Third grade here we come.

We were very excited on Tuesday night to get ready for the first day of school. I had told Natalie multiple times that her bed time would go back into effect and that she needed to be well rested. Unfortunately I think that I drilled that too much into her head that it stressed her out and as a result she couldn't fall asleep and kept worrying about waking up tired. We cleaned her room and she found this. It did help a little bit cause after much tossing and turning she fell asleep.

She did fall asleep pretty late so she woke up a little bit tired. I tried to make this day as special as possible for both of us. I made her pancakes for breakfast and then we got her all ready. This year they have to wear uniforms. I don't like that but I kinda like that it's red with blue and not the usual white with blue.

And for her hair, we had been deliberating all week, we decided to go with a side ponytail with a hair clip on it. Very chic and pretty I think!
Here she is with her new bookbag given to her by her Aunt Maria. It's funny though, cause I think the bookbag is bigger than her.
Here we bumped into our neighbors who were also celebrating the first day of school with pictures and family. So we took advantage and also snapped some pictures with them. The boy next to her is her buddy Lewis who once again is in her class this year. Here they are again. Hahaha so stiff next to eachother for the picture.

At the bus stop she let her silly side out. I was surprised how loving and happy she was with me to be there with her at the stop. Last year I never really walked her to the bus because Jaime would wake up really early and cry so I couldn't walk her to the bus. But this year he sleeps later so I told her I would be walking her to the stop and her reply was "WHY?" I said BECAUSE! And she kept saying WHY? I said are you embarrased of me? She said No but that then she would have to stand there without playing tag. I told her she could still play but that I would still have to go. Hahaha! So I was pretty surprised when she was happy about me being there. And she even asked me to please keep going and she loved our whole morning routine! Ah those words brought a big old smile to my face and warm fuzzy feelings in my heart!

Jaimito and me went to pick her up at the bus stop after school. We walked home and sat on the steps and talked about her day. She told me all about it and it was just the perfect ending to her first day of school!

Jaimito and more Jaimito.

Okay so I know that lately it seems like all I talk about is Jaimito and I've forgotten about Natalie. It's not that, I love my Natalie and she gives me plenty of things to smile about. Maybe it's cause I didn't get to enjoy this age with Natalie and now that I'm getting to experience it with Jaime I'm enjoying it so much. The other day David got us ice cream from Baskin Robbins and Jaimito was pretty busy going at it.

Hahahaha look at that chocolate lipstick on him. Hahahaha looks good on him.

Before anybody freaks out about this smooch he just caught me off guard. He loves to give me huge kisses. Plus yes, in my family we kiss in the mouth. I kiss my mom and gramma in the mouth. I kiss my kids in the mouth. David kisses his kids in the mouth. Our choice so please reserve your comments about it.
I also caught these adorable pictures of my two honeys playing together after waking up on Saturday morning!

I love love love my Jaimito. I'm enjoying every milestone and every new thing he gives me everyday.

A Bucket full of Fun!

Look at where I found my Jaimito! In a bucket of cold water! He was really enjoying himself. He was a bucket full of fun!And he was really playing it up for everyone and the camera! He is the cutest thing ever. Lately he just comes up with the craziest faces and things to play with and things he says!

I am so in love with him! He just melts my heart and makes me smile!I can't stop kissing him and I can never get sick of his smooches. He's definately a momma's boy.
These are my favorite pictures of the dynamic trio.
These three were born one after the other.

Jaime was born on January, Becky in the beginning of February, and Valeria at the end of February. They are so cute together. It makes me smile to think that they will grow up together and be the same age and be able to bond.

Words of a Prophet

Joseph Smith, The Prophet

"I wanted to say something to you to comfort you in your peculiar trial & present affliction. I hope God will give you strength that you may not faint. I pray God to soften the hearts of those around you to be kind to you & take the burden off your shoulders as much as possible & not afflict you. I feel for you, for I know your state & that others do not, but you must comfort yourself knowing that God is your friend in heaven & that you have one true & living friend on earth, your husband."

I was looking through Facebook when I came across these words. I couldn't believe what I was reading. It's exactly what I needed at this moment. It made me realize what a true great man Joseph Smith was.

At the same time it made me feel sort of sad because unfortunately husbands are not true friends to their wives most of the time. Looking at my own marriage, I've always looked at David like being my everything in this world. No one else matters but him. Yet I don't think he seems to realize that or to really take that as his role. To read those kind and loving words of a prophet makes me yearn for that true pure love that he had for Emma. But I guess I have to stop and look at myself and ask myself if I'm truly playing that role for my husband too.

I also felt some what ashamed because I know that I have been slacking off spiritually lately. I've let things bring my spirit down and haven't been doing the things that I know I should so how can I expect Heavenly Father to comfort me in my times of need if I have let go of his hand. It reminds me that I have the biggest BFF I could ask for! Heavenly Father. So I should live accordinly so that I can always have his comforting spirit to be with me. And his words of comfort are like non I have ever heard before. So pure and simple and true.

How many times have we been annoyed by some insincere words of comfort. Or by someone who goes on and on about how they understand our pain. Heck I think I've been guilty of giving hollow words of so called comfort. But listen to his words. They're not long and full of big words or telling you that things are meant to be this way. He doesn't tell you to get over it or it'll pass. Or that God wants it to be like this. (We've all heard or said these before) I can't even find the words to describe the purity of his words.

I hope that I can learn to comfort in the humble way that the prophet Joseph Smith always did. And now I know where to look for in those moments were I need kind words to lift my spirit. Truly he was a prophet of God.

Young Woman's Camp 2011

I remember being so sad when my sisters rode off on the bus on their way to Young Woman's Camp. I wanted to be on that bus so bad. So when I finally turned 12 I was so excited to be able to finally ride that bus to camp!

I loved my first year! Yes it was scary, tons of spiders, dark and meeting new friends but the good outweighed the bad! It was all I dreamthed and more! Canooing, horseback riding, CRAFTS, awesome leaders, friends, food, late night fires, camp singing and so much spirituality!

Our YCL (young camp leaders) were awesome. I looked up to them so much. They were so loving, friendly and brave. I looked forward to being a YCL so bad! Plus they got special privilages, I was looking forward to it so much. Besides the fact that I love being a leader and teaching, this was the perfect thing for me. I just needed to complete my first three years as a camper and then I would be a YCL. Well along came a little someone called David and a couple decisions later and I was off on a different direction. Never got to be a true YCL. Missed out on the one thing I was looking forward to, many times I have sat and thougth about it. I get sad ofcourse.

But my Heavenly Father truly does love me. This year I was given the opportunity to go as a ward leader with my girls to camp. It's not the same as a YCL but it's as close as it can get at my age! :)

I have to say that I have a new profound respect for all the leaders I ever had when I was a youth. This is so much harder than it looks. And if I was anything like some of these girls I truly give thanks and apologies to all those who had to be patient and loving with me.

This experience was wonderful, touching and hard at the same time. I did have an extra advantage though, nobody thought I was a leader. Everyone thought I was a youth camper. It was so much fun to be there as a leader yet enjoy myself like a camper because everyone kept forgetting I was a leader. I pretty much got to do all the fun things with the girls! Sneaky I know!

If I sat here and wrote everything I learned and felt at camp I would never finish. My fingers would probably cramp up. So I'll just say that it was hard seeing how some of our youth are truly lost yet it was so uplifting seeing how many girls are trying hard to live the standards. How so many of them truly do have a testimony of our Heavenly Father. How many of them are kind and loving to one another. Camp is so wonderful, I think us adults should have our own week of camp where we are reminded of our goal in life and go home uplifted and motivated. I know that I was so uplifted and nurtured at camp. Now this camp was different than the ones I remember. Unlike the other camp where the leaders got special privilages like sleeping in cabins, this camp I had to sleep and suffer right along side the girls. And that included walking 2 hills all day to get to the pool or to the dining hall or to any other place!

Couldn't help but take a picture of Ingrid. It was her first time going to camp and because of her age it'll be her last! But look at her, she's so tiny. She looked so cute with her bathing suit, cap, towel and sipping on a juice box! Too Cute!

I did come home saying I would never go back! hahaha but then again every girl pretty much says that every year but when camp time comes around we all jump on board! It's a love hate relationship!