shoes...

You love it and hate it at the same time - at least I do. Shoe shopping. I really hate shopping in general, but I guess I like the new things once I find it, choose it, and get it home. The process is not fun. But I found something much more satisfying than buying new shoes for me...buying new shoes for Alex! I was so excited to bring home some shiny black shoes for Alex. He's been wearing these ratty brown shoes for 10 years! He wore them on his mission and has been wearing them ever since. You have to compliment them on the quality, but it is time to say good-bye to the brown shoes... well, Alex has worn them in so well that he refuses to part with them. But maybe he'll start wearing the black ones to church and places where I have to be seen with him. ;) He can wear them to school...
With my sister's upcoming wedding and wearing black slacks and black skirts, we definitely had to get some new shoes. He absolutely couldn't wear those brown ones with a black pair of slacks. And I got some nice shiny black shoes as well...

Oh, and what's even better about these shoes? Alex's shoes were 50% off ($20) and mine I got for $3 at Payless! Love that.

can't wait...

I'm getting so excited for my sister's wedding! We're headed to New Mexico on Saturday to stay with Alex's parents for a couple of nights, and then Monday we're driving to Utah for Alison and Micah's wedding. I'm excited to see my family again- can't it get here any sooner?

Special Dads

Here's a few pictures of a few good men (with their 1st born sons)...
I love each one of them and the legacy they are leaving. I appreciate so many things about them and especially the example they are to their children. Thanks for being such great fathers!

service weekend

This weekend I got to do some service- some planned and some unexpected. I don't want to go into details about the unexpected, but it was nice to be available to help a girl with something she wasn't able to do herself. I got the feeling that I should call her, and I felt really good about being able to help her out. I was out of my comfort zone, but that's okay. I'd rather me be a little uncomfortable than her. And Alex gave up his Friday evening to watch her kids.

On Saturday morning, I did a birthday party for 2 little kids in our church. Their mom had planned a birthday party previously, but it fell through. After asking her if she was still planning on doing one, she wasn't sure. I knew it was probably because of financial reasons, so I offered to do the party. We had a party for her 1 year old and 2 year old. My friend Mary brought a cake, they opened presents, and then they got to play outside: in the sprinkler, on the trampoline, in the sandbox, and "fish" in a little kiddie pool. We had alot of fun. Nathan and Jared loved it and I think they had a great time as well.

And Sunday, of course, was Father's Day. I got to make breakfast for Alex and make M&M cookies. The great part about Sunday evening was we got invited over for dinner. So we got to be served as well!

paying attention

Sometimes you don't think your kids are paying attention, and then they do something that shows they have picked up at least a little of what you were trying to teach. Our little parent reward lately was with Jared. On Monday nights, we usually have family night (family home evening) - with our boys so little, we keep it very simple. We sing a song, say a prayer, sing another song, have a short lesson or little activity, sing another song, pray, and have "treats" (Mondays and Fridays are dessert nights).

Anyway, usually Jared is doing his own thing and Nathan mostly is the one listening. Recently, Jared went to the piano and pretended like he was playing. Then he stopped, turned around, folded his arms, and said, "Pray." So we helped him pray. Then he turned around and started "playing" a song. He wanted us to sing- so we sang. Then he turned around and said, "Talk." We figured out that he wanted us to do the lesson. So Alex made something up and then he wanted to do another song.

So maybe he is paying attention...

new entertainment

In conjunction with Jared's birthday (I had to justify getting this somehow), we bought a trampoline. I thought it would be great for Christmas, but the season just isn't the greatest for being outside on it. I had to talk Alex into it- he didn't have a trampoline growing up, so he was concerned about safety (and he didn't want to put it together). We had one when I was a kid, but we never had the enclosure. I remember lots of fun times spent bouncing the day away... Anyway, it's now in our backyard. Jared was a little unsure of it at first, but quickly got used to it. And Nathan loves it, of course. Guess who else had fun on it? Yep, Alex. I had to make him settle down when he was in there with the boys... I got in there and did a little bouncing, but I'm just not sure how bouncing and pregnancy go together. That worries me a little bit...