HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I just wanted to wish my wonderful mom a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Even if she IS nearing 50 (did I just type that out loud?)...she still looks like she's barely pushing 25! My mom is a wonderful mother, and a great, and loving grandmother to our girls. She has taught me a special love of children, and I owe so much to her. I can't thank her enough for making the decision to join the church, and raise us in righteousness. (Cue the waterworks...it must be a pregnancy thing!) She has always been a wonderful example of faith and dilligence, and I am grateful for every minute that I've been able to share with her. As a teenager, I felt at times that all she wanted to do is be strict, and ruin the fun. Now, as a mother myself, I realize that she was following the promptings of the Spirit, and raising me with love, concern, and safety. Thank you Mom, for sharing 26 years with me...and for everything you've ever done for me, from changing my diapers, to wiping my tears! I LOVE YOU MOM!!!

Thanks for the Great Trip!

We just got back on Wednesday from our trip to Utah. We went out to see my sister Sarah who got home from her mission in Pennsylvania on Nov. 6th. It was so nice to have her back, and Caitlin and Abby just ate up the attention from her! We had fun visiting family and friends, and enjoying the beautiful-and unusually warm-fall weather! This will probably be the last time we will be in Utah for a while, because our baby girl is due April 3! We will be moving to Arizona in July, so I don't know when we'll be back to see the beautiful mountains and be with family! That's one thing that we really took for granted about Utah, was having such beautiful mountains all around. Thanks to everyone who let us visit and made our trip wonderful!

Abs with Uncle 'Joe'. (I put Joe in quotations because that's not what they call him! ;o)

Joseph is in this Par Kour(sp?) club at his school. It's basically doing cool tricks on any obstacle around. He had just as much fun at the park practicing as the girls had playing around!

Abs, Caitlin and their cousing Brookie. They ADORE 'Brooks'. It was so much fun to see family for a few days!

Caitlin and her cousin Delaney. Delaney insisted that she was Fern from Charlotte's Web. She had to wear the yellow dress that Fern wears to the fair at the end of the movie. She's such a doll!

SARAH COMING HOME!!!! This was when we saw Sare for the 1st time in a year and a half!!! It was so exciting...and you mix that with my pregnant hormones...I was balling like a baby!

Sare and Justin...sweet reunions!

Sarah ACTING like she was happy to be back. She loved her mission, and had a hard time coming home.



Caitlin with Aunt Gloria. It was so fun to see my mom's side of the family for a couple of days. They are such sweet people!

Last but NOT least, the beloved Great Grandpa Murphy. This is probably the ONLY time you'll see him wearing anything but a t-shirt of his great-granddaughters! He is such a hoot!



Abby and Delaney. They went downstairs by themselves, and set up a 'naptime bed' on the LoveSac. It was pretty cute!





Caitlin playing in the leaves in Grampa's backyard. Fall is so much fun for kids...those were the good ole' days!

This is what happens when we wake up for the 1st day in Utah at Grampa's house...and Grampa is at work. The girls take over the stereo!!!

Just for Grins

I really had no reason to do another post, I just thought these pictures were too cute not to share. I love my sweet girls so much! I learn so much from them every day..who would've ever thought I'd learn all my life lessons from a 2 and 4-year-old? I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father has trusted me with their care, and I am grateful for every minute of being a mother. They (along with Nate) truly are my everything. They are the reason that I wake up every morning, the reason that I try so hard to be the best that I can be. I hope that someday I can be the mother that I truly am striving to be. For now, I will keep trying to be the mother they look up to, and can find comfort and nurture in. I love you girls!

Is that not THE CUTEST sad lion that you've ever seen? Let's be honest here...

Happy Halloween!

We had a fun and busy Halloween this year! We had 2 trunk-or-treats to go to, several costume parties for the girls, a Halloween dinner with friends, and of course Trick-or-Treating! These darling pictures were taken at a friend's little Halloween Party at her studio. Last year Halloween out here was FREEZING, so I thought we'd be totally safe with these warm costumes. It turns out that most of the festivities we went to were inside, and the girls would get so sweaty! They looked darling regardless, and we have WAY to much candy to even think about. The candy fairy is going to come one of these nights and 'properly discard' of the candy. We hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween! Now on to Christmas music...

(Nate isn't the BIGGEST fan of my love for Christmas music, so if I listen to it this early, I make sure it's just during the day!)