Christmas morning

Hannah got the Barbies and Legos she asked for, and she also got a whole bunch of art supplies. Now she doesn't need to use my tape!

Nikki wanted a pony, and she has loved it.

Hannah is in her Ariel pose, and she also has Ariel hair -- long with no hair barrettes. Only Ariel's wasn't a mess.

Hannah keeps saying that she wishes it was still Christmas morning. I have to agree with her. We had a really good day. Santa left us breakfast in our stockings -- little cereal boxes, juice boxes, granola bars, and of course the apple and the orange -- so I didn't have to worry about breakfast. (Not to mention that there was no room left for a bunch of candy.) What a great idea, Santa! Then my two brothers and their families came over for dinner that night. And my roast was really good, so we didn't have to order pizza. It was a good day.

Cookie Puzzle

For our Christmas cookies this year I found this idea in a magazine. Of course, their picture looked a lot better, but I bet they didn't have a 3- and 5-year-old helping out. The girls and I had a lot of fun making this. The cookie shapes come out like puzzle pieces.

Gingerbread

Here is our gingerbread house in progress. I had to include this picture because someday Hannah is just going to die when she looks back at her pictures and sees her hair. But she loves it long and doesn't like for me to put it up. So this is my way of getting even with her stubbornness -- get it on film.

And here is the finished product. We left the gingerbread house for Santa to taste, and he left a note saying that he loved it and even shared some with Rudolf, but he was really thirsty and hopes the girls won't forget the milk again next year.

Did you notice the wonderful man in the background doing the dishes? I am a lucky woman.

Good times

We have had such a fun vacation so far. It started with my birthday the week before Christmas. Nate took me on a weekend getaway while my brother and sister-in-law watched our girls. He gave me a gift certificate for a massage at a spa which was absolutely fabulous. The lady who gave me the massage told me that because of my back surgery I would probably benefit from a monthly massage, or at least every other month. I keep trying to tell Nate that I have a medical reason for regular massages, but it hasn't worked yet. =) That night we went to the Nutcracker ballet. It was the first time I had seen it (besides Barbie's Nutcracker movie), and I thought it was wonderful. Nate even liked the chocolate truffles. They were really cute. Nate asked me if we could watch BYU's bowl game one evening in the hotel since we were doing these other things for me, and since marriage is about compromise I agreed. I ended up really glad that we did watch it because it was a really good game (BYU won, of course).

So, we had fun and the girls felt like they were having their own getaway since they got to play with their cousins for a few days. Thanks again for keeping them, Mike and Sherrie! We got back home just in time to start baking for Christmas.

Organ lessons

I'm so excited about my organ lessons! I had my second one yesterday, and I can't wait to get to the organ to practice again. I'm taking an online organ class, and the lessons are required as a part of it. At the first lesson, my instructor just talked and talked and told me more about the history of the organ than I will ever remember, and he played some things to show me how the organ works, gave me some assignments, etc. Yesterday was the first time he actually listened to me play. I started off by destroying a simple hymn that was only 2 lines. It got a little better after that, but I feel like a kindergartener. I know I am a beginner, but it's different now that I actually feel like one. You would think that with 10 years of piano lessons and a few years of filling in on the organ at church services I would have a head start on this, but it is a whole new ballgame trying to play the organ the way it supposed to be done. It is so fun to hear my instructor go off and blow out the chapel with these huge hymn endings. I can't wait to be able to do that. Maybe I'm a nerd to be so excited about something like this, but it is going to be so fun to practice and eventually be able to call myself an organist.

Mom, you shouldn't have given up on me -- I'm now paying for it.

Mom eventually gave up on me ever learning to keep my room clean and would just close my door any time she passed my room. One time after my sister left for college, Mom was going around the house with the video camera making a tape for my sister. I made a mad dash to stuff everything under my bed or in the closet. I even threw a pile out in the hall so my room would be clean before Mom got to my end of the house. Mom taped my clean room, and I was proudly telling Kellee how well I was taking care of her old room when Mom turned the camera and got a great shot of my pile in the hallway.

I was reminded of that tonight when I was trying to clean up a pile of stuff that has been sitting on top of my night stand for a while. It wasn't until after about the third item was stuffed under my bed that I realized what I was doing. I couldn't help but laugh at myself. I guess some habits die hard.

Pictures

We had a friend take some pictures of our family a couple of days ago, and I just can't get over how cute our girls are! =)

We're going to send this one with our Christmas cards this year.

Hannah

Nikki

This is the first picture Nate and I have taken with just the two of us since our wedding pictures. I have a goofy grin, but I'm not sure I'll ever find a picture of myself where I can't find something wrong with it. After we got home, Nate was worried because he realized he hadn't done his hair. He looks pretty darn good even with no effort at all.

What a mess!

Last year for our church Thanksgiving party I doubled my broccoli casserole recipe to take. As I was trying to get out of the door the whole thing landed upside down at my feet. I still can't believe what a mess that was! Then at this year's Thanksgiving party I tried to take a brownie dessert with a cream cheese, cool whip, and chocolate pudding layered topping. When Nate set it down on the seat of the car, half of topping slid off -- yes, all over the seat. That one was actually salvageable since there was so much cool whip on top I could respread it around. Tonight we had a Christmas party at church, and I should have learned my lesson by now, but Nate volunteered us to take a pot of chili. It was fine until I came to a stop sign and the chili ended up all over the floor of the car. Next time we have a church function I'm volunteering to bring a bag of chips.

Hearing problems

There is so much in this life that I take for granted and Nikki has reminded me of one of those things. For the past week and a half she has had a hard time hearing. I first noticed it when I was reading a book to her asking her to find different colors. I would say, "Point to the red triangle." Then she would say, "What's next?" "Point to red." "What's next, Mom?" When she was looking at my lips she could understand me, but if she didn't look at me she acted like I hadn't said anything to her. So, we have gotten a little frustrated with each other this week because she won't respond to me and she thinks I'm ignoring her.

She has some congestion, and I thought maybe she has some fluid in her ears that's not draining properly. I had J.W., my physician's assistant brother, look in her ears, and he said he couldn't see past this incredible amount of hard wax in her ears. So, he gave me some drops and after a couple of days a bunch of really gross stuff came out that I thought would surely have been all that could be in there, but she still can't hear. Then Hannah woke up last night complaining of an earache, so I just took both of them into the doctor this morning. Fifty bucks later, neither of them have an ear infection and Nikki's ears are still clogged. The doctor told me to put some wax softening drops in Nikki's ears to clean them out. I guess I should have kept up the treatment JW prescribed. Her poor ears must have been packed full of gunk. How gross!

But it's gotten me to thinking how hard it would be to go around without the use of even one of our senses. She gets so frustrated when she can't hear the TV, or she thinks I'm not answering her question, or she can't find what room I'm in. What if I didn't have my glasses or contacts? I wouldn't be able to function. Or what if I couldn't taste anything? I love food! That would be miserable. So, I've been really thankful for my body and my good health. And it will be so nice when Nikki doesn't have to say anymore, "Mom, say it louder!"

Silly

One of Nikki's favorite things to do is make a silly face and watch me copy it. She could play that game for hours. Her faces were so cute the other night that I had to get some of them on camera. And you can be sure that Hannah will be close by whenever the camera is out!

Pilgrims and Indians

Hannah and Nikki both had Thanksgiving feasts at school on Tuesday where they got to dress up as Pilgrims and Indians. Nikki only liked hers after Hannah came home with something to wear, too.

Blowout

Today I learned what it meant to have a blowout -- not a flat tire, a blowout. I was on the way taking Nikki to preschool when I noticed that the car was pulling really strongly to one side. (It just so happens that we bought this car last Saturday and thought that we actually found a good deal. This is a typical bargain for us!) I thought at first that Nate just must not have noticed how out of alignment it was when he was testdriving it, but when the car started shaking really bad and I saw black pieces of the tire fly by my window I finally got a clue that something was wrong. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, I know. I have never seen a tire look that torn up in my life. It was shredded, and I was afraid I had messed up the car driving on it.

Anyway, Heavenly Father really was looking out for me. One of the things that Nate made sure the car dealer included was a spare tire and jack (which I think he pulled out of another car on the lot), and I was so grateful to have that. I don't have a cell phone, so I knew I just had to change it myself. I had no clue which end of the jack was up or down, and we could have sat on the side of the road all day before I had it figured out. But a nice older man stopped just a few minutes after I pulled over and changed the tire for me. Just one more reason that I really like living in a small town.

So, I finally got Nikki to preschool and I asked the director where the closest place was that I could get a new tire. She told me about this little backwoods hole-in-the-wall tire shop just down the road. They had me in and out in less than 30 minutes. It just so happens that last week I had to get a new tire for our other car, and I called around for prices a little bit and ended up at Sam's. Well, it took them 3 1/2 hours and cost two times more than what I paid this morning. I guess that was a bonus to now know where to go to get new tires.

All in all, it was quite an experience, and I am so grateful that the Lord was looking out for us. He kept us safe and sent wonderful people in my path to help me out.

Just a side note, the man who stopped on the side of the road kept calling me "shoog" (short for sugar), and the guy at the shop kept saying "baby doll." Now, I hadn't showered, I was in sweats, I had no makeup on, and my hair was a frizzy mop on my head. Nobody was flirting with me. It's just the way the locals talk around here. Even people at church say that. It just made me smile this morning to be living here with these good country folks.

Our neighborhood pet

We have a dog that has been hanging around our neighborhood for maybe a couple of weeks now. No one knows where he came from, but he is the nicest dog ever. The neighborhood kids have named him Buddy. Almost every house in our subdivision has a dog (except for us), and he is getting fed by a few of them, and then there is one house that leaves their garage door cracked open for him to sleep in at night since it gets so cold these days. All these dog lovers can't stand to see him get hungry or cold enough to find his own home. I'm not really an animal lover, but I don't mind petting a dog every now and then. Actually, if we were going to have a dog I think one like him would be perfect. He's too big and stinky to even make it an issue as to whether to bring him inside, and he loves the kids. I was out staining the deck on Saturday, and the girls came out and played with him for over an hour. When he finally ran off to go check on some noise, Hannah pretended to be a dog for Nikki to play with. Then it was Nikki's turn by the time they came in for baths. So, while Buddy is a good dog, we could never keep him because he obviously doesn't like to stay in one place, he runs in the road, I would have to buy dog food and clean up poop, he would kill our grass, and he would cost veterinarian fees. I really like the girls' solution of just pretending to be the dog themselves.

Breakfast choices

Nikki is most definitely not a morning person. The only thing I can say about it is that I passed on more of my genes than just my curly hair. This morning she actually woke up pretty happy, but as soon as she got into the kitchen for breakfast, things went downhill. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Would you like Frosted Flakes or oatmeal?
Nikki: I don't want cereal!
Me: Okay, what do you want?
Nikki: I don't know.
Are you hungry?
I want apple juice.
Ok, and what do you want to eat?
Lemonade.
You can't have lemonade for breakfast. How about some toast?
No!
Would you like some eggs?
(on the verge of tears) No! I don't want eggs! I'm hungry! I want a cookie!
If you're hungry you need to eat something good, not a cookie.
I want peanut butter crackers.
Fine.
(As I was bringing the peanut butter to the table) I don't want peanut butter. I want cereal!

Can you see me shaking my head?

Kitchen duty

5 ways to know when you have neglected your kitchen duties for too long:

1. The dishes in the sink fill up more than one load in the dishwasher, and the second load didn't finish them off either.

2. When sweeping under the table you need an industrial sized dust pan to get up all the crumbs.

3. The trash can is so full that you are afraid to touch it, and then when you do it takes another whole trash bag to pick up what fell off the top.

4. The only silverware left in the drawer are baby spoons -- and there's no baby in the house anymore.

5. The groceries you bought three days ago are still in the grocery bags.


Okay, so maybe there are a few small exaggerations here, but it's a pretty close picture to what my kitchen was like this morning. I can't believe I'm even admitting it. My mother would be shocked. And while I do have a couple of good excuses, I won't even attempt to explain them to make myself seem justified or pitiable because I can still hear my mom saying, "Excuses aren't good enough." Needless to say, I need to go finish up the dishes -- it'll take me until lunchtime and then I'll have more to do! AGHH!

Trick or treaters

These were two of the cutest trick or treaters ever. I can't believe how much candy they got. Between our church party, their school parties, and going around our neighborhood tonight I think we might still have some left by the time next Halloween rolls around. We were actually the only ones who went out in our neighborhood tonight. It is a new subdivision -- there were only three houses here last year -- and two of the older families told us this was the first time they had ever had trick or treaters. We didn't really need to go out to get more candy, but I never went when I was a kid and the girls were just so excited about it. I'm glad we did it. They really had fun.

Beautiful butterflies

This was at our church Halloween party. Nikki was flapping her arms like she was flying.

I had to get a picture of their face paint before they smeared it off, but they actually didn't mess with it all night long. I was going to do a butterfly on Hannah's face as well, but Nikki's was so difficult that I talked her into just having rosy cheeks. She went for it.

After school snack

This afternoon when Hannah got home from school she told me she was going into the kitchen to get a snack. When I walked in a few minutes later this is what I saw.

Haunted house

Last night we made a haunted house out of graham crackers and candy and chocolate frosting. I decided to forego the gingerbread for the much easier crackers. It certainly wasn't very pretty, but the girls absolutely loved it. Well, Nate and I did, too.

Vegetables

Hannah will sometimes talk about me being so short and Nate so tall. I always tell her it's because I didn't eat my vegetables when I was little but he did. Today at Nikki's dance class the parents were allowed to sit in and watch. It was the most adorable thing ever. But what was really funny to me was when Hannah leaned over and, speaking of Nikki's teacher, said, "She must have eaten lots of vegetables." I asked her why and she said because she is "really long and straight." And she was tall and thin. Maybe Hannah will let me pack some carrots in her lunchbox tomorrow?

Nate's confession

Nate has a deadline coming up on a project on which he still has a lot of work left to do, so last night he brought his laptop home to get some extra work done. But his computer kept crashing on him and taking forever to process anything he wanted to do, so he was getting really frustrated. I was in the other room and I heard him muttering under his breath, "This stinkin' computer. It's a piece of junk. I can't stand it," etc., etc., etc. A little while later he walked by me, and I laughingly told him that I was glad he wasn't a violent man or prone to profanity. He kind of hung his head and got this sheepish look on his face, and he said, "Well, I did throw my socks." I died laughing. How did I get so lucky to find such a sweet man?

Bad manners

This morning we were eating cereal for breakfast, and when I finished I sipped the last little bit of milk right out of my bowl -- yes, my mother taught me not to do that. And apparently I've taught Hannah the same thing because she said, "Mom, that's bad manners!" Wow, kids see everything.

Black, black sheep

Nikki was singing "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" this morning while I was getting ready, and it was so cute that I just have to write down her version. I was really impressed because it's not a nursery rhyme that we do very often. I sang it to them last week, and this is how she remembered it:

Black, black sheep
And he had a bowl
One for the day
One for the little guy
Black, black sheep
And he had a bowl (and she kept repeating the last 2 lines)

The Fair

I can't believe I left the camera in the car when we went to the fair last night. I had even turned around and gone back home to get it. I so wish I could have pictures of the girls faces. They loved every part of it. Hannah could have eaten the whole bag of cotton candy by herself if Nate hadn't been there to help her. Nikki and I like it, but it seems like such a waste of a treat to me because it dissolves so fast in your mouth (or on Hannah's fingers). Hannah was a little nervous on the Ferris wheel, and it was so cute when Nikki leaned over, patted her arm, and said, "It's okay Hannah. You don't have to be scared." Actually, Hannah was nervous on several of the rides -- especially the merry-go-round! I couldn't help but laugh at that. She was holding onto the horse for dear life with this look of terror on her face. Nate was even standing right beside her with his hand on her back. There was also a little dragon rollercoaster that was a lot of fun. I rode with Nikki who laughed the whole time, and Nate rode right behind us with Hannah who screamed the whole time. I think everyone's favorite, though, was the funslide. We slid down it on burlap sacks, and it was really fast and high. Not to mention that there was hardly ever a wait to get on. Nate was too long to fit his legs on the sack, so the first couple of times his shoes slowed him down and we could beat him. But then he found a way to get his feet on the sack, and he outslid us all. What a fun family night! I'm so glad we went -- next year I'll have to hang the camera around my neck!

Balloons

Nate blew up a couple of balloons last week, and the next thing we knew we had a house full of them. The girls had a blast with them. They had to have one of every color. It's so funny how they love to play with the simplest toys -- something to remember while we're starting to decide what to do for Christmas.

Nap time

I don't know what it is about the afternoon, but it is absolutely impossible for me to read anything between the hours of 1 pm and 4 pm. I fall instantly asleep. Eileen would probably laugh at me for this because I'm sure she remembers what it was like trying to get me to do my homework in high school. Any English reading assignments were hopeless for me to try to complete before supper. Well, I am still plagued with the nap syndrome. Yesterday and today I tried to study while Nikki was having quiet time. Well, I ended up more rested than Nikki. She came and laid beside me for a few minutes but didn't stay long. Then, when I finally came back to consciousness she said, "Mommy, are you done sleeping?" Thank goodness she's not a destructive or mischevious child. I got myself into a little trouble today, though. I fell asleep reading and finally put my assignment aside and laid down on the couch. When I woke up I couldn't find my glasses, and I really don't remember taking them off or where I put them. I looked all in the couch cushions (and found some amazing things), all around the couch, everywhere. I even went and put my contacts in and came back to look, but I don't know where they are. I suppose we'll figure it out when someone either steps or sits on them. So this is what I get for being a slackard and taking a nap even after I had a great night's sleep last night.

Family

We have been so blessed with a great family. Tonight my two brothers came over for a family dinner. We try to make sure we get together at least once a month and this dinner is a great way to do it. Whoever hosts it cooks a dinner, someone else brings dessert, and the other family prepares a little family night lesson/activity. I was just thinking that it's really neat to be a part of a group where I can try out a new recipe for my company and not fret about if it will turn out or not -- if it bombs, it will just be the newest family joke (like the time I left the bananas out of the banana pudding!). Not only do I enjoy sitting around talking to my brothers and sisters-in-law, but the girls also have so much fun with the cousins. They are really good friends, and if we don't see them for a week or two the girls start asking about when we'll get to play with them next.

There were two special events tonight. Mike & Sherrie are babysitting a dog with the intention of seeing if they want to keep it, and so they brought Zoey with them. The kids loved her. It was nice to have a little entertainment to entice them out of the house so we could hear our conversation. =) And then there is baby Brenna. She is two months old and just so sweet and adorable. Hannah has not wanted to hold her until today. I think she was afraid of hurting her since the parents always make such a big deal of washing hands and sitting down and being careful with her head and things like that. But on the way home from church today Hannah mentioned that she was excited that Brenna was coming so she could look at her. I told her she could hold her if she wanted to, and she actually said that she did. It was so cute to see her face while she was holding and looking at the baby. She just had on the sweetest smile, and she said, "Mom, she is so pretty."

And it's really nice that Nate likes my family, too. His mom just came to visit us a few weeks ago, and it was so good to have her with us. Hannah even said today that she wished Grandma was still here. We wish we could be close to them too, but since we are so far away I'm glad that Nate can be comfortable with the family that we do have here.

There are plenty of times that I miss my mom, but I am certainly still taken care of (and being the baby of my family, I think I'll probably always need that). I have Eileen that I can still ask to proofread my school assignments or important letters, and even if I am terrible at calling very often every time I do talk to her I still feel just like part of the family. I have free babysitters with my brothers' families (perhaps not free because we return the favor, but when we do it just seems more like a playdate than babysitting). I can always call my sisters for recipes, and it's likely that they'll have the recipe card from Mom or Grandma White's recipe boxes. My uncle Billy even popped in the other day when he was around this area for business last week, and the girls were going crazy playing with him just like we always did as kids.

So, tonight I'm just feeling really blessed to have my family. So maybe I'll quit rambling and go spend some time with them.

So I feel like bragging on Nikki today. I got a progress report from her teacher at preschool that just warmed my heart to no end. She commented, "I just love your daughter! She is a joy to be around. She is attentive and eager to participate." What a wonderful report! She really does bring a lot of joy to our home. She is always saying something that Nate and I get a kick out of, and she is such a devoted little sister. Hannah could never ask for a better audience than Nikki. Even though I may complain about her little independent streak sometimes, I really think she is just adorable inside and out.

Living in luxury

We made a major purchase yesterday. Lowe's had a riding lawn mower on clearance, and I all but jumped to get one. I'm in the middle of a family finance class from BYU, and one of the principles the professor teaches is that spending money on things we value leads to feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment. And conversely, money spent on things we don't value leads to feelings of frustration and futility. So, we must value something about a riding lawn mower because we have definitely been satisfied and even excited. First of all, I'm excited that we got it on clearance and didn't have to pay the amount we thought we might. Then, we just cut our whole yard, including pushing the ditch bank and around the trees, in about an hour and a half, which has taken us all summer just pushing it at least 3 1/2 hrs. That was so wonderful!! So maybe it's my time that I value so much. Not to mention that the job was a whole lot easier! Yes, I am an American who is always looking to add a little pleasure and convenience to my life, and I am very grateful that I can do more than just worry about surviving from day to day. We are so blessed.

I was skimming through the owner's manual that came with it and came across a sentence that I thought was pretty funny for a LAWN mower. "WARNING: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near . . . grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws." Soooo, where else would I use it if not on my grass-covered front yard?

little sayings

The girls have just been saying the cutest things lately.

This morning when I woke up Hannah, she asked me why she had to get up. I told her it was a school day, and she said, "School again?!" And today is only Monday.

Nikki has gotten into the habit of adding "you remember?" onto the end of almost anything she says. "Mom, I want apple juice, you remember?" or "We're going to the library, remember?" It's funny to me, but it sounds kind of rude and I hope she doesn't say it to her teacher at school.

Another frequent saying Nikki has begun (although it's not that cute), whenever Hannah leaves for school, is to ask, "what am I going to do?" Everyday walking back to the house from the bus stop I get to hear this one.

Then there was one afternoon that Hannah came home from school and with the most serious face and voice she told me that she now says bookbag and not backpack. That was kind of interesting to me because I grew up saying bookbag, but I guess no one else in my high school in Utah called it that, so it has been a long time since I have said it. Is it a North Carolina thing to say bookbag? I'm figuring it is, and I like the idea of passing on another small piece of NC heritage that will always make her feel a connection to her roots (okay, so that's stretching things, but she still made me smile).

And of course I love hearing their little southern accents. Nikki's teacher's name is Mrs. Lynn, and she pronounces it, "Miss Ly-unn."

Nikki went to preschool for the first time today. She didn't really want me to leave her, but she was really brave and did very well. I was surprised at her reluctance because she has just been dying to go. She was especially happy about the Smarties that she got as she was leaving. I tried to ask her about her day, and I guess she has learned well from Hannah because her response was, "I don't know."

So, for all my plans to be so productive and enjoy my time alone while the girls are in school, I couldn't believe what I had to do this morning after I dropped off Nikki. I had to go to the laundromat! Our dryer broke last week and Nate had to order a part to fix it that won't be in until Thursday. I had a mountain of laundry to do and my mother-in-law is coming to visit tomorrow, so I had to at least have some clean sheets for her to sleep on. Laundry is my least favorite chore, but going to the laundromat actually made it a lot easier. I had 7 loads going at once (of course their machines are really small to make you do more loads), and so I got everything washed, dryed, and folded in about an hour and a half. What is usually an all day job got done pretty quickly. Too bad it costs too much to do that regularly. At least it kept me too busy to really think about having both of our girls gone to school.

Ernesto

I can't remember the last time I watched anything on TV other than PBS Kids, so obviously I haven't been keeping up with the news very much. I did know that Tropical Storm Ernesto was coming, but I thought he was going to make landfall in Florida and so would be just a rain storm by the time he got all the way up here. So last night when the winds were loud enough to wake the girls up and have them end up in our bed I was taken by surprise. Then having four bodies in our bed, with three of them on my side since nothing else will fit on Nate's side besides him, I couldn't really rest very well through the night with a raging storm also keeping me awake. Sometime in the middle of the night I remembered that I had left our cooler outside of our garage to dry out after cleaning it, as well as an empty can of deck stain and a paint roller brush on our deck. I could just imagine one of our neighbors going door to door asking who was responsible for leaving a paint can outside to come crashing through their window when a tropical storm passed by. Luckily, everything remained in our yard. Although I just remembered that one of our tiki torches blew off the deck and I haven't gone out to find it yet. I guess there still is a chance we might have an irate neighbor.




School was closed today because of the storm, probably mostly because of flooded streets. So the girls broke out the paints and library books and princess dresses and movies and the chalkboard and all kinds of things to keep them busy on a wet, wet, wet day. And of course they played in the huge puddle in our driveway. So, Ernesto took me by surprise, but we had a fun day anyway.

A day of firsts

Nikki had her first day of dance class on Wednesday. She has been looking forward to this for almost a whole year. She was just so adorable. I was nervous that I had the wrong time when we got to the studio because there were no other cars in the parking lot, but it just turned out that no one else was there for her class that day. So she got to be the star of the show as the only one in class. She was absolutely in heaven. She thought the ride home took forever because she couldn't wait to show me everything she learned in class. It took a lot of bribery to get her out of her leotard and ballet shoes that afternoon.

It just so happened that Wednesday was also Hannah's first day of Kindergarten. I was probably more nervous than she was. She came home with so much energy. I think she loved it so much that she was just wired for the rest of the day. And she actually told me about what she did, which is a totally different experience from her preschool days last year. Nikki and I missed her so much that day. Around 10:30 Nikki started asking to go pick her up from school. I noticed that night as we were cleaning up the house before bed that there really wasn't that much to clean up with her gone for the better part of the day. That was a nice bonus.

I just can't believe my baby girls are so grown up.

Roughin' it

Nate & I went camping last weekend. I was so surprised when he said he wanted to go because he hates camping. His last camping experience was when he was Scoutmaster in Georgia. For a Utah cityboy, to go camping in the swamps of the deep south was a totally new experience. He was too hot and too tall for the tent, so he left the tent door open and stuck his feet out all night long. Needless to say, I had never seen so many redbugs on a pair of legs in all my life. He hasn't wanted anything to do with camping since then, but we did have a good time last weekend. It was really peaceful and fun to have no entertainment other than ourselves. We were really excited that we got such a good fire going. Nate let me help start it and feel useful, but I couldn't have kept it going -- I cheated on too many requirements during my Girls' Camp days. It was hot, so we want to take the girls to the mountains in October when the leaves are changing and it's cooler. To be completely honest, we spent the first night in a tent and the second in a hotel. Boy did I sleep good the second night! And smores are actually better cooked in the microwave than over a campfire. =)

Blueberry pie

I love desserts, and my sister-in-law, Alli, made this blueberry pie a couple of weeks ago. It was so yummy, and I actually have one in the oven right now. It was really easy to make. I can't wait for it to be done. Here is the recipe.

Blueberry Pie

3 c. fresh blueberries
deep dish pie crust (regular or graham crust -- both are good)
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream

Put blueberries in the crust. Combine the other ingredients and pour over berries.

topping -- 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 c. softened butter. Mix together and sprinkle on top.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Enjoy!

Kindergarten blues

We got a notice in the mail today informing us of who Hannah's kindergarten teacher will be and what time her bus will pick her up and drop her off. I'm so nervous for her!!! I'm so afraid that I've sheltered her too much and haven't taught her enough. I can't believe she will be away from me for the better part of the day for most of the week. She is so clingy and dependent on me that I really am afraid she is going to have a hard time. She also has no qualms about breaking down into a crying fit, and I can just hear those mean boys calling her a baby. I certainly won't mind her growing out of that really fast, but I hate to think of someone being mean to my little girl. And the bus is a whole issue all on its own that has me scared spitless. If I let her take the bus, she will only have a 10-minute ride, so I suppose I shouldn't be so worried about it. I just don't like to think of a busload of kids practically unchaperoned because the busdriver is only one person and should be focused on driving. Or if the driver is focused on the havoc the children are raising, then she isn't watching the road well enough and my child is in danger of a car accident. I rode the bus when I was in kindergarten, but I had an older brother and sister with me. I would have been terrified if I was by myself. Can I really let Hannah go to school on her own? I feel like I have done such a poor job in preparing her for this new stage of her life. I can only hope that she is more ready for this than I am. I guess we'll see in two weeks...

A special experience

I had the privilege of playing the organ for a funeral this morning. I hope it's not too morbid to say that I enjoyed it. I have actually been able to play for at least six funerals since moving here last year, and since I'm new to the area I have been able to participate without having the strong emotions of close family or friends. They have all been spiritual experiences for me. I think the words spoken today for the lady who just passed away would be the kind of words I would hope to have said about me. She was described as a lady, very classy, and at the same time one of her grandchildren remembered her fearlessly leading them into the surf at the beach with a storm brewing, causing huge waves. She also rode the rides at amusement parks with her grandchildren. And the two most important parts of her life that struck me were her faith and the love she and her husband shared. I think those are the greatest legacies she could leave, and I'm grateful that I got to hear about her life. I feel inspired to live a little better after hearing of her example.

I really love being able to play the hymns as prelude and postlude for such occasions. One of my favorite hymns is "I Believe in Christ," and here are the words to it. I was grateful for the opportunity to reread them as I played the organ this morning.

I believe in Christ; he is my King!
With all my heart to him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God's Son.
On earth to dwell his sould did come.
He healed the sick; the dead he raised.
Good works were his; his name be praised.

I believe in Christ; oh, blessed name!
As Mary's Son he came to reign
'Mid mortal men, his earthly kin,
To save them from the woes of sin.
I believe in Christ, who marked the path,
Who did gain all his Father hath,
Who said to men: "Come, follow me,
That ye, my friends, with God may be."

I believe in Christ -- my Lord, my God!
My feet he plants on gospel sod.
I'll worship him with all my might;
He is the source of truth and light.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.
From Satan's grasp he sets me free,
And I shall live with joy and love
In his eternal courts above.

I believe in Christ; he stands supreme!
From him I'll gain my fondest dream;
And while I strive through grief and pain,
His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain."
I believe in Christ; so come what may,
With him I'll stand in that great day
When on this earth he comes again
To rule among the sons of men.

What a great picture

The other day Nikki was showing a picture that she had drawn to Nate. On the same piece of paper she had asked me to draw a horse with wings like on the Barbie Pegasus movie. I know I don't have any drawing talent, but when Nate saw it he said, "Oh Nikki, what a great picture. Did Hannah help you draw that horse?" Ha! Well, he may have mistaken my artwork for that of a 5-year-old, but at least he knew what animal it was!

Marshmallows and chocolate chips

Hannah has a new favorite dessert -- marshmallows and chocolate chips. She would actually eat them for lunch, snacktime, and breakfast if I let her. This morning I was making my shopping list, and I asked the girls if they could think of anything we needed from the grocery store. Hannah's request was chocolate chips. Then when we got to the store, that was the first thing she wanted to go looking for. I love chocolate too, and it's scary to think how much she has learned from me in her short five years of life.

who needs a gym membership?

Ever since our girls were old enough to crawl they have loved to come and attack anyone who lays down on the floor. They think it is the most fun thing to swarm all over you. Nate probably laid on the living room floor for about an hour today, but he certainly didn't get any rest. He was worn out by the time they finished playing with him. I think the girls' favorite part was when he was using them to do a bench press.

Torero's

Last night Nate and I went out on a date, and we ended up eating at this neat Mexican restaraunt in downtown Goldsboro called Torero's. It looks like just a little hole in the wall, but it was soooo good. They had a guy with a guitar walking around singing. He was really good and it added a lot to the atmosphere. Then we ordered. Now I usually like Mexican food, but this was the best I've ever had. Nate tried to tell me I was just hungry, but when the leftovers today still tasted like a little piece of heaven I knew I was right. I ordered a Macho burrito which, by the price of it, I didn't think would be a major platter. Well, it was about three times the size of what I expected. I should have portioned it out to last three meals, but it was so good that I admit I ate half of it. I got chicken in it, and I wish I had the menu to describe the rest of what was in it. It was fabulous. I just can't say it enough. Nate's order was wonderful, too. I can't remember what it was called, but sausage and eggs was the main ingredient. He said he used to eat it a lot on his mission in Argentina. They brought his out on a large round plate that had the sausage, refried beans, rice, lettuce and vegetables all laid out. And then they brought him a little dish of tortillas, so he could make his own burritos or fajitas or whatever it was called. All of it was just delicious. I ate so much that I don't think I'll be hungry for the next week.

Killer mosquito

We spent the 4th of July at JW & Alli's house and had a really good time. Mike brought some water balloons and the adults probably had more fun than the kids did. JW even took a trip onto the roof to get Mike with the water hose. While we were outside I noticed a mosquito on Hannah's face just under her eye. I shooed him away and squished him, but apparently not soon enough. The next morning Hannah woke up with her eye red and swollen. She also has a bite on her calf that is puffy. The poor thing. She is also really sensitive to fire ants, and I don't even want to think about what would happen if she got stung by a bee or wasp. I've never seen anyone so sensitive to small insects.

And this is right after a couple of weeks ago Nikki woke up with some kind of a bite on her foot that caused swelling up past her ankle and started turning purple. She was limping on it whenever she tried to walk. JW gave her a shot of prednisone and it cleared up pretty quickly after that. But I was starting to get a little worried about it. I'm starting to think that North Carolina has some killer insects.

Heat wave

Wow, has it been hot this week! We were only playing outside for a little while Wednesday morning when everyone was ready for popsicles. I thought Nikki found the perfect position to relax and cool off.

Random thoughts

We were riding in the car today and Nikki started making up her own little song. It was really funny hearing her sing out her train of thought. Her lyrics went something like this: "I want apple juice. I don't like water. I like apple juice and milk. Not water. I be good at the library. Where is daddy? I don't know. Daddy is at work. Where is Hannah? Hannah is right here. We are Hannah and Nikki." And this went on for about 10 minutes. I wish I could remember more of what she said. It was so random.

Speaking of random, this thought has nothing to do with what I was just writing about. I got a haircut on Saturday. That is always such a huge ordeal for me. I remember my mom saying that it really wasn't that bad that my dad lost his hair because he had bad hair anyway. What she never directly admitted was that I inherited his hair. Usually I never like a haircut until it has grown out for about two weeks, but this time I didn't come away on the verge of tears. The stylist straightened it with a flat iron thing (you can see how out of style I am since I don't even know what it is really called). I had never used one on my hair, and I was so surprised that she could actually get it completely straight! I have always just roundbrushed it, but I really liked it. Then she also did this anti-frizz treatment, so my curls are better too. So what a nice experience to actually be satisfied with a hair cut.

Nauvoo, Illinois

We spent last week with Robin, Mike, JW, and their families in Nauvoo, Illinois. We missed Kellee, but it was a lot of fun having the rest of the siblings together again. We drove there and back, and the girls did such a good job. We set up Nate's laptop in the back seat so the girls could watch DVDs, and Nikki was in heaven. She would rather watch a movie than almost anything else. We got home Saturday night, and then we drove to Manteo (about 3 hrs away) on Sunday for my cousin Bonnie's wedding. When we were getting in the car after the ceremony to go to the reception, Nikki stopped dead in her tracks and screamed, "I don't want to get in the car!" I guess she had had enough driving, and I really couldn't blame her. I felt the same way when we got home that night.

Nauvoo was so beautiful. We stayed in a house that overlooks the Mississippi River, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect, hanging out with the family was a lot of fun, we had lots of good food, and it was really neat to tour the church history sites. We got a chance to attend the temple one morning, but I never did take a picture of it. It's one thing to see a picture of it and then a completely different thing to actually be there and see how beautful and large it is and think of the sacrifice the early saints made to build such a magnificent structure.

So, it was a really fun vacation, and I have just been exhausted today. I don't think we'll go anywhere for a while. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Hannah, Emma, & Lydia

These three love to have their picture taken. We took a wagon ride around Nauvoo one afternoon. It was especially nice because Nikki fell asleep on it. I can't imagine traveling across the plains going so slowly. Taking two days to drive there seemed like a long time until I thought about going across country at the pace of a horse-drawn wagon. Thank goodness I was born late in the 20th century.

Like he really needs to be any taller!

I think Nate had just as much fun as the girls playing the pioneer games. He said it was pretty hard walking on stilts, but he did get a few steps in.

Cute dress-ups

Hannah loved being able to dress up like a pioneer. It took a while to convince Nikki to join in the fun . . .
Mostly she was just hot and tired.

Eliza, Nikki, Hannah, and the ox

We walked by two oxen relaxing in the shade. They were so huge. Thank goodness they are pretty mild creatures because I don't think that puny little fence would have done much good if they really wanted to get out.

Stick pull

Lydia and Nikki reenacting a favorite pioneer pastime.

Preschool graduation

Hannah's last day of preschool was today. They had a spring concert and graduation for the kids tonight. It was so cute. We could never get a good picture -- this one where no one is looking at the camera and she's wiping her nose was the best we got. I'm sure in a few years she'll love seeing that in the scrapbook! Anyway, I was so proud of her. They sang a whole bunch of songs and she was really into it. Granted, she inherited her rhythm from her parents -- she was always a step behind the music. I thought it was really funny, but I was so glad she was singing along because she will never sing her preschool songs for me at home. She tells me she needs Miss Sherrie to sing with her. Maybe now that I know what some of them are she will do it with me.

I had such mixed feelings tonight. I'm so proud of the little girl she is growing up to be, but this was such an eye-opener of just how much she is growing up. Graduating from preschool? How did she get that big? I've been really looking forward to Kindergarten next year, but I'm starting to get a little nervous about it. She is still too sweet to be off with a bunch of mean kids all day. Two different people said to me today how much she resembles her dad, and it is so true. She is his spitting image, but her personality mirrors him as well. She is so tenderhearted. She just makes me want to hug her!

Funny faces

This picture is so funny to me because when Nikki asked me to take her picture I thought it was because she had on a dress and she thought she was pretty. She even took the time to position a chair in the middle of the floor right where she wanted it, and while climbing into the chair she said, "Wait, I'm not ready yet." Then, when I looked through the viewfinder in the camera this is what I saw.


Hannah wanted to be a part of the fun, too. What crazy girls!

our new cleaning lady

Yesterday Nikki vaccuumed the living room all by herself. There were hundreds of little pieces of paper all over from where Hannah had been playing with her scissors during quiet time, so it was easy to see if she had missed a spot. I was really impressed with the job she did. I didn't even have to go behind her and do it over. I couldn't help take a picture since the vaccuum was bigger than her. She was really proud of herself, and I thought the feeling was justified.

Happiness is ...

Nate and I left the girls with my brother and headed for the beach this weekend. What a nice getaway! It was a good chance to just sit back, enjoy the beautiful sound of the waves crashing, and realize what a good life we have. The sound of waves on the beach was so heavenly to me, and it got me thinking about different things that make me happy. Here are a few.

the beach (obviously)
empty laundry baskets
singing in the car
my purple petunias
taking a nap with Nikki
Hannah's presents (she loves to share anything that is given to her or that she makes)
going to church
cookies 'n cream ice cream
watching old family videos
beating Nate on our Playstation racing game
shoe shopping
playing the piano
a good book
a good hair day (at least I would be happy if one came along!)
sunrise
watching the painter with the afro on PBS who paints "happy trees" (it always makes me think of Dad painting)
going out to eat
getting mail (not bills or junk)
painting my toenails
a good tan
cooking with the girls
family night
a clean car
Nate doing dishes
bedtime

Ooey, ooey, ooey

Last night I set the table and called for everyone to come for supper. Nikki climbed in her chair and started sniffing what I had cooked for dinner. She wrinkled up her nose and said, "Ooey, ooey, ooey. That's stinky, stinky, stinky." Nate and I died laughing. It's a good thing I'm not easily offended or overly sensitive about my cooking abilities. Since it was so funny and she obviously had such a strong aversion to my blackbean quesadillas, I couldn't help but let her have cereal for supper instead.

Nikki's birthday

For Nikki's birthday she wanted to invite the cousins over for lunch and to go swimming. They had so much fun and were so tired when we were done. I can't believe she is already three years old. We are having a family party next week when Nate and the rest of the family will be together. She keeps changing her mind about what kind of cake she wants. It ranges from a bunny cake to a butterfly to a heart cake. I'm pushing for the heart (the easiest) but Hannah keeps trying to introduce new choices. Her latest idea was a fairy cake, but I had to silence that one really fast since I don't know how to make a fairy.

What a mess!

Here is Nikki with her birthday cupcake. Thank goodness we were outside when the kids tore into these!

Sweet Baby Jay

Here is the sweetest baby boy. If we have more kids we will have to have girls because there is no way we could ever have a boy as cute as Jay.

Going swimming

sweet kisses

Nikki is definitely the more independent and stubborn of our two children, but luckily she also has a really sweet streak in her. She thinks it's funny to kiss my nose. She will grab my face between her two hands and pucker up and I just can't help but laugh. Tonight she was really cute when Nate came home from work. She kissed his nose, and then she put her hand over her mouth and started to giggle. So cute.

Thanks Nate

What a day we had yesterday! Yes, this probably will sound like a PLUM (poor little ole me) party, but anybody that knows me knows that I love to complain, so oh well. It all started when I woke up and Nikki had not only peed on our bed but all over me as well. Nice, since I don't like mornings to start with. Then, I think the best word to describe her attitude all day long would be "contrary." Whatever I suggested she do, she had to do the complete opposite. We had three different kinds of cereal and two kinds of oatmeal to choose from for breakfast, but ALL she wanted was the kind of cereal we ran out of the day before. Then, I had to call around to make an emergency eye appointment since Nikki broke my glasses the night before diving off of a chair onto me. I left her at Nate's office while I went to my appointment because by that time I was sure she would demolish the doctor's office if I asked her to sit in a chair and be quiet. I also thought it might help Nate gain a little sympathy for what I was going through, but of course she was an angel for him. The price of new glasses and contacts left me thinking that laser eye surgery might not just be nice but a very practical investment. Then there was a mountain of laundry to be washed and the grass to be mowed with our only half-way functioning lawn mower. Good grief. I guess Nate must have noticed my mood because he put the girls to bed and then got out the fondue set. Oh, how I love chocolate. It was abolutely wonderful and exactly what I needed. Thank goodness for my wonderful husband.

Lawn mower maintenance

My dad would have been so proud of me this morning. How many times did I watch him take apart our lawn mowers? At least two or three times each summer. And he had this aluminum pie plate that he kept spare parts in because every time he took something apart there were always leftover pieces when got finished putting it back together. I think I've mentioned before the pitiful state of our lawn mower. Well, Nate & I took it apart this morning. I was going to do it myself and that must have scared him because he got out the owner's manual and was reading it while I was dumping out the old oil. I didn't do much to it -- just changed the oil and cleaned out this sponge thing that I think was some kind of air filter whatever. But I had seen my dad do it so many times I wasn't too worried about it. I didn't know if it would work when I was done since Dad didn't always have such good luck with it, but it turned out really well. When I started cutting the grass last night I thought for sure I would be at Lowe's this morning buying a new mower, but it's amazing what a little maintenance can do. It almost sounded like a new machine, and it certainly wasn't blowing that black smoke out at me anymore! =) So, thanks Dad for showing me how to take apart a lawn mower.

a college drop-out no more

This morning I took my first final exam in almost six years! I can't believe I have been out of school for that long. I was pretty nervous about taking the test, but I really shouldn't have been. It was just true/false and multiple choice questions. I've always been pretty good at those kind of tests. Now, essays would have been a different story. I was really glad they broke me in easily. I had to go to the ECU testing center, which is almost an hour away, since that was the nearest approved testing center. My mom and dad went to ECU, so I thought it was kind of neat to be taking a test on the same campus where my parents had taken their own finals years ago. I can have such sentimental thoughts about the silliest things sometimes. Anyway, it feels really good not to be a drop-out anymore. This first class was just a 1.0 credit hour introductory course to independent study classes. It was interesting material, but the best part of it was getting back into the school mindset. I had forgotten that school was hard, but that only makes the accomplishment of completing the class feel even better. I'm really looking forward to my next classes.

summer fun

Our weather has been absolutely gorgeous this week, and we are just loving it. We have been swimming about three times. Our pool from last year had a few leaks in it, so we had to get another one. Nate decided to try this one that you don't have to blow up. I think it will be fine, but it took Hannah, Nikki, and me all holding the sides up for the longest time to wait for it to fill up with water so it wouldn't collapse. They were great helpers. The girls started asking me at about 8:30 this morning if they could go swimming. This summer is going to be a lot of fun.

my brown thumb

I had to take a picture of this flower bed before it all turned brown. I planted some tulips in there a couple of weeks ago, and they were the first to die. I just replaced them with these pansies that I thought were going to be a variety of colors, but they are all purple. At least I kept them alive long enough to see them bloom! If I keep the bulbs of the tulips and plant them this fall, will they grow next spring or are they just dead now? I must be a disgrace to my parents and the Littles. How did they keep greenhouses FULL of plants alive when I have a hard time keeping a couple of flower beds going? While I was working in the greenhouses I used to say that I would have a landscaper do the job if I ever wanted flowers in my yard. I thought that would be because I wouldn't want to mess with flowers anymore -- little did I know that I would need a landscaper because I can't grow anything on my own!

Easter eggs

Yesterday we went to two Easter parties. The first was at Hannah's preschool in the morning, and the second was at church last night. Of course they both had Easter egg hunts, and the girls loved it. Well, all they have done this morning is have their own Easter egg hunts in the house. Hannah will fill the eggs with little toys and things, and then have Nikki and me come find the eggs. When Nikki and I try to hide the eggs, Nikki can't stop herself from showing Hannah where all the eggs are. Will they ever get tired of this? I think they have almost had more fun today than they did yesterday. We have the cutest girls. I just love them so much.

loading trucks

As we were growing up working in the greenhouses we used to get so frustrated with the other high school kids that were hired on for the summer. It seemed like they were always such wimps. One task that we all had to help with was loading the trucks with flowers that had been ordered and were being shipped out. It was dirty, hot, tiring and just plain hard work. We would joke that when we got married it would have to be to someone who could load a truck. Well, this Saturday I cut our grass for the first time since we've been in this house, and I was a little worried that I might not be up to loading trucks anymore. Granted, we have a cheap push mower that ate a lot of dust last summer when we had a little grass and lots of dirt in our last yard -- it kept coughing at me whenever I hit a thick patch of grass. And our lot now is about 3/4 of an acre. But still, my hands now have a line of blisters across my palms, and when I got done cutting the ditch bank I thought my legs weren't going to hold me up anymore. I couldn't help but laugh at myself and think what a comfortable life I'm leading. Things certainly are different for me now than they used to be when I was the daughter of a truck driver (that was my mom, not my dad =}) and the girl who didn't know what her fingernails would look like without dirt under them.

Lightning

This past Monday morning we were all sleeping in a little bit, since Nate didn't set his alarm clock, when the biggest thunderstorm came through. Lightning struck our house, and I didn't know you could jump straight up from a laying down position -- but that's exactly what I did! The girls called it a big pop, and I think that is a good description of what it sounded like. It was soooo loud. All of the smoke detectors went off for about 5 seconds, just long enough for me to worry about how we would stay sane while going around trying to disconnect them all. Thank goodness they all stopped on their own. The girls were pretty shaken, but we were very grateful that everything was okay. Our internet connection was the only thing that was fried. So, I guess we were really lucky. We had electrical storms throughout the day, and I must say that I really like them. They are so pretty and almost soothing to me. Well, it wasn't soothing that morning, but once everything calmed down I enjoyed the storm again. I would say that now we don't have to worry about getting struck by lightning since it never strikes the same place twice, but I remember Sweet Home Alabama. =)

Nikki's breakthrough

Nikki has been doing really well with her fear of flies this week. She has come outside with us simply because she would have been left in the house alone for most of the past five days. But tonight we had a major breakthrough. The kids wanted to have a picnic on the back porch for supper, and of course the back door was left open for a while as everyone tromped in and out getting food and napkins and drinks, etc. Well, wouldn't you know that while I was giving the girls a bath, there was a fly buzzing around the bathroom. I was so surprised that Nikki didn't flip out. She actually wanted to stay in the bathroom and watch me get it with the flyswatter (which did turn out to be quite a show -- it was a really fast one =]). There ended up being three flies caught in the bathrooms tonight. All the kids wanted to come in and help me, and since we are watching my brother's 2 girls this weekend that was a whole lot of bodies in the smallest rooms of the house! So, way to go Nikki. I was so proud of her.

Hannah's crazy face

Hannah can't stand to have her picture taken without taking at least one shot of a crazy face.