Happy 28thJoe!

Happy 28th Birthday Joe!!!! I love you so much.

Here are 28 things I love about Joe:

1. Joe is very easy to please, I wish I could say I am a good cook, I just have a very easy to please husband.
2. He adores his kids. When he gets home from school, it is all about us and he tries to forget about school and all the stresses.
3. I must say that Joe is a WAY better cook than me, I may be able to follow a recipe, but he is able to go above and beyond me by just looking in the cupboard and combining whatever he sees and it actually turns out delicious.
4. Joe is a dreamer. I have never had this trait until I married Joe. We love to dream about our future and the good we can do. Joe thinks it is a poor man's way to have fun.
5. Joe is adventurous. A few years ago Joe had a break from school. We were undecided what we would do with our time, and then the night before, he decided we should make arrangements with my brother in Boston and go out and visit. So the next day, we woke up at 4 in the morning and drove all day. It was so fun to be with your family Andy and Katherine!
6. Joe is a great wood worker. I don't know how many of you have seen the beds he has made in our house and little other projects, but I think he is top notch. He just finished making a sand/water table for the kids. Thankfully we live in a place where there is a lot of fallen wood.
7. Joe is smart. Especially while being in Law School, I have seen him become much more intellectual. Maybe it is because law is so over my head, but at least Joe fools me :).
8. In order to keep sane, Joe always needs a project or something to work on. He loves it when I have lists of things for him to fix when he gets home. I love having a Mr. Fix it always ready to fix or build something.
9. One odd thing about Joe, that I am sure most people hate (I know I do), is that he loves to move. He is always the first to volunteer when someone needs help moving. He considers it a good workout and finds joy in picking everything up in the house, I know, it's weird, but I am so thankful for it, because if you know me, I am probably the weakest person ever and Joe helps me out a lot in this area.
10. While we were dating, Joe made me the most amazing quilt ever!!! It is one of those that I don't use often because I don't want it to get ruined. You would think it is odd for a male to be a great seamstress, but Joe is, and I love it. When I make things he loves helping me with ideas for the project. I remember when Joe bought me my sewing machine for Christmas one year, he had to show me how to thread it (how embarrassing for me.)
11. Joe is patient. I know this may sound like I am just trying to pull anything out about Joe, but it is true. Joe is the most patient person I know!! He HATES any kind of arguing, gossiping, or any bad talk at all. Okay, maybe when it comes to driving he isn't quite as patient, but in every other aspect of his life he is!! I needed to marry a patient man!
12. Joe would eat potatoes all day, every day, for every meal, snack, dessert, you name it, he almost always wants a potato.
13. If I come home with 2 or more tubs of sour cream from the store, he is ecstatic and sadly (we need to get his cholesterol checked) it doesn't last very long. He could eat sour cream on EVERYTHING!! One day I caught him dipping chips in just sour cream. I just had to laugh.
14. Joe has been planning out his dream home ever since we got married (and probably way before then too). He loves asking me how things would make my life easier and he incorporates them in his plans.
15. Joe has a strong testimony of the gospel, and especially about the Savior. He has touched so many lives with his convictions.
16. Joe reads the scriptures with the kids every day. He is WAY better at remembering this than me. By the end of the day, I just get so excited to get them in bed, but Joe has a sensitivity to spiritual things and loves telling Kayla and Isaiah all about Jesus and other gospel things.
17. Joe lets me eat chocolate and even buys it for me. I have a huge weakness for chocolate and it makes Joe's day when he sees me sneaking some from the chocolate chip bag in the cupboard.
18. The only time I hear Joe sing is when he sings for the kids. He loves to sing to them at night time or whenever they are sad.
19. Joe thinks he is boring, but I think he is the funniest, most adventurous person I know. While we were dating, I told him I would always laugh at his jokes, I think that is what made him decide to marry me. :)
20. Joe loves to buy me flowers. He doesn't do it really often so it is expected, but when he does give me flowers, it is at the most perfect time.
21. Whenever I am pregnant, Joe always is right there to help me from finding new remedies to help with the nauseousness or actually helping me throw up in the toilet.
22. Joe is a magician. He reminds me of my dad growing up, always has a new trick to show the kids. Kayla and Isaiah think it is magic that he can pull things out of their ears.
23. Whenever we don't know how we are going to pay for bills, food, or whatever it may be, Joe always finds a way. A few semesters ago, we were really struggling, and Joe put a whole bunch of books to sell on Amazon, and it all worked out. He is a problem solver.
24. Joe has learned to love real crab (my favorite food!)
25. Joe is good to my parents and loves them.
26. Joe is good to his parents and is constantly trying to keep in touch with them.
27. Kayla adores her Daddy and gets jealous if he shows me any sort of affection. Joe loves having 2 girlfriends.
28. Joe is the best husband, friend, and son anyone could ever ask for!!

WE LOVE YOU JOE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Quiet house

A few mornings ago, it was so quiet in the house, and as most parents know, quiet might mean trouble. I searched for Kayla and Isaiah around the house and then I peeked in their room, and Kayla was quietly reading Isaiah a book all snuggled up in bed together. It was the cutest thing ever. After I snapped this picture, they both looked up with mischievous grins and they were both relieved when I sat down beside them and read some stories with them too. I am so glad they are good friends.


They have recently found a new love of wrestling each other. In fact, tonight, I went in their room and Kayla had climbed in Isaiah's crib and they were both body slamming each other and laughing up a storm. You wonder where all their bruises come from :).

A new tradition

We were able to do something very fun with some great friends of ours. We decided to celebrate Passover (which is going on right now). We had a great time learning new things about Passover and trying and learning about the meaning of traditional foods that Jews eat on this special day. Joe and I have decided to make this one of our family traditions every year. Joe made some great handouts about the Passover. I love the story of Moses and how he become God's leader to help all the Children of Israel go. I also find it so amazing, and now have a place in my heart for Passover, because I realized that during the Last Supper, Jesus was celebrating the Passover. To know that this is when He introduced the sacrament and He showed so much love for his disciples and us, makes me always want to remember, in reverence, such a great and important day!

Here is a picture of some the food we had:

Crazy looking nose

Kayla and I were driving to the park for a friend's birthday party. Here is how our conversation went on the way:

Kayla: Hey mom, look at the crazy looking nose on the car.
Me: Where is it?
K: Right there. ( and she pointed forward)
Me: I don't see it.
K: It's on the mirror

That is when I realized that she was probably talking about MY nose reflected on the rear view mirror. I adjusted the mirror and I asked her:

M: Where is the nose?
K: I don't know, now I see an eye.

I started laughing!

So now, the word is out, I have a crazy looking nose, thanks Kayla! :)

One of those great days

It's always sad to see days like this end. Today was a perfect and beautiful day. It all started with Joe letting me sleep in while he woke up with the kids. When I went downstairs, Joe was cleaning the carpets and the sun was blazing in through the windows. I stepped outside and I knew that today was a day that I have been dreaming of for the last 6 or so months. It reached 76 degrees today!!! My dream come true after the winter here in Michigan. We decided to go to the Zoo and bask in the sunlight. We met up with my friend Jenny and her husband Jake and baby Madison. (Thanks for visiting guys! It was SO good to see you.) Then after the kids were good and worn out we drove home and put them done for naps. We then started some major spring cleaning. Because the carpets were wet, we decided to take the kids to a movie. We saw "Horton hears a Who!" It was a great movie!!

What a great day!! One of those days that is hard to see come to an end. I hope Spring is hear to stay, no more winter, and please, no summer yet!

Oh my HECK!!

Yup, that's right, it is hard to believe, but about 20 minutes outside of Ann Arbor there is a tiny town (and I mean TINY, only 3 buildings worth) called Hell, Michigan. We decided to check it out and take a little drive. It was basically a tourist trap, but the ice cream bar was good with all the fixings laid out in a coffin. Joe has always needed a little extra help finding his direction.

Heidi knows which way she is headed.

See, it's official, Hell, Michigan really is a place, we are not lying. Does anyone want to come visit?

Bicycle built for two

Kayla got a new bike for her birthday and she so graciously shared it with Isaiah.

Happy Birthday Kayla!

Here's a quick run down of all of Kayla's Birthdays.


Kayla's BIRTH day.


Kayla's 1st birthday. (we found out we were having a boy on her 1st birthday)



Kayla's 2nd birthday. She still remembers the Winnie the Pooh cake.




Kayla's 3rd birthday!!

Happy Birthday my sweet angel!! I love you with a love I never knew I had!!!

Our Little Miss "KJ"

Sometimes we call Kayla "KJ" since her name is Kayla Jewel. Well, the other day we realized that since we call her this, it has had an effect on her ABC's. She always switches the J and the K. Plus I. wanted to post this cute girl saying her ABC's.

Free Rose!!

This afternoon, my friend Camille left a message on my answering machine saying she had just drove by a flower shop that said they were giving free roses to anyone named Kayla. After Joe got home from school we decided it would be fun to take Kayla and let her pick out a free rose. She had a great time and was smiling ear to ear when she came out of the flower shop. Thanks Camille!

Here's the sign:





Kayla of course picked out the pink and purple rose. Lately she has been saying that purple is her favorite color.