My Jared

My Jared our fisrt little boy. I still remember the day he came to live with us. How excited I was to become a Mom, he was the perfect little baby. He has grown up since as all little ones do. Eight years old I can not believe it.

He is tall and lean and full of energy and life. He is currently being home schooled and is excelling in everything he does. He loves to read, most of the time I find him snuggled up on the couch reading. His favorites are Shel Silverstien's Poem books, A light in the Attic and Runny Babbit. He also enjoys The Magic Tree House series. He also loves to watch TV. especially nature shows where he can learn about the world around him. And then he loves to share that information with everyone. He also loves to play his game system like any other little boy. His and his Dad's favorite is Lego Star Wars. Both are counting the days until Lego Indiana Jones.

Jared was recently baptized and when you ask him how it was he will tell you it was cold. Leading up to it he was telling everyone how warm it would be. He was baptized by his Grandpa Lee whom he loves very much.

Jared is also a wonderful help to me. At times I wonder if I ask to much of him. He looks after his two little brothers very well and I am sure he will be close and love his brothers even when he gets older. Somedays are better than others of corse. But it gives me such a warm heart when I see them playing their little games together and laughing with each other.

We are trying to teach the boys how to manage their money and so we have come up with a system called Secret Missions. After their daily living and chores are done each day they all have an opportunity to earn Secret Missions. For doing extra things that Mom & Dad ask of them. Each Secret Mission is worth a quarter and each payday we all count the money they have made and put aside the tithing and 50% into savings. Then they have the rest to spend. I am super impressed with Jared. He has a goal to buy a Planet Hero toy and he has been saving for a few months and I think he is very close to being able to afford it. Dallin's goal is a donut each week. :o) The difference between 5 and 8 is enormous some times.

The other day in the car while we were talking about Easter, and Spring Day. (We decided to do Baskets and plastic eggs and such, on a different day other than on Easter and we call it Spring Day.) Well as we were explaining that Easter is a celebration of Jesus Christ being Resureccted and not Rabbits, Aaron asked the boys if Jesus had a rabbit, Jared with all sincerity said " Yeah, He has our dead rabbit, Daffodil" Our rabbit died a few years back. Jared is very sensitive about death, he misses the pets that have passed on and can not wait until Jesus brings them back so they can all live with us.

Jared is also excited to be a Cub Scout. We have our very first pinewood derby comming in April and he is having a great time building his car with Aaron. (Pictures comming soon) Each Wednesday he goes to scouts and has such a great time being with other little boys his age with the same sence of humor and energy. He looks so handsome in his blue shirt and neckerchif.

We feel so blessed to have Jared in our family, he is an absolutely wonderful little boy.

Art where you least expect to find it

When I asked who was drawing pictures on the furniture with their fingers my Dallin got a little grin on his face. He saw me taking pictures of his handy work. Dallin is so imaginative.

 So my lack of housecleaning skills is in no way hindering my children, in a way it is forcing them to be more creative. :o) Right?

March 15th Visitors

Did anyone else have visitors like this? My Boys were so amazed that anyone would have such little feet and could walk on the windows and fish tank.

 

It was kind of a last minute idea, I think next year the visitors will have to leave a treat or a little cash. :o) It was so worth the effort, their little imaginations went on all day wondering what the leprechauns could have been looking for.  Dallin suggested that they were hungry and wanted to eat all our green food, I thought that was imaginative. For Family night that night we had green snacks and watched a movie, it was a very fun day. 

My Dallin

Dallin Carl is 5, this has got to be one of the funniest ages in kids. Every question starts with why, and I am not sure about other kids but Dallin loves to talk. He can go on and on about anything and I mean anything, give us a call if you ever need to talk with someone he will be more than willing. He also loves to help with everything, he is always asking to help us with our many projects. He loves to do his secret missions. (If Aaron and I ask him to do something special he gets a secret mission star and each star is worth a quarter on Payday.) Right now his goal is to earn enough secret missions for a donut from the bakery section of the grocery store a whole $.65. It's important to start out small with goals right. 

Dallin is the happiest in the mornings, each morning I can be sure to be greeted with a "Good Morning Mom! Today's the Day!" or "

Mom did you know Today kisses are free? 

Dallin loves people and tells them, even ones he doesn't know, like the ladies checking us out at the tool store. :o) He has the sweetest heart and loves to be held and hugged. He reminds me of my little brother who would wiggle himself into the smallest of spaces between people on the couch. And even though there is no room you try to make it for him because he is just so darn cute. 

I am very grateful for him in my family, life definitely would not be as fun without him. 

My Shane

My littlest boy is going to turn 2 in May. I love him more than anything, but somedays bed time doesn't come soon enough. 

He is not the size of an average 2 year old, more like a 3 year old. I believe he weighs in at 37 pounds now.  He is also extremely smart so he can get though any barrier that I set up. Ever since he started to walk he has also been climbing. I have given up on trying to stop him from climbing up the cat tree we have in our front room. His other favorite thing to do is make big (and I mean big!) messes. The house plant we have in our front room is severely lacking dirt, due to little hands spreading it all over the front room, when he has nothing better to do. He is also attracted to the paper shreader in my office which periodically he empties throughout the office.  He loves to eat, his favorite is to share our dog's food. Yuck! He also has a built in radar if I get anything to eat he is there asking "bite"? 

 

If he wasn't so darn cute I think I would give up. But he is so cute. His blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkle when he smiles.  I actually cut his hair the other day and he looks so much older than before I cut it. :o(  It was getting a little long. He also loves to sing I hear  him all the time (except when he is getting into trouble then he is very quiet) His favorite is 'Jesus wants me for a Sun-beam'. He is starting to talk and all day he has been saying "Yes Mom" it is so adorable. He won't say Daddy yet so even Aaron is Mommy, I am sure he will get it right some day. Shane is by far the best snuggler I have ever had, he loves to sit with me and rock, I can sit with him snuggled up to me for hours. 

 

I know these days won't last long and I try to remember that, especially  as I mop up the lakes in my kitchen and peanut butter pictures off the wall.