My Mia Maids

These ladies keep me busy! Young Women's is a busy calling. Our stake is going on the Martin's Cove trek for camp this year so we are busy fund raising away. I took this picture with my phone at our class activity last night. I'm really trying to get the girls to be in charge of their program with coming up with their own activity ideas. And this was one of them. An "Alphabet Search" in Walmart. Whichever team came up with the most original item in their cart for each letter got a point. They had twenty minutes to fill their carts. Fun girls...but definitely a handful at this age!

Lunch Bunch

For My Sweetheart

I make Brandon a big cookie every year for Valentines Day. I had a little helping hand this year! We delivered it to his work, along with a pizza lunch and 42oz pop, not the healthiest day! I love and appreciate Brandon very much. He is a sweet father, he loves the girls so much. He is a great husband and my best friend. I'm lucky to have him.

Valentine....

Teagan's 2010 Valentines

Alex

Aurora

Ethan H.

Isabel

Adrianna

Ethan M.

Lane

Jake

Luci

Tucker

Kinsee

Taryn

Alexis

Thyssen

Austin

Maeli

Sydney

Zoe

Cass

Rance

Ms. Rodacker

Ms. Diaz

Ms. Wacaser

Ms. Cook

I LOVE Valentines day! It is so fun for me and the kids! I can't believe how much stinking treats there are. Teagan had almost a whole bag full of candy when she came home from school Monday, and then we went to her Girl Scouts party! Friday we went to a friends house for a little pizza Valentine party. For Girls Scouts on Monday I was in charge of the party. We played heart bean bag toss, pin the heart on the bulls eye, and a game called steal my heart. You divide into two teams and use chopsticks to take conversation hearts out of a bowl. Which ever team got the most won. The girls also decorated treat bags and exchanged valentines. With all of our church, school, and other friends it sure was a fun few days full of friendship and love!

Side Note: Teagan came home with her Valentine treasures. I asked her which was her favorite. She quickly dug through them and pulled one out proudly announcing "I'm in love with Justin Beiber!". (A popular teen singer). I'm pretty sure she doesn't even really know who he is! And since this time she's announced it to several other people! Yipes!

Classic Toys

What is it with kids and boxes?

Feels Like Yesterday

I ran into an old friend the other night at Walmart. Her mother died a little less than a year before mine. Her mother actually died while she (my friend) was in the hospital giving birth. It seems everytime we run into eachother we talk about our moms. We were talking about our children and the exciting milestones they were going through this year, and sure enough our moms came up. "It will be three years this year"....I found myself thinking and double checking as I said it outloud. And I still find myself double checking myself as I type. "Four years...and it feels just like yesterday". she responded. It does, and thats why I have to sit and think is that right, three years? It does feel like yesterday. Yesterday I sat next to her holding her soft hand, listening to her rambling stories about familiy, watching her put her dollar glasses on to examine something, watching her love my babies. Oh I miss her. My heart still hurts everytime I invision her. I'm not sure when it won't hurt so badly. Although I know her spirit is still near me, I still want her here physically so badly. I want her advice, I want her embrace, I want her smile and laugh....I want that feeling she gave me to insure me that things would be ok in times of trial and struggle. I want that feeling of proudness she gave me when she held my children close. It does feel just like yesterday, I miss you Mom, I love you!

A Yes Day Another Day

So a blog I follow inspired me to try a yes day with my children. I really do get tired of saying no to them constantly, and apparently I'm not the only mother out there who is! Friday night I told Brandon about the idea and we planned it for Saturday. The idea was great. However I think we failed miserably. Mainly because I didn't try hard enough. I'll have to give it another go here sooner than later. No excuses!

Little Voice

During FHE tonight Taylee was in charge of the closing song. She chose give said the little stream. I asked her to start us off. She stood in the front of all of us and sang in her sweet little voice. As she did so she was opening and closing her eyes. I asked her why she was blinking. And she replied "because its closing song". It was hard for Dad, Teagan and I not to giggle the remainder of the song. Gotta love those little voices!

Touchdown Treats

We went over to the Butt's house for Superbowl. We decided to go for the Packers because Brandon's close family friend that had died a couple years back was a huge Packer fan. Teagan helped me make the flags. The little coco crispy treat footballs were a hit with the little ones. I think I only got to watch a total of ten minutes of even commercials. Any reason to have a party though right?

Birthday Present For Ady

Adalynn got the sock monkey from Aunt Dana for her Birthday. Grandma made the pillowcase and blanket (as I messed up on it and she had to redo it!). The blanket is soft chenille on the other side.

Adalynn's Birthday present is mostly finished. I still need to finish her curtains. Its so fun and colorful!

Birthday Banner

Stay Tuned

Stay tuned for one year pics and post!

Little Walker

The week of her Birthday she decided it was high time to start walking. She practiced more and more through out the week. And by Sunday she was walking full time. She's still getting her sturdiness to her so its very sweet to watch her toodle around.

Smash Cake

Sunday night the family came over for cake and munchies. I think the Smash Cake tradition on the first Birthday is one of my personal favorites. Its so fun to watch their little personalities and see what they do with what is placed before them. Adalynn was super dainty with her cake. She sat just picking of the candy decoration for some time. Then after a while she stuck her finger in it. After awhile longer she had a few fists full. She never really tore into the thing though. Very sweet! I made death by chocolate for everyone else.

Party On

I decided we better do something extra fun Friday night as well since Teagan was at school when we did our McDonald's lunch. So we headed over to good ol Chuckie Cheeses. It was an easy trip this time $10.00 for 50 tokens, and an hour and a half or so of fun. Well worth the smiles!

McD's Party

Adalynn loved going to McDonald's for lunch on her Birthday. Everyone was giving her attention, she got to have her own juice and she loved climbing on the lower level of the play area. Our friends that came were: Tessa and her two girls Ryleigh and Bently, Shauna her new baby boy and daughter Jordyn, Meghan and her two boys Ryan and Cameron, and Collette and her boy Carson and daughter Sophie. It was laid back and fun. Laid back aside from when the kiddos decided to eat their party treats early and the sugar high kicked in!

Geting Ready To Party!

I invited a couple of friends and their kiddo's to meet us at McDonald's for lunch on Adalynn's Birthday. I had been super busy with her room, painting it, and sewing things for it. So it wasn't until the night before that I got the bright idea to put together come cupcake toppers, and a banner for her. Taylee was super excited for it. Half of the kids coming were actually her age, a couple in between, and two Adalynn's age. It was just nice and relaxed. Adalynn had a blast too.

Lets hear it for the Girls