Valentines Day

This isn't a huge event at our home, My Birthday was just 2 weeks ago so Darren and I usually combine the events or simply just go to dinner for Valentines day... it works out just fine for me. And with a house full of boys there isn't that desire to give out Valentines. Bryson was off track this year so we didn't have to make a box and get all hyped up - it was kinda nice :)
My mother had gotten us Bill Cosby tickets which was on Friday the 12th so we used that as our night out. He is seriously so funny and the relief of laughing is the best solution you can give to any problem. I would go see him again if I had the chance. We then went to Legends Pub and Grill, which is more of a family atmosphere, and are a good client at CEI... they have really good food, especially deep fried pickles. It was a fun night.
I did go get them treats at the store and they took them around to everyone at work on Friday. We hung out on Saturday and didn't really do anything particular with the boys, that night we took them out to dinner and got some movies.
Sunday morning I had my regular meetings for Relief Society so it was a fast quick breakfast for us and then I was off... This was my best attempt at Red Heart Pancakes


All dress up with sprinkles and syrup.... who says you need girls to get fun food.

Happy Valentines Day to all my boys... you are my life and I love you.

A Rottweiler is a lap dog... Isn't he?

So the dogs come in each night and play around with Darren and the boys... but mostly the two of the wrestle... seriously. You wouldn't think a mini schnauzer would want to wrestle a Rotti but he does and they play really "cute" (Darren would hate that I used that word to describe the dogs playing) together.
About 5 minutes prior to these pictures - little Taz was sitting up on Darren's lap and Tuff was having a fit about it. He was barking and trying to get Taz off his lap. As soon as he got down, Tuff jumped right up - as if to say "He is mine, back off" - Darren just started laughing. What else can you do when a 90lbs dog gets on your lap. Another fun night at the Steck home...

You know he's big when you cannot see Darren behind him.

Tuff trying to get comfy, Weston didn't like him on Dad's lap. There is a lot of "Daddy's mine" going on this evening at our home.

Here's Taz trying to get up and join the lap but Tuff had nothing to do with that.

Choo-choo... Weston turns 2!

It is hard to believe that my baby...

Isn't much of a baby at all anymore.

Time goes by so fast and I am confused that Weston is already 2 years old! He is so tall for his age and wants to be a big boy so bad. This kid has a hold of my heart, he is such a sweet happy little guy. I love this next year, while challenging as he trys to push buttons, I love watching how much they discover and learn.

We had a small party compared to what we usually do. This year we did cake and ice cream with just the grandparents, it worked out great and he doesn't know the difference anyway. I took Byrson and Preston shopping with me to get his presents, which was fun to watch them talk about what Weston would like. They are really good big brothers. Weston loves trains, a phase all my boys have gone through. He loves to watch movies, play trains and see trains... he says choo-choo so cute! All in all it was a really fun day for Weston... Happy Birthday YaYa

Keeping to tradition, the balloon fairy did arrive... really late in the night... but she got there. And decked out Weston's room for his birthday.

Balloons on the floor, wall and ceiling

He was a bit confused in the morning see all the baboos, but it didn't take him long to perk up.

Kicking the baboos was a fun game

Bryson came in and helped him play

Half yawn and half smile... its a smawn

Again, another sad attempt at a cake. It came out of the oven at 5:45, went directly to the freezer, out of the freezer at 6:30, grandparents arrived at 7:00

Weston was more excited about his choo-choo napkins than the cake, maybe because he had been told "don't touch" but just about everyone there.

Weston and his cake

The process of destroying the cake

Loving what he has created

Now he can eat it

Opening presents, he got some books, Thomas movies, cloths, Thomas train and a dump truck

Very curious about the whole day, and now he gets presents? It's got to be hard to grasp

After opening the Thomas movie, the first present, he didn't want to do any more... just wanted to watch the movie. So he is starting to get frustrated in this pic.

Presents at our house are a group event. This is the chunky car race track that the older boys picked out for him. Any yes, they play with it more than Wes does.

Sledding at Deer Creek

One of the other reasons we went up to Heber was we thought we would take the boys sledding. There hasn't been snow in the valley for about 3 weeks now... I had no idea Heber was so flat!! There were no sledding hills that we could find, I am sure they are out there but you have to have the "in" to find them. So Darren pulled into Deer Creek and there was a small hill heading down to the iced over lake. We didn't take the time to change the boys into their snow cloths, we just let them go and have a good time. I think we could have stayed there for hours, it was a warmer beautiful day.


Bryson sledding... he was on his tummy most of the time

Preston sledding, he loves the round sleds

This picture is Preston spot on! His tongue is out so much

Bryson and Weston going down the hill

About to fall, Weston didn't want to go down again

Bryson about to fall off Dad sledding

Darren and Bryson sledding down together

If you look close, you'll see Darren's pant legs are slightly darker on the bottom. Yah see, after sledding with Bryson he went to get up and was right on the edge of the lake and plunged in. Good thing we had the snow pants for him to change into. It was really cold water.

The holes Darren's feet plunged into. About 5 minutes later Preston walked right into them and that ended the sledding fun. He was super cold, up to his knees too (not as heavy as Daddy) and we are again glad we didn't put him in his snow pant either... they came in handy.

Weston just stood and threw snow up in the air, generally landing on him. But he had a fun time so I didn't stop him

End result of him throwing snow, he thought it was so funny

Weston hanging out on the ice

Lunch at the Train Station

We cannot go to Heber around lunch time without going to the Train Station (what we call it) for some good food. The boys love this place and the train the goes around and through the seating area's ceiling. Weston loves trains right now, it is all he talks about. So this was super fun for him, I don't think he ate a single thing.

The Train going around

Bryson and Preston eating lunch!

Weston watching the train go through the tunnel

This picture is a bit dark but it is Weston talking all about the train and point up at it. He seriously had such a good time here.

Zermontt Ice Castles

My mother had seen this on the news one night and told me to take the boys up to it, they are up at the Zermontt Resort. It does cost 2 bucks per person to enter and walk through, however well worth it. This guy has created these amazing ice castles, I could try to explain them, but you just have to go up to see them in person.

Darren, Bryson and Preston

One of the smaller castles

Bryson and Preston - excited to be outside

Daddy and Westie - he wanted down!

This includes about 5 separate castles, with the largest of them all towering in the background

Looking up, the depth of the icicles was so cool

I just loved the top of this one

Bryson, Preston and myself at the base of the largest castle

Daddy and the boys inside the largest castle

Looking up, inside the castle

Bryson and Preston with the spikie castle in the background

Another castle

Westie and me at the final castle

The backside of the largest castle