Grandpa's Big Helper.

Mckai is such a big helper, when Grandpa Bruce came home from work and needed help with shoveling snow, Mckai was the first one to say "Me Me Me".


Mckai hung in there for about 10 minutes, he even had his own shovel.

But then it was time to move on to making snowballs to throw at Grandma and Erin.

And making Snow Angels....

But when Grandpa brought out the Snow Blower it was time to go back to helping Grandpa.

Mckai's 1st Christmas...2006

Mckai was 1 month old on his first Christmas in 2006. Mandy found this cute Santa outfit. We were so excited to finally have him here. I think his parents were just glad he was here and healthy.


Mckai was so good at holding his head up, and he was always so alert and wide eyed. Actually he is the same way today. He plays and talks non-stop. He has the most wonderful and fun imagination. Whenever he says " I Have an Idea" you know you are in for a ride!

Erin loves Mckai soooo much. She loved to hold him all the time. She is a little sad he doesn't like to be held anymore, but come April she will have a New Baby to hold.

Temple Square

We made our annual trek up to Temple Square to check out the lights. Unlike last year when it was so cold we didn't even get out of the car. It was a warm 45 degrees this year. As always it was awesome.

We made sure Erin was bundled up with hat, gloves, & blankets.

I love having a timer on the camera, so we can all be in the picture.

This nativity was in the middle of the water with candles floating all around, it was gorgeous. I loved the reflection in the water.

It just isn't Christmas unless we visit Temple Square and see all the wonderful lights and displays. I'm glad it was a little warmer this year.

Christmas 1995

I think this is the first year we sent out a Christmas card with a picture on it.
Brandon 13, Jason 12, Nathan, 10, & Erin was 5

1990

This was Erin's first christmas. Unfortunately we couldn't keep her awake on Santa's lap.

Nathan 5 years old, Jason 7 years old, Erin 6 months old, & Brandon 8 years old.

Bruce & MaryAnn

Happy Anniversary !
Thanks for hanging in there with me....Your the BEST.

1985

Three month old Nathan with Santa.


Brandon 3 years old and Jason 2 years old. And yes they wore matching pajamas, and got matching presents. Having the same gifts meant that there was no argueing about wanting what someone else got. This method worked well when they were little, not so well as they got older. But now that they are really old (27, 26, 24) it works well again. Go figure!

1983

Here is Grandma Joann helping 3 month old Jason open a present.

And here is Brandon at 18 months old being a shepard in the Nativity at a Family Party.

And of course Jason was baby Jesus.

Blast from the Past......

I bought a digital ornament at Staples, and decided to come home and scan old christmas pictures so I could upload them to the ornament. Starting with our first family Christmas in 1982. So while I have all the past pictures on the computer I will post a few pictures from now till Christmas, just for Fun.
Brandon 6 months old, when I looked at these pictures I was reminded that Brandon didn't have any hair until he was a year old, he just had this little bit of fuzz that never seemed to grow.

yep it's a GIRL...

If you have visited Brandon and Mandy's Blog you allready have the Scoop, but for those of you who have asked me "Do they know what they are having?" Now ya know! "It's A Girl!


Mandy is due in April (she is secretly hoping for the end of March) I think it would be fun if she had the baby on her Birthday April 3rd. Brandon & Mckai are way excited, not to mention the rest of us. Congratulations you 3.

Here is the profile of this cute little Munchkin.

It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you Thankful......It's what you have in your HEART.

November 20, 2006

MCKAI

New Windows....Yeah!

Well we are finally done with the basement windows. We knew they were bad and needed to be replaced. I was just hoping we could hold off on them.
You could literally watch the leaves come in on a windy day. And the bugs had there own roadway from the outside to the inside. I started to use duct tape hoping we could just hold on a few more years, because we need a new roof too. We flipped a coin and the windows won. Besides the roofer said we might be able to hold off for another year, if we are lucky.

Here is a picture of one of the windows from the inside....(duct tape and all) No fair judging me on the dirty windows and all the spider webs. No one has ever accused me of being a clean freak, and these windows prove it!

And here is a picture from the outside...We also had to move the AC, and tear down part of the fence, so the excavator could get to the windows. No one said this would be easy.

There they are, the "leaves" just waiting for a windy day, so they can come inside.....

It might look small, but the excavator is great at digging big holes, it also makes short work of tearing up your lawn, knocking bushes over, Running over flower beds & pulling tree limbs down. Oh Well.....It was great entertainment for Erin and Mckai, they loved it!

After the holes were dug the cement cutter guy ( nice guy talks alot....and I mean alot) came and cut the 4 X 3 foot holes in the walls. Then the next guy came and knocked the cement out.

Huge hole in the wall.....4 in all to be exact. Much more light in the basement now...you don't even need to turn a light on during the day.

Yeah...the "New Windows" are in. I'ts nice to have them done.

We did have to put in extra supports above the windows because the new windows are over twice as big as the old ones. Yep I really like the new windows.

Next project????

Yeah for Trick-or-Treating.....

We headed over to Brandon and Mandy's house for some goodies and trick or treating on Halloween.

Mandy had the house all decorated, right down to the kitchen table....very cute! The big pumpkin in the back Mandy carved in the shape of a Moose Head (Mckai just had to have a moose carved pumpkin)

Mckai loved passing out candy to the trick or treaters.
Mandy made Mckai's costume....its a Horse of course! Mckai wanted us all to be horses, so we would be a "Herd of Horses". He just cracks me up!

Now it's Mckai's turn to go trick or treating.

Erin was an Angel, but if we went to a house were the person who answered the door was dressed up, she refused to get a treat from them....too funny.

Yeah for Trick or Treating......I just Love Halloween!

Halloween 1984

I can't believe this was 25 years ago...
Jason (the Dragon) was 1 years old and Brandon (the Clown) was 2 years old.
Next to Christmas I think HALLOWEEN is my favorite holiday!

Pumpkin Patch.......

......looking for the perfect pumpkin, can be hard work, not to mention "Cold" work! Mckai & Grandpa heading out to find some pumpkins.

I think Mckai has found just the right one.

Erin had more fun pulling the wagon, and watching Mckai run around. I think the rest of us just tried to stay WARM!

4 wheeling....

Bruce, Erin, And I went 4 wheeling up Bountiful Canyon a few weeks ago. The fall colors were spectacular. And the road was flat, which is just how I like it!


I just love the fall colors it makes the mountains look beautiful.

Here is Bruce.....He is wondering if we will ever venture off the (flat) road, and actually do any 4 wheeling?

A view of the "Great Salt Lake".....and Erin patiently waiting for us to get going again.

More of the lake.

Bruce let me take the lead on this trip, big mistake....because he knows I don't go over 10 miles an hour and I stay on the flat ground. I'm pretty sure this was my "First" & "Last" time I get to go in front! We traveled about 20 miles in when we discovered that my 4 wheeler was nearly out of gas! So the trip was cut short and we headed back. I had to pretty much coast my last 1/2 mile down the canyon. I love watching Erins face when we go, because she has so much fun, I honestly think she would ride from sun up to sundown.