Happy Birthday Dave!

Reasons why I love Dave:

He breaks into a dance whenever he hears music
He is always trying to be a better person
He'll hold and swaddle and rock a baby
He makes me happy when I'm around him
He changes the diapers when we're watching other people's kids
He makes Wednesday Waffles with Noah
He likes gourmet food
He gets excited with me when I'm excited
He lets me talk about the books I'm reading
and He's hot

and he likes it when I say that.

Happy Birthday Dave! I love you. And we are so excited about this...

Everyone's invited!

We heart soccer

Dave plays on an indoor soccer team for MSU's intramurals. They play in this big creaky building on campus. Dave is big and strong and fast with a championship title from last outdoor season to prove it. Noah loves to watch...well, he loves to climb up and down the benches, run around and around the field? court? rink? , and play with the goal nets. I watch my hot husband score goals with one eye and spot the bench climbing with the other. But Noah's favorite part, the part that we watch the clock for, is when the game is over and Noah can run out onto the field? court? rink? and play soccer with his Daddy.

Gage is a good little fan. This 8 month old watches his brother mostly. He's gotta know what that big boy is up to. He kicks his little fast feet, will chew on anything he can get his little fingers on and giggles in all the right places.

The sun was out today

The sun was out today. We went for a walk. Noah on the bike and Gage in the stroller all bundled up.

"Mom, it's winter with a libble bit spring" says Noah.

"You're right, bud, spring is coming"

"The snow is melting, its getting warmer, and the water in Lake Lansing is getting warmer, and then we'll have my birthday and go swimming and I'll be three. And then I'll know to use the potty" says Noah.

"That's right"

Noah kept up the chatter the whole way around the block. He drives his big wheel like a snowmobile. Up and over big snow piles, over curbs and through puddles. Always running his feet like Fred Flinstone, never using his pedals. We drew long lines in the snow with big sticks, tried to jump off our shadows, threw rocks at the brick wall and did other very boy activities.

Gage kick kicked his feet everytime he saw his brother doing something exciting. "Ma ma ma" he would say when things were more mellow. He seemed happy to see the sun and was content to watch the season changing from his seat in the stroller.

It's fun to stay at the...

Our YMCA membership started this week. There is a lot of excitement at our house for this. I can go work out AND take my kids?! A whole new world.

So far the 2 year old likes the tot watch. He never wants to leave. His favorite part: crashing Charlie's firetruck. "What does Charlie say when you do that" "He says STOP IT" "And do you stop?" "No, I bonk it again and Charlie says STOP IT, and then I took a toy from that girl" So begins our hourly conversation about sharing and listening to your friends. Hmmm.... we'll have to work on this one some more. But thanks for the confessions, Noah.

The 7 month old is just sad sad sad. As soon as we walk into the room. He's not hungry, he's not tired, he doesn't like that swing, and no he does not want to play with those toys. He wants to be held. By her? NO! By his mom. So, we've got to work on this one some more too.

Me? Oh, I can't get enough. 1-2-3-4 hamstring curls 5-6-7-8 grapevine right 1-2-3-4 lunge left 5-6-7-8 Bring it on! Treadmills, elliptical machines, big bouncy balls...man, it's been too long. I'm having flashbacks of 6am BYU aerobics or Lacie's intense kick boxing class. Hopefully the enthusiasm won't wear off too quickly because right now I am excited to tighten up my laces, grab my water bottle, pop in my earphones and join The Village People.

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day 2002
A candle lit dinner by a frozen Utah Lake. We bundled up with blankets, exchanged thoughtful presents and ate our Magleby's takeout on the shore.

Valentine's Day 2003
Cold toes and red noses snow boarding at Brighton in Utah. There is something SO romantic about a warm kiss in the snow and a ski resort lit up at night.

Valentine's Day 2004
Frozen fingers holding onto cross country ski poles at Aspen Grove. A weekend retreat.

Valentine's Day 2005
Our first Valentine's in Michigan, we had just moved into a new apartment, I was pregnant, and both Dave and I have no memory whatsoever of what we did for this Valentine's Day but I'm sure it was awesome.

Valentine's Day 2006
Dinner at Red Cedar Grill in quaint Williamston.

Valentine's Day 2007
Cancun, Mexico!!! Sunburned faces, sandy toes and flip flops. No snow this year.
"Hey Jess, you wanna go to Cancun for Valentine's Day?"
"That's next week"
"Yeah, I know."
We ate dinner at the fancy restaurant at our resort in true Mexican romantico fashion...the soup was "loving broth" and we ate salmon topped with glazed rose petals.

Valentine's Day 2008
Sam's Club.
Yes, you read that right, Sam's Club. We dream shopped for couches, priced their seafood and diapers, and ate pizza with smoothies. But we were BY OURSELVES and loved every minute of it.
Dave also made us a fabulous french toast breakfast and we exchanged presents: Beautiful flowers, "I love my Daddy" by Sebastien Braun for Noah, a protein snack stash for Dave at work, and a rattle for Gage (poor kid already owned the rattle, I just wrapped it up with lots of noisy paper just for him).
Noah and I made these cute puzzles for his friends with "Love you to pieces" written on the back. He had so much fun making these manly Valentines.
And as a family we made this heart string and wrote things that we love. Can you guess which one was Noah's suggestion?

Treats from friends, a package from Grandma and Grandpa, supernice babysitters, and more treats made this year's Valentine's Day lovely. Happy belated Valentine's Day.

FiRst tOOth

"I am not a born mother but I do believe that I was born, in part, to be a mother."

Today is a good mommy day. We've kept busy and happy. Fingerpainting, playing with buckets of snow, making tents, racing race cars, eating snow ice cream, wiggling, reading stories, going and going. Noah's giggles and big wondering eyes make it easy today. And I love watching Gage's big cheeks fold into his toothless grin. I LOVE THESE BOYS.

Here are some projects I'm working on little bits at a time on this snow day.

This is going to be a beautiful notebook. I need this notebook dedicated to my scripture study. If I have a pretty place to write down what I'm learning, won't I learn more?
Noah's baby book. And this fabulous apron. Idea from Ms. Vicki at the ever cute Kean's Store in Mason. It's a vinyl print. I'm just cutting it out and sewing ribbon on (and crossing my fingers until its done.)

Yes, today is a good mommy day. Pockets of time to think about stuff like this. Other days are not so easy. I get bugged that my clean laundry is still piled in wicker. I get antsy to "accomplish" something...anything...just to complete a task. I have those days where its like I’m putting my head under water and holding my breath until the clock finally clicks to 7:30pm and I can get these boys in bed and the day is over. We made it. Or I’m gritting my teeth until the clock ticks to 2:00pm and they’ll take a nap. Finally I can relax my jaw, use the bathroom by myself or make a phone call.

On those frowny days I need some inspiration. One of my projects right now is putting together my Inspiration Board. I want words, pictures, quotes, memories, motivation, encouragement, enthusiasm, purpose, reminders right there on my wall for me to breathe in when I need it. So here it is with a fresh coat of paint, one of my favorite baby Noah pictures and my Lovely Lindsay inspired thumb tacks ready for some inspiration.....

So, my friends, what keeps you going?? What inspires you?

Send me your inspiration.

I need it.