Wiley James turns 5




Wiley, my sweetest boy turned five, February 23, 2007. He is always so full of energy and creativity. And he is almost always in the mood for a hug or offering kisses on the cheek. Today was kindergarten registration and I for one can't believe how fast the years have flown by. Not all of my moments with Wiley have been note worthy, but I hope to be better for his next five years. Who couldn't love his contagious laugh and sweet smile.

The Mullet had to go

Rosa barely has any hair but where she does have it was all wrong. She was starting to look like a country bumpkin. So we chopped just a tiny bit off the back so that no one would mistake her for little country boy.

Nasty Addiction or Creative Outlet that builds coordination?

Wiley is addicted to all forms of games, computer games, Nintendo, handhelds, etc. We are just starting to understand his absolute passion for them. So you guessed it, we are apparently raising a nerdy gamer. We don't own a X-box, Nintendo, Game Cube etc., but he does have the handheld Leapster (Learning games etc.), and his Uncle Aaron does have all of those systems which Wiley has access to occasionally. So the question for all of you with grand opinions, I've noticed that kids that don't have game systems are nutty and crazy around them, always wishing they could play. And kids that do have them and have access to them when they want could care less about the systems. They have limits, they know when to pull themselves away. They voluntarily will turn it off when they get bored. Truthfully, I don't want any form of game system in my house. But it seems that I have a child who wants one very badly. When do you accept it and when do you hold to your guns?

This week to appease the boys in the house we had family night at the Nickel Cade. We all had fun.

Rosa knows how to cheat at Skee Ball
She loves Dance Revolution.

Uncle Aaron is the master in the NBA field.
Wiley has dope skills when it comes to Godzilla.


















Ben is strangely good at Dance revolution but for your hands. It is a gift that he chalks up to being a gamer himself.

And mom is working on Ms. Packman, Spy Hunter, Tubin', and California Cruizin'.

Time Share in Utah Destroyed



We thought it was leaves from the gutters but upon closer inspection it was a HUGE hornets nest. Ben was happy to destroy the nest in the off season. We have some really funny footage of him and the neighbor throwing ice chips at it to knock it down (no ladder was long enough to reach it). We are happy the time share is gone.

2006 Favorites

I have a tough time of picking favorites, but after some inspiration from cousin Andrew I decided that it is no use having favorites if you don't share them with others.

Favorite movies: Pride and Prejudice, Syriana, Casino Royal, The Illusionist

Favorite books: John Adams, Blink, Motherless Brooklyn, One-on-One CS Photoshop

Favorite magazines: Everyday Foods, Creating Keepsakes, Cooks Illustrated

Favorite cookbook: The New Best Recipe Book

Favorite websites: Epicurious.com, Blogger.com, Nick Jr.com

Favorite vacation: Dyer Family Reunion Maui (May 2006), New York (Oct. 2006)

Favorite dream: a guest house in the back yard.

Favorite restaurant: Al Forno (Rhode Island- it's rated top 50 in the nation and worth the plane trip)

Favorite take out: Tomato Soup from Ottavios (American Fork, Utah)

Christmas Morning


Here is a picture of the anxious group waiting to get at some presents. Wiley had woken up at five in the morning ready and excited. I had to convince him that it was still the middle of the night and to go back to bed. Wiley wasn't really into documenting this part of his morning. He just wanted to know if Santa brought him his Yellow Power Ranger. (The other three grandkids came a few hours later.)

Sticky MessWhat would you do to keep a child quiet? On the drive home from Reno to AF Ben and I were trying to keep the peace, and for a short while it was. We couldn't figure out why Rosie was so quiet. We discovered much to our dismay, that she had found an extra dipping caramel package from McDonalds and was sucking on the packaging. What you can't tell in the picture is that she has caramel all down her shirt, pants, and seatbelt. After she was that messy we figured what's the harm in giving her a sucker. It just gave us a few more moments of peace.

Sledding Paradise


There are many great places to sled at the cabin. And lucky for us we have a driver who will haul us up and down the hills over and over. This is Grandpa and Grandma's new two bench mule. All of the grandkids can fit.

Snow Fort


Ben helped make this awesome snow fort outside the Welch cabin. It had two exits and kept various kids busy in the afternoons spent up in the mountains.

Some Assembly Required

I can't get over the detail that the Playmobil brand provides. They weren't kidding when they said "Some assembly required" (109 pieces later he he). Thank goodness most of the pieces are to create this elaborate pirates boat. It was a great afternoon project for Ben and Wiley.