Enjoying Ethan!

One of Ethan's passions in life is playing play dough. Lately he has been making superhero's. He came and got me and said Mom guess who....well since he added the cape I didn't have a hard time guessing....Superman!

I am loving Ethan at 4 years old...don't get me wrong...I have and will always love him...I guess what I should say is I am really enjoying this stage. Ethan and I made up a game that involved throwing a soccer ball off our deck and pretend bombs...it was really simple but we played it for two days in a row and it was a blast. (p.s. my complaining worked...spring came!) Anyway...I was so used to taking Ethan to the park or back yard and just chasing him forever or trying to keep him from eating dirt. Now he actually plays with me! I am loving this! He also decided he likes to swing. Now when we go to the park I can put both Asher and Ethan in a swing and just stand in one place....a very new experience for me!

I love some of the conversations I have with Ethan too...he totally cracks me up. For example:

Ethan: Mom, Aliya and Melissa are pretty. (These are his little friends from
sunbeams)

Me: Yes, they are.

Ethan: They are "My" girls.

Me: Your girls?

Ethan: Yes and I will be so sad if I lose them. I want to keep them forever.

Me: They are fun girls, why do you like them?

Ethan: They are pretty and they wrestle me.

Me: Do you like when they wrestle you?

Ethan: Yes (with a lot of enthusiasm) it is really fun!


Hey what more could you want in a girl....pretty and likes to wrestle...his UFC loving Dad would be proud! Well I don't think polygamy is going to be reinstated any time soon so he will eventually have to pick just one.....just kidding. I think he is so sweet that he likes these cute little girls. (And yes! ...they are both really good at wrestling Ethan down!)

They say enjoy your child at every stage and I am definitely going to try!

Waiting for Spring!

This winter has dragged on for so long I feel like spring is never coming! Even when the sun comes out I can't feel its warmth! I grew up with cold weather but in Colorado the sun always comes out ever couple of days and you can feel its warmth!

Does this look like spring attire for the park? Well it is in Boston! I am so sick of the cold, windy weather here! Ethan asks everyday if we can go to the park so we tried the other day when the sun was out. We bundled up in coats and hats and ventured out. Ethan loved it but he could join the polar bear club...Asher and I had a hard time. Our noses wouldn't stop running and the wind chill...awww....I had Asher bundled up in blankets but we didn't stay long. I can't wait for spring! I hope it comes to Boston and just doesn't skip from winter to summer.
As part of Asher's bedtime routine I started giving him a bath right before bedtime....oh my goodness...he loves it! When Lanny or I undress him he starts shaking with joy and laughing. It is the cutest thing ever. He loves to splash and I get just as wet as he does!
So since we are inside most of the time Ethan gets pretty creative! He insisted that he looked the strongest with only his underwear on so I went with it. He then said he was building a mountain (couch cushions and blankets). Then he would jump off the couch and yell high-ya and wave his sword around. Hey it kept him happy for over an hour!

Lanny hates carrying change so I just started putting it in a plastic cup. Well Ethan found it and woo-hoo hours of fun. He sorts it...makes letters with it...and then of course pretends they are guys and they have a battle. The pennies=bad guys and the silver money=good guys...oh he is such a boy!

So....I need some help with dinner recipes! I am in a slump...I need something quick, easy, and yummy for kids and adults. How about I share one with you and then you can share one with me! (As always...only if you want)

So Lanny and I's new favorite is a grilled sandwich (served with a green salad and fresh fruit) or strawberry soup (strawberries were on sale...I love April for that ...strawberry season)....so here is what you put on it....

1) American cheese

2) turkey (any turkey lunch meat will do)

3) sliced tomato

4) carmelized onions (to do this you just chop onions and let them cook in a little olive oil until they turn a carmel color...almost burnt)

5) Grey Poupon mustard (the savory honey grey poupon is killer)!

Lightly butter the outside sides of the bread- then assemble sandwich and grill like a grilled cheese sandwich (or you can use pam if you don't want the butter calories). If you are not a mustard fan...I also tried using all the same ingredients (except mustard) and put them in a tortilla and grilled it. Then for Ethan's I just did a grilled cheese. Oh we loved this dinner so much that we have had it every week for three weeks and even twice last week (once as sandwiches and one with tortillas)!

My big brown eyed boy!

A month or so before Ethan's birthday he would ask us everyday...Am I four yet? So on his birthday we woke him up and told him today was the day! Our family tradition is to open presents as soon as you wake up...so this is why Ethan is sporting his footie pj's.

Just a few of his many presents!
All of you who know Ethan know that action figures are his true love in life (well that or mud...too close to call) He got mini ninja turtles...oh joy!
Oreo cookie cake....blue frosting and blue candles of course!

Two of Ethan's buddies at his first friend birthday party!
I tried to do some games but they just wanted to throw the balloons around the room and play with balls! Hey whatever makes them happy right!
So when I asked Ethan what kind of a party he wanted he said a blue one. This kid is obsessed with the color blue. He even told us our car was ugly because it was white and that we needed to buy a blue one. Ahhh! Anyway...the theme of his party was BLUE. We had blue party decorations, blue cup cakes, ice cream with blue swirls, blue juice, we had the kids wear something blue, and we made a blue craft.
For our blue craft we had the kids paint blue t-shirts. They were a little big so I bet they will be great night shirts....as Ethan is modeling his for you!


Since my little bug turned 4 I thought I would list my four favorite things about Ethan.
1- His big heart...he is the sweetest boy! He gives the best hugs and kisses and always tells me I am his best friend...oh melt my heart!
2- His cute little face....he is always giving huge smiles...mostly mischevious....and those big brown eyes...it is so hard to tell him no!
3- His adventerous spirit- he is such a boy...loves dirt, water, bubbles, building towers and getting into mischief!
4- His imagination- He is always pretending to be a superhero...and he has made up some pretty cool words...haybesaybe

Oh I love my little boy!

Missing Grandpa Jay

We received very sad news yesterday morning. Lanny's Grandpa Jay passed away. He had been sick for a couple weeks now but still the shock really hit me hard. I cried most of the morning and Ethan kept asking why I was so sad. I tried and tried to explain it to him and he of course couldn't quite get it. He had great insight though...he told me I should be happy that he gets to be with Heavenly Father and yes I am thankful he is now with Heavenly Father. He lived a good life and I feel I am better for knowing him.
When I was first dating Lanny he told me all about his family of course but what I thought to be fun was his amazing relationship he had with both sets of grandparents. He was blessed to live by both grandparents and I feel like they were so close to him that they acted like two sets of additional parents. Lanny was also the first grandson so as you can guess he has a great relationship with them. When we were married I was warmly welcomed in! I honestly feel like I was blessed with another set of Grandparents.
The night before we were married I picked Lanny and his Grandpa Jay up from the airport. It was such a rainy night and I was very nervous but Grandpa Jay's warm hug and warm calm voice quickly settled me down. This was one of the first and many warm memories I have of Grandpa Jay. He lead such an amazing life. Just a few things for example, he saw the flag raised on Iwo Jima during WWII, raised a beautiful family, and served as a patriarch. We even named Ethan after him...Ethan Jay.
We spent this last Christmas with Lanny's family and Christmas eve night he read the nativity story out of the Bible. I will forever be thankful for this beautiful memory. His warm, rich voice telling of our Saviors humble birth. He was so tender that he got emotional while reading the beloved account. He often got emotional while speaking about things dear to his heart (I loved this about him). Grandpa Jay was such a loving, humble man and I will truly miss him. I do find comfort in the gospel plan and as Ethan has said we should be happy that he is now with Heavenly Father and we will see him again.