Tautphaus Park Zoo....

This year we bought a family membership to Tracy Aviary. It only cost $48 four our family of six and it gives you great discounts and even some free admissions to zoos and parks all around the country. Lucky for us, Tautphaus Park Zoo is one of the free zoos! We have tried to go any time we visit Idaho Falls! I love love love this zoo! It is just small enough that the kids don't get bored before you have seen everything but it has all sorts of great animals! What is not to love....monkeys, a lion, a tiger, bears,penguins, pigs, flamingos, and more! Oh it is so much fun and the kids love it! On this trip, we made it just in time to see them feed the penguins! They were adorable. The kids keep asking when we can go again!

Our first hike...

We took a hike up the hill behind our house. It may have been our last hike! That hill really doesn't look that steep...but....IT IS!! We decided to get out of the house while Grandma Conrad was visiting. We left her and Asher a bit farther down the hill. The altitude was killing her and we like her better when she is breathing! We kept going with the kids until we were going to have to crawl on all fours because it was so steep and rocky! We weren't very far from the top but I was more than ready to go back down! Turns out that going down was WAY harder than going up! I am not sure if I am a hiker!! We collected wildflowers on our way home and then ate popsicles on the porch. It was a fun day!

A visit to Grandma with the Couch...

We got to spend a couple of days in Idaho Falls with Great Grandma Couch...the kids call her "Grandma with the Couch". We always have so much fun when we visit. We took the kids down to the falls to feed the ducks, we learned a little crocheting, and we played and ate ice cream when we got hot! It was so much fun!

Talia sings...

If you know Talia, you know she likes to sing! Sometimes the songs are real...and...most times they are not. She makes up all sorts of silly little songs! Here is an example of what I hear on a daily basis! I love my Talia...she makes my heart happy!!

T-ball...

Noah played t-ball this year....FINALLY!!! He missed last years season by three weeks because they are really strict on age here! He was on the Tri-Star Construction team and they were the Giants! Saying he loved it would be a HUGE understatement! He was in absolute heaven. He would have played everyday if he could! Nate got to help with the team and I got to attempt to watch while taking care of the other three! Noah had a great cheering section! It was fun to watch him play and have so much fun! We are already counting down the days until the next season starts and Talia can play too!

More t-ball...

Here are some videos of Noah playing T-ball! I know they are six months late but they are still pretty dang cute in my opinion!

Almost all of my favorite boys...

The graduate...

My baby!

I only cried...A LOT!!

Noah and Mrs. Williams

Noah and his principal, Mr. Brown

Noah is officially in first grade (in less than a week) so I guess I should post proof that he actually finished Kindergarten. Noah learned so much and I was amazed at how well he did. They do all day kindergarten here five days a week plus after school enrichment programs a couple of days a week too. Noah wanted to participate in all of them! He would be on the bus everyday at 8:15 and come home at 5:05 every night. It was like a full time job only without the paycheck! He was so enthusiastic and loved the extra things he got to learn. He had a WONDERFUL teacher, Mrs. Williams. I don't think we could have asked for a better teacher! Noah did very well in school. He was in the highest reading program and won a few awards for his writing. They say he has quite the imagination! Most of his stories involved baseball, football, or Star Wars! We are so proud of him and can't wait to see what first grade brings!!

Honestly...

This is what May 24th looked like at our house! Now I know why people don't plant their gardens here until at least the first of June! (oh...and...it froze on June 14th here too! Wyoming summers are not normal!)

Someone is 6...

So I thought I should update this blog before Noah turns seven. Noah turned six in May. He wanted a basketball cake and a Nintendo DS. It turns out that we (plus grandparents) are dream makers and he got just what he wanted.

Noah is such a special boy. I remember the minute that he was born. I was completely and utterly in love with this sweet boy. He has been an enormous source of joy to our family. He knows just when you need a kind word or a big hug. I know that I couldn't have made it through the last few months without his sweet spirit. He makes me happy and helps to soothe my heart. I am so very thankful that he is mine! Now to figure out how to keep him from growing up...

Sneak peek...

I am behind on my blogging...very behind...two months behind. I also hate to skip and then try and go back and catch up again. It confuses me. So...here is a sneak peek of our trip to the dinosaur park for my impatient little sister!! (I love you Ashley!) Now she can't call me and give me a hard time!

Oh...and...the adorably chubby baby in the picture with Asher is 10 months younger! I could eat his legs...literally!

Does he know me...

I think Jeffrey R. Holland might know me. I mean he writes all these talks that speak just to me. Right?? This was especially fitting today since I was all "mommed" out by 8:00 this morning. It is a great reminder of why I LOVE being a mom. I really do! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has such trust in me. He has blessed me with such wonderful children and I will always be thankful for the miracle that they are. I am lucky...so very lucky!

Oh how I need this...

For some reason, the past couple of days have been hard. I have been sad and frustrated and a little on the hopeless side. I have watched this probably a dozen times. Each time it has brought tears to my eyes and peace to my heart. I am glad to know that even though my heart is aching that it WILL get better. I really needed that...REALLY!! I am working hard to have faith in the promise of good things to come. We are very blessed and certainly don't want to sound ungrateful but I am looking forward to some of those GOOD THINGS!!

Hogle Zoo...

One of Noah's field trips this year was to Hogle Zoo. He was beyond excited. They needed adult chaperones and I asked Noah if I could come. Normally Noah is less than thrilled when I show up to help with anything. He won't even let us come in to Primary when he gives his talks. We have to stand in the hall and listen. I am not sure but I think we make him nervous. I was fully prepared for him to tell me I couldn't come but he didn't. He said it would be fine! I was shocked but didn't argue since I really wanted to go. Me and one other mother were in charge of three rowdy little boys. We really had such a good time. The only thing that I didn't enjoy was the bus ride. The boys wanted to sit all the way in the back which was fine except that our seats were right over the wheels. This makes for one very HOT rear end by the end of your one hour ride. BOTH WAYS!! The zoo was a lot of fun. My favorite was the giraffe house and Noah loved the gorillas. It was fun to see Noah with his friends. He is such a sweet boy and I am so glad he let me spend the day with him. Thanks to my littlest sister for coming all the way to Wyoming to watch my other three wild kids. She is just about the best babysitter. She does laundry and makes dinner...all for free!! I should probably just have her move in. My kids listen to her better anyway!

Finley's picture...

After we delivered Finley, the hospital sent us home with lots of sweet things to remember her by. They took molds of her hands and feet and dressed her in a tiny gown and booties and wrapped her in beautiful blankets. They had a gold ring that they put on her arm along with a teddy bear that she held. They took pictures of our sweetheart and sent all of it home in a little box. You should never have to look in a box to remember your child. It just isn't right. I was determined to put it all into a shadow box that we could hang on our wall. Here is what I came up with. Thank you to my sister, Ashley for helping me. I am by far not the most talented or creative person but I did it all with more love than you will ever know. I wish like anything that I could change things and have her in our arms but at least her picture is on the wall with her brothers and sister. That is where she belongs because she will always be a part of our forever family!!!

The bump...

Whenever we go to my parent's house, we make sure to take the big hill. There are quite a few bumps that will tickle your tummy. Asher loves it! Since Nate always drives he never sees Asher's reaction to them. I took this video on Nate's ipod. Asher was so tired and ready to sleep but he still enjoyed his ride!

While the other kids sleep...

After we put the big kids to bed we usually come out and watch TV and I hold Asher while he goes to sleep...it is bad...I know. Most nights he goes right to sleep but some nights he is on one and goes crazy. I think he likes having all the attention and no one to compete with. He grabbed Noah's winter hat and a punching balloon and went nuts! He kills me sometimes!! Love this kid...seriously...A LOT!!

Why I love Glee...

I love Glee...A LOT!! I made Nate download the music for me. I like to clean to it. Asher likes to dance to it. His dancing makes me like Glee even more!

Getting their awards...

Here is a video of the kids getting their medals after gymnastics. They were supposed to pose after they got their medal and Talia was much to excited to do it but Aidan was actually listening and following directions! They are such fun kids!

The only medal they may ever earn...

The kids got a medal and certificate at their last gymnastics class. They were beyond thrilled and so proud of themselves. I think they are pretty darn cute! Aidan still likes to wear his to the grocery store sometimes!

Gymnastics...

Aidan and Talia took a gymnastics class at the rec center thanks to Grandma and Grandpa with the puppy. We enrolled them in the last of four sessions because it was the only one that Aidan was old enough for. They had so much fun. I don't think the Olympics are in our future...Special Olympics are a maybe. Lets just say that they have a very limited attention span and a little bit of hearing trouble! All in all, they had the BEST time. Aidan LOVED the trampoline...or jumpoline as he calls it. Talia really liked the balance beam and she actually got better as the class went on. They got to do the uneven bars and the still rings. They worked on cartwheels and somersaults. They both do a pretty great somersault if I do say so myself. It was worth every dime and I am glad they got to do something fun.

This is...

Aidan...and he is a gymnast!
stay tuned...

Angel...

If you look in the dictionary for the word angel...this would be the picture that goes with it!

The hunt...

Noah agreed to get his picture taken with the Easter bunny this year. For those of you who know Noah, you will agree that this is HUGE!! He is generally terrified of anyone dressed as a large animal or bearded man! He is really growing up!
My babies after their delightfully FREEZING Easter egg hunt! How many times do you go to a hunt where they had to snowblow the area before it could start! It was AWESOME!!

We only got action shots of Talia and Noah because they break them up into age groups and they were on opposite ends of the fairgrounds! They all had fun except for the snow and wind! It was probably our fastest Easter egg hunt ever!

Coloring eggs...

I am so behind! We went to my family's for Easter. We were excited to color eggs and go to the Easter egg hunt! The kids had such a fun time dying eggs and covering them with stickers!

Need to feel better...

This should do it!!

Hard...

Yesterday was hard. It was a happy day...Noah's sixth birthday...but I still just fell apart when I went to bed. I am mad. I am heartbroken. I am sad. Sad that I will never make a birthday cake with Finley's name on it. Sad that I will never get to watch her eyes dance as she opens her presents. So many things I won't get to do. I know that I will have those opportunities someday...but I am selfish and I want it THIS day. I just miss her...so much.

Finley Kate Conrad...

Our family has grown...again! Our newest daughter, Finley Kate, was born on March 26, 2010. She was beautiful and so very loved but too perfect to stay. We found out at our twenty week ultrasound that our little one had passed away. We delivered her two days later. What could have been the worst day imaginable turned out to be one of the most sacred and spiritual times we have experienced. We were so very blessed by our Father in Heaven. We felt like the veil was thin and we were surrounded by so many people who loved us. We were able to spend a few hours holding and loving our sweet baby. During that time, we were blessed with such peace and comfort. What a special time for us as parents. We are so grateful that the Lord trusted us with this most special spirit. We are anxiously awaiting the day that we will all be together again.

My babies...

We splurged and bought the kids some Easter outfits. They wanted to wear them the next day. We said NO because they were for Easter. I was proud of myself for being strong and not giving in to the whining. Then someone informed me that Easter is over conference weekend. So...they got to wear them the next Sunday! I think they look so cute and so grown up! (Talia was upset because we wanted to take her paper away and she wasn't done writing her letters.)
We let her finish her "homework" and then she was perfectly happy to smile for a picture! I can't even imagine what she is going to be like as a teenager!

Happy birthday to my Aidan...

Happy birthday to the most wonderful three year old EVER!!! Who wouldn't love a face like that?? Aidan has the most contagious laugh and he has such an excitement for life. He loves to play and is ALL boy! There are never enough cars or swords or dinosaurs! He makes me laugh every day which is good because he also makes me really mad every day! I just can't imagine what our life would be like without him in it. I am so glad that Heavenly Father chose to send Aidan to our family even if it was a bit sooner than we had planned! I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. Happy birthday my sweet boy! I love you so very much!

Asher and the cake...

Asher loved Aidan's birthday cake...well at least what he stole off of everyone's plate. He is growing up so fast! It is fun watching him try and figure out how to eat like a big kid! He makes me laugh every day!

Aidan's presents...

Here are the videos of Aidan opening his presents. These are especially for Grandma and Grandpa Conrad! We wish the computer would have worked but hopefully this is a good substitute! Aidan had a great day and we are so thankful for EVERYONE that made his day so special!

Aidan's birthday song...

Last year on his birthday Aidan was scared of the "fire" on his cake. This year it was a whole different story! I just love this kid...he was full of genuine excitement over everything that surrounded his special day!

The best birthday gift...

Aidan loves fish...I mean LOVES fish! Whenever we go to Walmart he requests a visit to the fish tanks rather than the toys! Nate and I have been planning to get him some goldfish for his birthday and were so excited to finally be able to do it! We set the tank up the night before while he was asleep and he was so excited. He kept saying he would be right back...he just wanted to go watch his water! It was PRICELESS!!
We took him to the pet store and Walmart and let him pick out his own fish. He got five fish and one snail. They are named...Aidan, Talia, Noah, Asher, Grandma, and Grandpa (the snail). This is Aidan looking at his fish "Aidan".
Here is the happiest birthday boy EVER!!
I love this picture! He stood like that for quite a while watching Daddy get the fish into the tank. I can't even tell you much he loves his fish. He gets up from his meals at least two or three times just to check and see if they are okay! It has been so much fun and we all are loving our newest family members!

An oldie but a goodie...

Here is my favorite video from our Christmas this year. Aidan and the Wii...it just doesn't get much better! (Sorry it took me so long to get this posted Grandpa!)

Pant problems...

(Aidan knows pants should go up by his belly button...he just isn't sure what those other buttons are!)

We have problems with pants in our house. Some don't stay up and some come up too far!