10.30.2013

Quarter of a Century

I am middle aged. Or mid-20s. It is pretty much the same thing. Sam was 25-years-old when we met (seven years ago). I remember thinking that he was so old. Practically my grandpa. Now I have also reached that status.

I asked Sam not to get me anything for my birthday because I just wanted food. I wanted to go out to eat and then have pumpkin pie. Sam was doing this gross thing called growing a beard and I was not a fan so I also asked him to shave that for my birthday. He was convinced that I was going to jinx the Boston Red Sox in their quest to be World Series champions by shaving his beard. They won the World Series tonight so there was no harm by getting that ick off of his face.

I love sleeping. I don't think I could ever get too much sleep. Although I had to wake up a few times to feed Declan, I didn't officially get up until 10:24am. I think that was perfectly fitting since it was my birthday, 10/24. In one of my brief periods of awakeness before that, the boys brought me a ream of paper they had colored for me. It was so cute and they were giddy over it.

 photo MyBirthday1_zps750a6d51.jpg

 photo MyBirthday2_zps2a491164.jpg

My friends know how much I love food. My friend Nikki made me my own cake so I wouldn't have to make one. It was so thoughtful, adorable, and delicious! My Relief Society president brought me a plate full of Reese's peanut butter cup cheesecakes. I ate almost all of them and then took a picture of the last one I was saving for Sam. I mentioned to my friend Maggie that I used to love Dr. Pepper when I was a teenager so she bought some for me. She also got me that adorable blue scarf and the sweetest card that I am going to save and read whenever I am feeling insecure. I am doomed to be fat with all of these thoughtful friends!

 photo MyBirthday3_zps8f92b505.jpg

Maggie was going to babysit the boys and since Sam took the day off of work, it worked out better for us to go out to lunch. We went to a new sushi place in town. Sam tried eel sushi. I ate normal food. Then they brought us a delicious Japanese ice cream. It was unusual but really delicious!

 photo MyBirthday4_zps173ed2f8.jpg

 That night, the Jordans came over for pie and cake. 

 photo MyBirthday5_zpsd396050e.jpg

Edison didn't want pie or cake. He wanted applesauce. Huh? After dessert, I taught the kids how to play Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

 photo MyBirthday6_zpsc84b2999.jpg

Alex: You need to go on a date for your birthday so I can make you a card.
Emily: Okay, I will.
Alex: But you have to go on a date with a different friend so Daddy can help me.

My friend Karen was all over that plan. The day after my birthday, she took me out to a nice, new restaurant in town and invited a few friends. It was a really fun time and I was laughing my head off. I escaped without having to ride the mechanical bull which I consider a great success. After dinner, I took Maggie home and by the time I got home, there was a gift bag on my kitchen counter. Karen had dropped by and brought me pomegranates. I was so surprised and could not believe it! I mentioned at dinner how much I love pomegranates so she went out and bought some for me and brought them over before I even got home. Amazing.

 photo MyBirthday7_zps32d63e76.jpg
Emily, Maggie, Becky, Jen, Whitney, and Karen

I appreciate all of the visits, calls, texts, emails, and Facebook messages I received on my birthday. I was blown away by the love people showed me. I wish every day could be my birthday! I felt so special and am really grateful for the friends I have in my life.

10.29.2013

Champion Chomper

I thought I was cursed with terrible eaters. How could kids of a total food addict hate mealtime?! Rice cereal is not very appetizing. Alex refused to open his mouth and Edison would open his mouth then push the food back out with his tongue. Alex was eating baby food for months. I think he was over a year old and he still preferred baby food. We decided not to do that with Edison and started him on our table food after less than five attempts at rice cereal. We only bought a few bottles of baby food for Edison and they were a special treat in his stocking at Christmas when he was eight months old. Now we are "veteran" parents and have learned a few things. This time, I went straight for oatmeal and skipped rice. I also made it with warm breast milk instead of water.

I am not sure if it was because of something I did differently or if it is because Declan is just a superstar. He loved it! I am thrilled.

 photo Solids1_zpscfc16338.jpg
Praying before he starts.

 photo Solids2_zps55a5891d.jpg

 photo Solids3_zpsb98b5757.jpg

 photo Solids4_zpse0d9e21b.jpg

 photo Solids5_zpse4651c3a.jpg

 photo Solids6_zps3425f229.jpg 

Even though he made a funny face, he would dive on the spoon every time it got close to his mouth. He has never refused food and continues eating as long as we will feed him. I put him in his high chair and let him eat pieces of whatever I am eating. Hopefully we will have one child who does not despise eating. Declan has now had cheerios, bread, soup, bananas, and small smashed pieces of apple. So far, he eats everything that we put in his mouth. This kid is perfect.

10.28.2013

October Break in Billings

A friend of mine wanted to go to the temple but was nervous to go alone so we planned a trip to Billings together during October Break. I booked our nonrefundable hotel and then learned that my friend could no longer come. It was really sad and I wish we could have changed plans and gone to South Dakota, but we headed to Billings anyway. Normally we leave for trips after Sam gets off work or in the afternoon. This time, we left in the morning on Thursday. Billings is just five hours away and is in the Mountain Time Zone so we got there at 2pm. We hung out in our hotel room for a while and then headed out for activities.

 photo Billings1_zps62501b2d.jpg

Our first stop was The Reef. It is an indoor water park. It was really fun. The water was a little chilly for the boys, mainly Declan.

 photo Billings2_zps535f127d.jpg

 photo Billings3_zps1cc93294.jpg

 photo Billings4_zpsf2297c05.jpg

 photo Billings5_zps457147af.jpg

 photo Billings6_zps07756f3b.jpg

 photo Billings7_zpsa93d8fa7.jpg

 After a few hours, the boys were ready to go. We changed and then went to Cafe Rio for dinner.

 photo Billings8_zps718b818e.jpg

The next morning, I went to the temple. It was fabulous, as usual, and a great start to my Friday.

 photo Billings9_zpsd9fa6ac2.jpg

We went to The Maize at Grandpa's Farm. It was a little cold but it was sunny and there were a lot of things to do.

 photo Billings10_zpsa5dbb651.jpg

 photo Billings11_zps77ed3d30.jpg

 photo Billings12_zps193035be.jpg

 photo Billings13_zpsbbc90434.jpg

 photo Billings14_zpsdfa4cfa3.jpg

After the boys played for a while, we decided to go through the corn maze. We should have turned around right after going in. I am not sure why, but the maze was super muddy. It was sticky mud; the type of mud that takes off a shoe. After Edison fell the first time, he was devastated. We pulled out a few wipes and tried to clean him up. Not even a minute later, he was back down. Then Alex was, too. The stroller was caked in mud so we just kept going.

 photo Billings15_zps613b45c2.jpg

After that, we were all laughing so hard that we could barely stand up. It was honestly just so ridiculous and we were all covered in mud. Alex and Edison loved every bit of it. Declan got bored and fell asleep.

 photo Billings16_zps9208bc27.jpg

 photo Billings17_zps3624f495.jpg

 photo Billings18_zps9613cd1d.jpg

The boys took really long naps while we showered and I cleaned my shoes. Then we went and bought Sam new shoes. The boys wanted to play so we went to a park and they stole an old lady's bread and fed the ducks.

 photo Billings19_zpsa30605b3.jpg

 photo Billings20_zps0b076587.jpg

Once the bread was gone, Alex tried chasing all of the ducks into the water. Edison was very sad because "I want to swim like the rubber duckies." His horribly mean parents wouldn't let him.

 photo Billings21_zps4e62a539.jpg

Sam went to the temple that night and then went to the gym so he wasn't back to the hotel until midnight. We were putting the boys in bed together. Edison still sleeps in his crib so he hasn't figured out that he can't roll all over the place in a big bed.

 photo Billings22_zps11f93b3f.jpg

On Saturday, we went to Pictograph Cave State Park. My shoes were still wet from the day before and I was getting blisters from my dress shoes I had brought to wear to the temple so I wore Sam's old tennis shoes instead. They were covered in mud and too big. But more comfortable than wet shoes.

 photo Billings23_zps62bc8b04.jpg

 photo Billings24_zpsdc75b952.jpg

 photo Billings25_zps2f3ba8e8.jpg

 photo Billings26_zps9b2c76b0.jpg

The pictographs have faded a lot and many of them we couldn't see even though we knew exactly where to look because of the chart they had.

 photo Billings27_zpsef0772e3.jpg

 photo Billings28_zpse198ec44.jpg

Alex took a picture! I handed him my big camera and he actually pointed it in the right direction. He loves taking pictures.

 photo Billings29_zpsdd4322a0.jpg

 photo Billings30_zps9389019f.jpg

 photo Billings31_zpsbbf1d744.jpg

 photo Billings32_zps78945aee.jpg

It was a really nice day. Warm enough that the boys didn't want their jackets. The box elder bugs were out in hordes and Alex and Edison were carrying a few around in their hands almost the whole two hours we were hiking around.

 photo Billings33_zpsa3b7df4a.jpg

We went to lunch in town and then started the drive home. We got home at 6:30pm and I made dinner then we had hot chocolate.

 photo Billings34_zpsb1f80a3d.jpg

 photo Billings35_zpse7267659.jpg

This trip was fun because we had no itinerary and there was really no point in going except that Sam has a lot of vacation days to use before the end of the year. I wanted to go to the temple but we didn't have anything else we needed to do. I considered sending Sam, Alex, and Edison on this trip without me and Declan. I thought I needed alone time but I decided to go and I am glad I did. I needed away time. It ended up being really good for me. I need to get away from my to do list more often and focus on my family. I have started getting very competitive with everything and it isn't good for my mental and emotional well-being. There is no way I can be everything I want to be and do everything I want to do. I just have to keep rearing my kids and trying. Every day is more trying, and usually not succeeding. But I can't quit, no matter how tired I feel; it's too important. 

10.27.2013

We Like To Party

It is so fun to have kids who are getting to the age that they have friends. It is also fun that those friends have parties. We went to two fun parties in the last few weeks.

Two of Alex's friends had a joint monster party at the art center downtown. The very first game after we arrived was a game to pop balloons by sitting on them. Bad news for Edison and Declan.

 photo Parties1_zpsd704d66b.jpg

Then they played Pin the Eye on the Monster. Alex was totally peeking.

 photo Parties2_zps66a81cfc.jpg

They also got to feed a monster some bean bags.

 photo Parties3_zps212dd128.jpg

 photo Parties4_zps90741909.jpg

 photo Parties5_zps1cd3a78f.jpg

Edison didn't want to color so I colored his picture for him. I asked him what to name it and he said, "Scary."

 photo Parties6_zpsd47b5daa.jpg

 photo Parties7_zps639d929f.jpg

 photo Parties8_zpse488d311.jpg
The birthday kids: Amaias and Addie.

Spinning little kids for a pinata is kind of hilarious. Addie's dad was brave and tried directing the kids toward the pinata and took a few whacks to the knee.

 photo Parties9_zps2dc53f64.jpg

When the pinata finally broke, Alex was all over it. He was filling his hat with candy, dumping it in my purse, then going back for more. There was so much candy in the pinata that the kids walked away and left a pile on the ground. Now we don't have to buy Halloween candy!

 photo Parties10_zps8ee4f243.jpg

We were all warmed up and ready for another party! Alex and Edison's friend Collin turned five. The invitation was so cute and they were thrilled to open it and then play with the wind-up chatterbox teeth.

 photo Parties11_zps18a69a8d.jpg

 The party was picture perfect. Collin's mom (Nikki) is practically Martha Stewart.

 photo Parties12_zpsab5c36e2.jpg

Nikki took pictures of all of the kids in the photo booth.

 photo Parties24_zpsd78a7250.jpg

While the pictures were printing, everyone decorated their picture frames.

 photo Parties13_zpsf585e03a.jpg

 photo Parties14_zps9b6431af.jpg
Kara and Jayme, Guy and Maggie

Collin did not want to smile about his "cake." He was being so funny and hiding under the table.

 photo Parties15_zpsd79b6c36.jpg

 photo Parties16_zps611b6d2f.jpg

 photo Parties17_zps998af275.jpg

 photo Parties18_zps4d378bf4.jpg

I was pleased with our wrapping paper. We got him Lincoln Logs and I think he liked them. Now I want to buy them for myself.

 photo Parties19_zpscab91cca.jpg

Collin's dad (Mike) took kids on rides in the lawn mower. It was cold and we hadn't brought Edison's coat. So he borrowed Rosalie's and didn't mind one bit.

 photo Parties20_zps58668be6.jpg

 photo Parties21_zpsc41608aa.jpg

 photo Parties22_zps41b28284.jpg

The party favors were adorable. Nikki is so creative and every little thing she does turns out looking amazing. I am glad we have friends to party with. Birthdays are the best.

 photo Parties23_zps87cd0d46.jpg