Goofy Brothers

The Boys were in a really silly giggly mood after nap time yesterday! Luckily I caught a little bit on video! They are such goof balls sometimes, all you can do is laugh with them!

Cousins Cousins Everywhere!!

We had a super fun day today! BJ's sister Mindy and Sister In-Law Cadie brought their kids Brylee, Ryker, Shay and Kaly up to Cedar today to visit! Spencer was excited all morning long, opening the door and checking! He kept asking me
"Mom are my cousins here yet? They are sure taking a long time, Mom! I am so excited, are they here yet? When are they going to be here?"
It was so funny!
All 6 of the cousins are between the ages of 6 and 18 months! So you put all those kids in one small apartment and you'd think there would be a little bit of tension? Oh no they had so much fun, running in and out of the play room, doing summer-salts and jumps, riding bikes on the patio! When they were all a little younger and still learning to be nice there were a few moments when blood was drawn and tears were shed! But now that they are older and realize how much fun they can have together its great to watch them enjoy one another!
So the cutest part of the afternoon was when they all came out of the toy room with a different hat and weapon! They were being super hero's and running around! It was all I could do to chase them around and try and capture it! So in this picture left to right its: Brylee, Ryker (in the back), Kaly, Shay and Spencer.

Birds in Flight!

Well as I mentioned earlier, today was a big day with BJ starting school and the new late shift at work! The kids took the change a little harder then I thought which resulted in a VERY WHINY morning! So to break up the sobbing and tantrums we did a...... CRAFT! I found this one at FamilyFun.com (http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10716). We picked it because I already had everything at the house to make it (which is a HUGE plus for me) and we could get outside and run around (which I thought would help the kids cheer up!)

So it was super easy all you need is a paper plate, 2 plastic spoons, some tape and markers and a small pebble! The link gives the detailed instructions if you are interested! But it was really simple, Spencer AND Cooper were able to help make our BIRD! It was funny because Cooper kept trying to eat off the spoons and Spencer was worried because he thought Cooper was eating the Birds head! It was kinda hilarious!Once we got outside the kids had so much fun running around with then and TRYING to make them fly!This is one of the picnic tables outside the boys love to play on it like its a jungle gym! Spencer was practicing his flying skills! And Cooper just LOVES to watch his brother! But making sure Spenc didn't have all the fun Cooper climbed up and down the table, laughing the whole time!

Information Hunt....

SO... I am really wanting to make the jump from good old fashion scrap booking (which I love) to DIGITAL SCRAP BOOKING! I really think I could get a lot more done if I wasn't having to unload a suitcase full of supplies each time I wanted to work on a page!

MY QUESTION IS.....

What kind of program is best to start out with and how many different programs do I have to get to be able to make really adorable pages?

The other project I really need to get started is COUPONS! I have looked into online coupons and can't quite find a site that will work with my computer and printer! For some reason I cant download the "coupon printer" from coupons.com!

MY QUESTION IS.....

What are a few good COUPON websites and what is the best way to print them?

I know all you bloggers out there are crafty and knowledgeable, so anyone who has the inside scoop please fill me in! THANKS!!!

Personal Prayer FHE

I love Family Home Evenings, but today when I was talking to Spencer about getting ready for FHE he said "Mom Family Home Evening isn't fun!" I was crushed! I thought I did a good job at making them entertaining and short enough that he still enjoyed it!!! SO I was suddenly on a mission to make this FHE even better!
We have had a few lessons on prayer, and he is really good at repeating what we say during prayer. And relatively good at sitting still and being reverent! But latley I've been trying to help him understand what prayer is and what HE can say in HIS prayers to Heavenly Father! So that was my objective, give him the basic template for what to include in HIS PERSONAL prayers!
Our lesson started out with this cute little guy that reminded him how we act during prayer! He thought the guy was super funny to move around!


















Then we talked about the 4 steps to praying
1. Dear Heavenly Father....
2. I am Thankful for....
3. Please Help me or Bless me....
4. In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen

So I got out 2 pieces of paper one said "I Thank Thee" the other said "Please Bless" and a hat with a bunch of pictures of things HE would be thankful for or ask for during a prayer! There is something so EXCITING to him about pulling things out of a hat! It really keeps his attention! So we went through the pictures and talked about saying it all by himself! I told him we could bring these to bed to help him remember what HE could say! He thought that was great!
Then the BIG finale that I was hoping would CLENCH the FUN review! We had gone out in the day earlier and found some flat rocks to PAINT! One for him and one for Coop! So we painted our "Prayer Rocks" and finished up!
Cooper really tried! He wants to be just as big as Spenc! He kept trying to eat the brush or his painted fingers! SO in the end Mom and Dad had to finish up his rock (which I am sure will be confiscated tomorrow because of frequent THROWING!)
We used our pictures to help us at bedtime, and of course this will be a work in progress! But I think it went well and when I asked him as we said goodnight if he had fun he says "yea mom it was ok!" So I am going to RUN WITH THAT!

Evening at the Park

Saturday we all just kicked back! BJ is starting a new semester on Monday and his new graveyard shift at work so we wanted to take the day to just have fun together. After relaxing in the morning and playing with play dough all afternoon we thought it would be fun to go explore a new park we heard about! It turns out its right down the street and tons of fun! I took about 100 pictures so I put them in collages, if you click on the collage it will open in full screen

Cooper loves the park, he loves to climb up the stairs and THINK about sliding down! He gets a little nervous, so he usually needs a little convining its fun to go down! He had a lot of fun walking around and watching Dad and Spencer try all the big toys!
Spencer tried EVERY toy at the park! He really likes climbing up all the different ladders, and sliding down the biggest slides! He had a lot of fun hanging onto the zip line. BJ found this fun swing and Spencer thought it was really fun to push Dad around and around!

BJ and Spencer also had a little contest doing pull ups! Who do you think won? I really love how you can see all the effort on their faces! We had such a great time, it was a nice way to spend time together before the craziness of the new semester starts! Oh and I even remembered to have Beej take a picture of me at the park! I am always the one behind the camera so it kinda looks like I'm not there!

Spencers "Little House"

On Friday after our interesting morning the boys and I decided to have some fun together and do a craft! Spencer and I looked through our idea book and decided to make a house, just like his new house he just moved into! It was SO much fun! We made it out of a paper bag, and construction paper! SUPER easy! But Spenc was able to work on his colors, his shapes and his cutting skills! It is so cute! I was really glad we made time to play together!

And as a random note, later that day Spencer comes walking out of my closet saying "look Mom I am a Bad Guy, what do you think of my cool outfit?" He had just gone to the bathroom and decided to dress up in my shoes and BJ's belt! Classic Classic! I couldn't stop laughing and so I asked him to pose for a picture and THIS is what he did! What a funny boy! I love how he is thinking for himself and pretendingg its such a riot!

I have been looking at the Creative Homemaker Blog and I really love it! She did this little get to know you survey and so I thought I would go for it too! Check out her blog though its really great, I found that article from the Ensign there yesterday!

My TOP TEN:
1. Fave Shoes- Anything with a heel and color, I love to feel stylish! I have some teal pointy toe ones and some new pink and green wedges I am in love with!
2. Fave Room in my House- The Living Room when we are all having fun together
3. Fave Soda- Wild Cherry Pepsi (OF COURSE)
4. Fave Treat- Well, it changes A LOT with being prego and all, but right now White Fudge Flipz Pretzels(Sweet and Salty hmm)
5. Fave Pastime- Going to a great Yard Sale, Shopping at a new fun store
6. Fave Household Chore- hmm, thats a TOUGH one, straightening up I guess
7. Fave Car- I think the new Toyota Rav4 SUV's are so cute and get good gas mileage! To dream...
8. Fave TV Show- So You Think You Can Dance, Desperate Housewives, 24, The Office to name a few
9. Fave Store- I love Target, Urban Renewal (AWSOME consignment store in town), Online window shopping for good ideas!
10. Fave Time of Day- Lately we have been going outside after dinner and playing ball with the kids or watching them ride bikes. Its SO nice outside and we have time to just talk about the day and have fun as a family!

Its FRIDAY, HURRAY!

It is only 2:30 and so far the day has been quite the adventure! I went to a yard sale this morning (which always makes me happy) and found a TON of adorable name brand winter clothes for the kids that were only 50 cents each!!!! YEA for YARD SALES

When I got home Spencer reminded me that we were going to head to the library so we could exchange his books! BJ didn't have to work till 2:00 so he was excited to come too! Everything was going great until... we got in the car to leave! (we didn't make it too far) Spencer and Cooper were both just grouchy! I don't need to go into every yelling crying tantrum filled detail but it was quite exhausting! We HAD to run to the store for bread and eggs and got out of there as fast as possible got home, had lunch and were ready as EVER for nap time!

I laid down to try and get my mind off our "outing" when I remembered this great little ensign article I read yesterday! Its about how kids can be more then you bargained for some days but to try and find the joy in them and to try and understand their actions from their perspective!
Well it certainly meant something to me today!
I am so glad my boys are little boys! I'm going to try harder to remember that and enjoy them instead of always worrying about what they are or arent doing!

I am glad its FRIDAY! I am excited to do this cute craft idea when nap time is over! And I am really glad I have this new blog as a way to help me understand life a little better!

Oh here is the link to that great article! It was in this months Ensign called
"Grasshoppers, Purple Bathtubs, and Other Surprises"
By Wanda I. Allen

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=ec6de97864a6b110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1

Our Six Year Anniversary

YEA six years! Beej and I just celebrated our six year anniversary this last weekend! It sounds like such a long time when I say it out loud but it feels like its just flown by! I love that we have been able to build such a happy life together!
It has been a roller coaster this last little bit, with this surprise baby, BJ looking for a new job and this whirl wind move but we have been able to get through it together and still smile and laugh at each other! I definitely feel like when all the things around you are changing and you don't have any control over it, it makes you realize what you do have! I know all of this has made me appreciate and acknowledge what I have in my wonderful husband! Happy 6 years babe!
To celebrate we kept it simple and went to dinner at MY favorite place, yes you guessed it Samurai 21! It was SO SO yummy! Then we went to the temple and talked and talked without any little ones asking to wrestle or wanting a refill in their sippy cup! It was relaxing and comforting to be outside and just be together! Aug 17 2008

Camping Out

We have been wanting to go camping all summer long. We got a new tent and then found out I was pregnant! YEA! Then we found out we needed to move back to Cedar and were VERY preoccupied with moving! So as soon as the last box was unpacked BJ said "lets go camping!"

It just happened to be the weekend of our anniversary but it was supposed to be beautiful out and we had some friends that said they wanted to go so I was all for it! We loaded the van to the brim (for one night mind you!) I wanted to make sure I was prepared, and we headed out!We decided to go to this beautiful camp spot BJ had loved as a kid and hadn't been to since he was a kid, called Oak Grove at the base of Pine Valley Mountain. And as soon as we got their it started to thunder and sprinkle! It was so funny! Spencer was so excited to be outside and Cooper kept laughing every time he tumbled to the ground! So we figured the rain would pass quickly and started setting up camp while the kids played in the dirt and got messier then I have EVER seen them! (Laughing the whole time) We set up the new tent really easily and set up the tent for Steph and Caleb who wouldn't be there till later!As dinner time got closer we started preparing the stuff for the dutch ovens! I am laughing as I write this because neither of us had actually ever cooked in a dutch oven before, and it showed as the night went on! We had brought everything to make dutch oven potatoes (BJ's FAVORITE) and BBQ chicken! We hit quite a few bumps along the way but eventually sat down to eat a tastey meal at about 9:30! Heee Heee
All in all we had a WONDERFUL time, the kids loved playing outside and even found a little dirt pit they affectionalty called their "sand box." We got to relax and hang out with some great friends Steph and Caleb Steele and their kids Tippy and Gage. Hope you enjoy the pics we sure enjoyed making these memories! Aug 15-16 2008

Visiting the King Fam in Vegas

This month was SUPER busy for us. We moved to Cedar City and had my brother Chris and my sister Abby come visit. My parents stopped into Las Vegas to pick up Abby on their way to move to Mexico City. So BJ and I and the kids loaded up in the van with Abby and Jenise and headed down to Vegas to spend the day with my parents. We decided to go to this go cart track to hang out! It was SUPER SUPER hot but so much fun!
Dad and Spencer about to hit the track! Spenc was so excited to get Grandad off the plane and take him to ride in the go carts! BJ took Coop around the track! The race was fierce, but Abby claimed the 1st place spot!

They had a bunch of small kid rides that Spencer LOVED! We even got Dad, Abby and Beej to hop on a few! Unfortunately one of the employees pointed out that because I was OBVIOUSLY prego that I couldn't ride! Cooper got a pop and was in his own little part of Heaven after that!
I think this was Spencer's favorite part! They had a track that was just for little ones! BJ was worried Spencer couldn't push hard enough to get the go cart going, but we thought we would give it a shot! HE WAS SO EXCITED! Well BJ was right! So one of the employees hoped onto help him get the hang of it! Spencer pushed that pettle down as hard as he could and tried his darndist to steer that car, but he just couldn't control it and ended up causing a wreck! So he was brought back! He had such a great time he didn't even realize he got the boot early!
Aug 8-9 2008

So Here We Go...

I have been thinking about starting a blog for a while now. It just always feels like there are 100 other things to do first. And then a great friend told me she blogs as her way of keeping a journal! That sealed the deal!
I wanted a way to share all the exciting things the boys are doing and if I get to check off my journaling at the same time.... well SIGN ME UP!
Everyone who knows me knows I am not the best writer or speller, so please forgive me! I hope you can look past all my little errors and smile at the stories of the kids and all the MANY twists and turns on our families journey!
So PLEASE let me know what you think, I am excited to be able to keep in touch this way and share my personal triumphs and maybe a few failures with you! Talk with you soon!