I love being a MOM!

Today is Mother's Day. I love being a mother. I loved being a mother from the first moment I learned I was pregnant with my two sweethearts.  Sometimes I feel like all I do is take care of other (little) people's needs, but I wouldn't have it any other way! There is nothing in this world I would rather do- Mr. Hayden and Miss McKall. I love you both with all of my heart. I always will.

To Hayden... you are growing up way too fast. I can't believe you are going to be in kindergarten this year. Today I watched you in Primary and you made me so proud to be your momma. You didn't want to go up and sing with the rest of the primary in Sacrament, because sometimes you are a little shy, that's ok, because you sang to me this morning, in my bed, after you gave me the picture you had drawn for me. You thought it was so funny that the three of you had to "do everything for momma" today! Thank you for cutting the olives up for the yummy taco dinner you guys made me! You are so forgiving of me and are always there to give me hugs and kisses and to "snuggle with mimi." You like to ask lots and lots of questions. You are very smart. You all did a great job making me feel special today. I love you Beany.

To McKall.... you are growing way to fast too, my princess. You are talking a lot now and it is quite entertaining. You told me today, in your cute little voice, "happy mother's day." You can be fierce and stubborn. I think you take after me a little bit :) I hope you use this to your advantage someday! However, underneath that stubbornness and drama you have a tender heart... my little sweetheart. You love to try on shoes, wear pretty clothes, have your hair done and say, "look at me," to Hayden and Daddy after you have been dolled up. I love this about you. You like to be held. I love to hold you. You mostly only want me to help you do things, not daddy. I wish you would let daddy help you more sometimes!! Someday I will miss not helping you with everything. I love you Peanut.

To Mike... Thank you for being a great daddy to these two precious babies. Thank you for all you did for me today. I love you!

Family Fun Day!!

 

Mike took a much needed Friday off of work so we could go play together!! We started our day with a puppet show at the Boise Library, the kids love the puppets shows there, and they both like to read. After the puppet show we headed to the Botanical Gardens. It was a perfectly beautiful day to walk around the gardens. The kids loved running up the stone stairs and exploring the paths. It feels so good to have Spring here, although it has been a bit cold still. We lucked out on this day though. After the gardens we went to Idaho Pizza for lunch. Hayden ate a ton- I think he is growing, a lot, right now! Grandpa Barbour has been marking their height in their garage for a while now, and we just measured him the other day and he had grown about an inch in a month and a half!! Some day maybe my yard will look like the Botanical Gardens. What? A girl can't dream a little :)

Easter

We had lots of fun Easter activities this year. Hayden and McKall really loved coloring eggs! Hayden was much more organized in the way he did his eggs, while McKall was just dunking them in where ever sher could! It annoyed Hayden the way McKall was doing it. We also had a preschool Easter party at our house. No pics... we were having so much fun that I thought about it when the party was over :(  

 My cute kids all dressed up for Easter!

 Hayden on his egg hunt.... a little stressed about the hunt?? Love you!

 We went to Grandma and Grandpa Wyler's for Easter dinner and the kids had an egg hunt. Here are the kids looking at the loot!

 The weather was beautiful! Hayden took McKall around in the wagon- she loved it!

McKall ate chocolate nearly all day long, as you can tell by her really clean face!

I celebrated my 32nd birthday this year! Still feel young :) Mike and the kids took me to Olive Garden and got me a ding dong so I could blow out a candle ( I didn't want a cake!).  I got lots of fabulous gifts and had a great time!!

My awesome friends took me to Louie's and we had some fun afterward! This is myself, Katrisa, Chelsea, Kristen, Susan and Anjela (both sitting in the back) out having fun after dinner. Annie and Aja had to head home after dinner, we missed them.

I. Love. You

Some days I feel like all I am is a referee between Hayden and McKall. Ug. However, some days they play great together and have a great time! They were being goofy, and getting along this day. P.S. Most days they get along great!!

 

On another day I walked into the room to find them

 giving each other hugs and being so sweet to one another.

St. Patty's Day!!

To celebrate St. Patty's Day this year we had green milk and green shamrock pretzels (Mike ruined it for me and says they look like something else. I'll let you decide). We also had preschool at our house this week so we talked about St. Patty's Day, Leprechauns and Rainbows! 

That evening Hayden also got to go to an open house for students who will be starting kindergarten! He was so excited and proud. He got to take home a backpack filled with books, and school supplies.

Fire Station Field Trip

We took a field trip to the Fire Station for preschool. A very nice fireman took us all around the station and showed us the gear and trucks!

 Hayden exploring the fire truck!

 Oh... I could just eat this sweet little princess up!

 It is nearly impossible to get a good picture of both of them in the truck!

Afterward they got a firetruck cookie!

Jack, Rockwell, Gavin, Hayden



Pi Day {3.14. 2011}

 For Pi day this year I made a homemade Apple Pie! Yum!!

 In order to get a piece of "Pi" Hayden had to do some math problems with Daddy.

McKall wanted to work on some math too :)

On a non related Pi note... Notice my beautiful Polished Silver walls and chair rail in the background, and my cute lampshade I covered!

On another non related Pi note... as Mike was doing math with the kids he was also playing with his softball stuff. He is getting excited for softball season!

Valentine's Day 2011

For Valentine's Day this year we had a "fancy" dinner complete with BBQ chicken pizza, fresh salad and sparkling cider. I decorated the table and served Hayden and Mckall with terms like "sir, and madam." Hayden got into the whole "fancy thing" and replied back like " Madam, may I have some more pizza please," in a very proper voice. They thought it was really neat to have a "fancy" dinner and drink out of special cups.  After dinner we had a dance with the kids. They thought it was so fun. It reminded me how simple things can be so great.  I love my two little Valentines!!!

My Big Valentine. I {Heart} You.

Happy Birthday Mike!

Mike's Birthday is January 4th. Hayden has been a little trickster lately and he wanted to make this sign for Mike to see when he walked in the door from work. He had us all hide and surprise daddy after he had seen the sign, and walked into the house more. Hayden thought he was pretty clever. We had a little family party for him at home. He requested Navajo Tacos- yum! And of course white cake with chocolate frosting!

Typical Mike didn't want much for his birthday, so Hayden picked out a really cool kite for them to fly together and I got him a six pack of Root beer! Mike did finally break down and picked out a gift for himself... a new EVO cell phone. It is pretty cool and Mike is enjoying playing with it. We are all so grateful for Mike and all that he does for our family! Happy Birthday!!!

Christmas Time 2010

This year Hayden and  I were in the Treasure Valley Night Light Parade. We were part of a float for a new charter school we are trying to get in to. Hayden thought it was pretty cool that he got to be a part of it. We had fun, but we were freezing at the end.  

We had an early Christmas at Gary and Vanessa's, like we usually do. This is McKall who was really enjoying chocolate of some sort, obviously!





On Christmas Eve we made sugar cookies for Santa, and the kids both heard Santa's sleigh bells outside of the house! Hayden could would not fall asleep as he was a little bit excited! Hayden wrote a letter to Santa this year and asked him to bring each of us 100 presents. This is the kids in their new Christmas Eve jammies.

Opening presents on Christmas morning.... they were still calm.

I gave up trying to take pictures of them because they would not sit still with all of the new toys around. This is the quality of pictures the kids were giving me. New toys more important that mom trying to get pictures on Christmas morning? Just a few of our favorite gifts this year... Mike got me an Escali Pana kitchen food scale- yay! I made the most delicious rolls and I am excited to play with it! Hayden got criss cross crash from Santa, and McKall got a ton of baby doll stuff. Mike wanted a good one one this this year. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to fulfill his request, but he did end up getting his $8.00 stapler that he wanted so badly! Later that day we went to Grandma and Grandpa Barbour's. Amanda and Jeremy were here for Christmas.

For New Year's Eve we are off to spend it with some friends. This year went by very quickly! Here is to a great 2011!

Why do Policemen have guns?

Yesterday we were at Walmart grabbing a few things. On one of the isles Hayden picked up a bottle of cupcake sprinkles, accidentally dropped it, and broke it. I picked it up, kicked the sprinkles over and told him not to touch stuff in the store. I also told him that he could get in trouble if anyone saw him do that (gotta scare the kid- right). We moved on, paid, and went on our merry way.

A bit later, in the car, Hayden said, "Why do policemen have guns?" We explained why they have guns. He thought a bit and said, "Do policemen come for falling food?" At this point we weren't sure where he was going with this, so we told him that if the falling food was hurting someone the police may come. About 30 seconds passed and he said, "will they come if the falling food happens just once?" 

I looked to the back seat and he had a really worried look on his face. Mike and I then both realized he was scared about a policeman coming to get him in trouble for the sprinkles. It was one of those moments that we were trying not to bust out laughing and trying to comfort him at the same time. It was so sad and funny at the same time. I felt so bad for him, my sweet little boy.

First Big Snow Day!

We got a ton of snow, so the kids and I headed outside to build a snowman! The roads were crazy, and it took poor Mike 2 hours to get to work! I don't really like the snow and cold, but there is something about the first good snow fall of the year!