The Walker Fam

When we were home for Father's Day weekend, we hurried and snapped this picture while we had everyone home. Rustin forgot his shoes so he had to borrow his dads "Jesus Sandals" as he called them and felt so weird wearing them - it has since been the family joke and I love that this will be on their wall for us to remember. It was a fun day. I was amazed that all four kids were smiling and looking at the camera. I really love Rustin's family. They are so good to us and so much fun to be with.

You cant see my belly really well, I was trying to hide behind Tyce but I will be 18 weeks pregnant this week and we found out its a little boy. We are very excited. I was kind of hoping for a boy but honestly didnt care too much either way. I just feel like a boy would help the dynamics. At any rate, we had a little scare with this pregnancy as I started to bleed a lot and after having an ultra sound found that a large part of the amniotic sac was not connected to the uterus wall like it should be so they put me on mild bed rest. It wasn't even bed rest I guess, more like pelvic rest. I just wasn't suppose to do anything active. No running, jumping, heavy lifting, etc. It was a little rough but well worth it because it is healing and I can start introducing exercise again. I was much more sick with this pregnancy then the last two, but I am just now starting to feel pretty good and I'm getting my energy back which I am super grateful for. I am due Thanksgiving day but my dr said he would probably start me a week early - love him :) Tyce is so excited about having a new a baby at our house. He loves baby's and is always talking about his cousin Baby Easton. Tyce has been looking through his baby book almost daily to see the toys and things he had when he was little so he can share them with the baby. He asks to watch little videos about the baby's development all the time. He is so fascinated that there is something growing in my tummy. I told him he can go with me to my ultra sound at my next appt and he is so excited! It is the cutest thing. I love how his mind works. He has been asking so many questions lately about the moon, the sun, the earth. He watches national geographic clips about the earth's layers and geography. He has become very interested in how the body works and the organs that help him breath and move. He asks so many amazing questions and its fun to find the answers together and we both LOVE YouTube for providing videos to help answer all of his inquires. I really love him, he really is so delightful. He has such an excitable personality and I cant wait to take him to Sea World! We are planning a trip in August to take our little whale-lover to see real whales and I cant wait to watch his face. What a fun little boy we have. I sure love him.

Wellsville

The biggest selling feature for our house was the backyard view. I love that there is no one behind us and all you can see are fields and mountains. There are the most breath taking sun rises and rainbows.

And on the other side are the Wellsville mountains. Everything is incredibly green and lush. One of my favorite things is when the sun starts to comes up and skips the valley and lights up the top of the Wellsville's. It's so breath-taking. We are so grateful to live here.

May update # 2

I found Jacey placing cubes of butter on plates in the living room. She told me she was feeding the mice? Oh boy.

Tyce had his little preschool graduation. It was super cute.

The kids made bday cards for their dad's bday and we brought them to his work with a  treat and balloons. I think Tyce is finally getting the thrill of giving gifts instead of getting them and its so fun to see his excitement.

We planted the garden, late as usual. It took us awhile to find a tiller to borrow and find a place for our garden. We always seem to be a day late and a dollar short with the garden but maybe next year will be the year. But the kids were great little helpers.

A week ago Jacey slammed Tyce's finger in the door. It caught the metal plate on the door to the outside and pretty well filleted his middle finger. He was fairly certain he was dying. He doesnt deal well with pain or blood so it was extra good. I have never seen anything like it.

An hour after we got it cleaned up and bandaged he was still flopping around on the floor in pain. I finally just  took a video of him and then let him watch it. He was a little surprised at how ridiculous he looked and he said he was sorry for acting that way, ha! He was so scared of it that every time I switched the band-aids, he would close his eyes because he was so afraid to look at it. A few days later he was so proud of himself for being brave and looking at it and exclaimed "Mom, I didnt even freak out!" Bless his little heart.

May update

My sisters came up awhile ago and stayed at my house which was so fun. In the morning they indulged Jacey and shared their make up. She was pretty tickled.

On Memorial weekend we went down to the Spring City Heritage Days which was fun. We also went to the cemetery to see Grandma Brothersen's grave. It was nice to be there with my mom and my sister and talk about her. It was fun to hear about what Tyce remembered about her. It was a beautiful day.

We went on a great 4 wheeler ride and the kids loved it. It's kind of our own heaven on earth - a 4 wheeler ride up Spring City Canyon is where we feel the happiest I think.

We had a dutch oven dinner with Rustin's extended family and this is Jacey being ultra concerned that Leighton's hair is crazy and she keeps trying to keep it out of her face. She is so funny.

Jacey's helmet, dirty face, and fun dip kind of melts my heart. She is so much fun and so blasted cute.

Little helmet heads.

Jac totally passed out on the way down. She looks so precious when she is sleeping, like she could do no wrong..........if only ;)

We went camping just our own little family last weekend and it was seriously blissful. The kids had so much fun and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

They were so much fun and were so excited about all the simple little things, I just wanted to eat them up. They make things like this so much fun.

Jacey's wild morning hair makes me laugh. I love it. They were super excited about their hot chocolate, oatmeal and donuts for breakfast.

Tell me that little smile doesn't melt your heart? They had so much fun "fishing". I love how kids make their own fun with sticks, rocks, and water. They are pretty fun little people. I am so happy to have them.

lets talk about Jacey....

I'm sitting here staring at the cursor trying to think where to start. Jacey is something else. There are no words to adequately describe her. She has recently started into the clothes drama. Here are a few pictures to demonstrate some of the ensembles I find her wearing. I told her she couldnt come outside without a jacket and shoes. She promptly had a melt down and we all went outside without her. A few minutes later, this is what she comes out wearing: Tyce's church shoes and a dora backpack......because thats almost like a jacket, right?

This was another favorite. This polk-a-dot thing with my boots. Cute?

and of course, her princess dresses and ballet shoes. She changes her clothes at least 27 times a day and clothes are dispersed evenly throughout each room in the house. I have no idea what is clean, what is dirty, what she wore for 3 minutes or 3 days. I had a friend give us a sack full of little summer dresses and most of them are spaghetti strap. I have a few white t-shirts for her to wear under them but every time I turn around she has taken the shirt off. Every time I turn around, she is either naked or in another outfit. It is absolutely maddening. I have tried to hide her clothes but there really isnt anywhere in the house she cant get to and even then she just starts wearing my shirts or Tyce's and with a few accessories she can shape them up to look like a dress. There are times when her eyes haven't even opened in the morning before she is ripping off her pajamas and putting on a dress. We have all out fights about what she can wear when we leave the house. Already? She is two! Heaven help me. She has already asked for ear rings. She insists that I paint her nails. I have tried to hurry and paint my toe nails before she noticed because I didnt have time to do hers and within 2 seconds she noticed I had a fresh coat of paint on my toes and she went ballistic because she needed hers done too.

and she really struggles to get her underwear on right.....it was really close though. The bathroom has become an issue again too. She goes like a champion but she goes without telling and then she "wipes" by herself. She ends up getting a sore bum because sometimes I dont think she wipes at all. When she goes poo, she uses half a roll of toilet paper and I swear misses the mark completely.  Her hands smell like poo because of her delinquent wiping and then she tells Tyce to smell her finger! Where did the child come from???? She is the nastiest princess you'll ever see. I keep begging her to let me wipe for her but she wont ever tell me when she goes.

She insists on coming with me when I go to the bathroom and since the locks on our doors are broken, I have no choice. I keep asking her if I can just go by myself but she always says, "but I'm your very best girl." So she sits and chats with me and coaches me, reminds me where the toilet paper is and to flush and how to wash my hands. Its true, she really is my very best girl.

I try so hard not to come to heads with her because she has up'ed her level of tantrums and its quite frightening but sometimes I set her off even when I'm being careful. Like today she hit me because I said I didnt want the potty treat she was trying to share with me. I put her in time out and she told me not to talk to her "eber" again. Wow.......

I feel bad only talking about her craziness but at the end of the day that is what I remember best. As sassy as she is, she can be equally sweet. She gives the longest, tightest and hugs and the sweetest little wet-lipped kisses that are my favorite. She always tells me I look pretty and that she likes my hair. My favorite thing about her is that she is just funny! The things that come out of her mouth make me full-on belly laugh. She really is a riot and an absolute party but she is just a lot. In every direction - a lot.

I wanted to write down two stories about Tyce before I forget. I dont mean to make Tyce out to seem like an angel and Jacey out to be the very devil but sometimes thats the way the cookie crumbles, jk :)

The other day we were driving home and we were listening to that song that is sung by a little girl called "In Gethsemane" about how Jesus loves us and died for us. Well I looked back and Tyce has tears in his eyes. I asked if he was ok and he wiped his eyes all embarrassed and said, "that song made me have happy tears." Bless his sweet sensitive little heart.

And the other day he said, "Mom, you know when you and Dad gave me an Easter present? Well it made me have feelings....feelings like.....feelings...." He really struggled to find the right words and then said, "it made me have feelings that I have a wonderful life!" Seriously? He is so precious to me. 

They are both so funny and so great. Sure love my kids :)

first soccer game

Tyce had his first soccer game today - it was incredibly entertaining. Tyce has not been super thrilled about going to soccer practice but today at the game I think I finally saw a spark. I don't know if it was the actual game or the shin guards that gave him a bigger thrill but at any rate he seemed to have a great time.The first half of the game he spent more time finding all the friends he knew on the other team. A boy from his primary class and a girl from his preschool, which he had to run over to me and tell me "Mom, Sophie is here!" I said "thats great bud, but go back on the field and keep playing, ok?" Ha! 

The first time he really kicked the ball he had to run over and tell me all about it. We had to keep reminding him to keep playing. It was so funny. In the second half of the game he seemed to catch the idea a little better and he started to get the ball and dribble a little - in the right direction no less! All and all, it was a great time. We had some great laughs. It was almost as entertaining to listen to the commentary from all the parents and grandparents on the side-lines. "The other way! Go the other way! NOOOO, not that goal!" but mostly just "kick it! kick the ball! go get the ball! kick it!" etc. and then lots of full on belly laughs when all the kids would trip each other and there would be a huge pile up. Very funny.

After the game Jacey came up to Tyce and gave him a big hug and they chatted on the way to the car

"You did a great job brother." 

"Thanks Jacey, did you see me kick that ball?" 

"Yes I did brother, great job!" 

"Thanks Jac" 

"Your welcome brother. I sure had a great time." Ha!

They are so cute. Jacey has been really in to calling him 'brother' and she demands that he call her 'sister dear'...........she is such a princess.

Rustin kept saying how he has waited 5 years to go to Tyce's first soccer game and its so fun that we are here. I hope Tyce starts to really like it because it is sure fun :)

a perfect ordinary day

I love the first day of new library books. It warms my heart to see them both sitting quietly looking at books and they beg me to read to them which I really love. Today was such a perfect day. When I was in the shower this morning, the kids came into the bathroom all excited to tell me they had a surprise for me. When I got out and dressed they had me close my eyes and held my hands and lead me downstairs where they showed me they had made their beds without being asked. It was the cutest thing! Tyce has been trying to earn enough money to buy a track-hoe he saw at the Book Table so he has been trying to do his chores. I gave him his quarter and we all sat down and had a little lesson on counting money. He had enough for his toy so after we had our waffles for breakfast, we got ready and got in the car. We first went to the library for story time and got new books. Then we went to the Book Table and Tyce bought his "excavator" all by himself with his very own money. He was thrilled beyond words. It was seriously the cutest thing. He was so excited and so we just had to drive to Rustin's work to show Dad what Tyce bought. We came home and put together some new puzzles we found at the Book Table, we read books and played play dough. Rustin was invited to go to the Jazz game tonight so we decided to make our own little pizzas and have a pizza party without him. They helped me make the dough and put the cheese and pepperoni on their pizza. After we cleaned up dinner we read more books and got ready for bed. It really was the most perfect day. I sure love my little people. They were both just pure delights today. It doesn't always happen like today but I will sure take it. That's why I wrote it down, in case it doesn't happen again ;)

I know these pictures of the kids playing probably look all the same to you, but each one shows a face that is so familiar to me and I love each expression. It always warms my heart to see them so content to imagine and play by themselves. I just sat and watched......I mean sat and watched while I made a swather with hay bales to go in it at Tyce's demand.

Oh these pics got out of order again. We found these big puzzles at the Book Table today and we had so much fun putting them together! A Jonah and the Whale puzzle for Tyce (of course) and a princess one for Jac :)

I whacked my knee on the corner of the table today and I yelled out. Jacey came over ultra concerned and asked me to show her just where I hit my knee, she rubbed it and kissed it over and over and with these little puppy dog eyes said, "dont eber do that again or I will be very mad at you." Oh man, she makes me laugh. I could seriously just eat her up sometimes. She is so much fun.

This is the excavator he bought today. It hasnt left his side and he even had to sleep with it tonight. He is so funny and so much fun to have around. He gets soooooo excited over the smallest things and its pretty addictive. He is such a nice boy. He is so nice to Jacey, I sure love my little buddy.

This might sound weird but I have always felt like I am a much better mom when I'm sick. I have been getting a cold and haven't felt very good and it brings me down a few notches to where I don't have the energy to get upset with the kids or care too much about my 'to do' list. I seem to take time just to sit, read books to the kids, do puzzles, play with play dough and do anything that requires sitting. I refrain from anything that makes me wipe myself off the floor which keeps me right on the kids level and at their disposal. Being sick makes me feel sentimental too. I just watch them be their own little people and my heart swells with love and gratitude for these wonderful little people I get to have. I don't wish to be sick everyday but I hope I can be more like I was today. Slow to anger, quick to sit and listen to them, and grateful to just sit and play with them because they really are wonderful.