Category Archives: my favorite things

The Day the Girls were Blessed

It was a quiet, sweet day.  Our congregation was small and our family far away,  but our hearts were so full. Our babies were blessed, and among other things that Jake mentioned, they were blessed to be a strength to one another in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to help each other make good choices.  That was comforting to me.  Their blessings were so special.  So grateful for the priesthood, the plan of happiness, and this sweet family of mine.

[About these pictures, I love them. I love the family pictures because they aren’t perfect.  They show just how things have been lately– a lot going on. Happy faces, grumpy faces, spit up, and our favorite– all SIX of us together. I also love the pictures of just the twins because we are just starting to see their personalities and these pictures show some of that.  They are the sweetest and we adore them!]

Esther
Thea

Jelly Beans

We sat on the bed picking out jelly beans; Jake handed Hyrum a popcorn one and he popped it into his mouth along with the blue one he was still chewing. “Popcorn one Mom!” he said happily chewing. Jake and I looked at each other and smiled, wondering when he’d notice the funny taste, and sure enough just after, Hyrum grimaced and pulled the yellow jelly bean from his mouth 😂.
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We’ve all missed having Jake around. Randomly Hyrum would say to me, “Daddy’s gone Mom,” and get a little teary.
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How did we get so lucky the last few days to be all together just the four of us before the twins arrive? (False labor had something to do with it, but I’m not complaining!) It has been so nice! Jake has been able to do some work from home here in Utah, but we have also done plenty of just hanging out and enjoying this time, and it has been really sweet. 💛 #mamanotes

Closer to Heaven

Last night when I tucked the kids in bed and reminded Ava to say her prayer, she didn’t say she was too tired but went right into it, thanking Heavenly Father for the beautiful Earth and that it could grow again, asking Him to bless the babies in mommy’s tummy and her daddy’s head to feel better. She went on to thank Him for so many things that day, told Him how she felt about things, and asked Him to help people she loved, even those she hasn’t seen in a while. I wish I could remember it all and how she said it, it was so sincere and real and heartfelt, like most of her prayers are. I think if we all learned to pray like that, we’d feel a lot closer to heaven. I sure did. #mamanotes

You Have Eyes Mommy

I walked into the kids room where Hyrum was laying quietly in his bed, struggling to fall asleep. I was so impressed that he stayed in his bed all this time. I sat at the edge of his feet and looked at the cutest little cheeks and big brown eyes.

“Hi Mom. I wanna snuggle you,” he said with that cute lisp of his.

I laid down next to him, my round belly touching his. He smiled as I snuggled my face up close to his.

“You has eyes mommy?” he said as he placed his finger on my eye.

“Yes I have eyes, and you have eyes too.”

“I have eyes too,” he repeated.

“You has chastick mommy,” he said pointing to my lips.

“Those are my lips, and you have lips too,” I said pointing to his.

“Ya I have wips too.”

He then pointed to my nose and other things in the room and we talked and snuggled for a few minutes.

Then I touched my nose to his and he giggled. He wrapped his little arm around my neck and pulled me in closer.

“I love you so much Hyrum.”

“I wuv you too Mommy.”

He turned his little body in his dragon pjs and shuffled down into his pillow, and I just wished so much that I could fold up this moment and tuck it away for when the years move on and my little boy grows. Surely I’ll wish to return to it, even for a moment.

I often find comfort thinking of the eternities and how everything will be made right and how redeeming and wonderful it all will be. But even with all those promised blessings I don’t think that I could ever get back this time with my little ones. I don’t know how it will all work out, but I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to be. Time raises them from little infants to adults and these years are all we’ve got to teach them and love them and soak up the wonderful fleeting sweetness of it all. It’s a humbling reminder to me to cherishthem, to be present with them, to really really appreciate them. And when I’m given little gems of moments like tonight, I try to capture them in my heart and wrap them up in words the best I know how so that somehow I can return to those big brown eyes and little lisp and never ever forget. #mamanotes

Buddies

Ava and I sat on my bed with our legs stretched out scooping the last of the crumbs from the bag of chips. It was quiet except for our talking and crunching and the few cars going by outside. “I can’t wait until Hyrum wakes up so I can play with him,” she said.
These two have been playing together a lot lately and it’s one of my favorite things. He follows her and copies her and runs around dancing and chasing monsters with her and she couldn’t love it more. And I’m right there with her. I couldn’t love it more. #mamanotes