It's that time again...
Nothing says welcome to winter like a jaunt to the old sledding hill at the park. And technically it's not even winter yet, but the snow still came. This particular day we got dumped on. The kids and us parents were outside shoveling the driveway earlier, and since we were all in our winter clothes, I decided to take them over to the hill while Michael had his nap. These trusty old sleds were inherited when we bought our house almost 5 years ago, and they have held up for the most part until now. Jacob and Kera had fun sliding down the hill many times, until that is, when Jacob plowed over Kera with his sled. She was bending down to put her boot back on, when Jacob came down the hill and knocked her over. That put an end to our trip. And it was a good thing because it was starting to snow again, and hard. The picture of Jacob and Kera sledding together was pre-collision. Bring on the sleds!!

Third Child Syndrome

I have to write a new post, it doesn't matter what it's about. I'm just tired of coming to my blog page and seeing Halloween 2009 when it's almost December. I'm also feeling very guilty right now because I have been horrible with recording events for the past year or so. Unfortunately for Michael this hiatus from journaling or blogging frequently just so happens to be his first year of life. I keep telling myself that I need to buy a baby book for him but I just haven't gotten around to it. In my craftier moments I've thought about making my own baby book for him, but at this point I just need get something and start recording this kids major milestones. I know that the longer I wait the harder it will be to come up with all the things he's done this past year. When he rolled over, first smile, laugh, first words, etc. I just know when he's older he'll look at Jacob and Kera's baby books and say, "Mom, where's my baby book? Why were you such a slacker with me and Jacob has his own baby book and photo album dedicated to him?" I'll just tell him that he was baby #3 and not 1. But of course that won't be a good enough excuse. So I just better get crackin.


Of course that leads into my newest problem...I'm a bit busier these days as I was called in October to be our ward Primary President. I was previously serving as 1st counselor in our primary, so not too unfamiliar territory, but being the president brings more responsibility. And of course it helps to be organized and have good time management skills, which I have mentioned before I am lacking. But it's all good. This is about my posterity and that is what's most important here. So I am now making it a priority to go out and find a baby book for Michael so I can ease my guilty conscience. I am also going to set a goal to get back in the habit of keeping a weekly journal.


So that's it. I hope that at least by vocalizing this guilty confession, I will take steps to remedy this problem of mine and go out and get a baby book finally. Seeing his cute picture above you'll have to agree, this sweet baby boy is too precious to overlook!

Halloween 2009

Halloween this year was kind of crazy because I came down with strep throat the morning of halloween. I was starting to get a sore throat the night before, but when I woke up saturday morning I could barely swallow. My throat hurt worse than ever before. I thought could this possibly be strep throat? I don't remember ever having it before. Jacob and Kera both got it a few weeks earlier, but I must have picked it up somewhere. So after not being able to swallow that morning, I decided to go to urgent care and see a doctor. I felt horrible! I took a strep test and it came back positive. Then he gave me the option of getting an antibiotic shot or taking the oral meds for 10 days. Shot please! Even though they had to give me a shot in the butt and my butt was sore for a few days, I'm glad I got it because I felt much better within 24 hours.
After I came back from the doctor I went upstairs to lay down. I was so tired! I slept for a few hours, then got up and ate and slept some more. Kera was so excited for me to take her trick-0r-treating. When I told her earlier I was sick she said, can you still go trick or treating? How could I not? So after sleeping all day, I got up and got dressed, helped the kids get in their costumes and painted their faces, then I took them down one street trick or treating. I pushed Michael in the stroller and Kera said she would bring his pumpkin bucket and the get candy for him. And she did. She took it up and down the street and filled his bucket and hers with a good amount of candy. What a thoughtful big sister. Better than me carrying him from house to house holding his bucket! I might've needed it for a puke bucket after that! I brought the kids back after about 30 minutes and Dave took them out the rest of the time. Michael and I stayed home and rested. I did drive Jacob and Kera to their teachers house so they could both trick-or-treat to their school teachers. After that I was exhausted. The kids got ready for bed and we called it a night!
By Sunday afternoon I was feeling much better and even had the energy to make dinner. I definitely recommend the antibiotic shot and getting it right away to anyone who's unfortunate enough to come down with strep throat.
And that folks, was our halloween 2009.
If you can't tell by the pictures, Jacob was a skeleton, Kera was a kitty, and Michael was a dog.

Girls Weekend

A couple of friends and I decided it would be fun to take a break and get away to Park City for a night. I found a great deal on a room at one of Park City's resorts, and we booked a one bedroom suite for the four of us, and one baby. Elisha, Christina, Jamie and I got packed up and drove up to Park City for a girls night out. We stopped for dinner at a place in Park City called Redstone Grill. The food was really yummy, and us girls had a nice time chatting away without having to be interrupted by whining kids or spilled drinks, food, etc. So nice.

Then we headed to our hotel and settled down for some more talking and relaxing. Christina brought a fun game to play. I don't remember the name, but you read questions and you have to write what your answers to the question read, then the reader guesses who said what. It was a good way to get to know each other a little better and find out some funny stuff.

After talking for quite awhile, we turned in about 1:30 a.m.

Then next morning we leisurely got ready, not too leisurely however because we found out check out was 10 a.m. Now that's an early check out on a Saturday morning! I guess those maids need extra time cleaning up those awesome rooms. In one picture you'll notice my friend Elisha modeling the jacuzzi tub with Jamie's baby Morgan. And by the way Morgan was a dream on the trip. She's only a few months old, so Jamie didn't want to leave her home with dad quite yet. But she hardly cried, and we all got to take turns holding her and spending time with a baby who was not our own. One other thing about the trip was that originally there were 6 of us girls who planned to go, but Elisha's sister Jessica couldn't come because they were getting their basement finished and ran into some last minute problems. Then our other friend Heather was planning to come, and the day of our trip her son and daughter got sick with strep throat and she couldn't leave them with their grandma as planned. Although we would've loved to have Jessica and Heather there, we made due with us four girls.

So we made it out of the hotel by 10:30ish and headed to the Park City outlets for some much needed kidless shopping. I spent way too much money on clothes for the whole family, but it's all good. I haven't had uninterrupted shopping time for quite awhile. So we shopped all day and stopped for a quick lunch at Ruby Tuesdays, then back to the outlets for more shopping. We left just in time to make it back for our husbands to attend the Priesthood session of general conference.

We had a really great time relaxing, talking and shopping together. We had so much fun we decided to make it an annual event. Thanks girls for a great weekend!

Michael in Action

Here are some videos of Michael I promised to post. I didn't get any of him being really loud. He was more fascinated with my camera and trying to take it from me to play with. But you get to see him show off his stair climbing skills.

I Jinxed It!

So I was bragging about what a content and easygoing baby Michael is that I think I may have jinxed myself. Since he turned 1 Michael has become much more impatient and he'll make that high pitched squealing sound when he gets upset. Whenever I put him in his booster chair he shakes his body back and forth like he can't believe I'm trapping him in. I think it's all a part of his growing independence. He's learned to go up and down the stairs, finally, and he loves to follow all of us around the house. It's hard for him because he wants to do everything his older siblings do, and he can't. So he makes this noise like, "uh, uh, uh," all the time! Even though he is much more vocal and he gets very frustrated, he's still a little cutie and I just can't get too annoyed with him. But sometimes man the noise level is through the roof with him learning how to be vocal but not yet being able to talk.
I'll have to get him on video sometime soon so you can all see, and hear, what I mean.

The Big Birthday Boy

My little angel of a baby is already a year old! I have absolutely loved every minute of my sweet Michael's first year. He is the most content, happy, good-natured little boy. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone who has ever spent five minutes with this kid. I don't know how I got so lucky to have such an easy going baby, but I won't complain! Michael has been a great baby from day one. From eating well, to sleeping through the night, to not spitting up (really, I can count the times on one hand), to playing happily and not fussing, and on and on. I really am not saying this all to brag, but it's the truth! I thank Heavenly Father every day of my life for blessing me with such a sweet little boy. I am a little sad that his first year has gone by so quickly, but I enjoy this stage of his life where he can interact and laugh at me, and say "ma" "ma" over and over when he wants me, play with his brother and sister and wrestle or laugh together with them. It's so great to watch him grow and develop. I love you Michael James Goar. Happy 1st birthday!!

not really into the opening presents thing yet obviously

It's a Llittle People farm from Carrie and Travis-he was much more excited about it later when we got it out of the box and played with it

Part of the train cake that I made-I'm waiting for my sister to send me a copy of it before it started to get eaten!

Michael entertaining himself with the spoon after he polished off his cake and ice cream-he licked the bowl clean. Did I mention this guy can eat??

Mom helping Michael blow out his candle

Letting Kera blow it out instead

Mmmm, cake and ice cream



All Done