From the Mouth of My Babe

An enthralled Davis at a tour of our local fire station during a preschool field trip.

With a real-life fire fighter. Every time we pass a fire truck or see one as we are walking, Davis always declares, "Dat's MY firetruck."

Maddie, to me, while helping her write her upcoming talk in primary: 

"This talk is going to be a-mazing."

Ike Rides a Bike

Isaac learned to ride a bike a couple of days ago and now he's bike-obsessed. I love watching my kids learn something new.

Since we live on a busy street I parked our van between him and the road.  He is still taking many many tumbles (and has scraped knees and a fat lip as proof) but always gets back up. We have since put the training wheels back on Maddie's bike and he is cautiously riding his own bigger bike now.

Davis was certain that he could do it if Isaac could, and refused any help we were willing to give.

This is how he felt about the bike falling to the ground over and over again.
I get that look a lot.

I took this video right after Isaac learned to make turns. He wanted me to send it to his dad immediately, he was so excited about it.

From the Mouth of My Babe

Saturday morning computer time is anxiously anticipated at our home all week long.

On the way to preschool the other morning Isaac and I had the following conversation:

Me: "...and don't forget to be polite with your teacher and remember to say 'please' and 'thank you.'"

Isaac: "Okay, I mean I hope I can do that---it's just that I never really say those words when I'm not around you."

Some Favorite People and Some Favorite Things

For the past 4 years I co-hosted a "Favorite Things" Party (see here, here, here, and here) while we lived in Iowa. After talking to my friend, Kami, about this fun tradition, she convinced me to try it out here with our friends on the East Coast. I'm so glad we did it---it was a great way to kick off Spring and spend a little bit of time with our friends who will be leaving us soon. 

I really scored this year! I went home with a potted plant (Gerber Daisies---my very favorite flower in the whole world), a new writing tablet and pen, and tortellini and pesto from none other than Trader Joe's (and you all know how I LOVE me some TJs). Can't wait to put them all to use!

Since menu-planning has become one of my saving graces over the past year (saves time! saves money!), I decided to give away these chalkboard menus that my sister made for me:

I get more compliments on my chalkboard menu than any other decoration in my house. It is cute and functional and Allie sells them here in her Etsy shop if you are interested.

Kami (my co-host) and I at the party. I love this girl. We first became friends when we started to run together last fall. She quickly became not just my running buddy but also a free therapist--we talked about all sorts of things while exercising. Now she has a bun in the oven so our weekly runs are on hold but I still look for every chance I can to spend time with her. She is a true friend. Luckily she has one more year here before her husband finishes his medical training.

Krissi lives just down the street from me and has a daughter Maddie's age, so I knew the first time I met her that we were destined to become friends (and the fact that she baked me the most amazing chocolate chip coconut cookies that day removed any previous doubt from my mind). We've participated in a preschool co-op this past year with our daughters and the girls have loved it. Krissi faithfully attended institute with me and has been a shining example to me of how to handle being a medical resident's wife with grace and a positivity. She is years younger than me but I want to be like her when I grow up! Sadly she will be moving next month, but lucky for her (and Iowa!) she is headed to the Midwest. I'm crossing my fingers that someday we end up being neighbors again.

Are you sick of pictures with me in them yet? Melissa is my other dear friend who will be moving next month. I am so sad to see her and her 3 (soon to be 4!) children leave us. I don't know who I will miss more---Melissa, or her cute kids. They are seriously some of the most polite children I have ever met. I have loved to watch her with them---she is a wonderful mother . She is headed to sunny Arizona where her husband just accepted a job. I am so happy for her, but sad for me and my kids. Luckily we both have ties to Northern UT so I know our paths will cross again.

I couldn't help but think of my Iowa girls (many of whom are not in Iowa anymore) during the party. I have really been blessed with good friends throughout my life. As I think back over the past couple of years in particular, I don't know how I would have survived without them. Life is good, but these years haven't always been easy ones and I'm so thankful for the friends that have helped me along the way.

The Day We Ate Popsicles in the Bathtub.

Don't judge--It was rainy outside and I'd just mopped my floors and wanted to keep them sticky-free for at least a couple of hours. Davis doesn't seem to mind suds with his dessert.

Popsicle season is approaching and we have been loving making different frozen treats in our blender and freezing them for a great afternoon treat. A few of our favorites are:

• Fudgsicles---1/3 cup Nutella, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 banana. 
• Pina Colada Pops--- 1 can coconut milk, 1 can pineapple chunks (juice and all), 1 banana, 2 TBL sugar, and a dash of vanilla.
• Grape juice---prone to stain clothes but super tasty.
• Cookie Butter Pops---we just replaced the Nutella with Cookie Butter in the fudgsicle recipe and the kids loved it. Just be warned that cookie butter is highly addictive and multiple members of our family have been caught eating it straight from the jar with a large spoon. 

Got any delicious popsicle recipes? We'd love to hear about them!

From the Perspective of My Three-Year-Old

Mother's Day 2012

At preschool last week Maddie's sweet teacher helped her make a little gift, some treats and a poem for Mother's Day. She also pulled her aside and asked her some questions about me. Here are some of her responses:

• Tell me about your mom: Sometimes she gets frustrated.
• Where was she born? I don't know but Isaac was born in Utah and I was born in Utah.
• How old is she? I don't know, but I'm three years old.
• What is her favorite thing to do with you? Good things.
• What is her favorite color? uhhh...treats. She likes treats.
• What does she like to cook? Yummy things.

Our Life Lately

Ryan has been insanely busy with work lately, so I'm running a one-woman show with the kids the vast majority of the time. Some days have gone smoothly and some days leave me wishing for a do-over, but life goes on and we are all healthy and happy most of the time. One of the benefits of our current life situation is that I have learned that I can do many things that I never thought I was capable of doing on my own. I have also been reminded that prayer really works, even for seemingly unimportant things. If something is important to me, it's important to Him, and He has shown me that He's watching out for my family. Life is good and it will be great when Dad is around a little bit more often.

Prepare yourself for some random phone pics from the past few weeks.

When B and J moved a couple of weeks ago, they left us with an unusually large amount of pancake mix, Nutella, and aerosol whipped cream, so we had two pancake parties (one with each preschool group we are involved in) within a week of each other.  Thanks for sponsoring the parties, Brooke and Jeremy!

Due to my mother giving her unlimited amounts of bubble gum during her visit last month, Maddie learned how to blow a bubble (and she was so proud to learn to do something before her big brother!) and has been blowing them ever since. 

It has been great to have friends who are in similar life situations (husbands who are studying or working a lot). This particular night we did a movie night with some friends, complete with pizza, soda pop, popcorn,  and cookies. The kids were in heaven. 

D has found a new love with this tire swing.

I'm pretty sure I have a dozen pictures of my kids on this very motorcycle, but I just love it when they ride it together. It is starting to get warm enough to spend more time outside, and this makes everyone happier. Welcome, Spring!

From the Mouth of My Babe

Nothing says trendsetter quite like pajamas and Mater cowboy boots that light up when he walks.  Remarkably tacky and cute all rolled into one tiny piece of footwear. 

Ryan, before church this morning: "Maddie, can I help you put your shoes on?"
Maddie: "No, Dad, remember, I'm a Sunbeam now, I don't neeeed any help!"

From the Mouth of My Babe

Earlier this week when we bid farewell to Brooke, Jeremy, and Katy. It was a bittersweet day--we are happy for them but sad for us because we will really miss them. Photos courtesy of Katy.

Isaac, while saying a prayer before bedtime tonight: "...and please bless that mom will say "yes" to letting us stay up a little later to play in our room and that she will play with us..."