Tummy time with Dad

Isaac loves tummy time and he helps Dad study.

Birthdays

Our birthdays this year were so much fun. Stan had a lot of studying to do on his birthday. So we just got dinner and I hid his gifts around the house and the kids helped him find them by playing the hot/cold game. Having kids makes birthdays so much more fun because you can do games that involve them and they just love it.

This past Sunday to celebrate Stan's birthday we had some friends over for dinner and dessert. I made Stan's favorite cake German Chocolate. I was pretty proud of how it turned out. This was my first time making a double layer cake from scratch. Isaac helped Stan blow out the candles.

Well for my birthday I decided that I wanted to get as much free things as possible. I found a website that tells you all the places that give away free food or gifts on or around your birthday. So I signed up for tons of them, which means lots of junk mail but it was fun to get all the coupons. So we started our free food birthday celebrations on Thursday. We went to Baskin Robins to get a FREE scoop of icecream. That night we went to Red Robin and split a FREE gourmet burger. Jason and Elana came out to celebrate with us.

In the morning we went to Denny's and split a FREE grandslam.

Isabella was having fun playing with the water. She loves water and calls it lotter lotter lotter.

For a FREE lunch we went to the great restaurant in downtown Portland called Todai . We ate lots of good sushi and they had the best desserts. This restaurant has convinced me that there is lots of great sushi! Now I can't wait to go back...too bad its so expensive when its not your birthday. YUMMY!!


For dinner we went to BJ's and shared an entree and a FREE dessert.

We decided that it was so much fun running around all day getting free food that we want to make it a tradition. Stan is such a wonderful husband and really made my birthday so amazing. I love that he is willing to do silly things with me and the kids.

These are just a few pictures of things the kids and i have been doing and some updated photos of Isaac. My little man is getting so big. This picture below is of Isaac's buddy Orrin. They were born 8 days apart. Orrin's mom and I love to get them together and compare how they are the same and different. They are both big boys thats for sure. Aren't they so handsome!!

Today was a beautiful sunny day and we took advantage of it by spending time in the backyard. Isaac is full of personality and adorable looks. I just love his little superman curl.

My handsome hubby and I on Valentine's Day

My beautiful Isabella and I on Valentine's Day sporting our pink!

I just love this cutie

Random Journal entry

January 31, 2010
So I started Weight Watchers when Isaac was 6weeks old. He is now 5 months and I have lost 25lbs. I want to loose 20-30lbs more. I can’t wait to fit into my clothes again. It has been so nice to see the weight come off. This week I just started to add in exercise. I want to run a 5k so I am trying to exercise 5days a week. It is so hard to fit in time to run. Stanley is so busy with school that I have the kids all day and when night comes and they are finally in bed I don’t have the energy to go running. I loving when I have a running buddy but its hard when most of my friends have kids or don’t want to go that late. I do get to do as much walking as I want on the days it is not raining. This week there were 3 days in a row that didn’t rain. I think we walked at least 2 miles everyday. It felt so good to get out and about. I love living in St. Johns. We are close to the down town so sometimes we just walk to the grocery store or walk Stan to school. I think we are going to start walking him to school more often because its time we get to spend together when we don’t feel guilty about being together and not studying. This year has been much better than 1st year. We get to see Stan a lot more and even when he is studying he is just in the garage. It will be a hard adjustment when he is gone doing rotations and may be gone all day and most of the evening. At least I won’t be pregnant and the kids will be older.
I love the friends I have made since I have been here. Miranda Robertson saves my sanity each week. Her daughter Abby and Isabella are the same age so we do things together at least once a week. She loves to get out and walk or go to the park too so its nice to have someone who isn’t afraid to throw the kids in a stroller and go for a walk even when its cold. Its been a little bit warmer 50's this last week so hopefully it means that spring is on its way. I am so excited to see spring and summer here in Portland. Did I mention how much I love it here. I think this summer with be awesome. Miranda said there are so many things to do.
Isaac and Isabella are growing up so fast. Isaac already has such a charming personality. He is always smiling at people and giggling. He is such a happy content baby! He usually lets other people hold him while I am busy. Isabella is learning more signs and words. Each day she says something new. Not quite words yet but we understand the sound that she is making while she is pointing to something or signing it too. She loves to say/sing; This Little Piggy, Pat-a-Cake, Itsy-Bitsy Spider and If Your Happy and You Know it. She made up a sign for each of those on her own. The ask for more(sign) and then touches her toes, or claps her hands and pats her lap, or does the spider climbing up the spout for each of those songs. She has also opened up so much. She loves it when Nicole and Calder Moseley come over. Tonight when they came over she just started dancing around and being silly.
Isabella is always trying to hug, kiss, play, push over or lay on Isaac. He is usually a good sport about it but I think he is learning that he doesn’t like it and started to fuss more. She is just so eager to play with him. She also wants him to be able to eat whatever we are eating. Just this week we started him on rice cereal and so now more than ever she tries to feed him food. We really have to watch her because she will put things in his mouth and then we chokes on things. She has also learned to climb so we tell her constantly to get off the table. I am just glad she hasn’t learned to climb out of her crib yet...knock on wood.
Isaac already knows how to sit up and he can usually sit up for 15min or longer without falling over, unless of course Isabella wants to hold him. Then she pushes him over. This month he has a check up and he weighs 18lbs and was in the 90th % for both height and weight. He is so opposite than Isabella ever was. This month she weighs 21lbs and is in the 3rd% for weight and 75th% for height. The second day we were feeding him rice cereal (which by the way he doesn’t like) I was tired of him just spitting out and fussing so I thought hey maybe he wants something with more flavor. I was eating baked chicken with BBQ sauce and gave him some BBQ sauce. He ate that cereal down so fast. It make us laugh so much. So next time we make him some with apple juice. That boy just like a little flavor in his food. His is so strong. He loves to grab things, and has a great grip. He loves to grab my hair or face and suck on my chin. It is so cute!! He will be babbling and giggling and squealing and then grab on to my chin and it is all muffled but he still talks. I love having Isaac around. He really brightens my day. Isabella just makes me so happy to. I think being a mother is the best but hardest and most fulfilling job.
Tonight I told Isabella to give Isaac a kiss before we went to brush teeth and go to bed. So after she kissed Dad and Isaac she was waving bye to dad and Isaac. Then we walked over to Isaac, grabbed his hand and “help” him way bye to her. It was so adorable. Other news... we got a Nissan Quest and love it so far. I love all the seats in it. I really like that we can take people in the van with us now. Today for church we picked up a new convert and on the way home we took him and 2 girls home. I can't wait to take road trips in it.

Water Obsession

Isabella has become obsessed with water. She loves to dump water from her sippy to a cup or bowl or floor. Just about anything around. She has learned how to get water out of the water cooler and now I find water stops all over the house. Atleast I know she won't go thirsty

Christmas till now.

Our mini Christmas tree and stockings at home. We didn't do much because were weren't going to be there for Christmas and we didn't want the kids to get into the tree stuff. I love having a home I can decorate. Last year I made a wreath for our door this year I decorated a garland for the kitchen. I love Christmas crafts.


It was a busy end to 2009. Thanks to our families were were able to go visit AZ. I can't believe how much stuff there is to pack with 2 kids. We had our friends the Cadenheads drive us in their big SUV and then Kandi and Mom had to pick us up from the airport. The kids were pretty good on the fight. I realized that there is no way one of us can fly with them alone.

Christmas was fun and we enjoyed getting together with all the cousins. The girls had a Girls Night out and went to Cheesecake Factory then back to Carol's to play Mexican Train. Isabella has a blast with her cousins too. We had a birthday BBQ for mom at Alaenya and Todds house where the kiddos got to spend more time with their cousins. Isaac seems almost as big as Travis. We got a few pictures. Its fun to watch them grow.

We were able to spend New Years in Las Vegas. We had fun visiting and once again the kids got to see their other cousins. We finally got to go the the Vegas temple. It was so fun!! George came with Stanley and I and we did sealing. Later that night we went down town and saw the Bellagio fountains. On New Years day Dan proposed to Devery! They took engagement pictures the next day because Jo was in town. It was a fun and busy week. Over all the trip was wonderful. Isaac and Isabella did get sick for several days but nothing too bad. Thankfully we didn't all get sick.

Isaac worn out from a busy day.
Isabella enjoying Oreganos pizza dough

George, Lucie, Isaac and Isabella

Isabella eating Christmas treats.

Isabella loved opening gifts on Christmas




Cody 4, Whittney 3, Isabella 18months, Travis 7months, Isaac 4months

Isabella and Isaac with their favorite Aunt Kyri

Grandpa and the kiddos

Luci and Robert /Mom and Dad

Since getting back we have had fun getting back together with our friends. We realized how much we love Portland and all the people we met. I felt like we were coming home rather than leaving home. We have made some amazing friends that we think of as family here. It makes me sad to think that in 2 yrs we will have to move again.

An update real quick on Isabella and Isaac. They are both growing so fast. Isabella is learning so much every day. We can almost always understand what she means either by what she is saying or signing or pointing at. She listens to directions really well and understands most everything. She loves her brother so mufh! He weighs almost as much as she does, regardless she still tries to pick him up. She has learned that she can't pick him up but she can roll him. She loves to have him lay on her then roll him over and lay on him and just keep rolling. He usually doesn't mind so I let her do it until he starts to fuss. Isaac is so sweet. He smiles all the time and is so happy and mellow. He is already learning to sip up and his hand coordination is getting better. He says ahgooo and other little baby words. Come times Isabella will go up to him and just start talking. It is so adorable. Through out the day she will come up and ask to hold him. I let her sit down then put him on her lap. She holds him like a doll and talks to him , kisses him and rubs heads with him. Then she is done and pushes him off. hahaha I try to catch him before that happens. Isacc is also great at tummy time. He loves it and will play with toys for a long time. He has rolled over a few times but mostly tries to get up on his knees. We think he will be moving much sooner than Isabella did. We love our kiddos and the little personalities they bring with them.

Stanley is really enjoying school. He finds it interesting and challenging. He is great at managing his time for his family callings and school. Stan was recently called into the Elder's Quorum presidency and I was called as Young Women's personal progress advisor. We are both enjoying our callings.

I have enjoyed making several friends that have kids Isabellas age and we get together about once a week for a playgroup. These ladies are so fun and really keep me sane, especially during Stan's finals.