2 1/2 already!

 Dallin is 2 1/2 already!  Where has the time gone?  This is about the point where I start thinking I can handle another baby because life gets a little easier for Mom at 2 1/2.  Not sure this time whether I'm quite there, so no baby #5 yet :)  Dallin is a busy little guy - he loves playing with tools, Legos, and baby dolls.  He loves Elmo and Mickey Mouse at the moment.  He just stopped wearing diapers last week thanks to a little push from Grandma Borders.  He has been my easiest to potty train and as Grandma said, I think he was going to potty train himself if I didn't jump on it.  So proud of my little man.  He is growing right at the same rate as his older brothers - 75% for weight and 80% for height.  We love our big boys!

                           

Trenton's Birthday Celebration

WE HAVE A TEENAGER!!  Trenton turned 13 today!  He celebrated with a few of his closest friends yesterday with some pizza and paintball.  

Trenton is an AMAZING young man.  He is a natural leader who is respected by his peers at school and church.  He doesn't let much bother him.  He has set high standards for himself and avoids hanging out with those who don't share such standards.  He is an excellent student (although he inherited his father's procrastination).  He is a saver rather than a spender, and doesn't value material belongings much.  He is helpful at home, often watching his younger siblings.  He is currently busy developing his talents in fencing, the flute, and Boy Scouts.

Love the full face masks they had to wear!

 These look like some pretty bad dudes, don't you think?  The paintball place they went to was quite impressive.  It was an outdoor arena across 40 acres, much of it wooded.  They spent a lot of time crawling on their stomachs to find hiding spots.  They played with 15 other players in their group, but there were around 150 people playing in the entire arena.  They had a great time with just one minor injury and a few paintball welts.

The Many Faces of Owen

Every family needs a little personality and someone to keep life interesting...Owen gives us that and more! He makes us laugh and cry, smile and cringe, sigh relief and worry (a lot), but he's our Owen! We love watching him learn and grow each day. 

Some days there are lots of happy faces...

 some days there is lots of goofiness...

 some days there is a lot of sneakiness...

 some days are a total surprise...

and some days are pure joy!  The funniest thing about these pictures is that he made of all the faces without being prompted.  I just held the camera in front of him and started taking pictures of him.  He came up with his own expressions.  And, yes, he colored his nose yellow with a marker while in bed last night.  That's our Owen :)

Trans Siberian Orchestra!

 Trenton and Ashleigh joined me at a Christmas Trans Siberian Orchestra concert last weekend as a reward for their excellent school work (and because I really wanted to see them!).  They were as awesome as we were hoping!  Can't wait to see them again next year!

This is not your ordinary orchestra.  They are more like a rock band with a crazy light show. 

Halloween 2012

 It was a wet and cold Halloween this year, but everyone still enjoyed dressing up and getting a little candy.  Trenton decided to go out one last year with us, but he only made it down one street before he decided he was too cold.  Ashleigh was a rock star, Trenton was a Jamaican dude, Owen was a zombie pirate (his face is painted, but it's hard to tell), and Dallin was Thomas.  I could not have picked a better costume for Dallin this year because it easily slipped over top of his heavy coat!  

 Dallin would have went trick-or-treating forever if I would have let him. He loved his Thomas costume and Thomas candy bag.  He had been wearing it for the past week, so he was well practiced for this Halloween ritual!   Several houses this year gave us non-candy items, like cookies, chips, and crackers.  One house was giving out Nature Valley granola bars, and Dallin was not impressed.  He refused to put the granola bar in his candy bag because it was not something he wanted to take home with him! 

Dallin was so happy to go trick-or-treating, can you tell?

 

Happy Halloween!