Little stuff that makes it all worth it

Some days are a little rough.  This morning was one of them.  First Brooke had an all-out on-the-floor tantrum at the grocery store, and then later she took 45 minutes to scream her head off before she fell asleep for a whopping 30 minute nap.

But then she was just so stinkin' cute when she woke up.  She played nice with her toys and then I hear her in her room carrying something big...

I peek in to look and she is carrying our 8x11 family edition of the Book Of Mormon and saying, "Read Scriptures! Read Scriptures!".  She then proceeded to carry it into our bedroom and wake Bryan up from his nap saying "wanna see Je-us!"

It doesn't get much better than that.  Within 30 seconds, both her and Peter were on their daddy's lap and he was telling them stories of Jesus.  Peter wanted to hear the 'one about the cross' (I know that one isn't in the BoM. Its in Matthew...and the other 3 gospels as well.  Click here if you want the link to it online) and Brooke wanted to hear 'kids and Je-us!' (where Jesus comes to the America's in 3rd Nephi and blesses the little children Click here to read about Jesus in the America's)

It made my whole week to sit and listen to my children be so excited about Christ!  Its the perfect weekend for it too!  I love General Conference!  I admit that it is more challenging to listen to with Peter and Brooke running around crazy, but I love listening to President Monson and all of speakers.  I always feel refreshed and uplifted and motivated to be a better me.  I am glad to know that even way out here in Pennsylvania I can still get conference.  (But it is a little bit of a bummer I can't tune it on my am/fm radio!)  Thank goodness for the Internet...and BYU tv!

Me Two!

I can't believe she is 2 already!  She is definately 2 going on 12...
Brooke weighs 25 lbs and is 35 inches tall.  (50% for wieght and 80% for height) (and on another side note- she has had WAY too many ear infections!)
Some of her favorite things:
 *Hats
 *Doing things by herself
 *Stanley the wooden train
 *Little Einsteins
 *anything the color pink
 *Her blankets and binky
 *Eating food off of mom and dad's plates, even when its the same food as on her plate
 *Peter's dinosaur rain boots. (you may have seen a few pictures of those...we leave the house all to often in them)
 *Chiming in the conversation with the phrase "Me TOO!"

The birthday was spent this way:
***Warning*** Slight Picture Overload...

 We only took a gazzilion photos...

 My Minnie Mouse Lemon Cake w/ coconut vanilla frosting.  Mmmm mmm mmm!  (I need to learn to get my fondant a bit smoother when I place it.  Any tips anyone?  I would love any pointers!)

 Home-made Minnie ears.

 Note to self: Minne Mouse Cake Pops = bad idea.  They look like Cake Poops.   Nailed it!

The banner I am so proud of and hope to find some excuse to hang it up again sometime...

Mickey Cupcakes

Pin the Bow on Minnie (hand drawn by Bryan)

 And finally, the end of the day, when I wanted a picture with her.  It didn't turn out quite like I hoped.

Things to remember

Remember how Brooke says "mommie".  She says "Mummy" pronounced- MUM-mie and says it very quickly.
Lately when I discipline her her response is "Yes, sir-  Mummy!"
It cracks me up.  It takes all my will-power not to smile when she says this. 

Remember how Heath smiles at EVERYTHING.  And how well he is sleeping.  I hope it lasts!

Remember that Peter is a good big brother, honestly try to forget that he can be a big challenge as well right now.  He cries at EVERYTHING.  Did I mention that Brooke cries at EVERYTHING too?  Its just a way to get attention and it is SO fake.  And obnoxious.  It is taking all my patience + the extra that God is lending me to deal with the two of them right now.  And it is a good thing they go to bed at 8:00.  Because my patience is out and I don't think God is going to give me any more until tomorrow. 

I don't want to be a complainer, and I try to keep my blog as positive as possible, but I also want to keep it as close to reality as possible.  And real-life isn't a perfect world.  I love my little world, but it is FAR from perfect.

Lastly- Peter informed me that fish can't live in apple juice.  Random.  Yes.  I do love my kids.  Its a good thing they are cute.  And that God give me extra patience. 

Spring is Here! Kind of.

 I feel like I haven't taken many pictures lately.  But the weather was nice the other day and I got off my butt and took some!  I feel like I am adjusted to life with 3 kids.  The main thing that got put on the back burner was my hobbies.  Including my camera.  And I have 3 good reasons for it!
1.  The weather has been sucking so I am stuck in the house, and there is no good lighting to take pictures with.
2. Have you left the house lately with 3 kids under the age of 4?!  There is just so much STUFF to take that my large camera doesn't usually make the 'cut' of what is needed to survive an outing!
3. The weather has been crappy.  Did I mention that?  So I can't go out to take pictures either.

But have no fear!  I am fixing these problems.  (well, maybe not really me, but mother nature is taking her course and the weather is warming up!) And I got a new diaper bag.  I finally broke down invested in a slightly larger one.  I am not happy about it either.  But at least my camera should fit!

 For some reason Bryan has decided it is 'no shave March'.  Ew.  I can't wait to have my handsome hubby looking like his normal self.  I am not a fan of the lumberjack look.

Not my favorite

Peter says things that he thinks are funny. Sometimes I think he is funny too. 
His latest phrase is "not my favorite".  He uses this in any situation he wants to remove himself from.  For example:
Story 1:
Today while we were driving he tells me:
"Mom, when I get big I don't want to kill spiders."
Me: "ohkay...so what do you want to do?"
"I don't want to rock climb either.  Because its not my favorite"
Me: 'ohkay...but that wasn't my question.  What do you want to do?  What is your favorite?"
"I just want to drive cars.  When I get big I am going to drive Franchesco".

(in case you were wondering, Franchesco is the racecar on "Cars 2")
(and if you were wondering about the 'spiders'- Bryan likes to kill spiders in the garage with a lighter, and takes Peter with him to 'help' him ignite them... I don't think Pete is too impressed with this activity)

Story 2:
Last week sometime:
We went out to eat at Red Robin.  Peter is practically BEGGING for macaroni and cheese on the way there.
We order it.  It arrives.  Peter just stares at it and tells me "Its not my favorite.  i don't want it." 
Well, Bryan is ticked.  For lack of better words.  He tells Peter he is going to eat it now or get it for breakfast.  Peter says again "its not my favorite.  I don't want to eat dinner." 
So Brooke proceeds to eat THE ENTIRE portion of the kids mac and cheese and is begging for more when we left.
The next morning Bryan wakes up 30 min early and cooks Mac and Cheese.  (have you ever made that stuff before 8 a.m.?  Yuck.  It is not a smell I want to 'wake up' to.)  I figure Peter must be starving.  Did I mention that he didn't eat lunch the day before either because it wasn't 'his favorite'?  So he has to be hungry.
Does he eat it?
No.
Who does?
Brooke.  2 bowls of it too.
I felt bad but didn't give in.  He just sat at the table and told me 'it wasn't his favorite' so he didn't want it.
We were running errands around lunch and Bryan wanted Burger King. (I swear we really don't eat out THAT much.  It was just one of those weekends where we didn't feel like eating at home).  We ask if he wants a cheeseburger.  He tells us no (of course!) its not 'his favorite'.  (he has never eaten a cheeseburger in his life either)  But by the time we were done at the drive through he changed his mind.  I ran in and got him one.  He miraculously ate the whole thing.  And then asked us what was for dinner.

Can you guess?

Leftover Mac and Cheese from the morning.  Poor kid. 
Lets just say he eats alot of 'not his favorite' most of the time.  He eats most of his dinners at 7:30 am.