First Day of Preschool!

Three weeks ago, Emily started her first day of preschool, and I wanted to share a few thoughts about it. It's a JOY SCHOOL type of preschool, where 4 other mothers besides myself take turns teaching in our homes. We all liked the idea of saving money and also having more one on one time with our younger child while our older child is at preschool. It's only once a week for 2 hours, which is the perfect time for our 2 and 3 year-old girls. Emily has loved every minute of it! For Valentines Day, she learned about love and friendship in Preschool and came home with pink and red paper hearts which she had decorated. The next day, when she and I were making pink heart shaped Rice Crispy Treats at home, she kept telling me with much excitement, "Dat a pink heart, mommy!" How cool that she had learned that at preschool! She's quite proud of her back-pack she takes with her and tells me all about her friends and what she learned at school.

Our fun group of girls (minus one girl who's on vacation)

I am especially looking forward to when it's my turn to teach the kids because teaching is one of my greatest passions! I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and then taught preschool for several months before Emily was born. It was difficult to leave my classroom, but I knew I needed to be at home with my kids, and I have never regretted my decision to stay at home. However, I have always missed it, and I know this joy school will be just another great opportunity for me to continue teaching other children besides my own and fulfill that need within me to make a difference.

Tag Team

Since three of my friends tagged me the same day, I better do it, so here we go!

GETTING TO KNOW ME, A - Z
A - Attached or Single: Attached...to a hunk named Wade ;)
B - Best Friend: Wade, my Mom, and my sisters
C - Cake or Pie: Pie! Especially Pumpkin or Banana Cream
D - Day of choice: Sunday because it's our family day! I love that the four of us can just be together and enjoy life! Plus I have the best church calling ever...Primary Music Director!
E - Essential Item: walking shoes, hair straightener, band-aids, Michael McLean CD
F - Favorite Color: Blue or Green
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: I'm not a candy person, but I love the "dirt" dessert with chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos, and gummy worms sticking out the top! Yummo!
H - Hometown: Santa Clara, UT
I - Indulgence(s): Costa Vida/Cafe Rio, fruit smoothies, chocolate ice-cream, reading a good book
J - January or July: Definitely July...I love the summer time!
K - Kids: They’re the best. I feel like I was born to be a mother!
L - Life is incomplete without: my family, the gospel, and laughter!
M - Marriage Date: October 16, 2003
N - Number of Siblings: 5 -Steven, Randy, Margaret, Nicholas, and Ruthanne. I love you guys!
O - Oranges or Apples: Apples...Fiji Apples, right Traci?!
P - Phobias or Fears: I'm afraid of losing someone close to me, but like my favorite scripture says...
Q - Quotes: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (Doctrine & Covenants 6:36)
R - Reason to smile: Wade, Emily and Jonathan!
S - Season: There’s something to love about all the seasons, but spring is probably my favorite!
T - Tag Three friends: Kim, Karen, and Mardi
U - Unknown fact about me: I'm terrible at playing tennis, but I'm actually pretty good at playing Volleyball
V - Very favorite Store: Target
W - Worst habit: biting my nails!
X - X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasound; I love seeing those cute first baby shots!
Y - Your favorite food: Pork Salad, Lasagna, Salmon
Z - Zodiac: Sagittarius

Play! Play! Play!

Last week, I met my friend, Michelle, at McDonald's so our kids could have fun in the play place together, and we could sit and talk and eat kiddie cones! :) It was so funny because Emily would climb to the top and then rather than sliding down the slide, she would climb back down and call, "Mommy, Mommy!" She didn't seem scared at all to be lost in this neon-colored maze, but it was obvious that we never go to to McDonald's, so the poor kid was just new at this. Zach was really sweet trying to show Emily how to find her way out.

Right after we left the restaurant, I dropped the kids off with my SWEET friend, Traci, so that I could go volunteer at Welfare Square and can my food storage. (My sister, Margaret, has been great to motivate me to increase the food storage for our family.) These are some fun pictures of Emily and Jon playing with Etta and her dog, Hatcher!

And here is my list for The Top 5 Reasons I love having Traci watch my kids:

#5 Hatcher! This is the only time my little girl feels like she has her own dog. Emily LOVES playing with Hatcher and Jon gets excited being around this beautiful big dog as well.

#4 It's Free! She and Andy watch our two kids and we watch their two kids. I love this deal, and it doesn't cost either of us any money. Great concept, right?

#3 Gibson. Traci's little guy is just younger than Jonathan, but it's so cool how they sit by each other and just chill, playing/eating the toys together. You know they're going to be best buddies someday.

#2 Etta. This little girl is the epitome of sweet. She and Emily have always got along so well and just have a ton of fun playing together.

And #1 Traci genuinely loves children and engages my kids in fun activities like playing instruments, singing, dancing, reading, playing dress-up and tea party, and jumping on the love sac ;)

Isn't it hilarious how toddlers ALWAYS seem to wear sunglasses upside down? They're so cute!


At Music Makers (a mom-taught music class) on Friday, we had a Valentine's Party for the kiddos. After singing some Valentines Songs, playing the instruments, and of course dancing around, the kids exchanged Valentines, ate some goodies, and then played! This is a fun group shot I took.

After the Valentine's party, just before nap time, we had story time with Zach, Emily, and Salote. Emily loves that I watch her friends a few days a week because it makes life WAY more fun for her! These three kids could read all day if you let them. They climb on the bed and start "reading" while I put Jon down for a nap, and then I join them and read to them for another fifteen minutes or until I feel they have calmed down enough for their naps!

Nap time is a joyful time in my house, and I know most of you would agree! ;) I read books, check email, update my blog, fold laundry or scrapbook while I watch American Idol recorded from the night before or my favorite chick flicks, like Anne of Green Gables. Does that sound a little bit like quiet time at YOUR house? I'm curious, what do you all do to relax while kids are napping or at school?

Girls Week in St. George

Since I hadn't seen most of my friends in St. George for a long time and the nonstop snow here was just getting ridiculous, I decided to spend a week there so I could enjoy the sunshine and my girls! Because Wade has been so busy this semester, we felt like while I was gone, he could study more effectively without his CUTE FAMILY around to distract him. (We're good at that!) And maybe he could even get ahead in his classes. It was a win-win situation! He could study and I could play! Sounds fair, right? Being apart from him just made me appreciate him more, and although we did miss him, the kids and I had a blast spending time with some of our favorite people!

Here I am with my best pals, Kristal Joy and Brandi Wilcox. Aren't they gorgeous girls? I think it's ironic that they are both dental hygenists and I hate going to the dentist! But I love them! Brandi is 9 months pregnant here, and she would probably LOVE that I am putting this picture on my blog. :) We had a great time just hanging out at my mom's house, talking, laughing, and just catching up with one another.

The kids were being funny and wouldn't look at the camera because they were too busy talking and looking at each other. Kristal is holding Regan, (her other little girl, Sophie, is asleep and not in the picture). I am holding Emily and Jonathan. And Brandi is holding EJ. I am happy to say that EJ's little brother, Isaac, was born a week later. He is a cutie and is doing fine. Congrats Brandi!

Emily, EJ,and Regan jumping on the trampoline and playing in the treehouse at my parent's home, while we three moms chatted with each other, of course!

Jon loved swinging in this swing, as soon as I turned him around AWAY from the sun. Before he was sitting in the swing, with the sun right in his eyes. He was like, "Mom, what were you thinking?"

I had a really nice visit with the Sonju's, a family I used to nanny for. Jon is in Madi's lap and Andie is sitting next to her. The other two sisters, Macey and Hallie were playing with Emily. I always enjoy talking with their mom, Leslye. She's such a good example to me of the kind of mom I want to be. While I was there, my friend, Caralee Baker came to pick the girls up for cheerleading class. It was so fun to spend time with her and her beautiful daughter, Sydney.

Emily and Jonathan probably had the most fun with their grandparents, my mom and dad. My dad, "Papa" as they call him, would turn on this vibrating foot massager and Jonathan would crawl over, climb up on it, and just giggle and giggle as it vibrated and tickled his belly or back. It was awesome to watch the two of them play together. I couldn't tell which one was happier, my dad or my son. Next to my husband Wade, my mom is my best friend! We really enjoyed our talks together and going shopping and out to lunch. She is a sweetheart and always makes me feel so special. I just love my mom. I also had a nice time with my brother, Nicholas, and his wife, Summer and their kids as well as my sister, Ruthanne and her husband, Austin. Friday evening, I attended a temple sessoin with Ruthanne and Austin and even saw my parents there since they work at the temple on Fridays. Thanks again to Kristal for watching my kids so I could be at the temple! On Saturday just before I left, we watched President Hinckley's funeral together as a family. He was a very special prophet, and a fine example of genuine kindness and a positive attitude. I will never forget him.

I just adore my cute grandparents and since they live next door to my parents, it was easy to walk on over and spend an afternoon with them. My Grandma Lang couldn't have been happier to have visitors. She was so sweet playing with my children. And they loved it as well! She even has cool toys and cookies...what a awesome Great-Grandma!

I couldn't resist adding this darling picture of Jonthan crawling under the table. He's my funny little guy!

This is Beau, my parent's famous 3 legged dog. He is the sun and the moon in Emily's eyes. She just can't get enough of him. "Yes, Emily, you can have a dog someday, but not today. Let's wait till daddy's done with school and we have our own home and a big back yard for you and the dog to play together." :)

Although I didn't take any picures, I wanted to mention how much fun I had with Mardi, Kristal and Kayla for lunch at Pasta Factory! They all have little kidos of their own now, and it's fun to watch as our kids all grow and change each time we see other. Before lunch, we all met at the library so our kids could enjoy storytime, and it was a awesome to also see Tammy and Sarah. This week in St. George was just a nice, much needed break! I LOVED spending time with my good friends and with my family. But at the end of the week, it was nice to be back home.

Look-a-Likes, Wrestling, and Bedtime

Look-a-likes? What do you think? Can you tell they are brother and sister?

Jonathan - 10 months old

Emily -10 months old
If you can't tell, Jon is saying, "This is the story of my life!" Emily loves to wrestle her little brother! And he loves it too...at first...and then he tries to escape from her. The phrase I say in our house more than any other is "Emily, get off of your brother!" It's a joy as a mom to watch your children play together, but then when one of them is surrendering and doesn't want to play anymore, but the other one persists and continues to torture their sibling...look out...mom's going to give "the look" and someone's going to time out! ;)

So, I love my husband! Wade is the best daddy to Emily and Jonathan. Every night, we work together to get the kids ready for bed, but as you can see from the picture, Wade loves to tickle and play with the kids, which makes them laugh and giggle and hyper! And of many of you know from experience, it's difficult to put kids to bed when they are all wired up! Sometimes I have to be the strict one, and calm everyone down, including Wade! :) But the best nights are when we all play together and climb on mommy and daddy's bed and toss the kids into the big pillows and then the kids tackle us until we're all laughing so hard that we can't laugh anymore, and THEN we get the kids ready for bed. Life is good here...

Some of our favorite moments

Since Wade and I have been wanting to start a blog since last Fall, I thought it would be fun to share with you some of our favorite moments captured on camera.

Our happy doggy and cute little monkey had a fun Halloween!

Jon taking a quick snooze in his carseat before we went to a Halloween Party

Wade and Emily playing in a big pile of leaves. Wade is such a sweet daddy!

This was just after Emily got her first hair cut in December. I also got my hair cut...a whole 12 inches and then donated it to Locks of Love. After losing 25 lbs between August and December, I cut my hair and bought some new "skinny" clothes for the new "ME!" This achievement was a big excitement for me. It felt really good to meet my goal!

Merry Christmas Emily! She received a play kitchen, which she still plays with everyday! As you can see, she needs a step stool to be able to reach the microwave. It's hilarious to watch her run into my bedroom to pick up the stool and then run back to the play room with it so she can use it to help her reach the top.

Jon received a Walk N Ride for Christmas and loves getting pushed around on it. When we turn it into a walker, he's still slow and steady, but he's getting closer everyday to walking on his own .

Here is our handsome little guy all dressed up in his new Christmas outfit. His smiles are so contagious. We just love him!