Aunt JQ sitting with Connor as we wait for the girls to finish dance

Okay so I am behind on blogging and plan to catch up soon :) But there are a few things I want to remember so I better write them down.

Scripture Reading Fun with Kids
BJ started up having us reading scriptures as a family before dinner at the beginning of the year. Sure, we haven't done it every night- but we have done it a lot. It started out with BJ reading while the kids and I were eating and then he would eat after he had read a few versus. Slowly he got the kids to interact more with it. In BJ's scriptures was an old check refill form that had a picture of a dog on it. He would hand Kaylee the piece of paper to hold while he read the scriptures. It then became a tradition to hold this dog. As soon as he pulled out the scriptures Kaylee would say, "I want to hold the dog". Of course soon after, Connor started saying "Dog! Dog!" So they would take turns holding the piece of paper with the dog on it.

While I was at the Distribution Center buying CTR rings for my CTR 4 class, we decided to buy Kaylee a small Book of Mormon to have. And BJ decided he would get a new paper to hold his place in the scriptures, so instead of them calling out for a dog they would ask for a temple :) He got a little card with the Salt Lake Temple on it and now uses that to keep his place in the scriptures. So now Kaylee opens up her scriptures and daddy reads the scriptures really slow so Kaylee can repeat it and pretend that she is reading her scriptures to the family (so cute!) and Connor calls out for the "Temple! Temple!".

It all started with a goal that BJ had and now it has slowly changed our family for the better. Our plan is to read the Book of Mormon and even after doing it for months we are not very far. But Kaylee is starting to pick up stories and has found a new Love for her Savior.

In fact, yesterday right before her nap she asked me to tell her a story. I said, "Ok, how about I make up one." She said, "No, I want you to tell me a story about Jesus". So I told her I would tell her a real story about Jesus and how he walked on water. I told the story and Kaylee said, "If I put my boots on then I can walk on water too- like Jesus". I explained that Jesus had the power of God with him that is why he could do that. She said, "I have the power of God too mom". We had a sweet little conversation about Jesus and how amazing he is. It just made my day.

The kids love FHE too. Before Easter BJ was telling the stories leading up to the Resurrection and showed video's to the kids from the LDS website. Kaylee now grabs the Ipod and will watch the video of when Jesus was crucified and will tell me how "Jesus got owies for us". I am just so grateful for a husband that holds the Priesthood and has made it a point to have family scripture study and FHE, because it has really made a difference in our home.

Dinner Ritual
Everynight at dinner as we are eating. We ask the kids what their family part of the day was. When I was a kid my parents always asked us what we learned at church so I think it started out like that and I believe BJ came up with the idea to ask everyday.

I love it. It is so fun to hear what they say about the day.

Connor's fear of the stairs
I don't know what it is but Connor hates going down our stairs and will cry and cry if we do not pick him up and carry him down. I quickly learned that I was gonna play that game and would offer my hand to help him down but wouldn't carry him and if he didn't accept I would leave him upstairs where he cries and cries until he eventually comes down. Yes, he is spoiled in a lot of things I have found but I am working on not making it worse slowly but surely :)

Morning Wake up
No matter what time we put our kids to bed- they always wake up at almost the exact same time. In fact, BJ has stopped turning his alarm clock on and uses Kaylee as one. Kaylee wakes up around 6:30 to 6:50 and will walk in our room. BJ will quickly stand up tell her to go use the potty and goes out to the hall and shuts the door so I can slowly wake up. He then gives her a drink and pushes her pillow pet and tells her that she can come out when the pillow pet turns off (that gives us 20 minutes). BJ then comes in and gets dressed and then gives me a kiss to wake me up and leaves to work. Shortly after- Kaylee will come in and get me.

I used to get up with the kids but we all found that I am not really a morning person and the kids preferred BJ to me (in other words I was not so pleasant in the morning). The pillow pet thing works so well in fact that when I went in her room the other day to get her, she looked confused and said, "My light hasn't gone out yet?" I said, "it's ok. I came in so you are fine".





Anyway- these are the memories you just don't want to forget (well I think I could forget Connor crying instead of going down the stairs but you know what I mean).

 Despite dad's attempts at trying to prevent the ever fun Easter egg dying experience- mommy insisted and the kids painted their eggs.

This post reminded me that I didn't ever talk about hurting my back. Here is a real quick recap:
The week prior I took a Zumba class, had my trainer at the gym strengthen my back with various exercises, and then was lifting couches at a storage unit I bought. The following Sunday/Monday my back started hurting pretty bad. It kept getting worse- so I went to the doctor. I got a few medications and then took off work. The following week I went into work two days in a row and ended my last shift in soo much pain- and by the time I got home I fell to the ground it was so so so painful. I took another few days off of work and then had it start hurting again. FINALLY I went to a chiropractor who told me the reason why I kept re injuring it was because my back was out of place- so he fixed me right up. And that is why in the next picture I am holding my back as I am helping my kids find Easter eggs.









Kaylee went crazy finding the eggs in the front room, while Connor grabbed a few and heard there was something inside...and when he found out that 'something' was candy- he was pretty much done with the hunt :)