Racing on the River

Today was Mark's very first pedal bike race! He was so excited to wear his new 918 team jersey. He's done a couple of races before, but this was his first race with pedals. It was actually a time trial and I was worried he wouldn't understand why no one else was on the starting line with him, but he got it I think. I told him they would put one biker at the starting line at a time and say ready, set, go! and then they would say, "ok Mark, now your turn. ready, set, go!" To which he replied, "No, they will say, 'Spiderman, its your turn. Ready, set, go!'" He cracks me up. Apparently he told my parents the other day that he is spiderman, he just acts like Mark. Hee hee. Anyway, here's some pics of his big race! Mark and Daddy ready to go! Uncle Tanner holding his bike steady at the starting line! Coming down the home stretch - pedaling his little heart out!

Post-race bananna re-fuel!

Uncle PJ and Britton came too. They had a great time riding across the pedestrian bridge and all over riverside after the race.

Here's what happens when you hand the camera to Gammy - pregnant pictures! But I guess I oughta include a pic of Kate too! She'll be here Monday unless she decides to come sooner!

New Camera

Sadly our old camera bit the dust a few weeks ago so we were FORCED to get a new one! =) I'm sure the new one takes really great pictures - I just don't know how to do it! I guess I should take a photography class like everyone else. Anyway - here are some pics from the last few weeks with the new camera.

Mark nd Daddy on their pedal bikes

I only get pictures from behind nowadays!

Handsome Mobley

Mr. Blue Eyes

Cheesy Mr. Blue Eyes

Mark loving on beautiful baby Gracie - his newest cousin

Lindsay, MiMi, Angie, and baby Gracie. Isn't Lindsay beautiful?

We always have to dance in front of the band at Los Cabos

You may have to zoom in - but even little people have a dance face!

My two handsome men!

At sesame street live

Sleepy cheesy grin one morning

Mr. Talkative

For those of you that know Mark well, you know he has always been a talker. Sometimes I think he talked a little too well too soon because we started treating him like he was older because it was clear what he could and couldn't understand from an early age. Anyway, lately he has really been cracking us up with his expressions and "stories" and excuses. I just want to share a few things that may or may not be funny to you but also some things I just don't want to forget!

1.) He used to use the correct name for tape measure but the other day he said, "Daddy, do you need your take-a-measure?"

2.) I'd rather have juice. (I just like the use of the word 'rather')

3.) Hi Dad, How you doin' today?

4.) Mark, did you gas? "No, that was a train tooting."

5.) 0650AM - Mark, why are you out of bed already? "Because my knees hurt."

6.) Pick up your toys. "I don't know how."

7.) Mark you need to decide inside your head to be happy - no one else can do it for you. "But I'm just a little boy" (That one made me feel about one inch tall and the worst parent inthe world!

8.) The guys will like this one. While using the bathroom with John at a restaurant, "Daddy, why is yours long?" You should have seen the grin on John's face!

9.) Mark, why are you already awake from your nap? "This chicken came in here and said cock-a doodle-doo."

10.) After getting in trouble, "Nobody loves me. Only God and Jesus love me."

11.) I'm still coughing and sneezing. Tell Mommy my allergy medicine didn't work."

There have been so many more but I forget them! I need to write them down as he says them! Anyway, like I said they may not seem funny but when you see how little the person is that's saying it- it cracks you up!

The Attorney

So my parents always said I should be a lawyer because I can argue with a wall. Well the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Listen to this "conversation" between John and Mark last night in the car:

M: Put my blankie back here by me.

J: No, your blankie is up here with us until you say you're sorry for not listening to my words.

M: Parents aren't supposed to have blankies.

J: We don't. We just have yours because you weren't listening to our words.

M: Well, I'll come get it.

J: You can't, you're strapped in your seat.

M: Well I'll get out.

J: You can't. I tightened it already.

M: Well, Mr. Incredible will help me.

J: Mr. Incredible isn't real.

M: Yes he is. He's right there.

J: Where?

M: He's running beside the car.

J: He can't run as fast as a car.

M: Yes he can- just like Dash.

J: I'm gonna lock the doors so he can't get in.

M: Well, he'll break open the door.

J: No, I won't let him.

M: Oh. Well, I'm not ready to say sorry yet.

J: YES!! I WON!

I don't know, maybe its not funny if you weren't there but I was laughing so hard. Just listening to the two of them go back and forth was cracking me up.
We've got a long road ahead of us folks!

Belated Snow Pics

So yesterday was the day I was going to upload some pics from our winter wonderland onto the blog but then Mark learned to ride his new pedal bike and that took precedence! Anway, yes its crazy that its almost 80 degrees today and we just had two weeks with two feet of snow on the gound!
The first week of snow John was in Mexico and missed out. Mark and I ventured out a few times on our own but it really was so cold and windy those first few days we were actually content to stay indoors. Then John got home and it warmed up so we had tons of fun in the snow. We shoveled the driveway (yes thats fun), went sledding in our neighborhood, built a snowman, built a snow tunnel/fort, and went sledding with Britton and Leyton.
Mark LOVES the snow, as long as it dosen't touch his skin! Which on most days it was so cold he even wore goggles (tinted of course for those sensitive blue eyes) so there really was not much available skin for the snow to touch. I was there palying too I promise, but just behind the camera. I asked John to take a pic of me and the dogs and I look so horrific (picture abominable snowman) that I won't be sharing that one!

inside the snow tunnel

the snow tunnel

Frosty - with clementine eyes and bats for arms

PJ's back there too - just trying to hold the sleds from going down the hill!

the dreaded climb back to the top!

My buddy!

Leyton and Mark were so excited to see each other they just started rolling in the snow!

He asked me to take his picture with his goggles on! You'd think he wouldn't look so sad!

Here's one smiling!

Mark sledding by himself

Mobley and Rocky liked sledding too!

They call this "the double-decker!"

The shoveling Crew!

Gammy and Papa had to pull the sled downt he hill on our first sledding day because the snow was so deep!

This is how we traveled the first few days when cars were a no-go!











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Pedal Bike Time!

Well this video needs no introduction but I will say, his daddy's cup overfloweth!

Mark is 3!

Here is my baby on the day he was born. It is crazy how fast they grow!
Here we are on his actual birthday! From 6lbs 8oz and 21 inches long to 35 pounds and 40 inches tall!

We took him to dinner at Logan's steakhouse because we were trying to think of a place where they would sing to him. Well he was pretty embarressed so he had to climb in Daddy's lap while they sang. But really he loved it! You couldn't get the smile off of his face after that!

Here they are. They didn't really sing but they gave him a big "Yee-haw!"

AND they gave him ice cream! He was just a tat excited!

Aunt Brenda came too and she got Mark the coolest Woody doll for his birthday. You can pull the string inhis back and he says all kinds of things. And yes, we wrote "MARK" on the bottom of Woody's boots!

Omah and Opah sent Mark a gift too. Here is part of it!

Ever since Mark's good buddy Caden had his 3rd birthday party at Bounce U in september Mark has been asking to have his party there too. So here we are waiting for his friends to show up.

My camera didn't take very good pictures inside the bounce rooms for some reason. Here is Mark at the bottom of the big slide. (It is a favorite for all the kids!)

And here he is when his buddy Grant showed up. Just a tad excited!

So in one of the bounce rooms there is this batting practice thing. The kids love the floating ball. Well I'm putting this pic in to show off Mark's form. Just look at him stepping into his swing with his right foot! (Yes - he's a lefty when it comes to sports!) Well I just brag on that because for my family or those of you that came to my rehearsal dinner probably remember a picture of me about to hit a ball when I was 5 playing t-ball. Lets just say Mark's form is already light-years ahead of mine!

Blowing out the candles on his Toy Story cake. Thats really the only pic I got of the cake!

Sitting on the throne about to open presents!

He had some buddies that cheered him on while opening presents! "Oh! A truck! I have a truck! Look at your truck Mark! I brought you that truck Mark!" etc. etc. etc. It was pretty cute!