The Pate's

Spring Catch UP!

2009-05-23T20:50:00.001-07:00

I would have to say that going a couple of months and then writing a LOOOOONG post is my kind of thing these days. Hopefully with school being out in two weeks, I can stay caught up, YEAH!
Easter was a BLAST! As Gavin and Bre get older the holidays are getting more and more fun. The Easter bunny hid Gavin's in his favorite hiding spot the towel closet and Bre's in the bath tub. They had a fun time going around and looking for it, just like we do in hide-in-seek. Of course they were spoiled from everyone and had toys and candy coming out of everywhere. We went up to Great Grandma Tootsie's for our annual egg hunt. Then the following Sunday we celebrated with Nana and Papa which is where the pictures are from. We had another egg hunt with everyone and enjoyed the company. Gavin and Bre's loved Easter so much that they continued hiding eggs for each other weeks later.
A little surprise came the weekend after Easter, where Chad had to have emergency Gallbladder surgery. He had been having some belly pain for awhile and they started running tests. Both came back that his gallbladder wasn't even working. Chad called from work to see what was going on and the doctor told him to get to the ER. So, his crew transported him to the ER in their ambulance, which was entertainment for them all. He had it removed and came home the next day. He is doing much better, it was quite scary the first week of recovery, but things are getting back to normal. We now just need to figure out why he can't sleep!
Mother's Day was a nice and relaxing day. It is always fun to be able to spend time with your family and let your mom(s) know just how much you love and appreciate all that they do! Again I am reminded just how lucky I am to have such an inspirational mom who is an amazing example to me, I just adore her and hope that I can be the type of mom she is. I absolutely love and appreciate my mother-in-law and am so grateful for the relationship that I have with her. Then to my sweet Grandma Tootsie and my late Grandma Kari who have left and continue to create such a great legacy! They lived and shown what true sacrifice and unconditional love is all about. I am forever grateful for all that they did and continue to do! I love all you guys!
Gavin decided he wanted to try Tee-ball this spring, which started and has already ended! He got to play with some of his buddies which made it even better! The first game they hit from tee's then after that the coach pitched to them. Gavin did such a great job and has got quite the little swing. The funniest (kind of) part was we were practicing in the backyard when he hit a line drive and pegged our dog Chubbs between the eyes. If knocked him out, but he recovered. The next game (no kidding) Gav hit a foul ball and hit another dog in the head, he was being held by its owner! I just had to laugh, my child had only been play for two weeks and had already hit two dogs! It was fun to watch him and all the others try to pick up the concept of baseball. At times Gav became the little social bug and chatted with whoever was on first base! In the end Gav told me he liked soccer better because it is way easier since all you do is kick the ball in the net. At the end is a fun dance that Gav
After Gav's last game we decided to do a family night and go fishing. This was Bre's first time fishing with her new Dora pole and she was so excited. The fish were jumping out of the water which was fun and entertaining. Believe it or not the Dora pole was the fishes choice, we caught two off of it. Gav loved casting and reeling in, the whole waiting thing got to be a little boring, so that was daddy's job. Bre just enjoyed being outside and holding on to her Dora fishing pole. We are lovin the spring weather and can't wait to go camping in our new trailer!
The other pictures are from when I had my niece and nephews over. They wanted to do some dressing up, so Kailee put on some of my old dresses, Bre put on her princess dress, and Gavin told me he wanted to dress like a "cool dude!" As the pictures tell we had a blast! Kailee and Bre looked really pretty and Gavin looked pretty cool!

We Are Alive!

2009-03-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing like not keeping up with this whole blog thing. It is pretty sad when you can't give 30 minutes of your time weekly to write. Well I can't believe how fast time has flown by. We have been busy, busy, busy, with many different things. I am little bummed since I haven't kept up with this, that I have forgotten some of those special moments that I thought I would always remember. There have been some really tough times these past two months that have really made me reflect on my life, where I am going, and how grateful I am for the knowledge that I have.
On February 13th my dear, sweet, Norwegian, Grandma Kari passed away. This was such a bitter sweet time for me. The last week of January my mom had called me to tell me that my Grandma wasn't doing really well, which was surprising since we had just seen her and celebrated her birthday. I knew she was getting weak but I didn't realize how little time I had left with her. We decided as a family that all of us would visit and be with her each night and make sure she was comfortable. Some of the pictures in the slide show were taken weeks and days before she passed away. Each time we were there, she was so sweet and made sure that you knew that she loved you. She said it to you with so much passion that you knew she meant it with every fiber of her being. We brought her her favorites because we wanted her to enjoy the end. We shared chocolate covered strawberries, rum balls, Norwegian Liquor chocolates and Diet coke. Towards the end there were a couple of times that you knew she was so close. She talked about dancing with her sweetheart and kissing her Heavenly Father. I remember telling my mom, that I wish I could just see a glimpse of what she is. My mom responded by telling me if I did, I wouldn't want to be here. She passed away being by her only daughter my mom, which I don't think she would have wanted it any other way. I am so lucky to have had such a great example of love, perseverence, patriotism, and faith. I am so grateful for the relationship I was able to have with my grandma. It is a comfort knowing where she is and who she is with. Best of all is if I do my part at I will be able to see her again.
As for all the rest that has happened in the slide show there are picture of us as the Zoo Lights, sledding and Grandma Tootsie's and Grandpa Tom's. I have to tell you my Grandpa is a genius. He created a slope going along the side of the hill so the kids had more time to ride. He created the best the games and designs the best sledding trails around! Then my cute Grandma had prepared lunch for us and as always it was delicious. They are amazing!
Gavin is starting to work on reading. He is putting his sounds together to form simple small words. He is dying to read, he keeps asking me when he'll be able to read big books. Gavin is such an inquisitive kid and has a memory that astonishes me. We were watching the Presidential Address on t.v. and this is how our conversation went:
Gav - Mom I know who that is?
Me - Who is it?
Gav - It is President Owak Obama!
Me - That's right!
Gav - And I know what his favorite sport is...it's basketball!
Me - You're right!
Gav - Doesn't he have kids
Me - Yes, he has 2 daughters
Gav - That's right, and he loves to read his children bedtime stories at night
Me - How do you know all this Gav?
Gav - From the t.v. (he is jumping up and down all excited) and mom if you want to learn more you can visit his website!
He just makes me laugh! Gav is really into Lego's, transformers, and Star Wars. He loves to create things with anything. He enjoys going into his room and turning his Sesame Street songs on high and sing and dance to them. His favorite songs are Furry, Happy Monsters and Tu Me Gustas! His girlfriend right now is McKenna, he'll run away when you ask him. He is anxiously waiting for it to be warm outside so we can play outside all day! Gavin is my cuddler and sweetheart.
As for Bre she just melts my heart. She reminds me of me, she is all girl but can hold her own with the boys. She can be in a tutu and high heels one second, then racing down the steps with the boys the next. She loves to put on make-up and paint her fingernails, but loves to get dirty when she is outside. Bre is into making comparisons with boys and girls. It is either a boy color or girl color, a boy toy or girl toy, for small girls or big boys. She loves to hand out the hot sauce but dies when she may fall victim. Bre is into showing off her dance moves, playing with her babies, dressing up, coloring on everything with anything, and not wanting to sit on the potty! She makes me smile every day!
I am reminded every day just how lucky I am to be surrounded by the wonderful family and friends that I have. They are the ones that make my life so great and keep me going. I owe everything to them for all they do for me. I love them all and am unbelievably happy to know I get to be with them forever!

Tis' The Season

2008-12-29T21:24:00.001-08:00

It has been another amazing Christmas season in the Pate household. We have been going from party, to party, to party! I am always reminded at this time of year just how blessed I am to have the families and friends that I do. They always make this time of year so special for us, especially Gaver's and B's. So instead of me rambling on, I will let the pictures do the talking! But, thanks to all my families and friends for just being the people they are, I love you and am forever in debt for all you do for me!

Christmas Day (We are working backwards)

Nana and Papa's house!

Gavin with his StarWars legos

Breezy showing off her "bling" thanks to Nana!

Papa picked this present out for Gav, what a great Papa!

What is a princess without a tutu!

Christmas Morning at home!

Me and my kiddies!

Chad got to come home from work for 2 hours!

Bre was so excited to get a camera. She would take a picture and then tell me I am Tinkerbell.

Gav in front of his stash! He had a lego Christmas!

Bre in front of hers! She got lots of baby stuff and a Dora table. She was so upset that she couldn't take it in the bath tub with her!

This Christmas I decided to surprise Chad with a firefighter quilt. This was the first quilt I have done in a long time. My sweet aunt Brenda held my hand the whole way. Thanks Aunt Brenda! I think we surprised Chad.

Christmas Eve (Grandma Kari's & Bompa's)

Gavin with his presents, he got a light saver and Air hog helicopters and jets!

Bre got a Dora play house and a shopping cart. She went around the house "shopping" the rest of the night!

Our Norwegian Christmas Eve Party

Gavin on the Jullenissen's lap (aka Uncle Rick) he is the Norwegian santa claus.

Dancing around the tree to Norwegian polka music. Yes, that is my cute little grandma being escorted around by Cody. She was in heaven, but once around the tree was good enough for her.

Gavin and Noah chillin'

My cute little Norwegian Grandma Kari (who I am named after) and me!

The beautiful tables before we sat down for dinner. My mom did an excellent job! We have pork and Korv ( a type of sausage), sukral (cabbage), potatoes! Delicious. For dessert we have rice cream with a red sauce. Whoever finds the almond gets a marzipan pig.

Playing around getting ready for Christmas to come!

Gavin and his buddies, Dylan and Colton rocking out in his bedroom. I came in and found them on his desk, dancing and singing and I just had to take a picture!

Building snowmen!

Pajama night! We had a surprise santa come for the kids. Gav was acting too shy and Bre was scared out of her mind!

Gavin wouldn't take his hands away from his eyes, so Santa being the great person he is played along!

Our family in our new PJ's thanks to Grandma Kari and Bompa!

The girlies in our PJ's!

Annual Shrimp dinner at Grandma Tootsie's and Grandpa Tom's house! We do this the Sunday before Christmas every year. They have delicious shrimp and steak along with the other fixin's and boy is it something we all look forward to all year long! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

After dinner they surprised all their great-grandkid's with presents. They sure know how to spoil them!

Gavin with his popper gun, along with Batman legos, spiderman shooter, and a car night light!

Bre in my old German outfit! She loved it!

Bre with her baby from Grandma Tootsie, Grandpa Tome and Aunt Brenda. They gave her books, mini Dora cd and my Aunt Brenda's old June and Julie doll that was purchased in the 1960's. What a great keepsake for Bre! Thanks guys!

Bre in her Christmas dress. She loved twirling in it.

Chad snowplowing with the boys. Gavin is in the Nacho Libre mask and Dylan is in front.

Gavin had his preschool Christmas performance! He did a great job. He wasn't too big on the whole hand gestures, but he did sing. There were a couple of yawns inbetween words, however. Hey, what can I say, this may not be his cup of tea! There is a video of him singing Jingle Bells, that he did enjoy!

Gavin in his preschool performance attire. What a cute rudolph!

Ornament Night at Nana's and Papa's. Every year Nana and Papa give us an ornament for our tree. What I love most about it is that the ornament they give has a certain meaning to it. It can be about a certain milestone, event, or memory they have of you for the year. This means a lot to us and I appreciate the thoughtfulness they give to it each year.

After the ornaments they got to decorate gingerbread men!

Bre was into eating the frosting and candy more than decorating. She did get one made and it was cute.

We playing the skittle game where you had to move skittles from one bowl to your cup, using a straw. It was fun and I later realized that I am horrible at this game, little oxygen to the brain causes headaches!

Brad, Marlee, and Quinton relaxing!

Gavin holding up his ornament. He got a Horton Hears a Who one, because Nana and Papa treated us to that movie when it came out. We had a great time at the movie!

Bre got a little pink princess snowman ornament. Do I need to say more?

Chad got a fire truck because he is a fire fighter and I got a Minnie Mouse ornament because I love Disney!

Gavin with his Nana!

Our annual friend Christmas party! This year we had it at Alli and Grant's house. We had delicious hawaiian haystacks. Then we exchanged white elephants, some of the exciting ones were large panties (Tracy got those), thongs (Jeremy got those), stress balls (Alli got those), and I got a bug zapper. Chad kept trying to hit me with it and I kept telling him that it would hurt. He didn't believe me and tapped his hand on it, all of a sudden you saw this huge electric flash and Chad on the ground! Yes, he got shocked (zapped), it was a huge comic relief for everyone. Next time he'll believe me (not really)!

We missed Dave and Michelle!

We went to decorate my Grandma Kari's room for the holiday's so we decided to make an event out of it. We loaded all the kids and we headed up to her care center. We got up there around 8:00 PM and the party started. The cute aides there brought out apple juice and cookies for the kids. We sat in her room and sang christmas carols, the kids did performances for her, and we talked. What a great memory!

All of us with Grandma Kari!

Another great year has past. I am looking forward to what is to come and being able to experience it all with those who I love! Thanks again to everyone for making this year so special. I love you all!

And now Gavin's preschool performance!

Chad's Swearing In & Gingerbread Houses

2008-12-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

This past Monday Chad was officially sworn in as a Midvale Firefighter. He has been working for Midvale Fire for almost 1 1/2 years, 8 of them as a full-time firefighter, so it was due:) He tried to down play the event, but it was definitely something really cool. After he was sworn in, I got to go up and pin his badge on. I struggled pinning it on, so I finally just put it down and said that will do. It was fun being there with all the people he works with and I would have to say that you could definitely feel the brotherhood and respect they have for each other. It was really neat to be a part of that and be able to see Chad in his element. I hope he knows just how proud I am of him, he is a hard worker and is 100% dedicated to what he does. Anyone who has him on a call is always is good hands. Congratulations sweetie!

On Friday my family got together for the annual Gingerbread decorating night. The girls were down decorating while the guys were upstairs shooting the bull. Gavin actually stayed for quite awhile and decorated with me. He had to make sure that I was making it a "boy" house. Bre on the other hand was only there for the candy! She was in heaven, I tell you that girl would eat candy non-stop if she could! We created a power ranger, princess home, with snowmen all over that Gavin painted faces on. It was a fun night of being with the family, laughing and enjoying this great time of year.

Being Thankful!

2008-11-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

So nothing like saying how much I love this season and then post nothing! My BAD! This year has been going by too fast! Anyways, Thanksgiving was a blast and every year, I am reminded at how cool my family is and how lucky I am to have such great in-laws. I absolutely love getting together for Thanksgiving and being with the people who I will be with forever!
My kids remind me everyday how grateful I am for them. The last couple of nights I have been reading Gavin a flipbook about Jesus. We would read a page and you could just see the wheels turning in his head about some of the miraculous things He's done. One night he looked at me and said, "you know mom, I think Jesus is a pretty cool guy!" I would have to agree! I love the pureness that my kids bring and how they say the right things at the right times to make my day better. I am forever lucky to be their mom!
This year, my mom, sisters and I kept up the tradition of going shopping on Black Friday. We had great intentions of heading up to Park City, but driving through the canyon, on limited sleep didn't seem like the safest thing for us to do. We instead headed out to good old Wal-Mart at 4:00 am and were able to get some great deals. We then stopped by Old Navy, Children's Place, and then JoAnns. Every year I tell myself to stick to the list and not go over and every year I go over. I get too distracted with everything and just throw stuff in the cart, hey it's a good deal right!? At least no run-in with the West Jordan cops this year. I am improving!
As with ALL the traditions in my crazy family, the annual Norwegian Cookie Baking sleep-over was in full force a couple weeks ago. We headed up to the Garff Ranch, which is a paradise in and of itself. It was all play the first night we were there and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning playing card games, while the kids watched movies and slept. Due to the events from last year, most of the men were afraid to go to sleep this year. Of course, my husband thought that since he bought the cream and all the practical jokes this year, he wouldn't need to worry. Well, as you can see from the pictures he was the one who GOT IT this year! The next morning the girls were up early and getting the bake on. We made 6 different types of Norwegian cookies and as with every year, we had cookies coming out everywhere. I love my heritage, I love celebrating these times and I am so happy that my family keeps it alive! God Jul!

I love this time of year!

2008-10-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

We just had our annual family pumpkin carving contest. We have done this every year since I can remember. Each year it gets better and better with the ideas that everyone does for their pumpkin. This is something that we take serious and no one knows what the other is doing, it is a complete surprise. There is a lot at stake with this contest, especially pride! But all in all it is just another great excuse to get together. We have local neighbors come over and judge the pumpkins in order to make it fair. This year Gav did a cyclops and Bre did a princess coach. They took Grand prize and 1st place, which was a surprise. Gav loved poking holes into the pumpkins and Bre just loved running around.

On Saturday, I got together with Chad's family, just the girls and we made some halloween candy. This picture does no justice and shows only part of the things we made. We had a great time talking, eating, and making delicious candies. Thanks for a great time!

Chocolate covered strawberries, cinnamon bears, and peanut butter eyeballs. Missing are the caramel apples, popcorn and the cookie ghosts.

We had our 4th annual friend Halloween party and it was anything but calm. We had a little ghost hunt for the kiddies, Chad was in charge of the pictures for that and as you can see nothing! We had donut eating contests and then just played some games. The food and company were both great, I just love hanging out with these guys. I look forward to each months parties because of them.

My friend Jannette and I took our kiddies to the Pumpkin Festival in Herriman. We had a good time. The kids got to play around and look for candy everywhere. Towards the end we let them go play on the playground, where I turned around and found Gav peeing by the slide. He then told me that when we are outside and there are no bathrooms, we can go in the sand! Thanks Chad! Anyways, Gavin loved having a buddy with him instead of always being with the girlies! Later, we took them to the pumpkin patch to pick out their pumpkins for our pumpkin contest!

For one of our family nights we made PVC skeletons. They turned out really cute and the kids loved them. Afterwards, they couldn't help but go through grandma's costumes and try them all on.

Gavin had his last soccer game on Sat. He scored a goal and was so proud of himself. He got his trophy and made sure that we all new that only good soccer players get trophies!

I love this time of year and all the many foods and activities that come with it. I babysit my nephews and niece on Tuesdays, so I thought that we would do a little project of cupcake decorating. They were excited and actually didn't make as big of a mess as I anticipated!

The morning of the first snow of the season, Gav was up and in his gear before I was even out of bed. He came into our room, looked out of the window and said Holy cow! He loves the snow and just being outside in general. So at 7:30 in the morning we were outside playing and loving this time of year.

Thanks Naomi!

2008-10-05T09:54:00.001-07:00

My KMart loot!

My bags of Malt-O-Meal cereal!

My deal on scrapbooking supplies. I got three boxes full of paper and stickers for free! If anyone is in need of paper, stickers, embellishments, etc, I have a ton! Thanks Dolly for calling me, I love ya!

My friend Naomi has been doing this coupon thing for years. Everytime we would meet with our group of friends we were always amazed at the deals she found. I have wanted to get into it, but I could never figure it out or just be organized enough and patient enough to do it. I am not going to mention the fact that her and Mothagoose have formed this new alliance up north and fail to include the people from the south in some of their excursions:) However, the last couple of weeks she has once again shown what a saver she is. She helped me get 12 bags of Malt-o-Meal cereal for $4.00. Then my little sis and I went dumpster diving for coupons (yes, that's right Mothagoose and Naomi we can hang with you) because Kmart was doubling coupons last week (Sorry, we didn't take any pictures of that experience). Then Alli and I headed off to KMart in good old West Valley. I would have spent over $85.00 on all my items, but after coupons I spent $30.00! Now, I am sure that the experts (Naomi and her apprentice Mothagoose) would look at this and laugh, but for a rookie that is not too bad, so I want no comments for the both of you!:)
Hopefully with Naomi's class on Tuesday, I will be putting those lessons into practice more often. It is nice to save money!

Also, I just have to tell Tracy congratulations! She just called to tell me that she is expecting her 2nd baby. She is due on March 24th!
Also, congratulations to my other friend who will go nameless for now in case she still doesn't want people to know. You know who you are and I am so excited to be their aunt:)

Not So Much!

2008-10-05T09:40:00.001-07:00

Ok so I am not as back in business as I thought. My evenings now are spent grading and correcting. I need to find a happy balance or just leave work at school! There is nothing like grading 120 writing pieces! O'well, I wouldn't have it any other way. These pictures are from Bre's birthday, the State Fair, and Gavin's soccer. My favorite is Gavin dressing up in Bre's princess clothes. He told me not to worry and that he was just playing. He reassured me that boys can dress-up when it is just for play and not for real. He has the best sense of humor and I just love talking to him. Bre keeps surprising me everyday with new things she is saying and sentences she is putting together. One of my favorite moments was when she was running to get on the trampoline, she just stopped and blew me a kiss. She is such a sweetie and she makes me smile.

At Bre's birthday, my dad found a grasshopper and put it on the trampoline. Gavin loved it and was entertained for quite awhile. The grasshopper on the other hand was not!

Back In Business!

2008-09-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

We are alive, I promise! It has been complete madness since the last time I updated this Blog. August just gets crazy, especially because I am getting back in the working mom mode. Warning...This may be a long post and unfortunately Chad took his laptop to work and I am unable to download pictures to go along with it. So I will at least update what is going on now and then add pictures on Monday; so here we go.
Lil' Miss Bre turned the BIG 2 on August 16th! We had all the family over to party and she was definitely not disappointed. She got a Dora hot wheel so she can now go ridin with Gaver, lots and lots of dress up clothes, shoes, crowns, purses, tutu's, make-up, etc. Yes, she is all girl but can hold her own with the boys! My mom repainted my old doll bunk-bed set and high chair and added some little girlie details for Bre, along with matching blankets for her and her babies. I just can't believe that she is 2. It goes by way too fast! She is into singing right now and when she is playing you can hear her singing Dora, happy birthday or Itsy Bitsy Spider. She wants to do everything by herself and will absolutely lose it if you don't let her DO IT! Bre is beginning to test us and our discipline methods. When we go to talk to her in time-out and ask her if she is going to hit/pinch/bite again she will say "yes." Yet, since other little cousins have been born, whenever they are around she becomes a little mom. It is the cutest thing to watch. I just love being able to be her mom, I am truly blessed!
Then Gaver started Preschool in August as well. He goes three days a week for almost 3 hours. He loves dressing the frog each day, having a job to help his teacher out and making his friends laugh. He gets to do show-and-tell every Friday and it is hilarious to see what he wants to bring. He wanted to bring his bike helmet, just so he could show his friends how he can snap and unsnap the buckle. He said that his friends thought he was cool! He is just growing so big and amazes me with what he does. On Labor Day we were getting ready to run some errands and Chad was slow getting ready, so Gav looks and me and says, "Mom, let's just leave the nerd!" He cracks me up! Right now, he is into this boy/girl thing. He can't have anything or do anything that is, in his eyes, considered a "girl thing". It has to be for boys only. He also just started soccer today! He had a blast and I loved watching them play. It is hilarious to see them flock to the ball, tackle the ball and hit the ball. Gav scored his first goal, just for the other team, but who cares...it was a goal:) How did I get so lucky to be his mom?
Chad is still trucking along and working hard as usual. He actually just started taking some college courses through UVU. Ha Ha, finally it is his turn! He is working on getting his pre-req's done so he can prepare himself for Paramedic school. The last two weeks he has been going through High-Rescue Tech. training and Confined Spaces Rescue training. It has been crazy listening to what they had to do and hopefully I can get some of the pictures he took of the training. But, I must say I am ready to have him back to his normal schedule, it really stinks having to take the kids every day to a babysitter. It is nice only having to do that twice a week.
As for me, I found out that the pain I was having back in August was from an ovarian cyst that had ruptured. At least it was nothing too bad and hopefully there aren't many more. Now, that I know what it was and I see all the medical bills from those visits and rides, I wish I would have just stayed home and dealt with it! Anyways, school is back in and I am back at work. I switched schools again and I am happy to say that I am loving it. I am teaching 6th grade and I am at the school that I went to growing up. It is fun being back there, I get to see some familiar faces, and it feels good being there. The kids that I have this year and great and I enjoy going to my job. I am just hoping that things settle down a little, it is tough starting the school year and getting back it a routine again. However, I am getting excited for the fall season and the holiday season to start. I am already listening to Christmas music, we are the "ber" months. I just love this time of year.
I hope I didn't miss anything. Just give me a couple of days and there will be pictures to follow. I just want my family to know how much I love them. I couldn't do what I do nor could I have accomplished what I have if it weren't for them. My family is my driving force and my absolute happiness. I look forward to seeing my kids in the morning, spending time with them in the evening, and reading books to them as we get ready for bed! I owe it to them for making me the mom, wife, and person that I am! I love you guys!

Wow! Busy, Busy, Busy!

2008-08-13T20:50:00.001-07:00

Ever since the 24th of July rolled around, we have been out of town. We had 3 different vacations within the last three weeks. The only crappy part is Chad was only able to make it to one. It has been fun, crazy, and a little scary at times, but all in all we had a great time.
****On the 24th we headed out to the Buzz game with Chad's family that my sweet in-laws treated us to. We were able to watch a great game and a great firework show. Chad missed the fireworks because Gaver still has this loudness fear and so Chad had to take him to our car three blocks away, just get him calmed down. It is the craziest thing, but the only thing we can think of that caused this fear is with him being in a car accident where the air bags deployed, can you really blame him:)
****The next day we (me and the kids) headed to our family condo in St. George. I love this place! It was actually quite relaxing. They have this new water area for the kids. It is like a mini red rock river with a waterfall. They loved it and it was fun for us to sit and relax while they played. Then the girls did some shopping while my dad and brother-in-law took the boys lizard hunting. Gavin loved it! They caught two lizards and kept them in a water bottle. Then later that night they got to let them go. Gavin had no problem picking them up and holding them. We were also able to visit Grandma Parkin. We don't get to see her nearly as much and we would like, but the kids were excited to talk to her.
****After St. George, Chad, I and the kids headed up to Idaho to visit Brian and Rose. It has been over two years since we have been there and it was so fun to see them. We went fishing, shooting, hung out in the hot tub, went to the water park, and just visited with each other. I was able to meet up with my old college roommate, Gen, and her kids. It was fun catching up and talking about the good old days at Snow!We became really close in college, so it was great to actually see her! The only downside to to Idaho was I got to go to the ER twice in one day (once by ambulance). They couldn't find anything that was causing the pain, nor couldn't explain why I passed out and turned blue. Hopefully, my family doctor can help out in that department;) Anyways, it was a great trip and we absolutely enjoyed being with Brian, Rose, and Kelsi. Thanks you guys!
****Even though I still wasn't feeling right, I headed up to the Palisades to go camping with my family. We left the day after we came home from Idaho and I was able to go through Ephraim and see my old stompin grounds in college. I love that place! My family was great and gave me a chance to relax (usually camping in relaxing, but not with a 4 and a 2 year old and without a husband). I wasn't able to go four-wheeling because I was still having dizzy spells, but I was able to just hang around camp and go down to the beach. Gaver's and B's loved looking for bugs, Gav actually caught some grasshoppers with his hands. They got to go on some four-wheel rides with Bompa, Uncle Grant, and my cousins, and they just loved being outdoors and getting dirty. One night Gav told me that he loved camping because he likes to sleep in the trailer. This has been one heck of summer, but I wouldn't change it. We are so blessed to have the two (three) families that we do and I am so grateful for all their love and support. Thanks to you all for making these times so much fun! We love ya!
Here are some pictures from it all! Except the hospital:)

Bear Lake

2008-07-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Chad and I met up with some friends at Bear Lake. The amazing Naomi hooked us up with the place and it was just fantastic. There were 8 other couples/friends that came and we had a blast. We hung out at the beach during the day (I had forgotten how blue and beautiful this place is) then went home to get cleaned up, and then hung out at the house. In the back yard of the house there was a sand volleyball pit, a firepit, horseshoe pits, a patio and lots of land for the kids to play. It was perfect, especially when there are 11 toddlers to keep entertained and 3 newborns. When all the kids were asleep we would play card games, Wii, Playstation or did some karaoke. Chad surprised us all with his Beatles impressions. Then the last day, Chad and I took the kids on a four-wheeling ride and wound up at the top of this hill with an amazing view of the lake. This is definitely something I would like to do yearly, the kids loved it, I had great time and it was fun being with friends! Thanks for getting it all planned Naomi, you are AMAZING and we love ya!

Gavin collecting some mud and seashells.

What a cutie!

Yes, that is Chad (pink swim cap) and Grant holding up their swim trunks.

Chad and Bre on our four-wheeling ride.

Me with the kiddies, check out the view of the lake.

Here is the gorgeous view from our place. I know my photography skills are not up to par!

Chad, me and Bre just chillaxin!

Ahhh! How sweet.

My little sis, her husband Grant and lil' miss Jordyn.

Me with my little buddy.

My cute little Gaver's who is now loving me taking pictures of him!

Bre and Aleena hanging out eating their sandy plums!

I just love my family!

Check out these BIG HUNKS! Nate, Chad, and Grant are only trouble when they are together.

This is what Bre called "her water" and she wanted mommy to sit with her.

Meet Mr. Chubbs

2008-07-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

I knew the day would come when we needed to get another dog. Not one to take Bubba's place, but one to fill that void that was left when Bubba died. Gavin kept asking when we were going to get another dog and I knew that Gaver and B's needed a little pal. We called the same lady that we bought Bubba from and she had a litter that was ready to go. We went today and had Gavin pick him out, it was so sad and exciting at the same time. We decided to name him Chubbs, after Bubba because we still miss him so much and felt it would be a great ode to him. Chubbs already has so much personality and fits perfectly into our family!

Baby Quinton is home!

2008-07-09T22:59:00.001-07:00

After a week in the NICU, Marlee and Brad were able to take baby Quinton home. Quinton was born with his lungs under developed and had to have some extra help with breathing. He continued to show what a trooper he was and improved each day he was there. It is so nice to have him finally home and be able to hold him! Love the babies. He is a cutie and we are definitely blessed with his sweet spirit and freshness from heaven.

Quinton loves having both hands to the side of his face. It just goes to show how they hung out in the belly!

Bre just adored him. She was so excited to hold him! She would climb up on the couch and say "Tinton" as she held out her hands.

Was That Really Necessary????

2008-07-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

On Monday nights Chad and I play on a coed softball team. I absolutely love it and have never had really anything happen like it did this week. For the most part the games are fun and we just have a good time. Yes, we get competitive but we are never RUDE. Well, there is this one team that we have played over and over and each time we play them things tend to get more and more out of hand. Throughout this game their third baseman/shortstop continued to just throw the ball directly at my brother-in-law, trying to hit him. That was just the tip of the iceburg. Next, they threw a complain fest about us trying to have a pinch runner for one of our injured players (not a big deal), when we know full well they are playing with a 13 year old so they didn't forfeit. We didn't say anything because WE DON'T CARE, we just want to play. Well the game goes on, with small cheap shots being taken here and there (pushing people off the base, comments, etc). The last inning they had their last ups because we were ahead by 12 runs, which they weren't happy about (they are usually undefeated). One of our players had an injured hamstring and was limping, well this grown man, mind you, that plays for them comes out of their dug-out mimicking him limping. I looked at him and said "are you done?" in which he comments "yes (sarcastically)" then I ask him if he is proud of himself for acting so mature. From then on he was go at me on first base the rest of the inning. He would say comments about players on our team, how unsportsman-like we are, etc. I really couldn't believe it. I was surprised that I was keeping my cool with this idiot next to me. And all I would say were things like, "I teach 12 year olds who have more sportsmanship and maturity than you" and "I am out here to have fun" and "Bottom line I want my kids to be able to watch their mom and dad play and not have to see them act like this." He continued to tell me that I better shut my mouth and then would come up and scream in my ear as I was catching a ball to get an out. Then I hear from one of the moms (holding a newborn baby) that if that first baseman (me) doesn't shut her mouth she is going to get a ball in the face! WOW, never been threatened like that before. I had been complimenting them on some of their great hits throughout the game and yet I was having this come at me? Are you kidding?? I couldn't believe it! I was pretty shocked that for being a redhead and having the competitive nature that I do, that I stayed calm. For one, this is a Rec league and why waste energy on these people who I really don't care much for. Second, I never want to regret what I say or do on the field; I want to be an example for my kids and my students who actually come and watch good old Mrs. Pate play. I teach sportsmanship and will stop playing PE with my kids if they don't play with GREAT sportsmanship. Anyways, we ended up winning and they didn't even come out to shake hands at the end of the game. It was a mess and all I could think is was that really necessary. I sure hope they felt bad as they drove home and realized what jerks they were!

Independence Day!

2008-07-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! This Fourth of July was smaller than normal, but just as busy. My mom and dad's neighborhood decided to do a bike parade this year, like the good old days. So my dad had a brilliant idea to decorate the four-wheeler trailer and load all the grandkids in it. We went over Thursday and decorated the trailer and then woke up early Friday morning to get out there. The parade turned out so cute and I couldn't believe how creative people got with their decorations and what they decorated. There were bikes, golf-carts, mini jeeps, strollers, and wagons. We paraded through the neighborhood and then had some breakfast. Later in the evening, we went up to my sister's clubhouse and had a BBQ and went swimming. Then instead of doing our own fireworks, we watched them from a spot in Herriman where you could see the entire valley. It ended up being less of a hassle and really nice to just relax. Gavin and Bre loved the fireworks and I had a blast just watching them enjoy this holiday!
This is our float for the parade. Not too shabby!

Keaton, Gavin, Bre, and Kailee getting ready for the parade.

The kids are throwing taffy to the spectators. We had to remind Gavin to throw lightly, as we did not want him to hit anyone in the face:)

Keaton, Dylan, Bre, Kailee and Gavin as we are wrapping up the parade. Check out those cool blue vests for the boys, and red lapels for the girls:) I had to wear one myself to make sure I was looking good as well:) A cute little lady gave them to all the kids to wear in parade.

Here is a view of some of the kids riding in the parade.

On Saturday we went out to lunch with Chad's family. It has been quite the week for MarLee and Brad so it was nice to be with them. I am so amazed with MarLee and her strength. For this being her first baby and all that has happened, her optimisim and positivity is definitely inspiring. After lunch we headed over to Nana's and Papa's and the kids played in the water. We had a great time relaxing and enjoyed being with everyone.
Here is Aunt Meggie playing in the pool with B's. Aunt Meggie is such a fun aunt!

Here is Uncle Brad playing in the water with Gav. Uncle Brad is a kid himself and Gavin and B's absolutely adore him!

Thank you to both my families for making this weekend so fun for Gavin and Bre!

Welcome Baby Quinton!

2008-07-06T21:42:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, July 1st my cute sister-in-law had her baby! He weighed in at 6 pounds 11 ounces and 18 inches long. He is a cute little guy with dark hair and has the Pate hair line! He has been a trooper and a fighter since he was born. He was a little early (induced 3 weeks early by her doctor, stupid doctor) and has been in the ICU for the last 6 days due to his lungs not being developed. MarLee and Brad are hoping to be able to take him home on Tuesday. I can't wait to hold him and give him some kisses. We are so excited to finally have one of Chad's siblings have some babies so Gavin and B's have some cousins to play with. Congratulations MarLee and Brad, we love you and you both have shown tremendous strength and faith this last week. I will post pictures as soon as I get some.

Quarterly Birthday Party!

2008-06-28T19:54:00.001-07:00

I have to say that I absolutely have the cutest grandparents in the world. Each year they do something different for our birthdays and each year they seem to out-do themselves. This year they have decided to do quarterly birthdays since our family is only getting bigger. So today we celebrated April-June birthdays. With it being hot weather they created a mini water park in their backyard. They have done this every year since I was little and it is always a blast. They have a large swimming pool set-up, a huge slippin slide with a pool to land in, and a kiddie pool that is shaded with an umbrella. Then on top of that there are beach balls and tubes all over the backyard. This is really the first year Gavin appreciated it, when he walked into the backyard he said, "wow, this is awesome!" The party started at 1:00 and the kids had to be pulled off at 7:00. They LOVED IT! Throughout this time we played in the water, we had delicious Grandma Tootsie cookin', we played games, and celebrated the birthdays for the months. So below are some of the pictures from the activities of the day!
Action photo of Gavin hitting the water.

Bre and Cole.

Gavin loving all the beach balls and tubes to jump into.

Bre hanging out in the boat. She is not a big fan of splashing!

Gavin going down the slippin slide.

Bre content with playing in the kiddie pool away from the big boys.

Gavin and Keaton going down!

Taking a break and eatin with the buddies!

After food and play we celebrated the birthday boys!
Each person whose birthday is celebrated at these parties is given a mini birthday cake. Then this year my grandma and grandpa decided that everyone is going to get new underwear! How sweet is that:)
Here is Gavin holding his mini birthday cake.

Ryan, Dylan, and Gavin blowing out their candles!

Gavin holding up his cool super hero underwear! Oh and they glow in the dark! BONUS!

After cake and ice cream we played some games.....

As long as I can remember my grandma and grandpa have created games for us to play. They haven't stopped and have acutally become quite creative! I am always amazed at what they come up with and believe me the kids & adults love them!
This game was dedicated to my nephew Dylan, we call him "Dill Pickles" so my grandma found a dill pickle that you play similar to hot potato. The person who won, received a huge jar of DILL PICKLES!

This game was dedicated to Gavin because he loves water balloons. This was played similar to hot potato as well, only a water balloon was placed in the machine which squished it until it popped!

This game was for my cousin Ryan, since he loves money. You had only one chance to roll and you wanted to roll a 7 or 11. If you did, you got a $2 dollar bill.

Benino was a winner!

This game was for the kiddies. My grandma found all kinds of random objects and threw them in a pool. She blindfolded each grandkid and gave them a net. They had to try to get as many objects in their net as possible. Once they pulled the net out of the water they were done. The top four who got the most won a prize. Gavin came in 2nd and won a pack of FLOAM.

If you ever need creative game ideas for parties, we have plenty!
Thank you Great-Grandma Tootsie and Great-Grandpa Tom for always making these days so fun and special. We love you!

Welcome baby Jordyn!

2008-06-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Alli and Grant! My little sista finally had her little girl. We have been waiting for this little one to come into our family. Jordyn Pearl Hyland was born today at 12:39 pm, weighed in at 6 pounds 10 ounces, 19 inches long and just beautiful. They are thinking she may have strawberry blonde hair (taking after her aunt in a way:)) I am so excited for them and I know lil' Ms. Bre is anxious to have a girl cousin to play with. I love you guys!

A Day At The Zoo!

2008-06-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Chad and I decided that we would head up to the Zoo. Chad had not been there in over 10 years and the kids absolutely love it. We invited Dave and Michelle to come with us. Going in the morning ended up being a great idea since it didn't get too hot until the afternoon and ended up not being too crowded. It was fun spending the day with the kids and our friends. Thanks Dave and Michelle for coming with us!

Here is Gaver riding the gorilla on the new carousel.

Breezy riding the hippo.

What a good looking family!

Chad and Gavin getting ready for the train ride!

Mommy and B's on the train!

Michelle and Emma

Bre and Emma checking out the turkeys

Gavin and Bre trying to get a closer look

Happy Daddy's Day Chad!

2008-06-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take some time and tell Chad what an amazing dad he is! Gaver's and B's absolutely adore him and love being with him. I know without a doubt that Gavin and Bre will learn and grow so much through his example and love. There have been countless times that I have come home from work and Chad is in Breezy's room playing kitchen or dressing up her babies or fighting bad guys and playing super heroes with Gavin. He always makes sure that the time he has with the kids counts. His family is number one! My favorite is when Gavin and I say our prayers, each time Gavin always blesses his daddy to be safe at work. They are always thinking about him! He is an inspiration to me, Gavin, and Bre. We are so lucky to have him in our lives and benefit from the amazing person that he is. Chad is my rock and I thank him for his unconditional love, his dedication to his family, and his way making sure we are not taking life too seriously. I hope that he has a Happy Father's Day, even if he is at work!
We love you!
Wee's, Gaver's and Bre's

Happy Father's day!

2008-06-15T21:15:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's day to Laurey and Marvin!

I just love my dad so much. He has been my number one supporter my entire life. He had 3 girls that he would do anything for. We always knew that when mom said no that we could go and ask dad! He likes to try to act tough but we know that he is a big teddy bear. I am grateful that I was blessed enough to have him as my dad and Gaver's and B's love him as their Bompa. I know without a doubt that I would not be where I am today if it weren't for his love, support, and endless belief in me! Thanks dad for being a huge part of my life! I love you!

Marv is the best father-in-law that anyone could ask for. He is probably the hardest worker that I know and a genius when it comes to fixing really anything. He is such a softy when it comes to his grandkids and they love their Papa so much. I can definitely tell that Gavin is a Pate when he asks me if we can take apart his bike and put it back together! Marv is always concerned and will always be the first one to ask how things are going. I absolutely love how sweet and caring he is! Happy Father's Day Marv!

A fun day of fishing!

2008-06-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

This year Chad has to work almost every holiday, so we are starting to celebrate them a little early. On Friday, we decided that we would take the kids fishing and have some fun. There is a fun little fishing pond and park in Herriman that was close enough and easy to access. This little pond is perfect! We struggled in the fishing department because we realized that we had bought the crushed shrimp and it kept flying off everytime we would cast. However, if you ask Gavin he will tell you that we did catch some seaweed, just no fish! After fishing we took Gaver's and B's over to the park to play. They had a blast of course playing on the toys. We ended a little early because some kids from another party decided that it was okay to include us in their water fight! Overall, we had a good time spending a day as a family.

I was afraid these guys were going to get a fishing hook in the back!
Bre loves the slides!
Gavin showing off his fishing skills. He was explaining how to cast.
Gavin showing some love towards his sister.
Chad trying to figure out a way to get the shrimp to stay on!
Bre showing off her dancing skills. Not into the whole fishing thing!
Gavin climbing high like Spiderman!

Happy Birthday Gavin!!!!

2008-06-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

A little late but that's okay! My little guy turned 4 on Sunday! We had both mine and Chad's families over for a little party and he had a great time. Gavin made sure that everyone who came through our door had a present for him. He was so excited for this day to come and as you can see, he was not disappointed.

Gavin with Nana and Papa
Gavin with Bompa and Grandma Kari
Bre lovin' the ice cream!
My nephew Cole getting in on some of the ice cream action!
Gavin with his buddies!

Gaver with mommy and daddy!
Gavin holding up one of his presents!
Gaver & Dylan sitting in front of his presents.
Gaver wanted a Transformer cake. Not what I had in mind but it will do!
Gaver and Kailee on his new trampoline! He wakes up every morning asking if he can go out and jump.
I am so lucky to be his mom!

One Hell of a Week!

2008-06-06T20:36:00.001-07:00

School is out and all I have to say is GOOD RIDDANCE! I mean, this was a fun year and I had an amazing class; however, there were too many things going on in one week. Can you say taking inventory, grading, cumulative files, checking out, packing a classroom, finding babysitters, babysitting, having a nephew in the hospital, and husband out of town! Yeah, that was my week, enough said!

Pictures with an Update!

2008-05-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post about planting our Bubba tree over Memorial weekend, but the rain prevented that from happening. We get to do that this weekend when Chad is home. Instead I decided now would be a great time to write an update on the Pate family and show off my lil' kiddies since I think they are the cutest!

Chad - As you know is working full-time for Midvale Fire and part-time for Saratoga Springs fire. Between those two departments he is very busy, but has decided that he wants to enroll in fall semester at UVSC to work towards his Paramedic.

Me - I have one week left of school and I can't wait to actually have a summer this go around. The last two summers I have been working on my Master's degree which I received on May 3rd. I am also moving to a new school and possibly a new grade. I may be moving from 6th to 1st...can you say crazy!!! I am a little excited and little freaked out, but either way I know I will have a good time.

Gavin - Is turning 4 on Sunday! Where did time go? He also just finished his first year of preschool and loved it. He didn't sing at the celebration because he said he was too shy (ya right!). Gavin is such an inquisitive boy, he wants to know how things work, why things happen, and how to fix things. I am amazed at the things he comes up with and what he can actually do. His new saying is "totally" and he uses it whenever he can. Right now Gavin loves Transformers, looking through books, and doing anything as long as it is outside. I love this boy!

Bre - Is is 21 months old and is my sidekick! She loves Dora and loves to sing the Dora song, which is the cutest thing to hear. She also loves music and dancing. Whenever we are in the car she screams "up" which is our cue to turn the radio up. She bounces her head and tries to sing a long. Her new saying is "No I don't" and Chad loves to get her to say it! Bre always has to have her 3 babies and her two Dora blankets before she even think about going to sleep. She is very head strong but such a sweetie. She is all girl but enjoys hanging with the boys. I absolutely love having a little girl!

Visiting dad at the Fire Station!
Gaver driving the fire truck.
Gaver and B's playing super heroes!
Mom and B's.
B's keeping her candy from Bubba! We miss him so much!

Breezy showing off her mouth after eating a BLUE sucker! Chad giving Gavin a haircut with Bre as his audience.
Building a hut and playing with Gaver's and B's.
Lil' Miss Breezy!
Gaver pretending to drive Bre around at Daddy's work. Check out that belly!

Gavin with his preschool teachers Miss Lola and Miss Norma! They were great!
Gavin at his preschool celebration!
Gavin with Grandma.
Gavin loves to climb in and cuddle with Bre!
Me and Allison my partner and crime in teaching. She is amazing!

Bubba Chubbs

2008-05-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Bubba as a puppy!
Bubba lounging around.
Bubba showing just how patient he was by letting us put a diaper on him!
Bubba's idea of walking!
This shows Bubba's personality! He as the cutest little nerd!
Today has been one of the toughest days of our family's life. Our cute little bubba passed away unexpectedly from liver/kidney failure. It is amazing at how these little guys come to your home and become part of the family. He was one of us! Bubba was the cutest most loveable dog in the entire world. He loved playing, eating, and getting attention! Bubba lived up to his name in so many ways. He was the runt of the litter yet loved eating so much that he became twice as big as he was supposed to. He couldn't jump up onto our bed (so we lifted him up) yet he could jump up onto the table to get to food when he wanted! He loved to go on walks as long as he could ride in the stroller or wagon! Bubba brought so much joy into our family, he was the best with Gavin and Bre. They could pull, poke, step, or do whatever to Bubba and he would just sit there. He was their protector (thank heavens he never really had to put it into practice)! What more could you ask for in a dog. So this is to you Bubba! You are one of a kind and can never be replaced. Thanks for bringing much happiness, many smiles, and a bunch of love to our home. We will miss the barking at any random noise made, the chasing around the house, the scratches to go outside, all the playing, and most importantly the cuddling on the couch. I hope they have Bacon Strips in dog heaven! Mommy, daddy, Gaver and B's love you and will miss you much!

Being grateful for MOMS & being a mom!

2008-05-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

My mom with Bre.

This is a small ode to the two greatest moms in my life. I am absolutely the luckiest person to have been blessed with the amazing mom that I have. She is the most giving, thoughtful, and supportive person that I know. She has been my number one fan my entire life! I pray that I can be the type of mom that she is. Thanks for being an inspiration in my life! I love ya!

Papa and Nana with Gavin and Bre.

I am also so lucky to have a sweet mother-in-law (Tracy). When Chad was on his mission I fell in love with his family and it enabled me to create a close relationship with his mom. I enjoy the time we spend together and she has been so helpful. Tracy is one of the most selfless people that I know. She loves to do things for others and would live without, if it meant helping someone else. Thanks for all you do for me! I love ya!

Gavin and Bre playing in the car! They love pretending to drive!

My amazing husband (Chad), with Gavin and Bre!

What a great Mother's Day it has been. As I sit here and think about what this day is really about, I can't help but think about why I love being a mom. I really cannot imagine my life without my Gaver's or B's in it. Words cannot explain the love that I have for my kids. They show me every day what is truly important in life and that is family. Their unconditional love for everyone (especially me), personalities, smiles, funny sayings, hugs, and kisses keep me going from day to day. I look forward to seeing them when I get home from work and being able to spend the rest of the day with them. They are my sunshine and they make me happy to be a mom! I love you guys!

NO DEAL!

2008-04-30T21:07:00.001-07:00

I am not doing too well on this blog thing. I know this is a little late, but what the heck. It all started way back at the beginning of the school year when one of my students was caught tagging the boys bathroom. I was (and still am) confused on why they would want to choose that path. Anyways, I sat there thinking about what I could do to help my kids find a way out. I turned on the T.V. and Deal or No Deal was on. I thought how cool would it be to go on the show, win some money to set up a college trust fund for each one of my kids. I want my kids to know how much I believe in them and see that education is the key and gangs are not!!!!!!

Well, to my surprise they were having an open audition on April 12th. I talked my teammate and partner in crime to come along with me. We had our kids design some shirts for us and as you can see they did a fabulous job. We camped out overnight in the RC Willey parking lot and waited in line the next morning, to have our 20 seconds of fame. Well, the girl we got to talk to was definitely not a teacher lover nor did she have an eye for shear talent! When we told her why we wanted to be on the show, she looked at us and said "No, we want to know what you would buy for you if you won a million dollars!" I was taken back, had she not listened to what we said? So we repeated it, and she still wouldn't take that as an answer. Needless to say she did not invite us back for a second audition! O'well! Howie would of had some fun with us. His loss!

Bottom line it was such a fun experience and at least we tried. Thanks Allison for being a trooper, you are the best!!!

Another Chadilliant Idea!

2008-04-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

Chad the ADD and impulsive person he is signed up for another CRAZY training. Why he thinks this is fun, I have no idea. Midvale Fire was offering a Tactical EMS (SWAT) training. Being the go-getter that he is, he signed up, willing to train all week long without pay (then working 60 hours in order to get his hours for the week). Well, just like all the other trainings this is proving to be one that he is really enjoying. He has been working on his gun skills (he could have just asked me), how to handle stand offs, enter homes, take people into custody, and administer treatment under fire. Just as I mentioned before I am so proud of him. He is always taking on extra trainings and putting in extra hours to show this is his dream and his passion. He is a hard worker who supports and loves his family. I am so lucky to be married to a person who enjoys life, takes risks, and keeps me grounded.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-09T18:06:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter

2008-04-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

I know, I know it has been a while since I posted last. Time just seems to go by just too fast and I feel like I am on a rollercoaster waiting for it to slow down.
Any-whooo! Easter was quite the excitement around the Pate home. As always family traditions kick into high gear and it is go, go, go! We had our annual easter egg decorating party. Gavin actually sat and decorated eggs longer than I thought! Bre lasted all of 5 minutes, but she absolutely loved decorating herself in all the easter egg stickers! Of course the Easter Bunny came and visited Gav and B's. Gav got some Transformers and B's a Dora picnic set. As usual the kids were spoiled more than ever. We had three easter egg hunts, one at Grandma Kari's, one at Aunt Meggie's and then one at Great Grandma Tootsie's. I am just so grateful for such an amazing family and all the memories that we create through the many traditions! Life is great!

1st year down many more to go!

2008-03-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

It has officially been one year since Chad quit his full-time job in order to pursue his life-long dream of becoming a firefighter. This has been the most rewarding and challenging year all in one. You can certainly tell that this is Chad's nitch in life. He dreams, talks, sweats, and breathes firefighting! He has worked so hard and has dedicated himself to making sure that he is the best at what he does. Above are some of the photos of the training Chad has done out at Saratoga. He had the opportunity to become Ice Rescue Certified at Utah Lake and I will be the first to admit that this is pretty cool!

Bottom line Chad is amazing and I am always amazed at what he pushes himself to do and achieve!

President's Day

2008-02-29T21:08:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, this is a little late. But hey! Better late than never, right? Well, Chad and I decided to take the kids to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. Shocking I know, Chad and I together!!!!!!! Gaver loves dinosaurs and Bre just loves to be out. I did not realize how big this place actually was. There were different sections that focused on the different dinosaurs and ancient animals. Gaver loved the stegosaurus, the brontosaurus and especially the t-rex. It was so fun to listen to him point the dinosaurs as we walked around. I am always amazed at what he says and what he remembers. We walked through and were able to dig for dinosaurs bones, play in the mud and build our own dinosaur lands, and see all the many ancient and extinct animals. The hardest parts were in the hands-on areas, there were so many kids that space and toys were limited. If we go again we need to go on a week day or non-holiday to beat the crowds.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

Only One More Slide Show

2008-02-19T21:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I had to do one more slide show for Christmas. This past Christmas was a blast, Gaver was so excited and kept telling anyone who misbehaved that Santa was watching them (even to Chad and I)! As usual we were busy as ever, however I have to say that I am indeed grateful for my family and for my in-laws. They have created and kept the most wonderful traditions alive for me and our kids.
My sweet in-laws (Nana & Papa) buy each person in the family an ornament that reminds them of a milestone or memory they had of them throughout the year. It is always so much fun to see what they picked out for you. Gavin got to pick out his this year (Superman) and after everyone opened theirs he could tell you what everyone got! He is just amazing.
In my family we do our traditional Norwegian Christmas on Christmas Eve. We cook an authentic Norwegian cuisine and enjoy being with each other. It is a blessing to have my sweet grandma Kari with us during this time. You can just see the twinkle in her eyes when she is with her family. I am indeed grateful for her heritage and for not letting it fizzle out.
My cute Grandma Tootsie & Grandpa Tom always amaze me with what they do year to year. They give so much to us and have showed us just what families are for. They always know how to surprise everyone on Christmas Day.
As usual our kids were spoiled by all those who love them. For Gavin it was a Transformer christmas and for Bre it was a Dora christmas. The lack of pictures comes from me trying to work the video recorder and camera at the same time. Didn't work too well. Bottom line our families are the greatest blessing in the world. Thanks for making these times so special! Love you all!

Slide Show Happy!

2008-02-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

I thought I would do a couple of slide shows to wrap up our holiday season. This show is of our Happy Halloween time! As our kids are getting older the holidays just seem to get better and better just because of their excitement.
Gavin was the "black" Spiderman last year and while at the Boo Festival at Thanksgiving Point, Gaver was able to have his face painted like spiderman. He was on cloud nine the whole day and had to stop and show everyone his spider-face! Little Miss Breezy was a 50's girls with a poodle skirt. She absolutely loved this costume. I had originally wanted her to be Tinkerbell, however when she screamed every time I put it on her or even near her, there had to be a change of plan. Then Chad decided the day of Halloween that he wanted to be Spiderman as well. He ran to the store and grabbed what he thought his size was. With some pinching and pulling and some camel toe later he was in it! Gavin loved it and everyone else preferred him sitting down. As usual Chad made everyone laugh and kept the party going.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-16T19:20:00.001-08:00

I Need Help!

2008-02-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

I am trying to get this blog thing down and my mentor (aka Motha Goose) told me that slideshows were pretty easy to do, well I am not getting it. I guess it's because I only use 75% of my brain :) or at least that's what I was told. Any-who, I need some help on creating slideshows for my blog so I can get it up and running.

Mothagoose In da House!

2008-02-04T18:27:00.000-08:00

I have finally come over to the dark side. Mothagoose #2 has finally persuaded me to create a blog, apparantly it is for posterity or something (I don't know).