just because..

brothers...




MELT.MY.HEART...seriously. Love them.

And yes, that is Lincoln's old pack and play mattress (they are using it as a sled down the stairs). Big brother is full of awesome ideas.

Weaned.....FINALLY!!

I'm free at last. This baby boy is officially weaned, and man alive does it feel good!!! It has been a loooong time coming, and I for one was more than ready to be done. I had cut it out during the day for the most part, but we were still major struggling with nights. It was to the point that he was basically using me as a bink all night long. First of all, he was getting way to old for that and second of all I was getting NO sleep. So we finally buckled down and kicked him off. He did so dang good. Makes me wish I hadn't been so nervous about it all and just cut him off long ago. It helps that his dad is basically his favorite person in life, and he just snuggled right up to him and went to sleep. Thiago would give him a sippy of milk, and then as soon as he finished that, he would just rock him to sleep. Then when he woke up in the middle of the night, Thiago would go get him and put him back to sleep. Most of the time they ended up downstairs on the couch, I knew if he were near me he would just cry to be nursed. It has been a week and a half, and I think he has all but forgotten. He doesn't even act like he remembers what nursing is. Such a relief. I had forgotten how absolutely horrible drying out is, I was pretty miserable for a few days there. However I feel like a new woman now, it feels so great to just have MY body back. I am no longer tied to my little monkey, which when I think about that too much it makes me kinda sad but mostly just glad. It was getting old.




This is just another added benefit. For the past 17 months, I have been the one getting Lincoln to sleep which on most nights means Thiago would get Carson down. They have a routine, they lay down and watch 10 minutes of a movie and then they turn it off and lights out. Thiago always lays by him until he falls asleep, which is usually only about 10 minutes or so. With Thiago being busy with Lincoln, this allowed me to be the one to lay with Carson. I have LOVED it. Although for some reason he doesn't like to watch movies with me, he only likes me to tell him a story. So every night we lay there and make up stories. We laugh, and giggle, and whisper and have the absolute best time. I have loved getting this time with my boy who is growing all too quickly. Win/win for us all.

Yesterday's Project..

We had quite the exhausting day yesterday. Once April hits, we are all about our yard. This being a new house and all, this is our first year experimenting with this yard. The old owners really kept it up nice, but of course we are making a few changes to make it more us. Thiago took yesterday off work so we could take a whole day and just dig in. Saturdays are too busy with soccer, so we picked Monday since we knew the weather would be perfect. Thiago kept busy mowing, edging, pulling weeds around back, spraying for bugs etc, etc, etc. And just what did I do...well I will tell you. See this flower bed that winds up our house, it leads up the driveway....


all along the front...


and along the side. Well this baby was FULL of bark. Now don't get me wrong, I like bark...just not in my flower beds. I like to see that rich, dark soil not a bunch of bark covering up the weeds. So I spent 8 1/2 hours scooping up that crap. We are also making some changes with some of the bushes and such, so that had to come out as well. Can you say tedious...oh my, I have never been so stiff and sore.


We filled about 5 huge yard bags full of bark. And just what did I do with this bark, wait I will tell you. Here is where my smartness comes in.....but first





here is how my kids spent their day. Soaking up the sun, playing, playing and more playing. Stopping occasionally for kids meals, pizza, and popsicles...so healthy. They had so much fun. Brev came over all day as well as some of their little neighbor friends. And oh my goodness they played hard. Needless to say they were more than ready for bed that night.


TADA...here is my bark. There is a little area in back of my house that is blocked off for a garden. Well, I don't garden and I didn't know what to do with it. There is a huge tree that shades this area and I thought it would be perfect as a little play box. So we pulled the weeds, smoothed the dirt and added the bark. Carson's little house fits perfectly in there. The kids have spent the last 2 days out in their little box digging and scooping and have the absolute best time. I am a smarty, I tell you.

Oh my heck....I have got summer fever BAD. I just can't wait for everything to green up, for all the trees to blossom, to plant my flowers and new bushes, to get out my new patio furniture....I am just so excited. We absolutely LOVE summer in this house, and it can't get here soon enough.

TGIF

Thank goodness its Friday...


Ya know what I mean??


Hope you all have a swingin' good weekend. Haha!

Kissing Cousins

Carson finally got to meet little Miss Katelynn today. He has been waiting, and waiting, and waiting. He has got a real thing for babies, especially girl babies. He is a big fan. Last Monday (the day we thought Jen was going to have her), I made sure to not even mention it to him. I was just going to quietly sneak out of the house when the time came, and leave him playing with his dad. Monday came and went, and no baby. Tuesday comes along and when Jen calls to tell me her water broke I was just so dang excited....I kinda screamed. Which of course, startled my kids. The words just came rushing out of my mouth, that Jen was having her baby. I was in the middle of cleaning up my house and Carson saw me frantically starting to pick things up and moving a bit faster. He starts scurrying around and says "I will help you momma, so you and me can go and be with Jenny". Uh-oh...it wasn't pretty when I walked out the door and left him standing there. Things got even worse, when I left the next day and still Carson couldn't come. Mckay Dee only lets siblings. Then the weekend came and I worked, then church, then Cars had school yesterday....but finally today we had a free day. So up to Logan we headed. YAY, for Cars. Little Katelynn, you made this boy very happy today. Perfectly content to sit there and hold you....and you were such a good girl. Didn't even make a peep.



Lincoln wasn't sure what to think. He thought it was fun to pull on her headband and let it flick her in the face. He also enjoyed stealing her blankets, constantly stopping her swing, and trying to squeeze her little head. However, he did not enjoy his mom holding this strange little baby...he was thinking "wait a minute here, that is my mom".


Oh, isn't she just scrumptious....thanks Jen for letting me snuggle her up today. Sending you a kiss sweet girl!

SuNdAy BeSt.....(Easter Style)

Two cute little chicks in their Easter best. One chick coorperates perfectly, the other....well see for yourself. He doesn't believe in holding still. You get what you get, as far as he is concerned.

Miss Katelynn

Well, my house is mess, I am horribly behind on laundry, haven't cooked a meal for my family all week, I have ditched my kids every chance I get, skipped a dentist appointment, haven't returned a single phone call, my mail is still sitting outside from 3 days ago, haven't exercised, basically I haven't accomplished a single thing this week........



but come on, do you blame me??


Meet little miss Katelynn Smith. My brand new little niece, she is tied for world's cutest, most sweetest little baby girl. Of course Elle's bells is her only other competitor. She was born Tues, April 6th at 8:40 pm. She was 7 lb's 7 oz's and she is absolute perfection. I am head over heals in love!!


You would think she is my daughter by the amount of pictures I have taken of her. Can't help myself, she is just so lovely. Here is her sweet momma, before the little miss made her debut. How beautiful is my sister??



Katelynn all snuggled in next to her momma. Already she is a momma's girl. Loves to lay just like that next to Jen.





Can't get enough of that sweet face..


Sweet Smith family...this little one couldn't be more blessed. She is entering a pretty special little home. Two parents who are completely in love with her, and two older brothers who are absolutely smitten with their new little sister.


I am so excited to have little Katelynn here. Their is just nothing like a newborn, especially when that newborn is your sister's. All kids are great, but I just LOVE my little nieces and nephews. Each and every one holds such a special place in my heart. I could not love them more. I love my sisters more than anything and their offspring are just absolutely precious to me. Thanks Jen for letting me be a part of everything. I will never forget that moment of watching your little daughter take her very first breath. Leaving behind her the other side of the veil, and entering this world. It was amazing, truly miraculous and something I am so grateful I got the chance to witness. Love you little Katelynn, welcome to the world...and most importantly welcome to our family!

"HOPPY" Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!! Hope you all had a great day, we sure did.



To start our weekend off, my mom invited us all up for a little afternoon of fun on Saturday. She took us to a little pizza place in Brigham city that had games and activities for the kids. They loved it. After that we went back to her house for an Easter egg hunt. It was so sweet of her. Sunday was inlaws day, so my mom wanted to make sure and get the chance to celebrate with her grandkids as well. Thanks mom, it meant alot to all of us.





I loved having Easter fall on Confrence weekend. We slept in late, got up and our sweet dad made us the best breakfast. Scrambled eggs and hashbrowns, sausage and cinnamon rolls. Yum! Thiago is always our breakfast maker, he is much better at it then I am. After that we settled in to watch confrence. It was so wonderful hearing the words of our prophet and apostles speak on Easter Sunday. So many of the talks touched me and I am so grateful for all of the great leaders of our church.


The easter bunny was kind of a slacker this year. He just took his sweet time showing up to our house. Carson was going crazy wondering where the heck that bunny was at. I guess the bunny must have had a late night on Saturday, and just didn't quite have those baskets put together. He finally showed up after the last session of confrence, what great timing that bunny has.


The boys each got a new movie and pair of pj's. Carson got a dino, soccer game, chocolate bunny and a few other treats. Lincoln got a huge thing of bubbles and a little key set with some candy.



It was well worth the wait...they were pleased as punch with their baskets.




Easter bunny left a few eggs downstairs for the boys to find. Carson was the only one that participated. Once Lincoln saw his candy, he didn't care about anything else.



We then headed to meet up with Thiago's family for dinner and more fun. They had another egg hunt.



and a pinata...


One of our Brazilian friends that was there, was a big fan of Lincoln. She kind of took over him while we were outside. Nice little break for me.


So that was our weekend. It was so calm, relaxing and just enjoyable. Lots of great memories.