Our First Rodeo

So last weekend Pa took us to our first rodeo. It was a bit rainy but ended up being a fun night. We got to the fairground to stormy skies.


Not five minutes after we got there the skies opened and it began pouring rain. So we all ducked for cover. While waiting for the rain to clear the boys got to get close to a horse named "Hollywood".
The skies cleared, and we were set to watch the rodeo. We all stood for the National Anthem.

We watched a few rounds of bull riding. But then it started raining again.
As you can tell the boys were not excited about the rain. Vance kept saying "I got all soaked wet." But they loved their first rodeo. Thanks Pa for the fun night!

Happy Father's Day

So while everyone (Joel and Tj) were napping I was attempting to keep Vance from waking them up (we nap in shifts at our house on Sundays). Here's Vance's rendition (with a little help from mommy) of "Daddy's Homecoming."

Happy Father's Day to all my favorite dads! Most especially you Tj, Love you!

Summer fun.

It's hard to believe that summer is in full swing here. You lose track of time when it has been hot and humid for the last four months. But we're starting to get the afternoon storms which signal that we are into our infamous hurricane season. I am praying that this is a slow season!

Things have been pretty busy though. I don't have any pictures because I'm a slacker mom lately. But here's what we've been up to:

• NEIGHBORS! We had two new families move in across that street. They go to our church and even better have kids for the boys to play with. (One mom told me that Vance and Joel have been nicknamed "The Boys Upstairs".) One family has a little girl and the other family have two little boys (well they both have babies but Vance and Joel don't play with the babies much although Vance is very interested in them). It's been so fun to have other moms close by to chat with while our kids play, other kids to ride bikes with on the street and just all the fun things that come with having fun neighbors. Of course this means that we'll probably move (that's just my luck) but I'm enjoying it while it lasts!
• SWIMMING! So as I mentioned before it is HOT and HUMID here. We are loving that Nama and Pa have a swimming pool and that our Friday playdates are usually scheduled for pools or at least around water. The boys are getting to be pretty good swimmers. Nama has talked about getting them swim lessons which I think they'd both love. So hopefully by the end of the summer at least Joel will be a free swimming fish. They of course have been loving to go over and swim at Pa's house recently because Pa has been home the last couple of weeks. That is always so much fun! And then of course when Pa is home they cap off the day with a little "Man From Snowy River".
  
• POTTY TRAINING! Right now it's the bane of my existence. It is the ultimate necessary evil. I know this sounds dramatic but this week was our first week of underwear only for Joel. It has not been going well. **shakes her head** But alas I keep trudging on. Today I had a stroke of genius (okay everyone else probably had already figured this out but it was a new idea for me). Joel had had several accidents in his underwear today. So I thought I'll buy him plain white underwear and if he can keep those clean and dry then we'll break out the fun Thomas and Bob The Builder Ones again. It's hasn't been going ALL that great after that but tomorrow is a new day.
  
• MISSING NAMA! So the boys are missing their Nama. She had gone back to Idaho for a wedding and then stayed to visit family for a few weeks. She got home and they had a really fun sleepover last Friday night but then she left for church camp on Tuesday. Vance asks for her every time we see Pa. Joel misses her too but disguises it as annoyance. (I guess during the sleep over he told her "I'm mad with you because you left me for a long time." Or something like that.) We'll all be glad when she comes back from camping. (Maybe her most of all!)
• FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY! The boys continually crack us up with the things they say. The other night we were trying to teach them the art of the knock knock joke. We started with the ole "Boo" joke. (Knock knock- who's there? Boo- Boo who? You don't have to cry about it.) Vance totally 'got' it. The punch line was the best though. His take on it: "Stop cryin'!" He continually amazes me with the sentences that come out of his mouth. He LOVES books though. He loves to read and he loves to be read too. Today at the gym there was an older girl (maybe around 10 or so) who had a book (I think it was one of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books) and he wanted her to read to him so she was reading out loud to him. I don't know how long it lasted but it was so cute. Joel is getting so big. He makes me laugh with the way he reasons through things. My babies are getting so big! His favorite thing is when we're driving somewhere he'll call over to Vance "Hey Vance- you sleeping?!" Sometimes Vance will say yes and sometimes he'll keep calling even though he doesn't get a response. Joel LOVES singing. It makes me so happy to hear him sing. Tonight we went and got ice cream with Pa and it was starting to storm and Joel started singing the "Raining pouring" song. It was so funny- he didn't know all the words so he'd rush through the parts he didn't know and kind of mumble something until he got to the part he did know. The other night we were driving to the beach and we had the radio on. The song "Never say Never" by The Fray came on and it repeats the line "Don't let me go" over and over and Joel started singing along. It was so sweet.
  

Anyhow. That's us. Nothing more to see- move along.

An "Ah- Ha!" moment captured.

Every once in awhile I think that as parents we're blessed with those "Ah-ha!" moments. The ones were you feel like you're given a little insight into what you're doing right. I had one of those this morning.

I think having boys is the best. Now this is because I have boys. When I had one little boy I thought he was the best, then I had two and now I think having two boys is the best. I'm sure if I had a little girl or if I had girls I'd think they were the best too. But I especially think that boys are the best. In the news and in society you hear about all these studies and you may see all these little boys who are mischievous, active, and high spirited. You hear everyday about the numbers of kids-but especially boys- diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. You hear about how boys struggle in school and get into fights and you get the feeling that as a parent of boys- look out! You're in for struggles. I was terrified when I found out I was having a boy- I didn't know how to raise a boy.

My boys are energetic, they love to race and wrestle, they love shooting monsters and/or aliens with guns, they love playing with each other, they love jumping off of anything and EVERYTHING. They love swimming and splashing. They love "pain" and love giving "pain". They think goofy faces and noises are hilarious and potty humor is a comedic gem. They make up stories involving monsters and animals- who usually are getting into trouble- and they themselves are the heroes of the day. And you know, I feel so blessed to be able to experience all of this with them. They are such good boys and yeah they have their moments and most of the time I feel completely wiped out trying to keep up with them. But I love being part of their "boy world". Nobody can prepare you for a little boy. And heaven knows I have SO much more ahead of me that I can't even begin to imagine.

I just hope that I always remember this moment. Sometimes I feel like I'm a slacker mom because I don't sit down and drill my boys on shapes and colors and numbers. We don't do flashcards and I don't start teaching them how to read at age 3. But I read to them and we talk and I let them play. And I realized today that right now that's what matters. I love that when I have Vance in my lap it's his first instinct to grab a book and have me read to him while we cuddle. I love that Joel is so concerned about his friends and his brother. I love that when things are stressful or they're away from me they ask for me because they know that I love them and will try and make it better- even if it's just giving them a hug and telling them I love them.

I think there is so much pressure today for parents and kids alike to perform. There's the expectation- whether internal or from society- to put on appearances: drive the "right" car, have the "right" house, maintain said house, have kids meeting the "right" milestones and achievements at the "right" time or early. And it's so easy to get caught up in all of it that you forget the important things. Eating dinner as a family, playing and pretending, treating people with kindness and respect, and maybe most importantly showing love and appreciation for those people who matter most- your family.

Joel's Third Birthday

It's only taken me a week to get this posted. I wish I had a good excuse but I don't, but at least I'm getting it done now. So Joel's third birthday was last Friday. It was a really fun day. However, by the time everything was said and done I was glad that it was over- TOO MUCH BIRTHDAY makes for a very cranky three year old.

So here's the recap:


The night before Joel's birthday Tj and I snuck into his room and decorated it so he'd be surprised when he woke up. I had made Joel his birthday banner while he played at Nama's house earlier. We think he was excited about his room although we were woken up by the sound of him opening his presents! Silly boy.


More of the birthday decorations. My friend Kimberlee always gets her daughter a balloon for her birthday. I thought it was a neat idea (since my boys NEVER get balloons). So Thursday night I sent Tj to the store to pick one up. He came home with these two. It was a good call because the boys have had SO much fun playing with them. The spiderman balloon is surprisingly still around. The other one was thrown away days ago. These balloons have provided HOURS of entertainment for the boys. Thanks Kimberlee for the idea!


I had made Joel these really yummy muffins. They have strawberries, bananas, blueberries, walnuts and nutmeg in them. They are SO good. So we had these instead of birthday cake for Joel's birthday this year. I put his three candles in his and before we even got finished singing he had blown out the candles. He was so proud of himself.


Joel was fortunate enough to have lots of people thinking about him for his birthday and sent him cards and gifts. He got some clothes, games (Chutes and Ladders & Candyland), plastic horses, sink with running water and a leapfrog recording toy. He was so excited about his gifts. He has really had a lot of fun playing Candyland. It's been fun teaching him how to play games. I am so excited to FINALLY have someone who will play games with me- even if they are juvenile games.


Friday night our ward at church was having an "Unbirthday Party". Joel had a blast. We played musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey, there was a pinata and BIRTHDAY CAKE! It was the best way to spend his birthday (and I didn't have to do ANY of the planning).

Joel's turn at the Pinata. He had a couple good hits.

When we asked Joel what he wanted to do for his birthday we were not surprised when he said that he wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese. (Actually his first request was to go to Mickey Mouse's house again aka Disney World but we told him that wasn't possible.) So his birthday celebration continued into Saturday when Pa was home and could go to Chuck E. Cheese with us. We had a nice time. Of course it was they typical crazy madhouse since it was lunchtime on a Saturday. But Joel and Vance had a really fun time. Vance was loving the music and spent the whole time dancing around anywhere he could. Joel got to open his present from Nama and Pa- the sink with running water.

Joel sporting his Chuck E. Cheese mouth.

So I think all in all Joel had a good third birthday. Balloons, muffins, candles, cards and presents all before 9 am. We had a playdate at the splash park with his friends, McDonalds for lunch, party and cake that night. And wrapping up with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese the next day. It was a great birthday. (But I was glad that I have three months to recoup before we do it all over again for Vance's birthday!)

Happy Birthday Dear Joel!

Today is my baby's third birthday. I cannot believe he is three. I know parents say that all the time. But really there are times I see my baby but those times are getting farther apart. He is truly becoming a little man. So here are some pictures for those who'd like to see them. And since at some point this will be made into a book for the boys I'm including a letter to Joel.



Dear Joel,
You turn three years old today. I am so proud of what a good boy you are. You have grown up so much this year. You are so loving to your family and your friends. Other kids are drawn to you and like to play with you because you are so kind. You are such a great big brother to Vance. He looks up to you and you are so loving towards and concerned for him. You and Vance are best friends and I am so glad for that. I hope you remain friends as you grow up. Of course you still look up to and love spending time with your Pa.
Your vocabulary and your imagination have both grown leaps and bounds this year. You speak in full sentences and love to tell stories and sing songs. You love to pretend. One of your favorite movies right now is "Man from Snowy River" and you love to pretend that you're Jim and riding a horse. You love to tell the story of Jim and Jessica and sing the song over and over again. You continue to enjoy Thomas the Train and all things involving trains but your horizons have been expanded to include Mickey Mouse, Elmo, Imagination Movers, Bob the Builder and even Spider Man. You had your first trip to Disney World's Magic Kingdom this year. You really had a lot of fun although you were just as excited to stay at a hotel as you were to go to the park.
You now can dress yourself. You can count to 15- with a little help from Mommy or Daddy. You know that Jim and Joel start with J. You are learning to swim and do really well with your life jacket and can even swim a little bit without it. As you turn three you are potty training and doing such a great job! You have given up the sippy cup and you no longer need the after-meal wash down. You are such a clean eater and when you do get food on you, you are quick to ask for a "apkin". You love cheese, chocolate milk, chicken, lemons, mangos- actually just about all fruit, fish and cheese sandwiches. Your favorite treats include jelly beans and jr mints. You are such a good eater though and will try just about anything.
Joel, your dad and I love you. You bring so much happiness and enthusiasm into our home. You literally walk with a bounce in your step. You have always been such a happy and easy going child and I feel so blessed to be your mother. Happy Birthday!

Love you!
Mommy

Skill sets, Mother's Day, and Potty Training.

So I feel like life is flying by. I know people are always telling new moms to enjoy the time because it flies by. This seems to be especially true lately. The boys seem to be growing up so fast. When we were at Disney World we bought them the little "toggles" that go into Crocs. It was one of the best moves we made. We bought each of them one and put them in their right Croc. It has made it a lot easier for the boys to put their shoes on. Joel can basically get himself dressed all by himself as long as there aren't buttons or zippers. Of course just because he can doesn't mean that he always wants to.
Vance on the other hand is Mr. Independent. He continues to amaze us with his vocabulary. He loves Elmo and anything cuddly. Tj has started giving him the nick-name "Linus" because he hauls his blankey everywhere with him. (It actually REALLY grosses me out.) He is teething like mad. And everything Joel does Vance wants to do too.

Joel put on my shoes and thought it was so funny.
Too bad we didn't have a toggle for my tennis shoes.

Of course everything Joel does Vance needs to do too.

Joel and Vance are best friends.
This is the best Mother's Day present I could ask for.
They woke up and after some coaxing from Tj I received a chorus of
"Happy Mother's Day!"
Then they helped Tj make breakfast
(well more like they dictated and Tj cooked).
So they delivered breakfast in bed consisting of whole wheat blueberry waffle with peanut butter and an egg white omelette with cheese and orange juice. It was really funny because Joel kept getting confused with his greeting and saying "Happy Birthday, mommy!"

(I told Joel to put his arm around Vance and he put him in a choke hold!)
So the boys are always doing funny things.
I love that they can play by themselves
and it cracks me up with what they come up with.
Tonight Joel found his rain boots and put them on.
Of course everything Joel does Vance needs to do too.
So they put their rain boots on and meandered around the living room.
(Notice their fantastic farmer tans!)
I think that I'm going to be given a run for my money with these two.


And finally! I guess third time is truly a charm.
We are on week two with potty training.
I always joked that I was going to wait and potty train Joel and Vance together.
Well what do you know?! We're potty training Joel and Vance together.
Joel is doing REALLY well.
Of course he has the benefit of the previous two rounds.
Joel is basically in "big boy underware" during the day.
He will tell us when he needs to do his business and will try to go when asked.
He is really doing such a good job.
I'm guessing he'll be completely done in a few weeks- maybe?!
Vance is doing pretty well too. Right now he basically will go when Joel does.
But he is still trying to figure it out.
He says he has to potty a lot but is about 50/50.
I figure by the time Joel is done then Vance will have practiced long enough.

Misc. Cousins Visit

Here are more pictures from the time when our cousins and Aunt and Uncle were here.

Beach Time with Cousins

Here are the pictures from the two days we spent at the beach with our cousins and Aunt Jenni and Uncle Jay.

Disney

So here are the pictures (FINALLY!) from Disney World.

Family Vacation Update

So I know I haven't posted in awhile. There is a very good reason. We had family come and visit from Idaho. Tj's Aunt Jenni and her husband Jay and their 3 boys came to visit Florida for the first time. They were here in South Florida for about five days. And then we all went up to Orlando to Disney World for a few days. It has been a busy couple of weeks for us and we have had a lot of fun! I'm going to wait and post all the pictures in another post but I also have to wait and get photos from Tj's dad from Disney World. Yes, we went to Disney World and I didn't take a single photo. I think I lost a brownie point for that one. But luckily dad took plenty for us. So here's what we've been up to.

Last Saturday we all packed up and headed to the beach. My boys LOVE the beach. (I on the other hand tolerate it.) Vance and Joel had so much fun with their cousins! And of course their cousins had a blast at the beach. It was an enjoyable trip. The gulf was calm and so it was a laid back day at the beach. Uncle Jay and one of the cousins got buried in the sand, shells and sand dollars were collected, and there were very few sunburns (luckily all attributed to the adults and not the kids).

Sunday we all went to church. After the first hour it was discovered that the plumbing was backed up and we were all were instructed to leave the building. We were planning to go on a drive to see the alligators in the Everglades. So while we waited for mom and dad to get out of church (they go to a different building) we took the boys to a park to eat our packed lunches. Then we loaded up the cars and headed out. It was really fun! All the boys were excited about seeing the alligators. And we saw several. Joel was so excited to spend time with his cousins. So after the first stop we put Joel in the car with his cousins and he got to ride with them to the second stop and on the way home. Then we went to mom and dad's house for a smorgasbord for dinner.

Monday we headed back to the beach. The beach was a more windy and the gulf was choppy with lots of waves. The cousins were so excited for the change in the water. Joel and Vance were a little weary of the waves. But by the end of the day Vance was have a blast with the waves and kept asking me to take him swimming. Joel was not so excited about the waves but had a blast digging in the sand and throwing it back into the ocean. Then we went to mom and dad's house for family dinner and family home evening and swimming. Again the boys had a blast with their cousins and were so sad to leave them (leaving each night included tears).

Tuesday was a whirlwind. Tj and Joel went with dad and the other boys to see "Monsters Vs Aliens" in 3D. Vance and I stayed home and did laundry, cleaned house, packed and got us ready to go to Orlando. Joel had so much fun at the movie in 3D. He was so excited to bring home his 3D glasses.

Wednesday we packed up the cars and headed down to Orlando. The boys did fairly well on the drive. Okay Joel did really well, he is such a good traveler. Vance on the other hand doesn't like to be contained. We stopped at Casperson Beach so that our cousins could collect shark teeth. They had a really fun times and my boys were so excited to see them and their treasures. Once we got to Orlando we split up. Jenni and her kids headed to their hotel to swim. Mom and I took my boys to our hotel and then to get dinner. Tj, Dad, Jay and our friend Rob headed to a steakhouse and then to the Orlando playoff game. They had a really fun night and the Magic won the game.

Thursday was the first BIG day at Disney World's Magic Kingdom. We met up Jenni and Jay and their boys there. Joel loved driving the cars around the track. Some of us went and rode on Splash Mountain and the Thunder Mountain Railroad. Joel and Vance had a blast playing on the playground near Splash Mountain and of course riding the tour train around Disney. After a few shows and a parade we decided to call it a day. We headed back to the hotel. Joel went swimming with Tj and dad.

Friday morning we got up early and made our way back to Magic Kingdom. We started at the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise. Vance wanted to go on the Magic Carpet ride but Joel wasn't interested so he went on through the Swiss Robinson Tree House. I took Vance on the carpet ride and he had a blast! We got off and he immediately said that he wanted to go again. So we met back up with everyone and Joel decided to go on the carpets with Vance. Joel loved the cars so much the first day that he wanted to go on them again. Vance wasn't tall enough so he and I went on the Tea Cups. He LOVED it! Then it was off to Mickey's house. We took the boys in to meet Mickey and Minnie. We were a bit concerned because Joel wasn't real warm to the other characters when they came within his 3 feet personal circle. So I took Vance up first. Vance LOVED the characters and was so excited to see Mickey and Minnie. He was giving them high fives. Then he reached up and "honked" Minnie's nose. Of course I had to make the "honking" noise. Joel of course didn't want to be showed up by his little brother so he started giving high fives too. And we were able to get a really good picture of all of us. At least I hope it's really good. I was just happy that it didn't end up being a traumatizing experience. Then we all went on the train and relaxed. Joel fell asleep in the stroller. So Vance and I went on the Dumbo ride and then played in the Winnie the Pooh play ground. He was so funny. He didn't really want to play on the actual play equipment. He wanted to climb on the rock wall surrounding the area. Next we were off for dinner. We then went to the Winnie the Pooh ride (which Joel was NOT a fan of) and the Laugh Floor with Mike Wizouski (spelling?!) from Monster's Inc. We then went off to watch the night parade. Joel was so excited when he saw Mickey Mouse in the parade. He started waving like mad and his eyes just lit up! It was the best part of the entire day. We met up with Jay and Jenni and their family to watch the fireworks. We had fun hearing about their day touring the other parks. We were BEAT as we rode the ferry back to the car. We were all hoping to sleep in.

This morning we all got our wish and were able to sleep in! Yay!!!! (I need to get some of the curtains they have in hotel rooms.) While Tj relaxed the boys and I went with dad to go find t-shirts for all the kids. Then we packed up the cars and said good-bye to our cousins. We were sad to see them go. But Aunt Jenni stayed so we get to spend more time with her. We were all excited to be home- except Joel. But once we got in they were happy to run around.

We had a really fun time. I LOVE Disney World and Disneyland. I have such great memories of the times I went with my family. I think this trip created some really great memories for Joel and Vance. I know how fortunate I am to have such great in-laws every day. But we are really grateful for their generosity with this trip. I know that the boys are going to be able to look back and remember such a fun time with their cousins, aunt and uncle and of course grandparents. I'm so fortunate to have such great family!

(If you've made it through this post you should get a medal. But since this is practically my journal it is what it is.)

I love trouble.

You know there are certain things you take for granted. During the day if all is quiet with the boys, then I know they are probably getting into something that they shouldn't be. It's a given right?! But at night after the initial tear-fest that is our bedtime routine when it's quiet I assume it's because they're asleep. Well tonight as I was doing laundry I noticed an especially potent "Vicks" smell coming from the boys room. I had assumed it was because we've all been sick and Vance still has a stuffy nose. So I figured when Tj put Vance to bed he had put Vicks on him. Well I decided to check because it was really strong. And as I walk into the boys room I see Joel sitting on the edge of his bed with the Vicks (for kids) tub in his hands smearing and coating it from head to toe. It was caked on his face, in his ears, on his chin, down his neck and then skipping his body on his thighs and knees. I was so shocked I couldn't say anything. I guided him out of his room where he immedietly started crying.


Exhibit A:

First shot of Joel and the Vicks.

Exhibit B:

The Vicks container nearly empty.

Exhibit C:

Side View

Exhibit D:

Final Shot of the mess.

So of course after we made sure that Joel was okay and that he hadn't eaten any of the Vicks we lined him up for the photo shoot. Yeah, these pictures will come out on prom night. So after about three wash cloths, a bath and a new set of pajamas Joel was put back to bed- again.

**Note to self: lock all medicines in the cabinet.

The Joys of Motherhood

I've been thinking a lot about the joys of motherhood. I have been so blessed to have two really great kids. I know they're only 2 1/2 and 18 months but they are just such sweet boys. They are so full of love and excitement. They constantly keep me laughing. This is not to say there are not times when I want to pull my hair out in frustration but truly I know that I am blessed with two really great boys.

This past week everyone in our family has been sick. It started with Joel and we've all had it in some form or another. But because Joel had it first he was well first too. Bless his little heart. He'd come in every morning and ask me to turn on "clubhouse" (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) and I'd go in turn the tv on low and he'd sit out there playing by himself until we could finally rouse arouse from our sick beds. And anytime I'd sneeze or cough he was very concerned and would ask "You okay mommy?" On Wednesday when Tj's mom had the boys I mentioned that Tj was sick (I hadn't gotten it yet). When she got home she told Pa that Tj was sick and Joel said, "That's okay we'll make him soup to make him better." Bless his heart! So they did. Joel just has the most tender heart. He loves his family and he loves his friends. He is so sweet and so kind. I hope that he keeps that his whole life.

Vance is my surprise. He's been my surprise from the very beginning and keeps me on my toes. He surprised us by wanting to communicate so early. I had to teach him baby signs just so he could express himself. He surprised us by walking at 9 months and never looking back. He surprised us with his talking and now his complete sentences. He is my little ball of mischief. He is the one that I have to constantly pull out of the toilet bowl and the garbage. He is the one that causes me to have near heart attacks a million times a day because of the no fear stunts he pulls (like jumping off his toy table onto a mini-couch surrounded by chairs with their legs turned up). But he is so tough. There are times I watch him take a tumble fully expecting tears and he gets up, brushes himself off and goes on his way. He never ceases to surprise me. But for all his rough and tumble moves he is also my cuddle bug. He will find me and nag and cry and beg until I pick him up and spend time with him. I hate that it takes so much for me to stop what I'm doing and hold him. One day he'll be too big for me to hold and I'll long for these days. He will often bring me books to read to him. And he loves to be rocked to sleep. No, Vance never ceases to surprise me.

With Easter coming up I've been thinking a lot about the Savior. But especially this year I've been thinking about his relationship with his mother, Mary. I've tried to imagine what it would have been like for Mary. When the angel told her that she would be the mother of the Savior did she really know what all that would entail? I think of how overwhelmed at times I was when I was carrying each of my boys and would imagine that she would have felt that so much more intensely. I can't imagine the feelings she must have had throughout His life. Especially towards the end. The final days of the Saviors life I've always thought of with much emotion. But when you think of His mother witnessing it all. I know that one day one or both of my boys will come home because someone was teasing or making fun of them. I know that one day one of the boys will come home with his first black eye or bloody nose from a fight. And it breaks my heart knowing that I can't keep them from all the hurt and evil in this world. And I think about Mary and all she saw the Savior go through. And I think of the words spoken by the angel in Luke 1:28, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women."

The joys of motherhood. I'm sure the longer I'm a mother the more that phrase will change in meaning.

Egg-selent!

So since the start of the year Tj and I have been trying to lose the baby weight (since our baby is 18 months old now!). So we've been working out and trying to eat healthy (well and I've caved and dieted too). Anyhow, we go through a lot of hard boiled eggs. So since Easter is too far away decided that it was acceptable to dye this round of hard boiled eggs. The boys had a blast!!!


Tj mixing the dye.

Now it's the boys turn to mix the dye.

Daddy helping the boys with their eggs.

Vance watching his eggs.

Joel's favorite part was the pickers. (Aka tongs)

Vance Chillin'

The finished product.

Who's child is this?!

So I have about three other posts that I have meant to post for the last week or so. But I have to share this latest story about Vance. Actually two stories. The first has to do with onions.

So I was chopping onions for dinner. Vance saw me and asked Tj to pick him up. So he exclaims, "Apple!" We explain to him that it's an onion and not an apple but he still insists that it's an apple. So Tj gives him a piece of onion. Vance takes it in his mouth, tastes it, chews it, swallows it. You can see him recognize that this is not an apple and yet struggle with the idea of being wrong/mistaken. So what does he do?! He swallows the onion and again exclaims, "Apple!" He is so stinkin' stubborn. I have no idea where he gets his stubborn antics from.

Vance is so funny! It never ceases to amaze me the things he does. So today Vance was eating Jelly Belly Beans (courtesy of Pa from his most recent trip). Of course Vance has this sticky mess all over him from straight sugar. So Tj asked him to go get something to wipe his face. Next thing we know he comes in with the end of the toilet paper roll. I have to hand it to Kleenex Contonelle Toilet Paper. It made it through two corners and half the house and didn't even tear. Now that's some strong toilet paper!

We love Vance and the spice and variety he adds to our family!

Vance's Last Check-up

Last week I took Vance in for his 18-month check up. I also needed a check-up. So Vance and I made it a date. Poor Vance was behind on his shots so he got 4 sets of shots! Mommy was behind on her shots too, so I got a shot as well. Vance was so impressed with my "Hello Kitty" band aid that he insisted on "kitties" too. He also got an Elmo sticker for being such a good patient. The doctor got to evaluate Vance for an extended amount of time because we had back to back appointments. So while we reviewed my medical history Vance played. The doctor was very impressed with Vance's verbal ability. The average 18-month old has a vocabulary of about 8 words. Vance uses 4-6 words in a sentence! I think it's a combination of awesome parenting and fantastic genetics. Just kidding. Really I think it's his type-A personality and second child syndrome. Vance continues to be our petite child (not that Joel is a giant by any means). He's in the 5th percentile for weight and the 10th percentile for height.
The funny thing was that when we got home (after having to go to the lab so I could get blood work done) I completely expected Vance to be a little under the weather. Nope he didn't miss a beat. He was wrestling around with Joel almost as soon as we got home. Funny kid! He's one tough cookie.

Book Worms

Growing up one of the only things I remember about summer vacations was that we were expected to read for a set time limit every day during summer break. I remember setting the timer and sitting on the couch with my sister Angela and doing our reading. I have loved reading ever since. Therefore, I am completely tickled when my boys find a book and sit and read. We love reading at our house. Vance especially loves books and will bring us a book he's found on his book shelf and ask us to read to him. Then he backs up into our laps and settles in for a story. I love reading and love that my boys are on their way to love reading too!

Gross

Sometimes being a mom is gross. Like when you take your 18-month out of the swimming pool and go to change him and realized he's pooped in his swim diaper. Then you have to clean him in the bathtub. That's pretty gross.

Or when your almost 3 year old wakes up from his nap and has poop up his back, in his clothes and all over his bed. And again you have to clean him up in the bath (or you make your husband do it because twice in one day just may make you ill).

Then being a mom is gross.

Hair Cuts and Dog Wash

So we've been pretty busy around here. The boys keep me on my toes. They are both are constantly talking. They constantly are keeping us laughing with the things they say. I could do an entire post on the things they say.

We've had some fun times lately. So here's a rundown.

A few weeks ago I went to Daytona to visit some of my friends. While I was gone Joel and Vance stayed a couple of days with Pa and Nama. Out of that visit they were introduced to "Ice Water". I don't know why they are so fascinated with ice water but you give it to them and they think you've given them liquid gold. So funny! The night I got home we had dinner with Nama and Pa. The boys helped Nama make brownies.

Making brownies with Nama.


The finished result. Yummy!


So my latest obsession has been Pei Wei. My brother and his wife introduced it to me awhile back. Every time I visit them we have to eat there. The problem when they first introduced it to me was that the closest one was over an hour away. Well now we have one literally 10 minutes away. So for special treats I love to head over there. Well last weekend really the only thing we did for Valentines day was take the boys to the park with Nama and Pa and go to Pei Wei. Joel loves the honey chicken there and the chopsticks. In fact he calls the place "chupstixs". As in "Mommy we go to chupstixs?"

Joel and his honey chicken at "Chupstix's" using chopsticks.


I don't remember exactly how it started but when we were back in Daytona Pa started taking Joel with him to get his haircut and they'd get it cut together. I of course never complained because a) I didn't have to learn to cut his hair and b) I didn't have to fight him to get his haircut. Of course Joel loved his trips with Pa and his treats to follow. (Starting with M&M's and juice.) Well the last time Pa took Vance with them. However, Vance was NOT having anything to do with the whole haircutting experience. And Pa didn't have the heart to hold him down and force him to get his haircut. (Mommy's a lot meaner than Pa!) So today I crashed the party and went with them for the haircuts. Pa went first, followed by Joel and finally it was Vances turn. Of course we were prepared. Vance took a good nap this morning and we fed them lunch before the hair cutting extravaganza (at Mickeydonalds of course). And then we were armed with Jelly Belly beans. There were a few tears shed (by both Vance and Joel) but overall it was a huge success!

My babies with their haircuts. They look so grown up!

So Molly is Pa and Nama's dog. She's such a great dog! The boys both adore her and love to help feed and walk her. Anyhow, she was in desperate need of a bath. So after haircuts the boys helped Pa give Molly her bath. It sounded like they were all having a good time. Well that was up until Molly gave a shaky shake and got Joel all wet. He was a little hesitant to get close to her after that. Then it was Vances turn to get a shaky shake from Molly. Needless to say it was a good thing they were about finished giving Molly a bath.

Joel, Vance and Pa with Molly after her bath.

Just another day at the park.

So I meant to blog about this a few weeks ago. We took the boys to the park one weekend while Tj's grandparents were here and Tj's dad was home. Here are the pictures.

Weekend Update, FL edition.

So we had a really fun and busy weekend. I was able to go back to Daytona for a belated birthday weekend with a bunch of my girlfriends. It was really fun. So while I was there the boys got to spend some quality time with Daddy as well as with Nama and Pa.

I left on Thursday and met up with our friend Davina and two of her kids. We ate at Mimi's Cafe. It was the first time I'd ever eaten there and I believe I have fallen in love with their spice muffin. Then it was on to Daytona. My good friend Christine was kind enough to let me stay with her. She was such a good host and we had a really fun time. I went into my old work office and got to see a bunch of people that I had worked with so that was nice. I also got to go see my friend Diane and her little boys. Her oldest is just a few months older than Joel. He was a bit disappointed that I didn't bring Joel to play. The rest of the weekend was filled with good food, a horrible movie pick followed by an enjoyable movie pick, a really fun laugh packed girls night, some craft projects and a lot of relaxing. So ladies, thank you for such a fun weekend! (Especially you Christine!!!!)

So while I was gone the boys hung out with Daddy on Thursday and Friday morning. Then they got to go over to Nama's house. They got to go pick up Pa from the airport, eat MccyDonalds and probably stay up way past their bed times. Saturday included a trip to the store, a Madagascar marathon, bubbles, Jiffy Pop and swimming. Then they got to go to church with Nama and Pa. Of course these were just the highlights and you know what they say, "What happens at Nama's stays at Nama's." : )

Otherwise, things are good here. Tj stays busy with his church calling (he now serves as Young Men's president for our ward). He also goes in to work a few times a week to keep current on the airplane. We're hoping the flying picks up so he can have the opportunity to work more. But it will probably be feast or famine and in a few months I'll probably be wishing he were home more. So we're trying to appreciate the time we have now. Joel cracks us up. His imagination has completely taken off. He loves to tell us stories, sing songs, tell us about his day, and pretend. He is such a tender heart. He is always saying thank you and sorry and wants to make sure that he doesn't hurt people's feelings. He loves playing with Vance and they are getting into the whole wrestling thing. Vance is our over achiever. He turns 18 months next week and is already talking in sentences. He LOVES shoes! He also loves animals. Tonight on our walk around the block we saw a small frog. We were all bent down looking at it and Vance just reached down and grabbed it. He was quite surprised when it wiggled and probably the texture too. He quickly dropped it on the ground and ran the other direction. We all laughed at his reaction. And Manda? Well I'm just trying to keep up with everyone. Life is good.

Joel and Mommy


Pa and Vance; tired after a long weekend.


Vance's Obsession with shoes: Exhibit A


Vance's Obsession with shoes: Exhibit B


Joel is out laid back boy. This is him just relaxing while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. This picture epitomizes our Joel.

The Miami Zoo

Tj's grandparents have been in town the last couple of weeks. This past week Tj's dad took vacation time. To cap off the week we went to the Miami Zoo. We had a really fun time! We took the tram around the zoo. Joel really enjoyed the tram ride. He would get so excited when we would see the animals. He'd wrap his arms around Tj and hug him super tight. He LOVED the zoo. Vance enjoyed the time outside and being around Daddy and Pa. But his short attention span kept him from enjoying the animals.

The Miami Zoo was amazing. If it hadn't been for the tram ride we wouldn't have been able to see half the zoo. We got to see two different kinds of elephants. We were also just in time to see the elephants be fed. They were getting a special treat of tomatoes. There was one elephant that was doing tricks. He would bow down, go backwards and "speak". Joel really enjoyed the show and thought it was really funny when the elephant was going backwards and stepped on a tomato. When the elephant found the squished tomato it picked it up and then tossed it. Later at dinner he was pretending to be the elephant and would pretend to pick up a tomato and then toss it. Vance loved the rhinos! He kept saying wrhino.

It was a really fun trip. We can't wait to go back!

What We've Been Up To

So we've been staying pretty busy. It's crazy how fast time goes. To think that we're almost in the middle of January is crazy! Life is going well for us here though. The boys are constantly entertaining us. So here's what we've been up to.

-Vance is officially talking up a storm. He's just about 17 months and already putting together 3-4 word sentences. Some of his favorites are "I want Pa," and "I done pleeesh." Of course we still have his stand by words "what?!" "no way," "apple," "banana," "treat," "up," and thanks to daddy today "Happy Birthday".

-Joel continues to be our sweetheart. He regularly walks up to me and will brush his hand down my face and tell me "I love you mommy." Of course that's all it takes to make me melt. He also loves to help Vance and give him hugs.

-Both boys are water babies. Tj's parents have a swimming pool in their backyard here and so we are over there several times a week. Joel is a little fish and is learning to balance himself in the water with the help of his floating suite. Vance likes swimming but is much more fond of the hot tub. He anxiously waits for someone to take him into the hot tub. He knows and uses the word "hot tub" often when we're over at Pa's house.

-We've really enjoyed having Tj's dad working in town recently. We took a trip down to the beach to watch the sunset, gone swimming, enjoyed a trip to McDonald's where we searched out a McDonald's that had a play place.

-As a family we're really trying to get healthy so trips to the gym have become a part of our daily routine 6 days a week. Joel now looks forward to going to the "gym"- Vance no longer completely freaks out when we go. It's progress.

-Joel's imagine has officially taken off. He is constantly making me laugh with the things he comes up with. He loves playing with his kitchen and making me and Tj dinner. Of course we think we might be raising a real chef, not so much because his kitchen creations but more so because he doesn't like for other people (aka Vance) to be in his kitchen when he's cooking. He also likes to wrestle around with his stuffed animals, daddy, Pa, Vance and well anyone who will play. He also likes to put the blanket over his head and pretend he's a monster. He still loves trains and thinks it's a riot when mommy, Vance and he line up and pretend to be a train. It's a fun age.

-Vance continues to be our dare devil. He has such an extroverted personality. He loves to climb and has just about no fear- unless he's being separated from mommy. He's going through a little bit of separation anxiety.

That's about it for us. Right now we're really feeling fortunate and blessed. We're missing our family and friends but starting to put down roots here.

Build a Bear

So for Christmas Auntie Dana gave the boys "Build-a-Bear" gift certificates. So we took a field trip to the Build-a-Bear workshop. The boys had a really fun time. Joel wanted a monkey and Vance picked out a koala bear. It was a really fun day.

Christmas Catch Up

So we've been pretty busy here, but really at this time of year who isn't, right?! Our Christmas started early when we got to visit family in Idaho. It was a really great time. Tj's family welcomed us with open arms (and homes). We all loved spending time with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and even a few old friends.
Once we got home we got settled in our new home. We were anxious to get our Christmas tree and decorations up. We had a fun night decorating our tree with all our family ornaments. Unfortunately we weren't able to put up all our Christmas decorations but it was fun going through our Christmas storage box and seeing all our Christmas stuff. I think the boys' favorite Christmas decoration was the Little People Nativity Set. I think it will be sad when we have to pack it away again until next year.
Before we knew it Christmas Eve was here. I spent the morning baking my grandma's cinnamon bread and then in the afternoon we took some over to the guys Tj works with. Then it was home for naps and then Christmas dinner. Nama and Pa came over for the evenings festivities. We read the Nativity story and then opened our Christmas eve gifts. Then it was time for the boys to go to bed. Believe it or not the boys had a hard time going to sleep.
Christmas morning started about 7am. Joel was so excited that Santa brought him his train. Vance got an Elmo Live. Both toys were a hit with both boys. It was a fun morning. Joel had a blast opening the presents and Vance was absolutely tickled with the gifts that he AND Joel received. The rest of Christmas day was spent playing with toys and enjoying our time together as a family. Christmas evening we went to Nama and Pa's house for dinner. Then, believe it or not, we all went swimming- ON CHRISTMAS! I still can't get over the fact that it was about 80 degrees on Christmas. I suppose that's the appeal to most people to snowbird in FL.
We have really had a great Christmas season. We have enjoyed getting everyone's Christmas cards and photos. (Of course I'm slacker this year and haven't gotten ours sent out yet.) We have had so many experiences this season to remember the true meaning of the Christmas season. Hope you all have had a great Christmas season!

Fifty, Fifty!

Today is Dad Rosen/Pa's birthday. If you can believe it he's fifty. I have meant to do this post all day. I am really fortunate to have married into such an amazing family and I am so blessed to be able to call this man Dad. I know that this will be embarrassing to Dad because he is such a humble person. But I'm going to brag on him.

Dad is one of the most generous people I know. He does so much for so many people and most people (including those who are on the recipient end) will never know everything he's done for so many. Some of it's monetary and some of it's service. He is always thinking about other people. I can't even begin to list all the ways he's given to our family alone even just this year. But let me give just one example from this year alone. This spring the boys and I were going to go out to Arizona for my sisters graduation. However, after buying our house it wasn't going to happen. When dad found out that we were scrapping our trip he volunteered to send me and the boys out so that I could be there with my family. This meant more to me than words could describe.

Dad is one of the best fathers and grandfathers I know. Dad truly values his family. When we had Joel Dad decided it was important for our family to be together and so he and Mom moved across the country, left a stable job and joined us in Florida. He drops just about everything to see and spend time not only with the boys (Joel and Vance) but with Tj and me. Regardless of how busy life gets he will pick up the phone to listen to the jabber of the boys. He calls us to see how our day is and really goes out of his way to get together with us. The boys absolutely adore Pa. And Tj and I both love and respect Dad.

I am always amazed at how much dad cares about people. When he taught school he truly wanted his students to succeed. When the kids would make it to nationals he was sincerely proud of them and they could tell. He keeps in touch with many of his old coworkers and wants them to succeed. I love to hear the stories about the times when he used to bring homeless or random people home to shower or have dinner. You've got to admire this attribute.

Dad has an amazing sense of humor. He loves to tell funny stories about the crazy things he did growing up. He has fantastic timing and he loves to pass this sense of humor on to the younger generations. At age 2 Joel is already being introduced to the concept of a joke by Pa. Just tonight he told Nama while they were driving in the car "Nama, a mouse!" (Mind you she is terrified of mice!) So she turns around and asks, what? And he again says with a smile, "Nama, a mouse. It's a joke- ha ha ha." Dad has also introduced several of his nieces and nephews to the concept of sarcasm. But his humor is always good natured.

Dad, I hope you have had a great birthday. We love you! Thank you for all you do for us. So many of the things I love about Tj I know he's gotten from you and your example. Happy 50th!

Seven Year Itch

So I haven't posted in a little while. We're settling into our new home and FINALLY got Internet. If you want a good laugh you've got to read Tj's description here. But that's not why I'm posting today. Today is Tj and my anniversary.

We are celebrating seven (yes SEVEN!!!) years of being married. I know that's not really THAT long in the whole eternal perspective or even compared to Tj's parents who just celebrated 30 years this fall. But it's a pretty remarkable feat for us. So please forgive me while I get a little sentimental. In tribute to being married seven years here's 7 random facts or stories about the last seven years.

*I never expected to marry Tj. He was suppose to be a fun summer fling while I finished my education and attained a whole slew of goals I had set for myself. He was also so different from many of the people I had ever dated. But we spent a lot of time together that summer and by the end of the summer Tj had become one of my best friends. I know it's really corny but Tj is truly my best friend. He's still quite different from me and I still wonder sometimes how we ever managed to get together. But I can't imagine my life without him. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father surpassed my expectations and that we were both "ready" for our eternal family.

*Tj and I are about as opposite as two people can be. Where I'm a planner and an organizer Tj is really laid back. I came from a family of 9 with 6 other brothers and sisters, Tj is an only child. Tj is very logical and I'm a much more emotional personal. But in so many ways we complement each other. Sometime it's a struggle to compromise and appreciate our differences but so far we've managed to find a way.

*Originally we wanted to get married in the Las Vegas Temple. After discussing this plan with our parents though it was suggested that we chose a location where only one family had to travel. So since Tj's parents were doing our reception (see next point) we chose to get married in the Boise, ID Temple. We were really fortunate to have both sets of our parents, my grandma, all my siblings and their families, my good friend Denise, Tj's favorite mission companion and his wife- Nate and Marie, and his good friend from high school Rob along with many of Tj's extended family.

*Tj's mom planned our entire wedding reception. My parents always told us that as long as THEY didn't have to do our reception they would send us on a cruise or give us the money. So we took them up on the offer. But because Tj's an only child his parents really wanted to have a reception. So his mom asked if SHE (and of course his dad) could give us a reception. I told her that if she wanted to plan it I would be fine with it. So I gave her the colors and what I DIDN'T want (Christmas theme, huge bows everywhere, etc) and let her take it away. She did a really good job with it all.

*We have lived in two states and four cities. We've visited six states for vacation (we spend most of our vacations visiting family and friends back home). Tj's visited lots of states, countries and cities without me. He's the traveler out of us- I'm a homebody.

*We have had a regular date night since we got married. We are fortunate to have Tj's parents so close to help babysit the boys for us. It's something we look forward to. Even if it's just a movie after the kids have gone to bed or a trip to the ballet or a meal at a nice restaurant. I love our date nights.

*It may not have been love at first sight for Tj and I but we are still madly in love! There's nobody I can imagine moving across the United States, have two kids and go through everything we've experienced the last seven years with other than Tj.

Tj I love you!