Caterpillar

Well, it's been way too long. Thought I'd blog! Woo-hoo!

Today at Stake Conference, James got the brilliant {and random} idea that when we got home we should make a caterpillar costume. He was playing with a stuffed caterpillar toy of Ella's, and he was just so excited about his idea.

He had it all planned out - we were going to use blankets, and then sew them with thread to make them "more beautiful," and have holes for the arms and legs, and I think a hole "for eating" as well, and of course it had to have buttons to fasten it together. We thought we could convince him to just use some blankets and drape them over him, but he would not be deterred in his dream.

So, I spent my Sunday evening sewing this...voila:

A caterpillar costume made out of an old bath towel (I knew there had to be something I could do with all of our millions of towels!). I sewed the top kind of like a hooded towel, cut arm holes and edged them with bias tape, then made antennae and feet out of felt and sewed a velcro square to fasten it. I think it turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself! He was one happy caterpillar.

Easter Sunday

We had a lovely Easter Sunday with our little family. We of course had fun with our Easter baskets and James had a blast searching for way too many candy-filled eggs (most of which is stashed in the pantry, out of sight for small people who get very hyped up on sugar, but in handy parental view!) Ella loved her little puff cereal in her Easter eggs and her new dolly found in her Easter basket.

What a wonderful opportunity Easter is to remember our Savior's sacrifice for us and to teach our children about the Atonement. Our church meetings were wonderful, and Jonathan and I got to be heavily involved in the music for our Easter program in Sacrament Meeting...I am so grateful for all whose voices and other musical talents helped to make it so wonderful!

We took these pictures in our backyard after church - had to show off our new Easter clothes. (Thanks Mama & Popsy!) We had a nice relaxing afternoon/evening at home, took some naps, ate a nice dinner and enjoyed each other's company. I love my little family!

Beds

Each time I check on my sweet sleeping children, they have shifted positions in their beds. Head on this side, then head on that; curled up in balls and then legs outstretched. Sweaty sticky-ups of hair and sweet faces on a pillow, then not on a pillow. Little arms and legs through the crib bars; not-so-little-anymore legs hanging off the edge of the toddler bed, sometimes kneeling and then back in a curled-up ball on the mattress. Buddy Boy could sure use a bigger bed. My, how they grow! Developing little personalities and minds of their own (but with Daddy's good nature and my stubbornness) by day, then snuggling in, and rolling rolling rolling across the mattress til finding the perfect place by night. I love the quiet, when they are sound asleep and dreaming of whatever they dream of, and I forget about the cares and the time-outs and the peas flung across the room and the many happenings of the day. The quiet reminds me how much I love my babies. 

Then all at once she awakes and calls out with a sleepy, hoarse little cry. As I hold her in my arms he wanders in, bleary-eyed and carrying the essentials - car blankie, Llama Llama, pillow. I should send him back to his bed but I don't. I kind of like having everyone in here. Tuck him in on the floor, feed her a midnight snack, exchange some happy smiles and blow kisses back and forth (her latest trick), then all returns to quiet as we climb into our beds.

Remembering

Sometimes being a mom is hard. Like, for example, at five in the morning when your baby awakes for the second time in the same two-hour period (or so it seems, for time - as well as perspective - is blurred at such an early hour).

I change another diaper as Little Miss fusses and whines loudly. "Shhh, don't wake up the whole house, Sweet Pea." (You see, we are staying at Nana's for spring break.) I nurse her again to quiet her. As Daddy stirs, I whine and fuss a bit myself, but he quickly rolls over and goes back to sleep (as daddies often do).

I start to grumble as Little Miss starts to fill her diaper again; but then I stop myself short, and remember. You see, at an early hour such as this, it's easy to forget. So as I hold my little sweetheart with her happy little 5 a.m. smile, and as I listen to my four-year-old utter a sweet prayer that he won't have scary dreams, I remember. I remember why I love my babies so. I remember the joy I feel when I see these little smiling faces (especially during daylight hours). I remember what a privilege it is to be their mama.

Screaming match over a jar of carrots

Ella is very happy. And very vocal. 

Ella nods her head

We took this video about a month ago. Ella had started nodding her head a lot to communicate...what a smart girl :)

lately I am loving

THIS amazing guy.

THIS four-year-old.

THIS cute girl.

THIS moby wrap (but especially the girl in it).

THIS song.

and the fact that we are going to Utah in SEVEN DAYS!!!

Lucky

What a lucky girl I am to get to see these two adorable faces every day!! Ahh, I love being a mommy :)

I want pie.

Today was one of those slap-you-back-to-reality-after-Thanksgiving-break kind of days.

Pumpkin pie withdrawals abound.

Trying to convince my son that we can't lie around watching Christmas movies all day was almost as hard as convincing mySELF to not stay in my pajamas and lie around watching Christmas movies all day.

My piano student arrives while my baby is napping and son is in "quiet time." Her lesson ends with Little Miss in my arms, barely holding back the tears, and Big Brother (having just slid down the long staircase on top of a slippery sleeping bag) snuggling in his sleeping bag in the doorway while snoring loud, pretend snores during my student's rendition of "Silent Night." 

Little Miss must be held at all times, making getting things done quite tricky. (Wait, I'm supposed to actually get things done again? I want to just laze around and flip through Netflix while eating pumpkin
pie.)

Husband returns home after school and practically falls asleep at the dinner table.

Later my house is still, everyone is asleep, and I am about to climb into bed, when I realize that I never even completed the first thing on my to-do list today (Sad, right? I did do some other things, I swear!). I take about a minute and clean the toilet, then hop back into bed and check it off my list.

Whew, I'm ready for Christmas break already!

sometimes I miss living in the dorms...

I was just remembering these great videos my brother made at BYU, and missing him as he is a missionary for the Mormon Church in Oaxaca, Mexico. Although I don't get the inside jokes in the video, it is totally reminiscent of living in the dorms at BYU - so you gotta love it! Enjoy!

oh and p.s. my brother is the awesome one playing the piano/singing. Miss him!!