Bloggin Loser!

Holy moly, it's been so long I almost couldn't remember my password! Here's my excuse... Our house has been taking all our time, thoughts, efforts- you name it, it has to do with the house. Every spare second we have we are doing something for or at the house. It's almost complete!!! Wa-hoo! Just a couple of weeks. Then it will take me another year to move in! Then, I am going to take 3 days straight and catch up on my bloggin. There I said it, so now I have to. There is much to report and lots of things I want to remember, so all of you hold me to it!

Happy Easter Every-bunny

We are wishing (really hard) that you all have a very happy Easter!

Yeah Me!!!

Averie is officially potty trained! I decided to try on Monday and she just got it. Hmm, maybe I should have tried sooner, oh well. Now when ever she sits on the potty she says, "Get out Mom! I need pribacy." I guess now that she's a big girl she's a little more private about her privates. Or in her case, pribates.

Simple Pleasures

Another lesson learned from my favorite, tiny teachers.

Pushing the overfull cart out the doors of Wal-Mart with a kid on each side holding on, they start chanting, "GO FAST OUTSIDE! GO FAST OUTSIDE!" This is a grocery store (or any store with shopping carts) ritual; we go fast outside. We've done this a million times, but today it hit me. As I'm running as fast as I dare with my 300lb. cart, the looks of excitement on their faces and their high-pitched screams and giggles taught me my lesson. To get to my excitement equivalency would for sure have to be a roller coaster, a BIG roller coaster. Why can't I just stop, get out of "survival mode" and enjoy life's simple pleasures? It made me stop and think of the little things that bring my girls ecstatic joy. For instance;
* a band-aid, ooh and especially if it's colorful- WOW! That's exciting!
*pushing the button to open the microwave. My excitement equivalency; pushing the button to launch the space shuttle.
*Picking out a worthless toy at the $1 store. My excitement equivalency; picking out my new (not off the clearance rack) shoes.
*a few chocolate chips. My, I'm going to call it E.E. (excitement equivalency) so I don't have to keep typing it, is the whole bag of the expensive chocolate.
*Playing in a big bowl of suds (desperate times call for desperate measures). My E.E.; I don't know, swimming with the dolphins maybe?
* a sleep over. My E.E.; my honeymoon.
* a 25 cent ice cream cone. My E.E; dinner, a movie, and then a BIG ice cream cone.
* glitter. My E.E.; diamonds.
A few more pleasures; riding in Daddy's truck, going out to get the mail (big fights over who's turn it is), A great big box, like the one the swing set came in. It got more use than the actual swing set. Sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed, going to Grandma and Grandpa's house, stickers, play-doh, ringing the doorbell, mopping the floor and washing the dishes (that won't last long). I could go on and on, and I have, but my point is (I think) that this isn't going to last forever. Pretty soon they'll be saying, "I don't care", "why do I have to mop", "It's not my turn to get the mail", "I'm not riding in the cart, that's for babies!" Most of the time I'm in the mood where, I don't want the play-doh out because it's messy, or I'll say that they don't need a band-aid unless they're bleeding. Seriously! What is a few cents on a stupid band-aid that will make their day? Or, I'm famous for saying, "no, let me do it, it's faster." Where's the fire? Why do I need the floor mopped at warp speed, when I KNOW that using the Swiffer Wet Jet would be the talk of the 2nd grade for a week! Sometimes I get frustrated because I feel like I have to do everything for everyone, but how long will it be before they don't need me at all? :(

Lesson learned from my favorite, tiny teachers. Slow down, relax, and enjoy life's simple pleasures. And most importantly, enjoy every bit of every stage my children are in (minus poopy diapers).

I'm so lucky and blessed to have these precious little girls. I learn from them everyday about the person I should be. Please pray for me that I won't fail them, they deserve the best. I hope they NEVER stop enjoying life and it's simple pleasures.

Maycie and her handsome cousins, Reece and Konnor, all ready for the school program. They all three had a part in the program, which is sort of funny because only about two kids from every grade had parts. I asked Maycie why she thought that they gave her a part, she said, "I think they just wanted someone who isn't afraid of talking a lot." She's probably right. She IS a talker! BTW, it was around Christmas time, thus the Christmas tree. No it's not up still up in February. Double click the picture to see how cute they all are!!! They're so cute!

Temple Square

We took the girls to Temple Square to see the lights and attempt to freeze to death. Good times!
Me and my favorite little ladies.

On the way to UT.
OOPS! Wrong picture. Oh well, it's nice enough:)

Christmas Morning

Yep! We are officially the meanest parents on the planet. We locked our kids upstairs so they would remember to wake us up first. I look forward to seeing their faces on Christmas morning all year!!!! The anticipation was killing them.


Ave's started going "oo oo ah ah, oo oo ah ah" and jumped around the whole house. (For you that don't have small children, this is Boots the Monkey) OO OO AH AH!


The new Pink Vacuum! Santa thought that since the girls like to vacuum so much, maybe they should have one of their own more their size. I think that was a very good idea Santa had:)

House Progress

Just thought I should throw in an update on our house. It's so cute! I'm getting really excited.

Santa

When Santa asked Averie what she wanted him to bring her, she lifted up her hands and said "a pwesent." I said how about Boots the Monkey? Then she rattled off; I want Boots, Dowa, Diego, Backpack, Jaguar, and Baby Dino.


Ellie's request was simple and sweet...Pixo's. That's all, nothing else.
Maycie is getting older. She wanted an MP3 player that plays videos, and a Password Journal.

Christmas at Grammy's House

Grandma and Grandpa Jones

Maycie and Ashley checking out Ellie's new Hannah Montana doll. (BTW, I'm so happy that with this Christmas alone my family has collaboratively paid for Miley Cyrus's tuition to the college of her choice.)


The older kids waiting for the young'ins to finish opening their presents.


I am going to do my best at telling this right. When my Mom and Dad were young parents, in college, and dirt poor my Dad had to sell his beloved (something something) Savage or something or other gun. He seemed to be bringing it up to my bro. Brad a lot how he wished so badly that he would have found another way and not had to sell his gun. So, being the amazing dude that Brad is, he searched and searched for months to find the exact gun. Amazingly enough he found it in UT at the same time Paul and I were visiting there and we were able to pick it up. These pictures don't do the moment justice when Dad opened his gun and said, "OH MY HECK! It's my (something something) Savage something." I think he even teared up a bit and all night he kept saying how special the gift was, and that he just couldn't believe he found it. It was awesome.

Our (extremely) White Christmas

Runnin and Jumpin.


This was actually hilarious. I just have to write it so I don't forget. Averie packed a snowball and attempted to throw it at Maycie while they were sitting there. I still can't figure out how she did it, but she threw it perfectly in her own face:) I laughed a minute before I went to help her, I'm such a jerk mom.
Trying to truck through the deep, deep snow.