Randomness

Total randomness for this post. But it's fitting because that is what our lives have been the last little while! Random, crazy, chaotic! Unpacking and kids being sick and such...but I just downloaded tons of pictures from my phone and thought I should post a few so it doesn't seem like I fell off the earth completely! In no particular order of course because that would take too much effort...

Having fun at the park by our house!

Until we are able to put a backyard in we are loving having a park within walking distance! Micah might get bored with it fast but Livvy could climb the stairs and go down that slide all day!

What won't this girl find to climb? 

I love that these 2 are such good buds! When they are fighting I threaten that they'll have to go to their separate rooms and play by themselves. Usually shuts them up pretty fast! They both hate to play alone!

I couldn't believe I got all 3 of them to smile at once! I guess if you take enough pictures it's bound to happen eventually!

Easter!

This picture of Liv cracks me up! Piggy tail-bed head and saying "cheese" as she stops for a picture! I couldn't believe how well she caught on to the whole Easter egg hunt! She was running to grab as many as she could! Third child syndrome I guess.

In their Sunday best!

We got together with some family on Easter at my cousins house. It's an old family tradition to do Cascarones on Easter but we haven't done it in years. My cousin was sweet to bring it back this year and the kids had a blast with it!

Last Sunday playing "church". Been home about 5 minutes before they had it all set up. Primary must have been especially good that day! It was all quite hilarious to listen to!

All 3 kids have a new obsession with riding bikes. I guess because we actually have a street to ride them on now! Olivia tries to hop on her bike every time we leave the house. It's so funny to watch her because her legs aren't long enough yet to reach the pedals so she just pushes herself Fred Flinstone style. It's amazing how fast she goes! 

Ponytail sticking straight up after a nap but she was being so goofy I had to take her picture! I can't get enough of this little dimpled red head!

Both of my maternal grandparents passed away recently and within 5 weeks of each other. It's been an overwhelming experience to have happen all at once but it's wonderful knowing they are in a better place. And it's been so interesting to talk with Micah and Hailey about it. They are just so matter of fact and accepting about everything. Aren't the simple minds of children great? Although, 2 weeks ago Hailey informed us that "my dead Grandmother is back. I saw her at church." Didn't quite know what to say about that one! I could go on for hours about the sweet comments and questions they've made.  These are pictures my cousin took at my Grandfather's funeral. At both funerals each of the grandchildren and great grandchildren set a flower on top of the coffin. I just loved the intense look on Micah's face. 

HOUSE!

Ok so life is crazy and will not stop but here are a few quick photos of the house. We have officially been here over a week and have a good amount unpacked. And a good amount to still unpack! Thankfully the basement is unfinished so we are not walking around boxes all day. Although...that might rush me along faster! If I haven't mentioned it before I REALLY HATE MOVING! We will be in constant transition as we slowly try to decorate, put in a yard and make this house our own! I hope to paint this kids rooms over the summer and they already have all sorts of ideas. Also hoping to move Olivia into the same room with Hailey once we think she can handle a bed...we'll see how that goes! :) Secretly it's because I want a scrapbook room again! For the most part the kids have transitioned greatly! The first few nights Micah and Hailey had a tough time going to bed, oddly Olivia did not. Micah is still struggling and they've been really clingy to us but even that has gotten better. They now call it "our house" and ask every day when our grass is going to appear. Micah has transitioned schools beautifully! He really didn't want to do it at first but I slowly wore him down. He is such a shy and quiet kid that I worried it might be hard for him. And since I'm the mother I was sure I was scaring him for life! Nope, not a problem. The very first day he ran to the car happy as can be just like it was any other day at school! I think it helped that one of his best friends/cousins is at the same school. Unfortunately, they are in different classes but they can play together at recess and I really think that made all the difference. I couldn't be more thrilled that it all went so well! Each day things are feeling more comfortable. Last night as I tried to fall asleep I wondered if this felt like home. I decided not quite yet but more like a hotel I'd stayed at several times before. We are getting there! One day at a time! Somedays one hour at a time...

I don't know why the only picture of the outside is at night. This was after our first walk through. The yard would be installed once it's warm enough for it to actually happen! We'll have to do the backyard ourselves but Eric is already excited and watching utube videos on sprinkling systems and sod.

This is after they painted the front door. I like it but I don't. All I wanted with this house was a red door. It didn't exactly turn out the color I was hoping for. A friend of mine put it perfectly, it's not red it's poppy! And even though it looks good with the house it's not really what I had my heart set on so we may end up painting it...if we get around to it! :)

The kitchen...I love my kitchen! We...ok I...debated on whether or not to go with darker cabinets. In the end I decided to stay with the lighter ones. I am SO glad I did!!! They are perfect!

Entry from front door into living room and upstairs. Of course that day we were there Hailey HAD to wear her Sleeping Beauty dress. Funny because she says it's her favorite but she won't watch the movie! Also might I add how much I LOVE my carpet! My uncle (aka my dad's best friend growing up and the closest thing he had to a brother so we've always called him Uncle Steven) installs carpet and worked hard on getting us a great deal! It is beautiful carpet that shows nothing and cleans up easily! As the mother of 3 small children may I just say YAHOO!!

Family room off of kitchen

Micah and Hailey wanted to pose...Livvy was a little too busy making faces at her dad! Upstairs (because I haven't taken pictures yet) are the 4 bedrooms and the laundry room.

Living room now with furniture! Hopefully one day something on the walls too!

After the first night and still in pjs...all of us! This is the family room again. You can kinda see a door knob to your right...that leads to the basement that we hope to finish...TBA!

Happy Birthday Hailey & Eric!

Well, I'm behind...as usual. And I still don't have the time but before I get too far behind I wanted to at least post a few pictures. Hailey turned 4 on January 26th! Although, it seems like she's been 4 forever! She had her very first friend birthday party. Lots of princesses, lots of fun! And then on her actual birthday we had my parents over for dinner. For weeks Hailey would ask me every day, "Mom, is it my birthday today?" Like she was afraid we wouldn't tell her and she'd miss it! She was so excited and was a doll! Hailey was great a sharing her new presents with Olivia who is too young to understand it wasn't her birthday!

Hailey loves dress-ups. Between Christmas and her Birthday she got 3 new princess dresses. She wears them ALL the time. Eric keeps asking how many princess dresses we actually need? He has 2 daughters...he's so delusional!

She LOVES Barbies so it was perfect when I found that my sister had a Barbie cake pan!

Eric turned the big 33 on February 5th, Superbowl Sunday! It was a pretty relaxing day. The kids loved putting up streamers with me. Since we are about to buy a house his "big" present was an uninterrupted nap but he said he greatly enjoyed it! However, thanks to Eric's sister and brother-in-law we were able to go out on a date the weekend before. We went to Olive Garden, one of our favorite places, then went fridge shopping! Are we an old married couple or what?! It was very nice to have a date night because I literally could NOT remember the last time! So sad.

Eric's traditional rice krispie treat "cake"! And miracle of miracles I got all 4 of them looking at the camera and smiling at the same time! Probably the first time ever!

Overdue Update

So I have more to say then I could possibly have the time or energy to update. Life has been crazy! The end of 2011 was wild, crazy, different...let's just say chaotic! Between school programs, several sickness, tubes for Livvy, a boys trip to Dallas for the BYU bowl game and the holidays we also decided to build a house. Although it's been a perfect winter to build a house with the minimal amount of snow I now know it is the WRONG time of year to build a house because life is too crazy! Ok, I know, when is life not crazy? But with all the holidays and everything that goes on with that it has not been ideal. However, now that the holidays are over we've had more time to dedicate towards the house and it's really exciting! And when I say "we" I really mean me. Eric has been a lost cause when it comes to picking colors and countertops, etc. and he knows it. After our first meeting with the builders discussing the exterior of the home we came back home and Eric said, "I'm no help to you. You need someone to bounce ideas off of. You need to call your mom." True statement! I told Eric that meant that he couldn't complain about any choices I made then! All he cares about is getting his ethernet cables and figuring out where the TV will go. Things are moving along quite nicely though and I think we'll be moving sooner than anticipated. My sister texted me the other day offering to come help pack and I suddenly got a pit in my stomach. I hadn't let myself think about moving or packing until the first of the year. Well, it's the first of the year! Last time we moved I had 1 (mellow) child...I now have 3. The youngest of which is 18 months old and a complete monkey! Olivia is literally into everything and is everywhere! My other kids weren't like this. And she wasn't either for the first year...and then she learned to walk and there was no turning back! She is out of control. Adorably out of control but, nonetheless, out of control. With each passing day she gets a little better at playing with Micah and Hailey and they are great tattle-tails (luckily) but I still can't get an uninterrupted shower, 2 free arms for more than a few minutes at a time or...well, you get the gist. And I am usually so tired that when she naps I lay down or take a break too! Hailey was exhausting at this age but it was because she cried all the time not because she was into everything. I am constantly keeping Olivia from severely injuring herself. I can't seem to stop her from climbing on top of everything so I just stay close by and teach her how to do it the safest way. She has also not caught on to the whole idea of talking yet. (We're hoping the tubes help with that!) Instead when she needs, sees, or demands anything she just shrieks so high and loud the neighborhood dogs come running. Needless to say the thought of trying to pack and move with this little one sounds a bit...shall I say, overwhelming? Don't get me wrong, I adore Livvy's energy and to see how she figures out to do things. Sometimes you can just look at her and see the wheels turning in her head. I just can't open the dishwasher, fridge, door or cabinet without her trying to climb in. So it looks like I will be doing a lot of packing late into the night but I've always been a night owl anyway. But for those reasons and more is why I have been and probably will continue to be slightly absent in my blogging.

Sisters are forever!

The other day while Micah was at school the girls and I were playing on my bed. I hadn't slept well the night before so I was exhausted and, of course, just irritated that I couldn't take a nap. Olivia was all over the place, as usual, and Hailey just had to be in the mix. I turned on Sesame Street which kept Livvy still for maybe 5 minutes. It was one of those days that I looked at the clock and thought, "you've got to be kidding me it's only 10:00 am!?" The day had barely begun and I was already counting the minutes until Eric came home so I could pass the kids onto him. In the midst of me thinking all these (and more) grumpy, unmotherly thoughts my sweet Olivia, whose funny little personality comes out more each day, changed it all! She sat down in-between me and Hailey and started giving us kisses. Hailey, of course, thought this was great fun and they would giggle and do it over and over again. I quickly grabbed my phone to capture the moment and it took several attempts but I finally got a perfect picture! Hailey adores Olivia (which is putting it lightly) and its been so fun to have little Livvy finally start interacting with her sister. There is nothing quite like the bond between sisters, I know, I have 3 of my own, and I can't wait to see them grow up together. This small moment suddenly made me remember that it is moments like these that make it all worth it. Being a stay at home mom is hard and exhausting and even lonely at times but it's also wonderful and fulfilling and exciting. I have now put this picture as the screensaver on my phone so every time I turn it on I will see it and smile and cherish that one moment.

Toys?

All the toys we have and what's my child's favorite thing to play with? The tin of paper clips. I'm not kidding. She plays with these longer than just about anything else! My sweet Olive cracks me up.

Been a long time...

What a total slacker I've been!...and I'm going to slack once again and quickly give a brief update all the going ons of the last several weeks. I keep telling myself one day life will slow down...ha ha ha.

What started out as a "Boys Only" weekend ended up with me in it. But I was extremely grateful and excited to be able to go to the great state of Texas for the BYU game! (Even though we lost) It was a wonderful little getaway...conveniently located right by my birthday! We had a fabulous time! And all I have to say is Texas knows how to tailgate!

Never mind the obnoxious father-in-law doing the bunny ears in the background...it was a "boys weekend" after all!

We toured around the Texas campus that afternoon before the game. It was HOT! But fun to see this campus!

Next was Hailey's first day of preschool. She didn't start for over 2 weeks after Micah did and had a hard time waiting patiently! She was so excited to be able to go to school too and couldn't wait to get out the door!

She has a hard time understanding why she doesn't go every day like Micah does. She talks about all her new friends and goes on and on about what they did that day. She gives much better details than her brother ever has! When Micah started preschool I thought it was the longest 2 1/2 hours! Hailey goes for 2 hours, twice a week and it goes by entirely too quickly!

Last but not least is Micah's birthday this past Saturday. My little boy is 6 and growing up so fast! For months he talked about wanting a football field cake with "guys". He was very specific how the cake should look. I'm no Martha Stuart but I think it turned out alright!

What a kid we've raised to want a BYU football cake!

Micah was also very insistent on a friend birthday party. So he invited a few friends and all his cousins that are his age to Jungle Jim's. He and Hailey have talked about it non-stop so I would say it was successful!