A Great Six Years

Lanae and I celebrated six fine years of marriage today, so I thought I would let her know through the world of blogging how great I think she is.

Here are some reasons why:

1. She said yes when I asked her to marry me.

2. She plans great birthday parties for our boys.

3. She gets excited about things.

4. She puts up with me as I figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

5. She has no trouble making friends.

6. She sacrifices a career to raise our boys.

7. She plans great vacations.

8. She values education.

9. She has as testimony.

10. She makes holidays a major event in our house.

11. She loves her family.

12. She loves my family.

13. She has made my friends her friends.

14. She is a fun Mom.

15. After six years...she still "lights my fire".

I love you Lanae.

Happy Anniversary

Swim Instructor Mafia???

Here was the conversation last week before swim lesson:

Ben: I don't really want to go today, I think my teacher is going to let me sink.

Mommy: Why do you think that Ben?

Ben: Because she puts me on my back and then lets go.

Mommy: She is trying to teach you how to float.

Ben: No I think she is going to let me drown.

Mommy: Don't worry, Mommy paid her a lot of money not to let you drown Ben.

(Pack up the van, get ready to go, about 10 min elapse when we pull up at the pool)

Ben: Mommy?

Mommy: Yes, my love

Ben: Did you bring my teacher more money for today?

Men are such problem solvers, even at four!!!!

Thanks To My Boys and My Friends

The last few weeks Brian has been gone a lot and I am in the process of getting my eyes fixed I have had time to stop and ponder all the blessings in my life.
I have to say thank you to my friends and family for watching the boys, helping me get to my appointments and getting me through weeks without my husband. Thanks to Emily, Amber, Leah and Mike, Tiff, Bryana, my mom, my sister, Aubrey, Maurine for being their when I needed it. And thanks to Leah and Em for much needed girls nights!

I also have to thank my adorable boys. I am constantly amazed at how they love and take care of eachother and me! This video is a game, we like to call "The Lukey Train" they devised the other night while Bri and I watched the end of the NBA finals. Ben and Jeffey now take swim lessons together and Jeff is fine as long as Ben is there to hold his hand. The older they get the more they love to play together and Lukey loves to do whatever they do. What better examples than older brothers!

Thanks to my sweet husband who took care of the boys the last few days while I've had the flu, cleaning the house and bringing me a movie, pepto and Sprite. I love you babe.

Thanks again to everyone who makes my life so much fun.

Happy Father's Day Daddy

Daddy makes the coolest forts!!!

Brian has been got lately for work more than usual and I started getting used to him being gone. I got pretty good at holding down the "fort" and getting things done on my own. Then today he spent the day with the boys and I watched them play together and realized what a fantastic man I am married to. My boys adore him in every way. Ben won't eat until he knows what Daddy is having. If Daddy has milk, so does Ben. Jeff can frequently be heard saying "I wove you Daddy", and Lukes lights up when he is around. I may be able to take care of all the household chores and get by; I can put bandaids on fingers, cuddle after naps and do crafts, but as the boys often remind me, "you can't do that like Daddy does". So here's to a great Dad, who loves to play on the bed, builds great forts, goes golfing and gets sodas from the gas station. We love you Babe!

We Miss Our Papa

All of my children love having such a great Papa. Dad is so good to them and everything that you think of when you think of a Grandpa. He builds them things, takes them for treats and spoils them. He is gone right now working in Canada and we all miss him so much. However, no one quite like baby Luke. Luke and my Dad have a special bond that you have to see to understand. Lukey misses his Papa very much and still gets excited when there is a knock at the door. Jeffey is so excited that Papa gets to drive big machines. We all love and miss you Papa. Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday.

Another Fun Cake!

I seriously need a new camera after seeing this pic, but what a fun day. Brian watched the boys today and I baked, iced and decorated all day long. I am so addicted to making cakes. This is the first one I made entirely from scratch and it turned out great. Anyone need a cake give me a call, I love doing this. It was such a theraputic end to a really long week. Thanks Natalie for thinking of me!

When Daddy Is Away....

Brian went back to Canada two weeks ago and the boys and I got the invitation to go to a cabin with two other moms and their kids. We had so much fun playing outside and enjoying much cooler weather. Thanks so much to our friends for such a fun vacation. The boys got to ride horses from a neighboring girls camp. Ben loved it. He told me he was only a little scared.

Jeffey told me he wasn't even scared at all!

Lukey loved the great food. Seriously, could this kid get any cuter?

The tire swing, playhouse and sand box were alll big hits.

Sweet Is the Work

Well, one thing I am not is a cheerleader. I can't dance, can't sing and am not very "peppy". So why I got the call to go to girls camp this year had me stumped. However, I went, learned tons of dances, more cheers then I can count and had a blast! I rapped, yes me and loved every minute. The staff was great, the girls were amazing and I learned so much. Girls camp was never this fun as a young woman! Hanging out with Amber in my ultra cool camp tee.

All dolled up for skit night. Apparently having the girls do your hair is part of the whole deal. They were so excited to dress up us leaders.

Crafting like crazy with our ward.

All in all, I realized alll the effort that goes on behind the scenes and just how much my leaders cared about me when I was young. What a great opportunity!

TMNT Invasion!

"Michealangelo/Jeffey is a Party Dude!"
Jeffey's mean face, and yes the kid hates to wear clothes, actually they all do!

"These boys don't cut 'em no slack..."

So we have been hit again! Whatever cousin Noah loves, quickly becomes my boys new favorite thing. So, now we are all Ninja Teens. You know you remember the song... I sing it in my sleep now. Oh, and even Lukey can sing at cued parts. At least I get to be April when we play and Daddy is Shredder!

Heros in a halfshell...TURTLE POWER!!

Roughin' It is What Boys Do Best!

Camping was the vacation of choice for Memorial Day.

I think that Kona was the main attraction of the weekend, that or her kennel.
For better or for worse, Jeff and Avery are truely are inseperable, they found eachother just a few minutes after we all woke up.

What a brave girl Ava!
Hiking the Natural Bridge, Lukey is on my back.

Hangin' with Daddy and cousins by the fire.

We spent Memorial Day Weekend camping with my sister and some friends and had so much fun. I don't think there was a vacation better suited to our current family situation. My boys could get as dirty as they wanted and I didn't have to stress. They could play with sticks and other boys and I didn't have to say no to them all weekend. They got to eat camping food, which is anything but healthy and sleep in our "room". Despite record low temperatures at night they boys slept great (mom, didn't fair so well) and Lukey even had two naps in the tent. The company was fantastic and we so enjoyed being a family without cell phone, TV or computer interuptions. I think this is what they call "wholesome recreational activities". And to top it all off it cost us about $100 for the whole weekend including gas, which is saying a lot. Thanks again to Mike and Leah for being master planners! Can't wait for next year.

Ben's Preschool "Grad"

This picture makes me smile, it about sums up most of my life right now! As Ben's soccer coach put it so well: "Hurry up and take the picture, we're making memories here"
Of course Noah had to come celebrate the day with us.

So my sweet little Ben finished yet another year of preschool at the end of May. I guess starting him at 2 1/2 yrs was a little early, but he has loved every minute. He is however, acutely aware that he is not in real school yet and reminds me weekly! He will have one more year at a larger preschool before starting Kindergarten. I think it will be great for him to finally be the oldest in the class. His teacher was adorable and made them all little hats and T-Shirts, they sang and did the "months of the year" macarena. Jeffey can't wait until it is his turn next year. What a fun day to be a proud Mommy. (Although, does anyone else think this whole graduation thing is a bit overdone, I mean he is only four!)

Happy Belated, Belated Mother's Day

Me and my handsome little men!
Me getting some much needed recharge with the girls! Thanks Leah.

Well I've taken a little hiadas from blogging and had a busy May so its time to catch up! Brian and I finally sat down together (novel idea I know!) and watched the season finale of Lost this weekend. Bri had been traveling and we have been on several mini vacations. So here goes the first of a few catch up posts.

First, I had a wonderful Mothers Day. It started with such a fun night out with the girls on Saturday night and then I had breakfast in bed with my boys and watched my husband give a wonderful talk in church, while wrangling all my kids and then had a wonderful dinner with my family and Brian's. I couldn't be more grateful for my mother and my mother-in-law.

I also love my little men so much and love being a mother.

"It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead the...women of the world, in everything that is praiseworthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and that is purifying to the children of men."

Joseph F. Smith