Newest Addition To The Family

Yeah, I'm a little delayed.

She's 3 1/2 months old now.

But wasn't it worth the wait?

She's a cutie pie!

Our third sweet little lady. 

World, Hazel. Hazel, world.

New Family Pictures

Thanks to my friend Jesicah and her mad photography skillz.

Great Grandpa Houston

We visited the girls great grandpa today in Washington. We live so far away and don't get to visit much, so it was a nice visit.

Posted from UpdateMyFeed for Windows Phone

Ziploc Ice Cream

Tonight for a fun family activity we made our first batches of Ziploc ice cream. All you need is-

• 1 Gallon Ziploc with ice and 6 tbs salt (we use kosher salt)

• In a quart sized Ziploc add 1/2 cup milk (we used whole milk), 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 tbs sugar.

• Now SHAKE! It takes about 5 minutes on daddy shake time to whip up 1/2 cup of ice cream.

Notes- we added some hershey syrup to our second batch. 

I also read that doubling the batch doesn't work well...

 

Have fun and share your favorite flavors.

Posted from UpdateMyFeed for Windows Phone

Valentine's Love, Headbands and Pancakes

Made these headbands for our little ladies to wear on V-Day.

Had chocolate chip heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast.

And daddy got an awesome Valentine delivery with this sweet little picture inside.

6 Years

That's how long this poor fellow's been stuck with me. 
I am a lucky lady!

Let me count the ways:

• Brings me flowers when I have an amazing day.
• Successfully puts the girls to bed all by himself without complaining.
• Does the dishes.
• Takes out the trash.
• Does the laundry.
• Babysits my friends kids so I can go out with my friends.
• Works hard at school.
• Does church volunteer work as though he were getting paid(works hard because he wants to serve!).
• Is very kind to me and the little ladies.
• Helps those around him who need help.
• Very talented in music, art, speaking, teaching, writing, playing with kids, making friends, keeping friends, caring for our family.
• etc., etc., etc....

You get the picture, I'm a lucky lady!

Kissy face time.

Over the last 6 years we have had a lot of good times and some hard times, 
but look what we got out of it all...

I'm looking forward to many more years and an eternity together.

(How? See here...)

I love you Scott!

Thank you for being such an amazing husband and father.

I never knew how much love my heart could hold until someone called me "mommy." -- Author Unknown

This morning I was woken up at what felt like the crack of dawn by my little Jane. 

7:45 am feels like the crack of dawn when you don't 

go to bed until single digits start rolling around again.

She climbed into bed with me since I couldn't yet speak, move, 

or even open my sandpaper eyes, and cuddled up to mommy log. 

Jane is my talker. 

Well, Lucy can't talk yet, but even still, I know Jane will be my talker. 

She said more at 7:45 am than I will probably say before noon. 

She kept talking and talking, and honestly, I don't remember any of it.

Until this...

"Mommy, you are the best mommy in the whole world."

And then,

"And daddy has the best baby in the whole world, and mommy has 

the best baby in the whole world and I have 

the best sister in the whole world."

Awwwww!

She had me at "mommy".

Have you ever read this quote?

I never knew how much love my heart could hold until someone called me "mommy."
-- Author Unknown

Words could not describe that feeling better.

I feel so grateful to have been blessed with two little angels.

Yeah, there are hard days, but then there are moments like 

this that melt all the hard stuff away.

I have the best daughters in the whole world.

Hope you are finding moments like this during your days.

And Finally...

HALLOWEEN

We had a lot of fun this year. 

Lucy was a sweet little cat.

 

Jane was the cutest witch ever.

Scott was a zombie.

I was a witch too, but I don't have a picture at the moment.

We had a lot of fun the week of Halloween. We trick or treated at the zoo with some friends, 

went to a party at the YMCA and did a Trunk or Treat at church.
Scott and I even went to a "adults only" party and had a really fun time playing games and feeling young again.

Can't wait until next year.

Costumes are already being planned...

Preview to our Summer Fun

Fun at BYU


A Couple of Flying Angels and their Daddy

Time's a Flyin'

I can't believe it's almost May! We have had a few adventures this last month and a half. Here are the highlights:

Lucy's baby blessing went smashingly. I am lucky enough to had a friend that took some beautiful pictures and lucky enough to have great in-laws that came for the fun!

From Spring 2010

I now know how to get poop out of tan carpet (OxyClean Carpet Spray!). Oh, and something that rotted under some toys, yogurt, and miscellaneous dark spots. Good times.

We have 2 girls in one bedroom which I thought would be a nightmare...but it works! While one screams, the other sleeps, and vice versa. It's like magic. (Hope I'm not jinxing myself...)

Jane LOVES the circus. Lucy DOES NOT like loud clowns. I don't like sitting by the animal waste bucket.

From Spring 2010

2 kids + cold season = Never ending sickness. Nothing is more sad than a coughing, stuffed up infant.

There is a light at the end of the Ph.D tunnel. I can almost see it! (Especially when we can bug daddy all day long on the computer. ;)

From Spring 2010

Babies grow way too fast! Lucy can now do circles on the carpet, enjoys gnawing on her hands, and just found her feet today. Sniff.

From Spring 2010

Nebraska has 4 seasons. Stinking hot and sweaty, cold and windy, freakin' cold and windy with too much snow for a human, and warm and ridiculously windy. Yeah, it's not my favorite place.

Making Freezer Jam is so easy! Why didn't I know this before?!?!?

From Spring 2010

I love to make things for other people (and myself). I've been trying to keep busy with some sewing and crafting projects. (And enjoying my new camera and tweaking the photos a little.)

From Spring 2010

Spring has sprung!

From Spring 2010

Being a mommy has ups and downs, but the ups win. I love my goofy kids (and hubby)!

From Spring 2010

Latest Family Pictures

We had these done at JC Penney and I think they turned out okay. They are going up on our wall.

The Dearest Sister Money Can't Buy

Someone to look up to...
I am watching my sweet little niece (Janey) and have secretly taken control of my sister's blog. Yes I am an impostor posting on "Church-a-rama."

When I was little my sister told me I came to the family by means of a store. Yes, the family went down to a store and picked me off a shelf like a cabbage patch kid.

Despite this early traumatization, I would like to pay tribute to my only yet dearest sister, Feather Anne, Seather, HeathRat

From the first day we met...
Heather apparently was very happy to have a little sister to play with. I likely did not yet know any different at that point... I have fond memories of her making me my requested ketchup and sugar sandwiches while she babysat while mom took a nap.

She was always up for some fun times. Though I do not remember much from childhood (does anyone?) I know I always had my big sis. I was dying to go to school like she did. I was aching to be able to roll my tongue for Spanish school like she could (ARRRRRRIBA). I wanted to learn the words to Debbie Gibson and Paula Abdul's songs just like Heather and learn how to do the really cool hand frame dance that Madonna did. Always hoping to be like sis.

She's not afraid of roughing (sp?) it and helped me have a love for the same. We enjoyed many wild and crazy years at Girl's Camp and still enjoy singing camp songs. In an A-Frame such as the one in the picture, we would spend many summer weeks in years to come. Heather helped instill a love for Girl's Camp in me, a place where I made great friends, had wonderful silly times, and strengthened my knowledge and testimony about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

She's a hard-working gal, who enjoys organizing, planning, and taking the horse by the reins- if you know what I mean. Her little babe is amazing due to heather's extensive research and putting in to practice such things as: getting babies to sleep well, eating well (makes her own baby food), avoiding food allergies, sign language... this list goes on and on. If you've met this baby you would know she NEVER cries (okay, almost never). She understands when it's time to go to bed and will quietly sing to herself while she falls asleep and the only real issue is she won't sit still for a diaper change and likes to do 360s while you hold her legs... but that's not Heather's fault. Her house is always filled with amazing artwork and decorative items heather made and hung by herself. I do not have the patience for such things. She always has and puts in to place elaborate home-organization schemes. She also fancies cooking and makes fun and delicious dishes.

She is very silly and will always keep you laughing. Scott wanted someone he could joke around with... well he found her. I was looking through her mission photo album and I do not think there is one single picture where she is not doing something silly making the whole room laugh.

I got to spend my birthday with her (Sunday) and she did so many special things for me that made my day, such as make my favorite cake (pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting, avoiding adding the nuts as I do not like them). Here she is on her mission acknowledging a street with my special day. She was a great little missionary in Brazil and touched many people. And now she speaks three languages! Now of course I am dying to learn Portuguese too.

We have many great memories together.

Thanks for being my big sis and don't get mad I stole your blog. (She just got home and I'm sneaking this blog entry in her newly set up craft corner.) I wish we lived closer so we could hang out more.

I love you big sis and thanks for being there and for all the fun times.