Pumpkins and snowmen in the same weekend?

We had a fun conference weekend in Pocatello. On Saturday night we colored pumpkins with markers (great idea by the way, easy and no clean up or knives). We came home yesterday to snow! Kaylee and I went out and made a snowman first thing this morning. I didn't even have my gloves because my winter stuff is still downstairs in storage so it is just a little one. Can you guess what his name is? Frosty the snowman of course!!

Remember Us?

Where did my Summer go. I apologize for not blogging. You have probably all given up hope on me but for those of you dedicated followers, I am going to post a summer overview.



Kaylee was in swimming and dance lessons this summer. She loved both of them. Now that fall has arrived she is doing preschool and gymnastics. I love her gymnastics class but she has decided she likes dance best and wants to go back. Six other moms and I are doing her preschool together. Kaylee goes on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-11:30. I will have to teach two weeks out of every twelve so that isn't bad. She was so excited on her first day and didn't even want me to come to the door with her. She is getting so big.


Talon is growing like a weed. He is pulling himself up and standing for a few seconds on his own. I can't believe it. He is 10 months old and we will be celebrating his first birthday before I know it. He does not like his high chair so I dug out a booster seat that Kaylee used and sit him up on our bar stools. He is loving sitting up there with the rest of us and enjoys meal time much better.

Talon's funny faces

My little guy is teething like crazy. He puts everything in his mouth. The other day he had one of my hair elastics and he would wrap it around his two bottom teeth and pull. I was afraid he was going to pull his teeth out but every time I tried to take it away this was the face I got. It was so funny.

Newest Project!

Before!



After!!
You know Jeff and I, we always have several home improvement projects. Here is our latest project. My mom came down yesterday and babysat the kids so that Jeff and I could paint all day. My one stipulation on painting the house was that we couldn't leave the front a mess for long. Jeff pressure washed the house a couple days before and we primed the bad areas Friday night so when we woke up Saturday morning we started in. We began at 7:00 in the morning and didn't stop until 9:00. We are tired and sore but don't you think it looks great?

My Little Tom Boy!

Now it is official, Kaylee is forever changed by the zoo. Look what she brought home from Marj's (her babysitter) house yesterday. Rollie Pollies!! She had to have them by her bed when she slept last night. She can't understand why mom doesn't like them and won't let her play with them in the house. She has to stand outside before I will unscrew the lid. She even put grass in the cup today so that they would have something to eat. Maybe I should get her a pet?

The Hoagle Zoo

Tax season is over! Yeah! I had the Thursday and Friday after tax season off so Jeff took Friday off as well and we headed to Salt Lake to the zoo. It was a lot of fun as you can see. Kaylee LOVED the carousel. She rode it 4 times. Dad was sick after three so Mom had to step up and go once. The zoo really changed Kaylee. Before we went she wanted bedtime stories about pricesses and horses. The other night she asked me to tell her the story of the dirty worm and scary snake. Ewww!

Easter "Egg"-stravaganza

We had a special Easter treat this year because Kaylee and Talon got to spend it with both sets of grandparents and their great-grandparents. I think the pictures say it all. We had a great time. We want to thank everyone that made it so fun.

New dress

Kaylee has a bitty baby and loves to match her. I have been thinking about getting her a matching dress for her and her doll but it is quite expensive so I haven't done it yet. Last weekend I went to TJ Maxx and they had this dress with a matching baby dress on the sales rack for $14!! I am sooo glad I didn't spend the money to buy the bity baby outfit. I think TJ Maxx might be my new favorite store!

My little stud!

Talon is getting so big. Here are a few pictures of him for you to enjoy. This is the first time he wore a hat like Dad. He is so smiley. If you smile at him, he will smile back.

The Dancing Queen!

My mom always used to tell me that I would dress up in funny outfits and make her and my dad laugh when I was little. I think I now know exactly what she means. Kaylee loves to dance and sing but she can't do that until she is properly dressed. She runs into her bedroom to get ready before I push play. I never know what she will come out wearing but it is almost always humorous. I decided I needed to start taking pictures of these outfits so here are a few from last week!! I just bought the soundtrack to Mamma Mia and she loves to dance to the song Dancing Queen, but who doesn't?

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Kaylee was quite decked out for St. Patrick's Day. We had to take Talon to the doctor for his 4 month check up. The nurses made such a fuss over her and she just basked in their attention. I posted a close up of her hair for those of you that wanted to see the lovely haircut. Talon was in the 50th percentile in heigth and weight at the doctor's office. He was 25 inches and 14 pounds 14 ounces and perfect in every way!!

HAIR CUT!!!

Kaylee cut her own hair! She was in the bedroom when I came in and she had hair all over her. I ran my fingers through her hair and clumps came out in my hands. At first I panicked because I thought she was losing her hair but then I realized she had the manicure scizzors in her hand. I said "Kaylee, what happened to your hair?" She launched into a long story about a girl at daycare that ruined her hair. I looked at her and said "Are you sure? Did you cut your hair?" By now she knew she was caught so she signed and said "Yeah mom, sorry." I can't believe it. The only savings grace is that her hair is pretty thick and she did use manicure scizzors so it basically just thinned it a lot! Her bangs are non-existent on one side and I am just not sure what to do. Man, how I wish Kami was here to help me fix this mess.

Recipe of the Month

Okay I have started my "Recipe of the Month." Do you see it on the side? My goal is to put a new and easy recipe each month so that those of you who are like me and need a little variety in your life, can use them too. Enjoy!!
P.S. I will probably take this one down when I post the next one so if you like it, you had better write it down. :)

Goodbye Love Posts

I am a little sad that February is over. It is nice to think about what you love each day and I have really enjoyed other peoples posts about their loves. I am glad to be over the guilt of not posting each day though. Isn't it funny that I felt guilty over that? Anyway, I would like to suggest something new. One thing I LOVE is new recipes. It is so hard to come up with something new to cook each night that is healthy and fast so I would like everyone that reads my blog to consider posting one of their favorite recipes. If you don't have a blog than post it as a comment or email it to me and I will pass it on. Think about all the new recipes we could have! I am in the process of trying a couple of new recipes so I will post my new favorite in a few days.

I LOVE....

Last but definately not least, is my wonderful Dad!


I know Kami has already done this one but it was my Dad's birthday yesterday and I want him to know how much I LOVE him. I LOVE everything about my Dad. I LOVE that he has a big heart and everyone that knows him LOVES him-from his banker to his co-workers to his friends and family. I LOVE that he calls or comes by my house everytime he comes to Twin even if he is in a hurry. I LOVE that the best present you can give him is time with his family. I LOVE that even though I consider him a spiritual giant, he doesn't and is always trying to improve himself. I LOVE that he can make me laugh even when I am having a bad day. I LOVE that he will drop everything in a minute if you need him. I LOVE the memory of when he stayed up all night holding Kaylee so that I could get a little sleep. I also LOVE the memories of our date nights when Dad would take only me to Twin to go to the movies and spend time together. I LOVE that he is a great teacher and has influenced so many people for good. I LOVE his good advice. I LOVE that I live close enough to see him often and I LOVE that he LOVES me enough to come visit. I LOVE you Dad. Happy Birthday!!

I LOVE...

My digital camera.

I am so glad I can see the pictures and know how they turn out. Most of the time I end up taking four or five pictures just to get one good one. It would be terrible if I had to waste all that film. Now I just delete the ones I don't want and print the ones I do. I LOVE living in this age of technology!

I LOVE...

I LOVE how big my little man is getting.



Okay so this is a bitter-sweet love because on one hand my good little baby is growing up but on the other, it is so fun to have him interacting with us. He laughed out loud today for the first time and is usually full of smiles. These are pictures of him sitting in Kaylee's Dora chair. I think it makes him look so big. I am trying to get a good picture of him smiling but I can't do it so far. My camera has enough lag-time to miss capturing that perfect smile he has. I LOVE this baby!

I LOVE...

My Mother-in-law!


I want to wish Dianne a Happy Birthday and let her know how much I LOVE her. When I hear people complain about their mother-in-law, I realize just how lucky I am. I absolutely LOVE this woman. She is the most charitable person I know. I LOVE that she would do anything for anyone. I LOVE that she always puts others before herself. I LOVE that she doesn't always take Jeff's side when we disagree. I LOVE that she will listen without judgment. I LOVE that all I have to do it ask and she will come to Twin to help us. I LOVE that she treats me like a daughter and not just a daughter-in-law. I LOVE that she will clean my house, shop for my groceries, make dinner, do the laundry, and everything else you can think of when she comes to my house. I LOVE that she takes me shopping on girls' weekend. I LOVE how hard she works to be a good mother and grandmother. But most of all I LOVE that she raised such a sweet man to be my husband. Happy Birthday, we LOVE you!

I LOVE...

That you will all understand that I am pretty busy right now and forgive me for not posting. Maybe tomorrow!

I LOVE...

Lawry Marinades!

You guys have to try this if you haven't already. There are many different kinds but my favorite is the one for Steak and Chops. There is also a Italian garlic one that I really like on chicken. I have mentioned before that I LOVE my crockpot and this is one thing I like to do. I just put in my chicken or steak with these marinades and dinner is ready when I get home. You can find them by the steak sauces at your grocery store!

I LOVE it!

I never had time to post this picture before but here is Kaylee with her rose from Valentine's Day! When Jeff gave it to her she said, "Oh Dad, I LOVE it" I figured I could post her love today!

I Love...

My sweet hubby!

I LOVE my Jeffrey. He is a perfect match for me in every way. He sent me roses at work yesterday and even brought a single rose home to give to Kaylee. She thought she was so special. That is Jeff. He is always thinking of what he can do for me and the kids to let us know we are special to him. He is very patient and understanding and kind. We LOVE him. Happy Valentine's Day!

I LOVE....

Bubble Baths!!

I am usually not into this type of stuff but Jeff's Mom gave me this lotion when I was nine months pregnant and it is soooo awesome. It is part of Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy line and it is called "Sleep." It is a combination of Lavender and Chamomile. I am not one that sits in the bathtub for long periods of time. I have too much to do and am constantly thinking about what to do next but this stuff is so relaxing I can't help but lay there for a few extra minutes. I get out of the bathtub so relaxed and calm. I can't say it enough, I LOVE this stuff.

I LOVE...

Traveling DVD players!

How did our parents survive without these? It is so great to be able to travel and let Kaylee watch movies in the back. It makes time go by so much faster. We also like to set it up and let Kaylee watch a movie on her TV while we watch one on our TV. She can still sit on my lap and snuggle but I don't always have to watch Disney or Dora movies. LOVE it!

I Love...

My MOM!


I LOVE that she raised ten children and yet still LOVES to be around her grandkids. I LOVE that she offers and is excited to babysit. I LOVE that she always has good advice. I LOVE that she finally gets to do things for herself yet still finds time to take care of us. I LOVE that she lets me come home and become a kid again. I LOVE the memories I have when she laughed when she probably should have scolded. I LOVE that she lets me call her at work, even when she is busy. I LOVE that she has almost the whole Carey phonebook memorized. I LOVE how wonderful she is with my family and how much she LOVES us.
Kaylee says she LOVES Grandma Peck because she makes her happy. Jeff LOVES her because she is a great cook, she loves football, and because she made me!! We are very lucky to have her. We LOVE you Mom. Happy Valentine's Day!

I Love...

HUGS!

Who doesn't LOVE a good hug? I LOVE coming home and having Kaylee run into my arms or to just give a little squeeze when I am rocking my baby. I also LOVE hugging people that are bigger than me, like my Dad or Jeff. There is something about having strong, protective arms around you that lets you know everything will be all right. So today wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a big hug from me!!

I Love...

NAP TIME

It is not often that both my kids are asleep at the same time but when they are I can get more done in that hour than any other time of the day. This picture was actually taken a couple of weeks ago. I came home from work and Jeff had both kids asleep in our bed. I thought it was cute and who doesn't LOVE naps so I thought it would be a good love for today!!

I Love...

My Princess Kaylee! I wanted to save this one until I had time to post a lot of pictures so you can get the full effect. I LOVE my sweet girl Kaylee.

I LOVE that she is such a great big sister. When Talon cries she always runs to him and tries to put his binki in. I LOVE that she is always willing to get me a diaper or throw one away. I LOVE the way she tells everyone she talks to on the phone or at church about her baby brother and smiles with pride. She LOVES her baby brother.

I LOVE that she makes me laugh. She is my comic relief. You can't have a bad day around Kaylee because she is always dressing up and saying silly things. The other morning I told her to hurry up because we were going to be late. She looked at me and with a sigh, raised her hands and said "Huh, Are you kidding me?! Fine, lets go." I LOVE to laugh and she makes that happen almost everyday!

I LOVE that Kaylee is a girly girl. The other morning Talon decided he wanted to eat just as we were heading out the door. I told Kaylee to go play for a little while longer because I had to feed Talon. She said okay and disappeared. She spent the extra time putting on a necklace, braclet, earrings, and hair bows. When she emerged I had to stop from smiling, not because it was funny, but because she looked so darn cute and had worked so hard to make herself "beautiful."

I also LOVE that Kaylee is so tender-hearted. I barely have to raise my voice and she is in tears. I think this makes me a better mother because I know I have to be careful of how I act and what I say. I LOVE her tender little feelings.

Most of all I LOVE that she LOVES to spend time with her Mommy. Yesterday she called me at work to see if I would come home and snuggle with her. How can you say no to that? No doubt, she is super special and we LOVE having her in our home.