My Son, My Savior

This Christmas I have discovered Mary.
I have always known her,
always loved her
and always sat her in the background of the birth of Jesus.

I have aquired such great appreciation for her part in Jesus life and in turn, mine. I have come to love her reverence for sacredness. In reading the story of Christ's birth it talks of the shepards being told by an angel of Jesus birth and who he was. When they came upon Christ , Jospeh and Mary it said they proclaimed the things that they saw . When I think of how excited they must have been and literally not able to keep their mouths closed by wonder and awe. I think I would be like this too. I dont think I would be able to proclaim enough how I felt inside, knowing at that the babe in the manger was Jesus Christ and his role that he would play in Christendom.

But then I think of Mary.

I think of how she must have felt. I can't begin to image the enormous burden and blessing the christchild would be at the same time. In the scriptures instead of proclaiming it says "Mary pondered these things in her heart." If ever a person could feel reverence, joy and such a great love between a child and mother, it must have been Mary.
This Christmastime I have pondered Jesus and what he has done for all of us, his brothers and sisters. But, I hold mary close to my own heart. As a mother, I feel so close to her and in Sis. Julie Becks words , she was a "MOTHER THAT KNEW." May I be more like Mary and be able to ponder and keep sacred and close to my heart who Christ is and his purpose for coming into this world. After all, there would be no Easter if it wern't for Christmas.

Baby, Its cold outside.

Hi everyone! I have been absent, away, ignoring, busy, or what ever you want to call it for the last few weeks. I love this time of year! Its so busy and beautiful and spiritual. Nate has been home a lot lately. Him and his friend Josh are in the middle of starting a new business. i will give more details as things unfold. Its been fun to have to him home and also a bit stressfull. For those of you that have husbands its almost like Saturday and Sunday all week long. I need a few days for everyone to go away so I can catch up on the housework.

I went to Brunch... well it actually was lunch with all of my friends that I have known for so long. Some since Elementry school. Its fun how we all live around here and get together once in a while. Sometimes when you get thinking of old times its almost shocking how much life changes within a matter of years.
Here is a SHOUTOUT to all my G's!

This is who is in this pic.
Starting with the back row...
Tara, Me, Heather
Sara, Amber, Amberly and Cassie

Thanksgiving.

This year we stayed here and had Thanksgiving with my cousin and her family. I was in charge of making the rolls and pie. They both turned out wonderfully, if I might say so myself. I have never realized how long rolls take to make. Its like 4 hours from start to finish.... with a lot of waiting in between. It made me realize why I dont do it that often. The pies were fun to make. I made apple, its tradition! The kids had fun peeling the apples and Luke has a new found appreciation for apple skins. ( Its all in the presentation, isint it?) he spread out a blanket on the kitchen floor and brought the bowl over to him and had a little picnic right there. The funny thing is that before I brought out the Apple-peeler-corer-slicer he never ate the skins. I will have to remember to do this more often. It was fun.
I coulndnt find Luke for a while when it was bed time.. PEEK A BOO! He has discovered under the crib! tHiS kId ROcKs!

Lucky number 7

Elise is officially Seven. I just feel so 30ish saying that. I am feeling more like a Mom than a mommy and I kind of resent that. She wanted a Rock Star birthday cake so this is what I came up with. We found out from the little girl behind us in line at Roberts Craft Store that Hannah Montana's birthday is also on the 23rd. AHHHHH to be seven and think that you are SO SO cool because your birthday is on the same day as a real ROCK STAR!!! We went and got her nails painted. They were all jewled up. We had alittle family party on the 23rd and then on the 24th she invited two friends and we went to Kangaroo Zoo. It was a blast! About two seconds...literally, after getting in the car Vanessa was asleep.Thats just how much fun it was. I totally reccomend this place to everyone. It's a little pricy.. but most things are, really. When Gma and Gpa come to visit we will have to hit this place. Elise got a lot of cool gifts. Among my favs was a coloring book she got from her Gma and Gpa Looker. This coloring book should not be called a coloring book, its entirely in a class all its own. If you have kids (or dont) you need to check this one out. I think they found it at Barns and Noble. Its called Doodles by Taro Gomi. (Yes, it has an Author.) Put this on your Christmas list for your young un'.

This is what it looks like.
BTW I have been wiating SO long to put this song on here. I have loved it from the first time I heard it. Its Elises little song. When she was two we would sing it really loud in the car when we lived in MD. Its called SEVEN YEARS.

Well, Last week I informed Elise that she wil have a dish day where she is in charge of the dishes after dinner. She was really excited. Luke and Vanessa were excited about using the stools and bugging their big sis. I was so proud of her that she did them all by herself. She even filled the dishwasher with soap and started it! My mom and dad came to say goodbye before they left to Mazatlan and my mom noticed some bubbles coming out of the bottom of the dishwasher. We started to laugh. I tried not to make too big of a deal about it in front of Elise. However next Friday she will know exactly which soap goes in the dishwasher and which soap doesn't.

Today Luke Vanessa and I raked up the leaves on our front lawn. We have a few aspen trees that never seem to stop shedding so we took advantage of the crisp fall afternoon. Luke played in the leaves too but he wouldnt hold still long enough to get a good shot. He didnt want me to bury him in the leaves. He thought it was funner to throw them on us. I took a short video of this and then I ran out of batteries. :( Vanessa loved the leaves! When it was time to come inside and wash our hands she had leaves everywhere....even in her nose! When I would bury her she couldnt stop giggling. It was so cute... as you can see. Luke thought it was funner to bang on the trunk of a tree with a stick. What a boy!!

Friday Night- Date Night

Nate works on Friday night and so Elise and I have a standing "date night" every week. All of the babies go to bed early and we are left to have a party. Our party usually consists of popcorn, a good chic flick, snuggling in my bed and a late, 10:00 bed time. Well, last night Elise decided that she wanted to watch Wynn Dixie. Something about Wynn Dixie puts me right to sleep. I have tried to watch it about 5 times and each time the last thing I can remember is Wynn Dixie wandering into a pet shop. So... last night was no exception. I fell asleep and woke to Marcus crying as I hopped out of bed I stumbled over this..............

It was so cute I had to grab my camera and snap this shot. This little lady is such an easy load. She turns seven on the 23rd and I cant believe it! She seriously is growing up right before my eyes. I was looking at pictures of when she was younger and I seriously dont know where the time has gone. So, cheers to my lovely lady who is "inside the box"

Mi Hermana

This is my sister Emily. Right now she is Hermana Haws. She is on a 18 month, LDS mission. She is serving in Santa Monica, California but she is in the L.A. California mission. I miss her so much. We are tight, her and I. We have a lot of fun together. Before her mission she was over at my house everyday. She gets home either the end of this month or the beginning of January. After she gets home she is going strait to BYU Idaho. The song that is playing right now is one that reminds me of her. She is very musical and can play several instruments... but her love is the viola. She plays this so beautifully on her viola. Auntie Em doesnt even know Marcus and she left before the twins turned one. On her mission she has grown so much, in so many ways. I cant wait to see her.. this sister of mine!

We had a very busy day on Halloween. The kids woke up excited to dress up. Elise could hardly contain herself. Vanessa was so excited to be a "print-ness" (Princess). And Luke well, he woke up sick! Fever and all. We kept medicine in him but he pretty much stayed in bed all day. Elise had a costume parade at school and Vanessa got lost in the shuffle. I found her tagging along with Elises class. She thought it was great! I was very relieved to find her. I loved going to the parade. It wasn't seeing the kids dressed up but seeing how excited the kids were to dress up. I don't ever remember being in a halloween parade when I was growing up. This was such a fun thing for the kids! I saw my friend there and she said this was her 23rd halloween parade. Her youngest out of 5 kids is in kindergarten and she was there to watch her. I dont think the magic will ever run out. I do not understand people that don't like Halloween.

After the parade we took Elise home and started getting ready for the Chili cook off at the church. I made a bunch of Chili and got the kids ready for Halloween. I say that with ease but in reality it was hard work. I had to convince Vanessa to wear a shirt under her costume beacause it was a cold outside and I had to convince Luke to not take Vanessa's costume from her. He decided that he wanted to be a print-ness too. I finally got him to be excited about being a print-ness "helper" ( he was Sleepy the Dwarf and Vanessa was Snow White ) This worked. Although he wouldn't let me put on his hat all night and that was the cutest part of his costume. I was just glad that he felt good enough to have fun. Vanessa had a hard time at this party. There were several kids that had masks on and she would not let go of me. I had some of the kids take their masks off to show her that it was a costume but that didn't do much to ease her shrieking every couple minutes.

After the Party we went to my grandma Jackies to trick-or-treat. She was excited to see us. She lives in a retirement center and I dont think they get a lot of trick-or-treaters. Luke had so much fun here. Grandma took us into the great room where there were a lot of elderly people in a big circle. The idea was to go around the circle and trick-or-treat to each person. Vanessa and Elise did wonderful and Elise was so cute with the elderly. Luke melted my heart. He would go around to each "grandma" and say "tick-tee" (trick-or-treat) and then he would reach in his candy bucket and give them one of his candies instead of them giving him one. Everyone got the biggest laugh out of this. About half way through he started doing it the right way. He is so cute. Spending a day with Luke and his cute personality really makes think he could swoon any person in the whole wide world. Elise loves my grandma. I think it has something to do with her swimming pool and grandma letting her watch endless hours of Hanna Montana when shes comes to visit. HMMMM.... whatever works?

Nate had to work the rest of the night so I was on my own with the kids to visit grandma Vicky and grandpa Jay. I was completly worn out. Grandpa Jay gave the grandkids a super duper big candy bar... like the kind that are HUGE that you use for baking. He gave us one for Marcus too... Hmmmm... I wonder who will eat that one?

All in all the day was great and the kids had so much fun. They are still wearing thier costumes around the house and chomping on an occasional treat. I loved Halloween but I am glad that

IT ONLY COMES ONCE A YEAR!

3 TIPS FOR MOMS OF two 2 YEAR OLDS

1. Never try to fold laundry when your twins are awake. Your house will soon become draped with shirts, pants, dish towells and every unmentionable imaginable right before your doorbell rings.
2.Never try to empty the dishwasher while your twins are within earshot of the dishwasher door opening. They may try to unload all the clean dishes into the sink where all the dirty dishes are.
3. Never leave your front door unlocked. Your twins might just learn how to twist the door handle and end up down the street changing eachother clothes with diapers hanging on by only a tab.
Can you tell what weve been up to today?

don't worry tomorrow is HaIrCut DaY!

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

Elise woke up this morning and said "mom what day is it?" I said "Saturday." She said " thats weird cause it smells like its Sunday." ....................hmmm ...............I thought. "What does Sunday smell like?" I asked her. She said "you know, like pancakes cooking and that Sunday morning- get-ready-for-church smell."

The funny thing is that I know exactly what she is taking about...
Sunday has a smell all its own.

It’s not that unusual

When everything is beautiful.

It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

The sky knows when its time to snow,

Don’t need to teach a seed to grow.

It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

Life is like a gift they say

Wrapped up for you everyday;

Open up and find a way

To give some of your own.

Isn’t it remarkable?

Like every time a rain drop falls,

It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

Birds in winter have their fling

But always make it home by spring.

It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

When you wake up everyday

Please don’t throw your dreams away;

Hold them close to your heart

Cause we’re all a part

Of the ordinary miracle.

Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle?

ohh...It seems so exceptional

That things just work out after all.

It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

Sun comes up and shines so bright

And disappears again at night.

It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

ohh...It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

Viva Las Vegas

Last Weekend we went to Las Vegas. Some of our highlights were the Halloween carnival on Saturday, meeting baby Troy and just hanging out with Nates Grandparents and my sister, Rachel, and her family. I also met some of my sisters friends, Camille and Cory. OKAY... This Camille girl is amazing! Check out her BLOG( I dont know how to link, check on the left hand side of my blog). She designs quilt patters and she is SOO my style. And Cori has a set of twin boys and 3 other children besides the twins. Its always fun to meet new people. Adia.. you are going to eat these quilt patterns up!

Driving home from Las Vegas was quite the adventure! 4 kids, 3 of them 2 and under. One of them nursing , one of them throwing up and the other one... well, actually he was pretty good accept for the occasional "I want out" scream. Elise was perfect. She wanted to play the"ABC game" with all the billboards and was completly patient in waiting until mom and dad felt like playing. I had a screeching toothache (it turned out to be a root irritation in one of my teeth) and Mastitis ( if you don't know what this is go ask your mom.. let's just say it has to do with nursing...ouch!). I am making this sound pretty bad. It really wasnt all that bad. When the kids werent absolutly perfect, they were absolutly terrible. Most of the time they were perfect.

Marcus is 4 months old today!

Happy 4 months to my

Happiest

drooliest

giggliest

baby boy!

Write me a message

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BroWn PaPer pAckAGeS

tied up with string,

e

These are a few of

OuR FAvoRiTe ThiNgS.

..

happy SUMO

happy BIRTHDAY

happy 30th

happy BRITI

That's a whole lot of happy!

Rocket Science!

Elise got picked to be in a program that her school has called Young Astronauts. In the class they learn about Outer Space. She stays afterschool every other day with 14 other students. Mr. Maughn transforms these regular kids into

ROCKET SCIENTISTS!

This was one fun day where family got to see just exactly what goes on in

Young Astronauts

Sweet Serenity

Everybody is home, the babies are laughing. Our tummies are full of warm Vegetable Soup. The smell of the Apple Crisp that is cooking in the oven fills the air. Its slightly raining outside and the leaves are changing colors. The smell of the earth washed clean becons for me to go on an evening run.

Its Fall!

G Ma's tunes

for cruisin'with the windows rolled down

ZZ Tops Sharp Dressed Man ..Scroll down to widget to play

I know, I know not the regular Granny music right?

Well, thats because we dont have a plain old regular Grandma

We have a G Ma!

You know what I'm sayin'....G'?

Today is her birthday...G ma's of course! You would never guess that she is a day older than 30. I swear she drinks right out of the fountain of youth. This beautiful lady has a heart of gold and she is known for going all out on her grandkids.

Thinking out loud about

Monica Looker

a.k.a. G Ma

Classy

Spiritual

Friendly

Happy

Smiley eyes

Helpful

Tolerant

Welcoming

Thoughful

Young

Grounded

Listener

Mother of my Love....you are truly wonderful!

The kids spent quite a while drawing these pictures...

Ellie is trying to be like her G Pa Looker.

He is a fantastic artisit!

In this picture I was trying to get the kids to hold up their drawings they did for Gma. They were laughing so hard at Nathan who was behind me doing...

WHO KNOWS WHAT

that they totally forgot about why we were taking the picture.

P.S. Doesn't Marcus look so grown up?

WOW!

What a Weekend!

Waterfall gazing.

Whispers in my ear

"Angel"

Sweet Cherub.

Bryant... smoke follows beauty.

We had such a great weekend! On Saturday we had a weiner roast with our good friends the Siddoways. We had so much fun just hanging out with another family that has small children. They have a trampoline in their backyard and the kids had a blast! Michelle prepared Tin foil dinners for the adults. While the kids played we hung out and laughed until it was way past bedtime. We love the Siddoways! What great friends we have that live so close by! On Monday, for Labor Day, we got up early and went to a very gourmet place for breakfast... Mickey D'S! This is about the only kid friendly place when you have 2 two year olds and a "every bit of 6" daughter. When we got there a few other families our size had the same idea! Its great living in an area where you dont stick out too much and people "understand" when you have a million kids. After McDonalds we ventured onto Bridal Veil Falls. This is a waterfall up Provo Canyon that had a paved trail up to it. The kids were amazed and they learned quickly that fresh Mountain water is FREEZING even on a hot summer day. W saw Squirlls and Vanessa actualy was able to compose herself. She is getting better and better about not being too uptight about new things. Yeah!!! Then from Bridal veil falls we went to Vivian Park.A steam locomotive (Heber Creeper) was parked there and the kids loved it. They wanted a ride but we decided that it was soon to be nap time and a hour and a half ride might turn into a disaster! We hung out at Vivain Park and then went on a little ride up to Heber. This was fun but we probaby just should have went home from Vivian Park. Elise started to get car sick and so we took a little break and then headed home. It was great to be able to spend the whole day with Daddy. We dont get that chance very often and the kids loved it. I did too.

DADDY AND HIS LOVELIES

No, your eyes don't decieve you... Nate has grown a beard. He did it just to see if he can. He keeps telling me that he is going to shave it but I think he secretly likes it.
......Hmmmmmm.....

HOW DEE DOO Luke and Vanessa are TWO!

Happy Birthday to you Luke and Vanessa!
Yesterday was their 2nd birthday. Luke woke up with a fever. How sad! I think he got whatever Vanessa had last week. He was miserable for most of the day. I kept Motrin and Tylenol in him in hopes that he might be able to feel good for at least part of the day. Vanessa woke up happy and ready for a party! I have been talking up their birthday for the last week or so.During the month of July there are so many birthdays that they have learned that a birthday means cake. I decided to make them separate cakes this year and I experimented with gel paste. I am not very good at it but they turned out cute. When I wasnt looking Vanessa and Luke thought they would find out how they tasted. I was able to fix them before the party. Nathan and I gave Vanessa a baby stroller. Which she has not let out of her sight for the last 24 hours. She even rode in the car with it on her lap. She calls it her "strollie". We gave Luke a big, tough, wagon. When he saw it he called it his "Ride". He loves it and is constantly giving and gettting rides to Vanessa and Elise. We celebrated their birthday at Chuck-e-Cheese. I dont think we could have chosen a funner place for all of their cousins to PARTY! Luke and Vanessa esspecially liked the duck game. Grandma Vicky helped them play and they had a blast. Luke found a game with a gun ( what is it about boys and guns?)

I cant believe that 2 years has gone by since Luke and Venna were born. They amaze me at how much they learn and grow each day. I think back to the day that they were born and how my Joy was so full. Why have I been so blessed? With each child I have I wonder how will I ever have enough love to give them. But then its like magic as soon as they are in my arms for the first time I fall so deep in love all over again. I am amazed at the infinite capacity we, as human beings have to love others. I have heard that the love of a mother to her child is a glimpse of the love that our Father in Heaven has for us. This amazes me, how can anyone love more than I for my children? As we go along day by day I try to cherish each moment and let is soak in for I know they wont last forever! In Natalie Merchant words "These are the Days!"

The little one said "Rollover..Rollover!"

Mornings in Mommy's and Daddy's Bed

Yoo Whoo... Tooth Fairy...

i lost a tooth to day . I was in the cafaterea today and the story is i was in the cafaterea and i was eating a apple and then it felt realy loose and then three people around me was saying that it was bleeding and then my frend gave me a cooke rapper but then i said that wont work so i asked Laceys frend if i could borrow a napcin frome her. and then she said ok here you go. and then on the third time taking the napcin out of my mouth it was gone and my frends couldnt find it. and neethr could i. and then my frend found it and some body was about to step on it and then it took it to my teachr and then she couldnt find a pack for it. and then she just put it in a napckin but then she finaly found a box. and then went to find all my frends and my meanest frend was like i dont care and that was when i went to find my frend Abgail but i couldnt find her. and so i forgot about that end of the story see you later. Elises story.