Fathers day to the 4th of July

Fathers Day

A couple of days before Fathers Day a large box arrived for Dan.  Drake was dieing to open it; in fact Drake was located several times hiding near the box with a pair of scissors or a knife.  As soon as we walked in the door after Church Dan had to open the box before Drake exploded.  He got a gun case some exercise equipment, and pictures of he and each of the boys that we had taken the day before fathers day and the gift was finished the night before.  Thanks Amy for making the trip down to visit to take some awesome pictures!!

Opening 'the box'

Checking out the pictures and the contents of the box

My boys

 T-BALL

Poor Drake has been stuck with me all day everyday since we moved to Vegas.  There were no preschools that were able to get him in half way through the year so we did our own stuff, but I felt it wasn't enough for a  very active boy.  Dan and I decided to sign Drake up for T-ball for a little social outlet.  For those of you that have done T-ball understand the need to just laugh and enjoy watching the kids running around.  Drake's games are at 8am or 9am and the closest field is about 30 min away.  He has struggled with the early hour of getting up but once he gets there as long as there is plenty to drink he is ok.  It has been fun watching him hit the ball(I think he hits it harder than anyone else on his team) and run the bases.  He still gets easily distracted while playing the field but that will come with time.

Drake showing me his muscles

This is a serious conversation

hitting the ball HARD!

Running to second

Two of the cutest fans

 GRANDMA DRAKE'S 85TH BIRTHDAY

This year is my Grandma Drake's 85th birthday.  She is a member of one of the most amazing generations.  She inspires me to be a hard worker.  A few months ago she fell and hit her head and was life flighted to SLC.  We were all afraid we were going to loose her just a year after Grandpa passed away, but she showed the doctors her true colors and fought through it.  It took some work and time but she was able to get back to living on her own(with a daily visit from one of her children) and show us what it's like to be TOUGH!  

And as usual it is always fun to get together with the family and there are always some great laughs.  The Drake clan is a breed all it's own and I LOVE it.  We need to get together more often in my opinion.

McKenna and Hank had a great nap together

Drake, Alyssa, and Sami thought the dry ice was super cool

Hank with his Great Grandma Drake

Four Generations

 CLIMBING

Logan has made a great discovery...climbing.  Drake is of course the happy teacher.  He has located the candy, snacks and chips I keep up there and has become quite skilled at scaling the shelves to make it to his destination.  

THE 4TH OF JULY

This year for the 4th we decided to do a little exploring in our new surroundings so we headed up to Mt Charleston for a picnic and hiking.  We packed up some lunch and headed up the mountain.  The picnic area was over run with other people so Dan being the man he is decided to blaze his own trail.  While we were eating there was a chipmunk running around, so as soon as they could the boys went on a search to try to find it.  Naturally, during their search they made many new discoveries.  They had a great time until it started to sprinkle.  Hank and I loaded up some stuff and headed back to the car leaving Dan and the boys to gather the rest and meet us as the car.  Just as we got down the mountain it really started to rain.  We got home and sat outside listening to the rain.  Because of the rain we weren't sure if the neighborhood fireworks were still on, but about 6oclock the clouds left and it was a wonderful night.  After dinner we headed around the corner to see if the party was as fun as we had heard, IT WAS!  We met up with some friends in the ward and had a great time with water guns, dancing, contests, lots of food,  and AWESOME fireworks.  I think these fireworks were the equivalent of many towns fireworks.  It was so fun to sit literally 20ft from the fireworks launch site.  It was a perfect ending to a wonderful day!

Eating some lunch on a log

Hank relaxing

This was a huge log they discovered while looking for chipmunks

Showing me their muscles

Good baby slept through the fireworks

HANK IS SMILING

My little Hank is growing up so fast.  He has really started to smile!  And we can no confirm that not only does he have a dimple in his chin but he also has one in his right cheek.  We all fight to be the one in his face trying to make him smile.

Mother of 3

Well it's been seven weeks as a mother of three and really only 2 weeks left completely on our own.  So far, I must say, it hasn't been too bad.  We are slowly getting into a routine and it definitely helps that Hanks two big brothers are awesome helpers and love to hug and kiss their baby brother when ever possible or impossible for that matter (Drake likes a good challenge).  

Three weeks after Hank was born he got to be blessed by his daddy.  In celebration of the occasion we got to have lots of family come visit.  Dan's brothers Dave and Jim, his sister Deborah and her husband Matt, our nephew Josh, and Dan's parents all made the trip to meet Hank and support him.  My two sisters their families and my parents all drove down the morning of.  And all of my cousins here in Las Vegas came.  All in all there were about 50 people here for baby Hank.  It was so much fun to get everyone together and enjoy being one BIG family.

Sunday evening everybody headed home but Dan's parents.  They were taking a two week vacation with a long visit here and then a drive to Prescott Valley, AZ to visit family and another stop over here for a couple of days.  Drake was lucky enough to get to go to Arizona too and thankfully he was described as a gentleman and very well behaved.  The weekend he was gone happened to be Dan and I's 6th anniversary.  Dan got us tickets to go to Tuachan to see Aladdin (it was awesome). As soon as it was over he hit the road for SLC for his drill weekend and Logan, Hank, and I hung out at my parents. 

We had so much fun seeing so much family that it makes me think there needs to be another baby soon.  I'm voting for someone else to make that happen sooner.  As for my little family we are enjoying our newest wonderful addition.  He can sleep through vacuums and brothers fighting on top of him.  At night he sleeps in 5 hr increments allowing Mommy to enjoy night time.  He is starting to smile every now and then. He finds the world around him very fascinating and thought provoking(at least that's the impression I get from his facial expressions).  

We LOVE our Baby Hank!!

Taking a nap

Grandma Neville meeting Hank

Our little family

My parents, me and Hank

Grandparents

Grandpa and Grandma Drake

Grandma and Grandpa Neville

The Drake clan 

The Neville group

Father and son bonding

Logan saying YEE-HAW

Grandpa Neville loves to get the boys new toys

Drake and the boat

Grandpa teaching Logan how to work the remote to the boat

Henry Thomas Neville

Henry Thomas Neville born May 11, 2012, 7:30 am, weighing in at 8 lbs 4 ozs, 20 inches.  It was a GREAT day!  

Dan and I had to be to the hsp by 5:30 am so my Mom(her birthday) and my Dad drove down from Santa Clara and arrived at 5am just in time for us to leave. They were going to come later with the boys. 

This is what I looked like just before leaving for the hsp. Did I
mention I really REALLY dislike pregnancy pictures.

 As soon as we got to the hsp they started prepping me. We were escorted to the OR where the good doctor turned on his country baby delivery music and we were under way.  Henry (Hank) made his debut at 730am!

Hank is so happy to be out.

One happy Mom

 At about 10:30 Grandpa & Grandma arrived with two very excited big brothers!

Logan's not quite sure what to do

Proud Grandpa!

Grandmas new birthday buddy!

A very happy big brother.

Our little family.

 After the boys and Grandpa & Grandma came they headed back to Santa Clara 

for a few days to play with cousins and just have a plain old good time!

My cute baby!

He's just trying to figure out what is going on.

That's better

One Proud Daddy

Father and Son enjoying their first nap together.

 Well we spent a few days in the hsp and my poor little guy has swallowed so much fluid that he was having a hard time eating and keeping it down so the next day they stuck a tube down his throat and sucked all the yucky stuff out.  After that he was a much better eater.  It was a nice weekend with my feet up but I was happy to be headed home. Grandma came back with the boys Tuesday night and she stayed until Friday. It is always so nice when grandma comes but it is especially nice when she keeps the house in order and supplies meals. We LOVE Gaga!

Hanks first bath

Post bath

The bros hanging out

One very happy boy!