May

Time just keeps flying by...........

It was a fun, busy week. I got a 6 hour date night with my man. We went car shopping, ate dinner, cheesecake, and then my oh so patient hubs took me to the mall and patiently let me get what I needed to get in the time frame of my choice. It was also fun just talking and walking off some our divine Mango Key lime cheesecake(Yum). I live for date nights with Eric. We have so much fun together and it's just nice to break away from life and go into our own little world. For moments there's not a worry in the world when I am with him. I am one lucky girl to have such a great guy by my side.

On Saturday I finally used my gift card that Eric gave me for my birthday in January. He got me a one on one session with a cannon camera expert who showed me the ins and outs to my camera. Man, I was not using my camera to it's full potential. I learned a lot. There will be(and has been) lot's of experimenting trying to use my cameras potential outside of auto mode. I may get some good pictures by the time my kids are in High school. I love photography though and love experimenting on my own kids!

The Kids loved playing the game Sorry with Dad. Avery always excels when it comes to playing games. She has such a good memory. Eric even gets frustrated when they play Memory because she is so good at it. She can even trick her Dad! Sorry is the kids new favorite game. It doesn't really matter what game it is though. They love Playing them. Dad is pretty good about playing a game with them a few nights a week before they head off to bed. It always ends up being more than that though because they ask every night and the old man is a softy!!!

Little conversation from dinner tonight.....

Mom: "Thomas what did you learn at church today?"
Thomas: "I learned to follow Jesus"
Mom: "How are you going to follow Jesus?"
Thomas: "I am going to follow in his footsteps.....<pause>.....and I think it will be easier when there's snow on the ground"

He then got off the table to physically show me how he is going to follow those footstep in the snow. The best!!

So much going on this week, month, year.....but I hope to still be able to blog often! That's the goal. My Mom is so kind to come out this week so Eric and I can go house hunting. We have some good potentials this trip, so we are anxious to get out there. It would be nice to find a place to buy or rent before we move out there. My Mom, Dad and Sister are even kinder to take good care of the kiddos so Eric and I head to Hilton Head in a few weeks for work(but mostly play) and celebrate our 9th Anniversary alone before life gets kinda busy. Can't wait!!!!! Hopefully I can document this month with a picture or two. So....here's to good times in May!!!

Birthday party continues.......

Avery's 6th birthday came and went, but I wanted to do a special little birthday party with a few of her best buddies before we leave. The girls had such a great time. We made fruit loop necklaces, painted nails, played dress up, and the girls even created their own map and did some exploring around the house.

Making necklaces and bracelets with fruit loops....

I didn't get a picture of all the girls with the sparkling nails, but here they are sporting the necklaces they created. I took a quick picture before they gobbled them away!

We are all caked out at our house, but who doesn't like an ice cream sandwich??? You've got cake and ice cream in one. And yes I put a candle in Avery's and we all sang to her again!

I wanted to have a small girlie party for Avery to be able to have a fun time with her friends and to also thank her for all that she does for me. She has been my right hand little buddy for the past few months and has been such a huge help to me without being asked most of the time and without complaining. I may have crashed that night at 9pm but it was worth it to see her enjoying being a giggly little girl with her friends. She had so much fun!

Easter weekend......

This Easter was one of my favorites! We were all together on Saturday playing and relaxing in the morning. The Easter bunny came around after lunch and hide some eggs during quiet time. Mom and Dad created a very simple(not so full of candy) basket for each of the kids to find around the house and the kids were thrilled. They then went to look outside to see if the Easter bunny had come and sure enough they spotted some colorful eggs.

Sorting out the goods.......

Saturday evening was even better. It's also the kids Spring break and we decided to take them our to our favorite pizza joint. We laughed, talked and ate till we were stuffed. It was a beautiful day so we decided to stop at a park on our way home. There was a river that ran into a pond by two swing sets and play equipment. We walked over the river on a bridge and spotted two turtles. One was parked on a log and looked to be dead and the other was slowly swimming towards us. The kids were so excited(esp. my animal lover Brynnley). We named them and watched them for at least 20 minutes. We even saw a "reindeer", ducks, and geese. It was like we were at the zoo! The air was perfect. I loved watching my kids laugh and play together for hours. They were trying to swing as high as they could pumping their legs with all the energy they had(even Brynnley was swinging on the big kid swings). Avery and Thomas showed us her monkey bar skills, they played on the kids zip line, and went down the slide a million times. Brynnley was in her element running and squealing none stop. It's the simplest things that I love doing with my family. It makes me happy. Eric and I just sat and watched them and felt so blessed.

Sunday was spent going to church, talking about the life of our savior, and eating a delicious simple Easter dinner together. This year my kids really understood what Easter is truly about. Thomas on the way home from church talked to us about the life of Jesus and how the mean guys killed him but he was resurrected and lives. He told the story to us(with all the details) just as his teacher probably taught it. It was sweet. It was a simple Easter that focused on what is truly important and that is why is was so perfect to me and one of my favorites. Nothing brings me more joy in life than creating simple memories and traditions with my family.

Oh and thanks to a wonderful Relief Society craft session, I even managed to bust out these sugar Easter eggs. We started with two halves of a sugar molded egg and from there we frosted them how we wanted and then creating a little Easter scene inside with random doo dads they supplied us. It was a lot of fun and everyone created something different. I think I had even more fun laughing with my friends. I have met some great people here that I will miss so much!!

"Did that make you happy Mom?"

After dinner, Thomas took it upon himself to wipe down the table and came to tell Eric and I about his serviced rendered to help us out. He must have felt pretty good about it because I went back into the kitchen to find him cleaning the last dish that was soaking and after he put that to the side to dry, he cleaned out the sink till it was shinning. He has a pretty good role model to teach him that this is what guys do and will make a pretty awesome husband someday!! When he was all done he came to me and said, "Did that make you happy Mom?"

I love this little boy so much. He is all boy but has such a tender heart. He asked me tonight if he was all clean inside. Thomas is my thinker. He is always thinking and asking questions. Based on that question I knew he was thinking about what we talked about in FHE last week. To be very brief, we talked about choosing the right amongst other things like telling the truth and how when we do these things we will always feel happy and clean inside. I thought it was cute that he wanted to make sure he was clean inside. He also told me he told the truth this week. I sometimes wish I could go inside his little head and see the world through his eyes. I think it would be pretty entertaining! I love you my sweet little man of the house!

The Sass face......

It does exist!! She is pretty much made of all sugar but every once in awhile there's a sprinkle of salt. It's pretty funny! This is her face when she is bugged or mad. As I said in her birthday post, she will always stand up for herself. I can't remember why she was mad in this picture but I remember laughing!! I can never take that mad face serious as she almost always happy. Hopefully the sugar continues to outweigh the salt as we enter the "2's"(even though I personally think the "3's" have replaced the terrible "2's"). I am always optimistic that each year will be total bliss. Ha!!

Whatever it was, it didn't last too long!!

My little girl had her 2 year check up today and she is tall(shocker) and average in weight.

Weight: 29lbs. (28.4 is the average)
Height: 36" (30" is the average for girls)

She was great at the Dr.'s office. She gave Dr. Bird a stare down for the first part of the physical but was all smiles at the end.

She is healthy and doing great! I even found out she is getting all her 2 year molars(which the Dr. said is early for a 2 year old but not abnormal) but I didn't realize she had one molar that had popped through already and the other 3 were well on their way. She hasn't been eating as good as she normally does so maybe that's why?

We learned this weekend Brynnley loves kicking the soccer ball around. I was laughing because at one point she would jump in the air and kick the ball before she landed. She may follow in her Mom's footsteps and have a love for soccer. It's a pretty awesome sport! Either way, it seems to entertain her for now.

This week is Spring break!!! Yay! I am loving it already and may just keep them home and call it a school year. We have already been having a great time with friends and are looking forward to having a fun, low key.....do whatever we want kind of a week filled with good times of course!! I even get to do something for me! A photographer is coming to the house on Tuesday to teach me more about photography. It is something I love but I am self taught and am in need of professional guidance and he is doing it out of the kindness of his heart!! I figured it is something that would be on the back burner for a long time so I am more than excited about it! No promises that pictures will be any better! It will be fun to get his professional ideas though.

Easter was the perfect weekend!! More on that to come.

April 5th 2006.......(4-5-6)

Happy 6th Birthday Avery Elise Gardner!!!

My sweet not so little anymore girl is growing up! I can't believe 6 years have gone by since she entered this world in Chicago IL almost 2 weeks early. I remember going to my Dr. apt. on April 4th and the Doctor telling me I was not dilated or effaced at all and that I would most likely go to full term. I was fine with that but I can't remember exactly why but that night I really wanted her to come and longed to have her in my arms. I kept telling her to come now and low and behold at 1am on April 5th my water broke. She listened to her Mom and has done so ever since!! Avery was a good baby, a good sleeper and eater. She was basically a dream baby. She never went through the terrible 2's or 3's or 4's. She has always just been my little side kick ready and willing to help, cooperative, and for the most part has always just been happy. I feel so blessed and privileged that Heavenly Father trusted me to be his precious daughters earthly mother. We love her so much!

Eric and I did the traditional birthday decor. She was funny because before she went to bed she kept asking if we were going do decorate, and what would it look like. She said, "I am sure I will know you are decorating when I hear you blow up balloons." The kids really love that part of their birthday so it makes it more fun for Dad and I to get creative. I always think in my mind what their little faces will look like when they come down in the morning. I keep telling Eric he should be a professional party decorator(at least with the crate paper part of it) he is a very talented man.

I did the shrine(as Eric calls it).

Avery's school picture all framed up for the "shrine." I just call it my way of celebrating another year with my beautiful girl.

Eric was pretty much in charge of the crate paper.

We let the kids choose where they want to go for their birthday dinner as a family. This year Avery chose to go to Culver's. Our fast food joint of choice the will forever remind us of Madison Wisconsin. It's fun to see what they will choose each year. So off we went a day before her birthday(because Mom has an activity she is in charge of at church birthday night). No worries she will get her favorite curry chicken dish with red peppers and rice tonight. She deserves to be spoiled today!

I also think she is the smartest girl in the world for wanting a chocolate mousse cheesecake from The Cheesecake factory for her cake this year. Yep....my girl!!! I would have done my typical creation for her this year but I am happy with her choice. I may have given her the option to mix things up a bit this year too : )

Making a wish.....

Opening presents....

By far the gift of the day!! Notice how crazy her hair is....well that's because she was dancing around the house and going crazy when opened up the gift she had been longing for. The new Legos for girls are the cutest creation Lego has ever created! Avery loves them and had been wanting the Olivia house for a long time. The details in it are amazing. She has quite the little village of Legos. My kids love to create things and pretend play with Legos. We will have them forever!! Someday Avery's kids will play with them!!

The best part about Legos.......Dad loves building with the kids just as much as they do!

This picture pretty much sums up the day! It was a pretty good birthday for our Avery. She more than deserves it.

Avery Gardner..........
Is the biggest blessing to me and has been my little angel since the day she was born. She is the sweetest girl with a heart of gold. The other day I was upstairs trying to pick up the house a bit when I heard the vacuum running in the basement. I went downstairs to see what was going on and without being asked she had cleaned and vacuumed the entire basement.

Avery loves to be outside. Lives for playing with friends, her siblings, and doing errands with Mom or Dad. She has always loved that. She makes friends easily and has the greatest imagination. She recently learned to ride her bike all on her own without training wheels(she is competitive so when she saw her brother take off, she was going to be next). And she took off! She still loves to stash things in a purse and her little sister loves to find her treats(that she saves for months) and knows which ones carry the good stuff. She is a girlie girl but also knows how to play hard and we recently discovered how athletic she is with soccer and are excited to get her into a program after we move. She also loves to dance so it will be fun to see what her interests will be as she tries new things next year when we are settled. She is already looking forward to being 7. She is convinced that when she starts loosing her teeth, she will officially be old.

She is a very good student and has enjoyed school very much this year. She is reading well and has even started reading out loud The Book Of Mormon. She is the best big sister in the world and Thomas and Brynnley love playing with her. It is fun to see them all play. The other day they were in the little pool we have outside making up games for hours.

She loves going to church and learning about the gospel. Having little children around is a constant reminder of why the scriptures always say become as a little child. Avery will always say a prayer the moment she looses something. She does that even before coming to me and asking me to help her find it. She is already applying her faith as children so easily do. I am grateful she has such wonderful teachers that teach her every Sunday.

We love you so much Avery Elise!! You are beautiful inside and out and we loved celebrating this special day with you!!!

Best buds!!

Brynnley loves both her siblings but lately she and Thomas are playing a lot together. You often hear them laughing pretty hard at something one or the other is doing. They love to go around the house acting like animals(today they were dogs). Brynnley would say, "Come on doggy!" and Thomas follows.

It's fun to watch them interact and be so playful with each other as she is now a "big" girl and is talking a ton and can pretend play with them more at their level. She mimics everything the kids do. I was telling Eric today how I have been noticing a lot lately that she will make a face Avery does, or say something Thomas would say etc. She is not a baby anymore. Boo Hoo! I must admit though it is a lot of fun watching her grow up into her own little person as it has been with all my kids.

Thomas will say, "Mom, come here!" as I walk over there he is proud to show me Brynnley is giving him a big hug or rubbing his head. His face always lights up.

"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

This was the song that ended a wonderful morning session of General Conference today. After feeling the spirit so strong during conference today, this song more than touched my heart. It is my favorite church song sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I listened to it over and over again until the kids told me, "Conference is over Mom." So I listened to it again. I of course got emotional and then they really got worried and asked why I was crying. I told them I love Jesus. Thomas replied, "Jesus loves us!" Yes he does my boy!

I am grateful this time of year to ponder upon the words of prophets and apostles and to especially ponder in more depth upon the life, death, and resurrection of my Savior at this Easter time. I am grateful for the knowledge and testimony of him. That he lives. That he loved me(us) enough to suffer for all my sins and short comings. We are never alone. He is always there. I am truly grateful for his sacrifice for me so that I can be with my family forever. It's the greatest gift I could ever receive. He gives me hope in a world of much darkness. He brings peace. No one has or ever will suffer more than he did on this earth and yet he still stood strong and did the will of the Lord. I know that if I strive to be like him I will have no need to fear. I am grateful that every time I fall I can be forgiven. I am grateful to be able to teach this knowledge and testimony to my children and that together we will be able to learn more about him and continually strengthen that relationship. I am not sure how many get through life without this knowledge and purpose of life.

What a day that will be to stand in His presence to meet at his feet and thank Him someday. I am sure at that time we will be able to thank Him for every lesson we learned, every heart ache we experienced, every blessing that came into our lives, and everything in between that helped mold us into who we were sent here to become.

I loved President Thomas S. Monson's ending remarks at the end of the morning session. "Come back....come up.....come in......come home....and come unto me." This is the Savior's daily invitation to us all no matter what if we will choose that path. That door is always open. If we follow Him, He will lead us back to the God who gave us life.