They flew away!

"Carter don't take those balloons outside. If you let go of them they will fly away."

2 minutes later:

"Mom! Mom! They flew away! The balloons flew up in the sky."

"Carter, I told you not to take them outside. That's too bad. They are gone."

"NO. We get them."

"Carter, they flew away. They're gone. We can't get them back."

"Dad get them."

"Really. How's he going to get them?"

"Dad get his ladder and get the balloons up in the sky."

(laugh) "Hmm. I guess you'll have to ask him."

I dial his cell number and put it on speaker. Carter tells Chad what happened. And his plan of action with Dad getting his ladder to rescue the balloons. Chad is laughing out loud the whole time. Carter has this grin. Like: See Mom...I told you.

"Dad, you get ladder when you come home?"

"Carter, I don't know if my ladder is tall enough. I'll talk to you when I get home."

He just couldn't do it over the phone.

10 minutes later: I'm cleaning the kitchen. Carter screams with delight and I hear Chad's voice:

"Daddy got his ladder! Here's your balloons."

Could a Dad be any more of HERO in a little 2 year old's eyes?

I wonder when Carter will think of this story and realize they weren't the same balloons!

Twist Back into Braids

Success. Alexis loves it.

Got this cute hairstyle from here.

Lying or a change in plans.

After putting the kids to bed last night Carter wanted me to lay by him. I did. But he never falls asleep with me in his room. Alexis was sound asleep. If I get out for a few minutes Carter will usually be fast asleep too. So I told Carter I had to go clean up dinner. He sighed but felt comfort when I told him I'd be right back. I left the door cracked so he wouldn't be upset.

I came in the kitchen and thought, "Dishes would be too loud. Hmm, guess I'll just have to watch a little TV first. Then I'll check on him."

A few minutes pass. Then I hear a sweet voice coming from their dark bedroom. I could tell Carter was talking while still laying in his bed.

"MOMMMM! You no dishes. You tv. On couch!"

Caught.

Where else...

can you walk to the beach in the middle of January? In your bathing suits and not be cold, that is?

Tuesday, January 13th....84 degrees and we have tan lines to prove it!
Carter & Saxon

Alexis didn't care one bit that the water was FREEZING. That doesn't really matter when the weather if this PERFECT!


Three hours playing at the beach. I can't get enough of it! Relaxing, refreshing...it's like therapy! I think the kids crashing for NAPS is one of the best perks of it all! The kids were sure to tell Daddy all about it the minute he walked in the door from work.

A great day I thought. That is until later that night.

"Mom, I miss the snow!"

My 2 Handsome Boys

Carter's been following Chad around a lot recently. They've been busy...
Hanging the hutch above the coloring table.

today, they cleaned our windows.


I love a good window cleaning after lots of rain and flu's that joined our family last night!

I love how Carter looks at Chad. He loves him. Watches him. Follows him. Copies him. Wants to do everything he does. And I love it.

I'm feeling really grateful for my husband today. Could it be because I got sick in the middle of our date night watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?"

I came home really ill with the flu. Then after rubbing my back and falling asleep he was the lucky one to jump out of bed at the sound of throwing up at the toilet.

Not me, though. Yep, Alexis is sick too. (How she got off her top bunk and into the bathroom in time, I don't know!) On top of that Carter woke up for some reason in the middle of the night and Chad put him back to bed too.

And now he's out washing my dirty car. Love him!

Speechless!

This has to be good, right? What could make Amber speechless? Read ahead.

I went to the grocery store today. A normal day. Alexis and Carter were with me and they did fairly well staying in the little car attached to the cart. That is until we got to the check out counter. Alexis wanted candy. Carter said he was getting squished by "Sezzis" (aka: Alexis) and stuck his tongue out at her and made a long spitting sound. But I took care of their request and rude jestures. The girl in front of me finished so I naturally moved up to get my card out as the lady was ringing up my items.

But the girl in front of me turned around and said, "You are a really good mom. I've been watching you and listening to you. Your kids wanted candy but you said no. But you weren't mean. You handled it all really good. I'm just really impressed with what a good mom you are."

There you have it...I was speechless. I always feel like I can see people's big bulgy eyes when they watch me deal with the kids or when the kids act up. Especially at the grocery store. (Isn't that the real reason why we all hate going to the grocery store?) Anyways, it's that uncomfortable...get me away from this lady feeling. Yeah. I think I give that to them.

But not this lady. I IMPRESSED her. I will cherish today forever. Because I don't think I'll be hearing that for another 10 years. If that.

New Years Resolutions...

Last year, my friend Jillonnie drove down from Murrieta to discuss our New Years Resolutions. I'm proud to say we checked up on each other on pretty much a daily basis. Unfortunately, not to talk about how we were doing on our goals but to chat and start our diet again each Monday. (Too bad my body doesn't show for all those re-starts on the diet!)

Lucky for me Jillonnie was willing to drive down again this year so we could make some much needed changes in our lives.

Anyhow, for now we are focusing on two words that will improve our lives. We are putting these words on a key chain and up in our house where we will see them everyday. Sure we still have our goals to work out and eat healthy...but for now we are starting small.

So here are my two words that you can all hold me accountable to for the whole year! I might regret saying that.

FINISH: My house is full of unfinished projects. Many of which haven't even been started. I get ahead of myself and get excited when I think of something new to create. But, considering I live in a 3 bedroom apartment...my habit is cramping our style. So from here on out the rules are: 1 project at a time. If it's not finished I can't start another. Use what I have. I have to do all the projects I have stuff for first before I am allowed to buy anything else.

CONTENT: I know. Sounds like I'm setting the bar pretty low, huh? I'll admit it. Recently, Chad has been telling me I need to just be happy. I guess I've been in a rut. So, I was thinking. Happy could be my word. No happy is fake. I'm not always happy. Some days I need to vent or be sad...whatever. So...CONTENT became my word. But it's a good word. Content with my living situation, parking, laundry, primary, and just my life in general. In the past 3 days I have found myself frustrated...but immediately I think of my word...and think it's ok. I can be content about that situation. Content puts things into perspective for me.

I've done good. Yes, I'm proud of myself after just 3 days. My goal for now is achievable...I see the light at the end of the year! But, unfortunately, Chad has expressed he will do physical harm if he hears the word FINISH or CONTENT one more time. Whoops. Don't worry, as he see's the change in me he will appreciate it.

I turned 29!

I have a tendency of asking to go out of town for my birthday. By the time it rolls around I'm ready to get away. If I'm home I'm thinking: "I need to clean that, and organize that, and prepare Primary stuff and call this person and that person." My trick is if you leave...everything stays where you left it and you can enjoy the day for what it is.

This year Chad and I took the kids for a super short trip up to Big Bear. They had tons of snow. We left Monday night and stayed at his Grandma's house. We got up early Tuesday morning, rented ski's for all of us and only had to buy Chad's ticket at Bear Mountain. They sold out so fast it was crazy. I was free because it was my birthday and so were the kids because they were under 6 years old.

We had such a blast. Alexis and Carter both liked it. But I must say, I'm a little worried Carter found his element. He loved it.

Don't think for one second that I was that patient mom and took my kids on their first skiing trip (my second) to teach them to actually ski. Nope. Chad and I each took a kid. Put their ski's between ours like we would when we wake surf with them. (but of course they had their own ski's) Then I put my two poles together and held them down in front of me and had Carter hold them like a handle bar. Chad did the same and we skied down the intermediate slopes all morning. It was a blast. Carter was yelling, "WHOO HOO" the whole way down and kept asking to go again. He definitely could have gone all day. After we were there awhile he kept asking, "Mom, I wanna try dat!" SNOWBOARDING! AHHH! Do I have a Jacob on my hands? Because if so, I'm thinking I'm in for a lot of broken bones with this little one.

The only kink in my perfect Birthday was when Alexis wanted to try and ski a little on her own. I let her go and she took off. This being only my second time skiing I couldn't catch her. Chad and I were so scared. I thought she'd fall but she kept going and was heading straight into a tree. Luckily an older man was on the ground fixing his snowboard and Alexis skied straight into his back. I felt horrible for the man. It knocked the wind out of him but he was so nice and I was so grateful to him for being there.

As we were leaving my sister, Mindy, called because she was with her in-laws and their cabin backs up to Bear Mountain. She had hiked her kids to the top of the lift to find us and had made sandwiches. Isn't that so nice. Unfortunately, the wait to go up the lift took like 40 minutes and she had already been there for 40 minutes. We must have skiied right by her. I was shocked we missed her considering that was right where Alexis crashed. I thought it was so sweet of her!

We spent the rest of the day with his Grandma just relaxing in her cabin and visiting. It was a really good birthday.

Fast forward to New Year's Eve. Chad got sick. I had horrible cramps. So what did we do? We stayed home and watched movies and I did laundry till 1am. It actually turned out to be a pretty good New Years Eve. I did laundry and NO ONE touched my stuff because no one was here. See I'm not high maintenance. I'm happy if I can do my laundry without any competition!

Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve at Chad's parents house. His mom's side of the family gets together for a yummy turkey dinner and presents.

Then we were off to Chad's other Grandparents house to read some scriptures and open pajamas.

Christmas morning:
Carter loved his mini skateboards and ramps.

Alexis loved all her gifts. She really likes the Cupcake Maker Santa brought. Amazing: Santa has PROMO items!

Carter got a wooden snake sent all the way from Australia from Grandma and Grandpa Miller.

Alexis enjoying her gifts from "down under."

Then we were off to open presents with Chad's family.
Carter loved his Tonka Haulers from Grandma and Grandpa.

And Alexis loved her new baby, "Alissa." Grandma made them matching pajamas and that was a hit!

We spent Christmas night at Chad's parents and all his Dad's extended family came over for another turkey dinner. I'm ready to loose all that weight I gained. We had a gift exchange and played games.

Chad and I left for a little while to give my sister, Melanie, her gift and spent some time talking with her and Brett and Mindy.

We loved getting everyone's Christmas cards in the mail. It's definitely one of the main things I look forward too.

My favorite Christmas decoration..

before:

after:

And now it's in a box. I'm sad!

My house threw up...

P-R-I-M-A-R-Y!

 

You'd think it would have thrown up presents and wrapping paper. But if you were to make a surprise visit to my house you would most often find this.

This is the craziest time of year for Primary. Getting new teachers, folders ready, new theme, posters, rosters...you name it! (As if December wasn't busy enough with Alexis' and my birthday's squeezed in) And of course I make more work for myself than I have to. But that's me.

I will be posting all new things we are doing for Primary this year within the next few weeks. For now I have to get control of the new year. Plus Ward Conference is already coming! AHHHH!

Primary Ornaments

Don't be jealous. Not of these darling ornaments but of my friendship with my friend, Jillonnie, who thought of them. She made cute little ones of my kids that said "Forever Friends."

 

So my Presidency and I made them for the primary kids. I'm a fan of ornaments that won't break and are durable throughout the years. So this was perfect. Jillonnie found these wood slats at Michaels. They come in a pack of six for $1.99 and you cut them in half to get this small wallet size. Then you paint the wood and mod podge the picture and ribbon on. I just printed the "I am a Child of God" square from my computer. I took the pictures 2 weeks before Christmas (since it was a last minute idea) and ordered wallets sizes from Costco. The whole ornament is covered with mod podge and will last a long time. I loved the final result. Plus they cost less 50 cents each.