Science Fair Winners!

Brayton and Ethan did really well at the science fair this week! Brayton got a 1st place ribbon for 5th grade and Ethan got a 1st place ribbon for 4th grade. And the most important thing is that they learned something, right? Brayton learned that your pinewood derby car will go faster if the weight is placed in the middle of the car - as opposed to the front or back - and Ethan learned that some fruits will make it so your jello will not set up - kiwi and fresh pineapple to name a couple. They really did most of the work with some help from Shawn and I. Thanks to Grandpa for the display cases.

Brayton turns 11

The day after Orion's baptism Brayton turned 11! He was lucky to still have a bunch of family here to celebrate with. He loved getting an MP3 player! He has grown up so much this year.

a few more

Here are a few more baptism pictures. Orion with his grandparents, Orion (trying not to be grumpy, but still looking grumpy) with his siblings, Meri holding our brand new nephew Asher - he was so fun to hold and so beautiful!, and Orion having sundaes with cousins after the baptism.

Our little guy is not so little anymore!

A few weeks ago Orion turned 8 years old. Sometimes it's just so hard to believe how big your kids are getting. He had a great time doing the pine wood derby this year with Brayton and Ethan. He planned out his car all himself and had several drawings of it lying around the house. It will be a night I will always remember - seeing our 3 boys racing their cars all wearing their cub scout shirts together. Last weekend Orion got baptized along with his 2 buddies Jack and Jake. A bunch of our family came which made it really special. Thank you so much to all who made such an effort to come. It really made it special for him. He loved having all his grandparents and a bunch of cousins and Aunts and Uncles around to be with him. Something I'll remember about his baptism is those silly water pipes groaning and the little kids (mainly Jessi) giggling during the baptisms. And right before the baptism started I tried taking pictures of our 5 kids together. Jessi accidentally stepped on Orion's foot right before the picture and so he stomped on hers much harder than she had on his. So her tears started and Orion's face remained grumpy. Here's the best picture we could get. Anyway, it was a day to remember.

Alcatraz

While we were in San Ramon we took a trip out to Alcatraz with Josh and Sarah. None of us had been there before except Shawn when he was in 1st grade. So it was quite an interesting experience. It was kind of a somber, creepy place to visit, but very interesting to see. The kids loved the ferry and I loved the view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the island.

Uncle Max the dog trainer

The funniest thing about our New Years trip was 5 little girls playing doggies - Meri, Jessi, Mady, Andy, and Jaidyn. Uncle Max was the trainer. They ate out of a doggy bowl, they begged, and they rolled over, and they loved it!

New Years

After our trip to Oregon we headed back down to San Ramon for New Years to be with all the Teares. Everyone was there and we had a blast. A few highlights were all the Teare boys computing - it's what they love to do! Hanging out with Uncle Josh, Grandpa's donuts - always a huge hit, and cousins, cousins, cousins! There are 15 all together now!

Our tall boy

During our trip to Oregon we realized that Brayton is now as tall as my two little sisters Jandi and Tess! Can you believe?

Baird reunion

The day after Christmas we set out for Portland to gather with all the Bairds. I LOVED seeing all my family. We were all there and it made me so happy. We even got to be there for our newest nephew's blessing - Jandi and Kenny's little Myles. He is so adorable, I couldn't hold him enough. The kids had a grand time with all their cousins. There are 17 grandkids in all now. Below is a picture of all of them, Jandi and Kenny and Myles, My mom with our nephew Kurt, and my sister Tess with Meri, Jess, and neice Lauren.

Our Nativity

Some of my favorite pictures from when I was a kid is our live nativity we did almost every year. Here's a few of ours this year. Jessi was the angel, Meri - a sheperd, the boys - the wisemen. Shawn was Joseph and me, Mary. Needless to say I was not up for a picture of me being "great with child".

Secret Santas

Christmas

Okay, so our pictures are finally working again and it's Sunday afternoon - a pretty mellow time here. So I just wanted to put a few pictures on of what we've been up to.

My favorite thing about Christmas this year was the kids "gifts of love". In the past they usually draw a name and buy a gift for that sibling, but this year thanks to my sister Krystal doing this, we decided to make the gift instead. We decided that they would open their "secret Santa" gifts on Christmas Eve. I really wanted them to appreciate them and not get overlooked on Christmas morning. I really loved it. It gave me that wonderful warm fuzzy Christmas spirit feeling to see them open their gifts and appreciate what their sibling had taken the time to make for them. Brayton painted a little doll house for Jessi and picked out some little animals to go inside it, Jessi painted a box for Meri and picked out horses to go in it. Ethan gave Orion his drawing of a storm trooper that took him a really long time to draw. It was his favorite drawing - Orion knew this and felt really special that Ethan gave it to him. Orion (it was his idea) made a periscope with Shawn for Brayton which Brayt loved. And Meri painted a picture of Yoda and R2D2 for Ethan. It really was my favorite Christmas moment this year. We'll definitely do the gift making again in years to come.

Snow Day!

As you can see we haven't posted in awhile. Partly because our computer is having trouble and we can't get to our photos easily and partly because I've been konked out on the couch as soon as the kids are in bed. But our lives continue to be lively. Over Christmas and New Years we got to see all the Bairds and all the Teares. I'm so grateful to have such a fun family and that my kids adore their cousins. It's whole lot of fun and a whole lot of people when we all get together. We got to go out to Alcatraz while we were visiting in San Ramon. We went with Josh and Sarah. It was so interesting and a bit creepy to think of all the stuff that went on there. We took a picture of the kids in one of the solitary confinement cells. Maybe we'll use it for our Christmas card next year. :)

In January Orion turned 8 and he just got baptized this past Saturday. It is just pure joy to see your child standing in the baptismal font - a precious moment. He is a ball of energy and emotions and sweetness. I just love him so much and I'm so happy he came to us. It was so nice that a lot of our family and some friends came to be with Orion on his special day. Thanks so much to everyone who came. We just love having you all around.

Also in January our cub scout pack had it's pine wood derby. It was one to remember. It was Orion's first derby, Ethan's 2nd, Brayton's last. For 2 weeks they were cub scouts together. I felt kind of teary watching all 3 of our boys get excited over the races and seeing them build their cars with Shawn. All three cars really held their own this year and Ethan's got 3rd place! It was a pine wood derby to be remembered.

Yesterday Brayton turned 11. Is it really possible that we have an 11 year old? How can this be? Where have the years gone? It's hard to believe that Brayton has been with us almost as long as we have been married. I'm so glad he came to us. Our family was still here (from Orion's baptism) when we had cake after church and he loved having a bunch of cousins and family to celebrate with.

And finally, today. It was supposed to be the science fair at school so we got the boys projects all finished up last night and then it snow like crazy last night. So school was cancelled today and will likely be tomorrow as it is still coming down. So it has been a day of sledding, hot chocolate, snow cones, and naps for me. Shawn even got to come home early and took a nap too. It was such a nice lazy day.

8 weeks til baby.