Another mom victory

She's potty-trained!! It took one day and lots of gumballs.

Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday to me! It's been more like a birthday week....Bob's Parfaits and cupcakes the other night with my family and friends. Sledding, shopping and a movie today! Next week, a shopping spree with my MIL! I love birthdays even if it does mean I am older.

My Samantha Kate is 9 months old! Time sure does fly when you're having a down right blast! She crawls all over the place and stands up to everything. Today I caught her playing the piano. It was so funny to see such a little person with her little hand plunking some keys! She laughs and giggles when you play with her. She gives kisses and hugs when you ask. She loves Alex but also knows she can cry to get her big sis in trouble. Chris and I are on to her! She has two teeth and more on the way (hello sleepless nights!!!!!) She really is such a joy and a sweet angel baby.

Hello 2009

Last night we rang in the new year with some good friends. We had a grand time. Really. Like the belly hurting laughter kind.

The kids. Doing what kids do. Acting silly and cute at the same time!

Tripoly anyone? My lame poker face. Actually, I don't have one. I try.

Lisa and Tyler showing their poker faces. Better.

Ann-Marie trying to touch her nose with her toe. We stayed up playing other dumb human tricks and laughing our guts out. We love spending time with good friends, thanks McDonald's and Benson's for ringing in the new year with us!

Best Christmas Ever!

This year really has been the best Christmas for me in a while. Not that past Christmases weren't good, but this one was extra special. First off, Chris went to church early on Sunday so we couldn't get a family photo with our coordinating outfits, but I got the girls in theirs...pretty sweet.





On Monday one of Chris' best friends Ryan Jensen and his wife Amy and son Jax came to stay with us for 2 days. I'm sad I didn't get more pics but we had the best time with them. Eating, playing games and just hanging out! Please come back again soon!

Then on Wed afternoon we packed up and went over to my sister Tami's house to spend the night. Can you see the excitement...all day we heard "It's Christmas! It's Christmas everyday!" and still tonight, I heard it again. I love that Alexandra is old enough to grasp some of the excitement of this blessed holiday.

All the kids went sledding at the park nearby and had a blast even though it was Freezing! Alex didn't seem to mind, Chris said she laughed and screamed and covered her face as they went down the hill.

After a fabulous time stuffing ourselves with yummy food, Chris read Luke 2 and we sang some Christmas songs. Then I read the story " Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus" and had never read the whole thing, just heard bits of it. I cried. As did my dad, mom and sisters. Then we went around the room and each person told their favorite thing about Christmas or a memory. We then exchanged our cousin gifts that were handmade this year which was my idea. I've been wanting to do this with my family for years and every year they poo-poo my idea. They even tried to get out of it this year but I put my foot down. I was so impressed with my sisters talents...Tami made Alex the cutest dress and Sam the most darling onesie. Alex even hugged it when she opened it! I saw Tam get a little misty eyed. Di made Brynlee a jewelry holder for her wall and Olivia the cutest apron ever and she didn't even use a pattern! Lauren loved her jewelry box and glittered hanging "Dream" I made her and I think Parker liked his man treasure box and "P" I made him. My mom of course was gushing over her kids talents. It really was so sweet to exchange handmade gifts. I hope we do it every year and get the kids involved. We then exchanged our sibling tribute letters (thanks for the idea Kara!) Matt cried over mine I gave him. Pretty touching. I loved mine from Lori, so sweet and kind and I pretty much feel like the cat's meow after she built me up so high! Thanks Lor! We started some new traditions this year that really brought us closer together as a family. There was so much love all around.

Alex and her "best friend" Bentley.

Sam ready for the cold!

Samantha and Reese. They'll be best friends in a couple of years just like their sisters.

After the letters, we opened our p.j's and watched 'Horton Hears a Who' and cuddled with our cousins on the sofa.

After the kids went to bed, Santa's helpers got everything ready. It was crowded but cozy.

In the morning, (6:30 am) the kids got to see what Santa left for them. Alex got this pink rocking horse that trots and neighs and wags its tail. I think it was a hit! (That's her on top hugging it!)

Yesterday my MIL took me and my sister-in-laws to lunch and shopping. It was like Christmas all over again! Thanks for your generosity Monty and Julia, we love you for sharing it with us!

I really had a great time this week spending time with friends and family and sharing the love. With our new traditions I'm sure next year will be just as great!

On a side note, Christmas Day night was pretty low-key it could have been due to the fact that it was a complete blizzard where we live and I opted not to go see 'Marley and Me' with my mom and sisters. I also wanted to be with Chris and the girls. Does anyone have any fun traditons or ideas of something we could start doing next year? It's always been anti-climatic since we really celebrate big Christmas Eve. I don't want my kids to be bored like I was growing up and was this year. We were tired and there wasn't anything on t.v. If you have any ideas, please share.

xoxo

Blame the Fairy...or praise her!

We finally gave up the binky. Well, the Binky Fairy took them....Alex left these two binky's on the doorstep (we had 7 a month ago...I'm sure they'll turn up sometime!).

I took her upstairs to read a book and we came back down to see if the Binky Fairy had come and she had!

The proud new owner of a Maltese, which she named Roxy and wanted me to take a picture of her with her present.

The proud parents!

The rest of the story: That night she cried for her binky for a while and didn't want Roxy anymore. She threw her and said the Binky Fairy wasn't very nice for taking her binkys. I had to lay down with her after Chris had already tickled her back and tried to calm her. She finally drifted off to sleep after 2 hours of being upset and calling for her binky. Yesterday after her nap she had a good cry, I knew it was her mourning the loss of her binky. Last night she went right down and hasn't asked for her binky at all today. I'm proud of Alex for learning how to self soothe and for being a big girl. I've enjoyed having that thing around but enough is enough when I have to sak Alex 100 times a day to take that thing out! I've taken it away and said it was only for sleeping and in the car but she finds them and sucks them and when I go to take it away it's a battle. No more binky battles! Hooray!!

"I Love Everything.."

(attempt #12....but you get the gist of a dancing happy child)

Imagine the title to this post as a song, sung by a 2 1/2 yr old without a care in the world. Got it in your mind? Good. That's what I was hearing in the car yesterday as we drove home.

I love the perspective of a child.

We went to a birthday party for a cousin, Alex got to play with their toy horse, finger paint and eat a cupcake. Next we went and did a little Christmas shopping and on the way home from that we stopped at Harmon's. Santa Claus was there handing out candy canes and free pictures. As we walked away from "Santy Claus", Alex was thanking him for the candy cane and told him Merry Christmas. Then she spotted the balloons at customer service, so we had to stop there for a free balloon. As we left the store, she ran out and was jumping and dancing and singing...."I love Christmas, I love everything..." and so on and so forth. Melted my heart......of course. In the car she was saying "perfect" and listing all the things she did and saw. Up until that moment I was a little tired and looking forward to going home and nap time, then I thought, this IS the perfect day.

On top of it

That is something I wish I was. I haven't posted for three weeks and alot has been going on. We've had family staying with us from Las Vegas over Thanksgiving and hosted my Weeks cousin party the other night. Hosting and entertaining is exhausting. We're a little tired. In fact it's the middle of the day and I wish I could go crawl into my bed but I am babysitting my friends kids. Tonight.


We had a little photo shoot of the girls and here are some of the pics of my beautiful kids. Can a mom brag? You bet.

Gentle Reminder

I read this last night, printed it and have hung it around my house as a reminder.

"You can only correct your children...in kindness, by love unfeigned, by persuasion, and reason,"

Joseph F. Smith

Did i mention I am dealing with a 2 1/2 yr old with attitude who doesn't listen to me? So I need this reminder big time! BIG TIME.

Gratitude Turkey

(pretend it's not a forced smile)

I have so many things to be grateful for, first off I want to thank you all for your caring words. It's really nice to feel so loved by so many friends and family and for the phone calls too. We are doing great! I love this turkey that Alex is holding, we made it one night and wrote down all the things we are grateful for on his feathers. It adds quite a festive touch to my all ready "homemade" Thanksgiving decor. I am grateful for family and for Proposition 8 and for all the people in CA that have supported it and are now being persecuted, it's so sad and so wrong. True pioneers. Pray for them. We are lucky that the sanctity of marriage is being protected, for now. I am gratful for a hard working and loving husband despite my inability at times to show him. For a beautiful home and warm clothes and other material things we enjoy. Of course I am grateful for good friends, old and new! For my testimony and deep faith in Jesus Christ, without that I think there would have been some times in my life where I really would have faltered. For a healthy body, healthy and beautiful children. For liberty and freedom. For all the people who have gone before me and paved the way for me to enjoy the things I do today.

Thank you.

Life, loss and love

Life is full of blessings, some immediate and others delayed. This last week I miscarried and have really counted my blessings. It's a miracle to get pregnant, have a healthy pregnancy and then give birth to a beautiful and healthy child. A miracle. Really. I have two beautiful blessings in my life, Alexandra and Samantha. I have mixed emotions over this and I am doing okay, truly. It was so exciting to get pregnant - even though unexpected and we started thinking about life being chaotic with babies 14 1/2 months apart and hoping for a baby boy or of course another lovely daughter. I can say though.....that I am grateful I will still have my sanity next year. My organs can continue to move back in place since Samantha and also my waist line! I know we will have more children in the future and that the Lord is looking out for us, my faith runs deep. I never even thought that something like this could happen to me. It just goes to show that what will be, will be. Thank you my dear friends and family for your love and concern, we are doing well.

xoxo

Lazy Scrapbooking

Is it possible to be so busy and feel so lazy at the same time? For the last few weeks we have been busy with fun outings, family in town, crafting, deocrating, cleaning, exercising and napping! By the end of the day, I have no desire or energy to blog. So, without further adieu here is my attmept to cram all our memories into one post.

Cornbelly's Corn Maze at Thanksgiving Point

Chris and his brother Ken re-enacting Napoleon Dynamite, and no joke the same song that plays in the movie during this scene was playing on the loud speakers. Too perfect!

Chris' cousin Ryan, more like a brother, and his wife Britney and baby Aspen stayed with us last weekend for Halloween. They came up from Vegas and loved the fun things we did, they said there really isn't family stuff in Vegas. I think it's going to be a tradition each year.

Chris and mini-me on the cow train. We went with all of Chris' family and had a blast. I had no idea this place existed.

This was too cute. Alex with her girl cousins Abby and Elli playing on the slides. They would all go down together on their bellies and crash into each other at the bottom. They were giggling so hard and having such a fun time together. I needed my video camera to capture it.


Halloween Night

Samantha the strawberry, Alex the spider princess (used to be witch) and Aspen the Easter Bunny on Halloween night.

The three princesses: Alex, Ava and Helen.

Alex and Aunt Jo making silly faces. Alex is such a little ham lately, I was like that when I was little. I was always acting silly to entertain people.

Gardner Village

We went to Gardner Village with Ryan and Britney on Halloween to show them the witches, we got there at 4:00 and it was closed for people to get home to trick-or-treat. Kinda nice when nobody is there!

Wheeler Farm

I love this picture, Alex and Helen running away from Laci and I holding hands. We went to Wheeler Farm to feed the ducks and eat lunch with Laci and her girls and Riann and Tate.

Chillin' being a good baby as always!

She dumped out all her feed and was swarmed! Those ducks are agressive and loud. At one point I thought they were going to nibble on Sam in her stroller.

Doing pony tricks. Too confident.

Family Night

FHE. We carved pumkins that rotted the next day due to warm weather and ate carmel apples. A perfect fall evening!

The scary faces.

I've been ramping up my food storage and grinding rice for gluten-free flour. I have a scone recipe that turns out perfect and now I think I'll make some tomorrow as I'm remembering their yummy goodness!

Gardner Village with friends

Another pony ride. Love this picture with her tutu. She loves animals and is pretty fearless. Sometimes it's NOT a good thing. Have you ever slapped your child to get a message through like 'you almost got hit by a car' that's why you need to listen to me when I am screaming your name and running after you!!!!! Confession. It wasn't out of rage, more like 'what will make her know I'm serious?, plus she had her tutu on and wouldn't feel a spank. Do all 2 yr olds lack listening skills? It's like having a cat for your child. Please help if you have any tips. I pray everyday to be a calm mother and I'll go 2 or 3 days and I think, WOW, I'm cut out for this, I'm so calm and loving. Then the next day I lose it and I wonder if my children are going to resent me when they are older. I've been on a good streak as of late. Crossing my fingers.

Two cute witches.

The gang. Kelly, Charlene, Victoria and I took all our little people to Gardner Village for GNO. After that day we decided a real GNO is in order.

My mom had all the grandkids over for cookie decorating. I had made some for our friends in the neighborhood but then Alex got her finger and poked all of them. Ahh, kids!

We've been busy enjoying the nice weather. I fear November won't be as productive or fun since it's SO cold now. It was snowing this morning and we had to cut our morning walk short and ran home. I might be more inclinded to blog now.