Particulars

This boy of mine cracks me up.  He puts things up around his eyes and calls them "particulars" (binoculars).  He just has the funniest way of looking at life, and here was our lunch today.  Plus, it gave me a chance to play with my new camera.

Need I say more?

I love this girl. More than words. Need I say more?

Conference Sunday!

Chocolate and almond crossants, jammies most of the day, doors open to allow the beautiful sunshine in, and snuggling with dad.  Such a perfect day for conference!

I always feel so uplifted, optimistic, and content in my role and where I am in my life.  I know I can always do better, as we all can.  I also love chuckling at these old men who are wise, witty, and wonderful.

Looking down on...whatever this is

32 weeks.  Where is the time going?  8 weeks left until this boy (who has yet to be named) joins our family.  This is a snapshot of me looking down.  Notice the feet are gone.  They are swollen, but they are there!  Swollen feet mean that time is getting closer, and I am so grateful to be bringing another life into our family.  My thoughts of late:

It's 3am and this baby is moving.  How lucky I am to feel him move and know he is in there!

My feel and ankles are swollen and look ugly.  Only a few weeks left!

Some nights, my sciatica is so bad, I can hardly walk.  Good thing my kids are in bed by 7pm and I don't really need to get up and walk.  My husband is doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen - I'm a lucky woman.

It's 7:30 am and I have to rip myself out of bed to get Sariah to school and get my day going.  Oh how I love my nice, comfortable bed!

He will be here before I know it.  My children are going to love him, snuggle him, and want to be so helpful.  They already are, and they already do.

Moms are so lucky, aren't they?

Easter - A combination of Christ and the Bunny

I love the magic of the holidays that roll around.  Each one has a deeper meaning, and I love the discussions that we have with our children about the meaning of Easter.  Hope.  Christ.  Resurrection.  Starting anew.  And of course, the Easter Bunny.

I am going to do things differently next year.  But for this year, we did our traditional eggs and hunt.  We didn't give the kids any candy in their Easter basket because they just don't need it.  Let's face it: who does??      I tried out a new Pinterest idea and was so excited!  Shaving cream marbled Easter Eggs.  Shaving cream + food coloring = marbled eggs.

MAJOR BUST.  It did not work at all, and so we had plain, white, barely-tinted eggs for the bunny to hide. But do you think that stopped their enthusiasm?  NO WAY!  The morning hunt was as eventful as ever!  Sariah even wrote a note to the Easter Bunny that said, "Dear Easter Bunny.  I need you to hide the eggs harder for me this year.  Hide some for James, but hide hard ones for me! Love, Sariah."  This girl cracks me up.  

As promised, the Easter bunny delivered.  Easy ones in the back for James, and hard ones in the front for Sariah.

This beautiful Easter Sunday, I am so grateful for my Savior.  I am grateful for His atonement so we can be together as a family forever, and continue to be the best human beings we can be.  

Seriously So Goofy

One thing about boys - they are ALWAYS keeping you laughing!  James is so goofy in his own subtle way, and he's not goofy with everyone.  But when he is, he always brings a smile, a good laugh, and a genuine eye-roll.  Here is just a slight glimpse of this contagious goofiness.