November

We hope that everyone had a good Thanksgiving! It was our year to celebrate with Levi's family. This included a big dinner, bingo and trying to keep Finn from falling down the stairs since climbing the stairs at the Richins is his favorite thing to do when we visit. We have also had some big changes. I started a babysitting job for a family in my ward. These are the cute girls I watch Kaitlynn, Senia and Tia. My days are busy but fun. Finn likes to have them come too.

Finn is getting to be quite the climber. He loves to push this chair up to the window so he can get a good view.

I try hard to keep the bathroom door shut but sometimes a little boy gets in and these are the kind of things that happen. Does this count as added fiber in his diet?

As usual Finn loves to help Levi with whatever he is doing. This time they are playing video games.

Finn will sit in the love sac and watch TV. Levi says that he reminds him of Charlie Brown.

Lilly decided to join Finn. You can see that she is completely on top of him and it doesn't bother him one bit as long as he can see past her to the TV.

Senia refuses to wear a bib so sometimes she gets very messy.

Finn was helping me decorate the tree. You can see how excited he is about it.

Sitting with his dad after decorating.

And now for the biggest change of this month! Finn is finally walking!

Halloween Fun!

I wanted to start this post with this awesome picture of my family all together for Ava's blessing. We all went to Logan last Sunday for the blessing and dinner afterwards. It was so great to see everyone!

Levi, Jen, Clark and I had a lot of fun carving pumpkins together this year.

This is Finn's pumpkin. He didn't get to help with the carving but he did lift the lid and tried to stick it to the fridge like his magnets.

Finn was a bat this year. This is the same costume that Levi wore about this age.

Trick-or-treating at Harmons.

Levi and Finn

My grandparents are staying here in Salt Lake for awhile so we went to visit on Halloween. My grandparents first met on Halloween 64 years ago. This is Finn sitting next to Grandma Lila.

Here is Finn with Grandpa Keith and JR.

Finn with his Grandma Elaine. Elaine works as a teachers aid and this is the costume she made for her class.

Finn and I dressed up for our Halloween party.

I thought I would post some pictures to show what Finn likes to do all day. This first one is him with his favorite toy. Levi and I call it his dragon ball toy and he will play with it for literally hours.

This second picture is of Finn playing his favorite game. Which is what I call open and close. I open the door and growl and then he closes it. Great Fun!

I love this face he is pulling. He loves sucking on these plastic ice cubes we have but it gets a little too cold sometimes hence the face.

New Additions!

Like the title says we have had some new additions to our families. I put them in the wrong order but this first picture is Carson and his new brother Stratton. Stratton was born on Sept. 25 to Levi's sister Hayley and her hubby Ari. We are sad that they are far away in New Mexico but we are very happy for them and can't wait to hold Stratton at Christmas.

This little sweetheart is Ava Elizabeth. She was born on Sept. 19 to my sister Jenna and her hubby Ryan. She had some fluid in her lungs when she was born so she had to spend a few days in the NICU but she had a fast recovery and is now home with her mom and dad. Congrats guys!

Jenna, Ava and Ryan

Ava was super snuggly because her tummy was nice and full.

Batman is Levi's favorite super hero and he likes sharing his favorite things with Finn.

Finn loves having cupboards or doors left open so he can explore.

Finn loves Lilly. He is always laughing at the things she does. Neither of them like to be on the other side of the gate from me.

Busy Boy's First Birthday!

It has been a busy and fun few weeks, especially for Finn. Finn went from crawling to standing to walking around the furniture. He also had his first birthday! It was a lot of fun. Levi took the day off work and we all went to the zoo. While at the zoo we bought him a tube full of little plastic animals. It turned out to be his favorite gift of the day! (Not the animals, the tube.) As always it is an adventure raising a little boy.

Trying to open his dresser drawers.

He is a very busy boy.

Finn sharing a treat with his dad.

Finn was a little tired so he kept putting his face in the fresh laundry. He ended up pulling out all of his little rags that he likes to snuggle with and spread them throughout the house.

Finn and I drove up to Logan for one more visit before Ava was born. Doesn't Jenna look cute!

Climbing is Finn's thing. He was thrilled to find that Jenna and Ryan's house had lots of stairs.

For those of you who don't know, Levi loves BBQ and he has been trying out new recipes all summer. This is his latest, soda pop chicken. It turned out great!

Finn loves getting people to help him walk around the house. This time it was Kait.

It is pretty well known that Finn loves TV. Not exactly the best thing for a baby but is sure is nice when he is having a cranky day.

Our first stop at the zoo was to see the elephants.

Hands down one of Finn's favorite parts of the zoo, the water ball.

Checking out the penguins.

Finn looking at the giraffes with Levi.

Finn having a chat with Great-Grandma Richins.

Riding on the rocking horse with Grandpa Arnie's help.

Finn looking cute in his new Batman shirt.

Finn enjoying his birthday cupcake.

It didn't last long.

This little boy was so spoiled from all the nice presents that everyone sent. Thanks everyone!

My parents and nephews, Carter and Isacc, stopped by for a surprise visit on there way home from Logan. It was a nice surprise. This is Finn sitting with Carter.

Rough housing with the boys.

Finn and his mom.

Finn loves to sit on Levi's shoulders and then lean over and smile at him and sometimes stick his fingers in his mouth.

Finn Being Finn

Mr. potato face.

All wrapped up after a bath. Isn't that a sweet face.

Story time with The Bearenstien Bears and The Spooky Old Tree. One of the few books that Finn will listen all the way through.

Got Dad's nose.

Finn playing a tune.

Who me? I wasn't into anything.

Turning knobs, one of his favorite things to do.

All tuckered out. Notice how he snuggles his towel.

Finn loves to crawl to Lilly and play with her dog tags.

And Lilly loves to give Finn kisses.

We purchased a wading pool and all three of us got in. Finn was really nervous at first but it wasn't long before he was splashing too.

Fifth Year Anniversary

Today is our fifth year anniversary so I thought I would post some pictures of us throughout the years and of course I got a little carried away. This first picture is Levi and I on one of our first dates. I had invited Levi for a "drive-in movie". It was complete with cardboard cars and homemade movie tickets and the theater was the living room of the plum house where I lived with my six roommates. Levi is putting popcorn in my hair.

The two of us on our last date before the end of the school year.

The two of us at graduation from Snow College.

Engagement picture

Levi and I on our wedding day coming out of the Vernal Temple.

Us in our basement apartment in Provo. (We didn't know that we were taking a picture.)

In the backyard of Levi's parents home.

This is when we lived in the cottage. It is a small cinder block structure that Levi's great grandfather built on the back of his property. I often joked that it felt like we were living in a playhouse . Do you like my hip glasses and armpit hair?

Levi making pizza, wearing my apron.

Levi and I on the beach in California when we visited Ambrea and Randal.

Us in New Mexico on our trip visiting Hayley, Ari and Carson.

Levi all dressed up to sit with me while Finn was born.

Finn in the hospital.

Our first family picture. Finn was about 2 weeks old.

Both boys resting.

Family pictures when Finn was about three months.

Levi playing with Finn.

Finn and I on Christmas morning.

This is our most current family picture.

It has been a great five years and I know that we will enjoy many more! I love you Levi!

We have had a lot of fun these last two weeks visiting with friends. First Finn and I took a trip to Centerville and visited with my friends from High School, Ambrea and Michelle. We went to the park, had lunch and let the kids play. Then Levi's sister Hayley and her husband Ari and there son Carson made a trip from New Mexico to spend about a week with family. It was so good to see them. We had a family sleepover in the Richin's backyard and the next afternoon we all went to the lake to canoe. Then this last weekend we had a visit from my father and sisters Kaitlynn and Jenna and Jenna's husband Ryan. My dad worked hard putting in a bathroom downstairs and also lots of odd jobs for us around the house. Thank you so much Dad! In the meantime I had great fun going to a baby shower for Jenna and shopping for school clothes for Kaitlynn. It has been a jam packed few weeks and it has been so good to see everyone!

Levi helping Finn ride on his airplane.

My friend Ambrea with her two boys, Ammon and Brigham.

My friend Michelle and her two children, Brigham and Ashley.

Finn and his Uncle Ari.

Finn and his Aunt Hayley

Finn and his cousin Carson.

Finn lounging with his Aunt Jenna. Jenna's baby girl is due in September. Doesn't she just look cute!

Finn having a great time with his Grandpa. Finn learned pretty quick that Grandpa will give him lots of treats to eat and he even gave his Grandpa some very wet kisses.

Kait, Jenna, Finn, Ryan and my Dad hanging out. Finn was loving all the ice cream that his aunts were giving him.

Finn and Kaitlynn ready for church. Finn loved Kait's necklace.

Finn loves to open Levi's sock drawer and then load up his tray with socks.

Then he loves to chew on them.