Toddlers are so much fun!

Well the last couple of weeks have been interesting with the children. Mostly Simon really. He has recently decided he likes to say prayers, which of course I think is wonderful. However, it is sometimes amusing, and leads to some not so reverent ramblings. One night as he was saying bedtime prayer, he started "Heavenly Father", to which I then prompted him the next thing to say. But he said "no" and then repeated, "Heavenly Father," so then I repeated what he said, and he moved on to "thank you for this day" which I then had to repeat, so suddenly it was like he was coaching me how to say the prayer instead of the other way around. I made it through a couple of more phrases before I lost it and started laughing, so then Simon started laughing, and Daddy had to finish the prayer. I certainly am not a very good example!


Simon's other new-found entertainment is being naked. Particularly at night, after we put him to bed. Last I knew, he couldn't take off his own pants, so I was rather surprised to go in to check on him one night and find him with no pj pants or diaper. Great, especially since his diaper was messy! So we changed pjs, changed sheets (then washed them) and he went to sleep. The next night I checked on him after he was asleep and he still was dressed. But the following night I forgot to check, so at 6:30 the next morning, he woke up briefly and I went to check on him to find he had slept the whole night completely naked! So the poor boy was freezing cold! Simon doesn't like to go to sleep when we put him to bed at 7:30, and usually stays up for 2, sometimes 3, hours talking to himself. Apparently he has now added undressing as a way to pass the time. Last night he was calling for mommy at 9:30 and when we went to check on him, he had his jammies off, and his diaper mostly off. Joe and I couldn't help laughing, which of course just encourages him. He is always so proud of himself. I would have taken a picture, it was so funny, although would have been indecent, so I passed. Anyway, how many times have I washed and changed his sheets and blankets this week? Too many to keep track of! I am pretty sure all this means it is time to start seriously potty-training, but that takes time and energy! We shall see what the next few nights bring. At least we can laugh!

Valentine's Day Tradition

I am not that big into Valentine's Day. Maybe it is because I feel that I am still recovering from Christmas, but to me it just seems another excuse for people to spend exorbiant amounts of money on each other. At least that is what all the retailers would like us to do. Not to say that if any of you all like to spend lots of money on each other that I think poorly of you. Instead, Joe and I started a silly tradition a few years ago, which has become our little way of participating in Valentine's Day. (I am sure we started our tradition out of a lack of monetary funds.) We take turns, alternating years, to find and buy the ugliest valentine animal for around $5. As an alternative to all the chocolates or flowers or cards, this is what we do. And then sometimes we go out to dinner, like we were able to do this year. Here is a picture of the animals we have bought each other for the past several years.

Some are definitely more ugly than others. Some make obnoxious noises. But all of them remind me that I am loved. (Note: the first animal in the line was not purchased for Valentines Day, but it certainly inspired the ugliest animal idea). Here is a close up of this years' entry, courtesy of Joe. It isn't really all that ugly, except for the fact that it is supposed to be a mouse, but looks more like a rabbit with a really long tail. So it qualifies.

I hope you all had a fun Valentine's day, whatever you did. My mom is here visiting right now, which is great. Especially since she did the babysitting on Saturday night so we could go out. Which we got to do with my sister and her husband, and my little brother Evan and his wife Britney, who were here visiting. It was a lot of fun to have them here and be able to spend time with them. I know the boys had a lot of fun wrestling with their Uncle Evan and playing with Auntie Britney too. We went bowling and had lots of fun. Eli was very excited to have scored higher that Evan and Britney (of course he had bumpers and they did not!). It is always nice to have family around and the house full. We love them all!

Girlfriends!

This past weekend I got to get together with some of my girlfriends from high school. It was so much fun to see each other! Next time we will have to have ALL the girls together. It is amazing to see everyone and their cute kids and hear what we have all been up to for the last 10 years. I love that we have been able to maintain our friendships over all these years, through all the moves and marriages and babies! You girls are awesome, beautiful, and such good examples to me. I love you all!

100th Day

Today is Eli's 100th day of kindergarten. This is seems to be a big deal for kindergarten and even first graders these days. I don't remember celebrating any such thing when I was in school. But they do now, so Eli had to make a project using 100 of something. Here is a picture of what we made. 100 playdoh hearts glued together in

the shape of an 'E'. His teacher was very impressed. They will be doing all kinds of activities today having to do with 100. On Thursday they get to walk to a bank and turn 100 pennies into a dollar. Of course mom and dad have to provide the pennies. I guess it is a fun way to learn about 100.

Here is another project I worked on last week. I was in charge of refreshments for our Young Women's New Beginnings program. The theme was lighthouses, so I made a cake. My sister helped me out and I think it turned out well.