At our ward party the kids were all asked to participate in helping to raise money for others by writing a letter about what Christmas means to them. Sometimes Hayes' niceness outweighs his obnoxiousness. Actually, a lot of times.

I mean come on. I spend a lot of time staring at her.

Thanksgiving 2010

The Berretts were nice enough to invite us for Thanksgiving. Little do they know we think a trip to the Berretts is a pretty great vacation. A hot tub and a real live movie room. Not to mention 9 pies for 10 mouths and the chance to hang out with some of our favorite people. So much to be Thankful for.

See that ping pong ball practice thrower machine? Yes, thats it's technical name. See those kids standing against the wall? Uncle Crae calls this game Flinch.

Laurie and Crae also introduced us to the true meaning of Thanksgiving Jello: Slurping Contests. No hands allowed.

Thank you Berretts! We had the best time!

Happy Thanksgiving to All and to All a Good Night.

November may be over, but I'm still Thankful. Thankful for all the boys who live at my house. Tyler was able to get tickets to a few Jazz games through work and who did he choose to take? His little peeps. All alone with no other grownups. I wouldn't want to do that. I guess that's the difference between us. I think they had just a little bit of fun.

Thankful.

Just a Long Post About Dax

Dax turned Nine Years Old clear back in October. And truly, nine is old! Ask Tyler. He has been waiting almost ten long years for a spark of independent interest in sports to surface in at least one of the boys. The spark has finally been struck in Dax. Whew. Although I have to admit it doesn't burn quite as brightly as the Interest in Star Wars Spark. Or Obsession. Potato Patoto. In the past year Dax has really started to love basketball and football and plans to go pro in both sports. He will play for the Miami Dolphins during his off-season with the Bulls. So of course I'm really looking forward that. Bo Jackson who? That is one of the many things I love about my boy. For him, the possibilities are always endless. He can grow up to do anything and he is always excited about whatever it is he is involved in. In world where kids grow up way too fast, he is still happily a kid.

He and Tyler played one-on-one almost every night last summer and his interest hasn't faded yet. He asked for a new Bulls jersey for his birthday and tickets to see them when they come to town. I have some very cute video footage documenting said one-on-one games but my computer is uncooperative. It makes me want to swear, as a matter of fact.

He also played and loved Flag Football this fall. Tyler was the team coach. The Dolphins won some and lost some, but no matter the score they rocked it each and every game.

Daxon is also going to write a novel. Not someday. Today. He's been working on it for a while now. It's actually a series called The Storm Children. He's going to send it to publishers over and over until someone loves it. After all, that's what JK Rowling did. You know I love a bookworm.

He's done a little skateboarding




And he is becoming quite the fisherman.

This might be my favorite picture of Dax from the past year. Fishing with Grandpa Dave on the Big Lost River in Makay

He caught the first fish that day with his new pole:)


And then there is the intense love of all things Star Wars. Especially unmentionably ugly t shirts that shame me. He had a Star Wars movie party for his big day. Return of the Jedi on the projector screen with lots and lots of pop, candy and friends.


But lest you think Daxon is all sunshine, rainbows and awesome math tests after this braggy post, let the record also state that he has been known to stomp his foot at me until I would like to remove it and has started muttering under his breath when he thinks my back is turned. As I said, he is still a kid, although I can see the teenage years coming and I'm not that excited. But I do so love this oldest boy. Happy Birthday Dax!

Oh Great

- 3 Months -

Now how am I ever going to get anything done with a baby who looks at me like that?

Nitro Circus

We are thankful for Tyler's job everyday. Not only just because he has a job, but because he has a job where he is challenged and appreciated and can do something he's really good at. We are thankful even on the crappy, stressful days. And we are thankful because its turned out to be a pretty sweet place to work sometimes. A few weeks ago, they had their end-of-summer party. The summer season is a pretty big deal for APX. So naturally, to celebrate a successful season they built a motocross track on their front lawn and had Nitro Circus preform. Now, I know absolutely nothing about Motocross or Supercross, or whatever its called, and even I was impressed-it was super fun.

The view from the window by Tyler's desk

Tyson Rupp, Tyler, Dax, Hayes and Ash with Travis Pastrana and some of the Nitro Circus crew

The Nitro Circus Grand Entrance - of course they jumped out of a helicopter

APX managers (Tyler on the front row next to the #5) waiting for Travis Pastrana to jump them

The first jump

And another

Broc, Jaci and Callan

Hayes with just a leeeetle bit of his J Dawg smeared around. We don't believe in napkins. We just use our freshly autographed shirt. What the heck.

Camillie and Ash, awwww

Ok, so I know you'll be shocked when I say that I made us a tiny bit late. I mean, that's not me at all cough, cough. By the time we got to the meet and greet we were at the end of a really long line, resulting in the fact that they ran out of t-shirts. Dax got one that fit, Hayes got a man's xtra large and the rest of us got... the shaft. Sorry Tyson. Well, maybe I shouldn't say that. We still got to meet the celebs and enjoy the show. Plus, if you ask the boys they would say that the free J Dawgs, candy and COKE were the !bomb! and the party in their mouths was pretty cool in and of itself. By the way, if you've never had a J Dawg, you simply must. They rock the hot dog world. And I'm a firm believer that people who say they don't like hot dogs are just big fat liars.

The handsome Mr. Tyson Rupp

Totally 4 Years Old

My everyday, all-day, cheek-to-cheek best friend turned 4. And let me tell you- when you have two big brothers to keep up with, 4 years old is older and bigger, which is both good and bad, happy and sad. Ash has to do everything the big boys do-ride bikes, skate board, play video games, go to school, play basketball and "fitball" and talk snotty. But for 6 hours Monday-Friday he can still be just 4, thank goodness. He LOVES to sing, color, secretly watch Dora and UmiZoomi play Batman, read stories and mop. Yes, he is the official mopper of the kitchen floor. I'm not kidding. I have FOUR children now. I'm just glad the floor gets mopped at all. Plus, he likes it, I promise! His besties are still Addie Jo and the twins, although he's starting to branch out and play at friends' houses around the neighborhood. That part of getting bigger doesn't make me so sad-I did mention that we're pretty much cheek-to-cheek, didn't I?Um, before I had any children I swore my kids would never be the kids in desperate need of haircuts riding their bikes around the neighborhood in pjs they'd had on for 48 hours with dirty faces and too-small moon boots in July. Huh. Wonder at what point exactly it became ok.Lunch at Dad's work-we love Impressive skateboarding, due to a very patient dad. Also placing the blame for the flip flops squarely on the patient dad. That is a canyon trail. Thank goodness he still has ten toes. He is, to my great surprise, the most gentle of all the brothers with Zoe. I think they are going to be two peas in a pod. And probably big trouble.The morning of his birthday he woke us up yelling "I'm four today!"As you know, I dearly love his longish hair. He dearly loves gel and (faux)mohawks. So I gave in last week, and what do you know, there was a pretty adorable kid under all that hair.

Happy Birthday Asher Bo Basher! We love you soooo much!

She's Home!

Miss Zee finally came home on Saturday, September 18, weighing in at 6lbs 2oz. The Monday before she was discharged she received a blood transfusion because of a low hemoglobin level. Apparently a super common occurrence with preemies, but still, I was a little nervous. Turns out those smart doctors happen to know what they're talking about. It was just what she needed to get her here with us. Seriously like magic, before the transfusion was even complete she began to turn the corner. When our fabulous Dr. Knochel explained how a baby's body works and why she needed it I was again amazed at the knowledge and capabilities of modern medicine. In the following days she was totally weaned off her oxygen and began to eat like it was her job. (Which it so was). Her stay in the NICU lasted 5 weeks and two days. Now she's gaining around an ounce a day and at her two month check up she was a whopping 7 lbs 4 oz! We've had her home for 5 weeks and we are just falling deeper every day:)

A cute Coming Home Outfit is a must. Ginormous Flower also a must.

And the brotherly love begins...don't worry Miss Zee, I'll protect you
I just couldn't help myself
A girl's gotta have cute toes. Just don't look too closely at my crusty, desperately-in need of-a pedicure feet. I'm making an effort.

Zoe Girl

What can I say about the sweetest baby that ever was? I'm sorry- I know we all say that about every baby, but this time its legit. She really is the sweetest. And she's doing great. As of today she weighed 5 lbs 12 oz and is offically one month old! She's getting bigger and stronger all the time. In fact, its almost like she's a real baby! As opposed to a tiny breakable doll we couldn't even touch. Her lungs are totally healthy, although she's still on a trace of oxygen and will probably come home with it. She just seems to like that yicky thing in her nose. No one has told her yet that its not very cute. But then, some girls can pull off anything:) We've been able to get rid of all of her IVs, including her pic line, so a huge wahoo! for that. The last hurdle to jump is eating. The hospital has a pretty strict protocol about oral feedings which we are working our way through. Most days I just like to complain about how dumb it is. Even though I really know it isn't. (Well, it kind of is) Patience is hard. Frustration is easy. Its a good thing she's worth it! Tyler has been amazing and hasn't missed going to work early one time so that he can stop and visit Zoe and feed her a bottle. She's already got him under her spell. Uh, yeah. I think we all saw that coming a mile away. And of course he's got the boys doing their thing so I can be gone. He's working so hard to take care of us all, and I just love him to pieces for it.

We get to hold and feed her at least three times a day right now. There is just nothing better than rubbing that fluffly baby hair on your cheek. Its my favorite.

I have yet to remember to take my actual camera to the hospital. I know. Therefore, all my pictures are from my phone. They don't even do her awesome beauty justice: Not quite one week with the cpap to help her lungsPic line in her head and a Miss Piggy nose from the cpapA new nightieWell hello there, Pretty Girl

Bath Night

Aww. Dax is in love with her. Hayes loves her but is less interested. Asher, not so much. I think he can tell his world is about to change...

One month old!

This video is of our first time to help bath her, when she was about 2 1/2 weeks old. It was unexpected, so Aunt Camille filmed with my phone. Not great quality, but super precious. If you are offended by naked baby parts, feel free to not push play:)

Thank you to everyone. For remembering Zoe in your prayers. To nurses and doctors who are wonderful to us. Awesome neighbors and friends who have done so much. And of course to our family for being there and loving us. And loving our kids enough to repeatedly babysit. And then babysit some more. We are blessed. Thank you!