The Munns Family

A Waver and a Walker

2012-01-27T13:08:00.001-08:00

Sweet, sweet Ivy cup. She is waving!! It is the CUTEST thing you've ever seen.

And, no, she is not walking, but she THINKS she can walk and will just launch herself from the ottoman or couch or wherever she is standing and faceplant. Hard. She either needs to realize her feet aren't moving with her and stay where she is or move those feet!! I hope it's the former because my baby girl needs to stay a baby forever. No walking allowed. Yet.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tricky Sleeping Arrangements

2012-01-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Last night Jackson wanted to sleep in his "big boy" bed. Daniel and I have not even talked about when we wanted to move him from his crib. He is perfectly content in it and we are perfectly content with that but for some reason last night, as we were laying on his bed snuggling and singing "Fairer" (Beautiful Saviour - one of my favorite and most treasured nightly routines) he asked if he could stay and sleep there. I was fine with it, but fully expected him to call for me after a few minutes to put him in his crib. He didn't! He fell asleep! We checked on him before we went to bed and put an assortment of pillows around him just in case he fell off (he tends to flop all over the place at night). When I was up with Ivy at about 3:30 this morning I snuck in to check on him to see how he was fairing and I found him on the floor!! Don't know if he fell off or moved there himself (this morning he said he moved down to the floor himself) but I was amused. I threw some blankets on him and grabbed the camera, of course. How could I resist? And today, after church and lunch, when I went to put him down for his nap and asked him where he wanted to sleep... he said, "the floor!" So we made up a little bed for him on the floor and that is where he is now slumbering (that's the 3rd picture). So funny! Wonder where he'll pick tonight?!

Hot Off the Press...

2012-01-21T10:22:00.001-08:00

This just in!!! Sweet little baby Ives just reached her cute baby arms out to me!!! Happy Day!!!

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Army Graduate!!

2012-01-20T17:53:00.001-08:00

This week was the week! Ivy has completely transitioned from an army crawler to a real live baby crawler! Oooh and she is sooo cute getting from here to there. We are so lucky to have this baby cakes!!

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What is all the fuss about???

2012-01-16T13:35:00.001-08:00

Oh, that's why you're crying. You've finally learned how to stand up in your crib.
(I am not ready for this!!)

Here is the sweet pea at 8 months. How fast time goes...

33rd Day of Birth!!

2012-01-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

I had a great birthday this year!! I met Daniel for lunch with the kids and was expecting a night alone with the kids since Daniel has activity on Wednesday nights but instead he surprised me by staying home and fixing me the most delicious steak dinner. Complete with flowers. He even cleaned up the kitchen. What the even bigger surprise was that he bought a cake! And candles. Lots and lots of candles. 33 to be exact. It was quite the fire as you can see below. But it was a wonderful day spent with the ones I love!! And Jack Jack sang happy birthday to me as many times as I wanted to hear which was pure bliss to my ears!

The Saturday after my birthday we celebrated with friends and family at my favorite restaurant, Carrabba's! It was a super fun date night out and the perfect end cap to my birthweek!

Camping!

2012-01-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

Daniel convinced me to go camping. Okay, I shouldn't say "convinced" me because I love camping! I have only very very happy childhood memories of camping with my family growing up so I'm all about camping. (Side note - getting ready to go camping is A LOT of work!! Never did appreciate that when I was a kid, so THANKS mom and dad!!) But with an 8 month old? I was skeptical.

And it turns out my concerns were completely valid.

So the whole trip wasn't really a disaster. In fact the entire evening was so much fun!! We set up camp, roasted our hot dog dinners, Jackson ran around like a wild crazy child with his cousins, Ivy hung out with us by the fire. It was so pleasant. The weather was perfect! We had good company to chat with. It really was quite enjoyable. Until bedtime.

We brought a port-a-crib for Ivy, so at 8:00 when she was ready for bed, we put her down. That was easy peasy. Jack got to stay up late and go fishing with the boys. When they got back and he was a complete blubbering tired disaster we tried to put him to sleep and this is when the breakdown of our trip began. He wouldn't fall asleep, he woke Ivy up, he kept Ivy up, he finally fell asleep, Ivy woke up, Ivy's back asleep, Jackson woke up crying, Jackson woke Ivy up, both back to sleep, Jackson up again, Ivy up again, etc, etc... Every time I look at the clock I was like... Seriously??? It's only 2:30????? Why isn't it morning!! It was a miserable night. Once Ivy woke at 6:00 I was done and out of that tent! The morning was okay but it's never as much fun to pack up and put away. At least the kiddos took great naps the following day and had a good nights rest the following night. I, on the other hand, am sure that my bout with mastitis (that hit me like a freight train Saturday night) was a direct result of zero sleep the night before.

Lesson learned right? We can camp, but when it's time for bed... it better be in our own beds!!

Christmas Day!

2011-12-28T18:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was definitely one of my favorite days this year. Our 2nd born was up at the wee hour of 7:45 followed by the 1st born at 8:00. We did some picture taking in bed as a family before I went out to the family room to see if Santa had come. Of course he did :) I gave the "all clear" call and the troops filed out. Jack was so cute and super excited right off the bat about his candy canes. So funny. We enjoyed the morning opening gifts and eating breakfast before we headed out to our hour long service at 11:00. We spent the afternoon at Daniel's parents - braked for a nap session - and then reconvened back over there that night. It was a perfect day. Couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our Saviour!! Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T18:03:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve was just as anticipated as Christmas day growing up and I still feel that way. Today was so fun. We enjoyed a nice day together as a family - sleeping in until 8, eating crepes for breakfast, taking a Kubota ride, napping (well, everyone but me), enjoyed a DELICIOUS Christmas dinner with Daniel's family complete with visiting/playing with cousins, family and friends and gorging ourselves. We came home and put on our Christmas jammies, read our Christmas books, read about the birth of Christ in Luke, sang Christmas carols and will soon enjoy Santa-fying our house. Life is good. Life is sooooo good. How lucky we are for this time of year - to celebrate our Savior through family traditions. I love the new ones we are creating and the old ones I can look back on and fondly remember (will be missing the 12 Days of Christmas going on at the Spongberg household tonight). I hope my family knows how full my heart is tonight, full of love for them- those near and far. Merry Christmas!

A little bit of Santa diaper action.

Iversons

2011-12-23T18:56:00.000-08:00

Oh my happy, beautiful baby cakes!! Really, they don't get any cuter!

Family Photo Shoot...

2011-12-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

Thank you my incredibly talented, beautiful photographer friend Eva... we love you and our pictures!

Round Two...

2011-12-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

HO, HO, HO!!!!

2011-12-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

Santa was well received last night!

Joining the Army

2011-12-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

Today it became official... Ivy is an army crawler! She's been rollin' all over to get where she wants to go and now she has added army crawling to her list of tricks. My sweet little baby... growing up too fast.

California!!

2011-12-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Our trip out to California was FABULOUS!!! Since Daniel and I have been married we have alternated our Christmas's from Florida with his family and mine in California. Since we have the kids now we have decided to stay here for Christmas in order to enjoy it at home. Because it was supposed to be our California year we decided to come our for Thanksgiving instead! I can't quite express how enjoyable this trip was! Jack Jack and I talk about the trip everyday and we miss everyone so much! Here is a run down of the events...

The dreaded 5 hour plane ride was an absolute BREEZE! The kids were awe-some!! It went a little like this: Take off. Ivy slept, Jack and I played. Ivy ate and watched Jack and I play. Jack slept. Ivy slept again. I slept a little. Landing. Really I couldn't have asked for a better scenario.

We stayed at my moms and I'm sure she and my brother Jeff are both missing the sound of feet stomping around at 4:30, 5:30 or 6:30 in the morning :) It took a few days but we finally adjusted to the time difference and I had to keep Jack from waking them both before 8:00. He pretty much stalked my brother (UncJeff) whenever he was home. And would stand at the foot of the stairs calling out "Buster!! (my mom's dog) Gramma!!"

We enjoyed the company of Nate, Dara and their kids most evenings as well since their house is under some reconstruction. Hallee loved little Ivy and loved holding her and helping me bathe her. Jack ran around crazy with Jake and Baylee (it didn't take long for them to reacquaint themselves) and with Uncle Nate.

We enjoyed seeing my dad often as well. He spoiled us by taking us out to breakfast several times and having us over for dinner. Jack Jack really took to his grandpa and shed many tears at our partings.

Thanksgiving day!! It was such a nice evening over at my Aunt Sandee and Uncle Roland's house. They always do such a fabulous job of hosting. The food was delicious but mostly I enjoyed having my whole family there!!

We were able to visit with these two lovebirds several times!! GG and Gramps!! Celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this year... Incredible, huh!!

You might notice an unfamiliar brunette in a few of these pictures... My brother Jeff got engaged the day before Thanksgiving and so we met Hannah -our soon to be sister in law (or aunt) for the first time and we absolutely love her!!! They make it official April 21st!

It seems like each time we are out we make a trip to the duck pond. It is just so fun for Jack to chase and feed the birds! Plus there is a playground... it's a little dream for this guy. Seems like Daniel and Ivy enjoyed it too.

I've been itching to see my Grandma Gerry and take a 4 generation picture - and here it is!!! Turned out rather well I'd say!

My super sweet niece, Hallee, had her 10th birthday party while we were there. In fact, she requested to have her party a week early, just so we could attend. They part was so fun! Swimming, tacos, a bouncy slide, trampoline, great weather, family. It doesn't get much better than that!

We ended our little trip with a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.... DISNEYLAND!! Hannah works there and was able to get us in for free! Happy day! And my brother and his family have passes! The day was nice and the park was hardly crowded at all! It was certainly a success!

We miss our California family so much!! But are excited to be back in April!!

Out of the mouths of babes

2011-12-05T19:55:00.001-08:00

Didn't want to forget this happy moment.

Jackson said he wanted to say the blessing on the food tonight all by himself. This was the first prayer he has said unassisted.

It was the cutest and sweetest thing my ears have ever heard. Complete with a "thank you daddy home safe" and "bless food to make us strong." It brought tears to my eyes.

Love our sweet boy!

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Play Play Play

2011-12-02T19:25:00.000-08:00

We just got home from a fabulous trip to California for Thanksgiving and as I was uploading and organizing all the pictures from our vacation I came across a few of the pictures I snapped periodically during the many play dates we had last month. We are so lucky to have so many friends and cousins! Yay for play! California is coming up next...

Trick or Treat!

2011-11-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

I had been anticipating Halloween night for the entire month of October. I could not wait to go trick or treating with Jack-Jack! And the evening did not disappoint. We just went up and down our little street, which was perfect. And this kid loved it. I loved it! Ivy was a little trooper in the stroller and we had such a nice night together as a family. Here are pictures of our little Jack-o-Lantern and our sweet little Flower.

Halloween Day!

2011-11-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

Halloween Day!! Filled with: Candy, cupcakes, crafts, pumpkin seeds, decorations, cookies, and orange and black leggings :)

The big night will be forthcoming....

Carving Pumpkins

2011-11-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening after church we carved pumpkins. I was the official scraper of the pumpkin guts since Jack refused to get his hands yucky. Daniel carved his "sad" pumpkin and Ivy's "smirking" pumpkin. I carved my "scared" pumpking and Jack's "pirate" pumpkin - at his request. It was the most pleasant evening and Ivy loved just being a part of the group.

Let the Halloween Festvities Begin!!

2011-11-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Some may dismiss Halloween as a silly holiday that celebrates nothing but candy but I love the excuse to plan fun family activities and create lasting memories for my kids. We enjoyed a fun filled Halloween weekend as a familythat started Saturday night with some Ghoulish Jello Jiggler making and a family bonfire in the back yard after dinner.

Eight is Great!

2011-10-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

After several attempts, we finally made it out to dinner, just the 2 of us, for our anniversary. It was my very first time ever leaving Ivy for the night (of course she was just fine). And I brought our camera to take pictures at dinner and never did so we took some on the couch once we were home. Of course Jack Jack had to jump in!

My Kids

2011-10-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Before I had kids, not a day went by that my heart didn't hurt just a little because I wasn't able to have them yet.

On the opposite side, not a day goes by that I do not feel happiness and gratitude in my heart that I am a mom to these two precious kids.

Hunting Season

2011-10-22T10:04:00.001-07:00

And so it begins...

Another season of hunting! The weather has turned a bit which is good news for the deer hunter (bad news for the deer). Daniel is taking full advantage. And we have a freezer full of meat again!

Jordan and Daniel with their bucks this morning.

The audience

Beauty!

2011-10-18T19:18:00.001-07:00

Here is my beautiful baby girl at her 3 month photo shoot!!

Once again, Eva has done a spectacular job! My only complaint - sooo many good ones, it's hard to pick my favorite!!!

Thanks for these precious pictures of my little beauty

(and for teaching me how to enlarge them on my blog!)

Harmony's Fall Festival

2011-10-14T18:53:00.001-07:00

We attended the Fall Festival in Harmony this afternoon and had a fabulous time! I don't know if Jack was more excited for the festival or to be with his beloved Aussie, Kitty and Charlotte. (Today was the first day his cough sounded normal and we were able to be around cousins again!) It was a little warm for a "fall" festival and the rides were running a tad bit late but with a little funnel cake to tide us over it ended up being a great little activity!

This princess was the perfect little dreamboat. She was perfectly content to tag along in the stroller and even took a little nap! She never fussed and is clearly feeling much better!

The Happenings...

2011-10-13T11:33:00.001-07:00

What has been happening here? The update...

Sick kids. This is NO FUN!!! Jack has had a nasty cough for almost 2 weeks now. He had a rough couple days with a low fever but for the most part, he has been sleeping okay, just sounding really funky. Inevitably, Ivy developed the same sounding cough a few days ago. She has had a higher fever and has not been sleeping well. At all. As in, up 4-5 times a night, for 30-90 minutes at a time. We are talking serious sleep deprivation on my part (and hers!). Anyhow, we all went to the doctor yesterday and she has bronchiolitis and a double ear infection. So sad!! Poor girl!! Jack Jack had a chest x-ray which came back clear - doc said his cough may linger but the infection looks like it's on it's way out. Hopefully Ivy will be back to herself once the antibiotic does it's job. This is exhausting, and hard!! I'm ready to rejoin society again! I'd be completely insane if it weren't for daily Kubota rides and some nice weather that allows us to play outside! I've also realized how lucky I was with Jack as a baby. He was never sick. Ever. Still doesn't get sick very often (has never had an ear infection). I will be so happy when this passes. And they will too!

Happy Anniversary to us!! We celebrated 8 years on Tuesday!! Wow, 8 years, really? Seems so significant!! Time really does go by quickly! We had big plans to leave the kids (Ivy for the first time) and go to dinner but with their sick condition we decided we'd wait until later in the month and we went out together as a family. It was quite the perfect evening with the kids, I must say. They were so good, dinner was delicious and we got ice cream after!

The tag! My little boy loves his blankie and he especially loves the tag on his blankie. I've been awaiting the day it would come off and it finally happened. He was so so so sad but I reassured him I could sew it right back on and I did! Happy boy again!

And here are the two kiddos when we were outside the other evening.

Oh Ivy...

2011-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Can't get enough of this sweetest pea!! As I was making dinner tonight, she was rolling and scooting all over the floor, making all kinds of noises and being so cute. I smiled and thought how fun it is to have a baby in our house, how lucky we are!!

This little mama loves her baby food!!

And the exersaucer,

And being outside.

The story behind this one - Jack has been under the weather lately. He's had a pretty nasty cough the last few days and so last night, Daniel gave him a blessing. I had Ivy all ready for bed and set her down with her paci so I could hold Jack while the boys ministered to him. When all was said and done I came to get my perfect little princess and she was asleep. What a dear!!

My Chitlins...

2011-10-03T19:08:00.001-07:00

We haven't been up to much lately. I've just been watching my kids grow and change before my very eyes! Jack Jack is saying new things everyday - it's fun to watch him learn and hear him talk. Ivy is growing like a weed! She is changing so fast - reaching/grabbing/rolling/eating and even getting her ears pierced! Here are a few pics from around the house. (I could really use your picture tricks right now Eva!!)

A Green Bean...

2011-09-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had green beans with dinner tonight. Daniel teasingly held one up to Ivy's mouth... and she loved it!! (didn't eat it, but sucked on it and fussed when he took it away). So I busted out the rice cereal and gave her her first helping of baby food! She did okay with it. Not sure I'm wanting to start on the baby food route yet but she seems ready. Can't believe how fast my baby girl is growing.

the Pair

2011-09-18T17:29:00.001-07:00

Ivy laughed for the first time today. And you know who she was laughing at? Her brother. It is so cute to see the love between siblings. Jack really does adore his sis and she apparently is quite amused by him. Here are a few pics of the 2 of them.

Update on Ivy

2011-09-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Our littlest Ivy girl just turned 4 months a few days ago. She is such a sweet thing. Growing so fast. She is a solid 14+ pounds of pure joy in our home. Here are some things she is up to:

The cutest tummy time girl - she enjoys being on her big ol' belly.

She barely fits in the exersaucer (I have to stuff a blanket around her for now) but she seems to enjoy her time in it (for a few minutes at least). And she is a rolly polly! Rolling over on her belly every chance she gets!

She just discovered her tongue and enjoys chomping on it. It's the cutest thing.

Here, she fell asleep in my arms with a scowl on her face, and she still loves her baths!

This little princess likes the bumbo seat! Is it just me or does her hair look like its growing in blond on the sides??? Compliments the brown mohawk perfectly!

Eyelash Extentions

2011-09-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

Life changing may be an exaggeration but it's the closest I can come to describing these beauties! Recently my dear sister in law, Kara, was trained in eyelash extentions and they are remarkable! No more mascara! Takes me about 1 minute to put on my makeup! Love them!!

"My Birthday Party Surprise"

2011-09-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I told Jack Jack I had a "surprise" for him. I took him to the Serpentarium (Reptile World). It's literally right down the street and I had never been there before but I knew Jack would like it (gators, turtles, snakes, lizards... what's not to like?) and he did!! It's not very big but the animals they have are very cool and we even watched a venom show! What is so funny is that each time we drive past the Serpentarium now Jack will say "Mom! My birthday party surprise right here!!" I only ever called it a surprise - he has taken it a little beyond that (not his birthday, not a party - but definitely a surprise). Such a funny kid!

We did not take the gator home from the Serpentarium but this picture fits in nicely, right? Yes it is a gator in our living room, it spent a couple nights in our bathtub as well but we are currently gator free.

She did it!!

2011-09-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

This cute little Ivy Cup of ours did it folks!! Rolled over for the very first time today! What a gal!

Ivy Meets Disney World

2011-08-28T19:06:00.001-07:00

A day at Disney can really wear a girl out.

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Today...

2011-08-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Monday's always seem to be damage control. I don't know what it is about the weekend but when Monday rolls around the house is a disaster, the kitchen is full of dishes and the counters are piled high with stuff. Laundry is overflowing and our rooms are a mess. So this morning I've been busy putting things back in order. Laundry is done, the house is picked up, the kitchen is clean, you can see our counters, our rooms are tidy and we are ready for the day (it's 4:00). We will hit the pool this afternoon but I just wanted to post a few photos I took today. Although we have been busy with housework, we found some time to catch a snake in the backyard. And my cutest baby just goes with the flow. She is getting so big!!

Bathtime!

2011-08-15T12:40:00.001-07:00

She really really loves her baths!!

Our Little Swimmer!

2011-08-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Thursday is our last swim lesson of the summer. I am amazed at what Miss Patty has accomplished with this guy. He is a full-fledged swimmer!! And he has finally mastered the float which means he has full range of the pool. He can swim from one side to the other. It is so fun to watch him swim and he absolutely loves it! Here are some shots of him in action!

Jeff and Dad''s Fantastic Visit!!

2011-08-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

We just enjoyed a wonderful 5 days with my dad and brother! It went by WAY too fast! It was fun filled (as you'll see below) and I just can't wait for them to come back!
We spent some time at Wild Florida and Daniel took the boys out on an airboat ride.

My dad suggested trying out a slip 'n slide with Jack. It took him a little while to warm up to the idea but with some coaxing and tricky moves by Uncle Jeff we got him on it and he kind of enjoyed it :) Obviously my dad and brother were having a good time!

A little backyard bow shooting took place.

Swimming, of course. My dad going down the slide!

The Beach!!

I could have NEVER done it on my own! Ivy was a dream baby for her first beach trip and Jackson had a blast, of course.

We played cards, games and just really enjoyed each other's company. Wish we were kicking booty in sequence or rummy right now but I guess blogging about our visit will just have to do.

Love you and miss you both so much already.

Ivy's Baby Blessing

2011-08-02T18:25:00.001-07:00

We blessed Ivy on Sunday, July 31st. It was a perfect day! She looked so beautiful in the dress my mom made her and she was as sweet as could be during the blessing. Daniel said some wonderful things for this little lassie and I felt so happy to be a member of my church. We are truly lucky to have the priesthood - the power of God - in our lives and I was reminded of that on Sunday. My dad and brother were here for the occasion and I will be posting more pictures of their trip soon. For now, here are some pictures of her special day!

Working on the Chicken Coop

2011-07-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Daniel took Jack this morning to run some errands and to do a little work on our chicken coop. They both came back red-faced, sweaty and filthy. You might ask yourself, "What is Jack Jack holding?" That would be a baby rat. They found a nest in the chicken coop and wanted to bring the babies home to show me. Jackson was absolutely loving them!! I thought they were pretty sick myself. But Daniel said Jack was an excellent helper!

Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That

2011-07-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

The beauty of having a routine at bedtime for your kids is that they don't know the difference between 7:00, 8:00 or 9:00. So when the rain and thunderstorm ended our swim session early this evening I decided we would come home and call it an early night (Daniel is out on Wild Florida business with Ranier scouting out animals). Usually Jack is in bed around 8:30ish - tonight he was in bed before 7:30. I wasn't expecting Ivy to follow suit, but she did!!! So here I am, uploading hundreds of photos and finally blogging a bit!!

Since Jack has been in swim lessons, we usually hit the pool on Saturdays together as a family. Daniel and I are obsessed with watching this kid swim! He's gotten to the point where he will even go down the slide on his own and swim over to the side. It's so fun to watch. This was a little family picture we took before we headed to the pool. Isn't Ivy's bathing suit adorable?

Jack is up to his usual antics, lining up his plates and cups, grouping his cars by colors and just being completely adorable. He just received a bunch of new toys from the Sniders and each day since has been a new adventure (Mr. Potato Head, a race track, an ABC puzzle). We can thank the puzzle for teaching him his ABC's, he knows them all now!

Ahhhh.... and my favorite, sweetest little girl, Ivy. She is so so good. Just precious in every way. I can't believe how much I love her, I could just burst!!!!

She is so happy and smilely when she first wakes up in the morning. I mean, really, really smiley!! And she always has the craziest hair!!

My sweet little spring flower.

This was so funny - the other day she was just sitting in my lap, smiling, being very very pleasant and then moments later, she was asleep!!! I watched her fall right asleep before my eyes!

And here are a couple pictures of the kiddos together. Jack loves giving her kisses and watching me give her a bath. He has adjusted so nicely to the baby (thank goodness!!) and I love, love, love being a mom of two!

Naptime

2011-07-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

Jack Jack asks me every once in awhile if Ivy can nap with him - how do you think that would turn out? I know I haven't been blogging much but that was inevitable with Ivy's arrival, right? I'm lucky if their naps overlap 45 minutes, which means I don't ever get much done - but I don't mind. It gives me some nice 1 on 1 time with my sweet little baby. This little pic will have to do for now.

Jack Jack

2011-06-26T18:19:00.001-07:00

Where did my son pick up his Scandinavian accent?

For example:

When he wakes up in the morning and he's peed through his diaper he's "All vet!!"

When Daniel says goodbye in the morning he replies "No verk Daddy! No verk!"

And finally, when we are driving and we don't go the direction he wants he says "Dat vay Mommy, no dat vay!!"

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Sandy Follow Up...

2011-06-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was looking back on the entries I've posted since Ivy's birth and realized that I never followed up about Sandy! (Well, I did on facebook but not on the blog.)

She's home!!

3 weeks after she was lost we received a call from a land owner about 2-3 miles from where she was lost who had just seen her dash by him. He tried calling to her but she wouldn't come to him and Daniel confirmed- red coat, white chest, orange collar - Yes! that was our girl. We all climbed in the car and headed out to pick her up. Except when we got there, she was no where to be found! We drove around for 2 hours looking for her with no luck. We had left our house so elated and came home so deflated. But we knew she was alive!

The next morning Daniel left a little early to return to the spot she was seen to leave one of his t-shirts and a bowl of dog food for her and when he got there, there she was!! She was skin and bones, with lots of scratches, cuts and sores. She was limping and we pulled a dozen tics off of her but her tail was wagging! And she was sure happy to be home!

That was 3 weeks ago. She is mostly recovered and we are sure grateful and happy to have her back. She has officially retired from the hunting profession and is enjoying being a house dog full time. Yay for happy endings!

Rain

2011-06-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a little play time in the rain with your cousins!

My Girl

2011-06-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Ivy's First Day at Church

2011-06-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ivy's first day of church was not yesterday but the week before, so I'm a little behind. But isn't she just the prettiest pink princess? Yes, I think so too. She is so fun to dress up!

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-06-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

We BBQed over at the Haughts for Memorial Day this year. The kiddos had a great time running around together. The adults enjoyed visiting with one another. It was good food and good company - a perfect combination.

Our 2 Year Old...

2011-06-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

Don't let this cute, sweet, adorable face fool you. Our little 2 year old is giving us a run for our money right now.

I'm sure it is a combination of adjusting to life with a little sister - not having all of our attention all the time anymore - and then being a typical feisty two year old.

Some of his tricks these days:

Climbing out of his crib (perfect timing, right?), not just saying "no" but saying "no way!", unlocking the front door and leaving the house because he wants to "go to work", only wanting to "poo poo on the potty" right when I'm laying him down in his crib, thinking up every excuse possible to delay bedtime, and throwing some of the most hideous tantrums ever witnessed by mankind.

I think we've managed most of our issues - we include potty time after we brush teeth, we leave a sippy cup of water in his crib (to avoid the "mommy - water! Mommy! WATER!" over the monitor). We moved his chair away from his bed which is what he was using to break his fall as he launched himself out of his crib - he can escape no longer. So while bedtime isn't the piece of cake it used to be, it's manageable once again.

I was doing some serious thinking the other day about how I can diminished my frazzled moments and I've decided that patience is the key. I need to breathe, remember that my kiddo is just 2, and show him a lot of love and patience. The last couple days, my new mantra has been helpful and I'm hoping things will continue to get easier.

I'm also enjoying the love and adoration my little 2 year old shows towards his little sister - it offsets his trying moments.

First Family Photo

2011-06-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say I've lived life with no regrets but unfortunately they pop up every once in awhile. Like the classic first family photo everyone takes in the hospital when you have a new baby. Do I have one of those? Of course not. Dang it!!! Really makes me sad. So this will have to suffice.

Grandma's Here!

2011-06-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

My mom was out for almost 2 weeks to help me after having Ivy.

BOY DO I MISS HER!!

She was so helpful - cooking dinner each night, doubling recipes so we would still have dinners once she left. She was my little "servant" (I jokingly called her) because she would make breakfast and lunch for me and Jack, she would get him from his nap, get his snacks, and was just on her feet to help when needed - especially when I was nursing the baby. She watched Jack while I had Ivy's appointment and while we took her photos. She watched Ivy so I could take Jack to toddler time and on the Kubota. She drove with me to run errands and never left the car so I could leave the kids. She went grocery shopping for us, twice. I could shower even!!

And now she is gone and I am on my own. I didn't brush my teeth until 4 o'clock yesterday. We ate quesadillas because I didn't even think about dinner until 6. Today has been a little bit better and I have a feeling each day will get easier and easier but man! I want my mom back!!!

We miss you mom/grandma!!! And we love you!! Come back soon!!

Ivy Ann at 2 weeks

2011-05-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

My dearest friend Eva is trying her hand at photography... I think she has some real talent, don't you?

Here is our Ivy girl at 2 weeks of age. Isn't she just adorable? I find myself looking at her pictures over and over again... Can't get enough of my little girl.

Our Beloved Sandy

2011-05-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

For those of you who live around here and know Sandy, you will agree - she is the perfect dog. We were lucky to have been given Sandy several years ago from a rancher down south in the throws of Daniels hog hunting obsession. She began as a hunting dog in Daniel's kennel but worked her way into our house and into our hearts. She, at first, started jumping the kennel fence so we brought her to our house to keep in the back yard. She next, started jumping our 6 foot tall privacy fence and so we had to bring her in the house. It was like she knew that that was where she belonged because she has been the perfect house pet. Potty trained from the very start. Very mellow. Content to lounge around and just be with us. She has proven over and over again just how smart and wonderful of a dog she is. She is great with kids - great with Jack. Just the perfect pet, really. We have been so lucky to have her. Maybe you know where this is going, and it's been easy for me to not think about it since the new baby has arrived but a week ago from Friday she went hunting with Daniel's brother and ran off - and never came back. Daniel has spent hours of each day looking for that girl - we just don't know what happened to her. Is she dead? Has someone found her and kept her? Is she still wandering around somewhere? We just don't know. But I do know that I miss her. Jack asked to give Sandy a treat this morning, and I almost lost it. I just wish I had some closure on the issue, wish I knew what really happened to her... how long does someone wait? A week? Two? Today is day 10 without her and I'm really feeling sad - sad that I never said goodbye, sad that it was so unexpected and sad that she won't be the dog that Jack remembers as a kid growing up, sad that Ivy never even met her. Sandy, we will miss you! We are so sorry, whatever might have happened to you. Surely we will see you in heaven some day.

Ivy's First Week and Beyond

2011-05-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a recap of our first week home with baby Ivy until today! She continues to be such a good baby... very mellow, sleeping all the time, and just so snuggly! I had forgotten how much I absolutely love a newborn baby! She is such a dream, we are so lucky!!

Wednesday the 11th, just home from the hospital. Taking a few pictures with big brother. Doesn't he look huge compared to Ivy?

Thursday the 12th:

Friday the 13th:

Saturday the 14th:

Sunday the 15th:

Monday the 16th:

And then some pictures from the remainder of the week!

Welcome to the World Ivy!

2011-05-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

So here it is... A (rather lengthy) photo run-down of the night it all went down! Exactly one week ago. In fact, right about now, we were getting settled into our hospital room.

The one picture I wish I had with Jack was a picture of me in the hospital bed... for sure I got it this time around! And one of the handsome man below.

My hospital guests arrive just in time... look at the anticipation!

I may appear to be in pain, but my epidural was working great... I just had the overwhelming feeling of needing to push and the doctor wasn't quite there yet.

One, two, three... and...

Here she is!!!

She has quite the set of lungs!

So glad the girls made it this go around!!

Proud Daddy!

Thank you, Kara, for being my photographer! These pictures are amazing and I will treasure them!!!

Home Sweet Home

2011-05-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

We are home...and a family of four!

This baby decided to make her debut a couple weeks early (lucky me!). My water broke Monday night at 8:20. After making arrangements and getting ourselves together Daniel and I made our way to the hospital, anxious and excited and a little dazed! We were admitted a little after 10:00 and then the fun began!

I didn't think I could have a smoother labor/delivery than the one I had with Jack but I did!! After a quick shot of pitocin to get my contractions going and a perfect epidural I was ready to push... the time really went by so quickly! After 3 sets of contractions our perfect, pink baby girl was born at 2:45 am! She weighed an even 7 pounds and is 19 inches long!

She already is the perfect fit for our family and we couldn't believe how much we could love another little being, but we do! Jack has been a great older brother, smothering her with kisses and insisting on holding her every 3 minutes. We love our little girl and are glad to be home.

I will post pictures of our IVY ANN MUNNS this weekend but not tonight. Tonight I'm just going to enjoy my new little family and enjoy the happiness in my heart.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Easter Bunny did make an appearance at our house this year! Our entire weekend was filled with Easter festivities actually. Our ward did a phenomenal Eater activity campout (we didn't camp) but we attended a fun potluck/Easter devotional Friday night and then a pancake breakfast and Easter gaming/activities Saturday morning. Sunday we enjoyed a nice breakfast here at home, Jack opened his Easter basket and then we had a nice day at church followed by a big family dinner at Daniel's parents house. It was a fun weekend and a good reminder that our Saviour lives!! And that His Resurrection means that we will all be resurrected someday. I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of Jesus Christ and for the life He lived for me!

My own little honey bunny helping in the kitchen.

Yay for goodies!

My handsome, handsome boys!

Babe!

2011-04-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

When Jack woke from his nap yesterday he called for me, "Mom! Mommy! Mom!" etc... like he usually does. I was right in the middle of finishing up a little project so did not go and get him right away and after a few minutes he started calling out "Babe! Baaaabe! Baaaabe!" The things out of a 2 year olds mouth! Such a funny kid.

Cocoa Beach Get Away!

2011-04-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a wonderful Christmas coupon from mom and dad, we enjoyed a little family vacation at the beach this past weekend. It was a final hurrah, one last outting before this little family of 3 becomes a family of 4!

Let me tell you, my child is obsessed with the beach. Often, when he is in one of his fiesty moods, he will yell at me "BEACH, NOW!!"(I find it rather humorous so usually let him get away with such bad behavior) anyway, how can you beat waking up, walking out to the beach for a few hours, hitting the pool, walking back up to your room for a nap, back out to the beach, pool, dinner... HEAVEN!

We let Jack Jack eat as many chips as he wanted! For breakfast even!

April Showers Bring May Flowers...

2011-04-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Isn't that the cutest baby shower theme you've ever heard?

April Showers May Flowers

And here they are... the beauties behind the whole thing. You know when you get these two involved it's going to be good... and it was AMAZING!!! I know there were many more contributors... thank you to all who made this event absolutely PERFECT. I couldn't feel more loved, more blessed and happier!

My beautiful sisters and mother-in-law.

So many goodies!!

My friends and family!

Maternity Pictures

2011-04-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know this may be a total onslaught of photos and posts of myself... apparently once I get going I cannot stop! But on a more serious note, one thing I wish I had done with my first pregnancy was have maternity pictures taken! It was hard to fit in while I worked full time up until the day I went into labor (at least that is the valid excuse I tell myself to feel better about it). And since you never know what pregnancy will be your last I was not going to let this one go by without them! I am so so happy how they turned out!! Would you believe they were done by my very own sister-in-law Kara, with the help of Shelly?! More on those 2 crazy cats in the next post (my a-m-a-z-i-n-g baby shower). So just get ready for more of yours truly.

6 Weeks and Counting...

2011-04-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

Our little baby girl is due in exactly 6 weeks! We had another ultrasound today to make sure the placenta wasn't going to pose a problem during delivery. Everything looked perfect! We are getting so excited for her arrival and today just fueled the fire! Here is a picture we took just yesterday - at 34 weeks!

The Preggo

2011-04-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my mom the other day and was telling her how huge I'm getting (and how huge I'm feeling) and she replied... "Well I wouldn't know because you never post pictures of yourself." And it's true! So this one is for you mom!!

I always enjoy seeing pictures people post of themselves pregnant. It's so fun to see how you progress. I've actually done a pretty good job of taking pictures of myself throughout this pregnancy I just haven't posted any!!

And while I'm typing about my pregnancy I'll tell you a little bit about it. First, I want to say that I absolutely, positively love being pregnant! I love feeling the baby move - and she is a mover!! More so than Jack ever was. And she has been transverse which is why I think I feel her a lot more than I did before (I don't think she is transverse anymore but it's hard to tell). I love having a pregnant body, love the big belly, and I am carrying her all in front and a little bit higher than with Jack. This explains the nasty heartburn I've been having (that will even wake me in the middle of the night) and I find myself a little short of breath more often as well but in general, those are my only complaints! And on the flip side of that I only have to get up and pee once during the night! I am so lucky because I feel great during pregnancy. And I love being able to eat anything and everything I want without feeling guilty! I have 7 more weeks to go and I could keep myself up for hours at night thinking about what next month will bring. What will labor and delivery be like? What will SHE be like?? It is so fun right now... knowing we will soon be a family of 4, feeling like she is a part of our family already, but not changing any diapers yet, no getting up a million times in the night to feed her and still only wrangling my 2 year old in the grocery store. (which, by the way, I thought yesterday while grocery shopping - how on earth do women grocery shop with 2 kids???)

Can't wait to meet you baby girl Munns! We have another ultrasound in a few days and I'm looking forward to seeing you one last time before the big day, whenever that may be!

These were taken 2 weeks ago, at 31 weeks.

Daniel is 33...

2011-03-26T19:44:00.001-07:00

I have to remind myself that this is our FAMILY blog, not just Jack's blog! Although the majority of what we do totally revolves around that kid. Daniel did have his birthday this month... 3 days before Jackson's - really a bad idea. Not that I planned it that way, of course, but I found he may have been a little slighted because of all the party planning for Jack Jack!

It was probably his best birthday yet... not. He went to work (I did sneak in a little early morning breakfast in bed for the good man), we brought lunch to him at work and then met him at the church that evening with dinner where he went straight to from work for activity. And there you have it! Super fun birthday! We did take one picture on the day and here it is!

33 things I love about my husband:

1. He is loyal

2. He is trustworthy

3. He is honest

4. He is one handsome devil

5. He loves his boy! (and asks me if he can sleep with us just about every night)

6. He is a hard worker

7. He is handy!

8. He enjoys food!

9. He eats anything I make

10. Seeing him in white at the temple

11. Our TV/snuggle time watching Top Chef, Modern Family, the Office...

12. His cute canine teeth

13. His perfectly straight teeth and genuine smile

14. The sound of his laugh

15. His priesthood blessings

16. That he served a mission

17. That he says the blessing on the food every single night because he is who Jack Jack picks

18. He is passionate

19. He is kind

20. He is witty

21. He has a talent for all things hunting

22. He is an amazing father

23. He is generous

24. He plays a mean game of rummy

25. He is an amazing pictionary partner!

26. He is funny

27. He makes the cutest funny faces

28. He is spontaneous

29. He is sensitive

30. He loves animals (all in different ways)

31. He has a strong testimony of the gospel

32. He is a wonderful husband

33. And what I love most is that he married me!! Thank goodness!! I got lucky!

Love you babe... Happy Belated Birthday

My Animal Lover

2011-03-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

After I put Jack down for a nap the other day I kept finding animals all over the house... in the pantry, on the shelf, lined up behind the couch, on the chair. I love the 2-year-old-toddler-touch he adds to this house. I couldn't help but smile at each new discovery and then I had to finally grab the camera to document so I wouldn't forget this moment.

A Boy and His Dad...

2011-03-23T16:41:00.001-07:00

Daniel left with Jack Jack tonight to "ride the lease" and look for turkeys. Jackson was equipped with necessary binoculars, not to worry. I am headed out to a girls night out shortly and found myself with time to get ready so I curled my hair. I haven't done that in years. Literally. At least 2 years. Anyhow, now that I'm sitting here ready to go thinking about my two boys that I'm missing a little, I thought I'd update the blog with the two main men in my life. A little airboating, a little fishing, a little hunting, washing the truck, playing with animals, napping... you know... all those boys things.

Jack's First Airboat Ride!!

2011-03-09T18:09:00.001-08:00

Daniel thought since the boy is 2 now, it's time he had his first airboat ride. He didn't mention this to me, but he did mention it to Jackson so all day Monday I heard "Airboat ride, airboat ride, airboat ride."

I was skeptical about it at first but we ended up having a nice (safe) little time!!! He fussed about putting the life vest on, we had to pin his arms down to get the ear muffs on him but once the airboat was running he settled in on my lap and loved it! It was so cute watching him point at every single bird we crossed. And when Daniel pulled up to an alligator, he would put his arms out like he wanted to hold it. Funny kid. I have a feeling we'll be going out again soon.

Our First Family Camping Trip!!!

2011-03-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

Since the weather has been so nice Daniel got the itch to try a family campout! Jack had never been camping before and I was a little skeptical only because he pretty much only sleeps in a crib. Lucky for us our tent is big and we just set up a port-a-crib for him and it worked like a charm! We got to the campsite a little on the late side so Daniel was setting up our tent in the dark. And it didn't give us much time that night to enjoy all the things you enjoy while camping, but it was a fun little trip and a little confidence booster that we actually can do it with our rugrat. So I'm sure we'll have more of these in the future.

The deal was that Daniel set up the tent and I arranged the inside.

Pictures around the campfire!

A little night fishing action.

Daniel took a picture of our accomodations in the morning. Little guy was still passed out.

And of course, some morning fishing action!

The Beach...

2011-03-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

We have been quite spoiled by the weather here in Central Florida while the rest of the nation suffers with snow and cold! The end of February brought some super warm weather and we were able to hit the beach 2 weeks in a row. I am looking forward to next couple months I'll have (before this new baby comes) to enjoy the beach with my little 2 year old. He would go everyday if he could. "Beach?Beach?Beach?" He'll ask over and over and over again every morning. And I took some videos of him at the beach when we went and he could watch them over and over and over again (and then throw the biggest tantrum when I want to take the computer away.) I mean, just look at how cool he thinks he is with his beach gear on!

Happy Birthday to Our First Born!! 2 Years!!

2011-03-04T20:05:00.001-08:00

Today is Jackson's 2nd birthday. I can't believe how fast the last 2 years have gone! But they have been the happiest, most satisfying years of my life! And Daniel said it perfectly tonight when he looked at him and said... "I'm so glad you are ours!" We are so lucky to have this little boy in our life.
Here is a run down of the big day...
Happy Birthday First of the Morning with the Birthday Hat pic!

Breakfast of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in bed, yum!!

At his request, a kabota ride, picking oranges along the way, and getting the eggs.

Lunch at McDonalds... delicious! (to play, of course)

Next, some real playtime at the lakefront park.

(home for a nice long nap giving mom plenty of time to decorate the house and the cakes for the party... such a good birthday boy!)

Fishing with dad was a must!!

Pizza for dinner and then party time!

The candle blowing was recorded on video, not camera, but here are a couple shots with the cake.

Opening many many gifts!!

The proud parents!

All of your party guests!

Late night for you!!! But time for bed!

And here's a little reminder of the last couple March 4th's:

The actual Birth Day!

One year... March 4th 2010

Two Years, March 4th 2011

The Fair!

2011-02-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

The Osceola County Fair was in town! Jack Jack and I went one night with Kara, Shelly and Shanda and all their kidlets. He was mostly a sad kid because he couldn't ride all the rides his cousins could but he did enjoy the ones he could ride! I didn't take any pictures but stole these from Kara's blog.

We also went again with Daniel on a Saturday night. We spent our time looking at the animals - steers, pigs, lambs, chickens, rabbits, ducks and geese. Jackson loved it! We also walked through the exhibition center and watched a bit of the steer sale. No purchases for us this year, we still have plenty of venison! Here Jack and Porter smile for a quick pic!

The Rest of California

2011-02-24T17:59:00.000-08:00

I was sure to take lots of pictures at my baby shower. Unfortunately, those were about the only pictures I took. Here are the rest of them... I guess I was just too busy having fun to think about grabbing my camera.

Here was one of many nights over at Nate and Dara's. Jack fit right in with his cousins!

The life saver of the trip was the full sized crib my mom had and the fact that Jack quickly adjusted to the time change. He was always well rested and therefore cheerful!

We enjoyed playing at my cousin Rachel's house one Saturday afternoon. We were able to go to Evan's 4th birthday party which was so much fun!

Quick pic here and there with Uncle Jeff and Grandpa!

We went to a couple parks here and there.

Uncle Sam!

This was at Uncle Nate's and Grandpa's baseball game. He enjoyed harassing them in the dugout and sticking his fingers in the fence.

The next time we go back we will be a family of four!!

Showered With Love!!

2011-02-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

I just spent 10 wonderful days in California. It will be the last time I see my family before the baby is here! We had the best visit and the time just flew by! Jack was quite the little trooper and enjoyed being adored by all. I had my time to shine as well at the most perfect pink baby shower thrown by my dearest Aunt Sandee and cousin Jill (pictured below!). I really am spoiled! Surrounded by all my family, showered with adorable baby girl gifts and eating delicious food... it truly was the perfect day.

I Love Florida

2011-02-23T18:43:00.001-08:00

We broke the splashpad wide open today! Absolutely loving this weather!!

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Happy Birthday

2011-02-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

To: ME!!
I turned 32 last month. I haven't always been a big birthday sort of person but I love a good excuse to eat at my favorite restaurant! Daniel had captains class until 10 that night so I was just going to take my other main man with me. Luckily we were joined by my mother-in-law and sis-in-law so I could actually have a real conversation with someone who speaks more than 3 word sentences. The food was delicious, the company great and a good birthday all in all! Here I am with my hot date.

Silliness and Cuteness

2011-02-17T11:17:00.000-08:00

Boy do I have some blogging to catch up on! I pretty much blinked and January was over and February is speeding by in the same fashion. I've been uploading and organizing pictures galore and may be a little burnt out on computer time to do much blogging but here are some pics of the silly guy to hold me over until tonight or tomorrow.

Being silly at boys club at the Sniders

Gearing up for lil sis

Couldn't resist the crack attack!

Giddy Up!

2011-01-21T19:22:00.001-08:00

I didn't believe my little guy would actually sit on a horse and ride (I had tried with him before with no luck) but with a little coaxing from dad, here he is!! What a lucky kid!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Christmas Day and the New Year...

2011-01-03T13:05:00.001-08:00

Christmas Day 2010!

This Christmas was so much fun!! In fact, the week from Christmas to New Year's could possibly be categorized as one of the best weeks of my life! It was so fun watching Jack enjoy all of his gifts and also hearing him exclaim (still, to this day) Happy Birthday Jesus!!! Just makes me smile that a 22 month old can know so much. But the feelings of love, gratitude and happiness were over flowing this year which is exactly as it should be!

Here we are Christmas morning before the big reveal!

Yay - Santa came!!

Later that morning at Grandma and Godad's.

Christmas Evening back at Grandma and Godads (food was scrumptious)

Finding Out!!

What also added to our fabulous Chistmas week was finding out on the 29th that we are expecting a little baby GIRL!! And I guess this is our pregnancy announcement, too, since I have mentioned that we are pregnant on the blog yet! She is due May 23rd and looked just perfect on the ultrasound! I was a little on the queezy side toward the beginning of the pregnancy but have been feeling absolutely fantastic since starting my 2nd trimester and am currently half way through at 20 weeks!!

Happy New Year!

We brought in the New Year (barely) at Daniel's parents. We ate, visited and had a great little fireworks show. By the time the New Year rolled around only 5 out of the 20+ people there were still awake (me being one of them, Daniel not) but oh well!! Happy is the man that feels content enough to sleep through the New Year! I still woke Daniel up to toast and smooch him and then we immediately headed home!

We are expecting 2011 to be just as exciting as 2010 and look forward to all it will bring!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T19:51:00.001-08:00

I have been anticipating Christmas Eve for weeks now. Really, I have been so excited to be Santa's "helper" it's been a little ridiculous. But I was not disappointed. We had such a nice day together today - complete with a full Christmas Eve breakfast spread, a Christmas Eve nap, and a lovely dinner (with a trip to the fishcamp and a kabota ride thrown in of course). Tonight we got Jack in his new Christmas jammies (I got this pair at my baby shower - been waiting a really long time for him to wear them!), read our "Night Before Christmas" book (thanks Heather!) and enjoyed reading Luke 2 for our family scripture study. That tipped the scale for me and really brought the spirit (and the tears, that haven't stopped all night). After little guy was down we set up for Christmas morning (which took about 10 minutes) but was all I wanted it to be! We toasted with Martinelli's settled in to watch our recorded Top Chef and I continued to shed blissful tears feeling so content and happy and blessed and grateful. I truly do live a blessed life and am so so thankful for all I have.

Here is the little guy just before bed.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a GOODNIGHT!!

Meeting Santa

2010-12-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness Jack-Jack will be asleep when Santa comes tonight - he wasn't a very big fan!!

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas...

2010-12-22T12:10:00.000-08:00

I was busy between our Virginia trip and my Utah trip getting all of our Christmas decorations up! I love putting up our decorations. It's so fun and festive - such an all around feeling of happiness! I did save the tree for my return when we could decorate that together as a family. Jack Jack was a very good helper and has since been very good at taking all the ornaments off the tree. I just have to smile at the looks of our bare tree from about 2 feet from the bottom and down because it is evidence of the little rugrat that runs my life and he couldn't make me happier!

Here is our sweet, sweet boy giving his famous kisses to mom and dad!

Munns Girl's Trip!!

2010-12-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

Our Munns Girls Trip this year was to Utah! I was super excited for many reasons. First of all, I love Utah - I have many fond memories there - and it has been 7 years since I have been in the snow! It was nice to take a break from the life of a mom for a moment and live a carefree life with my favorite girls!

Our little weekend consisted of the following: eating, shopping, visiting, shopping, eating, staying up late (way too late), shopping, eating, more staying up late, eating, watching movies, visiting my alma mater, seeing an art show, more eating, more movies, more visiting, running out of gas, taking a million pictures, lots of laughing and an all around good time had by all!!

Here is a sampling of the fun:

Our Harry Potter glasses, courtesy Erika.

Can't resist taking photos in the car!

At one point, there were 6 of us in 1 dressing room.

And a quick little visit with my old roomie, Cristall, who quickly forgave me for not telling her I was coming, just didn't think I had the time to see all my Utah folk.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-12-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

I figured since Christmas is in 6 DAYS I should get cracking on my Thanksgiving post.

We drove 12 hours up to Virginia to enjoy Thanksgiving with Jordan, Shanda and little Sophie!

The drive went surprising well (thanks to Diego!) and we had a wonderful time! It was fun making the entire Thanksgiving meal with Shanda and it was truly delicious! Jordan even bought a live turkey that he butchered himself (I'll spare you the details) and it was scrumptious. It was actually a final hurrah in Virginia because we now have Jordan and Shanda living back in Florida with us!

Here we are at our dinner table (minus Jack-Jack who was still napping in the closet)

Jack-Jack loved holding his new cousin!

We enjoyed the frigid weather by the fire.

Our little happy kid! (Really - he's always happy)

Enjoying a night of bowling!

And of course, hunting. Daniel and Jordan went out every morning and every evening.

Jeff Visit's Florida!!

2010-12-07T18:08:00.000-08:00

My youngest and extremely handsome brother came out tovisit me (Jack Jack really) and we had SO MUCH FUN!!! He could've stayed 2 weeks longer and it wouldn't have been long enough!

(See how excited Jack Jack is to have him here?)

We started the trip with a scenic airboat ride.

We cruised my in-laws property- checked out the emus, zebras and zedonks.

Of course I had Jeff help me hand our Christmas lights. (View from my roof)

(Our handy helper)

And finally we went...hunting?

Jeff expressed interest in going hunting when Daniel asked him and hunting we did go. Daniel was very excited and I saw a side of Jeff I'd never seen before.

Oops... Jeff got scoped.

The kill.

We had so much fun we are going to try and lure him back soon. Love you Jeff!!!

My Boys

2010-12-01T18:26:00.001-08:00

My amazing brother Jeff's visit to Florida and our Thanksgiving feast up in Virginia with Jordan & Shanda will be forthcoming. This will have to do for now. The 2 loves of my life.

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Fishing for Family Home Evening

2010-11-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

We took a leisure stroll around the pond behind our house for family home evening the other night. We didn't catch any fish but Jack Jack seemed just as excited by the bait as he would have been for a fish.

Happy Halloween!!

2010-11-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

This Halloween weekend was so much fun! I can see how as your children get older the holidays become more and more exciting. I don't think Jack really understood what was going on but as long has he had a sucker in his mouth he was happy to trot along with me and hold up his little pumpkin bucket for some candy.

Here is our little tike Halloween morning before church. A handsome fellow with the pumpkins.

Sunday evening before we headed over to Grandma and Godad's for our family party.

The ghoulish deliciousness!

All the cousins in attendance looking spooky!

And trick or treating throughout the house.

These pictures were taken Friday evening before our church's Trunk or Treat

Ready to get some candy!!

As happy as can be with his sucker.

The ride home. I love how there is candy stuck to his chin. This kid has never had so much sugar in his life and it felt good to just let go and let him eat whatever he wanted!