Melts your little heart

Blogging has been slow. We have been sick. Not that I haven't had something to blog about, but two weeks ago the kids and I had the flu, on different days. This week Emma and Fox have some death cold/cough. I'm done with winter. Really. Even though it hasn't been that bad of a winter. But maybe that's the problem. Their hasn't been any really cool or big snow storms. No worth-mentioning wind, rain, or hail storms. It's just been blah. Cloudy, but nothing else, and I'm done with it. Alright, I'm done complaining, now on to what I got on here to blog about- a few melt-your-heart pictures.

I took this one Sunday when Fox was in the beginning stages of his death cold. :) Who doesn't love sleeping with a little pudgy arm on their face?

On Valentines day eve I put out a gift bag for each member of the family and told them that in the morning the kids could write notes/ draw pictures for each other. This is mine from Liam.

"I love you mom. Frum Liam yoor baby" I LOVE it. I always cradle and kiss Liam has he desperately tries to break away and tell him that he's my baby. I remind he has he walks by that he's my first baby, and he's always going to be my baby. I tell him "I love you, baby boy." I love, love, love this note. :)

Grape Jam, and Pillow Suitcases

Yesterday I was in the living room and Fox was in the kitchen. I, being an awesome Mom, called into him, "Fox, what are you doing?" Fox walked out of the kitchen carrying our jar of raspberry jam and replied, "Grape!" I quickly told him that that was raspberry jam and that he need to put it away.

He looked at me funny and then replied again, "Grape!" I corrected him again, then told him he couldn't have any and threatened his life if he didn't put it away (hahaha Just kidding...kind of). He marched in the kitchen and put it away.

Today I got the raspberry jam out to make pb&j sandwiches. I opened the lid and was startled to find about 25 "Grapes!" shoved into the raspberry jam.

Yeah. That's my kid. At least he was honest.

Yesterday Emma was helping me fold laundry and said, "Don't worry Mom, I'll fold the pillow suitcases." I t was so darn cute, I didn't correct her. :)

Yeyes-Said like eyes...but with a "y" in front.

Fox is driving me crazy lately. (as I write this Emma yells up the stairs teasingly, "you're crazy, Mom!" Literally just barely...So maybe Fox isn't driving me crazy...perhaps I've been there for far longer than I want to admit...) Anywhoo. All I can figure is that Fox is going to grow up to be a lawyer or something, cause that kid is the subbornest kid I've ever met. And he tries to (and mostly succeeds, if only he could say all the words in the english language...) talk his way out of and into everything. We had a war of him crying in his bed for about an hour today, all because he wanted me to "car-wee" (carry) him. I finally won that one, but fits where thrown, subjects where changed (by him, not me), and spirits were broken...

That boy has me wrapped around his finger more than I want to say. And he knows how to work it. Take nap time for instance. 10 minutes before bed Fox tells me he doesn't want Scooby-Dooby, he wants Liam's monkey. It took him telling me many times in a matter of fact voice, and then us going up into his bedroom, to figure out that Fox has Scooby-Doo on his pillow case, and Liam has a pillow case with Aladdin and Abu. I figured, he put so much effort into that one (starting 10 minutes early) I'd let him have it. And you just can't ignore a kids request when they say things like Scooby-Dooby matter-of-factly.

I then handed him Pooh (a stuffed Pooh bear that my mom made him for Christmas, that he always sleeps with), Put on his blanket and left the room shutting the door. I suddenly hear Fox anxiously saying "Mom, yeyes! mom! yeyes!!" I rush in and ask him "What? What's wrong with your eyes?" He looks at Pooh bear and says "Mom, yeyes."

Me, being a forgetful and over-looking mom, clearly didn't realize that I had put the blanket over Pooh bears "yeyes". And Fox, being the forgiving and helpful son, decided he couldn't move the blanket off of Pooh's eye's, but that he would call mom back in to fix her mistake.

It's exhausting. And all of that happened in a matter of thirty seconds (Well, ten minutes thirty seconds if you consider the campaign that started for the monkey pillow before bed). Try living with it all day. There's not many days that go by that I don't say, "Who taught that kid how to talk?"

LIfe exploded

How is it that life has exploded?

I got the call to be the Young Woman's president in my ward this past month (December). I was super excited, and ridiculously nervous. I was told it took a lot of time...I had no idea.

There is so much that I want to do for these girls; so much support I want to give, so much love. But man, it takes it's toll. The past month has been a whirlwind of...stuff. Activities, stake activities (which we drove an hour and a half, each way, to get to), presidency meetings, stake presidency meetings, Ward council, ward conference, and supporting girls by going to their extra circular activities. All of which have been AWESOME and I'm so excited and happy that I get to go and be a part of it...after I get there.

It's taken it's toll on Tony also. Suddenly roles have been reversed. Yesterday I came home from a 6 hour church day to Tony who had stayed home with sick kids. While talking to him he warily said "I did the dishes." I laughed but felt so much sympathy for him. It's hard being a mom, dealing with the bizzillion needs of kids. It's usually me saying "I did the dishes" helping him to compliment me on the menial things that I was able to accomplish in the day. I kissed him and told him how great he did, and then laughed some more.

It seems like suddenly my ward has noticed me this past month also. I have received 4 requests this last week to help bring food, crafts, and decorations to babyshowers, baptisms and other activities. I love it. I want to be asked, and I want to help. But it's crazy true the saying of "when it rains, it pours."

So yes, I feel as life has exploded. I keep waiting for it to slow down, and I keep thinking, 'ah, this week I have hardly anything.' and then Monday hits and my week is full. I don't think life is going to be slowing down any time soon. But I'll keep going until I die. And luckily, if I do die it'll be doing something that I love. Now lets hope Tony holds out...

A Day of Preschool in Pictures

mouthful of snowflake m&m's

One of my goals for the new year was to have more regular preschool with Emma and Fox. We've done well so far. Luckily there are soooo many resources for fun ideas on the internet! The m&m idea we got from here. And the marshmallow idea we got from here. (The paints made out of milk and food coloring! Cool, hu?)

Finally Snow!!

It finally snowed today! Which is crazy because yesterday I hung outside without a coat in 62 degree weather. Today...is freezing! But we love the snow...at least for the first three days of it :)

A little bit of awesome randomness named Fox

Yes, this is what we proudly teach our children. And the red homeless boy hat pictured above-I don't know why he is so attached to it, but he is, and he wears it every where! And I always thing to myself, "I cloth my child, and feed him, occasionally bathe him, so why does he want to look like a homeless child?"