This Morning

Every morning (upon waking) I go through the same battle in my mind. Do I work out? Do I start cleaning? Do I start breakfast for the kids?

This morning I woke up (before anyone else) and fixed myself a cup of hot chocolate. And a slice of pumpkin chocolate chip bread (made from 100% freshly ground wheat flour...more on that later). It felt good.

And then I worked out.

I have yet to clean and get breakfast for the kids.

I think it's going to be a good day.

Merry Christmas...a little off key

Sewing has been on my to-learn list for years now and I finally did it!...with the help of my mother and the Dixie Community Education sewing instructor. The pajamas (on the older boys) were my first sewing project. They took 6 weeks to make and I made almost every mistake possible (thank goodness for seam rippers)...but they ended up turning out OK.

My favorite mistake was when I tried to sew the front of the shirt to the back and asked the sewing instructor if it was right. Her reply..."If you're a double amputee..."

I hope these hold up in the wash......

My Boys

Bear with me while I show off some pictures we had taken of our boys a few weeks ago. The photographer is Kristie Holland, a great friend from our days in Louisville. She lives in the Las Vegas area and is fabulous! (if any of you are interested). My kids were next to impossible to photograph and she still got some good shots. Thanks again, Kristie.

Rise and Shout

Am I indoctrinating them too early?
(one of them seems to be soaking it up a little more than the other)

What a great game on Saturday!

A Little...

My parents came to visit for two weeks at the end of October and while they were here, we did a little of everything!

A little bowling...(Go Grandma!)




A little soccer watchin'...(Go Noah!)


A little Staheli Farm Pumpkin Patch...


with a little handwashing afterwards...


A little singing and dancing...(yes, at church)


A little Trick-or-Treating...(my mother makes the costumes every year. I'm a little spoiled)


A little messin' around with Grandpa...


And a little eating out...(OK, a lot of eating out)


Grandma and Grandpa, we miss you! Please come back soon!

True Story

This year, we bought a trampoline for our kids for their birthdays. This is the trampoline today.

True Story. A few weeks ago, we went out of town for the weekend. Upon return, my husband asks, "where's our trampoline?"
"Our trampoline? What do you mean, 'where's our trampoline'?"

Here's our trampoline. In our neighbors yard. Over the fence.

Our little town is known for it's wind gusts. Apparently the wind gusts on this said weekend were some of the strongest we've had. Strong enough to blow our trampoline over the fence into our neighbor's yard.

Happy Birthday kids.

You're growing up in a town living up to its name.

Happy Birthday Andy!

I don't throw birthday parties every year...I think I've mentioned this before. But this was the year for Anderson. Happy 3rd Birthday buddy!

The day started with the birthday boy...



and the invitations...

we threw in some entertainment...


and some friends...

a pinata (homemade out of a paper bag)...

and some cake.


It all made for a great birthday party! Thank you Grandma Sue and Grandpa Dick for the birthday bounce house! It was entertaining the whole weekend!

Did I mention that the high for the day was 90 degrees?

What did YOU do last night?

Our night went something like this...

Happy

How can you not love someone who's
this genuinely happy to see you?

Utah

Ooohhhh, I love where we live.
Technically, this is 4 hours north of us.
Nevertheless...

Next Stop...American Idol

I think it's pretty safe to say
he didn't get his dad's singing voice...
which means he must have mine

Do you know your ABCs?

Shout Out

This is a shout out to my graphic designer brother-in-law who volunteered to take our pictures last weekend while we were up in Provo. Or his wife volunteered him. But either way, we are grateful for his patience, willingness, and photoshopping skills.

This small version of the shot doesn't do it much justice. But I love the background and the warmth of the picture. Thanks, Chris and Heidi. You guys are the best!

And here are a couple more for your viewing pleasure.


And...who else could take this sweet-looking innocent picture (which I love)...


and turn it into this...

(who else except my 80s rock-loving brother-in-law. And who else would print out an 8x10 for his office...only his 80s rock-loving brother).

College? Really?

We just got back from a great trip up to Provo for five days. What a fantastic trip! Thanks Chris and Heidi (and dad)! We had a fabulous time.

I would like to highlight just one part of this wonderful trip we took, because it still has me giggling.

My sister-in-law, Heidi, makes this fabulous bread and taught me all of her secrets while I was up at her house. This bread is so yummy, fast, and easy that we went to the store at 9:30 on a Saturday night so I could procure the rare ingredients that go into baking this delectable bread (and dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, breadsticks,...).

While at Macey's picking up some of the ingredients, I was chatting with the young, male checker (is that the appropriate term?) while Heidi was shooting the breeze with the younger, male bagger(?)...all while the even younger male bagger from the next checkstand was doing a price check for us (he's on the high school track team and is apparently the fastest runner).
Keep in mind that Heidi and I are both happily married and these young men were all in the ballpark of about 16 years of age.

Here go the conversations(roughly):

Conversation 1:
Bagger: Who buys this much flour on a Saturday night?
Heidi: Oh, we need this to make bread.
Bagger: Who makes bread anymore? My grandma used to make bread.
Heidi: I love to make bread.
Bagger: Why are you buying applesauce? There's no applesauce in a bread recipe.
Heidi: There is in this bread recipe.

(How does this kid know what goes in a bread recipe?)

Conversation 2:
(This conversation took place while Heidi's phone was ringing because our husbands were ready to leave for their 10 o'clock movie)
Megan: We're only 2 minutes late and they're already calling us.
Checker: Who, your parents?
Megan: Our parents? No, our husbands. Why, do we look that young?
Checker: I thought you were in college.


Dear Young Man Checker,
Thanks for the vote of confidence. You made our day.

P.S. I graduated from college in 2000

Keepin' it real

Just in time for family pictures this weekend.

Breakfast

This is how my kids ate breakfast this morning. And I'm not one bit ashamed.

Too Cute

We went to the Washington Rec Center last night with our friends, the Mathews. Luke, being the angel he is, fell asleep in the bouncy swing. Thanks, Mary, for taking the picture (we didn't have our camera...and how could we miss a shot like this?)

Preschool

Firsts seem to come so quickly as children exit the toddler years. Today was Noah's first day of preschool. He hit the ground running. Literally. He couldn't get to his classroom fast enough. I love it.

Really, I love it.

Five hours a week of freedom. For about two seconds, I thought about putting him into two different preschools. Ephraim wasn't a fan.

And I know most parents think they have the smartest kid. I'm no different. Today, after preschool, I asked Noah if he also wanted to be on a soccer team with his friend, Hunter. Noah smiled and said "Yeah. And I'll bring my bat so I can hit the ball."

He's a genius.

Sharing Time

Noah is a Sunbeam this year in Primary. Ephraim and I are lucky enough to teach the Sunbeam class. But not Noah's class. He is in the other Sunbeam class. Which can be good and bad.

The Good: I love serving in Primary where I am able to watch Noah learn and grow from this wonderful program in our Church.

The Bad: I always want to get up and discipline my little angel during Sharing Time and have a hard time leaving it all up to his teacher (who is great, btw). Some Sundays Ephraim has to hold me down in my seat.


Sometimes Noah takes Sharing Time literally. We have been talking about temples this month in Primary. Last week the counselor in charge of Sharing Time was talking about ways we can prepare to go to the temple. She mentioned potty talk not being acceptable and how we should apologize if we use it. Noah "shared" that his dad uses potty talk at our house and apologizes afterwards. Which is funny, because Ephraim has the cleanest mouth I know.

Yesterday was my turn. The Primary President was talking about temple recommends. Noah informed the Primary that my temple recommend was expired...which was true. But after the laughter ceased, I replied..."And that's why I got it renewed."

I wonder what he's going to share next week.

Our Firstborn

My firstborn (in the wilderness, as Ephraim likes to add...well, he WAS born in Kentucky surrounded by lots of trees) has just turned four. Boy does time fly. Having children has changed our lives in so many ways. Gone are the days of last-minute movies at the theater, quiet, romantic dinners, and a clean house. Now we embrace Diego cartoons, cleaning up food from under the table, and lego injuries (have you ever stepped on one of those things?...ouch!). Eph and I were married for four years before we had kids and I can barely remember how easy we had it.

We no longer sleep in (Andy likes to run to our bedside at 6:30am shouting "It's the morning time...I want some chocolate milk"), we eat cheeseburgers at McDonalds instead of steak at Outback, and we find ourselves reading Llama Llama Red Pajama more frequently than the scriptures.

I remember fondly the day Eph and I welcomed this 9 lb 15 oz butterball into our lives.

I have loved watching him grow from a cherubic infant


To a fun and curious toddler


...and now into such a handsome, obedient little boy. I wouldn't have our lives any other way.

I don't put on birthday parties every year...so yesterday we grabbed a couple of neighborhood kids and took them to Jumpin' Jacks for a couple of hours. And then returned home for some cake and ice cream. Noah had the time of his life.

And thanks to Gma Nona and Gpa Randy for the Birthday Bikes. We now spend our days outside in 105 degree Southern Utah sunshine teaching our boys how to ride.


Happy Birthday Noah!...and bring on the next four years

I think we can handle it.