I got a new doormat since we haven't had one in months, so naturally my first thought is to take a few photos of my kids on it. #momlife





 


:: hazel ::


1. got to have a cupcake and ice cream yesterday.
2. She told us at 6:30 last night "She was so ready to go to bed."
3. Is pretty excited to be Copper (from Fox and The Hound) for Halloween. We did our best to DIY their costumes.
4. Hasn't had an accident in her bed at night in weeks! I am SO glad we stuck wit hit and so glad shes got it down.
5. Hazel loves to learn. She's figuring out letter sounds, what the numbers look like, loves playing memory, and has it the "Why" asking all the time stage.
6. Loves having "tot school" and I really think we need to keep doing it. 
7. We lost her little special puppy dog and she's been pretty disheartened about it.
8. Has been practicing "trick-or-treat" and "woof-woof" all week. She is going to love this weekend!

:: henry ::


1. I don't even know where to start with this kid- he makes me so happy. He is just so happy and easy going ALL THE TIME.
2. loves playing in the dishwasher, unplugging the vacuum, and swinging in the park swings.
3. ate his first clump of dirt this week- he loved it :)
4. I put him in the bath daily during the day because he just loves it but he started pooping in it. One morning I noticed he was grunting so i put him on the potty and he went twice obviously and Hazel celebrated him ALL DAY. 
5. He is going to be the cutest Todd (the fox) ever. Brice sewed his little heart out on Sunday.
6. He has found his voice and is squealing, giggling, chatty, blowing raspberries, and grunting. I just love the interaction.
7. has had a runny nose for over a week so he just hates when i try and wipe it or even worse-suction it!




We've been doing our best to include pumpkins in every family outing this month! We made our way to a local plant nursery that advertised a fun afternoon of activities. It wasn't quite as great as their website promised but we still managed to have some fun with friends.
 Hazel and Kenley Hopper decorated pumpkins with stickers and yarn and then did some chalk art on the ground.



Henry just got to pose with pumpkins and I swear I could just eat him up!



:: hazel ::


1. has gone back and forth on what shes wants to dress up as for Halloween but we finally settled on it the other night.
2. is getting into  the October fun- she loves spying pumpkins as we drive around and loves looking at spooky decor on people's yards.
3. loves doing "activities"- and i really should be doing more with her.
4. loves loves loves brushing her teeth 
5. Has been a little emotional lately. Hazel has always been easy to reason with but lately the tears come really suddenly.
6. loves playing at the Perot Museum.
7. Hazel likes to "talk for Henry"- for example- Brice will ask if anyone wants to say the prayer and hazel says "oh, Henry wants to and then in her sweetest baby voice says the prayer. then she says "good job Bud!"
8. her nicknames for her brother are: boom-boom, hen, and little boy
9. Is loving reading and watching "Room on the Broom"

:: henry ::


1. this boy gives the biggest kisses and sweetest smiles. seriously.
2. I looked up his height/weight percentiles after his appointment yesterday- hes a small little thing -10th percentile-
3. he is blowing raspberries and chatting so much more now. He either sounds like a monkey (ohh-ohh- ahh-ahh) or an elephant.
4. We had to baby proof this week because he is getting into everything...it's fun and annoying.
5. He is just the sweetest and most content baby- gives smiles to everyone we pass and seriously brightens our day.
6. Must be going through a growth spurt because if I had to guess his favorite time of the day is dinner time. 
7. I've been having to make a small bottle of frozen milk for his bedtime feeding too because he is sucking me dry by dinner.... i should probably eat more dessert and then problem solved :)
7. LOVES TAKING BATHS 
Height: 26.5 inches
Weight: 17.8 pounds
Head Circumference: 17

- Henry now has two teeth on the bottom and three on top
- Crawls and is getting into EVERYTHING!
- His favorite thing to do is unplug the vacuum while I'm cleaning 
- loves going on stroller walks and is starting to notice thing more
- wearing some 3-6 month clothes and some 6-12 month
-Sleeps from 8:00 pm to 6:30 am
- I bought him the cutest pair of sneakers for when he starts walking.
- follows Hazel around and loves to get into whatever she has
- His favorite foods to eat: avocado, bread, cheese, puffs, bananas, apple slices, pancakes,  and chicken.
- gives the best kisses now! open mouth and slobbery
- loves saying "Hi" by waving now
- has the best blue eyes and pretty fine hair still.
- I think he is understanding my signs for more, all done, and please but doesn't sign back at all.
- Naps at 9:00-10:15 and 1:00-3:00ish
-We are just so glad he's in our family and i really cant believe how quickly he's growing.





:: hazel ::

1.  has just been so brave lately- climbing trees and walls. It's fun to watch her be adventurous.
2. Got an awful fire ant bite last week. Her poor hand was so swollen for four days.
3. Has started reminding me what the rules are when we go places. Its something I started to prep her when we went to friends houses, the store, etc. but now shes got it down.
4. Has been saying Melanie Johnson over and over- sorry Mel, we're teaching her Sorenson but they do kinda sound alike.
5. Hazel has been asking for a snack every 10 minutes it seems like- its only Thursday and she's eaten through our snacks and fruits/veggie snack options.
6. She keeps telling me all the things she can do now that shes "THREE"
7. Woke up this morning terrified that there might be a raccoon outside.
8. has been asking me for chewing gum.

:: henry ::
1. This guy is LOVING avocado these days.
2. another tooth on the top popped out- so he has a pretty goofy smile
3. He is starting to wave "hi" and "bye"
4. I keep trying to teach him some signs but he's not getting it.
5. still just the best little bud who is easy going and loves getting love and attention.
6. we were at a baby shower earlier this week together and it was nice to watch Henry play and crawl around but then totally scan the room for me and flash me the biggest grin once  he found me. It made my heart so happy!


Monday:  7.5 miles in 51 minutes and insanity
Tuesday: 10 miles and Insanity + taught pilates
Wednesday: 7 miles of sprint workout  (44:00)
Thursday: 12 miles and Insanity + taught pilates
Friday: 6 easy easy paced miles outside
Saturday: 12 miles with Brice again

This week was great but i'm too tired! 
We were up this morning at 5:45 so we could go running together, but it was so worth it! Having that time to talk together has been great for us and the running endorphin's aren't too shabby either. Next week I think I'm going to take a break from insanity and just enjoy the great fall weather and cool morning runs.

Miles this week: 54.5
I'm so glad we could get some family pictures done this fall. These are our first as a family of four. I feel so blessed to call these people family. I hope our Heavenly father knows how hard Brice and I are trying hard to raise a happy and righteous family.
There are so many "things" I wish we had at this point in our marriage and family but looking through these pictures seriously just makes me count my blessings for happy and healthy little babes and a wonderful husband. 












I can't wait to get some of these up on our walls! A big thank you to our friend and home teacher Eric Germann for taking them for us.


Our Hazel Rae is THREE today!

Favorite Food: bread/ sandwiches
Favorite Treat: brownies with ice cream
Favorite Show: Paw Patrol
Favorite thing to do with Daddy: go outside on a wander
Favorite thing to do with mom: girls trip or paint our nails
Favorite Song to sing: "how much is that doggy in the window?"
Favorite job to help with: vacuuming
Favorite game to play: Boola-boola AND tag
Favorite toy at home: duplo blocks

She's 36 inches tall and 30 pounds!

It has been a dream being a mother to Hazel the last three years. This girl is so sweet and silly and smart and crazy! She can be such a big helper and loves to help cook dinner, make dessert, do jobs, help with Henry, and do errands. She loves to do things alone with mom or alone with dad. She loves to love on Henry but can be a too rough sometimes too. I'm always saying be soft- don't sit on him, don't pull him, do push him down ;)
She calls Henry "little- boy" or "boom-boom" and loves to run to the balcony and yell "Bye Babe" to Brice as he leaves in the morning. She is quick to remind us to read scriptures and pray in the morning. Most days she has so much energy it feels like he she is jumping all over the house. She loves to twirl, and dance, and jump, and climb. This girl has the strongest upper body and the most contagious laugh. She can sing you any song, recite the first three articles of faith, bear her testimony, and sound out beginning letters of words. She loves to have one-on-one chats with me, steam roll and tickle Brice, be a little bossy, try new foods, and make deals like she's bargaining in China. She keeps us on our toes and we wouldn't have it any other way!
We love you Hazel and can't wait to celebrate you tonight!
We are welcoming fall here in Dallas with open arms! 
The weather is cooling down (like a high of only 80*) and there definitely is a crispness in the air. We've been sleeping with the windows open, decorating the apartment with little pumpkins, and talking about Hazels' birthday and possible Halloween costumes. 

The best place in Dallas to get a taste of fall early on is the Arboretum. 
I know I blogged about it last year but it was just as fun today! 
...pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere...







:: hazel ::
1. Our sweet friend Liz, braided Hazel's hair so cute while she was babysitting.
2. Is constantly telling me "Mom, that is a great idea!"
3. Was kind of a stinker during family pictures last week- she was much more interested in watching the people fish than posing on the dock. I totally get it.
4. Her birthday is on Monday and I'm bummed but I don't think were having a party this year.
5. Loves asking about letter sounds. Whenever were on a walk we pick a letter and try and think of all the words that start with that letter/sound. She's really starting to figure out letter sounds.
6. Obsessed with the Room on the Broom book.

:: henry :: 
1. I snapped this on my phone at FHE at the park. His hair looks so red.
2. Poor guy has been fighting something off because he's had a 103* fever for two days straight. I finally took him in and his throat, ears, and mouth swab all came back clear so the doctor jsut told us to wait it out.
3. He is finally sleeping through the night again, although it may be from all the doses of medicine.
4. His second top tooth finally cut through so now he really has FOUR teeth!
5. He is just the best snuggle bug and we just love him.


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Welcome to our little space
“No nobler work in this world can be performed by any mother than to rear and love the children with whom God has blessed her. That is her duty.” David O. McKay

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