His Journey Begins

It might sound a little dramatic, but Jansen began his journey yesterday. I realized on Sunday that the next morning Jansen would start the long road of schooling and education...his road to whatever he wanted to do with his life. Since his dad is still kind of traveling that road, but approaching the end, it was a significant moment for me. Each of them at one end of the path. 

There were no tears from him or me. After we got to the school he did grab my hand and tell me that he was starting to feel a little nervous. Oh how that tugged at my heart strings!

We are real lucky. There is a stroller brigade of sorts that walks to the school each morning starting in our neighborhood so there are lots of friends for me and Jansen to chat with. Most of the kids ride scooters...so we may need to make a change in plans and get Jansen one for his birthday. This is a picture of the kids in his kindergarten class that he goes to church with.

Waiting anxiously at the door. Oh how I wanted to go in there with him. Or at least be a fly on the wall.

I miss him while he is gone. Today is only his second day, but I can't stop thinking about him while he is there and I watch the clock till I can go snag him and have him back at home with me. I LOVE the extra free time and having a schedule, but we definitely miss him in the mornings.

Girl Loves Her Chocolate

We started Natalie's birthday off with some M&M pancakes. I'm sure Buddy the Elf would have loved to join us. "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup."

When Natalie can choose a treat she usually picks M&Ms, so I made a trail of them leading to her room where her presents were waiting.

Goldmine! She has loved her kitchen. Last night as we were putting her to bed she kept reminding me to not take anything. To make sure everything would be there in the morning. To not move anything.

Her birthday was on a Sunday morning, and all the new stuff made for a fairly peaceful/children-occupied few hours before church for me and Nate.

It was cooler this weekend in Vegas, so I actually agreed to eat outside and we enjoyed chocolate cake and ice cream.

You'll probably never hear me say it again, but that was sure enough chocolate for one day!

Celebrating Natalie

Happy Birthday Miss Natalie!

Natalie made her big 9 lb 3 oz entrance into this world 3 years ago.

and 1...

2...

3...

POOF! All of the sudden I have this beautiful, fun little girl to brighten each of my days.

About our Natalie:

-Still VERY attached to a pink blanket that is turning a grayish color and acquiring new stains daily

-LOVES her milk, especially in a sippy cup

-still wears a bib at mealtimes, which is good...she is a pretty messy eater

-still wakes up a couple times a night...to go to the bathroom and for other random reasons

-loves strawberries, cheese, spaghetti, smoothies, Life cereal, bananas, burritos, ketchup, olives

-has really started to do a lot of pretend play which is so nice

-will start preschool next week...she loves that her name starts with the same letter as her daddy's

-does great at church in Nursery

-likes to cuddle and make pretend beds around the house

-loves to go hiking and birdwatching with her dad

-she is very active and athletic

-she always has and still does LOVE dogs, doggies, puppies

-doesn't have a real love for princesses and things like that, but she will happily play with most anything

-loves to play with Play-Doh, especially with little hard animals to hide inside

-loves to be read to and to sit and "read" to herself

-favorite treat is chocolate, probably M&Ms

-likes to come lie by me in bed in the mornings

-not a big breakfast girl

I hate that it's so difficult to put a child's personality into words...but that list's my best attempt. Natalie, we couldn't love more. You bring us so much happiness and know you always will!

Properly Warned Ye Be Says I!

I couldn't stop smiling today in Relief Society as we read 3 Nephi 14:14. It goes like this:

 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

You see, this is a pirate scripture. Summarized by pirates it reads, "Strait be the gate and narrow the way and FEW THAR BE THAT FIND IT!" I believe my cousin Amy was the first to point this out to me. You scrunch up one eye and let the words out of the corner of your mouth...can't you just hear the piratey-ness of it? Properly warned ye be says I! You will never hear this scripture now without thinking of those pillaging buccaneers. Aaaarggh.

And now for some happy pictures. Two cute kids. Each one holding a stick and a "map." Ready to go hiking with dad. If that isn't happy I don't know what is.

Another happy picture. Beautiful blue skies and awesome mountains. A brother sharing the Camelbak with his little sis. More happiness!

Weeeellll...can't say that this is where I find my happiness exactly. But kids are happy here.

And the man responsible for all this happiness:

And picture me alone at home in peaceful solitude. Very happy.

(Okay, so this day actually involved tears. At one point in the afternoon I was sure they had all died of heat stroke or been in a car accident when I didn't hear from them when I thought I would. I knew they had fallen off a cliff. Or had gotten lost. So when Nate called I cried. I can be so silly sometimes.) 

Going Through the Baby Clothes

Just going through Natalie's baby clothes. And you know, making a path through the upstairs with them.

I can't believe how stained everything is! I need to be better about bibs this time around or something.

Seems like it takes huge messes to keep the kids entertained. Worth it for the most part.

Off to College Apparently

Thanks to an episode on Blue's Clues where Steve goes off to college, Natalie thinks higher education is the next step in her life.

"Mom, can I go to college?"

Does this girl have any idea that just sending her to preschool for her first time is hard enough for me? (I'm thrilled about it, excited about it, we need it, but it's still a little bit of a struggle to send her off a couple times a week.) We're still working on pulling up our own pants after using the potty for crying out loud!

She keeps bringing certain stuffed animals, blankets, and toys to me and asking if she can bring them to college. Hey, I REALLY doubt she is the first one to want to bring a special blanky or lovey to college.

Do you think anyone on campus will care that she still sucks her thumb? (HELP!)

My Life Right Now...Dollhouse Style

My body is becoming increasingly awkward. Things just don't fit the same. I don't fit the same.

I stomp around the house a lot. I am in charge here.

Stairs are daunting.

I spend too much time here. Sitting here. Surfing here.

But I spend even more time here. Hmmmm, what to eat what to eat.

I'm like a little puppy waiting for Nate to come home every day.

That's life. It's a wonderful life.

Did Today

For starters, a couple funny things Jansen has said lately. I asked him if he could carry a laundry basket up the stairs for me and he hesitated for a bit and said, "Ummmm, I don't think I have enough might for that."

Awhile again we were saying nighttime prayers and in his haste Jansen prayed for the food to be blessed. He quickly caught himself and said, "Or not. Actually please don't."

Today we took a trip to good old D.I. Do you think every D.I. in the entire nation smells the same? Because I do. I don't know if it's the cleaning products or what...I could pick out that smell from a mile away. We needed something fun to do today (Let's go to D.I.! Yes! That will be fun!) so we headed over there and picked out some books. Someone had just dumped off a bunch of Clifford books, which we love, and we also got some great Mercer Mayer and a few others I was excited about. We grabbed a treat at Wal-Mart and then took them home to read in our little tent. It was a success...we'll have to do it again.

Discussion with Natalie

This evening I noticed Natalie had pen all over her legs and also on her arms. I started to inquire about how that happened and asked if she had drawn on anything else. This is the discussion that followed:

Natalie: "I'm not going to show you." (Using her hands and arms to shield the pen marks on her legs.)

Me: "Natalie, did you draw on anything else?"

Natalie: "Mom go finish working on dinner." (I had been in the kitchen before this.)

Me: "Tell me please where you were when you did this. Did you draw on anything else?"

Natalie: "Don't ask! Don't ask mom."

At this point I started to laugh. Ironically, after inspecting the house I didn't find any additional damage. Her cuteness really impedes my disciplining lately.

Long Weekend

It was a long weekend. Kind of might complain for a minute. I am learning that I need to have NO expectations of when Nate will get home from work...I was thinking he would be home by 1 or so on Saturday but instead had to cancel a MUCH needed hair appointment and go to a friend BBQ without him. Not things I was planning on. Sunday morning I had to take the kids with me to a Relief Society presidency meeting (did plan on that but still not fun). There's always that sense of accomplishment and competency when you do hard things though, even if "hard" is simply lots of time alone with the kids. Honestly, it all helps me pray more and work harder...the patience doesn't come on its own so I really have to ask for help to have it!

Jansen loves Legos. In addition to some new sets we have bought him, I found some at DI and now his room is always just one big vomited Lego mess. Any ideas on organizing and containing Legos?

Happened to have my camera with me this morning and took a picture of the kids at church.

 

Having a little snack before dinner. The snack was probably healthier than dinner...waffles with whipped cream, strawberries, PB, Nutella, syrup, bananas. Not all together sillies!!!

She's pretty cute. And is in a big girl bed now. My kids are crib sleepers for as long as I can keep them there. I couldn't keep her there any longer.

That Weird Thing That Plays Music

Jansen and Natalie asked me if I would turn on that weird thing that plays music. I was totally confused for a bit and then...oh the radio? It was one of those moments that I realized that I am not the youngest of the young anymore and things that were part of my everyday life growing up are now...old fashioned. I turned it on for them and they laughed and laughed as they spun the dial through the stations.

Here is Natalie posing with the archaic contraption.

I suppose it happens to all of us. Sigh.

In-laws Came to Town!

We had a most pleasurable weekend with Steve and Jody (Nate's dad and stepmom) a couple weekends ago. In a short amount of time we still fit in a movie, homemade ice cream, pizza on the grill, shopping (girls), hiking (boys), and more.

Steve designed this art desk for Nate and built it from solid maple and cherry...he is VERY gifted. I'll have to post a picture later of the cute cute thing Jody created as well. Nate has been wanting a place to be able to work on projects/drawings/paintings and his dad did an amazing job replicating just what Nate was looking for.  As you can see, it's already in use. Nate is very busy (15 hour work day today), but I am so proud of him for still finding ways to use his talents.