The Holy Ghost

Cole has always been very sensitive and aware of emotions. He gets really worried when anyone cries and loves to make everyone else laugh. Well, I am also very sensitive and I cry...a lot...even when I'm not sad.

The other day I was reading a conference talk and I started crying. Cole asked me why I was so sad and why the scriptures make me sad. I thought this would be the perfect time to talk to him about the Holy Ghost and how I feel the spirit. So I told him that I wasn't sad, but when I feel the Holy Ghost I cry. I told him I was the opposite of sad. The Holy Ghost makes me feel good inside and at peace, and sometimes I cry when I am happy.

I thought I was making perfect sense and that Cole was understanding. Then he said "Mom, remember the other day when I hurt my foot? I felt the Holy Ghost and cried too." So much for my logic. Now Cole thinks that the Holy Ghost hurts and makes him cry!

Motherhood is a tricky business.

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day is such a great holiday! It's all about showing the people you love that you really do love them. Even though I try to show my kids and hubby that every day, it's fun to have a day devoted just to that.

The kids are pretty easy to please and were so excited for their V-day surprises in the morning.

Ben was a little bit harder because he had an extra long day with his rotation that day, but I managed a few surprises for him. We had a really fun night as a family going out to eat and just loving being with each other!

Yesterday Cole had a Valentine's Day party with his friends at preschool. We got really into the box this year and ended up making Cole a "Valentine Express" for all of his Valentine's. Ben was very creative and Cole was super excited about it...even though Ben said I made it too girly :)

We had a really great Valentine's Day this year.

The best part about it is that today I am 14 weeks along with baby #3!!

We are so blessed to have so much love in our family!

Spreading the Love

We had a blast decorating Valentine's cookies for FHE tonight! Cole really got into the decorating...and Ellie really got into the icing :)

Cookies are always a fun activity...especially when it's time to eat them!!

If you got any cookies from us don't worry, I let Cole and Ellie eat all the cookies that they decorated and we gave the germ free ones that I decorated to our friends :)

Sledding!

We went sledding tonight for FHE with our friends the Pfeiffers. The snow had turned a little icy so the hill was fast and slippery...it was quite the thrill!

We all had a lot of fun, but Ellie was in heaven! She couldn't get enough of the sledding. She would laugh the whole way down and then beg to go again :)

Oh what fun it is to ride! Now I know why Ellie is always singing Jingle Bells :)

Snow Day

We are back in Iowa and we finally had a big snow storm! The kids were so excited. They couldn't wait to get all bundled up and outside in the fluffy white snow.

While Ben shoveled the kids started a snowball fight :)

(I think Ellie lost)

You can't have snow without a snowman, so after the snowballs Daddy and the kids built a snowman!

What a fun afternoon in the snow!!