Utah Post # 3: Thais's Birthday and Easter

We have a birthday tradition to have our kids wake up to balloons in the morning. One year we filled Thais's entire room, but this year we made a balloon bouquet at the end of her bed.

Nana made Thais her first traditional Monson "Money Cake!" It is angel food cake smothered in chocolate pudding, and inside are quarters wrapped in tin foil. Cake+Money=Awesome!

Ya-hoo for birthday presents!!!

I thought this was so sweet, Jordan's 96 year old Grandma said that she had a present for Thais and she reached in her pocket and gave Thais a dollar!

As for the Easter festivities, here are Thais and Rylynn dying Easter Eggs (got to love the dress-ups!) Nana had so many fun activities planned for the kids... and the adults. We dyed eggs, we had an egg rolling contest, we had a 'most beautiful egg' contest, and my personal fav was the Adult Easter Egg Hunt. We were all given a basket and a color and the first team to find all of their colored eggs in order won $30. Oh man, it's fun to see a bunch of adults more excited to find Easter eggs than the kids. Jordan and I were on a mission I tell you, and now we are $30 richer! Thanks Nana! It was really fun!

All of the cousins finding their Easter Eggs! Not the best picture, the sun was blaring in their faces.

Oh Easter Candy, how we love thee!

How good is Skyler's shirt! He loved his Easter Candy!

How cute is this Birthday Girl!

Just a quick family shot..

I love this picture! It was conference that day as well, so there was a lot of down time to cuddle with Nana!

Another Thais-ism

I really should be packing but I had to tell this story quickly:

So, today I asked Thais to clean up her play-room, and although I tell her one job to do at a time, like 'first pick up the blocks and then I will come check'...she finds this job ridiculously overwhelming. Finally after a few attempts she came in my room exasperated and our conversation played out like this:

Thais: Mama please come help me!

Me: No Thais, I told you exactly what to do and you are a big girl and can do it!

Thais: Please Mom! Do you remember Mary Poppins? She always helped out the kids!

Oh man! I laughed for a good ten minutes over that one! I didn't even realize she had ever seen Mary Poppins! She has a good point though, so I guess I am off to the play room, I will throw my hair up in a bun and maybe as I snap my fingers my little Thaisy will magically find picking up the playroom an incredibly fun game! Here's Hoping :O)

Next Utah Highlight

The Cousins!!!!! Rachel and Garrett surprised us and drove 15 hours to St. George, to celebrate birthdays and Easter with everyone. I love watching the cousins interact and play. One of my favorite memories was Thais and Rylynn laughing and dancing around Nana and Papa's pool singing, "When I grow up I want to be a mother!" These two already have the makings to be great little mamas (as Skyler and Carter can probably attest to!)



Here are all of the kiddies together. That's a cute bunch I tell ya!

Our Utah Trip Part 1

There are so many things to write about and pictures to show about our Utah trip, so I thought I would do several posts rather than one, never-ending post, trying to capture it all.

This post shows one of the highlights of the trip, which was to spend a week with my grandparents. I have been feeling for quite some time now that I needed to go out and see them. They have hardly ever seen my children, and it had been a LONG time since I had spent some quality time with them. It was wonderful. My Grandma is one of those people that just radiates love, and unintentionally gives you a self-esteem boost when you are around her because she just loves you so darn much! We had so much fun chatting at night, she is really easy to talk to and has a really cute sense of humor. I had forgotten really poignant details of her life; like the fact that her dad was killed when she was only five years old. It was really special to hear first hand, what her life was like being raised by a single mother and the experiences that have molded her into what she is today. She was a great mother. She has such a profound and wise view on raising children..you just love them. She did such a good job loving my babies while I was there. Even Skyler who is a bit wary of being separated from his mama, was willing to let Grandma cuddle with him a time or two. I never felt in the way, or a burden...it's the constant feeling like there is nothing in the world she would rather be doing than be in your presence.

Thais loved her Great Grandma too. One day at a meal our conversation played out like this:

Thais: Thank you Grandma for making this for me.
Danielle: I know, isn't Grandma wonderful?
Thais: Oh yeah! She's Awesome!

You are Awesome Grandma!

There were so many highlights being around this great man as well. The first thing that struck me was how much life has slowed down. Although my Grandpa has been retired for quite some time, he has never been one to sit still. He likes projects, and visiting family, and being active in the church and community...but life has kind of made him change that a bit. Still, it was wonderful to spend time with him and there so many glimpses of the old Grandpa that I remember.

One highlight was to watch him play with Thais. He would pin her down and before she could escape she would have to say, "I love you dear, sweet loving grand-dad" or something to that effect. I totally remember that as kid. Or the whisker rubs were another thing he did to lovingly torture us and Thais got to feel the love! My Grandpa genuinely loves to play, and Thais had a lot of fun playing with Great Grand dad!

I got to witness first hand this man's unwavering faith. Like when he had a really bad, sleepless night that left him to weak to move. After receiving a blessing from my Dad and brothers he told my Grandma, "Margret I know I will have the strength to go to all the family activities today; my Grandson gave me a blessing!" He did, he had to be in a wheel-chair because he was too weak to walk, but he was able to go.

I am so glad I got to spend time with these amazing people!

My Girl Is 4

I think one of the highlights of Thais's birthday is when she approached me and said,

"So mom, I am four years old now...does that make you a little sad?"

She knows me too well! I am only a little sad though, because the highlight of my life has been watching her grow and change into a little girl with the biggest spirit I have ever seen!

I just love you Thais!

My little story in The New Era

About a year or so ago, I submitted a story to be published by The New Era. I found out that it was published in this month's edition...

So, if you are really bored one day and want to check it out, here is the link

I Want One Of These!

I am craving a newborn so bad I can hardly stand it! I know not everyone is a fan of the newborn stage, but I adore it! I love how tiny they are, I love their soft skin, I love having one in my arms, and I love how with newborns I feel closer to heaven because with them the veil is so thin. Looking at this picture makes me want to cry because I feel like that baby is gone forever and I want her back in my arms! Not that I would EVER trade having my almost four year old girl, but like I said, I adore the baby stage and with my kids it just doesn't seem to last long enough!

I know there is a cure to this baby craving of mine, but there is only one problem: These sweet little babies grow. They ransack my makeup and spread blush all over the bathroom tile. They talk back, and point out that I don't handle their talking back very well. They beg for cereal and "babas" before 6 am every morning. They start walking at 10 months at which point they instantly and inconveniently declare their freedom (sacrament meeting is the worst for this). There is potty training to consider, teething, late nights and last but not least...the dreaded 60 lbs I seem to gain with each pregnancy.

And yet...at the end of the day, I have stars in my eyes when I think about how much I love my children. They are undoubtedly two of the coolest people I have ever met and I love discovering who they are and the many intricacies of their personalities. I love, love being a mom!

But will I love being a mother of THREE? I'm not going to lie I'm kind of scared!