New Year, New You!

I have to be honest...I hate the idea do New Year's resolutions. I only know 2 people who have kept theirs the entire year, my brother and his wife who last year swore off carbonation for the year.  It seems like every year this magical date comes upon us and we make goals...again...that most of us are lucky if after the first week we are still striving for. 

I have decided that this year I want to do things a little different. I know there are things I want to do differently or do better at but I'm not calling them resolutions. I work best in lists I can cross off (there's a significant amount of satisfaction in that) so I'm going to create my bucket list for 2014 and add and remove things throughout the year. It will include things like make one new friend a month, genuinely help someone in need each month, study my scriptures to learn something, play with my kids everyday, create a fun and lasting memory for my children each day, write my grandma monthly, etc. I need to compile the list and frame it so I can get to work crossing things off. I am going to include my kids in this too. For FHE next week we will do it together so they can add things to it. I imagine for Emma and Max it will have things like learn to ride their bikes, Ollie's will be to be potty trained. I love the idea of including them because then we all get to work on this list together!

I'll post the complete list here next week when we finish it!

Better Late Than Never!!!

Hello old friends. It's me... Your old blogging friend. It's been forever, literally over a year but I'm back and better than ever. I'm starting today because then I can say it isn't a New Years resolution but something I'm going to do. My goal is to post something everyday with a picture to show what we are up to!!!

I look forward to journaling and sharing my thoughts here and recording the crazy things my kids do each day. Our life is anything but boring. Always on a new adventure, a new journey and learning something that will forever change us!!  

2013 was one I should have journaled through because of how much I learned but it was hard and painful and there were moments that honestly I don't ever want to remember. There were also things that were amazing, like the birth of our precious Maggie in July. I know that 2014 will bring us challenges but I plan on really celebrating the good moments and the successes rather than dwelling on the seeming failures and the moments where things are hard. Looking forward to the ride!!!!

My baby is 1!!!

Can't believe Ollie baby is really 1! We had a super fun party for him and a friends baby. Can't wait to see how he grows and the little man he grows into!

Emma's Birthday Party!

 Forgot to post these pictures after Emma's party but it was a hit!  She had about 18 little girls over for the princess party of the year!  It was so much fun to watch them twirl and dance and be so girly.  Emma had a blast and wanted to do it all over again!  (Sorry lady...not anytime soon...)

 Gift bags for all the princesses!!!

 The Princess herself...

 Some of her friends...not everyone had arrived yet.

Max has been asking when his birthday party is since this girl fest...guess we'll have to start working on something big for the boy! :)

Warrior Dash!

So, Todd had his big Warrior Dash last Saturday and he loved every minute of it...well not the 5 hours of traffic leading up to it, but the race itself he LOVED.  And he did AWESOME!

 These are his "before" pics...

 His "after" pics...

And of course his Medal that he wore around the next day because he was so proud! :)

 What a stud right???

He finished in just over 38 minutes.  He's trying to talk me into the next one but I don't know about it...I'm pretty sure he'll leave me in the dust!

My Babies...

Fun with Bubbles!

Max got a Thomas Bubble Blower in his Easter basket and he loves it! Thomas whistles at the same time he blows a big bubble out of his funnel. Max can't quite do it yet so he enlists the help of his big sister to do the blowing part while he enjoys popping them in her face...
She's such a good sport about it!
Looks like he actually had one hit him in the face...

Isn't it interesting to see how different they look, yet have some similar features? I have such cute kids! :)

Just a couple of crazy kids...

I can't ever get a real smile out of Max...so I thought I'd just just capture what he does best...
Seriously, Emma's lips are that red. I made the pic black and white and then colored her lips back to the original color. That girl has had Snow White Red lips since the day she was born!!!
I love when these two get along. I think mostly the problem is that Emma is soooo ready to be in school and Max just doesn't have the maturity level that she has so she gets so frustrated with him. I'm excited for the changes this fall will bring with Emma in school and Ollie mobile and able to start to play with Max. A new friendship will be forged!

Family Bike Ride

Yep, we did it...we pulled out the bikes and trailer and we made the adventure out into this beautiful weather. How the adventure turned out is a whole other story...

Todd didn't want to wear his helmet...he's too cool...

Emma didn't want to ride her bike...she's too little and wanted to be in the trailer with the boys...

And the boys were...well...actually quite happy with the whole thing. Todd stayed with Emma and ended up walking only half the distance that the boys and I went on. Emma had a hard time. She is still learning to ride and it's hard for a little person to ride and keep up. The boys and I rode to the park and played and then came back and passed Todd and Emma on our way home. If we practice everyday she'll be strong enough to do lots of riding this summer on the river trails!!!

Happy Easter!

I woke up a half hour late this morning, yet I still managed to snag a couple of decent pictures to remember today and how cute the kids looked. Sorry you don't get a cute smile out of Ollie...scroll down to see cute ones of him smiling...
Also, the door was letting too much light in and happened to catch every fleck of dust in the air so it's not the perfect picture I'd hoped for, but hey, we all look ok and we're together so I'll take it!

Hope your Easter has been filled with wonderful reflection and celebration of the Savior. It also happens to be my dad's birthday today so it's an extra special day! Happy Birthday Dad!

Easter Hunt!

This post is just to document the fact that I actually took my kids out today, got them dressed and took them to the ward Easter Egg Hunt. Despite the fact that I did not want to go at all...I did it for them. Aren't I the nicest mom ever?
It was soooo windy and poor Ollie baby did not have a great time...but the other two did and their candy was gone in 10 minutes flat and then they had stomach aches. Yep, worlds greatest mom for sure!

Doll Baby!

Look who fits {barely} in Emma's baby stroller! I needed to feed him and couldn't find the bumbo so I borrowed the stroller from Emma and baby Snow White so I could feed this little guy. Isn't he just the cutest???? (I know, I'm bias...)
But honestly...out of all 3 of my kids, Ollie baby has the best temperament. He is so laid back and easy going and content to just watch the crazy world around him. I started "sleep training" him 3 nights ago, and it's been a dream. He is sleeping from 7pm to 8 or 9am only waking up twice to eat. He sleeps much better during the day and is more happy than before. (How is that possible?)
His dimples melt my heart and I would give him anything he wanted if he just asked...until he turns 2 and acts like his big brother Monster Max...then I'll probably want to sell him to the Gypsies...but for now I'll keep him and snuggle him! :)

My super hero!

I love this man. Sometimes he drives me just a little crazy...but I ****love**** him. he works so hard for our family and right now we are going through a HUGE life changing adventure and he is being so strong, so full of faith and so optimistic that everything is going to work out exactly the way it is suppose to. I love that about him. When I'm crazy, he balances me! I don't know what the next few months holds for us...honestly, I don't even know where we are going to live in 4 months...but I know that everything is going to be ok and we are going to be happy and together and I'm excited about the opportunity to share in this adventure with my best friend! It's been six years...we've only made a dent in eternity, but I am loving the ride!

Visiting Grandma Maxine!

We got to see Grandma Maxine while in Utah too. I can't get enough close up shots of Ollie's chubby cheeks...
Max...causing mischief as usual...
Grandma and her girl...I use to be her favorite...
Gram and Ollie!

Visiting Grandpa D!

While in Utah, we got to see Todd's Great Grandpa D. It was soooo good to see him. It's hard to live so far away from the people we love!