Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Last night my mom and I put up my Christmas tree! And this morning I put all the presents from my mom and Walt under the tree. Well not all of them because they all wouldn't fit!

My mom and Walt left this morning, back to Arizona. The kids and I had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa! It was nice having my mom's help with the kids, and Walt did some work around the house. Thank you Mom and Walt! We love you!

The kids and I are sick with colds. We are all pretty miserable. I am pretty sure we got it from the germs on the airplane coming home, but whoever really knows. Jaden is the worst of all of us. His cough and breathing is really bad. Kaylie and I are all stuffed up and tired. It is not fun! We got to take two naps today though, so that was nice! Jaden and Kaylie are sharing a room now and they love it. It's helped Kaylie go back to sleep easier when she wakes up crying. This morning I woke up hearing them talking to each other and giggling. They are so cute. Even though they are sick they still manage to smile and have fun. Tonight we played with blocks and sang Christmas songs. I love my babies!

My sister did this on her blog, Top 10 things I love about Christmas. So here is mine (not in any order)

1. Christmas music

2. giving and receiving presents. I get so excited about what my kids are getting more than what I'm getting!

3. being with family

4. snow on Christmas (this is the only time I like snow!)

5. cute Christmas clothes for the kids

6. decorating the Christmas tree and the house

7. watching Christmas movies

8. how most people are so much nicer and happier

9. Christmas goodies

10. caroling

I heart the holidays!

I love the holidays! The past couple of days have been a lot of fun spending time with my family. Thanksgiving day my brother Ryan, my sister Angie, my sister Megan and her husband Dan, and my mom and Walt all came over to our house to spend Thanksgiving with us! We had a great time eating yummy turkey, rolls, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pie, and lots of other stuff. My mom cooked some great food!

Kaylie loved the cranberry sauce and stuffing!

It was Kaylie's first Thanksgiving and I'm pretty sure she had a good time with her family! Here she is with Aunt Angie...

and here she is looking all pretty...

and here she is with Grandma!

Jaden had fun playing with Uncle Ryan

and everyone else and cheering on the Cowboys in his Romo jersey!

We sang "Itsy-bitsy Spider" with him quite a few times, he loves it!

My sisters and I played lots of fun games.

I love games! Thanks for bringing the games Megs!

Dan tried to get Megan and I hooked on some computer game. I told him it was not my cup of tea but thanks for trying. :)

My sister Megan and I...

My brother Ryan and I...

We missed you Daddy! Kaylie enjoyed talking to her Daddy on the phone today. It was really cute, she was babbling and smiling as she listened to him talk. We love you! :)

Today my mom and Walt and myself and the kids went up to my brother Golden's house to visit his wife and his daughters. I love my nieces, Anya, Sasha and Katya, they are the cutest girls! They are full of energy and so much fun.

Jaden and Kaylie had so much fun playing with their cousins! Jaden was tackling Sasha over and over, it was really cute. Sasha loved it!

And now for the best part of the night...they have a Wii system and oh my gosh that thing is soooo fun! I have decided I am going to be a professional wii bowler! I was so good at that game. I kicked everyone's butt! I'm seriously contemplating it. :) LOL

Anyway, the night was a lot of fun. I love my family!

HaPPy ThAnKsGiViNg!!!

I am very thankful for the many blessings I have, especially AJ, my kids and my family. I am happy that my mom and step-dad are here to spend Thanksgiving with us at my house. I'm sooo sad that AJ isn't here with us. He is going to be alone on Thanksgiving and that makes me so sad. But he will be here for Christmas and that'll be fun!!! I love you AJ!
Today was a fun day, we went to Pizza Factory with my brother Ryan and Nicole and Brindley came, too, since they are pretty much family. :) Then we went and met my sister and her husband for dinner at TGIFriday's. It was a lot of food in one day, but I'm just stretching out my belly for tomorrow! :)
I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving! Go Cowboys!!!!

3 tag

3 of my recent favorite purchases:
1. new sippy cups without a valve
2. my ring even though AJ bought it for me :)
3. food

3 favorite movies:
1. Hitch
2. What Happens in Vegas
3. Pursuit of Happyness

3 things I haven't done yet:
1. been to Hawaii
2. put makeup on today
3. downloaded all the new music that I've missed in the past month

3 things (not people) I can't live without:
1. computer
2. chapstick
3. food

3 of my favorite dishes:
1. creamy pesto alfredo pasta
2. apple juice chicken
3. pizza

3 of my favorite TV shows:
1. The Bachelor
2. One Tree Hill
3. Cowboys and Cougar football

3 of the last places I've traveled:
1. San Jose
2. Phoenix
3. Park City

3 of my favorite treats:
1. cinnamon bears
2. oatmeal choc chip cookies
3. Smarties

3 things I'd buy if money weren't an issue:
1. elliptical
2. Kitchenaid mixer
3. 2 tickets on a cruise

3 people I tag:
1. Mom
2. Megan
3. Nicole

It's been one whole week since I have blogged!!! And I am disappointed in all my blogging friends because no one else is really blogging either. What's the deal people? I have an excuse...I'm in California still and don't really have access to a computer whenever I want.
First of all, I was hoping to post a blog tonight of the victory of the BYU Cougars, but instead I am not. I am so sad that the Utes won, I really really hate them. Yes hate is a strong word, but I really do hate them. It's alright though, I still love the Cougars.
Anyway, the past week has been quite the week. Jaden is teething big time, he's gotten 2 so far and working on 3 or 4 more. He hasn't felt very well for the past week and it has been tough. As soon as we get home I am taking him to the doctor to see if he is alright because about 6 total nights in the past few weeks he has been throwing up at night. I feel bad for my little boy. I hate when he doesn't feel well. I'm looking forward to being home and I'm sure he will be excited, too.
Although he has been feeling crappy he is still having fun and being his cute, sweet self. Today Kaylie was really crying hard waiting for her bottle to be made and Jaden came over to her and held her sippy cup for her so she could drink it and patted her back. I got teary eyed! He is such a sweet big brother. He is also saying so many words, it's so much fun. He repeats most of the words I say. My favorite right now is window aka "din-doh". And let's not forget he ate fried chicken for the first timeas Daddy would say, "that's racist!" hehe!
Kaylie is getting stronger everyday. She is now crawling up the stairs.
and pulling herself up on the furniture
and standing up!
She is so much fun to have around, I just love my little girl!
Kaylie and Jaden love to play together, well I guess it's mostly Kaylie loving to play with Jaden. She is always following him around and trying to do everything he does. She tries to take food and toys from him, it's pretty dang cute to watch his little sister "beat him up." Here she is trying to take his cheerios
and she succeeded!
And here they are having fun with daddy. I love to hear Jaden run around saying "Daddy! Daddy!"
Here are some cute pictures I took of Jaden and Kaylie together in their overalls. :)

My family.....tell me about yours!

Tell me about your family and why you love them.
I made up this one :)

Dad - My dad is a lot of fun to hang out with. He always has funny jokes to tell and gives lots of hugs. We have had a little bit of a rocky relationship, but as I have gotten older and have become a parent I appreciate him a lot more! He is a great dad and grandpa. He always tells my kids and I that he loves us. Him and I have always had a great time watching BYU football together. Go Cougars!

Mom - I've said lots about my mom on previous posts so its pretty apparent that she is my best friend and I love her a lot. She is the best mom ever and I am the 2nd best mom ever :) hehe j/k.

Walt - Walt is my step-dad and he is a rrrreally great guy. He makes my mom happy and treats her right, and that is the most important thing to me. It is a great feeling to have two dads because he pretty much has been a dad to me the past few years. Just a few months after my mom and him got married he accepted me (and my pregnant belly) with open arms into their home. I am very thankful for him and how kind he has been to my kids and I. He also puts up with mine and my mom's silliness, and he can be pretty silly too :)

Angie - Angie is my oldest sister and has always been a great sister. I remember growing up whenever we would leave each other she would say "Remember who you are and what you stand for." I always liked to hear that and always felt that she really cared about me. When I was little she used to do my hair for me and I loved it. When I think of her i think of someone who always looks very pretty, makeup done, hair perfect, and cute clothes with a smile on her face. Her laugh is contagious and she is a lot of fun to be around.

Ryan - Ryan and I have always been close. I can't even remember a time when he was ever mean to me growing up. He was always such a nice brother. He would let me hang out with him and his hot friend Jared Hendricks. He always brought me pizza home from work. He let me stay up late with him and watch Sports Center and answer all of my questions about sports. We have had some really good talks and really good memories. I love when he comes over and hangs out and helps me with the kids and eats my food. :)

Golden - I have always looked up to Golden and have always been confident that he would know the answer to every question I asked him. When I don't understand things about politics, religion, computers or other topics I always think to ask him and he always knows the answer. He is verrry smart. He is also a lot of fun to hang out with and listen to his stories and opinions. He is a great Dad to his 3 beautiful little girls who I love soooo much, and a great husband to Crystal. Crystal rocks too! :)

Megan - Megs is the best :) I love her a lot and am so grateful for her friendship. She has always stood by me through everything and has been a good listening ear for my whole life. We have had some good times together. Concerts, tv shows, music, sleepovers, boys, vacations, boy bands, celebrities, friends, movies, etc etc etc. I love that we have so much in common and enjoy things together.

Jaden - My little boy is the best little boy ever. He puts a smile on my face a million times a day and I am sooo grateful for him and his charm and personality. When I'm sad he is the first to give me hugs and kisses. He has so much energy and such a big heart. He is the most handsome little boy ever :) I love him!

Kaylie - My pretty girl! I love her and all of her personalities. She surprises me with new tricks, new smiles, new attitudes, new giggles, and new expressions everyday. I love to squeeze her, kiss her, and make her giggle. She has the cutest smile ever! She is absolutely beautiful inside and out.

Ok I tag...Mom, Megan, Nicole, Kimber, Gentry, Nicole E., Amie, Ashley, Sarah and anyone else who wants to do this!

fun times!

The last couple days have been a lot of fun for us. The sun has been shining and the weather has been perfect here in California. Yesterday we played outside with the kids. AJ and I played catch with a lemon. It was pretty fun! It's the same size as a baseball and so it was really cool to play with. Jaden kicked the big ball around and Kaylie sat on the patio and watched us. Then we picked some lemons from their lemon tree and AJ had the great idea to make lemonade! I had never made fresh lemonade, other than when I worked at Hot Dog on a Stick. :) So we picked some lemons and used the lemon juicer or whatever it's called and made lemonade. It was yummmmy!

Today we went to the park and played on the swings

and the slides!

I had so much fun being able to run around and play on the playground with Jaden. I haven't been able to do that before because it's hard going to the park with both of them by myself. It was nice to have AJ there to switch off with. They had a really big cement slide at one of the parks, it goes down a big steep hill, and you sit on cardboard and go down. I was too chicken to take Jaden down with me, he would've freaked out anyway I'm sure. But I went a few times! It was sooo fun. It's always fun to get a little rush every once in awhile!

Kaylie is now 7 months old!!! I really think she thinks she is older than she is. She is trying so hard to keep up with her big brother. She tries to steal his food and eat all the food he eats. She clobbers him everytime he is laying down on the floor. Oh and she likes to pull his hair. I had just finished doing laundry and this is what I saw when I came back in the room...
My little girl standing up!!! She had pulled herself up all by herself and was just standing there for a good few minutes. Jaden had to pose for the camera too :)


By the end of the day we were exhausted! Kaylie didn't want to go to sleep though, she stayed up until about 10:30 with Daddy, watching basketball.

I love my children!

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.
If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident.
If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to find love in the world.
If children live with sharing, they learn to be generous.

Aristotle

I thought this was a really neat poem. I think its even cooler that Aristotle wrote it and Aristotle is Jaden's middle name. :)

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us when adversity takes the place of prosperity when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."
--Washington Irving

I also really liked this quote. I think being a mom is the greatest blessing in the world. My two babies mean the world to me. I hope that they grow up and feel the same way about me as I do about my mom. I truly feel that I have the best mom in the world. She is the most unselfish person I know. I admire her strength and her attitude toward life. She has always been there for me through everything, all the good times, all the bad times. My mom is my true friend and I hope to be that to Jaden and Kaylie for their whole life.

just some pictures

Just some fun pictures I have taken of the kids and Daddy while we've been here in San Jose.

Jaden loves to sit down by Kaylie. If he sits down somewhere he will pat the space next to him with his hand and point to Kaylie for her to come sit by him. It's really cute.


Kaylie is a happy little girl. She loves to eat crackers. She also loves to try and steal Jaden's fruit snacks or treats that she can't have.


Jaden being his silly little self. He loves to wrinkle his nose and smile for the camera.


My "pretty girl" that's my favorite nickname for her. I love her.


Daddy playing with the kids. Good times.