Yearbook 2010: February

February looks super lame. I took 5 photos that month? They were all digital? Sad, sad times. (Okay, so I may have taken more, which I am almost POSITIVE I did, proof may be in the stack of 5 or so discs I just found from Walgreen's.) I'll check them out and let you know, but for now...

Yep. That's it. Not even a photo of Joth. BOO.

Anyway. I'll share another one of my resolutions. Take time each day to hug each of my kids, look them in the eye, and do SOMEthing that THEY want to do. Today, I took time to help Memms write a story. She REALLY likes writing stories and drawing pictures to go with them. Actually, she draws the pictures and then we write the story together. Afterwards I kissed her ginormous cheeks repeatedly. She is the sweetest girl I know.

Millz? Well, I held her on my lap for what seemed like two hours while I worked. That is what she seemed to want to do, so I let her. I also gave her some of my leftover birthday cake from The Cheesecake Factory. She really liked that.

Joth? He has been at school all day, but I plan on taking him with me to run a few errands before we are off to our cousin Lance's funeral. Jobby tends to get super tired and crabby after school, so I hope to tickle him and be silly with him and let him pick a treat from the store. Possibly I'll give into the Hot Wheels car he always tries to get me to buy.

Yep, these are the days, and they are quickly speeding past us. This week I lost two family members. Lance, and my Great Grandma Thurgood. Tears well up when I think of all the times I let the 'other stuff' get in the way of the right now.

Trying super hard to remember this each and every day.

Hope your days are full of as much joy as I am trying to find in mine.

xoxo

Dear Memms,

My heart is full at the moment. It is almost 2 a.m. and I can't get your sweet heart off of my mind. Tonight you had your Christmas dance recital. You got to wear your favorite pajamas that I bought just for this special event. You have had them for weeks and weeks and have worn them so much they looked like they were a year old. We fixed your hair in pigtails, and tied white ribbons around them. Your hair is getting so long, you look like a different girl. You danced so wonderfully. The sweet smile you have upon seeing your friends and your dance teacher Melissa absolutely melts me. So thankful for you.

Tonight was a big lesson in learning to give. There was a gift exchange with all of the tiny dancers. There was a $5 limit on the gift and we gave a very sweet box of Littlest Pet Shop toys that I got for a steal from Walgreen's this summer. Remember how we were saving it for Dilly? Well, I remembered that we had it and thought how fun it would be to use it for the gift exchange. You were so excited when I pulled it out. I could tell how badly you wished it was for you. You were still so very sweet as we wrapped it up to give away to someone else. I guess I should have explained that part a little better. It can be a hard concept for a little four year old to comprehend. When it was your turn to choose a gift toward the end of the group, there were only a few gifts left, and there was your beautiful bag, still waiting to be chosen, no one realizing what a wonderful gift that was inside. So you walked up and snatched it. I felt conflicted, I wanted you to learn to share and give, and so I called across the room, "Hey Memms! Why don't you choose another gift so that someone can have your gift." Immediate alligator tears ensued. I am not sure if it was because of the 50 people watching, or if I had just shattered your tiny heart, or the fact that after some love and coaxing from your teacher she helped you choose another gift which happened to be a pair of beautiful red polka dot socks instead of a toy, doll, or game like the other girls got. Your heart was shattered, and at that instant, so was mine.

Even as I write this tears are streaming down my cheeks. Oh how I love you, and wanted to run away with you at that moment. It seems so silly, but watching you hurt over something so small made me ache. I felt four again. I felt your pain. There was a boy in the audience, maybe 11 or 12 who was watching you. I think your broken heart touched his. He was so concerned about you, he wanted to make you happy too! He gave you a tiny, shiny pink rock. (He must have had it in his pocket.) You loved it. As we drove home we talked about giving, and receiving and being thankful for everything that we have. We talked about the beautiful red socks with the cute green bow, perfect for Christmas. We cherished the gold and blue box the socks came in, and the tissue paper discretely hiding your new treasured rock. We said silent prayers of thanks for a teaching moment, and for a tender hearted girl.

Thank you for teaching me about love today Memms. You are laying right next to me in my bed as I type this. I wish I could stop time, if even for a day, and freeze who you are at this moment. My first girl, my serious, deep, thoughtful girl. Thank you for sacrificing today to learn a deeper lesson in life. Momma loves you, with all of her soul.

Much love always,

Mom

Happy Halloween, er uh...Thanksgiving!

So, I have had these photos for a few weeks, but with the busy season lots of things have been neglected, things like my own photos, my blog, and the dishes. (Although I don't care much about the dishes.)

This year we got to go trick or treating on Mr. J's birthday. He was super adorable in his racecar driver costume. He was so excited about wearing it, in fact he did for a few weeks before the big day. Memmy chose to be a witch again. She was a witch when she was 2. I always hope they will choose something new and exciting, but I also love for them to choose for themselves, so a witch she was. A cute and adorable witch at that. Zilly was Little Bo Peep. Oh my goodness, I just want to kiss on her all day long. That little face of hers. Gah.

We went and visited grandparents that day, and went trick or treating at the mall. Where are those photos you ask? Well, I only brought the Polaroid and my lens broke after the first photo I took. I was SO bummed but super thankful that I had taken these shots before leaving.

When we got home that night all prepped to make Jobb's cake, but he got sick...SUPER sick for a few days and we weren't able to make his 'cake' (really brownies that he chooses every year...) until a few days later.

Here he is feeling MUCH better and ready to blow out his seven candles:

Love you buddy. Hope this is one of your best years yet.

A break from the old family slide show...

I am sure I am not the norm here, but I would probably utterly dig watching someone's old family slide show circa 1959.

But, since I am certain I am not the norm, it is time to take a break from our family vacation photos to blog about this girl:

She is hilarious and funny. She can be loud, and tantrum throwing, or she can be quiet and observant and cuddly. I love her, and I love her cheeks. Her plump, squishy, kissable cheeks.

The past two weeks I have noticed something about her. She has very discerning taste buds. I wouldn't call her 'picky' per se, (even though she is...) but her palette is 'delicate'. Let me explain.

I gave her breakfast one morning and with it her usual cup of chocolate milk. To which she replies, "This tastes funny." I couldn't think why it did, until I realized that I gave her Millzies whole milk and not the usual 1%.

Then there was the Mac & Cheese incident. She LOVES Mac & Cheese. Again with the, "This tastes funny." (I used soy milk in it instead of regular milk...and used margarine instead of butter.) Geez.

She is this way about lots of things, some dairy related, but some not. For example she prefers: Rock salt on her grilled meat over kosher salt. Regular lemonade over 'light' (a given...I am with her on that.) She won't eat 'American' cheese (that's my girl). And it spills over into cereal, crackers, granola bars, lite mayo, different mustartds and hot dogs, etc. Substituting whole flour into a cookie recipe? Think again! (Not even the entire calling of flour, even one cup she tastes.)

Not only can you see I am a GREAT and AWESOME mom at what I feed my kids, but that she has some mutant taste buds. Love her, but sometimes...

What have you changed in your kids food rituals that they notice right off?

"I'm not your assistant!"

Monday was a busy day. I was rushing to get J-Man to his first day of school, rushing to get us all dressed and out the door so we girls could get haircuts after we dropped off J-Man.

In my rush I asked Memms to help me feed Millz. (I have always held her bottle for her, she can hold it, but it is really up to her to decide if she feels like doing so. On this particular occasion she was adamant that she wasn't going to hold it. Hence my asking Memms for help.)

The conversation went as follows:

Me: "Memms! Mama needs your help to feed Millie, will you come hold her bottle for her?"

Memms (directed toward Millz): "Zilly, I am not your assistant!"

Me: Full on laughing my guts out, and running to grab the camera as proof.

Don't you think the point is made even clearer by Millzies hands ABOVE HER HEAD.
GAH! The hilarity.

Love these girls. Love them. Love that even though Memms is really NOT Millz's assistant, she does it anyway because she loves her.

I hope that they are always besties.

...I love you too.

And really that is all that matters.

Year End

It has been such a busy month for us. When I was younger, school ended in the beginning of June, and then we had three months to just play and be lazy until school started up again. Our elementary school here, the one J-Man goes to is year-round. Oh how I love and hate it all at once. He was in school until last Friday, with one more day this week. It has made the month of June slide by so quickly, and it seems summer is almost halfway gone already.

In May, Memms had her preschool program. She was so adorable singing with her classmates. Her SUPERB teacher made these adorable books for each student. Full of photos throughout the year, and special questionnaires about 'your mom' and things of that nature. It made me bawl my eyes out.

The same day, J-Man has his karate testing. He got his orange belt and was BEAMING. He loves karate. He is really, really good. He can't wait to get his black belt one day...and I know he will. That boy puts his mind to something and he runs with it until it is his! (Hopefully this fall when he takes piano, he will have the same gumption.)

I love these two little people. They are the sweetest, most obedient little things ever. They make me smile, they hug me and kiss me a million times a day. If I am leaving, they are always screaming, "Miss you! Love you! Bye! Miss you! Love you! Bye!" Then running a million miles an hour, come and wrap their arms around me and kiss me until I am out the door. Being a mom is the hardest, but one of the most fulfilling callings I have ever had.

The best thing? They genuinely love one another. I mean, REALLY love each other. I couldn't ask for anything more than that.

I am very proud of them. So very proud of them.

Sister Study

Lots of people compare Memms and Millz. It is only natural, considering they are sisters.

It wasn't until recently, as I began pulling out clothes that Memms used to wear, and putting them on Millz when I decided to start taking a few photos if I got the chance to compare them side by side.

Memms is on the left of each of these, and Millz is on the right.







There are definitely some sisterly traits. That is for sure.
Memms, however, was much chubbier in the cheek area.
(She still is and is much kissable for it.)
Memms also had fuller lips than Millz.
Millz, I have decided is a perfect mix between her brother and her sister, but again,
a much thinner version of both of them when they were babies.

This got me thinking about my own sisters.
There is almost 12 years between me and my next closest sister.
They have a different biological father, so I never really compared myself physically with them.
Until I took their portraits at the end of last school year, and holy hannah.
Well, see for yourself.



Sisters are rad.
I wish mine were closer in age to me, and I wasn't more like a mom to them than a sister.
Glad that Memms and Millz will have a good opportunity to be friends.
To grow together.
I can't wait!

Home Made Bump-its

Have you seen that commercial for bumpits?

Well, my kids have. And apparently they have seen it a lot.
I caught them the other day making home-made bumpits.
(I am not sure if I am more disturbed that bumpits is one word
(think bum-pits)
or just disturbed period?)

See for yourself:







I about died when my friend Jon saw these and was all, "Is that a bumpit?!"
Hilarity.
According to J-Dawg this was the "Hollywood Tall Bumpit".
After eating lunch in Provo last week, and I saw all the hair...I am wondering if Utah County is the number one buyer in the country of bumpits.
(love you Utah County!)

Still rolling.

Tell me YOUR bumpit story.

I hope you dance.

What I would have given to have a dad like him.

He really is the best.

I love him to pieces.

The scary thing is,
before I turn around twice these two will be dancing at her wedding.

I can be perfect at some things.

Hubbs and I often joke about perfection.

In our religion we believe we can be perfected and exalted in time.

A process that takes a really really long time
and a process that definitely won't happen here on Earth.

Part of this process is the Word of Wisdom...maybe you have heard of it.
Basically we don't smoke or drink alcohol, that kind of stuff.

Other things we have been asked to do, is not look at pornography, or watch R rated movies.

Also, keeping the sabbath day holy.

All of these things help us to grow closer to our Father in Heaven and leave behind the things of the world, that would take us away from our family.

So, as the joke goes with Hubbs and I,
ESPECIALLY when it comes to the R rated movie thing...is that:

"We can't be perfect at ALL things,
but we can be perfect at SOME things."

So when the temptation comes to watch that movie that looks just too good to pass up...we remember our small area of perfection.

One area we are striving to perfect is our
Family Home Evening.

Family Home Evening, or "FHE" as we call it, occurs on Monday nights in our house, and is basically what it sounds like, we spend the evening as a family. The Church suggests doing spiritual activities or creating family memories.

Let me preface by saying the last year has been full of ups and downs and I am not always perfect at planning FHE in advance. Oftentimes it really is planned 5 minutes before we are suppose to start it. Tee hee.

See...NOT perfect, but WORKING on being perfect.

So, last night was FHE. I had these little foam turkey kits that I had purchased awhile back...and so I decided that for Family Home Evening we would talk about Thanksgiving and why we celebrate it.

So I read a book, we talk, we ask questions, all the while making six little turkeys to give away to people the kids were thankful for.

So we jump in the car and proceed to drop off all of our little turkeys.

On the way home, little Memms says:

"Mom! I really like this Family Home Evening,
it is a FUN one, and not a BORING one."

My kids are hilarious, and oh so brutally honest.

Happy Halloween

...from my goblins to yours!

Dads Are Important

What I wouldn't have given to have had a dad like Hubbs.

What would it have been like to be able to crawl into bed with your papa when you are scared or feeling sad or alone?

So thankful that my babies have that, moments like these are never hard to come by.

My Besties

In Peace

I will try to ignore the way this 'funeral' came about.

I won't tell you it is because this tiny bird was sitting across the street on the porch of the vacant home probably since Millz was born.
I will try to not get into the fact that every day my children have gone over to look at the dead bird that fell out of the nest.
I will even refrain from telling you that yesterday my kids ripped off one of the dead bird's wings with their
bare hands.

I won't tell you how I freaked out when Memms brought said wing to me, or how I began ranting that we need to respect life, la la la la la.

After I washed hands and gave baths, I reset myself and we taught about respect for living things, and so...

A funeral in pictures: