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!!

Today we are 4!!!

Four years comes so fast! I can't believe that next year they will go to kindergarten. Happy Birthday to our crazy little boys that keep us on our toes...at all times :)

A few things

Our trip to Hawaii in April. With friends, Nichole and Kendall Skinner
Greg and I on the beach in Honolulu
Greg shaved the twins curls off in April. They keep asking when they are going to get their big hair back.
Hunter thought this would be the funniest picture, so he made greg shave only the top off.
This past Saturday we did the women's run for breast cancer. It's a five mile run. We are missing Anne Reed in this picture. But it was so fun to run with these girls. (Me, LouAnne (Erin's mom), Erin Nisonger, Kandace Clove (Greg's niece), Brooke Cook)
In April the key was left on the treadmill and Ryder decided to go for a run. He fell and sliced his face open. Greg usually stitches the boys up, but he wouldn't touch this one, either would the ER doctors. They brought in a plastic surgeon. He's healing really well, but it was so sad to see his poor face!
Friday night we hiked the Winners Creek trail in Girdwood. It was such a beautiful hike. Towards the end you had to pulley yourself across this river. Kandace, Austin and Peyton took the first turn.
Kandace (Greg's niece is living with us for the summer) and myself on hike.
Twins "baring" their bums on hike.
One night we saw two porcupines on our front porch. Greg opened the door to look at them and it acted like it was just going to come right in our house.

Bear Spray

So, I've carried bear spray in my car (to use for hiking) for the past five years and never had anyone bother it. I just moved the twins carseats to the back seat and I forgot that the spray is in a pocket back there. Tonight we (me, my niece Kandace, Aust, Peyton and Ryder) went for a drive to look for wildlife. On the way back from the Eagle River Nature Center we hear this pop and then a spraying noise. Then we hear Aust just screaming "Poison! Poison!" And he's coughing and then the twins are crying. Kandace turned around to see what was happening and it hit her right in the face. I luckily was driving and didn't turn around. I had just enough time to find a driveway (which was lucky coming back from ER Nature Center) and pull over and we all dive out of the car. No one could see for like 15 minutes and poor Aust was screaming because he was affected the most because he was sitting right in front of Peyton. It was a bad deal all around. While we were getting our vision back, I noticed we were all getting eaten alive by mosquito's. So I told everyone to get back in the car and we would drive down the road with windows down to get the rest of spray out of car. By the time we got home everyone was pretty calm...until the showers! I looked on-line and it said that the best thing to do was wash it off with water. So we all took showers. Ouch!!! That was almost just as bad as the spray itself! Everyone was in tears again. So I read on-line again and I see a different explanation of what to do if you get sprayed with bear spray and have no water around. You wipe it off with alcohol or bleach and rinse your eyes out with milk. I used some alcohol wipes on Aust since he was hurting the worst, but the rest of us just had to wait out the pain (about 15-30 minutes). I tell you what...I feel sorry for the bear that is going to dare show it's face while we are out hiking!!!