FIVE

5 is my favorite number. My birthday is made up of 5's (10-25-85)... I'm sure that's why I like it.
Have you ever had to "pick a number, 1-10" in order to get something? We played it a lot as kids. My cousin and I used to fight over who got to pick the number first... she was born on the 5th of March.

5... it's a pretty number. Halfway to ten. Comfortable in it's own skin, not trying to be 4, not trying to be 6. Happy as it is. Five fingers on each hand. Five toes on each foot.

Today I like 5 for one more reason...

He has been MINE for 5 whole years.

A lot has happened since April 29, 2006.

We have had major accomplishments, minor set-backs, and A LOT of fun.

Five years brought us two precious little babies...

At age 20.5 (it goes along with the theme :) I had no idea what it would feel like to be 25.5... Now that I do, I wish I could have told my old self how much more I would love him now than I did then. But actually, I don't think I would have believed it was possible.

5 years later, I'm telling you, it is possible.

Here is to the next 5 years... 10 years... 50 years. Let's grow old together JJ. I love you!

High Heels and a Big Heart

Part One: Heart
We are trying to hold family home evening and teach Mary a lesson each week. Mary has enough of an attention span to listen for about 5 minutes, maybe 10 if it includes pictures. Last week we taught her about this:

The First Vision. I showed Mary this picture and pointed to Jesus and Heavenly Father. I told her who they are, and that they are the ones who listen to her prayers every day. She stared intently at the picture, looked at me, crossed her chubby little hands over her chest and said,

"I feel dat in my heart."

She repeated it again when I recounted it.

"Yeah, I feel dat in my heart." So quietly and reverently.

I have never said anything like that to her. It was one of those moments that I realized how close children are to the things that matter most.




Yesterday Ashton was fussing a little bit and I hear Mary talking in a high-pitched baby voice, "Hey Ash boy, I hear you. Yes, I hear you. It's alright. Yes I'm here. I'm here Ash Boy."

Last night she didn't want to go to bed unless "Ashton Boy" was lying
"wight there in dat bed by me!!"


Part 2: High Heels
Mary got a new pair of high heels she can call her very own. I am such a nice mom... she got to pick every single part of her outfit, including her accessories, and she didn't even have to ride in the cart (all of which can be quite a struggle with this little princess.)
Well, I should say that she has such a nice Dad, because without him, we wouldn't have had this luxury of walking everywhere at the grocery store. In this video, Jon is ahead of us pushing a 10 foot long plastic car cart with nothing in it but Ashton. It was a fun family excursion to the case-lot sale. I had a cart of my own, and a Mary to chase. (Good thing about the high heels is, she can't run very fast in them!)

I hate viewing movies with my head tilted to the side, so if you do too, don't watch this. If you don't mind a 60 second neck kink, then go ahead and watch Mary show off her fancy grocery store outfit.