*Everyday Stuff*

I think this "smile" might just be a "pageant smile" Scary!

(The one below)

All I can say about this kid is

WHAT.A.STUD!

Hunter brought these beautiful flowers in for me the other day...so thoughtful!

Hunters Fort

Hunter and Skyla wrestling.

Hunter winning.

Skyla winning:

She kissed him on the cheek and he pushed her off and wiped it off...such a brother:)

My Pirate

My Princess

*Crafts and Stuff:)*

I have been in SUCH a craft mood lately. I guess it's all this "staying in the house" stuff.:) I love learning how to do new things so if you have any craft ideas for me, let me know:)

I was SOOO in the mood for a "new" living room but didn't really have money to do much so we improvised:) My awesome sister in law, Elisha, gave us this awesome old barn wood from her Grandma's barn and Chris made me a shelf out of it. It is my new Favorite thing! It cost about $12.00 (for the hooks) Elisha also told me about the "Family" so I mod podged it to match my new "colors" Chris made all the frames and I painted them.

I had the kids go out back and pick pine cones. Then I spray painted them and stuck it in this cute basket I got at Ross for $4.00....LOVE it! (with some balls from Rod Works, I had a Gift Card)

I made this wreath for Springtime, I just bought a bunch of flowers from the dollar store. The whole thing cost about $5.00

I didn't have much for St. Patrick's Day so I made this wreath out of material from Joannes (spent about $3.00)

I made the "lucky" last year with Elisha. Chris cut out the blocks out of scrap wood.

I made the shamrock with a dollar store frame and some of those little rock/bead thingies.

(Not even $2.00)

This is another dollar store frame and I just printed the image online.

The candle things were so easy to make. I went to DI and bought some candlesticks and glued a flower vase from the dollar store on top and filled it with split peas

(cost about $2.50 each)

I made these with left over material from the wreath and got the headband form the dollar store in a pack of 6

(cost about .30 cents for the headband and about the same for the shirt because she already had it)

*Springtime*

I LOVE the Spring!

Watching the trees and flowers bloom, it makes you feel like you get a fresh start...I am ready for a fresh start.

Some of my goals are:

*To lose 15 pounds and become more healthy and active with my kids.

*Graduate from The New York Institute of Photography by the end of the year.

*To Ponder my scriptures and have a better understanding of them.

*To make a "REAL" dinner at least 5 times a week, from scratch (I'm pretty good at this already)

*To read to my kids more

*Do more service

*And just be more happy, patient, and loving

*Dirt*

I LOVE that my kids LOVE playing together...especially outside:) We have a big gravel hill in the very back of our yard that we are planning on spreading out by the fire pit, the kids LOVE to play on it!

A couple of days ago I let the kids go outside and I found them out by the horses, I could tell they were throwing dirt so I called them in...Hunter came immediately and Skyla just kept saying "No Mom No!" In this sweet little voice (like, please don't make me leave them!) Anyway, I told Hunter it was time to come in and get ready for bed and he was so upset. He said "But Mom, the horses are like, STARVING and they are saying "Hunter! Hunter! Please come feed me!" I asked them what in the world they were feeding them and he said "Sticks...they LOVE sticks!" Um....OK it's still time to come in:) When I finally got Skyla to come in I was NOT happy! She had like 1/4 of an inch of dirt in her hair and I am NOT EXAGGERATING!!!!! I put them both in the shower and dirt filled the tub...we repeated this process 5 times until the water was clear again.GROSS!

(these pictures are taken upstairs on our deck so they are NOT the best:)

This is them "planting flowers" I LOVE THESE KIDS!

*Owies*

We have had A LOT of owies going around our house lately. To start with Skyla got this owie and could not figure out how it got there for several days...finally I told my friend Katie about it and she asked if she had been sliding down the stairs...indeed she had been...mystery solved. It was so sad because it was right where her underwear and skirts came up so it rubber against it:(

Next up...Hunter and I were chasing each other around the living room when we both ran for my office chair...the kind that swivel, Hunter got there first, put his hand on the chair and it swung him around and he slammed his head right on the corner of my desk...OUCH! It was SOOOO sad!

This is a week later...I wish I had a pictures of it at it's worst, oh well you get the idea.

A couple of days ago while Hunter was at preschool Skyla and I were playing and I started chasing her, she ran out of her room still looking at me and smacked right into the wall...poor thing. I called Chris after this and said that I was NEVER playing with our kids again because they always seem to get hurt.

*Bittersweet*

We went to Tom and Angie's house for dinner tonight. We had such a great time and the food was AMAZING! (Thanks again guys) Chris stayed up there and the boys were going to a late movie so I brought my kiddies home for bed. On the drive home we always pass the Mount Timpanogas Temple, it is always lit up and so beautiful and Hunter ALWAYS get so excited to see it. I also always tell him that that's were Mommy and Daddy got married. Then we ALWAYS have the following conversation....Hunter: "Can I go in there Mommy?"

Mommy: "When you are older, like Mommy and Daddy?"

And then it goes on from there on what he needs to do to be able to go to the temple. Then he says "Mommy, I just wish I could get married when I turn 5!" He sounded so defeated:) Then he said "Will I get to see Grandpa Jeff in there?" I said no, Grandpa is in Heaven but we will see him again someday. I call Chris to tell him what Hunter had said about getting married at 5, we laughed and I hung up. Then Hunter started saying that he really wanted to see Grandpa NOW and then BURST into tears...sobbing "I just miss my Grandpa... I just want to see him.... I just want to go to Heaven right now and see him!" Over and over... SOBBING. Well at this point I was having a hard time trying not to fall apart so I called Chris and Chris talked to him and tried to calm him down saying that we would see him again but it won't be for a long long time. It took Hunter awhile to calm down but eventually he did. Chris told Hunter to ask his Mommy and Grandma to tell him stories and show him pictures of Grandpa. He got off the phone and I said "Are you feeling better" He said "Mom I still feel sad" I said "It's OK to be sad" I lost it at this point. It is OK to miss my Dad. He was an AMAZING human being and I feel so blessed to have him in my life for as long as I did. I am so grateful that Chris knew my Dad and had a great love and friendship with him. Hunter never knew my Dad...he passed away exactly 4 weeks before he was born but I can't help but think that Sweet little Hunter remembers Grandpa from Heaven and misses him. We talked about Grandpa the whole way home and cried and laughed together. Not quite how I thought I would end my evening tonight but I'm grateful I did.

Definitely Bittersweet.

*Tea Party*

I can NOT get enough of this little girl! She is the sweetest little thing. The other day we had a little tea party with her animals and baby dolls and it was so cute to watch her talking to them and asking them if they wanted more. Love.Love.Love!

*There is Beauty All Around*

All of these photos were taken from my backyard...I feel so blessed to be surrounded by this every single day!

*Hangin Out*

Here are some random pictures of our doings lately:)

Hunter came to me with his swimsuit on and BEGGED me to go run through the sprinkler...Um NO it's only 40 degrees outside. He kept begging so I opened the front door and let him feel how cold it was and he said "Ya, I think I'll be fine Mom!" Riiiiight.

Nap Time

Reading Time...Hunter only takes a nap 3 or 4 times a week now and on his "off" days he reads for an hour. It's fun to hear him in there reading to himself and being very animated.

Ouch!

These are some of the little Leggings I made Skyla. I LOVE them and they are SOOO easy to make.

*Miss Spanish Fork*

My Mom, sister Jess, and I had a girls night last Saturday and went to Miss Spanish Fork. We went to Pizza Factory before hand and then had some time to kill so we went to Shopko and then went to the pageant. The girls were beautiful and there were some beautiful dresses. It was a fun night with the girls:)