Spring break part 1

So spring break is a little different this year. We have our kids in two different school districts...so Weston had Spring Break this week and then Aubrey and Spencer have it starting Monday. I really don't like this. It makes it hard to plan anything and Spencer felt it was unfair all last week.  We kept it pretty simple. Luckily Weston told me he really just wanted a week to be home and chill. There was plenty of watching Netflix and playing with neighbor kids. Weston and Spencer got new nerf guns and spent LOTS and LOTS of hours playing some sort of war game.  On Thursday we watched some kids in our ward and that made that day extra special. We decided to go to Chuck E Cheese with the group. It was lots of fun and Lucy's first time.  The Guthrie boys were cute. The next day was our scheduled camping trip.  Dad took the day off from work and we packed most of the day.  It's funny to me how you need so much stuff whether you go for a day or week!  Friday and Sat we went to Oak Flat with the Morris Family.  It was so much fun to camp with friends. We really should never go alone.  I love the games and the conversation.  The kids enjoyed the quad and each other.  It was a great trip....other than little Lucy.  She is teething and hates sleeping in a new place.  We had a huge battle getting her to sleep and around 1am....we gave up!!! Jake drove Lucy all the way back to our house just so she could sleep.  Even with her drama it was fun times. 

 

I love spending time with our little family.  I even got to teach the kids a song that I grew up singing.  What a simple, and wonderful Spring break.  The kids don't have much imagination and Spring break part 2...might just end up being the same.

Lucy's first Chuck E Cheese drawing.  Can you tell she was having fun? 

 

Not how the game is meant to be played. This game was out of order....so I allowed it. 

 

The Brown's and The Guthie boys.  Weston is so lucky to be surrounded by great neighbor friends. 

 

My attempt to make a sugar free, healthy ice-cream.  Jake and I are dieting and finding creative ways to still eat yummy food.  There really are lots of great recipes out there. It is just a change of the way we have always done things.  It's hard to make changes, but I still sticking to my new years resolution of HEALTH! 

 

Thanks to an amazing filter...Jeanne and I look pretty even camping! 

 

 

Josh and Jeanne! It is always an added bonus to like BOTH parts of a couple.  Josh is every bit as cool as Jeanne!  Yay!

 

I love camping with Jake. He works so hard and we have fun being a team together. Seriously...as corny as it sounds, I loved putting up the tent and taking it down with this hottie!

 This is a great photo of these silly boys.

 

 It is always nice to get home and get cleaned up. I love seeing the kids after baths and ready for Sunday!

Lucy Bear

Just thought it would be fun to post some pics of this cutie patootie! Lucy is seventeen months! She is signing up a storm. Holding my hand when we walk and living up to all the hype of being our youngest. We love her and cannot imagine life without her laugh and love. Here she is modeling the little dress I made for fun. Isn't she adorbs!

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.