Disneyland ..we came...we conquered!

Sorry, the next few blogs are kind of a recap because I was so "lazy" this summer and didn't get to it. But in my defense, I still wrote about it in word with the intent of blogging later.

June was a very fun and exciting month for us....let me tell you. A month could not be more fun packed! It all began with a trip to California. Who wouldn't want to spend a few days with the breaking waves in the background, just relaxing and reading a book? And even better, to spend a few days with disney princesses? We had a great time relaxing on the beach for the first day. The girls just played in the sand and ran from the waves. I myself went for a quick boggy boarding escapade....and escapade it was. Too bad I don't have pictures to document. Bri, Whit, Madyson and I went out to catch some monster waves. But we were finding that where the life guards wanted us to stay wasn't the greatest places to catch the waves. So we meandered out to where the surfers were. If they could be out there....why couldn't we? Which may I say...the waves were much better out there (probably why the surfers were out there.) But before long, we see a yellow lifeguard boat coming towards us, telling us to get in. Bri of course just turns around, if she can't see them, they can't see her right. And what do I do when confronted, explain. We were just out there because the waves were better. That didn't fly...they wanted us to go in. So we caught the next wave in and had a blast. So much so...we went out again. We didn't intend to go as far...but when the waves a come a callin' you have to answer. So again, the yellow boat comes and says, "What did we tell you girls? Get in now." And just to accentuate that, they had a lifeguard swim out from the beach. How insulting...I had caught every wave in...did they think I was incompetent...so I said...the waves are better here and we can catch them in. Did that work....NO. They made us go in....what kill joys! So I thought that was enough humiliation for Michael for one day. It's not easy for him having me for a wife...but I love him for it.

I don't really want to bore with details...but the trip was so fun. We spent two days in Disneyland and California adventure....very needed. The girls had a blast and we really enjoyed ourselves. We saw a lot of characters and even ate with the princesses! The girls loved it and according to Chloe....Rella is EVERYWHERE! She loves that lady:)

The kids past some of the time watching videos. Apparently Chloe felt she had phone calls to make, people to talk to...no wasting time. And Laney just loves cuddling up to Kaleb:)

We also taught the girls to play, I don't know what it is called, but you catch the ball with the stick with a net. They had a lot of fun trying to get that down.

See what I mean about relaxing on the beach...oh if I could have the beach in my backyard!

The girls enjoying the beach. They played well together which always makes a mom happy!

Sundays were a little difficult for us. The kids didn't quite understand why they had this big ocean to play with and they couldn't step foot in it. So they just got as close as they could without us telling them otherwise.

And here are our princesses! We had lunch with them so they all came around and visited the girls which made them so happy! And then of course you would sometimes get lucky enough to see them around the park.

And of course the princess fair where they teach the girls how to be princesses!

Some pics of our rides and the fun the girls had at Disneyland.

The girls playing around while waiting for a prade. A pic of the family in Pooh-vill. A panoramic of California Adventure...the big white building is Ariel's grotto (where we went for lunch).

We thought the boys might appreciate this guy. But someone forgot to tell us that this parade sprays you with squirt guns. Luckily we came prepared.

We had a blast at the theme parks, but I must say, by the end of the second day, we were definitely all tuckered out.

Here is a farewell pic by the beach.

Sunday at the temple

I have to admit that today started out a little rough. The outlook of having Stake conference at 3pm -5pm wasn't my idea of a fabulous afternoon. But, when you get lemons...make lemonade! We couldn't get the girls down for their naps in enough time for them to get a full nap and us to actually make it to the tabernacle on time, so instead we got everyone all beautiful and went to the temple grounds to take pictures. I know...the girls favorite thing to do..but today they were good sports because water was involved.

I can't think of a better way to spend the afternoon than to walk around the temple grounds and just take snaps of the girls enjoying the beautiful landscape. I wish my yard looked as beautiful as the temple does but what can I say...I am just not paid enough :)

But the girls did enjoy it and I enjoyed taking photos of them, so all in all, it was a great afternoon. The conference was a little rocky simply because something was wrong with the microphone so everything was kind of blurred. Needless to say, we didn't get much out of it, but the singing was excellent and we were able to be in the presence of all the other saints on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. And to look at the positive side again, while we waited for the late afternoon to arrive, all the girls got mini-pedicures from emoi (sp?) and all our nails painted so we all looked all done up! Michael declined for unkown reasons but we still love him :) Here are some pics.

You can tell who is becoming a pro at posing. Lanes knows if she smiles cute and does what I ask quick then she can do whatever she wants sooner. Smart girl. And sometimes she doesn't even know when I am shooting. (sometimes those are my favorite) We are still training Chloe. I have to catch her off guard to get her to smile. Notice how she is very rarely smiling AT the camera.

And even if she doesn't smile at the camera...that is a pretty darn cute smile she has got there. Very infectious!

And sometimes when I am really lucky, I get everyone together...or at least the two to sit still long enough for some quick takes!

And this photo I just couldn't pass up. Look at that face!

Hanging up the slippers

Laney has decided to hang up the dance slippers for just a bit. Which is understandable, so we are broadening our horizons. She decided to try soccer for a bit. We tried to get on her cousin's team...but with hind sight on my side...I think we are lucky we found another team. Her first game was against Kaleb and they got confused. They thought they were playing on the same team and although they tried to keep up with the game, really they talked and played around on the field a lot :)

This team that she is on is really good. Her first day she was a little hesitant because she didn't have any friends on it. But two little boys got her and said, "You will have so much fun. We run and play a lot, but mostly we just run." It cracked me up. From then on she has been chatting their ears off. But they do have about four boys that are REALLY good. They score at least 3 goals a game if not more. Hopefully they will teach Lanes their secrets. Here are some pics.
Look at her get in there! You go Girl!!

Team time out...a little team time. With the next pictures you can see how it gets a little rough out there!


Hanging close to the coach.







And her and Kaleb chatting it up down the field. It's all about the fun right? And that, she is having plenty of!!

Happy Mother's day!!

Happy Mother's day to all those mothers out there! I hope your day was fabulous! Mine was a bit different than I would have liked it. I was still sick in bed. That makes 7 days!! Not good for a mom. Someone needs to tell my body to get with the program! But Michael and the girls were troopers. Today is a much better day...I got out of bed for one :)

Yesterday was a great day though. Laney came up and delivered their Mother's day present with Chloe in toe....they are darn cute. It was the cutest card too....she had written "Happy Mom's Love you"....so cute! It is so fun to see each milestone met by your kids....but it affirms that they are growing sooooo fast. Daddy fixed them crepes because that is one of my favoritest things. He was perfecting them the night before when we had dessert ones with ice cream, nutella and whip cream with some strawberries.....oh how he spoils me! Then he got them ready for church when I decided I needed to see Delaney sing in Sacrament meeting. So I dragged my sick toushy out of bed and got presentable so I could see my baby girl sing the songs she had worked so hard on. It makes me so emotional to see how proud she was to sing it to me! Can you tell I adore my kiddos? But right after that, I was outtie ....That was almost too much...and then to bed I went.

It is always makes you stop and think, Why can these little ones that we bring into the world make or break our day. With simple things they say they can make you cry because you are so darn happy or laugh so hard it hurts. They can make a dark day light or vice versa. And you wonder why? Because they are our world....these kiddos are what we mother's live for. At least for me. If they are happy and excited....so am I. If they are hurt and confussed....so am I. I can only hope that I can guide them as well as my mom did! Hats off to you mom...I am sure I was not an easy teenager (although I profess to have been perfect :)) I am lucky to have had the great mom I did and hope that I can emulate her great qualities and use them in my mothering and that my kids will ALWAYS KNOW I love them! I love you kiddos....that includes you too Michael. Happy Mom's Day and thanks for making mine so special.

Mother's moments...

Just to warn you, this is more for Michael and the girls, but I thought I would share my feelings with all. There are some days in a mother' life, when she thinks "What am I doing?" Routine seems to eat up all the fun and the mundane things in a day seem to drown out the good things. But then there are the other days that make you stop and take stock of what you have..yesterday was that day for me.



It all began Monday afternoon. I felt something brewing so I started popping the vitamin c pills. Apparently I didn't catch it quick enough because by Monday night I was out of commision. I couldn't even make it out for a neighborhood chatting session (which I love). I went straight to bed hoping that through the night I would get better. I was awakened by a gentle kiss on my cheek, my little 3 year old wanted to say goodnight to her mom and her little sister soon followed for some hugs. That night I just tossed and turned until about the time Michael was supposed to get up for work. He rolled over and asked how I felt. "I feel rotten" was my reply (why lie, I sounded awful!) He asked if I wanted him to stay home. I said no, I could handle it. He asked if I as certain and I said, yeah...I can do it. He, being a loving husband, saw through my bravado and called my bluff. He stayed home to let me rest. And that I did all morning long. Michael took the girls to the park and returned to put them down for a nap. And I too took another nap. It is when I woke up that I realized how lucky I am. I have the world right here in my little home. I have a husband that loves me enough to let me stay in bed all day long and rest. I have two little girls that missed me while I was sleeping. Laney even brought me my medicine so I didn't have to get out of bed to get it. She would check on me and give me an update on what was going on and Chloe just liked to cuddle with me in bed.



I am one lucky lady. SO..I decided to write a list of loves so that my kids and hubby will always know that even if I am sick or away, I love them dearly and miss not spending my day with them. And to let them know that each day spent with them is a blessing beyond measure!



I love to watch them sleep at night-they are so innocent and sweet I can't get enough of it.

Sometimes I find myself in their rooms just watching them sleep peacefully.

I love to watch them play when they don't think I am watching!

This seems to be my favorite lately. Chloe is hilarious. She rocks to her own toon and is

hilarious doing it. She makes me laugh. And Laney is such a big kid now and says the

funniest things. And sometimes she sounds just like me, which makes me make a mental

note to stop doing it. They have such fun personalities and imaginations that it makes me

laugh when I watch them. Plus they play so well together that it makes me feel like something

I am doing is right :)

I love it when my hand brushes Michael's as we walk-it takes me back to the dating life when you

just anticipate if he is going to hold your hand or not. Same when he puts his arms around me

when we are talking to friends. It makes me feel like he is proud of me and that he loves me.

I love to sing with my girls - my prayers were answered because my girls love to sing and I love

hearing them make up their own songs or singing the ones I sing to them to go to sleep.

I love the little arm hugs - what can be sweeter than your little ones giving you the biggest hugs ever

with their tiny little arms.

I love their kisses - enough said there!

I love to hear them say I love you.

I love to see the look on their face when they are looking for you and finally spot you! Their big

smiles that take up their face and the excitement in their voice.

I love to hear them say "Mommy". -sometimes it is overused and overshouted, but I love to hear it

from their little mouths.

I love to hear them talk about Jesus - Delaney is just now understanding the role Jesus played in

our life and it is exciting to me to watch her make the connections and get a love and

testimony of Jesus.

I love to hear them pray and watch them fold their arms - what special little spirits we are entrusted

with. What joy that simple act gives me. They have such innocent hearts...if only to be like a

child.

I love to watch them learn something new - which may I say Chloe found out how to get out of her

crib. Luckily she only does it when nap is over and it is time to get up and then I

hear a pounding on the door and ...."Mom...I want out!"

I love to see their new getup they put together - this morning chloe walked in in her diaper and her

knee pads on...I wish I took a picture. Laney helped her with the knee pads but it was darn

cute. And she didn't want them off. Laney comes up with some good ones...but now she is

into doing her own hair which is always fun to see what she comes up with. It usually entails A

LOT of barrets and clips and almost alway, a head band.

I love to hear the garage door open around 6:00pm - that means DADDY IS HOME!

I love how the girls play hide and seek with who ever is coming home.

I love to see their excitement and seeing people they know, or experiencing new things.



And most of all I just love them! Life would be so empty if I didn't have their smiling faces to wake up to. I love being a mother and a wife. I could go on and on about my "love's" but really I just want to let Michael and the girls know that I love them very much and I love and appreciate the little things they do each day to make me laugh and to remind me that life is fun and good and to never be taken for granted....and sometimes routine needs to be shaken up a bit :) Thanks Michael for letting me recover...I love you......THIS MUCH!( )(My arms)