It's just not fair!

My little chunker Hailey is such a good baby. She is happy, healthy and a delight to care for. Recently she has begun babbling, of course she is loudest during the most inconvient times...at the movies, during meetings and she is especially loudest during Sunday School.
"Oh what a cute baby," everyone says. It's true, she is an adorable baby, what mother doesn't say that? However, it's not fair. When you see these huge chunky thighs on this little girl of mine I hear comments like, "Ohhhhh I just want to squeeze those chunky legs." Well this baby totally takes after her momma, thunder tighs and cankles. No one ever says to me, "Look at your chunky thighs Melissa, they are so cute. I just want to pinch them!" Why doesn't anyone think my thighs and my cankles are cute. They are just as chunky as Haileys....it just not fair!

Jake and His Prophet

Jake and His Prophet

Jake and I went on a date a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday Night. We were shopping at a bunch of different stores in Provo, things I wanted to do but can't with the whole family, Jake and I ended up at the Distribution Center in Orem. While we were looking around, Jake found a picture of President Gordon B Hinckley, our beloved Prophet. Our conversation went like this,

"Mom, can I have a picture of President Henkwey?"
"Why do you want a picture of President Hinckley?"
"Because he died and I want to remember him."

What a precious little guy Jake is. The next day we took his new picture and hung it up where he wanted it to be, by his bed so he could remember him every night. For the past 2 weeks every time Jake prays he says, "Bwess President Henkwey because he died and went to heaven to be with Jesus and Heavenwy Father." He can be such a sweet boy!

Bad Hair Days

Hannah

Hailey

She's Gettin' Crafty

I made this cute bag for Hannah yesterday for her church stuff. I'm so proud of myself. I gave it to her and she showed me that she decorated it.




She is so creative and descrutive.

It's a miracle!

Hannah said to me tonight, "Mom, we can't go to bed yet, we havent read the scriptures!" I'm not sure if this was an evil plot to stay up late or if she sincerely wanted to read the Book Of Mormon Stories. I didn't mind staying up with her to read.

When Hannah went to nursery at church there was no looking back on her part. She saw the toys and all the friends to play with and went in without a hitch. Then it was time to move into the Sunbeam class. With her December 26th birthday she was literaly the "littlest sunbeam." This didn't go over very smooth, she was supposed to sit and listen to a lesson, sing primary songs and pay attention to talks that were being given. Well, to put it nicely, she's been a devil child for the past 3 years. When we are in the car I'll slip in the primary songs, once she figures out what is playing she yells, "NO CHURCH SONGS!" Our home teacher, who is so awesome at trying to keep the kids' attention, always asks Hannah questions and she responds, "NO CHURCH QUESTIONS!" If you think that is bad try saying family prayers with us. It is always a struggle with Hannah.

A few weeks ago Hannah said to me (on Friday night,) "Mom I don't feel good, I can't go to church tomorrow. I proceeded to tell her, "That's OK you don't have to go to church tomorrow." Her eyes were as big as silver dollars. She was so excited! Daniel and I started laughing so hard. I can't believe that at such a young age these little ones can try to decieve and manipulate as well as they know how.

I'm not sure why she has had a change of heart but I like it. Hannah has decided that she can say the prayers on Sundays and Wednesdays (short days at school,) and we have recently added Fridays into the mix. Our lesson for Family Home Evening was a breeze this week a quick thinking mom hurried and put together a FHE lesson on none other than PRAYER. My prayers have been answered, my sweet baby girl finally is enjoying church and the gospel.

Forget a Day for Doctors, Try a day for MEETINGS!!!

Today was a day for meetings for mom! Oh my what is a gal to do? I started my day off with a 7:30am Ward Council meeting, Scarament at 9:00am and of course the rest of the 3 hour block, 12:45 YW Pres. Meeting and finished off the day with a fireside of the descendants of Joseph Smith at 7:00pm. Which might I add was wonderful, (see journal entry)

What happened to Sunday being a day of rest? :) Yesterday I went to our Stake Enrichment Day at the Stake Center with the keynote speaker being Pamela Hansen, the author of Running With Angels, a great book about her triumph over obesity and the physical stress of raising children with major health challenges. Anyway, after her talk about how to deal with the stress, the Lords way, President Case talked about dealing and coping with the stress that comes with church callings. He said the it's OK once in a while to take a break and forget about a meeting you have scheduled. Don't beat yourself up if you missed it, there will be another one along soon to take it's place:) Cute words by our adorable Stake President, and on that note, Bishop Allen, whose wife just added a baby girl to their all boy family last Wednesday, said, "After this meeting (Ward Council at 7:30 this morning) I'm going home to fix breakfast for my lovely wife and kids and enjoy the day with them." I thought that was such a neat idea...so many times in our lives we find ourselves needing to fulfill everyone elses needs before our own and our families. In the next 50 years it won't matter who was the Bishop or Young Women's President, what matters most is what we are doing with our own families now that will affect them in the future. I need to remind myself that my little ones are only little once...and now I've got to go listen to my Hannah (6) and Hailey(6mo.) singing together! Ah..the life of motherhood!

A Day for Doctors

What a day! Our little family has been in the various Doctor offices around town. First, at 9am Dan went in for his 3 month AC1 blood test, then at 10am Jake was scheduled to have his stitches removed. After that Dan and Hannah went off to the eye doctors to fix her glasses.....AGAIN! A fun lunch for mom with Jessica at Don Pedros then to finish the afternoon up with the whole family to the dentist. Whew...thank goodness for insurance!

Dan has a chipped filling and the rest of us are great. No cavities. Which is truly amazing. I have a mouth full of fillings, crowns and a few root canals. Ever since I can remember, I've never gotten out of the dentists chair without another appointment to be scheduled to fill a cavity. I'm not sure why but it's been years since I have had a cavity. Between braces (twice) crowns, root canals, retainers, bleaching trays and the countless cavities, I would have to say I have at least a $10,000 smile...and to tell you the truth, it's really not that great! But for now I'll live with it!