IT'S A.................

That's right... another bundle of boy! We are so excited to start brainstorming boy names and further preparations to welcome our precious little buddy into our home. I am so thrilled that Robby will have a little brother to grow up with as well!

Where Has July Gone?!

Somehow I feel like I blinked and July is already done and over with. In many ways I wish that life would slow down and I could freeze my children in the ages they are for just a little bit longer.

Madison is just my little chatterbox, who is constantly reminding everyone that she is a “BIG girl.” She is pretty well potty trained now and loves swimming, Mickey Mouse, Care Bears, organizing ANYTHING she can get her hands on, watching movies, and bossing her little brother around. She has become quite the little helper in the kitchen—loving to pull up a chair and “help” me cook, and she also loves to help me clean mirrors, sweep and mop the floors and vacuum around the house. She even came downstairs the other day to inform me that Robby was on the bathroom counter in Mommy’s bedroom playing with the toothbrushes (yikes). I just love her to death and couldn’t imagine my life being complete without her.

Jesse has now decided that Robby is on pacifier ban, stating that he is only allowed to have one for naps and bedtime. Consequently, Robby has started talking much more in the last few weeks. Some words he just learned how to say are: shoes, “nana” (banana), juice, and cheese. He now climbs everything and can frequently be found on tables, beds, the back of the sofa, etc. He loves balls, cars, trains (his favorite thing to say is “choo-choo” when he hears the train passing outside), and anything that Maddie is in the middle of playing with (he even has recently taken a liking to necklaces and most days walks around with one of Madison’s princess necklaces strung around his neck). I love his slobbery kisses he gives and he just learned how to blow kisses, which melts my heart. I sure enjoy his sweet spirit he brings to our house and I am so grateful for being blessed with the opportunity to be his Mother.

July 3-7, I had the opportunity to be the camp nurse for our church’s stake young women’s camp. Even though I was exhausted by the time I was done, I had an amazing experience being there. The staff was amazing, the food was fabulous (seriously), and the girls were a riot. Some of us up there even had time to play some card games as well: I learned how to play dominoes and a pirate card game compliments of Lisa! Other than getting dumped on with rain and hail, the typical girl pranks, and lack of sleep, it was pretty much a perfect experience. I missed my two kids like crazy towards the end of camp, but I would definitely go back next year in a heartbeat!

My dad had hip replacement surgery the day after I returned from girls camp. He is a trooper and has recovered REALLY well in the few weeks since the procedure. He just recently got rid of the walker and for a moment the other night, I actually forgot that he had just had surgery. Even though my dad has been recovering the past month, my parents have still allowed us to come us their pool whenever we like. We have been swimming as much as our free time will allow us to and both the kids have really turned into little fish. Maddie and Robby will even jump off the diving board and swim to me on the step in the deep end (I will have to get some pictures that my dad took of this).

Jesse's friend Danny came into town this month and we had a barbeque/swimming night together a few weeks ago. He brought his ALWAYS adorable 3 year old daughter Aleisa as well. Maddie just loves Aleisa and is constantly trying to get her to hold her hand. We had so much fun catching up on old times and just relaxing together. Thanks for the fun time Danny! We will have to do it again next time you are in town.

Jesse has had lots of fun in July with the boys in our ward (he is the Priest Advisor in our church—16 to 18 year old boys), but the highlight would have to be their super activity to Havasupai Falls. They went July 16-19, and hiked 11 miles down into the Grand Canyon, through the Havasupai Village-Town, and into the camping grounds by Havasupai Falls. I was glad he had the chance to do something fun like this and to get to know the young men better, but I was more than happy to have him back come Saturday afternoon. He came back with funny stories to tell from the experience! He sure loves being able to work with the young men in our neighborhood!

Since Jesse returned from Havasupai, it has been a lot of work, work, work for the both of us. We have been lucky to have such great family support that has really stepped in to help us out with watching the kids. I cannot say enough about how loving and caring they are. On that note...we are counting down the days until we leave for Rocky Point: three more!! After finishing a busy work week, I am now enthusiastically packing up swim suits, towels, sunblock, loads of food, fun books to read and I guess some clothes as well.

And then there were THREE.....

As most of you already know I am pregnant with number 3! I am 14 weeks prego right now and we are so excited to have another little one in our home. We are due January 5th, so when the baby comes Maddie will be a little over three years old and Robby will be almost two years old. We find out on August 7th what we are having, and I cannot wait! I am such a planner that I like to know what I am having, so I can get everything ready for the arrival. Since I already have one of each (boy and girl), it will be really fun to see what we will get this time around. If you ask Maddie what is in Mommy's belly, she almost always will say "a sister" or "a Maddie", so we will see if she is right. I haven't been too sick this time, other than nausea and feeling extremely tired ALL THE TIME. I am hoping in the next few weeks to have a little more energy.

I know that my life is only going to get more crazy with three children to nurture and love, but I am so grateful for all the blessings I have received thus far in my life. Even though the last few months have been really hard on me in many ways, I can see the Lord's tender mercies in my life. When I feel like everything is falling apart, I try to take a minute to reflect upon all the wonderful things I have been given; and then my perspective changes & things don't look so bad. I guess it's the truth that if you focus on the positive in your life, it helps diminish the magnitude of your trials, or at least gives you the ability to deal with them better.

I am so grateful to have been blessed with an AMAZING husband who is constantly helping me around the house (and normally doesn't receive any recognition for this). He is always willing to run errands for me or with me, and when I am in a "pregnant mood" he deals with me and even tries to cheer me up! I have loving parents and an awesome mom who is one of the most selfless people I know. She is constantly helping out us kids, whether through sewing projects, mending, babysitting, phone calls, you name it! I am grateful for my in-laws who are always so excited to spend time with my two kids. They dote on them, play hide and seek with Maddie and Robby, feed the horses with them, etc. They even bought an adorable play pool so that they can go swimming in their backyard! They are truly such loving people and I couldn't be more grateful to have them in my life! I am so grateful for a roof over my head, food in the cupboards, a job, and beautiful kids that constantly give me slobbery kisses & hugs. I am grateful for amazing visiting teachers that come visit me EVERY month and bring me a beautiful, uplifting message, and for the fabulous support system of women in my neighborhood: it is truly one of a kind!

But one of things I am most grateful for is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When trials come, it is the knowledge of the plan of Happiness that pulls me through. I know that if I live my life to the best of my ability, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven of my trespasses. I am grateful for my eternal family that I belong to. I love my kids and husband so much and I love knowing that no matter what happens, we have the ability to live together after this life. I am grateful to know that this life is not just about all the worldy concepts of making money, instant gratitude, spending and acquiring possessions, but about proving myself to be a worthy daughter of God.

I guess as I prepare to add another special soul into our family, it makes me reflect upon my own life and make a commitment to try harder to be a better mother, wife, daughter, nurse, and friend to those around me and the special spirits that have yet to come into our home.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!!

It seems like we have been friends forever yet also like we just met. Becky transferred from Mesa to Highland part way through high school. Although we didn't officially become friends until the end of our Junior year of high school, we have shared so many fun and unforgettable times together that it seems like she will forever be my friend from childhood. She has always been someone that I can count on, whether it was to make me laugh after a bad break up, listen while I vent about my arguments with parents, or to simply go and splurge on ice cream with, she has been there for me. She is the one who has helped get me through some of the toughest times of my life. I seriously don't know what I would have done without her. We stuck together as we maneuvered from high school friends to college friends. We even seemed to date only guys that were good friends for several years as well!

When we were younger we even jokingly made a promise that we would live next door to each other and raise our kids together. I am still trying to convince her of the fabulous qualities of Cortina--the neighborhood that we live in! We have indeed shared many laughs together and at one point had bundles of inside jokes between the two of us. (With each pregnancy I seem to get dumber, so now I seem to have forgotten a lot of those inside jokes :) I can remember our fun games of "perdittle" in the car, our counting game at graduation, going to breakfast instead of seminary and how we will always laugh when it comes to breakfast burritos. Thanks for all the fun times in the past Becky and I am excited to see our boys get to be friends and share their own memories as well! Also thanks for all the late night talks, crying sessions, as well as happy moments!

Several years after high school, we both got married and began our lives with our wonderful husbands. Although we saw much less of each other, we still remained close friends. Then three years ago, Becky and Jeff moved to Midlothian, Texas to begin Chiropractic school. I was so sad to see her leave Arizona. We still have talked on the phone and gotten together as time permits when she came into town. But it almost seemed as though I had lost my friend due to the distance between us. I am so excited to say that she is BACK! They just moved back home a few weeks ago and I am so happy to have her back close to home. Even though we are both busy with kids and families it is nice to start planning outings together!

I hope you have a killer 26 birthday Becky and these pictures are to remember some of the fun memories from our younger years! (there are quite a few: I had so many to choose from and had a difficult time narrowing them down)

Tiffany, Becky, Jamie, Taya, Jen, and April all soaking wet!
The lunch crew our senior year of high school (Steph can you see yourself in the back?!)
We were seriously so HOT with no makeup right?
Becky, Steph, Kelli and Tiff
The Senior girls TP job on the school the end of our senior year!
We almost fell over right after this picture because we were laughing so hard!

Right before a dance!
Graduation here we come: we stayed up SOOO late the night before graduation and my little bro even let us all take a turn shaving part of his head that night. I think he just loved having all these high school girls giving him the attention!!

Calling from the cabin: Shhhh.....I will never tell the reason behind this picture :)
Charlie's Angels: Becky, Carli, Tiffany at the cabin
Ohhh the memories! Kelli, Becky, Tiffany, Steph, Angelee, Lori, and Katie

This was seriously our favorite pose in our pictures. We have so many of these together, I just picked one!

She's Back!

It has been a LONG three years as I have anxiously awaited the time when my BFF Becky would move back to Arizona. We have missed the births of my two kids and her little boy, and have only seen them sporadically when they have come into town. But the day has come! She is back from good ol' Texas FOR GOOD! Her hubbie just finished chiropractic school and I couldn't be happier to have her back. The other day we went to lunch together and then walked around the San Tan Village shopping mall SWEATING to death! Cute little Brody chilling in the shade by the splash park
Brody and I
Madison LOVES anything to do with swim suits and water. Her and Robby had a wonderful time running around and sticking their faces in the water that would spray up at them. Too bad Becky and I were MELTING in the heat while we watched them play.
Isn't she the most adorable Mommy to Brody?! Seriously I am always so jealous of her fabulous looks, long legs, and KILLER body!!

my favorite part of summer....

SWIMMING of course! Even though at times the heat can be unbearable and monotonous when you have two small children, nothing beats being able to go swimming on your days off work! It is guaranteed to cool you off and provides hours of entertainment for the whole family. We love not only LOVE having a community pool to swim in, but also many friends and family that open up their pools to us to come cool off in as well. My parents have been AWESOME about letting us come over and swim at their pool in Gilbert. We have gone at least once a week to their house for the past month and have enjoyed every minute of it. We not only get access to an amazing pool, but I can generally persuade someone else to join me in the pool with the kiddos! A definite bonus! Several weeks ago we went over to my parents on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and had a barbeque with the whole family. Robby and Madison love to bring cups to the pool and they will sit on the top step and dump water on each other and laugh like crazy!
My mom is always such a good sport. When Maddie tells her to get her swimsuit and go swimming she will gladly change and hop in the pool with us.

Funny picture that Jesse snapped of me. He was the official camera-man for the day

Maddie wanted to know what this shooting water was...so what did my Mom tell her? That it was a "little fountain" of course. As soon as Maddie heard this she proceeded to squat down and take a little sip of the water. Kind of gross to think of her drinking from a drip line, but what do you do?! The good thing is she hasn't managed to catch some crazy disease from this little adventure.
A close-up of Maddie drinking from the "little fountain"

tHaNks uNcLE aDaM!

Last year, my brother-in-law Adam gave my kids these ADORABLE outfits and they have been TOO big. We put them on the other day and they finally fit. I think they look stinkin' cute and they seemed to like them as well. We hardly ever manage to get pictures of both kids smiling and looking at the camera!
I love this picture because he is smiling and DOES NOT have a pacifier in his mouth (we really need to do something about weaning from the pacifier :)
Jesse took this picture of "the girls"

Even though this picture isn't the greatest, I had to include it. This shows one of funny things he does right now. He will squat down low and then pop up with his arms high above his head, trying to jump like his big sis. He never actually makes it OFF the ground, but as you can see he gets so excited when he tries. It's almost as if he actually thinks he is full-on jumping!

Gotta love the pink cowboy boots

Father & Sons

A few weeks back, Jesse took Robby on the fun Father and Sons campout with our ward. Jesse's Dad and brother, Brett, also joined in on to be a part of Robby's first camping trip (Maddie has never actually been on a camping trip either :). It sounds like they had a good time and Robby slept good--which is always a worry when you bring a one year old with you! Maddie and Mommy had fun at home as well. We bought Panda Express and then ate popcorn and watched a movie on my bed. Then Saturday morning we got up and went to several garage sales in our neighborhood. Afterwards we headed over to my parents house and played with Grandma! I sure did miss my little buddy and so it was nice to have them come back home on Saturday afternoon (even if they smelled like a camp!)

Uncle Brett and "Papa" Toronto
Robby chilling by the fire

What do May Showers bring??

lots and lots of MUD! Normally I am the type of mom that hates dirty children. I will literally watch my kids like a hawk outside to make sure they stay nice and clean. This time, however, I couldn't resist to watch Robby slip and slide in the mud for probably 20 minutes. Maddie even joined in until she stripped down to her birthday suit, which marked the end to her mud adventure and the start of her bath. Robby absolutely LOVED being good and dirty and had a big grin on his face the whole time. After two days of soaking in tide with bleach there wasn't a trace of mud on the kids clothes and we now have these fun pictures as memories of the crazy May rainstorm in Arizona!

Visit with Grandma

Last weekend, we had my Grandma West come stay with us for the weekend. It was so much fun to have her get to know our kids a little better and it was cute the way Maddie would call her "great-grandma". Maddie had the best time curling up on her lap and watching "Cinderella."