Merry Christmas

Halloween 2009

I'll start off with a picture of Wyatt sitting up like a big boy. He does pretty good with pillows all around him but only lasts a few minutes before tipping over. For some odd reason, blogger won't let me rearrange the pictures so all of them will be a little jumbled.....

A family picture with dad, kids and grandkids

My brother made it in on Thursday night so we headed to Roseburg on Friday for the weekend. He hadn't met Wyatt so it was nice that he got to come visit.

Uncle Patrick and Wyatt Patrick....

On Saturday, we had everyone over to my mom's to celebrate me and Patrick's bday (a little late) My mom got us an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen (yum) and made a steak dinner..... it was also yummy....thanks mom! And then it was time to get the kids dressed up and head out to the Wildlife Safari .......

Porter as Superman.....

Zoey (the fairy) and Superman

A pic of Meme and Porter (don't they look alike?)

Meme with her grandkids

They had Wildlife Safari all decorated for Halloween, it was really neat. They had cookies for the kids to decorate with frosting and sprinkles..... Zoey and Porter decorating theirs...

They had a new cougar exhibit...it was getting dark when I took the picture and after I took it, I couldn't believe how the eyes looked, it turned out so incredible.....

We stayed about an hour and then headed home. Once we got home, we got the kids changed so we could go stay the night with my sister and Zoey in their new house. It turned out so great, but like a dummy, I forgot to take any pictures. I'll have to take some next time. (plus I was a little preoccupied being as I was backing out of my mom's driveway and hit a car parked across the street....oops!)

A few more pictures of Halloween....

Zoey and Uncle Patrick

Penny and Zoey

And then on Sunday, we celebrated Zoey's 4th Birthday. I cannot believe she is already 4 years old, it seems like only yesterday she was born. A few pictures from her celebration.....

Zoey blowing out the candles

Zoey with her beautiful fairy barbie cake

The birthday girl in her beautiful birthday dress

Patrick and I got up on Monday morning and headed home so he could catch his plane at 1:30. We had a great visit and the boys and Zoey just love seeing him. I think he's coming home again for Thanksgiving (yahoo!) which I can't believe is only a few weeks away.

Not much going on this week. Same old story, doing laundry, cleaning house.... loads of fun for me. We are heading over to one of the rentals this weekend to clean and paint, lots more fun for us.

Everyone take care and have a great weekend!

Great visit in Montana!

We had a great time in Montana - it was a long drive but definitely worth it. We took off on Thursday and drove 1/2 way to Spokane and then finished on Friday morning. All together it was a 12 hour drive each way but the boys did extremely well considering. Thanks again to Clint and Tanya for having us - it was great to see you!! We were so excited to meet little Dane too, he and Porter had a great time playing. We were able to hang out on Friday afternoon and Saturday just visiting. Then on Sunday, the boys and Tanya headed out to do some hunting. Tanya got a buck and Clint got a doe so it was a great day. A picture of the deer...

(I'm having some trouble moving the pictures around so it will be a little jumbled)

Porter and Dane playing

Nana with her boys

a picture of all the Houston men Nana and Grandpa with all their boys

We headed out Sunday afternoon and drove to Spokane, stayed the night and headed home Monday morning. It was definitely good to be home and out of the car. The last 2 days have been catching up on laundry and housework for me (fun, fun!)

My brother flies into Redmond late tomorrow night so we are headed over to Roseburg on Friday to visit. We are going to go trick-or-treating on Saturday and probably have a party for Zoey, her 4th birthday is on Sunday. I'm sure the boys will not like going into their car seat again, but luckily the trip only takes 3 hours. I'll be sure to leave at naptime....LOL.

That's about it I guess. Everyone take care and have a great rest of the week!

Wyatt the big chunk!

So here it is - my once monthly post.....that is what I'm averaging lately anyway. I have the best intentions on doing it every other day or at leat once a week but obviously I'm gonna have to try harder....LOL.

So Wyatt had his 4 month check up today, yes...I know, I can't believe he's 4 months already (in a few days technically) He weighed 15lbs 5oz and is 25 and 3/4" long. He did so well with the shots, cried when they poked him but within a minute he was fine. I was ready to start bawling along with him (I hate shots!) but he took them like a champ.

So, now the thing is to remember what has gone on in the last month. My sister and Zoey came for a visit a few weekends ago and we had a blast. We took the kids out to the pumpkin patch and it was so neat. It's a farm that has a huge pumpkin patch that you can pick out your own pumpkin, a big corn maze that you go through, train rides and pony rides.

Here is Porter and Zoey ready to take everything in....

Porter and Zoey went on the pony ride. This was Porter's 1st time on a pony and he thought it was pretty darn cool, he looked like such a big boy strapped to the saddle.

What should have been an hour or two venture turned into pretty much an all day ordeal. On our way out there, Porter and Zoey both fell asleep so when we pulled in, we let them sleep and I unloaded the strollers, got everything unloaded into the strollers so we would be ready to go once they woke up. Well, Porter woke up with a blowout but luckily I had a onesie and shorts in the diaper bag so we got him all changed. Zoey woke up and peed in her pants....well, we didn't have a change of clothes for her so we made a run to Walmart supercenter in Redmond, got her a change of clothes and got back to the pumpkin patch only to find that Porter had once again blown out his britches. Luckily, I had another pair of sweats and my sister had bought him an extra tshirt also...... so we got them both changed and loaded and then we were off.....FINALLY!

After the pony ride, we went on the train ride. It was big tractor that pulled little cars that had safari animals on them. Here is Zoey on the train....

Penny and Zoey

and after the last photo, my camera battery died so no more pictures. They got out of town pretty late since it took us so long but it was worth it.

On Sunday the 3rd, we woke up to 4-5 inches of snow.....I know, crazy! It stuck around for a day or so but none since.

Last Monday, my bestest friend Rhonda came to visit for the week from Arizona. She was not too pleased to learn that we had snow being as it was 86 when she left. It did get into the high 60's while she was here so I told her that was all she was getting. We had such a nice visit, I miss her already. We were able to go out for drinks with our girlfriend Wendy on Tuesday night for my b-day so it was nice to be among girlfriends. It was a nice treat so thank you girls! I made her walk the butte with me and was cursing me under her breath the whole time (you know you were Rhonda!) We did go to the park so Porter could feed the ducks. He had such a great time, he just thinks that is the greatest thing.

I hated to Rhonda leave on Friday but she had to get back to her husband and kids and her mother-in-law that is visiting them. Come back and see us soon!

Sam is headed to the coast this weekend to go crabbing. Hopefully the weather won't be too crappy but according to the weather report....rain, rain and more rain. And then next week we are headed out to Montana to visit with Clint, Tanya and Dane. We are SO very excited to see them and for Porter and Dane to finally meet and play together. I'm sure they will have so much fun. Lee and Sheri will be there at the same time so it will be a family get together. We are going to try and leave after Sam gets off work and drive halfway , stay in a hotel and then finish the drive on Friday. It's a total of 15 hours so we thought we'll try and split it up on the way there and see how it goes on the way back.

That's about it for us. I'll leave off with a few misc. pictures of the boys.


It's getting harder and harder for me to get Porter to sit still for a picture of him and Wyatt together....little turkey. This is as good as it gets.

and one last one of Sam and his boys. (he hardly ever lets me take a picture so this is one for the books to keep forever!) As you will see, Porter is saying "cheeeeese" ha ha

Everyone take care and have a great rest of the week!

Yes, we're still alive!

Ok, so now I'm REALLY a slacker with keeping up the blog. It just takes so long sometimes that I don't have the patience to sit here while everything uploads and most of the time I check email and that's about it......that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

We are all doing well. Wyatt is 3 months already, I can't believe it. He's so much more aware now and just talks up a storm. (I have a video that I will try and post later but since I'm posting now that may be too much for 1 day...LOL) Porter is doing pretty good - he sometimes gives him kisses or just lays right on top of him (see picture)

but other times when he is told no for doing something he shouldn't, he takes it out on Wyatt and just goes right over and wops him.....we are working on "no hitting" Most of the time Porter doesn't care if he's in timeout, he just sits in his chair with his hands folded in his lap like "this is all you got?" Little stinker..... I put sunscreen on him one day and decided to give him a mohawk....a little hard to see since his hair is the same color as the leather chair.....

A picture of my boys together....I got Porter to cooperate for a few minutes and put Wyatt between his legs....

I started giving Wyatt a little baby oatmeal mixed with breast milk in the mornings.....he hasn't quite figured out the whole swallowing thing, he ends up with more on his face but we are working on it.

Porter also loves to have his picture taken so he says "cheese" when I'm taking the picture

and now some of my baby smiling.....I forgot how the little smiles just melt my heart...

and my favorite I took yesterday

and now the last one....and from the look on his face he is saying the same thing.

We did get in a trip to Roseburg, my aunt JoAnn was visiting from South Carolina but like last time, time just flew by and we weren't able to visit with everyone we wanted but we may be over in the next couple of weeks to help my sister move into her new house. They are almost finished remodeling, Woo Hoo!!! Happy Birthday to my sister today, we love you Auntie P!!!!

well it's lunchtime in our house so I will sign off for now. I will try and post the video. I also am looking forward to catching up on everyone's blog so I will commenting up a storm!

Time flying by....

Well, I have to say I'm not much of a blogger these days....seems one day turns into the next and so on and 2 weeks goes by without even realizing it. Oh well, I'll just do what I can.

So last week Porter, Wyatt and I headed out to Prineville for the Crook County Fair. We had such a GREAT time! It's such a neat fair and it's free. Porter got to pet some pigs, goats, horses, rabbits, chickens, roosters, and sheep. He also got to decorate his own big cookie and ride in some litle cars. The weather was a little cold but it was a great day. Porter had a good time with Nana and Grandpa but it couldn't be because they spoil him or anything....LOL.

Porter and Grandpa checking out the goats




Porter and Nana petting the horse
Porter and mommy checking out the sheep
on Friday Lisa headed over to visit. Porter just loves her (all kids love her though, that's no surprise) He had a great time with her, she just played and played with him, he was sorry to see her go.

Porter and his girlfriend

In his cute Hawaiian shirt.... A picture Lisa got of Porter giving Wyatt kisses.....

A good one Lisa got of me and Wyatt....


We had a great time at our bbq, saw a lot of old co-workers we hadn't seen in a long time especially Shari and Marilyn.....it was great to see you!!!!!!


On Monday, my dad arrived in Sunriver for the week so we headed out there for dinner. My Aunt Kathy, Bill and daughter Taylor are also staying out there so Porter got to go hot tubbing for the 1st time. He really loved it but the mosquitoes ate everyone alive. They are so bad this year.

Bill, Kathi and Taylor
Then last night my sister and Zoey got here. We all went to the High Desert Museum today and had a good time. Porter really liked the turtle swimming in the tank.
Me, Porter, Wyatt, Grandpa Laren and Auntie P

Miss Zoey


Wyatt is now 8 weeks old - which is crazy, doesn't seem like that many weeks have gone by. He has started smiling which is so darn cute! I forgot all the little things that just make my heart melt like that 1st smile.....so much fun.

Cute Wyatt feet


That's it for now. Off to enjoy some time with my sister and Zoey....and of course we'll have to squeeze in some shopping....LOL.
Everyone have a great weekend!