Gratitude

1. I am grateful for my tutoring skills. I am tutoring four children right now and it's full. But I love it. I love seeing them understand and I love explaining new concepts to them. Three that I work with are homeschooled so I get to be the teacher. It's so wonderful to see them grow and see their personalities. Also--it's wonderful to move at their own rate. I taught one kid in one day, something that took me a week to teach in school. Can I say AWESOME?! I love it!

2. I am grateful for my washing machine. I have a utility crush on my washing machine. It's got a sanitary cycle and so I can do cloth diapers, it's got a gentle cycle so I don't have to wash anything by hand. I'm kind of in love with it. If it ever dies, we're going to have to replace it.

3. I'm so glad I get to stay home. As I have been working a lot tutoring, I'm so grateful I can pick as much and as little work as I want. I like using my talents, but I love devoting my talents to my children. I know this is tender for people, but I am so grateful we could make a choice about me staying at home and I'm so grateful that I chose to. It makes all the difference.

4. I'm really glad that Daddy came home today. Friendly Hero and Peaceful Hero were screaming for about 20 minutes as I made dinner and couldn't stand it that I wasn't giving them love and attention. I am grateful that Dad came home and that he helps out. He is the highlight of the day.

5. I am grateful for this picture. I love that Peaceful Hero is looking at the camera as all the rest of us look forward. It's very tender for me. I love that kid so much!

Thanksgiving

I've spent a lot of time the past few weeks debating on if I want to post things I'm grateful for each day. Yesterday was awful, mostly due to my own attitude and I decided then that I would post things every day that I am grateful for, so I notice them and pay attention to them. If you don't want to read about my gratitude, then don't. I'm doing this for me.

1. I am grateful that it is warm right now. We spent two hours outside playing at the playground and it was wonderful to play and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

2. My Give Thanks Calender is back. I spent a long time making it last year and it feels great to have it out and on my wall again. I'm excited to do little things each day to show our gratitude.

3. We are grateful for our toys. We gave some Duplos away to our friends because we play with real Legos at our house. Our friends spent an hour playing with them today. I'm grateful we could share the love and joy around.

4. I'm grateful we are in school. I really am appreciating this time of our lives. (It's good because we're in the middle of it.) I have some friends who are on the end and they can see the end and they are getting antsy. (I probably will too in four years.) I am realizing that right now is awesome. We have two beautiful boys and we have friends that surround us and no one has money to flaunt. We don't try to keep up with anyone or feel like we need to because everyone knows that we are poor grad students raising a family. I am grateful that we are in a position where we make do with little. Because we only need little.

5. I am grateful for Family Pictures. We had family pictures taken a weekend ago, and we got them today. They are amazing! (You'll see them a lot in the next few days.) I love how our dear friend captured our personalities and took awesome pictures!

Happy Halloween

 We planned and attended a Halloween Party on Friday. It was lots of fun. We had a Lion and Baby Gilderoy Lockhart. They were so cute!

 This one has learned how to smile for pictures.

 We had donuts and each child ate an entire donut, and cookie.

"Obliviate!"

Have a Happy Halloween!

A Birthday Party

We had a great day celebrating the Peaceful Hero. He loved the extra attention, and recognized the words, "Happy Birthday," but had a really confused look on his face about why EVERYONE he saw said that to him.

We kept it low key, because he's 1. Really he doesn't need a huge shindig of a party. The Friendly Hero helped me wrap presents, and he picked out the menu for Peaceful Hero's birthday dinner. Peaceful Hero obviously wanted Pink Jello, pasta, and cupcakes. Because if that's what Friendly Hero wants, then that's what Peaceful Hero wants. Right?

He then helped the Peaceful Hero unwrap the presents.  That tractor is now a favorite toy. Both boys fight over the tractor.

We love you Peaceful Hero! Happy Birthday!

Follow the Prophet

Today, the Friendly Hero wanted to listen to the Prophet. It was great, we pulled up one of his talks from General Conference. While we were there listening to his wonderful stories, Friendly Hero noticed that he had a purple tie in this picture. All he would tell Dad was that "President Monson have a purple tie!" Or "The Prophet has purple tie!" Dad pulled out his purple tie and then put it on Friendly Hero, so he could Follow the Prophet.

We then sang, "The Elder Song." For everyone else, that's "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission." And whenever we sing about missionaries, he substitutes Elders in.

On a side note, I've been waiting for him to develop discomfort and then I would know that his 2 year molars are coming in. They haven't bothered him. He has one all the way in, one half way in, one peeking through, and one bump. He's a champ! I feel a little shameful that I didn't know at all.

ONE!

Day He came home from the Hospital.

Sleeping Baby

Best Friends

Meeting Extended Family in December

Growing

Learning to smile

One of Mom's Favorites

Learning to move

Sitting up by himself

Superstar at Marsh, our grocery Store.

Beautiful

"Inconceivable!" Dad thinks this is a perfect face for Vincini in the Princess Bride.

We are so happy that Peaceful Hero is part of our family! It's amazing to think that my baby is one year old. He's not a baby any longer. He brings us joy and laughter. He loves to hang out with you and be carried around. He's mastering the point and lean as his mode of communication. He points and leans at what he wants, or the direction he wants to go in...which makes for a squirmy heavy hold. We love you!

A New Game

We have a lot of chipmunks in our backyard. I made bread and we had one bold chipmunk come up and investigate my wheat grinder that I hadn't cleaned yet. I ran outside and scared him away. I cleaned the wheat grinder right away and brought it inside. Friendly Hero wanted to scare the chipmunk as well. Luckily the chipmunk came back, again and again and again. We had a good hour or so entertainment chasing the chipmunk and waiting for him to come back.

Looking out the window for him.

"I scare the chipmunk again! Bring him back Mommy."

 "Stay away CHIPMUNK! No eat my FOOD!"

I laughed so hard at him. It was great to see him engaged and occupied while I made the bread.