Snow is falling all around

Benson finally got his wish for winter...it SNOWED today! They were predicting snow when we woke up this morning, but it didn't really start to accumulate until mid-morning. We went outside after lunch to play for a little while. It was quite the process to get all 3 children suited up. Benson and Grace were very warm with their snowpants, big coats, mittens, and boots. Grace pitched a huge fit at first because she could hardly move, but once we got outside she forgot about the restricted use of her limbs. Sabrina was colder because she doesn't have all the gear, so after a while I just held her and we watched the other two enjoying the very wet snow. Grace followed Benson around doing whatever he did, it was pretty cute. Then we came inside and made hot chocolate with marshmallows, which none of them really drank. We topped it all off by getting out pillows and blankies and watching Cinderella III. The best part is that no snow stuck to the roads, so we got the benefits of snow without the hassles.

Grace catching snowflakes on her tongue

Benson laid down to make a snow angel, but I think he forgot what he was doing because he just laid there with his mouth wide open

Breeny trying to keep up with the big kids. After she fell a few times with no gloves on, she was done with the snow!

Benson and Grace working on a snowman

Sabrina enjoying her marshmallows. I mentioned before that last week we had colds, but Sabrina's held on into this week and turned into her 1st ear infection. After several days of her screaming fits, taking short naps, and not eating much, I noticed that there was junk coming out of her right ear. So now thanks to motrin, amoxicillin, and ear drops I have my sweet little baby back. She has had a rough month with losing the binky, a cold, and an ear infection - here's hoping that February is easier on her and us!

Slumber party in the living room!

Where a kid can be a kid...

Chuck E. Cheese's! Last week started out with Benson and Grace having a cold that then got passed to Sabrina and I. By the end of the week we hadn't been out of the house and we were all starting to go crazy. So I called Grandma to save the day. We met her at Chuck E. Cheese's on Friday and we had so much FUN!

Benson loved this bucket game

Grace is so easy to please, she didn't even need tokens to keep her happy

Breeny being crazy on the slide

Benson with Barney...in his hands are the 5 tootsie rolls that he got for all his tickets. And the best part was that he's still young enough to think that those were a FABULOUS prize!

Mommy, Grace, and Sabrina climbing up to the tunnels

Mommy's crazy hair after going down the tunnel slide

Sabrina playing air hockey - she was actually playing against a little girl who was there who really liked playing against her because she was winning big time!

I had to climb up to the tunnels with Grace and Sabrina because they weren't tall enough to do it themselves. I was having flashbacks of Leaps and Bounds and Discovery Zone for you children of the '90s out there. They had so much fun crawling around up there and probably would have stayed up there longer, but I couldn't take it anymore. So, thanks again Grandma Stacey for getting us out of the house and for all the fun!

President Gordon B. Hinckley

My dad called a few minutes ago to tells us that President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints passed away this evening. I was thinking about my first experience being in the same room as President Hinckley. The summer of 1997, I had the opportunity to attend a 4 Stake Youth Conference that President Hinckley came and spoke at. I will never forget the feelings that I had when he walked out onto the stage of the auditorium. I received a witness, my own testimony, that he was indeed a prophet of God. He talked to us about the 4 Be's - Be Smart, Be Clean, Be True, and Be Humble. When I was at BYU, I had the opportunity to hear Pres. Hinckley speak in person many times both at the Marriott Center and at the Conference Center in Salt Lake. Before Benson was born I set a goal to read Pres. Hinckley's biography, in fact I finished while I was in labor with Benson. My life has been blessed by him in so many ways. His counsel has guided and directed me during the years of my life when I made my most important decisions - when I was a teenager, when I left home and went to college, when I got married, when my children were born. I know that he was a prophet of God. I will miss hearing his voice.

Here's a link to an article about President Hinckley:

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/beloved-church-president-gordon-b-hinckley-dies-at-97#continued

Breeny's New Favorite

I knew it would happen eventually, I just hoped that it would take a little longer. My baby girl loves her daddy best now. I'm happy for Mike, I really am...I'm just sad for me. It was such a short time ago that she would always pick me over him, but no more. She loves to snuggle with him in the morning and her favorite time of the day is when he comes home from work. I really do love that my little girls LOVE their Daddy and have a special relationship with him. And I love that he cries when he hears that Tim McGraw song "My Little Girl." It makes me love him just that much more.

Sabrina and Daddy in the hospital

Her Blessing Day in January 2007

At Uncle Paul and Aunt Molly's wedding in April 2007

At the BYU vs. TU football game in September 2007
Sharing Daddy's birthday cake in October 2007

Not wanting to take a picture in November 2007

Tonight, helping make cookies on Daddy's shoulders

Aunt Jessica and Uncle Mike

Yes, you read the title correctly, Mike and I will be entering a new chapter of our lives this Fall...being an aunt and uncle. My brother Paul and sister-in-law Molly are having a baby! We are so excited for them! And we are excited for our kids to have a cousin! Mike and I are jockeying for the position of Best Aunt and Uncle ever and I think we have a good shot at it! To all my siblings...the competition starts now! (j/k, I know I'm a dork) CONGRATS Paul and Molly!