Besties

My kids have a few really good friends here in 29 Palms.  Most times we try and get together maybe once a week (aside from play group) at a park, home, or whatever.  Here is a pic of this past week with our friends Hayden and Brinley.  We love them dearly and so glad they are our friends:)

Wisconsin Cheese

Been meaning to post this for awhile but have forgotten.  When Jason was in Wisconsin he bought some gifts to bring back home.  He bought the boys cheese heads and me some good Wisconsin aged cheese (so good:)). 

"Cheesehead is a nickname, sometimes used disparagingly, referring to a person from Wisconsin,referring to the large volume of production of Wisconsin cheese. It is also the nickname for the fans of the Green Bay Packers American Football team of the National Football League."



Here are pics of the boys and their "famous" cheeseheads.

A special guest came...

When we lived in CO, the boys were being looked after by the wonderful and loving Ms. Maria.  She was in CA visiting family near LA.  She wanted to see the boys and drove 2 hours to visit and play with them.  It was a great surprise!  She truly loves those boys and it shows.  We are so grateful for her love and care.  Plus the boys were beyond excited to see and play with her as well.  Thanks for the visit Ms. Maria, the boys just loved it!!  You are always welcome.

Craft time

The boys and I try new crafts each week for our "preschool" time.  Here are some pics from our ventures with Cheerios:)

Sarajane 6 month photo shoot pics

My dear friend and Sarajane's honorary Aunt took these pics this past Sat.  I thought they turned out SOOOoooo good.  She is truly so precious.  Enjoy:)

This on is probably my favorite, but it is hard to choose:)

Jax wanted in on the action:)

and for the bloopers, but equally as adorable:)

Knowing....

A Journal moment FYI.

I have been thinking a lot about something lately wanted to journal it.  Nothing feels better than having someone say that they love you.  Feels warm, good, and satisfying inside to know that someone loves you.  It can come from a friend, family member, or significant other.  It has been very special to me to be greeted with those words every morning since I fell in love with my sweetheart Jason.  Ever since Jason and I first starting saying "I Love You" when we dated, something has been different about it than typical tradition.   Usually when someone says "I Love You" you say it back in some way.  Traditionally the other person would say "I Love You Too".  But for Jason and I it isn't so.  When he tells me that he loves me, I say I love you too, but when I tell him that I love him, he simply replies, "I know you do."  I always knew that was just his way of saying it back, but not until just recently (and maybe even before) I did not understand the full meaning of those words.  What feels better having someone say that they love you or KNOWING that they do.  When I hear him say that is still feels warm, tingly, and oh so good and maybe now its because I know that it has two meanings; that he loves me and he knows that I love him back.  It is a great feeling.  Love is so special, I hope that all of us feel its warmth in some way everyday:)

Stacking

Yesterday I went to the pantry to grab some items for dinner and found that Jax had been stacking tuna and salmon.  He loves building things and making things with his hands; a trait I am sure he got from his Daddy.  I truly love seeing reminders here and there of how creative my children are.  I look forward to those surprises each day.  Goes by too fast.

A Righteous Decision

Today marks 10 years that I have had the honor of knowing my handsome husband Jason.  It truly was ignited because Jason's brother made the honorable decision to serve a mission.  After his mission he later courted one of my closest friends and then married her (Happy 10 Year Anniversary you guys!).  Jason and I met at their wedding.  It truly is amazing how things work out.  I am so grateful for that decision!  I truly am so blessed to have Jason in my life and feel that Heavenly Father knew what needed to take place all along.  Trust in him, so important!

Not knowing then... but I was taking pics that had my future husband in them:)  Love it!

Sarajane is 6 months old

Our precious baby girl is 1/2 year old (6 months).  She continues to be such a delight in our lives.  We are doing a fun photo shoot with her this Friday so I will post that later (but for now, here is just a fun pic)

Her doc apt was last week.  Here are her current stats:

Weight: 14.39 lbs. (24% percentile)

Height:  26.26 inches (76% percentile)

Jason is taking her in sometime this week for shots:(

~Here are some daily life things about Sarajane~

Food:

Right now SJ will nurse three times daily; she is an on demand nurser.  Most times are right when she gets up, before she naps (mostly for comfort), and before bed.  She is eating solid foods now.  We almost think she is becoming like Jax where she might "skip" the baby food stage and want more table foods.  Currently she goes through 2-3 cans of baby food daily with 1-2 bowls of baby cereal.  She does eat very finely chopped table foods as well.  Last night she tried our pasta and tomatoes (almost pureed) and she really liked it.  Her favorite fruit and vegetables right now are bananas and sweet potatoes.  When it is time to eat, SJ doesn't mess around.  She sometimes will "growl" at Jason or I if we aren't feeding her fast enough:)  Other than nursing, we haven't introduced a bottle to her or other liquids yet.  Solid foods make for fun surprises later after it is digested let me tell you:)

Sleeping:

She will take 2-3 short naps (usually 1 hour) during the day and sleeps through the night.  Seriously she has not woken up during the night since birth, it is a beautiful thing!  Josh still wakes up during the night!!!

Teeth:

Sarajane hasn't cut teeth yet but is drooling up a storm.  Funny I remember the boys spitting up and drooling more than her.  Funny and great that all my kids have their perfect uniqueness to them:)  She likes chewing on toys at home and in the car.  Her favorite is this purple elephant that her Grandam Reed gave her when she was first born.  It has been hanging from her car seat since birth so it makes sense that that is her favorite since she sees it on a everyday basis:)

Interaction with Others:

Sarajane is such a little flirt.  Wherever we go, there is always someone who comments on how sweet and beautiful she is (I am a little bias but I think she is gorgeous!).  She is all smiles and laughs.  Her brothers just adore her.  Her and Jax have such a special bond, it is so precious to watch.  Her and Josh just snuggle away.  Josh loves giving her kisses and holding her.  She is my constant companion, she goes with me everywhere; even girlfriend dates:)  Nothing makes her smile bigger than seeing her Daddy; she loves Dada.

Development:

Sarajane can roll from back to front and front to back with ease.  She hasn't started crawling yet but continues to "crawl" while on her back.  Sometimes she winds up totally off her tummy time blanket and in the hall because she scoots away, cooing as she goes.  She loves playing patty cake, "dancing", being sang to, and listening to Mommy read books to her brothers.  She loves playing with her toys and her brothers toys.  She still sucks her thumb; not often.  She has found her voice and is not afraid to use it.  She talks up a storm and will "yell" to get someones attention.  It almost like she is saying, "Ok I am still here if you were wondering."  She rarely cries (only when she is hungry or tired).  She still wakes up with a big smile on her face.  She loves noticing things with her eyes and having her hands touch them then bring it to her mouth.  Good eye hand mouth coordination I guess:)

Sarajane makes everything better.  Even on the crummiest of days, she seems to always put a smile on all our faces.  Happy 6 months our beautiful Sarajane Renea!

St. Patrick's Day playgroup

Today I hosted our weekly playgroup.  We usually do a play group once a week for the kids to play and adults time to chat with other adults:)  It is really fun and I am thankful to have such sweet, funny friends.  We had a fun filled "party" with all the fixings.  I made rainbow platters (savory/sweet) and a friend of mine made rainbow cupcakes.  Here are some pics, enjoy:)