Another year older....

Jesse and kids surprised me with a very heartfelt birthday present.  Jesse sat down with each kid and had them answer 22 questions about me.  It's both touching and funny to hear who I am to them.  Here are their responses.

MADISON

1. What is something mom always says to you?

  “Clean up!” 

2. What makes mom happy?

  When I give her something.

3. What makes mom sad?

  If I don't give her a hug.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

  If she makes a silly joke

5. What was your mom like as a child?

I don't know.

6. How old is your mom?

  29

7. How tall is your mom?

  This tall [reaching from floor to ceiling as high as she can]

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

  Work on the computer

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?

  Do things that she wants to do like chatting with her friends

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

  I don't know.

11. What is your mom really good at?

  Making art and painting.

12. What is your mom not very good at?

  Not good if she doesn't paint.

13. What does your mom do for her job?

  Picking stuff up.

14. What is your mom’s favorite food?

Fruit.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

  I don't know.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

  Princess from Princess & the Pea and Ariel

17. What do you and your mom do together?

  Make stuff that's our own.

18. How are you and your mom the same?

  If we wear the same dresses to church.

19. How are you and your mom different?

  If we don't wear the same dresses.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

  She says, “I love you.” [with sign language]

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

  That he picks her up.

22. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?

  To play with her friends.

HUNTER

1. What is something mom always says to you?

  “I love you.”

2. What makes mom happy?

  When the house is clean.

3. What makes mom sad?

  When we say mean things.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

  When I'm sad and trying to be grumpy she cheers me up and I start laughing.

5. What was your mom like as a child?

  Silly.

6. How old is your mom?

  34

7. How tall is your mom? 

 3' 6”

8. What is her favorite thing to do? 

 Rest. (After the I read their letters I told them I wanted to take a picture of them with their letters.  Hunter said, "I should of said your favorite things to do is take pictures!)

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?

  Cleans up.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

  I don't know, she's really good at a lot of stuff.

11. What is your mom really good at?

  The computer and helping the children.

12. What is your mom not very good at?

  Baseball.

13. What does your mom do for her job?

  Cleaning the house and giving the children lunch.

14. What is your mom’s favorite food?

  It depends on what she's in the mood for.  

15. What makes you proud of your mom? 

 She teaches us about Jesus Christ and the gospel.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?  

Snoopy.

17. What do you and your mom do together?  

Play sports and the dishes.

18. How are you and your mom the same?

  We both have brown hair.

19. How are you and your mom different?

  I'm a boy and she's a girl.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

  She takes care of me.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

  He helps mom.

22. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go? 

 To the store.

SAVANNAH

1. What is something mom always says to you?

  She doesn't say this every second of the day, but I feel her telling me, “I love you.”

2. What makes mom happy? 

 When our family is happy.

3. What makes mom sad?  

When things don't turn out the way she expected.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?  

Sometimes she tells jokes.

5. What was your mom like as a child?  

She lived in a big house and had lots of fun.  She was a fun child.

6. How old is your mom?  

32

7. How tall is your mom?

  Ummm ... is it OK if I guess?  About 6 feet, maybe?

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

  Spend time with her family.

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?

  Does things around the house to make it cleaner and happy.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

  Being the best mom in the world.

11. What is your mom really good at?  

Helping me with things like homework.

12. What is your mom not very good at? 

 Playing the piano.

13. What does your mom do for her job? 

 Cleans around the house and takes care of our family.

14. What is your mom’s favorite food? 

 Grandma's Sunshine Chicken

15. What makes you proud of your mom?  

 That she helps me when I need help, like if I get hurt.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? 

 Belle

17. What do you and your mom do together? 

 Sometimes we go to the mall.

18. How are you and your mom the same?  

We both have blue eyes.

19. How are you and your mom different?  

 Different hair color.

20. How do you know your mom loves you? 

 Because she shows me by hugging me and helping.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

  Long pause . . . she likes everything about Dad but most of all she likes that Daddy helps with things around the house.

22. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go? 

 The mall.

9 years later...

I finally found Utah!!!!  It was the last state quarter I needed.  After I placed the final quarter in the book, I had this overwhelming sense of accomplishment--wow, I am done...I really did it...I have finished collecting them all...there are no more empty spaces!  Then I looked around the room and saw the kids all playing together and I realized how much time has passed since I started collecting these quarters and all the things that have happened in my life over the past nine years.  

When I started collecting these quarters, I had no kids and now--9 years later and four kids later--I have all the quarters!  Kind of crazy....

It snowed!!!

It finally snowed!!!!  Sure the sun is already shining and the roads, sidewalks, and driveway are clear already, but it snowed!  I can't believe I am excited about snow, but it has been so long since we last had snow--I think December 5th!  Crazy!!!

I love freshly fallen snow on the trees.  Here are some more pictures I took.  Enjoy!

An unusual warm day for March

It was suppose to finally snow this weekend.  I honestly can't remember the last time it snowed--maybe November?  Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying these unusual warm days--60 to the 70's but come on we have to have snow or else this summer is going to be dangerously dry.

We came home from church with the windows down and loving the warm weather.  We decided to pack up some snacks and go for a walk to a new park nearby.  Here are some pictures....

My favorite picture from the day...

Scavenger Hunt with Grandma!

 My kids love playing with Grandma--she is so fun and creative.  Here they are on a scavenger hunt with Grandma.  She made up some hilarious clues that they had to figure out.

One of my favorite hiding places was the clue "Green"  

(That's right, Grandpa's "green" shirt pocket held the next clue)

Grandparents come to visit!

It's always fun when Grandpa and Grandma come to visit.  Here is a slide show of some of the fun things we did together!

Eliza is 1 year old!

Wow, a  year has passed.  My teeny tiny 2 pound 14 ounces new born baby is now a 21 pound 4 ounces 1 year old! 

 (Jesse's wedding ring next to Eliza)

I just spent the past half hour looking through the pictures from the day she was born.  Some of the thoughts and feelings that came over me.... a miracle, the power of prayer, being comforted by the spirit, service from others, blessings, and the power of the priesthood.   

She was so tiny.  I didn't even know how to hold her, she was so small and fragile in my arms.  I couldn't see into the future and see her as she is now. 

 This week I took her to get her one year old pictures.  While I was viewing them, I broke down into tears.  The photographer put her arm on me and asked me if everything was okay.  I told her I was just overwhelmed with gratitude when I looked at the pictures.    It was just one of those moments when I realized all that this little one has been through this year--from being so small and helpless to now being such a big one year, climbing and getting into everything!  She is amazing.  I love her so much.  I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for watching over her.