You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have. . .

The facts of life!!!

I originally started this post 2 weeks ago- my heavens where does the time fly!!! I have noticed lately that I have become quite negative and I decided I needed to start combating my negativity by speaking positive words. So, here is one of my new strategies: when I start to feel like I want to rip my hair out and say "I can't handle this!!" I am going to remember what Paul said, "I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me." Here are some of the things happening in our lives, both the good and the bad. And really, most of the things on the bad list I will look back on and either laugh at or long for when I am old and gray. My life would be so empty without these little ones. Oh, how I love them!

Good:

• My 3 year old used the word 'similar' yesterday- I don't even know where she learned it!

• Grant saw me put a grape in my mouth and tried to follow it in and gave me a big slobbery kiss in the process!

• Grant has been taking wonderful naps. (Amazing for this little guy!)

• Thanks to my Tae Bo workouts, I am fitting in my normal size pants again!!! (I still have a long way to go to be back to how I was B.G. (before Grant), but I can definitely tell a difference.)

• Seeing Emma help her little sister. This warmed my heart. I was feeding Grant and Arianna would not finish her dinner on her own. Emma did this all by herself. (I know I know, she shouldn't be on the table, but it was so sweet!):

• A rare moment with Kenneth (they sure love spending time with their Dad!)

• Studying about the Passover and the relations to the life and mission of Jesus Christ- fascinating! Our Relief Society held a Seder Dinner and I gave a talk on this and really enjoyed preparing for it.

• Being able to spend time outside in this Spring weather! The kids are loving going on walks. Emma pushes Grant around in the stroller. So cute:

• The children have been doing so much better sleeping at night- I am so thankful!

• I have been really enjoying reading The Work and the Glory

• Grant is starting to babble and sit up and SNUGGLE! What a little love bug!

(Thanks for the adorable p.j.'s, Estelle, I love them!!!)

Bad:

• 3 year-old melt-downs are not pretty. I guess one good thing came out of a recent major meltdown. . .she was in bed by 6 pm.

• 2 year-old melt-downs are not pretty either. Luckily she snaps out of them pretty fast.

• Grant screamed for almost an hour a couple of nights ago- right when I wanted to go to bed. I think they have a special sense for that.

• Wiping Arianna's nose has been a full-time job these last few weeks. I don't know if it is teething or allergies. Whatever it is it is driving me NUTS!
  

• Going to church with 3 children alone 2 weeks in a row. (Kenneth has been traveling quite a bit for work) It really hasn't been all that bad- mostly because all the kind souls at church who have mercy on me and help me out. (The front carrier helps out, too!) Arianna did decide she needed to try to nurse during Sacrament Meeting (which she hasn't done in 14 months, mind you!) Out loud during the meeting she says, "I need to feed, Mom. Lift up your shirt." "I need to feed now". I was so mortified. All the while she was tugging on my shirt while I was holding Grant trying to keep him happy. Crazy lady!
  

• Trying to get a picture of a 2 year old after church is no fun. We have 8:30 am Church, so there is no way that I could have taken he picture before hand and been on time. So, I thought I will snap a quick picture of this adorable girl before I change her clothes so she can eat lunch. Not so much. She wouldn't have anything to do with it. I was so frustrated. So, you can see that behind the tears, snot and screams, she really is a very cute girl. She is wearing the dress our friends in Austria sent for Emma. (D & M- if you are reading this- thanks again!)

• Finding your child covered with throw-up= bad thing. I went to get Grant this morning and he was fussy more than he usually does when he wakes up in the morning, but I just thought he was extra hungry. I go in to get him and I immediately smell throw up. Yuck! He was covered. Luckily, I think he had just done it because he was still all wet and all the blankets and pajamas were still wet and I never heard him cry in the night. Needless to say, we took and early bath today!

• $75 ticket for running a red light! Stinking cameras. I really didn't mean to. It was one of those times where I thought if I stopped it would be slamming on my brakes and wouldn't be good for the children. Why I didn't notice the yellow light sooner?, I don't know.

• Poop outs. Three in one day- 2 for the little one, one for the middle one. I feel like I run a production line when it comes to the diaper changes. It cracks me up when I have them both lined up on the floor next to each other.
  

All in all- life is great. We have so much to be thankful for. Here are a couple more pictures from the past couple of weeks just for fun!

Emma "reading" to Arianna. She is such a good big sister!

Playing with Grant, Emma's favorite pass-time.

Good times!
Adorable baby! By the way, Joan, if you are reading this, he loves the toy you gave him!