Jake surprised me for our Anniversary/my birthday with a trip to Vegas. He had arranged for my kids to go to my mom and dads. This was a much needed vacation and it meant so much to me that he would think to do that and go through all the effort of makin it happen. Deanna that works for Jakes company has become good friends with some of Avril Lavignes band member so she got us the hook ups. I was so excited to go see Avril in concert. I have seen her 2 other times but this time I was told we would get to meet her. That didnt end up happening and I was way bummed but its all good.. She opened for backstreet boys so we were able to watch them also and they were great. It was so fun just to be with jake and just enjoy each other and not have to worry about takin care of the kids. This month has been a crazy/life changing one. We have gone through some tough times.. one that we will never forget but I wouldnt change a thing because we both are so much happier and so much more in love and appreciate each other. As fun as vegas is I was so ready to be home just the 2 nights we were there. It always make me so greatful for life because you see some crazy wacked out people there and that life style is just not for me.. although i do love watching drunk people:)  I will always remember this trip and how much it meant to me. As fun as it is to get away from the kids its always fun to get back to them and love on them. So greatful for great parents who are always so good to take the kids for us. We are very blessed.

Cutest princesses ready for the show!

Pais and I went with Kate and Lyndee Hopper to princesses on ice and it was a BLAST! I really wanted Pais to see that princesses were real and not just on the tv. Every time a new princess would come out Pais would scream the princesses name with all excitement! I'm so glad I got that one on one time with her and to be able to go do something fun like that! We look forward to the next time we get to go!

New Year

I love this picture for the fact that Jake and Pais are making the same face and me and briggs are makin the same face!

One of few pics where Pais is smiling at the camera!

It amazes me how fast the days go by these days. My kiddos are getting bigger before my very eyes and it scares me and excites me all at the same time! I am loving this stage right now... its so nice for them to be so mobile and I don't have to pack a million things anymore when I go out. Our days consist of staying in the house since its the middle of the winter. Its starting to warm up a little bit so they love to go out for a minute and roam.... I am already getting excited for summer when we can just go outside and they can run around and I won't have to be so paranoid what briggs is putting in his mouth..Granted he probably still will put things in his mouth but it wont be as bad this year. While staying inside I try to play games and we all LOVE dance parties and the kids (and I ) could dance for hours. Briggs has this cutest little jig bounce and Pais is such a cute dancer. I will try and do different moves in front of her and she immediatly tries and mimics me and its so cute.. She is dang good and I cant wait to sign her up in a dance class.

Whats Pais and Briggs up to these days?

Paisley- cutest and sassiest thing you have ever seen. She is pretty good about cleaning up her toys and sharing when I tell her to. Sometimes she throws a little attitude at me and she makes this discusted noise when I ask her to do somethind when she doesn't want to and its hilarious not to laugh! She is 100% potty trained and its the best thing ever! It was rough there for awhile but I really just had to wait until she was ready and after a few attempts of training her she was done and she literally just woke up one day and said "I neeya go paaa" and would hold herself and went potty and from then on she has been so good at it.  It so nice having diapers last alot longer these days. I have been worried about her speech the last little while and people just kept saying oh it will get better and it has.. she has talked alot more these past few months but she will be screened in Feb to see if we need to see a speech therapist. I am excited for the things that Pais will learn. We can totally understand each other and she minds me really good its just the in between words that are mumbled together. She loves to tickle us and i love the way she says "heyyyy thats mine" when i tease her about taking her blanket. She has the cutest little voice and I cant wait to hear it fully when she can say full sentences. She still is a horrible eater but I have found that she loves my spinach and banana shakes so i'm so glad cause I was worried where she would get her vegetables in from. Pais started Sunbeams this year and its so weird for me. I am in the Primary presidency and so I get to see her interact every week in Primary. Her first time was a little crazy and those kids were all over the place but things are getting better and better. Her favorite songs right now are Away in a Manger and "Tomorrow" from Annie. I love her little singing voice and have been trying to teach her more songs. The past few months Pais and I have really bonded.. more then we ever have before and its been so good for me and much needed. Its so hard for me when she comes in our room at 2 am and wanting to snuggle with me for me to put her back in her bed.. Jake usually does it cause I dont have the will power but then he says I need to start being the mean one to.. lol She loves to dress herself and is pretty good at matching but she mostly just wants to wear her princess jammies and dresses which is fine if were home but somedays I get her ready and then a half hour later her hair is pulled out and her jammies are right back on. She gets so concerned if i'm crying or if I get hurt then she will like "oh are you sad?"  "you ok" and rub her hand across your cheek.. cutest dang thing ever! She went through a phase for like 3 weeks where she loved takin baths and she still does but she would take em twice a day. She also LOVES popcorn and has a small bag once a day. She is such a good swimmer and can swim so good with her life jacket on. She will jump in in the deep end and go far down and come back up and get back up just to do it again. She has no fears!!

Briggs- he is just the cutest thing and is EVERYWHERE! Yes his smile still melts me.. although he has turned into quite the terror. He loves to hit pais and tell her "NO" its so dang cute. he has the cutest high pitched "HI"  and its to die for. Anytime anyone walks in the door he does it and it makes me laugh every time. He is saying lots of words which mostly are "more""no""get out" "lets go" "WHOA" and thats all I can think of off the top of my head.  He is a tank when it comes to eating. He will eat anything and everthing that I give him and also eats Pais food. They are completely opposites! I swear I put food down and 3 minutes later its gone . And when he is just in his diaper his belly pokes out so far and I love it! He looks like an old man at times. I still get so many compliments on how dang cute his smile is and how cute he is. He is 100% boy and LOVES his daddy. He has started throwing fits lately when Jake leaves for work so we have to go outside and wave to him as he drives on and that makes it a little better. When he wants something he will defiently let me know and he won't leave my side until I get up and get it. He loves the water and I'm so excited for the summer and what it will bring. I already know we will spend lots of time at the splash park and at the rec center . Briggs has been fascninated with pluggin things in lately and Diane just laughs cause that s just how Jake was. Just the other day I was in Briggs room and could smell something burning alittle so I looked around.. sure enough he had gotten our waffle maker out of the cabinets and went and plugged it into his room. I'm prett sure it had been plugged in for a few hours.. I have to watch him like a hawk so he doesn't burn down the house. He is such a good sleeper and goes to bed about 7:30-8 and wakes up about 8 and sleeps the whole night. He loves to watch me vaccuum and loves to turn it on and any kinds of buttons. He has this little rasp in his voice and I cant wait to see how he will talk and when he will. He shows alot more interest in books then pais ever did so hopefully that will make a difference in him talked sooner then pais did. Love this buddy of mine so much!

I feel so blessed to have these kiddos in my life. It just amazes me and Jake sometimes and that were really at this point in our lives. Things are goin really good. We love where we live and when the time comes to say goodbye and leave I already know it will be so hard! We have become great friends with everyone on our street and have done alot with them. I have especially become really closew with my neighbor Emily Clark. We get along so great and have alot in common. She is hilarious! Her and John have a little boy name Jackson and he is a doll.. Briggs and Pais love him and its so cute to see them altogether. Em and I are already planning their wedding! Pais and Jackson's that is.. Its been so great for me to have her here and to have someone that I can talk to and tell my daily thoughts to. She has been such a big help to me also with helping me out with my kids when I need a babysitter  or just a getaway. We have another friend Ashley Musgrove that we hang out with to and she is so darling. I love them both so much and hopefully get alot more time with them.. They are the kind of friends that we can talk about anything and they wont judege me and the both give such good advice. Its so important to me to have good friends and good influences in my life and to have other mommies to talk to about daily struggles with parenting and kid stuff. Love them so much! 

Well that sums up alot of whats been goin on lately. The world is getting pretty scary lately so much bad in the world is goin on but I just have to stay true to myself and my faith and remind my self to do what Im commanded to do and do eveything I can to return back to our Heavenly Father. Signs of the times my friends. Its made me realize alot this past year and things that were important to me are not so much anymore and I love that part of growing up. Thats all for now!