yes, i drank the water!

i'm kind of funny about making big announcements, i don't know why. i get shy about it. weird i know. so yes, we're having a baby, baby #3! our little family is so excited!! i'm going for another scheduled c-section the end of august. wow, are our lives going to change, but i'm so excited for that change & the joy that a new little baby will bring into our lives. i love & adore my 2 kids & i'm excited to love & adore another. the kids, especially bay, are so excited. i'm looking forward to having 2 wonderful helpers. it's such a nice thought that my kids will be older & can do basically everything for themselves. i guess there are some advantages to having your kids farther apart. what works for some doesn't work for others, right? i wouldn't change the fact of tys & bay being 2 1/2 yrs apart & being able to play & have fun with each other.
i want to thank todd for being a wonderful husband! he is so good to me, especially when i'm pregnant & after having the baby. he puts up with so much & never complains. it's a day to day challenge as to what i can eat & so he has made many trips to the grocery store. he does more to take care of the kids & me & i want him to know how much all of this means to me. you're the best & i'm a lucky girl to have you & our kids are so lucky to have you as their dad. thanks babe! i want to thank those that already know for their love & support, it means the world to me. i have wonderful family & friends that have been so happy for us. i will have to say that todd's sister's reaction were the best! talk about making me feel good. tam and tori almost cried! i appreciate your phone calls to check on me, especially from my mother-in-law. she calls at least weekly to check on me, thank you! my brother's girlfriend, susan, has been so sweet too & so happy for us. she even keeps track of my appts. & they want to know all the exciting details. i can't wait until we can go shopping susan! i have appreciated the emails & texts from friends, especially you tilda, just checking in. wow, i am loved & feel so much support. a funny story about my sister gretchen...i cried wolf too many times with her. she really didn't believe me when i called & told her & it's my own fault. i can't tell you how many times i have told her i was pregnant or i went to the dr, etc. sorry gretch, i'm glad you believe me now & i learned my lesson.
i was so dead set on having 2 kids, i was convinced i was done. i think for the most part everyone thought i was done. when we told our parents we gave them an ultrasound picture that my brother, brian, did for us. when i called to see if he could do it for us i talked to his wife. when she had him guess who in our family was pregnant i was the very last person. he even guessed my brother's girlfriend before me! too funny.
we have had 3 ultrasounds already & i want to cry each time i see our precious baby & hear that amazing heartbeat. at my 1st appt. it was just a little bean. the kids were disappointed they couldn't see a baby. we went last thursday, just 4 weeks later, & it was a baby, arms, legs, etc. bay was with us & loved it! i love that my dr. does an ultrasound each visit. such a treat. they are guessing it's a boy, but it's a little hard to tell right now. we should be able to know for sure next visit, with cooperation of the baby of course.
so i'm over the 24/7 nausea & not as tired as i was. wow i forgot how soon your body changes. i never knew what it meant to be exhausted until i got pregnant with tyson. i can cry at the drop of a hat over commercials, oprah, whatever! lol! you've got to love those hormones.
i just want to say how grateful i am for the opportunity to be able to have children. to be a mom to these amazing little spirits. i hope that i can always do my best & be the very best mom in their eyes!

amazing quote

my family has a website that we all get on & post. i love it! it has been so good to keep connected with siblings that are spread across america & even one in canada, hi jan! anyway, today i was on there & some of us have a quote that is signed with our name each time we post. my sister gretchen had an amazing quote, "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle". wow! i love when i have moments that really make me think. i hate to admit that most of my life i have been a critical person. that is one thing i hate about myself. i am trying so hard to be less judgmental, to be more forgiving of others, & to just be kinder. this quote is so true, we are all fighting something. some battles may be harder & we are all at different points in our lives. what you or i may think is easy could be trivial to others. so i hope that this quote sticks with me day in & day out. thanks gretch for sharing that. btw, i miss & love you!

thank you!

ok so there are people that read this blog of ours, yeah! i will keep blogging. thank you for commenting. i guess if nothing else my sweet husband reads this & you never know he might find out something on here that he didn't already know. lol! oh by the way todd, i'm pregnant with twins! jk!!! i guess this is also a reminder to me that i should comment more on the blogs i read like yours denise!

hello, anyone?

so i'm just a little curious...does anyone read this thing anymore? if so, why don't you post? yes, this is somewhat of a journal for our little family, but i do it for others as well. maybe i will just start writing my "journal" in word & just keep it there. having a blog does take extra time & if there is no interest i think i will just quit the whole blogging scene. maybe i'm just writing to myself right now. lol!

energy...can you catch it?

last night my kids were on a sugar high! they were so wild & my head was killing, not a good combination. i told bay that i wished i had some of her energy & she replied, "you can have some if you can catch me!" she laughed & ran away. man i love that little girl! she is such a joy in my life & i adore her. i love how thoughtful & loving she is, i love that she loves to dance & she's really good, i love that she adores me & loves being with me, i love the relationship she has with her dad, i love that she adores tyson, i love her sense of style & that she's a good shopping partner, i love her cute voice & the way she calls me mama! i love you princesss, you are priceless!

jill+todd=true love!

happy valentine's day! i want my sweetheart, todd, to know that i love & adore him. he has been such a blessing in my life. he has given me 2 of the best blessings/gifts ever, my adorable kids. i love you tyson & baylie! i am one lucky/blessed girl.
i hope you all have a wonderful day with the loves of your life!

I Was So Proud!

I was driving home from work on Friday when I got a call from Tyson's school. School had already been out for almost two hours, they get out early on Friday. I started to panic & couldn't figure out why they would be calling. Todd picks Tys up on Fridays & my husband is NEVER late for anything. I thought oh no did something happen to Todd & he didn't get him & the school is now just calling me? Can you tell I worry way too much? LOL! It was Tyson's teacher. Here is what she had to say..."I just wanted to call & let you know what a joy Tyson is! He is such a good kid & I hope you treasure him. I just can't get over how good he is & I love having him in my class!" I almost started crying! That was one of the best phone calls I have ever received & I was so proud of him. He is such a good kid & we adore him. I feel blessed to have him in my life & love him so much! It really is an honor to be his mom, wish we could clone him. :0)
This conversation made me really think...how often do we recognize the good that people are doing, thank those that make a good impact on our lives, recognize even the smallest good dead, etc? I called my mom right away to share the good news. We talked about this. So often when someone does something wrong or we receive horrible service, etc. we are all over making sure they know about it. Shouldn't we make even a bigger deal about the good that happens? I really think if we all focused more on the positive & the good our world would be a much better place. I know that positive reinforcement goes so far with my kids. I need to do it more. This is another thing that I'm working on.

You Can Thank Mr. Groundhog!

Yesterday morning we were driving to church & Bay saw a big patch of grass by the Jr. High. She got all excited about seeing grass! Can you tell we have a lot of snow & it's been a while since we've seen grass? Anyway, she said, "see mom, Spring is coming!" I had to inform her we are supposed to be getting a big storm this Wednesday. Tyson's replied, "well mom you can thank Mr. Groundhog for that!" He is the funniest kid & so quick with these things. He is for sure a little Todd! That is one thing I love about both of them. So thanks a lot Mr. Groundhog! Because of you we get to "enjoy" some more snow! Let's just pray for a slow melt.

Family

I love when I get stories that touch me or make me think. This one really does! I hope my family, especially Todd, Tyson, and Baylie know how much I love them and that they are my life. I hope that I always treat them better than I would a stanger. I love you guys!

I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh excuse me please" was my reply. He said, "Please excuse me too; I wasn't watching for you." We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye. But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My son stood beside me very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken. While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger, Common courtesy you use, But the family you love, you seem to abuse. Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue. He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes." By this time, I felt very small, And now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by his bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said. "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree. I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue." I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway." I said, "Son, I love you too, And I do like the flowers, especially the blue." FAMILY Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company That we are working for could easily replace us in A matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss For the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more Into work than into our own family, An unwise investment indeed, Don't you think?

Happy Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Landon!
I just wanted to wish my cute nephew Landon a Happy Birthday! He probably doesn't like the word cute, but he really is. I wish we were closer and could help you celebrate. We are all thinking about you and hope you have a fun day, and get spoiled! We will bring your present the next time we come up. Happy birthday, we love you!

P.S. I'm sure he doesn't read this, but his cute mom does. Hey Tam, will you relay this to Landon? Thanks!

The Dentist

I took the kids to the dentist yesterday for their cleanings. Happy day, no cavities for either one of them. Another good thing about it, Bay didn't freak out this time. 6 months ago when we went, for her 1st time, she threw the biggest fit ever. I was so frustrated with her! Yesterday she did awesome & was so brave. She jumped right in the chair & did so good. Way to go Bay! Tyson's 6 year old molars are coming in, he actually started feeling them last week. When they told him how good he's been brushing & that he didn't have any cavities he gave a 2 thumbs up! Funny boy. I love the kids dentist. He's a pediatric dentist in Kaysville & he & his staff are awesome. They have the nicest office & it feels so comfortable & kid friendly. Tyson loves all the flat screen tvs & the fabulous prize basket. Here's to another 6 months of no cavities.

P.S. I was so mad at myself for not talking my camera. Duh, what was I thinking?

The Brick

My sister-in-law Carrie sent this to me, thanks Carrie! It really made me think, very powerful!

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood
street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids
darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he
saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick
smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed
the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry
driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed
him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who
are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that
brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?" The
young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I
didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no
one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his
chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my
brother," he said "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair
and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for
me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into
the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the
fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be
okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the
stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push
his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very
noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side
door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: "Don't go
through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get
your attention!" God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts.
Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at
us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Thought for the Day:
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about
you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun
without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the
tears, and light for the way.

Read this line very slowly and let it sink in...
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

A Tribute to a Wonderful Man!

I received this tribute from my mom & loved it! It makes me very emotional thinking about Pres. Hinckley. What a wonderful man & leader. I feel very blessed to have been able to call him my Prophet & live in a time where he was our leader. I love the fact that he loved everyone & it didn't matter their religion. He was the type of person that made me want to be better, to "stand a little taller" which is one of my favorite sayings. That is my goal, to stand a little taller & always try to better myself.

Ology

I was reading Denise's blog and thought this would be fun to do seen how I don't have anything else really to post about. If you're reading this I would love for you to post this on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can read your answers.


MOUTHOLOGY
Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant? A. Chick-fil-a
Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? A. The DoDo
Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? A. Depends on the service, usually 20%
Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? A. Jamba juice smoothies
Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice? A. Pepperoni, black olives & breakfast bacon
Q. What do you like to put on your toast? A. Butter and homemade raspberry jam (G'ma Erickson's is my all time favorite!)

TECHNOLOGY
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer? A. Pictures of Todd, Tys, & Bay
Q. How many televisions are in your house? A. Four

BIOLOGY
Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed? A. Right handed
Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? A. Wisdom Teeth and my kids
Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted? A. Baylie
Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? A. No

BULL****OLOLY
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? A. I don't know
Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? A. Hmm... I don't know
Q. What color do you think looks best on you? A. Red
Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? A. I don't know if it was a mistake, but a screw when I was 2 or 3
Q. Have you ever saved some one’s life? A. No
Q. Has someone ever saved yours? A. No

DAREOLOGY
Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? A. NO WAY!
Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? A. No
Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000? A. Probably
Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? A. Are you kidding? NO WAY!
Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? A. Yes, if I could do it w/out throwing up
Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000? A. NEVER!

DUMBOLOGY
Q: What is in your left pocket? A: Nothing
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie? A: No
Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower? A: Stand, do people sit?
Q: Could you live with roommates? A: Probably, but I'd prefer not to
Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own? A: I think 5 or 6, love them
Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops? A: Never
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? A: I don't know. I love being a mom!

LASTOLOGY
Q: Last Friend you talked to? A: Amy B
Q: Last person who called you? A: Todd
Q: Last person you saw? A: My boss

FAVORITOLOGY
Q: Number? A: 5
Q: Season? A: Spring or Fall

CURRENTOLOGY
Q: Missing someone? A: Yes
Q: Mood? A: Tired
Q: Listening to? A: Myself typing
Q: Watching? A: The computer screen
Q: Worrying about? A: Lots of things

RANDOMOLOGY
Q: First place you went this morning? A: To the bathroom
Q: What can you not wait to do? A: Build a new house
Q: What’s the last movie you saw? A: Enchanted
Q: Do you smile often? A: Yes
Q: Are you a friendly person? A: Most of the time, I hope