Monday, April 14, 2014

Morning Conundrums

A while ago, I started doing a little morning devotional with the kids during breakfast. We have a manual for the nursery class at church, so I just glance at one of the lessons, tell them the main points and show them the pictures to go with it. Very short & sweet. At first, they loved it. But then one day, Porter started plugging his ears and running away. I thought with a reaction like that, we might as well just stop.

However, Porter still goes to the bookshelf by the table every morning and pulls the book out for me, finds a page he likes, and says, "You forgot to do our lesson." Then when I start the appointed lesson he plugs his ears and runs away. Morning after morning.

I am very confused.




Saturday, April 12, 2014

A Porter Update

[from Porter's journal/blog]


You say things and do things every day that make me smile. I'm always thinking how wonderful life is with you and that I don't want to forget a single thing. But then I sit down sometimes to write an entry for this blog/journal and I can't remember all those things I told myself I wanted to remember. So I started taking notes this past month of little things I want to record. So here's a little peek of you at age 4 years, 2 months.

Things You Say

Ducklings are "duck-links"

Despicable Me 2 (the movie) is "Izza-pick-a-pull Me on 2"

Binoculars are "kin-ock-el-ears"

Bobbleheads are "shaking head guys"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" (it always comes in threes)

"What up fishes?" and "Oh snap!" (you and Daddy say these back and forth to each other all the time)

"Look what starts with D: /d/ /d/ double-u!"

Often when you use past-tense, you pronounce it /ed/ even when it's supposed to be the /t/ or /d/ sound. Example:"I like-ed it."

We watch a sweet 10-month old named Andi. You love that sweet little girl. But you always get mad when I call her "sweet" (I nicknamed her Sweet Andi because it sounds so close to a song called Sweet Annie). You said I can't call her "sweetheart" because that's what I call Lucy. Then the other day, you told me this: "Mom, she's not Sweet Andi. She's not sweet. She's just too beautiful."


Things You Do

As Lucy is learning to talk, you love to teach her new words. Often, as we drive, I will hear you saying "Lucy, say (trees/flowers/Mommy)." I love to see your sweet relationship. You are such a great brother to her! However, I must say it's not quite as endearing when I hear you say, "Lucy, say (bum/fart)."

Your favorite tv show is Garfield.

You fall asleep every night with Big-Head Bear and Rockwell (the dog); one in each arm.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Vintage Mickey

I've been trying really hard to limit the kids' tv time this week. However, during the few times I let them watch tv, I've discovered that I don't feel quite as guilty when it's old Mickey Mouse movies versus the newer cartoons. I love it when the kids love the movies I loved as a kid.


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

A Lucy Update

[from Lucy's journal blog]


Here's a little look at what you are like right now. . .

Things You Say

You whisper "yeah" when you respond to questions. You seriously have the cutest voice in the world!

You do a tongue-roll sort of thing when you don't know a word. You used to do that sound ALL THE TIME. But since you've started talking, we hear that sound less and less.

You say "bee" for "baby." And, oh my goodness, you LOVE babies! Anytime a baby is nearby, you light up and point and say "Bee! Bee! Bee! Bee!"

You say "apfo" when you're being "helpful." I think it's adorable that you're using that word already! But you are a VERY helpful girl and you have LOTS of opportunities to say it, so of course you know it so well!

You say "ampo" for "temple." Right above your changing table, there's a picture of the Salt Lake temple. You point to it every time you're by it and say, "ampo." Then whenever we're driving near a temple, you get really excited and point and say it again. You're such a smarty!

You sing! When I sing to you at bedtime, you sing along. Some of my favorites are when you sing "up-u-bu" (for "up above" in twinkle, twinkle) and "row, row, row" (for row, row, row your boat). And it makes us smile so big when we are driving with the radio on and hear you singing along with the music, making up your own words. I love your sweet little singing voice!



Things You Do

You love to play with dolls! You sleep with your arms around them and you always make sure that we tuck the covers in around them too. The other day, I watched you when you were supposed to be napping. You held up two dolls and had them say "Hi!" "Hi!" to each other. Then you had them give each other kisses & hugs. Sometimes you go through a phase for a couple days where you won't go anywhere without one of your dollies: the dentist office, the grocery store, a walk around the block. You love to give your dolls hugs. When you put them up on your shoulder to give them a hug, you always say, "Oooooh!" It is the sweetest thing ever!

You are so good at sharing. You really amaze me with this one. If Porter gets upset because you have a toy he wants, as soon as you realize that he wants it, you hold it out to him and say "Go" (meaning "here you go"). You do it when you share snacks with him too. You are such a kind, thoughtful little sister. At one year old, you are already an example of empathy and kindness to all of us!

You scream. When you and Porter are in an especially silly mood, you play this game where you scream back and forth then crack up laughing. This game is usually played in the car, but sometimes in grocery stores or at home. And, as you can imagine, this is not a game that Mommy loves. But it's hard not to smile sometimes at how funny you two think you are!

You love to act grown up. The other day in the kitchen, I watched you walk over and open a drawer, take out two oven mitts, put them on your hands, walk over and touch the oven door and say "hot," then walk back and put the oven mitts back in the drawer. You love to copy the things that you see us do. Another thing you do (that I love) is put purse-like things on your shoulder (anything with a handle, really), then walk away saying "bye-bye" and waving, like you're taking off somewhere.

In case we don't tell you enough, we love you SO much!


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Washington Trip

Since the kids were born, I've been keeping journals for them. I tried to write in funny things that they say or just write about developmental milestones, or letters to give them advice that I think will help them when they're older. Well, awhile ago, I decided to move their journals into online blogs that I can add photos to and print off into blog books periodically. Those blogs are completely private and I'm the only one with access to them. But since I've been neglecting this blog in favor of recording more on the kids' blogs, I thought I'd just start pasting some of their entries in here so I can still stay connected with all my blogging friends. So, just to warn you-- some of my blog posts from here on out may begin with Dear Porter or Dear Lucy. If you see that, I guess you'll just know it's a stolen post from their journal blogs!

Here's our Thanksgiving trip recap:

Dear Porter,

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Washington. I was so excited to take you to the state where I grew up. For weeks leading up to our trip, I told you that we were going to visit the beach where I grew up. Soon you started telling me about when you go to my beach and how you're going to grow up big while you're there. I realized that you thought the beach had magically made me grow up. So funny!

Also, we often talked about going to Seattle. I didn't realize until right before our trip that you thought we were going to see Attle. I found out the misunderstanding when you asked one day who Attle was and when we were going to see him. Throughout the whole trip, you still referred to this person named Attle whenever we mentioned Seattle. Oh, how I love the way you teach me to look at things in new ways!

We had a very busy schedule while we were there. First, we started with an 11 hour drive that we split into two days. Grandma and Grandpa Nye originally planned this trip on their own, but very graciously let us ride along with them. You were so great during the drive-- except the time you peed your pants in your carseat on the drive back to Utah. I guess you didn't realize you had to go!

We spent our first full day in Washington visiting the island where Mommy "grew up." We visited my favorite beaches and drove by my old house and went to church at the Camano Island Ward and visited some of the people who have known Mommy since she was a little girl.



That day, we had dinner with the Morrill family in Snohomish. I used to babysit the Morrill boys when I was younger and now they are all so grown up! It made me worry about how fast you'll grow up too.

The next day we went to the Seattle Aquarium. You learned how to say sea anemone, which I think is the cutest thing in the world! You also got to touch sea stars, watch the octopus get fed, and watch a scuba diver teach you about the fish in the Pacific Northwest waters.




My favorite day was when we took a ferry to Bainbridge Island.


While there, we visited the Bloedel Reserve. We did a two-mile walk around the beautiful gardens and grounds of the Bloedel property. You found leaves there that were bigger than your head! You called them your treasures and I had to take a photo of them before I could convince you to leave them.







On Wednesday, we visited the Microsoft campus where Uncle Jeff works. There were so many cool things there-- I think Mommy had more fun than anyone with their FaceCake makeup station!



For Thanksgiving, we went to Marysville to spend the day with Dallan & Chelsea. They made the yummiest food and you had so much fun playing with Tanner and Claire.


We went to Seattle the next day. We started out at the Space Needle. You even got to visit with Santa at the top of the Needle.




Next, we went to Pike Place Market.


And we made a quick, disgusting stop at the Gum Wall to take some photos.

We stayed one more night in our hotel. You cried when we had to leave it.


On Saturday, we stopped to see Snoqualmie Falls before heading out on the first leg of our journey back home to Utah.

We were sad to leave behind our cousins and Aunts & Uncles who live there. But we had so much fun! And don't worry- I'll do all I can to make sure we make more trips back to Mommy's favorite state as often as possible!


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Temple Square

To get the kids ready for general conference last week, I took Porter & Lucy to Salt Lake to visit temple square. We were lucky to have Brian's mom join us for the day!







Sunday, September 22, 2013

Notes to self . . .

This summer I made freezer jam and canned peaches. It was quite adventurous for me! But there are a few things I'm worried I'll forget about those experiences. So I'm writing them here.


CANNING PEACHES

1. Don't can peaches. 


FREEZER JAM

1. Buy/pick enough berries to do several batches. I only did 2 batches of strawberry jam in May and we'll probably run out in October.

2. Buy the containers at the dollar store. You get the most for your money there. Last year I spent almost as much $ on containers as I did on the berries.

3. Buy sugar at Costco or Sam's. Sugar and flour are so cheap there! How did I never realize this before?

4. For as long as we're still in Utah, pick raspberries at The Raspberry Patch in Payson. So pretty there!

5. If you pick berries, you must save old milk cartons and cut a hole in the top, then loop the handle through your belt while you pick. You'll feel nerdy at first, but it's SO nice to have both hands free.

6. Buy lots of MCP pectin when it goes on sale.

7. Let the kids help mix, but don't let them pour. (I learned that one the hard way)

Monday, September 2, 2013

Dragonfly

I took off all the window screens the other day to give them (and the windows) a good, thorough cleaning. As the screens were drying, I cracked open the kitchen window to keep an eye on the kids playing just outside. That's when I got a visitor.


He was beautiful, but still not welcome-- and it was quite the ordeal to get him back out. But at least Porter loved every minute of it.

The screens went back on the windows right away.