Sugar

Landon: 

He did such good anesthesia one day that the surgeon let him (the junior resident) pick the music. Which I guess is a big deal. He was put in charge of getting everyone in the program a jacket so he's been spending lots of time on spreadsheets and emails keeping everything organized, including money. He took me on a date on Wednesday because it was the only night that would work for us. We went and got the most delicious sushi of our life and then talked about how delicious it was for the remainder of the night. We should have taken pictures! We did finish the night with hot chocolate from 7-11, because frankly, its about as good as it comes! 

BYU WON! He made sure to watch the game late last night after everyone was in bed, since he was working during the game. He also got home from work Saturday night just in time to join us for the Ward Halloween party/trunk or treat. Our wards primary and youth group are so small, but i'm starting see some cute and neat benefits of that. They all just play together and accept each other as their little ward family. At one point 2 young women and 6 primary kids and ty (nursery) were all running around playing tag. My boys were loving it. Hmmm.... I got off topic. Landon's now playing dude perfect with the boys this morning. Church music is on. The house is warm and smells good. Life is always better when Lando is around. 

Becca: 

I had the most productive day of my life on Tuesday. Our house fell apart of the fall break/jax birthday weekend and I was able to finally kick into gear on Tuesday when Jaxy went back to school. I took after pictures. I should have taken before pictures. I love our home so so so much! Maaaybbeee more than any other home we've lived in. When its clean it brings me so much joy! 

(Side note: My mom and dad lived in fairly small homes until they bought the home I grew up in, on the Y mountain of Provo, that house was almost 6,000 sq/ft. It was beautiful and lovely and we loved growing up there! But one day her sisters asked her if she was loving all the new space she had and the newness of the home. Her response was, "Honestly, its just like any other home i've lived in. I LOVE it when its clean and I hate it when its messy. I don't know why I loved that story so much. I guess it just reminds me that any place can be home, no matter the size, or the age, but when you spend time taking care of it, the spirit is there and its happy!)

We were able to go have dinner with my brother for his birthday. Scott and I are the same age for 33 days of every year. This birthday felt so happy to me because he's married to Jen and I love that they found each other and I love them both. Last year at this time, life was so difference for him. I'm so happy for him, my irish twin, we feel a lot of the same things even though we aren't always together. I love him, and i'm so proud of him. Happy birthday dude! 

Lastly I spent some time this week making costumes for the boys. Jax wanted to be a lightening bolt and he wanted Ty to be a thunder cloud. Landons costume is suppose to be a guy struck by lightening and i'm a rainbow. I love how creative Jax is. 

OH and I also watched my neices this weekend because their parents were in LONDON!!! I love London so much! And them. I love them more, I do. But gosh, London is so close!! I am glad Nate and Sarah could go. I think this is the first time Nate has been out of the country. He went to the right place. 

Jax: 

 He is reading so incredibly well. He woke up Friday night/Saturday morning in so much pain. His stomach was killing him and he could not calm down. It was in that moment that I was reminded why a year ago we changed the way we eat in so many ways. Sugar and junk food effects this little boy. He has had so much sugar lately between his birthday and halloween and its still not over #holidays. School gives him so much crap, every day. It makes me sad. He cried in pain for about 15 minutes until he finally went to sleep. We've made a lot of great changes the last year in how we eat, but this motivated me to be even better. Sugar is in almost everything society eats. Added sugar. Unnecessary sugar. It doesn't have to be this way. But alas, I don't see it changing any time soon. But I can continue to make our little corner as added-sugar free as possible. He LOVED being a lightening bolt so much. And everyone thought he was so cool. He also loved his baseball game on Monday. One more game! 

Ty: 

Speaking of sugar, all last night Ty walked around saying "Tummy owie mommy. Tummy owie!" Sugar. So even though we went to the trunk or treat we told the boys they couldn't have any last night. Such mean parents! We told them each that they could pick one piece of candy in the morning and they could pick it and put it by them to sleep. I was so impressed with ty. He held onto his sucker tightly as we read scriptures and said prayers and read stories. But he kept telling all of his stuffed animals that they couldn't have the sucker until tomorrow because his tummy was owie. Before I went to bed last night I went in to see if Ty actually ate his sucker. I don't even think i'd blame him since he's only two and being obedient and having self control at that age is near impossible. But what I found warmed my heart so much. The little sucker lay on his pillow right by him, uneaten, unwrapped. Ty is so good. He just is. He wants to do what is right and he continues to learn what that is. He was touching some art in the hallway of Jaxsons school and a teacher walked by and said, "Oh, no touching" and Ty just broke down in tears. He ran to me and cried in this way that was like, "I didn't know mom. I didn't know." I know buddy, I know! Oh and his words you guys. Its wonderful. 

Oh how I love my boys! I never mean to write so much. And I know that most people don't make it through all the words. And thats just fine with me. This is for my little posterity and it makes me so happy to review weeks and be reminded how wonderful life is and how blessed we are. 

Dinners: 

Monday: Cheese Quesadillas

Tuesday: Autumn Sage Veggie Dish 

Wednesday: Oh So Good Chicken Soup (thanks mama woolf)

Thursday: Korean Beef

Friday: Frozen Pizza

Saturday: Taco Soup

Sunday: Crunchwrap supreme & nacho cheese sauce

He loved his costume even though he never smiled in any pictures! 

Before Jaxsons baseball game started

I hurried and made piggies and frogs to go along with the others. Jens were way better!

Best dinner i've made in a year! 

You can't tell, but this hill is incredibly steep. 

Bishop storehouse is amazing!

Our neighbor has surgery and we took them dinner. One of my favorite soups ever! 

We love Greta!!

Landons picture contribution 

A boy and his sucker!

Jax is Six.

Jax: 

I can't believe this little guy is six. And at the same time I can in so many ways. He had a great birthday!!! We got him a fish--which he named super, and a "running" watch so he can clock himself. We threw him a Adopt-a-pet birthday party since the only direction he gave me for his party was that he wanted it to be an animal party. He loves animals so much. I see a dog in our future. But not while we live in an apartment! Nana took him on a birthday date and then brought him to his party. After his birthday party we surprised him with the Olive Garden! He has been talking about that place non stop. We have no idea why. But he had a blast there! Aunt Lacey gave Jax a ticket to the Cornbelly Fest and that was such a blast to be with them. It was the perfect fall day. We went and had mac and cheese with popsie at the food court and he wanted to end his birthday with cookie cearel which Ty had been talking about ALL week "Jack's birthday eat cookie chocolate chip n milk!!!' He was well celebrated and he is LOVED! I'm learning we expect a lot from this little boy. And i'm learning that he is capable of great expectations! He has a big heart and a big mind and is going to do big things. He is the best big brother a mom could ask for. He gave Ty all of the presents he got from his party (but his penguin from his party who he named WODIL), just because ty didn't get any. I describe Jax like i've always described Landon and that is just that he is good. He is just so good to his very core! Happy Birthday you 6 year old. We love you! 

Dad: 

He had some crazy work days. 5:30am-12:30pm and a couple of call shifts. But he did get post call on Thursday and even though he was dead he spent all of it with Jax. Getting him a fish, setting up for the party, being the "doctor" at the hospital part of the party, and listening to him read his books. Oh Landon is also just so good. He took me on a fantastic date on Friday where we road the Trax, walked around, found a yummy food place, watched the yankees lose, played jenga and talked. Every single date night we talk about how much we are loving residency and his program at the U. I talked to a friend this week who told me that her husband (who is the same year as Landon doing anesthesia too) is depressed. My heart ached for her and him and their family. We've been there. Second and third year of medical school were brutal for Landon. And he went into a period of sadness for a while. And then I realized that Landon's fourth year of medical school and first year of residency I was dealing with major postpartum depression or maybe it was just depression... who knows! Either way, we talked a lot about those years on our date and I think because of those years, this year has felt incredibly happy and good. Landon loves his job so much! I love that he loves it so much. I am no longer in the place that I was in Spokane or after having Ty! And even though Landon is gone from home more than he has ever been gone from home, we just couldn't be happier with the residency program and with how much he is loving everything about it. I guess that we came to the conclusion that we are so so blessed! And so so happy! 

Becca: 

Birthday party throwing is exhausting. But I loved it! Seriously. I think i'll do it every year for my kids.  I just love the experience of it all. I continue to try and teach my boys that things are not what matter in life and that it is the moments and the people that matter. Birthday parties kind of encompass the moment and the people to me. It was great! I did however crash on Saturday after three full days of celebrating. I don't know if I can continue 3 full days of birthday celebrations in the future. 

My mom finished another amazing song, a thanksgiving song called Thankful! This one was a struggle for her, but I think it turned out great. We drove down to Provo to help with the filming. I ended up in the video which I was NOT happy about ;). I love my mom and I love that my kids go to bed singing her songs. She is leaving her testimony song by song for the world(The Miracle just reached a million views). But also for her family. And I feel so grateful for that! Such a unique way to leave a legacy. 

Ty: 

We did better this week with consistent disciple. He did throw a big metal car at jax's head this morning. But that was one of the first this week. We asked him today what he learned at church and he said "Choose... choose right" And then I said, "Choose the Right?" And he just belted into song "Choose the right! Choose the right!!" And we all jumped in. One of those joyful moments around the dinner table that you don't get every night but when you do get them you are reminded why you do what you do every day. He is sleeping in a big boy bed now (i.e. we took the side off of the crib). He does so well. He will probably be the best sleeper i'll ever have. He will even wake up mid nap, go to the bathroom, and then go back to sleep. He stays in his bed for naps even still and never gets out until I come get him. Ty is so smart and so capable. He has so much personality and at the same time is so shy. He is stubborn and driven. He has a tender heart too. Sometimes in the middle of a any moment, he will come up to me and start kissing my face so softly. This boy, his toddlerness makes me want to pull my hair out and his whole soul makes my heart just melt away!!! 

BASEBALL!!!!!!!!! Look at that ball fly! 

Ty is killing it on the balance bike! 

BASEBALL!!!! A little yankees. They lost :(. 

I'm still holding strong on no eating out (besides Jaxson's olive garden birthday dinner). I made this at 3:00 to take to Provo with me while we filmed my moms new song. I knew if i didn't bring dinner with me we'd have to eat out since we would get home pretty late! 

My sister in law Jen made these! She's amazing! 

This weeks dinners: 

Sunday: Crepes 

Monday: Fish Tacos 

Tuesday: Minestrone Soup

Wednesday: Thai Noodles

Thursday: Olive Garden 

Friday: Cookie Cereal 

Saturday: Veggie Burritos 

Sunday: Chickpea Gyros