St. George

Our little family spent a month in St. George (Tyson did a rotation there). I neglected the blog...but here's proof that we had a blast! (Minus a few pictures of Eden and Leila rock climbing that I plan on posting later cause it was quite awesome.)

Results Are In!

Tyson found out where we are headed for residency. And...

It's back to Kansas City for us!

We are very excited (although I originally didn't want to return...I'm super excited now)!

Let the games begin!

Molly's Blessing

Molly had her blessing on Saturday. My sister knit her dress for her and it fit perfectly! It was wonderful (even though Molly cried the whole blessing...) and a great experience. After we had soup and salad and just spent time with family.

A little about Molly...

She loves attention...she loves to smile and talk to people who give her attention.
She sleeps about 8 hours at night.
She puts herself to sleep. We wrap her up while awake and then she'll lay there until she decides to fall asleep.
She's a picky eater. She'll get really upset at me if I try to feed her sooner or later than she wants to be fed.
She only does a short laugh that is pretty hard to get out of her. She's also ticklish but doesn't like to be tickled.
She is a tough cookie. With all the things her sisters do to her (out of love) she's really calm and tolerant about it.
She often likes to just lay on the floor or counter and will do better there than the couch or some place softer.
She likes her moby wrap and puts her to sleep instantly for hours.
She says "mom" although probably not on purpose...but I like to pretend it is.
She is a mommy's girl...more than my other girls at this age. If she hears or sees me she often wants to come to me.

Overall, I love my Molly girl. I'm so glad she's in our family. I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

Happy Birthday to Me!

This post is a little late....but I'm officially 29!!!

But I had to post these pictures....cause my husband rocks when it comes to cake building.

(Ignore that Leila and I look like hobos off the street...nothing against hobos...) Alright, the cake was actually much easier to create than it looks.  Cause it sure does look impressive.  If you want to know how to build it, click HERE.

The kids and hubby were pumped to get me a few gifts that they picked out.  Eden gave me colorful hair elastics "so you don't have to wear those black ones that blend in with your hair".  Thanks.  I now often sport hot pink, bright blue, green apple, and pretty purple hair elastics.  Not to mention the hot pink Minnie Mouse shirt Leila got for me "to wear to Disneyland".  I'm totally stylin'.

Speaking of "stylin'"...The big gift that the kids and family chose out for me was....my own pair of footie jammies.  Jealous?  You should be.  The kids were so excited when they saw these.  We then had a pajama party to celebrate.  Its like wearing a blanket wrapped around me, snug as a bug.  And yes, they have a bum flap...

I did also get a special gift from Tyson, that I don't have a picture of because it was shipped to me and didn't get to me in time for my birthday.  It was a necklace.  I LOVE IT.  I was telling Tyson a while back (and I was quite surprised that he remembered...although I shouldn't be surprised because he's way better at remember things than I am) that I wanted something to remind me to constantly be doing what is right, follow the Spirit, and to be happy.  He has a ring that is a replica of the one Joseph Smith wore.  And I honestly have a hard enough time wearing my WEDDING ring, let alone another ring.  The necklace is of a compass and it came with a long letter telling me about the symbolism involved with the compass and how it applies to me constantly striving to follow the commandments and never stray.  Once again, my husband is amazing.

In other news...we are back in Orem after having been in Grand Junction for four weeks.  It was a little too short for me, but its OK.  So, here are a few pictures as a tribute to our little month in Grand Junction.

 (Below is Leila at a friend's house...she was quiet, too quiet.  She found a box of stickers.  Stickers stickers everywhere!)

And of course...pictures of Molly.  Its hard to get smiling pictures (although she does smile quite a bit) because when she sees the camera she stops smiling).

But she's still as cute as cute can be!  And look at those kissable, squeezable cheeks!

 The only thing I wish I had a picture of...that I didn't get a picture of...was the "Leila's potty trained" celebration.  We took her to Yogo Mojo (a frozen yogurt place) and she loved it!

Love

Its funny how Valentine's Day is celebrated.

The grocery store is filled with funny stuffed animals, roses, and chocolates.  The library has out all the books about love and gift giving.  Everyone sends cards and notes with candy.

And you know, I decided that Valentine's Day is pretty awesome.

Maybe I didn't give it enough credit growing up because its the day after my birthday.  Or maybe because I always considered myself a non-romantic.  Or maybe because I always felt like those Valentine cards you buy at the store were always so cheesy to read and often didn't have much feeling attached to them but was more exciting to get the candy taped to the front instead.

But after 29 years (Yes, I'm now 29...my last year in my twenties.  Happy birthday to me!) I think I've finally figured it out.

Its about love.

As a child I always thought "love" was chasing boys around the playground.

As a teenager I always thought "love" was about your boyfriend giving you a teddy bear.

As a newly wed I thought "love" was about Tyson doing the dishes for me and ....

But that's not REALLY love.  Love is what the Savior gave and showed.  Love is showing how much you truly care and appreciate another.  Love is kindness.  Love is service.  Love is charity.  Love is a feeling that leads to action.

I guess I was selfish and always thought Valentine's Day was about the girl getting something from the boy because boys needed a reminder once a year to do something sweet for their significant other when it seems all other days of the year they may forget to do so.  I'm selfish.

This year was different.

We are still in Grand Junction, don't have lots of "stuff" and realized that our "budget" is going to tighten a bit in order to make it through until residency on our student loans.

We didn't go out to eat.

We didn't get many gifts.

We didn't have family around to take the kids so we could go on a date.

But something did happen at the last minute.

We found a opportunity to serve.

Tyson and I spent a few hours working together to give service instead of most years when we would be thinking "where do we want to go out to eat" or "we need to clean up the house before our date night".

Then we came home and gratefully ate leftovers for our Valentine's dinner.

The kids also had time to serve as they helped me make some cookies and we delivered them to a few friends later that night as well.

Best. Valentines. Ever.

A new tradition is born.  I want to think of others on Valentine's Day instead of thinking of myself.

I also gained a greater appreciation for those who took the time and money to give me Valentine's packages even when we're in Grand Junction for a month.  They seem to understand love better than I have for the past 29 years.  I am truly grateful for their love.

I love you all!
Happy Valentine's Day.

The Simple Life

Why do we, as human beings, make things more complicated than they need to be?

I don't think we realize how wonderful the simple life is....and/or don't actually believe it can be done.

Tyson and I decided that we wanted to go visit our friends back in Grand Junction (oh how we love thee Grand Junction)...so he set up a rotation for 4 weeks.

We only packed what we could fit within our 2 cars (which of course is also limited by the fact that my sister drove with me and I had three car seats in the back of my Corolla).  So, pretty much we had what we could fit in Tyson's car, the trunk of my car and at the foot of the girl's seats.

Our bundle looked somewhat like this:

2 Air Mattresses

2 Sleeping Bags for the kids

Blankets

Pillows

5 Towels

1 Box of kitchen items (pots, pans, utensils, etc)

1 Box of cleaning supplies

1 Box of baby needs (diapers, wipes, burp cloths, blankets, etc)

1 Box bathroom needs

3 Suitcases of clothes

2 Suitcases of kid's toys

1 Chair

Food items

1 kid's tent (which took up less room than any of the above items)

That was it more or less.

Our previous landlord let us camp out in our old complex for a month (paying rent of course) and we set up camp.  And I admit, its been AWESOME.  Tyson and I may never want "stuff" again.  Seriously.  We're going to do some serious minimizing.  In later posts when I show new places that we live...if we haven't seriously downsized, then comment a little reminder that "simplicity is bliss".

So, here is what our place looks like...

Kid's bedroom

 Kitchen

(We borrowed a pack n play NOT for sleeping but for Molly's protection from Eden and Leila's "love" while I'm cooking and doing other things around the house and need to put Molly down)

 Family Room

(We borrowed a swing for Molly and a Korean table for eating...we eat on the floor, its rather awesome.  And Eden and Leila are in their ballet suits they got for Christmas...they wear at least once during the day almost always)

 Bathroom

(At least part of it.  This is what it looks like currently because we're potty training Leila and don't have a washer and dryer...hand washing undies!)

 Tyson and my bedroom

(our air mattress got a hole, so it wasn't patched up, it was under repair at the time)

It seems crazy...but its been a wonderful blessing. There is never a LARGE amount of clean up to be done.  We go to the library for all of our books and story time.  We go out and play with our friends.  Go to the park (cause the weather here is GREAT).  I've simplified my meals and meal planning for a small kitchen with limited kitchen supplies and easy clean up (we have no dishwasher).  We limit our laundry as much as possible.  And we try to not rush so the WHOLE FAMILY can enjoy our experience.

I still do "home school preschool" with Eden.  Leila's been doing potty training and doing really well (although those dirty undies on our shower curtain seem to tell a different tale....).  Molly smiles and LOVES to baby talk to anyone willing to listen.  She and Eden get along well...cause Eden will talk and talk and talk to her.  Tyson's working with a cardiologist here and while doesn't LOVE it, he's content and the hours are pretty good (with the exception that the doctor he is with doesn't like eating lunch...and therefore starving Tyson some days).

Its been an adventure and we love it.

Two Months

A lot can happen in two months....

Its been an adventure, that's for sure.  Amazing how simple mathematics can make such a change to one's life.

2+1=3

Sounds simple enough...until you apply it to real life.

2 kids + 1 kid = 3 kids

Then simple addition becomes a much more complicated mathematical problem.

Then again, how could little Miss Molly ever create a "problem"?

I suppose "problem" isn't the right word.  I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.  To use more math, she's a 100% blessing.

But with scripture study I've realized something I never quite realized before.

2 Nephi 2:11

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things..."

And to quote a book I am currently reading...

"In order for agency to operate properly we must be enticed proportionately by good and evil."

I always took that to mean that if I endure my trials then I will be equally blessed in the end.  But I guess I never really thought of it the other way around.  If I gain a great blessing than an equal amount of trial comes with that blessing.

So, to sum it all up (another mathematical term "sum")....life's definitely been crazier with three.

I don't want this to come off as pessimistic...because, really, life has been extremely good.  Molly is really quite a low-maintenance baby.  She sleeps about 5 hours during the night, smiles and talks a lot, she's a good eater, and she's healthy (which is more important than anything really).  Leila is an adventure that equally makes me laugh as much as cry but she's really just so cute that you can't ever quite get over her adorableness.  Eden is growing up so fast and learning new things all the time. She's got an imagination that is bigger than any I've ever encountered and she always tries to help and be good.

Anyhow, I'm getting carried away with myself, I didn't plan on writing all that...it just kind of spewed out.  I truly only planned on posting a bunch of pictures to catch up on the 2 months I've missed blogging....

So, here are the pictures.

Molly not too long after being born.

Molly (1 month old)

Molly (2 months old)

Christmas

Family party with cousins

 "Gingerbread" trains

 Molly got a jar of binkies

Leila got a baby doll

 Eden and Leila both got suitcases and sleeping bags

Eden had a ballet recital

Cousins got together to make Valentine's boxes

Molly gives crusties

Eden is figuring out how to try and sound out words to spell based on the reading lessons she's done so far.

Can you read what this says?  She was trying to write that she wanted to have a "cookie fest".

And a random drawing I found that she did.  The human body with veins, heart, lungs, ureter, and bladder.  She said "I wanted to draw a brain, but I made the head too small."