sunday afternoon

I wish I could say that Sunday is always a relaxing day...but the truth is...it is always a good day, but not always relaxing, at least for our family. Jacob seems to have done something that perpetuates a sign over his head that says "I'm a good guy. I'm a good leader." and in a church where the laymen are the leaders, he always seems to get picked. He dedicates a lot of time - his only spare time, really, as he's been working upwards of 70+ hours a week pretty much since Aspen's birth, to his duties and service related to his church assignments. Which means, early morning meetings before church, often after church, during the week etc. I fully acknowledge the blessings that flow into our lives because of the service we offer our fellowmen in our church assignments, but that doesn't mean I don't occasionally wish we could just have a lazy Sunday, or take a nap, or something. We try very hard to squeeze in a Sunday Stroll, but today it is a bit rainy and dreary. So, between meetings today, Jacob got to sit down for just a few minutes, and in that time, he played with Aspen. Or rather, she played with him? She was trying so hard to grab the little dots on his tie! And then, of course, she showered him with some spit up. It is just part of our lives these days :)

I so appreciate my good husband. I don't think he even knows how much. I wish I were better at letting him know. I'll have to work on that!

I also appreciate when he gets a few minutes to sit with us on a Sunday afternoon. I know he does, too. Sometimes I feel selfish, but maybe it's just natural, to always want my loved ones within arms reach. I truly relish the time we get to spend together. I try incredibly hard to be organized enough to have some time to spend just doing nothing or anything with my man and our babes. They are truly my everything, my greatest gifts.

I hope you all were able to spend a few minutes relaxing today, just enjoying your loved ones, doing nothing in particular, but at the same time, supremely enjoying each other's company.

Happy Sunday!

aspen at four months

Time is a-flyin'. Tomorrow, Aspen is 4 months old. Our newborn is no longer. We definitely have a roly-poly little baby these days, who is learning the ropes of living and exploring her world at lightning speed.

I promise not to make this as long as last month...but I just have to "jot" a couple of things down because this is where I do that. (Then I'll look back over it to make her baby book later!)

Aspen at Four Months:

-You've discovered your hands. BIG TIME. You can't get enough of sucking and drooling on those pudgy little fingers and fists of yours. And we just can't get enough of Y-O-U, cuteness!

-Your eyes are looking like blue might stick...and you're hair keeps gradually getting lighter. Maybe it'll end up "dirty blond" like your brothers? Who knows? His eyes took a long time to settle to a color - and they ended up being quite unique. Maybe yours will settle sooner and be more of one color - perhaps like Daddy's gray/blue eyes? I guess we'll find out, eventually!

-You're rolling over both directions, and getting more proficient every day. Sometimes when I leave you on the floor to go change a load of laundry, I come back 30 seconds later to find your rolled over.

-Along with the rolling over, you like to grasp things and reach for things now. Toys are much more exciting...and one of your favorite games is when Sawyer pulls his "semi truck" up in front of your view and he then backs it up out of your view and says "where is it? there't is!" You always bust out the smiles.

-You started using the big sponge in the big bath tub and are experimenting with kickin' those cute, chubba-lubba legs of yours to get some splashing action. I am excited for the day that you and your brother can "play" together during bath time!

-You have started joining us at the dinner table - no longer down below in the bouncy seat or swing, but now in your own high chair. You love being more a part of our family meals, and I saw you eyeing our food last night...yikes, a couple more months and you'll get to try some of Momma's homemade goodness baby food (I have a sneaky suspicion that it will become popular once again with your bro, too).

-We just traded in the baby swing for the Exersaucer - and Sawyer loves showing you how all the toys work. (I think he'll miss having the swing out, too, since when you're not in it he sneaks in a swing or two whenever he thinks we're not watching...)

-You are SO smiley and happy and you'd probably laugh or think your Momma is weird for how many times I try to eat your tummy daily, or nibble your ear...anything to hear your sweet giggles. It is MUSIC TO MY EARS. One of the best sounds in all the world.

-Lucky for us, we don't have to try to get you to smile. You come by it naturally. It must be genetic :)

-And, of course, you love your brother. You watch him like a hawk. You smile at the things he does even when he doesn't see it. But I do. It pretty much makes my heart melt, I'm such a sap!

-To my delight, you are kinda a "Momma's Girl". I'm loving it! Please stay that way all the way through high school!

-Your just such a sweet girl, I can't get over it. How did we ever get so lucky?

We love you, Little Aspen!

*okay, I lied about keeping it short. There's just too much good stuff to tell!

Wonders of Nature // Madrona Beach

It was such a very awesome day the only thing we could possibly do was to hit --

The Beach!!!

It was little Aspen's first time putting her cute, chubby, bare little toes in the sand. She loved it. She is just getting so deliciously roly-poly these days. Seriously, I just can't quit nibbling all of her chub. I love fat babies - especially when they're mine! It was a good thing it was so warm because after about an hour she was just wearing her only spare onesie...she had some major projectile spit up happening that drenched her clothes, the Ergo, and me. So, I toted her around on my hip and sat her on my knees. It's a little difficult trying to take pictures with only one hand and a wiggly baby in the other...but I did it anyway. And then she spit up and barely missed the camera...I got the hint and put the camera away for good after that :)

My perfume was of spit up and drool. And my t-shirt looked like a bird attacked it from above...but I didn't care. It was warm. It was sunny. We were at the beach (have I ever mentioned that the beach is my favorite place in the world?)

We all had our first toe-dip in Lake Washington, also. Sawyer was wearing his "skull boots" so I don't know if that officially counts. But that's okay...tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer than today, so he'll get another chance!

Now, let's just pray this weather sticks! I'm SO ready for summer - my FAVORITE time of the year! Bring it!

Our morning meeting...

We tried something new this morning. I called it our "morning meeting." I recently read about a "morning meeting" in the book "The Creative Family" by blog author Amanda Blake Soule (SouleMama.com) and I decided to customize her morning meeting idea to our little family.

First, the participants:

I led the meeting, but no picture of me, sorry (the chicklets are much cuter to look at, anyway). I assured the participants that we would not be taking pictures at every meeting: just the first :)

We met, after breakfast and after Daddy had hopped on his bike and headed downtown to work. We met in our bed. I brought a notebook and some crayons (I figured crayons would be safer in white sheets than pens or markers). We discussed the things we first needed to do today. And then we discussed the things we wanted to do today. And then we put numbers by which things we should do first, then next, etc. We all got a say. Sawyer wanted to go to the Zoo. Aspen wanted to play in the Jungle Gym. I wanted to walk to the park. And then, of course were the errands and chores we needed to do. I am such a list person, I felt like this was a way to start the day with mini-goals to accomplish, but to also include the fun little things we do so that at the end of the day I can see how many things I have crossed off the list - even though the list may still be long in my planner. I like how we all have a say and by doing this I am hoping to teach my children that what we need to get done and what we want to do are all important, and that we can do most of these things if we prioritize. If we can't do it all in one day, I hope we can learn that it is not the end of the world and that there is always another day ahead.

We also took the time at our meeting to look through the Gospel Art Book, which is a recently published book of artwork depicting Gospel topics from the Bible and Book of Mormon. Because our kids are so little, this is one of our favorite ways to talk about Gospel topics with them without having a more "formal" scripture study that they may lose interest in. So, we talk about the stories and the people in the pictures. It was a lovely way to start the day.

Of course, there was plenty of time for some snuggles, cuddles, laughs, and giggles. There may even have been one little Monkey jumping on the bed...

After we concluded our meeting, I nursed little sister and this was the result:

(And then we got dressed and packed up and headed off to the Zoo!)

Mother's Day 2010

The day started off with a grateful day off from early church leadership meetings for Jacob...which meant blueberry coffee cake for me. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the sunlight pouring through the windows. The sun was surely shining in salutation to Mother's everywhere today :)

We had a really nice time at our church meetings - where the men hosted a luncheon following the meetings in honor of the ladies. After a nice lunch and good conversation, we came home and all four of us took a two hour nap. Have I ever mentioned how yummy a nice long Sunday nap is since having children? It is divine. (Lucky for me, since Sawyer still takes a two-hour nap most days, I try to sneak a couple of naps in with my two babes during the week as well :)

Dinner tonight was home-made brick oven style pizza, a caprese salad (my fave) and topped off with Red Velvet Cake and Ice Cream. There were flowers. There was a gift certificate to pick out a summer dress. There were lots of hugs, kisses, and giggles. Today, I truly felt celebrated.

But, to be quite honest, I am lucky enough to have a family that makes me feel celebrated most every single day. Although, most days I don't beg Jacob to take photos of us...like I did tonight. I told him to grab the camera while I had both kidlets in my arms - because I wanted to preserve just a little bit of now. I told him it should be a tradition to always have a photo of me and my babies on Mother's Day. He said, "don't we have that tradition for most holidays...and some non-holidays?"

I just smiled.

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Outings // Of flowers and family {skagit valley tulip festival}

I am laughing as I look at the photograph above. Yes, you would expect to see a field full of tulips at the Tulip Festival...but this year we didn't make it until the very last day of the festival, so they had already topped off the fields of tulips due to an early bloom. So that is exactly the kind of fields we saw!

Luckily, the gardens still had many varieties and we spent a couple of wonderful hours in the gardens and on the grounds at RoozenGaarde. Next year we'll be sure to go earlier!

Half the fun, though, was that we had Jacob's parents and youngest sister in town visiting. They spent 4 days with us. We went to the beach, the Tulip Festival, and the Zoo. We had a lovely time and a nice visit! Sawyer hadn't seen them since he was 6 months old, and of course it was their first time meeting Aspen. Sawyer had a lot of fun - it must be cool to have an 11-year-old Aunt to play with! Thanks for visiting us, Emma + Mom & Dad Carter - come back anytime!