Swimming

When we got back from Utah, my second family (aka the Hill family) was in town from Utah. It was so good to spend time with them. Sariah had a blast with the girls, especially Emily. Even though it was FREEZING, Sariah was fearless and swam forever. Her lips were a nice shade of blue when they got out. She had so much fun that we stayed a couple days longer so that they could swim and hang out some more. She still talks about "those girls" all the time and wishes that Utah was closer!

Emily ~ Sariah ~ Megan

Sariah loving the water!
Megan ~ Emily ~ Sariah ~ Heather

Sariah & Emily

Laying out with Megan

We are going to have lots of fun in the water this summer...I will NOT be getting in until it warms up more. The water is still too cold for me.

Utah Trip

I just though I would share a couple pics from you trip up and back from Utah. We drove up with my parents and we flew back with my moms help. I have no idea how I would have managed to fly back by myself with Sariah and Kenzli. Thanks mom for all your help on the flight...I would never have made it without you. I know Sariah was thankful to have you there too!

Sariah at Lake Powell

Kenzli just hanging out in her carseat...she was so good during the long ride up. She got grumpy at the very end because she was so tired and she just wanted her bed!!!

The girls on the plane waiting for it to take off...it had been delayed an hour because of snow so they were both so tired by the time we got on the plane. Luckily they both fell asleep for most of it.

I will often find Sariah in reading to Kenzli after she wakes up from her nap. Some mornings if Kenzli wakes up crying, Sariah will run in there and try to make her happy so I can sleep longer. This morning, I was taking a shower during Kenzli's morning nap and when she woke up Sariah read her books to keep her happy until I was ready. Sariah is such a good big sister and is a big helper when I need her to be. I am so lucky to have the BEST daughters in the whole world!!!

Easter

Since the girls and I were gonna be in Utah for Easter, we had an Easter FHE and then followed it up with an Easter egg hunt. Although she did it alone, she still had a GREAT time.

"Look at all my eggs!!!"
checking out all the loot with Kenzli jealous in the background
The necklaces were one of her favorite things. She is not a normal child, toys always trump candy. REALLY?!

Easter egg hunt with her cousins, Gracie and Ellie...coming down the stairs in full force.

Opening all her eggs...check 'em all out...there were TONS of eggs

Helping Kenzli with her easter basket and showing her the toys the easter bunny left

So excited to see what she got. We had to remind her to go check out her Easter basket. After seeing what she got, she had to call her Daddy and tell him all about it.

Intense concentration coloring her eggs

Gracie and Sariah coloring eggs.

We had a GREAT time celebrating this year and loved spending it with family. We missed having Daddy with us and thanks to the Armstrong's for having him over to eat with them. Among all the festivities, we took time to listen to conference (as much as you can with kids running around) and reflect on the true meaning of Easter. I am so incredibly thankful for the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

6 months old

My little girl is growing up and TOO fast!!! Luckily, she is still just a little thing (13 pounds 3 ounces) but I can't believe she is 6 months already. I just thought I would share some pics of her recently.

Blowing bubbles

Enjoying being outside in the stroller
This is what greets us when we go in to get her up from sleeping

Trying to sit-up...she still has to use her arms to keep her up

Silly girl in her swing...she always end up like this lately

Daddy/Daughter Date

Jake took Sariah on a daddy/daughter date over his spring break. They went to a place called Matuku's Island. It is an indoor jungle gym basically. Sariah had a TON of fun. I will let pictures do the rest of the talking.

5 Months

I cannot believe that Mikenzli is already 5 months old. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. She is such an incredible joy and we are so blessed to have her be a part of our family.

She had rice cereal for the first time today and she LOVED it!!! She could not get enough of it and she hardly had any on her when she was done. She ate it all! Sariah had a great time "helping" me feed her.

Waiting to be fed

Sariah feeding Kenzli

open wide

sssoooo YUMMY!!!

bathtime + full tummy = HAPPY baby

SMILE!!!

Lately Mikenzli has started to smile ALL THE TIME!!! She is so stinkin' adorable and she knows it. She knows how to get your attention...she will whine and as soon as you walk towards her, she starts smiling...she is too young to be manipulating already! We are really in trouble.

Sariah loved the swing when she was a baby but she would usually just fall asleep. Mikenzli's favorite thing to do in the swing is talk to the birdies!! It is so cute to watch. Of course, she also likes to sleep.

Through the Eyes of the Child

Children have the way of helping adults stop and appreciate the little things in life. It seems like daily I am realizing that I don't take time and enjoy my growing children or the beauty around me. I am so appreciative that I have Sariah around to make me stop and experience things through her eyes.

It rained here like crazy last week. Sariah had us sit down by the back door and watch the rain. She LOVED it and sat there for a long time.

She wanted to go play in it but she was still trying to recover from having crop so we decided she should just watch from inside.Last night, there was an incredible rainbow and she ran around outside singing about it. This was the first rainbow that she has seen in person and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I did as well!!!
(Note she is in pajamas with wet hair - post bathtime - and in her "princess" dress)

Vulnerable

I started putting together a blog a couple nights ago. The blog was going to just be somewhere that I could record my struggles/accomplishments as I try to lose weight. My plan was to have it private and not invite ANYONE to see it. The day after starting it, I was at the park talking to a friend. I was telling her about my plan and she mentioned that she had started a blog with a similar idea but since no one was looking at it, she never did anything with it. I started thinking about that and realized that made sense. What would stop me from deleting the blog in a couple weeks when I feel like I have failed??

SO...I am putting it out there for all to see. I am making myself vulnerable in hopes that it will help me keep going; knowing that people will know if I quit. So HERE you go. Feel free to leave any comments but please be nice!!! :)

Christmas Eve ~ Christmas ~ Second Christmas

CHRISTMAS PICTURE STYLE

(PICTURE OVERLOAD)

On Christmas Eve, Sariah was able to decorate another Christmas tree at Jake's parent's house. The whole family as able to spend Christmas Eve together for the first time since we got married. It was fun to be all together and especially to have Josh, Sarah and Jace with us from Texas. We really wish we were able to see them more often.

So proud of the finished product!
As tradition goes, we opened our Christmas Eve presents (always pajamas) but these pictures were taken a few days later.
Me and my girls!!!
Christmas was so much fun. Sariah was so excited to see if Santa had eaten the cookies and drank the milk. She was hoping he would still be there so she could see him but unfortunately he wasn't. Kenzli spent her time just chillin' on the couch while everyone opened presents.
Sariah emptied her stocking one thing at a time. Santa leaves an ornament in all of our stockings every year and this year it was a Santa with a snow globe belly that lights up. Sariah was really excited and slept with it every night until we packed up all the Christmas decorations.
Sariah's "Tiny Pinkie Pie"
(the one thing she wanted for Christmas every time you asked her...everything else would change depending on the moment)
Sariah playing with her new Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty

Kenzli and Sariah's baby doll...she got her own but Sariah kept "sharing" so they would trade.

We celebrated Christmas twice this year. My parents were in Utah for Christmas so once they got home, we opened presents with them. Sariah was so excited to get the movie Bolt. She LOVES that movie and wanted us to get it from Redbox all the time so we decided to invest.

Like I said in an earlier post, Sariah LOVES My Little Ponies. She got TONS of them for Christmas this year. Here is her excitement opening one of them.

Like I said...Sariah got TONS of My Little Ponies this year!!! Here she is with them all lined up and reading a book. Her little people animals sets were also included in the line up.

There is a story behind this HILARIOUS picture...for those who know my family, we LOVE The Christmas Story!!! My dad has TONS of Christmas Story memorabilia. Well, this year we saw a tin that was a Christmas Story bank but it also came with these boxer short that say "It's a Major Award" on the front, and "This end up, FRAGILE" on the back. We could not pass up getting them as joke for my dad. Now to the story behind this particular picture...we were going to have hot chocolate but told Sariah she has to get in her jammies first. Papa said he would get in his too and this is how he came out. We were laughing so hard and he was posing so Sariah joined in. It was seriously HILARIOUS!!!

As fun as these pictures are, one of the most memorable moments for me could not be captured in a picture. On Christmas Eve, we sat down and watched Joy to the World. As I sat on the bed with family, I thought about the true meaning of Christmas and was overwhelmed with the love that I have for my Savior and older brother, Jesus Christ. I am humbled by his birth. I attended a Relief Society meeting earlier this month where we had appetizers outside. It was a chilly evening so we all huddled close to the heaters. After we all sang Silent Night, one of the leaders commented on how miserable it had to have been for Mary, pregnant, cold, and riding on a donkey trying to find a place to give birth to our Lord. It humbled me to think of it in that way. I cannot imagine the pain that Mary endured and am so thankful to her. I cannot imagine my life without the knowledge that I have and for the Savior's redeeming love.

I loved being able to share with Sariah the true reason for the Christmas season and help her develop a love for our Savior. I am so thankful for this time of year when we can reflect on His birth and all that we have because of Him.