Eggin' it

We did a family Easter egg hunt on saturday with mom and dad and the kids had a grand time. Mom and I had planned a really nice Easter meal of Ham, baked potatoes, jello, rolls, deviled eggs, fruit and whatever else we could think of. I had taken the ham out of the freezer the day before to thaw, and guess what? It was still frozen. Ah well, the pizza was good.

The hunt went well, Jared of course did the typical 1 year old behavior, find an egg, open it, sit down and devour whatever is in it, and then move on.

Jayce's eggs ended up all over the place once the hunt was done.

It was all very fun. There are still a handful of eggs hidden thoughout the house. They will be found eventually. I remember as a kid, taking a book off the shelf in august and finding an egg behind it. And yes, we decorated eggs this year, but neglected to keep a photographic record of it!

New tradition

Easter is that one holiday that we haven't quite gotten our bearings on our family traditions. Oh we have the basics; egg hung, decorating eggs, and the bunny leaving "tracks" on Easter morning leading to each child's basket. But I wanted something as physical as those things but to teach them of Christ, and I found a great one.

Easter Story Cookies

Ingredients:
1 C whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch of salt
1 C sugar
ziplock bag
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't do it halfway through)
2. Put pecans in ziplock bag and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar the drink. Read John 19:28-30
4. Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11
5. Sprinkle a little salt into eah child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27
6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add one cup of sugar. The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and love Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16
7. Beat with a mixer on high for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3
8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt 27:57-60
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape and have them seal the door. Explain that Jesus tomb was sealed. Read Matt 27:65-66
10. Go to bed! The children may feel sad to leave the cookies there overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22
11. On Easter morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt 28:1-9

Ok, so it seems like a lot of work, but I did it with my 3 and 5 year old and it went great! Ok, so not great. But I thought it was really cool. Jayce was a little dissapointed because I prefaced the event with the word 'fun'. It did turn out pretty cool. This may just be my new Easter tradition.

Whoops

I was playing around with the settings and must have made it so no one could comment. Thanks for the heads up Heather! Comment away!

Kiss me Quick

Yesterday I was walking in the front door and Jared was anxiously awaiting my arrival. His little face was pressed tightly up against the window next to the front door. I quickly got down and pressed my face against the other side and kissed him "thru" the window. He thought this was a fantastic new idea and wanted to window kiss over and over. It got me thinking about all the kisses we give and get throughout the day.

• Morning kisses- Usually occumpanied by morning breathe, but always welome and the only way to start a day.
• Owie kisses- Sometimes the only way to soothe a screaming child. And if it's a big person needing to be mended of an emotional pain, a kiss is the beginning to healing.
• Just because kisses- Most times these are the best kind, usually unexpected and always puts a smile on both parties face.
• butterfly kisses/eskimo kisses- varies from the traditional lip kiss, but makes a great alternative when a child is booger ridden.
• puppy kisses- I am not a huge fan of these, but my kids seem to enjoy the puppy tackling them with wet kisses.
• Apologetic kisses- Usually these are quick and quiet from a child who has reason to be sorry, and wants permisson to continue playing.
• Adult apologetic kisses - These can turn into bedroom kisses if your not careful!
• Good night kisses- If planned and executed correctly, these can be calm and just the right preperation for a good nights sleep!

I am so grateful to have been brought up in a home filled with so much affection and love. It is vital for my children to know and physically feel that we love them, and that they can love us back, and all of it is purely unconditional.

Pink eyes

L: Mom! My seatbelt is too loose!

M: Just pull on it hun, it will tighten.

L: Mom, I can't! What if I fall over? I will hit my eyeballs! I want pink eyes.

M: Pink eye? What?

L: Yes, if I fall over and hit my eyes I will need new ones. And if I get new ones I would like pink eyes. Pink are for girls. Blue are for boys.


Ha ha. I guess I never thought about blue eyes being associated with boys. But she makes a good point!

Impulse parenting.

We learned a little something about seatbelt safty last week. Jayce thought it would fun to impress Madison (carpool friend) in the car by unbuckling "I am standing, na na na na na na" Didn't take long for Lainy to follow suit. She popped that belt right off, but I was quick! I hit the brakes. (Residential street, 25 mph tops) Well, Lainy flew right out of her seat into the radio head first. Whoops. Of course I pulled over and made sure the screamer was fine. I glanced in the rearview mirror and Jayce and Madison were still in shock. I have yet to call Madison's mother and explain. I am sure she got an earful when Madison got home. I do feel kindof bad for Lainy flying through the car, but they sure are careful to make sure the vehicle stops moving before they unbuckle!

Simplify.

"As you seek spiritual knowledge, search for principles. Carefully seperate them from the detail used to explain them. Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances. A true principle makes desicions clear even under the most confusing and compelling circumstances. It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather to simple statements of principle." -Elder Richard G Scott

I found this in my most relaxed state humanly possible. Bubble bath and John Schmidt on the mp3. Lately I have felt as though I needed to complicate my lessons taught, or make them sound inspired and pretty. I was quite stressed and came across this quote and realized we need to integrate it into our daily lives as well. Simplify.

Twinkie, Twinkie little star

Do you know how much trouble you are??

Ok, I know all of my family members have heard and seen pictures of this story, but again, this blog is for journaling purposes and this is one I would like to remember.

MMMMmmmm, rarely do I buy things like Twinkies because, (if I'm being honest) I eat the majority of the box. My children had never had twinkies prior to this experience, so I can sympathize with the outcome. Lainy and I were enjoying a quiet afternoon (Jayce was at school and Jared asleep) and she had her alotted one twinkie already that day, and was asking for more. I of course told her no, and put her back in front of whatever movie she was watching for quiet time, and went back into the office to do whatever I was doing. It was a very quiet few minutes later, so I went to check on things. I walked by her room and the door was open just a crack and she was sitting on her bed eating something. When I came in to get a closer look, I realized she was finishing off a twinkie. But as the brainchild she is, she realized she couldn't get the wrapper open alone, and knew sure as anything I wasn't going be any help, so she had sucked every ounce she could out of the cracks in the wrapper! It was too late for discipline I had already started laughing, so I grabbed my camera.

Mad Cow

I am the second counselor in the Primary Pres in my ward. Love it. Can't say I dislike anything about it. Ok, so I will admit it seems a little easy. I work with amazing women and I have to do sharing time once a month and I am over scouting. All good fun things. I am kindof thinking the Lord thinks it's a bit of a simple plan as well.

I should preface with the noteworthy info that I am quite possibly the worst public speaker ever. Which is why when the Young women leaders came to me a few months ago, and asked me to speak at one of thier "spiritual mutuals" I was astonished. Of course, I did it, and hated it and I am sure they did as well. Well, now the Relief Society wants me to do a little number at their enrichment night next week. Seriously? And get this, the theme is "8 cow wife" and I have so graciously been assigned the Mad cow. At the risk of sounding arrogant, am I really not as bad as I imagined? Maybe I just need to get off my rear and go to enrichment once in a while.

Sooooo, any ideas? When they asked me to prepare for it, they mentioned it would be something to do with taking care of yourself. Whether it be beauty, relaxation, or health. I will be sure to blog how it all goes.

Proud Parent

Ok, so we all have seen those parents with "My child is the child of the month at ________ elementary school" right? I have yet to write my story of Jayce's story of the first day of Kindergarden. And I want to remember it. I was looking at one of the bumper stickers and thought, I dont have one of those. But do I have to have a sticker to feel like he is the child of the month in my world? Let me rewind.

Jayce never went to preschool, my mistake. I was new at the whole parenting thing then. (No excuses now) So, that morning we arrived at Ben Franklin, donning brand new clothes, and hair spiked to it's full height. The time had come to line up with the other students. I watched Jayce begin to stare. A little nudge. He looked at me and his little eyes welled up with tears. Oh! My little boy is nervous, he can't bare to leave mommy. ha. This was the beginning. By the time the other kids were heading inside, (in a perfectly straight line with NO screaming) Jayce was irate. I took him by the hand (as well as I could, carrying a 1 year old and pulling a 2 year old.) We made it inside the building! By this point, I was dragging his body, as he kicked and screamed. His classroom door shut. With every ounce of patience I could muster, I got down to his level and through gritted teeth said "You are going to have a great time Jayce, I love you." I opened the door shoved him in (pulled Lainy out, as she was trying to run in) and shut the door. And cried. Of course, the next 4 days were the same as the first, but eventually it got better.

We are now rounding the corner toward the end of the year. And Jayce is doing amazing in school. We battled some anger issues along the way, but he has learned to love learning. And his little brain amazes me. I am so proud of him and how hard he works.

Musically uninclined

I have always wondered why I was blessed with the heart of a musician and lack the talent. Clarinet was as far I got in Jr high school, and I think more noise came from my mouth in complaint to my instructor, than ever came from the intrument itself. But I didn't love the music that came from that room we practiced in.

• Music has the ability to inspire or break down.
• To cause tears, or bring on fight and fury.
• I love that when I am running and I feel as though my body has nothing left, and when I hear the beginning of the best Rocky song ever, that my body feels rejuvinated and I begin to pick up speed.
• Hearing children in Primary sing, often makes me feel as close to heaven as mortally possible.
• My kids know that when mom's blog music comes on and is turned up, it is time to DANCE!
• Jon Schmidt inspires me to buy a piano
• Gwen Stefani (although inappropriate at times!) bring out my younger days and reminds me, I am only 28!
• Andrea Bocelli is the beginning of my passion for the opera

So many songs have a label attached for me.

• Lonestar- Don't want to miss a thing, this was the song Jason had me listen to when he first wanted me to know how he felt about us.
• Particle Man - Marsha Prophet
• Rocky- ha ha- Leading a symphony a top my bed in high school with this music blaring and Alaina Voss by my side
• Air supply- so many old boyfriends...
• Women at the Well- A life changing fireside where this was enacted
• Dave Matthews- Jenn and Justin Hambly
• Come original- Scottie Williams (if you knew him, he wasn't a wild singer, but he ROCKED out to this song!)
• Hollaback Girl- this is a recent memory made. I had never actually heard anything but the chorus, and Lainy quickly came to love it. It was brought to my attention that it is not a very nice song! But I will forever remember it in this light!

I am truly grateful we have a Heavely Father who shows us the importance of music, and what it can do for our soul.

And the beat goes on

I don't know which I am more irritated at, the brand new shirt and pants of a 3 year old, ruined by her artistic abilities and love for the permanant purple marker? Or the now half empty bottle of matrix hairspray I used to try and remove the stain.
Lainy.
She is partly to blame for my now greying hair.

All in a days work

• Flapjack dug up my freshly planted flowers
• Lainy played in the mud from the freshly watered flowers (in her brand new clothes)
• Jared and flapjack took off halfway down the street
• Lainy peed all over the bathroom
• Jared got a cup of yogurt and smeared it all over himself (and everything else)
• Lainy got a hold of my spray bottle and 'cleaned' every smooth surface in the house
• Lainy got into my make up to do her face 'just like mommy'
• Flapjack pooped on my doormat (need I say what happened to it?)

Weighing on me

I was catching up on my favorite family blogs tonight when I heard my name. Not the way someone typically calls your name. This was my name yelled in panic. Darn it Jason. He has a set of weights in our room and I will admit, he is freakishly strong. But sometimes he gets in well over his head. In other words, he gets stuck under the bar. I despise these moments. It means I have to rush in and run from one side of the weight bench to the other one by one pulling the weights off so he can get out from underneath it. All the while he is trying to breathe with several hundred pounds on his chest. Sheesh. Seriously, you all know I have grey hair now, I am sure my heart is next.

Tagged!

• Here are the rules:
  
  1. Link to the person that tagged you.
  2. Post the rules on your blog.
  3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
  4. Tag at least three people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
  5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
  6. Let the fun begin!
  
  Thanks Gena for this 'opportunity' Here goes...
  
  -I weigh myself at least 5 times a day (I know, no need to comment)
  -I wear a 'sucker inner' with my jeans so they fit just right.
  -When I do anything decor it HAS to be symmetrical. Even landscaping. (I know, it's all dirt right now, but we will get there.)
  -My most favorite color in the world is yellow.
  -I spelled Lainy's middle name wrong on her birth certificate.
  -I love to write. But will probably never publish anything because I am a big self doubter.
  
  I don't think there is anyone left to tag on my list.

No neener neener

There are few rules in our house in terms of how we speak to one another. It all rallies around respect. First, what we call no neener neenering. You know the tone of voice "neener neener neener" or "I have more than yooou do. ha ha ha ha ha" Yeah, that doesn't fly in my house. Also, no name calling. We are all welcome to express how we feel about each other, but name calling is not tolerated. And the other is no "I told you so's" Well, my 5 year old called me on it this morning. He was trying to make a paper airplane, and I told him I knew how to make one. He didn't believe me. (I suspect because I am a girl, but this is just theory) Anyhow, he hesitantly allowed to me fold away and took off with it after I was done. (With a very nice airplane I might add) He came in about 15 minutes later and was ramblng on about how wonderful his airplane was. I responded by saying "See? I told you I could make a great plane" He 'respectfully' let me know "Mom, it really isn't very nice to say I told you so."
Lesson learned. Do as I do, not do as I say.

Power Socks

It was time to go play outside for the morning and I asked Lainy to go get me a pair of her socks and shoes. She came flying in and said "Here they are! Power socks!" I laughed and just went along with it calling them her power socks. Well, you if you know Lainy, you know she speaks with a toddler accent. Her r's are pronounced ow's. So, I quickly realized she wasn't actually saying power socks. It was pair of socks. Duh mom.

Unnatural

So, today is the day Steffani and I get together and do one anothers hair. I love these days! They are crazy and busy and my kids have full reign of the house and each other for 3-4 straight hours while we beautify ourselves. My house is usually a heap by the time we are done, and the kids eat about anything they can find without my help.

So, she is weaving the sides of my hair and dares to say " Umm, you have some grey hair" Nope, I sure don't. I grab my hand mirror and desperately try to see the 3 hairs she is lying about. There must be some mistake. Nope. Sure enough. Grey, grey and grey. And there are a handful more in the back!! Ugh. Surely they will return from whence they came now that my life has settled from last months mom miracle. I am happy to announce they are no longer grey, but a nice natural blonde and honey brown.

After a long talk with an old dear friend, it was 10 PM and Lainy having taken a nap earlier today was still awake. SO we lay on my bed and a had a little conversation.

Lainy: (reading the manual for my cell phone) This is a story about Lainy. She is so pretty. And she is so cute. The end.

Mom: What does she look like?

Lainy: Blonde.

Mom: What color are her eyes?

Lainy: Blue

Mom: What about her nose? What does it look like?

Lainy: (scrunching her nose) Mmmm, I don't know. (opens the book again) I love Jared. I love flapjack (our puppy) I love Jayce.

Mom: What does Love mean lainy?

Lainy: A hug, like this (gives me a sideways hug)

Mom: Love is when you really really like someone. Do you want to get married someday?

Lainy: Yeah. To Jayce.

Mom: No, you have to marry a different boy.

Lainy: Not a boy! I want to marry a 'gull'

Oh geez...

Are you my mother?

Today was a long day. I worked all day and resorted to ordering pizza halfway through my last client of the day. After dinner came bathtime routine, which went a little like this:

Lainy and Jared bathed, washed up, and play for 15 minutes. I leave the room for 15 seconds and it's SOAKED. So I pull them both out, dry off, jammies. Next is Jayce. Mommy, can I shower in your shower, it's bigger and warmer. Sure Jayce. 10 minutes later... crying. Jason brings a head to toe dripping wet Jared to me. Still in his jammies mind you. Sigh. Change Jared. Say prayers, hug kiss. Good night loves.

Then the beloved computer time. Ah. Sweet silence. I thought I might go through and find a couple of recent pictures of myself to post onto my blog. Hmmm... Searching. Searching. Nothing! I have NO pictures of myself. How are my children ever going to know what great looking mom they had?? ha ha. At least I have good hair right? You'll have to take my word for it, I have no pictures.