Swimming in the Crick

This is how it started...

And, this is how it ended. Good job, Dad!
I couldn't help but feel how much I loved my boys that day as I watched them all play in the creek. It was very sweet to see.

Jon, I love you

It doesn't get better than having a goofy husband that can make you laugh!

Blast from the Past

Me, Leigh, and Kristina.

I'm guessing that I'm around 17 here. These girls were like my step-sisters back then. Crazy to see old photos from high school. It's entertaining to see a young me, though. I enjoy analyzing the differences. I hope one day that I spend time on coverting old photos to digital ones. It's well worth it. One day...

The Best Memorial Day--Ever!

We spent the day at Pioneer Park in Mooresville, maybe 7 minutes away from our house. Last fall, my mom and I feel in love with this park as we would run through all the winding paths and beautiful scenery. It reminds me so much of home, especially of Howarth Park. It has an awesome playground, a really fun water park, sports fields, tons of trees and greenery, long jogging paths, bridges, and a great creek! How could you ask for more? What a gem to have so close to our home.



Nonni looking over one of the bridges.

Christian, Daddy, and Lincoln starting to explore the creek with all its water and rocks.

Mommy and Christian loving the relaxation of the creek.

So, I didn't anticipate that the boys would actually go swimming in the creek. And, of course, I was happily surprised. Since we didn't have any extra clothes, I stripped Crisco down to just his sandals so that some of his clothes could stay dry. Then the boys played and swam and played some more. It was absolutely perfect! I couldn't have asked for a better family retreat. It really did warm my heart, especially seeing Jon being the best daddy ever and being completely willing to play in the creek with his boys. I loved it. And so did they.

I'm a Bike Riding Machine

This is Lincoln's first real bike. I think it's an 18-incher. It's metallic yellow (Daddy's favorite color) with pegs and all. We even bought him a Lightning McQueen helmet, skater style (which I have to say are way cuter than the traditional shape). Lincoln's absolutely loved it since day one. And, since day one he's loved going super fast. I was worried at first that he wouldn't be able to brake well. But once we explained it to him, he got it immediately. What a relief. Another thing that I've been very impressed with Lincoln is how safe and obedient he has been. He never goes in the street and whenever we cross the street he automatically walks his bike across. I love how smart he is with riding. I am looking forward to taking down my poor, neglected, yet beautiful bike and going riding with him this summer. I really need to get on that. It'll be so much fun. That's one of those 'wholesome recreational activities' that I truly look forward to doing with my kids. Now I just have to get Jon to fall in love with biking, too. Maybe since he has more meat on his bones now, his butt won't hurt as bad :0) That was his chief complaint. (he he)

"I Love My Daddy!"

Link: "Here ya go, Dad. Here's your birfday cake."
Lincoln thought that Jon was getting a cake for his birthday. At 3 yo, he hasn't really grasped the idea of Father's Day. It doesn't matter to us, though, it's a party either way!

Jon: "Thanks, Link. I love gigantic cookies!"

Link: "Me too. What are we waiting for?! Let's eat some now!!"

Happy Father's Day, honey.
I really appreciate all the ways you contribute to our family. You are so dependable, so trustworthy, so true, so fun, so funny, so helpful, and so handsome with all those curls! One of my favorite parts about parenting with you is just that--that we parent together. I love that we take the time to discuss the different phases are children are going through and how we should handle them. I love that I can rely on you to be right there next to me as we discipline and love our children together. Thank you for being such a great companion. And thank you for being such a great father to our children. You make a difference. And I know that our boys love their daddy. Just like I love you!

My Dear Romeo

Born on Valentine's Day, 2001
Passed away on April 29, 2010

at the age of 9

Mommy and Daddy saying goodbye

How sweet it was to hear him purr for the last time and to hear him talk to me again. This video was taken on the same day that we put him down. Reina, as I mentioned in the video, is his beloved 'wife' who passed away suddenly in December. Ever since then, Romeo had not been the same. He became depressed and hid in the closet most of the day. I knew I should be worried when he stopped eating his wet food. When we took him into the doctors he had dropped from being 17 lbs, three years earlier, to a devastating 9 lbs. We ran tests, gave him several medications, but he kept on losing the weight and stopped eating altogether. After a month of debating what to do for Romeo, we decided to let him pass on to a better place where he could be with Reina again and not be in pain any more. Sometimes I still have flashbacks of Roo and find myself missing him a lot. But he lived a glorious life. There were many wonderful moments.

Here's a tribute to my memories with Romeo:

• He's my darling Roo. Probably the animal I've had the longest in my life. He was my baby for 6 years. My mom gave him to me for my 22nd birthday. I found him in an animal shelter way back in California. I went into the shelter, as a brand-new convert, asking the Spirit to help me find the kitty I was supposed to adopt. Romeo's cage was in the corner, and the second I heard him meow at me, I knew. When I held him we had an instant bond.
• A few months later he met his future dad. It took him a couple of months to warm up to Jon once we were married and now living in Utah. However, once that happened I remember Rudakiss becoming a trader and starting to like his dad more than me! (All because his dad was the one who would come home early enough to feed him first. Romeo did love his food. Always begging for more.) You knew Romeo was favoring you because at night he would sleep between your legs, making it impossible to change positions. This drove Jon nuts :0)
• Rudy did not like to travel, but he was forced to anyway. There was no way we were not bringing all of our kids with us where ever we moved. If Romeo was really nervous in the car he would stick his tongue out like a dog and start panting, but it really made him look like a snake. Romeo started his life in California, had a detour in Provo for 2 years, and finished his final three years in Indiana. He traveled by car to all of these new destinations. Poor thing. He is now buried next to Reina in a beautiful place.
• He and Reina loved to wrestle. Like clock-work, every night at 10 pm they would take off upstairs and chase and tackle each other. It brought Jon and I so much laughter. It was the best entertainment ever. One day I hope to post of video of their matches.
• Having Romeo was like having a dog. He would come to a whistle, no matter where he was. He could be around the block and he would still come scurrying to us with his stomach flab swinging to and fro. He was protective like a dog. If we were all outside and a dog came near our yard, he would puff up and try and scare the dog away. So cute. He also liked to go on walks. Whenever Jon and I and the kids would go on walks, he would tag right along. Several times I was able to get him to follow us all the way around the block. So sweet. What a great cat. What a great companion.
• Rooster was also a master hunter. I learned this right away when I adopted him. Within the first couple of days of letting him outside, he brought home a gift for his new mommy of a nice feathery bird. Then another and another. To Romeo's disappointment a loud, obnoxious bell was placed around this panther's neck. He proceeded to find ways to catch grasshoppers and mice. Once of my least fond memories of his mice catching happened on the day that I brought my first baby Lincoln home. In comes Romeo through the basement window (which happened to be the nursery window!!!!!) with a live mouse in his mouth. Of course he doesn't kill it and lets the dang thing go in my newborn's room. I seriously had a major panic attack and thought my world was coming to an end. Luckily Romeo and Daddy fished the dang thing out of the shoe closet and got it the heck outside. Crazy times. But fun memories.
• Romeo had a ba-gillion nicknames. Jon and I are suckers for nicknames, so here are a few of his: Rudy, Rudakiss, Roo, Rooster, Reclusakiss (like recluse), Romey, and Romeo cheese. We love and miss you our dear Romeo. See ya in heaven, Rudy.

Our Easter Stroll

Since we didn't have church on Easter Sunday this year (due to General Conference--which was AMAZING!), we wanted to celebrate the beauty of the day by going on a nice stroll with my mommy over in Plainfield.

Here's my wonderful hubbie. Oh! and baby, too!

Relaxing together as a family on our front porch. It felt so sweet. It's nice to get a break from all our commitments once in a while. We really enjoyed calling family and letting them know how much we love them.

Link: Hey Mom, where did the Easter bunny go? I need more candy.
(what an expression)

My favorite thing to see...

Look at these great dads all taking care of their kids. Good job men. What a beautiful thing to see.

Wait a sec... where's my guy?

(j/k. he's the one taking the pics ;0)

What Cuties

Gorgeous Ellie

Doesn't Vincent look so handsome?!

Little Owen. His skin looks so porcelain and smooth.

Ally, I love your spirit!

No, we were SO close!

Okay, so at the end of Crisco's birthday party I convinced everyone to stick around to play just one round of Guesstures (my favorite game). I totally thought that the girls would kick the boys' boo-tays. (Nichole and I are serious gamers, to say the least.) Little did I know, though, that the guys had some kind of ESP thing going on. I gotta give us ladies some credit, we did end the round tied with the boys. However, when we went into over-time the score ended totally lopsided: 8-12. So sad!



Here are the boys, holding their trophy and gloating in their win! Number one (not!).

The ladies.
(Sorry Miranda that you guys headed out before we took the group pics.)

BTW--next time, we are totally winning...I think.

Happy Birthday, My Little Christian!

I love you, baby!



The birthday boy. My Easter baby.
Born on April 12th, Easter Sunday. So sweet.

Crisco: Hey Mom, can we have this every day?
I love this stuff!

My sweetheart. He delighted in eating his own cake and loved making a huge mess. It's the only way to go on your 1st birthday.

Crisco: Hey Dad, ya want some! It's the bestest!