Joe and The Boys.

This is a little clip of Joe with the boys "playing catch". Joe's a cute, active and attentive dad -I love watching the three guys together -Even when they're just hanging out. Plus, Joe's in Seattle for the next two weeks...and I am missin' him!

Ideas Anyone? Please help

I want to make the boys room a little more mature and masculine, less busy and more inspiring. All their toys are now downstairs, so I want this space to be a calming place for peace, and sleep.
So, I need Advice!!
Leaving the room -the hanging blankets, the wall thingy with books in it, the white magnet board.
Staying in the room-the coat and hat holders. The wall colors-I painted less than a year ago. Church pics, but I need to do something with them instead of them just floating.
Debated over -the Precious Moments pics stay/go or color frames black? What do you all think? Any other suggestions with anything else are more than welcome.

Now - Above the chair-rail molding (which lines the whole room, and separates the blue and white) I want to put Black vinyl wording all around the whole room. I only want to have short scripture/church related phrases, and I need help figuring which phrase to use...........for example:"I will go and do what the Lord hath commanded.", "Search ponder and pray","Called to serve Him"........'kay, now what others? Please suggest anything that comes to mind. Thank you -I need all the help I can get.

Here is another video of the boys being their typical CRAZY selves! They had me crackin' up, but I was trying not to let them know I was there. (Well, Kade knew.) Sorry, the camera is so shaky, I was laughing silently.

This is our life with two boys! I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world!But, I ask myself everyday -"How did I get so Lucky?"

Random Pics....It's been a while.

DISCLAIMER -I know my house is a total wreck in this picture -but it was taken durning my "Potty Training Adventure" week -and everything was put on hold. Plus, I recently changed my whole living room anyway, so it won't ever look like this again. Anyway, it was too cute of Ben not to post, despite my embarrasment. He's getting so big!!

Ben in his cute "big boy undies" during Our P.T. Adventure. Which meant he never wore pants, watched shows, drank capri-suns(which he never gets), played and stayed close to his potty at all times. (This was day two.)

Can you get over this face? He's so mature looking to me. Ben always had a"baby" baby face. Kade looks older -he always has. Too cute, my baby Kade.

Kade chillin' at the zoo. He had the easiest, most comfortable time. Oh, what it would be like to be a baby again. Hmmm.

I hadn't posted pics in awhile, so I figured I would. I love my boys!! They're getting so big.

A Week Without Dad.

This will be a short post - even as I type Kade is struggling with something and I can hear he's on the verge of freakin' out.....Oh, he stopped. He must have reached what he wanted.
This past week Joe has been gone. We've missed him! And, I have felt busier than normal..maybe 'cause my awesome hubby hasn't come home each evening to rescue me, to talk to me, and to kiss me. ;)

The boys have been great, but they are bored with me. The dogs would kill to go on a long run. Kade had an allergic reaction to something -to which his body was covered in hives and his right ear swelled to twice the normal size. (I hate being alone in these cases....going to the doctor and the unrest and "what ifs")

But, Joe will be home in a few hours! I am excited. I KNOW Ben can't wait to see him. Yesterday he said, "I miss my dad." and then got teary-eyed and sad. Ben is bound to go crazy when Joe walks in the door today!

Our noses are pressed up against the window waiting for Joe to pull up. We love it when Dad comes home!

In a way, A Missionary Already!

I told this little story to my friend -she said it was cute and that I should post it.

But -a side not first. In Ben's baby blessing he was repeatedly blessed to be a missionary and spread and share the gospel with others. So, I love that he's doing it, somewhat, already.

As I waited to unload groceries, a woman and I exchanged the typical pleasantries -"Your boys are cute." "I hope I didn't spend a ton" etc, etc. She was probably late fifties and very nice.

Ben deduced from my conversation with her that she must be "O.K." to talk to....so he piped right up about his favorite topic these days.(He does this sort of thing quite often.)

He quickly informed, "Laman and Lemuel are bad guys."

She said, "That's right, they are. Who's a good guy?"

Ben replied, "Nephi! He's a good guy."

She asked him his name, then asked him if he was named after King Benjamin.

He said, "No. But, King Noah -he's a bad guy."

She agreed.

Their conversation was cute and went on for a little while till the food was rung up and we were on our way.

Now, in that moment, I had actually been a little nervous that he could possibly be talking to a non-member who might not know anything about who "Laman and Lemuel" were -I felt relieved that she was obviously LDS. However, after talking with my wonderful, returned missionary girl friend, Brittany, she pointed out what a good opening it could have been to at least bring up the church or Book of Mormon.

Had the woman responded with "What?", I could have said something to the effect that "They are in the Book of Mormon....." -which would have ultimately lead to a conversion, I'm posistive. ;) And, how easy would that have been to do!

The point is....Children are Innocent and not afraid. They are open and willing to share any information they have with anyone who is around. They are not held back by nerves or self doubt -they are free to share the things they know are true. They are willing to talk forever about the topics they love and that thrill them. They want anyone and everyone to hear what they have to say. I wish to be more like that!!

I never went on a mission, and, thus have no real experience with just bustin' out with any information about the church. I have the self doubt and nerves that, I am so glad, Ben doesn't.

I hope to raise my boys to be "Life Long Missionaries." I hope Ben will always have the guts and love to share the truths he knows with anyone, at any time, in any place. What an example my little boy is. I am kind of looking forward to a time when this might happen again with someone not of my faith, so I can then be an example to my boys. Children teach us all more than we could ever teach them -for that I am continually blessed and eternally grateful.

The Circus and Zoo!!!

Last week Joe and I took the boys to the circus and the zoo. It was such a fun trip! I love our little family.

The circus was so fun. I met my older sister and her boys there. Ben loves his cousins. We had a a great time. (Thanks for the tickets Kate.) The circus pics were kind of dark, so I left 'em out.

We took a ton of pics at the zoo. It was a blast. Ben loved the various animals, and Joe and I loved watching him take everything in! Here are a few of the many many pictures. ;)

Joe carried Ben around forever, he took him to the bathroom fifty million times -Thank goodness for a strong, willing, thoughtful husband who is the best dad to the boys!!!

The train ride! Cute boys!Kader-Bum! He's so cute!! (I didn't start out wearin' a hat -but the heat and sweat killed my hair...so, it was a hat once again. :/ )The carousel ride! Ben loved it...even though his face doesn't show it here.
Ben's favorite animal these days! The tiger was soooooo close! It was cool.

Joe pointin' out the giraffes. Good times!

So cool -the leopard was nose to nose with Ben. He paced back and forth and was thrilling for the kids. (A video clip coming soon.)

Checking out the elephants!

Such a fun trip -so much to say. But, pictures say a thousand words, and I've posted tons of those....so in a sense, I have said it all.

READ THIS BOOK!!!

My friend recently reccommended this book to me. We both always seem to need the same things in life at the same time as each other. She found it helpful for her, and thus suggested I read it too.

I have been called to repentance and am excited to have been. I have not been the wife I have always wanted to be. I have not seen things from the view point of my husband. Although I thought I had good reasons for my behavior or attitude or what have you -I have been horrible. I have not had my priorities in the best order. I have been tired for no reason, been grouchy for no reason, been rude and even disrespectful, and at many times felt justified, because "I was doing so much for the kids/home/my own needs." Can you believe that?! Am I 28 years old or 2? How ridiculous I've been. For sheesh!

This is not easy to admit "publicly", but I have been such a baby, and so self-centered, without really knowing it. And, we women think our husbands are"doin' fine" because they don't complain -but really they are struggling and are doing their best to "suck it up".

I HIGHLY recommend this book to ANY married woman! It opens your eyes and allows you to see things clearer and challenges you to adjust your priorities! I am very thankful for this book. And, I am glad I now can think of my role as a wife and mother with a new view and perspective. I am grateful for a hubby who has been so great despite my childishness and selfishness.

Women, we have a calling- the highest calling- to be a wife and queen. We need to be making our marriages and husbands the top priority. Read the book. Maybe all of you are already amazing, adn maybe I am the only one who needs to repent -how would I know?- still, it would be a good investment of time and money to get this book!