Momma's new school

The other day I drove Mylie by here to show her my "new school."
This is the newest community college in Idaho, which opened in January. I will start teaching there this summer and am excited! I will be teaching as an adjunct faculty; however, they will be adding a full time Criminal Justice faculty soon. I would love this and hope it all works out. Now that I have had a job that loosely mirrors the school calendar, it would be so hard to go back to a traditional calendar.

So for summer and fall I'll be teaching in addition to Youth Court. It will be crazy busy; however, I think if I want a shot at the full time spot, I need to have already established myself as a faculty there. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Yay for Spring Break!!

I love spring break! One of the benefits of my job is that I take spring break off every year. I really like my job and I like the balance I have between work and home ... but oh, how we are enjoying spring break! Some highlights:

Monday:
*a play date with friends
*a trip to the scrapbook store
*Texas Roadhouse with Daddy {yum!}

Tuesday:
*homemade muffins for breakfast
*Blake napping on my lap while Mylie builds a fort
*Daddy coming home at noon
*flying a kite
*Sonic happy hour
*afternoon drive
*a trip for Joe's {for Jeff}
*finally watching Twilight

Wednesday:
*a new TV {after almost 6 weeks of no TV}
*dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Breach's house

Thursday:
*strawberry waffles
*baking cookies with Mylie {then eating lots of them}
*satellite again {yay for Spongebob!}

Friday:
*banana chocolate chip pancakes
*shopping
*2 new pairs of flip flops for Mylie
*movie party with pizza
*spending the evening with my favorite people!

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

This is spring break week {yay} and I am off work. On Tuesday, Jeff came home at noon and we took the kids to the park. Mylie has been so anxious to fly her new Barbie kite. There was the perfect wind and we had kite flying success. It was adorable because she was standing in this big field singing "Let's Go Fly a Kite" at the top of her lungs.

After kite flying, she and Daddy played on the swings for awhile.

Blakey was happy to be out of his stroller and run around.

Seriously, he is so stinking cute!

The things they say ...

Today as the kids and I were in the car, I was telling Mylie that when Aunt Courtney's baby is born I am probably going to go with Grandma to visit her. I am contemplating taking Mylie with us, so I was asking her if she wanted to come with us and explaining to her how long the car ride would be (Idaho to Iowa). I was also telling her how she would have to be a big helper while we were there. She asked me why and I told her that we would be going to help Aunt Courtney with the baby. She then said (and I quote), "Oh because she doesn't know anything about babies."

I giggled the rest of the car ride.

A fun weekend!

We had a super fun weekend! Grandma and Papa (Big A) were here for the day Saturday, which just happened to be Mylie's first spring soccer game. This is her 4th season and it definitely shows, she did a great job on offense and defense and her footwork is great. Here she is trying to get the ball away from one of the other kids.
And seriously, pink shin guards and pink addidas, I love it!

Blake really wanted to get into the action. When I told him to come back to me, he told me "no-no-no!" (Don't you love his incredible hulk jacket?)

We had to take some pictures, Mylie went first with her photo skills.

We did manage to capture a cute one of the kids with Gramma and Papa.

We had a great time. Mom and Dad had not seen Blake walk before so I think they were tickled by that. He was happy to show off for them. Mylie is always sad to see them leave and we wished they could stay longer, but we had a great time!

Random conversations involving Jeff.

Today at work, while going out to lunch, I got stuck in a bit of a traffic jam:
After work I showed Mylie this picture and was telling her about it. I told her how there were Momma cows and baby cows and a bull. Later as we were driving to the store Mylie asked why there was only one bull. Jeff told her it was because he was a polygamist. JEFF! So in her sweet little four year old voice, she asks, "What's a polygamist?" After we ignored that question, she asked, "So what do bulls do?" This conversation was getting more and more difficult by the moment!

We were at Target tonight and as we walked past the toy aisle Mylie asked if we could look, which we did. After looking we kept walking and got to the aisle with the "boy toys." I hear Jeff exclaim, "THE BAT CAVE!! Blake, I can't wait until you get older!" Sigh, and I thought Mylie had a lot of toys ....

On being a Mom ...

I love being a Mom every single day. But sometimes it just hits me harder than others. Last night before I went to bed I went to check the kids like I do every night. As I pulled Mylie's covers up around her I just thought about how much she's grown. She is such a delight to me. She is so quick and witty and smart. Her gorgeous blue eyes just seem to have an extra sparkle in them lately. She is doing so well at math and spelling and writing. She is so proud of herself every time she learns something new. She is fiercely independent, she is so very much like me. She is such a happy kid and is so very protective of her little brother. My heart just swells with love when I think about her. I love reading stories with her and braiding her long hair. I love it on the rare occasions when she slows down long enough for hugs or snuggles. I love that she is the one who made me a Mom.

After tucking her in, I snuck into Blake's room to cover him up. He is never at the same side of the bed that we originally laid him down on. He's turned himself all around and lays flat on his tummy. The light from the hall woke up him and he looked up at me and put his arms up. How can a Momma resist her little boy? I scooped him up and sat down in the chair, he burrowed his little head into my chest and was quickly back asleep. But I couldn't lay him down just yet and we sat and I rocked and I held him tight.

I held this little boy, who makes me laugh, who loves to snuggle with me, whose toothy smiles melts my heart. And I thought about how you have no clue what your heart is capable of until you become a mom. You have no clue how happy it can be or how much it can hurt. And you have no understanding of your capacity to love. The love a mom has for her children is like nothing else on this earth. I read a quote yesterday that said,

Before you were conceived I wanted you.
Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were here an hour I would give my life for you.
That is the miracle of life.

The amazing thing is that your heart keeps growing. I remember being pregnant with Blake and thinking of how much I loved Mylie and wondering if my heart was capable of loving two children that much. But right there, in the delivery room, the second I heard his little squawk, my heart doubled in size.

I contemplated just sleeping in the rocker, snuggling my baby in his soft fleece PJs, listening to his gentle breathing and holding him so tightly. Because I know what happens, someday these two are going to grow up. They aren't going to want to spend their free time with Jeff and I. Someday they won't think that I am smart, they won't want my advice, they will roll their eyes at me, they will get mad at me. Sigh. {Don't ask me how I know this.}

That's another thing you learn when you become a parent. Its like all of a sudden, on the day your first baby is born, that is when you start to realize how much your parents really love you. You know it all your life, but you can't really comprehend it until then. It is interesting the time frame for the lessons we learn in life.

Finally I gave Blake one more kiss, squeezed him tight and laid him back in his crib. I went upstairs, got on my knees and thanked my Heavenly Father for the blessing these two children are in my life. Houses and jobs and cars and material possessions, they all come and go. I feel so blessed that our family, the thing that is the most important, is eternal.

I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go.

I have served in the Relief Society presidency (the women's organization at our church) for the past couple years. Before that I was Relief Society teacher. I really love being in Relief Society. I like visiting with the other ladies and listening to the well prepared spiritual lessons. I was just released from my calling and Jeff and I were asked to serve as Junior Nursery (18 months to two and half-ish age) leaders. Can I just be honest and say that I was so not excited about this? In fact, my true feelings were almost of dread. We've been gone the last few Sundays, so today would be our first day in nursery.

This morning as I was getting ready for church I wasn't in a very good mood. I wasn't looking forward to going to church and was having a silent talk with Heavenly Father about it. I just kept thinking that there must be some reason that the Lord wanted me to serve in nursery, I didn't know what it was, but there must be some reason. I figured if I just kept telling myself that, I would feel better. But, it wasn't working.

We got to church and sat through Sacrament Meeting. When it was time for the closing song I started singing and the words just spoke to my heart and tears began to stream down my face.

It may not be on the mountain height
Or over the stormy sea,
It may not be at the battle’s front
My Lord will have need of me.
But if, by a still, small voice he calls
To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I’ll go where you want me to go.

I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain or plain or sea;
I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord;
I’ll be what you want me to be.

Perhaps today there are loving words
Which Jesus would have me speak;
There may be now in the paths of sin
Some wand’rer whom I should seek.
O Savior, if thou wilt be my guide,
Tho dark and rugged the way,
My voice shall echo the message sweet:
I’ll say what you want me to say.

I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain or plain or sea;
I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord;
I’ll be what you want me to be.

There’s surely somewhere a lowly place
In earth’s harvest fields so wide
Where I may labor through life’s short day
For Jesus, the Crucified.
So trusting my all to thy tender care,
And knowing thou lovest me,
I’ll do thy will with a heart sincere:
I’ll be what you want me to be.

I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain or plain or sea;
I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord;
I’ll be what you want me to be.

I truly believe this song was an answer to the prayer I had said earlier in the day. A reminder that Heavenly Father knows me and has plans for me and I just have to have enough faith to trust in Him. And needless to say, my day improved immensely right then. Nursery was lots of fun (all 2 hours of it). Blake, who is still too young, gets to go now since Jeff and I are both in there. He had such fun playing with all the kids. My heart melted watching Jeff hold hands and play Ring Around the Rosies. Sometimes I just need to step back and remember that God is in control and I need to go where He wants me to go.

If you've seen Madagascar 2 ...

This is Mylie's impersonation of the lion dad. Remember when he goes ooooh aaaaah oooooh aaaaah. She was making Blake laugh!

Girl Party!!

Mylie and I had such a fun girl's weekend, it was just what we needed. Before we left I asked Mylie what we should do during our girl's weekend. She said, "I was thinking we could shop and go out to eat." She is so my kid!

We left early Friday morning, had lunch in Layton with one of my friends and her daughter. Then we met my Mom and Bailey at the hotel and took our virgin voyage to IKEA. Such fun, so ginormous and I totally think we wore out Mom. After shopping we went to Johnny Carino's for dinner and of course an obligatory trip to Target. I stayed at the hotel with Mom that night and Mylie had a sleepover with Bailey. Here is a shot of them before they left the hotel.
And here is a squinty eye shot, because they both squint their eyes when they smile.

Saturday morning we got up and met Jalyn (my aunt) at Mimi's for breakfast. If you haven't had breakfast at Mimi's, you need to. Let's just say that the banana chocolate chip pancakes were so delish! Then we had to visit Tai Pan (a great home decor store) and Roberts (craft store). We just kept shopping and then Dana (my aunt) met us at Cheesecake factory for a late lunch/early dinner. Here is a beautiful self-portrait of Mylie and I waiting for our table.

After indulging in lunch AND cheesecake we went to Kohl's to go clothes shopping. So not our best idea. We were all exhausted that night. Sunday morning while Mom, Bailey and Jalyn went to church, Mylie and I went to Temple Square. It was such a fun morning, and good for just the two of us to spend some time together. One of the sister missionaries took our picture.

While we were in one of the visitor's centers I picked up a map of Temple Square for Mylie. She is totally into maps (I bought her a kid's atlas for the ride down and she gave me directions mimicking the exact sound of the GPS, hilarious!). She looked at the map, then looked around and wanted to go to the Conference Center. I had not been in it before, so we walked over and they were doing tours. It was so cool. It is so big and our tour guide said it holds 21,000 people! Holy moly! We got to go up on the roof, which Mylie thought was super cool. She definitely wanted a picture so she could show Daddy she was on the roof.

This is the view on the roof, so gorgeous.

After our tour, we went back over to Temple Square. Mylie was walking around with the map and befriended some sister missionaries who spent the next little while showing her around. One was from the Philippines and one was from Honduras. They were so sweet and it was fun to have them show Mylie around. Here they are consulting the map.

It was such a beautiful sunny day. I love visiting Temple Square and just have such a special feeling when I am there.

And some proof that spring is around the corner ....

After our visit to Temple Square we headed back to Bailey's apartment (with Mylie in the backseat saying, "in 9 miles, exit right") for lunch. Then it was time to go home. Poor Mylie tried so hard to stay awake and color (Grandma got her a new coloring book), but she was sound asleep before Layton and slept all the way to Burley. The ride back was uneventful. I kept myself awake with starburst jellybeans and diet coke. When Mylie woke we sang songs the rest of the way. We had such a great time!

We had so much fun, but oh we missed Blakey.

Mylie and I had such a wonderful trip this weekend, I have pictures and stories to update. But I just have to say, that we missed Blake something terrible. He had not one, but TWO injuries while we were gone, sigh. When Mylie found out he got hurt she was so worried. And on top of that, he has a terrible diaper rash, poor dude. He was already in bed when we got home, but woke up a bit later with a poopy diaper. I went in to change him and he just sobbed because his poor little bum hurt so bad. Then we sat in the rocker and he just collapsed onto my chest, squeezing my arm with his chubby little fingers. I just rocked him and squeezed him tight and smelled his hair and kissed the bruises on his face. I sure love my little man.

I know that Mylie can hardly wait to see him in the morning too. Oh ya, Jeff, we missed you too!