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:)