Christmas Eve 2014

The boys were all dressed in their new Christmas Eve Jammie's at grandmas house. We finished our Sweedish Christmas dinner and we're all ready to sing and talk all about Jesus and  the meaning of Christmas. Before we could settle in though we opened our Christmas Eve present...pajamas!

Ricky and Mikey got in minion Jammie's and Jake got Mario Jammie's.  They we're so excited!

Daddy told the story of Jesus' birth using pictures the boys had colored earlier.

Here is the finished story board that they helped create.  It was a great lesson and the boys loved it.

We are thankful for the chance to slow down and really celebrate the true meaning of Christmas!  Happy holidays!

Time With the kids

We went to the "zip line" park with the boys this evening for about an hour and throw a football and pushed them on swings.  Rick and I were tired after a long day but the boys so loved being FREE to run and play for a bit before bed.  

What seemed like a way to kill some energy for the boys quickly turned into a real moment to connect with and affirm our love for them.  It's easy to forget that for parents the word love means obedience and being good but for kids the word LOVE is really spelled TIME!  Not just time in he same house or on errands but time playing and talking and connecting.  For our boys it's time hugging, kissing, laughing and telling them that they are adored , that they are wanted and they are fun.  I'm glad we took the time to do that tonight.  Each of the boys expressed their love to Rick and I individually and it put a pep in our tired step.   It was so nice to enjoy our 3 little crazy babies!!!

Fitting them all in:)

I realized while I looked at the photos I've posted that Jake isn't in enough of them lately.  His schedule at school makes it so that he is gone when I usually am thinking of taking them so I guess I just haven't been doing it.  

He was the only child that I took pictures of for his first 4.5 years of life so he is well trained in smiling for mommy's camera so for me it is a shame not to have enough with him in them.  He w as thrilled to take one with momma when I asked which made me so happy because I know that he still loves his momma! 

Even better news is that Ricky loves his momma too.  He couldn't watch us take a photo and not get in on the action:).  There is room for everyone with momma!  Mikey can join us too when he isn't strapped into the car seat. 

"Pretty Kisses"

These are what I call Mikey' "pretty kisses".  He has been giving then away freely lately!  Rick and I will often look over at him during dinner and see these sweet lips puckered up at us waiting for his kids.  It has been so fun to see Michael develop into such a sweet and affectionate little boy, even if he still screams like a banshee!  Keep the kisses coming little love.  We can't get enough!

Aunt Katie

Lately I've been feeling so grateful for Aunt Katie!  It's been 3 years since we moved back to UT and I can't think of one of the boys important (or even not important) events that Katie hasn't been at.  This is Jake's football game on A Wednesday night that she drove up from Provo to attend.  She always makes them feel like she wants to be there and it makes them feel so special.  Mikey is taken with her (just like his brothers are) and he sprinted across a field to get to her.  We so appreciate her love and sweetness and it makes us feel special.  Thanks Kate! 

I should mention mom too.  She is wonderful at being there and loving the boys.  We are a lucky family!  So glad that we live close enough to have that relationship! I wish all of our family lived so close!

Snapshots for the week

Lately the boys have found themselves carted all over creation while mommy gets her errands done.  Most days they are wonderful but occasionally they just hate it.  I try to concentrate it all into a day or two per week so that they can be free to play on the other days but I can only do what I can do:)  This was one of the best days we have had.  Mike napped and Ricky watched his favorite shows while mommy got one thing after another marked off of her list.

Ricky had his first Pre-School field trip to the Discovery Childrens Museum in SLC.  Mike came along as Ricky's +1 and it was fun.  This is a picture of the boys in the UofU lifeflight helicopter they had out on their roof.  It was an old one that was retired so much of the control panel still worked.  Ricky LOVED being a helicopter pilot for a few minutes.  Mikey loved being held and loved by his big brother.

Amazing the things you can discover!  Ricky played at the wind tunnel display for over a 1/2 hour.  He just thought it was amazing that something would stay aloft and eventually make its way to being airborne. 

Water....that is all Ricky needs to have a great time indoors.  I wont let him play in the bathroom sinks so he was thrilled that he could play with this indoor water display.  He cranked buckets up and over an edge causing water to spill by just using a lever.  He hated sharing it with other kids but made an exception for his little buddy Nye.

Paper folded in just a few places=heaven for this kid.  There were hundreds of exhibits with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and what do you think was his favorite section?  Yep, the stack of white paper with directions for how to make a paper airplane,  This was the section that got the majority of Ricky's time and attention.  I love that it doesn't take much to engage his little mind.  He often reminds me so much of Jacob in that way. 

Bah Bah Black Sheep....Ricky dressed up as a black sheep for the theater area of the children's museum.

Such a funny boy!  He really wanted to put on a production for everyone watching.

Spring Soccer 2014. Go Green Hornets!

Ricky is such a fun little soccer player to watch!  He is so tenacious and really goes for it!

Team Green Hornets.  Ricky just wants to play and gets lots of play time.  The kids are cute and coach likes Ricky because he gets in there.  So glad we put him in an organized sport!  Saturday mornings are always a lot calmer at home when he has a game!