To have a little one around

The other night a friend called needing Jessica to babysit. I had to decline for her, but I offered to watch her two girls and little boy (7,5,&1). Oh my goodness, it so much fun to have a little one around again. He is such a little peanut. He would cling to me, then Jessica, and then Hunter. I just had to take a picture of him with Hunter. Then I also remember what it was like to have a little one around!!! I let the kids have an ice cream sandwich and Spencer was playing with the blocks with the baby and the baby snagged the ice cream sandwich right from Spencer's hand. It was so funny, I grabbed my camera again and took a few snap shots. I wish I would have taken some when he was really messy. He really enjoyed it though.

Then I remember what it was like to have a little one around. I was busy getting the girls all ready for bed so Jessica got the baby ready for bed for me. She rocked him and he snuggled up on her shoulder till it was time for her bedtime. While Jessica was rocking him so gently, I thought to myself if she did the same thing I did (got married at 18 and had her at the age of 19) I could be a grandma in four year. Yes, I said FOUR years. I just watched my daughter being so loving and gently with Colin and it brought tears to my eyes. She will be a great mother one day. It was then time for Jessica to go to bed, so I took over rocking Colin. He just laid there so quietly fighting to stay awake, not wanting to close his eyes. He then snuggled up on my shoulder and was soon fast asleep. I soon remember what it was like to have a baby around again and I missed it. Thanks Melysa for letting me watch your children and remembering what it was like to have a little one around again.

She has a name!!!!!

Welcome Home

Delaney Katherine!

Congratulations my Twin!!!!!!

My sweet dear friend Rachel & her husband Martin welcomed baby girl {H} into the world yesterday. She weighed a WHOPPING 12lbs 3oz and was 22 inches long. OOOHHHH I just want to pinch those big fat cute cheeks. What a blessing to bring one of Heavenly Father's sweet children into the world. I love you Rachel. Congratulations, I wish I could be there with you. We wish you all the very best. She is a doll!!!!!!

Taylor's birthday

Taylor had a whopper of a birthday. She woke up that morning ready to be baptized. She was so excited. I love her sweet innocence, smiling, beautiful face in the morning. Doug and I love to smooch her cheeks and she is very patience with us in doing so. I just can't believe that my baby is EIGHT. the years have gone by so fast. I am going to miss those times, but look forward to making new memories. I put these pictures in backwards sorry, but I just don't have much time these days. As you can tell that I have not been able to post much lately. I always make my children a birthday breakfast and dinner. They can have whatever they want. Taylor picked Waffle Cereal. Go figure. That was an easy breakfast, plus we had family in town and her baptism was at 9:30 in the morning. Afterwards we had a big BBQ at the house for those who came to the baptism. Taylor wanted hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, broccoli salad, chips, cookies, & brownies for desert. ((Side note: I learned a valuable lesson on letting people help you when they offer. Two of my great friends Sara & Melysa helped me out tremendously. Sara helped me make all of the salads and Melysa made all of the cookies 7 dozen, and she went the extra mile and made brownies too. Friday around 10am I was coming home from the grocery store for a few last minute items and it had been raining, but it was not cold. I was wearing flip flops and I got out of the car and fell on my hip/side hitting the car on the way down, and hitting the car again once I hit the ground. OK you can stop laughing, I know I am a klutz, ( I have fallen three times in the past five months) Anyways, I really hurt myself. I ended up with a really nice bruise on my back and hip. Today is the first day since then that it hasn't hurt, but of course do you think I can sit down and relax to help it heal. NO!! I was not feeling so good, so I was really thankful that I had agreed to have Sara come over and help me fix the salads, and Melysa had offered the day before too and I had so much to do in so little time that I took it. It ended up being a great blessing since I am a klutz. Enough of that back to Taylor's day.)) Doug grilled up all of the hamburgers and hot dogs. They were really good. I also made Turkey burgers. My family prefers them to beef. Doug is an expert at grilling. Taylor received a special gift from Sister Slocum a dear friend of mine, who played the piano for us at the baptism. (Lynn you are an amazingly talented woman. I am glad to call you my friend. You are always there for me when I need help. You are the first to volunteer. I love you.) She gave Taylor a special card with a picture of herself before her baptism. She took it and brought her printer and printed it out and glued it to Taylor's card. It was such a cute idea. She gave her a special set of Article of Faith cards to help her memorize them. Taylor her with her brothers and sister. They do truly love each other. She was so excited to get a new set of scriptures. She just had a copy of the Book of Mormon before. Now she has a quad. Thanks Grandma & Grandpa Slade.

Taylor wanted to go bowling for her birthday so later that day we all loaded up and had a blast. It happened to be cosmic bowling at the time and Taylor and her friends thought that was so cool. It is already hanging up in her room. A Hannah Montana clock. She received so many gifts that she loves. Thanks to all of her friends and family. Here the girls are rocking out to the tunes and getting ready for a great bowl. Taylor won the first game. She had three strikes. The girls bowled for two hours and had a blast. I love Taylor's little friends, they are like my own daughters. They are so sweet and Taylor loves them too.

Taylor's Baptism

This was a very bittersweet day for me as Taylor's mother. I can't believe my baby is was getting baptized. It just seemed like yesterday when she was born. I was sad to think she is growing up, but excited for her to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. She truly has a sweet spirit about her. I know with all of my heart that she made the right decision to be baptized. She told me she wants to be like Jesus and Jesus was baptized so she needed to be baptized. It is amazing how much you teach your children and they end up teaching you and reminding you of how simple the gospel is. Taylor I love you and only want the best for you. Your dad and I are very proud of your decision and we hope you will always follow the gospel.

My Birthday Week

My sweet husband spoiled me rotten for my birthday this year. For years he has done birthday week instead of just something on my birthday. We started out the week with him having a day off of work and he surprised me with a day of fun. Not so fun for him, but I had a blast. He is usually gone when the kids get up to go to school, but that morning he let me sleep in and made breakfast for the kids and got them off to school. Then I woke up and got ready for the day of shopping, yes I said shopping, I was able to get WHATEVER I needed and wanted of clothing, which I needed pretty badly. First we went to breakfast where I wanted, so we went to IHOP, because I love there harvest and nut pancakes. Then off to the craft store, where I stocked up on some scrapbook supplies and was he bought me two new cartridges for my CRICUT. Then we went to a few more stores for some clothing and then headed back home before the kids got home from school and on the way home stopped off for a yummy sandwich from my favorite sandwich shop. As soon as Hunter was home to watch the babies, (I still call them my babies even though they are 7 &9) we were off again shopping. I wanted to go to P.F. Changs for dinner, but I developed a bad headache and did not want to drive 30 more minutes to get there so I settled for Chili's, because I love their lettuce wraps, but ended up having fajitas, which were yummy, yummy. We were also going to go to a movie, but my headache turned into a migraine and I was getting sick to my stomach so we just came home. So that was the start of my birthday week. Everyday it was something even if it was small it was meaning full to me. I was able to go to lunch three times that week, cards, flowers, gifts, and ended the week with the scrapbook retreat. I love my husband no matter what, but the special things he does for me makes me love him even more. For those of you who know Doug, you know how much he hates shopping, so that was a real special treat for me to have him go with me. He could have just gave me some money and said go buy yourself some clothes, but he was selfless and came with me.

The Scrapbook Cabin

This past weekend I went on a Scrapbook retreat to a cabin about an hour north of my house with a bunch of girlfriends. It was a BLAST! I was able to accomplish many pages, but more important I was able to relax and have a good time with my friends and was able to make some new ones. I did miss my husband and kids and they missed me too. Sometimes it is nice to go away, and realize how lucky I really am, having the best job in the world MOTHERHOOD!!! I came back refreshed. I posted a few pictures of this weekend. I could not post all of them, so I just put a few on. Here I am scrapbooking.

We took this picture at the very end of the weekend. We were missing 5 woman who had to leave early. This picture was taken from upstairs looking down into the living room. This cabin was really nice, and the basement was setup just for scrapbooking. Enough space for 18 people. The owner had everything imaginable to scrapbook with there we could use for free. She also had a little store that we could purchase paper and things if we needed on the honor system. My sweet lovable friend Lynn. I love you Lynn you are awesome and I had so much fun with you this weekend. THE SCRAPBOOK CABIN SIGN IN THE BASEMENT Here are some of the pages I accomplished this past weekend. I did not finish writing on all of them yet. Jessica at one of her Track Meets. Taylor riding horses at the ranch in Arizona. Yes, Rachel I am barely scrapbooking these pictures. I can't believe I waited so long. Just to let you know I showed the picture to my friends there and they all asked if that was my sister. Of course I said yes and told them the story of how we always get asked if we are sister's or twins when we are together. I love you and miss you and you are My Twin. Remember doing my girls room while you were here for a visit in Arizona. Rachel painted the signs with my girls names on it freehand. She is very talented. Everyone thought that was just a picture. I told them it was done freehand from my twin. My sweet little Taylor's dance recital pictures from last year. I have not yet written on it yet. Let me just say that I can't wait to go again next year. I had so much fun laughing, talking, and scrapbooking. I am now counting down the month's.