make the most of

My visiting teachers brought by a cute message this month with some m&m's. The message was about making the most of General conference and gave some tips on how to do it. I really liked the message and was excited to do it. Then Conference began today. I guess I had envisioned my boys quietly playing on the floor while I watched and wrote notes. Brent was gone at school/work, Chico was grumpy, and Grizwald was full of energy as always. I realized after getting frustrated that it was no big deal, this is my season with my little ones. I can always re-listen to conference later. When they're asleep I can make the most of my quiet time by not being idle and instead doing things that matter most. And when they're awake, I need to make the most of my moments with them. Because someday these moments will be a distant memory and I'll only vaguely remember how right now, anything Chico does Grizwald wants to do even if it makes things a little cramped...

and I'll hardly remember that the reason I find this next picture so cute is because it is just so Grizwald. He always has something in his hands, walks around with curiosity and a desire to enjoy life and explore what things do and figure out how he can best play with it.  And his outfit, lol, the majority of my kids's wardrobe are hand-me-downs and for me, that's okay, it's just not a priority in my life to have us looking put together all the time.  I may get judged for it but I don't care. :)  Anyway, baggy pants and a onesie. That's so him right now.

While I'm writing, I've got to try to write down the sweet moment we had in family prayer last night. Chico normally says the same prayer every day unless we whisper different words for him to say. We've stopped doing that for the past while to let him decide on his own and do it when he's ready.  So last night for scriptures (which Brent was actually home for, wahoo!) we talked about how the Lord is ready to receive us into his house, we just need to enter in at the gate and he will be there and wants us to come and that if we live righteously now, someday we can live with the Lord in his really really big house. 

So then Chico said the prayer and instead of saying his one line ("thank you that Daddy's been safe") he said, "thank you that we can go through the gate and be at Jesus's house..." and he said one or two other things that were related that I couldn't understand or can't remember.  I felt the spirit from my sweet three year old and I felt like he did too because then he said after he finished, "Did that make Jesus happy?" and we told him how much Jesus loved it. And then he asked if Jesus loved that he closed his eyes. We assured him that Jesus always loves him no matter what but that we're sure Jesus was happy that he closed his eyes. And then he started asking about things Jesus loves for a bit after that.

It was just one of those nights where I felt like all those scripture times where I felt like I wasn't accomplishing anything actually WERE contributing and that bit by bit my son is learning and understanding and growing.  Consistency really helps and I need to remember that. 

Grizwald is growing up too fast!

He's a mama's boy, loves his bottle, eats everything he's not supposed to (dirt, candy, bunny food), loves to be tickled but isn't all that ticklish, pours water out whenever he can, loves climbing on everything, jumps off of things without fear, and seems to think a night just isn't complete without coming in our bed for part of the night. Just within the last few days he has started escaping his crib quite skillfully. It's really rather frustrating. He's so cute though and I love watching him grow. He brings such joy into our home with those flirtatious, sweet, and sometimes mischievous, big brown eyes.

Super Why and Super Bunny

Brent has requested that I update this blog more frequently since he doesn't get to see the boys as much as he'd like. It makes his day to see new pictures and read about the cute things they do.  So I may be posting more often. Wahoo! Right?!

It really is a great way to remember things because I don't always scrapbook right away. When I come back to these posts I find things I've written that I never would have remembered about.  So... here's to keeping my husband (and any of you others that wish to read) up-to-date with our family and to keeping a record of our family! (Say, that's family history!)

A week or two ago I let Chico watch "Super Why" and for a couple days after that he wanted to wear a cape (his pillowcase). It was pretty dang adorable.  He looks like a super hero to me!!!

I can't get Grizwald to stop eating dirt. Any suggestions?

Maybe I should have waited until Easter to introduce our Rabbit, Flumper (combo of Fluffy and Thumper). We've had Flumper since she was a tiny little bunny back in November.

She's grown quite a bit and she is FAST! I can't catch her anymore. She scratches me when I pick her up and she tries to get out of my arms. And she eats my tulips and mum plants when she is outside. I really don't know what to do with her because I don't want her in the house either because she destroyed my carpet and she poops and pees all over the place. I'm keeping her locked in her cage while I think about it. Hopefully Brent can come up with a solution. I had a dream the other night that he set the bunny free and I was like, "NOOO now she's going to eat all my tulips!!!" ha ha, it was a pretty vivid nightmare.

Night Skiing at Snowbird for Daddy's Birthday!

Brent had his birthday recently and to celebrate, we went skiing twice! First time was just Brent and I and then we waited a few days (to let our bodies heal from a rough skiing day) and the second time we brought the boys and just stuck to the bunny slope. Chico was so very excited for this but a wee bit tired as we began.  Luckily we got there plenty early to give him time to get used to everything. I love this picture of him:

That's me chilling enjoying the beautiful mountain air.

Grizwald was all bundled up warm and ready to play in and eat some snow! Later on he actually did try on Chico's skis and I helped him ski down the mountain a bit but then he got tired of it so we took them off and gave them back to Chico.

Brent giving some encouraging words to Chico. Brent is so good at teaching the boys. I think his immense patience is the key.

I headed up the chairlift to ski a tiny bit while Brent played with the boys down at the bottom until Chico was ready to ski. Brent encouraged me to try out a jump (I usually avoid them) to practice a technique he's trying to get me to master.  I however did it completely wrong and got some air and biffed it. I laughed so hard.

Chico was enjoying climbing on the rocks in his ski boots. Crazy kid. Though it did make him happy and then after he got the climbing out of his system he was ready to move on.

When he finally started skiing and he did really quite well!!!  It was starting to get dark by the time I took these pictures.

And he was starting to get really tired and cold...

and so we went home and they promptly fell asleep in the car. I think it was a fun birthday party even though no one else besides us came. :) Maybe if we give more notice next year more people will join us.

On Brent's actual birthday I just bought some eclairs since Brent isn't a big cake fan. I was feeling kinda guilty about it so I planned on making some hot fudge and brownies with ice cream a day or two later. It also happened to be the night I was gone FOREVER at caucus meeting. Chico was very much looking forward to the hot fudge and he even made up a song that he sang as they waited for me to get home. Sung to the chorus of "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam": "Hot Fudge, Hot Fudge, Jesus wants us to eat Hot Fudge!"  Can ya tell how excited this kid was!? So I finally left early from the caucus around 10 PM and made hot fudge which we gobbled up and finally got our silly boys to bed. Spring break was a little crazy because of all the late nights. The boys were SOOOOO happy to have their daddy home and refused to go to bed.  And I was even happier to have Brent home too.  He's back at school now though and busier than ever. I'm so grateful for how hard he works for our family. He is such an amazing man!

we may not win any fashion awards...

...but I sure do have some cute kids.

Chico loves using tools. The other day Chico told me, "I want to be an artist that uses tools when I grow up." That's the first time he's ever told me what he wants to be when he grows up. I said, "Really? Like Mommy and Daddy and Grandpa?"  then he said so sweetly, "Oh, are you an artist Mommy?"

In this picture Griz was "talking" into the phone and giving me the cutest smiles. Grizwald loves all things electronic. Oh how he wishes and dreams my phone were an iPhone. Someday baby boy, someday...

You can tell Grizwald has had practice on family members iPhones and iPads at parties. He's pretty good at touch screens for an 18 month old!

and remember that cute picture from the other day? well there were a couple more I really loved too that I shot seconds before and after that other one. 

Totally tells a different story.

his little mouth...

Chico, you're so dang handsome... Shucks mom, thanks...

Meditation

I go to an Institute class every Tuesday. The teacher talked to us recently about the importance of meditation. I really need more of this in my life. It is so hard when you are a full time mom but it is possible. I liked these quotes and thought I'd share them:

"Meditation is the language of the soul. Meditation is a form of prayer.... It is a private devotion or spiritual exercise... Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord." (David O. McKay "Consciousness of God: Supreme Goal of Life," Improvement Era, June 1967, pp. 80-82)

"Strive in your homes, and teach others, to take some time of each day to have a quiet hour, meditation. Let there be study of the scriptures at least thirty minutes of each day. At an early morning hour, or at late night, as best suits your schedule, allow yourself an hour of prayerful mediation where you can tune in with God and discuss with Him problems that are too much for human understanding, too great for human strength." (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, 152)

I love warm days like these

Had to pull out the camera and document our cute boys participating in their favorite pastime. Nothing better than a little digging while getting filthy and covered in mud and dirt.

Chico making mud pies at this point

They were making the mud extra muddy by using the containers to gather water from the sandbox and pour water on the dirt.

Grizwald was obsessed with this upside-down sand box that got filled with water.  He climbed in it for a nice bath. 

I told them to say cheese, hence Chico's cheesy smile.

Grizwald was a second behind Chico on the smile.  Can't figure out how to get him to stop eating dirt. I don't know WHAT he sees in it.

By the way, Chico stripped off his clothes while we were out there because he was hot and wanted to climb in the water too. He would have stripped off his shorts too but I made him stop.  He had so much fun. And he went to bed SO easily tonight. *sigh* I love good weather. It was so nice out there I wondered if Chico might be getting a tan! Nothing like a good dose of sunshine to brighten the spirits.