Flashback

These are pictures taken when Piper was not even a week old.  I love them.  And I mourn for her newborn days.  She is completely mobile now. I found her clear across the room this morning and right by the stairs too.  Time to put up a gate.
I just got the pictures the other day and even though my baby looks so much different now-here she is at just a few days old.

 (This is the outfit we brought her home in)

She still sucks her bottom lip in like this when she's sleeping.  I love it.

5FF-Vol 6

Rough and Tumble, Dirty Birds and Magic Fingers

We've had a crazy week at our house.

Here is a short version for my Five Facts Friday!

1- Last Friday, Landon and Presley were running and playing.  Landon ran into the door jam and cut open his chin.  He came to me crying and I promptly told him "you're fine-stop crying-toughen up" and then said, "let me see it".  Well, he took his hand off of his chin and it was bright white.  Yuck.  I am not a nurse for a reason, people.  I calmly put my hand over the cut and took him to see Scott, who by the way will debate my calmness.  Then it finally started to bleed and we had the debate.  The one where the wife thinks it for sure needs stitches and the husband thinks he can just get the super glue and take care of it at home.  Well this time the wife, me, plead my case and Scott agreed that a facial wound probably should be looked at by a doctor.  We loaded him up into the car and headed into Community Care.  It did require attention-medical grade super glue.  Did we both "win" this time??

Landon was so brave!!  He didn't fuss at all.  He did pick off all of the glue in about two days time.  These pictures were taken from my phone-so they're not the greatest-but they kind of show where and how it looked.  Hopefully there won't be too much of a scar.  But as his dad said, "Chicks dig scars.  You married me didn't you?"  ;)
2. Piper also had a head bonk this week leaving her with a lovely yellowish bruise on her forehead.  Of course, she is still all smiles!

3.  I love seeing my kids play together.  I was down in bed sick on Monday and Tuesday so Landon and Presley were left to play/destroy the house.  I took a few pictures of them and then realized how DIRTY they were!  It's kind of funny-but I did quickly throw them into the tub after seeing these pictures.

4. Speaking of friends and tubs...I love bathing my kids and seeing them fresh from the tub.  Presley and Piper are becoming quite the little buddies.  Presley is usually a huge help/hinderance and loves to baby Piper.  She talks to her in this voice that is 10000 decibels higher than normal humans can hear.  But Piper seems to understand....

5.  Last of all-magic fingers.  The older two girls had their second piano recital on Thursday night.  Pacie played "Robots Marching" and "Cops and Robbers".  Parker played "Waterfall" and "Canon in D". They both practiced and worked really really hard to memorize both pieces of music.  They did amazing!  We had a crazy day with dance pictures the two hours right before the recital-so they both had residual make-up on.  We were all a little frazzled.  Well, mostly me.  So I was very proud of them that they could focus and play so well.  Mamie and Gramps and Grandma Landon came to listen to them too.  Piano is one of those things... It's hard!  It's hard to fit in practice, but it's so worth it.  This is Parker's third year playing and Pacie's second.  I am grateful that they are dedicated and they are both really talented.  I am determined to keep those magic fingers playing! Here are a few pictures from their night.

With their teacher, Meggan

Changes...

My little Piper is changing so fast. Her hair is coming in. Her teeth are coming in. She's becoming very mobile. It's all happening much too quickly. She is 8 months old, tomorrow!
Part of the reason I was panicking over the missing camera was missing these stages. As you will notice in the following pictures (which were taken by the video camera-hence the yellowish color and not great quality) Piper's teeth did not grow in "normal" order. She didn't get her front teeth first-she got the two next to her front teeth. Landon's did the same thing...
Anyway-I knew it wouldn't last long-and it didn't. Her two front teeth are also now securely in place.  Here are a few recent pics.  I can't get enough of my sweet smiley little baby.

Ya gotta love it!!!

5FF-Vol 5

I am a little stumped today as far as a "theme" for my 5FF.  When my visiting teachers came and talked about journal keeping last month, they also provided me with a little jar full of slips of writing ideas.  Today, I will have Landon pull one of those ideas out of the jar for me and that will be my 5FF topic for the week.

Here is the question:
Where is the most exciting place you have ever been to?  What makes it exciting?

TRAVEL!  The topic for the day.

1-  England.  Hands down the greatest place I've ever been.  I served a mission there from October of 96 to May of 98.  In the spring of 2000 I went back to visit some dear friends.  I went by myself that time-and it was very interesting traveling that far alone. Rachel saw me off at the airport...my how we've changed!!

When I met Scott, he noticed that I had a Union Jack flag on my key chain and asked me about it.  Turned out, he also served a mission in England....a few years before me.  Not only had he served in England, but in the same mission I had served in.  In 2007 a lady from his mission that he baptized called and told him that she was getting married in the Preston temple and was also having her deceased son sealed to her.  She asked Scott to sit in as proxy for her son.  What an amazing opportunity. Presley was only six weeks old, but we made the journey and were there together for a couple of weeks.  We were able to see our friends and tour the country together.  Here we are with the happy couple...

And here I am with Presley in front of the Lincoln cathedral.  I served in Lincoln for 8 months of my 18 month mission.  It became near and dear to my heart.

2- Right along with England, is Scotland!  I went there to visit friends in 2000 and Scott and I went again in 2007.  Sadly, we missed my friends that time (Claire!!!!)-but we were able to visit some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever seen.  It was beautiful!  We went to the castle in Edinburgh and really just enjoyed driving around and seeing the amazing scenery.  Here is Scott first with Presley (at a restaurant in London) and then in front of the castle in Edinburgh.

3.  Paris!
During my 2000 trip my friend Jan ,who lives in aforementioned Lincoln, and I went on a day trip to Paris.  We found a really cheap flight and took off for the day.  We did every touristy thing and went to every touristy place imaginable.  The Eiffel tower, the Arc de Triumph, the Louvre, the Opera House, Notre Dame, just everywhere.  In one crazy whirlwind day.  But what fun we had.  And I don't remember ever being that tired at the end of one day.  Great memories though!!  Here in Jan and I in front of the Eiffel tower....

4.  Florida!
In the summer of 2004 we took the two girls to Florida!  Parker was 2 and a half and Pacie had just turned one.  We actually met my friend Jan, pictured above, and her family there for a week.  We went to Disneyworld, Key Largo, Miami Beach, Busch Gardens...I'm trying to remember where else we went!   I went through my pictures..and now I am really bummed out.  It always makes me sad to see how fast my kids are growing up and how much they have changed!  I could post a thousand, but here are a few of my favorites.  That trip, by the way, was so much fun.

Sunset in Key Largo.  How amazing is that picture?  It looks like a fake background.  

Look at Parker and Pacie!!  Parker had really curly hair when she was little and the Florida humidity made it super super curly.  And I think Piper looks so much like little Pacie.  Such fun times....

(As a total side note:) *This is the Dann family.  Nigel, Jan, Chris and Becca (twins) and Jared.  I have known them since 1997...and we are still close friends.  Even though they lives thousands of miles away... We have seen them quite a few times since my mission was over. They like to come to the states.  We met them in Las Vegas/Grand Canyon the summer after Florida, they came over the Christmas of 2008 and the summer of 2010.  Counting down until we get to see them again....

5.  My last destination is California.  It is fairly close and we have been there quite a bit.  My two favorite trips have been just this last October when Scott and I went there to celebrate our 10 year anniversary and October of 2008 when my parents took us there for an early Christmas present.  All of us were able to go except for Mitch, Sarah and Ari. We missed them being there!!  The grandkids, well, all of us really had such an amazing time being there together.  The kids were in heaven and October was such a great time to go. The lines were short, the weather was perfect and everything was decorated in candycorn and Halloween.  Amazing memories!!  Here are a few pics of those two trips..

Here we are in California Adventure.  We didn't take Presley or Bergin because they were so young they wouldn't have appreciated it much.  Plus it made it easier for us!  (Kinda selfish...but true.)

This is maybe my favorite picture from our trip.  We all found letters and took pictures in front of each of the letters spelling out California.  This one with my mom and dad and the grandkids is just too cute.

And here is the full group of us in front of the giant candycorn.  Such fun memories!!  California will always be a destination spot because it is so do-able!

Thinking about it, I could list many more places that I have traveled.  My parents loved to take us memorable places.  We went back east and toured the church sights.  That was incredible.  My dad took us all to Texas to his mission area as well and that was so much fun to see.  One summer my mom kidnapped Rachel and me and took us to San Francisco for our birthdays.  That was a trip of a lifetime!! We spent many summers in Jackson with my dad's work and we've been to Las Vegas many times.  I look forward to expanding my wings and going to see a little more of the world...

Some suspicious characters.....

Hey strangers.  Beware of these two suspicious characters seen roamin' around these here parts:

One creative preschool mom gave these out as Valentines.  They had a Blow Pop through the center.  I couldn't resist snapping a picture. And I also love the hearts on their cheeks.
As a side note, I broke down and bought a new camera today.  Just a basic point and shoot.  It's been just over 2 weeks since ours mysteriously disappeared.  I'm sure it will show up any day now that I went and bought a new one....

L-O-V-E

As it is LOVE day today, I want to shout out to the loves of my life.
I am so thankful for my little bunch. I love each of them so much for who they are and how they enrich and make my life so so full.
Each of them bring so much to me.
Parker-Your goodness radiates to all and you are always willing to help. You are growing up too fast-but we are having fun while it's happening.  You are so talented in everything you do!  I am proud of you.
Pacie-You can always make me laugh! You have such a great sense of humor. You are also so sweet and mild mannered. Always easy to have around. You are such a book worm-just like I used to be!  You are so smart and so talented.  I am proud of you too.
Landon-My only boy. You are all boy-but have such a tender heart. I will never tire of your kisses or your sweet moves.  I can't believe how well you read!  I love that you love books and hope you will continue to read and learn.  I am still not letting you start Kindergarten in the fall.  Just saying.
Presley-My little spitfire. You surely know how to keep your mommy on her toes. You make the best faces and are so so dramatic. I have learned to pick my battles with you. Your voice can be the highest pitched I've ever heard and I love it.  You are a good sweet helper to your little "Pipe-sies".
Piper-You sweet baby. You are such a blessing in our home. You are honestly the best baby. Rarely fussy and so fun. You are cutting both top teeth right now-so the vampire look is almost gone. We love you and are so thankful you're in our family.
And Scott-where to begin? Thanks for the card and flowers and Diet Coke x 2 today. Thanks for 10 + years of being my best friend and biggest support. I love you.
Enough Sap. Here are some recent pics of my LOVES.
Happy LOVE day everyone!!

5FF-Vol 4

This is the quick read version of Five Facts Friday.  It's entitled:  Weekend plans.
1- Drive to Layton.  Stay in hotel and let the kids swim their hearts out tonight.  Let someone else cook dinner.  Sweet!
2- Go to watch the girls dance tomorrow in Ogden!!  It's our first dance competition and I can't wait!  I love going to the competitions. Hopefully the youngest three will cooperate and help make it a great day!  Parker and Pacie-dance your hearts out girls!  We WILL be cheering for you and the rest of our amazing teams at IDS.
3- Drive home late tomorrow night.  Enjoy some time with Scott-seems like we haven't seen a lot of each other lately for some reason....
4- Enjoy Sunday with my family.  I love Sundays.  We go to church and then just wait for Scott to come home so we can hang out together.  I'm excited.
5- Prepare for two Valentine's parties this week for preschool.  I am making Valentine card holders for 26 kids on Sunday afternoon/evening.  If that doesn't scream of a good time, I don't know what does!
And that's my weekend.  Interesting or not-that's what we'll be doing.  Note there is no time in there allotted for house cleaning, laundry, etc... I guess you all know what I'm doing on Monday as well.

And because no post is fun without a picture:

(yes it's also from my camera phone.  Still can't find the real one.  How many days do you wait before you buy a new one???)