It's going to be a loooong day...

The kids have been sick on and off all week. One of those really annoying bugs that you keep thinking is done and then it rears its ugly head again, and again, and again. Well apparently they gave it to me now too. Last night I was up most of the night with an upset stomach and vomiting. Then this morning at about 6:30, Beth wakes up because she had throw up in her bed, and carpet etc. Just what I wanted to deal with. James seems to be over the throwing up, he did it Sunday night, Monday morning, and then when we thought he was all better, covered our kitchen in it Tuesday night. But even though he isn't barfing he has been SUPER clingy yesterday and so far today. And when he is like that, and Beth isn't feeling good, that means lots of fighting over mommy and toys etc. So between the two sickies and the clingy kid, this is going to be an interesting day! Ryan absolutely had to go to work today or he would have stayed home to help out. Hopefully he'll be able to get home early...

Fun!

Sometimes Beth and I don't always get along. Luckily, I don't think Beth notices yet, but I do. We tend to butt heads a lot. I think we are too much alike and it gets in our way sometimes. Plus, I just don't handle her two-year-oldness very well sometimes. So the times when we can just have a really good time together are really precious to me. I love her smile, and when she is happy she can be really infectious. We went to the park the other day and I got some great pictures of her just having fun and smiling and laughing and it made a rather hard day much better. She was playing so well and being so cooperative.

I love days like that! Too bad today is not one of them....

I Hope They Call Me On a Mission!

Today this handsome young man, my oldest nephew, goes into the MTC (Mission Training Center). He is headed to Carlsbad, CA to teach the gospel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I am in total shock! I can't believe that he is old enough to go. I can't believe I am old enough to have a nephew going on a mission. But mostly, I am so proud! A mission is really difficult thing. It involves a lot of personal sacrifice and a 2-year commitment. There are not a lot of 19-year-old boys who are willing to give up two years of school and regular life and girlfriends to serve the Lord, but this boy is and he knows that it is the best thing he could be doing right now and that is so impressive. Way to go! I have to give props to my sister Debbie and her husband who obviously raised this boy right and taught him the things he needed to know to make this decision. I can only hope to do well enough with my kids that they can live up to his example. His decision is bringing out the best of our family. The other night most of our family that lives locally got together to have a little party for him. At the end of the end of the evening we sat around in a circle and bore our testimonies of the gospel and of his decision to go on a mission. What a wonderful experience! I love my family and am so impressed by the next generation in it. I really hope I can raise my children to be as great as their cousins because they amaze me!

Thank you Branden for making this decision, for setting such a good example for the cousins that will follow you. You will be an amazing force in the mission field. Good luck, we will be praying for you!

More pictures

Just felt like sharing a few more pictures i've taken with my new toy. Here are some of my more artistic attempts:

Birthday- Part 3

Part- 3 was a family party! Woohoo, party time! My sister-in-law Summer has a birthday this week too, so we were celebrating for both of us. We had a yummy dinner of spaghetti and lots of garlic bread, followed by not one, but two coldstone ice cream cakes! Yummy!

Of course the best part of family parties is the cast of characters. And trust me, there are some characters at my family parties! Haha. And I just love watching all of the cousins getting to hang out and enjoy time together. I love getting to spend time with my family, I wish I got to do it more! After eating we got to spend lots of time talking and just enjoying eachother, and then of course there were presents. What birthday girl doesn't like presents?

After all the festivites were done the kids went home cheerfully and went straight to bed and I got to open my last present on the day, the final book of the twilight series, (woohoo, I can finally read it!!) and then watch a little Lost. All in all it was a fabulous birthday! I got a little introspective at the end of the day, as I think a lot of us do on our birthdays, wondering if we are doing enough with our lives, and it bummed be out a little. But, looking back on the day, I couldn't stay bummed out because I have a WONDERFUL husband whom I adore, and who would do anything for me, two great kids whom I love and that love me, and a fabulous, supportive, loving family that I actually want to spend time with. There really isn't a whole lot more I could ask for out of my 26 years so far. So here is to another great year. Thanks to all of my friends and family who have made this year great. Love ya!

Birthday- Part 2

So for Part 2, we walked over the streams that flow through a big part of Liberty Park. I wasn't sure if the kids would be into it, the water is pretty cold and it moves at a pretty good clip, but we thought we would give it a shot, and they loved it!!

The kids were having a great time, we were cooling off, I had my camera, it was great! I was one happy Birthday girl.
After the park people caught us with no swim diapers (I knew I forgot something!). We headed out of the park and off to lunch. I love that park. It is so beautiful and just so big and has so much to do. I wish it was closer to my house, I would spend a lot of time there. By the time we made it home the kids were both fast asleep and went down for great naps, so Ryan and I decided to follow suit. Nothing like a good afternoon nap on your birthday! It was a good way to recharge after our busy hot morning, plus there was more partying to do...Birthday-Part 3 to come!

Birthday- Part 1

So my birthday began with surprise #1. Ryan had taken the day off to spend with me! What a nice guy, huh? So once the kids were up (I was allowed to sleep in until 8!) we went out to breakfast to IHOP. Gotta love IHOP. mmm, bacon.... While we were there Ryan gave me one of my presents. A memory card, the kind used in digital cameras, hmm, I'm still thinking my big present must be waiting at home, what do you think?? So we headed home and Ryan finally ended the torture and gave me my big present. That's right my friends, a new beauty of a camera! A Nikon D60!!

Man alive is it a beautiful thing! I was SO excited! We had a little bit of a scare, because there was something you could see in the view finder but it wasn't any place that we could get to to clean it off, so we thought maybe it was a scratch or crack and we were going to have to send it back, I was devastated. So we hurried over to the nearest camera store to have them give their opinion and with their handy-dandy camera cleaning blower dealy they were able to clean it out and all was well with the world again! And on went my fabulous day and my picture taking, a LOT of picture taking!

Our first stop? Tracy Aviary! The kids were totally fascinated with the birds and it allowed me plenty of picture taking opporunities, here are a few favorites. I took over 90 pictures there, so i'll spare you them all. Haha.

So fun...so at this point we were all getting a little warm and ready to be done with the birds, so we moved on to Birthday-part 2!

Pre-Birthday Festivities

My birthday festivities started on Friday. I like to draw out my birthday as long as humanly possible. I'm a little kid that way, always have been, and probably always will be. So Friday night Ryan took me out to dinner and we had a great time. It's always nice to get to go out with just Ryan. I love our kids, but date nights are the best. My wonderful sister-in-law Summer watched the kids while we gorged ourselves on steak and potatoes and the like. It was fabulous.

Then Saturday Beth and I made my traditional cupcakes. I like to make cupcakes cause then I can have just a little bit of birthday cake everyday all week long, its the way to go. haha. Beth loved helping out and of course loved being able to help eat the final product! Then in the afternoon we went and got gelato (yum!) at this new place down the street and then went and played at the city park. The kids were angels and we had a great time enjoying our afternoon together.

Yesterday, Ryan made Cinnamon Rolls for me for breakfast and helped get the kids ready for church, which is always great! After church the kids both took great naps while Ryan and I got to watch a movie and relax. I love lazy Sunday afternoons. In the evening we went the my in-laws house for a BBQ and party for me and our little niece Sophia who had a birthday last week. It was good times had by all. I got a couple of gifts including money (who doesn't like money!) and a camera bag...hmm...do you think the gift i've been asking for, or maybe demanding may be a better word, for the last year is on the horizon?

I will have to do a whole new post for the actual Birthday festivities, because they have been plentiful and are not yet over, but I wanted to get caught up from my blog slacking before I brought on the anslaught. So, until tomorrow!

Pray Always

We have been working hard on teaching Beth to pray and getting better on family prayer. Beth has been really into being the one to say the prayer at family prayer and getting better at saying a lot of it on her own, but I wasn't sure how far it was all sinking in... until today. We were at the grocery store, just shopping along, I was stopped at the boxed meals and she was looking them by my side when she just suddenly bowed her head and started to pray! The prayer went something like this:

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day. Thank you that we could come to the grocery store. Please bless that Grandma will get better. Please bless that we will be safe.
Amen

And then she just went back to the cart and went on her way. Who knows what prompted her to do that, but to me it was a pretty amazing example. We are all supposed to pray always, and here my little 2-year-old was praying over a trip to the grocery store...To be like a little child!

Family

I love my all of my nieces and nephews. I wish I had a chance to spend time with all of them on a regular basis, but I really don't and it makes me a little sad. Especially those that live in other states, I almost never see them and it bums me out that I don't get to know how cool they are, because I know they are totally cool! But last night I got to hang out with two of my awesome nieces. Chelsie and Jaime. We had a mega girls night out, pedicures, take-out, chick-flicks, junk food. It was fantastic. We used to do it on an annual basis, but we've slacked the last few years cause they are getting old and too cool for me, but luckily they decided I was cool this year and we had a blast. I need to do this with more of the nieces and nephews that I have an opportunity to be near. I have such an amazing family and I feel so blessed. I need to reach out and make more connections, even with those far away.

I hope all of my family out there knows how much I love them! I really do!!