where is time going?

I swear it really seems like the days are flying by!

I was sitting outside watching Alan play the other day and was laughing at his recent favorite entertainment in the backyard, digging! It made my giggle because it made me think of John and how it is so neat to watch Alan go through a lot of the same phases as John. They are SO different, yet they are so alike :) John had a period of time where if we went out back a shovel was always near and he was always digging small holes around the yard and under one tree. Well now Alan is following the tradition. His only spin is that he like to dig and put the clay/dirt/straw/anything on the ground, into a bowl or dump truck and make "something" out of it. I just love watching boys in the dirt.

Here is Alan out in the yard (oh he is also in love with wearing a helmet at random times), not the best quality either since they are phone pics....

Totally random here but I am LOVING the current weather. We have been getting outside every afternoon, especially since John now Always wants to practice on his bike. It is just too nice out to say no. I finally started putting some "fall" stuff out front, I've had it up in the house for a few weeks. John was so happy that I finally bought pumpkins. He is dying to carve them. I think I need to go buy some others for carving though so we can keep these for decoration.

And to update, John was thrilled with the Halloween Costume that I picked for him. He is now counting down the days to Halloween so that he can wear it. I'll be sure to post pictures when they wear them :)

Okay a few last random pictures from the last 2 weeks

Bicycle!

I can't believe it, 2 posts in one day! No not that really, I can't believe my guy is riding his bike WITHOUT training wheels!! It all started yesterday and he is doing great! He is still hesitant but getting better each time he rides. I am so proud of my guy, he was really frustrated trying to figure it out at first and he almost gave up, but after a breather he tried again and got a little better and the rest is history :) We promised grandma a video so here you go!  Man time is flying! (oh and excuse my loud voice and the zooming in the video hehe)

John's 6th Birthday!

Yes His Birthday was last month, but since I'm playing catch-up here ya go :)

This year we had a VERY laid back birthday. Last year he got to have a big bowling party so we agreed this year to no real "party". My parents came in town for the weekend so he did at least have company here :) Of course our AMAZING family sent him gifts which he was DYING to open the second he woke up. So thanks to my mom we came up with the idea of putting numbers on each of the presents and then he had to draw a number out of a bag to open the present with the matching number and he could only draw a number when grandma's alarm went off (about every 1-2 hours). He LOVED it. Plus he got to have the one thing he begged for, an ice cream cake! So instead of just words here are some pictures from the day.

Field Trip Friday!

Today is John's first field trip!! I am so excited to watch my little man grow up. I am also bummed that I couldn't go along :( They had a rule for this trip that no children other than students could attend which meant Alan couldn't tag along and Evan had to work this morning. So I am now waiting for 2:45 to get here so that I can hear ALLLL about it. He was so excited this morning, especially since he was getting a lunchable for lunch HAHA. I always pack his lunch but it's something homemade, but since everything had to be able to be thrown away I decided to suprise him with a Lunchable and he was super happy :) oh the small things in life!

I am also excited to for him to get home since Alan and I went to Target this morning and purchased Halloween Costumes. They didn't have the costume John wanted in his size so I maybe a choice for him and I'm dying to see if he is excited for it, or if I need to go on a major hunt for the original choice. Alan picked the costume John wanted which they only had in his size, so hopefully big brother won't be upset that Alan was able to get it.

Yesterday I was having a ruff day and it's so nice today to feel much better. I think I just need to get up, put on a cute outfit (well at least I think it is), put on some make-up and get out of the house. Oh I bought a new skirt and shoes too so that always helps :) Plus I am soooo happy it is FRIDAY! I get my boys to myself all weekend and I Maybe, I repeat Maybe, get to sleep a little later for 2 days. It's general conference for Church this weekend so I get a little break there as well. I'm dreaming of a weekend filled with lots of outside playing and snuggles on the couch and hearing my boys play together! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Here is another more recent shot of the boys, this is from when we went to TN over the summer.

Trying, Again!

Yep, I'm actually typing an update! I've been thinking alot of how much I LOVE reading my friends blogs to keep up with their families and the things that are happening with them. I find myself smiling and being motivated or crying and praying for my friends in their times of need. Basically stalking their blogs for updates hehe. And I thought about how much joy my own memories bring me and how bad I have been lately at journaling them. So, here I am once again with the goal of blogging my joys, tears, thankfulness, failures and anything else that comes along to savor with my family forever.

Just seeing my last post I can't believe how much my family has changed in the last year! Alan looks so small in the pictures! John is now 6 and in Kindergarten!! He LOVES it, although it took about a week for that to happen. The first few days were hard for me to leave him especially when he would say, Momma I miss you so much it makes me want to cry! But he did it and now is so excited to go. Alan is 3 and he loves his big brother more than anything else. He tries to be just like him. And he misses John all day. After more than a month he still asks 3 or 4 times a day if it's time to go to the bus stop yet. My boys bring me so much Joy. I couldn't imagine a minute of my day without them. They have made me grow and change in so many ways.

Here is a more recent picture of the boys together

Wow!

Has it really been OVER a year since I have posted here?? I really need to get it into gear :)

I think of my blog when I have a lot on my mind so here I have find myself today.....

I have been thinking about family and how blessed I truly feel with the one I have! I have a husband who after almost 12 years I still dearly love and 2 children who make my heart swell more with each passing day. But there is more to my family than that....

My parents, I love them so much and am so blessed to have them. I am grateful to have a mother that I WANT to talk to EVERY SINGLE DAY! And we still always have something new to talk about. And a Father who taught me very well that Family is what is imporant. They are the ones that will be there for you through thick and thin. I haven't forgotten that lesson daddio!

My Grandparents, I was blessed with amazin grandparents. I am so thankful that I still have 3 out of 4 still living. I have so many amazing memories of my childhood that was spent with them. And my children are blessed to have their great-grandparents be in their lives and to feel that love.

A Sister, I love that I have my Big Sister. We have may different lives but always seem to be joined our sisterly bond. It was such a joy to get to experience to motherhood for the first time with her and to have her strength and support when it was needed. And now to watch our children grow toghether and to see our family bond continue with a new generation is priceless.

Aunts and Uncles and Cousins, I am so thankful that I was raised in a family where the WHOLE family got together and that I was able to grow up playing with all of my cousins. And that my Aunts and Uncles where always there and again are there for everything with my Children, spoiling them rotten :) .

In laws, I am truly blessed to have Married a man who has a family that I LOVE! I know a lot of people out there are not so lucky. I really think of them as MY Family not just my husbands. And feel blessed every moment I get to spend with them.

I'm sure I've missed someone or something but my kids are going to tear the house apart any minute HAHA.

I want to add one thing more....
I am grateful for my Faith. And the blessings that faith brings to me. I believe that my Family is forever and that is something that brings me joy EACH and EVERY DAY.

Love you all!

Reminded

I've been reminded today how precious my life is....everyone who knows me knows that I'm on a few mothering message boards. Well some may think they are silly but I love them and have become friends with many mothers from them.
My heart broke this morning to find that one of our long time members lost her battle to cancer yesterday! She has two daughters who are so, so young. Too young to have just lost their mother. I cry every time I think of it. I can't imagine the loss that her family is feeling today. To think of missing a single moment of my boys lives just makes the tears flow harder. Or having have to watch my partner, my bestfriend, my forever, leave this world......

So I am reminded how THANKFUL I am to have Evan, my bestfriend, my love. John, my wild, my sweet first child. And Alan, my soft sweet baby. And how I need to make lasting memories with them!


This has been on my mind all day and tonight at bedtime it really hit me hard and I couldn't keep the tears hidden. I kept hugging John and telling him how much I love him. And then he went to choose his bedtime book. He choose I'll love you forever. Well if that didn't push me over the edge. I cried through the entire book. And then tucked him in and we sang our normal bedtime songs. After I was done singing he asked me why I had tears coming down my face. I told him it was because I am so lucky to be his mother. And he replied with, Mommy you are so beautiful! Seriously, I am Blessed to have this child! Of course this made me cry more and give him more kisses. I told him that I will love him forever and always and he then says I'll always be your son.

So for those of you reading this. Give your husbands, wives, children, pets, whoever and extra hug and kiss. Forget about the annoying things they do. Forget about the dishes in the sink or the dirty bathroom (yes this is my house right now) and enjoy every second with them. Make memories, dance to a silly song, play in the rain, be happy and LOVE!

To ALL of my family and friends. I love you so much. You make my life better for being in it and you are all always in my thoughts and prayers whether we are near or far.

Becky, I know that you are no longer in pain and watching over your husband and girls from a happier place. You were such and amazing fighter. Thank you for the gift that you have given me. Forever and Always....