The Bennett Family

Harper @ 5 months

2012-01-25T21:17:00.001-07:00

Baby girl is now 5 months old, going on 6 months. Time is FLYING!

She has two bottom teeth peeking out of her gums, some chubby cheeks and a super sweet smile. I snapped these pics today, and thought they were too adorable not to share.

She is a good natured baby, and was sleeping through the night most nights, until she got a cold recently. But most nights she still only wakes up once so I can't complain too much. I'll give her a little while longer and then we'll try and nip that middle of the night wake up in the bud.

She has rolled over 4 or 5 times, but it isn't something she does all the time. She's good at holding up her head and sitting/standing while we support her.

She is very bald, and I find my self addicted to baby headbands, bows and hats.

There's Harper for you. We sure love her!

Welcome 2012

2012-01-24T21:49:00.004-07:00

I'm back to blogging. Took a little hiatus, and will be posting a few back dated catch up posts - but I'm hoping to be blogging regularly. I feel bad because poor little Harper's milestones have not been highlighted here. Oh well, I'll be better from now on!

This is going to be a great year, I've decided. Here are some reasons why:

I'm running the Utah Valley half marathon in June. Woot!
I quit my job at SSA - this is sad, but good. I will definitely miss my co-workers, and my job, but I'm happy to be home more often.
I have a new job from home. I work as a moderator for a children's website. The hours I work are very flexible and all from my couch. Woot!
Baby Harper is getting so big and so cute.
Jackson is a good big brother and truly loves his little sister. However he is Mr. Ornery pants when it comes to eating and bedtime. Non-woot!
Jasper seems to be loving Jr. High and is figuring out the whole - if you don't turn in your assignments you get a bad grade -thing. Yeah! He is super big and a super great big brother. Woot!
David is doing well, he is a great dad and husband. I love him and am very lucky.
I cut off my way too long hair. It feels so good.

Yeah for 2012!!

Family Pictures

2011-12-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

Staci's friend Candice took some family pictures for us this Thanksgiving.

She did a great job.

Her info is here, she is great!

http://www.facebook.com/CandiceAnnPhotography?sk=info

Duped!

2011-12-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday night, Jackson and Jasper were wrestling and playing in the front room. After a little while, Jackson had to use the bathroom and we suddenly heard him screaming. There had been no injury, that we saw. And when they "wrestle" it consists of Jasper letting Jackson push him over. He said his arm hurt and was inconsolable. David and I were distraught and quickly took him to the instacare.

He had an x-ray, and there was no break, and no swelling. He was given a brace for good measure, and the doctor told us that it could he could have a soft tissue injury. Poor Jackson was very sensitive with his arm. He wouldn't use it, move it, and when I put his arm through a sleeve, he cried and screamed.

When David got home from work Monday evening, he tried to get another look at the arm. Jackson screamed when he touched it and just acted like he was in extreme pain.

About an hour after David tried to check it out, Aunt Staci showed up to visit, and to play with Jackson.
Knowing she would want to play with him, he suddenly announced to us "I'm all better, my arm doesn't hurt anymore! And ripped off his brace. Within minutes he had miraculously healed, was doing hand stands, and break dancing. You would never know that just hours before, he was flinching when we looked at his hand, or even mentioned touching it.

Below, Jackson at the instacare, holding up his "hurt" arm

Ain't that a cute chin?

We'd been duped! Who knew we had such a tricky/sneaky little 3yr old?

Yeah for Christmas time

2011-12-20T16:05:00.003-07:00

Christmas time is here! This year I did almost all the shopping online, and it is the best thing EVER. Yeah Amazon! Every day I got a package, was almost like getting a present for myself, even though it was for Jasper, Jackson, Harper, David, or anyone else. I loved it! Or should say love it - since I'm still expecting a package or two.

Jasper has the next two weeks off for Christmas break. Which means, lots of fun, lots of xbox, lots of "can my friends come over" and "can you take me to my friend's house?" Today we broke up the day by taking a trip downtown to eat lunch with David. We met him at DP Cheesesteaks, and it was delicious.

Below, we have a miserable jackson, crying about having to eat food.

Here is sweet Harper Lynn, wondering why Jackson is crying.

Jasper and his friend Nik, munching.

Afraid all the other customers would hate me for bringing in a crying toddler, I gave in and gave Jackson a stale granola bar. Just what he wanted!

Here's my sweet hubby.

It was a fun afternoon on the town.

The Coles are Here, yeah!

2011-11-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

My sister Becky and her family were here visiting for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun!

We miss them all the time and are so happy they came.

More posts on their visit to come!

Yeah Coles!

Crafty Crafty

2011-11-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

I am turning into a wannabe crafty mom. I try to find fun crafts for Jackson and sometimes his friends to do during the week. Here we are trying FINGER PAINTING!

They loved it, and big ugly shirts make the best aprons.

Harper had fun too.

Yeah wanna be crafty mom!

Toughest

2011-11-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Since Jasper beat Anne-Marie...

...twice...

...and I beat him twice, I think that means

...I'm the toughest.

Yeah mom!

More Harper

2011-11-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

More Harper pictures have been requested. I admit, I've been a slacker at posting lately.

Jackson is mama's little helper. He is good at fetching wipes, diapers, the boppy, the binkie, and occasionally even feeding! He's a sweetie pie.

The little girl is a sweetie pie too. She is strong and good at holding her head up. She spits up ALL THE TIME. It is a wonder she's such a chub, because it seems she spits up as much as she takes in.

She smiles a lot! And gurgles and coos. I love it!

Yeah Harper! We love you!

PLAYOFFS!

2011-11-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Good News: Jasper's football team made it to the playoffs!

The Bad News: Their first playoff game looked like this!

Hint: I don't know what I'm taking a picture of. I see movement, I snap a pic.

Bad News: They lost in OVERTIME.

Good News: Heather and Lori came and freezed their cabooses off just to see Jas play!

Bad News: Poor Lori had to wear this hat, because didn't bring a hat, coat, socks or gloves herself. Silly Lori.

Way to go HUSKIES! There is always next year.

Jesus and Dinosaurs

2011-11-18T16:40:00.001-07:00

Me: Jackson, what did you dream about?

Jackson: Jesus, and and and dinosaurs.

Me: Really? What was Jesus doing?

Jackson: Um, fighting the dinosaurs.

Of course He was! I wish I had that dream too.

Just Filling Time

2011-11-08T05:06:00.000-07:00

What do we do at the Bennett home to fill the days? Lots of stuff.

We:

Go downtown to see Light the Queen in person!

We go to Classic Skating - Mom's club. No big kids, cheaper price, good food (seriously)! Oh and FRIENDS!

Have friends over to play "diners" with (dinosaurs).

We also, sit around and get cute and fat.

Jasper sure misses out while he's at school. :(

Jasper turns 13!

2011-11-06T04:58:00.000-07:00

That's right folks! He's officially a TEENAGER, although he thinks he;s been one for years now. :)

At 13, Jas loves:

Lebron James
Football
Basketball
School
His mp3 player
His Xbox
His brother and sister
His Friends
Sundays with family, at home or at relatives' homes
Food

I officially love this teenager, every ounce of him. I don't know who I'd be without him. I am one blessed mama!

Halloween Time

2011-11-04T04:46:00.000-06:00

For Halloween, Harper was a glow in the dark pink skeleton, Jackson was a dragon (or "gradon" as he calls it) and Jasper was Donatello, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

Posing before I take Jackson out to get all his candy. Jasper went and had fun with his friends. As you'll see below, Jasper thinks he's pretty cool.

I took Jackson out in his new wagon. It turned out to be a smart idea! He made out like a bandit, although I've eaten most of it already.

Happy Halloween!!

Jackson turns 3!

2011-11-03T16:41:00.001-06:00

We had Jackson's first birthday party ever, the Saturday before his birthday this year. We took advantage of him having a birthday so close to Halloween, and gave his friends one more chance to dress
up in their costumes.

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves!

At 3, Jackson loves:

Bubble Guppies

Jasper

Harper

All his Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, and cousins

All his friends

Church

Light the Queen (or Lightning McQueen)

Spiderman

Puzzles

Drawing and coloring

Hot dogs, nuggets, fries, and apples

Going for a walk

Going to the store

Wrestling

Dancing

I sure love this boy. He is a joy. I'm so happy he's my sweetheart!

It was a great party! We'll do it again- in a couple of years. :)

Being a Mom

2011-10-16T20:52:00.000-06:00

I love being a mom. Some days are better than others! Here's an update of sorts on the Bennett Family.

Some days when I don't blog, its because I am too busy.
Other days it is because I have nothing nice to say!

Being a mom to a newborn is hard.
Being a mom to a newborn is exhausting.
I love my baby girl Harper Lynn.

I am not good at being a mom to a teenager.
Being a mom to a teenager is really really rewarding on the good days.
But really really hard on the bad days.

Being a mom to an almost 3 year old is fun almost everyday.
Eating time is not always fun.
Being a mom to a potty training 3 year old is not fun.
In the last couple of weeks I've been peed on countless times, while he was on the potty.
He has also pooped on my lap, WHILE I asked him if he needed to go potty.

My husband gives beautiful baby blessings.
I love him.
If it weren't for David, I'd be lost.
He is the best dad out there.

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T14:35:00.003-06:00

I really love this video! And, with the passing of Steve Jobs, I was reminded of it.

Enjoy!

Date night with Auntie Ree

2011-09-22T20:42:00.002-06:00

Jackson had his first one on one outing with one of his Aunts, last weekend.

Anne-Marie took him to see The Lion King on the big screen.

Here they are on their way out:

Boy is my little one getting big. He sat through the whole thing, no treats necessary for a bribe. He even knew almost all the animal names.

Thanks Auntie Ree - Jackson sure loves you!

She's can't/ She's can

2011-09-21T14:13:00.001-06:00

Jackson loves to point out all the things Harper can and can't do.

Can't

"She's can't kalt" (talk - he transposes first and last letters/sounds quite a bit)
"She's can't walk"
"She's can't do a back fwip"

No, she can't do a back flip and neither can her mother.

Can

"She's can grint" (drink)
"She's can pooped"
"She's can scream"

I think he has it about right!

Do you like the chair my sister Staci and I reupholstered (using the term loosely)?

Chair $0
+ fabric $20
= great deal

State Fair

2011-09-16T07:45:00.000-06:00

Jackson and his friends had so much fun at the State Fair!

Watch Jacks below, doing some "backflips"

Mom and Harper were HOT. But we also had fun.

But, Jackson definitely had the most fun of all.

"Mom, he's breathing on me!"

Too many toys

2011-09-15T04:03:00.000-06:00

I think Jackson might like his toy cars...

...just a little bit.

La moto, and el bellybutton

2011-09-14T06:49:00.000-06:00

Our friend Bryan stopped by on his motorcycle, and the kids had to check it out.

Jackson is so talented, able to ride while holding a sippy in one hand!

If you look hard, you can see her belly button.

Fun with friends on the arcade carousel!

I know ya'll are jealous of all the fun we're having.

Jasper School Pictures

2011-09-13T16:00:00.001-06:00

Jasper's 7th grade pictures:

I'm biased, but I think he's handsome. And apparently all the girls in school think so too. According to Jasper they are pretty disappointed to find out he is only a 7th grader.

I'm super proud of him. He loves Middle School and is working hard.

I love him lots.

Camera Shy

2011-09-09T16:24:00.001-06:00

Baby Harper had a sweet photo shoot from Camera Shy. I think she is adorable.

Some pregnancy stats!

Pregnancy weight gain with Jackson: 60 lbs
Pregnancy weight gain with Harper: 20 something lbs

Swelling in feet with Jackson: LOTS (think stay puft marshmallow man)
Swelling in feet with Harper: minimal

Ability to sleep while preg with Jackson: Lots of snoring, lots of bathroom trips, hard time breathing during most of my pregnancy

Ability to sleep while preg with Harper: Not an issue - no snoring, not as many bathroom trips, breathing only a minor issue

Overall - being pregnant with Harper was a cake walk compared to my first pregnancy.

Labor:

With both pregnancies I did not go into labor on my own. With Jackson I was induced 1 week late. With Harper induced 2 days late. Jackson's labor include 3 hours of pushing, a near c-section and a huge baby weighing 9 lbs 14 oz! With Harper I only had to push through 4 contractions - and she was teensy by comparison - 8 lbs 9 oz!

Conclusion:

Either baby girls are much easier for me, or it is all about the exercise. I ate the same type of foods with both pregnancies - but with Harper I continued to jog up until about 7 months along. It was not always fun, but I would say it was worth it!

Super Sweet

2011-09-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

Some pictures of my sweetheart Harper.

She really is a sweetheart. I pretty much adore her.

School Starts and Other Stuff

2011-08-29T15:57:00.004-06:00

Jasper started his first year of Middle School.

He was nervous, but so far he really likes it and is having fun.

That's because he hasn't had a lot of homework yet.

While he's gone, Jackson, Harper and I have been staying busy.

We play Star Wars Stratego,

and we adore one another.

And then we watch Jasper play in his first game of the season!

Go 73!!

Ra Ra Ra!

Harper Lynn

2011-08-13T17:17:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the world, Miss Harper Lynn!

Born Tuesday @5:41 pm,

8 lbs 9 oz!

David is a great picture taker, and apparently I don't now how to count to 3...

Cheese!

We love you to bits already!

Just Killing Time

2011-08-08T05:49:00.001-06:00

Baby Girl was due yesterday, but she didn't feel like being born.

To stop feeling sorry for myself, and my huge body

we decided to kill time having fun!

Having fun includes:

Shooting Hoops...

Slipping Slide...

Punching...

Being Big...

Slipping more Slide....

More punching...

Dancing...

Hammocking...

and Watching...

It was a ton of fun.

We topped all the fun off with a movie night - Paul Blart Mall Cop (which I laughed at more than I should have) and 17 again. Both movies were absurd, but we had fun.

One more night as a whale.

I'm being induced tomorrow!

2007

2011-08-04T05:53:00.000-06:00

This was a hiking trip about 2 months after Dave and I got married.

How cute and little are Jasper and my niece Kazia?

So cute.

After the hike, Jas had a soccer game.

He has since "mastered" soccer. :)

Baby girl, Jasper wants to meet his sister, come on!

One week left

2011-08-03T05:47:00.000-06:00

Hey Jackson!

You're gonna be a big brother soon,
and you'll be great at it.

Now just be born already little girl!

FOOTBALL!

2011-08-01T21:40:00.001-06:00

Jasper had his first football practice today.

He looked great out there!

Jackson loved it too.

Baby sister, we want to hold you! Come soon please!

New Old House

2011-07-30T05:40:00.002-06:00

One of the best things about this pregnancy has been our house.

Last time, we had no basement and our roof leaked. There was no bedroom for the baby and so Jackson slept with us until he got too big, and then slept in the dining room.

The dining room was where the roof was leaking, so Jackson's crib was in a space full of buckets collecting water during the winter and spring months.

It was awful.

But slowly, magically our old flat roofed house...

full of leaks...

got a new roof and basement...

and it has felt new to me ever since.

Thank you for my new old house.

Miss baby girl Bennett, get out of my body.

Sweet Innocence

2011-07-29T05:32:00.000-06:00

Ahh, young love.

Me and David 12/2006, pre-marriage & pre-engagement.

David looks about 10 years younger!

Baby Girl Bennett... I want you to come early!

Costa Rica Flashback

2011-07-28T05:24:00.000-06:00

In 2005, my sister Heather and I went on a trip to Costa Rica.

It is definitely on my top 5 list of favorite vacations, ever.

Look at this volcano! We traveled all over the country by rented car.

Hmm... maybe I should cut my hair short and dye it blond again...

I took so many pictures of flowers, I was asked if I was a botanist.

1 1/2 weeks until Baby Bennett.

Cowboy Boots!

2011-07-27T03:45:00.000-06:00

Aunt Staci found Jackson these adorable cowboy boots at the local thrift store (D.I.) for $4.

She gave them to him at Aunt Heather's, where we had a wonderful 24th of July dinner.

Best $4 gift EVER! :)

Jasper happenings

2011-07-26T03:22:00.001-06:00

I finally got some of the baby stuff out, including this basinette. Jackson saw it and quickly ran and put a doll inside.

This is a doll that Jasper had when he was a baby. Jackson affectionately calls him "baby Jasper"

Jasper has had such a full summer and it is coming quickly to an end.

Tomorrow he heads off to Scout camp for an entire week.
The week after that Football practice starts, 5-6 days a week.
Then 7th grade starts!

Just last week I took him to get his 7th grade immunizations and a physical exam for boy scouts.

Not surprisingly, he is in the 98th percentile for height (5'7" and 1/4"), and in the 92th percentile for weight (133 lbs). He is big. I have to brag about this because little Jackson is destined to be below the 30th percentile for his entire life.

Question: What is the point of giving birth to a 10 lb baby, if it doesn't pay off later on?

Answer : There is no point.

Here's hoping my little girl is not so chunky.

I'm super excited/nervous for Jasper to start Middle School. He's just growing up too fast.

Lately he won't let me take many pictures of him, so I have to post what I can get. He's gonna love me for these.

2 weeks left!

2011-07-24T13:33:00.001-06:00

Two weeks left of this pregnancy. What better way to celebrate than to head off to the local zoo?

Jasper took off with Jackson and showed him all the cool animals.
Although Jasper might think the zoo is boring lately, he was a good sport and a great big brother to Jacks.

Jackson getting crowded out by another little girl, both anxious to see if they are as big as a gorilla.

(he's not)

Can't pass up the lion drinking fountain!

Or a shoulder ride with Dad!

Overall, the zoo was fun. Especially for Jackson.

It was super hot and I looked for benches in the shade, more than I looked for animals. :)

Really Pregnant

2011-07-20T00:11:00.004-06:00

I'm 9 months pregnant. That came fast! I have 3 weeks left and I'm feeling it.

However this pregnancy has been MUCH easier than my first, and I'm not sure if its because I exercised, because its a different sex, because its not my first, or because I'm only working part-time... probably a combination.

Whatever the reason, it has been a good pregnancy, and this little girl moves A LOT.

Jackson and I just finished our last Mom and Tot swimming class a week ago.

I don't know if I'm brave or crazy to have ventured out like this, but Jackson enjoyed it.

Jasper on the other hand did not enjoy his forced swimming lessons, but they are over now too, thank goodness!

Jackson and I ventured out to Classic Waterslides a few weeks ago (they have a great summer pass deal, too great to resist). We had a good time, until Jackson and I got stuck on a waterslide.

He was scared about the slide to begin with. He wouldn't sit on my lap on our way down the slide, so he clung to my neck, and as we rounded a curve I fell onto my back. No big deal except I have no stomach muscles and a baby clinging to my neck! I couldn't sit up for the life of me!

I wiggled and he screamed with his face stuck in the water and me on my back. I cried out to "stop the ride" only to remember it's not a ride that can be stopped. Finally I wiggled my way to a sitting up position and made it down the rest of the slide. Poor Jackson was so horrified that he laid on his towel and refused to budge the rest of our time there, even for candy.

But, I would pay a lot of money to see the whole thing replayed. I know it looked hilarious.

Poor guy!

4 years!

2011-07-19T00:12:00.000-06:00

I can't believe its been 4 years!

I love you sweetie pie.

(Our honeymoon)

4th Amendment

2011-07-17T23:24:00.003-06:00

Jasper recently got back from a 4 day camping trip with Grandpa McKinnon. He had a lot of fun, and when I asked him what was his favorite part of the trip, his answer was, of course "shooting guns."

My dad went with 3 of his friends, and those friends brought their kids or grand kids. They also brought lots of horses, and guns for shooting targets. David and I stayed home with Jackson.

I can't think of anything more fun for a 12 year old boy (besides Xbox of course)!

In preparation for the trip, Grandpa packed for days before, loading up the horse trailer and camper. He never packs light to camp.

A couple of days before the trip, we met at a restaurant to celebrate Grandpa's birthday, and we also brought Jasper's gun for him to pack up. In the parking lot we transferred the gun from our vehicle to his, and I explained to Jasper that we should probably wrap the gun up in a blanket and not just carry it out in plain sight in the middle of a parking lot.

Jasper: Why not?

Me: Because you can't just walk around with guns. Even if it has a lock on it and no bullets, and the safety is on.

Jasper: Why not?

Me: Because its scary and people get freaked.

Jasper: Well I'll just pull out my 4th amendment on them then!

Me: Smile

The 4th amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Jasper meant the 2nd amendment, which protects the right for people to keep and bear arms.

But I thought it was pretty clever anyway!

Picture below is of Jasper a week before the trip, doing some practice riding.

Trip to see the Coles part 2

2011-06-20T11:31:00.001-06:00

Lindsay digs to China,

in a swimsuit and cowgirl boots of course...

Mom and I go to Megan's dance practice.

Her dance class did not allow us inside the classroom,

so I took photos from a window outside...

Then we went to a park...

And then the next day we headed home.

Jackson was not happy about that.

We love you Becky Jon and kids! We miss you!!

Trip to the Coles!

2011-06-20T11:28:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago, Jackson and I were lucky enough to take a trip with Grandma McKinnon to see Becky and her family in Washington. It was a long trip ( about 860 miles each way) but it was well worth it!

We made lots of stops and stayed in Jackson's first hotel.

Here we are in Boise, where we stayed our first night and woke up to yummy continental breakfast.

We stopped off the freeway for some presents and snacks.

Jackson got to play with his some of his favorite cousins,

Megan

Baby Ryan

Lindsay

And Garrett!

We happened to visit during some nice, hot and sunny days.

Of course that calls for running through the sprinklers,

or jumping over them in the trampoline.

And it also means playing "beach"

which from what I understands means laying out in your swimsuit with a towel underneath, and a towel on top.

Sunday in the Park

2011-05-16T16:17:00.004-06:00

During the summer we try to go on a Sunday walk and usually end up at a park. We are lucky enough to live within walking distance to 6 or 7 parks!

This last week we went to an park at a nearby elementary school.

David stole Jaspers "wiggle stick" or rip stick and off we we went.

We took turns pushing Jackson in his stroller.

Jasper knows where Utah is, phewf!

Out of the stroller and running!

And kicking!

And throwing!

Jasper told me if I took another picture of him, then he got to take one of me.

His not the best photographer yet...

I did smile, but he decided to take the picture after that.

Teeter totter...

We love this park!

Then off to play some football...

Headed home. We love Sundays in the park.

Surprise!

2011-05-16T16:11:00.000-06:00

Jasper threw a surprise birthday party for me last week!

It was quite a surpise and he planned it all by himself.

It was a super exciting and fun party, with my mom and dad and sisters in attendance.

We ate too much.

Thanks Jasper for being so sweet. I love you!

Happy Birthday/Book Sale

2011-04-30T12:17:00.002-06:00

My mom had a birthday on Saturday.

To celebrate her birthday we went to the downtown SLC library, where they were hosting a used book sale.

$0.50 for paperback and $1.00 for hardback - can't go wrong there!

I think we'll make this a tradition.

Afterwards Heather treated us all to breakfast at The Park cafe, near Liberty Park in SLC.

It was a successful (and tasty) birthday outing!

Happy Birthday Mama!

1 Year

2011-04-25T15:41:00.006-06:00

I don’t know how to mark this anniversary. Although 1 year ago today he officially became ours, Jasper has been ours for over 3 years, and he feels like he has been ours always. I can’t imagine this family without him.

The picture above was taken April 2008, at Heather's old house in St. George. Can you believe how much he has grown in three short years?

When Jasper found out I was pregnant with a girl, he screamed in excitement. His friends gave him their condolences, but Jas was genuinely happy. I asked him why he was so excited to have a baby sister and he said “cuz then I can shoot any guys who try to date her (he is still overly excited about the 22 rifle Grandpa McKinnon gave him for Christmas. Yep, a gun).

I know he was teasing (about the actually shooting), but it made me kind of sad. Sad because Jasper does not realize that by the time this baby girl is 16, he will be almost 29. He’ll be a grown man! It makes me sad to think Jackson will only be 9 when Jasper goes on his mission and after that 11 when he goes to college (I hope hope he does both ).

He’ll always be a wonderful big brother, I just wish he could stay home and be one to them through all their hard teenage years. You could never imagine a better big brother, he is SO sweet to Jackson and SO helpful.

This picture is of Jasper helping Jackson during our Easter Egg hunt over the weekend. We visited family in Colorado Springs.

He is such a great young man.

We just love you so much Jas!

Easter Preview

2011-04-19T18:13:00.000-06:00

We won't be in Utah for Easter, so my sister-in-law Michele planned
an Easter Preview for Jackson and his cousin Austin.

Jackson loves peeps, just like his mama.

Jasper, not so much. But he was wonderful at helping Jackson find the hidden eggs.

We had so much fun.

Oh brother...

2011-04-18T05:54:00.000-06:00

Three 12 year old girls rang our doorbell Tuesday night.

I opened the door.

The bravest of the three, asked if Jasper was at home.

I said "Yes," and the other two ran away squealing and giggling.

Jasper came to the door.

Jasper: Hey

Remaining girl: Hi. _____ and ______ are here too, but they ran away.

Jasper: Oh.

He then looked at me to see if he could hang out with them, but unfortunately he had scouts in 10 minutes, so I gave him 5 minutes to chat.

It's starting already!

Overheard

2011-04-15T05:37:00.000-06:00

Jackson on the telephone with his Aunt Lori.

Aunt Lori: Hi Jackson!

Jackson: Hi Aunt Yodi!

Aunt Lori: Did you have a fun day?

Jackson: Yeah, I have fun day!

Aunt Lori: Did you use your big boy potty today?

Jackson: YES! I do it! I did it! I say UUUUHH UUUHH (mimicking going #2)

Aunt Lori: Wow!

Uh, potty training.

Happy

2011-04-13T05:36:00.000-06:00

Jackson: Mommy, I happy!

Mom: Really? Good!

Jackson: You happy, mommy?

Mom: Yes, Jackson, I am happy.

Jackson: Big Grin

Thanks for reminding me how happy I am, baby boy!

Lame Rules

2011-04-11T09:05:00.004-06:00

Since Jasper is still a little kid, and still in Elementary School, we have rules that he doesn't like much. In short, we have lame rules.

Lame rule #1

No listening to your headphones in one ear, while pretending to listen to me with the other ear. While wearing your flat cap backwards and dancing/bouncing around.

This is lame because Jasper says he is really listening!

Lame rule #2

No wearing your shorts BELOW YOUR BUM. I thought this fad died out years ago, but no it is still very much going on.

This is lame because Jasper can't help it because his shorts are too small and we must buy him new ones.

Lame rule #3

Bed time at 9:00! Which really means close to Ten, after he gets in his jammies, brushes his teeth, and reads. Because remember Jasper is a master of delay tactics.

This is lame because he is too old for such a baby bed time.

Lame rule #4

Cell phone use. We have an extra cell phone that is super cheap and part of a super cheap family plan, that we let him use on occasion. When he is someplace without a phone, or someplace he is not too familiar with, etc, he gets to use it.

This is lame because ALL his friends have their own phones, and he NEEDS one ALL THE TIME .

Lame rule #5

On the occasions when he has access to the extra cell phone he loves to text his friends, which is fine. We did draw the line on texting girls however, since he is still just a kid. Mostly because we are scared of the idea of him and girls.

This is lame because he has lots of friends that are girls, and this means we are SEXIST.

When Jasper accused us of being sexist because of our no girl texting policy, we laughed and laughed.

Then we tried explaining how he had it wrong, and defined sexism for him.

He came back with my all time favorite argument. "It is SEXIST! I can even get a lawyer to tell you. And I can get a quote from a lawyer that says how SEXIST this is!"

Of course we laughed and laughed again. Sometimes it is super fun to have lame rules.

Funny Boys

2011-04-06T17:34:00.002-06:00

I'm listening to my two boys arguing right now, over who is more funny.

Jasper: I'm funny!

Jackson: No, I funny!

Jasper: No, I'm funny!

Jackson: No, I funny TOO!!

And so on.

Jasper loves to get Jackson to argue with him.

It's pretty easy, all you have to say is "I'm ____" and then Jackson always comes back with "No, I _____," in return.

He thinks its especially funny to make him say silly things like "No, I snot nose," or "No, I booger face."

I love my boys.

Basketball boys

2011-03-30T22:58:00.003-06:00

Jasper and Jackson are both huge fans of basketball.

Jasper is playing in his 3rd basketball league so far this YEAR. Yes, 3rd.

We are that crazy.

Honestly it doesn't take up much time, and he really enjoys it.

He loves LeBron James, no matter how much David and I try to talk him out of it.

Jackson in the meantime is loving his new basketball potty. Although it doesn't quite work the way he wants it to.

There are worse things for a kid to love than basketball, that's for sure.

It's a ...

2011-03-21T14:06:00.001-06:00

GIRL!

I'm so excited for dresses and bows. She can like balls and snakes too, as long as she sometimes gets to wear dresses and bows.

We are all super excited.

20 more weeks to go!

What's your vote?

2011-03-17T03:27:00.003-06:00

I’m pregnant - 20 weeks.

This Friday, I get to find out what our new baby will be. Boy, or girl.

What’s your vote?

Some facts to consider:

This pregnancy has been remarkably easier than my first.
The difference in pregnancies could be because it is a different sex than Jackson,
or because I have been exercising regularly (as opposed to my sit and get fat exercise method last time).
the difference could also be because I was just wimpier and whinier before and just thought I had it tough.

Boy or girl, we are very excited!

Tell me what your guess is in the comments below.

Middle School

2011-03-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

Jasper starts middle school next year, and he is already registered. AAH! How did I become a mother to a kid in Jr. High? The school he goes to includes 7th, 8th and 9th, but is still called a Middle school, I'm not sure why.

I'm pretty excited for him, but more than a little nervous. 7 classes. How is he going to keep track of all that (how am I gonna keep track of all that). He has a hard enough time in elementary turning all his stuff in on time, and remembering all assignments (since he never writes in the planners they give him). Scary!

My cuddly bear

2011-03-08T06:32:00.001-07:00

Jackson is the sweetest baby and loves to cuddle. We just moved him into his "big boy" bed and he has been so brave and has slept there every night for about 2 weeks.

When I ask him what he dreamed about he always says "Jesus!" I don't know how true his answer is, but it is super cute and I love it.

He is far from perfect, however. Try to get this kid to try a sandwich, a piece of bread, or heaven forbid the toddler staple Macaroni and Cheese - and you'll want to pull your hair out.

Jackson and Jasper sharing headphones in the car

Lately he has shown a lot of interest in going potty. I have been kind of lazy about it, and haven't really taken his interest and started heavy duty potty training.

The other day he yelled to me "mommy I poo poo ing!" So I ran him upstairs and he finished his poo poo on the potty. He was so proud. "Mommy I did it!" so I ran to get him a new diaper and a treat.

When I came back I unfortunately found two fresh piles of poop on the carpet outside the bathroom. He was so proud. "Mommy I poopoo on da gwound!"

I almost lost it. No, I did lose it, I screamed and he cried and it was a mess (literally).

I think potty training is a little overrated anyway. I'd rather clean up a diaper than the carpet any day!

One year old basement

2011-03-07T09:23:00.002-07:00

I've had a basement now for one year! I had a whole "I love you basement" post written and ready to post, and then our water main broke and I got really angry and started to hate the basement.

It is all fixed now, so I can say again that I love the basement, but I am not looking forward to our next disaster, which will inevitably come.

That's what happens when you live in a 50+ year old home!

So, thank you David for my wonderful basement, my wonderful roof (which in May will have its 2 year anniversary!), and wonderful home. Hard to believe that just a little over a year ago Jackson was still sleeping in the dining room, and all our furniture and chaos was stuffed into the front room.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T09:11:00.003-07:00

This was Jasper’s last year to give out Valentine’s day cards at school. I honestly hate buying them and getting them ready, but I tried to have fun with it this year.

I got him NBA valentines to pass out, which came with washable tattoos instead of gross candy hearts. So the evening before he had to pass them out, David, Jasper and I got them all ready, folded and addressed. I then told him to immediately go and put them in a bag, and put them in his backpack so he wouldn’t forget them. I then headed out the door for my nightly run (I’ve been going to the gym consistently, yeah me!).

In the morning as I was getting Jackson ready and yelling out reminders for Jasper to brush his teeth, I made sure he had his valentines. He hadn’t put them in his backpack immediately the night before (of course) but he did have them in a bag, so he quickly grabbed that bag and we headed out.

When I asked him how Valentine’s day went – and If he passed out his cards, he avoided eye contact and mumbled “It was fine.” I asked again – did you pass out the valentines?

He then went on to explain that when he went to grab his sack of Valentines that morning, he accidently grabbed the wrong sack. Once at school, when it was time to pass them out, he reached into his bag, only to find a bag of dirty diapers!!

I’m sure his class was glad he decided not to pass out what was in his bag.

I wondered why he didn’t question anything before, you know - when his bag was really heavy and smelled like poop!!

In his defense, our house has been a complete mess/disaster area since our water main broke and our basement flooded. Yes, that basement that hasn’t even been finished for 1 whole year.

Happy Valentine’s day! Here’s to a less stinky one next year.

Sunday Scribbles

2011-02-03T18:23:00.004-07:00

I gave Jasper a sheet of paper to doodle on during church last Sunday.

Here is what he came up with:

Before Jasper, I can honestly say I would never have known what this drawing was.

But now I can quickly identify a football play when I see one. I still don't know what it means. . . but at least I know what it is!

Car ride fun

2011-02-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

We are in the car A LOT.

My parents live 50 minutes away.

David's mom, sisters and Kazia live 60 minutes away.

Aunt Anne-Marie lives 45 minutes away.

Aunt Staci lives 35 minutes away, as do Uncle Todd and Aunt Heather

Aunt Heather lives only 20 minutes from us.

Aunt Lynn, Uncle Alex and kids live about 26 hours away

Aunt Becky, Uncle Jon and kids live about 15 hours away

Uncle Mark, Aunt Anna and kids live about 9 hours away

Great Grandma, uncles and cousins live about 12 hours away

Lately we've gotten pretty desperate in finding new ways to entertain the kids while on the way to visit family. Lame as it seems, we made up a new game that keeps the kids happy for quite a while during car trips to visit family.

You are welcome to try it out yourselves.

I still have to think of a name for the game, but it's all about identifying parts of yourself quickly, and is mostly fun for 2 year olds, but 12 year olds also enjoy it, even though they pretend to be annoyed.

Everyone show your armpits, NOW!

Everyone show your mouths, NOW!

The game also includes showing eyes, elbows, tummies, knees and more, NOW.

I hope your kids enjoy it as much as mine!

Update on Becky

2011-01-31T21:58:00.001-07:00

My sister Becky is now home, and so is the newest addition to their beautiful family, Ryan James.

On 1/10/11, Becky went into cardiac arrest while 36 weeks pregnant with her 4th child.

She had developed Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy is basically pregnancy induced heart failure. It can happen during your last month of pregnancy, or within 5 months after giving birth.

Its a rare condition, and Becky's was made even rarer by still being pregnant while going into cardiac arrest, and by living!

Her husband and the EMTs performed CPR on her for about 25-30 minutes, using the chest paddle defibrillator 4 times.

They performed an emergency C-section and baby Ryan was born early 1/11/11, at 7lbs 15 oz.

He is now home and thriving, and Becky is home, alive and recovering!

We are so happy for miracles.

Her husband Jon posted more details on their family blog.

Thank you for all your prayers, and love!

Staying busy

2011-01-30T21:53:00.001-07:00

We’ve been staying busy around here!

Jackson stays busy by jumping around, and riding his rocking horse (thank you D.I.).
Jasper stays busy listening to his MP3, doing homework and playing some B Ball,
Daddy stays busy by working hard and playing with the kids when he gets home,
Mommy stays busy by working and enjoying her home time with the kiddos.
Also, mommy is very happy that school vacations are over for now.

Some photos of Jackson and Jasper staying busy:

New Years PARTY

2011-01-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

We partied HARD on New Years. Jasper even sported a Christmas gift from a friend -

onesie pajamas.

What to do when the fleece onesie gets too hot?

Just unzip it a bit - ask Jasper, it works!

Becky

2011-01-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

My sister Becky is still in the hospital and so is her newborn. They are both doing better, but I don't know much more than that. I will update when I know more.

She had a seizure, and we still don't know why. The baby was born by emergency C-section, and is in intensive care.

Please keep the prayers coming!

Christmas Favorites

2011-01-12T06:14:00.004-07:00

Since I can't sleep at all, I've been up since 3:30 am trying to figure out the new camcorder my wonderful husband got me for Christmas.

Below are two videos of two of my boys opening presents.

I'm getting better at using my new camcorder, and promise the next ones will be better in quality!

Cheese, Guys!

2010-12-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

I dread pulling out all Christmas decor - although once it's all up, I wish I'd done it sooner.

This year I relinquished the trimming of the tree duties over to Jackson.

He did a good job, wouldn't you say?

Below are some wise men, tangled up with Santa Claus.
He talks to them throughout the day and calls them his "guys."

Here we have two Santas and a snowman face all on the same branch.
He calls the snowmen "munkins" or pumpkins.

I think Jackson should take over tree duty every Christmas!

He even warned the "guys" when I came over to take a picture.

He told them, "Cheese, guys!"

First Time-Out

2010-12-06T05:14:00.000-07:00

Jackson had his first time-out last week.

Maybe this means I'm a mean mother, but I think this is adorable.

2010-11-28T23:04:00.004-07:00

So football and basketball are on A LOT at our house this time of year - and during most of the year. I deal with it OK and mostly just tune it out.

When I do watch I'm full of questions which I think starts to annoy David after the 8th "What does a quarter back do again?" and the 245th "What just happened?"

Sometimes David will hand me the remote and tell me to "Go for it." If its a game I can tell he is really into I'll won't take the remote and let him enjoy himself. But if he's not too into it, or insists that I take charge I will try to find something we can both enjoy watching - The Walking Dead, Big Bang theory - anyone? Or a family show for all of us.

BUT - very rarely, I will turn it to something that I would normally watch when no one else is home to avoid the ridicule from my boys (America's next top model).

Saturday I was so fed up with sports I gladly took the remote when offered and turned it to a show I had been saving for my precious alone hours. A nerdy PBS Great Performances special celebrating Sondheim! Audra McDonald! Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin!! I truly was looking forward to this show, but I also wanted to torture Jasper and David. I would compare my complete disinterest and lack of understanding of all sports - with their disinterest and complete dislike of Broadway.

David was remarkably silent (and kept his mockery to himself) but Jasper was less discreet.

"WHAT in the CRAP are you making us watch this for?"

"What in the CRAP."

(I have tried for years to get Jasper to stop using the word CRAP - but is a lost cause and I get sick of hearing myself telling him to stop. So since it is better than the alternative (slightly) sometimes I choose not to hear it. Shame on me)

"He sounds like a girl!"

"Look at his HEAD, it is so BIG!"

"HA HA, his face is so UGLY when he sings, ha ha ha!"

"I did not understand a word of that - I have no clue what is going on."

"Who listens to this, oh my crap."

"Is this opera?"

"She is kind of old."

"Can I go to bed early?"

I just smiled. Next week, I'll make him watch my saved ABC Family holiday special "A Boyfriend for Christmas!"

Feeling Grateful

2010-11-24T07:31:00.006-07:00

I'm feeling so grateful this Thanksgiving. Our family is truly blessed.

Sometimes I feel that our little family has had more than its fair share of trials, and David's recent 6 month stint of unemployment was probably one of the hardest, but in the end everything seems to work out just fine and I know that is not by chance.

Heavenly Father is definitely looking out for us!

We now have a major plumbing problem and so instead of looking at this new trial, I'm going to count some blessings! I'm thankful for:

My baby Jackson
My big boy Jasper
My sweet understanding husband
Adoption
A roof that does not leak
A wonderful basement
A heater that works
Our health
David's new job
My job
Family
My Savior

Oh, and I'm also thankful for these sweet family pictures! My sister's roommate takes pictures and did ours for free. Not bad!

Click here for her info.

Learning to Share

2010-11-16T01:30:00.001-07:00

We've been trying to teach Jackson to be better at sharing.

Sometimes he's good at it, like when he's sharing with his almost 1 year old cousin,

But most the time he fails miserably. This is a typical reaction to having to share (throwinghimself on the floor and screaming). Sigh.

Christmas List

2010-11-12T22:23:00.001-07:00

I found this Christmas list of Jasper's placed slyly on the kitchen table today.

If you came upon this list not knowing anything about Jasper or his home life, you would think that he was very deprived(see # 12), a warmonger (see #2 and #11) and had rich parents (see #17).

click to enlarge

Santa may be able to swing #13, #14 (and #24, just for fun)!

Jasper turned 12!

2010-11-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

Jasper turned 12! He is lucky enough to have a birthday the day after Halloween, which means he gets lots of parties.

Party with Bennets+ Halloween party with all his friends + Party with the McKinnons = lots of presents and fun!

His best present was the present he gave to himself. He saved up $200 and bought his own Xbox. He earned the money mowing the neighbors lawn and pulling his weeds, as well as working on his Aunt Heather's yard. It was hard earned money.

At both bday parties with the Bennetts and McKinnons, we had a "make yourself into a mummy with toilet paper contest." It was fun and we still have lots of loose toilet paper around the house.

And yes, that is "Watcher in the Woods" on the TV in the background. No, it isn't scary at all.

Happy Birthday Jasper! I can't believe you are 12. We love you!

It was Halloween!

2010-11-11T11:19:00.001-07:00

Jackson was a leopard.

Jasper was a banana - temporarily a pregnant banana.

It was a fun and successfully halloween.

A wig is the most costume you are getting out of me!

Jackson Turned Two!

2010-10-28T06:03:00.002-06:00

Jackson turned two!

His birthday started out with a football game (Jasper below #76)

At the football game Jackson was spoiled with treats.

Once home, he was spoiled with presents!

And Elmo cupcakes.

Then off to Grandma Bennett's house where he was spoiled with more presents!

Including a viewfinder (he hasn't quite figured it out yet)

And was spoiled with even more cupcakes (worm cupcakes this time)!

Its great to turn two and even more great to be spoiled.

We love you Jackson!

Rock Collector

2010-10-09T06:02:00.000-06:00

Last week, we went to this place quite a bit.

All of that hay, plus half not pictured needed to be loaded up into the loft of the barn.

I helped a bit, but it was mostly the men. Thank goodness because each of those bales weigh like 60 lbs!

Jackson and I played around while the men worked.

But after a few hours, even that got boring.

So Jackson found a new hobby.

Rock collector!

Cheese!

Now back to work!

Thanksgiving Point

2010-10-08T06:03:00.000-06:00

Last week my good friend Molly and I took our toddlers to Farm Country.

Its a wonderful place where you can touch and feed sheep, cows, horses, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, chickens and more!

Jackson loved to stick his whole hand in the sheep's mouth to feed him some corn.

At no extra expense, Jackson got to ride on this guy!

And also, a wagon ride led by a couple beautiful Clydesdale horses.

Definitely worth the $3.50 entrance fee (and free for Jackson!).

Yeah Dinosaurs!

2010-10-07T05:10:00.001-06:00

Earlier this week Jackson and I went with some other moms and kids

to the Utah Museum of Natural History.

It is free the first Monday of every month, so we just had to check it out.

I love museums, and by the look of things, so does Jackson.

Here he is digging up some dinosaur fossils.

Look, he found a prehistoric horse thing!

There were quite a few hands on things for kids which I really appreciated.

Bug puppet theater!

There was a whole gallery of bugs and rocks. Of course Jackson loved it.

We had such a good time.

Roar!

FOOTBALL

2010-10-06T04:06:00.000-06:00

Jasper has been playing football again this year.

He has been playing really hard and tough and we are super proud of him!

He is #76 this year.

Something about this football uniform makes him strut. You can even see the strut in a motionless picture (that's him below, standing by the 20).

While Jasper plays hard, so does Jackson on the sidelines.

Go Jasper!

Explosion

2010-10-05T05:04:00.000-06:00

If you've been trying to call me lately, or if you've sent me an important text...

I promise I'm not ignoring you. The lawn mower made my phone explode.

Conference Sunday

2010-10-04T20:07:00.002-06:00

For my church's General Conference this year, we went to my sister Heather's house in Lehi.

We laid around, watched, listened, ate and played.

Oh, and Anne-Marie slept. The whole time.

Jasper made up a fun game (for him) called "hide the ball from Jackson."

Jackson, where's the ball?

Where is it now?

Did you find it yet Jackson?

We love Conference Sunday.

Hay Time!

2010-09-23T05:02:00.002-06:00

It's that time again! Time to haul hay and load it up into the loft of the barn.

The only fun thing about hay time is that it takes place at the barn where there are all sorts of fun things for boys to do.

Like taking your first bite EVER of a hamburger:

Seeing tractors up close and sitting on them:

and going for horse rides:

the end.

My Sunday Boys

2010-09-08T05:19:00.001-06:00

Jasper and Jackson got some new Sunday clothes.

They match, and are the cutest pair at church.

Notice the sticker on Jackson's forehead - I love to leave it on and see how long it will stay.

Usually it makes it until we're home a few minutes, its then wrestled off by Jasper.

CHEESE!

Back To School

2010-09-07T05:26:00.001-06:00

Jasper started 6th grade this year.

6th GRADE!

Time is just going by way too fast.

He is growing so big - he is now taller than me. I'm only 5'4'', but just last month he was still shorter. And he is also wearing a size 11 mens shoe.

I think he's gonna be tall.

p.s. I think David did a good job school shopping for him.

This means he gets to do it next year as well!

Olympic Camping - THE END

2010-09-06T01:00:00.000-06:00

Saturday afternoon we said our goodbyes.

We miss you already!

One more night of camping - Jackson took it like a champ.

We need to do this more often.

We drove the rest of the way on Sunday, which was day 7.

7 days of camping, over 2000 miles driven. I was glad to be home.

Olympic Camping - Part IV

2010-09-05T01:27:00.000-06:00

We left Kalaloch on Friday, and then stayed at the Cole's home in a Seattle suburb that night.

We were excited to be able to spend more time with them. Saturday morning we went to a nearby lake and put the canoes and kayaks to use.

Jackson had just about had it at this point.

Megan with Staci, Lindsay with Becky.

Fishing on the dock.

Mmmmm.... COOKIE!

2010-09-02T13:51:00.005-06:00

Earlier this year I went to Target with Jasper. While there he found this hat and begged me to buy it for him.

I said no, so he bought it with his own money. I thought, he was crazy - who would want to wear that?

But when his 14 year old cousin saw the hat a few days later, and she said "tight hat," I knew I must be out of the fashion loop.

Now I see Sesame Street fashion everywhere! Mostly on Jr. High aged kids, as they walk around acting cool with their skate boards. I don't get this new trend.

Jasper now owns this:

His friend owns this:

Maybe I should buy myself and David these?

Olympic Camping - Part III

2010-08-30T02:16:00.000-06:00

Did you know that there is a pretty popular series of books and movies - the Twilight series - that takes place in the Washington's Olympic Peninsula? By an author named Stephenie Meyer? About Vampires and Werewolves?

Yep, there is.

And the city of Forks is definitely capitalizing on it.

Forks was a mere 30 miles from where we were camping, in Kalaloch.

I'm not even a huge fan, but we were so close we had to check it out.

The number of visitors to Forks has increased from approximately 17,000 a year, to 70,000 since the books/movies came out.

Maybe that's why in the chamber of commerce they had the cutouts for the Twilight characters in the lobby.

Which one of these things is not made of cardboard?

And Bella's truck in the parking lot.

Twilight tours. So tempting! Maybe more tempting if the movies had been filmed here, or if the characters in the book were real.

Instead we ate at a Sully's, where they had Edward ice cream, and Jacob burgers.

And scary wooden carvings of ... ???

Olympic Camping - Part II

2010-08-29T03:42:00.001-06:00

After camping our first night in Oregon, we drove all day the rest of the day and finally made it to our next destination. We met my sister Becky and her family out our reserved camp spot in Washington.

I've been to a lot of places, and Olympic National Park - especially on the peninsula - ranks as one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

The forest is beautiful and green and wet, and the ocean is awesome and breathtaking.

We stayed in Kalaloch from Tuesday night through Friday.

Jackson and his cousin Lindsay bonded instantly - she is about 9 months older than him.

Here they are eating fruit snacks of the forest floor. Like a good mother I took a picture before stopping them.

We had crafts! Staci and My mom found these cool wooden boxes from Hobby Lobby. Each kid decorated it then used it to store their treasures, i.e. crab heads, rocks, and dirt.

Here Jasper plays with Megan and Molly next to the Ocean.

And here my husband, Jasper and sisters attempt to kayak the ocean. It was pretty much impossible to get past the waves.

Here I am running from the waves.

Time Out for a Haircut

2010-08-24T05:56:00.000-06:00

Let's take a break from camping to see some adorable pictures of Jackson getting a buzz cut.
This was also done a month or so ago - so most of his hair is back now.

I just found the pictures and thought they were too cute not to share.

I think this is his 2nd haircut - he sits really still, and loves it.

Now its Daddy's turn!

Olympic Camping - Part I

2010-08-23T11:36:00.004-06:00

We started out Monday morning. We took two cars - Jackson was great while we drove, thanks to lots of treats, toys, and Jasper.

Here he is eating Rice Krispies made by Aunt Heather.

Somewhere before La Grande Oregon my Dad ran out of gas in the truck. The truck with the camper, 5 people and a dog, pulling 2 kayaks, 2 canoes and a ton of camping equipment. Luckily he coasted right off the freeway and soon we were on our way.

Somewhere between Pendleton and La Grande, we pulled off I-84 to stop at this fruit shop/antique store.

My Grandpa Haven Hampson was a fruit delivery man. He delivered fruit to this shop many years ago. Of course back then he delivered to this shop below.

It has since relocated to the newer bigger shop, just across the street.

The antique shop/fruit stand had delicious fruits and fun antiques.

Seriously - donut peaches - delicious.

Ginger Gold apples - yum.

Then we went to Emigration Springs - an Oregon State Park, and stopped for the night. This stop is right along the Oregon trail.

I was very nervous about Jackson's first time camping. Of course he had a blast, running around, peeking in tents and getting dirty. But it was the sleeping that stressed me out.

The first night sleeping in the tent he went from me to Aunt Staci, climbing over Jasper in the middle, for the first hour. He woke up at 4:30 am crying. It was pretty much terrible. However, the first night was the worst, and it was pretty good every night after that. :)

Onto part 2...

Olympic National Park - Sneak Peek

2010-08-20T14:16:00.006-06:00

The Bennetts, McKinnons and Coles went camping last week. We drove over 2000 miles round trip and we had so much fun.

Here are a few pictures of our trip:

Megan, Grandma, Lindsay, Jasper, Jackson and Garrett.

Jasper skipping rocks.

Jackson, cheesing it.

We camped on the beach in Kalaloch (pronounced Klay-lock) Washington, and were only 30 miles(ish) from Forks. More on that to come.

The Bennetts on the beach. Jasper and Jackson's first time seeing the ocean.

Just a sneak peek.

Forever Family

2010-08-06T05:16:00.000-06:00

Last week Jasper was sealed to us in the Jordan River Temple.

To be sealed, or a temple sealing, is a sacred ordinance performed in a temple. Children can be sealed to their parents, with the expectation that the entire family structure can endure through this life and extend into the hereafter.

The sweet ladies who volunteer in the temple nursery - where Jasper and Jackson waited before the sealing - gave them these sheets before they left.

We are truly blessed.

Jordan River Temple, photo by Anthony Sweat.

Monopoly

2010-08-04T03:14:00.001-06:00

Jasper loves monopoly, so we thought we'd play a game of it last week.

It was fun, but playing with Jackson was. . . tricky.

"I'll buy boardwalk and park place, please."

We had fun anyway!

Future Football Star?

2010-08-02T17:05:00.002-06:00

Jasper registered for football and picked up his gear last weekend. He is super excited and I have to admit, so am I. Although football is the most time consuming sport that we've put Jasper in, he loves it the most, he's good at it, and he loves his teammates and coaches. I've gotten to understand it a little more too (which isn't saying much!).

Looks like Jackson is a fan as well! He drags his pads and helmet out of his room daily. I can't wait for the first game.

Fun at Willard Bay

2010-07-22T17:38:00.003-06:00

On Monday - our anniversary, my parents were kind enough to take the kiddos for a while so David and I could go on a date.

While we were gone to dinner and a movie, they went canoeing and kayaking at Willard.
Jasper brought along a friend, and 3 of my sisters went too.

Here are Jasper and his friend swamping the boat. I'm not sure what the purpose of swamping is, but my dad said it was to prepare them for scouts next year.

Jackson looks like an old pro in the kayak. And, wow, a picture of my dad - quite a feat!

Fun Aunt Staci takes Jacks for a ride,

And fun Aunt Heather helps him touch the water.

They had tons of fun!

Three Years

2010-07-19T11:41:00.000-06:00

It's already been three years.

And yes, I can believe it.

Sometimes it seems like 10 years!

I don't mean that in a bad way - we've just had a lot crammed into our three short years of marriage.

Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way.

David, you're my favorite.

Devil or Angel?

2010-07-13T08:33:00.000-06:00

Jackson saw Jasper climb a tree in our backyard, and wanted to climb it too.

So we put him up in the tree, and snapped some pics.

After looking at all the pics these my favorites, although I can't decide if he is a devil baby, or an angel baby.

Help me decide -

Devil

or Angel?

Some Ragnar Pictures

2010-07-11T03:23:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, I make running look so good.

Here I am below at the baton hand off.

My family was so nice to come see me off for my second leg!

This was after Staci's first leg.

One of my favorite pics ever, below!

My mom there to cheer me on!
Staci on her first leg.