Happy Birthday Carson!!!

Dear Carson,

WOW! I am so in love with you! Thank you for snuggling me every morning and telling me you love me to Jupiter and back and the sun and back.......! Thank you for telling me you "love me like a princess". I wish you knew how my heart swells a little bigger when I hear sweet words like that and my eyes don't know what else to do, but tear up.
Thank you for still hugging me everyday when you get off the bus! Thank you for being such a joy to be around!
I love how you protect me and other girls. Yesterday, you and Mia were outside playing when you saw a bug. Mia screamed, and you opened the door for her to get inside before you. Mia says you are her bodyguard. I hope you always treat girls this way....thank you!
I love our little nightly routine after you are in bed...
1. "Tucka Tucka"(tuck you in)
2. Sing Bushel and a Peck
3. Measure (first measure head to toe and then again once your toes are pointed)

Today is your birthday and just like last year, you wanted us to surprise you in the morning. It was fun hiding before you came down stairs and jumping out and singing Happy Birthday! You have decided that when it is someone's birthday, they are the BOSS of the HOUSE for the day. I'm sorry the BOSS doesn't get to decide if your wear a shirt to school or your hair is combed....haha!
It was so fun coming to your class today. All the kids were so excited that it was your birthday and kept coming up to you to wish you a happy birthday. I'm glad you and your class mates liked the cupcakes inside the ice cream cones that I made for you.

Sweetheart, please don't change! I hope you stay sweet and always love your mama like you do! Because it is the BEST!

Happy Birthday Carson!!

Love,
Your biggest fan

So much to learn!

Jax has been learning and doing so much lately. I always think "I need to write that down". But maybe the reason I haven't got around to it, is because he keeps me BUSY!
He is starting to say a few more words now. He has been saying "Hi" and "nana(banana)" for a while now. The only signs he will do is "more" and "please".....yes, he loves to eat! :) He moves his tongue back and forth to make the lalalala for Elmo, he knows the sound for tiger, bear, dog and cow. My favorite new word right now is "thank you", it sounds more like "ta too"! So STINKING cute!
I think it is so funny how he says "baby" and is so excited to see other babies. A few days ago, I was holding Tiff's sweet little Stockton, and Jackson HAD to hold him. He sat down next to me and spread his little legs apart and would pat the chair until I put Stockton there. Then he would sit and hold him and say "saaaa(soft)". What a little sweetheart!
For Easter, he got a little stuffed Elmo. I knew he would like it, but he LOVES it! His face lit up so big when he got it.
Today, he was putting all the train tracks from the basket they belong in to the laundry basket and back again. He was determined to get them all moved and was so proud of his work only to move it back again. What is it about kids and laundry baskets? All my kids have loved them!
Even though Jackson is learning....I think I might be learning more. I am in awe at the love I have for him. He truly is a miracle, and I am so fortunate to be able to spend time with him and soak in his love that he offers freely. I am amazed it has been 19 months since I took him home from the hospital as a teeny-tiny newborn. I am so glad I have been home to enjoy every moment of this journey so far. I am very blessed to be called "MAMA"!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I really do love Valentine's Day! What a fun holiday! You get to tell those that mean the most to you that you love them....what could be better!

Some of my favs this year include:
~Staying up late decorating sugar cookies with a dear friend for our boy's classrooms.
~Seeing the boys' loot and smiling faces as they came home from school with lots of cards and candy.
~Carson telling me I can pick out any Valentine of his I want.
~Going to the Stake Dance and dancing with my honey!
~Wrapping Billy's present and making Valentine's for my 4 heart-throbs!
.....and I still get to celebrate all day tomorrow! So fun!

I hope you all have a very Happy Valentine's Day!! xoxoxooxoxoxo

Jealous Much!

How would it be to have someone read you a story, then sing you songs while rubbing your back and rocking you until you fell asleep?!?!?..... AND then while you are sleeping, they hurry to get as much laundry, dishes, mopping, and scrubbing as they possibly can, all the while being so careful not to wake you up..... AND then they let you sleep until you are FULLY rested!?!?.... AND then when you wake up they have a nice hot meal waiting for you?!?

Jealous Much!?!?!

Well, I sure am! This is what my little Jax gets most of the time and the crazy part is.....when he is drooling and fully asleep, I carefully lay him in his crib and he wakes up and starts screaming that I would dare lay him down on a nice soft bed!

I wish I could tell him that he has it good and that there are kids in Cambodian orphanages that don't get any physical contact and he is LUCKY!
Yeah, well that is kinda hard to tell a 16 month old.

I guess I will just keep on doing it....cuz I can not possibly give up the snuggle time. I LOVE IT!!!
And I love you Jax... thanks for paying me back by laughing your cute laugh and giving me the most slobbery kisses EVER!!

Am I the only one.......

My life is finally getting into a routine, but for some reason I still can't find a way to get ahead of all my chores and projects.
Like today, I got the kids off to school, went to the gym, came home, rocked Jackson and layed him down for a nap, then started cleaning. While I am cleaning, I am thinking...."today is going to be the day....today I am going to clean everything....today I will get more than the kitchen and laundry done...." As I am half way through mopping the kitchen floor, I look at the clock and realize Carson will be home from Kindergarten in a few minutes. I make him a quick lunch at the same time detailing my grand plan in my mind on how I am still going to get so much done.....and then Jackson wakes up from his nap....."OH yeah, this is why I never get anything done! Why do I somehow always forget that it is not my schedule? Someday I guess I need to clean my room first and have the rest of my house look like 3 boys live here.
I'm just wondering if I am the only one that feels this way???

I guess when I am old and my kids are gone, I will sit in my sparkling clean house and wish they would come mess something up.....

Goodbye Sweet Curls!

Jackson's hair was getting too long. Billy said he was getting a mullet. All I could see was cute little curls. I think it is a "mom" thing. But, I didn't want people to think he looked like Joe Dirt......soooooo no more curls. I cut his hair while he was playing in the tub. I am a genius! Why has it taken me this long to come up with this!!
I wanted a before and after pic. This is the first time when I said "say cheese" that Jax has scrunched up his face so tight that he can't see. He was making me laugh so hard!

Thankful!

Tonight Mia (Carson's BFF) was over. Carson kept stealing her bread and Mia said "First, let's pinky promise to always be friends." They pinky promised! Then, she said "Now let's pinky promise not to steal each others bread." And they pinky promised again! I just LOVE this girl! Mia and Carson play so well together and they say the funniest things. Today they were sure they were seeing Santa's elves. They had a running total of how many elves they saw.

Carson 20
Mia 20
Jackson 18
Mom 1

It really is a pleasure to have her at our house. If I could, I would adopt her....and I'm not kidding! Her and Carson don't really have fights, they have disagreements and work it out on their own. (I wish my kids knew how to do that!)

So tonight I am Thankful for Mia and Carson. Here's some pics of them after their Thanksgiving party at school. They came up with the poses all by themselves! (Yes they have swords made out of markers!)

Oh, and you have to check out this website. You can make a video email from Santa. Carson can not stop talking about it!

http://portablenorthpole.tv/home/