Helping Daddy mow the lawn.

Scarlet just loves to pose for the camera and she LOVES being filmed. Scarlet is continually blowing us away. She understands so much and just thirsts for knowledge. If her mind can wrap around it, and it's not going to scare her- I pretty much tell her how it is. It's really been blowing me away, how much it all is sinking in. We were in Primary and I showed a picture of the Sacred Grove and asked the kids what it was. Scarlet immediately shouted, "That's where Joseph Smith went and Jesus and Heavenly Father came!" I was literally speechless. I couldn't believe that she remembered all those specific details and that she knew that's what it was and not some random picture of trees. I really couldn't believe it. I was thrilled, but I was just shocked, honestly! I sort of wanted to cry! Another time we were reading scriptures, before bedtime, and we were reading about Angel Moroni and how he became an angel after he died, and she asked if that will happen to us, if we would become angels too. And then she asked if we would be resurrected like Jesus. Either she asked, or I said the word RESURRECTION and SHE asked, "like Jesus?" Either way, it sparked a really great conversation about resurrected bodies and I knew she was getting it all and I couldn't believe she was only 3. It just really thrills me that she knows so much about the gospel already. I had no idea she would understand so much, so early, and it makes me really glad we've made so much effort for her to learn. 

Even if she says funny things- you can see the connections in her head. Someone was making jokes about her baby brother (the one not born yet) playing guitar and I said he couldn't play guitar or even hold toys and Scarlet asked with a confused face, "He won't have any arms or hands?" and everyone started laughing but it was so sweet at the same time. She thought of it so literally- why wouldn't he be able to hold things? He must not have hands, why else wouldn't he be able to hold things? And she was so serious and really wanting to know why. She definitely understands right and wrong. She lied to me and confessed in all seriousness a week and a half later. I had no idea she had lied to me, completely believed what she had told me before. And she obviously had been feeling guilty all week and then finally confessed! I couldn't believe it! I could tell she was really concerned that she did something wrong and then lied about it, but really wanted to tell the truth and it was so brave of her to do so. It melted my heart. I felt so bad she was hanging onto the guilt, but was glad that it meant something to her and so we talked about repentance and "erasing mistakes" but it was a little hard for her to grasp.

She's constantly pretending and it's so much fun to experience with her and watch. I simply love it. For so long, it was so hard for her to do that and now it's so easy and natural. I just love it. She's so loving. She's constantly telling us she loves us and we love it. 

Since the snow melted, the weather has RAPIDLY been warming. We have spent so much time outside! I love it! The kids get filthy and have so much fun running here and there. They love to fill buckets with water and play with it. I'm thinking we're gonna have a lot more water play when it really gets warm. During the winter it was so hard to get out, it made me sad. I feel like we're definitely making up for it now. Yea! 

B is obsessed with wearing mittens and hats. Even if it's hot, he has to be wearing them. He is suddenly EXPLODING with words and it is so crazy. We are loving it. It's so cute. I had no idea he knew so many words and understood so much! It's really blowing us away! He's just entered the "speaking new words everyday" stage. It is fun and exciting. He has been such a little stinker about staying in his bed for naps and bedtime. I have to put in buns back in bed over and over and OVER again!!!! It's the worst! He's also been in the WORST stage of pooping 3 minutes after he goes down! What is up with that? Whether I put him to bed on time or late- within 3 minutes, poopy diaper. Does he's seriously wait for the opportunity to disrupt his nap? I seriously wonder! He is obsessed with Diego and the movie Brother Bear. He will actually sit through the whole movie. Crazy.

He's been getting REALLY ATTACHED. He knows something's up, because Scarlet did this too. He's constantly running up to me, mid play, and throwing a big long hug my way, then returning to his playing. And he'll do this all day! It melts my heart. He gives me real long snuggles, periodically, throughout the day. He said his first prayer!!! Greg just asked him one night if he wanted to pray and I was like, "What????" And then I just told him what to say, line by line, and he totally repeated! It was awesome! It was totally in baby language, but he was definitely repeating the words. He was really excited about it and so were we.

I just love watching my kids grow! It's exciting and a little mind blowing, all at the same time!

The belly is getting big. I have less than 12 weeks left. But honestly, everything's still going really well. I decided to stop zumba class, yesterday. I thought it was probably coming, as the last few classes have been more difficult, but I always thought, "Maybe it's just today", but yesterday- oh man. Most pathetic effort ever. 10 minutes in and I was dying. I just could hardly do it. And it's just not fun if you can't do it well. I would've left the class early, but I wanted to tell the instructor it was my last day (it's a really small class). But she didn't really care, so I should've just left and had my breakfast earlier. I'm relieved I don't have to be told not to do standing ab work and knee lifts. It gets really awkward and it just makes me so uncomfortable in class. I'm bummed I can't keep going, but I had a good run. I've worked out FAR more than my other two pregnancies combined. So I feel good about that and am hopeful for my next pregnancy (assuming we go for another babe).

I have been SO TIRED, lately. I've been in such denial my whole pregnancy, thinking I just am not effected by it, but I totally am and have been this whole time! I don't know why I thought I was different. I guess I was just hopeful I'd be one of these superwomen that can run their whole pregnancies. I just thought, "If they can do it, I can." But of course, everyone's different. Brighton just full on picked his nose and wiped it on my shirt, as I'm writing this!!! 

No matter how Greg and I try to get to bed early, it is just not happening. We'll stay up way too late talking. It's great, but it's the worst, because Brighton is consistently waking up at 6am EVERY STINKING MORNING and it is KILLING us. Last night I got less than 6 hours of sleep! It's completely showing in that I've done NOTHING, let the kids watch a LOT of tv, and I pulled out some frozen soup for dinner (thank goodness we had it!). I over did it, yesterday, ANYWAY and then did NOT sleep enough. Killer. I am seriously looking forward not being pregnant. I know I'll still be tired, but it's a DIFFERENT tired. It's a "I was up every 2 hours nursing" tired, not a "my body has stopped working. I can't even stand up and I don't really have a good reason why." And it seemed like after Brighton, I could push through it, but I can't push through my pregnancy tiredness. I literally just have to lie on the couch and wait it out. There's just no way around it. It just is. I'm excited to move on from that. And the peeing. So excited to move on from THAT stage.

In a week we should find out if we got one of our bids, for our next post. Hopefully we got one!!! If we did, it will be crazy to know where we're going next!!!!

I've been experimenting with natural DIY alternatives to beauty products- shampoo, shaving cream, face wash, etc. It's been exciting. I'll report on my success later. I tried to just stop washing my hair altogether. I must clarify- I mean I tried to stop washing my hair with SHAMPOO or CONDITIONER. I still shower and rinse my hair with water and rub it around, I just don't use shampoo. (I didn't include this detail, before, and Greg thought I was misleading everyone into thinking I have stopped cleansing myself altogether). I was sort of weaning myself, going 3 days between washing my hair, then 4, 5, etc. 'Till I pushed myself to 10 days! By then I was going crazy and just gave in and washed it and was feeling frustrated, afterward, until I tried baking soda and vinegar and have really liked it so far! It's been 4 or 5 days since I washed my hair and it's still going really good. We'll see as I go.

And I ordered this book about natural house cleaners I'm so excited to get. We pretty much already just use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning, but this book had laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, all kinds of other recipes other than all purpose sprays/cleaners, so I'm really excited to look through it and maybe finish off all the chemical products we're using in the house. 

Greg also discovered these make-yourself "probiotic sodas" we're actually REALLY excited about. We've been making the "start" you could say (sort of like when you start making yogurt and just keep going from there) and we can finally make the soda tonight! We're really excited! It's supposed to be like yogurt- nice raw probiotics that are super great for your gut and I'm really excited. Especially because Scarlet has tummy issues ALL THE TIME. I go through phases of worrying about her. It's so inconsistent. But it would be great if it helped her and if it tasted YUMMY instead of like YEAST. I'm hopeful. We'll see.

Yeah, so it seems like we're on another PUSH to be more natural and it feels really good. It's been awhile since trying anything new and "good" for us, but it feels nice and controlled and not OBSESSED. If all these things work out, I feel like I'll have almost covered all my bases! The last stop will be toothpaste. I don't know if I'll be able to make that transition. I haven't even looked into it- I just want to. I'll wait for everything else to settle in before researching and trying that.

After conference and a few other recent events, I've been really feeling the weight of certain responsibilities. My responsibility as a mother. My responsibility to protect my children. My duties/responsibilities of my faith, as a Mormon. Suddenly I just feel a weight. It's not BAD, I didn't think it would never come. It just feels ALL THE SUDDEN and it makes me feel OLDER. But I suppose that's part of going through life. I just thought I had some years before I had to have this mindset and specific focus.

EVERY NIGHT Greg and I have been watching Chuck and I seriously EVERY NIGHT dream about being a spy and going on missions with Chuck, Sara and Colonel Casey. SERIOUSLY!!!! Every night! It's the worst! I have crazy dreams every night. It was not like this with the other two.