The Greatest Kid in the Nation!

I have to tell you, Thobe is so much fun right now. He is so sweet and smart and just amazing. I love all the progress that he's made at school. He struggles a little with fine motor stuff, but he has no idea that he does. He loves to draw and write and color. Thobe's doing a great job with reading, and he LOVES math!!! The most amazing thing about Thobe is his ability to make connections that most kids his age don't make. When we were out in Utah and went to buy a birthday present for his cousin, he saw a magazine that talked about The Biggest Loser. He said, "Oh look, Mom, the Biggest Loser" (can you tell what I do on Tuesday night?). He then said, "Hey, Mom. Have you ever heard of the Smallest Winner," and then he chuckled softly to himself. Also while we were at the store and were looking for cards, I asked if he'd like to give James a card that said "For the greatest kid in the nation." He said he'd like to get that for him. I put the card in the cart, and Thobe asked, "Uh, Mom? Am I the second greatest kid in the nation?" I assured him that he was actually the greatest kid in the nation, so the Thobe said, "Oh, so it's from the greatest kid in the nation, right, Mom?"

He was really silly when my mom and dad were here. He often spent time quizzing my grandpa on which letter different words started with and gave him simple addition problems. One time, he said softly, "Grandpa, what does is start with?" My dad didn't hear what he said or thought he said something else, so he answered that it started with an s. Thobe promptly corrected him and responded, "Uh no, Grandpa, it starts with I." Thobe has some pretty strong gender stereotypes. One night we went out to dinner and Michael and my dad rode in Michael's car. Last minute, Alden jumped in with them, they drove away. Thobe was the most out of control I've ever seen him. "I don't want ride with the women," he hollered. "I want to ride with the MEN!!!!" He also teased my mom a lot by telling her that he only loved her a little bit but that he loved my dad a lot. I think my mom saw really how much he loved her when they were getting ready to go into the airport, and Thobe said in a sad, quiet voice, "Grandma it's sad when family you love has to leave, huh?" It still breaks my heart when I think about him saying that.

Thobe's had so much fun in school preparing for Thanks- giving. He talks incessantly about the Thanksgiving feast that his class had. He also tells us a lot about the Pilgrims. The day before Thanksgiving, Alden said, "Thobe what do you want to be when you grow up. I want to be a lawyer." Thobe thought for a minute and then said, "I want to be a Pilgrim." I hope that Thobe has the same courage and righteous faith that the Pilgrims had. What a great kid!

Happy Birthday to Hyrum & All Sorts of Fun

Good Gravy Cakes!!!! I am so behind!!! We have had a very eventful last couple months. We celebrated my nephew Davin's 8th Birthday and Halloween in Utah where we got to see Davin baptized. The day after we got home, we celebrated Hyrum's third birthday (I can't believe he's three). The next day, my mom and dad came and stayed with us for a very fast and wonderful week. Then before I could even blink my eyes we celebrated Thanksgiving with Michael's mom, dad, grandpa and grandma, and Bob and Kathy Deck, and Seana Beavers. It's been crazy!!!

Our trip to Utah was great! We flew out Wednesday night and flew a red eye back Saturday night, but in that short time, we were able to do a ton of things! We got in to Enterprise at 4:00 a.m. our time, so we spent much of Thursday catching up on our sleep and just spending time with my mom and dad. Diane threw a birthday party for Davin and James on Friday that my boys got to go to. It was such a special treat for them to actually get to go to their cousins' birthday party. Diane put together a carnival for the boys that was really something else. Later that night we had a family birthday party for Davin, which again, was a very special treat because we usually don't get to go to those types of things. The greatest part of our trip was seeing Davin get baptized. It was really wonderful to be a part of that special time for him. He's such a great boy. We all love him so much. Alden thinks Davin is the greatest thing in the whole world!!! Michael and I were able to run to the temple with John and Lindsay after the luncheon and get home in time to get the boys ready for trick or treating. By the way, Alden is Buba Fett, Thobe is Jengo Fett, Hyrum is Spiderman, and Jacob is the pumpkin in the picture. Michael went out with them, while I stayed behind and got us packed, and then we left for the Las Vegas airport. Thobe ate his Halloween chocolate the two hour trip there and filthy when we arrived.  It was an eventful day with an very easy red eye flight home. The boys were terrific!

After going to church in Toledo, we went home and got ready for Hyrum's birthday. On Monday, November 2, 2009, our little Hyrum turned 3. It isn't quite as much as he says that he is (if you ask Hyrum how old he is he'll usually tell you 5). It's hard to believe that he's three years old already. He's certainly been our most mischievous boy, but he's also so much fun. Hyrum is so charismatic. He really knows how to wrap himself around anyone's heart. I love how loving and sweet and funny he is. He especially loves each one of his brothers and is a big help to me with Jacob. I really am so thankful to have Hyrum and am really grateful that he survived to be three years old. There have seriously been days that I have wondered if he would make it. The night of Hyrum's birthday, we met the Burke's at Hyrum's Chuck E. Cheese. Hyrum loves that place!!! We had a wonderful time where we had a birthday cake and opened presents. It was terrific!

The next day Michael's dad generously drove to Detroit to pick up my mom and dad. Then they stopped in Toledo and picked up Chris, and the four of them came down to celebrate Hyrum's birthday. We had a nice time. Then, my mom and dad stayed the next week with us, and I loved every minute of it. The only people that I think might have loved it more than I did was Hyrum and Jacob. My dad and Jacob were best pals. Jacob loved the constant attention and cuddling. My dad was constantly playing with little Jake and cuddling him in his arms. Hyrum was my mom's shadow. They were constantly laughing and playing together. Hyrum kept a constant tab on his Grandma. If he didn't see her, he'd say, "Grandma, where are you?" He also kept my dad busy too. He asked my dad to turn on a movie or something, and my dad didn't know how to do it. Hyrum said to him, "Yes, you can, Grandpa. Yes you can!!!" We were able to go to Alden and Thobe's school and have lunch with them and we just really had a great time. I always feel bad when I don't take my parents anywhere fun when they come to visit me, but I think they had a nice time anyway. My dad did a lot of projects around my house, like he always does, and my mom made some yummy things to eat, like she always does. We just had a great time! I was so sad when they had to go, but Hyrum was even sadder. He cried and cried and cried when they got out of the van to leave. It nearly broke my heart in two. When we started to drive away, Jacob said, "Uh oh." I think he anticipated not having Grandpa's constant attention.

Last Thursday we celebrated Thanks-giving. We had such a wonderful day! It really made me reflect on all that I'm thankful for. There are really so many things, but I want to highlight a few of them here. I'm so thankful for my wonderful and loving family and that I have four wonderful boys and an incredible husband. I love them all so much. I'm thankful for my warm home, for plenty of food, for so many modern conveniences in life. I'm thankful for good friends, for this beautiful Earth, and that I live in the United States of America. I'm especially thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ that made it possible for me to be forgiven of my sins that I can someday inherit eternal life. I'm grateful that he restored his Gospel to the Earth and that I have knowledge of this. I'm so thankful that through Christ I can be with my family forever. What a wonderful, peaceful truth! I really have so much for which I am grateful.