We love

these people!!!

We got lucky this past week and got to have the 'Mayonnaise's' (this is how Keegan used to pronounce their last name) visit us for Dan's graduation. Today, Zach took them back to the airport to send them off. We were so sad to see them go! It was such a blast to have them here, and we can't wait to see them again soon.
Their visit was filled with fun, mostly for the boys, while Tara and I made our own fun at home with the kiddos. The boys golfed, took a trip to Seattle to watch the Red Sox (Dan's beloved team) play, golfed some more, and just had a great time! We love you guys - thanks for the visit!!!!!!!!!!!

Ready to face facts

If you haven't noticed this ---------------------------------->

and you didn't notice the clever sign in my last post, then you are definitely missing something.

I'm prego.

This is my excuse for lots of things. Not blogging, not cleaning my house, not doing the dishes, hardly being able to feed my boys, laying in bed a lot, having no energy or desire to do anything whatsoever. And don't even get me started on the illness part.

Here is a perspective from a 4 year old:

"Make sure you flush Mom, I don't want to have to look at what you threw up."

(said to his preschool class last week) "Man guys, my mom throws up a TON."

"Are you done Mom? I need some help out here."

"Don't touch Mom's stomach, Kayden, she might throw up on you."

Glad to know that he cares about me. I think..........

Wordless Wednesday: Peek-A-Zoo

I am Mom

My adorable brother, Josh, and I outside of the Portland temple yesterday

I am magic. I make bad dreams disappear, monsters cower in fear, and owies fade into memories. I also can make dinner out of the least likely items in the fridge.

I am funny. Better yet, I am hilarious. I can make giggles come from tears, make the simplest item a fascinating toy, and make the worst joke seem like the best.

I am beautiful. And my boys tell me so almost daily. I have been proposed to several times, get to hug and kiss 3 handsome males, and each of them make me feel special and important in different ways.

I am loved. By my husband, my sons, my parents, siblings, my second parents and second siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, friends, and so many others.

I am blessed. Blessed with a loving family, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the knowledge that my family is eternal.

I am Mom. And I love it.

My husband is

so handsome. He had to dress up today because he is giving a presentation at the ARCS luncheon. I thought he looked smashing. So here you go babe - I know you hate it when I take pictures of you and you say you 'don't know how to smile naturally' in a picture. Even with all that, you are still the best-looking man I know. I love you.

This kid

is cute.

I know. And even though lately, he has been trying my patience (tonight he colored on my kitchen floor with a fine-point Sharpie - 409 works miracles), he is truly a sweetie. Zach and I discuss over and over how this spares him from much - too much. We are working on becoming insensitive to his sweet smiles and coy ways. But we're not working on it too hard..........

Here are a few things he has been doing lately that I absolutely LOVE:

- He sings songs about us as he goes to bed. He just repeats our names over and over in this cute little sing-song voice. "Ma-ma, Da-da, Ga-ga" (ga-ga is Keegan, not sure where it came from, but that's what he is called). I love to lay down on the floor by his little bed and listen to it. It's so precious.

- He is very concerned about where we are. For instance, if he wakes up before Keegan, he comes in to our room and says "Where Ga-ga?" And then (if I don't move fast enough) runs down to Keegan's room and opens the door and tries to wake him up. One addition that I don't love is him screaming "GA-GA!!!!!!!!" At the top of his lungs. He is always wondering where 'Da-da' is if he isn't here, and I love to return home from a meeting and have him run at the door yelling "Ma-ma!!!"

- Sometimes when we are saying prayers, he will start talking quietly with his hands folded and head bowed. He never says anything coherent, but it is sweet and special to hear him starting to talk to his Heavenly Father.

We love you Kayden!!!!!!