A Florida Easter

We visited my family in Florida for Easter. It was a long drive for a short trip but totally worth it and lots of fun. We went to the beach on Saturday and then church/Easter dinner/egg hunt on Sunday. It all happened so fast but I loved being home. I love the feeling of being in a familiar and comforting place. It's so refreshing and I wish we could visit more often. The kids loved playing with their cousins and it was great to see my siblings and parents. 

Here's pics from our trip.

Lila is so much like her daddy, even in her facial expressions.

Calvin liked running around in the sand but didn't like the water so much. 

Emmett just enjoyed hanging out with grandma. 

The beach camp. 

Lila loved every part of the beach. 

 Easter dinner.

6 Months Later

Emmett is now 6 months old:)

He is so much fun and is always smiling. Like always smiling; he doesn't stop, I tell ya. His excitement is contagious and I love it. We all love him to pieces. Emmett is a big hit with Lila and Calvin. They all love playing together. It's an even bigger party when Chris comes home. Emmett lights up and squeals just like Lila and Calvin when they see daddy walk through the door. 

Emmett loves to eat and is now enjoying rice cereal. Well, I can't really tell if he likes it but he eats it most of the time. He is sleeping pretty good at night and taking regular naps. He's still gnawing on everything and drooling nonstop but I haven't seen or felt any teeth yet. He is wearing any size between 6-12 month clothing. Our big boy just keeps getting bigger. Here are his 6 month stats:

Height is 28 inches (95th percentile)

Weight is 19 lbs 7 1/2oz (84th percentile)

Head is 44 1/2 cm (84th percentile)

We just love him!

Here's some pics of our beautiful baby boy and a couple videos:

Another Year Gone By

We had our 4th wedding anniversary this past Thursday, March 7th. Chris gave me flowers that day and I have to say, getting flowers never gets old. Friday night is when we went out to eat to celebrate. We went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse again and had a great time. They do extra special stuff for special occasions. Our table was tucked away so we had privacy AND the chef made us a special appetizer that was on the house AND they gave us a free dessert. Our food was delicious and it was fun to reminisce about the last 4 years.

Each anniversary makes me feel more grateful for the choices I've made. It is wonderful being married to Chris and I'm so glad we were sealed together forever in the temple. Our life together with our amazing kids is far better than I dreamed. We have been given so much and been taken care of by our Heavenly Father. We have had trying moments but they are short-lived. I heard something today at church that stood out to me. The comment was, "this life is not about 'living the dream' but preparing to live the dream." I often pray for perspective. I know when I have a clear perspective, an eternal perspective, I am more patient, loving and understanding. The 'dream' comment gave me perspective today. I love when Chris and I work together and make our way through a trial. We are growing closer because of them. He is my best friend and I love him more each day.

Happy Anniversary to us:)

February Fun

We had a fun February. For Valentine's Day, we ate heart shaped food, dressed in pink and red, and made valentines cards. The kids and I enjoy the small things. Any holiday is fun for us. Chris and I were able to go out that night too. It was a great Valentine's Day! 

Here's some pics from the day.

It snowed a few weeks ago. We were on our way home from the temple and it started snowing. It was so beautiful to see everything covered in white. The kids loved watching it fall. When we got home, me, Lila, and Calvin headed outside to play in it. Lila kept eating the snow and Calvin loved running and stomping his feet in the snow. Chris and Emmett stayed inside and watched.

Here's some pics from that day. 

Dating Again

One of our resolutions this year is to go on dates more regularly. We've been able to trade off babysitting with some friends so it's not so expensive to go out either. It's been so nice to go out and spend some time together. When we were dating and engaged, we couldn't wait to get married. We often reminisce about that time and how much fun it was. Now that we're married, I miss those days of just being able to go out and have fun, just the two of us. These past few dates have been refreshing and I look forward to many more. For one of our dates we went to the shooting range. It was a lot of fun and we found out we have pretty good aim. 

As a kid I liked the cop shows, like CHIPS and Hunter. I wanted to be a cop after watching those shows. It looked so cool and adventurous. Once I knew the reality of how dangerous it could be, I changed my mind. So I guess I really just wanted to be a TV cop. The kind where the good cop always takes down the bad guys and never got seriously hurt in the process. I think my interest in guns comes from liking those shows. It's a lot of fun to shoot a gun. I know it's not a toy and I'm very cautious but I really enjoy shooting guns. So does Chris by the way. He pretends he's Jack Bauer from 24. Anyway, we had a lot of fun and here's some pics and a video:

Mommy/Daughter Date to the Circus

I took Lila to the Circus for a mommy/daughter date. It was a double date with our friends, Holly and Eva. Lila talked about the circus all week leading up to the day we went. She was so thrilled at the idea of going and loved reading the books about the circus we got from the library. She kept asking what animals we would see. I wasn't sure what we would see so I made a few guesses of what I expected for a typical circus. I vaguely remember going to a circus as a kid. I'm actually not certain I even went to one, it could have been a dream, I don't know. Chris and I went to a circus when we lived in Arizona a few years ago. We left early because of how lame it was. I can't remember what made it lame, I only remember that was the reason. Anyway, with my limited experience at the circus, I didn't know what to expect except to have fun with my Lila. The show was AMAZING and everything I imagined a circus to be. I can't even say one thing was my favorite. I don't think there was one part I didn't like. Lila loved it! She loved the whole experience. She was in awe the entire time. I loved watching her watch the show and taking it all in. Lila liked the animals the most. That and going with her friend Eva. They even enjoyed the intermission playing together in the bathroom line. We had a great time to say the least and look forward to going again next year.

Here's pics and a video:

Emmett's 4 month Stats

Our Emmett boy is growing up so fast. He had his 4 month check up the beginning of January. 

Here's his stats:

Height - 26 1/2 inches (96th percentile)

Weight: 16 lbs. 6 oz. (72nd percentile)

Head: 42 1/2 cm (79th percentile)

He's a big boy just like his brother, Calvin. 

Emmett has been such an easy baby. He's always smiling, easy to please, and so much fun to be around. He's started teething and is handling it well. I haven't seen any teeth poking through only the constant gnawing on his hands and the excess drool lead us to believe that's what happening. Emmett also rolled over for the first time at around 3 1/2 months. Rolling first from his stomach to his back but he can also roll from his back to his stomach. He loves being free to wiggle and roll around on the ground. We love him dearly and are so grateful he's part of our family. Here's some pics and a few videos.