blessed

Jaxon hardly talks at all. He says a word or 2 here and there, but hardly ever uses sentences and is nowhere near having a conversation. He has folded his arms and said Amen during prayers but he doesn't very often. Somtimes, I wonder if he has a clue what's going on around him or if he is always in his own little world. Sunday night when Maelie was saying her prayer, Jaxon was squatted down with his arms folded and eyes closed and he said "heavenly father, thank you jabber jabber jabber, please jabber jabber jabber, amen" You'd have to see it, but it was one of the cutest things I have ever seen and I busted up laughing and then next thing I know it I am balling. I got so overwhelmed it was crazy! At first I am in denial that Jaxon isn't a baby anymore and it made me feel like he was growing up. And then I was overwhelmed with the responsibility I have of teaching these 3 children. And last of all I was just so grateful that Heavenly Father has let me be their mother. Sometimes they make me seriously crazy and I just want to leave or get a job and send them to daycare. But seriously, I am so blessed to have them! My family is my everything!!!

Gila Valley temple trip

Friday we drove to Gila Valley with all my family to see the new temple. The temple was beautiful and my favorite moment was in the Celestial room with Jonas and our kids looking up at that beautiful chandelier. Friday night we went swimming at the hotel. Saturday morning we ate a yummy breakfast at the hotel, went back to the temple for pictures, went to a park, saw some town sites like Shannon's old trailer and Pres. Kimball's childhood home, went to a local lake, and then headed up to Mt. Graham for a picnic. We tried to head to the lake on Mt. Graham which was quite the curvy drive and 12 miles from the lake, the road was closed!! We were pretty bummed!!! On the way back down the mountain Jaxon lost his licorice, poor kid. But the girls found lots of pretty pink and white rocks - quartz? And then we drove back home. It was a quick but fun trip. If we had known we weren't going to make it to the lake, we would have stayed longer at this cute little spot where we had a picnic. The kids had so much fun climbing the rocks.

Roper lake state park - we only had about 40 minutes there but the kids had fun splashing around and Brooke and Jonas got in a water fight :) The pic below is the kids trying to get Jonas wet...

Jaxon loves getting wet! He went thru so many outfits on this trip and the final outfit was one of the girls' after he threw up. Seriously tho, I've never seen a kid just stick his face right in the water like he does, it's hilarious!!

Maelie and Jaxon playing in the sprinklers by the temple

This train track is right by the temple, and we were lucky enough to see a train pass as we were going into the temple tour, he was thrilled. This is on Saturday when we showed him the train tracks.

And the beautiful temple of course! (our fam pic is on Jarod's camera)

chair spins at the hotel!

And Jaxon on the tractor by the temple!

2 1/2 more weeks

I remember last summer, it was so weird getting Maelie ready for kindergarten and now she only has 2 1/2 weeks left!!! Kindergarten has been so fun for her. She has loved her teacher and all her friends and all the fun things they have done. And now she is going to be a first grader! Time keeps going whether I want it to or not. I am working on the slideshow for her kindergarten graduation and found these cute pix I wanted to make sure were in my blog book. :)

Together Forever

Jonas' sister's husband passed away and Jonas went to the funeral this last week. I really feel like I missed out not being able to be there. There is something spiritual about a funeral, and eventho I didn't know Rob that well, funerals provide some closure and I really have been thinking about Lorinda, Kylie, Mason, and Chase a lot. Life is so fragile. And I am grateful that families can be together forever. I am really glad that atleast Jonas was able to go, we have been feeling very contemplative since he got back and have been talking about it all a lot. I feel so sad for Lorinda and her sweet family. I love them and hope they are getting the help and comfort they need. I am glad Jonas was able to be there to spend some time with his family and to bring back the pictures and stories to me. Rob will be missed!

Mother's Day Tea

I love my Mom. She is so busy but today she took the time out of her craziness to drive out to my house and be with Kyla and Jaxon so I could go to Mother's Day Tea in Maelie's classroom. It was awesome! Gotta love Mother's day! I got the cutest little homemade gifts from Maelie - a book, card, bookmark, and pad of paper. From Kyla I got the cutest little magnetic picture frame with a pic of her that she made at preschool. I totally cried when I pulled that out of the bag she had made. Crazy motherhood is totally worth it!

In Maelie's class the kids took turns sharing the pic they had made for their mother's. The video is having a hard time but this is what she said..."My mother is a queen because she is a flower and a strawberry and a jewel and a crown. She has a softly voice." =)

They sang several very cute songs. There is something so awesome about being sung to by your kids. :) I am looking forward to Sunday when Kyla will also get to go up with Maelie this year and sing in sacrament meeting. That is the very best part of mother's day I think.

(Maelie is the 2nd from the left middle row)

Happy Mother's Day!

a letter to the Tooth Fairy

Last Saturday Maelie lost tooth #4 and she didn't know where it was.  She was worried about how the tooth fairy would get it so she wrote the tooth fairy a letter and put it under her pillow.  Here it is...

I didn't see it until I played tooth fairy and I had no candy on hand.  Oops!  She seemed happy with the money tho.  I hope that tooth doesn't turn up anytime soon.  And I hope Maelie doesn't find out I have her letter. :)