The "A" Team

I'm BACK!

2010-09-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Okay. You might have been wondering where I have been. Below is an explanation. If you don't care, skip to the bottom and you'll find our NEWEST blog, which is going to be PRIVATE. So if you've left your email on this blog, I will be sure to invite you to our new one. If not, leave it now. I'll continue to check this blog occasionally.

I have basically run out of memory on this blog. So I started a new blog, which I decided to make private. After doing only a couple posts on that blog, I realized I ran out of picture memory on my account. So, I had to create a NEW account and therefore create a NEW blog, which I have done nothing with until now. So, if you've been checking this blog, or our other blog that was lyndsiedanielanderson.blogspot.com, sorry for the lack of new posts. Be sure to change the link to our new address since I will be deleting our old new blog because I can't post any pics on it. Here is our NEW blog:

lyndsiedananderson.blogspot.com

Time for a New Blog

2010-07-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well it's happened. We've used all the memory on this blog. So it's time for a new one. And we are going to make this one private to try to keep away any weirdos we may not know. So please leave me your email in a comment if you want an invite! Here's our new blog address:

http://lyndsiedanielanderson.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday Ry and Bai!

2010-06-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

Ry and Bai

Bai

I can't believe our sweet baby girls are already one year old. As I looked back on pictures to do this post, I was reminded of what we went through to get them here safely, and how fragile they were when they made their debut on this earth. You look at them now-- so chunky and squishy, it's hard to believe they are the same babies we brought home from the hospital. I still look at them sometimes and can't believe we have twins. I feel like this first year of their lives has been a whirlwind. After having a difficult time getting pregnant with Makee I never thought we would end up with a two year old and TWO babies. But we've made it! And I wouldn't change it for the world. I love those little girls so much. They make my heart hurt. I'll never forget when Daniel blessed them when they were born, he told them that they were able to come to earth with their best friend. I hope Bailee and Rylin will always be best friends. They already have a bond. They don't like to sleep without each other. And falling asleep has been more difficult than it used to be because I will hear giggles and squeals coming from their room at naptime. They play so cute with each other and with Makee. They are all so close in age I know they will all be good friends. They are the sweetest little girls, and they have blessed our lives more than we could ever imagine. They make us laugh so hard with their funny little personalities. Right now the girls are still crawling and not walking, which I am just fine with! They pull themselves up to everything. They eat pretty much everything, although Bai seems to be pickier than Ry. We've started giving them whole milk instead of formula, and they have done great! We're just glad we don't have to buy formula anymore. They are both little screamers--actually the loudest screaming girls I've ever met. Sometimes when they are mad, but a lot of the time when they are just excited about something. Neither one likes to miss out on the fun. If anyone walks out of a room, no matter who it is, they will start crying because they are afraid they might be missing out on the party. They are so funny. They are so curious, and it's so fun to watch them grow. Bailee has developed such a temper! It’s kind of funny, but not really. But I’ve been either blowing in her face or putting my hand over her mouth when she screams, and so now when she screams she puts her hand over her own mouth or tries to blow back. She is such a little copy cat. She also copies coughing and laughing. Or when I say, "Oh no!" She will put her hand on her head. She has also started saying Mama, and she has been saying Dada for quite a while. And she gives the best kisses! All you have to say is “kiss” and she will lean in. It’s really sweet. She is so funny. I can tell she might be our free spirit. She seems very adventurous—always busy exploring new things and getting into new trouble. She’s not too snuggly because she is always onto the next adventure. Rylin, on the other hand is a snuggle BUM. Maybe not compared to other babies, but definitely compared to her sister. She is very sweet and very sensitive. She gets her feelings hurt very easily, and when she does, it’s the saddest little cry! Both of the girls are good at waving, but Ry is so funny because if she’s in the middle of crawling or doing something and you wave at her, she stops whatever it is so she can wave back. And she just flaps her little hand like crazy. Today she hit herself in the head during a wave craze. Ry also loves to pretend she’s talking on the phone. If you say, “Hello?” She’ll hold her chubby little hand up to her ear and make talking sounds. Anything that looks remotely like a phone goes straight up to her ear. Ry also blows when she screams lately. Today Ry started clapping after me. And when she is proud of herself, she will give you the cheesiest grin. It's so funny. Oh, they are such a handful, but so so sweet. So here's a little overview of the first year of Bailee and Rylin's lives. Sorry about all the labels--but that's what you have to do with two babies that look exactly alike

This is Rylin at 11 months, even though I labeled it at 10 months

. (Ry and then Bai)

Happy first birthday little girls! We love you more than you will ever know.

Happy Birthday Danny Boy

2010-06-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

The Total Cheeser

Today is Dan my Man's 31st birthday. So I thought I would give him a little shout out. Happy Birthday Dan! I'm so happy he is my husband and the father of my kids. Makee, Bai, and Ry love their dad so much. He has started teaching a couple classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I didn't think it would effect the kids much, especially the babies, but they really notice when he's not there. The days they don't see him seem to be rough days. And when they see him the next day, they get so excited, they attack him. And he misses them just as much. I've noticed especially lately that Dan tries to take time to play with each of our kids. One of my favorite things to do is watch him play with Mak, Bailee, and Rylin. Makee and his daddy are sure buddies. Every Monday morning I have to console our poor little boy as he realizes the weekend is over and that Daddy is not there to hang out with all day. And the girls make him laugh so much when they play. But he loves snuggling them the most. I feel very bad for the boys that have to get through him before they can date Bai and Ry one day. Along with doing yard work, Dan is always willing to help around the house, pay the bills, and fullfill all his other husbandly duties--all while I'm watching over his shoulder making sure he does it the right way. (What can I say? I think I'm OCD). But he is a very hard worker, and he gets the job done. Dan is also a total goofball, although he shows very few people that side of himself. He always makes me laugh. More than anything, I appreciate how much Dan helps take care of the kids. He's always willing to do whatever I ask, and many times I don't even have to ask. He does a very good job balancing his supervisor job, his teaching job, his church calling, and his family life. He is a good man, and I love him a lot. Happy Birthday Dan! I hope we make your birthday AWESOME.

Daddy with Bai (white) and Ry (pink), and Mak. Oh, I love when he has all three. That means I have none

Best Buddies!

Daddy with Bai and Ry

Daddy with Bai

Daddy with Ry

Oh, Fatty!

2010-06-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today is Jared's birthday. He is 20. Oh Fatty! (Whenever I mention something about Fatty, Dan always says that in a pouty voice to tease me about getting all sentimental). But it's the first time in 20 years we won't be together to celebrate his birthday. It's definitely for a good reason. I'm just missing him a little. He has been through so much while he has been on his mission. He was heartbroken when he got the news he wouldn't be able to serve in India anymore. He has had some tough companions, and has been disappointed many times just like every missionary has experienced. But he has never given up. He has always wanted to serve a mission. Since knowing he was going to be permanently reassigned to the Kennewick, Washington mission, Fatty has made the very best of his situation. He has worked so hard, and in the process, he has become a stronger person, a better missionary, and has become closer to his Father in Heaven. He seems to be happier than he has ever been. He is having the time of his life while serving his mission. He has been able to participate in six baptisms in ten short months. I am so proud of him. So while I am missing him a lot right now, there is no where else I would want him to be. It makes me beyond happy to hear how his testimony has grown, or to hear him say in his letters and emails, "I can't even explain how happy I am right now." I am learning so much about him, about myself, and about our family while he has been on his mission. We are closer than we have ever been. And everyone seems to want to strive to be a little better since Jared has been serving. People always say their family is very blessed when they have a missionary out. I never understood that until now. I love you, Elder Garrick. And even though you won't be reading this, I hope you have the best birthday ever! And here are some pics of the cutest missionary out there.

Elder Cashin, Adrian Sanchez, and Jared at his first baptism

Hank Huxoll, Jared, and Sarah Huxoll at his second and third baptisms

John Janovich and Jared at his fourth baptism

Elder Buchanan, Trisha, Destiny, and Jared at the fifth and sixth baptisms

Jared and his Mission President, President Belnap, who will be leaving in July

Buying a bike!

Fatty with some buddies in his district

P-Day=Temple Day

These look like puppies, but they are actually goats that belong to Jared's bishop

Elder Parlogean, Elder Buchanan, and Elder Garrick with Hank Huxoll on his baptism day

Riding in the car, riding in the car, we love riding in the car!

A sister in Fatty's ward took the missionaries this day to the temple and to buy new bikes. And then she posted all the pictures for us on Facebook. She is so thoughtful. It's so comforting to know there are people in Washington and all over the world taking care of the missionaries.

Here is Jared with some guys in his district. He has loved these guys. Last week his companion, Elder Buchanan was transferred. They had so much success and so much fun together at the same time. We can't wait to hear about his new adventures with his new com

Twinsy pics

2010-05-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

Our friend Cindee took some pics of the girls for us. She did a great job! Especially considering they were ornery and wiggly the whole time! Thanks Cindee. Check out her photography blog at cindeestarkie.com
Ry and BaiBai and Ry B/R

Rylin

Bailee

Ry and Bai

Bailinator

Bai

BaiBai

Rylin

RyRy

Ry in purple, Bai in pink

Bai and Ry

Ry in purple, Bai in pink

Bai's toes and Ry's

Rylin

Bai and Ry

Rylin

Bai's feet and Ry's

Bai and Ry

Bailee

Bailee and Rylin

Bailee in the pink hat, Ry in white

After two exhausting shoots, she got some adorable shots. Obviously Bai was not as cooperative as Ry, but Cindee got very cute pics of both girlies. Thanks again Cindee Lou!

Small and Simple

2010-05-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

I've been finding perfect moments in our not-so-perfect days lately. Here are some things I've found that I love:

RyRy--
*She is just a little snuggle bum. She'll lay her sweet little head on my shoulder, or press her squishy cheek next to mine and make my heart melt.
*I love when she crawls up to me and climbs into my arms.
*She is a squealer and a screamer. It's kind of exhausting when she's screaming for more food, or when someone makes her mad, but she also squeals when she is excited. And it's so cute.
*Ry is so ticklish! One of her favorite games right now is to throw herself back and let me tickle her neck and her belly. She giggles so hard.
*I love to watch her dance. As soon as she hears a hint of music, she starts bouncing her little bum.
*Sometimes RyRy cocks her head to the side and gives me the sweetest little smile. Oh, she's sweet.

BaiBai--
*She is so much fun. She has been cracking herself up lately, which is so fun to watch. If we blow in her face, she tries to blow back and then she'll laugh and laugh. She does the same thing when someone coughs. She coughs right back and then giggles.
*Bai has turned into such a chatterbox. She is always blabbing. And Dan has a big head that she is always saying "Dada." We haven't quite confirmed if it's on purpose, but Dan likes to think so.
*I love wathing Bai dance too. She is a big time bouncer when she hears a tune.
*Her little wave is so cute. I love waving at her from a distance and seeing her little grin as she waves back.
*We play a game where I put my hands on top of hers and then she puts hers back on mine over and over. She thinks it is so fun. So do I.
*Bailee loves discovering new things, especially if it's Makee's stuff. It's so fun to watch the little wheels turn in her mind.

Makee--
*When he walks up to me and gives me a kiss on the lips--for no reason. It doesn't happen very often...I guess that makes it even more special.
*I love how he always wants to be with me. Everything is, "Mommy, watch!" And if I am going somewhere, he always says, "Makee come too?"
*He loves being outside. As long as he is outside, he is a happy boy. One of our games we play right now is "On guard" with "swords" which are actually a baseball bat and his baseball T. We fight and he falls to the ground and then gets back up.
*Reading books with my little guy is one of my favorite things. He loves to sit in my lap as I read to him. We also love singing songs.
*Makee has really started using his imagination when he plays. It is so cute. When we play "dinies," they are always doing different things, like drinking chocolate "gunk," or going to the "diny" museum. He always wants to play with me.
*"Snugs." Mak has been extra snuggly lately. We'll lay down and watch a movie together and he'll just snuggle in under a blanket. And he's always saying, "Mom, hold you." (Which if course means he wants me to hold him)

Dan--
*I love when we stay up late talking. I feel like it doesn't happen much anymore in the tornado that is our life, but the other night we just sat and talked for like 2 hours. I love talking with my hub.
*Cuddling. I feel like there's less and less time for this these days, but we love watching movies together. We've watched the first five seasons of Lost together, cuddling during almost every episode.
*Surprisingly, I enjoy when we do projects together. I really feel like as we've worked on our front yard, it's been a team effort (even though he's done most of the grunt work)
*I love going on walks with our little family. Yes, it usually turns into each of us carrying one kid and each of us pushing on stroller, but walks are one of my favorite things to do together.
*I feel so happy when we accomplish things together as parents. Parenting has not been an easy task for either one of us--especially since Mak has started throwing tantrums. It's taken a while for us both to get on the same page, but I appreciate all the talks we've had about what we want and how we want to accomplish it. He's been very supportive to me as a mom. He's such a good dad.
*Since Dan has been teaching at SLCC for the past couple weeks, I've realized our time is much more important. The days the kids don't see him they miss him so much. All three of them attack him the next day. I love watching him play and laugh with each of our kids. They really love their daddy.

I feel very blessed to have such a sweet family

Pics, pics, and more pics...Would you expect any less?

2010-05-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

It's not often that we bathe all three at the same time. But I took advantage of Dan being home to help. These will be great blackmail pics when they are older

Bai, Ry, and Makee

Makee is finally in a big boy bed! And he loves it. It took over 2 1/2 years, but he finally figured out how to crawl out of his crib. It's actually been a pretty smooth adjustment, other than the fact that naps are non-existent anymore. And the first night I climbed into his bed to read books with him. He was devastated when I kissed him good-night and left the room. I learned my lesson with that one!

Here are some pics we took playing out in the backyard on a beautiful spring day. Rylin is in pink, Bai is in gray. Yes, I know the girls' hair looks like devil horns. But there's not a lot of options right now.

Bai is totally diggin' for some gold in this picture Sweet little Ry

A very sad Bai

Bai

The Mak Daddy

Ry is in the white hat, Bai is in the pink

This is the silliest picture of Bai. It's my fave

And I love this one of RyRy

Dan always decides to do a photo shoot when I look like this. But I had to post the cute pics I got with my boy

When I'm upstairs, this is what waits for me at the bottom: Bai and Ry

Bai

Dan has been reading some photography books lately. He's been taking a few practice shots of the Mak Daddy. I think he's done a good job!

Makee and his BFF--Mr. Bear. This guy goes wherever Makee goes

Fun with BaChan on the new Swingset

2010-05-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

I just love my Grandma. She comes over every Thursday to hang out with me and the kids. She usually either makes lunch or buys lunch for us too. All three of them love BaChan's stew. I love spending time with her, and so do the kids. She loves playing with Makee and holding the babies. This last Thursday we spent some time outside on Makee's new swing set we inherited from my cousins, Aaron and Cassi. Mak loves it. We've already had quite a few picnics in his "clubhouse."Mak, BaChan, and Bai

Weeee!

WyWy

Gran holding Bai. Ry in the swing next to them

My little boy that loves being outside more than anything

Mother's Day

2010-05-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

We had a plethora of Mother's Day celebrations this year. We celebrated with my Grandma the day before. Mom and Dad made some delicious ribs, and we had a great time hanging out together.We gave the girls some corn on the cob to gnaw on. It seriously kept them occupied the whole meal. Here is Ry

And the Bai

A always helps Mak eat, and he eats so well for Aaron and Cassi! He even dug into the ribs

Here's my cute Gran. She's such a kind and loving person. She would do anything for anyone. She spends so much time doing things for the family. Every Thursday she comes over to hang out with me and the kids, and they love her. I love the time we spend together.

Papa and Ry

Gran trying out her new golf club!

Mom and Bai

My two favorite boys!

Mark and Sue

A and Mak

JoAnn and Gran

Cassi

Happy little Ry

I love this pic of Ry

Oh the devastation! This is what we get every time Mak is outside and the girls are not

Oh Bai, life is pitiful

Just me and my girls--are they squishy or what?

On Mother's Day morning we had breakfast with Daniel's fam over at our house. We had quiche, fruit, and a whole lot more. It was a delicious meal. And it was a beautiful morning to eat outside. I really love Lani. She has such a strong testimony and would do anything for any of her kids. She does so much for us, and I really appreciate her. Here is Nani with Bai

Pappy with Ry

Mak, Pap, and Ry

We all pitched in and got Lani a little fridge for their kitchen. She was very excited.

Family Photo! I love how Rylin is playing with Heidi's earrings in this pic.

Silly Gooses!

We opened my Mother's Day gifts while the little girls were sleeping. Boy did I get spoiled! I got a new shirt, some new boots and new shoes--the "Shape" kind that are supposed to tone you while you walk. I love them. And Dan got me a steam mop. I've been wanting one forever. And I seriously love it--but not as much as I love my little boy.
This was the most thoughtful Mother's Day gift I received. My Grandma Garrick painted this years ago. It used to hang in their basement. When my grandparents died, I got this picture. It has been displayed on a shelf in my kitchen. A few months ago, I slammed the door behind me when I was leaving and I heard it fall to the ground and shatter the frame it was in. I was really upset about it. Dan put it in a new frame for me for Mother's Day. I found myself bawling when I opened it! Dang womanly hormones. But that's why I love that man. He's always thinking of me. He is honestly the most thoughtful person I know.

Ama, Ry, and Bai

After church on Mother's Day we went over to Mom and Dad's for dinner. We made dinner--well I should say Dan mostly made dinner while we talked to FATTY! He is doing so great. He sounded so happy on the phone. The day before he had his first baptism where he actually got to do the baptizing! He was thrilled. We got to talk to him for about 1 1/2 hours. He was the chattiest he's ever been, and it was so fun listening to him. What a great Mother's Day gift to be able to talk to him. Okay, I know he was calling for Mom, but I'm glad we got to cash in on the convo too.

Papa and Makee playing a little "Gassetball"

High-5

Slam dunk

What a Cheeser

WyWy

For Mother's Day my Uncle Mark and cousin Aaron dropped these off on the doorstep with a forged note from Jared. They almost pulled it off, but Moomers saw A's little black head tear down the street. But what thoughtful boys!

Opening gifts! Moomers mostly got clothes. Kind of boring, but at least Makee makes opening them exciting

Bai

Makee and Mr. Bear

Ama and Mak

My mom is the greatest. She is so outgoing and so much fun to be around. All three of my kids fight for her attention all the time. It's because she makes sure to spend so much time with each of them. Every day after work she comes over to play with the kids and to help me. And Tuesdays, her only day off, she spends hanging out with us. So she never gets anything done. My three favorite things to do with Moomers are talk on the phone, go shopping, and watch her play with my kids. I love her so much. I'm so thankful for everything she does for me and everything she has taught me.

Dan took some shots of me and the kids. The babies were obsessed with Makee during the shoot. What can I say about being a mom? I think about the last few years of my life and how drastically they have changed. At one point I wondered if I would ever be able to be a mom, and now I have more kids than I can handle! I feel so blessed to be a mom to my precious kids. Their hilarious little personalities make me laugh every single day. I feel like my life is such a whirlwind, and that it is all passing by too quickly. I admit most days are tough, but just when I think I can't do it another day, Makee gives me a huge kiss, Rylin gives me a snuggle, or Bailee laughs, and I am reminded of how lucky I am to have them in my life. And I'm so grateful to have Daniel by my side to raise our sweet babies. I'm pretty sure I'm the luckiest Mommy in the universe!

Carlos

2010-05-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Our backyard backs the elementary school near our house. Actually, our back fence is about a foot away from the playground. We constantly have balls, jackets, you name it thrown in our backyard. So today while I was cleaning up lunch, Makee was playing out back during the school kids' lunch recess. Pretty soon I hear a bunch of kids yelling, "Hey, come here!" I realize they are talking to Mak. He walks up to the fence to this big group of boys. I peek my head out so the kids would know I was close and they wouldn’t try anything dumb. So I poke my head out, and I hear, “Run, he has a Mother!” But they came back. Suddenly I hear “Carlos, come here! Carlos walk backwards. Carlos fall down! Carlos throw the ball back over the fence!” I hear girls asking, "Why are you calling him Carlos?" I realize the boys are calling Makee “Carlos.” And he is totally eating it up. He keeps falling down so they will laugh at him. They tell him to go get his lawnmower. As he is running they are all chanting, “Carlos, Carlos, Carlos!” I hear them say, “He doesn’t talk.” And then he climbs up onto our fireplace and says something and they start cheering, “He talks!” One of the kids put a little toy dinosaur on our firepit, and Makee came running up to me with it exclaiming, "Mommy, a twiceratops!" Mak spent about the next 20 minutes entertaining this huge group of kids. They were giving him fives and everything. After that, the kids began losing interest in the little two year old over the fence. And they left. Makee spent the rest of lunch recess parked on the firepit watching longfully. Oh, to be a fifth grade boy. What a hilarious moment that I will never forget. I spent the entire time watching out the kitchen window and laughing my head off. And yes, these pictures look like I'm a peeping Tom snapping through my blinds, but I just had to document this moment without the kids thinking I'm some sort of snap happy psycho.
Perched at the fence talking with the big boys Here is Carlos giving the boys back their ball while they all cheer

The 7 year Itch

2010-05-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yup. These pictures were taken 7 years ago. I can't really believe it. I told some friends that our 7 year wedding anniversary was coming up. They asked if we were getting the "Seven year itch," where apparently you start itching to get out. All I'm itchin' for is Dan. Yeah, I know I'm cheesy, but he's used to that after 7 years. Really, Dan is such a good man. He does so much for me and our little family. I do have life good. I can't imagine going through this journey with anyone but him. Here's a short review of what our first six years have been like:
Year 1 (May 8, 2003): Got married. Dan graduated from college.
Year 2: I graduated from college. We bought our house!
Year 3: Dan worked to get his Masters. I taught first grade.
Year 4: We had Makee!
Year 5: Nothing too exciting here, but we managed to keep ourselves busy with work, Mak, and our church callings.
Year 6: We had Bailee and Rylin!
Happy Anniversary Dan My Man! Wow. 7 Years! We've sure accomplished a lot in 7 years. I hope our next 7 is even better than our last. I love you.

Donald's

2010-05-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

I took Makee on a Mommy Son date. Before we left, I had to drop something off at a neighbor's house. Dan called me up while I was gone with a very sad little boy on the phone crying, "Mommy, a go a Donald's!" He thought I left him. We had so much fun on our date. He sat and ate his chicken nuggets as we talked. I asked him if he wanted to go down the slide. He said, "No. I go on dump truck." So we went to the playplace and he climbed up. For quite a while he looked out the window from the top so he could see me. After a while he disappeared. I waited and waited for him to come down the slide. No sign of the boy. FINALLY I decided I better go up there after him. You should have seen the looks I was getting from every kid. Some looked terrified. Some looked mad that I was invading their territory. I came to find my little boy who was waiting ever so patiently for a big kid that was blocking the slide. All the other kids dove over the bully's legs, but not my timid Makee. He was waiting for his turn. I was about to say something to the boy when I heard his mom yell, "Get down here! You can't be blocking the slide!" After that, I helped Mak to his dump truck. We played for a while and finally went down the slide. For about 20 minutes he licked a bite size kiddie cone, and then it was time to leave. As we were driving away, he said, "See ya, Donald's!" And then we went to Target to go shopping. He has been my little shopping buddy lately. He came running up to me with a toy dinosaur. He said, "Mom, this diny is awesome!" Well how could I not let him put it in the shopping cart. I'm a sucker. But I love my little boy.

I'll Love You Forever

2010-04-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

I've had a really difficult time with Makee lately. He screams. He has tantrums. He won't stay in time out. I've seriously been at my wit's end with him. I've run out of patience. I had planned on spending a day with him in timeout for the entire day. I think Heavenly Father knew I just needed one good day with him. A couple days ago, we had a great day. We were able to spend a lot of time together playing without much interruption from the girls. He didn't go to timeout once. We snuggled a lot. He was so sweet. It was seriously such a great day with my little man. That night, he woke up around midnight crying. He had a nightmare. I ran in his room to see what was wrong. I picked him up and held him and rocked him. As his long legs dangled over my knees, I thought about how he used to be small enough to fit in both of my hands. Two and half years, later, as tiring as those nights are, I never want those moments to end. I was reminded of one of my favorite books, "I'll Love You Forever," about a mom who every night, even when her son is a grown man, picks her son up and holds him and rocks him as she sings, "I'll you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." Makee was scared to go back to bed. He begged me to take him into our bed. As he laid there and I held him, I found myself crying because I was so grateful to have that moment with him. I was so thankful for the perfect day we had earlier. I guess I was a little sad too. I was sad because I feel like I haven't cherished every second I have had with him. I was sad because I've spent too much time yelling and being impatient. Oh my precious little boy. I don't want my little boy to grow up, yet it's happening and there's nothing I can do about it. So I just have to enjoy the journey so I don't have any regrets. I have to take every opportunity to hold, play with, and laugh with each of my kids. It has been over a week since I have started reading my scriptures regularly again. I'm embarrassed to say that it has been years since I have gone this long reading consistently without missing a night. I feel like it has made me more patient. I feel more loving. I feel happier. It's amazing what a difference it has made in my life. I want my children to know that I have a testimony, and that I know my Savior loves me. I want to teach them that in the way I live my life. It's not easy to be an example to my children all the time, but I want to try. I read something in a book tonight that said, "Mothering is not a perfect journey, but every day has perfect moments." So I'm not a perfect mother, and I never will be. But I want to be the best mom I can be. I never want my children to question how much I love them. I hope if Makee ever reads this he will know that I would die for him. I would die for any of my children. I feel so blessed to have them in my life. I want to cherish those perfect moments I have with each of my children every day. Almost every older lady I meet that sees me in a frazzle with my children never hesitates to tell me to enjoy these times with my children because before I can blink I will be wishing for five minutes of it back. I just laugh. But I know they are right. I found a couple quotes by President Monson that I love:

"Show love to your children. You know you love them, but make certain they know it as well. They are so precious. Let them know. Call upon our Heavenly Father for help as you care for their needs each day and as you deal with the challenges which inevitably come with parenthood. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them."
— Thomas S. Monson

"Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future…If you are still in the process of raising children be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled, will disappear all too soon, and that you will, to your surprise, miss them, profoundly."
— Thomas S. Monson

Bridal cookies

2010-04-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

We went to a wedding shower for my cousin Brit. I made these cookies. I just wanted to post some pics for Whit. I made these sugar cookies for the party:Zac and Brit

10 Months and crawling

2010-04-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

The Girlies are crawling! Yes, I know that at ten months many babies are walking, but our kids do things on their own time, and that is okay. I feel like it happened so fast. Ry has been scooting around for a couple weeks, and Bai really hadn't been. Bailee started scooting one day and literally that afternoon started trying to crawl. They started crawling on the same day. And it's been chaos ever since.
My babies have not had good naps lately. It's like they have just discovered that they are in a room together. I will go in to check on them and they will be talking and giggling at each other. Bailee pushes down on her bumper so she can see Ry. Rylin crawls to the foot of her crib so she can pass Bai her binkies. Little Stinkers!Bailee

This is so funny. Bai gets up on her knees and just shakes the bars of her crib like "Get me outta here!"

This is always the look I get from Rylin if I get Bailee out of the crib before her. Luckily Makee usually keeps one baby busy until I can get the other one out.

BaiBai in her prison cell

Ry in hers

Mak doesn't have to worry about being stuck in his crib anymore. He can climb out! One day Dan put him down for his nap and heard little footsteps right behind him. The first morning he figured this out, I went in his room and he said, "Watch Mom!" And he proudly climbed out with a huge grin on his face.

Bai

Oh Boy. I leave them alone for one minute...

Busy BaiBai Rascally RyRy

We got a new dryer. The box is the best thing that's happened to Mak in a long time. It became his "house." He spent hours in that thing, and he loved when we all joined him. After a few days we decided it was a little Dub T to have a giant cardboard box sitting in our living room. It took a little convincing, but Mak finally agreed to settle for a "new house" made out of a sheet downstairs.

Here is Daddy playing with his little girlies. Bailee is on the left, Rylin on the right

Makee and Ama

Aaah! Does Papa know he's squishing a Diny?

Grandma Anderson was in Salt Lake for Daniel's cousin's wedding. We got to hang out with her for a while between the wedding and the reception. We just love Grandma A! She is such a sweet lady. And Heather brought Beck, Nashy, and Kai to hang out too. (Dan is holding Bailee, Grandma is holding Rylin)

Makee went to his very first friend birthday party! His buddy Jack that lives next door turned three. Dan made major fun of me for taking his picture. He also made fun of me for wanting to peek over the fence to check on him. My little boy is growing up!

Here is Mak playing with his friend Jack. I'm so sad Jack and his family are moving in August! I think Makee and Jack could be really great friends. Okay, Jack looks a little scared in this picture, but he really does love Mak.

Here's Makee's latest fave. He climbs up on the fireplace in our backyard and watches the kids play at the school playground over the fence. Sometimes he yells, "Hey!" just to see who will look at him. I think he thinks he's a big kid too.

The Bai

Here is how Ry fell asleep in her crib the other day. I was cracking up.

Bai eating a very messy biter biscuit

And here is Ry! Believe it or not, she managed to make an even bigger mess than her Sissy.

Bai

Bai and Ry

Bailinator

Rylinator

Ama with Bai in pink, Ry in purple

The Ry and her bottie

The Bai and her bottie

Kay, here's a buttload of videos:
Here is Bai, our little crawling machine!

Ry Dog eating her treats

Mak's version of a somersault-yeah, we have to work on that.

Old McDonald Had A Farm (in case you couldn't tell)

More of the BaiMeister crawling

Mak loves the school in our backyard. He slides all the time
Both my boys going down the "thlides"

Mak loves making fake birthday cakes out of playdough and blowing out the candles

More sliding

The Ry doing her thing!

My Boy

2010-04-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

For Mak's entire life, he has pretty much had a runny nose, diarrhea, and a cough. We haven't thought much about it. We just thought he got sick easily. It really hasn't seemed to bother him either. But we finally decided to get to the "bottom" of it. So here's the scoop (or should I say "here's the Poop"). We took him to the doctor and she said to have some tests run to see if everything is related or completely separate. So after taking him off of lactose for a week and still blowout city, our next step was to take some poop samples (that I had to scoop into four different tubes) up to be tested. The same day we took up the poop we had to have some blood tests run on Makee to test to see if he had a bacteria, Celiac's disease, and some other stuff. It was the saddest thing ever. It took me, Dan and two nurses holding him down while they took all his blood. But he got a very cool blue bandage on his arm after and so did his "Powa." And we let him pick out his own treat at his Daddy's work when it was all over. All the tests came back negative. One thing that did show up in the tests was that he had a lot of fecal fat in his stools, which means food is going right through him for some reason. The Doc also said that could be a sign of cystic fibrosis, although she wasn't too worried about that. Nevertheless, she wanted us to have Mak tested for it just in case. So we took him up to Primary Children's Medical center for a sweat chloride test. They put these things on his forearms to shock them and apparently introduce sweat. Then he had to tape heating pads on his arms, and put on his coat, a hat, and let him run around the hospital for a half hour. The kid's head was wet with sweat. But no sweat on his forearms. Who sweats there anyway? What a weird test. We've had it done twice with no luck. We also had his chest x-ray to see if he has asthma. So after all these tests and finding that he's not really lactose intolerant or anything else so far, we took him to an allergist. Guess what? No allergies. At least not the ones they tested him for. However, the allergist did say she thinks he has asthma, which is what our pediatrician thought after seeing his x-rays. So we have an inhaler for him which we have not had to use since the weather has been so nice. Hopefully the asthma won't be a big deal. It seemed a lot worse in winter. After the good news (and not so good news about allergies, because we were convinced that was the problem and that we could easily fix it), Mak was off to a gastrointestinal doctor to see what was next for this boy. The GI doc really didn't think he had cystic fibrosis. He wanted to test his stools to see if there was blood in them. So that's where we're at right now. The poop smears are in the mail. After all these tests we pretty much know absolutely nothing more than before they were done. But hey, at least we are eliminating things. And hopefully things will get better as he gets older if nothing else. I have hated putting our sweet boy through all of these things, but I guess it's better to do what we can than to do nothing.

A Long Post of Randoms

2010-04-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

We've been up to a whole lot in the past little while. Here's just a little:

That video was actually taken on mid February, but the rest of these pics have been taken in the last month.
Ry and Bai
I can't believe our little Twinsies are over 9 months old. Actually, by the time I get this posted, they will almost be ten months old. We took them in for their nine month appointments. RyRy was 28 1/2 inches long and weighed 17 lbs. 11 oz. The Bailinator was about 28 inches long and 17 lbs. 3 oz. They are about in the 70th percentile for height and around 25th for weight. It's so funny to watch them because they see something, try to reach for it, and then barrel roll until they get where they want to go. The girls are eating so well. I'm pretty much done nursing them, which makes me really sad. But it's time. They really don't have much interest anymore since they have been able to eat human food and drink bottles. The girls are so animated with everything they do. It is so adorable. I love just playing with them, holding them, watching them. Bai and Ry love Makee so so much and he is so sweet to them. He is constantly playing with the girls, feeding them puffs, and doing whatever he can to make them laugh. My kids are growing up so fast. I wish I could slow it down somehow.
Here comes trouble! Ry, Mak, and Bai Here are some things Rylin is doing: Obviously scooting around. It is so funny. She looks like a little seal. She began with the army crawl, but I guess she has learned to use both arms to scoot her feet along. Ry Dog makes the funniest noises right now. When she gets excited about something, especially food, she goes, "Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh..." But REALLY fast (she's making the sound in the video). I don't even know how she does it. Another thing she does when she is sitting there really excited is beat her belly with her fists. It's so hilarious. And when she's really happy, as she's sucking in air, she goes "Ba-bah-bah-bah!" Again, I wish I could spell like she says it. She also does this fake laugh right now. She thinks everyone is so funny. And anytime she hears even the littlest bit of a beat of music, she starts dancing. It's sooo cute. For some reason, Ry seems to like men. She loves her Daddy and her Papa and her Pappy very much. She has certainly turned into a busy body. It's nearly impossible to change her diaper because she is constantly flipping over to reach for something. She scooted over to some toast Makee had sitting on a plate that I could not for the life of me get the Boy to eat. But he sure freaked out when his little sister started eating it. As busy as she's been, she has been our low maintenance baby lately. She is just so happy, so sweet and so much fun.Video of Bailee

Here are some things BaiBai is doing right now: When she gets really excited about something when she's on her tummy, she high centers herself on her belly and kicks her legs as fast as she can. It is so funny! Bai likes her baby food, but she also loves her bottle. One of her top teeth has popped out, and she has started grinding her top and bottom teeth together. It is the worst sound, but she's started doing this crooked little smile where she juts out her bottom teeth. It's so cute! Another smile she does is biting down on her tongue with it hanging out as she grins. Little Cutie. Bailee's favorite person right now is her Ama. She pretty much wants her over me every time. Stinker. Bai has taken a turn to be our Drama Queen. When she is upset lately she throws her head back and just cries. It is so sad but so hilarious. Bai is still loving sucking on her two favorite fingers. They put her to sleep every night, which I am very grateful for. I may not be so grateful for it when she's four and still using the fingers to suck on. The Baimester has also started waving, although it's more of a flap of the hand. She is still not scooting much, but she is a mega roller. Oh, she is the sweetest little thing.Mak has been obsessed with this thing for the girls. Don't ask me why.

Bai, Makee, and RyRy

Dan took the Boy to his first U of U "Gassetball" game. They wore their matching hoodies. How adorable are they? Those two sure are buddies. Makee kept saying when they got home, "Uh fun gassetball game uh Daddy. Day-doo Daddy."

Bailee and Rylin

Bai

Rylin

Bai

Bai and Ama

Ry and Bai

Mak has literally been some sort of sick all winter long. We had to wait until mid March to play in the snow. But he LOVED it! We made a snowman named, "Fossy" (Frosty). I love morning nap time for the girls. It's my time to spend just with my Boy.

BaChan's Bowling

Every year Gran competes in a huge bowling tournament. It's mostly Japanese people. We went and watched one of her games. Every time she went Makee would say, "Bachi didee!" (or BaChan did it!)

My Little Bailee Vera

Bai and Makee

Mak and "Whiney"

Ry, Makai, and Bai

Bai and Makee

Makee and Buzz

My Little Rylin Vida

Aunt JoAnn gave Makee a chocolate Easter Bunny. He devoured it.RyDog

Ry, Mak, Bai

Gimme Chocolate! Now that the little Girlies are getting more mobile, Makee is finally learning to share.

BaiMeister

I love when the girls give each other that look. I know one day it will mean trouble

This is one of my favorite jackets Mak has ever had. Did I get any pictures of him while it actually fit? No. Better late than never I guess.

The rolling Bainiac

Bai got herself stuck in her playmat

Bai in a Bucket

Ry and Bai--my little Squishees

My other Squishy

Bailee

Just a Little Ry Flower

And a very sad little Bai Tulip

You better run! (That's a little game we play)

Daddy and Ry
Ry in a Bucket

Mak is such a big helper with his little sissies. They love him to pieces. Bai is in green, Ry in pink

Squishy little Mansie Doodle

Ry and Bai

We love our Squishees to the MAX!

The Fate of One Unlucky Rodent

2010-04-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Caution: This is a morbid story. I still get the Heebie Geebies thinking about it. The other day my friends Traci and Kim were over with their kids. All the kids were playing outside in our backyard, and we were sitting on a blanket talking. Suddenly Makee comes running up to me with a dead furry animal that I thought was a rat. It was honestly huge in his tiny little hands. I started screaming and freaking out. I kind of whacked Mak's hand so the body would fall out. I rushed him inside to wash his hands multiple times, and Traci and Kim came in right behind me. I guess they were a little grossed out. We left the body outside and quarantined ourselves inside the rest of the day. I gave Makee a good, long bath. When Dan got home, he went outside to "take care of it." Upon inspection, I heard him say, "Lyns, this is not a rat. It's a GERBIL!" WHAT?!!! I felt kind of bad after that. Some cute little gerbil that was probably a little 7 year old's pet, or possibly a classroom pet that escaped from the school never to return. How he ended up in our yard I will never know. All I know is Mak won't let it go. He talks about the "Gewbo" every day. He says "I play gerbil, Mommy." And then I remind him that the gerbil is sleeping and that he had to go to his own house. So now he says, "Gerbil at his own house Mommy?" Yes Makee. And thankfully, we will not see him again in this life.

Easter

2010-04-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

Makee is at such a fun age right now. I wish I could freeze time and keep him from getting any bigger. He had so much fun this Easter and we had plenty of celebrations to keep him excited. My 2nd cousins Trisha and Laura invited me and the kiddies over to color eggs with their girls. Elise, India, Lexi, Ava, and Makee

Trisha holding Bai, Laura holding Ry, and then India, Lexi, Elise, Ava, and Makai

Every kid got a dozen eggs Thanks for inviting us! We had an "Egg"cellent time

Every year the Saturday before Easter we go to my Dad's cousin Alison's house. Here is Makee with Alison's daughter Abby. He loves Abby.

Ann, Jo, Kaylene, and Evelyn

Leon, Kaylene, and Craig

Daddy and Makee

Mason, Abby, and Mak

We had to round up some big kids to help collect the loads of candy we had for one little boy. Look at that grin!

Let the games begin

Mak got a little distracted with so many treats on the "guy," aka Foosball table. He stopped to play a couple rounds.

Aunt Beck, Ry, Ama, and Bai

Mommy and Makee getting ready to go through the stash!

Spence and Dad

Ama and Ry

Nick, Bon and Baby Grant

Beckey and Bai

Lance, Mason, Kaylene, Alison, Abby

Davis

Looks like the Easter Bunny Came!

Daddy with Bai in white, Ry in pink, and Mak Easter Morning

Our little Easter Chicks

Mak got a little distracted with the egg hunt at our house. The Easter Bunny left these little eggs that looked like animals. He would pick one up, shake it, open it, and then want to play with the egg. We had to help him speed the process along a bit. But it was fun to watch him.

We had Easter breakfast with Dan's family at Rob and Heather's. The boys (including Dan) were so excited about the egg hunt they could barely stand it.

Makee, Nashy, and BeckLet's get Hunting!

Grandma Thomas and Makee

Nani and Bai

More?

Pappy and Ry

Going through the LOOT

Family Photo!

RyRy and Daddy

Aunt Heidi and Bai

Our last Easter party was at my Mom and Dad's. It was a pretty quiet Easter this year, but we had a good time. We had a delicious steak dinner and Makee got to do his very own Egg hunt.By this hunt, he was an egg hunting professional!

R and B

Ama with Bai and Ry, Papa with Makee

HAPPY EASTER!

Mustache March

2010-04-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Apparently March is the month to grow a mustache. Dan got his whole department plus some other people at ARUP to grow one for the entire month. Here's how Dan My Man's turned out:Here's how Mak's turned out: Mak was so hilarious when I drew this on his face. He could not stop laughing at himself when he looked in the mirror. He insisted on carrying his Mr. Potato Head around because he thought his mustache looked like Mr. Potato Head's We were invited to the Mustache party at Dan's work. There was a mass of facial hair going on. Here's the veggie tray we brought

The Whole gang!

The two most handsome Mustachers at the party

Here are some cookies one of Dan's co-workers made

What a Fun "Fuh-fash" Day!

But Boy am I glad March is over so I can have my clean shaven boys back

March Madness in Ootah

2010-03-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

Bai, Belly, Ry, Mak, BurtWhit spent three weeks here in March. We had the best time with her and her cute little family. I have missed them so much, this trip didn't come fast enough. We spent every moment together that we could. Here is Whit with Bai, Ry, and Makee Makee and his Aunt Wee We were able to have a lot of family get togethers so everyone could see Whit too. Belly, Cass, and Mak Squishy!

Aw, man!

Sue and Belly

Bai and her Aunt Whit

These two love Cassi and Aaron!

BaChan with the kiddies: Burt, Belle, Ry, Makee, and Bai

The Polka Dot Girls--Ry, Belly, Bai

Bai, Belly, Ry, Makee, and Burt

Dan and Ry

Playing with their "Sinkies" Aunt JoAnn gave them

Bai, Brit, Burt, Whit, Tara, Kevin

Papa and Burt

Nick, Bon, and Grant

JoAnn and Spence

Whit and Burt, Bai and Brit

Mint Brownies!

Beck and Mom

Whiney and Dad

BaiBai, Zack, and Brit (Do you notice the piggies/Bee antennas/devil horns on Bai? Those are from her Aunt Whitters)

Whit, Burt, Bon, Grant

Bzzzzzz!

Belly Boo and Ry

BaChan and Burton

Ama and Bai

Uncle Dan and Eeyore

Rarrr!

Rylin

The Friday before we left for Phoenix we went to the Hogle Zoo. It was a beautiful day, and it was so fun to spend time altogether as a family.

Ry and Makee in the stroller, Daddy holding BaiBai

BaiBai

Mom and Dad packed us sandwiches to eat for lunchThe Merry Go Round

Daddy, Mak, and Bai

Ama and Ry

Pete and Burt

Us and the giraffes

Me, Mom and RyDog

Ama and Ry

Whit and Boot

Me and Boot

Handsome!

Mak totally got a kick out of this monkey

He watched it for like 20 minutes

Daddy, Bai, and Makee

The Choo choo train--Dan and BaiDog

Cheese

Pete and Belly Boo

Smile!

Me and My Boy

Uncle Pete with Bailee and Rylin

This is the night before we left for Phoenix. We were only able to spend a little time with Pete because we were on vacation pretty much the whole time he was here. So we wanted Pete to get his fill of our kids so he wouldn't miss them too much while we were gone.

Me, Whit and Mom made these necklaces. They were so cheap, so easy, and so much fun to make

Makee drinking his "Gunk"

Belly drinking her "Watt Bottie"We also spent that night playing "Five Crowns," the boys' favorite game

These are pics from when we got back from Arizona. The night we came back we celebrated Mom's birthday. We got Olive Garden, opened presents, and watched Whit and Pete's wedding video that they FINALLY got over a year later. Here is a cute pic of Moomers with all the kids: Mak, Burt, Ry, Bai, and Belly The next morning, on Mom's real birthday, we had breakfast all together before Ped had to catch his flight.

Daddy and Bai

Aawww...

Me and Moomsie

Family Photo! (Minus Fatty)

Saying good-bye to "Pit." Makee loves his Uncle Pete

Here is one of the many dinners we had at Gran's while Whit was here. This is Whit and Bai

Poot and Ry

Uncle Dan and Woman

Cassi, A, Sue, and Markie

Ama and Burt

Whit holding Bai, Ry, and Makee

BaChan and Burt

Bai hanging out in a bucket

Bai and Aunt Whitters

Ry hanging out with Shoots

The "Dinies!" We took the kiddies to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. It was totally up Makee's isle. He loves Dinies right now.

RyRy and Makee

Raaarrrr!!!!!!!

The kids hugging a diny's leg

There was this place in the museum where the kids could build canyons and mountains for the dinosaurs to live--basically a big mud pit. Of course it was Mak and Belle's favorite part

Belly, Whit, Mak, Bai, and Papa

Ama and Ry

Ama's girls! Mom holding Rylin and Bailee

Digging for dinosaurs

Playing with Ama

We colored Easter eggs the day before Whit, Belly, and Burt left

Makee and Belly were making different eggs for everyone. When I asked him who this one was for, he said, "YoYo!" It about broke my heart, but I thought it was so sweet.

Wee and Ry

Papa and Little Bunny FooFoo

RyRy

BaiBai--That is one of the most pitiful looks I've ever seen!

Yeah, I'm a dork

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Bai, Belly, Ry, Mak, Burt

I thought these would make for some cute pictures. I was right even though it was chaos

I bought Makee the Bunny ears. But he preferred the pink flower petals

Mak and Belle spend hours and hours running around Mom and Dad's island

We had one last breakfast before Whit left with the kids

Belly, Bai, Whit, and Ry

Whit and the Kiddies

I won't lie...We spent a whole lot of time making sure Makee and Belly didn't kill each other. We spent a whole lot of time running a daycare with five kids. But we sure had fun. We didn't want them to go back to "Tansas," but we look forward to seeing Beyee-Poo, Boot, and Wee again soon!