Preparing for Christmas...

Me: How are those cards going?

...silence...

Me: Hey, how those cards comin'?

...silence...

Me: Sweetie? The cards?

4-year-old: Mom...I'm just too busy to even talk to you...
(spoken with a huge smile and trying not to laugh but never looking up)

Outcome: she stuffed AND sealed 35 Christmas cards while I worked on addresses in the other room. Unfort. I never seem to capture a photo of moments like this; but I think I'll always remember!

Have a Chick-fil-A today
read this hyperlinked article. I've always been passionate about chick-fil-a

Hunting trip in CA

A lot of fun was had. But please, please don't ever let me be a single mom again!

2 months ago...we had a baby! Just the 5 of us girls hanging out for the very first time

I was so tired after this delivery. ...hmmm I still am!


Best dad hands down. With 5 females and one male in our house..we have plenty of meltdowns needless to say. This dad knows how to make us laugh when we just want to cry.

1st Grade

I cried for a straight week that she was gone ALL day :( But on the bright side: she loves school and has the most fun aunt EVER that made her a special 1st Grade brownie crayon that she came home to on her very first day. We felt loved!

(The top picture was the saddest goodbye I've had to watch between these girls. They were laughing I think to keep themselves from crying).

On a Semi-funny note: Here is the convo I had with my 1st Grader recently:

She says: "Mom, what's a 'hobby'?"

I say: Its what you like to do when you have free time...so, like dad for instance...what would his hobby be?"

She says: "Oh! I get it!! Dad's hobby is...being in the garage with cars and stuff? OH! and trains?"

I say: "Yeah, you got it. That's a hobby. ....So umm...what do you think my hobby is?"

She says confidently: "Cleaning!"

"And now...we spoon..." lately around here all anyone wants to do is snuggle...with the baby. Snuggle, spoon, SMOTHER...its all the same thing really.

This is what my baby looks like when her next biggest sister is in the room, or remotely close to her. Heaven help her survive! Every moment they are together is like...how could I describe? An emergency?

My Buddy and ME! Often times 3 is a crowd. This is the case in our home a lot. Which means I get special "buddy time" with this little lady. She's is saying new cute phrases everyday. But today she finally said, "MOM! I Yuv YOUUU!!" as she peaked around the corner at me. So it inspired me to write down my 5 top favorite things she says (that I know my other children didn't say yet at 1 year of age.

(side note: this picture was what I found after bath time was over and I couldn't find her anywhere. Finally she was spotted in her chair with a good book...pictures of her room remodel are coming soon)



5) "NOT MEEEE!"
(when I ask the group who forgot to pick up their _________ (fill in blank))

4) "Wait-a-MEEEE!"

(she is the first child I've had that actually runs to the car to buckle her seat belt when I say we are leaving. I think she has a real fear of being left. She's always telling her sisters to wait for her too)

3) "I DOOOOO!"

When asking the group who wants _________ (fill in blank)

2) "Evy-body HIDE!"

She feels this phrase is always appropriate

1) "MONEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Only 1 -year-old I know that gets this excited about seeing cold hard cash. If someone in a check out line pulls out real dollars or coins she announces it to the store usually to the point of embarrassing the cash-holder. I get such a kick out of it. It must be exciting to her because I never have any money in my purse so when she sees it, its a rare and special occasion.

7-4-20011

I counted up the pounds and we were both carrying approximately 60 extra lbs in this picture! For him it took a toddler and a six-year-old. For me it took a 4-year-old and a baby in utero. Lucky him, after the picture was taken, he got to drop his 60. *sigh*

Kindergarten Graduation not sure why we have to "graduate" with a ceremony from kindergarten, but it was fun to dress up and say goodbye to good friends.

Farewell to her Kindergarten teacher. We adored her so much!!! I still get emotional seeing her last picture with her first teacher.

Her teacher's aid was wonderful. She would ask all the time if she could steal my daughter for her own.

Some of her favorite girl friends

Last Day of Kindergarten...she was SO excited. Until about a week later when it hit her that she was actually never going back :(

The Dust Settles from April and May
(two crazy months where a lot happened). Here is the Easter 2011 picture. I didn't get to see them that day because...I was here:

Welcome to Antigua


Kelly gets featured here because the picture of me on the log was NOT attractive. LOL! But she was so cute. Ahhhh to be back on this island--it surely charmed us all. These were pictures of a morning island tour (Girls Day Out) I feel like drinking a Ginger Bear while looking at these. I will post more of my fav. pics of the trip eventually.

Antigua Countryside

SCHOOOOOOL's OUT FOR SUMMER!!!!!!

We've been having blast having our graduated kindergartner HOME!!!! Its been a great so far--school has been out for almost a week and I could REALLY get used to this no school stuff!! The girls have been in heaven having their "Ringleader" home all day and I have been on a serious vacation from SCHEDULES!!! I can actually do whatever I want??? How can I describe? Paradise? More pictures of graduation to come.

A Conversation I'm Glad I Overheard.....


4-year old: ...We just keep get older and older...huh!?

5-year old: Yeah, we are going to keep having birthdays and keep getting older and older and growing bigger and bigger until we are moms. Then we stop growing bigger.....we just get fatter





Same day...Different topic...Out of NOwhere...

4 Years says: Hey Mom! Do you know who my FAVORITE "Conference Guy" is??

Me: ummm...Conference Guy? I'm not sure if I can guess....President Monson??

4 Years: no. keep guessing.

Me: Yikes. President Uchtdorf??

4 Years: NO You are getting closer!!!!!

Me: [laughing] OK President Eyring?

4 Years: YES!!!!

My Grandma--96 Years

These pictures are so tiny, but I love them. I admire my grandmother so much and have been thinking of her since Mother's day is almost here, and she just had her 96th birthday.

I'm so amazed at the life she has led and how she's watched America change over the decades. It boggles my mind that she had 4 children, 13 grandchildren, I don't even know how many great grandchildren (my guess is around 52?) and at least 10 great GREAT grandchildren. Isn't that a marvel?

Happy 4th Birthday!! (this is an attempt at making Dad's "monkey face")

Bright an early on the big day the birthday girl was please to pose in front of this poster-sized pony for "pin the tail on the pony." Our resident artist (Daddy) drew it free hand while looking at one of the several pony coloring books we have.

They couldn't wait to play the game with their cousins later at the party

Before even breakfast they got started on the serious job of coloring this giant poster. Working together feverishly they completed the poster in 35 minutes!



B-day Girl wanted pony cupcakes with cherries on top. We couldn't find cherries this time of year so raspberries did the trick....Whoa, they were good. What doesn't improve with raspberries?

Partying Cousins

Pinning the tail in action.

Thanks, Big 4-year-old for being so much fun! You make our home a happier place to live. No kidding! We never quite know what you may say, or what face you may pull. I'm so thankful for your comedic talents. You make me remember that life is fun, not a chore. (though it would be nice if you'd do a chore every once in a while...its hard when you are so good at having fun) We love you!! Happy Birthday

Church Announces New Temples in Canada, Colorado and Idaho

Church Announces New Temples in Canada, Colorado and Idaho This was the most exciting part of conference for me! My mouth literally dropped open when they announced Meridian as a location for a TEMPLE!! Maybe its just pregnancy hormones but I cried at the announcement that will bless so many saints in ID.

Love this Lady...

This is my favorite sister in the whole world!!!! Seriously (or Serrrrsly) I don't even know what I'd do without her. Its hard to imagine life without my sis. Even when we didn't live close I depended on her so much for advice. But now that we live 10 minutes away??? I'm just in heaven. If we both didn't have so many responsibilities with our precious kiddos, we'd probably be hanging out every minute--to everything there is a season, right? I just love ya so much, Ky. Thanks for never tiring of my endless questions on what's best, what to do, where to go, how the heck, and everything else. I just admire you so much.

1.5 Years! half-way through her second year she surprises us everyday. Her favorite past time is creating high places to climb to. I guess we don't have enough tables and chairs around here so she makes her own mountains simply by adding this stool to anything tall....then climb...and strike fear into the hearts of mothers everywhere.

When she is not climbing, she will inevitably be playing with a baby. "BeBeS!" are her favorite toys and people in the whole world (next to dad)

Most commonly she is heard saying:

"Cheee" (cheese)

"Wa-war!" (water)

"Nawwwwwoooooo, Mama!" (no, mom)

"Di-Der!" (Sister)

and my favorite: "Dooo-doo-do-do-dooooo!" (when she sees pictures of roosters)

Favorite foods:

PEARS. she can pound a whole costco pear alone.

Milk

Spaghetti

We love you Mi-Mi! We also know that the most beautiful things come to those who wait...one day your hair will be stunning. Until then, I'll kiss your baldness every chance I get!

Getting to Know My Middle The last 5 months I've been so lucky to get "special" time with this special girl. Everyday, after lunch, Oldest goes to school, Youngest goes to sleep and me and Middle get some one on one time. I'm really getting to know who she is out of her sis's shadow for the first time and its so fun.

Here are some fun things I've learned recently from her own words:

• "Mom, when I was really little...I had SO many pets!...I want so many pets. ..Mom, can we just have two pets?? Please?? Just a dog and a unicorn??"

• "Mom, sometimes I just want a baby brother SO bad!"

• "I don't want to eat ANYTHING in our house!! Don't tell me to eat anything in this fridge unless its strawberries...that's ALL!"

• "Mom, you're the Boss."

• "Mom, was I there when you got married?
• Me- "No, you weren't born yet."
• "WHAT? Awwwww, I wanted to see your married dress!!"

• "Mom. Sometimes I want to just be a mom already and have my own born babies."

Affectionately Called "The Boo Caboose" (by her big sisters) This is a proud display of a banana slice up top. If you detect a "smart" look on her face, you'd be right. She is my first child that enjoys rubbing foods all over the top of her head--ESPECIALLY foods she detests. Who knew that massaging foods into a bald scalp was an expression of resentment?

On a positive note, she has become very skilled at folding arms and bowing her head for prayers. It melts our hearts and she is equally proud of herself. We love our Caboose.