MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of family, friends and fun! I don't have everyone's addresses so I figured I'd put out letter up on our blog for all to see. We miss all those who live away from Utah and hope to see everyone soon. Good luck in your endeavors with the upcoming year! May the Lord be with you all with the new and exciting challenges this new year has to offer!
We love you all!
The Burtons

My Funny Boy, Reid

Reid is so cute, he is learning so much and comes up with things that his little brain understands and thinks is real. Here are a couple things he has done...

Reid and William were playing together with a box that was completely open so it was like a tunnel. They were laughing and giggling and then I hear, "Come out, Come out little buddy!" it made me tear up when i heard it. They are such good buddies and i hope will always be. (Jed calls them his little buddy, so thats where Reid picked it up from).

Just today while Reid was going potty, he noticed something on his leg...

"My owie pooped!"
For those who don't think like a 2 year old, I provided an explanation...He had a owie on his leg but now there is a brown scab.

May you always remember the cute little things your children discover!

Families Are Forever

For Thanksgiving we took family pictures. Here's on of the whole family on the Gentry side!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

Reid's favorite cartoon is Mickey Mouse Club House. Mickey solves problems for his friends and whenever he gets stuck and needs a tool, he calls for Toodles who carries the different tools.


One day Reid was trying to go upstairs but I had a gate in his way that he wasn't able to move. After a few attempts to get past it, he calls out..."Ohhh Toodles" he called out a couple times, then I explained it only works on the cartoon.

Ohh the imagination and faith little ones have!

Let it Snow!!!

It finally snowed!!! Last week was the first snowfall of the year and it was a good one. Reid wanted to play in it so I bundled him up and let him loose. The kids upstairs joined him. Reid enjoyed throwing snowballs and them (an me) and at the tree, realizing that the snow sticks to the tree win it hits it. We have a little hill that they slide down on with our sled, luckily the trampoline blocks the way of going off the hill!



William wasn't exactly sure of the snow. But we'll get him used to it!


Eventually Reid got tired and cold and decided he was finished. And what better way to warm up then with some yummy hot chocolate, a nice warm beanbag and a big silky blanket!


Yesterday it snowed again. I don't care too much for the cold but when the snow sticks and blankets everything, I can't help but be greatful for the beauty it brings. These are pictures from out backyard. And our view (we're nearly beside the mountain so we have an amazing view).

Happy Birthday William!

William's 1st birthday was November 28th and now I finally have a time to post about it...

On his birthday he opened presents in the morning. It took him awhile to realize what he was able to do. Reid of course helped. Jed was running the camera and every time he would take a picture, William would stop, look up at Jed and give him a big cheesy grin. Eventually he didn't care about opening his presents and would just look at Jed, waiting for another picture to be taken!

We waited to do his birthday dinner and cake until the following Sunday, that way Jed was able to be there also. We had a yummy dinner with just our family, then came the cake! William was a little tired and didn't attack it as much as we thought he would. But he enjoyed it, and we all had a lot of fun.

It's amazing how much they grow up and how fast. I love being a mom and being able to be home with my boys all the time. I am so greatful for Jed and his desire for me to stay home with our boys as well. He works so hard for me to be able to do it. It's always fun to be able to watch their growth and to see what each day brings.

Lot's of Presents!

Earlier today we went to RC Willey to see Santa (pix to come later). When Jed came home tonight he asked Reid who was at Daddy's work...

Reid: Santa, I saw Santa.

Jed: Is he going to bring you presents?

Reid: Uh huh! Lot's of presents, on the tree!!! On the Christmas Tree!

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!!!

And we hope this will brighten your day. Just follow the link below (you may have to copy and paste it).

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1122436684

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Thanksgiving was too short, but also was a lot of fun. We were so blessed to be able to leave Tuesday night to Mesquite, Nevada. My family took family pictures on Wednesday. It actually went quite smoothly, even with 6 little ones. But at the end of it all, it was a success!



Thursday was a lot of fun too. Between target shooting, dirt bikes and 4 wheelers, we managed to get all the food made. In total there were 38 people (including the babies). We had a lot of fun, luckily it wasn't as crazy as we all thought it would be.
Unfortunately we had to leave Thursday night, Jed had to be at work for Black Friday.



Thank you to Lance and Celeste for allowing us to use your home and turn it into a crazy place for a couple of days!

Potty Training...

Reid is officially potty trained! It was quite easy too. We spent about a week and a half with my sister and her boy, Jace, who already goes potty in the toilet. On our way home we stopped at a gas station because I needed to use the restroom and Reid said, "Mommy, me go potty in toilet." So I sat him down and he went potty in the toilet! Ever since then he would go! I never had to bribe him with any toys. All we did was sing the potty song and do the potty dance every time he would go..."Reid went potty in the toilet, potty in the toilet, potty in the toilet! Yeah!!!" He loved it. I have a feeling though that William won't be as easy though because he has always been more difficult than Reid. We'll see when it happens!


Isn't he so cute in his Thomas the Train Underwear!?

All About Reid!

I wish we could live so close to everyone so you can all see and hear what Reid comes up with. He is the funniest little ball of energy that never stops moving and talking. He has such an amazing memory it amazes me. Most of the things he remembers makes me wonder where in the world he heard them. Like the other day we were walking in Walmart to get a present for TJ (Happy Birthday) and he saw Mario (from Mario Brothers) hanging up, and he says with much excitement..."Mario, Mario!" I have absolutely no idea where he saw Mario and how he knows of him.



He also comes up with actions from animals...Once he tumbled down a chair and his pants got caught and he was hanging. He just laughed and said he's like a monkey! Just today, he said he wanted to 'squeeeeeze' like a mouse! (Like how they can squeeze through tiny places). I don't know how he knows it but he does.

My favorite though is when he brings something up he's learned in nursery. I am definitely going to miss his teacher. She knew how to teach them. Whenever we would drive by a church building he would always say, "Nook Mommy, a Temple." The other day we drove by the Mt. Timpanogos Temple and I showed him it. He said, 'Let's go in.' He is so cute!

He is my little helper, he loves to help me with William. He always wants to help feed him and does a pretty good job with it.


He is always on the go. Sometimes I wish I could bottle up some of his energy to save for later. I love my boys so much and am sooo happy to be their mommy.

How to Have a Successful Move

If you are planning a move soon, follow this advice and hopefully you will have a smooth move...
1. A couple months in advance start de-junking your house. Get rid of unnecessary items. Have a yard sale to earn more money for the move. Pack up items not used all the time.
2. The week of your move, have grandma, aunt, sister or anyone babysit your kids for 3 days (it doesn't have to be over night, but you'll need them gone during the day).
3. The first day do laundry and clean your house and prepare meals for that week and the following week.
4. The second day, pack your bags like you are going on vacation 1 week. Also start packing up your house. (When packing your boxes. Write on the top which room they go in and then on the side what is in them).
5. The third day keep packing up your house. Get as much done as you can without your kids.
6. The night (or morning) of your move have everything taken down (beds, cribs, etc.)
7. The day of your move you might want your kids babysat again, but if everything is ready it shouldn't be too difficult with them.
8. Move the bigger items first so you can set them up in it's place right away.
9. Place each box in the correct room.
10. Be sure to keep your "packed bags" separate, so you still have clothes to wear and toothbrushes and such.

Hopefully your move will go smoother and less hectic than ours did. We were no where near prepared (as I thought we were) to move. It took us longer and our place now is probably the size of the downstairs level of our old place. After storing a lot of things at Nancy and Nelson's house and making a few purchases, we are finally in our new place. We still have boxes to be emptied and our bedroom still isn't set up, but by the end of this week we will be completely settled.

Cute or Scary?!

So...Reid was playing with his friend Jonas and we told them to give each other a kiss. Jonas usually kisses people on the lips so he turned....while Reid turned and....well...you get the picture!!!!

Fresno, Santa Barbara, Oxnard; California!!!

Finally I am able to post on our trip to California.
We left on the 20th and got home on the 26th, drove all night both nights. I don't know if we'll ever do that again because our boys don't just sleep in one spot in their beds. So all night they both were trying to change positions, but couldn't because of the car seats, needless to say they cried a lot. Also the day we would arrive Jed and I were so tired we didn't really do much but try to sleep. However, it was a lot of fun. And I don't regret leaving when we had to move. (There wasn't much packing we could have done because we were still using it all).

We arrived at my parents house on Sunday morning, slept and visited. Monday I played with my mom while Jed stayed home and played with the boys! Then we played with our friend Melissa and her baby Braxton (sorry we missed you Matthew).

Tuesday Jed and I left for Santa Barbara. We were very lucky to leave the boys with Grandma and Grandpa, and Josh and Candi. Jed had learned how to go crabbing, so we bought 2 crab nets. (Each of us could have had two but they aren't very cheap). Plus we later learned (after we bought fishing licenses for the week) that it's completely free if you're doing it on the pier. It was a lot of fun surprisingly. I'm not one to sit around and wait, so we did some fishing as well. The fishing was lousy, we did catch some bait fish and the crabbing wasn't as good as Jed's friend said it would be, but we still caught some! That night we stayed out till 3 AM!!!




We stayed at the Hampton Inn (right on the pier). It was the comfiest bed I have ever slept in. I don't know if it was just because I was soooo tired, but I loved it. We usually stay at a place more inland. But for the comfort, location and the newness, it's worth paying the little extra.



Wednesday, we had a lazy and late start. We ate out at a nice seafood restaurant, 'Moby Dick', then did some more crabbing. We only stayed out until 11pm because we were going deep sea fishing the next day.



Thursday, bright and early (4:30AM), we got up and made our way to the boat. It wasn't a very good fishing day. We all caught some, but not a lot. So far it's been Jed's lousiest fishing trip on the sea. Yet it was still a lot of fun.



Right after we got off the boat we met mom and josh in Bakersfield and picked up our boys, ate dinner then headed home! Jed drove most of the way because I took Dramamine so I wouldn't get sick. I didn't feel drowsy all day until after I drove a couple hours.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Gentry and Josh and Candi. It was wonderful for Jed and I to finally be able to spend some time together alone! And I know the boys loved it.

We are Moving!

It's finally official, we are moving on November 5th. We have been living in John and Darcia's home for the past two years (Thank You). It has been a blessing for us, my boys love fruit because of this place and I will greatly miss the fruit trees, grapes, strawberries and raspberries we were able to harvest every year.
We will be moving to Lindon in a small 2 bedroom basement apartment. I will be babysitting for a great family a couple days a week and for payment we will live there rent and utilities free!
This means that Jed will be quitting work at the end of this year and will attend school full-time to get his bachelor degree! It will be a crazy and different year but will be worth it once he's finished.

New Title

Jed convinced me enough to change the title, so we chose the names Reid says...

William Looks More Like...

Reid Looks More Like...

My MeMe

Melissa tagged me a couple days ago and now I finally have a little bit before my boys wake up (it's sooo quiet and peaceful right now!) Anyway, here are a few things about me that maybe you don't already know...(what's that i hear...the faint cry of a baby? no rest for the weary i suppose). Now with a baby on my lap I shall continue...

1. I love kids and honestly, the more kids the better. It's easier if there are a lot, they just play with each other. I'm not saying I want 10 kids of my own, it's quite different when they are somebody else's!

2. I am a texture person. I love lasagna because of the texture of the different layers. I do not like peas or soggy bread because of the texture of the squishiness. I met a psychologist once (my aunt's brother) and told him. He said that it means a lot (and it didn't sound good) but he never told me what it meant. I'll have to ask him next time I see him.

(Reid's up also now. My rest is over. I was able to soak in the bath -i needed it- and then take a shower and check out every bodies blog before they woke up, but a little longer would have been nicer).

3. I can be sortof controlling. I like certain things done specific ways and it's just easier for me to do it rather than to explain it. (Like instead of telling Jed where to find something I just get it for him, just easier)

4. I pick up on things (mannerisms, slang words other people may say) easily. It just happens. If I'm around someone long enough and they have a distinct mannerism, pretty soon I'll be doing just that. it's not that I want to copy them, it just subconsciously happens.

5. I absolutely think naked butts are the ugliest things in the world. It doesn't matter who's it is (even mine), where I see it or what it's doing. It is and will always be UGLY.

6. I have a recent obsession for blogging. I am literally on here every day checking out everyone's blog. And if you haven't updated yours in a long time it drives me crazy!

7. I love to watch my boys play together. William is growing up so fast (mentally-physically, he's slowly getting there but i'm not worried). He loves to check things out and do what his older brother is doing. Unfortunately reid is faster and gets away from him quickly at times. yet there are those times when Reid enjoys making William laugh and will do it over and over again. (Ok so i needed to fill in a space, but it's somewhat about me!)

8. I do enjoy an occasional book, preferably the LDS, mystery/romance novels (mostly mystery please). However, I haven't read one for quite some time now because if I do, NOTHING gets done in the house. Once I get going I am hooked and cannot stop. They always leave you hanging at the end of the chapter and I have no self control to stop reading, do some dishes and then get back to it. Nope, I figure if I keep going I'll be done sooner and THEN I can get things done.

Ok there's 8 things. I wanted to add some pictures but now that both boys are awake I am unable to. However, I will pass this tag on to Alta, Celeste, Tom (or Laura), Emily Shaw, Janelle and Jessica.
Happy blogging!!!

Children are so precious

Tonight I was putting Reid to bed and I turned off the light and he slowly looked around the room (noticing the shadows the night light was making). He said with a scared voice..."Scaries". I told him we'll say a prayer and ask Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to keep him safe and make sure there were no scaries. We did and the second I said Amen, he jumped up, looked around and said excitedly, "No scaries!" Then Jed went down to say goodnight and when he came back up he said, "Mommy pray, no scaries!" Reid is so cute!

I think Reid had enough

For those who didn't see this picture on Melissa and Leif's blog, I thought I'd share it with you. This is the last day of our camping trip, I think Reid was ready to be done.

Quiz Time Answer

They are in fact...Purple Potatoes!!! There is such thing as purple potatoes and they are purple inside. They can look a little scary in the fridge when you don't know what they are, but they are tasty!!!

We LOVE Leif, Melissa and Gavin!!!!!

There was so much to write I figured I'd put it on as a blog...This is for Leif and Melissa and Gavin-in reply to their comment about this weekend. (De and Kat are in town-Alta, Michael, Ane, Sam, Mom and Dad all came out also to visit and watch Conference).

Michael said he would make out with Leif. And Alta will also with a blindfold on...De and Kat say HAHAHAHA...Sam doesn't have anything to say...Jed said he will pay you (for last night)...Leona says we miss you guys and we hope to see you again soon.

Don't worry, you didn't miss out on much...just how Michael and Alta do laundry :), ROCK! Sweet game-and Ping Pong/Paintball!!! Oh and Halo 3 and chick flicks. (Michael owns Sam on Halo 3). De got you (Leif) a Drug (Viagra) pen (and possibly a special surprise) and will mail it to you soon.

We do love you guys and miss you and hope to have another fun party with you guys here!!!

Silly Reid

Jed told me I had to do this right now before I forget, yes I know what time it is and no Reid isn't still up...(he did it awhile ago)...not to say he couldn't stay up this late. Anyway, on to the story...

Reid's pants were sagging, showing off his underwear (yes we're potty training him). I told him his pants were falling off. Jed told him to say..."That's how I roll." After a short pause, Reid looks at me with a defiant look on his face and while pointing says, "How I roll Mama!"

Oh the things my husband teaches my boys!

New Quiz Time!

Alright that first one was easy. Yes it was a tooth, William's 3rd tooth. And it was a little difficult to take, but I also zoomed it in. Anyway, try this one. Take a guess of what it is. For those who already know what it is because we showed you, don't tell! (Alta and Mom). Hint: It's purple and something you eat. Good luck!

Halo 3/Super Saturday/General Relief Society Meeting

Last Friday night, Alta Michael, Jeff, and Sam, Matt and Chase came down and visited. Mainly because Jed got the new Halo 3 game and they all played! Alta watched my boys so I was able to go to Super Saturday, I had a lot of projects. Here's some of them. They'll be for the boys room!

Then that night Alta and I went to the conference. It was great. For those who weren't able to attend you can go to lds.org and they have audio and typed copies for all. My favorite quote was by William Wallace (Thomas S. Monson quotes it in his talk)..."The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world!!!"
On a side note...congrats to Matt Burton on his mission call! He's going to Guatemala!

New Template!!!

I found this cool website that allows you to download templates for free!! Check it out...
www.matiekay.blogspot.com. Good luck and have fun!

William Tell Overture for Moms

Thanx to Celeste, I found this video. Thought I'd share it with everyone!

Quiz Time!

Take a guess of what this picture is of.

CAMPING!

The weekend of September 7th, Leif, Melissa and Gavin came out and we went camping up near Moon Lake. Nancy, Nelson, Ane, Sam & Lucky and Chubs (puppies), Alta and Michael, Jed, Me, Reid, William, Heather, Spencer and Baxter (dog), & Leif, Melissa and Gavin were all there! We had a lot of fun, check out the different posts and pictures for the various things we did!

Some pictures of those who were there

Here are some pictures of some who were there. Reid, I think had
had enough by the end of Saturday night. Alta slept over with us
and Michael came when he was done with guard. Spencer came,
even though he had two broken feet! (from going off a cliff in his
canoe).

More Pictures

Jed of course went fishing, and thanx to everyone who watched my boys,
I was able to fish also. We only caught 3 small ones, but it was fun.

Puppy, Puppy, Dog

What's camping without dogs?! Spencer and Heather
brought Baxter and Ane brought the puppies.

Grandma and Grandpa brought their 4 wheelers with them. It was the favorite part of the little boys day! Reid, William and Gavin all loved it. Whenever Gavin rode and the ride was over and the engine turned off he would cry, but as soon as it would turn on, he would calm down. Grandma took Reid for a ride and came back with him asleep on the back seat. He had his nap there!