Easter Bunny visit pics 2013

we frequent the mall these days...

because they have an indoor park, a train & a pretzel and cookie place!

so, we had already made friends with the Easter Bunny.

each day we visited the mall over the past month,

we would be sure to stop and say hi to the Easter Bunny.

the twins would get so excited

and Beck would always have something to show or tell him.

we even go to the ride the train with the Bunny one day!

Beck would always tell him

(although he wouldn't acutally hear him

because we'd be standing ourside the little gate)

that we'd come back with our daddy to take pictures.

well, we finally made it to the mall with daddy

yesterday...

C&M are 18 months old!!!

1 year ago...

(almost exactly...)

mom... pray!

this morning at about 5AM

i heard my Beckley boy yelling...

it took me a minute to figure out what he was saying...

but, as i made it up the stairs to his room,

i was able to make it out...

"mom!

i had a bad dream...

PRAY!"

i went in and laid next to my sweet boy and said a pray for him.

he then closed his eyes and drifted back into sleep.

awe... 

my heart swelled.

and, i had a proud mom moment.

he knew that praying was what he needed to do

to feel safe & not afraid again.

later this morning,

while i was running,

Beckley told Adrian

that he had a dream about a mean monster, but then 

"Heavenly & Father came and protected me

and I wasn't afraid" 

"i am a child of God

and he has sent me here

has given me an earthly home

with parents kind & dear

lead me, guide me, walk beside me

help me find the way

teach me all that i must do

to live with Him someday."

swing.

today...

as we were walking home,

beck said

"that sure was a fun day"

sure was, buddy.

Easter at our house

he yaughs at me

most days at the babes nap time,

Beck (who no longer naps)

tells me he wants to sleep with McKay.

and, although it looks and sounds sweet...

it is trouble.

cute trouble.

but, trouble nonetheless.

they are NOT sleeping in this picture.

but, they are "yaughing" their heads off.

I usually let him stay for a while...

until McKay ends up in tears...

or, i start getting anxiety about my sacred nap time not happening.

yesterday (when this picture was taken),

when i finally went up to get Beck...

we left McKay in tears

and Beck was yelling

"but mom, i yike to bug K"

as i carried him downstairs.

these 2 have a special little connection.

Beck likes me to put "Kaybe"

in a certain car seat... 

the one that allows them to see each other while in the car.

and, they often laugh at each other making funny faces

and silly noises

as i drive around.

Beck told me randomly one day,

"mom, Kaybe is so nice...

because if we are too tired to close the doors,

he does it for us"

(McKay LOVES to close everyday in the house all day long)

When I asked Beck what his favorite thing about McKay was...

he said "K is funny and

he yaughs at me".

love these brothers.

Prayers & missions

tonight, we had the missionaries

(for our church)

came over for dinner.

as Beck was helping me make some enchiladas

and the babes were sleeping,

i told him all about what a missionary was...

he was very attentive.

and, asked if he could have a tag.

so, we made him "Elder Brown".

he even wore this missionary tag to bed.

"i hope they call me on a mission..."
(all 3 of my boys could potentially be serving missions
at the same time!!!.... 
the best & worst thing, right?)

beck doesn't like/want to say his prayers on his own yet.

and, i'm not pushing it...

so, we ask him each night what he would like to pray for?

tonight he said all of his regular things...

"that heavenly & father will protect me from the mice, the mouse, the guinea pig & the mean man"

and then he said:

"that i will be able to protect the babes 

and close my eyes at the same time."

what a good big brother & sweet boy.

i workout.

normally as Beck gets out of the car 

to go to preschool in the mornings,

he will say to the babes something like 

"don't worry i will be back soon... i just have to go to school".

this morning as we drove to school,

i explained that today was a gymnastics day at preschool

(every Tuesday they do a 45 minute gymnastics at the beginning of preschool)

so, as he got out of the car, 

he explained (in all seriousness) to the babies....

"bye... i need to go workout....

my yast workout wasn't bery yong,

so today i need to workout for a yong time"

i think he has been listening to our conversations of late...

i can totally hear adrian or i saying that.

Adrian is training for a HALF IRONMAN!  

crazy impressive, eh?

and, I am just training for sanity & candy!!!

(and, maybe a race at some point this summer...)

princesses

we were out to eat the other night

and all of sudden beck excitedly says to me

"mommy they have princesses here!"

there was a big group of high schoolers

that were all dressed up and eating before a school dance.

beck was smitten with them.

he was giddy.

it was hilarious.

(did you notice the crack at the top left?)

my birthday

as you can see...

it was a VERY good one this year!

i'm a lucky girl.

thanks to all who made it so so fabulous!

i felt very loved.

it started with a midnight Maverick's run...

with these fun girls!

then i got in a nice run by myself...

and came back to these cute faces!

unfortunately,

those 3 cute faces

were major pains all day long...

so, i was grateful for birthday texts/messages/calls & treats 

from friends & family throughout the day

my VTers dropped this off with some candy... yum!

my cute friend made me this awesome shirt

and brought some DDP & sugar to go with!

we had planned for the whole family to go out to lunch,

but they were seriously bugging me!

luckily, adrian watched the babes for a bit

while me & this guy grabbed some quick lunch & cupcakes!!

my momma bought these cute boots as a bday present

and i wore them to dinner that night

adrian took me to Ruth Chris

and i loved it!!!

the next morning,

as tradition goes,

my running girls had planned a super hero themed

birthday run for me...

but, i totally slept in!

oops.

but these super friends saved the day

and ran to my house to wake me up for the run...

it was the most fun!

and, they had even planned to end our run at 7-11

for BADDPs!

these girls know how to do birthdays

because a few days later,

they & a few other friends took me to dinner & fro yo...

and gave some super cute & generous gifts.

see... i got so lucky this year!

perfect way to start off my 37th year..

37 is my lucky number... 

so i'm hoping for an amazing year!

poor little C

little Crew's ear drum burst this week...

so sad...

poor little dude.

i figured he deserved a big & messy cookie!

such a sweet sweet little boy.

love my little C.

bedtime

i seriously used to hate putting my Beck to bed.

it just seemed like such a process.

i would often get frustrated that i couldn't just lay him in bed and go.

but, that has never been the case with my beck.

he is a snuggler... and just likes some TLC at bedtime.

well, these days...

i am LOVING putting this kid to bed.

(well most days anyway...

some days i am DONE.

even done with snuggling)

bedtime has often become my favorite part of the day.

laying with him,

brushing his teeth,

saying his prayers,

singing songs,

chatting,
laughing

& snuggling...

are some of my favorite parts of the whole day.

last night,

(when this picture was taken)

he told me

"i love you the monkeys"
(see here... we have played this little game for a long time)

and that i was 

"so warm & cozy".

good night my sweet beckley boy.

LOVE you.

yesterday

we woke up to this...

yes, it is mid March.

LONGEST winter EVER.

it was a ROUGH morning...

LOTS of crying...

so, after the babes naps,

when ALL the boys were crying,

i packed us all up in the car

(the boys didn't even have shoes on)

and just started driving...

i wasn't sure where we were going

i just knew i NEEDED to get out.

we ended up at the mall.

(beck calls one mall "the shopping & eating mall"

and the other mall "the fun mall"...

we went to "the fun mall"

which means there is lots for the kids to do,

but not many/any shops for me)

the mall did us good.

i LOVE this picture of my boys playing together.

and, I LOVED watching them play.

i decided to let the babes ride the choo choo by themselves!

since i had our fancy stroller & diaper bag & purse

and the twins aren't cool with just watching their brother ride it anymore.

well, look who else joined them on the train!

beck was in heaven and the twins were in awe.

and, i was the crazy lady chasing after the train 

while pushing a double stroller all over the mall!

we got some pretzels and big diet coke too... of course!

the mall saves the day!!!

brothers

there is no buddy,

like a brother.

beck jumping over his brothers 

in the pit at gymnastics.

my pantless boys playing together.

brothers stick together

my snuggly beck was so excited this day

and yelled to me "mommy, crew is letting me rub his head"

beck lotioning up crew post bath.

(love the tongue - signature beck)

i just love that smile that mckay is giving his big brother.

i sure do love these brothers.

and, don't get me wrong there is plenty of fighting at our house...

but, i LOVE that these brothers are also buddies.

(there is that tongue again)

St Patrick's Day

here is what it looked like at our house...

during the past week,

beck and i did a few st. patrick's day crafts...

we also sprayed his hair green 

& made green chocolate chip cookies for preschool.

he kept saying

"mom, my hair doesn't even feel green"

St Patrick's Day morning...

green milk, green oatmeal & Lucky Charms!

2 of my 3 little leprechauns all ready for church

the 3rd stayed home sick...

and, for dinner we had green eggs with ham, spinach, green peppers & avocado 

and ham & cheese paninis.  

we also had mini mint chocolate chip ice cream cones.

even the sick leprechaun perked up a bit for the ice cream!

we were feeling pretty lucky today!

(beck loved finding all the things that the leprechaun turned green in our house.

he told me to call the leprechaun next year

and tell him to stay longer so they can play.)