A visit from Aunt Becca

My kids are seriously blessed with the greatest family. Everyone in our family is so perfect for the kids, in their own way. Aunt Becca drove from Utah to Colorado this weekend to spend time with us. We picnicked at the park,  strolled through shops and the farmers market, rode our tricycles, and read books. Harper screamed her way through Target, but we won't talk about that. Ha.

We love you Aunt Becca. We miss you Aunt Heidi, Lauren, Faye, Elle, and Candace. Seriously, my kids have no shortage of terrific women they can rely on. And that doesn't even include grandmothers and great grandmothers.

Everybody is growing like weeds!

Okay y'all. Time is going by too quick.

Harper is 18 months now. She has a terrific personality. Very sassy. I don't know what I'm going to do about that. !! She loves stuffed animals, baby dolls, and books. She can say all her ABCs and she knows the sounds that each one makes. She says new words every day. The pediatrician was afraid that she has mild hearing loss, but I think the fact that she can repeat what we say and answer our questions proves that theory wrong.

She amazes me everyday.

Big Jed has been working hard, as always. He never takes a break. (Well, he does, to read the news or bake me a cake or something.) We applied for a co-manager position in Kentucky. If he gets accepted, it will be a definitely new adventure for us. But if he doesn't we will keep applying to other places. Our next place to apply to if Kentucky doesn't work out is either Arizona or Northern Idaho.

Little Jed is quite the character! He loves to make faces. He pretends all different types of emotions in one setting. "Mom, I'm sad (Frowny face). Now I'm happy! (Smily face) Now I'm scared!! (surprised face, with twitching eyebrow)" He is hilarious.

Robbie and Jeddie are best friends, as always! They love playing together trucks, tractors, trains, and their recent adventure together is cooking in their brand new play kitchen Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Jim got them for Christmas. They pretend to bake all sorts of creations with their ingredients, just like Dad does.

I'm (Madeline) getting off my lazy bum and training to run a 5k. That might not sound like much, but for me, I get winded at just running for 3 minutes. My goal is to be able to run 3 miles without stopping or getting out of breath in just 10 weeks. My reward, if I can do it, will be a new pair of shoes! (my current tennis shoes were my running shoes in high school, ha!)  I've already gone out to train 3 times now, and I'm already walking around like I'm 80 or something. My legs are so sore.

But other than that, I just play with the kids, keep the house tidy (yeah right, still working on that) and serve in my calling at church. I'm trying to keep it simple and pay as much attention to the kids as I can. I know they won't be this little forever.

We are all so excited for this summer! I can't wait to see you all. Robbie is always asking to ride the airplane to Grandma and Grandpa's house. He'll be so happy to go to the beach and see you all there!!

Jeddie's 4th Birthday

Lil Jed is beyond excited to be 4 years old! We are so blessed to be his parents and can't wait to see what this year has in store for Jeddie.

His favorite food changes everyday... but we pretty much can narrow it down to pizza and icecream- and don't forget about the pink. (Pink is a strawberry smoothie)

He is so empathetic. He surprises me everyday on how sensitive he is to other people's feelings. When I am overwhelmed but am trying to hold it together- he could be all the way across the room but he'll stop what he is doing and ask me "Mom, what's wrong? Are you okay?" or he'll say "Why are you sad?" There are times when I'm reading the scriptures and I feel the Spirit so sweetly, and then he'll immediately put his toys down, stand up and say "Jesus makes me feel happy!" It's incredible.
He translates Robbie and even Harper's baby language for me when I just don't understand what they are saying. He really doesn't like it when Robbie and Harper cry- it makes him very sad.
Jeddie loves Primary and his playdates with all his church and neighborhood friends. He can never get enough of friends and loves each and every single person he meets. No one is a stranger to him!

Preschool was so much fun. He loved every minute of it and would tell us everyday what was taught. He would even try to teach me a lesson or two, just like his teacher would teach him.
But for this year, we decided that we would continue preschool at home and rethink for preschool next year. He already knows everything in the 3yr class curriculum, was much older than many of his classmates, and overall we feel he could experience better things by going with us to the zoo, on hikes, and to the farm, instead of sitting in the preschool classroom. Instead of getting a step up by going to preschool, he was being left out. We'll continue playdates for him, because we know how important that is for children- especially for him.
-Madeline

Hey lil Jed! We love you so much. We are so proud to be your parents and are trying our best to raise you how Heavenly Father wants us to. You are an amazing little boy and we can't wait to see how you grow up into a man of God.
The other day you were eating dinner at Nana's counter, then you quickly turned around and interrupted Mom and Dad's conversation to say " Dad, when I grow I want to be just like you. Okay?" And Dad choked on his food, and managed to get out an "Okay, Jed." You were pleased with the answer and turned back around and continued to eat your food like nothing spectacular had just happened. But something did! You reminded Dad of his biggest role... being a good example and father to you! I'm sure you gave him more determination to be a good example to you. We love you! Love, Mom and Dad.

Getting ready for church

In the few minutes before I herded the kids to the car for church:

Robbie hilariously demanded that he wear the baby tie to church.

And Jeddie REALLY didn't want his picture taken.

Harper was like "oooh a straw!" but in baby babble it sounded like "ba de gum"

Jeddie finally came around to saying cheese for the camera.

And so Robbie decided it was HIS turn to refuse getting in a photo. He just laid there, exactly knowing what I was trying to do.

Then I said "Robbie! What's that!?" And he popped right up. But of course Harper looked away, sweet girl. She was tired of the camera.

How did your Sunday morning go?

-Madeline