CJ's mini snowman with raisin eyes and pretzel arms that Mac ate in one gigantic bite.

President Hinckley

"In all of living, have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

"Let your children be exposed to great minds, great ideas, everlasting truth, and those things which will build and motivate for good."

"The way will be lighter, the worries will be fewer, the confrontations will be less difficult if we cultivate a spirit of happiness."

"We must work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it."

"True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well being of ones companion."

~ President Gordon B. Hinckley ~

He will be missed by millions but I am happy that he is with his dear wife again.

CJ and Trey were invited to their friend's awesome birthday party which happened to fall on Trey's birthday. We spent the morning there followed by a drive-by of the garbage truck company (per CJ) and dinner together as a family. Such a fun day!

The two birthday boys.

Not so sure about opening presents either. That's where CJ comes in handy.

CJ helped me make the cake, even down to the backwards #1.

Super sure about eating his cake.

Happy birthday to the sweetest little one year-old ever. He is such a blessing to our family and his sweet little countenance makes him such a joy to be around. He's so content to be wherever CJ is and loves to give us and the dogs lots of loves. We love you "little" man!

Happy Birthday Trey!

Last night I attended my weekly Positive Parenting class. Before I left CJ asked me where I was going.

"To learn to be a better mommy!" I cheerfully replied.

I got home in time to go in his room and kiss him good night. He asked me what I learned in my class.

I told him I learned that I need to be more patient and more cheerful and to be a good example. To which he replied,

"Yeah, like stop yelling at me so I can stop yelling back at you? And not to say (using his scariest growliest voice), 'CJ!. GET. DOWN. HERE. NOW!' and instead say (using his sweetest, sing-songy voice), 'Ceeeeee jaaaaaay. Please come heeeerrrrre.'"

Exactly. Sort of. Then he said, "And you're learning just to say 'good job CJ!' when I do something naughty instead of getting mad?"

This went on and on. He was doing an excellent job of pointing out all the wrong things I do while mothering him.

And just when I was feeling like this kid knows me all too well, he asked the most important questions of all: "Did you have a recycle bin in your class room? A garbage can? What color were they?"

Crowned

Today was a big day at school for CJ. He passed off the entire alphabet (upper and lowercase) and every letter's sound(s). He was beaming as he came out of school with his alphabet crown on and when I told him that daddy and I were so proud of him and want to take him somewhere special to celebrate, my little garbage lover said, "Yes! Let's go to the dump!"

He's just so nice. Nice to me, nice to everyone. He rarely gets upset. He loves to be with us. He makes lunch dates every week so we can meet up with him and he can see the boys - even if it's sometimes just Costco. He loves his family and talks to his parents all the time. He loves his mother! He plays and plays and plays with his boys. He colors, glues, builds, drives, reads, pretends, sings - even dances if it will make the boys happy! I'll come upstairs to start laundry only to find it's already been done. Open the dishwasher to find all the clean dishes already put away. Go out to my car to take CJ to school and find a nice cold Diet Pepsi in the cup holder for me. If I ask him what the weather is in the east coast he'll tell me 'cause he's already read the entire paper, his scriptures and made breakfast before I make it downstairs with Toad. He won't let CJ wake me up in the night because I'm still getting up with Trey - he takes care of whatever it is CJ needs no matter what time it is or how many times he's woken him up. He watches my shows with me every night.  He changes diapers without being asked, is a great grocery shopper.  Seriously, he is the best. THE best. I'll never know what I did to deserve him but I'm lucky lucky lucky.

I'm sad to say that Christmas break is over and today is the first day back home (and to reality). We had a great time in Utah seeing all our family. It was one party after another, no naps, late bedtimes, a case of pink-eye, Trey getting his two front teeth for Christmas (fun times), dinners and lunches with old friends and more. The most memorable thing for me this year was adding Trey to our family, moving to a new state, getting another new baby (Mac) and making a really happy life up here. I'm blessed!

Santa came to our house on the 21st with a letter to CJ letting him know he had to come early because his stuff was too heavy to take to his Nana's house on Christmas Day. He's so smart. Trey got a new bus to keep him busy,
CJ a new train table. He dressed himself before coming downstairs.
We bundled up and loaded into the back of my brother's truck for a drive through the Festival of Lights.

CJ and Anna whom he loves to play with.

The next night we honored my aunt Cindy on her birthday before yet another Christmas party. I used to talk to my aunt every single day via phone and/or IM. I miss her so much, especially every time my kids do/say something funny because she LOVED that stuff. She was TOO young.

The next night was Christmas Eve at my in-laws. Santa brought more presents and stockings to Nana's and CJ was loving the stocking. It's always been my favorite part of Christmas.

Trey so happy despite not sleeping because of his BLEEDING gums due to the two front Christmas teeth.

CJ's two favorite presents: time with his favorite person ever - Cassidy and
time with his dad. He kept saying how happy he was that daddy didn't have to go out of town.
We spent the rest of the time doing stuff together as a family like bowling, eating, sledding, eating, movies, eating, etc.

Trey took off every second he could finding naughty things to get into. I love it!