Jack's 1st Birthday!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Jack!!!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone! It actually makes me sad. As hard as the first year is, it is also such a sweet year. Many times I have thought of the baby blessing that Stewart gave Jack. He blessed, "that Jack would have a special relationship with his mother, and be close with her." I love that he said that, in fact I think that he has said that will all our kids. I feel like I do have a special, different relationship with all of them. I wish I could freeze time right now. My kids are so cute(naughty too!) but I am having such a good time playing with them, and watching them grow. It is going too fast, way too fast! I want to be there for every minute, every new thing they experience, every hard thing, every success, I don't want to miss anything. Since I can't freeze time, I am just trying to be present and soak them in.

Jack is DARLING! I have enjoyed him so much this year.Everything about him both in looks and personality. Jack is a lot like Stewart in many ways. The only times he gets upset are if he is tired and hungry (just like Stewart!) He is also like Stewart in that he is easy going, has a sense of humor, and loves to play(with others not much by himself, dang it!(-:) His favorite place to be is on my hip, and lately he wants to stay there all day. I adore his long eyelashes, his smile with all his teeth, being a show off, how he splashes like crazy in the bath, and how he chases and harasses the cats, how he loves to wrestle, how he follows me around the house like a puppy, how he loves Thatcher, and I LOVE how he smells. I could eat him. I really could. I absolutely adore him. Happy Birthday Jack- Your mommy loves you!

1 year dr's appt. stats
20% for weight
30%height
92% head(he's very bright!)

Sharing with mommy...

Jack's Train Cake..

He would sure make a cute girl!! :)

Playing with his new toys!!

Big brother helping out..

mmmmm!!! Dinosaurs!!

Reading Stories with Mommy

Thatcher showing off his muscles

Ninja milk

This morning I poured milk on my oatmeal and took a bite. It had a weird faint taste of grape punch. Then it hit me. "Thatcher did you pour grape punch into the milk?" I said. He just looked at me and shook his head no. I said " well it tastes like grape, why would it taste like grape?" Then the confession-he put his hands out exasperatedly, one raised eyebrow, shaking his head. "Mom" he started out slowly, "how else am I supposed to make Ninja milk?" Gross! I'm so NOT a fan of "Ninja milk." I don't think I am going to dare drink the milk anymore at our house. Who knows what else he will put in it! There are probably worse things then grape punch.......

Thatchers quote of the day

Today I ran into Ikea to quickly exchage something(30 mins later I was out of there - I hate that freaking place-hire some employees for your giant store!) Stewart took the kids across the street to see some horses while they were waiting. When I finally got into the car Thatcher said," I named one of the horses Sweetie!" Then he thought for a second and added very seriously, "but be careful because Sweetie almost bit my hand off!"

Fun Times!!

People always tell me they look alike, and I can never
see it but I can in this picture!

Doing it all by himself!

A few days before Matthew left.

Thatcher puts him in this toy dump truck

and pushes him around the house. Jack loves

it!

CUTE boys!

Christmas morning

Poor Jack got awakened by the other excited kids and yanked out

of bed on Christmas morning.

Jacks FAVORITE thing to do.... throw or suck on all the

dirty dishes! Yummy!

Madeline's gymnastic performance!Good job Maddie!

Jacks first time on Santas lap. He didn't cry

at all just looked confused.

Christmas

Halloween...a bit late :)

He is OBESSED with superhero p.j.s and still is attched to
the purple barbie blanket!

First time Thatcher wrote his name by himself!

Halloween Fun!

Elvis!

V Day

"All you need is love. Love lifts us up where we belong" -Moulin Rouge

Happy Valentines Day to all!

Madeline just asked me "do all holidays have mascots? Easter has the Easter bunny, and Christmas just depends on what you believe in, and Valentines day has hearts?" I guess so. I like how she called them mascots. Go team holiday! We had a really fun love day this year. I was able to help at Madeline's school on Friday for the class party. I went early to eat lunch with her. Kids are so funny, this girl sitting across from us wouldn't stop talking to me the WHOLE time. She told me the entire plot of Avatar, how her mom wins her grandma when they play games, and everything else under the sun. Then we went into her classroom and the kids played games, did crafts, and passed out valentines. I remember in elementary school how fun that was to get valentines. I loved making the mailboxes too.

My kids had a great day today getting Zu zu pets (pretend hamsters) from us, and more toys and candy from my parents. I love you Mom and Dad, and siblings you are the best!
I love you beautiful, smart Madeline! I love you my crazy buddy Thatcher! I could eat you up I love you so, Jack! I adore and love you Stew!

Love movies

Stew and I were trying to brain storm about good love movies for Valentines Day. We came up with a few 1- Moulin Rouge 2- Stranger than fiction 3-Stardust 4- Good will hunting 5-Love actually 6-About a boy ??? That's our list, what other ones did we forget? The first 3 just also happen to be my favorite movies, if you disagree then you have bad taste, because they are great!

Stew and I just got back from a very long, and great date. We dropped the kids off at the grandparents house, went to dinner at PF Changs and then to a movie. Four whole hours of calm and peaceful-Happy Valentines Day to us! Thanks mom and dad!

My kids are bouncing off the walls with all the sugar they've ingested over the past few days. I think they will be pooping red or pink dye for weeks to come.

Warts are deal breakers

Doing Valentine's with Thatcher last night, I teasingly asked him if there were any cute girls in his class? I totally thought he would get embarrassed or say no, but he didn't. He sat there and thought about it for a second, and then said " get out the class picture." I pulled it out and started pointing out and naming the girls( all of which are darling). I pointed to them one by one and he would look thoughtfully, wait a second and then say "yes" or " yeah she's pretty cute" then we came to one and he said smiling " wow, don't even get me thinking about her!" Then I pointed to another one cute one and he said disgustingly"Umm no, she has a wart!" Stewart and I died laughing! Thatcher is O.C.D. about cleanliness and hand washing. Sorry cute class mate, but I guess a wart is a deal breaker.

Thatcher is going to be trouble. Good looking, and already into the ladies. When he first started preschool this year I asked him if he was going to be o.k. He said "yes, as long as my teacher has a nice face." I think that I should probably have the talk about the inside mattering more than the outside. Happy Valentine's Day from my insides!

Ahhhhh....first love

I thought in honor of Valentines Day coming up, I would post a few blogs about love.
Number 1-First love.

Every day when I pick Madeline up from school, I immediately get a run down of the days love saga. I love it. I listen very seriously, and try my best to not crack a smile. I nod and say things like "are you kidding me" and "then what happened". It all started with Madeline hearing through the grapevine, that a boy named Stockton, had a crush on her. I mean come on who wouldn't! Then the story changed and became weeks of a pushy, annoying girl in her class, chasing him at recess and kissing him!! Of course Madeline was right there see every detail. Madeline would say to me disgustingly "can you believe her, she is breaking a school rule!" or "that is so unappropiate" (she hears me say inappropriate all the time). Then what happened after all the chasing and kissing? Was he totally annoyed with this girl, like we both were? No. Then the dagger-Brynn asked Stockton "if he loved her and wanted to marry her when he grew up." Guess what he said...... "yes"! Madeline said rolling her eyes,"then Brynn fainted." Oh the injustice of it all.

Boys....already loving the pushy girls, and the pushy girls stealing our boys!

First love. Poor Madeline is getting her first taste of love, disappointment, and pushy girls.

I tried to think of my first love. Lots of little crushes through the first years, but the longest was my husband. I first saw him across the playground, on his first day of school in 5th grade. He was wearing a weird, and very ugly cowboy tie. (He just moved from Colorado, so he was a strange mix of cowboy/skater). I quickly got over the clothes. Look at his beautiful face! The darn boy only wanted to play four square and ignore everything/everyone (like me) else. I'm not one of those annoying girls, so I waited. We were on the same debate team in 6th grade. Still nothing, so I waited. Then middle school- I patiently watched as he dated every pushy/slutty girl in the school and made-out with them before getting on the SAME bus as me, still I waited. High School- I remember coming around the corner of a hallway and almost walking into him. He had hit puberty over the summer, and was a MAN. His blond hair perfectly combed in a skater wave. Plus, he was wearing khakis and a button down shirt. Oh be still my heart! So I watched him more, but continued to wait. College-We both ended up at Snow College. Stewart asked me to dance at the dance the weekend before school started. We became inseparable from that point. FINALLY! My room mates would all say "are you sure you want to be with one person in college, college is for dating!" Are you kidding me! I've been waiting and waiting. Then a very long mission and I waited a long time more. Finally, Finally, Finally he actually came home! I didn't have to wait anymore! We got engaged and married.

I am so happy. I adore my husband. We have so much fun together! I'm so glad I was patient and waited and waited. It was meant to be-We're soul mates!

So Madeline, I hear you girl! Pushy girls and dumb boys are all part of it. You'll find your love, but for right now you'll just have to wait.

Dear Spring

Dear Spring,

I love you! I have missed you so much since you have been gone these last 6 months. I'm so happy that winter is packing up. I have missed your sunshine, running with you outside, green yards and plants, and the kids outside with you. I'm excited to get to know you again! We will be best friends!In fact, I have already started stalking you. Please come back soon or I will be in the loony bin. In fact, if you are late this year (like you were last year) just come and find me there, heavily medicated, in a straight jacket, sitting rocking in the corner mumbling nonsense. Please come soon....I am on the verge.....

New Blog!

Hey everyone!

I know, your all dying of shock right now, I have a blog! My sister Amy has done EVERYTHING
so I still don't know how to do anything. So this might be my first and last post!(-:

We put pictures up of our trip to Hawaii. It was the most relaxing best trips that we've ever been on. Well I should say after we got there. I took all 3 kids on the plane by myself which was HELL! Each kid had to go to the bathroom about 5 times each(I'm not kidding). I would be holding Jack and trying to take 1 kid to the bathroom and be watching the other fromt he back of the plane. Not fun. Once we got there it was so worth it! We went for 2 weeks and stayed in a house right on the beach. My whole family( except Micheal and his wife Kelly dang you guys!) came. It was a last trip before Matthew headed out on his mission. We had a total blast! At night right down the beach sea turtles would come up and sleep for the night. So freaking cute. We caught hermit crabs on the beach. There was lizards all over even one in my shower one day. My kids keep asking when we're going back they loved it! So enjoy all the photos, when I get a huge computer lesson I will add more updated ones of the kids.

Hawaii!!