spoke too soon

Funny how I said Tyce was such a nice big brother.....not too long after I typed those words, he shoved her and she whacked her face on a basket and she started bleeding all over. Soooooo, he is nice sometimes, so thats good.

bread and binki's

You know how I mentioned I have been baking in my sweet kitchen? I might have even said that I have been making bread?  Well, I have been trying to make bread, is probably more truthful. I tried one batch and it looked good, tasted pretty good but was so dry you couldnt choke it down with a whole glass of milk. The next batch looked pretty but wasnt cooked all the way. The next time I forgot the salt and there was a giant hole in the middle of it....so I was getting pretty annoyed. I have a friend that makes beautiful bread so I asked if I could come watch. She invited me to come over today at 10:30 for the lesson. Well I was suppose to go to a playgroup at 9:30 but I have found it nearly impossible to to make it out of the house by that time in the morning with kids fed, clothed, diaper changed (yes we reverted back to diapers......for today anyway. I love the surprise of whether it will be a diaper or underwear every day...you just never know when Jacey is in charge. its very exciting), hair done, diapers packed, etc. so we skipped playgroup which was lame last time anyway and went straight to my friends house for the bread making lesson. Turns out, in order to make her perfectly 100% whole wheat beautiful bread I will need a wheat grinder, whole white wheat, and a Bosch mixer. Sooooo back to my own fussing over the original recipes I had. Maybe something magical will happen in the year 2013 - the year of the bread perfecting. I'll let you know how it goes.

Concerning the bink. I decided to get rid of Jacey's binki because it was becoming such a pain. She could only have it when she went to bed but she started to cry all the time because she wanted it. She would hide one somewhere so she could have it whenever she wanted it. She would pretend like she was going to take a nap but then I would find her hiding and playing in my cubby in the closet just so she could suck on it. In the car, she would cry loud and long enough that we would just do anything to make her stop. Anyhow, we went to the store to have her pick out a baby doll she wanted and said she couldnt open it till she threw her binki's in the garbage. When she decided she wanted the doll bad enough, she cut up her binki and we gave her the doll. It has gone better then I thought. She cried, but Rustin told her we would have to take her baby back to the store and that her "baby binki" (as she calls it as it was the substitute) needed Jacey to be her mom and take care of her and that worked for awhile. Every morning when I'm in the shower, I come out to find that she has ran-sacked my room trying to find her bink in all the usual places. All the drawers emptied, laundry baskets over-turned, shoes scattered - its awesome. She has cried off and on and wakes up earlier then usual and wont take naps very well but other then that, not too bad. The cutest thing was when we heard her crying and Rustin went downstairs and sat by the door to listen and he heard her crying for her binki and he heard Tyce who was mostly asleep softly say " Jac, its ok" and then she quit crying and went back to sleep. So cute. He was been such a nice big brother lately. Anyhow, hopefully we will continue to adjust but good rid-dens to the dang bink.

a new start

My blog wouldnt let me post anymore pictures without paying for space so I couldnt post anything but my sister helped me to find a way around it so here I am again.

I think I would like to make this blog more of a journal and then print it for a book at the end of the year. So if I can stick with it, this will probably become long and boring but its mostly just for me and my family.

Just a quick update. I think the most exciting thing that happened in 2012 is the purchase of our first home. We bought a home in Wellsville and moved in on October 27th and I cant even say how wonderful it has been. I love it so much. It has been the happiest thing. I fell in love with this house the first time I saw it and I feel so spoiled to be here. Its on a 1/2 acre with nothing but fields behind us. It has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and my favorite.....a two car garage. Oh how I have LOVE having a garage!!! Its so freaking cold outside and its the sweetest thing to not have to scrape and dig out the car every time I have to go somewhere. Having a dishwasher is a beautiful thing. I forgot how wonderful it is! I have really started to cook because I feel like my kitchen is so big and so accessible. I have started making bread, rolls, cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, strawberry cream cheese rolls, muffins, biscuits, cookies, etc. Tyce keeps telling me I can be a baker girl now so I dont need to be a mom anymore - sweet! I have loved not sharing a bathroom with the kids. We have a room for our exercise stuff and a guest room. There is so much I could say about our house that I adore but suffice it to say - I feel so spoiled to live in such a beautiful home. Its not brand new (built in '95) and there are lots of things that need work and improvement but its perfect for us and I am so very grateful to have it.

Tyce has been the nicest boy lately. I love my little buddy. He loves his new preschool. He makes friends easily and has no apprehension about meeting new people and starting new things which is so nice for me. I was worried about having him switch preschools but it didnt phase him. He ran right in and was so excited to meet new people and find new toys :) The same goes for his new primary class. I felt so bad sticking him in a new primary where he doesnt know anyone so the first Sunday, I sat by him and wouldnt leave him til finally he looked and me and told me to leave, ha! He wasnt worried in the least! I love that about him.

Jacey......sigh.......oh my Jacey. I can never find the right words for my little girl. She is such a light in our home - such a party........but wow, I swear she is going to put me in my grave. She is wild as a March hare. She decided to be potty trained right as we were moving and I have all sorts of wonderful stories to tell about that experience, but that is for another post. Suffice it to say, it has been three solid months of potty training and I'm pretty sure its been the worst experience of my life. I am pretty sure my place is reserved in heaven for the amount of poo I have cleaned up in the last 3 months. Ok, enough of that.

I have never been really consistent with anything in my life, so hopefully my journal blogging wont die off in a few weeks but here is to a new start. Happy New Year everybody :)

snowfall and snowmen

Jacey's smile in this picture kills me. So perfect.

We went home for Christmas and on Christmas Eve we went to my parents farm to help preg check the cows. The snow was falling but it wasnt too cold. It was so nice.

The kids built a sweet snowman. The snow was wet and packed perfectly for a snowman. Grandpa was annoyed when he couldnt find his scarf but there was a greater need :)

I so loved being home for Christmas. There is something about being in your home for Christmas. The familiar decorations that meant so much when I was little. It was so nice. I have more pictures I'll post later.

Letters to Santa

Jacey is cracking me up today. Two days ago, Tyce wrote a letter (a picture of his whale) to Santa and then put it under the tree. He woke up the next morning delighted that Santa had come and taken the letter so the big man would be sure and bring him his 'for real' Beluga whale. It worked so well that he decided he would help Jacey write a 

letter to Santa. He drew pictures of an Ariel doll and then tried to convince her that she needed a skid-steer, a mixer truck, a tanker truck, etc. until they agreed on a pink garbage truck and Jacey helped him color it. They put it under the tree, both looked pretty satisfied. This morning Jacey woke up to find that her letter had disappeared and she was ticked! All day today she periodically says, "Santa taked my paper! Stink'en Santa!" No matter how Tyce has tried to convince her other wise, she is pretty mad about the thieving Santa. I dont imagine it would be a good idea for us to leave cookies out for Santa Christmas Eve night - turns out, Jac is a little possessive. I might put my own letter under the tree tonight. Dear Santa, for heavens sake please bring a Beluga whale so there can be peace in our home again.......and please keep your grubby hands off Jacey's letter........even if it is addressed to you. Thank you.

Halloween pics a month late.....wups :)

So Tyce was a motorcross racer and Jacey was fairy. I honestly could do without Halloween and be just fine but they were so excited which makes it so fun.

We went to the mall trick or treating and then went to our ward trunk or treat that night. They loved it. Jacey's mouth quickly became her candy bucket but we have been to the dentist since and we are no worse for the wear :)

Jacey was so thrilled I put a little makeup on her and has asked for it every morning since. She always says, "I need to do my eyes" and throws an incredible fit when I was say no. Its awesome :)

On the farm with Grandpa

 My Dad has had a lot of health challenges. The most recent and the most horrific has been cancer in his jaw. I cant even begin to describe how bad it has been. We really werent sure he would make it, but he has and I prize these pictures the most because it is such a blessing and miracle that Tyce and Jacey are able to spend time with him doing what he loves the most.

I love you Dad.