We are back from vacation! I am trying to form some good, worthwhile goals for this year.
*I do plan to blog more, since I suck at writing in a journal and this is just a more public journal really.
*I do plan to be more organized with Levi;s preschools. That means more reading lessons a day, more reading out loud, and more work on numbers. Everyday but the weekend.
* I do plan to do better at FHE. I want Levi to grow up believing and trusting in his Heavenly Father. 
* I want to weigh 130 lbs.Dream big right?
Which leads to:
*Better eating and excerise!

Here is the beginning of 2013 summaries:

Jenny- stay at home mom. I've been doing missionary discussions, working out, recently lost about 9 pounds. Still couponing, but more laid back about it now, and trying to be work on a preschool for Levi. I am the new Sunbeam teacher, and hopefully I can get my new teaching companion involved. I am working my way through the new testament, and hopefully I will be done this year. I am currently reading 1Samuel.

Patrick- Still working for General Mills. Kinda hating it right now, and I am trying to get him to look around. He is the ward clerk, and loves it. He has been pretty interested in photography lately, and has been editing photos lately.

Levi - three and a half! Starting to repeat lots of the stuff I say back to me. Starting to READ! He can read two letters words pretty well, and knows all his letters and sounds. He can count to 25, and can identify those numbers pretty well. He knows colors and shapes, and is VERY social. He loves playing with other kids. He is growing out of 3T clothes, and loves Thomas the Train (especially Diesel 10), Diego, and Dora. He loves being read to, loves watching TV ( he gets maybe 10-30 minutes a day), loves play dates, the children's Museum, Gym day at church, and bouncing at pump it up. He has a sweet, sunny disposition and makes me happy. Lately he can't walk anywhere, it's been run, run, run. He is potty trained, although accidents while sleeping are common, and accidents while awake happen about once a week. He loves eating chipolte rice, peanut butter and jelly, pickles, yougurt, noodles and cheese.He doesn't really like potatoes or french fries. 

Levi's first Cookie making

At my mom's house, I made some sugar cookie dough and brought lots of frosting for the kids to decorate. Here is Aiden, Levi and Scarlett decorating their first sugar cookies!

Don't they look amazing? Here are all the cookies Levi decorated. Three hours of work so he can decorate 3 cookies. Totally worth it!

For some reason, there was a lot of eating going on as well.....

Levi worked so hard!

My New Resolutions

My resolution this year: Actually blog everyday. I know you must be saying.... Isn't that the resolution she made last year before she never blogged again for the rest of the year? Touche, my freind, touche.

Currently, we are at Patrick's parent's house celebrating the holidays. Here are a few pictures!

 Cheryl bought this ridic...I mean awesome snowman outfit for poor McKenzie. Good thing she is cute enough for anything. I think Cheryl might be planning to keep McKenzie in line as a teenager by threatening her with these kinds of photos. Bravo, Cheryl, Bravo.

 Here is Levi Christmas morning. What a cutie! He got some fancy underwear!

 Aren't these the cutest babies?

 Before we went to Patrick's parents' house, we were at my family. It was a very full week of fun! Here are Levi and Aiden and Scarlett hanging out like cousins do.

 As soon as I arrived in Illinois, I went to the Masonic lodge to set up for my mom's surprise 21st birthday party. She has NO idea she was going to get a party, and boy was she irritated when she figures out we were going to a party for her! She has spent the whole month telling everyone she did not want a birthday party and that she would be mad if anyone gave her one. So we pretended that her nephew was having a birthday party instead. She only figured out it was a party for her when she saw cars that didn't belong to her family but DID belong to friends of hers at church. She was kind of ticked at first, but she settled down after she realized it was an easy breezy affair, no stress, and no one revealed her age.  

 We had everyone decorate a light bulb from a string of oversized lights to go on her Christmas tree. the kids made some CRAZY lights1

 I brought a cake all the way from Minnesota from a lady whose cake mom LOVES.

 EVERYONE from mom's family came. Even the aunt and Uncle who are fueding came and kept it nice and peaceful. I was so glad that everyone showed that they loved my mom enough to put aside their differences and come for my mom.

 See the smile on my mom's face? She had a great time after she settled down.

It was a great party and it really kicked off my visit on the right foot.

Playing outside is fun but cold!

So Many Friends, so little time.....

Today we had a lot going on. We had a long play date in the morning, a short play date in the afternoon, and then we had people coming over for dinner with kids. So for Levi, it was a marvelous day!

Hahahaha here is Levi playing hide and seek.

The Children's Museum and the Park

Levi is going to tell you about his day. I am just going to type the words he says.
"I'm hiding behind the door"
I'm playing with water.
I'm putting glasses on.
I'm playing with cars. Bo? cars.
There's Levi, going up the stairs. Going up the slide. Going to the children's Museum.
I'm walking at Miles.
Going down the slide.
That's Levi! I'm doing some work. I'm doing it on the other picture.
I'm swinging with Miles.
I'm doing the bulldozer!

General update

Levi has begun Phase 1 of potty training. This is the phase where he actually wants to sit on the potty, but he has no REAL idea of what he's supposed to be doing on it. In fact, I go so far as to say that " Going to the Potty" really means " story time without pants" to Levi. He saw his friend pee in the potty standing up, and this is him trying to do the same. No luck though, he still hasn't gone pee on the potty yet.
He is however, drinking from a big boy cup at the table. We only use sippy cups at night and when he's walking around. Hurray for Levi!
Patrick is doing good. He's pretty busy with Scouts and work, but he was just recognized at work for being a mentor across I.T. teams. So he is really enjoying his job and enjoying playing a game called Civilizations.
Here is Levi getting ready to go on his first sledding trip with Daddy. Mommy had some Primary visits to do so the two of them went sledding together.