Blue and Gold Banquet

So my new calling in my church is Cub Master.  Last month was fairly simple...but then this month was the Blue and Gold Banquet...the Birthday Party for scouts.  It is supposed to be a fun night with food and entertainment.  It is kind of a big deal.  Anyway, thanks to AMAZING leaders it went off without a hitch.  I chose the theme because I knew that Amber and Tyler would have cute decor and Tyler could do his amazing pulled pork.  Plus, I copied the idea from the internet and it turned out cute.

I think Jake is cute in his scout uniform.

 

 

 The wanted signs were adorable.

 

Some of the leaders...Amber and Shelly.  It is so fun to get to work with friends.

Elizabeth...my wonderful neighbor and friend who always magically is helping without being asked. Lucy was tired. 

 

 

Seriously we had the best turnout...I think all the boys and families showed up.

We ended the night with a stick pull and funny skit.  I will upload the skit in a bit.  Fun night. Glad it is over...I am tired!

 

4 months old.

This month was a big month for me.  I learned to smile A LOT...if fact, that is usually what I am doing these days.  I love to suck on my hands and drool like a crazy girl.  I am starting to reach out and grab things.  Life has been a lot better since my Mom started buying the "expensive" formula for my sensitive little tummy.  It tastes horrible, but I throw up a lot less and it is a lot easier for me to poop.  I still don't SLEEP good.  My parents act like that is a big deal...but I don't care. I sleep when I want to sleep...deal with it!!! I grew a lot this month and got cute and CHUBBY. 
Life is simple.  Life is good.
   

 

 

 

 

My 34th.

I never blogged about my birthday.  The actual day I was a MESS...I kept crying and feeling pouty.  I don't even really know why.  I guess I just wanted to be thinner, have more energy, have a perfect baby...and perfect life kind of day.  Instead, I woke up and weighed more than I had in weeks...felt lousy and Lucy was ON ONE!  Don't be like me ladies.  Don't expect so much out of life that you can't be happy with what you have.  Anyway, it turned out to be an ok day thanks to my friend Shelly Huber who watched our kids so Jake and I could go out to eat.  Other than that...it was kind of uneventful and I had a pity party. Not proud of it.

 The next day however, I had NO expectations and WHAT DO YA KNOW....it was a good day.  I ended up going out with a great group of girls to Chick'f'la for lunch and having a great time.  I even ended up getting a date that weekend with Hubers and Browns and going to my favorite The Pita Jungle.  The birthday kind of just kept going and going and going.  The next day I went with Shelly and she bought me the cutest necklace and later earrings to match.  Now...two weeks later, I finally got what I wanted...A "MAGIC PHONE." For those who don't know what that is...it is what I have called a smart phone all these years.  Yes world...I joined this century and I have one too! I was waiting for the tax return to get it...and it is here and I LOVE it!!!!! I ended up getting a GOOGLE Nexus 4 and I had never heard of it...but it is amazing.  I finally found a prepaid plan that is cheap and I can justify having the phone.  Life is good.  Birthday's are good too...if you just give them a few weeks and lower your expectations...and actually BE GRATEFUL.  haha 

 

 

Some Aubrey fun.

So this all happened a few weeks ago and I never finished blogging about it.  Jake and I were supposed to have a date one night and we couldn't cause the boys were sick and throwing up.  Ended up taking Aubrey out instead! We went to Chili's and Mesa Fro Yo! 

Here Aubrey is getting the great honor of Student of the Month from her class.  She is such a great student.   To celebrate our family went to get icecream at sub-zero.  We had heard about it on "Sharktank" and wanted to try it out.  They freeze the icecream right in front of you with some gas...hydrogen?? can't remember.  Anyway, it was delish and a fun night for sure.

 

 

 

The Best Christmas Present.

This is what Grandma and Grandpa Watkins got us for Christmas this year.  (Jake had some influence on this...he has been eyeing the raft on Amazon for some time.) 

Weston found a fish 

 

 

 We have only taken it out once...but we KNOW we are gonna have lots of fun with this little guy this summer. Thanks guys!


 

Lucy: 3 months old

Lucy is officially 3 months old. She still has a whole lot of crying going on. Poor thing.  However, as she gets older we get to see her wonderful personality shining through.  We love watching you grow. 

Playing with your tounge.

 

 Figuring out your hands.

 

 

Blowing bubbles!

 

There haven't been any major milestones or sleep changes since last month.  Although we decided to stop swaddling you yesterday...so we will see how that goes.  Mom and Dad are ready to get some sleep. 
You still drink about 4 ounces every 3 hours.  Your naps have gotten shorter.  You smile easily.  You HATE your stomach and are almost always held when you are awake.  You keep getting fatter...but not longer.  Your feet and hands don't seem to grow...haha.  You are adorable! 

Lucy Marie: Blessing Day

Well, I kept putting off blessing Lucy because I wanted it to be a day she felt well.  It paid off I guess.    This has been a hard week for her...ie. couldn't poop, due to being on Diflucan (to treat her chronic thrush) and she hadn't slept well for days.  So on Saturday Erik Arter came over and gave her a treatment. He is our friend and chiropractor.   I was in tears feeling like this will never end and I just wanted her to have ONE good day.  Well, after getting worked on she slept great ...pooped a few times and woke up Sunday morning happy and ready for her big day.  As a family we also fasted this Sunday to help her and it was so sweet to hear my other children pray for our littlest. Weston whispered at bed time that our fasts were working and Lucy was having a wonderful day. We love you Lucy and can't imagine our lives without you.  We are so grateful to have you in our family. I wish I could just take away all your hurts...but we are grateful for the GOOD DAYS and hope they continue to be more often.
 

  Lucy wore the same dress her sister Aubrey wore when she was blessed. It is crazy to think that was 9 years ago.

Our little family is getting so big to me!

Grateful for an awesome husband and seriously the BEST daddy!

 I set up the camera to do auto pic and this is what we got.

Lucy Lou: so sweet.

Everyone who came to be there for Lucy...minus her Grandpa Norm who needed to go back to his ward.

Lucy was so sweet after her blessing and took a quick nap and then was up for pictures.  The day went perfect. 

Today was one of the days that I realize how fleeting colic is.  Yes it is hard. Yes I am exhausted...yes, I wish my kiddos didn't have to go through it...but they grow up and it passes and we are blessed to have such amazing children. Honestly...babyhood...is too fleeting.  Lucy is bright, happy and so sweet.  I could see in her eyes that she was having a good day.  She was so alert and happy to have the attention on her.

We love you little princess you are so LOVED!!!!
 

The other camera...

So.....
I have 2 cameras.  The one that takes good pictures that I usually use, and then a smaller one that I carry around in my purse/now diaper bag all the time.  Anyway, I kind of forgot about my "other camera" but I recently got it out and found tons of fun times and pics.  Some of them just seem too far back, but here are a few memories we wanted to remember as a family.

We dog sat LuLu for a weekend.  She is the Taysom's dog and we loved her.  I thought she would annoy me...but I just loved her....we all did.  Spencer especially loved her and now affectionately calls our little Lucy....Lou Lou. 

So the Hayes family and Jake go back about 8 years or so.  Jake and Kurt and  Ian all worked together at University of Phoenix.  Anyway, Kurt's oldest son Carter was having a birthday party and it was fun to get together and hang out.  Here I am with Jillian.  Love her.

And the handsome guys. 

Both Liz and I have had our little babies.  She had a cute little boy.   

Brothers.  What can you say? 

Here we have a few pics from the Watkins Annual Halloween party.  Fun with cousins. 

I love this pic cause it shows how much bigger Tess was than Lucy.  They are only 2 weeks apart, and look more like each other now.  Poor Lucy has such sad eyes...Makes me grateful for all the smiles nowadays.

Ok...this makes me feel guilty.  I didn't even do a post about Spencer turning 4 years old.  Well, he did.  We kept it simple and for lunch I took him to Joe's BBQ for some free food.  Then to Liberty Market for free dessert.  That night we had an outdoor party with neighbors and family.  We did hamburgers and had a fire pit.  He was very happy and had learned to ride his bike the day before he turned four...so he could say he learned at three and show off at his outdoor party.  I still wasn't feeling like myself back then...but it did happen and I am sure he had a wonderful time.  We love you Spencer. 

He loved the BIG POTATO and didn't want to share at first...but ended up letting me have some.

Lastly we went and saw the Temple lights as a family the week before Christmas.   

I love being at the Temple and just feeling the Spirit when I am there. Grateful to be so close to one.  A cute little family was giving away free Hot Chocolate and it made me smile.  That is something we usually do as a tradition, but Christmas just snuck up on us this year and we never got around to it.  I love Christmas time and all the concerts, parties and get togethers.  I love the food and the fun.  I mostly love being with my family and know we can be together forever because of our Savior Jesus Christ and his atonement.  We I see this picture I know that Samantha is missing from it, but because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ...we will see her again someday and our family with be complete. 

Lucy was pretty good in the pack that Shelly let me borrow.  She kept me warm and kept us walking fast!


You just gotta love the tradition of doing the Nativity and remembering what this whole season is about. 

 

 

 

 

 This last picture is from the Bluth/Watkins/Headly Chowder fest.  We get together and catch up and eat and have a Christmas Program every year.  Of course, we eat amazing food and do the nativity too.  I love my in-laws and extended family and look forward to it every year.  It is crazy to think when Samantha was born it was only Nicole and I who were married and had the only grand kids.  Look at it now!!  Lots of sweet, funny, cute kids that all have their individual personalites.