Our big girl!

Aleece got her ears pierced today! It was part of an early birthday present for her, and she did such a great job! She sat super still for the lady piercing her ears, and we only had a few tears. Afterwards she did say it hurt, but just a little bit. Her earrings are daisies with each of the petals being a different color. They are very cute. She had called her Granny earlier in the day and informed her that she had dreamed every day this week of getting her ears pierced. This has been something she has wanted to do, for about a year now, and she proved to us she was old enough to do it! She had to have her ears done one at a time, because there was only one woman working, but we left the final decision up to Aleece. We told her she could come back when they could do both ears at once, or have them done one at a time, and she told us she was ready to have them done individually. Today was her day. As the impending arrival of baby #3 nears I can't help but think of both of my previous pregnancies. It seems like just yesterday that I was discovering I was pregnant with Aleece. Where does the time go? She has turned into a big girl, in what seems to me, to be no time at all! Here are some pictures of Aleece's newly pierced ears. Sorry the quality isn't great, I couldn't seem to get the earrings to show up very well! I'll keep working on it!




Aleece's new earrings.


What a big girl!


Sisters! Best friends!

Block Party

We had the opportunity to attend our first block party since moving to the Memphis area today, and let me tell you, it was quite the unusual experience! The block party started at 4 pm, and running on Mormon standard time we arrived about 4:15 pm. Well, apparently Memphians run even further behind schedule than Mormons do! :) People finally started showing up at about 4:45. There was lots of food and even more beer. The alcohol was definitely flowing freely! The weather was scorching, even with multiple fans on and the kids got to play with water balloons. However, I think the thrill of the afternoon for them was playing with all of the neighborhood pets. It doesn't matter if animals are stuffed or real, our children flock to them! They love animals and always have. You'll notice in the following pictures, that there isn't one without some kind of animal! The best was Lainey befriending the neighborhood rottweiler. Mind you, I kept very close proximity, just in case, but this dog was one of the sweetest animals I have ever met. It also outweighed Madelaine by well over 100 pounds. The one picture that I missed getting was of her riding the rottweiler (Yogi). It was so cute! Aleece took more to the little black dog, I think because he reminds her of Sully! All in all, we had a good time, and actually got to know some of our neighbors. We have quite a diverse neighborhood!

So proud

I just wanted to take a minute and say how proud I am of my sweet husband. For those of you that don't already know, he is starting up a master's program next Tuesday at a university here in Memphis. He will be getting his Master's in Education as well as his Educator's License. He had to take two separate tests about a month ago. One was required to enter the master's program, the other required before he graduates from the program. He was told the second one was almost never passed the first time, and not to worry, because he could take it until he passed. Well, he has been waiting all month for his test results, and we are happy to report that he passed both tests! He studied hard for them and his hard work paid off! We are so proud of him and are glad he has the opportunity to once again further his education. He loves to learn and he loves teaching children, and so we are thrilled that he has the opportunity to do so many things he enjoys! Way to go Val! We love you!

Memorial Day recap

It's always fun to have a few days where you can sit back, relax and enjoy one another's company! This weekend we were able to do just that as we celebrated Memorial Day and we got to do lots of fun things as well. I'm a little disappointed that we forgot our regular camera, and the little camera we had with us somehow deleted all of the pictures I had before I had a chance to download them! We got to BBQ with some friends from our ward on Saturday and the girls loved being able to play with their friend Corbin. On Monday we went to this great sprinkler park! It's pretty much a playground where everything sprays water! The girls had such a fantastic time, as did we! We picniced and enjoyed the coolness of the water, especially since it was so hot that day! Later that afternoon we got to go see the new Indiana Jones movie, which we also loved! It is very reminiscent of the past Indiana Jones movies, and anyone who likes those, is sure to like this one! It was so nice to be able to spend time as a family and enjoy the day together. We are so used to celebrating holidays with lots of extended family, and being out here in TN has definitely been a challenge in that regard. We have done a lot of firsts here for our family. It's nice to be able to create our own little family traditions as well as implement the ones from our own childhoods! We still miss family like crazy though and wish as every holiday draws near, that we were all together!

Pool Princesses

We bought a little pool for the girls this week and tested it out yesterday. They loved splashing around in the water and being able to enjoy this already humid weather! The water sure makes it easier to be able to do so! Here is a quick slideshow of them!

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This and That

This is all sort of random, but I thought I would recap our week! Lainey had a doctor's appointment on Monday. We were getting her rechecked because she had 2 sets of ear infections within a month and the doc wanted to make sure they were gone for good. Luckily they are and she has put on a little more weight. She is approximately 19 lbs, which is still tiny, but she is growing and so we are happy! Aleece has been my big helper lately. With as big as I am getting it's nice to have someone who is willing to help me out when Val isn't around! She rarely complains about it and is always telling me how she can't wait for her baby brother. She has even taken to carrying around a baby doll, saying it is her brother, and she is so tender and gentle with it! She is such a good big sister! Plus, she is a good example to Lainey, because Lainey also loves babies! It's always fun to see your children's relationships grow! Val will start up his master's classes in a couple of weeks and he went to an orientation yesterday at the university. The university he is attending is a Chrisian school and he was telling us when he got home that they opened orientation with a prayer, but that it was funny, because they just closed the prayer "Thank you". Aleece was shocked by this and said, "I guess I'm going to have to visit your class and tell them it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen". I got quite a kick out of this, but it's good to know she is learning and growing in gospel principles! I love to hear her relay stories that she has heard in primary. Plus Lainey has gotten really good at saying Jesus and can point him out in any picture! The gospel is truly a blessing in our lives! The girls and I went to Val's school the other day to hear his choir perform and we were so proud of him. It's easy to see how much the students and other teachers like him, and I was impressed with his choir. They are small in number but performed well. The students love having the music program back in there school. This job has also been a blessing in our lives--Val loves going to work and it has given him some great opportunities-like going back to school. I have less than seven weeks left in this pregnancy and am getting quite anxious. I had a doctor's appointment today and we got to hear the babies heartbeat. It was between 150 and 155 and I am measuring well. We are excited to have a little boy and can't wait to see what changes he brings to our household. Being pregnant is like having your own mini heater however and this week I finally succumbed and turned on the air conditioning. I seriously felt like I was melting! :)

Pregnancy Update

Here I am at approximately 31 weeks, on Mother's Day. Remember the old post about Aleece and the song, "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly"? Well, I look like that old lady, only imagine she just swallowed a horse! :) I honestly don't remember ever getting this big with Madelaine!

Ballerina's In Training

Aunt Mary made the girls the cutest tu-tu's ever and has Leecy and Lainey dancing around the house like crazy! They love to dress up and were thrilled with their gifts. Thank you Aunt Mary for all of the time and effort you put into making them! We love them and you!!!

Being a mom...

Being a mom is my greatest joy and I could ask for no greater calling in life. My sweet husband has allowed me the opportunity to stay at home and care for our children and I am so grateful. We have been blessed with two of the sweetest little girls and anticipate greatly our first son. One of my favorite quotes, (forgive me for paraphrasing) says something to the effect of "In 100 years it won't matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, or how much money I had in the bank, only if I mattered in the life of a child." I strive every day to make a difference in my children's life and to give them the best life possible. I know I have been entrusted with them by my Father in Heaven, and I am thankful for that every single day. I am grateful to have a mom who taught me how to be the kind of mother I am today and am so grateful for all she did and continues to do for me.

On Mother's Day I was spoiled WAY too much and thought I would share some of the pics!

Home again

We had a fantastic opportunity to spend a couple of weeks with family up in Minnesota and had a fabulous time! Here are some of the highlights! Sorry if some of it is a repeat from the last post!

-We were able to do things we had never done before, despite living in MN for 2 1/2 years! This included walking the sky way throughout Minneapolis, going to the Como Zoo and having the IKEA experience!

-The Como Zoo makes the fifth zoo we have been too over the past year with Granny! We have also been to the Hogle Zoo (Salt Lake), the Minneapolis/St. Paul Zoo, the Sioux Falls Zoo, the Memphis Zoo and now the Como zoo and conservatory. We had so much fun (as always) looking at all of the animals and learning new fun facts. We now consider ourselves zoo connoisseurs!

-IKEA is now my new favorite store. It's probably a good thing we don't have one within a hundred miles of us! You can seriously get everything you need there and for ridiculously reasonable prices! Plus they have great meatballs and there lignonberry jam is delish!

-We were able to see my baby brother Trey go to prom. It was so fun to see him all dressed up! He looked so grown up! Don't let that fool you however, he is still a kid at heart! :)

-We were also able to see Trey perform in a couple of track meets. He throws the shot put and discus and is pretty much amazing! They even wrote an article about him in the local paper, entitled "Trey's Anatomy".

-We had the best time spending time with family--Granny, Grampy, Trey, Patty and Eric. The girls had so much fun, despite being sick, with all of them and we created some great memories.

-Patty and Eric, our families political fanatics, taught the girls to say Obama. We are now the proud owners of a stuffed guinea pig with that same name. Seriously, what 3 1/2 year olds support politics? Apparently ours does! :)

-We were able to talk to Elder Bubba on the phone as he left the MTC and headed to Switzerland! It was so good to hear his voice! We also got to listen to the most amazing message on my parents answering machine. This sweet woman, whom met Clay on the airplane from SLC to Chicago called to inform all of us of what an amazing young man Clayton is and how strong his spirit is and how happy he is. All things we already knew of course! :)

-The girls did get pretty sick, but we were lucky to have Granny there to help out! She is truly an angel!

-We experienced winter in what was supposed to be spring! We had 6+ inches fall one day and Aleece was certain that that meant Santa was supposed to come that night! Minnesotans have been referring to the date as February 85th and so on! They really haven't gotten a spring at all because it has been so cold!

-Madelaine learned several new words, including several names. Some of these are Granny, Grampy, Trey, Patty, Sully, sit, chocolate, jacket, blanket, and several others.

-Granny and Grampy were so good to us--they took great care of us and neither the girls nor I wanted to leave.

Here are some more pictures from our wonderful trip! We miss everyone already, but are glad we will see them again soon!!! Thanks for all of the fun!

Click on the image to enlarge! :)

Trip to MN

The girls and I have had the great opportunity to spend the past week and a half up in Minnesota visiting Granny, Grampy and Trey. Val drove us halfway to Nauvoo (great half way point!) and we did a little sightseeing before Val headed back to Memphis to work and we continued on to MN. It was so nice to be able to show the girls where mommy and daddy got married. It's funny what a difference in temperature there has been. We were prepared for some somewhat spring temperatures, but have had to buy Aleece a new winter coat since we've been here! It even snowed 6 inches one day! We have had a great time visiting and are so glad we have been able to be here! Here are some of our picture highlights.....


the windows in the Nauvoo temple--we love this temple!!!

Leecy T by the Joseph and Hyrum Smith statue

the girls with their Granny and Grampy in front of the Nauvoo temple-having a great time, despite the chilly temperatures

Mommy, Daddy, Leecy T and Lainey bug--where our eternal family started almost six years ago!

Lainey bug and Grampy--she loves hats!!!


Leecy, Lainey and Uncle Trey at one of Trey's prom photo ops!

Leecy T staying busy during some of the prom festivities.

Aunt Patt and the girls having a good time.

Lainey playing peek a boo with her hat.

Trey at his prom, after the grand march, with the girls, Steph, Patty and Eric. In case you couldn't tell, Aleece was done for the evening!

We have experienced a bit of sickness while we have been here, which has provided for some orneryness, but the girls are beginning to feel better and they love every moment they get to share with their Granny and Grampy and aunts and uncles!

We have been having so much fun and we wish Daddy was here with us, but we know he is working hard at home, and we can't wait to see him. We will get to meet again in Nauvoo this coming weekend and still have an exciting week left here in MN! It's always a good time with family and we wish we lived closer so this could happen more often! It's so nice to see the special connection the girls have with their grandparents. They love them SOOO much! We love our family so much!

Amen

Madelaine seems to pick up new words every day. She loves to chatter and has picked up on various funny expressions like "Oh, man!". She even makes the different inflections with her voice. It is too cute. This week she has been listening extra close, and with every prayer that is said, she exclaims a boisterous Amen at the end. This occurred during church yesterday also. Every time amen was said, she would say Amen, just extra loud and cute!
I love to watch my girls grow and learn and it brings a smile to my face every time they do something new. I get to experience such joy on a daily basis and don't know what I would do without my sweet girls! It makes me anxious to meet our little boy and see what he is like!

"Knock, knock"

Aleece's new favorite thing to do is to make phone calls on her own. She likes to call her Granny and Grampy, and usually does this at least once a day. She hasn't quite figured out the answering machine yet and thinks she is being hung up on however! It's amazing to me that she can carry on 20 minute conversations without batting an eyelash! Mind you, there is generally some silliness involved, epecially today. Aleece and Granny were talking on the phone and Granny told her a knock knock joke. I believe it was,
"Knock, knock."
"who's there?"
"Olive"
"Olive who"
"Olive you!" (I love you, for those of you who didn't get it!) :)

Aleece than attempted some of her own which usually had something to do with oranges and banana pants.....who knows! I think she was trying to remember the knock knock joke where you keep saying banana, until you finally say "orange you glad I didn't say banana?" This produced much laughter from all involved and resulted in her laughing hysterically and trying to come up with more jokes. My favorite went like this...
"Knock, knock"
"Who's there"
"I love you, that's who!"

She is too cute! There is not a day that goes by that she doesn't make me smile!

Yesterday we splurged and took the girls to see the movie "Horton Hears a Who". Madelaine even sat through it (she did fall asleep at the end) and loved all of the animals! It was very cute and I loved the message behind it. I loved even more Aleece's comment upon leaving the theater---"You guys are the best mother and father in the whole world!"

My favorite quote in the movie was,
"A person's a person no matter how small."
We like this quote in our house especially! We aren't known for our height, that's for sure! :)
I think this world could be a much better place if we could remember this simple phrase! What a great way to teach children to have respect for everyone around them. I recommend you all go see it!

Projects

Here are the projects I have been working on! The canvases are for the babies room--it will be done in the John Lennon baby collection-- and the princess sign is in the girls room! I think they turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself!

My little Einsteins...

The girls came across a pair of old kid's sunglasses this week, that have in the past been tortured and had the lenses removed. They now look like a red copy of Daddy's glasses. I love to see the two of them running around the house in them. I couldn't resist getting some pics of them like this! Enjoy!




My baby Einstein!


My little Einstein!

Sick and pleasant

How is it possible for such a little girl to be so sick, and yet so pleasant at the same time? Poor little Lainey bug has been sick this week, as has Leecy T. Fortunately Leecy T has gotten better (we were a little worried there for a while with her history) but little Lainey has continued to be sick. She has this horrible cough, which includes wheezing and a runny nose and we found out at the doctor's office, that she also has horrendous ear infections! The doc said they were bright red and that a normal antibiotic wouldn't solve the problem, so she is on a heavy duty one. She is also scheduled to have breathing treatments every four hours to help her lungs. Poor thing! Lainey has also had a fever and amazes us at how little she complains. She doesn't cry much and usually has a big smile for everything! And Leecy T has been such a great helper--she likes to help take Lainey's temperature and she always makes sure Lainey has the blanket, toy, etc that she needs. What a good big sis! So right now, we are crossing our fingers that this antibiotic works! I'll keep you posted!

Big girl beds....

In our attempt to get ready for our little boy arriving this summer, we decided to get the girls adjusted to new living arrangements. They already shared a room, but Aleece was in a toddler bed, and Madelaine was still in her crib. So yesterday we bought Aleece a new "big girl" bed. She is now the proud owner of a twin size bed, with lots of fun drawers and stuff! She was so excited to make this transition. We went to the store to pick out some new bedding and she had such a great time making her choice and helping us put her new sheets and comforter on when we got home. And of course, Lainey is thrilled with the fact that she now also has a "big girl" bed. She loves that she can climb in and out of it on her own. The best part is, night #1 in this transition period went fabulously! Leecy T even informed us when she was put to bed, that she didn't need her lamp on or even a story read to her. (I'm not sure how long the no story part will last however!) What a big girl she is! I love my girls so much and love watching them transition from one stage to another. They continually amaze me!!! Here are some pictures for your enjoyment!




Leecy T on her new big girl bed!!!



Leecy and Lainey having a great time being silly!


What a big girl!


I'm a big girl too! :)

Leecy's Fish

Aleece recieved a fish tank and some fish from her Uncle Chandler an Aunt Jessica when they came to visit us last week, and she has been so thrilled with them! She loves to stand in front of the tank and watch them and even gave them all names (mostly princess names, but there are some other Disney characters thrown in for a little variety!). The other day one of her fish died, so we took it to the store to replace it. After we returned home and had placed the fish in his new home, Val heard Leecy talking to them. She was telling them that while this new fish wasn't the same as the old white fish, he was still very nice, and that the new fish was in a better place. How cute is she?

Easter surprise!

I guess I didn't get our Easter paraphanalia put away quickly enough, because this is what I entered the living room to find the other night! What a great after Easter surprise! How funny is it that at almost 17 months, she can still fit inside an Easter basket?!

Happy Easter!!!

An Easter Blessing

May your spirit soar on a joyful breeze.....
May your wishes fly to where rainbows begin.....
May your dreams take root in a hopeful heart.....
...and may happiness walk beside you always!

Happy Easter everyone!
Here are some picture highlights from our weekend!
We hope yours was as wonderful as ours!

Tagged

So I was tagged by Kathy to list 7 random things about myself. Here goes......

1. I love being pregnant. I'm in better shape when I'm pregnant than any other time, for some strange reason! I don't gain much weight and I don't have to worry about just being fat! Plus feeling the baby kick is such an incredible experience!

2. I absolutely love going to the zoo. Maybe more than my children! :) I don't know what my fascination is, but I always have such a great time!

3. I can totally tune anyone and anything out when I am reading. Blessing or curse? I'm really not sure!

4. I hate throw up. I will do anything in my power to prevent myself from doing it (even if it would make me feel better!), and I can't be in the same room as someone who has. I know it's my subconcious but I just can't help it! Baby spit up I'm fine with, but as soon as my kids have been old enough to have substanstial puke, it's Val's turn! Sorry honey!

5. The older I have gotten, the more fears I have developed. I think part of it has been in becoming a mother. I have such a strong need to protect my children that so many more things seem unsafe. Bridges collapsing, public shootings, flying, heights. Pathetic, I know. I really try hard to not let allow it to affect me too much. But I always have those underlying fears!

This is getting harder. I can't seem to think of anything interesting....let's see....

6. I'm never sure where to call "home" when someone asks me. I've moved around so much in my life, it's hard to pinpoint any one place. I resided the longest amount of time in Texas, and have so many fond memories from there, but I was born in Ohio, started school in England, moved to Utah after graduating high school, have also lived in South Carolina, Minnesota and now Tennessee. I guess I would have to say home is wherever my family is. One of my favorite quotes is "Home is not a place, it is a feeling." I 100% concur!!!

7. I love any and all holidays! My parents always made every holiday fun and it has made me want to do the same for my children! Any excuse to celebrate! I love all of our traditions and hope our children will pass them on also!

There you have it. Not necessarily interesting, but seven random things about me, nonetheless! :) I guess I am supposed to tag a couple of people, so I tag Patty, Katchie, Mary Rose, and Noelle!

Can I, May I?

The days all seem to pass so quickly, before I know it, it's been a while since I've had the chance to blog!

We have tried to get Aleece to start saying "May I?" versus "Can I?" Well, we've definitely succeeded in confusing her! Now she simply says, "Can I, May I, please......" It really is quite humorous!

The other day while the girls were taking a bath Lainey put her hand over her heart and Leecy says to her, "That's right Lainey. That's where the Holy Ghost lives!" How cute is that? I couldn't ask for two better girls! :)

We went to an Easter picnic/party for our ward this morning and the girls had such a fun time collecting eggs on the Easter egg hunt! It was supposed to take place at a really nice park in our area, but due to inclement weather it was held in our church building. Not nearly as fun of an atmosphere, but when candy is involved, what do kids care?

We are excited for this coming week because it is Val's spring break! That means we get him all to ourselves for one whole week! We can't wait!

Tribute

My sweet husbands birthday is today and I've been thinking all day about how very lucky I am to be married to him. This is the seventh birthday I will be celebrating with him--it's remarkable how quickly time passes us by. We have been through so many changes in our lives since we first met, but our love has continued to grow each and every day since the moment our paths crossed. Val is one of the most caring, passionate, loving people I know. He is an amazing husband and father and he works so hard to provide for our family and allow me to stay at home and raise our children. He is one of the most talented people there is. I love to hear him sing and play the piano. He is so passionate about the way he performs, and the way he teaches and anyone who has the opportunity to hear him is truly blessed. Sometimes when you hear people perform, you know they are playing the right notes, but there is no passion there. I love to listen to Val because he always brings something new to what he is doing. He loves it and you know it. I love that Val can make our girls giggle like no one else! They love to tease him and play games with him and I just like to sit back sometimes and watch. They are the moments that I lock away into my memory, so that I won't ever forget them. I love that Val is an incredibly hard worker. He has always been dedicated to his jobs, even when he hasn't enjoyed them. It's nice that he finally has been rewarded with a job he enjoys so much. What it all boils down to is that I love my husband with my whole heart and soul and I am so thankful to be his wife. He is an incredible spirit and he has touched many lives! Happy birthday sweetie! I love you!

Baby bump

Okay, I know I've slacked but here is a picture of the baby bump! I am approximately 22 1/2 weeks. I haven't gained any weight yet, yet am somehow still huge!

Frosty the Snowman

Aleece and I made a snowman this morning! The weather was so nice outside despite all of the snow! She affectionately named her snowman Frosty! Lainey wanted to be outside too so Daddy brought her out and we had a snowball fight. Madelaine would just laugh and laugh every time someone threw a snowball. It was so funny to watch! Here are a few pictures!




Aleece gathering sticks for her snowman's arms.


Aleece giving the snowman arms.


Aleece and Frosty holding hands!


Lainey and Frosty--she thought he was hilarious!


They are the same height!

It's raining.....it's snowing!

Who would think that there would be snow in Memphis in March? I mean, we didn't get any all winter long, but sure enough we have been in a winter weather warning since midnight last night, and already have several inches on the ground, with several more to come! The girls were enthralled with the snow and begged to go out. Aleece had a carrot all ready for her snowman that she was going to make (which we never got around to...it was just way too cold!). So we bundled them up as well as we could and they ended up looking like little stay puft marshmallow men! (Ghostbusters, anyone?) They were so fun to watch! Aleece just ran around the yard, made a few snowangels and enjoyed every minute! Madelaine had a hard time staying upright with as much as she was bundled up, but enjoyed it even when she was flat on her back! :) Here are a few pictures to commemorate this occasion---trust me this doesn't happen very often here! The whole city has pretty much shut down--nobody knows how to deal with this! It's actually pretty funny!




Aleece running through the snow!


Madelaine trying to stay upright! Loving the snow!


Our little snow angel!


No matter the temperature--she loves the outdoors!

Pet peeves and cookies

We took the girls to the most fabulous park today. It has several playgrounds, swings, plenty of picnic benches, and the weather was perfect. The girls had so much fun. Val and I thoroughly enjoyed playing with the girls and finally being able to spend some time outside. My only pet peeve when it comes to the park is children who are unattended. This doesn't always mean that there isn't a parent there, it just means the parent obviously has something better to do than watch their own children. Everything would go so much more smoothly if all of the kids took turns, instead of shoving other kids out of the way and blocking slides, etc. I know most of these parents probably have no idea what is going on because they believe there children are old enough to 1) hopefully know better than to bully younger children and 2) not have to be supervised at all times. Unfortunately that isn't always the case. I guess being a mother to younger children I notice more of this, and am going to make sure I never get included in the group of parents I mentioned previously!
Another thing I have noticed over the past two weeks is the sudden appearance of girl scout cookies EVERYWHERE! I can't leave my house without coming across a stand of some kind with cute little girl scouts pleading for you to buy there cookies. I was a girl scout myself and remember all of the drama that came with selling cookies. Knocking on doors and begging people to buy something was not my favorite part of being a girl scout by any means! I remember wanting to sell enough cookies to win certain prizes, but in reality, I don't know how ANY of those prizes where even really achievable! It has been enough years without having had a girl scout cookie, that I'm almost afraid I've forgotten what they taste like! And I have to tell you, that being pregnant, I have to try and steer clear of all of these stands, because I want to give in and buy a box of Samoa's so badly! But they now charge a whopping $3.50 a box! I just can't see spending that kind of money on a box of cookies, no matter how good I imagine they might taste! Plus, I'm almost certain they are better in my imagination....so why ruin a good thing? :)

Boiling toilets and name calling

So, the other day I was in the kitchen finishing up preparing lunch when I heard a blood-curdling scream and Aleece running down the hallway to find me. She runs into the kitchen to exclaim that there is water all over the bathroom. Super. So I run to the bathroom and lock myself in there so that the girls don't decide that the water looks inviting and start to clean everything up and plunge the toilet. Ah, the excitement in my life. Well, it only took me a few minutes, and as soon as I came out Aleece wanted to know why the toilet was boiling water. What? I guess I had never thought of it that way! But we've taken such caution as parents to make sure they don't get anywhere near the stove or anything extremely hot, for fear of something splashing on them, I guess that is why there was so much panic in that initial scream. After explaining to her what was really going on, I couldn't help but laugh!
Madelaine has learned to say Aleece's name. It is so cute. Generally Aleece goes to bed before she does and as soon as their bedroom door shuts, Lainey goes running down the hall, yelling "aleece, aleece". It is just too cute. She is getting so good at using her words. Another of my favorites is when I ask her what she needs and she responds with, "ummmm..." like she needs to think about it before telling me. I tell ya, they just grow up to fast.
I don't want to have to knock on wood or anything, but the month of February will officially come to a close at midnight, and we have managed to stay away from the hospital this year! Hallelujah! Aleece does have a cough, but I think we just might manage to avoid our yearly trek to the hospital this time! That is a huge blessing! I don't think my pregnant body could handle sleeping on a hospital couch!
Being pregnant has definitely had a strong affect on my emotions this time around. Some days everything feels so completely overwhelming and I don't know where to begin the days tasks, but everytime I look into one of my girls faces, everything seems clearer, and I can't help but want to continually be better for them! It's funny to realize the connection this little boy inside me already has to his sisters. He is most active when he hears their voices, or when they are sitting next to me leaning against my belly. It is such a wonderful feeling to feel life moving around inside of you and to already have such a strong bond with them. Being a mother is my calling in this life, and I am thankful to my mom for instilling in me the values and knowledge I needed to be able to do this great thing.

Au revoir

My little brother Clay enters the MTC (missionary training center) today out in Utah. He will be there for nine weeks, learning to speak French, before heading overseas to the beautiful country of Switzerland for 2 years. He is doing such an honorable thing and serving the Lord for 2 years as a missionary for our church and we couldn't be more proud of him. He has become such an incredible young man and it will be hard not to see him for two years, but we all know he is doing what he is supposed to be, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I know the next two years will hold some truly amazing experiences for him, and I know he is going to grow immensely. It's hard to say goodbye to someone you love, for so long, but I know in the grand scheme of things, this is just a few seconds of our eternal lives. So really goodbye isn't the right thing to say, I guess. I'll just say, have fun, keep the faith and we'll see you in two years! We love you Bubba!

So proud

Today Val and I had one of those moments, where it's like everything stops and you are truly able to take a mental picture of what is going on around you. We realized that our first born, sweet baby girl isn't a baby anymore, she's not even a toddler--she's a little girl. The primary sang in church today and Aleece went right up on the stand, stood proudly, smiling on the front row, and sang "I am a child of God" so beautifully. It is her favorite song, and she melts my heart everytime I hear her sing it. It was so amazing for me to sit and watch her smiling face up there singing, and to see how far she has already come in her short life. If she has already grown this much in 3 1/2 years, where will she be in the next 3 1/2 or 10 or 20 years? I can only imagine. Val wrote a really touching blog about today's experiences and I encourage you all to read it. You can link to his blog on the right hand side of my page. It really touched me, and he is so much more eloquent than I will ever be. All I can say is that I truly love being a mother and I cherish each and every day with my children. I am so blessed to be there mother and I thank my Heavenly Father every day for allowing me this opportunity.

The results are in......

And the boys have it!!! We are proud to announce that our next little addition will be a boy! We are very excited! His heart rate was about 159 and he weighs in at about 9 ounces so far. He is growing right on track and he looks healthy and strong! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. There is one of his profile and another of his boy parts. And like that picture wasn't obvious enough alone, there is a nice little arrow pointing to the important stuff in case you missed it to begin with. Although I don't see how that is possible, he is obviously not shy! :)

Haircuts

This is a tribute to my favorite cosmetologist in the whole world, my sister Katchie! She has cut my hair for, I think, at least the past five years, and always makes it look just right! I believe I have only had it cut by someone else one time in those 5 years, due to my living 1100 miles away, and it was completely traumatizing! I hated what the lady did and vowed never to do it again unless absolutely necessary. Well, necessity knocked on my door. I was looking like a shaggy dog, and thanks to my now living 1500 miles away from my sister, I am unable to get my hair cut as often as I would desire. So I finally got my haircut today--mind you, I went in with a picture of myself after Katchie had cut it, and was hoping and praying that I wouldn't come out of there a complete disaster. It went better this time around, my hair doesn't look too bad. The lady who cut it was about as southern as you can be (her name was Melva Rae--I mean seriously!) and was VERY chatty. I would much much rather have Katchie cutting it! I have always had complete faith in her, and I know she would never let me walk out of her salon looking ridiculous! If anyone needs their hair done, she is the one to go to! She has an amazing talent, and can even make a mullet look good! :) And that takes A LOT of talent! So I guess, I'll just have to beg Katchie to move to Memphis! Katchie, Jeff?? Any takers? :)

ABC Find out me

Thanks to wonderful traditions we were raised with, we have been able to pass them on to our sweet children. On Valentines Day every year, ABC Find out me, would drop off a package at our front door with a little gift for everyone. It was always something fun, and the excitement and anticipation didn't diminish with age either. Well, ABC Find out me dropped a package off for the girls last night, and they thoroughly enjoyed opening their little presents. Leecy T got a magnetic Island Princess book and some lip balm, and Lainey got a Bambi book and some Hippo bath toys that squirt water. They had to open them up right away and test everything out and that is always fun to watch! These girls are so easy to please! Hope everyone had an enjoyable and memorable Valentines Day!

Lainey after opening her ABC Find out me gift.
Leecy T opening her gift.
Lainey enjoying the moment!
Leecy T with her fun stuff.

Happy Valentines Day <3

Valentines day has a way of making you reflect on all of the reasons you love those that are important in your life. There are so many people in my life that I love very much and am so thankful for. My desire is to be able to show them this all year long, not just one day of the year when people are feeling especially lovey-dovey!

I love my husband so much for all that he is and stands for. He is a wonderful husband and father and treats me like a queen. He makes me want to be better in all that I do.

I love my daughters so very much, for their sweet spirits, their innocence, their laughter, their smiles. The list could go on forever.

I love my parents so much for their unconditional love and support. There example to me is truly amazing.

I love my sisters so much for their wisdom, support, and sassiness! They bring so much to this world and are always there when I need them.

I love my brothers so much for their strength. Not just physically but emotionally. They have grown so much over the years and are truly remarkable young men.

I have a great deal of love for so many others--esecially for their examples to me.

This list could grow and grow and grow. I just hope all of you know how much you have touched my life, and I am thankful for the places you hold in my heart.

I was tagged by a friend and thought it would be fun to do today.

answer these questions for you and your spouse/significant other)
1. Your Song: One by U2--our wedding song.
2. Your favorite feature of his: His eyes--they are a piercing blue and he has these tremendously long eyelashes!
3. His favorite feature of yours: my smile
4. What drives you crazy about him (not the good stuff): His stocking caps! :) Although now we are in a much warmer place, so he doesn't wear them as often! :)
5. What drives him crazy about you: That I expect him to know what, where, why, when, and how about everything I'm thinking.. (thank you Steph for putting it perfectly!)
6. Favorite trip you've taken together: So many! We have traveled thousands of miles throughout our marriage and I have fond memories of every single trip. It's been wonderful to see the country with him!
7. How do you picture your lives in fifty years: Val being retired and us enjoying our many grandchildren! Probably serving a mission and living life to it's fullest!
8. What was your last fight over: I honestly don't know! I'm sure something totally lame!
9. Most romantic thing he's ever said to or done for you: Val is a romantic at heart! When we were dating it was flowers and songs he had written for me, since we've been married it's been a multitude of things. He always makes sure my needs are met!
10. Favorite "down time" activity: Movies. We love to sit together and watch a good movie that we can discuss afterwards.


**Bonus** post some of your favorite pictures together
At Val's graduation


Seals and Seals concert

I tag: Katchie, Patty, Mary Rose, Noelle and Becca

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Growing up...

It's so amazing to me to watch my children learn and grow. They literally change every day! Whether it be learning something new, or developing a new facial expression, whatever!
This past week Val decided to teach Aleece the song "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly". He sang the whole song to her, with Aleece asking after each verse, "Why?" It's a pretty reasonable question, I don't know why someone would swallow any of those things. When the song was complete, instead of Aleece asking us to sing it again, or commenting on how much she liked it, she replied "What a wierdo." It then dawned on me, that my first born is now much more grown up than I maybe want her to be! When your kids are young you can protect them from just about anything, but the older they get, the more they understand about the world in general and it gets much harder to shield them from the daily woes of life. But I know that it is a part of life, and I smile everyday at the new things Aleece has learned or realized! She also has learned the concept of knock knock jokes. Val thought he could fool her with the old "why did the chicken cross the road?" joke, but Aleece responded with the right answer so quickly, Val was downright shocked! I don't think he realized our babies were growing up so quickly either!!! Madelaine is learning a bit of sassiness from her big sister. I've determined we have used the counting method much to often, because now when I start to count three, I can only get out one, before Madelaine chimes in with "two". I have to admit, it makes me laugh every time. I'm not very good at being the tough parent. It's always been one of my challenges. It's just so hard to try and keep a straight face half of the time when I am trying to use a little discipline! I just love my kids so darn much!

Hugs and Kisses

Granny and Grampy always send us packages to let us know they are thinking of us! The girls got some really cute Valentines day outfits and adorable rain boots (wellies, for all of you English people out there!) They were so excited about everything! I got an amazingly comfy pair of shoes that I don't have to tie! Slip on's are the only way to go when you are pregnant! I also got some pretty heart earrings, but Aleece informed me I had to wait until Valentines Day to wear those! And Val got a radio that you can either wind up to use or use batteries! We were so excited about this, because when the tornadoes hit earlier this week and we realized how unprepared we were, this is something we didn't have! So thank you so much Granny and Grampy! You guys are the best! We love you!

The Land of Oz.....

Today has been a pretty terrifying experience for me, as well as the rest of Memphis, TN. All of the Memphis City Schools closed down at 12:30 this afternoon. Val was home shortly thereafter. There was talk of extreme inclement weather, though it was still sun-shiney and 70 degrees outside! We ran a couple of errands and within about 15 minutes of our arriving home we were in our closet waiting out the tornadoes. Luckily we have a master bedroom, so the closet is pretty reasonably sized, even with four people inside of it. We grabbed some water, snacks, books and crayons for the girls, a flashlight, and sat it out. We didn't realize how unprepared we were until the moment was upon us! I know I had to deal with tornadoes and hurricanes and such growing up, but it really has been so long, that I guess I forgot how prepared you need to be! We will definately be preparing a tub of essentials for the next time this occurs. We were in the closet for probably an hour and a half total. The girls weren't completely thrilled with this, but we kept them entertained with stories and songs. When it was determined to be safe to come out, we tuned into the local news and watched as they told of all the damage that has already occurred. As I write this we are still not completely out of the woods. They are severe storms and tornado warnings on either side of our county, and we are hoping to not have to bed down in the closet tonight. A mall about 15 miles from here had a wall completely destroyed and many businesses have had roofs cave in, and fires start, and much, much more! A gas station on the state line even exploded! A tornado actually touched down about 2 miles from here and when we heard that my heart was in my throat! I've gotten alot more anxious the older I've gotten. I hate to admit I've developed more fears, but I think that becoming a mother has made me that much more aware of all the not so great stuff that can happen in our world! I know I get my mother tiger instincts from my mother, and I would do anything to protect my children! Needless to say, after exiting our closet I wondered if we were going to emerge into some kind of Land of Oz! An hour and a half in a closet, and being pregnant, makes your brain come up with all kinds of wacky stuff! We pray that we will continue to be safe and that those affected by these storms will get the relief that they need!