My Baby is Growing Up...

This was taken on Easter Sunday, but I thought it was appropriate for today, too!

Today Braden bore his very first Testimony! He's only 5 and a half and it was truly special. Joseph asked him before he went up what he was going to say and he said, "Daddy, I can't tell you, it's a secret between Jesus and me." Then, when he got up there, Joseph went with him, but all he did was hold Joseph's hand (cause he was a little overwhelmed at the crowd of people), but he continued on without any help. He said a lot of things, but all were like this, "I know Jesus loves me. I know Jesus died for me. I know Jesus wants me to be obedient. I know my family is here. I know that I love the gospel. I know that the gospel is true." And just when I thought he was going to start rambling, he ended it with "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I know, I'm a proud parent, but he really is just a smart and special kid! Way to go, Son!

More Easter and Some Much Needed Family Play

So I was able to throw my wonderful primary class an Easter Party for filling our "Good Behavior" jar with Hershey Kisses (next time I will have to use something smaller - 3 months was too quick!).


We dyed Easter Eggs






Played in the backyard




And Hunted for Easter Eggs (they didn't want to hunt the ones they dyed...they were too special!)

It was a lovely day and they all had fun...next time, it's a POOL PARTY!!

Then we had our Easter Dinner with Grammy and Grandpa. The boys actually ate their dinner and we played "Hold to the Rod" after...Grammy and Grandpa were the first to reach the tree of life!


Happy Easter 2008!



Grammy and Grandpa and Family
Easter '08



The Missionaries came by to say hi and Braden wanted to be in the picture so, we put a name tag on him...the future is so close it's scary!
(PS: Britt, this outfit is a tribute to you...George Clooney ain't got nothing on him!)

On Saturday, after Daddy got off work, we went outside and rode bikes and played in the backyard. It was a beautiful day and the kids had a blast! I am so ready for the Spring...allergies and all! haha (However, there were actual snow flurries outside my window again...HELLO...it's almost April and we just had Easter...what is up with that...we live in the SOUTH! Somebody needs to inform the weather people that it's Springtime! lol)




I know there's a lot of Brogan, but he was sitting on top of the stairs and was literally just laughing and cooing and posing for every flash...it was precious!

Bradenisms, Easter at Grammy's and special Mom moments!

Dying Easter Eggs
Easter - INDOORS - at Grammy's House!

Looking for Easter Eggs with Cousin Cyana...all 93 plastic and 52 hard-boiled...and INDOORS!

Landon Loves Purple

Brogan thought with all the commotion he would sneak upstairs...oops! I caught yah!

So, Braden has been saying some of the cutest things as of late! While at Grandma's house he was listening to an argument between his grandparents and Grammy was obviously getting frustrated. Braden said, "Grammy, I know, you are soooo done with it!"
If you know me well enough, you know that is one of my most used sayings. I couldn't help, but realize that every little thing I say is registered into his giant memory bank...oh, the horror of some of the things I've said a little too loud for small ears to hear! Anyway, another cute thing was yesterday at the EQ Easter Egg Hunt...which we were of course late for. On the way home, Braden and Daddy were doing math problems and the conversation went like this...

Braden: "Daddy, hold long till I turn 7?" (Braden is excited for this year because it means he gets to sit in the passenger seat of the car)
Daddy: "How old are you now?"
Braden: "5"
Daddy: "So how long will it take for you to turn 7?"
Braden: "2 years - then in one more year I will get baptized!"
(If that wasn't enough to make you smile the next part will!)
Daddy: "Braden, how long will it take to be Daddy's age?" (Braden knows he's 28)
Braden: "Ohhhh....5 Huuuunnnndred Yeeeeaaars!"

I couldn't help but laugh! He's not that old, but it really tickled me that Joseph got so offended! It probably didn't help that I was laughing so hard there were tears. Anyway, Braden eventually got the right answer and it was all forgotten. And now, thanks to blogging, it will always be remembered!

Some Mommy moments that happened last week were the following:

Brogan's check up day

Brogan had his first check up in months and is in perfect health! He weighed 26lbs, was 32 inches long and had a 19.5 inch head. He is in the 95%, but truly I think they've had to change the scale. All of my kids have been big, but they have each progressively gotten bigger (Landon is bigger than Braden was and Brogan is bigger than Landon was). When Braden was born, he wsa also in the 95%, but that was 5 years ago. And he was significantly smaller. Anyway, I am glad he's healthy and happy and he is almost walking. And his first word...MA-MA!!! haha

While waiting at the Doctor's office, I received a call from my little Landon...his only words were, "Mommy, I went poopy on the potty!" As I was standing at the check in counter trying hard to give him the necessary woohoo without saying the word "poopy" I got all sorts of snickers and grins from the nurses.
When I got off the phone, they all proceeded to tell me congratulations. It was quite the day. However, when I got to Grammy's house that night (they were there for Easter weekend early), all potty-going had stop. It was as if my presence suddenly made the potty seem like a monster and I the poop angel! Do I leave my 3.5 year old with Grandpa to potty train, or do I continue with this lovely charade? I know he knows how, he knows he know how, and yet, there's something missing! I've done everything from a Potty Box (special toys for when he goes number 2), Potty Candy (for when he goes number 1), New Undies for when the special day arrives (pending it actually will) and Grammy has even offered Chuck E. Cheese as a reward for when he's potty trained. He even has his Fake-Flushable/Foot stool-to wash-your-hands Potty and still nothing. Except, that if I make him go...he likes to stand up to pee...he often asks me, "Mommy, I want to stand to poopy...please! I'll do it then!" As some of you know, that doesn't actually work...as Braden so aptly demonstrated a couple of weeks ago at the park! Oh well, Maybe someday!

Ta-Ta for now, enjoy the picks and there are new ones on the last post...I finally got them downloaded! Yeah Me!

New Hair cut, New Job, and Ohhhh the chaos!

So, here it is the first week of March and I've gone a little insane already! Last Friday I got a new hair cut...which I absolutely love! After 7 years of searching, I have finally found a hair dresser I trust. It was such a great cut that I totally felt like a new woman...20 lbs lighter and no gray hairs, I didn't even have to color it...yet! haha




So, It's not as good as it looked the day Natasha did it, but, I still love it and can you believe I have bangs?!!! I'll let you know how it looks with the highlights!

Then, a friend of mine asked if I could watch her daughter so she could go back to work. It's only 2 days a week and it's only for 4 hours with a day in between. I couldn't say no, and I think it will be ok. Nothing major happened today and I'm still sane....imagine that! Maybe this is the Lord's random way of giving me a girl! Let's hope not! - she decided she needed someone who could watch her all day...but I will always be the backup!

And, on top of all that...I have started a weight-loss program at my gym. It's basically a weigh in every week and it's free (after the initial set-up fee of $29). So, whomever wins (or loses the most percentage) gets the set-up fees of all those who participated. So, wish me luck, again! I don't aspire to win, but I do hope I can at least make a good showing! Yes, that would make me a horse! At least that's how I feel most days. But, I do workout everyday, sometimes twice a day...and when I don't, I feel depressed and yucky all day. As they say, people who work are happy people and happy people make people around them happy. ..ok, so I am the only one who says that, but ask my family and they'll tell you how much happier I've been because of it. - Still going to the gym, just not to the weigh-in. Thursday nights are the only night we don't have things going on and that isn't always true, but it was just too hard to fit it in. I will have to be diligent without the weigh-in!
Well, after a few hours of trying to download the pictures from my camera to my computer...I have given up. You will have to wait to see them when my husband has a spare minute to fix the problem!...you could be waiting a long time! haha