Happy Valentines Day!

Maren and I have been together now for over 7 years.  Ever since I met Maren I knew she was special, and each day as I get to know her better...I realize that I need her more and more in my life.  I can't begin to tell you what she means to this family.  So I thought and thought about what I could get her for Valentines Day that would show my appreciation and love for her.  Since chocolate is not high on her languages of love I decided to give her some words of affirmation (something I am not very good at).  This is a quick 4 minute review of the last 7 unforgettable years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TULbKm8kVdg

Sweet children

So even though saying "I'm pregnant" should cover all range of ridiculous things I do and say and think and well, everything....I still feel silly even sharing this latest.  But my sons were so unbelievably cute, here it goes.  

It all started sometime in the morning, as I thought about each individual room in my house and could only think of 2 that qualified as clean.  Then I looked in the office (not one of the clean rooms I might add) and saw the monumental pile of work that I have let accumulate.  To the point that it will now take me around 8 hours of staring at the computer to get caught up:) Remind me to thank Jared later for making me his bookkeeper.  Then Noah showed up with a dirty diaper that you'd have to smell in order to appreciate why I looked like death had just landed on my doorstep.  The kind that scream from a distance "Yep, I'm gonna need a bath after this."  

So this is all in the morning and I'm thinking to myself, what have I let happen to my little life I'm responsible for?  The day goes on, Noah goes to bed for one of his blissful 3 hour naps  (I know, I am extremely lucky and should shout praises everyday) and then the wam bam of all hideousness occurred:  I stepped on the scale.  I've been avoiding it for some time now, I mean, what kind of self-respecting 7 month pregnant woman torments herself by getting on the scale everyday?  Well, apparently I do...because that's exactly what I did and I felt myself slipping into one of those emotions that only occurs when you are pregnant and completely insane.  So I did the only natural thing that the time required, I broke down into tears:)  (Please this is not a pity post you don't need to say anything about my weight)  At this point, Noah woke up and I couldn't stop crying so I went in and got him with the ugly crying face and all.  

And this is where, the blog should really begin. After Noah's naps (like all of them, every day) he is very mad, completely irrational and needs to be held for about 15-20 minutes.  Today he stopped his normally selfish behavior and looked at his psychotic mother.  And for the next half hour ran his little fingers down my face saying, "Don't cry mommy, I'm sorry, feel better, I'm sorry, don't cry...."over and over.  Kissing my face, making sure that he was always touching me on the arm, shoulder, giving me a hug.   It was the most tender display of love that it made me cry even more which brought Preston out of his TV coma and upstairs to where we were. Preston saw what was going on and immediately disappeared, which I could only assume meant that he was trying to find medication for his pregnant, crazy mom.  But about 2 minutes later he brought me a picture of himself and me holding hands and said, "I made this help you feel better."  I have amazing children.  And they have a completely mental mother.  I feel so blessed to have these little people in my life.  Sometimes motherhood is not rewarding (like gaining weight when your pregnant, really... after all that we go through would it be too much to ask to lose weight when we're pregnant as some kind of heavenly reward) but sometimes motherhood can be the most rewarding job on earth.  I love my kids.

Its been a while

So much has happened...I am completely overwhelmed and unless there is going to be 28 hours in a day ...this blog is just never going to get caught up.  So I will start with what has happened today and move one! 

    Today I had the great pleasure of drinking 2 quarts of water and then told not to pee for 4 hours.  Those of you that have experienced this know what a joy it is.  So clearly I was not doing this for fun.  About 16 weeks ago, I found out I was pregnant and today was my 20 week apt. to check out our newest addition.  I clearly should have blogged sooner but again with the lack of time..just didn't happen so...I AM PREGNANT AND ITS A BOY!!!!  I feel incredibly outnumbered.

Noah's snake

Noah has gotten to the wonderful habit of using just one word to where most of us would use an entire sentence.  Like "Pete" and "Repeat," Jared and I copy his one word and translate it into the appropriate sentence.  Its a gift really...others look at us and wonder how we are so adept at this highly skilled translation process but I digress, there is a story with this.....

About a month ago my mom visited us and when the kids wrestled through her suitcase, they were delighted that she had come baring gifts.  10 frogs for Noah and 10 snakes for Preston.  So for the last 4 weeks I have been stepping on them, finding them in the toilet, in their beds, in MY bed and so on.  

Well, about a week ago Noah was toting around one of Preston's snakes.  We'd just gotten out of the car, when Noah calmly said "Snake."  This is where my highly trained skills in translation plummeted.  I thought he meant he had dropped his snake, so like any good mother I bent down to pick it up.  To say I was surprised, would be lying,  I full-on screamed like a third grader when it struck out and tried to bite me.   In case you are confused, Noah was still holding his little rubber snake and I was trying to hold the real one.  So here is our newest addition of wildlife we find in our yard.  Mountian lions, wolves, foxes, deer, raccoons, and now snakes.  Welcome to Sun Valley

If you're worried that I'm a tad too close, our camera zoomed to 12x for this baby.
Isn't he cute as he tries to climb up our garage?

I Love to See the Temple

  Last saturday and sunday Jared and I had the honor of participating the Twin Falls ID temple dedication.  Jared spent about 4 months teaching our young men and young women how to perform in a dance program made for 4,000 youth.  (That's right, I said four thousand!!!)  They've practiced every Wednesday night since May and finally performed with the 13 other stakes. They danced friday night and twice on Saturday and it was fantastic.   

Then on Sunday it was my turn.  They had 4 dedications of the temple and for the last session, I got to sing in the choir.  We've been practicing since May as well.  It seemed a little tedious practicing that far in advance but once we got in the celestial room and were able to be just a few feet from the Prophet, it was all worth it.  What a great experience that we'll both never forget.  Me, because I got a thumbs up from the Prophet and Jared, because I don't think anyone ever forgets when they work with 4000 kids in 95 degree weather.  

My sweet Preston

Preston is my oldest. Things that naturally come along with that: he mimics all my phrases (even the ones I wish he wouldn't), he thinks he is really 8 or maybe 12, he is very proud that he dominates his younger sibling in all areas (except maybe in the screaming department), and he wishes that Noah and him were the same age so they could play better together:) I kind of wish that too.

So when Preston was born, I only noticed his unusually large feet and hands, but about 2 days later I also noticed that his belly button poked out abit, especially when he cried. And then it really started to poke out, enough for Jared to say that we might have to keep a t-shirt on our perfect little child for say..oh the rest of his life. The doctor told us it was just an umbilical hernia and in fact, it was starting to close already. Well, it got smaller and smaller, but then one day it just stopped and he's had this adorable little outie since then. He's actually quite attached to it. But alas, every once in while it would hurt and the doctor said it was time to get it fixed. So yesterday we went in and he had his very first surgery (hopefully his last).

Preston has the best poker face ever, his first rollercoaster ride, his first seadoo ride, boat ride, new people, new situation of any kind and his face doesn't even flinch. Dead pan..is the phrase that comes to mind. And for 2 hours yesterday while they prepped him, that was his face. No one got him to crack a smile, he barely knowledged their existance. I love Preston:)

Anywho, he did great. His was only under for 45 minutes and today he has already started playing. Not like "jumping on Grammy's bed" playing (which I'm sure he never does) but none the less he was still moving around and I'm glad to see him already getting better. We'll see his new belly button tomorrow and he starts kindergarten on Monday. Way to go Preston!!

6 New Posts

Today was the day.  After 2 months of going AWOL, I have returned and be forewarned: there are 6 new posts that I have completed.  This is not for the faint of heart and I won't be offended if you only look at the pictures:)