{jace is number one}

It was so fun to be in town for Jace's 1st birthday party!

He is such a cutie and seemed to love his presents and his cake:)  It was really great to see everyone, but both kids were so tired...that they were hyper and a bit out of control (at least for such a small place and lots of people)!  Every parent knows what I am talking about...after the hyperness comes the falling apart and there are no coping skills left.

We almost got out of there without too much damage and Miss Eliza completely loses it!  This was like nothing she had ever done before OR since!  There was screaming and yelling and crying and throwing and kicking...it was bad!  

Henry did not say a word...that tells you how serious it was.

My mom asked Henry what in the world had happened when we got back to their house and he said,

"She just flipped out!"

So funny...later:)

Here is cute Jace...I missed all his smiles

{dinosaur tracks}

There are some really cool dinosaur tracks in St. George.

  They were found while they were doing some land development and now are preserved...they actually built a museum right around the tracks and some fossils.

I am really glad we stopped here before heading back up to Salt Lake.

{st. george}

Being with an old friend is like nothing else.

  It was pure joy just to spend time with Rachelle and go to Target on a "girls night" and meet at the Red Rock with out kids in tow just like we would if we lived close.

How I love that girl!!!

We have been best friends since I was in the third grade and have been through lots of different changes, celebrations, and hardship.  I know she will always be there when I need a friend!

It was so fun that our kids got along so well!  Unfortunately they were not able to join us for lunch and the Dinosaur Tracks/Museum because Rachelle became really sick with some kind of bug.

I was so disappointed that out time was cut short, but so glad we got to have the time we did!

{gramme and poppy}

I LOVE this picture of my sweet mom and dad on their mission!

{cove fort}

There have been so many times in the past that I have tried to get down to St. George when we have been visiting in Utah.  Always something happens to get in the way...mostly really sick children who cannot travel!

  I was determined to make it this time!

  We flew in on Monday night.  The kids were so excited that Uncle Ben picked us up!  I think we got to Gramme and Poppy's right at about midnight.  The kids were really great, but it was a very taxing and long trip late at night. We were all exhausted, but we got up the next day and headed for St. George!

  On the way there I wanted to stop at Cove Fort.

  I had always wanted to stop and find out more about it.  I only knew that it involved President Hinckley somehow.  I was so glad we stopped.  It was a really neat fort built by President Hinckley's grandfather...I think:).  There was a calling to go and settle this area and make a fort to provide shelter and protection for the saints.
We had another pit stop in Fillmore to play at their cool park and eat lunch.  I always loved stopping here as a kid and running up and down their long grassy hills!  It was such a beautiful day and I was in awe to see green and blue sky and feel a warm sun!!!  Hooray for spring in Utah!!
  We also stopped for ice cream at the same spot in Beaver I stopped when I was a kid on the road with my family...Gramme and Poppy!  It was so fun and sooo yummy!

{sleeping...on the way to utah}

This is a picture of sweet Eliza sleeping in the car on the way to the airport...

to go to UTAH!

Chris got an email about a discount that an airline was having.

It was just too good to pass up!

One of my best friend's (Rachelle) father had just passed away and I was really wanting to go see her, but I thought there was no way.  Then Chris got the email and it was all meant to be.

Plus, I was very excited to escape our horrible winter!

{a snowman}

We finally had warm enough weather to play outside for a long enough period to build a snowman.

The kids had so much fun!!!

{snow and cold}

It has been sooooo freezing here.

More records being broken...hooray:(

We also have been having lots and lots of snow.

I never thought my kids would be able to climb as high as our lamp post and go sledding in our front yard which is perfectly flat!

They were doing this in freezing weather while I frantically tried to shovel the tons of snow off the driveway so Chris could get into our garage...he had just shoveled that morning!

{happy valentines day}

I really love being a mom on Valentines Day!

I love showing my kids how much I love them.

Instead of a romantic day for us it has turned into a family day.

We are both excited to get them a little treat and pick out a card that they will love.

I still remember some of the sweet cards my parents would give me when I was little...

and the yummy little box of chocolate.:)

I made yummy pink oatmeal in heart bowls and a heart straw to top it off.

We did some really funny things that day, but I can't remember what any of them were...at all.

I guess this is why I should not get so behind on writing these posts!!!

I did have a Valentines Day photo shoot with Eliza before we went to a little party at the church for playgroup.  She is pictured with our "love rug":)

{homemade valentines}

Henry decided that he REALLY wanted to make homemade valentines for his kindergarten class.

I loved that he was so excited and proactive about it.

He planned it all out and then started about a week before the big day.

He was drawing and cutting and writing and stapling...

the end result was precious!

He made a heart card that opened up and wrote a sweet message in all of them...

"I love you so much."

I love YOU so much sweet boy!!!

 

{cowboy pirates}

When the kids play together they mostly build with the waffle blocks or play some kind of pretend play.

Today they were cowboy pirates:).
Also, here are some pictures of Henry's new big boy bedroom...it is not quite done, but it is getting there!

{another snow post}

We are just desperate to get out after this never ending cold weather.

  I probably should not have had them go out, but they were dying to go sledding.

  It was about 15 or 20 degrees and the wind was really cold and it was snowing...

I told them we could go out for twenty minutes:)

We walked to our little sledding hill in our neighborhood and they went down a few times and then we had to head home.  Our faces were so cold and red.  We walked home and had hot chocolate and cuddled in blankets.  I am glad we went out for just a little bit

{snow...and more snow}

We have had the coldest winter Peoria has had in twenty years...

Awesome.

They keep using the word ARCTIC.

I agree.

It seriously has been soooo cold.

School has been canceled a number of times.

We have been stuck in the house and some people could not get to work...

it is either crazy cold temperatures with wind chill, or icy and dangerous roads and conditions or so much snow people can't get to church or work.

Church has also been canceled a few times.

One weekend it was so cold our pipes froze and I could not use our washer and dryer.

Well, one day it was a little bit warmer:)...this is said loosely

and I let the kids go out and play in the snow.

They were in heaven.