The Campout!

And the update is that they had a wonderful time

Jayden feeling pretty cool getting to be with the big kids

Wish these guys could be friends forever

They are so cute together and have so much fun

Happy Campers!

Mr. Seriously Awesome

I still have so much to post about after our wonderful trip to Utah but I just quickly have to put up these few pictures.  Chase is a stud!  I don't know of too many Dads that would voluntarily take their three kids and two of their friends camping ALL BY HIMSELF!  I kept asking him all day, "Are you sure you want to do this?"  And telling him "Why don't you just leave Jayden."  He has a hard time leaving Jayden out and just couldn't do it.

They have had quite the day together!  It started this morning when Chase took the boys to go help clean the church with Danny and his girls, Katelyn and Madison!

Then after that we all headed to their baseball game!  We were excited because today they played against each other.  It was fun to watch them play and Chase and Jackson loved it!

After the game they all rode home with Danny in their van, Chase dropped him off, and then brought all the kids back to our apartment to load up the stuff and head out!  This is a picture of them in the elevator.  The door closed before I could lecture them about staying close together, not wondering off, listen to Dad, drive carefully, and everything else that goes through your head as you send 5 kids off to camp with Dad!  Hope they make it and I hope they have fun!  So far all I have heard is that Jayden pooped his pants.  Hope to get an update soon.

Jayden turns 3!

Jayden Grant Palmer

March 26th

Happy Birthday!

 What a stud!  I could go on and on about Jayden! He has such a unique personality.  He will make you laugh, cry, and smile all in one day!  We love him so much!  I am excited to get the chance to stop and think about the past three years with him.  He is so much fun!

Jayden is our man child!  He is like an adult in a little boys body!  He is the first to give you a hug but also the first to put you in your place.  He frequently tells me to "smile Mom", "be happy",  "you look cute" and then gives me a big giant hug.  Then suddenly I will turn around and he will have his arms folded, his eyebrow furrowed, and his teeth grinding together.  I will ask him what is wrong and without saying anything he points at me.  Whoa!  What did I do?  His favorite line these days is "Your wrong Mom, I'm right!"  If He wasn't so cute when he did it I would be a little concerned.  But he knows how to butter me up and we have become incredibly good friends!

Jayden has very distinct passions.  He loves what he loves, and...if he doesn't like it, he does not entertain it.  He still absolutely loves his trains,  cars, and balls of all sorts.  But, at the end of the day "Pudgy" his dog is still his favorite.  

I am glad I have one more year with Jayden before he starts school.  It will be so fun to do a preschool for him and his friends, go on city adventures together, and kick it around the house.  He is at a fun age!

Although, as much as I try to win him over, Chase is still his favorite.  They are pals!  That is the best way to describe it.  If Jayden could he would want to shadow Chase all day.  Their personalities blend perfectly.  Chase calls Jayden Mater.  Too bad his favorite hat is Lightning Mcqueen because he really does remind us of Mater the tow truck!

We Love You little Mr. Jayder Mater!

Also goes by "Jay" - Grandpa

"J.J."- Little Chase

"Jayden Costco" -Seth

With his personality we will see what other nicknames he picks up over the years!

EASTER party

Wow, it has been so long since we have been able to spend Easter with family!  It was so fun, delightful, beautiful, and everything else!  We began the celebration with our families annual Easter Party!  This Easter party has been going on ever since I can remember.  We have done the same thing for years and even though we are older;  some with kids, in college, or completely caught up in the high school years...there are a few things that never get old, Mom's holiday parties!  They bring us together connecting old memories with the present!

                            

Getting ready for the relay races

Jayden and Liza girl were the first bunnies to race across the yard!

Jackson desperately trying to keep his feet together

Chase and Crozier taking the bunny ears very seriously

Grandma Bunny Cheering everyone on!

The bubble blowing contest

Katie going at it

The 3 winners!

Decorating seriously colorful sugar cookies.  If you like yellow frosting you are in LUCK!

Everyone lining up for the egg hunt! 

Our time in Utah

I have been meaning to write all about the past few weeks and somehow each day gets away from me.  Not sure what it is?  Running, Laundry, Cleaning, or trying to manage the boys in the crazy city that we live in!  I realized after going home to Utah a few weeks ago just how crazy it is living in Manhattan.  It is a completely different world here.  It just is.  But as long as I can get out every once and a while I still love it here.
Now, where to begin...
A few weeks ago we were able to fly home for Paige's Wedding!  We felt so lucky to be able to be there with everyone and enjoy time with them.  Tye is great and we are excited to have him in the family and get to know him better!  The boys love him!

Congratulations Paige and Tye

Grandkids with Nana and Papa

Outside the Draper Temple. I still have to find the nice picture of everyone.  This is the only one I have downloaded and as you can see...

Katie was the only one ready for that one! At first I was wondering where Jackson was but then I spotted him behind the scene with Jake.  I am sure he was trying to escape.  

Jayden

We are realizing that the bigger our family keeps getting the harder it is to get everyone to cooperate for a picture

But we will be able to look back and be reminded of each of their personalities as kids. 

We get a lot of comments in New York.  

You going for your girl? You better stop now!

Wow!  Ugh!

But probably what we get the most since Caleb has been born is,

"You've got yourself a basketball team!"  

We pretend like we haven't heard it before, chuckle...yep! 

Might as well call ourselves the Harlem Globetrodders!

Snow, Baseball, and Friends

March 16 was a day to remember.  Chase arrived home at 5:30 in the morning from a long work trip in California.  The boys were so excited that they woke up at 5:00 to make sure they were up to greet him at the door.  Actually they have been waking up that early all week but we will just let Chase think that it was for him.  I woke up with Caleb at 4:30 and then I figured I might as well make blueberry muffins for Chase because I was SO CRAZY EXCITED to have him home!!!  I cannot begin to express my feelings about taking care of 4 kids and a dog in the city for an entire week by myself.  I think the doormen even felt bad for me as they would watch me go in and out, in and out, and in and out of the building all day long for days.  Luckily they didn't see Gauge poop in the hall on day 3 with still 2 days to go.  Poor dog, and poor me.

But what really got to me was our experience in Harlem going to the boys first baseball practice this season.  I have been so excited for the boys to start baseball this year because they will be on the same team.  It is for 5-6 year olds and since Jackson turns 5 before the end of April he gets to play this year!  Their first practice was Wednesday night which is our busiest day with Chase's speech but we got everything ready and jumped on the subway to make it to the end of practice.  As we, meaning me and the 4 boys, were running up to the baseball fields with only a few blocks to go we noticed that the street was taped off with yellow tape saying caution crime.  There was a crowd of people and police officers on the other side of the street and I was not sure what to do or how to get past the few blocks of tape to get to the baseball field.  We sat there...and then I decided I guess we just go under it and run.  So we did and then the officer stopped me and asked what I was doing.  He was a little upset but then escorted me and the boys through the taped off area.  Then a man on the other side of the tape mentioned that I better not go through there and that my boys should not know what just happened and I got a little scared.  I have lived in New York for three years now and this is the first time that I actually felt scared.  I told the boys that from now on we will just have to miss baseball practice when Dad is out of town.  We stayed for about 15 minutes of practice before we left to make it home before dark.  It was one of those life experience that makes you think twice.  I thought where am I and how did I get here?  It feels like just yesterday I was sitting in Brother Halverson seminary class at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah and all of a sudden I opened my eyes and I was in the hood of Harlem with 4 boys trying to run through a taped off crime scene.  I tried to click my heels together like Dorathy in Wizard of OZ but it did not work.

But good news, we made it through the week!  When I picked little Chase up from school on Friday I was so excited because we had made it through the week and Dad was going to be home in the morning.  Apparently I was feeling it because this is what little Chase said to me on our walk home,
"Mom you are REALLY happy!"  I am happy it is a great day!  "Well cause Yesterday you were cranky but today you are really really happy!"  What can I say, I love Fridays and love Chase being home with the family!

Unfortunately Chase had taken a couple sleeping pills to sleep on the plane so he was feeling a little loopy when he arrived.  He got a quick nap while I headed out on my run.  It was so fabulous to get out  and run all by myself!!!

Then he took the boys out for the afternoon.  They went and played baseball in the snow with their two best friends Katelyn and Madison.  We are going to be so sad when these two girls move in May because my boys absolutely adore them.  They have so much fun together and their little personalities are identical to Chase and Jackson's.

Trying to have fun in the freezing cold!  Good thing Jayden and Caleb stayed behind!

Days without Dad

Life without Chase is no fun, no fun at all.  But, we have managed to survive and are so excited for him to come home!  This is for you to read while sitting in the airport waiting to board!!!  We can't wait to see you!  We love and miss you terribly!

Here is what you missed out on this week:

Taking the boys to school

a little 2 on 2

white vs dark:)

Jackson climbing on the rocks 

they can't seem to just walk home without climbing over every obstacle

Wednesday morning was a killer rain/wind storm.  There were broken umbrellas all over the place.  Luckily I managed to get ours back down before the wind took off with it.  It reminded me of that scene in Mary Poppins when all the Nannies are blown away in the wind.  Not a fun morning with all four of the boys, no umbrella, and no rain cover for the stroller.  But, they made it to school and we made it back home!

Celebrating Dads return with a morning run to the "Little Red Light House!"

Under the George Washington Bridge along the Hudson River

We counted lots of ducks and boats to keep Jayden entertained along the run.  I'm not use to having to carry on a conversation while running.    

And here is Caleb on the run, enjoying a little fresh air from down under.  He slept most of the way then opened his eyes at the end to see what was going on!  

It is now time to go pick up the boys and talk all about how Dad is flying home TONIGHT, not tomorrow or the next day but tonight!  Wahoo!  It has not even been a whole week but it feels like a lifetime!  

See You Soon!  

p.s.

Gauge is still here!