Happy Birthday Sis!

I've been meaning to do better at birthday posts so here is a birthday tribute to my sister Emily! Today is her birthday and I wish we lived closer so we could go shopping together today. We didn't always get along growing up - but she is now my best friend. I am always calling her about what to cook for dinner, to complain about feeling out of shape, or to help me see that what my kids are doing to make me crazy is actually pretty funny! So here's to you sis - happy birthday. I love and miss you lots!

He's (almost) done!!

Brian has had a very busy week and actually spent Thursday night at the library up on campus working on a final paper. He got the paper done and turned in Friday morning and then had class and meetings the rest of the day. When he got home he played with the kids for about an hour while I went to the grocery store for and then totally crashed on the couch. He fell asleep around 6:30 pm and didn't wake up until about 7am the next morning. He's been working so hard and we're so excited for his first year to be done (he only has one more test this coming Friday!). He's done an amazing job balancing school and family and is almost always home to help me put the kids to bed, which is a huge help to me! We spent a nice day at the park yesterday with the kids and had so much fun spending a relaxing day together!

There's nothing quite like a nap with a sleeping baby!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today my dad would have turned 52 years old! I love telling my kids about him and how he is watching over them. Here are a few pictures that I love. Happy Birthday daddy, I miss you!

He was alway doing crazy/daring/dangerous things

He loved my mom perfectly

My siblings and I adored him

This was always one of my favorite things to do (I was definitely a little too old and too big to be doing it in this picture but I am the baby so I got away with it!)

He loved the outdoors

He had a great sense of humor

Did I mention he was always doing crazy things??

Spring is here!!

The weather here has been SO beautiful and warm lately. The kids and I have been living it up and hitting some wonderful parks. That is one thing I absolutely love about where we live - the fun parks that we have so close by. The one we went to last Friday with some moms and kids from our ward was especially fun (I didn't post any pics of them because most of them have private blogs). It has a lake with a paved walking/running trail that goes all the way around it, a splash pad for kids and an awesome playground. Of course the girls just wanted to "see" the water, then they wanted to "stick their toes in" and by the end they were both soaking wet! They didn't want to leave when it was time to go so I started walking to the car and said, "You can stay in, but don't let the lake monster get you!" That got them running out of the water pretty fast! We can't wait to go back!

The girls playing in the water - nice saggy diaper, huh!

I love Nora's face in this picture - it's such a "Nora" look!

Sophie looks so happy in this picture - and so grown up!

Miles hanging out in the stroller (yes his cheeks are sunburned - oops!!)

Nora's been tagged!!

Here's a little info on our Nora Gracie girl:

* Nora loves to pretend. She is constantly talking in a high-pitched voice and being someone or something else. Her current favorite is to be "a baby ogre" (and she hasn't seen Shrek!)
* She adores her big sister and is alway saying, "Play with me sis!"
* She loves singing songs to Miles - usually made up ones!
* She is very tenderhearted.
* She often talks about "her school" and "her teacher" and how she is going to be starting school soon.
* She is usually the peacemaker at home.
* She's outgoing and will do things that surprise me - like bear her testimony in church.
* She is really good at climbing and maneuvering her body around playground equipment without falling - I think she should be a gymnast!
* She is usually very sweet, but when she gets mad - LOOK OUT!
* When she is hurt/mad/sad she usually wants to be left alone - this is totally opposite of Sophie - and if you don't leave her alone you may get hurt!
* She likes to be "babied" and taken care of. (Don't we all??)

Nora wants to tag: Truman, Owen, Laynee, Jackie, Tadhg, Maddie J. and Lizzie Jean

Sophie's been tagged!

Sophie was tagged by her friend Jackson. So here is some info on our Sophie Alexis:

chocolate face!!

* She loves to draw things. She is often looking at objects and drawing them in one of her many notebooks.
* She is very good at making up songs. I love to listen to her do sing, but if she knows I'm listening she will stop!
* She gets embarrassed in front of people easily.
* She is very strong-willed. If she wants to do something then she will do EVERYTHING in her power to do it.
* She has always seemed older. I remember a specific moment when she was 10 months old looking into her eyes and thinking that my baby was grown up!
* She is usually very honest.
* She is a natural caretaker. She loves feeling responsible for Nora and Miles.
* She is very affectionate. Even when she is grouchy or I've just gotten after her and sent her to her room she always wants to be held and snuggled.
* She loves all kinds of bugs, worms, caterpillars, etc... and will pick them up and play with them and want to keep them.
* She always worries about the people she knows well.
* She loves to plan things (parties, bbq's, holidays, etc.)
* She has an incredible memory. She will start talking about something that happened so long ago that I didn't even remember it until she brought it up!
* Her new favorite show is 30 minute meals with Rachael Ray. We now enjoy watching it together! Although she has a hard time understanding why Rachael is talking to us. She always asks, "Does she know we're watching?" or "How does she know we're here?" It is so funny!
* She has a love/hate relationship with her curly hair!

Sophie wants to tag: Tucker, Indie, Corey, Nora, Ellie A., Charli, Tayson and Jannika

Almost TWO months!

Our little Miles is growing so fast. He is such a good baby! He loves his sisters, eating, sleeping and smiling! He weighs about 11 pounds now. I think he looks adorable in this little plaid shirt! I had fun playing with the settings on my camera today and took about a million pictures of him - he's so dang cute it was hard not to post them all!

Of course this one turned out blurry because it was his best smile -

Such cute little feet!

He has this weird line in the middle of his big toe!

I think this one's my favorite!

I LOVE having a child that will sit still while I take pictures of them!! Tomorrow's project is to get some good ones of Sophie and Nora - wish me luck because I'll need it!

The latest....

We've been pretty busy around here lately. Brian's got finals coming up and it seems like every time I sit down at the computer one of the kids needs me.... so here's an update on what we've been doing....

Miles chilling with daddy while he studies
Now Brian does a lot to help out around the house, but one thing he does NOT do is cook! Imagine my surprise when I woke up to the smell of omelette's on Conference Sunday - they were SO yummy!
A close-up of the masterpiece!
After seeing our nephew Truman's swing we had to get one for ourselves!
Nora needed a little help at first - but caught on pretty quick on how to balance herself

Daddy giving Sophie a push

Sophie LOVES our new swing and wants to be out on it most of the day!

Mama and the kids!

We have been having warm/rainy weather here which makes for lots of laundry because the kids still want to be outside a lot- but every time they go out they get muddy and every time they come in they change into clean clothes..... and then want back out again! I usually enjoy rainy days but I am now ready for DRY weather so I can give my washing machine a break!
We are all very excited to go to Utah for a visit in a few months, we are planning on taking the train the whole way! Sophie has all kinds of plans for our trip out - I think someday she'll be an event planner because she loves planning parties, trips, holidays, etc.... It's pretty cute. Nora's newest phrase is "Well, it is ____ to me!" For example the other day she wanted her purple jacket on and she kept saying it was her pink jacket. When I corrected her she said, "Well, it is pink to me!" Or she was dipping her popcorn in milk before eating it and I said that was yucky and she said, "Well, it is yummy to me!" She uses this phrase all the time and it always leaves me with nothing to say! Silly girl.

Congratulations JoAnna and Chad!!

Brian's youngest sister is getting married on June 26th! We have yet to meet the lucky man but if JoAnna approves I'm sure we will as well. Congratulations JoAnna and Chad - we can't wait for the big day! 

Happy Birthday!

Today is my sweet mother-in-law's birthday! She is such an amazing, wonderful person. She has always been such an example to me and has so many qualities I hope to possess someday. She is an awesome grandma and is so patient and always has so many fun ideas for the kids. My girls adore her and especially love when she does ballet with them! We love and miss her so much and wish we could be with her today. Happy Birthday!!

Sophie and grandma
Reading books together
Performing a dance grandma taught them when they came out for a visit!
Brian and his mama - I think they look so much alike!!
Grandma with Miles
The night before we moved - all the girls (minus Emily Ann) :(
Grandma and Nora

April Fools!!

I love April Fools Day. We never really do much for it, so this year I decided to make an April Fools Dinner! I found a recipe for these yummy "cupcakes" and thought they were perfect! They didn't turn out exactly like the picture (do things ever?) but they were good enough to fool the kids (and Brian for a few seconds!) At first the girls were thrilled that we were having cupcakes for dinner and could hardly believe their good luck. One taste of the "frosting" and they were concerned I had done something wrong and messed them up. Once they discovered the cupcakes were actually meatloaf and potatoes they were less than thrilled! I got a good laugh out of it and Brian and I thought they were quite tasty, but the girls had a hard time getting over the fact that they'd been duped into believing we would really have cupcakes for dinner! Ha ha! I'm already thinking of what to make next year!!






I have to add that I even tricked Brian a couple of times yesterday; first by telling him our car was acting up and the engine light had come on again (not very funny after just spending close to 5 grand on a new engine!) He jumped right up to go and check before I burst out laughing. And that night I called him into the laundry room and told him I thought we had a mouse in the house because there was mouse poop all over (it was actually chocolate sprinkles Nora had gotten in to earlier!) He was about to break out the disinfectant and broom before I started laughing again. It was a pretty successful April Fools Day (on my part!) but I definitely need to learn to not start laughing so soon and let the jokes last just a bit longer!! :)

Little Artist

Sophie LOVES to draw. Yesterday she said to me, "Mom - do you wish you were a great artist like me, grandpa corey and uncle bug?"(my dad and brother - both amazing artists) And yes, I do wish I was! The other day she made a book for Brian of all the characters from Winnie the Pooh - so I thought I'd post them. She asked me how to spell all the names and wrote them down on each picture. And she added Brian in there as well because it was a book for him.
I think they are pretty cute!! I have to add that she drew all of these without looking at any pictures of them - I am her mama so I do have bragging rights! :)