Monday, May 30, 2011
Fish Hatchery
Carter & I met Jeff & his family at the Fish Hatchery this afternoon prior to going to our Memorial Day bbq. Cory stayed at home with 2 sleeping girls. The kids enjoyed feeding the fish & Kristen & I learned some new things while in the visitors center. We really enjoy going to the Fish Hatchery.
This morning Cory brought Carter & Claire to the movie theater to see Kung Fu Panda 2.
They all liked the movie but Cory realized that Claire may be a little too young for the movie theater. She wanted to sit on his lap for most of the movie. I believe Carter's first movie was when he was a little over 3 years old & we found the same for him. Maybe in another year it will be more enjoyable!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
First Tooth
Kate's first tooth popped through today. It's the lower central incisor, on the right. It looks like the left one will be coming through soon. No pictures yet, she will barely even let me touch it.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Best Face EVER
I finally captured Kate's signature face. Oh, she's so funny!
And I just melt when she does this face...she scrunches her nose & eyes & it's the best when I can see her gums too!!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday Bike Ride
This afternoon Cory took Claire & Kate on a bike ride in the bike trailer. This was Kate's first time & I'd have to say that she loved it. She didn't make a peep the whole trip. Carter rode his 2 wheel bike, but somehow I missed documenting that with a picture. It was a lovely afternoon to be outside.
Growing Up
Our Carter boy is growing up so fast. I'm glad that I snapped this picture of him today, so that I can remember his sweet face. He has a couple of loose teeth right now & it won't be long until he starts losing them all & he won't look like this little boy anymore.
Seize the moment.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Bye Miss Peggy!!
Kathy called last night to let me know that Miss Peggy, Carter's former pre-school teacher was retiring & they were having a party for her. I knew Carter would love to see her as well as Kaylee & Brooklyn since he never gets to play with them anymore. Miss Peggy was thrilled that the kids came to see her. She has worked at the pre-school for over 20 years & has done a fantastic job at it! The kids loved running around at the park too!
(Kaylee, Carter & Brooklyn at pre-school graduation last year!)A Few Reasons Why I Can't Wait For Summer Vacation....
........I won't have to wake up sleeping girls to go & get Carter from school,swim lessons, family reunion in Oregon, bbq's, play dates with friends, lemonade in the backyard, a slower pace of life!!
8 Months
Kate turned 8 months old today!
She is very mobile; starting to let go of the couch while standing.
Eating more & more solid foods. She loves homemade peaches the best!
Still waking up 2 times a night...ugghh!!
Loves her brother & sister!
Some days she takes a late afternoon nap, like 3-5pm, & then she stays up until 7:30pm instead 6:30pm.
She brings so much happiness into our home!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Carter's 6 Year Check-Up
Carter saw Dr. Gould this afternoon for his 6 year check-up. He's doing awesome.
Here are his stats:
Length: 46 1/4" (75%)
Weight: 42 lb. (25%)
BMI= 13.8
He didn't need any immunizations, which he was so happy about.
I brought Kate with us so I could have Dr. Gould check her ears. She's had a runny nose the past week & had started pulling on her right ear the past couple of days so I wanted him to check & see if she had an ear infection. Yep, she sure does! He gave me a prescription for Amoxicillin but he said I could wait to fill it if I want. He explained that many ear infections just go away on their own & if it doesn't seem to be bothering her then maybe we should wait. Kids start becoming immune to the antibiotics if they are on them frequently. I think I am going to wait a few days, especially since the last time Kate had Amoxicillin she had a really bad diaper rash. We'll see how she's doing the next couple of days.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Swim Lessons
This evening Carter had his second swim lesson at Tricks in their indoor pool. He really enjoyed himself, especially the zip line. Each of the kids were able to go down twice. There were 2 other boys in his class. They practiced floating on their backs, retrieving items from the bottom of the pool & a couple of strokes. He has 2 more classes here & then the week after school gets out he & Claire will start lessons at the rec center. Yeah for summer!!
She Wants To Walk.............
This evening Kate was standing next to the couch at my parents house & she let go & took one step toward me. I don't think I'll call it her first "official" step yet, but she's getting close. Courtney then got the walker & she pulled herself up & started walking (and falling & getting back up again) with it. She was getting tripped up in the feet of her pajamas. I think she will soon be walking!!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Father/Son Campout
Last night Cory & Carter went on their first Father/Son Camping trip. Our ward was going to Rancho Seco but they decided to go with Jeff & Drew & their ward. They ended up going to some property up Highway 50 near Placerville. They had a fun time & got really dirty. On the way home Carter got car sick & threw up when they got back to Jeff's house out in the street. It was a really windy road getting to their camp....next time we'll have to remember the Dramamine.
They want to start going camping once a month with Grandpa & other Uncles & cousins.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Kate's "Mt. Everest"
Kate conquered her "Mt. Everest" today....she made it to the top of the stairs all by herself.
When she started crawling up she didn't know I was behind her. I could hear her breathing get heavier & heavier as she made her way up. She was so excited & had a big grin on her face when she reached the top. When she stopped at the top I told her "no, no, no" and that made her smile even more. She was one proud baby!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Claire's Gymnastics Show
This morning Claire's gymnastic center had their spring show. It was a circus theme & turned out to be so cute. They let the parents come on to the floor so that we could be close by to see all their tricks & get better pictures. At the end each of the kids stood on the platform & received a ribbon. Kate enjoyed getting the chance to crawl around on the floor for a few minutes.
Claire is doing really well at gymnastics but she has been talking about taking ballet now so maybe in the fall we will switch classes.
Monday, May 9, 2011
All About Me
One of Carter's homework assignments this month was to complete an "All About Me" poster. He did a really good job on it. The hard part for me was letting him take over & do it by himself!
I printed some pictures for him to use on the poster & some of them he drew.
This is all about Carter:
I am 6 years old.
My favorite color is blue.
My favorite animal is a panda.
My favorite food is fruit.
He added a picture of himself & also of our family.
Grandma's is my favorite place.
When I grow up I want to be a police man.
My favorite thing to do is play Legos.
If I had one wish I would wish for a penguin.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Mothering
I was asked to speak in Relief Society today on Mothering. I've had a cough for a couple of days & my voice was almost gone, but I made it through my talk. I thought this was the best place to document it.
**********************************************************************************
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.
Abraham Lincoln
Six years ago I became a mother for the first time & I can still recall the feelings that surfaced the moment my son was placed in my arms. The love that I felt for this tiny soul is indescribable. I felt the same way when my 2 daughters were born as well.
Being a mother to a 6 year old, a 3 year old & a 7 month old is not easy. Most days are very challenging but it is such a rewarding experience.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated:
Mothers, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are, better than you are, and better than you have ever been. And if, for whatever reason, you are making this courageous effort alone, without your husband at your side, then our prayers will be all the greater for you. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you. We thank all of you, and tell you there is nothing more important in this world than participating so directly in the work and glory of God.
May I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.”
A few years ago my mom gave me a book titled: “Mothering With Spiritual Power.” By Debra Woods. In this book she shares her thoughts & reflections on some of her favorite mothering scriptures.
One chapter that hit home with me is titled: Calling our children to us one by one. In the chapter it referenced 3 Nephi 17:21 “And he took their little children, one by one, and he blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.”
While Jesus visited the Americas he paused in the midst of speaking to the multitudes to invite the children to come unto him, one by one, so he could bless them & pray for them. Try to envision what it must have been like for those children during Jesus’ visit & put yourself into the shoes of just one child & imagine being called forward to be in the presence of the Lord, one on one. You would no doubt have felt a deep sense of confirmation of your worth as a child of God.
If you shift perspectives & view Jesus’ visit with the children through the eyes of a parent watching closely nearby, you cannot help but desire that your own children have the opportunity to partake of such love. Although Jesus is not here in body to physically bless & pray for our children individually, he showed us the way during his time on earth to positively impact our children’s lives. Through his example, he invited each of us, as parents, to call our children to us one by one, to be a part of blessing them & praying unto the Father for them.
It is significant that the Lord called the children to him one by one. No one would have faulted him if he had called the children to him all together & blessed them as a group & then prayed for them as a whole. But the Lord, through his example, wanted us to know that nurturing our children collectively is not enough. Our children need us, perhaps now in this day & time as never before, to call them to us individually, to specifically focus on connecting with them, one on one, as we strive to meet their specific needs.
This is particularly hard for me to do with 3 little ones at home. Especially having a 7 month old I feel that most of my time is spent fulfilling her needs. But I know how important it is to give one on one time with each of my children. One of my favorite times of the day is bedtime, when I read with my six year old. He is so engrossed in his books & when he asks for “Just one more chapter….” I smile and we read another chapter, just the two of us. As a mother it makes me so happy to see my child enjoy reading as much as I do!!
Another scripture I appreciated in the book “Mothering With Spiritual Power” talks about Supporting Each Other As Mothers & is found in Mosiah 18:21. “And he commanded them…that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith & one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity & in love one towards another.”
The author goes on to talk about how impressed she was with a sister in her ward who tried her hardest to be a good mother to her 4 children. This sister did many things right in parenting her kids-from striving to hold family home evening each week to teaching her kids how to prepare wholesome & tasty meals on a budget. What was so intriguing about this mother is that she was striving to raise her children with far more love & care than she had ever experienced in her own childhood. This mother experienced emotional & physical abuse as a child. When asked where she learned to raise her children with so much love when she grew up with so little, she replied that she had learned it from the sisters in Relief Society. She shared some of the many ways her Relief Society sisters had helped her to overcome her upbringing to become the mother she wanted & needed to be to her children. She expressed appreciation for the sisters who had taught Relief Society lessons on family life. The comments the teachers & other sisters shared during the lessons had inspired her & given her powerful insights into raising her own children.
She talked about how the sisters in her ward had served her family by providing child care when needed or a meal when she was ill. She was so deeply affected by these sisters’ examples overall that she sought to raise her kids with the same Christ like spirit they had shared with her.
I have experienced this same kindness from friends in this ward many times. When I hurt my back a friend called & said she was coming to pick up my daughter so that I could rest. When our family was sick my visiting teacher brought meals to us. Watching these mothers serve our family has made me a better mother.
Four years ago I started writing a family blog. I write frequently about our daily lives. Having these memories helps me to relive & enjoy this special time that I have as a Mother to my 3 children. Each year I have my blog printed into a hard bound book so that we can enjoy them for years to come. I thought I would share a couple of the funny things from my blog that my children have said:
• While I was rushing to brush Carter’s teeth this morning before school he said “Colgate Total-fights germs for 12 hours!”
• After I handed Claire her cup of orange juice this morning she said “Thanks Alyson”.
• “Mom you don’t need a GPS you know just where to go!”
• Carter & Claire had been eating quite a few pieces of candy today so I told Carter that if he ate one more piece his teeth would fall out. Claire responded with “If my teeth fall out I will get new ones at Costco.”
**********************************************************************************
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.
Abraham Lincoln
Six years ago I became a mother for the first time & I can still recall the feelings that surfaced the moment my son was placed in my arms. The love that I felt for this tiny soul is indescribable. I felt the same way when my 2 daughters were born as well.
Being a mother to a 6 year old, a 3 year old & a 7 month old is not easy. Most days are very challenging but it is such a rewarding experience.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated:
Mothers, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are, better than you are, and better than you have ever been. And if, for whatever reason, you are making this courageous effort alone, without your husband at your side, then our prayers will be all the greater for you. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you. We thank all of you, and tell you there is nothing more important in this world than participating so directly in the work and glory of God.
May I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.”
A few years ago my mom gave me a book titled: “Mothering With Spiritual Power.” By Debra Woods. In this book she shares her thoughts & reflections on some of her favorite mothering scriptures.
One chapter that hit home with me is titled: Calling our children to us one by one. In the chapter it referenced 3 Nephi 17:21 “And he took their little children, one by one, and he blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.”
While Jesus visited the Americas he paused in the midst of speaking to the multitudes to invite the children to come unto him, one by one, so he could bless them & pray for them. Try to envision what it must have been like for those children during Jesus’ visit & put yourself into the shoes of just one child & imagine being called forward to be in the presence of the Lord, one on one. You would no doubt have felt a deep sense of confirmation of your worth as a child of God.
If you shift perspectives & view Jesus’ visit with the children through the eyes of a parent watching closely nearby, you cannot help but desire that your own children have the opportunity to partake of such love. Although Jesus is not here in body to physically bless & pray for our children individually, he showed us the way during his time on earth to positively impact our children’s lives. Through his example, he invited each of us, as parents, to call our children to us one by one, to be a part of blessing them & praying unto the Father for them.
It is significant that the Lord called the children to him one by one. No one would have faulted him if he had called the children to him all together & blessed them as a group & then prayed for them as a whole. But the Lord, through his example, wanted us to know that nurturing our children collectively is not enough. Our children need us, perhaps now in this day & time as never before, to call them to us individually, to specifically focus on connecting with them, one on one, as we strive to meet their specific needs.
This is particularly hard for me to do with 3 little ones at home. Especially having a 7 month old I feel that most of my time is spent fulfilling her needs. But I know how important it is to give one on one time with each of my children. One of my favorite times of the day is bedtime, when I read with my six year old. He is so engrossed in his books & when he asks for “Just one more chapter….” I smile and we read another chapter, just the two of us. As a mother it makes me so happy to see my child enjoy reading as much as I do!!
Another scripture I appreciated in the book “Mothering With Spiritual Power” talks about Supporting Each Other As Mothers & is found in Mosiah 18:21. “And he commanded them…that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith & one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity & in love one towards another.”
The author goes on to talk about how impressed she was with a sister in her ward who tried her hardest to be a good mother to her 4 children. This sister did many things right in parenting her kids-from striving to hold family home evening each week to teaching her kids how to prepare wholesome & tasty meals on a budget. What was so intriguing about this mother is that she was striving to raise her children with far more love & care than she had ever experienced in her own childhood. This mother experienced emotional & physical abuse as a child. When asked where she learned to raise her children with so much love when she grew up with so little, she replied that she had learned it from the sisters in Relief Society. She shared some of the many ways her Relief Society sisters had helped her to overcome her upbringing to become the mother she wanted & needed to be to her children. She expressed appreciation for the sisters who had taught Relief Society lessons on family life. The comments the teachers & other sisters shared during the lessons had inspired her & given her powerful insights into raising her own children.
She talked about how the sisters in her ward had served her family by providing child care when needed or a meal when she was ill. She was so deeply affected by these sisters’ examples overall that she sought to raise her kids with the same Christ like spirit they had shared with her.
I have experienced this same kindness from friends in this ward many times. When I hurt my back a friend called & said she was coming to pick up my daughter so that I could rest. When our family was sick my visiting teacher brought meals to us. Watching these mothers serve our family has made me a better mother.
Four years ago I started writing a family blog. I write frequently about our daily lives. Having these memories helps me to relive & enjoy this special time that I have as a Mother to my 3 children. Each year I have my blog printed into a hard bound book so that we can enjoy them for years to come. I thought I would share a couple of the funny things from my blog that my children have said:
• While I was rushing to brush Carter’s teeth this morning before school he said “Colgate Total-fights germs for 12 hours!”
• After I handed Claire her cup of orange juice this morning she said “Thanks Alyson”.
• “Mom you don’t need a GPS you know just where to go!”
• Carter & Claire had been eating quite a few pieces of candy today so I told Carter that if he ate one more piece his teeth would fall out. Claire responded with “If my teeth fall out I will get new ones at Costco.”
Saturday, May 7, 2011
End Of Season Team Party
This evening we went to Carter's end of season party for his t-ball team at Round Table pizza. We ate dinner & then Coach Tom passed out their trophies. Carter was thrilled to receive his trophy. It's a pretty cool one too. It's a baseball glove that holds his baseball. We had cake at the end. I'm so proud of Carter for trying something new & glad that he enjoyed playing on the Red Sox.
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