Needs

I am finding out that we all have different needs.
For example, the other night James woke up crying. He was crying so hard that I could not understand what he was trying to say to me. I finally got him calm and he said,
"I need a high-five."
Oh, of course! that's exactly what I was thinking he would wake up crying about and need! :)
So I gave him a high-five and he immediately went back to sleep!

I did it all by myself, Mommy!

Those were the proud words from my little cuties on Tuesday. I had a Primary Meeting (that I got to hold a sicky Chloe all the way through!). It was long and we were all still pretty sick in this house, so it was a little chaotic.
The boys kept coming and interrupting and wanting to blow bubbles, which is ALWAYS a supervised activity. Well, what can I say. I caved. I opened the bubbles for them and sent them on their way.
When the meeting was over I went into our family room and saw these 4 towels on the carpet with 4 empty bubbles on them. When I asked the boys about it they proudly beamed that they had spilled, but that they had cleaned up the spills. I couldn't be mad. I just smiled and loved their pride and enthusiasm! What sweeties. They worked so hard to do the right thing!

My Knight in Shining Armour

People say that your Knight in Shining Armour rides up on a white horse and sweeps you, the princess, off your feet...well he did come, he did sweep me off my feet, but he wasn't on a white horse and I didn't exactly look like a princess!
Last night was another do-zee (just add it to my week-long spree of no sleep due to how sick we have been!).
About 2:30 Chloe woke up. Wow, I thought! I actually got some sleep! I took care of her and went back to bed feeling great...but no. She was still up, so I went back in and tried to get her to sleep. Then James wakes up. So I put dosing Chloe down hoping she would fall asleep...nope. I get James settled and get back to Chloe to hear James up again. So again with the trade off. No cigar! So I tried again and again and again. I couldn't get either of them to calm down.
After, the I don't know how many times, I was headed into Chloe's room when Seth came, calmed me (who now needed help calming down) and took her from me and sent me to bed. He was so sweet. I could hear him walking and calming her over and over again and yes, he had to send me to bed over and over again as I woke up to take her back.
I was so grateful. I was able to take care of James and catch a few more zzz's. I don't like when Seth has to help me at night because I know he was to get up and go to work the next day, but he was so sweet to do it. He, more than ever, was my Knight in Shining Armour last night!

Dinosaur Museum

Every time we drive past Thanksgiving Point our boys beg to go to the Dinosaur Museum. So we finally decided to do something about it. We got passes and went. As we pulled in the parking lot it dawned on me that we forgot the stroller! I couldn't think of anything worse to forget!
We decided to brave it even though we were still feeling really sick and tired, just so that the boys could get out after being cooped in for a week.
As we were getting our passes we noticed that you could rent strollers....well, they were just the little umbrella strollers. They were going to do us no good since we had Chloe asleep in her car seat and we needed a place for at least James. Then we saw them....wheelchairs. Perfect!
We rented on and had a perfect set up for crating our little ones around. Seth actually loved pushing it and now wants to rent on every time we go! :)

Yum-Yum

Chloe attacked, and yes, I mean attacked, her solids! She was so ready to be eating "food". She has been eyeing us for a while now and I finally buckled down and gave them to her. It was a bitter/sweet moment. I am so glad she is growing and developing, but it does feel like it is going too fast!

2 Cooks in the Kitchen

Well, she doesn't exactly help out yet, but it fun to have my daughter in the mix of things with me! Good signs of things to come....! :)

A Bear Lake Valentine's

We love to go to Bear Lake in the winter. It is always so peaceful and quite. It is a great break from the bleakness of winter and the mundaneness of everyday winter life. We just pack up the video games, crafts, good eats, and plenty of jammies.
We had a great Valentine's day. We got fun treats and little gifts and enjoyed the relaxation. We had our friends up with us for the long weekend and enjoyed the good company.
The boys loved their Valentine goodies. Seth especially loved his. He got a little sushi dish set and chopsticks. I got him the bamboo roll too so that I could learn to make him some sushi.



The deer are everywhere around our condo and we love to see them. James had a face off with on on the porch. It was fun to watch them just stare at eachother. The deer were also everywhere round the hills where we were sledding.


The boys had a great time sledding. I love that they are fearless and love being out there having a good time.

Teeth, Toes, Hair Do, Rolling, and Sitting in the Up-right Position

This has been a HUGE week for little Miss Chloe. I can't believe how big she has gotten. The other week when I was visiting another ward I was in the mother's lounge and there was another woman there with her baby girl. She looked so beautiful and small. I asked the woman how old her baby was and she replied her age. I couldn't believe it. Her little girl was 2 weeks older than Chloe and half her size! Holy cow! My babies are so big!
Well, my little (big) girl has hit some mile stones this past week.
Chloe rolled over her left side on to her tummy last Saturday. She has rolled from her tummy to her back multiple times, but I was so proud of her for rolling to her tummy. She is getting so strong.
With the rolling around comes the circles on the floor and the grabbing of her toes. She just loves it when she is just in her onesie and then she can bring her legs up and grab her toes. She gets so excited and giggles the cutest little giggles.

Chloe got her first tooth on Wednesday (bottom, middle left) followed by her second on Thursday (bottom, middle, right).
I also did her hair (with product) for the first time on Thursday. It was so cute all geled up and curled.

She has also started sitting in her saucer and walker. She just loves being up and playing and feeling like she a part of what is going on around her. It is really nice to have her in this stage because now she can entertain herself a little more.

Did you feel that?

That's what I had to ask myself the other night after answering my door.
I have a "no soliciting" sign on my door, so when I do get a "solicitor" I am usually a bit annoyed.
Thursday night the doorbell rang and I answered it. It was a very humble looking Peruvian man selling some cookies his wife had made. I told him no thanks and sent him on his way. I went back inside my warm home and started eatting my take out we had gotten when thoughts started flooding my mind.
Here I was comfy as could be eatting deliciously, overpriced food, watching my TV with not really a care in the world, and at my door had been a very nice man who was out in 30 degree (or colder) weather, freezing, trying to sell homemade cookies his wife had made, using his broken English and his best manners...obviously trying to make whatever money he could...and what did I do, I sent him on his way!
I couldn't believe it. I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to repent, find him, and give him what ever cash/change we had.
I finally couldn't dismiss it anymore and went and talked to Seth about it. He told me I should of course act on my feelings. (What a great husband!)
I got my coat and shoes, raided my wallet, and started driving around my neighborhood. I found him down the street a little ways, and thankfully a neighbor was buying some cookies.
I ran up to him and apoligized for how I had acted. I gave him what I had and wished him luck.
I felt so much better, not because I have so much to give, but because I gave what I could. Seth and I feel so blessed for all that we have been given and have really tried to evaluate our lives and make sure that we are always looking for ways to serve, and we hope that when situations like this arise that we will listen to those promptings and go what we can. After all, "because [we] have been given much [we] too must (want to) give"!

Locks of Love

Well, after growing my hair out of a year I finally decided to chop it, and man did I chop it! :) It was time. I always get these huge desires to grow my hair out and I'm not really sure why because I don't look that great with long hair. I will admit that it was a lot easier to grow it out having bangs.
Needless to say, I was excited that it was long enough to donate, I did have to cut it a little shorter than I wanted, but it was worth it, and after all, hair grows! I found out that Seth's mom had enough to donate too, so we sent our hair off to Locks of Love together. It was really fun!

The Circus

We got coupons to the circus. They were such an amazing deal that I couldn't pass it up. I've wanted to take our kids to the circus for forever, and this was finally our chance.
It was a small town circus, but I thought it would still be fun, and I figured I couldn't go wrong since it only cost our whole family $16 to go.
Well, it wasn't that great (to say the least). It was very small and hard to see because not much was going on. I still thought it was somewhat fun, but the boys were not impressed.
The whole time we were there I kept thinking about the movie "A Bug's Life" and how those poor bugs were wanna-be circus performers. These poor people seemed like just that. We left at intermission and vowed that our next circus experience would be the big time! :)
It was still fun to get out, but I think we definitely understand the meaning of "the big top" now! :)

Ladies and Gentlemen....

Welcome to our show! Sam started doing this today for me, so I of course had to record it. It was priceless.

5

I think that's how many times I got up last night with in a 6 hour period, but I think I lost count!
It started like this...
Wow, it was 9:30 and I could go to bed!
Chloe woke up.
I got her back down and
laid back down about 10.
Sam came is wide awake.
We went downstairs and cuddled until he let me know at about
11 that he could now sleep....
and that's when it all began to blur until about
5 when Chloe just couldn't get back to sleep.

They had their shots yesterday and I think that was the trigger.
I guess I am just grateful that I could be patient and have a night like this (which happens every once in a while) with my kids and not have to worry about running off to work the next day.
So if you need us today, we'll be the ones in our jammies, laying on the couch, eating whatever, and watching lots of shows! :)

me, myself & U

I have started a new craft blog to keep my crafts on. It's just getting started, but it is something I've wanted to do for a long time, so I hope you like it! :)
www.memyselfandu2.blogspot.com

Book Of Mormon Stories....

...that my parents read with me....

We finally did it. We started reading the scriptures (Book of Mormon) together as a whole family. The boys are doing great and loving it and I am so glad.
We each read a verse and then talk about what we read about. Sam is especially excited about it. He has always been our prayer cheerleader and makes sure we kneel as a family for prayer before Seth leaves.
This is now the time that I am very thankful that they get up so early so that we can read with Seth before he takes off for his early workdays! It has been the best feeling to start the day this way!