Boys

Ever since we found out Lucy was a girl Ashton has been concerned about getting a little brother. We had the talk over and over that we're grateful for any baby and that Heavenly Father chooses whether it's a boy or a girl. Ashton must have understood that a little too well because when Lucy was a couple weeks old Ashton started praying for a baby boy. And he has kept it up at all his prayer he ever says for the last 6 months. At breakfast, lunch dinner, bed, before we leave on a road trip etc. Every. Single. Time. It's as natural to him as saying "grateful for our blessings" and the next sentence is always "please bless us to have a boy baby" 100% of the time. He doesn't even think about it anymore he just says it.

Well today he was saying the lunch prayer and he stepped it up a notch and got a little more detailed about his request. "Please bless us to have a boy baby when Mom gets pregnant because we already have lots of girls."

I am not pregnant. But I have already started saying my own prayers that when it's time to have another baby that Ashton won't be crushed if it's another girl. And somewhere in the back of my mind I keep thinking maybe just maybe Ashton's prayers can earn him a little brother.

Lucy @ 6 Months

Lucy is as sweet and adorable as she looks.

We've said it since she was a couple of weeks old but she really has been the easiest baby ever. The only time I hear her actually cry is at night when she wakes up to eat. During the day when she is hungry or tired she does little fussing moaning sounds that are hardly louder than a whisper. She is happy all the time and lets us know so transparently when she is hungry or tired. She is such a doll and is adored by everyone in the house.

At 6 months Mallie was already crawling so we're grateful that Lucy is taking things slower. She rolls and sits up for a few seconds before she falls over. Since I avoid the doctor so well (she just barely got her 6 week shots a few days ago) I have no idea what her stats are but she's long and skinny just like her sisters.

Happy 6 months Lucy Mack we love you!!

Valentine's Day 2013

The night before Valentines Day the kids watched a movie in a fort.

 Then I tried to be all cutesy and have them wake up and run through red streamers. Instead they came to my room to wake me up in a huff saying "Mom why did you boobie trap us in?" "We crawled under it." "You didn't even really trap us!" They didn't see the treats they just thought I was being mean. I was half asleep and laughed my head off that they thought I was trying to tape them in when I thought I was doing something fun. Lesson learned.

Then we did heart shaped pancakes.

The kids have a favorite Valentine book (okay our only Valentine book) where two bunnies throw a party for their families. They leave a trail of hearts for their parents to find their homemade valentines and then they put on a puppet show to the nursery rhyme of "the Queen of Hearts". So I cut a  million little hearts and they put them in a trail all over the house for David to come home to. At the end of trail they did their play. The pop tarts were the "tarts" that got stolen. Clever huh?

Next we had a candle lit dinner of homemade heart shaped pizza and frosted sugar cookies. David and I have had pizza every single Valentine's Day since we've been married. Sometimes I make it sometimes I order it. But we love this tradition and prefer to stay in.

Ashton was so distressed that I forgot to draw his mustache that we performed the play again. This time I recorded it and it was spectacular.

Mallie was the perfect Knave of Hearts. She is always swiping things and putting them in random places. So I had them all practice bowing together and then separately when I called their names. I always called Mallie's name last because she would bow and then keep leaning over until she did a somersault while we were clapping. I was hoping she'd do it in the real performance and she did for David it was unscripted and hilarious. David and I being as low key about holidays as they come saved our taped season premiere of Survivor and ate butterfinger hearts together. We're one of those cliche couples that think Valentines Day is just another day to love eachother like we already do.

What did I learn from trying to be cutesy this year for the kids? There is no use trying to make things look pretty and perfect unless you are a happy mom doing it. Half way into cutting cookie dough and paper hearts and trying to keep the house clean I was over it and just wanted to play with the kids and make them the crowns they were anxiously awaiting. Next year I'll stick with the easy stuff that matters most. Take that pinterest. Performing a Valentines day play? Definitely the highlight of the day and will be around for many years to come.

Snow Days

Missouri's winters regularly have us below freezing but we only gets a few snowfalls a year. So when they come the kids go play in the 1 inch of snow for hours. The downfall of it only happening a 3 times a year is that we don't buy real snow clothes. Check it out. Our mittens, ziplock and rubber band trick worked like a charm. Ashton's old enough now to say he needs something better to make snowballs... but for now it'll do.

 Sledding down from the top of  carport. It's our only hill that doesn't lead into the forrest.

 Mallie on her own.

When I was little I remember my Mom telling me constantly to push the hair out of my eyes. When I came across this picture I laughed hard. Looks like Hannah and I both need to hear that still.

 So thrilled to be outside.

Hurray for snow days!

Top 5 Reasons

I'm lacking in the blogging department:

1. Lucy is getting older and staying awake for longer periods. I have to start feeding her real foods soon as she is approaching 6 months and quite frankly I hate this transition stage. I'm too impatient for this pureed spoon feeding stuff. I anxiously await the cheerios and finger food stage.

2. I have a treadmill. A friend gave me her old one for free and I really really love it. In the morning when the kids wake up in their zombie state I put them in front of the TV with milk I get to go run and watch a show on the upstairs TV. I love it and consequently miss out on my usual early morning blog time.

3. I made a goal to read 50 books this year. I'm pretty sure I read at least that or more throughout the year but this year my bestie Jeni and I are writing down what we read and swapping titles. With 4-5 books a month as the goal I've had to make sure I throw in at least 1 church book a month and tell myself the rest can't be chalk full of YA titles. Our husbands thought we were crazy and would never pull it off. They were so wrong.

4. I'm too lazy to pull the SD card out of my camera and upload my pics. It's so sad but it's true. And I hate blogging without pictures.

5. Life is just busy. Don't get me wrong I still find plenty of time to dink around on the Internet on my phone for a few minutes at a time but sitting down at the desktop requires dedication. Ashton is still in preschool everyday and between drop off and pick ups, nap times, Young Womens and nursing I just don't have it in me. Ask me how much I'm looking forward to older kids and real pick up and drop off schedules... yikes. Then after the kids go down David and I are watching a movie or we're in bed by 9:30 reading a book out loud together till 10. We're turning into old married people and we love it.

Top 3 Reasons I can not and will not give up on blogging:

1. My parents will harass me.
2. It's my only form of scrap booking pictures.
3. I can't think of a 3rd so hopefully the previous answers will motivate me.

Until then...