Last 3 or so months in an attempted nutshell!

Oh great....my last post was in SEPTEMBER!!! Wow. I'm awesome. Guess I'll try to give a quick overview of what we've been up to since then!

October highlights: In October my little sister Jillyn and her 2 kids came to visit us. Nate was busy with school and her husband had a busy week combining so we thought we might as well get together for some fun! We did a craft, took our kids to the park multiple times and stayed up late chatting! Zak went on his first field trip with preschool to the pumpkin patch where they got to do a hay stack maze, a slide on hay stacks, a hay ride and pick a pumpkin to take home. Nate's school also hosted a harvest festival where the kids did a pinata, went on a hayride, did 3-legged races, etc. We did trunk or treat at church and then took the kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.



Zak's 1st field trip to the pumpkin patch!

One of 3 costumes Cole debuted on Halloween. The other 2: shark and skeleton
On the hay ride at the harvest festival.

Henley and Cole watching Zak and Heston throw rocks in the river.

Henley and Cole swinging!
Just too cute not to post!
We had to FORCE the boys to take a break from the tire swing when their faces were turning green!
Heston and Zak enjoying push-ups!

November highlights: November 17th I turned 27! CRAZINESS! Nate totally surprised me with a Kitchenaid mixer! I never saw it coming! I was super excited! What a sneaky and awesome husband I have! We took a long overdue trip to Utah for Thanksgiving and got to see both my grandmas and a bunch of my cousins. We hadn't been to Utah since before we moved to Hawaii (over 2 years!) so it was great to see everyone. We also got to see the Garners who were some of the first friends we made in Hawaii. They live in Utah now and drove to Ogden to hang out for an afternoon. So fun! The boys did great traveling but both got a 24 hour bug while we were there which was no fun. All in all a great holiday!

Cole not wanting to wait for Zak to feed him a bite of his berry smoothy.
Zak thinking it's hilarious!
Now they've got it down.
With my mom's mom and her husband Roger!
With my dad's mom!
Chilling with the Garners!
Zak and Julien reunited!

At the big Berg Family Thanksgiving!
Different cousins brought all kinds of fun crafts/projects/games for the kids to do during Thanksgiving!
Zak painted this bird house for like an hour.
My new kitchenaid and birthday cake.
I couldn't believe when I found Zak asleep on this wooden chair. Holy uncomfortable.

December highlights: In December my sister Amy and her son came to visit us for a couple nights. Her husband was going out of town on business...and as usual, Nate was busy with school so she came to Christmas shop and hang out! We didn't get too many pictures because our kids got sick but we had fun hanging out! We went to a "Christmas parade" in Selah and were surprised to see about 4 cars drive by and then it was over. I think we stood there shocked in the shortness of the "parade" longer than we actually watched a "parade." It was ok though, we got to take Zak to see Santa who was there, went out to dinner and then went Christmas shopping as a family. It was a fun night that we hadn't even planned on having. Cole got his first haircut by my friend Leah. Cole started taking some significant steps and started walking! Santa came to Zak's preschool. We went to Idaho for Christmas and got to see the lights downtown Caldwell, visit lots of family and friends, celebrate our 5th anniversary (which I have no pictures of), spent a night in La Grande with Nate's sister's family, and just hung out. Zak and I got sick over Christmas with sore throats and fevers but we still had a great time. Back to our anniversary, we just went to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, shopped and stayed out overnight with no kids! Thanks grandmas and grandpas for watching our kids! =)







Zak coloring/snacking with cousin Eli. Libby and Eldon in background.

At the Caldwell lights downtown with Aunt Jill, Heston, Papa Berg and us.
Nate's brother, Jeff, Nate, me and Heston
Zak helping make Christmas treats. He lasted in the kitchen MUCH longer than I anticipated. Very impressed!


Santa and Zak's preschool. Siblings were invited to visit! Cole LOVED it! =)
My friend Leah, cutting Cole's hair for the 1st time.
Zak visiting Santa after the "parade" in Selah.
Getting a picture with Dad before the "parade" started. Good thing too, because the parade was over before I had a chance to get another!
Cousin bath time!

January highlights: I know we're just at the very beginning of January but I'll update up to this point. We had 2 families over for a small New Year's party here in Yakima. It was great ringing in the new year with friends. Nate bought me a plane ticket to HAWAII!!! Woooohooooo! 6 days with no kids and sunny beaches and GREAT friends!! Can't wait! Leave the 20th! Now for the big news......ZAK turned 4!!! He was pretty excited for his birthday. He was so excited to turn 4 like his friends across the street (who are now 5!) I had planned on not making him a cake because each year on his birthday, he never eats the cake. So I planned on ice cream sundaes but when I told him that, he insisted he wanted a cake. He asked for a chocolate cake with "no white and no sprinkles just chocolate." So that's what we did. The most basic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting with no decorations or anything that might not taste right. Just chocolate. Well we went bowling and to Burger King (Zak's choices) then came home and opened presents and then I asked if he was ready for cake and ice cream and he kept saying no, he just wanted to play with his new toys. After a bit he came in and asked if he could have a popsicle! I was like "No way! We have cake and ice cream!" So FINALLY he was ready and I gave him cake with a slice of vanilla ice cream and he ate ALL his ice cream and one bite of cake! That's it. Good thing a made his chocolate cake! haha Some of Zak's favorite things are animals. He loves watching national geographics on animals, cartoons about animals (Wild Kratts being a favorite), he loves giving us random animal facts, loves playing superheros, loves trains, and wrestling. He is such a good brother who is almost always willing to help make Cole smile when he's fussy or share his snacks with him when Cole wants a taste. He's great at helping Cole walk (even though he doesn't really need it anymore) and is always there to regulate on other babies that might take something out of Cole's hands. =) He loves helping me clean and cook and is definitely a rule-follower. He's such a good boy and is great at telling the truth. He stresses a little more than Nate and I which we're not sure where he gets that. Almost every morning when he wakes up he comes and gives me morning loves (a big hug/snuggle). He moved up to the Sunbeam class in primary at church and feels like such a big boy. He likes to show us how big his muscles are, how tall he is, how fast he can run, etc. We just love him to pieces!

Zak's uneaten cake and gobbled up ice cream. Lame.

Track Dad built!


Zak with his loot of gifts! A tad excited? Maybe?
New swords! Let's fight!
Zak helped me make the frosting for his birthday cake.
Shared his frosting beater with his bro.

Looking good in his new apron getting ready to make frosting!


Happy Birthday Zak video!