The Richards Ramblings

Officially 4

2010-08-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby girl is 4!
Where has the time gone and
how can we slow it down?
WE LOVE YOU GRACIE,
for all that you are and all that you will grow to be.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I love this kid!

2010-08-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

He cracks me up!
Jackson today said, "Mom, I'm going to color this picture
of Buster the dog for Dad because he always gets busted by you."
So observant!

Michigan

2010-07-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

There are so many things that I love about our annual trip to Michigan. I love spending time with my parents, relaxing, playing at the dock, visiting the little towns, wake boarding, boating and I absolutely love the gorgeous scenery. It's so great being able take the kids right outside the house to take a picture with some actual greenery in it. No driving around to search for hours for a little itty bitty patch that might be able to resemble a bit of green. As an added bonus, my kids don't really fight me on it (most of the time). I think they realize it's just part of the trip and if they grin and bear it they can go back to playing and having fun. Kelly on the other hand ... well that's a different story. I'm still working on him.

End of A Blogging Hiatus

2010-07-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I broke up with the blog for awhile, but I think it's time that we kiss and make up. Let's not have high expectations though. Just baby steps.

Easter

2010-04-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

I know I'm biased ...

2009-10-27T16:00:00.001-07:00

but isn't she just the cutest.

BIG BIRTHDAY ...

2009-09-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

Our Birthday Girl!

2009-08-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACIE LOU!

WE LOVE YOU!

First Day of Kindergarten!

2009-08-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

How did we get here?

How is it that my little boy is old enough to go to Kindergarten?
He was ready, I on the other hand ... not so much. Well, whether I was ready or not, the day was here and away we went.
Jackson woke up and ran into our room with the biggest smile on his face and said, "guess who's going to Kindergarten today?!" Then yelled, "ME!"

He could not get to the school fast enough. We parked the car and off he went, running, all the way to his classroom.

When we finally parted ways, Grace and I headed home. On the way, I asked her what she would like to do today. She replied simply with, "watch Mamma Mia and make cookies". So we did just that.

At the end of the school day, Grace and I were both eager to go pick up Jackson from school. As soon as he ran out of the Kindergarten cove, we saw the biggest smile on his face. I think this will be a good fit for him. As for me, knowing that he loves it helps me love it too.

All Grown Up!

2009-08-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas to All!

2008-12-26T21:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas Sunday

2008-12-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

Hiding Spots

2008-11-20T22:15:00.000-08:00

Grace is a thief.
It happened every morning. Right when she would wake up, she would go straight to Jackson's room and grab the little green frog that sat on his bed. She loved it!
We tried to explain to Jackson that she only liked it because it reminded her of him, but that did not make him feel better. Finally, one day, he'd had enough. I had heard enough about it so I told him to go and hide it and then she won't be able to take it. That seemed to work. He was happy!
I didn't think anymore about it. Grace would ask for it each morning, but I just told her it was lost and to go look for it. It kept her busy and that was just an added bonus. Then about two weeks later, I was in Grace's room and noticed this.

Apparently, Jackson thought that the best hiding spot to keep his frog away from her was right under her nose. I don't know what's worse. Jackson thinking this was the smartest place to hide it or that Grace never found it. Either way, I about died laughing.
* In the end, the frog was discovered and the process went on and on until Christmas time. Jackson was trying to decide what to get Grace and thought of the perfect gift ... his little green frog. He wrapped it up and before handing it to her on Christmas morning explained to her why he was giving it to her and that she was going to need to take good care of it for him. She agreed and then he let her open it. She was so excited. It was her favorite gift and still is. It's always nice when it ends happily.

Mohawks Rock!

2008-10-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't look good with a bath tub mohawk?

No matter the length of your hair, it always works.

It finally happened!

2008-09-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

We thought this day would have happened much, much sooner, but ... to everyone's surprise ...

he waited to get his first set of stitches a week before his 4th birthday!
As the story goes, he did a naked cart wheel and split open his chin on the coffee table. This is exactly how Jackson tell it to everyone and anyone that asks ... the doctors, his teachers, people at the store and even people at church. We are incredibly proud of him for being so brave throughout the whole process. Once it happened, he cried, but was able to calm down quickly. We drove to the hospital and he had no fears or worries.When we arrived, he told everyone the story and continually asked me to take pictures of him during each step. I however, did not think of bringing my camera to the hospital when we were just trying to rush out the door. Next time I will know better and pack it right along with us. He was laughing and having a great time. So proud of his accomplishment! They numbed him up without a shot and later had to numb him again with a shot. That is when the laughter stopped. He did not like that and quickly changed his tune that this whole process was in fact ... NOT FUN! He wanted to go home right away. He still did great and braved 4 stitches on the outside and 2 on the inside of his mouth. He probably should have gotten more, but the numbing was wearing off and we didn't dare push it.
We are so proud of our brave 4 year old!
*The inside stitches didn't even last until the next morning. He quickly chewed those ones out (despite my best warning and offer for a really cool prize if he didn't touch them). The outside stitches made it a few days short of how long they were supposed to be in because one night in bed (Kelly didn't put a band-aid over them) Jackson decided to pick at them. So much so, that he pulled them all out except one tiny little one. This lone stitch stayed in an extra few days but really what was the use at that point. Way to go Jackson!

Jackson's Birthday Celebration!

2008-09-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Jackson had about a week long of celebrating for his birthday this year. It all started with bringing cupcakes to school (the day before his birthday) to share with his classmates. They of course had to eat their orange slices first. Some enjoyed them more than others.

The cupcakes were a hit!The day of his birthday, we played at home, he got to pick where we went out to lunch, and then go and pick out his birthday cake. This year, he wanted a cake from the store and I was happy to oblige. Less stress and no mess! Once Kelly got home, we got ready to meet the Gardiner's and the Hill's for a pizza dinner. It was great and I think the kids had a fun time together.
After dinner, we went straight home to open presents and eat cake. Opening the presents took a total of about 4 minutes. He has become a pro and definitely could not contain his enthusiasm! It was so great to see how excited he was over every little thing! It definitely made it more fun this year.
The birthday cake, that he picked out, was not as wonderfully as he had hoped. He did enjoy blowing out the candles, but after the first bite, he was done. So much for that, but since this was not the first birthday cake of the month, I was definitely not heart broken!It is, however, always better when you share it with someone you love.*Since this is only the half way point in our month of birthday chaos, there will be more pictures posted soon.*

Birthday Boy!

2008-09-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKSON
I can't believe you are already 4! Everyone always told me that it would go by too quickly and boy were they right. We love your infectious smile and your goofy personality. You are a constant joy and we can't wait to see what the next 4 years will hold.
We Love You!

PARTY TIME!!!!

2008-09-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

It's birthday season in our home again! With that, comes the big birthday party. This year, we had the party over at our community pool.

They had all their friends there.
We swam, played and had lots of yummy food.
Make that, lots and lots of yummy food.
We had a wonderful cake (which was even more wonderful since I didn't have to make it). This wonderful cake even magically turned into cute cupcakes. We can't always be bothered with silly things like hands!

Sometimes we weren't the most observant about what our children were eating. Case in point. Maybe this is why he was so wound up the rest of the night.

Here's our little social eater!Overall, we had a wonderful time and are so grateful to all our friends and family for helping us celebrate!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Owen's Big Day

2008-08-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is Owen, and he is my youngest nephew. Today is a very special day for him and his family. This morning they will be sealed together in the Newport Beach, California Temple. I am so sad to be missing this, but hope they all know how much I love them and miss them. They have been waiting a long time for this day and I am so thrilled that it is finally here. We love you Owen and you couldn't have picked a better family!

How cute is he?

Grace's Birthday Celebration

2008-08-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

Gracie had a GREAT birthday!

(despite the birthday cake incident)

We ate dinner with her Oma & Poppy (my parents) at California Pizza Kitchen. She loved the bread and is always a fan of pasta.

Then we went back to their house to open presents.She got more into it when she noticed that we made great reactions once the presents were open. It quickly became a game and she immediately learned how to react just like us! Such a little mimic!Grace got tons of her favorite things, bracelets, purses, movies and books. She had a great time and loved showing us her new gifts.

What a day!
Thanks Oma & Poppy for celebrating with us!

Who Cries Over Cake?

2008-08-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently, she does!
It didn't even get better once the candles were blown out. We tried getting her to at least take one bite of cake, since last year, that's all it took for her to realize how yummy it was. That didn't even help. It actually made it worse. She just thought we were feeding her poison or something. I just don't get it. Oh well, that's Gracie for you!
*this is not a good picture, but it says it all

Birthday Girl!

2008-08-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACIE!
We love you!

"The Box"

2008-08-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

Why are they always more entertained with the box then what's inside it?

1st Day of School

2008-08-25T16:54:00.001-07:00

Jackson was so excited to get back to preschool. I think we all were a little bit.
He was lucky enough to have the same teachers he had the year before so everything was very familiar. It definitely makes the first day of school easier for everyone. No tears for this kid!

If you got it, flaunt it!

2008-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Letter Writing in Style

2008-08-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

Hide and Seek

2008-08-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

On many Sunday nights, we play a few games of Hide and Seek. Most times, the kids get super hyper and run all around the house getting as worn out as possible (which is our goal). This Sunday was no exception! However, Jackson is getting much better at hiding. He used to always pick the same three spots and usually give himself away before we even got there. If you take too long trying to find him, he'll usually run out to announce where he has been. There were a few times where we'd be walking around the house saying, "is Jackson in his room?" and then you'd here "NO!" coming from Grace's room. It's progress!
As the night went on, he started getting more creative with his hiding spots (and stealing a few ideas of where mommy was hiding the time before). On the last round, we walked into his room to see the little feet coming out from under his bed. After standing in his room, for a good minute, trying to control our laughter, he finally tried to curl his feet ever so quietly in. Way to go Jackson, your Hide and Seek skills really are the "bestest."

Time Out!

2008-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Grace has a REALLY bad habit. Most of you don't need to worry that this could affect you or your children someday as she seems to focus this bad habit strictly on Jackson. She bites him! Yep, that's right, she's a biter. Not only that, but she is smart enough to only do it when we are not in the room. Granted she does not do this on a regular basis, but I think one time is too many. I can't say he doesn't always deserve it, but honestly, .... why biting? So, the very few times we've been able to catch her we are quick to reprimand her in hopes of putting a stop to this nonsense. For whatever reason, she listens to Kelly so much better than me and actually takes him seriously. Who would have thought!
I know I shouldn't laugh when Gracie get put in "time out" by Kelly, but ... how could I not. She would never sit there for me or like that for that matter. I think he now does it just because it makes me laugh so hard.

"SORRY!"

Jackson's Tagged

2008-08-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

1. What is something mom always says to you?
"Say good things"

2. What makes mom happy?
"Jackson" & "when I am being good"

3. What makes mom sad?
"When I'm grumpy"

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
"When you tickle me"

5. What was your mom like as a child?
"A laughing girl"

6. How old is your mom?
"22. I forgot how many you are."

7. How tall is your mom?
"So tall"

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
"To play with me"

9. What does your mom do when you are not around?
"Doesn't play & not be happy"

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
"Being nice"

11. What is your mom really good at?
"playing, finger painting, not kicking, your pretty good at everything"

12. What is your mom not so good at?
"Not drawing dragons on pictures"
(although I have never tried, apparently he knows my limits)

13. What does your mom do for her job?
"Be nice about taking care of me"

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
"guacamole"
( I didn't know that)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
"That you are always nice and good to me"

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
"Nobody. Your my mom."

17. What do you and your mom do together?
"paint, play and play trains and cars"

18. How are you and your mom the same?
"Because we got made from Jesus"

19. How are you and your mom different?
"Because we got made different, silly"

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
"You hug me and kiss me and read me stories and do all kinds of stuff with me"

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

7We had a great 4th of July this year, despite the fact that we are in Arizona in the extreme heat. The Marriott family was kind enough to invite us over to the Moser's beautiful home for a day of yummy food and lots of pool fun. I think at one point we had more rafts then we did people. Although we weren't able to do a "dive in movie," we were able to see an amazing monsoon show instead. Jackson and his goggles! He loves them and once they are on, they are not coming off! I don't mind since he swims a million times better with them on. You do watcha' gotta do!
-Thank you Marriott family for the great day and thanks Marnee for the great pictures!
(there are more pictures you can check out on Marnee's blog)

I SEE YOU!

2008-06-22T21:52:00.000-07:00

Peek-a-boo has changed recently to, "I SEE YOU!" The only real difference is that now, Grace looks under a table or chair and then declares, "I SEEEEEEEEEEE YOU!"
This is an image we see very, very frequently.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

2008-06-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

Jackson learned a very important lesson tonight!
We never need to cry over spilled milk.

Grace's 1st Powdered Donut

2008-06-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

I swear she normally eats healthy! I just don't have pictures of it.

"Hmmm...that doesn't look right."

2008-06-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

While in California, Jackson could not get enough to eat. I swear the boy never stopped the entire trip and never said he was full. After awhile, I noticed how large his belly was looking. Apparently, so did he!

Sunday & A Pink Cookie

2008-06-17T10:42:00.001-07:00

Newport Trip

2008-06-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, the Marriott's were kind enough to invite us along on a family vacation out to Newport Beach with them. It was so nice to be able to get away for a whole week! We had a great time and did lots of fun things. One of which, was take a TON of pictures! Kelly, however, would not constitute this as "fun." What can I say ... with Marnee, a professional photographer on the trip, and me (someone who just really likes to take pictures) ... what were we supposed to do!?! In the end, I think we took well over 2,000 images. I think it's going to take me some time to actually go through them all, but as soon as I do, I will share more. Maybe I can see why Kelly was a bit annoyed, but we are bound to have a few good ones in there and that will be totally worth it. For now, here are a few from some of our beach pictures.

Thanks Marnee for our family photos. The kids may not have been too fond of the beach that first day we took pictures, but you would really never know. They definitely warmed up to it all by the end of the trip. Better late than never!

.. and yes, Grace is actually screaming like crazy in the above picture.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-16T14:19:00.001-07:00

We love you!

New Discoveries

2008-06-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

Pigtails After Naptime

2008-05-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

End of the School Year

2008-05-29T17:05:00.001-07:00

The end of the school year is always a busy time with lots of activities. The first of which was a musical performance at the church. Daddy was out of town, but luckily Oma & Poppy were able to come and see the performance with us. I thought for sure that Jackson was going to be shy and bashful, especially since we were all there to watch him, but he actually did great! He almost knew all the words and actions to each song. Since he started school mid year I wasn't sure how much he would actually be able to remember, but of course, his memory prevailed again. It was so much fun to watch and to see the excitement in their eyes!

After the program, we went back to his classroom so that Jackson could show Oma & Poppy around. The teacher read a story and then they did the "Bear Hunt" which is Jackson's favorite. It was so hilarious to watch him get really involved and animated!

On the last day of school, we were able to go back to Jackson's class were they had a big "Wild West" party! They had a great time and the room mom's went all out. When I say all out, I mean all out!

They had chips and salsa for a snack(and later had a cupcake), decorated their own personal horse, decorated a frame with their picture inside, panned for gold, played pin the tail on the donkey, tried to lasso a horse (which was very interesting), and they even had a pinata. Even I was tired by the end of it all! Jackson concentrated so hard on trying to lasso that horse. Little by little he got closer and closer to it, and by the end he just casually put the rope on it, put his hands in the air and shouted, " I did it!" Way to go bud!

The teachers then presented each student with their own certificate of completion along with a book for each of them. Jackson really loves his teachers and is so excited to be able to have the same teachers next year. What a way to end the year! Summer time is always fun, but Jackson can't wait for next year!

Miss Fiona

Miss Suely

She Looks Sweet, But ...

2008-05-25T23:41:00.001-07:00

don't let her fool you!

Busy at Work

2008-05-21T13:43:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just have to get some work done!A few months ago we realized that Jackson loves to pretend to play "office." He has a little table and chair in his room where he will sit and read everyday for a long period of time. When we were on vacation recently, we stumbled across this whole office set up. As you can see, it was a big hit! I opened the box and then went in the other room to grab something and this is what I found (glasses and all)!

Where did my little boy go?

2008-04-17T21:51:00.001-07:00

Lately, Kelly and I have noticed how much our "little boy" has truly grown up. He isn't just that cute boy anymore. He really is a handsome kid now (or at least we think so). We continually look at him in amazement, at how he has become such a kind, selfless, generous, funny, and sweet young boy. He is always surprising us with the things that come out of his mouth and how grown up he is in his conversational skills. Jackson is always entertaining and always happy! We sure lucked out!

Cactus Mishaps

2008-04-15T15:33:00.001-07:00

When we went out to take pictures with Casey he really wanted to get a few shots out in the desert. So, we made our way through the prickly patch and got to a great spot. Once he got us situated and where he wanted us, he started backing up. At this point, Kelly and I see what he is about to back into. See picture below. We do our best to try and warn him in time, but we were too late. He brushed right up against this cactus. We were concerned, but he said, "no worries, I'll just rip it out later." Uh, no! Kelly hurries over to help and before he could get there Casey backs into another one. Kelly rips the first one out and then Casey starts working on the one in his foot. As he is doing this, he notices that now Kelly is trying to get one out of his hand. While they are each working on their own messes, the kids and I are just standing there watching this whole comedy routine. Jackson then gets freaked out by a bee that is circling him and he runs closer to me. Grace is finally happy and although there are no pictures being taken, she is smiling. Casey is now helping Kelly get the one out of his hand and Kelly notices that Casey is about to step in the cactus he just got out of his leg ... again! He quickly (and without thinking) picks it up and throws it behind him ... right to where we were standing. It lands right on Jackson's foot! I can't put Grace down to help him and now Kelly and Casey have to run over to help Jackson. He is crying and Kelly is feeling awful. Jackson is screaming and kicking and freaking out, trying to get it off his foot. They end up picking him up and we notice it is all enter twined with his shoe and skin. We have no idea how to tackle all of these barbs that are stuck in his little feet. So, Kelly (without telling me) decides to just rip the shoe off. Poor guy! Needless, to say, it was an adventure to get a family picture in the desert. After the drama,
Jackson asked, "Dad, why would you throw that at my foot?"
Kelly: "I didn't mean to Jackson. It was an accident and I am so sorry!"
Jackson: "It's okay Dad, just don't do it again!"

The culprit!

How it all started ...

The end result.

The apology!

Family Pictures

2008-04-10T09:20:00.001-07:00

Kelly's really good friends from college, Casey and Melanie, came to visit us a few weekends ago. We had a great time and even had the opportunity to get some family pictures taken by Casey. He did an amazing job and we had a very exciting time (but that will be explained in a separate post). The kids did a great job and it was especially easy when Casey is so entertaining when he is taking pictures. Thanks Casey for the great pictures, the fun memories, and all the help!!!!

HAPPY! Sad

2008-04-10T09:19:00.001-07:00

HAPPY Face!

Sad Face.Gracie loves to play the "happy face, sad face" game. She will do it over and over again each and every day. The only problem is that her "sad face" looks more like "angry face" or "completely ticked off face." It never gets old to her and she knows it always brings a smile to each of our faces.

What A Face!

2008-04-06T22:39:00.001-07:00

Peek-a-Boo!

2008-04-06T22:36:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday

2008-03-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter Sunday! Jackson and Grace were so excited to see what the Easter bunny might have left for them. Grace really had no clue what was going on, but she can never pass up an opportunity to run into a room.
We found a few eggs at our house and then went to Oma & Poppy's for more Easter fun. We took a few Easter pictures and then started the egg hunt.

Jackson was so into it this year. He really loved it and never slowed down. He was even aware of the fact that Gracie needed to find a few and he would leave the easy to find ones out just for her (announcing that those ones were Grace's).

Grace seemed to enjoy just sitting and having her picture taken. Not really as eager to look for the eggs as her brother. Once we started the big hunt, she found her one egg and then she was done. She did not want to carry around her super cute basket or put anything in it (no matter how hard we tried). If we took her egg out of her hand, a fit was thrown. So, she spent the remainder of the time, carrying her egg and pointing to all the ones she found. It almost seemed like she was saying, "hey, there's another one ... who wants it?" Maybe next year she'll grasp the concept of it ... maybe.

Church Easter Party

2008-03-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

I love watching kids at an Easter egg hunt! Nothing could be better. Grace did pretty well, until she got distracted by the new discovery that there were treats inside the eggs. A girl after my own heart!

Jackson was off and knew exactly what to do this year. A vast improvement from last year. Let's just say that when you walk right behind your friend the whole time, you don't find that many eggs in your basket at the end.
* (sound like someone else you know Maggie?)
He found so many right at the beginning that his basket got a little too full. So, Kelly and I kept sneaking some out so that it gave some other kids a chance to find a few more. No worries, he didn't notice. After the Easter egg hunt we had a few activities available for the kids. There was decorating Easter eggs, a craft, a relay race, cookie decorating, and sidewalk chalk. I'll let you take a guess as to which ones my kids stayed at the whole time. Here's a hint, our clothes did not get any dye on them and we did not win any extra candy from a relay, and the craft table had a few extra projects at the end of the day. All in all, we had a great time! Can't wait for next year.

Happy Easter

2008-03-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

Grace vs. Oatmeal

2008-03-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, Grace has been battling a bit of a stomach issue the last little while. Although, I am completely sick of the smell and laundry that has accumulated because of this, I do feel awful for my little girl when she isn't feeling well. The worst part of this whole thing is that she is starving and although I would love to feed her anything she wants, there's really no point ... let's just leave it at that! I think we are finally over the hump of this one, so she finally got to eat some oatmeal the other day. Someone was really excited...I'm so hungry, I could eat a ... bowl?Ahhhh...

I love food! So worn out, but totally worth it.Full Tummy = Happy Girl

Best Friends

2008-03-04T12:40:00.001-08:00

Don't worry ... it's bath night!

Jackson just loves Zoe! He takes really good care of her and makes sure she is fed well (obviously), and gets lots of walks. I often find him sitting on the ground with her talking to her and telling her what a good dog she is. Once in a while she lets him know just how much she loves him too.

This Ones for you Courtney

2008-02-24T22:48:00.000-08:00

Although, I have not gotten around to most of the ones that have been sent to me, I decided I would finally attempt one ... so here it goes! All about my Hubby

What is your husbands name? Kelly Gene Richards (yes, this is his real name and no, he is not Irish and no, his mom did not name him after Gene Kelly)
How long have you been together? We will be married for 8 years in May. We dated for almost 2 years (off and on) before that and we were friends for a couple months before that. So, a grand total of almost 10 years.
Who said I love you first? He did, but not in a very traditional way. Think more like a 10 year old boy and that would be how Kelly said it.
Who is smarter? Ummm... not sure on this one. He would say that I am and I would say that, Yes, I am usually right, but that does not mean that I am smarter.
Who does the housework? I know you all must assume that since I am married to a wonderful OCD husband that it must be him ... and you are partially correct. We are both pretty much clean freaks. I am much more organized than he is and he is more of a deep cleaner (especially with random things). I can't complain in this department, he definitely helps on the cleaning days.
Who sleeps on the right? He does. It really depends on where the bathroom is located. I will always sleep closest to the bathroom since I have the bladder the size of a peanut.
Who pays the bills? The computer and bank do. Everything is on automatic bill pay thanks to Kelly, so I guess he gets the credit on this one.
Who cooks dinner? I do, whenever that happens. Unless we have omelets .. he makes a mean omelet.
Who drives when you are together? If you have ever been in the car with Kelly when he drives then you understand why I drive!
Who is more stubborn? That's probably a tie.
Who kissed who first? He did of course. However, we can't agree on where it took place! That's still up for debate.
Who asked out who first? He did, but he did make a very BIG point of stating that it was not a date. This was all due to the fact that his roommate kept asking me out conveniently always on the same day (but slightly earlier) then Kelly. After 3 attempts, he said he would never ask me out on a date again. Thus, the "It's not a date!" Boy, that made me feel so special the whole night. Not so much!
Who proposed? He did! He even dropped the ring! All for the making of a great memory.
Who has more siblings? We actually have the same exact number. He has one brother and two sisters and so do I.
Who wears the pants? That's funny! He says that I do ... and who am I to argue with him.

Jackson's School Party

2008-02-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

Jackson had his first school party for Valentine's Day! He was very excited and loved helping me make treats for the big day.They played games, decorated their Valentines bags, had "super yummy" cupcakes, passed out their Valentine's and they even had a pinata. However, Jackson forgot to follow the rule of only pulling one string on the pinata. As you can see, that's clearly more than 1 in his hand ... and somehow he still didn't get all the candy to come out. It was, of course, the very last string that another kid pulled. All is well, at least the candy came out! He really did have a great time! It's so much fun to watch him at school in his "world."

Current Favorites

2008-02-15T07:34:00.001-08:00

Miss Grace

Loves to dance to pretty much anything. -
music in the elevator, grocery store, mood music in a restaurant, hymns at church, in the car, in the car to others peoples radios that are so loud that we can hear it in our car, at home, on t.v., commercials, etc.
Favorite Songs-
"The Wheels on the Bus" and the new remake of Michael Jackson's "Better Be Startin' Something."
Favorite Toys-
cell phone, microphone, t.v. remote control, anything that Jackson is playing with, musical instruments, and balls
Favorite Accessories-
have recently discovered a love of shoes and bracelets
Favorite Foods-
macaroni and cheese, marshmallows, applesauce, yogurt, zucchini, cucumbers, corn
Favorite thing to do at Home-
Run, Run, and Run some more. She also loves to dance (obviously), chase Jackson and Zoe or be chased, mock facial expressions (if we give her a stern look she mocks it and then laughs or if we pout she does, etc.)
Favorite Words to Say-
apple, happy, na na (banana), NO, NO mine!, bye bye, Zo Zo (for Zoe), up, and 1 2 3

Jackson
Favorite Toys-
cars, trains, monster trucks, & Grace's musical instruments
Favorite Foods-
pretty much the typical 3 year old diet: chicken nuggets, corn dogs, pizza, mac & cheese, cereal, marshmallows, pancakes, and of course cookies and cupcakes
along with a few healthier things as well as some not so bad ones: yogurt, applesauce, tons and tons of any kind of fruit, pickles, olives
Favorite Things to do at Home-
chase or be chased by Grace and/ or Zoe, chat with Zoe, play with cars or trains or monster trucks, ride a bike or scooter or skateboard, run around crazy, bug his sister, & help mommy
Favorite Things to do at School-
"make a circle with sand, playing outside, puppets, there are hammers that are fun to play with and a screwdriver, & color cool projects."

My Funny Valentines

2008-02-13T21:16:00.001-08:00

WHY??

2008-01-30T11:21:00.001-08:00

Why does your dad continually do this to you?
Probably because it cracks me up every time!
Why is it that you love it so much?
I should probably be nervous by this, but I figure I can use these pictures as a form of bribery someday!
Last, but not least, why is it that you are so obsessed with your belly button every time we do this? You just can't get enough of it!!!
There is no answer to this one. It's beyond me!

Fun at the Park

2008-01-27T12:28:00.001-08:00

We love having a park so close to home. It's so nice to be able to head down for a few minutes and not feel like we have to stay forever or commit a whole day to it. We usually take our lunch down and then stay and play for just a little bit. Grace doesn't eat, she just runs off to discover new things immediately. Her most recent discovery is that her legs are finally long enough to climb up the stairs. This means trouble for me because now I actually have to constantly follow her around as she is a bit fearless and still forgets about the whole "depth perception" issue. She used to be content just standing at the bottom of the slide trying to figure out a way to climb up (with no luck)! Those were the days! Oh well! Jackson loves every bit of this park. He just goes crazy and never seems to stop! Gotta love all the sound effects that boys make when they are playing though. Especially when pretending to drive.

*this is Grace discovering her new found freedom at the park. I think she is pretty proud of herself!

Our Sunday Bests

2008-01-27T09:06:00.001-08:00

I love it when my family is all dressed up for church. I especially love it when Kelly gets them dressed while I am still getting ready. Mostly because, they always come running into my bathroom to show off how they look. Whether that's what they are really trying to do or not, I still love it! Gracie loves to wear her church shoes in my bathroom so she can hear them tap around when she dances and twirls. Jackson loves for me to tell him how handsome he looks and for him to tell me how he got dressed all by himself ... "except for my belt, because that is still too hard!"

Family Photos

2008-01-20T21:47:00.001-08:00

I finally broke down and had family photos taken this year. It is on the TOP of my list of least favorite things to do. I love taking pictures of my kids or having pictures taken of my kids, but I never want to be in the action. I'm happier behind it! I guess all the peer pressure finally got to me. Here are a few of the best (a.k.a - most like our family). They truly capture what it is like to take our family pictures. Maybe this is another reason why I hate having them taken. I do have to admit, that they are pretty funny though!

Love that run

2008-01-16T19:05:00.001-08:00

Little Miss Sunshine

2008-01-08T11:51:00.001-08:00

Gracie has gotten to be the funniest girl! She is so happy and full of life. She spends her day running (literally) all around the house, just laughing, jabbering or dancing! She really is our "Little Miss Sunshine."

1st Day of School

2008-01-08T11:50:00.001-08:00

The day has finally come! Jackson has started preschool! We can't believe it's finally time. He has been so excited for this for a long time (I wish I could say the same). I wasn't planning on putting him in preschool this early, but he was wanting to go so badly and I realized how much he truly needed it. His first day went off without a hitch. He had met his teachers the day before and seen the classroom, so he was all set. We got their early and we found his new "cubby" where he puts his backpack and jacket everyday. He walked in a bit bashful and apprehensive, but he warmed up and did great. He is growing up so quickly! How did that happen and where has the time gone?

*As a side note, if you know Jackson you will not be surprised to know that on his second day of school I picked him up to find a worried teacher with a note explaining an injury he received during the day. She was so concerned and explained how it happened, what they offered him to help make it feel better, etc. He had a pretty big bump on his head, but he told them he was fine and he wanted to play. They just were so worried and couldn't believe he could go on without crying and still want to play after that bad of an accident. Obviously, I had to explain Jackson and all of his clumsiness. I hopefully got through to them so that they don't have to worry unless he actually cries. If he cried every time he got hurt, well... then I would go crazy. Luckily because of the clumsy factor he is pretty tough. I think I will save the letter from the school though, and any subsequent ones we receive, and make a book of them. It may be a pretty big book by the end of the year!

You be the Judge

2008-01-07T11:44:00.001-08:00

So, here's the deal. Every time I leave our house, whether it's to the gas station, grocery store, or any other random errand or outing, I get stopped at least 5-6 times on average from totally random people, to tell me that my daughter looks just like that little Shiloh baby. The younger stalkers tend to grab their other friends to point this out to them where as the older women don't know her name and I have to help them fill in the blanks. Such as, "it's that one actress with really big lips that had a baby with that other really good looking young man." "Yes, I know, it's Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie." Then the older lady says, "well, I don't know about that, but your baby looks just like her." It has happened ever since she was a baby and they somehow still look really similar. I keep waiting for when one of their looks will change and they no longer resemble each other. I thought for sure it would have happened by now. I'm not insulted by any means, I am just obviously partial to mine that's for sure. I just wonder if they really look as identical as everyone says. I think they look similar (especially when Gracie gives her super serious face), but maybe I am kidding myself. At any point, I want you all to be the judges. You know Gracie the best and maybe you will have a better insight into this. What do you think? As we all know, I will never be mistaken for or accused of looking like Angelina Jolie. I'm totally fine with that. How is it then that our kids look very similar? Maybe it's the Brad/Kelly gene (that's for you Jenni). The only thing wrong with that theory, is that most people say she looks more like me and my side of the family. It's a complete mystery! However, the only thing I've decided to start to tell these people that stalk my little girl is, that "Brad and I sure would make super cute babies!" Someone just needs to tell him that. I'll be waiting.

Sunbeams ... here we come!

2008-01-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Today was our first day of going to the "big kid primary" as Jackson calls it. He was so excited to be a Sunbeam.

I asked him to show me how to be reverent. What a silly question!

Christmas Morning ... "I just want to see what Santa brought me!"

2008-01-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

Gracie loved her new baby and baby stroller. It did take her awhile to really appreciate them since she noticed that Santa had left her a few morsels of cookie from the night before. Once they were sufficiently taken care of she was ready to see what she got as well as everyone else. The other big hit of the day was her new cell phone. She loves carrying it with her wherever she goes and whenever the home phone rings she hurries to hers and tries to answer it.

Jackson zeroed in on his present from Santa right away. He knew that the parking garage and road set must be for him. He had no interest in opening anything else because he was, "just too busy!" When everyone else was just about done he finally realized there was more for him and he went straight to work. He loved everything even new clothes and more big boy underwear (this is the only time in a child's life that they get excited to get underwear for Christmas ... in the future this article would have been a huge disappointment and truly embarrassing).
What a morning!!!

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

2008-01-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

'Twas the Night Before Christmas when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Well ... maybe there were just a few.

We had a full house this year. Especially with the newest addition (and when I say "newest" I really mean it). Owen came into Maggie & Jon's family just a few days before Christmas. He truly is a Christmas miracle!
(Apparently, my kids just want to check everyone else out when it comes to picture time.)

Carrying the cookies to the fireplace is very serious business. However, one of my kids does not take it as seriously as the other. I won't tell you which one!

When I took Jackson to bed that night. I laid beside him for a little bit to see if we might be able to hear Santa's sleigh bells. Sure enough ... we did !! I almost missed them though, because Jackson kept telling me to "leave so that Santa can come mom!" He finally closed his eyes and then we heard the magic sleigh bells. He immediately furrowed his brow and then opened his eyes with a big smile on his face. He shot up to look out the window, but I had to hurry and remind him that we better get to sleep so Santa can get to work. Before he would commit to that, he said "mom, it sounds like Santa landed on the grass and not on the roof. Did he miss?"

What a Stud!

2007-12-21T07:53:00.001-08:00

Temple Lights Rain & All

2007-12-14T10:21:00.001-08:00

The other day we planned to head down to Mesa, once Kelly got off work, to see the Temple lights. Jackson of course was super excited and as many of you know, when you mention something to Jackson, he does not forget it or let you forget it! It was supposed to rain all day, but it really hadn't yet, so I thought we were in the clear. This is about the time that my beautiful plan started to go down hill. Kelly ended up not getting off as early as we thought, which put him smack dab in the middle of rush hour traffic. So, we hurry and get everyone loaded and in the car right when he arrives. Not sure why, because once we got on the freeway, it was at a stand still and to top it off, it starts to pour. Typical! We were stuck in traffic for over an hour and a half, but we were determined to make it down there because we were meeting up with a friend and committed to it. So, we finally make it and decide to grab some dinner. I jokingly say, "that it will probably not rain while we are eating, but will probably start again once we are ready to leave the restaurant." I shouldn't have opened my mouth! At this point, we don't want to wander around the Temple in the pouring rain with two kids, but like I said before, Jackson won't let you forget. So, we bundled up and did exactly that. Granted it was kind of nice because we had the whole place to ourselves, but for obvious reasons. Anyway, Jackson was as happy as could be and didn't even care that we only walked around the Visitor's Center. It was just too stinkin' cold! What a night!

My Family

2007-12-12T08:52:00.001-08:00

A typical picture of my family...that is,
after they are done squirming around and trying to run off!
Kelly of course looks nice (but he always does in pictures...it's very annoying), Jackson is acting like a total goof ball, and of course Grace is completely disinterested!

I love my crazy family!

Just A Few of Grace's Favorite Things To Do

2007-11-30T08:15:00.001-08:00

Soccer Skills?

2007-11-22T22:45:00.001-08:00

I've waited forever for this day! The day where I can say that Jackson is playing soccer! Playing may be too strong of a word. More like associating with other kids that are playing soccer. That too may not apply, but he's on the field and having fun and that's why it is so great to watch. It's not like I'm a soccer fanatic or anything. I just love watching little kids play soccer! There is just something totally entertaining about it! It's great! Granted, Jackson has no clue half the time what is going on, or what he is supposed to be doing, but that's okay. He seems to be more interested in doing whatever the coaches do. He tries to copy exactly how they sit and always has to be right next to them. He'll even pick up his ball and runs over so that it guarantees that he will get to them first. All in all it's been great fun and totally worth it!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2007-11-22T22:39:00.001-08:00

GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE

Grace's 1 year photo shoot

2007-11-07T19:47:00.002-08:00

Cabin Getaway

2007-11-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

We went up to the Hills cabin last weekend along with the Gardiner family for some good old fashioned lounging around. We played games, wandered outside enjoying temperature that was not 90 degrees, ate, laughed, and sat around doing absolutely nothing. It was great! We had a blast! Thanks guys for a great weekend.

I SPY

2007-11-05T13:23:00.001-08:00

What do you notice first when looking at this picture?

Which version do you like better?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2007-10-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Who is this kid?

2007-10-23T16:45:00.001-07:00

So, the other day at lunch, Jackson starts up with his first ever "knock, knock" joke. Where did he get it from ... I really don't know. This is how it goes (or at least his version)! Remember, it's a 3 year olds version, so although you think you know how it's going to end, just wait.
Jackson: Knock, Knock
Mommy: Who's there?
Jackson: Banana
Mommy: Banana who?
Jackson: Knock, Knock
Mommy: Who's there?
Jackson: Banana
Mommy Banana who?
Jackson: Knock, Knock
Mommy: Who's there?
Jackson: Orange!
He then proceeds to laugh himself silly and then begin again. This time he substitutes the fruit element for things like shirts or chairs. Doesn't really have the same effect, but ... he finds it funny.

Daddy's Girl

2007-10-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

*Kelly wants me to add a note here that Gracie is actually a mama's girl. True, but she sure loves her Daddy!

Grace's 1st Haircut

2007-10-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Gracie had her 1st haircut today! She did great and loved sitting in the little red fire truck. I was a little nervous about how it would turn out since she was bouncing up and down in the car due to all the excitement. Luckily, she was only getting a trim in the back so not too much damage could be done ... plus a cookie helped!
Looking cute Gracie!

A Day at the Farm

2007-10-15T16:57:00.001-07:00

We spent the day at Schnepf Farms down in Queen Creek the other weekend. We went with the Marriott family and had a great time. It was definitely fun to pretend that it was fall here in sunny (and unseasonably warm) Arizona. Surprisingly with 5 kids, under the age of 3, we didn't have any problems. No melt downs and no tantrums. What a day!

Jackson loved the airplane ride and of course, the train around the park. He even was brave enough to try the roller coaster. That doesn't mean that he liked it though. I had to be brave and ride it with him even though I do NOT like roller coasters, but hey, this is what we do for our kids, right? I mustered up all my courage and rode the old rickety thing for him. I even screamed with glee and tried to get him all pumped up for the big ride. It didn't work. By the first drop, he was done. I spent the rest of the time fighting my urge to say, " I know Jackson, I hate it too!" Instead, I feigned enthusiasm and tried to comfort my son. This mothering thing is hard work.

Gracie loved the pig races! She loves animals and thought they were so funny! As expected, by the end of the day, we were dusty, tired and ready for a long nap. Sadly, Kelly and I had to wait until we got home, but the kids fell fast asleep once we started the drive.

Ode to Sea World

2007-10-10T23:05:00.001-07:00

I love Sea World!

There I said it. I've actually always loved it. Because of this, Kelly thought it would be fun to take us there as part of my big birthday extravaganza. He was right, we had tons of fun as a family. There are so many reasons why I love it, but the #1 reason is this face right here!
Although our kids were horribly sick, they really enjoyed themselves. Then again, what's not to enjoy. We did lots of fun things while we were there, but the best was eating lunch with Shamu. We were able to eat in a small venue where Shamu practices. They give you little VIP passes, which Jackson wore proudly the rest of the day, and you get a fairly nice buffet. They escort you to your assigned seats and then the trainers come out and explain that this is a practice arena and that although they will not ask Shamu to splash everyone, he is an animal with a mind of his own and it may happen. They warn you to cover your cameras the best you can and that they will let you know when it is safe to take them out. However, Shamu was feeling a bit rambunctious this day, and decided to spray the whole center portion. Every one's cameras were ruined. Luckily, we were off to the side and some of the lucky few that were able to smile and be grateful it wasn't us. These pictures are not zoomed in. This really is how close we were to Shamu.

Gracie was a real trooper, but by the end of the day I think her cold started to get the best of her. Poor little thing! She did however, really enjoy the seal show. She laughed the entire time.

California or Bust

2007-10-10T22:56:00.001-07:00

Lucky me, I turned 30 this year! Contrary to popular belief, it's not so bad. Thirty is the new twenties after all. Plus, it wasn't that big of a change considering all year I've told people I was already thirty. It really bugged Kelly that I was rounding up when I didn't have too. Honestly, I just kept forgetting that it hadn't happened yet. I've already had 3 kids, been married 7 years, it seemed logical for me to be that old already. No big deal! As for many of your questions:
No, your face doesn't fall off when you hit the big 3-0!
Yes, you can still remember where you parked the car! and,
No, you do not stop breaking out. I know, bummer!

The great benefit of having a "big" birthday is your husband does something extra special and nice. Kelly saved up some vacation time so that we could go as a family to California, which is all I really wanted to do this summer. It was great! We were fortunate enough to be able to stay at my sisters house in Ladera Ranch and play with her family while we were there. As you can tell, Jackson had a blast! Granted, he has fun pretty much wherever he is, but still, he really loved it. Grace spent most of her time in awe of her cousin, who can walk and everything.

We played at the beach, hit Sea World for a day, wandered around, window shopped, and ate yummy food. What more could a girl ask for. The only sad part, was that at one point or another, we were all horribly sick. What we thought was just bad allergies, turned horribly wrong. The kids looked awful, but were real troopers. Grace probably looked the worse, but she never really complained so it wasn't so bad. You just felt really bad for her! Jackson would not let it slow him down, so instead we had to constantly run after him with a tissue and of course, remind him to "cover your mouth when you cough". All that aside, it was a great week and a wonderful way to spend a 30th birthday! Thanks Kelly for taking us out there and
thanks Maggie, Jon, and little Miss Sayler for a great time! We can't wait to play again!

Baywatch 2007 auditions

2007-10-09T20:15:00.002-07:00

Bad day?

2007-10-09T20:15:00.001-07:00

Ever just have one of those days where nothing seems to go your way!

Why do we live in Arizona?

2007-10-09T19:48:00.001-07:00

It's a question we ask ourselves on a constant basis. However, on nights like these, we consider ourselves pretty darn lucky!

Joy Ride

2007-09-27T09:48:00.001-07:00

Jackson just got his very own helmet. He loves it and gets so excited to wear it. He is in search for some more "cool" stickers to put on it , so holler if you see any!

Handyman

2007-09-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

Now that's what I call total concentration!Wouldn't you want him be your handyman ?

Best Friends

2007-09-26T21:55:00.001-07:00

JACKSON AND POPPY
A friendship like no other.
They are like two peas in a pod.
They play really well together.
They share their toys (sometimes more willingly then other times).
They share similar interests.
Have about the same sleep schedule as well as similar food cravings.
What can I say, it's a match made in Heaven.
Thanks Poppy for being such a great friend.
Miss you and hope to have a play date soon!

The Many Faces of a 3 Year Old!

2007-09-26T21:01:00.001-07:00

Birthday Bash

2007-09-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

With both of our kids birthdays so close together,
it is inevitable that they will have a combined
birthday party. Since their birthdays are also at
the end of summer, it only makes sense to have a
pool party. They might as well start getting
used to it! So, here is the first combined birthday bash!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

What a year!

2007-09-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Jackson is 3! He has grown up so much in this past year and has officially become a BIG boy. He is an amazing little helper, wonderful big brother and the sweetest son that we could have ever asked for. I am so grateful to have him in my life and know he was sent to our family to bring great joy and happiness.

I love you Jackson!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

My little Girl

2007-08-28T13:24:00.001-07:00

How did we get from this itty bitty little fragile thing to this happy, active little girl. Time has gone by fast ... too fast. It really does seem like just yesterday that I was freaking out about being a mom of two, and how was it possible to love this child as much as Jackson, and will this child love me as much as Jackson does, and how in the world do you get a schedule that works (sheesh ... this list could go on and on for a while). All these fears were present and more (the more would include spinal blocks, freaking out on surgery tables, and heaven forbid if something went wrong) as Kelly and I drove to the hospital at the crack of dawn to have little Miss Grace. Although the surgery did not start out as smoothly as it did with Jackson, once the spinal block drama was over, it went great. It was nice to be coherent this time and really enjoy the experience (especially having my mom in there telling me stories during the procedure). When she finally came out all I could think of was that "she's here, she's finally here!" Everything that I was so consumed with before was gone in an instant. All that really mattered was that I had this beautiful, dark haired, wrinkly, precious little girl that I was blessed enough to have as my daughter. It was so silly of me to worry because this beautiful girl is and always has been mine. How truly grateful I am for her in my life and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACIE! I love you!

Big Birthday Morning

2007-08-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

I think it might be my birthday this morning!Wait a minute ...

IT IS!!!!

This will be such a great day!

Who is this guy?

2007-08-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

Maybe this is the reason that I make cupcakes so much! Who could resist this face?

You can't catch me!

2007-08-26T14:48:00.001-07:00

Aquatic Center

2007-08-20T08:10:00.001-07:00

We love having the new Aquatic Center down the street. It's an easy way to pass the long summer days here in Arizona. If you have ever seen Jackson in action in the water, then you can understand when I say, that it can be a bit draining. He gets pretty crazy and tends to be all over the place. Usually Grace and I sit at the beach entry and while she happily splashes around, Jackson runs around all the sprinkler systems. Once he gets tired of that, he moves on to jumping in from the side. He literally will jump in, climb out, jump in again. It lasts much longer then you would ever think it could. All in all it's a great little escape for this family.

Pig Tails

2007-08-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Here are the first documented pig tails. They are definitely not the best pictures, but the girl was so excited about her new found hair accomplishments that she just had to strut her stuff (or at least that's what I think she was doing).

Trip to Utah

2007-08-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

At the beginning of August, we finally made it to Utah to visit some friends and family. First, we stopped off to visit the Cragun family. They had moved up there at the beginning of the year. It was great to see them and their new home. Jackson
was ecstatic to see his "best friend Lukey" as he is known in our house and his friend "Bidden" (aka Brandon). They rode bikes , attempted to learn the art of the scooter(some more gracefully then others ... Jackson was not one of them), played with trains, and just generally had a great time. The next day we headed to Manti to see Kelly's family. There were so many cousins and fun things to do for the kids. We were even able to drag them away for a brief moment to see the Manti Temple. They actually enjoyed it and especially loved the flowers and butterflies. Kelly, however, did not enjoy the mass amounts of flies! Like all trips, it was fun while it lasted, but definitely nice to be home!