Great Eggspectations

Wheeler Easter Hunt...we had great eggspectations for Jara but alas, she was a very cranky pet! Notice the radiant look of anger on her face.

The boys on the hunt. Hmmm where is Jara?

Found her!

Ahh, finally, peace!!! (the kind only a sugar induced state will bring.)


Jack and Jara in their Easter outfits.

Bunny business

On a quest for the Easter basket

After dinner with the missionaries. Don't ask!

HAPPY EASTER ALL!

Fairly Fun

Clark County Fair time-the rare time of year when I subject myself to things I would not otherwise do; unsafe sanitary conditions, merry-go-rounds and poking my fingers in animal cages. I live on the wild side!

We did have a "fairly fun" time, Jara is at a great age for discovering rides and highly entertained by her mother trying to pet bunnies through metal cages. Jed and I just like to EAT! Charlotte's Web is the classic "Fair" movie, every time I go to the fair I remind myself of Templeton the rat who binges. "Smorgasbord, smorgasbord" was ringing in my head yesterday as we consumed a meat BBQ sampler platter, a corn dog, ice cream, a sno-cone, funnel cake (classic) and a GIANT cinnamon roll. And to think we scaled back from last year.

Jara loved the kiddie rides, the variety that involve cars that go around in a circle. Logan kept her feeling safe and I think they were secretly holding hands. Thank you Brennan and Christal for providing the knight in shining armor, I'm pretty sure she would have NEVER got on the rides without him.

Overall, it was a great time and thankfully won't be back for another year! I can take all the chains off of random pieces of my property.


This ride was a little scary for Jara, but she made it!

Serious, intense driving face. She reminds me to be careful, so here is theory in practice.

The best source of entertainment the whole day!!!

Look, I'm so brave, I even took one hand off of the pole! Jara was yelling "yee-haw."

Our youngest fair goer, he actually slept the entire 4 hours we were there!

Jara inspecting her balloon.

Driving off into the sunset.

5 Years

April 2, 2004

Jed quoted "still alive after five." Yes, he is lucky he's survived five years of ME! hehehe All the most wonderful things in my life have happened in the last five years WITH Jed, he completes me! I love him for many things, here are a few I will share with you...

He shares nice, even though I do not reciprocate the sharing"ness"

He eats every disaster I set before him and always tell me it's "not bad." We stopped using the star system.

He lets me do whatever I want and even volunteers to watch children.

He likes me even though he knows what I'm capable of.

He watches chick flicks with me. (only minor complaining)

He is a good father and husband, and a hard worker.

He can juggle a million responsibilities and still be nice!

Updates

JACK

At 4 1/2 months is: (was)

16lbs. 15oz.

26 1/2 inches and...

HAPPY

Eating cereal

Discovering toys

Thrilled with his feet

Sleeps well

Wearing 6-9 month clothes

My favorite thing about this month was the simple joy of watching him discover more of the world around him. He is a very good listener. When someone is explaining something he intently listens. A friend of mine was explaining a recipe and he was probably absorbing the instructions better than I was. He also thoroughly investigates his toys, he will lay on the play mat for a good 30-45 minutes just looking at each toy individually turning it over and examining it from all angles. He will occasionally throw a good tantrum, which we have coined the "jack-jack attack." If you've seen the Incredible's you know what I mean. He starts to shake and growl and then comes the AAAAAAA!!!! The fact that he even has the name makes it especially fitting.

JARA

Charles Dickens said it best when he penned, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." It must be terrible being two. (terrible as in great, and terrible as in beastly.) I think she really will have a chance at ruling the world because she does not take "no" for an answer! Now for her famous quotes...
"Mommy-big girl panties" The result of seeing me in my swimming suit.

"Jacky what's wrong?" She's very soothing to her brother and still very loving and she likes calling him Jacky.

"Cage mom, cage" Her special name for road construction along I-15 in Vegas.

"No, yes" I still haven't figured this out.

Her latest accomplishments...

Spelling her name...J-A-R-p-s-t-u (it's in rare Jara"nese" form.)

Organizing my canned food, she knows I need help. (hence the above pic)

Potty training her baby (the Eeyore that you see in every picture)

I would be bored without her!

Jewelry

Ahhhh one of my favorite new traditions, looked forward to with almost as much anticipation as Christmas. Is it any wonder why? Jed takes work off, I escape, play with my teacher friends,(from another life) and come home with lots of shiny, tacky worthless "pretties," as Jara calls them. Thanks to Lisa and her niceness/connections we all get to go into the Mirage to a wholesale jewelry show and shop, shop, shop! I think I surpassed my life allotment of jewelry in one day! Jara LOVE, LOVE, LOVES pretties, as she calls them and tried to steal all of them and told everyone "my pile, pretties." Yes, she made a pile and yes, she hordes. Yesterday I found a couple of bracelets in the basket of her tricycle. I have to watch her in the grocery store!

Amanda, Laena, Michelle, Karen, Amy, Ev, Lisa, self

(not the most flattering pic for me but oh well)

The Kiddies

Jack
Jack and glo-worm, do you see the resemblance?

Poor Jack he's so embarrassed his mom does this to him!

Practicing rolling over (he's been rolling over for a month now.)


Laughing out loud

Jara

Pretty in pink

Doing a heel-clicker on her trike, yes even in the dress!



ELLA

Ella (Ashley's little girl) Isn't she cute?

Ten Honest Scraps

So...I recently received the "Honest Scraps" blog award which requires you to reveal ten honest facts about yourself. I haven't posted anything like this yet so here goes...

Warning: Take the "s" off the above word and that's mostly what you're going to get.

1. I am not shy. I may be hesitant to do something first or quiet at times but I am not afraid of people.

2. I do not like it when people dislike me.

3. I'm older than my husband (only by 5 months.)

4. Useless trivia fascinates me. I admit it, I like watching Jeopardy.

5. When Jed and I are old I want to go on a South American LDS mission. Is Machu Pichu a mission?

6. I like being alone, I never realized this until I had children. Bad time to decide to channel my inner lone wolf.

7. I have "magpie syndrome" meaning: I like to collect "things." Especially shiny things.

8. I have a weakness for chocolate AND office supplies. Nothing puts a smile on my face like highlighters and index cards.

9. Flying creatures are my nemesis. (See prior post Fowl Foul)

10. My dreams are non-stop, every night. I would make a great case study.

*Bonus fact: I am easily entertained. I am perfectly happy wherever I am, as long as I have access to a good book, or a lot of things to stare at (the beach.)
I pass this award/torch on to Ashley to be fulfilled as soon as you read this. .