What a good time...

...we are having these days...it's been a fun holiday season. I guess it's New Year's Eve tonight, and we toasted as a little family during dinner to ring in the New Year, even though it was only 6 PM...3 glasses of Martinellis, and 1 of sugar free grape Kool-Aid--gross...I'll let you guess who drank what...Andy promised a prosperous 2009, with trips to Sea World and Raging Waters, and birthday parties for all 3 kids...we all raised our glasses and "cheered" each other...now that it's in writing, we have to stick to it! Welcome, welcome 2009...here's how we spent our last few weeks of 2008...

Lauren's Christmas program at Preschool...cute, probably just to us parents, but cute...

Waiting in the Church sanctuary for the big performance...
She's on the far right...none of my pictures turned out...


Andy renewed our membership to the Arboretum, and it's become our new "go-to" locale...he took the girls to feed the ducks, and even took some pictures!

A visit to Santa..."please bring me a purple big-girl bike..."...those of you in Pasadena may recognize these Santa eyes...Rod Hansen...
Napping on the floor...she always uses her Bobo as her pillow...Lauren's Bishy Bear is also in the picture...there's a picture further down of Charlie's new "lovey" that he just got for Christmas...
Andy and I hosted a big caroling party the week of Christmas, and this is the only picture I have to show for all the work... our first fire, although we put it out before everybody arrived! The fireplace burns both logs and gas, which is nice...just the gas is burning here (we need to get some of those fake gas logs)...I made soup and bread for all the families that came over, and then we each picked someone to go sing to, and then we came back for dessert and cider. I was nervous to have so many people in the house...it ended up being about 25, but we all fit...and somehow kids just find ways to entertain themselves...we had several older kids come and I was worried that they'd have nothing to play with...all those boys needed was a living room sans furniture, and they wrestled the night away! Andy and I really enjoyed ourselves, and decided that a caroling party is going to be an annual event for the Hyers...
The fruits of a late Christmas Eve night....we spent the entire day Christmas Eve at my parents' house and had a fabulous fancy dinner, then came home to spend the night and open our gifts with the kids...then we went back to my parents' for breakfast and another round of presents...my brother was there with his girlfriend, as well as my sister with her boyfriend from Logan...it was a great time...
Santa ate all the cookies and drank the milk...good job "Santa"
Christmas morning...

Lauren got the bike she asked for, but Christmas also brought rain, so she mostly rode around our house, and then all over my parents' houseCharlie got his Kaloo stuffed animal from my mom...each of my kids has one of these...Lauren has her Bishy Bear, Kate has Bobo Bunny, and now Charlie has his...name TBD...upon purchase, they are the softest, squishiest, prettiest stuffed animals...they aren't cheap, which is good because they get A LOT of wear and tear and washings by the Hyer kids...

He loves to smile and talk these days...Lauren and Andy are a familiar sight in our neighborhood these days...
One of my bestest friends, Jill, came over this past week with her 2 kids...we are friends from back in the Glendale days...we've both since moved and purchased homes...Lauren and Paloma have known each other since Lauren was 4 months old...I have many, many a picture of these 2 girls together...Beck, Kate and Charlie have since come on the scene as well!

The kids had a BLAST raking leaves and jumping in them...What a great picture...I can't believe my little camera was able to get her exactly mid-air...
New dresses from Reina...the lady that has worked for my mom for YEARS...
Charlie's first ride in the Bumbo...he's still a little wobbly, but he did pretty well...I have a picture of Kate in this exact same pose on the dryer in Pasadena...such a convenient place to put the baby while doing laundry...
He went to the MD for his 2 month check up...13 lbs 14 oz and 23 inches long...95th percentile for weight...big boy...I'm about to switch him to some of his 6 month clothes because he's busting out of the 3-6 stuff...I don't think my girls reached 14 pounds for 6 months...what's in the milk???

That's it...happy 2009 in 3 1/2 hours...I rarely read blogs or email these days...there just isn't enough "solo" time it seems, but I wouldn't have it any other way...we're headed to the Rose Parade in the morning with some friends...Happy New Year!

Laundry, Vomit and Mucous...

...that about sums up our week...Oh yeah, and a trip to the ER and MD for Charlie...it's been quite the sick-fest over here. Note--this post is not for the faint of heart--that might include you, Andy. It started with Kate and a raging cold, and I mean RAGING...she took 5 hour naps 2 days in a row, and still fell into bed 2 hours later. She had the kind of cold where you just looked at her, and you knew she was in PAIN---swollen face and eyes, far-off blank stare--miserable. I went in one late night to check on her, and she was fast asleep in her vomit--fun, huh? I kept telling her--"Not in Charlie's face!" but she didn't listen, and he got sick...way, way, way sick. Sunday night we took him into the Emergency Room (among other things, Glendora has no 24-hour urgent care--bah)...he had a chest X-ray, urine sample, blood work, and it all came back negative--he has a viral chest cold. As a side note, to illustrate just how easy-going and mellow Charlie is, he smiled at the tech that was in the process of taking his blood (complete with rubber tourniquet and needle in the crook of his arm)--not much upsets this kid--he made not a sound during all the tests. He has a throat and chest full of mucous--he throws up ALL THE TIME because he can't clear his system--poor kid. And he barely has a voice. Andy had been sleeping in the same room with him for the past few weeks, and then bringing him to me to eat, but he's off duty right now because he can't hear him whimper in the night--he doesn't have my mom ears to pick up the smallest noise...I'm super tired now, but at least I know I'll wake up! Both kids are still sick, but Kate is on the slow road to recovery. Charlie, hopefully, is right behind her. I took him to the MD yesterday, and all they can say is, "use the humidifier." Bah--poor kid. Poor mom.

Here is what we've done in our spare time this past week...

Decorate and re-decorate and re-decorate the tree...if you have kids, you know exactly what I mean...that box in the corner is our gift to ourselves--a carpet steamer/cleaner! You know you're old when both you and your husband find joy in a carpet cleaner for Christmas!


The annual Gingerbread house...honestly there was nothing to show for it at the end...all the sides collapsed in on themselves...it went directly into the trash...guess that's why Andy's not an architect!


This is what I found in the living room....no joke...Lauren "lit up" her brother"...
Look at this kid...he oozes "mellow"...I can't imagine what he's going to let his sisters get away with as he gets older...

Charlie's most favorite form of being carried...perched on my shoulder...he just rests his little fat face on my shoulder and is along for the ride...he was 13 pounds at the MD yesterday...he's barely 7 weeks old...he was weighed with his clothes on, so he's probably a few ounces under 13, but still--big boy...

Charlie and I on our way to a Christmas party...


Not our holiday card, but could be...notice I didn't say "Christmas card?" There's no guarantee that our cards will be out by Christmas (for explanation, read the first paragraph on this post)...Andy finally sent out a handful to his family, but the other dozens will get sent when they get sent!

We went to the Glendora Christmas Parade on Saturday morning...every scout troop, cheer-leading group, and city official walking down the street--gotta love this town! Andy and I kept wondering if the parade would end...the kids had a blast...




Charlie is asleep in the stroller behind us...

The grand finale--Santa on a fire truck...

On our way to a Christmas party with our college friends...Kate refused to take a nap after the monstrously long morning parade, so she conked in the car...

We've finally been initiated into the world of Wii...we had a great time at Don and Kerri's house eating, chatting and playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band...I stink at drums, but did decent at the guitar...Andy ripped it up on lead vocals...he has hidden talent!


Thanks for the fun night friends...

And finally, 3 pictures of my 3 cute kids...Lauren doing what she does best these days...put on tooooooo much lip gloss...she had a permanent pink stain all around her lips on Sunday morning for Church...we had a discussion about correct make-up application...her father was not happy...

Kate doing what she loves to do...playdough!

And sleeping Charlie...the best...May the title of my next post not include vomit or mucous...here's to wishful thinking...

Consolidation...

Well, I haven't posted in a while, and so I must consolidate...pictures and words...I simply don't have the time nor desire to sit at my computer and update my blog these days...there are so many little and big things that need to get done around here, and sadly my blog drops in priority...here are some recent pictures...like I said, I'm consolidating, so these are just my favorites...

Kate has the greatest hair (actually I'm jealous of both my girls...they already have way better hair than I ever had or hope to have...thick, wavy and textured...I hardly know how to work with it!) She always wakes up with the best mop of curls all over her head, and I just had to snap a picture...

First eggnog of the season...

Our little man...finally, finally, finally his baby acne has totally cleared up (since this picture was taken)...Andy and I say everyday...Wow! You were/are CUTE under all those baby zits...now that we can see you!

Thanksgiving in Laguna Niguel with our great friends...the Duncombes and McLendons...the kids had a great time, although the night ended with 2 of the other kids throwing up all over...

Dressed for Church...
Don't be fooled by the cuteness--Kate hurled right before this picture was taken (that's right Marcy--Kate got sick on Sunday morning after Thanksgiving)...only Lauren went to all 3 hours of Church...
This is what I found when I came home halfway through Church...who's child is this??? Mine don't simply fall asleep on a chair...
...and then roll off onto the floor, still asleep...
...and then roll over, still asleep...yes, she was very sick...
Brotherly love...Kate has REALLY surprised me with how much she likes Charlie...I was VERY worried before he was born...but she has pulled through and been quite charming with her brother...

Yes, we finally did it...put in the brick walkway and porch in the front yard...we simply couldn't take walking through dirt on the way in the house anymore...
What to do while stuck inside? Stand at the window and bug the workers with "HELLO!" fifty thousand times...

I wish I had a picture of the finished product, but I haven't taken one, but dang it looks good...we LOVE it...now we can finish the planting...our next thing is to put a new tree in right where the brick is sitting on the lawn...our front gets intense sun exposure in the summer, and the tree will make it a lot shadier and cooler...
Happy 30th Andy! We had a great little family celebration the night of his birthday...the kids are VERY into birthdays...as evidenced by their faces...
Sometimes it's nice when other members of the family participate in the feeding of the baby! Give mom a rest!
Dressed up for a night in the cultural hall!
Gotta love the Home Depot tree! That tree is still standing bare in our living room...in the stand, and I did put some lights on it this afternoon, but we haven't even had a chance to decorate it...
The boy smiles...it's hard to get a good shot when I'm both the smile-initiator and the photographer...what a good boy Charlie is...
So the blogging devil is off my back now, at least for a while...