My Lover

I am just rather in love with my hot hubby and thought I would take a second to share it with the world.  He works so hard and is so dedicated to us, his church calling and of course anyone who knows him would say his work!  Oh, and working out and eating right seem to have crept up on the list too.  

Tyler makes me feel beautiful.  He lets me know I am a good wife and mommy to our two amazing children.  Sometimes when he gets home my heart starts to beat really fast and I get butterflies in my tummy as if we were just beginning to date all over again.  All I want to do is run up to him and give him a giant hug and kiss.  

Tyler is my eternal companion and I honestly couldn't be happier with my choice!  

First Day of School

My little baby girl started Preschool yesterday. I did better than I expected, I didn't cry:) I just choked up as the teacher was walking Lucy through the morning routine. I think it is just knowing that somebody else will be seeing my baby grow and progress and I just get to hear about it later (hopefully).

Lucy will be going to school Tuesdays and Thursdays for 3 hours a day. She was so excited to start and now can't wait to go back to play with her friends tomorrow. I hesitated to send Lucy to two years of preschool, but she is so social I knew she would love the chance to interact with new friends. I think that after weighing the pros and cons, Lucy is one child that will benefit from the social and structured environment her preschool will provide for her. I will get over being away from her I am sure.

Below is Lucy sporting one of her new outfits (I can't believe I had to go school clothes shopping this year) and her new backpack. Doesn't she just look so old?!!!

And at home with mommy...Little buddy who is almost 15-months-old. He is my happy little guy who often sports my favorite outfit for any little baby, a white onesie!!! I took pictures of him this morning in his new favorite place, the bin his cars live in.

I can't get enough of his cheesy smile. He sees a camera and gives this face...sometimes I think it is a face only a mother could love, but oh how I LOVE IT!

Adorable Children

My friend Cassandra is getting back into photography. She used to have a business in Utah before her kids were born. Cassandra came over today and took pictures of Lucy and Thomas across the street at our lake. I think she captured how adorable my children really are. THANK YOU CASSANDRA!!! I owe you big!

Sister & Brother

All my life I wanted to have a baby boy first. I loved having an older brother! I always felt bad for people that didn't have an older brother to protect them. I felt they were missing out on something really special, like they were cheated out of a great thing. Maybe I just had such an amazing brother who made me feel cool:) This is me and Dane when we were going to school together at BYU-Idaho.

So it was a big surprise to me that when I found out I was having a girl first, I wasn't sad like I thought I would be. It just felt right. Now I know why. Baby brothers are lucky to have older sisters too!

I loved how once Thomas was born I could count on Lucy to run upstairs and and get a diaper for me when I was too tired. Or how Lucy sings to Thomas when he is sad. This week we had the opportunity to have the Battles' daughter, Anistyn, stay with us for a few nights while they were having their second ADORABLE baby, a little boy. Lucy and Anistyn both wore their big sister jammies. The nature of girls is just different. I believe Lucy is just wired to be a little second mommy to Thomas and I know he just adores her. It is amazing how things just work out you know.

Plus, I laugh knowing Thomas will soon be bigger than Lucy and will pick on his big sister like I was picked on by my big brother. He will also protect my little drama queen when she needs it, which may be a whole lot more than I did. And most importantly, I know Lucy loves her little brother just as much as I love my big brother. The picture above seriously makes me laugh out loud! Oh such happy memories!!!!!

Buddy Walks...sort of

Tonight we had a Pajama Movie Party. We do this a couple of times a month. We get our jammies on, make popcorn, put all the pillows on the floor and watch a movie. Today was How to Train Your Dragon, I LOVE this movie! After it was over and Lucy had got up to her play room, Tyler and I were just playing around with Buddy. He ended up taking 6 steps in a row. This is HUGE for him. The doctor told us he wouldn't walk till between 15 and 18 months because he has been quite slow in everything but getting bigger! He is currently 13 1/2 months old.

So here is my little buddy in his walking debut...too bad he doesn't want to do it anymore. Maybe he is just tired. I hope not because my back is KILLING me from his massive 30+ lbs (weighed 1 1/2 months ago so I am sure he is a bit more).

Pioneer Day Palooza

This morning we went to our Church Pioneer Day Palooza. Tyler was actually in charge of the whole event and it went GREAT! The Battles' helped us make the score boards last night while we watched a movie and they turned out quite professional if I do say so myself.

This is our family at the very end. Our blue face paint (we were on the blue team) was mostly washed off. I had awesome 80's blue eye shadow. Wish I got a better picture!

Tyler placed 2nd in the Pancake Eating contest for the Blue Team

Blue Team placed 2nd in the Truck Push. This was only because we realized later the left side of the parking lot was at a slight incline. We would have been first for sure otherwise!!! :)

Lucy watching the 3rd and 4th place teams in the Truck Push

Thomas has a little girlfriend!

Oh, did I mention our team took 1st place?! It was actually tied and came down to ' Rock Paper Scissors.' We call that pure talent!

Thomas the Tank Engine

I Just got done reading Lucy Thomas the Tank Engine as her bedtime story. After it was over she looked at me very concerned.

Lucy: I want to read about Lucy the train tomorrow

Me: Oh really, is that a book?

Lucy: Yes! Thomas will call me Lucy and we can be friends. Best friends!

Me: Okay, well maybe we can find a train named Lucy. What color would she be?

Lucy: Ummm....maybe blue or something.

Me: Well Thomas is blue and red, so maybe you can be pink and purple.

Lucy: I guess that would be okay. Maybe we could paint the blue train pink and purple or something. That should be a great good idea.

Me: That would be a good idea.

We talked like that for awhile longer and she ended up being happy about the whole thing. Apparently now I have to find some kind of train that I we can color pink and purple. It is hard to explain to a 3-year-old that not everybody has a cartoon train with their same name. Sigh...

Snow Day

Lucy has been asking to go to "the mountain" all winter long to play in the snow. The snow has been melting so fast these past couple of weeks, so last weekend we made the short trip up to our beloved Mt. Hood.

We ended up at Government Camp to go sledding. Lucy had a blast. Thomas was very indifferent. I think it is so funny how at times it is so hard to get a reaction of any kind out of him. But we love our little buddy!

No snow trip could be complete without some Hot Chocolate!

Karl Johnson Silhouettes

I am so excited for KARL JOHNSON to cut my kids silhouettes in June. He is making an appearance at Bridgeport and I just secured an appointment. There are a few spots still open if any of you live around here and want to do it too. Call Goodnight Room.

I will be sure to share my babies silhouettes with you. I honestly can't wait. I have been meaning to make them myself by tracing their shadows on the wall, but this is much easier and more exciting!

When I was in Heaven

Heaven is a very popular subject with Lucy. She loves to start sentences by saying "When I was in Heaven..." Usually this is followed by "you and daddy got married in the Temple," or "you lived with Mama Cindy." She loves hearing about how she used to live in heaven when I was her age.

Tonight, this was Lucy's prayer after a conversation about how she used to live in Heaven, and how she wants to live there again.

"Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this day.

Thank you that Grandma Bernice could die and go to Heaven,

and thank you that

Jesus could die and go to Heaven.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. Either way, it melted my heart and I had to share.

Buddy Gets Scared

Special Viewing Party

So this year for the Super Bowl we had friends over once again. We called it a Pot Luck with a Special Viewing Event to make ourselves feel a little better for doing it on a Sunday. This time a lot more people came and we had a full house of 30+. The funny thing is, Tyler and I don't watch the NFL. I would say that about 95% of our friends that came don't either. But what a great excuse to get together.

I said more than 30 people came. But did I happen to mention how 17 of these "people" were small children? After a couple hours of playing we couldn't ignore the pleas to watch How to Train your Dragon up in the playroom. But honestly, how cute is this?!

We had a ton of great food and even better company. You have got to love good friends!

Lucy wanted to dress up 'Tommy' today to look like a princess. I said that I didn't think Thomas wanted to be a princess because he was a boy. Lucy then replied so matter of fact, "well mom, Tommy does want to be a princess. But you can be the prince if you want."Lucy wanted me to take a picture of her 'mad face.' She was happy and giggly, but for some reason likes to look at pictures of herself being mad. She looked at this one for about a minute before wanting to take another. The girl makes me laugh!

Little Monsters

I was at Costco with the kids picking out new jammies. Lucy didn't understand why Thomas got all the cool pajamas. So after a little thought (I love her in girly things) I let her pick out one pair of 'boy jammies.' Of course she picked the monster ones. Now that we have them, I love putting them in their matching jammies. We have even done a few photo shoots with them. Poor Buddy, he just gets tossed around and clobered by his big sister and just smiles all the same.

I know the Holidays ended over a month ago, but my thinking is better late than never.

Zoo Lights with the Family

(We actually went with the Hornibrooks too, but I forgot my camera that night)

My mother had all her grandchildren over to decorate cookies. It got a little messy but what do you expect from 4 children 4-years-old and under.

Little Buddy likes frosting!

We acted out the Nativity at my parents Christmas Eve

Baby Jesus was a little big if you ask me:)

Who doesn't love the Meier & Frank monorail. I wish it still ran...so many memories!

Lucy made sure to ask for "Toy Story 3 and the doll house from Costco." She also added in that Buddy wanted the "Dragon Movie." (how to train you dragon).

Lucy was so excited to mail her letter to Santa!

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY makes omelette's as delicious as my dad!

She loved Thomas' toys!

Just what she always wanted

The 6:00a.m daze