Early

Sometimes a boy just wants to join in on the fun... and I say, hey, why not!

 

Back story:  Noelle asked me if she could clean th windows.  Why question motives?  So I put her to work.  But soon, she wasn't the only one that wanted to be involved.  So here is it, the first "chore" for Oliver!  And he did an amazing job.  I love my kids!

2 weeks later

Apparently, when you are busy taking care of "everything" at home... you ignore things like blogging.  Alas, I have decided to repent.  Though I would have most likely recorded things in more detail if I did it as I went... I feel like a short summary of events is better than nothing.  So, here we go:

Once upon a time there was a National Pancake Day... and we celebrated it!

Then there was an extremely early release... and even though we don't go to a public school, some of our "long lost friends" do, so we celebrated that as well.  We met friends Madison and McKenna at Red Mountain Park.  I'm so glad I thought to bring bread with us to feed the ducks, because they have ruined this park for little kids.  There is literally NOTHING for the littler children to do at the park.  I'm so disappointed with the City of Mesa. 

 Once upon a time, we made valentines for our friends (I let the girls make the paper pretty by doing marble art.  Then I cut hearts out for them, and let the girls stamp "You are just WRITE for me" on them.  Then we hole punched and the girls attached a pencil.  It was fun!)

And then we made Valentines for our family (Daddy, and the grandparents).

Finally, Valentines Day Eve came, and we did a LOT of celebrating.  Melanie had a party at school (they had a field trip to the post office to mail out Valentines to their parents.  Melanie sent one to me AND her daddy!  And then they went back to school and exchanged their own Valentines).  After lunch, we went to the park and had a Valentine Cookie Party!  It was a blast!

 On Valentines Day, we had a lot of fun!  I heart attacked the hallway.  We had a special Valentines breakfast of waffles with fresh fruit and whipped topping.  We heart attacked our friends' houses.  We went to story time and gave the librarian a valentine.  Then we had a special lunch with sandwiches cut in heart...  and finally, we had a special special dinner.

 

 Mom was exhausted by the end of the day. 

The following picture is one that I just took because Noelle is just too cute.  Seriously!  Okay, moving on...

Oliver learned how to eat a pizza like a big boy...

 The library had a new Barbie movie for us to borrow.  It's the Princess and the Pop Star.  Can you tell who wants to be who?  Silly Girls!

 Friday, we went to the Museum of Natural History, where Oliver met Cousin Blake...  I think they are going to be good friends!

It was the first time Morgan, Ethan, and Liz had met us there... and apparently their first time going.  I think they had fun, once we got away from the Dinosaurs (I don't think Morgan was found of them).

 But digging for Dinosaurs is always a hit!

 On Saturday, we went to our friend (Madison)'s 6th birthday party!  Her birthday party was at the movie theater, where they had a whole theater rented out for a movie.  We saw "Escape from Planet Earth" (which I had known nothing about, but really enjoyed despite the fact that Melanie ended up sitting on my lap and crying through the majority of the movie).  The girls really enjoyed being movie stars for the day and had a blast.

When we got home, Oliver decided he wanted special glasses as well.

 Today, I let the girls count the money in their piggy banks.  For the last year, I have been paying them a small allowance for them to do their chores in an effort to teach them how to pay their tithing.  But, until now, they had never spent any of their money.  It dawned on me that the money would be more rewarding to them if they understood it better.  So, they counted it, saved a portion of it, and were able to spend a portion of it.

I think they made out!  (And they were and are definitely HAPPY GIRLS!)

Apparently a little money can buy a little happiness after all!

 

There is the short of the long of our last few weeks.  :)

Daddy Visits

I'm 2 weeks behind on everything, but late is better than never.  Here is our story from the beginning of February.

 

One day, we went for a drive.  The kids and I drove and drove, and looked at airplanes.  We drove through the airport's parking lot and picked up a hitch hiker (an attractive hitch hiker at that!)

note how happy the kids are at seeing their daddy!

 

The following morning, we got up early and had some fun.  We took our hitch hiker (also known as dad) to music class.  Right after music class, we took him to the Museum of Natural History, were we played.

And where Oliver learned how to scale a staircase, all by himself.

 At one point, Oliver was too independent, and earned himself a little jail time.

 

The next day, we got up early, ate a yummy breakfast, and played at the park.

 This is where Oliver showed dad just how independent he had become.

 

 Everyone enjoyed the slide!

Later that day, we had a friendly competition.  Melanie and I teamed up and made special pink frosted cookies (my great grandmother special recipe).  Noelle helped.  Melanie thought this was extra fun, because I let her do all the mixing by herself.  She is become quite the baker.

 Brandon and Noelle made frosted cupcakes, and we left both the girls frost and decorate one item.

 Then we got our goodies ready for judging. 

 Saturday night, Brandon and I went on a date.  It was nice to spend time with him.  I enjoyed it.

 

The following morning was Sunday, and also the last morning of our adventures with dad.  We got up before the sun, and went for a drive.  We drove and drove, and looked at airplanes. We drove through the airport's parking lot and dropped off one of our own.  It was hard to say goodbye.  And just as fast as the weekend started, it also ended.

We are grateful that daddy could come home for those 2 days.

Oh There's Sunshine, Blessed Sunshine

Sunday, I threw myself the biggest pity party.  I am ashamed to say that I was extremely depressed over things that I should have been happy about.  Brandon came home for a short visit, arriving late Thursday and leaving first thing Sunday morning, and I was released from my calling as a member of the primary presidency.  Instead of focusing on the blessing I have received from having my husband home for those 2 days, and from serving in the primary for the last 4 years, I was more focused on what felt like that end of everything.  I was an emotional basket case, and it wasn't pretty.

 

But, two nights before I was to be released, and before my husband went back, I had this silly dream.   I dreamt that I was doing sharing time and had the kids sing "There is Sunshine in my Soul".  In my dream, my good friend, Rebekah (who is also the primary pianist), played the song extremely dramatic.  She had extra chords and a dramatic ending.  It was great.  I told her about this dream Saturday night. 

 

Sunday came, against my best wishes for it to be Saturday forever.  I dropped Brandon off at the airport and waiting all morning long for church.  1 o'clock church is not fun to wait for when you don't want it to happen.  Then it came, and I was released.  Without going into detail with my feelings regarding it, I will just say that I think being released was the straw that broke the emotional camel's back.  I cried off and on through the entirety of church (and pretty much the remainder of the day).  But, in primary, between the Jr. and Sr. primaries I found myself singing "There is Sunshine, blessed sunshine".  Without realizing it, I was singing along to the piano as my wonderful friend played it. 

 

Over the last two days, I have found myself singing the song anytime I am trying to cheer my kids up, or when I'm having a rough moment.  It has helped me focus on the blessings I enjoy.

 

Here are a few of the special things I should be happy about:

 

Melanie brought her first reading book home from school, and mastered it in one day, and today brought home her second book.  She loves blending her letters and is just taking off so fast.

 

Noelle and mommy visited the pedi-neurologist, who turned out to be so nice.  Noelle did an amazing job, and didn't cry (which is amazing).  Noelle is being treated for migraines for the next 6 weeks with a preventative medication, and at the end of the 6 weeks we will go from there.  I don't actually want her to continue taking medication after that if I can avoid it.  I have been trying to figure out a good oil or combination of oils that would help her with her headaches.  I haven't mastered that on yet, however.

Speaking of mastering something, my little man has mastered the play ground.  He goes up the steps and down the curly slide all by himself.  I'm one happy mom.  And I love listening to him giggle all the way down.

 

And finally, I'm blessed to have an amazing family who loves me unconditionally.  I have always known that I was imperfect, but lately it has become more and more apparent how imperfect I truly am.  And yet I have these wonderful people that just love me, no matter what.  I am one really blessed woman and mom.

 

(I will post more on Brandon's little visit later!)