Going for a ride!

I also love that as Amelia is pushing him, he is totally saying 'cheeeeese' in this picture!

San Diego Dinner

Eating some much deserved, delicious pizza once we arrived tonight!

San Diego Bound

Well we planned on driving the rest of the way to San Diego this morning so we could do some fun things this afternoon, and we got stuck in HOURS of traffic with all of California also coming home from Vegas. Instead of being about 5 hours today, we ended up in the car for about 10! The kids were seriously amazing and probably more patient than mom and dad. We are SO excited to be here and enjoy the rest of our week in California!!

Vegas Strip

I am so grateful to be able to take our kids on trips frequently. We are so blessed to be able to take them, and so blessed that they travel so well! We made it to Vegas today, and are on our way to San Diego tomorrow! Brent and I haven't been back since we were sealed, so we can't wait to take the kids to the temple!

Shower

Somehow this seemed much cleaner...

Uhhhh...

How do you not notice what is happening in this picture while snapping photos of your kids in the jetted tub?! Needless to say, they ended up in the shower after we fished Lincoln's 'presents' out! If you are at the Hilton in Vegas... Don't get in the jetted tub... 😉

Brent W. Keller
amaradesignbuild.com  |  801.814.3390  |  Sent from my iPhone

New York New York

Las Vegas!

All tucked in!

Peek-a-boo!

I am so grateful to be blessed with good health so that I can crawl around on the floor with my kids. There are so many people who don't have that opportunity and tonight I was feeling extra thankful that I am not one of them. I was crawling around under the table chasing Lincoln around, and his reactions were so funny as he would run from me. Milly is also so active and wants to climb and play and jump all the time, and I am so glad I can do it with her. Now if only I had as much energy as they do, I would be set!

Enjoying a visitor

Selling Cans!

Black Friday shopping

Thanksgivin

Yesterday was such a busy day and by the time I got home, all I could keep my eyes open for was a picture. I love being able to reflect on the little things I am grateful for with my kids throughout the month, and am just so grateful for my beautiful family. Everything about them makes me so happy and I am so glad I get to spend forever with them! I have so many things in my life that I am extremely grateful for, but they take the cake on being my favorite things! I am so excited to see what a year from now will hold for us as our family grows and I get to feel my heart stretch even more.

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So much to be thankful for...

Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful

Today I was so thankful for string cheese and fruit snacks! On days that we end up running around a lot, they are my life savers and make the kids so happy! I am grateful to have my children at a time when there are so many convenient things to make our lives easier. Those are such easy, run out the door snacks, and I know when I pull them out of my purse that they will be greeted with big grins.

This was fun... Until it wasn't...

Lincoln loved going for a ride for about 30 seconds, and then he was over it! I wish I would have gotten a pic before he was done!

'See my happy face?!'

We have been talking about having a happy face lately, so I love when she says this to me! (Also note the ketchup on her face ha)
I am so grateful for happy kids! I can honestly say they are so happy most of the time! Of course we have our moments, but they are few and decently far between. They have so many things that make them happy, and it is so contagious. They both love people, and are so funny to watch whenever we get visitors at our house. They have the best happy faces first thing when they see us in the morning, and it makes every morning a great one. It is hard not to be happy when you are around their joyful influence all the time!

Snuggled in the cart

This adorable site lasted for about 4 minutes before there was blanket hogging, hair pulling, and lots of standing up in the cart. I am so grateful for our fun little outings to the store during the week. They are so funny, and I love to see them light up as we pass things around the store. At this moment, Lincoln had just seen the balloons as we walked into walmart. Amelia gets so excited when she sees things we need to buy, and I love to watch Lincoln as he recognizes things (mostly anything that looks like a ball). I love that I get to enjoy my days with these two little rascals!

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My Handsome Tree Topper

Hanging an ornament

Oh Christmas Tree

I am so grateful for this time of year. It is so fun to watch the kids experience everything and take it all in. Their eyes light up with all the fun holiday decorations and activities, and it makes being a mom so much fun! Lincoln is just so fascinated with each and every ornament and wants to cup it in his hands. Amelia has been decorating our tree any chance she can get. As if there wasn't enough to be grateful for and enjoy at this time of year anyway, they just make everything ten times better.

Bedtime Routines

I am grateful for our bedtime routines. The kids know exactly what we are going to do every night and are usually one step ahead of us! I love to watch them get excited to brush their teeth, and they have really fallen in love with the scripture videos. They both hope up on our lap and watch the whole time. Lincoln is so cute to sit down and fold his arms for prayer, and we are working on doing that for more than ten seconds! As soon as Milly says Amen, she usually shouts, 'I closed my eyes and folded my arms!' So she can get her sticker for prayer! 90% of the time she goes to bed without any question for us after she gets done with all her hugs and kisses. Lincoln and I love to have our snuggle time to fall asleep, and I get jealous when Brent takes a turn. He keeps me so warm, and sometimes I accidentally lay with him and snuggle for a long time because I don't want to put him down! I love the stages they are at!

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Piled Up!

Tarzan

Amelia and I got to go see Tarzan at Bonneville High Schil last night with Katchie and Jeff, and Steph and Leecy and Lainey. They did an amazing job and Amelia loved it! Two and a half hours was a a long time for a toddler, and she did great! At a few points she got up to dance during their songs, and when the apes came down the aisles, one of them scared her and she just thought it was so funny! The whole ride home she kept telling me, 'he did a very good job!' Thanks for taking us Aunt Katch!

Friday

Yesterday was a little busy, and I didn't get any photos taken to post. Brent and I had the opportunity to go to the temple yesterday, and it made me reflect on how much we have t be grateful for. I am so grateful that I get to have my beautiful family sealed to me for eternity. I hope my kids always know that I have a testimony, and I hope Brent and I can be good examples to them of how important temple attendance is. I was able to reflect back on when Brent and I were sealed in San Diego. Already being pregnant with Amelia, it was so important to me, and I am so grateful for the spirit I felt that day when I knew our children were there with us. Amelia gets to excited every time she sees a temple, and I hope she can keep that love for them.

Crazies

My future cheerleader loves to do her little stunts with Daddy!

Santa's Little Helpers

Don't let Lincoln's tears fool you! He loved these aprons and hats, he just wasn't eager to stand for a picture, and Amelia really wanted him right next to her!

Lincoln's Room

Silly Time

I am so grateful for the relationship Amelia and Lincoln have with their Daddy. As soon as they hear the garage door open in the evenings, their eyes light up and they are so excited. Amelia has got him wrapped around her little finger, and knows she can get him to do almost anything for her. She loves to climb and play, but also loves her snuggles with him. She usually wakes up with him every morning, and I love to hear their conversations in the bathroom as he is getting ready for work. Lincoln's little personality is coming out and it is so fun to see him interact with Brent. He loves to watch him, and Daddy is the only one with the magic touch to get him to fall asleep anywhere. As soon as he sees Amelia climbing up in Daddy, he wants in on the action too. Lincoln especially loves FaceTime and can't get enough screen time with he sees Brent. When he got hurt last week, we FaceTimed with Daddy, and as soon as he saw Brent's face, he forgot about his troubles and had a big smile. I love seeing their relationships grow and evolve, and am so so grateful that my children have such an amazing, compassionate, hard working, and unconditionally loving father as an example.

Dress up

Trying on the shirts we made for our trip! She is SO excited!

Chili

"Thank you for making this yummy dinner, Mom! I really like it." So happy that they both love homemade chili!
*also note there are those shorts again! She really was dressed in a cute outfit today and decided to get redressed in only those shorts.

The Very Cranky Bear

I am so grateful for Amelia and Lincoln's love of books. Everyday they both get so excited to bring me books to read. As soon as one sees the other with a book, they also have to find one and hop up on my lap to read. The Very Cranky Bear was Amelia's favorite and now has become Lincoln's as well. I love that she will help me read it to him. I hope they always have that thirst for knowledge and love of books! Right now I am just cherishing every moment I can that the two of them love to sit together in my lap while I read, it is one of my favorite memories in the making!

Sharing

Having a little hang out time at the walmart McDonald's this morning while we were waiting for a prescription to be ready!

I am so grateful for date nights. I love to be able to go and spend the evening with Brent. We eat yummy food, have great conversation, do fun things, and sit and talk and giggle about the kids. I love stepping away for a few hours and enjoying each other and also realizing how much we miss them when they are not with us. It is so funny to sit and listen to the stories from the evening while we were gone, and to peek in (and maybe snuggle a little) to see their cute faces that we already miss! Thank you for babysitting tonight Grandma!

Bath Time

I am so grateful that I have a skill that allows me to work at home with my kids. It has been wonderful only (usually) working one day a week, and I am so blessed to have such great kids. Brent is so great to be home as much as possible on Mondays so that I can do this, and I am so grateful to have his help! Although when it is just me and the kids, it can be challenging at times, I was able to reflect on some of things I was grateful for today. I am grateful that my doing lashes has been such a fun social event for Amelia. She gets so excited every time someone gets here, and just can't wait to chat their ear off. Today she climbed up into each one of my gals laps while they had their lashes done, and loved every minute of conversation and play they gave her. Lincoln is a little more challenging for me during these times, but it has been so funny to watch how much he observes from me. Anytime I have to get up to help Amelia, or blow my nose, or anything, he rushes to my chair, climbs up and grabs the eyelash brush, and attempts to do their lashes. He is so speedy! It is so funny and so scary at the same time! They are such good kids, and really are rock stars for me while I work!

We Love Sundays

I am so grateful for these faces. Those smiles. They smile with their whole bodies. Their smiles are contagious. Their faces are so adorable that even when they are upset, sometimes I have to turn away to keep them from seeing me giggle.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Today Lincoln wanted me to strap one of the babies into the car seat and proceeded to carry it around. I am so grateful to have such a compassionate little boy. He has such an amazing example of a Daddy, who teaches him every day how to take care of others. I love watching him watch Brent, and I am so excited to watch him grow into an amazing, loving man and future father!

Ready to go

Sweats on, shoes on (the wrong feet), purse ready, and baby Minnie wrapped up in the stroller this morning! She was ready to go! I am so grateful for her motherly instincts. She is so sweet and compassionate and I am so excited to watch her continue to grow into such a beautiful future Momma. She baby dolls (and imaginary babies) are so lucky to have her. She is going to be an amazing mother one day!

'Sleepover' in the front room

This girl sure makes me smile!

My loves

After a fun day at the aquarium, the kids were wiped out! They both fell asleep on the way home and then woke up as we pulled in the driveway. They were still so tired, so when we came home, they both just snuggled up with me on the love sac. It was so lovely. I am so grateful for those moments. I love going and doing fun things with the kiddos, but one of my favorite things is doing absolutely nothing with them. I am so grateful that they love me so much that they are content just to be with me. They have my heart and I am so grateful for the love I get from them everyday! I am so lucky to be their Momma.

Aquarium fun with cousins

The kids had so much fun at the aquarium yesterday with Aunt Amy, Anders, and Ezra! I wish I would have gotten a pic of them playing at the play place, it was pretty awesome!

Big Hero 6

I am so grateful for family time together. Tonight we took the kids to dinner and then to go see Big Hero 6. Amelia did awesome and loved the movie, and Lincoln did really well for most of it, just struggling a bit at the end. They absolutely loved being able to share popcorn and a drink, and the reclining chairs. I love watching them and doing fun things as a family. But honestly it doesn't even have to be at an outing, I just love the time I get to spend with those three. They make my heart so full and I am so thankful to be a part of such an amazing family. The love that they share and the smiles and memories we create bring me so much happiness!

Freaky Friday

These kids insisted on sitting in each other's seats for lunch today! They thought it was so silly.

Christmas ornaments

And of course his favorite book!

Purple Christmas Tree!

She was SO excited to decorate her own tree!

Mr. Independent

This guy insisted on feeding himself his beans for dinner last night. While he is not quite as independent at Amelia yet, Lincoln is on his way! I am so grateful he stills needs and wants his Momma lots, but I am also so grateful to be able to watch him grow so independent as well. Some of the things he insists on doing himself these days are feeding himself, brushing his teeth and putting the toothbrush away in the sink, throwing his own diapers away, putting his shoes and socks away in the drawer, and he is even trying to do his own hair. It is hard to let go of control and let him grow up and do these things on his own, but I love to watch how proud he is of himself after he has done it! I just hope he still thinks he needs me for a little bit longer!

Miss Independent

Got a little distracted yesterday and forgot to post some pics! She insisted on putting on these shorts she picked out, and went downstairs to find herself some peanut butter. She didn't like that it made the spoon dirty, so she went through 5 spoons. After she was finished, she proceeded to start washing all her dirty spoons in the sink. I am so grateful for her independence. She is so happy to do things herself and wants to be big. It is so hard sometimes to let go of control and let her (when she wants to wipe herself after pooping for instance haha), but she is just so proud of herself and so I am working on it! She is so smart and I love to see what she will come up with next! Love this independent girl so much!

Scripture Stories

So when we turn on the scripture videos for the kids at night, the kids both want to sit right on my lap. Only sometimes half a lap isn't quite enough and they both fight to have the whole lap. That is what was happening when this picture was taken tonight. It is obnoxious and also so funny.
I am so grateful that Amelia and Lincoln love to learn about the gospel and about Jesus. They love to watch these videos at night, and Amelia loves to ask questions and watch any videos about Christ. Ever since they have been babies, I love to see them light up when they see a picture of the Savior. On Sunday during sacrament meeting, we spent a little time in the foyer and he loved looking at the different pictures and was trying to say Jesus. I am so grateful for my testimony of my savior, and feel so honored that I have the opportunity to teach that to my children. Amelia already talks like Jesus Christ is one of her dearest friends, and her testimony is so pure. I am grateful that we get to watch it grow.

Silly Girl

Chapstick

Sunglasses

Laundry

So I had a basket of dirty clothes set out to take downstairs to wash today, and Lincoln decided he would take the clothes out of the basket for me. He did this one by one, and each time he would throw it and make the funniest face. Well soon enough, Milly was in on the action, and the kids were throwing dirty clothes all over the place.
I am so grateful for their giggles. They just thought this was the funniest thing, and kept throwing the clothes and giggling away. Their laughs are so contagious, and instead of being irritated, Brent and I could help but sit and laugh while they played around. Their laughs and giggles couldn't brighten even the darkest of days. It is got to be the best sound ever heard. These kids are so full of joy and happiness, and they bring so much of it into my life everyday!

Sundays

I am so grateful for the opportunity we have to be in nursery with the kids right now. It is the last calling I ever thought I would enjoy, but it has really grown on me. I love that Brent and I get to be in there together, and it is fun to watch him with the nursery kids. There is one little gal that loves him and will only go to Brent! I love to be able to watch Amelia and Lincoln interact with the other children in there. Amelia's little group is so fun, and even though she is the youngest, she keeps up and will talk their little ears off. She loves to tell the kids and the leaders all about her week, her activities, and her accomplishments. Today she couldn't wait to show them all her new diamond earrings! She absolutely loves nursery and she gets so excited when it is Sunday so she can go to church. Part of that might also be the pretty dresses she gets to wear! Lincoln is still not old enough to be in there yet, but comes with us since we are in there. He loves every minute of it and keeps up with all the other kids. His favorite time is singing time, and he sits and dances and probably pays better attention than most of the kids in the younger group. He is so social and sits down with the other kids and joins right in on whatever blocks or puzzles they are playing with. It is fun when we are on the older side because the older 2 and 3 year olds just think he is adorable and love to shower him with attention. Also it is such a blessing because he is such a busy boy, and this way he can play instead of us taking turns in the halls during the meetings like the other parents!

I'm so excited!!!

I couldn't get her to stop jumping up and down so I could take a picture of the frosting on her face. Apparently we let her try a little too much while making a cake today!