[Life] - Lessons

…but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three on them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.

{Anna Quindlen}

Obsessions...

This is Darth Vader holding a red lightsaber.

The obsession lives on. Love you Ethan!

The Gate Keeper

Ty is officially mobile now. He scoots and crawls and wiggles his way around the house. He just started pulling himself up and is always looking for something to wrap his fingers around. Really, anything will do. Just make it a challenge and he's in. Funny how their little personalities emerge long before they can talk and walk, isn't it? So we had to put a gate on the toy room door. It's not so much to keep Ty out as it is to keep Ethan and Drew and their thousands of Legos (a small obsession at our house) in. I just wanted there to be a clearly defined line for where Legos should be and shouldn't be. Have I made myself clear? (not always to a four year old) So lately the gate is Ty's favorite place to be. He crawls over, pulls up and just stands there, drooling all over the place and fantasizing what it will be like to put those little pieces of plastic heaven in his mouth. Gotta love this baby!

GREAT Weekend!

So I have to brag about this....my Mom came to visit and we had so much fun! Of course if you know my Mom you know that she can't just come for a FUN ONLY visit. We had to get something done too. So we worked in the yard and got the whole front of my house all fixed up! How lucky am I that my Mom wants to come visit and help me scratch some of the to do's off my list! My Mom is multi-talented and is always my first phone call whenever I have a question about gardening, sewing, music, church callings, child-raising and anything that I need a logical answer to. She is really just the best and the older I get, the more I am in total and complete awe of her! But it wasn't all work this weekend...thanks to Eric and some well-behaved boys we were able to squeeze in a few fun things too... like a movie, shopping, lots of walking, lunch and of course, swimming! Thanks for all your help Mom and for all the fun! Come back again soon!!!

I CONFESS: I have an addiction!

I'm not exactly reaching out for help here. I like my addiction and I have no plans for giving it up, going to rehab or anything drastic. I just need to put it out there and let you all know that after all these years I am acknowledging that yes, I have a problem. Some people have Diet Coke. Some people have shoes. I have an addiction to baskets, folders, pouches, jars and all things "organizational." It is a very useful, albeit sometimes expensive addiction. It's sort of a hobby turned obsession. I definitely don't claim to be the best or most organized but I really do LOVE to do it. Ask Mama Ehorn - she'll tell you that I've always been this way. I secretly like things to get "unorganized" so that I can organize them again (in a new and improved way, of course) with new baskets and stuff. It isn't the organization in my life that makes my family crazy - but the RE-organization that throws everybody off. Things just have a way of finding a new home with a little help from me. Lately, my adoring husband has even resorted to going through the garbage - just to make sure that I haven't thrown away anything he really "needs." He inevitably finds something. (Whoops!) My organizational quest leads to Eric's dumpster diving which leads to me having to reorganize again. This is why Eric and Jenn really do need eachother. My Mom is coming to visit tomorrow (YAY!!!) which has sparked this recent burst of organizational energy. This time it is company coming, but sometimes it is Spring, September, the day after Christmas or sometimes it's just when the sun shines - which could create a problem since I live in the sunniest part of the country. I'll post pictures of my organizational triumphs - before and afters - real soon. Heads up Eric - not even the "important" stuff is off limits today! ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER EHORN!!!

My bro is having a birthday and I wish nothing more than to take him to get a steak dinner at Ruth Chris and give him a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Cake - but he's got more important things to do - like saving souls and stuff. So that Birthday dinner will just have to wait until April '09 (Sorry Joel - did that make you really hungry for the USA?!!!) I am so proud of my brother for serving such an honorable mission in the Cebu Philippines Mission. I know that Joel is doing great things and that what he is learning now will bless his whole life. For those of you who don't know my bro - you're missing out! He is pretty much the funniest person I know. If there is anyone who can cheer me up and remind me not to take myself too seriously, it's my brother. Joel is also smart and athletic and a really loyal person. Oh yea, and I'm sure he'd want me to put a plug in for his good looks too (which may come in handy in about a year) just in case anyone reading this knows some amazing girl to match him up with. (But she's going to have to be pretty amazing because poor Joel has 3 older sisters that are a little protective over their baby brother.) I know that Joel will go on to do great things in his life and I can't wait to be there! Love you Joel! Hope you have a great and memorable day! XXOO Your Favorite Sister (Jenn)

Did I mention he was good with kids too?

I'll be scanning some of the more incriminating photos really soon...too bad Mom threw that one away of you in Val's ballet costume with makeup and everything. But don't worry...I've got a good picture of it in my mind :) Love you bro!

Blah, Blah, Blah Blogpost

I thought about apologizing for the lack of blogness but I decided against it. I think I'll just let everyone think that I went on a month long vacation or that my computer broke or that I was simply having too much fun to blog (close but alas, no.) Truth is, I simply get overwhelmed with holidays. Not the actual holiday but the "reporting" of it via Blog. And then I got behind. So here is the quick update of all things March and then I'm back in the mix....

Easter - egg hunt, Lunch at Grandma Pat's, Easter Bunny, matching shirts and the traditional yummy dinner.

It takes 2.3 seconds to go from the above smile to the complete and total meltdown pictures below. At least we caught in on film, right? A day in the life of a 2 1/2 year old.



My 3 Sons (isn't that an old tv show???) looked so handsome in their matching striped shirts. I won't have this much control for long so I'm taking full advantage! I guess it is just one of the perks to having kids close together. (It might be the only perk...just kidding...sort of.)

My Sister and Her Fam Came to Visit! - Lots of swimming, Easter Pageant, Scrapbook Class, Enrichment Night, Shopping and best of all, talking it up with my sis.

Those Roman Soldiers may look cool but we don't want to get on their bad side.

Ethan loved the pageant and pretty much asked me questions about what was happening throughout the entire thing. I'm so glad he was there to see it. P.S. Doesn't the temple look beautiful? My Sister Val, John and their kids - they are such good girls. I hope they come back again soon. Drew was ready to go back with them.

Everyone loved the POOL!

Lauren floating around and soaking up some sun.


The POOL is D-U-N - Done!

There is a fence now and lots of the landscaping is done but you get the gist of it. We've been swimming nearly every day - seriously lucky :)

OTHER GOOD MARCH THINGS -

We're missing pictures but John and Kelley came to visit from So. Cal and we had a great weekend!

Our niece Carley was born to Dave and Brandy in Iowa! The first girl on that side - poor girl has 3 older boy cousins and 2 brothers!

Joel has been out 1 year now as of March 14th - only 11 months to go now :) We sure miss that guy!

Other Randomness - it's been a good month.