Comings and Goings...

Lately it's been a lot easier to sit on the couch and read other blogs rather than to update my own. I've had some brilliant, brilliant I tell you, thoughts going through my brain but to actually summon the energy to actually put it into words and into the computer has been impossible. We are good. Boys are growing. Mom & Dad are getting smarter at how to corral the crazy. I'm a year older and actually IN my 30ies rather than just 30. Yuck. I don't know how that happened. I think I'm ok with it but it is just a little surreal I suppose. I was never supposed to be this old. I never have imagined, dreamed, or thought I would be 30+. I still feel so young (most the time) that it never occurred to me that I would some day be out of high school, have kids, a husband, a house, grown-up responsibilities, etc. Just wierd.

The boys are busy. Oliver is trying to be big, big, big. He is mighty cute and we just love him so. The twins are hilarious. Just this morning I was downstairs getting something and as I came up the stairs Charlie popped his head around the corner and stated, "I'm Kierstin" (who is his auntie) and he had a HUGE bag from the RV show slung over his shoulder. I assume Kierstin must have had a large purse one time he saw her. I literally laughed out loud (and then took a picture and sent a text to Auntie Kierstin). Dylan has been saying for the last few months, "I want a big one" whenever he wants something. Whether it be a cookie, a piece of paper, or a toy...he wants a big one. So, the other day when he said he wanted some bread and I told him to wait and we'd have some bread with his dinner he threw me off when he responded, "I want a huge one." I laughed out loud again. They do try me and run me ragged, but they make me laugh and cry because they are just so darn sweet. The other day they wanted to play outside and I let them and just told them they had to play in the backyard. I was upstairs and thought I heard something out front so I looked out the window. We had that big windstorm back in December and it blew down one of our downspouts. We had put it in the garage and planned to fix it in the spring. When I saw the boys out front, they were carrying it to the lawn to "fix" it. I told them to take it back and so they obediently did. I love this little story because it reminds me of the time I saw the cute little boy across the street in his tighty-whiteies carrying a long piece of handrail or something across their front lawn (this was years ago. he's now like 10 and I'm sure he'd be mortified to do that now!). I remember looking out my window and laughing at how cute/funny it was. Little boys...I love their shenanagans they get into.

What else?? My little nephew was baptized a few weeks ago and I tried my hand at some machine embroidery. I am in love! I think I've convinced my mom that we NEED an embroidery machine. It was so fun and so easy! The things we could use it on are endless. I'm getting back into my crafting again. Trying to post and sell some new ties and get somethings lined up for the farmers market this summer.

I also gave in and finally let the boys finger paint. I've never let them because it can get so messy but they did well (got messy but what do you expect) and had fun. They keep asking me to paint again. I need to be brave and have a paint party again. Oliver has learned how to color, too...on him. We're busy around here but we're good. Very fortunate to enjoy what we do and have what we have. I couldn't be more happy being mom to my sweet boys. I'm going to go grey and lose my mind but I am super lucky. I don't know what I did so right to have what I have.

Oh the things they say...

A few weeks ago I went into the boys's room to wake them up from a nap. They were having a tough time waking up so I went up to D (his eyes were open) and said, "Are you trying to wake up?" His reply was, "No, I'm trying to sleep down." Love how they think.

Then today I had to make cookies and lemon bars to take to a funeral today at our church. I loaded the boys and the treats into the car and drove over to our church. The boys wanted the treats and I had to explain that we were taking them over for the luncheon after the funeral. I ran the food in and then came back out to head on home. Charlie said he wanted to stay and have lunch at the church. I told them that it wasn't our family who had someone die so we didn't get to have lunch at the church. And then rambled on about how that is good cause the lady that died had to go live with Jesus and we want our family to stay here with us a little longer. Then Dylan started whining about how he wanted to live with Jesus and wanted to live at Jesus's house. I chuckled and just said that one day he would but not for awhile. I'm not ready for him to live with Jesus yet.

I love watching the twins learn and grow. They're getting pretty darn smart. They love to pray by themselves. They love to get dressed by themselves. They love to do their carseat by themselves. They love to try to zip their jackets by themselves. They are anxious to go to school. I told them they aren't big enough and they had to learn their letters to go to school. The other day I sat down with them and their little work books and we worked on the letter A. They were supposed to trace it, color it, write it, etc. So I sat with Dylan and he did great. Then I tried to help Charlie. Oh boy. Just trying to get him to hold a crayon is tough. He uses both hands so he's not sure what hand to use, then his fingers don't cooperate. Then he just draws lines all over. My patience was tried. By the end of it, I'm getting mad at them cause I don't think they're even trying. Who am I to be mad? They are 3. They are just learning to do this! I had to take a breather and we'll try it again another day. Luckily for them (and me), I finally broke down and signed them up for preschool next year. That way they don't need to have their nag of a mom try to teach them EVERYTHING. I think our home will be a lot more happier with them gone a few hours each week socializing and learning. Then on to real school...excuse me? What???? Really they're old enough for that?

To nap or not to nap...that is the question

I've been lucky. My little guys still for the most part take naps. Sometimes it takes some convincing but they'll usually fall asleep and all around the Jensen home is happy. But, I know we're nearing the end of a good thing. I know they'd do fine if I didn't have them nap but for me, that hour or so is a moment of solice that is much needed. A lot of times I put them in their room and just let them have at it. I just want them in there and not in my face. I get to the point where I don't care if they sleep, I just need some mommy-time. I've found lately that I can go into their room and lay down on the ground so that they'll shut up for enough seconds to realize they're tired and will finally doze off. That's usually the problem, they just don't stop talking so that they will sleep. Today I went in there. Dylan had made up a bed on the ground with his blankets and was lying there like a good little boy. Charlie was on the beds but there were no pillows and no blankets in sight. And...the light was on. That one makes me mad but I just turned off the light and layed down on the ground. D tossed and turned for awhile, then he stretched out his foot a little bit inching it closer and closer to me until it touched me. Then Charlie got up and brought his blankies over to me and layed down next to me. He then proceeded to grab my hand and put it on his back, hinting to start rubbing. He is just like his daddy and loves his back rubbed. When my arm got tired and I stopped he put it back urging me to continue. I opened my eyes and everyone elses eyes were open, too. They'd reach over and rub my face with their chubby hands. I just smiled. Ok. You win. No nap today. That's ok cause you are darn cute. Both of you. I love that these guys are growing up but it breaks my heart, too. It's sad that you can't have both your babies forever and the experiences and moments as they grow up, too. Like my mom always said when asked which stage of raising children is the best...they all are. January 2009 - approximately 4 months old - cribs in Nauvoo, IL

It snowed! It snowed!

Finally, we have a little snow! The other day we got about 6 inches of new snow. We haven't had any snow since, what, November? It's been sorta nice in Brandt's eyes cause that way he doesn't have to deliver in it. But, it would have been nice around Christmas. And it's sorta nice for the whole "we need water" dilemma. But other than that it's been ok for it to stay away. I bundled up the twinners and sent them out to the backyard to run around. They eventually made it out front and since the boys across the street were out I let them play. The boys came over to our yard and helped the twins make a snowman. Sweet. So nice of them to play with the boys. We're lucky to have such great neighbors. Every day now they ask to go play in the snow.

This is my happy...

I just downloaded a bunch of pictures from my mom's camara. This was one of the random pictures that was there and it makes me happy. This was taken one morning last summer when the 4 of us meandered down to my mom's house and ended up playing in the backyard. I love this picture because 1: this is my world. Three little boys climbing all over me. 2: SUMMER. Love that we're outside. Love that we're in shorts. Love that we don't have shoes on. Love the twins's shaved heads. 3: Look how beautiful the flowers are in my mom's backyard. What a green-thumb she has.

I love when I come across a random picture that pulls emotion, specifically happiness, out of me. So fun. Made my whole afternoon.

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam!

My boys are SUNBEAMS!!

Aren't they cute? Aren't they big? They did well but they miss the toys from nursery. Oliver didn't do so well in nursery whether it be because of his missing brothers or his sudden excessive clingy-ness I'm not sure. Our nursery leaders are amazing, though, and just held him and let him be sad. But needless to say, my twinners are sunbeams. What the.....

The end of a year...

I can't hardly believe that 2011 has come and gone. What a quick, busy, happy, crazy, and semi-eventful year. I hope to edit this post in the next day or two to add a little more to it and sum up the last few weeks but it's 11pm New Year's Eve and I have my cute nieces and nephew and hubby waiting for me to watch a movie downstairs. I wanted to quick sneak this in, tho, and just express how grateful I am for this wonderful year. So grateful for my health and the health of my family. I don't think I could ask for more than that. We are good. We are happy. We are together. That's all I need. I'm a simple girl and that just makes me content. Here's to an even better year...starting tomorrow.