Our Bedroom and Bathroom

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The Girl's Room

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Eli's Bedroom

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Boy- Oh Boy

Yep that's right- we are having a boy.

I didn't include a picture of the deciding factor but it was obvious.

He was hiding behind his arm so we didn't get any clear profile pictures. It was so comforting to go through the different body parts and everything looked good. It is amazing people can have healthy kids because there seems to be such potential for things to go wrong. At this point he is measuring big compared to my due date so it will be interesting to see if he comes early or how big he is when he is born or maybe he is just going through a growth spurt and he will be about the same size as our other kids. To know our baby is well is one of the best Christmas gifts this year.

So here is to the next 20 weeks of getting bigger and trying to figure out a name.

Our Spring Adventures

Kaley participated in a children's choir called Cache Valley Children's Choir. She was in the youngest group and they would meet every Monday for choir practice. They would spend time learning the concert songs and emphasize a musical concept such as woodwinds, beat, phrases, breathing, etc. Her concert was in May and my mom, sister, and Jed's mom all came down for it.

This little boy was standing next to Kaley in the concert and kept stomping throughout when they weren't supposed to. Kaley kept looking at him and rolling her eyes, and folding her arms. I sat there and giggled about her clear disgust for his lack of following directions.

Here is Anna singing while we are waiting for the concert to start.She has done the air-mic thing for a long time and it still cracks me up when she does it.

Anna and Shelley also got new bikes while they were visiting. I had been looking for a tricycle for Anna but the Walmart version was either Princess, Dora, or Diego. I wanted to get a somewhat gender neutral one that would last for awhile, that way if we ever have a boy he could use it also. She loves riding it (unfortunately it is usually out into the street but we are working on staying in the driveway).

My mom's trip included shopping for clothes. Kaley got a new bathing suit and dresses. Here she is in her bathing suit. Kaley started taking swim lessons this past week at Mountaincrest High School. The high school students are the teachers and Kaley was happy she got a girl. It is twice a week during the month of June.

While my Mom was here it was also Mother's Day. Here we are after church sitting in our tree- trying desperately to get a cute picture of all of us but it was after 4:00 pm and we were feeling the after church hunger and fatigue. This was the best we could do. I look like I am in pain but my mom is cute like usual.

This is one of my favorite pictures my mom had on her camera. Sidenote: We get most of our pictures from the ones other people take. I am lazy to get out our broken camera and try to hold it so the batteries don't fall out.

Our other major Springtime undertaking is getting our garden and fruit trees in. Here we are watching Jed dump compost into the garden section. Our Saturdays are filled with yard activities- watering, weeding, mowing, and tilling. Almost every night we walk out and see what is happening- we have peas, corn, beets, dill, cilantro, basil, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, sunflowers, and raspberries all with visible plants. We also have cantaloupe, pumpkins, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, rosemary, parsley, sage, thyme, and onions all planted. I think we bought almost one of everything when we went to pick out seeds. This is our first garden so there is much for us to learn but we are having fun.

We also put in several fruit trees- peach, a variety of pears, two different kinds of apple, and plum. We wanted to be sure to put them in this year since they will take a long time to start producing. We also planted a maple tree that will eventually be for shade.

On a sad note and for those who I stay in touch with only through blogs: I also had a miscarriage in April. I was about 10 weeks along when I found out at my first doctor's visit. I was sad and disappointed but I find comfort in knowing it is very common. When I told people, most women explained to me they have had at least one, sometimes more. I was really disappointed because I had been really sick and throwing up for the past month and a half. We are so grateful to have had Jed's mom here to help us during this whole experience. I would never be able to thank her enough for helping me with the girls and chores around the house. I am doing great now and just hope and pray we will be able to have more kids.

Little Anna turns 2

Here is the cake I made Anna for her birthday. I picked out three different cakes I was willing to do (read: Easy enough for me to do and still look okay) and Kaley picked out of those three which one.
It was a vanilla cake with purple vanilla frosting then decorated with marshmallows and yellow sugar.

Look at that smiling face- I just want to kiss those cheeks.

I am not sure how she is going to eat the cake and ice cream with her binki in her mouth but I guess she found a way.

The party included dinner with Jed, Kaley, Grandpa and Grandma Simmons, Aunt Raschel and Uncle Steve, Aunt Samantha, and cousin Daniel. We had a creamy chicken noodle soup that Anna likes and fruit salad. After dinner and cake- it was time to open up presents.

Here is Anna with her Aquadoodle.

Here she is with the big teddy bear Grandpa and Grandma gave her (thanks D:).

We love you Anna- Happy Birthday!

Wilson

On Saturday we built a snowman in our backyard. I am such a traditionalist I was working so hard to get three perfectly round balls stacked on top of each other. I went inside to grab a carrot for the nose, a scarf to go around his neck and a hat for his head. Kaley was gathering rocks for his eyes and mouth and Jed and Anna were on the hunt for some sticks for his arms. As I came out, I found Jed putting sticks on the top of his head... not so traditional but definitely a lot more personality. He reminded me of Wilson on Cast Away (you know the volleyball he becomes friends with on the island) so we named our snowman Wilson. Jed put a chin on him so he is obviously in our family (Jed has a well defined chin). So welcome our newest family member- Wilson Simmons.

Anna and her cousins

I was in the kitchen when this happened but I could hear them laughing and screaming from the other room. We love living so much closer to our family- good times!

Kaley turned Five

Kaley's birthday falls exactly a week after New Years which is a week after Christmas. So we get to party for three weeks straight. Kaley had a family birthday lunch at Grandpa and Grandma Simmons' house on the 1st of January because we were there for the holidays. She requested a blueberry and strawberry cake which made me think cheesecake with strawberry and blueberry topping (not shown).

Kaley with her cousins Savannah and Lizzy.

Here she is blowing out her candles.

On her actual birthday we picked up her friends Madison and McKell and

headed to Carl's Jr-her favorite place to eat- to have lunch with Jed.

Three kid's meals later, Jed was headed back to work and we were headed to the Fun Park- an indoor play park, rolling skating, arcade games, bowling, etc. We had a great time climbing all over the equipment and playing a game of Skee-ball.

Happy Birthday Kaley!

It has been a fun five years filled with princess, Barbie, and dancing fun!

Kids- gotta love 'em!

Kaley, Anna, and I were in the car driving to the Post Office today to pick up our mail when Kaley exclaims, "I know why daddies go to work."

I was thinking to myself how I was going to explain that a lot of mothers go to work as well but I asked, "Oh. Really? Why is that?"

Kaley- "So we can have money."

Me- "Yeah- that is why daddies go to work."

Kaley- "I am a genius."

Me- Laughing a little bit, "You are smart."

Kaley- "But I am a genius."

Me- "Well, not everyone is a genius. Geniuses are really really smart people."

Kaley- "I am a genius. Everyone is a genius."

Me- "Actually not everyone is a genius. I am not a genius."

Kaley- "There is only one person who is not a genius and that is you. Everyone else is a genius."

Okay then- there you have it folks!

Halloween Pictures for the Grandparents

Our Halloween adventure was short- Kaley, Anna, and I headed out about 6:00 to trick-or-treat our street. Jed stayed home to hand out candy. We made it to our immediate neighbors and just down a little side street and Kaley said she was done. It was a little bit cold but much warmer than it had been so I was a bit surprised we were headed home after 30 minutes or so. One unappealing aspect of our neighborhood for Kaley are THE DOGS. She is quite afraid of them so I had to go up with her to every house because I think we are the only ones in the neighborhood without one.

The last few houses we went to- Anna just wanted to stay with the stroller and eat candy. This girl is serious about her candy, she would not let me take her little trick or treat bag to empty out so it wouldn't be too heavy. When I tried, she started crying and pulling on it.

Since it wasn't a big haul this year, I think all their candy was gone by the next day (we helped out a bit too).

Here are some pictures in their Halloween costumes. Kaley said she was Elina (from Barbie Fairytopia- she is a fairy without wings) though her costume didn't look anything like what Elina wears. And Anna was also a little fairy.

Top Ten Things about Our Little Sweetie

In my journal I wrote all sorts of little bits of information about Kaley when she was a baby- Anna not so much. Not because she is not more noteworthy- I am just lazy/busy/more used to babies. However- I just wanted to jot down a few things about Anna.

1. This picture shows Anna in her element. Binki and Blankie- sometimes combined and called Blinkie- is Anna's recipe for happiness. We are still at the stage where we bring them with us where ever we go and look frantically around at naptime and bedtime.

2. Anna's words include: pee (while she grabs her diaper and backs up towards us), baby, more, Ma, Da, Kayie (Kaley), shoes, gum (which means any sort of candy or gum), bye, bum, "come" (which means thank you) and she tries to say dog, up, please but you would not be able to tell what she was saying unless you were with her and knew what the situation was.

3. Anna loves shoes. She has been known to wear her shoes to bed (which I have given to her so she won't cry). She brings us our shoes to put on. Of course- like a lot of babies she takes them off while we are in the car going somewhere so I need to put them back on once we arrive at our destination. But overall- she is a shoe lover (I wonder if this will be a lifelong obsession).

4. Anna also loves milk. It is definitely on her top ten of favorite things. She loves getting a nice full sippy cup of milk in the morning. I think she would rather drink her diet than eat it.

5. Anna loves books. Her favorite ones right now are Baby Einstein Violet's House, Winnie the Pooh Who's Hiding (a lift a flap book), Emily's Valentines Party (also a lift a flap book), and Sandra Boynton's Barnyard Dance. We read these books several times a day. Kaley has a couple of them memorized and "reads" them to Anna.

6. Anna loves to dance and sing with Kaley. She pretends to sing the song as she holds her little fist up to her mouth and lip syncs. See videos below.

7. Anna has Jed wrapped around her cute little finger. He hates to see her sad or in any way distressed and he thinks everything she does is cute- even when she gets mad and hits Kaley. We both love her kissies and beg for them. Most of the time when we ask her for a kiss, she will give us her hand or forehead for us to kiss her. When she was little she would give kissies really well but now it is a rare treat.

8. Anna didn't sleep through the night until she was about a year old and was weaned but she is a good little sleeper now and rarely wakes up during the night. She is a light sleeper compared to Kaley. She used to sleep with her bum up in the air (we catch her every once in a while but not all the time like she used to).

9. At the park Anna prefers the slide. She is not a swinger- she will start to fuss and cry if she is in there for more than a few minutes. But she loves going down the slide.

10. Anna also loves to color. Give this girl a crayon or marker and some paper and away she goes scribbling all over it.

Anna- we sure love you and are so glad you are part of our family.

Happy Halloween to all your little sweeties!

A Great Description

While I was at church on Sunday the speaker said the following quote:

“Some Christians carry their religion on their backs. It is a packet of beliefs and practices which they must bear. At times it grows heavy and they would willingly lay it down, but that would mean a break with old traditions, so they shoulder it again. But real Christians do not carry their religion, their religion carries them. It is not weight; it is wings. It lifts them up, it sees them over hard places, it makes the universe seem friendly, life purposeful, hope real, sacrifice worthwhile. It sets them free from fear, futility, discouragement, and sin—the great enslavers of men’s souls. You can know a real Christian, when you see him, by his buoyancy”

-Harry Emerson Fosdick-

(Twelve Tests of Character [1923], 87–88).

I have felt this hope, purpose, and buoyancy in the gospel of Jesus Christ and being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have at times felt the weight of being a disciple of Christ but it is not something I can lay down and put to the side. I thought this was a beautiful description and reminder of the the freeing ability the gospel brings.

House on the Brain

Now that we have a house I am into a new phase of my life- DECORATING! We have never been real serious about decorating. When Jed and I got married, most of the stuff we had was his because I just got home from a mission with my church. We did a little swapping with our roommates to get a little sofa. We bought an inexpensive mattress and boxspring at BEDS! BEDS! BEDS! We also had a little computer desk (I think Jed had this before we got married) and a bookcase. That was pretty much about it in our one room apartment. We have collected a few other items as our kids have come along. A crib, a changing table, a toddler bed, a glider rocker, used couches off Ebay, and various pictures. Most of the previous items were given as gifts, used, or bought out of necessity on sale.

Never having experience in decorating, I am trying to find my "style" and work with Jed so our home is a place we both love. Now that I think about it I have had a little experience- I remember cutting out comic strips out of the Sunday paper and taping them all over my bedroom when I was young. Maybe I could do that again. Fortunately Jed and I have similar tastes but I feel a little bit like a fish out of water. I have been pouring over decorating blogs the last couple of days and I have added these sites to my Google Reader.

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/

http://www.designspongeonline.com/

I thought it might be fun to post along the way what we do with our house inside and out. I am going to post about things I like and don't like. If you have any suggestions or see something I might have missed or may not have considered- please comment and let me know.

Journal Writing and Blogging

I am an occasional journal writer. I have a few different journals- one that is an events sort of one, where I write down what is going on in my life or things the girls are doing. I have another one where I am writing down things I am learning as a parent, impressions that come to me on how to be a better one, advice/support I want to give to my children if/when they become parents themselves. The last is a book of funny stories that happen in our family. I want to be able to pick up this book when I am old and just laugh and laugh about the funny things that we have done or said.

When I haven't journaled in awhile I feel this need/compulsion to try and catch up on everything that has happened since the last time I wrote. I have this same feeling in regards to my blogging efforts. It has been awhile since I last blogged and I feel like I should catch you up on EVERYTHING that has happened but....lucky for you I am not going to do this.I am just going to write what I want to write and disregard my concern of the large time gap on my blog.

The first thing I want to write about is our new house. We live in a small town outside of Logan, UT. I have never lived in a place like this. The mail isn't delivered to our house so we go and pick it up from the post office. Not only do we need to pick up our mail at the post office but if we want to know any town news we need to check the bulletin there to find out. Also, this past week we were outside in our front yard and a herd of cows came down the road. That was a first for me. I now "go to town" when I want to go to the store. I can see the Milky Way at night. Our neighbors are generous, sharing the harvest from their gardens with us. The wind howls through our windows sometimes (I kind of like it). The church we go to is within walking distance (but we still drive- usually because we are not ready early enough to walk). One of my favorite things about this town is it sits at the foot of a mountain. I love the mountain and seeing it in different settings. It looks different in the bright sunshine than when it is cloudy and stormy and clouds are hanging on it. When we first moved here, the mountain was so green but now I can see red and yellow creeping in. I wonder what the mountain will look like with snow all over it this winter.

This is a view of the mountain with clouds on it from our back deck. This is overlooking the neighbor's yard and the church we go to.

Here is a picture of our back yard shortly after we moved in. I love that the previous owners didn't do much with the yard because it is pretty much a green canvas for us to do what we want.

This is our other neighbor's backyard with a faint rainbow in the distance. This is a beautiful place and I find myself saying to Jed or Kaley or my next door neighbor- "Oh look at the sky (insert mountain, clouds, lightning, stars, sunset, sunrise). Isn't it so beautiful!"