A wonderful Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas. How quickly it goes....

For Christmas Eve we went to my Grandma Hendricks. I love traditions & I'm so glad that my kids get to have some of the ones that I did growing up. We always do the same thing; dinner, the nativity, & Christmas pajamas. Afterwards we always go over to my parents for egg nog & sprite and adult pjs!

After we returned home we had a surprise for the boys. We got them bunkbeds for Christmas & didn't know how to have them be a Christmas Present so we told them that Christmas Elves came on Christmas Eve & left them the bunk beds. THEY LOVED THEM!!! They giggled & were so excited! Last night we invited Gracie over for a sleepover on the bunkbeds. They were up until 11pm.

On Christmas we opened presents with our little family. I was so glad to see both boys being appreciate for the gifts they recieved. They started with stockings & didn't even remember they had any presents to open because they enjoyed their stocking stuffers so much. We had to remind them to keep opening presents...it was cute.

After lunch we headed to Rexburg for our annual prime rib dinner (YUMMY!!!). It was so fun to hang out & visit. The kids enjoyed rides behind the 4-wheeler, we watched old family Christmas Videos, the kids played & opened more presents...we were really spoiled.

How I'm sad to see if over but I'm excited to set new years resolutions & start a new year:):):)

The story of SANTA & two little boys!

(Caution....these pictures aren't very clear. They are a picture of a picture since my scanner isn't working. Double click on story to make it larger)

The Joy of Giving!

I appreciate the bell ringers of the Salvation Army. They've become such a part of our Christmas Season and a GREAT reminder for my kids to give.

Every store that has a bell ringer can expect Jaden to dig through my purse to produce something to give. Landon has caught onto this magic too! Unfortunately multiple stores can create a problem in one day if I haven't replenished my cash & change and the other day upon approaching Sams Club I saw Landon face light up...digging in my purse I was only able to product 2 pennies! Somewhat embarrassed I hoped that bell ringer didn't notice the small amount that Landon placed in his basket. I'm sure one day soon they'll have a credit/debit card swiper to take donations:)

I've noticed that the bell ringers really appreciate it when it's a child that is doing the giving....an important lesson at a young age. Today as Jaden and I went to Walgreens together the bell ringer quickly gave Jaden a candy cane & told him thank you. Jaden replied "can I get one for my brother Landon." I love it when he has his little brother in mind.

I haven't been a great picture taker this last month but here's some of the fun that we've been having.

Our Ginger Bread houses were really intended for a Monday night activity but a busy evening didn't leave enough time...we did let the boys pick out candy that evening.

The next day we invited Gracie over to make a small house. They really did a great job considering they were only 4. Landon did a great job of eating his as he went:)

Here's the new favorite house during the winter. Jenna & Matt's house is on a hill, therefore the kids have a place to sled that isn't too far from home. Jaden has spend several different days sledding down their hill. They think it's great. Maybe we'll have to try Jaden's ski's (getting them for Christmas...I'm going to start taking him skiing this year) on the hill.

A Tender Moment

Life is crazy, busy right now. I notice that my crazy life affects my childrens attitude and happiness.

That's why I'm grateful for a moment like I just had...especially because Jaden seldomly is tender and is almost always ALL BOY!

As we sat down for prayers Jaden gently grabbed my face and said "mom, you have pretty eyes". I instantly grabbed him in a big hug and told him that "you have beautiful eyes". I totally mean it too, I love his sparkly eyes. He informed me that his eyes were flat and that all kids had flat eyes...hmmm, not sure what that means. Then he proceeded to tell me again. His hands kept softly grabbing my face.

I have to cherish these tender moments:)

On to Christmas

It's amazing how quickly Thanksgiving comes & goes! Sometimes I think it gets lost in the rush to Christmas but I think it's such a great holiday to reflect on what we are thankful for....something that often gets forgotten in our busy lives.

This year we hosted Chris's family for thanksgiving. Since both sides of my family are very large we will probably never host them but his family is a much more manageable size for Thanksgiving.

Chris mom arrived on Tuesday, his brother on Wednesday, & his sister Thursday + their families. We've had a week full of visitors.

On Thanksgiving we of course ate, the guys played x-box, the kids played, & then we celebrated Chris's sister son's birthday (his b-day was last week).

The day after Thanksgiving we pulled out all the Christmas Decorations. I'm so glad that my kids find this task so enjoyeable, I really don't. It wasn't something I was looking forward too. Both of the boys were Giddy & Excited and Jaden literally put our tree together by himself. He's so smart! Landon danced in circles...so adorable!

Later that evening we headed to Rexburg for Santa, fireworks, & a chili dinner. All we had to do was bring a gift for each persons admittance. Beforehand we let Jaden pick out 4 toys at the store and although it was hard for him to realize these gifts weren't for him, it was such a good opportunity to show him how to share & think of others. The boys were freezing and ready to go home until the fireworks began. They love them! Landon kept saying "wow". Fireworks against a cold clear sky are really a neat site.

Now, I'm tired & sick but feel like I'm staying caught up & that's a GREAT feeling!

Reflection

I'm not any good at these types of posts but I have seriously had warm feelings this week & I know it's because my life is so blessed so here's my attempt to be grateful for my week. I decided only to reflect on my week because my life is so full & my list would never end.

My church and the knowledge that it brings. It's such a blessing to have such a foundation in my life. This blesses my life daily!

My Boys! Chris has been travelling the last 3 weeks (a fact I choose only to share after he's returned home). It's so nice to have his travelling done for the year and to see the excitement of the boys when he returns home; and we did sneak a visit in last week. These boys make my life full! (Landon in this pic just wasn't happy & we couldn't get a good one, but this one does reflect real life).

My parents! (Had to scan this pic in). My mother is such a good moral compass for me. This week I've had some worries & I really make the very best effort to be the best person that I can be. I call her so that she can help me & tell me if I'm wrong or right....I love it when she tells me I'm right:) It's a relief to know that she's such a fair person. My dad loves to spoil his family! We feel his love all the time.

Great friends! This week has been so busy. I've realized that with Chris gone I only spent one night without someone at my house keeping me company. The party on Wednesday was such a success that instead of it ending at 8:30 pm it ended after 10pm. And I got to enjoy Friday with friends again celebrating a Birthday and going to NEW MOON (so good btw).

My sisters! Can I just say I LOVE THEM! I love having Jenna live here and to Britt, you just need to move closer. This week Britt found tickets to Atlanta for a fabulous price. We were all ready to jump on them but wanted to check with sister-in-laws. In the mean time they shot up WAY high! I'm sure it's because we are supposed to wait and purchase them at even a cheaper price...so on this one, I'm grateful they are going to be cheaper:) We are going to get them and have a fun girls week in a warmer climate!

These are just a few of my blessings that I'm grateful for!

Do you Need a GIRLS NIGHT OUT!!!!

Hey Ladies! Do you need a night out???

I have just what you need. GLITTER TOES!!!!

If you haven't heard of Glitter Toes they are NEW to Idaho Falls. It's a gel application dried under infared lights. They last for about 6-8 weeks. You can also have these done on your fingernails. For this party ONLY she'll be doing them for 1/2 off, $12.

This next Wednesday I'm hosting a party at my house and all are invited. I've blurred out my address on the invite, if you'd like to come & don't know where I live, leave a comment with your email address and I'll email you where I live.

AND THERE'S MORE! Tons of hair product at up to 40% off. PLUS free facials! There will also be discounted makeup and facial products.

The Glitter Toe Specialist is Amanda Burke (she's trained in hair & nails). Jenna Johnson (also trained) will assist. If it's slow Jenna will bring her wax pot and do waxing $5-10.

Katie Parker will be doing the facials and will have product to purchase.

AND we may have found someone to do massages. We think she'll do them for FREE or at a very discounted price. She's super good and it using this as a way to build up her business. She'll even have her chair here.

That's a lot of pampering at one location so it will be LOTS OF FUN!

Treat a friend to a girls night....I think it'd be a great Christmas Present. We all need some pampering this time of year.

Ice Pop

Jaden...how do I even describe this boy.

A boy whose mind runs non-stop, who has an unlimited amount of energy, stubborn, determined, just to name a few.

Jaden gets to pick out a movie on Friday nights. He's picked "Sid, the science kid" the last couple of times. Today we had to make 'Ice Pops' and I couldn't figure out where Jaden was getting this from (it was from Sid, the science kid". I watched as he made them. A cup, banana, put the stick in the banana so it will hold in place, pour juice over the top, and freeze. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Sometimes Jaden's non-stop thinking along with his stubbornness & unwillingness to listen worries and overwhelms me.

Even as a young baby his Doctor could see this & told us if we could steer his energy in the right direction he can be anything that he wants to be. She also told us not to stifle it.

A couple weeks ago at Church Chris got up and bore his testimony. Jaden ran after him. I didn't know what to do & wondered if it would be more disruptive for me to go and grab him or let him be. Afterward a lady grabbed me and told me that she just loves his personality and kept talking about him....I kind of was embarrassed & nodded and smiled. This Sunday we sat in front of them and they witnessed his need for stimulation the entire meeting. Puzzles are key for both my boys. At the end of sacrament meeting she told me that she loves watching both boys. That they remind her so much of her boys (she has 3 of them) when they were that age and that no one could understand that kind of energy & need for stimulation. She told me that teachers would probably tell me they can't focus & that they had problems but she said to ignore them. That her boys are extremely smart and that her oldest is a physicist and will be going to medical school. She said that she can tell that my boys are extremely bright & that if I ever needed someone to talk to, to give her a call. She'd also like to spend some time with Jaden...that she doesn't have grandkids yet and that she just loves him.

I wasn't sure if Landon would be like Jaden...part of me worried about having the energy to have TWO Jaden's. I'm starting to see Landon need stimulation; he's starting puzzles, trying to figure how things work. I know they are both VERY smart but then I worry I think that because I am there mom...we are supposed to think our kids are smart.

I'm crossing my fingers she's right. That they are BRIGHT and that is where all this energy comes from. Our home is always entertaining and full of energy!

health care...scary!

As the house nears a vote on the Health Care bill, I'm worried. I'll admit I haven't followed & read this bill the way I should....I think I'm too fearful to know what it really is. I'm worried this bill doesn't have the foundation that it needs to work and I'm worried our Nation is creating a HUGE motivation not to work and be successful.

First off, I need to mention that our family is very blessed. All of our needs are provided for so I know that my views reflect where our family is and I know there are hard working individuals that needs government assistance...hopefully for a short time only.

Last week we had to select our benefits for next year. This is a task and I wish I had a crystal ball that could see into the future to see what our health care needs will be. We had a choice of benefits for a monthly premium of $200, 300, or $400. Obviously the higher the premium, the better the benefits. We as a family use our benefits VERY little. When I'm pregnant that is when we use them the most. As we read through our benefits I asked Chris "when are you ready to have another baby". We decided last week that we will get pregnant later next year but have the baby in 2011..I like to plan, we'll see if our plan works out:). That way, we could save $200 a month by selecting the cheapest premium.

This week I also had an eye doctor appointment. I ran out of contacts...I had to wear my glasses for a week because I was one week away from my year mark for benefits from the last time I went to the eye doctor. As I went to pay I was disappointed with the many fees. I have insurance but it sure didn't feel like it by the time I walked out of the office.

So later in the week I was telling my mom that our benefits are deciding our future & that it's kind of sad. That we literally have planned what month we'll get pregnant, which month we'll pick up AFLAC, & so forth. My mom's reply was "Kimri, it's only going to get worse."

I don't have an answer for our country's problems. I sure wish I did BUT I do think that the answer isn't motivation for the poor to remain poor. HARD WORK is one of the answers amongst so many others. Thankfully I am surrounded by hard workers, motivated individuals but I've seen so many that aren't and it's a frustrating thing. So many receiving all the FREE benefits that go to the doctor for frivolous things. I do think a co-pay to those free benefits would help...maybe only $5. Just enough to encourage wise visits to the doctors.

When I saw the unemployment rate I was saddened. What a shocking number. How grateful I am that my husband has a job...appreciate employment! I hope we see this number decrease and quickly. I hope we can see an increase in jobs, employers motivated to hire, and less LAZY workers.

Again, I have to finish and but thankfully our family is still thriving despite all of this and I do hope that at some point in our lives we'll have the resources to help those hard workers that just can't quite make it. I'd personally like to choose who my tax dollars go to. I'm anxious to see what bills pass this next week.

Our Halloween-filled week!

It was a busy week but a fun one full of memories!

Monday for FHE we had dinner in a pumpkin & Jaden got to carve a pumpkin. Jaden had so much fun carving his "jack a latern" (he used that word, not pumpkin.) You can see how proud her was.

On Wednesday was Jaden's last indoor soccer game. His entire team was a year older then him & they were really good. They won every game. This was his last game & they let anyone come on the field for the first 15 minutes. We took Landon out to kick the ball & it was fun to get to kick it back & forth to Jaden.


Thursday we were supposed to go to a party at our friends house but her little girl got sick so instead we went to "boo at the zoo". We took her little boy because he was so sad that Jaden wasn't coming to the party. It was a COLD evening! We were ready to go home by the end.
On Friday we had our Ward Carnival & Trunk o' treat. Yes, we are crayons...they were intended for our Thursday night party & when we didn't end up wearing them I insisted we wear them to this. The boys had a blast & the evening was much warmer. Jaden circled the parking lot over & over.

Saturday before we went Trick or treating we made Root Beer. Yum! We went with Gracie & Easton & they ran from house to house with a little bit encouragement from me:) My boys have been eating candy since...they are addicted.

I hope you had a great week too! I'm getting excited for the holidays!

Landon loves the SNOW

But I don't...brrrrrrr!!!!!!!

Investing

I'm sure all of us try to make good investing decisions to maximize every dollar we have. Sometimes we make mistakes & sometimes we succeed. Today I discovered (why it took me this long to figure out, I don't know) how to maximize my money to the fullest!

FAMILY!!!!

The reason I came to this realization today was because of two items that came in the mail...I'll back up & begin with my first point.

About a month ago my sister Brittney that lives in Atlanta asked me to grab some items at the craft store here & mail them to her for a super Saturday. A whopping $13.87 later including shipping the items were on their way to Atlanta. Today, a check of $13.87 & a $10 gift card to Jamba Juice.

Last week my mom, Jenna, & I canned at my house. To avoid too many cooks in the kitchen my mom shampooed my house & Jenna's. Knowing my mom & the fact that she wouldn't let us pay for the shampooer (even though it didn't even clean her carpets) & I thought'd I'd outsmart her. If the shampooer is returned clean you get a $20 deposit back. So instead of giving my mom $20 in cash I gave her a $50 check for the shampooer; I was holding the $20 ransom in the check. Today, $30 cash came in the mail.

Then I started reflecting on how this is an ongoing occurance in my family. It even involves the in-laws. A couple of weeks ago my sister-in-law Dianna argued on the phone about money. I photoshoped some stuff for her. She thought that I should be paid for my time...REALLY! I'm not professional...not even close. I'd be embarrassed to take money. We resolved this problem with her cutting a board for me.

And I think the best investments would be with my dad. I never invest any money & somehow it spews back out.

Sheesh...so my point is; invest with my family. The return is endless!!!

laughing all the way!

I realize I miss out on opportunities of documenting some of the funny things that Jaden says. Chris and I just laugh at the things he comes up with and I want to make sure I document all of them the best I can. I've realized that Jaden's mind never stops...he's constantly thinking about something and he has an amazing memory and recalls things from when he was very small. He doesn't pronunciate well and I sometimes wonder if it's because his mind is moving so fast that his mouth gets confused.

On Thursday morning we headed to Utah and here's some of the funny things he said on the drive & through out our stay.
-When we lived in Washington we took Jaden to chuckee cheese a couple of times. He was very young but he remembers & can I just say we passed about 5 of those in Utah and every time he shouted in excitement. Sadly, we didn't take him while we were there.
-He noticed ALL the letters on the mountains & wanted to know what they stood for.
-We told him we had to come home today because he had cousins coming to visit (Wyatt.) He really wanted to stay & play in Utah. When we told him that he was going to miss out playing with Gracie & Wyatt he said that Gracie needed to come to Utah to see her grandma Johnson & that he'd wait for her.
-He thinks his 15 year old cousin Anthony is his buddy & kept asking where his buddy was.
-Walking out of our hotel we passed an older couple. He went up to them & asked them if they lived there. He then asked them not to take his room....he loves hotel rooms.
-He loves CARDS & at every store he shopped in he had to get a gift card. He's now got a Nordstrom, Old Navy, and a room key.
-Re-entering Idaho we showed him the sign that showed we were in Idaho. A couple signs later he saw a sign and said "That sign says 'Idaho Falls, a long way away."
-Jaden really wanted to roll his window down on the way home. Chris told him that if we did it might suck Landon out of the car. Jaden said that Landon was buckled but Chris informed him he could still be sucked out of the car. Jaden then asked Chris if they could go home & drop Landon off so that they could roll the window down.
-Jaden loves the phrase "that's a good idea" or "I have a good idea." We heard that all weekend.
-Passing Lagoon he said "Grandma Murphy needs to come visit so that she can go to Lagoon with us".
-When we were pulling into town I called my mom to find out where all the family was (my brother Jeff & Cory plus families came into town this weekend) and Wyatt wanted to talk to Jaden on the phone. Wyatt insisted to Jaden that he was at his house but they were really at Jenna's. Jaden was so angry when we didn't go home & said that Wyatt said they were at his house. When we pulled up Wyatt & Jaden gave eachother a good tackle:)

I'm sure there are so many I'm forgetting but I've got to go play with family. Only took a short blogging break while my washer is going! Have a great weekend!

stalker....

So Chris recently got a gmail account. I didn't think anything of it until a lot of my posts are now signed with his name because it remains logged in. Sometimes I catch it and leave a follow up post telling them who I am, sometimes I don't....so you might find comments from a Chris and get nervous. It's not a stalker, it's just me hurrying to fast to notice the details:) I never sign my name but I'll try to make a conscious effort just in case. Hopefully no ones been rattling their brain to figure out who their new friend Chris is.

grandma DAY

My mom tries to do grandma days every so often. Landon typically doesn't get to go because she takes the kids for the full day (there's 3 of them) and Landon needs a nap plus that's a lot of kids to take to fun places by yourself.

Yesterday as our handyman started into our upstairs bathrooms I realized that Landon wouldn't be able to take a nap anyways & really didn't want to hang out with him all day so Landon and I decided to join them on their grandma day. (BTW, bathrooms are still not done...sheesh!)

We went to Bear World. I'm so glad that Landon got to go because he had the funnest although all the kids had a blast. We of course toured the park & the kids got to see lots of animals including the bears. Then afterwards we went & watched them feed the baby cubs & walked around & then they went on the rides. There were only a couple of other kids so they got to chose which rides to go on. Landon laughed so LOUD the entire time and screamed when I pulled him off a ride. He thought they were the greatest.

One quick little story...when we were driving & seeing the animals I of course had to tease everyone & tell them the bears were hungry and that we needed to feed them someone. As I listed everyones name someone would have a reason why they couldn't be the one fed to the bear. Finally they settled on me but of course Jaden said the bears couldn't eat his mom so I said "how about grandma." Jaden with his tender heart said, "mom, she's your mom, you don't want to feed her to the bears." So apparently we all loved each other to much to feed anyone of us to the bears.

I'm so grateful for such a fun grandma for my kids. The kids are already calling dibs on where they'd like to go next. Gracie votes for Leo's Place but Jaden informed them that they need to check out Blast Off.

picking a pumpkin

We hoped to grow our own pumpkin patch this year but our poor garden produced very little. We ended up with a small pumkin & I knew that wasn't going to do so last night we went to the pumpkin patch to let the boys pick out pumpkins.

I really didn't want to go...I should mention I should be named the BEST sister ever!!!! I cleaned out Jenna's spider room aka. storage room in her new house. The dust that I stirred up coated me & all I wanted to do was take a shower & curl up by the fire. I was at her house all day & figured I should make myself useful (getting new countertops in all my bathrooms, pictures to come soon...he's taking so long, I have to leave again today.)

So anyways I shook off my lack of desire to stay at home and I'm so glad I did. There was a chill in the air but they boys didn't seem to notice & they covered every inch of the pumpkin patch. They ran, laughed, Landon loved running down the little hills yelling "ready, set, go" although he did more of the voice influctions then actually saying the words. We all can understand our childrens languages:)

So the mud from the patch added to the dust that coated my body but it was a FUN night and it creates memories, right????

our LANDON

I just have to write about Landon. He's a little more shy, a little more reserved, and takes a while to warm up to people but when he does....he's so much fun!!!!

Since our mornings are just him and I, I'm really starting to get to see his personality better. He's not overshadowed by his loud, older brother. He loves to get my attention and he loves me just to hold him and giggle with him.

There is a down side to this little guy and it's that he's learning to throw tempers. Yesterday we were at Porter's and he wanted to play with a toy and I wouldn't let him. He happened to be holding a calculator and threw it at my head....ow!!! I didn't know they start that at this age.

That said, he's giggling in the background, making funny noises and trying to get my attention so I'll cut this short.

His new favorite show (I try to limit but let him watch one episode while I clean up breakfast) is Backyardigans. This picture is captured of him watching his episode this morning. He laughs & giggles as he watches his cartoon. This little one is growing up but still has the cuddly side of a baby. I love you buddy!

our JADEN

We like to call Jaden unique because of some of the "unique" things that he does. Two days ago I was at Smith's getting groceries and I grabbed a couple of luncheables. I don't like purchasing items like this because my boys think they need to eat them all at once....so these are a treat. As we got home of course Jaden started opening the boxes. BUT then he saved the last box, he opened it, tucked everything back inside, grabbed blue painters tape (we're out of scotch tape) and taped the box shut & informed me that he was going to take it to preschool the next day.

At his preschool they do breakfast every morning. They want to make sure all the kids are on equal footing in the morning. I've always just paid for Jaden to eat there & I thought that was the COOL thing to do:) Apparently it's not & Jaden insisted on taking his luncheable for breakfast. He came home & was very sad because his teachers threw away his lunch box (the luncheables box). I then realized that some of the kids must be taking their own breakfast so I told Jaden we would go & buy him a lunch box for school if that's what he really wanted.

After much debate Jaden finally settled on which lunch box he'd wanted. Of course, it was the ONLY one that wasn't on clearance. Home we came & that thing followed him everywhere & it's all he could talk about.

This morning when he woke up he appeared in my bathroom where I was getting ready only wearing his underwear and holding his lunch box & proclaiming loudly "Hi mom." He usually doesn't wake up this chipper but he had something to look forward to. So we filled his lunch box with yogurt & berries AND his treats from soccer last night. He insisted on saving them for his lunch box...treats for breakfast???? I don't know! At least they were treats he'd already would have eaten.

AND to reinforce my "unique boy" he's been wearing this wrist band for 3 months. Original color...GREEN! Now, it's white. I've begged him to let me take it off & he insists that I don't. I only hope that one day soon it will break off. It is WAY too strong.

This boy makes me laugh and sometimes scream. He's definately "unique" and that's what makes him Jaden.

trying something new

My boys went bowling for the first time yesterday....I think we might have taken Jaden once when he was really little & it didn't go too well!

With football season in full swing we'll be doing some of our Saturday activities without Chris. My mom & I took Jaden & Landon to the Rex to try out bowling.

Jaden enjoyed every minute of it and was such a good helper with Landon. Landon would crouch on the floor & push the ball & then Jaden would give it a harder push. What a great team they were....I think nothing makes a mom happier then watching her kids having fun!

I Remember.....

I remember 9/11 so well & vividly. That day really had an impact on my life but I do fear as the years go on the memory will not be as well remembered & I don't want to forget that day!

Today as a flag was placed in our yard Chris & I both turned to eachother & said we could remember that day as if it were yesterday. I honestly admit that I really didn't keep up well with World Issues and I didn't know who Osama Bin Laden was.

Chris and I had only been married a couple of months & I woke up the morning to get ready for work....a job I only had worked at for a week; I was in training. As I was driving to work I heard something about a plane hitting the world trade center but it was still early & there weren't a lot of details so I arrived at work not being super alarmed. As the day progressed the girl training me and I watched the details unfold on the internet. I have a very good work ethic & normally this wouldn't be something that I'd be doing ALL day but on this particular day I couldn't do anything else. I conversed with my new fellow co-workers and continued to learn more about Osama and his history. I really can't say I learned anything about my job that day but I learned a lot about history.

That evening we went over to our friends parents house...our friends were house sitting. We continued to watch the coverage and my heart worried for those survivors who were trapped & would probably never get out. The coverage of individuals jumping out of windows was gut wrenching & then to wrap my mind around how this act was possible. Each detail was mind boggling of the exactness that had to take place to cause this event to occur...but then to realize in relief that the plan was much bigger & that it could have been worse. We ended up in the hottub conversing some more and trying to take it all in.

I'm grateful for this country & I pray for the victims family. What a difficult day to remember. This day encouraged me to be more knowledgeable, more caring, more grateful.

Tonight I get a happy night. A girls weekend...a needed retreat from my motherly responsibilities. Hopefully I'll be more refreshed & a better mom:):):)

the birthday that keeps on going....

Happy Birthday Chris!!!!

We've been celebrating Chris's birthday since last friday.

On friday Chris went golfing with his buddies

Saturday was an all day celebration. In the morning he went fishing with my brother & dad where my brother caught this wopper.

In the evening Chris invited his buddies over for the BYU game and we tried to surprise him with all his favorite foods before we left to the fair. We had his favorite drinks (powerade zero) his favorite cake, and his favorite dips. Chris said the sight of all that powerade zero made him very happy.

Monday was of course his favorite day because my mom came & watched the kids and he got to go out with me...it doesn't get better then that:) We spent hours shopping only to make a quick stop for cold stone...YUM!!! We set out to spend a lot of money; kind of a bad mentality but we were in the mood for some serious clothes shopping & came home almost completely empty handed. Sheesh...apparently the money will be better spent elsewherre.

And today the boys threw him a birthday party. Jaden LOVE birthdays and was wound up all day in excitement for daddy to get home. He decorated, ate carmel off the top of Chris carmel/apple cake, helped cook dinner, & wrapped some presents. This party was almost 100% put on by Jaden. He told us what to do & when to do it. While we were preparing for Chris's party Jaden said he needed to do one more present & ran downstairs to our food storage & brought up two jars of peanut butter. He told me he was going to give these to daddy so that they could make peanut butter cookies together; they started this tradition just this Sunday & apparently Jaden wants to keep it. Landon, still a little new to the birthday party scene kept giggling, running in circles, & giving Chris fist bumps.

So hopefully Chris will remember this ongoing celebration when my birthday comes...I'm going to needs some major fun since I'm getting so OLD!

MixEd emotions

Ah...the first day of preschool. Jaden has looked forward to this for weeks. He's been so excited to see his teachers, his friends, and learn. As summer was coming to an end I could see that he was ready for the structure that school provided BUT I was also a little sad. This is his last year of pre-school and next year is kindergarten.

This morning I feel a little lonely since I don't have my FULL of energy guy by my side but I am finding myself accomplishing so much more and most important...spending one-on-one time with Landon. I'm sure all moms feels this way but I often feel guilty for the lack of time that I spend with Landon one-on-one. When Jaden was his age I didn't have any other kids & every activity was focused on him and what he was able to do at that age. We had play dates EVERY day & we did fun activites EVERY day. Landon tags along on the activities that Jaden's doing so I view this preschool time as a blessing for Landon and I...to focus on him and the things that he enjoys. Unfortunately today Landon is TIRED and I laid him down for an early nap. Tomorrow is all about you Landon.

So here's my mixed emotion post of about my two boys that I love so much!

Fair FUN

Today my mom & I took the boys to the Eastern Idaho State fair & boy did they have FUN! At first I felt bad for Landon because he wasn't tall enough for any of the rides but by the end we found a fantastic play area in the AG area that had corn boxes to play in plus a bunch of other little kid appropriate activities. Jaden rode a ton of rides and got more & more excited as we went to the next rides. He was able to ride every ride that he wanted to except one because he wasn't tall enough. He also played one of the games and won a price. That boy couldn't stop grinning.

I'm so grateful they both were happy despite Landon missing his nap. I love fairs but it made me really miss the fair back in Washington. It's worth a trip just to go:)

I hope everyone is enjoying their labor day weekend! I'm already tired:)

fun RUN

Landon woke up at 6:30am & he was the happiest little boy EVER....until we went to the fun run. As we arrive Landon suddenly was very tired & Jaden wanted nothing to do with his shoes. After registration, some fun on the blow toys, a meltdown by Jaden, the race finally began. Originally we were going to let Landon try to run some of it but he was so tired & was completely content making the journey in his car.

I was worried Jaden would forget what he was doing (his mind moves a million miles a minute & staying on task is difficult for him) and that is kind of what happened. He came in almost last because he'd get distracted along the way including a LONG drink break. He also thought that he should include hurdles in the event & hurdled many of the cones.

It was fun because we also had some friends with kids running too. It was fun to see Jaden converse with his friends before the race about what was going to happen. At the end of the race was prices & yummy treats!!!

water=a dead cell phone

We just got back from Rigby Lake. A beautiful day & many kids being back in school made it a perfect time to go. We went with our friends Jenn, Emily, & Griffin.

Jaden & Emily had so much fun swimming & eventually Jaden informed me he didn't want to wear his life jacket. I told him that was fine AS LONG as he didn't go in the water. He could build sand castles. He agreed & him & Emily went off with some new found friends building sand castles. Landon built his own sand castles & I continually cast my eyes between the two making sure they were ok until eventually I saw Jaden floating out on a log. At first...I was ok because he was still in water shallow enough that it wasn't over his head & I told him to come back. Slowly, he floats out further so I near the water to tell him to kick his way back...not successful so I decide I'm going to walk around to the Island...the side he's closer to. As I'm walking my swimsuit stap comes undone (the only one holding up my suit). I'm trying to fix this as I'm walking & glance back to check on Jaden only to see that he's let go of the log & that he's drowning. Fear of flashing everyone and the fact that I still had my shorts on with my cell phone aside, I went running into the water to Jaden's rescue. Thankfully the little guy did great at kicking & I was able to see enough of his head to find him & pull him to safety. So...I'm not sure if I flashed everyone, that thought left my mind as I ran BUT my cell did not survive. THANKFULLY THE MOST IMPORTANT DID SURVIVE...JADEN!

gone FISHING

Yesterday Jaden got to go fishing with grandpa....something he's been wanting to do all week. Even though Grandpa was busy & probably would have preferred more grown up fishing he took Jaden & Chris to a little pond. Jaden caught a LITTLE, tiny, fish but you can see how happy & excited he was.

beach fun

So....last summer I went to Rigby Lake. There was sand & dirt everywhere and I didn't enjoy myself so I've hesitated to return...I'm so glad I did.

They've made huge improvements, now charge a small fee to enter, & it was a GREAT experience. I wish I had made this realization earlier in the summer because I think we would have made a lot more trips.

The boys had so much fun & Jaden fear of water is pretty much gone. NOW I can finally put him in swim lessons....yay!!!! Sand castles & swimming made for some really happy boys. Thanks Jenna & kids for joining us for all the fun. We definately need to do it again before the summer is gone.

goodness!

Yesterday my friend and I created homeade yogurt. Something healthy for the belly & something my kids LOVE. This fat free, sugar-free, honey flavored yogurt just makes me feel GOOD.

Now I should mention that I didn't really help create it as Jaden corrected me this morning...I asked him if he liked the yogurt that Jenn and I made, Jaden said "mom, Jenn made it while we went to Will's house." That in fact was a true statement although I did make it to Jenn's to watch her stir the yogurt. That's a contribution of some sort:)

Topped with homeade, low fat, sugar-free granola & blueberries my kids couldn't eat enough this morning.

AND here is a favorite sight of mine. My two boys enjoying each others company.

AND meet Jaden...the worm. Jaden so happily named him after himself. Jaden & Landon made a sandcastle so he's have a home. Aren't my boys so thoughtful???

how the TIME flies!!!!

This little cutie turned 18 months this month. He's turned into a stubborn little guy & I definately give into his demands...he's too cute not to.

He loves to play in the sand box & my car, push buttons, turn on light switches, remove batteries out of remotes, drag food all over the house, open doors, climb up & down the stairs (with the help of the railings of course) & find creative forms of entertainments AND he LOVES to eat...although he's starting to spit out the veggies...darn!!! He used to eat anything.

He has also makes LOTS of loud noises & most of the time they are squels of delight!

I love you Landon!!!! You are a blessing in our home!

shadow...

Today at the park I was snapping pictures of the kids....I was tired & looked on the ground to see my shadow. It then brought to my mind that sometimes we do feel like a shadow & that our needs come after everyone elses.

To go backwards our summer has been busy but SO fun! August had really slowed down & it's actually been a sad realization for me to know that summer is coming to an end. This week as I've cleaned up, entertained, & taken care of all the daily activities that must be attended to I wasn't too excited to realize how many more floors I would scrub in my life time, toilets I'd clean, food I'd cook, you get the point. It easy to forget about those things when you are out playing & spending little time at home. Probably where my greatest challenge at this time is my "momma's boys". It was a "momma's boy" but Jaden has decided that he too needs mom with him ALL the time. If I leave he goes hysterical...he's fine if he knows I'm at home but if he thinks I'm leaving he's an unhappy boy.

To top it all off, I'm trying to lose weight. It's an endless battle...again my battle seems to take a backseat to my boys needs since Landon refuses to go to the gyms daycare. Today, I tried to combine excercise with fun by riding my bike to the park...I was so tempted half way through to stop at the school playground since it was so much closer & my tired state REALLY wanted to stop. Yesterday after weighing myself; first time in two months & I was disappointed to realize that I've only lost 2 pounds...that 2 pounds in TWO months. Sigh....So I've decided that FAT should be beautiful & HEALTHY too. I just need to change the way that doctors think & then I don't have to feel guilty for the yummy brownie I enjoyed last night.

So now, Landons in bed, Jaden's playing by himself, and I'm taking a moment for myself to eat a yummy green salad that my friend made.

I sCreAm

You scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM.

Don't ya think my boys are loving their ice cream despite brain freezes...they just kept on eating.

{sunny fun day}

oh the fun at the spray park...Jaden no longer scared...good friends....carousel rides...beautiful day...food...landon running away...what could be better?

My boys are just the cutest

These boys make me smile everyday by the cute things they do.

Jaden decided on Wednesday that he was going to have a campout this weekend & he planned it all himself. He informed me that we were going to setup the tent & that him & daddy were going to be sleeping in it. He also told me that he was going to roast hot dogs & marshmellows on the grill & that I needed to borrow the hot dog sticks from grandma. Yesterday he told me he needed to call Gracie...so he did & he informed her that she was invited & let her know all the plans. So Gracie & Easton came to join Jaden's fun & they had a lot of fun roasting their hot dogs on the BBQ. After they left at 7pm I took Jaden shopping for some clothes before he starts pre-school again. It was fun just to have me & Jaden time....we were out until almost 10pm. Landon's a little sick & didn't enjoy the campout as much as everyone else.