Our sweet daughter

"Maya is a sweet girl. She is kind and helpful. She plays well with others." Those are a few things her preschool teacher wrote about her at the end of the year. I know I'm biased, but I have to agree. She takes good care of us whether it's placing a blanket carefully on you while you watch TV so you aren't cold, or making sure you have a napkin at the table, or praying for you every chance she gets when you're sick, or being the child who will run and bring you whatever you need at the drop of a hat.....she IS a sweet girl. I love how every night she wants me to sing her "her song" that I made up years ago. We're so happy with her in our family!

He won't be the baby anymore....

I don't know if all expecting mothers with older children go through this, but each time I'm pregnant I feel kind of sad that the child who's the youngest at the time won't be "the baby" anymore when the new baby comes. I shed tears when I drop off the older child/children for someone to take care of while Aaron and I go off to the hospital to bring another child into our family. Maybe it's the hormones, or maybe it's because I'm one of those parents that most people think are crazy because I let the baby stay in bed with us until the next one arrives. I just get really attached and stress over how the next older child will react to not being the baby anymore. It's no different this time. Ryan, you won't be the baby for long!

Some of Jordan's Interests

Some of the activities Jordan has enjoyed these last months are Pokemon cards (even though it's a picture of Ryan with one of the cards....he REALLY likes to do what Jordan does)....


....learning about math (towards the end of the school year he was put in an advanced math group--he even asked to go to summer school so he can learn more math)....


.....and "wall ball". I don't understand what the rules are, but it's basically throwing a ball against the wall and catching it before anyone else. He uses a raquetball because it doesn't damage the house siding or windows.


Jordan is an upbeat, active boy with a lot of curiosity and creativity. We sure do love him!

Work Picnic

A few weeks ago we went to Lake Sammamish Park for a picnic with a small group of Aaron's co-workers. The kids had a great time!

The terrible two's have begun....

Ryan turned 2 today and it felt like the terrible two's hit all at once. I think it was because he didn't get enough sleep last night, but he was fussy/clingy and the day was pretty rough. He got a lump on the side of his head when he walked into the side of the kitchen island. He got a small goose egg on the back of his head when he fell backwards onto the wood floor in the entry, and he face planted on the front lawn when he was chasing a ball. He LOVED his present, however....a little basketball hoop, and he had a great time blowing out the candle on his cake.

He is our youngest talker and he is very cuddly. He absolutely adores Aaron and cries whenever he leaves the room. He loves to do whatever Jordan and Maya are doing, and they're pretty patient with allowing him to play with them.

He is a sweet little boy who I couldn't love any more than I do. I just hope today was the only "terrible two's" day we'll experience with him......yeah, right! :)

Evening Bike Ride

Aaron took Jordan, Maya, and the Mason kids for a bike ride around our neighborhood. The kids LOVE to ride their bikes!

After-church photos

Sometimes we call Jordan "Air Jordan" -- short for Aaron Jordan. If he had his usual tongue-sticking-out look, this photo would really do justice to his nickname:

Our "only princess"

At our first ultrasound with this baby the doctor was quite certain it was a girl. Looking back,we should've waited to tell the kids, but we didn't. Maya was SOOO excited she would be having a little sister. Anyway, at the second ultrasound we learned the baby was actually a boy. Maya cried when we told her, but she's turned her attitude around and is excited to have the baby that "Heavenly Father wants us to have". We keep reminding her that she's our "only princess", but the kids are sure that "when" we have another one it'll be a girl. Only time will tell...

End-of-Year School Events

Maya recently graduated from preschool. She is VERY excited to start kindergarten next fall!





We also went to Jordan's 1st grade music concert. It's amazing they can keep so many kids under control for so long...it was easier for the teachers than for those of us with small children in the audience. :)