On This Christmas Eve...

I have been really busy this christmas season, from planning parties to decorating, and making so many goodies I might have gained 100 pounds this month. But besides that I really wanted to sit down and document how I am feeling right now.

My house is quiet, the presents are out, the tree is lit, and Santa has come. I feel so blessed and overwhelmed with love right now. I am so excited to have my boys experience Christmas morning tomorrow and later our fun party. But tonight was magical as we sat around our table, in our warm house eating chinese food. I feel so lucky to have my family. We are far from perfect but every year we get together, we get to be under one roof again and It feels so good.

I love this time of year. I love that I get to celebrate the birth of Christ with my family. It feels so right to celebrate his birth surrounded by my family. I am so grateful for my savor and what his life means to me.

I am grateful for Mary and Joseph for believing in the miracle of his birth, and for Joseph being a faithful husband to Mary and finding her a comfortable place to have the baby Jesus. How amazing she was to have a baby in a stable, what peace she must have felt knowing she was being watched over by a loving Heavenly Father, as she brought his son into this world.

Even though I have been busy, I feel like the true spirit of Chritsmas has really seeped into our house, as well as our hearts. I can't help getting choked up when I hear a song, or see Max playing with his nativity. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Eve, and day filled with love, family, and the spirt of Christ in your homes. Let us all remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Life Lately According To Instagram...

I promised myself I am going to be better at getting real pictures from a camera not my phone over the next few weeks. I also need to blog more. Sheesh a lot has happend...like did you know it rained for 5 days straight in EDH. Yes we went stir crazy and hit up bounce town. We also celebrated Thanksgiving and quickly went right into geting our chirstmasy spirt on!

Noah started crawling like a mad baby and now does the stairs and pulls him self up on everything. He also started sleeping through the night {FinallY!!} we are all happy here. Max is super into Santa, and all our nativities around the house. You don't know cute until you hear your 2 year old playing with the baby jesus and all the animals from the other room. I made a dozen carmel apples for Larry's office and have started the baking/candy making for all our friends. 

We are happy, busy, and healthy. Love this season. And you know what, it gets 100 times better with kids. The lights, the magic, surrounded by family, Max is soaking it all in and loving it all!  

I feel like I am totally in my element with the decorating, party throwing, shopping, and cooking. It really makes me appreciate being a stay at home mom & wife! Shout out to Larry for making this all happen :) He finished his 5th semester of law school this week and quickly went straight back to work without a complaint. We have tons of fun things planed for the rest of the month, hopefully I can keep up document them all! 

My New 8 Month Old...

My sweet Noah turned 8 months today! So much has happened these last months, and I can't believe how fast it has gone by. I sounds cliche but really it is going way to fast! Slow down baby! Noah is such a happy smiley boy who loves to laugh, and get lots of attention! He really is such a bright spot in my life, and everyday I am so grateful I am his mom!

8 months round up...

• Weights 21 pounds
• Wears 12 month clothes and proudly.
• takes 2 long naps during the day 
• Has 5 teeth!! He was a vampire up top for awhile but now his front teeth are coming in. Funny right? Whose baby gets their side teeth first? 
• Still doesn't sleep through the night :) He loves seeing me at least once still. 
• Crawls everywhere! He is so fast and busy busy busy! 
• Can pull himself up pretty much on everything especially the couch. 
• babbles constantly and loves to scream.
• smiles constantly.
• loves food! Especially sweet potatoes and crackers.
• loves putting things into his mouth...drives me nuts.
• loves taking baths with his brother, hes a huge hazard in there! 
• Can climb the stairs {brand new skill today!} has no clue how to get down. 
• Responds to his name.
• crawls after Max like a little puppy dog.
• wants to be right in the thick of the action from folding laundry to cleaning the bathroom.

There is so much to say and remember about this boy. He is so busy, I feel like I am wrestling him into his clothes and diapers. He is a chunky heavy boy, and every time I hoist him into a shopping cart while he is in his car seat, I keep thinking my arms will pop off. He is a heavy breather, and has a loud squeaky laugh. He has dark eyes but they are not blue or brown...how knows yet. 

I am so in love with this boy! I love staying home with my boys, I feel so grateful to be there everyday for them the good and the bad. I want to remember so much, I feel like already things are being forgot. I    can't believe that 8 months ago I pushed him out...and the wham he is turning into this little boy. He loves to be talked to, and he loves playing with Max. Max is starting to get better at sharing and I love hearing him say "Come here Noah" in his little toddler voice. I wouldn't have these guys any other way. {most of the time...maybe a little less cranky sometimes} 

Noah, your amazing please keep being so awesome because I can't get enough of you! 

Look at those teeth!! I have decided once your baby has teeth and can climb the stairs it's time for a new baby! I think Noah and Max are ready for some more playmates! 

Dear Children,

Please take your naps.

Your mom has a ton of things to do and nap time was her saving grace, 

until you boys decided to stop naping, or fight it for a good 2 hours until at last this mom gives up.

BUT not today little ones! I will not be beat. So please stop your screaming and close those sweet eyes and let your chubby bodies get heavy and the deep breathing commence  I will proceed to do a happy dance, and then go about the 100 million things on my TO DO list. 

Thank boys, mommy loves you. 

Gratitude.

My heart is extremely full this thanksgiving season. I have so many things to be grateful for. From a husband that works his butt off, to my sweet albeit some times crazy boys and the most awesome blessing of being able to stay home with those boys. Sometimes I wallow in the fact that we have another year of law school to endure though, or that we don't have our own house yet. But I have to say we are healthy, have a beautiful house to live in right now, we have good food, we have clean water, and my children are constantly surround by people who love them and want them to have the best life possible.

So yes while this year has been challenging, and the influences of the world of negativity have sometimes leaked into my thoughts I am trying hard to focus on the good in my life. I can't change what is happening around me, but I can focus on my family and make us the best we can be. I can count my blessings and continue to follow in the path that christ would want me to live. I can live by example, share my testimony and continual give thanks for the countless blessings that have been give to me.

I may forget about the little things like having hot water, or clean sheets but the major things I continually say prayers of thanks for. I love this season to remember not only the big things but the little as well. I have loved having our "thankful tree" to display in our house, and to add little things throughout the month. I love that Max knows what "thank you" means and uses it often! It is sometimes hard to feel gratitude when bad things are happening to you {I know from experience} but man alive, if I have learned anything from the awfulness that has come to us, is that if you are grateful for the small things and continue to serve others and continue to live your life, things get better. You will receive more and more things to be grateful for. I know this, it has happened to me and after looking back I hated the bad things but it has made me all the more appreciative for the good things in my life.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and happy thanksgiving. I am excited to spend the day with my family. I am grateful for my life, kids, family, husband, friends, my savior, and this great holiday that leads into the best one of all...celebrating the birth of Christ! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Family Photos!! Fall 2012

 

 

 

I know many of you have seen these already but they are new and I am excited! I am over the moon about these photos. We were able to get so many that I fell in love with, these are just a sample of the tons I have! My entire goal was to get ONE good photo for christmas and really the last one we had I was almost 7 months pregnant (this one) I am so happy we have these forever now! 

Life Recently Staring Max & Noah...

We have been busy playing at the park, crafting, playing with new toys, voting, and visiting the library! We are also growing lots and counting our many blessings this Thanksgiving Season. We have our "thankful tree" which I introduced this year that has been really fun to help Max learn and understand all about gratitude. I love being a mom and this entire month to remember all the things I am grateful for! 

Did you know...

That both my kids are teething right now. Hurray for us. That is what happens when you have kids close in age...It's defiantly one of the negative things about that. Poor little Noah's top 4 teeth are all swollen and coming in at the same time. It makes for some nasty runny noses and some very very cranky days. The poor little guy just crawls around crying as his nose runs like a hose. On the other hand we have Max whose bottom molars are breaking through, it's the last of his teeth to come in and boy does he have some high temps and awful diapers. I know you all love these gory details.

Needless to say we've had some cranky long afternoons, and are counting our blessings for baby Tylenol! Having teething kids is one of the things I pretty much hate because there is so little as a mom I can do and I get frustrated with the diapers, wiping endless noses, and endless crying. But when my sweet Noah finally feel asleep in my arms, his deep breathing and sweaty body due to the fever against mine just made me so grateful, or when Max said, thanks mom for changing a particularly gross diaper made me once again think despite the awfulness of it all that these boys are mine and I am so grateful everyday for that!

So teething fairy that decided to do double duty at our house...please go away or let those sweet baby teeth come in fast so we can get it all over with! Because this mamma is ready for some not so cranky, happy kids! Thanks!

I want 4 more kids please....

Lately I've been thinking about how much I love this whole mothering gig. Pretty much it sucks everything out of you. As a mother I give and I give until I fall down and fall asleep, and then I'm still up in the night at least half the nights. Somedays I want to scream in frustration as I am continually finding myself pleading with a stubborn toddler to do what I want him to do. Sometimes I just want to lay down on the couch and let them run wild, fending for themselves. Most of these moments are short lived...I wallow in my sticky messy life and then move on. I pick myself up from the floor covered in toys and realize how good this gig really is. I love being a mom. I usually am oozing with love for my boys and for being able to stay home. I do feel so fortunate to be able to stay home with them. Larry works long hours and then goes to school long hours all for the sake of me staying home with the boys. I have the education and ability to work but I get the gift of seeing the big picture and staying home.

Recently I've been so happy with the boys. I have given up any of my goals of getting things done during the day. I find that Max is so much happier, obedient, and better if I just sit and play with him and really let him lead our schedule for the day. Sometimes we sit and watch too much Dora. Other days we play outside throwing sticks and balls. We do puzzles, color, and throw bean bags. He helps me cook {which I secretly hate and drives me nuts} we go to the Library and walk around chasing ducks and turkeys. If I pay attention to him he listens better, eats better, and I really hear all the sweet things he says. He is learning to say I love ___ insert whatever it is, or if he is being too nuts and I reprimand him he says sorry mom. I know that while I am doing nothing monumental for my life...I am changing his by leaps and bounds. I know that I am making monumental memories and setting a firm foundation of love in his life {and Noahs}.

These boys have changed me for the good and the bad. I forget so much more now then I ever did... the mom brain is true! My body is different and I am dead tired pretty much always...but oh man it is so worth it. I've been thinking about it all a lot lately because Im at a point where if I had a choice I would probably have another baby or get pregnant again soon. That being said, we still have another year and a half of law school to finish and things are busy so I am struggling with all the big things that are there to consider. It's hard to know when to bring another baby into the family, and it's really been a focus on my mind lately  How do you deal with the sadness of your baby getting big...how do you decied when to have another?  We want a big family but man alive law school is a baby in itself :) 

I guess I am trying to say I'm ready for another one...but is our bank account...is our house...is Larry's carrer ready? There are so many factors that make me sad to even think about. Let me tell you having a surprise baby is so much better then this planning. How big is too big of an age gap? What if it's another boy...will he be sad he isn't as close as the other 2 boys? Am I the only one that stresses over this? I guess I will leave it to the lord to let me know and for now I will enjoy these 2 little crazies ..that are giving me a run for my money but how cute would like 5 more be right?? :) Yes Please! 

Halloween 2012

Alright this Halloween was alot of fun because Max being almost 2 and a half totally go it! We had our ward trunk or treat like 2 weeks ago so it kinda felt like Halloween was totally over but then surprise it was the 31st and we were ready to party! We hit up Larry's anual party at the office, and let me tell you those lawyers know how to party! We also went trick or treating later that night with his Martin cousins and ate way to much pizza, home made root beer {by larry!} and copious amounts of candy!

Let me tell you, there is nothing cuter then seeing your toddler hopped up on candy running through the streets on a cloudy spooky night in his little bear costume. His little bear butt with his little tail was the cuttest thing. His high pitched voice saying "tricker treat"and "thank you" just makes me smile ear to ear. That wild and crazy boy has be wrapped around those tiny chunky sticky fingers!

Noah was a champ chillin in the stroller...such a sweet baby didn't even cry for candy or get scared of the dark. He made such a cute honey pot and I better stop talking because man alive I could keep talking about how much I adore that baby of mine!

Overall we had a great night...not to many great pictures BUT I tried. No judging on my costume making...it took me along time to configure that bear costume which took even longer for Max to finally agree to wearing it. He might look all innocent and cute but it's a lie...he screamed bloody murder getting the makeup on his face and getting him into the outfit! :) Motherhood is great right?! I loved making their costumes...I figure its the job of every stay at home mom to make them right? Whats a childhood Halloween without the home-madeness of it all!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy and dry halloween! Can you believe how fast this year has flown by. Wasn't it just last year?? Man alive time really needs to slow down...{except for law school that can speed up}...but boys stop getting so big! Can't wait to see what next years Halloween looks like!

Don't you LOVE how our boys do NOT sit still? Minus the bribes of bottles, candy, and spoons :)