One Year Older & Wiser too!

Jon is now three years old.  He has been anxiously awaiting this day for quite a while now.  The night before his birthday he asked me if he could start telling people he is three.  I took him to the doctor the day before his birthday for his yearly checkup.  On the way there he told me he was getting shots.  Since this is his 3 year check up he is not supposed to get shots so I let him know that no, he would not be getting shots this time.  He then informed me in a very sad voice, "But I wanted shots so I could get a sucker."  It was very funny.  He thought he had to get a shot to get a sucker.  The doctor is always suprised by my little boys and what they say and do.  Jonathen shook his hand when he came in and promptly told him all about how he will turn three the next day.  Jonathen is a big talker.  In fact, it is not very often that I can get him to be quiet.  He will talk to anyone.  He measured 39 inches tall (between 75th & 90th percentile) and 30 lbs (10th percentile).  Long and skinny.  On his birthday we had a family dinner for him and Upper Crust.  My parents and a few of my sisters were there.  Elisa and her son Shayne were in town from Moscow so they got to be there.  Jon  always enjoys having Shayne around.  They had dinner and Jon got to wear an icecream cone hat for his birthday.  He wasn't really sure he wanted to wear the hat.  We then opened presents and had cake.  Jon was soooooo excited about all of his presents.  The cake was a superhero cake.  It had three different layers and each layer represented a different superhero.  The bottom layer was green and purple for The Hulk, the middle layer was white with blue webbing for Spiderman, and the top layer was yellow with a bat signal for Batman.  Jonny got the idea from my mother and her pintrest obsession.  She saw a cake on  pinterest that was layered like that and Jon just had to have something like that.  It turned out pretty well for being three cakes combined into one.  Jon also had his nursery teachers stop by with bunny cakes for his birthday and the Bishop brought over cookies the next day for him.  Our ward is really great about birthdays, I was really suprised.  Jon had a great day and is so excited to be three years old.  However he has already started planning his next birthday. 

Happy Happy Birthday Nate dear

Nathaniel is now 1 year old.  Actually he has been for 10 days now.  It is amazing how fast time goes by.  He is an amazing little boy.  For his birthday we didn't just have a one day celebration, in fact, we celebrated all weekend long and it was a long weekend since President's Day was the day after his birthday.  On Saturday we had a family dinner for any who could and wanted to attend at Gertie's.  Nate got to eat as much pizza, cottage cheese and olives as he wanted to.  He actually really enjoyed the evening.  He opened his presents from his grandparents, aunts, and uncles at gerties.  Poppa & Nana got him a turtle he can bounce up and down on and when I lifted the large box up so he could see it he hugged the box.  It was very cute.  He also got a drum, toddler piano, Optimus Prime Rescue Bot, and a stacking toy.  Aunt Jenn was less than excited to see the drum.  On Sunday, his actual birthday, we let him open his presents from us and his brothers.  We got him a Fisher Price Zoo with animals that roar.  He absolutely loved it.  Once we got it all put together he stood up next to it and shook it.  The boys got him extra animals to go with his zoo.  On Monday my sisters and their kids were coming to Rupert so we had cake and icecream with them at my parent's house.  I got up on Monday and made a 3D duck cake and decorated it.  To the left is the finished product.  I was pretty happy with how it turned out.  Overall he celebrated turning one pretty well.  On Monday I also took him to the doctor for his 1 year well baby check up.  He got his immunizations and showed the doctor how fast he can crawl.  Jon went with us since he likes going to the doctor (he gets suckers at the doctors office).

 Nate and Jon were chasing each other around the base of the examinig table when our doctor came into the room.  He was 31 inches tall (90th percentile and taller than both of my other boys) and weighed 20 lbs (10th percentile).  He is an inch taller and a pound lighter than Jonathen was at one year old.  He can take a few steps by himself, but prefers to crawl.  He will take a few steps and then look around accusingly and promptly sit down.  It is almost like it surprises him  that he walked without help.  It is kind of funny.  Nana let go of him and he took 2 steps, he then turned and glared at Nana and quickly set down.  He is an adorable little boy that loves to play with his brothers.  We are so happy to have him in our family

Nate opening his Christmas Eve present

Wesley opening his Christmas Eve present



Jon opening his Chrismtas Eve present

Jon wearing his Christmas Eve present

Wesley and Nate in their matching Christmas Eve presents

Jon in his present from Aunt Mandy

Wesley in his present from Aunt Mandy

Nate and his big present from Santa

Jon in his helmet.  (The helmets were jointly bought by Great Grandma & Grandpa Welch and Great Grandma Reddington.)

Jon and his 32" tall Batman - he just stared at it with his hand in the air for a couple of minutes after he opened it.

All of the boys and I playing with Nate's Sock Monkey in the Box.

Wesley in his helmet playing with his bike from Santa

Wow - Really behind.

So a ton has happened since I lasted posted. 
First and foremost, we finally moved.  We closed on our new home on December 7th and moved the next day.  We had tons of help and are very grateful for all of those who came and helped us move.  It was a crazy day.  The boys went over to Grandma's house while Kyle and I stayed and helped with the moving.  I mostly cleaned after everyone else moved stuff.  My sisters Crystal and Caitlin both came with their husbands to help us.  Two weeks later we closed on our old house.  It was great to be able to sell our house at the same time as finishing the building of our new home.
Next, was Christmas.  Christmas started the Friday before for us.  We had the Reddington Christmas Party that Friday.  We hosted this year so all of my sisters and their families came to our house.  We had dinner together and then had an auction with beans and presents with funny sayings on them.  You bid on different presents with funny notes on them to hint at what it is.  The kids really got in to it and got to "buy" a few items for themselves.  It was funny to see the the boys bid the same amount no matter how much the price is at at the time.  I worked the weekend before Christmas so I missed Wesley singing Christmas songs in church and my dad singing in his ward.  Wesley also had the scripture and prayer in primary that day.  However, on Monday (Christmas Eve) we really got to work.  I spent the day wrapping presents and even ended up running to Wal-mart to make sure we had enough presents for all of the boys.  We then headed to my parents to have Christmas Eve dinner and unwrap one present.  Typically this present is pajamas to wear the next morning.  Wesley and Nate actually got matching pajamas that were both Superman with capes.  Jon got Superhero Squad, which are really the avengers in cartoon form.  We read the Christmas story and then sang Christmas songs.  We sang all of the favorites and got ready to go downstairs to open the present.  Jon however kept insisting he wanted to sing the song about baby Jesus.  Which is kind of hard to understand since pretty much all Christmas songs are about baby Jesus.  It ended being "Mary did you know?" which none of my family really knows.  I sang a few lines to make him happy and let my dad know which song Jon was talking about.  We went downstairs and opened the presents.  Wes and Jon were both really excited.  We then took the boys home and put them to bed.  After the boys went to bed I got to work wrapping presents and getting Christmas breakfast ready for the next morning.  My parents brought their presents and stockings over since they would be joining us the next morning to open presents.  Jenn and my mom helped me finish wrapping presents and get the boys' stockings ready for the next morning.  We finished everything up and all went to bed.  The next morning my parents came over a little after 6 am.  The boys came down to see that Santa brought them bicycles.  They were both super excited.  They loved all of their presents.  Wesley had spent weeks telling anyone who would listen that he wanted a trampoline for Christmas.  After opening all of the presents under the tree and all of the Santa presents we asked Wesley if he had gotten everything he wanted.  He looked around and said, "Maybe not."  He was afraid to admit that he still wanted something else.  We then told the boys to go and check in the office.  We put the trampoline (still in its box) in the office since there was absolutely no way I was going to wrap a box that big and it was too cold and snowy to set it up.  Wesley and Jon ran into the other room and Wesley yells, "It is MY trampoline!"  Apparently he felt it was just for him.    They both were really excited to get the trampoline and Jon wanted to set it up right away.  It is still not set up and probably won't be until spring.  Breakfast was in the oven already and was ready a little after we finished opening presents.  We ate breakfast and then started getting toys out of their boxes and cleaning up.  The boys even insisted on going outside and riding their bikes for a little bit.  It was a wonderful Christmas.  It was fun to stay at our house and have  my parents and sister join us. 
New Years -
I got to work both New Years Eve and  New Years Day.  My parents met us at our house after I got off work on New Years Eve and we made pizza for dinner.  We also made treats for the night.  I let the boys stay up a little later than usual, but they did not get to stay up until midnight.  I know my children better than that.  After putting the boys to bed we played some games with my parents and sister and then watched the ball drop on TV at midnight.  My parents left shortly after that and we got to bed.  I worked the next day at 7 am.  Since I was at work Kyle and the boys went to my parents and my dad and Kyle watched the bowl games all day.  When I got off work we had dinner at my parents.  It was not that exciting of a day, but we had fun. 
Work -
Back in Septmeber my boss got fired and we were left without a manager.  At that time I took over as clinical lead and a search was started for a new manager.  I applied for the position.  I interviewed for the position.  After a few weeks they announced the new pharmacy manager.  I was not it, but they hired a guy named Scott Milner.  Scott had worked at corporate office for Intermountain Healthcare, who own Cassia Regional.  He started in November and has spent the last few months in meetings trying to change things at Cassia.  Finally in December, right before Christmas, he got approval for the changes he wanted to make.  One of these changes our schedule.  My new schedule is Monday thru Friday 7am to 3:30pm.  I do not work weekends or holidays anymore.  This new schedule starts tomorrow.  The other two pharmacists (Karen and Edee) are now working 7 days on and then 7 days off.  I am really excited for this change since it will allow me to better use my education and be a clinical pharmacist working with doctors.
That has been our last couple of months.  It has been crazy busy, but totally worth it.  Apparently there is a problem with uploading pictures to Blogger right now so I will add them as soon as I can.

Halloween 2012

Jon as The Hulk

Nate the Tiger

Wesley as Captain America

The whole family as The Avengers plus a tiger

Captain America, The Hulk and Shayne as Superman



The Hulk and Captain America

 
The boys this year really wanted to do a themed Halloween.  They were both going to be superheroes from the Avengers so they felt everyone else should also be part of the Avengers.  Nate  already had his outfit though so he could not comply.  Nate was a tiger this year.  It was a nice warm costume and he looked very cute.  He was not overly impressed by the hood, but otherwise it went really well.  Wesley went as Captain America.  It actually makes me laugh that Wesley prefers Captain America over any of the other Avengers.  It must be something about being the bossy person.  Anyway, we already had his costume since we have a trunk full of superhero costumes that he got for Christmas last year.  We tried to convince Jon to use one of those costumes also, but he had his heart set on being the Hulk.  So we got online and ordered him a Hulk costume with muscles.  He was so excited.  Early on the boys informed their mother that she was going to be Thor.  I hate to break it to them, but Thor is a boy not a girl.  Oh well!  I complied however since my other choice had to be Black Widow and I did not really want to be her.  So I went out and found a Thor girl costume.  They also informed Kyle that he was going to be Nick Fury.  So Kyle got and eye patch and went as the leader of SHIELD.  Poppa then borrowed the boys' Iron Man heart and mask and joined us a IronMan.  Aunt Jenn dressed up as a gypsie, but Wes and Jon insisted that she was Black Widow in disguise.  Shayne, Aunt Elisa, Aunt Caitlin and Catherine also joined us this year for trick or treating.  The boys loved having their cousins join them.  Kyle stayed at home and handed out candy while I took the boys out trick or treating.  We had two vehicles since there were so many of us this year.  Caitlin followed me to our regular haunts, but got tired and headed back to Grandma's before us.  However, after one more house I got called in to make something at the hospital and had to drop the boys off at Grandma's for games with the cousins and have Kyle come pick them up.  Overall, it was a fun night.

Primary Program 2012

This is Wesley's first year in primary and hence his first year for the primary program.  He was so excited when they gave him his part.  He had a small line about Jesus creating the earth for us.  He was given his part at the end of September and had it completely memorized by General Conference.  This did pose a problem for us though since anything Wesley does Jon wants to do also.  By the time we went to church in October was begging for a part in the primary program.  He even memorized Wesley part so he could do it too.  He was so cute.  The day of the program arrived and Wes could hardly hold still.  In fact, he could hardly hold still during the program either.  He was the third part of the entire program and could not wait to say his line.  He said it right into the microphone as quickly as he could get it out.  This did make him a little harder to understand, but he did a great job remember his line and saying it without any help from the primary president.  He sang every song and you could hear his little voice over some of the older primary children.  He had such a fun time doing it and was very proud of himself. 

Boise Temple Open House

The Boise Temple has been closed for about a year for updating.  It will be rededicated in November.  Right now there is an open house to go walk through the temple.  We went with Kyle's family this Saturday (the first day of the open house).  It was beautiful.  I took my endowments out in the Boise Temple and this is the first time I have seen it since that night almost 8 years ago.  It was a lot brighter than my memory.  There were some beautiful portraits and stained glass murals.  It was amazing.  They were doing "silent" tours since they had so many turn out for the first day.  I did not realize this, but the Boise Temple was dedicated the month before I was born.  So I told Jonathen that the temple was built the same year I was born.  Jonathen responded with, " When Daddy was born we built a ladder."  Apparently we got a temple when I was born and a ladder when Daddy was born.  He cracks me up.  After the tour we asked Wesley what his favorite part was and he told us that it was when his cousin Sage put his hand in the water in the fountain outside the temple.  He is so silly.  After some prompting he told us that his favorite part of the temple was the oxen with the water (the baptismal font).  We went out to Chuck-A-Rama with Kyle's family afterwards.  Sage and Wesley really wanted to sit by each other so we had a booth with 2 kids and 1 adult on each side and Nate sat in a high chair at the end.  It was one crowded booth.  It was a quick trip to Boise, but great to see the temple and Kyle's family.