The one with Rocks Rocks Rocks.

I mentioned before that I got Luca a tiny Book of Mormon this week at deseret. We brought it to church with us today and he carried it all around before Sunday school started. The way he's holding it is the exact reason I bought it. It's just the cutest thing ever. 

He loves to flip through the pages, and find pictures for me to tell him the stories of. 

After church luca ran right over to knock on Blake and Analias door. 

The missionaries came for lunch, and a ridiculously over baked cake. I cannot bake. I need to stop trying. They all ate a ton anyway. Good sports. Transfers are this week, we are hoping we get to keep all of our guys! 

Since we had such a hard night last night and daylight savings today, I wanted to make sure luca was all tired out for bed (which didn't work out by the way) so we took a walk and let him play outside for a bit. 

He's been loving the tiny bit of snow left in the front yard and has to walk through it any chance he gets. 

Then the rocks. During Sunday school we ended up outside and he found rocks and threw them around, and then put them all back right where he found them. 

He's been obsessed lately. He feels the need to pick everyone up he sees, that is big enough of course. 

He found a bunch in the front yard tonight and had the time of his life. 

He banged them together, broke them up and laughed and laughed. 

One of these times he will smack his own head tossing those as high as he does, but for now he's good. 

He started to line them up all pretty on the welcome mat....

And then didn't. 

I laughed in my head when my OCD found that completely wrong. They are rocks. So clearly they need to be organized. 

He carried all the ones he could hold all around and threw them all over the place. 

This is his current collection out front. 

He proceeded to make phone calls all night long and tried to use it as a way of getting out of going to bed. That didn't work so well. 

Even though it's so cute. 

He whined in his bed for over an hour tonight, luckily it wasn't his gag-inducing screaming like last night, and he eventually fell asleep. I pray he is out for the night now. 

My parents got me a pass to thanksgiving point for my birthday!! I am so excited! They have so many things to do and places to go! Luca and I are going to check it out this week. Sara is planning on getting one too, so we can all go together! 

The only thing that would make it better is if our buds still lived right next to everything there and could join us!! :) we miss you Kelly and Thomas! 

Sara you get on that! 

The one with a day out.

We got new missionaries this week--Elder Haite from Boston, and Elder Wright from South Carolina.  We took them out to lunch at pizza pie cafe so we could get to know them.  Luca loves the missionaries. 

They basically ate their weight in pizza--so totally worth taking them out!  Buffets all the way for missionaries!

Elder Balledos wanted me to tell you all this joke.  What does little caesars use to cut their pizza? 

I'll let you think and tell you the answer at the end.   Good luck to all.  

Luca is really into blowing on his own food.  That is what he is doing in those top two pictures.  Blowing on his pear.  It really needed it I am sure.

Jose, Elder Haite, Elder Wright, Elder Balledos, Luca.

We are so excited to have awesome new missionaries and to get to know them better!

It has been so nice out Luca and I have gone to the park a few times already! Its the first week of February.  I can't believe it!! But I am loving it.  Mom and Nicole come to the warmth!!!

This particular day we just needed to get out, so we went to the park, but we only lasted like 10 minutes because it started to rain.  But Luca had a blast anyway.

Separation Anxiety has hit full force.  My goodness.  He will not go to anyone if I am around.  Not my in laws, or my sister in law, or anyone new of course.  Our doctors appointment today was super fun.  But I will do that in a different post. 

We came to Sara's today, and he even flipped out when I had to go to the bathroom and he stayed with Sara!! Its blowing my mind.  It's sweet, and I love when he just wants me, but it is making it so hard if I have to leave him somewhere!  I hope it doesn't last too long. 

It has transferred to bedtime a little bit too, he flips out if he wakes up at cries and cries.  When I go in there he hugs me so tight and won't let go.  I am sure his teeth that are popping in have a little to do with that, but not all of it.  So I hold him for a bit, but he wont sleep if I rock, we just have to sit still in the chair.  Sometimes I forget that and wonder why he is still awake, and then remember, stop rocking and he crashes.  I love being cuddly with him, and I almost want to stay there all night long once he is asleep.  But then he does not.  When he moves to try to get more comfortable he can't find a new spot so he points at his bed to be put back down.  So I do, and he usually is good for the night.  

Ps. What does little caesars use to cut their pizza?

The answer was: little scissors.  Get it??? Hahahahaa. 

The one with a climber.

Well. Looks like I can't leave my child alone downstairs anymore. 

At least when I am cooking or baking. 

See those brownies up there? Exactly what this crazy smartie pants is headed for. 

Yes. People. I made brownies. And they actually turned out and were delicious!! I don't remember that last time that happened. But. It wasn't easy either. 

Jose and I just wanted something sweet--and with all this water I'm drinking, or that's what I'm telling myself it is, I haven't wanted candy or my normal sweets!! Weird I know. So we found a box of brownies. Jose started them, but was too into his conversation with the Elders to even open the box so I took over. But then we didn't have any oil. Seriously. That's how little I bake. I had no idea we had none, and have no idea how long we had none. Whatever. 

I called my sister in law--but she was at work, and my mother in law was taking her and my father in law was out of town still. So nobody answered or was home for us to go get some (the second time today we have asked for food related items by the way). 

I texted a few friends that live in the neighborhood but nobody answered. After about an hour my mil called back and said we could have some--but she was getting in the shower so she would just leave the door unlocked for me. 

Yeah. It wasn't unlocked. Jose called her again, and she came down in her towel for me to get oil. I felt bad. She thought she had unlocked it earlier, but I guess it was already unlocked and she locked it. 

Anyways. I got it home, made them, baked them and they were oh so good!  Yay! I'm as impressed and surprised as anyone. 

Anyways. Back to my climbing child. 

I

He discovered the drawer today--which I keep empty--only because I can right now, I don't need that space. He climbed in and hung out for a bit--and then he decided he would try it out as a step stool. 

It worked. 

I got my pictures real quick, and then discussed the fact that this is dangerous and we do not do it. Then I shared my brownie with him. Who knows if he caught that lesson or not. We shall see. 

Crazy head. 

Today the missionaries came for lunch--Elder Boyles is finally being transferred this week--we will miss him! He got to stay so long and we loved it!! 

Elder Balledos is from the Philippines--and he and Matt had some fun conversations today. They both had a blast doing it apparently. 

That all looks like complete jibberish to me. It's so amazing how many languages there are!! 

Luca has been actually "cooking" things lately in his kitchen. He gets his pan all ready--on the stovetop which makes a bubbling noise--and then he finds whatever he wants to cook and adds it in. Today ketchup had a turn, and some of his balls. 

I love watching his imagination soar. 

We watched several YouTube videos with President Hinckley and about the last days and signs of the times. 

And luca soaked in all the attention he got from them. They are so good to play with him. 

This past week I discovered something. That probably shouldn't have taken me so long. When you have an island. Keep it clean and clear. It makes the whole space look neater!!! Really. I know I should have known this before. Whatever--I like my fruit bowls. I wanted them there, but not anymore! 

Even with messy counters behind it still makes it look 20x better!! 

That's a new goal of mine. 

We finally got all caught up with sick time of no cleaning and no more being sick--for me anyway. Jose now has the cold/cough. Ew. And it better not come back to me. 

That is what happens when you are all sick for days--and you only have enough energy to stand to fill the dishwasher once a day. It takes at least four days to get them all done. Fun. But at least they got done!! 

And now my sink is completely full again from lunch. Such is life. 

That won't take me four days though. At least I pray it won't. 

The one with our Thanksgiving.

Well skip back even farther. Thanksgiving. 

We had Jose's family and the missionaries over. My stupid turkey didn't defrost all the way so it took forever and and ever again to cook. That was annoying. 

Luca and I started the day with the parade and some crafts. We made a handprint turkey and he loved to color it! 

Snack time! 

The night before when I was getting stuff ready and making salads and things he found a new place to play. It's been his favorite for a while. And now he picks the bowls up. So those are waiting for a new home. 

Yum. Turkey. Or at least that's what you think until you cut into it. 

Everything else was delicious though. Thankfully. 

My mother in law and sister in law helped with all the dishes and cleaning up which was so nice. That's the hardest part of thanksgiving.