The pictures are in!!

I love this picture of the 3 of them. Probably because it's the best one I have of all of them together.



These are the pictures I had taken of Miss Paytie at 7 months and yes she is always this happy and smiley(and yes, I did make the little tu-tu skirt for her pictures). She's 8 months now and she is all over the place. She can't crawl yet, but she has figured out how to roll herself or pull herself wherever she needs to go. Before long, I'm going to be in trouble and she's going to be into everything. It's bittersweet, I want to hold on to my baby for as long as I can, but I also can't wait for her to get big.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

I was afraid this might happen one day. Carson is such a great helper and is so careful with Payton, but she's getting to the age where she wiggles a lot and she throws herself back. Well Carson happen to be holding her the other day and she got excited like she usually does with him and he dropped her. I think it hurt him more than it did her. I checked her out and she was fine, but he was hysterical thinking he had really hurt her. I don't think I have ever seen Carson so scared and upset. I'm not sure he will hold her anytime soon. He's afraid that he'll drop her again. I think this was a good lesson for him and I think it will make him more cautious in the future with her. He really is so good with her and she loves him so much, so I hope this doesn't scare him away forever. I decided not to add any pictures because it would only embarrass him more.

Hear comes Peter Cottontail...

This was our first Easter away from family so we had to make our traditions and memories. We went to Broken Bow, OK, and stayed in a cabin with some friends. It was alot of fun. We even had own little easter egg hunt. We got all the kids ready to go, but Ethan was no where to be found. I searched all over the cabin for him and then went outside to see if I could find him and there he was, all by himself collecting his easter eggs. It was hard to get mad at him because it was so funny. We had a little racoon friend outside the cabin. I was surprised that he would come so close to us.

As with most vacations and driving on the freeway, we got some bugs on the front of the car, no biggie right? Well Milan and Scott decided they needed to wash the cars, do they not realize that we still needed to drive home and they would probably get more bugs???? I had to laugh at them.

Gratitude

Sometimes I feel like I do a lot of complaining and sometimes I think I forget what life is all about. I get so caught up in the day to day things and forget to look at the big picture. I don't want to look back one day and wonder what happened to all those years. I want to look back with fond memories of actually living my life and enjoying every moment of it. There are so many people who come into our lives and we are forever changed. Today I would like to express my gratitude for the people and things in my life (probably long over due). I thought I would try to think of 20 things that I am grateful for, in no particular order.

1. I am grateful for a beautiful home that keeps me safe and warm.
2. I am grateful for food, so that I don't have to go hungry.
3. I am grateful for a good car that I can depend on it to get me where I need to go.
4. I am grateful for FB, I love being able to find and catch up with old friends.
5. I am grateful for my bed. We all know how much I love my sleep.
6. I am grateful for a good hot shower. It's the only quiet time I get.
7. I am grateful for a baby who sleeps through the night, we all know mom NEEDS her sleep.
8. I am grateful for the trials in my life that help me to see just what I am made of and how strong I actually am.
9. I am grateful for parents who gave me rules to follow for my own good.
10. I am grateful for a husband who lets me believe that I have no flaws even though I know that I do.
11. I am grateful for little notes my children leave on my pillow, letting me know how much they love me.
12. I am grateful for the scriptures and the blessing it is to have the knowledge of the gospel.
13. I am grateful for my health. It's such a simple thing unless you don't have it.
14. I am grateful for "blond moments", they keep me human and grounded.
15. I am grateful for family because without them I am nothing.
16. I am grateful for my children. They have a way of touching my heart in a way no one else can.
17. I am grateful for friends. No woman is complete without her girlfriends by her side.
18. I am grateful for memories. They take you to a place that only you know and they help define who you are.
19. I am grateful for laughter. A day without laughter is like a day with out sunlight.
20. I am grateful for my life, for my accomplishments, for my trials, the changes that have come, the highs, the lows, the joys, the sorrows, the friends who have come and gone, the memories I have made, the tears I have cried, the tears I have laughed. I am so blessed.

I truly am grateful for each of you who has come into my life at some point or another. I love you all.

ST. Patricks Day

Happy St. Patricks Day!! Last year on St. Patricks Day, we found out we were finally getting a girl. It was definately a day I will always remember. One year later she is here and bringing our family so much joy. To celebrate I took the kids to get their pictures taken(I'll post them when I get them back). They turned out so cute. I made Payton one of those tutu dresses, so easy to do if anyone wants to learn how to make them, it turned out so cute.

My kids get so excited for St. Patricks Day, especially Ethan. To him it's like a pirate holiday. Looking for treasure and gold coins. I think this is probably his favorite holiday next to Christmas. Carson just likes any holiday if it means he gets something. I found this glass diamond at the craft store for Ethan and he hasn't let it out of his sight all day. I even found him cleaning it. I got origami paper for Carson. He loves to fold origami and it's been very theraputic for him when his tics get bad. For dinner, I usually make some kind of green food. This year it was green pizza. I know it sounds disgusting, but I only make the crust green with food coloring.

Pre St. Patricks Day Laugh

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6 Months

It's hard to believe that we have been in Texas for 6 months today. It was such a long journey getting to this point and it all started about a year ago. We were approached last march about a job opportunity in Texas and it's weird to think a year later we are living here. There are times when I wish I could turn back time and go back to the life we had in Utah with our friends and family all around us, but part of me loves being here in Texas where everything is new and exciting. We have really tried to make it home here and it's slowly starting to feel that way. We have a great ward and friends who have helped make us feel at home here. We are grateful for all the people we have met here. They are wonderful.

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about the ones we left behind. We still think of you often and miss you all so much. We wish you all could have come with us. It would definitely have made this move a lot easier. It truly was very difficult to leave so many amazing friends who have blessed our lives. I am in awe at the love we still feel from all of you. We love hearing from home and keeping up on the gossip. It makes us feel like we are still apart of you. So many of you have made an effort to keep in contact with us and we appreciate it more than you know.

Over the past 6 months we have gained a greater appreciation for the things and people in our lives. I feel like we have grown as a family and have become stronger. We have been through a lot with having a baby, moving, starting a new job, being in a new city and we have survived it all without completely falling apart. Our boys have really struggled here. Carson's tics have been getting worse and he seems to be struggling at school with his Tourette's. The kids are starting to make comments or tell him to stop doing his tics, so I guess it's time for me to come to school and talk to the class about TS. I have occasionally heard him crying himself to sleep at night, which breaks my heart. He misses his friend Colton so much and it's so difficult as a mother to see your child hurting like he is. Colton was always good to defend Carson at school when his tics would get bad and was there to help Carson to calm down and get them under control. He has made a few friends here, but the bond he has with Colton just isn't the same with anyone else.

Ethan has done better than Carson. He has made some friends, but he has become so quiet. I miss the funny kid that he used to be. I do occasionally see the funny side come out, but only at home. He used to do it at school too, but now he's afraid to talk or joke around. He got in trouble once at school for touching the curtains on the stage and now he is afraid of making the teacher mad so he just doesn't say anything. The longer we are here the more I see the comedian side start coming out, so I think in time he will get comfortable enough to be himself again. He got an award at school today for being an outstanding student. I was so proud of him. He was so excited and was grinning from ear to ear. I wish I had remembered to bring my camera.

I am so proud of the boys for trying to be supportive of Milan and me. They really have tried so hard to adjust to living hear and they are amazing. I feel like our family has become more unified because of this change in our lives and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. As hard as this has been, there has been alot of good that has come from this. We love you all and appreciate all of you love and word of encouragement.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13