Merry Christmas!!

We hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! This is as close to Christmas cards as I'm getting this year. We love and think of you all often. Love the Harr's



Melinda, Greg, Hunter (12), Austin (9), Ryder and Peyton (4), Brooks (3 months)

Mostly Brooks....almost!

I know that there are a ton of pictures, but it's been awhile since I blogged. We blessed Brooks at home about a month ago and that's what a few of the pictures are. Also, to start off the holiday season, Greg's office does a "themed" Christmas party. It was the 80's this year. It was so fun to dress up...Greg is Joe Dirt. I was playing around with a lot of the pictures and that's why they are all different tones. I love my little Ryder and his happy smile. Actually, I love all my little guys (and my big guy) and their fun smiles! I hope you all are having a fun holiday season and not rushing around so much that you can't enjoy it.

My little Brooks is 2 months old already!!

I took Brooks to his 2 month check-up and he's huge. He weighs 13.9lbs and over 23 inches long. Thank goodness his head is only in the 40th% thus far. He's such a good baby and I just want to eat him up all day long!!
I love when he gets so mad!
All the boys...I just love them...most of the time :)
This is a classic...Ryder has some smile!
Just want to eat him up!!!

Look Who's 12!!

I can't believe that Hunter is 12! He's such a great kid and a loves being a big brother. He wants to be involved in anything and everything. He just made Student Body President at his school (although no one ran against him, so he doesn't think that's very fair), he just finished his first season of football and is now playing basketball on a comp league, he's been doing piano for about 4 or 5 years and is now playing clarinet for 6th grade band. He's mostly excited to finally be able to attend YM's. He loves to be busy and has a great work ethic. We love this kid and are so happy he's in our family!

Utah

Last week I took a short trip to Utah and got to show off the baby. I took Peyton with me since Ryder got to go with Greg in May. Even though it was short, it was sure packed full of events. We had lot's of fun and I'm glad that my husband was considerate enough to send me. I spent time in St. George with my sister and my brother. Also, we went to Ephraim to watch Tyler, my brother-in-law, coach Snow College football. They won by 3 points in overtime. We spent some time at a cute little fall festival and then back up north to spend time with g-pa. I missed seeing a lot of people, but it's so hard to get to everyone, especially on such short time.
SISTER'S: Jessi, Lisa, Suz (Russ's wife) and me, in Ephraim watching Tyler coach at Snow College.
Adde (Jessi's daughter) and Brooks. She loved him and kept asking if she could keep him.
Peyton riding in a barrel at fall festival.
Peyton loves riding horses and wanted to use all his tickets on the horse.
Peyton and Ezra (Jessi's son) feeding the pony. They had fun together.
My sweet Baby Brooks!

Introducing Brooks J. Harr

He's finally here. I feel like this was the longest pregnancy I've had thus far. I was supposed to be induced Friday, September 16th, but he decided to show up Thursday night at 7:25 (he came too fast for an epidural, not my favorite way to go). He weighed in at 7lbs8.8oz and was 21 inches long. We had his two week appointment today and he's up to 8lbs10.5oz. He's an eater and he's loved by his brother's. We are excited he's here!

Family Pic

So this was not my idea...Greg needed to have a family picture to put on some website having to do with work. There is no way on this earth I would have a family picture while I'm in my last month of pregnancy. We could hardly get the kids to cooperate! They were taken in our newly landscaped backyard (I need to post pictures of that before it snows).

Notice that Ryder is waiting patiently with a smile on the fence for his picture to be taken. Greg is trying to figure out how to self time it. Finally had to ask someone else to take the picture.

Still trying to get ready for the picture.

Peyton, what's with the tongue!!

Hunter and Austin couldn't be serious the whole time.

Maybe this one will work...nope, melinda has pregnant face going on!!!

FOOTBALL!

Football is the best sport because it's in Autumn and I love Autumn. Both Hunter and Austin are playing this year. It's the first year I've let them play, for a few reasons...it's time consuming and I wanted them to be 100% committed, and it's expensive. Hunter has been asking for years to play, and after spending three weeks with his uncle who is head coach at Snow college, I felt he was ready to play. Austin...he's another story. He didn't want to play at first (mainly because I make them pay 1/2 of all sports they play), but then they opened up his division because they didn't have enough kids and I told him I actually wasn't giving him a choice. He needed something that made him work hard (he's a big kid).

I'm amazed at how both boys LOVE the sport. Hunter plays QB and plays on the defense team. I thought he'd panic the first few plays as these kids were coming at him to tackle him, but he's got a smart head on him and he's been playing awesome. They've won two games and lost one, so far. Hunter is #7 on the black team.

Austin weighs 127 lbs and is in the 4th grade (with all pads he weighs 138). So when he showed up at his first practice the coach says, "How much do you weigh, Haus?!?" He was surprised to have Big Aust on the team because we signed up the day of first practice and he wasn't on the coaches roster. He has played so well. He's very coach-able and does whatever he's told and you can tell as he plays. I hope both boys stick with the sport because I can see how much more confidence it's given them. Austin's teams has also won 2 games and lost one. Austin is #14 on the blue team.

A little bit confused

I'm just about on my last month of pregnancy, which means insomnia!!! It's like I'm sleeping fine one night and then the next I can't get comfortable, or I have restless leg syndrome, have to pee, etc. This is all beside the point...last night around 12:30 I wasn't sleeping well and I could see a light on in the hall. Not sure why, I got up to check it out. I could hear someone downstairs in the kitchen. When I peeked my head over the railing I could see Austin about to make his lunch for his first day of school. I asked what he was doing...he just kind of looked at me like "isn't it obvious". I told him to go back to bed because it was only 12:30 in the morning. He was really surprised. Then I noticed the lights were also on in his bedroom. I go check things out and Hunter is just getting out of the shower. I said why are you showering at 12:30 in the morning? He was surprised that it wasn't morning. He says "no wonder I feel so tired." They both don't know why they woke up, no alarm went off or anything. That's the kind of thing my brother would do to me...but nobody was trying to trick them. I guess they were just really excited to go back to school today!!

Happy 14th Anniversary!!

On August 2nd, 1997, I married the most amazing man. We dated for six years before we were married and I thought I knew the guy. Little did I know that each year we were/are together, the more I respect and love this man! He is such a great example to me and has a heart of gold. I'm thankful that he's in my life!!