Haderlie Cousin Time

We love our Haderlie cousins. So much. If these kids could spend every day together, they would happily do it! There's a heartbreaking possibility that Jenna and Kevin will be moving out of state in the near future and so we are soaking up every opportunity we have to spend with this wonderful family. Here are a few of our latest adventures: 

Camille's 5th Birthday Party 

We were able to drive up to Layton to go swimming to celebrate Camille's birthday! My kids love swimming almost as much as they love their cousins - so this combo basically can't be beat. David couldn't come with us (#busyseason) but the three kids did a great job of listening and staying together in the water and it made me really excited for summer! (Plus, my parents were there to help watch kids.) There was a big slide that I went down with Lydia a bunch of times (and Austin once). It was just a really great time! Caleb stood on the side most of the time, right by my parents, and he had a blast playing with the water fountain - even though he was less sure of getting all the way into the water. 

Cousin Sleepover

The Haderlie kids came for a little sleepover (our kids are going to their house next month) and we had a great time. Uncle Jacob came over for a while and wrestled them then took them outside to play in the snow. It was a win for all involved! 

Clark Planetarium

We'd been talking about doing this for a long time, and I'm so glad we finally made it happen! We met up at the planetarium and let the kids explore for most of the afternoon. (It was extra great because we've been doing a mini-space unit in our homeschool - so it was great to make some bigger connections! Then we bought popcorn and went to the Gateway's outdoor seating area and let the kids run around while we snacked by their big firepit. 

I love spending time with Jenna. She's someone who always makes me feel better just by being around her and I'm so lucky that she's my sister. I love that our kids get along so well and that they love being together, too. 

FHE: Plan of Salvation

One of my goals for this year was to make sure to prepare more meaningful family home evenings. I knew in order to do this I would need to plan out some things beforehand and take the time to get things ready so that I could really make it meaningful for the kids. I planned out about 3-4 topics that I really wanted to do a deep dive on during FHE. First up was the plan of salvation. Over 3 weeks we learned about, where we come from, why we are here and where we go after this life. I cut up a big cardboard box and drew a picture of the pre-earth life, earth and then the spirit world and different kingdoms. It was a huge hit. The kids loved having the visuals and we did some fun games with it. Each we moved further along in the path and the kids loved following it along. I felt really happy about it. (Note from after: It has been amazing how much the kids have remembered from these lessons, even months later they continue to refer back to this). 

I am grateful for the plan of salvation. I am know that families can be together forever. I want to live my life and teach my family in a way that allows us to be together always. I know it is through the Savior that it is possible. 

insta-January

insta-january
Social media is a funny thing. I love that I can capture little moments and write down brief thoughts in a meaningful way that is hard to fully do with blogging. (We are usually blogging about something much after the fact so sometimes it tends to be more "We went to the park and had fun" instead of an instagram post that might be composed in the front seat of the car right after getting home from the park when I'm still full of memories of my kids laughing and the sun shining on our faces. Instagram is wonderful for catching those feelings of laughter and sunshine. I love coming back and reading the captions and looking at the pictures. But life isn't always laughter and sunshine, and although I try to keep my Social Media authentic, I don't often post the mundane, frustrating, or difficult things. This month had a lot of wonderful things. But it also had a lot of really hard things. There were many times through the month that I felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and hurt by the unkind words of others. But there was SO much goodness and I don't want to miss out on recording those moments. I don't really have a point to this, other than recording my thoughts about how much I truly love capturing the small things - but also realizing that there are hard things in life. Things that hurt your heart and make you cry yourself to sleep because you just don't know how to fix them.

Life is a balance. but the one thing that brings me more joy than anything else is this family of mine. Every ounce of love and joy that is recorded throughout my social media is sincere and truly felt. I'm grateful for the goodness that I am surrounded by every day, most especially the four people I get to call mine.




{1.1.19}
We are ready for you 2019! 🎉 There are some big changes coming our way, and I hope for an increase in love and peace as well. I'm excited for the goodness that next year will bring to us. Wishing you all the happiest of New Year's.
{1.13.19}
David had to go on a work trip last week, and these kids missed him so much. Whenever he has to go anywhere (i.e. to work in the morning) they always crowd around him for hugs and kisses and usually try to block his way through the door. Then they run to the window to wave goodbye. Having him leave for Minnesota was even more difficult. We sure are glad to have him back, safe and warm. ❄️♥️



{1.13.19}

How we do bed when David isn't here: one in my bed one on the floor (usually on a spare mattress). Otherwise I don't sleep, like, at all. 💤 So happy to have David back, even if it was only a few days this time. But I just have to document these cute sleeping kids. #calebstayedinhiscrib#giantstuffedanimals#sleepoverwithmom


{1.17.19}
How long has it been since I've posted a picture of this handsome baby? (For some reason as soon as my babies start growing out of the baby stage I feel compelled to call them baby even more than I did before.) Too long, I say. 😍 Also, everyone is hating on January but my goal for this year is Hygge and even though it's kind of a joke it's also really amazing. #januarylove Today we snuggled under blankets, set up a warm heater in our homeschool room, and watched the rain while drinking hot chocolate and reading poetry (then a book about outer space) at the table. It was the best January day, ever. But, lest this be the most deceiving post of all Instagram, I've felt pretty sick again this week and had a really hard time with several things, leading me to cry myself to sleep multiple nights this week. Thank goodness for my kind husband, and for the mantra "go to sleep, I'll feel better in the morning" which is usually mostly true. -So, life isn't perfect. But I still like January, and this baby is so cute. The end.



{1.18.19}
@tinyartshow in Provo this morning for our Field Trip. 😍 Cute! The kids made their own tiny art exhibit afterwards and we are going to hang them up tomorrow. .
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Thanks for all the well wishes and concern after my last post. I'm feeling better this weekend and will be just fine. Only 3 weeks and we find out if this is a baby brother or sister!


{1.25.19}
When the Kirby salesperson comes to the door and makes you want to buy an $1,800 vacuum and instead you call your mom and ask if you can borrow THEIR (18 year old 😲) Kirby... and you proceed to clean your entire house. (With the help of your kids who may have wanted the new vacuum even more than you.) I may not be Marie-Kondoing my house right now, but we sure are Kirby-ing it. 🏠


{1.25.19}

Lydia composed her very first piano song, with lyrics, this week. She was so excited and asked if we could write it down like real music. Uh, yes! So simple, but so genuine and it makes me so grateful I get to spend my days with her. "Lydia is the best girl in the world, her mom loves her (so much), when her cousin's come to sleep - it's - fun." So proud of this big girl. 🎹😍


{1.26.19}
Having our own sledding hill in the backyard is the best thing about our house. I love being able to send my kids out to play in the snow on their own and they love going down the hill a hundred times. It's even better when Uncle Jake comes to play with them. #cousinsmakethebestfriends#sodouncles

Sister Watercolors

I love my sisters. I'm so blessed to have two sisters and to have them live so close to me. I have a different relationship with each one and those relationships have evolved over the years and I'm so grateful to be so close to them. We decided to get together and have Melissa teach us how to watercolor (she's incredibly talented!) It was a great night of painting, talking, and laughing. Melis helped me outline a portrait of David and I and I love the way it turned out. Jenna is going to be moving soon, probably, and I'm glad that we were able to get together just as sisters before she's a million miles away. 

Now we fancy ourselves as artists. Ha. I'd actually really like to learn more and spend more time doing watercolors. Art is something I've never been particularly good at but the more I explore it the more I enjoy it.

David's Mission Celebration - 13 years

It's been 13 years since our favorite guy returned from his mission in Nashville Tennessee. I always try to celebrate this date because I think it's important and special. This year we surprised David with a shadowbox of all his mission memorabilia and homemade empanadas. I often try to make something as an ode to the Mexican/Spanish aspect of his mission. We had empanadas on our trip to NY and we loved them, so I thought I'd try them out on our family. We also made milkshakes and called them Missionary Milkshakes #themedparty

After dinner David sat with the kids and showed them all of the things in the shadow box. It was neat to be able to listen to him tell the kids some stories and share such an important part of his life. I love David and I'm grateful for his testimony and the sacrifices he made to serve a mission. It blesses our life over and over again. 

Happy Missionary Anniversary Elder Peaden! 

The most-loved Daddy

These kids love their Dad. It's written into every fiber of their being and you'd think that every day he has to go to work is the first day, every time. He either has to leave really early in the morning before any of us wake up, or it's a production for him to be able to leave. They beg him to play "chase the monster" with them where he chases them, then when he says it's time to go they run to the doors and block him so he can't get out. When he finally says that it really is time to go they all require multiple hugs and kisses and then they beg for him to wave at them before they go. When it was warmer they stood on the front porch, but now that it's so cold they wave from the window. David backs up until he's directly in front of the house and then he waves at them and tells them that he loves them before he drives away. 

This week's goodbye was even more drawn out than usual because David had a work trip that took him to Minneapolis for the week. These kids love him and missed him very much while he was gone. I wanted to document what a good Dad he is, because I feel like sometimes these are the things that get missed when writing about our life - the normal, everyday, good-bye-to-dad-before-he-goes-to-work routine. David is such a great dad. He's so patient with them, even though I myself am exasperated by the time the routine is done "Kids! Just let him leave! He's got to go to work! And we've got things to do, too!" But he is fun and kind and patient through the very end. I heard recently that one of the most important things you can do for your relationships with your kids is make your hellos and goodbyes special -so that they know that you are sad to leave them and that you are happy to see them. David is amazing at this and these kids are so lucky to have him! 

Caleb Samuel: 21-22 Months

22 months for this little guy right here. He's living his best life and making our lives better for it. 

Stats: 24 months or 2T clothes. Biggest cheesy grin. 

Some things to remember: 

-Is acutely aware of my phone, finding it and bringing it to me like it's a prize. He will also as me "phone? phone?" Then find it in my pocket and give it to me. And if he hears the phone ringing, he says "mommy? phone?" or "daddy? phone?" on repeat until it stops ringing.

-Can't believe how big he's getting. Sometimes, especially when he's dressed up super handsomly for church or some other activity, he'll walk by me and my heart will threaten to burst because I love him so much and I can't believe how cute and wonderful he is.

-He gives the biggest, cheesiest, grin when he sees that you want to take a picture of him. He's definitely our best camera-poser: he looks right at the camera and says "cheeseeeeeeeee". I love it.

-He's so observant. More observant than I feel like most kids are at his age. He watches something very very carefully and then copies it almost perfectly.

-"jump!" he's fearless about jumping to you if you're there to catch him, no matter how high. He will even jump off the couch to Lydia. But it doens't have to be high, He can be standing right by you and say "jump" and then just lean into you - it's his favorite game right now.

-He knows what belongs to whom, and if he finds it he will make sure it gets to them and won't accept no for an answer, even if they don't particularly want that toy right then.

-He plays so well with the other kids. He's getting to the point that he can really do what they ask him to do, and they've enjoyed a new level of play together.

- I love the way he runs. Slightly bow-legged and as fast as his little legs will take him, which is not fast.

-Loves pistachios. The best way to give them to him is to give him a big bowl that he can set on the bench or carry around. Then he will spend the next 15 minutes bringing you one nut at a time so you can open it and give him the pistachio inside. It's a great time-filler and game for him.

-He loves milk. He definitely drinks the most milk of anyone in the house, and certainly more than my other kids did at this age. He asks for it frequently, ha, it's so hard to type how he says it. It's almost like "nilk" but also like "nuk" - so maybe like "nu(l)k".

CHRISTMAS! Oh my gosh. Christmas was the best with him. He was so fun and happy. Celebrating Christmas as a two year old is the way to a happy holiday. 

-A few other things. He loves scissors and he knows right where we keep them. He's very responsible with them, which I know that thinking that is setting myself up for a disaster - and I do always watch him while he's using them, but I think it's interesting that he knows and likes them so much. It's really because he's so observant. 

Happy 22 months you little cheese. We love you.