First Piggy Bank

Bracken has been saving his money to buy Christmas presents this year.  He really wanted a piggy bank, so  I helped him make one by cutting a hole in the lid of an empty hot chocolate can.  He's been scouring sidewalks and store floors for pennies, and doing chores like helping me scrub down the bathroom, mop the floor, and do the dishes to earn nickels.

Today his Aunt and Uncles sent him a letter with pictures and stickers, and "oh boy!", Sarah sent a dollar.  She tripled his Christmas savings.  He was soo excited and hurried to pull out his piggy bank, pay his tithing, and count his money with Chandra to see if he has enough to go Christmas shopping yet.

Popcorn Popping

Such a fun morning with my kids!  We pop popcorn often...(much to Brian's chagrin as he's usually the one who vacuums out the couches) and today we made a LOT of it!  Bracken and Chandra's favorite part was when the lid to the popper fell off and popcorn flew everywhere. They started screaming and chasing after each piece.  Then they helped me sweep the floor.

Concentration...

   Bracken spent over an hour this morning working with newspaper, a paper bag, glue, spare buttons, ribbon, and LOTS of tape to make two swords.

   Tonight Bracken and Brian had an intense sword fight.  Bracken hit all the buttons off of Brian's sword, so Bracken won. :)  There was a lot of giggling.

   Yesterday Bracken found his "real" hammer.  He went outside with Brian in the dark and worked on chopping pieces off of a dead stump.  Tonight we started a mini fire with Bracken's wood, ate cookies, then came inside and drank hot chocolate.  The kids love playing with their Dad, and I love having him around more too!

Not enough waffles

We started out very happy at breakfast.  But when Bracken heard their was only one more waffle left he was very upset.  He wanted "lots and lots more" of them, not just one more. He got over it eventually. :)

Letter to my Little Girl...

Dear Chandra,

I love you.  I’m so glad you’re our little girl.  You are so determined and adorable.  We love your kisses, your fishy faces, how happy you get when we let you have your binky at naptime.  Your pathetically cute little meows as you paw at us and pretend to be a cat. Your giggles and squeals when you tease us, or when we tickle you.  The way you try to “read” and yell or gasp the sound effects as you turn the pages of a book.

You certainly have a spit-fire, moody, infuriating side.  But I think it largely comes from you knowing exactly what you want, and being so frustrated when you try to move heaven and earth…or at least a chair…to get it and not being successful or having someone tell you “no.”  That determination is a good thing.  Sometimes I just have to remind myself. J  I’m so excited for you to start talking more, I think that’ll help both of us a lot. 

In the mean time, know that I am so glad I'm your Mom, that Bracken adores you and watches out for you, and that you're Daddy's little girl.  We all love you.
                                Love,  Mom
                       

Day 4: Reading their Favorite Book

After Bracken has a book read to him a couple of times he usually has it memorized.  He often "reads" to Chandra and me.  Chandra loves it.  Some of their favorite books are the "Elephant and Piggie" books by Mo Willems.  They make all us laugh out loud almost every time we read them.  Chandra's little book is an "Old McDonald has a farm" pop up book that she likes to have me read to her before her nap.

Our favorite Elephant and Piggie books are:  Can I Play Too?, Should I Share My Ice Cream?, Watch Me Throw the Ball, We are in a Book, and  Are You Ready to Play Outside.

Day 3: Running and Playing

Field Trip to the Ambulance Shed

Day 2: Sleeping

Well, not asleep, but working on getting ready for bed. I'm glad I had my camera close by as he started saying his prayers last night.  They always melt my heart, and usually make me laugh a little too.

Chandra is not sleeping either.  Whenever I put her down for her nap she gets so excited to get her binky (because she can only have it at bedtime).  Then I snuggle her silky blanket around her face and when I say "I love you, Good night!" she closes her eyes tight and pretends like she's going to go right to sleep.  In reality I usually hear her jumping in her bed or making faces and noises in the mirror two minutes later.

What would you do...

Bracken and I were talking about when Lehi was praying and a pillar of fire appeared. I asked him, "What would you do if a pillar of fire came while you were praying?" He said "I would run..." I started to interrupt and say "me too" but he kept going, "and get a stick and a marshmallow and toast it in the fire."

I love the things he comes up with!

Day 1: You and your Children

I'm participating in a 30 day photography challenge.  Each day has a theme of some sort and we can take whatever picture we'd like that has to do with that theme. Today's theme was "You and your children."

 I broke out the tripod and used a self timer for the first picture.   Bracken volunteered (asked and asked) to take a picture for me.  He was very careful with my camera, and so proud that I let him try. He took the picture of Chandra and I.  I think he did an awesome job, don't you?

Superhero Family!

Our ward had a chili cook off and a trunk or treat for Halloween this year.  We went as Superheros, with our logos chosen by Bracken.  My favorite part was when I asked Bracken what kind of a hero Brian should be. "Dad's a EMT, he's already a hero."

Oh yeah, look at those muscles!

 Bracken's little friend Jairus spent the evening with us.  Chandra and the boys were so excited to go Trunk-or-Treating.  One of the sweet older ladies in our ward was giving out little kids books.  Bracken and Jairus both chose "The Little Mermaid" books.  I think it hurt Brian's man pride, but it just makes me laugh. 

As we were walking home, Bracken says, "Jairus, you're my good friend."  These boys are so lucky to have each other for friends!

Family Pictures 2012

For my birthday this year I asked my husband and children to smile for family pictures.  Thanks family!  We were in Phoenix for Brian to interview at Midwestern and the University of Arizona for medical school when we took these.  We heard back today from Midwestern and Brian was accepted!  That means we'll be moving to Phoenix next summer, and will be able to spend a lot more time in this yard with Brian's wonderful parents and all the aunts, uncles and cousins. 

Chamrie Andrews took this last picture of our family. (chamrieandrews.blogspot.com) I love silhouettes! 

Dear Bracken,

I love you.  You bring so much light, joy, giggles, and spontaneity to our family.  You are determined, you are hilarious, mischievous, happy, and you are kind.

I love the way you tell stories.  Demanding my captivated attention with your excitement, or if that’s not enough, your hand directing my face to look in your eyes.  Watching your building excitement and anticipation until you reach the climax, when you open your eyes and mouth wide and wait for my response, or ask, “Was that so awesome?!”

You are a manly, adventurous boy.  You are often doing flips on our couch, pushing your scooter at break-neck speed, jumping off big rocks or trying to climb trees. If I point out a beetle for you to look at, it only takes you a second to pick the squirming black bug up and put it by my nose so I can see it better. You love playing with rocks, dirt, and sticks.  The sticks (or a rolled up newspaper) are often used for sword-fighting with me.

It’s amazing to watch you “read” books.  You memorize even long story books word for word, along with the punctuation and voice changes we use when we read to you.  You have an incredible memory!

You soak up new ideas, games, and lessons.  You come up with your own and let me come along for the ride. You love when I’m chasing you and you’re laughing, when we’re outside playing tag, Pet-Store, or Milk Man. When we read stories snuggled, or build forts and break them.  When we go on adventures and treasure hunts. 

You have the best imagination.  We often have your imaginary friend squirrel “Springy” or little mouse friend “Todd Ellingford” playing with us on our walks, helping us do dishes, or jumping in trees to get away from the wolves. 

I love the way you watch out for your sister, tease her, protect her, and remind her to use her words, even though she doesn’t have many yet.  How you often choose to share your special blanket or toys with her when she’s sad.  You include her in most of your plans, adventures, and misadventures. You read her story after story. I love hearing you say, “Good morning Little Girl!” in the morning, “Hey Little Miss Tiny” throughout the day, and “Yes, you look pretty” when she puts on necklaces or flowers and comes to show you. You’re the brother every little girl should dream of having. 

I love when you come and climb in bed with me on a lazy morning, when Chandra is still asleep and I’m hoping to get a few more minutes in bed.  You’re ready to play, but you let me snuggle with you first.  I love your massive hugs when you try to “Squeeze the juice out” of me. How you say “close your eyes” and hurry to help me do dishes, clean a room, or hide and then jump out to surprise me.  You put lights on in my heart every day.

You are so proud of your Dad.  One day when Daddy moved a camper trailer and a stalled jeep all by himself you watched in amazement and said, “Wow Dad.  You are buff and brave and strong!” When he’s working at the ambulance you often ask me, “Who did he save today?...my Dad is so cool, huh?” You watch for him to come home, and throw kisses to him across the street if he forgets to kiss you goodbye before going to school in the morning. You love to play with him, build K’Nex with him, and just spend any fun time you can with him. Your Dad loves you and is proud of you too.  Like he often tells you, “You’re everything I ever wanted in a little boy!”

We’re so glad you’re in our family Bracken.  We love you! 

Bracken's Pets

"I have two new pets.  One's name is Mcigillicuddy and one is Frankie.  Frankie is so adventurous.  He climbs all over the place.  Today he climbed to the very top of his jar.  Mcgillicuddy just stays at the bottom of the jar and eats, eats, eats and poops a lot.  I give him kale to eat because I found them on the kale at our garden.  I love, LOVE, my caterpillar worms."  (From Bracken's journal)  

Brushing her teeth...

 ...is so much fun she doesn't like to stop! 

Location Scouting

The boys went camping last night so Chandra and I went location scouting.  Isn't it funny that after a two hour walk, my favorite pictures were taken about 30 seconds away from our house? Chandra thought the crab apples were fun to play with, and the dandelions were fun to blow, but that neither of them tasted very good.

Bracken's Journal

I try to help Bracken "write" in his journal every once in a while.  It's just a fun time for me to ask him a random question, or about what he's been doing, and he'll just talk to me. A lot of the time he gets super excited and talks much faster than I write, but we get the main points in there.

Sometimes he likes to draw pictures too.  He's been learning to write a few letters (His favorite is "B"). He's started drawing potato head/alien people too, and I LOVE them.  Who would think a mom would get so proud of these adorable little squiggly lines?  In case you can't read the journal entry, Bracken told me that was a picture of him and Chandra walking to church together holding hands.  He's such a good little boy and such a protective, kind big brother!

I love you Bracken, and I love our "journal  story time" together.

Dressing Up

Chandra loves dressing up and feeling beautiful.  She'll put every necklace she can find on, then come to Brian or me and bounce on her tip toes waiting for us to tell her how beautiful she looks.  She is such a girl, and we love it!  

She also loves dancing.  Whenever she hears music (a cell phone starts ringing, a car drives by, or during a movie) she starts bouncing and dancing.  She loves when I give her my cell phone to hold and dance to while it plays "B-I-N-G-O." It's so cute.  

She also thinks its so fun to pull all the dirty laundry out and get dressed in it.  I haven't taken a picture of that because she usually ends up with several pairs of our underwear on her arms and over her head before I find her.  Memo to me: I need to find a new spot for our laundry. Yesterday she found this hat and it's her newest accessory.  

What I've Been up to: Photo Editing Class

Bracken and Chandra spent a lot of time at my parents in Richfield this last month so they could be loved and cared for while Brian was working and my collarbone was healing.  I appreciate my parents and siblings so much for taking care of our kiddos!  I was in Richfield some of the time too, but I had a lot more "down time" on my hands than normal.  I took an awesome online class on Lightroom (image editing software), and learned a lot about what to look for and how to edit my pictures.  I feel like I have so much more control over my editing now! Anyway, just sharing a little of what I've been up to. (SOOC is straight out of camera, without any editing.)

Puddles

They love rainstorms, puddles, and just being together.  I'm so glad our kiddos are friends.

My Superhero

"Bracken, you need to get your pajamas on and brush your teeth before your babysitter gets here."

He ran off to get ready for the night.  After a while I realized it was very quiet in the bathroom.  I went to investigate and found a Superhero in sunglasses and cape, who smelled like his dad's cologne, styling his hair with a generous amount of gel.  "Whoo-hoo-hoo! I look cool, huh mom?! I'm gonna protect you and Chandra from the bad guys."

Totally made my night!

Her Typical Expression

The Hard Questions

Bracken had two blankets that he got when he was a baby that he became very attached to.  He would hold the silky tags up to his nose or lips to fall asleep. When he was two they fell apart and I gave him similar blankets to replace them, but he cried during the night for his tags, so I ripped the tags off the old blankets and sewed them onto the new Light Blue and Dark Blue.  They've gone pretty much everywhere with him.

Excerpt from Bracken't Journal:

May 21, 2012 -- "I like my blanket 'Light Blue' a lot...I lost Light Blue one day and I cried a lot.  I said a prayer we'd find it. My Daddy came home and looked for it in the darkness at SUU. I was so glad he found it.  It was cold when he found it."

The morning after Brian found 'Light Blue' Bracken told me, "Look Mom! I asked Heavenly Father to help me find Light Blue and He did! He answered my prayer!"  It was a pretty special day.

Fast forward.  Bracken lost Light Blue again...but it's been over a month and we haven't found it.  Last night he was especially sad and had big tears.  "Mom, I'm just thinking about Light Blue.  Let's say a prayer that Daddy will find it." He asked Heavenly Father to help him find his blankets, then I helped him ask for comfort and understanding too. A few minutes later after I finished singing to him he said, "Heavenly Father put a light on in my heart."

I thought things were all better, but this afternoon Bracken was sad about something and he cried to Brian, "I'm feeling sad, why didn't Heavenly Father find Light Blue for me when I asked him?" I don't remember exactly what Brian said, but he reminded Bracken that Heavenly Father helped him feel better after his prayer, and that maybe Heavenly Father gave Aunt Linsy the idea to make him a new special blanket, the one he has now, to help him feel better. That Heavenly Father loves him, but He doesn't always say "yes" when we ask for things, just like Brian and I don't always say "yes" when Bracken asks for things.

I think it's the first time I felt a little bit of panic at one of Bracken's questions.  How to answer to strengthen his testimony, not hurt it.  To comfort but strengthen him.  I'm glad Brian was around.  He's a pretty awesome Dad!  I'm sure we'll have many more hard questions come up as time goes on.