The Laga Family

Family Pictures

2011-11-02T18:56:00.005-07:00

Every year we have Dave's sister Emily take our family pictures. We decided to do something a little different this year so we headed downtown for some city pictures. Brody did great and we only had to deal with a few dorky pictures. Overall, it was pretty quick and easy and I'm so happy with the results!

1st Day of Kindergarten...again

2011-09-10T13:18:00.003-07:00

Yes, another first day of school. What?? Brody had been in school for 3 weeks when I got notified that he had been accepted into a charter school. After much deliberation and research, we decided to withdraw him from school #1 and enroll into school #2, his charter school. He has been going for a week and loves it. Well, two things he doesn't like about the new school is that the playground is smaller and he has to wear uniforms. Very important things to a 5 year old. But overall, it's been a great thing for him. So here is the second 1st day of Kindergarten!

I couldn't take the pressure...

2011-08-14T19:14:00.002-07:00

Enough said.

Meet Pepper, the newest member of the family.

The boys had been begging me for months.

We sure love this little puppy of ours.

1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-03T16:59:00.002-07:00

I still remember my first day of Kindergarten. Walking with my mom to Mrs. Gunderson's school with the yellow smiley face in the window. Carrying my purple plastic briefcase. I know, totally awesome. So it's hard for me to believe that now it's Brody's turn--the first day of Kindergarten! We start early here since we are on year round school. We got a new outfit and he picked out his new bug backpack. He was excited but nervous. I was excited and sad. But he was a champ. When the bell rang, he got in line, gave me a thumbs up, and walked into class. I barely made it to the car to start crying. Hard to believe my little baby is in school.

Las Vegas

2011-07-17T18:12:00.003-07:00

Last weekend Dave had a business conference in Las Vegas so Brody and I decided to tag along. We spent most of the time at the pool swimming and hanging out. Brody has been taking swimming lessons and has become quite the little fish. We also went out to dinner every night, went shopping at the outlet mall, and took long naps every day. It was nice to get away for a few days and just relax.

bestest family home evening ever

2011-06-27T18:19:00.003-07:00

we busted out the slip n' slide tonight for family home evening. brody told me he was eternally grateful. said it was the bestest night ever. he even got dad to join in. summer is so great.

mastering 2 wheels

2011-06-10T13:55:00.004-07:00

We have been talking for months about taking off Brody's training wheels on his bike. For some reason, he was NOT ready for that. He liked his 4 wheels and had no interest in learning to ride his bike with 2 wheels. We borrowed a smaller bike for Brody to learn on so he could easily touch the ground--he was so embarrassed it was pink! After two days and two bruised and scraped up knees, he finally got the hang of it. Daddy is so proud. I think Dave is dreaming of Moab bike trips already!

Day 1: Practicing in the back yard

Happy with how things are going

Day 2: Success! Riding in the middle of the circle-yes, in pajamas!

1st one of the season

2011-05-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

We have been waiting for months for the warmer weather so our favorite snow cone shack could open. Finally we now can get a snow cone! For our first flavor of the year, Brody chose tiger's blood (strawberry and coconut) and he said it was all he dreamed of. So glad it's summer time!

13.1

2011-05-01T19:06:00.004-07:00

In my opinion, running a half marathon sounds absolutely miserable. Horrible. Awful. But for some reason, Dave enjoys it. Yesterday he ran his second half marathon despite the snow and freezing temperatures. He did amazing! He placed 4th in his age group and was 36th place out of all 1,000 runners. He shaved off over 20 minutes from his first race-what a running machine!

Dave crossing the finish line-I don't think he looks too bad for just running 13.1 miles!

The best cheerleader in the world...wearing Dad's medal!

After the race, Brody and I took advantage of some free passes and went to the dinosaur museum and farm country that was next door to the racing area.

Brody and I were so proud of Dave and were just so thankful it wasn't us out there!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-26T14:28:00.007-07:00

We love Easter time! The egg hunting, the nice Sunday dinner, and the basket full of fun stuff. We usually color real eggs but I was totally lame-o and we didn't do it this year. Brody was lucky enought to have 4 Easter egg huts--what a lucky kid!

Here is at one of the activities: the ward Easter egg hunt.

The big hunt at Grandpa and Grandma Laga's house. They got pretty creative with some of their hiding spots and I think the cousins found all but two eggs. We will probably find them sometime in July.

And finally....the Easter Sunday picture. Brody wanted to do some silly ones and then wouldn't be serious. It took some candy and a little playing of Angry Birds for him to stand still for one second. It was well worth it!

the big 3-2

2011-04-16T09:04:00.002-07:00

Happy birthday to my handsome hubby! We had a fun weekend of parties, dinner, presents, and just hanging out.

Man alive, look who's 5!!

2011-02-07T19:34:00.006-07:00

It's hard to believe it's been 5 years since Brody was born! This past weekend we celebrated his birthday--again and again and again. We started the festivities with a party with all of his friends. I am proud to say I survived an army party with 8 little boys! We had green cupcakes with army guys on them, opened presents, shot nerf guns at targets, and wrestled with Dave (yes, all 8 boys at the same time).

On his birthday he got the royal treatment all day, including going out to dinner at Red Robin with Mimi and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa Laga. The next day was another party at Mimi and Papa's house with all the cousins. More presents and cake and a little bit of football, even though it was freezing out!

Here are some things about Brody at 5 years old:

-favorite colors are blue and green

-loves macaroni and cheese and quesadillas

-watching Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon

-taking a nap (he still naps every day!)

-playing bowling on the Wii

-reading stories with Dad every night

-Puppy and Horse (his stuffed friends)

-playing zhu zhu pets

-riding his new scooter

-chocolate milk

-is dying for a dog

We love you, Brody!

1st birthday

2 years old
3 years old
4th birthday
the big 5

December

2010-12-26T20:44:00.005-07:00

It seems like this month has flown by. One minute it's Thanksgiving and then I turn around and it's the day after Christmas. It's been crazy with shopping, having Dave's siblings from out of town, and just getting ready for Christmas. But we were lucky that we were able to do a lot of fun activities this month. We were able to get tickets to both the Christmas Devotional and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert with David Archuleta this year. I had never been to either one and we went with our good friends to both events. Brody and I did most of our shopping together (obviously not his presents, though) and we were able to find this cool Y for my dad. My mom bought if for him and it lights up and everything. My poor child was brainwashed by his father and wouldn't do any other pose with it. Dork.

We also made a gingerbread house, which was a total disaster. No design plan or anything. But we had fun making it. Notice the explosion of frosting in the front yard--Dave called it a snowdrift.

Traveled downtown to Temple Square lights two times-best part, according to Brody, was the sheep (of the nativity) that kept looking at him.

Christmas morning-Santa was very nice to our family. Brody got some little stuffed friends, GI Joe stuff, Transformers, games, movies, and a Wii. We've had some wicked bowling tournaments already.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Program

2010-12-17T12:58:00.005-07:00

Yesterday was Brody's Christmas program at school. They sang songs, busted out some wicked dance moves, and told what they liked best about Christmas. Brody's favorite part is when Santa comes and brings presents. They all did so great and it was fun to watch sixteen preschoolers sing and dance.

Brody with his two little buddies-too cool for school!

Singing like good little boys.

Can you guess what song they are singing?

"He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake..."

Family picture after the program.

Snow much fun

2010-11-23T18:21:00.002-07:00

Sunday morning we woke up to a little surprise...about 12 inches of snow! Brody went out to "help" Dad shovel and I had to get pictures of the first big snowfall of the year. I'm not sure I'm ready for this weather, but I guess I have to be--a blizzard warning is in effect for tonight!

Halloween

2010-11-06T16:37:00.004-07:00

I know, I know-I'm so behind! Our little man dressed up as this year as Spiderman! He loved trick-or-treating and kept pretending he was shooting out webs from his hands. Here he is showing you what he thinks of Halloween...

Vacation

2010-11-01T17:56:00.007-07:00

We hadn't planned on such a long vacation but when things worked out just right, we were excited to go! To begin our trip, we headed down to St. George with our friends Ryan and Leslie so the boys could run a half marathon. They have been training for months and the big race was finally here. They did so well and I was so proud. They placed 4th and 5th and ran it in 1:59:32. It had rained the night before so the trail was muck and mud. Their legs and shoes were so muddy but it looked like they had fun!

Our second stop on our vacation was Dana Point, California. Dave had a work conference there for three days so Brody and I tagged along. We went to the beach a few times, went to a petting zoo, climbed trees, and went swimming. We were also able to see my good friend Amy and her family. It was fun to see her and her family, see her new house, and have a great Sunday dinner. We wished they lived closer!

Our last stop was Disneyland. The first day there was perfect: very little crowds, beautiful weather, and a great lunch. There is this restaurant in Disneyland that is a member-only club--not many people even know it's there. The story goes that Walt Disney wanted a place to entertain people so he had this nice restaurant built in New Orleans Square. Club 33 is very exclusive and we were so lucky to get in. Dave knew someone from work that was able to get us a reservation there so we enjoyed a VERY nice lunch. We rode rides and even convinced little man to ride some of the big ones. Our favorites were Dave: Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Tower of Terror-Kacey: Toy Story Mania and Pirates of the Caribbean-Brody: Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, and Soarin' Over California.

Family Photos

2010-10-20T13:17:00.005-07:00

This year we decided to do our annual family pictures earlier than usual--mid August. Dave's sister Emily was our photographer again and did a great job! Click here to check out some of her work. We headed up to Albion Basin to get pictures in the wildflowers-I love the color! After years of fall or winter scenery, it was fun to do something different. Of course there are the pictures of Brody's crazy faces. Seriously, it was so hard to get a normal smile out of that kid. He thought he was pretty funny. Here are just a few of our favorites!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-16T09:21:00.003-07:00

The other night we headed out to the pumpkin patch. Seriously, I don't get why it takes the Laga boys so long to pick a pumpkin. The deliberation takes for....ev....er! The color had to perfect, the shape had to be perfect, it had to have the perfect stem...you get the idea. Now that we have our pumpkins, can't wait for carving them!

First...

2010-09-18T10:32:00.005-07:00

First time we made homemade Oreo ice cream and Brody decided he needed a front row seat...in the sink!

First time a "superhero" mowed the lawn.

First time Dave and a friend went on a 41 mile bike ride through the mountains and lived to tell about it. (If you look really hard you can see them coming up the trail)

First day of preschool.

First camping trip. Well, my first camping trip. I did the girls camp thing years ago but other than that I've never been camping! We finally went as a family just overnight and had a good time. We roasted hot dogs, made s'mores, and snuggled up together in the tent. I can now say I'm a camping alumni.

i thought you said it would be easy...

2010-08-02T20:38:00.005-07:00

Over the weekend we decided to head up into the mountains for a family hike. We did a little research and the description of the trail was EASY-more like a stroll...yeah, right. The first twenty minutes was nice-groomed wide trail, pretty wildflowers, even a few squirrels running across the trail. Then came the switchbacks, steep inclines, and rocky trail. It really wasn't too bad of a hike-just not what we had expected. Brody was such a champ and climbed all the way up by himself. I think he is part mountain goat. We reached the lake at the end of the trail, enjoyed it for a minute, and then hiked back down. By this time Brody was so tired that Dave, aka the pack horse, had to carry him down the entire trail. It was nice to get up in the mountains and spend a little quality time together. Now if my legs and glutes would just stop hurting.

Discovery Gateway

2010-08-02T20:28:00.003-07:00

Last week Grandpa and Grandma Laga took most of the grandkids on a little adventure to the children's museum that is downtown. Dave's sister is in town so we got to play with some cousins we don't see very often and Auntie Em and her kids came as well. There were so many fun things to do at the museum that it was hard for them to decide where to play! Brody's favorites were the grocery store and the Life Flight helicopter. Kids could sit in the pilot's chair as well as in the back. Here's hoping we never have to see that for real!

8 years

2010-07-24T15:47:00.004-07:00

Oregon

2010-07-18T19:30:00.004-07:00

Every year we are excited for our annual roadtrip up to Oregon. My sister and I loaded up our kids and headed up there with my parents. We were able to visit my grandparents in central Oregon and my other grandparents on the Oregon coast. We also got to go to the beach, swim, fly kites, go to the park, and make s'mores every night. We miss living in Oregon-miss the trees, the green everywhere, the berries, and some of our favorite restaurants. It was sure fun to visit!

what a weekend

2010-07-05T11:05:00.003-07:00

watching the parade

Yes, only in Utah would you see this-missionaries in the parade

riding rides at the carnival

birthday celebrations

fireworks

we needed more power

2010-06-28T12:46:00.003-07:00

our first attempt at a pinewood derby.

it was a sad.

"the alien" didn't do so hot.

but it sure looked cool.

he was so proud of it.

good job, alien. at least you didn't come in last place.

He's always watching...

2010-06-13T16:51:00.003-07:00

Brody and I had a funny conversation yesterday:

Me: "Brody, I don't think we are going to McDonald's today."

Brody: VERY grumpy face and a whiny "Awwwww!"

A second of silence...

Brody: "Oh! Sorry, Santa!"

I told the poor kid that Santa is always watching and is making his list for Christmas, even though it's June. At least it's keeping him on his toes!

slip 'n sliding with the cousins

2010-06-03T19:08:00.002-07:00

Gotta love when it's summer time!

Washington, D.C.

2010-05-26T19:20:00.008-07:00

When Dave found out he had a business conference in Washington, D.C., Brody and I jumped at the chance to go with him. We went for a long weekend and had a great time. Brody's favorite part was riding the Metro-he thought it was the greatest thing ever! Here are a few things we did:

Visit the U.S. Capitol

Went to the National Zoo

Dave trying out the podium as President

Visited the Lincoln Memorial

Walked (and walked and walked) the Mall

World War II Monument

The White House

Iwo Jima

Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetary

Arlington National Cemetary

Riding down to the Metro

Hanging out with the flight attendants at the National Air and Space Museum

Wishful thinking at the Museum of Natural History...the Hope Diamond...all wonderful 45.5 carats of it-this is where I showed Dave (hint, hint) and he just rolled his eyes at me.

5 years ago today

2010-04-22T18:48:00.004-07:00

It was 5 years ago today that I graduated from nursing school at BYU. What a great day! It took me 5 years in school and I am so grateful for all that I learned during that time. Just a little trip down memory lane...

My first injection ever! Jana, my lab partner, was a trooper.

ICU rotation at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center

First blood draw-My good friend Kea and I were partners on this. I'm proud to say she survived!

Two of my best friends and their husbands at the graduation dinner and program.

Graduation day. Hallelujah!

Fireman Day

2010-04-15T12:02:00.002-07:00

The best day of preschool EVER!

Another year older

2010-04-11T18:52:00.005-07:00

Happy Birthday to Dave! He is the best daddy and husband and we are sure lucky to have him around!

Go Jazz!

2010-04-07T07:48:00.002-07:00

I never thought I would say this, but I have to admit that I'm a Utah Jazz fan. I grew up loving the Portland TrailBlazers. I was going to marry Clyde Drexler, Jerome Kersey, Buck Williams, or Terry Porter. And I couldn't stand Karl Malone. Well, I still can't stand Karl Malone. But I have to say I like the Jazz. I know, what a traitor. Last night we took Brody to his first Jazz game and he thought it was great. He really liked the Jazz Bear (mascot) and the Jazz dancers. Oh wait, that was Dave! HA! We went with my Dad and brother and nephew, which was fun except my dad muttering about how he hates the Jazz and Portland is better...THE ENTIRE GAME. Good thing the Jazz won!

We are still alive!

2010-04-05T08:53:00.002-07:00

I know it has been a little while since I've posted anything-I guess we haven't done anything exciting lately. Here's just a few things that has been going on around here in the last few weeks.

We found out at the end of January that Dave was going to be laid off from his job. For the past few years he has worked for a company based out of Seattle, Washington. We have enjoyed having him work from home but I know he was starting to go a little crazy with no interaction with the outside world. His boss gave him two months notice and said his last day would be March 31st. We were blessed to find a new job quickly and he started in March at a real estate brokerage company here in Salt Lake. Dave has actually worked for this company before and was excited to go back. Brody and I have had to get used to Dave not being home all day every day.

We literally have just been hanging out! Brody like to grab my iPod and listen to "Mom songs".

Brody came in from eating an ice cream cone one night with a chocolate on his lip. I told him he looked like Magnum PI--then I had to explain who that was. What a sweet mustache!

Getting ready for Easter

The Easter Bunny brought some new swim goggles in Brody's basket. He has barely taken them off since yesterday. That bunny is one smart dude!

Say a little prayer

2010-03-04T17:41:00.002-07:00

So Brody got two of these Wolverine claws for his birthday and thinks he is now an X-Man. With these claws you fling them and these long blades come flying out. It's kind of hard to push them back down and you have to shove them against the floor. Brody has a great time getting them out but gets really frustrated trying to get them back in. He was in the living room one day and all of a sudden I hear him say a prayer for Heavenly Father to help his claws go down. I peeked in the room as he tried to push them down and of course, it worked. So he thinks that every time the blades don't go down the first time, he says a prayer. For a while he was saying a prayer every two minutes for his claws to work. He told me he is sure glad Heavenly Father likes him to play with his Wolverine claws!

A Batman Birthday

2010-02-07T18:52:00.003-07:00

Brody has been asking for a Batman party for months. He had a few of his friends over on his birthday for his first friend party. My mom whipped up some Batman capes and it was pretty cute to see the little boys running around, capes flying, searching for the Joker. Brody hasn't wanted to take off his cape and mask since!

Turning 4

2010-02-06T09:43:00.004-07:00

I can't believe my baby is 4 years old! He is such a sweet and fun little kid and we are so lucky to have him in our family. Here are some things about Brody:

Favorite color: Red
Favorite toy: changes each day-today is GeoTrax Trains
Favorite Movie: He-Man
Favorite TV show: He can't decide...either X-Men Evolution, Phineas and Ferb, or Spectacular Spiderman
Favorite Food: Mac and cheese
Wants to be when he grows up: A police officer with a dog
Favorite Animal: Dog
Nicknames: Brodo, Brods, D-bro, Go-Go, Beefy, hey you

Loves school, can write his name, still likes to snuggle, has the loudest voice, into Superheroes, says "I love you" about 100 times a day, likes to help cook, and although he loves his mom, he ADORES his dad.

We love you, Brody!

Born February 5, 2006 at 2:01pm 7 lbs 5 oz and 20 in long

1st birthday

Turning 2 years old

3 years old at Disneyland

Happy 4th Birthday!

Christmas in January

2010-01-29T07:39:00.002-07:00

Dave was going through some old boxes of his when he found all of his old He-Man toys. Brody thought it was the best day ever! We have tons of figurines, Stridor the horse, and even Gray Skull Castle. Brody runs around yelling, "I have the Power!" It's fun to see how old toys are cool again!

A Sunbeam

2010-01-05T16:30:00.003-07:00

He's now a sunbeam in Primary. I think he's a pretty darn handsome one!

mostly the best and a little of the worst of 2009

2010-01-02T19:46:00.007-07:00

In February we celebrated Brody's 3rd birthday with a vacation to Disneyland

Dave turned 30 in April and celebrated two months later in Boston with two of his best friends for a guys weekend. They went to a Red Sox vs. Yankees baseball game, did a little sightseeing, and just got to hang out for a long weekend. He was also called to the bishopric in our ward and has really enjoyed that.

Summer brought a lot of fun and some not so fun things. Dave and I both had surgery and I must say I handled it a lot better than he did! He had sinus surgery and was pretty miserable for almost a week. Luckily it was successful and he's felt alot better since. I celebrated my birthday in July (one of the not fun things...HA!) and Dave kept busy with Scout camps and camping with Brody.

In August my sister and I loaded up our kids and drove to Oregon for a week. We visited with grandparents, went to the beach, visited old friends, and ate at Mo's in Cannon Beach. We had perfect weather and Brody LOVED the beach.

Starting preschool in September.

I kept busy in the fall administering flu and H1N1 vaccinations. I became the mean aunt as I gave most of my nieces and nephews all their shots as well as some family members. Luckily none of them are permanently damaged!

Brody played two seasons of soccer this year. During the spring we were the Green Tigers and it was pretty painful to watch. My kid was the one playing airplane on the field and running away from the ball. Fall season was better and the Orange Crush did so great. He did so much better and actually kicked the ball during the game. Now we are just rooting for a goal!

Christmas was really nice this year. Santa was very generous and it was nice to be with both sides of the family. Here's our own Santa.

Christmas Lights

2009-12-22T15:39:00.003-07:00

We headed downtown to see the Temple Square lights a few days ago. It was pretty chilly but still fun to see all of the lights and displays they have there. It was fun to continue the tradition and get into the Christmas spirit!

Christmas Program

2009-12-20T17:19:00.004-07:00

Brody had his Christmas program this week and he did so great! The program was about 20 minutes of singing songs and talking about Christmas. They were all so cute and it was funny to watch twenty five 3-4 year olds try to sit still and perform. Brody did a good job singing and was so excited to be in the program.

At one point in the program the kids were supposed to dance to the music. Brody is showing off his mad robot skills.

Brody and his teacher, "Miss Lindsey". She is great with the kids and obviously a little crazy. (She's my sister, I'm allowed to say that!)

Thinking about the Christmas present that was promised/bribed if they sang well.

Practicing

2009-12-14T12:25:00.003-07:00

Brody's Christmas program at school is coming up this week and we have been practicing the songs continuously. He wanted me to record him singing his favorite song-hope you enjoy the song and the craziness he added!

Family Pictures

2009-11-19T16:14:00.004-07:00

AND THE WINNER IS....

Just kidding! But this is a great picture to show you how our session went. Silly faces almost every time. What a goof!

My sister-in-law did our pictures and I'm really happy how they turned out! Check out her blog at www.carpediemphotography.blogspot.com or website at www.carpediemportfolio.com. She's fabulous!

It's that time of year!

2009-11-15T14:25:00.002-07:00

We only got about 3 inches of snow but it was enough to go out and play in!

A fun but busy week

2009-10-31T13:17:00.004-07:00

For some reason this week was so crazy. I have been working more than usual as I have been giving H1N1 vaccine injections and clinics have been CRAZY (police were at the last one!). When I'm not home the house seems to have regular tornados come through, dinners are lame-o, and I feel like I'm running around constantly. But we've had fun! Dave and Brody have been able to spend some quality time together as a result. With Halloween coming we've had parties and pumpkin carving and fall fun. Here's just a little glimpse of what's been happening:

I had a clinic downtown one night so Dave and Brody met me afterwards so we could play. Brody is pretending to be Angel Moroni, except he's facing the wrong way. Oops. Love the fall colors around the temple!

Brody and Dave went to the last Real Salt Lake soccer game of the season. They invited friend Shaun and Maeser and I think they had fun!

Our pumpkin carving adventure this year. Brody chose a white pumpkin and he wanted it to be grumpy. He's showing you the mean face. Yes, I see this all the time when he doesn't get what he wants.

My Clark Kent. At school they had a Halloween party where the kids could dress up. Brody dressed up as Clark Kent with the slicked hair and Superman shirt on. He insisted that he wear his Superman cape, even though you can't see it. So handsome.

His class at their Halloween party. They had a costume parade, went trick or treating, and played pin-the-stem-on-the-pumpkin. So fun!

School Pictures

2009-10-17T12:45:00.005-07:00

Last week Auntie Em came to Brody's school to take class pictures. He was excited and of course he had to ham it up in front of the camera. Here are a few silly ones she took during his "photo shoot." The real pictures came back and were cute, but sorry I don't have one to show you. But enjoy the dorky ones!

Pumpkins

2009-10-06T19:32:00.003-07:00

Yesterday for family night we went to the pumpkin patch for the annual hunt for the perfect pumpkin. My dear, sweet husband INSISTS on finding the best one of the entire field. Yes, it is slightly annoying. The pumpkin has to be perfectly shaped to even be considered. Luckily we found a few that fit his standards. Brody was thrilled with our pumpkins and I guess that's what it's all about!

Checking out some witches

2009-10-03T18:59:00.004-07:00

Tonight Brody and I went to Gardner Village with Grandma Laga. It was so fun to go out to dinner, see all the witches, ride a pony, and get a few treats at the candy store. Brody thought the witches were pretty cool and he said it was a great night!

Orange Crush

2009-09-19T14:26:00.004-07:00

Brody is playing soccer this fall and today was his first game. They are the Orange Crush and their jerseys are so neon orange it hurts your eyes. We played the navy blue team today and the Orange Crush got crushed. Creamed. Annihilated. Oh well. It was still fun to watch twelve 3 year olds run around like crazy. Go Crush!

1st Day of School

2009-09-08T11:35:00.004-07:00

I cannot believe Brody is old enough for preschool! Today was his first day and he was SO excited. We have been waiting for the day for a long time. He was excited to wear his new big backpack and to take his two things to share with his class. He's getting so big!

Hiking Donut Falls

2009-09-07T18:43:00.005-07:00

This morning we got up early and went on a little hike up to Donut Falls. We discovered Brody is part mountain goat as he hiked pretty much the entire thing by himself. He did so well and was pretty proud of himself!

Not so fast...

2009-09-04T17:49:00.004-07:00

A little early to worry about shaving, don't you think? He said he was being like his dad. And yes, we are in the car-Dave must have been running late and needed to save time. I guess this is the male version of putting on mascara in the car.

Oregon

2009-08-07T18:22:00.004-07:00

This week Brody and I were able to go to Oregon for a little vacation. We were able to visit with grandparents, go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, play at the beach, stay at a hotel, play with a dog, and go swimming. It was a much needed break and we sure had fun!

This is at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and Brody was dying to be the cow!

Eating a root beer float ice cream cone-I LOVE Tillamook ice cream!

The big boat in Tillamook, Oregon

Playing at the beach

The water was not too cold this trip. It was a perfect day at the beach--sunny, 70 degrees, no wind.

No, silly! The sand castle goes on the sand.

Swimming-he was really brave and loved to jump in without any help. I was surprised he didn't mind going under water!

7 years

2009-07-19T15:15:00.001-07:00

Seven years ago today Dave and I were married in the Portland Oregon Temple. Best decision I've ever made!

Recovering

2009-07-18T10:28:00.002-07:00

Poor Brody woke up one day last week with a high fever, cough, and runny nose. After a visit to his pediatrician, we got the diagnosis...the swine flu! He was quarantined for a week and was pretty miserable. He laid on the couch and watched Disney movies the whole time. He is now fully recovered and is feeling a lot better!

Fourth of July

2009-07-05T14:12:00.004-07:00

carnival + naps + BBQ + fireworks = great 4th of July.

Closer to 30

2009-07-05T14:04:00.004-07:00

Friday (July 3rd) we celebrated my birthday. Here are some fun things we did:

-boys made breakfast
-shopping in Park City
-nice long nap.
-out to dinner
-watched a parade
-cake and ice cream party

The best part was Brody kept asking me if it was still my birthday and then would start (loudly) singing "Happy Birthday". Love it!

Summer

2009-07-01T09:16:00.001-07:00

We love swimming in the summer!

New Shed

2009-06-15T20:04:00.003-07:00

One of our home projects this summer was to build a shed in the backyard. We recruited some help when Dave's brother Mike came to visit from Texas and we made the poor guy spent most of his trip in our backyard. With help from Dave's dad and brother-in-law Brian we had a shed built in only 2 days. We sure appreciate all the help!

The before picture

In process...(complete with helpers)

Finished product. We just need a little paint and a few shelves inside and we are all set!

Dave's New Baby

2009-06-06T17:42:00.002-07:00

Dave finally got a new (to us) truck this week and he is in heaven! This thing is so big but really fun. We are still trying to name it...The Beast is my favorite name so far!

Tough Guy

2009-05-30T12:56:00.002-07:00

Today at Brody's soccer game I told him to make tough guy faces to get ready for his game. Yeah, this is what he came up with. He's a real bruiser.

Zoo

2009-05-27T19:11:00.005-07:00

On Saturday we went to the zoo to see the new Madagascar exhibit. Brody loved seeing the foosa, so much that we went through 3 times! We saw all the animals, rode the carousel, and went on the train. What a fun day!

Visitors

2009-05-21T16:36:00.004-07:00

My grandparents came to visit this week from Oregon and Brody had a great time playing with them. We sure wish Grandpa Fred and Grandma Patty lived closer!

We are still here...

2009-05-15T05:25:00.002-07:00

So if I had a few pictures to describe what's been going on it our lives the last few weeks, here is what they would look like:

-Dave sick in bed.
-Brody sick on the couch.
-Me sick-not in one particular spot :)
-Dave wearing a suit-he got a new calling at church last week and he now has more responsibilities and meetings. We are proud of him!
-Brody at soccer-got creamed last week by a team who was bigger, stronger, faster...not sure if they were really 3 years old.
-Planting flowers-we got tons of flowers this year and even a tree and a few more bushes. Dave loves to play landscape architect.

Hope everyone is enjoying spring--I think summer isn't too far off!

Muscle Man

2009-05-06T11:16:00.001-07:00

Go Green Tigers!

2009-04-25T09:25:00.002-07:00

Brody is playing in a spring soccer league and today was our first game. Since they are only 3 years old and it's the first time most of them have played soccer, it was so entertaining to watch. Our Green Tigers lost 5-6 against the Red Fire Dragons but it was a close game. Better luck next week!

Fire Station

2009-04-20T10:54:00.003-07:00

Giving a thumbs-up with a fireman.

Showing that he is taller than the tire--barely.

A little bit scared sitting up in the truck.

Trying on the fireman's hat and lookin' pretty cool.

The Big 3-0

2009-04-10T11:20:00.007-07:00

While most people seem to be sad about getting older, Dave was really excited to turn 30. Yesterday was his birthday and it was "a fun day" according to Brody. The little kid would not STOP singing '"Happy Birthday!" We had chocolate donuts for breakfast, went out to dinner to Red Robin with family, and had a party at our house. The cake Dave wanted was this humongous chocolate 4-layer thing that was fabulous. Unfortunately, Dave was pretty sick the whole day with a bad cold. We hope he enjoyed his day despite feeling miserable.

   The chocolate beast.


   Brody "helping" blow out candles.

   Hanging with Daddy on his birthday

New Scooter

2009-04-07T15:41:00.002-07:00

Dave came home last night from his sister's house with a little surprise for Brody. Auntie Em gave him a Spiderman scooter and it is AWESOME. Brody thinks it's the greatest thing ever and is constantly riding it around. Thanks Emily, you're the best!

Isn't it spring?

2009-03-29T14:06:00.003-07:00

This was the view from our back door this week. What the heck??? Isn't it springtime? We got spoiled with weather in the 70's last week and got out the BBQ in a burst of spring fever. Look at all the snow on it, poor thing. We got a little more snow today and it is freezing out. I'm dreaming of warm weather, short sleeved shirts, and flip flops.

Watch Out Designs

2009-03-17T19:03:00.005-07:00

My mom, sisters and I started a little business together....WATCH OUT DESIGNS. These are super cute watches and the fun thing is that everything is interchangeable. You can design your own custom design by choosing from the different watch faces and beaded bands. You can check out the blog (see link on sidebar). Host a party and get free stuff!

Watch faces-they come in different shapes and colors.

Here are just a few samples of the bands. See the blog for many more!

Pretty cute, huh?

Random Things

2009-03-15T19:29:00.006-07:00

It's been a few days since I've posted anything so I thought I'd write about what we've been up to this week. Not much going on around here, I guess! One night after dinner Dave got a wild idea to make homemade cinnamon rolls. Now I usually do most of the cooking (OK, all of it!) but this is one thing that only Dave makes. He had a great little helper and the cinnamon rolls turned out fabulous. What a nice treat for breakfast!

Brody and I spent some quality time one day making a "snake parade." As some of you might know, this kid is OBSESSED with cars. So we lined up cars in a parade around our family room. And no, this isn't even all the cars he has! We had to leave the parade on the floor the entire day. We played games with it and Brody had fun letting all the cars "talk" to each other. Next time he wants to use ALL the cars. Sounds like fun!

Baskethoop Player

2009-03-09T12:54:00.004-07:00

Last Friday the ESPN RV was in town for the big Jazz vs. Denver game. Brody and Dave were downtown and stopped by to check it out. They got to talking to one of the guys and he was very nice and hooked them up with tons of ESPN gear. We got signs, basketballs, t-shirts, and sweatbands. Brody thought it was was the greatest thing ever. They got their picture taken and Brody still wears his headband around. He tries to be like the 'baskethoop' players we watch on TV. He told me he wants to be on ESPN. Someday, I hope!

Advice to Parents

2009-03-05T19:17:00.005-07:00

My sister sent me this and I thought it was SO funny! Such good advice to those who have kids. I have to wonder what the teacher thought when she saw this.

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR KID'S HOMEWORK

(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)

Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

Handsome Boy

2009-03-01T12:28:00.005-07:00

I know every mother thinks her child is cute, but I REALLY think this little kid is so handsome! We got a new white shirt and tie for him for church and he was so excited to wear it today. We had to fight off the little ladies in his nursery class. I think it's the plaid tie that drove them crazy!

Playing at the park

2009-02-24T19:13:00.004-07:00

Today was a toasty 62 degrees and we were excited to go to the park. How much longer until summer?

Hangin' With My Homeboy

2009-02-17T19:34:00.003-07:00

Brody thinks he is pretty cool when he wears his hat backwards like his dad. Whenever we see someone with their hat like his, Brody says "Mom, look! A homey!"

Birthday Party

2009-02-10T12:52:00.004-07:00

Brody decided to have a Curious George party for his birthday. We had balloons, streamers, and fun monkey games. Brody wanted cupcakes for his cake so we did monkey faces on them and they turned out great. We had tons of family and friends there and had a great time. Thanks to everyone who came and made it a party!

Turning the big 0-3

2009-02-06T19:32:00.006-07:00

Happy 3rd Birthday! Look where we went to celebrate!

On February 5th, Brody turned 3 years old. I can't believe how fast time has flown! We decided to surprise him and took him to Disneyland for a few days. He loved riding the rides and seeing all of the characters. On his birthday he got a button with his name on it, went out to lunch, and even got to pick out his own present. He chose a Buzz Lightyear and hasn't let it go since, even to sleep! We had a great trip and we all are going through post-vacation depression.

I am so thankful to have this little boy in our family. He has the sweetest personality and is so much fun. He told me today, "Mom, sorry I was so stinky today." How cute! I love you, Brody!

Fun for everyone...or at least five of you!

2009-01-29T16:25:00.003-07:00

Feeling Lucky??

My sister had this posted on her blog and it sounded fun (although I have no idea yet what I am doing but I thought I would be a good sport and try this)!!:)

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

2. What I create will be just for you.

3. It'll be done this year. That gives me a good eleven months to get it done!

4. You have no clue what it's going to be. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange (but don't expect my gift to be too strange because I am not good at coming up with strange things:).

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! *Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!*

Bouncy Brody

2009-01-27T17:22:00.004-07:00

Today we went to Jumpin Jacks, which is a place that has huge blow-up bouncy play structures. We went with Brody's cousin Riley and a few friends. The kids had a great time climbing, jumping around, and sliding down the steep slides. Brody kept telling me he was "bouncy, bouncy, bouncy Brody!"

Canning

2009-01-23T15:54:00.005-07:00

Lately we've really gotten into building up our food storage and getting our emergency kits together. My family went in together and bought a dry pack canner that cans food for up to 30 years. Today was our first canning day and we had a lot of "helpers". The kids helped us pour into the cans and Papa and Dave ran the canner. We did spaghetti noodles, rice, beans and salt. When the storms come and the big earthquake happens, we'll be ready! Will you?

Christmas

2009-01-04T19:22:00.008-07:00

Finally some Christmas pictures! I know I'm a little late, but oh well. Brody was lucky to have 3 Christmases: Christmas Eve at my parents, home with our little family on Christmas morning, and then to Grandpa and Grandma Laga's for Christmas dinner. Brody loved the presents but just wanted to open each one right then and play with it. It ended up taking forever to open all the presents!

Mimi made all of the kids Superman capes with superman on one side and the initial of their name on the other. Pretty cool!

Brody got new jammies and got to wear them on Christmas Eve. He had a great time putting out Oreos and milk for Santa with carrots for the reindeer. Santa was VERY generous and left a big train and train table for Brody, along with some other fun toys.

Brody playing with the new doctor set and safari animals Grandpa and Grandma Laga gave him. What a great Christmas!

Happy New Year's!

2009-01-01T16:26:00.004-07:00

I can hardly believe it's 2009! We hope everyone has a wonderful year!

Sick Boy

2008-12-23T10:17:00.005-07:00

Last night Brody kept telling us his tummy hurt. He didn't eat any dinner and kept crying for no reason. About an hour after he went to bed, the sickness began. He was up most of the night with the stomach flu. Dave slept on the floor of Brody's room as he only wanted Daddy. This morning he has a fever and looks like he feels wimpy. He is all snuggled on the couch watching Disney movies and drinking "sick juice" (aka Gatorade). We hope this little boy feels better in time for Christmas!

Building Frosty

2008-12-22T14:47:00.007-07:00

The past week we have been getting our fair share of winter weather. Today's snowstorm gave us the wet snow that is perfect for building a snowman. The boys decided to go outside and play in the snow, but first Brody had to pose before getting to work.

Dave and Brody created the 'perfect' snowman with a carrot nose and licorice for the mouth. We think it turned out pretty neat!

Santa is Coming!

2008-12-17T11:42:00.005-07:00

One of Brody's new favorite movies is The Polar Express. He loves the part when they are at the North Pole and all the elves are singing and dancing. One day he just started singing this song...I couldn't believe he knew all of the words! Only 8 more days until Christmas!

Playing Computer

2008-12-10T10:52:00.003-07:00

When Brody started asking us to play George, I had no idea what he meant. We finally figured out it meant playing Curious George games on the www.pbskids.com. Is it weird that my two year-old can navigate his way around a computer, clicking on buttons and dragging things around the screen? I don't think my family even had a computer when I was two. One of my earliest memories of computers is playing Oregon Trail while in elementary school on the old relic Macs that were huge. Now look at these kids. Crazy!

Christmas Tree

2008-12-03T14:50:00.002-07:00

Brody is so excited to have our Christmas tree up! We have said we will never buy a fake tree and I just love how a fresh one makes the house smell so nice. Along with our cinnamon scented pinecones, we are ready for the holidays!

Family Pictures

2008-12-01T19:53:00.002-07:00

Last weekend we went up Millcreek Canyon where we took our family picture for the year. Dave's sister, Emily, is a photographer and has done our pictures the last three years. (Check out her website at www.carpediemportfolio.com or her blog at www.carpediemphotography.blogspot.com). She has done a fabulous job and we appreciate her work!

Twilight

2008-11-23T10:27:00.004-07:00

Over the weekend I joined the thousands of other women and went to Twilight. I am not a die-hard Twilighter but I am definitely a fan. I was pretty excited to see it and was glad that the movie was good. One of my only complaints was that a few of the characters were weird--Jasper looked like a zombie. I asked Dave if I was a dork to want to go see it again. Has anyone else seen it twice?

First Snow of the Season

2008-11-05T09:11:00.001-07:00

Halloween

2008-11-01T06:36:00.003-07:00

Brody was a dragon for Halloween and loved going trick-or-treating. He kept asking to go to more houses for treats. After his entire pumpkin was full of candy, he finally slowed down for the night. He kept saying he had a great day!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T14:44:00.000-07:00

Disneyland

2008-10-14T18:13:00.005-07:00

Last weekend we took a road trip to Disneyland and had such a great time! Brody LOVED Pirates of the Carribean (shocking, I know), the teacups, and any roller coaster. He got to meet Mickey Mouse, Woody, and Cinderella. He acted all shy with Cinderella but finally gave her a little hug. We saw parades, rode rides, and ate lots of junk. We were also able to see our good friends there, Dan and Brooke Ulrich. It was fun to see them and spend some time with them. Brody talks about Disneyland all of the time. And if I hear the Pirates song one more time....

Tough Game

2008-10-03T06:16:00.002-07:00

It was rough last night...Beavers lost. Awww, nuts!

Go Beavers!

2008-10-02T19:33:00.002-07:00

Tonight is the big game with Oregon State at Utah. Go Beavers! (Notice that Dave even has a Beaver shirt on!! And he graduated from the U!)

Best Buds

2008-10-02T19:18:00.003-07:00

Today we went and played with Maeser, one of Brody's best little friends. The Rosemanns have been close friends since our BYU days when Jessica and I went to nursing school together. Now we try to get the boys together to play as often as we can. It is sure fun to have good friends!

Being Artistic

2008-09-27T15:47:00.002-07:00

The other day the kids were playing with watercolor paints. I guess Brody didn't hear the part about keeping it on the paper!