Happy Holiday Report

Here is Kate and BFF Ashley playing with Kate's new kitchen she got from Mom, Dad... and Santa? Her aunties gave her a wooden smoothie maker, and pots and pans. This present came in 2009 after we had recovered from the trip. She loves playing with it. She even went and washed her hands with out any encouragement from me. She is such a smart girl.


We had family pictures at Troys house. It was a zoo and so fun. Crying kids, cussing dads and toys flying across the grass. I was laughing inside the entire time. When you ask Kate to show you happy this is what you get. We are working on emotions. I swear she does this just to perturb me. But it is so funny and cute. Except when you are taking family pictures.



Kate loves her Daddy. Lately it is who she yells for when she wakes up. But she still wants her mommy to put her to sleep at night. She is very jealous of other kids and even throws tantrums if I pick up another kid, or feed her cousin cheerios in church. The terrible twos are already here. I am scared.
There are 14 total. 2 have yet to be put on the wall.


Kate wanted to play inside the sack. Who knows why. She also loves to get into the big box the diapers come in from costco.


Bathtime fun with the cousins. I asked them to stick out their tongues and they did.

This is how Kate rides. She travels really well. And makes sure she is comfy the whole way.
Christmas morning Kate is opening G-ma's gift.

This is the Christmas program at Grandma and Grandpaws house. (not a mistake that is how he signs it on paper, grandpaw.)


We have a group of mini pianist in the making. Kate loves the piano. We really need to get her one sometime.
Kate has watched her dad pump up the bike tires and now tries to do it herself when she can get her hands on the pump. This is before church in her christmas dress.

We survived! Driving about 23 hours total for the trip. 16 cousins, 10 aunts and uncles, 2 grandmas, 2 grandpas, and 1 girls night at the movie Twilight. Whew. It was a lot of fun. Except for driving in 40 mph head-wind all the way to AZ.

Kate was in heaven the whole time, loving the attention and playing with the cousins. It was good to escape reality for a while.


This is my Happy Holiday Report.

Holidays and fun.

The first official all day lasting hair-do. Kate actually asks for hair clips now. They only stay in a minute, but hey that's progress. If only her bangs would grow.
Aunty Bri was here for thanksgiving.
Family photo op.
Our only holiday tradition pre-kate was to go see the lights on temple square on Christmas Eve. This year we will be at Grandpa and Grandma's house so we went with everyone the day after t-day. Kate had to walk everywhere herself. And I in rushing to get everything forgot her coat and gloves on the couch at home. Luckily it was not too cold that night.
Maybe getting a picture with Santa can be a new tradtion. Kate wouldn't even walk up to Santa. I wouldn't either he wasn't very jolly that day.

We do have a new family tradition for thanksgiving. This is the FIRST ANNUAL PUMKIN LAUNCH
We chucked the pumpkins over the yard and into the canal that runs behind our home. After we ran out of our own pumkins we decided to go steel the neighbors. Barb and I hit two houses but we knocked on the door and asked to take them. We are not criminals. These new pumkins were huge and mostly landed in the back yard with two people trying to throw them at a time. It was super fun. Kate slept through the excitment.

Catching Up

Halloween is our favorite. Kate was a good witch. She was so cute and her and Troy had fun together.



Kate wasn't into her hat.

A few Saturday's ago we went to our Aunt Sharon's to deep clean before they returned from their mission. Here are the cleaners. Everyone worked really hard.





My first big Hike 4 miles round trip!



When I got home I gave bunny a ride in the baby Bjorn.


I really love Pa.

Funny Picture

Waking up with a new hair do! Mom walked in to get me from a nap and busted up laughing. Then she ran and got the camera.


Eating a banana. I am a picky eater and like to do everything myself. I had to have the whole banana before I would eat any of it.

Walking and more...

The past two weeks have been all about books. We read and read all day long. Kate can point out dogs, cats, elephants, monkeys, and tons more. She loves her lil people book with tabs you open to find things. She has a really good memory. Again we think she will probably cure cancer or do something wonderful. (remember 99% for head size here)

For FHE monday we all rode our bikes down to the pumpkin house. They sale pumpkins for a great price. Kate picked her very own pumpkin. She calls them balls. We also decorated the house with the scary Halloween decorations. She points and says BOO! She is so funny.


We went to the zoo. Kate loved it! She pointed at everything. We spent more time holding her so she could see up close rather than riding in the jogger. It was a supper fun long day. First to Ogden for Troy's final triathlon of the season then the zoo then to the Wilk's for a BBQ. 16 hours later I think we made it home.




This was a few weeks ago. I am just slow to blog. She is a cruising now. Everywhere she can go.
Which of course means she falls and then we have to kiss it better. But she gives me a kiss, I don't kiss her booboo.


Here we are helping mom dig a hole for the "fat albert" pine we bought. Kate was the measuring stick.

MY FIRST TRIATHLON

Saturday was Kate's first triathlon. We wouldn't have made it there with out her. Dad set 3 alarms for 5:30am the only problem was we were supposed to leave at 4:45am. So when Kate cried at 4:38am there was a bit of panic. We made in plenty of time though. Troy likes to be there early anyways so we had a big window.

Now to clarify Troy did this Triathlon, Brooke and Kate watched. On the ride down Kate slept, Troy drove and Brooke pretended to catch some ZZZ's. We got there and it was so cold. 44degrees. We hung out in the car watching Baby Divinci and eating yogurt for the first time. (Those of you who really know Troy know that eating in his new little car is a big deal. We had no spills.)

There were about 300 participants. Troy did well finishing in the top 15 over all I think. We don't have official times yet. They used a really weird timing system. The athletes had to wave their wristband over a box at every transition. Then I think there was some technical difficulties or something.

While Troy pushed his body to the limit Kate and I walked around checking out all the doggies. I guess people who like to Tri like Dogs. There was dogs of all sizes. We had a very fun saturday.



Sunday was a pretty fun day too. Regional Stake conference and BBQ'in with Troy.








Dad doesn't take steriods but he sure does drink a bunch of protein and recovery shakes. I like to play in the pantry.










All my friends ride on their scooters at my house. Someone left one by me and I had to try it out. (all by myself)

Its september!

Wow its September. Life is cruising fast. I feel like I can hardly keep up with Kate. She is not officially walking yet but she has taken a few steps around the house. She would rather hold your hand and walk or crawl. She has excellent balance though and will dance and even try to jump when she is standing.

She now says hi, bye, and da along with the good oldies ma and ba. She makes the funniest faces. Troy looked at me the other day and he made one of Kate's "faces" so I think she gets them from him. She still loves her friends that come over daily Ashley and Krissa. She cries when they leave.