Mother's Day!

It is almost the end and what a GREAT day!! I got to start out with breakfast in bed. I only share this because the whole thing is quite comical. Allie came and joined us some time in the night and when Tyler decided at 5am that he was not sleeping in his bed anymore I decided I was not sharing my queen size bed with two kids and Brandon. I made Allie go back to her bed and then hoped Tyler would just snuggle up, go back to sleep and be moved out of the way so I could sleep next to Brandon again. Tyler had another plan. He would not settle down and Brandon finally got up with him to feed him some cereal, thinking hunger was maybe his problem. We were all back in bed around 6am and I was thinking, why is it already getting light outside? Brandon has just finished finals and we were looking forward to our first day of "sleeping in" So Tyler never did calm down and Allie eventually joined us again. Basically we had all been up since 5am and just tried to pretend like it wasn't really happening. Brandon had already planned a breakfast in bed for me with Allie so I stayed in bed, although Tyler still wanted to stay with me. As you can imagine I should have just gotten up. They brought me stuffed french toast(SOOOOOO good!!) and of course as soon as I took a bite Allie and Tyler were right by my side saying, "I want some, I want some, I want some!" Brandon was pretty frustrated with how the whole thing worked out and I just had to laugh and say this is a TRUE Mother's Day. And then I told him how I usually wait to eat lunch until after I put them to bed for a nap because I do enjoy eating a meal that is warm and that I am not sharing at least once a day. All in alll I loved every second of it, except maybe Tyler's early wake up call.

Allie had a few things from nursury to give me after church and she was SO excited and proud. This past week I kept telling her that we were going to the store to get a present for our grandmas for mother's day and she would tell me every time, "Not a present for them, a present for you! You da MOM!" It was very cute. She won't even be the "mom" to her dolls because I am the mom.

The last thing I wanted to share is that I LOVED our sacrament meeting today. The talks were such great reminders to me of how important it is to be a mom. And even better how awesome it is to be a mom. I sat there feeling extremely grateful for the blessing of motherhood. I find SO much joy in my everyday life and responsibilities(except maybe whining about the dishes occasionally). I live in an apartment complex with mostly single moms. I often see them gearing up to drop their kids at day care and go off to work. While I am loading up to go to story time at the library, or play group at the park, or the children's museum at the mall, or to a friends house to play. I am SO blessed and very grateful for my kids and ALL the time I get to spend with them and that I don't have to go to work. I really do enjoy being a mom and have renewed energy(which I need sometimes as a mom) to be a better mom and do more for my kids and be a better example. I will look forward to this day not because I am showered with gifts and given a "day off" but because I will be reminded of all the reason I should be grateful that I even get to be a mom. I love you all mother dears and hope that you enjoyed your day! I am sure I have learned something from each of you that has helped me to be a better mom.

Photo Journal

I am copying this from a friends blog and think that whom ever wants to should join in. It seems like I take pictures fairly often but the more I think about it they are always of events. It will be fun to journal life as is and not just the big things we do. Although, for those that join in we have even less days than she says because she posted this a few days ago. Let's get started.

I’ve been inspired by other bloggers who have issued themselves (and others) the challenge of capturing a minimum of one photo each day to visually “journal” 2008. For most of them it’s referred to as Project 365 but since I’m late to the game, I have only 245 days left this year to account for ,thus Project 245. (That’s according to an online source, I would have no idea how many days remain otherwise!)
So to all you fellow bloggers out there, are you up for the challenge? It doesn’t have to be a photo of anything exceptional. Just capture life as it is that day…. messy, wonderful, exciting or mundane. The reward will be certainly be reviewing and remembering each day years from now.

I haven't decided how I am going to journal them but she started a seperate blog for the "photo project" I think that is a good idea and might copy that as well.

Have fun with it! I know my life is pretty crazy at times.

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!!!