I Love Being a Mother

May is a good month to remember how much I love and appreciate being a mother.  I love having Scott, Emma, Lizzy, and David in my life.  They are such wonderful young people, and I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to mother them in whatever capacity I can.

Here are some cute photos of my kids in May 2013.  I loved creating memories with them this past month.  They are wonderful!

Jordan River Parkway

FHE at the Park

Memorial Day at Wheeler Farm

Blanket for Claire

My little niece, Claire, will be arriving in this world shortly.  I thought it would be fun to make her a blanket set to welcome her, so I bought some cute yarn from Michaels and began making my very first granny square blanket.  I call it my Neapolitan blanket.  It looks like strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream all together in rows.  After finishing the blanket, I knew I wanted to make Claire something cute to wear with it, so I made a cute little hat  and diaper cover set.  I think it turned out adorable!  I can't wait to see my little niece use it soon!

Piano Guys

Brad and I went to see The Piano Guys live in concert at Abravanel Hall on the Saturday before Mother's Day.  It was lovely! Jon and Steve are extremely talented and entertaining.  I love the songs that Jon and Steve have arranged together, and I love the way they perform as a team.  I was very excited when they performed the very first song they ever did together, "Love Story Meets Viva La Vida."  It's sill one of my all time favorites.  I happened upon their YouTube video of that song back in 2009, while I was reading one of my friend's blog post.  That was even before they became The Piano Guys.  I'm so glad they decided to team up later.  They are awesome!  I'm looking forward to watching them in concert again in the future.

The Highlight of My Day: April 2013

Something good happens every day. Here's what happened in April 2013:

Mon 4/1/13: Tonight Brad and I enjoyed a quiet Family Home Evening with Lizzy and David. We used church artwork to tell Lizzy the story of the life of Christ. She seemed to like the pictures of Baby Jesus the best.

Tue 4/2/13: The Montgomerys arrived tonight! It was lovely spending time with my sister and her family. Little Eric is getting so big! He's taller than David. Lizzy had fun playing with a new Rapunzel doll from her Grandma Whitcomb.

Wed 4/3/13: Brad and I took the Montgomerys and our little ones to Veteran's Memorial Park. Eric was obsessed with the swings and wouldn't try anything else. David liked walking on all the different surfaces at the park: wood chips, sidewalk, wooden planks, grass, etc. Lizzy loved doing a little bit of everything. She really liked riding the tire swing with Uncle Craig and Eric.

Thu 4/4/13: We spent a good portion of our day at This is the Place Heritage Park. The kids loved seeing all the baby animals. They held bunnies and chicks, and saw baby goats and sheep. Lizzy and David rode on ponies, and all of us loved riding on the trains at the park. It was a fun day.

Fri 4/5/13: We spent a lot of time at home today. It was too wet to do much, although the little ones still managed to play out in the backyard a few times. Eric loves playing in the backyard.

Sat 4/6/13: We watched the first two sessions of General Conference today. Brad picked up Scott this evening and all the menfolk went to the Priesthood Session while the girls had some time together. Marilyn, Loralee, and the cousin girls joined Rachel and I at my house. We had spaghetti and salad, and Loralee brought a pastry for us to try.

Sun 4/7/13: It was sad seeing the Montgomerys leave after the morning session of conference, but it was fun visiting Marian this afternoon. We played a round of Nerts. Brad won. We also ate lasagna and watched "The Big Bang Theory." Brad helped move a couch into the garage.

Mon 4/8/13: It was lovely having Scott and Emma come home tonight! We had a good family home evening watching new episodes of Studio C.

Tue 4/9/13: I'm having fun making Rachel a baby blanket for her soon-to-arrive daughter, Claire. The blanket reminds me of Neapolitan Ice Cream, so I call it the ice cream blanket. Strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate. Looks yummy, according to Emma.

Wed 4/10/13: Poor Emma busted her foot today while playing Sharks and Minnows at school. She has a stress fracture on her fibula. I loved the way Emma coped with her injury today. Her cheerful personality still shown through, even though it was hard for to get around and do things. I loved her desire to be independent and do things on her own. She's such a wonderful girl.

Thu 4/11/13: My highlight of the day was Brad and I singing to our little ones at bedtime. Lizzy and David were used to just hearing me sing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," but this time Papa sang along, and both their eyes and smiles got really big as they heard his voice. We also sang "All the Pretty Little Horses."

Fri 4/12/13: Tonight was Art Night at Entheos. Scott brought a bunch of art to put on display, which included some of his elvish writing. Emma had some items on display, too, including her Egyptian painting of Baal. We won two auction items in the lottery: a dinner for two to Texas Roadhouse, and two baskets full of gardening supplies.

Sat 4/13/13: Brad and I went to see "Oz: The Great and Powerful." When we got home, we found all the kids playing ball in the backyard, including Emma. I'm glad Emma is healing up so fast!

Sun 4/14/13: It was nice having our home teachers visit us this evening. The topics we discussed were on fasting and the resurrection. I loved it when Scott paraphrased Alma 11:42-44. I've noticed how much more knowledgeable Scott has become of the scriptures since he began attending seminary. I love it.

Mon 4/15/13: We watched, "The Empire Strikes Back," and Studio C for FHE tonight. It was Emma's and Lizzy's first time watching the second Star Wars film. Lizzy really got into it, yelling when the bad guys attacked the rebels. She also really liked R2D2.

Tue 4/16/13: The kids and I watched "Wreck it Ralph" after we got back from the library. What a cute movie!

Wed 4/17/13: A week has gone by since Emma had her foot accident. She has healed up so nicely! She no longer needs crutches or her boot, and the only discomfort she feels is when she stands on her tip-toes. I'm happy she's doing so well so quickly.

Thu 4/18/13: I talked to my mother on the phone for about an hour tonight. She had a lot to say to me about her recent trip to Chile to visit her family. She was so happy! I'm so glad that she was able to go and spend two weeks in her homeland, seeing all of her brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews. She was treated as a celebrity there. Everyone came to see her, and feed her, and take her places. She loved the attention and hospitality. I am so happy for her having that experience.

Fri 4/19/13: Brad and I went on a little date to donate blood together, and eat out at Ab's Drive In. It's been a long time since I've eaten a hamburger like that. YUM!

Sat 4/20/13: We grabbed some goodies at the Missionary Bake Sale this morning before heading over to see Marian. We spent most of the day cleaning up the fish tank and playing Nerts. We celebrated my birthday in the evening. I loved it when David sang to me: "Birf-day to you. Birf-day to you." He was very cute.

Sun 4/21/13: Today was my birthday. It was fun getting birthday wishes throughout the day from family and friends, and talking to my parents on the phone. We had peanut butter pie for my birthday "cake." I enjoyed Brad and the kids singing to me.

Mon 4/22/13: I liked having Family Home Evening with the family, watching the second half of "Empire Strikes Back" and another episode of Studio C. I loved the sketch: Literally Man. Hilarious! I love Matt Meese.

Tue 4/23/13: I loved Lizzy holding back the automatic doors for me at the library tonight, and talking to them as I made my way towards them. "Wait for Mama," she told them. When I walked through, she dismissed the doors, saying, "Okay! Good night, doors!"

Wed 4/24/13: I've been having way too much fun crocheting blankets lately. Today I spent most of the afternoon watching movies and shows on my computer while crocheting. I'm making a purple blanket now.

Thu 4/25/13: I liked my visiting teachers stopping by tonight. It was nice talking to them and hearing a General Conference message about speaking softly to children. Brad, the kids, and I enjoyed eating the grape-flavored purple candy vines they brought. YUM!

Fri 4/26/13:  I got a high five and an applause for my dinner tonight.  I made chicken drumsticks with homemade BBQ sauce, brown rice with tomatoes and cilantro, and fresh green beans on the side.  It was yummy!

Sat 4/27/13:  I went shopping with Emma and Lizzy today.  I bought Emma some new black walking shoes, which she picked out herself.  I liked spending time with my girls.

Sun 4/28/13: The sunbeams were so well behaved today!  Even Tommy sat down in his seat the whole time.  That made me very happy.

Mon 4/29/13:  We ate ice cream and watched Studio C tonight.  I love our family traditions. 

Tue 4/30/13:  I got a bunch of DVDs from the library tonight.  I've been watching a lot of British dramas lately while I crochet.  This week I checked out "North and South" and "Our Mutual Friend."  I'm working on some presents for Baby Claire.

David's 18-Month Stats

Weight: 25 pounds, 36% for his age
Height: 33.5 inches, 80% for his age.
Head Circumference: 18.9 inches, 55% for his age. 

18-Month David

David is the most easy-going baby I have ever met.  He is calm, mellow, and very happy.  He makes people smile wherever we go.  His smile is contagious.

New Developments In The Last 3 Months

• He has become a climber.  He loves to climb on chairs, couches, stairs, the table, and his highchair.
• He has a growing vocabulary: "PLEASE!", "what's that?", "ewww," "hello," "yesss," and "'uck" are some of the new things he says.
• He he has three more teeth, including one molar.  He has 9 teeth total.
• He had his first haircut.
• He can scribble with crayons now, and he knows how to stack blocks.

Favorite Foods

Bananas, grapes, broccoli, cheddar cheese, rice, pasta, black beans, canned green beans, yams, apples, turkey pastrami, hot dogs, and lots more!  He's not too fond of chewy meats, like beef strips, and he doesn't care for fish much.  He has decided ham isn't his favorite anymore, either.

Favorite Books and Songs
David loves it when we read "Goodnight Gorilla," "Green Eggs and Ham," and "The Three Little Pigs."  He loves it when I sing "Little Bunny Fo Fo," "Open Shut Them," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Batman," "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "Baby Mine"--- basically any song I sing.  He loves music.  It calms him down and soothes him instantly. It always puts a smile on his face.

Little quirks:

• He loves to say: "Please!  Please!  PLEEEASE!" He can be very intense when he says that, with his eyes getting bigger, and his voice getting louder.  That's his way of saying he wants something.  Sometimes it takes me a while to figure out what he wants.
• His favorite song is from Divine Comedy's music video, Good.  He can watch that video over and over again, and tries to sing along with it. He sings, "I gooo, I gooo, a maaa."
• He is obsessed with climbing things.  He loves to climb up on his highchair.  He scares us sometimes.
• He likes walking on different surfaces.  He loves walking from grass to concrete, or from foam to wood shavings, and he's obsessed with steps.
• He loves to say, "hi," when he or someone else walks into a room.
• He is definitely left-handed.
• He laughs when he gets his teeth brushed.  The bristles make his gums tickle.

The Highlight of my Day: March 2013

Something good happens every day. Here's what happened in March 2013:

Fri 3/1/13: Brad and I had fun learning some new dance moves tonight. We checked out a beginning ballroom dancing DVD from the library a few days ago.

Sat 3/2/13: We had a blast watching Studio C film LIVE in Provo tonight! Scott and Emma got to be in the live audience while Brad and I were in the overflow. Brad got to shake Matt Meese's and Stephen Meek's hands before the show. It was awesome!

Sun 3/3/13: We had a wonderful afternoon and evening with Rosie, the poodle! John dropped her off so we could watch her overnight. We took her with us to Bruce and Loralee's house for dinner. Loralee made a delicious lasagna dinner, with salad and homemade rolls, and we had banana and lemon cream pies for dessert. It was a lovely Sunday.

Mon 3/4/13: We had a Dr. Seuss themed FHE tonight. The highlight was eating homemade cupcakes with light blue frosting, with Cat-in-the-Hat marshmallow hats on top.

Tue 3/5/13: Tonight was library night! Lizzy checked out a bunch of DVDs this time, including Bob the Builder, The Lorax, and Kim Impossible.

Wed 3/6/13: I took a long walk this evening while Scott and Emma were at their youth activities. It was a beautiful night, and I loved walking through our neighborhood and seeing the SLC lights in the distance. I love living where we live.

Thu 3/7/13: I've gotten hooked on a new TV series called "No Ordinary Family." I've been watching it on Hulu while crocheting Thing 1 and Thing 2 hats for my friend, Gina's twin boys.

Fri 3/8/13: Tonight was the Elders Quorum dinner at our church building. We sat with the Matthews, Moons, and the Sandersons. It was fun visiting with everyone, eating potatoes and chili, and playing a new game Kathi taught us called "Chinese Writing." Kathi had us all stumped with the game, which made it more funny at the end when we were told the trick.

Sat 3/9/13: Brad, the little ones, and I went to play games at Marian's and Gordon's house this afternoon. We played Ticket to Ride again. I won with 120 points. We would have stayed longer if Lizzy hadn't thrown up while we were there. It's a good thing we went home when we did, because all of us were sick by the end of the night.

Sun 3/10/13: Brad and I stayed home sick with the little ones while Scott and Emma went to church today. Brad and I enjoyed watching Downton Abbey together.

Mon 3/11/13: We were feeling much better today. We went for a walk down our street, collecting rocks, for FHE. Lizzy was very excited about collecting rocks. It's amazing how the money-free activities can be the most fun.

Tue 3/12/13: Scott stayed home sick from school today, and Brad took off work to volunteer in Emma's class this afternoon, so the three of us watched the final episode of Downton Abbey Season 3 together in the morning.

Wed 3/13/13: It was Emma's turn to be ill today. I spent the entire morning taking care of her and cleaning up after her. I was feeling overwhelmed by the end of the day, so Brad gave me a little mini-mommy vacation. He did the dishes for me and watched the kids while I went on a nice long walk through the neighborhood and took an extra long hot bubble bath. I went to bed feeling happy, warm, and fresh. My husband is so good to me.

Thu 3/14/13: Bradley-and-Me time tonight was lovely! I love my marriage. I love my husband. I love having him to myself on Thursday nights. My life is good!

Fri 3/15/13: Bradley and I watched a documentary called "Hungry for Change." It was very well done. I learned some things I didn't know before.

Sat 3/16/13: We loved having Scott and Emma home this weekend. Brad and I did temple sealings in the morning while Scott and Emma babysat the little ones. Later in the day, we took all the kids shopping at Harmons and Trader Joes. Scott and Emma love Trader Joes, and we are so happy there's a store in Salt Lake now.

Sun 3/17/13: We had a big St. Patrick's Day dinner tonight. I made corned beef and cabbage, with carrots and red potatoes on the side. It was yummy! I also made some green leprechaun punch.

Mon 3/18/13: The kids and Brad had a great time playing soccer in our big backyard for FHE. I took lots of pictures and videos of them playing. I LOVE our new home with our new big backyard.

Tue 3/19/13: Brad and I went to watch Emma in her school recital tonight. She did an excellent job as a mustache fairy. It was fun seeing Kaylie, Rachel, and Jessica perform, too. I love the Discovery program at Entheos.

Wed 3/20/13: Took a nice long walk on the first day of Spring! The weather was perfect. I ran into Scott twice while he was on a photo scavenger hunt with the other Young Men in our ward. I loved the way Scott smiled and waved at me when he saw me. It made my heart happy.

Thu 3/21/13: The two little ones loved seeing the snow fall outside our bay windows this morning. They kept running back and forth to each window, looking outside. Lizzy had to go outside to make snow tracks in the snow. "Look, Mom! My feet!"

Fri 3/22/13: I was a successful health-nut today. I exercised, ate right, and recorded everything in my journal like I was supposed to. I felt wonderful by the end of the night.

Sat 3/23/13: Lizzy and I went with the Activity Girls to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple today. I took lots of photos of the girls.

Sun 3/24/13: Today was Stake Conference. Brad and I sang in the choir while Scott and Emma took care of the little ones with their cousins. I absolutely LOVED it when David saw Brad and me in the choir. He had the BIGGEST smile ever!

Mon 3/25/13: We celebrated Easter for FHE. We dyed eggs and made Easter treats. Scott had fun dying our traditional "ugly egg." It ended up a brown/green/gray color with cracks. Emma's eggs were My Little Pony and Nyan Cat themed. One of Brad's eggs, of course, had U2 on it. Lizzy loved coloring her eggs and putting them in the dye. David colored his first Easter egg. He made lots of cracks in it, but it was still cute. He tried to eat it after we put it in the dye. He did not like the vinegar flavor.

Tue 3/26/13: We saw the most beautiful sunset on our way home from the library tonight. The clouds were orange and majestic, towering over the mountains. I love that we live on a hill. We have such a scenic view when we drive places.

Wed 3/27/13: Brad and I took the little ones for a walk while Scott and Emma were at their youth activities. It was nice getting the exercise and spending time with my family.

Thu 3/28/13: I love my Nutribullet juicing machine! I've been drinking some every day, and today I went the whole day drinking nothing but juice until dinner. It was yummy.

Fri 3/29/13: Brad and I got done a large amount of shopping tonight at Sam's Club. We bought bags of oranges, pears, apples, and some bananas and grapes for our Nutribullet.

Sat 3/30/13: We picked up some baked goods first thing this morning at the cousins' house to help support Jason going on a mission. Brad and I ate pie this afternoon while watching "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."

Sun 3/31/13:  I loved Easter Sunday this year.  We celebrated at Grandpa North's house.  I made a honey-baked ham, potato & Easter egg salad, spinach/strawberry salad, and Loralee made cheesecake, angel food cake, and rolls.  YUMMY!  It was fun watching David and Lizzy hunt for eggs with their cousins.  David still doesn't know how to hunt eggs yet.   He grabbed the first one he saw, shook it, then said, "PLEASE!  PLEASE" until we let him eat the candy, and that was the end of his hunt.

Studio C

Brad and I took Scott and Emma to a live filming of Studio C on March 2nd.  Our family became a big fan of Studio C a few months ago, when we watched the first season on the BYU channel and on YouTube.  We watched some skits over and over again, too, and know many of the lines by heart.  It was a big treat for us to have the opportunity to see the show being filmed live in the studio audience.  Scott and Emma were especially excited.

We arrived at the BYU broadcasting building two hours before showtime, but we were still too late to get into the line for the live audience.  We were told to wait in the overflow line.  Luckily, we were the first people in that line, which made it possible for Scott and Emma to get into the studio when there were two seats available.  That left Brad and I in the overflow room.  We sat in the front row, right in front of the big screen.  Right before the show came on, the entire Studio C cast, minus Jason Gray, entered into the front of the room and welcomed us to the show.  Brad shook hands with Matt Meese and Stephen Meek.  We LOVED watching the show.  We found out that the reason why Jason didn't come into the overflow room was because he was covered in make-up for his role as "Gollum."  He was awesome!

We had such a fun time!  We will definitely plan on seeing the next season live.  We love Studio C!

The Highlight of My Day: February 2013

Something good happens every day. Here's what happened in February 2013:

Fri 2/1/13: The highlight of my day was spending time with my husband. He knows how to make me happy, and keep me happy. I love spending time with him.

Sat 2/2/13: Today I made pork chops with sauteed veggies and mushrooms. I lost track how many times Brad told me he loved my cooking throughout the evening. "Becky, there are moments like these when I'm so glad I married you." I made him brownie cookies just for saying that!

Sun 2/3/13: Brad and I stayed home from church today, since we were sick with colds. The little ones stayed home with us, too. I made some pot roast for dinner, and we watched "West Side Story" with Scott for his school assignment. I liked spending time with my family.

Mon 2/4/13: I was able to sneak out of the house tonight to pick up some yarn from Michael's and Walmart. I'm excited to create some new items!

Tue 2/5/13: Lizzy gave her first all-by-herself family prayer tonight. She brought me to tears with her "thank you for us going to the library" and "thank you for us going to our house." It was so sweet. Scott and Emma were very impressed, too. It was a nice family moment.

Wed 2/6/13: I finished crocheting a hat and scarf order today! I like making items for people and selling them.

Thu 2/7/13: Brad wrote me a very heartfelt email today that left me giggly, teary-eyed, and very, very happy. I love my husband. I feel tremendously blessed and fortunate to be married to him.

Fri 2/8/13: Lizzy is mostly potty-trained now! I've been working really hard with her, and today she was very successful. Brad and I are very happy with her. Brad and I had fun watching Merlin tonight and Lizzy joined us. We're watching the fourth season now. Fun stuff!

Sat 2/9/13: I went on date with Brad to Chili's this afternoon. It was lovely! After our lunch, we drove to Michael's and Brad bought me some cute bird decorations for my living room. I love him!

Sun 2/10/13: Brad got all bundled up this morning and went outside to shovel some snow off of our porch and driveway. While he was hard at work, Lizzy opened the blinds in the living room and yelled out, "Are you having fun, Papa?"

Mon 2/11/13: We had a fun Family Home Evening tonight. We helped decorate boxes for The Utah Food Bank for Emma's service project. Then we ate some homemade cupcakes with red frosting for Valentines Day.

Tue 2/12/13: I had an enjoyable time heart-attacking the bishop's house with the Activity Day girls. I had Kaylie, Rachel, Jessica, and Maddy Bennett with me. Fun girls!

Wed 2/13/13: Learning dance moves with my husband tonight was definitely the highlight of my day! We had lots of fun together. I love him.

Thu 2/14/13: I made heart-shaped french toast layers with nutella, strawberries, and whipped cream for dinner tonight, along with strawberry shakes. Brad and the kids loved it. I love spending Valentine's Day with them.

Fri 2/15/13: Brad and I had a lovely time dancing in the living room again. This time Lizzy and David joined us. Emma invited Makenna to come over for the night, so the two of them, along with Scott, enjoyed playing video games together. It was a fun evening.

Sat 2/16/13: I enjoyed walking with Brad and Lizzy around the neighborhood this afternoon. The temperature was a lot nicer than it has been, and it was nice getting out of the house and into the sunshine. In the evening, Brad and I went to our stake's Valentine social at the stake center. Brad and I had fun dancing together.

Sun 2/17/13: Brad and I watched the season finale of Downton Abbey, Season 3 tonight. Most of the episode was really nice except for the last 60 seconds when one of the main characters dies unexpectedly. I was shocked, angry, and disappointed when I saw that.

Mon 2/18/13: We spent the afternoon at Temple Square, going to the Church History Museum, looking at all the pretty fountains on Temple Square, and visiting the Joseph Memorial Building. It was fun spending some recreational time together as a family.

Tue 2/19/13: I am very pleased with the new healthy lifestyle I have been living for the last seven weeks. I feel happier, healthier, and stronger than I did before. I have been developing new eating habits and fitness habits, and even some new mental habits as well. I've been enjoying watching "Biggest Loser" on TV, and dedicating time to focus on myself. Oh, another highlight of my day was Lizzy going poop for the first time on the toilet! Hooray for Lizzy!

Wed 2/20/13: Lizzy, David, and I drove Jason to his high school this afternoon, so he could go to his welding class. Lizzy was so shy and bashful with him. I think she thinks he's cute. After we dropped Jason off, we headed to Harmons to get some produce. Lizzy and David love to ride the little car carts at Harmons. It's like going on a Disneyland ride.

Thu 2/21/13: I am so proud of Lizzy doing so well with her potty-training. She gets so excited when she goes potty on the toilet. I love her enthusiasm.

Fri 2/22/13: I had some lovely one-on-one time with Bradley today. He took time off work today so we could work on the van and fix things around the house, but it also meant we could spend more time together. I love being with him. He makes me happy.

Sat 2/23/13: Lizzy and I got dumped on when we left Walmart this morning. We took three steps out the doors and we were covered in snow. I couldn't even tell where our van was, everything was so white and pretty.

Sun 2/24/13: I love lazy Sunday afternoons! We didn't have to go anywhere, or do anything after church. I even got away with not having to make dinner tonight. I love that!

Mon 2/25/13: Lizzy gave me a cute surprise this morning. She came to me me while I was in the den and told me she wanted to vacuum the living room. "I want to push the button on the vacuum," she told me. I knew the messy state of living room when I last saw it, so I told her no, the floor was too messy in there. Lizzy shook her head and said, "No, Mommy. Is not messy. Lizzy do it." It took me a moment to realize what she was saying. "Did you clean up the living room, Lizzy?" "YES!" she shouted with excitement. I was a little skeptical, so I had to see the room for myself. Sure enough, everything was off the floor and put away as well as a three-year-old could do it. I was very impressed!

Tue 2/26/13: I had a busy evening tonight, driving to Activity Days, dropping off girls, going to the library, and picking up Scott and Brandon at their friend Bennett's house. I laughed out-loud when I saw Scott. He was wearing his white lab coat, his crocheted crab hat, and a dark brown goatee. I was not expecting that! They were making a crowbar commercial for school and Scott really got into character.

Wed 2/27/13: I'm making a gray poncho for my mother right now. I struggled with the new stitches at first, so I redid everything three times before figuring out I was using the wrong hook size. Third time is a charm! It's starting to really look pretty.

Thu 2/28/13: I had a fun day spending my time with my two little ones. David LOVES playing the "cone-on-the-head" game, and Lizzy loves to paint with me. We played a lot of chasing games, tickling games, and we read books and sang songs, too. David loves Itsy Bitsy Spider. I love my children.

January News

NEW YEARS DAY

We started off the new year bowling at All Star Lanes and having our annual New Year's Day lunch at the Harman's.  I love our New Year's Day traditions.  It was wonderful having the Polaks in town this year.  Emma and Charlotte tied for first place in the kids' bowling lane, and Aksel wasn't too far behind.  Scott played with the adults this year, and Lizzy played her own game for the first time.  David fell asleep in Grandpa North's arms while everyone bowled.  It was during his nap time.  After we went bowling, Brad and I enjoyed learning how to play "Ticket to Ride" with Zach, Bruce, and James at Aunt Marian's house.  It was a fun, relaxing day.  I love being with Brad's family.

SHAVING LESSON

Scott had his first shaving lesson this month.  His dad helped him by giving him a few shaving tips.  Bye bye, peach fuzz!
I can't believe how quickly this boy is turning into a man.  I mean, just look at him!  He's going to be all grown up before we know it.

SNOW

January was extremely cold this year-- much more cold than usual.  It's snowed on and off every week this month, and the temperatures consistently stayed in the single digits and even dipped in the negatives.  The pipes in our basement froze, but Brad and his dad figured out how to warm them up again before the pipes could burst.  We spent most of our time indoors.  By the end of the month, the temperatures began to rise up again, and Lizzy and I had a wonderful time playing in the snow outside.  Lizzy had fun drawing pictures in the snow with a stick she found, and we made a snow-"woman" together.  We gave her a pink sunhat and scarf, and a little baby carrot nose, and Lizzy had fun giving her kisses.

SCIENCE PROJECTS

Scott and Emma got busy doing their Science Projects near the end of the month.  Scott's project was on how soil affects plant growth.  He grew pinto beans for one month in various types of soils.  The soil that the pinto beans refused to grow in was Utah clay.   No wonder the plants in our yard keep dying!  Emma teamed up with her cousin, Kaylie, and together they did their project on mind power over the sense of taste.  They made homemade candy and dyed them colors that didn't correspond with their flavors.  For example, they made green raspberry candy and orange grape candy instead of using the traditional red or purple dye.  Everyone who tasted the candy were convinced they were the more traditional flavors. They did so well on their project that it was chosen to represent their school in the district science fair.

Emma's and Kaylie's project was chosen to represent their school in the District Science Fair!  Go girls!

The Highlight of My Day: January 2013

Something good happens every day. Here's what happened in January 2013:

Tue 1/1/13: New Year's bowling was a blast today! I loved watching Lizzy play her own game, and watching Scott play against his dad. Emma and Charlotte tied for first in the kids' alley. David fell asleep in his grandpa's arms. It was fun visiting with Brad's family at the Harmans' house. We played "Ticket to Ride" for the first time. Zach won. It was fun visiting with everyone, playing good games, and eating good food. I love family traditions!

Wed 1/2/13: I beat Brad at his Amazing Mutant Chess game tonight. Made me feel like a geek. We've played five games so far. He won three and I won two.

Thu 1/3/13: Life is good! I am so grateful for my amazing husband, who demonstrates how much he loves me and his family every day. I am blessed to be married to him.

Fri 1/4/13: Brad and I have been enjoying re-watching Season 2 of Downton Abbey for the second time. We love picking up new details and having discussions about the characters and story-line. One of our favorite shows for sure!

Sat 1/5/13: I had a busy morning, going with Lizzy and her cousins to the primary P.J. party, and then later going to Sam Johnson's baptism and luncheon. My highlight of the day was finding out that I'm going to have a baby niece in June. I'm very excited to be an aunt again!

Sun 1/6/13: Scott had his first shaving lesson today. I, of course, had to document it and put pictures on Facebook. The boy is growing up! He is becoming more and more like his father every day. Speaking of his father, I beat Brad again tonight during another round of Amazing Mutant Chess. We're evenly scored now.

Mon 1/7/13: We played more "Harry Potter: Scene It" as a family for FHE tonight. Brad won, but I was impressed by how well Scott did. He's got a knack for naming characters and places quickly. Brad and I stayed up late and watched the first episode of Season 3 of Downton Abbey. It was such a good episode!

Tue 1/8/13: I lost two pounds yesterday, which made me happy! I did an excellent job eating well today. I made ratatouille for dinner tonight, and everyone liked it (except Lizzy, who wouldn't even try it).

Wed 1/9/13: I finished Emma's Rainbow Dash hat! Scott was pretty disgusted by it, but Emma loved it. I like making geeky hats for them.

Thu 1/10/13: Lizzy watched "The Biggest Loser" with me while I crocheted a hat for Marilyn. During the movie she asked to sit on my lap and brush her hair. I thought that was sweet, so I stopped crocheting and began brushing her hair. The static made her hair go crazy, but it was still cute none-the-less. I love my daughter.

Fri 1/11/13: I had a busy, active day today! I danced with Lizzy in the morning, shoveled snow out of the driveway around noon, went shopping and picked up my nephews from school, and cleaned up the nursery and made dinner in the evening.

Sat 1/12/13: We had a fun afternoon at the Harmans' house. Aunt Marian made pork chops and potatoes for lunch-- the same recipe Brad's mom used to make. Brad and I played "Ticket to Ride" with Marian and Gordon, and I won the game with 114 points. Marian, Brad, and I played some Nerts in the evening. Marian won that round.

Sun 1/13/13: It was nice having our home teachers come tonight. Brother Hyde spoke about our prayers being answered and told a great story about a time he took a photograph of a rainbow up in the mountains.

Mon 1/14/13: We built things with dominos tonight for FHE. It turned out to be a very fun activity, talking and laughing, and spending quality time together. I love my family!

Tue 1/15/13: Lizzy sang the "Downton Abbey" theme all the way to the doctor's office and back this morning. David had his 15-month well-check with Dr. Vierra. He's on track for his weight and his height now, which made me very happy!

Wed 1/16/13: I have been having so much fun dancing with Lizzy and David every morning. Today was especially fun! I feel so much better getting in some exercise each day. It's lovely.

Thu 1/17/13: Why do I have so much fun filling up my vegetable and fruit basket in my kitchen? I really do! It was fun going to Harmon's tonight with Brad and the babies after student led conferences. I bought a ton of produce, and Lizzy enjoyed riding in the car cart.

Fri 1/18/13: The little ones and I had a fun morning running errands. We went to Entheos and dropped off some food for the teachers, then we went shopping at Walmart and Sam's Club.

Sat 1/19/13: Brad and I had a wonderful day today! We went to watch Les Miserables in the morning. Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean was amazing! We had hamburgers at Five Guys Burgers for lunch, and we had an enjoyable afternoon with Lizzy watching Megamind while David napped. Later in the evening we went to Alexis Hill's wedding reception and visited with a lot of people we knew. Today was a perfect Saturday.

Sun 1/20/13: Brad got the antenna on the television working tonight, and we both enjoyed watching AFV, Once Upon a Time, and the next episode of Downton Abbey. It was fun watching them on the big screen TV verses the computer monitor.

Mon 1/22/13: Brad sure loves my ham and lentil soup. I've made it three times since New Year's Eve, and he and I can't get enough of it. So, so yummy.

Tue 1/23/13: I had a busy night tonight with the Activity Day girls, having an interview at the Stake Center, and shopping at Michael's for the kids' science fair display boards. It was a good night.

Wed 1/24/13: The highlight of my day was falling asleep in my husband's arms. Yes, he's wonderful. I love him!

Thu 1/25/13: I enjoyed watching Downton Abbey with Bradley tonight while I continued crocheting Scott's creeper hat. Finished by the end of the episode!

Fri 1/26/13: Today was a busy day! I had fun exercising, running errands with the little ones, and carpooling kids after school. I helped Scott get ready for the winter scout camp, and Emma had fun working on her Science Fair project with Kaylie.

Sat 1/27/13: Brad, Scott, Emma, and I went to the temple to do baptisms for our ward temple night. It was beautiful! I loved that Emma thoroughly enjoyed her first time going. She kept going on and on about how we'll have to do it again soon.

Sun 1/28/13: I began crocheting a Homespun afghan today. It's going to be pretty and soft and warm.

Mon 1/29/13: The kids finished their Science Fair projects tonight-- just barely before the due date. They did not need my help as much this year as in years past, which made me both happy and sad. So proud of them for doing so much on their own!

Tue 1/30/13: My hamstrings are sore! I've been working out really hard daily, but I'm loving it, so I'm going to keep at it. The little ones like it, too. They know it's a part of the routine now, so they get excited when I start the music.

Wed 1/31/13: We went to the Science Appreciation Night at Scott's and Emma's school tonight. We found out that Emma's and Kaylie's project was chosen to go to the district science fair. Way to go, girls!