As Of Late

Well its been a little while since our last post and although we haven't been on any super cool adventures or done anything too exciting, I thought I'd just update you on life here in Eden.

Shawn has been coaching 3 soccer teams this fall so every Saturday is full of soccer games and Jaden loves it! Shawn also introduced him to the Adidas sign on his warm up suit the other day...now he refuses to wear anything without it on it...but we're getting through that I hope! :) Thanks daddy! The other day J and I were doing laundry and he was going through dad's soccer bag and found a spare pair of shin guards and a whistle, he thought he was pretty stinkin cool!

I've been trying to come up with funlittle things for us to do together while we have our one on one time, so this last week we made sugar cookies, it was a lot of fun but all I had were easter shapes so we had to pretend the eggs were footballs...don't worry I added halloween cookie cutters to the grocery list and we will try again in the next few weeks!

Another think that Jaden is REALLY into is tools! last christmas he got a little tool set and he always wants to fix EVERYTHING! If I say its broken Jaden automatically says "I fix it" and runs off to find his tool box, its pretty cute! When I ask him if he needs help he always responds, "No, Big Boy Mom" this has become his most commonly used phrase! The sad thing is that it's true, he's getting so big and independent! Well the other day I was doing dishes and I turned around to find this....

Apparently Jaden decided that HE was broken and needed to be fixed! I laughed pretty hard and he thought he was pretty funny!

Jaden is also VERY into pirates!!! He loves to walk around saying "Arg" and "yo ho ho" My mom picked him up a pirate hat and sword and a few other things at the costume shop and we end up playing pirates just about every day!

I'm enjoying every moment I have with me and my "big boy"! He is growing up so fast and talking up a storm, he likes to "write" his name, look for "neighs" and "moos" whenever we go for a drive, play in baby sisters room, read books and run around as a dinosaur monster or pirate! I can't believe how much he is learning every day and how his imagination is growing too! I'm lucky to be his mommy!

Other than soccer, Shawn has just been working and going to school. He's busy all the time but enjoys what he does and boy oh boy does that make a difference! He will be finished with school in March and I can't wait!

As for me, I'm just along for the ride! :) I'm adjusting more and more to being alone up here, and loving it more and more. It's a much slower pace, but its good for me! We are just trying to get everything ready for baby girl and the holidays coming up! The next few months should be quite the learning experience! Well thats the latest with us!

Eccles Dinosaur Park

This last week Jaden and I ventured to Ogden's Eccles Dinosaur Park. I have been wanting to go all summer but unable to figure out a time for someone to go with us, in salt lake we always had people accompany us on our adventures; but living here in eden, it;s not so easy, but I'm becoming more and more used to and completely ok with that. So Monday morning I just decided to make it a mom and Jaden date day and we headed out just the two of us!!

Jaden was SO STINKING EXCITED to see all the dinosaurs!!!
I made the mistake of making him get a little too close a little too quick though, so this next picture is not one of him trying to be a dinosaur, its more of a "mom can I get down now PLEASE!!" face!

We had such a great time, I even got a pass! I decided that Jaden and I need more days like this, here are some more pictures of our fun day!

So if you haven't been up here, it is totally worth the trip! Thanks for the date my little man!

Labor Day Weekend!

So Labor Day this year was a lot more laid back for us than usual. Partially because Shawn had been home for a week with pneumonia and partially because that's just what we needed and we had a really great time! Luckily Shawn started feeling better on Friday and so we were able to do a few things...

We started off with the BYU football game on Saturday! Jaden had so much fun watching it with Shawn and was a riot...I was impressed he lasted longer than I did! :) I think he really enjoyed the fact that he could yell at the TV with his dad! He was hilarious to watch!

Late that night my sister Rachel and her husband Lee and little girl Megan came up to stay the weekend! It was their first time up to visit in Eden and we are so glad they made the trip because we had a great time! I was terrible and didn't take many pictures though. Their little Megan is a year younger than Jaden and i think he overwhelmed her quite a bit! He just kept wanting to hug and love her! Hopefully he feels that much love for his little sister when she gets here! On Sunday we really just hung out and enjoyed the company and then on Monday we went to a few places in Eden for my bro in law Lee to shoot some cute pictures of Megan! I did snap a few of Jaden while we were out!

Like I mentioned before, Jaden is VERY into pirates, and so I had my mom pick up some pirate stuff for him at the costume shop...he's a big fan of the sword!

It was so nice to have a relaxing laid back holiday! Thanks for coming up guys! Who's next!?

I have also started to get the nursery put together thanks to Lee helping Shawn move the office downstairs so I'll post pictures of that soon!

August Recap

August has been a fun and busy month for us.....
For some reason I thought it would be REALLY low key and laid back...not so much! Especially with this cute little face keeping me on my toes! :)

With Shawn working later nights and longer days than we are used to, we have really been focusing on spending quality time together and just playing as a family! There is this really sweet video on lds.org that really hit home with me about really being there for your kids, not just physically but mentally. If you haven't seen it, it's a great one and I recommend it! Anyways, so we have been spending a lot of time doing things like this...

and...

Jaden has become really into sports. He still prefers going outside and playing soccer with daddy but also has been loving playing baseball, and golf...but usually what happens (as you can see in the previous picture) is when we play golf we usually end up playing pirates and swords with the golf clubs....

As you can see something else that has been going on this month, and taking the majority of our time is potty training!!! I know Jaden is really young still to be potty training, but he seemed ready so I just figured I would give it a shot! He has actually been doing a great job! I wouldn't say that he is fully trained, but we are getting there! He is still anti pooping in the potty but I hear that is normal! I am just so proud of him for how well he is doing! Yesterday we headed down to Ogden to run all my errands and were gone for almost 5 hrs and he stayed dry the entire time! I put him in a pull up, but he kept it dry and even told me inside winco that he had to go! I can't believe how much he is growing up! Here is a shot of him in his Thomas underpants!

This month we also ventured to the zoo...I even brought my camera but am lame because this is the only picture I got and I didn't even take it! Jaden was totally creeped out by the snake but just couldn't get enough of it at the same time!

We have been doing some fun art projects too...here is a pic of J marshmallow painting with pudding! Well...eating and painting :)

More proof my baby is growing up...this last week he learned to peddle his trike all by himself...he can actually reach the peddles if he scoots up far enough!

More fun art...easel painting. I decided that since I have hardwood floors I should take advantage of them and let Jaden paint upstairs....He had fun but spent most of the time painting his fingers :)

Now Shawn and Jaden's favorite thing that has happened to us this month is probably this....

We knew when we moved up to Eden that we would have to get a car with 4wheel drive before winter hit (last winter we came up to visit in the Altima and got suck in the snow....in the driveway. Not to mention with my due date being the end of November, we needed a vehicle we knew could safely get us down the canyon no matter the weather...I am not having my baby at home! :) So, a few weeks ago we put the Honda up for sale, and it sold rather quickly. Well, Shawn has been wanting a truck for awhile now and since it was his car we sold, I didn't fight it and my only request was that it have a back seat that can fit car seats. Well Shawn found this beauty and that was that...it barely fits in the garage and has a 4 inch lift and no step to help me get into it (yes please imagine me trying to climb into this 7 moths pregnant...I can only imagine how humorous I look and will continue to look more and more humorous for the next 3 moths) so that has been interesting. But he loves it and so it works!

Well that's about it! Sorry its such a long post!

Family Fun

Last week my sister Annie and her family came to visit us up here in Eden and we had such a great time! My sister Amy had planned a family trip to Cherry Hill with just us girls and the kids! We honestly had such a great time we are thinking of making it a yearly tradition! All of the kids had a blast playing together. Here are some pictures:

Jaden absolutely LOVED the Pirate ship!!!! We spent a lot of time on it! My mom got him a pirate ship water table for his birthday so we have gotten VERY into pirates.
He just kept screaming "ARG"! Love him!

Jaden got such a kick out of Baby Johnny, hopefully he takes to his sister as easily!

Libby and Jaden had an absolute ball playing together, they both take a little while to warm up to things but before you know it they are running and screaming and jumping up and down doing "bum drops"

Sarah is the aunt of all aunts, always playing with the kids its no wonder she's the favorite! She took Haylie and Jaden down the lazy river numerous times! We only had one mishap...but no need to get into that :)

After you know...7hrs at Cherry hill, we attempted to go to Red Robin for dinner...I have no pictures...it was not pleasant...the kids were done...so was mom...next year we might re think that part! Thanks for planning everything Amy!!! It was a summer favorite!

One of the days the Norats were with us Annie and I packed up all the kids and ventured to the beach while the guys stayed home to do homework and study. I have been here all summer and this was the first time I have taken Jaden (pathetic I know) but it was so much fun.

We found a shady spot which was nice, and set up camp.

Johnny was a champ! and chilled in the stroller while we set things up.

The water was actually quite warm and the kids all enjoyed it! Haylie is our adventurous one so she was strapped to the life jacket the majority of the time, which is a good thing because knowing her she would have tried to swim out to the boats!!

I was suprised at how much Jaden enjoyed himself, but he had a great time digging in the dirt and throwing it back into the lake! We even made our first sand castle!!!

We had such a fun time having them up to visit and I wish I would have taken more pictures! We spent a lot of time just letting the kids run and play...and occasionally duke it out!
Thanks for the fun Norat family! We hope you will come up again soon!

July In A Nutshell...

July has been such a BUSY and fun month for our family! I lost my camera for awhile so I don't have pictures of everything, but I will share with you what I have!

We have taken Jaden out on the boat a few times this month and he has been so funny! He gets so excited to go, and everytime he see s the late...which is daily he says "a ganpa boat lake" and talks about how he wants to go with "ganpa" on the boat, but everytime we tell him he can actually go he changes his mind and doesn't want to go. Luckily when we finally get on the boat he seems to enjoy himself! He's such a funny kid.

I gave in and let Shawn take Jaden on the tube...even though he didn't want to go. He was a trooper though and Shawn said he actually enjoyed himself while they were out there even though he was crying when I put him on. When he came back he was SO proud of himself but DID NOT want to go out again! Maybe next year.

The 4th of July this year was SO fun! We started out by heading up to Shawn's family's cabin on the 2nd, we were only there for a few hours though and then headed up to the Oakley Rodeo. We did have enough time for a few 3 wheeler rides with dad, Jaden LOVES them!

Jaden and dad do not cooperate with pictures, when Jaden smiles this is what dad does...

And when dad smiles this is the face Jaden likes to make....
Oh well you can't win them all :)

The Oakely Rodeo is a family tradition Shawn really enjoyed as a kid that we have opted to continue with our family! Jaden LOVES the rodeo! He especially loves the "neighs" and gets a little frustrated when they do events when he can't see them too well!

Here is Jaden and Grandpa at the Rodeo

On the 3rd of July we went to Huntsville to participate in the festivities! I love the 4th and 24th of July and this year did not disappoint! I love living in a small town, it brings a little something to these kinds of things. Jaden enjoyed his first 4th of July parade, it was the perfect length for him and although he didn't exactly understand why people threw candy at him, he enjoyed eating it!

It has been so fun to see the kids I used to nanny interact with Jaden, McKenna and Ruby take such good care of him! McKenna is always plaing with him and taking him out to play and Ruby is always good for a "teet" (treat)

After the parade Jaden and daddy enjoyed the bounce house!

We spent the rest of the day hanging out, we went back later that night to eat at Texas Pride, one of our favorite places up here and to listen to live music, then we headed back and put J down while mom and dad enjoyed the fireworks from the back porch. One of our neighbors used to serve in the armed forces so we even enjoyed the accompanied patriotic music from our back porch!

We have been trying to get out more and enjoy the beauty we live in so we headed out as a family the other day and went for a hike and a picnic dinner....
Jaden doesn't exactly enjoy going up hill...but he'll get used to it, we found a creek though and he loved throwing rocks in while we ate dinner and was much more pleasant on the hike down!

Mom trying to negotiate a giid picture with J (didn't happen)

My smiley little man

For the 24th we had a family reunion for the Buck/Smith side up in Logan.
I love going to Logan and visiting, it is so just laid back and fun! We had SO many people that I hadn't seen in years and it was so great to catch up! Unfortunately I was lacking on the picture side and only snapped a few shots.

Most the grandkids with their favorite aunt (which she has brainwashed them all to say)

This last weekend Shawn also took his Series 7 test and not only passed but got a great score! We are so proud of him and how hard he works to provide for our family! He is an amazing husband and father and we couldn't ask for more! Great job babe!

We have had such a fun busy month and I'm sure August will being even more! Jaden is growing up so fast, talking in sentences and become more strong willed every day! I don't know how we got so lucky to have such a great little man but I'm sure glad we did! I can't wait until our little girl gets here and we get to add another to our family!

Cute Story!

I love my little man he is so funny and adorable: for example...

The other day Jaden was sitting on the couch snuggling with mommy, talking to the baby inside mommy's tummy (oh did I mention we're pregnant?) more on that in a second. Well Jaden is talking to the "BabY" in mommy's tummy when he lifts up my shirt and gives the baby kisses! Super cute but not the story! He then proceeds to stick his fingers inside my belly button and pulls as hard as his little arm muscles will let him saying, "BabY....Are you?" Ouch! I nearly screamed! He is a tough little guy and didn't hold back at all! It was VERY adorable and VERY painful! That's my little man though and boy oh boy do I love him!

We are so excited to be adding to our little family! I am 21 weeks tomorrow and we found out last week that we are having a GIRL!!!! She is Due November 24th and at my ultrasound measured perfect! (Jaden measured small my entire pregnancy so this was a relief, maybe we can avoid some respiratory problems) I havent felt much of her but the dr at my ultra sound assured me it was because of how she is placed so I'm excited to start feeling her kick more regularly! This is such a fun exciting time for us and we are so excited! I have decided on a name but Shawn won't agree on anything until she is born! So we will see. He is so excited to have a little girl though,I think I can talk him intoal most anything at this point :)

Well that is my cute little story, Jaden is a very attached little man and I think this sweet little girl will definately be an adjustment.. but a good one! We can't wait for November!