I am so loved!

Today for our Anniversary, Jaron had these beautiful flowers delivered to me from Rogue River Florists!



Jaron is so thoughtful, especially for special occasions like today. I feel so special and loved. 

 

Seven Years Ago

Seven years ago on the 25th day of June 2005 I married my best friend. It was a very hot, humid day. We had loved ones gathered around to support us in our decision to be sealed for time and all eternity in the Palmyra, NY Temple. I remember feeling so special that day.






Seven years later, I am more in love with Jaron. He is such a support to me and our family. We work so well with one another. I love how we work as a team.

I love this picture of us with our parents. 

A little recap of how we have celebrated this special day over the past seven years!
Year 1: Lived in Snowflake, AZ went out to eat at an Italian restaurant.
Year 2: Lived in Sonora, CA went on a trip to Half Moon Bay, CA. Spent a day at the beach with baby Lilian. Stayed in a Hotel. Ate at Macaroni Grill and spent day 2 in San Francisco! Awesome trip!
Year 3: Lived in Seneca Falls, NY Spent the day at Darien Lake Amusement Park (Lily 20 months tagged along, I was 6 months pregnant with Connor)
Year 4: Lived in Seneca Falls, NY went Camping at Stony Brook. Two kids tagged along. Hiked the gorges.
Year 5: Lived in Seneca Falls, NY Grandma Doyle took the kids for the day. Jaron and I went kayaking down the local canal. Spent the day on the water. Afterwards, we went to the Temple (Neat to be there the same day five years later) After Temple we went to Chill and Grill to get Ice Cream.
Year 6: Lived in Grants Pass, OR went to Brookings, OR. Enjoyed the Oregon Coast for a day. Two kids tagged along (Pregnant with Makenzie). Went out to eat at a family restaurant.
Year 7: Live in Grants Pass, OR .....What will tomorrow bring??!!

JAM IN THE KITCHEN

Saturday 6/23/12 I woke up and took the three kids by myself to the farmers marker. I had one goal: Get strawberries. When I was packing our pantry to move, I noticed that we were down to our last few jars of Jam. I knew if I wanted strawberry jam for the next year, I needed to get my butt in gear and get it done before the move in 2.5 weeks! So off I went for yummy Oregon berries.  The kids did great! I put Makenzie in the sling and put a monkey backpack leash on Connor (just really for my comfort, he knows to stay close). I came home with these yummy fresh berries, some snap peas and yummy cherries! FUN! 

A little while after I started Jaron came home from his scout camp. And just at the right time. Makenzie started crying and I can not hold her and make strawberry jam. I am not super women, not yet at least :) Jaron helped me, and I loved it! I love working as a team with Jaron. We work really well together. 

Here is the finished product. 

After the strawberry jam, we went out to our neighbors home and picked sour cherries! For free, a much better price tag then the strawberries. Jaron pitted them. Did you know that a great way to pit cherries is with a paper clip? It works great! 

Sunday afternoon I made a Cherry Crisp. We shared it with our neighbors outside! It was so fun! My kids are going to dearly miss their best friends next door. The crisp was DELICIOUS! 

Jaron also dryed these pineapple today. Last week I snagged some Pineapple for a $1 at Fred Myer! I got a rein check so I can pick up even more at a later date! These are so yummy to much on. Jaron also did some fruit leather with our frozen fruit. Trying to clear out our freezer before the move. 

We also made a few jars of Sour Cherry Jam! It is so good! 

We feel so accomplished and excited about our yummy jam we get to take with us to Idaho!

Country Financial Client Appreciation Day

Yesterday I took the three little kids to a day of fun. Country Financial had a client appreciation day. Jaron had scout camp all day so I took the kids by myself. It was really fun. The kids did great. They seem to always do awesome for me when Jaron is gone. I appreciate that. They enjoyed a huge dragon blow up bouncy toy to climb in. Balloon making, face painting and cotton candy!! They told Jaron later on at bed time that they had LOTS of cotton candy and loved it! That is funny that out of everything, the cotton candy was the best to them. There face painting was awesome! My friend Heather took pictures for me, when I get the pictures, I will update the post. The best part was that I won a DVD Home Theater System. They raffled off gifts and I was a grand prize winner. I was super close to winning the flat screen TV, which would of been awesome, but we are totally psyched for the DVD Home Theater System. We really needed a new DVD player, the surround sound will be a nice addition to our new home. Overall it was a great day!

Makenzie 8 months!

Makenzie turned 8 months this week and mommy feels like my little infant is now gone. So sad! Makenzie accomplished some big deals this week. She has been crawling for a few weeks, but this week especially, Makenzie really took to crawling. She is everywhere now! She crawls from our living room into my kitchen to get me. She crawls over to toys to climb up them. Over to the book shelf to climb up the books. Mommy is extra paranoid with little pieces being left on the floor. Makenzie also learned to pull herself up on her crib this week. Every time she lays down, she pulls herself up. She also enjoys pulling herself up after her nap. Makenzie also started to clap her hands this week! It is so cute. She gets so excited and claps her hands. So many big things in one week! A little to much for me to handle. Jaron loves it, it makes me sad to have my little girl grow up to fast.



She is getting into everything! Time to baby proof. Luckily most things are going into boxes, and as I unpack in my new home, I can redo everything for a baby. 

 

Makenzie pulls herself up!

I went to get Makenzie from her morning nap and she was standing to greet me!! This was the very first time that she pulled herself up in her crib! She just turned 8 months this week and she is all ready doing big girl stuff! I was so surprised and sad at the same time. She is growing too fast. Pictures to come!

Makenzie's first dance

Frog O Faire

Last Saturday 6/16/12 our family went to the annual Frog O Fair in Grants Pass, OR. Local vendors/organizations put different activities/crafts together for kids to enjoy. The best part is that it is FREE!  We went last year and had a blast, so we had to make sure to participate this year, seeing as it is our last opportunity to do so. Last year the line for the Oregon Caves was super long, so we skipped it. This year we made sure to get there on time and to do it first! The kids loved it. Connor was a little scared to go in the huge blow up dome to imitate the caves, so I was able to go inside and take pics!

 

 

The local library was there letting the kids make these cute hats!

There was even face painting! Lily was mad afterwards though. The little girl who painted her a princess, made it look like a skeleton. Lily did not like it. We told her the little girl did her very best and it would be mean to wipe it off and ask someone else to paint one. Great teaching moment. She was all right about it after we told her how we are always proud of her when she trys her very best. Lily was right though, the princess looked liked a skeleton!

Connor had a TREX drawn on his hand. It actually turned out awesome looking. 

They even planted flowers! This was our favorite last year as well! 

 

 

Wiggle Worm

Makenzie has been moving for about 3 weeks now. Slowly, but still, she would get up on all fours and scoot forward. She is really good now! She really figured it out two days ago. She will chase after a ball on the floor. She had one that she was playing with while I was making dinner, and when I looked over, she had made it to the other side of the room. She had such a blast letting the ball go, watching it roll, and then crawl after it. It was too cute to watch! So now we have to be really careful with what is left on the floor by big brother and sister! Connor pushed her over this morning because Makenzie had crawled over to his father's day card. Uh oh.. big no no Connor! He will learn quick enough to keep things out of Makenzie's reach. This morning Makenzie crawled over to a moving box and pulled herself up on it!!! She is growing too fast. She had been holding herself up on stand up toys and pulling herself up and over me when I sit on the floor with her. But this was the first time that she pulled herself up onto something with no help. Last night Jaron said that with a little help from him, she pulled herself up onto the bed, so she could play with Connor and Lilian. Makenzie is clinging to me all day long. If I put her down, she screams. If she is content, and I pass by her, she screams! If Jaron trys to take her to give me a break, she screams! I have to get stuff down at night when she goes to bed, because it is impossible to do much during the day with her! I do love her though. Life is just really busy right now with packing, cooking (gluten free meals), cleaning, playing with kids etc.. Last Friday I got lots done when my friend Valerie took the two older ones while Makenzie napped. That was really nice! I got lots done tonight, so hopefully this week the kids and I can enjoy this week here in Grants Pass!

Lilian's Dance Class

Lilian has had the wonderful opportunity to be in a dance class for the past 6 weeks. My friend Kristi told me about a dance instructor who only charges $30 for 8 1 hour classes. This has been a wonderful opportunity for Lilian. She has enjoyed going each week and dancing with other little girls. She learned some fun dance routines and also how to do a hand stand! I have loved dressing my little girl up each week! Thank you Milne cousins for sharing your dance outfits and shoes! Lilian has LOVED them!


I love this picture of Lilan! She posed all by herself. How cute!

 

I love this picture of my girls. I love Makenzie's smile here.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture of my girls. I want to blow it up and hang it someday! It captures how much my Lilian loves her baby sister. It will help me to also remember how Lilian carries Makenzie around everywhere just like this. It also captures how much Makenzie loves her big sister. It shows her holding on for dear life as well! 

I also LOVE this picture. It shows how much Connor just adores his big sister. He really loves her. They fight a lot, don't get me wrong. But they also play really well together. I will blow this one up for my wall as well!

Lilian at her dance studio. 

This is little Lily, our neighbor and best friend. Connor just adores this little girl. They love playing with each other. Connor says he will marry her someday. She joined in on Lilian's last day. She usually goes at 12:30 but made it earlier with us for the last day! 

 

SO BIG!

Can you believe how big this little girl is getting?!! I can't. I can't believe that she will be eight months in a mere nine days!


She is so adorable when she gets up on all fours. Today she stood up with her hands on the floor! I don't know about all these new tricks she is showing off with.

Did I mention that she also can pull herself up onto things? She is not completely stead on this toy, but she loves it! 

What a beautiful little girl!! I am in love!

 

Soren Cousins

Soren Cousins-Missing Hunter Soren and soon to be baby boy Beck.

 

Daddy Reads

Have I mentioned how awesome my husband is?! He is such a great dad. He puts the kids to bed most nights by himself. I am usually nursing Makenzie every night during bed time. The kids love daddy reading stories to them. Jaron has been busy with getting things organized for his business, but he has still found time to play with the kids and help around the house. Thanks Jaron!

 

Yummy Yum Yums

Makenzie loves to eat! Just not peas. I tried feeding her peas the other day, she would have nothing to do with it!



I mixed sweet potatoes with apples, this is how she was!

She LOVES eating! 

YUMMY YUM YUMS!!!