Deliveries

All right, I was feeling a little guilty for not checking on the kids while we were watching TV, so I went upstairs. I found the kids playing postman with my stash of envelopes.




As they were walking around handing out letters, I heard them say:

Kierra: "Happy Birthday to Hilary. I am so excited for the birthday." "Here's your delivery!"

Audrey: "I am so happy that you are turning 13!" "Aren't these wonderful?" "Oh, that was so nice of you. Thank you."

They were even nice enough to come downstairs and give Mommy and Daddy a delivery.

It's nice to think they got all of this from listening to me write letters, however I am the world's worst letter writer. Case in point: today is my little bro's birthday and I haven't sent him a card yet.

Well, way to use your imaginations, girls! I love it!!

We're Totally Lame

Okay, so, we're totally lame because right now all of our kids are upstairs playing and using their imaginations and stuff, and Jeromy and I are downstairs watching Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel and loving all of it. Have you seen it? So funny!!!

Ya, we're lame, I know.

Music FHE

We learned about music appreciation tonight for FHE. I put some different classical songs on the CD player and asked them what it reminded them of or what it made them feel like. Kierra's standard answer was "it makes me feel like standing." Then on Vivaldi's Spring, when I asked Kierra what she thinks of when listening to it, she exclaimed, "The Little Einsteins!!!" To which Audrey corrected her that it was The Little Einsteins Halloween. Ya, we watch a lot of TV, can you tell?

So by the time we had closing prayer, Jeromy and I were already battling the giggles. Audrey started out by saying something that we thought was pretty funny (Jeromy and I were smirking at this point, but keeping the giggles back). Then she said, very seriously, "We're thankful we can be quiet during prayers." (Jeromy and I are REALLY battling giggles back now!) Further reprimanding her parents: "And we're thankful we can be reverent." We lost it. How in the world are we supposed to model reverence when they're so darn funny!

Names

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought I should try.

Holy crow!! 72!?!?!?!?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 72 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

My maiden name is MUCH more unusual. Maybe I should have kept it...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Grandmother Piano

WE HAVE A PIANO!!!!

My grandmother has been giving all her grandchildren inheritance money for the last couple of years, and asked that we try to spend the money on something that would remind us of her. So we thought it was high time we got ourselves a piano!

It's not a regular one, but it is a very nice digital one (Yamaha Casanova) that sounds and feels just like a real piano. We love it! It even has some different "voices," programmed songs, weighted keys, and a record option.

I remember playing the piano with my Grandmother during one of her visits, and she taught us a usually-forgotten Primary song about plum trees (?) and birds. Anyway, it's a great memory, so I thought a piano would be very fitting, plus I've been itching to play again! Yeah!! Thank you so much Grandmother!!!

Shortage of Nice People

Really nice people are going the way of the dinosaurs, don't you think? You know, the type that'd go out of their way to do some small act of kindness for you.

I was at Ikea a couple of nights ago, and trying to figure out how to lift 2 boxes of bookcases onto my cart, when this VERY nice couple offered their help. The gentleman lifted them onto my cart, and then the woman kindly asked if I wanted them to follow me out to the parking lot so they could help me get it into my car! So, we went to the same checkout and then they helped load up my car. Can you believe it! They were just SOOO nice!

Shawn Spencer Wannabe

Last weekend we went down to St. George and Cedar City to visit Jeromy's sister and brother and their families. We had lots of fun, guys, thanks!!

Jeromy's brother owns a scooter, and so he was very eager to try it out! Thanks for humoring him, Jay! Cuz he's not getting one!


Doesn't he look just like Shawn Spencer on Psych? He'd be thrilled if you agreed!

Halloween Books

I just got the latest Powell's Books e-newsletter for kids books, and there was a list of good books to read for Halloween (one of my favorite holidays). I've been looking for the last couple of years for some good Halloween books for kids, so I'm excited to see this.

Girls Night Out

Aren't friends wonderful? I just got back from a great dinner get-together with some old friends in Provo. They put together probably 8 small tables to accommodate us! It was so wonderful to sit with each other and chat and just have a wonderful time together. We need to do that more often!

I just wanted to say that I'm so grateful for all my friends out there. Especially on the days when I'm feeling sorry for myself because our new ward is crappy, I can know that I do have good friends out there, they're just not that close in proximity anymore. Thanks everyone! I'll see you on the blogs!!

"Working Together" Song

I've been trying to finally finish organizing the food storage in the basement, but what with the Box Tops Sale and Quaker Sale at Albies last week, I just added more to the mess. Among all the items I got from the sale, I brought home about 70 boxes of cereal (woohoo, a year's supply!). So today's task was to organize and rotate cereal boxes, and I got the girls to be my "big helpers" (I am SO grateful that their little ears still perk up when I say this and they're usually willing to do something for me if I keep it fun).

Anyway, I asked the girls to move all the boxes of cereal into one area by the shelves. They proceeded to do so, putting them in one long line on the concrete. I left for a minute to clean up a spill, and when I came back downstairs, I heard Audrey and Kierra singing a song they had just made, all while shuffling boxes around:

"Work to-geth-er, work to-geth-er, don't you cr-y. Work to-geth-er, work to-geth-er, don't get distracted. It's fun to work and help and sing...."

W-O-W. After feeling like a not-so-confident parent yesterday, to witnessing this today, it made me feel a lot better. Sometimes I just can't get over how blessed I am to have these sweet children in my life. I didn't say anything to them about working together, or not crying, or getting distracted, or anything! I only asked them to be my big helpers and move cereal! What's funny is that after a couple of minutes of singing, Audrey asked me what "distracted" means. Hmmm, now I've got to think of something else for them to help me with tomorrow....

10 Lighter!!!

So, 6 weeks into Weight Watchers, and I've lost 10 pounds!! Whoohoo! Only 30 more to go! Well, okay 40, but my immediate goal is 30. Anyway, I'm kind of in an exercise video rut, getting a little bit sick of Slim in 6 (although I would highly recommend them, it's just that I've been doing them for months now and want something new). Anyway, does anybody have any good workout videos they'd recommend? Has anybody tried Power 90? I can't decide what to get next.

They're Back!

The girls got back on Wednesday night, and although our freedom is yet again gone, we are so glad to have them back. We missed them so much! Wow, those Grandmas really taught them well, because they have had the greatest manners since they got home! We hardly ever have to tell them to say please or to request something in their non-whiny voices. It's been very nice. Although, they do keep accidentally calling me Grandma, which is totally understandable. So thanks again, Grandma Corless and Grandma Wilson, for taking such good care of our precious girls so we could have a much needed break! Thank you!!

Now that they're home, I'm reminded of all the things that I've been thinking about lately about how to include the children in my daily life. They got a lot of one-on-one attention at their grandparents' homes, and I'd like to continue that as much as possible (and still have a little left over time for myself:). Anyway, we've been trying to figure out how to go about doing this. Yes, it would take half the time to NOT have them help me with the laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc. but they need to learn sometime, right? Plus, they love to spend any amount of time with me, and they're still in the age of "loving to help." But it's so easy to just turn on a cartoon for them so they're out of the way as I scrub toilets or whatever. So, I'm just wondering if any of YOU have any ideas on how to include your kids in these kinds of activities and jobs. And what other kinds of one-on-one activities or fun adventures do you do with your kids??? I must know!!!

Missing My Girls

My girls have been gone for awhile and we miss them! They were at Grandma Corless's last week, and Grandma Wilson's this week. I have to admit it has been incredibly nice to have a break and for them to have some face time with their Grandma's, but we do miss them tons! So I thought I'd post some random pix and videos of them from the last couple months.


Awww, she loves me!


They got into our Rockband mike one day, and decided to make a stage and get dressed up. I walked into the room right when Kierra was singing her ABC's (notice her new letter "kay-ch"). Too cute!



In all fairness, Audrey wanted to have a turn too. So here's her new version of her ABC's.



We couldn't leave out our adorable, messy little boy!

Yellowstone Trip

Okay, so this post is a week late, but better late than never, right? So for my birthday this year, Jeromy took me on a little trip up to Yellowstone for the weekend, just the two of us. It was wonderful, especially since we haven't had a trip like that since before we had kids. I think the best part was seeing Hello Dolly at the Playmill Theatre! So fun!

There was a group of female elk and their young right next to the road. Cool.


Okay, here's a test for you. There's a grizzly bear in this photo, can you find it?


We went on a hike up to see Mystic Falls. Awesome. Oh so are the falls. ;)


How can you go to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful?!?



There was a bison right next to the road, so we had to get a video of it. We were so close that we could hear it wrip the grass out of the ground!! All I can say is, boy am I sure glad that car could go 0-60 in 5.2 seconds!! jk :)

Woohoo!!!

We're on our way to Yellowstone for a weekend away! Without the kids!! Happy Birthday to me!!!

(I'm posting this as we drive on the freeway, isn't that just awesome?)

What Princess Are You?

I guess I'm Aurora. Um, okay...


You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Success!!

After several weeks of desperate attempts, Jacob took a bottle of milk today!!!! Jeromy told me he'll take me away for the weekend for my birthday if I weaned Jacob, so I've been trying ever since. Sometimes he'll take water or juice, but never milk. So I think I figured it out today: use the Playtex Nurser bottles, feed right before a meal, and DON'T hold him. He sat in his high chair while I held the bottle for him and he took it! Yeah!! This in no way means that we're done, but the hardest battle is won! Hurray!!

Silly Goose Kierra

Kierra drew a paper in Nursery yesterday that they tied around their necks. I forgot to ask her about it yesterday, so I asked about it this morning.

Me: What does your sign say?
Kierra: Um. (tracing her finger along the words) Happy Birthday, Kierra. (tracing again) I'm absolutely right.
Me: (chuckle) Um, no, actually it says, "I Can Forgive Others."
Audrey: How, Mommy?
Kierra: (very animated) You give them a drink of water and they grow really big!!

Wow. Great job listening in Nursery, kiddo. Maybe we should touch on that in FHE tonight...

Personality Test

So, I guess I'm an idealist. A different personality test I took awhile ago said I was a skeptic romantic (whatever that means). But, for the most part, I think it's pretty accurate. I'm not sure about the creativity inner world thing (well, maybe, but don't we all live in some sort of little world?), but I sure do hate conflict within relationships. And I might have unrealistic standards about love, but I sure met them with Jeromy! He wants to know how they got my picture in the test. Har har. Anyway, it's a fun little test, you should take it!

You Are An INFP

The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world. Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships. It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close. But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. In love, you tend to have high (and often unrealistic) standards. You are very sensitive. You tend to have intense feelings. At work, you need to do something that expresses your personal values. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. How you see yourself: Unselfish, empathetic, and spiritual When other people don't get you, they see you as: Unrealistic, naive, and weak

What's Your Personality Type?

Definitely NOT the Same Ward

I just have to complain a little. First off, I LOVE Relief Society! It is so nice to gather once a week with fellow sisters and get to know them while learning about the gospel. And then there's the quarterly Enrichment nights where we can come together and just have fun. Oh, and all the mini-groups are the best idea to branch out and get to know people on a closer level while sharing common interests and talents. Women need other women. I need that bonding now more than ever since I don't know anyone up here. Plus, I'm missing my old calling of Provident Living Enrichment leader. It was the best!

We've lived here for over 3 months and finally had an Enrichment night last night for the first time. I only know 2 girls in the ward, so I invited them to carpool to the church (which is about a 10 minute drive- I know, weird), but neither of them could go. So I went alone anyway, trying to muster up courage to make new friends. Guess how many women showed up???? 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Including me!!!!! What is up with that??

There, I'm done. I know it's up to me to quit my judging and just get out there and make friends. And who knows, maybe by doing so it'll make it a better ward in the long run. But until then, it's going to be a struggle. What happened to mini groups a couple times a month? What happened to supporting your leaders and going to Enrichment even if you didn't really feel like it? What happened to welcoming new sisters? Oh wait, they do that here, they just skipped me. Ugh.