Better late than never...

We had our first legitimate Family Home Evening  

To be honest, as I prepared a 30 second lesson and 4 minute activity (that is Wesson's fabulous attention span) I felt so ridiculous. 
Everything online seemed really cheesy and I thought about giving these lessons to my kids when they are older and how corny I would feel. 
My parents didn't do Family Home Evening so I didn't really have any experience to go off of. (I take that back, we did sing In Our Lovely Deseret and play Phase 10 quite often on Mondays...) 
But Ryan's family did the whole 9 yards, the cheesy 80's Family Night song (ie. visit grandma, ride our bikes, have a picnic, go on hikes...) a prepared lesson, a fun engaging activity, followed by a delicious dessert. 
To say I was aware of the expectations was an understatement. Then I remembered my audience, my sweet little Wesson he is goo with no judging and everything would be fine. (And Ryan has about the same attention span so he would be good with anything!)

I thought for our first lesson we would start with the very basic.

I just printed an LDS clip art of Jesus with the children.

I told Wesson how much Jesus loves him.

How much he loves everyone.

 And I know he lives.

Then I asked Wesson, "who does Jesus love?"

He responded so confidently and with so much enthusiasm:
 "ME, mommy, daddy and Cosby"
(that is the neighbor's dog...and he is right, although I didn't teach him that part) 

I love that boy. I love being his mom and the one who is entrusted to teach him that Jesus does love him! 


Then on to the activity...

like father like son...

You'll see Ryan decided to help rather than just spectate...


Oh and don't worry we did have a delicious treat as well! (they are go to treat from March until...I run out of all the Cadbury eggs I stock up on...sometimes July!)

So after one night I feel like I have had my pay day. It may be cheesy but I look forward to visiting Grandma, going on hikes, teaching my son and building memories of being together as a Family.

They are the most fun boys to spend my Monday nights with anyway!

Sledding

Have I mentioned, I have the funnest husband in the world? (not to mention hottest, but that is for another time) he has been waiting ever so impatiently to take Wesson sledding…

Well we got sick of waiting for snow so we just went with what we have! We have found the most perfect hill up by McKay, Wesson LOVED it! He wanted to go “faster” the whole time. Ryan and I both may have enjoyed going down as well! I am so grateful for my new fancy shpancy camera for such fun pictures! I love my little cheeser, and my sweet husband to is just a little kid at heart!  (just disregard my super obnoxious voice. and it was my first time recording...tricky tricky)

a thrifty mom find...

I hadn't been to tjmaxx even though I had heard great things...

but then I needed to just find a shirt for Wesson quick

and I was in the parking lot anyway...

well boy am I glad I snuck in…

I found the CUTEST snow suit

originally $46

I got it for $10!

 I think he loves it too!

But he is still my baby and needs help getting it on

Now if only it wasn’t 50 degrees outside! 

"Up High"

These are the words that echo in my head all day long. Wesson LOVES to climb "up high". He loves to stand "up high". And he loves to jump from "up high". When we hold him we hold him "up high"...

i have no idea where he gets it...

A happy boy

I am guessing some parenting magazines and pediatricians might say 18 months (on FRIDAY!) is too early to start enjoying some nutella…

..evidentally they have not seen my little man’s smile..

what is the quote? good mom's have sticky floors, dirty ovens and happy kids...I would add messy faces covered in hazel nut chocolatey goodness! 

then they do, that's how it is...

how on earth did this...

grow so fast into this...

 (although he is quite the model- oh i love him!)

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will- to your surprise- miss them profoundly. -President Thomas S. Monson

Best of 2011 Jensen Remix...

                                                                   Hawaii...

We kicked off 2011 in style, on the beaches of Kona! We had the best time with Oma & Grandpa! Wesson took his first plane ride, say the ocean for the first time, we all enjoyed Hawaii for the first time (but certainly not the last!) We snorkled, ate delicious food, relaxed and enjoyed the company! I thought it was a new tradition, but alas we rang in 2012 in 33 degrees! (however, much warmer for Utah than typical)...here is to next year!

         valentines day
look how cute my valentine is?! I am the luckiest mom! this is one of those retrospective highlights. I definitely got laid-off on Valentine's Day. (hence the black eyes in the picture) but it ended up being the best blessing! I have loved the more time I have had to spend with Wesson! To be out of the environment I was in and to have the new opportunity I have! Definitely one of the biggest blessings of 2011! And so grateful for a husband who stood by and up for me! Who works hard and is oh so hotttt! 

                                                                                       Mother's Day Pictures! I will love forever that we drug our boys out into the frigid cold to capture these pictures! First off, the hat no longer fits him! Second, no other pictures have ever captured so much personality of our little man! I love him, I would get his pictures done every week if Ryan and my budget allowed! Seriously though, he is a cutie right?!!

Purchasing this back pack. It got us through several hikes, mowing the lawn, vacuuming, walks to the park  (only Ryan though, he thinks the stroller makes him look weird??) Wesson probably asks for his "pack pack" 3 times a day! I love how happy they both look in this picture! I have the best boys!

this was on the 4th of july. you can't see that in the picture but the 4th is always a highlight! it is by far my favorite! and my baby loved it just as much as i do! the fireworks, the bbqs, the family-fun! it was great!! 

I put this picture up to highlight our anniversary then  I realized this was definitely my birthday! which was great but our anniversary was better!  4 YEARS!  I have been with Ryan longer than he served a mission, longer than we were in high school, longer than it took him to finish college...and I have loved  it! He is really the perfect match for me, he makes me want to be better, since he is better! Here is to  an eternity more!

Our 3rd annual camping trip with the our friends CERTAINLY makes the list! (do we count last year, fishing & smores??) We had so much fun up by Causey. Ryan fished his heart out "to entertain the kids". Wesson loved it. It will be better next year when he is not just sitting in the dirt like this year! We did get rained out a little but we stuck it through! This really is such a fun thing, I hope we do it forever! (as long as we can always find campgrounds with flush toilets! hahaha)

It wouldn't be summer if my cowboys didn't go to the RODEO! We LOVE rodeos! Seriously, we may border on addicted! My in-laws tag along but I am pretty sure they think we are crazy! Wesson loved the COWBOYS! He was beaming the whole night! Plus I got to wear my cowgirl boots that I LOVE which have quite a story...another time! I love that boys love each other, how much they are alike, and I love that they both don't mind hanging out with me on my crazy adventures!! (any free tickets hahah!)

the biggest highlight of 2011...

our baby turned 1!

he is just a baby!

we had the best birthday party with the best friends & family in the world! 

wesson got to spend his actual birthday with his birthday buddy, GRANDPA!

my parents came out to be here for his birthday.

we had a bright color/balloon party with an italian soda bar, pizza and cupcakes!

wesson enjoyed his balloon cake! (clearly!)

it was so fun & hard to believe!

and now he is almost 18 months!...geez...time SLOW down!

We took Wesson to the state fair. I love this picture! He is my little people watcher so he had the time of his life! He loved the animals the most, followed second by the funnel cake! (which was Ryan's favorite!) It is so much more fun to do things like that with a little one, more work, but so much more fun! He thinks everything is magical!

For Halloween Wesson was Peter Pan and miss Olivia was Tinkerbell! They are so cute!  I made Wesson's costume but I don't think it turned out half bad!  I think we have a new tradition with the cousin's coordinating! Wesson loved love loved  trick-or-treating! And Grammie, was pretty crazy about showing him off!

updated family pictures! November 2011

Salt Lake to see the lights with Jeff, Hayley & Olivia.

I could go there 10 times and still love it everytime! 

I love love Christmas and miss it so much as soon as it is done! I love getting to share it with Wesson and I love what a good sport Ryan is- I lucked out for sure!

Next year we will get an earlier start (aka plan better haha!) so our kids enjoy it a bit more!

I don't think it is any coincidence we end the year with Christmas!

It is probably the highlight of it all.

Being with our family and friends (the 3 of you that read this blog!)

the tree, lights, parties, presents, FOOD, and fun!

we loved every moment we had to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

An in the end of this year we have gratitude!

for the blessings we enjoy, for our family & friends, our gospel, our country! we wouldn't trade a day of 2011 and look forward to all the fun waiting in 2012!!