Pickles & Cream?...

As an add-on to my last blog entry...here is Kade's side of the story ;) That cute boy was just finishing eating a pickle for dinner as I was serving up a dish of strawberries for Syd. He was mesmerized by the can of whipping cream and wanted to get his hands on some of that stuff! So, I put a little bit of cream on his high chair tray for him to try. Next thing I know, he is dipping his pickle in it, and licking the cream off! This is, of course, accompanied by lots of "Mmmms" and "yummmm" as he was doing it. Who knew...pickles & cream. I guess it just goes to show we'll eat just about anything around here--as long as there's a bit of cream on top ;)

Strawberries & Cream

Yesterday, the weather was soooo fantastic (at least for February in Utah) we had to take advantage! Syd and I grabbed one of our favorite treats, strawberries, and the can of whipped cream and headed for the balcony to soak up some sun. We sat and chatted about the day, the sun, the birds that are slowly starting to return, and how good that cream was on top! Just me & my Sydnie. It was one of those "Mom moments" that you capture quickly and store it in your heart....for a rainy day. At the end of that incredible bowl of strawberries, there was some cream that remained, and Syd quickly grabbed that bowl and finished it off....thus the picture. I couldn't resist! How lucky I am to have such a sweet girl! She's the "cream on top" of just about any part of our blessed little lives! I'll take strawberries, the sun and a whole bunch of "Sydnie" on top--just about any day. Love you Syders!

Happy B-day Dice!

Happy 23rd to my baby sister, Candice! It's hard to imagine that my baby duck is all grown up ;) I don't know what I'd do without her laugh, her love, her friendship--and her fashion advice. I cherish it all! Dice, thanks for helping me keep my eyes open, and showing me life on the other side of reason. I love your fabulous little guts! You deserve it all!

Syd...and the Scissors

In talking to many wonderful, seasoned mothers, I've determined that truly the day comes for just about every child--the day where they find that brief moment of opportunity...and seize....the scissors! For Sydnie, the day arrived. We were at Nana's house working on her new computer, and Sydnie was "quietly" entertaining herself in Nana's bedroom (that should have been my first clue--quiet=trouble at our house). I eventually finished my task and went to check on the kids--only to find Syd sitting at Nana's vanity, staring at herself in the mirror. At first, I had no idea what she'd been up to--that was, until Nana picked up the short locks of hair that had fallen to the ground. Sydnie had decided to cut her own bangs ;) After a little "fix" and the addition of some new bangs cut from the rest of her hair--they really don't look too bad. I fully realize that, knowing my daughter, and her immense amounts of hair, the scissor spree could have easily ended up much worse. Let's just hope that we can chalk it up to a lesson learned....and Sydnie's ONLY encounter with the scissors. It only happens once, right?

Macie Moo....

My sister Kim's little girl, Macie, is such a sweetie! Upon returning from one those classic kid photo shoots where you've slaved away all morning to create the cute--and the end result is disaster...we decided to take matters into our own hands. Here are some cute shots we snapped of our "Macie Moo..."

Kaders...

Our little buddy! He is growing up so quickly, I have to finally start admitting that my baby is not a baby anymore. He climbs everything, runs everywhere and is into everything! I can't decide if it's an early case of the terrible two's starting to set in, or just the joy of sweet little boys ;) He insists on being absolutely as independent as possible. He wants to hold everything himself, unpeel the string cheese alone, open the snack packages by himself, and feed himself with utensils--or he doesn't eat. He tries to comb his own hair, put on his own shoes and socks, brush his own teeth, put on his own hats, read his own books, get out his own toys, walk independently of Mom, etc, etc, etc. However, with all of that going on, he is managing to learn some new words! And it is so much fun to finally feel that we are "communicating" to some degree. Whenever he is looking for me, he still just belts out, "MA!" But he finally added, "Daddy,""cheese" and my personal favorite, "No, no, no" to his quickly expanding vocabulary. Yeah! His little grin and his sheer wonder and amazement at all around him make our life moments pretty sweet around here. Kaders, you're as sweet as they come...regardless of what little boys are "supposed" to be made of! ;)

Pure Joy!

Pure Joy! That was all I could think of when I saw this picture. Who would have guessed that a little snow plus some great little friends could translate into bliss? It lasted right up until they realized that the sled didn't have the same effect on the sidewalk ;)

Happy Heart Day!

Isn't it so fantastic that we have a whole day just to celebrate those we LOVE the most? What used to be a day of school parties, little character valentine cards and heart shaped cookies, really took on some pretty profound feelings of gratitude this year for this little family. We just LOVE each other and are so grateful for so many fabulous friends and family members to also share the LOVE with! We feel more than blessed!

However, all that gratitude did not keep us from having a little fun! We celebrated with heart-shaped, pink pancakes for breakfast, heart-shaped pizzas for lunch, cute Valentine's outfits, making fluffy pink cupcakes and treats to deliver, balloons, flowers, visits, sledding, cards, sweet little gifts, and of course, LOTS of hugs and kisses! Sydnie was so excited to deliver all of her cards and got really good at saying, "Happy Balentine's Day" to all we met that day. The end of the holiday weekend found me, finally, enjoying a romantic dinner with My Eternal Valentine. Doesn't get much better than that! Sure love that man, and these sweet kiddos, too! Can't every day be Valentine's Day?! Lots of Love!

"Let them eat...cucumbers"

I had to share this silly story. I had been cooking all morning, and Syd, of course, refused to eat lunch. However, as I was cutting up veggies for salads, she took an interest in the cucumbers I was working on and kept asking for more. She would come and snatch a few and then run off and play and come back for more...and more...and more. I was feeling all "mom-sneaky" because even though she wouldn't eat her lunch, that little girl had managed to eat an entire cucumber herself! I guess there could be worse things, right? So, content in my self-satisfaction, I finished up in the kitchen, ate my own lunch, did the dishes and eventually proceeded into the dining room where Syd had been playing. I almost died when I saw that the real beneficiaries of all of those veggie vitamins were, indeed, the Fisher Price passengers of Flight 101. She got me, again!

Farewell to a Prophet...

Although we all knew the time would come, it is hard to convince our hearts that you have gone. The man we have all come to know as our prophet--an inspiration, a pillar of strength and of light, a shepherd, and our friend. We will miss your counsel, your labors and your laugh! Most certainly, you have found yourself surrounded by sweet loved ones and prophets of old who marvel at your faithfulness and determination. We know that you were greeted by our Savior--whose love you shared completely with all of us.

We thank you for your example! Thank you for showing us and teaching us what it means to be better, walk straighter, and to raise the bar! You will not be forgotten for you have touched our lives forever...and now, as we remember you, it is our turn to forget ourselves....."and go to work!"

In memory of our Prophet, and friend--President Gordon B. Hinckley

'You were generals in the War in Heaven and one day when you are in the spirit world, you will be enthralled by those you are associated with. You will ask someone in which time period they lived and you might hear,
'I was with Moses when he parted the Red Sea,' or 'I helped built the pyramids'' or 'I fought with Captain Moroni.' And as you are standing there in amazement, someone will turn to you and ask you which of the prophets' time did you live in? And when you say 'Gordon B.Hinckley' a hush will fall over every hall and corridor in Heaven, and all in attendance will bow at your presence.'
Elder Boyd K. Packer