Jacksons 1st Talk

On Sunday Jackson gave his first talk in primary and he did such a great job it brought both Mo and I to tears. We practiced all week and he was able to do it all by himself without any help from me or Mo. He said every word of it perfectly which was so funny because all week as we were practicing he kept saying different things( I think just to tease me and that he really knew the whole thing all along). He had some pictures to hold up and when he got to the microphone he realized that it was going to be hard to hold the pictures and talk and so he got some help from Kathy(what a good little problem solver :). So... here is his talk-

(Picture of our Heavenly Father) Jackson said here can you hold these to Kathy
This is our Heavenly Father
We lived with him in heaven
He loves us very much
He wants us to live with him again
(Picture of Jesus) Jackson told Kathy next one and it was so funny :)
This is Jesus
He is our older brother
He is very kind
He died for us
(Picture of the Holy Ghost)
This is the Holy Ghost
He is a spirit
He helps us to make right choices
He is a gift from our Heavenly Father

Good job Jacks :)

Christmas Season 2009

This Christmas came and went so fast that I feel like we need to have a do over or something(except for the me being sick with morning sickness part- I am thankful that I don't have to have a doover of that). We spent Christmas Eve as annual tradition(since as long as I can remember as long as long as there is snow)skiing with the Vogt family and it was a great day. Except for the part where all of our skiis went flying off of the ski rack onto I-84 on the way up, and a big Diesel Truck flew over one of my skiis and totally broke off and sent my binding flying up into the air from which there was no way of recovery. At least Mo and Dallas's skiis survived with only minor damage. Thanks to my aunt Kristie and Brad who so graciously called and offered to watch my boys... I know that my boys had a really fun day. After skiing we ate soup and chilli at my moms and went up to snow basin to watch the torch light parade and fireworks. Benton wasn't so sure he liked the fireworks he kept wavering between wanting to be outside and wanting to be back inside where he could see the lights but not hear the booms. After the fireworks our boys were so exhausted that we just took them home- unfortunately they fell asleep before we got home so they didn't get to open their new Christmas Eve pajamas (but Mo and I made sure to put them on before we tucked them in), or read the Christmas story as a family, or to set out a plate of cookies for Santa. I guess we will have to try that again next year. Which I totally just realized that next year is going to be so busy with 3 kids- what were we thinking??? Of course Benton was the one to wake up the family because he is our alarm clock- 7:15-7:30 on the dot no matter what time he goes to sleep. He woke up and had some milk and watched a cartoon for a little while until he finally had to go in and wake up Jackson. Santa left all of the boys Santa presents in the formal living room and the boys didn't even realize that they had presents there until we told them. I know that the reason for the Christmas season is the birth of our Savior and that it has become way to commercialized but... the whole Christmas morning Santa tradition with kids is so much fun! Mo got the whole thing on video and I have watched it quite a few times. The boys were both pretty pleased with the gifts that Santa left them. Jackson was especially excited about his Optimus Prime and I would have to say that Benton definitely loved his little car. After presents grandma and grandpa Vogt came out to play. After breakfast and a little bit of clean-up we all got ready and headed out for Christmas day. My moms and dads house was our first stop where we were all spoiled like always. I don't even know how we were able to load everything that they gave up into the car. Then we went to visit Gary and Kathy where I guessed we had just missed the annual burning of the Christmas tree on Christmas day (hum... I wonder why Mo is a little bit Scrooge :)). Then it was back to my mom and dads to visit with my grandma and Kristy's family. All in all a very busy very fun day.

Baby ?

So I had my first doctors appointment with this pregnancy yesterday. Mo came with me but my doctors office is not allowing children so the boys didn't get to come. I am officially 7 weeks along by measurement which is a little less pregnant than I thought I was. My due date is August 7th. It will be fun to have a summer birthday in the family. So far we have Fall and Spring kids. Mo and I are both really excited to have our last baby. 3 will be our number... boy or girl. I really hope to get feeling better soon. The doctor did give me a prescription for Zofran which seems to be helping a bit. But, I guess what I need to remember is that if I am sick the pregnancy hormone is strong which means there is a greater chance that there won't be a miscarriage. We can't wait to find out what we are having!!!

Robert Benton Vogt

My grandpa Vogt passed away over a week ago and I haven't had a chance to post. We had his viewing on Sunday and his funeral on Monday and lots of tears have been shed. My grandpa Vogt was a great man and he will certainly be missed. My grandpa was a wonderful example to me in so many ways and this past week I have been doing a lot of thinking about him and the life that he lead... My grandpa was humble- he was very content with what he had and he didn't have any need to try and look better in the site of other people- he didn't need to impress anybody because he didn't care what people thought of him. My grandpa was hardworking- he worked two jobs most of his life so that his family could live comfortably with my grandma at home to be in charge. After work he spent his free time helping other people. My grandpa is one of the best examples of charity that I know. If there was something that he could help with he was there to help... Mo and I can think of so many things my grandpa helped us with even just within the first 4 years that we were married. My grandpa was there to help us paint our first house (he would have been in his late seventies), he came out to help us till up the garden area of our first house and he didn't want Mo to have to till so there he was 77- tilling our garden and only when it had finally taken a toll on him did he let Mo have a turn. He helped us move from Clinton to Mountain Green and then back to Clinton. He helped my grandma take care of Jackson twice a week so that Mo could finish school while I worked. And even before I was married to Mo, my grandpa was always there to help me change the oil in my car, to replace a clutch, to give me rides to soccer, to help my mom with things around the house when my dad was gone, and to do whatever needed to be done. I even remember him making friends with some homeless people when we were on vacation and taking them our extra food, and I also watched him take plates of food every holiday to the lonely man who lived across the street. He always did it with a smile on his face. My grandpa took an active interest in my life growing up... he always knew what was going on with me, and he always took the time to ask how I was doing, and to listen to my response. I can't remember any major event in my life that my grandpa wasn't there for. My grandpa had a great sense of humor- even the last day I saw him alive when he probably didn't have a lot to smile about... he was still smiling and making jokes- he was very witty. Benton always poops when we go to visit my grandparents and so of course on the last Saturday that we went to see my grandp Benton pooped and I said," I can't believe Benton always poops when we are here" and my grandpa said, " must be a shitty place." :) He was there to cheer me on in sports, or to yell at the referee or umpire as he felt was needed. My grandpa was a great example of loving devotion to his spouse... there was never any doubt that he loved my grandma and he would do anything to make her happy. My grandpa had a lot of courage- he was in the airforce and was a belly gunner in a B17 and flew and survived over 32 missions... at the grave there were members of the military there to pay him the proper respect for what he had accomplished in the military. It made me realize that what he did in the military really did make a difference in helping us to live in the America that we live in today. He was grateful- he was a man of simplicity and he was grateful for what he had... everytime we visited he would walk us out and stand on the lawn waving to us goodbye with a smile so thankful that we had come. When I think of my grandpa leaving this earth this is how I think he would have wanted us to remember him saying goodbye- waving with a smile on his face and a coke in his hand. I hope my grandpa knows how much we all love him and appreciate the good influence that he has had in our lives. I hope that I can live my life in a way that honors his memory and makes him proud.

Benton at 18 months

Benton is 18 months old... we love our little Benton Boo, or Bents as Jacks likes to call him. He is such a sweet, happy, funny little guy and we love having him as a part of our family. At eighteen months he has a lot to say... he talks constantly. Some of the words that he says the best are ball, dadda, mamma, cartoon (yes, he asks for a cartoon and milk every morning when he wakes up), bird, dog, woof, and santa. Benton loves to play with toys and he loves to read books. He is really funny about books though- he wants to just sit next to me, and he wants to turn all of the pages. After we are done, he likes to take the book and keep looking at it himself. He is a very independent little guy. He actually thinks that he is just as old and capable as Jackson. He loves to climb on everything and he loves to play chase... he has actually gotten to be pretty fast. He also likes teasing his brother- I really think that he just likes to hear Jackson scream (we are definitely working on that...the teasing and screaming). He had his first dentist visit last night and he was such a good little boy. I think that it helped that Jackson went first and so of course if it was something that Jackson did, Benton also needed a turn. He climbed right up into the chair so brave and opened his mouth wide so they could brush and count his teeth- it was really so cute. Benton loves music and he is a great little dancer. He does circle after circle until he is so dizzy that he can't even stand up anymore. I am not sure why he thinks that to dance you need to go in a circle but it is so funny. Benton hates to get his pants on- he would probaly be the happiest kid ever if he could just be in only his diaper all day. He also doesn't like having someone brush his teeth. He loves to brush his own teeth and he does it about 10 times a day but for some reason (besides in the dental office) he doesn't coooperate very well. Benton is my little alarm clock- I know by his cry that it is 7 O'clock and he really doesn't ever miss a day of waking up right on time. Benton loves to play with kids and he gets so excited when we have friends over. He also really loves babies, which is good, seeing as how we are going to have another baby in this family the first of August. He loves hugs and kisses and he will give them any time I want- he always pats me on the back when we are hugging and it is one of my favorite things. I love playing with Benton because he is so much fun and he gives the best little smiles and giggles. I am so thankful everyday that we have such a healthy and happy little boy. Life couldn't be better.

Supplies :)

"Hey mom." "What Jackson honey?" "Are we going to get shot in this town?" "Why do you think that we are going to get shot Jacks?" "Well mom, these houses all have a lot of supplies."
This was a conversation Jackson and I had as we were driving through a little bit ghetto area of clearfield. The supplies that he was talking about were all of the junky cars and other junk outside of this run down neighborhood. Supplies...a much nicer way to look at junk I suppose.

October 25- November 8 Catching Up

Today is a perfect day for catching up on my blog... since Mo helped me to get all of my Monday chores done yesterday because someone was coming to see our house. Which,we have had no luck in selling- and having a house for sale that lots of people want to look at but no one wants to buy is really frustrating! Hopefully this will be the last house that we will be selling for awhile :). So, October was so crazy busy and so much fun! Jackson and Benton absolutely love Halloween. Starting with October 25... we went to a really fun Halloween party at my aunt Kristies where everyone(except Mo who hates dressing up)went in costume. My favorite was Brads costume(as Jackson said,"I think he is a muffin maker or something). We ate dinner and played games...my aunt Kristie since as long as I can remember has always been the one to plan and get everyone involved in games. For this party she had a donut eating contest, sucking m&m's with a straw, and a game where you had to pick up a bag with your teeth. It was all so much fun. October 26 was my dads birthday- because it was on a Monday we didn't do any special activity like we normally do (although my dad did go on a hike by himself) we just went to eat and had cake and ice cream after. I can't believe my dad is only 1 year away from 60. Time passes too quickly- It would be nice if it could just pause every once in awhile to give us a chance to enjoy the moment a little longer. I am happy to see my dad so concerned about being healthy at this stage in his life because I need him to be around for me and my boys for many more birthdays. He does so much for us and I am so thankful for the father and grandfather that he is. October 27th-Jackson had his first friend birthday party at Chuck e cheese pizza. He had it with one of his very best little buddies Cade whose birthday is exactly one week before his and they had a great time. Jackson loved everything...the games, the presents, and his Indiana Jones cake. October 29th Jackson had his first school Halloween party and a costume parade. Jackson was a cute little batman. On October 30th we had our ward trunk or treat. It was Bentons first trick or treating experience and he had so much fun carrying around his bucket to get candy. He still always wants to carry his bucket around the house and to have me put things in it for him. Jackson alreay knew that he really liked trunk or treating- in fact last halloween he didn't want to go to houses anymore he wanted to go back to the church parking lot with all the cars. October 31- Halloween- we got the boys all dressed up and headed to Peterson to visit Grandma and Grandpa Palmer and to Mountain Green to visit Grandma and Grandpa Vogt. My boys are lucky to have grandparents that love them so much. We were going to take Jackson trick or treating around Trappers Point but all he wanted to do was to pass out candy. He loved passing out candy and Benton loved helping. Everytime they heard the door they would both go running. Jackson was so funny... he took his job very seriously and he made really good conversation with the kids. I was happy about the homeade donuts from one of my parents neighbors...they were fabulous. November 1st- we had Jacksons family birthday party at our house. Gary, Kathy, and Steffan came... and all of my family. It was the first time that I made a homeade cake and it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself (thanks to Nikki for the recipe). Jackson got a lot of really fun presents and he loved to have everyone sing to him. November 2nd- Jacksons official birthday. He was actually confused a little bit about his birthday since he had already had had 2 parties but he definitely didn't complain about more celebrating and more presents. We took him out to eat breakfast- which he loves- and then we took him to Toys R Us to shop around and pick out some more birthday stuff. We need to remember that choosing is hard when you are only 4. We also went to the park for a picnic lunch and out to eat at Red Lobster for dinner. You wouldn't think that a 4 year old little boys favorite food would be seafood but ours is- he loves shrimp and crab and lobster. It was a totally packed totally fun day. I am still a little shocked that Jackson is already 4- it seems like just yesterday that he was my little baby and now he is my little boy(big boy if you ask him). At 4 he is such a good little kid- he is so funny and makes us laugh everyday with the things that he says- he also is really thoughtful and he takes such good care of his mommy and his little brother. His favorite things right now are transformers and lego's. He loves going to school and he loves drawing and making crafts. He also likes Indiana Jones (which he has never seen :)). He is also starting to be pretty responsible. He is able to shower and get dressed himself (including socks, shoes, and buttons) and he also does a really good job at brushing his teeth. He does a really good job of picking up after himself and he is a really good little helper- especially with dinner, he loves to help me cook. He still loves his blanky and he still loves stories. He is a really happy confident little boy and I am so thankful everyday that I get to be his mommy. I hope he had a happy birthday! Benton doesn't have his binky anymore- we couldn't find it one night and we just put him to bed without it and he went right to sleep. So, we figured it was a good time to get rid of it. Since not having his binky he actually has a lot to say. We are not sure what he is saying but it seems pretty interesting :). He is saying more and more words that we do understand though. Ball, bowl (as in the halloween candy bowl), up, dadda, and he said pumpkin the other night.