HALLOWEEN partying begins...

 Our friends Josh and Mary Gillett hosted a 'Spookfest' last night. Well done, it was so much fun. Costume contests, pumpkin carving contest, pizza, lots of sugar, games for the kids and a show projected on the house for the kids.

Cohen was a little weirded out by dressing up. He was fine until we were driving to the party and he had a little melt down, which added to the costume and made brown streaks down his face when his tears hit the cocoa on it. Poor boy. He felt really awkward it seemed. We explained to him that everyone at the party would be dressed up silly too. Once he saw others he felt better. *Side note: he is still doing great potty training! I'm brave now and drive in the car with no towel under him.

 Enjoying his cupcake, part of his 'sugar dinner'.

 What a great looking family!

I felt a little guilty, feeling like we were mocking homeless people, which we were not. We are grateful for our home and everything in it. 

Happy Halloween!

P.S. Allsops come to town in 4 days. WOO!! I MAY have a hard time sleeping this week because I am WAY too excited. Can't wait!

jabber

 {Brend all snuggly on a cold morning run}

Now that my two year old is speaking very clearly and in complete sentences, I forget how exciting it is when a newborn starts the "jabber". Brendon is finding his voice and LOVES using it. I think we have another chatterbox on our hands.

Speaking of my two year old talking...here are some things Cohen has been saying that I don't want to forget:

- First thing Cohen says to Brendon in the morning is always "Hi Brend! Good morning! How was your sleep?" Of course in the same high pitched voice as mine when I say the same thing.

- He has been using words like "actually" and saying "supposed to" lately. Two years going on ten years!

- After saying good morning to Brendon today Co said "Brend Dad's studying now, but he'll come back and give you a love."

- "Mom, I'm so glad you're happy!" This is one of my recent favs.

- His "L" sound is still a "W" sound, so when singing 'do re mi fa so la ti do' at the top of his lungs, I can't help but laugh when he gets to la and yells WA.....do re mi fa so WA ti do.

- Saying VERY good prayers on his own. Today's breakfast prayer was something like this....Heavenly Father, bless the food, strengthen us, pray Daddy will come home, grateful for our blessings, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. Priceless.

I am grateful for communication.

Especially when it comes from my children. 

Potty Training :: week 2

{if he's not cute, I don't know what is}

I thought I was going to DREAD every minute of potty training, and it has not been bad at all! All you moms playing with the idea of trying, go for it! You at least have to try to see if they are ready, right? In two weeks, only one poopy accident {the thing I was dreading most} and four or five times he peed in his undies. He's doing great! He has started telling a little more when he needs to go, so I don't have to ask him every thirty minutes. He went 4 days with NO accidents and woke up dry from every nap, still has a very wet diaper when he wakes up in the morning. He did wear of diaper to church on Sunday, but came home with it dry! We are now just working on pooping in the potty, and actually going potty on a big, normal toilet. I have still liked him using his little potty because if I'm occupied he can run in there and do it without me.

Very proud of this boy. I know this has been a big change for him, and he has handled it extremely well. In the near future I think we'll completely get the hang of it.

I'll keep you posted...

P.S.

Me and my honey went on a wonderful date last weekend. Our great friend Vanessa gave me a Mac Grill gift card for my birthday and free babysitting. Our night on the town {for a couple hours} was well needed, and d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s. We talked about our family and our future together, things we would like to do as a family during this medical school adventure in TX, etc. I cherish my "alone time" with Brock. He truly is my best friend, and such a good partner in crime. After we came home and put the kids to bed, we watched Marley and Me, one of my newer favs. I laugh every time as if it's my first time watching it. 

 Have you ever tried writing your name backwards 

and upside down like the waiters do at Mac Grill???

WAY harder than it looks.

Some Day...

 {Co lining cars up and building a "temple" before bed}

Some day...

My innocent two year old little pal is going to be a teenager.

The thought scares me to death. This thought alone makes me strive to be a better, more knowledgeable parent. I've been thinking about my children's future a lot lately and about how many challenges they will be faced with in this crazy world in the years to come. First, I think how nervous I am for them, also anxious to see how they will react to adversity. But, second I think of how proud I know I will be watching them stand tall above the crowd and be an example of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

My calling in our ward is the Laurel advisor. I have absolutely loved working with the young ladies! They are fun, beautiful, enthusiastic and FUNNY. Most importantly they are righteous, they stand tall above the crowd and are truly wonderful examples to those around them. Here I am suppose to be an example and leader to them, when in reality they are lifting me up more than they know.

Thank you Laurel's of the Fossil Ridge Ward.

I hope my children can be as strong as you.

Some day.

Potty Training 101

 Can I really be potty training a child?

I can't believe it. My baby Cohen is sneaking into a BIG BOY. So far potty training is going well. As I write this, we have ended day 3. Day 1 he went pee in his potty 3 times and once on the bathroom floor before tubby. Day 2 he peed 5 times in potty, 2 times on the carpet, and pooped and peed in his booster chair {YUCK!}. Day 3 NO ACCIDENTS and peed 6 times in potty. He still wears a diaper when he sleeps, of course. Not too bad for the first 3 days. We'll see what tomorrow brings...

 When he goes potty he gets a treat of his choice and puts a sticker on his Potty Chart. Wow, he thinks it's the coolest. But most of all his undies are the BEST and COOLEST thing in the world right now. He wants to run around in only undies. He gets so excited when he goes potty. He smiles and squeels as he pees, it makes me happy every time. Let's hope this enthusiasm stays.

 Here goes nothin'!

A few things I don't want to forget...

- while listening to Cohen's Mix on the ipod that consists of Primary songs and Sing-A-Long songs, Cohen lighting up and yelling "I know this song Mom!" So proud and then sings every word. A few songs are I Am a Child of God, I Am Like a Star, ABC's, Wheels on the Bus, Popcorn Popping and we're working on I'm trying to Be Like Jesus.

- for FHE teaching Cohen our 3 good manners at the dinner table: no throwing things, no yelling and sit on your bum. Two days later I asked him what they were and he repeated them perfectly back to me. YES! What a reward as a parent to teach them something and really have them retain it. As for following these 3 manners all the time....I'll give it 3 out of 5 stars.

- Cohen loving his new undies so much that during naptime he insisted on me putting his undies over his diaper. So we did.

- The feeling I had hearing my two year old say words like "actually" and "because" in his full sentences. They catch on to everything so quickly.
- Cohen played in the nursery at church while I attended a relief society activity...when I went to pick him up he yelled "mom!" Then turned to the ladies watching the kids and said "that's my mom!" So proud. I could have cried right then, but decided not to. He then ran and gave me a hug. Sweetheart. Let me remember this moment in times when he's being naughty.

2 5   y e a r s   o f   l i f e

 Perfect birthday weekend:

my mom in town for 4 days

my youngest baby boy blessed on my birthday

lots and lots and lots of rain

chocolate chunk brownies & ice cream

new running shoes

 Birthday dinner on the traditional birthday plate - Tuscan pasta, fresh green beans, french bread

 Skyped with Brock's family while singing Happy Birthday, ate cupcakes and chocolate chunk brownies and ice cream

 It couldn't have been more perfect weather outside.

 Heavenly.

 

Dropping your mama off at the airport and 

saying goodbye shouldn't be allowed on your birthday.

But I am oh so lucky to have had her here for a weekend.

Thanks to my sweet little family for the perfect birthday.

LOVE!

The Blessing of Brendon Lee Kitchen

 What an amazing experience to hear a blessing given to my sweet baby boy by his Daddy. The blessing was beautiful. We were lucky to have the support from wonderful friends and family in our ward, from Dallas, and my mom from St. George attend the blessing and brunch at our house after.

 THOSE WHO ATTENDED:

 Reed, Melis & Brooklyn Garza

 Andy, Beka & Nixon Philipp

 {Nix, Co & Brooklyn}

 Gabe, Chelsea & Cathy

 Sharon & Davita

Also Josh, Mary, Henry, Jane & Will Gillett 

who I didn't get a photo of. Sorry!

 {Co LOVING the rain storm after church}

Brethren in the blessing circle: Brock, Bishop Crook, Reed Garza, 

Josh Gillett, Andy Philipp, Colten Salazar 

Dear Brendon,

You are a precious child of our Heavenly Father. He loves you oh so much. Since becoming a mommy, I realize how much our Heavenly Father loves all of us, his children. How blessed we are to have the knowledge our Him and His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. I want you to know how grateful I am to be your Mommy. It is truly a privilege to love nurture you every day. Thank you for spoiling me and being a great baby, for being patient with me as I learn how to be a mommy of two boys. You being blessed the same day as my 25th birthday was just perfect. You make my grey skies blue each time you smile.

I love you to the moon and back.

Love - Mommy

grandma/mama in town

 My life is complete when my mama is around.

She was kind enough to come visit us for Brendon's blessing and my 25th birthday. {more about them both later} Four days was not even close enough time spent with her. She is one of the most fun people I know. Her laugh is contagious, her hugs are perfect, and she makes you feel like a million dollars. 

 We went non-stop to make sure we could get everything in during her visit - went for walks on the golf course by our house, played at the park hidden in the middle of the golf course, made homemade pesto pizza, my mom cut my hair because I was so desperate....

 went to Brock's school's powder puff game, went to Pei Wei downtown for dinner, played Yatzee...

 {saying the pledge @ the football game}

 {powder puff football game - check out those cheerleaders!}

 made and played with homemade jello playdough, went birthday shopping at the mall, stayed up late every night talking...

 bought Cohen new converse shoes "just like dad's", 
celebrated Brendon's blessing and my birthday.

 Come back soon Mama!

Thank you oh so much for the perfect birthday weekend.

We love everything about you. 

hands hands hands

He just can't get enough of those hands!

He discovered this week that they taste really good.

They also come in handy to hold his binkie in, or push it back in his mouth when it starts to fall out, which he's doing a lot. He's getting to be a little smarty. He is a jabber machine, and is working on laughing. He has burst out in a big long laugh once {@ Andy & Beka's} but we can not make it happen again....yet. He's so close though.

3 months old next week.

Yowzers.

 

general conference weekend

 {Bren loving our borrowed bumbo chair. We've been testing it out- Thanks Beka!}

I love General Conference.

The words our Heavenly Father speaks to us through our wonderful church leaders always come at the right time just for me. I always hear what I need to hear, to once again be motivated to live life to the fullest.

I am also grateful for technology. We don't have cable, but were blessed to have internet to watch and listen to all four sessions of conference in the comfort of our home.

Our weekend started with a new family tradition - Friday night, sleep out back in our tent. This was Cohen's first backyard tent experience. And this is how it went....

He was STOKED to set the tent up. He has a book we read often called Just Me and My Dad. The dad takes his boy camping. This is where the idea came from. We told Cohen he could stay up late with us to set the tent up and to watch the Cougars BEAT the Aggies in football. He loved helping dad set the tent up and was MUCH help as you can see....

 {pumping up the airmatress - this was used as our sleeping bags we don't have}

 {bedtime snack, KIX. Also a treat that never happens}

 So after the football game was over, we got ready for bed, put our WARM jammies on cause it was in the low 50's outside, and got all snuggly. I wasn't sure how long I would be brave enough to just have the monitor out with me and my little Brendon inside. I thought I would just sneak inside after Co was asleep. Well...I didn't even have to worry. Because Cohen only lasted about long enough to take the picture above and he wanted in his bed! Poor boy was a little extra tired from the late night {parents fault}. We didn't want to pressure him or make it a bad experience, so we went back inside into our warm beds. Better luck next time we hope. He still thought it was great to be in a tent with his Daddy, just like his book.

 Saturday was so relaxing, and the boys did fairly well during both sessions. They had great naps {yay!} so Brock and I got some quiet time to watch conference. That night while Brock went to Priesthood session at our stake center, my good friends Vanessa and Beka & Nix came over to play. Beka brought a new friend, Talisha and her sweet baby Bridger. We ate Lemon sherbet ice cream {to die for!!} and hung out with our babies and had some girl talk.

Sunday we had a breakfast big enough to feed an army - pancakes, muffins, fruit, eggs. Again, Cohen did pretty good for not knowing exactly what was going on. He stayed busy building TEMPLES with his blocks. He said AMEN after every time he heard someone say "Jesus Christ" which made me laugh every time. At least we know he was listening. :)

 {little man attending the 'Big Bigger' temple - named by Cohen}

Sunday evening we went to Andy & Beka's house with Talisha, Matt & Bridger for a mexican dinner. I must say, we know how to make some dang good mexican food. We all stuffed ourselves of my chicken taco's {my dad's famous recipe} Beka's avocado salsa and lime rice, and Talisha's oatmeal choc chip cookies  and ice cream, my personal favorite.

We ended the night with a game of Apples to Apples, which ended when the babies started bending cards and were definitely ready for BED.

What a refreshing, relaxing and well needed weekend.

Church at home in your jammies, surrounded by your family all day long.

Heavenly.