Birthdays, Easter and Everything in between

Wow so here is another update.  Unfortunately, you have to endure all my pictures at once because I haven't been good about updating regularly.  So here it is.

Dad's Birthday

In March there was a big baseball tourney and we had Brock, Austin, and Jake playing on three different teams.  It was a lot of fun to be able to go support the boys and watch them play. One of the games was played out in Little Valley and it was the same day and the Blue Thunder air show at the new airport in St George.  It was awesome!  We watched them do their fancy tricks and Austin even had a fly over just as he got a great hit.  My Dad's birthday happened to be a few days before and since most of the family was together for the tournament we had a little party with a picnic and cake between games.  And we of course set up in a prime air show watching location.

Dad and his beloved German Chocolate cake

All of us kind of aware of the camera

 Mandy comes to VISIT!

Back in August our best friends decided to leave us stranded in SLC without them while they moved to Pittsburgh, PA.  Well since I had had such a wonderful time packing my house, by myself, and had been really miserable Dan got me the best present ever, a weekend with Mandy!  She flew in on a Thursday night and got to play until Sunday night when she had to go back to her kids.  Drake and Logan loved having her here!  She played baseball, candyland, watched movies and was just plain cool.  Mandy and I got to do some shopping although it was pretty much a bust we did save enough money to be able to go see Phantom of the Opera.  It was really good and we had a great time watching all the interesting people on the strip at 11pm.  It was really sad to say goodbye as we dropped her off at the airport, but this time it didn't feel as final.  There will definitely be another trip sometime in the future!

Mandy enjoying her cheesecake

Pete Rose was signing autographs and having professional pictures taken so this is a  walk by with the phone

And wouldn't ya know it just a few stores away there was Dick Butkus 

Shopping at the M&M factory

A 'wonderful' self portrait outside the Phantom theater

 Drakes 4th birthday

My little Draker turned 4 on April 4th.  I can't believe how fast the time as flown by.  He is so smart and almost everyday surprises me with something new.  He loves to do 'homework' and play or beat on Logan.  He always wants to play baseball and enjoys putting together all the train tracks.  He also loves to read books and play candyland.  He is also starting to negotiate his way out of trouble.  He loves babies and is so excited for our baby to finally get out of Mommy's belly.  When ever we get something  for the baby he tries to get me to eat it so the baby can have it now.  He keeps me on my toes always wondering what he is going to come up with next.  I love him and wouldn't have it any other way!

He wanted a baseball cake

Logan's excited for the cake

Drake got a sample because I had to shape the cake

Isn't this a great shot

Opening gifts

Playing with the new race track

Blowing out his candles

Our cousins and friends that came to party

 Easter

The day before Easter we were invited over to my cousins house to decorate eggs and have a practice hunt before the big day.  The kids were so excited and so many kids we had do decorate in shifts.  Drake and Logan had a blast and even McKenna and Alyssa, who had be spending the last few days with us while Brock and Austin played in a baseball tournament, got to come decorate.  After dying the eggs we had some pizza and then headed out to the park to get some eggs.  The deal was instead of putting the candy in the eggs we just had empty eggs and then the kids could count the eggs they found and get candy for each one.  It was a lot of fun watching them racing around.  Drake was not such a happy camper because the eggs didn't 'shake' so I'm afraid he didn't get too many.  He was protesting.

The next morning we were debating if the hunt would be before 9am church or after.  The boys actually woke up kind of early so we opted to have the hunt first.  Drake was the first to wake up and found his basket and the shirt and bug cage the Easter bunny left.  Logan was a little slower but lucky for him he didn't have to make it all the way down the stairs Drake gathered up his golf clubs, shirt and even the chocolate bunny and ran them up the stairs.  After the boys just looked at the orange rolls I had gotten up extra early to make we got dressed and peeked out the window at the backyard.  They boys hurried outside and started collecting.  Drake was much happier this time because the eggs shook so he was much more willing to fill his basket.  It was a lot of fun to watch and afterward on our way to church we tried to explain why we celebrate Easter.  I think the real meaning will eventually sink in but at least they remembered it had something to do with Jesus by the time we got to church. 

Drake coloring eggs

Logans is checking to make sure the eggs don't have heart beats with his

Macie, McKenna, Alyssa, and baby Nick 2 weeks old

The kids waiting for the hunt to start

Who needs eggs when you have a ball, glove and helmet

The kids after the hunt

Drake Easter morning

Drake telling Logan all about the Easter bunny

Yup it shakes

Look what Logan found

Showing off the spoils

 Dans Birthday

The day after Easter was Dan's birthday.  It was killing Drake and Logan to have to wait for Dan to get home to sing to him and for him to open his presents.  As soon as Dan walked in the door from work Drake was dragging him over to open his gifts.  Dan didn't really want a cake so instead he got his favorite Little Debbies oatmeal pies; one pie for each decade and a candle for years.  

By the way Dan is amazing!  I have been very blessed to be married to such a wonderful husband and father. Drake and Logan run to the door every day when he gets home from work and give him a big hug.  They love  to wrestle with him and know it's story time when Daddy gets on his special story hat.  Poor Dan doesn't get to much peace and quiet for studying.  The boys just sit outside his door building trains or driving cars waiting for him to let them come in and jump on the bed and get body slammed.  Dan works really hard and is doing so much for his new job.  He loves it and the people he not only works with but gets to meet and visit with.  He makes sure we are taken care and and is great at meeting new people.  He is a wonderful husband who doesn't care much when he comes home to two crazy boys and a prego tired wife who didn't have the energy to make dinner so he does.  He rubs my feet when I ask and tells me to shop til I drop.  He has this incredible ability to see all the wonderful good things in the world.  He gets along with everyone and everyone loves him especially me. 

Thank you honey!  I love you!!!

Dan with his gifts

Blowing out the candles with is new hat on

Presidents Weekend

We got our first visitors to see our new digs over Presidents Day weekend.   

Dan's sister Deborah and her husband Matt came to hang out and enjoy the warm sunshine!

Unfortunately, we aren't terribly exciting we pretty much just hang out on our side of town but we made a special trip to the strip just for Deb.  She has never seen the fountains at the Bellagio before and I had heard the garden in the Bellagio was pretty cool too, so we loaded up and headed on down.

The garden was decorated to celebrate the Chinese New Year the year of the Dragon.  They had some pretty cool dragons that moved and blew smoke.  I'm sure if I had a real grasp of my new camera I would have got some great pictures but I don't and the boys were not being cooperative.  After the garden we headed out the door and watched the water show.  It was cool as always and as soon as it was over Logan looked at me and said 'home?'  Well we saw what we wanted to see.  We got the car and headed back home.

Deb was kind enough to find a zoo here and print out coupons.  Monday morning before they headed out we went over to check it out.  For those of you that have never heard about a zoo in Las Vegas let me assure you there is a reason.  It was more expensive than Hogle Zoo and much much much less exciting.  The fence around the park boasted they had 150 species of animals.  Deb and I decided that if you count every different Macaw and all the pigeons they would account for at least 100 of the 150. They did have a lion though, and that is something that even the Hogle Zoo doesn't have. I was able to get a couple of really cute pictures of Logan.  Since poor Logan's 2nd birthday was in the middle of transition and our favorite photographer, Amy, lives in Salt Lake; I took it upon myself to get at least one picture of him to hang on the wall.

When it came time to leave Deb got a little teary eyed and Drake asked her if she was batty.  WHAT!?  Where did he learn that?  We all enjoyed a good laugh and Matt assured Drake that yes Deb was a little batty.  When the tears really started coming Drake looked at her and asked her if her eyes were sweaty.  KIDS are hilarious.  Anyway it was a fun weekend and now Drake and Logan think someone should come visit every weekend.

Drake and Logan giving me their best 'Cheeeeeeese' impression

This is my 2 year old

He's being an elephant

I love it when he pretends to sneeze

The Bellagio Fountains with the Eiffel Tower in the background

Deb, Matt, Drake and Logan checking out the water and the dragons

Did I mention that the kids weren't very cooperative

the Dragon

Logan is sporting my Grandpa Drakes hat and he's shooting me in his diaper.  Grandpa Drake would be proud!

They had a great day!!

Picture Update

Well I got my computer set up and downloaded my pictures from my wonderful camera I got for Christmas.  Here are a few of the pictures we have logged over the last couple of months.

This is the beautiful Christmas Tree at my moms

The nativity

Logan got Thomas jammies

Drake got Race Car jammies

Christmas morning ready to run up the stairs

They got a big riding Thomas

Logan's spoils

Drake's Spoils

They are two of the best Keepers.  No ball will get by them!

Dan wasn't really dressed to play

Logan Turns 2

Dan bought Silly string for the kids....

The Vegas cousins enjoying a cupcake

Four Generations.  Grandpa & Grandma Beatty, My Mom & Dad, Dan & I, and two kids who refuse to smile at the camera

New Years Eve risk game.  

Drake and Logan hanging out on Grandmas curb

Hiking with my Vegas Cousins

I wish sometimes they would just smile.  Good thing they're cute

Racing across our new backyard

Finally playing with our tractors and dump truck in the dirt and not moms flower pots

Cute Cheeser

Playing soldiers on the unpacked boxes.

We are loving our new house!  The boys play outside pretty much daily, and I can enjoy it from the inside while unpacking boxes!

Quick Update

So I was asked to give a quick update on the past month.  I got a super nice camera for Christmas and have been taking awesome pictures with it, but my computer isn't set up so no pictures with this update just lots of words.

Let's start at the point where I moved in with my WONDERFUL parents.  We moved in on Dec 15th just in time for my boys to realize that Christmas really was coming and their mom wasn't crazy to only allow them to watch Christmas Movies and listen to Christmas music(when your packing up your lives just before Christmas it's kinda hard to feel the joy surrounded by boxes with no wrapping paper, a tree, lights, and sitting on camping chairs instead of couches).  Anyway, Christmas was amazing!!  We really got to enjoy it.  The boys enjoyed Christmas Eve so much that they didn't get up until 8am on Christmas morning!  It was killing me not to go wake them up at 6am so I could enjoy watching them open their presents.  When they finally woke up (with a little help from mom and dad) they loved their presents.  Dan and I also got to open an exciting present; there was an envelop that said baby on it.  We opened the envelope pulled out the ultra sound picture and discovered there is another beautiful BOY in our future.  That's right folks I will be even more out numbered.  Luckily, I enjoy my boys and we have all the boy stuff so heck why not right. Since Christmas fell on a Sunday we got to attend church too.  Luckily, my parents ward doesn't start until 11am so it was perfect for us to get up and enjoy opening presents and still have time to get ready and head for church.  At 1pm we headed over to my Dad's brothers house, Uncle Doug, for the annual Drake family Christmas breakfast.  We moved it to 1pm because most people would be out of church by then and able to attend.  At first my mom and Aunt Helen toyed with the idea of actually having lunch but when most of the kids complained that we wouldn't get tuffys(grandma Drakes special Christmas scones) they decided to have breakfast anyway.  Of course the food was great but it was even better to get together with all the Drakes that could make and catch up on our lives.

With Christmas done it was time for Dan and I to start focusing on finding a place in Vegas.  On Christmas Eve a member of our ward from Salt Lake called and asked if we would want to use their Wyndam vacation in Vegas because they could no longer use and they couldn't cancel and get their money back.  It was a wonderful gift and we gladly accepted!  So for two days while Dan worked me and the boys drove around with a great realtor looking at prospective places to rent.  After looking at more than 30 homes and rating them from 1-10 I had it narrowed down to 5.  We came home on Wed and on Thurs we headed back down with my parents and grandparents.  My moms sister Diane that lives in DC was in town for Christmas to they wanted to get together and visit.  We dropped Grandma and Grandpa off at my cousins house and headed out to check out my 5 remaining houses.  With the help of my Mom and Dad we narrowed it down to 2.  Mind you Dan has not seen any of these house; I was left to do this on my own.  He told me he didn't care as long as I liked it it would be great.   I made him come with me to check out the final two places and we picked one.  I was relieved!!  Finally, we could be a family again.  After arriving back in Santa Clara Dan calls me and says I want to look around on my own some more I think there might be more out there.  I could have reached through the phone and STRANGLED him!!!!!!!!!  But whatever fine knock yourself out. 

This was on Dec 30th so thankfully New Years eve was the next day to help distract me from wanting to kill my husband.  Sarah and her crew came down to party and it was great.  The kids had a great time as usual and it was sad to see them go New Years Day.

Dan went to lots of houses and narrowed his search to 3.  So once again myself, Mom, Angie, and the boys got back in the car and headed for Vegas.  The first house we saw we loved! We went to a couple others but decided it didn't matter we wanted the first place. Naturally, we call the management company and guess what an hour earlier someone turned in an application.  That sucked, but we didn't give up Dan called back later and tried to hustle the guy in to putting our application in first and then we learned the house we set for a short sale and they only wanted tenants for 1-3months.  Wow, I felt better.  Unfortunately, that put us back at square one. 

As we're leaving town Angie mentions her friend whose aunt lives in Vegas and might know someone looking to rent.  On a long shot we contact her.  She gives us the name of a lady and Dan gives her a call.  This lady just so happens to know a family with a house just like we we were looking for trying to rent it themselves.  Dan heads over there one night and instantly likes the place.  We do face time on our phones as he takes me on a tour of the house, PERFECT! Since there was a long weekend coming up the boys and I headed down to Vegas one last time to check out the house and hang out with my cousins.  I can finally say we have a house!  Last Saturday, in the rain might I add, we loaded up three trailers and headed to Vegas.  They still had some cleaning to do but we were able to move all our stuff in to the garage.  On Thurs Jan 26th it will be ready for us to officially move in.  Thank Heavens!!!

Finally, a real family.  No more weekend Warrior stuff. Every night Dan gets to kiss his boys goodnight and read them Stories.  No more Drake telling me when he gets mad that he's gonna go to Las Vegas with his dad cuz I'm mean.  I am so looking forward to it.

Viva Las Vegas

Well the weekend before Thanksgiving Dan had a job interview in Las Vegas. That Wed he signed a contract to be the Head Chaplain/Bereavement Specialist/Volunteer Coordinator for the hospice company. He is so excited and is really looking forward to this.  He started work Dec 12th and is rotating staying with my cousins. The boys and I stayed in SLC to pack up for the move.  On Dec 15th we loaded up in the van and headed for Santa Clara, where we'll be staying until we find a place to live in Vegas.

My Dad was kind enough to drive up with a trailer Wed Nov 30th and Wed Dec 7th and took loads of furniture and boxes to store in my parents garage.  On my dads second trip we loaded up the rest of the furniture minus the crib, toddler bed, and box springs.  So for a week I slept on an air mattress that some how developed a hole and we sat on camping chairs.  it was an interesting experience that I don't wish to repeat.  I also learned something about myself, I HATE packing!! For three weeks I ate, drank and dreamed(if I slept) about packing. Dan was around for the first week of packing but Dec 4-9 he was at a suicide prevention training in Phoenix.  He flew in late on the 9th and left again on the 11th to start work on the 12th.  So it was Drake, Logan, Me and did I mention I am 18 weeks prego at this point and packing a house.  I had several meltdowns but I survived, well mostly.  I also learned that we have a lot of misc crap.  I thought for sure after my dad left that we would be able to pretty much fit was was left in Dan's car and the mini van, boy was I wrong!!  I had to leave enough stuff that we are going to need another trailer to go get it. Those little odds and ends really add up.

The happy note is I had my ultrasound on Wed Dec 14th and the baby looks great! Unfortunately, because Dan obviously couldn't be there I didn't find out the sex of the baby.  When the tech came to that part I closed my eyes and she printed the picture with the sex written on it and placed it in an envelope so we could open it on Christmas morning!  I know it sounds a little crazy but I decided it was only a 10 day wait not a 9 month wait so I could handle it. 

Well so here we are in Santa Clara relaxing, not thinking about the piles of boxes in the garage that I will some day have to unpack, enjoying the Christmas season being with family.  Dan is really enjoying the job so far and can't wait to stop reading paper work and really get to jump into the work.

I hope everyones Christmas Season is wonderful and full of family, food, and fun!!!