The Fagan Family

Birthday Celebration for Hunter and Colton

2011-01-02T09:57:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday To You.... We celebrated Hunter and Colton's birthdays together with ALL of our family. I wish I would have been doing it this way all along....much easier! And I think everyone had a good time. Colton turned 12 on December 16th, and Hunter turned 14 on January 1st. I have no idea where time goes. Next year Hunter will be driving...Yikes! They are both wonderful boys and we are so proud of both of them!!

The boys both wanted a giant cookie...and there was chocolate cake for everyone else!

Hunter got a BSU Broncos quilt to go in his BSU bedroom.

Colton LOVES his new toolbox and tools!
Colton got four new pair of his FaVoRiTe jeans!

Kyla is helping...as usual.
UNCLE DEAN
Grandma Knutson and Grandpa Anderson

The Andersons

Let it SNOW...

2010-12-01T23:45:00.001-08:00

This morning we woke to about 8 inches of fresh SNOW! Schools were closed, which my boys were thrilled to discover. Craig stayed home to watch the kids...and unfortunately I was home sick, so I really didn't get to enjoy the day as much as everyone else. But I did snap a few shots of Colton and Kyla playing in the snow and building a fort. They had a FABULOUS time...and it really is beautiful (to look at from inside my nice, warm house!)

Kyla making a snow angel...

MAKING THE FORT

Pumpkin Patch/Pumpkin Carving and Halloween Festivities

2010-12-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words; well I posted LOTS of pictures because I am going to keep it short and sweet for this one. Trying to catch up on THREE months worth of blogs in one night has been exhausting!

We had a wonderful FALL and Halloween this year. The kids got to pick out their own pumpkins at the pumpkin patch...which was TONS of fun! And the boys carved some fabulous jack-o-lanterns while Kyla drew a creative face on her pumpkin.

On Halloween...Kyla was oh-so-excited to wear her PURPLE witch costume, while the boys do what teenage boys do...they threw together costumes at the last minute just so they could get away with going trick-or-treating. Enjoy our photos...

At the Pumpkin Patch...

Hayride...Good Times!!

TOO CUTE!

Carving (and Coloring) Pumpkins...

Kyla and Mommy

Delicious!

We got an electric carving knife this year...good investment!

The boys' VERY cool Jack-O-Lanterns all lit up!

HALLOWEEN

Kyla - the PuRpLE witch

Hunter - the GooFBaLL

Coley LOVES pictures...as you can tell! Ha!

My beautiful mom and me

The kids and me...

And one with DAD...

LOVE this one of Kyla...

HUNTER...oh so scary!

Life's simple pleasures...

Hunter and Emily

Hunter and I being silly...as usual

SiLLy little Kyla May!

We hope everyone else had a FUN and FESTIVE Halloween as well!!

Hunter's Guitar Concert

2010-12-01T20:35:00.001-08:00

Hunter is in Advanced Guitar at school this year. In addition, he has been taking private lessons, which he REALLY enjoys. He has so much natural ability when it comes to music (and pretty much anything else artistic and creative.) We are so PROUD of you, Hunter!! You are a ROCK STAR!!

Handsome Hunter

Broken Bones...Boys will be Boys!

2010-12-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd post a picture of Colton with his cast (that he refused to let anyone sign.) It would have been difficult for signing anyway as we had to wrap and rewrap it many times for football games...oh well!

Colton's Optimist Football Season

2010-12-01T20:15:00.001-08:00

Wow! Have I fallen behind on my blogging...once again!! Since the boys returned home in August, then moving....life has been CrAZy BuSy for us!! Colton finished his first season of playing Optimist Football (over a month ago...oops!), so I figured I'd post a few pics. He is #74, and he played Linebacker and Safety. He REALLY enjoyed his first football experience and plans to play again next year.

Mid-season, Colton had a skateboarding accident and broke his arm. Luckily they let him continue to play (with a well-wrapped cast.) Hopefully next season he will make it through without any BRoKEn BoNEs!!

Colton did a great job and we are so PROUD of our athlete!

We are Moving!!

2010-09-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

We will be closing on our new home tomorrow! So excited to have TWICE as much space as we have now! Here are some pics...

1st Day of School....

2010-09-05T18:36:00.001-07:00

Another school year has come and gone. Hunter and Colton are both at the same school again this year....Lowell Scott Middle School. Colton is now in 6th grade and Hunter is in 8th grade. Here's hoping for an AWESOME year with good memories and even better grades!

Happy Birthday, Kyla!!

2010-09-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

Our little princess turned 4-years-old on August 8th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KYLA MAY!!! We were in Auburn, WA visiting Craig's brother and his family on Kyla's 'acual' birthday. Grandma and grandpa Fagan and Dean and Karen were also up visiting, so we had a small family party on her acutal birthday. We decided to wait a week for her party with the other side of the family so that Hunter and Colton could attend...since they missed her birthday party last year. Pamela's friend, Mai, made an AWESOME cake...which was also delicious. :) Kyla was very excited to get a 'big-girl' bike. Next thing you know she'll be asking for a car! They grow up too fast! I feel so BLESSED to have such wonderful kids who make my life so fulfilling!

In Auburn...

Back at home...Party #2

The faBuLoUS cake...thanks Mai!!

Make a wish...

Kyla and her BFF Kiera

Hunter is stylin'...

Fun on the Trampoline!!

Yay! So many cool art supplies!

Hunter is such a good brother to help Kyla with her paints!

The new bike!

Mommy LOVES you Kyla May....Muah!!!

Knutson Family Photo Shoot

2010-08-15T09:44:00.001-07:00

My Family

Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids!

My Beautiful Sisters...

My Wonderful Parents!

Deb, Chad and Reece

Beautiful Reece...

Awww....too sweet!

Monica and Morgie

Logan and Morgan

FiShINg and FuN on Father's Day

2010-07-18T19:13:00.001-07:00

We spent Father's Day doing what Craig loves to do most...FISHING. We went to Swan Falls, which was very scenic and not too far from home. Though it was hard for Craig to not have ALL THREE of his kids with him on his special day, I think he enjoyed fishing with his little angel. Craig is a wonderful father and we are ALL so lucky to have him in our lives!

Kyla was excited about her daddy catching a fish, though once it was reeled in she was much less excited about getting too close to it! I did manage to get this cute photo with her standing as close as she was willing to stand next to a slimy fish...

Catch of the Day...

Beautiful Swan Falls

Good Times!
Daddy and Kyla May
She's a natural!
Say Cheeeessseeee...

Family Get-Together

2010-07-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

Oh My Goodness...Once again I have fallen behind on my blogging! So now I am going to attempt to play 'catch-up.' Deb, Chad and Reece AND Monica, Logan and Morgan all came to visit last month (June). Luckily, Hunter and Colton were here the day everyone got here ~ so they got to see everyone before heading to Virginia for the rest of the summer. So Sad...

But...on a positive note...We had lots of fun hanging out, barbequeing, playing croquet, and celebrating Oliver's 2nd birthday! And...we had a BLAST on our rafting trip down the Payette River. I sure love my family and LOVE when we all get together....I just REALLY wish is was more often!

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

Craig and Reece
Sweet baby Max and me...
Monica and the girls...
Reece and Max
Kimmy reading to all the kids!
Uncle Craig and Max

Deb and Chad

Kyla and Reece

Reece, Oliver and Max

Uncle Jack and Reece

Kyla

Logan and Morgan

Colton at his 5th grade program...

2010-06-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

So...AFTER arriving at Colton's end-of-year 5th Grade Program, I realized that my video camera battery was D-E-A-D!!! BAD MOMMY... I should have double checked it BEFORE leaving for the program...BUT I have been SUPER busy lately and I assumed it still had enough of a battery charge for the program since I just used it a few days ago. Oh well...What you you do??? Anyway, I did get a few videos with my camera...but they aren't the best quality. Colton is NOT big on singing "cheesy" songs at school, so I won't lie and say you missed much of his singing, BUT he did do a FABULOUS job on reciting his memorized lines about Thomas Jefferson...AND he also did a WONDERFUL job on his PACE project (on Tom Jefferson) at school. He earned a B+....we are VERY proud of Colton and all his accomplishments....EVEN if he doesn't want to sing "cheesy" songs from music class!! Ha!

Make sure to go to the bottom of the blog and turn off my music so you can hear better. This clip is Colton reciting his memorized lines about Thomas Jefferson...Enjoy!

Mother's Day Festivities and Professional Pics

2010-06-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

PERFECT is the best way to describe this Mother's Day!!! I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. We were able to spend the day visiting both Craig's family and mine. And in between visits we even got some professional Mother's Day photos...(part of my Mother's Day present from Craig and the kids.) I feel so lucky to have not only the BEST mom in the world, but also a WONDERFUL mom-in-law. Not to mention that I also have the most thoughtful husband and kids who made this special day (and EVERY day) so GREAT. I truly feel like the LuCKieST girl in the world!!!

Here are a few of our professional pics (taken by the very talented Amber Fischer)...

I LOVE these kids so much!!!

Mommy's beautiful little angel...

Kings of the TREE!!!

Me and my handsome hubby...

I know..."GROSS"...as Hunter says... :)

Three generations of Knutson girls...

My beautiful mom and daughter

More presents....beautiful cards and flowers!!!

Thank you so much Craig and kids!!
My mother-in-law, Lydia, gets a new computer!!

And...Internet 101 lessons from Dean...

LOVE this one of the kids!!
And...one with Grandma Fagan!

Colton getting a headlock from Aunt Karen!!

My WONDERFUL parents!

Grandpa Knutson sneaking m&m's to Kyla...as usual! :)

Kids LOVE to play with boxes!

Oliver wearing Grandpa Knutson's hat...CUTE! Colton and baby Max

Uncle Craig and little Max

Hunter and Max

Grandma Knutson smooching Oliver

Mommy FINALLY gets a chance to hold her baby!!

Oliver and daddy

Aunt Pammy and baby Max!!

We hope everyone else also had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day!!!

Craig's Fishing Pics...

2010-06-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

Craig has been doing some good fishing lately, so I thought I'd throw a couple of his pics up from a recent fishing excursion at Swan Falls. I'm not much for fishing, but I sure LOVE to eat them...and Craig can cook fish like no other!! Yummmy!!!

Colton earns the Presidential Education Award!!!

2010-06-05T20:47:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Colton!!!! He earned the Presidential Education Award. This is quite an accomplishment...in order to earn this award, students have to have received all A's and B's in both 4th and 5th grade AND also scored in the top 15% on their ISAT's. So HOORAY for Colton, who was ONE of only five kids in his class who earned this award!!! Smart kid!!! We are so proud of Colton for all his hard work!!!

The Certificate

Letter from President Obama...

Colton was NOT too excited about getting a hug from his little sis in front of his friends...

Hugging his teacher...Mrs. Orlovich

Colton and Mrs. O

Hunter Track - Spring 2010

2010-06-05T20:28:00.001-07:00

Yes...I have fallen WAY behind with my blogging...so I am just throwing up some pics of Hunter at his track meets this Spring. This was his FIRST time participating in track at school; and he REALLY had a great time. The season flew by...just like everything else these days!! We are so PROUD of Hunter and all his accomplishements. Enjoy a few of his track pics...

Hunter and Dad

Getting ready for the triple jump...
Hurdles!!

Nothing says prepared for a race like having your hands in your pockets! Sorry, I couldn't resist! We made sure to give him a hard time for this!! :)

Welcome Max!!!

2010-05-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have fallen VERY behind on my blogging...so now that baby Max is almost in college, I will post his baby pictures! Ha ha ha...though he's not in college yet, he is already almost two months old. He was born on April 9th. Little Max is such a good baby and gets all kinds of love and attention from his cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents...and yes, his wonderful parents and Big Brother - Kim, Jack and Oliver. We are all so happy to have a new member of our extended family. We LOVE you, Max!!! Enjoy the pics...

I LOVE this one...so sweet!

Proud Papa...Jack
Proud mommy and big brother - Oliver
Uncle Craig and Max
Aunt Pammy
Close up...
Cousin Hunter and Max
Cousin Colton and Max

More with Hunter...the baby hog...lol

Too cute!!

Kyla and Mommy

Oliver is digging his new glasses he got from Uncle Craig!!

Awww, poor little Kyla feels so neglected with brothers giving their attention to her cousins. :(

Happy Easter!!

2010-04-09T20:49:00.001-07:00

Despite the fact that I had been really sick with a sinus infection the entire week prior to Easter...and that this was the first Easter that we didn't have the boys with us...it turned out pretty darn good! I started feeling a little better on Easter day...which was a nice change. I still made sure Kyla got to dye her Easter eggs...which was lots of fun for her. And the Easter Bunny was pretty good to her too! There was no shortage of candy in our house, that's for sure! We enjoyed a wonderful ham dinner with all the trimmings at the Fagan's house too.

Dying the eggs...so FuN!

A special egg for Daddy!

LoTs of Eggs!

Silly Girl!!!

The Easter Bunny came to bring candy and presents!!

Kyla's special stuffy...

World's BesTeST Daddy

World's BeSTeSt Mommy

Kyla loVeS Grandpa Fagan!!

We hope all of our friends and family had a wonderful Easter too!!!

Cousins are the BEST!!!

2010-03-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

Last week Kyla's cousin, MoRGaN, stayed the week with us! We were so excited to have her here. We did LOTS of fun things! Kyla and Morgan had a GrEAT time together. It was so much fun watching them play together....they are the BeST of FrIEnDS!!! Enjoy our pics...

'Music and Movement' class at the library.... so FUN!!!

Doing the HoKeY-PoKEy...

And...at the park...

Playin' with Daddy...

And...on the trampoline...

Too Cute!

Dress-up time...

And...at Grandma and Grandpa Knutson's new house...

Logan and Colton making a FORT.

Oliver and Morgan!

Everyone LoVeS Hunter!

Bubble Time!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2010-02-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

Hunter and Colton frosting their HOMEMADE sugar cookies...

YUMMY!!!

The kiddos with their Valentine bears...
Craig got his own special cookie...SPOILED!

We hope everyone else had a LOVE-FILLED Valentine's Day too!

A Winter Wonderland - McCall Winter Carnival

2010-01-31T18:22:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, we took a family day trip up to McCall for the annual Winter Carnival. We had a GREAT time seeing all of the cool snow sculptures and walking around the town! We barely missed a big snow storm...so that was good timing. It was CrAZy how many people were gathered in such a small town at the same time! I LOVE McCall and have so many great memories there ~ it is such a charming little town both in winter and summer. Enjoy our photos of this Winter Wonderland...

KINGS OF THE MOUNTAIN!

I sure love these kids!

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE SCULPTURES...

Check out the crowd...definitely the most people I have ever seen in McCall!

Hunter is officially a TEENAGER!!!

2010-01-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

Happy 13th Birthday to you, Hunter!!! Actually, we ended up celebrating his birthday a week late this year since he and Colton were in Virginia for his ACTUAL birthday. It all worked out though; it was like an EXTENDED birthday...and who doesn't love that?? The original plan was to go sledding out at Grandma and Grandpa Knutson's farm where they have 80 acres and lots of BIG hills, but unfortunately all of the snow had melted. :-(

So we decided to go ICE SKATING instead!!! Woo Hoo! Kyla got to also experience ice skating for the first time, which was fun for her. After ice skating, we hit Primo's for some good (cheap) pizza, then headed back home for some cake, ice cream and games. It seemed like everyone (especially Hunter) had a great time. It's REALLY hard to believe Hunter is now officially a teenager. CrAZy! Where does time go??? Next thing you know, he'll be driving...Yikes!

The Birthday Boy

Maddy and Kyla having fun...

Kyla's 1st time ice skating!

Maddy and Mena

Good times at Primo's...

Go Broncos!!!

Make a wish...

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!! This has been kindof a crazy holiday season for our family. I went on a vacation to Hawaii for the first part of the month, which threw me way off...it didn't feel very 'Christmasy' while I was on a beach getting a tan! Not that I'm complaining...In addition to that, the boys left on December 20th to spend Christmas with their mom and stepdad in Virginia (and then they all traveled to Tennessee to spend Christmas with their mom's family.) They were very excited to see their mom since they haven't seen her for four months...so it was good for them...but sad for us. It was definitely not the same not having them here. But we still had a great time spending time with our families and Kyla. She is getting to a really fun age now...she was very excited for Christmas.

We had an 'early' Christmas with the boys the night before they left. We went out to dinner and let them open their present from us. (We let Kyla open one that night too.) I played a trick on them (as I learned to do from my own mom), and sent them on a scavenger hunt to find their presents. It was pretty fun to watch...and we got it on videotape. At the end of their scavenger hunt, they found their presents in the garage. Hunter got a new laptop, and Colton got an electric guitar and amplifier. They were both pretty excited about their presents. Of course, they immediately started playing with them, so we didn't get to our traditional gingerbread house as I'd planned. Kyla and I did it a few days later.

We spent Christmas Eve with Craig's family, then spent Christmas Day with my family in Ontario. We had a great time spending time together...as usual. And I even got Craig to play Canasta with us this time! We hope everyone else had a memorable holiday and enjoyed spending time with loved ones!

Happy Birthday, Colton!

2009-12-27T17:11:00.000-08:00

Colton turned 11-years-old on December 16th...Wow...hard to believe he is getting so old! We had his birthday party the Saturday after his birthday, since I was still in Hawaii the weekend before his birthday. Colton and his friends seemed to have a great time hanging out, eating pizza and cake, and later playing some Rock Band on the Wii. Colton also got lots of great presents from his friends and family. His grandparents (Farmor and Farfar) also came to his party, which was a special treat. We are so proud of Colton...he is such a sweet, caring young man. Hope it's a great year, Colton...we love you!!!

Wherever Colton is, there is Kyla...

Boys will be Boys...

Awesome skateboard! Thanks Mimi and Papa!

Oreo ice cream cake! I could only get one candle in because it was rock hard! We should have tilted it so you could see the top...oops!

Rock Band...Good Times!!!

Kyla was one tired girl to sleep through all the noise of Rock Band!

Mele Kalikimaka from Hawaii

2009-12-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

Early this December I went on a wonderful 10-day vacation and cruise to the Hawaiian islands...courtesy of my mom! Thank you so much, mom!!! I love you so much! My mother-in-law, Lydia, also joined us since it has always been a dream of hers to go to Hawaii. So we made it a 'girls' trip.

I lived in Hawaii for about six months when I attended a semester of college back in 1991, and I hadn't been back since. So it was so much fun going back...it brought back so many great memories of the great times I had there and the great friends I made. This time I also explored all the other islands, which was so much fun!

We really lucked out with weather too...two of the rainiest places in the world (Kauai and The Big Island) were 85 degrees and sunny while we were there (which we were told by the locals was very rare!) All of the islands were gorgeous; each island has it's own uniqueness! After seeing them all, I think Oahu is still my favorite island...possibly because I lived there and have so many great memories! But I definitely wouldn't mind going back to any of them! I promised Craig that he could go next time! :-)

You will see from the slideshows of each island - we did A LOT! Every day was action packed to make sure we got to see as much of each island as we could. And we did...though I think there were a few days that the moms were wishing they hadn't let me plan the entire vacation! But hey, how often are you in Hawaii??? I wanted to make sure we did as much as possible.

Enjoy the slide shows...and by the way...just 'X' out of the 'add your review' at the bottom of the slideshows to make sure you see the pictures better. I'm using a new website for my slideshows....so it's a little different.

Beatiful Oahu - The Gathering Isle

Kauai - The Garden Isle

Kailua (Kona) - The Big Island

Hilo - The Big Island

Gorgeous Maui - The Magic Isle

Back in Oahu

My Beautiful, Pregnant Sister - Deb

2009-12-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

So I just had to post a few recent pics of my beautiful little sis, Debbie. When she was home for Thanksgiving, she got them done by Amber Fisher - our most favorite photographer in the WHOLE WORLD!!!! They turned out so great that I couldn't resist posting a few on our blog. Enjoy...

Um, yeah...I couldn't even dream of looking this good NOT being pregnant!!! No fair!!!! :-)

I love you sooooo much, Deb!!! I am so happy for you and Chad. You will be wonderful parents!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was extra special. We have so much to be thankful for that we decided to celebrate it twice! We had a Knutson celebration the Saturday before Thanksgiving with both of my sisters coming to visit. It was so much fun getting everyone back together. Unfortunately, Colton was coming down with a head cold and wasn't feeling too great. But he did make it to see New Moon with us that evening. It was so much fun watching Kyla and her cousin, Morgan, play together. They are the best of friends...and LOVE playing dress-up in grandpa's hats and gloves! Kim and Debbie are both pregnant too...so fun! It is always so much fun when we all get together. I LOVE my family more than anything in the world!!! I am one lucky girl!

The Knutson Family

The Knutson Girls

Colton and Kyla playing with blocks

Hunter is such a great helper...both with cooking and babysitting!!!

Morgan and Kyla had so much fun playing dress-up and being SILLY!

My beautiful sis, Kimmy, and my cute nephew Oliver

We celebrated actual Thanksgiving with the Fagans. Craig's brother, Sean, and his family came from Seattle. So again, we had all of the family together. I taught them all how to play Canasta (a Knutson family tradition), which was really fun. Next to teach them Pinnacle! The boys' cousin Justin spent three days with us, so that was lots of fun. Craig and I also had our photographer do a family photo shoot, since the Fagans are not so great about getting photos on a regular basis, and usually only get everyone together once a year. I can't wait to see them! Stay tuned and I will post them on the blog in a few weeks. :-)

The Fagan Family

Kyla LOVES playing with Uncle Dean and Aunt Karen!

'Pony Boy' is always a hit...and Karen's special game with the kids. :-)

My beautiful niece, Missy, and me...wearing contrasting outfits - not intentionally planned!
And of course, cute Justin with the puppy dog eyes!
We hope everyone else also had a wonderful Thanksgiving spending time with loved ones. :-)

It's fun to play for the Y-M-C-A!!!

2009-11-29T20:48:00.000-08:00

Colton has been playing Junior League Basketball at the YMCA for the past few months. This has been his first experience with playing basketball on an acual team (rather than just shooting hoops for fun.) He has really been enjoying it, and has learned a lot!

The pictures aren't the greatest quality...I REALLY need to get a new camera. But it gives you an idea anyway.... Colton is number 17 (my lucky number!) So far they are 3-1, with only one game left, then the final tournament.

GO COLTON!!!

Family Pictures

2009-11-29T18:25:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our recent photo shoot. We just love our photographer's style and creativity. Her 'real life' approach to photography also makes getting pictures far less painful with three kids...and I think our pictures have much more spunk and personality than the cheesy ones we used to get from Kiddie Kandids! :-)

And even more.....enjoy the slideshow

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T16:13:00.001-08:00

Happy Halloween to all of our friends and family!!! Time has been flying by so quickly. It is hard to believe it is now November! We had a great time carving pumpkins, getting ready for Halloween and going trick-or-treating. The boys were 80's Rock Stars (though Colton's costume reminded me of an outfit Dennis Rodman wore once on Jay Leno!) Hunter kept taking off his wig, so his costume turned into Tom Cruise from Risky Business! Kyla was a pretty fairy princess. Hunter spent Halloween with his friend, Melinda, and her family at a party...and had a great time. Craig and I took Colton, his friend, Camryn, and Kyla trick-or-treating over by Grandma and Grandpa Fagan's house. Both boys ended up with a pillowcase of candy each....every parent's dream! Now we prepare for Thanksgiving! Enjoy our Halloween photos...

Oh, the joy of cleaning out the pumpkin!

Yuck!!!

Hunter's (above) and Colton's (at right) jack-o-lanterns!

Mommy and her Fairy Princess!

The Rock Stars!

LOVE the jeans!

Family Update

2009-09-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just realized that it's been almost TWO MONTHS since my last blog! So I figured I'd better catch everyone up on what the FAGAN clan has been up to lately...

It was a quiet summer with the boys visiting their mom and stepdad in Virginia. They came home right before school started, and life has been crazy busy since! It just so happened that at that same time we put our house on the market (which means lots of extra house cleaning for everyone), and also made an offer on a short sale that we REALLY hope we get (which we have yet to hear back on...frustrating!). Work has also been really busy for both Craig and myself. I am still working full-time at the Youth Ranch, and keeping up the private practice on the side. I ended up getting slammed with referrals with both jobs, so I guess that explains why blogging has been at the bottom of my priority list!

Other than being CraZy BuSy with work, business trips, school activities, and house cleaning...Craig and I have been doing well.

Hunter is enjoying 7th grade. He is taking guitar as an elective, and has really gotten quite good. He definitely has some natural musical talent (which I'm sure he gets from his mom.) As most 12-year-olds, his greatest priority is his fRIenDs. He has lots of friends and has been doing a lot of roller blading lately, both in our cul-de-sac and at the skate park close to our house. He is really good at that too! School may not be his top priority, but it is ours! So he is 'strongly encouraged' to do well, and he has been so far. :-)

I just couldn't resist this one...too cute!

Colton is also enjoying his last year in elementary school - 5th grade. He is doing great so far. He has a WONDERFUL teacher this year; she is working hard to prepare the kids for middle school. She is really organized and trying to instill this skill in the kids (which I REALLY appreciate!). Colton has strait A's right now, and often comes home with over 100% on his assignments (he takes advantage of extra credit.) He also loVEs hanging out with his friends. Like his brother, he is playing guitar too! He can't wait to get involved in sports...he is definitely the athlete of the family. We're looking at basketball and soccer teams now, since he is too late for football (what he really wanted to do...there's always next year.)

Colton...and his BFF Camryn (being silly).

Kyla is quite the little bundle of energy. She is so happy to have her brothers back home!!! She can typically be found following them around at any given time. They are so good with her! She just started a dance class, which she LOVES! She got a guitar for her birthday and enjoys playing with her brothers. She also loves to play dress up! She is definitely ALL GIRL.

SiLly GIrL!!!

Happy Birthday, Kyla!!!

2009-08-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Kyla turned 3 this past Saturday!!! I still can't believe how fast the past three years have flown by. Next thing I know, she'll be starting kindergarten...then dating...then moving out.... I wish I could just freeze time as it is right now. She is at such a great age....especially now that she is potty-trained! :-) Kyla has the sweetest little personality; it's something new everyday. Kyla has quite the imagination! Her favorite things to do lately are sing, dance and talk on her play cell phone...she is definitely ALL GIRL! When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said she wanted a box! Gotta love that!

She had a very fun birthday...and ended up with lots more than a box! Most of our relatives and some friends came over for a barbeque and 'Dora'-themed party (Dora is Kyla's current favorite!) The only bad part was Hunter and Colton missed out on the fun. They are still at their mom's house in Virginia for a few more weeks. Other than that, it was a great party. We were worried about the weather because it had been raining for three days, but by the afternoon it cleared up and we were able to sit on the deck and the kids jumped on the trampoline.

Kyla got a play kitchen with lots of play food, a guitar, a princess tricycle, lots of dress-up clothes, a nice dress, a swimsuit and lots of books!!! She is definitely not deprived of anything, that is for sure! I hope this upcoming year is as wonderful as the past three have been; I am so blessed to get to be mommy to such an amazing little girl!!!

Fun at the Rodeo!!!

2009-07-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

My sister, Monica, and her family came to visit over the past weekend...so we decided to head over to the Snake River Stampede. Yeee haaaaw! This was also Kyla's 1st time at a rodeo. Things were going well...so well that Kyla felt the need to start dancing to the music that was playing. Unfortunately, her dancing led to falling and hitting her lip on the seat in front of us. Ouch!!! She ended up with a bloody lip, which led to many tears. After calming her down and cleaning it up in the bathroom, she opted to spend the rest of the time on mommy and daddy's laps. She did have fun seeing all the cows and horses...and especially the sheep with 'Mutton Bustin'. She has now decided that she wants a horse....of course!

Daddy and Kyla

Kim and Jack

Logan

Morgan

Kyla on Grandpa's lap...after the lip incident...

Bronc Riding

Everyone's favorite...Bull Riding!

And my personal favorite...Barrels

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

2009-07-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my nephew is now 1-year-old! Where has time gone? We had a great time at his party. Kyla and Oliver had fun playing with legos in Oliver's new pool. :-) Good times! We love you, Oliver!

Play Date with Luke and Ella

2009-07-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

Last week we had a play-date with my friend, Teisha, and her kids ~ Luke and Ella. It was so much fun for the kids to play, and we LOVED Luke and Ella's new swingset. Good job, Paul! Thanks for a great time!

Luke the Great!

Kyla LOVES to swing!!!
Luke being silly!
Craig and Ella... Awwww...sweet girls!

Kyla and Ella have fun with the piano.

Happy Father's Day!!!

2009-06-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

This Father's Day I wanted to to pay tribute to the two fathers in my life ~ my own dad and my husband. I know I don't tell either one enough how blessed I feel to have them in my life, and how important the job of being a father really is.

Ever since I was a little girl, my father has been my HERO. My dad is the hardest working person I have ever known. As a child, I don't think I appreciated this...actually I probably resented it because while my dad was outside working on the farm, I was also required to be out there working too! Anyone who has grown up on a farm knows how much work is it. From a very young age, I remember being out on the farm right next to my dad....helping with chores, building fences, moving animals, sheering sheep, cleaning pig sheds...you name it! We kids had to come home from school and get our chores done before it got dark, leaving no time to hang out with friends. Though I resented it as a kid, I think if all kids had the responsibilities we had there would be far fewer problems. As an adult, I believe I have a strong work ethic and I KNOW this came directly from the example of my own dad.

My dad also instilled in me the importance of education. We didn't get much in the way of rewards for good grades, but if I came home with anything other than straight A's, I knew there would be trouble. More than that, I knew how proud my dad was of me when I got good grades. Education has been a priority for me and all my sisters. I give credit to my dad for instilling this extremely important value in me.

My father is now also a wonderful grandfather. I am so glad that my kids will grow up having him in their lives, as I did not get the chance to see my own grandparents very much when I was growing up. It is definitely a priority for me to stay close to my family so that my kids can get to know what a wonderful person their grandpa is! Thanks Dad!!!! I love you with all my heart and feel so blessed to have been given such a wonderful father!!!!

Go Broncos!!!

My husband is also an amazing father. When I first met Craig, the one thing that attracted me most to him was the kind of father he was to his children. He was (and is) so involved with his sons. I was so impressed with his ability to work full-time and raise two kids. He is still a wonderful father to all three of his kids....and I know they love him dearly. I feel so blessed to have married someone who places so much importance on being a good parent.

Happy Father's Day!!!!

Kyla loves her daddy!!!

Hunter's Band Concert....Oh, the dreaded saxophone!

2009-06-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

So...Hunter just had to play the saxophone...it was life or death...it would kill him not to play it. Can any of you with kids relate to this???? I'm sure you can see where I'm heading. Well, it was all good for a couple months...then all of a sudden he seemed to despise this instrument. The past few months have been torture for us just to get him to do his weekly practice. You would think we were asking him to get a root canal rather that just practice the instrument that he just HAD TO PLAY. Needless to say, he is switching to the guitar next year; but we did make him finish out the year with his saxophone. And actually, he has really learned a lot (whether he admits it or not) and sounds great when he plays. But I guess you can't force someone to like something they don't.

The band just had their end-of-the-year concert and sounded great. I was really impressed with how far they have come since their first concert at the beginning of the year.
Hunter attempting to avoid the camera...heaven forbid somebody see him dressed up AND playing the saxophone!!!

And just to ensure Hunter was sufficiently embarrassed, his friend's mom (who LOVES Hunter), smothered him in hugs and kisses...

A clip from the concert...

A Griswold Family Vacation!

2009-05-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

So the Knutson's are known to have some "not so great" luck on family vacations...I could probably write a book about some of our past family vacations. Though I am no longer technically a 'Knutson', the "Griswold curse" seems to have followed me! I don't think Craig realized what he married into! :-) Our vacation started out seemingly normal...Hunter playing his Nintendo DS, Colton asking how many more minutes until we get there about every 5 minutes, and Kyla amusing herself by singing to the radio.

However, the next day when we were supposed to have a fun filled day of rollercoasters and junk food at Lagoon, the weather decided to change dramatically and instead of being the predicted 70 degrees.....it was pouring rain all day! We had packed up our cooler, swimsuits, and all the extras only to drive an hour away and then have to turn around and head back to my sister's house. Not to mention Logan getting carsick and throwing up about 10 minutes from my sister's house. So I guess you could say it wasn't the best day! Disheartened, we decided to catch a movie and go out to eat. Anyone who is thinking '17 Again' would be a good movie to watch...think again.

Luckily, the weather prediction for the next day was also wrong...it was predicted to be the same rainy weather, but Hunter got up extra early to check the internet and found that it had changed...again. NO RAIN in the forecast!!! So we got our stuff packed up and headed to Lagoon again and ended up having a fabulous day. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and the lines were shorter than I'd ever seen them. We were able to ride all of the rides, and some several times. (Though we couldn't get Colton on the rollercoasters that went upside down!) We decided not to cram in Lagoon A Beach (similar to our Roaring Springs) since we would be driving home that night which would make for too long of a day. We all had a great time and got home at about 10:00 pm. Is the Griswold curse broken???? I highly doubt it, but it was nice that this trip didn't end up a total disaster. :-)

It was so nice for the kids to get to spend time with their cousins! Morgan and Kyla had a GREAT time playing, and the boys also got along great with their cousin Logan. I love visiting my family, regardless of whatever 'setbacks' we encounter. Thanks Monica for putting up with us! I LOVE YOU!!!

LAGOON AMUSEMENT PARK

Summer Fun...

2009-05-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here!!! The weather has been eratic lately, so there has been no telling if it's going to rain, snow or be 90 degrees...but I think the warm weather is officially here for good (or at least I HOPE it is!!) The boys love to turn on the sprinkler under the trampoline, and I set up Kyla's pool and slide. Good Times for Everyone!!!!

My mom, my friend, my hero...

2009-05-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

This Mother's Day I wanted to pay tribute to my own mom and reflect on a few of the things I love most about her. Anyone who knows me knows that my mom is one of the most important people in my life. She is not only my mom; she is my friend and my hero. Now that I am a mother myself, I am amazed at how my mom was able to do everything she did while holding a full-time job and raising four daughters.

There are so many things I learned from my mom that I hope to pass on to my own kids. As I think about all my mom's wonderful qualities and things she did that make her such an amazing mother, there are two things in particular that I know have contributed significantly to making me the person I am today.

My mom showed up! "The most important thing a parent can do for a child is show up." When I was young, I took for granted the fact that my parents were always there for me. Now I realize how important it is just to show up for your kids. I know my parents were busy, but their priority was always us kids. When I think about all of the important events in my life, I always remember my parents there too...cheering me on. From showing my animals in 4-H, school choir concerts, church activities, and sports...I can't remember a time when they weren't there. Thank you for always being there and supporting me!

The other thing about my mom that I cherish is that she always encouraged my dreams and never discouraged me from dreaming big. I remember going through a time in my late teens and early twenties where I was really trying to find my 'place in the world.' I seemed to have a new career path every other week. First I wanted to go to Harvard to become a lawyer, then I wanted to be an author, then a teacher, then move to Nashville to pursue a singing career, then a travel agent, then a psychologist, then join the Peace Corp...and the list goes on and on. Regardless of what crazy "life plan" I came up with, my mom always supported it (no matter how insane it really was.) She told me there was nothing I couldn't do if I wanted it badly enough and was willing to work for it. She only wanted me to be happy. Because I knew that no matter what I decided to do with my life my mom would support me, I finally found my passion and pursued it. If I can pass on to my own kids even half of the wisdom my mom has given to me, I will consider myself successful. Thank you for not only being my mom, but for being my best friend and my hero. I love you mom!!!

My beautiful mom! I love you with all my heart...Pamela.

Light in the Darkness

I've never been able to tell you

what words can't even say.

What can I possibly do to repay you

for the gifts you so freely give?

The countless hours of

Heartache -

You suffered

For me.

You settle for little so that I can have more.

You lend your ear-and heart-

always accepting of all I say.

Never wavering in your faith that someday

I will become the person-

only you know I am.

Through times of discouragement

and times of doubt-

You were there-never judging-

just loving and being an example.

You are the sunlight that nourishes

My soul.

They say nothing compares to a

Mother's Love.

And now I am aware-

Only Christ could love as pure,

could carry the burden

endure the pain,

be the Rock you are.

All your efforts taken for granted-

Only to watch you give more.

I only regret it has taken me so long to see

My blindness.

I am surrounded by your warmth as

You shine-

My Light in the Darkness.

written by: Pamela Fagan

Happy 44th Anniversary Mom and Dad!!!

2009-05-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today my parents are celebrating their 44th Wedding Anniversary!!!! I am so blessed to have such wonderful parents who have taught me so much. They are both amazing people! Congratulations!!!! I love you both VERY much!

Married May 7th, 1965

Still going strong after 44 years!

Scuba Diving 101

2009-05-05T22:27:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday I took the boys with me for our first scuba diving lesson. I have a really good friend who is an avid scuba diver, so she is the one who encouraged me to give it a try. It's something I've always wanted to do anyway. The boys were anxious to learn too...so we just decided to do it.

We had a great time, even if there weren't any tropical fish at the bottom of the pool! :-) We got the hang of the equipment and played some underwater frisby. Next stop...The Great Barrier Reef! Ha ha ha...

Attentively listening to the instructions...

And next for the Equipment... once we figured out which tube was for what, we were good to go.

Hunter

Colton

You will notice there are no close-up pictures of me in these goofy goggles...well that is the luxury of writing the blog! I can embarrass my kids without humiliating myself!!!! Oh, the joys of motherhood!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

This Easter we hosted a ham dinner at our house. It was the least we could do for all the meat my parents give us! Craig's parents, my parents, and my sister and family all came over to celebrate. Unfortunately Karen was very sick, so she and Dean weren't able to make it. Though we still had a pretty full house.

It was a beautiful day here, so after dinner we went out on the deck. The kids had an Easter Egg Hunt and jumped on the trampoline. Lots of fun! It's so nice to have family close to celebrate holidays. We hope everyone else had a wonderful Easter too!

Fun on the Farm

2009-03-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

We decided to go hang out at the farm this past weekend. Hunter's friend, Maddy, came along too. This was her first time being on a farm or riding a 4-wheeler. They got pretty dirty, but had a great time.

Talk about muddy!

Kyla sure loves Maddy...and I'm glad we found a new future babysitter!

The kids got to hold baby lambs...so cute.

And a baby piggy too!

Peace...

Bowl for Kids' Sake

2009-03-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I participated in the annual bowling fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Our team had a great time (even if we aren't all the best bowlers.) This is such an amazing organization that I am so passionate about. I worked there for several years, and was also a Big Sister. I have seen the positive impact mentors can make in kids' lives.

Thank you so much for all the generous donations!
Hal and Donna Cantrell
Debbie and Chad Crowther
Peter Davis
DeVon and Marilyn Knutson
Sara Richardson
Tim Thompson
Kirby and Kathie Wilkinson

Why Whiskers is the Best Cat in the World...

2009-02-20T20:22:00.001-08:00

What an angel our Kyla is...how could such a sweet little girl do anything wrong???

This is why we have the best cat EVER!!!! If a cat can withstand the torture that has been inflicted by this 2 1/2 year old, then he is definitely a keeper!

Watching television!

Kyla teaches Whiskers his ABC's...

A ride in the stroller...so comfortable for a cat!

Carried ever so gently...

Kyla putting some shoes on Whiskers...cats love this!

What an angel!!!!

Happy Anniversary/Valentine's Day!!!

2009-02-17T18:23:00.000-08:00

Craig and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary on February 11th. Wow...how time flies when you're having fun. We did a combo Anniversary/Valentine's Day (the bad part of getting married so close to V-Day.) We had a great time going out to dinner and seeing Slumdog Millionaire at the Flicks...thanks mom and dad for letting the kids spend the night! :-) Three years down...many more to come! I love you, honey. Muah!

My beautiful roses...thanks, Craig!

Welcome to the family, Whiskers!

2009-02-04T18:55:00.001-08:00

Well...I did what I swore I would never do....I got an indoor pet! Since Hunter and Colton lost their dog when their mom moved, they (especially Colton) have been begging for a pet. I grew up on a farm and I do love animals...I just don't love them in my house. I'm a bit of a neat freak and don't like pet hair on the carpet or furniture. But I decided that it wouldn't kill me to bend my rules a little and get a cat. When I was young I always wanted to bring our cats in the house, and I snuck them in when my mom wasn't looking. So I do remember what it was like to want an indoor pet. Getting a cat was also a better option than what the boys were suggesting we get...snakes, hamsters, rats, lizards or a dog. I just don't do the rodents or reptiles, and dogs are stinky and shed too much...so a cat it was!

Whiskers has been a great kitty so far, with exception to him having one accident in the house right when he got here, and needing some training to stay off counters. He is very sweet and loveable. He doesn't scratch, shed, and is litter-box trained. What more could we ask for? The kids love him, and I have to say that mommy does too. We are still working on Craig though....I think he's a bit jealous that Whiskers is getting more attention. :-)

We are still teaching Kyla the difference between 'loving' the cat and 'mauling' him...

Fieldtrip to Discovery Center

2009-01-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

Today I accompanied Colton on his school fieldtrip to Discovery Center...we had lots of fun playing with all exhibits...

Our group ~ Colton, Dan and Julia

Julia worked so hard to get this tower to stand!

Examining x-rays...

Bubbles are awesome!

Fun at Rafiki...

2009-01-24T21:49:00.000-08:00

Kyla and her friend, Luke, had a fun "playdate" at Rafiki last Saturday!!! Even though Kyla was a bit overwhelmed by the massive crowd (it was a Saturday), she and Luke still had fun. Kyla's favorite part was definitely the slide! Thanks Teisha and Luke....you're the best!

Not sure what kind of pose this was...

How sweet!

Eating gogurt...

Dancing with the Stars...

2009-01-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

So I thought I'd throw a couple short videos on here...though again, they are just with the camera so sorry about it being grainy. I need to leave the video camera out so it's more handy for times like these. As you can see...the kids are doing some excellent dancing. And as usual, Kyla is wearing her Cinderella dress. If I let her, she would wear it 24 hours a day. She is definitely a girl! And she LOVES her "brubbas." Too cute!

Just remember to pause my music at the bottom first...

Playin' in the snow

2008-12-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

We decided to take advantage of having this much snow (it's been a while since we have had this much around here.) So I took the boys and Kyla up to spend the night with my parents and we went sledding at their house with Kim, Jack and Debbie. My parents have 80 acres, so there were several hills that worked great for sledding. We had a blast!

Wow! That's some major air Hunter catches on the jump we made.

Colton catches some air on this one!

Yum..fresh snow!

Colton gets a ride behind the 4-wheeler.

Jack had to work hard to get the 4-wheeler out of the pasture after the snow had been melting all day.

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family!!! This has been a very special Christmas for the Fagan clan. The boys will be spending next Christmas in Virginia with their mom and stepdad, so we tried to make this a special time for the three kids to be together. We decorated the house and tree on December 1st. Hunter, Colton and I also spent many evenings reading The Paperbag Christmas together. This was a wonderful Christmas story about two boys who are Hunter and Colton's ages. I think it was a wonderful way to help us all to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

We spent Christmas Eve with Craig's family. We had a wonderful prime rib dinner and opened presents. When we went outside to leave at about 9:00 pm, we were greeted with blizzard-like conditions. We definitely had a white Christmas this year!

After returning home from Grandma and Grandpa Fagan's house, we carried on the "Knutson Family Tradition" of opening presents on Christmas Eve. (The boys are very pleased to carry on that tradition!)

On Christmas day we had my family over to our house for another prime rib dinner. You can really never have too much prime rib, right??? ;-) Craig did a fabulous job with the meat! We also played a little pinochle, which is another Knutson tradition. Now I need to teach Craig, Hunter and Colton so we can carry it on. :-)

This has been a wonderful holiday season for our family. We feel so blessed! We wish all of our friends and family health and prosperity in 2009!

Making Gingerbread Houses...

2008-12-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

Colton's 4th grade class made gingerbread houses, which I volunteered to help out with. We had lots of fun. I learned from helping Hunter when he was in 4th grade that it is very important to use lots of frosting (to keep the house from collapsing.) Our group had some great houses, and none collapsed!

Happy Birthday, Colton!

2008-12-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

Colton is now in the double-digits! Yep, the big 1-0...crazy how time flies. This year, Colton had a sleepover and party at his mom's house, then the next day came back to our house for a 2nd party. So when his birtday rolled around Tuesday, he was whining that it was "just another ordinary day." Poor child...so abused. Heaven forbid there not be a firework display in honor of his birthday!

Colton got a punching bag and gloves from us...it's what he wanted.

Notice Colton's "shiner" - he had a collision with another kid during dodgeball at school. It's almost healed now though.

Hunter's Band Recital

2008-12-14T11:12:00.000-08:00

Here is a short video from Hunter's band recital...not the greatest quality - I just took it on my camera. You'll need to scroll to the bottom and pause my music first. Notice the girl on the left...she was pretty comical. I am thinking that is where the whistling noise was coming from...it couldn't have been Hunter. ;-)

Fall Photo Shoot

2008-12-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd throw in a slideshow of our most recent photo shoot. My friend, Amber Fischer, who is beginning her photography business took them. I think she did an amazing job! If anyone is interested in her work, check out her blog (just click on Amber Photography under my Family and Friends on the right.) I wish Kyla would have been more cooperative...as usual...but I have come to expect her freak-outs during pictures. It's a good thing she's cute! ;-)

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T10:52:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was very special; we had lots of family in town for the occasion. Craig's brother and family came down from Seattle, and my sister and family came from Utah. So we did a lot of bouncing around between houses to spend time with everyone. It was really fun for the kids to get to spend time with their cousins; we had sleepovers just about every night. I am so thankful to have family close. I grew up only seeing extended family once or twice a year because we lived so far away. My sisters and I have vowed to always stay close enough so our kids can grow up knowing their cousins. We hope everyone else had a happy and memorable Thanksgiving as well. There is so much to be thankful for - especially family!

Happy Birthday Craig!

2008-11-23T14:52:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday!!! Craig turned 36 this Saturday...Yes, he is 6 months older than I am, which I have to remind him often. :-) We tried to make it a special day for him by bringing him breakfast-in-bed...which he gets more often than most people. Hunter and Colton also made him a cool Candy Birthday Poster that he really liked.

Kyla helps daddy to blow out the candles of his special cake made FROM SCRATCH by Hunter and Colton (and some supervision from Pamela).

Craig is modeling his new jacket that I got him. Quite handsome I think. ;-)

We ended the day by seeing the long-awaited Twilight... which was Craig's choice. I'm guessing that it had something to do with the fact that Hunter and I read the book and really wanted to see it. My sisters saw it the night before and told us how disappointing it was, but we were actually surprised that it wasn't as bad as we expected. Yes, the theatre consisted of mainly 13-year-old girls...which is annoying in itself - though Hunter and Colton weren't complaining. ;-) Craig thought it was more watchable than Harry Potter, and I was glad that they followed the book pretty closely. Now Colton wants to read it too. I'm just happy he wants to read!
After the movie we headed to Craig's parent's house for more cake and ice cream...just what we all needed! I think he had a pretty fun birthday.

Silly Kyla!

2008-11-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Kyla, or as we now refer to her as "Hurricane Kyla", is growing quickly and learning so many new things. Her vocabulary amazes me everyday....she is such a little sponge! Reminds me to be careful about what I say because I know she'll be repeating it somewhere! I feel so blessed to be a mom and watch my little girl grow...

Playing with Uncle Dean...

Aunt Karen is fun too.

Kyla LOVES her brother (above).
Kyla's favorite pastime...dressing up in brother's shirt (as a dress), and mommy's shoes! :-)

Grandma put curlers in Kyla's hair...which she thought was pretty cool!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! It's hard to believe another Halloween has come and gone. This was a fun one, especially for Kyla. This is the first year she actually got to go "trick or treating", or as Kyla says, "widow wheating", with the big kids! :-) She tagged along with brothers for awhile, then they took off with dad and mom took Kyla...guess she was slowing them down. Hunter and Colton were less concerned with costumes and more concerned with candy this year. They made sure to take their largest pillowcases in hopes to get as much candy as possible. They didn't get them filled, but I'm sure they will have enough candy to keep them on a sugar high for quite some time. :-)

Sisters Reunion

2008-10-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

We had an unofficial family reunion this past weekend! Debbie was able to fly in for the weekend from Florida, and so Monica decided to also take a trip up. It was so much fun to get all the sisters together...that doesn't happen much with our busy lives. It was a great weekend. I especially enjoyed Saturday when we got massages (thanks mom!), had lunch and went shopping. Monica's miscommunication to the waiter was also something we will all hold as a memory for years to come! Garden????

Sunday was also a special day as we were able to attend Oliver's blessing. Kim and Jack have such a beautiful baby boy whom we all love very much.

I love my sisters more than anything, so I truely cherish the times when we can all be together. I am definitely one of the lucky ones who not only has three wonderful sisters, but also three best friends for life. I love you guys...can't wait for our "Sisters Vacation" to New York next summer! Let's just hope none of us has to drive...just kidding, Monica! ;-)

Oliver...

2008-09-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

I just realized that September is almost over and I haven't added any new blogs...what a shame. I'm not sure if it has just been an uneventful month, or whether I've been too busy to keep up....maybe both. Kim just sent me a couple updated pics of Oliver, so I figured that since she is too stubborn to become a "blogger" herself, I will post her pics! What a great sister I am!

Oh, what a serious little boy!
What do you think....does he look like Kim or Jack?????

We love you Oliver!

A Campin' We Will Go...

2008-08-31T16:46:00.000-07:00

So this Labor Day weekend we did what nobody else would dream of doing...we went camping. Yes, that was sarcasm. We went to meet Craig's parents and a couple of their friends on Saturday morning and came home Sunday afternoon. It was a short trip, but with a 2-year-old that is plenty long enough. :-) We went to Edna Creek, which is about half hour outside of Idaho City. The drive was gorgeous!

We had a great time doing all of the typical "camping" stuff....taking hikes, riding the 4-wheeler - the kids played in the water, and the boys learned to shoot their new bow - thanks for the archery lessons, Grandpa Fagan! Unfortunately, it rained most of the night, so Craig and the boys didn't go fishing early Sunday morning as planned. We all love the outdoors (with exception to sleeping on the ground in a tent - thank goodness for camper trailors!), so we had a great time hiking and riding grandpa's 4-wheeler. It's so nice to get away from our busy lives and just enjoy nature every once in a while!

Fun at the Fair!

2008-08-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Western Idaho Fair and the boys got a chance to help their grandpa by showing his pigs in open class. They had a great time and demonstrated their "mad showmanship skills." They were very proud of the ribbons that they received, and especially appreciate the money they earned from grandpa for taking care of the pigs during the remainder of the fair. They even won the "Herdsmanship Award" of $25 for having the cleanest pens....now if only they kept their bedroom as clean... ;-) They are both anxious to return to 4-H again next year so they can train and show their own pig, sheep or steer...we haven't decided which one yet. Pamela is a firm believer that 4-H provides a great opportunity to learn responsibility and the value of hard work!

Way to go, Hunter and Colton!!!

Friends come to Boise...

2008-08-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had a visit from Pamela's good friends from Idaho Falls, Jan and Kathy. We had a great time visiting...and were excited to see Kathy with her cute preggers belly. Congratulations on your future baby boy!

Kyla loved gettting spoiled by her new friends...and thanks to Jan, loves to do flips off the couch now. :-)

Happy Birthday, Kyla!!!

2008-08-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

Kyla celebrated her 2nd birthday this weekend. Her actual birthday was August 8th, but we had her party on Saturday, August 9th. We had a full house of friends and family who came over for a barbeque and festivities. It was nice having some kids for Kyla to play with. My friend, Teisha, brought her two kids (Luke~age 3 and Ella~9 months). And my new nephew, Oliver, was a big hit and passed around for everyone to hold....gotta love babies. :-) Though Kyla didn't seem to grasp the whole "birthday" thing, she did love being the center of attention...as usual. She got some great gifts...grandma Knutson made her a special Strawberry Shortcake blankie, and Grandma Fagan got her a doll with her own bed and several homemade outfits. I think the homemade gifts are the best! We are so lucky so have such wonderful friends and family. I am still adjusting to the idea that I now have a 2-year-old. Where does time go?

Birthday Fun and Festivities...

Baby Oliver

2008-07-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

A few recent pics of baby Oliver with Colton and Hunter...so cute! He is now 3 weeks old.

Fun in the Sun...

2008-07-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-08T21:20:00.001-07:00

Happy Independence Day! We had a busy weekend...my sister, Monica, and their family came to see baby Oliver. Craig's niece, Missy, and her boyfriend, Dave, were also up visiting...so we were busy spending time with everyone. On the 4th, we went out to Ontario for a barbeque and hanging out with family. On Saturday we went white-water rafting down the Payette River with my family. It was lots of fun - as you can see from the picture. And Sunday, Craig and I took Missy and Dave to float down the Boise River. I didn't have quite as much fun on that outing - the water was ice cold and I seemed to find myself wherever I wasn't supposed to be....I bonked my head a couple times on some very large and unforgiving branches. It was fun spending time with Missy and Dave nonetheless. Next time I will insist that we take a raft rather than tubes though! It was great seeing all of our family and watching Kyla and Morgan play.

Rafting down the Payette River...

Welcome Oliver!

2008-07-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to our family....Oliver Jackson McDowall. My sister and brother-in-law, Kim and Jack, had their first baby last Friday afternoon. He weighed 6 pounds 10 ounces and is doing great. Kim is also recovering well. Kyla loves her little cousin....she gave him lots of kisses to welcome him to the family. Our sweet little girl. :) We are all so happy for Kim and Jack - they will be wonderful parents. We love you guys!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Father's Day didn't quite turn out as we planned it. Craig's breakfast-in-bed turned into cleaning up after Kyla who woke up sick at 6:30 am. I think we overdid it yesterday with graduation and two barbeques...more than she is used to. Or maybe she just had a touch of the flu...who knows? Anyway, our plan was to bring breakfast to Craig then all go fishing and have a picnic in the park. We did eventually make Craig some pancakes, and he and the boys did get to go fishing...while Kyla and I stayed home to rest. I guess when you have three kids you have to be flexible and expect the unexpected. He said he still had a good day and enjoyed the fishing trip with the boys! Craig is such a wonderful dad - one of the first things that attracted me to him. Here's to the dads...not an easy job!

Craig earns his MBA...Way to go!!!

2008-06-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

Craig has finally reached the end....almost...of his long journey in graduate school. The graduation ceremony was actually really nice. Graduations are usually very long and some might say...quite boring, but since there were only about 80 graduates, it was nice. The boys were very well-behaved...we learned our lesson by trying to bring Kyla to Hunter's program that it would be best to leave her behind. So my sister graciously let her spend the night and brought her over after the ceremony...thanks Kim!

After the graduation we all headed back to our place for a barbeque and celebration. The weather was perfect and the food was great...Craig is the barbeque master! He doesn't even get a break on his own graduation. :) I don't think he minded too much. We are all so proud of his hard work and determination...WAY TO GO - We love you!!!!

Graduation and Festivities...

Growing Girl...

2008-06-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd throw a few recent pictures of Kyla in so you can see how she's growing and what new things she is doing...

Attempting to potty train - Kyla likes her potty chair, however she doesn't quite have the hang of the "potty" concept yet. She likes to sit on her chair and play with the toilet paper, but that's about it. She'll get it eventually....I hope. :)

Kyla's most recent entertainment comes from crawling in the cabinet under the sink and playing "peek-a-boo."

Ta-da!!! Kyla also loves to climb up on top of the kitchen counter these days. Still working on breaking her of that habit. :)

Daddy's little angel...

My little girl is growing so quickly. :(

Hunter's Big Day!!!

2008-05-28T19:48:00.001-07:00

Today was a very special day for Hunter. He earned the President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence (that's a mouthful). Only a handful of kids in his class earned this special honor. In order to win this award, Hunter maintained above a 3.5 GPA in both 4th and 5th grades. In addition, he ranked in the top 15% nationally with his ISAT test scores. Who knew he was such a genius??? Well, we did of course (or at least that's what he tells us!) We are so proud of his achievements and hard work. He even thanked us for making him do his homework (nevermind that his teacher told him to tell us that.) :) Way to go, Hunter!

Proud Dad!

Proud Pamela!

Hunter gets a hug from his teacher, Mrs. Massman.

Hunter with his Principal.

The award - signed by the President himself!

Day at the Zoo...

2008-05-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! We celebrated Memorial Day (along with just about everybody else in Boise) by going to the zoo. This was Kyla's first time at the zoo. It was a nice day...not too hot, but not too cold. Kyla enjoyed the prairie dogs the best. The boys love to see the monkeys and snakes - they are definitely boys! Now it's time to gear up for the final week of school.

It's a boy!

2008-05-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was my little sister, Kim's, baby shower. It was also my birthday, so I had to make sure she knew that I wasn't happy about her making me get up early on my birthday. :) The shower turned out great though, so I it was worth it. My older sister, Monica, and little sister, Debbie were also able to come up for the special event. Kim got lots of great stuff for little Oliver. I'm sure he has no idea how lucky he is. Kim and Jack will be great parents.

My beautiful sisters...

A "piggy" gift bag...Kim loves her pigs! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! I had a very nice Mother's Day - we went to Ontario to visit my family on Saturday evening. We had a bar-be-que and the boys got to ride the 4-wheeler...lot's of fun. On Mother's Day, Craig and the boys brought me breakfast in bed....from McDonald's (which is fine with me), and then Craig, Kyla and I went to have brunch with Craig's parents and brother and sister-in-law (Dean and Karen). It was a really nice day, so when I got home I had some time to plant the flowers that I got! Now that I'm a mom, I really appreciate my own mom and feel so lucky to have her as a role-model and friend. She's the best!

Kyla has reached the age where it is hit or miss with pictures. Unfortunately, this was a miss, but it's the only picture I have with her on Mother's Day. I guess I can't say much since being photogenic has never been my strength either. I love her just the same though. :)

My sister, Kim (and also mom-to-be) with Kyla. At least we got a bit of a smile from Kyla....the trick is letting her have her ba-ba. :)

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems...

2008-05-04T18:53:00.000-07:00

Don't you wish everyday could be a vacation! Craig and I just returned from visiting my sister and brother-in-law, Deb and Chad, in Fort Lauderdale. We also took a 4-day cruise to the Western Caribbean where we stopped at Key West and Cozumel. Talk about relaxing...

We had a day before our cruise and a couple days after to spend with Deb and Chad in Florida. So of course we had to go to the beach a couple times...we also ate at a really cool burger place called Le Tub right off the beach. Everything had an obvious "bathroom" theme...fun place! On our last day in Florida we drove to the Everglades where we rode bikes on a 15-mile path to observe all the wildlife....specifically the alligators. I never thought I would stand that close to an alligator! There were also lots of baby alligators, so it must have been "hatching" season. The best part was getting to spend time with my sister, who I don't get to see enough.

The cruise was a blast! If you like to be pampered, I recommend taking a cruise. I'm already missing room service at midnight and having someone make my bed twice a day...and of course the creative towel animals on the bed. :)

Key West was beautiful. I went parasailing while Craig went fishing. Craig caught about 15 fish...though not any Baracuda as he hoped. But he had fun anyway, and at least caught something. I really enjoyed parasailing...very relaxing to float above the water. I was expecting more of an adrenaline rush like skydiving - but it was still fun. While out on the boat we looked up at the sun and saw an incredible rainbow around it. The picture doesn't really do it justice - it was pretty amazing. I didn't expect to find so many chickens everywhere I looked - still don't know why they make their home in the streets of Key West??? I finished the day with some sightseeing, shopping, and of course...a piece of key lime pie. I would love to go back someday.

Our final stop was Cozumel, Mexico. I had been to Cozumel before, but Craig hadn't. He was amazed at the crystal clear water. We took an excursion to Dolphinaris where we got to swim with dolphins. I swam with dolphins once before in Jamaica, but this was better by far. We got to swim around with the dolphins for several hours. I was in heaven....I think I must have been a dolphin in a past life! Craig was laughing at me because I seemed like a kid in a candy shop...or "dolphin hog" as he called me. :) We even got to ride on a dolphin's belly as it swam around...not everyday you get to do that. It ranks up there as one of the most memorable experiences of my life thus far. After swimming with dolphins we ate dinner at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville where I had some of the best calamari I've ever had. We missed the kids, but it was so nice to have some "alone time." Time to start planning the next vacation! :)

Hanging out with Jacob

2008-04-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

Jacob gives Hunter and Colton their first lesson in doing backflips...

Kyla joins the fun and demonstrates her advanced reading abilities. :)

Colton has some mad skills with K'nex...he built a windmill for Jacob.

Kyla and Krysta having fun...

2008-04-24T19:17:00.001-07:00

Krysta got her first experience with changing a diaper. She claims to not want any children, but after this experience I think she will change her mind...right Krysta????

Krysta also discovered the workout benefits of having a child. Who needs the gym when you can throw Kyla in the air again... and again... and again....

As always, every guest must try out the trampoline. :)

Fun at the Park

2008-04-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a diva my daughter is....gotta love the glasses! We had a fun afternoon at the park the weekend before last when the temperature hit 80 degrees. Too bad the sunshine left after that and we haven't seen it since...