my angel

I have a little angel in my house...and she has beautiful long legs!





I took Photo 1 this semester and these are a few photos that I am most proud of. I have tons more though. I plan on putting up all my projects from the last year once we get to Texas.

boring

I feel so boring lately. And I don't like it. I will be so happy to be done with school - is it a bad sign that my graphic design program makes me feel less creative? Anyway, I have lots of plans for this summer and I mostly just can't wait to play play play with my kids. Ellie came to class with me today. She hates UVU's preschool/daycare that they go to twice a week. The biggest reason is because she knows she has to go there because I'm going to school (a.k.a. I'm too busy for her). I couldn't resist her plea's this time. She sat quietly for a 3 HOUR critique, playing on my laptop and doing workbooks. The whole class just loved her. Every hour I went out to the vending machine and brought her back a treat. I love days where she feel like my friend and not just my kid.

So - trying to be not so boring. We hiked the Y on Saturday. One of those things that's fun after your done. I love these sunny days though. After the Y the kids came home and played in the backyard and then at the park with a friend for the rest of the day. It's a good day when baths at night are not an option because your kids have played so hard they just stink.

easter and conference

Easter and Conference fell on the same weekend this year. Justin had already left for Texas so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to be alone at my house and listen to conference. It made such a difference! I was actually able to remember what I heard and since so many of the talks were about being a mother I felt very grateful to have been able to really listen this year.

Saturday I bbsat Molly and Ethan so I took them out to Mapleton for an egg hunt. There is a family out there that puts on a huge hunt including six bike give-a-ways, tractor pulls, games, and cookies and hot chocolate. Jann braved the cold with me and helped me not to loose the kids in the mayhem.





Some of my Easter decorations.

the last three months

have been full of long work hours and long work trips for Justin, and lots of school and homework for me. Not the usual trip after trip after trip like last year. But it's good. I like being busy though I'm looking forward to the summer as it's a chance to spend lots of one on one time with my kids. Ellie is very clingy the last couple months and throws lots of tantrums. She doesn't like when I leave her to go to school or the gym. So, well see what happens with school - my kids are the most important thing and I don't want them to have to sacrifice because I chose not to go to school when I should have. Hopefully once she starts school I can schedule classes during that time.

A few fun things to remember:

Skiing with Courage. Two whole runs on the big lift! The last half of the last run I had Cody between my legs and Ellie on my back. How's that for a leg workout? I tell you WHAT.


Playing hair salon with Braden. I really just needed this picture so I can trace circles around his cheeks with my mouse.


An attempt to redeem a bad day. Late night party at the park with hot chocolate.


"We are sitting in clean laundry with an umbrella watching a movie. Mom, it makes sense."


My mom's birthday lunch at their new condo. We have been helping with the painting and now my dad's putting in the wood floor. I wish I could go there everyday. I love a good re-model.


Playing at the Gateway with Erin, Levi, and Dana. They got us in the Children's museum for free but after an hour or so we couldn't stay inside anymore as it was such a pretty day.


Some kind of "scary" footprints at our house on March 17.


This is embarrassing.

busted

This is pretty funny, and in my case, so true.

my dream life...

If I could see this out my window it would be heaven on earth. You are noticing the garden right? Life is pretty good in ugly ol' Orem (aside from the mountains, this is one ugly city). The only thing that I think about a lot is that I wish my kids could roam free without worrying about them getting snatched or playing in the road. I want my kids to play in the dirt, and get so lost in their imaginative play that they forget to eat. I figure that if I start posting more photos of my dream life (white cottage included), that maybe I can attract it to me.

photo from here

cancooon!

Chichen Itza

I'm tired of trying to figure out my mac and photos - I thought it was supposed to be easier. I only have patience to load one photo - but the trip sure was fun!

st. george

I would say St. George is our families favorite place to relax. It certainly helps that we can usually stay at my in-laws house - without that I would say the St. George would be 70% less enjoyable. We spent Valentines there playing in the sand or the "galaxy", pulling the kids around in the burley on our bikes or pushing them on runs, visiting the Dixie Art Show (my uncle is in the show) making valentines for each other and leaving them at the door, and taking naps. Cody made sure we put Cars tattoo's on all his "shoulders".

no i not free, i four!

Cody thinks he is four - but on Feb. 4th he turned three! I hadn't planned anything but the day before it dawned on me that skiing would be a perfect way to celebrate. It was Thursday, which is our weekly playgroup anyway, it was a warm, sunny day, and the rope-tow is free.
The only thing I keep trying to figure out is how I used to teach a handful of four and five year old "never-evers" as we called them. I remember having everything under control - getting everyone up the tow rope and on the lift by the end of the day. But now, let's just say it was a good thing I had three other adults there to help - and it was still pretty chaotic.













Favorite food: anything he can get by climbing up the pantry shelves.
Favorite toy: Lightning McQueen "race car", and basketballs
Favorite saying: "No I not whining. I. Just. Talking!"
Calling Ellie, "Hun".
Loves to do whatever Ellie is doing, loves to wrestle dad, still loves the tag on his lambie, loves to play with his friends Ethan and Emily.

it takes a village

i miss this!

"I'm a mermaid mom." -Cody
Summer 2009, New Jersey

"am i five yet?"

I can't belive that Ellie is 5! I love her soooo much, I think I was more excited about her birthday than for Christmas. There was lots of playdough cakes around our house the week after Christmas in anticipation.

The Invites:






The Party:
We took Molly, Ellie Pie and Kelty to Magleby's Fresh for breakfast. They each got an upgraded fabric crown and all you can eat french toast and oj. The party was done in an hour and that was that!















At Night:

We had butternut squash soup, avacado-pear-pecan-gorgonzolla salad, and kneaders bread for dinner. My mom and dad and cousin Sarah came and it ended up being really nice to just have them.






After dinner the kids slept at my mom and dads and Justin and I went to Avatar - one of our all time favorites.

naps on the couch, on a sunday, in the sun

christmas!

Christmas was nice. This being my first semester back in school I felt like I didn't really get into it like I did last year. That's okay though, sometimes it's nice not to feel like you have to do everything.



I did make homemade granola for some gifts. There were a lot more people that were meant to get these but we ate it so fast we ran out. Everything you need for this except coconut, flax and wheat bran are found at Costco. The recipe is here.







If you read the fine print on the bag of the tag it says this is great with milk, on yogurt, ice cream, and kefir. I totally made that up. I have no idea what kefir tastes like or even what it really is - but it sounded good.

we love the rope tow!

We had a great day skiing with our kids. Who knew I could love the rope tow more than powder? Well, almost.


Getting used to skis.


We found our friend Ellie Pie and had some snacks.


Cody wasn't realy interested in doing "pizzas" to stop. He likes to go fast and crash into you. He also likes to ski under your legs, as seen above. Two year olds are actually pretty easy to teach because they have such a low center of gravity they don't tip over.


By the end of the day Ellie could ski with her hands in her pockets!




Skiing is hard work for a two year old.