Joshua Aaron Alan
12:43 PM, 7lbs 5oz, 19.5in

Sarah and Joshua are doing great.

This one pretty much sums up Noahs reaction to Joshua.

But Arwen couldn't get enough of being a little mommy.

Oh..it gets better. Noah wanted to join the badness!!

Charming isn't it!!

I don't know...do you laugh or cry when you have a day like this? I did a lot of both! If you know of anyone who wants some kids, I know of two that I will pay to get rid of...maybe the gypsies are looking for some kids...or the circus?? They were being so good--really QUIET, but good. They have been playing together so well latley. Today, they were in their room and I should have gone up. I really did notice that it was unusually quiet. Maybe next time I will trust my instincts! Then Arwen came down--followed by Noah. All she said was, "Noah painted me." So I fought back whacking her and laughed and took pictures. Then I had a bad thought...their room. I asked if there was any in the room. "Oh no, I don't know...do you laugh or cry when you have a day like this? I did a lot of both! If you know of anyone who wants some kids, I know of two that I will pay to get rid of...maybe the gypsiesmom." I almost died when I walked in. I cried and laughed--depending on what I saw was "painted." Oh man. The carpet is ruined forever. Anyways--KIDS FOR FREE!! I'm just starting over with Joshua on monday. Aaron keeps teasing me that I will have a weeks worth of vacation next week. After today, all the pain and agony really will be a vacation!! Oh, by the way--the "paint" is mascara!!
Love, JAS

We had an entire week of hot sunshine!! The kids had a blast playing out in the backyard. I got them a pool that has a blow up giraffe hooked to it that sprays water out of its mouth. Arwen loves the "camel" she named Kyle and Noah is afraid of him when he sprays. They had lots of fun putting all kinds of flowers and grass, and garbage in the pool. We are wondering if maybe that's why Noah looks like he's covered in chicken pox right now. Thursday Arwen woke up with a rash on her face and back and chest--everywhere I put sunscreen. Good old Noah had it all over his legs--everywhere I didn't put sunscreen. Now it's on his belly and arms. I don't know--maybe it is chicken pox, but he's not sick and doesn't scratch them!
Noah has gone to nursury for the last two weeks. We've taken him in asleep both times. There is an older couple in there and the husband loves to hold the sleeping kids. Yesterday, Noah woke up when Aaron was transfering him and dove out of his arms and said, "play!!" I talked with the wife when I went to pick him up and she told me that they bonded and she just loves Noah! Who couldn't love a rashy little kid with a million teeth who loves to cuddle!
We had a huge thunderstorm last night. It even down poured! It was so fun and smelled so good. Aaron was in the middle of it walking home from a fireside. Lucky!

Arwenisms:
We were talking about moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas and then about Heavenly Father. She told me that she really wanted to give Heavenly Father a hug. I told her that when we say prayers and go to church we feel His spirit and that is like a hug. She didn't like that answer, but it was a fun conversation.

Noahisms:
Aaron made the kids a movie. He scanned all the pages of "Where the Wild Things Are," and animated it and added cool sounds and music. Noah adores it and begs for it all day long. He is always saying, "Animals," or "Max!" It's cute, but gets obnoxious pretty quick!
Noah sometimes will talk in this really hig pitch voice when he is talking about something little or cute like babies or kitties. It's so sweet!!

Amy, I finally got to use my gift certificate from you. I ended up doing the Mother to Be package and got a massage and a foot treatment. It was so great and so much fun! Thank you so much!!

Have a great week! Happy Birthday Bethany!!

Love, JANAS

The kids have had a great time playing outside when it has been nice. It's great-I can just send them out by themselves and sometimes they stay out there for up to a half hour without coming to pester, or beg for food. Speaking of begging for food, Noah won't eat again--unless it's candy or chocolate. He begs for those every day when he wakes up. He's so naughty. Then there is Arwen-she begs for food of any kind all day!! What silly kids.

Arwenisms : She likes this show called "Bob The Builder." There is this character named Spud who is sooo bad and does bad things every episode. So she asks me, "Mom, what we gonna do with Spud?" I said, "Should we sell him to the gypsies, or put him in the circus?" (Those are our standard answers.) She says, "No. Mom, we just need to teach him." It was pretty cute!
The other night her and Aaron were playing with the food from her kitchen set. Aaron was getting bored of it and told Arwen that he didn't want any more food. Arwen said, "Dad, just tell me you want more and I'll tell you that you can't!" So she asked again and Aaron told her sure he'll have more food so she said, "Okay, just wait right here." What a little naughty thing.

Noahisms: He is talking like crazy. He says, "Hold you, " all day long. He has a little baby turtle and I caught him making turtle noises the other night. What's a turtle noise you ask? Well it sounds like, "Walk, walk!!" I think he's trying to quack, and it is sooo funny! He loves to dance and sing. He can sing the whole first line of Mary's Lullaby. Noah is a biter--at least he bites me all the time. I now have this scar on my arm from where he bit through my shirt a few weeks ago. What a little punk!

We hope all is well and that everyone has a nice Mother's Day!!
Love, JANAS

It has finally been warm here. Yea!! We set the trampoline up this weekend and Noah is already a pro at getting flopped around when Arwen jumps. No one has fallen off yet! They did whack faces yesterday and Arwen ended up with a bloody lip--now it just matches Noah. He has a blood blister on his top lip from falling on his face and a cut lip on the bottom from being a crazy monkey on the swing set.
I had recipe club this week. Heidi, I made the Spinach Poppy Seed salad we made when you were here. It was hit. All the ladies liked it the best!
Saturday we decided to go South. We went to the Temple first to see all the flowers. It was really pretty. The kids just wanted to play in the water though. Then we continued South to hit the Tulip Festival. The traffic was pretty bad, and then after stopping at the McDonalds play place, it was a little too chilly to go. We just went to the outlet stores because they have this awesome tree house that the kids like to play in. They must have had fun, because they slept all the way home. We also had really yummy ice cream cones there. It was a fun day!
Sunday morning, Aaron and the kids made cookies, then we all played on the trampoline in the nice warm sunshine. Church was nice. Noah was a wild man in Relief Society. It must be because we spiked his hair. I don't know, but he was out of control. He kept throwing all his toys and cheerios and screaming and laughing at himself. What a cutie! Then that night we went to a big Ward Choir practice. Our ward gets to sing at the dedication of our new Stake Center next Sunday. It should be great!
Happy Birthday Kelly! We hope you have a great day!

Happy Easter!! We had a nice day. We had a yummy ham dinner before church since our church is kind of late and when we eat dinner after, it's always at the kids' bedtime! The kids had fun hunting for Easter eggs in the morning and playing with their new little toys. Our choir did a really nice job with the Easter program. Aaron was in it--I stayed out this time to watch the naughty kids. After church we came home and made lava cakes. I think the last time I made them was when Matthew and Bethany were living up here. We wish they were here yesterday to share them!
Arwen gave her very first talk in Primary yesterday. She did so well. You could understand every word she said. It was really fun. Then, when we got home from church and we were eating dessert she looked really serious and started telling us about this movie they watched in sharing time. Her eyes got real big and she said, "Did you know Jesus died? The bad men hurt his body and back and tied him up and killed him. Then the people cried." It was so sweet that she was so concerned and really neat that we could talk with her about the Atonement. She wants me to call the Primary President so we can borrow the movie so she can watch it again. What a neat thing!
Noah is talking like crazy just in this last week. He brings me books and toys and says, "Open it." We finally fixed our doorbell that has been broken for 2 years and now he walks around pushing things and saying, "ding dong." When ever we tell him it's time to say the prayer, he folds his little hands and then will say amen at the end. What a silly. He's as crazy as ever though. When he and Arwen were supposed to be in bed, he climbed into Arwen's and then dived out and hit his nose on the book shelf. He gave himself quite the bloody nose--the second one this month! He's going through another stubborn phase and won't eat (well, unless it's dessert or ketchup!) It is driving me crazy.
That's all from us. Congratulations Matthew and Bethany! We can't wait to meet Dallin!
Love, JANAS

Arwen has said some really cute things lately. She has this theory that she has tried to convince me of a few times now. We were shopping for new clothes the other day and she found some care bear panties that she REALLY wanted. I told her that she really didn't need them--that she already has three pairs. So, she tried her theory out on me. She said, "Just give Noah peanuts, he will turn to a girl, then he can wear them when he is big." For some reason, she thinks if we give Noah peanuts (remember he is allergic to them) he will turn into a girl. Nice try Arwen. Then a while later she found some "best friend" watches. It was a pack with two care bear watches--one for you, one for your best friend. She told me that she really needed them. People were walking by and thought it was so funny and cute. I kept telling her that she really didn't need them and that she needed to put them back. Then she said," Well, if I don't get them, then who will? I really need them. If they are not mine, who will get them?" It was really cute, and it broke my heart to tell her no, but what does a 3 year old need with two piece of junk watches?? After she put them back, she walked back to me so slowly with her head hung low, looking so dejected.

Noah really loves to go outside. He says, "Side," and stands at the back window. He also says, "Play," a lot. He says it really cutely. We have a hokey pokey Elmo doll that he loves to death. When he is upset, I ask him what he needs and he perks right up and says, "Elmo." Too bad Elmo is so loud and obnoxious!! He is doing such a good job sleeping in his big boy bed and taking naps there too! Our sweet little boy only has three more weeks until he gets to go to nursery! Yea!!

I had a stake Relief Society luncheon yesterday where Janis Kapp Perry and her husband spoke. It was so good and so fun. Then Aaron had choir practice in the afternoon. Before he left though, we made shortbread cookies and dipped them in chocolate. So yummy!

Love, JANAS

We have had lots of fun since we have been home from our great trip down to CA!! The weather has finally been warm and dry enough that we have been able to play outside occasionally. Noah has learned how to climb the stairs at the park and go down the slide by himself. He loves it. Arwen makes a new little girlfriend everywhere we go and is sad to leave. She makes up fun little games with them. On Saturday, during conference, we made homemade toasted almond icecream, jersey topping, and carmel sauce. It was so yummy! Then on Monday me and Arwen made an angel food cake and we had strawberries, whipped cream, and cake for FHE. On Monday, we went to the zoo. Noah had lots of fun growling out the word, "Animal," at all the animals he saw. We all had fun riding the zoo train. Arwen really wanted to see the lions, but we never actually made it there. They both had lots of fun watching the sea lions swimming. We could watch them from below. They kept swimming in circles so we saw lots of them. Today, we went to the Children's Museum. It was pretty fun--tricky with two little kids wanting to run in opposite directions all the time! I think their favorite room was the water room. Noah managed to get soaked despite the fact that he was wearing the little rain smock. I think he had the most fun licking the tubs that the water was in. They also had fun in the Sesame Street room. Noah kept yelling, "Elmo," over and over. They both had so much fun they immediatley fell asleep in the car on the way home! Tonight we are going to play ultimate frisbee with some friends (well, I'm sure that means Aaron will play and I will run and yell and try to keep the kids from disrupting the game!).

Arwenisms:
Whenever anyone asks Arwen her name, she tells them her FULL name. But once at the park she said, "My name is Arwen...or Sissy. Yeah, you can call me Arwen or Sissy."

Noahisms:
Noah is now officially a big boy. He has his very own big boy bed in Arwen's room. He loves to play on his "jungle" bed. He has succesfully slept in there every night this week with Arwen. Yea!!
Happy Birthday Matthew (a little late!). We hope you had a great day!!
Love, JANAS