life is beautiful

kids

friday fun day…

cousins, firsts, kids

last friday was quite a big day… we started off with mass at mama’s old school.   it was the eighth graders last school mass.  this eighth grade class was super special to me because it was my first class to teach!   i have so many memories with them.   seeing them again was so great!  they hadn’t changed one bit!  they just got a little bit taller.   oh how i wish i could have gotten pictures with them, but for now that day is etched in my memory.  they were my first babies before these babies.   i couldn’t have asked for a more special morning.

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after visiting with all my old students we headed out to bc.  the boys could not wait!  we added a new addition to the boys toys…

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samuel, this was the first time you got the hang of your four wheeler (aka joey).  you had a blast.

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sam didn’t stay still too long. 🙂  we will be back out soon again to play!

xxoo

blessed indeed….

celebrations, kids

 

 and spoiled!  oh you boys had nothing but treats for me this weekend.  balloons, flowers and food, food, food.    i think we all gained a few pounds but it was oh so yummy!  the best part of this mothers day was just watching you boys work with daddy in the kitchen.   jack you were thrilled to say the least, to help out in the kitchen.  you get to giggling so hard when you are working on something you are excited about.

2014-05-11 08.40.36{complete with a lovely dinosaur stamp on your forehead}

2014-05-11 09.10.01you guys worked hard  on some pretty amazing french toast…  for the record i could only eat one slice.  i think it expanded in my stomach after i ate it.  oh it was so good!  we quickly got ready for mass.  we made it on time and you boys were pretty good.  pretty entertaining at times but good overall.   🙂

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we enjoyed a trip to sonic and a late afternoon nap.  that evening  we got a little play time  outside before helping daddy in the kitchen again.   daddy  made us a yummy 🙂  italian dish and i requested that he help you boys create your own pizza.  oh you had so much fun!  samuel, we were quiet impressed you followed directions (after trying to spoon the sauce in your mouth).  you both did an awesome job and jack you were so proud to eat a pizza you made!

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DSC_1032i can’t say it enough,  i am so very blessed that god chose me to be your mama.  i’m also so blessed to have such a wonderful mama as an example.  she raised me to fully appreciate this vocation of motherhood.  there isn’t anyone else i’d rather spend my days and nights with than my babies!

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thank you for another wonderful weekend!

xxoo

eighteen months { and one week}

kids

samuel fulton

you hear your full name a lot.  because well i’m still in love with it anddddd you are a little rascal.   your glasses have totally brought out your personality in a whole new way.   it is a sneaky, confident, inquisitive and determined personality.   if you want it, you will get it somehow.  no matter how messy or dangerous the obstacle course to get there is.   oh how much i love you and how much i love what you add to our days.  its never a dull moment.  we are either cuddling or chasing each other.

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you are really attached to “bevo” and your blanket.  you have gone as far as to drag the blanket outside like linus.   you still communicate with many grunts.   you will say “mama” “dada” “yack”  and “Mmmah!” for a kiss.  “yah!” for yes and “uh oh” when dropping something.   you sign “please,” “more,” and point like crazy.  you and jack started saying “uh uh!” to each other recently.  it sounds a lot like “no way!”  the other day bailey got you to finally make the “ba” sound!  we were super excited!   you love to tell us that a cow says “muhhhh”  oh and sometimes so does a cowboy. 🙂

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you still love “thomas the train.”  today at target you grunted and pointed until i saw and picked up the “thomas the train” swimming trunks.  you smiled so big.  you really enjoy giggling with jack.  especially outside.  we can maybe make it an hour inside in the morning before you want to go outside.  you play in any puddle you can find and ask for more and more water.  i’m struggling to make you understand that maudies water bowl is NOT to play in.

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i cannot believe the little boy you have become in the last few months.  you are so precious samuel.   i love getting you each morning and i really miss you when i lay you down at night.  you are a special one 🙂  what a fun summer we are going to have ahead of us!

xxoo

 

spring festival 2014

kids

spring festival at our church this last sunday was a hit!  we tried about every kind of food there was…

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of course corn dogs for the win!

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oh and marshmallows on the ground from the little marshmallow guns…. this was a new experience they are always a pain when you step on them but you, samuel, wanted to eat them all!  you two had a great time playing around in the bouncy houses.

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oh and i was super excited to find a headboard for 7 dollars!!! i wish it could have had a foot board.  these pieces are so hard to find… i’ve been looking!

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i have no clue when and where i get to use it but it’s easy to store 😉

we came home and you boys still played hard… outside of course.   it’s where you are both the happiest.

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xxoo

 

 

enjoy the little things …

field trip, friends, kids

like family

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friends

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and ice cream!

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it really is the best!

our attempt at blue bonnet pictures afterwards gave us many laughs.  i am determined to go back but for now i had to share these.   this is during their normal nap hour,  so i would say we did pretty well boys!  oh and girls…

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{ we made sure jack and sienna got another photo session as well }

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oh my too much for this mama!

xxoo

easter weekend 2014

celebrations, cousins, kids

alleluia what a beautiful weekend!

  i don’t know if it was a good idea to get that new memory card for the camera…  another picture overload post.  but these boys just look so darn cute hanging on to their baskets 🙂   we headed out to bc on saturday evening and got so busy playing we almost forgot to dye easter eggs!  it was okay though because jack,  after two eggs you were done and samuel it was bed time for you as you tried to color everything in site.

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rise and shine!  sunday morning you boys woke up only twenty minutes before go time ( getting in the car to get to mass on time!).  you  checked out your baskets, ate  breakfast and put on your sunday best.

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DSC_0058this was the beginning of taylor’s spring break.  we were so happy to have her here for easter!  it’s been almost four years since she has spent an easter with us!

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DSC_0106{jack i just realized you look like you are about to take off in this picture. silly boy}

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DSC_0200we missed our neighborhood egg hunt so this was the only one jack was able to do this year.  he absolutely loved it!  especially because it was just him and joshua and all the eggs they wanted.  samuel once you found one you wanted to open it!  i have never seen you eat so much candy before.  sweet tart jelly beans must be the way to your heart.

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DSC_0257we spent almost all day outside.  jack i don’t know how you kept going all day.  samuel you crashed before we left the neighborhood.   we just love days like this, so thankful for the family we have near by!  we sure miss those that can’t always be there with us!

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happy easter 2014!

xxoo

party animals…

celebrations, cousins, friends, kids

 what a fun weekend you boys had!   first weekend of really gorgeous spring weather and two great birthday parties!

saturday we celebrated cousin bailey’s  1 4 th birthday!   i don’t know how that baby girl has grown up so fast!  we sure do love her!   she has always been such a big help to us and hands down, always has been the best go to for sweets galore 🙂   jack you weren’t ready to try out the skates just yet but you and samuel sure loved watching joshua and daddy go super fast.   great music and a colorful room, samuel you were in awe!

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DSC_0530sunday afternoon, we were invited to a zoo birthday party for our friends charlie and henry!   what a great day for a birthday party!   the weather couldn’t have been more perfect!   both of you boys were so excited  you didn’t even take a nap!

DSC_0544a zoo party isn’t complete without temporary tattoos of your favorite zoo animal 🙂   those were such a hit!

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happy birthday to all these spring babies 🙂

xxoo

check outs and check ups…

kids, well checks

gramps came by the house today 🙂

DSC_0306today he checked out of his old office building for the last time.   his company has been awaiting their move for a while.  granny is so excited because it’s closer to home.   i’m sure he is so relieved he doesn’t have to make the commute he has made for so long.  i’m a little sad because i always took comfort in knowing he was around the corner if we needed him!   we didn’t get to see him all the time but the visits and stops to check in on us sure were comforting!   he says we can still come visit him at his new office 😉  see you next week maybe?

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ohh i just love him so much!

this afternoon, i thought we had samuel’s well check,  we did and we made it on time.  to my surprise i forgot i had scheduled jack’s 3 year check up too!

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DSC_0402jack,  you did super!  you only had one shot and you cried a little.  it was so sad you were so trusting on what was happening and then you looked at your nurse like “i can’t believe you did that!”   oh sweet boy, you try to be so tough.  you currently weight 37 pounds.  your doctor, considered you a little hefty 😉 and he thinks you may have a growth spurt soon.  your vision is great and you loved showing your muscles!

DSC_0366 mr. samuel you were a little nervous today but i could tell you felt better when you saw brother was getting checked out too.  you added a new word to your list today…  “abble” = apple.  you also are having us laugh so much when you yell “ewooo!”  = hello.   you came in at only 24 pounds.   you ended up getting 2 shots and a blood test.  🙁  you were not happy.  you grabbed the bag and you were ready to go.   you felt alot better when you saw an umizoomi sticker in the sticker basket.  we are still in your first week of glasses and you  l o v e  them.  we love watching you discover everything with them!   you now love books which makes us even happier!  it’s been a great week!

xxoo

ps.  today is taylor (18!!) and bailey’s (14!)birthday!! wow time flies so fast.  so thankful for you two.  a very happy birthday to you!

here’s to another beautiful year ahead for the both of you!

his new spring look….

kids

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no, no, not the crazy morning hair.   that has always been there…

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yesterday, we were in for something that would change your world mr. samuel.  or well the world as you use to see it.  yesterday was the day samuel got his new spring look…

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yes a big yay for your new glasses!   a few weeks ago we went to your long awaited eye appointment.  your doctor was amazing to say the least! they dilated your eyes and somehow with all the screaming, she was able to tell that you were extremely far sighted for your age.  you had been struggling to focus so much that one of your eyes would tend to drift.  she referred to this as strasbismus.  she advised us that glasses were the answer for now and she will check back with us in the summer.  we had a few weeks to anticipate what your new adventures would be like.  i have had activities planned to keep your little mind off of wanting to pull them off and all!    to  my surprise and just pure excitement you  l o v e  your new glasses.   i was able to catch your first sites on video which are priceless and will forever be etched in my memory.  i have said it to so many people but seeing you react so positive to this has been one of the top five moments of my life right now.  we take them off for bath time and bed time.  today is only the first full day with them and you got so upset and cried when we took them off.     tonight, (with your glasses on)  you let me read you your first full bedtime story “the little blue truck.”  you actually let me read it! you loved looking at the pages!    we can’t thank our family enough for the prayers and of course st. lucy and bishop fulton j. sheen.   you have so many adventures ahead little man!  it has been so exciting to watch you discover your toys all over again!

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DSC_0234you look pretty darn cute in them too!

DSC_0237we love you sweet boy!

xxoo

rodeo round #2

kids

 we looked forward to this rodeo trip for a while…  the day we got to be with friends and see all the “aminals.”   we didn’t get the memo all the children of the city would be there as well.  us mama’s feel we could survive anything after surviving this rodeo trip!  it was such a crowded day, but we made the very best of it and some of our very best memories!

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DSC_0700we started a tour with our group and after two exhibits we realized it was just too fast and too crowded for the little eyes and feet we had with us.  we ended up doing our own thing at our own pace and had a really great time.

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DSC_0719jude learned to clap at his first rodeo!

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DSC_0736the petting zoo wasn’t what we thought it would be.  after a very long line to wait our turn.  the oldest two of our adorable bunch became the llama’s favorites… the were traumatized to say the least and were ready to get out of that pen!

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bailey, what would i do without you?  always such a huge help!  sienna and samuel enjoyed the stay and played with some of the baby animals….

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DSC_0767nadia happily took the other two out 😉

DSC_0781we took a little break before letting you kids take your very own pony ride!   it was definitely the highlight of the day!

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DSC_0842 we braved the wind and used some extra carnival tickets to let you all ride a ride!  these faces say it all!

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DSC_0864thank you nadia and bailey for enduring that long day with us!  we made some great memories we can for sure look back and laugh at!  thank you also to nadia to letting us take a picture together 😉  us crazy mama’s never get to do that!

(all the kids were strapped in a stroller or a carnival ride!)

yeehaw!

xxoo