Mothers Day

SPT This week is something new, and I am glad it was after mother's day! Our family had a great Mother's day Since both my mom, and my mother in law live only minutes away it is sometimes hard to decide where to spend our time on special occasions. This year we decided that we would host a meal for each. When I got up I was expecting to go and get started on breakfast for my mother in law when I found this on the counter.
I love my husband, and the small things he does, it's the note that always makes me melt. so my day started off with my something new, a new watch! it was much needed. here has my last 3 watches
the middle one is the most recent, and the face plate is broken, and the band does not stay done up as well. I love my new watch!

Then we went on with breakfast for my mother in law, but my husband took charge, and I got to sit and enjoy
I didn't get a picture of breakfast, but Jordan made eggs Benedict (with homemade hollandaise sauce) and it was delicious. Our gift to her was the decorated paint can in the middle of the table. I made pampering kit's which I filled with fun little pampering things for her.

Unfortunately we had another meal to do that day for my mom, so as soon as we were finished with one we were working on the other. I must have been too busy with dinner to take any pictures, because I do not have a single one of my mom yesterday.
I made my mom a pampering kit as well, and helped one of my brother with the flowers in a vase full of Jelly beans.

Jordan and I stuffed and put on the turkey, peeled and cut potatoes, and then rushed to get our family ready for church. afterwards we raced home to finish dinner off with Yorkshires, gravy, broccoli and cheese sauce, and the cheese cake that my brother had brought over. Dinner was delicious, and then all of the men in my life (I have 4 brothers) cleaned up while my mom and I talked. It was a busy, but wonderful day!

Day out with Thomas

My mom and I took the boys to Heritage Park today for a Day out with Thomas, and Skyler loved it! I think he was really the prefect age, Ethan was obviously too small to really enjoy, and I think any older would get a little bored with the activities that were planned.
of course Skyler got to ride on Thomas, who looked pretty funny if you ask me. There was a conductor on each car who was dressed to play the part.
Skyler got his face painted like Thomas. I think it looks pretty creepy!
We got Thomas tattoos for our hands, and of course one to take home for later
Skyler rode the merry-go-round (something which has terrified him in the past)
and a ferrous wheel all by himself. This again really surprised me. My little boy is getting a lot braver.
and Ethan fell asleep in the wagon with his new blanket.

There were lots more activities, and I took a lot of pictures, but Skyler loved it, and it was so fun to see him get involved. He is growing up so fast!

The many faces of Skyler

I thought this was so funny. For the last couple of days Skyler has been repeating his many "smiles" as he calls him, so I finaly got out the camera and had Jordan and Skyler pose the smiles
we have our happy smile...
our mad smile...
our silly smile...
and of course everyone has to have a sad smile.

Something old

Lelly thinks of May as wedding month and has challenged everyone to come up with tings that match the saying
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

It is crazy how hard I found it to come up with something old. I have only been married 3 1/2 years, so all of those wedding gifts aren't really old, the old car that we did have - wrote off in a car accident, the old house that we did live in - moved to a new city. It took me a while but I did finally come up with this.
Our lawn mower is old, it spent about 10 years with it's previous owner who sold it to me for $9 at a garage sale last year. I can't even get the baby started, I need my husband to do that , but she works and will buy us a few years before we become proud owners of a new lawn mower.

sleeping easy

So, I am convinced that there is something simple, and notable stupid that has the ability to ruin everybody's mood. Mine is dirty dishes. I cannot stand waking up in the morning knowing that I have a kitchen full of dirty dishes. I really do not like a messy house, but I can live with toys on the floor, but dishes on my counter and beware my mood is about to get really dark. This week I am so grateful for my dishwasher, to me this is a huge blessing.
It is sometimes run every day, and if I host a dinner maybe a few times a day. I love having a dishwasher. My parents always told us that they had 5 dishwashers (referring to me and my 4 brothers) I too have a little dishwasher, but at this stage when he washes dishes, I spend 20 minutes cleaning up the mess he made before I wash the dishes...someday

Skyler's Point of View

I thought this was so fun, although not really intentional. Apparently 2 year old Skyler thinks that he is big enough to be the one taking the pictures now. This is soo cute, I might actually repeat it (although I think a more child proof camera is in the cards.
Not a bad shot by a 2 year old, in fact I really like this, yes, Ethan is a little funny looking, and this captures it all, but he is soo dang cute!
oops... this is just what was on the camera, what do you think he was trying to get a picture of? Your guess is as good as mine.
not so good at centering a picture, but this a an airplane that Jordan made in jr. high school
I am assuming he is trying to capture the mounds of toys that inhabit our living room, I can't wait for the basement to be finished!

sad, I know but it was important to him that he capture what he was watching on television, this happens to be Care Bears!
and, yes this is yours truly early morning, bad hair, bad breath and all!

None of these (except maybe Ethan) are things that I would take pictures of, but in Skylers world, they are what matters!

52 Blessings

52 Blessings, Blessing Number 5

I am grateful for kindness, friendship, love, fun, creativeness, acceptance, beauty...I am grateful for my sister's, ok, so actually I do not have any sisters, but my husband has 3, and I am grateful for them. I think that dealing with your own family who you were raised, by and with is often struggle, and naturally a whole other family thrown into the mix when you get married is not always easy to deal with either. I think that I am very blessed to have in-laws who care so much, and are willing to help wherever possible, but today I am grateful for Sisters.

My sister in law Tamara (the one in the middle) has always been willing to help, this week I was struggling to make a crafty little project (I am great at copying, but can never come up with things on my own) and I called on her in a moment of frustration. She willing helped, and I am very pleased with the result! Tamara was the first to bring a meal over after I returned home from the hospital with Ethan, something that I am sure Jordan is very grateful for too! She is a beautiful mom of 3 beautiful children, and we love to spend time with their family.

My sister in law Jocelyn (the one on the right) recently moved up to Canada from Idaho, and it is great to see her more often. She is a talented photographer, who is great with kids! Skyler is always asking for Dep and Doce, who would be Jeff (her husband) and Joce. She has a beautiful porcelain doll of a baby who Ethan love to push around, because he is just a little older. Jocelyn always has a smile on her face, and looks for the best is any situation. I am grateful for her!

My sister in law Ashlyn (the one on the left) is the baby in the family, and is currently living in Edmonton where she is attending school. My kids love to grab her hand and drag her around the house to play with this toy, or look at that one, and she goes, and makes them feel like it is important. We don't see Ashlyn as often as we would like, but I am grateful that I can call her my sister as well!