yumm cake!

so I went ahead and made an executive "Mom" decision. I decreed that I was NOT going to do two parties in one week. (especially when Jax is only turning one!) Between the holidays, my business and volunteering at Kayla's school... it was just not going to happen. So I decided that Jax could share in Jaden's birthday cake. (because the last thing I need is another 24 cupcakes in the house a week later!)

Jax trying to get the frosting off his hands

The end result... good thing I chose a yellow one!

Here is a video of him eating it... he was not so sure about the frosting... it was a THICK butter cream. When he couldn't lick it all off, he got frustrated and started to cry... Needless to say, he went from the highchair to the tub!!

Brian did manage convince me to not give Jax his presents til next week, on his real birthday...so this is not his official birthday post... I just couldn't wait to get this video on!

Happy Happy Birthday!

So Jadens 4th Birthday has come and gone... he was so excited about his big day. I kept hearing him in his room the night before, so I went in to see what was going on, and he told me "Mom, I am so excited for my birthday tomorrow, I can't stay asleep!" We opened presents in the morning early so Dad could be there, and we had great big cupcakes and did a party at school with his best friends Xavier and Emma... Even Mommy and Kayla got to go and have a giant cupcake too! Then we stayed to play at the preschool playground. On the way home, Jaden started telling me his "list" for his birthday, so I asked him "What about Christmas?" and he got frustrated with me and said "No, Mom... my birthday when I turn 5!" he is the sweetest little guy... I definitley don't deserve him!

Thanks to everyone who sent presents... he loved them all and it made his day very special!

This moms dream come true!

So last Sunday we had our ward primary program. As most of you know, this is usually not something that I look forward to. Some highlights of trying to get my kids to cooperate in a primary program include Mikayla crying and falling down on the floor (up on the stand!) and last mothers day she got so scared she actually knocked me down on my behind up in front of the whole ward! so NO, I don't usually look forward to when the Primary is "center stage". And this year was no different, except worse, because Brian had stayed home with a horrible cold, so it was me and THREE kids, and a program on the horizon! We got there late, so we were sitting in the cultural hall (never a good thing because the kids want to play on the stage!) but sitting next to us was Kayla's teacher so I asked him if he would mind taking Kayla and Jaden up when he goes up... So mid sacrament Jaden decides he REALLY needs to go potty. This of course prompts Kayla to decide SHE really needs to go too! well, I know that as soon as the sacrament is over, they need to head up to the front with their teacher, or I am going to have to drag them and Jax up to the front myself. So I tell them to just go right now... well, this starts a LOUD discussion about how they CAN'T go right now, cause they will miss the water! so as soon as they take the water, we up and run out... (YES all 4 of us!) and run to the bathroom. Naturally Kayla insists on going first, (so Jaden is in dire need!) but as soon as she sits down, her fear of public toilets sets in, and she says never mind... ANYWAY, we got back just in time for them to join the teachers on their trek up to the front to give their program.

Now I know this story is not fitting with the title of my post. So far, this is pretty much a typical Sacrament Meeting for us, except we are short one parent. The title comes in now, with how great my kids did in this program. I was amazed as I sat there watching them walk calmly and reverently up to the stand. I was in awe as I sat watching Kayla get up to sing with NO protest. She even got up to say her part (don't worry, it wasn't an actual miracle, she didn't actually SAY her part!) but she stood there and shook her head at her teacher... no screaming or falling on the floor. Just a slight shake of her head, and then she stood reverently waiting for her class to go sit down! Then the tears actually started to fall when Jaden got up to say his part, and he did SOO good!! His cute little voice just rang through the chapel "I can be a missionary" it was so cute! and yes... definitely this moms dream come true!

Halloween Night

We had such a fun Halloween!! Kayla was "Ariel" this year, Jaden was "Thomas the Train", and Jax was our "little pumpkin". First, we had our ward Trick or Treat, and Halloween Party. and man, was it alot of fun. In years past we have gone for the Primary portion and let the kids get their candy, and then we just go home. (that is due to the fact that Bri is usually working during the party!!) But this year, we decided to stay for the full party and get all the festivities in! and we were soo glad we did! They had a chili cook off, so we ate just about as much chili as we could.(you have to vote for the best one, so naturally you have to try them all!!) Our activities committee did a great job, they had a donut eating contests, bowling for ghosts, Halloween twister, a cake walk and of course a raffle with door prizes. As you know, Kayla and Jaden LOVE donuts, so they were all over that one. Kayla joined in about half way through, and still almost won! That's our little princess... snarfing down her donut as fast as she can! People thought it was funny when I told them that she didn't even know it was a contest, that is just how she eats donuts!! Jaden actually got in on the donut eating TWICE, I was so worried that he was going to be sick! We had a great time visiting with friends, eating, playing and just having a great time!!


1.Running for the car 2.Jax's tummy was so big, we couldn't get his seat belt on!! 3.Waiting for the go ahead to start the treating!




Then, on Halloween (the 31st) BOTH kids had Halloween parties at school, so this is how our day went...
12 noon: race to Kayla's school (with both boys in tow) to help her get her costume on.
12:30: at Kayla's school watching the Kindergarten and all FOUR 1st Grade classes do a parade around the halls in their costumes. It was very cute... SO MANY KIDS!! and they all looked great! I was happy to be there because I met about 10 other moms, and got some phone numbers so I can arrange some play dates for Mikayla. Woo Hoo!!

1:00: run out of Kayla's school, cause Jaden is late for preschool, rush across town (actually two towns) and drop Jaden off. A I am driving home, I get a phone call reminding me that I volunteered to help out at Kayla's Halloween part that afternoon!!

1:45: dump Jax in his crib, praying that Bri will be home from school soon to watch him, just in case he doesn't sleep. (Bri was at school having a meeting with his professor, and was unreachable!)

2:15: run back into Kayla's school (late of course!) and the party is already started... but that is a good thing because they asked me to be in charge of musical chairs... WAY FUN! since I am already pretty good friends with most of the kids, it was a lot of fun, and we were the noisiest center in the room!!
3:30: RUNNING out of Kayla's school and SPEEDING over to Provo to pick up Jaden at preschool (I am asking myself... why did I pick a school in Provo?!?) by the time we got there it was 3:45 (VERY late!)


OK, so by the time I got home I was about ready to drop! Did I mention all I'd eaten that day was a slice of cheese? I was wiped out!! but it was a fun day... I spent the rest of the time carving pumpkins. I was so excited for this little project, since I have never done it before... however due to unforeseen (but easily imagined) circumstances, I ended up carving three pumpkins all by myself. I am thinking if no one wants to do it, I may just buy one for myself next year, and the rest of them can go without!! no one was even excited about it... and I must say, my first attempt at carving was, um, interesting!!


So Happy Halloween to all, hope you had a spooky good night!! and LOTS of yummy candy!

P.S. some more pictures, mostly of Kayla's school parade etc... and ONE of Jaden and his infamous preschool teacher, Miss Corrinne in her costume. (her shoes were the best!)

*See the "little" girl at the top left of the class picture? that is Kayla's arch enemy Pomai... the genie in the pink is Thalia (who thinks and acts like I am her "other" mom.) Maxum is on the bottom left, when I met him I thought he was the quintessential bully, but is the sweetest boy! The cool dude up by Kayla is Miles... he gives her a hard time and tells her she wears boy clothes... (funny thing is , that day she WAS wearing a boy shirt... OOPS!) Too bad I didn't get a pic of Tyler, he is Kayla's favorite!! my camera conked out mid-party*