What we're up to

Carleton: Mountain bikes twice a week, plays racquetball once a week, rock climbs once a week, and works out at the gym all before the rest of the family wakes up. He showers at LA Fitness and then is off to work. We still see him at the same time every day even with his commute. He's been working hard on the yard and is ready to put a lawn in. He has been kind enough to paint furniture for me since I can't until the baby comes.

Robyn: I started teaching piano lessons to three cute kiddos and play for primary kids in church. I work out at the gym while the kids go to Kid's Club-but have had to quit running-doesn't feel so great anymore. I'm still working on projects for Ignited, my teacher training company and hope to get out and do some trainings after the baby comes. Always crafting and thinking of ways to be a better mom. Lately, I've been thinking of ways to streamline my life so I can spend time doing things I really love.

Apollo: Is loving preschool and his buddies. He loves learning-super sponge and is an artist. He can play with Legos or Melty Beads forever. Always our dare devil and loves to be goofy and laugh. He's in soccer right now. He's a great reader. I love the way he treats Annie so kindly (most of the time) and is such a good good boy. I really enjoy his company. He had plans to be a bat for Halloween...until he saw the Lightning McQueen costume.

Annie: Loves gymnastics and does a really good job-she's pretty coordinated. We have enjoyed cooking, playing, reading, and sewing together. She is thriving with some alone time but also really enjoys preschool when the coop is at our house. She get right in and does everything with the big kids. Annie will hug and kiss me and ask "do you like my huges...do you like my kisses." She is full of energy and never stops (like Dad). She has a great sense of humor. She loves books, playing Go Fish, playing Legos, and laughing with Apollo. Both kids enjoy their bikes.

Baby Boy: Moving more and more. He is adored by his siblings. Annie loves to hug and talk to him.


Highlight of the week: We checked out a Chinese book last week where a little boy was taught "how are you?" in Chinese. Apollo and Annie loved bowing and saying "ni hao ma". We went out for Chinese last night and the kids loved doing it for anyone who would listen. Our waiter and hostess loved it.

The kids have been sewing bean bags. I had my sewing machine out making Christmas stockings.

Apollo got dressed up and asked if I wanted to take a picture.

Irvine Park Field Trip

The Train.

Bounce House.

There was a little haunted house. The kids were intrigued (and a little scared) by the sound detection witch and would yell "Boo."

Celebrating Annie

This week Annie went on a camp out with Carleton, joined Apollo for preschool, and had her first gymnastics class.


Reunion of some of my favorite people. We all met and worked together doing SuperCamps.

Good luck Michelle and Steve in Australia!

We're doing a coop preschool for Apollo this year. He loves it! Annie joined us when I had it here. She did everything with us and was so into everything. I'm going to be going through a letter of the week with her starting next week, including fun activities. She really enjoys the alone time with mom when Apollo's gone. We love cooking and doing activities together.

Apollo made these all by himself without a pattern!! They're perfectly symmetrical. He works on his "Melty Beads" and other activities like workbooks, Legos, cars, or coloring while Annie takes her naps.

Apollo and Deacon at the water park.

Apollo's first soccer class. Carleton said Apollo and Deacon were joined at the hip for the first practice. Thanks Shannon for the pics.

Annie has been looking forward to camping with Daddy for days. Every night in our "thankfuls" she says she's thankful "baby's gonna walk." I talked to her a long time ago about how we could take the baby out and show him things like the trees. But, the night before the camp out she said, "I'm thankful baby...I'm gonna ride my bike (they took it camping) and go camping with Daddy."

She came home with her crafts in hand, so excited to show me what she had made at the campout.




Annie LOVES LOVES her gymnastics class. Her favorite was the trampoline.

One of my highlights this week was celebrating Carol's birthday. We ate breakfast and crafted (this is what my dreams are made of-I could craft every day with these girls). They are some of the cutest girls and I felt energized just being around them (and having Carol help me with my Christmas stockings-muchas gracias).

Annie and Apollo love Carol. She spoils them. I slept in this morning and came down to a fort Carleton helped the kids build. The kids have been playing with their new castle and race track.

On the way to church today Apollo asked, "How did that baby get in your tummy?" They say things that crack me up every day. I'm a very lucky and happy mom.

It's a BOY!!!

We could not be more excited!! This baby came as a big surprise! Annie loves to hug my tummy and talk to the baby. She says she will hold him, sing to him,...and "paint his red toenails." She says she is going to have a baby too. They go gaga over babies. They love to talk to, kiss, and feed the little ones that come over. This baby will be treated like royalty.

To tell Apollo and Annie we're having a boy, Carleton bought cinnamon rolls. He had the kids close their eyes while we sprinkled blue sprinkles. They were both so excited. Carleton showed the kids all our ultrasound pics. Apollo had said that girls are "much cuter" but both were very excited to hear it was going to be a boy. Annie was right.

We took our Christmas pictures early this year so I wouldn't look too bloated for the pictures. Suzana did an amazing amazing job (let me know if you're looking for a great photographer).

Annie and Carleton have the same eyes. She really loves her Daddy.

Donny and Apollo are "squeaking chipmunks"? here. Suzana said Apollo was very precise about getting Donny's undies on just right.

Annie and Apollo are the best little buddies. I try to catch them at their sillies. The berreted hair is Apollo's work. he thinks it looks pretty when he does Annie's hair.

We love to cook together. I caught Donny and Apollo holding hands as we walked around the Spectrum-good buddies.

Apollo's best pal, Donny, took him out for a special birthday day (for Donny's birthday). They look like little gangstas here.



























They got to go on a train ride.

They ended with slip n slide and cake. What a day for both boys!! They've been friends since they were little tykes.
























Happy Birthday Grant! Apollo misses his buddy Grant and talks about him. He thought he would be going to preschool again with him this year and Annie thought he would be in her gymnastics class.

Kimberly and Suzana planned a fun lunch for me for my birthday. I am lucky to have great pals. I am also lucky to have the Vitamix from the Copas and Carleton. I could go on about my love for that machine-grinds wheat-makes amazing smoothies and icees.





















Fourth of July Weekend with the Harps, Avalos, and Copa parents. We had a fun day out on the lake.


Climbing around at Rock City.





















July 4th parade.

Murder Mystery in Maui.

We are always working on projects around here.

Here's Carleton's biggest fans. We took these pics at Carleton's last bike race.




The kids love Brian and Aileen. They will make such amazing parents!




















LAKE POWELL. Annie is a Grandpa's girl. She adores both her Grandpas. She even chose to go to Ken over me. Annie loved loved swimming and going down the slide with Dad. Even though she loves playing legos and cars with Apollo, she also loves shoes and getting her nails painted. She can be very independent-we went to a pool party and she took off in the pool alone and swam by herself on her first day of trying it by herself (with her puffy suit, that can be pretty tipsy). She was swimming like a champion for all of Powell.

Annie's first time skiing!



























We had incredible water-flat most of the time. Since I'm pregnant, you won't be seeing any pictures of me upside down-could just blog Carleton:)

Apollo skiing.



























Apollo's first time wake boarding with Dad. He had a huge smile and said he wasn't afraid but loved it.

Apollo has Carleton's love for adventure. He ran and jumped off this cliff.



























The kids had a great time with Jacob and Eli. I always have a great time with Cameo and wished she lived closer (Papua New Guinea is too far!). Super fun to hear about her life there.

Trip to Idaho to visit my parents. Justin came down from school too. This moose would visit my parents' cabin often to get a drink. Other moose came by too. Apollo was pushing Annie on the swing (I took these from inside the house so the kids wouldn't see me)-so sweet. This was just before they were bitten by yellow jackets.

Apollo fishing with Grandpa. He remembered every detail of their first fishing trip together and was looking forward to this trip for a long time.

I asked Apollo what his favorite part about our trip to Idaho was and he said "playing with Justin." He is so so good with the kids. He let Apollo drive the 4-wheeler and when we came home one time we found this bench "slide" he made for the kids.

Mom made a house out of a couple big boxes. Justin added on a million more, including a second story and a light they could turn on and off. The kids had fun coloring the whole thing.

Justin and Carleton went off a huge rope swing into freezing water. Apollo even got in and swam for awhile. When Carleton first dipped him in he screeched "NICE!".

Fun with Grandma. They loved going around on this trailer.

Yellowstone. Hotpots and a buffalo.

Fun with Grandpa.

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I checked in on Annie after bedtime and she had all these little animals around her and she was reading to them.
























Playing dressup.


Apollo's first day of preschool this year. He was very excited.




















"First day of Gymnastics"-we thought. We took Annie to a gymnastics class and I have never seen a kid so excited. They opened the gates and she flew in and started jumping on the equipment. We found out we came a week too early so we took a crying and very broken hearted little girl out.