Brainwashing!

Get the point? I love brainwashing my Lydia to say Mama! Well, the constant Mama that she hears from me sometimes comes out like "Baba"...see, now I'm brainwashing you!

Back in Time

Often, I wish I could go back in time...to a more simple life. I often find myself wondering how it would have been to hang my laundry on the lines in my cute little 1950's style dress, while the homemade bread baked in the oven, ready for Daddy and the kids when Daddy came home from work. Yep, we'd live in a tiny cottage--not a mansion of sorts--we would treasure the small cozy rooms that housed reduced electric bills and necessities. My day to day grind would be centered on the home, the children, and Daddy of course. Yet, I live in a time when the day to day grind is far different than that above. Family meal time? When both Steve and I are in and out, family meals are best served with a bowl of cereal...not homemade bread! I won't go into the laundry thing--those living with me know how devastating that sight is! Dresses...well even a modern woman can't give that one thing up! I am grateful I can reach far and wide, expanding my knowledge and skills, but my mansion--I am hoping--will be a quaint little cottage where children are plenty and homemade bread bountiful (cookies and cake too!). My mansion will be a place where Daddy comes home to us daily with a full heart from the great work he is doing rather than a heavy heart, burdened by the world. I will quilt and read to the children without the distractions of modern conveniences, and the worries of time and deadlines will be a thing of the past--literally! Sounds like a mansion worth striving for...to me it does!

Finally, I'm Happy With It!

Well, I had good intentions with my attempt the other day to post a new banner picture for our blog. If you didn't see it during this rough transition, then you didn't miss much. I have been exhausted lately from staying up too late and getting up too early, and I think it was effecting my focus. So, today I just started fresh with the whole blog image and I'm finally happy with it. Krystal, thank you for your comments. I am glad you liked the picture. I was just not happy with my work and I am a perfectionist. It is something that my dad has ingrained in me when it comes to construction type work as well. I am never happy unless my finished product looks perfect. So, I let my sweet wife pick out a new free background and then I made a banner to match. Everything I used was free so it doesn't get better than that. I changed all of the font/theme colors as well and we ended up with what you see. I hope everyone finds it even more appealing than before and will enjoy visiting and catching up with our family. We are grateful for all of our friends and hope all is going well in your lives as well. Please let me know what you think of the new banner and overall look and we will be updating you soon (probably with pics of our little princesa).

Due on the 4th, Born on the 5th

Connor was due on the 4th but held out and was born on the 5th. Our oldest little boy just turned 6 years old today! He has been anticipating his birthday ever since Aiden had his back in May. He graduated from Kindergarten this year and his teacher even sent him a birthday card. This picture is from yesterday as he grew even more anxious for his big day! He is getting so big and I suppose will even be taller than me someday.

After church today we went to Valley Forge Park and took some cute pictures of the our special birthday boy. He was happy to do it which was a surprise and another sign that he is growing up on us, too fast.





Here is Connor in his special homemade birthday hat, made by mommy. He was so excited to wear it and it is easy to see how special he felt.
This is actually his second breath and it took him another one after this to get all six candles blown out. It's a new technique; see if you can hyperventilate before they are all blown out.
Here is our king for the day sitting in his thrown outside. He was served cake and ice cream just as he requested. He is so into Transformers lately.
So, Mr. Connor, Connor Dude, #1, I hope you had a good day and truly felt how special you are to us. We love you! It was the perfect way to end our break from school. Happy Birthday Connor! You are officially 6 years old and you will be getting baptized before you know it. I look forward to that day as I know you do too. I don't wish time to move any faster though as I want to cherish every moment I have with you as my little boy. You are such a good boy. Sleep tight. Sweet dreams!

Fourth of July Family Fun

I will try and make this one brief as I'm sure was for the most part ordinary, but that is what life is mostly full of; ordinary moments filled with ordinary people. We took a trip in the morning to the church only to find that we had arrived too late for breakfast that was being served at 9 (we got there at 10). After that we got some last minute things for Connor's birthday since it was on a Sunday this year and then headed to the cemetery. We were trying to get some nice Independence Day family pictures, and taking what has become a traditional trip to visit our little baby Shane's grave. It is a special place and a good reminder for the children that they have a little brother waiting for them to hold him again someday. There is no way they could forget with all of the pictures we have in the home though. After that we went to the YMCA outdoor pool to go swimming. I dare not post any of those pictures for fear of permanently embedding scary images in your brain (me without a shirt -- not good!). Then we came back home for some good old family barbecue and fun. We ended with some of the only fireworks that are legal to purchase and everyone had a good time. The kids cheered my brother and I on as you can see in the pictures below. They loved it. We caught some "lightning bugs" and then ended the night with cupcakes and some trick candles. We had fun and we spend the whole day with family. It could not have been more perfect. I hope everyone enjoyed their day of celebration as well.

New Banner Picture

I just spent the last 2 hours with my amateur skills trying to make a new banner/picture for our blog. I still have to add some crafty writing or something to it, but for now this is our "beta" version. I did my best to blend Shane into the picture. It just feels more complete that way. The picture is from today at the cemetery. We had a lot of fun today! There will be more to come on that tomorrow though. My bed is calling my name and I need to be a little rested for our birthday boy (Connor).

Family Temple Trip

Here are pictures (probably too many) of our July 1st trip to the temple as a family. I had just left to go into the Washington, D.C. temple. Crystal was sweet enough to come along and watch the kids while I did some temple work. They were already playing with the camera shortly after my departure. I had to put this picture in of my two pretty girls. Mommy is loving this girl thing. Can you tell?

Hurry, everybody smash you faces together and let's see if we can get a picture of all of us! Oops, sorry Lydia.
With such a long care ride and a couple of hours of walking around and playing in the car, this boy was tired. Surprisingly he stayed awake the whole ride home.
I was starting to take some pictures and getting ready to take a family picture with our nice camera, but it died after only 4 shots. It helps to charge the battery before you leave the house.
I just love the funny little look on Miss Lydia's face. Mommy doesn't think it is a very flattering picture, but I disagree. It's cute!
Connor is getting ready to take a picture of himself and I didn't include it, but it actually turned out really well. He is getting so big (he turns 6 on Sunday).
Here's our lovable little Aiden in front of the beautiful water fountain. It looks so much more beautiful in person. We are back to the little point and shoot with this picture. I won't let that happen again.
Jr. photographer Connor taking pictures of everyone and everything. Digital cameras are great. No worries. Take as many pictures as you want Connor Dude.
And here I am; big fat daddy (feeling like a fathead for not charging the battery).
We had to get a shot of the little photographer. He loves going to the temple. Last year, that is what he wished for his birthday; to go to the temple and stay overnight in a hotel. It was so much fun.
I love this pictures with the clouds, temple spires, and angel Moroni in the background. This little princesa is an angel.
Flowers (see left hand) do not taste as good as they look. She just has to put everything in her mouth. I have that philosophy with food. I am working on that one though.
We lucked out. As we were about to leave somebody visiting from Utah asked if we wanted a family picture and we were able to get one after all. It wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but it is still beautiful being able to see that ginormous temple in the background. It is a great reminder of being sealed together forever, and of where we want to be when we leave this Earth. It will also be a great reminder of our memories.
This sweet little girl was asleep as soon as she got buckled up. She is so precious. It doesn't get much cuter than that.
Aiden is buckled up and ready to go.
Connor just got through crying because we could not go back into the visitor's center. I told you he loves the temple. At least he is trying to look happy.
All in all, it was a wonderful day. Everyone had a good time and I feel so grateful that I could go inside and do some temple work. I felt the spirit and left feeling rejuvenated. It was a good reminder that we need to go more often as well. I had tears in my eyes as I walked across the bridge to leave the temple. Anyone who has ever been inside the D.C. temple knows the bridge I am referring to. For me, every time, it is so symbolic of leaving the world behind and then returning as I look out those windows. It is like an out of body experience. There is a big painting representative of the second coming at the end of the hallway and in it there is a woman holding a child that to Crystal and I looks like our baby Shane. I looked at it on the way in and on the way out. I did not want to go back into the world. It is like an out of body experience and the Lord is saying your work is not done yet; go back down and finish. My heart just ached to stay and hold my baby boy again somehow. The temple truly is heaven on Earth. I wish everyone could go inside and feel the spirit there. This whole week has been focused on doing things as a family and it has been wonderful. I was going to go to the temple by myself on Tuesday, but the car had a flat tire and all the while, the kids were begging to go along to the temple. So, we went to next day as a family. I think the Lord wanted it to be that way. It has been such a nice week break from nursing school and I believe the remainder of the week will be as well. It all ends with a bang/fireworks and a birthday. Then, it's back to school.