Two cute Liv moments

1.Yesterday when I was cleaning up in the kitchen, Olivia asked for an apple, to which I replied "You want an apple, ok, no problem. Open up the fridge and grab one out. They are in the bottom drawer". So she did as I said. Just as she was shutting the fruits drawer in the fridge I said "Hey, while your in there do you mind grabbing Warner's green beans for me"? I then heard some large sighs and huffing noises, until she finally said "Mom, I can't get it, its kinda reachy".


2.On Saturday night we decided to take a drive down to snowflake lane in Bellevue to see the 7:00 show. It wasn't quite what we thought it was going to be, and was super crowded, so we ended up heading to the grocery store near by to pick out a treat and drove home early. On the way home I noticed that the pen I had given Liv to use on the paper I had also given her had some how meandered off of the page completely, and was all over her new jeans! I don't know what I was thinking giving her a pen un-supervised. Needless to say, I was very upset. Jaron and I both talked to Liv about how hard pen was to come out, and I was really bummed, because I had just bought those jeans, and by the look of things those pen marks that were now all over the front thigh of her new jeans, were there for good. She was pretty quiet for the rest of the car ride home. We pulled up to get the mail on our way in and while Jaron hopped out to get the mail, this was the conversation that I had with Liv.

Liv- "Mom, I'm sorry I drew on my jeans. It was an asscident (not mispelled that's how she says it). "

Me- "Its ok Liv".

Liv- "Mom, maybe we could say a prayer"?

I was thouroughly touched. If I didn't have all of my extra fluids drained out of me from nursing, I probablly would have been touched to the point of tears.

So I said, "That's a great idea Liv, why don't you say it"?

I don't remember the words of her prayer all I know is that after those jeans came out of the wash there was no evidence of ink anywhere on them.

I need to write more of these on my to do list:

Dressed the kids (2 times)
Fed the kids (3-5 times)
Cleaned the kitchen (3-5 times)
Nursed (3-5 times)
Cleaned up spit up (4 times)
Changed diaper (5 times)
Soothed a sad Warner, because Liv wapped him (indefinite amount of times)
Talked to long lost friend on the phone
Sang a song to Warner or Liv (5-6 times)
Read a book to Liv (3-6 times)
Wrestled with liv
Read a book to Warner (2-4 times)
Cooked Dinner (why I never write this on my to-do list is beyond me)

And Less of these:
-Take cookies to everyone in our neighborhood
-clean the house
-shower
-go running
-take books back to the library
-go shopping
-can pears
-start a pre-school at home
-sound out Christmas Cards
-Wrap presents
-Do laundry

Because then I would have a whole lot more crossing off to do at the end of the day.

The Spirit of Christmas

The woman that I visit teach, which just so happens to be our loving relief society president, gave me a present for Christmas. Included in her present was this talk by President Monson. It was a great reminder for me, if you have second in your day, read it. It's great.

"Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the “Spirit of Christ.”" -Thomas S. Monson

Our morning Routine:

Between 5:30am-6:30am:

1.Warner wakes up/Jess feeds Warner.
2. Liv Wakes up and comes and gets in bed with us.
3. Warner, Liv, Jaron, and I all sleep for another hour in our bed.

Between 7:30am-8:00am:
1. Olivia nudges Jaron and says "Dad, I need some cereal", Jaron presses the snooze button a few times on her head as she repeats in one to two minute intervals "Daddy, I need some ceeeereal". He gets up and obliges her on about the fourth "beep".

8:00am
1. Jaron and Liv eat cereal together downstairs.
2. Jess feeds Warner again.

8:15-8:30am
1. Family prayer.
2. Hugs goodbye.

And this is what I get to see every morning.


And this is what I hear every morning when Jaron starts towards the door to get on his bike, running footsteps and then "Dad! Wait! I need a kiss and a huggg!!" from an adoring three year old girl.

Check out this eagle picture Jaron took the other day.

Check out those eyes. It makes me shiver just to look at them.

And here is a friendly squirrel (wow this really is random), but this little guy comes to our door every day at the same time. This one day he got so close that I thought he was going to come inside, so I opened the door to test him, and he tried his best to get in the door, but I wussed out and shewed him away. Who do I look like? Snow white? Sorry squirrel.

Our tree is up. Our decorations are beautiful, and we have been listening to lots and lots of Sufjan Stevens, Celene Dion, Frank Sinatra, Paul Cardell, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I have a huge to do list, one of which is a Christmas card that we still need to take pictures for. Ah Brooke I wish you were here.

How is your December going?

Why Giving Matters

A few Sundays ago our wonderful Sunday school teacher handed out THIS ARTICLE written by the eminent Roman Catholic economist, Arthur C. Brooks. I was very inspired by it, and thought I would share it. His address was given at a BYU Forum this last summer and this article was published in BYU magazine.

After I got back from a baby shower today Olivia was telling me how her and Dad took pictures of an eagle. As she was telling me this she told me that dad went outside to take the pictures, but that and I quote "I not go out, cause I was not going to get chomped by a car."

I started laughing, and then she gets upset, because I'm not taking her seriously, which makes me laugh harder. Ahhh it was cute!

My favorite daily Liv saying , and it really is every day that she says this lately, is

"Mom, I'm getting bigger, and I'm gunna get bigger, and Daddy's getting bigger, and Warner's getting bigger, but you're getting smaller".