January

Despite the cold weather, I have to come to really appreciate January.  Life just seems to slow down and I am able to enjoy the little things more.  I always find it refreshing to begin a new year, re-evaluate my life, set goals...  My Birthday is January 5th which makes the new year even more meaningful to me as I think about the next year of my life and turning 1 year older.  I am now 27 years old.... where has the last 5 years gone?  I feel like I was just 22 yesterday - graduating from college and having our first baby.  Wow, 5 years of parenting.... that is crazy!  I decided before another 5 years goes by I want to pull out my paints and start painting again.  It is so therapeutic for me to do something for myself that I enjoy.  So I am now hoping to paint twice a week after my kids go to bed, maybe if I am brave I will occasionally share some of my work on the blog.  

Well anyway I think I went a little overboard on the pictures for this month but here are some of the highlights.....

My Birthday....  This year Rob and I went to Benihana's on my Birthday with my good friend Heidi and her husband Scott.  Growing up I always brought Heidi out to eat with me for my Birthday dinner with my family.  We always ate at Ruby Rivers downtown and I don't know how many pictures I have of me wearing a big sombrero and eating asphalt pie with Heidi by my side.  So it was special to have her there, especially considering they live in Michigan and were here visiting.  Here are a couple pictures of me opening presents.... you gotta love Rob's trash bag wrapping paper:)

Lincoln was blessed on 1.10.10, it was such a special day.  Oh how we absolutely love that baby boy.    Rob gave him a beautiful blessing.  I am so grateful for Rob and the wonderful father that he is.  It is so fun for me to see the love that Rob has for Lincoln, and for Liam and Lance as well.  I am grateful that Rob finds humor in all of the craziness at our house, and how he adores the little quirky things the kids do and say.  Anyway, I am getting off the subject...  here are some pictures of the special day....

My mom helped me get Lincoln ready for his big day this is him right after his bath...

Lincoln getting dressed in the same outfit that Liam and Lance were blessed in...

A family picture...

The boys...

Some of our awesome guests....

My Dad with Lincoln... 

My mom came over the day before the blessing and helped me make a variety of "white" desserts for the luncheon....  I know I am crazy but I insisted on having white desserts and so my sweet mom helped me think of some ideas and I about wore her out in the kitchen.  We also had white punch which was pineapple sherbet, pineapple juice and sprite.

Whenever uncle Dan is around Liam is right by his side, he idolizes him.  

Great Grandma Henriksen

Great Grandpa Morrison

Grandma Henriksen

Rob had the day off on Martin Luther King Day so we decided to check out Hollywood Connection.  We had fun going on rides, bumper cars, miniature golfing and roller skating....  

My boys and I have begun a project.....  this year we are going to take pictures of our favorite holiday crafts that we do together and put them in a book.  At the end of the year it will be fun to look back on the projects and share the book with anyone who wants some craft ideas.  Right now we are working on Valentines crafts.  

Here are some Chinese Lanterns....

Lance loves a mess!

Valentines card made with string.  I drew the outline of the flowers and let Liam spread glue on top of the drawing and then put the string over the glue.  

Heart painting.... made by painting over a paper heart doily.

We stamped brussel sprouts onto paper to make these Valentines cards.... they really do look like roses it was fun.

We ripped Mulberry paper to make the next two cards... it is easy for the kids to rip if you wet the part you want to rip with a Q-tip dipped in water.

Here Lance is beading a Valentines bracelet for his grandma - it took a little too much concentration for him and all the beads ended up on the floor!

Liam loves to pull out a bunch of random things and make little inventions, whatever keeps him busy!

On the 15th of January Lincoln turned 3 months old, I can't believe it.  I just want to enjoy every moment of his babyhood and this little boy just wants to grow up so fast.  We just started putting Lincoln in the saucer and he loves it just as much as Liam and Lance did.  He has figured out how to turn himself around in it.  He is even reaching for the toys and trying to suck on them.  It takes a lot of concentration for him to reach for the toys and he gets this really serious look on his face it is adorable.  I don't know why but for some reason the nick name "stinky linky" has caught on and I can't stop calling him that, but he is not stinky at all.  I wish I could bottle the way he smells and keep it forever.  I also call him chunky but that is for obvious reasons!  He LOVES to be held 90% of the time.  When we set him down he looks at us like he has never been more offended, and then starts to cry.  So I give in and pretty much hold him all day doing everything one-handed included laundry, dishes, and making my bed.  Somedays I find myself nursing Lincoln while typing an email one-handed and talking on the phone at the same time.  He sure makes life busier, but he makes us so happy.

The last pictures are just some random ones.  It looks like Lance wins the award for the most silly pictures this month.  This next one is Lance at a U of U Basketball game eating popcorn..

Lance in the bottom of the bassinet...

Cute boy..

Liam in a box...

Wrestling with grandpa..

Lance started a little pre-preschool group with some of my friend's kids his age in a neighboring ward.  We just rotate houses and sing songs, learn letters, have a snack.... He was so excited on his first day.  He insisted on wearing a backpack.

Lance's envelope hat..

Pull up your pants boy!

Wow, that was a huge post.... I am off to bed!