My Window

I have been working on this window for the last few weeks and I finally finished it this weekend! I had to keep taking off what I had done because I couldn't get the color combinations just right. I finally like it and am glad to be finished with it! (Thanks to Cheryl for helping me decide on the pattern and colors:)

Middle Child

My friend Shannon has three children who are VERY similar to mine. She has an easy-going oldest son, an intense middle daughter, and a carefree youngest daughter. We have often talked about how hard it is to spend time with just the middle child alone and that the personalities of our daughters really need it.

We decided that we would try to get together once a month and do something fun. Even though Taylor is (almost) 10 and Reilly is (almost) 4, we thought they would enjoy the special attention. Taylor loves being a big sister type friend and Reilly really enjoys the attention of an older girl.

Today we went to Paint-n-Pottery and had a great time. Reilly made a beautiful heart box and Taylor made a froggy bank. We drank our favorite Starbuck's hot chocolate and relaxed for an hour or so. Taylor liked it so much that she suggested that instead of once a month we change it to once a week:) We can't wait until next time!

Comfy Cozy Day

Once a quarter they have "Comfy Cozy Day" at school. The kids get to wear pajamas and do fun things in class. Today before they left I took a picture and I think I have finally convinced Dallin to get a haircut. (I've been trying to be understanding about his desire to grow his hair a bit longer) He couldn't believe his hair actually looked like that until he saw the picture. I do understand where he is coming from - someday I'll post a few pictures of me from the 1980s :)

Flower Cupcakes

For Christmas my mom got me a cool silicone pan to make flower shaped cakes. Cami and I used it for the first time this week. They turned out yummy. Thanks Mom!

I Can Tie My Shoes!!

Cami can finally tie her shoes! We tried at the beginning of the year and her fingers just weren't ready. Her teacher has a rule that she will not tie shoes after Thanksgiving, so we invested in Velcro shoes and quit trying for a while.

The Velcro shoes were getting really stinky and dirty, but Cami wasn't sure if she wanted to give them up because she knew the next pair had to have laces. Last week we finally went to pick out a new pair, and after two days she got it.

She wants to put the steps on the blog in case any younger cousins would also like to learn how to tie. Here are her step by step instructions.

"First you have to cross them"

"Then make bunny ears (not too floppy) and wrap it around"

"Pull it TIGHT!"

Wear It With Pride!

Today Taylor got her headgear. She has endured 6 months of expanding her upper jaw and now must wear headgear for another 6 months. She really has a good attitude about it and I think it is partly because of her Aunt Cheryl.

Cheryl has always done things her own way:) She loved her headgear so much that she insisted on wearing it in her SCHOOL PICTURE! So now whenever a niece or nephew needs to wear headgear she lovingly sends them a copy of her legendary school picture to remind them to "Wear It With Pride!"

Thanks Cheryl - you helped make today a lot easier.

By the way...Taylor does not have to wear hers at school and if I had to guess, she won't wear it in her school picture. But you never know!

Small World

Our ward just started a dinner club where they have everyone sign up and then send couples to different host homes each month. We agreed to host and had a great time.

One of the couples (Mark and Kathryn Savitsky) had moved to Philly from San Ramon (where Ed's family lived for almost 25 years). That fact sparked a conversation about who they knew and where exactly they had lived. This led into the fact that both Ed's dad and Mark's dad had worked for P&G....both families had lived in Fairfield, OH.....both had mom's who had served on the school board....both had gone to south elementary school. It turns out that Mark (who is slightly younger than Ed) must have gone to school with Ed's brother Dan (Do you remember him?).

Small world. It got smaller.

The other couple has a daughter in Chicago....we have friends in Chicago (Joy and Aaron Larkin -Joy took the discussions at our house before being baptized)...they are both in the Logan Square ward and serve in Young Women's together.

Who knew you could have so much in common with people and not even know it. I have decided I really like dinner club. Who knows what I will find out next month!

Go Colts!!!

Hooray for the Colts and Peyton Manning! We may live in Philly, but our Indianapolis roots run deep. We LOVE football in our family (one of the reasons Ed married me was because I insist on watching football whenever possible -I love it). We even let Dallin and Taylor stay up until almost 11pm on a school night to watch the end of the Colts/Patriots game (THE best AFC championship game ever played). We were like crazy people jumping up and down and cheering in the living room - something the kids will probably never forget:) So - if you will be watching the Super Bowl, remember to cheer for the Colts!

Drive--In Movie

Today was the Primary Drive-In Movie activity. The kids all make cars out of boxes and bring them to church to watch a movie. The leaders bring popcorn, drinks and candy to them in their cars. Taylor decided to invite her friends, Jenna and Jillian, and they made a big school bus. It filled up the entire Honda, so we had to take two cars to get everyone and everything at the activity. They had a great time and had room for lots of other visitors. Cami had a spot reserved in the bus, but preferred to spend time with all her friends in their cars.

Just Like My Brother

I was going through some old pictures this weekend and found this one. Dallin is 4 and Taylor is 2 -it's one of my favorites. Taylor has never been a "girly girl". She never played with barbies or dolls and is not one for princess dress up, etc. She and Dallin have always been very close and Taylor loved imitating him as a toddler. I remember this day when Taylor found a way to look just like her brother (in her mind) and insisted she be included in the imaginary battle. They had a great time.

Falling Asleep

This is how Dallin fell asleep while watching TV this weekend. How on earth can he sleep like that?

The Value of a Dollar

We really are trying to teach our children the value of a dollar and the satisfaction that comes from saving for something you really want. Dallin and Taylor have been receiving allowance for many years and Cami started last year. They pay tithing and then save 20%. The rest may be used as they wish.

Dallin and Taylor are trying to save for ipods. Cami has other plans.

Tonight she said to me, "After we get paid allowance tonight I would like to spend mine IMMEDIATELY".

Looks like we have some more work to do.

Jam Session

Did I just mention that I love Taylor's friends? Let me add that I love Dallin's friends. He and his friends from school all take guitar lessons from the same teacher and every Friday, they walk to Henry's house and have a "Jam Session"/"Nintendo Fest". Some of the boys are very good and it's like a free lesson for Dallin - love it! They have a great time and really motivate each other to get better (both on the guitar and in their video game abilities:).

Henry's mom, Lori, is GREAT and accepts deliveries of guitars from us all day on Friday and then fills the boys up with Pizza, cookies and whatever else they can talk her in to. We made them pose for this picture tonight by telling them that someday when they are a famous band we want to have a "remember when" picture. Rock on.

Great Friends

I love Taylor's friends. She has lots of them. Great friends at school, great friends at church, and great friends in our neighborhood.

Tonight Jenna and Jillian came over to play with the karaoke machine (they actually asked if I heard them singing - I didn't leave the neighborhood and therefore couldn't have missed it).

I makes me happy to see Taylor having so much fun.

Cami's Diary

Cami goes to church with me almost every Wednesday (I know, I know). I work in YW, Dallin is in scouts, Taylor has activity night, and Ed is never home from work in time (no Ed, that is not a criticism :)

Anyway, she will often join in with the activity night girls. Last month they covered notebooks to make "diaries" and they turned out very cute. Some of the older girls were talking about what they might write in their journal/diary and Cami was listening.


A few days later she showed me her first entry. "dir diure, I luv MoM."


Over the years as others take their place after "Dear Diary", I'll always remember that I was first.

I love you too Cami.

Cookies

Dallin made chocolate chip cookies tonight. I have always told him that the first nice thing I will do for his future wife is make sure he knows how to make great chocolate chip cookies and how to properly clean a bathroom. I think many marriages could be happy if the husband had those two responsibilities. So, whoever you are out there...Dallin makes a mean cookie and cleans his bathroom every week!:) You're welcome.

Piano Recital

Taylor had a piano recital in Princeton today. She was first and did a fantastic job. Her teacher, Clipper Erickson, said it was the best he had ever heard her play! After the recital we walked around town in the 70 degree weather. It was great day.

Side note:
In the next room, there was portrait of a woman whose blouse almost matched Taylor's exactly. Isn't that weird?! I guess Taylor's style is timeless:)

Happy Birthday Zoey!

Zoey had her birthday on Christmas Eve. I didn't feel it was appropriate to celebrate too much given the focus of Christmas, but the kids were extra sweet to her and she got a few extra treats. My neighbor, Emily, even got her a doggy cupcake with pink icing! Now that the season has changed, I thought I would post a few pictures from her first year. We love you Zoey!

Her first time in the grass.

Digging in the back yard? I don't know what you're talking about!

Her first day with us.

Zoey thinks Cami is just another puppy to snuggle with.

I'm a Reader!

Today I read my first book all the way through
BY MYSELF!!

I love You Daddy

Cami: Dad, no matter what don't come in the kitchen after dinner.
Ed: Ok, I won't.
Cami: Even if you smell something very DELICIOUS.
Ed: I promise.

(40 minutes later)

Cami: I was going to make you a cake in my easy-bake oven, but then I remembered it was the new year and I wanted you to know that I love you. So I made you heart cookies.
Ed: I love you too - and they are most DELICIOUS!

Vince

For some unknown reason, Ed has ALWAYS called our nephew Justin "Vince". It always makes him smile and is a source of amusement for the rest of us.

Justin celebrated his birthday while we were all at Jim and Cheryl's house and Jim and John went all out to plan a fear-factor party. (I'll have to blog this later when I get some pictures from Cheryl.) After the fear-factor portion of the party was over everyone had cake. It simply said:

"Happy Birthday Vince"

Cousins

I never really knew any of my cousins growing up and Ed didn't get his first cousin until he was an adult. The other week someone I was talking with mentioned a trip to a cousin's wedding and suddenly my eyes filled with tears.

My children will attend their cousin's weddings!

This is something I had not really considered before. What a wonderful thing to have such special cousins that you will share weddings, mission celebrations, graduations, blessings of children, and many other occasions in your life.

A cousin is a very special friend. They accept you for who you are and will not come and go like other friends. The bonds that my children have made with so many cousins will last forever and is a source of security I am very thankful for. Not only do they love each other, they are good examples to each other and I think that they will not let each other make bad choices as they grow.

So, here are a few pictures of cousins from the last year (I wish we had seen everyone in the last year, but you are in our hearts if I don't have a picture!)

You nieces and nephews will never know how grateful I am for you - I love you!