Daddy is a Teacher

As we drove by Williams Field High School...

Ruthann:  "Jaxon, that is where Daddy works.  He is a teacher at that school."

Devin:  "Yep, Daddy teaches people...and they cuss at me."

(A student told him to F off today)

As Jaxon climbs from the office desk to chair...

Devin:  "Jaxon, you are so dangerous."

Jaxon, with a giggle and smile:  "Yep!"

More Romantic?

The other night Devin and I had the following conversation:

Devin:  "Do you remember our first date?"  

Ruthann:  "Of course."

Devin:  "Do you remember our first kiss on our first date?" (which is not our actual first kiss)

Ruthann:  "Ummm..."

Devin:  "Jiminee Jillikers!  I'm more romantic than you?!"

Sometimes we tease that he's the girl in the relationship...

Cuteness!

I just can't get enough of this cuteness!  I think this boy is just adorable!

I love his little pucker lips!

The pouty face
The curious face

1st Digital Scrapbooking Attempt

Here is the first page I made...

It's fun, but I actually don't like it as much as I thought I would.  Don't get me wrong, I love how you can get tons of stuff to use for free, but I'm not very good at it yet.  I just don't know what to do to get my pages as pretty as the ones I have seen.  I'm sure it'll get better with practice!

Bath and Needing a Haircut

Gotta love bath time! 

Granny

I just have to give a shout out to my mom.  She is really is an awesome Granny.  Jaxon adores her and for good reason!  She spends time doing things with him that he enjoys.  It's easy for me to have Jax tag along when I'm doing something I like, but it really takes patience to do something he wants to do.  

A week or so ago, I wasn't feeling well so my mom came over to spend the day with us to help with the boys and make me some yummy chicken noodle soup.  She sat for 3 hours and did a project with Jaxon!  It started out with making just Buzz Lightyear out of construction paper, but being as he is obsessed with Toy Story, he also wanted Woody, Jesse, and Bullseye.  They made Buzz and Woody, took a break for lunch, and sat back down at the little table and made the others.  Jaxon loves them!

He's kind of confused about what a shadow is.  Because of Peter Pan, Jaxon thinks a shadow is something you can play with and hold.  So, he calls these, "Woody shadow," "Buzz shadow," "Jesse shadow," and "Bullseye shadow."  I tried to explain it and show him, but he just doesn't quite get it yet...

Nephi

On Christmas day while we were out doing family visits, we stopped at Devin's uncle Brent's house.  Jaxon found a candy necklace there and put it on his head and said, "I Nephi."  I have to say, I was so proud!  I don't know where he learned that Nephi wore a headband, but I was excited he wanted to be like him!  

Ever since then, he has been using my hair bands to be Nephi.  

PS...Anyone in need of a full size box spring mattress?  As you can see in the background, it's just sitting in our hallway.  Since Devin built a bunk bed, we don't need it.  It's basically brand new.  I got it a few years before I got married, and ever since then, it has been in our guest bedroom.  Please let me know if anyone you know needs one...it would save money if they needed a new bed because if they had this, they'd only need to buy the top mattress.  I hate to throw it out (I don't think DI takes mattresses anymore.)  Let me know!

Sleep?

On January 12, this is how I found Jaxon...

Then, on January 13, this is how I found Henry...

Are they trying to tell me something??

Christmas 2008

Here are a few pics from Christmas morning...

Every present Jaxon opened he said, "Spideyman!?"  He was hoping everything would be related to Spiderman somehow.  

Henry loved his rattle.

Jax got lots of puzzles this year.  Here he is doing the ones from Mommy & Daddy.  (He sticks out his tongue in concentration!)

Here they are...all done and all by himself!

Every present Jaxon opened he wanted to play with.  He didn't want to move on and open any others.  So Devin and I decided that we weren't going to have very many presents for our kids at Christmas.  Plus, when they get older, we don't want them thinking, "Is this all I get?"  We want them to know it's not about the presents.  When we ask Jaxon what Christmas is about, he says, "Baby Jesus."  :)

After we did presents at our house, we went over to Granny & Grandpa Judd's house for breakfast and to open presents.  

Jax loves his slide/basketball hoop!

Here is Gramps with Henry & Jax:)

Uncle Joshua, Jaxon, Grandpa, and Henry

Henry & Oma (Great Grandma Nordstrom)

After the Judd's house, we went into town to Great Grandpa Judd's for dinner.  We had a pot luck and then headed over to Devin's parents', uncle's, and grandma's houses to visit.  It was a busy day, but very fun filled with lots of family!

Henry & Great Grandma Done

I love Christmas season and I'm sad it's over, but it was so much fun this year.  I love spending so much time with family and having Devin home from work.  I love my husband and little boys so much!  Life is good:)

Smiles!

Christmas Eve 2008

We headed into town to eat at Arriba's for lunch.  Devin and I had mixed feelings about eating out on Christmas Eve (feeling bad for those who have to work), but it's what the Miller's wanted to do so we decided to join them.

Here's Henry after having his lunch before we went inside.  

We had a little photo shoot b/c he was in such a happy mood:)  I just can't get enough of this little chunk!

The Miller fam made matching Christmas sweaters with puff paint:)  They were very cute and fun to wear matching festive sweaters!

Daddy & Henry

Cute brothers!
This is a "big moochie"  Henry isn't a big fan.

Christmas Goodies

Here are my cute boys making sugar cookies.  I basically had to beg Devin to let me get the Pillsbury sugar cookie dough.  He gave in because I never buy it and it was on sale.  I know it's got lots of stuff in it that's not good for me, but they are so yummy that I like to get them every once in a while!  Anyway, these boys are making homemade cookies (Devin would never put his name on store-bought food).  I just thought they were so cute I had to post these!  

When Devin cooks, he wipes his hands on his bum and you can definitely tell here:

I love this kid!

I Need Your Input!

After this happened...

...we decided we better get some new kitchen chairs...

...so we got some...

Then we wanted a new kitchen table...

...so we got this...

Here are some of the decorations in our kitchen so you can get a feel for what it's like:

The table was a great DI find.  I wanted one with leaves and we found it:)  (Devin hasn't sanded the leaves yet, that's why it's still shiny.)  The chairs are from the Mesa Auction, which is my new favorite place to get furniture.  They have so much nice stuff and most of it goes for so cheap!

Now my problem is what color should we paint the table?  

As you can see, our kitchen has brown tile and countertops with maroon lower walls, black trim, and a tan upper wall color.  I'm afraid after adding these dark brown chairs, if we paint the table a dark color, it will be too much dark.  But, is an off-white/light color the best option?  Devin thought about giving it a French antiqued look.  

I will never claim to be a professional decorator, so I need to know what you people think!  Those of you with a crafty decorator eye, what should I do about the table???

2009

It's a new year so make some resolutions!

I found these cool quotes about goals:

"The trouble with not having a goal, is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never cross the goal line."  -Thomas S. Monson, excerpt of talk given January 14, 2001 on the campus of Rick's College

A goal not written is merely a wish.

"Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness.  It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."  -Helen Keller

Some of my goals:

1.  Read my scriptures every day.  (I have done this like a champ my whole life, but since the arrival of child #2, I have been a slacker when it comes to daily reading.)

2.  Keep current inventory for our food storage.

3.  Save more money...spend less.

4.  Look hot for swimsuit season despite having 2 children.  (Dang stretched tummy skin!)

5.  Learn how to do digital scrapbooking using free software.

6.  Cook more.  I really mean it.  I know I have said I don't have a desire to cook and since Devin loves to do it, I didn't feel a need before, but I do now.  See, when he's cooking, he's basically off duty for watching the kids.  This leads to the following:  

Devin gone at work all day.

Ruthann home tending the kids.

Devin home from work.

Ruthann wants and needs a break.

Devin has to cook.

Ruthann still has to tend the kids.

Devin prepared dinner.

Ruthann didn't get a break and is now grumpy.

So, I decided if I cook, I'll be the one off duty.  Sounds like a great plan, we'll see how it goes...

I am telling everyone my goals because if I tell people, I'm more obligated to do it!

Buzz Lightyear

Here's Jax wearing his wings, but the wings weren't enough.  He had to have his whole "Buzz outfit" on.  He is such a light in our lives!

This is a puzzle Jaxon got for Christmas.  He loves doing puzzles and does them all by himself.  It's funny because everyone who has seen his puzzles thinks he needs help with them, but he tells them, "no, myself" when they ask, and they are surprised to see he's right!  (And he always needs "shock-it milk" when he's working on them.)

Oh, and here's us at the temple lights.