A Mother's Day with Two

The Jewels in my life
Jackman and James

I was reading my friend Tiffeny's blog, and I loved the excerpts that she had included from Elder Ballard's talk, "Daughters of God". These are exactly what I need to remember to keep me going, and to help me be a good mommy:

"I surely know that there is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood."

"What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

"Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."

"Pray, study, and teach the gospel. Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother. Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all. There is great power in a prayer that essentially says, 'We are steward-parents over Thy children, Father; please help us to raise them as Thou wouldst want them raised.'"

I love being a mommy. I don't like the titles mom, or mother, yet. I'm still mommy, and I love it. I love that my kisses are magic and can cure owies. I love that I can hug James goodnight, and sometimes he'll want me to "lay down mommy" while he tries to push my head towards his pillow, and sometimes I oblige. I love that Jack-Jack laughs so hard when I tickle him or play peek-a-boo. I love them, they love me. They need me, and I need them.

I love my mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and honorary grandmothers too, whether they are mine by blood or marriage. All the mothering women in my life are amazing.

I am so lucky to have them love and support me.

And so are my boys.

6 years on the 6th

Where it all started :)

May 6th, 2006
Just leaving the Denver Temple

This year was our "golden" anniversary
We hit 6 years on the 6th of May.

May 6th, 2007
First Anniversary

May 6th, 2008
2nd Anniversary

May 6th, 2009
Third Anniversary

May 6th, 2010
Fourth Anniversary



May 6th 2011
Fifth Anniversary

May 6th 2012
Six years on the sixth!

Mom and Dad Manwaring were here from graduation the day before, and since their anniversary is on the 5th, we got a sitter and all went out to eat.
We had wanted to try The Cheesecake Factory at the new CityCenter in Salt Lake, but they had a two and a half hour wait.
Kneaders it was because they had no wait :)
Afterwards we went to the Kura Door Spa and had couples massages, they just happened to have four openings that evening so we booked them earlier for a nice relaxing treat.
I am so lucky to have married such a wonderful man.
He treats me like a queen, is an excellent daddy, and we just compliment each other perfectly.
Here's to this year and the adventures we'll have!

Master of Information Systems

Nathan did it!

On May 4th he graduated from the University of Utah with a Master's of Science in Information Systems. His final project looked at comparing different drugs and EMR data (electronic medical records), and then recreating studies, all using the data. His professor asked if he wanted to do a pHD...we'll see:)

Congratulations Nathan, you worked so hard, and we are so proud of your accomplishment!

Now we get our daddy back!
There were these big red "U's" around all the entrances, I think they light up.


We were excited that Mom and Dad Manwaring came out for the graduation too.
I was thankful for the help during the actual ceremony.
I know they are so proud of Nathan too! Nathan's brother Robert graduated from ASU the morning before, and afterwards they hopped on a plane and came up to Utah to see Nathan graduate too.
We sat up at the top level of the Huntsman Center (basketball arena), and really, the sound system was awful. You couldn't hear much, and anytime anyone clapped, then you couldn't hear the next person's name being called.
There also wasn't a stage, and the graduates were so close to each other, there wasn't an opportunity to trip :(

Our family, we are very happy he's done!


James was a little unsure of Daddy's funny hat


Yeah, he did it!

Afterwards we headed to Texas Roadhouse for a great dinner.
Kirstin got to meet us there after her dog show in Salt Lake that day.
Thank you Nathan for being a great example for all of us!

Surviving a Master's Degree

Having two little boy's while Nathan has been gone a lot this semester for his master's has been tiresome to say the least. I have struggled with his absence, not only because we miss our daddy, but I miss my best friend. I wanted to be a parent with him, not by myself. Feeding them (especially James), putting them to bed, playing during the day, running errands, all without daddy, is hard work.
Anyone who says that being a stay at home mommy is not work, I'd like to leave you with my kids for a day.
These last three weeks have been the hardest. Of course they were the weeks leading up to Nathan's master's project presentation. He was missing key figures at work while they were in India for eighteen days for one co-workers wedding, and another partner got married and was on his honeymoon during that time. Doing work and school work has made Nathan MIA.

I pray that I'll never have to really do it by myself.
Yes there are tears daily, but there are good times, too.
Sometimes I wish that I was the one in school, learning new things, applying them by problem solving. Maybe again someday.
James playing with Simba and Nala

Jack-Jack giving smiles

Anyway, we still do things even though Nathan has been doing his master's project and write-up most nights. To keep sane (and fit) I like to head to the gym every morning to get a workout in, be it lifting weights, running, and usually a combo of both. That time to myself usually gets me through the day. Nathan has to stay home on weekends as well lately, so the boys and I go out and have adventures. We've been to Heber to help with Amy's baby shower at Aubreigh's house, doing yard work, and various holiday activities for Easter and Earth Day.
Cole and James at the Ogden Nature Center on Earth Day

I'm getting a good routine of doing "life" with two kids by myself. Other things we do include going to the park, and having James play with friends he has around here as well (and I get to visit with my friends while he plays with his), We visited Kirstin in Provo one day this month. Sometimes I get to see Kristie and Lilah in Provo, too. I even got a sitter and went out with some girlfriends on a Friday night to see The Hunger Games movie.
Aubreigh and Quinn came up to see us one week...
Soul sisters and Jack-Jack

Quinn hiding in the toy box


...then we got to meet them in Park City for some much needed shopping at the outlets another.

Aubreigh snuggling with Jack-Jack


I have to remember that things don't have to be perfect, such as the house or dinner or the lawn mowed. I do a pretty good job of keeping the house picked up, but I despise making dinner. And folding laundry.
James making the smoothie for us one night
I have to think each day are the kids happy, did we spend time together, are they fed, did I give them a kiss, do they know that I love them?
If I can answer yes to those questions, then I think I'm doing a pretty good job.

I love this quote, and it is perfect for this period in our life right now:
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about dancing in the rain
:)

Easter Sunday

Easter was a beautiful day, probably one of the first really nice days. It just was great to see that by celebrating Christ it was as if the Earth knew, and everything was coming to life again. I have been wondering how to teach James the reason for Easter, and thought that the Easter Bunny comes because we celebrate Jesus. After teaching that, it was all that James could say. I did like that we have church early, so we had to go to church first before we saw what the Easter Bunny left. I loved them in their little matching suits too :)

James, Mommy, Jackman, and Daddy on Easter morning

After church we got to see that the Easter Bunny had hidden our eggs in our backyard to find!
There were also baskets for everyone, and treats to find in the living room.
Nathan remembers the Easter Bunny leaving treats all over the place to find, and luckily, the Easter Bunny was able to do that tradition as well.

Daddy holding the egg cartoon while James found a hidden egg

Easter Baskets and treats in the living room
Even tractors got in on the egg action :)

Easter dinner we were able to spend at the Borrowman's home in West Point.
They put together a fun egg hunt for the kids there too which was especially sweet.
Kira and Tanner, and Kirstin got to come up too, helped James find his eggs.
After the egg hunt we had dessert that Kirstin and her friend Blake made to bring,
homemade apple and cherry pies.
Well, Tanner likes whipped cream.
He held it up for us to take a picture.
Ann then pushed it a little into him to get a little on him.
Then he pushed the whole piece onto her, then ran away.
Kira's face was priceless, her jaw dropped open.
Tanner was saying "she did it to me first, she did it to me first"
I think Ann laughing, a little.
And Mike missed the whole thing:(
Everyone else couldn't believe it.
At least we can laugh and have fun!

The best part about the day was spending it with family, loved ones, and friends.
Happy Easter!

Dying Eggs

I have been doing the tradition of dying hard boiled eggs the night before Easter for the Easter Bunny to hide for as long as I can remember. This year we decided to try golden eggs. Though fun, and they looked pretty, they were really messy, and even after they were dry if they got wet, or now trying to peel them, the dye gets all over your hands. So we will probably not be doing it again, but it was a good experience. The "gold" is pretty, but takes a lot of it to cover the egg, completely. A few coats of it. Then you can add colors to the gold to make a gold tinted egg. I'm glad I thought of taking all of James' clothes off for this one.

James starting to paint with just the gold

Each person's special name egg

Daddy and James painting the eggs

After just one golden egg, we decided to get crazy and add colors.
Painting the eggs also takes a lot longer than the regular way of dying them.

Mommy and James busting out the colors and gold

Painting eggs, James thought this was great.
Then he found that he could paint his leg too, and then we decided it was bath time :)

Close up of finished eggs, see the gold tint?

James and Mommy the egg artists

HeeHaw's Egg Hunt

The day before Easter we went to HeeHaw farms in Lindon for an Egg Hunt with the Park's and the Kohler's. Nathan had to stay home and work on his master's project.

Each kid could find ten eggs, and there were 10 golden eggs to find, and those had prizes in them. There was a man who was watching over an egg, and it was a golden egg! He said "why not have you're little boy find this". James got a Golden Egg!!

How nice was that. In the egg was a Utah's Pass of All Passes!

What a prize.

Besides egg hunting there was a cute petting farm, pony rides, and a fun dried corn pit.

James loved the baby goats. He's pointing and saying "oh it's so cute"
Anything that is a baby, or little, is now so cute!

Thanks Parks' for the invite! It was awesome!