Wow! It has been sooooo long:)

I have not kept up on this very well. I don't know if anyone reads blogs anymore, but I am going to try and keep up at least once a month this next year. There is not too much that is new for us. Our life is pretty scheduled at this point with work & kiddos growing up. Tally is a 5th grader who is getting straight "A"s right now. She is a total tomboy. She love to roller blade, skateboard, ride bikes, & be outside. Most of her best friends are boys at this point. She is still into sports & is hoping to play basketball this next season. Now that she is keeping her grades up, she will be able to play. She is very much like her momma. I find her saying things that I was thinking. She is funny & bright. I love her, but know we are going to clash a lot as she grows up. She has a bit of a sassy mouth & sarcastic nature. Probably my fault so I shouldn't complain. Ash is still our little "cheerleader". She is all bouncy, girlie energy with blond hair flying about. ASh is still taking dance class & loves it. She is having some issues with staying on task & sitting still in class. We will be having her worked-up for ADD in the next month. She has come a long way this last year. She is not having anxiety attacks anymore so her coping skills have gotten better. For the most part she is a good girl who is very loving and sweet. She thinks the world revolves around her & has more self-esteem than anyone I know. I love her so much...she is completely everything I am not:) Our little man is going to be 3 in April. I cannot believe it! He is all boy...trains, dinos, cars, sports. He loves it all. He is really talking well. WE have started potty-training. It is going ok. If he gets potty-trained the next few months, he may be able to go to preschool. I am kind of excited about that. He loves to play with other kids & I think he gets sick of being stuck with me everyday. He knows his colors & can count to 10 (most days). He loves to play with Tally & tolerates AShlyn once in a while:)
Rob & I are just trying to keep up with these kiddos & both work full-time. We both love our jobs & being parents of these 3 little angels. I have started running & just ran my first half marathon (13.1 miles) on February 4th. I am now traing for the Ragnar in June (wasatch back). i will have to run 15ish miles through the east canyon area...should be fun:)

Family Photos

We had some family photos taken thanks to the Kerkman side of the fam. My aunts were able to get a very large group (all the family) of people, including Grandpa Fred, to WAYMAN Photography for a shoot. This only happens once a decade if we are lucky. I am soooo glad we were able to go. It will be very special to have these photos of my Grandpa who passed away very shortly after these were taken. These are not the best copies of the photos, but you get the idea. I think the photographer did a great job with such a large group of people. I am partial, of course, to my family and the photo of my kids. They turned out great. It is our 1st official "family" pic with Marshall in it. We decided to take a few "1 year" shots of him playing and crawling around as well. Not too bad considering they are all "impromtu". It was fun to get a family photo with my parents--Sharon & Craig--brothers-Steven and Scott-sister Tiff and her husband Jeremy. It has been a VERY long time since all of us were in one place for a picture. Overall, I think they turned out well. I am very glad to have them and will display them proudly:)

Our QT boy!

Marshall is getting so big! He is walking everywhere now. He loves when we will "chase" him (especially around the ottoman), although he is not too steady on his feet while running. He falls often as per the usual for our kids. A few little face and head bruises here and there, but overall he is getting around very well now. Too well maybe...Marshall is into everything! I need to baby-proof stat--he is constantly into cupboards, climbing, and "escaping" to the upstairs. I noticed his 2 bottom front molars are swelling up and causing some crankiness. They look like they will pop through the gums anytime. Poor baby:(
He will be able to eat really well once they are in though. Marshall thinks he has to have what everyone else has so we have to be careful of what we eat in front of him. You can only chew so well with 8 front teeth. His little personality is really starting to bloom. He is very funny--loves to make people laugh. He has perfected the "fake" laugh and uses it often, especially if he is about to get in trouble for doing something he shouldn't. Marshall can be a bit goofy sometimes, but always adorable!
The girls are in their last week of 3rd grade and Kindergarten. Ashlyn passed her KG assessment testing with flying colors. I hope she can hand all-day school next year (really the end of July). I am sooooooo excited for her to go all day. I think she will have more fun and not be so bored for half the day while Tally is gone. Tally is just ready for whatever comes next. She is full of sass, but is very sweet and helpful when she wants to be. I hope we can fit a lot of summer into the next 3 weeks before they go back to school.

June Fun

We have been soooo busy this June so far. The girls are still in school for another month, but we have tried to fit a bit of summer in. Well, when the weather cooperates that is! Tally has turned 9. A very fun day at Cowabunga Bay Water Park and then a Salt Lake BEES game with fireworks that night. I cannot believe she is 9! She is loving guitar and practices just about every day. My mom gave her the old "Schirack" guitar that I learned on. It is big for her, but fits her better than the little pink one she got from Christmas. She received a new "big" skateboard, helmet, and pads for every part of her body I could cover. She is awesome on it though. I am very nervous for her to take it to the skate park, but that is what she is looking forward to. Wow. I never thought I would type a sentence like that! Tals will be in 4th grade next year and I just cannot stand it. She is growing up so fast! They all are. Ashlyn just had her 1st "lunch" at school. She memorized her lunch number with vigor! I think it was the easiest homework assignment ever:) She is soooo looking forward to all day 1st grade and so am I! Marshall started walking while we were rafting in California. He was very close before we left--taking 5 or 6 steps here and there, but the second we leave town- BAM he is mobile! It is soooo adorable to watch him toddle-waddle everywhere. He seems to be turning into a little boy every day right in front of our eyes. Rob and I both have nasty colds right now. Miserable, but we are trying to keep busy and get some stuff done around the house. I am cleaning out the basement and mudroom. He is cleaning out the garage and fixing up the backyard. Always so much to do!
We went to California for a little V-K to visit Sowells and go river-rafting. It was a blast! More successful than our last attempt at being one with nature. We spent a day in San Francisco just the 2 of us and ate at the Stinking Rose restaurant with all of the Sowells that evening...so much fun. We cannot wait to have them visit at the end of July and go to Vegas at the first of August for Rob's Birthday. It will be a busy summer for sure!

Catching up!

I cannot believe almost 3 months have gone by already....life is crazy busy with 3 kids and parents who work opposite schedules. Oh well, a ton has been going on at our house. Our little man turned 1 year at the end of April. So crazy! Marshall is so so so so so much fun to have in our home. He is VERY busy though. I literally spend my day chasing him around. He is very social so I get to take him to the gym daycare and he loves to flirt and play with all the ladies. Marshall is such a good boy still. He is learning the art of a tantrum though. He will throw himself down on the ground and "fake" cry if you tell him "no" or don't pick him up when he wants. He is also a fan of hitting (mostly mommy) if he gets told "no". The girls think it is funny to fake hit with him...funny until he clocks mom in the face when he doesn't get his way. It is rare that he acts up though. Sleeping better at our house. Marsh only wakes and cries about 1 or 2 times a night on average. I have stopped going in when he does this. He goes back to sleep within a half-hour or so now. He only takes one nap a day, but if I am lucky, it lasts up to 3 hours. Sometimes 1 so I never know. We built him a big sandbox in the back for his birthday and he seems to love it so far. He looks at us like we are crazy every time we put him in it though. I don't think he quite understands what to do yet...he is figuring out scooping, dumping, and destroying the sand though. He is trying to walk. He is a great solo-stander. Walking all along furniture and walls. He has taken a few steps alone here and there, but seems to prefer the ease and speed of crawling still. Marshall will crab-crawl on his hands and feet if he doesn't want to hurt his knees. Such a funny little guy.
Ashlyn turned 6 at the 1st of May. She is getting so big! Literally...she is in a size 7 or 8..Natalia is in an 8 or 10. They wear the same shoe size just about. Ashlyn is my little princess still. She is still loving "dress up". We found some fun tutus for her birthday and she is very into shoes and hair bows right now. We are growing out her bangs right now, but she is loving having her hair shorter. Her dance season is about done. A spring concert is right around the corner. It will be fun to see her dance and have fun. She really loves it. We will sign her up again in September. Ash also expressed interest in playing baseball this summer so that will be interesting.
Tally is doing well also. She will be turning 9 in about 9 days. I cannot believe 9 years have passed so quickly. She is such a good girl. We are getting a bit mouthy and talking back some, but overall she does what she is asked and helps out a lot around the house. She actually enjoys emptying the dishwasher, sweeping, vacuuming, and helping with Marshall. She is a great big-sister. Ashlyn knows how to push her buttons, but I am hoping they will outgrow their bickering soon. She really loves her little brother and plays with him everyday. They are really cute together. We got passes to Cowabunga Bay for their birthdays. It will be fun to spend so much time in the water and sun...that is, if summer ever gets here! The girls don't get out of school until the 1st of July and go back at the end of July to their new grades. A short summer that we will have to pack full of fun. Tally is planning to play baseball and basketball this summer/fall so that will keep us busy.
Nothing really new for Rob and I. Just trying to keep up with the little ones. My work has been slow so I have been "part time" for a lot of the year (I have been cancelled off shifts about 3-4 times a month). Hurting financially, but it has been nice to have the extra time at home. Hopefully it pick up soon though.
Rob and I are going river rafting with the Sowells in a couple of weeks. It will be fun to break away from the routine for a few days and let loose. We need it.
I think that is about it for now. I am going to try to be better about updating this thing. I don't know how many people actually look at it anymore though with facebook and everything.

Happy St. Patrick's Day and other stuff:)

Another couple of months have passed in the blink of an eye! It is already half-way through March. The girls are out of school right now. They will go back after Spring Break. It will be a long 4 weeks. Hopefully we can get to the Zoo, Aquarium, and do a little bowling while they are off. Those are the things they would like to do at least. They got into a bit of trouble this week "writing" stars into the paint and taillights of Rob's truck. Grounded for the week and doing lots of chores right now. Marshall is getting big. He is just about 11 months now. Marsh is getting into everything! I need to baby proof stat! He can walk along furniture and just in the last couple of days has started to let go and "transfer" to another piece of furniture or person. I think he will be walking by his 1st birthday. This may seem like a normal milestone to some, but for our family he will be "ahead". Neither daughter was ever this mobile this early. They didn't walk until well into their 1st year. Of course, this had its advantages...I didn't have to worry about them getting into everything like I do with Marshall. Definitely keeping me busy. He is quickly learning "NO" or "Danger" and either pauses and moves away, or if so inclined, beelines it for whatever we just said "no" to. He is a really good boy overall though. The girls are loving playing with him. Tally can even feed him for me. Now, if I can just get her interested in changing diapers:) Ashlyn is having a lot of fun in dance. She has a Spring Concert coming up in June. It will be fun to see her perform again. She is finishing up Kindergarten and loving it. I think she is very excited for all-day school. Probably not as excited as I am though. She knows all of her "sight words" and is reading her little books very well. It is fun to see her succeed with reading. She is so proud of herself. We need to work on handwriting a little bit, but she is really thriving in the classroom. Tally is trying to memorize her times tables in school. She is constantly "testing" us on ours. She is doing pretty well though. She is a great student when she wants to be. Spelling and math are her two best subjects. She is really enjoying reading as well. Natalia cannot wait for "sport season" to begin. She wants to play soccer and baseball again. I think she may end up with just baseball because school isn't out until July. She has already been out shooting hoops in the backyard with all this nice weather we have had. I think they will all take swimming lessons this year. They are all getting too big too fast! We have the "Summer of Birthdays" starting next month. Marshall, Ashlyn, Tally, then Rob. I guess we need to get through April fools day and Easter first (Ashlyn is reminding us of every holiday that is coming up daily).
Well, there is an update. Hopefully my next blog post won't be too far in the future.

Happy St. Patrick