March is here....

I know because tonight the beard is leaving.

I enjoy beard season, Septem-beard through Febru-hairy, but it's now Mustache March so the beard had to go. However, Darin has decided not to participate in Mustache March.

I think he looks handsome either way, rugged with the beard or young and fresh without.

He's such a good-lookin' guy.

He isn't the only one shedding locks.

10 inches to be sent to Locks of Love.

Also shedding some large artwork the kids didn't want to part with.

The fridge was getting overloaded!

They are now safely documented.

Bub and Mimi will be so relieved.

Bug Boys

Tonight at dinner a Western Conifer Seed Bug crawled around Bub's plate (not ON the plate just around it).

It's not the first one he has brought into the house.

Nor the last I am sure.

He mourns when his bugs die, sometimes even carrying them around in his pocket

(just ask my neighbor friends).

I am not super squeamish around or about bugs, but I am not all that keen to have them around either.

That being said, I am really proud of Byron's intense curiosity about them, and his seemingly lack of fear.

Insects have been around a whole lot longer than we have, and they will be here long after we are gone.

I think we have a few things to learn from them.

Perhaps this budding entomologist will be the one to help us out with some biomimicry.

(did you have to look those words up?? I only know them because of Darin)

Love those Bug Boys.

State Capitol with friends

(you gotta enlarge this picture and check out Soren's face)

The life in between...

Most of the time I have no idea where my camera is.

I specifically find it, and recharge it when I know an event is looming that I will want pictures of.

But once in a while I grab a shot of daily life in our corner of the world.

Bub grabbing a power nap before dinner.

Miriam at the hip hop clinic taught by a guy everyone but me knows. I can't ever remember his name!

She's got such flava!

(know what it is? Chocolate chip cookie dough)

An hour after dinner I came to clean up and found these rascals on the table scavenging.

Bub must be growing, he asks for lunch at 10:00 am most days.

If the kids ask for food after dinner I only let them have carrots or celery.

Bub quite often takes me up on the offer.

Impromptu game of Penny on a flour mound.

I just made that name up.

It's a great game for after sugar cookie making when you have all that wasted flour on the table.

I read about how putting marbles in balloons helps them hang down nicely (like a balloon chandelier).

I am warning you...don't do it.

Or at least don't let your kids play with the balloons.

Valentines Day

Valentine Day 2012

The afternoon was spent delivering Bub's Valentines and playing outside in the beautiful weather.

I watched a little boy while his mom helped with Miriam's class Valentine party (it's the least I can do since I didn't help!) We made sugar cookies and royal icing and bread and Zuppa Tuscanna for dinner. By the time Darin arrived home there was flour all over the kitchen, Soren was in his crib screaming, Miriam was a huffy because the cookies weren't cutting out perfectly (note to self, buy spray oil), Bub was begging for ANOTHER movie. It was not the most loving part of our Valentine Day. I was so relieved when Darin unexpectedly walked in the door early.

After eating dinner, (or not eating-too many sugar cookies and licks from the icing spills) we read Somebody Loves you Mr Hatch. We do that every year, it's the sweetest book. I think it does a great job of showing how little expressions of love make a huge difference. I tear up every year.

We played the Mad Libs Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Byron sent in their Valentine package.

Miriam always gets the noun Doodle Bops in there, Bub always picks eyeball, or hiccup at some point.

My valentine stayed home with Soren and cleaned the kitchen while the other two and I went out delivering valentines. We had 2 people in mind but with the rest of the deliveries we just thought of people as we walked around. The kids insisted on doorbell ditching even though Darin said that was pointless since one of the cookies said "From The Ray's" but the kids LOVE doing that. Truth be told, so do I!

See? Proof of the From The Ray's cookie.

It was a thoughtful gift from Anna and her family for Miriam's birthday....they know Miriam so well.

I am officially sugared out.

The Day of LOVE

We went to Winco to buy rainbow candy for Miriam's baptism. It all looked so cheap, I over did it. The bill came to $26 for candy! That is when I decided to save the Starbursts for Valentines Day.

I gave Miriam the challenge of coming up with cute Valentines we could make using Starbursts as the theme and only using supplies we have in the house.

Bub and I used shaving cream art and googly eyes to create his love notes.

This is what Miriam came up with.

Get it? You "burst" the starbursts out.

She spent a lot of time sewing last weekend.

Miriam has wanted to make these muffins ever since she saw them in a magazine.

I let her stay up 1/2 later last night to bake the muffins (a tad overdone on the large ones-my fault). She got up early (as always) this morning and put them together for each of us.

Miriam's Valentine outfit curtesy of Aunt Julia.

Great birthday gift!

My go at the heart hairdo that has been on pinterest.

Yeah.....I could use a little practice but you get the idea.

My Valentines to the kids (and their Dad).

It was a gift to me too because I got go to "girls night out" to make them:)

Happy Day of Love!

Love Is In The Air

Beds are being mysteriously made.

Kids are getting dressed, and helping without being asked.

The following love note was found on Bub's bed with THREE sticks of gum!

Why I Love Byron

I love Byron because he is fun, he is happy, and he loves animals. He is eager to learn, and I love him so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, MUCH! I love the way he smiles and the way he helps.

I love Bub by hugging him, kissing him, reading to him. I hope he loves me too because if he doesn't I'll get him! Byron is a big cutie. {That is one of the things that make me love him!}

Living with Bub is so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, fun! Byron is always telling me cool things about animals or plants. I really love Byron!

We draw "Secret Valentines" the first FHE in February.

You are suppose to have done service for your valentine before the 14th. I love how the kids are really getting into it this year!

Here is a little love note for all of us.

"Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by and infinite amount-that is the measure of God's love for you.

God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn't care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely.

He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our resume but because we are His Children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward sorrowful, or broken. God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.

What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, not matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The After Party

After Miriam attended a pioneer birthday party at the Lion House earlier this year, she knew it was what she wanted for her 8th birthday.

It is the perfect party for our girl. She has always loved old-fashioned everything. She is currently reading Little Town on the Prairie after listening to the whole series on CD a few dozen times. Her Aunt Lisa recently introduced her to the Amish....she is intrigued.

Mimi has darling cousins and very sweet friends.

Lucky girl.

It is a very orderly, structured party which suits Miriam.

Suits me too, I don't often do well with screaming and chaos.

They play hide the thimble, button button wheres the button, and pull taffy.

Our girl, always ready to strike a pose...

She loved it!

Thanks for all the help Ris!

I couldn't have taken little girls into the big city without you!

Miriam's Baptism Day

One of the first things on my "to do" list Saturday morning was to arrange the flowers Darin gives me every year on Miriam's birthday. I usually just let him surprise me, but knowing I wanted an arrangement for the baptism I requested rainbow colored flowers from Costco. I was feeling a bit stressed that morning, but this job completely calmed me down (Darin taking over getting the boys ready helped too). Things were going along so smoothly, Miriam was in the dress my Mom had made, and I was just about to do something really special with her hair.

Then.....

We hear Miriam scream.

She runs in with blood all over the front of her dress, more of it coming out of her nose.

Miriam and I panicked but Darin kept his cool. He whisked the dress off her to clean it, I worked to stop the bleeding.

It came down to the wire but I did get the cute hairdo done and we made it on time.

As Caroline Ingalls says "All's well that ends well"

It was a lovely day.

So many friends and family came to be with us. Including a special visit from Uncle Craig. You just never know where he will show up!

Watching Darin baptise and confirm Miriam will be a treasured memory.

I love that man.

I love that girl.

I love my family.

I love Darin's family (which is also my family).

I love our sweet friends.

That all equals a very full heart!

Some little touches that made Miriam's Baptism so Special....

* Miriam wore the baptism dress my Mom made when Madison was baptized.

*I gave Miriam the earrings my parents gave me to be baptized in. tiny gold hearts with a pearl in the middle. I was baptized in them, went through the temple in them, and was married in them. We gave Miriam a golden locket (she adores lockets) with a pearl charm to match them. We will put pictures from her baptism in it.

*Uncle Craig's surprise visit!

*My Uncle Damon was in the Priesthood circle to confirm Miriam. He baptized me when I was 8. The whole circle was special, my two brothers, both Grandpa's, three Uncles (besides my brothers), and some great friends. Talk about a circle of power and love! I loved Darin and M's hug afterward.

*The music. My sister Sarah played, and as always it was beautiful. Our family has been so blessed by her talent. My Mom led the music, and when the kids sang "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" she held up her Primary Chorister posters of the song so they could sing all the verses.

*My friend Diedre helped me decorate water bottles with the rainbow theme we had going on. We were playing off the line from a baptism song "I often look for rainbows whenever there is rain...". We tied little bags of rainbow candy to the water.

*Our friends, we have been blessed with such great friends.

*Mark's talk on baptism. He spoke of the promise Miriam was making to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light...mourn with those that mourn...comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:8-10). He read the primary song "I'll Walk With You" which is such a touching song.

*Cristin's sweet talk on receiving the Holy Ghost. She was very emotional which just made it more sweet. She made her talk so personal, bringing in Miriam's middle name Love.

*The book of remembrance that all the guests wrote in while Miriam was getting dressed.

*Miriam's gratitude. She cried that night, a bit overwhelmed I think with the gifts and the kindness everyone had shown her. She thanked Darin and I many times.

Such a sweet girl!

I told her this is it....8 is as far as I will go, no more growing up.