Getting Set Apart

So I finally got set apart for my scary but exciting church calling. I don't know that I have really felt nervous to be the Young Women President (I am positive that being the 2nd counselor for a few months helped me get over the nerves of working with the YW) but I have felt inadequate and overwhelmed and challenged soooooo it was absolutely wonderful to get set apart by our bishop. I love that God trusts worthy men with his power to bless the lives of his children, and specifically to bless my life. With that setting apart comes the assurance that God is not only on my side but that He is going to strengthen me and guide me (so long as I continue to do my part) so that I might be the instrument in His hands that is needed at this time. I love serving in the church. I love that I have an opportunity to grow and learn from my leaders and my God as well as from the beautiful and unique girls that I have. I hope that the girls enjoy having me as much as I am enjoying them!

On the Eigth day of Christmas

On the Eighth day of Christams

we're nearly out of rhyme
So we sang 8 Christmas carols
To enhance our Christmas time

On the Seventh day of Christmas

On the Seventh Day of Christmas
yummy treats in bags with bows
for friends to be delivered
7 dozen chocolate covered Oreos

(Thanks for the labels Brooke!)

On the Sixth day of Chirstmas

It's the Sixth day of Chirstmas
six secret acts of service
for family, friends and strangers
to keep the Christmas spirit with us.

Christmas pic

Well, I really wanted to get family pictures done for Christmas cards but it just didn't happen. So when Tyler woke up for the day (he is working nights)we headed over to the nearby park and had a friend snap a few pics and with some crazy kids and a setting sun, this is as good as it gets!



I have to add a few pictures of the boys on the bridge, the boys absolutely love collecting rocks to throw into the lake from the bridge. They can't get enough of it and it is adorable. Sometimes we bring bread to throw in for the ducks and the boys quickly adopt the policy "one for me, one for the ducks". I love my boys!!!

On the Fifth day of Christmas

The Fifth day of Christmas
Is a different kind of sort
We'll read Christmas stories
While sitting in a fort

On the Fourth day of Christmas

On the Fourth day of Christmas
we simply could not forget
to exchange our '09 ornaments
with those that we love best.

To: Isaac From: Mom and Dad

To: Holly From: Tyler

To: Ashton From: Mom and Dad


To: Tyler From: Holly

On the Third day of Christmas

On the Third day of Christmas

we've often heard it said
it's quite some fun to decorate
a house of gingerbread

On the Second day of Christmas

On the Second day of Christmas
2 sets of monkey jammies
for little boys who like to play
with their Daddy and their Mommy

On the first day of Christmas

On the First day of Christmas
we thought it would be groovy
to plop down on our comfy couch
and watch a Christmas movie

12 days of Christmas

So this is the first time Tyler and I aren't going "home" for Christmas and are celebrating together with our boys. I LOVE traditions and so have been trying to come up with our own and so we start with the 12 days of Christmas. This year is just with our family, although I have one to do for friends that I had planned to do this year but didn't because we were to start the day Ashton became terribly ill with RSV and pneumonia and was hospitalized for 3 days...So although we missed a few days I insist it still be done so here I will post Day 1 and Day 2, tomorrow Day 3 and Day 4. Then we will be caught up and will hopefully be able to stay on schedule! (FYI: Ashton is doing fantastic, he is doing well enough to be home and as the fatigue wears off he is reverting back to his old energetic adorable self! We LOVE you Ashton and you too Isaac, it was hard to be away from you for so long!!!)

Catch up

So I hate getting to this point...A month has passed without a blog entry which means that I am letting darling moments slip into memories soon to be forgotten (how I hate that! Why can't I retain the thoughts, feelings and adorable sights that I experience). We were driving home from a baby shower today and Ashton wanted me to hold his hand, so of course I did....nevermind that it isn't safe to steer and change gears with the same hand. He didn't want to let go and it was wonderful. Small, warm, smooth...I love when my children are affectionate with me, when they smile at me with their eyes twinkling...I know my children love me and I know that they know I love them. My family is my greatest treasure, they are what I live for...and because I absolutely love my time with them I am going to play the catch up game...

xtreme sports

Any 12 month old kids who don't mind a little rug burn for a killer ride, contact Isaac.

Stats

Isaac had his one year appointment yesterday...Surprisingly his weight has dropped! Here they are:

Height: 19 1/2 inches (50th percentile)
Weight: 19 lb 6 oz (8th percentile dropped from 60th)
Head Circumfrance: don't remember but it was huge

We have to have a follow up in month for the whole weight thing. Funny cuz you look at him and he looks like a chunk!

Morning of mourning

So yesterday morning as we were getting ready to go downstairs for some breakfast Ashton stopped at the top step and asked, "Is my daddy working?" to which I replied, "yup, Daddy's working". A slow frown creeped over his face and he and in a sad almost panicky way said "my daddy's at work?"...and then he lost it. Aboslutely lost it. Huge alligator tears poured down his face and he sobbed for a good five minutes. It was so sad! But at the same time it made me kinda happy to see how much he LOVES his Daddy!

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!!!

I can hardly believe it...My sweet Isaac is one today! I feel so in love with him that I feel sad to see him grow up! I'm sure many of you can relate. Why can't they stay little forever. The sweet soft skin, the beautiful innocent eyes, the sheer joy of him nuzzling into my neck.

I really wanted it to be a NON-STRESS day so we just hung out and did all the things that he LOVES to do. Bath time, truck time, wrestle time. I stole him and Ashton away for a story/singing time at the pumpkin patch. He loved the songs and then romped around in the hay climbing on pumpkins. I think one of his highlights was riding on the hay horse and playing in the oversized box. ADORABLE!












After a surprisingly long nap it was time for presents. Daddy had made it home early from work and he was absolutely perfect. He opened presents, acted excited and played with the toys. We then ate his FAVORITE meal. We call it Larry Bean Soup (diced tomatoes, kidney beans, taco seasoning-Thanks Crockett's!). Last but not least, BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!! He reaction was perfect again.


(more pics and possibly video to come soon)
We love you Isaac! Happy Birthday Baby!

Flubs...

It seems as though we have exited "fortunate-ville" and have had my fair share of flubs for a while. So lots of the kid flubs are cute but when they are on a more adult level...argggg. For example, I had scheduled Isaac's 1 year pictures at Picture People. While on the phone scheduling the appointment their rep kept saying the 30th instead of the 23rd but when I would clarify she would say "sorry, i meant the 23rd". So this morning we went out and bought the perfect cupcake for him to chow for some pics. We were running a few minutes late but that's not unusual. I was a little annoyed when Isaac rubbed his arm across the car tainting his perfectly delightful new shirt while waiting for me to pull Ashton from the car. I brushed it off and when we made it to the store only to hear that we were in the system for the 30th, well, I was down-right bothered. They said we could wait and get squeezed in as a walk-in. We walked to the food court....a rather long walk for Ashton who was limping because his shoes are apparently too small, grabbed a quick bite were we discovered the beautiful cupcake had been smashed. When we returned to the store we were informed we could be worked in at 3:45....We had arrived for an 11:45 appointment. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. We left and headed off to Home Depot. Tyler wanted a printer that he found on slickdeals that would be free after mail-in-rebate. He found the LAST one left in town and we were on our way to make it ours. He had put it on hold the night before and I called before leaving to make sure that it was still there...it would be a 30 minute drive. It was. I hauled a ginormous printer with me, occupying the entirety of the front seat, to return...Tyler had bought the wrong one so I was returning this one for the correct one. Well, after managing to get us into the store with merchandise in hand I was regretabley informed that the paper I had brought with me was a rebate form, not a receipt. Okay, whatever, I'd return it later, now on to the printer. What? The printer? "Well, some guy named Jason was just in here and bought it... I didn't tell them my name when I called earlier so they didn't know who was coming in at 2pm to pick it...Never mind that it was on hold for a TYLER RUST! ARGGGGGG!!!! The customer service person was so incredibly rude and I had had enough of the bad luck that I was in tears walking back to my car. A weeks worth of bad luck all in one day.

What happens when mom is on the phone for 5 minutes

I called my father to wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and after Ashton sang a sweet birthday tune he ran off in excitement. I had just changed Isaac's diaper before dialing my Dad's number and obviously left the baby powder in baby's arm reach. It didn't take long for the boys to discover the magic of baby powder. Needless to say I didn't get to talk to my Dad long but I did snap a few pics before I ended the blissful chaos.



In any rate, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! You are the best of the best.

A day in the life of Isaac

So Isaac is just about the cutest thing ever. He is quick too. Here are some adorable pictures of the things that he does while I cook some eggs, look up an address, or empty the dishwasher.






So these last pictures may be a little disturbing to some, but in all honesty, most infants are enamored with toilet paper and there is a reason for the toilet seat lock invention...I guess it's time to pull ours back out. It was pretty stinking cute. He would carefully tear pieces of toilet paper and drop them into the toilet...at least the toilet had been cleaned that day AND nobody had forgotten to flush!

Firestation Fun

Because Ashton, Isaac and I know the firemen in the area (for more info see this post) I volunteered to host playgroup this week and scheduled a time with our firefighting friends to bring the kids to the fire station. The kids loved the huge red truck and tour of the station. They were even given their own fireman sticker badges. The best part was when the firemen turned on the flashing lights on the truck. As we were leaving the alarm sounded and we watched the big red truck speed away. We then came back to our house and made these cute fireman hats.

The fireman in the middle is one who helped with Ashton over the summer. The firemen over there call him the locksmith boy:)

Sporting his shiny sticker badge