For awhile now Hunter has loved Scooby Doo. I think we have rented every Scooby Doo movie at the video store.
Hunter loves mysteries and they are wonderful because they are not scary but you still have to figure out the mystery.
Deke and I wanted to do something really fun for Hunter's birthday so we decided to plan a scooby doo scavenger hunt party for Hunter.
We decided to call it the "Mystery of the Missing Birthday Cake" Deke and I came up with seven different clues and using a cute icon from the internet I made some clues for the boys to find.
Then we picked six different businesses in a shopping center that the boys would go in and out of to find their clues.
We contacted the managers and told them what we were doing and asked if we could hide clues in their stores.
We started at Grandma Burch's house with all his boy cousins and they were given the first clue which led them to Sports Authority
where they had to search the store and then find the next clue which led them to Burger King where they had to run through the playground on all fours barking like dogs two times to receive their next clue.
They then headed to Peter Piper where they each got four tokens and played games to recieve tickets.
You get the idea. One of my favorite parts of the whole thing was when they arrived at PetsMart.
They had to each put together a Scooby mask to wear and then had to go to the front of the store and sing "Who let the dogs" out for the cashier's.
Then they finally arrived with the last clue to the Fry's bakery where they picked up Hunter's hamburger shaped birthday cake. Aren't the little cake french fries cute?
It all came together but it took a lot more planning and time then I thought it was going to.
In the middle of the hunt as we were running up to one of the stops one of the boys said, "Hunter this is the best birthday ever," Hunter excitedly replied, "Yeah it's exactly what I was wanting it to be..."
Deke and I overhearing this looked at each other and just grinned. Watching his joy as usual made it all worth it. Between Hunter and Avery both having birthday's a week a part it is always fun but by the end of it we are always partied out. Happy Birthday Bug, we love you!!!!
Here I am seven months pregnant with you. Holding my big round belly. Feeling you kick and stretch. Your little feet constantly finding spots under my rib cage. Loving that I have to waddle, loving the way you tap your fingers from inside. 
Having fun sharing pregnancy stories with other moms around me. Reading all the baby books again and showing Hunter and Ave the pictures of you growing each week. Excited for every appointment, amazed at every ultrasound. Loving that my belly is to swollen to lay on and that some nights you move all night long. 
Cherishing resting on the couch reading as you roll around and play. Laying in bed at night with Dad's hand on my stomach, you moving at the sounds of his voice telling you how much he loves you. Enjoying the cravings, eating ice cream every night to make you move around. Thank you Ben and Jerry's. Wrapping my arms around and hugging my belly to feel closer to you. 
Talking to you throughout the day. Excited to meet you. Dreaming about what you will look like. Visualizing the day of your birth. Still amazed that this is actually happening. Loving being pregnant. In awe at the process of creation. Humbled to be part of it. 
One of these days I will get this blog somewhat current again, we are getting closer :) :) December was filled of course with a lot of fun activities including having the beloved Grant family come down for a visit. We took the kids to breakfast with Santa which was fun. The ward had costumes for everyone to wear and we took some fun pictures, had a yummy breakfast and got to of course see Santa Claus.
Last year Ave had been totally frieked out by Santa but this year she climbed right up on his lap
smiled at him and said "I love you Santa!" It was really cute. We of course did our annual gingerbread house contest and amazingly yes Deke did not win this year which I believe is a first.
Dylann and I were on a team together and we created a gingerbread barn complete with a small field, pig pen, a rising sun and a hen sitting on her nest in the top of the barn. 
We were pretty excited about it. This year even after a yummy Christmas dinner, singing some Christmas songs, reading a Christmas story around the tree, putting out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer as well as sprinkling "reindeer food" up the driveway and out on the patio, Ave was out like a light and Hunter was up until midnight. 
He told us that he was definitely going to see Santa this year and every single noise or bump he heard he was out of his room trying to look around sure that he had heard Santa. When he finally was quiet we went in and found him asleep right by his window sill he had fallen asleep watching out the window Deke and I smiled as we settled him in it was so sweet. Hunter had created the North Pole out of Lego's as well as his rendition of Santa's sleigh and left it out for Santa to see. 
Christmas morning brought new bikes for each of the kids which they have thoroughly enjoyed riding. We have cracked up watching Ave get on her bike and speed down the street. 
Avery also got a princess tent, dress up clothes, a princess hair styling bag and a baby Ariel doll since that is her favorite princess.
Hunter got the ever dreamed about creepy crawler bug maker, some new scooby movies, shark bite bay hotwheels set and some way fun walkie talkies that we have all enjoyed playing with around the house.
Hunter had bought presents for each of us at his schools workshop which was really cute. It was a great Christmas and very busy very fun month.
Your daddy loves you so much. He loves me so much too. That is why we looked and looked and finally found a changing table from someone on craigs list for $80 that was just perfect. Drawers for your clothes, a cupboard for diapers and wipes. A ledge for a lamp to sit so I can click it on when I need to do a nighttime change. I love it. There is only one thing. It is a natural wood color. You and Avery's room is done with cream accents, definitely vintage sort of shabby chic. Of course Dad to the rescue with his handy dandy sander. 
Working out in garage for several nights, sanding, painting and finishing it for you. It will be perfect. He is so awesome, we are so lucky to have him. The things he does for his babies. He is the best daddy.
AUGUST: We have a kindergartener!!!! He is loving school like we knew he would and at parent teacher conferences his teacher told us that his phonics and vocabulary skills are through the roof and way advanced for his age. Hunter has always had an amazing vocabulary, when he started talking it wasn't really words it was full on sentences. She told us that the other day he had a group of five kids around his seat explaining to them what the word echolocation meant, which animals use it and then quizzed them to make sure they had retained the concept. She thought that he did such a good job that she let him teach the whole class about it on a Friday afternoon. She said the only problem she has with him is his incessant need to socialize. She has moved his seat four times, not because he isn't getting his work done but because no one he sits next to can because of his visiting. :) He is doing so well and she tells us he adds a lot of personality to the class. I have missed him so much but it just feels so right that we have just enjoyed it so much with him.
Her favorite book is now Pinkalicious and her favorite pastime is playing and loving on her baby dolls. 
She can be quite the bossy pants but then in an instant be so stinkin sweet.
Deke who has a good "green thumb" plants a garden in the back yard. Here is a shot of some of the tomatoes, the kids loved watching the veggies grow and tasting them. We seemed to have a surplus of radishes which I disliked because I don't even like them but hey the kids will eat them so it is all good.
Hunter still continues to be our LEGO master. I asked him what this was and he looked at me and said "Mom, it is a banana tree can't you tell?" Now I took a close up picture of the banana hanging once I figured it out I hope you can see it but looking at the whole creation I would not have guessed that banana tree was what he would call it. However his little mind cracks me up for surely it is a little banana hanging from a tree.
OCTOBER: Halloween! Lots of people don't enjoy Halloween, but I love it. I love all the fun traditions we have of making fun foods like boo bugs and ghost pancakes etc etc. I love all the kids in there little costumes especially the babies. 
I love the fall it is my favorite season. Here are some pics of the kids from Halloween. My mom and Eden came out to trick or treat with us which was so much fun. .JPG)
Hunter was a GI JOE ninja combination, Eden was Snow White and Avery was a fairy princess. They were all so cute and it was so much fun.
NOVEMBER: Hunter is halfway through his soccer season, this was his first organized sports team and he loved it.
It was so cool to watch his progress throughout the season. 
It was great to have lots of family get to come and watch him and his different games. 
