SWEET SIXTEEN

 My friend Lily's daughter turned sixteen. We threw her a huge party. I was in charge of the cupcakes. I did strawberry filled and lemon. Lexi is such a sweet girl and her reaction was priceless. All of the young women and their leaders where there. Lily had a barbeque and there was so much food. Everyone had a great time.

WATER

 Sierra is such an amazing big sister. I try not to take advantage of how amazing she is, but she is. I haven't been able to sleep for two weeks. I wake up multiple time in the night to check on my kids and make sure they are okay. I finally have all three children sleeping through the night and I can't. The irony. Monday and Tuesday I got up at 5:30 to go work out and the combination of not sleeping and working out has killed me. Sierra woke up at 5:30 yesterday and begged to come exercise. We hiked Dinosaur hill twice. When I got back home I was spent. It was 7:30. James had just woken up. I feed him and changed his diaper and asked Sierra to watch him while I laid down for an hour. I handed him to her and heard her playing with him in the living room. When he fussed she put in his crib for a nap. Madison was still asleep. I got an hour and a half nap. I was grateful. It made all the difference. I love that Sierra was so willing to help out and so sweet with little James. She is a great sister.

One of the outtake from the flyer shoot that I love. I may use it for Face book.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

 

 

I am super excited to take an Adobe Illustrator: Basic course this summer. It is only for two weeks, but it is a start. I registered at Colorado Mesa University for the fall and am hoping to take a few graphic design classes every semester. Nate has me constantly designing flyers, business cards, mailers. I have never done it before. EVER! Every day I learn something new. I know to most people may think this flyer doesn't look like much, but to create something like this in Photoshop with out any classes is huge for me. YEAH. My degree is in Business Marketing, so if I learn to design I may be able to do it from home eventually for more than just my husband. I think I need a new MAC BOOK and a MARK II. If Nate's practice is successful enough. Maybe..... In the next few years, that dream will be a reality. Bit by bit. Loving my life right now!

 

SUMMER IS SO FUN!

 

We have been having way to much fun over here. We have been playing with friends, swimming, eating ice cream, lots of ice cream and making library trips.

 

This week Sierra has been obsessed with Sabrina The Teenage Witch. She has been checking the series out from the library they have all six seasons at our itty bitty library. Surprising, but true. She has been attacking them on season at a time.

 

Madison has been focused on learning her Articles of Faith this week. She has even randomly asked me during the day to say them. She has three more to learn and she has learned all thirteen. She is dedicated

 

James has discovered his tongue. It is always hanging out of his mouth. I am beginning to think this drool thing is done on purpose. He loves to play with his spit and stick out his tongue. It is entertaining to him.

 

SUNDAY MORNING

I had to snap a few pictures of my beautiful family before church today. I love these smocked dresses I made for the girls last Easter. I think they look so timeless on them. I found James's romper last night at Target and I just couldn't resist. Isn't he adorable.

I love my James. I say it all the time. I love my two girls but we just weren't the same with him. I can't imagine our little world without James, although he has only been apart of it for such a sort time. He means everything to us.

James loves his sister Sierra. She is an amazing helper with him. He will stop crying instantly when she picks him up. He loves to be held standing. I don't know how babies can tell, but they can. She is good to appease him.

He drools a lot. If you look closely at the first picture, you can see slobber running down his chin. It is always there. He is my first child to take to a pacifier. He actually likes it. He doesn't mind if it isn't around though, he will just suck his thumb or lower lip, but mostly his thumb. Yes, James is a thumb sucker.

He sleeps so well. I feel so blessed. A typical night for him is sleeping from 7:00pm until 8:00 or 9:00am. He wakes up happy every morning. He will just lift his head off of his mattress and jabber on and on until someone comes to get him.

He is such a good little eater. I have started feeding him rice cereal and baby food. He loves his green beans and smashed avocado best of all. He kicks like mad every time you take the spoon from his mouth to get him more. Then he settles when there is food back in his mouth again. He begs for everything we are eating. The girls will give him anything he asks for, including a suck on their Popsicles. I have told them not to, but he is hard to resist.

He is a happy boy as long as you are playing with him or talking to him. He doesn't like to be left alone in a different room from us or ignored in anyway. He will cry if he is. He is kind of demanding during the day, but I don't mind because he sleeps at night.

He giggles when you throw him into the air and catch him around his ribs. He giggles those hard belly laughs.

He has learned to scoot around and get what he wants. He rolls over quite a bit, but he doesn't really like it. He prefers being on his stomach and when he rolls onto his back he acts like a turtle stuck on his shell.

Enjoy the pictures.

GROWING UP BOY

 He is growing up in a girl world.

Poor kid.

THE FARM and HARDWORK

We woke up early and put on our farm clothes. The clothes in the bottom of the drawers that you never let your children wear in public. We headed over to Kay's Farm. It is the first time I have taken the girls to work on the farm since James was born. Oh, we have come to visit and soak up a beautiful day, but not to work. Today, I told the girls they were going to give me twenty minutes of hard work and the rest of the time they could play. I shoveled weeds. Sierra raked them into a pile. Madison scooped them up between her tiny fingers and put them into the wagon. I told my sweet girls, "Heavenly Father gave us hard work because it strengthens our bodies and souls. It is Satan that tells us that hard work is bad. He will try to tell you that lie your whole life, but hard work is the best thing you can do with your time." They whined and bargained to get out of it. I told them if they wouldn't whine or bargain. I wouldn't make them do another row of weeds. After that, I didn't hear a lot of whining.

 

The best part about working on the farm today for MJ was that she found three ginormous radishes. She giggled so much. She was so excited. The best part for CC was going to be feeding all of her delicious weeds to the five fat, squealing, baby pigs. She loves feeding them. She loves all creatures, especially little ones. As CC was headed over to reap her reward for all her hard work, Brother Bob pulled in on his bike. He told her to follow him because, "They was going to plant some corn." I tried to tell Brother Bob that she was first going to feed the pigs and then she would be over. He didn't hear me. He is in his 80's. He said to Sierra, "Well, come on now." She didn't even hesitate, she turned the wagon over to MJ and followed him to the corn field and started planting. I was proud of her.

 

We found MJ's flip flops that she left at the farm on Memorial Day. She was so excited. She went to put them on and I got caught in a conversation with Brother Bob. The next thing I knew she was crying and clinging to her my legs. I asked her what was wrong. Treasure, CC's chicken she raised, which didn't end up being a chicken but an ornery rooster, was pecking her. Brother Bob picked her up in her arms and chased that rooster from the yard. CC helped. Treasure ran from them for a bit and then turned and squawked and pounced toward CC. She backed away scared. Brother Bob said, "Don't back away from him girl, get him." CC lunged forward and the rooster turned tail and ran.

 

While Brother Bob and Sierra were planting corn. I held James and listened to the sounds of the birds in the trees. Brother Bob said, "Grab a bucket and pull weeds." I picked up the bucket and bent and pulled with James over my shoulder until he fell asleep. I thought of all the women through the ages that must have done the same thing, gardened with a child on their shoulder. He fell asleep and I tucked him into this car seat and placed him under a shade tree. He looked so peaceful.

 

RAINY DAY

 

Monday was Memorial Day. Kay invited us up to the farm for a Memorial Day BBQ. (We were so grateful for the invite, without it Memorial Day might have gone uncelebrated. Nate had plans with one of the young men, Daniel, to go fishing. They spent the whole day until late in the evening fishing.) I committed to bring pies and a salad to the picnic. I first had to run to the store. I got a call from Kay asking if I would stop by the farm and pick up eggs, so I could boil them for her. I said I would love to, knowing I had to run to the store anyway. I gathered my little chicks and got them all put in the car. Then we headed out.

 

When we got to the farm Kay walked with me to gather eggs. Then on the way back to the car she suggested I leave MJ and CC with her, so I could run my errands and make my dishes. I didn't even hesitate. I thanked her, and speed away before she could change her mind.

 

I went home and cooked my dishes while James napped. I went back to the farm when I was done, about two hours later. I found my girls laying down in the grass drying under the sun. They had taken a dip, fully clothed, in Kay's inflatable swimming pool. They were so happy.

 

I helped Kay put the last of the BBQ together. We had two other families from the church over. The food was delicious. The company was good. I was flattered that Chuck was first in line for my banana cream pie. I made them for him.

 

James was done after a full day of busy mom. We didn't stay long. When James escalated to scream, I put him in his car seat and hurried the girls into the car. MJ was at the ditch with her little friend making mud pies. They were covered in mud from head to toe. I threw her in the car with mud all over here. Luckily, I have a car I don't care a thing about. I threw her in the shower when we got home. She was leery about the idea, but when I started singing, Singing in Rain to her, she relaxed. (Wish I had pictures. It is hard to carry around a camera and a baby.)

 

It was a beautiful day and my children had so much fun.

 

Tuesday was overcast all day. I kept expecting it to rain but it didn't. The girls played Barbie's in their bedroom all morning. Sierra has discovered Hailey Mills. She loves her. She watched Pollyanna, Parent Trap, That Darn Cat, and (not a Hailey Mills but from the same time period) Swiss Family Robinson. She has watched them all at least twice since Friday. A little too much television but good television, so I don't mind. I thought about why these movies were so good. The thought came to me, because they celebrate the Family. While CC was distracted with her movies, MJ created this wonderful trail of Barbie's, Barbie's clothes, and pillows, from the pillow fight bag Jenny made us for Christmas.

 

Wednesday, today, we went to the Thrift store and bought a bunch of board games and books for the summer. We had fun searching through our little thrift store, one of my girls favorite activities.

 



LIBRARY

 The library is always a favorite place of ours.

It was the first place that came to mind after a two really crazy days of Summer Break.

Don't you love Sierra's outfit. She dressed herself. I try not to stress the small stuff when it is summer.

I told them they had to keep their hair out of their face, but I wouldn't even make them do their hair all summer, except for Sundays of course.

They were pretty excited about that.

After collecting as many books as their arms could carry, we headed home.

All the excitement and conversation, after we got home, was about a book on sharks.

Go figure.

My girls.

Funny story:
I picked up Sierra from a birthday party last Saturday.
I had left Madison and James with my friend Barbara.
Sierra said, "Where is Madison and James?"
I said, "I gave them to a French couple."
"Mom?"
"They were really nice and they live in a castle and they said that they would be able to give them everything they ever wanted."
"Mom?"
"What?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, Dad and I thought it would be best if the couple came and got them while you were away at the birthday party. You know good byes are so tough."
"Great! NOW YOU MADE IT A REAL DUMB LIFE!"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have any friends now."
"You have friends. What about that girl at church? You like her."
"MOM, THAT IS NOT THE SAME! Why would you do that, you love James!"

Yeah, she gets her teasing from both her parents.
Don't worry princess, I would never make it a DUMB life. I am glad I have all three of you.

When I pulled up in front of Barbara's house she jumped out really quick and said, "I knew you were teasing."

SIERRA IS FUNNY

 Today was another lazy Sunday.

We were all piled on the couch watching Finding Nemo.

All of our toes were touching and I told Sierra to run grab the camera.

I had painted our toes earlier in the week and I thought they were cute all piled up.

 

Sierra was in the bathroom with me earlier this week. I was doing her hair. She is never happy when I am doing her hair. She said, "I don't like it when you come in to my room in the morning singing. I don't like it when you sing." I said, "Well, you could change your attitude and like that I sing to you in the morning. I could come in your room all fired up and angry, would you like that instead?" She said, "No, but I don't like your singing." I said, "Well, you could choose to like my singing." She said, "I can't change what I don't like." I said, "Yes you can, that is the best part of life. We get to choose whether we want to like something or not. We can change how we feel by making a different choice."

 

She must have been listening.

 

This morning we were getting ready to head to stake conference. The cat got into the house from the garage. Nate wasn't happy. He told Sierra to get her cat out of the house. He then explained again how frustrated he is when she lets her cat into the garage at night because he climbs into the four-runner and sleeps on his seat. Then he climbs into the car with cat hair everywhere. It gets on him and he can't go to work with cat hair on his clothes. (True!)

 

She said, "Dad, I think you need to just choose to like the cat in the garage."

He didn't like that all.

But, she was listening.... and I was one proud mommy. 

BABY BOY ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES THIS AFTERNOON

 Madison shouted excitedly when James rolled over for the first time today, "My baby brother is learning how to roll over and I am learning how to..... rollarblade!" Then she smiled really big.

She was wearing my rollarblades when James rolled over and had been rollarblading around the house all morning. She wasn't rollarblading in a fluid motion just a really stiff mummy roll. However, I think she is amazing in those wheels.