Crabs and sharks

Since I am posting these pictures from my phone, and I have no control over what picture goes where, and I can't write under each picture, you will just have to look and enjoy. Today was such a fun day. We went out in the morning around 9:30. It was chilly, but the water was warm. :) We discovered that there were all sorts of crabs to be found!! Lots and lots of hermit crabs!! The kiddos had a great time catching them. It was overcast in the morning but beautiful in the afternoon. In the morning, we were out in the water (which wasn't even up to the kids' knees) when Brian started yelling for us to come see the huge sting ray he had found. All of our excitement scared it away, but just a minute later, we found it again. Only it had no stinging barb thing on it, but it did have a tail, and fins, because it was a sand shark!!!! We quickly moved away from there. It had a flat head like a ray, but I wasn't about to take chances with my little ones!!!!! Thankfully the water was crystal clear and we could see all around. We came back for lunch and naps then headed back out again. Aaron and Brian got buried. We built sand castles, and swam in the waves. Weston and Brian caught 2 huge crabs!! All in all, it was a pretty great day!!!!!

Beautiful Sunset

After watching conference today at a nearby stake center, we came back to the condo, had a yummy dinner, and were able to walk to the beach just in time to see the most breathtaking sunset. Since Barth and Weston had not yet been down to the beach, we took a half hour to walk in the sand before heading back to our place. The kids are SUPER excited to actually be able to get in the water tomorrow and build sand castles on the beach!!! :)

Beach week

For the next week will be at the beach enjoying the sand and sun with G & G Yorke!!! We took the kids out of school for 4 days, and took the long drive yesterday and today and are looking forward to a fun week!! :)

Looky

Fall is on its way!! I can't wait till all of the trees are full of color!! :)

Conversation on the way to school

This morning on the way to school, Brian and I had the following conversation:

Brian: I think it is going to rain today. It smells like rain outside.
Me: I think so too! Don't you just love the smell of rain? It smells so clean and fresh!
Brian: Actually, I think that it smells like baked beans. Every time it rains it smells like beans.
Me: ..........beans?!?!?

Sometimes I just don't really quite get where kids come up with these things!!!!

Cute sayings

My little Evan speaks very well for just turning 3 years old.  There are some things that he says though that I just love and have to remember!!!  :)  With Halloween coming up, there are decorations everywhere, from houses to the store.  Every time he sees Halloween things, he says, "I don't like that spookily stuff!"  It makes me smile.  Everything these days is "spookily!"  :)

The other day we were watching Super Why on PBS kids which is one of Evan's favorite shows.  In the beginning of the show that morning, the giant from Jack in the beanstalk was stomping all around.  Evan runs over to me and says in a very serious tone, "Mommy, I don't like Giant and the bean stomp!"  So cute!!  I love the funny and sweet things that kids say!  :)

Happy 10th Birthday Brian!!

 On Sunday the 16th our sweet Bri Bri turned 10!  Wow, double digits!!!  His birthday fell on a Sunday this year, and Daddy was out of town for Great Grandma's funeral, but we still had a nice day.  :)  Evan helped Brian to open the present from him that he picked out at the dollar store.  Evan has had a lot of fun with all the birthdays this year.  He loved to help open the presents, and Brian was such a nice older brother.  He let Evan help him out. 

 Then it was time to open the present that Amber had picked out and wrapped for him!!

 Brian was soooooo excited about his new bop-it smash!!!  He has been asking for it for months!!  All of the boys have had lots of fun playing with it these last few weeks.  I am surprised that it hasn't run out of batteries yet!!

 He got a cool bakugan battle thing from Grandma and Grandpa Whitley.  The boys love to battle with it downstairs!!

 After presents it was time for cake.  Weston wanted to help me with it, so he brought down some of his cool lego ninja-go people to help decorate Brian's cake.  I thought that was awfully sweet of him!!

 I hope all of Brian's dreams and wishes come true this upcoming year!!

Since Daddy wasn't there on Brian's birthday until after he was in bed, we went out as a family the next day to Chuck-E-Cheeses (aka: chuck-e-diseases!!) for his birthday.  We went as soon as the kids got home from school and had a great time.  It wasn't very crowded yet!  Brian was excited because he won the big prize on this machine.  He won 100 tickets!!!  All in all, he had a great birthday!!  I am so thankful to have Brian as part of our family.  He is such a kind and generous boy.  He is quick to forgive and forget.  He is happy to help and share.  He loves the gospel and he loves the Lord.  He enjoys reading, swimming, and riding his bike!!  I am a lucky, lucky momma to have such a sweet boy as my son!!  Happy Birthday Brian!!  I love you!!

Great Grandma Gorgeous

Okay, so I was going to find more pictures for this post, but I am struggling with going through all of my cds of pictures, and if I don't get this posted, I fear that my blogging will fall off the face of the earth (more so than it already has)!!  Anyway, a few weeks ago, Barth's grandma passed away.  She was 96. She was one of the sweetest ladies that I have known.  The picture above was from our wedding all of those many years ago.  

I have lots of good memories of Barth's grandma, but not nearly as many as Barth has.  She cared for him as a little boy and so he has many, many fond memories of her!!!  We used to go up to her condo when we were just young and fairly newly married.  We would do our laundry there.  She would always make sure to take us shopping and get us gas in our car.  Sometimes she would take us to dinner.  She loved holding her great grandkids.

Not too long before we moved to Texas after Barth graduated, Grandma moved in with Barth's parents. We loved to have her come and stay when G & G Yorke went on trips.  She loved to read.  :)  She taught me how to make some of the recipes that Barth loves the best.  She taught me to make Swedish meatballs that she and Barth used to make when he was a boy.  She also taught me to make Swedish cookies that we make every year at Christmas.  :)  

She loved all the grandkids!!  We went to see her this summer when we visited.  She was at the point where she was falling a lot and so she was in a nursing home.  We took all of our kids to go and see her most every day when we were staying at Grandma and Grandpa Yorke's.  Amber couldn't quite say Great Grandma Burgess, so she called her Great Grandma Gorgeous instead!  I liked it and so that is what we all called her there at the end.  :)  Barth was able to fly out to Utah to attend the funeral and be with his family.  I really wished that we had been able to attend.  Though she will be missed, she had a full, happy life.  I am sure that she is now up in heaven rejoicing with her husband about all that she was able to do in mortality!!  We love you Great Grandma Gorgeous!!  Till we meet again!!!

Happy 5th Birthday Amber

 On Thursday, sweet miss Amber turned 5 years old!!!  I can't believe that she is getting so big!!  She had a great day.  :)  In the morning we played, went and got some balloons, and just had an enjoyable day together.  In the evening after a yummy dinner, once everyone was home, we had presents and cake.  Aaron made Amber a book that he read to her and then the next day to the entire family.

 Weston found a spider ring in his bedroom and gave it to Amber for her birthday.  She was so happy about it!!  You can see it in the next picture.  She actually hasn't even taken it off since she got it as her gift!  She loves her big brothers!  They are all nice to her.  :)

 Evan got his favorite friend and sister a jump rope.  It was sweet, he wanted to sit by her side as she opened each and every one of the gifts that she got.  We had to convince him to move so that Aaron and Brian could give Amber their presents.

 Brian also made Amber a book to read.  We are big readers at this house!!

 Amber was so excited about her "cheer things" and video camera from Grandma & Grandpa Whitley.  If you are at our house, you had better watch out!  She follows everyone around with her video camera asking us to do something funny so she can tape it!  :)

 Amber and her birthday balloon!  It was pink on one side and purple on the other!  She, of course, liked the pink side best!!

 Then it was time for her cake!!  She wanted a rainbow cake inside.  What I finally figured out was that she wanted a funfetti one!!  That is what she got and then we put pink icing on it for our pink girl!!!

 I had to laugh when it came time to blow out the candles.  She held this face the entire time we were singing to her!!  :)  She must be related to Uncle Michael and Aunt Heather!!!

What a fun birthday day we had!!  I am thankful to have my sweet and spunky Amber in our family!  I am glad that she is a girly girl who likes pink and pig-tails!  I love her fun, in-charge personality, and her sweet and loving side!  I am blessed to have such a good little girl!  Happy Birthday Amber!!

1st day of Preschool

 Yesterday was Amber's first day of preschool!!  She was sooooo excited to be going.  :)  She got to meet her teacher a few weeks ago and has been counting down the days till school started since then.  

At her school, everyone carries the same bag to bring their papers and things home.  They give the kiddos their bags at orientation, and then they get to decorate it before their first day.  :)  Amber had a great time making her bag pretty!  She came home yesterday with a huge smile.  She loved every minute of school.  She got a birthday crown and certificate for her birthday today and they sang to her at music!!  All in all, it was a great first day of school!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Evan

 It is hard to believe that my littlest guy is 3!!!  He had a great birthday yesterday.  We went to the mall playground to play and then he got to choose a lunch-able at the store for lunch time!  :)  What a treat.  Once Daddy got home, it was time for pizza for dinner and presents, cake and ice cream.

 Last week, Amber had me take her to the dollar store where she picked out a cute stuffed animal doggie for Evan for his birthday.  She helped me wrap it herself and then made Evan a nice card.  He loved them both.

 Brian made Evan a card and a book about trains for his birthday!!  He read them both to Evan.  They were so sweet.  My kids love to make presents for each other.  :)  I am glad for that.

 It was so fun to watch Evan open his presents this year.  He really loved it!

 After visiting Grandma Whitley's house this summer and reading Sammy and the Robots every single day, several times a day while we were there, everything has been about robots for this little guy!  So, he got a fun robot that he absolutely loves!!!

 Aaron wrote Evan a book about a boy who had a birthday.  He read it to him and then read it to him again at bedtime when they got in bed.  They share a room.  It was sweet to listen to.

 Evan loved the things from Grandma and Grandpa Whitley.  Especially the dollars.  :)  Make this picture bigger and check out his face for this one.

 Everyone had fun playing with the new robot and other toys that Evan got for his birthday!!  It was a fun evening!!

Then it was time to blow out the candles!  Evan didn't need any help this year.  He did a great job.  I am so thankful to have my little Evvy Miester!!  He is such a blessing.  He keeps me on my toes.  He is a sweet, energetic, snugly, book reading, tower building, train and robot loving boy!!!  I am lucky to be his mommy!!!  Happy Birthday to our little Evan from Heaven!!!