Little Miss Nora

Last, but surely not least is our little miss Nora Jayne. We are still getting to know this cutie pie, but here are a few tidbits.

• Nora immediately took after her father and decided she didn't want to wait for a hospital and was born in the car. I am going to try to figure out how to post that video clip (yes, we have a video clip.....rated G....don't worry) only because I have had several people tell me they would like to see it. If anyone knows how to do that please let me know


• Nora was by far my smallest child at birth, a measly 7 lbs 11 oz.


• Nora is 15 months old and is still a measly 18.5 lbs.


• Our whole family is in love with her and we DO NOT want her to grow up


• She is the BEST sleeper. As long as she has her thumb and cozy, we're golden


• Nora's new favorite play place is anywhere high...the top of chairs, tables, couch, etc.


• She is a great eater and eats almost anything....how she isn't 30 lbs. is beyond me


• She gives great hugs and gently pats my back when doing so.....the sweetest thing


• Nora loves shoes and will promptly sit down to get them on when asked


• She pulls any bow, clip, or pig tail out of her hair as quick as she can


• Church is a nightmare with her right now


• She reminds us that we must be genetically incapable of producing a calm and quiet child


• Nora loves "Daddies" or anyone who looks like they might fit in that category


• She brings a bright happy face with her wherever she goes

We are so excited to see what else there is to know about our dear sweet baby girl. LOVE YOU Nora Jayne!

Life......to the MAX!!

Pretty much the title of this post says it all when it comes to Max, but I will try to give you some detail on our #3 child.

• Max has personality coming out of his eyeballs.......and everywhere else
• Max has only one volume and that is LOUD (it's genetic)
• About 10 times a day Max will walk by me, and in such a non-chalant (sp?) way say, "I love you Mom"
• Max will turn anything into a weapon
• He LOVES Pirates of the Caribbean almost as much as his Mom. We can discuss the appropriateness of that show for a 3 year old later
• Max is rough and tough. Paul is amazed how hard of a hit Max will take when they are "boxing". It's REALLY hard, and he seems to love it
• He loves to be outside. He is only just now starting to stay inside most of the day and it is 112 degrees outside
• Max tells me regularly, "you look pretty Mom"
• He also loves to give me flowers.....usually picked from someplace where he shouldn't be picking flowers
• Max was a ten pound newborn
• Max feels like he is made of Lead.
• He and his brother Jack weigh the same....they are two years apart in age
• Max keeps me on my toes in public places by LOUDLY pointing out people who are........different
• Max loves potty words and some other disturbing phrases such as: "take this man and kill him", and "I'm drinking alcohol". I blame the Living Scriptures videos that he loves...no joke! I might expand on this in a later post. I still love the videos
• Max still takes three hour naps everyday......The Lord truly knows our limits
• He is super strong and is not always aware of how rough he is
• He still talks in the highest sweet voice when talking to Nora, and only calls her Nora Jayne
• Max loves Peter Pan and will choose a sword over any toy any time
• He loves to say prayers
• Max always wants to watch people "drive away" when they are leaving our house
• I used to worry about how mean Max was, but his is one of my best kids when it comes to please, thank you, hugs, kisses, cuddles, and compliments..........amazing!
• Max takes a couple of baths and showers a day. He LOVES the water, and will jump in with whoever is in at the time
• He thinks it's really funny to show people his "private parts". I'm still at a loss for how to deal with that one
• Max still cries for just a minute every time I leave him with a babysitter, or even Dad. He really does love his Mom :)
• Max is very happy-go-lucky, but also thoughtful
• Max has more energy that any kid I have seen.............ever! (I have 27 nieces/nephews, and I babysat A LOT!!!!)

I am so glad that we were blessed to have that energy in our house. I love you so much buba!!

John.....call me Jack!

Now it is my second born's turn. I am the luckiest Mom in the world to have these great kids. Here is just a little snapshot of our "beautiful boy". (You may want to click on that song on my playlist while you read this and enjoy the pictures. It is what I thought the first time I saw him)

• He has the most kissable, big, beautiful lips in the world. I know his sisters will be jealous someday
• He is VERY sensitive and loves his family so much
• Jack worries.........a lot............about everything
• Jack can ask a million questions about a subject....some I had never thought of
• Jack is very smart and is already reading/writing easy words (he will start kindergarten in the fall)
• Jack has the best red hair ever. It is getting darker and will unfortunately end up brown, but I am enjoying it while it lasts
• Jack was a ten pound newborn baby
• He didn't even double his birth weight by the time he was a year old (18.5 lbs.)
• He gives hugs and kisses whenever we ask, and even when we don't
• Jack says he will give me hugs and kisses "even when I am a man"
• He has a "lock box" memory and regularly brings up events from when he was not even two years old...........I better always be on my best behavior
• Jack adores his little sister Nora and she loves to give him hugs and kisses
• He plays pretty good with his little brother taking into consideration that they are less than two years apart and that Max has a lot of "personality"
• Jack is a natural athlete. We haven't put him in any formal sports teams (he just turned 5), but he whacks the baseball, and golf ball with the best of them. He is also a GREAT runner
• Jack is a very spiritual boy and can tell me exactly what they talked about in Sunday school
• Jack loves to play his Nintendo DS, and can beat his dad on Super Mario Brothers
• Jack is a GREAT cleaner and loves to help me out while the little ones are napping. He really does do a great job and actually helps (you moms know what I mean)
• Jack has given us some of the best "one-liners" ever and I wish I could remember them all.
• He and Max love to make up words. Their favorites for now are: gyno-rhino-ryench, bibit-chennow, shiny-don't-glow, and schrim-schrim.
• Jack can light up the room with his smile
• I can't help but smile when I see him
• Jack loves living in Arizona and loves our pool
• Jack is a deep, sweet, playful, silly, rough, BOY

We love you so much Buddy! Thanks for adding so much to our family!

Ella Belle

I just wanted to take a minute and list some of the great things about my first born. Ella (named after my Grandmother) is all that I could ever ask for....and more!

• She has the best smile and most infectious laugh
• She is a great friend and gets along so well with everyone (even her brothers....most of the time)
• Ella loves animals, I mean LOVES animals. She still cries when she thinks about how Max killed her grasshopper friend "hoppy"
• Ella gets over things really quickly and is a really GREAT sport
• She loves rainbows, hearts, and the colors yellow and blue
• She begs us for a dog almost every day
• Ella hates brushing her hair or having it done in any way
• Ella is a great swimmer, singer, basketball player, memorizer, reader, and eater
• Ella is always willing to share.....even her treats, and with her brothers who don't always deserve them
• She is the first to give up what she wants if someone else wants the same thing (ie. to say the prayer, color of cup, last roll, etc.)
• Ella is fun and social, but not too loud and/or talkative (something her mother needs to learn)
• Ella loves having her back scratched while we tell her stories from when we were little
• She had a REALLY hard time when we moved from Wisconsin to Arizona, but now hopes we stay here forever
• Ella is SO easy to have around. She is genuinely good and wants to do the right thing
• Ella is very honest. I can always count on her to tell me the truth, and she has true remorse for the things she does wrong.
• She is quick to say "sorry"
• Ella is a happy and optimistic girl, and makes those around her happy
• She is beautiful
• Ella has really good manners and good social awareness (what is appropriate and what isn't) This is something I am hoping she will teach her brothers......and SOON!
• Ella absolutely LOVES her Daddy. They are great buddies and that thrills me
• She really looks out for her baby sister and wants to share a room with her someday (that might pass)
• Ella never really asks for anything "right now". She usually just says something like, "maybe for Christmas/Birthday could I get......?"
• She is not demanding

I Love you my sweet pea! You are my sunshine!

Loving the comments....keep 'em comin'!!

"...I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!" Sally Field 1985 winning her second Oscar. Often misquoted as, "you like me, you really like me!" Anyway, you get the point. I feel the love..(see previous post)....that is from other bloggers. The main reason I did this blogging thing was to keep in touch with family and friends and they rarely comment! Except of course for my fabulous sister Heather, who needs to start a blog in a bad way. You all would LOVE her!

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you and continue to lay the guilt on the guilty. Perhaps all my friends that I so eagerly sent my blog address to couldn't care less about my life. That was pretty arrogant to believe that people want to know what we are up to? Just because I love to see what people are doing, it doesn't mean everyone feels the same. Different strokes for different folks right! It's what makes the world go around. I feel so much better now!!

It has been fun to see who is around and make some new friends and rekindle some old ones! I highly recommend blogging to any of you who haven't tried it yet. I'm also glad that people are liking the music addition. The website that does it is something I found from another blog: www.projectplaylist.com Reminds me of project runway...one of my favorites! Have a great day everyone, and happy blogging!

Blog lurkers and comments!

I know you're out there. You surf through blogs and lurk through some that you visit often, but never comment. I've been guilty, but am trying to mend my ways. I will admit that I love to open my email and see that someone has commented on a post. Okay, it really does make my day. So, for all you lurkers, please leave comments. I have clicked on many commenter's and are now friends with them and visit their sites often. I've even gotten sewing, photo, parenting, vacation, and decorating tips personally from them. Isn't blogging great?! I am now going to try to end each post with some questions to try to elicit some comments. May I suggest to "do unto other bloggers as you would have other bloggers do unto you." Thanks Sally and Marcie for always coming through on the comments. Here is an awesome video I found on a blog I haven't been stalking, but just found. I will be leaving comments. I laughed so hard that I cried while watching this.

What's making me happy right now!

I had been eyeing this in the PB catalogue for quite some time. I finally decided to "just do it." For those of you who don't know me very well, I don't shop or spend money very much. Now I just have to load it with supplies, put all the calendar items on, and enjoy! BTW the hooks underneath for the bags are IKEA and $1.99 ea. Great buy!Another item I had been eyeing. I grew up with a round table and have decided there is nothing better. It's amazing how much fun it is when people are gathered around eating. It makes it so much more of an intimate get together...you really are focused on one another! The booster seat really adds the right touch don't you think? I need suggestions on a centerpiece!
How could looking at this face do anything but make you happy?
I love great prints and paper. When I find them together I can't resist. This is my "big purchase" at Anthropologie. I absolutely love that store, but still find it hard to spend $80 on a shirt, so I go for the $10 note cards. Look for some of these beauties in your mailbox.

Here is my other Anthropologie purchase. I know, I know, it's an apron. But isn't it adorable? Again, I'm a sucker for great prints. You can't tell against my black table, but the ribbon around the edge is brown. I couldn't pull the trigger on the fabulous $110 orange capri's, so I opted for the $20 practical apron. Paul would have preferred the capri's.

More fun visitors...(helpers)!

While I was at girls camp, my generous Mother-in-law came to help out with the kids. She brought along with her the kids of Paul's older brother Colin Jr. My kids were more than thrilled! Lauren is 15, Andrew is 12, and Finn is 8. I hope they had a great time, because we sure enjoyed having them. They all helped out so much while putting up with the energy and attitude of my kids! Paul with his wonderful Mom Mary.Some of the Kelly boys. Paul, Finn, Andrew, Jack, and Max in the front. Mary taking sweet Nora on a jog.Jack and Finn in a Galactic battle! I love a big empty room!I came home to a new member of the family.....a Wii....not sure how I feel about the new addition?!!Beautiful Lauren. I had so much fun with her in just the two days our time overlapped. She is an amazing girl - so talented, smart, and easy to be around. I love you Lauren...come visit as often as you'd like! I miss you already. Wouldn't you kill for that hair, and those eyes?

We leave in a few weeks to spend the rest of July in Salt Lake City. We have no other visitors scheduled as of now, so we are now taking dates. Let us know!

Girls Camp

Well, I survived Girls Camp. I learned a lot about what I want for myself, and especially for my children. I also learned that we have an incredible group of Young Women in our Ward. The girls are so bright, interested, and good. Here are a few pics of the events.

Me with two of our fabulous Beehives (girls age 12-13) Note: I am well aware that girls camp is about the only place I could get away with pig-tails.
Our fun group enjoying some of the skits.
Me making a fool of myself in a skit.

Here is a quick bullet point list of some of the things that struck me during my four day Girls Camp adventure:

• Daddy long legs can elicit some of the loudest screams I have ever heard. (especially from young girls)
• We don't expect enough from our kids... I was amazed at how much many young girls think they CAN'T do, or aren't willing to do.
• There is NOT a lot that I'm afraid of .....except for how I'm doing as a Mother.
• Everyday is a new day to choose to be better, and do better for others.
• Too many Mothers coddle their kids. Sometimes we have to tell them "no", and to "step up."
• Christlike girls today will become the Christlike mothers that we need so much tomorrow.
• I love how eager girls are to comfort each other, cry with them, and try to make them laugh.
• An unbelievable amount of time, cost, and especially service goes into pulling off this kind of activity. We are so blessed to have these opportunities in the church.
• I am a child of God. He loves me as an individual and cares about my life. He is eager to see me succeed and is always ready to answer my call (prayer).
• I have a lot of work to do!

*What are your thoughts?*