UsOverHere

The sweetest things

These are the things that make days like yesterday all worth it.

Yesterday was understatedly a bad day.

Nate and Joy were at eachother all day; poking, pinching, hitting, annoying eachother, screaming. It was pure insanity all day long.

To add to that, we almost got hit by a car as we were walking out of Target in the torential down pour of rain .(BTW people, if driving thru a parking lot, you should probably be looking at where you are going, especially in front of the stores) Luckily, after yelling "hey watch out" a couple times, I was inspired with knowing the mans name and I just blurted out "HEY IDIOT!" It must have been his name, since he promptly looked over and stopped the car.

The day only got longer when Em and Jill's had to be at the church for Activity Days and NO ONE wanted to help clean for Charlie's return home.

However, this morning, has made yesterday all worth it.

I was sitting here looking up the flight info so that I can know what terminal to go to when picking up Charlie and the kids are sitting in front of the piano, using the bench as a table. They have paper towels laid out like place mats and are usuing their lego's like food (see pic below for an idea). Then I hear Joylyn prompting Nathan on what to say for prayer. It is the sweetest thing ever to see your children practicing the things that you teach them. She prompted him to pray that the food would make them healthy and she prayed for each person in the family, and asked that daddy get home safely. Nathan just smiled and repeated the last word of each sentence and then yelled "Amen".

These are the moments that make it all worth it. The hard times seem like they out weigh these moments sometimes. but these moments are what I try to remember.

Sweet Joy asked yesterday as we left for Target; "are we doe-ing to Tardet?" I said, "yes" and she said, "Otay, I want to buy you flowers". She's the cutest thing sometimes.

I hope your day is filled with sweet moments that erase the difficult times.

Preschool Wednesdays

This year we joined some friends in a co-op preschool. There are five children and each mom takes a turn teaching the group once a week. Wednesday is preschool day.

Joylyn LOVES school. She loves learning. And loves feeling like a big girl.

Today was our halloween party. The first half they had school and then last half, the moms and younger siblings came for the party. They played pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern, frosted cookies, and played Halloween bingo.

 

 

 

My two babies

I consider Joylyn and Nathan my babies. She's my baby girl. My last girl. And he is my  my youngest, my only, and my sweetest baby boy. These two can make me smile like no other. (They can also drive me nuts like no other).

Nathan is just starting to talk. Only one word at a time, but it's the cutest thing ever. I never thought "no" could sound so cute. His "yeth" (yes) is even cuter. Or if you ask a question, he'll say "cuth" (cuz). I can just eat this kid up.

This boy loves to run around in his diaper. Hates to wear socks, unless he has his shoes on. He loves his tool chest he got for his birthday. Loves to run and play with Joylyn and he LOVES his daddy. Such a daddy's boy.

We are trying our hardest to keep Joylyn from dressing him up with flower hair clips, purses and pretty girl shoes. (sigh) We encourage backpacks, tools, footballs, and faux hawks.

My baby girl is a sweetheart. But she's also a stinker at times. In one moment she is taking care of her little brother and then next she'll be slugging, pinching or hitting him.

You will rarely find her without at least ONE dress on. She loves to layer her clothes and we once found her in 9 layers of dresses, shirts and skirts. It's never a dull fashion day in her world. She hates her hair brushed. She has a very tender head. She will put multiple hair clips in her hair. She is extremely particular about the way things are done. She and Nate both LOVE LOVE LOVE chocolate milk, but you have to pour the milk, then the syrup. She notices if you pour the syrup and then add the milk. Really?

 
 
 

Happy Birthday to you both.  I love you!
 
 
 

Tuesdays are for sleepovers?

I have a friend here in Texas, that her hubby works crazy hours and is gone working most days of the week. With my hubby out of town as well, we decided to have a sleepover. She has younger kids, so no one goes to school yet. The idea was great. The execution.....not so much.

Her poor kids were up most hours of the night. I still had a ton of fun and hope she did as well. We ordered pizza, watched movies, and ate icecream. So much fun. Now it's Wednesday and it's back to reality.

"M" is for Monday

and Munchkins, McDonalds, and Many Many birthday treats.

Today is Joy's birthday. My baby girl is 4.

We went to Target to spend her birthday money from her gramma.

She bought clothes, a stuffed doggy, and a "My little pony" doll.

A couple days ago, Charlie had teased her that she should buy him tools with her money. She saw a toy tool set and said, "mommy, I need to buy daddy tools." I had to console her by telling her that daddy's tools were way to expensive and that mommy would buy them for daddy later, that her birthday money was just for her.

She did insist that she get Nathan some clothes, a stuffed doggy, and a toy truck. (Luckily his birthday was last week and gramma sent him some money too).  :)

On our way out of the store, we were standing in line and she said, "Mommy, I want to buy you those flowers" and pointed over to the end cap of the isle that had the bunches of fresh flowers. I could have cried. My sweet sweet girl is watchin' out for her momma. I just smiled and said, honey, I don't need flowers when I got loves and kisses from you.

Then we headed to McDonalds for lunch. We stuffed our faces with chicken nuggets, french fries, and Orange Coke (Nathan was upset that I had coke and he didn't, so I had to tell him that he had "Orange Coke"....seriously, the boy is addicted and has never had more than a few sips that he has "thiefed" out of my cans in the past.

Joy was also treated to sugar cookies with pink frosting and sprinkles and for dinner she wanted Pancakes and eggies. So that's what we had.

I didn't edit any pics from today, but I wanted to get this post up. So, here is a pic of Nate and Joy playing "tea party" together. Joy takes care of her brother by putting bows in his hair. LOVELY!!!

 

this is my absolute favorite!!! SO MUCH PERSONALITY!!!

 

Happy Birthday Baby Girl. I love you!

 
 

Proud Momma

This weekend has been a busy one. It really started about midnight on Thursday morning.

Steven and Heather drove in from Kansas and arrived just after midnight. Most of Thursday they were in court and so I got to spend most of the day with Haley and Adelyn. It was also Nathan's birthday. So I started baking the cake.

After kids got home, homework and chores were done, we had dinner and got ready for Resa's Fall Choir Concert for her middle school. This year she is in a special harmony group that sings extra songs at all the concerts (mixed with a little dancing).

This was the sunset on the way to the concert.

Here is Resa and the whole 7th and 8th grade choir

Resa is over on the left on the front row, 2nd one in. (just above the pianist)

It was great that her Aunt, Uncle and cousins could all be there with us.

Then we all went home for birthday cake and presents.

 

He's no longer this cute little baby.

He's a cute little man!

 

I just loved how it turned out. We gave Nate a cool tool chest that opens up into a worshop bench. He just loves it. The next morning Steven had to fly back to Kansas to be back for Reserves.

Saturday Charlie took all the kids to Lowe's to do their kids workshops and Resa left for her first Temple trip with the youth to do baptisms.

While they were all gone, Heather and I went out to lunch. It was great to be able to spend time with my friend/sister in law. Saturday night, I had a photo shoot for a friend Quinciniera. It was great to witness another cultures traditions and be able to document this occassion with photos. However, I've learned that I don't like doing events. I think I will stick with just Photographing families and children. 

Sunday morning, Resa was not only singing with the Young Women in Sacrament meeting but she was also giving her first talk as the youth speaker.

She spoke on how she has shown humility to overcome challenges. When the bishop's councelor asked her to speak and gave her the topic, she wrote down "How have I shown Umility to overcome my challenges?" It took us awhile to realize what she was talking about. But she gave an amazing talk this morning. She was calm and poised. Of course she only looked up once, but I was so thoroughly impressed by her.

Other than Charlie leaving to Las Vegas for business and our guests having to leave, it was a great weekend!
 

 
 
 

Engagement Photos

Here is a sneak peek for a great couple.

I had fun listening to their stories of how they met and hanging out with them for an afternoon.

Congratulations!

 

 

SCORE!!!

I went into Walgreen's today to grab some of their great deals this week. I walked out not even getting anything in their weekly deals because I got this instead.

 

I felt a little like the lady in those Ikea commercials, where she is running out of the store, telling her husband to start the car and get away fast, because she felt like she just got a "steal" on the good prices. Well I just put her prices to shame!

Deal scenario:

 * (1) Banzai Skimboard Surfer - $59.99

 * (2) spin launchers - $7.99 each = $15.98

 * (2) mini bubble tumblers with Dora and Diego - $3.99 each = $7.98

TOTAL = $83.95

They were on sale for 75% off. The register rang it up at $21.23.

From previous shopping trips, I had $11 in Register Rewards (basically if buy certain items, they will give you store credit coupons on your next shopping trip).

I paid $10.23 for $83.95 worth of product.

BUT IT GETS BETTER!!!!

On the Banzai skimboard, it has a $10 mail in rebate coupon.

After that is mailed back (and yes, I've already put it in the mail).

I will have paid a total of $0.23

SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

La Mia Cucina

 Emilyn's 8th Birthday party was yesterday. We invited 6 of her friends over for a restaurant party at "La Mia Cucina" (meaning 'My Kitchen' in italian).

All the girls were asked to come dressed up in their fanciest dresses.

We set the table in our fancy dishes and glasses and the girls sat down for a 4 course meal. Resa & a friend Carli helped as our waitresses.

Course #1 - Fruit salad (fruit cocktail with cut up strawberries and bananas) with cool whip and chocolate syrup on top.

Course #2 - Fried Mozarella sticks with marinara sauce

Course #3 - Spaghetti & meatballs and Texas Garlic-Cheese Toast

 

Before dessert, we played some Wii music. Opened gifts.

 

And then we sat back down for course #4. Cake and icecream.

 

This cake turned out better than I thought.

It was white cake with a strawberry cream filling and cream cheese frosting. SO YUMMY!

Here is one of just the cake.

 

Emilyn's birthday is actually next Saturday, and then she is getting baptized in two weeks. We are so excited for this big step she has chosen to make. She's an amazing little girl.

Joy's humor is still goin' strong

This is a conversation that Charlie had with Joylyn when he was taking Nate and her to the store.

Charlie: "Ok Joylyn, you have to be good when we get to the store."

Joylyn: "Otay. I'm dood."

Charlie: "Yes, but you have to be good in the store. And you have to be nice to Nate Nate too."

Joylyn: "Otay, I will tell him 'poopy' and 'pee pee' to make him laugh."

(Of course Nathan laughs)

She's hilarious and he's such a BOY!