Loving Every Minute of It

Here's a little update of the mellow couple of weeks we've had.

Jason enjoys his time at home, especially when he can get one of the kids to take a Sunday afternoon nap with him. There is really nothing cuter in this world than this.






Kimball continues to entertain us with random facial expressions, and when she gets bored with her own face, she decides to spruce it up a little with some marshmallows from the cereal box.



We decided to give Jack his summer "hair-cut". The poor kids hair would be drenched within 2 minutes playing outside. And that's in the morning when it's only 90 degrees. So, we buzzed him. I'm always a little sad to cut his hair because it's so soft, but as my brothers used to say... "there comes a time in every mans life when he's fuzzy." Or something like that.


Tod continues to grow so fast. He loves to gurgle and chat, and is starting to really figure out his hands and will grab at all sorts of stuff like toys, his plug, my nose and Kimball's hair. He's now 4 1/2 months old. Time flies! He's getting in some good tummy time, along with some great facial expressions. He and Kimball will get a long great (we hope).

While Jason and I were at the pool last weekend, a random stranger, said to me "You didn't have your kids close together, did you?" Normally I appreciate a good sarcastic comment, but coming from this skinny lady in a bikini tanning herself I was a little taken back. She asked how many I had and their ages. I just told her I have 3 under 3 years old, and she asked if I was still sane. I replied that I still had my hair so yes, and that my mom and mom-in-law both kept their insanity through this same experience and so I could do it too (though maybe not as well.)

When I told my mom about this exchange, she gave me some great advice. She said that whenever people would question her and my dad about their large family, they would give details about how many and when they saw those looks of disbelief and horror they would add "And we love every minute of it." And, that's the truth, I'm sure my parents will admit to hard moments but us kids always knew that they not only loved us, but they enjoyed being our parents.

I truly do love every minute of it! I'm going to steal something my sister wrote on her blog a couple of weeks ago to sum up how I feel. She explained it perfectly, and I agree with her 100%.

"I remember when it used to be acceptable to respond with "a mom" when asked what you wanted to be when you grow up. Is it just me or are those days long gone? Work, education and worldly statuses have overshadowed women's true role to be a mother. I'm not ashamed to say that this, what I'm doing right now, is what I've always wanted. I've never worried for a second that I would regret having kids so quickly or so close together. I'm not anxiously awaiting the day they leave the house so I can go back to work. I don't feel that I am at all supressed by staying at home with my kids every day. It is the most fufilling, rewarding thing I've ever done. So in answer to "What do you want to do/be when you grow up?" I answer proudly - I am doing it. I am a MOM and that is enough. That is everything." ~ Sammy Jacobson

I am a blessed woman to have these kids, and to get to share raising them with Jason. Thanks Mom, for showing me that I need to explain that even if I look insane - I'm loving every minute of it.

To Nana and Papa's house we go...

Here's what we did while we escaped home for a while.

Kimball entertaining herself during the ride.
(The nursery song leader should be so proud.)

We went swimming 3 different times at this fabulous indoor pool in
about 20 mins away from Nana and Papa's. I love small town pools they aren't quite as strict as the pools I used to work at. Which means Kimball and Jack got to ride down the big water slide with Jason and I. And, I could catch Kimball as she jumped to me from the diving board. Just sad I didn't get a picture of it.

Tod loved the pool, he just floated around checking out everything, and didn't even sputter when Jason and I passed him under water a few times.

We fed some ducks and geese at a pond that I used to go to as a kid (yes, very nostaglic)

The kids had a great time. We loved watching the kids chase the geese, until they wanted to follow them into the pond. Thank goodness for long-armed parents and sturdy t-shirts that didn't rip under the weight of the kids.

Aside from all the activities, we really just loved hanging out with Nana and Papa, and with Sammy and David's kids Ashbug and Hannah.
Three little monkeys swingin' in a tree.

Kimball and Ashbug trying to dance together.

Papa and Ashbug getting a portrait done by Kimball
(she's getting pretty good with the camera)


And, last but not least, we took a trip to Hogle Zoo in SLC. We had a great time. I have one of Kimball's favorite TV shows "Go Diego Go" to thank for her yelling "three-toed sloth" when I pointed one out to her. The adults also had a good time watching some giraffes, but I won't go into detail, let's just say it was a National Geographic moment.

Jack was thoroughly enjoying his time walking around with Papa.



He thought the animals were great and all, but most the carousel was his favorite.


Abbey enjoyed her time being pulled around like one of the kids.

And I had to get a picture of Kimball at this drinking fountain because I have a picture of me drinking out of that same one when I has her age.

We had such a great time - THANKS Mom and Dad - and now that we're home, we're trying to get back to real life. And, Kimball and Jack are catching up on some missed nap times. Even to the point of falling asleep in the same bed.

Simple Pleasures - a photo journal of a week at home

The simple pleasures (as captured on camera) include...

Catching some Z's on the kitchen floor while
Snow White aka Kimball watches
(consequences of being able to climb out of the crib, but not back in)

Sharing a delicious homemade strawberry shake with Dad

Learning how to cross your eyes
(with Mom hoping that you're just as good at un-crossing them)


Being able to reach into Mom's make-up drawer and getting mascara confused with the eyebrow pencil

And, enjoying a ride on your favorite dump truck in the backyard before it got too hot.

Out of Desperation

My little sister Sammy, is always trying to convince me to start crafty projects. We talk about all the cool things we see and how we could make more a lot of it. Well, she finally convinced me of a project worth while - a quiet book. Making it through a whole sacrament meeting is quite a challenge for our little family so "out of desperation" to do so, I started this project. We've spent many hours on the phone discussing different pages, what works, our sewing machines, and all sorts of other issues. I can even say that I've lost sleep over this silly little book, as I lay in bed thinking of other pages I could do, and how to do them. Sammy explained on her blog that it was a good thing she wasn't a perfectionist, or else this project would never be completed. I second that. So here Sam, this is my final result (even though I'll be adding more pages later).The front cover

Shoe-lace page

Counting beads and apple (snap) tree - Kimball's favorite

Road Pages (the red thing is a pocket/garage for the hotwheel car)


Button flowers and Barn w/ finger puppets.

Mailbox and Notepad/pen

Velcro gumball page

So, miracle of miracles, I finished a sewing project. The good thing about this little book is that I can keep adding to it. I just consider it finished because the covers are finished, so it's functional. But as my sister and I have become quite obsessed, we keep finding ideas of other pages from other peoples blogs. Thus, more pages will be added in the future. Oh, Sam, I would recommend that you sew all the way around the gumballs on the velcro page, they take quite a beating being pulled on and off. The felt is already separating from the pellon.

Learning to see

This is truly a face only those who really see me could love. Please feel free to laugh as hard as I did when I first saw this pic. (I tried to make this picture as small as possible to lessen the scariness of it.) To explain, this is what you get when Kimball learns how to work the camera. I'll dedicate a whole post to her and how she sees life through the camera later. But this post is going to be about some deep thoughts (sorry, for anyone that actually reads this blog, but for journaling purposes this is what I'm choosing to write today, even though it's a little nervous to actually record these thoughts .)

To explain the title of the post, Jason and I were having a very in depth conversation about seeing people and loving/understanding them for who they are. So, I've been on this whole "seeing" idea. Then a TV show that we have been watching had a scenario where a mom was offered a chance to return to the career she left after she had kids. Her husband was very understanding with whatever she decided to do. The mom decided not to return to a pretty cool job after hearing about the adjustments that would have to be made. She said something about how she was needed at home. She got a little emotional (as I did while watching) as she explained that it was just nice to be seen differently than as a mom and wife.

Well, I got to pondering on this, and why it was so emotional for me to see this character on some TV show make this choice. I tried to explain to Jason (in my dolphin squeaky ugly crying voice) that I love being a mom and getting to stay home with my kids and that I wouldn't change it for the world. At the same time, it's hard to think that's all I'm seen as - another Mormon mom with short hair, driving a mini-van when I know I'm so much more... how can I get people to see that. Then, the thought came to be... who is it that I want to SEE me? And in turn, do I take the time to really see those around me? Or am I so busy trying to make other see how cool I think am? (Can I really learn to not be that self-centered? :-) I hope recognition is the first step.)

There's a couple of conclusions to these moments of pondering (but nothing is ever final in my head). Never in my life will I regret the choices I've made to be part of this mom in a mini-van. I should be so lucky to be included in as part of this bunch. I love being a wife and a mother, and I want my husband and kids to know how important they are to me!!! I love that I get to see them, for all of eternity!

It's also important to learn to see those around me and learn from them, and not dismiss anyone because I think I know more or am cooler for whatever reason. There is something to learn from everyone.

Ultimately, I know that Heavenly Father sees me for all that I am (good and bad) and more importantly who I can be. He doesn't care that I may look like all the other moms in my ward, or in the whole world. He sees me.

Tod and Easter Updates

Yes, we're still here. Tod is getting bigger every day (9 3/4 lbs now). I keep telling him "you're a real boy" because he'll make eye contact and smile, and if I'm lucky he'll start cooing. He's a good low-maintenance baby. He just needs food and sleep. We love him. He may be the favorite. However, the poor kid has had the worst case of baby acne I have ever seen in my life. It has been more traumatizing for me than for him (of course), but maybe this means he'll have clear skin as a teenage. Here's hoping.






Kimball and Jack have been keeping us on our toes. They had a fun time Easter morning with little bags of treats. We kept trying to explain about the meaning of Easter, but I'm afraid they haven't quite caught on yet.










Kimball decided to make her own fun by playing "How many Easter Egg candies can you fit in your mouth at the same time"? This was the result.








Tod got to meet Grandma Great this week. It's fun to see our kids get to know some of their great-grandparents. I only have vague memories of meeting one of my great-grandma's, so I'm grateful that our kids are having a chance to get to know a few great-grandparents. I hope pictures of these moments will help our kids remember these amazing people that are so much apart of who they are.

And, I can never post without adding a video or two (really these are for my sister Abbey, who is always harassing me about adding videos and not blogging enough).

This is Kimball's latest trick at the pool... a back flip.
Notice how she even grabs her legs to get a good tuck.

Kimball and Jack have learned that bed-time doesn't necessarily mean that they have to fall asleep immediately. This is what these two were up to an hour after we put them down. Yes, they were playing quietly for an hour until their giggles got the best of them.

D-day Survival

I have officially survived the first day of Jason's return to work. In anticipation of his day (which I referred to as D-day) I started contemplating all the worse case scenarios which included the house burning down, me not showering, all three kids crying all day long, exploding diapers, and a various of other potential traumas. Thankfully, none of these imagined traumas occurred, and the kids and I all had a pretty good day at home. I actually made a real dinner, which wasn't a normal occurrence even before Tod was born. And, I even showered and got a batch of laundry done.

I was beginning to feel so empowered that by Tuesday, I accepted an invitation from some of the Hafen sisters and sister-in-laws to meet at a park. So I packed up all of the kids, and met them at park. I am grateful to have this group of awesome women to hang-out with and am always amazed at how much they are willing to help me juggle my little ones. And, I'm grateful to older cousins that are willing to help my kids too. The kids had a great time running around (Tod enjoyed his carseat - well, kind of) and I had a blast getting out of the house and getting some fresh air too.




Jack wanted to rock out on this four-wheeler the whole day, and Kimball was almost impossible to get down from on top the the playgrounds (until she discovered this pretty tall slide).







The week before Jason had to go back to work, we headed up to St.George to have my sis-in-law Kim take some pictures of the kids. She is AMAZING! I'm not kidding, she really is awesome. You can see more of her work at abeandkimphotography.blogspot.com. She managed to capture the kids in some great shots (as you will notice new pictures of the kids all over the blog). She even managed to capture a couple of shots of me holding Tod, which I had told her not to take, but she knew that I would regret it.. and she was right. THANKS Kim!




Tod is doing well and gaining weight. He is now officially 8 lbs 2 oz as of this morning. Look, he has a chubby cheek to lay on now. He is a happy boy as long as he is fed and has a comfortable place to sleep. Jason was saying it's like we have 2.5 kids, because Tod is so low maintenance. I'm thankful for that. After we got his eating figured out, he has been a very easy baby so far.




Kimball and Jack continue to enjoy their new little brother, but mostly they love each other. They keep each other busy and laughing as the run throughout the house and wrestle one another. Sometimes they head upstairs while I'm attending to Tod, and I always know there's trouble if it gets too quiet. Just today, it got quiet, and before I could get upstair to check on them, I see Jack on the stairs with black stuff on his hands and face. I thought they had found a black marker, nope... they found my make-up and my mascara. Good thing I don't wear water-proof mascara.

I can't wait until Tod is big enough to join in on the fun and bruises.