8 under age 8 and posted very late

Our first "real" gingerbread house, thanks to our good friend Becky who baked all the gingerbread and made frosting that hardens so that you can't really pull off the candy and eat it. Very different from the graham cracker ones I'm used to, but very fun-- and healthier. :)

Austin and Ethan, only 10 days apart and such good friends. At least, we're encouraging them to be since me and Ethan's mom are such good friends too.

Here's Landon hard at work making cinnamon rolls for my birthday. I thought it was funny that the dough took up our entire dinner table.

Here's Austin in both Nevada and Arizona at the mere age of 3 months.

3 handsome generations of Mauler!

This video is back from Thanksgiving, but I thought it was fabulous that all 13 of us adults could go play Walleyball while babysitting 8 kids under the age of 4. We'd rotate in and out of the court so we'd all have our share. Here's how it's done...

Happy 2009!!!

We are sorry it has been so long since we have updated our blog. A lot has happened but since my time is limited, I will give a brief update and then add some pictures. In November, Melissa and Austin went to Colorado for two weeks to be with her family. I was able to go over for a few days as well and we had a great time. I got to play in the Turkey Bowl, Melissa and I went shooting with her family, and we even got our snow fix for the winter. We had a blast with her family and were so glad we were able to go. My semester wrapped up in December and then we attended Trent's (Melissa's brother) wedding to Amy Corning and that was wonderful -- we are so happy for them! We then went to Las Vegas for a few days to share the holiday season with some of my family and some of Melissa's family as well -- we had a good time there and loved being with relatives and having a break from our normal routine. I then had a couple weeks off so we relaxed, went hiking, Melissa had her birthday (WAHOO!), and now I am back in school and very busy. Austin had his 4-month birthday and at his check-up weighed 19 lbs. 6 oz. and he was 26.5 inches long (both above the 90th percentile so he seems to be growing very well).

Austin struttin' his stuff!

Trent and Amy's wedding!

Chillin' in Las Vegas!