We got to go in the SKY!

When we filed our taxes back in January we decided part of the refund would fund a trip to see Sean's family out East. His brother Jason and his wife Melissa, and three children live in Maryland. I have only been able to spend time with them a few times due to the distance. They came to our wedding, then to see Melissa's family and we joined them and they also came for a visit for Christmas a few years ago. Other than that its been a lot of emails, facebook and phone calls. We are so grateful for technology and the blessing it has been with family connections. Sean's sister Ondalynn also lives out east near them. She is in New York. She moved there about 6 months ago. I have missed her so so much! Its tough when your sister in law becomes one of your closest friends and then moves across country.  It was so great to see her again and meet her boyfriend Jeff. He is a funny guy. Also Rebekah is in love with him haha. It was so cute seeing her get all excited when he picked her up.
We got to stay with family for an entire week! We left Monday the 14th and came back Monday 21st. They kids were surprisingly good for almost all of the flights. We had to catch connection flights both to Maryland and back to Phoenix. Each time the kids had a little adjusting to being on the plane and then were pretty much chill. Noah played with the ipad a little and enjoyed looking out the window. For the most part though he slept. Bekah was a little more difficult and fussed for awhile until Sean got her to sleep as well.

Tuesday we just hung out at the house with everyone. Onda and Jeff were still in New York at this time. Rachel is such a smart imaginative girl. Noah just loved her. She had fun reading him stories and telling him what to do haha. Little girls seem to like to do that with Noah. I love the way Rachel talks. Just the way she expresses herself is so grownup and like a child at the same time. Alden is a little ball of energy and so handsome. Alden wasn't as interested to play with Noah much but he did play with Rebekah a lot. He says some pretty funny things as well. Ellie is a smiley girl and just so happy. I loved cuddling her. It was crazy seeing Bekah next to her. She looked so big next to Ellie. I really enjoyed getting to spend more time with Melissa and getting to know her more. She is such a good example to me. Sean and Jason are so much a like. It was nice seeing them together and having a good time. Wednesday was our day in DC. Melissa stayed home with Ellie because it was too cold to take her out. She had a nice break away from the kids and got to just relax with her littlest one. Every mom needs that once in a while for sure! Noah loves Melissa. He was quite concerned when she didn't go with us to DC.  Jason, Sean, Me and the rest of the kids had an adventure all day. Noah and Rebekah loved being on the Metro Train. Noah kept saying the walls were moving haha. Bekah loved staring out the window. While in DC we saw the Natural History Museum, Air and Space Museum, all the war memorials, the Washington Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial (Sean's favorite). We had lunch from one of the food trucks and it was delicious. There was so much more we wanted to see as well but we just didn't have to time or energy. So. MUCH. WALKING. The kids of course loved the Museums the best. Actually when we got back to the house and Melissa asked them all what their favorite part of the day was they all said "riding on the metro" haha. Silly kids.

Sean's favorite president 

Thursday we went to an Amish Market. They are so talented! Someday when I have a house and enough money we will own an Amish made dinning room table set. Those things are beautifully made. We bought some candy, pretzels and fruit while there as well.

Friday morning Jason took us and our kids to the bus so we could go to visit Onda in the big city. It was a four hour drive but went pretty quick. Thank goodness for sleepy children and smart phones to keep us occupied haha. Onda met us at the bus and we first went for some pizza for lunch.We walked around the city for a couple hours and saw the Statue of Liberty. Jeff met up with us around mid afternoon. We decided we really like him and he can keep dating our Onda. (because we obviously get to make the decision right? haha) We basically just walked around the city the rest of Friday and had dinner. It was pretty cool to see all the big stores they have there. Then around 6:30pm Onda and Jeff took the kids to her house in Queens while Sean and I went to a show. I was nervous to have Noah go with them but Onda said he actually did ok without us. He cried for awhile but then she got him distracted enough to be happy again. Bekah was totally content and happy with Jeff. Sean and I had a nice date night. We saw "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder". It was a great play with awesome music and story. After the show we got on the subway, found out we got on the wrong train, got off, got on the right one and headed to Onda's house. We were so proud of ourselves for getting there with nothing but directions of which train to take and the address to her apartment. GO us :)

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Saturday morning we woke up early and headed back to Manhattan. We went to the Rockefeller Plaza to the "Top of the Rock" observation deck. Its 69 stories tall! I actually liked it better than the Empire State Building. I had been there before for my senior trip in high school. This was much better. Sean went to the top with us and then promptly turned right back around on the escalator and down to the bottom floor. He has a huge fear of heights. Sean had Rebekah with him so it was just Me, Noah and Onda. We stayed up there for awhile and got some awesome pictures. I loved being able to see so much of the city. Its looks pretty fantastic from so high up. After that we went down to the bottom floor and had lunch with Sean. Then we took the kids to the M&M store. That is an awesome store! 2 stories high filled with every kind of M&M! We of course got 2lbs of them haha.  I have decided that New York is not a place to live if you have children. Its kinda dirty there and everyone moves so quickly and bumps into you and just keeps walking. It was a nice visit but I wouldn't ever live there. There is so much to see and do if you don't have kids though. Noah and Rebekah weren't very impressed it seemed. Noah did like the big buildings, subway and the M&M store. After the store we got ready to go. Jeff met us at the bus station and we all road the bus back to Maryland. 

This was the ceiling in the elevator. So cool

We spent Easter Sunday all together. The kids had an easter egg hunt after church. Then Monday afternoon we left to the airport for our travels home.

It was such a great trip! I loved seeing the kids play together and see their personalities. It was so wonderful to see my Tiny Onda again. Sean and I loved talking and spending time with Jason and Melissa.

Celebrating Onda's birthday while we we there. 

Jeff and Onda 

Black Light Run

2 weeks ago Sean and I did a 5k with one of my besties :) It was challenging but also a lot of fun. The run was in benefit for Phoenix Children's Hospital. We signed up for it months ago when it was planned to be in May. The event was moved up a month so we weren't exactly prepared for it. Sean and Melissa could have gone way faster but they were kind and stayed with me haha. It took us a little over an hour to finish it. As the name suggests it was a run at night with black lights. As we ran we came to different check points where people threw colored powder on us. It was so cool to see all the colors and glow in the dark. I think the run could have been better planned out but other than that it was a good time. There weren't enough lights to see where we were going so sometimes people would fall. Also there was only one water station in the middle of the run. Definitely should have been more. This was the second 5k Melissa and I have done and Sean's first. We plan on doing more in the future. I think Sean would love the ROC race so I hope we can do that again next year. Not sure if I will do this one again though.

A child's testimony

It touched my heart how sweet and close to the Savior Noah is. We just got home from the public invited dress rehearsal of the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple.  Elizabeth came with me and the kids because Sean has his meeting at the church on Tuesdays. Miss Rebekah fell asleep at the beginning of the pageant and slept until the very end when the music gets louder. She loved watching the angels dance and her face lit up with excitment. Noah loved the whole experience and I loved watching it with him. It becomes a whole new experience watching something you have seen a dozens of times growing up and as an adult and then watching it with your child. 

While Jesus was being baptized by John the Baptist Noah asks what's happening. I tell him "Jesus is getting baptized." He replies " he is getting baptized, I can do that too! I can go up there and get baptized with him!" He then proceeded to try and walk up to the stage. Haha. I had to put him on my lap and whisper that he can get baptized later. Not now but when he is older. He is so excited to get baptized like Jesus someday. While Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane Noah whispers to me "Jesus is praying right now. Is he praying for us?"  Then when Jesus was being put on the cross Noah says in such a heart felt cry "oh no, oh no mommy! Jesus is sad. He is so sad." I told him yes but he is going to come back to life. He will be risen. When he sees Jesus again Noah says "Jesus is alive again! He came back to life. He came back for us! He came back for us mommy !" 

I love that his testimony is growing. I love that he has such a love for Jesus. I hope all of us can strive to have faith and love as a little child. I learn from Noah everyday on how to treat others, how to show my love, how to be like Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to be his and Rebekah's mother. I'm going to keep praying I do what's right and raise them to always love The Lord. I hope they stay strong and keep their testimonies as true as they are now. Being a mom is the best. 

Noah and Rebekah with their favorite angel Kara :) 

My children :)

JWe are doing well. Noah and Rebekah are getting so big! It feels like it is going way too fast. Noah is a little genius child. He has a vast understanding of feelings and how to express himself. It's really fun having conversations with him. He loves singing songs and reading us stories. Its so funny to hear the stories he puts to the pictures in his books. He has started making up silly songs that don't make any sense but are hilarious to hear. He also sings along with songs on the radio in the car. His favorite radio song lately is "Say Something"  Rebekah is a wild little child. She grunts when she wants something. It cracks us all up. She will do what ever she needs to get what she wants too. She is a persistent and motivated baby. She has been standing on her own for months now and has taken her first steps. She has yet to break past taking 2 steps without holding on to something. She is so good at crawling and climbing over anything in her way. She tries to climb over the baby gate. Rebekah is such an adventurous trouble making baby! Noah is always telling and asking me to "get my baby!". She wants to be doing whatever he is at all times. It will be nice when she is old enough to play with him and not just bug him haha. She says "mama" all the time. She has also started to say "baba" when she wants/see her bottle. Daddy taught her that word. Sean is also trying to teach her the word monkey. haha He said he would be fine if she learned to say monkey before daddy. Silly daddy. Rebekah is such a daddys girl. She gets so excited when he comes home from work and crawls quickly to him as soon as he walks in the room. Her smile is biggest when he is around. Its adorable to see their bond. Noah is very much a mama's boy but is being nicer to daddy lately. There was a time when he wouldn't let daddy hold him or even talk to him much. It was not a fun stage. With some help Noah has decided that daddy is a cool guy again and will talk and play with daddy a lot. Rebekah is a little cuddle bug. I love how she stands between my legs and rubs her head on my knees asking to be picked up. We have such loving sweet children. We are so blessed!

Noah and Calli are still potty training. They are having great successes with it. Noah loves going on the potty and feeling like a big boy. He almost always tells me before or during him going in his diaper. I think it will click soon and he will be going all the time. We will see. Calli is trying and doing better at sitting on the potty and not crying. She has gone pee on the potty twice now! She and Noah are each others biggest cheerleaders on the potty haha. Its cute seeing them read to each other and sing.

Sean is still on break from school. He is going to be signing up for some online classes when we have the money saved up to pay out of pocket. He has a new calling in the ward. He is the employment specialist. He has received training on building resumes and working the church website for employment. He has meetings every Tuesday at the church to get with members and help them with getting jobs. He is doing a great job and enjoying it. Its also helping him with gaining skills for himself. Sean is getting so talented at the guitar. He practices every night after the kids go to bed and sometimes during the day. The kids love listening to him play. Noah has a little blue guitar that he pulls out each day to play with daddy.

I've been mostly just keeping the house clean and kids happy. I had to stop working out due to an injury and its been tough getting back to it. I think I will start back again after our vacation next week. I rearranged all the rooms in the house last week. Sean really likes how it all turned out. It was fun to try and do while the kids "helped". Noah and Calli helped picking out the trash and toys and putting them away. Rebekah mostly just got in the way and was cute haha.

We are going on vacation next week to Maryland to visit Jason Melissa and their kids. While we are there we are going to spend a day in New York with Onda and her boyfriend Jeff  as well. We can't wait! Noah is so excited to go on an airplane and to see his cousins. It will be so fun watching the kids all play together. 

Noah talks to snakes haha