Our Mixed-up Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

This year we are doing things all mixed-up! Today, we took some family pictures. Then, we decided to decorate the tree because Gus and Rebekkah will be in Boston after our Thanksgiving trip. Rebby looked devastated when I suggested we decorate while they were gone next week so we did it early. Last night, after we put up the tree, I was tempted to sleep by it in the glow of the lights, but my bed called to me. Rebby did though! In the end, we managed to get the ornaments on with only breaking 4 of them-- 2 before any were even hung. Julia put all of her ornaments in one spot on the tree. It was fabulously dense and sparkly. My favorite ornaments are the ones the children made at school and church, usually wrapped in a brown bag and delivered to us on Christmas day! Aren't those the best? After we decorated, the children insisted that the cats were photographed with them too. 

Before decorating, we decided to get some family pictures. The last decent ones we had are 2 years old. Since I haven't been good about scheduling professional pictures, we opted for the tripod, timer and the backyard. We have a great one of me running to my spot and arranging bodies. I also didn't add the photo of when Tim pinched Sam and he flipped out and then, I flipped out! Some memories aren't worth preserving. Why does this always seem to happen during family photo shoots? For a few minutes, we all felt too sad (or mad!) to smile until Katherine (our oldest) started making silly jokes and getting everyone to lighten up! Then, the real smiles returned. Thanks to Katherine for turning a tense moment into a humorous one. Back inside, everyone was happy when the ornaments were pulled out. Our evening just got better and better.

Happy Thanksgiving to our dear Family and Friends.

We are so thankful to have you in our lives. We love you and appreciate your friendship, encouragement, company, and support.

During this season, I just wanted to mention a few of the things I am grateful for.

-Thank you, family and friends!

-I am deeply thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for what Christ did for me and all of God's children, for his love, example, and sacrifice. 

-I am thankful for an encouraging and loving husband who is a great friend and father.

-I am thankful for our children. I appreciate their unique personalities and talents and enjoy the wonderful company that they are to me

-I am grateful to have a home, food to eat, electricity, a vehicle, and plumbing!!! (I'd be a lousy pioneer). These are amazing gifts.

-I am grateful to live in a free country

-I am grateful that my children can receive and education.

-I am grateful for books, computers, medical care and even dentists!

There is so much more to say! 

Life is great!

Have a great week. 

Love, 

Cynthia

The Animal Guessing Game

Tonight we had a good hour in the car to "kill" on the way home from Bountiful, so Julia suggested we play "The Animal Guessing Game". It's like 20 Questions except that it's usually 60 questions and the person who is "it" has to think of an animal that we guess. 

Here were some of the questions that someone in the family invariably asked each time.

-Is it a Cuttlefish?

-Is it a Giant Squid? 

- (Julia) Is it a really really big, huge, giant squid?

-Is it an Echidna?

-Is it a Marsupial?

-(Mom) Is it a Chicken?

-(Timmy) Is it nocturnal?

-(Timmy's turn) What's a mammal again?

-We said no imaginary animals, but one time Sam picked Sasquatch, because he's a "mystery" animal and not imaginary. (IE: no one one has found him yet, but they have "seen tracks")

-One time, I was thinking of guessing a Tasmanian Devil for the fun of it when Timmy was "it", but I didn't. Then, no one could guess what his animal was. When he revealed the answer, it was........ a Tasmanian Devil! I think we are on the same wave length!

-One time, Gus was "it" and so was I!!!! After the kids guessed, Katherine asked some "afterthought" questions to make me feel better: Does she sing? Is she beautiful? Is she funny?

Thanks Kath. 

-Julia kept telling everyone to be quiet.

-Gus kept saying he "had a really good one" and wanted an extra turn.

-Sam kept saying, "My turn! I called it!"

-Katherine said, "I'm not guessing anymore!"

By the time we were to the house, no one was asking questions that made sense. Rebby asks, "Is it a mammal?" Timmy says "Yes!" Then, Rebby asks, "Is is a Shark?" Timmy says "NO!"

Mom asks," Is it a Basilisk?" Kath asks, "Is it Julia?"

It just kept going downhill. No logic whatsoever.

We recommend that you do not play this game for more than thirty minutes. Especially if you are tired or playing with strange people or have seen National Geographic specials on the Giant Squid or the Cuttlefish.

Powerful Bumps

Julia wanted to watch Hercules this afternoon during her quiet time. We were talking about how tough he was. She said, "Yeah, it's because he has those bumps all over him. They make him powerful!"

 I said, "Those bumps are called muscles!" 

She said, "Yeah those bumpy muscles make him so strong! He has them everywhere!" Then, she started to sing a "bumpy" song. The lyrics were. "Bump, bump, bumpy, bump, bump......" and so on and so forth.

So guys, whose says that the girls don't notice! Even four year olds are impressed by a few bumps!

Funny things the kids say...

Last night TJ (8) was soaking his hand (infected finger). To pass the time, I made him read to me. We were reading this great picture book, Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. This is one of those books that we read to Julia (4) about once a day. On one page, TJ got stuck for a second on the word decided. Julia looked over my shoulder and matter-of-factly said, "decided!" TJ looked at me incredulously, as if to say, "how did she know that?" (she doesn't know how to read yet, of course.) I looked back at TJ. "She has the whole book memorized," I said. "Oh," he said indignantly. "That's cheating."

Today after church Rebekkah was meeting with the bishop (birthday interview). I was sitting outside with Julia, listening to her talk with one of the bishop's councilors. He remarked that she moved like a ballerina. "Your whole family is talented, singing, piano, dancing," he said. "And we're artists!" she says confidently (referring to the fact that the whole lot of them were drawing and coloring in sacrament meeting.) "But we don't draw until after the sacrament," I reminded her. Very indignantly, as if my remark had been condescending, she says, "You don't need to tell me that! I'm four years old!" Sheez, Dad.

The Tale of Princess Ariana.

Julia told me this story during today. I wrote down what she said immediately after while she was eating. The wording is almost all hers.

"Once a upon a time, there was a princess named Ariana. She lived in a VERY village. She had to clean her room. It was too much work, so she left the planet. She went to a being planet like earth. She went to build an Ark, but it was too much work. She asked he father for help. He did very hard work on it. There was a bad storm and they lived in the Ark with her family and the animals. The planet was called Jupiter. Then, she went on a bumpy ride to a farm and picked a pumpkin.

The End.

Just a couple of editorial notes: I did ask her to clean her room today and it was "too much work". Also, we read Noah's Ark last night. I'm sure you can place the pumpkin reference. 

Halloween Week!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

We celebrated for days!

As I walked through crowds of costumed children at the Elementary School Friday morning, it occurred to me what I love about Halloween.

 It was the chance to pretend. The children were contagious with happiness, imagination, and excitement to get be whatever they wanted to be for a day. Little girls got to wear wings, wigs, princess dresses, and lipstick. Little boys got to be tough superheroes, or monsters. They were thrilled to be something or someone else! 

Here are some of the highlights of our week of fun!

• Julia wore a costume everyday-- all day! At preschool she was the Little Mermaid. My favorite part of the Halloween program was when her wig came off during the singing. 
• Julia was "Pinkalicious" Halloween. She told dad that she got to wear "jewelry, lipstick, and curls". I was so glad she chose this costume because the Ariel wig was a pain! 
• Sam and Rebekkah made their own bows and arrows with Gus's help. As you can see, we had a real Medieval theme going. Sam looked very brave and convincing. Rebekkah actually learned achery in P.E., and it is her favorite sport  now.
• Timmy was Percy Jackson at Scouts in addition to being a Vampire on Halloween. Although not pictured, Gus made him an orange "Camp Half-blood" shirt for the Scout party. We enjoy these books and recommend them to you. Surprisingly, lots of people recognized his character!
• Katherine went to the same party 3 times on Halloween night (as she is learning to find directions). She actually made it after coming home finally and seeing a real map. She won second place in the costume contest (thanks to Aunt Jen). She was gorgeous. We were afraid to let her leave the house alone.
• Rebekkah had planned for months to be Susan from Narnia and fit the part. She can now use the curling iron like a Veteran. 
• I was a pumpkin! I got to read Halloween stories to Timmy's class for their party! I read "FrankenFrog" and a story about an Alien who came to visit on Halloween. I read to 5 groups and was pretty hoarse by the end. I sure love to read to the kids though. 
• Gus (not pictured) wore an orange shirt that said "This is my costume!" Where was the camera?
• Sam mummified Julia at his class party. He was great with her.
• We had a wonderful time with the Abbotts while our kids went around the neigborhood on Halloween Eve. We had hot cider, cards, salsa and chips, and watched "Hook" when the kids came home. It was a treat for us! 
• An important "Thank You" note.  Halloween costumes were made possible by the dilligent duo, Aunt Jen and Grandma Lynda, who scoured the thrift stores and their costume closets for these fabulous costumes. Every year the seem to find exactly what the kids have be wanting to be! My contibutions were Tim's black pants, Julia's pink and green undershirts and the wig. Oh yeah!-- and the curls on 2 of the girls and their lipstick.
• Finally, I made tasteless chili on Halloween. This was not a highlight of the week. I think it won the prize for being most flavorless dish I've ever made. I kept wondering if I was sick or losing my sense of taste. It smelled fine, but no matter how much salt, spice, or extra tomatoes I added, it still tasted like nothing. I tried to eat it again this morning and threw in some of the left over Salsa from last night. I was amazed at the difference. If you ever have this problem... try salsa. 

A Balleter! (ballet-er)

She's not having a fit. She's not sick. 

She said, "When I grow up I want to be a Physics, a Teacher in a Class, and a Balleter!"

The other day, I found her in graceful, frozen positions all over the house- on the floor, the couch, in the kitchen, the family room. 

She was showing me how you do ballet.

There is a lion sleeping in my bed

The harp started to play. It soothed the beast and next thing we knew, she was asleep! I've always thought that all baby animals are cute. You just want to take them home and keep them as pets.