The Pintler Family

The lost camping trip of 2011

2012-01-31T15:36:00.000-08:00

As I was organizing and uploading pictures the other day, I came across this batch of pictures that was never blogged! And it surprised me so much because this was such a fun trip we had, how could I have forgotten to post about it?? This was a camping trip we took to Porcupine Bay late in the year (if I remember right it was in early September when we got lucky with a HOT weekend) We still had Shelly and Ricks camping trailer we had borrowed for Priest Lake so we took advantage. My parents and Connor came up which added both fun and extra helping hands. We love this place and love going with the Kenworthy clan. It is an annual tradition and this was the only time we got to go due to the crazy busy summer! I love camping pics! Its giving me the itch for summer already.....

The handsomest boat driver ever

Connor WakeSurfing

Grandpa Randy did it too!!!! Awesome!

I love this pic

Such a trooper! He did amazing

The KoMan. Notice the knife in his belt

Kason showing off the knife that Nick chisled out of a piece of wood. Yes I am serious

Hello 2012!!

2012-01-31T15:13:00.000-08:00

Since we are beginning a new year, I figured now would be a good time for a much needed update on the Pintler Family. With pregnancy, and baby, a busy summer, school starting, holidays and many other things, its no surprise I haven't kept up on the blogging as much as I would in an ideal world. I am actually surprised I've kept up as much as I have! The major events such as bdays and camping trips and holidays have of course been documented, but I have failed to post on all of the little changes and new things the big boys are up to. Kashton has been stealing the spotlight for the past 5 months, both moms attention, as well as camera time and blogging posts. I have, in this time, failed to mention how awesome these 2 older boys are! I am such a proud mama. They have more that accepted baby Kashton into our family. They love him to pieces and fight over who gets to sit by him, or who gets to give him his paci, etc, etc. I feel so blessed and so lucky to have these 3 handsome boys! Kason and Kohen are already proving themselves to be great examples to baby brother. Kashton is so lucky to have these two crazies to learn tricks from. He always watches, eyes open as wide as can be, the boys' wresting matches and fun games they play. I can tell he already wants to join in the fun. I am wondering how I will handle another boy in the mix of all the rough-housing that goes on. The noise level cannot possibly increase.....can it????

Kason, my big kindergartner is loving school. He is getting better and better everyday at reading, writing and math. I love seeing the progress he is making. He loves to count and add numbers together, although very simple, he is still grasping the concepts:) I had his parent/teacher conference back in November, which I was a bit nervous for, but found out he is doing quite well! I was worried since he is such a young Kindergartner with his June bday...in fact, I debated waiting to next year to put him in, but I got very positive feedback in the academic department. Behaviorally and socailly, she basically described Nick as a child....very impulsive, social and busy:) He has a very hard time not talking to his classmates and staying on task. But I cant say I am surprised there! She also said he is a very good leader and all the other kids gravitate to him. I loved hearing that:) He is so much like his daddy in that sense! Lucky boy!

Kohen has taken over the role as 'big brother' in the house while Kason is at school, and has become my little buddy and helper. I love this kid to itty bitty pieces. He has the most fun and unique personality and I cant help but smile and laugh at him and the things he says and does, even when he is being naughty:) He has been growing both physically (finally!!) and socailly....he has been talking up a storm! When Kason is around, he tends to dominate the conversations (as all older siblings do) which doesn't give Ko as many opportunities to talk and carry on. So when Kason is at school, Ko is such a chatterbox! I love listening to him tell stories, he is so creative and thinks of the funniest details. He is also back in preschool and loves it. He goes only 2 days a week, on the days I teach, and gets to get picked up by grandpa Jack. Then he gets to go over to their house (where Kashton spends his tues/thurs mornings) and play. He absolutely loves his time with grandpa and grandma and I am loving that he gets this one on one time with them, its been a great thing for him.

Nick has transitioned into a new job over the past couple of months and is now working as the director of business development for a software company in Liberty Lake called Gravity Jack. At first, he was trying to do both... working part time for GJ, while maintaining his invlovement at Henry-Griffits, but it quickly became an impossible task. He had to make the difficult decision to leave HG which was bittersweet. He has loved that job, but it was time to choose one or the other. This new job of course has been a lot more demanding of Nick's time and it has been an adjustment for all of us with him adding more work hours and travel to his plate, but the opportunity could not be passed up! This company is such a great fit for him and is so refreshing for both of us. He has found a new passion and he is so excited to show people the amazing technology they have developed, known as Augmented Reality, or AR. It is seriously the future of technology GJ is bringing it to the masses. We both feel so very blessed to be given the opportunity to be involved with the introdution and evolution that is about to take place. Nick is so good at what he does, and GJ is equally blessed to have Nick on their sales team. When not at work, his spare time is spent being daddy, and he is dang good at that job too!

As for me, my main role is of course MOM. It is constant, neverending and exhausting, but yet I wouldn't change a thing. Most of my days for the last 5 months have consited of feeding, changing and dealing with the littlest K, and when I have a 'break' from him during his naps I am busy catering to the demands of the older boys. Each day is so busy just keeping up with the needs of the kids, house, husband and myself that the days are just literally whizzing on by. Ironically my 'work' actually feels like more of a break and I love what I do and that I am able to be so flexible with my time. I am only teaching 4 classes a week, and only seeing 1 private client, so its very minimal, but is a perfect schedule for now. I basically am 'forced' to find the time to workout, and then as a bonus, I get paid for it! :) I have been teaching Booty Barre classes mostly, which I am addicted to. I have a new love at the studio! I still always love my Pilates, but this is just kicked up a notch in intensity and fun. Love doing it, love teaching it! I hope to be able to add more classes into my schedule, but for now, this is plenty:)

I cannot believe how fast 2011 flew by. It was a challenging year for us with lots of changes and transition into new and exciting things. I have a feeling 2012 will be one of our best years yet! Can't wait to see what is in store for our family!

Christmas Celebration 2011

2012-01-24T14:57:00.000-08:00

Here I am, a month late, posting about Christmas. This month has flown by and I am in that 'place' of being overwhelmed with all the blogging I need to catch up on. Life is so busy! I figure a little post is better than none, so here is my quick re-cap of Christmas. It was SO very wonderful and enjoyable this year! Much better for me than last year was when I was in the early stages of pregnancy. I had the energy and enthusiasm to keep up this time! My favorite thing about Christmas is watching my boys and their excitement around all the festivities, and it seems to get even better as they get older.

Christmas Eve morning we picked up the boys from grandmas annual cousin sleep over-gift shopping-play time extravaganza. I am amazed that my mom has the energy to follow through with this every year! It gets a little more wild each year as more grandkids get added into the mix! Luckily she had lots of help (grandpa Randy, Blake, Connor etc). Keeping with tradition, all cousins recieved matching Christmas PJs. They all looked so cute! What a fun little crowd of crazies!

The evening was celebrated at our house, complete with BOTH sides of the family. Doesnt get any better than that! We had enjoyed great conversation and time together as well as lots of yummy food. Oh and of course, the new tradition of the white elephant gift exchange which is always loads of fun. Here is the ONLY picture I took the whole evening :( I must have been too busy playing hostess.....

Christmas morning was a whirlwind, opening presents and getting ready for church. I love having Christmas fall on a Sunday, but it does make for a busy morning. The boys had so much fun opening presents. Although we did have to have a lesson on being thanful for what we get. With two boys they both want the EXACT same things...however it is not practical to buy 2 of every thing. So each boy had their fair share of 'wanting' what brother got. Made for some interesting moments...but all was well in the end:) After the gifts were opended and the house was thouroghly destroyed we headed over to Spokane and went to church with my parents. All 5 siblings and families were there which was awesome! Dinner then was at the Kenworthy home....and of course the food was exceptional. Yummy, I love me some Christmas dinner.

5 Months Old

2012-01-24T14:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok! Yes, it is true, Kashton is now almost SIX months! BUT....I had some cute pics of him I took on his 5 month 'birthday' and just HAD to blog them. He is such a handsome fun little devil. LOVE him to itty bitty pieces!!

4 Months!

2011-12-11T22:16:00.000-08:00

I am in a bit of denial here, I do not want to be doing this post. Maybe thats why its a week late. But, I skipped the 2 and 3month milestone post, so this is a must. My sweet, precious, lovable, squeezable, cuddly, chubby littlest man has hit the 4 month mark. We have officailly gone from newborn to infant. Don't get me wrong, I love more than anything to watch him grow and see his personality start to develop. I just LOVE newborn stage, and it doesnt last long enough! This little fatty is weighing in at 16lbs and is wearing 6-9 month clothes! What?? How is this possible? He is by far our biggest baby at this stage in the game. It will be interesting to see how he compares to the other boys as he gets older. I find myself noticing so many qualities (mainly physical so far) that I see in each of the other boys. He is SUCH a mix of the two. At first, I thought he looked more like Kohen, then I thought Kason, now I cant decide. He's got the top half of his head like Kason (except the hair line which is no doubt exactly like Nicks-widows peak) and then the lower half is like Ko, the mouth and jaw line. I need to dig up old pics of the boys at the same age and compare...watch for this post to come....:)

He is the most adorable little butterball in the world, and his sweet little spirit has brought so much joy to our home. He is such a good baby, his only quirk being that he is a stubborn sleeper like Kason was. He HATES to go to sleep and protests beyond belief. Once he does, fall asleep, he doesn't stay that way for very long:) BUT, even when he is in desperate need of a nap, he is still happy and well behaved, so I cant complain too much! I am hoping that his naps will start to become a little more organized and a bit longer so I can start to get into a steady routine, which is what I need and love!

He has FINALLY started enjoying tummy time, it took forever!!! But, he is now pushing up on his arms an liftting up (kason seriously mastered this at like a week old, I didnt realize at the time, but he was SUCH a strong baby!) He is also grabbing a playing with toys and loves to play with his hands:) His favorite place to be is the swing, and he also prefers to nap there....a habit I am trying to break!! And second to his swing is his exersaucer. He LOVES to use his legs so this has been great for him to be able to 'stand up' with support. He loves his brothers already, and the boys love to entertain him and actually fight daily over who gets to sit closest to him. Cute but annoying. They seriously duke it out....boys will be boys I guess! But Kashton watches their every move and is learning so much from them...both the good and the bad!

He is sleeping fairly well at night, it could be much worse. He goes down at night around 8 and wakes somtime between 3 and 5 for a feeding then goes back to sleep till 730 or 8. In a perfect world, he would skip that early am feeding, but that will happen soon enough so I am ok with it:) He HATES being in the car, which is new to me....both Kason and Ko loved it and I could always rely on a little nap in the car if need be. But for this stubborn little man, he is not having it. He screams probably 75% of the time we are in the car....doesnt that sound lovely??? It seems as though he is mad at the fact that he is staring at the back of a seat, he wants to be able to see what is going on and he feels left out. Poor little bubba:) Luckily, this seems to be subsiding a bit, now that he can play with his little toy bar attachment, that seems to be helping. Which brings me to my next point....he loves attention and to be entertained. (another Kason quality) he thrives off interaction and fusses when left alone. Now that he is developing the ability to 'play' with toys, he is a bit more content on his own at times, but usually not for very long. Luckily I love giving him attention as much as he likes to recieve it. I love baby stage and am trying to soak up every last bit of it as possible before its gone:(

So bear with me as I enter picture overload. As I said before, I skipped the 2 and 3 month postings so I am playing catch up on pics here. There are so many that I had to do a few collages to condense them. It is so funny to see so many expressions and compare them side by side. He has so many 'faces' and I love them all. My favorite is his chubby face where his cheeks all squish together. Love it. I am slightly frustrated. however at the fact that he refuses to smile for the camera. He will be all smiley and full of personality, and whenever I get the camera out and he freezes and stares like a deer in headlights. I have yet to get his real smile and personality captured. This makes me so mad because his smile is priceless!! But the pics I do have are still dang cute. I love this little man.

These are all taken around the 6 week mark

These were taken about a week before he turned 2 months and are my fave! He was having a chubby day

These were from his little 2 month photo shoot:)

Around 2.5 months

3 month photo shoot

These are from a few weeks ago, about 3.5 months old

The Picture at the top is one of the most recent I have. I took a bunch trying to get a good recent one of him for the christmas card. I got a couple, and will post them all together with the other Christmas pics and posts, hopefully in the next week or so. I do feel a routine starting to take shape as of the last week or 2, so hopefully I can start blogging more consistnetly again!

Thankful

2011-11-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

THanksgiving is such a great holiday. I was a bit annoyed this year that all the retailers seemed to go straight from Halloween to Christmas without giving Turkey Day it's much deserved 'turn' in the spotlight. Its a bit pitiful that its all about profit and revenue, ugh, I could go on...but I wont!! Anyways we had SUCH a lovely relaxing Thanksgiving this year. We hosted at our house, but it was very mild and low key and I actually enjoyed preparing the home and food. We were with 'Nick's side' this year, and unfortuately, Mike had to work, and Shelly was out of town, so we didnt get to see them. But it was still fabulous. Lots of yummy food and great conversation.

We are so blessed and so thankful for all that we have. Most of all, family and eachother. Everything else is just a bonus. I am so incredibly thankful for my amazing and hard working husband and the awesome daddy and example he is for our 3 little boys. He has been busting his butt lately working 2 jobs to provide a great future for us. I am thankful that he has the opportunity and ability to work and he is so good at what he does. LOVE this man. and LOVE my kids! And I LOVE having a day solely devoted to focusing on and appreciating all the amazing things in our lives!

Handsome Boys Ready for the Feast!!

Halloween-2011

2011-11-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

Halloween came and went so incredibly fast this year. Here I am blogging about it, nearly 2 weeks later, and I feel like it was just a few days ago! And to think Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away...yikes. I didn't think it was possible, but having a 3rd child makes the time fly even faster! Although we had tons of fun celebrating this year, I was just not as 'in to it' this year. I did the bare minimum to keep the kids happy, nothing above and beyond. Luckily the kids were super easy in their demands for costumes. Kason wanted to be a MotoCross rider which was sooo easy since we have all the gear. And then Kohen fell in love with our Buzz Costume (Kason wore 2 years ago) and was happy with that. All I did was get Kashton a shark costume on clearance at Old Navy. Thats what I am talking about. My kind of holiday:)

Festivites began on the Thursday prior to Halloween. We had the Harvest Party at the Kinder Center for Kason. The kids all put on a costume parade in the gym then we went around and played games in the classroom. It was a fun night for the whole family. It was fun to see Kason in his environment and see him interact with friends and his teacher. Then on Saturday night we went to our ward party, which was a great time. I was so very impressed with the costumes that people had on! So much creativity and hard work! I felt a little 'lazy' in my regular clothes:) Maybe next year I will have the ambition to dress up. I got some great ideas! And can I just say how much we love our ward?! They sure know how to throw a party, it was a fabulous turn out, so many people came to celebrate. And the kids had so much fun. Oh, and the food was to DIE for! Love those lds potlucks:)

On 'acutal' Halloween we had a little party at our house. Mainly used it as a 'hub' for the trick-or-treaters to warm up and fill their bellies and a place for the moms to stay with babies while daddys took big kids out. I think its safe to say that this will become a new tradition. It was great for the cousins to be able to celebrate the holiday together. They all seemed to have so much fun, and I think there were a few great memories made!!

Here are the Halloween Pics that I captured. As of lately, see previous posts, my pictures are not the best. I am lucky to get the ones I do. Too busy holding a baby to juggle a camera! :)

My big boys-Rider and Buzz

This is during the costume parade at the harvest party. Kason was terrified:)

My little shark at the ward party-love the drool face

Watching the young women perform their dance at the ward party. Ko was intrigued. No surprise there

Kason and Carson (2nd cousin) after trick-or-treating

My mom and aunt Lisa, had to include, thought this was cute:)

This was the entire gang. good times!

This is my very favorite pic of the entire holiday weekend. I love his squishy face!

Kashton's Baby Blessing

2011-10-30T21:34:00.000-07:00

October 16th was the day Kashton had his baby blessing. I can't believe that was already 2 weeks ago! We had family and friends join us at church that day and then everyone came over to our house for a yummy lunch. I made White Chili Chicken soup for the first time and it was a major success. Yummy. Kashton's blessing was Nick's first opportunity at giving a priesthood blessing (aside from the 'night before first day of school daddy blessing'). I think I was more nervous than he was! He, to no surprise, did an amazing job and gave Kashton such a beautiful blessing. These boys are so lucky to have Nick for a daddy. And, of course Kashton looked so very handsome. It was a great day.

I had hoped to get a picture of the whole family, but since the cousins were over, the 'big boys' were nowhere to be found:)

Kason starts Kindergarten!

2011-09-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

The big day has finally come and gone. Last Tuesday was Kason's first day of 'big boy' school. He has loved his first week, although he has had a little anxiety when it comes time for mom to leave him there. Today was actually his first day with no tears! So we are making progress...yay:) He gets his anxiety issues from me...I had to have Kiley stay with me as long as possible everyday of my kindergarten year, so I can relate to how he feels. Everyday when I pick him up, he is all smiles and tells me all about his fun day. I know he is going to end up loving the experience. He has an awesome teacher, Mrs Hansen, who I can already tell I am going to love. I wasn't emotional at all taking him, up until the teacher read this book to the kids and parents during the parent orientation on the first day. This is when I cracked....

A must read for moms and kids ready to start school!!!

It's been bittersweet leaving him there each day, he has grown up so much and we are so proud of him and the great example he is to his little brothers! I sure miss his sweet little face each day, but know its all part of growing up....

I took so many pictures on the big day, many of which were super cute. I am stressed at the fact that those adorable pictures are currently trapped on my laptop which refuses to turn on. Luckily the hardrive is still intact, just need to get the power on! Have a call in with Toshiba on that....(another reason I need a mac!!) So these are the pictures taken on Nicks phone (iPhone saves the day) which will have to suffice until I can access the others.. Luckily they still document his cuteness.... :)

This ones super blurry due to cropping....

One Month Old!

2011-09-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

Cant believe this little bugger is a month old already! Time is just whirling by! Yes, the official 1 month bday was 3 days ago, but bettter late than never!!

This month you have grown from 6 pounds 11 ounces to nearly 10 pounds...calcutated by our highly accurate home scale while daddy held you:)

You have, without question, shown me a few of your adorable little smiles. A few, yes, have been gas related, but I KNOW I've gotten at least 3 or 4 socailly responsive smiles out of you. And they say that doesnt happen till 6 weeks. The 'experts' have no idea what they are talking about. The above picture is the closest I have gotten on camera....this may or may not have been a gas related smile:)

You are already getting so dang strong! You are so good at supporting your head and lifting up onto your arms while on your tummy (with the help of a boppy pillow)

You are an amazing eater and are getting so chubby and round. Your cheeks are getting more squeezeable each day. This is reminding me a lot of Kason at this age...he too got super chunky and round for awhile.

You LOVE bath time! Your first home bath had me worried....you screamed the whole time. But every bath since has been lovely. You are calm and mellow and seem to be so relaxed while you get all lathered up. And your brothers just LOVE helping with bath time.

Speaking of brothers...you love your big brothers SO much already. Almost as much as they love you:)
You seem to be so intrigued by them whenever they are around and already watch their every move. You are going to learn so much from them. And they just adore you. They love to hold and squeeze you:)

You sleep pretty dang good at night time. You usually are a little fussy between 8-10pm but after that 10:00 feeding (which dad does by the way, and you both love this bonding time together) you sleep until about 3 and then again till about 6. Once you drop that 3:00 feeding, mom will be one happy camper.

You've already gotten to take part in many fun activities in your short little life so far. You've been camping and boating, to the fair, to a motocross race, to a few pool parties (although you didnt get into the pool, Im not that crazy) and many other fun adventures. You are pretty good at just going with the flow. Mom is super excited to see what this 2nd month brings about. I am looking so foward to your smiles and giggles, the previews have been amazing.

I could go on, but need to post this, as it is already 3 days tardy!

WE LOVE YOU BABY KASH

Kashton's Newborn Photos

2011-09-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

I realized the other day that I never blogged these pictures! I dont know how this post slipped through the cracks. These were taken a few weeks back when Kashton was a tiny 10 days old. I cant believe how much he has changed already! Its amazing how much a couple pounds of baby fat can change a baby so much. We've never done newborn pics before, and I am so glad we did it this time around. Its fun to document how small they really were. Love the way they turned out, thanks again to aunt Shelly!

Camping-Priest Lake

2011-08-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

Let me start with a quick back story: last November we planned a big family camping trip/reunion for this summer and reserved the group camp site up at Lionhead again like last year. This site must be reserved 9 months in advance and we were extremely lucky to get it again this year. When planning, my mom gave me specific instructions that no babies were to be due around that time. "haha", I literally laughed at the comment and said, 'you dont need to worry about THAT'. So we planned the trip for the week of Aug 15-22. Everything was dandy until about 3 weeks later I discovered I was pregnant with little Kashton. I was of course ecstatic even though we had originally planned on a fall baby, not a summer one. Then I checked my due date on the little chart and there it was: Aug 14. The day before the big trip. I was a bit bummed thinking there was no way we'd be able to go. I hoped I may deliver early, but didn't want to count on it, so we waited it out. Kashton more than cooperated when he decided to make his debut early enough for us to be able to go for a couple days. We also were blessed with being able to use Shelly's camping trailer which is the only way it was even possible with a newborn. So, all worked out in the end as it usually does:) We had such a fun time and I was even able to relax a bit during all the hoop-lah. It was great to spend time with all of the Kenworthy siblings since it sadly doesnt happen very often. And the boys had a blast hanging out with their uncles:)

Kashton did remarkably well for only being 2 weeks old. He wins the title for youngest baby to go camping (record previously held by Boden....at 4 weeks!) and I am sure he will grow up to love going as much as his big brothers do. I am very glad we had the opportunity to camp agian this year since much of the summer was a bust due to weather. Many memories were made!

One area I have failed in this summer is picture taking. I have done ok....just enough to document the events that took place...but havent been able take as many as I'd like. I guess you could blame on laziness during the pregnancy, then busy-ness ever since he's been born. Whatever the excuse, my pics are a bit lame. But at least I got a few good ones....oh, and I managed to 'steal' a couple great ones Kiley took on the trip. So here goes....

Our home away from home

The only pic Ko would allow me to take of him

Like father, like son:)

Kason with his boards

Kashton before the nightly campfire wearing the ugliest hat on the planet....the only one that would fit his little head:)

Surfer Boys Nick and Kohen

Surfer boys Nick and Kason

Nick showing everyone how its done

Handsome yet filthy face

LOVE THIS!

Kashton Jack has arrived!

2011-08-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

He is finally here! Baby Kashton arrived 9 days early at 3:19 pm on Friday, August 5, 2011. He weighed a tiny 6 lbs, 11oz and was 19 inches long. Labor was amazingly fast and easy, lasting a total of about 7 hours from start to finish. Early labor was questionable....I didn't even know for sure that I was in labor until about 9:30 that morning. I had been to the doctor on Thursday for my regular weekly appt and had my membranes stripped which apparantly got things moving along. Friday morning about 4:30 am, I began to have mild contractions about 30 mins apart but was able to sleep through/between them. By 830 am they were about 10-15 mins apart but still very mild, so I sent Nick off to work thinking we had at least until the evening before active labor started. Of course, that day, he was supposed to drive up to Manito to deliver a fitting system which was a total of about 2 hours round trip for him. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have gone....he recieved a call from me about 9:30 that was frantic and stressed telling him I needed to go to the hospital soon. My contractions had picked up in intensity and were only 6 mins apart so I knew our little man was coming soon. Luckily he got home about 1030 and we headed into the hospital. I was dialated to a 5 when we got checked in at about noon. 3 hours later he was here and healthy and I couldn't have asked for a better delivery! I only had to push 2 or 3 times and it was done. I of course cried the second I saw his perfect little face. I was immediately in love!

Thanks to Shelly, we got some great first moment pics

The boys are just as smitten as I am:)

He is so sweet and peaceful

One of my favorite pics....ever

I already can't imagine our family without him!

Belly Update....

2011-07-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

It is crazy to think this pregnancy is almost over! As much as it seemed to be dragging on, the end has come out of nowhere. It has been a fairly easy pregnancy, I have LOVED being pregnant in the summertime, it has allowed me to be able to get out of the house and remain pretty active. Granted, it has been a very mild summer, only hitting 90 twice, so my feelings may have been different if we had more intense heat the last few months. But it really has been fabulous! My only complaints are crazy intense heartburn and extreme fatigue that will come and go without warning:)

I have spent the last few weeks in my 'nesting mode'. I almost have everything ready to go. Just need to finalize a few details in the nursery and pack my hospital bag. I am so ready to meet this little bundle. He is going to be so loved and adored in our family. The boys are beside themselves with excitement and anticipation. They are going to make such wonderful big brothers!

Yesterday at the doctor I found out I was dialated to a 2 and 50% effaced, so we are making progress! Makes me a little nervous since my labors have been crazy fast (5 hours with Kason, and only 4 with Kohen) and I've never dialated past a 1 prior to labor. Hopefully I make it to the hospital!! We also found out that he weighs about 6 lb 11 oz. I had to have an ultrasound to determine weight because I was measuring small (only a 32 and 37 weeks which was a bit freaky). But he's healthy and big and we are so ready to see his cute little face!

Thanks to my amazing sister in law Shelly, we got some beautiful 'belly pics' taken last week. Here are a few of my favorites! She did such a great job and is a fabulous photographer!

4th of July Celebration

2011-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

This year for the 4th of July we headed over to the Kenworthy's for a bbq and pool party during the day. We had a lot of fun getting to spend time with the extended Sanders family who we sadly dont get to see as often as we'd like. The weather actually cooperated and we got a nice clear, hot day (one of the few). Once dusk settled in, everyone ventured over to our house to take advantage of legalized fireworks in Idaho. The kids all had a great time lighting off and watching fireworks and making smore's. We learned that our house is PERFECT for watching fireworks. We got an incredible view of mutiple firework shows that seemed to be going on....not sure where they were coming from because they were pretty big and extravagent! Next year we will be saving our money and efforts and are simply going to park lawn chairs in the back and watch the amazing show take place! It was a very memorable holiday, we had a great time.

Camping 2011

2011-07-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, there is no way we can top last years camping trips, but we were committed to going at least a couple times this year. Our first trip was 3 weeks ago (late posting, I know!) and we headed to our favorite location: Porcupine Bay, Lake Roosevelt. The whole trip was far different than any other time we've been there before. For starters, the water level was pretty low which made getting to the beach quite a hike, instead of being steps away from it when water level is 'normal'. Also, the weather was not hot...we got warm and nice, but not HOT. At least it didnt rain though! Also, being in the third trimester of pregnancy changes the camping experience a bit to say the least:) But we still had tons of fun and believe it or not, the trip was quite relaxing! I am proud of myself for simplifying the whole process this year. Our meals werent quite as fancy, but they tasted just as yummy! By 'letting some things go' I was able to still enjoy myself without exhausting myself! We also got to enjoy the company of the Rollins family one of the days which was awesome. We all had such a great time together!

Unfortunatately, this may have been our ONLY camping trip this summer. We are running out of weekends before this little one arrives! We had originally planned on going again this weekend, but the weather has been far from cooperative, so we decided to call it off and stay home. Which is probably for the best. I have a lot of nesting to do!

Dinosaur Party

2011-06-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

This year Kason decided he celebrate his birthday dinosaur style. All year he had planned on a Star Wars party, so I was surprised when he informed me that he instead had decided on a dino themed party. It turned out to be a lot of fun. We had friends and family over to take part in the festivities.

The highlight of the party was when Kason received his 'big present' from Aunt Shelly and uncle Rick. He was lucky enough to get a new motorcycle! He was so surprised, happy, and excited. He has since gotten pretty darn good at riding and hes only had the thing a couple weeks! He really is a natural at that kind of thing so I am so glad he is able to have one and get to do what he loves!

The kids then played games consisting of 'Pin the horn on the Stegasorus' and a 'Dinosaur Dig'.

We had a great time!

After games, we enjoyed some pizza then, of course, cupcakes and ice cream. We topped of the evening opening many fun gifts. Kason had a great party and a great birthday and I was glad to have it all be over!....even though I did have lots of fun:)

Blessed with the best....

2011-06-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

....daddy in the world!

The boys and I are so very lucky to have Nick as a daddy and husband. He is everything we could ever ask for, plus some! He seems to know how to do and fix absolutely everything and does such a great job of teaching these boys all that he knows. I am confident that with Nick as a daddy, these boys (all 3 of them!) will grow up to be amazing husbands and fathers. And that makes me just love him all the more.

Thanks honey for all that you are, and all that you do

you are the best!

Happy 5th Birthday Kason!

2011-06-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here's to wishing a Happy 5th Birthday to the most lovable little man in the whole world! Kason has grown up so much this past year. I am so thankful for the sweet little spirit that he brings to our home and family. He is such a well rounded little guy. He has the most tender heart and is so sweet, sensitive and loving. BUT, he is also a rowdy, wild and crazy boy who loves to get dirty and play rough. He has acquired many 'hobbies' throughout the year, always revolving around his daddys likes and interests. Most recently he has taken up golfing and is actually quite good! He loves to fiddle around with his clubs, hit golf balls in the backyard, and especially go to the driving range with dad.

He has also been riding his bike like crazy whenever the weather permits. He has always loved his bike and is such a natural. Reminder, he took his training wheels off at age 3!! He has 'graduated' from normal leisure riding, to riding up hills and jumping jumps! Makes mom a bit nervous, but he is so good I cant hold him back. This past month he has been into 'motorcyles' and watching videos of motocross. I think he may be having a bit of intuition of what is coming.....(stay tuned!)

Another thing I must mention about Kason this year is how incredibly sweet he has been during this pregnancy. He is always calling me 'pretty mommy' and telling me how pretty I look when I am feeling quite the opposite. I get an abundance of love, hugs and kisses. He has been so helpful doing extra favors for me like getting me water or helping out with things around the house. He is so excited to welcome little Kashton into the family and will be such an amazing big brother. He is such a great example to Kohen and we are so lucky to have him in our family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KASON!

Here are some of my favorite Kason moments from this past year.....

WE LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!!

Its difficult to believe he will be starting Kindergarten this fall! Where does the time go??

'Sealed' the deal

2011-06-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

June 4th was a very day special for our family. We have been preparing for, and were finally able to get ourselves to the temple to be sealed. It was an absolutely beautiful day in every sense of the word. The weather was picture perfect (go figure) and the peace that we felt after was indescribalbe. The boys looked so very handsome in their white clothes and were so well behaved during the ceremony. I was definitely a proud mama! It was a day we will remember for the rest of our lives. I am so thankful to know that our family is forever!
Thanks to Whitney and Kiley, I was able to get some pretty cute pics of the day. Thanks ladies!

Tee Time~

2011-05-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

Kason has started taking an interest in golf. Partly because Nick spends his days surrounded by the golfing world and Kason always want to do what his daddy does. On the few sunny Saturday afternoons that we have had this spring, Nick has taken Kason to the driving range during Kohens nap. Kason has fallen in love and has such a good time hitting golf balls with his daddy. He even has his own set of clubs Nick has put together for him. They are his pride and joy lately. I do have to say, he is one adorable little golfer:)

Mothers Day

2011-05-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Another late post, not completey my fault this time, as blogger was down for a few days last week. But I wanted to document Mother's Day this year. It was such a relaxing weekend for me. Nothing to crazy or extravagent, but for those who know me, that is just how I like it.

On Saturday, the boys and I went on a date and enjoyed some frozen yogurt together, then I took Saturday evening for myself and did a little shopping and met my mom and Connor for a yummy dinner and dessert. Sunday, after church we spent the day at home, and Nick cooked a delicious spaghetti dinner. My kind of day! Kason brought home this adorable 'present' for me that he made in primary. I wanted to include it, as his answers were so funny to some of the questions. I love the minds of little kids:)

We had a little photo-op after church to get a pic of me and the boys. This did not go very well. Kohen was in rare form, being silly and uncooperative. So these are the best we got...

I am so grateful for these 2 (soon to be 3) little men that make motherhood so wonderful and rewarding. And of course, my amazing husband who makes being his wife one of the best things about my life.

I LOVE MY BOYS!

Easter~

2011-04-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

Our Easter holiday was wonderful this year. We were spoiled and got to spend the day with both sides of the family, the Kenworthys and the Pintlers. Shelly and Rick were generous enough to open their home to my huge family which made the day so fun. We got the best of both worlds:) The weekend began with, of course, dying Easter eggs. We skipped this event last year because Kohen was still a little young and it would have been more crazy and messy than fun and enjoyable. But this year was great. Both boys really got into it, and surprisingly, we had a very minimal mess when all was said and done. They turned out pretty cute...

The finished product

Kason was sick of pictures.....

Sunday we got to do the "traditional" egg hunt...I use the word traditional loosely, because this was not like the egg hunts I remember as a kid. Shelly and Rick, along with the help of Renne' (family friend) filled nearly 500 eggs! The eggs were filled with candy, money, gift cards, and little gifts (redeemable tickets for gifts). Kason and Kohen both made out like bandits, finding an iTunes gift card, a substantial amount of cash and cute little sandpails and shovels. Not to mention the enormous amount of candy...

The hunt was followed by an incredibly delicious dinner with all the Easter fixins and getting to spend time with loved ones. It was a perfect day....we are so very grateful to have such a wonderful family, we are truly blessed!!

A few of the guests......

The whole group...minus Shelly (the photographer and host)

Just an update...

2011-04-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well ideally my April posts would be about the fun we are having outside with the arrival of spring , accompanied by many outdoor pictures. But this April has been a bust....so I have neither of the 2 to share. This April has been full of rain and cold....and lots of it. Yesterday it snowed. And the day before, it snowed also. I hate to complain too much about it, I mean at least we arent dealing with earthquakes and tsunamis, but I am ready for some warmth! I have very high hopes for May, hoping mother nature has lots of sun in store for us! I want to set up pools, and sprinklers outside and let the boys run around in swim trunks all day while I bask in the blazing sun. Hopefully my wishes come true sooner, rather than later:)

Luckily, we have had so much going on that I have been able to keep very busy to pass the time. The boys finished up their year at Preschool (I know, a couple months early) and are getting to spend those mornings at Grandma and Grandpa Pintlers house. They LOVE it. They enjoyed school, but they feel extra spoiled getting to go to grandpas instead. I cut back my hours at work a bit due to the pregnancy, so I am done at noon each day (only work Tuesdays and Thursdays) so this has worked out nicely. I have enjoyed the lighter load, but am struggling with not being able to take on new clients! But I keep reminding myself that will be a good thing as I get more pregnant and and even more so once this little one arrives.

Speaking of my work, I have started teaching barre classes, which I have fallen in love with! I went to Seattle late in March for my training and have been spending the last few weeks learning the routine and coreagraphy. We got the ballet barre installed at the studio last week and held the first class yesterday. It is so fun and I am so excited to be able to teach it. The only problem is it is very challenging, so I am not sure just how long me and my pregnant belly can do it for! Hoping my clients learn it well enough that I can verbally teach:) It will be a great tool to help me get back into shape once I have the baby:)

Nick has been very busy at work, and has been doing a tiny bit of traveling while he can. Once I get super pregnant that option is off the table, so its just as well that he do it now. He still enjoys his job and is really starting to find his groove. It took awile for him to adjust to a new position that didnt exist before him, but he has really started to get the hang of things:) I can sense less stress from him, so I know things must be running more smoothly:)

The boys are as busy as ever and are seeming so old! We registered Kason for kindergarten and he will start this fall. I was hesitant because he has a June birthday and I didnt want him to be the youngest, but he is ready for more structure and learning. I will probably just have him repeat it again next year unless he excells and is comfortable with being the youngest. We will see how it goes. I just didnt want this critical year to be a waste. We looked into private kindergarten or Pre-K, but it was so dang expensive! So we are going to go this route and see how he does. I just cant believe he is old enough to be a kindergartner! They grow so fast!:) Kohen has become such a little man lately. He dresses himself (surprisng because Kason STILL asks for help getting dressed) and does most things on his own. He is talking so well and his tantrums are becoming less frequent. Both boys are so excited to have a baby brother, and want him to 'come out now'. This little guy will be so lucky to have such great big brothers!

Life is good!

Kohen turns 3...

2011-03-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe the time for this post has come. Its so hard to belive that my baby is 3 years old! It seems like a short time ago that he was just a newborn, and yet, here we are. Bittersweet. I am so very happy that I am pregnant again and will have a baby in my arms in a few short months. I love the baby stage. But I must say, the toddler stage is a bit more fun. I have enjoyed watching his little personality develop over this past year. He has gone through so many changes. It is no secret that I have 'babied' Kohen his entire life, but he is becoming so independent that it is no longer an option for me. He LOVES being a big boy and doing things on his own. He is really into dressing himself which is awesome....Kason still puts up a fight about dressing himself at times...so I am thrilled he enjoys this task. Makes life easier for me!:) He is also of course potty trained and has been for almost 6 months. We are so proud of him!

He continues to be the calm, chill little man of the house, although has become very opinionated and 'difficult' at times. He has let his intense stubborn side show through which I am trying to adjust to. He used to do whatever mommy said....but lately, he is quick to let me know if there is something he does not like or does not agree with. I suppose this is a good thing...but it does drive me a bit crazy. I remember Kason going through this at this age, so I know it will pass...but I feel like we are still a bit involved with the 'terrible twos'.

He has recently gotten Kason's old bike and LOVES riding it. It is so fun to watch him learn. It seems as if he will be into bike riding just like his older brother. Except he has no fear, so that will be interesting:) We love this little guy so much and feel so blessed to have him in our family. He really does help to balance us all out.

Here's a little collage of my favorite Kohen moments from this past year....

Happy 3rd Birthday Kohen! We love you!

Party time!

2011-03-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Kohen's Birthday celebration was simple yet wonderful this year. We had family over to celebrate with hawaiian haystacks for dinner and then of course cake and ice cream. Kohen was pleased that he got his 'Spongebob' themed party that he has been requesting for many months and enjoyed the company of his cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. We were lucky to get a little break in the weather for the evening so we were able to spend a little time outside, which the kids were very happy about. Especially once we opened presents and Kohen got his new 4 wheeler. Our neighbors have one, and Kohen has been obsessed with it from the moment he laid eyes on it. Since Ko is always receiving the hand-me-downs from Kason, we really wanted to get him something special, and this was just perfect. He is in love:)

A few of the party guests...

Cake Time!


The kids riding the new toy!

Happy Birthday Kohen!

Little Man #3

2011-03-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday we FINALLY had our ultrasound that I had been waiting for what seemed to be an eternity! That day took forever to get here! I have been having an early 'nesting' bug and have been wanting to get baby stuff out of storage and start to get things settled and get the baby room prepped. My speculations were correct, and the ultrasound confirmed that we are indeed having our 3rd boy! Even though I felt it was a boy, I still held on to the possibility of pink, but also mentally prepared myself for the news of blue. I had been reminding myself of all the positives of a 3rd boy, and I did think of quite a few. It helps that the boys I already have are the sweetest things in the world and give me the best kind of love. Also, I am so very lucky that all 3 boys have the most perfect daddy as their example. If they turn out to be half as wonderful as Nick, I will feel like I was successful in raising them. As an added bonus, Nick reminded me that with another boy, I won't have to give up my throne:) I am so excited to meet this little guy and add to our little Pintler Posse:) Here are the fist pics of our little guy....

View of baby's back with hand on head

Side view-mid kick:)

No denying its a boy!

Little Feet

Half way there! Only 20 short weeks to go!!

Filled with Love~

2011-02-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that I LOVE Valentines Day. It is defintely my favorite holiday. There is nothing more fun to celebrate than 'love' and it is great to have a day to be pampered and recieve fun little gifts and thoughful gestures. Like today, I got to wake up to a Star Wars Valentine from Kason and a little note he had written. Not to mention he vacuumed for me this morning to surpise me. He is learning tricks at a very young age:) He has definitely stole my heart this Valentines Day:)

Then there is my true Valentine, my wonderful and amazing husband. He is the reason that this day has become my favorite of all holidays. I thinks its so great to have a specific day to celebrate the love we have for eachother. This year we had a simple celebration. We had an evening of shopping and dinner at PF Changs. Our dinner was of course delightful. The food was so incredibly yummy and we thouroughly enjoyed each others company without the distraction of our lovely little boys. We have so much fun together and I wish that we had more date nights! Unfourtunately, I didnt get any pictures of our date so instead I thought I would post a few of our old photos from our dating days when he stole my heart. I am so blessed to have such a thoughtful and wonderful valentine to celebrate love with..... today, and every day. He exceeds my expectations daily of what a husband and father should be. I feel so lucky and am so very proud of him.

I LOVE MY VALENTINE!

My "BIG" little boys

2011-01-31T17:07:00.000-08:00

The other day I had a realization. I was sitting there, watching my boys play and it dawned on me how big they actually are. Life has been very busy this last year. Summer was a whirlwind of events and work, fall was full of moving, then the hectic holdiay season ensued. I feel like I havent had much time to just sit and simply enjoy my surroundings. This pregnancy has given me a great excuse to do a lot of nothing:) I have had a lot of down time, simply because I dont have the energy to do much of anything. (Luckily that is looking like its changing the last week or two....starting to almost feel normal again) But all this down time really gave me some perspecive on how fast life is truly whizzing by. I realized that I havent really kept up on the boys' progression and milestones that they have hit this past year, and there have been quite a few. I wanted to take some time and document these changes.

The boy that has gone through the most changes this year is my little Ko Man. He started 2010 as just a baby, and has evolved into a little boy all in this past year. I cannot believe his 3rd birthday is approaching. I still consider him 'my baby'... although he is quick to put me in my place if I call him that. He has always been my little snuggle bug, and I am lucky to still get a few cuddle moments once in awhile. His vocabulary has improved immensely. He was just beginning to talk at this time last year, now he is able to almost carry on a conversation (needs a mommy interpreter at times) He is also COMPLETELY potty trained, and has been since November. He really shocked me with how well he adjusted. I was concerned because he didnt show the same interest Kason did and he didnt have any desire at all. All it took was a special trip to the store to buy some new undies, and within a week or two he was potty trained. He even is wearing undies at night and has only had 1 accident. I am so extremely proud of him!!!! It is awesome to not have to change or BUY diapers or pull-ups. Although its short lived, it is wonderful, I will greatly appreciate this next 7 months of no diapers!
Last, but not least, Kohen is no longer in a crib and is in a big boy bed! The transition took place also around November. I was hesitant because he was making no attempt to escape his crib so I didnt want to create unecessary drama, but once he potty trained, it was inevitable. He has to be able to get up if he needs to go in the middle of the night and I didnt want him to have to make a dangerous climb out of the crib. So off went the side of the crib. He was SO proud of his new bed! But.... this is when my great sleeper turned into a nightmare at bedtime. To make matters worse, we decided to move the boys into the same room once we found out we were pregnant. I figured we were going through an adjustment anyway, lets kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Then when baby arrival gets closer, we will already be set. So we now have the boys in bunkbeds. Some nights are good, others almost put Nick and I over the edge. We have to take turns to avoid insanity. But I think we are making progress and I am confident that by summer we will be through this transition. (If not, I made need some psychiatric help!) Even though I get mad at the boys, I sometimes chuckle to myself because I find myself saying the same thing to them that my parents used to say to Kiley and I when we wouldnt go to sleep. I guess kids will be kids!

Then there is Kason. What an amazing young little man he is! It is so wonderful to be having such postive experiences with him. He was NOT an easy baby, and was even worse as a toddler. With age though, noticeably since his 4th birthday, his behavior has leveled out and he has become my best friend. He still has moments of intensity and irrationality, but they are few and far between. And when he is rested and at his best, there is no better behaved, or sweeter boy in the world. He has such a big heart and is so sensitive. He has become quite protective of me, especially now that I am pregnant. I feel like the safest mommy in the world with these 3 boys to look out for me (counting Nick as #3, not the baby...still thinking pink!!) He has also become such a helper around the house doing chores and little favors for me when I need him to. I am prepping him for the big brother role. He will do a great job! I am so proud of him!

It amazes me how much can change in just 1 year, and also how fast the years are going. I am excited for all of the changes that are in store for our family in 2011! Mostly to meet this little baby and to see the Pintler family grow!

Snow Fun!

2011-01-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well it seems strange posting these pics now, as the snow has completely melted away. We are super sad that it is all gone, the boys loved sledding and playing in all the white stuff. On a brighter note....the melted snow is an indication that spring is on its way. I am sure we will have another month or 2 of cold days and possibly even more snow, but I am hoping for the best. I have a serious case of spring fever! But we really did have a blast playing in the snow (myself inculded). It makes winter seem not quite so bad. Here are some of my favorite pics of the winter fun.

The boys snowblowing the driveway

Christmas Day~2010

2011-01-05T11:24:00.001-08:00

This Christmas was a bit rough on me this year. Being newly pregnant, fighting fatigue and nausea, and also battling a major cold was a recipe for disaster. Add that to the long 'to do' list that Christmas brings and I was walking zombie most of the month. I struggled to keep up and get everything done, and doing so nearly killed me. My poor yet amazing husband has been so incredibly understanding, supportive and helpful. I could not have done it without him! He got the daunting task of wrapping every last present (except his own, I did muster up the energy to do that) But nevertheless, Christmas was still a major success and very enjoyable, even for me. The festivities began at the Pintlers house on Christmas Eve, where we got to spend time with Mike and Danielle and their two boys (who we dont get to see often enough) and also the rest of the Pintler (and Varnell) clan! It was really nice to spend time with everyone. We then headed to my aunt Lindseys for her annual Christmas eve celebration. It has been years since we have been able to go and it was tons of fun. We had a very entertaining white elephant gift exchange, and lots of yummy snacks. We had a great time. Here are a few pics I captured from the evening.

Yes, I know, we are quite a large group! But thats what we love about it!!

Christmas morning was or course the highlight. The boys' excitement made all the stress and hardwork worth it! Kason was so shocked that Santa ate the cookies and the reindeer ate the banana (we didnt have carrots or apples) He came in our room with the empty plate of cookie crumbs with the brightest eyes, saying "look, Satna ate his cookies!" it was so precious. Definitely a highlight for me to see:) Then, the destruction began.....ripping into all gifts. I only got a couple pictures of the madness. Seems to be the case every year!!

Then of course we had a little play time before heading over to aunt Shelly's for a delicious Christmas dinner. The day was wonderful! But to be honest, I am glad its over so I can get back into my routine!

Visiting Santa

2011-01-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

The boys were so very excited to go visit Santa this year. We didnt have to deal with any fear or anxiety this time which was nice. Kohen was a bit intimidated, but his excitement took over and he didnt hesitate once it was our turn. After the visit, we got hot cocoa and scones and drove around to look at Christmas lights. It was a fun evening and will become a tradition for us.

Expecting #3

2011-01-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

During all of the Christmas chaos, we discovered that we are expecting our 3rd baby next summer. The news was a bit surprising but also very exciting. We were definitely planning on #3... just not expecting to have it as early as this one will be arriving. My due date is August 14th ,so it is safe to say that our summer will be affected slightly by this. Probably wont be able to go camping as much as we got to last year, but we will still find the time and energy(me) to go a couple of times. My plan for the summer is lots of relaxing in the sun watching the boys play:) I will cut down my work schedule a bit so I can have lots of spare time to prepare for this little ones arrival. I cant wait to have a newborn baby again, it has been way too long!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2010-12-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

With the early snowfall (and record breaking for the month of November) I have been in the Christmas spirit for quite sometime now. I couldn't wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving so I felt okay about getting our tree. I know it was early, but I wanted to enjoy the beauty and fragrance for as long as possible:) So the Saturday following Thanksgiving we ventured out into a blizzard to find our tree. The snow was so crazy that we could barely even see the tree we purchased....covered in snow. The overall shape was perfect, so we packed it in the truck and headed home. After a few hours of allowing the snow to melt, we brought it inside and had a little decorating party. We had sooo much fun! Kason especially had a great time since he is my detail oriented little guy. He took his time making sure every ornament was perfectly placed (according to him, my opinion was of course different). Kohen was content tossing a few ornaments here and there and managing to break more Christmas balls than he actually placed on the tree. I let the boys decorate, and I spent my time taking pictures trying to capture their joy and smiles. Love this time of year!!!

That Monday, only 3 days after getting our tree, I noticed it started looking dry and faded. I had been very diligent about watering it so I am convinced we got a dud for a tree. So much for fragrance and beauty all month long!! Next year, I will try to have a bit more patience and wait an extra week or so before getting it and will also not buy a tree so covered in snow that I cant see it. Lesson learned:) Still looks good from afar, I just need to get some evergreen scented candles and all will be well!

So Much to be Thankful For!!

2010-11-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving this year! The snow on the ground made the day feel so festive. I have to admit that I have been listening to Christmas music all week long. My usual rule is to wait until after Thanksgiving, but I couldn't resist:) Nick is already annoyed with it...looks like it will be a very long month for him.

With the Thanksgiving holiday comes thoughts and focus on the things in life which we a grateful for. The list can get rather long, as there are so many things...both big and small to be thankful for. At the very top of my list is my family, both my little immediate one, as well as extended. I feel like I have the best fam in the world! (although I am sure most people feel the same) We spent this Thanksgiving with the Kenworthy side of the family, and everyone was able to be there...including Brady and Whit and adorable baby Boden, and uncle Blake. They all traveled so long and far to be here! The trip which usually takes around 7 hours, took them 14 due to the weather. What troopers!! I am so glad they braved the elements to be able to be here. Kason and Kohen absolutely LOVE their uncles and Whitney, and think Boden is pretty awesome. I now have approval to have another baby:)

Festivites began on Wednesday when the adults all went to see Harry Potter (my brothers are obsessed) I cant remember the last time we all went to a movie together! Good times! Turkey day consisted of a family photo session that lasted mabye 3 minutes long...we. nearly froze to death, but did manage to get a good shot of everyone (see below) Dinner was at the Max restaurant, which was a new thing for us...usually we are traditional all the way, but couldnt resist a great opportunity to be with extended family. Food was yummy, and best of all....no clean up! Only complaint was zero leftovers for a TG midnight snack:) We plan on doing our own little thanksgiving dinner on sunday, so we will get our fill then. The day ended up at Kileys where we played games, ate yummy pie and the kids got their annual Christmas gift from Grandma Lori of Christmas jammies and books. This inspired photo session #2 which was quite interesting....trying to get 6 kids all looking at the camera at the same time was next to impossible...but we got it:) Before going home the boys got their first experience playing rockband...they loved it and are hooked!

The boys and the cousins "Rockin"

Now...time to begin the preparations for Christmas!

Halloween....May the Force be with you...

2010-11-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

This year Halloween was a bit crazy for us. The holiday took place only 3 days after moving so we felt a bit discombobulated to say the least. We did manage to find lots of play time and even had some family over to celebrate and go trick-or-treating. It actually turned out to be quite a relaxing evening, and the kids had a blast with their cousins and LOVED being in their costumes. Kason has a had a slight obsession with Star Wars over the past few months, which gave him the bright idea to be Annakin Skywalker. Kohen played into the theme and was the cutest Yoda in the world. We had quite a few lightsaber duels at our house that day!! Here are some pics of the fun....

Kasons mask I know is a little creepy....

Not to mention the creep-o in the back. That would be Nick and his sense of humor:)

Much better....love this handsome face!

The Jedi Master:)

Jedi Brothers

The boys and their cousins....the trick-or-treating gang

Another shot of Nicks 'costume' since the background in the first one is so dark. Gotta love him!!

My favorite thing about Halloween is that it marks the beginning of the Holiday Season. Here we go...I LOVE this time of year!! Looking forward to all of the fun festivities headed our way these next couple months!!

SFR-Take 2

2010-10-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

Due to the overwhelming number of great pictures from the reunion, I decided to make a few collages to document as many as possible. It took me a little longer to get them done, but love the way they turned out. We really did have a great time!!

This is where most afternoons were spent....relaxing on the beach.

We spent as much time as possible on the boats. Unfortunately we had to deal with some fierce wind while we were there, which made wakeboarding and 'leisure' boat rides hard to come by. The wind did, however provide for some memorable moments; Including the ladies boat ride of oreos and craziness and a rescue mission for a capsized canoe. Goodtimes!

On of the afternoons, a big group of us hiked up to the natural rock water slides. The hike was longer than any of us anticpated, but was definitely worth it each step. It would have been a lot easier to not have to carry the kids up the mountain though. The slides were great, quite something to see.

Once there, everyone suited up in a garbage bag to assist with the 'sliding'. I documented Blake and his full bodysuit which allowed him to slide head first. Craziness. Another 'something to remember' is that Kohens and mine's near death experience (slight exaggeration here). Somehow, I got going SO fast during our turn.... probably because I was using my arms to hold Kohen on my lap instead of using my hands as 'brakes' like I should have been. Whatever the reason, we FLEW down the slide so fast that we got turned around and upside down so I spent most of my ride sliding backwards on my back using my elbows as brakes and trying desperately to keep Kohens head away from the rock underneath us. Luckily it was short and fast and was over as quickly as it began. Kohen however was terrified. And not surprisingly did not want to go down again. I went again so I did have a positve experience and the second time was much better:)

Group Campfires

Already looking forward to the next reunion!........

Sanders Family Reunion 2010- Take 1

2010-10-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Here it is. The post that is nearly 2 months tardy. In my defense, I was waiting until all pictues were in my possession before I posted. But now I am overwhelmed with how many great pictures we got. So bear with me while a post a massive amount of pictures. The ones in this post were taken by Sarah G, a photograper friend of the family. She came up and spent a day at our camp, capturing some great moments. I am going to post the pictures I took with my camera seperately . We had so much fun!

Kohen Body Surfing

Our own private beach...blissfully beautiful!!

Daddy and Kason-such handsome boys!!!

Kohen, looking rather serious:)

Best Buds!! Kora and Kason

The Kenworthy Clan

The entire Sanders Clan

(Well, almost....a few people were missing)

More to come. Stay tuned......

The Pintler boys start Pre-School!

2010-09-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

I cant belive Kason is old enough to go to preschool. He is getting so big and so grown up. Nick and I are so proud of the little man he is becoming. He is so smart and eager to learn. We went out on a limb and decided to also enroll Kohen into. He isnt technically preschool age yet, but he is ready for some structure and we knew Kason would adjust more easily if he had the comfort of having his little brother tag along.

Their first week went very well. Kason is loving it. Kohen tries to love it, but really misses his mommy, which of course makes it difficult for me. He is quite an attached little guy, partly becuase I still baby him. This is a good thing for him and for me, he is ready to become a big boy!!

Here are the photo highlights from their first day

Love this picture! This will be blown up and framed!

Back in Action!!

2010-09-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Phhew!! What an amazing and fun filled summer we had this year. So many events, camping trips, birthdays, holidays, reunions, pool time at grandmas and extra work days for me. How we managed to squeeze everything in still amazes me. I cant believe its been over two months since my last post! I had a lack of 'spare time' this summer partly becuase I took on a job at Gozzer Ranch this year teaching their Pilates classes and private sessions. What a great place to 'work'! I got to take a boat shuttle across Cda lake and had a driver take me to the fitness facitly there where I met some great people and did what I love to do....teach:) I knew it would be an amazing opportunity for me to teach there, and I am so glad I did it....but it did really kick my behind adding two extra days to my work week. I worked Mon-Thursday all summer, and even though I was done by 1230 most days, it still was a lot to take on. It definitely gave me new found respect for moms who work full time. I am still debating whether or not I will teach at Gozzer next year....absoulutely loved it, but I sure did miss my boys!!

We did manage to spend lots and lots of family time together, and made up for my absence every weekend. Nick and I added up that we spent over 20 days camping this summer. A record for this little fam, one I dont know if we will ever beat!! We discovered that we really do love to camp. I enjoy the prep work of organizing and list making and Nick and the boys LOVE to be outside playing with dirt, sticks and campfires. And of course, we all love the lake and boat. Recipe for fun:) As predicted I wasnt able to post on all of the many events that took place, so I am playing 'catch up' and doing a few belated posts on our summer highlights.

This fall I know is going to be just as eventful, as we are looking into the idea of moving.....a word I seriously DID NOT want to enter my vocabulary for years. But we finding ourselves at a crossroads, to buy this house or not.....When we moved in I swore I could live here forever. I love this house. The problem is lack of space outside. Our yard is nearly non-exisitent, and we are finding out how important outside space is to us....so we will see. To be continued....

My boys playing ball

2010-07-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

Both boys have been showing quite an interest in sports lately. Kason is dying to learn to play baseball. He is the type of kid who wants to just know how to play, but doesn't want to go through the learning process. Nick thankfully has a lot of patience and really enjoys teaching him to play. We will definitely be putting him in team sports next season. He is so ready. Then there's Ko, who was born ready. He wont be far behind!! Here are some pics I took a few weeks ago of the backyard fun.

This one above of Kohen is my favorite....look at that form. He's a natural!!

Also....stay tuned for a post from our last camping trip to Roosevelt. I am waiting for some great pictures captured in Shellys camera. We had a great time, but are only now feeling recovered....camping is so much work, as I have said before. I think I am cured for the season!! With the exception of the reunion of course:)

Camping Priest Lake

2010-07-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Round 1

Well, we did it....we survived the first camping trip of the year. And it actually turned out to be one of the most relaxing camping trips since having kids!! Just as expected, the boys were in heaven. Surrounded by dirt and bugs, the beach and bike trails....they were thouroughly entertained. Only a few minor meltdowns, mainly due to lack of sleep. No naps, late bedtime, early wake time is just a recipe for disaster....so I was honestly expecting more meltdowns than actually occurred.

We arrived late last Friday afternoon. Just enough time to set up camp, make (throw together) dinner, clean up, have a campfire and mallos, and then get ready for bed. The boys actually went to bed pretty good. We put Kohen in a pak n play which he is technically too big for. He is in a crib at home still, so I wanted to keep him contained. He climbed out of the thing the second I set him in there, which is when I panicked thinking we were going to have to play the 'in and out game' for 2 hours. Thankfully, after the second climb out, he stayed in there like a good little boy. Then the next night he didnt even attempt it! Dodged a bullet there....I want to keep Kohen in the crib for as long as possible!! Kason started climbing out well before the age of two which made for some rough times! Dont want to deal with that again please!!

Here is our camp....once we were settled in

The next morning began rather early...6am. Could have been worse, so I wasnt complaining:) We had breakfast and then went exploring for firewood in our jammies

We then got our swim clothes on and headed to the beach.... The boys favorite place to be. They LOVE playing in the sand and water. Their favorite 'game' is playing with their toy trucks and boats and pretending to launch them or tie them up.

We then got the real boat launched spent the early afternoon on the boat where the boys took a mini nap and Nick and I enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing boat ride....for almost 30 mins!! Since the boys were sleeping we decided to cruise up the lake to Lionhead to get a closer look at where we will be having our family reunion later this summer. The ride there was awesome. The boys woke up about half way there and we had a picnik along the way. The ride there was calm, nice and easy. After checking out Lionhead, we headed back to our camp. That is when the wind decided to pick up....and the waves began....I felt like I was in the ocean. It was the most horrible boat ride I have ever experienced. Each time we hit a wave, it felt as if the boat was going to break in half! Not to mention the water that was consistently spraying over the bow of the boat drenching poor Nick. And it was not warm....sun was of course behind a cloud. We were freezing (forgot our sweatshirts!) hunkered down under towels for the longest 30 mins ever!! So, needless to say we then took the boat out of the water and went and spent more time on the beach. We learned that boating on Priest Lake IS NOT FUN if it is windy!! Yikes!!

Nicks parents joined us for the late afternoon and for dinner which was great. The boys were so excited to see them and we all had such a great time relaxing together and watching the boys play. It made us so excited for our camping trip with the Pintler Family next weekend. It has been years since thePintler family has camped together, and they used to do it all the time!! So we are all extremely excited!

After dinner we went on a little family hike that was so much fun! Its so funny to me because I absolutely LOVED the hike....and I used to hate when my parents tried to take us kids on one. What was I thinking....hiking is awesome!!! I want to do more of it, for sure.

Sunday was spent relaxing and packing up camp followed by another boat ride attempt. Again, the morning was calm and peaceful, and we got to take advantage of our own little private beach.

After lunch the wind picked up,the waves started, and the boys began to fade....so we called it a weekend and headed home. What a great trip, we are so excited to do more camping, we had a blast! I love being away from the daily life and just spending peaceful days with my little family. Life is so simple when you are camping....it was actually great not having access to our phones!!

Next weekend we are headed to Lake Roosevelt, and the forecast is GREAT. Expecting temps in the 90s, its about time!

The Celebration!

2010-06-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Kason had quite the birthday this year! There were so many fun festivities!. The celebration began first thing Friday morning with breakfast at IHOP which was surprisingly delicious. I havent eaten there in awhile and I was actually quite impressed. After breakfast we headed over to the theater and saw Toy Story 3, which was soooo good! I think it is my favorite out of the 3. Such a great little story. I even got a little choked up a few times during the movie. I can thank my mom for that, she used to cry watching full house:) Sensitve Sanders genes. But it really was touching at times, I know I wasnt the only one getting teary eyed!

After the movie (and too much candy) we headed home to get set up for out Buzz Lightyear birthday party. The boys thankfully took decent naps while we got everything prepped. At the party the kids made rocketships out of toilet paper rolls, which actually turned out pretty cute. They had lots of fun....but I must thank my wonderful hubby for helping with the craft while I was getting the food ready. He is always such a good sport. He is the artistic one anyway so he did a much better job than I would have.

Dinner was pizza and pasta salad....simple yet delicious. Then we of course had cake and ice cream.

Kason then got to open his presents. He got lots of fun gifts...one being the nerf gun which he has been dying to get. Its quite interesting to me how obsessed my boys seem to be with guns. I definitely do not encourage the idea....I guess they are born with the desire for destruction:).

I have come to the conclusion that birthday parties become more work as the children get older and start having an opinion of their own:) But I think they also become more fun.too. Cant believe my little man is getting so old so fast. Makes me feel old too .....especially with Nick approaching the big 3-0.

Headed off to our next adventure this weeked.....camping!! we are very excited and I must say....dang its alot of work to go camping. But we are makin memories, so its all worth it!!!!

Trying to be like the big boys!

2010-06-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

After watching Nick, Blake and Connor over the weekend, Kason has of course been inspired to wakeboard. Here he is practicing some of his moves....and yes.... that is rain boots duct taped to a foam board. Kason's idea of course, and a pretty good one at that. The only problem is the duct tape gives out after awhile. We have gone through 2 rolls since his invention. I guess we gotta get him on a real one behind the boat! This crazy kid just seems to be made for extreme sports. Poor me. I have to much anxiety to deal with that!!! Luckily he is very cautious so at least he will think things through before he attempts anything too wild. Kohen on the other hand has no fear. He's the one I'm going to have to look out for!!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful husband who is the best daddy in the world to our boys!! We are so lucky to have him...he exceeds my expectations every day I am so happy Kason and Kohen have him as an example of what a dad and husband should be. I have been extremely impressed with all of Nicks 'skills' throughout our marriage. He seems to know how to do it all- from fixing anything, to building everything. He is quite the handy man. These boys are soooo lucky to be able to learn so much from him! We love you honey!!!

Here are some of my favorite daddy moments.........

And of course, Happy Fathers Day to my daddy.....who was always a great example of what to look for and expect in a husband. (I wish I had some old daddy daughter pics to post) And for being a wonderful Grandpa to these boys....they love their grandpa Randy or Grandpa Annie as Kason would say while learning to talk....we always got a kick out of that.

We are so thankful for daddys and grandapas!!!

Finally Four!!

2010-06-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kason was so ready for this day! He has been anticipating turning 4 for months now. It all began in March when Kohen and cousin Kora both had their birthday parties and he just couldn't wait till it was his turn. Well the day has finally arrived.... I can't believe I am the mom of a four year old. We are so proud of him and the big boy he is becoming! There are so many things I love about this little boy!

Here is a little bit about Kason:

He is such a sweetheart! Sometimes, out of the blue he'll say..."i sure love you honey" in the softest sweetest little voice...It melts my heart!Other times I will hear him 'comforting' Kohen when he is upset. He is so kindhearted.

On the flipside, he can be quite the opposite at times too. Just depends on his mood and amount of sleep he has had. He can go one extreme, or the other. (Hmmmm, wonder where he gets that from???) But the good always outweighs the bad:)

He loves riding his bike, and is becoming quite good at it. Freaks me out a little because he is so fearless when riding (and need I remind you that is how Nick almost lost his foot.)

He is so smart and is constantly asking questions, some of them I dont even know how to answer!! It amazes me the way his brain works sometimes. He is quite the deep, analytical thinker....he gets that from me, which I can say is both a blessing and a curse. Things have to be very precise, and according to his exact specifications or we risk a meltdown....although they are becoming few and far between, thankfully!!

He loves playing pretend, anything to be like his daddy. His most recent imitation is wakeboarding....pics to come.....

He is obsessed with Buzz lightyear, and all things astronaut and space related. (inspiration for party theme)

His brother Kohen is his best friend, (and at times his worst enemy). They play so well together and Kason is really starting to take on the responsibility of setting a good example for his brother.

His favorite color is green

His favorite foods are: fruit (any kind), hot dogs, pizza, and toaster strudels (exact quote here)

He loves playing with his cousins

He loves being at the lake, boating, and playing in the sand

He loves cuddles, stories and songs at bedtime...anything to delay going to sleep.

I love this little guy so much and am so thankful for the blessing he is to our family. I have learned a lot about myself from him because we are so similar. I honestly cant believe he is 4 and getting ready to start preschool this fall. Wow, how time flies!!

Here are some of my favorite Kason moments:

First Day Home from Hospital

This one was included to document how much Connor has grown up!

;

6 Months Old

Stitches Before his first birthday....poor little guy!

First Summer by the pool with Kora

One of my favorite pics from 2007- 1 year old

Easter 2008

March 2008

Kason and Connor 4th of July 2008

Camping 2009

Halloween 2009-Marks the beginning of the Buzz obsession!

Christmas 2009

Tomorrow it the big party day. We have quite the day planned. Begins in the morning with breakfast at IHOP and then we are going to see Toy Story 3!! Party with friends and family in the evening. Going to be eventful. Post and pics to come!!

What a Weekend!

2010-06-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

To say we enjoyed the weather over the weekend is an understatement! We loved every minute of the well deserved heat and sunshine! We took full advantage, of course, and headed straight to the lake for some boating time:) We were lucky that Kiley and her family were out there for the day too so the kids were in heaven. It was by far the most relaxing boating experience yet with the kids. They were so well behaved and had such a great time. I am sure it helped that they had cousins on board:) But it really was absolutely perfect. I even remembered my camera:)

We are looking forward to many more weekends like this!

Our first camping trip is in 2 weeks and I am both nervous and excited. We are going solo (no help from grandparents or Connor) so it should be interesting. We have always relied on my mom to pack those little essentials you forget about and she wont be there!The hardest part is acquiring all the gear! But I know we will have a blast. The boys are at a great age this year. They love being outside, just like their daddy.

Favorite Moments from May

2010-06-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

The month of May was a whirlwind. I can't believe that we are really well into June.... right on the heels of summer. We are excited for many fun festivities and camping trips that are quickly approaching. I am crossing my fingers that I will find the time to post about all of the fun going on! I know life is going to feel even crazier here in the next few weeks than it already does!!! (is that really possible??) but I will do my best!

Looking back on May it seems as if it was our summer warm up.....(not talking weather here). Lots of family time outside, time at the lake and a few boat rides. Nick, Blake and Connor were all even brave enough to go wake surfing!! (wish I had pics of that!!) Not to mention, Kiley's 30th Birthday which was a blast! We also found time for a few backyard picnics and tested out the new sprinkler and slip-n-slide.With all of that 'practice' we are officially prepared for summer itself, heat and all. Bring it on!!

Silly Times

2010-05-19T17:21:00.000-07:00

The other day I was going through the pictures on my camera and came across these. They were taken on a couple of the nights while I was at work last week, so they were moments I had missed! I was so glad Nick captured them, they definitely made me smile. Slightly bittersweet however, I felt a little left out. They looked like they were having so much fun, wish I could have been a part of it:)

This was Kason's "TV" and he was the weather man:)

Kohen's Turn

Gotta love this little guy and his 'ideas'

Happy Mothers Day!

2010-05-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

I, of course had to give a shout out to my wonderful mom today in celebration of Mothers Day. I am so very blessed to have her as a mom and also a best friend. She is the best!!! I love you mom!! My Mother's Day celebration this year was so much fun! Kiley, my mom and I all went out to a delicious dinner at PF Changs, which did not disapoint! I hadn't been there in quite awhile and had almost forgotten just how yummy their food is. After dinner, we did a little shopping at Nordstrom (love that place!) and then went to a movie at the Magic Lantern Theater in downtown Spokane. It was my first time seeing a movie there, but was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was. It was a tiny little theater with only about 30 seats or so, which were seats from the 1970s I am sure:) Instead of concessions they have a coffee and pastry bar. What a great idea!! Hope to go back there again sometime soon. The only downside to that theater is that the movies they play are a little different. The one we saw was The Yellow Handkerchief, which I hadnt even heard of but really enjoyed. Great story:) After the movie, we completed the night at Lindemens on the south hill for dessert. Another fabulous place I want to visit again soon:) Yummy Yummy! What an enjoyable night it was. Again, Happy Mothers day to my mom, and also to Kiley, who is an incredible mom!! Those Daines kids are sure lucky to have her, she is awesome and inspires me to be a better mom as well. I love both of you ladies so much and had a great time! Lets do it again soon!!!

No Training Wheels!

2010-05-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

Kason has loved riding his bike from the moment he got one for his 3rd birthday last year. I remember him riding it in the house when he very first got it...not quite sure how I was talked into that one....But nonetheless, he has been a 'rider' ever since....weather permitting of course:) Even with all the practice he got last year, I was a bit nervous when he asked if we would take the training wheels off. Luckily he asked daddy first, who had no hesitation. So off the wheels went, and after only 2 or 3 tries, he was riding solo. I was shocked at how easy it seemed to him, I remember it being a big deal for me!! I guess its a boy thing. Something to note however....the day he decided to show off his new trick was the day of Kohens Birthday party. Hmmm, someone looking for the spotlight?? Well, it seemed to work! We were all impressed:) In the month since then, he has decided to master bike jumping. I am in for a ride with these boys!!!

Easter Fun

2010-04-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

Well I am a bit tardy on this post, but have not had a spare moment until now! Life has been crazy lately and I am doing by best to keep up! Last weekend was of course Easter, and what a great Easter we had this year! So much fun with both sides of the family. Also, last Saturday was Whitneys baby shower. Shes not due until end of July (we are all hoping for early July so they can come to the highly anticipated Sanders family reuinion
!) but they were visiting for Easter, so it seemed like a great time to do it. It was so so nice to spend a relaxing afternoon with all the ladies chit chatting and eating delicious food. Wish we all did that more often! Unfortunately I didn't any pics of the shower, I was having such a good time that I forgot to take any!

Sunday was of course Easter. The day began with the boys "opening" their Easter baskets and finding all the eggs the Easter bunny had hidden. The boys loved it, although Kason had a hard time letting his little brother find the eggs too. He wanted all that he saw! By the time the 2nd egg hunt rolled around, he had warmed up to the idea and Kohen actually got a few! The Kenworthy side of the family came over for a delicious brunch of Ham and Cheesy Potatoes, and carrot cake muffins with cream cheese frosting for dessert. Yummy!!!!
After we ate, the kids did their egg hunt and proceeded towards a crazy sugar high which lasted the rest of the day! Later in the afternoon we went to Shelly and Ricks house for yet another egg hunt...no wonder I have so much candy lingering all over the house!!) They do such a fabulous job on their egg hunts, they are so much fun. I think they hid almost 300 eggs!! Of course, I forgot to take my camera to Shelly's but here are the pics from the rest of the day.

Party Time!!

2010-04-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the highlights from Kohen's party. Kohen was lucky enough to get 2 parties....one at home for family, and one at Chuck E Cheese with the kids. These pics are all from our party at home. I did snap a few at the Cheese but they are not uploaded yet. If I dont post now, I may never. So here they are! We had a great time!!! Kohen got a new bike which he loves, now he can keep up with Kason.

We love Birthdays!

Kohen's 2nd Bday!

2010-03-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

I cant believe it, but my baby turns 2 today. Such a bittersweet moment. He has been the most enjoyable baby since the day he was born. I feel so blessed to have his sweet little spirit in our home. He is the most laid back, easy going little guy on the planet. He just goes with the flow and is happy no matter what he is doing. (He gets that trait from his dad...Kason and I are the exact opposite) Its funny, because Kohen was not exactly "planned" but I honestly cannot imagine our family without him, he brings all of us into balance and makes me so happy. Lesson learned: Sometimes it is a huge blesssing when things dont go according to plan:) I love my little Ko Man for all that he is, and all that he brings to our family. Here are some of my favorite moments from birth until now. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOHEN!!! Party posts and pics to follow:)

Spring has Sprung...Officially!!

2010-03-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to welcome Spring! Even though we have been extremely spoiled this year in the weather department and have been enjoying spring-like weather through most of March its still nice to make it official. Moving towards even warmer weather, green grass and colorful flowers blooming. My boys love to play outside, and since I loathe the cold weather (anything under 50 is impossible for me to be out in...55 I can tolerate) I am excited to be able to go outside and play with them without freezing to death. We have had a few days when that was the case, and have had a blast on those days. Looking forward to more to come...bring it on Mother Nature!!! Here are some pics of those "warm" days I was speaking of. I have been playing around with the picnik software and have been having tons of fun photo editing....see collages below....Kiley has been my inspiration here, she does the most fun things with her pictures!! Now, if only I had one of those amazing slr cameras....it sure would make a great bday gift (....hint hint to a certain husband who may be reading this...) Happy Spring to all!!!!

2010-03-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

Bath Robe Buddies

2010-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

Recently Kason received a new Buzz Lightyear bathrobe....he has been obsessed with Buzz ever since he dressed up as him for Halloween. Its getting a bit rediculous....everything has to be Buzz. We made mini pizzas for dinner lastnight and even his pepperonis had to be in a buzz shape (whatever that is) Anyways I found this robe at TJ max and he was no doubt in love. Kohen, of course wears the hand -me-down McQueen one. But he could care less, he just likes to be like his big brother!

Kasons robe has a hood and Kohen's doesnt.... but Kohen didnt understand. Heres a pic of him trying to put up his non-existent hood

In the pic below,

Kason is trying to "display" the pocket w/Buzz on it.

According to Kason

2010-02-23T18:04:00.000-08:00

Quick story: Today the boys were watching TV and one of the characters on the show started sneezing over and over....Kason informed me that the guy had the "bless-yous". I thought that was great, actually almost sounds like a good name for a sneeze attack! I love what these kids come up with, they are so much fun:)

2010-02-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

Evening Full of Love

I know this post is a bit late, but I still had to post because Valentines Day is officially my favorite holiday. I love the colors, the decor and the fact that there is very little stress involved. I mean, the most stressful thing I did to prepare was make sugar cookies and reservations for dinner and a massage. Does it get any better than that?? Oh, it does...flowers and chocolates too!! Devoting a specific day each year to the loves in our lives is the greatest idea ever. Where would we be without love??

Having kids to celebrate for/with makes it all the more exciting. Its a great excuse to buy the cheesy decor and throw a party!(see previous post) But the best part of Valentines Day for me was going on a date with my hubby. We had the best time this year. Uncle Connor came over to babysit for us (thanks Con!!) and we went to the Zi spa for a couples massage. So relaxing! We had a gift certificate to use which made it even sweeter. I wish we could do that once a week. It was a great way to spend the evening. After massages we went out to dinner at Scratch in CDA, yummy! I highly recommend their bruchetta, best I ever had. It was wonderful to reconnect with my husband. Life can get so crazy sometimes that I almost forget how much fun we have together! I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful 'valentine'. Cant believe we are going on 5 years of marriage!

2010-02-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day Celebration

Kiley and I thought it would be a great idea to have a Valentines party this year for the kids. It worked out great that there was no school on Friday so we were able to have my mom (aka Grandma Lori) and also uncle Connor and Cousin Michael come too. We had a blast and I am now hoping to make this a tradition! Here are some highlights of the the event:

Fondue...yummy!

The kids opening their "Valentines"

Sugar cookies...my favorite!

Crafts with Grandma Lori

The finished project which made an adorable decoration! Good job Grandma and Kason!

While I was making Lunch for the kids, Kohen was chewing on a piece of bread and somehow managed to chew a perfect heart out of the center. I like to think it was my Valentine from him:)

Lunch was heart shaped grilled cheese and spaghettios..mmm

My Valentine Boys (2 of 3 that is)

I LOVE VALENTINES DAY!!!

2010-01-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

Holiday Festivities

We had a blast this year during the holiday season ( I can say that now since it is over...might have thought otherwise in the midst of the craziness) We experienced our first year as "hosting" the holiday. Yep, I made a FULL Christmas dinner, of course my mom and sis brought a lot of the side dishes and Nick "prepped" the turkey so I cant take all the credit. We also hosted Christmas eve and had the Pintler side over for that. We had so much fun getting to spend good quality time with both sides of the family this year.

Another highlight was that both boys were very aware and into the holiday spirit and anticipation. It made it so much fun to see them both get so excited and have so much fun with cousins and family. On Christmas morning Kason claimed to have heard Santa Claus saying "hohoho" during the night. Whether he dreamed that or simply made it up, Nick and I sure got a kick out of it:)

And again this year, I made an enormous amount cookies and goodies. I felt like I was baking for 2 straight weeks. I love to bake, so this part was actually fun for me. My "helpers" however, made things interesting.....

KO Man applying the Decor

And then enjoying his hard work

Kasons Turn

Action shot

Kason decided he wanted his own tree in the playroom and we happened to have a fake one in storage that worked perfectly.

And the "real tree". Notice the crooked star...it had a mind of its own

Christmas Eve...Kohen with one of the most popular Christmas presents of the night...the toy drill. It goes with a toy truck (takes it apart and puts it back together) but we found many uses for it

Nick performing his fatherly duties and putting together a workbench on Christmas Eve...notice the drill again. It was more helpful than Nicks real one :)

Nick and I and the toy drill I was way to impressed with

Opening presents Christmas morning. One of the few pictures I got

Kason and Kora on Christmas Day...they had a blast. Thanks Grandma Lori for the matching PJS!!

Love this one....notice Canon sneaking cookies. This is funnier if you've seen this video taken by Kiley

Kohen learning the Wii...uncle Connor is the best!!

Kason looking so handsome and so big! This is one of my favorite pics all season:)

2010-01-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

The Pintlers Highlights of 2009

Kohens 1st Birthday 3/31/2009

Kason's 3rd Bday 6/17/2009

This picture was included to document the hillarious behavior of Kason. Notice the extremely concerned look on his face. The Pinata he begged and pleaded for was about to be attacked by a gang of 3 yr olds and suddenly that was not such a great idea, even if it was full of candy. The pinata ended up being a new toy...going everywhere with Kason for weeks. I almost went crazy having to clean up the lovely shreds of red tissue paper that were left all over the house.

Camping at Lake Rossevelt July
We had a BLAST!!

Kason and Connor Camping

Blake Arriving Home from his Mission 8/6/09!!!!!

Our road trip to Brady and Whitney's Wedding

Ko with uncle Con @the wedding

Mr and Mrs Brady Kenworthy. I love this Pic!

Nick and I on our 4th Anniversary

9/24/2009

Halloween with Buzz and Woody

This day marked Kason's newest obsession: Buzz Lightyear

Happy 2010!

2010-01-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Although I have been absent from the blogging world for many months now, I have decided that the new year is the best time to jump back in. So here we go! I do have to admit that after looking back to the few posts I did do (way back in 08), it was so great to relive those times and bring back those fun memories that I had ALREADY forgotten about.

Not to make excuses for myself, but 2009 was an absolute whirlwind of changes and craziness. I felt at times this last year that I barely had time to breathe, let alone blog. Nick has been in "transition" all year, leaving the lending world (gee, I wonder why??) ....dabbling in real estate for a few months....and settling in at Henry-Griffitts as their Sales Director. Such an amazingly perfect fit! He is the king of sales and loves to golf (even though time has not permitted him to do so very often) So we will see where this journey takes us!

This was also my first full year working part time. I finished my "Pilates School" in the fall of 2008 and have been teaching at The Pilates Pathway. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it there!! I get to work with the most wonderful people and am so happy with my decision to teach. I enjoy it more than I expected to, and see myself continuing for many years to come. I do have to say that it has taken some time "adjusting" to the schedule of working 2 days a week. The boys are lucky enough to spend those days at Grandma and Grandpas house, and they love it. I am so grateful for them being willing to help out, otherwise I wouldn't probably be doing what I love:)

Also in 2009, June to be exact...we MOVED!! Our last home was just way to small for these wild boys and we were in desperate need of more space. We got a great deal on a home only 2 houses down the street, so we didnt go very far:) The move has been a wonderful change for us, and I finally have started feeling "settled" here the last few months. We hope and plan to be here a very long time. I say that after discovering how difficult moving with children is! I do NOT want to do that again any time soon!!

So there you have it....2009 in a nut shell. Photo highlights to come!!

Family Pictures

2008-11-06T16:54:00.001-08:00

We FINALLY got our act together and got some family pictures taken. These are the first ones since last summer, and poor Kohen hasnt had any taken of him till now! We are lucky to have aunt Shelly as our personal photographer and she did a great job, as usual. Kason was running around like crazy the whole time. I discovered that 2yr olds are extremely difficult to take pictures of. He wouldnt sit still!! Thats why there are none of him solo, we were lucky to get the shots we did:) Here are some of my favorites. Thank you Shelly!!

Halloween

2008-11-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a lot of fun this year for us. This is the first year Kason really understood what was going on and so he was able to enjoy all the fun and festivities. When we first got his costume, he was a little freaked out by it, and refused to put it on. But once Kohen got his on and Kason was able to see his little brother in a costume, he lightend up a bit.
First we went trick or treating to Grandma and Grandpa Pintler's house, then we went with the Daines family to their annual ward "trunk or treat" party. Kason LOVED it! He was making friends with all the little kids in costumes, it was cute to watch my little batman running around. Our last stop of the night was the Kenworthy house, where we had yummy donuts and cider, and ate way too much candy!

Nick and baby "Robin"

All my Boys Trunk or Treating

BATMAN

Kohen with Grandma Lori

On Saturday night Nick and I had our turn celebrating. We went to a halloween party with some friends. We went along with the super hero theme and were Superman and Supergirl. We had lots of fun getting dressed up! Pics to come from that. havent downloaded them yet. BUt I knew if I waited, I would never post!!

My Boys

2008-10-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well Kohen is finally old enough that him and Kason are really starting to entertain eachother. This is the moment I have been waiting for ever since Kohen was born. Kason is one of those kids who is constantly needing someone to play with, and although I love to play with him, its nice to not be the sole soure of entertainment anymore!
This very accurately shows my boys personalities....Kason, always wanting to be in control of the situation, and Kohen just going with the flow. Oh, and please ignore the chaotic mess in the background:)

Long time, no blog!

2008-10-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, it has been a crazy long time since I have done a post. To be honest, I feel a bit overwhelmed with where to begin and have been putting this off thinking its going to get easier...??? But yes, we are alive and well:) The boys are growing like weeds and are keeping me on my toes. Kohen is becoming mobile....travel rolling is what we call it. He just rolls over and over until he gets to his desired destination. In fact, hes doing it next to me as we speak....rolling around in my laundry pile (maybe I should take the hint and fold the laundry) He also got his first tooth the other day! My baby, already getting so big:(

Kason is still busier than ever, I honestly dont know how I keep up with this animal. It wears me out but I love every minute of it. Ok, thats a lie....we will say ALMOST every minute of it:) His new obsession is playing with cars. He has about 5 or 6 that go everywhere with him. And they'er bigger cars, so carrying them all at the same time is an impossible task, even for me. Even so, he attempts it each time he moves to a different area of the house, and has a major meltdown when they wont all fit in his arms. The joys of being two years old, attemping the impossible and having a tantrum when it doesnt work out the way you planned.

Nick and I are doing well, we celebrated our 3rd anniversary last month. Most people would say, I cant believe its already been 3 years, but I say... "I cant believe its ONLY been three years. Our lives have been jam packed, I wonder how we have fit it all in! But I love him more than I did the day I married him. He is the best husband in the world, and more than I ever hoped for.

Also, last week, I FINALLY finished my pilates training program. Its the best feeling in the world to be done! No more homework, woohoo! Even though it was rough, it was an amazing experience to participate in the program, and my love for the work has grown immensely! I will be working at the Pilates Pathway in CDA and will be just doing VERY part time for now until my busy life allows me to do more.
Well, enough for now. I will update with recent pics soon.

KASON TURNS 2

2008-07-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Kason celebrated his 2nd birthday on June 17, I know, I am a little behind (the story of my life lately). We had a family bbq the weekend before which was tons of fun. I forgot to buy candles for the cake (believe it or not), so we improvised and made our own out of wooden skewers. Sad, I know. it didnt work as well as we hoped so poor Kason didnt get to blow out any candles. Better luck next year I guess:)

He may not have had candles, but he got a lot of great presents. His favorite of the day was a pretend saw from aunt Shelly and uncle Rick. Go figure....another "be like daddy" toy. Those are the best. He looked so cute with the safety goggles on sawing the carpet.

On his actual bday, which was a Tuesday, we ventured up to Chuck E Cheese. He had such a blast with cousin Kora. He loved all the games and rides and learned a little lesson about money. He kept saying "more money" every time a ride would end. Now he has a better understanding of why Nick leaves each morning to go to work. He'll say 'money, cheese'....which translates too, 'Dads going to make money so we can go to Chuck E Cheese again.' Its pretty cute. Here are some pics of the fesivities

A Belated Happy Father's Day

2008-06-23T13:07:00.001-07:00

I didnt get a chance to do a post last week, but I couldnt leave out telling my wonderful hubby Happy Father's Day! He is such an amazing daddy to our boys, they are so incredibly lucky!

Here's some pics of daddy and the boys. As you can see, Kason is always Nick's little sidekick. He loves his daddy more than anything!

Kason is using the golf club as his weed wacker....kids and their imaginations. I love it!

Kason is obsessed with mowing the lawn....if only he could push the real one!

And of course, Nick with baby Kohen, who cant wait to join in all the fun!

Post Falls Days

2008-06-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Well, the annual Post Falls Days took place over the weekend and we managed to find a bit of sunshine to enjoy some of the festivities. Kasons favorite was the giant bounce toy. He had a blast and we had a heck of a time getting him to leave. It wasnt quite "adult" size, but I eventually had to go in and drag him out. It was actually fun being in there and getting to see him enjoying himself so much. I think he would have stayed in there all day!

We then headed over to the little carnival and there was a ride where you sit in cars and pretend to drive while it moves along a track. Kason saw it and was so excited, and I thought for sure he would love it. Well, he did....until it began moving. Once he realized he was in motion, he had a panic attack and the carni had to stop the ride to let him out. I couldnt help but laugh. Hes a lot like his mom. Fortunately, I was able to snap a pic before the ride started, when he was actually having fun!
Nick and I were also able to go on our first date since Kohen's arrival. We got Grandma and Grandpa Pintler to babysit and we had a wonderful time. It was very relaxing and the food was DELICIOUS! I love being able to actually talk to my hubby and enjoy his company without worrying about Kason throwing a tantrum or doing flips off of his chair. Wish we could do it more often, but I did miss my little boys.

Kissing Games

2008-06-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

Part of Kason's bedtime routine is giving kisses to Mommy, Daddy and little brother before going down for the night or naptime. We all love getting our kisses, but Kason (who is always pushing the limits) began taking it a bit too far. It started out with family kisses, then he decided he had to give his toy car, the TV, car keys, tables, and various toys bedtime kisses too. Even though this is simply his way of delaying bedtime, Nick and I thought it was hillarious the first couple times he did it. But, this is a bit ridiculous.

The lovely print on Kasons face is that of our outdoor firepit cover. Yes folks, he gave that dirty thing a kiss.

Dont worry, it wasnt in use at the time.

Some Recent Pictures

2008-05-28T13:34:00.001-07:00

Kason enjoying the sunshine

Baby Kohen 6 weeks old

Entering the Blogging World

2008-05-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I figure its about time I do a post, considering the fact that I have had my blog set up for weeks now. I have been converted into the blogging world by my sister after having so much fun reading her posts and seeing the wacky things her kids do. I figured this is a great way to keep record of the silly random acts of my boys....especially Kason, as he is becoming quite the little character. He is officially entering the terrible twos. June 17, is the official day he will hit the milestone, although I feel like we have been enduring the naughty behavior and tantrums for many many months now. Its not helping that he is cutting all four fangs right now and is also in the transition to the toddler bed. (ie..lack of sleep for him and us!!!!) Nick and I weren't quite ready for that, but one night Kason decided it was time, and out of the crib he climbed. That night was VERY interesting, as it consisted of numerous trips back to bed until about 11pm when he finallydozed off after crying and saying...."love you daddy" over and over. Nick, who can be quite the softie, wanted to give in and let him lay with us. So I had to be the mean one, and be persistent with him. Nick is now on board with the "silent return" after seeing that it was the ONLY thing that works. We are down to zero trips out of bed at night, but he still attempts to get up at about 5:30....NOT OKAY! We are working on that:) I will keep updating on that situation.
Kohen is doing great and growing fast. He will be 2 months old on Friday, and is no longer a "newborn" as he is now taking after his older brother and fighting sleep all day and night. These boys dont want to miss a thing! Unfortunately, their mothers favorite past time is sleeping, so we are experincing quite a dramatic clash in the Pintler household. Luckily, I am very blessed to have such a wonderful hubby who is a HUGE help and lets me catch some extra z's whenever possible. I couldnt do it without him!
We are excited for summer and have been working on re-doing our backyard, adding an outdoor living area. Its been fun, but I am anxious for it to be finished so we can just enjoy it. It will come with time, I just need to be patient! Nicks been doing all the work himself and is proving himself to be quite the handyman. I will post pics when its all done. I Hope everyones doing well! I hope to be updating with new posts weekly....We'll see how that goes:)