Our song...

It wasn't long after Ashton was born that I realized lullabies really do help babies fall asleep. I experimented with different songs until I found just the right one for the two of us.

When I found it, we both knew it was the song. When he was tired and grouchy "our song" would always relax him enough to fall asleep...

So, when Aiden was born, I wanted to pick a special lullaby just for him. For weeks I tried new songs, but nothing seemed quite right. A song from the West Side Story, almost did the job, but, I didn't know all of the right words and that was very distracting to us both. :) One day, in desperation, I ended up borrowing Ashton's song...

...and that was the song Aiden chose.

Fast asleep he fell

(and it kind of made sense, Aiden loves everything his brother loves).

Yesterday, I was marveling at the magic of this song.

When Aiden is fussy in the car, I sing the song from the drivers seat and he falls asleep... When it's 3 in the morning and feeding him didn't do the trick, I put him back in his crib and sing it from my bed... he falls asleep. Of course, my favorite is when he's in my arms, looking up into my eyes, all quiet and sleepy. awww. I watch as his little eyes droop heavier and heavier until they're peaceful and closed.

I've been feeling a little sad that they have to share the same lullaby (I know, is that weird?),

but last night I realized it's not such a horrible thing.

I had Ashton in one arm and Aiden in the other, it was 10pm and my arms were getting numb, both boys were crying and obviously needed to fall asleep... I started to sing our song and within seconds they were both asleep in my arms.

If that's not magic, I don't know what is.

Slip, sliding away...

We have had some crazy rain storms here these last few weeks. The harder the rain poured down the more I became aware that I needed new shoes... a pair that would protect my feet, and socks, from the puddles all around me.

I ventured out to a nearby thrift store, with ten bucks in my pocket and the hope that I would find at least one decent pair.

Of course, I found about 20 pairs of cute shoes that day. Isn't that the way it goes when you're broke? :) So, I had to narrow it down. There were strappy ones, slip-ons, and shoes with beads and jewels on them, but I kept my eye on the prize, reminding myself that I came for water proof. water proof. water proof.

Finally, I settled on this pair of boots... cute, good condition, extremely comfy, solid with a strong grip underneath and rain friendly. They had all the right features with some extra perks, but the best part?!? Only $2! I was sold.

So, I wore them, once, on a perfectly sunny day and enjoyed them. Then the rain came, again. We were stuck indoors and Ashton was driving me crazy. He started begging me for chocolate. I'll admit. I wanted some too, plus the thought of getting out of the house for a minute sounded nice, so a quick trip out for a candy bar was worth a little rain. Before I loaded Ashton into the car, I quickly changed out of my warm knitted house slippers and into these...

My ten year old, worn out, beach sandals.

I was at the grocery store within 3 mins. I unloaded Ashton from our car, flung him on to my hip, covered our heads with my sweater and headed straight to the candy aisle. I picked a butterfinger and he picked a kitkat bar, we paid our $2. and headed back out to the rainy parking lot.

I immediately stepped off the curb and into a puddle. I felt my foamy shoe absorb a gallon or so of water, but with Ashton on my hip and the rain pouring, I ignored it and kept heading toward our car. I saw the big puddle coming up so and I tried avoiding it with great care, only to step on the outer edge and somehow lose my balance! I blame the slick torn up bottoms of those slippery sandals, but I don't exactly know what happened, I was trying to figure it out when I was a few inches in the air and heading toward the ground. :) I protected Ashton, as best as I could, and landed somewhere between my tush and my hip. While laying on the wet ground, I heard a few nice people ask if we were okay, I looked around to see where they were, but I was so disoriented I couldn't see anyone. Maybe I made them up... I don't know. Ashton was confused too and worried, "awwww...mommy!!?" he said as I pulled us off the floor... when you're two, "awwww... mommy" means "what the heck just happened, mommy?!" trust me, I heard it in his voice.

Yes, It was a high price to pay for a bite or two of chocolate that day, but I learned a very important life lesson:
When you buy something because you need it...use it!! :)

*Sparkles*

I am surrounded by boys and all things boy. Both Andrew and Ashton are 100% boy... trucks, legos, dirt, swords, balls, boy colors, meat, motorcycles... you get it. :)

It was time to introduce something girly.

While laying in bed with Ashton one morning, he started playing with my face (I guess this is normal) and I pointed out my ears and the earrings I was wearing. I called them my "sparkles". He loved them and every morning that week he would grab my head and look for them.

It wasn't long before he was pointing and saying "sparkle" and then wanting to wear all my jewelry.

Of course I let him...who am I to deny the child? :)

I let him wear all my big chunky stuff and sometimes something extra sparkly.

Andrew usually rolls his manly eyes at me...

But it's the closest thing to girly that I'm gonna get for a long time in this house and I think its pretty.

Today...in case you were wondering.

Andrew's gone for the night and Ashton fell asleep awhile ago, making this place unusually quiet and kinda boring.

So, since I have nothing to do and hours ahead of me, I thought I'd blog. Of course. :)

I decided to tell you about my day...

It started out better than usual. I only threw up one time in the morning, so I knew it was going to be a good day! Huzzah!

Andrew, Ashton and I recycled our cans and used the money to go out to lunch. It was pretty exciting... we picked one of our favorite places, Ono Hawaiian BBQ, to eat. I'm addicted to their delicious sauces and their macaroni. Good stuff.

We came home, and while my boys napped, I drank and drank until my bladder was full! I needed to make sure I was good and ready for my ultrasound appointment.
The appointment went great. I love that warm jelly they smother all over the tummy and It was fun to see my baby on this huge screen they had on the wall. Baby put on a fun show for me and I got a long roll of pictures of him to take home!

Then, I decided my tummy is getting big and I really wanted a new maternity shirt. I called Andrew to ask if it was okay if I went shopping, and he, being amazing, actually seemed happy that I was spending money on myself. What?! I have a great husband!

After a delicious BLT dinner, with tomatoes fresh from Andrews folks' garden, and family scripture time, I kissed my husband goodbye and wondered what on earth I was going to do all night... hm mm.

Come home safely, honey. The end.

Hats Off!

We had fun this weekend at our ward dinner celebrating the Relief Society's 166th anniversary!

All the husbands were invitited to come and everyone was supposed to wear a hat. We had a fun little skit, or should I say musical production. I was apart of it and I was a chef, but everyone had their own part, symbolic of the many different "hats" women wear throughout their lives. Afterward, the men had a hat making contest and Andrew proudly modeled our tables entry. That was the hat to beat! You can see it in the top picture, however, you cant see all the balloons attached... he was hilarious and we had alot of fun.
And of course, I made sure that Ashton had a hat to wear too!
So, hats off to the Relief Society! What a wonderful and inspired program!