Benson's Blessing

We had Ben's baby blessing last Sunday. David's family was in town and Ben's cousin Asher was also blessed on the same day. It was so fun to be together with all of them on such a special day. It has only been a month since Benson arrived, but already we can't imagine our lives without him! As you can see from the pictures, Gracie and Sammy love having Benson for a little brother. I am so thankful for each of my children. Each one fills a very special place in our family!

Sammy's first haircut!

Sammy got his first haircut last week. People who know him keep telling me that they don't even recognize him anymore. I loved his whispy blond hair. It made me cry to cut it off because it means my little boy is growing up.

Before

During

After. Thanks Grandpa for cutting his hair. You did a GREAT job!

Looking good Sammy!

Happy Birthday My Beautiful Daughter

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I love you Gracie. I can't believe you are turning 4!!! My little baby girl is turning 4. How did that happen? I am so so happy that you are my daughter. There are so many things I love about you, but I want today I want to list 4 of them.

1. You have a happy happy spirit. I remember one day when you were 2. You were looking out the window and watching a little boy in the neighbors yard playing in the sprinklers and laughing. You weren't whining and crying to go out, you were just watching him and laughing. I remember crying at that moment because I was blessed with such a happy girl.

2. You have the most contagious laugh ever. I cannot hear your laugh without smiling myself. You love to laugh! You can get Sammy giggling too just by laughing yourself. There is almost nothing sweeter than hearing you and your brother laughing.

3. You have such a fun imagination. You love to play ponies and imagine that you are a pony and that everyone around you is too. You also love to play with your doll. This has become even more fun since your brother Ben was born. If I wrap Ben up in a blanket, you need a blanket for your dolly. If I give Ben a bath in the sink, you need to give your baby a bath in the sink. You are going to be a fun and amazing mother someday.

4. You are growing up to be so amazing! I took you to the store a couple of days ago. We saw a pink princess chapstick and I bought it for you because you loved it. Through out all of our shopping that morning though, it got lost somewhere. I could see how sad you were about it. I saw the tears forming in your eyes and your lip start to tremble. I told you that it would be ok and that maybe you could ask Santa for another one. Slowly a smile spread over your face and you just said, "Ok, that will be good." I cried all the way home after that because I was so proud of you! You are getting so mature. You love to share with your brother and you love to sit next to Ben and take care of him and help him be happy when I am cooking or doing the dishes. You are the biggest helper a mom could ask for. I wish I could tell you to grow up slower! I am not ready for you to get big! You can't wait to be big though. You seriously want to drive a car. Any time you are in the car for a minute without me (like when I am loading groceries or when talking to someone outside the car) you get your car seat and put it in the drivers seat (at least you are trying to be safe I guess). You told us the other day you didn't want to turn 4 on your birthday. You wanted to turn 16. You said "4 is boring boring boring!"

I love you Gracie. You are amazing. Some days I just wish I could freeze time and save these precious moments forever!

A post by Gracie...

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(So my sister told me this post was on my blog. Gracie must have decided she wanted to write something on my blog. I am so amazed at the stuff she figures out sometimes!!! The funny thing is is that she has done this on my calendar on my computer and also on my moms palm/phone in the past. I don't know how she knows how to do all this stuff! I don't even know how to write stuff on my online calendar!)

Thanksgiving ABC's

Things I am thankful for.....

Autumn
Ben
Chocolate
David
Eternal Families
Fun
Gracie
Holidays
Ice Cream
Jesus Christ
Kind Strangers
Laughing Children
Moms
Naps
Orchestras (and Music)
Presents (Given or Received)
Quiet Times
Reading Books
Sammy
Temples
Underwear (what would we do without it!)
Vehicles
Water
X-rays and All Other Medical Wonders
Yesterdays
Zoo

So because it is Thanksgiving I decided to start my own Thanksgiving Tag and I tag everyone! I want to know what everyone is thankful for. Just find one thing for every letter in the alphabet that you are thankful for and post it on your blog.

My big boy!

Benson is getting so big! I can't believe it! Seriously, he has almost gained 3 pounds since he was born. Everyone keeps asking me what I am feeding him, but I swear I am not giving him cookies and chocolate when no one is looking (I eat those myself!). Look at those sweet round cheeks!

I took off most of his clothes except his undershirt so you could see that big round tummy! He sure does like his milk!

So sweet!

I think his head is growing and not his hair. Oh well, bald is beautiful. I seriously can't help myself with this kid. I just want to love on him and smooch him all day and cuddle with him all night! Love you Ben!

Tagged again!

Okay so I am finally getting around to doing some of the tags I have gotten in the last little while. Sorry to those of you who I didn't do your tags. Nothing personal... just busy and forgetful!

5 things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. I was in high school. Go Pine View!
2. Home work!
3. Singing in the school choirs and playing in the orchestra.
4. Eating whatever I wanted and not gaining weight (those were the days huh?)
5. Thinking about the future and what I would be when I grew up as if it was some far off place and time!

5 things on my to do list for today:
1. Laundry

2. Play with my kids
3. Go to the grocery store

4. Go to a baby check up

5. Go Christmas shopping! :)

5 favorite snacks:
1. Oranges

2. Swedish Fish
3. Homade Bread
4. Any fruit in season
5. Treats! Or as Gracie calls them "Preats"

5 jobs I've had:
1. MOM!
2. Zions Bank Internet Department
3. Latter Day Stuff
4. Rent a video and pizza
5. Babysitter

5 things I'd do with a million dollars:
1. Pay off medical school loans
2. Pay off house
3. Buy everyone I know a present
4. Go on a family vacation
5. Go visit my family

5 things that made me laugh this week:
1. Sammy keeps calling Daddy "Mama" (that is because I am his favorite)
2. I forgot to put the salt and baking soda in the cookies... annoying at the time, kind of funny now
3. Watching the funny faces Ben makes
4. Gracie telling me she wants exactly what I already bought her for Christmas!
5. Just being with my family all together makes me happy enough to laugh!

5 friends I tag to do this on their blog too:
Oh anyone who wants to!

Tagged

8 Things I'm Passionate About:
1. David ;)
2. My children
3. The gospel
4. Chocolate
5. Food
6. Reading
7. Music
8. Holidays and birthdays


8 Words or Phrases That I Use All the Time:
1. I love you!
2. NO!
3. Please listen!
4. Good grief!
5. Sammy! (He comes into a room and shouts Mama! in his sweet happy voice and I answer by shouting Sammy! He is so cute!)
6. Put on your seat belt!
7. Hurry hurry! Quick!
8. Eat your dinner (or breakfast or lunch) so we can _____ (fill in the blank with something fun).

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
1. Go see the Olympics
2. Raise a righteous family
3. Go back to school and get my bachelors
4. Serve a mission
5. Go skydiving
6. Learn how to take really good pictures
7. Become the mom I really want to be
8. Have my husband actually be finished with school!

8 Things I currently want or need:
1. How blessed am I to say that I have absolutely everything I need!!!!
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.


8 Places I want to Visit:
1. Utah!!! "This is the place this wide open space is my home!"
2. Europe
3. Private tropical beach with my honey
4. Disney World with my kids
5. The Temple
6. Boston in the fall
7. Mt Rushmore
8. Anywhere my family is!

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. On the Border (I have only been here once and can't wait to go back!)
2. Blue Iguana
3. Cafe Rio
4. Chik-fil-a (love their lemonade and love letting the kids play there)
5. Red Lobster (can you say coconut shrimp?)
6. Taco Time
7. Does my mom's house count as a restaurant?
8. Really just about any place where I don't have to cook or do the dishes! :)



8 TV Shows I watch:
1. Dancing with the stars. That's about it. We don't watch much TV. But we LOVE movies!

I tag anyone who reads this and hasn't done it yet!

A little bit late or very early

Happy Halloween everyone. Sorry I am so late posting these pictures. We had a cute little mermaid and a cute dragon at our house on Halloween. They were so funny. Gracie went around singing and swimming and Sammy went around roaring at everything. My mom and David took them out trick or treating. They went to about 4 houses before they decided they were done. They didn't really even get enough candy for me to snitch in it!!! So we had to make carmel popcorn instead (so good!). I didn't take a single picture of my kids in their costumes (I know I am a lame mother...but I am pretty sure I was nursing a baby or something). I had to get copies from David's sister's camera (thanks Lindsay). I sure do love these little goblins though!

Sleeping...

There is just something so peaceful about sleeping babies... even the big ones.

Two weeks!

Ben is two weeks old (as of last Thursday). He had his two week check up on Friday. He now weighs 10 pounds 5 ounces! He is still 22 inches tall and his head is now 15 centimeters. He is growing so big. His face is getting so chubby! Over the last 24 hours he has all of a sudden discovered the world. It seems like he realized there is more to life than just eating and sleeping! He has actually spent a couple of hours awake looking at everything and listening to everyone. He loves to be sung to and of course to eat! He likes his bath time but doesn't really like to have lotion rubbed on him (but I do it anyway because it makes him smell SO GOOD!). He loves to sleep next to his mommy, but sleeps pretty good in his own bed too. He is very good natured and happy and puts up with all the slobbery kisses that his brother and sister give him. I can't believe he has been ours for more than two weeks now!

Trouble!

It is amazing how much trouble these three things can cause!!!!

Guess I need to be better at keeping the child lock on the pantry door closed!

Yep, I thought my kids were downstairs safely watching a movie. Gracie came upstairs and said she was hungry. I told her she would have to wait a few minutes so she decided to just help herself. Click on the picture if you really want to see the mess!

Asher and Ben

Asher and Sarah and Micah came to visit us yesterday. Asher is Ben's cousin who was born on September 26. He is the LITTLER one if you can believe it!!!

Asher says, "Help! Ben is squishing me!"

As you can see it kind of hurt his feelings.