February 21 - Caffeine Free

I stopped drinking last month in my quest to be more healthy.  Every time Bryan would crack one open, I'd get jealous and think to myself, "stupid health".  And sometimes, I'd even sneak a sip when he wasn't looking.  Today we went to get some bread & milk and some of the cold stuff jumped into our cart.  I just needed it.  Bad. 

February 20 - Couch-less

We really need a couch for our basement. 

February 19 - Really Mad

What do you think we just told Haze?  Maybe that we are going to cut off his right leg?  Or that we aren't giving him any more food for the rest of his life?  Or that our house just burned down to the ground?  Nope.  We only told him to put his ball down so we could go to the store.  And that is how sad he gets when he can't have his basketball in his possession.

February 18 - Museum

Went to the Children's Museum on our day off today!  Haze kept sneaking back to the ball exhibit where he would kindly shove others out of the way to get the balls he wanted & put them in the tubes.  He also enjoyed banging on things & driving the helicopter & putting the pretend cheese from the pretend grocery store in his real mouth. 

Andlie loved.  Like L.O.V.E.D. the rock wall & was so proud of herself for climbing up the wall by herself (which she did about 35 times).  She even made us say, "Presenting the Amazing Andlie," and then she would run out & climb up the wall. 

It was a great day spent together as a family!

February 17 - Tunnels

Haze used to be afraid of playing in tunnels.  After seeing Andlie & Bryce play in them all weekend, he ain't never scured!  He had such fun crawling in & out all day today & saying (with a cute little smile), "Seeeee you!" 

February 16 - Visitors

Grama & Grampa & Brycie were here today!  We had so much fun with them & love it so much when they are here!  (Special thanks to Dad for bringing a life-size cardboard cutout of Elvis & placing it in random places around our house & spooking our pants off.)

February 15 - Braided Curls

I totally remember when my Momma would braid my hair before bed so I could have wavy hair the next day.  I had way bad deja vu when I was doing it to Andlie's hair last night.  She was so excited!  The finished product was so cute on her and she felt so pretty all day.  Thanks, Mom, for teaching me how to make beautiful, wavy hair!

February 14 - Valentine

Oh my gosh.  I thought I had good things in store for Bryan, but he totally won the "Best Present Giver" award.  I got out of the shower to find a dozen yellow with red tips roses, a beautiful card, and (drumroll, please) a diamond band to match my wedding ring!  [Five hundred exclamation points!!!]  I love it so much!  It's so sparkly and pretty and perfect. And so is he.

The kids woke up to a few small presents on the piano.  Andlie got a pink hat, new watter bottle, jump rope, and a card.  Hazey got a red hat, new water bottle, squishy baseball, and a card.  I gave Bryan small presents through the day (card on the shower, cookies to work, family pic & candy work kit at work, writing on his car after work, Q&A printed interview with Andlie about Daddy & heart pizza when he got home), but his big present was some Jazz tickets! 

I love my Valentine so much and am so thankful for everything he does for me & for our family every single day.  And I know he feels the same way about me.  And that makes me super lucky & blessed.

Just for fun, here's a flashback of our other Valentine's Days spent together.

2006: We were dating.  He gave me some roses & Diet Coke and of course, a beautiful card.  I made him go on a scavenger hunt @ UNLV to find a candybar poster on campus.

2007: First year of marriage.  He totally surprised me & brought roses to my work in person!  He also had hearts cut out all over the house when I got home.  I made him go on a scavenger hunt through our house to find small presents & goodies.  We went on a date to a new Mexican place in town.

2008: He left me presents in my car while I was at work.  When I came home, the house was decorated with Valentines decor.  I made him a jar of 100 reasons why I loved him.  I also made him a crab dinner.  I ate hot pockets.

2009: First year with Andlie.  I had balloons blown up with helium & tied to cans of Diet Coke through the house.  Each balloon had a small present inside.  He planned a really sweet dinner @ the Alumni House - just us.  He had the table set & decorated & roses there for me when we arrived.  Andlie came with us & sad in her carseat quietly.

2010: He gave me a new purse with "purse items" in it.  Each item had a cute note on it.  I gave him a homemade book with quotes about him from my journal.  Andlie got her beloved stuffed sock Monkey from Bryan this year.

2011: He gave me a family picture and a beautiful long letter (not a card) & flowers.  I gave him a family picture & candybar poster.  We went to dinner at Pizza Factory.

2012: In the middle of deciding if we should take a new job.  He gave me roses & candy.  I gave him candy & new underwear.  Both kids got some Valentines.  We went on a date.

February 13 - Breakfast

This is Haze in his pajamas.  I was lying on the couch watching cartoons with the kids.  Haze got hungry so he took matters in to his own hands.  I heard some clatter in the kitchen and I heard his little voice saying, "Cookie, yay!"  Next thing I know, he is walking around the corner with the box in one hand and a half-eaten cookie in the other.  He was not happy when I took them away and traded them for oatmeal. 

February 12 - Daddy

This is what our house looks like for about an hour after Daddy gets home.  We're so lucky to have him.

February 11 - Party Time

We're having a party at our house tomorrow so Andlie & her friends can exchange Valentines & decorate cookies.  Today, we I rolled & cut out 52 heart-shaped cookies.  Phew!

February 10 - Matching Feet

Andlie got some Madagascar Valentines with "tu-tus" to pass out to her friends.  Of course, we needed to try the tatoos out, so Andlie picked one for each of us and told us to put them on our feet.  Bryan now has Melman foot, I have Gloria foot, Andlie has Vitaly foot, and Haze has Alex foot.  These tatoos don't wash off easily either.  But at least we have matching Madagascar feet. 

February 9 - Basketball

Went to the U basketball game today!  It was lots of fun!  Andlie learned to do the "U" sign with her hands )and made sure we all did it every time anything good happened) and Hazey learned to chant, "Oo-tah, Oo-tah, Oo-tah," both of which made Daddy very proud! 

After the game, we had fun at the mall eating linner (lunch + dinner combined) and playing on the dinosaur slides. 

February 8 - Hazey Hugs

After bathtime when Haze is soft & warm and after he has his new diaper on, he stands up and snuggles me.  He stands on his tippy toes, wraps his arms around me, puts his tiny paws on my back, squeezes tight, and lies his head down on my shoulder.  My favorite part is that he just stays there hugging me quietly for a long time.  And I hug back & take it all in.

February 7 - Gymnastics

Andlie went to her very first day of "rim-nastics" today!  She has "been waiting and waiting and waiting" to go.  She did great and said to me after it was over, "Mom!  Can you even believe that I just did rim-nastics?  I just love it!  I want to go there every morning when I wake up!"  Success.

Poor Haze was so jealous of all the running, jumping, and flipping going on for the hour.  Don't you worry, he was fine once I busted out a Dum Dum.  "Sucka!  Yay, sucka!"



February 6 - Personalities

Andlie: Plays with her train on the designated tracks.  Notices other children at play, but doesn't bother them.  Makes quiet, dainty noises as her train passes through the tunnel.  Notices every spinning piece of the track & enjoys playing with it.  Walks softly around the table to retrieve her train after it goes down the hill.

Haze: Throws train around until it lands on track.  Tries to take trains out of other children's hands.  Growls & shouts as his train enters the tunnel.  Stomps and smacks and laughs.  Climbs up on the table.  And sits there comfortably claiming his territory.

February 5 - Andlie's Feeling Better

This was her face after I told her it was time to take her goggles off and get out.  "Oh no you didn't, Mom!"  I love her so much! 

February 4 - Sneakin'

Andlie made a Fruit Loop necklace in Sunbeams yesterday.  Today, Haze quietly snuck him some snacks before bed.  Who's not laughing?

February 3 - Church & Superbowl

Haze looked like a tiny adult at church today. 

We spent the evening eating treats & bean dip and watching the Superbowl.  (Favorite commercial was the Oreo one where everyone was whispering in the library/fighting.)

February 2 - City

We were all (finally) feeling better today so we went to a Utes basketball game & played at the mall!  Haze ate an entire bag of popcorn at the game, was so proud of himself for sitting in his own seat, and kept shouting, "bas-ket-ball!"  Andlie learned how to make the "U" sign with her hands, clapped for the cheerleaders, and ate several suckers on her own. 

Then to play at the mall!  The kids love this new play area at the mall.  We spent a good hour there.  Andlie gets brave and goes buck-wild on all of the dinosaur slides.  Haze walked around to all the dinosaurs, hugged them, and said, "Awwwwe, rino."

February 1 - Package!

We love getting mail.  We especially love sparkley packages from Grama & Grampa!  Andlie was so excited to open it!  Thanks so much! 

January 31 - Date!

Mindy came tonight.  She spoiled us.  Again.  But suckers & golf sets & cookies don't compare with the fact that she tended while we went on a date!  Snapped a quick pic (for the blog of course) on our way back to our car after dinner & stramming & visiting & laughing for over two hours.  It was wonderful.  I sure love that guy.  He's my best friend in the whole, wide world.  I feel so blessed to have him!  (Thanks, Mind.)

January 30 - Getting Better

The kids were both feeling much better toda and there's no more inversion thanks to the recent snow!  So, we went on an adventure & had lunch with Daddy.  On the way back home, Haze was super sad to have left Daddy & wouldn't stop crying & saying, "Daaaaaddy."  I finally shouted, "Haze!  Stop!"  Andlie immediately responded, "Mom, you shouldn't yell at him."  "You're right.  I'm sorry."  "It's okay, Mom.  You can still be my friend." 

During work, Andlie was bored, which was a great sign since all she's done for the past several days is watch movies & nap her sickies off.  So, today she added some more color to her train.  We got it from Tony & Leslie for Christmas & have slowly been adding color.  Today she chose purple paints!  (Can you spot the three places that she painted today?)

January 29 - Family

My family is the best.  Tonight we got a full dinner delivered.  Like, really full.  Pizza, breadsticks, salad, soup, soda, cookies.  Thank you, Mindy.  My family prays for and loves me & my little family.  And we can feel it.  We're so blessed and thankful.

January 28 - Snugs

I love being a Mom.  The past week has been hard with two sick babies.  1. Because I don't have any time to eat or sleep or shower.  But, (most importantly) 2. I hate seeing my babies so sad and helpless.  I love that they love to snuggle with me and want me to love & hug them and it makes them feel better.  I get sad thinking about the day that they won't want me to snuggle them and rock them at 3, 4, and 5 AM.  I feel so grateful to be able to be a Mommy.  It's one of my favorite titles (only tied with Wife). 

Tonight I sat on the couch.  Andlie wallered her foot on to my leg and had me tickle it while she laid down on a pillow.  Haze came up to me & said, "Up," sat on the couch and nuzzeled his little bum so it was smashed right next to me, and put his little foot on my other leg.  And I sad there and smiled and loved on my babies.

January 27 - Sick Andlie

Poor Andlie caught it.  She woke up this morning around 3 AM with a really dry, barky cough.  She had a fever through the day and totally didn't feel good at all, but by about 6 PM, she was having a really hard time breathing and it was freaking all of us (including her) out.  We took her to InstaCare.  Waited for 40 minutes & then went back.  Diagnosed with Croup (I suspected).  Oxygen was at 92.  Doctor gave her an oral steroid mixed with Motrin.  Then administered a steroid breathing treatment through the nebulizer.  These were both to help her throat open up so she could catch her breath.  The breathing treatment started working immediately.  Relief.  Doctor sent us home, but told us to keep a close eye on her through the night to make sure her throat didn't swell back up.  Came home & sat outside in the freezing cold for a minute to calm everyone down (and at doctor's request to get cold air flowing through her lungs).  So thankful for modern medicine, prayers, family, humidifiers, fluids, and Motrin & Tylenol.

January 26 - Measuring

Daddy brought Andlie a prize from his travels - a measuring tape!  She loves it. She's been measuring everything in the house today.  My feet are "76-40."  Measuring is super important.  I'm so glad Andlie is up for the task.

January 25 - Daddy's Home

Daddy got home late last night!  Praises!  Since he was working on a holiday on Monday, he got to spend the day at home with us today.  Most of it was spent snuggling with our sick little Tank & being at his beckoned command.  It's so wonderful to have him home.  We all missed him so much.

January 24 - Mickey Saves the Day

I took Haze to the doctor this morning.  He has an ear infection & viral infection causing all of his cold symptoms.  He was sad today.  He didn't like: me to set him down or pick him up, food, juice, naps, no naps, TV, no TV.   I didn't shower today.  I had our neighbor & bishopric member come over and give Hazey a blessing tonight.  He didn't love that so much either.  (But I was thankful.)  He finally calmed down & stopped crying when I put Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad, let him watch to his heart's content, and gave him a chocolate cookie.  Whatevs.  Glad he was happy.  I feel so sad when he's sick and doesn't know how to feel better.

Andlie was a total sweetheart all day and kept telling Haze she was "sorry he was sick."  She was so sweet at the doctor's office.  She got me anything I would ask for.  She did everything I asked her to do.  She truly is one of the sweetest girls I've ever met.  I love her so much.

January 23 - Sleeping Babies

When I wrote about my day last month, I forgot to include one of my most favorite times of the day.  Today was a hard day.  Hazey woke up kind of sick.  The %$#@ fire alarm wouldn't stop chirping so I pretty much tore it out of the ceiling and left it dangling.  Bryan is still gone and will be for another full day.  I decided I wanted Red Robin for dinner so I took two babes with me to a sit down restaurant.  (Which was actually pretty fun and easy and pleasant.) 

Back to my favorite part of the day.  After the kids have been in bed for about two hours and I'm ready for bed, I sneak in their room and re-tuck them in and kiss their little faces and whisper that I love them.  I love their peaceful little faces.  Sometimes I hold their little hands and whisper to them in the dark.  Of course I love them every minute of every day, but every night I get a couple of queit, uninterrupted minutes where I feel overwhelming and unconditional love for my tiny tots and gratitude to my Father in Heaven for letting them be mine.