La Vida Loca

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Here we go again...

Well, the babies are just a couple of days from being 8 months old. Here is what is happening with them and their progression...

ANDERSON:

Yes, those are fairy wings (but they look like donkey ears)

He is becoming a joy, such a fun little guy. He is still the middle-weight, about a pound or so behind Bennett. Anderson is doing a frog-like crawl, it is all arms and no legs, but at least he is moving. He will sit up when we put him on his bum (he still needs to work on that a little bit), and that will last about 30 seconds then he gets a little top heavy and hasn't learned that if he puts his hands down first he won't land on his face.

BENNETT:

Still the heavy weight, and he doesn't show signs of giving up that title any time soon. He is crawling, legitimately crawling. He will sit up all by himself, and he loves to play with Legos. He also has 2 teeth! He has had them for a couple of weeks now and it really hurts when he decides to chew on your toes when you're not watching.

TAYA:

Shiver me timbers!

The feather weight of the group. She is still where she was a month ago. She will now roll back onto her back from her tummy, and she will get up on all fours for about a second, then decide that her arms can't take the weight and will drop to her belly and get in the "Superman" posture (feet and legs up as high as they will go). She is getting super sweet though, she gives Daddy a gigantic smile when I go get her from naps, it's enough to melt my heart.

Let's see, what else? Cooper started first grade, Luke started Kinder, and Ethan is in a preschool 2 days a week. Cooper got mad the other day that he didn't have any homework yet, that is a trait he definitely did not get from me, even when I had homework to do, I would pretend that I didn't have any.

We had a visit from some of our best friends in the whole world, the Shapiro's, visiting us from the Phoenix area. It was awesome to see them again, and get caught up! Thanks for stopping by guys!

I was also able to take a very quick trip to Kirksville, MO (our new hometown), to check out the house that we signed a lease on based on pictures. I was very pleased! The boys are going to LOVE it! The house sits on a couple of acres, there is a barn out back for them to play in, there is a pond (owned by the neighbors), corn fields surround us. The best thing about it is that it is only a mile outside of town, so it is not far to drive anywhere.

Home Sweet Home (in 3 weeks)

Our yard...lots of tent space if you want to come and visit!

One of the coolest things about Kirksville has to be the airport. It is great! I got to ride on a little Cessna airplane to St. Louis. I know that some of you have been in small airplanes, but this was my first (at least since the time I was like 10) and I was so excited by it (I'm a nerd), I got so excited that I even took a picture (well, actually lots of pictures, but only this one will make it to the blog):

Now for the random pictures:

Food! Taya is loving it!

Ethan is digging for precious commodities while "reading"

This is how Luke fell asleep in the toy room, superman cape for a blanket

Anderson and Taya

Always have something in their mouths!

MOSDOH!

A final video for you all as to the different types of crawling that are going on in the Hutchings household

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Blessings

I have become quite the firm believer in prayer. God answers prayers, always...maybe not the way we want them to be answered sometimes, but they are answered. So, while I like the Garth Brooks song "Unanswered Prayers", I have to say that I disagree with the unanswered part. Sorry, sidetracked. But, it is amazing what will happen when you involve the Lord in your life, there is so much more you can accomplish. This past year has truly been amazing. One answered prayer after another, and I know that it is not just me and Emily praying for us (thank you to you all out there!). From the babies, to dental school, and now...our house is under contract, as of about an hour ago! We are so excited and feel like so many prayers have been answered. Now, we just need one more prayer answered...that my school gets accredited and we can actually move!

This is really happening...hopefully!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

7 Months Old!

I can't believe that the little guys are 7 months old today! Time is going so fast! Here is a day one picture vs. a picture from today so you can see how far they have come in 7 months:

Anderson at Day 1 and today (7/28/13):

Bennett at Day 1 and today (7/28/13):

Taya at Day 1 and today (7/28/13):

All Three Together from the day of commercial shoot and today:

There have not been a whole lot of changes since the last time I wrote. We did drive up to Utah for a few days to enjoy the festivities of the Jewkes Family Reunion. If I could describe the reunion in 1 word, it would have to be...organizedCHAOS! I realize that "word" is usually spelled as 2 words, but if you have ever spent time around the Jewkes clan you can understand why it is one word in this situation! It was such a great time. The first couple of days were for the cousins that were 5 and up (there were 19 of them) at Cousins Camp 2013! They had such a blast thanks to Camp Director Dave and his lovely Assistant Camp Director Jessica. Cooper and Luke were our 2 lucky ones that were able to participate this year and I think that was the best time that they had the entire week were gone! There were activities, followed by crafts, and devotionals, and more activities, and more crafts, and a huge sleepover with all of the campers that had finished kindergarten. Here are a few pics that I have of the event (I am not a professional photographer, and my camera is not of high quality, so forgive the quality of the pictures):

Lincoln and Cooper (Best Buds), and Ethan

Camp Director Dave allowing Luke to use the megaphone

Cooper with the megaphone describing his passions in life

Water Balloon Toss, Luke and Madison came in a tie for 2nd

I won't get into all of the details of the reunion, but every second was filled with a lot of fun, and adventure, and the company was awesome! First of all a huge thanks to Gary and Becky for having so many kids, and also huge thanks to Amy (and Beau, but not as much) for putting the whole shindig together. This picture has been going around facebook like crazy, but here it is again in case you missed it, this is the Gary and Becky Jewkes Family (everybody except for Jason, who is at dental school and couldn't escape for a few days), there is Gary and Becky, their 11 children and spouses, and 36 grandkids (plus an additional one that is baking in the oven) for a grand total of 59 (would've been 60 if Jason was there). Quite the posterity.

Lots of weiners

Izzy, Hannah, Jasper, Ethan, Amelia, and Lauren

World Cafe, Jewkes Style

The triplets were the center of attention with all of the girl cousins

Cousin Soccer Game

During our reunion, my little family made a quick escape to Provo to see my siblings, and Grandma Hutchings, and Aunt Donnay, and Uncle Mark. It was so fun to see my siblings again, and it was great to have Grandma, Aunt Donnay and Uncle Mark meet the triplets. My biggest regret of my entire trip was not getting any pictures at Grandma's house. I know, what kind of a grandson am I? I guess a pretty crummy one. (No picture here)

At the end of the reunion, we headed home and made a quick stop in Price to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Anderson, as well as my cousin Marcie and her kids, and Uncle Terry. Fortunately, I remembered to get the camera out and snap some photos:

Great-Grandpa Anderson with Anderson

Great-Grandma Anderson with Bennett

My Cousin Marcie and her daughter Lacey with my daughter Taya

Lacey and Taya

My Family at Grandma and Grandpa Anderson's house

Then, we made it home. Here are a few pics of the kids playing at the park and enjoying some food in the triplet table.

I love Ethan's face! Happy!

Taya got a little too comfortable I think

Bennett loving the swing

Anderson had too much fun and crashed!

They love their animal crackers

Thursday, July 11, 2013

It's Been Too Long! (For me anyway)

This is going to be a mostly pictures kind of update, since I have to study for a test (Physics 2) on Monday, and I have to study for my other class (Physiology). These are going to take precedence since if I don't pass these 2 classes, I will not be able to go here:

A little school history lesson about Jake. These are all of the schools that I have gone to in order to get to the aforementioned school:

Stevensville Elementary Yellow Jackets (Stevensville, MT)

Sharon Elementary Soaring Seagulls (Orem, UT)

Ada Givens Elementary Mustangs (Merced, CA)

Alicia Reyes Elementary Thunderbirds (Merced, CA)

Hoover Junior High School Huskies (Merced, CA)

Spring Creek Middle School (Providence, UT)

South Cache Junior High School Mustangs(Hyrum, UT)

South Cache Freshman Center Mustangs(Hyrum, UT)

Mountain Crest High School Mustangs (Hyrum, UT)

Needless to say, but, my family moved a lot while I was growing up. So after high school I served a two-year ecclesiastical mission in Mexico City where I learned (but have since forgotten) Spanish. I came home and immediately went to college where I started in January of 2001 at USU, then transferred, the pictures of all of my colleges will now follow:

Jan '01-May '02

May '02-May '05
BS Construction Mgmt

Aug '08-Jul '10

Jan '11-Jul '13

Aug '12-Dec '12

Mar '13-Aug '13

It has been fun. I hope that I am not the only one to have gone to 6 colleges/universities in my dental school, though something tells me that I might be. I look at that and I have to laugh, that is a lot of schools. Kansas State and UNE were both online, so I can't really judge those ones, but the rest of them I will rank from my favorite to least favorite (meaning that if I had the choice, I would never go back to the last place school)

Favorite: USU, then close 2nd UVU (because I spent so much time here), and then close 3rd SPSU, and bringing up the rear because it is a rear--UNM! I am so glad to be done with this sorry excuse for a place of education...least friendly, least helpful, worst classes (most, not all) I have ever taken. The only thing that is good about it is their basketball team--Go Lobos!

Ok, on to better things, like the babies and my fam. The babies are getting big. Bennett is getting huge! At their 6 month appointment about a week ago, Anderson weighed in at 16.3, Bennett weighs 18.13, and Taya weighs 14.1. Bennett is almost a full 5 pounds heavier than Taya! Bennett is in the 75% for weight, and the other 2 are in the 25%. They are all in the 25% for height, meaning Bennett has some meat to him.

I just realized that I said I was going to do mostly pictures and I have just been rambling. Sorry, here they are: