My favorite people (and You Tube video)

I've been trying to think of things I could update with for the past few days now and I'm still not coming up with much of anything creative. I really don't have any pictures and so this could be quite boring.

Although we haven't had anything real exciting going on, we are so glad that things are just going smoothly for the most part.

Aaron only has two weeks of class left before finals this quarter. I know he is looking forward to moving back upstairs (he does 90% of his studying downstairs so he's less distracted). He'll still be working on his thesis in order to graduate, but we're hopeful that it will all be done with before the baby comes in June. GE continues to treat us well even with all the economic changes. We are so blessed that Aaron has such a great job.

Olivia gets smarter by the day. She's always writing things and asking me how things are spelled. She's getting better about sounding things out on her own though: Olivia spends a good portion of her days sitting at the kitchen table with her scissors, tape, crayons, paper, etc. I am always getting "mail" from her filled with loves notes. I certainly haven't ignored the fact that her and Carter are playing together a lot better these days too.

Carter just warms my heart. When he's well rested, he is a joy to be around. He talks in full sentences and calls his big sister by her real name (not "Mee-Mee"). I do think his favorite person is his daddy though. Carter still wakes up before 6am most mornings and since I honestly can't get up that early anymore, he watches more Disney than I'm going to admit to. He's making up for it though by getting closer and closer to being potty trained.

I am doing great and feel guilty (sometimes) for having such easy pregnancies. Third trimester symptoms have come a bit earlier than I remember them coming in the past though. I could easily take a two hour nap every afternoon, my sense of smell is is off and I'm starting to look at bedroom closets with that "nesting" feeling (aka, it needs to be organized BEFORE the baby gets here). Not to mention that I've gained record weight this pregnancy and so my clothes are becoming uncomfortably tight already. Please don't think I'm complaining though...I'm not. Life is good.

I leave you with the link to my new favorite You Tube video:

This is a work of art if you ask me! (Love ya Robyn!)

Valentine's Day 2009

We had a great Valentine's Day at our house!

My Valentine's Day gift came a few days early this year:

Our first sofa!

Carter was so excited to ride with Daddy in his truck on Valentine's morning to go buy Olivia and I roses.

I then did my traditional "knock and run" to leave my favorite Valentine's their gifts. (I knock on the door, leave the gifts on the doorstep and run before they catch me.) Carter thought that Aaron's gift was for him and he was delighted to get a new screwdriver set. Seriously.

But in the end, my little Valentine's were happy with candy and punchballs.

Carter then got to go outside and help his daddy get started on putting together our (hand-me-down) swing-set while Olivia and I made sugar cookies.

Yes, there is a cookie underneath all of that decor.

"One piece for the cookie, two pieces for me. One piece for the cookie, two pieces for me..."

For dinner we followed our tradition. Sesame Chicken (and sparkling juice to drink) by candlelight. Olivia loved the candlelight part!


We ended our "Day of Love" by leaving our neighbor's Valentine cookies on their doorstep by doorbell ditching them also. I'll have to find a better hiding spot for my two little kiddo's next year though because they were spotted.

Olivia's question for the day: "How come Heavenly Father created Valentine's Day?"

Random Stuff

Olivia has been drawing various pictures of the new baby lately. I thought this one was pretty cute. She is teaching her little sister to dance.

Olivia got to bring home her own volcano from a science class she's been participating in. Can you tell that she thought it was so cool?

Carter in the bathroom + a very quiet house = trouble! That would be lotion all over the place.

While we were in Georgia last month, we had a decent family picture taken at Grandpa Bill's house.



Carter was bound and determined to ride his bike and scooter down the icy/snowy driveway.



*We did try our canned chicken. It was delicious! Very tender and tasty. I will definitely be canning more. I may even like it better than Costco's canned chicken.

*Olivia got the name, Clarabelle, from the cow on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

*Olivia's first pet, Skittles the fish, died a short five days after being welcomed into our house. The next day, we welcomed Rainbow (another Betta fish) into our house. He died seven days later. The most frustrating thing is hearing what the professional "fish man" says about Betta's: "Betta's live in mud holes in Japan, they are very hearty fish." Well, thank you Mr. Fish man, that makes me feel so much better. NOT!

*After Olivia decided to name her second fish, Rainbow, she turned to Aaron and asked him if that was a good name for a boy. Aaron and I looked at each other and grinned. He then told her that it was a good name for a boy FISH.