Big News

Jacob (and Joey and I) have some exciting news to share.

Juliard or Bust

We are not sure which Jacob loves more: making noise or making music. Fortunately for him those two things often come in the same package. Here are a few of our favorite clips of his music making over the past few weeks. (Wait 'till you see the dance moves he has developed! If only we could get him to ignore the video camera.)

p.s. Amy, thank you for the keyboard and books!

Adjustable Waist

This post is partially an excuse to show off another cute picture of Jacob and partially one of those 'mom tips' I thought I would pass along. So, here is the picture:And here is the 'mom tip'. Since Jacob has been walking, I have noticed that his growth happens in two directions. For a little while his belly will seem to be filling out, and then a few weeks later all of that filler seems to spread out as he gets a little bit taller. It is quite a miracle to watch a baby grow! However, miraculous or not, it can be tricky to keep up with clothes that fit. For the past few weeks his short and pants have been in two different piles. One pile was for the fuller tummy/shorter legs days, and the other pile for thinner tummy/longer legs days. Then, I discovered the wonder of adjustable waist shorts and pants (like the ones Jacob has on in the above picture). They have elastic the can be adjusted on the inside of the waistband, so they can adapt to whatever kind of day it is. We love them! He can breath, and they will last for more than a couple of weeks! YEAH! Oh the simple pleasures of motherhood:)

Happy Easter!

First, if you need something to help you smile today,

this picture should do the trick! Happy Easter from Jacob!

We also wanted to include our own little Easter "eCard" below...

We want to wish everyone a Happy Easter.

This time of year reminds us of the blessings that we have received through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that by following His teachings we can find happiness in this life. We also know that it is through His sacrifice that our families can be together forever.

Worth a Thousand Words

Tagged

I have been tagged, and I am supposed to tag two other people. So, instead of passing it on to one of you, I thought I would tag joey and jacob at the same time. Our entries are in different colors. My answers are red, joey's are blue, and jacob's are green. Enjoy!

1. What was I doing ten years ago?
I was in my 2nd year at BYU. That semester I changed my major from psychology to education. Don’t remember much else, and I can’t seem to find my journal to get any juicy details.
I was a junior at Mesa High and everyday after school I went to Dobson Ranch to hit a free bucket of golf balls.
Don’t ask me, I don’t remember.
2. 5 things I need to do today:
Take a shower, grocery shop, get some fresh air with jacob, read the scriptures, and check my email
Wake up, work on my appellate brief, work on my appellate brief, work on my appellate brief, go to sleep
Take a lap around the house to check for anything that is in a new place, sort my DVD cases, eat several meals, nap, and subtly remind my parents that I am the one in control here
3. What snacks do I enjoy?
Are Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs considered a snack? (even if they aren’t I LOVE them!) On a healthier note, bell pepper slices, grapes, or a piece of toast with home-made raspberry jam on top.
Chocolate in any form: including double stuff oreos, ice cream, and chocolate chip cookie dough.
Grapes, strawberries, goldfish crackers, yogurt, bananas, and kix
4. What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire?
I would try to keep my daily life about the same. I like the simplicity of having more time than money. However, I would definitely look into buying a house instead of renting and pay for joey’s schooling with cash.
As for a few fun things to do: I would go to Hawaii and sit in a hammock right by the ocean, leave money at the cash register to pay for the groceries of the person behind me, leave anonymous gifts on people’s doorsteps, set aside a little bit for both joey and I to use for whatever we want (you know, sometimes peanut butter and jelly for lunch just doesn’t sound as good as eating out)
I’m sure the practical side of me would start investing and saving as well. I would love to donate to some great causes, and I would find a way to get books to kids who don’t have that luxury in life.
Pay off my student loans, fly tiff to Hawaii, quit law school, trademark my own surf brand, and set up shop making t-shirts
Pay for my daddy’s schooling, buy a tricycle like the one my neighbor has, and buy a house where I could here my own echo
5. Three bad habits:
Staring at people, twirling my hair, using the word ‘like’ entirely too much
Over-seasoning the meat for tacos, hoarding old t-shirts, and eating food that’s already been in Jacob’s mouth
Getting impatient while my diaper is being changed, biting my mom, and coloring on the dishwasher
6. Five jobs I've had:
babysitter, EFY counselor, pack and ship expert at the BYU Bookstore, elementary school teacher, graphic designer
Revenue management analyst, graphic designer, wood shop assistant, serviced fire extinguishers, washed plumbing trucks
n/a: See child labor laws
7. Five things people don't know about me:
a) I’ve never lived in the same city for longer than 4 consecutive years
b) I really don’t like wearing costumes
c) My dream job is with a company called Chapters of Hope
d) My favorite Jamba is Peanut Butter Moo’d (I think it is the most unhealthy item on their menu!)
e) I canceled my Church News subscription because I couldn’t keep up with it, and I felt guilty about not reading it from cover to cover!
a) I’m actually not shy
b) I can quote any episode of Seinfeld
c) My golf shot improves dramatically right after eating a Snickers bar
d) I would love to learn to surf
e) In high school I won a t-shirt design contest for the Phoenix Suns
a) All four of my molars have broken through my gums
b) I do a great elephant impersonation
c) I’m actually only in the 30% for height and weight, not exactly ready to play football as many people suggest. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my head is in the 85%!)
d) When I sign ‘please’ I don’t mean that I am going to wait until you get around to it, essentially, you have 15 seconds to respond before the yelling starts!e) I like to go down slides with my feet first and on my belly. No help from the grown-ups, thank you very much!

Mary and Tanner

This past weekend our friends Mary and Tanner were able to come visit. It was so much fun!One of the reasons I love having people visit is because it gives us a reason to do some of the great "tourist-ee" activities around here. We went to the Ronald Reagan Library, one of Joey's classes, the Latter-Day Saint Temple in Los Angeles, and of course the beach. We also slipped in a game or two of Ticket to Ride, a board game that we borrowed from some friends.(Thanks Moons!) Okay, so it was more than a game or two...try staying up past 1 a.m. every night!

Joey and I were both friends with Mary and Tanner before any of us were married to each other, so we already have a lot in common when we get together. It is great! We also celebrated Tanner's birthday while they were here. It only took Jacob a day or so to warm up to them, and then we couldn't keep him away from them. I think he is going through withdrawl now.

Anyway, thanks to Mary and Tanner for coming, and remember that we always love to have visitors.

(Joey and Tanner were born in the same neighborhood, 8 days apart.
They've been friends ever since)

(Air Force One at the Reagan Library. You can actually walk inside of it!)

(The view from the patio of Pepperdine Law. What a beautiful day!
That little outline in the left hand corner is Catalina Island)

(We love the tide pools at Malibu Lagoon state beach.
This time we found this incredible star fish!)The L.A. Temple