Happy Mother's Day!

Brandon and I have been extremely blessed in our lives to have such great mothers.

One of them is Brandon's mom, Ethel. She is constantly serving others, to the point of exhaustion. Ethel always supports her children in her joy and successes. Brandon says that he loves that he always feels that she is proud of him. Picture taken December 2006Another woman in our life is my mom, Sarah. One thing I love about my mom is that she makes her grandchildren a priority in her life. She is always calling to check-up on the kids and talk to them. The kids love it when she takes time to talk to each one of them. My mom is also very aware of other people's feelings. I love the fact that she is always there when I need to talk and words can not express how much I appreciate that. Picture taken January 2008The next woman in our life is my grandma, my mother's mom, Marie. My grandma is such a great person. From a very young age I have felt an enormous amount of love from her. She is always giving hugs. I love her sense of humor and the way that she tell stories. Picture taken March 2008The last woman in our lives that I want to mention is my father's mom, my grandma, GenaVee. I am so lucky and blessed to have her in my life. She is such a power house in the gospel; constantly serving in the Church. She also gives so much time to her children and grandchildren. She helped me so much when I was pregnant with the twins and after I had them. She give so much service to others. She has always encouraged me to do well in school and to do the very best I can. Picture taken December 2006We are lucky to have all four ladies in our lives!
"All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." -Abraham Lincoln

This morning, Brandon woke up early this morning and made one of my favorite breakfasts for me; German Pancakes...yummy!

I loved seeing Hyrum up with the kids singing the primary songs for Mother's Day. The spirit was so strong! I was filled with overwhelming gratitude of the fact that I have the opportunity to be my little Hyrum's mom in this life. He is such a joy to me and I love him so much.

There was a group of eight men who sang a few Mother's Day songs to the sisters in our ward. It sounded great. I love it when I see Brandon sing he has been blessed with such a beautiful singing voice.

There was such an awesome lesson given in Relief Society. The lesson was based off of a Mormon Message Video called CREATE. It uses a recent address given by Elder Uchtdorf. The video and lesson were very inspiring to me.

After Relief Society, the sisters received some very tasty cheesecake.

For Mother's Day I got my carpets cleaned. I guess that gift shows that I have reached a point in my life when I would rather have presents to help take care of the house then have presents for myself.

I am so lucky to be a mother. It has been what I wanted to do my whole life; from the time I was little. I have felt much peace today as I have contemplated my role as a mother. I am very blessed to have three amazing children who constantly amaze me with their intelligence, kindness, thoughtfulness, forgiveness and love. I am truly blessed! Picture taken February of 2007

Flashback Friday- March 2006

For this Flashback Friday I am doing a post about when we took Hyrum to the beloved duck pond at BYU during March of 2006.

One thing that makes me sad is that I don't have very many pictures of Hyrum at this fun age of around 15 months I was so busy with school, got pregnant with the twins etc. that myself and Brandon didn't take very many pictures of Hyrum. Also at that time we got our first digital camera and I didn't know how to work it very well so I got frustrated and didn't take very many pictures. It doesn't help when you don't have a willing subject who was and still is a very active little boy.

This day we went to feed the duck was perfect. We had such a great time together as a family. Hyrum for the most part was well behaved. This particular trip he would turn around and try to crawl backwards to try to get into the water to get those ducks. He did it many times. Then it was a little frustrating, but now, super cute.

He loved every minute of being outside that day after being cooped up for all winter. Plus, he had not truly been able to try out his walking skills outside since he learned to walk in December of the earlier year.I love the video of his little run. He had such a cute little run and would run everywhere, not walk at all. I am sure the people who lived below us loved listening to him run every day. He had so much energy and kept us on our toes.He loved animals then, he still does now, but I think he is a little bit more careful.

After we went and visited the ducks we went to a local pizza buffet. We had a coupon for the dinner for Brandon and myself and Hyrum ate free then so it was a steal of a deal.This day was a dream. One day that I will always look back with fondness. It was one of our last fun filled days together before I got sick and before the twins came. I am glad that we took the time to enjoy the moment just three of us. Taking time to laugh at all of Hyrum's little quirks and antics and to savor just being together.

New Beds!

Excuse the pictures in this post. It was at the end of the day when bows were taken out. Any attempt to comb the boys' hair had already gone to the wayside, but I still think the pictures were cute and wanted to share.

The time has come to get Ben and Emmy some new beds. The cribs just were not working anymore with Ben climbing out all the time.

We found a steal of a deal on Craigslist for a bedroom set with a bunk bed. The deal included an armoir, dresser, nightstand, and a bunk bed that has a twin over a full. It was too good to pass up. However, that meant that we had to put away the beloved firetruck bed. That process brought tears to my eyes. How the kids have loved that bed!Ben and Hyrum were so excited to share a room together. Since we got the bunk bed first, Emmy would sneak into the boys room when it was time for bed and lay in the far corner of the bottome bunk hoping we wouldn't notice her little petite frame trying to hide and stay in with the boys.We have a had a few problems keeping the conversations to a minimal with the boys when it is bedtime. They are just so excited to be together. They would giggle and laugh for hours if we let them. Yes, Ben is holding a picture of Jesus Christ and Hyrum is holding a Motorcycle. How I love my boys!
Shortly after we bought the bunk our friends traded us a twin bedframe and a footboard and a headboard because they heard we were looking for a bed for Emmy. Emmy loves her bedding because it has her favorite color pink!The first night Emmy slept in her bed she was so excited and full of giggles. She fell asleep with a smile on her face. Emmy has loved her bed. Doesn't she look so little in it?
This past week was Brandon's Spring Break and we moved all of Ben's things into Hyrum's room and moved all of the toys into Emmy's room.

We still have a problem with bed time; they love to play. Ben and Emmy also love to yell at each other from their doors and slam their door shut. We are working on this problem daily.

The kids have loved their freedom being in big boy and big girl beds. They always wake-up so happy and giddy with huge smiles on their face. They come running to me and give me big loves when they wake-up. They are too cute! One of my favorite times of the day (if it isn't too early).

This step of changing the beds has been difficult for me. Changing their beds to me means that they are growing up. I have a hard time with that. Ben and Emily started out sharing a bed, then sharing a room and now they aren't even in the same room anymore. I think Emmy misses the closeness a little and that is why she tries to sneak in even still to enjoy Ben's presence. At least Ben knows that he is loved!

Flashback Friday- Finger Painting with Pudding

Today's flashbacks are coming from December of 2005 and September of 2008.

First, December of 2005. Hyrum is just over two years old in these pictures, the twins were a month old; life was crazy. Before I even had the twins I decided that I would try my hardest to make "special times" for Hyrum so that in the mist of chaos and uncertainty he would know that we loved him.One of the things I tried to do with him was pudding finger painting. As you can tell by the pictures, it didn't go so well. If I remember correctly I tried to do it at a time when the twins were asleep, but as you can see he was past the point of exhaustion in these pictures and was ready for his nap. I can't even remember if it was becuase he was tired that he was upset or if I did something. Maybe a mixture of both. Our painting session was very short. When I planned this activity for him I was so excited because I thought for sure that he would love it. Although he was grumpy, I think I got some great pictures out of the event. I think I will have to try pudding painting with him again.
Fast forward to September 2008. Hyrum is at preschool and I decided that I would do something fun with Ben and Emmy. As you will be able to see from the pictures I made the pudding too runny for finger painting for kids, big mistake! The kids had a blast! However, either the doorbell rang or the phone rang and I answered it since I was expecting my friend Angel to bring Hyrum home from school for me(one car at the time). I came back to high chair trays knocked off and tons of pudding splattered on the walls and on the floor! I decided it was bath time. I threw the kids in the tub with just a little bit of water and went to work cleaning the kitchen floor the quickest I could since I hate to leave them in the tub alone. The floor was a disaster and I knew there would be no way I would be able to clean it without them "helping" me. After a super quick cleaning job, I came into the bathroom and saw that Emmy pooped in the tub! I about died. I took Ben and Emmy out of the tub, cleaned the tub, washed them down again right as Hyrum came home. It was a very wild morning. I think Ben and Emmy had a good time though.

I know that today isn't Friday, but I wanted to do the flashback that I wanted to last Friday. The video and pictures are from four years ago, during February 2005. Hyrum was only three months old.

The pictures are from a birthday party Brandon's family had for his Grandpa who was turning 90 years old at the time. Hyrum was content to have grandma (Brandon's mom), hold him most of the time. It was fun for me to meet everyone. That is really the first time I met people from his extended family.I love this video. I love Hyrum's sweet little laugh. He is still very ticklish.

Friday Flashback

For today's Flashback Friday. I decide to post a video from Janruary 2005. Hyrum was two months old and one of the cutest babies. So chunky and for most of the time a happy content baby.
He was a very alert baby. At two months he loved being on his turtle. It was a playmat that had toys hanging over. He loved that turtle and would try and grab the toys and once he did, he would hang on to them for dear life!
He started sleep through the night (8 hour stretch) a couple of weeks before this video was taken (at six weeks old). We were very blessed to get that much sleep for having such a young baby. Enjoy the video!

Flashback Friday!- Bath Time December 2006

It is a tradition in my family that our first baths, after we are born, (besides the one at the hospital) are given to us by my grandma (on my father's side). If I remember correctly, her mother, my great-grandmother, did the same thing.

Ben and Emmy had a unique situation, since they spent their first month of life in the hospital. On December 15, 2006 we set-up an appointment with grandma for the kids to have their special bath. Of course, we were running late, so grandma didn't have as much time as she would have liked.

She bathes them in the sink in the bathroom. She gets the water just right, places the soaps and in easy reach. She takes time to coo and "talk" to the babies as she gets them ready and calm for their bath. Even with all of grandma's hard work to calm them, they still were a little fussy. Ben was bathed first and then taken to grandpa to be held while Emmy had her turn.

After the bath, each received lotion and baby powder. Then it is the favorite part, snuggling with a sweet clean smelling baby. However, this time was pretty special since their were two babies to love and give kisses and hugs to.

Mr. Ben

I just love my "Ben Boo" (That is what Emmy calls him).

These top pictures were taken on Thanksgiving of this year. Ben was getting ready to take his nap. When I told Ben it was time for nap time, he ran to his room ahead of me. He was preparing his crib for nap time. He had all the basics covered, books, sippy cups, stacking cups (which he has loved since he was around nine months), cars, trains etc.

Usually he fights me as I am laying him down for a nap ( he still needs one, but he would rather stay up and play and play) but as I put him down for his nap he did not. He was quite disappointed when I started taking his stash of entertainment out.

Also, we have this pink chair in our house that was given to us by my parents a few years ago. I grew up with this chair. This is the chair that was mine when we laid out our stockings for Santa each Christmas.

Anyways, this is also the chair that my kids go and hide behind when they are doing something they don't want me to see them doing. For example, eating a treat without asking, playing with something they aren't supposed to play etc. you would find them behind the pink chair. If I can't find my kids it is a good guess that they are behind the chair.

It was so funny to see Ben behind the chair the other day with a pile of books...to cute! He is my book lover. He would be content all day to read books. I guess he wanted some peace and quiet.