Rainbows Cakes, Linus Takes, Throaty Aches, Anniversary Dates

We just finished a unit on colors in "Sammy School", and the boys were so proud of their finished rainbows we just had to document the moment for posterity!
To celebrate the occasion, we made "rainbow cakes" (chocolate cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles) which Sam and Jake had a ball helping Mom mix and make. Looks like fun, eh? They're doing really well with the school time, they look forward to it, and Jake's speech is increasingly clear lately. They even know part of the Pledge of Allegiance!

Miley Sue has recently taken up thumb sucking (greeaaattt) like her biggest brother, but I've noticed the past couple of days she's pulled the "Linus" thing-holding her blankie and rubbing it on her face. It's soo cute, but she won't do it when she sees the camera, so I had to get her sleeping after she fell asleep doing it. We're still encouraging the "blinkie" (that's what Sam calls her pacifier) as often as we can catch her with her thumb.







Oh, we went to our new ward Sunday, which was okay. We have new callings--Activities Committee! YIKES! I think the Lord picked us because we haven't been, um, exactly Gun-ho about going to ward activities in the past, so now we get to plan them! (Yay us.) I don't know really what to expect, I think I'm a little worried about it and the time it will need. Everyone I talk to thinks it's such a fun calling, but they also add in the same breath "but it's so much work!" So, if anyone out there has any ideas for fun activities or know of one they went to in the past that they thought was great PLEASE let us know!

In health news, the boys had strep this week, so they're both on antibiotics. I'm praying Miley doesn't get it. They both got something called strawberry tongue, which is where the strep infection makes their tongues swell and look like a strawberry with little tiny sores on it. It's pretty painful. I think I'll look at taking out stock in children's Motrin and Tylenol when this stock market crisis gets straightened out. The kids being under the weather was the reason we didn't do anything super grand for our 7th anniversary on Sunday. I cooked a steak dinner that the whole family ate by candlelight, had a coconut cream pie for dessert and then Craig and I toasted each other with some chilled Martinelli's after the kids went to bed. It was quiet, but the bestest thing in my book is spending time with my family and my darling, wonderful kind, sensitive, handsome, funny, charming and adorable husband. I am truly happiest by his side and surrounded by my little whirlwinds of cute, fun and love!

Birthday Boy!

We celebrated Sam's birthday this week, which deserves a post all by itself! I can't believe he's 4!!! Where did all the time go? I really understand why everyone says that you blink your eyes and they grow up! We asked Sam what he'd like to do for his birthday and he said "Have a Thomas Party." Well, since the train museum is look but don' t touch, we said he could have a Thomas train cake, but we needed to do something like the Dinosaur museum or the Children's Museum. He decided on the "kid's museum" and it's all he's talked about this week. But, to keep a part of the train in it, we took Frontrunner from Woods Cross into SLC and then Trax to Gateway, where the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum is. Both the boys loved the train ride! (Miley stayed with Grandma Karen for this outing so the boys could have Mom and Dad's undivided attention.)

The "Kid's Museum" was a lot of fun! They had a ball station where the boys had a blast watching the balls in all the machines and doodads. They also have the Kid's Eye View, which is a construction zone, house, market, gas station, water works and farm made just for kids. The boys enjoyed looking at things and trying out the different activites. We noticed that they tended to gravitate towards "kinetic" things, like the water works and balls, and they spent time looking and watching and trying to figure out how it all worked.

The museum also had a TV news studio and a Lifeflight helicopter the kids could look at and climb in and out of. We had fun clowning around in front of the green screen (a little Who's Line is it Anyway flashback) and seeing the boys "fly the hellicoppa" as Jake called it.

We when got done at the museum, we strolled around Gateway and then headed home on the train. Then, we ate some pizza at Robintino's, picked up Miley from Grandma's and then came home for presents, cake and ice cream! Yum!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMMY! YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF OUR LIFE AND SUCH A GREAT KID!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Catching Up Stuff

Hi Y'all! Sorry it's been so long since we've updated, but you know what happens when you're having fun! Actually, there's been a lot of changes lately in our lives, so it's been pretty crazy. I think that last time I mentioned that Craig's hours were changing, which they have, and he now works 4 10 hour shifts a week. It actually ends up being more, though, since he's a one man show doing wound care at SDCH and a couple of days a week he ends up having to wait for a doctor to do his thing. We also have news that our ward was split a few Sundays ago and today we get to meet for the first time. It's a bummer, though, because only a few families followed us into the new ward and our new chapel is now 1.5 miles away, across two very busy streets, so we miss our old building just a street away. I keep having to remind myself that it's the true church and not the true ward, but we miss all our friends. And Sammy was just getting warmed up to his primary teacher, too. Craig and I saw Body Worlds in Salt Lake last week and HIGHLY recommend it. It was very cool. It's so amazing how incredible the body is. I have many questions for the celestial committee, but there is no doubt in my mind that our bodies are examples of divinity. I echo the sentiment that Abraham Lincoln said so eloquently: "I know not how a man looks into the heavens and says there is no God."

Miley had her 4 month check up, she's now 13.2 lbs, and 23.5 inches long! She's put on another inch of height and is right in the 60th percentile. She laughs, giggles, squeals, "talks" to Mom and Sammy at any time, holds her head up like she's done it forever, and loves toys. She's definately a girl, 'cause she LOVES to look at and play with jewelry. (Gotta have that Bling!) She tried cereal this week for the first time, too. I'm not too sure it was a hit.

Hey Sailor!

When I talked to my mom yesterday afternoon, she asked if we could meet the family at McGrath's at 8 pm. I said sure, wondering what it was all about. Mom just said that she and Dad had to "discuss" something with all of us (meaning Me and Craig, Joey and BriAnne) present. Then she said "Oh don't worry, it's a good thing."
So, I get this feeling "Wade's here." I tell Craig, who was at work dealing with nincompoop doctors about McGrath's. He was a little hesitant. (McGrath's=fish) But he said he'd meet us there. I clean up the kids and head over, grabbing the camera. (I learned a long time ago to trust those funny little feelings.) So...I was a little surprised to walk in and find no sailor there. I asked mom and dad, and they (sneaky sneaky) started going off on how I am sooo wrong and the Navy was jerking Wade's chain about his leave before going off to Zanzabar or wherever and he possibly won't be able to come home, when SUDDENLY--

IN WALKS A GORGEOUS SAILOR BOY!! WOWEE! WELCOME HOME WADE!!

He looks great! And it's great to get to see him! (And it's also nice in a small way to go, hah! I was right!) So now we get to see him before he goes on his deployment! The kids are ecstatic to have their "Unka Wade" to play with, and he got to cuddle miss Miley cuddlebug for the first time. So, thanks to all who said a prayer that he could come home! We're definately going to cherish this time before he goes and serves over ocean deep. God Bless the men and women AND their families in the military for all their service and sacrifice! Anchors Away! GOOO NAVY!!

Two Little Cookie Monsters

YUUMM COOKIE!!!

Craig caught the boys dipping into the cookie dough bucket, feeding each other a little forbidden fruit! I guess we need to push the healthy food a bit more, seeing how the other day Craig asked Sam what he wanted for dinner and Sam said "ummm, chocolate and coke." !!?? (Trust me, these kids don't get coke, they're wired enough without a stimulant!) Actually, they do pretty well, but their favorite vegetables consist of corn on the cob and french fries (if those count as a vegetable). Sigh. Maybe one of my kids will turn out liking tomatoes, squash, olives, fish--despite Craig's best efforts. Oh well, a girl can dream, right??

The kids were clowning around with the sunglasses the other day before the storm hit. It brings to mind the 80's song "My future's so Bright, I gotta wear shades!"














You know, I think back on the days before they came along...my world must have been very, very boring. Very quiet. Very clean. Very colorless. Very serious. Very very very boring.
Even though they make life a hot mess of mayhem and foolishness sometimes, I wouldn't trade any minute for anything in this world. (My apologies to Niecey Nash). I JUST LOVE MY FAMILY!! (oh yeah, the recipe's been updated, check it out!)

Wrestle Mania!

We're kinda boring I guess, since we didn't do much but clown around this weekend. We did some yardwork and we watched our Boys in Crimson win (Sammy says "Gooooooo Utes!")! The boys and Craig played wrestlemania too! Miley sat in the rocker and was quite funny with her squeals and sideways glances she kept giving the boys. (Silly rabbits!)

Sunday we kept the kids out of church since they all seem to have the sniffles and a cough, and then we went to the Ford Family Night at Craig's parents and talked about all the upcoming events for the next few months. It's going to be pretty busy. Craig's schedule at work is going to be changing (again), but more on that later.

My little brother Wade, who's in the Navy called us yesterday and told us his deployment might be moved up to the end of this month, so we're really hoping he'll get to come and see us before he goes. We haven't seen him in over a year and we miss him lots. So everyone please say a prayer or two that he's safe and he'll get to come home for a week or so before he goes off to where it's 130 degrees in the shade (where you may ask, is that? He's not at liberty to say.)

I've decided to add a spot on the bottom of our page for favorite recipes. Check out this week for an idea to use all that Zucchini that the zucchini fairy blesses us with this time of year! (This one's for you, Joey.)

Smiley Miley Sue!

We love this girl!!