Time sure flies

Time is flying by... and so I have realized (and been told by many) that I haven't updated this recently.
Tyce is doing great...he'll be 3 in November and the closer we get to 3, the more often I wonder if he is going to make it to his 3rd birthday. He definitely has a strong will and a hard head (no telling who he gets that from), but God saves him by making him cute.
He is full of energy that I wish I could bottle up and use for myself. We are almost fully potty trained (not at night quite yet)! He is looking forward to a baby brother (so he thinks...I'm sure that will change when the baby gets here!) Dustin has taken him dove hunting a couple of times, so he thinks he is quite the big boy now and loves being with his daddy for anything and everything. He's still a momma's boy when he's hurt or daddy's gone, but right now he is ALL boy! Everything needs to be hammered, fixed or taken apart, shot, punched, etc... He loves fishing and camping and his dog, Echo!
Today we took him to a friends of ours birthday party (they are twins). The party was at a bounce house place and he had a blast...Ran for 1 1/2 hours solid. Ate sandwiches and cake and then came home and had a nice nap. I think Dustin had more fun that Tyce playing on all of the toys.
I am now 6 months pregnant with another little boy and doing great. No more sickness and finally gaining some weight. I am working full time - 2 days in Reno and 2 days in Virginia City. The clinic that I am working for just opened the VC site and I am the only provider there...it's a small town, so it's a lot of fun and much less stressful than in Reno. We are heading into flu season, so praying for no illness for the family this year!
Dustin is busy working and hunting. He has been on 3 hunting trips this year so far and was successful in getting a deer with his bow and arrow. He will be heading out again soon to help his dad who also has a deer tag.
We hope all is well with everyone and will try to get to this thing more often. We keep quite busy and I always have pictures to share, it's just sitting down and making the time to do it!
God Bless and we love you all!

(pics are not loading right now so will try and add soon!)

Welcome more testosterone to the Grate House!!!

No pics with the posting yet, but wanted to update all that we have found out we are adding more testosterone to our family!!! That's right, another little boy will be joining the house. I am due 1/17/09, so we are praying to NOT have a Christmas baby beause we like to have to "holiday" babies so much! The ultrasound tech told me, "That's the wiggliest baby I have ever seen!" and he's been doing it 20+ years, which to me was not the most welcome news, as that is exactly what they said about Tyce and I can barely keep up with him!!!! So at this point I am praying for A LOT more energy so I can keep up with all my boys.
Thanks for all the love and prayers!

Summertime fun

So I am trying to play catch up after have a long stretch of being very ill from this pregnancy...

Dustin and Tyce

Fishing

Feeding the deer

Deer checking out Echo's food

Deer eating Echo's food

Daddy and Tyce catching a very small fish

Daddy and Tyce shooting on trip to Wells

Tyce and Grammy Fishing in the river

Shooting the can with his pop gun

The Grate Family

Us in Wells...so beautiful

Quad riding

Playing in the backyard ...

First Camping Trip 2009

We had a great first camping trip of 2009! We went over mother's day weekend and tried out our new trailer, which was wonderful!

We left home around 2pm on Friday and made it out to Twin Lakes, CA around 6pm. We had a couple stops to make and then we got out there and found out that the camping ground we normally go to is closed. Luckily there was one campground open...Come to find out they are re-doing all the water spickets because they are "illegal" (I'm pretty sure they were legal 50 years ago when they put them in!) So, we finally found the perfect camping site and set up the trailer without any major incidence! We made our first dinner at camp and ate for the first time in our trailer.

Grammy and Pop showed up a little later and got all set up for the night. We tucked Tyce into his little mummy bag, which was so cute and he loved it! Tyce and I hit the sack and Dustin went to play cribbage with his mom in their trailer...I soon had to yell at Dustin to come and get his dog because she wouldn't stop whining. I actually threatened him that she would be bear food if he didn't make her stop!

The next morning we had a lazy kid on our hands who slept in (both mornings). Once we were all up and had breakfast, we got ready for fishing. Tyce got a lesson from his daddy how to cast the fishing rod and then we put on his life vest and off we went for the river!

Tyce caught (reeled in) his first fish with Pop and then I ran him back and forth between Dustin and Pop so he could reel in the fish, which he did. He refused to touch the fish stating that they were YUCKY! Eventually we got him to at least hold the stringer for the pictures.

We had a great time...We spent the second night teaching him the wonders of roasted marshmellows and Smores. He would much rather eat the "mellows" straight out of the bag! (Who's kid is this anyway?) We got up the next day and did more fishing until it was time to pack up and head home.

We stopped at my parents and brother's house in Topaz and spent some time with them. Tyce and Echo were well tuckered out and slept a good portion of the way home!
We are looking forward to many more camping trips this summer in our trailer!

Tucking Tyce into bed!

Ready for the day!

Fishing lessons

Ready for fishing!

Daddy and Tyce fishing

Tyce fishing (some more!)

Mommy and Tyce with Tyce's fish!

Learning to fly fish with Grammy and fishin' with Daddy

Tyce loving camping life

Time with Grammy and Pop

BIG Fish!

Introduction to Roasting Marshmellows...Can you say STICKY MESS!

Daddy & Tyce

Mommy & Tyce

Campin's Hard....

Easter Pics

Easter was a nice relaxing day for us! We went to Church, came home for a nap and then went to Grammy and Pop's for a nice family dinner. We were blessed with beautiful weather and a wonderful day together.

Handsome Boy

Pictures with mommy and daddy

Family Quad Ride

We had a beautiful day in the sunshine. Echo was in heaven running the entire way. Tyce was also in heaven doing one of his favorite things - riding the quad!

Camping is in our future!

OUR NEW (USED) TRAILER

Getting ready to go (just waiting for warm weather)

Spacious dining and kitchen with master bed

Bathroom and other bed

Tyce playing