Happy Easter

I know this is just a little bit late, but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter! Easter is one of my favorite holidays that I look forward to it every year. Our family's holiday started the previous weekend when we went down to my dad's house to hang out and watch conference. It's always so much fun when my siblings and I get together. Our children can't wait to see each other and always look forward to it. I just wish the weather had been just a little bit warmer.

Our traditional Bubble blowing contest

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If there is dirt, my boys will find it. Digging holes in Nana's garden is so fun.

We let the kids make sugar eggs. This was our first time and the finished product turned out so cute.

On Saturday, We had a BBQ at my house with family. After lunch the kids had an Easter egg hunt. My boys didn't really care so much about the eggs, but more for the candy inside.

Couch Cushions

Oh Heavens! What am I to do? My boys love to take my couch cushions off several times daily and play with them. They make forts, trucks, slides, trampolines or whatever else with them. The cushions seem to be off more than on the couch. I have told the boys over and over again to please leave the cushions alone, but apparently I am not scary enough for them to think twice about it. What to do?

Funny Things Kids Say #2

Here's another one. The other day we were trying to get ready to leave the house and were running late so I asked the boys to hurry and go get their shoes to put on. After I finished getting my stuff together, the house was quiet and I realized that the boys were no longer in it. I look outside and they were both running around in their socks in the mud. So of course I yell at them to get in this house this very second and why can't they ever listen to me. That's when a very innocent McCoy says to me, "Mom, I'm just a KID." This statement definitely made me laugh. Yes, he is just a kid and how can I expect a 4 year old and a 2 year old to do anything on their own without my supervision. Wishful thinking.

Close Call

There are times in my life that make me stop and thank my Heavenly Father for all of the blessings I have been given. I love my family so much and do not know what I would do if something ever happened to one of them. Yesterday, I was upstairs folding clothes in my bedroom. Since it was a nice day I had opened the window in the boys room to allow some air to flow through. The boys had been playing back and forth between their room and mine. I was almost finished and decided to start putting some of their clothes away. As I walked back into the boy's room I saw Landon standing in the window sill with his back pressed up against the screen. It felt like slow motion as I screamed and ran toward him. Just as I was about to reach him, the screen popped out and he started to fall backwards out of the two story window. I grabbed his arm and flung him back into my arms. I hope I scared the day lights out of him when I yelled "Do not ever do that again". We had just baught new bunkbeds and moved Landon in with McCoy to share a room. Apparently, he had climbed down from the top bunk to stand on the window sill. Nate popped the screen back in, closed the window and took Landon from my arms. I went back to my room, dropped to the floor and just cried. I couldn't believe what a close call that was. I am very thankful that I decided to walk into their room at that moment. I know we have angels looking out for us from the other side and I would like to think my mom is one of them.

Funny Things Kids Say - #1

My boys are always saying things that are funny and a little off. I decided that I would start noting some of them here to remember later on.

The other day, McCoy and Landon had been doing little things all morning to get into trouble and eventually I had had enough and said "Okay, I'm really losing my patience now". McCoy then turns to me in this really Innocent voice and says "Mom, where did you lose it? Maybe I can help find it".
Well, needless to say, that comment made me laugh and I wasn't mad anymore.

Monster Truck Jam

We took the boys to the monster truck jam on Saturday. Landon and McCoy loved seeing all the monster trucks up close, although, I think they were a little intimidated by the size of them. When the show started, it was fun to see the trucks jump off the cars and do wheelies. McCoy kept asking when they were going to jump over the big hill. They did at the end of the show, but by that time McCoy and Landon were a little tired and missed some of it. Seeing the show has only magnified McCoy and Landon's love for monster trucks. I'm glad we went.


We met the driver of Blue Thunder, which was McCoy's favorite

I thought this truck was pretty cool. It was driven by a paraplegic. He said it took him two years to get the hang of driving his truck with only his hands. He did a good job.

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Popcorn Kernel

One popcorn bag ... $2.00

One night at home watching TV with the family... $Priceless

One popcorn kernel, a trip to the Instacare, and another trip to the ENT... $Really Expensive

The other night we decided to pop some popcorn while we watched TV. The next morning there was a little left over in the bowl and the boys wanted to finish it, so I let them. Then they started to play and make a mess more than eat it so I took it away. I noticed Landon was holding some kernels in his hand and I told him to go throw them away. About 5 minutes later, he kept saying to me "somping in my nose" I thought he was referring to a booger and didn't think much about it. I tried to get him to blow his nose with a tissue, but he is not much of a blower yet and it didn't work. He was very distraught and kept sticking his finger up his nose to try and get it. A couple of minutes later he yelled "momma" and I turned around and saw blood coming from his nose so I picked him up and took him to the kitchen to clean him up. The blood was gushing out and wouldn't stop. It was at that moment I realized what was up his nose... a popcorn kernel. What do I do now, I thought? I ended up taking him to the Instacare, but they couldn't get it out because it was lodged so far up his nose. So they sent me to a Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. Luckily, this doctor was able to get the kernel out with his special tools. On the way home, I thought about how much this little popcorn kernel was going to cost me. I wished that I had realized what was up his nose before it was too late. I never really had a problem with Landon putting things in his mouth, nose or ears until this moment. He definitely knows better now. Later he kept telling me "the doctor did it", which I thought was funny. He's okay now, but it was a little scary for me when his nose wouldn't stop bleeding and it was literally pouring out all over the place. This reminded me of the time when I was babysitting my youngest brother, Michael, while my mom ran down the street for a moment. He was about 2 or 3 years old and he put some wheels to a toy car up his nose. I was 8 or 9 years old and I can remember panicking and ran next door to my Grandma Great's house to get help. She helped me get a hold of my mom and then my mom took him to the doctor. I still remember how frightened I was and really thought he was going to die. Obviously, he didn't and everything was okay.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone that I haven't seen in a while a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm sad that the holiday season is over. I just love Christmas. That is probably why I haven't taken my Christmas tree down yet, although, I'm making a point to take it down today. I think starting a new year is great because it's the perfect time to look at your life and evaluate things about yourself that need improvement. This year, Nate and I have made a New Year's resolution that we are working on together as well as three that I have made personally. I feel really motivated right now to accomplish these goals set. We'll see!

Here is a run down of our family holiday experience...

On Christmas Eve, I asked McCoy what he wanted to do and he said he wanted to go swimming. What? This wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I had envisioned something along the lines of baking cookies and looking at the Christmas lights, but we decided to go swimming instead. After, we went to Grandma Peggy's house (Nate's mom) to say Hi and make cookies. It was really nice.

Christmas day started bright and early and 6:30am. Nate was just excited as the boys to get up and see what Santa had brought. I was a little reluctant to leave my bed, but I didn't have much of a choice. McCoy said next year he wants to stay up and watch Santa eat the cookies and then give him a big hug. After breakfast it is tradition to go to Grandpa Hardman's house (Nate's dad). We snacked on chips, dip, ham and rolls. My boys love going there to play with their Uncle Jordan and Taylor. Next we went to Grandma Peggy's again to hang out with the rest of the family, eat ham and play games.

My boys weren't really up for taking pictures. They were definitely more interested in their toys then smiling at me. I believe I took two dozen pictures which only included a couple of them actually looking at me. Oh well!

Grandpa and Grandma Hardman with Jordan, Grace and Emily

McCoy had his cousin, Jaxson, sleep over on Christmas night. The next morning we woke up to about a foot of new fallen snow. The boys had a lot of fun being pulled on the sled by Nate.

Nate and Landon

McCoy and Jaxson on the sled

McCoy and Landon dressed in their Christmas best

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The next weekend we went down to Orangeville to stay at Papa and Nana Jewkes' house to celebrate. It gets a little crazy now that their are nine of us siblings. McCoy and Landon had so much fun spending time with their cousins and making great memories. On Saturday, we all went sledding with my Uncle Scott and his family down a big hill out by the farm. The first couple of runs were a little scary. We realized after that we didn't need to go all the way up to the top to get a good run. I really enjoyed going down to Orangeville and spending time with all of my family.

The first run - Nate, McCoy and Landon on the sled

Oops, we hit some dirt. Luckily no one was hurt

Papa and Grace

Whoa, that's a big hill

Papa and Grace coming down

Nate and Landon

McCoy

Stacy and Kalley

Kamey and Katelynn

Fletcher and Mason

Beautiful view of the castle valley!

Happy Birthday McCoy

My big boy has turned four. McCoy has been looking forward to his birthday since Landon had his about three months ago and is so excited that it's finally here. Here are some things to know about McCoy...

Favorite

Food: -Chicken nuggets, Cheese and Ketchup on everything
Toys: -Monster Trucks
Color: -Green
Movies: -Cars, Toy Story and Monster’s Inc.
Likes to: -Go to grandpa’s house and farm, ride his bike and little four wheeler, play outside with his "friends" and cousins. He also loves to follow around his daddy and do whatever he is doing. At night McCoy likes to have mommy sing at least 5 songs to him before he can go to sleep. McCoy also likes to take the cushions off my couch everyday to build himself trucks and huts (this makes mommy so happy). He is a very loving boy who likes to look out for his little brother and is my little sweetheart.

Happy Anniversary!

I can't believe that Nate and I have been married now for 6 years. I guess time flies when you're having fun. I can look back and see the path of my life and how it lead straight to Nate. We were definitely meant to be. I can't imagine my life without him. He is a great person and a wonderful dad to our two boys. I love him very much. Happy Anniversary!