Caught ya Trail...

Trail is always on the go or into something. You know your in trouble when you haven't heard him for a while. The other day I got a feeling he was up to something and went into the bathroom and found him sitting in our sink with books, toothbrushes and toothpaste. I don't know why but he loves to hang out in the bathroom. He will stand on the toilet and put things in the sink. Thank goodness our faucet is hard to turn on or I would be in a lot more trouble than I am now. I couldn't reset sharing these adorable pictures. It is amazing the things that will keep them entertained. I was worried about him falling out, so between him figuring out how to open the toilet seat and climbing into the sink, we keep the door shut now! I was telling my Mom today that he was actually sitting on my lap for more than one minute. I can't remember the last time he did that. He keeps me on my toes! Thank goodness he is so cute! He is starting to talk, his favorite word in Ball, the other day at Walmart he said Ball and I looked around and sure enough they had football on the TV. He can say duck, horse and Been Been for Brinley and of course Dad, but to this day he will not say Mom for me if I ask him to. Luckily my Mom boosted my self esteem about the situation by telling me that when I'm not around he will say Mom! When he is upset though he will say Mom. The other day Brinley was upset and he went up to her and patted her on the back and gave her a hug! So sweet! Those times are erreplacable! He is such a treasure in our home!

Ms Claus at the Library

Can I say I love our library here!!! They have Story Time every Tuesday. Ms Melinda is a wonderful lady who loves the kids and does so many fun projects with them. The best part is that it is free. She is so creative and it gives Brinley and opportunity to be in a learning environment. A few months ago I started taking Brinley's friend Easton and then we finally convinced Kendyl to come too. They are so cute together. They always hold hands. One day we were walking to the car and this man saw us and just smiled. He said it looked like a bunch of ducks following their Mom. They are pretty fun! Yesterday they had Ms Claus come. She gave them each an orange (Trail wouldn't let go of his for the next hour) Then they were able to make a Christmas card, they had so many different things for them to choose from. Luckily for me Clint was able to come with us! He said he enjoyed watching all the kids work on their projects. They are so creative! Then we were having so much fun we decided to come home and make cookies and donuts! It was crazy but fun. I'm so glad Brinley has such cute little friends to play with. They are actually all in the same nursery class which makes it even better!

Hubby Tag

1. Where did you meet? A blind date when I was a senior in High School. My friend moved to Pleasant Grove, so I flew down for Spring Break and she set us up. Good pick!

2. How long did you date before you got married? 3 years - 2 of which he was on his mission (Yes we wrote each other while he was on his mission)

3. How long have you been married? We just hit 5 years in July

4. What does he do to surprise you? He likes to send me flowers! I am very lucky!

5. What is your favorite feature of his? His height and muscles (Cheesy I know, but I know he will protect me)

6. Does he have a nickname for you? Nope! Tina is it!

7. What is your favorite quality? He is very calming and easy going about things. I will stress about talking to him about something and when I finally do he will say "it will be fine." It is amazing how you can equal each other out.

8. What is his favorite food? He loves pretty much anything, which makes my job easier. His favorite would be steak though!

9. What is his favorite sport? That would have to be FOOTBALL, but he loves pretty much any sport!

10. When and where did you first kiss? We kissed on our first date. I swore I would never do that, but Clint just planted one on me when we were at the movie. He says it was too boring. It was Mission to Mars. He said I was egging him on. The rest is history!

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? We love to watch TV and relax together. We also like to cook together.

12. Do you have children? We have a precious little girl, Brinley and little boy Trail.

13. Does he have any hidden talents? I can't think of any! He is pretty willing to share his talents!

14. How old is he? 27 (It's hard to keep track)

15. Who said I love you first? He did. I doubt he would admit that. But he told me before we hung up the phone. I was smitten!

16. What is his favorite music? He loves Johnny Cash and the old boys. He also likes the hard rock music too!

17. What else do you admire about him? He has an amazing ability to make friends wherever he goes.

18. What is his favorite color? Blue all the way!!!

19. Will he read this? I doubt it! I don't think he has ever looked. I guess I can say whatever I want to about him that way!

20. What side of the bed does he sleep on? The right. It used to be the left but when I was pregnant our bed was against the wall and I couldn't get out in the middle of the night, so thus we switched!

I tag Jaycie & Jennilynn

Tis the Season....

It is no secret that Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year! I love the music, lights, the anticipation and being with family. You can feel a difference in the air! Clint knew how much I loved Christmas time and decided to make it even more special by proposing on Christmas Eve 2005. It was a huge surprise!!! The night before he had jokingly put on bow and tag on me that said "To: Clint" Little did I know what he had up his sleeve. Wow have things changed since then! We went up in the mountain with some friends to cut down our Christmas tree. Trail & Brinley loved it! It is so fun to see them having fun! Trail kept falling over with all the weight of his snow suit, but it was so adorable I couldn't help but get a few pictures! I'm so excited for this Christmas, they kids are so excited. Brinley will come up to me and say, "Mom I want to tell you a secret. Santa's going to bring me a bag with a puppy!!!" Everything is brighter through your children's eyes! Trail doesn't know what to expect but I'm sure it won't take long for him to figure it out! Wahoo, it's Christmas time!!!!!

Our handsome little boy and precious little princess!

So I think every Mom has a hard time letting their little kids grow up. Trail has started his transformation to a little boy and not my baby anymore. It has taken me a while to give him a little boy hair cut, but he was getting pretty shaggy so this morning I cut it. He did really good. A sucker and Dad's lap was all he needed to sit still. He is such a fun little boy! He loves balls!!!!! He even takes one to bed and gets upset if you don't get it out for him! He is definitely a Momma's Boy which I love. (Most of the time that is) He is such a blessing! His smile can brightened the darkest days!

Brinley is such a big girl! She reminds me of that everyday. She has been potty trained for a year! Wow, isnt' that the best?? She is getting so tall! It is hard to keep her in pants. She is so skinny though that if they aren't highwaters, they drown her little waist! She is such a big helper! She is so mothering! When someone gets hurt she always tries to help. She even kisses my owies, even though they have been better for quite a while. She loves to dress up and rough Dad up when she gets the chance! We love her very much! I am so thankful for the ability to have 2 beautiful children in our family. Each one is such a treasure!

Happy Halloween and other random pictures!

My Mom sent me the cutest ideas for Halloween! I came to Pleasant Grove for a doctor's appointment and took the opportunity to get a Halloween party going with my friends that live in the area. So I decided to make these cute cupcakes! It was so fun to make them and feel creative (even though I got the idea from a book- Thanks Mom!) Of course we all think our kids are so cute and love to share pictures when we can. Trail wore his first tie to church on Sunday. He looked so grown-up and cute, so I had to get a picture! Brinley's hair was super curly too, so even though Sunday's are pretty hectic we got a few pictures in! Hope you enjoy them! And by the way the chair the kids are sitting on was an awesome find at the DI ($40), can't beat that for a practically brand new chair!

The New ME!!!

So I needed a change. My hair has been bugging me! You know when whatever you do - you still don't like your hair? Needless to say I haven't been feeling cute lately. So today with a little protest on Clint's side I decided to cut my hair. I definitely needed a boost! My friend Jaime cuts hair and so she kindly did mine today. I LOVE IT!!!! I feel cute and sassy! It is so nice to look into the mirror and see something different! It was just the boost I needed! Thanks Jaime!!! Sometimes we just need to take time to do things for ourselves!

A Bountiful Harvest

So being from Idaho I LOVE potatoes!!!! Clint is a MEAT and potatoes guy! I could be happy with just POTATOES!!!! We decided to plant some potatoes in our garden! I am so amazed how they grew! I like to think it is some of my Idaho blood wearing off on the Utah soil! We got some HUGE ones!! We found one that even looked like Mickey Mouse. After that Brinley would say, this is Goofy, this is Donald. Kids say the darndest things! We are so thankful for everything we were able to receive from our garden this year. It was much more work than I ever thought it could be. But looking at a freezer full of vegetables and a cupboard full of them also, it was worth it.

Here fishy, fishy!!!!

A perk of Clint's job is that we are able to use the equipment they have, such as boats, camp trailers, etc. The other day he brought home one of the fishing boats. We are super lucky that we live 10 minutes from Steinaker Reservior. Being the way I am I was dragging my feet because I had a HUGE list of things I "needed" to get done. I've been trying to work on this, feeling like I have to do everything!!!! So I took a leap and let go of a little anxiety and went. It is just like Clint to help me with things like that. Sad to say the chores were still there when I got home, but the lesson I learned is that they still got done. We all had so much fun and the best part was that it didn't cost anything, just a little time. The kids LOVED fishing!!! Clint let me drive the boat which I really enjoy!! Well Brinley wasn't quite sure when the fish was on the hook. But she kept calling out "Here fishy, fishy!" "Where are you?" She is so cute! Trail loved holding the fishing pole! I can tell he and his Dad are going to be great fishing buddies!!!! At first Trail was just sitting on my lap, then he got brave and by the end was all over. He decided it was a fun game to throw things overboard. Oops, was that jar of salmon eggs supposed to go in the water!!! Clint almost had to jump in the lake to save the fishing pole! But it's all good! We are missing a pair of pliers, Oops, they must have gone in the water too!!! He is like his sister, we were missing a lot of silverware and then one day we caught her throwing it in the garbage can! Oh kids!!! It's good for a laugh right? I'm thankful for those little moments we get to ENJOY life! It is amazing to watch life through a child's eyes! It sure changes your attitude doesn't it? Thanks Clint for allowing me to realize that it is ok to let go and relax sometimes!

The Heber Creeper

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo..... Brinley was so excited to ride the train. I didn't think Trail would even know what was going on but he loved riding the train too. We were able to seat in an open car and he loved to stand up on the side (with me close by of course) and watch out the car. Brinley of course loved being with all of the other kids. Our friend's little boy, Kyson, LOVES trains so they had his birthday party on the Heber Creeper. We were lucky enough to get to tag along. It was so fun to see his reaction! We went on the Solider Hollow Express (1 1/2 hour ride up by Deer Creek Reservior). It was a really pretty ride with all of the fall colors. It was definitely a worthwhile experience!!!! The conductor even looked like Sir Topum Hat (you can see him in the picture with Brinley riding on the side of the train)

Oh no, he's walking!!!

Trail has finally decided to walk!!!! I'm am so excited, but with that also comes a lot more work, right? He is into everything. He figured out how to move our kitchen chairs and climb up on the table. He can rearrange my cupboards, oh so fun! I feel like I'm constantly keeping him out of things! It's quite exhausting. It is so sad when they start walking because they aren't a baby anymore! He is such a fun little boy though! Nothing compares to having him walk to me smiling the whole way! He will stand up and start clapping! He is pretty excited that he is figuring out this walking stuff, for a while I think he thought, I can crawl faster than that walking stuff! We just spent some time in Pleasant Grove and I'm sure that watching his cousin, Skye (she is 10 days older) walking around (she just started walking) helped him along the way to walking. Thanks Skye! Trail has the best laugh and is oh so cute! Last night he put on the football helmet and was walking around. He will run into walls with it on! I guess he realizes he needs some extra protection! I couldn't pass up on pictures of this! He is definitely a Sampson Boy! Brinley is a little jealous with all of the attention to Trail walking. She will say, Mom, help me walk! She is a good sister and loves Trail! Every morning she gives him loves before me!

TAG --- Quirks of Mine

I'm supposed to name 6 quirks of mine. It has actually taken me a few days to think of some. It has actually been fun to pick them out of my daily life. It has made me realize that these random things make me unique, which is always nice to feel unique when you feel like sometimes you are just a boring Mom! So here goes...

1 - Holding hands... I remember telling Clint when we were on one of our first dates that my hand had to be behind his. I get the chills thinking of holding hands the other way. I know it is random, but it's me.

2 - Crunchies on the floor... I can't stand stepping on little (crunchies - I don't know what else to call them) on the kitchen floor. If it is too bad and I don't have the time to sweep, I will put my shoes on. Hence the fact that I have been sweeping 3+ times a day. Along with this I can't stand to have dusty feet! Yuck!

3 - Fuzzies in my socks... If I put socks on and they have fuzzies in them, yes I have to take them off and empty them even if my shoes are already on.

4 - Pants of first... I guess I just have the habit, but I have to put my pants on first and then my shirt.

5 - Unplug the blowdryer... I don't know if it is just a phobia, but I always have to unplug the blowdryer after I am done. I think I'm afraid of the kids pulling it down on them, I also worry about it using too much energy. Weird I know.

6 - Water on my toothbrush... I only now this because Clint pointed it out... I also put water on my toothbrush, then the toothpaste, then water again. Do you do that Mom? I think it is just habit, because I conciously try not to, but too much pulls me to do it.

I tag Tangi, Kari, Whitney and Jen.

*Link the person who tagged you.*Mention the rules on your blog.*Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.*Tag fellow bloggers by linking them. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged!

Random moments at the Sampson House

These are just some random pictures I have taken lately and wanted to share. We did our first garden this year! It has been so exciting to watch things grow (even though the weeds grew along with our plants) They kids were big helps in tasting it as fast as we picked it. If Trail had his way he would've taken a bite out of every cob, just to make sure they were all good. It is nice to have lots of jars and freezer bags of garden goodness. I also had to post the cute picture of the kids ready for church! I didn't think Trail was going to have curly hair, but he does! Brinley and Trail are so fun!!! They keep life interesting that is for sure! After a long day I had the kids in the bath and pulled Trail out, he was reaching for a toy, but I though he couldn't get into the tub! Oh was I wrong! Then Brinley had to be funny and hop back in the tub with her towel! I had to find the humor and capture the Kodak moment for fear I would lose it!

Good for a laugh...

So having dogs in the yard always allows for something to get ruined. Well, Brinley left a ball outside and BIG SURPRISE, it is now flat! I just took the kids outside to swing and I looked back and Brinley was very proudly wearing her "hat." I couldn't resist to run in and grab the camera. It was one of those moments were I was sitting there by myself (well the only one that could understand the humor) laughing so hard! Poor Brinley, I was laughing at her expense. She was so proud of her hat though she didn't even realize!

Brinley's 1st "Date"

If you ask Brinley if Easton (Moon) is her boyfriend she will say Yes. But it goes both ways, because he will say that Brinley is his girlfriend. We just love to tease them! They are only 6 days apart, so it makes it super cute especially when they hold hands. I took them to the library story time on Tuesday and they held hands walking in to the library. Where was my camera when I needed it? Last night he decided to take her out on the "town" in his gator. Kari and I were laughing the whole time. They did take Kyson, his brother, with them so they weren't alone. Nothing like little kids to brighten your day!

Goodbye Saturn, Hello Pilot

I finally have moved from my college car to a grown up car. After dreaming of a Honda Pilot for the past 2 years, (Clint would say he has heard way too much about a new car) I have one in my driveway. We were definitely snug in the Saturn. Clint has been a trooper to squeeze into the Saturn our whole married life. It has been an awesome car, but 90,000 miles, 7 years a husband and 2 kids later it is time to move on. I'm so excited to have more space, cruise control is a HUGE bonus for those long trips home and the DVD player are HUGE upgrades from the Saturn. We were so blessed to be able to get such a nice vehicle, my sister in law CC's dad owns a car dealership (Steve Francom) and helped us out a lot. We are looking forward to lots of many wonderful memories in our new car!!!! Thanks Clint!

Another party at Grandma Cindy's

On our way home to Vernal we stopped at the Sampson's and Trail had another birthday party. Lucky boy! He had a fork on his plate and decided to be proper with this cake and use his fork. He is learning something! I can't believe my little baby is 1. He is on his way to walking, that is a crazy next step! Thanks for Grandma Cindy he has his first pearl button cowboy shirt and Levi pants!

On the Road Again

We decided to take (I guess I decided) that I wanted to take one last trip to Idaho before the hunting season kept us in Vernal. Brinley loved playing with her cousins. Her cousin Sarah got her to run around saying, "I Superhero" with her blanket cape. We were able to celebrate Trail's birthday which is always fun. It's always hard to leave, but we are glad we were able to go home. Thanks to Aunt Angie for the awesome Honey pot cakes!!!! And thanks to Grandma and Tangi for the fun presents, they kept him entertained on the trip home! Thanks! Clint being the loving husband he is, thought he would be funny and dump me in the pool, fully clothed. If he would've waited 20 minutes I would've had my swimsuit on and it would've been a much more pleasant experience for both of us. It didn't help that he jumped in after me and did a Will Smith move from Hitched and hit me in the head with his foot. So Romantic!

Perks of the Job

Today we were able to chalk another bear to our list of animals we have seen up close and personal. This summer so far we have seen a boy & girl moose, a yearling bear, a baby fox, red tail hawk and the 2 year old bear today. It always adds a little excitement to our life! Clint loves his job especially when he can share experiences like this with our family. Brinley wasn't sure what to think of the stinky bear. (He was stinky!) Trail on the other hand was ready to touch him if we would've let him.