6 years ago today.....

I was in the hospital and had just delivered a beautiful, 8 lbs 9 oz, 22 inches long baby boy. I told Chris I wanted to re-live that moment over and over because it was so amazing (I have since said this about all my childrens births and am so sad that they are all over).

Jaden made me a mother so we of course had lots of celebrating....I'm very tired and am kind of glad we are all done with the celebrating!

On Sunday we celebrated with a family party at my parents. Some of Jaden's best friends are his cousins and they had a lot of fun playing crochet, jumping on the tramp, running around, and playing in the ditch in a boat they made out of a sand box top...kids are so funny! We also gave him his presents from us and he got golf clubs that match Chris's (in the Jr. size) so that the two of them can go golfing together. They are going on Saturday and Jaden is EXCITED!

About a week ago Jaden told me that he wanted a special breakfast for his birthday. I started inquiring what would he would consider special. He mentioned pop tarts (we never eat these kinds of foods for breakfast) and I was relieved because Landon has speech on Tuesday at 8:30am and it takes about every minute of my time getting everyone ready and there on time. I thought I would also add chocolate milk and a gogurt. When Jaden woke up and saw his breakfast he said "mom, there isn't one healthy thing for breakfast. Next year you need to make me waffles (I make whole-wheat) with whipped cream and a candle on top and a piece of celery on the side." I love his desire be healthy. He ate his breakfast anyways and I was relieved I didn't have to find something else since I didn't have time.

He also woke up asking me if I could tell that he was now taller.

During Landon's speech Jaden and I almost always go on a walk for the 45 minutes. We did this today and we both love to do it. The girls are in the stroller sleeping and Jaden and I spend the whole time walking and talking. We always go into Mountain View hospital for him to get a drink half way through and I'm really starting to enjoy this special time together. He always sets the pace & where we should walk too. I'm glad we got to do this on his birthday.

Later in the day Jaden celebrated with his friends. It was a little crazy with so many little ones but a lot of fun. I get a kick out of Jadens friends and some of the things they say. We did a Shark, Water themed party and they spent most of the time playing in the water but we also played shark bite & broke a pinata.

After Chris got home we took Jaden to dinner. He loves to go out and eat and he was sure to remind let everyone know that he was now six. Him and Landon enjoyed chocolate ice cream for dessert and they even saved some on their faces for later. They came home and we lit fireworks since Jaden LOVES to do this. Have two boys close in age is a lot of fun...especially for doing boys things. They ended the firework show wrestling.

We love you Jaden and hope you had a special day!!!!

a wonderful day...........

I had to keep reminding myself that it was fathers day & not mothers day because I kept thinking it was my special day.

I should have Chris write this post because I'm sure he has some tender feelings from this day.

Our little girls were blessed today & each given a beautiful blessing by Chris. We've had an amazing weekend with family (all my siblings & their families are here) but I knew it would take too much time to blog & I wanted to get these tender thought down before they were a distant memory.

Alisha was blessed first. She cried a little bit at the beginning but then quickly calmed down as the blessing began. I wish I could have recorded each one.

Eliza was calm the whole time & even grabbed my brother Travis's finger during the blessing. He thought that was really neat.

Although each blessing was completely different there were two things in both of them that caught my attention. The first being that Chris blessed them to follow my example...this didn't touch me because I'm a perfect example BUT was a reminder to me that I needed to be the best example to all my children that I could possibly be. They've been entrusted to my care (see why it feels a little bit like mothers day). The second thing was the bond they were blessed with, with each other. I can't even imagine how amazing this'll be for each of them. I hope & pray they'll be each others best friend & that they'll be a strength to one another.

Chris has been gone for two weeks including the weekend & I haven't felt like I had a lot of time to really snuggle the girls. After taking a short nap with them I held & smelled them for a couple of hours. It was a dream.

Right after the blessing everyone came over for lunch. With the twins there are now 17 grandchildren & they all LOVE each other. During lunch the girls were tuckered out & took a nap but Alisha did wake up at the end to join the party. Our family loves spending time together & we had a great time.

Once everyone left we took a moment to celebrate fathers day with daddy! The boys were excited to give daddy their gift. It was golf clubs, a bag of tees that said he was "tee-rific" and a golf pass. Since Chris and my dad golf together my dad also got a bag of tees with the same saying and a game of golf.

Although we didn't spend the whole day focused on fatherhood I am so grateful for the fathers in my life & the examples that they are to me & my children. I'm grateful that Chris provides for our family & for the father that he is. My own dad for his unselfishness & his willingness to do anything for his children.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful day too!

More post of fun coming soon......

Oh Beautiful Girls!

We are blessing our little sweeties this Sunday and I really wanted to get some pictures of them beforehand. Chris is worried that he'll get up there and use the wrong name since he struggles telling them apart....the funny this is that none of the men would know the difference. My grandpa has said "you only need to see one." Chris has been gone for two weeks & they sure have grown; Eliza is an eater and I think it'll help him know which one she is:)

When daddy's out of town....

and Mommy's has just finished bathing two babies & is in the middle of feeding them....

and big brother is enjoying a bubble bath.....

little brother jumps out of the bath tub to..........

jump on the tramp NAKED with two high chair trays (from the shed) and his toy lawn mower.

Last Day of School

Jaden finished his kindergarten year last friday. I'm so grateful he had such a great year with good friends & parent support. This last month I've been MIA at his school so I've been a little sad that I haven't captured the end of his year that well.

Jaden LOVED science & math this year.

Jaden DID NOT LOVE handwriting & coloring....it showed.

I'm so proud that Jaden got almost all 3's (highest you can get). At mid-terms I noticed he had raised his 2 in art to a 3 and I asked his teacher why she was so generous. Jaden dislikes it that much that he scribbles. His teacher told me that he was working really hard on it & that he got a 3 for his efforts...what a nice teacher.

On his last report card he had 3's on everything except his name. Sad yes...he's written his name forever but REFUSED to write is name with a lower case a. He is a stubborn boy. He also scored a 3 on the state test.

I can't believe how much he's grown from his first day of school to now. When he applies himself he is a sponge and so incredibly smart.

I'm proud of you buddy and love you so much! Keep working hard and you can do anything in life that you want to.


Funny story about his class photo. On picture day he did NOT want to wear his church pants. After battling with him for a couple of minutes I told him he didn't have to wear them because he'd be on the back row. He came home and said "mom, you were right." I laughed when I noticed he was the only boy on the back row. Girls are so tall at this age. At the beginning of the year a couple of the moms asked me if I held him back because he was so tall. I told them that he was actually one of the youngest in his class....I'm crossing my fingers that it gives him some sports advantages:)

One Month!

Tomorrow marks one month for the girls. I'm so grateful for how well this first month has went. The boys ADORE their sisters....sometimes too much! Jaden calls them cuties all the time and is always talking to them. Landon loves to play with them and have them kiss his owies. Landon wants to help with them so much but I've really tried to have him help but also have the girls be safe. Yesterday they were on my bed and I was moving them one at a time to their crib. I didn't notice that Landon stayed behind and when I went back to get Eliza Landon was carrying her to me. He somehow got her off my high bed. I as nicely as possible thanked him for trying to help but reminded him that he couldn't hold the babies without mommies help....inside I was suffering a heart attack and saying a prayer of thanks that Eliza hadn't tumbled to the ground.



Chris still has a hard time telling them apart. He thinks that Eliza cries all the time & that Alisha never does. If I were to compare the two Eliza is definately the cryer but she unfortunately gets the blame all the time because Chris can't tell who is who:):):) I have fun with Chris sometimes when he guesses the right name & tell him he was wrong again.


Alisha is mostly always content and is so sweet. I love to shower her with kisses.


Eliza has such bright and sparkly eyes and I love to gaze into them. She's my better nurser so we have a lot of bonding time.


Tonight Chris had bishopric meetings so I had to bathe & get all 4 kids to bed. I bathed Eliza first and she was so content that I had to take pictures. I like to add lavender oil to the water and she was just so happy that I let her stay in extra long even though I had a lot of other kids to get clean. Alisha was next and didn't cry but didn't look as happy...she looked a little grumpy. Once I bundled her up in her towel she was just as content:):):) It's nice to have mellow baths with the girls because once the boys hopped in their was splashing and lots of loud noise....the bathtub usually has a bunch of mud at the bottom too:)

Lucky for us we had a family of two boys close in age to my boys move in two doors down (BTW, always I'm always recruiting for good neighbors with lots of kids) and they were over playing tonight. Chris came & grabbed me and told me I had to watch what they were doing. They were in the basement playing a game on the wii where they had to touch their noses, eyes, ect. When I looked down I saw all the boys in unison following the instructions...I ran for the camera only to be caught and the moment was over. It was cute!