Playing Together

(Mar. 4, 2013)

This was the first time they "played" together for longer than a second or two. They were rolling to their sides to look at each other, and then they would smile at each other. It was really cute. They were 7 months old in these pictures.

Griffin & Oliver

big smiles for Mommy

Jumpin' Jacks

(Feb. 26, 2013)

I took Lincoln and Parker to Jumping Jacks (an indoor warehouse filled with bounce houses) and Lincoln was finally able to climb up everything by himself. It definitely wore him out, though! Parker, on the other hand, was not too impressed, but rather weary of an unstable ground. He liked it when I held him and we bounced or went down the slides, but other than that... everything was "too bouncy" - in his words!

Parker... always right by my side

Lincoln... always on to the next bounce house

This bounce house had a basketball hoop... Lincoln needs to work on his form. We'll give it a few years.

Happy Birthday, Parker! (& Welcome, Baby Cora!)

(Feb. 23, 2013)

We celebrated Parker's 2nd birthday by having family & friends over for pizza and cake. Parker loves Finding Nemo lately, so I made a Nemo cake for him.

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I'm having issues with blogspot... so I'm not sure if the video will work, but it's just Parker blowing out his birthday candle after we sing to him.

Kurt and Ashley couldn't make it... because they were in the hospital welcoming their new baby, Cora! Parker gets to share his birthday with his cousin. :)

Cora Anne

Happy Valentine's Day! + Newspaper Feature

(Feb. 14, 2013)

A little late? Whoops. We made Valentine's for family and friends this February. I even let Lincoln and Parker use the stamps to stamp out the names (under very close supervision). Mostly they just wanted to take the stickers and keep them for themselves (Lincoln, anyway..).

(I didn't make these - I just inserted their names.)

A friend in the ward, Lisa, found out we were doing this and since she writes for the local paper, The Spectrum, she asked if she could write a story on us. Sure! Why not?

Lisa Larson from The Spectrum, Feb. 14, 2013

Awesome, right? If you didn't notice (or couldn't read it..), she didn't mention Oliver, who was sleeping. Oh well. She probably didn't want readers to feel overwhelmed (or sorry for me!).

Drive to Pine Valley for the SNOW!

(Feb. 21, 2013)

I had promised Lincoln that I would take him to see the snow next time it snowed... back in December! So when it snowed on February 20th up in Pine Valley, we packed up and played in the snow for a couple hours. Pine Valley is about an hour away, and so we brought lunch with us. It wasn't nice packing snow since it was from the day before, but Lincoln had a great time playing in it. He came in the van once to warm up because he got snow on his bare hands. Parker loved it until his hands got too cold. After that, he spent the rest of the time in the van with the babies (also where I was most of the time!). I got them warm coats earlier in the season, but not very good gloves (um... we don't need them here!). So they did have gloves, but they weren't used to wearing them. After Lincoln got the hang of wearing them, he wanted to stay and play all day.

Parker in the snow

Lincoln scooping the snow

Lincoln taking a break for a smile for the camera

Lunch time for the babies (Oliver, left & Griffin, right)

Parker & Mommy hanging out in the backseat

Griffin

Oliver

Oliver (left) & Griffin (right)

Next time we need to go with freshly fallen snow, when there is a lot of it, and bring our sleds! Lincoln was pretty disappointed I forgot the sleds... but all the hilly roads in Pine Valley were bare anyway.

Tote Swimming

(2-20-13)

After the gym one day (where they let me drop off all 4 children and I have up to 1.5 hours kid-free!) we were planning on just going home like usual, but I had a thought to go visit Ashley. She works from home, so I figured it would just be a quick visit, especially since Ashley was 9 months pregnant (she had Cora 3 days later - Parker's birthday!).

It had been raining the few days before, so Ashley's unfinished backyard was very muddy. Ashley made us all waffles for lunch and before long all the kids were outside. I was about to stop them from getting muddy, but I thought, "What's the point of being a kid if you can't even get muddy?" So all 4 (Lincoln, Parker, Amelia, & Jet) of the kids got busy hauling mud into a big puddle, mud up to their knees and higher.

Ashley had done this before, so she got a tote from the garage and filled it up outside with warm water (an outside faucet with hot water? brilliant!). We stripped them down to their diapers and let them take a "mud bath" as Lincoln calls it. (Jet wanted nothing to do with it so that's why he's not in the pictures.)

Parker and Amelia

Parker, Amelia & Lincoln

I could not get them to look at me all at once!

Since Lincoln was taking a "bath," he needed bath toys. Ashley or I got a couple toys and added them to the fun. As soon as we walked away, Amelia had thrown them out of the tote. She thought that her two cousins and a tote full of warm water was more than enough fun! Lincoln was dramatic and wanted the toys back in... then Parker wanted out...

What was supposed to be a quick visit turned into a couple hours and lunch! I helped clean up and then we promptly left. I am so grateful I listened to that thought of visiting Ashley that day. We had a good visit with her and her kids.

Cute Babies

(1-23-13)

Behind again. I guess I'm not surprised... but you should be. Everyone always says I seem so put together. Like I'm not even phased by this... twins business. I must subconsciously put up a front. Not that I'm a total mess or anything. Because I'm not. I'm just blogging right now instead of getting something ready for dinner (and it's 5pm with a less-than-full fridge).

These were taken 2 weeks shy of the babies being 6 months old (3 months, developmentally).

Oliver (tongue out) & Griffin

Griffin (carbon footprint) & Oliver (home grown)

Amelia Marie

 My wonderful, sweet little niece, Amelia, passed away yesterday from a drowning accident last Wednesday. How my heart aches for her parents; my testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ has been strengthened by them and all that has happened. My two little boys were swimming with her at the time. Her last playtime was shared with them. Thank you for your sweet spirit, Amelia, and for your friendship with your cousins. We will miss you so much.

saying goodbye at Primary Children's

helping Mom & Dad cut down the Christmas tree

with Lincoln

with Lincoln (middle) & Flora May (right, front)

at Lincoln's b-day party (white t-shirt crawling)

 Easter egg hunt with Lincoln & Parker

outdoor tote bath with Lincoln & Parker about 3 weeks ago

I started writing this the day after the accident. I finished it shortly before she passed.

Amelia Marie

Such a sweet, daring girl
Full of energy and wit
Whether playing in the mud
Or climbing in bed with Jet.

Her face full of expressions
Best of all, her smile,
And her rosy pink cheeks
After she's been outside awhile.

Sharing snacks with her cousins
She climbs up so high -
Also Daddy's little helper
With the Christmas lights!

Reading books with Mommy
Little fingers turn pages with care.
Watching elk shows with Daddy;
Sitting still is so rare!

Jumping on the tramp
And riding her bike.
She loves moving her body -
An active little tike! 

Mud up to her elbows
On a cold winter day.
Mommy fills up a tote -
A warm "bath" in which to play.

Adventures like camping,
Backpacking with Mom and Dad,
Exploring, and digging in dirt,
Riding ATVs out back.

She loves Marty, the zebra,
And her stuffed panda bear.
Duct tape those diapers
Or disasters, beware!

Golden brown curls
That hang down her back,
Sparkling hazel blue eyes -
Beauty, she does not lack.

Our sweet angel, Amelia,
We'll hold you close in our hearts.
You've brought us close to the Lord;
From this earth, you'll soon depart.

However sad
We may seem at this time -
Peace fills our souls
And anticipation climbs.

For we know it is true -
Christ provided a way
Through His sacrifice, the Atonement;
We will see you again, one day.

We love you, Amelia!