More Labor Day Weekend Fun

Here are some more random pictures from our fun weekend in Oregon -

James and cute Aunt Rebecca

James and Aunt Sierra

cousin Joshua

James and Aunt Anna - wow, this kid has got so many fun aunts and uncles!

Story time with Daddy before bed. This was actually really cute, Jonathan and I got James ready for bed, and then Jonathan started leaving the room and I was going to put James in bed - but when Daddy went to leave, James freaked out and reached for him and cried! We figured that he missed his nightly story time with his Dad, so I left the room (which James didn't even notice) and Jonathan read books to him and James was SO happy. He LOVES reading books with his Daddy - he loves to point to the pictures, like the mouse in Goodnight Moon. What a cute boy :) Oh, and by the way, we want to thank Uncle Spencer again for giving up his bedroom for the weekend so we could sleep in it - what a gentleman!

Aunt Emma Jeane

Hannah looks adoringly at her Aunt Rebecca

cousin hug!

the boys work out

James loves his Uncle Joseph!

We celebrated Hannah's 3rd birthday while we were home! I can't believe she is three already - Bethany was pregnant with her when I first met Jonathan's family, when we were dating. It makes me feel like I've been in the Boster family for a long time! Can't believe how the time flies...

Hannah loves her new dress that Nanna made for her!

cute birthday girl

Nana

Here are some cute pictures of James with his Nanna. James is so blessed to have four wonderful grandparents who all love him so much!

Cousins

James and his cousin Joshua are only a little over four months apart. It is so fun to see them both grow up, and as they get older they are seeming more and more the same age. Joshua is walking now and James is just learning how to stand up on his own - so pretty soon they'll be running around together and having tons of fun!

On Sunday while we were in Oregon for the Labor Day weekend, the boys would not behave during Relief Society, so Bethany and I took them outside and took some cute pictures of the boys together.

Handsome, Hyper Boy

Yes, I know he does not look hyper in this picture. This is a picture from yesterday morning before church - I had to get a picture of his new outfit! I bought the shirt and my Mom bought the pants. The other day after his doctor appointment, we went on our traditional-yet-still-spontaneous-post-doctor-shopping trip-where we buy James a new outfit! Yeah, I know - we are suckers for the clearance rack.


Tonight James has been so hyper! He is so funny, it is so fun to see his personality blossom and I can't wait to see what he's like when he starts talking. I gave him some Fruity Cheerios today, which may have been a mistake because the sugar seems to have made him very hyper. At dinner he was squealing and screaming and laughing like crazy at his Daddy. He climbed all over Daddy during family home evening and when I tried to nurse him before bed he arched his back and squirmed and got so mad and screamed - until I let him go on the floor, and then he was smiling like crazy, kneeling down and bouncing. When I picked him up to get him ready for bed, I think he had his very first tantrum. It was actually really funny. I may not be saying that when he does the same thing at age 2 or 3, but it was cute this time!

Well, he's in bed now, and I can still hear him making some noises. I hope he goes to sleep soon!

Gathering in the Kitchen

It seems that some of my most favorite memories of spending time with my in-laws take place in their kitchen. Jonathan's Mom is a fabulous cook and we always eat so well when we are home. I especially love going there during the harvest season and eating the fruits and vegetables grown in their huge garden. Some of our favorites are his Mom's red potatoes, their cantaloupe and their peaches.

Their kitchen is their gathering place, and we have had so many great conversations there, some fun and funny and some really deep and spiritual (not to mention the fun political conversations! good times). I remember the first time I went home to meet the family (and the entire family was home at that time! as in, ALL eleven kids) - the first night we were there, everyone was gathered in the kitchen, telling random jokes and laughing so hard (I seem to recall some joke told by Mom about ashes and tap dancing??). I had so much fun with them and I knew then that they were a really wonderful family.

Here are some great pictures of the family hanging out in the kitchen -

hungry James

Joseph is carving the turkey

Mom making her delicious mashed potatoes

James and his Aunt Rebecca

Sometimes you just need a stuffed monkey for comfort

Emma Jeane - helping get ready for Sunday dinner

Sierra

Joshua and Bethany

cute Joshua

Hannah and Aunt Rebecca

Spencer helping out

Outdoor Family Fun

We love going home to visit Jonathan's parents, their land is so gorgeous and we always do such fun things as a family. I love being there where Jonathan grew up. Here are just a few pictures from our weekend there -

Jonathan, all ready to go play hockey with the boys

James had so much fun and there was always a fun aunt or uncle or grandparent to play with! Here he is with cute Emma Jeane.

Joseph and James are good buds - uncles are so much fun!

hangin' out

Sierra and I, demonstrating our muscles used to drag the trampoline into the sun (man, it was heavier than we thought!).

I don't have any pictures of this, but the Bosters recently got a new swimming pool and we all went swimming after weeding the garden (work is always involved in a Boster family get-together!) The water was pretty cold but was fine once you got used to it. Well, Sierra and I got to the point where we couldn't take the cold anymore, so we decided to lay out on the trampoline. I think everyone was just watching and laughing at us while we attempted to drag it into the sun.

sweet boy

James and Joseph play with the kitty

James used to be scared of dogs - last time we were home he would cry when the dog walked past him. But this time he absolutely loved the doggies and the kitty! It was adorable, whenever he saw one of them he would start waving and get really excited. He kept trying to grab the kitty's tail or the dogs' fur.

there he goes!

Cousin Hannah and Aunt Rebecca blow bubbles on the front porch

cute girl

Hannah is growing up so fast!

Lawn-mowing with Grandy

James got to help Grandy work outside on the farm by riding with him on the lawn mower! What fun! He wasn't even scared - he just sat there looking very intrigued by the whole situation, and when they would come towards me he would wave like crazy. What a fun Grandpa!