My Profile

So I finally created my blogger profile. You can put a photo of yourself on it (it is on the right.) I started looking through photos, trying to find one to post. They never said it had to be a current photo, so I picked this one of me in 6th grade. As I remember, life was pretty good back then. I was just getting into the whole middle school thing and I had not yet started doing really scary, tall, things to my hair.

A Very Merry Un-Birthday

Andrew's sweet teacher, Mrs. Willihan, set up a schedule to celebrate all of the summer birthdays. Andrew's day was Tuesday. He gets SO excited over stuff like this. He spent several days deciding what treat he wanted to take, finally deciding on ice cream sandwiches. The morning of the un-birthday, I went to get out his clothes and he stopped me. He said that he wanted "fancy clothes" for his big day. Initially he chose his church suit, but after consulting with me about the whole recess and heat issues, he decided on a polo shirt (which I guess he considers semi-fancy.)

In other news, the people buying our home will not let us rent it back. So, I am now starting to pack. We found a furnished apartment nearby that we can rent month-to-month--we should only be there about 4 weeks. The building of the new house is really moving along, but one can never tell just how long it will really take.

Memorial Day

Growing up, my Grandma B had several snowball bushes. I loved them. I remember every Memorial Day she would cut bunches of the flowers and put them in jars and vases and take them to the cemetary. Yesterday Mike cut some and I put them in the house. It made me sad that we are leaving this behind when we move. We will be planting another as soon as the yard is in.

Capitol Reef

We had a great weekend with my family in Capitol Reef. The weather was actually perfect. I am such a baby in hot weather. I would rather have it on the cold side than at all too hot. We were not planning on going anywhere, then my mom suggested Capitol Reef. It ended up being really fun.

There were tons of caterpillars around. Bev is a bug-lover. She has no fear. She helped Jessica get used to them.
I know--this is kind of a mean picture. There is an old school house that is all set up like it would have been back in the day. In the corner is a chair with a dunce hat. Andrew, Bev and Kiki all tried it on.
The cousins all had a blast hiking and running around together.
On the back of a tractor.

The whole gang.
In front of Chimney Rock.
Kiki and Jess hiked most of the time. Occasionally they asked to be carried. It looks like Uncle Ryan drew the short end of the stick with this one. We have so many National Parks so close to home--we have made it a goal to see as many as possible. The kids love being in the great outdoors hiking, exploring and running around.

David won!

Last night Bev and I watched the end of Idol together. When they announced Cook the winner, she was distraught. Seriously distraught. Her eyes got teary and she asked why more people didn't vote for him. I didn't think she liked him THAT much.

Here is my other favorite Idol performance--Carrie on Idol Gives Back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY6ziVcfRvM

It made me remember how much I liked George Michael back in the day.

Billie Jean and Benadryl

We are enjoying a little American Idol finale right now. The kids--especially Bev--really like David Archuleta. My favorite performance of the season was Billie Jean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_aiawC-9aM

Things are busy around here. Bev got sick last night. I went with Andrew on his field trip to the Planetarium today. Last night I ended up with Andrew at instacare. He had a horrible rash all over his body. The diagnosis was hives. The doctor got quite a kick out of him. She asked to see the rash and he said, "Okay, I have America on my leg and Canada on my back." The doctor then asked what that was on his arm. He said that he hadn't decided yet, but that it was probably China. A little Benadryl and he is as good as new.

One Year Ago

This week last year we received this picture of Jessica. She had not smiled in any of the photos the agency had sent us, so I was so relieved to see that the girl could smile. It was this time last year that we were anxiously preparing for the call saying that we could schedule travel to Liberia. Initially we were told we would be traveling in March. We didn't travel until July. I remember looking at this picture wondering what she was really like. How much did she really speak? What was her personality like? What did she think was going on? I could hardly wait to finally get to hold her (little did I know she would want nothing to do with me for our entire time in Liberia.) More on that to come.

How 'Bout Them Jazz

Last night's game was a heartbreaker. It was a depressing game for the first three quarters, and then in the last few minutes of the game, it got really, really good. My friend Jaycee was at the game also. She told me that as they were leaving the game they saw a guy weeping over the loss. It was the most exciting end to a game I can remember.

Before the game we went to see Ross and Claudia, and my favorite Laker just happened to walk by. Ronny Turiaf is a hunk!

Oh, and thanks to Sean we now know why Kiki thinks chocolate milk comes from rabbits--it is because of the Nesquick commericals.

Found in "The Pile"

Because I have had to keep the house really clean, I have had this drawer in my craft room where all the stuff I don't have time to deal with gets put. I was going through it this morning and I found this picture from our trip to Disneyland in April. Since it was only the three of us, I didn't get any photos of us together. So when we saw this one taken at Splash Mountain we bought it. Bev's face almost makes me sad--like let's go to the Happiest Place on Earth so you can get frightened near to death.

Funny Kids and Perspective

I think this must be the age where I laughed the most with Andrew and Bev. Kiki is saying the funniest things. Last night at dinner he announced that he knew where milk comes from. Of course he said it comes from a cow. Then I asked him how we get chocolate milk. With the most serious look on his face he said, "From rabbits." He insisted that he heard that on t.v.

Before bed we were reading stories and Jessica started to giggle (she has a really cute, contagious laugh.) Christian leaned over to me and whispered, "She has a beautiful laugh." He is very nurturing toward her. He calls her "sweetie" and notices new hair accessories, telling her that her hair looks pretty.

I know that I often quote my kids on this blog. I try to keep a little journal of their development and of the "moments" that they give me. It really helps me keep perspective and be grateful for being their mom.

I just got the Ensign yesterday, and immediately read my FAVORITE talk from Conference. Elder Ballard, in his talk "Daughters of God" says, "Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."

If you have not read this talk, you must. He also quotes Anna Quindlen:

"The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make...i did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish i could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."

A Family of Snugglers

Sunday morning I got to sleep in--it wasn't a very restful sleep-in though because as you can see I had some extra visitors. I would love to say that this is abnormal, but almost every morning we wake up with at least one child in bed with us. They seem to migrate there when they wake up in the night. I really don't mind because I just love to snuggle them. The problem comes when there are more than two--the third one has to snuggle my legs. Poor Jessica was number three in bed Sunday. I hope that they will always let me hold them--even when they are big.
Lately when we go tuck the girls in bed, Bev is in Jessica's bed snuggling her--just like this--arms wrapped around each other.

High Five from the Prophet

Mike and Christian went to the Jazz game tonight (thanks Ross and Claudia.) I took this picture before they left. They were waiting for the elevator with another group of people--Pres. Monson happened to be in that group. Mike told Christian that this is the Prophet. Christian said "Hi" and Pres. Monson put his hand up and Christian gave him a high five. He told Christian to cheer loud because the Jazz would need it. Mike then said to him, "I think you have a little more pull than we do."

When I asked Christian about it he said, "Yeah, he was in his black clothes." I don't think he really got how cool it was. We will have to remind him.

Stranger Danger

We were at Costco this morning while our house was being shown. There were two major groups of people shopping while we were there--retired people and moms with kids. Over by the milk, a nice gentleman said "Hi" to the kids and of course Jessica immediately said "Hi" back. She then said, "My name is Jessie." He talked to her for a minute and then said, "You are so cute, do you want to come to my house?" It sounds freaky when I write it down, but he was just trying to be sweet. She then says "Yeah." and starts to unbuckle the seat restraint. So, I pulled the cart to the side and talked to her about talking to strangers and not going with strangers. (This is something we still struggle with since bringing her home. She is very attached to us, but seeks attention from other people inappropriately.)

So as we are walking through the store I sang them the Janene Brady song, "Look for a grandma or mother with children." We talked about who was safe to ask for help and Christian pointed out all the "grandmas" (there were a lot) and the moms with kids. Then, as we passed a "grandpa" he blurted out, "Nope, not that guy--he's a bad guy." (The man didn't act like he heard--thank goodness.)

Christian then went on about how if he was ever taken by a bad guy he would get a stick and poke him and then run out of the car.

As we were in the checkout, the same guy that Jess was willing to go home with came up to us and asked her again if she wanted to go home with him. (He had seen me talk to her after the first incident.) She said yes again! So, I talked to her about it again. After we left the store, a gentleman followed us out that I had been visiting with in line. I asked him for a favor--to go up to her in the cart and ask her to go home with him. He did it and she giggled a little, then said, "No, that a stranger." Finally!

Obviously we still have some work to do with her in this area. Christian has a plan that involves a stick, so that's a start for him. I've got to go find that CD so I can freshen my memory of the safety song--I'm going to be needing it.

A Blast From the Past

We went to the park for Family Home Evening Monday. I took this picture of Jess and Kiki, and then I remembered a similar picture I had taken several years ago. I went back into the family photo albums and found this one of Bev and Andrew. It was taken in June of 2002 on the same bouncy airplane.

Then there is this little daredevil. She has no fear when it comes to climbing and swinging. She follows Kiki and just does as he does. We have loved this fabulous weather--we get to the park a few times a week now.

Andrew's Day Spa

Thursday at school Bev took a spill while running on the pavement. (She had a dance performance that night.) Some kids told Andrew that she fell, and he jumped into action. He walked to the office with her and took care of her. When they got home, they told me the story and then Andrew told Bev to get herself all ready. He had apparently told her that when they got home he would wrap her up in a blanket, give her a 5 minute massage, give her a pedicure, and turn the t.v. on for her. (He later told me that I would have to do the pedicure part because he didn't really know how to do that.)
These two have a tendency to fight quite a bit. As a mom it is nice to see that when it really counts, they take care of each other.