February 2014

February brought wonderful news for our family-- we're expecting baby #5 in October!!  I shared the news with Jon by signing my Valentine's card to him "Love, Rachel and Baby #5."  He was super excited and gave me a great big hug.  He sure loves being a Dad!  In fact, he sent me an email later that day that said, "I have been a little down the last few days, you really made my day this morning."

I hope this little one never doubts that they are loved!

Porter cheering Dad on at his basketball game.

All that cheering makes for one thirsty baby!

This is Zerin and Porter's favorite activity right now.  It's so fun to watch them play together.  Zerin's an excellent big brother!

Hyrum enjoying lunch during a break from skiing at Brundage.  Lucky boy!

We finally found grass this month and we able to get out and play.

Bath buddies and Best buddies

This boy LOVES balls!!!  If you want to be his friend all you have to do is play ball with him.

After visiting our home and seeing how much Porter loves balls, Grandpa Lindsey sent me an email with an insert he'd written and sent to his father many years ago... He thought I'd be able to relate.

"The kids are growing so fast.  We played ball this evening.  You'd really get a thrill out of playing with them.  They just sparkle when they catch the ball.  Jonathan (age 1 1/2) loves any kind of ball and treats any object, like biscuits or spoons, as a ball - you have to watch out for flying objects with him around."

This describes our Porter to a T!  I'm always worried about being hit with something when Porter's around.  Like father like son!

 

World's BEST sissy!  This girl is amazing!

More of sissy's dress up... oh, dear!  Way to show those muscles!

Lydia chose to be home schooled this month.  The timing was perfect to have her home to care the boys during my nauseous months.  I came home from CrossFit one day and found them waiting for me in the garage.  Yes, Zerin is wearing one of Lydia's shirts!

January 2014

 We spent the week of New Year's in Council.  We always have a great time there.  This year unfortunately there wasn't any snow!

 We have fun playing lots of games like Phase 10, Clue, and Play Nine (golf).  Lydia is our game girl right now.

 We went to Zim's a couple times while we were there.  One time there was actually enough snow by Zim's to get a couple tubing rides in.

 All done swimming and worn out!

 Hyrum's quail kill.  She's quickly becoming a hunter herself.

 Grandma and Grandpa Lindsey came and joined us in Council for a couple days and brought Uncle Roger along.

 The mighty fishermen who were skunked!

 This here was the highlight of Lydia's vacation.  She LOVED learning how to sew with Grandma Lindsey!

 It took me a little while to take down Zerin's birthday banner...

 Zeriboo getting adjusted by one hot Chiropractor if I don't say so myself!

 Porter's turn!

 I LOVE how adorable this kid is!

Lydia enjoying the snow.  We've had lots of it this winter :)

Our adorable 3 yr old!

Lydia played basketball all month, her first season ever, but I can't find any photos... Jon also played in the Weiser league.

Merry Christmas & Happy 3rd Birthday, Zerin! December 2013

 Hooray for snow!  It snowed the beginning of the month and stayed all month long.  Love having a white Christmas!

Lydia before her first dance recital

Lydia loves to make all kinds of crafts.  She's so fun and creative!

 Christmas morning!  Santa brought Hyrum an ipod, Lydia a doll, Zerin a buzz light year ride on 4wheeler and Porter a playskool ride on/bounce toy.  All Hyrum wanted for Christmas was an ipod and once again, Santa caved!

 We had a wonderful simple Christmas.  The gifts were all needed or something we'll all enjoy like games.  Roger came over and enjoyed a few hours of games and ate brunch with us (sweet potato pancakes, elk sausage patties & scrambled eggs).

Zerin's birthday dinner at Fiesta

Zerin is the peacemaker in our home.  He is always loving, kind and sharing.  He has such a tender heart that it naturally rubs off on the rest of us.  What a blessing it is to have Zerin in our family!

He enjoyed his birthday hat and song

 Happy 3rd Birthday, Zeriboo!  You are such a sweet & loving little boy.  You bring so much joy into our home!  So happy we could celebrate your birbay (that's how he said it until Lydia insisted on teaching him the correct way).  Also, at the beginning of the season he called Christmas "Mismis".  For weeks Zerin had been saying he wanted to go swimming for his birbay so we went to the only pool around-- the Payette pool.  I sure love this little guy!

We spent the week of New Year's at our cabin in Council.  New Year's Eve day Jon and I got out and enjoyed a hike to some hot springs on the river.  We didn't end up sitting in it because it was a little cool.  It was still great to get out and hike!

On Zerin's birthday we traded our '07 Tundra in for a new 2014.  We actually downgraded a little but we needed the bench seat option in the front to be able to fit our family.  It's so much more enjoyable now that everyone has their own seat!

I look like I have antlers on my head... it's just some sticks but Jon shot this one perfectly :)

Sure love my amazing husband!

 Zim's Hot Spring.  We had lots of fun swimming at Zim's a few times this month.  Zerin's favorite part is the Dora life jacket.  Dad and Hyrum spend most of their time playing basketball.  Lydia does a little of everything and helps me play with the two little boys.  Zerin is a fish and LOVES to swim.  I took his life jacket off to hold him for a little while and he kept telling me, "I swim by myself, I swim by myself," as he tried to squirm out of my arms.  Porter loves playing in the water as well.

Porter LOVES basketball right now.  He carries one around almost non-stop and grunts at his Dad to lift him up to shoot baskets in Council.  At home he's got a small hoop he loves to play on.  It's quite adorable!

 Hyrum's becoming quite the all-star basketball player.  When we're in Council he's always playing a game with his dad.

 There were a couple rather large dogs wandering inside and Porter had no hesitation about checking them out.  Porter's favorite activity right now is to shoot baskets.  He absolutely LOVES it!  We brought our small hoop home from Council so Porter walks around with the ball in his hand grunting for his Dad to pick him up and let him shoot on the tall hoop.  At home he plays non-stop on his small hoop.  Out of all our kids he loves basketball the most at this age.  It's quite adorable!

Zerin loves to dress up.  Too bad most of our dress up is girly :)

Zerin and his FAVORITE sissy!

 A little early Christmas.  We let the kids open their gifts from Howard and Gloria.

Zerin enjoying his new shirt, hat and computer from Gloria.

 My new apron and Hyrum with his new Sonicare.

Ward Christmas dinner/program

Zerin loves to say, "Porter has chubby teeth."  It's so fun to watch them play together.  They're already the best of friends.

Dinner with the new Sister Missionaries and Korey.  The usual right now- breakfast burritos.