Tyler is ONE!

Since I talked about my birthday it is about time I blogged Tyler's. I have been waiting to get all the pictures off our old computer and I asked a very generous friend to help. I am so grateful he knew how because I would have spent MANY hours transferring by jump drive. Thanks Hans! Tyler's prro birthday was passed by because it was on a Monday beginning with a week full of tests and papers for Brandon. Then when we finallt celebrated it was rushed so that we could do it before Brandon's sister Ginger and boys left to go back home. We didn't do any gifts, just cake. When we did do gifts he could have cared less. Although, he has enjoyed playing with what he got. He loved the cake! As you can tell he just dug right in and wanted more after his piece was gone. That kid can eat. I would say he eats as much as me and Allie put together. He is ALWAYS hungry! Thanks everyone who gave gifts to him. We love you!!

Birthdays!

I love birthdays and I wanted to tell everyone thanks for making mine special! Brandon always manages to surprise me and I don't know how he does it. Every year I think there is no way this year there are so many things going on. He hasn't had a chance or something(like a mandatory feild trip) is scheduled. So he got out of his feild trip after talking with his professor and spent the WHOLE day with me. We haven't seen any of those days in a while. We went out to breakfast and shopped in El Paso and then a surprise baby-sitter watched our kids while we went out to dinner. It was such a great day!! Then a late surprise but a great one. He ordered me a print from Jared Barnes Art (check it out he is amazing!!). I believe it is called True Disciples. I LOVE it!! It is Christ talking with children. It is so inspiring. I told Brandon about it so long ago that I hadn't even remembered that I wanted it. I was surprised! Thanks to you also, Jared and LeAnn! Also, I went out to lunch with some friends today and for those that know me I am not one to enjoy the spotlight but I had a great time. We even all brought our kids. They did really well! Six, 2-4yr olds and 4 infants, plus twin 2 month old boys. It was a lot of fun! Anyway, thanks again to everyone. I love you all!

Here is what we have been up to...

We walked to Goodwill to drop some stuff off and came home with a two drawer file cabinet. This was the only way to get it and Allie home.

Uh Oh!!! Yogurt, he had just dropped his bowl on the floor.

Reading with dad. I was holding Tyler and he was reaching, crying for his dad(NEVER happens). He had a book in his hand and ONLY wanted dad to read it to him. He sat there for almost 15 minutes just "reading". Another thing that never happens.

TRICKS!

Joseph Smith

A couple Sundays ago a girl in our ward shared her testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. Probably the most powerful testimony I have ever heard of the prophet. She is only a junior in high school. She started out telling a story about her friend that she was on the phone with one night. He told her that he had just finished watching a documentary about our church. She asked him what he thought and he told her that that would be the reason he would NEVER join the church. She said to him "oh really, why is that?" He told her because Joseph Smith was a con-man. She has heard this said before but never with so much hate. She felt many things and wasn't sure what to say. Before she disagreed she thought to be fair she would look at things from his perspective. Then all the things she knew of the prophet Joseph Smith bore witness to her that he was wrong. In tears she said, "How could he say that? I know of no man that would go through mutiple tar and featherings just for money." I wish I could put you all in the moment as she continued to share the truthfulness of the prophet Joseph Smith and how wrong that boy was to call him a con-man. You could feel the love she has for the prophet and how much she respects and admires him. It was a very neat moment for me. Brandon told me the same thing when we got home from church. I want to add my tesimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. I know he is a prophet of God. I know that he sacrificed much for the gospel to be here today. I have a testimony of the priesthood and that through the prophet Joseph it was restored. I have a tesitmony of eternal families and I am so grateful for mine. I know that I can be with Brandon and my kids forever and nothing makes me happier. The temple is such a sacred place and I desire to go there often and feel of the spirit there. Also to recieve counsel and blessings. I have a testimony of scripture study and the power of prayer. I have been studying the New Testament and feel like I am walking right beside my Savior as I read the stories of Him being with the people and apostles. He has helped me through many trials and I have felt him right there with me. I have a testimony of our new prophet Pres Monson and feel blessed to have a prophet to receive counsel from. When we listen to him we can only improve ourselve more! I say things things in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Boy Underwear?

Yeah!!! Allie is potty trained. I finally decided I wanted to do it. I have been avoiding it. I did not want to worry about running to toilets and where ever we are at not having a toilet and taking Tyler in with me. I was just not too thrilled with the idea. Anyway, Brandon and I were starting a new budget and I realized diapers were costing a little more than I thought, so I asked her last Saturday and she said she wanted to wear underwear. She stayed dry the whole day, only I was always taking her to the bathroom. I was a little worried about how trained she really was. Sunday and Monday were ok. Only a few accidents each day and she usually said she had to pee after she started and then would wait to get to the toilet to finish. Which I thought that is better than not acknowledging it. Since then she has been pretty much trained. I am laughing at myself because I finally got Tyler to sleep through the night and now I have to wake up Allie to take her to the bathroom. She can't make it otherwise. I don't want to do diapers at night. I would just rather it be all or nothing. Plus Allie feels like she is in trouble if she has to go back to wearing a diaper, even just at night. So I already had some underwear that were given to me but I thought it would be fun for her to pick out some of her own. Well, they only make boy thomas the train, mickey mouse and cars. All her favorites. So we have boy cars underwear that she loves!!!