Landons Latest

So Landon has a surprise for everyone. Friday Robyn noticed Landon had a bottom tooth coming in. So today while I took lunch we pulled out the camera and tried to get a picture of his teeth.

Look at this face, what are you thinking??

So we flipped him over and tried to pull his lower lip away from his teeth, but he wasn't having that. Landon has always done things on his time schedule and not ours. So after tickling him and tossing him up in the air he finally allowed us a glimspe of his TWO teeth.



Do you see them??? You might want to double click on the picture to blow it up, but they're there!!! One week before his 6 month birthday. I think he's ready for solids!!!

When the wife says... You do!!!! :)

Robyn has been a blogging maniac this past week!!! I think she's up to three posts already. I can't blame her, with all the cool activities and fun things she does while I'm at work. So when we got to talking about Blogs today she mentioned it was my turn to blog!!! So here it goes

Last night Robyn and I had the greatest time at the AZ state fair. We carpooled with the Allen and Sirrine Families. The fair has been a yearly thing with my side of the family. I can remember loading up in the van as a kid with the whole family headed off the the fair. One year my dad didn't even have a job and I felt more like the Beverly Hill Billys going on a cheap vacation, but the fair non the less has been a family thing since I remember. Theres even a kind of set schedule. We park at the Capital building and take the free shuttle ride to the fair. We always go the weekend of the Demolition Derby, thats always the first stop. Then fair food, garlic fries, turkey legs and fried zuccinni. Then the sales booths to wander through, and finally the animals. My dad used to bore all of us to death looking at the rear ends of cow after cow. Or a few years ago he struck up this long conversation with a goat breader, and they talked for what seemed like hours about milking goats, the break down of their milk etc. I guess you'd have to have grown up on a farm to really care about that. And finally before our family would leave the animals we'd all pile on the back of a camel and get a family picture. This tradition, if you could call it that, was been going on since I can remember till right before my mission.

Well Robyn and I have been going to the fair since before we were married. We have also turned this somewhat dirty, smelly fair into a family tradition as well.

( Here we are waiting for the bus to leave the capital, as you can see doug is just as excited as we were)

The Demo Derby is a MUST, and I'm hoping to enter it next year if at all possible. This year was Doug, Nikki, Chris and Jaymee's first Demo Derby. This is the biggest redneck sport, but who can resist taking a total junker of a car and smashing it up. Theres enough just at the Demo Derby to excite all five senses.

This is the third heat of the Demo Derby. There were 30 plus cars in the arena smashing into each other, gettting the bumpers tanggled onto one another, fires broke out etc. What a blast

Our buddy James was rooting for the #7 car, but two cars pushed him into the ditch close to the beginning to the face. I was really hoping that the Mo Money Pawn car was going to take home the $1000, but he got trapped in a heep of cars and spend the rest of the race there.

(The seven of us after the Demo Derby, Linken Allen is the seventh wheel and he's still cooking)

After the Demo Derby the six of us walked through the sales booths. Nothing was really worth buying, but we found some cool wooden frogs that made croaking noises, jewelery, but the best item we found was a excersice machine that you stood on and while it jiggled your whole body.

We couldn't find the animals this year???? Doug thought they all got the swine flu, so we opted to ride the ferris wheel. My buddy James told us if you text RCS to 75555 you'll get a text back that allows you to ride the ferris wheel for free. So after redeeming our vouchers we were off to the the wheel or terror, as my wife would call it.

Doug and Nikki seemed to have a blast, we really enjoy hanging out with them because they find fun in almost everything

Jamyee and Chris pretty much live the newly married, party lifestyle as you can see here. I think Chris spiked his water with something?????

This was the last smile I saw on Robyns face till we got off the ferris wheel. :( Its really Dougs fault though. Once we started moving, I guess I should say "we" began rocking the basket, which with the height of the wheel kind of freaked Robyn out.

Robyn had a death grip on this large silver pole in the middle of the basket. I guess heights aren't her thing

( I think Jamyee for a little weirded out too!!!)

The view for the top of the wheel, not quite on top of the world, but close. See the other wheel in this picture. It's at least double the height of the one we went on.

More arial shots

So this challenger was by the front enterance of the fair. Really its not my favorite of the classic muscle cars brought back into production, but I loved the color. I wrote down the VIN number and will be painting my truck this color, sooner then later hopefully :)

We ended the night with a trip to Yogurtland- always a perfect end to the evening! We got home really late (thanks Carly for watching Lando for us!)

Saturday morning, bright and early we got up and took off to Tempe Town Lakes. One of Robyn's old co-workers is battling breast cancer and there was a huge fund raiser walk. Landon was a little out of it this morning when we left, but as I told Robyn, its about time he started getting up on our schedules. Here he is on his first lite rail ride:

The walk started at Rio Salado and Mill Ave.

Here we are walking over the Mill Ave bridge. There were a lot of people of supporting the cause.

Landon was a real trooper. He was fine with the stroller ride until we got to camelback mtn. Then he got held the rest of the way.

Of coarse we sported or Baby Mamma, Baby Daddy shirts and soon picked up the nickname "Team Mackelprang"

Rounding the corner on the Scottsdale bridge heading back to Rio Salado Rd

These are all the members of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce that walked with us today. What a fun morning, spent with fun people, for a worthy cause.

Playtime!

The last couple of weeks Landon has actually become interested in other babies and love to play with them, and recently he has been able to play with so many friends! He's loved getting to play with Lauren, Jadyn, Merik, Gaby, Lily, Emery, Mady, Katelyn, and Avery. Last week he and Mady were playing and Carly got some adorable pictures of them!

After playing for awhile, both Mady and Landon fell asleep. Anthony was amazed at how "out" Mady was, so he played with my sheperd's hook (part of my bo peep costume from last halloween)- she was out cold!

Earlier this week Landon got to play with his buddy Emery who is 8 days older than he is. It was so fun seeing them react to one another. They were both touching each other's faces and rolling around. At one point Landon rolled right next to Emery and put his arm around him- it was so cute!

Thanks for playing with us everyone! We look forward to playing again soon :)

All Hallow's Eve

It's Halloween, It's Halloween,
The moon is full and bright!
And we can see what can't be seen on any other night!
Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls
Grinning goblins fighiting duels
Werewolves rising from their tombs
Witches on their magic brooms
In masks and gowns we haunt the streets
and knock on doors for trick or treats
Tonight we are the king and queen
for oh tonight is Halloween!

From 4th to 6th grade, I attended a one-room school where my mom was the teacher (and I had 3 siblings in my class too). Every fall we read books, poetry (like the one above) and listened to special Halloween music. Becuase of this I have many songs and poems engrained in my brain. I don't even think about them at other times of the year, but once Halloween rolls around they pop into my head and I remember every single word. My sisters and I love to sing "Big Pumpkin" and "Skeleton Parade" together each year! We are huge Halloween Fans!

So this being our son's first halloween, we have tried to get him into the spirit early in life my decorating our house and getting all dressed up. We did a family party on Monday for Family to begin the festivities.

In N Out Family! We're In N Out workers and Landon is our double double :)

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun (Okay it's the big mac song, but close enough!)

Jack and Sally from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" stopped by... and they scared all the little kids with their costumes!

The ghost of Billy Mayes also appeared, and brought two fairies with him!
The tooth fairy came to visit...but since we did not give her any teeth, she did not leave any money :(!

Chef Patti whipped up a delish cheeseburger for the festivities!

Bryant as an adorable chick magnet- see the magnet he is holding?

Brenna eating her self-decorated sugar cookie

Decorating cookies in the kitchen (another tradition my family always did that I want to carry on)

Friday night was the annual Halloween Party at Heather and Eddy's. There was good food and fantastic costumes! We saw the shower from the Karate Kid, Single Ladies (a man and a woman both in black leotards with high heels and pantyhose) and the tin man! Landon started to expire early on, so we missed the costume and chili contest...

Hanging out with Dorothy and the cowardly Lion (Aka Amy and Merik!)

Pooped from all of the festivities!

Saturday night finally came, Halloween! We attended our ward trunk or treat and Landon went trick or treating for the first time, and he loved it! Man, is he going to have a good time eating all this candy!

We walked around Anthony's old neighborhood and trick or treated at old friend's homes. We also visited Grandma Patti, Grandpa Tony and all of our cousins! It was a very fun halloween. So many awesome costumes and fun activities. Only 365 days until the next Halloween... I am already brainstorming our next costumes!

Worn out from all the activities... fast asleep in the car seat.

Anthony and I have also started to collect more and more Halloween decorations for our home, Below are some pictures from our decorated house:

A Mother's Ode

Words cannot express how I feel about being a mother. But I have tried to express my feelings in this poem that I began a few months ago. I don't think it's perfected yet, but I think that may be becuase one poem really can't contain all of my feelings for this little cutie.

To Landon:

I’m probably not the only one that thinks this
I’m sure that other mother’s do
I feel that when I look into your perfect face
My vision can't contain all of you

Your deep blue eyes
Your soft supple skin
Your curious little hands
Your sweet simple grin

Each day is a new adventure
As your little body grows
I feel so grateful to raise you
Throughout life’s highs and lows

More than ever I am in awe
Of Gods love and eternal plan
That I have you, a special child to raise
And heavenly guidance to do all that I can

My little boy who will someday be a man
How I love thee and hope you’ll always see
That throughout your life’s journey
You will always have Daddy and Me

Love, Mom

Our weekend in a nutshell

This weekend Robyn and I went on a double date with The Allen Family. After stuffing our faces at Applebees we decided to walk it all off at the Mesa Arts Center. Earlier on in the week I'd called Robyn and mentioned to her that I wanted bikes for Christmas. She's implied in the past that I spend to much money with out asking her opinion. So we talked about it, found the bikes we both liked, but kind of dropped the topic. I've also wanted a new camera. Yes, yes Robyn is right I do have expensive taste, but I think both of these items are Needs not just Whats!! While we were walking around The Mesa Arts Center Robyn mentioned to me that she'd much prefer a new camera over cruiser bikes. We've both talked about taking photo classes at M.C.C. and learning the basics of photography and photo editing. When Robyn told me she'd prefer one over the other I figured that was approval to buy it, RIGHT????

So that all happened friday night. Saturday morning Robyn got up really early with Landon, then at around six I got up with him. While Landon and I were sleeping Robyn attended a temple session with Stacy Wyler. Upon her arrival Landon and I were cleaning and getting the house straightened up. I had Landon strapped onto me with his little snugli and he loved being in the middle of the cleaning action. Mid day Robyn got a little tired and decided to take a nap. I wasn't all that tired so I mentioned to Robyn if she wanted to take a nap, that I was going to go to Costco and spend a bunch of money (thats where the camera was that I wanted ) So Robyn layed down, and I got ready to go to Costco. I got dressed, found a large tubberware container and dumped out my change jar. Off to Desert Schools to get the change exchanged.

(This is the change from the blog post a while back)


After exchanging the change I went straight to costco. I know right where the camera was located as I've pointed it out to Robyn several times with the hopes she'd let me buy it :) I got the info off the sales display and took it to the check out. After paying you have to wait for the item to be removed from this large cage.

Once I got home I began opening and looking through all the goods. Actually I started opening everything while I was driving. I charged the battery just in time for Doug to come over and give me some pointers. After a crash coarse in photography Doug and I went around our conplex on a nature walk. This is what we saw.

(This is Robyn's grow box I got here when she came home from California, our flowers are really beginning to grow)

(This picture was taken with the zoom lens from our back patio, can you see the black bee?)

(Cool bugs, trying to hide from us in the grass)

After our nature walk Doug and I got some really cute pictures of Landon, some of which he really wasn't that pleased about because it was nap time.

( Landon loves his fingers, or anyones fingers for that point)

( He also loves it when Mom tickles his neck)



( This is Landon telling me that I'm paying to much attention to the camera and not him)





(Landon playing with his friend again)

(Check out the Faux hawk)

Later on that day we met up with The Wyler Family and went to a pumkin patch in mesa. Landon's First Halloween wouldn't have been the same without a pumkin patch! We took tons of pictures, watched that animals, rode on a tractor and played with pumkins.







(Landon's almost two feet tall)





We all enjoyed hanging out with each other, but had to end the fun early. I began having pains again, ya know down south and wanted to get home to relax. So we parted ways and returned home where after what seemed to be days I passed two of my little friends. Kidney stones hurt like hell and even worse when you pass them w/o pain killers!!

Sunday right before church the three of us piled into the car w/ The Allens behind us and headed off to the temple. Again another wonderful oppertunity to play with the new camera. I really enjoy taking pictures of Lando with this camera. I feel like I can catch more of his emotions with a nicer camera. Here's a few images from the temple.

Watch me Grow- 5 Months

5 months, 19.2 pounds! ( with diaper and clothes- according to our home scale)

I don't want to lay back anymore! I want to sit!

Newborn

Landon is now 5 months old... and to honor this mark- he really began rolling! All over the house for that matter! I can no longer leave him in a room and expect him to be close to where I put him down. I think he really likes having the ability to transport himself on his own!

This past month Landon loved to touch everything with interesting textures (walls, blankets, scruffy chines, etc). He also loved to lay back and hold his feet- and he has now upgraded to sticking his toes in his mouth!

He's also close to sitting up by himself. Here is a good picture of him practicing- I enticed him with my shiny make-up bag!
Life with this little guy is great!