Look, what a big girl!

Mya being such a big girl eating breakfast at the table.

This is a big day when Mya no longer has to sit in her "high chair." She loves being able to sit at the big table with all the family. Look at her little grin, isn't she just so proud!

MOTIVATION!!!!!

Myken running the 1/2 marathon in Moab, (the cute blonde one!)


As I woke this morning and got the kids ready for school, I had this craving for something yummy. Last night was our birthday enrichment night which was so much fun (I loved that I got to learn a little more about all the sisters in my ward since we have soooooo many new ones,) but since I was helping with the activity of course they gave me some left over treats. My first thought when I woke up was to eat some of the yummy treats, yes I said some, not just one, but I had at least 3 cookies and it's only 8:45 a.m. HELP!!!

So as I am sick that I have already eaten 3 cookies and a piece of toffee I am pondering what I need to be doing to feel better about myself and pondering how to get the motivation to start working out again. One of my very best friends Myken has really inspired me lately. She is amazing and honestly the greatest most loving friend ever. She just ran the 1/2 marathon in Moab a couple of weeks ago and has been training for it for awhile. She has been so dedicated to this and for a long time. Honestly watching her train has been truly inspiring, I just wish that it would get me off my butt and to the gym.

These pictures are going to be my motivation to START!!! As of now, I am on it, forget about the 3 cookies and piece of toffee I have already started with, I can still make it a good day. If anyone has some advice on how to help me, I would greatly appreciate it because I am driving myself crazy with all my complaining. Any suggestions? And Myken (and Angi who is my other very best and dear friend who has lost 12 lbs. and been running as well, and looks absolutley amazing) THANKS for inspiring me! And thanks you two for being my very best friends ever, I am so blessed to have you guys on my side. Love you both!

Easter FUN!

Happy Easter!

Mya looking oh so adorable in her pretty dress!

We had a great Easter weekend this year! My family planned such a fun little Easter day on Saturday. We all went to lunch, to the movie Horton Hears a Who (darling by the way), colored our eggs all fancy and some even sparkly, and had a fun Easter Egg Hunt at Aunt Anges where the kids not only found candy eggs, but toys as well. The kids had a blast with all their cousins. Then on Easter, of course the Easter Bunny visited our house and left very cool things for the kids to play with. I think the Easter Bunny wanted them to be into crafts this year instead of just toys, smart Bunny! We went to church and the night before Easter Jake sat down with the boys and told them the true meaning of Easter so that they would understand thier lessons today. I loved that they were so full of questions about Jesus and the resurrection. And last but not least we ended the day with Jake's family eating Mexican Food, YUMMY, we rebelled against the traditional ham dinner. Hello, Mexican Food is way better. And it was our little nephew Trison's 3rd birthday so we celebrated with them. I am very thankful for our families and very thankful to my Savior for ALL the wonderful things in my life, I am truly blessed!


What a little sweetie pie!

The boys at the Easter Egg Hunt

The Easter Bunny spoiled the kids this year!

Our "Sweet" eggs as Dallin would say

Hugs for Grandma Sis, she gave all the kids fun Easter presents!

Crazy boys! Dallin and Taylor with their cousin Jayden!

Dallin's favorite color is orange, so he colored all his eggs ORANGE!

Tuesday Tell All- The Working Girl

I am posting this just a little early, but I wanted to tribute this to my very favorite job I have ever had, and I would have to say I have had a handful of jobs since the time I was 15 years old. I have been a waitress at Sizzler, a Customer Service Supervisor at Sterling Health, an order entry girl at Morinda and a photography organzier at Matol Communications.
The job I want to talk about is my very favorite job I have ever had and the beauty is that it is the job I currently have. I am an RN at American Fork Hospital one day a week on the medical/surgical unit. I absolutely love my job, of course there are days that I question what I am doing as I am wiping someones behind, or cleaning up their throw up, but my job is rewarding in so many ways. From the time I was little I loved helping people and loved hearing stories about it. I had a neighbor that inspired me to be a nurse, (she still works at the American Fork E.R. and has been there over 35 years.) I used to go to her house and I would ask her about her day, I loved when she would tell me crazy stories and how they would save someone's life.
That is where it all began and now 10 years later I am still at American Fork. I love my floor and the people I work with, and I love getting to know my patients. There are many different kinds of people and many different circumstances, I have learned that almost all people want to be loved and to be shown kindness, therefore I have the perfect job to show them that. I have to say I am rewarded everytime I go to work just by being able to somehow help my patients feel better, even if it is sticking them with a needle!! LOL

Tuesday Tell All---Collections

Our awesome little guys!

We have over 130 "little guys!"
Ok so I know that I already have a post about our "little guys" that was called our obsession! But today's Tuesday Tell All is about collections and this absolutely falls into the category of collections. We love our little guys! I love them, they are so cute and my kids love to play with them. I seriously am the coolest mom on the block because I know each and every name of all the superheroes. We even get on the computer to check out which new ones will be coming out this year. Our little guys are our favorite collection ever!!!



Ok my sister Jennifer reminded me of my husbands very cool collection of "Homies!" Now I don't know if I should be embarrassed by this collection or proud that he actually made a little stand to show them all off. It's funny whenever Jake's cousins come over they sit and admire them with awe!! I do have to admit, it's pretty impressive. Jake says it reminds him of when he was on his mission to El Paso Texas, he seriously saw every one of these kind of people, funny!


Our "Cars" cars collection
We are starting to collect all of the Cars cars. Dallin loves to play with these. Our friends Chipper and Jamin have all of them so Dallin told me he wanted to start collecting them. We now check out the cars isle at the store each time we go. Good times!


When I was a little girl I loved my collection of stickers. I had zillions of stickers that I would keep in my little book. This isn't actually my book, I wished I could find it in all my boxes downstairs, but the temptation to go through the boxes just isn't tempting enough. So here's to all my cute little stickers.

My weakness!!

Ok so I have this horrible weakness of eating anything chocolate! Usually at Easter time my weakness is Robin Eggs, but this year it seems to be Reeses peanut butter yummy yummy little eggs. Ok so if anybody has some suggestions on how to help me overcome this weakness I would truly appreciate all the help I can get!!

What is your favorite Easter Candy?
How do you get control when a whole bag is in front of you? (Ok I don't eat the whole bag, maybe just 1/2?)

Why are they just so dang adorable when they sleep!

This picture says it all. She's just so dang adorable!

Our FAVS!!!

Are we embarrassing that we love American Idol?? It's funny because Jake and I have not really been into any tv shows the last oh I don'tknow, 6 years, due to kids, so it's been really fun for both of us to sit down together and watch American Idol. Thanks to the latest technology of a DVR, yes I know it's been around awhile but we just got it about a month ago. So these are our top 5 right now. Jake thinks that Michael Johns is going to win it, um yah he is way Hot, I however don't know yet. I definitely think the boys are better, but I just love Brooke White, she is adorable, and cutie pie David from Utah. It will be interesting to see you wins.

Do you like American Idol?
Who is your favorite?
Who do you think will win?

Tuesday Tell All-----What's in a name!

WHAT'S IN A NAME.........
Amy Black Murphy---- That is my name. Acutally my name was supposed to be Jessica Black, but when I was born my mom and dad said I was just too little for such a big name. Weighing in at just under 5lbs., yes I was 5 weeks early, my mom and dad decided to name me Amy. So for starters I would have to say that I do like my name. I like that it is simple, easy to pronounce, easy to spell, and pretty much you can't get it wrong. The one thing I do wish however, is that I had a middle name. My mom and dad were on a kick of thinking that adding a middle name would make a girls name that much longer after she got married, but I beg to differ. I don't think you use your middle name enough for it to matter, mainly I think it is for sentimental reasons. Perhaps being named after a loved one or something. Anyway that is why now I use my maiden name initial for my "middle name." I do love the name I have married into as well, once again easy to say, spell, pronounce, etc... One other bit of interesting thing about my name is that you really won't find any young girls named Amy. It definitely was an era of Amy's, who now you will find are in there late 20's early 30's. My mom tells me that it was a name that was old fashion at the time, many older women named Amy. So give us another 40 years and we will be the old fashion Amy's. So to my mom and dad I thank you for my name, I have always been proud to be an Amy and even more proud to be a Black!

Amy Black Murphy!!!

Jakob Patrick Murphy--- Jake has the special privilege of sharing his middle name with his dad (the name Patrick) which happens to be a very IRISH name. Murphy is one of the biggest IRISH names there is, Jake says he is proud to have this awesome heritage in his blood and also proud to be named after his sweet dad. I think that my mom-in-law just loved the name Jakob and especially loved using a K in the spelling. She thought that it made it original. I too love the name Jake, such a strong and simple name, but also in a way a very cute name. You can be a cute little boy named Jake and a handsome man named Jake and it fits either way.

Jakob Patrick Murphy!!!

Grandpa Murf----otherwise known as Terrance Patrick Murphy!!

Taylor Jakob Murphy----- Before Jake and I even had kids we knew that we loved loved loved the name Taylor. For some reason it was just an awesome name and we knew that we wanted to name our first boy Taylor. Of course I really wanted to use Jake's name as his middle name and I thought that it really sounded good together. I knew that Taylor would grow up to love his middle and name and that it was a name to be so very proud of. Jake is honestly the best man that I know, and the best friend, husband, daddy, son, and brother there ever was. When I asked Taylor how it makes him feel to be named after Daddy he says "it makes me happy!" Well put!

Taylor Jakob Murphy!!!

Jakob Patrick Murphy!!!


Dallin Thomas Murphy---- When I was pregnant with Dallin, Jake and I weren't really sure what name we were going to use. We didn't know if we were having a girl or a boy so we had 3 boy names that we relly liked and 3 girl names that we really liked and Dallin was one of the boys names. It's funny because we have a family in our old ward that is honestly the coolest most spiritual and awesome family ever that had boys named Taylor and Dallin. When it came down to it we thought you know what, let's use Dallin because it's such a strong name and he has such amazing people he would be named after, such as Dallin H. Oaks and Dallin Kauffman. As for his middle name, that was easy, we knew we wanted to give him my dad's name. What an amazing person to be named after and I truly am such a daddy's girl. I have always been so very proud of my dad and he is definitely one of my favorite people. I love his openmindedness, I love his art and photography, I love his advice, I love his caring ways, I love his genuine concern for me, and I just love love love him. Dallin is very lucky to be named after him.

Dallin Thomas Murphy!!!
Grandpa Tom, otherwise known as Thomas Melville Black


Mya Juliana Murphy----- My little sweet princess Mya. Well Mya has a couple of very cool things about her name. First of all in a way she is named after me, Amy, because if you mix up our letters then you come up with Amy or Mya. I do love Mya's name, it really does fit her. Also she is named after her very great and wonderful Meema, Juliana Del Carmen Aranda Murphy. This is Jakes beautiful momma. As she likes to say, she is his older sister, she really could get away with it huh? Mya is very lucky to be named after someone so very special to us, and she is so privileged to have Meema's Mexican heritage in her blood. We love our Meema. The one thing that I do love about my sweet little Mya is that she looks just like my mom, grandma sis. So we really do have the best of both worlds, a name from Meema and her good looks from such a wonderful, selfless, giving, caring, sweetest, best grandma ever. I love you so much mom and I'm so very thankful for you and your example of goodness to me.

Mya Juliana Murphy!!!

Meema, otherwise known as Juliana (Hooliana) Murphy!!!

Grandma Sis---otherwise known as Edithdell Beal Black!!!

Tuesday Tell All----I have NEVER

So a couple of weeks ago the Tuesday Tell All topic was I have Never, so here is my list of I have never's. Hopefully some change in the near future and hopefully some never do. Have fun checking it out.


1. I have never loved anyone except my sweetie pie Jakey (wow just a little cheezy), I mean we met in the 5th grade, come on there is such a history between us.












2. I have never had to take human anatomy even though it is required to be a nurse, LONG STORY!!






3. I have never been to Lake Powell. That might change this summer, yah hoo.






4. I have never seen the Sound of Music, I know I know, I was a deprived child. Not really mom, LOL!






5. I have never been on a cruise. That is something that will change hopefully in the near future.






6. I have never gotten a full 8 hours of sleep since we have had kids, Taylor is now 6 1/2 years old, yah hatin it. And since we have had Mya, I have gotten up at least 3-4 times a night. Woo Hoo, good times!

Tuesday Tell All------What Not to Wear

Mya looking o so adorable in her skinny jeans


What not to Wear


Cute skinny jeans bum!

Look at me

Ok so this weeks topic for Tuesday Tell All is What Not to Wear. I thought it would be cute to show what I should not wear, but what looks oh so adorable on my little Mya. I know I know, skinny jeans are back in, but for those people that can wear them, my hats go off to you. It would not look flattering at all on my body but yes it did back in 9th grade when they were the thing. What I would give for that body again!! So here's to what Amy should not wear, Skinny Jeans.

Tuesday Tell All

Ok, for those of my fellow bloggers that don't know what Tuesday Tell All is, it is a great way to get to know each other just a little better. There's a website that some women put together that each week they have a theme that you answer or tell about. I have loved reading some of my friends and their TTA answers, it has been really fun to see what they are all about. So I am jumping on the band wagon. Yes today is Sunday, but I wanted to back track to a couple of weeks ago. It was Things I la la la la love. So here it goes! And in no particular order, except the first 2!


1. With all my heart, my eternal buddy Jake
2. More than anything in this world, my 3 adorable kids, Taylor, Dallin, and Mya
3. VACATIONS, anytime-anywhere.
4. A hot sunny day
5. My testimony of the gospel
6. The 4th of July
7. Cookie dough
8. Eating out at a nice restraunt
9. Hearing my kids laugh
10. Taylors pictures that he draws
11. When Dallin dresses up in his superhero costumes
12. When Mya says Momma
13. Helping others
14. Being a nurse
15. Scrapbooking
16. Ice-cream, especially Cold Stone cookie donut you want some
17. Being outside
18. Canyonlands
19. Hiking
20. Camping
21. Disneyland
22. The musical WICKED
23. My daily talks to Mom, Ange, Angi, and Myken
24. Going out with my friends
25. Playing the game, "Ticket to Ride"
26. Princess Bride
27. Jack Johnson
28. Dave Mathews
29. My sisters
30. My dads art and his open-mindedness
31. My mom always being there for me
32. Blogs
33. Flowers
34. The color yellow
35. Watching my boys wrestle with dad
36. When Jake dances
37. Taking pictures
38. My mom-n-laws mexican food
39. The song Imagine by John Lennon
40. Going barefoot
41. My birthday
42. My kids birthdays's
43. Our "little guys"
44. Going on dates with Jake, (few are far between these days, but so treasured)
45. Spring blossoms
46. Watching my kids play in my moms pool
47. That Taylor loves to walk down the art isle at the store
48. That Dallin loves to look at all the superheroes at the store
49. My in-laws
50. The sun
51. The smell of Canyonlands after it has rained
52. Pepper steak from the Tree Room
53. Creme Brulee
54. Shrimp, Lobster, and Crab. Yes I know expensive taste
55. Getting a pedicure
56. Back rubs
57. Watching my boys play sports
58. Riding a bike
59. Family get togethers
60. BBQ's with family and friends
61. My kids eyes
62. Jake's mexican heritage
63. Playing guitar hero
64. A clean house
65. When my family is happy!
66. When Jake sings country music, I love his little twang
67. American Idol
68. Laying in the sun
69. Pictures of my kids
70. The smell of a baby
71. Watching my babies sleep
72. Road trips
73. Girls night out
74. Dates with my kids
75. Christmas Cards
76. Pink Sugar perfume
77. My camera
78. Buying toys for my kids
79. When my yard is weeded
80. Our Christmas Eve Mexican Fiesta
81. The mountains
82. Dreaming about my next vacation
83. Hearing stories that my kids made up
84. Holding Hands with Jake
85. Sitting around a camp fire
86. Hugs and Kisses from my kids
87. Being pregnant and feeling my babies move inside of me
88. Hearing birds chirp
89. Going to the Arts Festival
90. The look my kids have when they are excited
91. Singing in the car
92. When my kids share, something we are working on with Dallin that little stinker!
93. Playing games with my mom and sisters
94. The Twilight Series by Stephanie Myers
95. Cafe Rio
96. Putting puzzles together with Jake and the kids
97. Pictures of family and friends all over my house
98. When my kids are proud
99. Long days of summer
100. My family, my family, my family!!!

Kids say the cutest things!

Today Dallin said the cutest thing. We were driving home from Salt Lake and there is a billboard that has a sign with Abe Lincoln and Dallin says.
"Mom that's our new prophet huh?" I just smiled and said, "well he use to be one of our presidents a long long time ago." He then said, "isn't a president a prophet?" I really didn't want to explain the whole president thing to a 4 year old because I would love if for as long as he can he believes that our prophet is our president too. He'll soon find out that we go by our prophet over the president anyway. I love their innocence.