Tanner's 2nd Birthday

Tanner's birthday was yesterday but we decided to celebrate it today so he would have a whole day just for him. I don't know if he even realized it was his birthday but he loved opening his presents. 

 This is the invite I made for his party. I have a truck stamp set. I think it turned out great. 

We took Tanner to Chick fil a for lunch and so he could play in the children's play place. He loves it. The first time we went months and months ago we couldn't get him to go down the slide. We had to have some random child help him down - crying all the way. But now.....

 He loves the slide and it was a real struggle and a big scene of screaming and hitting to get him to leave.

It snowed today too. I took him out for a little while, but he got cold so I let him open one of his gifts before the party.  A bowling set. What fun. Tanner has his own way to bowl. 

 He figured that kicking them worked just as well as throwing the ball.

 This time he ran at it with the ball....

 Then threw himself at the pins.  He got every one. 

 After his nap we let him open another gift. It was Cars 2. He loves watching car shows.

 He loved his truck cake

 I love that he needed to wear his construction goggles to open this one. But it did happen to be a play dough crane from my mom. 

 We got him this Cars 2 lunch box to carry his trucks in. 

 And of course you can never have too many coloring books.

 Grandma Starla and Grandpa Veldon gave Tanner his wooden train. He loves stacking the blocks

 Tanner has lots of family that came to the house to celebrate his big day. 

 He was so excited that his cake was on fire. 

He blew the candles out several times before Dan could get them both lit. 

 Tanner's Uncle Paco and Aunt Maddie gave him a remote control rock crawler. He loves it and is constantly asking for "Big Truck" It has survived several crashes down the stairs off the bed and the couches. He loves tipping it over. 

At the end of today he was ready to just settle down with his milk and look at the Christmas tree. (He was sitting in the dark with just the Christmas lights but the flash went off.)

Happy Birthday Tanner. We love you!

Our Christmas tree

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas time is sit by the tree and look at the lights. It's like time stands still for just that moment and you can enjoy peace and the Christmas spirit. 

Decorating our Christmas Tree

This year we were planning on taking Tanner to a tree lot to have him pick  a tree out but my cousin Rick had an extra one from their ward party and gave it too us. It's perfect. I even wanted to tear up a little bit but didn't want to cry in front of him. 

 Tanner loves playing with the ornaments. Last year I bought a Christmas chest to put all the children ornaments in. He loves it. When I was younger my mom let us play with the ornaments too. 

 Helping decorate the tree

 I love decorating the tree. It reminds me of when I was younger. 

 Missy gave me this picture the year that Tanner was born. It sits in my living room until we get the Christmas tree. 

Our family by the tree. 

Bed Time

I never thought an almost 2 year old could get out of bed as many times as he as in the last 2 hours. It's always something. I thought that didn't happen until he is older. Nope. I was wrong. 

Our usual bedtime routine includes: 

1 - Going to the bathroom and changing diaper

2 -Brushing teeth

3 -saying prayers - and Tanner is doing pretty well saying "Thanks grandpa, Thanks church, Thanks Jesus, Thanks Books, Thanks Dada" ( he never says mom- maybe because I am making him go to bed)

 4- saying family prayers - and from Tanner a reminder to say thanks for Grandpa

5- reading some scriptures- we are currently in 1 Nephi chapter 16

6- singing a song " You are my sunshine"

7- Saying I love you

8- Sleep tight- and Tanner repeats "Tight"

9- Lots of Hugs and Kisses and even Hulk Hugs ( Big Hugs)

and he waves bye

Then comes the getting out of bed. 

He will say "Drink"  - and I say no you already had a bottle

and back in bed

Then he says Poop - and I say " you already went to the bathroom" but we try it again and he pees in the toilet again

and back in bed

Then he gets out and plays with things, toys, books, etc

and back in bed

Then he changes his own diaper and puts it in the garbage and tries to put his own pants back on with out a diaper. So fix diaper.

Back in bed

Comes down stairs and points to his nose "this" meaning he needs a tissue. Gets him a tissue. 

Back in bed. 

How many times does he get out in 2 hours. I am still counting.

Our Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

This year our immediate family had our very first Thanksgiving together. In years past we'd eaten with the Gerber Family, but this year my dad decided that we could have our own. I loved it. It's nice to see the extended family but it seem so much more relaxing. We ate dinner, visited and then took naps until Dan and I went to his families Thanksgiving. 

I made the mashed potatoes from my garden, and I made an Apple pie and Lemon meringue pie- I love it. And I also brought a chocolate cream and a banana cream. I decided that store bought pies taste just as great.  Dad made Grandma Ruby's famous Noodles, cooked the turkey and did some sweet potatoes that he grew in his garden. Missy brought some veggies and the pumpkin pie and Ben brought the green bean casserole and some rolls. We had a great feast and had lots left over. 

I am thankful for my family and all the love and support that they've given us. 

Grandma Ruby

I always think of Grandma Ruby at Thanksgiving. As long as I could remember she made "Noodles" to put over the potatoes. It's actually Chicken Noodle soup with home made noodles. It's so good. Dan thinks it's weird that we don't have gravy at the Gerber Thanksgivings. Even though Grandma isn't here with us my Dad continues on the tradition and makes it for us every year. 

This year we are having our very own David and Jan Family Thanksgiving. I wish Emy could be here for it but she is having her own at her house with Markus' family. 

I miss Grandma. I even had to pull out the family music picture video that was made the year before she died. I didn't make it through the first song before I started crying. 

I love you Grandma!

Thanks for the Noodles!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My mom turned 56 this year and on Saturday Tanner and I went over to have her open one of her gifts. 

 We gave her Madagascar 3 and it came with this great wig. I didn't realize it was one size fits most children. Oh well. It was fun anyway. 

Dad - Ha Ha !

Logan 

Mom 

 Well my head isn't very big and it seemed to fit me just fine. 

 Tanner didn't want the wig on and he loves wearing hats. 

 Enjoying the movie and popcorn. It was fun. Tanner likes going to grandmas. He pointed to mom's popcorn popper and said "pop"

On Monday night we got together and had cake and opened gifts. Here's Missy with the wig. 

Missy 

 Missy gave mom this new beater for her mixer. It will scrap the edges for her. 

 My dad gave mom a new electric skillet. He decorated it with some bows. Dan and I also got her some new shoes that she picked out. You can see them in the corner of this picture. 

I made the birthday cake. She wanted a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It was good and we had a lot left over. 

Happy Birthday mom. Thanks for always being there for us. For taking us places, fixing us food, helping us learn how to clean and work, and remembering how to still be a kid even when we have to be all grown up. 

We love you lots!

Tanner's Grandpa's

I love my Grandpa's. Every day when I say my prayers I always say "Grapa" I get so excited to go and visit them and play with them. 

 This is my Great Grandpa Lloyd. He cooks me the yummiest food. I really like his spaghetti, and carmel corn and rolls. 

This is my Grandpa Dave. He has a tickle claw. I always squeal and try to run away. He has lots of tools too and a Truck. I like trucks. 

 This is my Grandpa Veldon. He comes over and watches football with me and my dad. He also sings me songs like 'Tanner the Manner'  and lets me climb on his shoulders and does "Big Big Big" .

This is my Great Grandpa Dee. He loves holding me but I can't hold still that long. He always pats me on the hand and gives me big smiles. 

I love my Grapa's!

Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving point

Earlier this month we took Tanner to Thanksgiving Point. He loved running around. It was kind of hard to keep up with him. He just went from one thing to another. 

 They had all these different wooden trucks, and cars, and boats that the kids could climb on and crawl through. They were selling them too- for lots and lots of money. 

 Dan and Tanner sitting in the Tractor tire. It was a big tractor. 

 Tanner and I getting stuck in the spider web. He didn't quite like being in it. 

 Tanner liked the bouncing area. It was annoying that you could bounce on it with you child. It was only for certain heights and the one that would have been better for Tanner was out of order. He had a hard time climbing up to the top. 

 He finally got to the top and tried to bounce. 

 As soon as he started jumping a bigger kid came by and bounced and knocked him flat on his face. 

 He loved the slides though. He went down them over and over again. 

He can climb up this by himself. That how he got to the top of the slide. He loved it. I think I got more worn out by following him around . 

 Tanner and Dan in the Corn maze. We followed him around the Romney side of the maze and we made it right out. Tanner knew right where to go. 

 Tanner and Rach 

Dan and Tanner riding the cow Train. He wasn't sure of it at first but then didn't want to get out after. 

I think he had fun and we'll probably go back next year.