Water babies!!

We had a great time swimming and Darren and Emily's pool yesterday. The kids were so excited to go. They LOVE swimming and since the girls think they can jump in by themselves we bought them some arm floaties. They were all a little shy at first to trust the floaties but Maxwell and Mia got comfortable really quick. Eva on the other hand wasn't as confident floating on her own so she stayed close to Casey and I. Mia and Maxwell swam in the water for hours. They loved jumping off the edge of the pool then swimming to the stairs. Eva played in the shallow pool and on the steps of the deep pool and then enjoyed lots of snacks while everyone else swam.
Thanks Darren and Emily!!!

Potty training time???

So tonight was a pretty big step towards potty training. We had just had dinner and were getting ready to take the children upstairs for a shower when I noticed Eva doing the poopy face.....all you mothers know what face I'm talking about....... so I run over to Eva and pick her up and run her upstairs and tell her I want her to go poo poo in the potty. I take her diaper off and sit her down and it takes her a second but she does it. So of course it deserves a round of applause from Mom, Dad, Maxwell and Mia. Now Mia is so excited that she says she wants to go poo poo in the potty too, even though Casey had just changed her diaper. We sit Mia on the potty and there is no more poo poo, but she is determined so what happens.... pee pee in the potty. We all start cheering and clapping for her "Yesssss...pee pee in the potty, pee pee in the potty!!" Mia and Eva each got a HUGE handful of marshmallows for being such big girls and Maxwell got 5 marhsmallows (yes, 5) for being such a supportive older brother.
All this talk of "big girl" princess unders has finally encouraged action and we can now do the pee pee and poo poo dance.....Hoooorraaaaayy!!!
Who new having children would lead to such excitement over things most of us would rather not talk about....... I LOVE being a mom!
The look of pride on my girls faces is something I will remember forever.

STOP THE PRESS......Disneyland with NO KIDS!!!

This never happens. So last night Darren and Emily came over with their kids and we decided to be spontaneous and go to disneyland without the kids, something we have never done....EVER! We lucked out too because this week it's still open late from all the weeks of springbreak. It was so fun hangin' with Darren and Emily, it took us back to fall of '99, they were newly weds and Casey and I were engaged. (Hangin' out in good old provo, sigh, those were the days.) It was so much fun. We got to go on all the rides we never get to go on when we have the kids with us. Thanks for the idea Emily and thanks Casey babe for being my best friend!

Casey and Emily


Darren and Emily


Splash Mountain anyone?



So we got a little wet, who cares, did I mention.... NO KIDS!

The sweetest sorry EVER!!!

So I'm making lunch for the kids a little while ago and call the children in to sit at the table and Maxwell takes one look at his plate and this conversation follows...

Maxwell - (as sassy as the sassiest 3 year old) "Hey, I don't want 4, I want 5" (pieces of pbj sandwich)

Me - "How about a thanks mom for lunch instead of complaining."

Maxwell - "Well, I want 5 not 4..."

Me - "Do you want me to cut one of them in half so you can have 5."

Maxwell - (starting to cry a little) "NO, I just want 5"

Me - "If you don't stop talking to me like that you are going to go to bed with no lunch." (I know, such a mom thing to say)

Maxwell - (Now really crying and screaming) "But I just want 5 not 4....."

Me - (I pick him up and put him in the bedroom and close the door - while he screams) "You can come out when you calm down and are ready to eat."

Maxwell - (comes out of the room wiping his tears) "Mom, I need a hug."

I pick him up and squeeze him tight "BIG hugs" (as he always says).....Then out of no where an unrequested apology.....

Maxwell - "I'm sorry for yelling at you Mom, I love you so much!"

How can I possibly stay mad at that..... So we cut one of his quartered sandwich pieces in half and then he had 5!

I guess waking up an hour earlier than normal can make him do and say crazy things...love that cute little maxwell boy!

Happy Birth Day Baby Braden......

Casey's Brother Derek and his wife Katie finally welcomed baby Braden into their family at 7:23am friday the 4th of April (Katie's birthday) weighing in at 10lbs and 20in. Yep, he's huge! So cute though.... The kids couldn't wait to see him and love him. They were so excited they all wanted to hold him at the same time. Here are just a few pictures.....isn't he sweet. Congrats Derek and Katie, we love you!!

Take me out to the ball game........

The kids had a blast at uncle Brians baseball game yesterday....

Mia and Eva sat behind the dugout for about 20 minutes hoping to get called up to bat...



Maxwell and Caleb were so cute, they were pretending to play baseball. Maxwell was pitching and Caleb was hiting, then they would both run the pretend bases.



Go Mustangs!!!!

Uncle Brians team won the game 6 to 4!!!!