Monday, April 2, 2012

A long awaited update...


Our family from the eyes of Jacob (age 4). Seriously, I love this picture. I love that he took the time to color us all, write our names and give us all belly buttons. Let's just say that this is being saved in the book of memories, forever. I love it.
Besides loving my kids and living regular life I decided I must have gone through a mini-four-kid-off-track-mid-life-crisis....My mini crisis isn't over yet, so these are just a few pictures to catch my avid readers up on my life...

A little paint....(Oh, and I chopped my hair off again! goodbye longer hair, hello familiar short hair!)

Goodbye brown...Hello WHITE...
I will take better pictures in the day time and when it's totally finished, but so far I am IN LOVE with the changes.
For those of you who know me well know that my paint color around my home has driven me crazy for three years now. So at the start of my projects I have painted my ceilings WHITE...I love it. love it. LOVE it. I then painted my kitchen (yes, I painted it again for the third time in 3 years) and painted the main wall...the wall you see in the picture above. It's the same color as my guest bathroom. I LOVE it. I LOVE it in the main room with the white entertainment center. The kitchen still needs a little change and lightening up, but for the most part I'm LOVING the changes. Did I mention I really like the new feel?? Well, I do. I still have to paint the inside of the fireplace nook white, spray paint the canned lights, finish the office and master bedroom ceilings, and some new changes to the kitchen. But for the most part all is done! Oh, besides deciding what type of decor to do on top of the entertainment center...give me some ideas. Don't worry what's on top right now is just random decorations that I placed up there away from kids. (And the decor on the fire place.) I did however add flowers to the flowers in the fireplace.

If you notice carefully Caleb has his pants on backwards. As mothers of young toddlers you all know that that means...He's totally 100% potty trained. Go Caleb! Let's just say after a week he was totally on his own. It's been HEAVENLY!

During potty training I realized quickly that this almost three year old was not taught (by me) how to get dressed by him self. So what did we do...we taught him how! Yes, he accomplished this as well. Shocking I know...what almost three year old doesn't get dressed himself...Jake and Alayna are really good helpers!

Family Home Evening is truly a favorite night around our house. We have added a new fun thing to our scheduled/planned FHE's around here. I recently thought that I miss not reading the Friend magazine regularly. So one night a month (or as often as I remember) we do an activity and read stories and make the kid friendly recipes out of it. Seriously, we are so blessed to have an AMAZING resource to help teach our children the gospel principles. I love it and so do they. I have to admit we are hooked on the pretzels. YUM.

How have you all lived with out this chubby guy. He is such a doll to have around. He's probably around 20 lbs. and growing. He downs 8 oz. every 4 hours with out an trouble. He looks deeply into your eyes and keeps eye contact with you for a really long time. I LOVE this too. (Look at those chubby elbows. So gooey and cute!

Happy baby!

This was darling. In all my adventures of painting I had the windows open and listening to the boys playing outside. I over heard Jake saying, "Now...Bend...Now...Kick...Now Bend...Now Kick..Good job Caleb." It was adorable. I had to lean out to see what they were doing, then I realized he was teaching him how to pump in the swing. I have to give Jake credit, he has taught Caleb how to swing. It really was so precious. These brothers really enjoy being together. I just love watching them be friends, wrestle and show love and concern for one another. This was a good mom moment.

The leprechauns returned again this year!

My other project that I have been up to is organizing my pantry. You know it was bad when Jake said, "Mom, every time I'm in here I think everything is falling on top of me!" So when Jared had to work out of town all day long until midnight, I rushed off to Walmart and purchased new uniform containers (Spent a fortune- I don't recommend that!) Scrubbed, threw away 2 garbage bags full of who knows what was hiding in there, cleaned, consolidated, organized, and beautified this area of the home. And thank heavens for labels. Because seriously, with those clear containers, I need to read to know what's found inside!! ( ha ha ha - this sarcasm is for my sisters who have teased me unmercifully about the need for labels on clear containers.) Either way I love it and it pleased Jared greatly. He's Mr. Organize Pantry Man...so this was GOOD surprise for him to return home too. I'm proud to admit that because of such great organization it has remained clean for a month now! That's a big deal around here.

That's about it folks. Because you are all wondering why in the world have I not blogged, well you guessed it...my computer ONCE again was broken. It's not fixed permanently, but for the time being it's working. So I'm saving all my goods and crossing my fingers that we can solve all my computer issues. Jared is just praying that we can get it fixed because heaven knows an Apple computer is my next laptop in line...Thank to my ipad for my birthday, this has completely sold me on that upcoming decision! Life is good around here. We are "Enjoying and Enduring" that journey of life!

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Monday, March 12, 2012

Skiing Adventures 2012


Thanks to Grandpa Randy and Jared the kids were able to head up to Brighton Ski Resort for their very first adventurous in skiing...let's just say I was SO nervous for them. Well, not really. I was more nervous for the sheer amount of tantrums, whining and anxiety the kids might have had. 

The Jake-ster on his adorable little skis...seriously can it get any cuter?? I think not!

The princess herself LOVING skiing. Jared said she was MUCH tougher than he expected. Way to go girl!

So cute. Mr. Tough Guy

Happy as can be...

Loving the time with Daddy.

Caleb was home with mom and Ben...wishing he was skiing.

Our superman baby...he holds onto his blanket like it's his cape.

See...Superman.

Ski day #2... a week past and the kids were BEGGING to go again. So they went back up. The kids took their ski class again and really improved. Jared honestly was TOTALLY impressed. He said they were tough and could manage going all the way down the mountain all on their own with out falling. Yeah, for the kids! Jared of course was snowbarding. He wouldn't think of skiing... Speaking of Jared, Alayna said, "Mom, did you know that dad is SUCH a good snowboarder...'Oh, really I answered." She said, "Yeah he is because did you know he can snowboard backwards and take pictures of us and he doesn't even fall! He really is that good!"

As I write up this blog I'm thinking Jared should write it up because he experienced this fun new adventure with the kids and not me. All I know is now that Ben is bottle feeding and I can leave him, I am TOTALLY going with them next week. Oh, such a fun new activity our family can join in on!

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Happy Jumping Benny!


A little jumper is among us...

Seriously, this is where this kid lives if I am not snuggling him, or if he's sleeping...He loves to bounce around and around.

It's currently making life easy when I'm cooking dinner or showering, or getting ready for the day.

He honestly LOVES it.

Because I couldn't capture a non-fuzzy oh so happy smiling baby picture I decided to just post a fuzzy one...to show how happy and chubby this little dude is. He just had his 4 month Dr visit and yes he's weighing in at 17 lbs...yup he's a chubby dude!
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Monday, February 27, 2012

Ben

Oh, how we love him!

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

3 Months and Growing

Benjamin Jack is growing every day. He's weighing in at 15 lbs. 1 oz. as of yesterday. This poor little buddy has been sick. So it required a visit to the doctor. He ended up having two double ear infections in both ears, some form of baby bronchitis, and a super yucky cough. They even had to hook him up to the machine that sucks all the snot and buggers of their lungs. He hated every second of it, but it was amazing how quickly it cleared up his ability to breath and sound SO much better!

Why I thought to take a few pictures while he's not feeling great, I don't know. Other than I guess I wanted to torture him! But I will have to take a few more pictures to capture his adorable smile. Until then you can just enjoy this sweet little boy. We all love him dearly, and we are so thankful for modern day medicine that clears up their sicknesses so quickly. I love having this little snuggly buddy in our family. It's amazing how much we love him. Get better soon little fellow!
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentines Day!

To all those I have around me...let me tell you how much I LOVE each of you. I've pondered a lot on this day, and I decided that today means to express love and gratitude to those we have in our lives.


It might be a totally commercialized holiday, which is nauseating to say the least. But besides the candy chocolate boxes, stuffed animals and roses. There is a deeper meaning to how we can approach today. It's honestly loving those around us and sharing in the meaning of love.

I have been pondering what I love. And that is my knowledge of my Heavenly home, family and dear friends. I truly have been so blessed. So in honor of those we love I wanted to make it known. Today for our family also has tender feelings attached to it. It was 9 years ago that Jared's mom was killed in a car accident. So in honor of the love she had for so many and we have for her. I wanted to express my love to those around me. It's amazing how we continue to grow and mature in life. I feel the Lord has blessed me so abundantly to love more as He does and to see more as He does. This morning while I was studying I came across this scripture...Moroni 7:33..." If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." I love this thought that we truly can overcome all things if we have faith in our Savior...so much so that if we choose to follow Him He will give us POWER to do whatever we might need help with. As I pondered those words I have come to understand that through our faith in our Savior we are truly showing the purest love we can to Him.

So today I have made a choice to see all the LOVE my Heavenly Father has given me...I'm going to see those smiles, the sunshine, the yummy treats, family, beauty, scriptures, good health, my children, compliments from others, love notes...there is so much to see.


Now, I did make a post on my sisters blog (Deals to Meals) about Sugar Cookies. And since the cookies are really honestly that YUMMY I wanted to let my fellow readers (all two of you) have my FAVORITE cookie recipe (Thanks Marci!) beware though you won't be able to keep your hands off of them, as you can see it was impossible for Caleb!!!

Sugar Cookies
1 C. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 c. sour cream
5-6 c. flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla & sour cream. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and add to wet mixture. Add just enough flour to handle without being too sticky when rolled. Roll cookie dough on lightly floured counter till 1/4" thick. Bake 7-8 minutes @ 400 degrees. Makes about 4 dozen.

Frosting
3 sticks butter (softened)
1 ½ teaspoon butter flavoring
3-4 Tablespoon milk/cream
Cream together then add 1-2 lb. powdered sugar and add a pinch of salt.

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