My Family

I love this little family of mine: My handsome hubby, my sweet baby boy and my darling Princess.  We sure have a good time together.  Our days are filled with laughter and dancing.  My Whitney often comes into my bed early in the morning to snuggle me with all her stuffed animals.  She's growing up too quickly.  Today she "graduated" from her first year of preschool.  "Liss Meanne"... that's how she says her teacher's name.  I keep telling Whitney not to grow up too fast.  She says, "I'm just going to be a big girl!"  I miss her.  She loves to be with her friends for hours on end each day.  She can't get enough of the social scene.  Yesterday at "Water Wednesdays" I watched her playing with her friends from a distance.  My mind was blown away by how quickly the past 3.5 years have flown by.  My little Whitney looked so grown up... talking a giggling with the neighborhood kids. Please, please, please make time slow down!  What a good big Sissy.  Many mornings, Whitney will climb into MacKay's crib and read, play or giggle with him.  Sometimes she sits with him on her lap and rocks him while he drinks his bedtime bottle.  

She loves her Bubba.  We all do.  He is pure joy.  Melts my heart every day.  It's neat to have a little one that when you see him, you see yourself.  He is my "mini-me" but has his Daddy's personality.  Always trying to figure out things and is so easy going.  Why can't we all be that way?  He loves animals, basketball, dirt and chocolate.  Today at graduation, he refused the glazed doughnut hole and would ONLY take the chocolate-covered ones.  He be-bops ALL.THE.TIME.  Dancing fools... 

We have almost-daily-dance parties in our kitchen.  My husband is usually the instigator.  He loves music.  

Did I tell you how nice it is to have Bart HOME and NOT STUDYING?   It's great.  Long time coming for that one.  The kids watch for Daddy at the window and run out to greet him.  Bubba's eyes light up when he sees his "DaDa."  MacKay loves to talk to him on the phone... whoever it is on the other end of the line, Bubba thinks it's Daddy.  

These pictures are from a month or so ago.  What a beautiful Saturday morning.  We went up to see the flowers at Temple Square.  It's one of my favorite spots in the whole world.  That's why I was married in the Salt Lake Temple.  

This coming Tuesday, June 5, 2012 it will be exactly 8 years since Bart and I were sealed for Time and ALL Eternity in this beautiful temple.  It's hard to imagine, but I am more in love with him today than I was even back then.  How did I get so lucky to be with such a good person? 

The last few months of moving, starting a new job and getting used to a "new & familiar" place have been stressful to say the least.  I'm glad I get to crawl into a comfy bed next to my best friend each night.  I'm glad that we are both okay with a ghetto t.v. in our room, a washing machine that makes our whole basement smell like a barn, and a date-night that might be limited to a RedBox and popcorn.  

I very clearly remember the emotions I had on our wedding day.  Trying not to tear up when I saw you and we waited to be sealed.  I felt so happy.  So peaceful even though I am usually an emotional basket-case.  

It was a perfect day.  Thank you for marrying me.  

Lately, I've been thinking about the lessons in life I want my kids to know and learn:  First, that they are a Child of God.  Second, that there is always a path back to Him.  Third, the Gospel is true and one of the greatest things they can do is gain that faith and testimony of their own. Their lives will be forever blessed by that faith and following God's commandments.

I want my kids to also know of the unconditional love I have for them and for their father.  I tear up when I think about us being away from each other in this life.  I am so grateful for my Forever Family.  

During this visit, in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Bubba saw a statue of our Savior.  He paused and looked at it for a long time.  It was very sweet.  

Here he is trying to hop into that water.  

These are the good days.  The days when we are together, so happy and having time together.  I never want these days to end.  To my happy husband, my darling Bubba and my spirited Whitney:  

I love you.  

Yes, please get married in the temple someday... 

so your family can be forever too.  

There Is Beauty All Around..

 Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival... Beautiful.  Really, if you haven't been, you're missing out.  It was so pretty.  We went with Natalie, Gavin & McKay Robinson.  What a treat.  Yes, it was quite warm on the day we went... and we were all sunscreened and sweaty.  I didn't mind as long as there was no humidity- which there wasn't.  We walked, talked, walked, took lots of pics and had a great time.  Thanks to Natalie for planning a fun date.  Who knew there was such beauty so close to my house?  Literally, it's less than a 5 minute drive!

Feeding the fish:

Bubba LOVED it!

The Secret Garden.. Whit may or may not have gotten scolded by a 90-year-old woman in this area... 

"Do NOT pick the flowers!"  

Can you say, "Sun Stroke?"

We ended the trip watching about 50 kids roll down this hill.  It was so funny.  We then had the Robinson's over for a bit of BBQ chicken and stuff.  

Mother's Day 2012

Whitney loves to do her own makeup on Sundays.... How precious :)


Bart took the kids in the morning, so I could sleep in for a record time of 9:40 am!  It felt amazing... especially after I had been woken up about 5 times the night before by my 16-month-old.  I was surprised by a delicious breakfast of Cinnamon Life Cereal (Whitney's pick) and a strawberry smoothie.    I loved reading the cute cards my kids and hubby made for me.

We then put Bubba down for a nap (he was tired from waking up his Mama all night long).  Then Whitney and I made a fatty Paula Dean "fruit salad".  After getting ready for Church, we snapped a few pictures of me and the kids sitting on my "new" couches.

It was too sunny.  Neither kid would look at the camera outside:

Church was delightful.  Bart and Bubba snuck some of the Mother's Day Treats they were handing out to the Mom's.  Bubba loves 3 Musketeers & Snickers.  Hmmmm.

All the men taught the kids' classes the ladies could attend Relief Society.  Has my attention span shrunk since being a teacher? YES.

We then drove up to Bountiful to wish Bart's Mom a Happy Mother's Day.  Yummy dinner made by Steve and the gang.  Nothing better than a Utah Spring/Summer day and evening.  Seriously... the best. 

Pics from the evening:

the adults... talking

the kids... being mischievous.

Bart & his boy..

Thankful for these two, who have made me a Mom...

Stephen's Visit

 My brother, Stephen, came to visit our family during his Spring Break.  It was just the week after Easter.  We had a lot of fun.  Bubba & Whitney loved having a "big brother" and we were busy all week long.

He came to my house late Sunday evening.  On Monday morning, we headed up to the Hogle Zoo.  I only made one wrong turn, but thanks to my GPS, we didn't get too lost.
The Hogle Zoo is MUCH nicer than the last time I was here, but it ain't got nothin' on the Columbus Zoo.

Here's a picture of my kiddos and me at the zoo:

Bubba lovin the chocolate, crackers, sandwiches and veggie sticks.

Stephen & Whit:

Bubba and Whitney next to the lactating Gorilla:

He's a Cougar:

You can't tell, but there's some reptile behind Whit.  Love her shoes:

 Just as we're leaving the zoo:

We then stopped by the "This is The Place" Monument.  Very neat!

Statue of Mormon Pioneers.  Anyone else singing, "This is the plaaaaaace!"  right now too? :)

Here's our Whit sitting on an antique chair next to a grave marker.  James Allen is from Ohio... and so is Whitney!

On the drive home, we stopped by East High.  Oh yes... High School Musical was taped here.  Stephen was disappointed Sharpay didn't greet him.

The next day, we went down to BYU.  We had lunch.  Both of my kids were hysterical and Bubba spilled water all over me.  We went and checked out the new dorms.  Stephen can't wait to move down here. 

One evening we went over to Trafalga.  Mini Golf & random things:

We also went up to the Historical Museum up by the U of U.  Look at this giant dinosaur footprint!

Stephen & Brett also went down to see some Arches, Red Rock and camped.  (They storm-chased in Brett's hunka.)

Here's my cute Bubba saying, "Thanks for coming, Stephen!  Please come back soon!"

And just look at that hair....