Thanksgiving, with a side of birthday!

It's so nice NOT to be in the hospital with a new baby for Thanksgiving.  We were excited to spend it with family instead!  Since that unfortunate chimney fire at the cabin... we had to change venue to Mom and Dad's house in Francis.  It all worked out wonderful and there was plenty of room!  We couldn't forget about baby Tommy's birthday, so we stuck a candle in a pie and sang happy birthday!  It was his first time trying pumpkin pie and he loved it!  This baby has grown so much in the last year.  He can be so sweet and cuddly sometimes and pushy and feisty other times.  He loves almost everything he eats and still takes 2 naps a day.  He looks a lot like Dallin did at that age.  He's taking more and more steps and is just so delighted with his success.  It's so fun to have family there to help us celebrate.  We love our baby Tommy!

Drew is 3!

To add to our fun during birthday week, Drew turned 3 on Tuesday!  Unfortunately, I had to work that day... but we celebrated that night with Chinese food and cake!  Grandma and Grandpa Hawkins came up the day before and bought him a new toy truck and lunch at McDonald's.  What else could a 3-year-old want?! 

Drew is such a joy in our lives!  He says the cutest things and is saying new things every day.  He doesn't wander off as often, which has been a relief.  He still gets picked on (a lot) by Dallin and is starting to fight back, which isn't good either.  Drew is our biggest book lover.  He won't go to bed without Bevan reading him at least 3 books!  He also loves to play with others and gets so lonely if he doesn't have a buddy.  What's in store for him now?  I have high hopes of potty training him very soon.  He's so ready.  I just need a block of time where there's nothing else going on.  When does that ever happen?!  He's easily motivated by candy still and has the craziest sweet tooth!  We love our little Drew!

Bevan turns the big 4-0!

Oh, how did this happen?  4 birthdays in 7 days?!  We just love that 3rd week in November.  Luckily, we only have to decorate the house once, and then leave it up for a week.  Bevan's birthday came first and all he wanted was to have dinner with his old buddies.  Done!  Thanks to all who came out and braved traffic to get to Salt Lake.  It was so fun!!!  I loved to hear all the stories from Bevan as a teenager and I'm glad he had such good friends to keep him out of trouble!  I totally spaced his birthday cupcakes, but Caren came through with the gift of Spaghettios!  Oh, that's totally him! 
I can't believe Bevan is 40.  He still doesn't look his age and definitely doesn't act like it (in a good way!).  He still loves to do all those things that keep him young.  How we all love Bevan!  Happy Birthday my Love!

Cousin Luke's Baptism

Oh, how I love a good trip to Idaho to visit Vanessa and her family!  It's been a bit since any cousin baptisms and we were so happy for Luke!  This also means that Isaac and Anna's baptisms are coming up too.  They're getting so big (and I'm feeling so old)!
We opted for a day trip, rather than late night driving and then probably very little sleeping.  Anyway, we got there in plenty of time.  The baptism was beautiful!  Sterling was able to do the baptism.  Sadly, the memory that will always stand out was when Luke was coming out of the water and Dallin blurted out, "I don't want to get baptized!"  Oh, that kid!  It got some chuckles, but I was so embarrassed.
Vanessa put on quite the party afterwards.  I loved to just sit and be entertained for a while.  The food was amazing and the kids were overjoyed with amazing toys and games.  They also have a new dog, which Dallin and Drew loved to play with too.  Dallin kept telling us on the way home how he wants a dog now.  Oh, Dallin.  I already have 4 little "puppies" to raise!