Family Pictures

We got family pictures taken today. They turned out really well. Our kids really struggle with getting pictures. It seems like when there's a picture I really like (the background & the lighting), there's always one child that looks goofy. But, this time we had a few good ones to pick from! Here are my favorites...
Jacob's personality really came out in the pictures. He is such a goofy kid! When you tell him to smile for pictures, he always makes a silly face. We practiced smiles this morning & showed him how to smile good for pictures, but we still caught several "Jacob faces". Here they are...





Thanks for making us smile Jacob!

A Little About Us!

I love looking at blogs. I told myself I would eventually start my own blog, but for the past 4 1/2 years, life has been crazy. I planned on starting one when Johnathan got "THE JOB", and now it's here, so I guess it's time to start a blog!

I guess I'll start with an introduction of our family.

Jayden is our oldest. He just turned 8 in April and got baptized. I can't believe he is 8! I don't feel old enough to have an 8 year old! Jayden loves reading books, school, playing video games & board games, riding his bike, and is a BIG helper! He always tries to help out around the house. I'm so glad to have such a responsible child as the oldest!

Ashlyn is next. She will be 7 in 3 months. Ashlyn is more creative. She loves to play with her "pets" (stuffed animals), and will play with them for hours. She loves wearing skirts, being with her awesome aunts and hanging out with her dad. There is sometimes a lot of drama that comes with a girl, but we love her personality! I especially love every time we see a little animal, we hear Ashlyn say "Awww".

Jacob is last. He turned 3 in May and is ALL BOY! He loves Mr. Incredible, playing the punching game on the Wii (boxing), riding on Grandpa's 4-wheeler, climbing anything (he could climb long before he could walk), and playing with siblings & cousins. Jacob is our little character. He brings a lot of personality to our family! He can ALWAYS make you laugh, and is especially good at it when you are disciplining him. We are thankful for Jacob's personality. He has brought a lot of laughter during some hard times.

I am lucky to be a stay-at-home mom! A lot of days are hard, but there are a lot of good times I can't imagine missing out on. I like reading, working on some crafty projects, sewing, finding good deals, going camping, spending time with Johnathan, and doing genealogy. I hope to post a little of all that here on my blog.

Johnathan loves anything outdoors! Camping, fishing, hiking and boating. 4 1/2 years ago, he decided to go back to school to pursue his dream job of being a firefighter/paramedic. He just got hired by Provo, and starts next week! It's been a long and hard 4 years, but is all worth it to see how excited he is about this job! It is such a competitive field to get into. We knew it would be hard, but we knew he could do it. We are SO EXCITED it's finally here!!!

We know we couldn't have done it alone! We have had a lot of help from friends & family and a lot of blessings from our Heavenly Father! Thanks for all the encouraging words in hard times, the gifts when they were needed, and especially for the support! It has helped us stay strong & kept us going! I wish I could list all the blessings we have received during the last 4 years, but there are too many. I think back on all the months we were able to get by with so little. I know we were being watched over. Many times there was something we needed but couldn't afford it, and then a friend or family member would call and knew we needed help. THANK YOU! We are truly grateful for all the help!