Hats.....

Hope has a few outfits with very cute Hats that she refuses to put on. However, when I put a hat on Bryce to stay warm, she suddenly loves hats and wants to wear one. She is a crack up. This was just a few days before Thanksgiving. Jared and I were so looking forward to 4 days of family time. Hope however began to be sick Tuesday, and every day one more of us became sick. Jared didn't develop anything too horrible because he took his usual trip to the drug store and did multiple prevention remedies. The holiday turned out to be less then ideal with runny noses, crying through the night, fevers, and everything else that is not fun about being sick. In fact, don't look too close at Hope in these pictures, I hadn't wiped her face with a washcloth before taking them. She is still cute, boogers and all......

glides on air

Christmas came early for Jared and I this Year. I got my Schwinn double stroller that I had begged for since summer. It is wonderful. It is easier to push then my single Graco stroller. It practically glides on air. I had big plans to take it to a new park each day and play in the afternoon with the kids. Unfortunately the kids have been sick and it has been very dark and cold. Anyway, I love it! It is better than a diamond necklace! For Jared, who likes to buy his own Christmas gifts, he got us some more home security in the form of a shotgun. We have been talking about a gun for months and after the election we decided the time was right. Let's get a gun while we still have the freedom to do so.

Family pictures

It feels like we have been moving at the speed of light here in the Forman house. We have been so busy and amidst all our activities the camera battery went dead and I have yet to charge it. We did take family pictures since our last post and I was thrilled with how they turned out. Here are some of our favorite shots. This was the first time that Jared and I had family pictures since our wedding. It was even more special for us because we did them at Jared's parent's house.

The kids are growing so fast. Hope will be 2 soon and Bryce is about 5 months old now. He has grown so fast that I didn't even get a picture of him in his blessing outfit because I procrastinated and he grew out of it. He is about 17 pounds now! For comparison, I will just say that Hope was 19 pounds at her 12 month appointment. It is comical to look at them together. Hope begs to hold Bryce constantly and then when I place him on her lap she immediately falls on her back because of his weight. Then she just lays there holding him on top of her, both of them just as happy as can be. How sweet it is to have a family, and to have children who love each other. I wonder how long that will last?!?

Bishop's Pumpkin Patch

On Friday night we drove out to Bishop's Pumpkin Patch in Wheatland. It was so fun. My parent's and Grandma came with us to make it even more enjoyable. There was a petting zoo with all sorts of animals and you could buy some food for a quarter to feed the animals. Grandpa Christensen took Hope inside the gate to feed the baby goats which was ok by her until one came up behind her and bumped her shoulder with his head. After an instant outburst of crying she wanted to only be held by Grandpa. They had really cute buildings that the animals climbed on and lots of baby animals. We then walked out to the pumpkin patch and took a train ride. Hope loves trains. I wish Hope would have taken a better nap that day because she wasn't in her best spirits, but that happens. It was a bit chilly and windy but we hadn't planned on spending several hours there anyway. Grandma, as usual, played the comic relief for the evening. Mom left Grandma's purse in the car because she has a habit of wanting to buy useless things everywhere they go. She had been begging for her money all evening long and our last stop was the bakery where the begging to buy some goodies became much more intense. Mom didn't have the car keys so she was out of luck there. She even went up and was in line talking to the girls who took the orders....we couldn't hear what she was saying but we assume she was trying to order. She finally got my Dad to order some things for her and after we had goodies to take home she wanted to stop and buy ice cream as well. Bless her heart she keeps us moving and laughing. Especially when she is in good spirits. Bryce ended up in my sweater before the evening was over because he had drenched his little sweater in spit from sucking on it and we didn't want him to be cold from being all wet. It was a great night. I wouldn't mind going back again.

Like Father, Like Son?

I have noticed more physical changes with Bryce than and I did with Hope. It might be that Bryce has grown so fast in comparison to his petite sister, or just that I am paying more attention this time around. He has lost most of his dark hair, but his eyes remain blue and eyelashes dark just like his handsome Daddy. I think he looks just like Daddy but it is interesting to hear what other people think. Maybe I associate him with Jared in all things because his personality is so even tempered and good natured like his Daddy. I can't believe that his is only 3 months old. I can't imagine having life without our little man. So what do you think.....like father, like son?
ps- he can't sit up on his own yet....he is sitting in a bumbo below that helps aid a baby who can hold up his head to sit upright.

4 Generations of Fun

My Grandma, Aunt Debbie, and Mom came over this last Wednesday to help me with the kids and take us to lunch. It was so nice. It was just the medicine that I needed last week. With both kids keeping us up at night this last week it was hard to face each day with a smile and optimism. Mom took Hope outside to play (her favorite) and Bryce was exercised by Grandma and then snuggled by Aunt Debbie (his favorite). He fell into a deep sleep after all the exercising from Grandma and was limp in Aunt Debbie's arms for quite awhile. I think it is such a blessing to have Grandma close as she is nearing the end of her life. We had the best time watching her with the kids, trying to keep her out of the cookies, and constantly reminding her that although Bryce is big in size he still is only 3 months old and doesn't eat cookies and ice cream!

Hope and Crayons

There are some things in life that you just have to sigh and shake your head in disgust with yourself. After crayons went through the washer and dryer a few months back I have kept them from Hope. However, the library program that we go to gives out picture to be colored at the end of each class. I thought that we would revisit the idea of Hope having crayons and gave her an assortment of different colors and her paper on her table. While I was deep in the cleaning and motherly duties of the morning I didn't become alarmed when she shut her door and was quiet for a long while. In fact I was enjoying the peace and accomplishing the things I am always striving to get done. Low and behold I decided to check on Hope as it was just a bit quiet in there and I found that she was enjoying coloring.......only it was not on the paper but the walls. I had totally forgotten when she closed her door that I had even given her crayons. Ay-yi-yi! Thankfully she colored mostly purple on purple walls. I spend the next 40 minutes scrubbing the walls clean and scolding myself. The funny part is that if you look at her picture she didn't make one scribble on it. I guess we chose the right color to paint her room when we moved in! And the crayons are once again moved to a location unknown to the tootsie until she is just a little bit older.

Visiting Grandma Forman

On Sunday we decided last minute to join Jared's parents for a quick trip to Reno. Grandma Forman is recovering from a hip surgery and we wanted to take the kids up to see her. She was in great spirits and walking so well for having surgery just a week prior. She enjoyed seeing the kids and some of the family got together for a really nice dinner. Both kids were in heaven. There is a creek out back with tons of ducks. Hope LOVED throwing them bread and chasing them. She is getting to be such a big girl. She enjoyed sitting with the bigger kids to eat and running around the yard. And Bryce thoroughly enjoyed being held and rocked all day long. He had this look on his face like "this is the life". It was fun.

Brody's Soccer Game

Brody invited us to his soccer game on Saturday and we had the best time watching him play. And while Hope and I were enjoying the soccer game Sadie enjoyed our little man so much. She held him, washed his entire body with a wet wipe, and was so cute with him. Jenica told me that she named all her baby dolls "Bryce". I thought that was the cutest thing. she just loves him.
I actually woke poor Hope up from a nap to go to the game so she was a bit out of spirits. Not to mention that Grandpa Christensen was wearing a hat, which she dislikes for some reasons. She did love watching to game which delighted me. I would love to be watching her play on a soccer team in 4 years!
Brody played his little heart out and did a great job! As you can tell he exhausted himself.
Sweet Sadie cracks me up. She is always so happy and enjoying herself. She was actually playing peek-aboo behind the tree trunk but I didn't get a good picture of her doing that. Both Jared and I grew up spending a lot of time with cousins so we hope that our kids will be close to their cousins as well.

Strollin' with Little Man

When Hope was sick a few weekends ago we tried to cheer up her spirits by taking a trip to target to get her a few new play items. One of the toys we picked was a stroller for her dolls (which was surprisingly only $5 cheaper than the real umbrella stroller she rides in). We hit the jackpot with her because she hasn't stopped pushing it around the house since. Sometimes she even sits in it in the kitchen and plays. Last Thursday after dinner we were enjoying some family time. Jared was burping Bryce in the living room and I was cleaning up the kitchen while we chatted about the day. For no reason at all Jared spied the stroller and sat Bryce in it to find it was a perfect fit. We started laughing hysterically over it when Hope came down the stairs to find the marriage of two of her favorite things- Bryce and the stroller! She dropped everything in her hands and ran to it. It was one of those moments when you can see the determination in your child's eyes and all you can say is, "Oh no". She was desperate to push him around all over the place and did so with some aid and supervision, of course. The second picture below was her reaction to Jared stopping the stroller for a quick picture. She can be somewhat dramatic! I wonder where she gets that from?!?

Toddlers are like Christmas....

Asleep by the table in the kitchen......
Asleep in the high chair........
Exceptionally concerned about getting more pears that she can sit and eat in her stroller that is for dolls..........

Bryce.....3 months old......just thinking of him makes me smile........


Toddlers are like Christmas......they are always surprising. This last week Hope started falling asleep just wherever she is. She resists taking naps and bedtime as she is just at that age. She just goes as long as she can and then conks out. This last week I was talking to Jared on the phone and suddenly she is on the kitchen floor by the table with her blanket fast asleep. On Saturday Jared's family came by to visit us and play with the kids. Hope played and played and then acted hungry so I put her in her high chair for a snack. We had planned on going to a dinner party at my brother's house that night but she went to sleep in her high chair just minutes before we were supposed to leave for the party. Needless to say we didn't make the party. I am trying to do my best to parent two kids under the age of two but they don't seem to want to be controlled. I feel like I am in the backseat and they are driving the car! And let me tell you at times it is a bumpy ride. Our little bear Bryce is an angel sent from heaven. He is so good almost all the time. Bless his heart I think he is in the backseat of the car with me and Hope is driving us both around! I finally got a good picture of him smiling. He is delightfully sweet, a good sleeper, and patiently endures the many pokings, prodings, and kisses of his big sister. He is 3 months old now and I feel like he was born just yesterday. Jared has gotten him to start giggling just a tiny bit. He just loves attention and being held (don't all babies?!?) He will give anyone smiles and a sore arm who wants to hold him and play.

Before the end of the year I have a goal to have weaned Hope from a pacifier and begin potty training so the adventures of parenting will continue.....stay tuned..............the stories of our everyday life are a comedy................

Lets hear it for the boys!

I have been pondering over how nice this week has been and have come to the conclusion that it has been nice because of the men in our life. When I usually think of a little angel I think of a sweet girl, however, in our family the true angels are the boys. Jared had the kids for 3 hours on Saturday and cleaned the entire house from top to bottom so that during the week I would have less to do. (that is in addition to babysitting the kids) And Bryce is such a sweet baby. I don't mean to boast or brag, I just feel really blessed to have both Jared and Bryce. Oh, how Hope and I love both of them! With the extra time we have had and because Bryce is usually calm and easy going I have taken Hope to a new park this week, we took a trip to the library for an early literacy program, had a very fun playdate with Jamie & Liam Gilbert, and we've spent more time outside exploring. It has been a fun week. I think Jared has been pleasantly surprised each day when he has called to check on us that we have had good reports. Oh how we love our handsome men and appreciate them!

This picture was Dec 2004, when we first started dating.
And this is our little man at 2 1/2 months, I say man because he is getting to be such a big baby that he seems more like a little man. Bless his heart, his sweet disposition makes me actually want to have more kids. (in a few years, of course!)

Teach me a lesson........

Jared kindly took Hope to nursery on Sunday so that I could finally attend a class. The funny part was that I apparently have been gone so long that I was asked to introduce myself because they thought I was a visitor! Oh boy........it gave me a nice kick in the pants and determination to get to know my ward better and be more dilligent in getting Hope into nursery so that I can attend ALL my meetings.

As a side note I kindly stated that I was a member of the ward who hadn't been in awhile and when I said my name they all knew who I was. It was a little bit embarrassing.........but more funny. It was a good lesson that attending just Sacrament meeting each week does not qualify a person as fully active.

Fun Stuff......

We have been having fun this last week and have taken a few really cute pictures. Bryce is smiling more and more. He is so cute. If Jared or I coo to him then he will smile and do it back. He visited the Dr. this week for his 2 month check up and first shots. He is a whopping 13 lbs. He is big and healthy. I keep trying to get a really good smiling picture of him, but by the time I snap the shot he is always half smiling! As for Hope.....she is also doing well. She is starting to become more obedient, which is crucial for my sanity. She has also started talking. Despite that she says little, she understands quite a bit. She loves to tell her brother "Hi" in her sweet little voice and give him kisses. Don't let her fool you, though, she can really have attitude. Jared and I agree that she gets that from her mother. My Dad always told me that when I was good that I was an angel, and when I was bad.........well.........I was really bad. We wouldn't change a thing about her, though.

This week we stayed pretty close to home and played in Hope's pool in the late afternoons. We ran out of swimming diapers and instead of buying more this late in the swimming season I have just been using regular diapers. She was cracking me up this week as her diaper became so full of water that all I could think of was "baby got back". I included a photo of what I am talking about. I had never seen a diaper so full! I neglected to empty and clean the pool after one day of playing and I sent Hope out later to play while I cooked dinner one night. Low and behold within two minutes she had taken her shoes off and was back in the pool, only this time she was fully clothed. Jared always says, "what a crack up!" She is always making us laugh.

A trip to the Fair!

Here are a few pictures we took of our day at the fair. We went with Heidi, Steve and Dan which was great help to us. Our kids have the best Aunts & Uncles. Hope loved all the animals and devoured her cheese fries. She became more of a mess as the day progressed. Bryce was really good, as he has been since birth. He is just a sweetheart. It was a fun day........

Hope's Favorite Things

I have been thinking about what Hope really loves and I think I have come up with Hope's 5 favorite things. (list in random order)

1) Shoes! Hope loves shoes. She learned this week how to put them on and wears a pair all day. If you take them off she finds another pair. Further, she loves to step all over us in shoes. It especially drives Daddy crazy. Shoes is one of the first words Hope learned and I think she associates it with going outside so she is always putting them on I think in hopes that I will open the doors and let her run free. We finally took all her shoes, put them in a bucket, and stuffed them up in the hall closet because she constantly obsessing over having shoes on all day. We have decided no shoes in the house for Hope.

2) Going outside! As with most children, Bryce included, she loves outdoors. Even if it is 105 degrees she wants to be outside exploring. She loves the little park close to our house and to explore the nature trail for animals and rocks. This summer she has decided she also loves swimming and will jump off the edge into the water (as long as a familiar face is there to catch her, of course). Last night Jared went running and we waited outside for him to come back because the night was so nice. She was looking ragged with hair sticking up, no shirt, and a messy face. She took off after him with her little arms tucked in, head down, and booty shaking! Because I had Bryce in my arms I couldn't catch her until she was half way around the block and slowed down by her shoe falling off.

3) Fruit Snacks! It is common with toddlers to be unpredictable when it comes to eating. She may eat something one day and then refuse it the next day. However, this tyke will always eat fruit snacks. She reaches for the cubbard they are in and whines for them often. She would gladly eat several packs a day if the opportunity presented itself, and we have learned that we do not attempt church without them.

4) Books. Hope loves books and loves to read. From the time she turned 1 year old she would grab books and sit in anyone's lap who would read to her. She loves to see the pictures, hear the sounds, point to familiar objects, and learn. You should see her at the Library, it is comparable to a kid in the candy store.

5) Her family! From Hope's very first moments in life she has been surrounded by loving family. She thinks every time the doorbell rings that Grandma is there and is very concerned if we don't run to get the door. She loves her Aunts and Uncles as they have been so sweet to play with her and babysit her. Her Grandpa's hold her, take her outside, and have been known to slip her some candy and treats when no one is watching. She loves Mommy and can't get enough of Bryce......but her favorite person in the world is Daddy. Boy does she have a great Daddy and she is his sidekick from the time he gets home to the time he leaves! There is nothing better in life then for a child to feel secure in a loving family. She loves her family so much.





I believe that concludes the list and as for Bryce's favorite things........well.........the list is in progress but I do believe that his family will be on his list of favorite things as well.