8 Years Does Not Seem Long Enough

I tell Jack all the time that it doesn't seem like 8 years does us justice...it just seems like way longer. We celebrated our 8th anniversary yesterday with not much just a quick date to grab some dessert at Chili's...our favorite! I tell him all the time, but he could have done way better than me, though I am glad he didn't. We have accomplished a lot in our 8 years of marriage...2 homes, 4 kids, and numerous family members that have come and gone from our apt/homes! We really have been blessed. We always talk about getting out more often by ourselves but we are both just so happy to be with our kids and know they won't always be little, as teenagers they will probably be begging us to leave for awhile. Here are just a few things that stick out in our minds from the last eight years...
- Our wedding in Chicago IL Temple...freezing cold
- The arrival of all of our kids
- We work really well together
- We LOVE LOVE LOVE when it is just the two of us with our kids and NOBODY else (hardly ever happens....that's why)
- We are starting to swap places...for example he is becoming the impatient one and I am gaining TONS of patience...who would have thought
- The days when we would go out for dessert at 11:00 and had no one to think about but ourselves!
- First being married and thinking $20 was a TON of money!!! (this makes me laugh out loud)
I really could go on and on...just the highlights we discussed for a minute yesterday and laughed about! I love you Jack!!!

I love this picture. It is kind of crazy looking but it sums up what I spend ALL of my time doing, and I wouldn't change a thing! With four little kids and a teenager running around it has been quite a balancing act at times. I am grateful to everyone who has helped me be able to manage all of this! I really do have the best family!!!

Aubrey Turns 1

My baby turned one on April 13th. I can't believe how fast the year has gone...here are some things about Aubrey!

- She loves her mom and dad...though Grandma is quickly winning her over

- She is very independent and is learning the art of throwing temper tantrums

- She loves to be in her crib when she is tired

- She is a little peanut...she only weighs 19lbs

- Jackson can get her to laugh like nobody else

- Hates, I mean HATES her carseat

- Loves to be outside

- Gets so excited when Jack gets home from work

- Is very jealous when I hold other babies

- Eats anything...fruit, meat, veggies, and anything gross

- Still not sleeping through the night, but we're getting there

She has been such a joy to have in our family...we love this little girl! Here are a few of my favorite pics from the last year!!!

Easter

This year Easter was sooo fun! The older my kids get the more enjoyable any holiday is, they just are so excited for everything! We decided to dye eggs this year. Unfortunately Jack was so sick and so he slept through the whole thing. The kids loved to color on the eggs and then dye them, and Aubrey just loved to grab them and then throw them. It was complete chaos, but it was fun.

Our Easter bunny always comes on Saturday...this year because of Zane and Stef's schedule, the Easter bunny came first thing Saturday morning. The kids woke up to tons and tons of eggs hidden throughout the house. I had told them the Easter bunny was doing something different this year so if you found a basket and it didn't have your name on it then keep looking but don't ruin it for the other person. Six baskets is a lot to hide but after much looking this is where they found them...Zane-Dryer, Stef-Dishwasher, Jackson- Garbage, Addi- Hamper, Carson-Under kitchen sink, Aubrey- Diaper basket. It was fun for them to look and they didn't get to open them until everyone had their basket. So I decided to do the baskets in bowls this year...so all of their stuff went into a bowl, wrapped up, and then name tags on it. When we were getting ready to open the baskets Jackson looked and his tag and said, "I didn't know the Easter bunny liked to scrapbook...what a girl!" I couldn't help but giggle...he has no idea how much the Easter bunny likes to scrap book when given a chance! The kids also got a trampoline for Easter...they were so excited...they could have cared less that it was only about 35 degrees with 30-40 mile an hour winds and snowing...they bundled and played out there the entire day!

The Easter Baskets...and specifically Jackson's because of his comment

On actual Easter we watched General Conference...Jack made the most amazing Easter meal...and just hung out together. Nichola came over for dinner but other than that it was just us, and it was a very relaxing day!

Above: Me and my siblings that were here!

Above: Jack and kids cooking Easter Sunday

Below: Addi must have been very tired after everything because this is how we found her in our bed Easter evening...LOL

March 31

This year March 31st was the 9th anniversary of my mom's death! It really stinks and nine years is a really long time! It is hard to be a mom and not have one yourself. I really have the most amazing women in my life who have helped out where they can but it is just not always the same. So instead of sitting around all day we planned a surprise party for Nichola (yes, my mom died on Nichola's Birthday) It was really fun...her friend Cory got a humongous pinata which the kids thought was great...they are already putting in their pinata requests for their birthdays...ate tacos, played games, and had a dirt cake. Happy 23rd Birthday Nichola!!! We love you!

Nichola and Cory with the pinata

Addi and Nichola

Will he Survive?

So Carson is easily persuaded by his older sister...but many boys have survived that have older sisters right? So today Carson came into the kitchen dancing in a tutu and Addi thinks it is the best thing ever. He also loves pink...he even picked out a pink toothbrush! He does have a manly side to him, they are just the best of friends, so i think he is easily persuaded.

Aubrey is almost one I can hardly believe it. She does not have lot of hair yet, but enough to make a headwrap with a flower not so cute...so I have resorted to little barretts. They almost make her look a little older :( Here are just a few pics of my baby girl!!!

February

February turned into be quite a busy month. Our first adventure was to Twin Falls to go and see my Grandma who was visiting in Utah. We all met in Twin Falls to see baby Zoey again! We took the kids swimming alot. It was a fun trip and it was great to get to see her again but everybody went home with the flu! The following weekend we headed down to Twin Falls again for Zoey's baby blessing and my dad had come out for a long weekend. ( I took no picutres...can you say worst aunt in the world) We had a baby shower, shopping, basketball, church, blessing, ...etc. It was fun but super busy. It was fun to see papa...I always get nervous because my kids go so long in between seeing him...but they always pick up like he is always around. He will be back in July with the rest of the family and we are already excited!!!

Carson loved the "hot pool"

Stef taking Aubrey swimming for the first time...she loved it!

The following week Stef's friend Jessica was baptized in Pocatello! She asked Jack to baptize her and so we headed down to Pocatello for an evening. We left the Carson and Aubrey home with grandma and just took Jackson and Addi. It was so great! She is such an awesome girl and we love having her around. I have some super cute pictures that I will try and post later.


Now that spring is just around the corner we are already planning our outdoor renovations...one of which we are putting on a patio, so this translated into Jack needing a new grill! We picked it up and then headed over to the grocery store. I stayed in the car with napping babies and so of course he walked out with steaks, ribs, and chicken. He said the first meal he needed to go all out, and he was right...it was so good!!! We do A LOT of grilling and so I am sure it will get good use, can't wait to push it out of the garage and onto a patio!!!

Above the new grill...Below everyone enjoying the meal!

Just a random story to end...Carson has been asking for weeks to take the "boats" out and go swimming...(we have a couple jet skiis which he refers to as boats). So after much explaining that it is way to cold but soon it will be warm enough, he just countinues asking...so the other day I was cleaning and Carson and Addi were putting away the dishwasher, Addi yelled for me to come and see what Carson was doing....he had put two bread pans on his feet! I asked him what he was doing and he told me that those were his boats...so funny! Sorry for the underwear picture, but he doesn't care! We also bought a new high chair for Aubrey so the kids took the box and put it at the end of the hall and then run and slid accross the living room on the box! So those pictures are on here as well. We are getting excited for summer and can't wait for the adventures to start as soon as it warms up a little bit, but it is raining today and not snowing, so that is a definate start! COME ON SUMMER!!!

The Boys Sliding

Carson and his boat!