I have a severe case of 'vein disease' in my left leg. This is a picture 10 days after the procedure when they stripped some veins out of my leg. It was painful and sore! It is still healing months later and as the doctor puts it, "Will never look like my other leg." Since then I have had some other vein injections and I will still have more work to do in the fall and throughout my life! Bummer!

Bristol's Blessing

2011-02-13T14:50:00.000-08:00

We blessed Bristol the last weekend in November. She was about 5 weeks old. Aunt Kelsey was in town a few days before and took these great pictures for us (the 2 above).

Bristol's blessing was a memorable one. We were supposed to get a few inches of snow, instead we got about a foot! In turn, hardly anyone could make it and then Grandma and Grandpa got snowed in at our house. We enjoyed the extra time with them, but Grandma Dawn was itching to get home because Aunt Cortney had baby Roxie that day. It was the smallest blessing circle we have ever had but we were happy to have Uncle Jordan stand in for his first baby blessing. Bristol some how ended up on her belly during the blessing- I am just glad they didn't drop her. Jason did a great job as always and we are so glad to have Bristol in our family.

Tooth Fairy's First Visit

2011-02-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

Hallee lost her first tooth the last weekend in Thanksgiving. Grandma Dawn, Grandpa Randy, Great Grandma Robertson, and Uncle Jordan were all here for Bristol's blessing so they got to see the big event too. Here is her new grin (but the tooth is almost in now and the other bottom tooth is about to fall out!) Hallee tried to put her tooth in a baggie so she wouldn't lose it, but she lost it in the process! We looked for about an hour before we gave up and she wrote a note to the tooth fairy. It said, "Tooth Fairy My Tooth is Lost." It seemed to do the trick because the tooth fairy still left her $6!!

Alvin and the Chippettes!

2011-01-06T18:33:00.000-08:00

Our kids dressed up as Chipmunks for Halloween this year. I thought it was such a fun idea- but it seemed to stump everyone because they were constantly asked 'What are you?' Oh well. They had a lot of fun talking like chipmunks and of course, they raked in the candy. Our newest, baby Bristol, did not participate this year- even though she was supposed to be Eleanor -according to the girls and Jason is supposebly Dave (if you can't already tell).

Hallee as Jeanette

Next to her Littlest Petshop Cat pumpkin

Jadyn as Brittany

With her Abby Cadabee pumpkin

Colt as Alvin and Jason as Dave
With their carved pumpkins.

Baby Bristol

2010-12-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

On the 26th of October we welcomed the newest addition to our family- Bristol Lou. She weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 inches long. She screamed for the first 2 hours after she was born so I think the kids were a little weary of her- Jadyn plugged her ears the whole time they visited us at the hospital. We get told often that Bristol looks a lot like Jadyn but the older she gets the more she takes on her own look.

Bristol has been our best baby to date. She still can scream with the best of them but she is a lot more content than our others. She HATED her bath for her first 3 weeks or so and she tries to be a night owl and stay up past midnight every day but she is also a lot of fun. Bristol has also been my only baby with hair and I am loving it! (looks like we have a brown hair blue eyed beauty on our hands). Here are some of my favorite pictures leaving the hospital and her first few weeks:

School Days

2010-12-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

Hallee started first grade this year. She is getting so smart and doing very well in her class. But- when school started she would always complain about 1st grade because all they do is work! (not like kindergarten where you can play and have snacks and go home after lunch). Hallee also thinks she is gone ALL day even though school gets out at 2:09! We have had to create a car pool with some other kids in the neighborhood this year because the bus route changed and the bus would arrive at our stop at 7:01 am. Way too early for all these sleepy heads at our house. :)

Summer Fun

2010-12-02T15:06:00.001-08:00

Before the end of summer, Jason and I wanted to take the kids and do something fun. So, we heard about a water park (a few slides made out of black plastic on a couples lot) out near raft river and we took the kids there for an afternoon. Jadyn and I were a little hestitant but Jason, Hallee and Colt jumped right in. We had a lot of fun together and got a good work out walking up and down the hill. We were all tuckered out when it was time to go home but the kids are already planning a trip back next year when summer comes again.

Hallee's Pink Party

2010-12-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

This past year in our new house and new neighborhood, Hallee has made a lot of new friends. So when her birthday came, we couldn't resist throwing Hallee her first friend party. She decided to have a pink party- so everything was pink. We even asked all the little girls (13 of them in all) to come Pretty in Pink. There were pink flower headbands, we painted fingernails and toenails pink, read the book 'Pinkalicious', played a pink birthday bingo, played 'Don't Eat Pinkie!', played Hot PINK Potato, and we ate pink cupcakes, pink icecream, and lots of pink candy. It was a little girls dream! Easy to say we were 'tickled pink' after such a fun party!

Hallee's 6th Birthday

2010-12-02T13:14:00.001-08:00

Hallee chose to spend her birthday at the Ross Park swimming pool. Jason didn't have the day off so I took 3 little kids by myself. They had a blast in the kids area and the lazy river. They did not want to leave. .Later that day we ate a spaghetti dinner (Hallee's favorite pick) and then had a family party at home. As usual, Hallee was spoiled. Her big gift was an MP3 player.
We had a fun day celebrating Hallee's birthday. Can't believe she is 6 already!

Dance Class

2010-10-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've tried to get the girls involved in a few activities to figure out their interests and find what they are good at. So this summer we took a mini dance class. It was a down right battle to get Jadyn to go the first day but both girls had fun....even though you don't learn much dancing in a month. :) My girls were pretty inseparable at class- they always sat by eachother and were often caught holding hands. On the day of the last class they did a small performance for parents. Jadyn couldn't handle it, she just stood there and started to cry. Hallee danced her little heart out.

The girls also rode on a float for Chubbuck days parade with their dance studio. They thought it was fun until they realized that they only got to throw the candy- not catch it. We will probably try a dance class again in the future because the girls sure love to wear dance clothes!

Silly Pics

2010-10-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

This summer my dad was training for a big bike race and most times we were at his house he was getting back or leaving for a bike ride. Colt couldn't resist but trying on all the gear too. He loves to wear shoes but those biking shoes were tricky for him to walk in. Looks like Grandpa will have a biking buddy in about 5 years.

Colt also realized that he had 2 pairs of glasses and thought he should wear them both on his head for about 2 days straight. I think I can thank Grandpa for teaching him that too. Silly boy!

24th of July Celebration

2010-10-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

Since we are back in Pocatello, it is tradition to go to the 24th of July Celebration Parade. Jason was gone fishing, but the kids and I met up with my mom and sister to watch my dad, the floats and catch lots and lots of candy!

My dad was on a little scooter with the other members of the stake presidency to lead in the wards in his stake. Each of the kids got a pic with him.

The best in show float was from my dad's stake. It was Jonah and the whale and it was pretty impressive.

My kids also got photographed by the local paper going after all the candy. We had a great time.

My Twenty-Something Birthday

2010-10-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

This year we celebrated my 28th (aahh!) birthday back in Nampa. We made a special trip so we could say farewell to Jason's brother and family and then see Jason's sister and family that we hadn't seen forever.

On my birthday eve (if you call it that), all the adults went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Star. Our niece came along because it was her birthday and somehow I got sung to as well with a huge sombrero on my head.

On my birthday I hit up a couple yard sales, went shopping with my hubby for some gifts, ate at Outback and then Jason's family helped to throw me a party. My favorite gift was a new camera from Jason that I still don't pull out and use nearly enough. Still can't believe I am sooo old!

2010 Family Reunion

2010-10-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

(Yes, I am this far behind on my blog. Trying to play catch up before baby arrives.)

This year Jason and I were in charge of the Royce/Robertson Reunion. We chose to have it by Lava Hot Springs at a campground called Big Springs Caribou. The weather was a little cool, especially for July, but overall I think (hope) that everyone had a good time. Our family was extra lucky because our friends let us borrow their camper. I ALMOST didn't feel like I was roughing it.

I forgot to pull out my camera the whole time, but took pictures later of a few camping memorabilia. We had t-shirts made for everyone (really wish I would have got everyone wearing them):

And the women made a 4th of July craft while the boys went fishing (for way too long):

We spent one afternoon at Lava Hot Springs pool and then ate dinner at a local pizza place. We got some good laughs from the boys who dared to dive on the platforms.

We had good food, good conversation, and good company. I am just grateful I don't plan another reunion for 10 years!!

Expecting

2010-07-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

For those who might not already know....our family is expecting baby #4 on Halloween! I began my 3rd trimester on Sunday so this baby will be here before we know it. When we told our kids that we were pregnant and the baby was coming by Halloween, Jadyn woke up every morning for about a week and asked if it was Halloween today. The girls also keep reminding me how big my belly is getting. :)

Jason and I had hopes to not find out the gender of our baby this time around but we couldn't leave the ultrasound room without finding out. It is another baby GIRL! The girls are especially excited for another sister.

We have the hardest time naming baby girls so if you have any suggestions or really cute names for us to consider, PLEASE leave a comment.

Here she is sucking her thumb. So cute!

Tee Ball

2010-07-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

This spring we signed Hallee up to play tee ball. The first day of practice, Hallee told me she didn't like it at all but by the end of the season she didn't want tee ball to end. We had a lot of fun watching Hallee learn the ropes even though the weather never cooperated much. This year she wore the #5 (my old volleyball number). A few times Hallee hit off of the pitch rather than the tee and after some serious coaxing/bribery- she became a very fast runner as well. But if she wasn't running to the bases, she was skipping to her spot in the outfield or back to the dug out. Hallee is such a girl!

Hallee getting ready to bat in both pictures.

Hallee by the pitchers mound playing some defense. (in the middle)

Last Day of School and Kindergarten Graduation

2010-07-08T08:15:00.001-07:00

I still haven't come to terms with the fact that Jason and I have a kindergartener and now she is ready for first grade! AAAHHH! Hallee did a great job this year in school. She had met every expectation in class and made alot of friends. Hallee loved coming home and showing off her work. She even learned to love the bus by the end of the year.

For kindergarten graduation, the kids in Hallee's class brought white t-shirts and then signed their names on everyone's shirts and wore them for the big day. They sang a few songs to entertain us all and then they each received their graduation certificate. Hallee standing with her classmates ready to sing.

Hallee getting her certificate from principal, Mr. Denton.with her school friends: Shaylie, Hallee, AliviaWith her teacher Miss McNew

After kindergarten graduation on Friday, Hallee had 3 more days of school but she informed us she had 3 party days at school. The weather didn't cooperate very much so the field day and beach day had to be altered but Hallee didn't want to miss a day. On the very last day of school I asked Hallee if she could believe that it was the last day she would be a kindergartener. She replied, "I am not a kindergartener. I am a first grader in training!" She also told me that if her kindergartener teacher saw the kids in her class in the hall next year and they didn't say hi, her old teacher would "punishment them." :)

Hallee on the first day of kindergarten

and the last day

Jason's Birthday

2010-07-08T07:54:00.001-07:00

We had a small, rather uneventful birthday for Jason this year even though he hit a big milestone (Mid 30's!!). He had been working in Boise for a few days before his big day, so the kids and I snuck over to his office and left a little surprise for him. Turned out the kids couldn't keep it a surprise but it was fun anyways. The candy gram said, "Hey Big Hunk- We know it's stwinkie to work on your birthday but your hot wife and cute kids wanted to Take 5 minutes and give you a Riesen to have a very Happy birthday." We left balloons and a mess with confetti as well.

Jason and I went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then shared a chocolate sheetcake with our babysitters (my parents). (thought I had taken pictures of the cake and birthday boy but it was so long ago I can't find them!!) Hope you had a great birthday anyways Jason!

Jadyn's Birthday

2010-05-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

Jadyn's birthday was a rough one for our family this year. Each of us took our turn with the stomach flu during the week and Jadyn had her turn ON HER BIRTHDAY!! (doesn't make for a very fun day) We had to postpone her party and everything fun for the weekend, but we still wanted her to get her gifts from us on her birthday.

Jadyn's BIG surprise was a red mustang. It was too big to wrap so we covered it with a sheet. I don't know who was more excited about it- Jadyn or Colt? They couldn't wait to get it outside and go for a spin but the weather wasn't cooperating for us either so it took a few days to get the mustang outside. She also got a littlest pet shop from her siblings and an outfit from her parents. We just had a small family party for Jadyn after lunch at the place of her choice (McDonald's) and our wards primary activity. She also got a mermaid barbie, more littlest pet shops, princess polly pockets, and another outfit with sandals from the Atkinsons and Grandma and Grandpa. Spoiled girl!I made a giant cupcake for Jadyn this year. After cake and ice cream Jadyn took everyone outside to show off her new ride. It was cold and windy but she loved it. Jadyn almost crashed her car and took off her brother's head- but she missed the bumper of Brian's truck by inches!!

I can't believe how fast Jadyn has grown up. She is such a fun, sweet girl and we are so glad she is in our family. Happy Birthday Jade!

Easter

2010-05-15T13:07:00.001-07:00

We had a busy Easter weekend this year. On Friday night we dyed Easter eggs.

Before

During

(I told the kids to put on their tie dye shirts and they all came back without pants!)

After

On Saturday morning, in freezing temperatures with snow on the ground, the girls did the Gate City Real Estate Easter egg hunt. Colt wanted to join in but it was cold and we were running a little late so he stayed (cried) with me in the car. I finally gave in and got him out of the car but the hunt was over so he checked out the Easter bunny instead and the girls shared their loot with him (their baskets were full!). Because of the snow on the ground, many of the eggs ended up with snow inside of them. It was a little messy.

Colt checking out the Easter Bunny.

The girls- freezing- but happy with full baskets.

That afternoon, we joined Tracy and her inlaws for a little lunch and another Easter egg hunt. Our kids got way too much candy this year! All the while we were trying to watch conference.

Sunday morning the Easter bunny came to our house. The kids each got a small toy, more eggs full of goodies, and the movie 'Alice in Wonderland' to share.

I have also made it a family tradition to get new Easter outfits for Easter Sunday. Since conference fell on Easter, the kids wore their outfits the Sunday before. Check out the poses:

I made my first turkey dinner for our family on Easter Sunday. It was a little stressful for me but it turned out delicious. However, there was more turkey than I knew what to do with. We gave some away, I made 2 other meals with the leftovers, and we still had some left. I am probably turkeyed out until Thanksgiving! All in all it was a very Happy Easter.

Spring Break 2010

2010-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

This year our family took a little vacation down to Salt Lake City for Spring Break. Jason scored some tickets to the NCAA basketball tournament- front row on the second level. We took our brother in law, Brian and nephew, Christian with us to the games. They were great seats and we saw some great games. Butler knocked off #1 seated Syracuse and then Kansas St. beat Xavier in double overtime.

Tracy and Connor "volunteered" to stay at the hotel and watch our kiddos. They ordered pizza and we bought 'The Princess and the Frog' to entertain them while we were gone. Only problem was we were about 1 1/2 hours later than we had anticipated and Colt was able to squeak in a cat nap so he wanted to stay up until the wee hours of the morning.

The next day it was only fair to take the kids somewhere fun. We were planning the zoo but the weather was not cooperating so we chose the Living Planet Aquarium. It is full of exhibits about all sorts of fish and sea creatures. Our favorite part were the penguins. I couldn't get any great pictures because they were all on my phone and there were far too many people in front of the glass- but they were a sight to see.

After the aquarium I tried to squeeze in a little shopping. It was a horrible experience. We didn't buy much, our kids were cranky, and it made us get home later than I had wanted that night. I've learned my lesson- no shopping on Spring Break. :)

Happy BELATED Birthday

2010-03-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Because of our move and a broken computer, this is from a looong time ago but I still wanted to post Hallee's birthday pictures. We moved into our Elviston house in Nampa the day before Jadyn's 2nd birthday. When we moved out of that house, it was the day after Hallee's 5th birthday so we really have had some crazy busy birthdays in that house.

For Hallee's birthday, we had a water party with a blow-up water slide, a slip and slide, water balloons and lots of fun! (Jason and I think it was one of the best parties we have ever put on). I missed a lot of great pictures because I was on the video camera again but here are a few.

Hallee at the top of the water slide.

A view from the backyard.

Hallee with her presents.

Hallee's big gift was a scooter. It took her about a week to master it but now that girl can cruise!

Hallee also wanted a strawberry party so we made pink cupcakes with strawberry gummies on top served with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries for a topping and strawberry kool-aid. Yummy!

Because none of our Pocatello family made it Hallee's birthday party, Hallee wanted to have another party at Grandma Cindy's. This is the rainbow cake we made for party #2.

I cannot believe how fast our little girl is growing up. Hallee is so much fun and we are so glad that she is in our family. Happy Belated Birthday Hallee Girl!

Our Temporary Home

2010-03-13T12:02:00.000-08:00

"This is our temporary home

It's not where we belong

Windows and rooms that we're passing through

This is just a stop on the way to where we we're going"

-Carrie Underwood

Yesterday, our rental house was put back on the market. I am already getting anxiety thinking about having to move- AGAIN! We feel very lucky to have found the house that we are in and I can't believe we have already spent 7 months here.

Some things that I have liked about our rental house:
Plenty of room for our family

Each bathroom has a linen closet

Granite counter tops

A water softener and hot water quickly

Right next to the bus stop for Hallee

4 car garage

Some things that I have not liked about our rental house:
The floorplan/ layout- especially the basement

The return air is in the family room and when it comes on you can't hear anything

No counterspace in the laundry room

MICE (we killed 9 but haven't seen any for months now- it was disgusting)

I had a ton of cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaing to do

Small master bedroom

Right on the corner of a busy road

We have had many temporary homes. Growing up, I never moved. Now that I am married, I think we have moved 7 times (that is including our summer moves and a short term move to Montana). Plus, move number 8 is quickly approaching. AAHH! Yesterday we also found out the first house we built and sold in Nampa is in foreclosure. It was a rough real estate day.

Remember When

2010-03-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

I recently got these pictures from Cortney's wedding this summer so I thought I would post them. It has only been about 7 months or so ago and I can already see how much our kiddos have grown. Life is going way to fast!! (It was very hot and we were all sweaty and a few were a little grouchy by the time we got done taking pictures at the temple. I don't know why, but I don't have any pictures of us at the reception. Bummer.)

This was the only picture I had on my camera. All 3 kids fell fast asleep on the way to the reception. We were all exhausted!

Family Pictures 2009

2010-02-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

Way back when (around Thanksgiving) we took family pictures. I got too busy to make Christmas cards this year but I am finally getting around to posting some of my favorites. Thanks to Kelsey, my very talented sister in law, for doing a great job taking and editing the pictures. (If it hadn't been so windy and cold we would have liked to take more- you can see how wild it made all of the girls hair- and in between pics we were trying to warm up a little in the car!)

Football Party

2010-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

For Colt's 2nd birthday, we tried to have a fun-filled day even though we were still worn out from Christmas. He is finally old enough to be excited for a party and presents and the whole 9 yards. The girls and I took him to McDonald's for lunch and a Happy Meal and then Jason took his (long) lunch break so we could see the movie 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' together. Colt loved it. Anytime he sees a movie theatre now he starts chanting, "Movie! Birthday! Movie! Birthday!" This year, with a little help from his sisters, Colt wanted to have a "Football Party!" I made a football cake (that Colt helped himself to and almost destroyed before it was decorated), the girls picked out some sport decorations, and then they decorated the living room with every ball we own.

Colt shares his birthday with my dad so we did a combo birthday party. I tried to make my dad his own little cake with the parts I cut out of the football cake- but it ended up looking like a mud pie. At least he had a candle to blow out. :)

Colt got spoiled again this year. He got clothes and toys and his big gift was a new Radio Flyer trike. He would not even get off of his trike to eat cake and ice cream until the party was over. We bought a trike with a handle on the back so that I could push him around outside once spring comes- but Colt has already mastered the trike by practicing around the loop in our house. He is going to be fast once we turn him loose. (I didn't get any pictures of the trike because I was video taping- oops)

(opening presents and pointing his toy gun at Uncle Brian)

Happy Birthday Colt!

Christmas

2010-01-25T11:45:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. The kids were all old enough to be really excited but little enough to sleep until after 7. We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma Cindy's and Grandpa Kelly's with my side of the family where we had a fabulous prime rib dinner. Then we had a cousin gift exchange, sang songs, read the true Christmas story, and watched a little Christmas movie on TV. Then we ran home and tried to get the kids ready for bed as quick as we could, set out rice krispie treats for Santa (we heard he had too many cookies) and oats and carrots for the reindeer, so Santa's helpers could get to work!

The girls walked through the living room with all the gifts on their way to wake us up so I was very disappointed that I didn't get the excitement and looks on their faces on camera or video tape. Next year Jason and I might have to camp out under the tree. :)

As always, our kids got way too much stuff! Here is Hallee with her loot- Barbie house and Cinderella Barbie from Santa. Toys, clothes and pajamas, and watch bands from Mom and Dad.

Jadyn got a Barbie house and Sleeping Beauty Barbie from Santa, clothes, pajamas, slippers, and toys from Mom and Dad.

This is Colt's mad face. I made him stop playing with his Geo-trax race track from Santa to get a picture. :) Colt also got clothes, pajamas and toys from Mom & Dad.

This is exactly where you could find Colt all day on Christmas- remote controller in hand next to his track. Before Christmas he kept telling us he wanted a horse. He told EVERYONE he wanted a horse. Family and friends were trying to convince us that he needed a horse. He didn't mention the word 'horse' one time on Christmas. Just for the record- race track trumps horse!

Jason got some clothes and a Garmin GPS from me and the kids. I got snow boots, a new purse, watchbands, shirt, and a tanning package- plus the kids picked me out a bright pink scarf all by themselves. The kids also got sleds from Aunt Kelsey and Uncle Marc (they were fabulous on New Years day), blankets from Grandpa Randy and Grandma Dawn, and Princess Barbies for the girls and a Dump truck and Gorilla for Colt from Grandpa Virgil and Anna, CDs from Aunt Tracy and Uncle Brian for the girls and a baseball mitt for Colt. Too much- but we loved all of it!

Then we headed back over to my parents for more presents and a LATE breakfast. We were starving by the time we opened gifts and got over there.

Colt kept carrying around Jason's big gift. He got a new putter from my parents.

Colt got football geat from my parents. He loves watching football and tells me he is going to be a football player. He IS going to be one for Halloween. GO MICHIGAN!!

Jadyn and Hallee got art sets and coloring books. They are constantly coloring!

I got more pieces to my Willow Tree Nativity set, new non-stick pans, pajamas, and an argyle sweater. Somehow, there are no pictures of me.

Even though this is a month late, we hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too!

My two favorite boys!

Christmas Sunday

2010-01-17T09:08:00.001-08:00

The kids were all dressed up and adorable on Christmas Sunday- but my camera ran out of batteries and I couldn't find the charger- so we only got this one picture. Luckily, Grandpa Virgil and Anna came to visit after church and they took a bunch of cute pictures of our kids (that I have only in prints and not on the computer so this is all I can post). Colt is wearing his first white button up shirt that made him look like a little man. The girls loved their new dresses because they are 'so long' as Hallee would say. All in all it was a great Christmas Sunday....but then Jason and I had to speak in church the next week (2 days after Christmas) and that wasn't so great!

Hallee's Christmas Concert

2010-01-17T08:46:00.001-08:00

Hallee had her first concert this year in kindergarten. Hallee is one of the youngest and littlest in her class and so she ended up on the front row. All 3 kindergarten classes sang 3 songs together (all were very unfamiliar to me). She is wearing a snowflake necklace for actions they did with the songs. We got a good laugh out of the kids. Some were so wild and cute- others were so nervous and shy- like Hallee. Colt and Jadyn loved seeing her up on the stage and Colt couldn't keep quiet about it during the performance. We were so proud of Hallee- now just to get over a little stage fright....

Another Anniversary!

2009-12-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

Last month, Jason and I celebrated our 7th wedding Anniversary. It has been a fun and fast 7 years! I still feel like we just got married- but I don't even think we could be considered newly weds anymore.

Jason had to work on our Anniversary so we couldn't do much. My parents watched the kids while we went to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner. Jason sent me a dozen roses (of our wedding colors) and I bought him an IPOD. It was a simple anniversary but I'm not worried because there will be many, many more. Love you Jason!

Halloween

2009-12-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

This year my kids dressed up as bunnies and a turtle (they were the Tortoise and the Hare but no one really caught on to that until I told them). Everyone thought Colt was a frog until they saw his shell and the girls kept being called princess bunnies. Oh well. They were stinking cute! Jason also had to dress up this year for work. He was paired up with some buddies and they were a foosball table. (Don't ask me- I didn't see the end result)

We were busy this year for Halloween. We had a ward dinner and trunk or treat, then a trick or treat at Jason's office, and then the 'real' Halloween trick or treating. Plus, I was in charge of Hallee's kindergarten Halloween Party at school. We were so tired from all the festivities that on Halloween night, the kids only knocked about 12 doors and then we called it quits.

Here are some of my favorite pictures:

Update

2009-10-14T13:57:00.001-07:00

I guess it has been long enough since I updated my blog. I have been waiting for an important reason though- I have pics on my broken labtop that I wanted to blog about (Hallee's birthday, pics from Cortney's wedding, last pics of my house in Nampa). But since I have no clue how to move anything from that computer to this one those few posts will have to wait. Here are a few things to look at until then.

STREAKER

2009-10-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

(Colt without his bottoms in his sisters boots)

Colt has learned, much to my dismay, how to undress himself. It all started with his basketball tank tops. He could get his shirt off and walk around with a naked belly and his shorts. I thought it was cute. Well, he decided to take it one step further and learn how to lose his shorts. He is constantly taking off his pants and diaper! He only swizzled all over the house 1 or 2 times but 2 times it was something more (if you catch my drift- stinky!). He is 21 months old and interested in the potty. Colt will sit on it and pretend to push but I've never seen any results and when I really try to get him to go- he gets mad. I've been told to just turn the diaper around so he can't undo it but that isn't the problem- he takes them off like underwear. I'm usually potty training my girls at this point in life but this boy gives me a run for my money! Not sure what to do with Colt- but I am sure I have a streaker!

Blackfoot Fair

2009-10-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

Over the Labor Day Weekend, we decided we had better do something fun with our kids so we took them to the Blackfoot Fair. I do NOT do rides and I hadn't been there for about 10 years but we decided to give it a whirl anyways.

We spent most of our time looking at animals. The kids loved the petting farm. We each held a little baby beagle we wanted to take home. There were goats, pigs, turtles, bunnies, and more. My kids were petting everything and Colt was a wild man! He tried to ride this goat. Let's just say I am glad they had hand sanitizer available at the end.

We checked out the livestock (pigs, horses, cows, sheep), let the kids ride the little train, and ate some fair food. (We had funnel cakes and snow cones.) We only stayed about 3-4 hours but I think that is all the kids AND the parents could handle.

First Day for the First of our Kids off to School

2009-10-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

This year Hallee started kindergarten. I think it was a little harder for her than a usual kindergartener because we had just moved and she hadn't made any friends yet. But she is doing great- even though every day is a struggle to get her to school. (Hallee tells me every morning when I wake her up and every night when we are getting things set out that she isn't going to school.) She is learning a lot at school and she has made 2 friends that she adores.

Jason took her to school the first day and said that there were a ton of moms crying in the hall. I am glad I didn't take her. I would have been one of those moms.

I was awarded the 'Worst Mom of the Day' award (I gave it to myself). At Hallee's school they have early release every other Monday. Well, the first time she had early release I arrived at her school at 11:50 and when I didn't see any other parents pulling in or kids coming out at 11:55 when her school lets out it dawned on me that it was an early release day! I sprinted inside and found Hallee sitting with her teacher coloring in the foyer. I was 35 minutes late. I almost cried but I just had to promise Hallee I would never forget again and all was forgiven.

My favorite story about Hallee so far this year was on the bus. Every day I put a little snack in Hallee's backpack (it makes her happier to go to school) and Hallee and I have compromised that she rides the bus 3 days and we take her and pick her up 2 days. The first time she rode the bus I asked her if she ate her snack (swedish fish) on the 30 minute drive home. She said, "No. They told us no food or drink on the bus." It was so cute!

After 9 Months...

2009-08-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

After 9 long months of Jason working in Pocatello and the rest of our family in Nampa- we have sold our house and moved back to Poky! When Jason took the new job back in the end of October, we thought it would MAYBE take 3 months to sell our house. When it took longer than that, I decided that everything would work out as long as we were settled somewhere before Hallee would start kindergarten in the fall. I guess timing is everything because we closed on our house on August 6th but we can't move into our rental house until the 20th and then school starts on the 24th. We will barely be settled by the first day of school- but I guess that's all I hoped for.

We are so excited to be together again but the situation is bitter sweet to us. We loved our house. We loved living close to Jason's family. We loved our ward. We loved the treasure valley (good shopping, better weather, lots of things to do). It was hard to leave. I will miss so much.

Our family has so much to be grateful for and so we are going to make the best of this move. A new school, new ward, new friends, and new experiences all in my old hometown.

Snake River Stampede

2009-07-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

It has become a tradition in our family to go the the rodeo at the Idaho Center each year. Every time we drive past the Idaho Center from the backseat I hear, "There's the rodeo!" This year our family went by ourselves because Jason was still in Poky when our relatives went to watch Brik and Blake do the muttin' bustin'- but we still had a great time.

Colt made horse noises for about the first 30 minutes. He was loving it! We had to buy the girls some treats to keep them happy and occupied for the entire duration- but on the way home we asked Hallee what her favorite part was and she replied, "My favorite part was all of it!" She even thinks next year she should try a little muttin' bustin' herself.

4th of July

2009-07-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

This year our family didn't do much for the 4th. We spent the morning packing up and driving home from the family reunion. After unpacking, cleaning, laundry, and a nice long shower- Jason and I were too tired to do anything. It was pathetic. Only later that night when we saw all of our neighbors doing fireworks did we regret our decision.

So, the next day we rummaged up leftover fireworks from Grandma and Grandpa Robertson and came home to have our own little show. The kids favorite fireworks were the smoke bombs. They would ooh and aaah and Colt only tried to run for them a couple of times. After we finished up, our neighbors who had been out of town, invited us to their house for more fireworks. We stayed up way, way too late but the kids, Jason, and I had a good time (and the kids didn't even know we were a day late celebrating :o) .

(I don't know why but I couldn't move my pics in this post so it looks a little silly).

Deadwood Reservoir Reunion

2009-07-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

This year was the first annual Royce/Robertson family reunion. We went to Deadwood Reservoir (somewhere in the mountains above Banks). We had to drive on a dirt road for an hour to get in to the place. It was steep and scary and it took forever! At times however, I thought it was beautiful. We saw a deer right by our camp and the kids kept catching frogs.

While we were there we did some swimming, four wheeling, nature walk :), and Jason did some fishing. Colt loved the four wheelers- he couldn't get enough but he kept falling asleep when Jason gave him rides. Make sure you don't miss Jadyn posing in all the pics!

The weather was pretty nice the whole time except for the night I was in charge of dinner. We said the blessing on the food and about 1 minute later it started raining on us. After a while of sitting in the truck, we ended up in our tent. Here is Jason with the kids during the storm (and two little peeping toms in the window- Oakley and Maycee).

The kids loved camping most of all. I have to admit, I was glad to leave the outhouses and dirt behind (no surprise). These are our 3 yahoos leaving in the truck. They were filthy!

Summer Fun

2009-07-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Hallee, Jadyn, Colt and I were invited to spend a hot afternoon at a park in Meridian (I don't even know the name of it). The park had water features, swings, a rock climbing wall, jungle gym toy thing- and of course- lots of our cousins! We brought lunches and then let the kids play for a couple hours. It was really hard for me to keep track of my 3 kids because there were so many places to go and things to do but they had a great time. They spent most of our time in the water as you can see in the pics.

Colt took a while to warm up to the water sprinklers- but then he loved it.

Jadyn trying to get a drink.

Hallee warming herself up with cousin Kinley.

Father's Day (Along time ago)

2009-07-14T07:27:00.001-07:00

(Hallee and Jadyn painted this sign so we could decorate and have a serious party. They were disappointed we didn't have balloons. :) They also made him card with a ton of stickers.)

We had a great Father's Day celebrating our great Dad! I made Jason breakfast that morning and then we opened presents. We got Jason new tools (socket set and screw driver set) since many of his were stolen building our house. Then it was off to church where our ward did 'Desserts for Dad.' All the sisters brought a dessert and the last 15 minutes of church all the dads got to go crazy and dig into a ton of goodies (while the rest of us were in class). I think Jason really enjoyed it. After church we made fajitas and then went to the Robertsons for a little family party.

I am so grateful for Jason. He is a wonderful father. When he gets home from Pocatello the kids want nothing to do with me for at least 24 hours because he is their favorite. He is so fun and helpful. I couldn't ask for a better father for my children. We love you Jason Royce!

Dairy Days Parade

2009-06-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Every year about this time Meridian has a Dairy Days Parade. We have went the past 2 years because my Aunt Sondra lives about a block away from the action and always invites us. This year the weather was not cooperating but my kids were going to that parade NO MATTER WHAT! We almost didn't make it because I didn't listen to my Aunt's directions/advice and then the roads to the parade route were closed- but we finally made it not a moment too soon.

(Cute pink cow but not a very good pic)

Just like last year, the fire trucks made one of my kids cry (last year Jadyn- this year Colt) but other than that and a few rain showers, we had a great time. We got chocolate milks, string cheese, T-shirts, coupons, a few small toys and lots and lots of candy. We left a few minutes early because my girls needed to use the bathroom but my Aunt Sondra had ice cream sandwiches for them back at her house. Thanks again to Aunt Sondra and to Brady for saving the day with candy sacks, camera, and chairs!

All geared up and ready for the parade to begin.

Colt had to dig into his candy right when he got it.

My Aunt Sondra with my kids- Hallee keeping her 'warm.'

Where is your husband when...

2009-06-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Over the past 7 1/2 months, there have been many times I wished Jason was here to help with different situations. Here is my most recent.
I was pulling up to my house and noticed something on the front porch. I couldn't tell what it was- but let's just say I knew it wasn't a package. When the girls, Colt, and I checked it out we found a DEAD BIRD!! I think it had flown into Colt's window and ended its life. I didn't know what to do. I honestly thought I was going to put it into a shoe box and bury it in the vacant lot beside our house. I called Jason to ask him and he told me just to scoop it up and throw it away (good thing it was garbage day). I did what he said but first Hallee had to name the bird Feather. She was very concerned about throwing it in the garbage can. She wanted Feather to be comfortable. I think Hallee asked me about 10 times that day if Feather was comfortable in her sack in the garbage can and even now, about 2 weeks later, she still is asking if Feather is comfortable. Poor little bird.

These boots are made for walking....

2009-06-15T05:29:00.000-07:00

As of late, one of Colt's favorite things are shoes. He tries on everything- big shoes, little shoes, girl shoes, boy shoes- you name it- he does it. Colt thinks he is so darn cute when he does it and I have to tell you, he really is!

Biker Babes

2009-06-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

When it finally got warm outside, we realized that Hallee needed a new bike because Jadyn was ready for the smaller bike with training wheels (and I ran over the trike last year- whoops!). So Jason and the girls went out hunting for the perfect bike. We only wanted to spend about $20 and I wanted it to be a neutral bike so it could be used for the girls and Colt. We checked craigslist and goodwill- I'm not sure everywhere Jason checked but we were on a time crunch to get something before he headed back to Poky. Well they ended up at Kmart and found a bike the girls couldn't leave the store without. After they got into the truck to come home, Jadyn said to her sister, "Hallee- that is a good looking bike." It is a pinky purple color but it 'sparkles' in the sun (not very neutral). After Hallee rode it the first day she parked her bike in the garage and told Jason, "That is a good looking bike."

We spend some time every day out riding bikes. Hallee does great but she has a hard time starting and she stops herself by riding onto the grass and crashing/hopping off- but she LOVES it! Jadyn is getting really fast on the smaller bike (she calls it the Fast Bike) but she is afraid to go up and down the curb. Now if only we could get Colt on a bike! :)

(Colt trying to put together Jadyn's bike after he saw Dad putting together Hallee's).

Thirty Something

2009-05-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

We had another birthday in our family. The kids and I went to Pocatello so we could celebrate Jason's 34th (!!!) birthday since he had to work there all week. A few days after we arrived- Colt became really sick (I was told many times that he probably had the swine flu). So instead of a night out with my honey, my mom took the day off and the girls surprised him at work with balloons and a treat and then they took him to McDonald's. Then my parents helped me pull off a great dinner (steak and potatoes) and a strawberry pound cake with homeade ice cream. We capped off the night with the movie Benjamin Button. All in all it was a great day (minus our sick kid that was puking and going through 15-20 diapers). Happy Birthday Jason!

Jadyn's Birthday

2009-05-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Jadyn just turned 3!! Her birthday fell on a Tuesday and since Jason is always gone to Pocatello during the week, we planned her party for Saturday. I told Jadyn that Tuesday would be her 'fun day' and we would go out to eat at McDonalds (her favorite) and go to a movie and then Saturday would be her birthday with her party and presents. Well, Jadyn's daddy didn't want to miss her real birthday so he surprised us and came home on Monday night (scared me to death but that is another story). I didn't have everything ready to pull off a party on Tuesday with Jason home so we gave her a few presents and still went out to eat and then we played in the sprinklers because it was so nice. She loved it.

For months before Jadyn's birthday she kept telling me she wanted a jumping party with a Minnie Mouse cake. I tried to fulfill her demands. :) We borrowed an astro-jump from one of my visiting teaching groupies and then I made the minnie cake as best I could. Here are some pictures:

Jadyn with some presents- she HAD to have a swimming puppy!

Loving the astro jump!

Jumping with her cousins.

Thanks to all who came to her party, for the gifts, and for those who helped me pull off the perfect 3 year old party! We love having Jadyn for a daughter. She has such a soft heart but she also has a lot of spunk. I cannot believe how fast she has grown. Here is a picture with her daddy the day we left the hospital....memories.... We love you Jadyn!!

Oh Brother!

2009-05-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

The day before Jadyn's birthday, I needed to do a little run to the grocery store to pick up a few odds and ends. I sent the kids outside to play while I packed up my purse and diaper bag. When I went outside to load the kids, Colt took off running from me. I of course chased him (he thinks this is such a fun game) and then he tripped and hit his face on our front porch!!

(sorry for the gruesome picture- I took it on my cell phone to show Jason)

He was bleeding everywhere and it hurt him so bad that he couldn't even cry- he could hardly breath. I thought he had knocked his other front tooth out. Luckily, he only BROKE HIS NOSE!! Colt had a big bruise on his nose and a scab above his lip but everything was healed up in about a week. Hopefully all these accidents are making him one tough cookie.

Recently Colt figured out a way to see Tag on the back padio. Whenever he does it, I always think, "How much is that doggy in the window?" He has no fear. As you can see, this is probably another accident just waiting to happen. Oh Brother!

They Did It!

2009-04-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Finally, and I mean FINALLY, the girls earned their singing Barbies (well, at least one of them did). The week before Easter we spent with Jason in Pocatello at my parents house. Hallee actually cleaned up her messes and would help me when I asked the entire visit- I loved it! We had been motivating her all week that she would get her singing Barbie on Easter if she cleaned up. So when Easter finally came she was not really satisfied because she wanted that Barbie. So after our morning festivities, church, and dinner at Grandma Dawn's we couldn't keep it from them any longer. They loved it- if you can't tell.
Now the Barbies are constantly singing. There is not an off switch or volume knob!! They drive me nuts and when the Barbies aren't singing the girls are singing the songs that the Barbies sing. It is never ending- but the girls are so happy and that makes Jason and me happy too!

Easter

2009-04-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

We had a really fun Easter this year. (I made those Easter baskets!!) We were in Pocatello with Jason until late Friday night and while we were there my parents made a delicious prime rib dinner for the entire family. Then when we got home, our ward had breakfast and an Easter egg hunt Saturday morning. The girls colored eggs and found a few goodies.

W heard through the grapevine that at our local highschool, Skyview, they have an annual Easter Egg Hunt. (I think it is more of an Easter egg pick up because the eggs are not hidden). We showed up at about 9:55 and it started at 10 so I dropped off Jason, Hallee, and Jadyn and then Colt and I waited in the car. Jason asked one of the organizers how it works and they told him to run all the way to the back before they start picking up eggs because everyone else starts at the front . Jason did it and both the girls baskets were overflowing with eggs! I think they would have had a blast if it hadn't been cold and raining on them.

On Sunday morning Jadyn was the first one awake. She walked right into our room without checking out her basket or the eggs hidden everywhere so we asked her if the Easter bunny had come. She said, "no." Jason told her to go look and make sure he didn't come. She walked back into our room and said, "He didn't." We had to tell her to go get her basket and bring it to us and...it was filled- just like we thought! :) The girls got sidewalk chalk, playdough, and plates. Colt got a dog book, plate, and the movie, 'Bolt.' Plus, each of the kids had a new outfit and looked adorable at church. (I don't have any pictures because I was video taping this part) We finished off the day with a ham dinner at Grandma Dawn's. They also put together a fun Easter egg hunt and we enjoyed visiting with all our family.

Snow White or Sleeping Beauty?

2009-03-25T21:16:00.001-07:00

On Sunday all of us were downstairs, or so we thought. We didn't see Jadyn so Jason went to find her. He ran downstairs and told me I had to come see what Jadyn had done- and to hurry. I thought she had done something naughty. I ran up there to see the cutest thing ever:
Jadyn had been all dressed up like a princess and passed out up in the bean bag. If you didn't notice in the picture, she has on her own lipstick (chapstick) and princess shoes. All dressed up like Snow White but looking a lot like Sleeping Beauty to me.

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

On St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to do something fun for the kids. Jason was gone to Poky so I didn't make green pancakes for breakfast but the girls helped me make green cookies with green m&m's and then I made green fry sauce and green fruit dip for dinner. The girls were very skeptical. I think Jadyn took one bite and then kept telling me, "This stuff tastes different. I just want ranch." All of us wore green shirts and over the weekend, Jason had brought home a ton of green balloons from a party at work. The girls decorated the house with them and played with them all day. I was hoping for a little luck of the irish to get our house sold that day...but it didn't happen. We should have tried to catch a leprechaun. :)

(sweet girls- but where is brother?)

Colt = Trouble

2009-03-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Our little boy has become BIG trouble! Colt wants to get into everything (and he usually does). Lately his favorite things are pulling everything out of drawers and cupboards, putting on his shoes or his sisters shoes, and playing with toys inside the toilet!! The worst part is that he looks right at you when you tell him no and then he does it anyways. If he doesn't get what he wants he throws a temper tantrum. I have never had a kid like him. However, he also does some really cute things now. He can bark like a dog and make noise like a monkey. He loves to get read to, to wear hats and he puckers up with fishy lips to kiss (I will have to catch that one on camera). BOYS!

H is for ...

2009-03-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

Last week we were in charge of preschool again. We worked on the letter 'h'. We played with hats, talked about things to do with our hands (I taught them a little sign language), and for the grand finale we made houses out of graham crackers. These are the girls with each of their masterpieces. (Jadyn is also a preschool girl when it is at my house). I think their favorite part was eating them!

How the Times Change

2009-02-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have been thinking about how times change. At this time last year, we lived in a tiny, crappy rental house and I couldn't wait to get our house finished and get moved in. Now here we are a year later and I am dying to get moved out!! Last week we showed our house 3 times- 2 of those times were to the same people. We found out today that we are in the top 6 or 7 houses (they looked at 13 on Saturday) and they are still trying to decide. We keep praying for another little miracle for our family so that we can be together again. If you don't mind, please keep us in your prayers so that our house can sale SOON! (our house is listed under randyrobertson.com if you want to tell your friends :0)

Also a quick update on the Barbies. They are in the cupboard above the fridge (they used to be on the fridge but had to be put away to show the house). The girls have realized that they must EARN them by cleaning up their toys for a week straight (we are sticking to it because it was too great of a deal to take them back and I am a sucker for my kids). Last week they cleaned up 3 days in a row but then we had to start again at zero. We are still at zero today but the day Hallee and Jadyn get their Barbies I will post some pictures because they will be the two happiest girls in the world!

A Homeade Valentines

2009-02-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

This year we got a little creative for Valentine's day. The girls made Jason little heart valentines with wiggly eyes, a button nose, and their own red lip kiss. They also made their cousins in town valentines that we colored (it said 'Hope you have a Beary Happy Valentine's Day) and gave them each mini gummi bear packs. Our Valentine's day began with pink, heart shaped pancakes for breakfast (not pictured). Then after lunch we gave the kids their valentine's- I made Hershey Kisses out of rice krispie treats. They were soo cute! I also made Jason his gift. It was a paint can with vinyl (of course) on it and it was filled with Riesen candy and all the 'riesens' I love him. Then for dinner I made homeade pizza with a heart shaped out of pepperoni. We just hung out together all day long which is really nice when Jason is gone all week. Nothing too romantic- but we all LOVE eachother and that is the most important thing.

What To Do

2009-02-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

For weeks and months I have been trying to get the girls to clean up their toys by themselves. It has really been a struggle to motivate them. I have tried the 'naughty chair,' taking away toys or TV privileges, spankings, helping them clean, making clean up time a game, treats...just about everything! It has been frustrating to say the least. On Saturday night, I was in Walmart grabbing a few odds and ends when I came across the clearance section. They had marked down some singing Barbies the girls had been drooling over since before Christmas. I talked it over with Jason and we decided we would buy the Barbies and use them as a bribe to motivate Hallee and Jadyn. So Sunday morning the girls saw the Barbies and went crazy! They were sooo happy- they didn't know there were strings attached. We told them that if they could clean up for a week that on Valentines Day they would get their Barbies. We put them on top of the fridge, made a clean up chart, and thought it was the best idea ever! WRONG! They have not cleaned up their toys once! I told them they won't get their Barbies and they think that's ok- I can just give it to them next Christmas. AAAHHH! If anyone has some advice, I would love to hear it. We have the cutest little girls that can be so much fun- but they make the biggest messes!

One Tooth

2009-01-31T14:13:00.001-08:00

Well, many of you already know, but we had a serious accident at our house. Colt (sometimes known as Crash) tumbled down the stairs last Thursday. I saw him hit his head on the hardwood floor and when I picked him up he had a mouth full of blood. I was home alone with the kids because Jason is in Pocatello all week so I picked up my phone and called him. I told him what happened and that Colt's upper right tooth looked like a buck tooth. Jason got off the phone with me and called a few dentists (we ONLY have about 8 in our ward) and they all said that it would be fine. I didn't think so but I went along with the verdict. When Jason got home on Friday night he couldn't believe how bad his tooth looked. It was poking out at a 45 degree angle and it made his lip stick out as well. We called another dentist and he said that either his tooth was broken or we were going to have to push it back into place. Saturday morning Jason took Colt to the dentist for x-rays and....it was broken and had to be pulled. So my sweet baby boy only has one front tooth now. I think it has been harder on me than on Colt- he is a little trooper. He still can't eat pickles (or any food for that matter) like he used to but overall he is doing well. And hey, it will only be 5 or 6 years til his upper right tooth returns. :)

A Trampoline!

2009-01-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

If anyone asked Jadyn what she wanted for Christmas, she would reply, "A trampoline." We didn't think it would be wise of Santa to bring a tramp since we are moving and it is freezing outside. Well, when we visited my parents over the New Year they bought Jadyn her very own small trampoline. Both the girls love it. They pull it out everyday and jump-jump-jump!

Here they are catching some air!

Somedays we refer to Jadyn as a jumping bean because she will jump all day long everywhere she goes. As you can see in the picture- she really can jump!!

Sneaky Girls

2009-01-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

Last Friday the girls and I were getting ready for Jason to come home. I was cleaning house, changing sheets, baking cinnamon rolls, and doing a million other things so we could just relax over the weekend when Jason got here. I went upstairs and found the girls making a disaster with their toys so I decided I would keep them busy and give them some jobs/chores to do instead. I asked Hallee and Jadyn to get their sheets out of the dryer and bring them upstairs so we could make the beds. After about 5 minutes I knew they had gotten side tracked so I went to see what other trouble they were into. I walked into the Laundry Room and found the sheets on the floor and the dryer door cracked open. This is what was inside:
They thought they were so dang cute (and it was) but now they want to play in the dryer everyday- which I won't allow!! They are 2 very sneaky girls (Jadyn is looking at this picture and busting up). I can't wait til it is warm again and they can play outside rather than inside a dryer!!

Colt had a Birthday- Shout Hooray!!

2009-01-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

On December 28th Colt had his 1st Birthday!! We had a party at our house a day early since we were headed to Pocatello on the 28th.

Colt's Puppy Birthday Cake.

Here is Colt about to dig into his piece- the puppy's paw.

Colt after he destroyed his cupcake. He didn't eat much but he sure can make a mess!

Colt has been so much fun to have in our family. He is just taking his first steps and starting to talk a lot more. He can say mama, dada, hat, Tag (or dog- not sure about that one), and Grandpa. He loves to play peek a boo and to take everything out of the cabinets. His favorite thing to eat is a pickle and he LOVES to play with phones (I can thank Colt that my cell phone is broken at the moment). He likes to follow his sisters around the house and they really like to have him around too. Having a boy has been a lot different than a little girl. He is not very 'huggy' and 'kissy', he loves to make noise, and to get into things he shouldn't. Colt is an adventure for me everyday!

As I mentioned before, we traveled to Pocatello on Colt's birthday. I-86 into Pocatello was closed when we got there and we spent about 5 hrs in Burley sitting in the car, wandering around the Walmart and finally relaxing at Jason's Aunts' house. What a birthday!! We celebrated with a combined party the following day for Colt and my Dad (Colt was born on his Grandpa's Birthday). We are so thankful to have Colt in our family and cannot believe that he is 1!!

Here are the 2 birthday boys- Colt and Grandpa Kelly.

Santa Claus came to town!

2008-12-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Both our girls woke up before 7 am (a first for us) and saw what Santa had brought them- a table and chairs with new kitchen food and stockings full of surprises. We sent them upstairs to watch 'Tinkerbell' so we could wait until Colt woke up to open presents. He slept almost until 8 am and the girls could hardly wait. Everyone was spoiled!! Santa brought Colt a buggy car that he loves to get pushed around in. Jason got new Sorel boots and I got a beautiful picture of the Idaho Falls temple. Here are the kids with all their loot (and wild hair)!!

Hallee got a princess dress, cowboy boots, digital camera, movie, game & sweatshirt

Jadyn got a backpack, doll house stuff, princess dress, sweatshirt, movie, game

Colt got hat and gloves, garage car set, new shoes, sweatshirt, book, & balls

We spent the day at Grandma Dawn's and Grandpa Randy's and almost all of Jason's siblings were there. I think I counted 19 adults and 23 kids so it was a full house. We had a delicious turkey dinner, opened presents, played games, and visited all day. We even had new snow on Christmas morning. I don't think we could ask for more! Merry Christmas everyone!!

Christmas Sunday

2008-12-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

A tradition I have started with our family is to buy the girls new dresses every year for Christmas Sunday. This year was a chore to find something I liked that was affordable. I ended up buying Christmas skirts for the girls and a matching sweater for Colt. We have 9 am church and we had received a lot of snow that morning so I was going to do pictures after church so we wouldn't be late. After church the girls took off their shoes and tights and bows when we got home so I didn't get pictures then either. So, I ended up dressing up all the kids on December 26th to get pictures in front of the tree and fireplace before all the decorations came down.

This Holiday Season

2008-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

This year, Christmas is such a busy time for our family! Jason is commuting to Pocatello each week, I have been taking vinyl orders like crazy, trying to get just the right gift for everyone on our nice list and juggling our 3 kids! They are so excited for Christmas. We went to see Santa but the girls froze up and Colt was in shear terror. They didn't tell Santa what they wanted but this is what they tell me: Hallee wants the fur-real pony or barbies or a baby carriage and Jadyn wants 'lots of trampolines and swingsets and houses.' However, I think they will be happy with anything. Jason and I really want our house to sell for Christmas (not before but right after would be great).

Someone in our ward or neighborhood has picked our family for the 12 days of Christmas. It has been so fun for us- I feel like a kid again waiting for the doorbell to ring. How nice it is to be thought of at this time of year. Here are some pictures of our kids. Both the girls think it is hilarious to wear our stockings around on their feet. Colt has been really good with the Christmas tree so far. He only takes off the ornaments and he hasn't touched any of the presents. He is so fun and we can't wait to see what he will do on Christmas morning.

2 Peas in a Pod- or on a Bike!

2008-12-02T22:22:00.000-08:00

While I was in Pocatello, my dad purchased a tandem bicycle for my mom and him to share. They decided to go out riding in late November and asked me to take some pictures while they 'went around the block'. This is them before they began in the driveway.
I stood there in the cold waiting for my mom and dad to come around the corner- but they never came. They went cruising rather than a quick little trip so this is the only picture I got. (Sorry- I was freezing!)

What a Week!!

2008-12-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

We spent the last week (actually 10 days) with my parents in Pocatello. It was an adventure!! On the way to Pocatello, my fuel light came on between American Falls and Poky and I ran out of gas about 30 seconds later!! The gas gauge in the Tahoe has issues (I found that out the hard way) so my husband and dad had to come and 'rescue us.' Sad thing was I could see a gas station about 100 yards away!
That night, Colt was wheezing and was having a horrible time breathing. I got convinced to take him in and get him checked out but all the Urgent Cares were closed and we didn't have a pediatrician in town so we ended up in the emergency room (I do not recommend Pocatello's emergency room BTW). After about 4 hours, 2 breathing treatments, 1 x-ray, and a lot of frustration- Colt was diagnosed with Bronchiolitis. He was given a prescription and is now doing much better.
When we go to Pocatello, we usually bring Tag and let him stay with his 'dog cousins' Matty and Bogey. This time around didn't go so well. He ate 3 of their pillows!! Plus all the dogs were at each others throats. Sad to say but Tag will be staying at home alone when we go on extended stay visits. Sorry boy!
Not everything about the visit was bad though. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and day with my side of family. I got started on my Christmas shopping on Black Friday. Jason and I went to the Festival of Trees together (I am trying to get a picture of us from his work- I will post it if I do). And best of all- my parents were like built in babysitters for the whole week! Hallee, Jadyn and Colt love all their grandparents!!

Here are a few pictures of my kids on Grandma Cindy's piano. Colt especially loved it. He would play a couple notes and then stop to clap for himself. Hallee is wearing Grandma's glasses.

The New Car (or should I say SUV)

2008-11-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

This past weekend our family bought a new car. After we sold the Accord, we had been sharing the truck and borrowing the Spence's Durango on occasion but we finally found something big enough for our little family (and a few friends can even squeeze in). It is very clean with low miles and we even like the color. Jason says we got a good deal- not a great deal- but a good deal so we are happy. Next time you see the Royces, we will be cruising in our new Tahoe! :0)

Family Pictures

2008-11-11T22:18:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Kelsey took our family pictures. Family pictures are always hard when you have little kids- but the location we chose also came with added distractions- a cat and a million ducks!! We could hardly get Hallee, Jadyn and Colt to look at the camera- let alone at the same time. But after some serious work by Kelsey we ended up with a few cute ones. Here they are in no particular order.

Big BIG News

2008-11-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

For any of our friends and family who don't already know- Jason was hired on at Idaho Central Credit Union as a manager and we are moving back to Pocatello!! This new job is an answer to our prayers and we are so excited for the opportunity and potential for Jason but I am so sad to leave our new house, our friends and family, our ward, the shopping, the great weather..... Jason starts on Monday, November 10th, and he will commute to Pocatello and stay with my parents each week until our house sells (which is hopefully soon so if anyone knows of someone looking for a darn cute house in Nampa- send them my way). We are looking forward to see more of my family, to make new friends, to build a new house, and to have many new experiences back in my home town! :0)

Like 3 Bugs in a Rug

2008-11-03T06:42:00.000-08:00

On Halloween I dressed all my kids up as the cutest bunch of little bugs!

Hallee- the most beautiful butterfly!

Jadyn- The little lady bug!

Colt- the not so itsy bitsy spider!

The girls did a trunk or treat on the 30th with their cousins Kylie, Kenadee, and Ambree. And then on Halloween we went down town Nampa trick or treating in the afternoon, had the Leavitt family over for homeade pizza and chicken wings, and then went to our old ward's trunk or treat. It was a busy day but we had a great time. Hallee and Jadyn are already trying to figure out their costumes for next year!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Anniversary

2008-11-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

On November 2nd- Jason and I had our 6th anniversary!! We actually celebrated the night before with dinner at Brick 29 and then we rented 'Made of Honor.' Nothing to fancy but a night with your sweetheart is always fun (especially when you can ditch the kids for a while). I am so grateful that Jason married me. He is a WONDERFUL husband and father. These 6 years have flown by. We have graduated college, had 3 kids, 1 dog, built 2 houses, and now we are on our 3 job. Life can be crazy but I am so glad to share it with Jason and always have him by my side.

Lessons Learned

2008-10-28T07:13:00.001-07:00

On Saturday after my 'crap fair' I ran to Albertsons to get the great deals of the week. When I was in the self check out line, Hallee asked me if she could have a little pink poodle. I told her we weren't buying toys and to put it back where she got it. You probably already know where this story is going- but here it goes. I loaded up the car with groceries, loaded up the kids, and drove home. When we arrived, the girls went inside while I was unloading. I walked in the house and saw a pink poodle and Hallee sprint for the stairs. I was shocked!!

(the culprit)

Hallee had ripped off the tags so we would have to keep it. Little did she know that would not be the case. I sent her to her room while I could finish unloading and cool down a little before we had a serious talk about stealing and being honest. Hallee cried and felt bad- but she said some really funny things: Mom, "How did you get that home?" Hallee, "I sneaked it in my coat. Nobody even saw me! (with a smile)" Mom, "We can't take things that aren't ours." Hallee, "But I did ask first." When Jason got home that night, he took her back to the store. Hallee apologized and gave the pink poodle back. Hopefully, this will be the first and last time we have to teach that lesson.

A BUST!!

2008-10-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had our first craft bazaar for our new vinyl business. We sat there for 2 days and didn't sell one thing!! :( I still can't believe it. We had good products, good prices, but NO GOOD CUSTOMERS! It was ridiculous. One lady asked us what vinyl even was! (It was at a church in Eagle and we think only their congregation and old people attended.)

(a picture of a magnet board I made)

We are going to try again at another craft fair in Nampa (Nov. 7 & 8- mark your calendars) to sale everything we made and make all the hours and work worth it. But- if you have seen anything cute or know any great vinyl ideas we can make between now and then- let me know.

Crash

2008-10-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning (the day we were getting family pictures!!), Colt fell down the stairs. All the way from the top to the bottom. We don't know exactly what happened but Jason tried to catch him before he hit the bottom and saw him doing backflips down the stairs before landing on his back on the hardwood floor. It was so scary! At first we were looking for blood, then broken bones, then for signs of a concussion but all Colt just ended up with a few bumps on the head (luckily). This is a picture of the worst one.

Jason thinks that we should call Colt 'Crash' as a nickname since you can't shorten his own name and since he is always bonking or falling or something! I guess that is what you get with a little boy. Colt has not been afraid of climbing back up the stairs though. Now I am really just trying to teach him to find a safeway back down. :0)

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

Since Hallee was a baby, we have went out to a pumpkin patch and let the kids pick pumpkins for Halloween. My only rule is that they have to be able to carry whatever pumpkin they pick (except for Colt of course). This year we went to Linder Farms. Here are some of the pics.

Jason holding Colt for about the first 30 minutes of our trip.

Me and the kids checking out the new petting zoo. The horse is eating my hair!!

The girls feeding the horse. This one prefers food.

Hallee and Jadyn on the hayride. Best buddies!

About now my camera ran out of batteries!! So- we missed hunting for the perfect pumpkin, we missed Jadyn in the jumping toys, and we missed Hallee on the cow ride. So later at home I took a picture of the kids with their pumpkins. We had a great time!

Getting Sooo Big

2008-10-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Colt is getting bigger everyday. He has started saying dada and he loves to make noise. He pounds on EVERYTHING and is finding his voice in the worst places (like church). Colt surprises me how fast he can get somewhere- especially up the stairs. This past week, I took him in to get a vaccination he missed and he weighed in at 21 lbs. 5 oz. He is heavy!! I don't know where he ranks on the charts but believe me when I say he will make your arms and back tired! Next thing I know he will be walking!! AAHH!

Only in Pocatello

2008-10-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Both days we woke up in Pocatello for Faith's baptism the ground was covered in snow! Sunday morning had about 4". Hallee and Jadyn were heartbroken that I hadn't packed their hats, gloves, snow pants and boots. They wanted to build a snowman and play in the snow. But when we got back to Nampa, we didn't even have an ounce of snow (it was actually 52 degrees). So- I thought I would post a picture of last winter so even though we can't play in our own snow we can still enjoy the memories until we get OUR first snow (I don't want it until Christmas Eve!).

What's New....

2008-10-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I updated my blog. Jason headed out to Tampa, Florida to earn some extra money. He worked for ServicePro (pest control) for only 2 weeks but he did awesome! We are so thankful for him and the hardwork and sacrifices he makes for our family! We love you Jason!

When Jason headed out to Florida we headed out to Pocatello. We stayed about a week with Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Kelly. It was nice to have some help and the girls (and Colt) just love their grandparents (and their cousins and aunts and uncles too). We had alot of fun seeing everyone and getting spoiled! :0)

Hallee, Colt and Jadyn with Grandma Cindy.

Did I Say 1 Haircut?

2008-09-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Before

After

Hallee has been asking me for a haircut for weeks but I wanted to get her 4 year old pictures done before I chopped it off. Well, we got pictures last week and so she has really been wanting a short haircut to her shoulders (that's what she told me). I took about 3 inches off and she loves it! Hallee went straight to her room and put on a princess dress when we were done. Jadyn saw the whole thing and thought she would get in on the action too. I gave her a little trim. She was so excited but so wiggly the whole time. I'm hoping the cut is straight but it is a good thing her hair is curly!

Can't You Tell?!?

2008-09-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

We just gave Colt his first haircut. The first picture is the before and the second picture is the after. If you can't tell, he really needed a haircut. :) Actually, none of my kids seem to get the 'lots of hair gene' but Colt had about 20 hairs that were 2 inches long growing down the center of his head. So, Jason took the clippers and gave Colt a 3 on top and a 2 around the sides and back. Jason said he also had a mullet in the back that we had to clean up. You can see all the hair we cut in the sink. It wasn't much but it was really fun giving our little boy his very first haircut. (Look how happy that handsome boy is!)

What about Jadyn?

2008-09-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

I noticed that I haven't written anything about Jadyn thus far so I thought I would. Jadyn is the most strong willed kid I know. She is so smart and she is her dad's best buddy. If you see Jadyn, she is probably wearing basketball clothes because she says she is a basketball player (which Jason and I would both love). On Saturday night we were taking a bath to get ready for Garth's blessing and I asked whose church we were going to the next day nd she replied, "Heavenly Father's Church." It was so cute.

Look at what I can do....

2008-09-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Just another update on Colt. Just in the last week or so Colt has cut in another tooth (now he has 5), he has started pulling up on things and walking the furniture, and (my favorite thing of all) he can say MAMA!!! It is always a race between Jason and I to see whose name he will say first and- I win!! He is so ambitious and growing up so fast! I think I have finally decided Colt's eyes are brown, like mine, so that makes me happy too! We love this little guy so much! (The first picture is Colt trying to master the stairs- he has climbed up 3 so far before being busted and the next picture is my first vinyl creation on our new machine.)

Two Wheels

2008-08-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, we have another big milestone in our family. Hallee can ride a bike with no training wheels! She is still a little topsy turvy, but she does great. Within a week she will be cruising (and then Jason and I can get a rest from spotting her up and down the street)! Hallee just turned 4 this month and it is amazing to see her learn new things!

The House

2008-08-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

It has been requested that I post pictures of my house to my blog. Jason oversaw the building of our house and we moved in the last week in April so we have been here about 4 months. We are still working on a few projects and I still have a lot of decorating to do (like curtains!!) but we love it here. I did not include pictures of the garage, laundry room, bathrooms (besides the master bath), playroom, office, entry, or back padio and backyard. So, if you want to see the rest, come and see us!

These are my 2 princesses in front of our stair rail upstairs.

Colt can CRAWL!

2008-08-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. Colt is on the move! He has been my most ambitious kid yet. I'm not even sure how it happened. One day he was rolling himself across the room and the next thing I know he is crawling- a full on crawl. I didn't want him to crawl this early (7 1/2 months) because I think every mother realizes once a baby gets moving, they never stop and they just get into trouble. But on the bright side, Colt is getting so much happier now that he can get himself where he wants to go and I love that. My baby is growing up too fast!