May 2015

 

I took the kids on a run. They ran for part of the time, and when they were tired, took a break while I pushed the jogger stroller. I don't know how heavy the double jogger stroller is. Probably at least 20 pounds. The kids are 70 lbs combined. Let's just say you get a great workout pushing the stroller with these two cuties:) We were on a jog and spotted this cave immediately off the trail. The kids loved it.

 

Popsicles with Jett, our neighbor.

 

Caught a cute picture of Lauren

 

Our firstborn!

 

I chaperoned Lincoln's end of year fieldtrip. We travelled to Gale Woods Farm in Mounds, Minnesota. Here the class is learning how they make maple popcorn.

 

Meeting the farm's sheepdog

 

The farm had many cute goats and baby goats. Lincoln was most excited about finding all the numbers on their eartags. Finding the lowest number, the highest, etc.

 

My dad, mom, and Peter came to visit us for Memorial Day weekend. We took them to the Minnesota Arboretum. My mom is quite the gardener. She can make anything grow and flourish. Everything she touches seems to become beautiful. She loved this place! On exhibit were nine Lego sculptures. Above is the butterfly sculpture.

 

 

Vance took this photo of my dad taking a photo

 

I love this boy!!!!

 

My man!

Peter enjoying his music:)

Lincoln reading Hugh Nibley with my dad. Lincoln was asking questions as they read. An hour later, he asked my dad if they could read together again. My heart was bursting with pride.

 

This guy is wonderful. I am so lucky to have married him. He is a great example to me in countless ways.

 

April 2015

 

Donut for breakfast in bed. Happy half birthday to our big 4 1/2 year old!

 

We went to Wisconsin for a long weekend. Lauren was supposed to be napping. Vance found her like this. She was awake, happy, and had reached over and grabbed a book from the bookshelf. Hebrew Dictionary. So proud of her. Such as desire for knowledge:)

 

 

My brother Joe, his wife Carrie and their kids were in Wisconsin as well and our trip overlapped. I thought we had more pictures from the trip but this is all I could find. Ah man! Here is Lincoln playing with Hunter.

 

Lauren participated in gymnastics. She cried and cried the first week, and each successive week was more enjoyable for her. She was most upset that she had to take her socks off. This girl went through a phase of having to have socks on 24/7.

 

So I went to pick up a mini trampoline for the kids and was buying it from someone else. Both of the kids were in the backseat. As soon as I pulled up next to the curb, I hit it, and apparently a little too hard! Whoops a daisy! You can see the laceration in the tire. When we hit the curb, Lincoln said, "Oh no, is the car ok?" I assured him that it was JUST FINE! But of course when I got out of the car to inspect the damage, a total flat. The lady who we were going to buy the trampoline from let us use her AAA card. She offered and that was so kind. It paid for the towing!! She was so sweet. It was a cold, very windy day and we waited in this lady's garage until my friend Katie picked us up. Vance left work and met us at Katie's house, but went back to the car to meet the towing guy. I was so frustrated with myself that I wasn't more careful. Expensive mistake. Oh well. I am still grateful for the lady that helped us with the towing, Vance, and my friend Katie who picked us up from where we were stranded!!

 

Playset--we got this for free from someone in the Twin Cities. It needed a little love, and now it looks brand new. It has been great to have a play set of our own.

 

Vance dressed up as Joseph Smith! He helped me with one of my sharing time lessons. It was awesome. He did such a great job playing the part.

 

The little lady playing t-ball. This must have been a picture from March---brown grass...

Our laundry room needed a little makeover. I'd love to put tile in this room. Anyway, I wanted some more counter space and somewhere to put diapers, wipes, and laundry baskets. This base cabinet houses all of those. It has been so nice. We painted it white, put in hardware, and Vance wanted to do a wood top. I love the way it looks. We put in a cute chalkboard/hook area in that room as well. This way Lincoln and Lauren can put away their own jackets (instead of the floor:)

 

So we have "magic sand." The kids were playing with it for a long time. Lincoln left to play with something else. I then found Lauren in the bin like this! What a cutie. With no socks, shoes, filthy pants and hair, she looks like a homeless child!! But that's just how a two year old playing in sand looks at our house:)

On our way back from Wisconsin, sharing a kids meal. They don't eat much, so they usually share! Lauren chose to wear her Frozen nightgown over her clothes that day. 

 

My sweet visiting teacher, Deanna Kerr usually brings little gifts for the kids when she comes each month. She has been my visiting teacher for over two years. She was assigned as my visiting teacher when we moved into this ward. Last month she brought new books for the kids. As soon as she left, I found Lincoln like this on the arm of the sofa. He loves to read. Most days I have to tell him to stop so he can go to bed.

Our Nissan hit 111,111 miles! I remember buying this car from the Nissan dealership in Orem back in February of 2006. It had 9,160 miles on it. Not sure how I remember that!! It has been a GREAT car and we have put very little money into it. Just regular oil changes. Hopefully it last another 100,000 miles. Don't worry, as you can see, the speedometer was 0 and the car was parked when this photo was taken:)

March 2015

When Lincoln was about a year old, we ordered a book with pictures about his first year of life. It narrates them as they are in my belly, born, and doing all the things they do. So we wanted to get Lauren a book like this as well. She was excited, to say the least, to have a book about her. She and Lincoln had little quarrels over his book earlier. She insisted that it was her that was the baby in his book, but of course he had to tell her it was him! We enjoyed watching her emotions as she looked through the pages.

 

 



 

Sweet Lauren having a snack. I think we were in the process of putting the scarves and mittens in the basement, hence the mess behind her...

 

 

Did you know we had a day in March that was 83 degrees?!! It was crazy! But we loved the break from the cold! This particular day wasn't 83, but it was beautiful. When we left a park one afternoon, we stopped at a lemonade stand. These two tween girls were charging $1 per cup of lemonade. Holy cow! Inflation, my oh my!

 

Lincoln hoped we could have a lemonade stand as well. We made the lemonade, found some small stools, made the poster, prepared a money box, etc. We probably waited 20 minutes before anyone stopped. Lincoln intently tried to wave down every car! Some of our neighbors came by and we quickly sold out. Lincoln and Lauren were in heaven. Of course, they aren't in the lemonade business to make money, nor did he care much about the coins:) One of the things I'm learning as a parent, is that I find so much joy watching my children's reactions to experiences. I love watching their anticipation for visits to friends and family, finding a joke so hilarious they can hardly breathe, etc.

 

Lincoln with his friend Finn and their train table

 

 

Dairy Queen free ice cream cone day.

February 2015

 

Vance gave Lincoln and Lauren horsie rides at the same time. Their laughs are such sweet sounds! Oh, that is our SUPER old TV. It belonged to Vance's grandmother, and was gifted to us when we were married. It is probably 20 years old. Mid 90's maybe? We are really hoping it dies soon so we can get a big, beautiful, smart TV. Any day now! No, really, we are grateful for this television. Especially when you are first married and have nothing, it has been such a blessing!

 

Family picture on the stairs, or behind the stairs:) Lauren still has her bib on from dinner or snack time.

 

Lauren, Lincoln and I made it into the local magazine! Southwest Metro Magazine! I think I might have put this in the earlier post.

 

 

 

Lincoln wanted to do his hair by himself this particular Sunday for church. Straight up with gel! Alright. Then he put on one of my scarves to look fancy!

 

Joe and Carrie gave me a giftcard for my birthday to Panera Bread! It was generous and kind of them. We went out a couple of days after my birthday. It was delicious and I didn't have to cook or clean up:)

 

My mom came into town over Valentine's weekend. She totally surprised me! I had NO idea she was coming and it was the best surprise ever. Luckily, the house was in pretty good shape so I wasn't embarrassed. We took the kids to a sweetheart dance for kids. The music was way too loud, but we all had a good time. My kids have moves! Lincoln was running and would slide on his knees. Pretty cool. Lauren just kept dancing and seemed to have endless energy. The pictures of my mom from this particular weekend didn't upload, unfortunately.

 

 

Birthday cake. Excuse the messy counter.

 

Above: Dancing at the Valentine's Day dance

Below: Dancing while bowling