One year, can you believe it?!?

So today marks one year since we left our cute little house in Utah and all our friends and moved to Vegas! In some ways, I really can't believe that is has been a year already. It seems weird to say that we have lived in Vegas for a year now, but at the same time, it seems like such a long time since we were in Utah. It has been a long, hard, and trying year, but Vegas feels like our home now, even though we really miss everything in Utah that we loved. Once we move into a house of our own, it will be even better! We have an offer in on one, but there are other offers in on it as well, so I don't know what will happen. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks to everyone who has given us so much love and support this past year. We have grown so strong from this experience. I really don't know how some of you have moved multiple times, from state to state...it was killer!!! I'm NOT moving again anytime soon once we buy a house, at least not if I can help it!

Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!! Hope you all had a good Easter Sunday. Our boys woke up nice and early to go on an egg hunt. Which since we had to be to church by 9 am, wasn't so bad. They had so much fun running around finding eggs all over. Brayden was such a great big brother, and was helping Conner find eggs and put them in his basket. Then Brayden would run off and find some more for himself.

Here are the boys in their Easter outfits that Grandma Shumate bought for them. They looked so handsome to go to church!

This is Brayden proudly showing off his new Lego Star Wars shirt he got in his Easter basket. For those of you who don't know, Brayden is obsessed with Lego Star Wars on the Wii. He is pretty good at it for a 5 year old. He gets very excited when I am going somewhere, cuz if he is staying home with dad, he knows they will get to play Lego Star Wars while I'm gone! He loves all things Star Wars!

As for the rest of life... things are busy as usual. I have been busy house hunting. Hopefully we will be in our new house by the beginning of the summer. It's so exciting! Patrick has been very busy with work, so I have been narrowing down the houses, then I will take him back to the ones that I like. Conner is doing pretty good with the whole potty training thing. He still gets so excited every time he goes, it's kinda funny! Brayden and Patrick are getting ready to start soccer next week, so that will be fun! We are loving the beautiful spring weather here! It's so great!!!

Victory!

Yesterday Conner FINALLY decided it was acceptable to go pee and poo in the potty! He has been doing pretty good so far, just a few minor accidents. We are defiantly still in the beginning stages, but I'm just excited that he WANTS to use the potty. I have totally resorted to bribery, and I don't even feel bad about it at all! I took him to Wal-Mart, and let him pick out a few small toys that he can earn when he goes potty! He can also earn a piece of candy, or "monies" as he calls it. (there is a pile of pennies, nickles, and dimes on the counter for him to choose from). So every time he goes, he gets to pick something. Brayden however is having a hard time with all that. He thinks that he should get something too, not just his little brother, nevermind the fact that he has been totally potty trained for over 2 years now! So I have bribed him that I'll buy him some new Star Wars underwear if he wipes his bum AND washes his hands EVERY TIME he goes potty! (it has been a bit if an issue that he hasn't been doing it!) :) So the bribes are working just great so far....hopefully they will continue that way! This is a picture of Conner with the first toy he earned by being a "big boy"! It's a blue motorcylce, and he is very proud of it! And I'm so excited too!!!! P.S. I really hate potty training!

Soccer mom!

Well I signed Brayden up for Soccer the other day. So I will litterally be a soccer mom! How scarry is that?!? He is so excited though! Patrick is going to be the assistant coach for his team, and Brayden thinks that is very cool. Patrick took Brayden to buy a Soccer ball and some shin guards yesterday, and Brayden had his first lesson in how to play soccer. He is actually pretty good at it...for a 5 year old at least. Patrick played outside with the boys for a few hours teaching them how to kick the ball, how to stop it, and how to NOT use your hands. Every time one of them used their hands, Patrick would make them put their hands in their pockets. That was pretty funny to watch them run around with their hands in their pockets trying to kick the ball. Conner is going to be sad when he realizes that he's not old enough yet to play on the team with his big brother. He thinks that he is going to play too! Hopefully he'll be happy to just play in the backyard with his dad and brother! I have no idea how to even play soccer, there is way too much running around for me, so I'm glad that Patrick is able to teach the boys a thig or two about it. But both Patrick and I are so excited that our kids are getting old enough to play sports!

First-timers...

So after many request from various sources....I have decided to create a blog. I do occsionally blog on my myspace page, but not everyone can get to that, so here is another one. I'm still figuring it all out, so hang in there with me, I'll get it eventually. Since Patirck is so very busy with work, I (Melissa) will probablly be blogging on here. Just so you don't get confused as to who is writing....
So life here in Vegas is busy. Today we started out our day by taking a ride in Patrick's new truck. It's his new company truck that came along with his promotion to Area Directer, and the boys have been going CRAZY waiting to take a ride in it. So this morning, Patrick took the boys for a ride to the gas station for a donut before he left for work. That was the highlight of their day, and it was only 8:30 am. How could the day get any better?!?
The kids and I went to AZ this weekend, as most of you reading this will already know, and had a ton of fun with my family. We went to see my big sister and her hubby from Houston. We all went to the Grand Canyon, and the boys thought that was very fun! My sis also annouced that she is pregnant with her first baby....and we are all VERY excited for them! I wish she lived closer so I'd be able to see the cute little baby when it's born.
Anyways, I'll get to working on figuring out this blogger thing, so check back occasionally to see what is up!