Savanna, Sadie, & Jackson

Jackson's B Day at the Beach

2011-11-08T18:56:00.000-09:00

While we were at the beach we celebrated Jackson's birthday with his favorite....

"Beer" aka, Root beer Floats.

Jacob helping Jackson get ready to hang his pinata.

He takes a swing.

And another... But, Jacob was the one who broke it.

Lots of goodies in their bag. "Day" got everything Cars they had at the store.

Later that night we made smores. Camilla really enjoyed her's.

Sadie just wanted the chocolate

Beach Trip to Bama

2011-10-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Another summer beach trip to Alabama. We are so lucky to have grown up in such a great place that I get to take my kids back to visit. The beaches in Alabama are so beautiful!

Yummy, Shrimp boil is my FAVORITE!

Jen made Gumbo, so delicious.

Jackson LOVES "beer", aka rootbeer

Original Oyster House is a favorite.

This guy was so fun! While we waited for dinner, he entertained the kids by making all kinds of fun balloons.

We met my dad for dinner one night at Zekes.

Bubby turns 2

2011-10-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

My little man is 2. We took him out to Cheesecake Factory for his birthday. He was so cute, the waitress gave him ice cream before and after dinner!

Before.....

After.....

What keeps us busy

2011-10-24T14:29:00.000-08:00

Savanna and Sadie are so creative. They always find something fun to do while Jackson is napping.

Pink Berry is our favorite summer hot spot. It is the perfect way to cool off on a hot day.

Pirate Party

2011-10-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

Carter had a Pirate Party. Jackson was in Heaven.

Hot- lanta

2011-10-24T14:25:00.000-08:00

We did a office BBQ at the park. It was so HOT!

Now we know why they call it Hot-lanta. So so hot. Sadie burned her toes at the pool.

Where is Waldo

2011-10-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

We went downtown ATL to Centennial Park. Such a cool water pad with music too. It was easy to spot my kids.

Hanging out at our Apartment

2011-10-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

Silly girls hanging out at our apartment.

And then there is Jackson.......

Tennessee

2011-10-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Our first trip of the summer was to Tennessee to see Heather, Brett, Lil and Jacob. We watched Jacob hit a home run at his baseball game!

On our way back to ATL, we stopped at the Mayfield Dairy Factory in Athens Tennessee. We had so much fun and now know why we want to buy the "yellow" milk. So yummy!

Heading to ATL for the summer

2011-10-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

Heading to ATL for the summer. Can't wait to be so close to all my loved ones. Lots of road trips are planned for the summer!

Easter

2011-04-26T16:36:00.000-08:00

The Easter Bunny came to our house and wrapped the baskets just like "he" did when I was a kid.

Jackson got more cars.....

Sadie and Savanna were so excited to get their little giraffes. Even Jackson liked them.

Savanna got cute Barbie panties and also some with Jesse, Wall E and Nemo. She also got a Rapunzel doll.

Sadie got stickers and Hello Kitty necklace and bracelets.

Jackson was most excited about the candy.

Look how excited Savanna is to show Jackson what is in her basket.

Grandma and Grandpa spent the night with us. We felt so lucky.

Grandma gave each of the kids a GOLDEN egg with 20.00 in it.

Ready for church in their Easter outfits.

My little man

2011-03-22T18:18:00.003-08:00

Jackson is at such a cute age right now. He is 21 months old and he loves to watch Cars and Toy Story in my bed. He will sit here for most of the show but sometimes it gets quite and when I go in to check on him, he is asleep.

He is getting used to wearing his hat. Every time he sees this picture he thinks it is "Bake".

Danny took Jackson on a "date". Where did these boys go? McDonald's, of course.

And, he loves chips and salsa.

Although he is cute, he is mischievous and makes lots of messed. This is just the beginning.

Hawaii

2011-03-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

We went to Hawaii in January. We left the kids at home and had so much fun with our friends. This place truly is paradise.

We ran outside while we were there. The weather was so perfect. But, the course was a bit harder. Running 9 miles mostly uphill was a real workout.

The fab 5 couples. These are some of our best friends. Chad & Mindy, Scott & Mickell, Brandon & Ashley, and Dave & Jen.

Jackson makeing cookies

2011-03-22T17:21:00.000-08:00

Jackson loves helping me make cookies. He loves pouring the ingredients in the bowl. He is obsessed with the electric mixer and loves licking the beaters.

This is my favorite. He dropped some on his leg so he had to lick it off. Every little drop counts.

Santa Clause came to our house

2011-03-01T18:24:00.000-09:00

We had such a great Christmas. The kids were so excited to wake up and see Santa had come. Grandma made the kids blankets and they were a favorite.

The day after Christmas we went to Bunkerville to hang out with family. It was nice and warm compared to Utah. These girls love reading books with their Grandma.

Christmas Traditions

2011-02-04T11:19:00.000-09:00

Every year we make cookies. It is so fun to do with our friends and family!

The girls had a Christmas Program at Kids Village. Jackson wanted to be front and center.

Playing in the Snow

2011-02-04T11:02:00.000-09:00

Getting ready for Christmas

2010-12-12T18:39:00.000-09:00

We have been busy and I have had lots of help this year. Savanna is the best little present wrapper. She does it better than Danny does.

Grandma came in town and brought the kids their annual Christmas Jammies.

I had lots of help decorating the tree.... maybe too much.

My new addition this year.

Savanna made us each a stocking and taped them on the wall. She is so proud.

By the Christmas Tree

2010-12-12T18:21:00.000-09:00

Gingerbread house

2010-12-12T18:03:00.002-09:00

We are so excited for Christmas this year. The girls had lots of fun making their first Gingerbread house.

And then there is Jackson.... He pushes the chair over to where it is and picks off the candy. Notice how full his mouth already is as he breaks off another piece.

Caught

Rockin to Lenny Kravitz

2010-11-28T17:37:00.001-09:00

Turn the music off so you can hear this. This is my little introvert, lol!

Halloween

2010-11-01T14:02:00.001-08:00

Savanna and Sadie had the cutest little program at school. I finally got to hear the songs they had been singing all month at home. Savanna loved "I'm a mean old witch with a hat" and Sadie's favorite is "Halloween is almost hear and I can hardly wait".

Chase and Savanna are in the same class and so are Tessa and Sadie.

Pinnacle had the best Trick-or-Treat set up ever. We went on Friday afternoon and it was decorated so awesome. The different departments had a contest so they went all out. My favorites were the Peter Pan theme with Wendy, Peter, John and Michael hanging from the ceiling while the employees were dressed in everything from mermaid to skunk costumes. It really was my favorite. I also like Death Row with the electric chair at the end. So scary!

Savanna IS dressed up. Of course, no one know but she is Penny from Hairspray.

This little boy ate candy the whole time we trick-or-treated. Check him out. He has candy in every picture.

On Halloween night it was cold, windy and raining. I talked the kids into handing out candy and we had friends over for chili and corn bread.

Savanna LOVED Katrina's wig for the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland.

Jackson had fun teaching Koah how to put the balls in the mouth of this little toy!

Crazy about this little guy

2010-10-30T14:34:00.000-08:00

I could just eat him up!

First Snow

2010-10-27T11:56:00.000-08:00

Today it snowed and my kids were so excited to get out and play in it.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-20T19:22:00.008-08:00

We had so much fun getting into the holiday season at the Pumpkin Patch. We met our friends there and loved it so much we are going to make this a tradition.

Jackson and Luke

Jackson pointed at everything he saw.

My little posers.

Check out Sadie's face in this next picture...

There were lots of animals for the kids to see: goats, bunnies, turkeys, roosters, peacocks and lots more.

Jax loved the funny mirrors.

Jax loved the little red wagon.

The Ranch

2010-10-15T12:04:00.001-08:00

We went to Strawberry to "do" cows and took the kids up. Well, "we" didn't "do" cows. Grandpa, Uncle Max and the other boys brought the cows off the mountain to take them to a warmer place for the winter. The kids loved being there to ride horses, eat dutch oven and ride the ranger.

Crabs and Hairspray

2010-10-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

For Savanna's birthday I asked her where she wanted to eat and she said, "Crabs". I was completely confused since I couldn't remember her ever eating crab. So, after further questioning, I figured out that she remembered this one time we had taken her to Red Lobster and Danny let her taste his crab legs. Well, I guess she loved them because this is where she wanted to go eat for her birthday dinner.

Eating a big piece of crab leg.


For dessert she got vanilla ice cream. Her favorite.

Savanna loves the movie Hairspray so I took her to see the play. She was so excited.

Sitting on the stage.

Popcorn and ticket in hand.

New Boots

2010-10-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

I got these cute little rain boots for Jackson and he loves them.

One year later (pause the music at the bottom of page)

2010-09-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

It is so funny to look back a year ago and see how much these two have changed.

Savanna turns 5

2010-09-19T19:58:00.001-08:00

Savanna wanted a Princess and The Frog birthday party. So, I did a Mardi Gras theme. We had green, purple and yellow/gold balloons and decorations everywhere with Mardi Gras beads and streamers.

When the kids arrived they all got a mask.

Then we headed to the dinning room for mom's homemade punch and beignets. Maya and Jackson loved the beignets the most. Maya ate 4 and Jackson licked his plate.

Next, time for presents....

Good thing Mickaela gave her a frog to kiss.

GREAT gifts. Thanks to all...

And then there was the feather boa from Katrina/Maya.

They had fun dancing and then painted finger nails with Aunt Jen's present.

We sang happy birthday and then it was time to leave.

Blowing out her candles with Jamie by her side.

Savanna wanted to do a grand entrance but we forgot. So, she did a grand exit.

And, the party favors were a Moon Pie, beads and a doubloon.

Thanks mom for sending this stuff from Alabama. We had to have the real thing.

Dad's Ribs

2010-09-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa were coming through town so we had everyone over for dinner. I have been craving my dad's ribs since the last two times I have ordered them at a restaurant I have been very disappointed. So, I decided to go for it. I called my dad to find out his step-by-step and did it. They turned out great. I was having a bit of anxiety about it, even dreaming I burned them, lol. So, I was happy the were not only burned but delicious. Almost as good as dads! We had a true southern meal with ribs, baked beans, corn bread, and homemade banana pudding for dessert.

Just hanging out on the porch waiting for the fire to be just right!

I must say, Jackson was the biggest fan of the Ribs. He ate three and was watching Ethan to make sure he was eating his. He was even sharing.

And then it was bath time.....

Look at these two. They are making the same face. So funny!

Labor Day

2010-09-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

For Labor Day we went down to Bunkerville to see Grandma and Grandpa. This kids love for Grandpa to take them down to the river on the 4 wheeler.

Then, we headed to Park City to meet up with some friends to finish off the weekend.

Even though the high was only 60 degrees, the pool was nice and warm!

Jackson played in the rocks while we waited on Nanna and Daddy to ride the Alpine Slide.

We grilled out for dinner. Yummy!

Lots of fun rides for the kids.

Since it was nice and cold in Park City I wanted to take some pics of the kids all bundled up. Maybe even use one for our Christmas card. That was a joke, lol!

FHE = Camping in the front yard

2010-09-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

For Family Home Evening we decided to show the kids how to put up a tent. And, Danny said he would camp out with them but it didn't last long. After a few treats and stories, they were back inside.

First day of School

2010-08-29T13:53:00.004-08:00

Savanna and Sadie had their first day of school. Sadie is in pre school but she tells everybody she is in "kinda garden". Savanna just misses the cut off for Kindergarten so we have her in a 4-5 year old class.

They both go to the same school, Kids Village. It is a precious little school that focuses on academics and arts. They have a kitchen where the kids learn measurements and and how to cook. They have music class, history, science and computer classes too.

check out their school if you want at http://www.kidsvillage.net

Sadie turns 3

2010-08-29T13:41:00.004-08:00

Is that all....this kid seems like she is at least 4.

Pinkalicious is Sadie's favorite book so she wanted a Pinkalicious birthday party. I must say, this was the most fun party I have ever thrown. Sadie helped me put pink icing on the pink cupcakes. Of course, she licked the bowl clean.
Decorating was my favorite part.

I read the book to the girls and then it was time to dig in. We had pink cotton candy, watermelon, pink suckers, pink cereal, pink milk, pink ice cream, pink jelly beans and pink cupcakes. Just like the book.

She got so many great presents; Minni Dress with shoes and ears, & a Barbie Putter (Computer) and lots of great stuff from her friends. Thanks everyone for a great party. It was Pinkalicious!

Surprise from Alabama

2010-08-29T13:31:00.002-08:00

We were so excited when we got a phone call from Aunt Jen Jen telling us they were on their way from Alabama to visit us for a week. My girls had so much fun with their cousins, Camilla and Julianna.

Our first stop was Chuck-E-Chesse. Since this is one of our favorite places, we had to take Camilla and Julianna.

Camilla got her ears pierced while she was here and she didn't even cry. Such a big girl.

We also took the boat out. Our favorite part was doing cannon balls off the side of the boat. Good thing Emma came along so she could play in the water with the girls.... It was cold!

Bath time with all 5 in the tub was a nightly event. Look at all these girls. Jackson doesn't know how lucky he is.

Thanksgiving Point

2010-08-29T13:04:00.004-08:00

This is such a great place to take the kids. They got to do all kinds of cool stuff like; go in a little light house and cave, see lots of pretty flowers, build stuff and climb on wood, play on the playground, dance on a stage and play in the sand pit.

Maddox was so sweet to help Jackson and make sure he got from place to place safely.

Chase (in the yellow shorts) was hilarious. He was breaking it down on stage while we held up our iphones so the kids could hear music. So funny!

Back in Utah

2010-08-29T12:26:00.003-08:00

Jackson has had fun playing with his cousin Ethan. These two think they are so big.

Since we have been back we have spent a lot of time outside. We got a little pool for the kids and it has been a hit.

Check out this diaper. I don't think if could have held any more water before it pulled him to the ground.

The saddest thing about coming back is that our neighbors and best friends, The Barkers moved. Sad! So we had them over to play and made sure to take a picture of all of them.

Me like cookies...... Jackson had his first Oreo. Now he screams for them.

Butterfly Pavilion

2010-08-29T12:08:00.003-08:00

Just before we left Denver for the summer, we went to the Butterfly Pavilion. It was one of my favorite places we went all summer. They not only had butterflies, but lots of fish and sea creatures.

Savanna was so brave. She held a taranchula.

Outside was like a mini rain forest where we got to walk through while butterflies flew all around us.

When we were all finished we visited the gift shop where Savanna and Brooke got matching bumble bee earrings.

Hammonds Candy Factory

2010-07-09T15:00:00.002-08:00

Today was fun! We went on a tour at Hammonds Candy Factory to see how they make candy. It was so cool. They were making candy canes and spiral suckers while we were there. The smell of peppermint was overwhelming and refreshing. We found out that most of the hard candy in stores like Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Cracker Barrel all come from Hammonds. Such an fun, educational trip.

At the end of the tour, I let the kids get candy. The girls chose candy necklaces and taffy. Jackson got a Thomas Pez which isn't even made there, and I got that old time hard candy that I used to eat at my Grandmother's house. I even got to take a picture of the machine that makes it.

Belleview Park

2010-07-09T14:51:00.004-08:00

We went to this really cute park. They had a little train ride, a petting zoo, animal "exhibit" and a creek/stream for the kids to wade in.

Tram to the Denver Children's Museum

2010-07-09T14:45:00.002-08:00

We have been finding all kinds of cool stuff to do this summer in Denver. The Children's Museum is one of them. The kids got to:

Ride the DPT tram downtown.

Get in a fire truck and put on fire suit.

Play with letters, shapes and colors to create stuff.

Paint a picture.

Pretend to grocery shop which included shopping and being the cashier.

Sadie got to be a chef and cook for Jackson.

And, ride the bull outside!

4th of July

2010-07-09T14:13:00.001-08:00

We had a really fun 4th of July. This year we decided to start some traditions.... KFC bucket of chicken and homemade caramel corn. Yummy!

The city of Parker celebrated a day early on Saturday the 3rd so we decided to start a day early. Good thing we did because Sunday, the 4th ended up being cold and we with the high of 55 degrees.

Sadie and Savanna waiting in line for the bounce house and then the slide.

While the girls did "rides", Jackson ate.
After playing we went to hang out at our spot and listen to the band. We had so much fun playing and dancing.

Savanna with her best summer friend, Brooke. These two are such good friends. Savanna always tells me, "I love Brooke, mom".

On the actual 4th, we celebrated in our "home" town of Lone Tree, CO. It was raining when we got there so we ate our bucket of chicken in the car and waited for the rain to stop. Then, it was face painting where the girls got butterflies. The balloon guy was amazing. He made Cinderella and an umbrella for the girls. Jackson got a duck and popped it within seconds after getting it.

There was a bounce house for little ones too. Jackson had a blast playing in this one.
And, after only being there for a little while, the clouds rolled in and the temp dropped so we took one last picture and headed out. We went to eat Mexican food since it was one of the only places opened. Then, back to our place with Krispy Cream donughts where our friends joined us for pops, sparklers and black cats.

Jackson's 1 year photo shoot

2010-06-15T14:09:00.003-08:00

My baby boy turned 1 and we had his pictures taken. He is so handsome. Here are just a few of my favorites!

Jackson 11 months

2010-05-12T14:29:00.003-08:00

So, he is 11 months already. I can't believe we will be celebrating his 1st birthday next month. Wow! He is so happy and gotten 6 teeth in about 7 weeks.

This is Jackson's favorite toy right now. He has learned how to put the balls in the mouth and watch it come out and loves doing it over and over!

The first month in Denver

2010-05-12T14:11:00.006-08:00

So, it didn't take very long until we got a package from Grandma. She sent the girls Tu Tu's. Jackson enjoyed it just as much as they did. He got to play dress up and his favorite was the box.

Tubby time has been a HUGE past time here in Denver. It has been cold a lot and we have spent lots of time in the apartment. So at least once, sometimes twice a day, the kids get in to play.

Savanna is such a good helper. She loves washing Jackson's hair.

She also makes sure he is well hydrated and always has a toy in hand.

I couldn't help myself..... I started laughing so hard I almost cried when I saw this. Sadie wanted to have "swimming lessons" with Savanna so she strapped on her floatie.

Jackson loves the vacuum! His 2 favorite things are that and the dishwasher.

First week in Denver

2010-04-25T15:06:00.003-08:00

So far we have been busy in Denver. We spent the first few days unpacking. I found Jackson in the cabinet playing.

The girls got some money from Grandma so when we got here they were ready to spend it. Sadie got a hair care kit with a curling iron, blow dryer, flat iron, curlers and a brush. They have had so much fun doing each others' hair. Savanna got walkie- talkies and those have been great because there is one for each of them.

They have gotten really creative playing. They put Jackson in the baby crib all the time and make forts and pretend to be going to the pool, playing house and lots more. I love to hear how creative they are and how their little minds work.

After unpacking this box, the girls wanted to play in it. They had lots of fun pretending it was their house.

Jackson 10 Months

2010-04-22T17:21:00.002-08:00

This little man is getting so big. He got 4 teeth in one month. So, he was whinny and had lots of drool this last month. He has had several hair cuts. He loves his little green monkey but doesn't sit still and hold him while we take his picture anymore. He constantly stands up and loves pushing his little walker/toy. He will be walking before we know it.

Jackson LOVES frozen go gurts. When it is gone, he scrams and you would think he hadn't eaten in days. NOPE, he eats plenty. He is just so sad when it is gone. And, it's not like he only gets half of one or even one, most times, he gets 2.

The weather has been nice lately so we have been spending some time outside. Jackson loves it but he puts everything he can find in his mouth. His favorites are wood chips and chalk.

popsicles already?

2010-03-25T08:28:00.003-08:00

We went to Sara's for Sunday dinner. The weather was so nice so we took the kids out to play after. Sara pulled out the most delicious popsicles ever. Jackson was screaming for one so, he got his first. He loved it and would not let go of it. (I am sure it was freezing his little fingers). But, it might be his first and last because when it was gone he pitched such a fit. He cried and cried and the only way to get his mind off of it was to swing him in the swing. Wow, kid.

These 4 are so cute eating their popsicles.

Jackson 9 months old

2010-03-24T08:19:00.002-08:00

My little buddy is gettting so big. He is 9 months old now! He has 2 teeth and is crawling and pulling up on everything. He is so busy and in to everything. He loves playing with the DVD player and the radio. The girls think it is so funny that he knows how to turn them on and off.

We went in for his check-up and this is where he is:
85% in height
50% weight (20.5lbs)
40% head

Look at these 2 little chicklet teeth!

These 3 are so cute.

Savanna singing

2010-03-03T14:43:00.003-09:00

Make sure you pause ythe music at the bottom so you can hear this........
Hilarious!

Disneyland

2010-03-02T08:31:00.006-09:00

We decided last minute to take a trip to Disneyland with The Brotherson Family. I am so glad we did. We had such a great time. The kids couldn't have been better. They loved every minute of it. We got season passes so we can go again. Ya hoo. I am already ready to go back!

Because Savanna is 4, she got her own pass and was excited to sign her name.

One of my kids favorite things to do is see the characters. So we waited in line so we could see everyone of them. Good thing it was a slow time of year. We never had to wait more than about 15 minutes.

Our first day the girls dressed up as Minni and Cinderella. Their favorite for the day was the Buzz Light Year ride. We road it at least 4 times.

Princess pose.

Time to be silly.

Little Jackson was so good. He was in his carseat or the stroller most of the time. So, while we waited for the parade to come, he got to crawl around on the ground. Kind of gross I know, but good thing for wipes and baths.

Savanna and Sadie are so funny. They love to do "grumpy face". So, here they are doing their best face.

The kids all got to pick out one thing they wanted to buy........ Savanna picked Minnie ears and Sadie picked this baby Micky. Jackson got a Micky shirt.

When we got to California Adventure, we went into one of the shops to look around. Savanna was mesmerized by these pictures. They really were so cool.
We waited in line to see Alice In Wonderland, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts. After, she came down to see Jackson. He was so amazed and just wanted to touch her face.

Just a few of the many characters we got to see.....

The parades were so much fun. We went to one in the Disneyland which was "Celebrate You" and then another Pixar one in California Adventure.

Our last day it was a little rainy. So, we told the kids they could choose one ride each to go on. Sadie picked Buzz and Savanna picked Peter Pan. But, it cleared up a bit so we headed over to the Toy Story ride where we met up with all their cousins for one last ride.

Fun in the tub

2010-02-23T18:10:00.003-09:00

Make sure to pause the music at the bottom of the page before viewing so you can hear....I love watching these 2 play together.

Growing so fast

2010-02-22T08:43:00.003-09:00

This big boy is 8 months old now. He is crawling around everywhere and pulling up on stuff. He is starting to get into everything. He got tubes put in his ears a week ago. He has had ear infections since he was born with fluid in them which has affected his hearing. So, we are happy to know he will feel better and be able to hear. He did fail his last hearing test and we go back in a week but are hopeful it will only have been the fluid to cause him to fail the test.
We sure do love our little "smacks".

If you are a MOM, read this...

2010-02-11T09:38:00.003-09:00

Today I am choosing to slow down and focus on what really matters....

I recently heard a tragic story of a mom who left her 2 little boys in the bath tub and one drown. As I read her blog (here) I wept. I could not see the words on her blog because my eyes were blurry from the tears filling up and pouring down my face. I can't remember crying this hard since Eddie died.

First of all, I want you to know that I am guilty of doing exactly what she did. I have left my girls to play in the tub many times. I have felt safe because they have taken survival swim lessons and therefore, I assumed they would be "safe" in the tub if I hurried and ran to check on Jackson or answer a ringing phone or take their dirty clothes to the laundry room. I have even sat down at the computer to check my e-mail. How foolish I have been. Today I am overcome with gratitude that my precious babies (4 and 2) are safe when I have neglected them because of something that could wait.

We moms need to refocus our lives. We need to stop worrying about what "looks" good or acceptable and focus on what really matters. It doesn't matter how clean our house is. It doesn't matter who all we have talked to on the phone or texted. It doesn't matter how often we blog or facebook or twitter. It doesn't matter if we are on time to an appointment or a girls lunch...... if we are putting our children's safety at risk. In the end, the only thing that matters is that we have done our jobs as parents which is to keep our children safe. Isn't that what mom' s are supposed to do... protect their kids?!

So, I ask you to take a look at what is filling your life. Why are you so busy? Do those things really matter and can't they wait? How would you feel to loose one of your children because you were so busy doing something that How many times do we leave our oldest child responsible for the younger one? How would that child left responsible feel if he/she forgot to buckle the younger one in the seat belt and in a car crash he died? Are we really asking a child to take responsibility for his sibling? This is WRONG, no child should have to bear the burden placed upon him for a accident that could have been prevented if we as parents would have done our job!
...................

Another topic that has tormented me for almost a year now is that of molestation and rape. To those of you who have suffered from this terrible abuse, my heart aches for you. I am so sorry that someone would do something so horrific. God bless you!

I am so protective of my girls when it comes to this topic. I told my husband, Danny 2 nights ago after watching an episode Oprah that I would kill any man who did this to my children. Ok, I probably wouldn't kill him, but I would cut off the "thing" that he does not know how to control so that he could never use it again to harm a child..... get what I am saying.

Oprah actually interviewed 4 men who were molesters and asked them what parents should be on the look out for in order to keep this from happening to their children or know if it was happening. This is what the rapist had to say-
1. Listen to your child, they do not lie about being molested and if the person they accuse say it never happened, They are lying. That is what they do best, lie.
2. These men seek out children who are craving attention..... Are you giving your child enough love and attention or are you too BUSY?
3. Watch to see if the man/woman spends more time with the kids than with the adults
4. 90% of molesters/rapist are friends or family members. Only 10% are strangers...... So, take a careful look around and see the clues. I know it is hard to look at those you love in this way. You probably even feel judgmental BUT if it saves your child it is worth it. Wouldn't you rather be overly cautious than have someone destroy the purity of your child

There were many more. You should watch her show. It came on Monday, Feb 8th.

So, today I am choosing to slow down. I am not going to fill my day with meaningless things. I am not running errands, meeting girlfriends for lunch, obsessively cleaning, and all the other things that take me away from my kids. I not only want to keep them safe, but I want to enjoy them. I want them to KNOW that I love them. I want them to be close enough to me and trust me enough to know that they can tell me anything. I want them to learn through our relationship what it means to truly love someone. I want them to experience what we read in the scriptures and learn at church each week in their own home. Because, up to this point it is probably fair to say the I am doing (Church, FHE, prayer, scriptures,etc) all the "right" things but I am not BEING it everyday. My kids deserve to feel that they are #1 each day and that they are worth my time and that I am excited to spend time with them. They deserve to know that the laundry and cleaning is not more important than they are. They deserve to not be yelled at because I am in a hurry to get somewhere. What they deserve mostly is for me to be the mom who is worthy of them.

Stay Put Socks in University Mall

2010-02-11T08:34:00.003-09:00

We opened a kiosk in the mall in Orem, UT. It has only been 3 weeks and we are doing great. I share a booth with my sweet friend, Amanda who is the owner of Half Tees.

This business is growing quickly and we are so excited!

Tubby Time

2010-02-09T21:18:00.003-09:00

Jackson is now taking a bath like a big boy. Natalia was over and she and Jax got to take a tubby. So funny, she is almost twice his age and they weigh the same.

Nanna, Sadie and Jackson took a bath together for the first time. They had so much fun and he thought he was so big.

Silly girls making Alfalfa hair.

What teeth?

2010-02-05T12:17:00.002-09:00

Jackson turns 8 months old next week and still doesn't have teeth. He drools all the time and is always wet and has been since he was 4 months old but still, no teeth. Today while I was brushing my teeth he started bouncing up and down wanting the toothbrush so I gave it to him. It vibrates so he kept making the funniest faces but kept going back for more. Well, at least he will know how to brush his teeth once he gets them.

Jackson 7 months old

2010-01-21T21:04:00.004-09:00

I can't believe this little guy is 7 1/2 months old. He is so precious. He has had 3 hair cuts already! He is eating baby food and started crawling just this week. He is so precious. He is the love of my life.

Sadie reading to Jackson

2010-01-10T19:06:00.002-09:00

This is a few months ago but I just uploaded it from my Flip. It is so cute. Pause the music at the
bottom of the page so you can hear it.

Peekaboo Photo shoot

2009-12-31T21:38:00.004-09:00

Ok, here are a few more favorites from our photo shoot with Peekaboo. Which ones do you like best?

Christmas Eve Breakfast

2009-12-27T14:12:00.003-09:00

We had a Christmas Eve breakfast with some of our friends. It was so much fun we decided to make it a tradition. Matt and Britt came in town so we wanted to have the kids get together and play. They had so much fun.

Ashley and Jon came and brought Lilly. She and Sadie played with the kitchen food and puzzles.
Of course with this many girls around the dress ups were sure to come out.

The slide was a hit. Halle was hilarious. She would fly down and the minute she got to the bottom she was headed back up for more. Tommy was a bit hesitant but as soon as he figured out that he was ok, he was loving it too.

So so glad Matt and Britt came to see us for Christmas.
Megan and Savanna hanging out.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-25T20:55:00.003-09:00

This year we started some new traditions for Christmas with our little family. We had a Christmas Eve pancake breakfast with some of our favorite friends (Brit, Matt, Halle, Megan, TJ, Tommy, and Ashley, Jon, & Lilly ). It was a perfect way to start the day.
Then, the kids got new jammies and after taking a bath, we went to dinner out In and Out for dinner.
Before bed we read a Christmas book and then the kids put out cookies and milk for Santa with a carrot and orange for Rudolf.
It was so much fun! We had the best day and it was the perfect prelude to a wonderful Christmas Day.

6 months old

2009-12-21T20:23:00.005-09:00

Here he is... my little handsome boy. He is 6 months old now. He is so yummy. I am still nursing him (longest so far). He is more than I ever thought a little boy would be. I am crazy about this guy.

We took him to the doctor today and her are his stats:
weight is 18lbs- 63%
head is 40%
height is 93%

He has started sitting up. The Bumbo helps but he is doing pretty well on his own. We put him in this when we feed him his cereal. He got to have pears for the first time today!
He has started holding his own bottle. So big....

While we were eating dinner last night we put him in the highchair and gave him Cheerios. He didn't really eat them but it kept him busy while we ate.
He spends lots of time in his exersaucer these days.

Family Pictures- Sneek Peek

2009-12-11T22:04:00.004-09:00

We had family pictures taken this week. Here are just a few she e-mailed me. I can't wait to see all of them.

This is the one I used for our Christmas cards.

Disney World

2009-12-08T08:32:00.008-09:00

We went to Disney World this last week with Mom, Emma, Jen, Camilla and Julianna. It was so much fun. The girls were great on the plane ride over and so excited when we got there.
This was one of the first rides we rode. It was fun but the favorites were Peter Pan (with Tappy Hoot aka Captain Hook) and Dumbo. Savanna loved Splash Mountain. She even went on the Haunted Mansion. My favorites were the Tower of Terror and Space Mountain.

Sadie loved all the Princesses and Characters. She had to give each of them a kiss and wouldn't let them leave until she did so.

We ate at awesome places while we were there. Cinderella's Castle, where we saw "La La" and Akursas in Norway Epcot with Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, Bell, Arial and Snow White (Toe White).

Waiting for dinner with the Princesses.

This was the crew. These girls just got a prize from "Day" which kept them very busy while we were in Hollywood Studios.
We also got to see the cast from Jo Jo Circus.Sadie loved the Tea Cups.

We saw 3 parades while we were there. The girls dressed up one day and got lots of attention from the Characters. Sadie would see them turn the corner and light up saying over and over who was coming.

Mom taught the girls how to "pin trade" while we were there. Sadie loved it. She would wear her favorites and trade anything for a Micky or Minnie. She also got a Tappy Hoot, Pooh, Peter Pan and Wendy, just to name a few.The longest line we waited in while we were there was 50 min to see Arial. To make the time go by faster we ordered lunch and ate it while we waited in line. And, she was worth the wait,

These rice crispy Micky ears were the best snack!
At the Animal Kingdon we got to see the cast of Lion King. Sadie was in heaven.
We went to Ohana for dinner and celebrated Savanna and Julianna'a birthdays.
Sadie asked for gum every day of our trip. But, Disney doesn't sell gum so she got to get this huge sucker. She ate the whole thing.

Sadie took a really late nap and didn't wake up til 6pm one night so she got to have a late night with me and mom at Downtown Disney. We saw this statue along with one of Micky and Minny and she kept running back and forth between them giving them kisses and hugs.
The girls got princess dolls to play with and had fun playing with them in the Hotel the day it rained. The were so cute and creative.

We stayed at the Contemporary Bay Lakes Tower Hotel. It was just finished in February and there is a huge tub. The girls could see Cinderella's Castle and fireworks while taking their baths each night. Such lucky girls.

5 months old

2009-11-21T08:14:00.002-09:00

Jackson is 5 months old. He is such a big boy. He is an angle. He is so easy and sweet. I sure do love this little boy.

Two things about this picture.
1. He is sleeping on his back. When he learned how to roll over this was a problem for a few days. But we let him cry and figure it out on his own so now he can fall asleep while on his back.
2. He is sucking his thumb! WHAT.... I have given this boy a passy since he was born and he loved it. Why has he replaced it with his thumb? I have kept forcing the passy but he spits it out and goes for the thumb instead. Oh no....

Swine Flue

2009-11-19T14:48:00.004-09:00

Well we got it... We were so sick and didn't leave our house for a solid week. And, we are just now feeling better and it has been 2 weeks. I sure am glad it is over. I got sick first and two days later Danny and the girls had fevers. Thank goodness Jackson stayed well. Thanks to our sweet neighbors Arlynn and Debbie who took him for hours at a time to let us rest and disinfect his room and thanks to Katrina and Karen for the food and drinks.

We wore masks when Jackson was around. Sadie was scared of them at first but once she saw Savanna with one on she wanted one herself.

Check out all the medicine. This is what we were taking on a daily basis.

We kept Jackson well by bathing him constantly. He got about two baths a day and we sanitized his hands about 10 times a day. He was so clean.

Savanna and Sadie got very creative being stuck inside without leaving our house for a week. Since everyone was so freaked out by the Swine Flue, I kept them on our porch for the first 5 days before I would let them go outside around any other kids. They had fun playing on the porch.

After playing with every toy they had and getting really bored, a package arrived in the mail. It was from "Day" and was the Little People Thanksgiving set and the Nativity Scene. They had so much fun playing with this and it couldn't have arrived at a better time. Thanks Day.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T13:14:00.005-09:00

Halloween was so much fun this year. The girls wanted to dress up as princesses and have Danny be the prince. With a little convincing, it happened. Jackson got to be Cinderella's pumpkin.

Jen and Dave brought the kids over. Blake and Baylee were so cute.
Here he is, our Prince Charming. What a great sport Danny was. He looks awesome in tights.

This is probably Sadie's favorite holiday. I know she was cold while we were trick-or-treating because her nose was red but she didn't care. She would eat a piece of candy after leaving each house and walking to the next. She seriously thought she was in heaven. Look how excited she is to pour out her pumpkin to see what she got.Savanna's first choice out of her pumpkin was pretzels. Then, after taking only 2 things of smarties, she told me she was ready to hang her candy on the tree so the witch could come get it and leave her a prize.

Emma stopped by dressed as Marilyn Monroe. She looked gorgeous.

Putting on Makeup

2009-10-30T20:44:00.003-08:00

I know everybody says it but I am watching it happen.... These little girls are best friends.
I love watching them play together. The were watching me get ready and wanted to put makeup on too. I love how still Sadie is being and how Savanna is holding her head still.

Sadie is so proud of her pretty lips. You can't see her "eye" makeup because they were using lip gloss.

Nanna is so brave as Sadie approaches her with that Q-Tip.

One, two, three...

2009-10-28T14:28:00.003-08:00

Today we were at home hanging out and I decided to snap a few pics of my cute kids. They decided which pictures I took and who got to have a turn with Jackson. At the end Savanna said she wanted one with just she and Sadie. They are so sweet!

Hawaii

2009-10-20T09:52:00.007-08:00

We went to Hawaii for 10 days. It was so much fun. The kids loved playing in the pools and beach. The weather was perfect; 85 most days and low 70s at night. It really is paradise.

Jackson turing 4 months old

2009-10-07T11:56:00.003-08:00

Jackson is growing so fast. He will be 4 months old this weekend. He is such a happy smily boy. He is such a good baby. He is a tummy sleeper and has been rolling over in his bed. He gets stuck on his back like a little turtle and can't roll back over. We always know when this happens because he starts to scream in frustration. It is the only time he cries like that so we know exactly what has happened. He is holding his head up so well. He is reaching for toys and starting to play. He is so fun. We are crazy about him.

Savanna turns 4

2009-09-28T18:22:00.001-08:00

Savanna turned 4 last weekend. She decided this year for her party she just wanted a few of her very best friends to come. She wanted to have a Barbie/Princess party. She picked out every detail of this party from the cake to what they girls were going to do.

This is the cake she picked out... Barbie Diamond Castle. But, when we got home, she decided to add some of her own decorations to it, Poly Pockets and Princesses. Oh, and don't forget the candles. She wanted 6 instead of 4.

Sweet Lindsay suggested we do the girls hair and makeup. So we lined them up on bar stools in front of the mirror so they could each see themselves. Linds brought all her awesome makeup and the artist went to work. These little girls makeup was so beautiful. She made sure their makeup matched their dresses and they truly were so pretty. Thanks Linds!

For Savanna's actual birthday, the day after her party, we made her pancakes for breakfast and let her open her presents before we got ready for church. This year she asked for a few things. She wanted a new American Girl Doll (one with long hair and ear rings), princess poly pockets, and a new bike. And, that's what she got.

The excitement on her face when she was opening her bike helmet.

How to keep baby socks on

2009-09-22T19:27:00.002-08:00

Racing Cane

2009-09-19T20:01:00.004-08:00

We did the Racing Cane 6k today with some of our favorite people. It was so much fun. We left Jackson at home with a sitter and Danny pushed the girls in the jogging stroller.

Savanna found out that KK was running in the 1k and wanted to do the same. So, Danny went out and got her some new Nike's and shorts and she was all set for her run. She ran the whole time (with me holding her hand the last 20o yards). She did such a great job. I am so proud of her!

After the run, the kids got their faces painted, jumped in the bounce house and ate Magleby's Fresh french toast. Such a great family even!

And what was Sadie doing..... she was getting a drink. Guess watching that race made her thirsty.

Jackson 3 months old

2009-09-15T15:45:00.003-08:00

My little boy is 3 months old! He is smiling all the time now and loves to coo at us when we talk to him.

My three little kiddies

2009-09-13T20:18:00.004-08:00

I am so in love with these three kids. This weekend I was working at a Womens Expo for Stay Put Socks! and I missed them so much. I am so grateful they are "mine" and I get to spend every day with them. I am crazy about each one of them.

Savanna is so beautiful! She has grown up so much and is the best, most responsible big sister. She takes such good care of her sister and brother. She is so smart and obedient. I sure do love this little girl!

This smile of Sadie's is my favorite. Only a select few of us get to see it. I even took her to get her pictures taken professionally and he couldn't capture this smile. She is such a little stinker and so hilarious at the same time. I love my Sadie Lady!

Jackson is an angle. He is my easiest baby by far. He turned 3 months old last week and has started smiling and cooing. He gets so excited when we talk to him. I love his big turtle eyes and think he is such a handsome boy. I am so grateful I had this most perfect little boy! I love you baby brother.

Boating

2009-09-13T20:06:00.005-08:00

We have been going boating a lot lately. It has been fun trying to cram in a whole summers worth into just one month. The kids love being on the boat. They spend most of their time eating since we are either rushing to get a few runs in before school or having the guys pick us up on the dock just after school.

They also like tubing, as long as the "crazy" driver doesn't go too fast. We have a little saying just before it is time to take off..... "Brace yourself, fool". It is so funny when Savanna says it.

This is Dave getting good air on a choppy day!

Jackson is great on the boat. He sleeps about 99% of the time. And, he is usually right here.... on my chest!
Danny and I learned how to wake board for the first time just a few weeks ago and Danny is getting really good (of course)!

Jackson's Blessing Day, September 5,2009

2009-09-06T07:48:00.005-08:00

We had such a great day yesterday for Jackson's baby blessing. We had our closest friends and family at our home to bless him and it was so intimate and spiritual. Danny did a great job in preparing and delivering the blessing. We are so grateful to belong to a church that allows us to feel the spirit so strongly and have the power of the Priesthood here on earth.

The food was yummy and a great way to spend time with all of our loved ones who traveled from all over just to be with us on this special day!

The kids had lots of fun. The downstairs was a disaster after many hours of fun but thanks to the girls, it was cleaned up in no time.

Danny brought out the mask a little later. Watch out kids... here comes the scary man!

The girls had so much fun playing dress up and giving us a fashion show.

Ethan and Jackson are only 6 weeks apart. They were so cute "talking" to each other.

She is so smart

2009-09-01T15:32:00.003-08:00

Savanna is in Pre School. She turns 4 on September 20th. She has only been in school at Miss Ann's for a week. Today she came home and wanted to show me a little game she likes to play called Fat Cat. Watch her play....

So helpful.....

2009-08-24T10:28:00.002-08:00

Savanna is so helpful with Jackson. Today she fed him a bottle for me. She is so sweet. I came in to check on them and she told me, "I just taked it out for a minute to see if there was still something in there". She was talking about the bottle and making sure there was still milk in there so he wasn't sucking air. How does she eve know to check that. Such a natural mommy!

Sadie's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-08-16T06:27:00.006-08:00

Sadie turned 2 Aug 14th. We had a 101 Dalmatian Party for her because it is her favorite movie and she loves dogs. We let the kids make their own personal pizzas when they arrived and Oreo cookie shakes. While the pizza cooked they watched 101 Dalmatians.

Then, we had cake which hardly any of the kids ate because they were full off pizza and Oreo cookies. The cake was so cute but as soon as we lit the candles Sadie got this cautious look on her face and wasn't sure what to do.

We got a Dalmatian Pinata and filled it full of candy and little toy guns and rings. This was Sadie's favorite We gave the kids bags to fill after the Pinata was broken. She loved the the "dana" and was very protective of her bag. She wouldn't even put the bag down while she opened presents.

Here are all the kids eating their candy. They were so cute.

Next it was time to open presents. Sadie got lots of great gifts. Thanks to everyone for the snow cone machine, the bows, books, movie and coloring book. She loves them all.

And still, she is holding tight to the bag of candy....
After the party, we had two more friends stop by with gifts. Lindsay brought the cutest little dog that barks and walks. Savanna loves this little dog just as much as Sadie does. And, the barkers brought her a Cow Boy hat. So cute!
And of course there is Grandma and Day. Grandma got Sadie some fun toys and Day got her her first set of pearls and so fun outside toys.

Thanks again for all the awesome gifts. She loves them.

Big Blue Eyes

2009-08-08T12:08:00.003-08:00

Jackson has the BIGGEST blue eyes I have ever seen on a baby. He looks like a little turtle and we sing a turtle song to him all the time. When he grows into these big blue eyes he sure will be a hansom boy!

He loves tummy time; probably because he is a tummy sleeper. Yeah, that's right! We are breaking the rules again (just like we did with Savanna). He holds his head up so well and is so strong. One of his new favorite toys is this little mirror. He loves to look at his big blue eyes!

3 little monkies

2009-07-30T19:47:00.002-08:00

Danny was holding Jackson and Sadie had to jump up there with them. She is so funny. Check her out, she is pinching Jackson's "ninny" in this picture.

Sadie is so excited to be a big sister and loves her Jax. Just look at that SMILE.

what we have been up to......

2009-07-30T19:36:00.003-08:00

We made homemade pizza together. It is really funny looking back but at the time it was crazy. Jackson was crying and Sadie was eating off the toppings to the pizza as fast as we were putting them on. Sadie first got flour all over her face and the counter and floor, then as we were patting out the dough she was hitting it so hard it was sticking to her hands so we would have to roll it out and start over. Then when we started putting the toppings on she took a huge hand full of cheese off the pizza and messed the dough up, then she was eating off the pineapple off as fast as we were putting it on.

We got a tomato plant this year. I was watering it every day and left it out in a huge storm and about drowned it with water. I thought it was dead because the three tomatoes we did have were green for 2 months. Then of the sudden they started to turn RED! Yay!

So, I have always put lotion on my kids. Savanna went through a stage when she didn't want me to put it on her and I convinced her that the reason princesses have such pretty skin is because they put lotion on every day, even their faces. Lately, Savanna wants to put her own lotion on. Check out her face, she will definitely be a princess.

Jackson is 6 weeks old

2009-07-25T14:36:00.003-08:00

and he loves his bouncy seat. He just stares at his little owl and raccoon and lately has stated smiling and waving his hands at them.

I needed to run get dressed so I asked Savanna to keep an eye on Jackson. I put him down on a blanket and when I came back she had propped him up on a pillow. She thought he would be more comfortable. So sweet and thoughtful to think he would need a pillow. Apparently it made him happy because he was smiling.

Once again, Sadie talking to "Jaxxx" and mothering him. She thought he might need a blanket too.

Savanna's First Sleep-over

2009-07-22T18:15:00.003-08:00

My little girl is getting so big. She had her first night away from home last night. Jen Stout has a lake house here in Minnesota and we have gotten to see them the last 3 summers up there. Saturday, we met Jen and the kids at the Mall of America and it was so much fun. KK and Nanna didn't want to leave each other. So, Jen suggested we come up for the day and let Savanna stay the night and she would bring her back down on her way to the airport to pick up Alicia. So, we got up early yesterday and headed up there. When I told Savanna good bye and hugged her she didn't even hesitate to stay. She hardly even took the time to look at me to say bye! She had so much fun with KK. She did great spending the night without mom and dad. She even told KK, "I will come back tomorrow" when she was leaving to come back home.

Also, it was so amazing to spend one on one time with Sadie. I have never been with just her for a long period of time. It was so great to get to spend time with just her! We played and laughed and grew so close. It made me realize that the second child really doesn't get the attention the first gets. I will definately learn from this experience and make sure to take special time with just Sadie..... and not just a few hours. That just scratches the surface... I mean real time, like a full 24 hours.

Thanks Jen!!!

Jackson't first haircut

2009-07-18T18:46:00.002-08:00

We gave Jackson a little haircut today. We just cut a little off the top and it looks so much better. It have the Hawaii wave on the top like Savanna's used to so now he looks like a boy.

After Sadie got out of the tub, Savanna wanted Jackson to get in with her. She was so gentle and sweet with him. He loved being in the bath with her.

This one's for you Jen......

2009-07-16T20:09:00.004-08:00

I have been putting off posting because I feel like Jackson isn't very photogenic right now. But the truth is, he is so chubby that he doesn't look very cute in pictures. Jackson is so chubby. This boy has gained about 4lbs since he was born. That's about a pound a week. He has a double chin and the biggest cheeks.

He weighs almost 12lbs now and is growing out of his 3 month old clothes. The top four pictures he actually has on a 3-6 month size and he is only 5 weeks old. What are we going to do with this little linebacker? He will probably be 6' 5" and weigh 250lbs.

Best 4th of July Ever!

2009-07-07T17:23:00.004-08:00

We had the Best 4th of July this summer in Eden Praire, MN. The city had a huge celebration at Round Lake Park. Right when we got there the girls got their faces painted, balloons and glow sticks, and a popsicle.

Sadie and Savanna both decided to get a fire work painted on their faces.

Jackson just hung out all day. He slept in the stroller and in the hot sling. He woke up just for a little while so he could eat. This kid is so chubby. He has gained a lb a week since he was born. He is pushing 11lbs already. Wow, and we thought Sadie was big!

The girls also got to play lots of fun games like balloon toss. They were so funny, they just threw the balloon down on the ground to get the other one wet. Then, we went and got kettle corn, corn dogs and pizza with a fresh squeezed lemonade. After we were all full, we let them play on the playground. Then an hour before the fire works started, we went over to listen to the band play. The music was awesome and we all had fun dancing, especially the girls on this big platform while "Day" watched. It was such a fun day and even better that daddy got to see the fireworks with us.