Charlie's 2nd Birthday!

April 7th was Charlie's birthday! It was really low key with an incredibly simple cake...but we had a great time and Charlie was so happy!

Things I love about this little guy: he loves to sing and can sing most primary songs, he's happy alot of the time, he really is pretty good at sharing with his brother, he sleeps in really strange positions, he still loves to play peek-a-boo, he loves to tell me everything he's doing all the time("I eating cucumbers, Momma" or "I playing at the park, Momma!"), he likes to exercise with me in the mornings...and when we finish he says, "that was good exercise, Mom!", he's exceptionally good at throwing fits, when he sings he likes to make up his own words...instead of Follow the Prophet he sings Follow the T-Rex and then laughs his head off, he loves cars, he LOVES to eat and will eat most anything, and he REALLY doesn't like time outs...oh, and his scream is incredibly loud...you don't want to be sitting next to him when it happens...I'm so grateful that he's mine. I couldn't love him more!

Great Grandma comes to play

A couple months ago we got to spend a very fun day with my Grandma. The boys had such a fun time with her...she read to them, and played around with them. Sam showed her his Where's Waldo books, which she'd never seen, and they spent a good long while trying to find Waldo. Sam had a wonderful time and I'm grateful to my grandma who took the time to show my children so much love! She is an amazing, beautiful woman and I love her very much.

Surprise!

This weekend I got to head home to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday! We threw her a surprise party...I can't even tell you how much fun it was! It was so great to spend time with my family. My sister and I had so much fun planning everything. I'm thankful for all the family and friends who came and helped us out! We couldn't have done it without you!!! Most of all I want my mom to know how much I love her! She is my greatest friend!

I'm back...!!!!

Okay, so I needed a break from blogging....the holidays kept me away. I haven't felt like recapping any because there was just too much...so here's a little video of the kids singing on Christmas Eve while waiting for Santa, and that's about all the Christmas I'm going to post, except to thank my in-laws for the incredible time we had spending it with them! Thank you, thank you for a wonderful, relaxing, spoiled rotten Christmas! We love you!

Winter Fun

My kids have been so excited about the snow this year! It's made me appreciate it more...instead of waiting endlessly for winter to end, I've been trying to find all the fun things to do during this time of year! It's been exciting! Here are a few pics of the kids hanging out.

What would winter fun be without a nice cup of hot chocolate? Don't you love the mustache?

Sam says....

*Sitting at the table the other day, Sam says, "Mommy, I can't wait until Jesus comes again to see us!". "What will you do?" I ask. "I will give him kisses and kisses!"

*He's always putting his arms around me and saying, "Mommy, you're my special girl."

*"Charlie, did you know we have bodies! Yeah, Heavenly Father made them for us!"

*After he said to a girl we know, "You have huge arms!" (and she doesn't) I told him that he should never tell a girl that she's big. I said, "Girls only want you to tell them they're small." So now all the time, at random moments he tells me, "Mom, you're small," and gives me this knowing look. It's too funny!

Little Helper

Since this was our first Thanksgiving at home, we decided to start some traditions that would make it fun for the kids. We made homemade butter, collected leaves and twigs to make a banner, made indian corn napkin rings, and our own cornucopia place settings. Sam was there to help me all day...he's my cooking buddy. We made apple pie and strawberry pretzel salad, rolls, and sweet potato casserole....oh, and turkey, of course! I couldn't have done it without my little helper. Spencer and Nicole were here to celebrate, and we're so glad, because it wouldn't have been as fun without them.

I was so overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude for the small and simple things: our health, our home, our freedom to worship as we choose, and for the knowledge of who we are and why we're here; for family and dear friends, for changing seasons, a warm bed to sleep in at night, and for the jobs we have that allow us to provide for our family. I'm thankful for all this and so much more!

Charlie rocked us all on the drums!

He entertained us through dinner by singing The ItsyBitsy Spider again and again and again!