Thursday, January 24, 2013

Life in January

This is a review of the last couple weeks.  I have been trying to document the things we are doing to get through this yucky weather, if for no other reason, than to try to make me happy.  Here's what we've been up to.

Since it is SO cold, and we have nothing else to do after school, we have gone over to our church gym with a few friends and hung out.  It is a great visit for the moms and great run around time for the kids!

 Jace and Sophie are practicing writing their names almost daily.  We are getting there.  It's a long road!  
 We try to enjoy the snow...
 We have large melt downs over homework, which usually result in a call to Dad at work.  
 We dress up in the craziest clothes we can find...
 We build pirate ships in the bedrooms with stacks of bins, and bunk beds.
 I realized after I had posted Kaley's baptism day pictures, that we didn't take a picture as a family!  So here is one!  Yes, it was a Sunday pony tail day, and Josh was taking a break from shaving, but it's a family photo!
 Every morning, the twins put their shoes and socks on by the fireplace.  It is the warmest place in the house.  :)

 Bella is an awesome morning job do-er.  It is her job to vacuum the kitchen floor each morning after breakfast.  
 Her other job is to clean the shoe closet.  Oh, how I would love a mud room!  All the ones I see on Pinterest make me drool!  Until our next home, this is it!  Bells puts the shoes in bins, cleans up garbage and hangs up coats and back packs like a pro!
 Here's the twins doing their morning reading.  :)
 I had a girls night out with my friends last week, and here's what the kids did at home.  :)






 Bells and I go to Zumba Monday mornings - this one day, it was -4 degrees!  Brrr!  Here's a blurry picture of my work out buddy.  She is so good while I dance away!


 I follow this great blog called 71 Toes.  The other day, there was a post about Getting in the Picture.  I really liked it!  So in an effort to "get in the picture" more, I snapped a few pics of me and Jace snuggling post nap.  He slept with his little airplane and brought it down with him.  These pictures are really sweet.  Don't mind that I am STILL in my Zumba clothes and haven't showered.  :)





 Picking up kids from school...
 No, these aren't upside down.  These two just wrestle.  All.  The.  Time.  They tickle and torture each other like crazy!  

 I got this idea for Primary from my Aunt Christine.  Such a cute, easy idea!  
 More gym time.

 New discipline chart at our home.  Each kid has a clothes pin that starts at the top, and can move down according to naughty behavior.  
 Silly pics at the Dollar store!




My neighbor gave us the cutest boots for Jace.  They really shouldn't fit his chubby feet, but he crammed those pudgy toes in there!  He wears them daily!  With his new shoes, he got a new nickname.  He is my cowboy!  And he loves it!



 Nothing like finding extremely flattering pictures of yourself exercising!  Sophie apparently took these while I was Zumba-ing.  :)  


 Here's me with my friends!  We went out to Chilis and then hung out at DI.
 My twins in Primary.  :)


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Currently...

Listening - to the kids' movie during quiet time.  Josh is at a meeting, and I am quietly listening to quiet.  :)

Eating - just finished a lunch of nachos, brownie batter and cookie dough.  Lunch of champions!

Drinking - water.  Always water.

Wearing - my pink cozy pants with my men's lemonade color thermal shirt.

Feeling - grateful for a thought provoking Stake Conference.  I feel resolved to try harder to be a little better.  Last night, at the adult session, we were challenged to try to live a more Christ centered life.  There's always room for improvement there!

Weather - a balmy 10 degrees!  At least the sun is shining, and it is not snowing any more!  (I must say, this weather crap of Winter has got me down.  I'm ready for sunshine and flip flops!)

Wanting - Summertime.  See above.  :)  I've even considered light therapy to get my needed sun vitamins.  Yes, it's that bad.

Needing - a new routine.  I am stuck in a rut with parenting a couple of the kids.  I feel a change coming!  New chores, methods and rewards!

Thinking - about Bella's upcoming birthday!  I'm still reeling from Christmas and Kaley's baptism, but on we go!  Bella's birthday is in less that 2 weeks.  We are gearing up for a Under the Sea/Mermaid party!  Wish me luck!

Enjoying - this one seems hard today.  I sometimes forget to enjoy the day to day life.  Is it just me?  I'm digging deep here...  I enjoyed sitting by Josh at Stake Conference (even if I was covered in children, crayons and "beautifully colored" papers.  I am enjoying basketball season - looking forward to our next game this week!  It really is a fun time playing with the girls in my ward.

Just a little glimpse into what I'm doing currently...

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Josh's Birthday

After Kaley's baptism fun, we celebrated Josh's birthday.  
The kids love helping unwrap presents.  :)  Josh is sitting in his new camping chair.  
 An awesome new bag/suitcase!




 A new BYU blanket from his mom.  
I took Josh out for his birthday that night.  Lyss came and played with the kids.  Josh had never been to Nickelcade, so that's where we went!  I told him that he just had to play along, because I thought it really sounded like a fun date.  He ended up having a lot of fun!  We went out to Goodwood after for dinner.  


Happy Birthday Baby!