I'm the Mom!!!!

I love flowers!

While my mom was visiting a few weeks ago she helped me put together two hanging flower baskets. I got so into it that I made two porch troughs a few days later. All of my baskets have been sitting in the backyard for a week and we finally got them up. I am enjoying looking at them so much that I have to drive by the front of my house each time I go somewhere so I can admire the beautiful flowers. Tonight I decided to take a picture so I can enjoy my beautiful flowers from the inside of my house. I hope you are able to enjoy them as well!

Wild Animals

I recently ventured to Portland to visit my sister with Calvin & Hazel. The 10 hour drive which I did by myself with two screaming children was simply delightful. I listened to "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer on CD and was completely captivated. For the first three days in Portland I could do nothing but listen to the second book and research every website out there for more information on the characters. I'm completely obsessed! This is the first book that I've ever read twice and I'm not planning to stop there. I will definitely read both Twilight and New Moon again before Eclipse comes out on Aug. 8th. What did I say, I'm obsessed!

Those first few days were thankfully new and exciting for all of the kids. They enjoyed playing together and wrestling. By day 4, or Sunday when we were all home for the entire day, the kids reached their breaking point. There was a stabbing, a scratching, and a lot of biting. Maybe Calvin will end up being a vampire? Everyone incurred injuries including Hazel. It was our joy of scrapbooking and listening to (Twilight/New Moon) that kept us going and feeling happy even when the wild animals were on the prowl. Now that I'm writing this, I'm thinking it's quite ironic that we visited the zoo twice and I'm referring to these kids as wild animals. I'm including a photo of the kids posing as dinosaurs at the Portland Zoo, which I also have to add is the zoo I've ever been to!!!

Overall, the trip was great and I look forward to doing it again soon, if my vampire child will be allowed back. Thanks Afton and Stephenie Meyer for making the trip so wonderful! Check back soon for a video of the boys playing and fighting.

Easter Wagon

Hi! We had a nice Easter and got lots of cute pictures out of it. I'm looking forward to scrapbooking these when I visit Afton in Portland next month. Our next door neighbors who have adopted us as their children provided all the Easter baskets, toys, and candy for the kids. They are such sweet and generous people. We briefly left the room and came back to find Calvin in his wagon requesting a ride. He's a little small but was still determined to get a ride.

My Cookie Monster

Calvin is my little cookie monster. He loves to help me make cookies by pouring the ingredients in but mostly eating the batter. I've just recently let him lick the beaters which he loves to do. While making cookies requires that I eat a few, which I'm trying not to do, it's a fun experience for Calvin and I.

Worst Day Ever...

Sunday was one of the worst days I have ever experienced at church. Andrew had a shift change and had to work 2 days in a row. That wasn't such a big deal, but he had to start working Sunday's again and it was our first week with the time change to 9am church. I'm really happy about the early morning church, but not so happy about training Calvin how to sit for an hour. For the last year Calvin has slept through all of Sacrament meeting since it was right during his naptime. So this week, on my own with two kids Calvin experienced church for the 3rd time in his toddler life and it was TERRIBLE. From throwing toys over the rows to screaming to making obnoxious noises (other than screaming), to crawling under all the rows and taking off, we had it all! By the end of the meeting I was about to rip my hair out and start crying, but I survived. Looking back on it now I am not feeling as bad about it. I'm certainly not to the point of laughing about it yet, but the anger has subsided. I am on a search for anything and everything that will keep my 2 year old quiet. I don't care about him being happy, I just want him to be quiet!!! I've had a wonderful year of listening to other kids scream while mine was fast asleep on the bench. 1 week down and 51 more to go... I don't think I can handle any more Sunday's like this. I need ideas!!!!

Happy New Year!!

We had the Domm's and Nelson's over on new year's eve to celebrate. The kids played and we ate. It was fun but I am tired.