For Tyler

There is nothing more special than the way I "grew" to love you my little one. I truly cherish the fleeting time of feeling so close to my babies and all the anticipation that goes along with pregnancy. Tyler, you were good to me, regardless of what I said those last couple of weeks.

You know how sometimes you have to experience something more than once to really learn the lesson. Well, I think I understand more and more how close to heaven you little babies are when you are fresh into the world each time a child joins our family. You are such a sweet treasure straight from our Heavenly Father. How blessed I am to be entrusted as a mother of you darlings.

You are so loved by so many...

Tyler, you were always so pleasant as a baby. You just went along with whatever was going on. You were my little doll that I dressed up and had long, drawn out photo sessions with.

You were someone to look up to from when you were quite small. Marshall always surprises me with a new way to copy you. There's just something about you that makes us all want to be more sweet, innocent, and tender. Just today you were wimpering and I noticed Marshall wandering the house wimpering just like you.

You pay such close attention to things and try so hard to learn quickly so you can be grown up like the rest of us. You can grow up as slowly as you want to though. I already miss Baby Tyler. All I see now is Growing Tyler.

You definitely have your own look about you too. Sometimes I see Marshall in you, but whenever I have compared pictures, you are your own boy. How wonderful it is to be an individual!

You are such a delight. Such a sweet temperment you have. That is until you spot food. Your always act like you've been starved and grab at whatever food you can get your hands on. I doubt that characteristic will fade - after all, you are a boy. This is a picture from your first meal of "real food." You smiled every bite.

I sure love you little man. Marshall and Daddy love you too.

I can relate (on so many levels), can you?

I can hear the faint sound of a drum roll...

After two months of waiting (I'm sure you are all so anxious!) here are some pictures of our new house. I was waiting to post pics until I decorated, which I thought would have happened by now, but I realized that is closer to the bottom of my to do list. :) There aren't any pics of our bedrooms because I really want them to be all done up before anyone sees them. Otherwise they just look like our unmade beds. FYI: It has taken about 5 months for me to feel like I can take care of my family AND my home and still feel well balanced. I have not, however, converted to being a bed maker. Not yet anyway. Now on with the tour.

This is the view out our front door. LOVE IT!
This is our entryway...
Our family room...
Our kitchen/office... the kitchen and the 1/3 acre lot are what sold me!
The extra bedroom is serving as a playroom for the next couple of years...
The guest/main bathroom...
I had to show you the detail on the shower curtain. It is the only decor that is up in our house and I made it. I couldn't find one in the colors I wanted so I made one out of a set of sheets. Marshall is very proud of the fact that I can sew four straight lines. He always says, "Mommy make a 'ower 'urtain."

The high ceilings, walk in master closet and room around the house to let us feel like we can breathe were welcome changes from the townhome. Every day I thank my lucky stars that our neighbors do not smoke! Another welcome change. We love our house and would love to have you come visit.

BEWARE: Rambling to follow & you may enjoy it.

I had my 5 year high school reunion the other day and was asked if my blog mainly consisted of pictures of my kids. I proudly answered "Yes!" even though it seemed to make my good old friend roll his eyes. I love my kids and if a person is going to post about what is going on in their life and what they are passionate about I am going to post about my kids. Some may find me simple minded and closed in with nothing to stimulate my mind or senses (I do not believe my friend thought this of me) but I am here to tell you I am neither of those things. I just happen to be a part of a small percentage of the world's population that finds my calling in life to spend my time at home with my children- teaching them and learning life's lessons from them, simple yet meaningful, while trying to develop my talents and interests. It is not coincidence that my talents and interest circle closely around my home. From a young age I knew it was where I wanted and needed to be when I "grew up." I may be misunderstood but I am truly happy and gaining more wisdom and perspective every day.

One interesting (or really uninteresting) thing happened to me last night. We are in a new ward now and I have been anxiously awaiting a new calling. For the last 4 years I have been serving in the Primary and was feeling a little burned out. I hoped and hoped my responsibilities would "grow up" a little and I might be able to work with anyone over elementary school age. Turns out Heavenly Father has been aware of my feelings... I have grown right up and will now be working in Relief Society for a change. How WEIRD!
Before I sat down to share with all of you I was thinking about what I have done in the last 24 hours. It surprised me when I realized I have learned so much and been truly touched by so many and I barely left my home and my babies. Marshall and I got our flu shots this morning (my arm is dead now...) and while I was in the doctor's office I watched multiple elderly couples sitting together or walking hand in hand with beautiful smiles on their faces. I was reminded how much I wanted to be like the one old lady who smiled from ear to ear, sharing all that joy with everyone around her. Or like the one who walked with her husband, having been devoted to each other for too many years to count, who she undoubtedly spends many hours a day with now that they are both retired.

In the last day I have also heard many sad stories of tragedies within families that break my heart. Some were health related and others revolved around money and dishonesty. I come from a "broken" family and have resolved to do all I can to keep MY family in tact as best I can. My heart goes out to the young children out there who can't quite understand why they are in the middle of these trials and I pray that they can grow up well adjusted and hopefully be able to understand that the choices of others may affect them but they do not define them. Luckily I was mature beyond my years and was able to see the good that came from my broken family. When it comes to the struggles of health, I am saddened by the way the human body can have such trouble through no fault of of its owner. When I hear of people who have abused their bodies, take smoking for example, and end up with lung cancer, I sympathize but my heart does not break for them. But what about those who have ailments take them by surprise and change their lives or those whose bodies do not heal as it seems they should and begins to slowly degrade their quality of life. I have shed tears and offered prayers for multiple people I barely know in the last 24 hours and am equally uplifted by their positive attitudes and courageous examples. I am so grateful for my good health and the good health of most all of my loved ones.

My aching arm is so trivial... I will be better for it. I am grateful that Marshall trusted me when I told him that even though it hurt when he got his shot it would help him to not get sick. I wasn't sure he understood me until we were walking out of the doctor's office and he informed anyone that was listening that "I not get sick now." How can I not totally submerge myself in the joy that my children bring me day to day, hour to hour.

I could list so many more blessings but I want to share just one last thing I am so grateful for. I was able to do the bills just barely; uninterrupted, without ignoring my kids, without it being the middle of the night. Both of my little buddies are peacefully sleeping... at the same time! So many blessings surround me.

I may not be the most educated or sophisticated but I AM one of the most looked after by my Heavenly Father. That is for sure.

Go to bed.

Last night I was a little lax with the bed time routine and wouldn't you know it, my busy little monkey fell asleep alongside another busy little monkey (his Curious George coloring book). Colby called to me and told me I better bring the camera. If only each night were such a peaceful transition to sleep.

My brain is broken!

I have totally been slacking when it comes to downloading/editing/organizing my pictures lately. I had left a few really cute pics on my camera so I could quickly show them off and today my card got full so I was deleting some old pics and confused some new ones with the old ones. Ugh! I am so mad. I can't believe my all the sleepers in my house didn't wake up when I reacted to the aggrevating realization. I'm so ticked right now I can't even tell you. My stomach is in knots over it. MY BRAIN IS BROKEN! At this late/early hour I can't remember examples of some of the other dumb things I've done... but this picture thing is not the only one. I had some of the sweetest pictures of Marshall and Tyler napping together and I deleted them... all but this one. UUUGGGGGHHHHH!

On a more positive note: At least I am back to taking pictures. I slacked in that area too. More positives: Tyler's halloween costume came and he is officially the cutest elephant in the history of the world. AND I got everything together for Marshall's cowboy costume and he is the cutest cowboy in the history of cowboys!
My stomach still feels sick.

Little boy + little gun = Fun

Tianna, you are my inspiration. I am going to let the dishes sit another 10 minutes so I can catch up on my "journaling." I love how I am able to celebrate my children through my blog and I hope all of you reading can get a slight taste of the pride and love I have for my boys. They are my everything. I count all the fun (and frustration) as beautiful blessings. I know there will come a time that I will feel just a little bit empty inside when all of our little ones are not so little and not with me all the time. What a beautiful time of life I am in right now.I have been admiring this little meadow near the cabin and the other night the light was beautiful so I convinced Marshall to leave the sandbox to climb a fence (translation: take some pictures). Poor little boy. His mean old mommy won't even let him play... he has to be her model instead. He's really into guns lately and he can find one anywhere. Yes, that thing that looks like a stick is really a gun. He hauls sticks, vacuum attachments, straws, etc. around saying "BOOM. BOOM." He told me the other day, "Marshall is going to be a cowboy for Halloween. Remember Mom." He said it in his own language and it took me a couple of tries to understand, but now I know. We need to turn Marshall into a cowboy come the end of next month. Lucky me! We already have to boots. And the "guns." Although I may have to find a more authentic gun to create an authentic cowboy.