Elf on the Shelf

Have you heard of the "Elf on the Shelf"? Apparently some lady came up with the concept back in the early 70s to explain to her kids just how Santa knew if they were being good or bad. This little elf comes to your house and sits on the shelf. During the day, he doesn't look real, but at night, when everyone is fast asleep, he comes alive and travels back to the North Pole to relay to Santa all of the happenings at your house throughout the day. Then he returns to your house and resumes his position in a different place before everyone wakes up. (The new location is how you know he left during the night.) I actually remember my Grandma McAdams had one of these decorations when I was a kid, but I never knew it was an "elf on the shelf" or the theory behind the elf. She probably didn't know the meaning herself.

So Kellie came home from school last week after hearing about the elf on the shelf and it was all she could talk about. She is convinced this is the real deal. (This is my daughter who has been skeptical about the whole Santa being real thing...so I'm surprised she is convinced about this. Actually I think getting coal for Christmas a few years ago sealed the deal for her and now she is a believer.) She refused to go to bed until we had gotten on line and ordered one of these "elf on the shelf" for our house.

The next morning she was up while Alex was getting ready for school. She excitedly told Alex all about how I had ordered one of these and it would be arriving in 3-5 business days. Alex comes busting into my bedroom and the following conversation took place:
Alex: Mom did you really order one of these elves on the shelves thing?
Me: Yes, I did
Alex: Mom, you know this isn't real. You know this is some dude in a costume. This is freaky having some dude in a costume come and hang out at our house until Christmas. (I'm sure she is thinking of all the conversations I have had with my children over the years about pedophiles and thinking I have lost my mind.)
Me: Alex, trust me...it isn't what you are thinking
Alex: Rolls her eyes and walks out of the room with a grunt and unrecognizable mumbling.

Jeff and I were telling our friends about this over the weekend while we were out to dinner. They suggested it would be hilarious if we found somebody to dress up in an elf costume and show up at our door. Can you just imagine the doorbell rings as we are sitting down at the dinner table. All the kids rush to the door to see who is here. They open the door to find some strange man in an elf costume who says "Hi, I'm your elf on the shelf." The thought of this scene has brought a smile to my face ever since it was suggested. So if you see me smiling during the holidays, now you'll know what I am thinking about!

Bad girls, bad girls...whatcha gonna do?

A sign of aging?

Last year about this time, I admitted to myself that yes...my eyesight was no longer 20/20 and there was a possibility that I needed to wear corrective eyewear. So I headed in for a vision exam and sure enough, I needed glasses. The eye doctor discouraged me from wearing contacts saying that because I have very sensitive eyes (those of you who know me at all...know the truth of that statement!) He told me that because I also had astigmatism, that would be harder than normal to wear contacts. He told me that it would be wise for me to wear my glasses at all times, but technically I didn't need them to drive, yet. So I picked out some frames that I liked and was on my way.

To be truthful, I liked the frames I picked out. I think they are fashionable and I look very smart and fabulous in my frames. But I have to admit...this wearing glasses thing is not very convenient. I often take them off because I think I am wearing sunglasses. Or sometimes I have this feeling when I am wearing them that I am in cognito or something, like I'm in disguise or others can't see me. (Is that normal for new glasses wearers?) And I also do not wear them all the time. I wear them more as an accessory and it depends on how well they "go" with my outfit as to whether or not I wear them. Sounds frivilous, I know, but it is true.

The past couple of weeks, I have been getting these horrendous headaches. I decided that either my vision had worsened and was creating the headaches or I had a brain tumor. Before I ran in for an MRI, I decided to try the vision route. Maybe it was time to try contacts. The whole putting your finger in your eye thing has always freaked me right out, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about accessorizing. Saturday I got my contacts. It took me no less than 30 minutes to get them in the first time, but I have to say...Wow! What a difference good eyesight makes. Objects are sharper and clearer...colors are brighter and more intense...I can actually read road signs from a fair distance...and I'm improving so that it now only takes me about 15 minutes to get the contacts in. Morale of the story is....life is so much better when it is in focus!!

President Elect Barack Obama

"It was the best of times...it was the worst of times". Last night when I got home from working my polling location I sat down with my diet coke to watch the election coverage. All the girls were still up and begged to watch until they had hopefully announced a president. Each of them has taken interest in this election and we have had many dinnertable discussions about politics and presidents.

I am hopeful about the possibilities President Obama has to offer our country. I am hopeful about both domestic and foreign policy changes. I believe he can unify and lead and I am grateful that my girls are growing up in an America that has elected a black man as President. Next stop: a woman president!

I want my extra hour of sleep!

When I was young, I loved the Fall. I loved the crisp chill in the air, the falling leaves, and I loved going off of daylight savings and getting an extra hour of sleep. That extra hour of sleep thing went by the wayside in 1999 for me...the year Kellie was born into our family.
I should have known when she was born first thing in the morning that she would be a morning person. Now when I say "morning person" I'm talking really early in the morning person. I don't know what it is about the Fall, but starting mid-September, she kicks it up a notch. While she generally gets up around 5:30-6:00a.m. she suddenly starts getting up around 4:30-4:45 in the morning. Why does she do this?
So when daylight saving comes rolling around and we set our clocks back this now means she is getting up at 3:30-3:45am. It's ridiculous! I have tried to keep her up late...like ten. (It just makes her extra ornery the next day.) I have even resorted to some Benadryl prior to bedtime. It doesn't seem to matter. It takes about two months and she adjusts and goes back to her normal early rising. I'm telling you...it just about kills me! She is pretty good as she has gotten older to entertain herself, play the computer, watch tv, do crafts. She has been known to have showered, eaten, played computer games, gotten herself ready for school and made a craft for her teacher and friends in the class prior to the rest of us getting up at 7am. When she was 6, she asked me if I knew any farmers. I told her I did not. She said "if you meet any farmers, let them know I am available...I could probably help them milk cows and do farm chores in the morning." So if you happen to know of any farmers in need of help from an active 9 year old...let me know. Otherwise, I will struggle through these two months of adjustments. Who said early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise?

Mouse in the House!

With the colder weather just around the corner, it's that time for furry little critters to start finding new homes. Since we have been in this house, over 3 years, we have never had any mice move in. But what is the saying...something about never say never? Well, we have spotted a mouse, or maybe more than one, I honestly can't tell them apart, in our garage. So far, no signs that they have come any further inside the house, but the garage is too close for me. My kids think it's great! They think it is fun! Last year we had a squirrel spend the winter living underneath our big landscape rocks out front, they think this mouse in the garage is cute like that was. I don't think so. They do not, however, like that the shoe bin is located out in the garage and they get a little freaked out because twice we have spotted a mouse in the shoe bin. (I don't keep my shoes in the garage with the other shoes because of this and other various reasons.)

Sidney keeps begging us to catch the mouse and let her keep it as a pet. I briefly considered this given the current economic situation we are all facing. I could save some bucks come Christmas time because everyone knows where you see one mouse there are always more you don't see. I teased her about catching it for her and giving it to her for Christmas. I think she actually would have been okay with that idea. Eeeww!

So tonight when we went to buy pumpkins we also picked up some mouse traps. We strategically set up a few in the garage and within 15 minutes had caught our first mouse. Sidney ran out to the garage to see the mouse because she really hasn't seen any up close and personal. She was oohing and aahing and commented that it even had a red nose, which is what she usually colors the nose on the mice she draws. That is until Jeff smashed her little illusion by telling her that "it's nose is not red! That is blood!" Thanks dad for letting her down easy! Guess I'm going to actually have to spend money on her Christmas present now.

No, this is not a cardboard cutout!!

Some of you may have heard that Hillary was in town on Saturday. Thanks, to my brother, Ben, who was in charge of the event, I was able to get fabulous seats so that I could get up close afterward and meet Hillary and have my picture taken with her. Now, I know many of my friends and even some family may be wondering Why?! Why would someone want to attend an event such as this? I'm telling you...I love it! It's very exciting. I also got to meet former Pres. Bill Clinton last year about this time. Maybe it wouldn't be as exciting if my brother didn't have connections and I wasn't able to get fabulous seats and hear about all the "behind scenes chatter", but I do so it's great! Now hopefully he can get some connections within the soon-to-be Pres. Obama camp so that I can go to his events when he comes to Utah! Thanks Ben!!

Polling Prison?!?

So I signed up to be a poll worker on election day. I do love election day! I have been known to stay up to the wee hours of the morning watching election day coverage and it is especially exciting to me during a Presidential Election year. Also, I have my youngest child in kindergarten and I thought since I have more time, this was something I could do. I called the county clerks office to sign up to be a poll worker. She told me that I would need to attend a 3 hour training session...fine....and there would be various shifts available to sign up for on that day. I thought piece of cake...I'll sign up for an afternoon shift, drop my kindergartener off to school and go do my poll worker thing. I knew that I might be signed up for a shift that lasted until the polls closed, but I was thinking I could do this. I can do my part to be a good citizen.

I then received a letter in the mail letting me know how to sign up for my training session. However, a line in the letter stood out to me because it didn't jive with what I had previously understood. It stated that all poll workers will need to arrive at their polling locations at 6am and should expect to be there until approximately 9:30 pm. It said, in bold letters...you will not be able to leave the polling location until the polls have closed and all the votes have been registered. We are to bring all three meals for the day with us or arrange for somebody to bring them to us. I was a bit confused by this new piece of information since I thought I got to "pick" a shift.

I went to the 3 hour training today, which by the way, was pretty interesting. I found out the letter was indeed correct. I will be working from 6am until about 9:30pm. Also, they said that we really shouldn't plan on somebody bringing us a full meal because we really won't have time to eat a full meal all at once. They strongly recommend bringing a bunch of "grazing" foods such as crackers, cheese cubes etc. that we can just pop in when we get a minute. I now have a whole new appreciation for those poll workers I always see when I go to vote. Now when you go to vote at your polling location you can also appreciate those workers who are putting in long hours and think of me...popping cheese cubes in my mouth when I get the chance.

Laundry Lag

So I am figuring out how all my favorite bloggers actually keep up on their blogs much better than me...you don't do laundry, do you? My washing machine broke yesterday. It refuses to do the spin cycle anymore. And since my husand is still out of town for the Buffalo hunt, refer to previous post, there isn't anything I can do about it. (By the way...he did get a Buffalo!) Since it broke yesterday I have come to the realization that I spend way too much time doing laundry. Now that I can't do it, I have time for many more things...such as keeping current on my blogs. This is great! I wonder how long I can actually go. This is so liberating! I actually have two loads, unfolded...one in the basket, one still in the dryer and I have no intention of folding them. I know the laundry will not be piling up if I don't get to it because there is no new load of laundry beckoning for the basket. My neighbor offered to let me use her washer, but I told her "no thanks!" I'm enjoying the freedom from laundry as long as I can. Of course, Jeff will be coming home tomorrow and he'll probably want to wash his hunting clothes. Now the question is repairman or buy new? I hate laundry!

Hunting Widow

So my fabulous husband has vacated the premises for the next few days and has opted to head to Wyoming with some great friends in search of Buffalo. I am clearing the shelf in my freezer as soon as I am done blogging to make room for the 300 lbs. of meat he will be returning with. Of course, if it is anything like his deer hunting experience it is a good thing we have grocery stores and are not reliant on the men to provide the food for the tribe. I have been assured that he is guaranteed a Buffalo. I think he pretty much signed up to go hunting at a Buffalo farm where they drive the men out as close to the Buffalo as they can get and let them shoot them as if they were cattle. I have also been assured that Buffalo meat "tastes a lot like beef" and I probably won't even notice a difference, except of course, it is much leaner and because it is a young Buffalo, it will also be much more tender. Aren't I a lucky girl?

Parenting 101

So I went to parent teacher conference at the junior high with both fear and trepidation. Actually, I was dreading it, as I watched the clock, knowing the time to go was getting closer and closer. So, I went to talk with the math teacher first. I was nice, I was polite, I was an interested parent wanting to know what I could do to help my daughter. I walked away with nothing. She told me we could re-do assignements, quizzes and tests for half credit. We are already doing that and by the way, have dropped back to a D-. I asked her if she had any other suggestions. She suggested that we have a "conference" to discuss what we could do to raise the D-, she says this as she circles the D- on the paper. I wanted to be nice and not create any uncomfortable feelings, but I am thinking to myself..."isn't this a conference?" So I asked her what we would do in that conference that we couldn't do right now. She suggested that Alex could attend so she could tell us why she is getting a D- and what the teacher could do to help. Do you really think it is going to be that easy? All this pain, and the solution is really that easy? I'm thinking call the school counselor and request a class change to a different teacher.

What I learned from going to the conference, however, was a life lesson that bears blogging about. I went to all of her other classes and repeatedly heard things like, "Oh, Alex is such a fabulous kid" or "she is so organized and self-motivated" or "she is such a delight". The truth is she is getting 4 As, 2 B+ and then the D-. I knew this, in fact, I could see the grades on the web page right there with the D-, but I focused on the D-. I think it consumed us so much that I forgot to see that she was getting some really good grades and that she is a fabulous kid! So the parenting 101 lesson is slow down and enjoy the moment! Don't get so caught up in what isn't there and the struggle you are currently facing that you aren't able to see the successes you are having or the things that are going right. It's a message I heard this last week both from President Monson and Oprah...slow down, simplify and live in the moment! Now I'm no dummy...if both President Monson and Oprah are saying it, it must be true!

Jr. High Pinch

So I haven't written on my blog for a while because pre-algebra has been consuming my every free moment. Okay, Jeff is actually better at pre-algebra than I am and so it is fair to say that it consumes his free moments more than mine. My free moments are consumed by pre-algebra drama such as trying to calm Alex down and remind her that she is not a math reject, she just needs to slow down...you can't rush algebraic functions!!! Or trying to talk Jeff down from his frustrating tutoring sessions with his beloved oldest daughter. This is my child who went from mostly A's (or 4s as they refer to them in elementary school) to a student who now has a few As, some Bs and B+s and a solid D in pre-algebra. The solid D is up from the D- she has had since about the second week of school. We just spent a very long, rainy weekend with her completely frustrated and in tears because we won't let her go hang out with friends until the grade is at least a C. She is allowed to go to YW on Tuesdays and YW volleyball on Thurs. and other than that, she pretty much gets to spend time with us, her favorite people right now. This afternoon I am going to parent-teacher conferences at the junior high. Let me tell you, I am so looking forward to that experience. Wish me luck! I want out of this pre-algebra nightmare!!

Day at the Park

Can't you just feel Summer coming to an end? Don't get me wrong...I love Fall. In fact, I even love the winter. I adore Spring...I guess I love all the seasons, but when one is about to end, you just have to sqeeze every last ounce out of that season in order to prepare for the next. Here are some of our last few Summer of 2008 memories. Just a simple day at the park, feeding the ducks and enjoying the sun with our family.

Daddy's Girl

I know I've mentioned this before, but Kellie is totally a daddy's girl! Just spending time with him can totally put her at ease, calm her down, or make her feel like the top of the world! I have to also add that Jeff is good with all of his girls and they all adore him, but there is definetly something unique about the bond Kellie has with him. So...today I am saluting great fathers everywhere. I know, it isn't June and Father's Day has long since passed, but why wait until next year? So hats off to all the daddy's girls out there and hats off to the dads who love their daughters! Love you, Jeff!

First Day of School

The mornings are getting cooler, the days are getting shorter...it can mean only one thing...it's time to head back to school! This year all of my kids are going to school. Gracie is in kindergarten and is so excited about that! She likes to pretend she can already read. (I am not one of those parents that has my kid reading before they go to school...frankly, I just don't see the point) Every time I go in with one of my kids for the kindergarten assessment, I swear I am going to remember and have my child better prepared for the "assessment" or test the next time I go in, but every time I forget that I was going to do that. Hey, they all do fine in the long run and what I have learned is that it just doesn't matter if she can recognize every sound and letter before she starts school. Kellie is in her third year of Spanish Immersion so she has two different teachers and she loves both of them. Sidney likes her teacher and is excited. Alex wasn't even nervous about starting Junior High. I kept asking her and she would just look at me like I was a "weirdie" or something. Her first comment about her first week at junior high was "it is hot and boring." (No air-conditioning in a school with 1800 students and going over class rules and disclosures.) All in all I think we are off to a good year. Plus, I can't even list all of the things I was able to accomplish this past week with having all of my kids gone. Wow! I can be organized and on top of things!





The morning sun was a little bright when Alex left for school!

Not to offend any of my Republican friends, but I have to say I am looking forward to a change and I am so excited about the possibilities offered by OBama. Sorry to all of you George W. fans out there, are there really any of those fans left? or any McCain fans. Regardless of your political views, I encourage all 5 of my blog readers to get out and vote this Fall. Of course, if you are Republican and feel the need to still vote with the Republicans this election year then I guess it's o.k. if you don't make it to the polls. As for me...I say hats off to Barack!

Jr. High excitement?!

It's official! This school year Alex will start junior high. She is all registered, has her class schedule, her locker combination and locker assignment and we have gone to back-to-school night. Am I really this old? Do you remember your first day of junior high? My younger sister still remembers her locker combination from 7th grade. Apparently, afraid to ever forget it, it is now permanently etched in her memory. Alex is really excited and so as her mom, I can't help but be excited for her. This should prove to be an adventurous year. What is the saying at Lagoon?...keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, hold on and have fun!!!

Sista Time

My sister-in-law Jane is here from Arizona. We have decided to make a tradition of getting together, just the girls, and doing something whenever she is in town. Hopefully, this will be a quarterly thing. This was our first quad-annual outing. We went to a fabulous restaurant in SLC, the food was delish as was the company. Thanks to Julie for the restaurant recommendation and thanks to Jane for coming into town!

Pioneer Day

For Pioneer Day we did the traditional Utah thing and went to the Parade in Bountiful. As my brother-in-law commented...a parade is nothing more than sitting out in the HEAT, watching a really long commercial, and not being able to fast forward. I have to agree with him. However, the kids love it...so we do it every year! This year my cute grandpa was asked to be in the parade as a WWII vet. He was so excited and was even able to wear his uniform from his days of service. Here are the memories from this year...

I can't wait....

Okay...so I don't know if you know this or not, but when it comes to the Twilight series of books...I am completely pathetic! I don't know what it is. I know I am not alone in this, however, and I'm o.k. with this knowledge about myself. So I have been waiting and waiting for this fourth and final book to come out. Are we sure about the final thing? Why does it have to end? I bought a small, but intriguing book recently to read while I was waiting for the August release of this tantalizing new book (see favorite recent reads) and I finished it already. I am refusing to read another book in anticipation of this new release. I think I'll make it for a week and then I plan to pretty much check out while I devour this book. It shouldn't affect my family too much, however, since I read all three books in about a week's time.

Bear Lake

It has been a crazy summer, which is why it has been over a month since I last posted. We are now on the less than one month countdown until school is back in session! Glorious day!! And to think, at the end of the school year I was so looking forward to summer and having my kids home so we could go do things and not worry about homework or getting to bed on time. Yea, I'm done with that. Where is the routine? Where is the early to bed, early to rise? We have done a lot of fun things this summer and had a lot of fun together with family, friends and the like. Here are some of our memories.....

Don't Panic!

School is out! We have three months of fun in the sun! Is that what summer really is about? I hope those are the memories my girls will have of summer. I hope I don't taint their summer memories with frustrations of trying to keep the doors closed so we don't have flies swarming the table at dinnertime. Or my freaking out because as I walk across the cool, tile kitchen floor in barefeet I find that I now have sand and dirt on the bottom of my feet that all the neighbor children tracked in that afternoon on their way to getting an umpteenth amount of paper cups because they are thirsty. Ahhh! Summer really does belong to kids! Hope you enjoy yours!

Fashion Show

Kellie started taking sewing lessons in March. She is so excited about learning how to make clothes. If any of you know Kellie...this truly is heaven for her! Today we had a "fashion show" for all the students to show the items they have made this past year. Kellie has only had time to make a sewing bag and a skirt in the two months since she started. Here are some pics of her creations. After seeing all the items today that the other students have sewn this past year, her eyes are wide open to all the possibilities and she is loving every minute of it! Great job Kellie!

Size Matters!

Do I need to say anything or do the pics say it all?!?

Watermelon vs. Asparagus

Alex has been a picky eater since she was a baby in her highchair. It is mostly a texture thing with her. If she thinks the food has a funny texture she wants nothing to do with it. Most vegetables and fruits have some kind of texture which means she wants nothing to do with them. I kind of thought she would grow out of it eventually because who doesn't like fruit, right? Well, that has not been the case with Alex. So finally I just told her enough is enough and she has to try it. She says she doesn't like the taste of strawberries...but she hasn't ever tasted a strawberry...she just doesn't think she likes strawberries based on the texture. So the new rule for Alex is she has to have whatever we are having and she can't say she doesn't like it until she has tasted it 7 times. She has now tasted asparagus 3 times and will eat it willingly. The other night I bought a watermelon and cut it up for dinner. It was delicious!! Sweet and juicy...perfectamundo! I made Alex take 1 piece. Just a 1 inch square piece. You would have thought I was making her eat liver or something. She got through half of it and started making negotiations. I have to admit...it makes for quite the dinner show with all the drama she creates over gagging it down. She offered to eat 2 more pieces of asparagus rather than finish her piece of watermelon. Since when does watermelon loose to asparagus? I admit I am an asparagus lover...especially on the grill with a little EVOO and kosher salt, but I would certainly think if the two went head to head...watermelon would come out the clear favorite. Anyway, I agreed to the deal for the night...but who would have thought? Clearly this battle is not over yet!

Childhood conversations...

The other day Kellie was getting ready for school. She is very particular about her outfits, her hair and the overall look for the day. It is not uncommon at all for her to go through 4 or 5 outfits before deciding on the perfect one for that day. Well, the other day she had done just that and had picked the perfect outfit, it was perfect hair day and she found the perfect earrings to go with the package. She was telling me how great it all was before she left for school and I just smiled. Later in the evening, she came into the living room where I was reading and was telling me how at school she kept feeling like somebody was looking at her and when she would look up, Matthew, a boy in her class was always looking at her and would smile and then look away. She said "it was kinda weird". I said "well, maybe it is because you were looking so hot in the outfit you wore today, with your hair perfect and the earrings." She smiled and said "that is exactly what I was thinking!" Ah! to have the confidence of an 8 year old.

Gardening Gurus

The past couple of days I have been able to get out in the yard and do some much needed spring yardwork. As you can see, I had some fabulous helpers who ate popcicles and popcorn and told me where they last saw a weed. What is it about working in the yard that I just love? No, it's not pulling the weeds...I think there is something about cultivating and nurturing and seeing something blossom into maturity that speaks to my mothering side. I also love digging and pruning and the way the flowers and plants work together to create something so beautiful. When we first put our yard in, I believe we were the only ones in our neighborhood who did it on our own, without the help of a landscape crew and company. At the time, I was envious of my neighbors who, in one day practically had a yard. Ours certainly didn't come together in a day, in fact three years later it is still a work in progress. But I have to admit there is some great satisfaction when it starts to come together and you can look at it and know that you helped to create this beautiful landscape.

Great Mother's Day gift idea

For those of you who might want to get a jump on your Mother's Day shopping, here are some functional ideas...

True Confessions!

So I have to confess...I am a girl who needs my down time! Last week was crazy with getting the girls everywhere they needed to be and activities that were happening. Also...as you might have realized we have 3 of our 4 kids birthdays in the month of April. Crazy!! This week hasn't been any slower. I confess...I am not Mrs. Incredible and right now I am simply trying to get everything done without turning into Mrs. Grouchy!! Especially since today is the last of the 3 birthdays. Happy Birthday Alex!! Love ya!

Drug Free is the way to be!

We were driving to Kellie's soccer game and we passed by a local high school. There was a group of boys standing in the parking lot and Kellie asked..."are those kids being drug free?" I told her that it looked to me like they were. She responded "well, that's good because that sign says this is a drug free zone!" Now the joke between Jeff and I as we pass groups of teens is to say "do you think those kids are being drug free?"

Shout-out to Sidney!

This past Monday, April 14th, Sidney celebrated her 10th birthday! Double digits...big step. It was a perfect day for a birthday. The weather was a beautiful 80 degrees, which here in Utah we haven't had any of those days so far this year. I started a new tradition of checking them out of school during lunch so that we can go out and spend some one-on-one, mother-daughter time. I am truly amazed and proud of the beautiful, young woman Sidney is becoming. She has so many amazing talents and gifts. I have always known she is sensitive to others, but recently I am realizing how much a part of her that is and what a great gift she has that will serve her well all of her life. Love ya Sid!!

Cousin Fest

This past year my brother and sister-in-law and their kids moved back from NYC and my sister and her family moved back from Arizona after living there for 15 years. It has been so much fun to have them back and to get to spend time with their families on a more regular basis. My girls are loving having their cousins around. Whether it is playing with Parker, or lovin' on James and Kate or running around with Taylor and Jordan. They love every minute of it. We are just missing Jane and Andy and their cutie Emmie who still live in Arizona.

Gracie celebrated her 5th birthday yesterday. She is our little April Fool! Her main wish list items were a pair of Heely's (check), an American Girl doll (check) and a new swimming suit (check). I am amazed at how fast time flies. As I pass different milestones in life, I don't feel any older on this side of the milestone than I did on the other. I am looking back at my last child to wean from the bottle and binkie, the last one to potty-train, the last one to graduate from nursery to sunbeams, and in a few short months I will pass the first one to junior high and the last one to begin Kindergarten. Wow! What a lot of great memories we have accumulated over those years. All I can say is seize the moments!!!

Easter Pics

Remember how fun coloring Easter eggs was as a kid! The artistic ability really comes out when the canvas is a white, cold, three-dimensional egg! Family fun for everyone and all for under ten bucks! Can't beat it!