40-something Anniversary

Today was my parents' wedding anniversary. They would've been married for 40-something years...I can't remember for sure and am too lazy to get up off of the computer chair to look! I have always loved this picture of the two of them and I want to thank Dad and Debbie for sending me an 8x10 copy of it last week!

You can't tell by this photo that my mom was going through chemo, can you? Sick or not, she was always so beautiful. I remember vividly (shocking, I KNOW!) when this picture was taken. It was during one of mine and Luke's trips back to IL to visit my parents. My siblings and I had made reservations at the Sears portrait studio for Mom and Dad to get their picture taken. It had been yeeeears since they had that done. So, we decided to surprise them, as a gift from us on their anniversary. Since Luke and I were staying at the house with them, I helped mom decide what to wear. Dad, on the other hand, was a little more difficult. Mom and I had decided on what he COULD NOT wear, which was his gray suit (Sorry, Dad!). We weren't the biggest fans of that one, at least not for photos to be taken. It took some coercing, but he choose one of the ties we had picked out for him. Mission accomplished!!

We then all drove to Burlington, IA where the studio was, and after their photos, we went to a buffet-style restaurant called Ryan's. A good time was had by all.

My sweet momma died just 3 months after this picture was taken. Her smiling face and loving persona that radiates in that photo is how I will always remember her.

Today's 6 year anniversary of 9/11 is a sad one. Curt and I were living in Nauvoo still at the time. I was 6 months pregnant with Luke. That morning, I remember watching CNN and seeing the first tower burning and then watching live...the 2nd one being attacked. I remember the knots in my stomach.

Not long after that, I had the priviledge of taking my dad to the ER and ended up spending about 8 or 9 hours in the hospital with him. He was so distracted because of the terrorists attacks that he darn-near cut a couple of his fingers off while working in his wood shop. After surgery to repair them, and making sure he was okay, I got back home about 8pm that night. I knew that our "small" ordeal with my dad was nothing in comparison to those affected by 9/11.

I GIVE UP!!

Ever wonder why I don't post many pictures of my older boys??

THIS is why. To get them to stop monkeying around so I can take a cute picture of them is impossible! I was trying to get a nice picture of them with their new ties on yesterday before church. My sis Christie sent my nephew Andrew's old ties to the boys and I knew they would love to see the kids wearing them. Well, this is as good as it is going to get.

11 Months Old!!

Jake turned 11 months old on the 9th!! This boy is one of a kind. He is already doing things that he shouldn't be doing at this young of an age!! I keep telling him he needs to S-L-O-W down and be a baby, but he doesn't listen. He is such an intense kid and screams at anyone who takes something away from him. He's always going full steam and I'm afraid...very very afraid! I think he's going to be a mix of Luke and Ty both....LOTS of energy, like Ty, and very interested in learning about anything and everything, like Luke. He also picks up on things very easily, just like Luke. He is such a handsome little guy and I love his super blonde hair. He has 8 teeth and I'm sure it won't be too terribly long before he'll be walking.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub...Two Monkeys in the Tub

Ty and Jake having fun in the tub!

My Boy

I can't put into words how proud I am of my Luke. This kid has come such a looong way in the past two years. He has always been a tender and loving boy, but I have really been enjoying some of his most recent acts.

Lately, as soon as he steps foot in the house, after a long day at school, he is instantly shouting for me! "Momma......Momma!!" And then, as soon as he sees me, he gives me the biggest bear hug. I absolutely LOVE it.

At any given time, almost daily, he will come up to me out of the blue, with a big hug and tells me he loves me. Is that not sweet or what?? Maybe he knows that is exactly what I've been needing lately because I have really been missing my mom a lot. Luke is at the age where I start to have memories of my mom and how loved I always felt. I want Luke to have those same feelings when he looks back at this time in his life.

I remember coming home from Kindergarten and it just being Mom and I at home. All of the other kids where still at school. I remember the "afternoon snacks" she would make for me and how she would watch Sesame Street with me. She would lay down with me while I was falling asleep when it was time for my afternoon nap.

I have accepted the fact that my mom is in a better place now, but I still miss her like crazy. I hate not being able to hear her laugh at something my boys have done or said. The last few times she sang "Noma's song" to Luke, she would have tears rolling down her face. She knew and I knew that she wasn't going to be able to do that much longer.

I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing "Noma stories" with Luke, since he has no memory of her now. He asked me last night as we were on our way to the store..."Do you remember when Noma would peek at me through her bed rails?!". (She spent her last couple of weeks in a hospital bed in my parents' family room and would play peek-a-boo with Luke.)

I hope these memories never fade. I know Luke will never forget anything I've told him. That kid has an AMAZING memory! I will probably have to rely on him within the next few years, I'm sure!

I love you, my sweet boy Luke. I know Noma would be proud of you and the big boy that you've become.

Ty's First Day of Preschool!

Our big boy started preschool this week! On Wednesday, Ty was having a rough morning...tantrum after tantrum. I was sad because he wouldn't let me take any pictures of him before we left. But once we pulled up to his school, he hopped out of the car and was a completely different kid. I helped him put on his Diego backpack, after which he said,"Thank you!". He even let me take a few pictures of him... although he wouldn't smile, but I take what I can get with this kid! Ty walked right into the building and didn't even look back. I did get a little teary-eyed, but I am very excited for him to be able to go to school just like his big brother. He wants to do everything Luke does, of course. So now he feels just as "big".

My Three Sons

Luke at one year

Ty at 11 months

Jake at 10 months

And We'll Have Fun, Fun, Fun...

**(Any Beach Boys fans out there?)

While Luke is at school, these two have so much fun playing together! It is so cute to watch and to hear them giggling at each other! I'm enjoying it while I can because soon enough...they will be fighting and at each other's throats.