{this} was loud!

Last night I was sitting on the couch and I heard a big "boom." The house literally shook. I thought a branch broke off the tree and landed on the roof {because it was windy}, but then I heard dogs barking down the street and figured that couldn't be the case.
Who would have thought it could be this?

This was something I definitely would have talked to dad on the phone about! :)

she's so {cute}

I just want to {squeeze} her! And I do, quite frequently. I just squeeze those chunky little thighs of hers. And I kiss those cute little cheeks!
My friend Caroline asked me today why I had/would want another one after Preston {since Preston didn't sleep EVER for so long and just cried and cried and cried all the time! Why in the world didn't I want to stop with him? Or at least why have one RIGHT away?} Well, I think the reason is, because Heavenly Father knows. He knows me, and He knows Paisley. He knew what a sweet little spirit Paisley is, and how {easy} it would be to take care of her. She is such a sweetheart.
She is sleeping through the night, and pretty much has been since she was a couple weeks old! She is just a happy little baby girl. Always smiling, cooing, laughing, and content. Heavenly Father knew that our little family needed {her} to keep us all sane! I am so blessed to be able to raise her.

you're {it}

I actually love being tagged, and it couldn't have had better timing. I've been in such a rut with blogging lately!

Here's the rules:

1. Go to your pictures on your computer
2. Go to your 6Th folder
3. Go to your sixth picture
4. Post it
5. Blog about it:(also picture #7, because the invitations were just so stinkin cute you have to get the "full" effect!)

This is a picture of Parker's 2nd birthday party invitation that I made. I can't believe he is already three years old! For his birthday, we invited 2 of Parker's friends out to Donna and Benji's house for a "barnyard" themed party. They have chickens, goats, and rabbits, and enough room to runaround. The kids were able to feed the chickens popcorn (something Parker always does with Donna), hold the rabbits and run around with the goats. It was so much fun!

And now I tag:
Beth
Pam
Marie
Peggy
Chancy
Deanna

dum deedle de dum

Let's see:

♥Paisley is rolling over {from back to front mostly, but she will do either way}
♥After 3 weeks of pink eye invading our house, it is {almost} officially gone.
♥Parker has started pre-school {taught by a group of "mommy's" in the ward}
♥Ben finishes Officer I class in preparation for Promotional Exam in April.
♥Kate purchased her ticket for Idaho. She will be flying home June 2nd and will be staying for 2 weeks! {She will miss Preston's birthday and the 2nd and our 6th wedding anniversary}
♥Preston vocabulary includes: ish (fish), uhh huhh (no), grrrr (yes), and all of his family member's names. He will say prayers {with a little help from Mom.} He also knows quite a bit of sign language.
♥Parker gave his first prayer in Primary.
♥ Paisley is coo coo cooing! {She is such a happy little girl!}
♥Ben is getting ready for Turkey season to start in few weeks {he might even take the boys with him to the mountains and give mom and Paisley a break!}
♥Kate is eating the most delicious orange right now. It tastes just like candy!
♥Parker and Preston are becoming best friends. Parker goes around and randomly gives Preston hugs and says, "I love Preston."
♥We said farewell to Granny {Ben's dad's mom} as she left for the MTC. She will be serving a mission in Independence Missouri!
♥Kate will be running in a 5k on Saturday. If I survive, I will post pictures! :)
♥Ben has planted part of our garden: peas, broccoli, romaine lettuce, and iceberg lettuce. We need to get some more seeds in the ground!
♥Kate has watched Twilight once (without commentary) once (with commentary) and just about one more time (once I end this post!) Can you say, addicted?

I am sure I left a million things out, but for now, that was a {little} bit of an update for our little family!

Eek! :)

I know what I'm doing tomorrow night.
................Don't be jealous.
I got a hot date with you know who!




What will YOU be doing?

2 years

It has been 2 years since my dad passed away.
It doesn't really feel like he is really gone. Maybe because he isn't "gone." I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have to know that I will see him again.
A couple of days ago, Parker was wearing Dad's Tilly hat, and he said, "Mom, I want to go see Grandpa Joe in Heaven." "Well, Parker, some day, you will get to see Grandpa Joe in Heaven, I promise!"
I think Paisley looks like my dad. We should have called her Josephine! She has his red hair and blue eyes. {Even though Mom says that beautiful little Paisley looks nothing like grumpy old Dad!} It's nice to have that little reminder, that little connection to Dad. He would have gotten a kick out of her having red hair! Maybe we'll nickname her "Red."
Dad taught me so much. He loved learning and reading. That is something I am trying to pass onto my children.
All the cool things Dad knew, he would say, "This is a trick I learned from the Indians. I still picture him having an Indian friend!" I always thought an Indian showed him how to make sugar/lettuce rollups! {what a special treat!}
I remember "camping out" in the back yard. Before we would go outside, Dad would say to watch out for the One-eyed Indian. {You know, the one who is out searching for the kid who poked his eye out with a marshmallow stick? Yeah, that one!} It used to scare me to death!
I remember riding with him to Broulims and him letting me pick out one piece of candy. I'd always get the Jolly Rancher stick.
I remember Dad teaching me how to ride a bike. I remember the day he took me on the road, and ran behind me while I peddled, and then let go.
I remember going camping in High School, and Dad talking in his sleep, and just me just giggling at the gibberish, and on that same camping trip, him really teaching me how to fly fish.
I remember Dad getting me ready for 1st grade, and him combing my hair out with his little black comb.
I remember going to Pocatello with him and getting "snow balls!" {The coconut covered marshmallow covered cake.}
I remember dancing with him at my wedding and him telling me he was proud of me.

I have so many memories of Dad. I miss him. I love him.

{Will you share your favorite memory of him? Just leave a comment!}

I Love to See the Temple

No pinching me!

Because, I am wearing GREEN! :)





Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Nice Socks!

Stylish?

Sometimes, you gotta let it be and just take a picture. (And maybe even roll your eyes!)

WoW!

9 months (March 2008)

21 months (March 2009)

warmer weather

Who doesn't like warmer weather? After being cooped up for the past couple of weeks, we welcomed some nice spring weather this past weekend.

I took the kids to Mt. Trashmore, aka the highest point in Va Beach! :) They had so much fun running around, and even wanted to climb the "mountain." We hiked up the steps and almost got to the top when Parker started crying. I asked him what was wrong, and he said it was too windy. (Okay, it was pretty windy, especially being on top of a huge mountain!) I asked him if he wanted to go back down, but he was adamant about climbing to the top. We reached the summit, and Parker and Preston almost blew over, literally! They both started crying, and I was trying so hard not to laugh at my two children barely being able to stand up because of the wind. We safely made it down the mountain. Parker tell s me, "I like Mountain Trashmore. I do! But it was very windy."

Why

do they grow up so fast?



.


If you couldn't tell already, I love looking back at the pictures of the boys {and Paisley} when they were so little.

This is why

my husband has a job.

Forest fires? Naaa.
Houses burning down? Naaaa.
Rescuing cats from trees? Naaa.
Hampton Roads gets a "light dusting" of snow, and drivers cannot handle the morning commute.

(But, for the record, my husband has put out a brush fires on the interstate, fought multiple structure fires, and rescued not a cat from a tree, but a raccoon. Humm...)