Happy Birthday Audrey!!

Today Audrey is 4 years old. She is growing so much. She is just perfectly 4.  Some things I love about Audrey today is her spunky attitude.  She is fiercely loyal, fiercely distracted, fiercely in trouble, and fiercely sweet and caring.  She is so strong physically, she is like a little spider monkey; she'll crawl up on my back and I can barely tell she's there she's so light and strong.  I love the way she says "girl" it sounds like "doyle."  I love how she smiles by putting her fingers in her cheeks and pulling her mouth as wide as she can.  I love how you can't be upset with her long because she'll make you laugh or change the subject.  Her hair sweeps across her face like a movie star, and she makes me smile just thinking about her.  We had  a super fun luau yesterday for their double "two-fur" party.  Audrey has been wanting a scooter, not because she ever asked for one, but anytime we were anywhere and she saw one, she would ask if she could borrow it.  She isn't very shy, and it is fun. We love you Audrey, and are so glad you are part of our family.

Luau Birthday Party Pictures

Butterflies

For Christmas we got butterfly larvae we watched grow, chrysalis, and turn into butterflies. We let them go on Easter Sunday at Gaga Harper's house. They were pretty happy. So were our girls. The sound in the background is the dog Bruiser breathing. Thanks for watching.

Happy Birthday Kennedy!

Now she's 2.  My baby is 2!  I can't believe it.  Things I love about Kennedy today are that she can talk pretty well, well enough to have a conversation.  Mostly she says "Audrey" and she just started pronouncing the "r" in her name and it is so cute!  I ask her who her sisters are and she says, "Memma and Audgree."  Then I ask her what her name is, and she says, "me".  She's smart.  I love that she gives love and kisses and hugs whenever you ask for them.  She loves to dress up in her princess dress and sing in princess fashion.  She has to do everything on her own.  No help.  If we help her, it's an all out tantrum, then start over to do it herself.  She picks out her clothes everyday.  She asks for "doke peez" (milk please) and when I come in the door whether I've been gone 8 hours or 8 seconds, she comes running  to kiss and hug me like she missed me more than anything.  She gives great zerberts/raspberries kisses.  When her sisters are sad, she will give them toys, blankies, sippees, kisses, hugs or whatever it takes to get them happy.  She is so sensitive, yet she knows mischief like a pro.  On Easter, she got a little Tootsie Roll bank, and she came into our room with it and said, "no nandy (candy), no nandy, no nandy."  She knew she wasn't allowed to eat them yet.  Then she walked out.  Tim and I followed her where she slowly went into her bedroom, slowly closed the door so it wouldn't click, then we peeked in on her about 20 seconds later,  She was sitting on the floor between the beds with 5 tootsies in her mouth.  Busted.  She is a smart tootsie.  I could go on and on, but I will stop there.  I have lots of other things to write about this week. Here's the short list: General Conference, Easter, Butterflies, Botanical garden, Birthday presents, barbies, Pats Run, and Audrey's birthday (next week). Stay tuned!

I don't usually do forwards...

But this was worth it...

Love, Kellie

 

 

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says ~~ "Oh Crap, She's up!"   (I love this!!)

Sister Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Love the ones who don't just because you can. Believe everything happens for a reason.   If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it. Today is sister's day, send this to all your sisters, mothers, daughters, girlfriends even me if I am like one. you are loved. Happy Sister's Day! I LOVE YA SISTA'!!! :-) Girlfriend and Sister's Week I am only as strong as the chocolate I eat, the hair spray I use and the friends I have. To the cool women that have touched my life. Here's to you! National Girlfriends Day What would most of us do without our sisters, confidants and shopping, lunching, and traveling girls? Let's celebrate each other for each other's sake! TO MY GIRLFRIENDS! If you get this twice you know you have more than one girlfriend... Be Happy! It is good to be a woman!!

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Kellie

So amazed...

On Saturday during General Conference, my sweet Aunt Rosemary was made Primary General President.  Just as exciting is the fact that 2nd counselor is an "Asay" which is Tim's family from Lovell, Wyoming.  Yay! Good roots!

Primary General Presidency

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom was raised in Salt Lake City and attended Utah State University where she graduated in elementary education. She and her husband, B. Jackson Wixom, are the parents of six children and have six grandchildren.

She has served on the Primary General Board, the Young Women General Board and with her husband as he served as president of the Washington, D.C. South Mission. She loves her grandchildren and considers Sunday family dinners the highlight of her week.

Sister Jean A. Stevens

Sister Jean A. Stevens was born and raised in Salt Lake City where she graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a teaching certificate. She has served as a member of the Primary General Board and as a ward Relief Society president, counselor in a ward Primary presidency and as a gospel doctrine teacher. Sister Stevens and her husband, Mark, are the parents of five children and have seven grandchildren.

Sister Cheryl A. Esplin

Sister Cheryl A. Esplin was born and raised in Lovell, Wyoming. She graduated fromBrigham YoungUniversity in elementary education. She and her husband, Max Esplin, are the parents of four sons and one daughter and the grandparents of 19 grandchildren.

She has served in Relief Society, Young Women and Primary, most recently having served on the Primary General Board. Sister Esplin served with her husband when he was president of the North Carolina Raleigh Mission.

The rest of it.. Spring break that is

So, with all three kids at home for two weeks, our house has turned upside down.  I don't handle clutter and messes very well, especially when I need to find something, and can't find anything because nothing is in its proper place or anywhere near it.  (Breathe..) With that said, it has been beautiful here, and the biggest event of our Spring break has been the butterflies.  For Christmas our friends the Roussels gave us a butterfly hatching kit.  We sent for the caterpillars, watched them grow for about 3 weeks and when we returned from Heber they began to make their chrysalis.  It was cool, the kids loved it.  Then about 7 days later they started to break out of their chrysalis and the girls have been checking on them throughout the days to make sure they have sugar and  count them again.  It has been fun for them.

Yesterday we turned in our DVR.  We have had it for a long time.  We also dropped our home telephone line.  We decided to do this in January, and we've weaned ourselves off and prepared ourselves.  For what?  Really? I feel like "Lot's wife" looking at what I'm missing rather than looking forward to all I'm gaining with this decision.  It's just TV for crying out loud!!  I am spending way too much time thinking about what I'm giving up (Discovery, NatGeo, Nick, Disney, Food, Music Choice channels) rather than spending more quality time with my kiddos, which I complain I never have enough of.  I will hopefully have more time to do the little projects with and without the kids that I've been wanting to do.  I know all the stuff I want to watch is online, and really, I only watch it because it's there.  Now, this is the first day of the rest of our TV free life.  It's gonna be great.  I have my cell phone which I've been much better about keeping with me so I can answer it, unless I'm at work with my hands in someone's mouth, and Tim has a cell phone too, which he's really good about answering unless he's got his hand's full with kids.

Anywhoo, I need to post some update stuff.  I have a lot in my head, so it will probably be scattered.

Kennedy: she is talking up a storm.  She can communicate very patiently and effectively what she wants and I am so impressed with her.  She is so sweet with her sisters.  When they are sad, she'll run, not walk, to get them their blankies or cuddle toy to help them feel better.  She wants them to be happy.  She also doesn't want to be the baby anymore.  She wants to do things "myself" all the time.  She dresses herself, does shoes, and feeds and everything.  Now we don't have a baby anymore.  I've been telling Tim this and that I want another baby, and he asks, "why?"  I say because I don't feel like I'm done, but I don't want a big gap between kids and I'm aware that I'm getting older too.  TMI I'm sure, but it's nagging at me.

Audrey: She is so ready for preschool.  Any suggestions?  She wants to do everything Emma does.  She wants to read and write and have her own books and teacher and backpack.  She loves barbies and ponies and asks to go to Disneyland every chance she gets.  I'm getting close to summer "wanderlust" and I want to go somewhere too, but I get/have to work.  She said to me the other day, "Want to know some interesting information about me?" I said I'd love to, and she said, " I can draw my letters."  The fact that she said the words Interesting and information in the same sentence reminded me that she's growing up, despite her petiteness and her difficulty with articulating some sounds.

Emma: She is smart.  I'm so thankful she's smart.  She's exactly like me and I am so grateful to my mother and sisters who put up with my...eccentricities.  Emma is just sweet.  I hope I am a good mom for her.  Because she is so smart, I feel like I can barely keep up with her, and that plays into my "should we have another baby?" debate because I feel like I need to be more available for her.  She's doing great in school and she is so responsible.  She knows what we expect of her and she holds herself to such a high standard.  She loves peanut butter, but not jelly.  She discovered she likes Subway, and she likes to wear really cute clothes.  She is a great first child because her personality is helpful, thoughtful, and smart.

I'm working at 2 offices.  One in Mesa and one in Fountain Hills.  It is 40 hours of work and about 5 hours of driving.  I make the most of my time in the car by listening to my MP3 on my phone of the Ensign and other LDS church magazines.  It is nice to have the quiet time to listen and then have the sweet spirit that comes from those messages with me when I get to work and then when I come home.  I have been running about 8-9 miles per week in preparation for April 17 race Pat Tillman Run.  I'm excited for that.  I've had lots more energy during the day (or after work I should say) to take care of the house and kids.  Hopefully combine that with the TV off, and I'll be unstoppable!  We're having some struggles in the Mix family and it is giving me some good perspective on myself.  Last year at this time when Ben Harper passed away we had to dig deep as a family and our family ties were so strengthened.  I am so grateful for that strength and perspective now.  It doesn't make it less difficult, but I feel like I'm in better spiritual shape to handle this challenge.  I have a long way to go, but that is what these challenges are for.

Tim's still in school and has about 5 classes left.  We hope to be done this summer, but we also know graduation doesn't automatically bring a job, so if that is the case (no job) then he'll continue in school for his masters in education.  He made his first sale on eBay and I thought it was not worth the hassle, but we'll probably do it again.  He's great with the kids, and me and he puts up with a lot of "girlie-smirlie" around here.  He's started a garden again, we'll see how it goes this year.

If anyone made it this far in reading this good job. I've had a lot on my mind and wanted to get it off.  This is the easiest way.  Thanks.

Spring Break... so far.

We had a wonderful time up in Heber, AZ for a few days break during Emma's spring break last week.  It was just relaxing. We stayed at the Bison Ranch and it was just great.  It is more of a summer resort, but there was a hot tub, ping pong, air hockey, horses in the pasture, and cutie oranges.  I really am a desert rat. Even having grown up in Rexburg, ID, I don't like the cold. I actually really really don't like the cold.  I even felt prepared for it, and I was still uncomfortable.  We went up on Saturday and we stayed until Tuesday afternoon.  It was so nice just to spend time with Tim and the kids. I actually was able to have conversations with Tim rather than just, "what do we need to do now?" sort of stuff.  It was good to get away and take a couple of days off.  I also can't help but think, when I'm away from all my stuff, do I really need all the "stuff" we have at home.  I feel like my "stuff" at home nags at me and makes me grumpy and edgy.  I realized I gotta change that.  I am so grateful for all I have and for healthy kids.  I am really thankful.  I am so blessed.  Here are pictures of our trip. More words later.

she peeled the orange all by herself!!

smiley Audrey.

Coloring by the fireplace.

Audrey picked it up quick.

Emma doesn't mess around!

Air hockey tournament.

Kennedy with horses.

Audrey watching horses.

Emma watching horses.

Running the "Luge"

Kennedy throwing snow fists fulls.

Belated picture, Happy Birthday Tim.