My Everythings

Bug's FHE Lesson

2012-01-25T21:35:00.000-08:00

Bug has been teaching some of our Family Home Evening Lessons. This is what he came up with for the topic for this past Monday.

His illustration includes (Left to Right, a baby, a mommy and a daddy.) He seriously cannot get enough of his little sis. Today he said, "When I see Baby Belle, it fills my heart with joy."

Me too, Little Buddy, me too.

2 Months

2012-01-14T20:53:00.000-08:00

Belle had her two month check-up yesterday. She weighed in at 11 pounds (60th percentile) and measured 22 inches long (50 percentile). She only woke up once the past two nights! That is nothing short of a miracle to me.

Belle's Blessing Day

2012-01-12T21:28:00.000-08:00

Belle was blessed on New Year's Day. She looked so precious in the dress Gigi made for her.

She is such a happy, little thing.

My good friend, Nellene, crocheted these tiny booties for her.

We are so glad both sets of her grandparents could be there.

Wrapping Up 2011

2012-01-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Pops gave the boys some outdoor games and believe it or not, the weather has actually been nice enough here to use them! I still can't get over the fact that we are almost halfway into January and have only had one mild snowstorm. Here are the boys, big and little, playing lasso golf.

The ladies got the chance to sneak out for a girl's date to see, We Bought a Zoo...good movie but, too sad for me to want to see again.

Grammy and Pops lovin' on Belle.

Bug reading Dick and Jane.

Belle modeling her TN onesie and cheezing it up. Dang she is cute.

Sonic The Hedgehog

2012-01-06T18:56:00.000-08:00

Bear has been obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog. If you call him anything but Sonic, he will say, "No! I just Sonic the Hedgehog." He was ecstatic when he opened his pjs and found they were blue just like Sonic and that his slippers were red, just like Sonic's shoes (lucky buy on my part, since they had been purchased almost a year ago).

I usually like to make several Christmas presents, but with a newborn I knew that wouldn't happen this year. I only got around to making one gift....Bear's very own Sonic the Hedgehog. He was extremely excited when he opened it and rushed it into his crib so he could sleep with it.

Christmas Day

2012-01-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

We woke the boys up at 7 so that we would have time to open stocking and eat a quick breakfast before our 9 am church service.

Bottom Right: Bond with his brothers, Grayson and Sam.

The boys were extremely patient about opening presents. We even got them to eat lunch after church before diving into them.

I don't think Bond has bought a single clothing item for himself since we got married. He really could not care less about what he wears, as long as it isn't too trendy. He about died when he put on the AE jeans with creases on the thighs I bought him. :) His little brothers bought him this shirt. It says, "Based on my

calculations, I'm awesome." He was completely embarrassed to wear them, so of course his mom and I had to snap some shots of him.

Bug and therefore Bear are VERY into Legos right now. They each bought a set for one another for Christmas, so the afternoon was spent putting them together. Pops loves Legos almost as much as the kids so he was very helpful in getting them all assembled.

We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and yummy dinner with a friend from church.

Christmas is so fun with little ones!

The Night Before Christmas 2011

2012-01-03T17:55:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve, Bond's family arrived from Tennessee and got to meet Belle for the first time!

We celebrated the evening with the missionaries and a few friends by making our traditional homemade pizzas and chicken wings. Then we read the Christmas Story and sang some carols.

After our guests left, we opened up our Christmas Jammies and played some games.

My brother that lives in Prince George, sent a Canadian treat, Kinder Eggs. They are hollow chocolate eggs with a yellow plastic container inside containing a toy. Bear had taken his into the kitchen to eat it and when he came back we didn't know where his toy was. We asked him jokingly if he ate it and in all seriousness, he replied, "I tried to, but it didn't work." Ha! Good thing his teeth aren't strong enough for plastic.

Family shot in our new Christmas PJs. I have decided that from now on, just the kids are going to get new jammies every year. Not only our both of our drawers overflowing with jammies, the more kids we have the more expensive it gets, even though I always buy them right after Christmas for the following year.

Bug is so in love with his baby sister.

Snowman shirts courtesy of Pinterest.

Grammy reading The Night Before Christmas to the boys before bed.

Bug's Christmas Program

2011-12-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

Bug had his Preschool Christmas Program this past week. We were all very excited about it, but you wouldn't have known he was if you were to have seen the performance. He was sooo shy and scared looking up there. It was pretty, dang cute.

I never realized how short he is compared to other kids his age until I saw him up there with the rest of his class. Granted, some of them are already 5 and almost a year older than him, but some are still four. Looks like he's got his Poppi's genes. :)

I do have to give him some credit though. He sang most all of the songs and did most of the actions. The boy to the left of him looked exactly the same as he does in the picture below the ENTIRE performance. He didn't move at all. It was HILARIOUS to me.

LOVE this picture. My twinners.

Cloud 9

2011-12-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

We are so blessed to have this precious, sweet, beautiful little angel in our family. She is such a GOOD baby! Every day I look at her and feel truly grateful that she is making this transition to three so easy. I am keeping my fingers crossed she stays content and happy.

Akward Family Photo

2011-12-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

"State of Play" meets Locks of Love

2011-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

For a couple of years now, I have been wanting to donate my hair to Locks of Love. Now that I have a newborn I get out of the shower and braid my hair or put it in a ponytail and it stays like that until the next shower....which at this point is sometimes not for a few days. Gross, I know, but all the moms out there can relate. If I leave my hair down it is either in Belle's face or hands. In another few weeks my post-pregnancy hair will begin to shed like crazy. I knew a haircut was in the near future. The other night we were watching "State of Play" (really good movie, if you haven't seen it) and Rachel McAdam's hair gave me the

last nudge I needed to chop it all off. Bondy was not thrilled at the prospect, but he said he would still love me, so I took that as the go ahead.

I am happy to say Bond and I both like the results.

The Locks of Love Donation.

Precious Smiles

2011-12-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

I adore seeing our babies learning to smile. Such tender moments.

Run, Run, as Fast as You Can!

2011-12-08T17:53:00.000-08:00

I remember making gingerbread cookies once as a kid and really not liking how they tasted, but I was in the mood to do something Christmasey with the boys the other day and thought gingerbread cookies would be fun. The boys loved decorating them and they actually taste really good, even the boys like them. Generally I think cutout cookies take a lot more work than they are worth but my mom held Belle while we decorated them and it went A LOT more smoothly than it would have otherwise.

Belle's Newborn Pictures

2011-12-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

The little swirl on the back of her head is just PRECIOUS.

4 Weeks and First Snow

2011-12-05T20:30:00.000-08:00

(I made Belle's jean skirt out of one of the cuffs of some of my old jeans, and Grammy sent her the TN onesie and bow.)

Where have the past four weeks gone?! Seriously they have FLOWN by. Sooo sad. :( I wish I could hold onto this newborn time forever. We took Belle to church for the first time yesterday to see Daddy get sustained into his new calling in the Bishopric. By the time church was over I was almost positive I had come down with mastitis and the rest of the afternoon was not fun. I had to call Bondy home early from his meetings at church so he could pick up my antibiotics and help with the boys because I literally felt like I could not get up off of the couch. Luckily by evening I was feeling more like my normal self. Thank heavens for modern medicine.

We finally experienced the first snow of the season a few days ago. Hallelujah that it held off until December!!! The boys were very anxious for a snowball fight with Daddy.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T19:48:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a small, quiet, relaxing, and delicious Thanksgiving. The weather was beautiful outside, so the boys lived it up outside with Daddy and the leaves.

I think Thanksgiving is quickly becoming one of my favorite Holidays: family and good food. We had a dairy and chocolate free meal (because of allergies and nursing), which ended up being really good. I made sweet potato casserole, rolls, and pumpkin pie using almond milk and coconut oil as dairy substitutes. The pie wasn't as creamy as usual but the other two tasted totally normal. My dad was in charge of the turkey and my mom made homemade cranberry sauce and her traditional stuffing. Bondy made mashed potatoes with olive oil instead of butter and milk.....what a sweetie, he would have majorly preferred them the other way.

Belle sitting on the sidelines during dinner, well at least until I had my food dished up.....then she was ready to be held again. But that's okay, we'll take all the snuggles we can get.

After dinner stories.

The day after, we decorated for Christmas. Bug gets so into holiday decorating. He is a pretty intense kid and gets very serious and down to business. He got the stool all by himself and went to work. I love that he enjoys stuff like this.

Bear is our tender, care free kid. His commentary while he "set-up" the nativity scenes went something like this:

"Oh, baby Jesus, do you want to sleep here?" Soon followed by one of the people or animals saying, "Mary, do you want to wrestle?" To which Mary replied, "Yeah!"....wrestling sounds begin.

I struggled to contain my laughter, I love the innocence of a two year old.

Here, Bug is making Belle dance in her boppy to our Christmas music.

Hope your Turkey Day was spent with those you love. We will be glad when we get to be with even more family at Christmas!

Happy 3 Weeks, Baby Girl!

2011-11-28T10:19:00.001-08:00

Don't you just want to eat her up?

Siblings

2011-11-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

My Angel Girl

2011-11-19T09:23:00.001-08:00

Baby Belle

2011-11-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

Here is the almost 40 week belly. I was scheduled to go in last Monday morning to be induced

but ended up going into labor around 2 that morning. By the time I showed up for my induction I was already to 5 cm.

By that time my labor drastically slowed down even though my doctor had broken my water when I arrived so they started a slow drip of petocin and I got my epidural....heavenly. Labor picked up quickly from there. Once I was ready I only had to push through about 2 contractions and in less than 5 minutes she was out. Can I just say how much EASIER labor and recovery gets with each child?

First seconds of life, first breaths, first screams. I am amazed at how instantly you fall in love with a new child.

She has a perfect tiny head and lots of chub!

She weighed in a 8 lbs 6 oz and 20" long. Right in the middle of the sizes of Bug and Bear.

Daddy with his little girl.

Excited big brothers, but they couldn't get too close because they were sick. :( Talk about bad timing!

Bug was sooo proud to show off his shirt at the hospital. He took his jacket off as soon as he walked inside so that every one could read it. Bear's didn't make it through the day without getting dirty. Thank you Grammy and Pops!

My mom and dad took care of the boys for us during the day while I was at hospital and Bond was with either with me or at school. I was nervous about staying overnight by myself but our hospital was SO good and I was feeling really well compared to the last two deliveries so it ended up being a lot better than I thought.

Belle a couple of hours old.

After her first bath.

Chunky Monkey! Ready to get dressed and head home.

I still can't believe that I actually have a little girl. She has stolen our hearts already.

If you want to know her name, you can FB or email me. :)

Boo!

2011-11-06T17:51:00.001-08:00

Cutest Angry Birds Player Ever

2011-11-06T17:50:00.001-08:00

Messes

2011-11-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Green Goblin Goo

1 C. cornstarch

1 C. baking soda

1/2 C. water

green food coloring

The boys played with this forever and even though they ended up dumping it all over the counter it was fairly easy to clean up.

Pumpkin Painting:

Messy, but not nearly as messy or time consuming as carving. Plus, the pumpkins last way longer.

Decorating sugar cookies.

Bear just wanted to eat anything he could get his mouth on before we would stop him, but Bug stood and decorated every last cookie all by himself.

Nothing too messy a good tub can't take care of.

Our Halloween

2011-11-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

Our weather was PERFECT for Halloween.

Can I just say how much I love Bug's Preschool and his teachers? Here is is face paint from the party they put on for he and his class today.

The boys enjoyed some time outside jacking up their "monster trucks". Here is Bug teaching Bear how to use the jack.

Ready for Trunk or Treat with Gigi.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes with Cider Syrup

2011-10-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

I just got done making some delicious Fall pancakes. I took two normal recipes and made them healthier. I do this with most recipes and sometimes it turns out well. This one happened to be really good so I wanted to write down the changes I made and thought I'd share it.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes
3/4 C. dehydrated apples slices (from the cannery) or 1 peeled and chopped apple
1 1/2 C. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (Trader Joe's brand is best) or regular milk
1 C. Water
1/4 C. olive oil
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. whole rolled oats

If you are using dehydrated apples, put them in the bowl first with the milk and water so they have time to soften. You can add the oats at this time too. Then add everything else on top.

Apple Cider Syrup
3/4 C. apple juice
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 Tbls. Butter
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
dash of nutmeg
dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes. I removed the corn syrup this recipe called for so it is runny, but still very sweet. I attempted adding corn starch to thicken it but that only clumped. It still pours great over the pancakes.

4th Annual HH Howl

2011-10-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

We held our annual Halloween party this weekend. The boys, especially Bug (note his "tough" Viking faces in all the pictures), are in love with their costumes and had a GREAT time battling with the rest of the boys in the backyard for the majority of the party.

My Mom and Dad, the Calgary Flames Hockey Fans.

The kids enjoying some grub.

The chilled IBC's were a hit and will definitely become a party tradition to go along with our traditional Chicken Tortilla Soup.

The Stoddard's in their fabulous costumes, the only entire family to dress up.

Bond and I really put effort into costumes this year, I was a pumpkin patch growing a ready to be picked pumpkin and Bond was Irish. Lame. But I didn't even have time or energy to get makeup on that day although I really wanted to make THIS.

The Parker brothers.

All of the villians battling it out in the backyard.

Family Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

The Nursery

2011-10-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

I have been unabashedly sewing for the past few weeks. The nursery is pretty much finished now except for a few things. Here are the results.

Fitted Crib Sheet Tutorial found HERE.

I made two of the exact same quilt so that if one has to be washed or gets lost, then we always have a backup. The edges are made of gathered flannel-backed satin and the back is minky. Bug likes the minky on his blankies and Bear likes the satin side of his blankies so I made sure to include plenty of both.

The patterns for the Owl Mobile are found at HERE.

I saw these fabric totes HERE and thought I should make a few for under the crib. Not a good idea, one was enough for me. I don't think I can bring myself to make another one, even though I liked how it turned out.

The boppy got a a new cover with the left over fabric from the quilts. I can't WAIT to snuggle up with my baby girl and this.

The other night Bond and I started watching Robin Hood and I was so tired that I passed out after the opening scene. After the movie was over I couldn't fall asleep so I stayed up way too late making these.

Five more weeks to go!!!

Happy First Day of Fall!

2011-09-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots from our Annual Fall Photo Shoot- Bear 2 1/2, Bug 4. The boys added the hats to their outfits as we were walking out the door and I think they added the perfect touch.

Can you tell which boy was easier to take pictures of? :)

Carseat Tent

2011-09-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

I am really nervous about having a newborn in the middle of Winter. Hopefully her new carseat cover will help keep out the germs and cold. Tutorial found HERE.

The Wreath that Keeps on Giving

2011-09-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

I made this wreath last Christmas Season using THIS tutorial. It was adorned with a green fabric braid which was then switched to this pink one for Valentine's Day.

When March rolled around I spray painted it green and reused the braid from Christmas for St. Patty's Day. Easter followed and the pink braid was then rehung.

Now that Fall is in the air and Halloween is soon approaching our wreath is Pumpkin Orange.

If you want to make one, now is the perfect time to start collecting your acorns!

The Orchard

2011-09-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

Preschool and The "how to find a good friend" Factor

2011-09-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Bug started his first day of preschool today. He will be attending three afternoons a week. I really wanted him to be able to be around some kids his age and make more friends. Here is how our conversation went when I picked him up.
Me: Did you play with any of the other kids today?
Bug: Yeah, I liked two boys but not the other ones. (there are three girls in his class and seven boys)
Me: Why didn't you like the other boys? (he does NOT like playing with girls.)
Bug: They were skinny.
(Um okay, I thought he was going to tell me they were mean because that is what he usually tells me.)
Me: Did you need the snack I packed you?
Bug: No we had cookies and chocolate milk for some one's birthday.
Me: Oh! Who was it for, Maddox? (I had seen the cookie cake out side of the classroom with the beginning initials of "Ma" on it)
Bug: Yeah
Me: Is he one of the boys you played with?
Bug: No. He didn't have chubby cheeks. His were just skinny.

HAHA! Talk about a bizarre preference for how to pick friends. But whatever works. lol

These two boys love each other so much. For the most part they play so well together and keep each other entertained. It is going to come in handy when their baby sister arrives.

Bear World

2011-09-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

We all had the BEST time here. The boys got to ride their first "roller coaster" and rode all of the rides as many times as we would let them. Plus we saw tons of cool animals. At some points the bears and wolves were literally brushing up against our car as we drove.

Look at the pure childlike joy in their eyes from a simple train ride.

I love my camera. Who knew a thistle could look so pretty?

Feeding deer at the petting zoo.

The largest bear ever walking by us as we drove out.

The Simple Joys of Cardboard

2011-09-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

I wish they would stay this small and innocent forever.

Rexburg Temple

2011-09-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

The sky was soooo pretty that day, it made the temple that much more breathtaking.

View across the street.

Yellowstone

2011-09-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Before I get too caught up in making baby girl things, I need to finish posting our Idaho adventures. We spent one day of our reunion touring Yellowstone.

Waiting for Old Faithful.

Still Waiting.

Watching Old Faithful "erupt".

We got out of the car to stretch our legs and see some sights along the way.

But besides the beautiful scenery, it ended up being a LONG day (about 7 hours including the hour we had to wait in traffic once IN Yellowstone, due to construction) in the car with almost no animals to be seen.

Luckily our adventures in Bear World a few days later made up for the lack of wildlife...stay tuned for one of the highlights of our trip.

BYU Freshman Roomate Reunion

2011-08-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

These are some of my best friends in the whole world. We were placed together in the dorms freshman year at BYU and became fast, close friends.

Four years ago we met up in NYC for a reunion with just us girls, but this year we decided our families should join us. We met up in Island Park, Idaho to stay in Megan's in-law's cabin.

Jack, Bear, and Blake ready for church.

After church on Sunday we drove up to Big Springs.

The mosquitoes were horrible, so we didn't stay too long.

But we did walk long enough to see a MOOSE!

We spent most of the time on the lake boating,

fishing,

or jet skiing. The boys were OBSESSED with the jet skis and were constantly begging Daddy to take them for a ride.

The rest of the time we spent in the hot tub, eating, chasing kids around,

and playing games late into the night.

Definitely one of my favorite vacations.

Miss you guys already. Can't wait for Hawaii 2015!

Falling in Love with Idaho

2011-08-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

Bond spent May, June, and July studying for and stressing over his Comprehensive Exam which took place at the beginning of August. It covered all of the information he had learned in his courses over the past two years and his status as a PhD student was contingent on the results. His anxiety was relieved on Thursday when we found out that he passed, and since then he has felt like a HUGE burden has been lifted.

The day after he took his test, we packed up a rental car and headed to the Wild West to visit friends and family for 12 days. While we were there I fell in love with Idaho, something I never thought I would say.

We spent four days with Bond's grandparents in Rexburg. The weather was perfect.....such a relief from the hot and HUMID Nebraska August we left behind.

Gandpa was looking after a friend's sheep when we arrived. The boys thouroughly enjoyed feeding them. Bug woke up to the sound of sheep baaing the first morning and laughingly said to me with a shake of his head, "Dose Seep" (those sheep). Two of the few words he still does not pronounce correctly, and I love to hear him say.

I could definitley get used to Gma and Gpa's view every morning. Take note of the beautiful clear sky and outline of the Teton Mountains in the background.

Grandpa has a fourwheeler to shovel his snow in the winter. Here, Daddy and Bug are getting a driving lesson from Uncle Dan.

Grandma arranged for us to visit and feed a friend's horse.

While we were there, we got to see their week old kittens. They were ADORABLE.....too bad they grow into adults.

It was so nice to be able to spend time with Grandparents and for the boys to get to know them better.

They have an awesome garden, and the boys got to help dig up some fresh Idaho potatoes.

Which was followed by time in the sprinkler.

We then dried the boys up, and sat down to enjoy some of Grandma's delicious cooking: homemade chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes....you don't get any more Idaho than that!

The night before we bought some raspberries and blueberries at the local famer's market and I had a pie crust making lesson from Grandma. So yummy.

I could also get used to the Summer sunsets from their front porch.

Oh Happy Day!

2011-08-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Our ultrasound results were confirmed today. We are having a healthy, baby girl. Here is her profile shot with her face smashed up against the placenta. And here is my 28 week belly shot. I can't believe I still have almost 3 months left of growing to do! Yikes.

Nauvoo- Day 3

2011-08-01T18:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we toured Carthage Jail, attended my sister's ward for Sacrament Meeting, took pictures at the temple and then headed back to our hotel to play games and get out of the heat.

This is the toll bridge we had to cross each time we went into Nauvoo from Fort Madison where we stayed. We barely got across it in time for it to open up to let a barge through. Pops was driving the car in front of us and thought he was supposed to stop because of a red light on the bridge. The lady in the toll both came running out waving her arms at us to keep going. Luckily we made it safely to the other side so the boys could watch the barge.

Nauvoo-Day2

2011-07-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

We had a great time exploring Nauvoo with family from both sides. Bond's parents and brothers, my parents, and my oldest sister and her husband.

Bear was so exhausted from the late nights and lack of nap time that he fell asleep on me while we were on the wagon ride. This is a rarity amongst both of my boys so I enjoy it when I can.

Left to Right: My parents, Bond's parents, and Bond's brother.

Pioneer boy...doesn't he have the CUTEST brown eyes?

Bug was pretending to be at school and wanted to tell him what to draw, so this is his wagon. I love the spokes he put on the wheels.

Uncle Grayson, Bug, Pops, and Bear in the saw competition.

Bear was blue from head to toes after eating this while we waited for the pageant to start. When we took his shirt off his entire front was literally stained bright blue.

Bear did NOT find humor in this pose we were forcing on him.

They LOVED the stick pull. There was a young teenage boy hanging out there wanting to challenge any one he could. When Bond sat down to verse him the boy very seriously said, "Don't hold back." It was hilarious, and so cute how confidant he was.

Attempting to waltz.

Bug's Fourth Birthday Party in Nauvoo

2011-07-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

My Four Year Old!

The two Birthday Boys.

Bug and his Uncle Grayson.

With my mom and sister.

Grammy, Uncle Sam, and Bug.

Poppi, Uncle Grayson, and Pops

The Fourth

2011-07-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

Ready to head to the Ward Fourth of July Breakfast and parade.

The boys read together in Bug's bed every night before going to sleep, but when I went in to put them to sleep I found them watching our neighbor set off fireworks.

Sparkler enjoyment to totally terrified.

Smoke Bombs

The smoke from these HAS to be toxic. We kept our boys out of it. Bug would light them drop the punk and run out of fear anyway.

Bond decided to tryout homemade funnel cakes. They turned out better than any I have had and he made them three nights in a row for different celebrations.

Our neighbor throws a huge block party every year including a Bounce House and thousands of dollars worth of fireworks.

Hope you had a Happy Fourth!

Let the Festivities Begin

2011-07-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Saltdogs Game

2011-06-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

We had a great night as a family going to a baseball game last Saturday. Bug had his first experience rolling down a hill and he got the biggest kick out of it. He was cracking up every time he climbed back up to us. Bear enjoyed his first funnel cake and kept sneaking back to lick the powdered sugar up off the plate. The weather was perfect that evening and it was fun to do something different.

Pretty sure we have a "lefty" on our hands. Notice Bear eating and throwing with his left hand?

Percentages are a Funny Thing

2011-06-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Today was the big day of the ultrasound. I have been sooo anxious to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. Obviously REALLY hoping it was a girl but doing everything in my power to be prepared to hear that it was a boy. Well, the little thing wanted to keep it leg's as close together as possible so the tech couldn't tell 100%, but was 80% sure it is a healthy........

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I want to be jumping up and down with excitement, but am trying to restrain myself. The next ultrasound isn't for two months. Seriously? Don't they understand that I could have an entire wardrobe made for this "her" by then? Patience, patience. Has anyone else had this happen and then find out it is the opposite gender as originally thought?

The Chess Master

2011-06-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

I taught Bug how to play chess several months ago. He caught-on almost immediately and remembered where all the pieces went after the first game. I swear his brain is like a steel trap.....wish mine was the same. He still has a hard time remembering how to move the knights, but other than that he can play his pieces independently. Give him a year or two and he will be whipping my behind every time, not that that is saying much.

Camping

2011-06-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

We took the boys on their first family camping trip this past weekend. I spent all day Friday getting ready and was so exhausted and tired of fighting boys that I wondered if the effort was even worth it, and promptly forgot the camera. As soon as we arrived at the campsite I was immediately kicking myself. Grrrrrrrr........note to self ALWAYS bring the camera, even if you are in a bad mood. Every thing about the trip was perfect. The weather was soo nice, the boys were in heaven, our marinated steak/mushroom, green pepper tinfoil dinners, s'mores, and bacon/egg/hash brown breakfast were all scrumptious, and playing at the lake and beach the next day was a blast. The ONLY that was bad was the drunken group of late 20-somethings keeping us up until 2 am (they were so loud and obnoxious and that is an understatement)..........GROW-UP PEOPLE!!! Luckily the boys slept through it all. When the weather cools down again we will definitely be doing this again before the baby arrives.

Ride that Pony

2011-06-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our zoo offers pony rides for four dollars. I think that is a little pricey for two laps around a small pony stall, so I have never encouraged or asked the boys if they wanted to ride. Instead we admire the ponies and continue on our way. Somehow Bear got it in his mind that he wanted to ride one and he was so cute talking about it that I couldn't ignore his desire. He wore his "I rode a pony" sticker on every shirt he wore over the following three days. Totally worth it.

Bug is deathly scared of heights, and therefore did not want to ride......yes, so scared that even a pony seems high up to him. He said, "I will ride a pony when I am four, on my birthday." Instead he chose to feed the goats. Which he did very bravely, I might add. Bear would get close and then fearfully throw the food saying, "Eat this goats."

Can you tell which child I still get to choose outfits for? :)

Wheels

2011-05-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Next he is going to be asking for a car. What happened to my baby?

I am dreading his fourth birthday. I keep telling him that he needs to stop growing and stay three. He said, "It's okay, I will still love you when I'm four."

Ugh, he's getting too big.

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ode to Dani

2011-05-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

It's someone's special day,

but she's miles and miles away.

Happy Birthday my lil' friend

all my love I send

to you on your 20-something day.

Willy Wonka

2011-05-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

Bug and I just got done reading his first chapter book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For Friday Family Fun Night this week, we watched the movie and ate Wonka's Scrumdiddlyumptious Bars.

Daddy cuddled up with a chocolatey Bear.

Fun night. "Up and out!"

My Gardeners

2011-05-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

Bear trying to water the tomatoes....maybe our mulch will grow instead.

Bug with our future zucchinis and yellow squash.

Hard work in the garden followed by fruit salad. I am so glad it is fruit season again.

Mr. Bear Head

2011-05-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

Bringing Mr. Potato Head to a whole new level.

Egg Hunt and Dying Eggs

2011-04-27T18:37:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun planning the boys Easter outfits this year. I got a head start a few months ago since I was hoping to be pregnant soon and knew I wouldn't be able to sew. I made the bow ties on a whim one day with some fabric I had bought to make ties for them last year and never used. Later I bought the faux linen for their pants (I avoid ironing at all costs), cut the pattern out and promptly got too sick to care about sitting up long enough to sew. That is when my Mom, the amazing seamstress, came to the rescue. She whipped up their adorable pants and I love the result. Bug reminds me of Einstein and Bear of Alfalfa. Bow ties are so funny.

Bug, our "Mr. A Type" personality, was more concerned about his shoes getting wet than posing for a picture. Bear, on the other hand, was all kicks and giggles. It is funny how different two boys from the same parents can be. We love them so much.

Happy Easter!

Growing the Husker Nation

2011-04-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

The past five weeks have looked a little something like this:

A very messy house with lots of laundry not put away.

Spending time with a few things that I can actually stomach right now.

Being too tired to protect my camera from the boys.

Hopefully things will be back to normal within the next few weeks. If not, at least we know it will all be worth it come the second week of November. Here's hoping for a baby girl!

Correct Exposure

2011-04-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

One of my friends is sharing a photography book with me. Here are my first shots creating correct exposure in the manual setting! Wahoo.

A New Era

2011-04-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

Growing up I looooved soccer and have dreamt of the day my kids would play. Well those dreams came true, my first born started today and I couldn't have been more happy, albeit a little jealous that I wasn't the one suiting up in my shin guards and cleats.

He has talked about it all day and told me when I tucked him in, "I loved playing soccer today, Mom." Those words were music to my heart. Now he is laying in bed telling his little brother all about how he plays soccer now and that when Bear gets older he can get cleats and play too. These are the times that make the hard work of being a mom feel worth it.

Workin' on the Truck

2011-03-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

Bug celebrating after he figured out how to work a jack that Daddy was struggling with. When he asked him how he fixed it, Bug just told him that it was only for him to know and that he would be Daddy's tool fixer whenever Daddy broke his tools.

Welcome Spring!

2011-03-19T19:53:00.001-07:00

All Aboard!

2011-03-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

Bear's Train Birthday Party

I made conductor pants using the same pattern as their jammie pants.

Party Games

Party Guests

Cake

Party Favors

The Happy, but Messy Kid Aftermath.

"I'm Two (dah bah dee da buh dye)"

2011-03-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

Bear turned two! He loves all things dogs and trains. So this year he got a wooden train set for his birthday (including a dog train). He was thrilled and so was his big brother. We had a great, relaxing day together as a family and my oldest sister and her husband were here to celebrate for part of the day!

Posing with his "cheese" face with his loot from Grammy and Pops.

The result of Grammy and Pops gift: More parts for the train set.

Birthday Lunch-Doritos and a drink he chose at Rocket Fizz.

Reading Sunday comics with Poppi.

With my sister, Lise, and her husband, Michael.

Smashing his brownies and icecream together.

Happy, Happy Birthday Bear!

Relief Society Birthday Celebration Cake

2011-03-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Dance

2011-02-25T18:53:00.001-08:00

Truly, Madly, Deeply In Love

2011-02-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

Jammie Pants

2011-02-17T18:23:00.000-08:00

Dana at MADE is doing a whole month worth of boy posts! Here is my take on her pant tutorial from Monday. They were very simple to make. I forsee many more homemade pants coming our way.

And they aren't just good for sleeping.

They're good for jumping.

Brotherly wrestling.

Bench sharing.

Cookie and milk dipping.

And posing for the camera.

Reading!

2011-02-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

The teacher in me has been anxiously awaiting the day when Bug would begin reading, and last week that day hit! Since about the time he was about 18 months old I began teaching him letters, then letter sounds, and then writing letters. For the past few months I really felt like he was close and then something just clicked in his brain. He can now read pretty much any three letter words I write for him. It is really amazing watching him and although I don't feel like I can take the credit, it gives me that much more confidence that I can homeschool him and honestly, I don't want to miss being a part of it.

Heart Day

2011-02-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

The temperature was actually 40 today! So I took the boys for a walk around the lake.

There were guys icefishing. Hmmm not sure how safe that was.

My favorite part of this picture is that the dough blends in with our counter. Definitely our kitchen's best feature.

Happy Valentine's Day to all our loved ones!

Driving Us to Drink

2011-02-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

Yep, that is what this weather has been doing to us.

Gotta Stay Busy to Stay Sane

2011-02-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

More Forts....and irresistible feet.

Giant Cupcake Baking.

Mmmmmm, pudding oozing out.

Boats/racecars/bucking broncos, ie: laundry baskets.

More baking.

When a Blender Isn't Enough

2011-02-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

When the person who helped you survive middle and high school gets married, a blender just doesn't seem like quite the right gift. So we opted for a quilt instead. I pieced the top and my mom had it machine-quilted and then did the binding (a meticulous step which I hate, but that my mom has down to a science.) The quilt pattern is from the blog Oh Fransson.

Paintballs, Snow, and a Kiddie Pool

2011-01-30T21:52:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: These are not normal paintball guns. They don't shoot as fast or hard, and we only aimed at inanimate objects. :)

The Rest of the TN Weekend.

2011-01-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

The night before the wedding, Tessa had a dinner at her house for family and friends that had traveled from out of town for the event. Due to our ridiculous events at the airport I missed a lunch at the Pancake Pantry earlier in the day, but was so glad we at least made it in time for this, so that we could catch up a bit before the big day.

Tessa's Dad is one of the most individualistic people I have ever met. He comes up with the craziest ideas and always has every one either feeling confused, rolling on the floor laughing, or both. On this particular night, he had created a "Science Experiment" in which we were to tell him which of the Diet Pepsi's were caffeine free. He had even created and printed off special sheets to record the results on. The best part of it was how serious he treated his experiment. I have so many hilarious memories of him.

Mom ready for the test.

This is my friend, Jessica. We grew up down the street from each other and were both obsessed with sports. We would spend long summer days playing basketball, softball, soccer, football, lacrosse.....pretty much any thing we could think of or find the equipment for. It was so fun to catch up with her.

This is Danielle's one-year old, Anndi. I got to pick our her outfits every morning and get her dressed for bed. She is a cutie pie!

Danielle is an amazing cake decorator. Here she is creating Tessa's cake, which was not only beautiful but also extremely delicious.

She got a Cricut Cake for Christmas and I got to teach her all about fondant. One lesson and she is already better than me, doesn't that make you sick? :) jk Dani.

Danielle's Dad has owned Sonics for years. One of our traditions whenever we get together is to order and eat TONS of Sonic food in one sitting.

We also both have an addiction to Target Clearance sales. So we had to stop at Target at least once while we were together. I think 80% of mine and the boys wardrobes are from 75% off Target racks.

Fun, fun, fun. I love my friends.

Paul and Tessa's Wedding

2011-01-23T19:23:00.000-08:00

So I got a FOUR day kid-free vacation last weekend. It was amazing, fun, relaxing, rejuvinating, celebratory, etc. etc. etc. Don't get me wrong. I am in LOVE with my boys, but I haven't had a night away since Bug was four months old, and it just felt plain good. It helped to know they were safe at home with their Daddy and Poppi.

And the reason for the visit: One of my very best childhood friends was getting married! It was such a beautiful and happy day.

Brothers of the Bride.

This is Tessa's older brother, Abram. He is awesome. He has such a tender heart, kids adore him. We haven't seen eachother in over 5 years and every time he saw me he would say something like, "Remember when you and Tessa would make cookies EVERY day?" or "Remember when we would go toilet papering?" And the best of his quotes from the weekend being, "Oh yeah! I remember that freckle.......yeah, I remember that freckle on your nose." HA HA! Love him.

One of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

Tessa and her Daddy.

My hostess, Danielle, and her ADORABLE baby girl, Anndi......I want one. (More of our adventures from our weekend together in a future post.)

One of my Freshman Roomates and best friends, Bekah.

Another great childhood friend and BYU roomie, Diane. She has a hilarious sense of humor and is super tiny. When I was handing out bells at the ring ceremony I spotted this ginormous one just as she walked in. We were all giggling about it through the entire ceremony. The perfect Diane bell. :)

Doesn't Tessa look gorgeous? Her dress was perfect on her.

Another great childhood friend, Jeneal, and her PRECIOUS little girl, McKayla....I want one (wait did I say that already?). It was soooooooo good to catch up with old friends and to celebrate Tessa's special day. I think I smiled the entire weekend (minus the HOURS and HOURS spent in airports on the way there and on the way back, but that's a whole other story I won't get into.)

Congrats Tessa! Thanks for sharing your special day. Love you!

Crazy Straps and Snow Days

2011-01-21T20:44:00.000-08:00

The boys got Toy Story Silly Bands from their Uncles for Christmas. Bear has been wearing them around the house almost every day since then. He likes to take them on and off and wash them each under the tap before he puts them back on. Bug thinks they are called "Crazy Straps". I LOVE how kids interpret words. HILARIOUS.

(That nasty looking stuff he is eating is guac and baby food squash. Doesn't it look tempting?)

We are finally getting snow around here. Last year we had already been "snowed in" for almost three months. A MUCH welcomed change. Now I just have to make it through March.

Normally I am a go, go, go Mom and have a hard time if we don't leave the house each day, but in the winter it is just TOO much hassel. Mittens, coats, beanies, scarves, being worried about germs, etc. I have tried to limit our outings to the YMCA and Joy School.

The weather has lead to creativity around the house and the boys have been having a blast together. Bug is such a good big brother. I am so grateful for him.

Here's to 6 Years

2011-01-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

There are some people out there who have the talent for writing. I am not one of those people, but have always admired those who can write exactly what they feel without making it sound wordy or cliche. I usually limit my posts to pictures with a few captions and a couple of sentences describing whatever the post entails. This post is different.

Eleven years and appoximately three months ago, My Bond and I went on our first date. It was his High School's Homecoming, we were 16, it was akward...enough said. But obviously not akward enough, because it was followed by more dates, prom, a trip to Cinncinati with his family and a few other friends, a first kiss, and then a tear-ridden "I love you" at the airport before I got on the plane to begin my first semester at BYU. The following January Bond left for his mission.

I wish I could say that from then on I "waited" faithfully for him and wrote him every week, but most defintley (for both of our benefits) I did not. As I swam the college seas of dating, I did not find one single guy out there that made me feel so unreservedly loved as My Bond did. He treated me with complete adoration and without judgement. He loved me for exacly who I was and did anything within his power to make me feel special.

Somehow our paths crossed once more in August of 2004 at BYU. I was preparing to leave for a mission to Belgium and the Netherlands. We dated for about three weeks before I flew home to get ready for the Mission Training Center. On the way to the airport an informal proposal was put forth and after a few weeks of deliberation, we were officially engaged and married two months later.

It was the best decision I ever made.

As I look back on our 6 years of marriage, I feel so grateful to somehow have snagged this perfect-for-me man. I am a better and happier person because of him.

Strategic Air and Space Museum

2011-01-05T18:52:00.000-08:00

My Dad joined us for a family field trip to the Air and Space museum. We were amazed at the size of some of the bombers. I cannot even imagine being in charge of flying one of those things. Yikes.

Bear started singing a Lightning McQueen song when he saw this car.

Christmas Day

2011-01-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Traditional Morning Stair Picture

Christmas Morning Hug

CLEATS!

Bear digging for a gift.

Afternoon game time.

Our giant sub sandwich lunch with all the fixin's.

The boys are ready for Nerf gun wars.

Breakfast of french toast, grapefruit, and bacon.

Bug got some boxer briefs from Santa and quickly changed into them . Then he proudly came out and proclaimed, "I'm wearing my new box pants!"

Everyone getting a kick out of Bug's commentary on his stocking stuffers. Its amazing how excited a 3 year old can get about new toothpaste and a pack of gum.

It was a great and relaxing Christmas, filled with all day Jammie wearing and easy, but delicious food that didn't require slaving all day in the kitchen. We LOVED having Bond's family with us.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas Jammies!

Playing football with Uncle Grayson.

Santa Bug and Grammy.

Bear and Poppi.

Christmas Eve Desserts

Car Mat

2010-12-23T21:44:00.000-08:00

My mom made a car mat for us when we were kids, and even as a girl I remember playing with it a lot and really enjoying it. When I saw this one on Homemade By Jill, I had to make one for the boys. And I have been sewing like mad the past few nights to get it done by Christmas.

An old school house and our Church Building.

A Barn and Silo.

Our House.

Daddy's School and Work.

A Fire Station.

The Zoo and Zoo Train.

Airport.

Gas Station.

The back.

The two things I would have done differently are:
1. Interfaced the green fabric before doing anything else. By the time I started sewed things on it was too late. It would have kept the mat flat and decreased the puckers when doing the zig zag stitching.
2. Used a different kind of fabric paint for the road, or I would sew the road on with fabric. It made the mat way too bumpy.

Argh, but as the say, hindsight is 20/20. Don't you just hate that?

Sights of Christmas

2010-12-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

A Must Watch

2010-12-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

Jesus Christ truly is the King of kings. Merry Christmas!

Santa?! I Know Him!

2010-12-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

From the first picture you'd have thought that Bear ran right up into Santa's lap, but he would only go close enough to get a candy cane.

Bug on the other hand, was thrilled to sit on Santa's knee and for the second year in a row he told Santa he wanted candy for Christmas. I think Santa can handle that.

Our Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

We started the morning off by joining the Bishop's family and friends for their traditional "Pie Breakfast." Then we went back home to get dinner cooking.

Making Daddy his favorite....cherry pie.

The boys at their "Everybody Loves Raymond" kid's table.

Don't they look like they are waiting patiently for their food?

Everyone digging in. I think these eating action shots are hilarious.Don't judge them, the food was that good. With so many different people cooking we had such a yummy spread.

'R' Family Pictures

2010-11-27T21:24:00.000-08:00

Give Thanks

2010-11-25T19:37:00.000-08:00

Acorn Wreath

2010-11-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

A couple of girls and I have been getting together once a week to craft together. This wreath took a looong time...and a lot of hot glue, but I am happy with the results. Once again the tutorial for this is courtesy of MADE.

It's GREAT to be 28.

2010-11-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

My Mother-in-law sent me this Cake Pops book for my B-Day. It is written by the woman who creates the bakerella.com blog. I tried out the cake balls and they were very very sweet and yummy. I had to give some away to friends so that I wouldn't eat all of them myself.

Bond surprised me in the morning with some of my favorite things. If you haven't tried Izze's yet (the beverage below) you need to. They are made with 3/4 fruit juice and 1/4 sparkling water...a much healthier alternative to soda (although I don't think I can convincingly talk about "health products" in the same post as cake pops). My sister introduced me to them at the beach this summer and I am hooked.

I topped the cake balls with Cherry Cordial Flavored M&M's. I think they are a Christmas only flavor. I don't like cherry cordials, but these were good.

Dani, doesn't this picture of bear remind you almost exactly of my face in our 80's day picture from HS?

Omaha Zoo

2010-11-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

I haven't gone this long without posting in a long time. It feels weird. I have somehow lost my ability to be productive at night after the boys go to bed and I can't figure out why. My house is still a mess and I still don't get to bed until around midnight, but somehow time just seems to slip away. But I've got Christmas presents to make and bathrooms that need to be cleaned, so I need to get back on the productivity horse.

Here are pictures recapping our day at the Omaha Zoo. It was our first time there, and we went with friends that knew their way around, so we hit up all the hot spots.

The boys couldn't tell there was glass on this at first and after Bug stepped up he looked terrified. They were all reaching out in front of them and not wanting to go to the edge, fear they would be swimming with the penguins.

Bug was thrilled to be hanging out with Boedi.

Bear copied the big boys and followed them around all day. Doesn't he look too old these days?

The Desert Dome.

Crazy Ninja move?

Happy B-Day "Mussel Man"

2010-11-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing says I love you (or in this case Happy Birthday) more, than one pound of steamed mussels.

Happy Birthday, Bondy! You are my everything and I am one lucky lady to have you all to myself. I love you!

So I would like to say that the cake looks like this because I had a three year old and a 20 month old

"all up in my work area", but I am afraid it wouldn't have looked much better without them (actually it probably would have looked worse.) I definitely have not mastered the buttercream skill. Maybe I'll just stick to fondant.