4 of a kind: January 2012

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Book of Mormon Stories...

In November Spence and I decided that we really wanted to have Family Scripture Study consistently. We made a goal of 2 weeks every day. As an incentive we told the kids that they needed to remind us and we would earn lunch at Olive Garden!

We did succeed and we have continued to read regularly. In fact, if we have not read the scriptures by bed time, the bed time story is replace by the scriptures.

We finally made it to Olive Garden today! Coop and Sav have been asking weekly and we finally made time to go. But first we visited the Ogden Dino Museum.

It was a much needed family activity. And Brrr was it cold!

Despite the cold we were all so happy to be running around in the sunshine. Next time we will remember gloves and hats.

Friday, January 27, 2012

It Happened!

Spence and I are always amazed once our child is potty trained! We just cannot believe it. One minute they are in diapers, the next they are a big kid. We spent a few days without pants with the frog potty next to Maddux. He earned a dum dum pop (pop-pop) every time he went. And for number 2 he got toys! He did escape in to the snow pantless several times to avoid the buzzer. It took 4 days to be #1 trained. It took 2 weeks to be #2 trained. And after 3 weeks he is accident free.

My little boy is so smart and grown up now. It breaks my heart just a little. But he is so happy with himself that I will just have to let him be my big boy.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Zoo with my babies

On free Zoo day 2 friends from play group joined us for some Winter fun!

Maddux was in charge running here and there leading the way. As a Mother is was exciting to see him be the big kid in charge having fun on his day.

They both LOVED the Carousel. Maddux chose Po to ride, and Maddie the Tiger. She roared just like one.

I felt like a good Mom this day. I took the time to go on an outing even though it was so much work and exhausting. But I needed to have a feel-like-a-good-Mom day. My babies are so much fun and growing too quickly.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Me Time

The Knudsen girls let me tag along for an early morning 6 mile run. It was only 15 degrees out and 7 am! I felt very accomplished but brr! Cold!

Brittany had the great idea to get a cheap pass to Wolf Mountain. It reminded me of the VanDerwerken pumpkin patch in NY. Just an old 2 level barn on a hill. The snow wasn't great but we made time to get on the slope for me time. I needed de-stressing time away. I am so blessed to have a husband who will rearrange his schedule so I can run and play.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

One Year Older and Wiser Too

How old are you Mom?

Only 32 years, Daddy is 38!

I love being the young Mommy who gets to deflect attention of my increasing years to Spence's many more.

Yup, I am that immature.

Bert and Judy took the kids Saturday night so we could dance the night away at a Mock-tail Dance with our funnest friends. Audrey, Brittany and I rented fancy dresses. Stacey Jewkes was so nice to come over and do my hair too!

Dinner first at PF Chang's. All 14 of us. Couples by last name: Dabel, Knudsen, Olsen, Maruji, Wendel, and Wendel Friends.

It was comical for us old people to be all dressed up acting like Prom dates.

In the bathroom one lady told Audrey how beautiful she is and how she could not stop staring at her during dinner. We were giggling at the ridiculousness.

Thanks to Wendy I was glamorous in her Cloak from 1994. Spence thought I needed to go search the alleys of Down Town for my vampire friends.

The music selection was not the best but we had fun making fun and being silly.

My "Elaine" move from Seinfeld was lost on the Wendel's. So sad.

And thank you Brittany for joining our portrait. I cannot believe how high you can jump for a short person!

The night was perfect. Our friends have the best dance moves. And the dance was over by 10pm! We made it home to sleep in our own bed rested for Church. We usually stay at a hotel on our getaways. But waking up in my own home and getting ready with no children was surprisingly wonderful. We cannot wait for next year!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

After School Talk

I am giggling with the greatest story to tell. Cooper is my sensitive boy. Today at lunch the talk was of Black Holes. Burke said the center of time is there. Cooper was inquisitive and needed to know. I told him Burke does not go to church to learn about Heavenly Father. He relies on science for his answers of the universe.

Our conversation evolved and wrapped around a few subjects. We began talking about where we came from and where we are going. I taught him about our spirits entering a time of rest from our earthly cares and sorrow when we die. We recently returned from a week long vacation. Upon return home as we came in the door every member of our family sighed relief at being home. It was a joyous feeling. I told him that is how we will feel when we die and go back to Heaven. We talked about how those who believe in Christ will minister to those in Spirit Prison. He was apprehensive at first. The more we talked about the Millennium , Temple work to become a giant family connected from Adam to the last baby born, and our Judgement Day he got happy. By the end he said, "Mom I am almost excited to die." I am going to repent every Sunday, go on a Mission and get Married in the Temple. I am going to be so obedient to get back to Heaven.

Savannah came in and asked for a snack. I asked her if she had washed her hands after school. She lied and said yes, then I sent her off to wash "again". When she came back Cooper with a mischievous grin said, "Savannah if you don't stop lying you won't get to live with Heavenly Father, you will have to live with Satan." Savannah's face crumpled and turned to me. "Whaaat! I don't want to!"

Maybe our girl will stop lying now. I will have to keep Cooper on her case about strict obedience... or at least trying to be good. We only have a year and a half to reform her til she is 8! I am still giggling at the ridiculousness of it all. Cooper is so fun to parent.

Home for the New Year

We woke up at 4 am to get on the road home New Year's Eve. It was a smart move as the traffic to Las Vegas began to pick up around 6 am. The drive was better than we had hoped for and we made it home with time to unpack and celebrate with sparklers.

We were ALL so happy to be in our own home again.

Even Sasha had missed us.

We had enjoyed being outdoors and my littles were desperately missing the sun. Today they were still braving our cold to play with their Christmas Play-doh.

Theres No Place Like Home.

4 of a kind