Tagg Turns 3!!!

On September 1st, our little Tagg turned 3! I cannot believe my baby is 3 years old! We had a friends party the Saturday before his birthday with friends from church and Westgate. We love our Boston friends!! On his birthday Taggie started Joy School, so after it was over we came home and opened presents and had cake and ice cream later that night. Tagg is such a joy to have in our family, he cracks us up and is SO loving and kind. He brings lots of laughs and love into our little family and we couldn't imagine life without our little Tagg-a-lag!

Labor Day Weekend

For Labor Day Weekend we headed down to my parents house in Rhode Island. It was also Todd's birthday on Saturday, and the BIG BYU game (Go Cougars!). On Todd's Birthday we went to Narragansett Beach, and had a BLAST! The kids loved playing in the waves, finding sea shells, building sand castles, and taking turns burying each other in the sand. It was such a fun day!
Todd got his only birthday wish that night when the Cougars beat the Sooners. For those of you who don't know Todd has two loves in his life...Me and BYU football. I am being serious. To say we bleed blue is an understatement. It was a very exciting game and was a perfect end to Todd's birthday!

Welcome to the Big Kids Club! :)

Joy School!

The boys started Joy School! We are double timing it this year as Tagg is in the 3 year old group, and Thatch is in the 4 year old group. They are LOVING it and come home saying the cutest things about the things they have learned. We are so lucky to live around so many great families who we do Joy School with! I love that my kids can go over to their homes and learn from some of the most amazing women I have ever met.
When I am not teaching I have the house to myself for 3 WHOLE HOURS! I hardly know what to do with myself. It has been a serial experience going to the Grocery Store mid-day all by myself!
We are looking forward to a VERY fun Joy School Year!



Thatcher and Taggart first day of Joy School, September 1, 2009.

Tagg all ready for Joy School!

Thatch's second year of Joy School...

Here is Tagg's cute little group that I taught last week.

Panache and Pizzazz Parties!

Hey everyone! I have started a little Partyware blog and Etsy shop and would love for you to come by and take a look! Please grab a button while you are there and spread the word to all your friends! Thanks!

Seattle Trip Numero Due

Todd went to Seattle for the 2nd time this year this past weekend. He basically went to be smooshed by Amazon.com, and had a fun time taking a tour around the city, staying in a fancy hotel, eating out, site seeing, ect. Nice. How ticked was I that my best friend lives in Seattle and I couldn't go with him and do all the above because I have two little monkeys clinging to my legs and a commitment to teach at youth conference? Just a little bit. But I got over it. I had fun with those two monkeys swimming, having movie night, and had a great time at Youth Conference seeing the sweet little testimonies of some pretty awesome youth. So it was worth it! Here are some pictures from Todd's trip. He says he took them to document the trip. I think he took them to rub it in. Jerk face. Just kidding!

A Day In The Life...

Thatch and Tagg playing "Playhouse Disney" online. You can't see it very well, but Thatcher has his arm around Tagg. I couldn't love these boys anymore! Too cute!

Tagg being his cute little self....as usual.

This is what the boys are into lately...building various cities out of blocks.

While I was away at Youth Conference, Daddy took the boys to the "toy store" aka: the Dollar Store and let them pick out some goodies. They picked these plastic bubbles. They loved them.

To Do List...

I love Hillary Weeks. She is so great. This video made me cry and laugh. This 'to do list' sounded an awful lot like mine, and I could identify with most everything she sang about. In a world where the stay at home mom is often mocked and looked down at, I stand proudly by our decision to have me stay home and raise our children and to be a homemaker. I can think of no grater career, job, or calling. I treasure each day I have with these little kiddos and I am thankful that even in the most mundane of household tasks I feel Heavens approval daily.

"Thanks for ruining 4th of July!"

This is what my brother Jonathan kept saying to me while the whole fam was visiting us in Kentucky for the 4th of July weekend. Pretty much it rained the whole time. While they were here it was sunny one day. So we took advantage of it by swimming at our apartment complex pool. It was great to see everyone, but all too short of a family vacay!

Soaking up those Kentucky rays!

Grandma giving wild Taggy a disaproving look for getting out of the pool to jump in once again. Don't worry Tagg, I have seen that look many times myself. She'll get over it! :)

One good lookin' boy, if I say so myself.

Jon ticked that it is going to rain on the 4th of July.

Hanging out playing video games while it rains outside...sorry guys!

Grandma helping Tagg with his shoe, Grandpa taking an afternoon snooze...

Classic David picture.

Happy Birthday Ya Filthy Animal...

Well, well, well, looky who we have here...

Can you believe this kid is 25? Yikes. Where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday we were playing Super Mario Brothers on your nifty new Nintendo or sliding down the basement stairs in sleeping bags. Hope you have a wonderful Birthday, can't wait to see you guys in a few days! :) When you get here I hope you are hungry cause this little delicious beauty will be waiting for you...

Funniest Site Ever...

I don't know if it just cause I am all into cake making, or if I have a sick sense of humor, or both...but I have wasted a good amount of my day today laughing it up at this hilarious blog. Please go for your own enjoyment. Start with this page and then browse on.

Happy Fathers Day to the two best Dads in my life...

To My Dad...

I hope that you know how much I love you and appreciate your example in my life. I want you to know there are times when I am in a situation I will often think, "what would Dad do?". I treasure our wonderful memories together, and I thank the heavens I got your sense of humor! :) Thanks for all the years helping me with my homework, for encouraging me in my cross country days, for making a usually boring situation like a ride to school, so much fun, and for your weekly hilarious and inspiring letters on my mission. Probably most importantly thank you for always telling me stories about your mission and planting in me the desire to go. Everything good that I have in my life today is from serving a mission, and I owe that mostly to you. Thanks for being such a great Dad, and a wonderful Grandpa to my sons. I am so grateful that they have men like you to admire for their examples.

I hope you have a wonderful Fathers Day and that you feel loved and appreciated. Most of all I hope Dave gets off his rump and gives you a night off from doing the dishes and cleaning up...:) If I was there I would have made you this cake, because this kind of shirt always reminds me of you...I love you Dad.

To Todd,

I don't know if Thatch and Tagg will ever know how lucky they are to have you as a father. I feel so incredibly blessed that you are mine, and I am so grateful for the wonderful Daddy that you are to our boys. Honey, you are one heck of a diaper changer, midnight feeder, bath giver, tickler, bed time story teller, soother, picky back ride giver, comforter, and most of all you are a hard working and incredible father. We are so glad when Daddy comes home at the end of the day because you make our lives so much more fun! Thank you for all your diligence, hard work and sacrifice for our family. I am so thankful that our sons have you to emulate as they grow up and I am assured that they will be wonderful men, missionaries, husbands, and fathers someday having you as their example. I couldn't have asked for a more loving husband and father for my children, and I hope today you know how much the three of us love and appreciate you!

Proof that you are a great husband and daddy..

Wearing goofy shirts that I make and working hard so we can go to Disneyworld to see the boys' faces light up!

This pretty much sums it up!

As for me and my house, camping is for husbands and sons.
I can do one night, maybe two but that is pushing it kids.
No shower + No toilet + Bugs + Heat + No Sleep= Hell on earth in my book.
If you call me prissy...I will take it as a compliment. :)

Babies don't keep...

As I sit here bawling my brains out after reading this poem I thought I would share it with all my mommy friends out there...

Let Me Hold You Longer- Karen Kingsbury

Long ago you came to me, a miracle of firsts, First smiles and teeth and baby steps, a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away and leave to me your past And I will be left thinking of a lifetime of your lasts…

The last time that I held a bottle to your baby lips The last time that I lifted you and held you on my hip.

The last night when you woke up crying, needing to be walked, When last you crawled up with your blanket, wanting to be rocked.

The last time when you ran to me, still small enough to hold. The last time that you said you’d marry me when you grew old.

Precious, simple moments and bright flashes from your past- Would I have held on longer if I’d known they were your last?

Our last adventure to the park, your final midday nap, The last time when you wore your favorite faded baseball cap.

Your last few hours of kindergarten, those last few days of first grade, Your last at bat in Little League, last colored picture made.

I never said good-bye to all your yesterdays long passed. So what about tomorrow- will I recognize your lasts?

The last time that you catch a frog in that old backyard pond. The last time that you run barefoot across our fresh-cut lawn.

Silly, scattered images will represent your past. I keep on taking pictures, never quite sure of your lasts…

The last time that I comb your hair or stop a pillow fight. The last time that I pray with you and tuck you in at night.

The last time when we cuddle with a book, just me and you The last time you jump in our bed and sleep between us two.

The last piano lesson, last vacation to the lake. Your last few weeks of middle school, last soccer goal you make.

I look ahead and dream of days that haven’t come to pass. But as I do, I sometimes miss today’s sweet, precious lasts…

The last time that I help you with a math or spelling test. The last time when I shout that yes, your room is still a mess.

The last time that you need me for a ride from here to there. The last time that you spend the night with your old tattered bear.

My life keeps moving faster, stealing precious days that pass, I want to hold on longer- want to recognize your lasts…

The last time that you need my help with details of a dance. The last time that you ask me for advice about romance.

The last time that you talk to me about your hopes and dreams. The last time that you wear a jersey for your high school team.

I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed seasons as they pass. If I could freeze the hands of time, I’d hold on to your lasts.

For come some bright fall morning, you’ll be going far away. College life will beckon in a brilliant sort of way.

One last hug, one last good-bye, one quick and hurried kiss. One last time to understand just how much you’ll be missed.

I’ll watch you leave and think how fast our time together passed. Let me hold on longer, God, to every precious last.

A couple of years ago while I was taking a run I saw a school bus pull up in our neighborhood and pick up the kids to take them off to elementary school. I got all choked up thinking that I only had 2 1/2 more years before Thatcher went off to school. Now I am only 1 year away from that milestone and the more I think about it the more I want to squeeze my boys and freeze us all in time. Some days I think about how I will be the proudest missionary mommy, and even though I have 15 plus years to cross that bridge, I bawl my guts out even imagining them leaving on their missions. I am trying to treasure each day I have with these little boys at home with me, even each mess, each tantrum, and especially each hug, and each kiss.