Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday! She has always been such a wonderful mentor in my life, and always has had a beautiful soul (and face!). She has always took time for each of her 4 kids to make sure that we are on the right paths in our lives, but not enough to interfere, just to let us know her thoughts and worries to take to heart. Religion has always been strong in our house. Despite the hardships i gave her throughout highschool, she believed in me, and continued to point me in the right direction, even though i tried to force the other way. My mother moved out to Wyoming with my dad when my older sister and brother were real young. Despite her not wanting to come, she chose her new family, and raising them together, alone, with no help from extended family members. Although Wyoming has never been the place she has loved, all of us children had a perfect childhood, no worries of crime, we could stay out late in our neighborhood, always within range of my dad's whistle. I hope she has grown to love this state and understand that by raising us here, we got the opportunity to enjoy our childhood to it's fullest, and not forced to grow up as quickly as many children in bigger cities, and less rural places do. We got to appreciate the country and great outdoors, with no complaints about not having cable tv (we had family movie nights instead!) Our family has always been strong and remain close.
I will always remember my mom for her "tuna surprises", the mornings getting ready to for school and Tupperware being thrown all over the kitchen, family feature films, hours of dangling my hair(ending up having to cut it), and the game nights. I told Kendall the other day, that one reason i do not want to have full-time day care is because i now understand why my mom chose not to. I want to be able to raise my children, punish them, and teach them under my own beliefs and not those instilled by day care providers. The first 7 years in a child's life is the most influential, i want to be that influence. I remember when i was too young to be in kindergarten or preschool full time, the days my mom would come wake me up and simply ask "Cindy, what would you like to do today?" Special! My mother took time to teach me to read, and i feel that i had an opportunity to learn at better level, it is proven that phonics is the best way in learning to read, and school districts at the time did not teach this. Even though i threw many books across the room, cried and carried on, she still kept teaching me.
So with this, Thank you mom for all that you have taught me! I hope you have a WONDERFUL Birthday, we are thinking of you!

Another Busy Week

The morning before we left to go to Nebraska to spend time with Kendall's family, and redo his mother's bathroom, Layla and Aidan begged to take a "bath". Bath meaning they LOVE their swimming pool and call it a bath. How could i say no to two little tots begging to go take a bath in their swimming pool? So we did...we even had the neighbor cat come visit, in which Layla followed around and played with until he left. She adores cats.
We left to Nebraska on Wednesday, and apparently while we were gone on Thursday our good ol town in the middle of mountains Wyoming got hit by a few tornadoes...pretty crazy, it was the lingering tornado from the Windsor Colorado, but was much much weaker, and along with wind only cause minor wreckage such as ripped out trees, missing traffic lights, missing roofs, missing fences...things like that. Some flash flooding, and 30+ electric poles down, causing a power outage for much of the town until past 10. ANYWHO, back in Nebraska we were unaffected, and knowing that family and friends were ok, we continued to enjoy the time there. This picture is of Aidan with the yard stick he found (he kept wandering into the bathroom construction, trying so hard to "help" and be with his dad.), he is obviously showing his Aunt Amy something pretty interesting.
Since the only bathroom with a tub was out of commission, the kids got to take baths one at a time in the sink. Aidan loved it and cried when Grandma Gail took him out, whereas Layla hated the idea of being bathed in the sink and cried the whole time (she also would not sit down). I love this picture, Aidan looking up into his Grandma Gail's face as she washes him. Very cute.
Trying to keep the kids occupied we let them play with a lot of different things in order to keep them out of the bathroom when we were tiling. Layla was helpful in trying to sweep up the kitchen. At one point when Kendall and i were alone tiling, the kids became really quiet...i first thought "oh yes they are being good" then it dawned on me, they are quiet because they are doing something they know we would not approve of........I go sprinting out of the bathroom to find the kids sitting in the corner eating out of a bowl of jelly. The jelly was gone, what was left was all over Layla, including in her hair, she was eating it with her hands...Aidan however was clean as could be and was eating with a spoon...Silly kids.
Kendall mudding the drywall, you can see the finished product of the tile in the shower, minus the grout. Kendall and I were the only two that had previously done tile so that is why i came along to help out:) After the tile was done, i left early Saturday morning to head home to a wedding i had up at Veaduawoo. Kendall stayed with the kids, he was an usher for a childhood friend's wedding. He is on his way home now and i cannot wait till they get home! Even though it was nice to have a day to myself and be able to go and do whatever without worry of packing up kids, i still missed them all sooo much...I only managed to get 2 more boxes packed to move, but i did pick up another 5 which will give me something to do tomorrow.
Even though the weather had cleared back in Wyoming, it still was partly cloudy, and chilly wind up there. Here is Layla and Aidan's good pup friend Macy, who was the ring bearer in the wedding. I think they are really going to miss her, since Megan in moving to Washington with her husband on Wednesday.
And here is the best part, it actually started to snow, even with the sunniness! We all love the snow so it was pretty cool, it only lasted a few minutes but hey, still neat. I really wish the kids could have come, they adore Megan, but i am sure with the chilly wind they would have not had the best time. I sure did though, since it was cold though we did not end up camping, but had an after party here in town to celebrate the two. :)

It has been in the 70's here, and we have been enjoying every ray of sunlight as we can! So yesterday morning i broke out the pool, or "bath" as the kids have been repeatedly saying. There is a little hole in one piece of it, in which i blame on the roofers from last summer since it was covered in roofing materials.Here is Ms. Layla kissing the giraffe in the pool. It took them about 15 minutes splashing around before they sat down, it was a little chilly, even after the 20 trips of hot water i brought out.
Aidan is imitating a snake here, he is hissing...i just thought the face was priceless! Along with the extra big swim trunks he is wearing!
Pooping in the pool, yes she has a diaper on. She was just sitting like a little frog for about 5 minutes, so i finally asked her if she was going potty...i got a "yes..." reply. I then proceeded to ask if she wanted to go inside and use the potty, i was cut short with a "NO!!"
Taking some time for a sibling hug. The kids are really into hugging, blowing kisses, and high fives. Every night before bed, whoever is in the room when they are done with their milk, they are asked to hug or kiss. Very sweet. One night there was nobody home but me, So when Aidan was done, he looked around confused on who to hug, he then proceeded to give Layla a big hug and headed to bed...awww~
Layla wearing her pablo towel. When we were in kmart the other afternoon, i was picking out a swim suit for her and beach towels, she kept pointing at another rack of towels yelling "pabo!" i finally figured out it was Pablo, a character from the Backyardigans...lately she has been spitting out the names of all the little cartoons she watches...i didn't even know she paid attention to that! In the end i bought her that towel, and Aidan picked out a Diego towel for himself.

Even though swimming was a lot of fun, i really have been wanting to go up to Veaduawoo since the weather has been warming up. Kendall decided that was a good idea too, and even though we both are still recovering from lack of sleep this past weekend, we decided a hike wouldn't be too bad. I love this picture, of Layla holding her Daddy's hand as they walk down the trail, she is such a daddy's girl sometimes...when he leaves in the morning she will run over to him with her lips puckered out for a kiss. Very sweet.
Layla and Aidan fasinated by the tree Kendall was shaking, so Layla decided to give it a shake too. They had a lot of fun, even though they get distracted EASILY, i am glad that they love being outdoors!
I was trying to get the kids attention, calling them off the trail to come look at the tree growing out of a rock...They didn't really care about that, they just wanted to climb the rocks. :)
Kendall held my hand as we were walking down the trail together, every few seconds we would glance back and call to the kids to get them on the trail if they were starting to wander. However, this time we looked back to see them giggling and holding hands too. It was so sweet i could not stop smiling at them.

Kick Off to Summer Weddings

This past weekend, a long awaited for wedding took place between two of our best friends. Gary and Nikki have supported us and been there 100% for Kendall, Layla, Aidan, and I, and being able to share such a wonderful time in their lives was amazing. The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and went smoothly, the weather could not have been any more perfect at 70 degrees!
Here is the exchanging of vows...Isn't she gorgeous? :) It was great to be able to support them at this time, it took for a long weekend of cleaning, and setting up but WELL worth it!
Here is our little ring bearer Aidan, who somehow lost his pillow? It is fine, he walked down with no tears and proudly held his daddy's hand. Kendall was one of the Best Men in the wedding, and he is walking here with a friend and Matron of Honor, Shebli.
I was also honored to be able to be a bridesmaid, being able to stand up there giving full support. Layla was the flower girl, and Gary's mom made some beautiful dresses for the wedding party! It was fun being able to match my baby girl! We are being escorted by Paul, a good friend of the family. Layla was ready to go as soon as she got her basket, we actually had to start walking a bit early to avoid a meltdown because she was that excited...
The beautiful bride and me :) i snagged this picture before too many of the nights events got rolling, things would get too distracted, i was right too. I somehow missed the bouquet tossing completely (think i was out playing with the cigar i got for the dollar dance), and Kendall did not catch the guarder, so friends and family...no wedding for us yet!
Here are some of the handsome groomsmen stopping to pose for the camera. This was during the dollar dance, noticing the bag of cigars and the wad of money. I wish Layla and Aidan could have made it to the dance, but they were exhausted and their Aunt Gina and Uncle Geoff took them home for a sleepover (It was wonderful of them to do that! We were VERY thankful for them!)

Ucky pt 2

Wednesday after noon Layla seemed recovered just exhausted, and i could tell her little body ached. Unfortunately it wasn't over for me, Thursday morning Aidan was screaming from his crib, i just thought he wanted to get up pretty badly, so i picked him up and oh man, he really was feeling sick, and now the evidence was all over me. Poor little thing. He had a horrible day, and his throwing up lasted a lot longer than Layla's. He threw up one more time this morning, but i think that was because he hadn't eaten for a day and a half, so the applesauce i gave him didn't settle. I hope. This picture you can see how tired, and sad they are sitting on their sick place (towels).
Since this flu has hit our house, i decided to try and have the kids get most of it into a little bucket, can't hurt. Layla hated it but Aidan is up for it if i hold it of course, but still we went through almost every towel in the house (including Gary and Nikki's). It got to the point where Kendall had to run home on his lunch break, bring a load of towels, clothes, blankets, sheets, and rugs to the laundry mat on his lunch hour, and then i dried it here since our dryer is fine. Nikki then watched the kids so i could run errands and get more diapers (the other half of the flu fills the diapers) and get more applesauce, bananas, and a haircut for the wedding. This picture is of Aidan cuddling his blanket while holding his puke bucket...they are napping right now, i have been giving them 2 naps since they have been sick, they are just so tired, and the way i see it, sleep ALWAYS helps me feel better. Hope they can make it to the rehearsal dinner tonight, they are the star flower girl and ring bearer!

Ucky

230-3am I woke up to Layla coughing and what sounded like her gagging. I ran in there and she was sitting, upset, and half asleep. When i went to lay her back down i felt wetness on her blankets and realized she had thrown up. This was the beginning of a long morning, she continued to be sick, and it seemed to be the french fries the night before that had upset her. She laid in bed with me for a couple hours, but i eventually felt she would sleep if i put her back in her crib....I also woke up Nikki (sorry!) for more towels since we are washerless, and can't wash the ucky ones right away. Poor little girl, she is still pretty tired, so i am keeping an eye on her...Aidan seems fine and unaffected. Maybe she is just missing her daddy who will be home in a coupe of hours!! yay!

Happy Birthday Karen!

For Karen's birthday, Zach had planned a dinner at Applebees with two friends of theirs and Layla, Aidan, and I. It was a nice dinner, Aidan only got antsy at the end. Afterward the kids and i headed to Karen and Zach's for cake and present opening..As you can see Layla was trying her best to help her Aunt Karen open her presents. All day long after we saw Zach (dropped off cake stuff) Layla kept repeating "Gack? Gack????" Cute.
I love this picture! This was us eating cake, we must not be too big of pigs because there is no cake remnants on our faces!! I hope Karen had a GREAT birthday!!!!
Aidan trying to run off with his Aunt Karen and Uncle Zach's piggy bank savings! hehe. They had a lot of fun at Karen and Zach's they have a lot of stuffed animals for the kids to pull of the shelves and run circles around through the kitchen, living room, dinning room...that is until they collided and both were left with a little bump on the forehead.

WHOO HOO!

This weekend was a wonderful one. My family all came down to see me graduate...graduate with a Bachelors of Art in Psychology. Whoohoo, i was way excited and REALLY over welmed the day before from everything going on and finals. It was great to have such amazing support, my parents came, my sisters, brothers in law, my niece, and Kendall's mom all attended the 3 hour long long long ceremony to see me walk! It worked out well too since Kendall's brother in law is a Psych Grad and we could walk by each other, easy for family pictures. :) Thankyou everybody for the support and love you have given me! Here are a few of the 100+ pictures from 4 cameras i downloaded from (still a few on Karen's i missed).
A very special hug from my daddy after i walked off the stage! I admit, i was starting to tear up a bit! Happy tears!
A hug from my mother right after i got my diploma case. I am so glad she came to the floor with my dad to give me a hug, that was REAL special!! Even if it did almost squeeze the pee out of me! ;)
Hello! Here i am standing amongst the many other A&S graduates in our uniform look. I would glance up probably every 5 minutes to check on my family and see how they were...Layla and Aidan were always there too, i was glad they lasted through it! Very special to have them there!
Layla wanted to sit up by Grandpa for a bit i heard, and she enjoyed copying Adrianna. I was amazed and VERY proud that Layla and Aidan lasted the 3 hours on their best behavior, i couldn't ask for better kids! It was like they knew how important the event was! It was nice to have a whole crew of people to pass the kids around to so they had new faces to see and occupy them.
Family picture! This was right after i graduated in the stands, Aidan wouldn't look at the camera but this is the only picture of the four of us together that we got. So ill take it!! Kendall, Layla, and Aidan really put the drive in me to graduate on time...
Nikki and me looking beautiful in our gowns! Lucky her had a graduation ceremony lasting an hour and a half, nothing compared to mine haha. I am glad we got to share this day together though!
Love my sisters!! I am so glad that they could make it, and heck, just playing mario cart most the weekend was a lot of fun :) I graduated on Brian's birthday and i really wish he could have made it, however, i am just SO thankful he made it back from the middle east to the states safe and sound and soon we can go visit him!
My parents! I could not have gotten this far without their love and support! :) it was a great day, and it even ended with getting my mom to play the wii, she NEVER plays video games! Whoohoo! :)
Kendall and me, he has been such a GREAT influence and role model for me. His hard work and support has helped me so much through so many over welming times. I get frustrated and worry very easily and he always brought me back to rational thinking, believing in me. I couldn't be more thankful for the wonderful family that shared this day with me! :)

ps. sorry for such a sappy post today, but i am WAY excited and WAY thankful for the love i have around me!!!!

The Best Procrastination

This week has brought gorgeous weather, bad timing in the sense of finals since i have been putting of studying and cramming to take Layla and Aidan outside to have as much fun as they can in the sun. They enjoy our walks just as much as i do, and i would hate for them to be cooped up inside all day, even though today we haven't really gone out since i am getting school priorities in place, and tomorrow i have to cram for my last final that is at 3:30, then pick up my cap and gown (YAY!) and sell back a few books for a small amount of cash which is maybe a quarter of what i paid in January for the books. Of course, i will probably take the kids with me for all my errands, minus the final in which Emily is going to hang with them (thankyou!).

Monday we headed on our normal route, which takes us by Kendall's office, my friend Laurel's house, and usually to Megan's house on to stink lake park...however, we didn't make it to Megan's or the park. We played in Laurel's backyard for a wile, Layla even brought me a dandelion, Aidan did too, sweet kids! There were already bee's out so thank goodness they didn't get stung, since Kendall is allergic i don't know if they are, and i don't really want to find out quite yet. This dress i absolutely LOVE! Kendall has real good taste in clothes and he picked this out for her at Kohls.
Aidan was introduced to his first ant at Laurel's, he chased that bug around saying "ant!" happily and caught it to only drop it on his pants, he giggled as it crawled on his pants, then he tried catching it again and it crawled up his arm and he giggled some more. At this point i didn't want an ant actually IN his shirt so i flicked it back on the ground, to where Aidan...poor boy, squeezed it too hard and we had to well...put it out of its misery. No worries, he went on to the next ant.
Instead of going to the park, we headed up to campus, where i find it easier to keep the kids under my watch...read a blog a few days ago where i explained why its easier. I blew up a beach ball i had boughten in our fun/diaper bag (which now has mace in it, since so many dogs are out and about it worries me...takes one mean dog that is loose). Since it is finals weekends, most students were sitting in the sun and shade in Prexy's Pasture studying, but many of them really seemed to enjoy a break to watch my two little soccer players. I thought Layla was going to collapse she was breathing so hard from running and kicking that ball so much! We took a break in the shade where we shared a nutrigrain bar, and sipped on some water. I then walked over to a little table where the lab school students were selling some brownies (i am a sucker for little kids selling stuff...i remember when i would have a lemonade stand with my friends when i was little). The kids enjoyed the brownies...
Relaxing at home, i came to realize that i must text a lot, because every OTHER phone that the kids get a hold of they hold to their ear and say hello...however, mine results in them typing on it with their thumbs, imitating me texting. Maybe i should start calling and stop typing.
Time out, this is from a couple days ago, but i really wanted to show that with the kids reaching the age of fussy, fits, and beginning on horrible temper tantrums, i am trying to get ahead of it before it becomes a HUGE problem. So, i started a "naughty spot" and when i say go to the naughty spot they go. They won't stay there but i sit behind them and hold their arms so they cant move or hit the wall. I make them stare at the wall, and i count to either 10, 15, 20, or 30 slowly depending the naughty act they have committed. Aidan makes me frustrated because he will jabber and talk to me as if it is fun, but when they are crying and not enjoying themselves i feel i am reaching through to them. After they have done the time, i stand them up so we are eye level, make them look me in the face, and explain calmly why they are there and what we can do to prevent this in the future. I then ask them for a hug or kiss and let them go back to playing.
Yesterday we went to the park with my friend Megan, and oh man, if i would've been alone i wouldn't have stayed at the playground area...there was a tleast a dozen other little kids all under age 5, and about half of those i had no idea who they belonged to, Megan actually had to clilmb the jungle gym where a small boy was yelling for his mother for help and we did not see anyone moving toward him, so she pulled him down. Sad. Despite that the kids had a blast playing in the sand as you see Layla here, playing with other little children and crawling on the jungle gyms and slides. I had to dump sand out of their shoes when we got home, haha.
Afternoon frisbee game, the kids really do not have the hang of throwing it, but it is cute that they try! I have really discovered that now that it hasn't been too windy, i can take toys out into the yard to distract them for a good amount of time so they do not run out into the street, they are learning they are not aloud even on the sidewalk unless i say it is ok and i am walking with them, if it is a sidewalk not in front of our house they have to hold my hand or be carried...that is that.
Aidan getting the frisbee almost to me, he is almost doing the splits! haha! Layla watching, waiting her turn. I have so much fun with them! It is exciting to begin teaching them different games and how to eventually properly do the activities.
Playing catch with me, they love throwing tennis balls on the patio and ill bounce it back over their heads, causing some giggles. And to think, after ALL this activity, it is still hard to get them to nap more than an hour sometimes!
Sniffing and exploring the blue bells that have come up in our garden. I am glad my kids love flowers, we are now learning that they are a plant, and alive and we cannot poke, step on, or swat them with a stick. Just smell.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Here are the kids showing off their actions to Itsy Bitsy Spider, it is still a work in progress...Aidan was REAL distracted by the camera sitting there, but at the end of Layla's video you can see him dancing to the side :)

Spring in Wyoming

Let's sum up the past two weeks here in Wyoming...Last Monday through Wednesday warm weather, very nice...then it got cold and snowed on Saturday and remained cold until Monday again where by the time it got to Wednesday again we had weather reaching the upper 60s! Only to drop very fast Wednesday night, try and spit snow all through Thursday and now it is very winy, cold, and snowing with major roads around here closed. Lovely. So, Knowing it was going to snow, because i am a weather watcher on a daily basis, i took the kids out most the day on Wednesday to enjoy the sunny weather, i even put off studying for an exam and paper due on Thursday just so they could enjoy the weather (me too). Here are a few pictures.
My friend Megan holding Layla as she kisses the bear statue on campus...I am starting to walk them up to campus more because i feel it is a little more safe to take them alone then parks...less dogs, no roads surrounding it, they would have to run around a whole building to get to one, and no creepers praying on children since it is students and faculty rushing to classes. Plus even though there is more people, it keeps the kids closer to me because they get scared when a group of people walk by and they are not right by my side.
Aidan has really taken after his Grandma Gail, he absolutely loves flowers, every time he sees one he points it out and then sniffs the air trying to smell the flower...very cute. Even when we are walking down the fake flower isle at Walmart, he sniffs sniffs sniffs and points! He has some word for flower that i don't even think i can type, and both kids know how to sign flower.
Later in the afternoon i just let the kids play in the front yard...since it usually bores them quickly and they want to run away down the sidewalk, i brought out a few balls and their golf clubs hoping that they would actually use them properly and not to hit each other over the head like they tend to do inside. It worked, Layla pretty much just stood in the bushes holding her club and ball while we watched Aidan putt the ball around, it was pretty cute. Look at the form he has? Perfect haha!
When Layla figured out that the tennis ball bounces on the cement, she would throw it and chase the bouncing ball, she continued this for sometime. It distracted her from trying to eat the pine cones i leave around the yard for them to play with. She also enjoys "tickling" people, and when you tell her to tickle someone she holds her arms and hands straight out from her body (looks like a mini Frankenstein!) and runs after the person saying "tickle tickle!" as her little fingers wiggle.
I love this picture, this is Aidan concentrating intently before winding up his pitch, haha. Future baseball player? Maybe, i wouldn't mind, i love watching baseball games (in person, TV not quite as fun.) We stayed outside playing until the clouds rolled in bringing the wind and cold.

On another note, i think Layla is ready to start potty training again soon. I was being real good with her in the beginning of the year, but that was because i would take her in the bathroom every 30 minutes. As school started to get more busy i did not have time to take her into the bathroom every 30 minutes, it really sucked. But last night i was just sitting on the couch with Kendall, Layla comes running around the couch saying "potty potty!" and was doing the potty sign, she was very intent to get through to me. Since she hasn't asked to use the potty in forever (she still sits on it when i am in there but just for fun). So i took her, figuring what could it hurt? it's bathtime in an hour so i can take her clothes off and she probably just needs a diaper change...sure enough though, she sat down, and peed, no waiting nothing, she really had to go and she could hold it long enough to tell me and have me get her ready to sit down. She then reached over grabbed some toilet paper and wiped..i guess she really pays attention when i go! Cool.