This past weekend, we had stake conference. The Saturday evening adult session was amazing. Since BJ has been in graduate school and I have been starting my photography business, we have felt that our children have had to suffer. It is a big concern because we know that the most important work we can do is within our homes raising our children. But, it is also important to meet our financial obligations and pursue education. So, we have been working and praying that we could find balance…that each of our children will feel loved and valued as an important part of our family. With our family being our main topic of prayer recently, it was amazing to attend the adult session with hearts prepared to hear the beautiful message, all focused on the family. Two simple things that stuck out to me were:
“Take time to really listen to your children.”
and…
“Children love to be loved.”
So, I am motivated to find the moments; moments to play, moments to listen, and moments to love.

My baby is getting so grown up! I LOVE every baby stage, so though I am always excited about the next step, I feel sad every time he reaches a new milestone, knowing that he won’t be my baby forever…

Brighton has begun telling make-believe stories. The cutest part about it is that she knows she is being funny and gets really animated while telling her stories. Here is the story she told me a couple of days ago:
“There was a big…scary…monner (monster). You ran away. Addy ran away. But, the monner got me. Him wants to eat my woclate (chocolate) eyes!

For Christmas, my parents gave BJ and me a Professional Grade Kitchen Aid. I used to have to knead bread by hand…no more! It is FABULOUS!

Our new Kitchen Aid has gotten plenty of use. Our favorite things to make in it are crescent rolls and cookies. My favorite cookies are the Ghiradelli chocolate chip cookies and BJ’s favorite are oatmeal raisin cookies. I guess I must be pretty selfish because every time I have made cookies recently, I have made my favorite. So, yesterday the girls and I decided to surprise Daddy and make him some oatmeal raisin cookies. We had a lot of fun, with only one minor mishap…I asked Brighton to crack her egg into the batter. Obediently, she reached both hands out and smashed her egg between her hands, egg shells everywhere and goo running between her fingers.

We had a good laugh, double checked for shells in the dough, got her cleaned up…and then I demonstrated the correct way to crack an egg. The girls help me in the kitchen so often that I assumed that she knew how to do it. Well, now she knows!

What a yummy Family Home Evening treat!

Jase has discovered his hands. On his swing, there are some toys hanging down. He has realized that if he pulls on the toys, it will sing a song. So, he watches his hands really carefully and with serious concentration, reaches out to pull the toy.
It is very cute!

And…he started rolling over! I have known for a couple of days that he could do it because we lay him down at night/naptime on his stomach. Then, when we go get him, he is on his back. But, on Saturday we saw him roll over for the first time! He can roll from his tummy to his back and from his back to his tummy. But, even though he CAN roll, he hardly ever does. He just lays on the ground and whines to be picked up. Conference weekend spoiled him because we just sat and held him all weekend. At least Addy will still hold him for hours on end.