I LOVE FEBRUARY!!

....mostly cause my birthday is in February and I love to love Valentines Day, but also its just a sweet relief from boring old January.  So here's a snippit into our lives this month.

 

 Cordelle's parents came down for a weekend because Cordelle got put into the Bishopbric!!  

I was in town one day when I got a call from Cordelle and he was audibly upset about something and was out for a walk.  I decided to go pick him up and he told me the stake executive secretary just called him and asked to meet with us the next night.  He knew it was the bishopbric and he was SO worked up about it.  He had recently heard rumors that our current bishop was selling their house and they probably would be released soon.  I felt so bad for him, not because he was going to be in our next bishopbric or because I thought he couldn't do it, I felt bad that he didn't think he could.  It was going to be a big leap of faith for him, at such an incredibly busy time in his life to serve in such a calling. After some good long talks and helping him remember he was more worthy and fit for this than he thought, he came to grips with it....and we found out, he was right.  He was called to be the 2nd couneslor in our ward.  And (as I am writing this a month later) I can already see how much he NEEDED this calling and how much God is CHANGING him.  He has so much more motivation to be in tune, to be worthy of the spirit and most importantly to put his faith on a level he knew it should be.  So grateful for this calling for him.  Yes, he's gone much more (usually 8-9 hours on Sunday and 4-5 hours on Tuesday nights) but he is a better man because of it.  And God is blessing us.  So grateful for it already...although I probably need a reminder from time to time during Sacrament meeting when Collin is squirmy, Jaq is being loud and whiney, and Seth needs to go to the bathroom but doesnt want to go alone.  :)  It comes with its sacrifices too. :)

 

I am reminded how fun it is to just watch my kids play sometimes.  Jaq with her princesses or Seth with his marble contraptions or Star Wars characters.  Life as a kid.

And then it wouldn't be a monthly update without a surprise picture self portrait from Seth.

I thought it might be fun to take a picture of my calendar for the month.  I usually keep most things we do on this and sometimes I wonder when we went here or there so hopefully this can document that too.

Presidents Day Hike!

Just about every President's Day we like to get out and hike as a kick off from the winter!  Preferably down south where its a bit warmer.  This year since we were heading down to St. George to pick up my running shoes we decided to go and hike around Dixie Rock.  Simple hiking with little exploring options but it was a beautiful day and it felt good to get outside. Here are the pics from the day!

Collin didn't last long, luckily he falls right asleep in the backpack carrier

You always have a friend when you have a brother/sister

no he did not pick up chewing.  His snack of choice just happens to be sunflower seeds.

This was Seth's position as he ate his snack afterwards, legs up and crossed and totally chill. :)

Valentines Day

This Valentines Day was actually really busy! Between being in charge of a preschool Valentines day party and rushing right after school to write heart letters on Seth's Door before he got out and bringing the valentine treat for his teacher we forgot...It was lunch time before I knew it.  The rest of the day was just fun but Cordelle was super sick so My hot V-day date consisted of The Hub pizza for the fam, American Idol with the kids and A white collar episode in bed.  :)  I felt bad he was so sick on Valentines Day (or this idea just hit me....maybe he was just pretending cause he didnt have anything planned....hum) J/K.  Its a good thing he shows me he loves me every other day of the year so missing this holiday was no biggie!  (He took me out the next night anyways to make up for it.)

 

Copied a few things from Pinterest for breakfast.

Made a new garland for my living room

...and a small one for my piano

I just happened to be in charge of our Joy School's monthly party this month so we had a HUGE Valentines Day celebration!  We made love bugs out of milk jugs, "thumb body" loves you lace up cards, Queen of heart crowns, conversation heart sorting races, Love tag and Jello Jigglers for dessert!  It was a little crazy and I am pretty sure I forgot to put deodorant on cause I was sweating like crazy running around...BUT it was fun!

This Cordelle's Valentines Day card I made for him.  Took me 2 hours to compose but it turned out just perfect.

Its my birthday and I'll cry if I want to....but i dont, cause its my BIRTHDAY! (and who doesnt love a birthday?)

February 10th was my birthday and well, this was the big year for me.  I turned the big fat 30.  The birthday "partay" was pretty low key but my birthday was on a Sunday so blah, blah blah.   Cordelle made me this delicious egg, tomato, avacado, cream cheese bagel sandwiches (The california bagel at the pastry pub) with homemade fries for dinner and a super yummy chocolate cake....BUT he took the cake right out of the oven and put all those candles in it while it was still HOT.  Needless to say the cake was pretty ruined cause the wax from the candles all melted into the inside of the cake. Ha Ha!  He felt bad, but we ate around the wax and it was fine.  The overall day was good.  My friend Tawna brought me over a yummy dessert and cute Maxi skirt I wore for the day, Melissa and Jenny brought over gifts, Brittlyn and Neal came over for dinner.  It was just nice to be around the people I love.  The kids were so sweet and just bouncing with excitement for me.  The basketball girls I play with all took me out to breakfast at IHOP on Friday and then next week I'm going with The GIRLS to a birthday movie for my birthday so with all the attention I definitely know I am loved and have great friends and family around me.  So.... I think 30 will be great.  I have a great family and super hunky husband and life is good. CHEERS TO 30!!

Pictures of the cake (no frosting of course) as the candles are seeping into it. :)  Oh Cordelle, thanks for trying.

And then my big 30 gift was new running shoes!  Aren't these cute?  So excited for them! Just in time for the first race of the season (Lake to Lake relay in March).

Flat head

I'm documenting Collin's flat head to see if it improves by the time he's 9 months. I seriously can't figure out why its so flat, I feel like I hold him more than any other kid I've had.  He has slept remarkably long for naps and during the night since really early on, but still.  I'm paranoid to ever put him on his back at all when he's awake now.  Hopefully there's no real concern.

Collin @ 6 month

Seriously how cute is this guy!  My friend once compared having a little baby around is like daily dose of opium.  Where I found the comparison humorous, I know what she meant.  There is nothing that melts your heart and makes you stop and play than a smile or laugh from this dude.  He seriously gets complimented all the time how CUTE he is. And I certainly cannot get enough of him.  I just love to hold him and squeeze him all the time.  

Collin right now is SUPER ticklish (especially when your cleaning out the toe jam from his feet).  He loves his brother and sister and is now beginning to play with toys.  Mostly he gets frustrated with his inability to hold onto toys for long before he drops and loses them, but its fun to see his dexterity improve.  He still will not roll over and gets pretty frustrated with being on his stomach.  But the doctor is a little concerned with his flat head so we continue to give him lots of tummy time and time sitting up.  Never had a kid be so defiant about rolling over.  I know he has the strength, he almost just gives up and "supermans" his body till he gets too tired and face plants it to the floor. Still no teeth although it seems like he's been teething forever.  His stats are about in the 80th percentile but if I remember I will find the actual stats and post them.  

  

Basically right now he's an immobile little chunk and I love to squeeze and tickle and hug and kiss my little Collin!

WHAT THE JANUARY??

I love this picture.  What I love more about this picture is that I have no idea when it was taken and by whom (I'm guessing Seth himself?)  Crazy kid!  He really has become such a fun kid right now.  It hits me all the time just how excited he is over the little things in life. Like the other day we were driving down to St. George and he got so excited when we passed the lighthouse (where we normally turn off the freeway to go to Walmart) because we were driving straight and leaving Cedar City!! --or maybe that just means we need to get out more?? :)  But really, whether its a game, or special dinner he loves, or 5 extra minutes of StarWars legos this kid is elated to get even a little extra anything and I think that is getting more and more rare these days. I know I am going to miss this one day when he's moody and dragging his feet to do stuff as a family or little things in general.  So right now I am so thankful for him and his reminder to me that even the little stuff is worthy of getting excited about.  Oh yea, and I have to include this; whenever you take him off guard or he's excited about something he exclaims, "You gotta be seriously!!"  cracks us up.

COLLIN

Collin is just pure JOY.  I really dont know how else to explain it. Its like his mission was to come to earth to make people smile.  He laughs and just melts hearts everywhere he goes.  Here's one of may tickle sessions with Dad.

NEW YEARS EVE

This is probably one of the only New Years Eve pictures I have.  This New Years Eve was different.  We actually hung out with friends (till like 9). *shrug* The Losee's had us over with all the kids and the Marriotts came over to for like an hour.  It was fun.  I'm really good friends with Tawna and Jenny but we usually do stuff without our kids so as weird as this may sound, it was off having our kids all there.  But the night was filled with food and Rock Band which Jaq just ate up (they gave her a microphone and she thought she was a little rock star the whole night...see above pic) So we jammed out for a bit and had a good time.  Put our kids to bed by 9:30 and watched a White Collar until 11.  LAME. I know.  Neal joined us for awhile but he was probably bored out of his mind too.  :)  He left a little early to meet up with Brittlyn before she got off work at 11.  Oh well here's to 2013!!

THE DENTIST

This was a funny day. Jaq went to the Dentist for the first time and Seth was so excited for her.  He could not stop jumping, telling her all the things to watch out for and do (since he was totally experienced with the whole dentist thing).  He was just so thrilled to have her be the patient enstead of him.  But....it didnt last long.  We were also there to get a cavity filled for him and to get a tooth pulled.  And man, did his attitude change once we left.  Dont get me wrong my kids are AMAZING at the dentist (they dont move an inch the entire time - even when they are getting cavities filled) but once we left and he was numb and bleeding with saliva soaked gauze he remembered that he doesn't really like going to the dentist anymore.

Seth remembering that he now only had minutes to wiggle his tooth out before the Dentist was going to yank it.  Needless to say his last minute wiggling didn't do much.

Waiting on the kid couch at the Dentist office for Jaquelle's first dental visit

PUZZLE TIME

This puzzle was SO fun to put together!  Seriously.  My parents brought it back from Disneyland and it probably had like 500 pieces but every piece had at least part of one of like 100 characters on it so you literally could pick up a piece and put it right where it went.  The kids helped a little (I'll be honest I am a little of a puzzle hog) but they loved it too.

PRESCHOOL PARTY AT MAGGIE MOOS

They were cute and showed all the kids the store and the back and how to make ice cream out of their simple ingredients.  They loved it!

Then they let them choose an icecream flavor and add a mix in

Can I say future High School career here?

Lily, Luke Hailey and Sam

Deliciousness!

Random Iron man picture (Christmas Gift 2012)