Updates

So I lied!! I guess I really wasn't back seeing as it has been a month since I have posted anything. Sorry this is another long post. I finally got my house completely spring cleaned and I feel more on top of things than I have for awhile so its finally time for another post. I have been working on this post for the last four days because my computer has been retarded but I think it'll work now. We have been able to do some really fun things as a family and I can't believe how much the kids have grown in the last month. Emma finished preschool and is enjoying playing with the little girls that I babysit. I found a bike for her at a yard sale a few months ago and she is having so much fun learning to ride. She has really been into doing her own hair lately and is dying to get her hands on some makeup. Jaxson now has a motor mouth and it has been so fun to see him learn to talk. I was playing around with him on the floor the other day and he launched himself on me and said "I EAT YOU!!! He is such a funny kid. I love this stage where they can talk and tell you what they want but they are to young to talk back. Well at least not as much. Sunday was a monumental day because it was the first day that Jaxson was actually quiet during sacrament meeting!! I actually got to listen to the talks!! It was amazing. Isaac is growing so fast!!! He will sit up now but he really likes to roll all over the place. He also is at the wonderful stage where he puts anything he can get his hands on into his mouth. He is finally used to a bottle and it has been good for both of us especially since he just cut two teeth. He is such a happy baby and I am so grateful that he's a part of our family. Here are some photos of the fun things we've done over the past few week. Sorry there are so many. Jaxson got to go on his very first father and son camp out. Josh took a few more pictures than this but this one turned out the best. They had fun and I think Jax felt special to be able to spend time alone with Josh.

Jaxson loves his little brother. A lot of times he ends up mostly laying on top of him but Isaac doesn't mind. He just grabs Jaxson's face and laughs at him. I sure hope they will be good friends.

SWIMMING LESSONS: The kids have had swimming lessons for the last few months and we just had our last class. Emma is getting so good and can hold her breath under water now. I have been doing a parent child class with Jax and it has taken some time to get him used to the water. He hates the feel of it in his ears. Our last few classes he finally got up the courage to jump in by himself. He is doing so good, and is feeling more comfortable in the water. I just hope that we can get to the pool enough this summer so they don't loose everything they've learned.



DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER: We spent some fun family time at the children's museum a few weeks ago. The kids had a lot of fun playing there and it is a good place to learn. Afterwards we went for a picnic at the park. I hope my kids grow up remembering the fun things we did as a family instead of what a mess their mother always was.

Jaxson, experiencing a red world.

Jax loves to pull things so when he found this dog it was love at first sight. He pulled this thing all over the museum.

There was a bin full of lentil beans where the kids could "dig" for dinosaur bones. Lentils aren't even close to sand but the kids still had fun playing in them.

What a great dad!!

This was Isaac's first time in the swing. He loved it.

SINGING IN THE RAIN: There was a really big rain storm so the kids and I went puddle jumping. Needless to say they had a blast.

SATURDAY AT THE PARK: Last Saturday what started as a simple picnic at the park ended up to be a really fun time for the kids. The Hope Center here was having a "Day at the Park" donation drive. The kids played on a big blow up slide, got their faces painted and got free popcorn. Emma even got to ride her bike for a little while. They had a lot of fun, plus it was free, even better.

The slide was too high for Jaxson to climb up himself so the little girl you see at the top of the slide pushed him up so he could go down by himself.

Jaxson with his popcorn and lemonade.

I had to put these next pictures in because I think they are so funny. Jaxson often falls asleep in front of the door and this night he had poked his hand out and fallen asleep with it there. I snapped the photo and then Josh found that you could see his face under the door. Priceless.

I'm Back!!

Do you ever feel like your life is spinning out of control? I do. Frequently. These last few weeks I have been trying to get it under control. Have I succeeded? Not really. But I'm trying. They say that trying is enough, but when the house is a mess and dinner needs to be started and you have to change a dirty diaper, trying really isn't enough. You moms with small children will hopefully understand what I'm talking about. I wanted to post something though so you didn't give up and stop checking my blog. We have had a really fun filled month. We took a trip to see my family. My brother is back from his mission!!! My whole family but one brother, who we missed, was there. It was so great to see everyone and we got our van while we were down there. We also blessed Isaac while we were down there and we got family pictures. This post covers what has happened in our family for the last month. It's going to be a long post, but what can you expect when I haven't blogged for a month.

I couldn't ask for better grandparents for my kids. They are so wonderful. I don't have a picture of it, but when we were at Josh's parents house Bubba wasn't content to sit on the chair next to Grandpa Hill he had to be on his lap.

The cousins had so much fun playing together.

Bubba sat for a long time with my brother-in-law Adam looking at a book about birds. Adam was so patient with him and Bubba really enjoyed spending time with his uncle.

Tea Party Time: My mom is so awesome. While we were there she got out her cute little tea sets and did a tea party for the kids. She sent out invitations for the kids a week or two before we got there. The girls got all dressed up in their princesses dresses and I did their hair cute. They had so much fun.

Blessing Day: So yes, Smalls is six months old, and that's a little old to bless a baby, but we wanted to do it with family, so we waited and did it there. I'm so grateful that Josh is a worthy preisthood holder and could do it.

I was thinking yesterday about how grateful I am that Smalls is a part of our family. He was a surprise but I'm so glad that the Lord sent him to us. He is such a sweet mellow boy and I'm glad to be his mom.We are so grateful that Josh's brother and sister and their spouses and family came up for Smalls blessing. It was so fun to see them. I realized the next day that I'm a dork and didn't get pictures with my family on the night of the blessing. I hope they know that we love them though.

Family Photos: My brother in law is a fabulous photographer and was nice enough to take photos of the family while we were down there.

This is the first family picture we've had taken since Isaac was born.

Does any one have a trick for getting a perfect picture of all the kids. Because obviously I don't know it. At least they're all sitting down for the moment.

I had to put this one is. Bubba likes getting his picture taken so much and so he kept wandering into the photos when it wasn't his turn. He is such a funny kid.

Emma's Photo Shoot: While I was in the shower one day, Emma found the camera. The pictures tell it all. She actually didn't do a bad job on some of them.

More recently: We got out the exersaucer for Smalls and he loves it. I can't believe how fast he grown!!

Josh's boss had a sandbox that they gave to us and the kids love it. Maybe it will help Bubba stay in the yard instead of running into the street. Yeah right!!

Bubba decided that he likes to eat whole apples rather than sliced. I wouldn't be surprised if he ate a seed or two in the process.