Random February

With the kids back in school, I've been getting caught up on all sorts of projects- naptime is prime time to get stuff done!!  I'm also getting back to work a few days a month too- my nurse manager had given me a leave of absence for 6 weeks at the beginning of the year to help me catch my breath!

Bryson went out on a couple of dates- an escape room blind date with a friend of Bekah's:

Afterwards they made homemade Mac n Cheese.

He also went up skiing with a friend from Silverwood:

Jace decided to eat dessert in Tyler's high chair one night... 

Hailee's bedroom got a makeover!

The areas at the top and bottom that are now grey used to be a lavender color- it's what she wanted when we moved in and was adorable with her bedding, but that has long since been ruined retired.  Amazing how a little color change completely calms the room down.

He's Officially a Teenager!

Here comes the teenage years!  Eli (as always) was so excited for his birthday, especially since this year it fell on Presidents Day Weekend- he loves getting a 3 day weekend for his birthday!  He requested the usual: French toast with heavenly syrup and eggs (with cheese... he likes cheese in scrambled eggs...):

Nathan had a special surprise for Eli that he'd worked on for a couple of weeks:

An official EI Gilton commemorative poster! Oh my goodness, we all died laughing! And Eli wants the record to show that EI Gilton is NOT spelled with a 'U'... it's not Guilton. I'm SO sorry I didn't know how to spell a made up persons made up name! Sheesh!

We had the fam over for a birthday dinner and cake:

Eli is such a sweet boy. How it warms this mamas heart to see how much he loves his baby brother. I mean, he loves all of his siblings, and really 'plays' well with all of them, but he just adores Tyler. Eli loves sports, reading, video games and being social. He asks more than anyone if we can have people over for dinner on Sundays... well, Jace asks a lot too, so maybe it's a tie. Eli is a snacker like his Daddy! He is constantly in the pantry sneaking something, most likely something sugary, often a handful of cereal- stinker! He's a great helper and usually has a good attitude about what he's asked to do (he's usually got a good attitude in general), even if he does get sidetracked and doesn't finish it without reminders. He is not a risk taker, doesn't like rollercoasters or things that could be physically dangerous at ALL. He just mostly doesn't like feeling uncomfortable, whether it's public speaking or doing something he's unfamiliar with- and that's always been surprising to me because he has such a big, fun-loving, outgoing personality.

Eli at 13-

Favorite color: Blue
Favorite restaurant: D'Lish
Favorite food: Mashed Potatoes
Favorite drink: Canada Dry Ginger Ale
Favorite thing to do: Play with my siblings and friends
Best friend: Joe Bessire, Carter Munck and Jackson Smith
Favorite movie: Avengers Endgame
Favorite TV show: The Mandalorian
Favorite toy: The new computer
**Favorite video game: Animal Crossing on the Switch
Favorite animal: A dog, but you won't let me get one!
Favorite book: It's a 6-way series tie- Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, Rangers Apprentice, Harry Potter and Michael Vey (he likes to read!)
What he wants to be when he grows up: An Engineer

**yes, I've added a new question to the list this year: "favorite video game".... I mean, they love technology more than pretty much anything on the list, so...

He's Walking!

He's been toying with the idea of walking for quite a while, and finally mustered the courage and coordination tonight!

And he fell down, but it's the start!

Buddies

Tyler is just about the luckiest baby ever- he has so many buddies that love playing with him!

Eli still constantly tries to steal Tyler when anyone else is playing with him:

The way that they narrate what Tyler is thinking and make up games for him is hilarious- totally keeps us laughing all the time.

11 Months Old!

I can't believe it's almost been a year!

He is so fun and active and just a delight!  He is an endless source of entertainment for all of us!

First haircut!

He did NOT enjoy it.  It's so hard to get an even cut with a moving target!

Handsome boy standing all by himself!

Can you say teething?

Gross.

First bath in the big tub:

Mmmm, green smoothies!

He loves these little fruit and vegetable pouches- and loves to hold them himself, which generally makes a huge mess.

He loves playing peek-a-boo, crawls or cruises everywhere, is an expert at 're-organizing' my cupboards and cabinets and is sooooooo close to walking!  He babbles with 'ba ba ba baaaaa' all the time, especially when he's in his high chair when we're all eating dinner.  I haven't managed to convince him that mobility is overrated... I used to be able to keep the ottoman pushed up against the hearth to block off all the 'tech', ie: the bins with all the remotes and such, but now he climbs right up on the hearth and then backs down to the goodies he wants to get at. *sigh*

Happy Valentines Day!

Tyler's first Valentines Day- he's certainly stolen our hearts!

I think this was the best he's been for pictures in months.

I made the traditional Papa Kelsey's sandwiches for dinner- and of course we had to have the fancy cups!

I love my family!

Overheard

 Jace {whilst drinking root beer}: I can't believe this is made out of roots and it's good!

While Mom is Away...

While I was off galivanting in Arizona and Kentucky, Nathan and the kids went to visit the Phillips family (minus Christi, who was with me in Kentucky!)  The kids all took a hike one day- and I was texted the photographic evidence to prove it!

Cuties!

So while they were there, one night Bob made orange chicken with rice for dinner... Nathan called and for some reason was asking me if 3 cups of rice would be enough... I told him that would be way more than enough because whenever I make rice, however much I make is always too much.  Well, the kids took that on as a challenge, so Bob made the 3 cups and the kids polished it off, just to prove me wrong.  Sheesh!

Surprise Happy Birthday Mom!

Nathan's sister Sarah had the amazing idea a few months ago for all the sisters to fly out to Kentucky to surprise Mom for her birthday- we were all in!!  Of course Tyler came with me- it was his first time flying!!  He was very interested in all of the activity at the airport:

Our flight to Seattle wasn't too bad, but it was short. He was entertained by the view out the window for .02 seconds and then was happy to have his paci and lovey:

He was not so content on the flight from Seattle to Phoenix though... he fell asleep fairly quickly (it was way past his naptime) but woke up 45 minutes before we landed and was MAD!  Ugh, soooo not fun!

We played in Arizona with the Ripperdan's for a day before our flight to Cincinnati- Tyler wanted to go swimming so bad, but the water was freezing!

The next morning at the airport, I texted Nathan's mom "happy birthday" from me and Tyler... 

She had no idea all her daughters were about to descend on her!  Nathan had almost ruined the surprise when he had called her on his way down to Vale to visit the Phillips' and mentioned that Tyler and I weren't with him and the kids, but he recovered and said we just stayed home...  So when I texted Mom to say happy birthday, she asked what I was going to do all weekend... my reply?  "Have the BEST WEEKEND EVER!"

Nathan's dad was in on the surprise and picked Sarah, Laura (who had flown in from Atlanta), Tyler and I up from the airport.  Emily had already driven in from DC, Christi had flown in the day before and surprised mom with Waveney- mom thought that was a surprise... When the rest of us got there, Dad carried Tyler into their house and said to Mom, "Look who I found!!" and Mom (as she does) just started crying- she was surprised and confused and just so overwhelmed with emotion as first I walked in, then Sarah, then Laura.  It was so fun!

We stayed a long weekend and talked and watched movies and played games- it was wonderful but went WAY too fast.  On Sunday night, we sat around and Dad told us all about his experience joining the Church- parts of which his kids had never heard!  It was so neat.

Early, early Monday morning, Emily dropped us off at the airport on her way back to DC.  Tyler did a little better on the airplanes this time, but he's just too busy to have to sit on my lap for hours on end!!

The miniature tray tables on the plane were just perfect for Tyler to perch on!

We got to play in the warm Arizona sun until our flight out the next day- the sunshine felt so good!

Tyler discovered a loose thread on the lovey Mimi made him and it literally entertained him most of the way home!

This busy boy hardly lets me snuggle him anymore- it was so sweet when he'd finally surrender and drift off to sleep.  We had a longer than expected layover in Seattle as our airplane had issues and they had get a different plane for us- but on the flight, the pilot put it into overdrive or something, because we made it to Spokane in 32 minutes!    ALL the kids were at the airport to pick us up- they were definitely more excited to see Tyler than me.

  The next morning, the temperature in the car had me willing to brave the flights with Tyler again to go back to the warm Arizona sun!

It was such a memorable weekend- and really about the first time us sisters and Mom have been all together since Dallin was a baby- so 14 years??  I love my Mom and sisters- they may be mine by marriage, but they're mine all the same!