I can SNAP!

Look mommy I can snap! Sarah you have worked on snapping for days. All day all night...so determined to master the snap. You have done it! At four years old and with some rigorous training you have accomplished your goal to snap. You will call us into your room at ten o'clock at night just to let us hear how well you are getting that beautiful soft snap down. Now I must say I don't know many four year old's who can do this. In fact you ask everyone if they can and just Friday an eleven year old and seven year old were amazed and said they couldn't even snap. I think you are amazing! I am so impressed at your determination and your will to conqueror something that you set your mind to. You have been independent since the say you were born and you have always wanted to do anything and everything you see others doing and I admire it so much. I love you my sweetest girl. Oh how I wish you never had to go to school because you are the greatest friend in the world. Congratulations on your beautiful snap...you deserve it!

Let the soccer begin!

Ethan today was the first soccer game of the season. It was a great game. We won nine to three. What a great way to start the season. Daddy is your coach again this year and you have six players on your team. The players are, Parker Gardner, Jake McCormack, Jaxon Greaves, Nathan, Gavin, and yourself. It looks like you are going to be a great team. Ethan you love to play soccer but you do need a little encouragement to be aggressive, so Daddy and I have tried a little reward system and we offered you ten cents for every time you kick the ball and a dollar for every goal. You counter offered for a smiley (which is part of our rewards system at home, where you earn rewards for sixty smileys) for every time you kicked the goal and five smiley's for every goal you make. We agreed. Today you kicked the ball nine times!  That is fantastic for you! Parker was determined to see you do great today and told you he would help you out during the game. So the two of you would run down the field while Parker would be yelling come on Ethan you can do it. At one point Parker was going for the goal and had a clear shot and stopped and yelled for you and to come and take the shot. You came running and didn't score, but Parker cared more about you than he did about making a goal for himself. Your friendship with Parker is forever strengthened by moments like these. Such a great day and a priceless memory. So proud of you bud and the way you played today. It will be a great year of soccer!

Men of Song and The Silver Star

So kids tonight I write to you and anyone else who may ever read this blog. If you haven't gone to the Layton 4th of July program the Sunday before the 4th, you haven't ever truly experienced the 4th of July. Layton does such an amazing job honoring those who have served in the armed forces and reminding us why we celebrate this holiday each year. They have patriotic music and they honor Layton citizens who are hometown heroes. About three years ago my Grandpa Lorin was honored. Tonight was wonderful. Grandpa sang beautifully and the best part of the whole night is when my Grandpa's singing group (The Men of Song) sing all the armed forces theme songs. There is not a dry eye in the audience. During each song those who served in each organization are invited to stand during their song. It is so moving. How grateful I am for those who have served in the armed forces. They have done so much for our freedom. Tonight I am especially thankful for my Dad who served in Vietnam, my grandfather Lorin who served in World War II, my grandma Alba who served in World War II, my father in-law who served in the army and my brother in-law who served in that National Guard. These men and women sacrificed their lives, their dreams, everything that was comfortable so that they could preserve our freedom and priviledges of being an American. Lastly I would like to thank my amazing brother Brian who served in the army and who was decorated with the silver star. He is a true hero in every sense of the word. He saved eleven other soliders during enemy fire in Korea. He risked his own life for those whom he didn't know, but that made no difference. He would not be happy about me writing about this, but one day Ethan and Sarah you will read this and know that you know and love a true hero. 

So today honor a solider. Whether or not you know this person or not tell them thank you. Offer your gratitude, respect, and thanks. Happy 4th!

 Nice little band singing some folk music.

 Emily Bull dancing to the music.

 Misty, Kyle Anderson, Cathy Bull, Doug Bull and Thomas Bull enjoying the music.

 Ryan Bull, Thomas Bull, Bryson Bull, Megan Beck, and Britton Gardner loving Grandpa's performance.

 Grandpa singing with the Men of Song.

 Grandpa and Paul singing.

 Karli enjoying the night. I love this girl!!

The Men of Song doing what they do best singing the armed forces music.

Wonderful night, wonderful memories. I love you guys!

Dr. Hall...We love You!

Dr. Hall delivering Sarah in 2008

So tonight we were invited to Dr. Hall's house for a barbecue with our family, the Gardner's, the Sandberg's, and the Hartvigsen's. It was a blast! So some people might think it a little odd to go to a barbecue at their OB's house, but not if they knew Dr. Hall. He is simply one of the best Dr.'s and men in the world. We all love and admire him. He came home from his vacation when I went into labor with Sarah. He has given us his personal cell phone if we need anything at all. So when it comes to looking for that perfect Dr. we found that in him. He is spiritual, he is kind, he is real.

We got to his house at 5:00 p.m. and the first thing he said was, "okay kids you have to find the secret door." So you were running all over trying to find this secret door and finally this one bookshelf in the family room, had a little lip coming out from the wall and we slowly opened the bookshelf door and the squeals, oh the squeals! Ethan you were shaking all over your body and screaming with pure delight! Sarah you couldn't get up that spiral stair case fast enough. Ethan you kept saying over and over again to Dr. Hall, "This is awesome, this is awesome!!" So in we all went and climbed up the spiral stair case, past the Cat in the Hat mural on the wall and into the magical hidden world of pure imagination and fun! There was a movie room with Breir Rabbit and his friends and the crocodile painted on the wall. The real exciting room was the ball room. It had a playhouse built into the wall, with a window, and a door for rabbit to come to. The walls and windows were all set up so that you could throw balls and not worry about breaking anything. It was wonderful. You guys ran and played and giggled and made wonderful memories. After you played for a while we had hamburgers, hot dogs and lots of salads. It was so nice to sit down with 15 children and everyone ate and you were all very respectful and it was so pleasant. After dinner we went outside in Dr. Hall's beautiful backyard and played baseball. It was so much fun! Ethan you hit the ball the first time and you were beyond thrilled. You made it all the way to third base! You were screaming and you were so proud of yourself, as you should be. You were able to run it in with the next hit and you were running around slapping everyone high five. Your next hit was a home run and you couldn't contain your excitement. It was the first time you really showed any interest in baseball and it was so fun. Sarah you were not interesting in the baseball game but you were interested in the hammock on the porch. You and Ellie were swinging each other on the hammock and enjoying every minute of it. It was so cute. I would like to go on record that Mommy hit the ball too and ran all the way to third base as well. I still got it. Later we found ourselves back in the playhouse in the secret room and I was the princess and Sarah, Ellie, and Brynlee were the animals. I had to sing to get them to come to me and you all thought that was too great. All the adults sat outside and talked and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We finished the night with brownies and ice cream and a big picture with Dr. Hall.

It was a perfect night with family, friends, and a great Dr. who has sacrificed so much for so many people. We love you Dr. Hall! Thank you for bringing all our children into this world.

Is there anyway to stop time?

Do you ever want to capture a moment, hold on to it, and hope it lasts forever...I do. I wish I could freeze time and keep Ethan this age forever. I wish I could journal everything perfectly and never forget one minute we spent together. I wish I could be as eloquent as some of the other bloggers I know and express myself so beautifully that every experience is remembered with perfect clarity.The last four years and fifteen days have been heaven on earth for me. He is simply the nicest little boy on the planet and I love him dearly. This is a glimpse of a typical daily conversation with Ethan.

 Sledding at Layton Park

 Ethan wearing Daddy's safety glasses

 Daddy and Ethan cuddling in the morning

Ethan...that smile!! You are the most adorable child! This is at Dinosaur museum in St. George

 Ethan and Parker at the Sandberg's for an Easter hunt

 Ethan or Superman! Aunt Cheryl, Gavin, and Marissa came to stay with us and we put this air mattress in the family room and you and Gavin were loving it! You jumped from the couch to the mattress a million times. It was so fun!

Ethan you reading in the kitchen. You love to read books.

Ethan walks into the bathroom while I am getting ready, "Woot, woo, mommy you are beautiful!"

Mommy, give me a hug (with arms stretched out)

Mommy, your my best friend

Hey Mommy, guess what? I love you!

Dance, Mommy, Dance!

Mommy come dance with me (especially anytime the BYU dancers are dancing on KBYU)

Mommy sing rainbow (somewhere over the rainbow)

Sing mommy, sing louder mommy!

Did you hear something? (with eyes moving back and forth and spoken in a whisper)

What was that? (also in a whisper, looking around quickly)

Mommy: "Ethan do you want to take a bath?"
Ethan: "Well certainly, I do." (With an emaphise on the cert)

Mommy: "Ethan do you want to go for a ride?"
Ethan: "Well, of course." (Always a head nod on course)

Maaaammy, I'mmm aaaawwwake (Every morning and every nap time. Ethan never gets out of bed until I come into the room to get him. He then tells me again, mommy I'm awake in a cheerful tone)

Mommy: "Ethan will you come here for a minute?"
Ethan: "Well, don't mind if I do."

"Mommy, you and Sarah are my best girls."

Everynight at bedtime we read scriptures to Ethan, 2 books, and sing 2 songs from the hymn book, he also wants me to sing somewhere over the rainbow. Ethan's most requested song is Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd...a little shocked, us too, but Ethan loves that song and can sing all the words right along with us. After Matt turns off the lights, Ethan says, "Hey it's dark in here" (he says it every night and it never gets old)

Typical prayer: "Our gracious Heavenly Father, please bless mommy and daddy and Sarah that they will come rescue us. Please bless the food in the name of Jesus Christ amen." Then Ethan says to me, "mommy was that a long prayer, short prayer, or a happy prayer?"

Ethan some how has picked up a Southern accent

I just like him way to much! Here is Ethan before our trip to California loving life in the suitcase. Here is Ethan with his cars and all is well.

I love you, sweetheart! So very much!! 

"Don't you dare tell me I'm punctual!"

Matt and I were watching, "The Help" and I loved the part that the maid told the little girl that "she was nice, she was smart, and she was important." So the next morning while cuddling with Sarah I turned to her and told her that she was nice, she was smart, and she was important. Sarah then got her big wide eyed face and put her hand on her hip and said, "Well that's fine, but don't you dare tell me that I am punctual!" I immediately said, "what did you say" and then she repeated back the same sentence. So I said, "where did you learn the word punctual?" Sarah just looked at me and said, "I'll never tell". So fast forward a day and I ask her again where she learned that word and start naming cartoons she has recently watched and then the big reveal came...it was Aladin! When the Genie is in the form of a bee and tells Aladin to tell Jasmine that she is punctual! So funny! You just never know what kids are listening to and what they are picking up. 

Summer Fun and Fort Friday

So the summer has been pretty wonderful so far. We have had a party or outing of some sort nearly everyday. We have swam or played in water nearly everyday. We have been with cousins just about everyday as well. We have been to Castle Park for a family reunion. You both love Castle Park. We played on the playground, but this year you were very interested in the woods below, so we went and discovered a small creek, lots of trails, and a million trees. It was pure dirty fun. We have been to Barnes Park. We went one day with all the cousins including the Bull family cousins. We played in the sand, on the playground, soccer, and dodge ball. We have gone to Daddy's work to take him on a picnic and went to Sugar House Park to play on the playground and eat with Daddy. We have ate outside nearly every night for dinner and played on our swing set, swam in our little pool, and swung on our tree swing. We have rode our bikes, dressed up as superheroes, or princesses, and played outside until we had to start a camp fire to keep us warm...which we have done several times and then roasted marshmallows. We do learning time in the mornings and it has been so fun to discover new things with Sarah and watch her try to grasp the concept of letter sounds and writing. Ethan is loving math and time and is really progressing in his reading. I can't believe the words that he breezes through. It has been such a great beginning to a much anticipated summer.

Right now I am listening to you play in the family room. You have made a fort and Ethan you are a scientist and Sarah you are a princess and you have found some jewels and Ethan you have hidden them and Sarah is trying to find your hiding place. You are giggling and creating together and it makes me so happy. Our house is fairly quiet compared to most of my family and friends. With only two kids the fighting is pretty tame (not perfect, but doesn't happen to often). We play a lot with one another and you are getting better about depending more upon one another than you did in the past. I love it! You are discovering how fun it is to have a brother and sister with you all the time. If there is one thing I hope for it is that you will be each other's best friend. That you will always respect one another. That you will always delight in each other's accomplishments. That you will always be proud of one another. That you will always be loyal to each other. That you will always be one another's best friend. It really is a wonderful day. The wind is blowing outside, the sun is shining, the flowers are brilliant, the vegetables of growing, and the house is happy because of you. I love you both. I love being your mother. This is what I hoped for. You are wonderful!