Things I don't want to forget...

BRANSON

• He thinks burping is just about the funniest thing ever. Anytime he burps he looks to see if anyone noticed, then says, "I burped!" and laughs hysterically with is adorable squishy face.
• He pronounces Starscream from Transformers, "Carcream," and I'm not correcting him.
• "Don't be mad Megatwon, be happy!"
• "I want my bwuhder" (when he's sad and wants Nolan).
• We are constantly admiring his playing skills. You wouldn't think this is an art, but it really is! He is so independent, creative, and just overall fun to watch play.
• One of my favorite things he does right now is he'll grab your hand and say, "come here." Then lead you somewhere, hand you a toy, and say, "you be him." Then he'll usually just have you hold the toy while he 'defeats' it by banging it with another toy until it falls. 
• He has at least 5 or 6 Star Wars guys in his hands at all times.
• His favorite toys at the moment are the two little lightsabers that came with the Star Wars Mr. Potato Heads. He carries them EVERYWHERE, and even takes them to bed.
• He was an absolute monster at bedtime for a few weeks, crying/screaming when we put him to bed, but he's much better now. Still doesn't like going to bed, but doesn't put up too big of a fight.
• Whenever I change him into his pajamas I'll get his pants on, then take his shirt off, and just as I'm about to try to get his shirt on he'll yell "wrestle!" and wrestle me to the ground. Crazy kid!
• He loves to jump. It's crazy how high he can jump and still land on his feet!
• He loves to lift up his shirt and say, "Look at my tummy!" (and sometimes makes you show him your belly too haha).
• Whenever we take his socks off he'll smile, stick his feet up, wiggle his toes, and say "smell my feet!" or "stinky feet!" until you sniff them and say, "ohh, yucky! stinky!"
• He does a pretty impressive dramatic death scene. If you get him with a lightsaber or 'shoot him with a blaster' he'll do a dramatic, "uh..." then fall to his knees, then crumple to the floor. Sometimes he'll even run into a wall or something else first haha. It's hilarious!
• He likes to put his hand behind his back and say to one of us, "guess what I fooouuund?" with an I-know-something-you-don't-know look, then excitedly reveal a long lost toy (or sometimes one we haven't seen in 5 minutes 😜) like, "ducky PEZ!", "Poe!" etc. 

NOLAN

• He is a master at bedtime stalling. Most nights I try practice piano right after they go to bed and I'll often hear rustling and sneaky footsteps behind me (so frustrating!). I tell him to come out and he proceeds to give me the silliest reasons he needs me. "My blankets are messed up" "Will you pack three oreos in my lunch tomorrow?" "I think I need to check that the DVD got taken out of the player." "I don't go to sleep until Branson does." etc etc. 😆
• He takes an ETERNITY in the bathroom. Seriously what is taking him so long?! He just plays around I think haha. Mostly he takes forever washing his hands. Oh and flips out (upset and crying) when we ask him to hurry up! Although recently he has just told me, "I can take as long as I want!" haha.
• He is an absolutely incredible reader for his age and even does well at comprehension. He can also do simple addition and subtraction.
• He loves board games! His current favorites are the ones we got recently Race to the Treasure, Cauldron Quest, and Dragonwood (and he likes to throw in Candyland here and there). Grandma also bought some good ones - Dinosaur Escape and Hoot Owl Hoot.
• On the way home from church one day he asked why mom and dad go everywhere he goes or something like that. So we explained that he goes to Jeanni's house without us, and at church he goes to class without us, and someday he'll go to school and mom and dad won't be there, just his teachers and friends. Then he started talking about, "well, what if kids are mean?" and "what if they're bigger than me?" etc. It broke my mama heart to hear him thinking about those kinds of things. I pray every day that he won't have to deal with mean kids and that he can find even just one good friend. But even if he does have to face jerk kids, I know he'll be strong, and I hope he always knows how much his family loves him!!!
• He refuses to laugh at Bransons attempts at jokes because he says they're "not funny" which we laugh at because Nolan still isn't quite sure how to come up with a good punchline haha.
• He is a walking IMDB. He knows who plays who in his favorite Disney movies and even knows what other characters the same person plays. For instance, he knows that Tony Jay plays Frollo and Shere Kahn in Jungle Book 2. 
• My absolute favorite thing he's saying right now is he'll say, "ARE YOU CRAY-ZAY?!" as a response to just about anything.
• He is a really good boy. He whines more than I'd like and stomps when he doesn't get his way and sometimes does things or says things just because he knows his brother won't like it, but that's pretty normal for a 4 yr old. For the most part, he's kind and easy to be around. My favorite is when I get to be with him one on one, he is a wonderful conversationalist and is so fun to be with!

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One family night we came up with our own list of Top 10 Disney villain songs.

"Make me the Emperor." - Branson

"Find me!" (one of B's favorite hiding spots :))

Just looking adorable in their snow gear on the way home from Jeanni's house.

Ugh, he's such a big boy lately :(

Most kids carry lovey blankets or stuffed animals around everywhere, B carries his light sabers.

Sneaking up to Shannon's house to surprise her with Valentine's Day cards and treats 💗

Valentine's for Jeanni!

They love their name in pancakes.

Branson is always putting on our shoes. Silly kid.

Kangaroo Zoo with the Carruthers who were in town this weekend!

About 40-50% of the time we'll come into the boys room before we go to bed and find B with a pillow on top of him. I guess this night Nolan joined him in the weird department.

Color Me Mine with Charlotte and Shannon for Shannon's birthday. It was so fun to have a girls night with these ladies. And I'm super excited about the special plate I made. I'm hoping to make it a tradition to use this plate whenever someone has a special day or simply does something worth celebrating!

This silly boy was eating salsa straight! I guess he got some of his Gm Mathews in him :)

Friday night at Noodles and Co. with Lis and Sara.

I love catching him reading on his own #proudmom 💗

The boys frequently fall asleep on the way to Gm and Gp Bailey's house. We got them inside, but they fell right back asleep.

Dinosaur Escape!

This kid kills me with cuteness.

#childhood

Family lunch!

Aww, they can be sweet to each other.

One of my new favorite pictures. Hiding in Gm Bailey's cabinets!

"Dear Toddler, Thank You For Loving Me at my Most Unlovely"

I saw this article and it really resonated with me. I'm trying every day to be more patient with my boys and figure out the balance between needing to be firm, but still showing them all the love and kindness they deserve. Sometimes when I lose my cool I feel like I'm failing miserably, yet every time, without fail, they will come back to me, often within minutes, and show me a pure love that I'm sure I don't deserve. I'm constantly amazed at their ability to forgive and forget and love me despite my shortcomings. It's no wonder the scriptures implore us to become like little children. They can teach us so much. 

Dear Toddler, Thank You For Loving Me at my Most Unlovely

BY CASEY HUFF

Sweet toddler of mine, some of the days we share are so darn long.

Some days, we don’t see eye-to-eye.

Some days are built of long, slow hours and filled with exhaustion, lost tempers, and irritated sighs . . . mostly my own.

My patience on these days goes from short to almost non-existent by bedtime, and I’m not proud to say that you usually catch the brunt of my bad mood.

Yet somehow, without fail, when I pull the blanket up to your chin and kiss you goodnight, you always grin up at me with pure, untainted adoration as you assure me that you really do love me more.

How do you do that, Little One? How do you love me so well and forgive me so easily even when I’m at my worst?

At just three years old, how do you have such a mighty grace to give?

There are times when I roll my eyes as you ask the same question for the 14th time, and I grow annoyed by the never-ending cries of “Mommmmy!” that fill every corner of our home.

I apologize for my mistakes, just to turn around and make them all over again.

I get worked up over the little things, like spilled sippy cups and crumbled Play-Doh scattered across the floor.

I get worn out, touched out, and burnt out—and I don’t do a very good job of hiding it.

I scold you when you don’t deserve it simply because it was me, not you, who woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Often my patience is too short, my voice too harsh, and I don’t give you the best version of myself.

But despite all of this, you give me grace.

Easily. Freely. Readily. Gladly.

When tears of frustration sting my eyes, you’re the first to wipe them away. When I raise my voice to you, you lovingly reach out your arms to embrace me. When I apologize, you look me earnestly in the eyes and tell me it’s OK.

When I mess up, you give me the chance to redeem myself—every single time, without hesitation.

You don’t hold grudges.

You don’t keep score.

The kind of grace you give is awe-worthy. It’s the kind of un-jaded forgiveness that only a toddler is capable of, and while I don’t often feel like I deserve it, I know I’ll never stop needing it.

So, thank you.

Thank you for accepting my humanness.

Thank you for being slow to judge and quick to forgive.

Thank you for loving me at my most unlovely.

Above all, thank you for teaching me so much about life even though you’re still so very small.

You may not realize it now, Little One, but with every moment you extend your grace to me, you’re helping me to find my own.

https://herviewfromhome.com/dear-toddler-thank-you-for-loving-me-at-my-most-unlovely/?fbclid=IwAR3RQyotywQfGc8wOLUPAXcYsQmvhf-n0m-z8zBfFaFnGBwjmoq139R0Cbw 

Nolan's First Primary Talk

Nolan gave his first talk in Primary on Sunday and he did so well! I am so incredibly proud of him! I wondered if he would get nervous and not want to speak in front of a group, but he didn't even hesitate. He confidently walked up to the podium, grabbed the microphone, and started reading. 

The leaders absolutely could not believe that he was READING his talk!! I looked over at Heather Johnson, the Primary President, and her jaw was basically hitting the floor. Then Sister Longson got up after he was finished and said, "just as a reminder, Nolan is only a CTR 4!" I am so glad the church gives kids (and adults) opportunities to speak in front of groups at such young ages. I'm sure it builds so much confidence in them! It sure did for Nolan. He was absolutely beaming when we told him what a good job he did.

I cannot get over these pictures of him prepping before the meeting 😊

When we got in the car after church I asked Nolan if he got nervous at the beginning of his talk, but he confidently said no way, he wasn't nervous at all!

❤❤❤❤❤ 

After church we went to Gm and Gp Bailey's house "for the Super Bowl." I don't think anyone really watched it, even Justin, but it was one and it gave us an excuse to have an appetizer dinner (my favorite!)

Branson was so cute walking around with his stuffed cheeks and bowl of food. And grandpa figured out this cute little table just for him!

Nolan was so excited to play his new favorite game 'Race to the Treasure' with grandma! She was a good sport and played probably 5 games with him.

Of course we had to play some Pac Man!