Lorz Family Update

Feeling inspired........and humbled.

2012-02-09T08:30:00.001-08:00

I don't know why it makes me feel better to hear stories about my parents money struggles. Like how my mom would always take a box of Kleenex with her when they would sit down to pay the bills, because it was a traumatic event. Or how she had to make "wheat balls" instead of meatballs because there was no money for meat, or how she had to teach school leaving her only child everyday, in tears (her tears.) I don't know why these stories make me feel better, but they do. Things worked out for them just fine. She was able to quit her job(making a lot of sacrifices) so she could stay home with her kids. They drove old cars, my mom searched the ads, used coupons, and often drove to a few different stores just to get the best deal on groceries(and still does.) Most of our family vacations included long drives and a tent trailer. I never knew my mom and dad to have many hobbies(until they were older.) I never saw my mom buy herself clothing, she wore a lot of the same clothes and really never much shopped for herself. She woke up at 5:15am three days a week to exercise at a local church with some other ladies, for free. She taught preschool most of my life, and tried to use her own money for many things. My parents never went on fancy get aways and have never even been on a cruise. They stayed out of debt, they saved, they helped us through college, sent us on missions, and they made a lot of sacrifices. Now they are able to have the home of their dreams, and they are able to go on some of those fancy vacations. Yet my dad still works and uses that money....instead of retirement money or savings to do things like finish their basement(still doing most of that work on his own.)

So, I have been feeling a need to journal my own thoughts about money and life in general, because I want my children to read this later on when they are most likely going through some of the same situations. I have felt inspired about the person I want to be and the kind of example I want to set for my children.......and I have a lot of work to do.

If we have the money or if we don't, I still want to continuously be working on simplifying my life. I have to come to terms with the fact that right now in my life I can't or maybe just shouldn't be spending money on unneeded things. Matt and I have a problem with wanting to give our children too much. We love to see them light up when we tell them we are going to take them to Boondocks. We love surprising them now and then with a new toy. We would love to take them to movies, and dress them in awesome clothes. But those things won't make them happy. They still don't know that I don't know what I am doing every time I cut their hair. They don't care what they wear as long as it fits, and most importantly they usually laugh and have more fun playing basketball or wrestling with their dad then they ever do going out to eat or playing arcade games at boondocks. I don't think those activities are bad......and I am sure they won't be totally deprived from them, but they have to be special occasions.

Matt and I have given ourselves a $10 date night budget each week. That will no more consist of paying for a babysitter and sitting down to a nice meal at Red Lobster. It will now consist of putting the kids to bed, one of us running out to pick up our 5 dollar footlongs and watching netflix, playing a game, or just talking. This is not out of the ordinary for most couples......but it will be new for us, and I am excited.

We won't be taking our kids to the movies most Saturday's or even buying the rare" happy meal." We will be hiking and exploring when the weather is nice, and camping out in our living room with games and s'mores over the stove, when it's cold. We are making some changes. I know it won't be easy, but I also don't think it will be too hard.

I have decided to give up my dream of a gym membership(for now) and be happy that I live in a beautiful area where most days I can just run outside. I have decided not to feel bad that the last three years of blog books that I have made cannot be ordered now and I will have to really save, for each one. I have decided that "Pinterest" projects will have to be limited to once a month. I have also decided that it is time for me to jump on the couponing band wagon and stop using the excuse that I can only save on things I don't buy anyway, like hamburger helper and fruitsnacks. This realization came after I was humbled watching the lady in front of me at Walmart tell the cashier the sale price of every item of produce she had in her cart. She had ads in her hands from other stores, she had done her homework, figured out the deals and wanted the sale price for all of her items. Her total was low....a lot lower than mine, and I realized I had an obligation to do things better for my family, no matter how annoying the task.

I don't want my kids to think that I am against spending money or having money, because I am not. I think it is great to want wealth, to have dreams, and to work hard to feel secure. I think money can in some sense bring happiness and joy when it is used properly. I just hope that when they look back on their lives they will remember the feelings they had as we were together as a family and not the money we spent or didn't spend on our activities.

We have a lot to work on and learn as a family. We have some changes to make. Life is about wanting to improve, in recognizing weaknesses and using the Lord to make those weaknesses our strengths. I believe that. And someday if my daughter calls me in tears, worried about how she is going to pay her bills, I will be able to comfort her and sympathize with her. And most importantly I hope she will be able to use me as an example of how to get through it, but like I said.......I have a lOT of work to do.

I think I am becoming a juicer.

2012-02-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

I laughed when I found this picture. It was taken without my knowledge by Nathan, obviously...... since Daniel is in the picture with me. It makes me laugh because this is a great depiction of my life right now.

Matthew got me a juicer for Christmas. I was totally surprised. I never told him I wanted one but I have always been curious. Recently my brother-in-law has lost a ton of weight and gained a ton of energy....just juicing. I will never be a fanatic about anything and I believe moderation in all things, but I wanted to give this juice thing a try. Especially because for about two months I have been fighting a sinus infection, which I seem to get EVERY year. I really did not want to go on any medication so I decided I would make myself some healthy juice every morning and take my probiotics(aka magic pill.) I really think it is working. I actually crave these drinks and I do feel like I have more energy.

Now, I am well aware that something like a vitamix would allow me to also get fiber in my green drink. However I have had a green drink using a vitamix and I do not enjoy drinking the fiber-y foam. I do think the vitamix is great for other purposes though and would LOVE to have one of those as well(but the are EXPENSIVE.) I have taken the pulp from juicing Kale and used it in smoothies that we all enjoy....even little Marie! I have also used carrot pulp to make muffins and bread, so it is not a complete waste. Although I have wondered about the spike in your blood sugar that juice can cause. Also it is not cheap to buy so much produce. I realize it is maybe better to just eat the produce, but there is just no way I am going to eat enough produce to get the same amount of nutrients from juicing.....at least that is what I am thinking. I guess I am just curious if anyone knows more about this subject than me.......if so, teach me!

So how do you handle it?

2012-02-01T20:38:00.000-08:00

The kids are starving, your husband will soon be home from work....starving, the baby is fussy. Daniel plays the ticket man and Nathan has fun pushing Marie around the room and giving his "ticket" to Daniel so he can get through the "gate," Marie enjoys the ride, and I get to finish dinner.

We had to make a decision......

2012-02-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

It's not often we get to spend time with Matt on a Saturday. He has to work a lot. Since he was going to be around he wanted to do something fun as a family. We talked about Boondocks, Chuck E. Cheese, or a movie. We settled on playing some board games and making Root Beer floats...............and it was perfect!

the Zoo?.......in January?

2012-02-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

When my friend told me the Zoo was free on Wednesday, I thought "isn't the Zoo always free in the middle of winter?" Guess not. We decided to bundle up and enjoy the animals. The sun was shining, we were not at all cold. We saw a lot of animals, especially loving the gorillas and monkeys eating so close to the windows. Marie never made a peep and the boys never wanted to leave. When we got home I realized something. I was not EXHAUSTED like I usually am after a trip to the Zoo. I guess I am use to going to the Zoo in Florida in the middle of the heat and coming home hot and drained.

I really think going in the winter on a sunny day is the perfect weather for a Zoo trip.

First Foods

2012-02-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

I have had so much fun feeding this little girl. We blend up all kinds of healthy concoctions. Some she loves and some she spits right back out. She is not as big as an eater as her brothers are or were. She has always taken around 6 to 7 minutes to nurse.....sometimes less. These are not snack nurses either they are full meals eating every 3 to 4 hours. It worried me at first but I have had to get use to the fact that she is just small( 25 percentile in weight.) That is ok. She is healthy and happy and she might just save us some money on our grocery bill, since our boys for sure will NOT be!

The Leaf Blower

2012-02-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Apparently I let Daniel watch too much T.V. on the new baby, little sleep days. He became fascinated by infomercials, one in particular. It was an infomercial about a leaf blower, it became his OBSESSION. He was always telling me about it and how neat it was. He told me that you just flip a switch and the blower becomes a mulcher. and "mom the mulcher makes stuff that help your plants grow."

When my dad called from the store to let me know he had found a fisher price leaf blower I just knew it would not work unless it could blow and mulch. I spent a lot of time trying to talk to Daniel about the dangers of a real leaf blower. Saying maybe it would be something he would like better when he is older. Well Santa wanted the Christmas magic to stay alive for this little boy. Christmas morning the last present he opened was his leaf blower. It was a mix reaction of shock and actually a little worry. I think my drilling into his brain about the dangers of a leaf blower actually had sunk in. However, when Matt told Daniel he would show him how to use it, he became excited and he has been outside blowing leaves everyday since. Good thing we had so much nice weather around Christmas.

a dance to remember.

2012-01-31T20:51:00.000-08:00

When my parents opened their gift form us kids on Christmas Eve there were some tears, but then came the dancing. My parents met at Utah State, right on Old Main Hill. My mom dropped her books and my dad picked them up......love at first sight. We gave them a painting of Old Main Hill. In front of Old Main there is a tree and on the tree is the carved initials F.N. + K.G. encircled in a heart. It was sweet and what we didn't know is that my parents "song" is called "meet me in front of the sweetheart tree." So of course my dad turned on their song and they danced and soon we all joined in.

It was a special night, made even more special because we had little Marie to share it with....her first Christmas. We had a talent show with singing, comedy, guitar playing, piano playing and our own little Daniel singing "Rudolph." He did a great job. Nathan wouldn't sing cause he would only do it with Daniel, but of course Daniel wanted to do it by himself.

We also had our annual Nativity where Marie played the baby Jesus...,and of course was amazing at her part! We ate good food, we laughed, opened presents and had a great party!

Santa Made it!!!

2012-01-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

I am so sad I didn't get any pictures of Christmas morning...only video. It was so fun to see the excitement in the boys as they came down the stairs to all of their presents. Marie got a few new little things from Santa but mostly I just gave her some of my old toys, a cabbage patch doll, a talking Winny the pooh, and a cute stuffed bunny. She is so cute when you give her a doll or stuffed animal she grabs it and holds it tight while hugging it and kicking her legs. She is still smiling every time Winnie the Pooh wiggles it's nose and says "ooooh honey." Daniel got the leaf blower that he was NOT at all expecting. He was excited but a little nervous since I had tried to talk him out of wanting it, telling him how dangerous it was......but of course Santa had to keep the magic alive for that little one. Overall it was a great Christmas and a new experience just spending it together with our own little family.

The Story of the Christmas Tree

2012-01-31T20:05:00.000-08:00

When Matt and I were first married we had a tiny basement apartment and no room for a tree. We went to a cute little Christmas tree lot in Logan and we bought a real tree that was REAL little. It was five dollars. We decorated it and loved it.

Every year since we have been away from home for the holidays so this is the first year that we were able to really buy our own real tree. It was so exciting for our family......I think especially Matt and I. We wanted a tall beautiful tree and we found it. We got it home set it up and it started to drink and drink and drink. We had to water it sometimes three times a day.

Of course with Matt's busy schedule I was left to decorate it by myself. To make a long frustrating story short......I had to go back to the store four times for lights and one day three different stores. I blew a fuse in the lights twice and had to hook up an extension cord halfway through the light stringing. I was so annoyed and frustrated with putting lights up. I told Matt I am happy to decorate the tree but never again will I put lights on a tree.

We loved our tree this year. We cut off part of the trunk so we could turn it into a Christmas ornament and keep a part of it forever. It would have been easier to buy a fake already lit tree and of course cheaper in the long run, but I have a feeling we will always be buying a real tree for Christmas from now on. It may have something to do with the excitemnt of actually getting to be in our own house with our own little family to enjoy Christmas and our new tradition of picking out our tree. Something we have never really had with our own little family.

Santa Visit

2012-01-31T19:13:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Christmas with Grandma Lorz before she left to spend Christmas with family in Ohio. We were so lucky to also have a visit from Santa Claus while she was here. I will never forget little Nathan and Daniel's faces as they opened the door and saw Santa Claus standing at our door. They were shocked and speechless. They sat on his lap they told him they wanted roller blades. They were a Little shy, but more just amazed.

Santa made sure that EVERYONE had a turn on his lap, including Matt and I(which really made me feel sorry for him.) Matt told Santa that Grandma had been really Naughty this year.....he of course didn't believe it and kept hugging her telling her how sweet she was. It was a fun night and will be a great memory. It brought some Christmas magic into our home. We had so much fun celebrating with Grandma and we will never forget our visit from Santa.

My Marie

2012-01-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Marie you are now seven months old. I think you are about five months in this photo. You are learning and changing everyday, way too fast. I am excited for you to grow and learn(and to wear some of those outfits you still can't fit into.) But for the most part I am having a hard time with you getting so big. You have been such a fun baby. Always smiling and bouncing your little chubby legs. You love to watch your brothers and we can usually get a lot of smiles from you when we play peek a boo or daddy pretends to hit himself in the head. I will never forget how hard you laughed in the car watching Nathan hit himself in the head. You bring so much joy into this family. Lately you have been sticking your little tongue out ALL THE TIME!! You just love your tongue and you love to talk with it sticking out. In church you are getting pretty loud. You sit on my lap and hum the same noise at very high levels. It is a content sound but it is a loud sound. Yesterday I put your binky in your mouth and you just took it out and kept doing it. You are starting to LOVE your "best friend"(little blanket with the bunny head on it.) You get so excited when I hand it too you at nap time. You are also loving your bath. You have always enjoyed baths but I think you could just sit in it and kick those legs and play with your cup, all day long. I have really enjoyed nursing you lately and I love how softly you play with my hair while you are eating. Today when I was nursing you, you kept stopping and smiling and making your funny little fake laugh that almost sounds like a cough. I love to squeeze your chubby legs and I love to kiss your soft cheeks. You love touching people's faces right now and you don't take too long to warm up to those around you. You are so easy going and so pleasant to be around and I don't think I have ever met anything cuter than you. You make Daddy's whole day when you smile at him as soon as you see him walk through the door. Sometimes he hasn't even looked at you yet, and you are already looking at him smiling. It just brightens him up after a long day at work. Your brothers never seem jelous of the attention we all shower you with, they love to play with you just as much as we do. Although I am in NO hurry for you to grow up, I am excited to play dolls, dress ups, and house with you. I think we will have fun playing together. You are such a little angel and I love you even more everyday.

Photo shoot 2011

2012-01-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

I love having pictures and HATE getting them done. I hate scheduling them. Worrying about weather, clothing, naps, getting ready, and having the time. It is on the top of my list of STRESS FULL activities. We never pay to have them done and usually put all the pressure on someone else (this year my brother Ryan.) I asked him to do it on Thanksgiving since I new Matt would not be working and we would all be there together. Of course we showed up late, everyone was starving and ready to eat and then we said "can you all hold on a minute while we go have a photography session." We wanted are pictures taken before way ate a HUGE Thanksgiving dinner.....so we would feel a little more comfortable in our clothes! No one complained but I am sure they were not happy.

Marie was obviously not happy, which is pretty rare for her. She was sooo tired. It was a little windy and I gave Ryan like 10 minutes to do it all. I wish we would have had more time to do more shots, but I think he did a great job considering the circumstances. I am not picky about pictures anyway, I like the more real candid shots, not so photoshoppy anyway. Thanks Ryan for pulling through. Next year we will show up a little earlier.......if you are still willing?

100 Years Young!!

2012-01-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

Grandma Rounds turned 100 years old in November. What a celebration we had. I have only known Grandma Rounds since she has been in her 90's(about 10 years.) I remember when Matt and I first started dating. I would go home to Sandy a lot on the weekends when attending school at USU. Lucky for us Matthew was really close to his aunt and uncle who lived near my parents. So when I would go home he would come too, since he had a place to stay. I remember Grandma Rounds being there. She stayed there during the winters. She would grab all his laundry and start getting it done. She is a WORKER. She loves to be busy and she is always trying to serve others. You can NOT eat a meal with her without her asking at least 5 times if you need anything else. As soon as the meal is over she is the first one up ready to do the dishes and clean the kitchen. She is always helping. I have always known her to have good health and a lot of energy. It wasn't until this last year that she had to go on oxygen and has had a few health issues. Often times she would scare me with how much she wanted to help. Recently when moving from Matt's moms house into our own place Grandma Rounds just HAD to be a part of the process. We tried to talk her out of it, but she is a little stubborn. She would go downstairs and lift boxes of canned food. Then carry it up the stairs and outside to the car. I thought I would have a heart attack that day. I don't think she even realizes she is 100 years old.

What I love most about Grandma Rounds is the love she has had for my children. I remember when the twins were born and she came to the hospital. She was just full of excitement. Every time we would see her after that she would always ask to hold the babies and help us. Recently with the birth of Marie I have seen so much joy in her when she is around that little girl. You would think Marie was her favorite in the whole world. She told Matt's mom a few nights ago that she woke in the middle of the night and all she could see was Marie's little face. She just loves her and can't stop talking about how sweet she is. She is always wanting to hold her. Grandma is always happiest when she is around babies and children. I will never forget her telling me that she would be happy to watch Marie for me if I needed to go anywhere. She is amazing.

Grandma was so happy at her party. She loves to be around people and visiting others seems to be her favorite thing to do. I will always remember the night before her party. She was arguing with Matthew about who should sit down in the only available chair. Obviously Matt was not going to leave his 100 year old grandma standing but she was not about to sit down. In the middle of her telling Matt to sit down he said "Grandma if you sit down you can hold the baby." She stopped mid sentence and said "OOHHH OK!" It was so cute. She just loves to hold baby Marie.

We are all so lucky to have Grandma Rounds in our lives. She will always be a great example of charity and hard work. She has gone through many trials in her life, but she just keeps moving forward. She is a loving, kind, and generous person(always sticking dollar bills in my hand.) I feel so blessed that she has been around for the birth of all of my children.

The first picture in this post is of Grandma Rounds at our wedding. She just looks beautiful and I am so thankful she was there.

We love you Grandma Lorz!! Happy 100th Birthday!!!

Friends.

2011-12-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

I think I have the cutest friends in the world. No, I do. So blessed to have friends that have been there through it all. I can leave on a mission come back, still the same. Go to Florida for three years, come back...still the same. Pretty postive that we will still be best of friends for the rest of our lives. It all started from our elementarty days, some friendships started from preschool, and some even before that. WOW!! Not a lot of people can keep friends that long. We can and we always will. Can't wait for our Christmas parties when we roll up in our vans equipped for our wheelchairs and walkers. K..... I can wait for that, but you know what I mean.

Let's not forget those special friends not pictured. Alayna, Heather, and Staci. You were dearly missed. The great thing about us though, is it doesn't matter, we will always catch up with each other again at some point. Were good like that.

Nothing but the REAL thing.

2011-12-11T20:12:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving at my parents house is celebrated by everyone every other year. This year was especially fun with their basement finished and the fun little "Noel Nook" for the kids to play and have their tea parties.

We always celebrate the November birthdays which include me and my sister Natalie, as well as my brother Ed. We all have a fantastic cake as well as all the traditional Thanksgiving pies.

Matt had fun playing video games with my nephews and pool with my dad. I had fun chatting with my sisters.

Marie had her first taste of REAL whipped cream. It's always the real thing in this household, and soooo good. I think she will take after her mother and have a true love for whipping cream.

Overall it was a great holiday. Everything a Thanksgiving should be. How thankful I am this year for so many things. The simple pleasures of life that come from having a new baby around the house and two sweet boys who say things like "thank you mom for making me homemade bread, your the best mom in the whole world." Hugs and kisses, and lots of " I love you's." These are the blessings that make all the other worries of the world seem really insignificant.

Saying Goodbye.

2011-12-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

Fall is most definitely the hardest season to let go. It's pretty much come to an end. We are excited for the cozy days of winter, but those days get too long really fast. So we are saying our final goodbyes to our favorite season of all. And Marie.....well she is Not at ALL sad about me stuffing her into a pumpkin, she's just trying to cope with the changing seasons as well.

Someday......

2011-11-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

She will appreciate you trying to sing to her, and read her stories, or the jokes you tell, and the games you try to play with her. She is already fascinated by you both and she is still trying to get to know you, just like we are trying to get to know her. I'm glad you never give up, and I'm glad you already think that you are her FAVORITE person in the whole world. She may prefer to be held by me right now, but the reality is......one day she may just prefer to be held and consoled and protected by her brothers instead.

nothing cuter.

2011-11-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

just want to kiss those cheeks......so I do......ALL THE TIME!!!

lets be honest.

2011-11-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

It's time consumig, messy, and not always fun. Making, and playing, and crafting, I have to admit are not always my favorite things to do. The kids love it......so I press on, knowing that one day they will not ask me to make them a masking tape city for their cars, or colorful bubble art, or play dough, or slime, or whatever else they have going on in their little heads.

By the way they played with the tape city for about 10 minutes and it took me an hour to make....note to self.....next time do it on something I can just roll up when they are finished and save for later. We had tape on the floor for weeks. Everytime I went to pull it off, there were tears, but still no playing. So it became a part of our living room for a long time. Most parents would not be bothered by it.......that is something I am working on:)

We can't get enough.

2011-11-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

Probably the best feeling in the world to watch siblings become best friends. Many times I want to protect Marie from the rambunctiousness that my boys can be. Or the little teasing from Nathan when he says "MARIE" and then hides real quick and laughs, while she is still looking around trying to figure out where he is. After awhile she finally gets frustrated and lets out a little scream. He talks to her so close in her face that I'm sure she is going to have claustrophobic issues the rest of her life. They run around her singing and screaming and she looks a little scared most times. She is always staring at them in absolute amazement. I have wanted to protect her at times and I have HAD to protect her at times, but most times I just have to let it be. These are her brothers as crazy as they are she has to get use to it. And she is.....and they love it, and I think she is starting to as well.

is there anything better?

2011-11-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

Best part of my day. When I go in to get my baby after her naps, and I know that I am exactly who she was waiting for. These bright eyes maks my heart melt.

turning 31....but still in my 20's

2011-11-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

I am not officially in my 30's until I turn 32, it's just my rule.

I was spoiled by my husband this year. Maybe it's because it's the first year since we have been married that he has had a real job. Or maybe it's because last year when I turned 30 I was so sick in bed pregnant that I didn't want to do ANYTHING. I remember finally agreeing to a movie and a cold slushy drink from Sonic (but NOT dinner) we went and I ordered my cold drink actually going inside Sonic(who does that) to put in my special requests for my drink. It had to be made a very particular way, I'm sure they were annoyed and I even explained to them that I was pregnant so they might understand. We then went to the movie....or tried too. On the way I told Matt to hurry and head for home. When I arrived I spent some good quality time in the bathroom throwing up, while he went to Redbox to get a movie. I then spent the evening of my birthday in bed just as I had spent the day earlier and the weeks before. It was a miserable birthday. Matt sure knew how to make up for it.

I got to go to the Roof. Not just in love with this place because of the food, but because of the atmosphere. A temple view with quiet piano music playing. You don't realize how noisy restaurants are until you go to the Roof. When they seated us there were beautiful roses waiting at my seat. It was wonderful....just to be with him. He also made sure all my cowgirl stuff dreams came true. For sure nothing I needed but things I have been dreaming of for a long time....like my looooong awaited cowgirl boots. I feel so blessed, and still a little guilty. Heaven knows that money spent on me could have been used on many other practical and useful purposes. But I am thankful and feel very loved.

I have learned a lot in 31 years, but mostly just realized I have A LOT to learn. I thought I would share 31 random things about me or that I have learned so I can look back and laugh at myself years from now.

31- I am a huge Taylor Swift fan. I don't think I would start crying if I met her like a silly 12 year old.......but you never know. You also might just find me actually spending time cracking the secret codes from her album cover lyrics(this is sadly true) I also internally believe I was her first real fan and that my mentioning to Matt that she was going to be HUGE after hearing her first song....is really why she is so big:) Your welcome Taylor!!

30- I love to bake bread and try not to buy it anymore......and it makes the house smell sooooo good.

29- I am so lucky to be able to say that I have the best mom and mother-in-law EVER!!

28-I have to work really hard to be good with kids. I have never been great with them...... ever. However, I am ALL about babies and toddlers.....and always have been.

27- I have learned what simplicity means and think I will always strive to have more of it in my life.

26- I am not as layed back about things as I always thought I was.....I tend to worry and over think a lot.

25- I never really yelled at my children.....until two little boys turned four. I am really working on my patience.

24- I am horrible at math. I almost didn't graduate from college because of a statistics class and I never would have passed my math classes without the patience and help of my brother Ryan and my husband.

23- I rarely ever let my kids listen to their music while driving. From the time they were born I decided that having them strapped into their carseats was the little ME time I had. so I listen to whatever I want and I enjoy it, and I don't feel guilty about it. And now they know some country songs better than they know their ABC's and I am starting to rethink my philosophy:(

22- The older I get the more thankful I am for life long friends.

21- My favorite part of the day is in the morning when Marie wakes up and I bring her into bed with me and feed her, and then we both fall back asleep together and cuddle for a little while.

20- Sometimes I feel sad thinking about what my boys may have missed out on as babies because they were twins. Never thought anything of it before until having just one baby at a time.

19-Never knew how much I loved chocolate until I decided to go without sugar for 28 days.

18- when I am stressed I picture myself riding a horse on a mountain....it's always beautiful fall, and the air is crisp. It works every time.

17- I have a phobia of large statues...mostly people statues. I have been known to cry in certain statue situations. Large heads and faces are the worst.

16- I love to exercise at a Gym or in a class. But not really on my own at home....then I kind of dread it.

15- I want to be better at keeping in touch with others. I really stink at it. Which is weird since people and relationships mean the most to me.

14- I have always loved to decorate. I have found it a fun challenge trying to make all of our married life rentals feel like home.

13- I have wanted to be a marriage and family therapist since the 7th grade.

12- I LOVE going out to eat. I think Matt and I would be seriously so rich if we had all the money we have spent on going out. However we really only do it once a week.

11- I really try hard not to judge others. I really believe everyone is facing their own battles and I often remind myself of that at times when I am frustrated with someone else.

10- I often wonder if it is possible for anyone to love their children as much as I love mine.

9- I don't watch the news anymore. I can't handle sad stories, especially if they have to do with children. It tends to effect me for a really long time. So I just stay uninformed and happy:)

8- I think I am married to the funniest person in the world and sometimes wish people knew matt the way I do, but I respect the fact that he is kind of a shy reserved person around others.

7- I try to live a healthy lifestyle and sometimes I think it's because I really want to be healthy when we retire.....I think about retirement way tooo much.

6- Having a little girl has been a lot more fun then I ever dreamed it would be.

5- I honestly believe Matt has a special gift and talent when it comes to his interactions with babies.

4- I could nap for hours during the day and still go to bed just fine at night. Although I am really lucky these days to get any nap at all.

3- I believe that If I could wake up at 5:00am everyday I would be happier in so many ways. It would solve many stresses that I have during the day as well. It is a true goal of mine. One day I will be a morning person, I promise.

2- I believe in Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz. They have taught me a lot.

1- I will never take having a job for granted EVER. I find myself thanking heavenly Father many times during the day for the opportunity to be able to provide for our family. I know just how fast things could change and how difficult it is for so many people right now.

And one more for my 30th year that I have now past. And one for the year to come.

2- I love my mini van.....extremely love. Matt laughs at me because it is a 2003 and has NO bells and whistles at all!! And yet for me it is a dream come true, and I do not want anything else.

1- I am not talented in very many areas. There is nothing about me that would stand out above somebody else. I don't have a great sense of taste, or style, or amazing cooking, crafting, gardening, speaking, or writing skills. I am however a wife and a mother. For this I am so thankful, and if it is the only area in my life in which I improve, I am ok with that. It is for me the most important thing I will ever do. It is not just something that takes up all my time, but I believe it is the one thing I was given time for.

Disney on ice

2011-11-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

FAVORITES:

The boys- giant crocodile eating hook, and incredibles light up spinning toy.
mine- Scar from lion king
Grandma Lorz- magic flying carpet from Aladdin
Marie's- playing with grandma and the flying lanterns from Tangled
Matt's- hook, and checking his phone for the latest football scores:)

Thanks Grandma Lorz for a Magical day!!

typical

2011-11-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Every day Daniel wakes up with some creation in his mind that he is ready(even before breakfast) to tackle. It usually requires me and a lot of STUFF to accomplish his goals. Tree houses, wings, space ships, caves, culinary concoctions, backpacks, etc etc etc. This particular day a spider web. I thought well we can glue Popsicle sticks together and then paint them. It would at least keep them busy and they could pretend to be making a spider web. Once it's all finished I ask "was that fun." Daniel's reply " I wanted to make a spider web I could CLIMB on." It really is NEVER enough for that kid. No matter what we do we cannot compete or keep up with his imagination!

My lack of blogging skills

2011-11-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

As you can see from this post and many of my past posts that the combination of three kids and blogging doesn't mix well. I just don't find the excitement in it like I use too. However, I still need my yearly blog book to journal our year.....so I must press on, hoping it will get a little easier in the future. What an exciting year. So many parties with friends and family, perfect weather, two super EXCITED little munchkins, and one cute little pumpkin......who we turned into a ghost this year!

Our friend had a costume birthday party for her little girl which started off the exciting month. As you can see the boys started out as a pirate and spiderman. Thrift store costumes that only cost about five dollars total. They LOVED them. Then the night before my parents big Monster Mash party I saw my cute nephew on facebook with his Spiderman costume......lets just say it was WAY cooler than our thrift store find, and I new when my little Nathan saw his cousin the next day he would come to realize really quick how cheep his parents are. So we went out the next morning and bought him a new costume, which meant Daniel wanted a new costume. So it wasn't the cheep Halloween I thought it would be. But we had two cute superheros.

We also were able to ride the Heber Creeper to a pumpkin patch were we all got to pick our own pumpkin, decorate it, and then have hot chocolate and cookies on the way back.

My parents Monster Mash did NOT disappoint, with the brand new finished basement my mom had the dance floor she had always dreamed of. And our family broke out all the moves. I even got to see my dad do the moon walk.....and he was REALLY good.

Then on Halloween Matt's work had a huge Halloween party, or should I say Christmas party? That's what it seemed like to me. The kids got to go trick or treating from office to office. Then they got a big surprise bag and got to pick out a movie. Then we went to the break room where each child had his or her name on a toy, which they handed out to all the kids. We had yummy pizza and so much excitement. They also gave Matt a kindle which I have claimed as mine.......but he doesn't seem to mind.

That night we went trick or treating in cute little farmington. It was perfect weather and the perfect area to celebrate one of our favorite holidays.

We won't forget when we were about done trick or treating and we told the boys they could only go to one more house....Nathan said "ONE MORE HOUSE.......YAY!!!!!!!!!!!" it was like the most exciting thing ever. I told Matt that every year will be less and less exciting for these little boys so we need to enjoy this excitement all we can. I think little Marie enjoyed her candy as well:)

Wheeler farm

2011-10-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

I love Wheeler Farm. Not just because it's fun place for my kids to run and play, but because it brings back some great memories of my friends and I and our Country dancing days. I tried to explain my Wheeler farm memories to my boys.....they didn't much care, but they loved the new playground and of course the old tree house that I have a picture of myself in when I was their age.

We are just trying to get in as much as we can before the summer is officially over!

Space ships

2011-10-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

It's pretty amazing what some boxes, stickers, and tissue paper can do to make four year old's happy and busy. WHat did they make....space ships of course!! What! you couldn't tell?

Did I mention......

2011-10-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

how much I LOVE Farmington. Probably a little piece of Heaven on earth. This small little town is amazing. It's a small quaint little town nestled up against the beautiful mountain. Minutes from the local schools, library, fun little boutiques, and across the highway from a new huge shopping center and movie theatre. We are also so close to the freeway that we are able to get to Layton, centerville, Bountiful,Ogden, and Salt lake in no time at all. Farmington is known for it's trails and we have some awesome ones right behind our home. A trail that leads to a huge fishing pond where people can fish, feed the ducks, bbq, or even swim. We also live right behind the Lagoon trails. Where we see horses, cows, huge elk and Buffalo(obviously fenced in.) We have had a lot of fun here and we love our daily walks on the shaded trails, we don't even mind the fact that we can hear all the screams coming from Lagoon, it's just a reminder that we have a huge park in our back yard...... too bad we can't afford to go to that park:)

A few weeks ago my cute friend Lindsey came up to spend the day with her adorable kiddos. We had fun playing together, and we had a LOT of adventures on our walk. It was a great day.

picky about preschool

2011-10-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

Finding the right preschool was difficult for me, and probably not for the reasons you would expect. You see I spent A LOT of time this last year substitute teaching for my sister in laws Kindergarten class. I was shocked how much these little kids are expected to learn in such a short time. The full day of Kindergarten is full of curriculum, curriculum, curriculum. Not much time for imagination, or dramatic play. It's all about testing....all kinds of testing to find out where your kid falls in every category imaginable. My sister in law is the best teacher EVER. Putting everything into her class and making it as fun as possible, but she agrees.....kids really can't just be kids for very long. It makes me a little sad.

I am all for learning your abc's and your numbers, but when did we start having to teach our kids to read before they could even walk? I want my kids to stay kids as long as possible. I want them to play and enjoy life, I want them to stay busy but not over scheduled with all kinds of lessons, and music, and sports. Really I am not too worried about my kids learning the things they need to know, I am more worried about them having to grow up to fast.

So I did find the perfect teacher. She is educated and so much fun. The kids take buckets to school instead of back packs because their art projects are usually to big for a back pack anyway. They come home from school not with buckets full of paper work but pieces of cut paper glued on more pieces of cut paper.....looks like scraps to throw away but really it is a fine motor skills masterpiece. They come home with a desire to learn more, and to practice letters and numbers on their own. They are amazing me everyday with what they are learning, and most importantly they are still able to be four, not worried about anything but just being their age.

Two awesome brothers.

2011-10-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

Obviously two four year old boys have much more important things to do than stare at a newborn baby all day, however It has been so fun watching these boys fall in love with little Marie. From the day we brought her home from the hospital Nathan has been reading her books, showing her his toys, and just talking to her like he has known her forever. Daniel says he loves her ALL the time but he doesn't pay much attention to her. I have to admit I was a little bit worried how they would react after four years of them being the CENTER of the family, but not once have they complained or given me a hard time when I can't do something for them because I am "feeding the baby" which at the beginning was what I was always doing.

I am so proud of these big brothers. They love this little girl and I have a feeling that love is going to continue to grow. She is one lucky little girl to have such great big brothers.

Labor day

2011-10-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

Out enjoying the nice weather and the beautiful scenery of Pine View Reservoir before the summer is officially over....sigh. I will miss layed back days of summer but I have to admit Fall is my favorite season and I am getting really excited.

Sometimes we miss Florida......

2011-10-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

However, we are quickly reminded how grateful we are to be in Utah when we get to invite Grandma Rounds and Grandma Lorz over for Sunday dinner, or when we get to visit Grandma Noel anytime we want to at the Church office building(where she volunteers.) Or when we get unexpected visits from Grandma who just so happens to show up with full on Pirate costumes....just for fun.

Sorry Florida your wonderful weather, fun beach, beautiful scenery, awesome Zoo, and great southern friends, still don't compare to Grandma.

Dear Marie

2011-10-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about how fast time goes by with a little baby. There is a lot about the twins that I wish I would have documented, but I am not going to lie....those first few months were pretty rough for me. In fact it isn't until having you that I actually REALLY understand why people have children....sad I know.

One thing I do know is just like with the twins babies don't stay babies for very long. The days can sometimes feel endless and yet the months fly by, and all too soon little chubby cheeked, slobbery mouth, toothless kisses turn into little mouths that can now talk back and have to (like Daniel) negotiate EVERYTHING.

So here I am thinking that I need to remember EVERY little thing that makes you who you are. These are the things that make me fall in love with you every single day...over and over again.

I love how you rarely ever cry....and never very hard or loud, except when we sneeze, and then it's hard to calm you down.

I am in love with your hands. You have never been the baby with the normal tight fists. Your fingers(even in ultra sounds) have been spread out, so dainty and lady like.

I love your little grunts.

You have the cutest sleeping position. Head arched all the way back and to the side with your hands together and arms up over your face.

I love how curly your hair is when it is wet, and the little fluff that sticks straight up on the top of your head and tickles my neck when I hold you.

I love how you smile at others and then immediately look away like you are shy.

your beautiful long eyelashes.

How you cannot get enough of your hands. Fingers, fists, all of them all of the time in your little mouth.

You have beautiful eyes and loooong feet.

You love playing patty cake with daddy, even from the tiniest age you have loved it, especially when he does it SUPER fast.

I love your voice and when you use it over and over again smiling every time I acknowledge you talking to me.

I love the little rolls on your legs.

It is a dream come true that you have never not once kept me up in the middle of the night after a feeding.

I am thankful for the issues we have had with nursing. It has not come that easy for either of us. We have had to learn to be patient with each other and we have stuck it out even when I think we both wanted to give up.

you are so smiley in the morning and you are starting to get ticklish.

You let me play dress up with you and you are very patient as we try on all kinds of clothes, hairstyles, and even toe nail polish..... through it all you even seem somewhat amused when I show you how cute you look in the mirror.

You do the cutest thing every time we hand you your pacifier while your laying in your bed. You quickly grab mine or daddy's hand REALLY tight, like you just want to hold on to us forever.....and we feel the same way.

You are only three months old, but I don't know how I ever lived without you. Daddy already talks about how spoiled you will be because he just knows he will not be able to put you in time out and he will want to buy you everything you want. We love you Marie, you are darling, sweet, and a beautiful daughter of God. I feel a great responsibility being your mother, but I am so thankful for the opportunity. I love you.

PURE JOY

2011-08-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

There have been some real miracles that have taken place in our lives in the last 6 months. I have debated giving details and finally come to the conclusion that even though I am a very open person, some things really are too personal and too sacred to share with the whole world, however there are a few thing I do want to share.

I know that prayers are answered. Not always when or how I want them to be , but they are answered in the right way and time. I know Heavenly Father has been guiding our family and will always guide our family as we listen to him and obey his promptings. I truly know that temple attendance has blessed our lives. I will never forget the blessings that have come through going to the temple as a couple and individually. Most importantly I know that Heavenly Father knows me and my little family. He knows us so well that he can bless us in ways I never thought possible, influencing every detail of our lives. I have gained more faith and know that we will never be alone as we face trials in our lives.

As for the family update. We now live in Farmington. Matthew works for a law firm in down town Salt Lake and I stay home with my three cute kiddos and drive around my looooong awaited minivan(yes, I really have wanted a minivan.) The biggest news being the brand new addition to our family, little Marie Noel.

I have posted pictures of the birth and first few weeks of Marie's life, and here is a recent picture of her at six weeks. I can't begin to explain the joy she has brought into our lives. It's fun having just one at a time. I would not trade having twins for ANYTHING, but one baby at a time is really nice!! She is so sweet and has already smiled more in her life then she has EVER cried. She has brought a peace and a joy into our home and lives that I cannot explain. When I look at her I think "angel baby." She is such a little angel to me. My pregnancy with her as well as her birth as brought so many little miracles I just believe she was watching out for us before she was born into our family.

Right after Marie was born I was brought back to my room to recover from my c-section. I laid in bed and cried and cried. Nurse after nurse kept offering me more pain medicine as well as anything else they could give me so I would feel better. They didn't believe me as time after time I told them I was crying because I'm just SO happy. I didn't notice the pain or the exhaustion as much as I felt pure joy.

I am happy. We are blessed. Life has not been easy these last few years, most likely it will never be easy. These little moments make it all worth it.

so blessed

2011-08-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

a sunday afternoon

2011-08-29T19:03:00.001-07:00

A perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

first fourth

2011-08-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't have to buy much for this little girl. We were given a lot. I did buy her an outfit for my favorite holiday. We celebrated like crazy. Diamond Rio concert and fireworks in Logan, small town parades, and festivities in Huntsville with family at the cabin.

first weeks

2011-08-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

It's been amazing getting acquainted with this little girl. We have all enjoyed having her join our family. Don't know what we ever did without her.

A beautiful birthday.

2011-08-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect birthday for our little Marie Noel. I was more than ready for this pregnancy to end. It was a rough one. I was so sick. With the twins I was sick but mostly I just couldn't breath. With this baby I was just SICK, and uncomfortable. I loved the birth of this baby, I couldn't stop crying after she was born because I was so happy......and I guess little girls make me more emotional. Matt says I cry more than the baby. It is true. She is such a great baby. So easy. Some people say it's because I just have one this time. I think it's true, but I still think she is the best baby. Matt is loving having a little girl as well. He had flowers delivered to the hospital for me and a bouquet sent for her. She is already spoiled:) I feel so blessed to have this little girl, I feel a huge responsibility to teach her about how special she is. She is such a blessing to me. I love her more than I thought possible.

Getting ready

2011-08-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

When Matt was able to come home for weekends, he would spend his time off helping me get ready for the baby. The boys loved helping him. Or at least one boy did. Daniel is fascinated with tools, work, building, and making. He was a big help to his daddy. Nathan on the other hand is fascinated by the ipad. He was not much help. While we worked.....he played.

A trip to the dentist.

2011-08-29T17:46:00.001-07:00

It was their first trip to the dentist. They were a little nervous. They did great. There were no cavities. It was a success.

It will all soon change.

2011-08-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I had a little tinge of sadness thinking about how the dynamics of our little family would change after this baby was born. We had spent four years just us four. It seemed so perfect to me and we were all settled with life the way it was. I knew adding one more to the mix was going to change everything. I also knew that it would be a change for the better, but it would still be a change and change can be a little scary. I felt like I needed to soak up every minute with my boys that I could, because soon my attention would not be all on them.

So day after day we made more little memories together. Enjoying every minute and anticipating the arrival of our precious little girl.

making the most of it.

2011-08-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

During the first months of Matthew's job we were not living together. Him in Ogden and me still in Logan. He worked crazy hours and needless to say we were not able to spend much time together. Of course I still needed a date night every week, so if Matt couldn't be there then my date was with the boys.

This night was a fun 3D movie called Rio and a high calorie delicious meal at A&W. These two make great dates.

Easter

2011-08-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

It is now August and just yesterday Daniel asked me "mom when is it going to be Easter, cause I LOOOOVE Easter." I can't believe he is still thinking about it.

We had a great Easter. This pregnancy has been a rough one for me. To be honest the main thing I remember about that day is being so worn out and tired that I wanted to just cry. But of course you do your best to make it the best day for your family, and whenever I do that, it ends up being worth it in the end. I love Easter and the reason for the holiday.
It represents the biggest miracle of all time, and gives us a reason to remember the miracles in our own lives. Easter eggs, candy, and baskets full of treats cause smiles on little faces and make the day a bright and enjoyable one.

A leap of fath.

2011-08-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

So our plan was to live with Matt's mom while we finished his last semester of school at the UofU. Then we would get a job in Logan, save money for a mini van, and move into our own place. Well Matt finished school but the job was just not happening. After a lot of prayer we felt it was time to move out on our own. HOW? not sure, it was a leap of faith. We found a cute little old duplex with a huge yard for the boys. Matt started his own practice and had a few things going. We put all our trust in the Lord.

About a week after we moved in Matt received a call from a law firm in SLC. They said they needed him to do some contract work and if they liked him then in six months they would think about hiring him. So again we were apart. Matt living with my parents in Ogden and me in Logan with the boys. I substitute taught and became REALLY pregnant. I had NO car, No T.V., No Internet, and No microwave...yes, i said no microwave. And I was very happy. I didn't care. Our prayers had been answered and we were able to pay our bills, and I was able to be with my two little kiddos.

I did all the things I had been longing to do. Decorate my own space, weed and plant my own garden, bake in my own kitchen, and enjoy all the wonderful little moments with my boys, like fresh picked bouquets of dandy lions from my sweet Daniel, and plenty of scares with the fake snake from my little Nathan.

This time in our lives was not easy. Matthew had a huge weight on his shoulder trying to prove himself worthy of this job. I was tired and pregnant and pretty much a single mom, not sure of what was going to happen. This was time where our faith was for sure tested. We grew a lot, learned a lot, and relied a lot on our faith. Things did work out. Two months later and five days before Marie was born, Matthew was offered a full time position as an associate at the law firm.

So on to our next adventure. Trying to get out of our rental lease, ending up having only a month to do it, and moving to our new place in Farmington, all within the first month of our little Marie's life. We did it. We are settled, and we can breathe a little sigh of relief, and prepare for whatever chaos our life brings us in the future.

St. George

2011-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Well this officially begins my marathon of blog updates. Which means a lot of not so quality posts, but some peace of mind knowing I am all caught up, and can do a little better from here on out.

In March we went to St. George for the Utah BAR conference. Since my dad is also a member of the BAR we were able to stay with them and we had a great time. It's pretty uncommon when you get the grandparents all to yourself with out any other grand kids to compete with. We LOVED it. The kids had fun swimming, playing baseball and of course hiking the beautiful red rocks and playing in the RED sand. It was a nice little weekend getaway.

Oh Boy....I mean GIRL!!

2011-06-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

6:45 A.M. Marianne and I hanging out.Some people may not have noticed, but Marianne has put on a few pounds the last few months.
9:29 A.M., Marianne loses 8 lbs 0 oz (20 inches in length)

MARIE NOEL LORZ cozy in her bed

Marie and Mommy

As you can probably tell, I (Matt) made this post. (This was my first time so give me a break) I just wanted to write a little something for my two beautiful girls!! We were blessed today with the arrival of our little Marie. As you can see, she got her good looks from her mommy. What a joy today has been. Everything went well and Marianne is doing great. I just want to say how much I love both of these women. They are both a miracle in my life; I know I have been blessed by Heavenly Father. We will post more pictures soon (so everbody can see Marie's dark curly hair).

Things are looking up......

2011-04-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough year. We have had many ups and downs, but things are looking up and we are finding strength in our experiences. I won't go into the details now about the trials of the year or the blessings that have come but I do want to remember a little date I had last night. It was Matthews Birthday yesterday. He has been working in SLC lately and we don't get to see him as often as we like, so time together is really precious. We didn't do anything real exciting but it was nice to be together taking our time to find the right restaraunt enjoying talking so much that we decided not to go to a movie and then talking about the MIRACLE of us even starting to date in the first place, as we ate our dinner. You see, I thought for SURE I would marry a country boy and live the country way of life, in a small town with my horses and my husband who worked doing something on a ranch. That actually was my dream. Matthew grew up In Maryland, close to D.C. ALL CITY BOY!! When he finally decided to come to Utah( one thing he said he would never do.) He felt a little out of place here. Then we ran into each other. He met a girl who loved her country music and who he said looked like a cowgirl, and I met a boy who NEVER listened to country music and didn't even know how to catch a fish. Over dinner last night he looked at me with tears in his eyes and let me know that I have always been his favorite person to talk to and his best friend. We are still best friends, and it's amazing how much deeper that friendship can get. I love him so much, I am thankful for how hard he has been working to support our family. I know that we will make it through anything and that our trials will make us even stronger as a couple. There is a lot of unknowns about our future A LOT, and it is sometimes overwhelming and scary, but there is also faith and hope and even excitement that comes from knowing I am sealed to my best friend for EVER!! I love you Matthew....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Primary

2011-03-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

We spent quite awhile discussing Primary with the boys. Explaining how it would be different than nursery and also that we would be in primary with them but we would be sitting with different kids because we were Primary teachers...but not theirs. Matthew and I expected there would be some tears from the boys and it would be a little bit of an adjustment for them being able to see us but not be with us. So when the day finally arrived we watched our two sweet boys happily march into primary with big smiles on their faces. They sat down with their class and then turned around smiling and waving saying "Hi, mommy and daddy." I then look at Matthew and realized he had the same reaction I did. We were the ones in tears.

I don't know what it is about seeing your children as they are learning the Gospel, but it brings me so much joy. I love that they sit on the toilets in public restrooms and sing in unison "book of Mormon stories." I love that they think to pray when they are scared or sad. I love to see their excitement for the scriptures and how they are always "reading" them. One of my favorite statements....."mom I have to go read my cripkers." I am thankful that they are reverent at church and walk down the halls with their arms folded. I truly am so proud of them. They are special boys born with such a huge light inside of them. I feel a great responsibility to teach them and help them as their testimonies are growing.

Watching Daniel as he gave is first scripture in primary was a proud moment for us. Before he got up to the microphone the Primary president gave all the kids participating that day a sticker. Of course Daniel stuck his right in the middle of his forehead and then all the other kids followed his example. So he marched right up to the podium gave his scripture loud and clear with a big smile and a sticker on his head. It was a proud day for us. We love them so much.

Here they are with their "CBR" necklaces. Only one child gets one each week. It means they were "caught being reverent" this wee they both received a necklace. It was a great day!!

2011-03-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Nathan and Daniel,
I am so happy that we were able to spend your birthday this year celebrating with both sides of the family. I love how important your grandparents are to you and how often you tell them how much you love them. It was so fun to see you with all of your cousins at Grandma and Grandpa Noel's house. Everyone was so excited to see you open your bike helmets and then find your new big boy bikes! We had so much fun singing you happy birthday and seeing your excitement over the Guitar cakes that you both requested.

You are also so lucky to share your birthday with your wonderful Aunt Brenda. She loves you so much and has always been happy to share her special day with you. We love seeing you with your cousins on Daddy's side and it made us so proud that you really wanted your own scriptures for your birthday. I hope you always remember the excitement you had to receive your own Book of Mormon with your name on the front and your own scripture bag to carry them in. You really are getting to be such big boys and you make us so happy.

I hope you boys know how much you mean to so many people, especially your mommy and daddy. You bring us so much joy and laughter. You are sweeter than I ever thought possible for little boys and you are such good listeners. We are proud every single day that we have such good happy boys. Being four years old is a great accomplishment and you are learning and growing each and everyday. We love you so much. Happy birthday to the greatest little boys in the whole world!!

We love you to the moon and back and all around the world forever and ever!!!

LOVE, Mommy and Daddy

At Daniel's request.....

2011-03-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

Out of the blue Daniel asked me if I would take a picture of him. So I got out my camera and this is the pose he had in mind. It is like he had been planning this picture for quite some time. Not real sure what this means but it was important to him so I figure it ought to make it to the blog and be important to us.

Snow can bring smiles

2011-03-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

Matthew spent a long time playing in the snow with these boys. They built a fort, had a snowball fight, wrestled, and then of course Matthew had to throw his mother and I into the snow when we were not at all dressed for it. He requested hot chocolate for them to drink outside. We got a lot of fun videos of them laughing and wrestling. It was a bright spot in a sometimes dreary winter. .

Tough little guys with really soft hearts

2011-03-08T20:41:00.000-08:00

These are my tough little football players. Because of daddy they are into ALL sports. These football uniforms were from Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas. They love tackling and wrestling with each other and daddy.

Even with all that toughness they are still so tender hearted and kind, even a little to the extreme. If one starts crying the other one will. I will ask "why are you crying now?" and Nathan will say "because Daniel is crying." They don't always get along but I don't think they could get along at all without each other.

"mommy I scared"

2011-03-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

Daniel has always fallen asleep before Nathan, it just takes him longer to wind down. Without fail as soon as Daniel falls alseep we all know because Nathan will come in and tell us he is scared. The easy fix that works EVERYTIME is giving Nathan one of his dads hats to sleep with. He takes the hat climbs into bed and falls asleep just like this. He has always been a daddy's boy and I think it is so precious that he finds so much comfort just from sleeping in or with his dads hat.

2011-03-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

Well Nathan is into Chocolate...or anything sweet! I have to watch this kid closely(he needs parental control when it comes to food choices) and I am pretty sure he is the one that caused my sweet cravings during pregnancy. It was a craving for fruit, fruit, and more fruit. I started to get anxiety if we didn't have fruit in the house. My sweet mother-in-law saw how much fruit I ate and made sure when I got home from the hospital after the boys were born, that the kitchen was stocked full of fruit. However, I saw it, it looked good, but it was not that important to me. The craving left as fast as the boys were born.

Daniel is my little dress up kid. He is something new everyday. His favorite is being a puppy, a cowboy, a mommy, and some kind of sword fighter(not my favorite.) Even on the hardest days these boys always bring me laughs and smiles.

Friends

2011-03-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

I have always tried to keep my boys socialized with other children. I go to play groups, story time at the library, lots of activities where my boys can play with others. Sometimes I think I do these things more for me than them. I think I need the daily socialization with moms more than they do with other kids. I have always felt like they had each other and having friends would come in time. Then one day a cute little red headed neighbor named Vince came by to play. This is a first for me, and I felt like it might be more work for me than it would be worth it. I was WRONG!! Those kids have so much fun together and most of the time it is almost like a little break for me.

They went to their friends pirate party and had so much fun. They were pirates for days afterward. I guess I have to accept the fact that they are getting older and I Matt and I are not the only influences in their lives. I am just so thankful for fun, happy, boys that get a long so well with others, it's really a blessing.

Making the most of it!

2011-03-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

Nothing like Hot chocolate with daddy after a fun day of sledding. I have to admit I was not really invited to this sledding party but I was grateful for a little break. I had my own fun with the boys when we spent hours decorating and (eating decorations) from our graham cracker houses.

It's always worth the work that it takes to make fun days for the boys. They are such happy and excited kids and they bring us so much joy!!

Christmas catch up

2011-03-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

At this point I am just trying to get caught up on my blog mainly because when I go to make my year end book I want something to actually be in it. We don't have Internet right now, so it makes keeping up a little hard.

We did have a wonderful Christmas, of course we had our annual Christmas Eve party. I don't know how my mom does it but there is not one dull moment at those parties. We have an awesome dinner complete with EVERYTHING!! We do the nativity where everyone dresses up and sings while we read the Christmas story from the scriptures and the grand kids act out there parts. Then we have a talent show. All the Grand kids perform some random talent anything from the violin to stand up comedy. Then the kids all put reindeer antlers on and sing Rudolph. In the midst of all of this my mom's homemade gingerbread men cookies seem to disappear and all the kids have to go hunt for them. When all of this is over we then enjoy the chaos of opening presents. It's a crazy night, but always magical.

I also wanted to throw in some pictures of the Christmas pajamas and the sweet boys all tucked in waiting on Santa. Christmas is so much better with little excited kids around!

They can't ruin our Christmas!

2010-12-30T20:45:00.000-08:00

We were visiting from Florida during our boys first Christmas. Heading back we of course had our suitcases packed FULL of all our stuff and Christmas presents. These things meant a LOT to us being as we were poor law students. Our luggage was stolen, I mean EVERYTHING, all the boys toys, clothes, books, and our camera containing pictures of their first Christmas. I cried and felt sorry for myself for a few days, and even now I miss some of those worldly items that really just can't be replaced.

So, this year it is the night before Christmas Eve. I am more excited about this Christmas then I have been in a long time. I have taken the time to ponder the real meaning of Christmas and I can't help but smile every time I think about my sweet boys opening their present. I tell Matthew to get the gifts out of the back of the car so I can spend the evening wrapping presents. Matthew comes back a little devastated to tell me that EVERYTHING has been stolen. Our main present for for our boys...which wasn't cheap, and all my presents from Matthew. I am not concerned about my gifts but I am devastated that the boys won't be getting what they expected they would get. I call my mom in tears. Within minutes my dad finds the exact same toys on the Internet and is off to Toys R Us at 11:00pm to replace our gifts....plus more. We were asked not to repay him.

I know Christmas means more than the gifts we give or get. I know it's a whole lot more important that just stuff. However, watching my children on Christmas morning and the light and excitement they had, is for me the magic of the Holiday. The thieves out there did not ruin our Christmas for the second time. What they did is remind me how thankful I am to have a loving, caring Father who went out of his way to make sure our Christmas was wonderful. What that did is remind me even more importantly of my loving Heavenly Father who has blessed us and will continue to bless us through every detail of our lives, even enough to send us his own Son.

As hard as it is to say, I am thankful that I don't have complete control of my life, a lot of things would happen quite differently if I had it my way, but I don't. I am learning to see that His way really is the better way.

"He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas.....perhaps....means a little bit more!"

It's official!!

2010-12-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

I was excited when Matthew graduated Law school, I was relieved when he passed the Bar, and during the ceremony where he was officially sworn in I was emotional. Maybe because I knew a little about the sacrifice, stress, work, and prayers that went into this whole process. It was a wonderful feeling to watch my husband take those oaths making him a real life attorney!!

This has not been an easy three years, especially the last year. I don't know if I have ever had to put more faith and trust into my Heavenly Father. As proud as I am of Matthew it is a challenge to stay positive in a NOT so positive economy. My poor husband wakes up at 4 am EVERY morning to deliver his five paper routes. He then spends his evenings working at a retirement center where he is hit on by 80 year old women. All of this so he can keep his days free to look, apply and interview for jobs. It's a loooong and often discouraging process.

Through it all I am reminded more than ever that our Savior loves our little family and has blessed us enormously. I am thankful for our trials and struggles and believe that they can shape us into better people.

I am now officially caught up on my blog posts and am super excited to start my Christmas blogging, I have learned more this Christmas and it has probably meant more to me than any other Christmas before. Can't wait to start the celebrations!

More than just a farm

2010-12-21T21:50:00.000-08:00

When I was a teenager my friends and I would go to Wheeler Farm every weekend to go country dancing. Now my friends are still meeting at Wheeler farm, but for a whole new reason. We bring our kids let them run around, we see the animals and we eat a picnic lunch. A lot different then our days of meeting boys and line dancing, but it is still very much the same as far as being with the best girlfriends EVER!!

Barnum and Baily's FUNUNDRUM!!

2010-12-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

Every year my parents take all the grand kids and some of the adults to the Circus. This is the first year the boys were able to go. I think they were quite amazed by the whole ordeal. It really is a fun show to watch, and a fun tradition I'm sure they will always look forward too.

I guess they do a FEW things the same.

2010-12-21T21:35:00.000-08:00

PEACHES!!

2010-12-21T21:26:00.000-08:00

We ENJOYED our peaches this fall. Fresh peaches, peach smoothies, peach milkshakes, and of course a family favorite....made from scratch peach cream pie!!

BRAIN FREEZE!!!!!

So proud of these little guys.

2010-12-21T21:01:00.000-08:00

Over the summer(I know I am way behind on posting) Matthew and I took the boys on a hike to the Wind caves where Matt and I were engaged. It is not an easy hike, especially for little three year old boys. We told them before the hike that we were not going to carry them and a lot of the time the path was too narrow to even h0ld hands. They understood, but it was still hard for them, and we had to take a lot of breaks. There were some bruised up and scraped up knees when it was all over, but I think they were proud to have accomplished the hike all on their own. It was great day to enjoy the beautiful Utah mountains which we have really missed these last three years.

We have really missed these parties.

2010-11-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have grown up with my family, know what a big deal Halloween is to my mom. She is always a witch and she has always handed out homemade donuts and homemade witch's brew(root beer.) She travels around to schools and does her Witch's Brew skit, complete with singing, crazy props, and lots of dry ice. The kids love it, and of course her kids and grand kids do as well. I have to say that we have truly missed Halloween at the Noel house for the last three years. We made up for this year with a wonderfully spooky party. Complete with ghost games, donut contest, witch's brew of course, and even a spooky haunted house put on by my father and nephew's(and it actually was really scary, I was impressed.)

Pumpkin Walk

2010-11-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

The boys were so excited this year for the Cache Valley Pumpkin walk. Every year people from all over Logan design scenes made of pumpkins. This year they did a movie theme, and it was really fun walking around and seeing everyone's creations. It's always free, always fun, and will always be one of my favorite things to do in Logan during the fall.

Slumber party.

2010-11-18T10:06:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile my sweet husband has the great idea of having a slumber party with the boys. So they all sleep on the floor downstairs, watch movies, eat popcorn, and have tons of fun!! I know Matt never sleeps great, but the boys love it so of course it is worth it.

potty training reward.

2010-11-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

We promised the boys that once they were potty trained we would take them to Boondock's. They were so excited, they would not stop talking about it. We made good on our promise, and had a lot of fun.

overdue barbeque

2010-11-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

Over the summer Matt's sister Cathy, brother-in-law John, and nephew Ethan came for a visit. We were so excited to see them. When we lived in Florida they lived in Georgia and we were able to see them quite a bit, but then they moved to Ohio and the visits have become a lot less. We sure miss them, but we are glad we had a fun visit together.

Can't wait to see you all again!!

taking the advice.....

2010-11-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

I've been told many times before that I need to take as MANY pictures as possible because my kids will change so much and so fast. I have taken this advice to heart. Don't want to miss anything!

I have a LOT of catching up to do.

2010-11-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well this post is the start of another loooong blogging marathon, just trying to catch up.

While in Florida for the last three years there was really only one time of year that I was really homesick for Utah. It started in October and lasted until December when we were on our way to Utah for the Holidays. In Florida we were still swimming throughout November and I would really miss the beautiful fall weather. Things like changing leaves, crisp cool air, and getting out the warm sweaters would not be happening and I would be baking fun fall treats while my home was like a sauna. So needless to say I have really enjoyed this fall, just looking outside at the bright yellow leaves all over the yards, really does make me smile.

Summer was great, we had a lot of fun, but I have been waiting YEARS for this beautiful fall!!

We have been waiting a LOOONG time........

2010-10-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

For the Aggies to crush BYU. We are so glad that this year we were in Logan and we were able to witness the big event. For Aggie fans this was a beautiful day!

What's on the menu?

2010-09-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the morning helping at the Ellis Elementary cafeteria. I am a substitute teacher for the Cache Valley school district and once in awhile I help out in the cafeteria. So, today I served breakfast to about 100 children.

White bun, rubber eggs, and plastic cheese (they call it a breakfast sandwich.)

Or, you could have cereal.

Most Popular choice.......Cocoa puffs (12 grams sugar) with Chocolate milk (30 grams sugar.) You do the math.

Have a GREAT day kiddos, study hard, play hard, learn a lot, and stay focused!!!

The school district may not like this post, after this morning that is the least of my worries!

SERIOUSLY???? The schools need a little more education in this area.

i love you five.

2010-09-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

it doesn't take long for kids to realized that when we tell them they only have one more minute to do something...that it's not very long. However, they still continuously ask for "just one more minute." For awhile now they have but putting their hand in my face all fingers up asking for five more minutes. To them five minutes is A LOT!!

The other day while in the car the boys were singing to each other "nathan, i love you five." "daniel, i love you five." They sang that back and forth to each other the whole car ride. It was so cute. Then the other day Daniel again told me that he loves me five. Now, that is A LOT of love, for which I am truly blessed to be a recipient of!

a nice change.

2010-08-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how nice it is to have older nieces and nephews around to entertain and help me with my boys. I have not really had that for their entire lives and I take full advantage of it now. We live one house away from Matthew's niece and nephews who my boys love to be around, even though they are teenagers and my not always love being around them...they are still so nice to them.

On my side of the family I have some older nieces and nephews as well. They are so cute with my boys and my boys never stop talking about them. They love their twin cousins Annie and Katie(probably because there is one for each of them) but they also love the other ones as well. On this day they got to go to the Gateway fountains with their cousin Sydney. She is truly a little piece of sunshine and I just love her to death. We had a lot of fun, and we even got a fun picture of Sydney with a dragon fly on her swimming suit.

Where's the daddy?

2010-08-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well the Hogle Zoo is nothing like the Jacksonville Zoo, and we really miss the Jacksonville Zoo. However, there is one thing that the Hogle Zoo has that the Jacksonville Zoo doesn't.....that is family. What a blessing to go to the Zoo and be able to meet your family there. This particular day I met my mom and my cute sister-in-law Kim, as well as her kids and my other adorable niece and nephew. We had a great time. My all time favorite moment was watching the new baby elephant playing with his mother. It was so fascinating. While we were all mesmerized by these elephants my boys were somewhat disappointed, repeatedly asking..."where is the daddy elephant."

It's pretty much the same thing at our own home. As much fun as I may think my boys and I are having it is never very long before I hear the question "where is daddy?"

Homesick.

2010-08-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

I found that while on my mission and while living in Florida there was always a bit of a homesick feeling whenever I thought about Temple Square. There is a feeling there that I can't get enough of, and it reminds me of one of the greatest reasons I love to live in Utah.
My cute mom is a volunteer tour guide for the church office building. The week that Matthew was taking the bar I stayed with my mom and dad. We had a lot of fun together going to the Zoo, Gateway, shopping, Pioneer park, and also a visit to temple square. We were able to have lunch with her at the church office building and then she took us on a tour to the very top, so we could see the amazing city below. While she finished her shift at the church office building, the boys and I had fun roaming around temple square.

We smelled the flowers, and Daniel said they smelled like pink. We played by the fountains, we talked about the temple and visited the statue of Jesus. We went through the visitor centers and the church history museum.

While in the visitors center Nathan figured out he could watch any prophet speak just by touching their picture on the computer screen. I figured he would be like most children pushing each one over and over without ever really listening, I was quite surprised when he sat and watched a conference talk for about fifteen minutes. Even I was restless telling him we needed to go, but he would say "no mom, i am watching my show." It was cute. While Nathan watched "his show" I of course was hunted down by the missionaries and asked for referrals....I couldn't let them down, because I know just how they feel, and yes they are still contacting me!

It was a wonderful day....a perfect day!

Pioneer Park

2010-08-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

One of my personal favorite places to go in good ol' Utah. I love learning about the pioneers and I am so intrigued by the way the lived their lives. "This is the place park" was a perfect place to go during the 24th of July week. The little train ride was the highlight of the day for my boys. It was a HOT day but we had a lot of fun.