Happy Easter!!

A little late, but here is our Easter fun!

Started out with Coloring Easter Eggs...

We like to Color on our eggs first...

...and then Mom forgets to take a picture of the beautiful eggs...

Easter bunny ROCKED this year! Oh, he went all out with the egg hunt...out in the garden...

...running through the house...

...with great riddles to figure out to find the eggs and the baskets...

...good job Easter bunny, you may have to take over every year...

And of course, a little Easter Dress up!

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Cooper is Three!

FOR SALE:

One Little boy, who is mischievous, goofy and fun.

He loves pirates, and guns and swords and pretty much anything that involves him being a bad guy and chasing the good guy or vice versa.

Also known as Coops, Cooper-Man, Super Cooper, and Diablo Blanco (the White Devil).

Only three years old....This is how he looks in the packaging.

How can you resist that? I know you want to offer me a good deal.

Did I mention he's silly? Like, really silly. He knows when he's done something to make you laugh and he'll keep it up.

This is what he said the other day to his dad:

"Where's Hay-Hay?" (Hay-Hay is Hailey the dog)

Dad: "I don't know."

Coop: "Hay- Hay outside?"

Dad: "No, I think she's inside."

Coop: "Hay-Hay at table?"

Dad: "No, I don't think she's there."

Coop: "Hay-Hay up my butt?"

Then looks at Dad and proceeds to laugh like its the funniest thing in the world.

Yes, he is quite the comedian.

And he just tuned three. Yesterday.

It makes me so happy to see him grow and all the things he is learning and saying and doing...but it makes me kind of sad too, because three years ago today he looked like this:

Just tiny and small. He loved to be held and rocked to sleep. He sat still for more than 2 minutes and he wasn't nearly so loud.

And then a year later he looked like this. And he couldn't even walk. He would just smile and look cute. He didn't jump off my pictures or hit his sister and say:

"Well. Then leave alone me!"

Oh Cooper Man. What am I going to do? I love to see you learn and grow, but how I want to keep you little forever. You make me crazy and mad...but you also make me so happy to have you in our family. You are our comedic relief. You are persistant and determined, some may even call it stubborn, just like your Dad. You are my little man.

I love you, and I'm so very grateful you came to be with us.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Today I am feeling so very grateful for my little family. No reason in particular...just very grateful for my husband and my kids. Grateful that I get to be a a wife and mother and nurture my little family. And grateful for the opportunities that have come our way, and grateful for the little 'beauties' that you would never think of when you think of Bakersfield...

Like the Almond orchards...

I mean, come on! How much fun is it to take these pictures of my family in rows upon rows of blooming trees!

Granted, the subjects are exceptionally cute...

Even a little mischievous...

But how can you not take great pictures of cute subjects in a beautiful location...

I love my boys...all three of them. They give the hormonal female thing balance. And they make me laugh and they all give the best hugs...

I love my girl...she gives the boy/rough/rowdiness balance. I love how she can keep up with the boys, but she would like to do it with her nails painted and wearing a necklace please and thank you.

Oh! I am so very grateful for these blessings in my life! Today is definitely one of those days when I have forgotten the craziness, snotty, fighting, and selective listening. Today my family seems perfect to me. My kids are well behaved and loving to each other. Today is a GREAT day to be a mom!

Today I remember all the good things about my life. The funny things they say. The hugs in the morning. The kisses at night. I remember why I wanted to do this for so long. To just be a Mom and enjoy my family.

Yes...today is a Great day!

I will be forever grateful to be blessed with these children. And this man as my husband. I am so thankful for how much he loves me and my children. And how he works so hard so I CAN stay at home. How much he makes me laugh and helps me remember the good times during the craziness.

Today is a GREAT day.

I'm hoping it continues into tomorrow....

Wordful Wednesday...Myths about Women...

MYTHS ABOUT WOMEN

Be Superwoman - Do it ALL Women Cannot be Scriptorians

Be SOMEONE - Work in a Career

To be Beautiful you must be - skinny, pretty, fashionable

Being a Homemaker is drudgery Women are not equal to men

Children are Oppressive - Limit how many you have

This is the assignment from Chocolate on My Cranium . Its a big topic. A deep topic...

I actually had to give a talk in church a couple of weeks ago about this...well not quite this topic, but about 'Fulfilling our Callings'. At first, I studied about fulfilling our church callings and how we can fulfill them, how we can best serve the Lord through our callings at church. Then as I read I read this quote:

Brethren, when we stand before the Lord to be judged, will He look upon the positions we have held in the world or even in the Church? Do you suppose that titles we have had other than “husband,” “father,” or “priesthood holder” will mean much to Him? Do you think He will care how packed our schedule was or how many important meetings we attended? Do you suppose that our success in filling our days with appointments will serve as an excuse for failure to spend time with our wife and family?

It comes from the talk 'Lift Where you Stand' by President Uchtdorf. It was actually given at a Priesthood session. But as I read it through a couple of times I thought, "You could 'liken' this to everyone, you know." You caould add "wife", "mother", or "valiant young women". So I did, and as I thought about it, I really thought about my role as a wife and mother and how important it is, not only to my family, but the Lord as well.

Not everyone has the opportunity to be a Stay at Home Mom. But I do. Its one reason we moved away, where my husband could work full time, so that I could have that chance. At first, it was tough. I had previously been working at 2 jobs. At one, I taught dance, and I was constantly under alot of stress with parents, performances, and competitions. But I was also receiving ALOT of praise. From children, parents and spectators. It really boosts that ego over and over to hear how wonderful the dance was. How beautiful your group is and so on....

Maybe I let it get to my head a little....

Because then I became a Stay at Home Mom. At first I thought it would be easy. I mean, I wasn't 'working' was I ?! I only had two little ones and a small apartment to take care of, how hard could that be? But there is no glory in sparkling toilets and making Peanut Butter sandwiches. No praise in changing diapers and scrubbing floors. At least not in the eyes of the World.

In the eyes of my children, I think I am doing a pretty good job. There are times when I wonder what exactly I am doing. Moments when I want to scream into a pillow for hours straight. And even days when I am mad at my children and hide in my room. (shhh! don't tell!) At least they say "Thank you for dinner Mom!" "Thanks for taking us there Mom!" and my favorite, "I love you Mom!"

So I have learned over the last 5 years that its ok that I'm "Just a Mom". I am doing what I need to do for my family. I am providing for my family in a way that the Lord knows only a Mother can. I am nurturing, teaching, and loving my family the best I can.

They still want to keep me around.

They haven't fired me yet.

A little Hike through Nature...

We have some really great friends in our little Silver Creek Ward. We have been very blessed. And one family, the Turner's, organized a nice little family hike up to see the wild flowers...only one problem. with it being a little cool the last couple of weeks of February, they weren't quite out. But we still had fun. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and we had the opportunity to bask in the glory of nature. Nice to see a little beauty at the edge of a smog choked valley...

The one who stands alone...

Trying to pile ALL the kids on the rock.

8 adults + 13 kids (ages 9 to less than a year) + glorious day = 5 happy families!

A little picnic after our hike. Food is always the best part, right?!

Here's Cooper 'fishing'. He would hold his little stick out over the creek and the 'wind' his little hand around and around and then pull up his fish! I love little imaginations...

A little tree climbing after lunch...

Unfortunately, Dustin had to work, but me and my kiddos had alot of fun anyways.

I am so grateful for good friends. They have been a saving grace for me in particular, because I DON'T have family around. I used to rely on family for everything. And moving away, I have learned that GREAT friends can be a close second to family. We have our family, our relations....and we have our Bakersfield family. I'm going to miss them...