"We have a piper down..."

"I repeat, a piper is down!" That's me. The piper. Waaaay down.  Strep throat = NASTY! Oh ya, and the kids are all sick with a stomach virus, so that's been awesome.  I have been on the antibiotic for 24 hours now so let the decontamination begin!!

I was hoping to get up some cutesie pics from birthdays and Christmas on the blog this week, we'll see how the rest of my day goes. But I will leave you with this cutesie pic, of me & my Mr.

 Did I mention how incredible he is? Well, he is. I was in seriously bad shape on Monday when he left for work, so 15 minutes after he left he came back home...to take care of me. He sent me to bed and I woke up about 4 hours later and he got me Kneaders soup. Ya, not to brag, but he's THAT great.

yada yada yada...

We live in Utah! Did I mention that tomorrow marks a year since we moved into our Utah house? Well, it has and I have yet to blog even one bit. Trust me, I have taken some serious flack already and it is very well deserved. I don't know if anyone even reads this anymore or even checks to see if we are still here, but I thought I would try to give it another go. My goal is to make at least one more post than I did in 2011. We aim high around here, so we'll see how it goes. Here's a little update on what we've been up to.

Mr. Incredible has been conquering the Discover world one card member at a time. He works nights. It sucks. I am not trying to be negative, but I am still adjusting and it has been a year now and I am still struggling with it. On the flip side though, having him here in the mornings is bliss. He helps me SO much with the kids, even when he has only gotten a few hours of sleep. What's even more amazing is he has also been training for triathlons. Ya, I don't know how he does it either, hence the dub, Mr. Incredible.

Me. Nothing too exciting as usual. The Mr. got me addicted to triathlons. Seriously, I need medication. I have dreams about training/racing.  I am waaaaayyy too competitive for this, but it has been a good outlet for me and I love getting into better shape. But the thing I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE about it...it's something me and my hubby can do together outside of our craziness of home and munchkins that we can share and encourage and motivate each other.  Having said that, my goal this year is to prove to him he should have put me on his TriUtah Ultimate Relay team.

Sweet Pea. Smart as ever. Her request to Santa? a "non-fiction book" ya, that's my 7 year old. She got an awesome book about everything and she is constantly quizzing me and I am constantly guessing wrong.  Something really big for her in 2011 was that she donated 12 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, it was such an awesome experience and she is already asking for "Hair Ovations" so that her hair will grow faster so that she can do it again. She's getting baptized this year, she is so excited and is such a light to me. I love how she knows when she is feeling the spirit and she tells me, what great growing/teaching opportunities those moments have been.

B-Man. Three words. Mario Kart Wii. That's what he calls it, and we have to set a timer, otherwise he would be playing non-stop. He is in preschool 3 days a week and has the cutest little friends and has grown so much over the last year. He is still by far the best sharer (if that's a word) and would give you anything you ask him for (even his last skittle). He has crazy amounts of energy, but it still my sweet boy.

Peanut (formally known as Muffin). Actually her name changes on a daily basis based on which personality I get. I'm kidding. A little. Am I a bad mom for saying that? Man, she is a little spit fire and so freaking cute all at the same time, sometimes I am not sure if I should laugh or cry. She is SOOOO independent, which I was fully aware of before she was even born, but nothing could have prepared me for the craziness or the love I have for this little Peanut. She loves to dance, and she loves anything girly or has to do with princesses or dress-ups. She is quite the movie quoter as well, my favorite these days is "COOKIE ROBOTS.... oh forget it!"

Little Bean. Not so little anymore. Talking more and getting cuter by the minute. He insists that he is a big kid and nothing gets in his way of doing everything that his older siblings do. LOVES Cars and anything that has to do with Cars and you will usually find him carrying at least two. He has become quite the tough guy, he definitely holds his own with his older siblings, which I am glad that he can stick up for himself, but on the flip side I have never had to apologize to so many mothers because my kid has tackled their child to the ground. We are working on that. Really such a fun little kid.

Well, if you read this far, thanks for sticking around. I am considering this our Christmas Card New Year's Card Valentine's Card to get you up to speed on our little brood. Hopefully I'll see you back here soon :o)

New...

So...how ya been? Well I couldn't believe that when I looked at the date of my last post that it has been three months since I have blogged. I have missed posting so many BIG events... Halloween, birthdays, Christmas, exciting news (NO, I AM NOT PREGNANT!) etc etc etc. Of course that is what resolutions are all about...right? To do better and try harder than we did the previous year/month/day. That's all that I can do, I love to blog and to keep a journal of sorts of the munchkins and the life I love and I will keep trying.

Lots of "new" going on around here. New year, new job, new house, new life in a new state. Yup, headed back to Utah. It's been an emotional rollercoaster of sorts. I am excited, yet sad to leave the life that we have worked so hard for here in Chitown. Besides the miserable winters, humid summers and tornados, this is our home and we love it. It's hard to imagine our lives anywhere else. That being said, I truly believe that the Lord will guide and direct us if we allow Him to and that is where we are.

For you detailed oriented people out there, here's the skinny on the big move...

*Job - Mr Incredible took a Department Manager position with Discover Card at the Lake Park office.
*Move date - target is January 29th.
*Moving to - Draper! We were there the week of Christmas and we found a great house.
*Illinois house- on the market for rent.

*Stress level - not quite to freaking out mode yet, but rapidly approaching.

So there you go! A little update on what we has been our world in the last few months and a lot of new in the year to come - crazy, fun times!

Tornado...

Just want to take a minute to say happy birthday to my little tornado. He's fun, silly, and a whirlwind of boy!

 4 of my favorite things about B...

1. He's very sensitive to others feelings (one of my most favorite things about him :o)

2. He loves unconditionally

3. Has become such a big helper to me.
4. He adores his baby brother - he is an awesome Big Bro.

Happy Birthday B-Man!

Jordanelle and the Train Place

We love the water. Period. We miss being with my family on the lake, (we especially miss our annual Bear Lake trip) it was such a big part of my childhood. So this was a special treat for us to enjoy while we were in Utah.

This is where little Bean spent the entire time at the lake. I'll admit, I was jealous.

Grandma B and Sweet Pea on the "motor jets"

And speaking of treats...we went to the Train Place. Can't remember it's real name, it's just fondly known as "the Train Place." Rich, Shauna and their family now have a beautiful home in Heber, since we were already so close while we were at the Jordanelle, we dropped by to see them. Shauna was kind enough to make us dinner and then we went for a yummy treat at the Train Place.

Here's the other half of the pea pod - these two have so much fun together. 

Ya, how many adults does it take to get six kids to look at the camera? I don't know, but I do know it is more than 4!

Mils and Muffin - seriously these two little whirlwinds could take out small villages and trailer parks.

Yes, I realize our vacation was like 2 months ago, but I have to get all of these pics on the blog and I think I am actually done (YAY!) So I'm sorry for the outdated-updates.

The Walton and The Harding...

Some people are blessed in life to have one friend that they would consider their "best friend" I have been so blessed in my life to have many of those "best friend" kind of friends. When we lived in West Valley I was blessed with TWO of those type of friends. Enter Joni and Sara. You know their type, the ones that make everyone around them feel like they are their best friend. What made it even better was that our husbands were friends too, and we all know how important a THAT is.

If you would have told me eight years ago when we moved into our West Valley house that in eight years I would be living in Chicago suburbia with four kids, I would have literally laughed myself into an oblivion. We loved our time in West Valley and I guess I thought that's how it would always be. It was such a happy time for me I guess it's the way I always wanted it to be. We are so grateful for our time in our cute West Valley home and all the memories we had there.

Soooo...while we were in Utah we got to spend a little time with them. I am embarrassed to say that both Sara and Joni posted about this night like two months ago when it happened, but you know me, I am just slow like that. We haven't been able to see them the last couple of times we have been out there, so it was awesome to catch up, to pick up where we left off. Good times. Amazing friends. Miss you guys!

 The Girls

The Manpanions -

Representation of how we have all managed to "multiply and replenish the earth"

Sara was kind enough to point out that since we moved to Chitown that she and Joni have each had one additional child and I have had THREE! What can I say, just doing my part to beautify the earth.

I love to see the Temple!

Isn't this picture amazing? Ya, that's Mr. Incredible - he would love to chuck the whole call center thing and be a photographer. Someday I would like to buy him a camera worth taking pictures with. A very large version of this picture is now hanging in my living room :o)

We went as tourists for the first time to Temple Square in Salt Lake. We had not taken the kids there since we moved, I know, sad. It's such a beautiful place and it was fun to watch the kids in awe with the Temple. There is just a special reverence there that you cannot find anywhere else. It was fun to show them where we were married and even the spot where Mr. Incredible proposed.

I do indeed LOVE to see the Temple -

FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!

Mr. Incredible was trying to get us posing like the statue behind us - I think it was cute Sweet Pea lifted up her leg like the girl in the statue.

My Muffin

Sweet Pea

B-Man

I love the Christus in the Visitor's Center at Temple square.

To avoid picture overload - CLICK HERE for more pictures at Temple Square

Oh my Muffin!

Happy Birthday to my baby girl! I know she's not a baby anymore, but it's so hard to believe that it's been two years since she came into this world.

Here's two of the many things we love about our Muffin -

1. She's HILARIOUS - and she knows she's funny

2. Such a cuddle bug, I hope that never changes!

We love you Sara Helen and are so grateful you are part of our family!

The 4th on the 5th...

Went to the parade, played with lots of cousins then onto Hi-Mountain Drug with Grandma B and Papa.

Great times.

So impressed with the boys and their entrepreneurial skills - they made like 60 bucks workin' the Gatorade during the parade.

Me and my girls

Sweet Pea - she's quick on the draw when it comes to getting candy, that's my girl!

The next generations of the "cuz picture" 

My little boys :o) 

Hangin' at B's

 The Hi-Mountain Drug - We never can go to Utah and not eat there, such good food, SO many memories.

A pretty cute reason...

Here's the reason we went to Utah...

Isn't he the cutest kid on the planet? I love this little boy so much!

My main motivation to getting to Utah was to bless little Bean (Eli). I just felt so strongly that we needed to be there so that he could be surrounded by those who love him and had yet to meet him. Also, I just couldn't accept the fact that he wouldn't meet his Grandma Patsy and Grandpa for another year, I just wouldn't have it.

It was a very crowded 4th of July Sunday at the Woodland Ward, seriously I don't think that one more person could have fit. Little Bean received a beautiful blessing, and of course Mr. Incredible was, well...incredible. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who has blessed us with this amazing little boy in our lives, he is so happy and he's one of those babies who smile with their entire body. I love it. I love that he trusts me enough to be his mother.

Amazing times. Lots of family, friends and food. (Thank you again Clark and Di for offering your home for our luncheon after the blessing.)
***WARNING*** - Picture overload - continue at your own risk!

Our "little" family

Me, Mr. Incredible & Little Bean

Loves these boys -

My Fam (with the exception of my neice Chelsey & my nephew Cristian)

Thank you for supporting us!

Us with Grandma Julie

Gramps, Great & Eli

Us with Grandpa & Grandma Patsy

Grandma B & Papa w/ Eli

 Bri, Chas & Eli

We are very blessed to have such great friends who also support us. Here a few -  

 Me & The Claytons (Noel - WTHeck why are you not in this picture?)

 Me and The Eliason's