Where does the time go?

Wow, it has been forever since I have even looked at my blog.  I can't believe I haven't posted since April. So much has happened I'm not even sure where to begin.  Well May 26th, Finn had her first birthday.  I can't even remember what cake she had or what gifts she got, all I know is I think I have it on film somewhere.  I can't believe how big she has gotten and how much fun she is.  She has a cute little personality, stubborn, shy, funny....... and she loves food.  Sounds a little like someone else I know :) She says a lot more words now but doesn't use them unless she has too.  Her and Taytum are very different when it comes to social settings.  Taytum loves the attention and wants to tell everyone about everything (sometimes a little too much info) and Finny just wants to go off and do her own thing.  She doesn't mind being alone and not having anyone notice what she is doing.  It will be interesting to see if that changes.  She is super daring in other situations but not when it comes to talking.  She learned how to whistle a few weeks ago.  I love to whistle, especially during the holidays, and one day she started whistling right along.  I don't have that on video yet, because as I mentioned before, she doesn't like attention and she refuses to do anything that I ask her to do.  So hopefully I can sneak a video soon and put it on here.  Taytum is growing up so fast.  She is 3 now and I do remember her birthday because it was less than 6 months ago.  She had a big pink cupcake and "little tiny big cupcakes" as she would say.  She got books and toys and dress-ups.  She is by far the best gift receiver known to man!  I will post that video as soon as I figure out how to do that.  Every single present was like she just won a million bucks.  She did not get that from me, unfortunately I am terrible at receiving gifts and have a hard time changing my tone, even though I am truly excited.  Anyways, that was fun to watch.

Over the summer I decided to apply for a teaching job up here and got one at Woods Cross.  I get to teach on B-day's only and I also took the head basketball coaching job.  It has been super busy but extremely rewarding.  I teach at an amazing school with a great staff.  My principal should be a comedian on the side, he is hilarious and super nice.  My team is filled with amazing young ladies and I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity.  Zach has been so great to help out with the kids.  He is the best father around and I couldn't do any of this without his support.  I am looking forward to the Christmas break and the time I will get to spend with my family.  I love the holidays and wish people would be this giving and caring all through the year.  Last thing and then I will add photos.  So we had a lesson in young women's about taking a picture of something you are grateful for every day.  So I decided to try this but write something down, because I knew I would forget the picture thing.  I just want to tell you all, please do this.  It has changed my life!  I have had some difficult challenges come to me over the past few years.  Things that I didn't think would ever happen to me.  This small and simple thing has brought me out of some very dark and lonely times and has changed my outlook on life.  I still face the same challenges but now I have hope, and now I have joy, and now I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Christ and that through the atonement we can find peace and that every single day we can find something to be grateful for that God has put in our lives.  I am most grateful for my kids, they are the light of my world and I am so blessed to be their mom.  Anyways, there is the quick version of my last 8 months.  Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Easter

Well it was a great Easter weekend! My parents were able to come up and the weather couldn't have been better! Saturday we went egg hunting and Taytum was so excited to see the Easter bunny. She has a thing with stuffed animals, so when they are huge and moving she goes crazy! For example, swoop the Utah ute mascot she loves and talks about him all the time. So we took her to see him and she blew kisses to him, waved, gave h knuckles, and even has a swoop pillow pet. The Easter bunny was even more exciting because of her Easter bunny pillow pet that she can't live without! She drags that thing everywhere and will say "I need my bunny and my bink" it is really cute. So anyways here are some pics of Easter. Finn she is just the best sport and is so good all of the time! Love these girls so much!

March already?

Well once again it has been a while since my last blog.  A lot has changed, as it tends to do over a large amount of time.  I will start out with Finnley, she is now 10 months old, crawling, and has 6 teeth.  She was such a mellow baby that I thought for sure that's how she was going to be, well one day she decided that she wanted some of the attention, so she has come out of her quiet little shell and is bursting with personality.  She giggles all the time, but it sounds like she is crying, it's like a deep, forced, giggle and it is hilarious!  She thinks that bed time means game time and as soon as I lay her down in the crib she is giggling and climbing up and trying to get out.  So I will start to leave and then turn back around and she goes crazy, jumping and laughing.  It is pretty funny.  Her top 2 teeth are about a thumbs width apart and they are huge, it's sooo cute/goofy looking.  I have been told that space is a good thing so I'm not too concerned yet.  She pulls herself up on things and is very interested in shoes.  Not sure where that came from ;-) okay maybe I have a thing with shoes, but what women doesn't?  She absolutely is a momma's girl, which I am so happy about, because Taytum couldn't care less whether I'm around or not, but Finn, she loves me to hold her and play with her.  Most of all Finnley love love loves Taytum and Taytum loves Finnley.  It is so fun to watch them play together.  Taytum can get her to laugh more than anyone and Finnley just follows her around the best she can being on all fours.  Taytum is so cute with Finn and really is super sweet.  Occasionally Taytum uses the phrase "that's mine" which I think is pretty common in a 2 year old, or 25 year old's world.  So on to Tayter bug, she now corrects me when I call her that.  Me: Hey Tayter Bug!  Taytum: No it's Taytum.  She also will be talking and I can't understand some of the things she says so I will say "what Taytum" and she get's really upset and says, "don't what Taytum" it's pretty funny, so then I will say "I don't understand" and she'll get really mad and say "Don't understand Mom!"  Very entertaining, for me atleast.  Taytum is now 2 years and 4 months old and I cannot believe it.  They grow up so fast it's scary!  She likes to dress herself and she always wants to wear a skirt and her pink shoes.  She has about 5 purses and 20 lip glosses.  I have about 1 of each.  She knows where people stash there lip gloss and gum so she goes right for the purse of anyone that leaves it lying around and she usually ends up with a few extra lip glosses every time we are with the family.  She knows that I don't love her having a gallon of lip gloss on her lips so she will get some and go hide somewhere, like behind the couch or door or under a blanket.  I'm a little concerned about that but I'm sure it is just a phase, I mean I haven't heard of any adults being addicted to lip gloss.  Taytum also loves to dance and sing.  In fact a few nights ago she slept in our room because Brooke was staying over, and Taytum woke up at 12:30 and decided to sing 5 little ducks.  She sang this and whatever else she could think of until 4 a.m.  I was obviously cool, calm, and collected, (NOT) throughout this time frame, because I do just fine when I don't get much sleep.  So finally we turned on a movie and just let her go.  The next day we laughed about it, but at the time, I was not a happy camper.  On to Zach and I.  Well Zach is working with Grainger still and loves it.  He just went to a training in Florida where he met Paul Sr. from OCC.  And he got to go to universal studios.  I went to Cedar and Vegas and had a great time.  I was able to go to the State Playoff games and loved every minute of it.  In Vegas, JaCoy set up a run called "Defending Freedom" in honor of Ben who is currently in Afghanistan.  It was awesome, about 200 people showed up for a 5k 10k half or 25 mile bike ride.  So currently she is a single mother of 5 very busy kids, and she organizes a huge event.  She is unbelievable!  Seriously I don't know one thing this woman can't do!  So anyways I stayed down there for a few days and enjoyed the sunshine.  The past few weeks I have basically been watching a lot of basketball because of course March is my favorite month!  Last Thursday-Sunday I probably logged about 20 hours of basketball, it was AMAZING!  Zach had to take over in motherhood duties!
We are still in Kaysville and are loving our neighborhood, ward, and new friends.  It is a good place to be and our little family is growing up so fast. 

In Training!

Okay so I know a lot has happened since my last post, such as Halloween, Taytum's 2nd Birthday, Thanksgiving, and who knows what else, but I do have it all recorded in a journal....somewhere.  So let me try and catch up on here and then we will get to the most intense, smelly, and tiring training I have ever been involved in....potty training! 
So Halloween, Taytum was a penguin!  You might think that is random but she has a weird thing for pengiuns, always has.  Somehow we have managed to collect more than enough stuffed animals in the last 2 years, and a chunk of those are penguins.  Only one of them is cute too, but that is beside the point.  Taytum was a very cute penguin and learned how to say trick or treat!  It was awesome!  Finnley was a lady bug, the reason for that is because I saw a costume at Costco and thought that would be cute, comfy, and warm, so I bought it.  Let's just say Halloween is on the top of my least favorite holidays.  I don't know why exactly, I guess because it was always freezing, scary, and I ate to much candy which lead to stomach and tooth aches.  But it is different now that I have two little ones I get to dress up for.
Next, Taytum's Birthday, well I can't believe she is 2 in wo ways.  I can't believe she is only 2 in some ways and that she is already 2 in others.  She does so much it is crazy!  We spent her b-day in Cedar because Zach's Grandma June passed away and her funeral was that day.  So we went to that and she managed to put on a show even at the funeral.  She was with me on the stage singing and then decided she had had enought of that, so she marched on down the stairs and strutted up the aisle to get to my mom in the very back.  You could help but laugh.  So we had a Dora cake and ice cream, which she loved, she blew out the candle, which she loved, but mostly she loved everyone singing to her.  She loves attention!  We got her a dog named Hogan and she goes crazy for him.  They have a love-hate relationship.  I will see her kicking him and then kissing him in the span of 30 seconds.  He bites her a little and then licks her to death so it goes both ways. 
Next, Finnley is now 6 1/2 months and is a golden child!  She is so so nice!  She rolls over, sits up, and is extremely alert.  She loves to blow bubbles and her voice is really deep.  I am so excited to see her personality begin to come out.  It blows me away how unique each person is, especially siblings.  I mean how does that happen?  Taytum and Finnley look very much alike in there structure but have very different features.  Finn is tan and dark eyes, Taytum is lighter and bright blue eyes and their hair color and texture is way different!  It's just another sign to me of how little I really have to do with anything! It's all up to the Man upstairs. 
Okay Thanksgiving, worst of my life for multiple reasons which I will not go into all of them.... but basically lots of family pictures and lots of puking.  That pretty much sums up the weekend!  I lost 6lbs in a span of 3 days, and Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday!  So yeah I was not super grateful this year, but all joking aside, I truly am blessed.  I have a wonderful family that I love deeply and that love's me back.  Really what else is there?  So now we will move forward to my 5 year anniversary coming up, and Christmas!  Hope everyone has a great Holiday Season's and can practice the true meaning of Christmas!

I almost forgot to mention the potty training.  Well Taytum just turned 2 so I was thinking it was a little early to worry about it but she keeps telling me she wants to "poop in the toilet" or "potty outside" with the dog, so I figured, I better not hold her back.  We started yesterday morning and have 0 potty's or poop's in the toilet and about 4 accident's.  Today she wanted to go on the toilet and then told me that I should leave and to shut the door.  So I did and I went back in about a minute later and she had climbed on the toilet and got nail polish and was back on the floor painting her toes!  The amazing thing was, she didn't spill at all, and actually got most of it on her toes!  After that she told me that I needed to go potty, so I put her diaper back on and called it a day! 

Signs & Kids

Taytum has been sick with the croup the last 4 or 5 days, so we have been spending a lot of time in "mommy's bed" watching Dora (Taytum's favorite).  So I could blame her hair on that, but it actually looks like that about everytime she wakes up, even from her naps.  I'm not quite sure what she does in that bed but her hair ends up in a huge rats nest, sticking straight out.  I have to soak it with water just to tame it a little!

Finnley on the other hand has no hair and pulls headbands over her eyes, so thank goodness it's getting cool enough for beanies, which I love!  I just took her to the doctor and she is 92% in height and 75% in weight.  To be honest I thought for sure she would be off the charts in weight!  I wonder what a baby that is 100% in weight looks like, cause Finner's is CHUNKY, just the way I like babies!

Does anyone else ever get sad when they realize that their baby is now a little kid?  Cause I took this picture of Taytum today and thought she is going to be graduating high school before I know it.  Sometimes I have sad moments when I think how fast time has gone and is going.  I wish I could just put everything into slow motion so I don't miss it.  Anyways maybe I am weird, but I keep thinking, she will go to preschool when she is 4 that is in 2 years, she is going to be 2 in about 15 days, that went fast.  Then she will be in grade school, and then she will be 18 and move out.  So I guess what I am trying to say is even though I have never been so tired, sleep deprived, and busy in my life, it's going to be over soon, so enjoy everyday because you can't push rewind! 

So I have been a little busy, with the usual stuff, diapers, feeding, bathing, cleaning, but also I have opened up a side of me I was unaware of, craftiness! Well it may not be crafty for most, but for me it is.  So here are a few of the items I have been working on. 

Summer where have you gone?

Well this summer, like all summer's, flew on by and left me wishing I wouldn't have waisted one second of the nice weather.  I love the Fall though, but it appears that may have come and gone as well.  I love the weather in the fall, the sports, the leaves, the food, and just the feeling that the Holidays are just around the corner.  Today I am sitting at my house with the strangest feeling, Zach took Taytum to Cedar and so it is just me and my little Finn.  She is so quiet that sometimes I forget she is here.  I haven't had this much silence since November 5th 2009, Taytum's birth.  I love that girl more than you know but she is LOUD!  I don't know where she gets it, really I don't think I am loud and I know Zach isn't, so just another mystery. So far Taytum and Finnley are opposites.  Taytum has bright blue eyes, white hair, light skin, and more spunk than anyone ever!  Finnley is dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, and the most mellow baby!  They love each other though!  Taytum will grab Finnley's hands and say patty cake super slow, then roll it, also slow, then she mumbles some stuff and tickles Finnley's belly.  Finn just laughs and stares at Taytum.  The other night Tay decided she wanted to read Finn a book, so we sat them down and she started "reading", during her story she decided to count, and counted from 5-10 perfectly!  It was amazing, she had never counted before! 
I like to call Taytum my almost 2 year old Teenager because she acts like she's about 16.  She always wants to get in the car and go "dribin" and she will put her sunglasses on, her purse on her shoulder, and talk on her cell phone.  She mostly says, "hello, umm, yeah, umm, okay, umm, sure" etc..., it is really funny!  If I ever figure out how to put a video on here I will.  She helps me clean up the house with her mini dyson, and if she spills anything she wipes it up, with her shirt! haha I love this little gal and I can't believe how fun she is.  Finn is so much fun too!  I love babies!  I love everything about them except the sleeping through the night.  I love the way they smell, the way they giggle, cuddle, smile, and stare.  I seriously get sad when I think about how fast the two of them are growing up.  I didn't think I would be like this with kids, but I am a big time softy! 
 I have been spending most of my spare time, between diapers, feeding, cleaning, repeat.. making signs.  I am liking it, not loving it yet.  I have always wanted to design shoes and other things to do with sports so this crafty stuff isn't really coming naturally.  Anyways enough about that.  We love it in Kaysville and are so happy to be here.  Zach got a different job and is now working with Grainger and is super excited about that.  I am going to start reffing basketball in about a month and can't wait to get involved more with sports up here.  Taytum will be 2 in a few weeks and I cannot believe it!  Finnley is 4 months and growing like a weed!  So overall we are doing well and enjoying this crazy, busy time in our lives!

SIGNS!!

                                          I am selling signs... let me know if you want one.