Together We Make A Family

Our Big Day!!

2010-11-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

So this is another super quick post, but I wanted to share some of the amazing photos from our fantastic photographer on our big day!! Sam and I were sealed November 5th and it was the perfect day!!! Perfect weather, wonderful family, beautiful decorations :) Sam is an amazing man, and I am one lucky girl ... Enjoy the pics for now, more to come along with more detailed descriptions!! Please follow the link below to see more of our photos at Heidi Davenport Photography!

http://heididavenportphotography.blogspot.com/2010/11/sam-alicia-rexburg-id-wedding.html

Big Changes Coming Our Way!

2010-08-11T21:35:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, it has been a millenium (well maybe not quite) since I posted, but I am making up for it with this super quick post with our life-changing updates! First things first, if you never heard, I got engaged!! It was definitely unexpected but I am so excited and wish you could all meet Sam personally. He is a super great guy and I'll share more of our dating story later!

Secondly, we will be MOVING back to ..

IDAHO in a few weeks and are excited for all of the new adventures to come!!

I'm sorry to not give more details and I apologize for being horrible about keeping in touch, but I will update you all more soon and think of all my great friends often! I hope you are all doing wonderful and hope we all get caught up soon! In the meantime, enjoy a few pics :)

Alicia Alee Accessories Official Launch!

2009-11-16T09:28:00.000-08:00

So I have been working on my site, Alicia Alee Accessories, for quite a while now and am finally comfortable enough with the site layout and navigation to invite you all to check it out! :) There are still some things I would like to do design-wise with the site, but it is off to a great start, and I've been having alot of fun creating items for locals! I offer hairbows, clips, bow holders, name plaques, and have just started making interchangeable beaded watch bands with my Mom and one of my best friends Hannah!! (which I have to hurry and get their designs online also so you can see all of their awesome creations too!! Check back soon!) So if you are in need of a fun and custom gift for neices, sisters, or moms, I'd love to create something just for you! I also offer christmas photo cards if anyone is looking for a unique card this year :) Just click on the image above to get to my accessories site. Don't forget to follow me on your blogs to stay updated on new items! Thanks so much and I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season!

Halloween Pics

2009-11-09T23:31:00.001-08:00

Well, I didn't get too many pics taken at the actual events, but we had alot of fun this year going to our Ward Halloween Party, and to visit friends. Jeron made a very rugged cowboy, Jocelyn of course had to have 2 outfits, in correspondence with her daily wardrobe changes ;), and Braxton was our little Spiderman. I got talked into being a princess; I insisted that I had nothing to wear, but my bridesmaid dress from Talia's wedding and a headdress from one of my Mom's community plays proved more than sufficient. :)

Thank You

2009-11-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments. I appreciate all of your love and support more than I can ever say ... I am so grateful for my family and friends that have offered loving words & kindness and comfort during this difficult time for our family. It means alot to me. Thank you all again so very much.

Awkward Announcement

2009-11-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

I feel very awkward and very sad to make this Announcement, but I feel it is time to give an unavoidable update .. Buck and I are getting divorced. I am extremely heartbroken to make this statement, and I wish so very much that things were different .. I appreciate all of your love and concern during this very difficult time, and thank you so much for all your kindness and support...

Toddler Talk & Other Sweet Stories

2009-10-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

A little while ago Jocelyn came to me, gripping her finger with a concerned look on her face. "Mommy, I have a wizard in my finger!" (to the less refined world devoid of toddlers, the more commonly known term would be "splinter.":)

Jocelyn is following me in from the car the other day, and it was a rainy afternoon, so I tell her to follow in my footsteps so that she wouldn't get mud all over her shoes.

Jocie: "Oh thank you Mommy! You saved my life!"

I suppose preventing getting mud all over your pink sparkly shoes would be pretty life-saving to a princess :)

Jeron, resisting wearing pajamas to bed one night, requested to sleep in his jacket and jeans. "Please, Mom, I'm begging you."

Speaking of begging, Jocelyn had been begging for a pink dress for weeks, and anytime I was on the computer, she would ask me to look up a pink dress for her. One day, after having not spoken about the desired pink dress for a few days, she is downstairs playing with Grandma. Grandma asks her, Jocie, what is your Mom doing? With a huge exasperated and disappointed sigh, Jocelyn randomly responds, "I don't know ... NOT buying me a pink dress."

Jocelyn, in response to refusing her recent request for having a bedtime bowl of cereal. "Papa, I am going to get mad at you!!"

After helping Jeron get ready for bed a few nights ago, he sits beside me and puts his arms around my neck.

"You are the sweetest Mama ever! I always wanted a Mama just like you! I love you soo much! I am going to keep my arms around you forever ..."

I love my sweet kiddos and I'm going to keep my arms around them forever too :)

Big Boy Brax

2009-10-11T23:28:00.000-07:00

My little Braxton is growing up too fast!

Braxton is 15 mos. now ~ It seemed like he hadn't changed much for a long time, but lately he is really starting to look alot older to me. It always is a little sad to me at how quickly time passes and kids grow!

What a little poser ;)

Where Braxton loves lately - his favorite spot! He is such a goofball and loves to crawl into Jeron's big dumptruck to eat a snack, "read" a book, or chew on some toy or another.

Finally walking! Not that 14 months is that unusual, but with Jeron and Jocelyn walking at 11 and 12 months, it seemed like I'd been waiting for him to walk forever! :o) Which desire of course now I relinquish ...

Such a little ham ~ he is reminding me so much of Jeron at this age - two little turkeys ;)

But no matter how fast he grows, he'll always be our little brother Brax :o)

Jeron's 1st Trophy!

2009-10-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

Jeron has won his very first trophy!! He got third place in the Elks National Soccer Shoot Contest and he was so excited! The age category he was in was kids 8 and under, so he did awesome and he was so happy to place!

Jeron kept saying he wanted one of those trophies and that he was going to get one. I told him we'll see, it depends on who does the best, but he was pretty convinced :)

Going up to accept his trophy

All the 1st-3rd Place Winners

Way to go Jeron, you did so great!! Jeron is very athletic and motivated, and I'm sure he will keep that determined drive as he grows older. Hopefully at least to keep him out of trouble ;) I love my little jock Jeron!

Blondes vs. Brunettes

2009-09-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

It's official ~ guys prefer blondes over brunettes. You know when it comes from your own son at the ripe old age of 5, it can't be misunderstood! :) Our conversation yesterday after school:

Me: What did you do at school today?

Jeron: Evelyn and I stamped with letters.

Me: Evelyn? That's a pretty name.

Jeron: I like her.

Me: Ya? I like her name.

Jeron: I like HER.

I laughed. "So why do you like Evelyn?"

Jeron: She has yellow hair. I like girls with yellow hair. They're the cutest.

Me: Don't you like girls with brown hair?

Jeron: I like yellow hair like Evelyn's. She's the cutest.

Me: My hair is kind of yellow right now, but it's brown sometimes too.

Jeron: Ya, you're the cutest too. You and Evelyn are the two cutest.

I laughed again. "You know, girls with brown hair are cute too. Don't you have any friends with brown hair?"

Jeron: Ya, but I like yellow the best. Like Kayla (his cousin.) And Evelyn. I like her. He pauses and thinks for a minute, then cocks his head . . . "Evelyn has a really cute voice." (almost to himself)

I just laughed, trying not to be too worried that my 5 year old is already contemplating the sound of little yellow-haired Evelyn's voice .... at 5 years old, it starts!! :o)

What Matters Most

2009-09-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling so very grateful for my little family lately, and at the same time, feeling how quickly time passes us by, and wanting to be able to spend more time with my sweet children. This video was such a good reminder to remember what matters most, and to spend our time on the important things in our lives, mainly our family and loved ones. Lately I have been very busy, and while I feel blessed to be able to have recently found avenues of earning income during a difficult time for our family, as well as to pursue my interests and improve my talents, I have also felt the need to become more organized, and to make sure that the most important things are priorities in my life.

There is a quote that has hung in my bedroom since I was a teenager, and I have often reflected on it. "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities." ~ President Ezra Taft Benson. I know this to be true, and I can feel such a difference in the home when we are following this counsel, and putting Heavenly Father and the gospel first. I know that as I strive to follow the Lord and re-prioritize my life, that Heavenly Father will bless me to manage my time and current demands, and that the unimportant things will drop out of my life. Although I have great room for improvement :), I know that as I work to always make Heavenly Father first in our home that I will be able to spend time on the most important things, and with those that matter most. :) I love my little family so very much, and will strive to work harder at telling them more often, not only in word but in deed ...

Kindergarten Kid

2009-09-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

Jeron is officially a Lil Rebel! I am a little late in posting these, but Jeron has started kindergarten and he absolutely loves it!! :o) His teacher says that he is doing great in class, and listens well. Jeron loves making new friends and learning new things!! And of course he loves recess. I went to talk to his teacher one day and said hello to him on the playground and he says, "Hi Mom! We're chasing girls, bye!" :o) I was a little anxious about having him go full days, but he is doing so well and seems to be loving it! He has been a tad cranky sometimes after coming home, but I am sure that is normal and he will adjust soon enough. Right?! :o)

It was hard to walk out of the school and leave him behind, and I was very surprised that I did not cry. I always thought I would, but I think seeing him so ready to be there and willing to learn helped ease my anxiousness. I have to admit though, I am still sad about him being gone all day, and 3 o'clock simply does NOT come fast enough!! But then again, having two other kids to take care of does help pass the time. Jocelyn of course misses her brother, and wants to go along with him to school. A few more years, Jocie. Stay home and keep Mommy company! :o) I can't believe my little Jeron is 5 already and a kindergartener. He is growing up so fast, and is such a sweet helper. Another thing I miss at home! :) But I am glad that he is getting the stimulation and learning that he needs to help his restless body and growing mind. :) Why can't kids just stop growing?! :)

And here are a few recent pics of Jocie - she is just too cute so I had to include them!

Thank You

2009-09-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone, for your heartfelt comments and support, I appreciated it so much. Although it has been a very difficult time for our family, I know that with continued faith and the sincere prayers offered by our family and others in our behalf, that things will work out for the best. I am very grateful for all of our kind friends and family, and it makes it so much easier to go through trying times ... Thanks again for all of your love and support. We love you all. :o)

Prayers

2009-08-24T22:28:00.000-07:00

We are going through a very difficult time in our family right now, and I would humbly ask for all of your prayers during this trying and painful time, that the Lord will bless us and direct our lives to what is truly best for our family ... Thank you to you all, my dearest family and friends ...

New Look!

2009-08-09T13:33:00.001-07:00

I FINALLY took the time to make my own blog background! Woo-hoo! It was alot of fun and it's great to have my very own unique and custom layout. I know I have been really horrible about posting this summer, and I apologize to all of my blogging buddies, but I promise to get caught up on what you all have been up to soon! :o) It has just been a little crazy around here lately.

Here are a few recent pics we took of the kids and I and one with Papa ... I hope you all are enjoying what's left of the summer and I hope to get in touch with all of you soon! Check back in say ... a month or two (haha) for pics from mine and Talia's birthday, and baby Braxton, who just turned ONE on July 29th!!!

Hay Bales vs Being born in The Computer Age

2009-07-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

We were in the car yesterday and I said to the kids,

"Hey, look at all those hay bales out there in the field!"

To which Jeron responded,

"Why are there all those e-mails out there?"

Jeron's Big #5!!!

2009-07-15T16:52:00.001-07:00

So I am very super late posting these, but here are some fun pics of Jeron's Bday!!!

We started the day off with pancakes & eggs, Jeron's favorite, and then had a lazy afternoon until the kid's 1st T-Ball Game started! Jeron and all the other cousins were so excited to play in the game, even if they got pretty confused on the rules! :) Jeron did such a great job. Buck was really bummed he wasn't able to make it to his first T-Ball game, but Jeron took his Dad on the phone with him through the Congratulation line :) It was so much fun to be able to have all of his cousins from my side here for his Bday party though. The kids had tons of fun, maybe too much fun for us adults!

After the game, we came back home for pizza, cake, and presents! I know I am a slacker for summarizing it all in a slideshow, but it took forever just to download all the pics! :o) I think Jeron's favorite part was getting all of his soccer gear ~ he spent about a half an hour after opening it just kicking the ball into the goal. Jeron loved every minute of his Bday and I can't believe that my little boy is 5!!! He is such a sweet boy and he is such a great helper. We love his great sense of humor and kind spirit. :) Enjoy the pics!

T-Ball Time!

B-day Bash!!

Mother's Day Pics

2009-06-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

Finally posting some Mother's Day pics! :) Jeron & Jocie made the sweetest little planters in Primary and Nursery, even writing their names on them and it was the cutest thing!

Jeron's cute cheesy grin! ;)

... and name written backwards. Oh well, so you can't be perfect EVERY time! :)

Mama & kiddos.

I love my sweet children ~ they teach me so much patience and love and tenderness ... I hope & pray to be always worthy of the selfless love and forgiveness they always show to me, and strive to be a better mother and person so that I can teach them all the gospel principles and morals, that they will guide them and lead them to have righteous lives and bring them strength and peace in troubled times. I am so grateful for this gospel, for the principles of love and forgiveness, and for helping us to become better people and to repent of our shortcomings and to always reach for our divine potential ... I am so grateful for my own loving mother, and hope that I can acquire her qualities of faith, strength and tenacity - as well as shrewd bluntness! ;) I am grateful for all the wonderful mothers out there, in friends & family, that teach by their kind deeds & good examples! I love being a Mom! Mommy! Mama! & MAAAMMAAAAAA ! ;)

Braxton & Grandma

Check out these pillowcases I made with my Mom for a little Mother's Day gift for the kiddos ~ isn't the Bumblebee one with Care Bears hilarious?? :) Jeron picked out the care bears I think because Jocelyn loves them, and he loves anything bumblebee (Transformers... boys), so we just threw them together! Jeron loved it! lol. And of course the Tinker Bell one for my little fairy princess.

Bed Wars & Wrestling! :o)

2009-06-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Everyone trying to attack Mommy!!! Aaah, attack of the Mouser munchkins!!! :o)

Jeron & Braxton practicing their hard-core wrestling moves!

And check out those new teeth!

I love my sweet kiddos . . . they are the best. :o)

The Cowboy Way

2009-05-24T14:49:00.001-07:00

I know I am SOOO behind on posting, but here are a couple catch-up posts real quick to make up for my lack of posting! :) It has just been crazy busy around here! A few weeks back, the kids had Primary Activity Day, and they had a blast with the Pioneer Theme! Jeron loved his cowboy hat and playing marbles, and Jocelyn was so excited to make a little rag baby doll. They also got to listen to pioneer stories, and played a scavenger game. I also included some fun pics of the kids in some other cowboy get-up, notice Jeron in his yellow & black cowboy boots that he had to have. :) Enjoy the pics!

Grandma/Mom's Bday Pics!

2009-05-24T14:03:00.001-07:00

Alright, so I am only a MONTH overdue in posting this, but I apologize and hope all you girls will enjoy these pics from Mom's Bday and forgive the late viewing! :) It was a ton of fun to celebrate Mom's Birthday with her - the kids loved breaking out the party hats and helping decorate, and of course they had to get in on the candle-blowing as well! :) Wish you all could have been there :)

Our Newest (& partially guilty) Addiction . . .

2009-05-06T18:48:00.001-07:00

Sooo tasty. Try it. You'll like it. ;)

AND these ...

MMMMmmmmm.

Busy Bee

2009-05-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I posted, but I wanted to give a quick update on all my recent design endeavors! I have really been busy with alot of different design offers for freelance work -A logo design for a friend in my old Ward, a Grad Announcement for my friend Megan's sister, and a request for a 4 page brochure for another friend. (yikes! :) Also, I am still continually adding designs for my website templates at The Cutest Site on the Block, and was recently offered a temp. design position with prospects of becoming permanent doing custom design work for The Cutest Blog on the Block. Fun!! :) Samples of my recent projects:

Logo Samples for a DVD rental kiosk system (sorry, kind of small!)

Grad Announcement Designs

My Mom helped put this one together! And I will have you know, she personally fine tunes all of my work. I love her helpful little critiques and suggestions!!! You're the best, Mom! :)

Website Templates - I have 22 posted on the Site now, but here are a few samples of recent designs! Feel free to check them out at The Cutest Site on the Block!

"Orange Blossoms" & "Charmed I'm Sure"

"Cabana Breeze" & "Perfect Pear"

"Princess Jocelyn" & "Cheeky Chic"

I would post the fun Custom Design work I have been able to do for TCBOTB (buttons, backgrounds, etc.) but I don't know if that is violating their privacy. Probably! :)

Aside from design work, I have been getting requests for Hairbows and Hairbow Holders - I am currently putting together a new site, Alicia Alee Accessories, so I have definitely been a busy bee! :) I am just so grateful and feel so blessed to be able to have these recent opportunities come into my life so that I can continue to be a stay-at-home Mom but also be able to pursue my interests and talents :) Sometimes I feel like a little less of a full-time Mom, but hopefully I can get more organized and learn to balance everything well, and if not, just cut back where I need to. :)

(I wanted to post pics from my Mom's B-day and some other recent activities, but that will have to wait until I finally download pics from the camera! :) Soon, I promise.

Easter

2009-04-21T12:12:00.001-07:00

I know I am a little behind in posting these, but here are some pics of our Easter! And, as usual, there are way too many pics. ;) I can't help it, I'm a picture-taking Mama!

Don't you just love these little goofball faces?! :) Getting a good pic with three kids is nearly impossible!!

I loved having the boys dressed in matching suits!! Almost as much as if I had two girls to dress the same. Almost ... ;) Jocelyn loved her "pretty dress" and having a big "pretty bow" in her hair.

We did our egg coloring a little late, but the kids loved it! Jeron of course had to make a yellow one (in high honor of bumblebee) whereas of course Jocelyn's all had to be princess pink and purple! :) Little guy had to miss out and instead caught some zzzs.

Finding baskets ... mmmmm, candy ...

More Easter goodies! :o)

Updates & Announcements!

2009-04-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Drumroll, please! ........ TA-DA! Jocie did it!

My little Jocelyn is officially a big girl! After a few small snags, she is now about 3 weeks strong into potty training success!!! Yipee, only one diaper baby to change ~I couldn't be more excited! :) She's pretty excited herself and loves wearing her princess undies and being "just like Jer-non, Mommy!"

Meanwhile, Jeron can now write his full name all on his own!!!

Although there are probably some of your kids who have been doing this for sometime, Jeron hasn't shown much interest until lately, and he is doing so great and loves to practice all of the time!!!

We of course can't forget the little man ~ Braxton's 2 front teeth have finally cut through and are coming in! (hopefully this means nights can now be a little less sleep-deprived :) He LOVES baby food, but loves "real food" even more, crawls like a machine but wants to stand up all the time, and although he has been saying "Da-da" for a while, he finally says "Mama." You'd think after two kids, but no, it gets sweeter every time! It just melts my heart, especially when he says mama when he is sad or tired.

Some More Wyoming Pics (WARNING: Bath babies at play ;)

My Designer Link!!!

2009-03-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, I promise the next post will not be design-related, but thecutestsiteontheblock.com has already given me my own designer link so that I may refer people to or promote my designs and I am so excited! :) Here it is if anyone would like it! My new designs are posted below as well!

http://thecutestsiteontheblock.com/alicia

Designs Posted Online

2009-03-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

I officially have my very own website designs posted online! Woo-hoo!!! :) I know, that was fast, huh! If anybody would like to see them, go to http://thecutestsiteontheblock.com/designs.html

My designs are titled Daring Damask, Darling Dots, Natural Beauty, and Pink Damask. They are posted below as well. Once I submit one more approved design, I will receive my own link for all my designs. Had to share my exciting news! :)

Designer Update

2009-03-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

A quick update: I heard back on the designer position for The Cutest Blog on the Block and they have chosen another applicant for the Blog Facelift position. However, I did apply for another position with their Sister Site, The Cutest Site on the Block, and was accepted as a Cutest Site Designer! Yea!!! I am so excited! I will be designing website template layouts, which their website designer will then convert to a fully funtioning website. Everytime that one of my design layouts sells, I will receive a part of the commission. I can't wait to get started creating designs and am so excited for this opportunity!!! :)

Blog Facelift Design!

2009-03-09T11:02:00.001-07:00

I'm sure you have all heard of the site, http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com - Well, currently they have a designer position available to join their very own design team! The designer would be responsible for doing custom blog facelifts. So, I inquired about the position, and was asked to design a blog facelift with the following criteria: custom background, custom banner, custom blog button, and custom signature. Design requests: b&w with colored accents; scrapbook layered look; header - family name: The Simmons 5; quote - Light tomorrow with today ... - My final design that I submitted is posted above!

Here is another design that I fine-tuned afterwards. It was alot of fun to create, but I think I may be disqualified; they requested that you do not use any digital scrapbooking images and that it must be your original work, and I think I mistook this to mean only digital templates/layouts and not all images in general, but we shall see ... fun anyways and it would be a blast to do that part-time! Maybe I will start my own thing on the side designing blog backgrounds ... :) Now that I know the proper dimensions, etc., look for my very own custom layout coming soon! :)

Wyoming Wonderland

2009-03-05T08:38:00.000-08:00

The kids have been so excited that there is SNOW at Grandma & Grandpa's house!!! Their mom, however, has a little bit harder of a time showing that excitement! :) Jeron & Jocelyn have tried to get outside every chance they get and don't seem to mind the red, frozen ears and fingers in the slightest!

And call me crazy, but shoveling snow is not my idea of winter fun. Jeron went straight to work clearing those sidewalks and loved it :) Jocelyn, however, reconsidered her love affair with the snow when she toppled over and couldn't get up!

Jeron to the rescue! She knew having a brother would come in handy one day!

The small, simple joys of snow!

And of course, Braxton had to get in on the fun and brave the cold outdoors with Grandma.

More pics of winter fun!

Crossing this Great Deep ...

2009-03-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have felt very humbled and inadequate in aspects of my own spirituality. I have found throughout my life that there are many times that I have felt close to the Spirit as well as other times when I feel it a struggle to feel spiritual companionship. I have been humbled to acknowledge that oftentimes in the recent past, it has taken a difficult trial or struggle for me to sincerely and diligently pursue that close spiritual relationship with my Father in Heaven. Not that I am completely lacking in this area, but I do feel that I could strive so much more to build on that constant, vital closeness to the Spirit and my own spiritual attributes with which I am lacking.

Just recently, I learned that a very good friend of mine is facing liver failure and the slim chance of receiving a transplant. Encouragingly, it is a slowly-progressive disease so all of our hopes are high, but the very uncertainty of his situation as well as my own recent struggles readjusted my priorities and renewed my eternal perspective once again.

Although I admit I haven't been reading my scriptures as often as I should, I shared the following scripture with my friend because of the comfort that it has brought me in my own recent feelings of inadequacy and struggle. I will share it again with all of you, in hopes that it may bring comfort to someone else who is seeking it: A few nights ago I was reading the Book of Mormon, searching for answers and instruction and I came across some well-loved verses in Ether that have always given me encouragement in past times when I have felt discouraged and alone... I'm sure you are very familiar with the story of the brother of Jared (now known as Mahonri) as he was preparing for his long journey across the great deep, and he cried unto the Lord with his concern for the darkness. Ether 2:25 - a simple translation, but I have always liked to compare crossing the great deep to our journey here on earth, and the waves and winds to the difficulties and obstacles that we face throughout our life, and the great depths to the sorrow and discouragement felt during those times. The Lord asks him, "...what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when you are swallowed up in the depths of the sea? ...

The Lord never leaves us in the darkness; he prepares a light to brighten those times when we are tossed to and fro and swallowed up within an unseemingly escapable depth. This light may come in the obvious form of the brightness and hope of the gospel, an incredible, supportive friend, small treasured moments with our family, or the warmth of a loving and concerned spouse. As we seek out this light, I know we will find so much warmth and comfort that will outshine any darkest fear. The Lord knows what it is that we need most to help us hold on and keep our spirits bright during those dark times; He knows our hearts and he will help us to see the light that is all around us as he brings us back up from our greatest depths. I am finding this so much to be true as I have struggled to keep my own head above water at various times in my life, both recently as well as in the past.

Just remember, in those trying times when, like myself, you may be feeling all alone in the darkness, remember to hold on to the warmth all around you; hold on to the light of the gospel, the glow of your children's laughter dancing through the house; the spark in a loved one's eyes as they watch your care & compassion for your family, the warmth of your children's smiles as they look admiringly on your strength, for even they know I am sure the strength you have within. I know that as we continue to hold on, the Lord will carry us along and those glowing embers will soon grow and strengthen to be the burning fire of our testimony... And whenever you feel it getting harder to breathe like I do, remember to break out of your tight, protective dish for a moment and unstop a closed opening for one precious gulp of fresh air before the floods come drowning in all around you again. This journey may seem unbearably long and we may continually find our way to the surface only to be deeply buried once more, and at times it may only get worse before it gets better, but I know there is calm ahead and light all along the way...

Crazy Cousins

2009-02-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know it's been a few weeks since we were at Talia's visiting, but I am just now posting these pics of all the crazy cousins!! Tia and I were glad to get to visit, but I think that the cousins enjoyed it even more! Here are a few fun pics of the kids...

Jeron and Kayla were best buds and loved playing pink and yellow power rangers together, getting on the computer to do Starfall activities together, and fighting over who won the dinner race together.

And of course Evan and Jocelyn were equally up to the task; they were great co-conspirators for any plan involving sneaking unauthorized candy or treats...or even other things they deemed edible. One day, we found them hiding behind the treadmill, commenting in hushed voices, "Mmm, Jocie, yummy." "Mmmmm, yummy!" Upon investigation, we discovered Aunt Talia's brand new lip gloss being kindly shared between the two of them. Ahh, cousins....

Cute pics of the babies! They didn't know what to think of all the commotion at first, but they warmed up to the idea of mass chaos pretty quickly! :)

6 Kids is definitely a houseful! One you have to be right on top of might I add...What starts out simply as 2 kiddos loitering around the stairs quickly becomes...

An entire gaggle of gigglers crawling all over the banister! :) What goofy little monkeys.

Tia and I even got to make a whole assortment of cute matching bows for our girls together! (as seen by our lovely child models, Kayla: age 6, Jocie: age 2, and Lauren: age 6 mos. ;) I know, we are silly, but it was so fun!

It was so great to spend time together and worth all of the craziness. I miss my amazing twinnie already!! Isn't she such a sweet, adorable, happy little twinner!

Love you Tia!!! :) Missing you already! ;)

I am actually at my Mom's visiting right now, so I will post some pics of our WY activities soon!

We're Moving . . .

2009-02-06T19:52:00.000-08:00

to . . .

(Can you guess where ? . . . . Another hint)

Yep, we are on the move again, this time to Utah! Buck just found out that he will be transferred to a Project in Vernal, UT and will be starting in 2 weeks! I know, I am just as shocked as the rest of you! He will be getting a small pay increase and subsistance, (sp?) but Buck is just glad that he even has a job with this economy. It will hopefully be a great change for our family full of new experiences and memories! :o) I am sad to leave all of my Queen Creek friends though. And I will definitely miss the warm winters, but will have to compromise for the not-so-scorcher of summers ... all in all, a fair exchange. Just wanted to give all of you this quick update!!!

The beautiful Vernal, UT Temple

AND although it may be considered the "armpit of Utah" as I was just recently told (never knew that before; makes me a little apprehensive~ :) it DOES have a dinosaur museum! Had to put this in for Jeron. :)

Taggie Blankie

2009-01-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

I am in California right now visiting my sister Talia, and although there has been a crazy circle of sickness that we have been dealing with, we did manage to make these quick little taggie blankies somehow! They are actually pretty fast to make and the babies love to chew on all the little tags!

I did a couple loops with double ribbon too, but it's basically just loops of ribbon stitched around some fleece! So cute and so quick! :)

Tia did a retro, colorful one for Lauren with buttons on the back that turned out so fun! You can see it at her blog:
http://www.haughtonfam.blogspot.com/

Hopefully we can end this vicious cycle of sickness soon and post some fun pics of all the crazy cousins! :)

Family Matters

2009-01-22T18:57:00.000-08:00

I want to start out by saying that I wish to approach this topic very carefuly and respectfully. It is not my intention to offend or insult anyone, but instead to clarify my own personal opinion and belief. So, in way of discussion and clarification:

Whenever there are difficult trials or hardships in life, it has always been my nature and my belief that it is important to involve family. Many people may disagree with this, and of course I understand that in many trivial and/or private circumstances, the general rule is that you need to keep things confidential, especially concerning marital disagreements or struggles. However, I strongly feel that when couples or families face major crisis or hardships, regardless of whether it is a direct result of any human mistake or not, that involving immediate family members can be a huge source of support, advice, counsel, and encouragement. Family helps lighten the seemingly unbearable load and give faith and hope to the otherwise desperately low reservoirs of these attributes by those individuals involved. Without family, I know there have been many painful and trying times that I would not have been able to get through without their help.

I will continue further to state that this being said, I do understand the need to strengthen ourselves and to learn to rely on our strength as couples and families also. By dealing with hardships or trials as a family unit, we can realize the growth that can be achieved by building our trust and faith in one another with difficult decisions and experiences. However, this can only be accomplished when all parties involved are willing to work together and support one another in those unique circumstances. This does take patience, humility, love, faith and trust, and I do admit and acknowledge that I myself can be weak and lacking in any and all of these areas at certain times. Again, I do not wish to offend anyone with these statements, but my sincere intent is to clarify my understanding of this issue. I will strive to be more sensitive to the family matters that should and should not be discussed, and I hope that my own family members will respectfully refrain from discussing certain matters with me. Please, if you don't wish to be involved, please inform me that you do not think it is your place or that you do not wish to discuss those matters with me. Thank you for your understanding. Simply stated, I believe that in regard to important family matters, family matters.

Birthday Pics

2009-01-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

My little princess is officially a 2 year old!

Jocelyn had so much fun at her Birthday Party! A few good friends came over with their kiddos, and Jocie was so excited to be the center of attention! She made sure to tell all the kids that it was "her take (cake)" and was very protective of it.

Of course she absolutely loved all her princess gowns! Grandma Hinckley got her two satin nightgowns and our friend Katie gave her some adorable dress up princess dresses and jewelery which Jocelyn loved!

Getting her "pitty shoes" & Tinkerbell dress from Mom & Dad put on!

She had to try on EVERY SINGLE ONE of her gowns one at a time, all in a row. I got a pic of most of them - Daddy was a good sport!

Jocelyn could hardly wait for Daddy to open her baby doll. "That's my baby, Mama! You buy it!"

At the end of the night ~ our pooped Princess! :)

2 Today!!!

2009-01-16T08:29:00.001-08:00

I can't believe my baby girl is turning 2 today! She is growing up so fast! I can't believe how quickly time flies by ... Our Princess is such a big girl already and lives up to her nickname very well! :) She loves anything princessy, and loves to wear as many dresses as she can, usually mutiple dresses at a time. She will even wear a shirt around her waist as a skirt! She repeatedly told me that she wants a princess dress and pretty shoes for her birthday. "And pitty shoes, Mama. And pitty shoes." :) Already a little diva!

It really doesn't feel that long ago that we brought her home from the hospital! She was the sweetest little thing from Day One!

A few (or maybe more) of my fav. pics of our little princess Jocelyn!

I was going to do a collage or photo card arrangement, but just didn't get to it, so I hope u enjoy these random pics instead! :)

Christmas Sunday Pics

2009-01-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

I know these are overdue as well, but I wanted to post some pics of the kids in their holiday outfits! I would say Christmas Sunday, but it was actually the week after since our kiddos all had the stomach bug off & on Christmas week, so they ended up wearing them a little late. Close enough, right?! Jocelyn got a beautiful shimmery bronze and olive fairy dress from Grandpa & Grandma Hinckley, and she looked adorable! The boys were a little more underdressed, but still looked mighty handsome if I do say so myself! ;) Scroll down to see Christmas morning pics too!

Cute lil' Cheeseball.

Jocelyn trying to take her new dollies to Church.

And adorable little Braxton!

Christmas with the Mousers

2009-01-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

It was so much fun to have older kids for Christmas. Jeron & Jocelyn were so excited about the presents and what Santa had brought (even though we did TRY and keep reminding them that Christmas is really about Jesus being born. This only resulted in Jocelyn thinking it was another birthday party! "Happy Birt-tay a Jesis!")

Writing letters to Santa; Jeron was being a little goof, but finally gave me a real smile! Jocelyn was really getting into coloring hers and had to sprawl out over the entire table to make sure it was executed properly.

In their new jammies on Christmas Eve; we always had the tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve, so we've adopted the practice into our family too! Gotta love Jocelyn's mischevious face. And of course no Transformer Jammie set is complete without a standard Optimus Prime Mask!

When morning came and Jeron ran out to see what Santa had brought, Jocelyn was far more interested in eating the cookies that Santa hadn't finished! Our little cookie monster. It took her a good couple toys being unwrapped by Daddy for her to finally get interested.

Jocelyn did love her Carebear and Princess Aurora doll (like cousin Kayla!) and Jeron loved his knight armor from Santa!

Daddy & Jeron played with the "Fighting Transformers" (similar to Rompin'Stompin' Robots (?) I think that's the name! ;)

With the ballerina doll from Uncle Brock & Aunt Mary & all her princess jewelry ~

Braxton finally woke up to join the party and see what all the commotion was about.

He didn't know quite what to think of all the toys, but loved chewing on them all anyways!

Buck was excited about his utility tool (i'll have to put the name in later, i can't remember!) from Brock & Mary, and my Mom got me a great chic flick! (my pic is a little scary, but it's the only one, so I thought I'd include it anyways!) Earrings compliments of Tia!

And of course we are both excited about the awesome knife sets from the Hinckley grandparents!!!

More babydoll pics! Not sure that's how you should hold a baby doll. Holding toddlers...now that's a different story! Might have to implement this as a disciplinary tactic :)

Jocelyn's Aurora teaset ~ even Jeron was getting into it! (Shhh...don't tell Buck...)

Navigating her new stroller Buck picked out through all the mess!

Jeron jumping for joy over the HUGE MONSTER DUMP TRUCK he got from Grandma & Papa Hinckley! Which of course he immediately proceeded to fill up with all of his toys. TA-DA! He was so proud. What an accomplished toy-piler! And at such a young age ...

After the present-opening festivities were over, we all settled down to a delicious eggs & bacon breakfast, compliments of Buck, and watched Kung-Fu Panda from Grammie & Papa Mouser! Thanks you guys! (Who also gave us a nice little Christmas "bonus!" You're the best! :) We were sad that we were away from family, but were so thankful for our little family and the time that we have to grow closer together. We love you all and are so grateful for each and every one of you!

Overdue December Update

2008-12-24T09:40:00.000-08:00

I am finally posting some pics of our holiday festivities and other random pics from December! I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas! I will post our Year-in-Review update and Christmas pics soon!!!

Making Christmas Chains with 10 days left to go!!!

Braxton bringing me my Anniversary Card from Buck (6 years!!!) ~ the kids love to push him around in the stroller. He's their real live baby doll!

Merry Mousers

2008-12-17T22:55:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Awful Alopecia + Alicia = Haircut

2008-12-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

So I have been losing a TON of hair over the last few weeks from the hormonal adjustment after having Braxton, and I decided it was time to cut my hair and stop looking half-bald with scraggly hair. :)

BEFORE
(it may not look that bad to you, but that's practically ALL my hair in the front. We won't even talk about my receding hairline. ha ha)

and AFTER:

P.S. I know I'm way behind on blogging and I promise to put more updates soon!

Christmas Cards ~ Order Now!

2008-12-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Don't forgot to Order those Christmas Cards you love to send out to friends and family! The end of December tends to creep up quickly, and if you want to get your Christmas Cards out in time, please place your orders no later than December 10th! Which gives you less than a week! :) This will allow adequate time for processing, printing, and shipping. (I will take orders after this date, but I cannot guarantee processing time). There is always the E-Card option available as well! (Print Yourself or simply send an email to family and friends!) I would love to make your unique, custom, beautiful, affordable Christmas Card! Visit http://alicia-alee.blogspot.com

Thanksgiving Thoughts & Devastating Disagreements

2008-11-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

We had a great holiday weekend here in Arizona despite a few disappointing setbacks. Talia and Ryan planned to come up with their kids and share Thanksgiving with us, but unfortunately they had to alter their plans due to a devastating disagreement between Ryan and his stomach. . . His stomach won. After stopping overnight in Palm Springs, Ryan was still not feeling well after a long episode of working through the night at the Hospital the day before and a pulled muscle in his back, so they decided to turn around and head home. Bummer!!! We had already bought all the food, so we have TONS of leftovers (I'm not even kidding, I feel like we're in a replay of 50 First Dates, only on Thanksgiving day. And without the whole Hawaii, island romance thing. Okay, bad comparison. But I can whip out a mean plate of potatoes & gravy, stuffing, ham, and turkey and re-heat it for two kids in 3 seconds flat I've done it so much!)

Our turkey, now that's a story all in its own. A guy Buck works with is over the Boy Scouts in his Ward and they slow-roasted our turkey overnight in a big barbecue pit ~ it was so tender, the meat was literally falling off the bone! So good. It was fun though to spend time as a family and just relax. Buck was supposed to go back to work for the whole weekend because his Project he is working on is closing soon so they're in crunch time right now. He has a tooth that has been giving him alot of pain though lately and ended up staying home for most of the weekend, which I didn't mind! (He is either getting a root canal or having it extracted this week, compliments of the result of a previous football injury that went untreated. But it was still all worth it, right babe?! :)

So that pretty much wraps up our holiday weekend, besides Buck playing in the Turkey Bowl with our ward (which he cut short on account of his tooth) and finding a few sweet deals for Christmas presents for the kiddos. The stores weren't nearly as crazy as I thought they might be. We usually never do the whole "Black Friday" event, but I thought I would gain my rite of passage and brave the masses this year. After hearing about a temp. worker being trampled to death on the East Coast I was alot more apprehensive and discouraged about going; it is just so sad how thoughtless and senseless people can be, and all for materialistic posessions! I suppose with things like this, you just have to remind yourself of all the good people out there too, and to be positive and have faith in mankind, but it sure can make it tough at times.

President Hinckley was such a good example of optimism and faith. I often think of his quote, "Life is not just to be endured, but enjoyed." Although at times the state of mankind can be upsetting, if we let ourselves get pessimistic and hung up on all the negative things in the world, then we will only miss out on all of the many wonderful things also. Focusing on what's wrong never helped make things right. Not to mention it certainly doesn't lend any help towards our own personal improvement by doing so either! If we are too busy worrying about others shortcomings, we aren't very likely working on our own. I know I've definitely got room for improvement in this area! :) So in short, I am so thankful for leaders who remind us of what is really important and to find joy in the journey. I am so thankful for my family and the support and joy that they bring me, and for all of the many abundant blessings in my life. I hope everyone else has had a great Thanksgiving holiday and were also able to get a renewing spirit of gratefulness! All our love~

How can you not find joy in THIS?!!

A few pics to enjoy!

"List of Fives" Tag

2008-11-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

10 years ago...

1. I was a junior in High School
2. I drove a 79 Ford Mercury Cougar. rarrr
3. Talia & I were mother-daughter in the Murder Mystery H.S. Play
4. I made First Flute in the All-State Band (Yes, I was a band geek)
5. Our 2 mile Relay Team took first at State!

5 Things on Today's list of things to do...

1. Clean the spare room for Ryan & Tia to stay in for Thanksgiving
2. Fold about 4 loads of laundry. Fun!
3. Watch & play with 3 little monkeys.
4. Finish a Hairbow Holder for a friend.
5. Finish a Birth Announcement.

5 Snacks...

1. Apple slices w/lemon juice & water
2. Cheese & crackers
3. Goldfish
4. Granola Bars
5. Crackers & peanut butter

5 Things I would do if I were a Millionaire...

1. Pay off all debt
2. Help family member's with debt
3. Invest/Put money in savings
4. Have Buck enjoy whatever business endeavor he chose
5. Have a real Honeymoon & go on a vacation with family

5 Places I've lived...

1. Salem, Arkansas
2. Belgrade & Dillon, MT
3. Basin, WY
4. Rexburg, ID
5. Lancaster, CA

5. Jobs I have had...

1. Lifeguard at Basin Pool
2. Model for Fine Art Classes at College
3. Weeder/Cutter/Taper/Designer at Sign Shop
4. Typesetter at Artco Stationary
5. Freelance Graphic Designer

5 People I am Tagging...

1. Talia
2. Ashley
3. Amy
4. Amber
5. Bree

"Snack" Puppets

2008-11-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

I'd been feeling bad that I hadn't been doing any fun stuff with the kids lately, especially with the Boutique Show and everything I had been pretty busy, so I invited my friend Julie and her 4 kids over and we made sack puppets! Or "snack" puppets, as Jeron calls them ~ I guess it's partially true since they are made out of lunch bags! Ha ha.

Ever since I made them for my Primary class, Jeron's been dying to actually make one of his own, but his creation turned out a little less structured . . . :)

Um, yeah - he's a boy. One that loves the glue gun a little TOO much. And don't even ask about the knight's helmet. What can I say, he's Jeron. :)

In actuality, it ended up being Julie and I in the kitchen making puppets and loving it, while the kids mostly ran around playing and chasing each other! I forgot to take pics while Julie was there, but her boys actually put together a dinosaur and girl puppet that turned out pretty cute. And although our little craft project turned out to be more entertaining for the adults than the kids, everyone had lots of fun!

Jocelyn displaying the puppet she supervised.

I think she's wondering why in the world that girl has such a big mouth!

My floor afterwards . . . Oh, but it was SOOO much better in person! Jeron dumped an entire bag of buttons on the floor . . . not to mention all the scraps of paper and ribbon!

And my table ~ pretty impressive, don't you think?! (Hey Erica, you recognize that table?!)

It was all worth it though and I'm sure we'll be making "snack" puppets again in the near future! Keep posted for new additions to our puppet family . . . :)

"Look, Mom! I'm a . . ."

2008-11-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Jeron continues to just crack me up. That is one spazzy, entertaining kid! The other night we were all sitting around having some chill time watching TV with Daddy home, and suddenly I hear Jeron, "Look, Mom! I'm a skateboard!" And I look over to see THIS . . .

Lol. I was laughing so hard! I had to get a picture. Oh, thank goodness for kids. Gotta love 'em.

Hairdos & Haircuts

2008-11-12T17:20:00.000-08:00

Is that? . . . yep, you guessed it! That's a nice little bunch of Jocelyn's hair. I swear almost every little girl has to have her very own haircutting experience. Well, Jocelyn just had hers a few days before Halloween. I had given Jeron a haircut and had made sure to put everything away as soon as I was done like always, but Jocie must have either grabbed the scissors when I was using the clippers, or used the mini-trimmer of Buck's that I used on Jeron's neckline, because this is what I noticed later that night when we were getting ready to go out.

You can't tell that well from the pictures, but she cut a good inch and a half strip that reaches back almost that far from her hairline. So I can no longer put her hair in a ponytail at all. The front will not go up! Fortunately you can't tell that badly when her hair is down. Even clips are hard though! Sigh. What do you do . . .

At least I can count on Jeron to cheer me up. He cracked me up a few days after that with his own hairdo attempt.
"Mom, I want to fix my hair all by myself."
"Uh, okay."
And he comes out like this:

I was trying so hard not to laugh and said, "That looks great, you did such a good job!"
With a smile he says, "No, it's kinda dorkie. It kinda looks like horns." And laughs.
And these are the faces he comes up with when I ask for a picture. Such a goofball.

The Boutique Show

2008-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

I know, two posts in one day, but I wanted to post about the Boutique Show I participated in on Saturday. I didn't make too much in sales (requests anyone?), but it was a really great experience and I was able to get my business card out to alot of people. I had quite a few people interested in having me do their Holiday Cards, so hopefully that works out! It was really fun to make everything in preparation for the Show though and to meet other people. Even if I repeatedly got 3-4 hours of sleep the week of the show! Some lady even wants me to paint a sherpa for her son's business in Virginia. I know, funny. I made hairbow holders, hairbows, snugglies and put together a Portfolio for my Photo Cards. Lots of work, but now that it's done, I feel so much more organized and prepared! Now to get my design site reorganized!

Some pics of a few samples of my work:

And a special thanks to Ashley for having such great bows that I could learn from! :)

Halloween Hams

2008-11-04T05:46:00.000-08:00

Jeron has really started thinking he's cool and loves making funny faces for the camera ~ He's such a little comedian.

Jocelyn had fallen asleep right before we were trying to go out, so at first she wasn't too keen on the fairy wings, but she warmed up to them pretty quick and ran around trying to bop Jeron with her wand.

Braxton was really tired too since it was his bedtime, but I still managed to get a pic of him wearing the pirate bandana! We had alot of fun dressing up even if we didn't get to do too much trick-or-treating.

Mobile Mouser

2008-11-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

I laid Braxton down a few days ago, and he decided he would try and crawl a little bit! I say try, but he really does try and get his knees up under him a little bit, which I tried to catch in this video but he wasn't doing it as well by the time I taped it! I couldn't believe it, at 3 months old! Let's hope we don't have an early crawler on our hands! He is 3 months 3 days today. (And if you're wondering about his onesie, I was in the process of getting a diaper to change him, but Jeron was being my helper watching him and he was the one who rolled him over on his tummy.)

New Holiday Designs

2008-10-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

I posted alot of new designs for Holiday Cards on my design site, http://alicia-alee.blogspot.com ~ I am having trouble deciding which version I like of several designs, so if anybody could visit and let me know which are their favorites, that would be awesome!! Sometimes I am entirely too indecisive, I know. :)

Sea World '08

2008-10-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Finally posting some more pics! We had an awesome time at Sea World with the Haughton family ~ Jeron & Kayla were inseperable and it was so cool to watch the dolphins and whales perform in person! We had a blast.

Double Dorks

2008-10-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Some fun pics Tia and I took being goofy at SeaWorld waiting for the boys to get off a ride!

Our Visit to Coronado Beach, CA

2008-10-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun on our recent vacation to California! We went to Disneyland as a family and then to Sea World and the beach with my twin sister Talia & her family. It was so great to see her and her new baby Lauren. The kids had a blast at the beach, turning Buck into a Merman and getting in the freezing cold water. : ) More pics to come soon!!!

Final Choice

2008-10-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

Here are the final two versions for the Holiday Boutique Invites ~ I made them a little more "holidayish" and toned down the sass!!! :) and that's all it took for the client to be pleased. Yea! Or is that for me to be pleased?! I think the client would have been perfectly happy with the ornament design honestly! Just ask my husband, I am such a perfectionist! :)

Still not quite my style and they weren't my personal first choices, but I was glad I was able to make the client happy and have a more creative finished product at the same time.

Holiday Boutique Invite

2008-10-11T09:30:00.001-07:00

I have to lament (and I admit boast) a little bit about this Holiday Boutique Invitation that I designed for an upcoming Boutique Show I'll also be participating in. It was a collaborative effort by myself and my sister Vanessa. I petitioned Vanessa for some artwork that looked boutique-ish, because I did NOT have time to sketch up something myself,and nothing in my art portfolio was appropriate for this design. She searched out an adorable little sketch of a girl from her art reserves, and it fit my idea perfectly! I pulled it in to Photoshop and used some hand-painted effects, and wa-la!

A fun, quirky, boutique-style Invitation that looks custom-made. I played around with a few different effects and backgrounds, and the overall layout was pretty simple, so I threw together a couple different versions. The client requested "something holidayish," so I tried to steer my backgrounds that way, and then put together a design that might be more towards that venue, which only turned out a little boring and generic. In retrospect, I suppose that the art sketch looks a little young and fresh (and perhaps a little immodest!:) for what she had in mind. I'm bummed that the design she chose, this one:

is not very original looking or very eye-catching. Sigh. I wish I could meet the client's needs better, but sometimes it is just hard to steer away from one tangent or idea and branch out on another that suits the client's ideas better. AND is still original and creative and beautiful! Darn it. Hopefully I can think of a way to freshen up the ornament design so that I won't be disappointed with the overall result . . . (And Char, if you're reading this, mum's the word, since you do know the client and all!) :)

Photo Tag

2008-10-09T07:12:00.001-07:00

I am finally doing this Photo Tag from Bree before I forget and/or get too busy again! The tag: go to your Picture files, go to the fourth folder, and post the fourth picture.

This was the day we blessed Jocelyn ~ my Mom made her blessing dress and she looked beautiful, even though she looks so chubby cheeked in this pic! :) Crazy that we already have another baby to be blessed now! Time sure has flown by . . .

Holiday Greeting Cards

2008-10-07T13:42:00.001-07:00

I've been busy over the last week or two working on templates for Christmas Photo Cards. If anybody would be willing to visit my design site, http://alicia-alee.blogspot.com to view all of the design samples, I would LOVE anybody's feedback! Let me know holiday designs you like, don't like, or design elements you would recommend I change. Thanks so much! If anyone would like me to design a Photo Card for them, let me know!!! I welcome all new business! : )

A Day in the Life of Braxton

2008-10-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

Now for an update on the youngest Mouser midget as well ~ here's a few pics of Braxton and a list of his daily activities:

1. Get the squishy cheek check.

Which Jeron apparently thinks is pretty fun! I'm not sure if Braxton agrees with him.

2. Make a few smiles (which he is still learning to do consistently, but they're so cute!)

{This one's a little blurry, but it was so cute I had to include it.}

3. Take a few stretches.

4. Do some curls.
{he likes to do this with his toes for some funny reason!}

5. Suck his thumb - too cute. He actually has only done this a couple times. He's learned the finer world of binky babies!

6. OF COURSE, as always,
Get smothered by siblings! Poor little guy.

7. Make time for some brotherly bonding!
Jeron loves his little fella and always wants to hold him. Jeron always gets giggly when Braxton starts wobbling around. He thinks it's hilarious. Our bald little bobble head.

8. And Say Your Prayers! {This is a very long prayer! He may have dozed off.} So sweet.

9. And lastly, be just plain adorable! : ) I might be a little biased though. Hope you've enjoyed these new pics of our Mouser munchkins!!!

Daily (& Nightly) Doings

2008-10-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

Looks like mischeif!
Here's a few recent pics of my mischevious kids and their goofy personalities...

Like when Jocelyn decided the Lazy Boy was the perfect spot to sit in her stroller.
Jeron of course had to jump in on the picture taking.

Here the kids were playing Army soldiers when they were supposed to be getting ready for bed.

You can see halfway through Jeron changed into jammies (complete with standard issue army helmet of course), while Jocie was still running wild as G.I.Jane in her sundress & princess necklace.

Here's another common adventure: crickett hunting! The kids love to hunt down any poor lost, misdirected cricketts and keep them captive under a cup. (What can I say, it's Arizona! but gross, I know) This night just happened to be dress-up night with Mommy's shoes as well. Jeron looks preetty sweet in those heels! : )

And of course there's swimming ~ never a dull moment. Or is it never a dry moment?! Jeron is quite the comedic swimmer.

Then there's sweet Jocelyn, who posed for me in her Sunday dress. Alas, looks can be so deceiving! ;)

"Say cheese!"
"Cheese!"

"Ta-da!"

Alright, I'm finished now! She's trying to put her hands on her hips here but can't quite get it.

Such a cutie.

Just thought I'd share these with all of you! I honestly don't know where they get it! :)

Jocelyn's First Haircut!

2008-09-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Jocie just got her first haircut about a week or so ago, and I'm finally getting around to posting some pics! I've been busy with designing some templates for Christmas Photo Cards, so I just haven't had the time, but here they finally are! (You'll have to click on the images to get them to open up bigger and see the pics better, but I couldn't get them to download any larger.)

Megan, a friend from my Ward, is a licensed cosmetologist, so I got her to cut it. Jocie had a little bit of a hard time holding still, which made Megan a little nervous to do an A-line cut, but it turned out great! We tried the sucker tactic first to try and get Jocelyn to quit moving, but that only resulted in a sticky drape, so I resorted to reading the sucker wrapper to her and pointing out the little images on it, which she thought was so much more fun! Funny girl.

I had to let Jocelyn play in the sink so that she'd hold still long enough to snap some shots when we got home. Which of course she didn't mind! She was so excited to have her first haircut and has been talking about it non-stop for the last week! "Hair tut! Big dirl!" It turned out so cute and she does look like such a big girl ~ my little miss is growing up too fast!

Here's a few funny pictures of her later trying to steal a sip of Daddy's pop.

She knows she's cute enough to get away with it! : )

Jeron's Halloween Ideas for Our Family

2008-09-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Backyardigans

A dark cave

Snakes

The Transformers: Bumblebee (Jeron), Optimus Prime (Daddy), Jazz (Jocie), All-Spark (Mom), and Bulkhead (Braxton) - and yes, he really does know all the names . . .

The Incredibles - there's actually the right amount!

Wow Wow Wubbzies

Bengal Tigers

Army Soldiers

What's your vote?! My personal favorite is a dark cave, but that might be hard to pull off . . . ;)

Perspective & Peanut Butter

2008-09-15T12:19:00.001-07:00

This morning I stumbled upon a Utah family's blog through a friend's blogspot; it was a sad story about a family who had lost their beautiful daughter to an accident just a few weeks short of her 2nd birthday. She choked on an apple piece the size of a pea. I couldn't even imagine losing a child and couldn't help thinking that this could happen so easily to my family, to any family. I was struck so intensely by this that my immediate reaction (after telling my twin sister Talia about it of course) was to turn off my computer and go and spend time with my kids. We spent our time with a morning swim and an early snack.

As the warm Arizona breeze fanned our tan faces and the sound of my children's laughter bounced off the water, I felt how lucky I was to have my children, not only now, but for eternity. As long as I live worthy of them, they are mine forever, and we can be together forever. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the direction and guidance that it brings us. This knowledge calms me when I start letting my fears of the unknown creep in. My eternal perspective was renewed, and so was my desire to live righteously so that we can all return home together as an eternal family. Our time here is so short-lived, and we make so many mistakes, at least I know that I do! I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, so that we can follow their example and be forgiven for our many shortcomings, and live each day to be more like them. I pray that we may all strive for perfection in our own lives, and that we take the time to enjoy the many blessings we are given. At this time, mine come wrapped in peanut butter & jelly kisses and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Like Father Like Son

2008-09-12T23:19:00.000-07:00

I had to post this pic of Buck and baby Braxton ~ it was too cute how they are both making the same face and are both totally konked out together. I always think it's so sweet to see daddy and baby pictures, so I thought I'd share this one!

Baby bonding . . .

2008-09-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Speaking of sleeping, here's a picture of Jocie a few days ago cuddled up on the couch with HER baby. With a new baby in the house, there's alot that she seems to quickly observe and learn. She has turned in to such a little mother, and is always copying me and Braxton with her baby dolls. She is always burping her babies, giving them rides in the swing, or rocking them in the bouncer, and making sure I see what a good job she's doing! Here's a pic of her rocking her baby doll in the swing.

Our Newest Addition ~ Braxton Evert

2008-09-09T11:33:00.001-07:00

We just welcomed a new addition to our family on July 29th, Braxton Evert Mouser, 7 lbs, 8 oz, 20 inches long. Since his arrival, Jeron and Jocelyn have been smothering him non-stop and are big little helpers! Sometimes too much help. : ) They absolutely love their baby brother and are so excited to have him in our family. Braxton is a very sweet baby, although he has his fussy spells, and we are quickly adjusting to 3 kids. We definitely have a very busy houseful, but we wouldn't trade it for anything!