Bradley's Baptism

Bradley ready to be Baptized

Grandma and Grandpa Porter with Brad
Grandma and Grandpa Fredericks with Brad
Brad's friend from church, Grace Young, who also got baptized that day.
Brad and his DadBrad and Me

December 5th Bradley was baptized by his Dad. He has been preparing himself for quite sometime, and I have been so impressed as I have seen him spiritually grow as the time grew closer. He began to make choices that showed that he was truly at the age of accountability. He began to read his scriptures at night, helping around the house without being asked, and striving to be more of a peacemaker. Bradley was so excited to be baptized, and it was great to have so many people there to support him with his decision. I can't believe that he is eight already and my little baby is now at the age where he has made the decision to be baptized. We love you Bradley and are so happy with the decision you have made.

Visitors

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Grandma and Grandpa Porter came to visit us for the weekend. Tim and Amanda were also able to come up and visit for the weekend with their family as well. They came up for Bradley's baptism, but we were able to enjoy the entire weekend with everyone. While Grandma and Grandpa were here, they spoiled the kids with the presents they brought for Christmas. We are so glad that everyone could come!!!

Great Grandpa Hansen and LaGene come to Visit

For Thanksgiving, my Grandpa Hansen and his wife LaGene were able to come and visit. We had such a great time seeing them. Here is a picture of our boys with their Great Grandpa and LaGene.

Tis the Season

Kyle William and Brad (Matthew had gone to bed)

Kyle Decorating

William helping decorate

Brad and Kyle decorating

Matt decorating

It's that time of year, that time of the year where we set up the Christmas Tree. The time of the year we are so excited for. The time of the year, I realize once again, that my Christmas Tree will not be beautiful, but it will be touched by four little sets of hands. It's the time of year where the bottom half of my tree is bare, not because it wasn't decorated, but because all the ornaments are one by one taken off and left on the floor by Matt and I pick them up and put them higher. I love this time of year!!! I love having little helpers, some not so little anymore, to decorate and undecorate the tree.

When we turned the lights on this year on the three Matt proceeded to blow on the lights, he thought they were candles. It was so funny!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Bradley's Baptism

For anyone who is interested in coming Brad is getting baptized December 5th at 10 am.

Happy 8th Birthday Bradley

It unbelievable to me that my baby that held in my arms is now 8. I can hardly pick the boy up anymore. The birthday party of choice this year was Star Wars the Clone Wars with a Captain Rex cake. We sent out invitations, made the cake, and came up with the games. We made light sabers out of pool noodles cut in half with duct tape around the bottom. The kids went through Jedi training, before they were allowed to go to battle with their light sabers. They then went to the field behind our house and attacked the Dark Side, Joe. Eventually Joe convinced a few others to come over to the dark side. "It was the best party ever!" was all the thanks we needed from Bradley.

What has Bradley been up to this year? Well he is in the second grade in a new school this year and quickly made new friends. This fall he played flag football for the first time. When we moved into our new home he got his own room which of course he is loving. He spends many nights staying up late reading in his room. His newest goal is to read the Book of Mormon. He is into second Nephi. He is such a good example to me to find time at the everyday to read. Brad has always been a good kid but as he has prepared for his baptism I am impressed with how seriously he is preparing himself. He takes his role as big brother very seriously and tries hard to be a good example for his brothers. That's not to say that his brother's don't bug him and they always get along perfectly because they don't. He gets Matt out of his crib every morning and brings him down. He has been working like a mad man in his Wolf book. He can't wait to get his Wolf.

Bradley's favorites at 8
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Crab Rangoon
Favorite Cartoon: Star Wars the Clone Wars
Favorite Toy: Legos
Favorite Book: 39 Clues, Encyclopedia Brown, Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Favorite School Subject: Gym
Favorite Family Activity: Movie Night
Favorite Pro Team: Seahawks
Favorite Place to Hide: Upstairs in Matt's Room
Favorite Thing about Being 8: I get baptized

Happy Halloween

Hold on Matt we want to take your picture. Oh there's his face.

Admit it you would be scared if you had to come to the door and see this.

Joe enjoying his Dad Tax

SWEET SUCCESS

The pumpkins were carved, the costumes picked out, and the candy bought, it must be Halloween Day. Bradley and Kyle chose to be ninja's, William a fireman, and Matthew was a cheetah. We bought some dry ice and made homemade root beer. They loved to watch it brew. We served it from a witches Calderon and had stew for dinner. "Dad your so cool," the kids tell Dad "Hey it was my idea!" was my response, I got to take my credit when the word cool is attached.

Now it was time to get costumes on, after everyone was dressed, we had to take pictures. Then they were off. Joe took his traditional trick or treating job and went with the kids. I also took my traditional job and stayed home to hand out candy. William and Matt came home first. Joe said William got done with the block and told him he was done. He didn't even want to go to anymore houses on the way home. William had so much fun handing out candy with me at the door. Matt happily ate a sucker. I cleaned him up and off to bed he went. Joe, Bradley, and Kyle went back out. As you can tell in by the picture they had sweet success.

Happy Halloween Pumpkins

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Carving pumpkins with four boys is a full blown event. First we went to Walmart and picked our pumpkins out from their pumpkin patch. . .I mean cardboard boxes. Each one needed the biggest one . A week later we carved the pumpkins for family night. Bradley, Kyle, and William each picked out what they wanted their pumpkin face to look like, cleaned the pumpkin guts out, and watched excitedly as Dad carved their pumpkins for them. Matt could have cared less but did try to eat a few seeds. His is the smallest pumpkin. Afterwards, as you can imagine, the floor and table took some scrubbing to get back to their orignal state. On the day of carving pumpkins I noticed our floors needed a good scrubbing, I wisely decided to hold off and clean them the next day after carving the pumpkins.

Spaghetti

This is Matthew, he loves spaghetti. We haven't had spaghetti for quite a while. This week we had spaghetti. He ate 4 plates of it and not small servings. I think we should have spaghetti more often. Then again, maybe not he got really messy, he went straight from dinner to bath.

Student of the Month

Kyle came home very excited on Monday with the news that he had been selected as the student of the month. "I get to go eat pizza with the principal!" He got the award for always following direction and being a good role model for others. Way to go Kyle we are so proud of you! He also got a gift package of free popcorn, movie rental, and can go make an ornament at a pottery store.

Fishing, Family, Football, and Field Trip

Joe's Whopper

That looks better

A real Whopper

Tim's really nice one

Joe & Tim with their catch

Joe Fighting a Paddlefish

Tim Fighting a Paddlefish

Joe and Tim went fishing for Paddlefish today. Paddlefish eat plankton, so you have to snag them with a hook and you can't keep any that are 35 to 45 inches long. Joe snagged 4 and Tim snagged 6, but they could only keep one each. They would fight for a little bit and then play dead, so they would have to drag them in. As you can see they had a lot of fun and can't wait to do it again.

We went to the zoo and spent the day as a family. We road the train, William was so excited, excited beyond words. Then the train started moving, and he got scared. Now he is talking about the train again, but when we got off, I asked if he wanted to go again, and he gave me a resounding, No! We didn't stay all the long because it was cold. It is so fun to watch Matt walk around. He loves being able to walk around.


The boys finished up their first flag football season and they had a blast. They are already talking about playing next year.



Joe went on a Field Trip with Kyle's class to the pumpkin patch. They had so much fun and Kyle was so happy to have his Dad come with him on the field Trip.