Summer Fun

With my first year as the mother of a school aged kid under my belt, I figured it was time to bring out the big guns this summer. We only have so much time before it's off to school again, and yet we also have so MUCH time that I decided to get prepared. Well, and in the spirit of full disclosure, I also felt a little bit of guilt for all the time I spend working from home. I don't want that to get in the way of a proper summer. So here it is: The List. I compiled all the ideas we have done in the past and some new ones I wanted to try, and each day I pick one thing off the list.

The only rule is that we have to do it together. That way we spend time together, and the moments don't pass me by. I am only prepared through June though, so who knows about July.

1. June 1- Nature Scavenger Hunt from Hollie Hobby website
Think find a twig, something soft, something red etc. It's a classic. You can't go wrong with a scavenger hunt. When we were finished, they colored the paper and Alli drew pictures of each item she found outside.

2. June 3- Puppet Show
I helped them set up a coffee table stage and write a script- then we did the show for Dad when he got home. The Lion had to make the elephant laugh to get some Kool-aid because he ran out of money to buy it. (Just like real life!) He finally made him laugh with the bit about the Dark Dark House... When Maddie tells it, it's a "dawk, dawk howse in the dawk, dawk woods"

3. June 4- Learn to play Chinese Jump rope
I ordered one from amazon for a couple of dollars and taught the girls how to do the jumps. I used to play this game at recess, so it makes me all nostalgic...

4. June 7- Make Pictures with Colored "Glitter" Rice
I always have some of this on hand, but it is a pain to clean up. (I keep stepping on stray grains of rice for days) so it was a treat for them to get to use it. We drew letters with Elmer's Glue for Maddie and then she dropped the rice on top. You shake it off like glitter to reveal the picture underneath. Then we hid buttons in the leftover rice and played pirate "treasure hunt." Maddie counted the loot to see how much treasure she'd found.

To make: Mix 1 C rice with a few drops of food coloring and 1t vinegar. Bake in a 200 degree oven for 40 minutes on a cookie sheet. I make 2 or 3 colors at a time.

5. June 8- Library Story Time

6. June 9- Outdoor Bear Hunt
This is kind of a joke at my house. A couple of years ago I printed off some pics of bears and hid them in the bathroom. Then I got a flashlight and convinced Alli to follow me around on a "bear" hunt. She kept saying, "Mom, there aren't any bears in the house" When she found them in the dark bathroom with the flashlight, she was so shocked. So this time I made the pics bigger and hid them outside. We pretty much played hide and seek with the bear pictures. After I hid them, Alli and Maddie both wanted a turn to hide them and take us around on a bear hunt (through the river, up the tree etc) It was lots of fun.

7. June 10- Hide and Seek
After our bear escapades, it was time for the real thing.

8. June 11- Art Day
We pulled out the good old Usborne art book and made some cowboys with string arms. Then Alli and Maddie spent a good hour using those cowboys and sheriffs like paper dolls. I think there was even a wedding amongst the cast. Not very rough and tough, but we have a house full of girls and certain accommodations have to be made.

9. June 14- Google a Topic
Alli decided to look up Mozart and Louis Armstrong. (Um, I think they were both stories in the Magic Tree house series because I'm cultured, but not that cultured.) After we read some bios on Wickipedia, I put Louis Armstrong into the Pandora radio website. What an amazing site! Not only did she learn about Louis Armstrong and what he sounded like, but it played all the other major Jazz contributors from the era as well. There were even little information boxes that popped up with each new song. Wow. The Internet is amazing.

10. June 15- Make Father's Day Cards
See it was on my list, so I didn't forget. Handy.

11. June 16- Backyard Soccer
We set up deck chairs to mark the goals and kicked the ball around. I can't believe how willing they are to chase that ball all around the yard while exercising their little legs. That Hello Kitty soccer ball finally got put to use! It only took three years.

12. June 17- Maddie's Tea Party
I made some lemonade and little peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Maddie and a few of her friends. I love tea parties, and I never miss an opportunity to pull out our little tin tea set. We even pulled out the glitter and sprinkled a little "fairy dust" on all the girls.

So far, we are having a great summer. We've also been swimming at the outdoor Lehi pool, gone to the Petting Zoo, and taken plenty of picnics to the park.

Stay tuned for the next week of fun.

Kindergarten come and gone

When I dropped Alli off for the last day of Kindergarten, I got all choked up and cried all the way home. I just can't believe she is going to go to first grade next fall. What will I do with myself all day long without her? What will Maddie do? It's just too much time. Where did the time go and did I make the best use of it? I know this can't be true, but I have this feeling like I'm losing her and whatever I've done up until now will have to be enough becasue now she's out there on her own.

I picked Alli up from school that day and she started to cry, which made me cry all over again- I know... this is getting rediculous, but we just sat there crying together. Isn't it wonderful having a house full of girls?

Mrs. Wright took some pictures during the school year that have been fun to remember. This is Alli at the Jazz read a thon. I think she won the kindergarten reading prize. I don't actually know- Alli wasn't clear on the details.

Here we are at Alli's doughnut date:

And then there was field day. I still remember field day when I was a kid. It was always really exciting, so it was fun to see Alli participate for the first time.

I love Alli so much! As hard as it is, it's fun to watch her grow up and learn new things. I am a lucky Mom, that's for sure.

Ty/Mother's Day Photo Shoot

Ty asked me to give him some pictures of our kids for his Birthday, which was two days before Mother's Day. So I spent the last couple of weeks taking shots of the girls. It just also happened to make a good Mother's Day present as well. Without Kiddie Kandids around anymore, what's a girl to do? I guess I need to figure out how to use my photoshop.

Happy Mother's Day!

See How They Run

I must say that I am a lucky Mom. I have three beautiful girls, and the last one is so sweet and happy that even a stingy baby dis-liker like me can savor the moment and say things like, "I wish she could stay like this forever," and, "I could just sit here and hold her and kiss her all day." I used to hear things like this and think What in the world are they talking about? Okay, y'all. I get it. I'm converted. Just don't spread it around because it feels very un-like me, and I don't want to completely over-haul my image here.

The other day I was awakened around 3 AM, as is our routine, to Anne giggling. Usually she just wimpers quietly until I come feed her, but this was a full on laugh fest. She was so loud that I had to book it into her room before she woke anyone up. Then she did it again a few nights later. What was so funny alone in the dark? Does she find herself hilarious, or are there comic angels watching over her? I don't know, but, my, what joy she brings into our house.


Bearing this in mind, I did something unthinkable to my little sweetheart. I was planting peas last week while Ty sorted out the sprinkler hoses in our garden boxes. I had Anne sitting pleasantly in the early morning shade behind the house, probably dozing in and out happily or cooing at the bugs. I don't know. Honestly, I wasn't paying that much attention to her.

Once the garden was all set, Ty and I went into the garage to test the irrigation. "Turn it to station four." "How many minutes do you want it to run?" yada yada yada, and then the terrible aweful... Alli comes running around the house yelling, "Mom, you're giving Anne a bath!"

I have never run so fast. That's actually not saying much, but anyway, I ran fast. Anne was in her bouncer drenched, looking around frantically, and taking quick intakes of air as the water droplets beaded up on her face. Her socks were even soaked. Apparantly the garden station runs in the back flower bed as well... Who knew? To her credit, though, as cold and wet as she was, she didn't cry until I started stripping off her clothes.

I put on her fluffiest fluffys, wrapped her in a big blanket, and fed her some. Then I sent her off to peaceful slumber where she spent the rest of the morning safely in her crib. Oh, how sad I was. I might not get over it, but I think she's already forgotten about the whole fiasco. Love that little girl.

Annabelle is here

Annabelle Nicole was born on Monday, weighing 6 lbs 11 oz, which was exactly what I guessed she would weigh. The Doctor was impressed.

Anne is so easy going that even I can handle it when she cries. Most of the time she doesn't even cry. She just makes cute little baby noises. (I still laugh when I think about the time right after Alli was born when Ty said, "Don't worry, you're going to be a great Mom when the kids are five and older...") Now that I have a five year old, I'm less sure, but I'll take what I can get.
After two emergency C-sections, Anne's was my first scheduled C-section birth, and let me tell you, it is a whole lot scarier. I think it was the adrenaline I missed because the whole experience was terrifying, and I don't remember that from before. Unfortunately, the adrenaline hit after the surgery was over and, instead of enjoying a morphine induced coma, I was wide awake at midnight, at 3:00 am, at 5:00 am... When the nurses came in to check my vitals, I was so excited to see them that I don't think I've ever been so chatty. Weird, but then again, don't discount the morphine.

The surgery was just plain uncomfortable. The wonderful anesthesiologist, Kelly Myers, who, coincidentally works with my Dad when someone wants a laser treatment, told me just what to expect and practically held my hand through the whole thing. Even still, when he explained that my brain wouldn't register deep breathing because my chest was numb, I wasn't prepared for an hour of near suffocation. And when he said, "Okay, this is going to make your heart race for a minute," what he meant was, "I think interrogationists use this to simulate heart attacks." I would totally talk.

On the upside, Dr. Myers bent the rules a bit and let my Mom come in with Ty. I heard one of the nurses was upset about it, but oh well. I was grateful for another hand to squeeze and for another set of eyes to watch that monitor saying I was getting 100% oxygen absorption. No, you are not suffocating, that little number on the screen said to me. Just relax.


Afterwards, I spent three more days in the hospital with the best nurses I've ever had. They were so nice to me and made my stay as comfortable as possible, even with staples in my stomach.

We're home now and so happy to have baby Anne in our family. I know she is going to bring us all joy in ways we can only guess.

Our Christmas Letter

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Happy Holidays all,

It’s time for decking the halls again: time to finally turn on those lights strung from our rooftops and pull out the Nativity— maybe set up a tree sometime before Rudolph comes to eat the magic reindeer food Alli threw on our lawn. It’s Christmas time! I’m ready to bake sugar cookies and wrap presents. There’s just one hitch: there’s this little baby girl named Anne, and she’s coming to our family right in the middle of it all.

On December 17^th Anne will interrupt the festivities with her birth, hopefully coming home just in time to celebrate another important birth one week later: our Savior’s. As we gaze upon the fresh newborn face of our little one, we will remember another pure countenance—one that also radiated peace and love in ways that continue to guide me through the hardships of this life. This experience is certainly a privilege—one I will remember fondly and hopefully never duplicate…

After two emergency c-sections, I’ll have this c-section on my own terms. I’m excited to reduce the mayhem associated with childbirth, even if it means another surgery. I just pick the day and the time, and my Dr. shows up. What could be better? Not walking on Christmas day will entail some creative planning, such as freezing sugar cookie dough and what not, but maybe that makes it all the more fun and stress-free. I just might change the way I approach the holidays forevermore.

This year has been one of possibility and pain, firsts and “let us never speak of this again,” moments. Through it all, we’ve had a lot of fun. For me, it was catering my first wedding, while for Ty it’s been climbing and running 15 miles at a time like it’s easy. Alli started piano this summer and Kindergarten in the fall, and she continues to surprise us with her brilliance. I continue to hear, “Everyone thinks their kid is smart, but yours really is.” I know. We don’t know where she gets it.

Alli played “Silent Night” on par with her 7 and 8 year old counterparts for her first piano recital. She continues to love Nancy Drew, and her biggest wish is becoming a super spy when she grows up. She carries around her little girl makeup in her “spy purse” that also contains a compass, flashlight, and pretend PDA device. She cracks me up.

Even though Maddie still doesn’t fit into 2T clothes, she acts grown, and her third birthday party this February is all she talks about. She wants a lunchbox so she can go to school like Alli. (This little tidbit of Kindergarten lore has been lost in translation somehow because Alli doesn’t take a lunchbox to school.)

She could be getting her faulty information late at night, since Alli and Maddie recently started sharing a room. It was such a meaningful experience for Maddie that she responded by losing the diapers. That’s right; she potty trained herself, and I couldn’t be happier. In the midst of all these big changes, Maddie still has a killer smile that could melt a rock, and the kind of laugh that teaches me true happiness.

With so many blessings this year, it’s hard not to feel grateful for family. We wish you all a wonderful Christmas season full of joy with your own families.