The Holbrook Family

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Vegas Baby!

We got to go down to Vegas last weekend with the Sayes for 3 whole nights without our kidlets. It was a great little get away. The first night we walked around some of the Hotels. The Belagio is always a must, the gardens are always different in there, it's amazing. We also went on the roller coaster at the New York New York. I've been on it before and didn't remember it being that great but this time we were in the front seats and it was at night and it was awesome! I haven't screamed like that on a coaster for a while. Lot's of fun. Jayme however hated it. Weird. :)

Bellagio

It was 110 degrees one day, we sat in the pool all morning and into the afternoon. Perfect little one foot deep spot, just enought to keep you wet and still get some sun!

We stayed at the World Mark. It was really nice and new, lot's of pools, even a lazy river. Maybe one day we can join the Sayes and become owners. :)

We got to go to the Cirque du Soleil Beatles "Love" show. It was awesome. I've had Beatles songs stuck in my head ever since. Loved it.

These letters spelled out "Revolution"

Caesar's Palace, don't we look like we're having so much fun?!

Two boys don't know how to pose together

In front of the Mirage where the show was.

Mark and Whoopi.

The Rock.

Fun fun times, felt like we were in our dating years again! Except despite Mark's attempts and wishes we didn't make it to a club, too smokey, crowded, loud, and late! I am old! :) Plus we can't wear those clubbin' clothes. :)

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Farmington Pond

We love living in Farmington. For family night we headed up to the pond and tried fishing for a bit, didn't catch anything but still had fun. Kenya loved feeding the ducks marshmallows (it was all I had, hope I didn't make them sick!) She kept saying "duckies!"

Look at that dirty bum.

Threw lots of rocks in the water, no wonder why we didn't catch fish.

Love spending time with these two kids and my Mark, love it.

Monday, August 24, 2009

The Bird

We got to spend the weekend up at Snowbird a couple weeks ago. One of my favorite get aways. Especially in the summer, nice and cool and gorgeous! It actually snowed at the peak while we were there, first snow of the season. Cami, Erianne, and I hiked to the peak one day (Eri is 32 weeks prego, did awesome and we even accidentally went up the harder way!) Got to swim and had an all day activity pass for the Alpine Slide and fun rides they have going on up there. It was a great relaxing weekend. We are so grateful to my mom for the hook up she gets us, thank you mom! We had a great time like always.

rainy day

Triplet cousins

Charlie and the older kids were drawing "tatoos" on themselves with washable markers, Kenya came over to me on the couch with a big grin on her face, unzipped her pj's and showed me this. She was SO proud and her cousin pals were in awe. It got us laughing pretty good.

She was so stinkin cute jumping on this tramp. She absolutely loved it. The workers were bouncing her so she got really high. I was in tears laughing at her. I love that I can get so much joy out of seeing my kids have fun.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Happy Days

I'd like to think I'll look back on this summer and remember happy days. My kids have been at such fun ages this year. Our days have mostly consisted of sleeping until 7:00ish (which is good around here) getting to go for a run or take the kids to the daycare while I go to the gym, come back home and decide whether we want to go to Cherry Hill or a pool or the park or The Children's Museum, or which friends or cousins we get to play with. Then we come home exhausted and the kids usually take naps while I get stuff done (and occasionally get a little snooze in too.) Mark will get home and we work in the yard or hang out at home or go somewhere with the kids.

It's truly been such a laid back summer and I'm so grateful for it. They've both been swimming without assistance (well assistance with floaties and life jackets) so I can relax a bit and watch ( I do try and play with them sometimes too, I don't want to be the mom that won't get her hair wet even though Charlie already thinks I am. He tells me every time I do get my hair wet "mom, you're getting your hair wet!" Like it's the worst thing ever. ) They're both taking naps most days so I get most afternoons to myself.

They're both still cute and hilarious and make me smile everyday. Kenya especially is just entering the super cute want to pinch your cheeks all day stage. She's talking so much and everything she says IS so cute. I just love it. I love watching Charlie become more and more independent and seeing him grow in little ways like learning to swallow a pill and cut his own pancake with a fork and swimming without his life jacket. He loves doing things by himself so the more I can teach him the better. Never underestimate this kid!

Don't get me wrong, we're not Mary Poppins around here, far from it, BUT I was worried about a long my kids are driving me crazy summer (had my days) and over all it's been great and I've seen close friends have terrible struggles this summer which breaks my heart but has helped me focus on all the positive in my life, so I felt that I should document the happiness. You just never know what tomorrow brings. We've got a weekend in snowbird and a weekend in Vegas before preschool starts and we get to say goodbye to summer. So here's to happy days!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

What a Weekend!

I love long holiday weekends, when you don't have to make any plans because there's so many things to do and people to do them with that plans can just appear out of no where. That's how our weekend was. We had a great time celebrating Pioneer Day with family and friends. We started the festivities off with the little fair at the Bountiful Park. We skipped the parade and went to the fair, it was a great idea because it wasn't crowded since the whole city was at the parade and the sun was going down so it wasn't hot. The kids had a blast. I love their smiles on the swings. We gave them a ticket limit and they got to choose what they wanted to do, one of which was the fish pond. We drove by the park yesterday and Kenya said "fish, fish!"

These were their lovely prizes, funny teeth and princess crown.

After that we ALMOST stayed home from the fireworks due to Charlie running away from me at the fair right when all the people started coming in from the parade. He wasn't gone for long but it was a little scary. He had been looking forward to them all day though so we went up to Mark's grandma's house probably for the last time to see the fireworks. I'm sure it'll be sold by next year. She's across the canyon from Mueller Park and has a great view. The canyon makes the sounds even louder. Luckily Kenya was fine with the loudness and with staying up so late! 11:00 is a new record for her. It was fun to watch them with Mark's family. Bountiful puts on the best fireworks show around!

Notice I'm doing all the work here holding down my kids to get a picture!

Uncle Stephen and all the kidlets.

Kenya loving baby Sam. Not sure he's loving her.

Mesmerized by the fireworks.

Charlie and little Ricky

Mark and his siblings.

The next day we headed up to Mueller Park Canyon to have a picnic with some of my family. I haven't been up there for a while, I love it. It's time to hike up to elephant rock again I think.

My dad with my aunt and uncle Jack and Shirley. Yes they are old enough to be my grandparents. :) My dad grew up with his nieces and nephews being more like his cousins because they were the same ages. Fun to hear stories from Jack and Shirley though.

That night we had the Sayes fam over. We got out the slip 'n slide, ate some pizza, drove around on the four wheeler, made some smores, and had a little firework show of our own. Always fun to be with friends! Especially when our kids are friends too.

Saturday we got caught up at home and caught up on some sleep. I got to have a little shopping trip with my sister to nordstrom which is always a great little break. Then we took the kids to Ice Age 3. They loved it. Now don't judge but I take Kenya's car seat into the theater and strap her in, smuggle in our own popcorn and she's good to go! What a fun weekend!

So Happy Pioneer Day! I am so grateful for all that those amazing people went through to come to our great state. What great courage and faith, they are so inspiring to me!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Kenya's 2 year old pictures

These are Kenya's 2 year old pictures that my dear friend Jayme took for me. She does an amazing job, I feel like she has found her calling!! :)

Check her out to see all of her other amazing pictures. jaymekanani.blogspot.com

The World Through Kids Eyes

August 2013

Leila has officially stopped saying "I wanna hold you" :( She would always say that to us and I have never corrected her but I guess she figured it out for herself because tonight she said "hold me". She's growing up too fast!

November 2011
I told Kenya tonight that I was glad Heavenly Father sent her to me. She said "Why did Heavenly Father send me to you?" I said "well we were all a family before we came to earth, in heaven." She said "Mom, how did you get up in the sky?" "I don't know." I said. "Did Santa give you a ride?" Followed with giggles by both of us.

November 2010
Today I was telling Mark about how angry I got at Kenya for coloring on the table for like the millionth time. She heard me talking about it and said "You're not a nice mom, you're like the BEAST! I'm gonna put you in da gawbage and get a new mommy!" Then later Mark asked her when he was reading her a bedtime story "Kenya, am I the King?" She said "No, you're the debil (devil)." Charlie was drawing a picture of our family for school and drew me with my mouth open he said "Look mom, you're yelling." I don't think we're leaving the right kind of impression on our kids here.

July2010
Today Kenya came up to Mark and said "Daddy I have to tell you something." She then made him bend down so she could whisper in his ear "You're the best dad in the whole wide world." He thought maybe I told her to say that but she came up with it all on her own. She then did the same thing to me. I love hearing that little whisper in my ear.

June 2010
Kenya randomly makes comments on the baby in my belly, it usually goes something like this. "I like your big belly mom" then "I like your baby Leila." Then it's followed by "I have a big belly too." Tonight that was followed by "It's hooge."

March 2010
When Kenya is demanding something I will tell her she needs to ask nicely. She then yells at me "NICELY!" Not quite what I was meaning.
If you say something like "How are you doing?" She'll say "Kenya" instead of good, or bad, or sad, or happy. Kinda cute.
She's really starting to put her sentences together and express herself a lot better. It's fun to have conversations with her.

March 2010
At dinner we were discussing how babies just drink when they're newborns and don't eat food. We asked Charlie if he knew what they drank and he said "yes, milk from your..." he paused for a few seconds and we were anticipating what was going to come out, then he said "from your belly!" What innocence.
February 2010-
Kenya has been saying some cute things lately most mornings she comes into our bed and snuggles in right in the middle of us. This morning she snuggled up next to Mark, put her hand on his cheek and said "daddy you're my sweetie girl." We had to laugh. Last night we were in the car, Mark was on the phone and Charlie was being really loud so he turned around and grabbed his leg to get him to be quiet. Charlie started crying and Kenya got really mad "don't hurt my sista! You otay Charlay?" We explained it was her brother and she said it all over again, this time with brother. She's been calling a lot of people her sister lately, she's a bit confused.
I made chocolate football cake bites for the superbowl and whenever she finishes her food she says "I want a hapball!" The first couple times I didn't know what she was saying until she ran over to them and pointed, now we know that hapball is football.

July 2009-
Charlie was asking me if his dreams would come true (I thought he was referring to bad dreams because he's been so scared of having bad dreams lately thanks to watching "Thriller") I told him they wouldn't come true and he kept asking me about it. Finally he said "Well daddy's dream came true when you were his wife!" Awww, thanks bud!

June 2009-
Yesterday Charlie randomly said to me "You know mom Jesus is sad when you're mean to me." I guess what goes around comes around. He also told me as we were reading "Little Red Cap" (the real Little Red Riding Hood story) "She shouldn't have lied to her mom" he said. I said "No she should've minded her mom and not gone off the path." He said "well sometimes I lie to you." At least he's honest, well sometimes. :)
May 2009-
Kenya loves the park. Every time we drive by one she freaks out "side, side! Mama side mease, meeease!" (slide please) she says "mease" all the time, it kills me! So cute. She also loves to say "go way!" Every time she's mad at someone or we're trying to get her to do something she doesn't want to its "go way!"

February 2009-Charlie said a prayer the other day that went like this "Grateful we could go to Disneyland, grateful for Halloween, grateful for Christmas, in the name..." That was it! Kind of funny.

December 2008-Last night when Mark was putting Charlie to bed Charlie said "Dad, I think Jaxon isn't choosing the right." Mark said "Yeah, how come? " Charlie said "Because he likes BYU and that's not choosing the right." Mark was pretty proud.

December 2008-

Charlie had a Christmas pajama party at preschool. He got a gift from his teachers. He opened it up and it was a blanket they had made for him, "Wow, a blanket!" I said. Charlie said "It's beautiful!" Then a bit later he was doing a puzzle while I was on the computer and out of nowhere he just says "Merry Christmas mom." He can be so sweet.

November 2008- With Christmas right around the corner and his birthday a couple weeks ago Charlie wants everything he sees on TV. He'll be upstairs watching TV and you'll just hear him say "How 'bout that!" And if it's a girl toy it's "How 'bout that for Kenya!" I don't know why it's "how 'bout that" but it puts a smile on my face every time he says it. It's too cute.

I love how honest Charlie is. The other day he went to the bathroom and when he came out I said "wash your hands" as he came out he got distracted for a minute and then said "Oh yeah, I got poop on my finger." And went to the bathroom. The same day he told me that while he was playing outside with his friend Brady he peed in our dirt, just randomly told me later that afternoon with a guilty look on his face. I was surprised because he hates peeing outside!

I took Charlie to Target to pick out a Halloween costume. I thought he would pick one out immediately and probably choose spider man or batman, well he wasn't really jumping on anything he saw, until he saw a transformer costume he said "I want to be a transformer!" I said "Ok do you want to be Bumble Bee?" "No, I want to be Octopus Prime!" I think it's so cute to hear him say it I haven't told him it's Optimus Prime.

One morning while we were getting ready for church Charlie in his best little sick voice says to me "Mom, (cough cough) I can't go to church, I'm sick (cough cough) see I have a cough.! Isn't he a little young to be doing that?

Last night I was kneeling down by Charlie as he said his prayers. This is what he said- "...Grateful I could go to preschool, grateful for daddy and Kenya," then he reached out and stroked my hair, "and grateful for mommy's hair." He was so happy yesterday when I came home from work and my hair was done and not in a pony tail anymore.

Charlie's Aunt Kristen asked him one day "Charlie what did you do today?" He said " I played with Samara." She said "Oh, is that your friend?" "No!" He said, " she's my husband!"

Mark sold his car and Charlie was with us as we dropped it off to the new owner. Charlie said "Dad, where is your car going?" Mark said " I sold it, it's going bye bye." Charlie said "All our of our stuff going bye bye?" I hope we're not traumatizing him! :)

Charlie has been learning about the Holy Ghost and he seems a bit confused at the concept. Today out of the blue he asked me "Mom, where is the Holy Ghost?" I tried to explain to him that he's a spirit and he can bring good feelings to you etc.. Then he said "Oh, can I touch his blanket?" (This is what a ghost is to him, somebody with a blanket over them.) So then I explained that he's not a real ghost he's a spirit and he doesn't have a body etc. Then he said "Yeah, but he almost has a body, and when I pull off it's blanket is the Holy Ghost a girl or a boy?" Let's just say he's still confused. :)

We went to Discovery Gateway today and as we were walking in there was a little person standing by the entrance. Charlie looks at me and says "Mom, that was a wittle mom." I thought that was pretty politically correct. :)

Today at church Charlie was playing with some cards on the bench during sacrament when I looked over at him he seemed to be pondering something and said to me "mom, am I going to get baptized?" I said "Yes, when you're 8 you can get baptized." "But I want to get baptized now!" (The lady sitting in front of us turns around and whispers "precious." :)) I told him again he could when he's eight. Then he said "Can daddy help me get baptized?" I guess he is learning something in primary and FHE!

Almost every morning I have a battle with Charlie on what he's going to wear. At least the mornings when I care what he wears and want him to look decent. Last night he got to pick out a movie to rent, he chose a Buzz Lightyear one (this is his latest obsession.) This morning I brought out some clothes and he saw them and said "No, not that shirt! That shirt won't make me Buzz Lightyear!" I said "Oh, what shirt will?" "Come here, I'll show you." And he took me into his room and insisted that he wear a white baseball T with green sleeves. This is the closest shirt he has that resembles Buzz Lightyear's costume. Pretty creative kid.

Charlie is in sunbeams now but we've been watching Cami's kids this weekend at her house so he went to nursery today with his cousin Luke. When we got home I asked him what he learned in nursery. He said "nothing." I said "didn't you have a lesson, you must have learned something." Very adamantly he responded "No we don't learn anything in nursery, we just have snacks!" No wonder why he loves it! :)

Cami has a piano in her house and yesterday towards the end of Charlie's nap Luke started softly touching the keys. Charlie woke up and came out of the bedroom with his hands out to the side palms facing up and said in a sweet surprised voice "I wake up and heard the piano singing." Mark and I thought it was too funny.

Those of you who have been around us probably know that Charlie hates my hair in a pony tail. I have no idea where this came from but for about a year he has been like this. It's getting better but at first he would throw a huge fit and say "Don't cutta your hair!" Then I explained to him it was a pony tail so it became "Take out your ponytail!" And he would grab my hair and try and get the elastic out. He's made progress over the past year, it went from forbidding it to throwing a fit but on occasion after I explained to him I was going to the gym or didn't have time to do my hair a few times a day I could make it through the day. Now He doesn't immediately respond to it when he sees it but at some point through out the day he'll comment on it. The other day he was going down for his nap and he said "Mom when I wake up will you take your ponytail out?" I can't believe a three year old boy could care so much about a ponytail! So much for short hair, he probably wouldn't speak to me for weeks! :)

After we sold our house we moved into my dad's. Charlie loves being around his grandpa and the other day he was sitting on the potty and I said "Charlie, do you need help?" and he said "no, I want grandpa to wipe me!" I said "no, grandpa doesn't wipe you, just mommy." So a couple days later he says to grandpa "Grandpa, are you a boy or a girl?" Grandpa said "I'm a boy." Charlie said "if you're a boy then you can wipe me!" Don't know how he decided that one but I guess he's got it all figured out!

Kenya has been sick the past day and tonight at dinner Charlie said "why isn't Kenya eating?" I said "Because she's sick." He said "Oh, does she have a snotty nose?" I said "No, she has a tummy ache." "Oh, did she eat an egg?" "No, I said ache, not egg, it means her tummy hurts." In classic Charlie response to everything "Oh." :)