It's Been Awhile . . .

Well, we haven't been up to much lately. Noah is up to his same crazy eating habits, as you can see. James has been up to his same mess-making habits. We went to Ikea and got a great storage system for the toys. As you can see, it's really doing a lot of good.

Appreciation

Last night, I was cleaning the kitchen and James said, "Good boy, Mommy."

It's nice to be appreciated!

Oh Boy!

Remember how Noah is a crazy eater? Well, he has taken it to a whole new level.

Homemade

So awhile ago, I was looking through a Pottery Barn catalog and saw some throw pillows that I just had to have, but I couldn't bring myself to spend $25 for just the pillow cover. So I looked closely at the picture and made my own. It's the first time in my life that I have ever sewn anything without a pattern. I'm feeling pretty good today.

Cookie Monster

The pantry is one of Noah's favorite hangouts. A few weeks ago, he found a grasshopper cookie in there and this is how I found him. At least he's happy, right?

Four years!

Today is our 4 year anniversary and since I don't have any pictures of our wedding on my computer, you get this one taken when we were newlyweds. Wow, we looked good back then.

Sorry, but there will be no long narrative about how I'm so blessed and how I have the most incredible husband in the world (even though I do). I just wanted to acknowledge our special day and say that life is good.

Holidays!

The holidays have come and gone and they were wonderful. About a week before Christmas, we took the boys to see the lights and reindeer at Thanksgiving Point. The lights were a huge hit, the reindeer, not so much.

Christmas morning! Can you tell that Noah just woke up. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera for the rest of the day. No big deal though because the kids got sick and most of the day consisted of vomiting. No fun!

On New Years Day, we were all well enough that we could go sledding. It was a blast. James warmed up to it over time and Noah just hung on for the ride.

Hans and James

Noah and Papa

James wasn't so sure about the saucer.

Time for a haircut?

Don't worry. Hans came home for work this same day and took the clippers to him. It's much better now.

Just for Fun!

Well, I have returned to the blogging world with nothing profound to say. I just thought I would post a few pictures from around the house from the last few weeks.

Crazy Days

It has been a crazy couple of days and several things have fallen by the wayside, blogging included (let's not even mention the house and the laundry). So here is my attempt to catch up and also to express some of my thoughts from this last weekend.

#1 - I'm grateful for circumstances that allow us to reflect on the most important things in life. As difficult as these circumstances may be, there is always a silver lining.

#2 - I'm grateful for our prophets and apostles. Elder Hales was at the funeral we attended yesterday and had some beautiful things to say about my uncle, the Lord, and our lives. He had such a presence about him and I have never seen someone who seemed more caring and genuine. He gave up his entire day to be with my uncle's family during this time.

#3 - I'm grateful for the musical number yesterday, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. It's one of my favorite songs and it was absolutely beautiful. It has been some time since I have felt the spirit to that degree. There is truly a power in music.

#4 - I'm am grateful for the ladies who ran the nursery yesterday. It allowed me to pay attention and be uplifted during the services.

#5 - I'm grateful for the knowledge we have of life after this. Everything would feel so empty if it weren't for a knowledge of something greater for us when we leave this life.

#6 - I'm grateful that we made the drive to and from Price safely. That drive is always a little treacherous and yesterday, conditions were less than ideal. The roads were snowy and slick, our windshield wiper fluid froze up, the sun was right in our eyes, and neither of us had sunglasses. Thankfully, Hans is a very careful driver (when he wants to be). Not only did we get there safely, but we got there on time.

#7 - I'm grateful that my kids survived a really hard day that involved a lot of missed hours of sleep. I've realized that I often underestimate my boys. It was certainly hard, but they did much better than I expected given the circumstances.

#8 - I'm grateful for babies. We had the opportunity to attend a baby blessing on Sunday and we'll attend another next week. I just love them. They grow up so fast so I forget so easily what that newborn stage is like. It's nice to be reminded every once in awhile. It almost makes me want another . . . almost, but not quite.

#9 - I'm grateful for my family. My husband and my kids mean everything to me, my parents are amazing people who have shaped the person I am, and my siblings are among my best friends. The Lord sure knew what he was doing when I put us all together.

Warmth

Yesterday:

#1 - I'm grateful for a girls' night. It made for a late night, but was so much fun. Thanks, Summer, for making that happen.

#2 - I'm grateful that Hans let me sleep in. Our kids are early risers so Hans got up with them at 5:45 and let me sleep until almost 8. It was heaven.

#3 - I'm grateful for warm slippers. The cold is settling in and if there is one thing I hate, it's cold feet. I absolutely adore my slippers. This would be a hard time of year for me without them.

Deep Thoughts

Events of the the day have had me thinking deep thoughts and reminded me just how grateful I am for the important things in my life.

#1 - I am so grateful for every moment I spend with my family. Yes, I have times when I want to pull my hair out, but at the end of the day, I know it is truly a blessing to have this time on Earth with the people who are most important to me.

#2 - I am grateful for the beautifully perfect plan the Lord has laid out for us. I can't imagine an existence without a plan that allows us to be eternally happy with those we love. This Earth life is wonderful, but where I can truly see our Heavenly Father's love for us is in His plans for our lives after this Earthly existence. What an incredible promise He has made us.

#3 - I am grateful for the Lord's hand in my life and that can often recognize it. His gospel has made me capable of realizing that there is a reason for everything and the Lord has ultimate control. He is the one who holds every aspect of my life in His hands and I couldn't be more grateful for that.