Jence is a big boy now!

Jence just wants to be a big kid!  He refuses to sit in his high chair anymore.  He just screams when I try to get him to sit in it.  It's to bad because that was usually my spot for him when I wanted to keep him occupied for a second while I make dinner or something.  I use to put him in there and give him snacks and he'd love it.  Not anymore.  He pulls himself up onto our kitchen bar stools with his arms.  It's scary because I worry he will fall. I make him get down, and then he just pulls himself up again, we did this over and over until I've finally given up.  He eats up to the bar with the rest of the kids now.  He looks so smug and proud of himself when I let him eat up there.  Jence is jabbering like crazy now.  The other day he said the word shoe.  He calls Dan Mommy, but he also calls the babysitter Mommy so I think he's a little confused on what the name means.  he loves to eat still.  Today he wanted something out of the pantry.  I kept pulling different foods and and showing him, he would grunt and shake his head until I showed him the protein bars.  That was what he wanted he nodded, and ate it.  He is assertive and knows what he wants, but is sweet and jolly to be around too.  I am looking forward to this summer so much.  Jence is at a fun age where he can really enjoy being outside, and have fun with the older kids.     

Mom's and Muffin's

Another school year has come and almost gone.  Kirk has almost completed first grade, it's been a great year for him.  I feel like First Grade is such a huge milestone.  I really miss eating lunch with the kids, and they begin to depend a lot less on their mom.  Kirk has really thrived in math.  He loves his school teacher's and we will miss them so much!  Each year the first graders have a Mom's and Muffin's day, where the Mom's are invited to come and enjoy a morning with their kids.  Kirk's class sang us a song in french, and also recited a rap called "Little miss riding hood".  He got to wear a wolf hat that he made, and the girls wore little red hats like red ridding hood.  It was fun to watch Kirk at school and meet his friends.  He is a really sweet little boy, I love you Kirk so much!

 Here is Kirk with Jence.  I had to bring Jence along with me and he was really actually pretty good, he didn't tear threw the classroom like he usually does at our home.  Kirk got to try to hold him on his lap for a few minutes.

 What a great year Kirk, I'm excited to watch growup even more next year as a big second grader!

Ben's Four year old photo's

Tonight I finally got a chance to do a little photo shoot of Ben.  He was really cute and told me he only wanted to take three pictures.  Of course I got a lot more than that.  Benjamin is growing up so fast.  He loves playing with friends.  When he says his prayers at night he always includes his best friend and next door neighbor Brigham.  He loves the color blue, and also Captain America.  He has a Captain America cup and refuses to drink out of anything else.  I think I need to pick up a few more of those at Walmart.  His favorite foods are fruit loops, and chicken nuggets.  He is a picky eater, but I'm hoping it's a phase that he will outgrow.  His favorite imaginary game is to pretend to play "Narnia" he likes to pretend he is peter and he says over and over again "For Narnia" and raises his sword in the air.  We love you so much Ben your bright smile makes our home such a happy place. 

Memorial Day 2013

We enjoyed a really wonderful Memorial day today.  We took the kids to visit a few of the grave sites of their great-grandparents.  We visited both of Dan's Grandmother's graves, and also my Grandma and Grandpa's graves.  The two older kids really got into talking about the lives of their Great grandparents.  I showed the kids their family tree which has photo's of their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.  It's interesting to see the kids get excited about their ancestors.  Kate and Kirk even had memories of my Grandma Black.  She died just a little over a year ago at age 99.  They can remember visiting her on Christmas and how she always had cookies, and treats for them.  There's an overwhelming spirit at the cemeteries.  I immediately felt like we were on sacred ground.  We are so connected to our ancestors, the lives that they lived effect ours for good.  Because of their sacrifices, courage, conviction, and hard work; we have the blessings that we enjoy to today.  It is really special to see so many pay tribute to those who have past on.  I feel like Memorial day is such an important Holiday.  I read in the paper that the the beginnings of this holiday actually date back to the civil war era.  So many people lost loved one's in the war.  There was more death of American soldier's who died in that one war than all of the other wars America has fought in combine.  That gives you an idea for the depth of grief our nation was going through at that time.  A thank you goes out to all of the brave men and women who serve so fearlessly in the armed forces.  I have two sister's and a sister in-law's who's husbands serve us in the Army, and Air Force.  I'm so grateful for your service that you provide to our country.  I saw a sign today that read "Freedom isn't Free".  So much blood has been spilt for our freedoms, and yet our nation still stands as a beacon of freedom, prosperity.  God Bless America!  

                                                  The future of America remembering the past

 After visiting the graves, we went and swam at Dan's parents house, and grilled chicken and hotdogs for dinner.  First swim of the year!  The kids loved every second, we couldn't get them to come out of the pool.  Jence isn't in any of the photo's because he was taking a nap at the time.  Sadly he missed out on the swimming. 

Black and White

Easter 2013

I have to say it's been quite a week.  My house is a mess.  I don't think I can see the carpet in the boys room there's so many toys and clothes on the floor.  I've been way to busy to really deep clean.  Parties, egg hunts, birthday cakes, and Easter shopping.  It's all okay though I'd rather party and shop than clean any day.  It gives me a good excuse to not worry about it. How do people with kids have spotless houses anyways?  Here are some highlights of Easter this year.  We attended the annual Mower family Easter egg hunt.  The kids got to find eighteen eggs.  Their baskets can't even hold that many eggs, it was crazy!  They had a total blast finding all the eggs, and it was so much fun.  My camera didn't have it's memory card in it, so sorry no pictures.  I do however have some photo's of the kids Easter morning with their baskets.  It looks like the Easter bunny found our house again this year.  The kids got some new sandals, sticker books, silly puddy, some swim floaters and of course a ton of candy.  I'm almost sick of even looking at the candy it's everywhere!  The kids also each got new Sunday clothes.  Kirk and Benjamin got white shirts, ties, and slacks.  Kate got a new dress.  She actually picked it out herself.  She found this one at Costco, and talked me into it.  I'm glad she did, it's probably my favorite Easter dress yet.  I love how bright it is.  Perfect for Kate.  Jence got a "new" (passed down from Ben) sail boat sweater.  Here are the photo's enjoy.

 I have to say It's been pretty busy but I'd like to devote a few lines to state how grateful I am for the Savior Jesus Christ.  This time of year we celebrate our Savior with our families.  I just want to give my kids and husband a big hug, and thank my Father in Heaven that he sent his son.  Because of this great sacrifice we will be together forever even after our short experience here in this life.  Life really is a brief moment in the big eternal picture.  We are here, we love each other and then we move on into eternity.  Today I had an extremely touching experience in Sacrament meeting.  The bishop asked a young man with Downs Syndrome to come up to bear his testimony.  If you knew this young man at all you would be so impressed with his deep spiritual maturity, even with his handicaps, he is a spiritual giant.  He stated something that really struck me.  I felt like he summed up Easter completely.  He said that he has felt so much love and kindness.  Truly that is what Easter is all about.  The love that God has for us to send his perfect son to die for us.  The kindness Jesus Christ shows us, his unyeilding love and patience with us.  It was a simple testimony, but shared with such perfect sincerity, and humility.  Love and Kindness is what it's all about.  Really the true essence of life.  I'm very confident when we review our lives in heaven we won't be viewing our money, cars, or accomplishments.  What we will remember is the love we felt for each other, and the kindness we shared with each other.  May we remember the reason we are here on the earth on this beautiful Easter day.  May we remember our perfect Savior and Redeemer.  His example of love and kindness he has for us. 

Here is our photo shoot I did after church.  Best time to pictures is either before or after church when the kids are already dressed up.

 I only got one good shot of Jence.  Dan had to hold him and tickle him to smile.  He is a mover, most of my photo's were a bit blurry.  This one was perfect though, totally Jence 100%.  Last year's Easter photo Jence was bald, as you can see, he has plenty of hair now.  It's so beautiful I hate to cut it.  Maybe when he's two I'll have the nerve to cut those beautiful curls. 

Our neighbor was nice enough to snap this one of the family.  It's actually really good family shot.  Usually the family pictures are so hard to get to turn out good. 

Benjamin is 4

Okay he's not officially four yet, his real birthday is on Easter this year.  This is the first year that his birthday has fallen on Easter.  It's going to be a pretty special day for him.  I was just looking at photo's of him as a baby.  I can remember what a good natured baby he was.  He was the most friendly little guy.  He would smile at everyone.  I can remember he would pick out one person in a crowd, or at church, or at a restaurant.  He would sit and smile at them until they would finally acknowledged him and smile back.  We decided to Celebrate his birthday today.  We started out with taking cupcakes into his preschool class and I was able to do a spotlight on him.  It was really fun to be able to see him in his class.  After preschool we had a huge pirate birthday party for the little sunbeams in his church class, and also a couple of his cousins.  It turned out great.  I reused all of the decorations from Kirk's pirate party which he had when he turned four.  It's strange because it seemed like I had just barely hung up all the pirate pictures and the other decorations.  Crazy how a few years feel like just a few weeks.    Here

 Jence loved the kiddie pool.

are some pictures.  Some of the highlights of the party were when the kids "Walked the plank".  They jumped off of our ottoman into a kiddie pool full of balloons, surprisingly the balloons didn't pop.  Dan's father came at the end dressed as a pirate. Ben was scared to take a picture with him.  After we took some photo's with the "pirate", he took them all on a treasure hunt.  I buried a treasure chest in the rubber mulch in the back yard.  Inside the treasure chest were the little take home treat bags.  We also made a couple of crafts, and played pass the seashell, and played a crocodile ring toss.  We still have more celebrating to do on Easter.  I'm going to make him some kind of Easter birthday cake.  For now Happy Birthday Buddy!