Remember Today

When Jacks was freaking out, in a fit of frenzy, this morning.
Cooper went up to him and started singing
"Lullaby, lullaby" "Its ok jack".

I was cooking hamburger for dinner,
Jacks crawled up on the chair nearby.
So I said "be careful Jacks Hot"
He looked in the pan and said
"Meat" :)

I am so blessed to have all three of my boys.

Lets hope this next year is as good as 2011.

Happy New Year Friends!

Christmas 2011 Highlights

Baby Brother Home for Christmas!!

 Awesome gifts at the Christmas Eve Party!

#1 We had one small opening party at my parents house on Christmas Eve Day.

Story: About 45 minutes from my parents house I realized that I left Jacks big presents at home.

Nick dropped us off at my parents and drove for 7 hours to and from home, and picked them up.

Have I mentioned lately how great Nick is!!

This is one of the presents I was so excited to give Jacks.

Best Wrapping Job EVER!!

 #2 Christmas Morning.

Santa Gifts

 #3 Before Church Present Opening

(Check Out The "Ugly Sweater")

#4 After Grandpa got home from work 

Present Opening. 

Opening "Dog"

(That is the official name. 

Chosen by Jacks.)

 He Loves "Dog"

 One of Coops Favorites:

Tag Reader and Books

(He has already gone through 

one set of batteries, 

but it was awesome 

on the drive home!)

This is Coop Christmas Eve.  He threw up all morning, it was so sad.  Luckily he felt better before the 3+ hour drive to "Other Grandmas"

We had a great time at Christmas.  Please note the 4 opportunities we had to open Presents. (not counting opening Jammies Christmas Eve.)  I kind of liked it. It gave the kids a chance to appreciate and play with more toys without getting completely inundated.

Tawny's Favorite gifts: Books from Mom and Mom-in-Law. (already finished)

Nicks Favorite Gifts: SkyRim (video game) and a New Skeletool Leatherman.

Architecture 101

Hey!
Did you know you can buy a Pre-built Gingerbread house? All ready to decorate!!!

Awesome!!

Don't tell me I am cheating, even the best architect lets the Contractor do the building!!

It was a lot more fun not having to worry about the roof sliding down the walls.

So it begins....

The tree is now up,

Bring on the holidays.......

The Wall

I think it might be done

it only took 9 months!!

Painted it brown/ Put up some shelves

Put up some more shelves

Decided we didn't like the brown

 Success

Now onto the next project.....

When callings collide.

I have 2 callings.

I am the Singing Time Leader, and the Cub Scout Committee Chair.

On the 18 our primary will be joining the ward choir in singing The First Noel.  We have been practicing and the kids do such an amazing job.

On Thursday for Pack Meeting we took the Cub Scouts caroling.  We had two flat bed trailers full of scouts and their families.  The scouts ran to knock on doors and sang their hearts out.

We stopped at the home of a sweet sister who fell ill quite suddenly about the time Jacks was born.  We all went to her front door and my sweet little scouts sang The First Noel.  They remembered the words, and sounded wonderful.  I could feel the spirit and the love that they were pouring into the home of this hurting family.

I believe in the power of music, and Christmas Carols are even more inviting to the spirit than most.

This sweet sister died last night.  In Primary today I expressed to "my" kids how grateful I was for their willingness to serve and share their talents and enthusiasm.  I told them I was proud of the job they did, and that they should be glad that they participated in bringing Christmas joy to this family.

That is what Christmas is about....

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving Indian.

Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving Movie

Thankful for..........Everything



Staying Home was Awesome this year.  I made my first Turkey(breast).  We ate with Friends, Played games, and came home.


The Boys were asleep by 7:00.


No Black Friday for us.  Looking forward to a good nights sleep.

overheard

Coop and Nick are playing chess.

Coop: and then you will kill my swan?

Nick: what swan?

Cooper: my swan.

Nick: you don't have a swan.

Cooper: did you kill it?

Hee hee.

p.s. he meant pawn.

Kids

Today I had a student ask me a question.  A really Poignant question.  


"Do you believe that things you do will come back and effect you later".


 I said "Yes", and then paused and said "But I have kids".


I have actually been thinking about this a lot lately.  Life seems to be going really fast and I seem unable of catching my breath and yesterday I feel like I took out my Frustration on my kids.  I was Short with them and even Angry.  I found myself later wondering if my lapses in "adult" control will ultimately effect how my sweet boys see and interact with the world, and that really worries me. Because I have kids, I find myself thinking through decisions more slowly and introspectively because I know they won't just effect me, but also these innocent spirits in my home.


I looked at this young kid with his whole life and a million choices ahead of him, dismissing the things he could do that would "effect him later".


Then he told me he got a girl pregnant............

Halloween 2011

 Complete success.

Jacks totally got into it!!!

And our friend Camden drove back from his new house to trick-or-treat with us.

And now we have enough candy for the next 18 months!!

Halloween take one.

We went to a Halloween Carnival at the Elks Lodge on Saturday. It was a lot of fun. Doesn't this costume look familiar!!

Coop is so excited to be BumbleBee!!  Apparently so is every other little boy in a 5 mile radius.

We Carved Pumpkins with the neighbors this week too.

Coop decided on "Polka-Dots".

The worst part of it was I had just spent 20 minutes hollowing out that gourd to a perfect 1 inch thick all the way around.

Boys and their toys, right?

 Jacks got kind of tired and fussy!

Only slightly less pathetic...

We don't really decorate, but we have little kids so this year we bought an inflatable witch.


Saying the kids like it would be an understatement..

Coops newest favorite activity is making Jacks Laugh.

I have an awesome video, but it won't load Urgh!!

Visit....

 We had a great visit from family last week.


We were expecting Grandma and Grandpa, but got a surprise of cousin Scott and Jessie and Aunt Anne.


The kids had so much fun playing together.  Sometimes I feel bad that all of our family is so far away that the kids don't get to spend much time together.

Scott and Coop were thick as thieves playing on my phone.

Jacks was fascinated with Jessie and followed her around all evening.  She was such a good sport and so sweet with him.

Jacks is finally getting used to the whole Grandma Grandpa Scenario, he warmed up to them right away.

By the second day Jacks was running around yelling for Gramma and Grandpa, both sound just like Mama but with different Emphasis.

 It was so nice having Grandma and Grandpa here they were a big help on Sunday when I had to be up front leading the Primary Program.  They were the complete entertainment section for Jacks.

Thanks for coming!

Coop-ism

When I picked Coop up from Preschool I asked him what he learned.

"I don't know" he said.

So I proceeded to list MANY different subjects getting a "No" to each.

When I incredulously asked "You don't know what you learned today?"

He answered "Mom, You don't either".

Hee Hee...So right!

Boys

These little boys have me heart and soul wrapped around their fingers. 

 Sweet Boy, Smart Boy, Wonderful Boy.

Cuddly Boy, Crazy Boy, Amazing Boy.

Who said "I Love You" tonight!!

Love these Boys!!!!

 I stayed home Yesterday, Jack had a HARD night Monday.  It was so nice to just love on my boys all day.  

here we go Go GO on an Adventure...

Nick came home early Friday so we Mini-Golfed.

Coop was getting it in in about 4 by the last couple holes.

Of course after the first dozen hits on the first dozen holes I stopped keeping track. :)

Jacks was really good hangin' out in his new stroller

Today we took the boys on the Carousel.  

Cooper is Almost 42 inches, but not quite. 

So Daddy had to stand by him.

Jack was a little freaked out so I held him the last half of the ride

and then Coop and Daddy went again,

 on the horse with "The Really Big Hair"

 Good Day!!