Barrett is standing!!

I have been very neglectful of Barrett's newest accomplishments in my blogging lately! But...he has started (in the last week or so) standing on his own! It is so funny because he gets so proud of himself. He also doesn't fall very often - because he starts doing squats until he is low enough to just sit! I got this funny video of him today -

He loves my wooden spoon right now - and carries it with him all the time. He is also cutting his top 4 teeth - so he has 6 teeth now! He is almost 10 months old - and I can't believe how fast time continues to fly by- he adds such joy to our home and family!

Cleaning Product Shout Out!

I wanted to give a quick shout out to my new favorite cleaning product...

Lysol's Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes!

I love to try new things when they come out - some are not as great as the commercials make you think...

but these wipes lived up to the commercial and more!

One side is rough - so it helps you not have to scrub so hard to get left over breakfast, lunch, and dinner off the table and counters!

I love, love, love these wipes! So - go buy them and try them!

They are definitely worth the $2.93!

Super Tiger

Today was the first SUPER TIGER assembly at the twins' school. They have one every month to recognize different accomplishments in the school during the month! They give all kinds of awards and get to cheer for each other. And...the whole school wears matching shirts.

(I know ...it is all very exciting!)

The twins were very excited - to the point where Cayden could literally not sleep last night - he woke up every hour to ask me if it was time for school!

Each of the "specials" (P.E., music, art, computers, etc.) gave an award to the best class of the month - Hadley's class won 3 of those- and since she was the helper of the day - she got to go up in front of the whole school and get the award for her class. She thought that was awesome!

Here she is getting one - sorry the pictures are a little fuzzy - I was at the back of the auditorium.

Each teacher gets to give 4 awards for the class. One for academics, one for most improvement, one for teamwork, and one more - that I cannot for the life of me remember...maybe character?!? They call it "getting a paw" (because we are tigers...)

Cayden and Hadley both received the academic paw from their teachers. I am so proud of the twins for being two of the only readers in their kindergarten classes! Hadley's teacher has her read to some of the other kids in her class - which - as you can imagine - she loves to do!

Here they are standing up when the principal asked all the students who received academic paws to stand up!

(Their teachers were nice and let them stand together!)

This is the wall where they get to post their paw!

Here is Cayden's paw... Here is Hadley's paw...
It was fun to see them having so much fun during the assembly! They were both rocking out doing the tiger cheers that they learned! I am so glad that they both are doing so great at school and that they love going everyday! I miss having them at home - but it is easier knowing that they are having such a great time! (and, I am not going to lie... it is fun to get some things done while they are gone everyday!)

Way to go my Super Tigers - I love you both!

Called to Serve...

My little sister Ann got her mission call!!!

She is going to California - San Fernando mission - spanish speaking!

She leaves so fast - she enters the MTC on the 29th of October!

While I am sad that I won't be able to see her or talk to her for 1 1/2 years...I am so excited for her! She is going to be such a great missionary! She is such a hard worker - very dedicated! I know that she will be such a great addition to the San Fernando mission!

Ann - I am so glad that you are my sister! You are such a great girl - thanks for being such a fun aunt to my kids - they are for sure going to miss seeing you! We will be praying for your success - and we promise to send lots of letters - (and treats - since you are staying in the states!) Congrats and lots of love! :)

Hair Bows

I made these!!!

So - I am not trying to brag - because I know that many people can make much cuter and more intricate bows than these...but I was really excited to make these for Hadley.

These are my first bows to make by myself! It was so fun to find cute ribbon - and I saved a ton of money making them myself. I bought the alligator clips from Sally's for $4.99 for 100 - and I found all these cute ribbons at Hobby Lobby for $.99 a roll!

girls weekend - and my new computer...

I am so excited to have my new laptop! Devon got it for me! It is green and super cute - it matches my kitchen! Now I can blog all the time - and not have to wait for Devon to bring home his laptop!

This weekend I went to St. Louis with Devon's mom and his sisters for a girls weekend! It was great! We headed up on Thursday morning and stayed until Saturday night! Jen flew in from Utah and we had a blast!
We shopped, ate out at fun restaurants, and stayed up late - laughing and crying - mostly joyful tears! We also went to Time Out for Women - which was great! It was so fun just to be together! I love them all so much - it was great to have a few days to refill our spirits! Here are some pics of all of us together! (Barrett and Brock came along for the fun also!)

The other great part of the weekend was running into my long lost friend - Jill! She and I worked efy together long ago... she lives about two hours away now - so hopefully we can see each other more often! It was so fun to see her! She is such a great person!

in my next 30 years...

So today I am 30!

I am not loving the idea of no longer being in my twenties... but what can you do about it?? nothing! I guess everyone is saying that 30 is the new 20 so I should take comfort in that - but it is not really working - there is something about my age starting with a 3 that seems so weird!

It is my golden birthday though...30 on the 30th!

The song by Tim McGraw - In My Next Thirty Years... has been going through my head for the entire month of August - (feel free to listen from my playlist while you read...)and it has actually led me to do some real thinking about the first 30 years of my life - and what will happen in the next 30!

(so in the words of Tim McGraw..."I think I'll take a moment - celebrate my age, the ending of an era, and the turning of a page"...or here is some more personal history)

I was born in Salt Lake City - the third child - first daughter to Richard and Janice Phillips. My parents did not have health insurance when they had me - so I was paid for in full by them - I am pretty sure that is why I am their favorite! We lived in Utah until I was five - I even started kindergarten there - but a few months after I turned 5 - we moved to Plano, Texas! So - Plano is the home that I have always claimed! We lived in Hanover Park (just outside of Chicago) IL for three years (3-5 grades) - but the rest of school was spent in Plano - I was a Plano East Panther - graduating class of 1996! I can take some comfort in knowing that most everyone who graduated with me has already celebrated their 30th!

After finishing high school - I headed for BYU- (go cougars!!) I double majored in elementary music education and elementary education and graduated in 2001! I loved my time at BYU - I made so many great friends and had some fun jobs - I worked efy for 2 summers ('98 and '99) and also worked at Hogi Yogi - (I don't think there is a more Provo job than Hogi Yogi)! I also met, fell in love with, and married my best friend- Devon in 1999! (see the previous post for more about that...)

Once Devon and I graduated from BYU - we moved to Columbus Ohio - (where we knew no one...) to start Optometry school at The Ohio State University - (go bucks!!) We loved living in Ohio - we became diehard Buckeye fans for life and made many great and life long friends there! I taught kindergarten until the twins were born in 2003. They were born just a few weeks before Devon's finals and a month before his first set of boards - good timing right?!?! When Devon graduated in 2005 - we decided to move to his hometown - Willard Missouri - so that he could open his own practice here!

In 2007 - we had Barrett - our sweet little baby boy - who is getting bigger everyday!

There are so many wonderful memories from the first 30 years of my life! I know that I am truly blessed! I have made so many great friends - I have such a great family - immediate and extended!

There are so many things to come in the next 30 years- even as I have been writing this post I have started getting more excited and less depressed - blogging is such good therapy!