Meet our Minivan

A new addition to our expanding family arrived on Sunday...a new (to us) minivan! My sweet parents found the perfect one for our family and drove it out to us this last week.

Macey approves

Mackayla is chilling, testing out the driver's seat

So much room now!

I so wish I would have taken a picture of all the kids wedged in our previous car. I couldn't quite see Macey or Cody with Mackayla's car seat wedged between them (not always a bad thing). Use your imagination and picture them in here:

We were nice and cozy, but we will love the room to breathe in the minivan!! Thank you so much mom and dad, we love it!

I have to sheepishly admit that before we got our minivan I saw a the ugliest minivan on earth that was a weird color in a parking lot (probably from the early 90s). Then I noticed it was the same model as ours and I was a bit panicked before we got ours. BUT, even if it was ugly I would be grateful. I guess it's a bonus that I really do like it!

Cody, Macey and Mackayla loved having grandma and grandpa around and definitely expended a lot of energy with their excitement. Cody and Macey were spoiled by going to the hotel each night, and watching movies and eating junk food before bed. All I can say is only with grandma and grandpa, once in a while, guys!

On the way home from dropping them off at the airport the kids asked if they got to go to the hotel.

We are so grateful for everything you do for us, mom and dad. We love you.

Mackayla - Ackayla (Cody) - Mackaywa (Macey)...

Any way you say it, this girl is squishy and cute

she loves watching her feet now

The other day I lost my comb and was trying to get everyone ready quickly. As I was running around looking for it Macey was saying "Where's the freaking dang comb? Where's the freaking dang comb?" 

While my parents were here she was going to give my dad a hug and a kiss and felt his cheek and told him "Your cheeks are scrapy." The next morning after he shaved she exclaimed, "Now you can have a hug!"

But Pretty much everything Macey says is funny. I should just have a recorder with me everywhere I go.

A Visit from Grandma Bonnie

We LOVE visitors, especially grandmas and grandpas. Grandma Bonnie couldn't have come sooner...Cody couldn't wait! literally:)

It's so fun with her blogging now, I can steal pictures! Unfortunately since she took them, she's not in them. Here's some of our adventures:

We love the science center and all the activities. Even with a pass, every time we go we do something new.

We went up to Guthrie for lunch one day, a cute little town above us. It has the most amazing cafe!

Cody's birthday is coming up in a few weeks and since grandma isn't going to be there he got his presents early. We have read his book about spaceships nearly 20 times these last couple days and have built several things - a fighter jet, a tank, and a fighter helicopter - out of his construction set. So cool!

One highlight for me was that we had the opportunity to go to the temple while Bonnie babysat. She was very generous even though Mackayla didn't want to go to sleep. It's something I've wanted to do since we got here but haven't swung with moving in, being new, being pregnant and having a newborn. It's a smaller temple, everyone was SO sweet, thanking us for coming and welcoming us. What a wonderful date night!

Later that night Ben turned in his rankings for residencies and now we just wait and see what happens!!!

We so appreciate you taking time out of your busy life to come have fun with us.
We feel lucky to have such a wonderful mother in law that we enjoy spending time with. You are welcome anytime grandma Bonnie!

The Nose Post

These are the tools I used yesterday to get that little yellow dot in the picture out of Cody's nose. It was WAY up there. sheesh. I used the vacuum too. That's what you get for sticking a little toy up your nose I guess.

Cody and Macey have started their swimming lessons. This is Macey's first time without me in the pool. She's getting big!

This little girl hates tummy time and is trying so hard to roll, but not having it yet.

Cody and I decided to make a robot out of our broken dvd player. When we opened it up to take it apart I decided to try something to see if it would work and voila, I fixed it!! Cody was SOOO mad! So we went to a garage sale and got a vcr for $1 so he could make his robot. He got right to work taking all the screws out.

Four Month Lineup

So far, Cody and Mackayla are looking the most alike to me. They are all so cute, bald, and chubby!

This one's Mackayla, held by Ben. Too bad he's not in it because he's wearing a grey shirt (not white:) and he's wearing a Ring where he didn't forever-this is the 3rd one he's gotten!

This one is Cody, held by our sweet friend Sandy in Lake Powell.

This is cute Macey held by my mom.

In just a couple of days Mackayla will be five months. I can actually say I am starting to pull out of that haze of new-baby-ness. Well, I guess it's gradual. We starting going out and about soon after, but feeling like everything is back to normal-it took a while. Part of it was the kids and husband:) accepting the new changes. Although I still don't have any recall and of course my house is a mess. Maybe that will never change! Ah!

quick post

Things I don't want to forget:

It has been beautiful weather here (high 60s today!) and we've headed to the park a couple days in a row. Not bad for January. The other day I looked over across the playground to find Macey sitting on a swinging bench singing (loud enough for me to hear) with her head right next to a woman holding a sleeping baby. I laughed and ran over and told Macey to scoot over. The cute lady told me not to worry, she loved it and was going to ask what the song was that she was singing, but she didn't want her to stop. She was just laughing.

Cody and Macey also headed out in our backyard to play while Mackayla was napping and I did the dishes. Cody kept running in to update me on what his spaceship was doing, so every 30 seconds or so the door would slam and he would run in and yell the update. I asked him if he wouldn't mind giving me all the updates once the spaceship was done all at once so he wouldn't wake up Mackayla. He said that would be fine. Thirty seconds later he ran in. "Mom! I'm not going to tell you what happened with the spaceship. I want to tell you what happened to the guys in the spaceship."

New Year, New Adventures, New Resolutions

Ben and I have been taking pictures together on New Years. We don't get many of each other together, so at least we get one a year!

I kept wanting to take another picture because I looked nerdy or something, but then I finally just said I think this is what I look like and I should accept it!! ha ha. Older+nerdier=perfect.

Sitting below us!:

Taking turns holding Mackayla. When Macey's done, she's done - get her away:)

Just a couple of resolutions this year:

1. TELL the scriptures to my kids. I have been reading them a verse or two each night, exhausted from the day. They barely listen and I don't have the energy to force them. But they Love me to tell them stories. One's about a dog I made up named Harold and dinosaurs. So I started telling them the scriptures. I have started at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and will try to go through it chronologically and read a quick phrase or scripture each night. Plus it will help me because I have to read ahead to tell the story right and plan ahead. So far it's working! 

2. Not yell when I get frustrated at my going crazy/naughty children. Don't judge. 

She loves this stuff:

I love watching those first few bites when their little tongue is always in the way!

Ben and a residency: He has gotten some really positive responses from a couple places. We'll just have to wait and see...the anticipation is killing me! Either way in five short months we'll be moving out of felony flats. Holla!