Some Thoughts on Love from my Girls

 A Valentine's Day Interview:  

Ashtyn: 

1. What is love? 

It's a feeling you get when you see somebody you feel happy about, that's just one way to describe love.

2. Name three people you love 

Siblings, my cousins, and Naomi 

3. What makes you feel loved? 

When people give me kisses

4. What is one way we can show love to each other? 

Help each other when we get hurt 

5. What are three foods you love? 

Steak in the air fryer, pork, and roast (those are my three favorite meats, I also love ice cream)

6. What is one thing you love about yourself? 

I love that I always know what somebody likes by the way they act 

7. Name three activities you love 

Riding bikes, crafting, and crocheting 

8. What is something you love about being 9? 

I'm really tall!

9. Who are your closest friends? What do you love about them? 

One of my closest friends is Naomi, I like that she has a really pretty voice. Lizzy, I like how good she is at origami. 

10. What do you love most about being in our family? 

I like that almost our entire family likes books. 

 Parker: 

1. What is love? 

When you give someone something but you don't want anything back.

2. Name three people you love 

Thomas, Gracie, and my family 

3. What makes you feel loved? 

When someone helps me or kisses me. 

4. What is one way we can show love to each other? 

We can hug and kiss someone, but ask first.

5. What are three foods you love? 

Every single candy and yummy treat except peanut butter treats 

6. What is one thing you love about yourself? 

I love my hair and my singing

7. Name three activities you love 

Making Valentine's hearts, trick or treating, and activity days 

8. What is something you love about being 7? 

I get to go to activity days!

9. Who are your closest friends? What do you love about them? 

Heather, I love how she is so playful. Rylee and Ashtyn, I like how they play with Oliver and me. 

10. What do you love most about being in our family? 

I love my family. 

 Rylee: 

1. What is love? 

It's where you do something nice to people, give them something they want and they say thank you. 

2. Name three people you love 

Lizzy, Tommy, and Nellee 

3. What makes you feel loved? 

When people give me things that I want  

4. What is one way we can show love to each other? 

By giving somebody something that they really badly want

5. What are three foods you love? 

Apples, crackers, and cheese sticks 

6. What is one thing you love about yourself? 

That I can ride a bike 

7. Name three activities you love 

Making Valentine's cards, drawing, and cutting things out of cardboard boxes 

8. What is something you love about being 5? 

I get to stay up on New Year's Eve now!

9. Who are your closest friends? What do you love about them? 

Naomi, I love that she always love to play with me. Elsee, that she used to play with us. Brianna, that she lets us have treats when she babysits us! 

10. What do you love most about being in our family? 

That we do homeschool!

Our Family Memories in JANUARY!

 January this year was pretty great, despite it being the middle of winter and still being sick a lot! The weather was a lot warmer than normal and it was amazing! We enjoyed many days outside and a lot of time together. 

Between winter and being sick, we spent a lot of time snuggling and watching Scooby Doo.

Oliver has started struggling with his naps sometimes (though he more often naps well, so not dropping it yet thank goodness). This day, he wouldn't nap, so I tried to get him to nap on me and he wouldn't. He was very proud of the fact that he didn't sleep afterward 😂

These girls are such cuties! 

We got to go to the twins' baby blessing and it was a beautiful meeting 💗

Cousins!

Cousins sweeping and mopping together!

We love cousin time!

It was fun that cousins were here again when new Bluey episodes came out. 

To celebrate, we had another Bluey party! My favorite part is watching the kids laugh together at them.

Another thing the kids love to do with cousins is Survivor Kids with Grandpa Danny (no parents allowed, or it's not Survivor Kids anymore apparently). 

In December, we had planned on caroling together at the Beehive Home and to their great grandmas. The kids practiced some songs together, but then we were all sick for so long, it was a bit into January before we finally were able to do it. 

Parker's

Rylee's Resolutions 

Ashtyn's Resolutions 

Ashtyn's 

Rylee's 

Parker's Resolutions 

A new year, a new calendar 💗

A new year also means I get to use my new bullet journal!

Ben and I started working out together in the basement and we love it!

Ben and I did a planning meeting where we figured out our main creative goals for the year. 

Oliver needed to join us 💗

I talked Ben into trimming my hair for me (it really pushed him out of his comfort zone, but he did a great job!)

Brushing Oliver's teeth haha

The girls love how Oliver does this with his legs every time, like he's chilling.

Steak and beans and rice!

Homemade chicken nuggets!

Apple pie!

I'm really happy with my pie crust, I feel like I've really perfected it recently.

Ben and I spent hours untangling this yarn for Ashtyn.

Playing in the snow when we have a chance! 

We haven't had much snow this year.

Oliver loves playing guitar with Dad 💗

So much time spent sick in January.

We are really hoping it slows down as the weather warms up because we are sick of being sick.

Oliver is so cute when he plays 😍

I just can't get over how cute he is.

Ashtyn wanted to take a picture of something with my phone. 

24 minutes later, I realized I never got my phone back.

Ashtyn and Parker had used the time to record their own TV episode 😂

Ashtyn was bored and I needed a break from kids (everyone else was playing outside while Oliver napped), so I told her to find something to do for a bit that didn't require my help. She made this out of yarn in the pantry 😂

One of the things we did together for Come Follow Me was having the kids draw Lehi's vision while we learned about it. They were too precious not to record:

Ashtyn's

Rylee's

Parker's

I love kids reading to each other 💗

We were so grateful to get so many warm, sunny days in January! 

We took full advantage and spent as much of it outside as we could.

One thing I started in January is going on a walk with Ashtyn once a week just to talk. The story behind it is actually pretty cool.

I was feeling like our relationship was struggling and that I needed to find new ways to connect with Ashtyn, but I wasn't sure how. We spend a lot of time together, but it's always with all the kids and she's often doing things on her own. I had thought about doing a walk with her, but I didn't want to commit to that because it meant giving up listening to my audiobook while I walked (one of my few times alone). I was praying about how to better my relationship with her and one morning as I was listening to a conference talk, I had a very strong impression that I needed to start taking a walk with Ashtyn each week. That day I started and it has been such a blessing to us! Every week, Ashtyn tells me how much she loves our walks together and I know it was something I needed to do. I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father's help in my family relationships.

Ben and I also painted Oliver's room in January!

It turned out so cute! We love the color and Oliver loves that his room is blue!

We finished off the month celebrating Ben's 35th birthday! We played pickleball in the morning with his parents and had Angel Food Cake (his favorite treat) for dessert. I also made him his favorite red wheat cereal. It was a great day!