Mommy's Little Piggy

So at dinner tonight, we discovered that Cole sounds just like Randi, "Mommy's little piggy" from "A Christmas Story", when daddy was being funny. So Jace started saying, "are you my little piggy? Oink, oink!" and Cole would crack up laughing & sounding just like Ralphies little brother again & again.
So of course, we're dieing laughing. Its one of those moments in life were it's def. fun to have little kids to have an excuse to be silly with.

~My very sweet & talented husband wrote this for me in smiling memory of actual events just before

Christmas & then surprised me with this poem in my stocking on Christmas day.~

  

Christmas Day, In Three

~ All before 12:33 ~

T’was three days before Christmas, when my phone did ring,

A recounting of events of the day she did sing.

It was a ballad of sadness , she was feeling quite blue,

The following highlights are not exaggerated, every bit of it’s true.

Early that morning, when all through the house,

Karis was juggling kiddos, she is a great spouse.

The children were clothed, all bundled up with care,

For a quick pass by Walmart and some shopping in there.



The circus began, as is usually the case,

A stroller for twins and Cole on a leash in that place.

She tied Cole to that sleigh so he wouldn’t run,

And to reach for a purchase, that’s when began the fun.

When while reaching for something there arose such a clatter,

She whipped around to see what was the matter.

And what to her wondering eyes should appear?

Cole had pulled over the sleigh with the boys and her gear.

Her purse and her bag emptied in a flash,

The twins bonked their heads hard on the floor in the crash.

Can you imagine the sight of that which you’d see?

Needless to say, time to close Aisle 3!



Merrill and Grant, of course, screaming, and Cole stood in shock,

Hands shaking, she thought, “This is no cakewalk.”

Two Good Samaritans held and soothed the two kids

As she gathered up all and placed the sleigh on its skids.



Medicine for little heads and snacks for all,

Then Cole needs to run for the bathroom stall.

After that wrestle and with boys growing tired,

From her job she wouldn’t mind if she were fired.

Still, she plunges forward, “Forget the rest. Let’s check out.”

“No time to look at cars, Cole”, which made him more than just pout.

The scene causes grandmas to smile and cheer,

And recent-weds to think “Best to wait one more year.”

“On, Coco! and Merrill! yes, Grantito, too!

Please end this circus and show, I am through.”

Once packed in and buckled and ready to go

Cole insists on holding the cinnamon rolls

To avoid another chapter or more terrible scenes,

She permits him to hold them, you know what that brings.

“Be careful… don’t open” she cautioned with hope,

What she found when at home almost brought tears – need soap!

Christmas breakfast is ruined, cinnamon dough in his lap

Wishing they all could just go down for a long, long nap.

And that’s when she called me, but that’s not nearly the end,

More feedings, time outs and whining was the trend.

All this as we spoke, then as the story wound down,

A crying baby appeared at her feet on the ground.

I was impressed as I heard her exclaim with great care

“Hello little one. Oh! Your diaper is messy in there.”



In quick moment I thought how wonderful is she,

After this morning she’s still loving, how could this be?

Then the baby got to it, performing his work,

She yelled what happened ending my thoughts with a jerk.



As if all weren’t enough, and it beggars belief,

“He throw up on me!”, she cried, lending no sign of relief.

I looked at my clock as our goodbyes we did say,

I was shocked to realize, “That’s only HALF of her day!”



And so it goes on any average day, you see.

When I hung up the phone the clock read 12:33.

What tremendous love and a great heart has my wife,

With whom else would I want to share life?

A woman and mother as she is quite rare to find,

More and more I am grateful to be with her entwined.

We are blessed! And we’ll keep our boys, please,

Even with times as what took place on Christmas Day, in three.



You are amazing, Karis! I love you.



Jace Stapley, December 24, 2010



How we do story time at our house

Cole almost always wants to come to "story time"

for the twins.

 Even though he gets his own story time every night,

it never hurts to have more book time.

That double rocker turned out to be a much needed

blessing more than we could have ever thought since

we got that for Coles nursery before he was born.

We've been practicing the last few months to learn to sit & be ready for nursery

in just 2 1/2 short months.

Mommy's excited for that since it's quite the circus

in Sunday school & Relief Society to keep

them corralled in the far back corner between the

double stroller & folding chairs.

Their such good babies & also want to

go, go, go & explore!



Santas Firetruck

Yesterday, our small towns firetruck was going through the neighborhoods

honking its horns real loud to spread some Christmas cheer.

They had Santa with them & were stopping at homes & handing out little

goody bags to the little kiddos that came outside to see the commotion.

When I saw the firetruck at our neighbors house across the street,

I was worried something happened to one of their kids,

till their mom came out with the camera & Santa jumped off

the side of the truck.

So I grabbed Cole & ran outside with him to wait till

they came back around.

When Santa asked Cole what he wanted for Christmas,

he was so cold he couldn't answer, so of course I told Santa; cars! (What else would it be?!)

The temps were somewhere in the 30's.

And unfortunately, that little snippet of film was all Jace could get since the memory

card was full. I need to be quicker at clearing it off. Especially since I take tons of pics so often. :)

All in all, Cole thought it was great!

Ring Around the Rosies

This was a hit for FHE last night.

It being A new favorite around

our house these days, it's only natural that it was

done several times of course.

*To pause the music, scroll to the bottom of our blog where the playlist is at.

Teenage Dream Dancer

*To pause the playlist music, scroll to the bottom of the blog

Whenever little Grant-Grant hears music, he's either swaying, bounce'n up & down or be-bop'n.

And Merrill, he likes to make the music by drumming on everything.

So if we could get Cole to do vocals, then we'd be set as,

 "The Stapley Brothers Performers"
or something just as cheesy. :)

Have you heard of Her?

I've recently discovered her music & love it!

I think my favorite of hers would be . . .

A

 In The

Peek - A - Boo Giggles

I can't believe I actually caught this hillariously sweet moment between the twins.

Too fun!

Messes, Messes, Messes . . .

Here are a few of the messes my sweet innocent boys have made over the last 3 months. :)

That new Sponge Bob soap is just too tempting!
(Lucky I caught it when I did! And no, for some odd reason, that sink does not
have a top basin drain. So, it would have flooded!)

The Sunday paper! What fun!

(I'm just glad I'd already gotten my weekly coupons out,

& didn't mind too much since we really don't read the paper anyway)

I actually let them have at it, & then Cole got to
help me clean it all up & then everyone got
into the tub since they had black ink all over them.
That was a fun, one timer.

Covered in grass from head to toe, while enjoying the Buzz Lightyear

water-rocket.

I knew it was too quiet . . .

Cuz they were all enjoying snack time! Hooray!
The twins had figured out how to get into the cabinet
with their baby snacks & Grant knows how to open the lids
with his bottom teeth.

Sneaky, sneaky!

Bathroom doors stay closed at our house now.
If not, then we usually find this . . .



And what a blast they have!




It's drum time too!




Snack time for twins + art time for Cole =  A painted baby
(Good thing it was just water paints)



Mmmm . . . Yumm! Desetin!
(Which is incredibly hard to get out of fabrics)



Both of them were in on the action, but Grant was the culprit
since he can get lids open with his teeth.
(This all happened in less than 1 minute when I went to help big
brother finish up with the potty)





And yet these sweet little messes are mine & my hubby's.
And I'm glad for all those times when I chose to run & get my camera,
for we will be able to look back on those moments years from now
& laugh.

 

Strangling Your Husband is NOT an Option!

     I 1st heard of this book way back in April at a Quarterly Enrichment Relief Society night. The whole evening had to do with marriage & dating your husband.  One of the sisters teaching one of the classes discussed the "5 Do's & Don'ts" of "Wife hood", which intrigued me & was fantastic. During the class she stated that she has read & reread & reread this book. And you could tell from the wear & tear of it.

    So, a few days later, I went on line & ordered it for pretty cheap! (Try: half.com)  I also ordered with it a few other books I'd been eyeing as well. So unfortunately, it got set aside for a time to focus on a couple of other great books.

     It takes me quite sometime these days to get through a book, since finding quite reading time can be hard to come by these days with the little munchkins! :) However, when I "re found" this book about 2 weeks ago, I've had a hard time putting it down! I was going through a tall stack of books in our room that I was organizing & came to this book in the stack. 

     The only way I can describe this insatiable need to share this book with other woman is the feeling people get when they believe so much in the Gospel & just want to share their testimony of it with everyone around them because you want them to be as happy as you have felt!

     I have highlighted & made notes in the margins & learned so much already that I want/need to do/ start doing again.

    O.k. So the tittle of this book is quite cute & funny. This book is actually, about becoming a BETTER & WISER WIFE. Which can start from the moment you read the very 1st chapter.


    Whether you've been married 1 month or 50 years, this book is oh so beneficial! AND! I'll add those woman who are of the "marrying age" & thinking about it or are engaged. (There are things in this book that I'd wished I'd known from the start!)

So without further adieu, I will share some of my favorite excerpts of the book with you that I LOVE!

Wifehood "Don't" # 1 : Don't put other people before him.

     The Lord commanded us to cleave unto our spouse & none else (D&C 42:22). Of this commandment, President Spencer W. Kimball taught: "The words none else eliminate everyone & everything. . .

A husband or wife who places children, friends, careers, hobbies, or church callings before the marital relationship is "in direct violation of the command: None else."

Quiz : Are you married to Your Husband or Your Kids?

True or False

• Do your children stay up past 9:00 or 9:30pm in the main family area? (Or, if you have older teenagers, do you have separate places where they can go so you can have alone time?)
• Do you go out with your hubby, without kids, at least three times a month?
• Have you been gone overnight without your kids & with your husband within the past year?
• Think about the last time you bought your kids a treat- do you buy your hubby a treat just as often?
• Analyze your conversations with hubby when it's just the two of you-do you spend more than 50 percent of the time discussing the kids?

Each of these areas is telling to see if you are putting other things or relationships ahead of your husband.

Wifehood "Don't" #3 : Don't speak ill of your husband.

     A husband's name & reputation are sacred things. Treating our husbands w/ respect & extending that respect to protecting their privacy are crucial to being a smart wife.
" . . . what a refreshing change to hear woman who by & large are complimentary of their husbands & speak highly of them. (not husband-bashing)."
Think about it.  How would you feel if he talked about you the way you talk about him?
    What we are doing is allowing our husbands the privacy to change & improve. There are things that we used to do as wives months or years ago that we no longer do. We have changed. We have hopefully improved. By keeping quiet to others about our husband's failings, we allow him that space  & time to change & improve as well.


Wifehood "Don't" #5 : Don't kill what worked at the beginning of the marriage.
Ex. Getting fixed up.

     In the beginning of the marriage, & indeed throughout your courtship, you looked good. A lot! You knew that you would never attract a husband if you looked lousy.
[Merrillee's moms "Best Advice # 7"] 
     "He's surrounded by babes at work. He doesn't want to come home to a slug." Think about it. Wherever your husband is, he sees women who take care of themselves. They had to dress up to go to work. They look good. But he comes home to you. What does he find?

     All those things that worked in the beginning of the marriage will work now. So take time to look good. Talk a lot. Go do the fun stuff you used to do. Compliment him. Flirt with him. Spend time with him.


Wifehood "Do" # 1 : Do honor your parents.

     One important way is to keep them out of your marriage intimacy. President Kimball expressed this well: "You love them more than ever; you cherish their counsel; you appreciate their association, but you live your own lives." Good advice from a prophet.
     We need to honor our parents' privacy & our own. This requires a clear boundary between the two marriages. You should not confide private, marital things to your parents (and frankly, they should not discuss theirs with you!). Honor them by not burdening them with your petty complaints about your husband & your marriage. Respect them enough to keep quite.


Wifehood "Do" # 3 : Do value yourself.

     What is one times one? That's right. It equals one!
One full partner with one full partner equals true oneness in the marriage. Now, what is one times zero?
Yup. It equals zero. So what does this mean? It means if you treat yourself as a big fat zero in the relationship, nothing good will be the result.
     The best wife is a true person. She develops her own unique gifts & abilities & is constantly evolving & growing.
     It is the duty of each woman to come to know & accept & enjoy being herself.
     One of the greatest mistakes wives make is to stop growing. They tend to mistakenly conclude that they snagged their man & can now coast to the celestial kingdom. Actually, that wedding is only the very first baby step in a series of steps that will lead you there. Now is not the time to sit down. It is the time to value yourself.


Wifehood "Do" # 5 : Do value your commitment.

     A dear friend said to me one day, "I want the same testimony of my marriage as  I do of the Church."

 The seriousness & importance of our marriage cannot be taken lightly.

     Realize that your husband is you eternal companion. Learn to look at him that way.
Elder Lynn G. Robbins sums this up: "Scripturally, the Lord is very clear with us on this doctrine - you can't 'fall out of love,' because love is something you decide. Agency plays a fundamental role in our relationships with one another. This being true, we must make the conscious decision that we will love our spouse & family with all our heart, soul, & mind; that we will build, not 'fall into,' strong, loving marriages & families. 'Don't just pray to marry the one you love, Instead, pray to love the one you marry'.


    One of my favorite lines from this book is, "I want the same testimony of my marriage as  I do of the Church."

This book has changed the way I view my role as a Wife, a person, as a whole & my marriage as a whole.

     Since reading this book I have strived to remember these little everyday things that I can do to improve myself & keep my marriage strong & growing.

You really can be madly in love with your husband for years to come! (even if their not perfect! :)

     Even if your marriage is great, there is still things to be learned in this book or reminded of or great ideas to be gained.

   While reading this book, I've realized that there are things that I can definitely improve upon as a wife for the livelihood of my marriage.

     I love my husband dearly & am grateful for the 6 years we've had together to learn & grow through the ups & downs. Our marriage has especially bloomed to something greater than ever before in the last 2 years.
I believe there really is something to the need of being on your own & having to really rely on each other for strength. It brings you closer together.

     I share these truths with you, that have been shared with me, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

6 Yrs. Running

1 out of state move,

2 houses,

&

3 kids later, we're still Eternally Bound!

My how life can change in 6 quick years!

Life, & the Lord has made us stronger.

 Individually & as a couple.

I love my husband dearly!

He works so hard for us making the "monies"

 (as Cole would say it).

He is thoughtful.

Helpful with kids & house.

Hard working.

Great cook.

Generous.

Good teacher.

Good organizer.

&

A great friend.

He is my best friend. :)

Happy 6th Anniversary Honey!!

I look forward to our 60th!

I'm soo excited for

THIS!

It's my guidance to live by for the next 6 months

of my life (and then some :).

My family & I will be spending our Saturday & Sunday watching & learning from this man . . .

& these men. . .

along with many other great leaders.

I know, for us, there is no better way to spend mine & my families weekend together.

Please watch, learn, & enjoy!

IF,

 You could go back to right before you had your 1st child . . .

What would you tell yourself?

Here are some mothers answers

 HERE.

Enjoy! I know I did.

Thanks for sharing Mom. :)

For kicks:

You might also enjoy

This.

It's great for a quick laugh. :)

Two 1st Birthdays

Waiting for the big moment to begin! The boys had never tasted of

any sort of cake, cookies, ice cream, frosting, or the like until

their 1st Birthday(just the cupcakes, not all of the above). We're pretty sure it was a hit! They also

tried pizza for the 1st time & inhaled it!

We sang Happy Birthday to each of them individually & watched

them each for a few minutes get into their own cupcake.

What? Do I have a little  . . . ? What's so funny?

GRRRRR!!! Attack it!

Oh yeah! Power to the frosting!

There's still some left! I'll just clean that up for you mom!

Hey Dad! You've got a little somethin' on ya.

So after some quick wash down bathes, it was time

for their 1 big present.

Cole could hardly STAND, not opening it!

I had to finally hide it for a couple of days since Cole

would ask quite frequently if it was time for the twins

to open their gift (so he could play with it :).

Something New!! Ooooo!!

Here Dad, we'll just help you put that together. :)

And their off! To the baby races!

We figured this gift was a good idea since the little walker toy we already

had was consistently trying to be used/walked/played with simultaneously

which would result in one or both of them falling over the other

while trying to walk together. :)

It was a winner for sure! With all 3 boys. :)

We love you so much Merrill & Grant!!

You guys are such sweet little munchkins!

Happy 1st Birthday Merrill & Grant!

Hooray for Merrill & Grant! They've survived their 1st year of life together!

And we've survived them! :)

Grant is a giggly one! And a talker! He jabbers on & on.

He's our little lightweight. And is very active.

This is all as of right now, since they seem to flip flop on

their personalities.

Merrill only talks when he's really got something to say!

We think he lets grant do the talking for the both of them.

Although he was the 1st talker of the two.

Merrill's our little drummer boy. He loves to drum on

everything! Merrill's our big boy who likes to "tumble" around.

They both like to Be Bop to music, play with big brother Cole (especially

in their pop out tunnel's), bath time, books, the swing set, baby Einstein, to giggle

a lot & play by each other.

They can hardly stand not touching the books when I read to them.

It gets kinda crazy with 4 little hands grabbing at the book

while I'm trying to read to them. :)

Those big grinned smiles are contagious Mr. Grant!

And Merrill does the same impish smile I did when I was a baby.

They don't like playing with out another brother around.

They have such good demeanor's & are such happy

babies!

Happy 1st Birthday Merrill!!

Happy 1st Birthday Grant!!

1st Day of Preschool !!!

Cheese!!!
Cole was sooooo excited to go to school!
He's been waiting for school to start all summer!

Hooray! Day # 1 !

Our 1st child on his 1st day of school. He's getting so big!

He'll get to go 3 days a week for a 1/2 day at St. Stephens Preschool in Bentonville.

His teachers are Miss Susan & Miss Robin.

Cole is in the Caterpiller age group this year.

Next year, he'll be a butterfly.

Cole was excited to get to bring his Lightening McQueen back pack to school finally.

And even baby brothers were there to show their support. :)
They're such good babies!

Coles 1st activity of the day while all the kids come in.
Playdough is a good one! He jumped right in.

Jace & I are very excited for Cole to attend this school. They have a
wonderful curriculm that is state approved with fantastic teachers in a Christian based
environment.

When it came time for us to go, I told Cole that we had to leave & he was so good; he just said,

"Ok. Bye mom. Bye dad. Love you!" And that was it! No fuss or worries!

And when we came to pick him up, they brought him out to us in the car line

& they said he did great. No tears.

Cole said he loved playing outside on the playground & on the way to lunch, he kept

singing, "Happy Birthday to Cole" because appearently there really was a girls birthday

in his class that day. But, ya know, Cole's name sounds real good there, right? :)

Then we all ate lunch together at Chick-fil-A.

Cole is not featured in these photos since he was off playing

majority of the time in the indoor play place.

The babies had a blast playing on the booth seats & nawing on their baby spoons

in which they would try a grab eachothers spoon from eachother & squeel till they switched. :)

They love those waffle fries! Soo good!

An older gentlemen who had been watching the twinners play

& jabber, offered to take a picture of all of us & of course

wouldn't turn that down.

It was a memorable 1st day for cole & us as the parents.

We did ok too! No tears from either of us.

This is a positive change for us & are thrilled that Cole

can gain the full learning experience of school that he so needs.

This will also allow for some quality attention mommy & twins time

together.

And tonight for FHE, we'll have a brief lesson on Priesthood blessings & Cole will receive his 1st "school" blessing for the year from his daddy.

All in all, the day went well & positive, up until we had to leave the restaurant

& Cole was past his limit, & just cried the whole way home & then

after some more tears about naps, he zonked out!

Its a lot for a little kid to take in with a whole new routine!

We love you so much Cole!

Your our favorite oldest big boy! :)