36 years

It was a great Birthday Celebration this year. Yesterday my family helped me celebrate by taking me to lunch at Olive Garden....it was so good! I waited all day to eat so it tasted EXTRA good! Then we browsed a few stores before I went over to my parents to open a few gifts. They had balloons for me and I got a few new things I asked for. The surprise of the day was the new camera they pitched in to get me....I had asked for one only hoping to receive one.....but it was a great surprise. Now I just need to learn how to use it :)

Today was a fun day as well. Julia came in and told me Happy Birthday and kept saying it to me all day. I was nice to hear :) Layne went to work for a few hours but I met him at work to go have some fun! Layne has been playing racquetball at the rec-center in the mornings and I have always wanted to play. So I thought it would be something fun and new to try out. I can usually pick things up pretty quickly but  racquetball kicked my butt.....I know I will be sore tomorrow. Layne went easy on me and kept giving my tips and helps along the way. It was fun to play with him and hopefully we can go often so I can get better at it. Its a great way to exercise and after today I have realized just how out of shape I am. After we played we went to eat at a little place called Cafe Paesan. Its like Cafe Rio but with Italian food. Either I was just starving or the food really was pretty good. I enjoyed it and would definitely go back!

Came home and we had a little cake and gifts from Layne and Julia :) They made the day really special and it was nice to spend time with Layne and the kids! I hope the next 36 years are as just eventfully as the first....I'm sure they will be!

Cake!

Cromwell Birthday Song!

Making a wish!

A few new things!

A Happy Family!

Julia got a hold of the camera.....I love Layne's face!

Memorial Day

Officially, Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May (this year it's May 30), honors the war dead. Unofficially, the day honors the start of summer.

The upcoming three-day weekend has prompted searches on Yahoo! for "when is memorial day," "what is memorial day," and "memorial day history." The day was originally known as "Decoration Day" because the day was dedicated to the Civil War dead, when mourners would decorate grave sites as a remembrance.

The holiday was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, when 5,000 people helped decorate the grave sites of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery. (Some parts of the South still remember members of the Confederate Army with Confederate Memorial Day.)

After World War I, the observances were widened to honor the fallen from all American wars--and in 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday.

Towns across the country now honor military personnel with services, parades, and fireworks. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. At Arlington National Cemetery, headstones are graced with small American flags.

This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day, which is observed on November 11 to honor military veterans, both alive and dead.

In Honor of my own grandpa, Richard Spafford, who served his country VALIANTLY, and to ALL of those who have died to PRESERVE this NATION. I am grateful for the FREEDOMS you have provided for me with your BRAVE and ENDLESS service. Thank you!

Thank you Grandpa.....I miss you!

I'm Thankful For.....

Inspiring and Uplifting words from our Prophet and the 12 Apostles. They enrich our lives every day if we but take advantage of their message. In troubling and difficult times it's reassuring and wonderful to hear the encouragement and hope these brethren have and the hope they give to me! Hear are some of the messages I liked:

Elder Scott:  (This is from the Oct. Conf. but I really liked what he said)  "Faith and Character are intimately related. We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day."

Elder Cook: "Our women are not incredible because they have managed to avoid the difficulties of life--quite the opposite. They are incredible because of the way they face the trials of life. Despite the challenges and tests life has to offer.....they remain remarkably strong and immovable and true to the faith. "

Elder Scott:  (I loved this talk and would just say read it over and over but here is what I liked best. He posed a lot of questions that hit home for me.)  Speaking to the men....." Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I've heard men tell me when I say that, "Oh she knows." You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don't withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her."

President Monson:  (quoting Pres. Hunter about marriage) " Being happily and successfully married is generally not so much a matter of marrying the right person as it is being the right person." I like that. "The conscious effort to do one's part fully is the greatest element contributing to success."

President Monson:   "We face many challenges in the world today, but I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us. He loves each of us and will bless us as we seek Him through prayer and strive to keep His commandments."

I'm Thankful For....

PEACE AND QUIET

Friday The 13th

Friday the 13th, 'the most widespread superstition'

The sixth day of the week and the number 13 both have foreboding reputations said to date from ancient times, and their inevitable conjunction from one to three times a year (there happens to be only one such occurrence in 2011, in the month of May) portends more misfortune than some credulous minds can bear. According to some sources it's the most widespread superstition in the United States today. Some people refuse to go to work on Friday the 13th; some won't eat in restaurants; many wouldn't think of setting a wedding on the date.


How many Americans at the beginning of the 21st century suffer from this condition? According to Dr. Donald Dossey, a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of phobias (and coiner of the term paraskevidekatriaphobia, also spelled paraskavedekatriaphobia), the figure may be as high as 21 million. If he's right, no fewer than eight percent of Americans remain in the grips of a very old superstition.


Exactly how old is difficult to say, because determining the origins of superstitions is an inexact science, at best. In fact, it's mostly guesswork.

The date of ill fate
Going back more than a hundred years, Friday the 13th doesn't even merit a mention in the 1898 edition of E. Cobham Brewer's voluminous Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, though one does find entries for "Friday, an Unlucky Day" and "Thirteen Unlucky." When the date of ill fate finally does make an appearance in later editions of the text, it is without extravagant claims as to the superstition's historicity or longevity. The very brevity of the entry is instructive: "Friday the Thirteenth: A particularly unlucky Friday. See Thirteen" — implying that the extra dollop of misfortune might be accounted for in terms of a simple accrual, as it were, of bad omens:
UNLUCKY FRIDAY + UNLUCKY 13 = UNLUCKIER FRIDAY
If that's the case, we are guilty of perpetuating a misnomer by labeling Friday the 13th "the unluckiest day of all," a designation perhaps better reserved for, say, a Friday the 13th on which one breaks a mirror, walks under a ladder, spills the salt, and spies a black cat crossing one's path — a day, if there ever was one, best spent in the safety of one's own home with doors locked, shutters closed, and fingers crossed.

Other facts for Friday the 13th:

Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room 13
Many cities don't have a 13th street or 13th ave.
Many airports skip the 13th gate
Airplanes have no 13th aisle
Italians omit the #13 from teh national lottery
Tarot Card #13 is the Death Card
Many say the #13 pointed to the ill-fated mission to the moon (Apollo 13)

In my life, most Friday the 13th's are just the opposite for me! These days are typically lucky for me or filled with good news or great memories. My little Julia was born on the 13th of the month and last year her birthday was Friday the 13th and it was a GREAT day! So in my book, Friday the 13th is my LUCKY day!

 What do you think??!! Supersition or Not?!

Look A Likes

Layne when he was a baby and his brother Jeff

Mini-Layne........He has so many expressions that remind me of
Layne! I think he is just as handsome as his Daddy!

My 2 Smiley Boys! 

Happy Mother's Day

To the BEST and most WONDERFUL Mom in the WORLD!

I HOPE to be just as GREAT of a MOM as you! Thanks for

teaching me with your patience, committment and desire!

THANKS for sharing your LOVE, LIFE and TESTIMONY

with me! You have BLESSED my life in so many ways!

YOU are the most LOVED! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Next to eternal life, the most precious gift that

our Father in Heaven can bestow

upon man is his children. 

  ~David O McKay

I am BLESSED to be a MOM!

Its the GREATEST yet TOUGHEST calling

in the world! I am PROUD to be called a MOTHER!

I am so blessed to have these 2 little crazies in my LIFE!

MOTHERS

Mothers are people who cook things

Like breakfast or lunch or a snack;

Dexterous people who hook things

Which button or zip up the back.

Mother are people who blow things,

Balloons and kisses and noses;

Green-thumbish people who grow things

Like ivy and puppies and roses.

Mother are people who send things

Like letter and strawberry tarts;

Magical people who mend things

Like blue jeans and elbows and hearts.

Mothers are people who find things

Like mittens and homework and germs;

Fussbudget people who mind things

Like cusswords and snowballs and worms.

Mothers are people who sweep things

Like porches and cobwebs and rugs.

Softhearted people who keep things

Like artwork, report cards, and hugs.

Mothers are people who nurse things,

A boy or a girl or a spouse.

And all in all there are worse things

That mothers to have in your house.

~Author Unknown

Christian 5 months

Looks just like Layne!

I know I probably say this every month but, WOW, he is getting so big! I was saying the other day that when you are pregnant that the time seems to just drag on and on but when they finally get here they just grow so fast. And the bigger he gets the more pictures I tend to take because he seems to be doing more and more. 

Julia actually took this picture of her brother.

As of yesterday we officially have a roller! Christian is learning to roll over and even though he's not consistent with it yet it won't be long and then its all done hill...not that he isn't already squirmy enough, we add the rolling all over the floor! Its fun to see him try and reach the toys that are just a little out of his reach and then flip right over.

Trying his hardest to stay in the sitting position.

Christian is also really close to sitting up all by himself. He can sit but does the typical hunch over. Or if I place him in the boppy he does a little better. Whenever he is in a semi-sitting position he so badly wants to sit up and see whats going on....so he tries his best to sit up but it just looks like he is doing crunches.

Holding the bottle all by himself

Frustration sets in when he can't get it back in.

Christian is also ALMOST able to hold his own bottle. He can hold it for a few minutes but then he usually pulls it out. When he tries to put it back in he can't quite do it and then he gets mad. He doesn't have the hand coordination yet....but all in due time :)

So a few milestones have been reached with this little man within in the past month. He still loves to eat and be held. For the last few days he won't take his afternoon nap unless he is held. I would rather hold him and have him sleep for a longer period of time instead of little catnaps all day long. Besides I don't mind one bit! I know that he won't stay this little forever or that he might not always want me to rock him so I take advantage of it. I love to watch him sleep...he is so cute.  A few days ago he fell asleep with his most prized possession in his hands...................

I know its a crazy contraption and everyone stares when I where it but Christian loves it! I borrowed it from my sister and I should just get one of my own because I use it all the time. The other night we went to help clean the church and so I strapped Christian in and vacuumed the chapel. He was kicking his feet and talking his little head off. When we go to the park he is there as well kicking and talking, loving every minute of it. He just seems so excited to be in it. He rarely fusses and will even fall asleep in it.

Today at the park in his new sun hat!





 We LOVE, love, love his little guy! Can't believe he is growing so fast. He is still very smiley and just a happy baby.

Thanks Gma Cromwell for the cute Mickey shirt.
It says 100% Awesome :)

LIKES:                                                                                              

*Swinging in his swing                                                                         
*Eating                        
*Playing with Julia                                                                               

*Being outside                                                                                        

*Playing with toys                                                                              

*Smiling

*Being in his sling close to mommy

DISLIKES:

*Crying himself to sleep, he would

  rather be rocked

*Being on his tummy to long

*Loud voices or sudden loud noises

I'm Thankful For....

Well I know its not the 4th of July yet but its a great day. Our troops over in Pakistan and Afghanistan have been working for years to try and get the man responsible for the 9/11 attacks and Osama bin Laden is finally dead. So Americans are rejoicing everywhere! I'm thankful today to be an American and to live in such a choice land.

The American Creed

I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice,

and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution; to obey its laws;

to respect its flag, and to DEFEND it against all enemies.  

      

  ~ William Tyler page

Its Finally May

Can I just say April felt like such a long month. Maybe it was because of the weather or I had so much going on,  I don't know but I certainly hope May is better all around! I was thinking that even though April was long and trying that I do have things I am thankful for that make life worth living each day. So periodically through the month of May I am going to post "I'm Thankful for......" and then post whatever strikes me that day or week. So today I was feeling under the weather and home with Christian today and missed church. It was so nice to have a little one on one time with him and just watch him and hold him. And then Julia came home and told me about her day at church and it just made me really happy. So today, May 1st, I just wanted to post how much I love my kids!

Julia:
♥ Always tells me she loves me
♥ I love her beautiful smile
♥ She has the best laugh
♥ She is so smart
♥ I love to watch her interact with Christian
♥ I love to watch her sleep, she looks so peaceful
♥ I love that she is a tom-boy....loves to play with the trains, balls, and cars :)
♥ She says the funniest things....
examples:
 #1 The other day we were going to see one of Layne's friend for dinner and Julia asked me if they would have a bounce-aline at their house. I was trying not to laugh it was so cute!
#2 Julia was crying and just having a melt down one night at bedtime and she had a really bad runny nose and she all of sudden just screamed out, " I have boogers!" I guess that was her way of telling me she needed a tissue?!

Christian:
♥ Can't believe I have a little man in my life
♥ He makes me so happy when he smiles
♥ He loves his big sister...he is always smiling at her
♥ I am grateful his is healthy and strong


Even though life with 2 kids can be crazy I am so blessed to have these 2 in my life! They brighten up every day!