Saturday, December 29, 2012
Christmas 2012 highlights
Monday, December 24, 2012
First Piano Recital
I think I mentioned in an earlier post that Will started piano lessons at the beginning of the school year. A friend of mine gives lessons out of her home for a very reasonable price, so I jumped on the chance to get Will started. A couple of weeks ago was Will's very first piano recital. He played two Christmas songs and did a great job for his first time playing in public. One really cute thing that I feel I ought to record happened a little before it was his turn. I was sitting next to him, and I could tell that he was getting increasingly nervous. He took out his music and pretended that his lap was the piano so he could "practice" his songs. It made me smile to see that small bit of dedication at doing something well.
"Up On The Housetop"
"Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" (Side note: There was an error with the original video, so this is an audio clip with still pictures from the recital. The other people in the video are Will's piano teacher, his best friend, and his friend's sister)
The budding musician
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Random pregnancy thoughts
I'm not the type of person to share my innermost thoughts on this blog. Usually it's just a place for us to share the happenings of our lives and post cute pictures of the kids. However, today I've been thinking about a few things related to my pregnancy and I felt like sharing them, if not just to have them on record.
1. This pregnancy seems 10x harder than the last two. I'm sure I've got selective memory or something and I'm not letting myself remember the bad parts of the last two pregnancies, but this one seems to be so much harder. First of all, I've been sick pretty much nonstop for the last month. Bronchitis, sinus infection, stomach bug, etc. And as I'm sure other moms can attest, being sick AND pregnant is worse than just being sick or just being pregnant. It seems like it takes FOREVER to get over an illness. It's caused me to be lazy, unmotivated, and grouchy, which is no fun for my poor family to deal with. Bill, of course, has been endlessly patient with my mood swings, and has picked up the slack a number of times with either the housework or taking care of the kids. Luckily I haven't had things like morning sickness or other pregnancy-related problems to deal with on top of all the illness, so I guess I should be grateful because it could be worse. Still, I'm looking forward to being healthy again.
2. I'm more fearful and nervous about this pregnancy. With Will I was super excited and ready to tackle motherhood head-on, mostly because I didn't know what to expect or what I was getting myself into. When we had Kayla I thought to myself "Ok, I can do this. 2 can't be that much harder than 1, right?" There were obviously things we had to change when transitioning from 1 to 2, like figuring out rooming situations and buying more things, but it seemed manageable (again, I probably have selective memory, but that's how I remember feeling). However, with this pregnancy I'm a lot more nervous, stressed, and overwhelmed. For example, after the fiasco with Kayla's birth (24 hours of labor with no epidural, followed by an emergency c-section), I'm more worried about what this delivery is going to be like. We're doing our best to prepare ahead of time and talk to the right people, but I'm still super worried. Second of all, for some reason I've been thinking about where I will be (and where Bill will be) when I go into labor. I don't know why this is making me nervous but it is. I keep thinking "Ok, what if I go into labor during the middle of church and everyone sees me freak out" or "what if Bill is teaching his class, or is in the middle of a meeting and can't get home in time and I have to deliver at home or go to the hospital in an ambulance." And of course there are the fears of how the kids will adjust to having a baby in the house. Both Will and Kayla can be super hyper and crazy at times, and I worry about how the baby (and I) will handle that, especially on the days when I am sleep-deprived, or the baby is sick or something.
3. I'm worried about me. Like I said before, I've been really grouchy and moody during this pregnancy, and it doesn't always have to do with being sick. I'm pretty sure I've got some sort of depression, plus being overwhelmed with housework and taking care of my family. I know that some of my problems are probably my fault, because I'm not always the best at making sure I get enough sleep or that I get the right nutrition, but it just feels like life is spinning out of control at times and I don't know how to stop it or slow it down. I've asked Bill for priesthood blessings a few times, and I try to pray and stay close to the Spirit, but there are days when all I want to do is sleep or veg and let my family take care of themselves.
Now in writing all this, I don't necessarily want people to feel sorry for me or write an epistle in the comments on how to deal with these problems. I am excited about having this baby and seeing how she fits into our family. Mostly I'm just venting and writing things down for posterity, especially if Bill and I decide to have more kids in the future. Getting these things off my chest makes me feel a little better, so I think this post was mostly for me. You are welcome to comment, call, email or visit if you feel the need. I do appreciate it when people try and make me feel better. Thanks for listening.
1. This pregnancy seems 10x harder than the last two. I'm sure I've got selective memory or something and I'm not letting myself remember the bad parts of the last two pregnancies, but this one seems to be so much harder. First of all, I've been sick pretty much nonstop for the last month. Bronchitis, sinus infection, stomach bug, etc. And as I'm sure other moms can attest, being sick AND pregnant is worse than just being sick or just being pregnant. It seems like it takes FOREVER to get over an illness. It's caused me to be lazy, unmotivated, and grouchy, which is no fun for my poor family to deal with. Bill, of course, has been endlessly patient with my mood swings, and has picked up the slack a number of times with either the housework or taking care of the kids. Luckily I haven't had things like morning sickness or other pregnancy-related problems to deal with on top of all the illness, so I guess I should be grateful because it could be worse. Still, I'm looking forward to being healthy again.
2. I'm more fearful and nervous about this pregnancy. With Will I was super excited and ready to tackle motherhood head-on, mostly because I didn't know what to expect or what I was getting myself into. When we had Kayla I thought to myself "Ok, I can do this. 2 can't be that much harder than 1, right?" There were obviously things we had to change when transitioning from 1 to 2, like figuring out rooming situations and buying more things, but it seemed manageable (again, I probably have selective memory, but that's how I remember feeling). However, with this pregnancy I'm a lot more nervous, stressed, and overwhelmed. For example, after the fiasco with Kayla's birth (24 hours of labor with no epidural, followed by an emergency c-section), I'm more worried about what this delivery is going to be like. We're doing our best to prepare ahead of time and talk to the right people, but I'm still super worried. Second of all, for some reason I've been thinking about where I will be (and where Bill will be) when I go into labor. I don't know why this is making me nervous but it is. I keep thinking "Ok, what if I go into labor during the middle of church and everyone sees me freak out" or "what if Bill is teaching his class, or is in the middle of a meeting and can't get home in time and I have to deliver at home or go to the hospital in an ambulance." And of course there are the fears of how the kids will adjust to having a baby in the house. Both Will and Kayla can be super hyper and crazy at times, and I worry about how the baby (and I) will handle that, especially on the days when I am sleep-deprived, or the baby is sick or something.
3. I'm worried about me. Like I said before, I've been really grouchy and moody during this pregnancy, and it doesn't always have to do with being sick. I'm pretty sure I've got some sort of depression, plus being overwhelmed with housework and taking care of my family. I know that some of my problems are probably my fault, because I'm not always the best at making sure I get enough sleep or that I get the right nutrition, but it just feels like life is spinning out of control at times and I don't know how to stop it or slow it down. I've asked Bill for priesthood blessings a few times, and I try to pray and stay close to the Spirit, but there are days when all I want to do is sleep or veg and let my family take care of themselves.
Now in writing all this, I don't necessarily want people to feel sorry for me or write an epistle in the comments on how to deal with these problems. I am excited about having this baby and seeing how she fits into our family. Mostly I'm just venting and writing things down for posterity, especially if Bill and I decide to have more kids in the future. Getting these things off my chest makes me feel a little better, so I think this post was mostly for me. You are welcome to comment, call, email or visit if you feel the need. I do appreciate it when people try and make me feel better. Thanks for listening.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween!
Old MacDonald had a ghost who lived behind a post.
On Halloween he came to play. He scared the kids away.
With a boo, boo here
And a boo, boo there
Here a boo, there a boo, everywhere a boo, boo
Sun came up, the ghost ran fast for Halloween had passed.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Will's 7th Birthday
Amazingly, even with having a child whose birthday falls less than a week before Halloween, we've never thrown Will a Halloween-themed birthday party. Until this year. It was chaotic, noisy, and exhausting (at least for me and Bill), but I think Will and his friends had fun.
GAMES
There are so many Halloween games you can play that it took me a while to find ones that were age-appropriate and wouldn't take a lot of time planning or executing. We started off with a little dance party to Halloween music. This allowed the kids to jump around and get wiggles out, as well as let Bill set up for another game. Unfortunately all the pictures I took of them dancing were too dark or too blurry.
Then we had a game I guess you could call "Build the Skeleton." We divided the kids up into teams, gave them a bunch of paper bones, and had them put the skeletons back together in the right order. It ended up being boys vs. girls, and the boys were super fast. That may have to do with the fact that Alice, Kayla and Esther weren't really into the game, but who knows.
The next game was the classic "Doughnut on a String." Whether accidentally or not, Bill made the strings a little too high for most of the kids, so it was really funny watching them try to eat the doughnuts.
After all the doughnuts had either fallen off or been eaten, we resurrected an idea from last year and had the kids make spiders out of Oreo's and licorice. This was by far the most popular activity of the party.
Then it was time for presents. Will received a number of nice gifts, the most popular being related to Transformers and Star Wars.
And finally we had cake and ice cream. Will requested a pumpkin cake. I've always struggled with making and decorating cakes, so I was pretty proud of how this one turned out.
Here's a picture of Will and his friends. Among the bunch we had a princess, a dog, two Transformers, a skeleton, a giraffe, and a Power Ranger.
And here is a picture of Kayla enjoying the remainder of her cake and ice cream amidst the aftermath of the chaos.
Happy Birthday Will!
GAMES
There are so many Halloween games you can play that it took me a while to find ones that were age-appropriate and wouldn't take a lot of time planning or executing. We started off with a little dance party to Halloween music. This allowed the kids to jump around and get wiggles out, as well as let Bill set up for another game. Unfortunately all the pictures I took of them dancing were too dark or too blurry.
Then we had a game I guess you could call "Build the Skeleton." We divided the kids up into teams, gave them a bunch of paper bones, and had them put the skeletons back together in the right order. It ended up being boys vs. girls, and the boys were super fast. That may have to do with the fact that Alice, Kayla and Esther weren't really into the game, but who knows.
The next game was the classic "Doughnut on a String." Whether accidentally or not, Bill made the strings a little too high for most of the kids, so it was really funny watching them try to eat the doughnuts.
After all the doughnuts had either fallen off or been eaten, we resurrected an idea from last year and had the kids make spiders out of Oreo's and licorice. This was by far the most popular activity of the party.
Then it was time for presents. Will received a number of nice gifts, the most popular being related to Transformers and Star Wars.
And finally we had cake and ice cream. Will requested a pumpkin cake. I've always struggled with making and decorating cakes, so I was pretty proud of how this one turned out.
Here's a picture of Will and his friends. Among the bunch we had a princess, a dog, two Transformers, a skeleton, a giraffe, and a Power Ranger.
And here is a picture of Kayla enjoying the remainder of her cake and ice cream amidst the aftermath of the chaos.
Happy Birthday Will!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Looks like the boys are about to be outnumbered
Introducing Baby GIRL Evans!
We got the ultrasound this morning and everything looks great. Brain, heart, kidneys, spine, everything is as it should be. The tech called her an active little turkey because she was moving around so much, but she eventually made it into the right positions for us to see what we needed. When I picked up Kayla from the babysitter and told her she was going to have a little sister I saw her smile, which made me even more excited to have a girl than I already was (I was secretly hoping for a girl, Bill of course didn't care either way). We can't wait to meet her in a few months. Next step: Finding a minivan!
We got the ultrasound this morning and everything looks great. Brain, heart, kidneys, spine, everything is as it should be. The tech called her an active little turkey because she was moving around so much, but she eventually made it into the right positions for us to see what we needed. When I picked up Kayla from the babysitter and told her she was going to have a little sister I saw her smile, which made me even more excited to have a girl than I already was (I was secretly hoping for a girl, Bill of course didn't care either way). We can't wait to meet her in a few months. Next step: Finding a minivan!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Family Update
It's been a while since I've done a family update. There's been lots of exciting stuff happening lately.
Kayla:
-Potty training - She is about 90% there! She is doing awesome with most of it, we just need to work on a couple of things. So proud of her.
-Preschool - Kayla will be going to the same preschool that Will went to starting in a couple of weeks. It's called Little Maroons and it's run by Child Development classes at a local high school. Kayla is excited that a couple of her friends will be in the same class.
-Mommy's helper - One of her favorite things to do is sit beside me (and Bill when he's around to help) and help us make dinner. She especially loves helping to cut things like vegetables and fruit. She also loves helping with laundry, picking up toys, and making her bed.
Will
-School - Hard to believe we have a child in 1st grade. One of his best friends is in his class again this year. The biggest excitement of the new school year is that he gets to ride the bus. He goes to the bus stop with Bill every morning, which is great for all involved :) He's a fabulous reader and loves to learn.
-Piano - Will started piano lessons a couple of weeks ago. His teacher is a friend of mine from the stake. He doesn't put up too much of a fight with practicing each day, and he's learning things very quickly.
-Swimming - During the summer Will took swimming lessons. We got lucky and found someone who lives near us who was teaching at the pool in our complex. So nice not to have to drive him to lessons every week. He caught on to everything so quickly that even his teacher was a bit surprised at how good he was.
Bill
-Research/Teaching - Bill's research continues to progress, albeit a bit slowly. He still really enjoys his group and his adviser. I finally got to meet his adviser and the group a few weeks ago and was really impressed. He definitely lucked out. He's teaching a class 3 times a week this semester, which is going to be an adjustment for all of us since 2 days a week he has to catch a bus before 7 am.
-Calling - A few weeks ago he was called as the 11-year-old Scout leader. So far there is only 1 boy in the troop, but by the beginning of next year he should have 3 or 4 boys. It's a big responsibility, but I think he's excited to be involved with Scouting again. And he's gotten Will excited about Scouts too, because Will wants to be just like Daddy.
Kristin
-Pregnancy - I am almost halfway done with my pregnancy. We find out next week what the gender of the baby will be, so we're really excited about that. This pregnancy is a little odd, because I'm not really having any symptoms except extreme exhaustion. I finally started feeling the baby move this past week, which is always fun.
-Calling - At the moment I have two callings. I am the Relief Society secretary and also the Relief Society pianist. They are trying to find someone to replace me with the piano so I can focus on being the secretary. I love being part of a presidency because I've never been in one before. The calling itself is a bit more stressful than I was anticipating, because there is lots that I am in charge of, but I enjoy it and I love getting to know the sisters I work with.
Obviously that's not everything that we've been doing lately, just some of the highlights. Our life is kind of crazy and stressful at times, but everyone is healthy and happy and enjoying life.
Kayla:
-Potty training - She is about 90% there! She is doing awesome with most of it, we just need to work on a couple of things. So proud of her.
-Preschool - Kayla will be going to the same preschool that Will went to starting in a couple of weeks. It's called Little Maroons and it's run by Child Development classes at a local high school. Kayla is excited that a couple of her friends will be in the same class.
-Mommy's helper - One of her favorite things to do is sit beside me (and Bill when he's around to help) and help us make dinner. She especially loves helping to cut things like vegetables and fruit. She also loves helping with laundry, picking up toys, and making her bed.
Will
-School - Hard to believe we have a child in 1st grade. One of his best friends is in his class again this year. The biggest excitement of the new school year is that he gets to ride the bus. He goes to the bus stop with Bill every morning, which is great for all involved :) He's a fabulous reader and loves to learn.
-Piano - Will started piano lessons a couple of weeks ago. His teacher is a friend of mine from the stake. He doesn't put up too much of a fight with practicing each day, and he's learning things very quickly.
-Swimming - During the summer Will took swimming lessons. We got lucky and found someone who lives near us who was teaching at the pool in our complex. So nice not to have to drive him to lessons every week. He caught on to everything so quickly that even his teacher was a bit surprised at how good he was.
Bill
-Research/Teaching - Bill's research continues to progress, albeit a bit slowly. He still really enjoys his group and his adviser. I finally got to meet his adviser and the group a few weeks ago and was really impressed. He definitely lucked out. He's teaching a class 3 times a week this semester, which is going to be an adjustment for all of us since 2 days a week he has to catch a bus before 7 am.
-Calling - A few weeks ago he was called as the 11-year-old Scout leader. So far there is only 1 boy in the troop, but by the beginning of next year he should have 3 or 4 boys. It's a big responsibility, but I think he's excited to be involved with Scouting again. And he's gotten Will excited about Scouts too, because Will wants to be just like Daddy.
Kristin
-Pregnancy - I am almost halfway done with my pregnancy. We find out next week what the gender of the baby will be, so we're really excited about that. This pregnancy is a little odd, because I'm not really having any symptoms except extreme exhaustion. I finally started feeling the baby move this past week, which is always fun.
-Calling - At the moment I have two callings. I am the Relief Society secretary and also the Relief Society pianist. They are trying to find someone to replace me with the piano so I can focus on being the secretary. I love being part of a presidency because I've never been in one before. The calling itself is a bit more stressful than I was anticipating, because there is lots that I am in charge of, but I enjoy it and I love getting to know the sisters I work with.
Obviously that's not everything that we've been doing lately, just some of the highlights. Our life is kind of crazy and stressful at times, but everyone is healthy and happy and enjoying life.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Special Annoucement
If you've been on my Facebook page in the last 24 hours you've already seen this announcement, but for everyone else, Bill and I would like to announce that we are having a baby in early February. I am almost 13 weeks along, feeling pretty good, and we are all very excited. We told the kids last night, and immediately Kayla came up to me and gave the baby a hug. And Will has already decided that, if it's a boy it should be named Ryan and if it's a girl it should be named Megan. We are looking forward to this new adventure in our family.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
8 is great!
Today Bill and I are celebrating 8 years of marriage. I've been trying to think for the past few days of what I could say that would convey how I feel about him, about marriage, and about our life together so far. I've had a hard time coming up with the right words, but I found a couple of songs that I thought might do the job.
Happy Anniversary honey! We've had our ups and downs, we've been through a lot, we've had some amazing experiences, and I wouldn't want to go through any of it without you. I love you so much!
Happy Anniversary honey! We've had our ups and downs, we've been through a lot, we've had some amazing experiences, and I wouldn't want to go through any of it without you. I love you so much!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tiny dancer (and singer)
Here's a cute video of Kayla singing. My favorite part is the big finish at the end. Hope none of you get dizzy from all the movement :)
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
What a year
Today was Will's last day of kindergarten. We took a picture before he went to school this morning, and I was comparing it with his picture from the first day.
And here is today's picture
He looks so grown up now. It's amazing how much can change in a year. I asked Will what some of his favorite things about kindergarten were.
-Learning how to rollerskate for P.E.
-Playing with friends at recess
-Having snacktime
-Watching chicks hatch in his classroom
-Singing songs to remember how to spell words
He's had a really fun year and we are so proud of all the progress he has made with writing and reading, as well as all the fun and interesting things he learned about math, science, and many other subjects. 1st grade here we come!
And here is today's picture
He looks so grown up now. It's amazing how much can change in a year. I asked Will what some of his favorite things about kindergarten were.
-Learning how to rollerskate for P.E.
-Playing with friends at recess
-Having snacktime
-Watching chicks hatch in his classroom
-Singing songs to remember how to spell words
He's had a really fun year and we are so proud of all the progress he has made with writing and reading, as well as all the fun and interesting things he learned about math, science, and many other subjects. 1st grade here we come!
Monday, May 28, 2012
A Cookie Story
Yesterday Will and Kayla helped me make cookies while Bill was home teaching. An incident happened that prompted Will to write a short story.
Translation: Once there was two people (Will and Kayla) eating different sugar. One was eating brown sugar, one was eating white sugar. Then their mother said stop eating sugar.
And a (very bad) picture of the cookie helpers
Translation: Once there was two people (Will and Kayla) eating different sugar. One was eating brown sugar, one was eating white sugar. Then their mother said stop eating sugar.
And a (very bad) picture of the cookie helpers
Saturday, May 26, 2012
And the answer is...
Here are the answers to the quiz in case people were interested
Picture 1 - The inside of our computer tower (I think)
Picture 2 - The trunk window of our car
Picture 3 - Part of the wheel on my wheelchair
Picture 1 - The inside of our computer tower (I think)
Picture 2 - The trunk window of our car
Picture 3 - Part of the wheel on my wheelchair
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
What is it?
Will and Kayla enjoy playing with the camera as much as we will let them. And every once in a while they come up with a picture that makes us go "What is it?" So I thought I'd have a little fun on our blog. See if you can guess what they were trying to take a picture of.
Small and simple things
Today Kayla and I had a tea party. Nothing big, just water and cracker sandwiches. But seeing the smile on Kayla's face when I joined her was wonderful.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A wonderful time
I feel I should preface this post by saying that I have the most amazing and wonderful husband ever. The reasons why are certainly plentiful, but for the sake of this post he's amazing and wonderful because he let me go on a vacation completely by myself. Again. A couple of years ago I got to go to Utah and this time I got to go to Washington D.C. One of my best friends got married a couple of weeks ago and I was able to be there. It was definitely an experience that I will always remember. Since I could probably go on and on about all the fun and crazy experiences I had, instead I'll highlight some of my favorite parts. And unfortunately I didn't take that many pictures (and those I did take didn't turn out so well) so you'll have to use your imagination.
-Flying into DC and seeing the Washington Monument from the plane window
-Spending time with old friends and their adorable kids
-Having dinner with my sister-in-law, her husband, and my father-in-law
-Riding the Metro
-Getting lost at least twice - the getting lost part wasn't so fun, but I definitely got plenty of exercise with all that walking
-Seeing all the amazing sites. We went to the Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and walked by numerous other places that I would love to go back and see.
-Meeting new friends
-Getting a manicure with my friend the morning of her wedding
-Being inside the beautiful Washington D.C. temple
-Seeing my friend start her new life with her wonderful new husband
I definitely missed Bill and the kids at times, but it was so much fun to be able to relax for a few days and not have any responsibilities. Thanks to all those who helped us out with babysitting, rides, accommodations, and numerous other things. And of course a huge thank you to Bill for playing Mr. Mom while I got to have fun. You're the best honey!
-Flying into DC and seeing the Washington Monument from the plane window
-Spending time with old friends and their adorable kids
-Having dinner with my sister-in-law, her husband, and my father-in-law
-Riding the Metro
-Getting lost at least twice - the getting lost part wasn't so fun, but I definitely got plenty of exercise with all that walking
-Seeing all the amazing sites. We went to the Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and walked by numerous other places that I would love to go back and see.
-Meeting new friends
-Getting a manicure with my friend the morning of her wedding
-Being inside the beautiful Washington D.C. temple
-Seeing my friend start her new life with her wonderful new husband
I definitely missed Bill and the kids at times, but it was so much fun to be able to relax for a few days and not have any responsibilities. Thanks to all those who helped us out with babysitting, rides, accommodations, and numerous other things. And of course a huge thank you to Bill for playing Mr. Mom while I got to have fun. You're the best honey!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Motherhood Is...
Recently I entered an essay contest about motherhood. I didn't win, but I feel this essay sums up pretty well how I feel about motherhood, so I thought I'd share it with you.
MOTHERHOOD IS
MOTHERHOOD IS
Motherhood is an interesting word to
try and define. It reminds me of the beginning line in A Tale of
Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of
times”. For me the best of times include getting a spontaneous hug
from my 3-year-old or seeing my 6-year-old make his bed without being
asked. It is seeing my children playing nicely together or making
special presents for their grandparents. It is throwing a successful
birthday party or listening to them describe a fun day at school or a
friend's house. Motherhood is the best when I can put my children to
bed at the end of the day and feel good about the choices they made,
which is often a reflection of how I've raised them. At those times
I think to myself “I love being a mother. I am so thankful that
God has granted me these two beautiful angels for me to love and
raise.” During the best of times I think of myself as “Supermom”;
able to do 10 loads of laundry in one day, or make a delicious,
healthy snack for my kids that will make them say “Wow Mom, we love
you!” These are the times when I can do no wrong and I have the world at my feet. And then there are the worst of times. Temper tantrums,
throwing up, sibling rivalry, messy rooms, etc. These are the days
when I feel like letting my husband take care of the kids and
escaping to some far off place all by myself. These are the days
that I am forced to separate my kids before World War III breaks out.
I have been a mother for almost 7 years, and while there are plenty
of times when I might toy with the idea of going back to work or
getting a full-time nanny, all I have to do is look at my daughter's
beautiful face or hear my son tell me a funny story and I remember
why I chose to make motherhood my full-time job. Because motherhood
is frustrating, hard, exasperating, beautiful, fun, and the most
wonderful thing I could be doing with my life.
I love being a mother to Will and Kayla. They teach me so much every day about love, friendship, service, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and so many other things. They are active, crazy, silly, creative, amazing children. Yes I have bad days, yes I want to throw in the towel and quit sometimes, but at the end of the day I don't think I would trade motherhood for anything else.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
And A Little Child Shall Lead Them
Next week is General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the Church are instructed, uplifted, and encouraged in many different topics. Families like ours that have young children often find it difficult to sit still for 4 hours. I've often wondered if Will and Kayla actually get anything out of Conference. Well this morning I was definitely humbled and taught. Will informed us that he wanted to prepare for Conference next week by watching talks from the previous Conference. So we found the link, Will set up chairs for us to sit on in the living room, and we all sat through at least one talk. I definitely felt the Spirit as I watched my children being kind to each other and watching an apostle of the Lord instruct us. I am grateful that Will and Kayla are learning about the importance of listening to Conference and the blessing it can bring into our family.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Our Little Princess
Kayla turned 3 years old on Wednesday. Yesterday she had her birthday party. The theme of the party was princesses. So as you can imagine, there was A LOT of pink involved.
The decorations. Susan kindly offered her services - and her height - to help set things up since Bill wasn't home yet.
The guests. L-R: Emmalyn, Allison, Kayla, Alice, Sophie, Esther. Since this was a princess party some of the girls were dressed up. It was really cute to see them running around in their dresses and crowns that we had them decorate. I think one of my favorite parts of this picture is noticing Emmalyn's crown is backwards. Honorary guests: Will and Justin. Justin's little sister was one of Kayla's guests, so we decided to let Will have a friend there too.
The games. This isn't a very good picture, but we played a couple of games that had a princess twist. One was "hide the slipper" which was a version of "hot or cold", and "castle bean bag toss". You can kind of see the castle in the background.
The gifts. Kayla got a lot of fun gifts this year. Some of her favorites were: fairy wings, princess baby dolls, a princess ball, bubbles, and a purse with all kinds of treasures inside.
The "cake". Originally I wanted to do a cake shaped like a castle, but then I decided that might be a bit much for me to handle. Bill found these cute crown-shaped toppers. And no we didn't get a black candle for the middle. I'm horrible with lighting. That candle has a 3 on it.
This was Kayla's first friend birthday party and I think it was very successful. Although I have to say I'm glad I only have to do this kind of thing a couple of times a year.
The decorations. Susan kindly offered her services - and her height - to help set things up since Bill wasn't home yet.
The guests. L-R: Emmalyn, Allison, Kayla, Alice, Sophie, Esther. Since this was a princess party some of the girls were dressed up. It was really cute to see them running around in their dresses and crowns that we had them decorate. I think one of my favorite parts of this picture is noticing Emmalyn's crown is backwards. Honorary guests: Will and Justin. Justin's little sister was one of Kayla's guests, so we decided to let Will have a friend there too.
The games. This isn't a very good picture, but we played a couple of games that had a princess twist. One was "hide the slipper" which was a version of "hot or cold", and "castle bean bag toss". You can kind of see the castle in the background.
The gifts. Kayla got a lot of fun gifts this year. Some of her favorites were: fairy wings, princess baby dolls, a princess ball, bubbles, and a purse with all kinds of treasures inside.
The "cake". Originally I wanted to do a cake shaped like a castle, but then I decided that might be a bit much for me to handle. Bill found these cute crown-shaped toppers. And no we didn't get a black candle for the middle. I'm horrible with lighting. That candle has a 3 on it.
This was Kayla's first friend birthday party and I think it was very successful. Although I have to say I'm glad I only have to do this kind of thing a couple of times a year.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
What's in a name?
When we moved to Illinois over 4 years ago I knew that there would be a number of differences between Utah and Illinois, among them being terrain and weather. I also knew that being members of the LDS church would put us in the minority rather than the majority, like we were in Utah. But up until recently I would say that the majority of our friends have been LDS as well. Since Will has started school, however, things have changed slightly. He's got at least 2 or 3 friends who are not members of the LDS church. Which has brought up some interesting conversations in our family. For example, when I picked up Will from school today we were talking about calling one of his school friends to come over and play. Will said "Can you call Sister K to see if S can come over tomorrow?" It caught me off guard but didn't totally surprise me to hear him call her that, because up until now all of his friends parents have been either Sister so-and-so or Brother so-and-so. So I did my best to explain that, if someone is a member of the LDS church you call them Sister or Brother, but if they aren't you call them Mr. or Mrs. I think it's going to be interesting to see what happens as Will is exposed to other religions and other ways of thinking beyond what we know as members of the LDS church.
Monday, February 13, 2012
The 7 Days of Valentine's Day: Days 6 and 7
This final activity/craft was done over 2 days. I'm actually kind of proud of it. For Family Home Evening tonight we will be having this:
It's super easy and looks cute. It's brownies with vanilla frosting, and the hearts are made out of colored sugar and a cookie cutter. Yummy and awesome-looking (if I do say so myself).
It's super easy and looks cute. It's brownies with vanilla frosting, and the hearts are made out of colored sugar and a cookie cutter. Yummy and awesome-looking (if I do say so myself).
Sunday, February 12, 2012
The 7 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 5
We slacked off a little on Thursday and Friday, but made up for it yesterday. Our Valentine's Day activity for the day was a temple trip. We decided to go up to Chicago rather than go to St. Louis, and we were able to leave Will and Kayla with some friends so we could go by ourselves. It was wonderful. We had lots of time in the car by ourselves, and doing sealings in the temple was a fabulous way to grow closer together and celebrate how much we love each other.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The 7 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 2
Today's creation: What I like to call "Heart People". I don't remember where I saw this idea, but I thought it was kind of cute. Will was a little resistant at first, and neither of them helped me as much as I would have liked, but I think they enjoyed the finished product.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The 7 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 1
I decided to extend our Valentine's Day celebration to a whole week with a number of fun crafts/recipes/activities/etc. So here is our first one:
Please pay no attention to how homemade this is. I'm not a crafty person by any means, but I figured a mailbox that we can put love notes and valentines to each other in would be fun. So my thought is that we put notes in there throughout the week and then open the mailbox and read them on Valentine's Day. I'm predicting that the majority of the notes will be from me and Bill to the kids or me and Bill to each other, but I think it's a fun idea anyway. I'm excited to see what else we come up with throughout the next few days. If any of you have ideas of things you've done in the past, I'm open to suggestions!
Please pay no attention to how homemade this is. I'm not a crafty person by any means, but I figured a mailbox that we can put love notes and valentines to each other in would be fun. So my thought is that we put notes in there throughout the week and then open the mailbox and read them on Valentine's Day. I'm predicting that the majority of the notes will be from me and Bill to the kids or me and Bill to each other, but I think it's a fun idea anyway. I'm excited to see what else we come up with throughout the next few days. If any of you have ideas of things you've done in the past, I'm open to suggestions!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Fun Christmas Extras
I forgot to mention a couple of things in my Christmas post, which Will has reminded me of in the last couple of days. And I hope Susan doesn't mind that I stole a video from her blog :)
One fun thing that Susan did was make up little rhymes for each member of the family, then put them inside Christmas crackers. Will still gets a kick out of ours, so I thought I'd share.
Will:
There once was a young boy named Will
And one day he couldn't sit still
He leapt off the ground
And flew all around
And landed 'kersplat' on a hill.
Kayla: (I thought this one was clever. Not easy to rhyme with Kayla)
There once was a little girl Kayla
Whom Alice invited to play-la
They put on their dresses
And danced as princesses
Until the sun set on the day-la
Kristin*
I once had an in-law named Kristin
I asked her to to work in my kitchen
She chopped and she peeled
The veggies did yield
Nourishment forged by persistin'
Bill:
There once was a daddy named Bill
He had an unusual skill
He'd take out some light
And bend it just right
Using lasers to pay all the bills
*This has become somewhat of an inside joke. We go over to their house at least once a week for a play date. And while the kids play I help Susan make dinner. It seems like every time I help I'm in charge of chopping the vegetables.
Will and Alice like dancing together occasionally. I don't remember who it was, but someone taught them the proper way to dance. Maybe Will has a future in ballroom dancing?
One fun thing that Susan did was make up little rhymes for each member of the family, then put them inside Christmas crackers. Will still gets a kick out of ours, so I thought I'd share.
Will:
There once was a young boy named Will
And one day he couldn't sit still
He leapt off the ground
And flew all around
And landed 'kersplat' on a hill.
Kayla: (I thought this one was clever. Not easy to rhyme with Kayla)
There once was a little girl Kayla
Whom Alice invited to play-la
They put on their dresses
And danced as princesses
Until the sun set on the day-la
Kristin*
I once had an in-law named Kristin
I asked her to to work in my kitchen
She chopped and she peeled
The veggies did yield
Nourishment forged by persistin'
Bill:
There once was a daddy named Bill
He had an unusual skill
He'd take out some light
And bend it just right
Using lasers to pay all the bills
*This has become somewhat of an inside joke. We go over to their house at least once a week for a play date. And while the kids play I help Susan make dinner. It seems like every time I help I'm in charge of chopping the vegetables.
Will and Alice like dancing together occasionally. I don't remember who it was, but someone taught them the proper way to dance. Maybe Will has a future in ballroom dancing?
Monday, January 2, 2012
Christmas 2011
*Warning* Picture overload
We had a fabulous Christmas this year full of fun activities and lots of time with family. Bill's parents were here for about a week, then Bill's younger brother and his wife came for a couple of days. We unfortunately didn't get pictures of everything, but here are some of the highlights.
The annual decorating of the Christmas tree
Will helping me make cookies
Gingerbread houses with Bobby and Susan
Our family went with the traditional looking house
Bobby and Susan's family decided to make a stage, complete with a chorus line in the background. Knowing their daughter Alice, a stage makes perfect sense.
Acting out the Nativity on Christmas Eve
Shepherds (Alice and Will) and sheep (Kayla)
Shepherds coming to see baby Jesus, Mary (Grandma Evans) and Joseph (Robert/Susan)
Wise Men (Alice, Will and Kayla) talking with King Herod (Bobby). Bobby's face in this picture was perfect.
Wise Men bringing gifts to Jesus
Christmas Morning
Candy Cane Coffee Cake - Before
After
Waiting patiently for breakfast
Opening Presents
Uncle Jonny and Aunt Brooke
Brooke and Jonny came for a brief visit, but definitely made the most of it and quickly became very popular with all the kids. We went to the toy room near our apartment, and they spent the majority of the time spinning, flying, and tackling our kids.
Alice and Kayla burying Uncle Jonny
Will and Alice wanted to be just like Aunt Brooke and Uncle Jonny (see previous picture).
Other highlights not pictured:
-Christmas Eve dinner. Susan decided to do a "shepherd's feast." We had lentil soup, artisan bread, cantaloupe, and other yummy things.
-Christmas Day dinner. We were the hosts this time, and had ham, mashed potatoes, salad, bread, and homemade peppermint ice cream.
-Bowling. So much fun! The first round was adults versus kids. I think Will beat almost everyone. I didn't do so hot that round, but definitely made up for it the second round, which was boys versus girls.
-Spending almost a whole day with Jonny and Brooke. They were at our house for almost a whole afternoon and evening, and we had so much fun chatting, playing games, eating pizza, and they even made us some butterbeer (think Harry Potter).
Hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas as we did!
We had a fabulous Christmas this year full of fun activities and lots of time with family. Bill's parents were here for about a week, then Bill's younger brother and his wife came for a couple of days. We unfortunately didn't get pictures of everything, but here are some of the highlights.
The annual decorating of the Christmas tree
Will helping me make cookies
Gingerbread houses with Bobby and Susan
Our family went with the traditional looking house
Bobby and Susan's family decided to make a stage, complete with a chorus line in the background. Knowing their daughter Alice, a stage makes perfect sense.
Acting out the Nativity on Christmas Eve
Shepherds (Alice and Will) and sheep (Kayla)
Shepherds coming to see baby Jesus, Mary (Grandma Evans) and Joseph (Robert/Susan)
Wise Men (Alice, Will and Kayla) talking with King Herod (Bobby). Bobby's face in this picture was perfect.
Wise Men bringing gifts to Jesus
Christmas Morning
Candy Cane Coffee Cake - Before
After
Waiting patiently for breakfast
Opening Presents
Uncle Jonny and Aunt Brooke
Brooke and Jonny came for a brief visit, but definitely made the most of it and quickly became very popular with all the kids. We went to the toy room near our apartment, and they spent the majority of the time spinning, flying, and tackling our kids.
Alice and Kayla burying Uncle Jonny
Will and Alice wanted to be just like Aunt Brooke and Uncle Jonny (see previous picture).
Other highlights not pictured:
-Christmas Eve dinner. Susan decided to do a "shepherd's feast." We had lentil soup, artisan bread, cantaloupe, and other yummy things.
-Christmas Day dinner. We were the hosts this time, and had ham, mashed potatoes, salad, bread, and homemade peppermint ice cream.
-Bowling. So much fun! The first round was adults versus kids. I think Will beat almost everyone. I didn't do so hot that round, but definitely made up for it the second round, which was boys versus girls.
-Spending almost a whole day with Jonny and Brooke. They were at our house for almost a whole afternoon and evening, and we had so much fun chatting, playing games, eating pizza, and they even made us some butterbeer (think Harry Potter).
Hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas as we did!
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