Toddlers and baskets

Toddlers have an unexplained attraction to baskets and buckets.  Any time they see one, they must climb it, bang on it, or sit in it. 

It's adorable beyond description.

James - 5! 5! 5!

James has never been happier to have a birthday!  5 = kindergarten.  Oh my loveable brown-eyed boy, are you in for an adventure!!

James at 5:

* Loves his brother more than anything. He'll carry him around, love on him and snuggle him, play with him in his crib in the morning, and just play with him all day.  He treasures "his baby."

* He smiles at everything.

* He is becoming more independent, and starting to let go of the "me" stage.  He is growing up!

* He LOVES soccer and can't wait to start again.

* He loves the cabin.  Like - will do anything for just a weekend up there.  He cried when it was time to leave this last time!

* He will still snuggle and fall asleep on me.  I can't get enough of it.

* He has developed a more intimate relationship with all of his animals.  He has now named them, counts them at night, feeds and tends to them, and puts them down for naps.  He is quite nurturing.

* He brings me flowers any time he finds one - in the backyard, along the road, even if it's a weed!

We love you my magical oldest son.  You are my world.

Flower Child

Just a beautiful afternoon with Sariah putting flowers in my hair.  Funny conversations between a mom and her 6 year old daughter that I can't even remember.  But I do remember the giggles, the "oh mom!" and the snuggles.  I'll take it.

Father's Day: Scavenger Hunt

I love my husband.  He is everything I hoped for, and more.  We celebrated him this year by taking him on a scavenger hunt on Saturday.  The kids and I made clues, and we took him around town to pick up his gifts.  This just might have turned into a tradition!! 

Clue 1: Went to get sunglasses

Clue 2: Went to get See's Candy

Clue 3: Dinner at Oregano's

What moms give up when they have toddlers...

I haven't had a toddler for 4 years.  It has been quite the rude awakening for me.  I love every minute of it!  But as I went through today, wiping the boogers off of my shirt, leaving the dishes in the sink, having cereal for dinner, and trying to love on a toddler, it was comical to me all of the things that mothers give up when they have toddlers.  For example.

* Clean shirts.  Peanut butter, previously mentioned boogers, and mysterious goop you find on your shirt. All comes with the territory!

* Private time.  You will always have a visitor on the toilet, in the shower, folding laundry, getting a drink of water, trying to have a phone conversation.  And visitors are always welcome!

* Fun earrings, or really earrings of any kind.  Little fingers just want to investigate and are curious about the shiny shenanigans that hang from your ears.  So it's just better to leave them out all together.

* Having all of your laundry done on time.  It used to take me 2 days to do all of our laundry.  It now takes me about 5 days...if I'm lucky!  While I have young children, I will always have piles of laundry.  But President Monson said it best when he said that the piles of laundry will all too soon be gone, and we will miss them profoundly.  This is true, so I am trying to take it all in stride.

* Quick trips to...well...anywhere.  Loading up 3 children in the car, especially when you have a young one to strap in, takes time.  And unloading, picking up the 1 box of bandaids, paying for them, and then loading them all back up?  So we just don't do quick trips anymore.  I either go in the evenings when it's just me, or on Saturdays when I take only the bigs.  Seth would much rather be at home playing with dad anyways!

* Involved homemade meals.  When 5:00 hits and you have a hungry toddler?  Sometimes it's cereal, cheese roll-ups, leftovers, or even peanut butter toasts.  But you know what?  My kids LOVE those nights, and I will have time to really cook again shortly.  Thank goodness for the crockpot!

* Getting anything out of church.  You spend the hour and 15 minutes in sacrament meeting trying to keep this toddler from screaming, throwing fits, throwing toys at the people in front of or behind you.  I miss almost all of sacrament meeting every week due to focusing on the kids.  But at least we're there!

* Having a clean floor in any room.  Kitchen, family room, bedrooms, bathrooms - nowhere is picked up.  Because as soon as you pick it up, the baby destroys it in another 2 minutes.  So let the mess stay - it makes the toys just that much more accessible!  I pick up once a day, about 7pm, after the kids go to bed.  The bigs pick up their things, and then I tackle the rest of the house that the baby turned upside down when I have a few quiet moments in the evening.

My alone time occurs at 5:30 am when I get up and take my morning walks.  I treasure that time because it helps gear me up for the day, as well as renews my sense of self.  And who doesn't love the energy boost!  Yes, moms give up a lot of things when they have toddlers and small children.  And at the end of really long days, you think they are never going to end.  But they will some day, and I will miss them terribly.  And for all we give up, we gain just that much back and more in love, sloppy slobbery kisses, and "thanks mom for the cereal!  It was so yummy!"

Life is glamorous.

Sariah's first and last ballet recital.

Sariah cracks me up.  She wanted to try ballet.  So she did!  And she did the recital, and was the prettiest little flower blossom you ever saw.  And then she decided that ballet isn't her thing, and she wants to go back to gymnastics.  I'm grateful she chose what she loves to do, and I am also proud of her for trying something new.

The toothfairy has visited often the last few weeks - can you tell?  I also see braces in her future.  Isn't she gorgeous?