been a LONG time... (photos for 8 March - 9 April)

...and I have no real excuses as to why I haven't updated that often,  so I won't make any up. :)

We had school conferences, which went well.  Both A and J are doing great.  We heard things, like, "model student"  "behaves the best in the class" "pleasure to have" "very helpful", I could go on and ON, but I think you get the point. ;)  LOL!!  Academically they are both on track and excelling in certain areas, and then we need to work on an area or two for both of them.  But nothing to worry about at all.

J has started piano lessons, which he takes while the girls have dance.  So then he doesn't have to wait with me the ENTIRE time they have dance.  He loves piano lessons.  We don't know yet if it is because of the lessons themselves or because it gets him out of some of the dance time. :)

Baseball season has started, so Mike is coaching J's team.  dd-A opted not to play this year, and we didn't make her.  She wants to swim instead.  So it is time to get her signed up for swimming again, well, past time, but .....  um... I will do that this week.

S is doing great.  She loves to be my side kick, and I think is still hesitant about starting school next year, but is slowly warming up to the idea.  She and D are best of buds.  One morning D and I were snuggling when S woke up and walked out to where we were.  He immediately slid out of my lap and walked over to S saying "ug, ug"  and put is arms around her for a hug!  so so cute.  S helps me in any way she can when we are home during the day.  However, when NORMAL chores are being done, she all of a sudden becomes SO tired or starving that she can't function.  We have to work on that.  LOL!

D is STILL too cute for words.  He speaks more and more every day.  He will imitate anything we say, and I do mean almost anything.  He is losing more and more of his BABY look and becoming such a toddler.  He is spunky, determined and FULL of attitude.  Again, I wonder where they get their 'tude from.  Their Daddy, of course!  He is still  HUGE danger to himself.  He loves to climb and jump, and he frightens me often.  He is very tough though, he rarely cries when he gets a "conk" as he puts it, but when he does w know he is hurt.  He tries to do EVERYTHING his siblings do, and we have many tears as a result of him NOT being able to.  Sad sad days. :)  He answers NO to everything, and the only way we can figure out what he really wants is to ask him to say "please", which he now says instead of signing.  If he want it he really DOES want it he says, "pees" and if he really does not want it he still says no.  He loved Easter and his basket of candy, and we let him go crazy eating it for a bit, which he LOVED.  (pictures to come)

I have started going to the Y.  I do the spinning class 3 times a week. (which I am missing right now-long weekend and I think my littlest two, who are still sleeping at 10:15, needed a little more sleep)  I am trying to get into better shape.  I haven't really lost any weight, but I have toned up.  I guess it might be time to change some eating habits. hehe heheeee.  That might help with the weight loss.

Mike is busy with work, YM's, and coaching.  He is looking forward to some great fishing soon, and doing all sorts of things with hunting.  I am glad that he feels like he has the time to get back into a few of the things that help him relax and enjoy life.  He needs it, and he deserves it.

I still am doing my photo a day thing.  so---here is a whole months worth.  The Easter weekend pictures will come another day.  ENJOY!!

99/365 09 apr

baseball season has begun.

98/365 08 apr

Bright and early, first sippy of the morning. 

100% necessary for a happy boy.

97/365 07 apr

D--just growing up toooooooo fast. 

He, of course, wants to do everything his older siblings do, EVERYTHING. 

And it causes regular tears because he just can't. 

This day, he just bawled for a good few minutes, 

and I couldn't figure out what he wanted. 

The older kids were at the table doing their homework. 

As soon as we got him a notebook and pencil, he was happy as can be!!

96/365 06 apr

J and his black eye, received by sisters knee. 

I think I have some better pictures of it, 

when it is more purple and green. I'll have to post those too.

95/365 05 apr

A outside playing in the beautiful sunny days.

94/365 04 apr

Playing outside popping bubbles between General Conference sessions.
D actually was testing out his Daddy, 

waiting to see if he'd get caught doing something 

Daddy just told him not to do. Little Stinker!

93/365 03 apr

My nephew B. Snuggling with his bear. his MOST prized possession.

92/365 02 apr

D posing. Yes, he has totally learned to pose and do a very cute cheesy grin. :)

91/365 01 apr

I actually really did take a picture this day, 

but honestly, I can't post it. hahaha! Not obscene, just horrible.

90/365 31 mar

A and her cousin, B... walking together at the zoo! 

Good times!

89/365 30 mar

D playing basketball at his cousin's house.

88/365 29 mar

J, I rarely get a normal shot of him because 

he is always pulling some sort of silly face. 

YAY!!!

87/365 28 mar

Wishing, hoping, that he could join the other kids outside. 

Sorry little Dude, the backyard isn't quite ready for you.

86/365 27 mar

S very carefully drawing on her whiteboard.

85/365 26 mar

D crying. but he is just still so cute!

84/365 25 mar

D crying. but he is just still so cute! 

I can't remember what exactly he was crying about, 

but I am sure it had to do with trying to feed himself,

 and I wouldn't let him because he had a white shirt on.

83/365 24 mar

J and D just being DANG cute together.

82/365 23 mar

Forgot to take one earlier,
so I snapped a shot of our keyboard that I hope to be replacing with a piano soon. :)

81/365 22 mar

Daddy and A snuggling!

80/365 21 mar

J with his very cool pinewood derby car.
After weeks of preparing the boy with,
"it's just for fun"...
"it doesn't matter who wins"...
"what a great experience to build a car with Daddy"...
they took first place. :)

79/365 20 mar

S veggin' out watching TV

78/365 19 mar

J veggin' out watching TV.

77/365 18 mar

D being SO happy his Mamma hadn't done the dishes, 

so he got one of his all time favorite bottles to drink from instead of a sippy cup.

76/365 17 mar

St. Patrick's Day green hat!

75/365 16 mar

totally missed march 16th. oops!

74/365 15 mar

making sugar cookies with our buddies from church! 

YAY!!! super good times!

73/365 14 mar

J working on his pine wood derby car. 

Sanding, sanding, and more sanding.

72/365 13 mar

A self photo. On the way to the Lion King, broadway musical. 

Which was amazing.

71/365 12 mar

A and D just sitting at the table together.

70/365 11 mar

This day we wnet on a walk to the park. 

I posted a ton of these in the previous post. 

But here is one that I love, again. 

The sweet little stinker wouldn't cooperate with me and my camera. 

So I just took this one of her pouting. hahaha

69/365 10 mar

forgot this day.
SO I snapped this right before I went to bed. 

Here is the corner of my work space. LOL!

68/365 9 mar

D. hahaha!! Oh my gosh--he is so messy in this one. 

This is from his "I always have a bruise on my forehead" phase. 

So we have the two bruises, one on each side of his forehead, 

and I think it's chocolate, from a donut, all over his cheek and nose. 

This is dedicated to D's cousin, B..., because whenever he sees 

a picture of D (in which he is regularly messy) he says, "dirty".

67/365 8 mar

S reluctantly turning so I could snap a photo.

let the sun shine...

We had a beautiful sunny day!  So beautiful that I had to take the kids outside.  We all got ready and decided on our plan.  We were going to walk to Daddy's work and then play at the park by his work and then walk home.  Of course, I brought my camera to torture the little ones on our walk.  I made them stop every so often so I could snap some shots.  I played with them in photoshop and made them look a little saturated and antiqued.  Just having some fun.

We learned something, or relearned something.  Just because the sun is shining doesn't mean that it is warm.   It was quite cold.  However, our walk was fun.  D completely enjoyed the wind in his hair and all the new things outside.  I just LOVE SPRING!!  I am so looking forward to spending time outside with him and letting him explore the world.  He is such a rascal.  I anticipate LOTS of bumps and bruises as we sped time outside, and I let him roam a bit.   

J kept himself busy climbing side hills and trying to exert his independence a bit.  dd-A nearly was in tears when I let J climb a hill by himself and meet us on the other side because she thought he wouldn't survive the experience.  Pleading with me she said, "Mom, he's only 8 yrs old.  If I had a son that was only 8, I wouldn't let him climb that hill by himself, it's too dangerous."  Funny little girl.  hahaha!  After the hill, J and A decided to run/walk on the side walk ahead of me to the end of each block and then wait for the rest of us to arrive before crossing the street.  It provided a great little photo. :)  I love it!  When they love each other they REALLY love each other. 

Then I made them pose by this old van.  I have a few other shots, but I this one is my favorite.  I have a few cute ones of them separately.  

Same shot, just desaturated and antique-ie. :)

My sweet little S was in her own little world: picking flowers and rocks, and refusing to get in almost any picture I took. LOL!!   I was able to snap a few random shots of her being super cute and exploring the neighbors' yard.  Here she is peeking in one of their little houses they have mounted up on a post.  

So since she refused to play nice with Mommy and her camera, I absolutely forced her to stand up by the stadium as we passed it.  She wouldn't look up at me or smile, but I still thought this was priceless. :)

Our walk down took a long time.  A very long time.  Thanks to me and my camera, but we stopped at Mike's work and the kids all had potty breaks.  I was scolded for taking them out in the cold (even though the sun was shining).  ;)  Then we went out and played at the park.  It was a short play time because the longer they played to colder I got. 

D had a blast, free from his stroller he was anxious to climb and get anywhere high.  And I DO mean HIGH.  Here he is climbing the stairs to the HIGHEST slide at the playground.  The stinker.  I ran up and grabbed him before he did any damage up there. 

And then here he is just being cute and enjoying the sunshine.

The walk home was as quick as could be.  S was tired and sat in the basket under the stroller, so over half the way I pushed D and S.  That was a workout.  hee hee!!  And and of you who have ever visited us, you know that is no EASY walk up the HILL to our house from Mike's work.  WOW.  Let's just say that I wasn't cold at all by the time I got home. hahaa!  

SO...I am so ready for spring and for the SUN! Not hot sun, but the cool sun that we enjoy so much here.  I wouldn't even mind the sun mixed with rain. 

photos: 1 March - 7 March

Just some pics of the week...

66/365  7 mar 

My very silly, happy baby. 

He was throwing a fit just seconds before this. 

Lying on the floor, then he rolled over 

and saw me trying to get a pick of his fit 

and he started grinning and laughing.

65/365  6 mar (photo 2)

The girls have been "inviting" Daddy home for lunch this week, 

and I snapped a few shots.

65/365  6 mar (photo 1)

64/365  5 mar

D snuggling on Daddy's belly while Dad was talking 

on his cell, lying on the couch. 

TOO cute, I tell ya!

63/365  4 mar

A's lovely case of pink eye. Our worst case thus far this month. 

We are now on week four of pink eye in our house.

And this was before it got to it's worst.

62/365  3 mar

J making an after school snack.

61/365  2 mar

D--just happy as can be!

60/365  1 mar

A photo of my screen with the kit that filled my week this week. :)

photos 15 Feb - 28 Feb (2 weeks worth)

Seriously, not too much to say about the last three weeks. We haven't really done anything. I had pink eye, then S, and then dd-A. dd-A actually still has it. She can't keep her hand off her eye. We are going to patch it this next week if it isn't gone my tomorrow. She has missed a whole week of school because it is viral, not bacterial, so the drops don't make in not contagious. SO it had been contagious the whole time. What that means is minimal outings and lots of hand sanitizer.

I have taken my photos though. so here they are...

59/365  28 feb

My two boys snuggling.

58/365  27 feb

This is what happens at our house 

if you mess with Dad while he is in the bath. 

And by messing with, I mean 

dumping a glass of clod water on him.

57/365  26 feb

the little (or not so little) flower headbands I made.

56/365  25 feb (photo 2)

I made these darling little flowered head bands. 

They wanted to pose for me. 

56/365  25 feb (photo 1)

I made these darling little flowered head bands. 

They wanted to pose for me. (Don't mind the pink eye.)

55/365  24 feb

I actually missed today, so I just stuck an old picture in here. 

I like it...my deck.

54/365  23 feb

Wii fit and pilates, weight training and some sort of aerobic exercise... 

my new routine. (not all of them every day) 

I am hoping to get into some sort of shape 

in the first half of the year, so far I am doing alright, 

not good, but better than before, 

so that is a step in the right direction.

53/365  22 feb

Itching for spring to come so I bought a bunch of tulips. 

I was just playing with my camera settings again. :)

52/365   21 feb

The Salt lake City Temple. 

My most favorite picture in our home. 

I served a mission for my church at the vistors' center there, 

Mike and I were married there, 

and it is just one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth.

51/365  20 feb

playing with my camera outside. 

trying desperately to take pictures off auto mode.

50/365  19 feb

D playing with ponies. 

Seriously, you can't blame the boy...

pet shops and pony's are his sister's favorite play things...

and that is who he mostly plays with. 

No worries though, when J is around 

it is all guns, sabers, balls, army men, and pirates.

AND I really don't care--I just thought he was cute. :)

49/365  18 feb

just veggin' out watching TV

48/365  17 feb

"Hey Mom, look what I found. MMMM!"

I love how his ENTIRE arm is in the bag to get a chip

47/365  16 feb

Reading. Just a good moment.

46/365  15 feb

partners in crime...

left alone to their own desires, 

these two little ones found 

a lone bag of chocolates and went to town. 

Don't they look so caught!