Dear Lew.

You are growing up to be quite the boy. 

We laugh all day long with you.  Seriously, you know that you are hilarious.

We love everything about you.  

Even your "SCREAM". (although the upstairs neighbors probably don't)

You have the best dance moves.  Spinning in circles with hands a waving.

I love when you run with your left arm swinging wildly. 

You tackle your brother and wrestle with him.

You give us lots of love.  My little hunk of love.

You love baths. Like run to the bathroom when you hear water running or the door open.  

You are into dressing yourself.  As in you love anything silky.  Your basketball sweat suit and your swimming shirt are among your favorites.  

You sit perfectly still and don't make a peep when we play hide and seek.  

You take one nap a day.
You like to roll around the floor.  You are also working on summersaults.  

You love to drink.  And eat.  Mostly drink.  Milk and bananas are favorites. 

You roar like a lion.  Grunt and point for most communication.  Say basketball. (for any ball) Mommy. Daddy.  Uh-Uh.  HI.  Yeah.
You are teething and constantly have you hands in your mouth.  Pour guys.  You so far have a total of six.  Two on the top.  Four on the bottom.

You are totally into sports.  Anything ball.  You will sit and wear a baseball helmet, usually backwards, all day long.  You almost always have a ball with you.  

If I say lets get ready, you run to the door and get your shoes until it is really time to leave.  

You are so sensitive.  In such a good way. It makes your aware of others feelings as well.  

You love to talk on the phone and skype.  You talk/grunt non-stop.  

You are totally sleeping through the night.  AMAZING.  although you have occasional night tares. 

You are 18 months this week.  

You have blessed our lives more then we can have imagined.  

You bring joy into our lives.

You will always be my hunk of love.

I love you more everyday.  

xox momma

  

Skating

We recently did a little roller skating as a family.

We were the only ones there which was totally fun and perfect for us.

Thomas totally improved just in the little bit we were there.  He rocked it! Plus he wore a mask, cape and gloves while skating.  I love it.

Daniel showed off all of his mad skills.  WOW.  Who would have known!?  

I held my own... but am definitely glad we were the only ones there!  

Lew loved running around.  And thought it was amazing when daddy took him out and around a few times.  

After skating we played in jungle gym.
Poor Lewis was terrified in all of the tunnels.  He even had night terrors that night.  Maybe it was because of the giant yellow slide that shoots you out at top speed that did him in.
Needles to say we totally enjoyed ourselves.

It is a New Year

January 1, 2012.

Not only a new day but, a new year too.
The weather was beautiful and warm.
We took a hike as a family and decided that wasn't enough time outside so we went to "castle" park and played some more.
The boys are at such a fun age right now.
They laugh and play with each other.
Thomas holds the best conversations.
Lewis is possibly the funniest little guy around, and he knows it.
Plus it was so nice to have Daniel home and hanging out with us.  It was totally needed.

Super

We are all about being super here at our house.  

SUPER HEROS.  

So when we found these pajamas for Christmas Eve we fell madly in love.  They have been one of the favorite presents this year.  They want to wear them every night for bed.  Needless to say we wash them far too often.  

I just love their cute little bodies in their tight little jammies!

friday the thirteenth

Today is Friday the 13th.
Some are superstitious and find this day to be unlucky.
Not Us.  Today we are celebrating at our house.
Because, five years ago today Daniel and I got married.

Five years seems so short for all of the growth and things accomplished in that time.  Yet it seems so long because that makes us older then I think we really are.  I know those thoughts contradict each other... I can't quite describe it.
In these last five years we both graduated with our bachelor degrees.  Daniel with his MSHR.
We had two sweet angel boys.  Two sweet angel boys that think they are super heros.  I agree.
We have moved 2 times.  Living in a total of three "places" we call home.
We have become residents of Utah.
We have had a total of 14 jobs.  Some better than others.  (word of advice....don't ever clean a day care when pregnant)
We have held a total of 12 church callings.
We have traveled to Oregon, Nevada, California, New York.
We have only had one car.
We have laughed until we cried.
We have learned way more about each other then we thought we could.
We have become companions that compliment each other instead of two individuals madly in love.
When I look back these five years to the person I was when I started this journey with Daniel I am in awe at the person I am becoming.... and it makes me so excited for all of the crazy things to come in the next 5 years.... and all of the many years after that! (maybe 50,000... just maybe if your lucky) It has been a journey that I am proud to be on.  A road map to the rest of our lives that I am so excited for.

Thank you Darling for loving me and caring for me.
I am lucky to love you on this Friday the 13th!    XOX

Tonight Santa is coming to our house!
(I know it is a day early)  It is just going to work out better for us... and so why not?
We are so excited.

I can't believe how fast December has gone and that Christmas is finally here.  
Daniel is officially done with his MSHR (Masters of Science in Human Resources)
This past semester was a crazy one.  I think it is safe to say that when he wasn't working and eating he was doing homework or thinking about it!
We are so proud that he was able to accomplish his first Masters and now we only have 6 more months until he finishes his second.  An MBA.
He has requested that we all call him MASTER.  I think it fits him well.

We started our countdown at the first of the month with a candy and christmas activity each day.
We slept out by the Christmas tree, we all got ornaments, we sang christmas carols, wrote thank you notes, made cookies, ate cookies, looked at christmas lights, saw santa (they were content looking from a distance)  We have tried to embrace all of the magic and enjoy the fun moments without the stress.
I think it is easy to say that doorbell ditching Thank You notes was by far the favorite activity.
I loved focusing on a Christlike attribute each day and trying to be more like him.
Something that I hope becomes a part of me and my everyday life.. not just at this time of year.
Today I was able to attend the temple and it was the perfect way to kick off our "Christmas Eve" celebrations.
We are going to have a nice turkey dinner (yikes wish me luck I've never cooked a turkey before) and spend the night as a family.

The boys have been so well behaved this last year.  They totally deserve for Santa to spoil them!  I know that it hasn't been easy for them in all of our craziness that we call life.  They are so sweet and loving and I hope that they know more than anything that we love them.  I love the boys that they are turning into.  That they are able to learn and to grow and become these fantastic young men each and every day.  And that I get to be a part of their journey.... because lets  be honest I am sure that I learn and grow more than they do!

I love that we get to celebrate Thanksgiving and then Christmas.  That we get to reflect on all that we have to be grateful for and then show our love and gratitude to our Savior and others through the gift of giving.  It is truly a blessing.

I know I haven't written in a long time.  There isn't an excuse.  Just a shift in priorities I suppose.  The priority to live and embrace everything about my simple and joyful life.  With Master and my two little men.

First snow of the Season

Saturday we woke up to snow on the ground.
Thomas couldn't have been more excited.
It is gone now... which I am ok with.
BUT, it was very magical for the day.
We dressed nice and cozy and rushed outside to the fluffy white stuff.
Lewis wasn't a huge fan at first but, quickly warmed up.
We built a snowman named Cowboy Frank.
We played on the playground and went fast fast fast down the slides.
We had snowball fights.  Thomas was brutal, he would aim right at your face or down your back.  YUCK.

There was a moment where the feeling in the air was PURE EXCITEMENT.
It was so real, it seemed as if it was tangible.
I could have bottled it up and carried it my pocket.
I LOVE experiencing these moments with my boys.  As they explore life and experience it for the first time.
It reminds me of everything that is important.  It reminds me what it was like to be a child.  To curiously explore life.  To have no worries.  No bills to pay.  Nobody else to take care of.  Just the responsibility to explore and enjoy life.  I hope they never loose that ability.  I want them to always be able to go on magical adventures and dream big dreams, with pure excitement.