A little update via photos (that is all I am good for these days I think)

and maybe a little typing...

a little about Mike and me--

Mike has been gone for a while. First, he went to Lake Powell with his brothers for their annual fishing trip and boy bonding, uh, I mean MANLY bonding. ;) They had a great time. I hear it was windy and the fishing was hard. But the boys had fun, as usual. Mike stayed a few extra days in UT with his parents and had some business there. Then he popped home for just a few days. Just in time to take the group of teenagers from our church to a weekend get away (Youth Conference) with a dance, service project, and some good feasting on the word of Christ. Then he was home for Sunday and then left again for some business. I NEVER sleep well with him gone. So I am a bit loony with sleep deprivation. I am thankful Mike is home, and that we don't have any months like this in the near future. Two and a half weeks is long enough! And I am SO looking forward to our vacation.

A little about J

We were supposed to have our first few baseball games, but they were all rained out. (Go figure!) J was VERY excited for his games, so he has been a little disappointed this week. I, on the other hand, was NOT too disappointed. With Mike out of town and the other coaches schedule, it looked like I was going to have to "play" coach. Well, we all know baseball is NOT my most favorite sport. I tolerate it because Mike LOVES it and J loves it, too. SO I don't think I would make a very good baseball coach, however, I can hold my own in the dugout.

J also had his first big field trip. They went to the Pacific Science Center and that was SO far away for me. I actually called my big sister, Dawn, in near tears right after he left, feeling nervous and paranoid. I am such an overprotective mom. LOL!! We had to get up super early to get him ready, and while he was eating his oatmeal I re-gave him the "stranger" talk, and the "stay with a buddy always" talk, and the "what to do if you get lost" talk. He was funny and kept telling me, "I know, Mom!" "I KNOW!"

He had a blast and returned home safely and in one piece. He even brought me a treat. A SUPER HUGE (and I DO mean super huge) jaw breaker on a stick. I am so lucky.

A blurb about my darling A

My darling A is back in swim lessons, J is too, but A loves it so much. It is sort of one of her things! She is a total little fish, and she tries so hard to do everything perfectly as her teacher tells her. She hopes I never stop the lessons. LOL!!

dd-A has also been working on her Young Authors' book. She wrote this book all by herself. I am so proud of her. She told the story of us moving into our new house, and how it was CRAZY. Crazy insane, since my little D was born 6-7 weeks early that very same week. She remembered some sweet details, and her pictures are adorable! And, like I said before, she wrote it all by her self. She is such talented and smart little girl. I am so lucky to have her as mine. :) heee heee!

Swimming with D and S

I have been taking D and S swimming while the older two are in lessons. WHAT the heck have I been thinking. It is near torture to keep both of them safe in the pool. hahaaa! They love it though. In fact, D threw such huge temper tantrum yesterday as we were leaving, luckily he's my fourth kiddo, so I chuckled instead of getting stressed out. But he was a little naughty turkey for a good thirty minutes afterward, giving me 'tude and being all sorts of sassy. He kept giving me dirty looks and saying, "No, mamma!" in a very grumpy tone. The cutest thing... in between all his grumpiness, he kept trying not to grin. What a stinker! haha!

My sassy little S

S is growing up so fast. She is in that hard stage of wanting to grow up , but still wanting to be a baby at the same time. I am working hard to teach her a little more independence. She has been so doted on by all of us, that she tends to depend on others to do things for her which she should be able to do for herself, like get her own cereal out, pick up her own toys, clean up her color crayon messes, put her dishes in the sink, etc. She is REALLY great at doing extra things, like, rinsing of the dishes (she even has her very own special "scrubber"), getting all the "small" garbage cans emptied out (she gathers all all the trash from our 3 bathroom), organizing the books on the book shelf, but the every day things, not so much! We have been working on it, and I think this week she is getting much better.

OH and HUGE news for her...she has MOSTLY stopped sucking her thumb. I took the three older ones to the dentist last week (which they all did great), and the dentist told S that if she didn't stop sucking her thumb by our next visit, he would have to put some contraption in her mouth so she couldn't do it any more. So we have a dumb dumb rewards system going. She really doesn't suck her thumb during the day, but she still does at night. Next week, we are putting socks on her hands at night, so hopefully that will help.

hmmm.. so much for just a LITTLE typing...

And my too cute for words D

And my sweet little D, he is just so so cute. He charms me every second of every day. He wants me to hold him a ton. He LOVES Elmo, and really loves to read books! He is picking up more and more words. And he totally missed his Daddy while he was gone. Nearly every morning, one of the first things out of his mouth was, "Daddy??" And when Mike was loading his truck up to leave for the second time this month, D sat in the door way and kept saying, "No, bye bye, Daddy!" heart breaking! and so so cute! He loves music and boogies in the car in his car seat to the beat and bounces around the floor at home. One thing I love that he does...when he catches you watching him dance he gets embarrassed a little and stops quickly, drops his head, and gives you this super cute look, we call "shy eyes". I have to always smooch his cheeks when he does that, cuz I just can't stand how cute he is!! He also has discovered the joy of writing and coloring, now if we can get him to keep his writing to paper (and not my walls--which he has done this week) I will be one happy camper.

And one of D's new favorite things to do is Jump from the ottoman to our couch. Mostly it is alright because we keep it fairly close to the couch-like a few inches, so it is safe. But one night, it had been rolled out while we were kneeling for family prayers. He attempted a jump that was a good two feet long. Needless to say, he was unsuccessful. He smacked his eye and screamed. I scooped him up and loved on him. Then, the second he gathered himself, he hopped back on the ottoman and wanted to jump again! Funny boy! He still has a nice black eye, and you can see it in at least one of his pictures.

I feel truly blessed.

and little ol' me

Oh and me--I am really trying to get in better shape. I feel like it is super important for my health and happiness. I had been spinning at the YMCA 3 days a week for month and a half, but then D got sick and I didn't want to put him in the child center there, so I stopped going. SO I have started the intense fitness program, P90X. I am in my second week of doing it. it is HARD and totally kicks my butt. I am in a bit of pain (or some days a lot of pain) EVERY day right now. I got it while Mike was gone, and he, reluctantly, has been doing it with me. It is a good thing. I like having him push me and it keeps me from giving up. my pride can be good for something I guess. :)

Photos (Project 365 = a photo a day for a year)

Here are a handful of pictures from the last few weeks... I missed a few days (two, I think), I have been a bit scatter brained and tired, but I also captured a few great shots! ( I still have more Easter pictures and also some spring playing outside pictures--but another day.) for now...ENJOY!

oh-and they are chronologically upside down. :)

113.365 23 apr
Charming his mamma with a big smile...
and a black eye!!

112/365 22 apr
Peek-a-boo!!
And that is all!

111/365 21 apr
My kiddos, right before prayers, because I forgot to take a picture this day until then.
They weren't very picture friendly this night. :)

110/365 20 apr
D examining something very carefully.

109-3/365 19 apr
The sunshine has come (and subsequently left again),
but the kiddos couldn't resist this warm 59 degree day.
They decided they needed to "sun bathe themselves".
They set up their beach chairs, took out lotion, and books to read.
Within a few minutes they came inside asking to wear
some of my sunglasses because it was too bright. So they each
grabbed a pair and went outside. They stayed out for nearly an hour,
and they all got along the whole time. WOW!
Here is S wearing the pink tinted ones that she requested I buy for myself last year.
(I think she has worn them more than I have) :)

109-2/365 19 apr
Here is A, sporting my large shades and a smile. :)

109-1/365 19 apr
and J with my big black shades.
Reading Black Beauty and "taking a bath in the sun".

108/365 18 apr
J posing

107/365 17 apr
D--just love this little guy!

106-3/365 16 apr
S had a little extra dance show this day.
So we got all dressed up with fancy hair and some of my makeup
(bribery with the makeup was the only way she let me do her hair- LOL).
Isn't she precious.

This is such a little S expression. I wish I had her lashes. (thanks, Daddy!)

I kept laughing while I was taking these pictures
because she kept fiddling with the straps and top of the costume.
I asked her why she couldn't hold still, and she told me she was
trying to be modest. LOL!

106-2/365 16 apr
I couldn't pick just one of these that was my favorite--
so I had to post a few more. I love her expression and her neatly placed hands.

106-1/365 16 apr
and this one. I just love it!

105/365 15 apr
Rib a dub dub. D playing in the tub.

104/365 14 apr
This was an incredibly perfect moment.
J set up the T-ball T and took D over there and said,
"Let me show you how to do it," and then smacked the ball off the T,
then gave the bat to my little D and let him try.
It was just so perfect to watch J teach his little brother.

102/365 12 apr
D discovered how to climb into his grocery cart.
He was very proud of his new independence.
However, he was NOT independent enough to get himself out.

101-4/365 11 apr
D got to participate in the Easter egg coloring this year.
Last year he just sat in his bouncy seat while the rest of us colored eggs.
This year he colored with crayons, cracked a few eggs,
ate a little purple (non toxic) paint, and even dyed one or two.
He loved it!

101-3/365 11 apr
S proudly showing off her nicely dyed and all stickered up Easter egg.
She was the most free with her decorations:
a little paint, a little glitter, lots of crayons, and a lot of stickers.

101-2/365 11 apr
dd-A coloring Easter eggs. She was so worried about
everything turning out perfect that I could hardly
get her to relax enough for a smile.
Thank fully Daddy came to the rescue by saying some nice
little potty words, not naughty words,
just the ones that are rude and that make kids
(and boys, and grown men) giggle.

101-1/365 11 apr
J coloring Easter eggs. He had it down to a science.
Experimenting with different colors, mixing, two toned eggs,
and rubber bands to block out some colors.

and Yes, he has a nice shiner.
He and A were NOT going to sleep when they were supposed to,
and they had a little accident.
Oops--and a black eye was the result of a knee in the face.
Next time, maybe they'll go to sleep instead.

100/365 10 apr
D, eating his Cheerios. Such a cutie.
I love the lip pucker needed to keep in his HUGE bite,
and the little bit of milk dribble on his chin. :)