Snow day .. Snow play

We finally got some snow to go along with the frigid temperatures we have had this winter. The boys have been looking forward to this storm for some time. We played outside pretty much all day soaking up all of the fun in the snow!

Pierce was all smiles while playing outside!

They also have been talking about building a snow cave with their dad. They couldn't wait until Trent got home so that he could help them.

Trent took advantage of the snow piles that were created by the snow plows. It cracks us up how wimpy and scared people get about the snow here. They cancel school with as little as a skiff of snow! It is definitely different from living in Utah that is for sure.

They built this cute little snowman out on our deck. They were so excited! It was a very fun-filled day out in the snow!

National Museum of American History

Pierce, Brock and Jaida in front of the museum.

Pierce and Brock dancing to this guy's bucket drums. He was really good at it!

January 15, 2010 we decided to head down to Washington, D.C. and see another museum. We chose the National Museum of American History. We had a great time there. It was a busy weekend, we didn't think about the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday. The mall was full of visitors. typically when we go on a weekend we find a spot pretty easy to park and just walk right up to the museum. This time proved to be more challenging. Trent dropped the kiddos and I off at the front and we went in and finished the entire transportation exhibit before he had found a spot. The boys really liked that portion of the museum.

The boys out front of the museum.

We also saw the presidential wing and the entertainment and sports exhibits. Pierce thought it was cool to see Michael Jackson's hat. Brock liked seeing dumbo and all the trains and trucks. Trent loved the part about George Washington. He is reading the biography of Washington so he was pretty excited to see some of the things he had read about. Jaida just enjoyed being carried around and watching her brothers as usual.

Pierce wanted his picture in front of just about anything and everything. so we thought this would be good- C3PO!

We finished off our day meeting some of our friends at Elevation Burger for a very yummy hamburger, fries and a shake!

He is 35!

January 13th was Trent's 35th Birthday. I am not sure who was more excited for it me or the kids. I don't think Trent was all that excited to be turning another year older. Trent had to work on his Birthday, BUMMER! So me and the kids waited very impatiently for him to come home. We went and got some decorations and decked out the house with balloons and streamers. The boys had a really fun time doing it. We had planned to go do it at his work and surprise him, but he had some darn meetings and we wouldn't have been able to see him. I let the boys pick out presents for their dad. They each got him a puzzle, a bat, Frisbee, books, candy, soda pop and bubble gum. When he got home we jumped out and yelled Happy Birthday! Then we took him to Pizza Hut. Afterwards we came back home and we joined with his parents and sang Happy Birthday and ate some of his yummy ice-cream cake. I think his day turned out pretty well.
I hope that He always knows how much we love him and how grateful we are to have him in our lives. He is the best father and friend to me. I love that we can just be silly and dumb together and that we can laugh. I love him with all my heart. Hope you had a very special Birthday TBIRD.

Artist in Training

Pierce got an easel for Christmas, so he has been working on his drawing skills. His pictures are now starting to look like what he says they are. Here are a few samples that I thought were cute. The one above we were having family night and we learned the song, Love at Home. After our lesson we were playing a game of pictionary. The boys love this game. Pierce drew this. It is a picture of our townhouse, complete with our van parked out front in our parking stall. He added a heart and said This is our love at home. He is the sweetest little boy.

Now this one is none other that St. Nick himself with bag in tow. This really has been one of the best presents they got. They love drawing on it and practicing their letters.

Just in case

Just in case you are like me and can't get enough of this cute face.. I took some pictures of her. She is my happy, smiley, little love munch.

She is now 10 months old. On the day she turned 10 months she started to babble.. finally. She says, "a blah blah blah blah blah!" So cute! I really could listen to it all day long!

Now when she takes a bite of food she also says ," mmmmmmmm!"

She loves french fries, toast in the morning, and vanilla wafers too! Now if she could just get some teeth!

I am still trying to figure out how to do a little girly's hair. I struggle. It is getting long and by the end of the day she looks like a rag- a-muffin! I cannot resist her sweet little cheeks! She really is the love of my life!

Brock and his animals!

(From top to bottom: Snakey, Monkey man, Tigger and Big brown bear.)

(From left to right: Mr. Weenie, baby horse, uncle Sam, Mr. Pete, Congo, Sock monkey and special bear)

So Brock has a little obsession with his animals. These are actually only a few of them. Each night we have to get each one of them ready for bed, sometimes even making individual bed and pillows for each one. Then in the morning when he awakes we have to wake each one up and bring them all down stairs. Mr. Pete is one of his very favorites, I am glad because he is pretty small! He is very particular about how and where they sit and sometimes we have to dress them for the day! I am getting the hang of it now and I actually think that it is pretty cute to see how much he loves and cares for each one! When my parents came to visit they got a good laugh! Brock had them all laid out on the couch and one of them tried to move them over so they could sit down on the couch and he about lost it! Hahaha.

National Museum of American Indians

While my parents were here they took Pierce down for an adventure to Washington, DC to the National Museum of American Indians. December 29, 2010 Brock had his surgery to get his tonsils and adenoids removed and I was super tired from Jaida's sleep study the night before. My parents were awesome and offered to get Pierce out of the house so we could get some much needed rest!

Pierce thought it was pretty neat. I asked him what his favorite part was or what he liked he said," Mom it is so cool they have 2 gift shops!" HAHaha Had to laugh at that one! I haven't been to the museum yet so I will have to go and report what was really cool about it besides the gift shops!

We were all so glad that my parents could come! So grateful for their help with the other kids while we took care of Lumps! Love them so much!

Turning 28 on the 28th

My Birthday is December 28th and this year I turned 28! Wow, I am getting OLD! remember when you were younger and you though that people that age were like ancient? Can't believe that I am one of those ancient people. I would have like to be a little more wise by now, but oh well. The age is definitely setting in though. I looked in the mirror the other day and thought,"Geez your old!"
My parents are cute and flew in the day after Christmas and were here for about a week. That was a wonderful present. It was fun to be with them and just hang out.

The day started out just like any other day, I took Jaida to physical therapy, but it was just the two of us. It was nice to just have to worry about one child and not three. Happy Birthday to me! When I returned home Trent had taken the boys out on an adventure. He started kind of a tradition to let the boys pick out my presents from the dollar store. I know what you are thinking... EL CHEAPO! But no it is actually pretty darn cute to see what they pick out for me. I love how their minds work. They each got me a new coloring book (girl ones with princesses in them. I actually love to color. so that was cute!) Some girly puzzles as well, chocolate (they know me well), stuffed animals, and a soda pop. Trent got me a new outfit and a bracelet.

We went out to dinner st the Olive Garden and had some yummy food. I had to be home pretty early though because Jaida had a sleep study that night. So we got home and had some quick cupcakes from a cake store here in Laurel. They were pretty tasty. I left for the hospital and Trent got Brock ready for the next day, he had surgery the next morning to have his tonsils/ adenoids removed! Yipee!

3 of the best presents I got were these cute kids! Happy Birthday to me!

Merry Christmas 2010

I am a little bit behind on my blogging, but oh well. This Christmas was pretty much awesome! The kids slept until 7:30 and were so excited to go and see if Santa came. As if you couldn't tell from the picture! The kids got majorly spoiled this year.

Pierce got a REAL SKATEBOARD! He has been wanting one for a while. He kept trying to do tricks on it. Here is hoping we don't end up at the hospital with this one! He also got a flying helicopter, clothes, remote control truck, easel, puppets, zhu zhu pet and legos.

The boys got this cool skateboard ramp and mini fingerboards. They also got skater action figures: Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler!

Little Jaida Love got lots of new toys too. She got a FurReal Kitty cat, baby laptop, jungle toy and spinning top, she also got a baby doll house.

I thought it would be "too old" for her, but she loves playing with it. She sucks and chews on the little people and has figured out how to bang them in the house and open and shut all the doors, toilet lid, and fridge door. She likes to push the buttons that make sounds too. Her brothers are quite fond of it as well.. shhhh don't tell!

Brock Absolutely is Obsessed with Christmas. He loves to watch Mickey's Christmas, we have all of them, over and over and over. The funny thing is that even though he has seen them a bjilllion times he still laughs and enjoys every moment of them. It is actually pretty cute. This year he got pretty into the music as well. Our van was sporting Christmas with the chipmunks. He loved the songs jingle bells and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. He knows all the songs and sings them pretty cute! He sounds like a chipmunk too so that was an added bonus. Brock got a wooden train set, Thomas the train set, remote control truck, legos, clothes and a zhu zhu pet.

Our family also got some new fun games to play too. They have really gotten into playing games since we play them a lot at Jaida's physical therapy, while she is workin' out we have fun!

As usual we blew through opening those presents super fast. It was pretty quite relaxing morning we had no where to go or be! It was fun for the kids to be able to just have fun with all their new toys. Plus, I got to take my time getting ready.

Later that day we got to go over to the mission home and have a really yummy dinner. As always Diane spoils us and makes a spectacular dinner. It is nice to have some family here to be able to spend time with. Jaida loves her Gramsie. Don't they look so much a like! Whenever we walk into their house she always reaches out for her Gramsie to hold her! She is starting to warm up to her Brown papa too, finally.

And the boys love their Brown Papa! It was such a good Christmas. We are truly thankful for our Savior and his birth that we get to reflect on this time of year. I just love the spirit that is in our home and the feeling of togetherness and love that is felt. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2010

My mom sent the kids new Christmas PJ's in a package the boys were really excited about their new Iron Man jammies. Jaida looked super Cute in her new PJ's too,but by the time I got around to taking a picture she was fast asleep. Our Christmas Eve was pretty low-key this year. Our favorite event of the evening was doing our annual tradition of finding a needy family to door-bell ditch a turkey. This year we packed up an entire dinner complete with rolls, turkey, potatoes, green beans, butter, gravy and stuffing. The family we gave it too hasn't had a Christmas for 5 years. Really sad! We were happy to help make this one more memorable for the both of us! Trent, Pierce, and Brown Papa ran up to the door and rang the bell and ran. On the way out of the yard, Trent almost ran right into a tree. He ducked just in time but unfortunately he was carrying Pierce and a tree branch smacked and scratched his face pretty good. Pierce was a good sport even though it looked pretty bad! Trent said the whole time they were running away Pierce was laughing hysterically! We came home after and watched the Christmas Carol and made cookies for Santa. The boys were so excited this year. Brock is obsessed with Christmas time!

Their Iron Man Pose!

Makes a mom smile

* I have to write this down so I don't forget*
Today's Lunch conversation between Pierce and Brock, While I was being a fly on the wall I heard:
Brock: Will You be sad if I died?
Pierce: Sure
Brock: Will you cry if I go to heaven?
Pierce: I will miss you a lot, but I won't cry because I know that Heavenly Father will take good care of you.
Brock: You are my Best Buddy Pierce!
Pierce: I love you too Buddy!

Melted my little heart to hear them talking like that! They are too cute!

Last night at dinner Pierce busted out this that I don't want to forget:

Pierce: Mom&Dad, I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus are real! I also Know that when we say our prayers he blesses us!

Love my little Pierce, sometimes I forget that he is only 5! That kid is just so deep! I wish I could keep him like this forever. He is always telling Trent and I how much he loves us and how grateful he is that we are his parents.

This Ain't Nothin'

Sorry you missed it but yesterday I was having a pity party for myself. In fact I think that I have been having one all week long. It seems like nothing has been going right and I just can't put my finger on why I am being so pessimistic. On Monday Trent's car was broken into and ran-sacked. They stole his stereo that I bought him for Christmas last year. Gracie, our dog, has been sick with diarrhea.. Yup that means I get to clean it up! Brock had his tonsils and adenoids out and so he has needed extra mommy care. Jaida, my sweet angel baby that has slept through the night since being home from the hospital decided that she was not going to sleep at all for 2 nights. She was awake from midnight to 4 AM! Yay! Mikelle with no sleep is NOT GOOD! I think that yesterday was the kicker though. I went to Jaida's Pulmonary Dr. appt. and they had bad news! We had a sleep study on the night of my birthday and they had gotten the results and turns out that she actually did worse than her last study. Her oxygen levels actually dipped into the low 70's not good! They are referring me to a neurologist that specializes in genetics and hypotonia (low tone). We are adding a new machine at our home we will now have a pulse oximetry machine that will alarm anytime her levels dip below the 90's! What is another machine right? She had 5 apnea events per hour and mainly central apneas. They thought by now she would have out grown her central apneas, since they thought it was more related to prematurity. We don't know where things will go from here. We just hope that she continues to grow and develop and that we can someday get some answers.

Last night I was trying to be positive and think about all the good in my life to try and get refocused and energized. It is hard to have to be strong all the time. If I have melt downs then it effects everyone. I am only human and so I guess it is normal to have days of feeling less and discouraged. I am glad that I can rebound pretty fast! I started thinking about how grateful I am to be who I am with what I do have. I do have a lot of good things going for me and when I start to count my blessings it helps me to feel better. I know that there are so many people out there who have much harder trials and deal with them with such honor and strength. I began thinking about Our Friends Travis and Kim Bass. These two people are some of the most amazing people I know. Travis has been suffering with ALS for some time now and as Kim blogs about her updates she always find a way to thank God for what she has. She is truly a great example to me on how to face trials.

I was thinking that today I need to try and be better and I think that this will be my New Years Resolution. Show gratitude for what I have and endure better through my times of trial. It is a big feat, but I need to do it! As I was taking Pierce to school this morning this song by Craig Morgan came on the radio called This Ain't Nothin':

He was standing in the rubble of an old farmhouse out side Birmingham

When some on the scene reporter stuck a camera in the face of that old man

He said "tell the folks please mister, what are you gonna do now that this twister has taken all that's dear to you?"

The old man just smiled and said"boy let me tell you something, This ain't nothin'"

He said I lost my daddy, when I was 8 years old,

That cave-in at the Kincaid mine left a big old hole,

And I lost my baby brother, my best friend and my left hand

In a no win situation in a place called Vietnam

And last year I watched my loving wife, of fifty years wast away and die

And I held her hand til her heart of gold stopped pumping

So this ain't nothin'

He said I learned at an early age,

There's things that matter and there's things that don't

so if you're waiting here for me to cry

I hate to disappoint you boy, but I won't

Then he reached down in the rubble and picked up a photograph

Wiped the dirt off of it with the hand that he still had

He put it too his lips and said man she was something

But this ain't nothin'

He said i lost my daddy, when I was 8 years old

That cave-in at the Kincaid mine left a big old hole,

and I lost my baby brother, my best friend and my left hand

In a no win situation in a place called Vietnam

And last year I watched my loving wife, of fifty years waste away and die

We were holding hands when her heart of gold stopped pumping

So this ain't nothin'

This ain't nothin' time won't erase

and this ain't nothin' money can't replace

He said you sit and watch your loving wife of fifty years fighting for her life

Then you hold her hand til her heart of gold stops pumping

Yeah boy that's something

so this ain't nothin'

NO THIS AIN'T NOTHIN'

Totally made me think and realized that really the trials I have Ain't nothin' life could be way worse! So I am going to give it a try and be better! Think Happy thoughts!

Pierce's Preschool Christmas Program

Pierce could hardly wait for this day to happen. Friday December 17, 2010 was his Preschool Program. They had been practicing the songs and the nativity all month long. Pierce was dead set on being one of the kings (wise men)! Everyday he would come home and tell me that he hoped he got to be one of the Kings. Pierce is a singing machine, so this was right up his alley. He was singing so loud and proud. It was really cute to see him.

They sang a lot of Christmas songs. His favorites included: Must be Santa, Rudolph, O Christmas Tree, Away in a Manger and Silent Night. I think he was most excited that his dad took the time off from work to come and see him! Plus an added bonus was that Brown Papa and Gramsie were able to come too!

His wish came true and he got to be one of the Kings. He was so excited and had to point out that he was the one with the golden crown! The lighting was really bad in the room we were in so I was really sad that these pictures aren't the best. He was Mr. Serious when it came to the nativity. He was coaching all the other wise men on where to stand and when it was their time to go! He was all business!

Not sure why but he had his hand on his hip a lot! Cute kid! His teacher told them to try and keep what they were doing for the program a secret. Pierce has a really hard time keeping secrets, I guess he got that from me! So everyday when I would ask them what he did at school he would get this big grin on his face and say,"I can't tell you mom!" He would let little bits out, but for the most part he was able to keep it a secret!

Pierce after his big debut! He was all smiles! We love you Pierce! We are so proud of you!

No Snow, Snowman

This one cracked me up. One day when I was upstairs getting ready, the boys ran up and told me to come downstairs to see what they had made. Pierce was so excited. When we got down stairs he said,"look mom it is a snowman sitting on the beach reading a magazine!" Hahaha! I had to laugh. I had left a pile of my laundry out on the couch that I needed to fold and they used it and some other things around the house to make this snowman.

We haven't really had any big storms this year, I am okay with that since we had such a rough one last year! Pierce and Brock on the other hand really want it to snow so they can build a real snowman!