Team Thompson

My Pinterest Goal -

2012-02-02T21:43:00.000-08:00

I sort of set a goal for myself that I would try all the PINS on my Pinterest boards. I know that it's unlikely to have all of them done by the end of the year (b/c I'll add pins faster than I can accomplish them) BUT I want the website to be a serious list of projects, rather than just wishful thinking. These pins need to be worth my time - something that will improve my life, my family and my home. (A recipe to give my family dinner, a birthday gift for a friend, a easier way to keep my home clean, etc) So, here is my end of the month report:

January 2012
Total Pins: 135
Completed Pins: 12
Completion: 9%
My favorite pin that I accomplished this month: It's a tie...between the yummy green monster smoothies and the awesome flannel boards for the boys.

I've been taking some photos, so I'll be sure to get them on here soon. Don't worry, I have already started out February with more pinning and have the supplies to try out some more projects/recipes....all I need is a little more money for the supplies and time in the day.....

2012 GOALS

2012-01-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

Rambling.....

A few weeks ago, we welcomed a new year and like millions of others, I decided to set some goals for myself. The problem I often face is that I write my goals and don't read them often enough.Sometimes the goals are too specific and I start to waffle on them and eventually fail. FOR EXAMPLE: Every year I commit to exercising 3 times a week. I may get off track being sick/out of town and only exercise once that week, then I feel bad and somehow quit exercising completely because I can't seem to re-motivate myself.

I seem to set the same goals every year - I would consider them LIFE goals that I just renew each year. Specifics for the goals are different based on the my progress the year before and the situation in my life at the time. I am reminded of a few scriptures that explain my thoughts....

"For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts..." (2Nephi 28:30)
This scripture teaches me that I cannot do or be everything all at once...the Lord will help me to learn and grow according to my willingness. Growth happens a little at a time. My goals adjust to my growth.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." (Ecc 3:1)
I need to accept that I can't do it all at once, all the time. For example, I no longer have countless hours to devote to my family history research. At this time in my life I feel like I CAN devote a little time each week to my personal and family journal for my posterity. I CAN also spend a little time each week to index records in familysearch.org. I PROMISE that there will be another season for me to devote countless hours to my family history research - but not right now.

So, THIS year I decided to make 1-2 word goals. Each goal represents a whole vision in my head of my self-expectations. Based on the season of my life, I will fulfill each goal to the best I can. I'd like to post these somewhere in my home so I can see them often. So, here it goes...(in no particular order)

SCRIPTURES
PRAYER
SERVICE
TESTIMONY
KAIROS TIME
FRIENDSHIP
JOURNAL
FAMILY HISTORY
EXERCISE
D.I.Y.
GARDEN
READ
PUNCTUAL
BLOG
1 YEAR SUPPLY
PHOTO ALBUMS

LAST ONE!!

2012-01-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

This is the LAST potty training post, I PROMISE. I said that yesterday, but I have a funny story and couldn't resist posting for everyone to get a chuckle.

So, as a new approach, I decided to give the boys some "naked time."
Yes, completely naked.
Good thing that our house has all hard floors, because I wouldn't be so bold if the house was carpeted.
11:30am - Arlo realizes that he needs to go pee so he jumps on the little potty in the family room. At that very moment, Josiah realized that he needed to pee as well but didn't have time/interest to run to the bathroom. So, in a flash he grabbed the plastic ice cream bucket, dumped out the toys and peed STANDING UP in the bucket!!! I sat there in shock, but burst out laughing when I realized everyone had avoided an accident. Good aim, boys.

Quick thinking Josiah! Let's not make this a habit though.

New Strategy

2012-01-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

Day 3 was the same 'ole as Day 1 & 2 - lots of accidents, another load of underwear in the washing machine, disinfectant spray & paper towels, movie watching, blah blah blah...

Today was Day 4 - (see above note about Day 3)

So, bedtime is a new challenge because they see trips to the bathroom as a great excuse to delay bedtime.... and boy do they use that trick a lot. Back & forth to the bathroom multiple times and you KNOW that one boy can't go without the other boy following....ugh. It tries my patience at the end of the day.

I think that Josiah will be ready for the "real world" by the time I head to back to work on Monday (in other words, it won't be a total disaster at day care.) He had 1 accident today, but I think he just got caught up playing with his friends that came over.

I need a new strategy for Arlo - he's just not making any progress & he'll be wearing diapers to college if things don't change. So, I pulled out my original potty training book and have been doing some reading - the idea is that you center the training around the child's personality. So, we took the quiz and it turns out that Arlo scored highest in the IMPULSIVE CHILD category - surprise, surprise, right?? So, I'm reading that chapter of the book and we'll start all over tomorrow with a new strategy.

For anyone who knows my children, you'll know that this defines Arlo's personality exactly: (book excerpt)

"Impulsive children are the ones who are into everything, jump from one ambitious activity to another and never seem to tire. You may easily spot the parents of an impulsive child - they're usually sweaty from nonstop running. Impulsive children are energetic and active...they seldom or never sit still....Bodily risk-takers, they're the ones who climb all over the furniture...These are the kids for whom safety latches were invented...They are easily excitable and anticipate everything as a great adventure. Being typically happy children, they recover quickly from being upset and are usually adaptable. They easily interact with familiar and unfamiliar people or situations. For the impulsive child, every day is a new day and he lives for the moment" (Stress-free Potty Training, By Sara Au and Peter Stavinoha)

So, I know that potty training isn't the most exciting topic to read about - so thank you for bearing with me. I use this blog as a "journal" of sorts for my personal/family records. I promise this will be the last long post about P.T....back to all the other "exciting" parts of my life. =)

DAY 2 = POOP

2012-01-17T19:39:00.000-08:00

Let's back up to last night....I decided to camp out on the floor between the boys' toddler beds - just in case someone woke up and needed help to the bathroom. It was a pretty miserable night for me...sleeping on the floor with a huge pregnant belly combined with anxiety over the boys wetting their beds and a sinus infection. I got NO sleep; I woke up every hour. BUT, in the end, the boys both woke up with DRY beds!!! SUCCESSFUL NIGHT!

On to Day 2 of Potty Training...

Total accidents: 11 (Arlo-9, Josiah-2)
Successful pee pees in potty: 8 ( Arlo-0, Josiah-8)

Josiah has POOPED in the POTTY!!! Guess who gets an ice cream cone from McDonalds? I was going to take a picture to send to Jason, but Arlo got excited and flushed the toilet too fast. Overall, he had a great day (as you can see by the numbers above.) He seems to anticipate the pee before it comes out and sometimes takes himself to the potty. He's still had a few accidents, but one happened the last 15 minutes of his nap (yes, I was there checking their pants every 15 minutes even during naptime!)

Arlo is a mystery to me. Here's how his day went:
After 5 accidents this morning I took the little potty seat into the family room. I gave him another 8oz of juice and he sat there for 90 minutes watching a movie - no pee. I put him down for a 2 hour nap, no pee. When he woke up he was back on the toilet for another 30 minutes, no pee. Finally I took him outside to play in the yard with nothing but a shirt & shoes - no pee. (Next time I won't be taking him out at 4pm - it seems that's when all the school buses & minivans full of carpool kids drive by my house!!!) Please ignore the pant-less child in my yard. I gave up and we went to run a QUICK errand at a friend's house and what do you think happened? He had an accident at her house. 5 1/2 hours of no pee and he decides to have an accident there? Oh and then after dinner, he pooped on the kitchen floor. Arlo is quite the personality - it doesn't seem to upset him when he has accidents - he apologizes and we have a little talk, but he stays in the BEST mood ever. His positive attitude is so admirable. I continue to be patient with him because he's so sweet and I know that they are just accidents. He'll figure it out.

So, after 2 days of potty training, we have used an entire roll of paper towels to clean up messes & our disinfectant spray is worth it's weight in gold.

BTW - does it count as an accident or success if they pee in the bathtub??

Arlo

DAY 1 = STRESSFUL

2012-01-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

I have been dreading this day for the past year when I started thinking about it, buying books, reading articles, and asking advice. I knew that this day was inevitable, so I decided to make sure we were 100% before baby #3 arrives.

And so today was Day #1 of Potty Training.

Total accidents: 14 (Arlo-10, Josiah-4)
Successful pee pees in potty: 6 (Arlo-1, Josiah-5)

I am using the "3 day potty training" method which was recommended by several people. The boys spent the day in underwear and a pajama shirt. LOTS of accidents were to be expected today, but the idea is that they learn the muscles to control their bladder, rather than coincidentally peeing while sitting on the potty. So, each day SHOULD get a little easier.
The boys both took naps and woke up dry.....AWESOME. (We'll see what happens overnight!) Part of my struggle with the boys is that they BOTH want to sit on the big toilet with ring, rather than the little potty that sits on the floor. We had 2 accidents IN THE BATHROOM just because they were fighting over who gets to sit on the "big" potty!!! (If only I could install 2 toilets in one room, right?!)

Wish me luck for Day #2!!!

Christmas 2011 in Photos

2012-01-11T20:16:00.000-08:00

My FAVORITE Christmas decoration is my nativity. It may not be a big wreath or flashy lights, but I feel like it represents the humble reason forth our celebrations.

Arlo enjoyed sitting with Santa this year, but Josiah still couldn't handle the idea.


A new Christmas Eve tradition: "Home Alone" time!!! (And the stockings we got this year)

Christmas MORNING!! The boys enjoying some of their new Christmas gifts (including suckers from their stockings!)


We didn't go anywhere for the holidays and we didn't have anyone come visit. I had to work Christmas Eve and the morning after Christmas, but we were able to have a FABULOUS Christmas weekend. We created a few new traditions for our family which included lots of eating. Overall, it was a relaxing, peaceful and perfect Christmas!

21 weeks

2011-12-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

So, I am officially 21 weeks pregnant today. I had an OBGYN appointment this week and all looks good. This pregnancy seems to be harder than when I was carrying the twins, but our circumstances are different now - for example, when I was carrying the twins I could come home from work & loaf on the couch all evening, or sleep in late each morning. Now I come home from work & have 2 cute toddlers that need my every moment's attention devoted only to their care. Since moving into the house their naps have gotten shorter & their sleep at night hasn't been as smooth as usual. Other than being tired, it's been another great pregnancy!!!

And did I mention how my belly has totally POPPED OUT for this pregnancy? I guess I don't have those strong ab muscles keeping my belly tight!!!

The twins seem to understand that there is a baby in my belly & they like to give baby brother (aka, my belly) lots of kisses. I think that they will both be excellent big brothers and I look forward to meeting the newest little Thompson boy.......

.....if he's anything like the other Thompson boys it'll be love at first sight.

Cowboys & Puppy dogs

2011-12-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

Have you seen my cute little trick or treaters???

We had a GREAT Halloween!!!

My standard costume....a cat....7 years and going

TREADMILL

2011-12-01T20:03:00.000-08:00

See this treadmill? For weeks I begged Jason to let me buy this. We bought it 2 months ago & guess how many times I have used it so far???

ZERO!!

So, I am committing to the world right now that I will use this treadmill 15 times during the month of December. It only counts if I stay on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes each time.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS COMMITMENT!!????

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

I shed a tear at the DMV....

2011-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

I finally got a Texas driver's license today but I had to surrender my Virginia license. The nice lady took my license and gave me this paper instead. I nearly broke down crying. Virginia, you'll always have my heart.
(BTW Texas - You need to proofread your forms - or at least use your spell check, duh.)

Trip to Florida!!!

2011-11-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

The week before Halloween we took a spontaneous family trip to Florida for a few days to visit Jason's parents. It was a LONG drive there & back, but the boys did great & we all had lots of fun there. We hadn't seen Jason's parents for almost 2 years so the boys were able to really get to know Grandma & Grandpa Thompson. We mostly just hung out at the house, fed the ducks & turtles at the lake, visited with Aunt Jen & cousin Brooke & took a trip to the pumpkin patch. Let's hope that our next visit won't be another 2 years from now. We love you Grandma & Grandpa!

With cousin Brookie!!!

7 days of blogging...

2011-11-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's been OVER 2 months since I last posted on my blog or even read other people's blogs. It's not that I haven't considered all the possible subjects to post about, but I just haven't been feeling great about myself lately. Don't worry I'm over it, but to make up for my slack, I promised myself to blog once a day for this entire week.

For nearly 2 months I have been in a state of self pity. I would go to work everyday and cry on the phone to Jason about how miserable I was there. Then I would go home in the evening, too exhausted to play with my boys and barely make a half fast dinner for everyone. My pregnancy has been a little tougher than when I had the twins & my body just wasn't keeping up with the things I wanted to do. Oh, and poor Jason - I was the grumpiest wife EVER. I complained about everything! I pitied myself for not having the time, energy, motivation or money to do all the millions of things I imagined in my head.

About 2 weeks ago, something snapped & I realized that I AM SO BLESSED!!! DUH, Dana. I have the best life any girl could ever ask for and I was being so ungrateful. For the past 2 weeks I've been reflecting on the amazing blessings in my life, so here are a few of the big blessings I thought to share with you (in no particular order).

My perfect husband - He works SO hard to provide for our family and give me all the wants in life. He spends so much time with our children; he is never too busy to stop & give them love. He is so careful with our finances & I appreciate his responsibility in saving for our family. He's becoming quite the Mr. Fix-it since we got the house. He has a thirst for learning that I really admire.
My perfect children. When the day hasn't been so great, my husband and children make me forget any flaws in the day. PERFECT.
The healthy baby boy in my belly. I've started to feel him kicking & it's amazing!
My family & friends. They support me no matter what I do.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ. My knowledge & testimony of eternity makes me the person I am.
Pflugerville Ward. From week 1 of moving into our home, I have been getting multiple emails a week with women I've never met inviting me to movie nights, baby showers, play groups, lunch groups, etc etc....I have met so many wonderful and welcoming friends here. I have visiting teachers & a calling already!
My job. It may not be my dream job right now, but BB&B has been SO good to me. It has allowed our family stability as we'ved moved all over the country & it provides excellent health benefits.
My home. It's beautiful and perfect and I love everything about it.
My food storage & 72 hour kits. It's definitely a work in progress, but I feel comforted in knowing that I am prepared to provide for my family if something unexpected were to happen.

October 2011. Biloxi, Mississippi.Visiting Beauvoir, the home of President Jefferson Davis. (Yes, I'm a proud southerner =)

There's No Place Like Home......

2011-09-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!!

What day?? September 20....the date I have been counting down for 2 whole months!!! We put a contract on this house July 20 & after much impatience on my part, we finally OWN IT!!! This morning we met with all those business people to sign the papers & they handed over the keys to us....what a great feeling!!

During that 2 months I made a paper chain & ceremoniously tore a link off every day until there was only ONE LINK LEFT - SEPTEMBER 20.

I had taken about 30 photos of the house & have been staring at photos every night, dreaming of each room for 2 whole months. I have spent hours wandering the aisles of Hobby Lobby, Marshalls & Pier 1 Imports, imagining all the great decorations I could put in my home. I have made list after list of all the things I want to do to give the house my own touch.... plant trees in the back yard, build a clubhouse & sandbox for the kids, a big sectional couch in the family room, paint every room a different color, a big wreath on the front door, etc, etc....

So, I'm off to work making it all happen!!! If you need me, you know where to find me.....HOME!!!
(but possibly Lowes or Home Depot too =)


Pulling out the "for sale" sign

I Blame Gender...

2011-09-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

As I watch friends with their perfectly behaved little girls, I sometimes wonder "what am I doing wrong that makes my boys so wild?" I read a great article online today that made me feel better. Maybe I'm not doing anything wrong (yeah right), maybe it's just a gender thing.

And so I justify my boys' wild behavior.......

"Boys are also more physically aggressive and impulsive, as revealed by studies of their brains. The pleasure center of the brain actually lights up more for boys when they take risks. That's not to say that girls aren't active and risk-taking, only that on average boys are more so." (www.babycenter.com)

Up to no good....

2011-09-03T19:31:00.001-07:00

You may ask what and where we've been for the past month since I haven't blogged the whole time....??? This summer has been the summer of traveling! Since going to SeaWorld in July we have also been to Oklahoma (twice) to visit Jason while he was working. We later DROVE the 23 hours to Utah where we visited friends, drove up to Bear Lake, Idaho for a family reunion, then Jackson Hole, Wyoming & Yellowstone Park. Last week we spent visiting with my sister's family in El Paso, Texas. Unfortunately summer is over and so is my leave of absence from work. I started working again & just finished my first week back. It's tough to go back to work at a new store & not know anyone. I miss my friends in Orem. This hasn't been my favorite week of work, but I'm trying to keep positive because I work full time to provide health insurance for my family. BTW, anyone have a great part-time job with health insurance that you can recommend to me??

Josiah enjoying his cousin's barbie car & helmet (which he wore on his head for HOURS every day!)

The boys are getting bigger, smarter and crazier every day. They are becoming more independent & opinionated every day. I feel like I'm entering a tough age right now..I hate to call it the "terrible twos" because they're so cute, but more like the "do it myself, climb on furniture, i don't share, i'll hit you if i don't like it, cry/whine about everything" twos. Most days I just referee fights non-stop. I just have to ask...did anyone else feel this way about their toddlers??

Josiah all dressed up as a cowboy with his holster, guns, hat & backpack (naked, of course)


Arlo's "I'm so cute" smile =)

Between all their craziness, they are just the cutest and funniest little guys ever. They keep my laughing all the time (sometimes I have to laugh in the closet because if they see me laugh, it'll encourage their crazy behavior!!) Josiah's new past time is undressing himself & changing back into his PJs. The other option is to just be naked all the time - Arlo loves that idea too! Arlo is turning out to be quite the comedian - he'll do anything for a laugh!! (then do it again, and again, and again!!)

After we went swimming in the lake, the boys took off before we could finish changing them!

Sea World

2011-07-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

So, for the 4th of July we met my sister's family in San Antonio for the long weekend.
It was the BEST weekend EVER!!! (Now, repeat this phrase & try to replicate the scene in "Tangled")
I have not seen my sister for 11 months....it was the longest we have ever been apart from each other in our whole lives. (aside from her 18 month mission.) Rest assured, I will never let it happen again that we apart for that long of time.

Day 1: Schlitterbahn Water Park.
Water Park + Camera = Bad idea...therefore....No photos to show you.
We didn't do all the big rides, but had lots of fun in the kiddie area.
After the water park, we walked the Riverwalk & ate BBQ outside by the water.

Day 2: Sea World
One word: A*W*E*S*O*M*E
We are definitely going back again and again. The place had something for everyone: animal shows, sesame street shows, indoor aquarium, a huge waterpark, kiddie rides and roller coasters. We went on the busiest weekend of the year (38,000 people on the day we went), but no fear because we had a "fast pass." You pay extra for this wrist band & you LITERALLY cut in front of all the lines!!!!!! Worth every penny, we will do it every time we go because it was THAT awesome!!

The boys had the best time are still talking about cousins, dolphins, cousins, sharks, cousins, penguins, cousins, whales, cousins, cousins, cousins.....
(PS - they had a REALLY good time with their cousins!!!!)

This group shot was at the end of the day....we were all pretty worn out, but boy, was it fun!!!

2011-07-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Last week a friend passed away.

I only met him about a year ago, but he and is family left quite the impression on me and Jason. Wes Truman was diagnosed with a brain tumor a few years ago, it was treated & he went into remission for a bit. A year and a half ago it returned with a vengeance. No amount of treatment could stop the disease. Wes left behind a devoted wife, Lori & 2 young children, Lucy & Spencer. Anyone who knew this family has been changed for the better. Through their trials this family has been nothing less than devoted to their God & family. Wes & Lori have a love story that you only find in movies. Lori's strength & commitment to her husband is inspiring. If you'd like just a glimpse of this amazing family, you can visit their Family Blog or the Wes Truman Memorial blog.

You may want to grab a box of tissues.

7 years & going strong

2011-07-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

On June 30 Jason and I celebrated our 7th Wedding Anniversary. It's hard to believe we've been married that long...time has gone by so fast! I become more in love with him every day. He has a heart of gold and is a genuine person. He doesn't do things for show, but gives service behind the scenes. He loves me and our children so much. Our temple marriage means that we can spend an eternity together and it's going to be GREAT!!

I love you Jason.

Jason brought these home the other day and I don't think I have had flowers this beautiful before....ever!! They make me smile every time I see them.

2 in Texas

2011-06-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

The boys turned 2 in Texas. We didn't have any wild party on their birthday, but were able to spend time together as a family for the first time in months. We had lunch at Chick Fil-A and later the boys rode their new bikes to the playground.

It was the perfect day.(The boys borrowed shoes from other kids at the chick fil-a playground - I couldn't say no, it was their birthday)

Arlo riding his bike with rainboots (my boys have a shoe fetish, it's genetic from their daddy)

Josiah & his bike

Happy Birthday boys. Daddy & I love you more than you could ever understand.

2011-06-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

We now have two - 2 year olds in our house.
Happy 2nd Birthday to Arlo & Josiah!!!!!!!
Before we left Virginia we had a family BBQ to celebrate.

This is what the boys & cousins were doing while we were all singing happy birthday!!! No time to waste!!

Uncle Travis provided us with some music...

Great Uncle Kenny, Great Uncle Boone & Grandaddy Hall

Great Aunt Dixie, Aunt Renee & Great Aunt Jean

You may never believe me except for this photo is small proof that my boys love new clothes as much as their momma does!!! Can't you see the excitement Josiah has for his new clothes!?

And even Arlo was SUPER excited for his Crocs from Aunt Susan. (Both boys insisted on wearing them to bed that night!)

Coles Knob

2011-06-10T15:38:00.000-07:00

We spent 3 wonderful months with my parents in Virginia. The boys absolutely loved living there & called it home. We could stay at the house for days & not get bored - there's so much to do - we hardly went to town except grocery shopping or church. Even the drive to town is entertaining to look at tractors & farm animals the whole way there. The only thing that could have made Grandma's house better would be to have Jason there with us.

So, here is our top ten reasons why Grandma & Grandaddy's house is AWESOME!!!

10. Cows & sheep (next door)
9. 60 acres to run around
8. Go-cart & bicycles to ride
7. 2 power wheels to drive around the driveway
6. A room FULL of toys, toys, toys
5. Sandbox
4. Swing set
3. Outdoor Trampoline
2. Visiting with cousins EVERY week!

and #1 reason why we love being there......

1. Hanging out with Grandma & Grandaddy EVERY day!!!!

The boys LOVED to sit at the bar and eat Grandaddy's breakfast with him in the mornings.

Grandma treated us to lunch at the park!

My Addiction

2011-05-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

I think I can finally admit...
Step 1. I have an addiction to rewards programs. You know, the kind where you buy stuff, collect "points" and redeem for free stuff. I love to shop, but on a budget, there's a limit to how much shopping I can do; this way I can get stuff FREE!! (love that word!) For a while I got so hooked on so many programs that I found myself completely absorbed on the computer ALL evening!
Step 2. I've decided to cut a few programs out like Pampers diapers GTG or the Huggies "Enjoy the Ride" and all those other sweepstakes, drawings & programs. I still do a few though...I just can't resist......

My ALL TIME FAVORITE rewards programs is www.mypoints.com. In the past year, I've already earned $150 in FREE gift cards!!!! No joke, I'm totally hooked on this program. All you have to do is look at their daily advertising emails. Anytime we make a purchase online, we can earn more points by visiting the mypoints website first. I'm so silly that one time I cried because Jason forgot to go through the website before buying plane tickets, so I didn't earn any points!!! Is that silly or what?!!
DON'T join this program without me sending you an invitation via email - If you join through my email, we both get BONUS points!!! Leave me a comment with your email address & I'll send you an invitation. (I'm crazy, right?)

Another favorite in mycokerewards. I wouldn't have joined this program except that my husband, mother & father are all POP ADDICTS!! They drink so much pop that I thought "Hey, why not save the pop lids, enter the codes and get free stuff? I've gotten a Chilis gift card & a few magazine subscriptions for free. They don't have the best prizes, but a few little things are fun.

Swagbucks is another good one, but I don't spend much time doing it, so it takes me a while. I like to save up my points for Amazon gift cards....that's about the only decent prize available.

On to cuter news.....

*Josiah can peel a clementine like a pro. No help needed.
*Both boys can use the "big kid" swing at the playground. (although they prefer the baby swing because they can swing faster and higher!!)
*They have become exceptional at speaking in complete sentences. They can say anything they want.
*We will only be in Virginia for 2 1/2 more weeks...it's bitter-sweet...we are all SO EXCITED to head to Texas & see Jason, but SO SAD to leave my parents. They have been so good to us & the boys LOVE grandma & grandaddy Hall so much.

We went to Floyd this past Friday evening for all the live bluegrass music & as you can see, WE GOT ICE CREAM!!! The boys got so messy & sticky that we had to take them back to the van & change into PJs. Of course we went back to listen to some more music after getting cleaned up.

Arlo, I don't think that napkin is helping much. Don't give me that look, I won't take your ice cream.

Josiah, enjoying his ice cream & the music.

OUTside!!!!!

2011-05-14T19:06:00.001-07:00

Who doesn't love to spend the ENTIRE day outside with beautiful weather?!

Last month it rained a LOT so we didn't get outside very often. (April showers....) On one of those non-rainy days of the month we took a walk with the stroller. At one point Arlo stood up on the foot rails of the stroller, stretched his arms as wide as he could reach and yelled "OUTside!!!"

The boys really appreciate the nice weather & their mood changes instantly when we walk outside! WELCOME MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST & every day of beautiful weather!!!

Josiah on the Powerwheels. He's pretty serious when he's driving. Focus.

Loving the trampoline!!!

Helping Grandaddy get the ground ready for flowers!!

A trip to the park!!

And when it's time for a nap, it's much better to fall asleep on the floor together with all our blankets, pillows & stuffed animals.

Spring Time

2011-05-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

The boys are growing up too fast, but seem to get cuter every day. (I'm not biased.) They are the best of friends and show so much love to each other. Each boy insists on always being in the same room as his brother & knowing what he is doing at ALL TIMES. They absolutely LOVE to play outside & I have to bribe them to come back in the house. They are learning how to take turns with each other, brush their own teeth, say their own prayers & speak in full sentences.

The other night after putting the boys to bed, I heard them laughing. When I peeked in the room I found that Josiah had climbed into Arlo's crib & had brought along all the blankets & pillows. They love to be together.

Arlo & Josiah have begun to sit still & watch TV now. We watch a little TV in the morning & evening to relax before bed. Their top two requested movies are.......Monster Inc and Carebears. (interesting, huh?)

Their favorite food? Candy. ("Nandee")

Arlo (He refers to himself as "Aryo")
"I DID it!!" or "I GOT it!!"
A daredevil & throws all caution to the wind! He's wreckless & consequently gets hurt often.
Arlo is a performer & loves an audience to watch him.

Josiah ("Siah")
His best friend #1 is Arlo. Best Friend #2 is Lobster.
He has quite the imagination & is excellent at playing pretend.
Josiah is a thinker. Sometimes I can just see his wheels spinning & he is very observant.

Jason came to town for a few days & we were able to spend Easter together. We miss him so so much when he's traveling.

Arlo didn't care about collecting lots of Easter eggs; he just wanted the candy inside. He stopped between each egg to enjoy the sweets. (Notice the chocolate streaks all over his shirt!!)

Josiah took the Easter Egg hunt very serious & collected as many eggs as fast as he could

Here's a bird's eye view of everyone coloring Easter eggs.

Arlo was really proud of his Easter egg that he dyed blue. He kept saying "pretty"

Jason & Travis roped together the 2 power wheels cars & the red wagon. The boys got on with their cousins to be pulled by the lawn mower. All the kids loved it!

You Might be a Redneck....

2011-04-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

That's right folks....
A truck pulling a snow mobile...
ON GRASS.

I should explain...A few years ago my dad acquired the snow mobile from "who knows who" because it was going to be trashed. The snow mobile is broken, but occasionally has a spell of functioning correctly. Today my brother Travis decided to run the machine for a bit. As expected, the machine died way out in the field, so my dad had to rescue him & haul him back to the house.

"It was fun while it lasted"

Oakton

2011-04-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the little boys and I took a visit to my hometown, Oakton, Virginia. It's been a while since my last visit and it's interesting to see that a lot has changed, but so much is still the same. I have such wonderful childhood memories there.

We were able to visit lots of dear friends there, including Janine Goode, Julie Doolittle, Manderino family & Thomas family. We also visited Oakton Ward sacrament meeting on Sunday. The boys were so excited and had such a good time that they stayed up as late as possible, woke up at the crack of dawn & only napped during the short car rides!!!!

Jessica Thomas, Lisa Manderino & me

Lisa's children - Caleb (2) & Melanie (4)

Jessica's little girl Ruby (1 1/2)

Don't ask me why I didn't take photos of my own children on the trip, but here are a few recent photos of them. =)

Driving grandaddy's tractor.

Josiah watching TV with Grandaddy (G has to wear headphones to the TV b/c of all the background noise in the house!)

Virginia has my Heart.

2011-03-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhahhhhhh......that's the feeling I get the moment I cross the state line to Virginia. How do you not love this beautiful scenery?

In 2004 my parents retired and moved down to southern Virginia where they built their retirement home on 60 acres of land. The nearest town is 15 miles away, but my Bed Bath & Beyond is in the city....50 miles EACH way. I have the option to take the highway to work, but don't the mountains & farmland look so much more enjoyable?

You know you're in the country when the speed limit ENDS.

All of my family lived along this road in Alleghany Springs, back in the day. There are quite a few small cemeteries on these mountains, most are filled with my ancestors. This beautiful land really touches my heart and my eyes teared up while I was driving to work yesterday - I feel so connected to this land.... I will always be a Virginia girl; it's in my blood.

It's not the country without a country store. I remember as a child stopping at this store- my parents would buy us candy and a bottle of pop.

And I had to take a photo of my dad's truck bumper...how about that sticker? & do you recognize the man on the license plate? None other than General Robert E. Lee.

(For those who haven't caught up on the chaos of our lives.....we packed up our stuff & drove it to storage in Texas. The boys & I are in Virginia with my parents while Jason travels selling pest control for a bit.)

I LOVE FEBRUARY

2011-03-03T18:37:00.000-08:00

WE'VE LEFT TOWN...

BUT BEFORE WE LEFT TOWN...we had a GREAT month! We really packed in the fun with LOTS of socializing, dinners & dates....here are just a few highlights of February....

1. Dana became Employee of the Month at work!!! (I had to take a photo, for proof that I'm not making this up!!!)

I'll really miss my BB&B store in Orem & all my friends I've worked with over the years. I felt so loved my last week....not only did I get a cake on my last day of work, but the day before I had also gotten a cake for my birthday....2 CAKES in ONE WEEK at work...BOTH in my honor???!!! I have to relish this for a moment because I think that's a record for anyone in the company!!!

As I've watched others leave the store, many become "trunky" to leave & lose all concern for the store. I've even heard departing managers say "I don't care, I'm leaving in a week anyway." This attitude upsets everyone because it's just rude & inconsiderate to others. At the moment we made the decision to move, I promised myself that I would work as hard as ever and do my very best up through my last day at work. And that's what I did. I'll admit, it wasn't always easy, but I wanted to leave the store knowing that I worked hard the whole time & no one can say that I "checked out early." I'm sure that retail seems like such a silly job to most people, but it's what I love (and that's a VERY important aspect of any job).

Okay, I think that's enough self-indulgence for the rest of the year, wouldn't you say?

2. We ate dinner with friends nearly every night of the month. We haven't done that much socializing in all of 2010 combined!!! We were trying to use up all our food in the house, so we had a few "interesting" meals. ;)

3. Another exciting moment in February...Jason & his 1800 lb. gun safe!!! (Just to give you an idea, that's the same weight as 3 VW bugs!!) That's right folks...we had to pay $100 to rent this fork lift...just to get the safe into our moving truck. Those few minutes of the month were VERY stressful & don't worry because I documented it all on video too!!!

4. We said goodbye to Aunt Alison....she has been so wonderful to us as she watched the twins EVERY Wednesday for a whole year!! The boys adore her & she has treated them like gold. We will really miss her, but look forward to our visit in July!

5. I turned 28 years old....mixed emotions.

6. My mom came to town!! I am SO grateful for my mother who came a few days before the move to help watch the boys while I was at work & cleaned nearly the whole house that weekend.

I'm worn out just writing about February...

CHOO-CHOOOOOO

2011-01-30T10:18:00.000-08:00

The boys have a new obsession - TRAINS.

It all started when Grandma Thompson bought them a Thomas the Train DVD for Christmas. Every.Single.Day.Multiple.Times.A.Day....the boys beg for the "Choo-Choo" movie & start pushing buttons on the DVD player. (btw-one of them [ahem, Arlo] broke one of the plugs in the DVD player, so now Jason needs to take it apart, get the piece out and buy a new cord. So, in the meantime we watch the movie upstairs in our bedroom.) While watching the show, the boys go into a trance & just stare at the TV, with an occasional "choo-choo" of course. Here's Arlo watching with his blankie.

We live a few miles from the Provo train station & can hear the trains multiple times a day. The boys have trained (punny, huh?) their ears and can hear the train's faintest whistle. We often detour to the train station now just to say hi to the trains.

The boys each received $5 from Great Aunt Jeanette for Christmas. They had been saving their money for something really awesome & we finally found the perfect idea!! They each spent $3 for a ticket to ride the Provo Towne Center train & $2 for a Train Pez dispenser. Speaking in the behalf of them right now, they would say "HEAVEN!!!!"

New Talents

2011-01-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

Can you believe the boys are 19 months old?!!! It both breaks my heart & brings me joy to watch them grow up. I often feel like time goes by way too fast and I'm afraid that I'll miss something. On the other hand, I LOVE to watch the boys grow and learn new things....they are getting so smart!!!

Arlo.... is such a happy little boy & seems to always be in a great mood. He can be whiny if he wants something, but at least he says "peese." He still LOVES his "keekee" (blanket) and reaches for it if he's at all sad or upset. His poor little thumb is getting pretty rough with all his thumb-sucking/biting. Arlo is very affectionate and gives hugs and kisses willingly; when giving kisses he says "muuah!" Jason and I laugh because when Arlo sees Jason's Coke Zero, Arlo calls it "daddy's bah-bah." Arlo is learning how to clean up his messes and while he does it, he sings "neen-nup, neen-nup!!!" (Clean-up) And no, Josiah doesn't really dig the idea of cleaning up his messes.

Josiah....is SO clever and is always looking for new things to explore. He will flip the laundry basket upside-down & stand on top, just so he can reach for something up high!! He is really into dancing and jumping and will actually sit down to the TV for about 20 minute increments. He has recently learned about trains and LOVES them; he says "CHOO CHOO" all the time. If Josiah sees any kind of drink, he automatically calls it "juice." As for lobster...Josiah is more attached than ever. He refuses to say the word lobster; instead he calls it "uh-oh."

A Tribute to all Mothers

2011-01-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

A beautiful story that made me cry...

The Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

Some days I'm a crystal ball: 'Where's my other sock? Where's my phone? What's for dinner?'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature--but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting
there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals--we have no record of their names.
2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does."

No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a
turkey for three hours and presses a ll the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he'd say, "You're gonna love it there..."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers.

Happy Birthday Dana Hall!!

2010-12-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

Me with my Grandma Hall & Earl (she married Earl after both their spouses had passed away, he was so wonderful and like a grandpa to me)

Today is my Grandma Hall's birthday. If she were still living she would have turned 96 years old!!! Her name was Dana Hall and as you may have guessed, I am her namesake, and I am proud to be so. I have lots of memories of her because our family would drive the 250 mile trip to Christiansburg, Virginia to visit her EVERY single month. Those are definitely fond memories of my childhood, getting to know all my extended family. We spent almost every Christmas with her and it was always the same traditions every year.

Here's a few memories of my Grandma:

Grandma was a short little lady - probably only 5' tall - I remember when I reached her height I said "Grandma, I am as tall as you!!" - she responded "Well, that's not very tall."
She was a very laid-back person and didn't mind our wild family & dog staying with her for 3 days a month. She just rolled with the punches.
Her famous quote: "Don't worry about that today." Her motto: "Don't do today what you can do tomorrow"
It would take her ALL DAY long to cook a meal, but I claim that no one can replicate her meals - southern green beans, baked macaroni & cheese, etc, etc.
Saturdays at her house included bacon & eggs for breakfast - no earlier than 10AM - my whole family now calls this "the Grandma Hall breakfast"
I don't think she ever cleaned out her fridge because we would find old moldy foods with expiration dates past 1 year....is that an old person thing?
She would relax by watching TV & I remember watching quite a few shows with her - Howdy Doody, Price is Right, Statler Brothers, The Grand Ole Opry and of course she would get her lotto tickets out and watch for the Powerball numbers to be announce.

I wanted to honor her today by having a "grandma hall breakfast" but we had playgroup, so we will have bacon & eggs for breakfast TOMORROW!!!
I love you Grandma

Grandma is on the far right (pictured with her sisters)

TWINNERS!!

2010-10-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

I LOVE my boys & I especially LOVE that they are the same age. They seem to be best friends & I hope they always will be best buds. I think my favorite noise is to hear the two of them belly laughing together for 20-30 minutes straight while in their cribs after waking up. I usually sit in my room next door & just listen for a while – it makes my day.

I’m finding that LOTS of people have twins & I probably see a set of twins in my store every day. (I work at Bed Bath & Beyond) Regardless of all the twins in the world, it is IMPOSSIBLE to go in public without getting stopped & receiving comments on my twins. Honestly though, I love it. I love to show off my cute boys because they are my pride and joy.

Some of the comments I hear from people while we run errands, etc...:

"Oh no! Twins!"
"Are they twins? Is a boy and a girl? Two boys? Two girls?"
"Are they identical?" (And then after we say they are NOT identical we often get “I don't know how you tell them apart. Must be because you're their parents. )

"Do twins run in your family?"
"Are they natural? or did you have fertility treatments?"
"Do they have different personalities? Is one the 'evil' twin?"
"I can't imagine having twins!"
"I had two kids really close in age. I felt like I had twins."
"Two for one, huh?"
"I've always wanted twins!!"

"I've always wanted to be a twin!"
"My ___(fill in relation)___ has twin ___(fill in genders)__"
"Two babies!"

"Do you always dress them the same?"

"Do they wake each other up?”
"You must not be getting any sleep! You must be exhausted."
"You have your hands full."
"I had only one baby at a time and that was hard enough!"
"Better you than me!"
"Just wait until they get older! It gets harder!"
"I bet they'll be the best of friends."
"Double Trouble!"

My Arlo

My Josiah

The Beach vs. The Mountains

2010-09-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

On labor day weekend the family took a trip down to Niceville, Florida for a baby blessing. We had a great time with our friends: Bobby, Emily, Bobby jr Burnham & Brent Burnham. While we were there, we made 2 long visits to the beach on the Gulf of Mexico and our boys absolutely LOVED it!

The sand was too deep to walk on, so my little sea turtles crawled on the sand.

Josiah & the sand.

Arlo had a bucket full of water & sand.

Daddy & the boys

Fam.

My boys, 2pops, Bobby & Bobby jr.

A few weeks later (last weekend) our little family drove up to Lyman Lake at the Uintas and camped out at the annual Burnham family trip. The boys got VERY DIRTY, but had LOTS of fun outdoors. We spent one night in the camper & one night in the tent. We did lots of fishing, 4-wheeling, card playing & hot-dog roasting.

Lobster came camping and got dirty with Josiah

Josiah with his dirt mouth & sticks

Arlo all decked out in layers of clothes, after sleeping in the tent!!!

Arlo & daddy

Checking out daddy's fish

The family

KJ & I with our BIG FISH! This was my first fishing trip.

The boys & lobster took a LOOONNNGGG bath after the camping trip.

My latest crafts....

2010-09-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

So, Jason has been in Texas for over a week & I am living the life of a single-working-mother until this upcoming weekend when Jason comes home. The boys and I have REALLY missed daddy, but have kept busy every day with my job & keeping up with the boys at home. I've been lonely when the boys go to bed, so I have kept myself busy with a few long overdue craft projects sitting around in my house. Tomorrow is my day off work and I have a few sewing projects planned. YAY!

Here's my magnetic board that I plan to put in the boys' room.

(Up-close of the frame - I bought a couple little wooden dogs from the craft store, cute huh?)

I actually painted 4 stools, but two of them are gifts for friends who have not received them yet....sooo....here are the 2 stools for my boys!

We Love Grandma!!

2010-08-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

A week ago we had LOTS of family in town for my brother's graduation. He earned his Phd and I am SO proud of him! Everyone stayed at our house and we had SO much fun together!!

When the party was over, Jason went to Maine, so my mom stuck around to watch the boys while I went to work every day. I am so grateful to her for staying and we had lots of fun together. The boys have really gotten to know Grandma Hall and they LOVED having her around. It's amazing how much the boys have learned in just one week.

A few of the boys' new talents:
Grandma taught both boys how to confidently crawl DOWN the stairs. Goodbye baby gate!!!!!!!
Arlo can blow kisses....MUAH!
Josiah makes car noises when he pushes his trucks & cars....vrrroooommm...

Arlo & Grandma

Josiah & Grandma

My Cousin's Wedding

2010-08-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

While we were in Virginia last month, our family drove down to North Carolina for my cousin's wedding. We filled up the minivan with women & children while the men stayed home and went golfing! The twins only slept 30 minutes on the drive down so we were working with a VERY short nap for the day. Judging by the photos, you can see we had a crazy day, but, they did well considering all. (Sorry, no pictures of the actual wedding, I had my hands pretty full.)

Minutes before the ceremony started with cousins Matt & Cline
(they were actually very quiet during the ceremony)

Josiah during the reception

Arlo during the reception (I think he was a little constipated here)

We discovered a nursery in the church & the boys were MUCH happier!!!

Josiah in the nursery

I have one-year olds in the house!!

2010-07-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's true. They boys turned one year on June 9!!!! We had a really fun party for them. Arlo's party theme was alligators & Josiah's was lobsters. They wore appropriate animal shirts, had matching party decorations & matching cupcakes that spelled out their names. I'm sure they were unaware of the party planning, but maybe next year!
This past year has flown by so fast and I need time to slow down. I cry when I think about them growing up, going to school, missions & getting married & having their own kids..... I try really hard to focus on the present & enjoy every minute of them TODAY!

Some of Arlo & Josiah's many talents:

They are not quite walking, but are certainly on the right path towards the goal.
They seem to understand everything I say and even TRY to mimic some of my words, like DOG & TREE & BEAR & UP. They have mastered a few words like 'mama' & 'dada' & bah bah' & 'ball'
Excellent at shaking their head 'no' and sometimes nod for 'yes' (mostly 'no'!!).
Eat pretty much anything now.
Can fall asleep in their cribs without being rocked or without a bottle.
Can make the popcorn motions for the song "popcorn popping"
Can give you "Five"
Clap when you say "YAY"
Wave when you say "BYE"
Can dance when there's music. (aka: bending their legs & bouncing)
They lift their arms when you change their shirts & "switch" hands on the bottle when you strap them into the car-seat.
Arlo's new favorite food: GRAPES. Josiah's favorite food is still: BANANAS
Arlo's favorite pastime: sitting on mommy's lap reading books. Josiah's favorite pastime: exploring. (aka: NOT sitting still)
Love swinging at the playground, but are both scared of the slide.
They both love bath-time, but Josiah is always the first to get out.
Love to climb UP the stairs, but are still working on going down. (& scare their mama to death!)
When they wake up from naps, they spend 10-20 minutes just passing toys back & forth between the crib slats & laughing.
Both boys absolutely LOVE LOVE dogs & are not scared of them.
Give kisses by biting your nose.
Both love mirrors & give themselves kisses on the mirror. (yes, our mirrors are ALWAYS dirty)
Josiah is a stuffed animal lover & gives hugs & kisses to all of his animals. Lobster is still #1
Arlo loves any toy, but is attached to burp-cloths & uses them to suck his thumb.

the fam at the party

Arlo's table decorations

& Arlo with his cupcake

Josiah's table decorations

Josiah & his cupcake

Arlo hitting the beach ball pinata

Josiah's turn at the pinata

After all the kids did their best at the pinata, Jason took care of business!

4 Month Update...

2010-05-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family...
Do NOT give up on my blog!!!! I promise not to leave you like that again. I can think of a million excuses why I've neglected it, but I won't bore you or excuse myself. So, here is a quick review of the last 4 months and I now promise WE ARE BACK IN BUSINESS!! (And a few photos for your viewing pleasure:)

(family pic in Virginia)

FEBRUARY:
I had my birthday on the 24th and I spent it in Virginia with my family. My mom threw a party for me with friends, uncles, aunts, cousins....my mom throws a great party. The boys got to meet their newest cousin Corban and we're excited for them to be great friends. After a few days in Virginia, we made our way to Florida to visit Jason's family. Josiah and Arlo experienced the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. The water was too cold, but they put their feet in and got to experience sand for the first time. The boys FINALLY met Grandma & Grandpa Thompson for the first time and boy did they have fun. J&A also met Great Grandma Thompson and Aunt Debbie for the first time.

(Arlo & mom at the beach in Florida)

(Josiah & dad)

MARCH:
As soon as we got home from VA & FL we packed up our house and moved down the street to a bigger place. It took us a few weeks to get unpacked & settled in, but we were able to do a few fun things in the meantime like visit the farm at Thanksgiving Point. Also, Jason took them on a day trip to CO. for a bull sale - they LOVE animals!

(Arlo was chasing me, trying to grab the camera)

(And of course I turned my back & Josiah helped himself to his oatmeal)

APRIL:
Jason finished his MPA at BYU and it's SO nice to no longer have classes in our busy schedule. For now, he's still working at BYU Redd Center until we find the right opportunity for our family. The boys LOVE the wide open space they now have in our house. They are crawling around like crazy getting into EVERYTHING! We've started experiencing lots of bumps and bruises with their new adventures and I'm sure it gets worse as they get bigger. Oh, and Jason gave the boys their first haircut!

(When they hear the door open, the boys crawl up to the gate and wait for daddy to come greet them)

MAY:
I guess this would be my first OFFICIAL Mother's Day since the babies were still in my belly last year. We celebrated in El Paso with my sister's family and boy did we have fun!! We did lots of shopping, eating out and we took the boys swimming for the first time. They both LOVED the pool, but I think Arlo is our little fish. He would try swimming out of our arms while in the pool and it seemed like he knew exactly how to move his arms and legs. Josiah was totally in love with their dog, Peach. He was so distracted by her and just kept saying "dog" over and over. Neither he or Arlo cared about Peach licking them on the face. Eeeww...

(Arlo in the pool)

(Josiah in the pool)

(Josiah greeting Peach after she took a swim)

(Josiah taking ownership of the balls in the yard!)

(Arlo & Tigger)

(The boys on one of our many shopping trips in El Paso)

(Obviously the pants were inconvenient, so Arlo took them off!)

MAY:
We finished this month off by taking a trip to MOAB on Friday. We met up with our dear friends, the Manderinos for camping (in a cabin:) and hiked Delicate Arch on Saturday. We had two hiking backpacks, but one got left at home, oops. Arlo insisted that mom carry him, so Jason took Josiah on his back. The hike was 3 miles round trip, which was perfect for us. I think we all had a really good time.

(what??!! No kids in this pic??)

(Jason & his boys at the Arch)

(Group shot with Lisa, Chase, Melanie & Caleb)

Learning to stand

2010-03-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

So, last saturday we were moving and of course we left the cribs until the very end. We used one of them as a playpen so the boys wouldn't get hurt during all the hustle & bustle. They thought it was pretty fun, for a while. Anyways, I caught a pretty cute video of them standing in the crib....just watch all the way through because the last few seconds are the funniest! (Arlo - we are laughing WITH you, not AT you!) (p.s. - no babies were hurt in the filming of this video, it was just a box of wipes!)

8 months old!

2010-02-10T19:45:00.000-08:00

The boys turned 8 months old yesterday and they are becoming more and more fun every day! I may have parent goggles, but I think they are the cutest little boys ever! They are both sitting up on their own, they are learning to crawl & have both discovered their feet....in fact, they love to pull their socks off. Many people ask about their personalities and I will say that they are VERY different. Here's a little snapshot of each boy.

Josiah Weldon.
Name: Josiah comes from Jason's side of the family. The man was Jason's 5th great uncle who joined the LDS church in Maine; crossed the country & settled in Heber City, Utah. This is particularly cool because Jason is a convert to the Church, and we found pioneer heritage in his family history! Weldon was Dana's paternal grandfather. He was a great community man who was loved by everyone who knew him. I didn't get a chance to know him, but I imagine he was a lot like my dad.

Looks: Just like his daddy.

Personality: Not only is he named from his daddy's family & does he look like his daddy, but he also acts just like his daddy! He is a very determined & persistent little boy. If Josiah wants something, he will not stop until he gets it. Between the two boys, Josiah has always been the first to achieve the physical milestones like rolling over & crawling. He is a very happy baby and is quick to smile!! Josiah LOVES toys and needs one in hand at all times!

Arlo Nathan.
Name: Arlo was Dana's uncle (mother's brother) who was fun-loving and very athletic. My mom says that she has never heard a more beautiful tenor voice than his. Nathan is Jason's best friend who introduced him to the Church when they were 16 years old. Nate is a very genuine guy and a great example to us.

Looks: Just like his mom.

Personality: Arlo is named after his mommy's family and what do you know?....he has his mom's personality! Arlo is very laid back and just enjoys life as it is. He is a little chatterbox & loves to squeal. He is very ticklish. Arlo watches Josiah & is quick to learn rolling over & crawling just like his brother. Arlo loves music - loves to listen to it & when he wakes up, he sings!! When it's time for bed Arlo finds his thumb & sings himself to sleep.

MEET LOBSTER....

2010-01-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

Josiah has a siamese twin - attached to Josiah's mouth is his buddy, lobster.
We got the lobster (& of course one for Arlo) from some our friends in Maine. It's got to be Josiah's #1 favorite toy ever because his whole face lights up when he sees lobster. If he is sad, just give him lobster & life is better. He has a death grip to the little animal and cries when you take it away. I like to put lobster on the other side of the room to entice Josiah to crawl. He gets pretty hyper and upset if I don't help him get to lobster FAST! I'd like to give lobster a real name...any ideas?

Arlo likes lobster but doesn't mind letting Josiah have it. Arlo loves all his toys equally & unfortunately no toy entices him enough to try crawling. He's a pretty laid-back kid and is content to just sit & play. He does get pretty crazy in the bouncer though!!!

So, I was looking through some photos & found a few of josiah with lobster...

And of course I cannot post pictures of one boy without the other...my little Arlo =)

6 months old...almost 7 months...

2009-12-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

Time flies when you're having fun....sorry I'm so slow to post on the blog. I have good intentions & I think about it often, but the time to sit down & post always gets put bottom on the to-do list.

Josiah & Arlo turned 6 months old on December 9. It amazes me how fast they are growing and how much they learn DAILY!! At our check-up they weighed about 15lbs. each. It seems big to me, but they are only 4-7percentile on the chart. While at the check-up, they also got H1N1 & seasonal flu shots. We feel really good about it & have started taking them out of the house more often. Both boys have found a LOVE for TOYS!! When they are awake it seems that they need a toy in hand at ALL TIMES!

Mr. Josiah....

& Mr. Arlo...

They are eating baby food now. I am making all their food so far & it's turned out to be pretty darn easy & a heck of a lot cheaper. It saves money, but I really like the idea of knowing EXACTLY whats in the food - no preservatives or any of that junk. Eventually I'll give in to processed foods & all the junk I eat, but for now, while I can, I feel good about what I'm feeding them. So far they have eaten rice cereal, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, peas, butternut squash & banana. Can you guess from the photos which baby is easier to feed?

Josiah has really taken to baby food. He gets all excited when I put him in the high chair & is like a bird with his mouth wide open. I seriously can't get it in his mouth fast enough & he's finished eating all his food in a matter of minutes.He's such a good eater that he hardly needs a bib.

Arlo, on the other hand, likes a big production when it's time to eat. He likes a little dab on his lips at first while he tastes the food. From there, he usually takes his spoonful of food & spits it out. He doesn't just spit though, he sputters it out & the food flies EVERYWHERE! I usually wear an apron when feeding him because the food gets all over the tray & my clothes. This would be cute, if it wasn't so frustrating! He did enjoy his sweet potatoes yesterday though because I let him feed himself. It was a pretty messy ordeal, but he had a LOT of fun with the spoon. (& the photo of Arlo is on a good day...typically it's messier!!)

Josiah & Arlo are so much fun & we're so blessed. They keep us on our toes all the time & I'm sure it becomes more hectic as they learn to crawl & walk....look out world...here they come!!

this has all been swimming in my head......... i need to write it down...

2009-11-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

>A few thoughts on motherhood and gratitude to Heavenly Father for sending my angel boys... This past June Jason and I were double-blessed with Josiah & Arlo in our family. As a mother I can legitimately say that my boys are absolutely perfect in every way!!! Jason and I could not ask for sweeter babies. Since they were born, our lives have changed drastically for the better. Motherhood is tough and there are moments that I doubt myself, but I remember a mother of triplets once told me that we are given only what we are capable of handling.

These past 2 weeks I’ve had several opportunities to share my experiences on fertility. Many of you may not know details of our story and some is too personal to share on a blog. But Jason and I have changed in so many ways because of the trials that we faced and the blessings that came from them. I would be selfish if I didn’t express my gratitude. Jason and I spent more than three years visiting doctors, taking tests & medications, and riding the emotional roller coaster to build our family. Reflecting on those years of struggle & heartache, I am finally unfolding a few of the lessons that Heavenly Father wanted Jason and me to learn.

First, Jason and I have become closer as a couple. As we struggled, we relied on each other for comfort & strength. I better understand the scripture that says we should “cleave” to our spouse.

Second, I have learned that one should not rely on man, but on the Lord alone. The first time we did in-vitro Jason and I were confident that it would be successful. We had the modern miracle of medicine, science & first class doctors; all the nurses assured us that it would work. According to the statistics, we were absolutely going to be a success. When it failed Jason and I hit rock bottom…what went wrong?? We both struggled to understand. We waited a few months before the second attempt, only this time, we put our faith in the Lord. Jason and I both received multiple Priesthood blessings. We relied on the words of those blessings to recover & to look forward. I am so grateful for modern medicine, but most importantly on the Lord & his understanding of what we need most. I don’t know if we’ll need to do in-vitro to have more children, but I know that the Lord will take care of us.

I am so grateful for my little family. My husband is so supportive & loving; I know that he would do anything to make me happy. Our boys are the center of our lives and I would do anything in the world to protect them.

I think every mother understands this.

Our latest doings....

2009-10-08T19:09:00.003-07:00

I apologize ahead of time for the long post. I have a hard time committing to the computer for more than 2-3 minutes at a time. So, I sat down this evening & went a little crazy...

It's been a while since I last posted & we have kept very busy! The boys are enjoying more awake time, so I've found new ways to entertain them & they are beginning to respond with lots of smiles & laughing.

So, labor day weekend we had a little get-together for the boys' blessings. They looked very handsome in their outfits & Jason gave wonderful blessings that of course, made me cry. It's amazing to see these little guys & hear of their incredible potential!

I mentioned that I entertain the boys... Yeah, we haven't invested in many toys/activity centers yet, so the boys rely on my dancing, singing, story-telling, & attempt at comedy to keep them busy. Hmmmm....we really need to get to the store....

So, here are the boys kicking & "dancing" while there is music playing, I'm singing along & doing a crazy dance myself, with no blackmail photos included!

This is our life, it's great!
Another piece of entertainment for the boys: MIRROR
They LOVE to look in the mirror....whenever we walk past one, I have to stop & let them look at themselves & me in AWE & wonder. Here's ARLO grasping my little bathroom mirror....

Both Josiah & Arlo love tummy-time. They like to show off their rolling skills. They lift up on their arms & push themselves to laying on back. They immediately start to fuss until I put them back on tummy. We repeat this little exercise over & over until they've pooped out. They are interested in rolling to their tummies, but have not quite gotten the strength yet.

Another fun activity...going on WALKS!!! It's sad that the weather has taken a turn for the cold, so I think our outside walking days are over, until next spring. 2 weeks ago I took Josiah & Arlo on a walk to campus to visit daddy at work in the Kimball Tower. It was a quick visit because Jason was working, but definitely a fun venture out of the house!

Jason's birthday was on September 28 & we had a quiet evening together the day before (Since Sunday is our only day together =( ...) We had a YUMMY london broil for dinner with a banana cake for dessert. The boys made a card for daddy & signed it with their foot-prints. =)

A "Crappy" Morning

2009-09-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

No, the morning wasn't bad...in fact, we had a fantastic morning. I use the title just to be punny...=) While eating this morning at 10am, Arlo pooped out of his diaper and got poop all over his outfit. So, having been a few days since their last bath, I thought this would be a great time to give both boys a bath. I clean up Arlo, bath him quickly before he peed in the water. In the meantime, Josiah was filling his diaper with poo-poo. I cleaned up Josiah and put him in the bath. We had only washed his face & hair when he decided to poop again, but in the tub!!! Nasty!! I pulled him out, cleaned up his bum & tub. We filled the tub to finish his bath quickly before he peed in the water. Everyone is clean and dressed when Arlo spits up all over his clean clothes!!
So, they nap & Arlo filled his diaper AGAIN while eating his lunch! A mother's job is never done. =) These bath-tub photos are from last week, but I thought it was a good post to add these photos.

p.s. - Arlo is now 10lb. 1oz. & Josiah is now 10lb. 4oz.-----getting so BIG!!!

Our latest & hopefully last hospital stay

2009-09-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

So, last Saturday (August29) we took the boys to the on-call pediatrician because Josiah slept from 9am-5:30pm without waking up to eat. He is our on-the-clock 3hour eater so this was VVVERRY weird! Not only was he skipping meals, but he had a fever and gave a painful cry when we picked him up. The pediatrician did a spinal tap on him & the tests came back positive for Meningitis. We immediately went to the hospital (9pm), where they ran the same tests on Arlo & admitted both babies. Jason and I set up camp in the hospital room and made a few phone calls. After hours of hooking up monitors & IVs to both boys, they finally ate and got to sleep about 5am. They had a tricky time with Josiah's IV because he was so dehydrated. Poor little guys were so tired and hungry.

If you are unfamiliar with meningitis, it is swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. There are two types: VIRAL & BACTERIAL. Viral is something that the boys could fight off, but bacterial is MUCH more serious & could cause permanent brain damage if left untreated. All the test results would not arrive for another 48-72 hours, but in the meantime, the doctor treated both boys with antibiotics as if they had the bacterial meningitis. It was scary for Jason and me to see nurses come in the room with face masks & gowns.

TREATMENT:
LOTS & LOTS of faithful prayers and fasting by all our family, friends & ward members.3
Father's blessings.

THE RESULT
Viral meningitis. The boys' fevers went away, they started eating again & they came home Tuesday morning. We are so very grateful for all the faith & prayers from you. Jason and I could feel the comfort from those prayers and the boys were healed quickly.

UPDATE:
The boys are back to their cute little selves. They are holding a good temperature & they are back to eating regularly. We are so grateful for their sweet spirits; we are truly blessed and honored to be their parents. I only hope that we can be the parents they deserve and that we can teach them to always choose the right.

Here are some recent photos of the boys...Arlo punching his brother

All dressed up and nowhere to go...these are my little missionaries =)Little Arlo passed out on the boppy

Josiah looking very proper while he sleeps...

Our stinkin' cute outfits!!

2009-08-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

My friend April Duvall stopped by the other day to give us these stinkin' cute onesies that she decorated. For the not-so-observant reader, you'll notice that each baby has his initial on the front of the onesie. Jason & I can tell the difference between each boy, but this will help for those who are still getting to know them!! It's tough to get a great shot of both boys together, but I'd say that it didn't turn out too bad. =)We had to show off their cute outfits so we went to my work to visit friends & to set my schedule. I start work back at Bed Bath & Beyond next week...wish us luck!

We finally started a blog!!!

2009-08-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Since announcing my pregnancy, we've had quite a few people insist that we start a family blog. I never thought my life exciting enough for a blog, but now that we have our sweet babies we have a lot more to write about....I just hope we have the time to keep it up!! So....welcome to our blog!!! Please bookmark our site and stay tuned for further news!!!