Brad has been traveling some more and we love to cook.

When we got home from St. George we had about a day and a half with Brad and then he flew out to Maryland for the week.  His company likes to kick off the new year with a week long meeting.  It's really not my favorite part of the new year!

So my Grandma Stone came over a couple of nights and had dinner with us and then helped me get the kids in bed.  One night my mom came over.  One night we went over to my Grandma Bushman's house for dinner.  And one of our favorite nights was the night that we went out to dinner with some of our really good friends (who's Dad was also gone that night)!

Brad spent his days and nights at meetings, dinners, awards banquets, and the last night during the hour and a half reception (drinking and socializing) before dinner he and some if his coworkers went to an arcade.

We missed Brad a lot.  When he got home Saturday afternoon the kids were standing by the window watching for him.  When they saw him they started waving to him and screaming, "Daddy home! Daddy home!".  He walked through the door and I walked out the door.  I went to get a much needed massage and a pedicure!

As you know I have been making everything from scratch lately and so cooking has become one of the activities that we (Aleah, Cade, and I) do together.  This is a common scene at our house, chairs pulled up to the counter or stove with two cute kids taking turns helping me cook.

They are getting so good now that sometimes I feel like I supervise more than I cook!

Last night we were making spaghetti squash.  I was trying my hardest to cut the spaghetti squash in half (if you know any tricks, please share them with me).  As I was obviously not succeeding Aleah said to me, "Mom, I think this is a job for Dad.  You are not very good at this.  This is a job for Dad.".  Haha, she is right, I was not very good at that job, but eventually I did manage to do it.

As we were scooping out the guts of the spaghetti squash Aleah said, "Are you trying to do it Mom?" and I said, "Yes, I am trying.  Are you trying?".  To which she replied, "No, I'm doing it!".

I love my little helpers!  We have a lot of fun cooking all the yummy meals that we eat around here!

A Week With Grandma and Grandpa Godfrey

Brad had to go to CES in Las Vegas for work last week.  So Aleah, Cade, and I decided to go to St. George.  We all drove down to St. George on Saturday.  The kids did a great job during the car ride.  As Brad was packing up the car it was snowing and when we got to St. George it was blue skies!  

We went to church with Brad's parents.  The Sunday School teacher was awesome and the Relief Society teacher was wonderful.  We felt very uplifted and learned a lot.  It was really nice!  It was Aleah's second time in primary so we were a little worried, but of course she did great.  She got to help lead the Hello song.  It was cute to watch her as Brad and I were peeking through the little window!  When we took Cade to the nursery room he was sure that this was not his class.  He had to walk down the hall to were his class would have been if we were at our church.  Once he saw that there wasn't anyone in there he was a bit confused, but then he went right in to the nursery room and did great.  When we picked up Aleah and Cade both of their teachers said that they were wonderful, so cute, know all the songs, and welcome back anytime!

Brad left for Las Vegas Sunday afternoon.  Aleah, Cade and I had a wonderful time with Brad's parents!  We went down to ride the carousel and when we got there we found that it was closed.  The kids were not happy about that!  I told them that we will have to come back when it is a little bit warmer.  They also want to come back when it is warmer so that they can play in the water.  The minute Cade saw all the fountains and water he ran right in.  Luckily they turned off right as he ran in and Brad's mom was able to get him out just before they turned back on!

We fed the ducks and the geese.  One of the geese got Aleah's finger as it was trying to get the piece of bread and she said, "Hay goose, that's not food it's my finger!"  That became the funny thing to say.  She makes me laugh!

We went to the park by Grandma and Grandpa's house.  It is always a hit!  Cade figured out that if he would lean in a certain way he could spin around on this spinner thing.  He would get going so fast that I would have to stop him before he fell off.  Then he would stand up and say, "Dizzy!" then sit down and do it again.  That boy loves to get dizzy.

We always have to swing a few times when we go to the park.

They did the slides over and over and over again.  They just can't get enough of the slides.

They are both into climbing on everything and anything.  They liked to pretend like they were spiders climbing on the spider webs.

We brought their bikes.  They loved going fast down the hills on the way back to Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Notice that Cade doesn't have his coat on, that was one of the first things he would do upon arriving at a park.

We had to feed the ducks again another day because the kids loved it so much.  The were pros the second time.  They didn't need to stay on the bench.  They were fine walking around Then they found this rock that was really fun to stand on and jump off of.  The geese were as tall as Cade.  There were a few times when Cade was walking around that a goose would come up next to him and be right in his face and he would get a little worried.  He would just walk away, he is such a brave little guy.

We went to the park by Aunt Dawn's house.  This was my favorite park!  There was a swinging teeter totter thing that was so so much fun.  There were not any baby swings at this park and so Cade went on the big boy swing.  He did a great job and loved it.  Aleah kept saying, "Cade is just growing up!"

We went to a park that was down by the library and then we went to story time at the library.  The kids loved story time.  Aleah and Cade started saying that they wanted a Grandpa underdog or a Grandma underdog or a Mom underdog.  Grandpa underdogs were their favorite I think.

 And back to the park by Grandma and Grandpa's house for more swinging and sliding and climbing.

They are best friends.  What a blessing it is that they have each other!

I am so thankful for Brad's parents.  They made my week without Brad so much easier!  I loved staying with them.  Brad was able to drive back late Thursday night so Friday Brad's parents watched Aleah and Cade for us so that we could go out on a date.  It was wonderful!

Moving on up

Aleah got to move up to the advanced gymnastics class!  She was able to move up to the 3 year old class when she was just over 2 1/2 years old and now she is in the advanced 3-4 year old class.  This class is more like a team class than a recreational class.  I was a little worried that she wouldn't have fun, that it would be to structured.  Her teacher said that she might struggle a little at first since she is so young.  That was not the case at all!  She loved it and caught on quickly.

I have to admit, it was so much fun to watch her!  She looked so cute and just like a mini gymnast.  They had to line up and run around the floor doing different things like high knees and skipping.

Her splits are not too bad for her first time!

At the end of class she came running over to me with the biggest smile ever and gave me a big hug.  That wiped my worries away!  What was her favorite part?  Cartwheels!

The New Year!

New Year's Eve was a party day for us this year.  We loved it!  In the morning we met at my parents' house with my family to celebrate Christmas together.  We played Bingo, opened gifts, and at our traditional Christmas morning crepes.  This year I made some gluten free crepes and some yummy sugar free chocolate berry sauce.  It turned out delicious, I loved it!  Going along with Christmas traditions we played the Wii while the kids had naps.  Some of the older kids got to play with us this year.  Aleah loved it!

Then we switched gears to New Year's Eve.  We cooked up some amazing stakes.  After dinner we brought in the new year with the kids.  We got out the pots and pans, counted down, and then we all went crazy making as much noise as possible.  One of my all time favorite New Year's Eve parties yet!  We all did a toast and then my brother and sister and their families headed home.  We went home too, but my parents and my Grandma Stone came with us.

We got the kids in bed and then we partied some more.  We watched a movie and then as tradition we brought in the New Year with the East Coast!  It was a wonderful day.

I have two resolutions this year. The first is to follow the counsel of President Thomas S. Monson and gain a personal relationship with my Heavenly Father.  I loved how he said that he has conversations with his Father in Heaven on a daily basis.  As I listened to him talk about his relationship I longed to have that kind of a relationship as well.

The second is to not get frustrated when my kids make little messes as we are cooking together.  I have been cooking a lot more and I love that my kids always want to cook with me.  I really want them to feel that I love having them help me.  I don't want to run them off by getting frustrated with their little spills.  They are kids and they are just learning!

I love the beginning of a new year and I am looking forward to seeing what adventures this year holds.