the finley family

HALLOWEEN...

2009-11-02T13:02:00.002-07:00

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T11:21:00.003-06:00

Me, looking awesome... as usual.

My friend, Heidi ;o)
My pumpkin I carved!

U10 Boys Select

2009-09-23T15:43:00.016-06:00

I had to put this one up! He was right in front of me and the ball was headed towards his face!

Okay! Okay!

2009-08-31T19:52:00.003-06:00

So I've been getting harassed by the one person who looks at my blog (cough, SARAH!) for more pictures, so here are some from last week! I want you to look closely at Isaac in this first picture... No, the sprinkler isn't hitting him in the face. He's sneezing! Gross huh? I love it! Talk about action shot!

4th of July at the Zoo!

2009-07-08T10:25:00.003-06:00

Bear Lake

2009-07-06T20:47:00.003-06:00

We had some great times 4 wheeling... Especially through the mud! :o)

Dallin was blind as a bat after that darn puddle!!
Cute little Sarah! She had fun! She couldn't wait to get back to the cabin and show Alecia!!

Always loves to cheese it up! Dallin's always good for a smile ;O)

Zoo

2009-07-06T20:41:00.003-06:00

San Fran

2009-04-20T15:56:00.001-06:00

Sarah & Charles

2009-04-20T13:18:00.002-06:00

Playing in the Ocean on a COLD day!

Here's Sarah getting all up in my picture bitness.

San Fran

2009-04-20T12:08:00.002-06:00

Sarah always trying to get a better picture than me...

Jelly Belly Factory. They were SO excited to wear those hats- can you tell?

2009-04-20T11:58:00.002-06:00

Xander and Sarah put their best faces on :)
Of course the boys loved the nasty, smelly, sea lions!
You were supposed to watch this guy, and try not to laugh. I should have snapped the picture below a minute earlier. When it started, they were creeped out by him, then got into it, and started giggling. Not Dallin though- he kept his cool and didn't laugh :)

San Francisco

2009-04-20T11:17:00.002-06:00

The boys really enjoyed the Arcade Museum.
Obviously, so did Sarah...

Dallin was worn out after a long day...
First night at Sarah's we went to Fenton's for some Ice Cream. Yummo!

Omaha

2009-04-20T11:08:00.001-06:00

Omaha

2009-04-20T10:58:00.002-06:00

Dallin, Elijah, (other) Elijah, and Libby at the AWESOME Omaha Zoo.

Xander at the Hotel. He said he was a Roman Catholic, I think he meant Roman Soldier.

Dallin and the Catfish. He was scared of it, so I had to pose with it first!

Omaha

2009-04-20T10:44:00.002-06:00

We had a great quick visit to the Schramm Aquarium...

Cousins: Elijah and Hayden
Dallin, Isaac and Brandon... It was so great to see Justin, Lisa and kids!

Xan's #1 !!

2009-04-20T10:36:00.002-06:00

Xander had the geography bowl a couple weeks ago. His team got 1st place! His friends call him the "Information Station". The camera was acting up, so the pics are bad, but here they are holding up their right answers, and (above) getting their gold metals! Congrats Xander, Colbran, Jens and Aman!

randomness

2009-03-01T21:29:00.001-07:00

Gotta Love 'Em...

2009-02-26T16:53:00.001-07:00

Just Overheard:

Dallin: "Mom, what's JFK?"

Xander: "Kentucky Fried Chicken."

Lillienne Nicole Hanson

2009-02-12T10:47:00.004-07:00

The boys were so excited to go see their 1 day old newest cousin! (I was a little excited too :) She is so adorable! I told Hollie I would take her home so she could get some sleep, but she wasn't having it :o) It was worth a try though! Congrats Hollie and James!

Congratulations Xander!

2009-01-13T17:03:00.005-07:00

Today was the Geography Bee! Xander came home last week excited (and a little sad) that he was a runner-up for the Geography Bee. (That phrase "Always the Bridesmaid, never the Bride" sticks out in my mind, because just a month ago he was the runner up for the Spelling Bee, too!)
Well, I got a call as soon as I got home from bringing the boys to school this morning. It was Xander saying "Mom, Aiden is sick today and I'm the runner-up for the Geography Bee, so can I skip my doctor's appointment today, so I can be in it?" So, I said okay...
So, I went to watch, not knowing what to expect, and I got there and was told it was for 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders, and they all go up against EACH OTHER! That made me a little nervous since Xander should actually be a 3rd grader, and he was only the runner-up. Anyways, he ended up getting 3rd place! He did so great! Answering questions I had no idea what the answer was! Good Job Xander!!! He won a pin! (Shown above.)

RIP Pepper...

2009-01-07T09:02:00.002-07:00

Unfortunately after returning home from Washington last week, we found our sweet little wild kitten, Pepper, frozen solid in the barn... Poor thing! He was so cute! (For those that care, Salt and the mom are nowhere to be found.... which means hopefully they found a warm safe place to stay. That, or we'll find them in the Spring when it thaws....)

I'm so sad...

2008-12-06T15:22:00.005-07:00

So, I was just reading the news online (which I do every day) and came across an article that talked about a car accident last night in Sardine Canyon, (which is the canyon you have to go through to get in/out of Cache Valley). And so I started reading and it said that 3 people had died in the accident. A couple and a 9 year old friend of the family. They also had their 2 children in the car, who survived the crash.
Well, before I know it, the article says the 2 adults who died were Curtis and Tami Andersen from Nibley... My heart dropped. We were friends! We built our houses together! In fact, we had the same house plan! They were great people with 2 beautiful kids. A 5 year old daughter and a 1 year old son! I am just so saddened and sick to my stomach. Tami was extremely close to her mother, which I had met many times, and I immediately thought of her. It's just so sad that these things happen, and that those children, Kylie and Jaxon, have to grow up without their Mom & Dad.
This experience does make me SO grateful that I KNOW that this family can be together forever, and I pray that this earthly experience will only STRENGTHEN the Andersen family.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5001101

These Crazy Boys!!

2008-12-03T19:39:00.003-07:00

So, I was out last night and got a call from Jordan. He said "You won't believe what they boys just did!" And I was thinking, "Oh no. What now..."

Well, it turns out Jordan was in the garage trying to fix the truck while Xander and I were at Scouts. Dallin came down to the garage and just stood there staring at Jordan. Then just started bawling! Then Elijah came down all chipper, saw Dallin, and he too started bawling! So, Jordan says "What's wrong?" And Dallin blurts out that they closed themselves in the hall closet, then couldn't find the doorknob to get out, and panicked. So, they started kicking the door! Yes, kicking with all their might, so Jordan came up to find this...

Yep! They busted the stinkin' door in half!! That's some serious toddler adrenaline that had to have been going on! It's hilarious!

Boys Christmas Pictures

2008-12-02T18:27:00.002-07:00

Dallin's New Glasses...

2008-11-12T13:14:00.004-07:00

How cute is he?

-

San Fransista

2008-10-24T21:16:00.004-06:00

I had a great time visiting Sarah a couple weeks ago. I flew down down for a long weekend to help her ring in the big 3-0! And I mean BIG!! It was off the hook! (J/K)
This was my favorite part. Sarah and I rented this thing and went on a 3 hour guided tour! The car told us where to go, and told stories about the places we were passing. It even told us jokes! It was awesome! Well worth the money!

We looked hot in our helmets. Proof.

Liz came up from San Diego to help us par-tay! It was fun!
Taking Sarah out for a birthday lunch...
Happy Birthday to you!!
Liz- you crazy girl! Loved it!

Ward Halloween Party!

2008-10-24T21:01:00.003-06:00

Tonight was the Benson 2nd Ward Halloween Party! The kids had a blast! There was a huge "Haunted Trail" down in the river bottoms, which the kids loved. (Except Xander- he wouldn't even come with us. He still cries in the Dinosaur Museum! Shh.... Don't tell him I told you that!) Anyways, they had a cakewalk, penny toss, and fishing game, as well as dinner. It was a great time. Here are a few pictures of the boys before we left...

Xander
Dallin
Elijah

New Kit On The Block...

2008-10-23T16:45:00.002-06:00

Look how cute this kitten is that we found in the barn today! It can't even walk yet! I hope it makes it through the cold weather!

P.S. Stay away from it Alecia!! J/K

Bear Lake at the Cabin

2008-10-23T13:19:00.003-06:00

We went shooting, while others were out on the 4 wheelers. Lookin' good Kesia!

Scary, I know. But he just turned 9! He's all mature now!
Dad and the boys... (minus Dallin-he was all funned out already.) Elijah fell asleep on the rough 4 wheel rides 2 days in a row! Crazy.
Xan, Isaac, Jordan, Elijah, Joe, Josh & Brynja on the top of the trail!

Isaac and Dallin... AGAIN!

2008-10-22T17:05:00.003-06:00

Isaac: "I'm a genius!"
Dallin: "I'm more genius than you are!!"

Overheard from Isaac..

2008-10-22T16:55:00.003-06:00

I was cleaning the kitchen as Isaac was sitting at the "Homework Station" trying to finish his homework. Meanwhile, Dallin is leaning over Isaac's shoulder making these horribly obnoxious noises. So Isaac says, "Dallin, stop that! It's annoying!" But, of course, Dallin doesn't quit, so I say, "Dallin, when someone asks you to stop then you need to stop." Then Isaac adds in "Yeah Dallin, you should know by now that everyone's sick of your stupid antics."

Oh boy, the mind of a 7 year old....

Idea's Please...

2008-09-25T15:03:00.001-06:00

I have been having lots of days lately where I have been sitting around, just letting the time and day slip away. I have just been lazy and tired!! Help me!! So, I pose this question to all of you---
What do you do that helps you get things done when you have those days??? I need ideas!
I have a lot I need to get to work on!! Please help!!

Basketball Time!!

2008-09-23T19:07:00.003-06:00

Isaac had his first game tonight! I was a little worried at first because as soon as he got the ball he just held it and ran to the other end of the court!! No dribbling or anything!! It was hilarious! Things got better as the game progressed, and he made a basket near the end!! (I haven't figured out the settings on my camers, so I keep getting crappy pictures. Sorry!)

What is up with my kids???

2008-09-23T16:07:00.003-06:00

I got a letter sent home with Dallin today that simply stated:
"Dallin turned off the lights on the other boys in the bathroom."
So, I read it out loud to him to see what he had to say for himself and all he says is:
"I didn't want to go to recess anyways."

Aaah!! These kids are crazy! Where did they get their manners??

Isaac's Football Game

2008-09-23T15:56:00.003-06:00

So, this took me forever to post. Isaac's first football game was the day after Xander's and he did GREAT! He scored 2 touch-downs in the 1st game. He is so fast the other kids couldn't touch him! Good Job Isaac!!

My Garden...

2008-09-23T15:47:00.002-06:00

I didn't have much room to work with this year for my garden. (I know what you're thinking- don't you have 6 acres??) Yes, but it wasn't ready in time to start planting come spring. So I used a raised bed that the previous homeowner already had around the side of the house. It's about 2 feet by 4 feet. Elijah just picked one of my carrots, and I had to share. How cute is this?

Flag Football!!

2008-09-10T13:32:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was Xander's 1st Flag Football Game! He was so excited! He's been wanting to try football for a while now, but I think tackle football is a hideous idea for kids younger than like junior high, when they can better know when it's okay to tackle and not. Or when they can control their anger a little bit better. But, ANYWAYS... Smithfield Rec started Flag Football this year so I was willing to let Xan try that out. For the first few plays, he'd block his people then just kind of stand there wondering what he should do. But, if you know Xander, you know it only takes a minute for him to really grasp anything!! We finally got a new camera, so here's a few pictures and a quick video clip of his nice moves. (It's funny to watch. Once he realizes what to do, it takes no effort on his part to pull the flags off.)

MORE BEAR LAKE PHOTOS...

2008-09-03T15:30:00.004-06:00

COURTESY OF APRIL, HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICTURES FROM OUR BEAR LAKE VACATION THIS YEAR...

ELIJAH AND SAMMY... HE LOVES ANIMALS!!
AND SWIMMING!!!
ME SHOWING OFF MY MAD SKILLS!!!
XANDER, JOSH AND JOE OUT FOR A SWIM...
CUTE ALIYAH RIDING HER BIKE OUT IN THE LAKE.
DALLIN AND ISAAC ASKING FOR TROUBLE...
ISAAC, ELIJAH, ALIYAH AND BRYNJA IN THE SHELL FILLED "HOT TUB".
ELIJAH PLAYING AND LOOKING CUTE!
MORE ELIJAH AND SAMMY!!

Which Disney Princess Are You?

2008-08-21T10:41:00.007-06:00

"Charming and witty. You are always the first person to come up with a wisecrack. Sure, you have an attitude, but that's why people love you. You keep them on their toes. Sometimes you can be misleading, but always end up doing the right thing for the people you love."

You take the test!! I got this from my Sister-In-Law Jill's Blog. It was fun. Usually I don't take the time to do these things, but it only took a few seconds... I want to know who you are most like!
What Disney Princess Are You?

Bear Lake

2008-08-08T16:54:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I gave Elijah our camera to play with, since it was broken, and I later found him walking around the house snapping pictures of all of us, so apparently our camera has 9 lives. Anyways, I was able to get some of the pictures off the camera from our Bear Lake Vacash. Sorry they're fuzzy, Hollie couldn't make it to take REAL pictures for us! :o)

Digging out the "hot tub".

When you gotta go, you gotta go. The bathrooms were too far for the newly potty trained. (By the way, first time in almost 9 years without having to change diapers!! Yeah!!)

Bear Lake 2008

2008-08-05T17:55:00.002-06:00

So, we're back from our annual Bear Lake Vacation!! Unfortunately, during all the fun, our camera broke. But here's what you missed:
-Me sitting in my zero gravity chair on the beach. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
Needless to say, It was awesome!!
Oh, yeah, there was also a lot of other fun and funny adventures we had! Including the time Josh & Xander drifted a 1/2 mile out to sea in the raft without any of us noticing... (Except the people next to us, who, when Jordan went after them, asked if we wanted him to go out with his jet-ski and tow them back in.) My camera broke right when I was trying to get a good picture of them being towed back to shore... It was funny, though. They were saying how fun and cool it was, until later when April got a confession that they were both screaming for us and crying on the raft. Poor guys! But, they learned their lesson. We told them an adult has to be with them on the boat!! But, what do you expect from 8 year old boys??
All in all, though, we had an awesome, relaxing time. The kids played in the water and sand all day, everyday, while the adults relaxed. We had a lot of fun playing family volleyball, in and out of the water, and lots of swimming. Hopefully April will post some of her pictures so I can steal them and put them on my blog!! We'll see!!

Pioneer Day!!

2008-07-27T20:19:00.006-06:00

We had a great Pioneer Day this year! Jordan decided to take a day off of work and join us for the festivities at Willow Park. We started the day picking up my new furniture. (That was the highlight for me!) And then hit the parade!

We made it to the park just in time for the "candy cannon"!
Not that they got a lot of candy from it!! You can tell by the look on Xander's face!
They had a whole bunch of crafts and games for the kids, too. The boys got their hair sprayed red, white and blue. But, their favorite part was playing Drip, Drip, Drench! (Like Duck, Duck, Goose, but with sponges and water.)

Xander also entered the pie eating contest last minute! I didn't get a picture, but he got 3rd place!! He was still sad though because only 1st and 2nd place got prizes!!
Elijah looking cute, as always!!

Then, as it got dark, we did fireworks!! The boys LOVE FIREWORKS, so any chance we get we have to buy some!! It was a great (and long) day!

My new couches...

2008-07-27T20:10:00.003-06:00

Posting pics of my new furniture, lame, I know, but Sarah wanted to see them because they were "African". Just kidding. I told her they were animal print and she just couldn't imagine, so I told her I'd take pictures for her...

By the way, these are going to be the basement "THEATER ROOM" couches, but I decided to use them upstairs until I get my black leather couches... :o) (Who knows when that'll be!)

Isaac's Tooth

2008-07-23T13:06:00.006-06:00

So, last night Isaac finally got one of his front teeth out. He is so proud! Right away he said "Mom, you need to take a picture! And send it to Sarah, Grandma, Aidan..." (Trust me, the list went on and on.) So, I thought this would be the best (and easiest) way for me to spread the word for him. :o)

FYI: Isaac comes in as I'm posting this and says "What did you do to my picture? You made me look ridiculous. How did you make my ears so big? I look like Frodo!"
(Note: Unfortunately for him, I didn't do anything to the picture!!)

Benson Swim Party

2008-07-23T12:48:00.004-06:00

We had a ton of fun Saturday at the Benson Swim Party! We met for dinner and played games before we went to the pool and swam! It was great. Though I didn't get my camera out during the swimming, I got a few pics of the boys and their friends playing games beforehand...

Note to self...

2008-07-21T21:39:00.002-06:00

Teach Dallin it's called an "Eyelash Curler" not an "Eyebrow Shredder".

Swimming Lessons

2008-07-18T15:51:00.002-06:00

I'm so sad that I left my camera at home today for the boys' last day of swim lessons! They have all done so well in the 3 sessions we put them in this year!
It's so cute how they have their own different strengths and weaknesses. Some will catch on to diving right off where another can't seem to get his hands in the water before his feet no matter what he tries! (I'm not naming names here) :)
I was planning on putting them through one last session at the end of July, but even though they passed off all their skills, they won't send them to the next level because they're all too small. They were already the youngest in their classes, so even though they learned their skills and did awesome-they won't be able to go on the the highest level classes yet this year. I guess that's good, though, they've gone as far as they can! And I shouldn't complain just because they are better than kids their own ages, right? Just kidding. They can't wait for the community swim party tomorrow night, though! It should be fun! I'll be sure to bring my camera tomorrow!!

Funny Dallin

2008-07-13T13:12:00.001-06:00

Dallin came and sat by me yesterday and asked...

"Mom, did Elijah come from your tummy, or did we just find him somewhere?"

4th of July!!

2008-07-07T22:48:00.003-06:00

We had a great 4th of July weekend this year!! Mostly because Sarah came to visit!! Though the trip seemed way too short, we sure packed a lot in! We started off with a parade in front of Hollie's house! It was fun! And long! The boys kept asking if it was over yet!! (I'd like to give a special thanks to Hollie who took all the pictures and posted them on her blog for me to steal!! Thanks!)

Elijah was entranced by everything!! He was jumping up and down and cheering and everything!
After the parade, Sarah and I took Xander, Isaac and Dallin to Lagoon. I was afraid that they'd be too scared to go on too many rides, but they did great!! We had a lot of fun!! (I'll post pictures of that later!!)

After Lagoon we went to April and Joe's and had an awesome BBQ and watched their cul-de-sac of Fire!! The boys had tons of fun, but were pretty worn out by that point!!

And Saturday we got up and headed to Matt & Joy's for a few hours. We had a good time there visiting with them. The boys LOVED their baby Sammy. He's so adorable!! They were taking pictures of him non-stop, and Isaac just couldn't take his eyes off of him. He even was telling us all that Sammy looked just like him!! He loved that baby so much he keeps asking for one at our house!! But all the boys agree they want a sister. (Where'd they get that? :o) ) I'll post those pictures of the boys and Sam later, too.

After we got back, Jordan took the boys fishing with the rest of his family. It looks like Elijah and his cousin Cherish had fun together.
Then Saturday evening we went back to the Finley's for another fun party! We had water balloons and it quickly turned into a free for all with any water you could get! I think the best part was the fight between Jordan and his Dad. It was hilarious!
At least until I got caught in the middle!!

We ended it with a pinata- which always goes over well with the kids!! (Notice me in the background going in for a bag of Skittles!)

Pics of the House...

2008-06-09T16:09:00.004-06:00

Here are a few pics of the house, for those who are interested... Jordan had some fun doing before and afters... Not that we're totally done, but it shows how far we've come so far!!

Elijah the animal lover!

2008-06-09T14:38:00.002-06:00

So, Xander came running over to me this morning saying "Mom! Look at Elijah!!" And just then Elijah came around the corner and showed me a mouse he was holding!! And it was dead! Not rotten or anything, just freshly dead (not that that really helps)!! And he was so proud!! He was holding it so carefully and sweetly! So, I called Jordan over and he hurried and grabbed the mouse from him and got rid of it. So, I take Elijah inside to wash his hands really well. And he is just so sad that Dad took his "pet" away. So, he finally stops crying when we get back outside, but he starts looking around saying "Where my pet go?"
Anyways, in the process of looking for his missing pet, he finds an injured wasp crawling around on the ground and sets his hand down, so it'll crawl up on his arm.
He comes over and shows me that it's just crawling around on him, so I tell him that we don't play with dead animals or wasps, and I flick the wasp off. Then Xander decides he should put it out of it's injured misery, and squishes it. Needless to say Elijah was not a happy camper that we wouldn't let him play with any "pets". He was so sad! But, he was so sweet to both of them!! It was cute. I often find him digging in the dirt trying to find his snake pets, too. Why he picks my least favorite animals to play with, I don't know. Where's a cat or dog when you need it?

"Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree!!"

2008-06-09T14:26:00.007-06:00

I had to get this on video! He's just so cute!!
WARNING: YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE THIS VIDEO ON MUTE WHILE ENJOYING.
WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TRAUMA THAT MAY OCCUR BY NOT ABIDING BY THIS WARNING!! (It sounds like we're singing in slow mo and I'm completely out of tune. But, what's new?)

The fire pit...

2008-06-09T14:07:00.003-06:00

So, last week we randomly decided we wanted to have a cookout. So, we just dug a fire pit. (One of the nice things about having over 6 acres to play with!) It's been so much fun. The last couple of Sunday nights we've roasted hot dogs, sang songs with Jordan playing guitar, and had s'mores. The kids love it, as well as Jordan and I. Anyway, I was able to get a few pictures before it got too dark yesterday, so enjoy! FYI- We're planning on making this pit into a nice campsite, so if you feel the urge to go camping, everyone's welcome to come visit us!! Or, if you don't like camping, we have tons of extra space inside the house, too!

Jordan has taught the boys how to build a proper fire, and we've had a few talks on roasting stick safety. (That's an important one with 4 boys.)
This is Elijah hiding in "the jungle". That's what they boys call it.
The view from our backyard... the temple is gorgeous at nighttime!

Kids Say the Darndest Things...

2008-05-23T19:13:00.005-06:00

Tonight we had cereal for dinner, which by the way, I've never done. Surprising, I know.
Anyway, as I'm sitting at the table enjoying my food, I overhear the boys' conversation over at the counter.

Isaac says, "Wow, Elijah is really enjoying his Marshmallow Ladies."

Xander, of course, has to correct him and says, "It's Marshmallow Mateys!"

Then, I hear Dallin pipe in, "Yeah, if it was called Marshmallow Ladies there'd be boobs in it."

Nice, huh?

The boys in action!

2008-05-08T18:29:00.003-06:00

Hollie and James and family were able to come up and visit this last weekend. It was so much fun! I loved having the company. Of course, I'm not going to complain that Hollie spent the whole time cleaning my kitchen, too! She was also nice enough to spend her Saturday morning taking pictures of the boys in their soccer games. She did a great job! These are my favorites:

Jordan & Elijah

Xander & Isaac

Dallin

Isaac as Goalie

Xander's "Boom goes the dynamite"

FYI...

2008-05-08T18:25:00.002-06:00

Isaac has had pretty severe headaches and nose bleeds the last couple of weeks. The doctor set up a CT scan and lots of blood work, so we can find out what's going on. His CT scan came out clear and we are waiting for the blood tests to come back. He's been doing a lot better this last week, though. Allergies, anyone? I'm guessing that's it.

Easter Pics...

2008-05-08T17:54:00.003-06:00

Here are some pictures from Easter when we were at the Finley's. The boys had a great time finding Easter Eggs and playing with their cousins.

Tribute to the Farley's

2008-04-27T20:04:00.004-06:00

Well, Alecia and the kids went back home yesterday. (Sniff sniff). The boys and I are sad that they couldn't stay longer. It didn't seem like 3 1/2 months! It went by fast! I think of Alecia as I drink my Dr. Pepper. I have no one to meet me at Great Harvest Bread for lunch, or anyone to chat with while I'm waiting for the kids to get out of school. Sigh. It's a sad day at the Finley's. No one will call me at 8:30 in the morning to tell me Kohl's has a huge sale!! Oh man!
Isaac was kind of excited though because Aidan left a whole bunch of polo shirts for the boys to use for school, a couple pairs of shoes and his extra soccer clothes. Isaac wear's Aidan's hiking boots everyday now (he even tried to wear them with his church clothes today). On Saturday, when he was getting ready for soccer, he decided he wanted to wear Aidan's old soccer shirt instead of his. I said, "Isaac why don't you wear your other shirt?" and Xander said, "He wants to wear everything of Aidan's now, his shoes, his shirts..." and I said, "Whoa, do you wish you were Aidan?" and Isaac got all serious and said, "No, I'm glad that I'm Isaac, but I do wish I had big hair like Aidan."
IT WAS HILARIOUS! He was dead serious too. It was cute.

WE MISS YOU ALECIA, AIDAN AND SARAH!!

Elijah loves to help Dad work on the house!

2008-04-22T19:29:00.004-06:00

Especially when he's naked...
(Elijah, not Jordan. Scared you for a minute, huh?)

He's so funny! He even got a big ol' screw in there and everything!!

Soccer Pics

2008-04-22T19:15:00.003-06:00

Today the boys had soccer games at the same time at the same field, so I was able to snap a few pics. You can tell that Aidan and Dallin enjoy talking while on the field.

Xander's Persuasive Paper

2008-04-18T13:22:00.003-06:00

Every now and then for school, Xander has to write what they call a "persuasive paper". It is where (obviously) he tries to persuade someone to do something. This last paper was so good, I had to share. Who wouldn't buy them the dart guns?

Wow, It's been a while!

2008-04-03T21:07:00.002-06:00

So, this year has been a whirlwind! My goodness, it's non-stop. We've been remodeling the house without rest since we moved in the beginning of January. (I'll snap some pictures soon). And the house is really coming along! We're excited!
More recently, the 3 oldest boys Xander, Isaac and Dallin have started soccer. They love it so much! And I can't believe how naturally talented these kids are in all aspects! We won't be surprised if Dallin takes after Xan and is asked to skip a grade from kindergarten. He reads simple words and asks for spelling bee's all the time. He says, "mom you can have me spell 5 words, bat, rat, cat, dog, or I am Sam." He's so funny! Xander got straight A's on his report card again. (No real surprise there for those of you who know him. In fact, his lowest average score in anything was 102%) And Isaac is really taking giant strides in his work. His real love is art, though, but his artistic abilities are amazing! The detail he uses most 6 year old's wouldn't even think to include. He's amazing. And who would have thought the the little uncoordinated guy that broke his arm falling on carpet would be the fastest runner! Yes, the same one who ran into walls. Literally at full speed. Elijah is awesome. I don't think I've ever seen a 2 year old so smart. He does everything the older boys do, but what is amazing is he understands and comprehends what they're doing and can do things almost as well. It's not very often you come across a 2 year old you can explain things to and he'll listen because he comprehends full conversations! And he is the happiest thing you'd ever see! So excited about life and his brothers! Amazing, all of these boys! I just can't believe that I have been blessed and trusted with these obviously special children! What a joy they are to me! Each one is EXTRAORDINARY in there own special ways even by worldly standards, and that is awesome. We work hard as parents, and I'm starting to realize that this time that we devote to our kids is doing something incredible. I'm thankful I'm able to stay at home to teach them. And that they have this hunger and love for learning!

House Photos!

2007-10-30T14:28:00.000-06:00

So, this is it! The house we're buying. This is BEFORE remodeling! FYI.

Family Photos!!

2007-10-05T13:32:00.000-06:00

I'll put the real ones up when we get them. These are obviously just snapshots of the real ones...but they'll do!!

Family Photos!

2007-10-05T13:23:00.000-06:00

It's that time!! Fall in Utah!! I love it! We decided to get some new family portraits done and take advantage of the beauty that surrounds us every day! Enjoy! These are only some I've received back so far, check back later for more posts. And don't be afraid to leave feedback!

Just another day at the Finley's!!

2007-09-24T20:00:00.000-06:00

LUNCH TIME!

Is it a bad sign when your 1 year old is embarassed to be seen with you?

2007-09-24T19:54:00.001-06:00

Elijah Loves to Color...

2007-09-24T19:44:00.000-06:00

So, I let him!

We get a babysitter for 3 hours....

2007-09-24T19:26:00.000-06:00

So, I don't know where we go wrong- but if something is going to happen, it's going to happen to us. The babysitters didn't even tell us about Isaac and Elijah's "mishaps". We noticed when we made Isaac take off his hat for bed. Okay, so the top left is the next morning "after the haircut" picture.... (Jordan did it) We didn't make him go in public like that, don't worry. But, it's just as bad for him to be completely bald. When we were done he said, "I don't look like Dad, do I?"

My pretty, pretty princess!!

2007-08-31T16:36:00.000-06:00

Elijah fell asleep in the car while playing with my headband... so precious!!

EEEWWWWWWW!!!

2007-08-31T16:29:00.000-06:00

Due to the graphic content, this photo has been removed.

Ever wonder what your kids do before you wake up?

2007-08-31T16:18:00.001-06:00

Well, I found out. This is what I woke up to one morning. I was just walking down the hall to find the kids some breakfast, I heard a noise in the hall closet, and looked to find Dallin apparently doing one of his favorite early morning past-times...

mirror lake

2007-06-12T17:56:00.001-06:00

Last weekend we went camping at Mirror Lake. We had a lot of fun. We caught around 60 fish on the first day, and the boys loved it! Elijah thinks he's catching that fish in the 2nd picture. He loved to catch them in his net after we had them on the hook. He would also pet them as they were dangling from the line. That is, until the time he got too close and one slapped him on the face with it's tail. That wasn't so fun.

We Got a New Pool!!

2007-06-12T14:54:00.000-06:00

The kids are so excited for our new pool. I snapped a few pictures of their first time in... check it out.

I think we're growing out of our house...

2007-02-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

What do you think?

Elijah loves taking showers!!

2007-02-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

Elijah is the funniest kiddo. He LOVES taking showers. Every morning when he gets up, he waltzes right in to our bathroom and waits by the tub for Jordan to get ready for his shower. And every night when Jordan walks in the door, Elijah yells "Dad" and runs to the bathtub trying to pull his shirt off on the way. So, needless to say, he figured out how to get in the bathtub by his self, but can't get out on his own, so we'll hear him whining, and find him sitting in an empty bathtub with his clothes on. I wonder what he's trying to tell me when he does that. Hmmm?
This is the most recent time.

Elijah in the Toilet

2007-01-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

I only looked away for a split second, okay, maybe a few minutes, and this is what I come across after realizing it was way too quiet.
I walked into my bathroom to find Elijah standing in the toilet, 2 (new, packaged) tampons hanging out of his mouth, and a dozen panty liners stuck on the wall. Now, he has gotten into my feminine stash before, but this one definitely topped them all. I couldn't let him out until I got a quick picture...

Our house plans!!!

2006-12-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

We got our house plans back! Here is a rough draft of what we're doing! It'll be roughly 4200 square ft.

Family Pictures

2006-12-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here's our boys:

Isaac 5 1/2, Xander 7, Elijah 14 months, Dallin 4.

Hollie came up this weekend and took some family pictures for us. It's so hard to get everyone looking at the camera!! But, there were a few that turned out okay. I can't believe how big the boys are getting!

Dallin's Birthday!

2006-11-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Elijah didn't care for Dallin's new "Cars" remote control chasing after him. He'd be laughing so hard one minute and almost crying when it would catch up to him. It was cute!

Dallin's Birthday!

2006-11-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pictures of him opening his presents...

Dallin's 4th Birthday!!

2006-11-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dallin chose a Pirates of the Carribean Cake...

Pumpkin Patch in WA!

2006-11-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Elijah and I went to Washington a couple weeks back. Alecia and I and the kids went to a Pumpkin Patch! It was great! We had a fun time.

2006-06-21T21:06:00.000-06:00

Here's a good one of Elijah in bed... sleeping... like he was supposed to have been doing for the last hour before this picture was taken...

He has his 2 bottom teeth!!

Fishing

2006-06-21T20:49:00.000-06:00

Jordan took the boys fishing the other day. Here's Xander and Dallin with their fish. (I heard from a little birdie that Xander was afraid of the fish AND the worms!! Hee Hee)
And Dallin wouldn't let anyone help him. He did his all by himself!! It was a good day. Probably because Elijah and I went SHOPPING!!

Isaac got bored after 1 fish, and went back and played some X-box.

And, by the way, that IS a fish on the end of Dallin's line. Isn't that teeny?

Life is Busy!!

2006-06-06T22:02:00.001-06:00

Wow! Time sure is flying by! Not much going on here but everyday life. I need to get my newest pictures uploaded soon, so look for those in the next few days. Xander will finally be out of school at the end of the week! He is excited to start 2nd grade next year! I'm a little worried though, because he has already started bugging me about dying his hair black. What should I tell him Aaron?

Super Dallin

2006-02-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Don't Ask...

Eli

2006-02-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

Elijah was tired of waiting for me to get his baby food ready. Poor Guy!!

Johnny Jump-Up

2006-02-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

The jumper says it's for babies 4 months to walking. Well, Elijah's 4 months. Does it look like 4 month olds understand what they're for? Atleast Elijah hasn't caught on quite yet.

Dally

2006-02-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

I told him if he didn't put his clothes on everyone would see him in his underwear!

Buckeroo

2006-02-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here's our little Buckeroo!

The Whole Gang

2006-02-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

Xander (6)
Jordan Melanie
Elijah (3 mo) Dallin (3)
Isaac (4 1/2)

Xander

2006-02-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

Xander is a great kid. He loves school, and it shows. He went to kindergarten for 3 weeks before they promoted him to 1st grade! He now has straight A's (yes, they give letter grades to the 1st graders, too). He really likes Thomas Edison Charter School, and has made a lot of friends. He's great at reading and a whiz at math. Now that Basketball's over he's anxious to start soccer. He's such a help. We're so proud of him!

Isaac

2006-02-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

Isaac is our laid back boy. He is so sweet and sensitive to others. He loves preschool, and has really come a long way! He was not talking at 3 years old, and now speaks very clearly and enunciates really well. He likes reading, playing X-box, and jumping on the trampoline. He is also very excited to start soccer. He Loves his baby brother, and is a huge help with him. We love having Isaac in our family!

Dallin

2006-02-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Dallin is our comedian. He will do whatever it takes to make someone laugh. He is a fun, playful, and a very smart little boy. He LOVES puzzles, movies, and popcorn. He's really good at making the most boring things a PARTY!! He's a free spirit with his own opinions and style.

Elijah

2006-02-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

Elijah is so sweet. He's been a good boy from day one. He only cries when it's absolutely necessary. He's getting so big already, just like his brothers! He's rolling over now, and loves to play with his toys. He likes to laugh at people (even when they're not trying to be funny).