Valentine's Day 2014

I love you my dear!

Aubrey Jean

This is Aubrey...isn't she just plain beautiful??  The answer is YES. In every way.

I haven't been blogging enough. So I thought it would be fun to just put up a pic of each kid and write anything that came to mind. Aubrey is 10 going on 18. She loves to be the boss and plan things.  She is organized and keeps herself pretty entertained.  She loves to read and do crafts. Although she isn't very creative...so she usually asks me to come up with the craft...then she executes. Aubrey is a sweet girl and we love having her around.  She is kind of going through a sassy stage and I often hear "my tone" coming back at me...which isn't  my good tone. So we are learning together how to talk nicer and be sweet.  She told me the other day that she is a lot like her Dad, but that she likes that I "get her." And  I do. I get the emotions and feelings that come with just being a girl. I love that I can actually remember growing up so well...it makes it easier for me to sympathize with adolescence. Overall Aubrey is a breeze. She makes being a parent seem easy and she also tricked us into thinking we were pro's at it.  Thank you my dear for being such an example to me, your dad and of course your siblings.  We LOVE YOU!! 

List of random strength's

Ability to memorize ANYTHING. This girl can remember the lyrics to songs, scriptures and information like she almost has a photographic memory.

Beautiful singing voice

Kind to everyone. Never catty the way some girls can be.

Gives the best FHE lessons

Wakes herself up for school every day.

Strong willed

Born leader

Intelligent beyond her age

Good listener

Loves to exercise

Patient

Not boy crazy (thank goodness) not yet at least

Gilbert Temple Open House

I cannot believe how long it has been since I have really blogged.  I guess part of it and a BIG part of it is I can't seem to get pics onto blogger unless they are on my phone. I don't know what is up...Is anyone else having this problem?  Oh well.

Our family got to go to the new Gilbert Temple this last weekend and it was too wonderful not to document.  By the way...even if you are not a Mormon you are welcome to go through the temple up until it is dedicated in Feb.  It is so beautiful inside. I think EVERYONE should go see it.  There was no preaching or talking even...just walking through the prettiest building I have ever seen and feeling the love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.

Anyhow, there is my spiel if anyone even reads my blog! haha

So here are some pics we took after we went through. My kids really did enjoy it so much. I loved hearing my boys say "beautiful" over and over. I loved seeing their faces. I loved having my entire family there. I loved knowing I was married in a temple and we can be a family forever. I wanted to freeze this moment in time.

As corny as it is...I sure love this man.  We ended up fighting about what to eat for lunch after.  We are a little more feisty than some happily married couples. But I am not sure if I would want to get along perfectly all the time.  We are perfectly....imperfect.

 

Here is the man.  This kid loved the temple. Every detail...even down to the vents.  

My two beautiful daughters. I can't wait for the day for them to be reunited with their big sister Samantha. 

Chasing Lou around.

Lucy is so stinkin silly right now with her crazy three teeth on bottom! haha

 

Spencer. He was pretty quiet about the temple.  Just as we were starting to drive home he says..."thanks Dad, for taking us to the Temple."

 

What a great memory. I hope this isn't the last time we are all inside of the temple together. I pray we are all reunited here again someday.  

Lucy is learning

Lucy was so cute last night.  It was her first time keeping her head bowed and her arms folded during family prayers. Jake got a few pics of her right after the prayer. She smiled when she realized the camera was on. We sure love this girl and the joy she brings into our home. I am so grateful to be able to ponder on prayer and for its power in our lives. I am grateful for parents who taught me to love and talk to my Father in Heaven. I am grateful for knowing I have a friend and a Savior in Christ. I really do pray all my children will feel this power in their own lives. I guess Lucy is well on her way.

Pre-Christmas fun

Lots of fun going on this past week. I promised myself when I got a smart phone I wouldn't stop blogging.  However, I kind of have.  Before I took pics with my good camera all the time...so when I downloaded them onto my computer I would remember to blog.  Now I just put pictures on instagram and stuff and take them with my phone. I never really think to blog.  I know no one hardly blogs anymore or reads them...but I love our family blog.  We print it off into a book to remember.  I don't know what I am going to do in the future.  But for now...I will try to keep this blog up for our family. 

 

First a pic from the ward Christmas party. Lucy sat on Santa's lap.  She was nervous...but never cried.  She even had a little nervous smile.  Funny girl.

Here we have a Christmas house.  We have gone and seen Christmas lights a couple times.  As well as visited the temple lights.

Pictures in front of the tree. 

Weston had his school Christmas performance. I loved every second of it.  I was most surprised and pleased to see the kids singing ACTUAL Christmas songs about Christ...not just politically correct songs.  I felt the Spirit of Christmas for sure.

 

Tried making homemade marshmallows for the first time. It really is fun and kids love seeing them turn into marshmallows magically. I added a few drops of peppermint essential oil to the second batch...yum, yum! 

Christmas Sunday best.  Jake was busy with an interview so I never did get a pic of the whole family. 

We watched a Christmas Story and joked the whole time about how Weston was such a GREAT ACTOR.  He looks just like the little boy in the movie. 

Here we all are doing 30 day shred.  It's a workout dvd.  The kids were so into it...and ended up doing a pull up contest afterwards.  I love that they love to be active. 

 

Here are a few pics of our ANNUAL HOT COCOA night.  We had the Gills, Browns and Morris family over.  We had chili, cornbread...yummy honey butter and of course hot cocoa with homemade mallows.  It was hardly even cold.  Love sitting around the fire and hanging with friends.

I love this pic.  Lucy has the best personality when she wants to. She can be sooooo grumpy, but also just sooooo happy.  She reminds me of myself. 

Lucy 14 months old

14 months. 12.16.2013. Walking really well now. Wants her "maaaaam" at all times. Loves to be out of the house and smiles at everyone. Still only two teeth. Fifth ear infection in the last three months. Still takes a bottle. Now eats cereal bars, mandarin oranges and chicken nuggets. 27 lbs. Loves to wrestle.

 

Family Pics 2013...My favorite blog post of the year!

Oh my goodness!  I don't even know where to begin.  Family pictures are truly my FAVORITE thing.  I get stressed like everyone else...but it's a fun stress for me.  Like can't sleep before Christmas morning...kind of stress.  I love it.  I like thinking about them and dreaming about them...and then finally....the result.  We loved having our friend Mele Larson take family pics last year.  However, I had just had Lucy and wasn't nearly as excited as usual to have pics taken.  Lucy screamed during most of them...and all in all we got some great pics...but it was not a good experience for me.  In fact, it was a big eye opener to how depressed I really was at the time.  I had post-pardon depression...BAD!!  I tell you this...because this year was entirely different. I am feeling very good these days.  Colic is GONE for good in this family and all I wanted was to capture the joy that we have in this crazy home.  I couldn't wait this year for "FAMILY PICS TIME" to just hurry up and get here.

Mele asked me where I wanted pics...maybe even suggested DESERT pics, and I was like "NO WAY!" I have never liked the desert...thought it was ugly...always wished we could fly to UTAH for pictures. That was my first response.  Well... then one day I was walking with Lucy on a beautiful October morning.  I was just loving the weather..no jacket.. perfect temp,  the scenery.... my LIFE. I had this "aha" moment.  I don't hate the desert. I don't hate Arizona at all.  I am very blessed, happy and content.  I love the weather and the people and my little house and our kids...YOU GET THE IDEA.  I immediately called Mele up and told her,  "I want desert pics. I don't care if I hate them.  I live here and I am embracing it!"

So...a few weeks later. Here is the result.  I was nervous going into these...cause we had a lot of sickness/flu all the days previous.  It didn't matter.  Mele is a genius.  My family if super cool and cute. (I can brag right..?.)  The desert is gorgeous!  Happy Day from this Arizona crew!! LOTS OF PICS...be prepared.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watkins Family Photo Shoot 2013