Sleep Tight Little Angels!

We came back to these two slumbering angels last weekend! I wish I'd have gotten a picture of their buddy Cash pretending to be asleep next to them...but he got tired of playing possum! The babysitter said Brielle fell asleep watching a movie & Dean snuggled up to her. Precious! They are such little buddies!
Dean hit his head AGAIN this week...this time he took a little chunk out below his eyebrow. Now he'll have a real tough guy scar! (Don't worry Nat I'm still using the mederma)
"Cheese Ka" Brielle & Dean love their buddy Cash (aka 'Ka'). Brielle asked him if he
wanted to be "fancy" like her and of course he obliged!
Poor Cash...I'm going to save this picture and frame it for him when he graduates from high school, he'll love it!

Mothers Day 2009

“Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these little ones."
--President Gordon B. Hinckley It is such an honor to be the mother of these two angels! I love them so much it hurts. I like this quote because it reminds me of the amazing responsibility I have to take care of them.

We had a great mothers day...Chris went to nursery, changed lots of diapers, woke up early with the kids...he must have been exhausted! Especially considering he was at Walmart VERY LATE Saturday night--"shopping" with his friend...let's just say we ended up with "$8 Mom moo moo's," half alive roses & a card that said something about there being 206 bones in the human body & jumping mine...how romantic! Chris said he was laughing so hard at Walmart, he was crying! My moo moo (aka. knee length sleep shirt) with rhinestone studded "MOM" is pretty hot stuff! Brielle said it was the "funniest shirt she'd ever seen!" I actually thought it was an improvement on last years fashion magazines & DVDs (Dirty Dancing & Ghost)...I guess this is what I get for telling him not to get me anything because I'd already bought myself new shoes & jeans!

The only disappointment of the day was not being able to see my beautiful Brielle when she was singing during the sacrament meeting program. She was in the back, and we could not see her at all! It was all I could do to keep myself from running up there & pulling her up in front of the older kids!

It was so much fun to have Nat (my sis) & Ty come up for a couple of days...it is amazing how incomplete our family feels when they are not with us! We thought it would be fun to celebrate my mom's birthday while Nat was here...so we had a special birthday mothers day party! Brielle picked a 'Tea Party' theme...which is why they are wearing hats and blowing out candles on this bizarre German chocolate teapot cake. When I was frosting the cake Brielle said "Mom, that is not pretty frosting," I told her that it was called German Chocolate Frosting & she said "how could something with such a beautiful name look so ugly?" It's amazing to be celebrating another birthday for my mom...the last 15 have all been gifts from God. I feel so blessed that my mom beat the odds and survived her many bouts with cancer. I don't know what I'd do without her. She has always been one of my closest friends and I love spending time with her! She has been both mother & friend. Thanks mom, I love you!

Spring Fever!

We are ready for sunny beautiful days...no more snow or rain...we want sun! Brielle & Chris are both showing off their new bike's...poor Brielle--we talked her into the hot pink BMX bike that anyone can ride instead of the pink & purple girlie bike! The guy at the bike shop said tons of guys are buying hot pink bikes...huh, interesting! I think Chris just wanted to be able to ride this bike when we take the training wheels off!One of the best purchases I've ever made was this bike seat for Dean! He LOVES it! We have a regular bike trailer but he thinks this is so much better! Every time we go in the garage he runs to my bike and says "Peas, Peas" We've been on at least one bike ride everyday this week! I love Spring!Brielle went to a Fancy Nancy Birthday Party this weekend! The birthday girl gave her this outfit, so she went dressed like this to the party...I wish I would have had a camera when I dropped her off, it was darling to see all the little girls dressed in these matching fancy outfits!
Time Out -- Dean is SO good at sitting in 'Time Out,' he rarely does what we ask...but he NEVER gets up when we put him in Time Out....he just sits there looking adorable!A couple of mornings ago, I found Brielle & Dean like this...I love that Brielle finally has someone to play with!

Super Dean

(much needed) SPRING VACATION!

Brielle has been asking for months if we could go to Disneyland...Chris kept telling her that we could go when it was warmer in California...this held her off for about a month. My sister has also been asking for months when we were going to come visit her.

One day they ganged up on us, Nat called and asked to talk to Brielle...she told her that the weather was sunny & beautiful and she'd just been to Disneyland. This sent Brielle into high gear...so after months of begging (from my 2 favorite girls) we finally took our trip!

We left Friday night (with the intention of driving half way) but the kids stayed asleep...so we just kept driving. Nat was thrilled when we showed up on her door step at 3am! Sunday we went to visit Chris' sister...the kids had so much fun playing with their 5 boy cousins!

Elise (big sis) & Chris (little brother)...can you tell? Monday & Tuesday were our Disneyland days....we had lots & lots of fun...except the unexpected heatwave! It was 100 on Monday and 93 on Tuesday...I thought we were going to melt! Is that bad luck or what? On Monday we must have spent atleast $50 on water (at $3 a bottle) and I even spent $15 on a spray bottle w/a built in fan...to try to cool us off! Brielle spent the rest of the day & the following day asking "Are you hot?" Then she'd soak you.
Monday we had lots of fun with Uncle Tyler & Aunt Nat! Thanks for letting us stay with you and playing with us all week! Tuesday, our good friends the Lundquist's came to Disneyland and we all celebrated Lindsay's birthday together. We love every minute we spend with this family, they are some of the best friends you could ever ask for. Wednesday the temperature dropped 20 more degree's...which made it a little chilly for the beach, but we still had fun playing in the sand. Brielle does not like the ocean/waves at all...Dean on the other hand would have walked straight out into the ocean if Chris would have let him! By the time we left he & Chris had wet clothes...of course! Nat made the mistake of telling Brielle on Wednesday morning that we were leaving the next day...she was near tears all day! She told me Wed. night "Tomorrow, when I wake up the first thing I am going to do is scream...I don't want to go home." Sure enough te first thing she said to me was "I don't want to go home," then she started crying! We miss you Nat, Ty , Bryant Boys & (get you) Micah!

Easter Sunday!

It's amazing that I did not have time to take pictures before church...considering our church starts at 2pm!!!! Chris snapped a couple shots on the way to church for me, and they actually turned out pretty cute!

Dean loves to hold his sissy's hand, they are so sweet together!

We had Easter dinner at our house. Dean did not eat anything...but he did enjoy feeding Bobpa, what a big helper!

Grandpa, Grandma & Aunt Amanda!

April 1st was the beginning of a very busy and exciting month...including a visit from our favorite East Coast Grandparents! Brielle has been looking forward to this visit for months! We don't get to see them nearly enough!Brielle & Dean loved playing with their Grandpa! He spent most of his time sitting on little chairs in the playroom, reading books and being led around by baby Dean! Grandpa Dean & Baby Dean!

Dean LOVES to "get" people! Grandma looks terrified of our little maniac!

We took a little trip to the Salt Lake City Cemetery to visit the graves of Chris' grandparents & great grandparents...it was such a beautiful spot situated in the 'Avenues' overlooking the city...I think some of the Prophets have been buried here as well.

Easter Egg Hunts in April Showers bring May Flowers!

Happy Easter! Rain, rain go away...the highlight of the day for the kids was when Brielle looked outside and said "Hey, Bobpa is in our backyard and he has an Easter Egg." She was thrilled when my dad came inside and told her the Easter bunny had hidden eggs in our yard! There was no time to wait for the rain to stop...so out they went!This picture is blurry but it captured a perfect Dean moment...seconds before he stuffed one of these chocolate balls in his mouth, then he got the idea to start throwing them...just like he throws everything!

How cute are these two in their hats! Dean was not all that interested in the eggs...he just wanted to play with Bobpa!

Brielle had an Easter party on Friday afternoon...12 five year olds decorating cookies and searching for Easter Eggs is a very exciting way to kick off your weekend! Unfortunately I was a little too busy to take any pictures...I told Chris I'd be fine on my own, so he went on a bike ride. Ever since the party she has been making Chris hide empty eggs in our house, bobpa the Easter bunny made her rainy day fantastic! Thanks Bobpa and Nana for an awesome Easter egg hunt!