All I want for Christmas...

I just had to post these Christmas lists from my girls. We had a little talk with our girls about Christmas this year... we have two family members who are jobless right now...an accountant and a business mba... we have friends that need help... and it's an uncertain time. We discussed that if the girls choose a few smaller items that it would allow us to spend money on some of our family so that others could have a good Christmas too.

This is what they wanted from Red Balloon ($129 for just the home then you need to buy the critters and furniture)...

Look at how amazing my girls are...

Flash Back to a Sunbeam

This was taken at our church... thus the cinder block bricks...

I was a very happy sunbeam at the time... as you can clearly see.

Little Pink Backpack

Elizabeth truly loves going to school. She gets so excited as we prepare. Most morning's I walk her to the stairs, I let go of her hand and she counts the ten steps going down to Amber's preschool. One day as I watched above from the railing, I saw her enter the classroom door, strike a pose and wait for a response from the teacher and students. "Hi Elizabeth!" from the students, "There's Elizabeth!" from Ms. Amber. She is the same way in nursery, and especially with her sweet leader Rachel. When she sees Rachel, she tilts her head, poses, smiles and ever faithful Rachel smiles, laughs her cute little laugh and says in a delighted voice "Hi Elizabeth!" I love that leaders and teachers delight in making children feel loved and special.

Everyday when Elizabeth returns from preschool we have the same procedure. It is constant and doesn't vary. We walk in... I ask her to tell me what sort of things they learned about... Elizabeth says robotic like "I don't know," then bright eyed she continues "do you wanna see what's in my backpack?" Of coarse I'm just dying to, so she meticulously locates the zipper pull, watches me for confirmation that I am all eyes, and slowly with those little hands I love, unzips her backpack, reaches in... still watching me for reaction... to reveal her school treasures. We discuss the items, and set them aside for dad to generally look at before recycling.

Oh... I love that pink little backpack!

CornBelly's

I know I am late posting these photo's from Cornbelly's, but it is nice to look at them now and remember the warmth of the day - warmth - which like October, has gone.

Poor Claire, the climb to the top with her sister alone would have done her in but now her sister is in control of rocketing her to the bottom!

Rockin' McCall

This is what Elizabeth will wear if she cuts anymore hair off...

The balloon man... okay can I just say - PEOPLE you are supposed to tip them! I can't believe how cheap people can be. So many kids followed him around and never paid anything. The same thing went for the face painters.

No paint for this little one but the maze of pumpkins was fun for her.

Two Princesses ready for the ball... (okay, that was cheesy I know).


Okay, so I was laughing so hard I couldn't take a picture of the kids on the slide thing with the pvc tubes which rolled as they went down. (If you went you may know what I mean?) The kids were bouncing and it so didn't look like any fun but it was hilarious, ohhh, I am LOL right now just thinking of it. We had a 60 year old woman on it and she came off hardly walking. Elizabeth got a little way down and stuck her heals in so she wouldn't go down and we were persuading her to come down, but I think they did it a second maybe third time. Ahhh... good times.

What is this you wonder?

I was down here in the office, and Elizabeth was next to me at her desk coloring, and I looked at her hair and saw this chunk missing, it was hard to tell if it was part of the layering at first so I got up and fluffed her hair with my fingers. It just didn't look right and I said, "Elizabeth, did you cut your hair?" Elizabeth looked up with her bright eye's and as honestly and sweetly as one could imagine, said, "no mama", she even ended the response with the slight inflection of a question at the end, like "why would someone do that?" I dismissed it with a "We never use our scissors to cut anything besides paper, huh?!" and figured it was something previously from the girl who did Elizabeth's hair at LaVilla Salon while Amy was out of commission.

Note: This was towards the beginning of preschool and we had been practising every morning with Elizabeth to trace her name and cut out along a line, to improve her dexterity using scissors. A small pencil box lay on the corner of the kitchen counter specifically filled with necessary tools.

Upon leaving the office I went upstairs to the kitchen where I saw the scissors from our morning work and little pieces of paper which I subsequently cleaned up, then placed the scissors and markers back in the box.

A couple hours later before McCall arrived home I hit the family room to do a toy/book sweep. As I bent to pick up a book I noticed something strange on the carpet. It was light yellow, and fuzzy. As I reached down and picked it up, to my horror I realized it was a child's hair... "Did she go and cut it after I gave her the idea!!" Was my naive initial thought then common sense reigned in and I realized the little turd had lied to me. Upon finding a couple more little tufts, I set them on the counter took a picture and called Elizabeth down.

I explained how disappointed I was that she cut her hair which meant we would be taking away her privileges to use scissors for the next little while, but even more disappointing was the fact that I asked her if she cut her hair and she said "No" which I explained was a lie, and thus for the lie I would be removing all barbie and associated accessories. This was devastating to her I know, but I hope she understood the lesson that we must be honest and tell the truth even, and especially, if it's hard.

I hope we are through with this little hair cutting stint!

Fluffy White Kleenex Dreams

We all have our share of trouble makers in each of our children. Claire seems to not only get into trouble, but she honestly seems to enjoy it. She thinks it's even funnier when we look grumpy and say "no". Yes, she is still in her pajama top ... but it was still morning.

I don't understand motive here but do we ever?

Dear Ashley

Please... Move away from the Internet!!!!!!!!!

Oh my, as if I don't have enough to do in one day. Look how delightful! I found a whole slew of information about papercutting. I can picture this and others framed in a small grouping in my girls room. Although, I'm running out of wall space, I think they need a bigger room.

Our flag

When I awoke and glanced out the front window in the soft morning light, seeing our flag and it's bright red, white and blue, waving in the wind, I almost was brought to tears thinking about this great nation, the privilege we have, the gift and right to vote on this cold Tuesday in November. I have great pride in our flag.

I have knots in my stomach - some anxiety over the outcome - I'm not sure I want to turn on the TV this evening. Yet, I also have faith that our nation is made up of people, a majority of whom have good hearts and good morals. I know we can work through whatever changes lie in wait for us, and changes will come regardless.

To really fix the problems facing this nation, it is going to take time, patience, and sacrifice. These are all things I am hopeful the American people can make. Yet, part of the problems we are facing now stem from people not practising these virtues. So many want a quick fix, an easy solution... and I just don't think there is one. I think a strong nation is based on self-reliant people. And I hope our people will become that way, not reliant on the government.

I love our flag. It is beautiful. People of old and everyday since have given there lives to defend it and what it stands for. Our flag stands for a nation built for the people and under God. What could be more promising? I am so thankful for a Prophet, a living, breathing, speaks with God, prophet. I know this. I know this as certain as anything. I am so thankful for the counsel given to those who are willing to listen. Despite all the worries I have felt today over the future of my family and nation, there is peace and comfort. I found it from this talk from our recent conference, it brought peace and comfort to me then, and it did again today... I think you will find it too...

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-10,00.html

Falling Back

I love the fall but I've never really liked the fact that we lose daylight, and when the time changes we lose our evening light. (I personally hate driving home from McCall's dance when it's dark out.)

But on mornings like today, I enjoy the change. The kids were all in bed and ASLEEP last night by 8pm. Which meant, Erik and I were in bed at 9, asleep by 10pm.

This morning without the usual drudgery I was up reading scriptures and enjoying my "me time". When McCall was awake I already had a jump on things. Beds were made, children dressed, pancakes cooking, violin practiced, faces washed, teeth brushed, breakfast cleaned up, family prayer said, and still time to chat and give a little extra time for some loves before seeing McCall out the door. Elizabeth and Claire waving and yelling to McCall as she walked with neighbors down the street.

So... before heading up to spend some time with some treasured storybooks, I thought I'd jot down some of these feelings, hopefully I'll be able to continue this morning energy and schedule for the next few months!