Santa and Snowmen

This Saturday we had two Family Christmas parties. We went to my Mom's family party that morning and we ate breakfast and exchanged dollar gifts, and that evening was Derek's Dad's family party. They have Santa come every year and hand out a gift to each of the kids. When Santa walked in Carson ran right up to him and said, "Hey Santa, give me a toy!" (My child is so modest isn't he!) The kids had a great time. Sunday the boys and I went out and played in the snow and built a snowman. We are enjoying soaking up all the Christmas activities, the kids are such fun ages for Christmas!

Are we that old???

Last night we spent our Friday night doing the following: waiting around at Discount Tires for new tires on the car, ordering glasses from the optical center at Sam's Club, Cafe Rio for dinner, and alas shopping for sheets, then home to tuck in the kiddos by nine. Whoa, big night out huh! It seems like not long ago Friday nights were just getting started at 10 p.m. It's funny how life changes, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Cute Halloween Treat

My sister gave me this cute idea to make Frankenstein Rice Krispie treats and they were super easy. My kids loved making them and eating them too, (as did I, YUM!) You add some green food coloring to the rice krispie marshmallow mixture, use chocolate squeezeable icing for the hair, M&M's for the eyes, candy corn for nose and ears,and red squeezeable icing for the mouth.

Vacation Fun

This last month our family took an 11 day vacation to Southern California. We went with Derek's family and we had a great time. We stayed in Anaheim for the first part of our trip and we went to Disneyland and California Adventure. It was so fun to see the kids faces light up when they saw the Disney characters. We also stayed in a beach house in Mission Beach and went to Sea World and Legoland. Carson was so funny when he saw Tigger, he snuck up and pulled his tail. When Tigger turned around Carson was really proud of himself, he laughed and jumped around excitedly. There was no question who did it, he completely gave himself up. I was surprised that Hayden was big enough to ride all the rides with us. He even rode Space Mountain which was kinda scary for him since it's decked out for Halloween. It was a great trip, it was no fun coming from beautiful 80 degree weather to wet cold Utah. We've spent the last week trying to get back into a routine. Hayden started preschool and he loves it!!! Derek started back to work and is getting ready for the upcoming hunt, and the kids and I have got the house decorated for fall.

Hayden all ready for the big game, isn't he handsome!

Carson and Abbie in the soccer goal, uh oh!

Def Leppard concert

Getting ready to go to Trace and Toby concert.

Look at my cool kids!

Busy week

In the past week and a half we've been super busy around here, and it's all been fun so we can't complain. Hunting season started for Derek and he's been out bow hunting with the guys looking for either an elk or deer or something I'm not sure, it's all gross to me but whatever. Usana has been a hit with us lately. Aimee and I got Becky tickets to Trace Adkins and Toby Keith for her b-day, then Derek and I, along with Aimee and Ben went to Def Leppard and Poison (oh yeah, we are cool!) Hayden started soccer and Derek is the coach. (Derek's not a soccer guy but he's a good sport and is coaching.) Hayden scored a goal yesterday at his very first game, we are so proud! Yesterday we hit Oktoberfest with our friends the Hamblins so it's been a pretty good week.

Bear Lake...not the vacation we bargained for.

Last week we went to Bear Lake with some family for the 24th weekend and we had the scare of a lifetime with our baby boy. We got there Thursday and after setting up camp we headed down to the beach. We were playing in the water and on the beach and having a great time. We had brought a tube to pull behind a jet ski and had taken some of the kids out and they loved it. Derek and I were standing talking to Aimee and Ben and we kept counting the kids and checking on everyone. I told Derek to look how cute Carson was, he was playing on the shore in a life jacket, he was climbing in the tube (that only had a little water in the bottom) and playing. Then I looked up and noticed my Dad pulling into the campground, I turned around to count the kids again and when I looked back for Carson we couldn't see him. We immediatley ran for the tube and Derek found him face down with his head stuck underneath it.... Ahhh, he pulled him out and he was blue and not breathing. Derek and I tried to start CPR but we were so shook up, thank heaven for my brother Adam and our friend Ben. They took over the CPR while Derek coached Carson to keep fighting, and I went with Aimee to dial 911. Carson finally started to spit up and get some color back in his cheeks. He started to cry for mom, and we worked hard to keep him awake while the ambulance was on the way. It took the ambulance about 35 min. to arrive, apparently they'd been dispatched to the wrong beach, by the time they arrived Carson was doing better, and still crying. When we got in the ambulance they checked his heart rate and saturations which were great. We entertained Carson with a glove blown up like a balloon and we let him decorate it with bandaids. In the emergency room we got x-rays and they looked good, they monitored Carson through the night and we left the next morning. We worried Carson would have some side effects or brain damage, but he's perfect! We feel so blessed and lucky. We know how precious life is and just how close the other side is, and our glad God is watching over us. We were tempted to pack up our camp and head home but decided to stay and finish out the trip with family. Derek and I spent the rest of the weekend holding Carson's hand with an extra watchful eye on Hayden and the kids ended up having a great time. We are thankful to our family who was so supportive and good to watch Hayden while we were at the hospital. I hope everyone gives their kids an extra hug and kiss and remembers the important things in life, I know this experience has given us a new perspective. We are also grateful to the hospital staff at Bear Lake Memorial who were very nice and supportive.

Fun with Thomas

I'm behind on my blogging... but on Memorial Day Carson turned 2 and to celebrate we took him to Thomas the Train down at the Heber Valley Railroad. The kids had a blast and he loved all his presents. My birthday happens to be the day before Carson's and my sis-in law 4 days earlier, so Carson has been going around singing Happy Birthday to you for about the last 3 weeks. It seemed May was just one big Birthday Celebration around here.

Busy weekend

We have been super busy lately at the Thatcher household. We sold our camping trailer last week and bought a new trailer which we enjoyed an overnight stay with my family camping this past weekend. Hayden started T-ball, (I can't believe he's old enough to play recreational sports, sniffle! :) this past weekend and absolutely loved it. He takes it very serious and is a little dramatic while playing, he'll throw himself on the ground to get the ball like he's a big leaguer diving for a fly ball, so cute!
We had a joint b-day party while camping for Carson and my nephew Blake. Carson's actual b-day isn't for another week but we decided to kill two birds with one stone and combine the party! I tell ya it was the easiest b-day party yet! I just decorated a awning brought some pre-packaged icecream cups and my sis-in-law brought cupcakes for the kiddos to decorate, and abra cadabra instant b-day party and who cares about the mess when camping right! Also before we left for camping this weekend we managed to squeeze in the zoo, so yeah it was pretty crazy and a little stressful but worth it.

Vegas Baby!!!

So last weekend Derek and I took a trip to Vegas with his sis Aimee and her boyfriend Ben. We stayed at this hotel The Wynn which had a fabulous view of Vegas from our room! We went to Old Town and went to see a Country Tribute band, ate at a fabulous pub and grill called Henessey's (everyone loved their meals, totally recommend this place!) Saturday we hit the strip, and went and saw The Tournament of Kings at The Excalibur! Oh and my highlight was when I hit a quarter machine for $250 (cha-ching$$$!) We had lots of fun, but I won't tell all the details, as the saying goes "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!"

Shop til you drop

I spent this past Saturday shopping at the outlets in Park City with my mother-in-law Becky and sister-in-law Aimee. After nine hours of shopping this was the outcome...

We had such a great time, it was so fun to go shopping without kids and men! The only downside to not bringing the kiddos we could think of is that we didn't have strollers to haul all our loot around. Halfway through our shopping session Becky went to move the van so we didn't have to carry the bags to the otherside of the parking lot and Aimee and I were standing outside of Carter's and this group of women stopped to admire all our bags. They said, "Wow, that's impressive!" We replied, "Oh and this is after three trips to drop off bags to the car already." We decided that shopping for women is the same thing as hunting for men. There's a euphoric high that comes when you spot cute clothes and great deals just like men get when they spot a stupid deer. We haul all our shopping bags home and our proud and take pictures like men with their kill. Only difference is we don't have to spray deer pee on our shoes ... I kinda like being a woman! We were pretty enthusiastic about our shopping too, Aimee was hilarious because she told Becky there was this store called Bass that she was just going to love, (which we had some great coupons for.) So we go in and Aimee and I power shop and pick out a bunch of things for Becky to try on all of which were a success except for one and when we get to the register to hand over the coupon the saleswoman whispered, "Sorry but this isn't Bass." We laughed so hard, it was a riot! (Maybe you had to be there.) Anyhow, I won't bore anymore with details, but hell it was a great time, you gotta blog about those huh!

Hayden's Batman Birthday!

So it's been a crazy month that seems to just be flying by! Hayden celebrated his 4th Birthday this month, and it's crazy how big he is getting! He is super into Batman so we had a Batman themed party with his cousins. Hayden also got police dress-ups from his Grandma and I love the picture of him all decked out!

The Fib

So today Hayden told a whopper of a fib, and although we had a discussion about telling stories and he had to take a time out, I couldn't help but grab the camera to capture the moment because I found some humor in it all! My brother's family came over yesterday and my sis-in-law Emily left 2 cupcakes for my boys for later. This morning Hayden was the first one up and in the kitchen, when I went to check on him about 10 min later this is what I found...

I asked him what he was doing and he replied, "Um, I'm just cleaning up because Maddie (our dog) ate two cupcakes." I said, "Oh really, well thanks for cleaning up the mess Maddie made." He said, "Yep Mom, your welcome, I'm just cleaning up what Maddie did." A minute goes by and Maddie comes wandering by from her bed, and I said, "Hayd, it looks like Maddie just got out of bed." He replies "Um I guess a ghost must have eated the cupcakes." I said, "Buddy why is there frosting all over your face," he says "That ghost shoved that cupcake in my face and made me eated it." Anyways I finally got him to fess up to the truth and he apologized, but it started my morning with a laugh!

Maddie the accused, what did I do???

Spring Fever in January

I'm so ready for spring and to be able to go outside, not to mention my kids are also anxious. So today when the sun was out I threw on the kids jackets and we headed outside where they pulled out the tricycles, dump trucks and sand shovels and filled up the trucks with snow. Derek came home and decided to take advantage of the weather and wash his truck, and the boys had to get in on that. Carson loved the pressure washer, and Hayden was being helpful with the scrub brush! Anyway I don't have anything really exciting to blog about, what can I say... I'm a stay home mom, but I thought these pictures of the kids were fun so I thought I'd share.