New Camera

Kat got her big Christmas present early. An HD video camera. We've taken a couple of fun videos with it, which we will now share with you. I would actually go to youtube to watch them rather than trying to watch them on the blog.

Smartest Decision Ever

Sorry no pictures. I just wanted to write down something I've been thinking about lately so I don't forget it. When Jacob and I were car shopping for our mini van, one of the big questions we had to ask ourselves was "Do we want a DVD player in the car or not?"

Jacob convinced me the answer was absolutely not because cars without it were obviously cheaper and our kids get enough movies at home but then we started to find some that had a DVD system that looked awfully nice and tempting. I started to really think how nice and fun it would be to have one and eventually our answer turned from absolutely not to whatever it doesn't matter as long as we get a good deal. We then narrowed it down to two cars.

One was just a basic car with nothing special and the other had a DVD system, leather seats, sun roof, automatic power sliding doors and you get the idea. The problem was they were the same price. The latter just had more miles on it. Then my husband did something horrible to me and said "I don't care. You choose. Just let me know when you make a decision."

I battled that decision in my head all day. I called my parents and tried to get them to make the decision for me but they just encouraged me to be smart about it. So I took off my worldly prideful thinking cap and put on my wiser intelligent one. I decided (with the help of my mom/Jacob) that with the economy headed the way it is it might be better to get a car with less miles in case we can't afford another one for many many years. I also realized that a DVD player would be a bad idea because no matter how much I told myself it would only be used on longer drives that eventually I would get used to it being an easy solution to a stressful situation and my kids don't need TV at home and on the go. I remembered family road trips as a kid and how we talked to each other and sang songs and laughed and played; and I wanted it to be that way with my own kids. So I chose the boring car (and I think Jacob was hoping I would pick that car because he was against a DVD player from the start).

A few days after we got the car I was driving to the store when Lily started to sing Families Can Be Together Forever in the back seat. After she said "Mom I want to be a family forever. Do you want to be a family forever?" I told her yes and she said, "Do you think Dad wants to be a family forever?" I said that I knew he did and she decided that Jake probably did, too. It then hit me that so many of the precious conversations that I have with my kids happens in the car and that if they were too busy watching a movie that those precious moments would come to an end. I know this is already so long but I wanted to record another quick conversation I had with Lily tonight as we were driving to pick up Jacob.

Lily: Mom what is Christmas really all about?

Me: (shocked at her question and trying to think of a simple way of explaining it) It's about Jesus and remembering all the wonderful gifts he has given us.

Lily: Oh because Jesus died for me and then he came awake, and that's why we have the bread and water at church.

Me: That's right because he loves you.

Lily: Yep, he is my brother and I gave my tithing to him at church.

Me: Yes you did and why did you choose to do that?

Lily: So that he can build Temples and churches and help people. Can I talk to him?

Me: Yes. When we say our prayers we talk to Heavenly father and Jesus and we can feel them talk to us through the Holy Ghost. Do you remember the Holy Ghost from your nursery class lesson?

Lily: Yes.

Me: That was a great question you asked Lily.

Lily: Thanks mom.

Now back to the car story. I'm not trying to say that people who have DVD systems in their car are dumb and ruined for life I'm just saying that for me and my family not having one was the smartest decision ever.

28 Weeks

I realized I hadn't taken a profile shot since 18 weeks so I figured I better just do it. Sorry for the grumpy face. My photographer was teasing me as per usual.

Jake's Prayers

We have started including Jake in our family prayers. He normally goes to sleep before we get around to doing it but now we make it a priority to do it before he goes to sleep so he can learn. Afterward Jacob helps him with his personal prayers and this is how it goes every time...

Jacob: Ok Jake say Heavenly Father

Jake: No

Jacob: Thank you for mommy

Jake: No

Jacob: Thank you for daddy

Jake:No

Jacob:Thank you for Lily

Jake:No

Jacob: In the name of Jesus Christ

Jake: No

Jacob: Amen

Jake: Amen

He is very good at keeping his arms folded and he is surprisingly pretty quiet and still during prayer time. He loves to be a part of family prayer but he struggles a little with his own.

I Think We're In Trouble

Today Lily picked up her play phone and started talking to her friend Jack's mom. She didn't sound very happy. Her conversation went like this....."Hey Stacey, you better bring Jack over here RIGHT NOW. And tell him to bring his Woody and Buzz. Now bring him over to my house and HURRY QUICK!" Then she ran to the bathroom and began putting on some of my makeup in preparation for Jack's arrival. When she was finished she came to me and said "Mom I think Jack is going to love all these wonderful colors I put on my face." I can't say I'm looking forward to the teenage years with this girl. apparently she felt Jake needed some too.

Lily stuff

This is just my attempt to corral all these Lily stories/quotes into one place.

Today:

Jake had a nasty diaper, so I hid under a blanket while Kat changed him. Then Lily joined me underneath and said, "Daddy, I'm staying away from that dangerous poo!"

Lily: I want to go to the Temple.

Kat: No I'm sorry. You are going to stay here and play with grandpa.

Lily: But I want to go get married in the Temple too.

Kat: And who would you get married too?

Lily: To Jesus.

On the airplane Kat was getting close to landing in Cleveland so you could see all the trees and their pretty colors. Lily turned to the man sitting behind her and said..."Look at all those pretty trees. Heavenly Father made them."

Lily had a conversation with her cousin Jack in Utah about superheros.
Jack: "Well my favorite is Spider Man and Iron Man."
Lily: "Well my favorite is my dad."

Lily was upset that she didn't get to ride the ponies at Patterson Fruit Farm so when we got home she grabbed her little toy horse and said angrily, "Hey mom, do you see this horse? I can't ride this horse because its bum is too small and my bum is big and this horse can't even walk. I need a horse that can walk." Then she proceeded to demonstrate how impossible it was to ride the horse.

One night as Kat was getting her ready for bed she found her sitting on the couch with her head down and she was sniffling. This was their conversation:

Me: Lily what's the matter?

Lily: I just want my friend Jack.

Kat: I'm sorry buddy Jack is on a little trip with his mom and dad right now but he'll be back soon.

Lily: But I just love him.

Kat: I know you do sweetheart. He's a good friend isn't he?

Lily: Yeah.

Kat: Well lets go get ready for bed and we can talk about it some more.

Lily:(as she is walking to her room) I just love him so much.

Kat:(after we brush teeth and are in her bed) ok lets say your prayers now.

Lily: I just want to talk about Jack.

She then proceeded to tell Kat what her favorite thing was about Jack (She likes to play with him at her house and he makes her laugh) She hoped that while she was trying to go to sleep that maybe he would open her door and surprise her. Nobody ever told us it started this young.

Kat made toast for the first time in the new toaster tonight. This is how it went....
Kat:"Lily do you want jam or butter?"

Lily: "Jam."

Kat: "Are you sure?"

Lily:"Yes" So I put jam on her toast and she says "I wanted butter."

So I eat the Jam one and make her a butter one. Lily: " Bust I wanted jam." It's a good thing she's not running for president because she is a major flip flopper. The toaster is awesome though.

One night Kat made pancakes for dinner and somehow messed them up. She me Jacob that she destroyed dinner so we needed to move on to plan B. Lily looked at her then put her hands on her hips and said "You have got to be kidding me."

I know Lily, how do you mess up a pancake?

When Lily watches a show she always stands with her face literally 3 inches from the TV. Kat tells her to move back because Lily will hurt her eyes. Today she found a brilliant solution to the problem. She wore her sunglasses.

"Mom I'm a dinosaur with a HUGE appetite, but don't worry I'm just an herbivore."

One time Lily named Jake, "Lucifer."

Trying to get Lily to branch out and try a different fruit other than a pear.

Jacob: Lily, do you want to try this plum, it tastes like a pear.

Lily: That's not a pear.

Jacob: I know but it kind of tastes like a pear, do you want to try some?

Lily: No. Dad that is not a pear.

Jacob: I know it is a plum but it kind of tastes like pear.

Lily: Hey mom, that's not a pear. It's a plum.

Kat's story:

Part of Lily's prayer last night: "Thank you for my daddy. (a high five is exchanged between Jacob and Lily) Thank you for my mommy. Thank you for BYU." (another high five is exchanged)........Sigh.

Conversation Kat had with Lily while tucking her in bed tonight:

Lily: Mom do you have a baby in your tummy?

Kat: Yes I do.

Lily: Dad doesn't have a baby in his tummy because boys don't have babies in their tummies.

Kat: That's right, and why don't boys have babies in their tummies?

Lily: Because they have WAY to much hair on their tummies.

Trip to Utah (or at least one tiny part of it)

I recently took the kids to Utah to see my little bro get off his mission. It was so nice to see family. We had a lot of fun. I pretty much forgot my camera everywhere we went but I did manage to take it the day we went and rode my sisters horses. (keep in mind it was my really cheapo camera) My sister has 5 horses and I was so excited to go ride them. I used to go ride them once a week before I got married but I don't think I've seen them since. Lily was super excited as well. Here is Jake chillin in the back of the truck. He loved petting the horses but if they got their faces too close to his he freaked out so he liked to just watch from the truck.

Lily hugging Bonnie with my mom. Bonnie is one of my favorite horses. My sister had her bridal pictures taken on Bonnie and they were beautiful. She is such a sweet horse.

Above is Valentina. Lily really liked this horse and kept saying it was hers. Below is Lily riding Cinco. She doesn't look happy in this picture but she was so excited to be on such a big horse all by herself. Cinco is the horse I used to ride back in the day. Her mom is a tiny little pain in the bum horse named Bambie but luckily Cinco is a sweetie.
These are my sisters two little boys Ty (on back) and Cody (in front) they are so stinking cute and they make me smile a lot. Lily LOVES playing with them and talks about them all the time. My sister recently had a little girl named Grace and I am SO HAPPY I got to see her while she was still so tiny. She was a doll.
Ok so I pretty much look like I'm on drugs in these last two pictures but keep in mind I was soooo tired. I hadn't been sleeping at night thanks to Jake. He had a really hard time adjusting to his new bed. This is Lily and I on Dakota. My sister says this horse is a fruit loop and after riding him I will agree. He doesn't like to listen very well. He also thought that Lily had such a nice looking head of hair that he diced to take a bite of her long pony tail.
Jake LOVED riding. He was so chill and relaxed the whole time but when you tried to take him off he would get so upset.
Thanks for the fun times Becca and Ryan. I hope we can do it again.

PS Jake may or may not have thrown a lot of grain on the ground while chillin in the back of your truck:) Sorry about that.