Nora, Nora, Nora

 Here she is, in all of her sweetness.  Now 15 1/2 months old she is becoming very enjoyable and SUPER cute (most of the time.)

Sleep is much more regular- sleeping almost 11 hours at night and one really good nap for 2 hours +, we are all getting by just fine. 

She loves to eat- really likes fruits and green vegetables, likes to chew on carrots and sweet peas but doesn't actually eat much of them, but surprisingly doesn't like some of our go-to foods for big brother- like quesadillas, grilled cheese, cheese & crackers.  

She has a couple of words- for sure cheese, mom, and dad.  I think she says Jack when looking at pictures. She loves to make noise and chat with you, especially when you go in to get her from her crib and she is standing and wants to tell you all about life.  It is pretty cute.

She doesn't mind being dropped off with a sitter, and very rarely cries when we leave, but if I am around she takes a little while to go to someone else. 

Likes to be held and is enjoying our nighttime routine- read a book, look at our picture frames, and sing a song.  She gets really wiggly and you lay her down and she is out.  It's awesome, except that the ideal time to do this all is 7:30 and we just aren't ready/home/with it enough to have her going to sleep that early. 

She is a nightmare during sacrament meeting at church.  We haven't found that magical activity that will keep her busy and allow us time to listen to the meeting.  And she roams the halls with either of us during the rest of church.  Less than 3 months until nursery with her big brother!

She loves her big brother.  She likes to follow him, do the things he does, and be close to him.  Her latest tricks are climbing on the ottoman for the couch and jumping into the lovesac, sitting in his seat on the couch, and sharing his treats (he doesn't share food, especially if it is good.)  She tries to talk to him, but he doesn't like that she says "ga, ga, ga" and no words. he just tells her "stop saying GA!"

Favorite activities- playing outside, playing with the dollhouse downstairs, swinging, water- pools/water table/bathtub/spitting it out from her water cup. 

Still uses a pacifier, although we are really trying to cut it back to just in her  bed (naptime & bedtime)

She is definitely more independent/opinionated/strongwilled, but she is great! 

Picnic with juice boxes!  She loves them-and likes to take others when they are abandoned.

 A catnap in the bike trailer.  She is a trooper!

 A stinker with the pacifier and getting ready in the mirror

And laying next to a sleeping big brother.  She really likes to be just like him!

Washington DC

 
We took a trip to DC with my parents for Liam's (Melissa & Aaron) baby blessing.  It was only a 12 hour drive, and after our Utah trip we could do ANYTHING! 

The kids loved the pool at the hotel (Jack could move around the whole pool with the noodle, and no help from us.)
They liked playing at the playground by Melissa's apartment
They loved the zoo, and Jack really liked seeing the Panda Bear
And a stroller nap for the big kid!  He was so tired with the heat the the excitement!
I loved having extra help with the kids (thank you mom & dad) and Cafe Rio Salads.  mmmmmm!
We also had a great time visiting the temple grounds and the visitors center there- Jack was very excited to see the big Jesus statue. 

Thank you for the great visit Melissa and Aaron!  We had a great time!

 Nora loved the couch at the hotel, it was just her size!  She could climb up all by herself.

 by the way... this is where my parents were sealed so that was pretty exciting to be with there with them.

And our happy kids, with a happy mom- one sleeping, one wiggling out of my arms.  That's just the way it goes.  :)

Father's Day 2012

Sunday was Father's Day and it was wonderful...

I always have mixed feelings, is father's day a perfect day to let dad sleep in, or is it the perfect day to let him wake up early and be a dad???
Well, Dan got to sleep in (no different than any other day.)

And then we opened presents before he went to his early morning meeting.

Jack insisted he get a green shirt and a football, and I picked out some half-flight golf balls, a oven mitt for grilling, and some nail clippers that are just for him (he always can't find them and then blames me that they are missing.)

At church he got a candy bar, shared it with Nora who drooled it all over his shoulder, and a loaf of bread from Jack in nursery.

We had a relaxing afternoon and a tasty dinner! Steak, mushrooms, potatoes, fruit, and icecream for dessert. It was delicious!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO A GREAT DAD!




Dan and Nora Swimming

Jack's first fishing outing of the year! Dan even picked him out his own spiderman fishing pole.

Ultimate frisbee with dad (notice the backwards hat. He is a good follower.)

I sent Jack with Dan to a baseball game with very specific directions to take a picture, but they forgot. :) Still nice that they can enjoy that together.

Mother's Day 2012

I love being a mom. I love that I get to stay home with my kids each day, that we can play, read, learn, relax, and do everything together. In all honesty, I get sad when I can't be "the mom." I am figuring out little by little that as difficult as they are, I still love to do bedtime routines with my kids. I miss sitting with them at church when I have to play piano up front, and I really miss doing fun things with them when I have piano lessons, or some other commitment. (Yes, I know, Dan needs that time too... Although, he rarely takes pictures for me so I really miss out!) If I have the choice, most times I choose to take at least 1 kid with me wherever I go.

Dan has been a great help letting me be the mom lately too! He is taking on some of the "maid" chores so that I have a little more time and energy to do what I like to do! He is wonderful!

Each of my kids try my patience, daily, but here are the great things they do to show me they love me each day.
Jack: Loves to read books together, tell me stories about tv he watches or what he sees outside. He also loves to re-live our past adventures, reminding me of when we went to the zoo, or at the grocery store with the nice lady, or the glasses store. He comes up with some RANDOM things. At the end of the day, he loves to snuggle.

Nora: She loves to give hugs and kisses. Open mouth kisses, and she wraps her hands around my neck and pats my back as we hug. She likes to share my treats, and just recently has decided that after she eats majority of her meal, she wants to sit on my lap to finish it up. I am trying to spend more time with her on my lap and playing with her one on one.

I have been pretty lucky to spend some extra time with just the kids- we went to Washington D.C. with my parents in May, and they are a handful but a lot of fun!
This is a picture in front of the Washington D.C. Temple!



You can't see it, but Dan bought me a beautiful emerald necklace from him & the kids. We never really celebrate these holidays with gifts so it was a wonderful surprise! Jack was so excited to give it to me all wrapped up in a fancy box.

Jack also brought me home a yellow flower from Nursery. He was so excited, and still asks to see it. He asks me now... "did I give you a yellow or pink flower?" He must have been given the choice. :)

A Transformation

Our yard has been in need of "IMPROVEMENTS" since we moved in 5 years ago. Weeds overtake most planted areas, the grass is always a little bit to long and definitely NOT trimmed around the edges, and a couple of empty dirt spots that could use some beautiful flowers. What can we say, except both Dan and I dislike yard work, A LOT.

So, instead of improving those types of things (maybe next year) we did all kinds of other fun stuff!

We had our sidewalks redone and had a cement patio poured.
We built a swingset
Filled the swimming pool
and added a GIANT sandbox (- sand table, + water table)

It's been a couple of months in the works, but it is all worth it. The kids love it all!



Swinging with friends


Swimming and mowing the grass


Building the sandbox

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Moving the sand water table fun

the finished project & the hard workers

play time with friends



And the happy kids!

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A visit to Colorado

On our way home from Utah we went through Colorado, to visit our good friends the Hatch's. We were planning to visit them in Utah but they bought a dental practice and moved shortly before the wedding.

We had talked this vacation up with Jack for MONTHS beforehand so we had to follow through with for our Jack & Dan, darn (wink wink)
It was really nice, this was our vacation from the "vacation."

We saw their house, and the dental practice, and then went swimming and ate pizza at the hotel.
The visit was short but we loved it! Thanks for having us!


Pool Party!


Nora loved her new swimsuit!


Bathtub party


A Pizza Picnic


And a good nights sleep to follow!

A Utah "VACATION"

"VACATION"
Driving 20 hours there & back, prepping for a wedding/reception, and kids out of their element hardly seems like a vacation. Those are the types of vacations you need a vacation from a "vacation."

BUT WE LOVED IT!

Marcia got married! That is 6 of six, married in the temple and we were all there to witness it! Kind of hokey to be dressed identical in the wedding clothes, but it was a wonderful experience to see all of us sisters & husbands lined up in the temple for the sealing. We were all in the front row, and it was very exciting. Laughing, crying, smiles. Just WONDERFUL!


Marcia & Chandler Nora being shy

Nora loves Papa (and she is so mellow for him) and Jack wiping his nose with Marcia's dress


Jack sleeping after a long day (at the reception)

A family picture



2 new babies- Liam (Melissa & Aaron) and Easton (Manda & Ben)



Playing with Sadie


Lots of cousins


Free & easy entertainment


Playing with friends


Bag lady... loving her new freedom with walking

Jack's first motorcycle ride


Papa's IPad


We also enjoyed seeing friends (we had a big WI party but never took any good pictures), eating good food-Cafe Rio and Tucanos, and just enjoying the beautiful weather. Our Utah vacations never seem long enough!