We MUST GET OUT!

Its amazing how when you have days and days and days of being indoors and sick you reach a point all of a sudden that you are being suffocated and you must get OUT!!!! We have been trapped in the house with sickness for more than a week now, and we just had to get out. We didn't want to reach out to friends quite yet or go spread germs at anyone's houses, but we needed some fresh air. The park was a perfect escape to renew us. Parks are a happy place in our simple little world!

Look Who's Two!!!

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!
Brooklyn has grown completely into the role of the Ham of the Fam! She intentionally does things to make us all laugh. She will go out of her way to do silly little things to her siblings or in front of us to "see her" and to be funny! We love her playful humor. It started when she was very tiny and has taught us that this is just who she is. I often forget that she's only 2 because she talks so well, and works so hard to keep up with Morgan and Tyler. She is their little tag along and often goes to them for help more often than Jared or I. She is so wonderful and I am so glad she's mine.

Today was a very hard day because we spend the entire day at the Dr. We have discovered that she has strep throat, Tyler has a double ear infection and bronchitis, and Chase has bronchitis with possible RSV! YIKES! But I managed to throw a cake together and have a few little presents to open to make it feel birthdayish, so I hope she feels loved and still thinks birthdays are fun after today.

Visit from the Allen's

For the past week I have been enjoying my sister and her family staying with us. We had a blast as usual. Time at the park, in the back yard, and in the play room! We discovered that with 6 Kids under age 5 is not fun going places. So we enjoyed just being together and chatting to our hearts content. My favorite part was the late night Cold stone runs and chick flicks. Becca also taught me how to make the yummiest bread. I realized on the last day that I had NO pictures of Juliana. She was having so much fun with the cousins and playing, that I couldn't get her to slow down long enough to catch some good photos of her. (next time for sure.)

Kent managed to brake his elbow skateboarding in Utah, so I was AMAZED that he still wanted to do some skating in California with a broken arm. He did some cool tricks regardless. Morgan and Tyler were captivated by his skills.

Bookie Boo

Now that Brooklyn is potty trained it seems like overnight she became a "Big Girl!" She is speaking full sentences and in a way that most of the time we can understand her. Its so exciting yet makes me a little nostalgic of the little Bookie boo that is slowly fading.

Mommy & Me

Today I was looking through all the baby pictures I've taken of Chase and enjoyed seeing how much he has changed and grown these past two months. In looking through the pictures, I noticed that I have very few pictures of he and I together. I tend to hide from cameras for a while after gaining 40 lbs and looking like I do by the end of pregnancy, but I thought I better capture myself in this moment with my 4th baby before he gets too big. It was kind of a joke to try to have a 3 year old push the shutter button(we had several mis-haps), but once I got all the settings just right on my camera and the tripod tight enough that his pressure wouldn't shift the framing, he did AWESOME!

Writer's Award

Last week we were able to attend a special assembly for the Kindergarteners of Rosa Parks Elementary. Only Morgan and one other child, were selected the coveted "Writers Award" out of 6 Kindergarten classes. Morgan was also chosen to read her paragraph in front of the whole assembly. I could hear the nerves in her voice... but she did an amazing job and was very brave to do it. We were very proud of her accomplishment. She loves reading and learning and tries to read everything she sees. Way to go Morgan!

Motivating little Boys!

Ok all you mom's out there of little boys.... I need some serious pointers. I have not been able to find a successful method to motivate this little fellow! Its a good thing he's so beautiful, otherwise I'm sure I'd have injured him by now. He is very tender and strong willed, and doesn't seem to respond to much when it comes to doing the things I ask or need him to do. I haven't successfully come up with something that "gets him everytime" if you know what I mean. I also struggle making things "his idea," because that definitely works, but how do I get doing clean up HIS IDEA...not going to happen. Any advise?

Big Girl!

Little Brooklyn is embarking on the Potty training. She has had a very successful week and can get through the day with almost no accidents! It melts my heart that she is growing up and no longer my baby! I love this little girl more than she'll ever know!

Sledding in Corona

Ashlyn Taylor Andy

Morgan and Paige

Brooklyn learns what in the world this stuff is.

Tyler love'n the snowball fight with daddy

Cute Morgan happy to be here.

Testing the Bobsled.

The Birthday Party Crew

Today our friends the Jorgensen twins, had their 3rd Birthday Party. It has been raining strait, as many of you know for 6 days now. So what better of an idea than to haul snow down from the mountains and dump a truck load on your front lawn for kids to play in. What? Snow? In Corona? YEP! WooHOO! It was a hit. All you Utah'ns out there might think this is rediculous but to all of us sun worshipers... this was a very exciting event. As you can see it was snowball fights and sledding to their hearts content. Brooklyn was very shocked the first time she climbed the hill to slide down that it was cold. She freaked out and started screaming. She eventually warmed up when she learned about the sledding. Happy 3rd B-day Andy and Ashlyn!

2 Months Old

Little Chaser Boy turned 2 months old this week! We are so happy to have him with us. I don't know how we went on without him all this time! He has unleashed the friendliness and finally gives smiles, coos, and laughs regularly. He is working very hard with his hands... trying so hard to reach his toys and the faces that smile at him.

Chaser Baser Mr. Cuteness!

I love when my babies can initiate a smile or a response and try to get me to smile and respond back. Its usually about this time that some sort of nick name begins to stick. I am not sure why I am a nick namer and I know to other people the names that seem to stick are odd, but to me there's a deeper level of affection and love that comes with my nick-names and it just happens. All three of my other kids' nick names are still going strong. Chase so far is Chaser Baser or Mr. Cuteness. He has reached this cute engaging milestone, and OH how I adore him even more for it... If that's even possible.

Chase is a pretty mellow fellow and loves to be my buddy. Most always content in my arms; however, not so much in his sibling's arms anymore. He can endure Morgan for maybe 10 minutes because she is big enough to change positions or sit him up to pat his back, but the minute I put him in Tyler or Brooklyn's lap he is sure to object and let me know this is NOT acceptable!!!! I guess he's figured out that they are unperdictable and not capable. Oh well, it was going to happen soon enough. Tyler is pretty frustrated about it because he really loves him a lot, and cries because he doesn't get to hold Chase very much. I have to try to sit with him, and help him rather than sit Chase in his lap and walk away. I think that's the part Chase is more upset about rather than being with Tyler. Sigh.... poor Tyler.

SMILES!

This little man is very stingy in his smiles! It take EXTRA EXTRA hard work to get them out of him. I finally got a few giggles yesterday and it melted me! HOORAY! He was so friendly I even caught it on camera. Every stage of babyhood is so much fun and I enjoy them so much.

Blessing Day

Today was Chase's Baby Blessing day. It was extra special because it was his cousin Ryker's blessing day too. So we went to our ward, then raced caravan style to their ward right after. It was great to have all the Crowder family together to share in the special day. He was a little ANGEL, and slept through the whole thing. He's my only baby that did, so we were shocked and thrilled. He looked like such a little old man with his cute bald head and all-white tux!

Little Man of Honor

Lil Buddies

Proud Grandparents

Almost Twinner Tuxedos

Special day with Daddy

Loved by Mommy!