Loving Wii fit!

Love it! That's right! Say bye-bye to baby pounds...or so I hope. Day three and I have been really impressed. It totally makes you sweat and the next day I am sore from the yoga and strength exercises. Jake really likes it too. It is really fun and Luke can even do some of it. He tries to do the yoga poses next to me. So cute! Sometimes though, honestly a little distracting, you know bumping into me or trying to get on the balance board himself. But nuff said...Love it!

New Pics

My New Read

My sister gave me a copy of this book and I have to say that she must have been inspired to do that because the last few days/week Luke has been really difficult. I have been so frustrated with his temper tantrums, disobedience and unkindness towards others. I know it sounds like I am raising a hellion. He really is a sweet boy, but I found myself loosing it with him too many times and feel really overwhelmed. Jake and I have spent a lot of time talking about it, our family home evening lesson this week was on being kind to others as Jesus would have us be. I have spent a lot of time praying for inspiration and lastly, I have been reading this book. One of the great points it made, much to my discomfort, was that his behavior was not his fault. It was OURS. We are not teaching him effectively. We need to re-evaluate and try a new tactic. What we are doing is obviously NOT changing his behavior. It talks a lot about the predictability of human behavior and the great role that environment plays on that. So our goal is to be kinder, softer, calmer more loving ourselves (the idea is to lead by example.) Give more positive affirmations-before the behavior is inappropriate. My patience is being stretched to its limit, but I am determined to succeed. Nothing is more important to me than my children and raising them to be self-confident, loving, generous, faithful to the gospel, bright, healthy kids. I want them to have fond memories of their childhood, and mostly I want to have a strong bond with them-always. I believe that that will be forged with mutual love and respect. I feel I have some bad habits to resolve, and I feel that some things we are doing well, we just need to do them more. I am so grateful for Jake and his wisdom. He really is an excellent Dad and he has great creative ideas for parenting. I know that we are really just embarking on this journey. But I am hoping that if I can curb my bad habits now maybe my kids will come out a little less worse for the wear. Thanks again to my sister for her endorsement of this book. Thanks to so many of you who are good examples of parenting. I pray for continued inspiration and patience... I need it.

Changing Every Day

Ty is changing every day. This week he has mastered pulling himself up to standing. I know it will just be a matter of time before he starts cruising around the furniture.

The big thing is that he said his first word..."Da-Da". Most of you are probably saying, "yeah, right." But he only says it to Jake and always when Jake is holding him and playing with him. He doesn't say it any other time. So I say that counts.

As you can see from the picture he is joining the Star Wars bandwagon. This is NOT staged. He always crawls over and picks up Luke's lightsabers or other Star Wars toys. I don't think that there is any way that he won't join the obsession along with his brother. The brainwashing is starting even earlier.

Decatur is on the map!

Apparently the big news here this week is that Matt Damon is on location in Decatur, Illinois of all places. He is filming his upcoming movie, "The Informant". People at Jake's work were taking time off to go around the city trying to catch a glimpse of him. Pretty lame, I know, but still it is pretty funny to have someone so famous is this town of 90,000. Someone at Jake's work said they saw him at the court house and eating at the Cracker Barrel. I found myself feeling bad for the poor guy. No where to run, a very small repertoire of restaurants. I just thought it was a funny thing to add here to my blog. Go Decatur! ha ha. (I have to see it when it comes out. I actually felt a little pride for the city I love to mock.)

Additionally, Jake and I saw "Leatherheads" a few weeks ago. It was cute and entertaining. But I did again feel a little fondness stirred within me when part of the story took place in Decatur. The original home of the Chicago Bears! Our claim to fame! Since the story was about professional football in the 1920's it was very interesting to see how Decatur was a hot spot. Got to laugh. Oh how the years go by!!

Bathtime Photos

Happy Birthday to...ME!

Since I usually find the time to post about other people's birthday (sorry Sarah, I missed yours when we were out of town) but nonetheless, today is MY birthday. I LOVE birthdays. I don't think that I will ever get tired of them. I love the attention, the gifts-you name it, I like it! I guess that is my inner child coming out, but hey, it is just me. I told my sister that I love it when my birthday and Mother's Day are back to back...a whole weekend devoted to me. ha ha. At least I am honest!

Here is a picture of Luke helping me unwrap my presents...making a HUGE mess of the packing peanuts.

Day trip

Today we took a day trip to St. Louis. It is roughly a two hour drive. We had a great time. We went to the Gateway Arch-Jefferson Westward Expansion Memorial and rode to the top. Jake felt a little queasy looking out the top, but Luke LOVED it! Then we went to the City Museum. The second floor is an aquarium. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this site to anyone, but Luke enjoyed himself immensely. They did have several exhibits that he could touch the animals. The place was kind of run-down though. But all in all it was a great day.

Many Blessings

Yesterday I was thinking of all of my blessings and I felt very much that the scale had been tipped far to far in my direction. First, I have a wonderful husband. He was so sweet yesterday. He took care of the kids almost all day, letting me sleep in and take a nap. He made dinner, cleaned up etc. He got me a thoughtful gift..money for landscaping the yard! Whoohoo-I can't wait. And even better, he is going to help me do all the digging and cleaning up and pulling out that needs to be done. He was extra sweet and loving and kind to me. I am such a sap sometimes, but I love that he knows and loves that about me and tries to ensure that my emotional needs are met. As if this alone isn't enough, I have two beautiful, healthy little boys. We have the necessities of life and Jake has a good stable job. We have lots of family and friends who love and support us. Most importantly I have my testimony of the gospel. I am so very blessed.

Mother's Day

For many years Mother's Day was a tender day in my heart and I guess still is. As we struggled to bring our precious sons into the world amidst a seemingly myriad of obstacles, my heart ached for my deepest, most basic and strongest desire...to be a mother. I had thought about being a mother my entire life. I never wanted anything else. As a small child when they asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, my response was instinctively ...mother. I had interest in other professions along the way, but always with the thought in mind that they would be my stepping stone until I could live my dream. Now, I am eternally grateful that my Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me the two greatest blessings. my sons, Luke and Ty. The days that they joined our eternal family are two of my greatest moments topped only by the day that I married Jake for time and all eternity. I am so grateful for the women who have touched me and shaped me into who I am today and the mother that I am striving to be. To my mother who gave me my first education in mothering. To Jake's mother and grandmother who have taught me important lessons. To my beautiful grandmother who I count as one of the finest women I have ever known. To my sisters both by blood and law, to each of you... thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have each taught me something special. I appreciate so much the frank conversations about your own personal struggles and yes, weaknesses. They give me strength and teach me more than you know. To my dear friends who I love like family, you mean so much to me. Happy Mother's Day! I love you all!
"Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness the first assurance that there is love in the world."
"The noblest calling in the world is motherhood. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all the arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece, or who can write a book that will influence millions, deserves the admiration and plaudits of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose immortal souls will exert influence throughout the ages long after paintings shall have faded, and books and statues shall have decayed or have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God."
" Motherhood is the one thing in all the world which most truly exemplifies the God-given virtues of creating and sacrificing. Though is carries her to the brink of death, motherhood also leads her into the very realm of the fountain of life, and makes her co-partner with the creator in bestowing upon eternal spirits mortal life"
President David O. McKay.