Boys are made of bonks and bruises... right??

Jenson has been bonking his head A LOT lately. He fell out of his crib, no wait, dove out of his crib earlier this week (needless to say the mattress is almost to the ground now, he has a real cage).
THEN the next day since he couldn't dive out of the crib anymore, he got so excited when I walked in his room he started jumping and knocked his eyebrow bone and has a little bruise there.
THEN yesterday he fell and hit his head once on the tile trying to climb on a stool, and once on the wall.
Oh and last week he fell off the couch banging his head on the coffee table... and those are only the big ones I can remember. Maybe he is just clumsy, and maybe I need padded walls? I'm seriously considering making him wear a helmet 24/7. Is it lame that I'm so worried about all the brain cells he could be killing??
I guess the reason why I'm posting this is so some other moms out there can tell me, "it's okay, you aren't an awful mother." so humor me, would ya????

Bless his heart, and his huge (95th percentile) head.

TAG!

I was tagged by my BFF Kayla, check out her cute blog! Here are some fun questions about me. :)

1. What is your ALL time favorite song and why? None of this "well I like everything". If you had to pick one, which would it be?

This is so hard! All time? Do you know how many songs make me cry?? I love country music, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift. But on a spiritchal note, my favorite Hymn is "How Great Thou Art."

Getting choked up just thinking about it, moving on, QUICK!

2. What was the most memorable part of your wedding day and or first date if you aren't married yet. ;)

First date: that Jake tricked me into it and pretended like it was with a bunch of people, and it was SO a date. Can you say, smooth operator?

My favorite memory of our wedding day was being in the temple with Jake and sobbing, I was so overwhelmed with emotion thinking I finally made it and I was in the right place, at the right time, being sealed to the right man for all eternity! I remember thinking, "my life starts now!" Then 2 years later it started all over when Jenson got here. :)

I also remember it was so hot, that my cousin Maddie fainted taking pictures on temple grounds. I feel bad so many people suffered on our behalf. I love you all for enduring that day with us!

3. What do you want to be when you grow up?

This is easy, a mom and a teacher. AND I AM! I never thought I would see the day I would actually start making my dreams come true! I love my baby boy more than life itself (and that's saying a lot because I love life), and I love my preschool class and think both jobs are very rewarding and FUN!

oh, but I know I'm not done growing up yet, so when I do grow up, I want to do something big. Like, be able to really truly help somebody (or somebodies) in need kind of big. Someday... for now I'm more focused on my little family. And I think that is okay for now.

AND someday I hope I can be a fitness guru. I'd love to have a rock hard butt and abs. sorry, tmi? Hopefully that motivation comes soon.

4. Why do you blog?

I started blogging because my mom lived so far away from me and she wasn't hip with the Facebook scene yet, and I wanted to share pictures. :) Now she is "hipper" and lives closer, but I still enjoy it as a public way of sharing family history, and I think journaling is important, and the more ways you can do it, the better.

OH, and a blog can't get deleted like a 12 page journal you typed on a Word document on a computer that crashed. I don't want to talk about it.... (but it did have a happy ending and was recovered, just a painful story lol)

5. What is your favorite attribute about yourself and why?

I like that I am ambitious and am pretty motivated. I like that I have always been able to know who I am and where I want to go, and have made choices to get me there. I'm just glad this didn't say least favorite attribute, that list could get overwhelming, let's just focus on the positive! But for the most part, I do like myself.

6. What's on your Christmas list this year?

We are kind of lame, but Jake and I never do Christmas for each other, my birthday is October, his is November, so we have never seen the point of wasting the money. And honestly, I REALLY don't see the point. Christmas is expensive enough as it is! BUT, if I had to have a list I would want... to redecorate my room I guess? And I always like anything pretty and girly.

7. What is your "signature drink"? It could be homemade, your daily Starbucks drink, or what you always order when you go out. If it is homemade, will you include the recipe? :)

I love juices and smoothies, anything fruity. Add a lil whip cream, even better. I guess I just like sugar? Lately my favorite is caramel apple cider, which is to die for at Starbucks, but my recipe is not too shabby:

for every 3 cups of cider (the bottled, 100% juice stuff)

add: 2 T of caramel sauce

1 t of vanilla

a couple pinches of cinnamon/a cinnamon stick

heat over the stove, mix with a whisk, and YUM!

(needless to say I sometimes add whip cream and drizzle caramel just to make it look pretty)

I tag: Mandie Tuttle

Abbie Taylor

Calee Argyle

Amera Jarvis

Stacey Kramer

Happy Halloween!

Jenson was a puppy this year because he loves them! He always sticks his tongue out and pants like a puppy, except for when we want him to (of course)!We have had a fun weekend! We started Thursday with a preschool Halloween party, followed by a quick round of trunk-or-treat Friday night. Saturday was spent with all the cousins getting pizza then doing the rounds on Spanish Fork Main Street, which was SO crowded, but still fun! Then we made sure the great grandparents got to see our little puppy. Sunday we had soup with the fam. Whew, what a busy weekend!
Sometimes he's a nice puppy, and sometimes he's a naughty puppy that likes to throw fits, play in the dirt and scowl and say, "NO!" BUT, he's still a cute puppy, nonetheless. :)This is the best pic I could get with all the cousins, believe it or not! 1 second later and Braxton would have been out of the frame. :)

My Baby Einstein

Jenson will not watch t.v. or sit and watch a movie (which I actually love) UNLESS it's Baby Einstein's Baby's First Signs. In fact, I'm kind of sick of it and need to go get some more Baby Einstein videos, we have watched it everyday this week! He has gotten so good at using sign language, I love seeing him get smarter and smarter every day!

So on top of talking all the time he now signs Baby, More, Please, Mommy, Daddy, and All Done! I can't get a picture of him doing it, I've tried, I did however get a picture of another one of his latest's, "CHEESE!"(don't mind our messy loft room)

What he LOVES at almost 15 months old:
-Walking everywhere, he is so proud of himself and gets so excited
-Both of his grandmas. He will go to either one of them from me in a heartbeat, and I can't get him back. :)
-When his daddy gets home!
-His ba-bas.
-PUPPIES! or as he calls them, "bay-dough" (bad dog) and his stuffed animal puppy. He always acts like a puppy too, so naturally that is what he is going to be for Halloween. Plus I thought it was a good excuse for him to wear a leash while trick-or-treating??
-Cuddling with mom and dad in our bed in the mornings.
-Going to preschool with mom and grandma (he thinks he is so big).
-"Pretties." He loves putting necklaces around his neck
-Dirt. (to make up for the pretties, don't worry dad lol) He wants to play with dirt whenever he gets close.
-Ring Around the Rosy, his favorite game that we play over and over. He likes falling down and saying, "WHOA."
-Working with grandpa at his computer.
-Making funny faces and then pretending to laugh, he's a crack up.
-Bugging his cousins, which is also funny to watch. He loves getting reactions out of people, so if it makes somebody mad when he touches them, he'll do it over and over and just watch them get mad.

LOVE YOU SWEETIE PIE!

"Anything Like Me"

"Anything Like Me" -Brad Paisley

Every time I hear this song on the radio, I cry like a baby. For those of you who don't know Jake very well he actually did break the neighbor's window when he was little! From what his family tells me he was a "handful" just like the song describes, and I can see his son is already on his way. BUT I am so very grateful for that, because if he does turn out like his daddy "aw he'll be alright."
Jake is the greatest dad, he is so involved with Jenson and I hate to admit it, but Jenson is turning out to be a daddy's boy lately. He cries when Jake leaves for work and can't wait to see him when he gets home. I just feel so blessed to have these crazy boys in my life! I love you guys!
(PS if I was tech-savvy I would download the song right here, but I'm not, so here are the lyrics. If you haven't heard it, click HERE to listen.)

I remember saying I don't care either way

Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm okay
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said "You see that thing right there well you know what that means"

And I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me
He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike to fast
End up every summer wearing something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass, in a window down the street
He's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass trying to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on
That'll be his first love til his first love comes along
He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skipping class and be grounded for a week
He's gonna get in trouble we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he cant wait to leave
But as he drives out, he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me
there's worse folks to be like
Aw he'll be alright if he's anything like me

My baby is no longer a baby.

Jenson turned ONE! It's actually been almost a month since the big day, but better late than never! I can't believe it was only one year ago that he changed our lives drastically. He has taught us what it means to love unconditionally through waking us up almost every night for a year, and I really didn't mind. He has taught us to laugh at the little things. He has made us better people. Because of him we try harder to be better so we can be the example he needs. I love Jenson for countless reasons, but here are just a few:

• I love how no matter who walks in the room he says, "HI DA!"
• I love how when I say, "NO!" he throws himself on the ground and starts giggling and screaming before trying to crawl away. It's a game. We are in trouble.
  
• I love how he is so cuddly, when you pick him up he just lays his head on your shoulder.
  
• I love how he throws everything off of his high chair and looks at me and says, "uh-oh."
• I love how he changes positions every time I go check on him during naps. He's a wild sleeper.
  
• I love how when I try to read him a story he tries to close it the whole time and says, "ALL da." (all done)
• I love his cute little face, I could never get sick of looking at him and kissing him.
  
• I love when he hands you something and says "dit-dew." He tries to teach me my manners too.
  
• I love his babbling, he talks and talks, but you can't tell what he's saying. He even nods his head and talks with his hands. He is so fun to have a conversation with.
  
• I love how when I blow on his food that is hot, he also blows on it before taking a bite. Safety first!
• I love how when I'm not with him, I miss him so bad, he is our best buddy!
• I love watching him talk on the phone, he is so good at copying what we do.
  
• I love how it's like wrestling an alligator when changing his diaper. I feel like I'm in a rodeo every diaper change, trying to keep him entertained long enough to hurry and get a diaper back on. Sometimes I wish somebody was watching when I actually do have a successful diaper change so I could get some recognition. :)
• I LOVE his laugh. He has been so giggly from the time he was really little, and it always puts a smile on our faces.
• I love how he loves to open and close everything. He'll crawl in a room and turn around and close the door.
• I love his 6 little teeth and how he brushes them. We brush our teeth together, and he puts the toothbrush in his mouth and moves it around and wiggles his head just like mom. It is so funny, I need to get it on tape.
• I love how he says, "shhh!" he sticks the tip of his finger in his mouth and blows on it. Oh man, he's cute.
• I love how whenever he picks up a stuffed animal/baby, he rocks it back and forth like a baby.
  
• I love how he dances to music in the car, he bobs his head.
• I love how I can't take a shower by myself, because he always finds me and stands at the edge, trying to get his hands wet. Then he rubs the water all over his head like he is washing his hair.
  
• 

I LOVE YOU JENS! I thank Heavenly Father for sending you to us every single day.

There are a lot more cute pics of Jenson taken by Sarah Carabine on my Facebook.

Take a PEAK...

at my Sunshine Peaks Preschool's new blog (no pun intended, okay maybe it was):
sunshinepeakspreschool.blogspot.com
and become a follower! (I could use a few...)

This business stuff sure is tricky, but I would appreciate any support I can get! Don't mind all the flaws, I'm in the process of making it more professional.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Tell your friends! Thanks a million! xoxoxo