We've had a real fun time the past few days. On Wednesday our neighbor Katie came to stay with us for a few days, and it has been fun to have her around full time. It's amazing how much I can accomplish when my kids have someone to play with;)
Good Friday could not come soon enough for us here, but as soon as the sun started to rise we loaded up and headed to Sparwood to spend the day with our friends the Salmons. Having Kate with us gave us the opportunity to see what our van looks like at full capacity.
(Note to self: A full mini van = a LOT of noise!)
The drive to Sparwood is definitely a pretty one. I literally had the camera on my lap most of the time. Unfortunately I missed getting shots of the wildlife we saw. Deer, Elk, and lots of mountain sheep. Beautiful!
This has become a bit of a tradition for us to visit the Salmons each Easter, and we are always grateful for their hospitality. This year the kids painted eggs, played games, ate a delicious ham dinner and finished the day by going swimming at Sparwood's AWESOME indoor pool. It's a great kid friendly pool and I doubt we'll be able to go visit our friends again without the kids begging to swim!
Thanks Salmons for the fun time!!!
On Saturday some wonderful neighbors of ours, (the Gladdings) surprised our kids with their very own Kites! It was an Easter tradition of Brother and Sister Gladding's to always give their kids/grand kids kites at Easter. Now that they have nobody nearby to spoil - they've begun to spoil our little brood. It was so sweet of them, and our kids were just thrilled to get out to give it a try!
Easter Sunday has been gorgeous! Finally some sunshine! To celebrate we went for a little walk, and of course I had to snap a few photos;)
I feel so grateful this Easter for all of the blessings in my life. Mostly though, I feel so grateful for my favorite 5 people in the world, and for the fact that I get to live with them forever and EVER!
Last weekend some neighbors of ours went down to Kalispell for a couple of days and asked Jessica to take care of walking their little dog Monty. Jessica loves that dog and pretty much wanders over to their house to see if "Monty can play," on a daily basis. I suspect our neighbor gave Jessica this task more for Jessica's sake then Monty's.
I'm pretty sure that dog got walked more in those two days then he usually does in a Week! John and I could tell that the poor little thing was getting tired-but our girls were having too much fun. So walk him they did. Again. And again. And again.
To thank Jessica- they brought home this adorable bunny bike helmet for her. Isn't it awesome?
I get a kick out of watching her play outside now. She usually mistakes Abby's coat for hers (which is extra long), and wears bright pink gumboots. As if that wasn't cute enough, seeing her ride around with this helmet added to the ensemble just makes my heart so happy.
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Sometimes after dinner, Abby and I take advantage of the slightly warmer evenings we've been having to go for a walk. It gives Abby the one on one time she loves so much, and it gives me an excuse to skip out on the after dinner clean up. (funny thing is though-the dishes and mess always seem to be waiting for me when I get back. huh.)
Anyways-we've found a fun spot that we often like walking to not very far from our house. It's basically nothing more then a large empty field that over looks the outskirts of town. There is one particular tree there that is probably dead, but is the perfect size for Abby to easily climb into. She has dubbed this our "Secret Tree," and the rule is that everything spoken at this tree must be honest and most importantly kept between us. As in her and I only.
(I'm hoping that I'll still be able to drag her to this tree with me when she gets older. Say...16(ish)
Anyways, last night as Abby sat in the secret tree she divulged to me who she has a crush on. I wasn't shocked, but I pretended to be because that's the reaction she wanted from me. It provided me with a great opportunity however, to explain to her that boys actually have cooties and that cooties don't go away until you get married. Therefore (ergo) it is pointless to really have a crush on any boy right now. To which she agreed. ...I think.
Just as we were about to leave Abby paused and asked me to tell her something secret now. Not just any secret though. She had one particular one in mind. To quote her she said, "Mom. I just really need to know. Honestly. What is the truth? Is the Easter Bunny real or is it just you and Dad?"
Seriously? What am I supposed to say to that? The truth? And if she questioned the Easter Bunny then what next. Leprachans? SANTA? Was I really supposed to be the one who ended all of that childhood magic? And where the heck was John? There was no way I was going down alone!
So....I lied.
Standing right there under our "Secret Tree", I looked her straight in the eyes and I told her that
"her Dad was definitely not the Easter bunny."
(and really, in my defense he isn't. I am the one who gets all the gifts and treats for the kids. John's just the one who merely works to pay for it all;) By the look on Abby's face I could tell that she was not totally convinced so I proceded to tell her some make believe story about the time that I actually saw the Easter Bunny with my own eyes!
That convinced her nicely.
Though I must admit, it is nagging on my conscience a little, and I'm beginning to think that her little heart already knows the truth - she's just waiting for me to say it.
We'll likely be making a little trip back to the Secret Tree.
This quote in particular always helps to put things in perspective:
"A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505. Rather than wonder what you might have done wrong in the premortal life to be so deserving, you might consider the more challenging child a blessing and opportunity to become more godlike yourself. With which child will your patience, long-suffering, and other Christlike virtues most likely be tested, developed, and refined? Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?"
With that in mind- let me tell you about Sam:
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A couple of weeks ago John and I took the kids over to Jewel's house to watch General Conference with them and my Brother's family. The morning was going great. The kids were off playing somewhere, and us adults where all comfortable sleeping...ahem...I mean listening to the talks when I realized it had gotten much too quiet. So naturally I went searching for Sam, confident that I'd find him up to no good.
Sure enough, I found him in his cousins room perched at the top of their bunk bed. I couldn't help but notice that he had a skipping rope tied around him with the other end of the rope tied around the top wrung of the bed. As I walked in the room, Sam clearly saw the look of alarm on my face and he instantly tried to reassure me:
Sam: "I know. I know. I was going to do it (as in jump) but then I decided that it was a bad idea so I didn't."
I replied: (somewhat relieved but still wanting to warn him against this in the future): "Oh Sam no. Kids have died that way before. That could have been very dangerous!"
Sam shrugged his shoulders and simply said matter of factly: "Well?.... it's a good thing I decided not to do it then isn't it."
Heaven help this kid.
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One thing that I love about this time of year, is that we get to enjoy beautiful morning sun rises. As we wake up each day the sunlight pours into our front window and I can't help but adore the effect it has on anyone who basks in the rays. Doesn't Nate look delicious?
For one brief second - all is calm and right in my day.
But moments like this never last very long.
By mid day Nate has usually managed to tear through our house creating one mess or another. John and I sometimes refer to this destruction simply as a Nathan Tornado. He rarely ever stays in one place long enough for us to catch him in the act-but messes like this have his name written all over it.
On top of his new found love of destruction, he also gets kicks out of grabbing fist fulls of his sisters hair and refusing to let go until a) they cry for mercy, or b) he collects enough strands of hair to make him feel as though his efforts were worth it.
And to think that he used to be my favorite child!
(kidding)
They are teaching me something important, these boys. At least, that's what I will keep telling myself!
It isn't often that John's family makes it up to Canada, and this week we were lucky enough to get to visit with THREE of them all at once. Unfortunately John and our kids were still in school most days but it was fun to see everyone, even if we were a bit tied down by our schedule.
Some of the highlights in point form:
* Libby and Jessica picked up right where they left off the last time they were together. These two enjoyed their "twin..." jammies while playing all sorts of princess type games.
* When the wind wasn't blowing too fiercely, the kids could be found out on the trampoline. (And yes, Uncle Jordan counts as one of the "Kids" if you ask me.)
* The kids snacked and ate a lot, but ice cream cones seemed to be a favorite treat this week. Whether at home or Dairy Queen the kids were happy to eat them anywhere.
* Our board games were put to good use, (which provided a welcome break from the Wii). Clue, Battleship, and Picturieka were a few of the favorites! It was VERY cool to watch our nephew Kaden preform his many cool Yo-Yo tricks!
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*And what would a visit from John's family be without the customary trip to Waterton for a picnic?
Ahem...I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that this was partly my idea. We ended up hauling lunch back to my house.
In case you were planning a spring picnic out in Waterton any time soon...I wouldn't if I were you;)
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* On Monday night we all got together for a little Murder Mystery Fun. We had the Sheriff, the Creepy travelling Carney, the Reverend and his wife, the town "hottie", the wandering ex-convict, the aspiring country singer wannabe, and I was elated to play the part of the proud owner of the local trailer park. Trust John's sister Rachel to come up with an idea as fun as this.
(PS Family: I am happy to forward any pictures on to you for all of your blackmailing needs.)
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On Saturday we took the kids (and their cousin Libby) down to the local museum for the annual Easter Egg hunt. The kids always love watching the movies that are played on the big screen, LOTS of chocolate eggs were gathered, and they even met the Easter Bunny.
The last of our company left this morning and it was back to normal for us here.
John left early for Church meetings, the kids argued about getting dressed up, and Nate ran around the entire Relief Society room in the middle of the lesson. Again. Therefore, I spent the remainder of our church meetings pacing the halls for what I'm hoping will be the last time EVER.
I love witnessing those little moments in a day when one of my kids learn to do something new for the very first time. Lately Nate has been trying to use a fork when eating, and I just love the sequence that so often unfolds now when I put food in front of him.
1. Spend 3 minutes attempting to actually pick up some food.
2. Give up with frustration
3. Resort to the tried and true method
(which involves jamming as much food as you can into your mouth with your pudgy little bare hands)
We are expecting some company for the next week or so, and our kids are bursting with anticipation! John's brother Jordan and his wife Luci phoned us last night and told us that they were halfway here, and rather than stopping for the night somewhere, they were just going to drive through the night and get here in the wee hours of the morning. As in 3:30 am!!! There is a time when I would have waited up for them like a good hostess - but I'm old now, so I simply left a key for them under our front door mat.
Of course I did be sure to leave a welcoming note for them:
When we woke up this morning-the kids were a little disappointed to see that nobody had arrived. Perhaps it was something I said....?
Unfortunately, the same bad weather that we have dealt with for the last couple of days hit them harder and they were forced to spend the night in a hotel after all. To make it worse, they've spent the large part of today battling through a blizzard and changing flat tires along the way. And just think, all of that just to see us!!! (well not really-but that's what we like to tell ourselves)
Luckily, the snowy weather has moved on and I dare say the sun is trying its very best to poke it's way through. The blanket of snow we woke up to this morning is completely gone, so that's good, right?
Basically what I am saying is... there is a chance that our relatives may or may not be arriving soon, and an even slighter chance that spring may or may not actually be here.
I'm just going to go ahead and predict a great weekend!
Abigail had a fun week and got to attend Activity Days for the FIRST TIME! She joined her leaders and the other girls at the local salon for some hairdressing fun and came home feeling pretty stylish;) I remember when Abby was a baby and I got to serve as an Activity Day leader for a few months before we moved away. It was my favorite calling and I remember thinking how fun it would be to have an eight year old girlof my own. And now- I do! (And I was right, by the way, she is an entertaining little thing!)
Some of the funny things Abby has said this week:
Abby (one night before bed): "Mom? Tomorrow do you think that you could put something new or just maybe sorta different in my lunch? Because, well my lunches have just been so predictable lately."
Me: Fine...sure kid.
Tonight on our walk Abby was listening to her ipod when the song Firefly started to play. Part way through the song Abby looked at me and said wistfully: "Mom, if I could just see a group of fireflies, like just 20 or 30, then I know it would like totally make my life."
Me: Uh...sure kid.
Abby was telling me once about a boy in her grade who always chases the girls at recess. I tried to explain to her that perhaps he is chasing her and her friends because he has a crush. Abby quickly interrupted me and said, "Oh no mom. He's not the type who chases for love. He just chases for fun."
Me: Yeah...sure kid.
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This past Monday evening, during dinner Sam got all ambitious and begged us to let him plant his very own garden. Thinking little of it at the time- John and I both gave our approval of the idea. Well Sam, taking our okey dokey to heart instantly scooped the peas and corn off his plate and headed to the deck to begin planting. It was cute to see him (aided by his sisters of course) carefully plant and water the food that moments ago had sat on their plates.
I suppose John and I could have stopped them and explained that there was little point in watering the veggies- but we'd grown tired of asking the kids to actually eat them so instead we just said: "Sure kid. Good luck with that"
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Nathan has impressed us this week and has proved that he is every bit as smart as he looks. He recovered from his week long bout of the flu with a mouthful of new teeth and a vocabulary to boot!
Some of the words he can say are: cacka (cracker), dis (this), mi (mine), tooba (toothbrush), Dad (dad), Dad (mom...It's ok,I'm flexible;), puppy, and wi (which sadly does in fact mean Wii).
It makes me proud of him, and proud of myself for actually being able to understand his little language. He's at that stage where he'll talk to someone and they're all like, "Oh sure kid...I know exactly what your saying.....?????"
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And what would a post about the kids be without a shot of Jessica. This little one was sick for most of the week with the worst flu ever. For a good five days she just laid in bed and watched Toy Story 3 while trying unsuccessfully to hold down even water.
It's not easy watching your kids suffer through sickness-but this one handled it like a trooper. I dare say she even got a bit fond of the whole "sick kid" routine. All week she pretty much got whatever she wanted.
Pop in bed...while watching the 5th movie in one day?
"Sure- you bet kid. Whatever. You. Want!!"
Happy Sunday!
We had a great day, spent with some of my siblings eating food and enjoying Conference Talks.
Alright... perhaps I was a little over zealous in declaring this to be the BEST day ever! After all, there was my wedding day, not to mention the days that each of our children were born...
But this day is right up there on my list of favorites-that is for sure.
On Friday afternoon as soon as John had finished work we loaded up the van, and the kids, and a LOT of snacks, and made our way to Choteau, Montana. Now this may not sound like much of a destination to you, but there is a cool little thing about the Choteau areat that we learned about from John's sister Sarah and her family. Every year at this time, thousands of birds, particularly snow geese and tundra swans, migrate through the area and spend a couple of weeks grazing in the nearby fields and resting on Freezeout Lake. (Just google Freezeout Lake Montana and see for yourself) Anyways- we had planned to go last year and meet up with Sarah and Ed but ended up backing out, though I made John promise me that we'd check it out this year.
Hence our trip this weekend to "the middle of nowhere Montana." AKA...Choteau.
This is a picture of the hotel lobby of the Stage Stop Inn where we stayed. I know this doesn't look too exciting to you, but my kids apparently thought this was pretty darn cool. Really. You would have thought we'd arrived in Disneyland the way they kept going on about it.
Suffice it to say that a lot of time was spent at the hotel swimming with the kids, eating junk food, relaxing, watching America's Funniest Home Videos while eating popcorn (not junk food), and visiting with John's sister Sarah who met up with us. I think it is safe to say that if we never had gone out to look for birds, my kids would have been perfectly happy with all of the above.
Oh yeah, and Nate spent the night puking.
I was not happy with that.
Alright- now for the amazing part. The birds!
So there is this lake (as I mentioned earlier) called Freezeout lake. And true to it's name, it was pretty much frozen over and sat fairly empty for a large part of the day.
But this lake won't stay empty for long, because the 70-100,000 geese who are passing through the area are currently out feeding on leftover grain from farmer's fields.
Like clockwork, right around 11:00 am, you begin to hear the faint sound of geese in the distance, and soon a dark cloud of birds begin to make their way to the lake.
It's a pretty impressive sight to see as they get closer. This photo shows just one group of snow geese. From every direction, groups of similar size begin to make their way back to the lake.
It's a bit of a frenzy as they all try to find somewhere to land, and the noise is unbelievable! Even from as far away as we were, it was still an incredible sound.
The weekend we were there, the bird count also indicated that there were about 4000 tundra swans at the lake.
Every couple of minutes another flock comes in to land. Sarah made the comment that the lake was more like an airport, the way some birds came and others left.
Sure enough, some smaller groups would take off, and I suspect they were beginning the next leg of their journey. (I've heard that the next stop is in northern Alberta)
Aside from the 70,000 snow geese and 4000 Tundra swans, we also saw a cool flock of pelicans.
And we saw a LOT of other birders out. Some people camped in this cold weather right by the lake. I suppose they are what you would call "enthusiasts." ....I wish I could be like them.
The landscape was dotted with these mounds of dirt, which we suspect are nests for the Canadian geese in the area.
The snow geese were beautiful to watch when the lighting was right.
This particular flock was HUGE! The trail of birds flying in seemed relentless and I would never have been able to really capture the size of it. Which is a pity. But really- this isn't the type of thing that really can be captured on camera. There is too much to take in. Too much to hear!
One of my favorite moments came on Friday night. We had just arrived and were excited to see our first "Fly In" but the weather was really poor which had thrown off the bird's normal routine. It was freezing cold, and snowing and very very foggy. Finally after what seemed like an hour, and just as the sun was going down the birds began to come in for the night. It was such a serene moment, and as John, Sarah and I stood watching these birds lift off and soar right above us toward the lake, you could literally HEAR their wings beating the air!
I put my camera down and didn't even try to take a photo. I guess I just felt like that was a moment I wanted to experience completely. That moment made the trip down totally worth it.
Every thing after that was just icing on the cake!
Speaking of icing on the cake: This afternoon when we got back- John had me go wash the van and I couldn't help but notice that there was not a single bit of bird poop on our van. Not a speck!
Now how lucky is that?
John was so awesome to video tape a couple of the fly ins and he has added some of my photos to make a bit of a slide show. Feel free to check it out - you'll feel like you were there yourself!
I noticed one morning this week that Nate sits at the table like a "big boy" now. Sure, seeing his teeny little legs dangling from the chair helped to soothe me a bit and remind me that he is still small - but I'd give anything to have him happily sit in his high chair again. Stop Growing NATE!
This morning I asked Jessica to go and get dressed for the day and this is what I found her doing a few minutes later. She didn't even know I was taking her picture, but I love how she is smiling at herself. She's obviously pleased with her makeup skills - though I admit she was the only one;) What is it about little girls and make up?
Abby sang at the Music Festival this week a couple of times. On Tuesday she sang with her grade 2 classmates, and on Wednesday she sang with her Junior Choir. I love listening to her sing. (It beats listening to her talk, seeing as she is always trying to talk like a TEENAGER these days.) The other day I told her to go "practice her piano or else!" to which she dramatically exclaimed, "What! I totally don't deserve to be treated this way!"
I met with Sam's Teacher this week during parent teacher interviews and she had nothing but good things to say about him. Of course that made me happy, but I'll admit it made me a little sad too. I mean, what happened to that rambunctious impossible little boy he once was? It's become much to easy to talk and reason with him and he seems ...well....older.
Sometimes when I am talking with one of the kids I will playfully try to make them promise me that they will "never grow up." They usually just roll their eyes and tell me that "they can't not grow up."
The weather this past week had us all feeling hopeful that spring would be just around the corner. The kids spent a lot of time outdoors, which for some reason makes me feel like a good mom.
(kids - TV = good parenting right?) So ...good for me!
Sam got his very first skateboard and subsequently his very first goose egg. (Well... first goose egg of the year at least) I really admire his determination. It seems as though with each and every fall or crash, his resolve to figure that skateboard out only intensifies.
We've gone on several family walks lately, and Abby has become my own little walking buddy. (I'm trying to condition my ankles after a long 8 months of being way too immobile. ) With hiking season approaching we've got to get ready!
On Friday afternoon I left the kids with John for a couple of hours, and came home to this cute little scene on our front yard:
Apparently, our kids (along with their friend Katie) had decided that it was the perfect day for a, get this...."WATER SALE!"
Doesn't it look like the perfect day to you for such a thing? Jessica is practically shivering in her winter coat!
While Jessica managed the water, and the "till" Sam and Katie wandered the cul-de-sac trying to drum up costumers. What would you do if two little rascals showed up on your doorstep asking you to come buy some water? John just let them knock away. Probably because, well for one thing - we have AWESOME neighbors! And secondly, it seems as though very few of our neighbors actually spend any time in their houses these days. He didn't really see any harm in letting the kids go from one empty house to the next while shouting out, "Water for Sale!"
And boy do these kids know how to sell water! I had to shell out THREE DOLLARS for my little glass of water!! Can you believe that? As soon as I drank that measly little glass - I went inside and poured myself two more glasses from the tap just so I could feel like I'd drank my moneys worth;)
Little do Sam and Jess know that Ill actually be stealing those loonies as soon as I decide to wash the van;)
All of that fun outside play came to a crashing halt yesterday when the temperatures dipped back down around zero (gasp!!!) and the snow began to fall. I think I complained about the weather more yesterday then I did back when we were experiencing minus 25 temperatures. Go figure!
Oh my the weather has been nice here lately. There have been several days this week when I've been able to open up the windows in our house and feel the fresh air waft through. There is nothing better then enjoying fresh air after a long winter cooped up inside.
Nathan will be the first to agree with that. He's logged a lot of hours playing outside this week, and it makes me happy to see him enjoy the outdoors so much. Unfortunately letting him outside poses a couple of problems. 1) We inevitably must bring him back inside, which always seems to provoke the worst temper tantrums I have ever seen. 2) In an effort to avoid being taken inside- Nate often attempts to run away. And this kid is QUICK! Not only is he quick, but once he knows that you are coming for him- he kicks it into overdrive and really takes off!
Needless to say - his outside time is being closely monitored and limited now.
Here are a few pictures of the kids enjoying a warm (albeit wet and muddy) morning at the park.
1st time this year!!!!
Note Jessica playing with the icy puddles. You know it has been a long winter when THIS is our warm day worth celebrating;)
And in case you have forgotten what March is all about, it happens to be the month when the eagles return. I've begun scoping out my favorite bird watching spots, and have been thrilled so far to see many of the same places are once again occupied by these beautiful birds. The kids flat out refuse to join me this year, (the bums), so it looks like I'll be doing a lot of driving alone as I watch them;(
(I know this picture is blurry, but I was using a lens that does not have auto focus)
Well, that is pretty much the most exciting news for us this week. We've spent the past few days glued to news reports and images about the damage in Japan. Even Abby has been touched by the loss there. It makes me feel so grateful (yet again) to live where we do. Even if our "warm days" are really not that warm at all.
I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!
Friday, March 11, 2011
I'm not one to complain (ok maybe I am), but I think it is worth pointing out that this has been the first year since John started teaching that we have not had a "SNOW DAY" at some point. The last couple of years, we had already enjoyed two or even three snow days by the time March came around. This next week is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous, and it's a pretty safe bet that we won't be seeing any snow days in the near future. In fact, with Spring approaching- I feel all hope of a glorious unexpected day off slipping further and further away.
Sometimes it is just not easy being married to a school teacher, I tell ya.
I mean- having to wait until APRIL for the next week long break? Can you imagine?
Sigh......
In the mean time- I guess I'll just dream of lazy summer days without schedule, and do my best to remember that they are definitely worth the wait.
Well, against all of my pleas for this little girl to "never grow up," she has gone and done it. Turned 8 years old on me! It has been a busy weekend to say the least. One which has revolved entirely around this little girl. (thanks Mya for this cute little owl!)
On Friday we threw a birthday party for her, and she was allowed to invite 8 of her school friends. Years ago I had told made a deal with her that she could always invite as many friends as the age she is turning. That seemed perfectly harmless back when she was 3! I'm thinking we might have to renegotiate the terms and agreements of having a birthday party.
8 kids is a LOT!
Luckily, John was on hand to help all of the kids build their own rockets out of duct tape. After 40 minutes, a few rolls of tape, and a whole lotta noise - this is what they created:
John loved that Abby wanted to launch Rockets for her birthday.
I had to throw in this picture because it just so perfectly depicts what Sam was up to most of the time. Sam had apparently grown tired of the whole "celebrate Abby thing" and this is just the sort of thing he does whenever he needs some attention.
Don't worry though, Abby has no trouble commanding attention. This is how she insisted on opening all of her gifts. Perched high and mighty for all to see!
After all of that we ushered the kids outside to launch their rockets! I was nervous about John launching these things in the cul de sac. (John has a history of launching things on to other peoples roofs or into back yards etc.) However, seeing as half of our neighbors are away so much these days I figured who would know right? ;)
In the end the only eventful thing that happened was when one kid's Rocket landed in the back of our one neighbor's white truck just seconds before he came out to start it. ;)
Ha. I'm sure they love us!
Believe it or not, I was actually a bit sad to see all of those kids leave at the end of the party. Perhaps I had actually gotten used to all of the shrieking, high pitched laughter, and dramatics. Or perhaps- their absence just meant that it was time for me to start cleaning up. Conveniently the rest of my family all disappeared as well, leaving me to deal with the aftermath.
I don't know. Methinks we need to include a clause in our future "Birthday Party Addendum"
"She who MAKES the mess- CLEANS the mess!"
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Saturday was a fun day for our family, and a first for John and I as parents. It was a truly fun experience for me to see Abby get baptized, and I was so grateful for this sweet girl. She's worked hard this year to prepare for baptism and she smiled the whole day!
I got a little choked up sometimes when I would watch her cuddle up next to her Daddy.
I asked Abby what some of her favorite things about her baptism day were and she said:
* "Getting baptized" (good answer)
* "How Auntie Jewel said that life is sort of like a dryer." (you had to be there;)
* "My coin from Uncle Chad."
* "I liked the desserts and how they were decorated"
Speaking of the desserts- check out these cupcakes that Aunt Rachel made! Weeks ago she had phoned asking Abby what her favorite color, animal and flower was. (to which Abby replied purple and blue, a horse and tulips!)
Rach worked hard to give Abby the perfect cupcakes consisting of All her favorites!
Of course, the day was made extra special by all of the friends and family who joined us! (and helped in so many ways) To the Hardy, Stevens, Rausch and Payne families- thanks for travelling to be with us!
It really was seeing all of our loved ones that made the day so wonderful for Abby.
PS: sorry about Jessica's hand in her nose. And ....about Sam.
Sometimes it is difficult to find something that ALL of my family enjoy doing together. Usually spending a little bit of time as a family requires a bit (or a lot) of deliberation beforehand to be sure that everyone will be happy. I've found that there are a few guaranteed requirements. 1. -if it involves candy or popcorn-then my kids are all over it. 2. If it involves something educational- then John is there. 3. If it requires zero set up or clean up - well, now we're talking.
That's why I'm thinking that a movie night is in order- and these Walk on the Wild Side segments might just be the perfect thing to watch!
