I Had a BIRTHDAY!!

Yeah, that's right folks I had a BIRTHDAY and it was AWESOME!!!  I was spoiled rotten and ate LOTS, and LOTS of FOOD! :)  That's my kind of Birthday. ;)

 Jed started my Birthday off early and gave me this...THE BOSCH UNIVERSAL PLUS!!!! With the blender attachments, cookie paddles, and bowl scrapper. 

Check out all the features.  IT IS AMAZING...to say the least. :)

I am BEYOND happy! I honestly couldn't believe it!!! I bake bread all the time (we hardly ever buy it from the store).  I have a Kitchen Aid and it was great and all but when you compare a Kitchen Aid to a Bosch it simply can not stand-up to it.  My Kitchen Aid could BARELY handle making two loafs of wheat bread and the Bosch can do 8. 8!!! People! :)  Can you tell I'm excited? ;)  I used my Bosh last night to mash some potatoes and it took all of 2 min.s TOPS to mash those babies up to glorious, fluffy, mashed potatoes.  HAPPINESS.

My Birthday could've ended there and I would've been 100% satisfied but it didn't.  Jed got up early and got Christian off to school AND made breakfast for us.  My friend took me to get a morning cinnamon roll...YUM! Then my other friends took me to lunch (Cafe Rio) and I got some really cute earrings and a scarf that I am in love with!  Jed later took me out for Dinner while my in-laws watched the kiddoes.  It was great!!!  I gained 10 lbs, but it was great, and well worth it. :)

Did my Birthday end there, oh no no no.  My sisters took me out to Zupas on Wednesday night and then we hit up the mall and I was able to get me 2 pairs of boots (I've been waiting a few years to get me boots!) and a SUPER, SUPER adorable and comfy sweater with some birthday $ that I got from various people.  I am ONE. LUCKY. GIRL.  Here's to being 31!!!

I'm a dork and was having too much fun to think to grab my camera.  I know some of you girls took pictures though, send them my way would ya?

Motherhood

I know I'm not the only one out there that has hard (dang hard) days with their kids.  I know that I'm not the only one that feels overwhelmed by being a parent at times, and I know I'm not the only one that wonders if what she is doing is good enough.

My sister-in-law sent me THIS BLOG POST  and I LOVED it so much!!!!  This Mama knows what it is like!  This Mama knows how hard it is some days, and this Mama knows that it is okay to not  completely love every second of everyday.  She knows, and I love her for it!

It is okay to not love every second of everyday.  It's okay to admit that you are not perfect, you're kids are not perfect.  You are still a good Mom.  You are still a good person.  It doesn't mean that you  don't love your children, or that you wish you didn't have them, or that you are doing something wrong.  It just means that life is hard, dang hard sometimes, and raising kids is hard, but in the end it will all be worth it, because what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger right.  ;) 

Excerpt from her article:

"I think parenting young children (and old ones, I’ve heard) is a little like climbing Mount Everest. Brave, adventurous souls try it because they’ve heard there’s magic in the climb. They try because they believe that finishing, or even attempting the climb are impressive accomplishments. They try because during the climb, if they allow themselves to pause and lift their eyes and minds from the pain and drudgery, the views are breathtaking. They try because even though it hurts and it’s hard, there are moments that make it worth the hard. These moments are so intense and unique that many people who reach the top start planning, almost immediately, to climb again. Even though any climber will tell you that  most of the climb is treacherous, exhausting, killer. That they literally cried most of the way up."

Read the whole article it's great!

P.S. I have LOTS to say on Motherhood...LOTS, so I can guarantee they'll be plenty of posts like this one. :)  It's GRAND being a MOM in so many ways and scary in so many other ways. :) 

It's a Plan.

At our house we are already starting to plan our Halloween costumes.  Sorry, I'm a planner.  I HATE leaving things to the last minute. It causes me anxiety, and we all need a little less anxiety in our lives, right.  Thus I plan. :)  Here is the line-up.

Emmitt will either be Thomas the Train or Buss Lightyear Space Ranger.  I'll let him pick that day because he's 2 and temperamental (bless his heart).  Right now he is LOVING the Thomas the Train, but Jocie finally got him to put on the Buzz costume too, so I can see it going either way.  We already have both so it's NO STRESS. :)

Jocelyn is of course going to be a Princess.  Rapunzel to be exact. :) She's been planning this since last Christmas when she got her Rapunzel gown. Easy! We already have Rapunzel hair as well, because my awesome neighbor made her some. PERFECT!

Christian is ALWAYS the most difficult to find.  He ALWAYS wants to be the most random thing, that is impossible to find in stores, and since he is the oldest there are no 'hand-me-downs" for him to choose from.  This year he is requesting to be 'Ash the Pokemon Trainer'.  I've never heard of him, but guess what?  My life saver of a friend (ASHLEY) has the costume!!!  I could kiss her!!!!!!!!  That means I don't have to spend a penny this year on costumes! SWEET!!!

Halloween is done and I've told the kids that they are being held to there choices!  I'm rude?  Yes. I know this. :)   

Joce, and Mr. E playing hookie with Daddy from church.  Jocie was "supposed" to be sick.    Oh, well it resulted in these cute pictures, and a very quiet Sacrament meeting for me. :)  It's a win, win!  I seriously can't get enough of those (Emmitt's) lips!!!! 

"Buddies"

This summer was so fun for me to watch Christian and Jocelyn become "buddies".

Phrases I heard numerous times this summer, "We're buddies", "Come on Buddy lets go", "I thought we were buddies" (when there happened to be an argument), "Thanks buddy".  I loved it!  Christian is as boy as they come and he doesn't like anything girl, and Jocie is ALL GIRL, but somehow they came together and taught each other to see a different perspective.

I had to laugh every time I'd hear Christian trying to convince Joce that it's "cool to be a tomboy" the conversation would go something like this...

Christian: Hey Jocelyn you should be a tomboy.

Jocelyn: Why?

Christian: Because it's a lot more cool then just being a plain girl. Like they do lots of things boys like.  You know like sports, and pokemon, and just boy stuff.

Jocelyn:  But I like girl stuff.

Christian:  Yeah, well, I guess you can still like girl stuff, but you should like boy stuff too.

Jocelyn:  Okay I like Pokemon.

Christian: YES!

The summer proceeded like that with Christian teaching Jocie how to be a tomboy. They played spies, legos(although she had her own pink set ;) ), and Pokemon.  

The biggest surprise of the summer was when Christian went along with Jocie's plans too.  Like watching "My little Ponies"(she turned him into a 'Bronie'!), and finger crocheting.  He went right along with it and let her teach him all about them.  

They become 'buddies' this summer and it just warms my heart to no end to see it.  I have an older brother that I was also 'buddies' with and I LOVED it!!  He helped me become well rounded, and I always felt super cool to have a big brother that I went to High-school with.  Actually I lucked out and was sandwiched between two brothers(just like Jocie is)!  I'm the only one in my family that has a big and little brother. Blessed! I am blessed to have them! :) I love you my brothers!

Love you Christian and Jocelyn I hope you will always be BUDDIES!!!!  You have more value to each other then your little minds can even comprehend!   

One of the many "sleepovers" they had together through the summer. :)

Changes

                                                                        

Us a year ago...

...and now.

Aw, man our family has CHANGED a lot ( we all are another year older!) from my last post and I can't tell you enough how heartbreaking it is that I missed documenting all of those changes.  So I'm turning over a new leaf and am going to get going on this blog once again.  It's been weighing HEAVILY on my mind for too long now.

I'm excited though, and if you were one of the few that followed my "Thrifty-Nifty Year"   last year then you might be glad to know that I will put some of my 'sweet finds' and such on this blog now.  It's WAY too hard and time consuming to do two blogs at once.  I'm a Mama of three and simply do not have time for too many 'extras' in my life, and to tell you the truth I don't want to over cram my life, because I just don't function well like that. ;)  Well if I'm being totally honest then... I don't function well anyways. LOL! :)

This is going to be a blog where I will document it all in one, like: family life-the good, bad and AMAZING, frustrations and concerns on motherhood, book reviews, thrifty stuff, recipes,   just whatever I'm feeling like I want to share, or remember 10 years from now.

It's going to be REAL, not a "picture perfect" blog.  It is not a blog that will have perfect grammar, or spelling, or family, or house, or life.  It's just a blog about a family who truly loves each other and are on this ride of life together and trying to make it through the best they know how.


EEEEEEEEEEEEE!  I'm excited!  Here's to CHANGES. :)

He Turned One!

This gorgeous little boy just turned one and is such a bright spot in our family.  He is defiantly spoiled with all the love we can give him.  He has 6 teeth (and has had to fight for each and everyone of them, poor kid), loves to eat meat, crackers, and fruit, just learned to wave bye-bye, sleeps through the night (although he is a bed snob and will only sleep good in his own bed), weighs in at 23.5 lbs, crawls like a champ, but is not yet walking, loves to babble/talk , loves to give kisses, has a smile that will melt any ones heart, a laugh that is contagious, and cheeks the size of Texas.  Oh, how we L.O.V.E. this little guy.
 

Mister Emmitt how we love you so!  Thanks for coming to our family, believe me you are so loved!  Your brother and sister can't get enough of you and Jocie constantly has to point out how cute you are. "Emmitt is so cute, huh Mom?"  is a sentence I've heard more times then I can count.  Christian is already your little protector.  He watches you better then I do sometimes.  He is always looking out for your well being and loves to play with you.  You can always get a smile out of your Daddy no matter how hard his day has been. He loves you so much and is so great with you. What a cute little bond you already have with your Dad! And as for me, your Momma, well I am completely 100% smitten with you and I can feel your little spirit beaming from you, hardly being contained by your your chubby little baby body (love the chubs by the way!).  I feel unworthy to be your Mom but am so very thankful for the blessing you are to me.  Thank you my little Mister Emmitt, thank you for letting me be your Mom.  Sorry that I have to hug you too much, kiss you more then you wish, and blow on that chubby baby belly... every chance I get. :)

WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE OF YOU!!!  
HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!

Love-Daddy, Mommy, Christian, and Jocelyn

*I asked the kids what their favorite thing about Emmit was.

Christian: "That he is so cute and laughs a lot."
Jocelyn: "He's cute, and loves me."


**Big, big, HUGE THANKS goes out to Ashley Taylor for taking Emmitt's cute One Year pictures!  Check her out  HERE!  She is teaching a workshop in a couple weeks too, so if you want to learn from someone who is absolutely AMAZING now's your chance! :)

My CUTE, CUTE kids on Easter Sunday.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these three kiddos to pieces!

Update

Christian: Just finished up a Karate class and is now diving into Soccer. He is still a busy, animated, crazy, fun boy.

Jocelyn: Girlie as ever! She loves doing hair and playing house with whoever happens to be in the room.  She loves twirly dresses and playing with friends and cousins especially Jerzey, and Emma(cousins her same age).  She is a sweet, sweet girl.

Emmitt: Is growing, and growing, and GROWING!  he is 10 months old, army crawls everywhere, claps (it is so cute!), and has two teeth.  He sleeps like a champ with only 1 night time feeding.  he is so mellow and is a ball full of love.

*I have started a new blog documenting my new project for the year.  Check it out HERE athriftyniftyyear.blogspot.com

6 Years Old and Going/Growing Strong!

Christian, kindergarten, Super Mario Bro., Soccer, Outdoors, Glasses, Broken Arm, Disneyland, Energy, Love, 6 years, Big Brother X2, Excited, Silly, Karate, Reader, Determined, Smart, Video Games, Lego's, Laughing, best hugs,t-ball, expressive, OUR AMAZING LITTLE BOY!

Christian  Oct of 2010 as my handsome 5 year old! & here he is @ 4 1/2 months as my adorable baby boy! 

Here are a few picture highlights of His big day turning 6, and his year being 5...

 Woke up to balloons and a special breakfast made just for him.

Lucky to have the 'Kindy 500' fall on his Birthday.  He was so EXCITED!

Picked him up from school for a fun family day at Chuck-e-Cheese.

Came home and opened presents.  he was really pumped about the Lego People Set.  Can you tell?


And highlights of Christian from the past year...

Emmitt LOVES Christian.  They are the BEST little buddies and Christian is truly the greatest big brother to him.

Just one of many snow days.

Kindergarten Christmas Program.  It was so cute!  He did such a great job knowing all the songs.

Playing his new game with G-PA Karl.  Christian won. :)

First day of Kindergarten.  He LOVES school.

This is the log he was climbing when he fell and broke his arm. :(  Sad day at the family cabin.

LOVES playing dress-up.  I especially love this picture of him and his friend Sawyer being hard-core Cowboys.

He loves Mario!  This is him giving his best Mario pose.

When I say he is the best big brother to Emmitt I really, really mean it.  He loves holding him, playing with him and reading to him.

One of my all time favorite pictures of Christian...so, so priceless.

The day he became a big brother, again.

Kissing the PRINCESS.

Sleeping with his most favorite Christmas presents.  Pillow Pet, and his Mario toys.

TRUE LOVE!!!!

We are so lucky blessed to have you in our family! Thanks for all the wonderful things you bring to our lives each day!

 You are so incredibly loved my first born, my little boy, my wild, crazy, little man!!!!!  Please, Please know how much we love you!

Love, Mom, Dad, Jocie, and Emmitt 

Oh, To Be a Kid Again...

My kids are constantly wanting to jump on my bed.  I decided to grab a camera and document it.  You end up with some pretty funny pics.  But oh, SO FUN!     I LOVE THESE KIDDOS!

Mister Emmitt

 Our little Emmitt is growing SO much.  He is now 7 1/2 months old and is so chubby that you can't help but squeeze him, kiss him, and love him.  He is so giggly and fun we just had to take advantage of it and have a mini photo shoot of our little man.



So here's some HIGHLIGHTS of the photo shoot and his life...

 He is a studier.  He loves to study everything.  Especially people.  He'll sit and stare at new people intently with the most serious little face.  But when he gets to know you watch out, he'll smother you  in slobbery kisses.

 He LOVES hair.  He gets so excited when I wear my hair down.  He'll take one look at it and start shacking with excitement and grab it with his two chubby little hands and hold on for dear life.  I've also caught him eyeing other peoples hair, the ones with long, loose, locks.  He LOVES it.

He is such a content little boy.  At times he can sit and play quietly for hours.  Sometimes I forget he's in the house. ;)  He especially likes watching his Brother and Sister being crazy.  He could sit and do that for days.

He's still bald and beautiful.  And can sit up all by himself.

I never thought I'd have to tell a child to "stop being so happy" but I did the other day at Church.  He was laughing, and talking, and smiling, and flirting (his specialty) that he was being quite the distraction.  He just can't help being HAPPY.

FLASHBACK: Ultrasound picture...smiling!  He was born to be HAPPY! :) Isn't it amazing how they come here with their own special, little, unique, spirits?

 Look at those chubby little curled-up toes!  Oh, how PRECIOUS!

He loves chomping on those little fingers of his.  He still doesn't have any teeth, but I'm hardly surprised as my kids don't get teeth forever.

So that's our little Emmitt.  We can't say enough how truly LUCKY, BLESSED, and ECSTATIC, we are to have him in our lives and to be able to call him our OURS.

*Photos by ashleytaylorphotography.com.  The pictures speak for themselves how truly A-MA-ZING she really is!  Ashley, you know how much I LOVE YOU and your AWESOME talent that I'm so lucky to get to partake of.  YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!