Missing in Action

Hello all! I feel like there just isn't enough time in the day, or any of the days, to get to everything that I'd like to do. I guess that is the plight of all people everywhere, especially mothers! I have a few photos of what we've been up to recently that I'm going to share, just because they give me somewhere to start updating!

First, the kiddos and I went to Logan for an appointment for L and then on to Idaho to visit my family. E went with her grandparents to see her cousin be baptized, and L, T and J stayed with me to spend time with "Aunt T." We had a wonderful time, just chilling with my sister and the kids (I missed E terribly though). We went to see Tangled - such a fun  movie! J was super funny though, and I kept finding him eating the dog food! He somehow was able to get the container open and spill it all over and start eating before I could stop him! I guess this is just a rite of passage for kids when there are dogs around, but it still isn't very appetizing! He was so proud of himself though, always finding where I put the container and being able to open it. He doesn't appear to be any worse for wear, so I'm not terribly worried, though I did get really tired of picking up dog food!

Here is J once again, E has taken to calling him "Snuggle Fat" because he is just so round. I mean look at those cheeks! We went on a walk (a regular ritual after dinner) to E's school and the playground. I'm always amazed at how many kick balls, basketballs, footballs, jump ropes, you name it, are left outside the school. Anyway, J found this one and was so excited to chase it, if only he didn't have to touch the grass to do it! This was just too cute not to share, he's such a sweet boy, a very happy content baby (as long as his belly is full). Just a couple weeks ago he went to see the doctor, and he already weighs 21 pounds. He won't be a year old for a couple more weeks. Just last week for lunch one day he ate 2 hot dogs, about 15 grapes, 6 ounces of formula, 1/2 of a banana, 4 crackers and some noodles! We are in big trouble when he becomes a teenager. . .

I painted our pantry this weekend. It just needed an update, and while we waited for the shelves to be completely dry, we left it empty with the door open. T and L found it to be a perfect 'house' for them, and they found a Winnie the Pooh lantern to take in there so it wasn't dark. It was not long after that they discovered that it makes a good 'bunk bed.' Hey, who needs all the hassle of beds and sheets and bedrooms when you can just stack the kids in the pantry! This provided literally hours of fun and entertainment and imaginative fodder for these three yahoos. It is really fun to see them grow and play together everyday.

This is a really fun picture. If you look closely, L has a black cord that is attached to her cochlear implant. She saw E listening to books on her dad's ipod shuffle (the really old white one) and begged and begged to listen to something too, so lucky for us, her implant came with a cord we can attach directly to her processor and an ipod or other listening device. We attached her 'ear' to the ipod and turned on the music. This is her reaction . . . PrIcElEsS!  There are so many cool things about her processor/implant, that she can listen to music, but still hear us talk to her. It senses when she is trying to talk on a cell phone, and she has actually been able to respond to questions from her Grandma's on the cell phone. We are truly blessed with so much, and it is exciting to see all the doors that are opening for our family - though it isn't without a lot of work on our part too!

I have one last photo. This is a favorite we have taken recently. I love my kids. They are my greatest joy (and sometimes my greatest frustration), but seeing them altogether having fun and loving one another is truly worth cherishing. So, here I bid you adieu, with this last snapshot of my life, until next time . . .