Valentine's Day subway art

I made this last year... still havent printed it out to poster size or wraped it to a wood frame like I planned.

Our Christmas Card

Do you remember last year's card?

Our Family Nativity

30 years ago my mom worked with 2 slide projectors and recorded tape to create memories for me. I now do the same digitally on my computer with a lot less work, I hope in thirty years my children value this tradition, the love, and the memories as I do.

2011:
http://youtu.be/79HXJo9c0eY




Nativities of Christmas past

2010:
http://youtu.be/V8TH9vvO5hc

2009:
http://youtu.be/KiTvyyeFDxg

2008:
http://youtu.be/sUcyn7DfQU0

2007:
http://youtu.be/bKpSpbx4Gsk

The body

I’ve been potty training Mikey, (again- 3^rd time’s the charm. Right?) and Grace has made some observations about the body and was asking very basic questions a few days ago. After we finished talking I told her that if she had any more questions about bodies she could ask me.

This morning she was sitting tentatively by as I changed Mikey’s nighttime diaper and said “mama I have a question about bodies” Me- deep breath “okay what is it?” Grace- pause and serious expression, then in a tiny voice “when is my Daddy’s body coming home?”

Dodged a bullet there! They always miss him when he is at work and it was an easy answer. (albeit one I answer at LEAST 10 times a day)

more randomness

Josh and I bought kites for the kids while we had our weekend away. It was a very blustery day. The kites didn't stay up too well but we still had fun.

We made s'mores out of leftover Easter peeps. They were a big hit with the kids.

Grace finished at head start. What a difference 2 years has made. Her teacher Victoria was incredible! We loved her!

I made another Dress for Grace. Same pattern as her Easter dress, this time I added a ruffle around the bottom.

I have one more fabric to make her another dress. I doubt I will follow the pattern exactly this time either.

mikey being mikey.

Now that josh has a laptop for work he can skype the kids. He even took a few of our favorite books so he could read the kids bedtime stories. I just can't get over how great he is and how lucky I am to have married him.

Staycation

When Jeni and Dennis came to stay with us one of my stipulations was that I needed a weekend away with Josh.
Josh has been working in Wendover so I took a bus out there for our first night.

We enjoyed a seafood buffet (I ate a TON of crab)


and then had some very yummy flan. It was so good I had to document it.

We went out to Josh's work site. I made him (practically had to twist his arm off) to get him to take this shot. His portable crusher is finally all back together (it had been spilt up for a while) he told me this weekend when it is all together they refer to it as the "mac daddy".

We got to the hotel and Josh started doing paperwork.

I had my priorities better aligned and spent my time enjoying a jacuzzi tub.

BOTH of the hotels had phones in the bathrooms... Don't worry Josh washed his hands after taking this picture.

the next day we headed back for salt lake. We ran errands, saw a doctor (Josh had been having some sores on his nose that we now know are due to sun sensitivity), we watched movies and were just lazy. We did enjoy a quick car show. I have no idea what kind of car this is- but it was pink!

After oil changes and trips to home depot to buy my tomato plants we made a final stop at the Happy Sumo and enjoyed a venus roll and some really good tempura veggies.

It was a great break and a nice weekend.

Random May

We have had such crazy weather this year. not limited to suddent torrential hail that killed all of my starts for my garden.

We didn't get a family picture on Easter. The next Sunday we but the fancy duds back on and got our family picture.

clown shoes.

Mother's day. pumpkin chocolate chip waffles. Mmmmm. It was a great day.

And grace wrote MOM for the first time on mother's day. it says: Mom Grace E I had a picture of a rainbow on the otherside. Grace loves rainbows.

Easter

I am sorry to say but this is the last post you may get for a few weeks. In the craziness that is my house my camera cord got broken. I have a new one ordered and hopefully the $5 walmart replacement will work as good as the $35 cord from kodak. it is worth a try.

These Easter pictures are the last I have downloaded on my computer...

We got back from Wendover and jumped right into Easter, coloring eggs is always fun.

I got this egg spinner this year. It was fun and the kids liked it. Hopefully I can figure out what kind of dye to use in it next year.

Our colorful bounty
Easter Morning the kids came downstairs to pictures of the savior pasted all over the walls. They found their Easter baskets full of candy, a game, a puzzle and bubbles.

We went down to visit my Grandparents that morning and I took some pictures in their backyard.

FYI- I MADE Grace's dress and headband. As in started with fabric ribbon and thread and made it. I took a lot of pictures of her because I was proud of how it turned out.

I also made Mikey b's tie.

After an hour in the car they were a bit wrinkled but still cute.

I could not get a good picture of them together. This was Grace trying to help.

My darling boy

A close up of my sweet girl and her headband.

We returned home for a dinner with Dennis, Jeni and family along with Sonjia. We made the tradition bunny Ham loaf and ate and ate.

Then the Easter egg hunt. Josh had fun hiding the eggs in difficult spots. We made sure we got all the real eggs but the kids have found a couple plastic ones in the back yard since then.

On the trampoline, sure

Mikey has started picking out his own clothes. He has a style all his own.

It was a great day. We tried to make the day about the Savior not candy. I think I may move our Easter egg hunt to Saturday like so many other do.

Mikey's birthday letter

almost forgot to put this on the blog...

My dear sweet Mikey B.

Three years ago you were born, it is difficult to grasp. The year has flown by and I am once again writing you a letter. It has been a good year. You have become even more of a happy presence in our home. We are blessed to have you in our family.

They say the twos are terrible but I have my money on you really proving yourself in this third year. You become ever more like your father as you grow. You are happy, humorous, and ever moving while you are kind, loving and have a desire to help. You have a mischievous streak and a tendency to enjoy getting a reaction out of people. I love who you are becoming.

I love to kiss your sweet cheeks. And I love that you still let me. I love that you will come up to me and “whisper” in my ear “I love you mama”. I love you so much, I just want to hold you and soak you in. In the moment I seem to feel like I am doing a pretty good job but as I look over older pictures and see how much you’ve grown I miss the sweet baby you once were. Firmly entrenched in toddlerhood you seem to understand how precious the sweet affectionate moments are to me. Thank you. Please remember they will me as much (if not more) as you grow older.

You are a treasure Mikey. Your worth in our family and to our Father in Heaven is priceless. You are a beloved son always remember that. I am privileged to call you my son. I am privileged to be the one who gets to swat you on the bum or send you to time out. I am working on praising you more and it is easy because you want to please. I will continue to work to be the best mother I can possibly be to you. I never quite feel up to the challenge but I know we will learn together.

I love the way you point out tractors (diggers, dozers anything that is construction related) you have an eye for it. I love how you wear the princess slippers with your superman costume, you make it manly. I don’t always love but I ought to note the hundreds of hours you pretend to be a “doggie”. Shrilly barking until I tell you to use an inside voice. You are the happiest dog I have ever seen. I love how you always sing “cho cho choooo it’s coming down the track….” Any time we pass a train. Your sweet voice is music to my ears.

You are so darling. The way you put your head down and run. The way you skip as we take Grace to school. Your expressions are dazzling and I think you are the cutest most handsome boy around. I love you.

I am so proud to be your mother. As I look forward to the boy and man you will become I see such wonderful promise and happiness in your future. I can hardly grasp the image of you passing the sacrament but I know it is just around the corner. Missionary work and marriage I know that they will come all too soon. I know that as you grow you will only be able to find true and lasting happiness through the gospel. I know that the principles of the gospel are true. I know the atonement is real. I know that our family is forever. I look forward to seeing you learn these precious truths for yourself. I know your future will bright as you cling to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love you my dear boy. You bring me more happiness than I ever thought possible. I love being your mother. I love everything about you. Please please always remember that I love you and never ever doubt it.

Always,

Mom.

wendover

A couple weeks ago Josh started a new project in Wendover. it was spring break that week and our travel plans had been cancelled so we decided to go out to visit him.
we stayed at the one hotel with an indoor pool and got two adjoining rooms. It was a nice little getaway. We went swimming 3 times in 2 days and Mikey made a lot of improvement in that short time.

of course I only took two pictures the whole time there...

the kids asleep in identical positions.
and us enjoying a pizza.... thrilling I know.

It was a nice get away from a crowded house. It was decadent to sit and watch TV all through nap time because there were no chores calling me. We may have to go back soon.

Mikey's Birthday

Mikey's birthday was a blast. He is in love with buzz lightyear like every other boy so we went with a Buzz theme.
I know most of you know how I love to decorate cakes and get all creative and crafty. Unfortunately for me I was super busy and stressed. I had also scheduled a youth temple trip the night before Mikey's birthday, the time I normally would have been decorating the cake. Josh the kind husband he is thought that buying a cake this year would be good. So we tried out a local bakery and got this...


it was delish.

We celebrated with all of our traditions of balloons and cupcakes. We decided to go out to breakfast as a family. That afternoon we took Daniel (and fam) to Kangaroo Zoo. The kids had a blast even if it was crazy crowded.

this boy had a blast bouncing away

The next day (Sunday) we had Liz (the magnanimous)'s family and more specifically Kate Leigh over to swing at a pinata as well as enjoy some cake and ice cream.

Grace and Mikey loved it, they are still talking about it.

it was a great time with lots of fun and laughing.

Somehow the theme shifted slightly to pirates as Mikey picked out a pirate balloon and well this...

I think I may already know the theme for next year's party.