Time away, together

For the past week Griffin and I were able to spend some time with Nate, Heather, Ella, & Tank.  It was a lot of fun to spend time with them.

We spent many days at the park, and playing in the warm summer sunshine.  Can't believe summer is officially here now.  I've already got my first sun burn!!



For the most part Griffin and Ella get along quite well. However, Ella does not like it if Griffin is playing with Tank while she is playing with Tank.

Ella is growing up so fast.  The last time I saw her it seemed like she was still a baby, but now she has officially graduated to toddler hood!  She is talking a lot more and is very smart.  She knows what cows, ducks, doggies, fish, and kitties say.

Ella really reminds me of a little monkey.  She loves to climb all over everything and everyone!  She even goes up and down the big slide all by herself, I am still in utter amazement over that one!

Heather is keeping herself busy during the day watching two kiddos from the neighborhood.  She is up by 7:30 every day making breakfast, vacuuming, pulling weeds, mowing the yard, cooking, mopping, changing diapers, you name it she is doing it.  I don't think she really stopped for long to just sit.  I was amazed and motivated by her energy and ability to just keep going even though things weren't always going as planned.

Just realized I didn't get any pictures of Nate, but he is busy working as well!  I didn't see him, or him, leave in the morning, and a lot of the times he came home right before we were getting the kiddos ready for bed.  A worker man!

Time at Heather's house is always fun.  Griffin loves it there and he was really sad to leave.  He told Tank he loved him and would never forget him.  Just melted my heart.

I am sad to be back because it was fun to spend time with family and get away from our daily routine. Griffin did really well on the trip down and back and I am happy to report he stayed in his car seat the whole time!

Joe and LJ were busy while were away.  They both worked long days.  I think they did enjoy the quite, but they both were ready for our return!

Now onto my next big project for the summer, potty training Griffin!

Banana box fun

Griffin loves playing with boxes.  He likes to make a long train with the tops and bottoms of banana boxes, and he also likes to use them for race cars.

Joe decided to load him up in one of his banana boxes.

Griffin really had the giggles while he was in his box.  I think he was surprised he could actually fit with the lid on.

Running, haircut

Griffin is just like his dad he loves to run!  Every night he asks Joe if it is running time. Sometimes they will run around the neighborhood, or sometimes through the yard, and on cold winter night or rainy ones  they will run around the island in our kitchen.

Love when his hair gets long because it just starts to puff out like a mushroom!  Today it wasn't as poofy as usual, I think it might have been because he had a bath.

Griffin was very excited to get his hair cut.  He was talking with the stylist and having a good time.  Underneath his cape he had his gun so he was shooting people every once in awhile.

His hair cut turned out cute, we got rid of the mushroom top.  He thought it was so funny when he looked in the mirror and saw all of his hair spiked up!

His hair cut didn't turn out as fabulous as when Aunt Heather cuts it, but it needed to be done.  He didn't cry and I am very proud of him.  I will have to take a picture of his new hair cut, just realized I didn't get the a photo of the finished product!

Dear Griffin...

Dear Griffin,

Since you were not buckled into your car seat did you know you could have slept on the nice nest we made you for on the floor?

Lovingly,

Dad & Mom

Griffin said so.

This past Sunday at Church Joe and Griffin were walking outside.  Joe spotted a bike locked up to the bicycle rack and the conversation went as follows:

Joe: I wonder who rode their bike to church today?

Griffin: Oh that is Jesus's bike.

Happy Mother's Day

To all the Mother's who read my blog I hope you have an extraordinary day, and I hope you know how important you are to your children and your sweet heart!

Being a Mother has been the most challenging job I've ever had, and I think it will be the most challenging job ever!  I know it isn't easy, but I also know that being a Mother is the most important calling any of us will ever have.  It is a challenge and a blessing all at the same time.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from a real life super hero Marjorie Pay Hinckley.  She was a wonderful wife and a wonderful Mother and I just love her.  She has given me lots of pearls of wisdom and reminds me to be happy even when my daily routine seems as though it is getting monotonous.

"Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

New hair cut and color, Zebra girl

While my mom was here I was able to sneak off and get my hair cut and colored. I wasn't planning on getting it colored but my stylist talked me into it.  I put long layers in my hair and of course got it trimmed.  It feels much lighter and I think I will be able to make it through the hot summer months without chopping it off!

My goal is to keep growing my hair, but it seems it always get to a certain point and then I get too hot with it and decide to go short. We will see.

All the girls went out for lunch on Saturday.  Ella Bella pudding and pie was super cute in her zebra outfit.  I must say she was not the sweet little angel she usually is while we were trying to dine!  Perhaps that is the way all babies are.  They know you are trying to relax and enjoy yourself so then they just start acting out.  She's cute so I forgive her.

Cute and happy kiddo's!

This week we have Grammy and Ella here!  Nate and Heather left for a cruise and we get to watch Princess Ella!

Before they left they did some skyping.  Ella is quite the skyper.  She was sending kisses to her mom and dad via my computer screen.  Good thing I have some computer wipes because the screen was a bit, should we say cloudy?

Heather and Nate have called quite a few times to make sure Ella Bella is okay.  I just wanted to post a picture that proves she is...oh and she loves me!

I asked her if she liked being at Aunt Tabby's house and she happily replied, "Ya"!

At the moment I am not sure she is going to want to leave!

Computer Hog

Griffin loves to watch You Tube on my computer.  Anytime I sit down to do something he is right there climbing on my arm wanting to watch You Tube.

He likes to watch videos that contain the following subjects:
-Monster Trucks
-Airplanes, Helicopters
-Spiders
-Spiderman

He is pretty spoiled because he has two computers to choose from. Mommy's computer and Daddy's computer, I wonder why he always chooses mine, maybe because I am on mine more?

Spiderman lives at our house!

Griffin adores Spiderman, and he thinks he is spiderman.  Here are a few funny things he has said to me lately regarding Spiderman.

Griffin: Mom?
Mom: Yes.
Griffin: Spiderman loves you.

I am ashamed to say up in the corner of my kitchen there is a cobweb.  The other day my sweet son says to me:
Griffin: Oh look mom one of my web's is up there!
Well after that comment I just can't bring myself to vacuum it up.  He gets so excited every time he spies it and he loves showing everyone who comes over.

He currently has one Spiderman shirt and he has to wear it everyday.    I am on the look out for more Spiderman apparel.

As we were putting on his shirt the other day he said:
Griffin: Oh look mom it's me!! As he was pointing to his shirt.

And a comment not related to Spiderman.  The other day we were Skyping with Heather.  Heather mentioned that he got a hair cut and Griffin replied while rubbing his head: "Yeah its pretty fancy"  We just started cracking up.