Small and Simple Things...

Baby it's Cold Outside

2012-01-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take a few pictures of Allison in the snow for her baby book... unfortunately there was no snow in Provo, but it was plenty cold! So we quickly took her out to snap some fun pictures.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of built up anticipation for Christmas this year because 6 month old Allison was going to meet her grandparents, aunt and uncles and most importantly her 9 month old cousin Aspen! We unpacked our bags from Thanksgiving, set up our Christmas tree, train and lights, and packed back up to go to Utah for Christmas.

We love our home but these special people were worth the trip...

And I was dying for these 3 babies to meet!

Yes, I finally gave in to the oversized flower trend.

We went ice skating with the family so we could see Cody show off his newly acquired skating skills. Maybe our kids are a little bit young, but I would love for this to become a tradition.

What a great group of men!

Taylor and Bryan are so fun to hang out with-- they are up for anything. And since they are visiting from Switzerland, we spent a lot of time with them while they were in town.

I didn't think we were going to get skates on my mom but look at her! I really have cute parents.

Allison and Aspen at Build A Bear.

Taylor and I had no idea how much pressure it was going to be to build the perfect "cousin bears". But I think they turned out adorable!

I love bath-time-babies!

The night before Christmas.

Christmas morning...

The boys played with their helicopters and the girls played games on the table.

Deven played card games with my grandma several times while we were there. It really got her thinking and smiling!

We went bowling late one night while my Mom and Dad watched Allison. (I didn't know she was going to be crying the whole time.) We had a great time watching uncle Cody bowl like a crazy man.

This was Trenton's first time bowling...

...and he got a strike!

Trenton was the happiest 2 year old in the world when uncle Cody took him for a ride on his motorcycle and Great Grandpa Phyl took him on the 4 wheeler.

He had Parker to play with him and an extra baby to bug.

And Allison was happy to have a new play mate and to be held all day long by her big loving family.

We love our family!

Thanksgiving at the Later's

2011-12-30T21:10:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Ryan and Kali's new house in Idaho Falls. It was the perfect place for family to meet and spend some quality time visiting, playing and of course eating. I especially love the interaction of Deven and his outgoing brothers.

Ryan & Kali

I still don't know how these two make parenting 5 children look so easy, and still have time to read the Twilight series, go on dates, and become master card game players. Deven and I loved their "routine" and aspire to be fun parents like them some day.

Jared & Sabrina

We couldn't be happier that Jared and Sabrina got married this year and that we were able to get to spend some time with this busy couple. They are both so easy going and fun, so naturally the kids gravitate to them.

Loren, Elisa & Natalie

I really admire how Loren and Elisa put family first. They will travel anywhere, anytime to be with family and always make you feel loved.

Laura & Greg

It was especially exciting to see Laura and Greg who we hadn't seen for a while. Laura is so easy to talk to. She'll never forget a birthday or underestimate the importance of a simple conversation.

Grandma & Grandpa Later

Deven's grandmother can make anything by hand and is always smiling. On this trip we had some of their personally caught, homemade tuna and Deven went to the gym to workout with Grandpa.

The KIDS

Hanna Ethan

Tyler Owen & Abram

Trenton Allison

Check out Ethan licking his plate! He was cracking me up.

Allison was in baby heaven with all of the attention she was getting and Trenton couldn't get enough of the giant play room full of toys.

It is so fun to have cousins!

Deven, his Dad and brothers always come up with a few friendly competitions amongst themselves to keep them entertained. This year it was throwing darts n the garage and foosball in the basement. These boys earned their nap on the couch.

Fall Fun

2011-12-04T20:04:00.001-08:00

I love this time of the year as we enter into the holiday season. It is a nice change from the repetitively long, hot summer days. In October we went to the Oil Ranch with the play group so Trenton could chase chickens and ride the train and Allison could meet some farm animals.

We love pumpkins!... and it has become Deven's goal to find a pumpkin big enough to fit a child into. We did this with Trent when he was 3 months old...

A new forming tradition thanks to my girlfriends... carmel apples.

Trenton was going to be a fireman for Halloween so the rest of the family improvised to stay in theme. I have often referred to Allison as a firecracker so she was appropriately dressed as fire.

Trunk or Treat is usually the only trick or treating we do but this year we went out on Halloween night with a group of friends so Trenton could get the "real" experience. I hadn't been trick or treating since I was in grade school so it was so fun for me to go now as a parent. I love everything about trick or treating except for the bag of candy you end up with at the end of the night. I'm going to have to learn how to get rid of it without us consuming it.

Allison lately

2011-11-30T15:01:00.001-08:00

Allison. She is a crazy baby. I thought Trenton was moody... but my 5 month old baby girl takes the cake on this one. She will be just like her big brother in 2 years.

Oh, the hair. Her funny hair. We've debated cutting it, but I think it gives her character.

She has been consistently in the 40th percentile for weight and 50th for height. We introduced solid foods but she is not taking to them very well. A spoon or two is usually all she will eat before she throws a fit and tries to escape the bumbo by arching her back and throwing her head back. She wakes up about 3 times a night. She loves bouncing, meeting new faces, diaper changes and baths, Lilly our cat, and when Trenton talks to her.

We love watching her personality develop. She definitely keeps us on our toes.

Trenton lately

2011-11-10T06:58:00.000-08:00

This is Trenton today. He has a huge personality that keeps me guessing what each day will bring. Two years old is a fun and challenging age because he is still so innocent, very influential, and very stubborn as he exercises his new found independence.

He has been to a couple baseball games and has become obsessed with his baseball bat. He goes through phases where he will carry a football or basketball around with him wherever we go. His favorite team is BYU.

As any kid should, he loves working with his hands... and making messes. Play-doh, accompanied with any other household tool, makes for a fun and creative mess... I mean masterpiece.

I am always telling Trenton not to make messes so an occasional mud bath in the back yard is therapeutic for a wild 2 year old. I think these are some of my favorite pictures I've ever taken.

This scooter taught me how coordinated and determined Trenton is. No amount of skinned knees would stop him from keeping up with his neighborhood friend. I love it when these two play together!

I am learning how to adapt my parenting depending on the mood he is in... and oh boy is he moody! He has this "cool kid" attitude that cracks me up, the sneaky, looking for trouble attitude, turbo hyper, and the typical angry temper tantrums that sneak in a few times a week. Got to love it.

He loves to wear hats and has become very picky about what he wears. Mostly he just wants to wear shorts, a T-shirt and his "jogging shoes".

He loves our neighbor Kelsay. He visits with her almost everyday. She calls it "cupboard love" because he will usually end up in front of her pantry and say "I need something" and she will bend over backwards to accommodate him. She always shares her treats with him, has pictures of him up in her house, has a special little chair and cup for him to use, a closet of toys and records cartoons for him.

A few other things he can't live without: his Teddy, blue blanket, chocolate milk, mickey mouse clubhouse. We love you Trenton. You make us smile.

Triathlon in Austin

2011-09-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day weekend we drove to Austin so Deven could compete in his first Olympic distance triathlon. It began with a 1.5 kilometer (.93 mile) swim, followed by 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) of bicycling and concluded with a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) run. And HE DID IT!

Instead of chasing Deven around, the kids and I hung out at the transition area waiting for a chance to cheer him on. Off with the helmet... on with the shoes... "go Dad!"

Just as a side note; while enjoying the beautiful weather of Austin and waiting for Deven to finish the Tri, Trenton through up all over me on a park bench and Allison had a poop explosion. Other than that it was a perfect day.

Deven and I have been wanting to go to The Salt Lick restaurant for a long time. It was brought to our attention by a show called Man vs. Food. The parking lot for this restaurant (in the middle of no where) looked like a parking lot for an amusement park. Luckily we only waited an hour to eat some famous BBQ.

We were happy to have the Newman family there to enjoy it with!

Lake Travis

Our friends let us stay at their lake house for the weekend. This turned our trip to Austin into a vacation. It was so nice to get out and play in the water and swing on the swings and just be out of Tomball for a few days. Deven got a lot of bonding time with the kids as well.

On our way home we had to detour around the wild fires that popped up all over Texas this year. It was so sad to see this!

Oh, I can't leave this picture out. The night before the triathlon Trenton tried on Deven's swim cap. We laughed so hard...

Summer of Seals III

2011-09-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

On August 27th we wrapped up another Summer of Seals event. Summer of Seals is a friendly team fitness competition for people of all fitness levels, designed to motivate and strengthen each participant. Deven and a few friends started it a few years ago and it is attracting more and more people each year. How does this sound for your morning work out;

500M Swim

Max Push Ups

Max Sit Ups

Max Pull Ups

1.5 Mile Run

This year we had 112 participants compete and over 30 volunteers on the day of the event.

First each person swam a timed 500 meters. The average time for men and women was 12 minutes and 50 seconds... Not bad.

5,990 push ups were performed that morning.

6,354 sit ups...

Oh, and don't forget my favorite...

608 pull ups were pumped out by both men and women...

The competing participants average run time was 14 minutes for a mile and a half. Of course this was done after the swim, push ups, sit ups and pull ups. These Seals are strong!

This event really is challenging. What I love most about this competition is that it encourages average people (like you and I) to take their fitness routine a step further and push their bodies to do something they didn't think they could do, or just didn't have the motivation to do. And because it is a team event, each person has a support group to help them through it.

Deven put so much time and effort into organizing the event, and still made time to compete. Trent, Allison and I got there just in time to see him finish his last lap.

After everyone completed the Summer of Seals challenge they had a little award ceremony. Each team was awarded points based on the completion of their six week work out (4 times a week), weight loss, and their performance in each of the 5 events the day of the competition.

It was a really great to see all of these people participate in this fun event and see Deven's hard work paid off when he passed out medals. How did my Accounting major husband end up running fitness events when I'm the one with a Fitness and Wellness degree? I tell ya, this guy can do anything and anything he does he puts 110% into it.

Admittedly I haven't been working out, but chasing this guy around and pacing the house with a crying baby is enough for now. After the event Trenton jumped in the pool to try out his new "floaties"

...and Allison finally surrendered to her car seat.

Trenton turns Two!

2011-08-16T12:44:00.001-07:00

Hooray! Trenton turned two! I feel like I've had a two year old forever because I could never imagine a one year old doing and saying all of the things that he does. Two suits his personality much better.

A family who lives on our street owns this little basketball bounce house. I thought it fit the sports theme of his birthday party and would be tons of fun for six two year olds to jump around in. Too bad it was 103 degrees or Trent would have been out there all day!

Check out that line up! There were two more boys there that weren't in this picture... so Trent was in heaven with all of his friends over and all of the attention he was getting. I was debating on having a party like this because I am still in quarantine mode with a newborn, but he really needed and deserved it. I have two kids that both seem to demand all of my attention and unfortunately the baby wins most of the time. So I was happy to take a full day to focus on my crazy and fun two year old! (and cleaning the house!)

Baby Blessing

2011-08-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

On August 7th Deven gave a name and a blessing to baby Allison in church. His dad, Loren, was one of the priesthood holders who stood in the blessing circle along with friends and members of the bishopric. It was a beautiful blessing that really invited the spirit of the Plan of Salvation. We really have a special spirit daughter of our Heavenly Father.

The beautiful blanket was hand made by Allison's great grandma Later.

It was so nice to have Loren here for the weekend. He is so easy going and we just love him. Trenton ate up every bit of attention grandpa gave him! Allison seemed pretty content in grandpa's arms as well.

She is a pretty lucky girl to have these men in her life.

Newborn Portraits

2011-07-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to get April Williams to take some fantastic newborn portraits of Allison at 11 days old. She slept well enough for us to try a few fun poses. Like April said, she is learning early what girls will do for beauty! I just love these pictures and this baby girl... as fussy as she may be!

She Arrived!

2011-06-27T06:01:00.000-07:00

~Allison Cynthia Later~

Born June 21st 2011 at 12:51 PM

7 pounds 8 ounces

20 1/2 inches

Trenton meets Allison...

Putting his hand print on the hospital walls to claim he is a big brother...

Bringing Allison home...

I couldn't be happier to have these two.

Pregnancy

2011-06-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

I am trying to find the words to sum up this pregnancy; how about LONG! This pregnancy seemed to last forever. Maybe because the first trimester was not as easy as my first pregnancy with Trenton. I was miserable with indigestion to the point where I didn't want to cook, bake, or even be around foods that I usually love. I just wanted to lay on the couch and feel bad for myself. But I really can't complain because that was the worst of it. And I got through it.

Second trimester was great. I made up for not eating by baking a batch of cookies and eating all of them myself on several occasions. I got a little bit tired of people telling me I didn't look pregnant because I definitely felt pregnant. I stayed fairly active, working at Fitness Together 2x's a week and taking Trent to parks or just chasing him around a grocery store. I jogged a 5k pushing Trent in a stroller at the end of this trimester which seemed to start the achy pain down my sciatic nerve in my right leg.

Third trimester is always the longest. My energy level was up and traveling to California was a good distraction for us. I was tired of crossing my legs and clenching every time that I sneezed, coughed or walked too fast in hopes that I would not have to change my pants. I started some serious baby preparation! I often had a list of things I wanted Deven to help me with. (I wonder how annoying that got?) We took Trent's changing table and crib away, which meant teaching him to sleep on a "big boy bed", and started potty training him (I can dream can't I). I began a serious research on baby girl crib bedding and nursery themes, and organizing boxes of clothes generously given to me by some girlfriends who claim not to need them anymore. I was nervous about the delivery but was more nervous about what Trent and I would do without each other while I was in the hospital with a new baby!

Carrying Trent and a baby... I wont miss that.

Deven loved to take flattering pictures of me sitting like this. I think I have a dozen.

I don't miss this belly... maybe just a little bit.

May Happenings

2011-06-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

The Teerlink Ranch

We had two weddings to attend in California this month so Trent and I decided to make a two week trip out of it and stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Deven was of course there for the weddings but had to fly home in between. Oh how I love the ranch this time of year, and this horse...

Our homemade "Dodge City" finally blew over in a storm but I managed to do a quick photo shoot of Trent with what remaines of it.

Trenton loves his Grandpa! He will follow him around the house begging him for attention. And since Grandpa is a busy man, sometimes Trent got left behind with some pretty big shoes to fill...

...Then Grandpa would make it up to him with a tractor ride, playing on the swings or building a fire.

Grandma is still a kid at heart so she was a wonderful playmate for Trenton. She would go outside with him, sometimes for hours, to plant flowers and tomatoes, water the gardens or just play in the grass. If they wern't outside in the dirt, they were inside dancing or making a mess of her desk.

Jared and Sabrina's Wedding

Deven and I have been so excited to attend this wedding because 1. we had not met Sabrina, 2. they got married in Sacramento which is right next to where Deven served his mission so we were able to take a drive down "memory lane." 3. Trent got to interact with his fun cousins, and 4. we love getting together with family for joyous occations!

Boating With the Boys

Deven has a pretty cool calling as a counselor in the Young Men's presidency. The boys are always scheming up something fun to do like boating at Lake Summerville, and Deven has become quite the wakeboarding pro. Trent had a blast watching the YM and imitating them. He thinks he is so much older than he is.

...practicing his wakeboarding

Whenever Trent talks about his boating experience he will yell "hit it" like the boys were instructed to do when they were ready for the boat to pull them. Occasionally he will yell "hit it" when I accelerate the car.

Pool Parties & BBQ'n

This is how we plan on getting through the Houston hot summer; lots of water toys in the backyard, BBQ's with friends and short hair cuts!

April Happenings

2011-06-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

It is hard to keep up with my picture taking these days... and I know it is only going to get harder as our baby girl will be arriving soon! So here is what happened in April.

A series of bad events...

Long story short; my new I phone got run over.

I let Trent hold the mail key on our walk back from getting the mail. It is now lost somewhere within a 2 block radius.

Our family SUV has been giving us some trouble the last couple of months. The same day Deven took it into a transmission shop to get it checked out and was sent home with "a stamp of approval", he called me from the side of the road and told me to come pick him up. That was the last straw. Had it towed right back to the shop. A few weeks and a new transmission should do the trick.

This is not a bad thing... probably a blessing in disguise. Stephenie and her daughter brought these cute cookies over when I was released from my calling in the church as Primary Secretary. I had no idea how much work went into this calling. I had never stepped foot in the primary room before this so I must admit there was a pretty large learning curve. But I love, love, love the kids! I now know it was very good timing for me as I have been traveling a lot and have a lot to do to get ready for baby # 2!

Easter

Our ward had a delicious Easter breakfast where the bishop shared a nice message and the kids were able to practice their easter egg hunting skills before the big day.

At home the Easter Bunny brought everyone a sweet treat and we had a great time watching Trent hunt for easter eggs and devour the sugar cereal inside the eggs.

Trent's new obsessions

Working in the yard with Dad.

Basketball! He already figured out that he had a toy basketball and he wanted a real basketball. Next he obsessed over baseball... which I'm still collecting pieces for.

Deven's Birthday!

I struggled putting together a good birthday this year as I was without a car for 2 weeks, was feeling tired with this pregnancy and financially tight after buying a new car the day before. Nontheless, I made it to Costco to buy a delicious chocolate cake and a few fun toys for my birthday boy. Deven is more than deserving of some attention for all he has done for our family lately!

We also made a little tirp to the Woodlands that weekend for lunch and to play at this fun water park hidden between all the the outdoor shopping centers.

Blue Bell Fun Run 2011

2011-04-17T20:21:00.000-07:00

This picture pretty much sums it up. The Blue Bell Fun Run is a 5 and 10k run held annually in the hills of Brenham, TX which we have participated in for the past 4 years. The main reason we participate; all you can eat Blue Bell ice cream after the race! If you don't know Blue Bell ice cream... you don't know Texas or my husband, Deven. Brenham is home to the Blue Bell Factory and feels like it is out in the middle of nowhere but is a beautiful drive through fields that are now blooming with bluebonnets and other wildflowers.

My claim to fame this year is that I finished the race... and that was the extent of my goal. I am now 7 1/2 months pregnant and was pushing Trent in a stroller up and down hills. The hardest part was trying not to hit one of the 3,000 + participants with the stroller. I would do it again though. I love the atmosphere of events like this.

His reward for sitting in the stroller for 40 minutes... lots of ice cream. What a healthy breakfast!

Deven conquered the 10k and almost finished it in the same amount of time it took Trent and I to run the 5k. He is now preparing for the CB&I triathlon that will take place in a few weeks.

We'll be back next year! Maybe Trent will be able to participate in the kids 1 mile event!

Rodeo

2011-04-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in March we squeezed in a trip to the Houston Rodeo. We only bought tickets for the livestock and carnival because we knew there was going to be more than enough to do. These pictures will justify my reasoning.

As we walked through the carnival we stopped at little events going on like piglet racing / swimming, camel rides, Disney dance concert, and kids riding sheep. This picture captured some of the action:

He is getting too big for me to carry!

Oh, how he loves "twac-tus".

The Livestock petting zoo, complete with; deer, lamas, pigs, sheep and goats. There was something that looked like a kangaroo there too. Interesting.

Can you get any more precious? Trent gave this baby goat a kiss! Maybe not the most sanitary thing... but so cute. He really is an affectionate boy when it comes to his mom, dad, teddy bears and animals.

As we were walking into the carnival area a couple offered us their "fun pass". We used it to get on a few rides and play a carnival game. Thanks strangers!

We resisted the "Texas-Sized Turkey Legs, Outlaw Burgers & Pizza On a Stick" and dove into this delicious funnel cake instead. Man, was that a good choice! I was planning on eating the whole thing myself but decided to share with the boys.

I love these cowboys!

Too much fun to be had

2011-03-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

I guess when Deven got through with "busy season" we thought we had to make up for lost time and go on adventures every weekend. Not to mention we are trying to check off our "things to do" list before baby # 2 arrives in June!

Rockets Game

We scored some Rockets tickets in March from a neighbor and decided against the idea of getting a babysitter. I'm glad we brought Trent for a trip downtown Houston to see his first pro basketball game. But never mind the NBA players right in front of us... Trent was more interested in Clutch the mascot!

Deven and I couldn't stop laughing about how emotionally invested Trent had become in this big bear. When Clutch walked by, Trent would start reaching for him and almost break down into a cry. He probably would have gone home with him if he could have.

Deven, the best dad ever, took Trent to the Rockets souvenir store at half time and bought him an over priced Clutch bear. He fell asleep on the way home cuddling his new friend.

The Houston Zoo

A lot of my friends and I have been planning fun little trips for the kids during the week to enjoy the beautiful weather Houston has to offer before it gets too hot and humid. Here are some fun pictures from the Zoo:

And who can resist the billy goats in the petting zoo? Trent is fearless around animals. Probably because we have a crazy cat at home.

The Aquarium

Another week we went downtown to The Aquarium. It has a lot of fun things for the kids to do aside from walking through a huge aquarium. We rode a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, jumped in a bounce house, watched them feed the tiger in the white tiger exhibit, and went on a train ride into a shark tank... twice. Phew... by that time us three pregnant ladies had enough!

San Antonio ~ Sea World

A few weekends ago Deven and two other guys planned a trip to San Antonio for the families to enjoy. One of our friends parents has a condo over there that we all stayed in for 2 nights. Thursday night was basketball night. Friday was Sea World. Saturday was early morning golf for the boys and outlet shopping for the girls.

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera to capture all of the picture perfect moments at Sea World... but this is what I got with my half working camera on my phone:

We had so much fun at Sea World and with our friends! I'm still kicking myself for not having a camera but good memories will do. I hope we have opportunities to do little trips like this throughout our lives.

Amazing Race ~ Valentines Edition

2011-02-19T13:15:00.000-08:00

Deven and I often discuss what, if any, reality show we would want to participate in. Survivor and Amazing Race are usually mentioned. So when my girlfriends asked me if I wanted to participate in this "amazing" valentines date idea, I had no problem avoiding the repetitive nature of my chocolate dipped goodies and heart shaped cookies.

The idea behind it was to have our husbands out finding clues and completing valentines related tasks while we were cooking dinner and eating chocolate fondue. (Well the fondue just kind of happened.) My favorite part; the men had to wear I Love My Wife t-shirts and the women wore I Love My Hubby t-shirts. The fun part: the Williams house full of kids. Between the 7 couples that participated... we had 25 kids at their house!

Their first clue led them to the local High School's track and field where they were instructed to make their wife a homemade valentines card using the materials provided. Once they took a picture of their final product (above) and sent it to our phone, we text them the next clue.

Now that you're out of breath, you've completed your task.

Return to the place where, with our love, you can bask.

Obey all the traffic signs and drive with care.

For if you do, kisses will be waiting for you there.

Those are chocolate kisses. At least 10 bags worth. They were instructed to find the kisses with the stickers on the bottom (we had only place 7 stickers). The catch was that they had to eat each one that they picked up that did not have a sticker on the bottom. These poor boys ate sooo many chocolate kisses!

Their next clue sent them to another house where they had to make their wives candy necklaces and play a little basketball of course. Deven said that when it came to necklace making, he was the worst, and Jake was the best. :) Their next clue was:

Your wife's favorite candy bar, you will see

when you return to the house at 9923.

Arrange them correctly, you must get it right,

or you will be staring at candy all night!

Again, their next clue sent them back to the house (we had to make sure we saw our men a little bit on Valentine's Day). They only completed the task if everyone was correct.

The night was getting late; we had hungry husbands and cranky kids, so we cut out the last task which would have taken them another 30 minutes at least. The ladies served up a delicious garlic chicken dinner with an awesome cesar salad. Mini multan chocolate cakes for dessert. I don't think anyone was disappointed.

These ladies are so much fun to hang out with. They all have qualities I would love to have as a mother, wife and amazing women. April hosted the whole event in her beautiful home and didn't let a detail go untouched. Thanks ladies for being my valentines!

Somehow this is the best family picture of the night. I love my crazy boys!

Okay, maybe I did still bake up a valentines storm in my kitchen. I think I used Valentines Day as an excuse to make yummy treats all week so that my 5 month baby belly could indulge a little bit. I made heart shaped rice crispy treats, heart shaped jello (for the kids at the Williams house) and a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. I won't even mention the festive peanut M & M's that filled the candy dish all week. Yum!

It's a...

2011-02-01T12:50:00.000-08:00

The night before our 20 week ultrasound appointment I told Deven that the anticipation of finding out if it we are having a boy or girl felt like going to bed before Christmas morning. But this gift is more precious and exciting than any beautifully wrapped present under the tree. I could hardly sleep, I woke up an hour earlier than normal, showered, read my scriptures, got a load of laundry going, ate a full breakfast and did my makeup before I got in the car. Can't say that that happens every morning.

Trent waited not so patiently in the doctors office with Deven and I to find out which sign he was going to send to his grandparents, aunts, and uncles with the news.

Then finally!...

I am sooo excited-- Deven, a little nervous. I definitely wanted a girl, but when she told us it was a girl I must admit I was sad that Trenton didn't get a brother and I don't get to add to my collection of "boys" as I refer to Deven and Trent as "my boys". But YAY for baby girls! Taylor, my sister, is having a girl 3 months earlier than us so they will be best friends! (If we can ever live on the same continent.) So happy today!

Christmas in Oregon

2011-01-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful time of the year to reflect on the many blessings that we have and receive. Especially the blessing of family, friends and a faith that gives us direction and purpose in this life.

We were excited to spend some quality time with Deven's Dad and step-Mom, Elisa, in Springfield and his Mom and step-Dad, Greg, in Portland. Oregon is beautiful and we enjoyed some cold weather, Christmas shopping, and relaxing with family.

Occasionally we would feel lazy from being inside so Deven would take Trent out to explore some of the land or shoot a bow and arrow. When they got to the top of the hill I yelled hi to Trent from the balcony of the house and it made him sad. Deven snapped a few priceless mama's boy pictures.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Christmas morning was a lot of fun with a one year old. We quickly learned that Trent wouldn't be his happy self unless he had his milk and breakfast first. So we put our excitement to open gifts aside until he got some food in his tummy.

Trent had a lot of fun with his grandma Laura playing with his new toys, cooking in the kitchen and taking a trip to the Children's Museum.

Our flights to and from Oregon had a lot of military service members who were traveling for the holidays. We talked with a few of them finding out how long they've been out and what they do. Their stories really impressed us and we were touched to see them reunite with loved ones. This one girl was so friendly with Trent while we waited off a 2 hour flight delay. Thank you to all of the U.S. military members who serve our country and keep us safe.

Thanksgiving at the Teerlink ranch

2010-12-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

It was so wonderful to be able to go back "home" where I grew up for Thanksgiving. Things are always changing but there is such a comfort about visiting a place full of childhood memories. I especially love seeing my son exploring the ranch. He was in heaven with all attention he was getting from his grandparents and uncles. He loved the horses, cats, dogs, fire place, go cart, tractor and just being outside.

Trent immediately bonded with his grandpa who took him to feed the horses almost every morning and would build fires with him at night. I have never seen Trent cling to another person like he did with my dad. It was so precious.

Here is Mother Nature after collecting a basket full of tomatoes from her huge garden full of all sorts of mystery foods. She found a nice size pumpkin, watermelon and a variety of squash this year. Every morning Trent and I enjoyed watching hummingbirds fly up to her kitchen window where she keeps their feeder. She also keeps the ranch colorful with flowers and even took some time to teach Trent how to plant them.

Occasionally there were dance parties with the family. These boys are responsible for teaching Trent how to rock out to music... which he certainly knows how to do now.

We unintentionally took a family picture in horse manure. It is just that common around the ranch that you don't even notice it. I considered using this picture for our Christmas card.

Slim is the family horse who, thanks to my "adopted" brother Brent, is getting lots of attention and rode more then he would otherwise. This horse is not for the inexperienced rider, but Deven, Trent and I had a good time with him.

What a good looking pair.

There was not a lack of motorized toys to keep the boys entertained. One of Trent's first two syllable words: tractor.

One request I had was to go out on a date with my man while I knew Trent was in good hands. Deven got the keys to my Dad's 222fun Mustang and we went out to a movie and dinner. Trent didn't even notice we were gone thanks to Brent and my Mom.

I love my family and these California hills.

Halloween... what a peculiar holiday

2010-12-09T11:16:00.000-08:00

It is fun looking at our life long traditions of costumes, pumpkins and trick or treating now that I have a child of my own who is experiencing all of this with curious eyes.

Trenton got a pair of pajamas with a monkey on them a few weeks before Halloween, so Deven and Trent began making lots of monkey noises and banging on their chest like gorillas. Deven then thought it only appropriate to dress Trent up in a monkey costume for Halloween. I also frequently refer to him as "Curious George" so we couldn't go wrong with this one.

At the ward "trunk or treat" Halloween party Trent instinctivley knew what to do; walk around looking cute, collecting candy. I threw together a Zoo Keeper costume last minute so I would feel appropriate carrying around my little monkey. Here are a few of Trent's best buddies in their coordinating fussy animal costumes.

Here are a few awesome ladies/friends. Before I met them I thought carmel apples where apples with carmel on them... Oh no... that is only the fist step!

No, this is not Deven's Halloween costume. Unfortunatley he had to be out of town Halloween weekend to attend the first of 2 weekends of Wood Badge Training. Despite his hesitation to go, he had a great experience and met a lot of wonderful people and learned a bit too.

The Oil Ranch

2010-10-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

I just love this time of year! I love pulling out seasonal/holiday decorations and lighting scented candles. I love baking treats and cooking a warm pot of goodness. I love that the weather cools down but is not cold. And I especially love introducing Trent to the changes each season brings.

There is an organized play group from our ward that meets once a week that we always miss because I am training a client at Fitness Together. However, in the event of The Oil Ranch field trip, I made arrangements to make it happen. What is the Oil Ranch you say? I think I took enough pictures to fill you in...

I really wanted to go on the pony ride, but it was probably more fun to walk along side the pony and watch the excitment on Trent's face.

On the hay ride a tractor pulled us out to a pasture of cows while holding onto a few tasty cow pelates. The cows were a little too friendly... nibbling on fingers and toes... and Trent got a little scared.

Trent really loves older kids. He is quick in mimicking there sounds and actions.

I learned something new about Trent. He LOVES choo choo trains.

Trent is now a pro and making a variety of animal noises!

Happy pumpkin patch days!

A Few Fantastic Pictures

2010-10-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

In September we did our first family pictures. Even though Trent was 13 months, I consider them his "12th month portrait." Our friend April did a wonderful job capturing Trent's unique smile and personality with her photography. I just love them!

Thanks April for a few fantastic pictures!

You had to be there... moments

2010-10-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

There are so many times I try to capture funny moments I have with Trent... but what it comes down to is... you just had to be there. From his cute dances and songs to poop incidences in the bath or running down the hall without a diaper! I guess some moments are more precious than others, but they're all equally worth remembering. While this blog is not a complete synopsis of our life, it has become a journal of pictures of fun moments I want to remember.

This has become a regular occurrence in our front yard, but I usually try to keep it under control and his clothes dry. However, every once and a while I just let him be the wild little boy that he is. He acts so much older than 13 months!

Are you serious?!

This picture makes me think he is going to be a good football player. It looks like he has a football tucked in his arm and he's running for the end zone.

His clothes were so heavy and wet that I stripped him down completely on our front porch before I let him in the house. Then he finished playing with the water in the bath tub.

Deven loves to make smoothies all year long and he has learned that it is wise to make some extra for his "mini me".

Kelsay and Trent reading a book.

Possibly Trent's favorite toy: my William Sinoma mixing bowls. He wears them as a hard hat, builds towers with them or just moves them from room to room filling them with stuff and then mixes it up with a spatula.

I wonder who could have made this mess in my pantry? Good thing I have amazing detective skills. (Notice the size 4 foot prints)

Lilly is getting too comfortable with Trent and his meal time schedule. Trent will now drop food onto the floor when he sees her walk by. I hope he didn't learn this from me.

This is an annual fundraiser at Deven's work in which he participates in the dunk tank. Oh yes, coworkers will spend good money to dunk this auditor. Tent started to get really nervous to see his dad getting balls thrown at him until he was able to check it out and dunk his dad by hitting the lever himself.

I just wish you could have been there!

Beach Bums

2010-09-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend we took a drive down to Galveston to hang out at the beach with our friends. Trent and Cole were in their own little world; playing in and eating the sand.

This was Trent's first trip to the beach so he was having a blast exploring the new scenery. Birds you can chase, buckets to fill, water to splash, a cooler of snacks, wet, sandy clothes... every little boys dream!

I must admit that as much as I like the beaches where I grew up in California, I prefer the warm water that we get here in Texas! It's still not good for drinking though, as you can see on Trent's face...

Navy Seal Fitness Competition

2010-09-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Deven and his buddies are always coming up with mini fitness competitions to keep themselves motivated to workout through out the year. The past two summers the competition has been based on the fitness requirements of a Navy Seal. Because the event became popular among friends last summer, this summer they opened the competition to women, neighbors, coworkers, etc.. As a result they had about 100 competitors who created teams to support one another and keep each other motivated all summer long to workout as if to become a Navy Seal.

Meet the Competitors:

Deven Later: At 6 feet 2 inches tall, and muscles that weigh 185 lbs, this guy was born to be an athlete. As a retired Woodlands and BYU pole vaulter, Deven has become an avid runner, biker, swimmer and hopes to participate in an Iron Man competition in the future. (Deven would go crazy if he knew I posted this picture... He never reads my blog so he'll never know.)

Candis Later: At 5 feet 6 inches tall she can intimidate her rivals with 108 lbs of pure muscle. Although she is still a dancer at heart she can keep up with the best of them. Her future plans: to stay fit enough to keep up with Trenton.

Meet the Teams:

The Guys; These guys know how to through a good party. If you didn't think this competition was serious stuff, just take a look at the 2nd annual T-shirts that were made.

The Gals: I have never met a more fit and well rounded group of women. In addition to being super athletes they are super moms. I hope I can be like them when I grow up.

The competition started with a timed 500 meter swim, followed by max push ups (2 min), max sit-ups (2 min), max pull ups, and ended with a timed 1.5 mile run. Points were accumulated along the way.

After it was all over we celebrated over a well deserved dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. Victory never tasted so good! Good job Navy Seals!

If you want to participate in the "Summer of Seals" next summer let us know! Also if you participated this summer and have any comments or ideas of how to improve let us know! Deven and the guys are already brainstorming up next years event.

1st Cake, 1st Candle, 1st Birthday!

2010-08-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

One year old! What an accomplishment! Trent and Cole are one week apart so we thought it would be fun to have a little boy birthday bash with a few friends. I did my best not to feed any sweets to Trent before he turned one, so the birthday cake was a very anticipated event for Deven and I.

Trent loves bananas so I made a semi-healthy banana cake and decorated it with a thin layer of frosting... ha! I didn't have much time to decorate the cake while a little boy was crying at my feet and Deven was at the beach with the Young Men's group. Someday a cake decorating class would be fun... but this will do for now. Check out these boys cake eating techniques:

It was so much fun to have all of these boys so close in age interact together. I leaned quickly that you can't expect too much cooperation, sharing and friendly playing let alone getting them to sit still for a picture at this age. I also found out that Trent is kind of a bully... or should I say very curious... nonetheless we are working on our manners!

Since the birthday party did not fall directly on Trenton's actual birthday, we had a mini celebration on the 13th. Kelsay is our sweet neighbor and insisted that we come over to her house for cake and ice cream. She is known as "Mam Ma" by her grandchildren and has adopted Trenton as one of her own. She has pictures of him up in her house and Trenton will often wander to her front door step. What a sweet pair.

I love taking pictures of Trenton because I want to capture every little moment I have with him. Sometimes I have to force myself to put the camera down so I can just be in the moment with him. I already feel bad for our future children because I know I will not take as many pictures! I would love to learn more about photography and get a SLR camera (camera with a lens). Better start saving up... those things can get expensive!

Dear Trenton,

I can't believe it has already been one year since you entered into my life. You have taught me so much about who I am and what I want out of this life. You are truly a blessing to your Dad and I. You are a strong little man who will do many great things, but for now you are my baby boy who I get to hold and to love. I promise I will do my best to teach you all you need to know to be happy in this life. I love you so much.

Love,

Mom

Those Summer Days...

2010-08-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

Aww yes... those summer days driftin' away. Trent picked a HOT time of year to turn into a little boy who loves the outdoors! He'll stand at the door reaching up for the door nob until I finally find his shoes, water bottle, and let him out. He usually goes for the water hose and sprinklers first while I cautiously warn him of biting ants along the way. Then he'll start putting sticks/rocks in his mouth and in no time flat he's dirty and wet. Do I have a puppy or a boy? Sometimes I can't tell the difference.

First I tell Deven to stop throwing our child in the sky. Then I pause and say "wait until I have the camera." Oh this poor child. At least he seemed to be enjoying it!

Trent is loving the pool this summer. And when we can't get to a pool, the bath tub or sprinklers will make him just as happy.

Some tube-ular pictures of Deven in a competition with friends to see who could jump through the highest stack of inflatable tubes. ...Okay, I tried it too, but was not quite as graceful.

As you can see, the sunscreen did wonders for Trent's hair. The pictures below are attributed to "bed head".

Consequently, we decided to take Trent to get his first official hair cut. Deven and I have become a pretty good hair cutting team but we wanted a lesson from the pros when it came to wiggly boys.

We were happy with the clean cut new look... and Trent was ready to be done!

He's a Good Dad

2010-05-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Deven had a birthday and his first Fathers Day recently so I thought I should compose a blog post featuring his awesomeness! Here are some of the many reasons Trent and I love hanging out with him so much:

He loves the outdoors. We took Trent on an overnight camping trip at the Huntsville State Park with a couple of good friends. I love knowing my man can build a shelter (tent) and keep us fed (smores) in the wilderness. Although he was a pro fisherman in Alaska, he didn’t have any luck with those little fish in Huntsville. Trent ate his share of dirt and endured the trip like a champ!

He has a sweet tooth. …Which made it easy for me to know to make his favorite chocolate bundt cake on his 28th birthday. He wont waste his time with candy. He goes for the Blue Bell ice cream and the decadent cakes, pies, cookies and brownies! We were made for each other.

He likes sports and family outings. For his birthday we went to Trent and my first pro baseball game. Go Astros! I love that he knows just enough about sports to answer my questions, but doesn’t obsess over any team or stats.

He loves kids, and kids love him! Whenever we get together with friends or family, you can count on the kids swarming around Deven (or maybe it is the other way around). He is just the right mixture of fun and goofy. Like most babies Trent is a “mama’s boy”, but as soon as Deven gets home from work and takes his first steps inside, Trent looks up really quick and starts smiling and giggling when he sees it’s his dad.

He is a great teacher and Mr Fix It. He has already taught Trent how to replace the shocks and drive the car along with countless other tasks. He likes to learn and read educational books, or adventure books to Trent. He’s dang good at Jeopardy too!

In addition to being a great Dad and husband... he is a Triathlete! He has participated in 2 sprint triathlons in the past year and is quite the competitor. I love that we love fitness together and get to teach Trent to love it as well.

He makes us happy.Trent and I are lucky to have such a great Dad and husband.

Trip to CA

2010-04-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

My brother Cody just got back from serving a full time mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina... So to celebrate a successful mission and Trent turning 8th months old, we flew to my parent's little ranch in sunny Saratoga, California.

My Dad is a cowboy at heart, but as he often says, he wears many hats. He works from sun up until sun down in real estate and countless other tasks around the ranch. We were lucky to spend some time with him and have him introduce Trent to the family pet: Slim the horse, and to teach Trent how to work hard.

Cody was awesome with Trent. He gave him his fist horse back riding lesson and helped him develop his crawling skills... but I couldn't get him to change a diaper. It was so nice to talk to Cody about his mission and to hear him speak in Church. He has grown up so much in the past 2 years and I am so proud of him. He will make a great Dad some day.

Trent got so dirty every day from being outside with the horses, dogs and playing in my Mom's garden that I was giving him lots of baths in the tub until my Mom suggested bathing him in her extra large kitchen sink. It was perfect!

My Mom also works hard to keep the household running but also enjoys putting it all aside to spend time in her garden or having lunch with a friend. In addition to helping my dad with real estate she teaches 1 or 2 morning exercise classes for senior citizens every day! Trent and I went with her a couple times to meet some of her students that she has been teaching for as long as I can remember. There is a really sweet and special connection between senior citizens and babies.

My youngest brother Trevor can get Trent to laugh even when he is crying! Something about being a senior in High School, captain of the Track team and girls drooling over him gives him the confidence to be extremely goofy and get away with it. My brothers have always loved spending time with my Dad's old cars, particurarly the Trans Am. Trevor, Cody, Trent and I even took it out for a cruz to a fun little frozen yogurt parlor. The boys had to have the windows down for the drive so my hair was blowing all over the place which made Trent laugh the whole time. Good times!

My mom loves to get farm fresh straberries sold on the side of the road when we come into town which is always a treat. Fresh straberries are so much better then store bought and Trent sure gobbled them up! I let him make a mess of himself... just throw him in the sink later!

Thanks Mom, Dad, Cody and Trevor for having us for a week and thanks Deven for working so hard and letting us take a little trip to visit family.

Easter

2010-04-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

We sure have fun celebrating each new holiday with our little man, Trent. He is so responsive to his surroundings which makes it fun to introduce him to new traditions. You would never know this was his first Easter. When he saw the Easter baskets first thing in the morning he got very excited and cracked open an egg to get to the jelly beans inside. Note: I know this is bad parenting- colorful, sugary, choking hazard- but as his mother for seven long months I've learned not to underestimate his danger seeking abilities. I was quick to get rid of the jelly beans.

I love to build little forts for Trent with blankets and toys, but Deven took the fort building to a whole new level with this cardboard fortress!

Trent and I stood by as the fort grew larger and stronger. We love it because we can throw different patterned blankets over the top to keep it interesting. Once it was built we realized it is too big to move through door ways, so it is now a beautiful addition to our living room. Lilly likes it too.

Hope you had a wonderful Easter!

Too Cute for Words

2010-03-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

Trent's first portrait session in a studio at 6 and a half months old. He was very cooperative with the photographer and we got some great pictures as a result!

Fun in the Sun... I mean Snow

2010-01-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

Deven and I wanted to take full advantage of the drastically different climate Utah has from Texas... so we dusted off our snow clothes and bundled up! Trent was a good sport as usual while his parents played in the snow like children.

Trenton loves his fun Dad! And of corse Deven can never resist a good snow ball fight.

My Dad who is not quite used to the idea of being called Grandpa Ti yet.

My youngest brother Trevor who can make Trent laugh better than anybody.

Best Christmas Ever

2010-01-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

This year we packed up our diaper bag and flew to Utah for Christmas. Although Trent, Deven and I each had our turn getting sick, no one was sleeping because Trent was screaming through the night, we became far too familiar with the snot sucker, saline solution and baby tylenol... I would have to say this was the best Christmas ever. Just look at this sweet face and you can understand why...

The only thing that outweighed my nervousness about traveling with a baby was my excitement for the family to finally meet him! My sister Taylor and brother-in-law Bryan, made a special trip from Maine to meet Trent. I was especially excited for Trent to meet 2 sets of his great grandparents!

The adorable couple, Taylor and Bryan.

The beautiful Ekins sisters.

Creating Parker's Wii character.

Santa came to meet the baby too!

Later Great Grandparents

Trent's cousins Tyler, Ethan and Hannah.

And the end result.... a very happy baby!