Squeeze me??

After disciplining my four year old, my sweet 2 year old marched into the kitchen, hands on hips, and very sternly said, "You don't talk to my Noah yike dat. (Pointing finger at me now) You understand me?"  Oy.

A Snuddle...

There really is nothing better in the world than to snuggle with a little baby.  Ever since Ava was born, she hasn't been much for snuggling.  About a week ago she wasn't feeling so hot, and she really liked to be comforted.  So I'd rock her in her chair in the middle of the night to try and put her back to sleep.  It was heaven, I tell you!

Well tonight while I was tucking her in, she gave me a big hug and as I told her I loved her, she whispered, "Mom?  Will you snuddle me?"  I almost couldn't believe what I heard, so I asked her again, "You want mom to snuggle you?"  "Yes."  You don't have to ask me twice!  I swooped her up and we spent the next 15 minutes rocking in her chair, talking, reading stories and having her lay her head on my shoulder and wrap her tiny little arms around my neck.  It was a little piece of heaven on earth.  Its tiny little moments like these that melt away the hard days and long nights.  I live for my kids and for the moments that take my breathe away!

Halloween!!

I do believe I have the most adorable trick-or-treaters ever. Of all time. For reals. No really.  See?!

This is Link.  He's like the best princess saver ever.

Just ask Zelda.

And you all thought Babe Ruth was dead.

Think again.

Ladies?  Prepare to swoon.

The most handsome Jack Sparrow ever,

and he's only four.  Watch out!

Pony up, cowgirls and boys!

This here's Jessie and she's the rootenest,

tootenest cowgirl around!

Love this little cowgirl! :)

Chemotherapy & a Selfless Six Year Old

I was recently diagnosed with Actinic Keratosis Lesions, and left untreated AKs may turn into a skin cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma.  Fun stuff!  The treatment for this type of skin lesion is a 4 week regimen of a chemotherapy agent applied topically (its a lotion) that will attack the affected skin cells and kill them.  This in turn makes your face oh-so-lovely to look at!!  Not.  It will cause red, irritated, possibly open lesions on the skin for up to, and possibly longer than, 2 weeks AFTER treatment STOPS!!  So I'm looking at up to 6 weeks of beautiful, radiant skin!  Grrr.

Anyhoo, the point of this post (other than to warn anyone that may still be reading this blog of my upcoming facial beauty, and tell them it really isn't an elaborate Halloween mask!!), is to relate a story of my most amazing 6 year old son.

Isaac overheard me telling Nana about the treatment that I'm starting and asked me about it while I was putting him to bed tonight.  He wanted to know if I was going to be embarrassed about my face.  I tried to explain that as you get older, you worry less and less about the things mean people say and how they react to you.  I tried to explain that even though people might look at me strangely, or might make hurtful comments, I don't get embarrassed by it.  I told him I know who I am, I know my Father in Heaven loves me, I know my family and true friends love me and that's all that really matters.  The people I love and who love me are the only ones I care about, and if someone makes a rude comment, they really aren't my friend and it doesn't bother me.  He was still very concerned about how I was going to feel, not wanting me to be uncomfortable at all.

He thought about that, asking a few more questions in the mean time, and finally started to get a little teary.  He said, "Mom?  If you are going to be embarrassed, I'd want to be embarrassed instead of you.  I don't want you to feel like that."  I almost burst into tears right then and there.  I said, "You'd take the embarrassment for me, so I wouldn't have to?"  And with more tears welling up in both of our eyes, he quietly nodded his head, reached out for me and gave me the biggest bear hug ever.  I am in awe of the magnificence of selflessness.  Greater love...

Blug.

That's a hybrid:  Blah and ugh.

Bang Bang!!

Mike, Debbie and I went to Range Masters to try out a Glock G22 .40 mm semi-automatic.  Doesn't it just sound bad?!  Here are some sweet shots Mike took with my phone.  Sorry they're so small. And listen here kids...

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!

Mike and Deb...  The Gun Slingers

mmmm...  Nice goggles, chic.

Look at the concentration!!

Wish I'd taken a "kill shot" --  Thank you, Steve Carell!

(Date Night!  Anyone?  Anyone??)

Not bad for a newbie, eh?!

Please don't judge me because its a lady.

Picture her with an oozy or something...

Deer Creek

The kids are always asking if we can take a drive up the canyon (mostly because they hope we can gets shakes in Heber!), so when Matthew got home from school we took a little drive. It was absolutely gorgeous today, about 68 degrees when we left!

By the time we got to Deer Creek, Ava was begging to "See water! See water!!" so we drove into one of the little parks and got out for some pictures. The boys took turns seeing if they throw rocks into the lake, contrary to the wishes of their mother... But then, I think that's what boys are for! :) Ava kept trying to climb down the hill to "see da water," which in her mind means touch it! Luckily she didn't go tumbling...

Enjoy some pics from our adventure!

Love the look on Sissy's face! :)

Took a little coaxing to get him to agree to this shot!

Thanks for taking the picture, Nacho... Great job!

How did she get this big so fast?!

How lucky are we to live somewhere so amazing?

The monkeys...  Nice pose, Noah!

Thanks Photographer Isaac! :)  LOVE YOU!