Ruby turns 2

For Ruby's birthday we went to the movies and watched Epic with Papa Oldham and he spoiled us with drinks and popcorn. (Grandma had to go visiting teaching.) It was a great movie! 

Then we went to the shoe store and let Ruby try on all the shoes she wanted to.....She even tried on some shoes that Andrew was trying on. To say that Ruby loves shoes is an understatement! :) She picked out a cute white pair for some church shoes. Then we went and got some cake and ice cream and Papa surprised her with a bunch of balloons they got her a fun present.

 I think she liked her cake....

 We met Grandma at her house and had a fun celebration for Ruby. Ruby has a special place in her heart for her Grandma! Papa and Grandma got her bracelets, necklaces, rings, crowns, and some fun toys. Thanks for celebrating with us Papa and Grandma!

Firsts

First time riding his bike with no training wheels.

Andrew wanted to ride his bike without training wheels so bad. He kept begging me to take them off but I couldn't help him learn right then so I told him he'd have to wait until his dad got home. That wasn't good enough for him so he went and borrowed the neighbors bike that was bigger and had no training wheels and taught himself. I walked outside to check on him and he was coming down the sidewalk all by himself saying "Watch Mom!" He wanted to prove that he was ready right then to take them off. So when Gilbert got home from work we took the training wheels off and off he went. He was a pro from the get go. Spring of 2013.

Spring 2013

  First garden....
We got a plot in our neighborhood garden and thought we'd give it a go. We loved having a garden and here's what we learned after our first year:
1. We love carrots!
2. Carrots last forever.
3. Watering everyday is much harder than you would think.
4. We don't water enough to keep lettuce sweet.
5. Broccoli grows crazy.
6. Ruby loves sugar snap peas.
7. We could never have enough strawberries. We always fought over who got the prized few we had grow.
8. You never know what you're going to get growing in a neighborhood garden. ie: green beans/ a turnip. Thanks to our great neighbors the Bohnes. #funsurprise!
9. We could never grow enough tomatoes.
10. Cucumbers need more space. But they were very sweet.
11. We love having a garden!

Before

After

Better Late Than Never :)

A quick recap....... I haven't blogged in way too long and I have decided it's my favorite way to journal. It helps me remember the details of life better than anything else so I am going to do a quick catch up and then blog our life as is happens. The ups and the downs, and mostly the memories I never want to forget.......

Ruby LOVES eating snow. If she is ever out in the snow this is what she's doing always! I learned no matter how hard I try I can't stop her from eating it so I tried to teach her how to pick which snow is better to eat. (Winter of 2013 at Papa's house)

 We got to visit family is St. George a few times last year. This is one of the times and we went with Grandpa Rowley to his farm. He let Andrew drive the tractor (which you can't see him) and gave us a fun ride in the bucket of the tractor all around the farm. It was a fun ride and Andrew was a great driver.

 Gilbert went Tiger Muskee fishing a handful of times last year. This is one of his best that he caught. He even took us along a couple times.

 I have always dreamed of becoming a runner..... One of those that love/ enjoy running. I decided I need to get good at it first and then maybe I will love it. I have always hated running. I wish that wasn't true but there's nothing about it that I like. So last year I really wanted to get in shape before getting pregnant again so Gilbert would go on his daily runs and then on his third or fourth lap (his cool down) I would run with him. He would give me good pointers and help me with the mental game of running. My overall goal was to become mentally strong and since running is always something I have struggled with I thought it was a good place to start. Gilbert helped me A LOT! He is very encouraging and patient. I wanted something to work toward to we both signed up for a 5k. Gilbert took second place (even with a handful of high school runners and a couple college runners). After Gilbert finished he came back and finished it with me. My goal was to run the whole thing but in the end my knee gave out on me and I could barely walk. Gilbert talked me through finishing. Thanks Babe! Someday I am going to run a whole 5k. I know that's a small mile marker for most but for me it will be a great accomplishment. My friend Katie Watson also went running with me a lot and did the 5k with me. She is in much better shape so at the end I told her to finish strong when my knee gave out. She was a great running companion too.

 Papa Oldham's house...

 Andrew's first experience of soccer. 2013....

 Ruby enjoyed the flowers as much as the game.

 This is where we live... 2011- 20? This is actually the house across the street from us. This sis our view. We have loved living in The Springs and  mostly the awesome neighbors and friends we have made here.

 Camping at Newton. This is one of the times Gilbert took us fishing with him and we camped overnight. The kids loved it! Fishing, climbing trees, roasting marshmallows, campfires, looking at the stars, throwing rocks, getting soaked, and enjoying being together.

 Papa Oldham's house and all the fun we have there.....

I haven't updated my blog in way too long. A lot has changed in our lives and I will make an update as soon as I can get the picture situation figured out. Our pictures aren't working right now on our computer.

New Years Eve 2011- New Years Day 2012

For our Oldham family Christmas party I made my mom's whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. We have never had a party without them and it didn't seem right to go without. So in honor of my parents being on a mission I decided to continue the tradition. They were a big hit of course and didn't last long. :)

We took a family picture to send to my parents but we really missed Jim and Megan's family.
Uncle Eric gave Gilbert a Jarritos drink they used to get when they worked together doing tile. Ruby was trying her hardest to get some.

The grandkids had a white elephant exchange with old toys they didn't need anymore and the lightsavers from Melinda and Gene's family were the biggest hit.

The adults had a white elephant gift exchange and Doug and Melissa got three goldfish from us. It was a fun surprise.

Melinda was having many cravings and good ideas of what would taste good for our New Years treats. We got a little carried away with the baking, but Lori, Melinda, and I had so much fun in the kitchen. No one could leave the kitchen until everyones desserts were made. ;) I even had to sit on a chair in the kitchen to feed Ruby while Lori and Melinda made the cake. I love my sisters! Everyone who came for new years was supposed to bring pizza for their family and a treat to share. We got a little carried away with our treat to share.... No bake cookies, brownies, frosted sugar cookies, marble cake with chocolate frosting, muddy buddies, and a seven layer bean dip. Others brought a lot fun deserts and salsas and chips to share as well. This is just to show the fun me and my sisters had.
We sure had a lot of good eats.

There wasn't any snow to sled/play on this new years. It was the weirdest new years ever for that reason. But we did have the best fire works we've ever had, thanks to Nate Oldham, and we sure had a lot of fun being together as family. I'm so glad Melinda and Gene got to come be with us. Thanks to Lori and Bing for there awesome hospitality.

Taio was ready for anything....
For the first time ever I got cold during the count down of New Years because I wasn't all bundled up in my snow clothes.

Christmas with the Rowleys 2011

On Christmas Eve we met at John's house for dinner, a nativity by the grandkids, and then went on a hayride around the neighborhood singing Christmas carols. It was really fun and really cold.

Andrew got his first cap gun from Grandma and Papa Rowley. He was so excited!
I has a lot of fun visiting with Grandma Rowley after caroling. Ruby is so bundled up she doesn't know what to do. She has four different blankets wrapped around her she can't move.
Christmas morning at Uncle Luke's house. This is all the kids waiting to be given the green light to come out and see what Santa brought them. They were so cute hanging out and having fun with each other.
This is what Santa left for Andrew and Ruby, and a stocking for Gilbert and me.
Andrew was so excited for his trains.
Andrew already had a story about his trains he wanted to tell me.
Gilbert gave me some earrings in my stocking and surprised me with a gift card to Zeppes (my favorite treat splurge) and a renewed subscription to the Ensign. I had been asking for one for a while.
I took Andrew christmas shopping with me for a gift for Daddy. I took him to Al's and took him to the fishing section to let him pick something out. He didn't like anything he saw. Then he lit up and got so excited when he saw ping pong paddles and balls. He knew right away that's what he wanted to get his Daddy for Christmas.

Sidenote: Every now and then we will go meet Gilbert at work for lunch at 11:00 pm :) on Thursday night because he works alone on Thursday. In the break room at work is a ping pong table and Andrew LOVES to play with his Daddy. He always gets so sad when we have to leave. I thought it was cute Andrew was determined to get that for his Daddy even though we don't have a ping pong table. Gilbert loved it. Someday we will have to get a table, but until then we will be ready with the accessories.
Ruby got this crawling jungle gym. She loves it.

Gilbert went fishing to Navajo Dam with his Dad and brothers. It is becoming a tradition.
The kids loved reading books on my lap over the Christmas break.
We had such a fun time at Uncle Luke and Aunt Heather's house. They were so much fun for Christmas. We are so lucky to have such awesome family and the time to spend with them.