Clay & Telisa

Another fun, crazy and always too fast trip to utah

2012-01-08T23:00:00.001-06:00

I am never good at picking out just a few pics to recap so here is our scrapbook (again) of birthdays, Christmas and New Year's in Utah!

After surviving the nightmare of a flight with two boys, lots of contractions and throw up (I swear I will never fly with a one year old again), we made it to the Great Salt Lake valley. It was non stop action from there, especially for this little man. Bodie LOOOOOVED playing with his cousins.

Melted my heart to see Treavor's and my boys play in a fort like we used to do.

Bodie always had to be cuddling with Rylee, stalking Cade, asking Grandma Kat to play a superhero game with her, crying because he wanted to be a Beus kid, asking anyone and everyone to play their phone, crying because he wanted to be a Sansom kid, asking when we were going to play with Grace and Jovie, crying because he wanted to go back to Nebraska, asking Grammy to take him to Boondocks, excited because he is a Van Leeuwen, and asking where we are going next. Poor kid.

Tatum, well, he did what he usually does, get into EVERYTHING, give hugs and kisses and than hit you. He sure was excited to see his Dad come to Utah. He wasn't as excited when he had to get his teeth cleaned by him. Either was Bodie until we told him he could play our phones. See the change in attitude?

I was confused for a moment when we ran into our friends from Omaha at Temple Square on Christmas Eve, I couldn't remember where we were. . . it doesn't take much to confuse me these days.

Bodie could hardly wait to put on his new superhero pajamas and cuddle with his new minky blanket.

On Christmas morning, we said good-bye to Bodie when he got his own ipod (Yes, our 3 year old now has an ipod touch. . . thank you Grandma Kat!!).

Christmas with the Van Leeuwens. . . always amazing! Uncle Beau got Bodie a 1000 piece Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle puzzle that he was sooooo excited to put together!

Some more highlights of our trip are:

the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point with Grammy

much needed haircuts for the boys from aunt Tara, more cousin time,

my 28th birthday, the iphone, and a girls day out,

snowboarding (oh wait, there was no snow),

Girls craft night,

a visit with Great Grandpa Harold,

Clays' 30th birthday,

Bodie starting Sunbeams and not stop talking about it for 2 seconds to smile for the camera,

and a day of packing all our wonderful loot to go back to reality.

Thank you to all our family who were so accommodating to our loud and crazy family. As always, the time went WAY too fast and I laughed until I cried.

Gingerbread House Making gone bad

2012-01-08T16:25:00.000-06:00

After going to the Winter Quarters trail center to look at the spectacular gingerbread houses, our boys (ok, Bodie and me) wanted to make some of our own. I should have known that if you put bowls of candy, a train and house made out of graham crackers and frosting in front of a 3 and 1 year old, you would NOT get a gingerbread house but little faces and hands covered with frosting, empty bowls and hyper little boys.

3 pieces of candy ended up on Bodie's (only because I threatened him. . .good mom, I know) and none of Tatum's. As you can tell, Bodie is less than thrilled about the whole decorating thing (bottom left) and getting a kick out of Tatum eating his house (bottom right).

At least we tried. . . right?!?

On a side note, this is what Bodie packed when I said it was time to get ready to go to Utah. . . what else does a boy need?

Besides a good lunch that they fed themselves because mom was too busy packing.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-28T11:42:00.001-06:00

Due to illnesses, we had our own little Thanksgiving this year. We didn't know until the night before that we were going to be on our own, so there was no way I was going to make a turkey. We decided to try and recreate our seafood Thanksgiving in North Carolina a few years ago with Clay's aunt. Well, it was not as lavish but it was still FABULOUS! I soooooo enjoyed spending the day with my boys.

Bodie writing what he is thankful for. . . His Dad, Mom, Tatum, Baby Lincoln, Baby Max, Baby Hercules, Titus and Church. Quite the roundup (still not sure about this baby Max and Hercules business he keeps talking about. . . scares me a bit)

It was 72 degrees outside and Tatum took full advantage of the beautiful weather and played in the dirt while I cooked.

Well, we found out that Tatum has expensive tastes- he LOVED the crab legs, salmon dip and crab cakes. It didn't take him long to figure out how to get the meat out of the legs. (He might of eaten a little crab shell)

Bodie was not so sure about the crab legs.

I am grateful for the little men and big man in my life!!!!

Clay Juniors

2011-11-28T11:23:00.000-06:00

Seriously, these boys couldn't be more of Clay's sons if they tried. . . love Chicago bears football, love to snuggle, dimple chins, blue eyes, lovable, can get their mom/wife to do anything for them, good looks, loud, hilarious sense of humor. . . to name a few.

Can't wait to see Clay the third.

Bodie, Tatum and more Bodisms

2011-11-17T13:52:00.001-06:00

We have been slow on getting a mattress for the top bunk but that doesn't seem to bother Bodie much. He just gathered every blanket we own, laid them down and made a nice play (and sleep) place for him (and Tatum). A few nights we have found him just sleeping on the metal frame with no blankets under him, cannot be comfortable.

We FINALLY found something to keep Bodie in his room at night and not lose his mind every bedtime-

None other than the stinky and hairy Titus. So far, Titus has not been allowed upstairs because I needed a dog hair free zone for my sanity but Bodie sleeping at night is definitely worth it!!!

He also needs his stuffed animal Titus, TMNT's, dinosaurs, Chicago Bears blanket, and anything else he deems necessary that night. Too much? I think so.

We had our first snow fall and Bodie just sat and watched it, waiting for there to be enough snow to go sledding. He was waiting for ALONG time.

Love the pictures of these boys, describes perfectly what happens on a daily basis around here:

Tatum tackles Bodie, Bodie loves it, Titus is less than thrilled and I wait for one of them to get hurt.

I have to document a few of the latest funny sayings from Bodie (I have already forgotten most of them)

Clay- "Bodie, I love you."

Bodie- "No you don't, you just love yourself."

(OUCH)

After Bodie comes in our bed around 2 in the morning and starts kicking me, Clay tries to scoot him over, Bodie responds, "First I am going to snuggle mommy then I will snuggle you, daddy,"

Sitting next to Tatum on the floor with his arm around him, Bodie says happily in his high pitched voice,

"Mom there is room for baby Lincoln right there, baby Max right there and baby Hercules right there!"

Me - "Who are baby Max and baby Hercules?"

Bodie- "The babies that are going to be in your belly!"

Oh boy, guess it is time to start thinking about adopting a girl:)

Clay- "Don't hit me Bodie."
Bodie- "It's funny."
Clay- "No, it hurts."
Bodie- "Than it's super funny!"

Just love the funny things they start saying at this age.

Halloween

2011-11-13T18:11:00.001-06:00

The boys made up for Clay and me not dressing up this year. They had 3+ events to attend. First one being trick or treating at their Dad's work (too bad he wasn't on service to see them) with HOAA (house officers association)

We had to switch Supheroes, the Batman costume drowned Tatum. Bodie didn't mind giving up his Captain America shield for the bat suit:)

Trunk or Treat at the church with his buddies Davis (Darth Vader) and Cash (fellow superhero, Spiderman)

And lastly, trick or treating around the neighborhood. Bodie sprinted from house to house saying, "PLEASE!!!" (didn't want to say trick or treat) and after about 6 or 7 houses, he sat down on the sidewalk, sighed and said, "I am tired." Trick or treating can be hard work. Good thing Tatum had more stamina and let him take his place in the wagon.

Omaha Lancers Hockey Game

2011-11-13T16:27:00.000-06:00

Another fun event by HOAA. The boys were actually into it. What is not to love. . . crazy guys on ice skates with sticks hitting each other, loud music, good food, good company, and not worrying if the boys are loud.

My Superheroes

2011-11-13T16:15:00.000-06:00

In an attempt to make comic book pictures for the boys new Superhero room, I had a little photo shoot in our backyard (with the help of my amazingly talented friend). I would have never thought to take pictures in the field like this but LOVE how they turned out. Here are a few of my favorites of each boy . . . I mean superhero.

and Wonder Woman. . . HA, just kidding!! That would be my mom and sisters but I thought I would document a little of this pregnancy. . . since we were trying to get the camera on the right settings.

Here are the final pictures and the comic book effect:

LOVE my superheroes!!!!

Grilling at Standing Bear Lake

2011-11-13T15:55:00.002-06:00

We were hoping to build a fire, sit around it, eat and let the boys play. . . well. we could not find a fire pit, it was raining and I am not sure in what life we can just sit while the boys play. So, we had to make do with a little BBQ at Standing Bear Lake (cute little lake 5 minutes from us). After 3 trips home or to the gas station, we finally were ready to BBQ.

Bodie was less than thrilled about the rain . . . he just stood there and watched us grill from afar.

Can you see Bode standing in the pavilion, he eventually braved up and came close to the fire.

I LOVE grilling, fires, and being in nature, we don't know why we haven't been doing this every weekend.

BBQing

2011-11-13T15:55:00.000-06:00

Bodie was less than thrilled about the rain . . . he just stood there and watched us grill from afar.

Can you see Bode standing in the pavilion, he eventually braved up and came close to the fire.

I LOVE grilling, fires, and being in nature, we don't know why we haven't been doing this every weekend.

Picking Pumpkins

2011-10-15T16:45:00.000-05:00

I have loved living out in the country a bit where we are surrounded by beautiful farm land. We have about 5 pumpkin patches minutes from us and our boys love picking some out (as do I).

Bodie was quick to notice that we didn't get a pumpkin for baby Lincoln (that is what we are calling the baby right now, who knows, it might change), so he picked one out for him.

Love, Love, LOVE this time of year.

Gymnastics

2011-10-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

I signed Bodie up for a gymnastics class with his best buddy, Davis, at the community center (soccer and t-ball were full). Let's just say he is not as enthusiastic about it as I thought he would be.

I think he takes after his Dad, he thinks he is a little too cool for it.

He warmed up a little to it but kept coming up to me and asking if he could color or do something else. Too bad Tatum isn't old enough, because he was crying and trying to join the class the whole time.

Assume the Position. . .

2011-10-15T16:21:00.000-05:00

Clay and I haven't missed a night of peeking in on the boys sleeping, there is just something about watching them all peaceful and quiet:)

We found Tatum like this the other night and it reminded us of his older brother and his monkey a couple years earlier. . .

Tatum

Bodie (and his monkey and binky's)

Love it. Same chins, same pose, same mouth, same cute legs and belly. Just love it.

Wenninghoff's Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-15T16:14:00.000-05:00

Bodie's little preschool group went to this cute, very close pumpkin patch. Both boys loved the little petting zoo, hay ride and playing in all the exhibits.

Tatum mostly just wanted to eat everything: chicken food, corn in the field, goat water and paint.

Bodie's cute little preschool class.

Beware: Brother pictures overload

2011-10-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

These 2 rascals have always been best buddies, but lately they really have been inseparable. . .

except for when Dad comes home and is a sucker for letting Bodie fall asleep on the couch with him.

Tatum had a nasty runny nose for about 2 weeks and the boys and I were going crazy staying inside so we had to get a little creative in our entertainment.

This fort lasted about 5 minutes until "The Hulk" aka Tatum, decided to trample through it all and jump on it.

That's when I decided they needed to be contained and I made myself 2 VL tacos.

Bodie has inherited Clay's old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle collection and it entertains not only the little boys for HOURS (yes, hours) but also the big boy. Love Clay's cheeks as he is making fighting sounds and teaching Bodie who they all are. I can't think of anything cuter than these boys playing with their dad's old action figures. Bodie has to sleep with his "Insta Minja Turtles."

All I have to say is that is one lucky daddy to have those boys and those boys are lucky to have such a loving, fun daddy.

P.S. I LOOOOOVE this year of residency. Notice how many pictures Clay is in??? I also love how much he is learning with each rotation, it's incredible!

Here is to hoping (and praying) that the next little boy gets along as well as these two do.

So random

2011-10-05T13:45:00.001-05:00

That is what these pictures are, but I couldn't resist not putting them up.

Bodie started another year of preschool with his friends and this year Tatum thinks he is a preschooler too. He wants to do everything they do.

Before saying good-bye to the good ol' Lexus, Clay gave it a good cleaning and Bodie decided his mode of transportation needed a cleaning too.

To say this kid has a fetish with shoes, is a HUGE understatement. He is ALWAYS putting on shoes, doesn't matter whose, any work great. He runs to shoes first thing in the morning, hands them to you, plops himself down and puts his foot up so he can get his shoes on. He is not happy unless shoes are on him.

And he will also get in the tub with his clothes on if you aren't quick enough to get him undressed.

Papa and Grammy. . . and the mini van come to Omaha!

2011-10-05T13:36:00.000-05:00

We have REALLY been blessed and/or spoiled to have both sets of grandparents come visit us within in such a short time frame. Bodie has become a little too accustomed to it and doesn't get why Grandma Kat or Grammy have been over for awhile.

It was so enjoyable to have the Van Leeuwens here and I was TERRIBLE at taking pictures. We picked the hottest day to go to the pedestrian bridge and walk downtown Old Market.

A little glimpse of the aftermath of the flood. Those statues used to be under water a couple months ago.

Here is Papa telling Bodie stories about Goldilocks and the 3 Bears and the 3 Little Pigs (Thanks to Grandma Kat, he knows the story better than all of us and is quick to just take over because we don't know how it goes. . . apparently).

Thanks to Papa and Grammy we now have a car that will fit 3 kids!!!! Bodie loves getting in the "cool, new" car and it makes errands 100,000 times easier!

Good ol' Utah

2011-09-25T18:09:00.000-05:00

Another fun, action packed, tantrum filled, crazy, and always NEEDED trip to Utah!

Bodie's cute friend, Dillon, was on the same flight with us. And for the first time since I can remember, BOTH boys slept. I had to take a picture so it would last longer.

(Good thing we did, because the flight home was a NIGHTMARE with a capital N)

Grandma Kat's superhero costumes began Bodie's new love affair with all things superhero. He dressed up as Spiderman, Batman, Ironman, Captain America on a daily basis. Love it.

He climbed on the table to get this peach and worked hard eating it.

Loves his cousins!!!! I can't thank ALL his cousins enough for watching my boys so much while we were there. It was weird to come home and have to be a Mom again.

One of my fave lines from Bodie this trip,

"Mom, why does Kourtney always like to give me kisses?"

Seriously, could my parents be anymore fun. A giant blow-up slide, tramp water thingy?? Bodie was in heaven. . . as was Tatum, with a donut in each hand.

And in heaven with electric 4 wheelers and cars at Papa and Grammy's.

Yes, these boys were SPOILED in Utah.

Utah cont.

2011-09-25T17:51:00.001-05:00

Great grandpa Harold, Grandpa Dennis and Tatum Dutch.

Papa Mike and Bodie Dennis.

Cheese ball again.

My little flirt likes to be with the ladies.

THE LITTLE MERMAID AT THE TUACAHN!!!!!!!

My seriously fun and beautiful niece I want to be like her when I grow up:)

Am I crazy that I was so excited and nervous to get autographs of a crab, flounder and eels?

It does not get much better than this. A night out with my sisters, parents, neice, no kids, amazing seats to see my all time favorite Disney movie AND hug from Ariel AND a picture with Ariel on one side and Prince Eric on the other. I WAS DYING it was so awesome. Ariel was incredible and so nice.

I might have cried because I was so happy. . . I am pregnant okay.

This kid was really starting to have a hard time towards the end of the trip and nothing could seem to make him happy but bugging his Grandpa.

An ipad and Rylee Jo. . . what more could Bodie ask for?

Might be the only time he ever smiled while in the car seat.

Getting ready to cheer Gunnar on in his first football game of the year.

Love that cheese face.

We had such a good trip, as usual and can't thank our family enough for accommodating us. We were so sad to go. Bodie continued to ask for his cousins for a good 2 weeks after we got home. He would just grab his suitcase, walk out the door and say in his monotone, casual manner, "I am going to Utah." And than cried every time I told him we couldn't go.

Grandpa Dennis & Grandma Kat come to town!!

2011-08-31T14:53:00.000-05:00

The boys and I were in DESPERATE need of some TLC from Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Kat! We could not have been more excited for them to come. Having spent the last 3 months sitting on the couch feeling terrible and not doing anything for my boys but the bare necessities, we all needed some company!

The boys made Granpda Dennis a shirt and I made Grandma Kat some Thank You cards.

NOTE TO SELF: FABRIC GLUE DOES NOT COME OFF LITTLE BOYS FOR DAYS!!!

My Dad did not waste anytime getting to work on fixing up Titus's "Marley and Me" impression. Of course it helped to have the help of this superhero. . .

and this nut job.

He also installed a light switch with 2 lights for the boys playroom in the basement while my Mom made it sooooooooooo fun! Bodie wakes up in the morning and says he is going to play in the "Fun room." Pics of the finished "fun room" coming soon.

And Grandma Kat didn't waste anytime getting my long list of crafts done:)

They definitely spoiled us, I don't think we will ever have a free babysitter who watches our kids, paints our kitchen, installs light fixtures and decorates the house while Clay and I go out to dinner and a movie for our anniversary again! It was soooooooooooooooo good to have them here and it got even better when the boys and I got to fly home with them. . . .

(and Bodie's cute friend Dillon was on the flight with us)

We had to take a picture of both boys sleeping on the plane because it has never happened and am not sure it will ever happen again. This is probably the second time in Tatum's life he has fallen asleep in my arms. Oh how I wish he did that on the flight home back to Omaha. IT. WAS. A. NIGHTMARE.

Union Pacific Presents Railroad Days July 2011

2011-08-31T14:12:00.000-05:00

The Union Pacific holds a special place in the Van Leeuwen hearts because that is where Grandpa "Dutch" Van Leeuwen worked so we were excited to take our own little "Dutch" to see the trains. Union Pacific has an annual Railroad Days where you can tour 5 different railroad museums for only $15 (for the whole family) and I thought that we actually got to ride in a train from stop to stop. You can imagine Bodie's (and the rest of us) disappointment when he found out the trains didn't really move, they are now just decoration. But we did get to ride in a stifling hot bus and some trolley's, still fun for the little guys.

The best picture I could get of the 2 sitting. They were both all over the place with excitement for the trains everywhere.

We starting calling Tatum by his middle name, Dutch in honor of his Grandpa and Bodie quickly caught on and kept saying, "Come on Dutch boy!!"

Can't get enough of those cheeks and thighs!

I know this is picture overload but I want to document all of it. The boys really loved it and if it wasn't for the 100 degree weather with 100% humditity, I am sure Clay and I would have enjoyed it more.

(How is it that kids don't notice how hot it is? Doesn't slow them down a bit.)

I was serious about shooting that buffalo with a Nerf gun.

At the end of the tour. . . one tired and hot daddy.

It took the boys all of 2 minutes to fall asleep . . . both of them have sweat beads coming down their faces. Poor little guys.

my kooky boys and a turtle

2011-07-21T10:49:00.000-05:00

on our way to the splash park, i thought there was a big rock in the road right outside our neighborhood, only to find that it was a turtle! what!?! nebraska never seems to amaze me. this was a good 2-3 foot turtle that i probably should have moved off of the scolding hot road, but it had worms on it and look at those claws and it was probably heavy! another car came by when i was looking at it and the turtle literally jumped off the ground and than went back in his shell. i jumped too, it scared me.

not sure why bodie thought it was a good idea to run through the water with a towel over him. good thing it was a million degrees outside so we didn't need a towel because you are dry in 2 minutes.

and that is his cute little girlfriend katie.

one kooky boy . . .

2 kooky boys

yes, bodie is in his underwear wearing a dog bag pack with a leash . . . don't ask.

all those stickers ended up on me.

take me out to the ball game

2011-07-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

clay's attending gave him tickets to the final game of the ncaa college world series - florida gators vs. south carolina gamecocks.

it seemed like a fun family outing until bodie threw up right as clay was dropping us off and there was nothing we could do because cars were waiting for us to move, so i used the one water bottle we had to squirt him down.

we arrived an hour early to get seats which was not early enough so i held bodie in the smoldering heat standing in the nose bleeds, while clay was stuck outside with an active one year old waiting in line to get in (they were general admission tickets).

by the time the game started, a few people took pity on me carrying bodie (who had fallen asleep on me at this time) and let me sit in the handicap chair (which with the heat and the smell of bodie's throw up, i was about to pass out).

i really did enjoy watching the game had i not felt sick and had the constant smell of throw up on me. tatum was a crack up and had all the people around us laughing. he literally danced for 2 hours around me. it was hilarious. and bodie just slept on me so i was comfortable.

clay on the other hand, well, i think the look on his face tells it all. he probably won't forgive me for posting this but i couldn't help it. he was going off no sleep and was not excited about having to stand and chase tatum around.

much to my dismay, we didn't stay long enough to sing "take me out to the ball game," see the fireworks or see the gamecocks win the college world series.

4th of july festivities

2011-07-11T18:22:00.000-05:00

i was TERRIBLE at taking pictures this year. . . so mad at myself.

we went to an AMAZING firework show in our bishop's backyard

(he lives on a golf course that puts on a mini stadium of fire. . . i kid you not)

and didn't take one picture. bodie and tatum were mesmorized and at one point bodie told the fireworks to be quiet so he could go to sleep.

made this baby for a party which we didn't make it too. . . which means clay and i have eaten WAY too much cake!

our street has a 4th of july block party every year and our street knows how to party! bodie had a nice little seat to watch more fireworks. at night the strobe lights and disco balls came out, not kidding. it was awesome. bodie and i put clay and tatum to bed and we sat outside watching another amazing firework show until 11. again, no pictures of the big fireworks.

summer fun

2011-07-11T18:09:00.000-05:00

well, this might not be summer fun for bodie but this is what he does during tatum's naptime and my "work" time. i love it because he usually watches "tangled" or "hercules" and i get to hear him sing.

these boys would be outside ALL day if i would let them. i can't stand being out there longer than 5 minutes with the heat and humidity we are having. i guess i should be a fun mom and run through the sprinklers with them. they are like dog's in the pavlov's experiment. . . they hear the beep of the door open and both of them drop what they are doing and make a RUN for outside.

LOVE tatum's belly. can't believe how different those boys are.

sometimes, okay a lot of the time, we wonder why our boys do the things they do

this is how we found bodie after our date night, i am pretty sure the baby sitter didn't put him to bed like this.

puppy backpack - check

shark necklace - check

cowboy boots - check

pockets FULL of legos - check

clay's chin - check

sweating like telisa at night - check

weirdness factor - check

and daily this kid reminds us how fitting it is that he has a "lil' monster" room.

we had an encounter with a green monster and a white monster.

this is what happens when i try to cook a red and blue cake, he finds the green food coloring and within seconds has it all over. he was green for a few days.

(if bodie got into things this much, i sure don't remember. this kid is nonstop!)

and the thunder rolls . . .

2011-06-26T17:26:00.000-05:00

i missed most of june in nebraska last year because i was in utah and didn't experience all of "tornado season." let's just say that i have had a couple rude awakenings of how unprepared we are for a natural disaster.

it was sunny and bright and within 10 minutes are house was dark and this BLACK cloud came over us at an INCREDIBLE pace and brought the wind and rain with it. i was literally like someone was putting a blanket over the sky.

and this is what happens when bodie hears the sirens go off.

i have been hearing about the missouri river flooding and the airport being closed so being the curious person that i am, i drove the 8 minutes to the iowa border to see the over flowing river.

this is Mormon Bridge!! the bridge/freeway into iowa that is closed for now.

needless to say, i am grateful that our house is still standing and my heart goes out to all those farmers who lost their livelihood. big eye opener on listening to the prophets words and being prepared!!

swimming

2011-06-26T17:10:00.000-05:00

even though the weather is crazy out here we have managed to squeeze in a few swim days. the pool always sounds fun until i get there and both boys go separate ways.

still drooling. . . when will it stop?

bodie thinks he needs a life jacket in the shallow end and it does not act like much of a life jacket. when he falls, he just rolls in circles like an umpa lumpa. he is also ALWAYS cold. . . think he needs some fat on him like his brother.

love those boys.

a little of this and a little of that

2011-06-26T16:58:00.001-05:00

because of the above weather and sicknesses all around. . . we have been inside way too much.

who needs water and sand in a water/sand table???

our newest purchase for the boys. . . and just like everything else, I think they will love it and play for hours but alas they like it for a day and could care less about it after that.

bodie watching star wars for the first time! he liked it for about 20 mins, long enough for me to rearrange the family room for the 4th time.

had to take a picture of this so it would last longer. tatum sitting still!!!!

due to titus's anxieties over the weather, old age and who knows what. . . this is where he has to go when we leave. for those of you who know how big titus is. . . this is a HUGE cage. i think we ALL could fit in there.

guess we don't need a baby sitter anymore:)

(do you think someone would call child protective services?)

puerto vallarta!!!

2011-06-19T16:47:00.003-05:00

as worried as i was about leaving my boys for the first time, not only leaving but leaving the COUNTRY, by the end of our 14 hour drive to salt lake. . . i was ready!

i was actually looking forward to the drive and excited of the thought of doing it a lot more. . .

well, that was until we drove across the 2 longest states with 2 LOUD boys.

tatum is a VERY happy baby until you put him in his car seat. i thought he would just fall asleep and we would be okay, again, i was wrong. he obviously can't sleep in his car seat and there was nothing to make him happy.

bodie was out within 10 minutes and did surprisingly well the whole time. we just had to stop way too many times to go to the bathroom. (see below) the drive home however, the boys switched. tatum was okay and bodie was crying, not crying screaming, for trinity, grace and jovie and throwing up.

after being attacked by people trying to sell us a time share we finally made it to our hotel and the beach!!!!!!!!!!!!

we stayed at an all-inclusive resort and definitely got our money's worth on the amazing food. tristen and i were having so many flashbacks of the mission and i am glad she was there to tell me what really happened (i seem to remember things that didn't really happen. . . i was 5)

this is where we went snorkeling. the water isn't very clear but we still could see some fish.

nothing compares to the HUGE, boat size manta ray that we saw on the boat ride out there. that thing still haunts my nightmares.

2011-06-19T16:27:00.003-05:00

zip line!

i was really as scared as my face shows. i seriously thought i was going to fall out and never get to see my boys again.

the town of puerto vallarta!

for those of you who don't know, i have a TERRIBLE fear of sharks

and not just in the ocean. . . remember lake powell sisters??

well, our little beach was infested with sting rays and yet still played in it,

not sure what came over me.

stings rays jumping the waves, sting rays riding the waves,

sting rays swimming all around you, sting rays that are slimy when stepped on,

and sting rays that sting people (fortunately not any of us).

it was probably a highlight for me watching 2 grown macho men, run for their life to get out of the water because of those slimy suckers.

we had the time of our lives with adam and tristen! they always kept us laughing and we would not of been able to do half the things we did without adams fun spanish speaking personality.

as much as i loved sitting on the beach and not having to worry about kids or naps, not very moments went by where i wasn't thinking of them. the plane home was THE longest flight in history and i cried when the captain said we were landing in salt lake city. i cried even harder when i saw my boys! i missed them tremendously and don't think i am leaving the country without them anytime soon.

well, we have been home for almost 3 weeks and we have been cleaning up throw up and runny noses ever since and i am wondering why i missed being a mom so bad. . .

p.s. a HUGE thank you to the sansom fam for watching our boys. i am pretty sure they both wish they were born into a different family. bodie puts his batman cape on daily, goes outside and says he is going to fly to trinity, grace and jovie's house. he also keeps asking me if steve is at work.

i need a vacation. . .

2011-05-24T07:05:00.003-05:00

a picture is worth a thousand words. . .

this was just the beginning, he also threw all his covers off the bed and started emptying out his closet, all because he didn't want to go to bed.

one of nine tomato plants that will never be

nebraska storms have turned titus into marley from marley and me

and i didn't think i needed to take a pic of the pee that i come home to EVERYDAY!

Enough said, MEXICO here we come!!!!!!!

another music video by bodie

2011-05-19T14:44:00.004-05:00

i came into the room to bodie singing this. . . out of the hymn book no less.

he has a signature move, can you guess what it is?

in case you aren't familiar with "tangled"

my son is singing the healing incantation by rapunzel. . .

yes, he frequently sings princess songs.

more stitches for bodie

2011-05-15T15:48:00.002-05:00

it's official, this boy will forever be scared of the dentist and any doctor.

some people may think it is handy to have a doc in the home,

but i think it has done a disservice to this little guy.

he fell in the bath and split his eye open,

my uneasy stomach did all i could to get those boys dressed and to clay's clinic as fast as i could,

the whole way there, bodie was screaming,

"i don't want to see daddy, i don't want daddy to fix my eye!"

i think he threw something in there about not wanting to see uncle adam either.

luckily he fell asleep on the way there and clay got his eye numb in the car before bringing him in.

well, that little boy screamed like we were torturing him until the security guards came to see what was going on. . . since it was after hours.

he only needed a couple stitches but, wow what a nightmare.

the next morning, he came down and said,

"thank you for holding me mommy while daddy fixed my eye."

melted my heart.

tatum's monster bash!

2011-05-15T15:34:00.002-05:00

i am still in denial that my little man is one but i guess i should post some pics of his big day.

to say that tatum has brought so much joy to this family is an understatement. i didn't know we could love another little boy so much. this little thumb sucking, chunky, ball of happiness is one our greatest blessings!

i mean, look at that face!

how big is tatum?

sooooo big!

i can't thank my mom enough for letting me throw a party at her house in the middle of her remodeling!

the kiddos decorating their own monster cupcakes.

AMAZING quilt by connie!!

bodie was a nice big bro for the day and let his brother enjoy the spotlight. . .

he just couldn't resist sneaking in a little hug and kiss for his lil' brother.

what would bodie do without zach??? oh, i know ask for him 24/7!!!!!

airtime in utah!

2011-05-15T14:29:00.003-05:00

oh man, this place in provo could not have been more fun. thank you tiff for finding this gold mine! it was such a blast to act like a kid for 2 hours and than another 2 since we couldn't get enough.

yes, we are playing "hands up, stands up"

that blur you see flying through the air is bodie.

(they don't call this place airtime for nothing)

after gunnar threw bodie and he finally surfaced out of the foam pit, bodie

shook his little finger at gunnar and said,

"gunnar, don't EVER do that again."

i wish i could have captured the look of terror on his face as he was flying through the air.

my boys can't get enough of ZACH!!! he is sooooooooooooooo good to let bodie wrestle him nonstop. . . and now tatum.

can't wait to go back.

tatum man walking

2011-05-07T18:22:00.003-05:00

just needed to capture this little guy walking.

and on a side not, tatum has not stopped drooling since he entered this world. it is unbelievable.

{bodisms}

2011-04-25T14:50:00.005-05:00

this pic has nothing to do with this post but i just love it.

just some classic bodisms that i have to write (type) down:

some might show my not so good parenting

bodie comes up to me and says, "who are you and how did you find me?"

i have a little tristen on my hands, the kid remembers every line from movies.

"tatum!" listen to me right now or i will spank your bum!!!"

coming in our room at 3 in the morning, turning on the lights and happily saying,

"oh, hi guys, it's just me bobie dennis vanweeuwen!"

then turns the lights off and gets in bed with us.

as i was getting on the freeway, bodie yells from the back seat,

"FULL SPEED AHEAD!"

"daddy, you can't go to work because my head hurts."

(if only that excuse worked for me)

i hear bodie yelling this from the other room. . . in clay's face,

"DADDY, I HAVE A YELLING PROBLEM!!"

clay asked bodie if he was hungry, his response,

"no, i am just full of energy."

happy easter

2011-04-25T09:38:00.002-05:00

we had such an enjoyable easter with good friends, good food, good games and only one little man ( i am sure i don't have to tell you it was bodie) throwing up all over my face, clothes, etc. and one little baby pooping all over his mom.

dillon boxing bodie out to get all the eggs . . . so awesome.

the boys had 2 easter eggs this year (one inside the church and one at home) and tatum did this both times. . .

NEW CARPET!

2011-04-20T13:07:00.003-05:00

i just realized that i haven't posted any pics of our new carpet!!

it was fabulous pulling up that nasty, white carpet that shows EVERYTHING!

bodie getting ready for the new carpet to come.

and coming home to this amazing, fresh smelling, shag carpet!

picture doesn't do justice

the only down side is it did a number on our newly painted trim.

that put the total number of coats on those bad boys to 5!

never again.

poor little bodie

2011-04-20T13:03:00.002-05:00

this is what happens when bodie goes outside. . .

loses his mind because there is a little bit of wind and doesn't want anything to blow away - including the bbq cover.

see post below on why he is scared for life.

"are we in utah?"

2011-04-17T16:00:00.003-05:00

if i had a dime every time bodie asked me that, it would pay for our next trip to utah!

we had such a good time with family and friends in utah and it broke my heart to say good-by to them.

tatum got his first 'real' haircut,

cuddled with his great grandpa stout,

and stole food from his cousin indy. . .

oh and "helped" bodie and grandpa dennis put the hardwood floor in.

couldn't pass up an opportunity to get a pic of a van leeuwen boy enjoying his ketchup.

i can't thank my parents enough for letting us stay at their house for 2 weeks while they were re-modeling. it is not fun having curious, busy, loud, and into EVERYTHING boys at your house when construction is going on.

now it is my sisters (that means in-laws and my mom) turn to come to omaha!!

"jungle junction"

2011-04-17T15:56:00.002-05:00

we had a fun little hoaa play group before heading to utah, who knew this would be a little taste of what xtreme airtime in provo would be like!! i am not sure what this place is called but bodie named it "jungle junction."

in case you don't have a cartoon loving child like me, that is a show on the disney channel.

babies these days. . .

2011-04-17T15:41:00.001-05:00

these van leeuwen boys didn't take long to learn how to chat it up on the phone. . . here they are both at 11 months

spring??

2011-04-17T15:37:00.002-05:00

i have been upset at myself for not going out and playing in the snow with bodie this winter so i wasn't too upset when we had a snow storm in april. especially since i bought 2 AMAZING sleds on clearance for $5 that we got to try out on the hill behind our house.

let's go fly a kite

2011-04-17T15:21:00.002-05:00

a few months ago we had an unfortanute experience that you would think scared tatum but instead scared bodie. we were coming out of hobby lobby during one of omaha's horrendous wind storms. i was carrying a 36 x 42" canvas and pushing tatum in the cart while he was still in his carseat and bodie was walking beside me. when we walked out, the canvas immediately blew over my head, the cart blew over (with tatum in it) and the canvas blew away. tatum was okay and some nice person eventually chased down the torn canvas, but unfortunately bodie is now deathly afraid of the wind.
so, the point of this story, is i am not sure why we thought bodie would like to fly a kit seeing how you need wind to do it. he stayed in the car for a good half hour while we flew the kite and braved the wind just long enough to take a pic. poor kid.

more birthday fun

2011-03-29T20:31:00.002-05:00

yes, those presents are wrapped in christmas paper. . . i actually bought them for christmas but than decided he was already getting too much so now he got too much for his birthday.

i got of struck gold when i went to target and found everything toy story 3 on clearence

(however, it's not find to stumble across a good sale when you go there as often as i do)

you might wonder why he never has pants on, well those chunky thighs are too cute to hide:)

when bodie opened this buzz he said,

"oh my gosh! it's my favorite! thank you daddy!!"

um, i am pretty sure mom is the one that had to take out somebody to get the last buzz.

bodie is such a cheese ball, i love it!

he just soaked up every second of his birthday.

tatum reeaaaaly wants a cupcake. . . i think titus does too.

all tuckered out after 2 long day's of partying.

bodie & davis toy story 3 birthday bash

2011-03-26T15:39:00.002-05:00

it has been a bit too fun this year getting ready for bodie's party. . . the kid has been sooooo excited and talks about it nonstop. and for those of you who know him, when i say nonstop that means every waking hour and even when he wakes up in the middle of the night. every time he sees a 3, i hear "oh, i am going to turn 3 and have a toy story 3 party with davis, bentley, . . " (and continues to name his gang).

the excitement and absolute joy he had playing all the games, eating his cupcakes (he ate 5!!! again, if you know bodie, he doesn't eat much) and playing with his friends was priceless.

he wasn't too sure about putting the blindfold on though.

nice reflection of me in the door. . . i am not the best photographer

tatum loved "al's toy barn cheese balls"

still having a hard time believing he is going to be 3 tomorrow, sure love that crazy kid!!

oh and what's a party without a van leeuwen boy streaking???

bodie gave a nice show when he undressed in front of ALL of us before heading to the bathroom.

classic.

happy st. patty's day

2011-03-19T21:07:00.004-05:00

these boys can't get enough of each other. i love them soooooo much and get the biggest kick out of them wrestling every waking hour.

bodie is a like his mom and gets into the holidays. he was looking for that leprechaun all day and couldn't get enough green milk. tatum, well, he just wanted to eat the necklaces.

painting. before & after

2011-03-19T19:53:00.002-05:00

BEFORE

18 doors, 8 rooms, 1 stairway and 1 major disaster later . . .

basement . before & after

2011-03-19T19:40:00.003-05:00

the scary BEFORE

yes, we have lived here 10 months and we finally tackled the basement!!

who wants to clean a basement when there is painting to be done??

our little helper along the way

AFTER

in the time it took clay to put the feet back on the red couch, i had this side organized and onto the other side.

i recall clay saying something along the lines that he can reconstruct jaws, do full mouth extractions, etc. but can't figure out how to assemble a couch:)

a breath of fresh air!!! now if only bodie would actually play down there.

random pics

2011-03-19T19:35:00.003-05:00

tatum helping me recover the chair . . . again

boys getting their daily torture from dad.

"quick hide, the monster is coming"

2011-03-18T18:15:00.001-05:00

never tire of bodie trying to hide from "the monster"

if you look close enough, you can see tatum is getting the biggest kick out of this.

zoo day with dad!

2011-03-18T18:11:00.002-05:00

clay had a day off, yep you read that right. . . a day off!! so, we went to the zoo and clay proved to be quite the photographer.

i think clay was thinking how he would hate to extract those chompers

bodie's first sleepover

2011-03-14T09:54:00.002-05:00

well, he didn't actually know his friend was sleeping over until he came in our room in the morning and saw katie sleeping on the floor. we were fortunate to have katie come over when her mom went into labor! we only wished she could have stayed a little longer.

here bodie is doing what he does best . . . cuddling, playing with her ears and not leaving her alone. poor katie.

tatum's favorite spots

2011-03-14T09:23:00.002-05:00

besides his high chair (where he LOVES to eat), you can find this baby sleeping in this uncomfortable looking position . . .

or looking out this window.

P.S. can i tell you how much i looove the white trim and window seal?

grandma kat comes to omaha!

2011-02-27T15:32:00.002-06:00

i CANNOT believe we didn't take one single picture while my mom was here. is that even possible? well, i guess it is when you lose the battery charger to your camera and the battery is dead. so sad.

this was possibly one of the best visits we have ever had! we didn't have to unpack boxes, change a million infant diapers, get things done. . . all we had to do was shop, eat and craft. it was AWESOME! she was almost here a week and it felt like a day. we LOOOOOOVE when grandma kat comes and are counting the days when she comes back.

happy valentine's day

2011-02-27T15:26:00.002-06:00

a little boy after my own heart, bodie loves crafting like his mamma and made this heart pic.

our boys have a different way of eating.

tatum is a take no prisoners kind of eater. . .

and bodie, well, let's just say i have to give him "stars" for when he eats.

i think tatum liked the pink, heart-shaped pancakes.

2011-02-27T15:07:00.004-06:00

he may look innocent but he is not . . .

classic tatum face

either is the big brother

2011-02-27T14:59:00.002-06:00

one minute he is calling him a monster (see post below)

next minute bodie is calling him his "best friend."

can't explain how much i love that they just play/wrestle together all day, they crack me up. tatum is one tough boy, he has already learned to tackle bodie back.

LOVE. THOSE. BOYS.

life of a sucker

2011-02-27T14:30:00.002-06:00

give bodie a sucker, he takes one lick, doesn't want it so gives it to tatum (that seems to be a habit of bodie man)

titus eyes the sucker from a distant

titus gets closer. . .

tatum taunts him. . .

titus enjoys a few licks . . . and tatum enjoys a few licks. . .

and eventually the sucker is gone, stick and all.

good dog titus

that dog nearly bites my finger off when i give him a treat, but not those boys. he is as gentle as can be.

found at last

2011-02-27T14:28:00.001-06:00

if you are ever missing a remote, i would recommend looking in the chip bag. that is where we found ours that has been missing for a couple weeks. not sure who to blame that one on. . . clay or bodie??

chip anyone?

{the monster}

2011-02-27T14:16:00.005-06:00

(pay no attention to the laundry and unsightly vacuum cord)

i was wondering why tatum was pounding on the washer, then i heard a scream and found this hiding inside. . .

when i asked him why he was in the washer he said,

"so the monster won't get me."

love it, that is what he calls tatum now. and he really is afraid of him.

it didn't take the boys long to get distracted when tatum found his little snuggie in the pile of laundry. . .

and bodie found his leapster on the dryer.

{little einstein}

2011-02-27T14:03:00.002-06:00

ok, i know every mom thinks their kid is smart, adorable, cute, and so on but i REALLY think bodie is a bit extraordinary (but he is my first and what do i know). anyhow, he spends hours everyday doing puzzles (either on the computer, phone or the good old fashion way), coloring. writing and playing his leapster. he surprised me last week by writing his name and goes around the house counting everything in english then in spanish.

ok, enough bragging. . . i just needed to give him a little shout out.

this is his little playschool that we started in the fall and he LOVES it. these 4 little cuties get along very well and davis, the little guy in the corner, has the same birthday as bodie.

tatum is the 5th wheel that takes all the toys away from them.

i don't think i will ever stop getting a kick out of clay putting bodie to bed, it ALWAYS goes the other way around. i also had to get proof that clay steals my baby blanket every night even though he makes fun of me for still having it.

love those chins.

anatomy of a project

2011-01-30T14:27:00.006-06:00

painting trim, doors, and staircase white . . .

not quite sure what i was thinking about taking on such a huge project, however, i LOVE how our first floor has turned out! i have had some handy helpers along the way. . . okay maybe not helpers, but destroyers.

i didn't really take a 'before' picture so this one of bodie going out to the garage to get dog food for titus will have to do.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

play the drums and shout hooray. . . one floor down!

only 6 rooms, 5 closets, and 13 doors to go!

2011-01-30T14:18:00.002-06:00

bodie helping feed my obsession with crafting, painting and re-decorating.

bodie's first trip to chuck e cheese. he was running around crazy not knowing which game to play first. he loved it!!! he might have crawled into a few nets, cages and up the skee ball game. he would start a game, see another one and leave me finishing his game . . . i didn't mind too much. i don't know the last time i played pin ball or raced a motorcyle:) another great play group put on by hoaa, thank you!

{sugartot designs}

2011-01-26T22:02:00.003-06:00

thank you to dr. christy frady for hiring me to make prints for her office! check out the link to see her cute pediatric dental office in hales corner, wisconsin.

Paramount Pediatric Dentistry

snow day!

2011-01-26T17:41:00.002-06:00

this kid LOVES the snow. we had our first big snow and you couldn't get bodie out of it. he played in the snow with me in the morning and with clay at night.

those boys easily sledded (is that a word?) for 2 1/2 hours. everytime i asked him if he was getting cold he would say, "no, i am just fine, go back inside mommy." this is him throwing a tantrum because he didn't want to come in.

i think we are going to get a harness for titus so he can just pull bodie around on the sled for hours:)

the boys' best friend

2011-01-26T17:27:00.003-06:00

i complain daily about his hair everywhere, smells, drool, flatulence, dirtiness and craziness (no, i am not talking about clay or the boys), but titus is THE BEST friend those boys could ask for. bodie was still tired one morning and just decided to lay by titus and titus didn't seem to mind.

2011-01-26T16:19:00.000-06:00

happy birthday to clay

2011-01-26T16:15:00.002-06:00

clay couldn't understand why i have made my boys these amazing soft, comfy, minky blankets and he doesn't get one. since tatum was getting pretty upset that his dad kept taking his blanket, i decided it was time to make him one. it took a lot of love on my part to buy him red and white but i am taking baby steps to supporting my husband (not the team just my husband)

here's to a happy new year

2011-01-07T15:51:00.001-06:00

{christmas}

2011-01-07T15:11:00.003-06:00

we are grateful to the brown's who had us over for christmas eve. . . i am not sure how i would have handled being myself while clay spent the night at the hospital. bodie had a little too much fun playing with emma and maeley. tatum had fun drooling and looking a little tipsy in his p.j.'s.

christmas morning with my boys!! bodie melted our hearts while he was opening his presents, he was loving it. he was really excited to give his (tired) daddy a present from tatum and him. tatum just loved the wrapping paper and had to take a break to eat:) as sad as it was to not be with the rest of our family in utah for christmas, having our own little christmas was one of my favorites yet. those little boys bring so much joy into my life and i am so grateful for their sweet spirits that kept me company while clay worked all hours of the day and night this month.

our little vampire. . . bodie eating red velvet cake batter.

12 days of christmas

2010-12-28T18:49:00.002-06:00

my amazing parents provided us with the 12 days of christmas this year. being away from family this year and clay working 16 hour days, having a gift to open every day from my mom and dad really meant a great deal to me. bodie loved finding the right numbered gift every day and putting the magnet on the tree. gift of memories. . . bodie slept with this book that has grandpa dennis and grandma kat's voice reading to him several nights in a row. he also brings it to our room at 3 in the morning. . . he keeps asking me if i was born, since grandma kat talks about the christmas i was born.
gift of work. . . bodie wiped the floor once and the toilet seat once and said, "we did it!"
gift of service. . . didn't quite get the manger as full as we could have, maybe tatum will help bodie next year.
thank you again dad and mom f0r a wonderful christmas. we missed you like crazy but felt your presence during those 12 days! love you "to infinity and beyond!"

happy birthday to me. . .

2010-12-28T18:46:00.003-06:00

this is what my sweet husband got me for my bday. . .

cute card
milk
diet coke
m&m's
what more could a girl ask for (he even had it set up like this)

these are a few of my favorite things. . .

2010-12-16T15:37:00.002-06:00

hazel & tatum

2010-12-16T15:34:00.001-06:00

craft day with kristy turned into a photoshoot with our babies. . . they will go great in their wedding video someday:)

Jingle Bells. . . sung by Bodie

2010-12-13T21:30:00.002-06:00

after listening to "jingle bells" maybe 3 times, bodie was able to sing this. . . the picking of the nose adds a nice touch:)

utah!!

2010-12-08T17:12:00.003-06:00

be prepared for picture overload!! we had sooooooooo much fun in st. george and salt lake with everyone and wish it could have lasted longer!!! thank you to everyone who made it possible.

2010-12-08T17:09:00.001-06:00

the kid would not leave zach alone. he loooooooooooooves his cousin.

2010-12-08T16:58:00.002-06:00

bodie fell down the stairs thanksgiving morning. . .

and by the end of the day he looked like this.

so sad. clay and uncle adam took him to the office to drain the blood and place a splint (can't remember the name of it). i don't know if bodie will ever step in a dental office again.

after taking off his bandage, bodie said, "now can i play with my ear?"

2010-12-08T16:54:00.001-06:00

1st time playing in the snow this season. . . lasted about 2 mins.

2010-12-08T16:42:00.002-06:00

you almost can't see bodie he is so little.

indy and tatum shopping with the girls.

2010-12-08T16:31:00.002-06:00

couldn't help but post this pic of us jamming out to dance jam on the wii.

it was such a great trip home for thanksgiving and a girls trip. bodie is already asking for his cousins and grandparents. i am sure they all need a break from bodie mauling them and talking extra loud. he sure loves everyone.

brotherly love

2010-12-08T15:55:00.002-06:00

bodie has always loved his little brother, but he has become extra fond of tatum since he has become mobile. he wants to play with him every waking hour. . . it's pretty dang cute.

lil' boutique

2010-12-08T15:51:00.002-06:00

my first attempt to get business with "SUGARTOT DESIGNS" was at a little boutique we had for HOAA. Bodie was quite the helper. . .

getting ready for thanksgiving by decorating for christmas. . .

2010-12-08T15:36:00.003-06:00

i think i broke a record by putting up my tree a week before thanksgiving. i wanted to have it up when i got back from utah. bodie decorating his own little tree.

i had a little help decorating the tree this year. bodie added his own little decorations, he also told me to be quiet because his "friends" are sleeping.

so cute, he LOVES the tree

"happy halloween everybody!!"

2010-11-01T12:10:00.004-05:00

. . . that is what bodie yelled during the most quiet part of sacrament meeting. love it. he had quite the week of trick or treating and parties. it was sooooo fun celebrating halloween with him this year, he really got into character with his dragon costume (even though i thought it was a dinosaur). it was also a miracle that clay didn't get called in all week and it was a trauma week. thank you people for not getting drunk and doing something stupid so my boys could have their daddy this weekend!!

we found pyper's twin! she lives in our neighborhood and we took her one of the parties with us because her mom just had a baby. her name is maeli and bodie was cracking me up because he kept calling her pyper but then correcting himself saying, "oh, your not pyper, you just look like pyper."
we thought bodie wasn't a good eater until he discovered this table of unlimited cookies and bucket full of candy. i have never seen bodie put away so much food (or candy whatever you want to call it). the next morning bodie kept holding his tummy and bending over, i asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom and he said, "nope, my tummy just hurts." hmmmm. . . wonder, why?

my little monsters

2010-11-01T09:08:00.004-05:00

bodie is probably wondering why he isn't wearing his costume today since he wore it for a party EVERY day last week. it started off with a little party at the hospital for the residents families. it was bodie's first time trick or treating and kindly asked/yelled "can i have a treat or treat please?" to everyone.

tatum not very amused by the treats. it was fun to finally see the hospital where clay works but he was at the VA that day so we didn't get to see him.

carving pumpkins

2010-11-01T08:43:00.002-05:00

when will i learn that bodie is obviously not as excited as me to get into the holiday festivities, make fun food, craft, and so on and so on. I thought he would be sooooo excited to carve pumpkins but ended up in timeout a few times. . . see below. however, after rubbing his dad's ears for encouragement, we carved one pumpkin. life as a 2 year old can be tough.

the many moods of bodie. . .

2010-11-01T08:15:00.004-05:00

one second melting my heart playing with his brother. . .

the next. . .

love that he has resorted to sitting because he is tired of standing in timeout. i'm such a great mom to be taking pics of him in timeout while he is screaming at the top of his lungs.

2010-11-01T08:08:00.001-05:00

subway art of clay's mission

{6 months}

2010-10-22T15:49:00.004-05:00

love those eyes

love that smile

love that face

love the chubbiness

LOVE HIM!!

"YAY!!"

2010-10-22T13:40:00.004-05:00

. . . that is what bodie threw his hands up in the air and yelled, half asleep, when we picked up grandpa dennis and grandma kat from the airport. and what he yelled the next morning when grandma came out of the bathroom and he realized they were still here. so tender. he had sooooooooooooooo much fun with his grandparents here and has been asking to go on a plane to utah since they left.

you can't real see him in this picture but bodie has his hands above his eyes as he is gazing down at us.
this is what the boys did. . .

and this is what the girls did. . .

it was too good to be true to have my parents here. my list of fix-it's for my dad was done the first day and my mom ALWAYS leaves the house looking better. they are an amazing duo. we miss them like crazy and are counting down the days until they come back!!

soooooooooooo fun

2010-10-18T19:41:00.005-05:00

utah vs iowa state game

2010-10-18T16:20:00.003-05:00

thanks to papa mike we got to take a little road trip to des moines and aimes, iowa. we thought both boys would just sleep so we could listen to conference in peace. . . not so.

only bodie could get his dad to color while sports center is on.

yep, they are the same size. . .

the boys first ute game. bodie liked it for about a minute, tatum about 30 seconds, me. . . not sure how i felt about being booed for cheering for a team that i don't cheer for. i just enjoyed being with my boys:)

2010-10-18T16:00:00.002-05:00

nothing better than sleeping boys after trying to entertain them for 4 hours at a football game. seriously, what were we thinking bringing a baby who isn't fond of loud noises and a 2 year old that can't sit still for 2 seconds?

des moines, iowa. probably the cutest capital city we have ever been too. so quaint and clean.

2010-10-18T15:35:00.002-05:00

treavor and clay have counties named after them right next to each other in iowa. . . who knew?

this is a gas station. this is the cutest gas station i have ever seen.

crazy boys

2010-10-10T17:42:00.002-05:00

even little dragons need a tv break.

just a little shout out to granmda kat who gave this monkey to bodie. it is still getting lots of love.

boys rooms posters (that's a lot of s's)

2010-10-10T17:09:00.003-05:00

tristen and redd come to omaha!!

2010-10-10T16:40:00.002-05:00

bodie and i couldn't have been more excited to have tristen and redd come visit us in omaha (especially because she brought 4 delicious dunford chocolate chocolate donuts for me). it was a bit weird to have tristen come visit me here because i am used to visiting her here. bodie quickly took a liking to "tris" and i am pretty sure he wanted her to be his new mom.

we had to take redd to the zoo where his brothers spent so much time. bodie and redd were so cute chasing after the "seacock."

young frankenstein.
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next time I think tristen needs to stay a bit longer!!!!