Save the WORMS!

What a boy!

It snowed, rained and hailed -- all today. When we got home from an errand in the late afternoon, worms were everywhere. Wondering if Payton would pick one up, I asked him if he wanted to get one for the worm box. He was trying, but it was too slippery or something and it was taking too long. Payton had already taken his jacket off and it was still raining, but he didn't want to give up. So, Daddy helped him get his jacket back on and they wandered out together. I love that Eli spent time picking up worms -- handfuls of worms -- with his son. (As if we needed MORE worms!) I hope Payton remembers doing this with him because he had so much fun. And, those lucky yucky worms, they didn't dry up on our sidewalk!

Little Pink Ballerina cont.

Ballet class is over.

Why ballet? Because she kept falling and bumping her head. One day as she sat enjoying lunch at a picnic table she just slipped right off the bench and bumped her head. The same type of story happened again and again at home... On another occasion, as her cousin combed her hair, she slipped right off the stool. She was so embarrassed, yet, she tried so hard not to cry. Still, tears pored down her red cheeks. I could empathize -- I wanted to cry for her. My poor baby. How could I teach her balance when I lacked it myself. Then I found a ballet class -- $12 for 15 classes, 1/2 hour each once a week. She might like ballet... she has little ballerina dolls that she just adores... and best of all, she would get to wear ALL PINK! Most of the clothes were already in her hand-me-down bag anyway! ;) So, I signed her up and we bought her a pair of ballet slippers. She was sooooooo excited!







But, she didn't want to stand on the black line with the other little ballerinas. Instead, she found a corner and did her own style of bouncing ballet!

The next week she didn't even want to do that. She watched. And at home she danced. The following week she wanted to hide behind me. And at home she danced. She showed Daddy everything they learned. She could hardly wait for her next class... she just wouldn't participate.

Was she just too young? We could continue to just watch -- but that frustrated me, so that wasn't going to work. Should we drop it? I wondered what would happen if I left the room... would that be a "bad mom" thing to do? I was sick of taking her to class only for her to hide. What really bothered me most was that I could tell she wanted to be part of it. She watched those "real" ballerina's in utter awe. What's a mom to do? I walked out. I tried to stay away -- but after a minute or two, I peeked -- one of the teachers was talking to her and spending a bit of one-on-one time with her. Alyssa was following her instructions! Yeah! So, I walked in -- and she ran to me. Grrrrrrr! After awhile, I walked out again and gave them more time together. It worked!

Eventually, she started standing on the black line all-by-herself.

She loved jumping like a frog. She also liked the bear walk, the princess walk, and bouncing like a bunny.

By the end of 15 weeks she was completely comfortable and happy in the class.

Way to go baby girl! You came a long way! We might try this again...

Happy Birthday!

Mmmmmmmmm... It was delicious. The whole day was!

I was spoiled stinkin' rotten! When I woke up I had a breakfast plan in mind, but Eli asked me where I wanted to go eat. I was a bit anxious that we were going out for breakfast instead of dinner because I had no idea what I was going to make later, but, oh well... We went to Cruel Jacks and it was very good. Then we went shopping...

For a CAMERA!!! (Mine is bearly working at all these days.)

I am so excited to have a new camera -- You have know idea. At least Eli doesn't, he says he just doesn't get it. But, I do! And that's what matters today, right? It is my birthday.

So the day turned out perfect. But he didn't stop there.

We stopped at Cold Stone for a cake. I so LOVE Cold Stone.

Although, in the background I was still worrying about dinner...

And then he asked me where I wanted to go eat! We're going out again? Should I let him after that chunk of money we spent on the camera? I should act like an adult, right? I should insist on making dinner. (I was already feeling guilty about the WHOLE day revolving around me -- and all the money we already spent...) As much as I didn't want to make dinner, I offered to. But, he insisted (although, he didn't have to twist my arm).

And then... more presents!!! (After the camera, I'll admit, it was a little hard getting excited about a bathroom wall cabinet, a pink trash can and a couple soap pumps...)

It was a wonderful, carefree, sort of day!

Everybody should have a least 1 birthday that they feel guilty about being so spoiled.

Thanks Eli, for my beautiful birthday. I love you!

Easter

Easter FUN! These are the eggs that managed to stay in one piece. Aren't they beautiful?

Last year my friend said that using two dye tablets per cup dyes the eggs a lot faster and a lot brighter. I tried it. It works great! (It also dyes fingers real bright real fast too!)

Finally! These two could hardly wait for the egg coloring fun to start. I boiled these eggs while I made breakfast and they had to wait until after lunch before they could start on them.

Alyssa enjoyed dying her eggs pink.

Payton preferred dying his eggs green, and some blue.

In my home growing up the Easter Bunny always hid our baskets. (It made the hunt for eggs a little more fun.) Payton found his basket in the bathroom cabinet.

Alyssa found her basket in the dryer.
Showing Daddy what the Easter Bunny brought.
It's a good thing the Easter Bunny knew Payton needed shin-guards in order to play soccer because "Mom just didn't know where to find them."

Last year I got an Easter cookie recipe that goes along with scriptures about the atonement. I thought I would try it with my family this year. As Eli read the scriptures from the Bible we added the corresponding ingredients and mixed it up. Then we put the cookies, that symbolize Jesus' tomb, on a cookie sheet. We placed them in the oven and "sealed" the door with tape, turned it off, then sent the twins to bed.

The next morning (after the egg hunt and before breakfast) we "unsealed" the oven and broke open the cookies, which were now empty inside. We talk about how the tomb was found empty on the third day. I really liked how it brought the real meaning of Easter into our home. Even Eli liked it and we thought that we might make this part of our Easter tradition.

Alyssa in her new Easter dress. (Hopefully, I can get one of the whole dress before she grows out of it!)

Cheese! Payton still fits in his Easter clothes from last year. He got a spider shirt and shin guards instead.


RAINBOW JELL-O
It's really called "12-Layer Jell-O" but a more fitting name might be "12-Hour Jell-O" (although it takes 1/2 that time to actually make it, it seems like 12 hours). My mom always brought this to the Easter potluck at my cousins', along with a batch of homemade crescent rolls... I thought my kids would like the Jell-O, so I gave it a try. Then our friends invited us to a Easter potluck so I said I would bring it --- and a carrot cake I had been wanting to make. The cake ended up all over the oven but the Jell-O was a hit. Maybe I'll make it again... someday...

Thanks for the fun afternoon Sally!

SOCKS

I've been trying to teach my children how to fold and hang their own clothes. I'm not doing the greatest, it still works best to do it myself... Here's Payton, diligently making an attempt. But, what is he doing with his socks?

Payton's answer, "They are still a little bit wet, so I'm hanging them up to dry."

Hahahahaha! I laughed as I ran to find my camera.

A Happy Forth

I'm not quite sure what's up with me and Jell-o this year, but thought I'd give this flag idea a try. It was fine 'till it sat in the sun...

We had a simple and fun Forth of July barbeque with good friends and fireworks. However, Payton got bug spray in his eyes and continued to blink his eyes for weeks afterwards. One day I finally asked him about that. He said, "See, my eyes are sparkling at you!" as he proceeded to blink them again. Melted my heart!

Conference Weekend

Saturday morning we tuned into conference via the internet and started on house work/projects. Here's my hubby getting ready to install our new dishwasher. The old one finally just wasn't gunna do it for us. It was one of those that you roll across the floor and hook up to the sink faucet to wash the dishes. That means I was out of a kitchen sink if I ran it during the day. We had to remove a precious cabinet to install the new dishwasher under the counter, but, it's a price I was willing to pay in order to do the dishes the easy way.

In between the morning session we headed out for a "Wal-Mart fix" (Eli's terminology) and bought some better, louder, speakers to hook-up to my laptop. Our excuse? so we could hear conference better! (The real reason, so we could hear the shows we watch on the computer.) Then we headed back home just in time for the afternoon session and a lunch with strawberry shortcake for dessert (our traditional springtime conference treat).

Little cardboard house.

Painting birdhouses.