Claire is NOT Sleepy!

Last night & tonight at dinner, Claire was hilarious. She did not take a nap either day & she claimed that she was not sleepy! I don't think that was entirely true. What do you think?

Dinner on Monday

Dinner on Tuesday

What Moms are For

Tyler is getting ready to go to his swimming lesson & I've been nagging him to put his swim trunks on. He just came in my room, gave me a hug & told me, "I want you to get me dressed. That's what good mothers are for!"
Thanks Tyler. It's good to know my job requirements & how to be good at being a mom. I wonder what makes a good son & can I use that argument with him. "Tyler, I want you to clean up your toys. That's what good sons are for!"

Moving Up

Question: How do you know when it's time to move your sweet baby from the safety of the cradle in your room into the crib in the distant nursery?


Answer: When you find him breaking out of his swaddle wrap, completely twisted around in his cradle when you wake in the morning.


For the past couple nights, I've known that the time was coming to move Matthew to his crib. I was just putting it off because I liked having him in my room. When he's in my room, I don't have to walk clear across the house to put his pacifier back in his mouth or calm him when he cries. Last night, I fed Matthew & he just didn't want to go back to sleep. I put him in his cradle & he was just lying there babbling away. When it was close to 2:00 am, I finally gave up & took him to his crib. He cried once & I went to give him his pacifier. After that he slept the rest of the night. I think he just wanted to know that Mommy would still come if he cried. I snuck in his room around 7:30 this morning to snap a picture of him. It's a bittersweet moment for me. I think that moving him out of his cradle is the first time I have to let go & allow him to grow up. So sad - he won't be a baby forever. So I'd better enjoy his baby years while they last! I love you my sweet little Matthew!

Too Hot in the Kitchen

This bottle of cleaner was sitting on my cooktop while I had my lunch in the oven. Apparently, the plastic couldn't withstand the heat coming out of the vent on top of the stove. (The oven was set to 450 degrees.) The bottle melted and some of the cleaner spilled on the stove. Oh well, this is the least disgusting mess I've had to clean up today. I guess now I've learned my lesson - don't leave bottles of cleaner on the cooktop while I'm using the oven. I wonder if all bottles would melt, or do those green works products come in some cheap recycled bottle. . . who knows. I guess there's only one way to find out. I have an almost empty bottle of Lysol Kitchen Cleaner. He-he-he.

Spring in my Rose Garden

I love roses. I guess they're probably my favorite flower. But then again, there are so many beautiful flowers to choose. This is my favorite time of year in my rose garden. Jeff trimmed the rosebushes back a couple months ago & the first blooms are now popping up on them. I'm not a great photographer like Carrie, but I wanted to share a few of my roses to show that Spring is here - even if it's been feeling a bit wintery the past week or so. Enjoy!

7 Years Ago

Seven years ago today, Jeff & I were married in the Los Angeles Temple. Life sure has changed in the last 7 years, I like to think for the better. Every year on our anniversary, I like to look at the pictures from our wedding day & remember how much fun it was. Now that I'm getting older, as I look at these pictures, I can't help but realize how blissfully naive we both were. I guess that's how it should be. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite pictures from our wedding day for your viewing pleasure. Oh, and for my old roomies - do you recognize the picture on the top. It's my picture that I always wanted - you know, the one with the whole temple in the background & the flag flying in the breeze.

Here are our family and friends who came to the Temple.


Our rings are so pretty.

The bridesmaids/matrons and groomsmen.

The giant tree makes such a pretty place for taking pictures.

Here's my cutie nephew, Ian. He was born on my birthday that year. I wonder who picked out his bib?

What would a wedding day be without a lot of kissing?

Here's my adorable nephew Colton. I can't believe how little he was there - he's so grown up now!

Here we are with my Grandma & Grandpa. Grandma made my beautiful dress for me. My dress was exactly how I wanted it to be. I need to learn how to sew like Grandma so that I can make dresses for my granddaughters someday.

Here are all of the members of my side of the family who were at the Temple. If you notice that my brother Ryan is missing, that's ok. He was on a mission in Pennsylvania when I got married.

The happy couple in front of the Temple.

Me with my sisters at the Reception.

Here's Jo Ann with all of her boys. She was so happy that day.

Here's Jeff with his Mom at the Reception.

Dancing with my Dad at the Reception.

Here is my Great-Grandma Cunningham. Isn't she pretty? I think Claire looks a lot like her. I am so glad I have this picture because Great-Grandma C only lived for 10 months after I got married.

Here we're getting ready to cut the cake. I loved our cake! I took a picture from a magazine to the lady who made our cake & she made it look exactly like the picture.

Here's Jeff flinging the garter.

It's so much more fun throwing the bouquet than trying to catch it!

Ooh-la-la!

Grandma is taking off with the flowers. It looks like Grandpa disapproves.

The car is all decorated & we're ready to leave on our Honeymoon.

It was so much fun driving around with the car decorated. Cars honked at us & people in restaurants congratulated us. It was kinda sad when we had to wash it off.

My Future Doctor

Monday night at dinner Tyler told us that he thought Matthew should be a firefighter when he grows up. That used to be the occupation of Tyler's dreams, so we were curious what he would want to be now. When we asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up he told us, "I want to be a doctor or a hospital worker and help people with allergies. And when they come to my hospital I will give them medicine that tastes good like fruit. Maybe it could taste like banana, apple, cherry, grape, lime or tomato." (Can you tell that Tyler did not like the medicine they gave him in the hospital?)
We thought tomato was an unusual flavor for medicine so we had to ask about it. Jeff asked, "So how did you know that a tomato is a fruit?"
Tyler's response, "Because it's juicy."
Then later that night I had to give Tyler his medicine. He asked me what it would taste like & I told him I didn't know, but I thought it might taste fruity. He finally agreed to drink the nasty medicine when I told him he should taste it & tell me what fruit he thought it tasted like. After he drank it and had a big swig of water to wash it down, I asked, "So which fruit did it taste like?"
Tyler said, "No fruit, it tastes like garbage!"