COUGAR

Cougar gets into all sorts of trouble!
This picture was taken at the zoo right before the llamas attacked.

Say "Cheese". He is just really cute in this picture. This is on the Metro in D.C.

Joseph got big Buzz and Woody toys for Christmas. He loves to act out scenes from Toy Story with the help of his action figures and his dad.

Cougar is getting so big. I cannot believe that he is two years old! He is learning more words everyday, and he ensures that his opinion is heard at all times. He is a natural at wrestling. He pins Bekah with ease and is close to taking Blaine down. While he is in the act of wrestling he repeats in a gruff voice, "Wrestle, wrestle, wrestle!" I wonder if he will follow in his Uncle Sterling's footsteps and be a wrestling champ. He wants to be sure that he still gets one-on-one attention now that Sarah is around, so he demands that Sarah stay out of his room when I put him to bed. He says, "Give her to daddy!" He has been nicknamed "Smiley" at church. He can't wait to get to nursery to be with his teacher. He often brings his church shoes to me during the week and asks to go to church. Cougar is a good little boy, and always very curious. Life just wouldn't be so exciting without our little Coug in it.

BLAINE

Blaine is a great babysitter. He is also using "the smolder".Blaine loves to build! He loves to use Legos and blocks and furniture!
Blaine is such a good older brother.Blaine got a scooter for his last birthday and is working on his skills.Blaine played basketball for Jesus.

I am so grateful for this wonderful boy. He is so responsible, smart, and helpful! We have been doing home school this year and I have really enjoyed being part of his learning. He is able to read quite well and is really good at math...especially when it comes to doing money math. He loves to do extra jobs around the house so he can earn money. He has some good friends at church that he loves to invite over to play. Blaine's favorite activity is basketball, so we signed him up for a Christian league. They didn't keep score and the fans cheered for both teams. I think that is what Jesus would do. The referee prayed a hedge of protection around the children before they began each game. When Blaine got his shirt he asked his dad, "What does the big t mean?" We sure are glad that we have such an amazing son and we love him!

BEKAH

Bekah loves holding baby Sarah.
Bekah and Sarah got a new pink room in November.
In Washington D.C., Bekah loved driving the mail truck in the Postal Museum.
Bekah's 4th Birthday! She loves her Daddy!

Bekah turned 4 on December 13th. She loves to do the laundry and the dishes. She does not love to make her bed and clean up her toys. She is learning her alphabet and loves to do Mom school. Her favorite thing to play is ponies. She often pretends she is a pony, so that Joseph can ride on her back. She loves to write letters and pretend she is a mailman. She ends each one of these letters by saying, "And remember God made you special and he loves you very much. Your friend, Bekah." She loves to have her fingernails painted. She wants to be a hunter when she grows up. She told me that hunters just march and march and march. We sure do love our little drama queen Bekah, even though we make her face red sometimes. (This is what she says when her heart is broken, usually because she is on a timeout.)

Our Backyard Swim Adventure

One thing that you have to love about children is that they are tenacious! I told Blaine and Bekah that they could go swimming in their giraffe pool last Thursday. All day long they insisted that we put water in their pool, and I politely informed them that we would do it later. Well, LATER came and the rain was pouring down. Blaine informed me that they were planning on getting wet anyway. Bekah began to cry and tell me she wanted to wear her Tinkerbell swimming suit. So don't worry, I went outside in the rain and began to fill the pool with water (the rain helped too). They got their swimming suits on, then they brought out their towels and sunblock. About the time they got in, the sun was shining. I guess Heavenly Father just new that two beautiful children really wanted to swim in a tiny giraffe pool on the back porch. Aren't the tender mercies of Heavenly Father perfectly wonderful?

Joseph's New Bed

So, we decided it was time for Joseph to get a toddler bed. Josh was very patient with the boys as they helped him put the bed together. Joseph didn't want to give the screwdrivers back to Josh after the job was done. He is such a little handy man. My men were so cute putting the bed together, so I had to take a picture. Joseph has been sleeping in his bed now and he loves it! If Blaine and Bekah try to get in his little bed he shouts at them until they remove themselves from it. Each night he tells me, "Bed, bed, bed" until I put him in it. He is so proud of his bed. I think I love his toddler bed as much as he does!

Speaking Spanish

I learned Spanish while serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I lived in Honduras for sixteen months and taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Honduran people. I loved my time with them! Although I have not had the opportunity to use Spanish very often over the last six years, I have frequently prayed for God to send me a Honduran friend. I thought this could help me practice Spanish and give me reminders of what a blessing it was to serve a mission. Well, God answers our prayers sometimes in ways we can't even imagine. I was recently blessed with the opportunity to be friends with not just one Honduran, but eleven! I have been teaching them English, and we've been spending a lot of time together. Josh and I (along with some wonderful members of our ward) are having Spanish Family Home Evenings twice a month, and I am translating and teaching in the Primary. My Spanish is getting better because I use it so often. Blaine and Bekah are picking up on some Spanish too. Bekah thinks she is fluent, although she just makes things up ;) I think that she is pretty amazing. God sure is good to us, isn't He?

The Kittens

So, a couple of months ago a pregnant cat would come to our house and hang out all day. Any time that she came, I would give her some milk and a little something to eat. Bekah is obsessed with cats and would hold her and pet her. Bekah also named the cat HORSE. (We will never have one because "No Pets" was the entirety of the prenuptial agreement between Josh and me. I was so silly! Like I never was going to want a pet!) Anyways, yesterday the cat brought four little kittens to our back porch. SOOOO CUTE! Bekah--the Catwoman--tried to hold them all, but only the white one was docile enough.