What's a mother to do?

So there are a few places that I try my very hardest to avoid when I have Jacob by myself. One of those places is the bookstore. I love to browse books and so does he. This makes for a lethal combination. Well yesterday I had to make a trip to the bookstore as I needed a book for our book club book exchange last night. I did my research on the web before we headed out so that I could just grab the book I had decided to buy and leave. Well I made a quick decision to take Jacob to the children's section just to see if they had any good Christmas books on sale. Everything was fine. We were looking at books with animals, of course, and he played with the train table for awhile. Then he found something that an animal lover like him cannot resist. It was a book/game/toy that had a book about animals, a game you could play, and a tube of plastic animals. He tried desperately to get me to open the tube so he could play with the animals. After a few failed attempts at explaining why we couldn't open them I dragged him away hoping to make a mad dash to the checkout. Well he began to throw one of his tantrums where he's crying hysterically, throwing himself on the floor, kicking. You know what I'm talking about. A full on two year old, I want that toy, tantrum. I was using every ounce of energy I had to hold on to him so I could get the heck out of the store. So we're standing in line and I'm trying to hold onto him, he's red in face with big gooey boogers running down his nose. And the checkers seem to be taking forever. Well the lady in front of me turned around not once but TWICE, made eye contact, and gave me the biggest glare ever both times. I wanted to laugh right out loud. Are you kidding me? Do you think that glaring at me with evil eyes is going to help make my kid stop screaming? Don't you think I'm doing everything in my womanly power to make that happen? Thank goodness for the sweet lady in line behind me who held Jacob while I paid for my book and offered him a sucker in effort to get him to stop crying.

Tis the Season....

I love this time of year. Now that I am older and maybe a little bit wiser I try to make the season more about the things that really matter. So this year I wanted to do something that would bring the spirit to our home and our lives during this busy month of hustle and bustle. So we have been having a little devotional each morning at breakfast which consists of some scripture reading and then discussion of the goal or activity for the day. Only 4 days into the month I can tell a difference. Doing this each morning has put Christ at the center of my thoughts and there He stays for much of the day. Today we are to share our testimony of the Savior with someone. And I have chosen to make that someone you--my readers, whomever you are.

I know that my Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that long ago He came to this earth as a tiny infant child. He was born to Mary--a woman whom I wish I knew more about. I'm sure she is the perfect example of how a mother should be. She had to be to be the mother of Jesus. And let's not forget Joseph. How many men in the world today would do what he did--raise this infant child as his own and love him as his own. I know that the Savior lived a perfect life to set an example for us. I know that He atoned for our sins and because of that He knows exactly how I feel and what I'm going through. I know that He died for us and also that He rose again on the 3rd day. I know that He still lives today and that He knows me and loves me. I am so grateful for this man and for how He has impacted my life. I only hope that someday I can put my arms around him and say Thank You. In the meantime I will try to say thanks in the way that I live my life.

I hope that we all can remember the reason we celebrate this time of year and try a little harder to have Christ in our lives every day.

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with my family this year. We had lots of people and yummy food!




On Friday Jarom and I left Jacob at my parents' house and headed south to do some mountain biking. It was a little cold but not unbearable. It was nice to get one last ride in for the year. And Jacob was very well taken care of in our absence!!!

I am Thankful For....

I really try to be grateful everyday because I have so many blessings. I am feeling especially grateful these days for everything that I have. My perspective has really changed these past few months since we moved to our new home. While we were trying to sell the condo I was so consumed with getting it sold and trying to find a new home and dwelling on how much I disliked where we lived that I kind of lost track of what really matters most. As challenging as the change has been, it has changed my life. My testimony of the gospel has grown immensely. I am so grateful for prayer and for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers those prayers. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and for His atonement and resurrection. I am grateful for my sweet husband. He does so much for me on a daily basis, and I can't thank him enough for what he has done to turn our house into a home. I am grateful for my two year old and all the goodness and challenges he brings to our home. I am lucky to be a stay at home mom. Some days I wish I could go to work instead, but it really is very rewarding to be with him everyday to watch him learn and grow. Yesterday I took him on a train ride and I found myself thinking that I would not be able to do things like that if I were working. So I am grateful for this time I have with him at home. I am grateful for our families--both mind and Jarom's. They are the best! There are so many other things I could list but I don't have time. So I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope you take the time to count your blessings!!!

Just Breathe!

I think it's about time for a new post. I saw this title on a friend's blog and thought that is exactly how I feel today. Things have been really busy for us lately, and today is the first day in awhile where I've felt like I can finally relax and just enjoy the day. Even if it is just for a day, I am going to make the best of it. Jacob and I went to the gym this morning then when we got home I chased him all over the backyard. A game of chase is his all-time favorite thing. He laughs and laughs!!! I've been spending so much time working on our house the last couple weeks that I haven't chased him enough. He's been so patient for a two year old. But I have this problem. It's called timeout. I have not been the most consistent at using timeouts, but it's getting to where I need to be because I don't know how else to teach Jacob that it's not ok to spit his food all over the floor or that it's not ok to climb on the countertops. Any ideas? He knows where the timeout corner is, but my problem is getting him to stay there for the full two minutes unless I physically hold him there. Where is Super Nanny when I need her?

Also, we are getting to the point where we need to start hiring a babysitter outside family. I have a girl in mind who lives down the street, and we know her dad pretty well. My question is how much should I pay her? I don't know what the going rates are these days.

On a side note, I love to read historical fiction. I love history but don't love to read history books. It took me weeks to get through 1776. Anyhow I recently read a book that was about young people who lived in the USSR in the early 1900s. I don't really know how to describe the way this book made me feel. I've been trying so hard to be optimistic about our new president-elect, but honestly his policies scare me. I wonder how many people out there really know what socialism would do to our country or to their lives???? I'm not saying Obama is a socialist, but some of his ideas are too close for comfort. Don't get me started on his spread the wealth idea......That is all I'm going to say about politics.

Winter is Coming!

Tonight we took a ride up the canyon to see the snow. My two boys were so excited!!!

Funny conversation I had on with Jacob on the way home: Background info-when we went to the farm a couple of weeks ago we watched them milk a cow. It was a great opportunity for us to teach Jacob about where his milk comes from. He was so curious about it. So here's how our conversation tonight went (and it was not prompted):
Jacob: Cow's have udder. Squeeze it.
Mom: What comes out?
Jacob: Milk
Jacob: I have a udder.
Mom: You don't have an udder.
Jacob: Oh
A few minutes later...
Jacob: I have a udder.
Mom: You don't have an udder.
Jacob: I have a udder!!!!!!!
Mom: No you don't.
Jacob: louder this time, I have a udder!!!!
Mom: Ok where is it?
Jacob: On my butt.
Mom: What comes out?
Jacob: Milk

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is a lot more fun with kids I must say. This is the first year we've taken Jacob trick or treating, and did he go trick or treating! We went to Aunt Liz's office first, and Jacob filled his bucket up. Then we unloaded the bucket at home and headed to the trunk or treat where he filled up his bucket again. And I ran out of candy. I really had no idea how many kids would be there. After emptying the bucket yet again, we headed to some friends' house for yummy food and fun. The guys took all the kids around the neighborhood, and Jacob filled his bucket for the third time. Jarom said he was running from house to house and would run right up to the door and grab the candy out of the bowls. The funniest part of the night was when Jacob saw one of his little friends from nursery dressed like a lion. He chased him all over at the party then when we got home that night he kept saying, "Where'd the lion go?" He was so sad that he couldn't find him.