Jessica and Jamie

Tomorrow my sister Jessica and her husband Jamie and their twin boys come for a visit. This will be the firs time that my kids will get to see their new cousins. Jessica and Jamie have been amazing Aunts and Uncles. They have genuine love for my kids and it shows through their actions and words. The other day Isabel did a little jig in anticipation of their arrival. We can't wait to see you guys!!!! We are going to have some good times!!!!

Richard Weiss and The Daily Dozen

My Dad submitted a photo to the National Geographic's Daily Dozen and his photo was selected. Here is the link to that, http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/daily-dozen. My Dad has an amazing talent for photography. I hope someday, when I have a good camera, I will find that I have inherited some of that talent. Even if just a fraction.
Congratulations Dad!!!! You deserve it!!!!!

Sweetness

I really believe that we all have different love languages. My husband would have to disagree. But I think that is a front to keep his emotions to himself. Brent is not one to exclaim his love for me. I never hear him tell me that I am beautiful or that I am doing a great job at being a wife and mother. Unless I come to him in tears, then I hear those words that I have been craving for months and months. But through our many years of marriage I've realized that this is not how Brent gives or receives love. He shows his affection for me through gifts and service. My eyes were opened to this only in the past few years. Now I am always looking for those signs of love and affection. So when Brent called me this past Saturday to ask me what my shoe size was, I didn't question it and just told him. He came home with the COOLEST pair of puma tennis shoes. I look at the shoes as him telling me, " Babe, you are doing a great job at being a mother to our children. And I couldn't ask for a better wife." I am grateful that my eyes were opened to the many different love languages. I can now recognize when and how my Husband is telling me he loves me. And in return I try really hard to serve him every day in some way. He is the greatest at giving me the perfect gifts on my birthday, mother's day and Christmas. But I have to admit, that when I get a greeting card from him with a hand written note I tear up, because that is how I receive love. Through praise and words. None of us are perfect. Our journey here on Earth is to learn and to grow. I am grateful that I've learned a little bit more about the man I married.

Patty Cake

Grandma Penny came over yesterday for a quick visit. One of her favorite things to do with Grace is to play patty cake. I've tried doing it with Grace and I don't get the same reaction. No one does it quite like Grandma. Thanks Grandma Penny for smiles!!!!

From Drab to Chic

Looking at all of Denise's updates to her house got me itching to do something of my own. So I chose the front room. I had to do it while Brent was gone. He likes to have a lot of say on what colors are used in the house. I wanted to do this all on my own. I didn't do it on my own. I have some very talented friends in the neighborhood. Kristen helped me pick out the color. I invited 4 friends over to help with the project. Jaenine held Grace the whole time while Leslie, Kristen, Kasa and myself taped, caulked and painted. Afterwards Kristen and Kasa stayed behind to help put the room back together. I LOVE the way the room turned out. The window is so big it makes the room very bright making it possible for me to get away with such a deep rich red color. I want to live in my Front room now. In my opinion, paint is the cheapest way to completely change the look of a room. It makes everything old look new again. So thanks Ladies, for helping me out in such a huge way. Brent really liked the Front room. The only thing he wouldn't have done was to paint the coat closet. But I love everything and that's what matters most!!! One of the things that I love most about the paint is how it highlights Brent's amazing woodworking Talent. He is the one that did the awesome triangles in the lower half of the room, and also the balister.

First crushes

This past Sunday my Brother-in-law spoke in Sacrament meeting due to his departure as a Missionary. His girlfriend, Kira, and her family were all there. Her only brother is named Landon and is 12 years old. Well, Isabel quickly warmed up to him and would not leave the poor boy alone. While they were eating dinner Isabel sat next to him with her legs crossed and very daintily ate her dinner. I watched as she would grab his hand to get him to follow her to the jungle gym. Where ever Landon went, Isabel went. Although this is not Isabel's first crush (that is another story in itself), it was delightful and a little unnerving to watch this one unfold. I will for sure have my hands full when this one is a Tween and Teenager. Brent made the comment that she is just like her Mother. What evs!!! Was I really that big of a flirt? He he he, maybe just a little!!!

A side note to this day:

Isabel was holding Grace again. After a while she exclaimed, " Grace smells like a cheese stick".

Annika asked me during Sacrament meeting if I had any "Graham Crappers" in my bag.

Cute Cousins

I know this picture is blurry. Alleah got a hold of
Graces hand it was so cute!!!

I just couldn't resist taking pictures of Grace and Alleah. It's fun to see the many difference in them. I am so excited for Grace. She is the first of our kids that will grow up with a cousin her age and actually have someone to play with at family gatherings. I know Grace and Alleah are going to be best friends!!!

Beckham's World

I was finished giving Beckham and Grace a bath the other night. I was getting Grace dressed when I heard Beckham making noises in the tub. Then I heard him gleefully yell, " Hey Hannah, it is so cool to FART in the bathtub!!!"

laugh out loud funny to me!!!

Oh Really?

Sunday morning I was looking over a project that Jaren was suppose to turn in the very next day. His teacher outlined the requirements and one of them was to avoid plagiarism. I told him how to avoid this. Well, he didn't follow instructions. So I made him go back and re-do the whole thing. He was not happy with me. He had already glued his plagiarized information on his posterboard. I made him re-print and glue the new stuff on to scrapbook paper. I showed him how to do the first one and made him do the rest. After his first one he asked me how it looked. I answered with an enthusiastic "It looks Great". His shoulders slumped and he replied, " Is that all you have to say?"

Me: What else was I suppose to say Jaren?

Jaren: It looks Awesome!!

Me: It looks Awesome, fabulous!!!

Jaren: That's not the right way. Mom you just don't know how to talk to kids. You just know how to talk to other parents and it take you for ever.

Oh really? I knew the day would come when I wouldn't have to correct vocabulary to talk with my children. But so soon? Come on, jaren is only 10 years old. I guess I should have told him that his poster was "Sick". Isn't that like the new "cool"?

This one's for you Jessica

Isabel and Annika leading us in I Love to See the Temple

Family Home Evening Flop

Today I thought I would take over FHE. Brent is usually the one to do FHE and I am totally fine with this. He does a good job. But he doesn't usually do a lot of crafty activities. While Brent fed Grace I worked with the kids to do Book of Mormon placemats. I had all the stuff for them. I had bought the pictures earlier and was just waiting for the right time to put them together. I thought it was going to be great. No scissors were involved because we were just tearing the paper. Well, I was completely wrong. Jaren, Annika and Isabel flipped out about the tearing of paper and how they couldn't get just right. The whole point was that it didn't have to be perfect. Jaren stormed off several times. Annika sat quietly crying. Isabel of course was the loudest about the whole thing, but she solved the problem by pulling out scissors. Annika liked that idea better as well and used them after Isabel. Plus, the contact paper took forever to pull away from the paper it came in and I couldn't get to all the kids fast enough. Jaren thought his looked too much like a girls. I think the only child that was happy with the whole project was Hannah. She was very patient with her Mother and I appreciate that so much. What a flop is turned out to be. I was so excited for them to be doing something fun with their hands and almost every one of them hated it. I'm still giving myself an A for effort. I didn't lose my cool one time, and I think they all turned out great.

The circus

Amy and Chubby Me

Isabel, Alex, Jaren and Hannah

Haylee, Aiden, Logan & Beckham, Double H

Oooo, Cotton Candy

Brent playing with his blackberry


Amy told me earlier in the week about the circus. She has invited me several other times to go to events like this one. Since I am trying to be a funner more involved Mom, I decided I would go. Weither Brent wanted to come or not. This is just the type of thing I would have said No to a few years ago. The kids got in for free. Brent asked me how much an Adult ticket was going to be and I said no more then 7 or 8 bucks. Boy were we wrong. It's a good thing Amy was there or we would have turned right around. I only had $10 on me and 1 adult was $20. Amy had an extra buy one get one free admission for adults and some extra cash. Thanks Amy, you saved by butt once again. It was definately W.T. But it was more entertaining then I thought it was going to be. The first part of the show was so, so. But the second half was by far the best. My favorite parts were the performing Elephants, dogs, tight rope walkers (which totally made my bum tingle), and the coolest Motorcycles in a metal cage. They managed to get 4 in a teeny tiny cage. It was insane!!! I had a hard time watching that as well. I am glad that Brent decided to join us. I'm not sure if he had fun, but it was so good to have him there. We had a great time.
Thanks Amy the invite, we had a great time.

Thanksgiving Point 2008

Hannah, Isabel, Beckham, and Annika

In and among the trees.

Grace assuming her favorite possision

Grandma Penny and Grace

Me and all the kids

5 blondies and 1 brownie

bent over and awkward, just like the flowers were

Grace is NOT happy, very hungry
In the background were pretty much the ONLY blooming tulips.
I almost thought they were fake.

Oh no, it's a bear. You like how Jaren's finger is in
the bear's nose?

Hannah, always pretending

Our original, original plan was to come to the Tulip festival with Aunt Kelli and Alleah. Then we decided it was too cold, and the tulips wouldn't be showing their faces and it wouldn't be worth $50 to see non-blooming gardens. Then we were going to go to Temple Square. When we arrived at my Mom's she offered to pay for the Grandparent's pass. That way all the kids get in for free and I was only $5. Don't worry Kelli, you didn't miss out on anything. Nothing was blooming but the daffodils and hyacinths and even then it has been so cold at night that they were droopy and wilting. It was really disappointing. But we made the best out of the day and the kids still enjoyed running around like banchies. Jaren is the one that said the most amuzing comment. I told the kids to smell the hyacinths, they still smelled amazing. After smelling them Jaren said this," I know why they call them hyacinths. Because they are High Scent." So entertaining.

How many sisters does it take to dress a baby?

In our family, that would be 3. They all collaborated on which outfit to wear. Hannah was in charge of the onsie and Isabel put on the little jumper -- "It's just like my dolly Mom. I know exactly how to do this." And Annika was in charge of putting on the headband. Grace was very patient with them and didn't cry until the very end when her hand got caught in the long sleeve onsie. Grace is going to be one patient little girl, she already is. Isn't she so cute!!!!

Another Isabelism

Earlier in the day I had promised Hannah that she could feed Grace. I am giving Grace one bottle a day to allow for some freedom to go and do things. Thanks, Amy, you were the one to really help encourage this. I called to Hannah to come inside to feed her, Isabel heard and immediately came running. When I tried to explain to Isabel that I had already promised Hannah and that she could feed Grace the next day, she didn't hear. She was too busy complaining and crying about how unfair it was. I gently told her to go to her room and cry and to come back down when she was done. She came back down still whimpering and complaining under her breath. Again, I gently told her to back upstairs and finishing crying, or stop crying and stay downstairs with the rest. This was her reply: " I can't, I just can't stop. It's like the hiccups."

Climbing and Licking

Grace being flipping cute in her stroller. Who, soon enough,
will be joining the ranks of her syblings.

Hannah monkeying around in the big pine tree at Provo City Offices

Jaren in the Big Pine Tree

Annika showing off her skills as a tree climber

Annika, Beckham, Isabel and Hannah in front of the Bean Museum for what seemed like our 100th visit.

All the kids in a cool tree on BYU Campus

"Posers" on the grounds of the Museum of Art

If you can do it, I can do it better
Miss Hannah

Nothing better then ice cream on the hottest day (79) of the year

Beckham loves mint chip, and insisted on the cake cone

Jaren, still managing to get it all over his face at 10

Hannah has always loved playing with her food. See the
perfect peak she's made with her ice cream?

Isabel goes into her ice cream with gusto, including in the napkin

Miss Annika, quietly joins the rest

I think these pictures pretty much sum up what a great day we had on our first day of Spring Break. It was the hottest day of the year so we took full advantage of it. It's going to be cloudy for the rest of the week. I was so proud of myself. I let the kids be kids. I got a question in Macy's this morning, " Are all these kids yours?" The woman had 9 kids of her own. Ranging from a son on a mission to a baby at the breast. She was standing in the deli section with the baby literally latched on. She told me she gets that question all the time and she's from California. I told her I still get it and I live in Utah County. Then on BYU campus there was another woman who had 5 kids. She commented to me that it was nice to see someone with more kids then her. She had a two month old baby too. I asked her when her baby was born, oddly enough the same day as Grace, Feb. 7th. What do you know. It was a great day.