My Favorite Season

My favorite season is anything but winter, but mostly spring. :) 

I love watching everything grow and the grass get green.  I LOVE being able to send the kids outside to play.  I love leaving the windows open and letting the cool air come in through the morning.  It really motivates me to get moving.  I love it!

I've been especially loving all the tulips growing around my house this year. 

 My brother in law Devin works at the temple and after they remodeled the yard this past year he brought us a bag of 100 tulips.  They are the multicolored ones in the yard.  They are extra beautiful!

We even have a couple blossiming trees out front.  See that bee heading on over to pollenate that flower?  It's awesome!

This is my favorite tulip of all time though.  It grows almost as tall as the kids.  And this year there are 4 of them!

The girls spend time out there every day checking out those beauties.

Ella works really hard to make sure they don't pick them. 

Molly loves to grab them and pull the petals off.

He he.. little stinker.

It breaks Ella's heart to watch it.

Alissa just goes with the flow and tries to teach Molly too. 

She has been enjoying catching the ladybugs and putting them

in our old Mayo containers. :)

My kids refuse to wear shoes and I don't care enough to force them.

Mostly because I don't wear them either.  However this little sweetie

had a nasty thorn sliver already this spring because of it.

While dad was gone last week we made stepping stones for each kid

and let them paint them.  They thought it was pretty neat and they look

cute out there amist our flowers.

Ahh.. welcome spring!

Kids Fair

We went out to the Idaho Falls Kids Fair today along with the rest of Idaho Falls. :) There were a million people there, but we had a good time. Mom went with and helped me out .. again. Sure do love her!

The kids got to have a picture with Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. All were very freaked out by them as you can see by their blushing rosy cheeks.

Ella was feeling braver with Belle.

Ella got her face painted and Alissa got her hand painted.

We got all sorts of free fun things from the vendors there. The kids liked their owl masks from the vision place. :) They got to jump around in a little blow up bouncy thing multiple times. We got to see the Chick Fil A cow, Chuckars bird, Toothfairy, Shrek and all sorts of characters. There were kids performing jump rope, ballroom, singing & dancing routines. It was pretty fun.

Babysitters

I haven't taken the opportunity to call many babysitters for my kids (minus grandma Debbie who bails us out almost every time and grandma Carol) because I have always been nervous to leave them in hands that I don't know I can completely trust. A bit overboard and protective I know. I am easily disappointed I guess because of high expectations. I have thought a lot lately about my babysitting experiences. I used to have a special bag I would take to my babysitting jobs with coloring books, crayons, prizes, toys for them to play with. They loved it because it was something new. I would always clean up dinner by putting the dishes in the dishwasher or sink if the dishwasher was clean and do my best to have the house descent. These days I feel like the girls just turn on a movie and then another movie. I have Ella calling me every hour asking when I'm coming home because they are watching ANOTHER movie. It makes me feel bad. Maybe I need to do some babysitter shopping huh?

When I was a younger girl my dad hooked me up with this babysitting job for a family I had never met. They had a little toddler girl who threw up on the floor. I tried to stay calm, but never observed how to clean up puke so I found some Lysol which I had the older boy spray directly in my face while I scooped up the chunks with plastic baggies on my hands as gloves. Then I pulled out the vacuum and sucked up the rest. Needless to say they didn't call me back.

I must have liked baggies because another time my cousin did a little poopy in the tub and so I had his older sister get some baggies and she and I scooped it and threw it in the toilet. Handled that one better I would say.

Another one that stands out is when I was watching 3 little boys. The little toddler had footie pajamas on and was in the bathroom standing on the toilet lid (not sure why now) and slipped off and hit his head. He had a small seizure and completely freaked me out! I slapped his little cheeks and called my mom. He came to and seemed completely fine. I was happy to know after talking to his parents that I hadn't scarred him - he had reoccurring seizures. Would have been nice to know before hand. :)

Good times..

I have lots of memories of babysitters growing up. I was the oldest girl so I remember many times my mom taking me in the other room before she left and giving me all the instructions that she would soon be giving to our teenage babysitter. It made me feel important.

I do remember one experience when there was a bad storm and the power all went out. A teenage neighbor girl who was older walked over to find us home alone with a younger, but very capable babysitter. We were scared and we all knelt in the living room and said a prayer. I was touched by that experience and have never forgotten it.

Anyway, the whole reason for this post is I was thinking of one of my favorite babysitters. Who was my grandma Bateman. She was always the next best thing when I couldn't have Mom. She used to let us have a bath almost every time we came to her house and for some reason her tub was so much better than ours. She would let me lay my head on her leg and she would brush my hair for as long as I wanted her to. I LOVED IT! I will always cherish that memory. She always took such good care of us and would drop everything she was doing to meet our needs. Pretty spoiled.

Shake it off and Step Up!

Shake it off and step up!

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.  The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule ‘braying' or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened.. and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back.. a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on His back.. he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up.. shake it off and step up.. shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up! You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him.. all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.    -Author unknown

_______

When I was a teenager I used this story in a talk I gave in sacrament meeting and I have never forgotten it.  I can remember almost every night before bed praying for a good attitude and probably due to the impact of my talk.

A few months ago when Ella was having a small but large to her crisis I told her this story and both she and Alissa listened so intently to it.  Ella tends to be a bit dramatic and I'm sure I am partly the reason to blame since she was my first babe.  Anyway, we often refer to this story now when things seem rough for a minute.   For example she was trying to make a fort and the blanket kept falling.  She screamed, "IT KEEPS FALLING!  IT'S NOT WORKING!" and threw her hands down to her side.

I ask her, "Are you getting buried in a hole?"  She smiles and says, "no".  Suddenly she remembers the story and the importance of having a good attitude and not letting small setbacks hold us from success.

I'm grateful for the opportunity I was given as a young adult to give a 3 minute talk in sacrament meeting and the importance of the lesson it taught me.

Funnies

A few weeks ago for Family Home Evening we assembled our 72 hour kits.  They aren't perfect, but something is better than nothing - that's for sure.  Anyway, the kids were LOVING every minute of packing their little backpacks with food, snacks, water, clothes.  Alissa kept asking, "Where are we going?  Are we having a picnic?"  It was awesome!  Ella however got slightly nervous at the thought of having to leave in an emegency and leaving behind Unicorn.  I reassured her that now we have food and clothes packed she will be able to grab her Unicorn too.

After the kids were in bed I was going to sit down and to my nightly Ipod veg when I couldn't find my Ipod.  I got Dustin's Ipod to ring mine and had to step in every room in the house trying to find it.  I finally found it was ringing downstairs near the 72 hour kits.  Lo and behold it was stored away safetly in Ella's 72 hour kit.  I guess she was slightly worried about leaving with out our beloved Ipod too. :)

Alissa was sitting up to the counter eating some lunch when she comments, "Mom, when you ate me and Ella we were like, Hey!  Let us out of here!  and we were pushing on your belly."  Oh gosh, it made me laugh.

2 Seats? No problem!

2 summers ago I picked up this little Power Wheels Jeep at a garage sale for $10.  We had to buy a new battery for $60, but it really was worth it.  The girls love it and use it all the time.

Well this spring we found we have a little problem.  Molly and Alissa both want to ride it and are too big to both fit in the passenger seat and neither of them know how to drive it (except straight until they hit something).  So we tied the wagon to the back like a trailer and now we have 4 seats!

What a clever mom. :)

Easter Weekend

Life has been going a hundred miles an hour for us over at our house the past few weeks.  We are worn out and going to bed early tonight!  Thankfully after this week it should slow down for a few days. 

Dustin's little 4 week old niece Isabella was admitted into the hospital with RSV on Friday so we watched their other 3 kids all day while his brother and wife were in the hospital and sleeping from being up all night with the baby.   We did a mini Easter egg hunt down stairs for them before they left.  They were happy because almost every egg had a chocolate whopper egg in it.  I was grateful we could do this service as I thought about "Good Friday" and the service that was rendered to me as the Savior suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Next year at Easter we will be better about learning about the Savior in his last week of life through the resurrection.  It was neat for me to be able to think about it myself through the week and I want that to be something my kids participate in and learn more about.

Saturday we ended up missing all the community Easter egg hunts.  The Easter Bunny visited our house Friday night so the kids were busy playing with their fun new things that morning anyway.  Ella got Guess Who game and Alvin and the Chipmunks movie.  Alissa got some princess Polly Pockets and a Minnie Mouse movie and Molly got some slippers and a Strawberry Shortcake movie.  They all got a bunch of candy too.

Saturday afternoon we visited great grandma Bateman at her retirement center home.  She has macular degeneration so she doesn't see well at all.  She is doing so well though and looks just great.  She was happy we came and saw her.  We were so much better at visiting before little Molly was born.  It is hard to take all 3 little kiddos up and keep them from terrorizing her room while we visit.  I need to be better.

Then we headed to my parents house for our traditional Easter Egg hunt.  The kids get to hunt in the front yard and all the adult kids get to hunt around the rest of the yard.  Mom and dad are good hiders - so good in fact that we couldn't find 1 egg that we figured had a $10 bill in it!!  We hunted forever and never found it.  It's always so fun though.  Mostly to be with my siblings and parents and visit.  I just love those guys!

Grandma and Grandpa gave the 4 older girls a kite so we took them out in the yard to fly around.  Ella is getting to be a really good kite flyer. :)

Sunday go up and went to church.  Sadly, I had to choose between getting to church on time or taking a picture of the girls this morning.  They didn't get a new easter dress, but they sure looked cute in their pink and white colors.  Maybe I'll make them wear them again next week and just take a picture of them then. 

I witnessed a sweet tender mercy from Heavenly Father today at church.  I noticed a sister from our ward bring in a few visitors.  One of which I recognized lives at my grandma Bateman's retirement center.  I recognized her because when I was in the Young Womens we took the girls to the center to paint some of the women's fingernails and played UNO with them.  She was one that came down.  She is deaf, but very good at reading lips. 

Soon after they came in I noticed a couple walk in the door and thought to myself, "I wonder if they are new or visiting".  They walked to the back and sat down and then a minute or two later moved right in front of us.  Another minute passed and this brother leaned over and asked this deaf sister if she would like him to sign for her.  I can't describe the look on her face and I watched as she mouthed and signed to the family she was there with "How did he know?"  Immediatly I was brought to tears and the Spirit testified to me that Heavenly Father is aware of all of us.   He was aware of this sister who came out of her room in the retirment center to come to sacrament meeting with family on Easter Sunday.  He knows she is deaf and is aware of this brother who knows sign.  I had a hard time keeping my composure all sacrament meeting as I watched this beautiful language and this happy sister understanding the words being spoken.  What an amazing Heavenly Father.  What a sweet tender mercy.  It made my day.  I was happy to hear they are a new couple in our ward too.  I think this was their first week.

We went to Braithwaite's after church and had dinner.  A few of us brought candy and eggs and let the big kids hide eggs for the little kids in grandma and grandpa's yard.  They all loved it.

I love having older girls around to help with the little kids.  Glad I will have a few of those one day!  They sure are helpful.

(Sariah, Molly, Alissa & Katie) 

It was a busy and fun weekend. 

Now I've got to figure a way to get rid of all of this candy without eating it all!

Twinkle Toes

Dustin needed some new shoes this week so we headed to Shoe Carnival to find him a pair.  When we went inside Ella the Skecher's TWINKLE TOES.  The shoes it seems like every other girl has and she has always wanted.  Instantly she found her size and was trying them on.  They were $50!!  I immediatly told her, "no way!"  She reminded me that she had saved $100 and had enough to buy it and would still have $50 left over.  She reassured me over and over that she was fine with that.  We decided to let her go ahead and do it so with her $50 she bought herself the famous Twinkle Toe shoes she has been wanting for the past year or two.

She has been so excited to wear them - outside, inside, to school, she even asked if she could wear them to bed.  She has been keeping them in the box because she is worried they might get lost.  She came home excited that she was 5th in line when the recess bell rang which was exciting for her because she is usually last or one of the last in line.  So the shoes make her run much faster.

I'm happy she is excited and I really felt happy that I made her wait and buy them herself.  $50 is way too much to spend on kids shoes, but if it's something you really want and you saved enough money- why not right?  Maybe it will motivate her to do more chores and continue saving. :)

Coloring Easter Eggs Take 2

Tonight we had Take 2 on coloring Easter eggs.  We had our friends, The Hansen family over for dinner and coloring eggs.  So fun.  Alissa wouldn't look at the camera or smile - again.  She kept telling me, "I'm almost finished" as she tried to make her orange egg just perfect.

Molly got a hold of a few eggs and tore the shell off and ate them. Surprise!

And of course we had to have our dress up clothes on for coloring eggs. :) 

Sage & Kaiden  

Molly girl

I think Molly has built a trademark for herself - food.  Anything involving food and she is there.  She has a special ear for hearing whenever the pantry or fridge door open or a bag of chips is popped.  She comes running.

But.. she is one happy baby!  Here she is with a box of Honeycombs dumped on the couch for better selection and quicker eating. :) 

It's not uncommon for her to grab the brick of cheese when I am preparing dinner and take a big bite out of it.  She just loves to eat!  Her face almost always has a little smudge of food on it.  

The funny thing about this picture is that Molly crawled up into Alissa's chair after she was done eating and finished off her cereal she left behind.

She is starting to talk so much more now.  One of my favorites is when she says "hold me, backpack" which means she wants you to put her on your shoulders.  Or when she says "orry" and gives hugs when she is mean.  She still has us all wrapped and therefore still ends up in my bed almost every morning.

We love this girl!