Poor daffodil

I was ALL excited for my first daffodil to bloom this week - maybe on Sunday. Such a nice day for a pretty new flower, the first one! to come out. It was looking good.

And then it snowed like 2 inches during church. Oh well. All those pollens froze!

We are going to make cookies next with our new peanut butter/chocolate swirl chips! Come and visit!

The BBF has been going ok (but not tonight - WHAT IS THE SECRET?!!). Here is a pic of our present from last night - purple frogs (Josh tried to get the girls to kiss their frogs, but it just didn't work out for the pic)...

BTF - problems have developed

So if the kid doesn't GO to bed well, but STAYS in bed all night - does the BTF come? Ah dilemnas. Our new table came! A NEW new table. Our original new table is still backordered in China for 3 more weeks. So we went and found another one - and they delivered it within 38 hours!

Here is a picture.

And also, I finished a puzzle on the new table's first day - just to be cool. I still do puzzles at night - and there are almost always treats - so come on over!

Here is our old table, when we played craftie one day:

Good/bad news. I have FOUR classes next months. I have FOUR classes next month. Good thing I already have a massage scheduled for next Thursday - when my patience (seriously, how many times should one be required to write "The word "I" is ALWAYS capitalized" in ones life?"), elbow and shoulder will be very very tired.

I LOVE our BTF

The blessed blessed bedtime fairy DID not come last night. Despite a successful bedtime, at 2 and 3 a.m. everyone decided to get up, eat crackers, cry until they got to lay in mommy's bed, etc.

The GOOD news is that this morning Ellie ran back and checked under her pillow and was sad the BTF had not come. YAH!

So tonight (everyone was TIRED) we had warm baths, a quick tuck-in and .....20 minutes later....everyone is QUIET and in their bed.

If those flipping presents were $10 EACH, I'd still gladly pay it. Yah for sweetie-alone time!

We also went to the library today and I got a HUGE stack of books - SO fun! If you need something to read - come on over and pick one. Here is our little library girl with her backpack full of books to read (and a book on CD - we'll see how it goes).!

Blessed Bedtime Fairy

There is a new BBF in our lives: the Blessed Blessed Bedtime Fairy.

How do you get a 34 month old girl to stay in bed? How to do you get her SISTER (who is really really tired) to stay in bed? When you have toddler beds (no cribs)? And you can get up and turn the lights on (NO child-proof light switches anywhere in the world) and jump around?

Want to know how to stop spending over an hour each night, singing, yelling, threatening, just putting them physically back in bed? How to actually get an hour or so of alone time with your sweetie at night?

You invited the Blessed Blessed Bedtime Fairy to your home.

Last night, it came to me as I knelt beside Ellie's bed. (Ashley was half asleep already - once she is gone, she is a GREAT sleeper!).

"Ellie, do you know about the bedtime fairy? If you stay in your own bed ALL night long, sometimes the Bedtime Fairy comes and leaves you a present under your pillow in the morning."

"Really? A present?" She lifts up the pillow.

"Yes, a present. But you have to STAY in your OWN bed ALL night."

"OK."

Blessed blessed blessed Bedtime Fairy. Feel free to borrow her (you might want to leave out the blessed blessed part when you explain it to your small child.)

She stay in there ALL night and sure enough, there was a present under some pillows this morning. So we went to blow bubbles first thing this morning in the garage (because it snowed all day - but not much). I even made a trip out this evening to get more presents. And she had been in bed with NO fuss tonight (Ashley went to bed without complain, ASKING to go to sleep at 6:54 p.m., so who are we to say no? (no nap)) YAH!

On a spring note, I finished spring-cleaning the kitchen today. I opened the cupboard (note: where I, two sisters, three friends and my hubby had searched 14 times) and out popped the K.itchen Aid paddle. Oh well, at least I have a back up now.


And all this spring cleaning (and delivery boxes from Josh) have STUFED our trash cans. Seriously, I took three boxes elsewhere after cleaning this morning to dump in someone else's can. And there are three bags sitting in the garage, waiting for Wednesday morning, so I can go out and stick them in the neighbor's trash. Should we get two cans? UGH!

Important updates

OK, so you last left off on the hair TRAUMA of '09 - well things are going ok. Josh says I have the haircut of a retired English professor with those glasses on a chain around her neck - and I think he is right. Oh well, it grows.

To answer some questions: we like C.ottonelle because it is thick enough to do the job without using 984 sheets and leaves no trace. And yes, Ashley continues to do great. She is speaking more and more clearly and in complete sentences. She and Ellie LOVE to follow each other around, usually laughing, and it is VERY cute.

Josh's car won SECOND place at the ward Pinewood Derby. Ellie and Ashley were ESTATIC helpers. Our car also won 'Most Colorful' and I think my honey is the CUTEST man ever for making it for us. We did beat Bugs' ice cream car - but just by a nose.

It got cold again today, but we got our matchie purple hats on and went for a walk anyway. COLD! If you want to order a cute hat - I will give you Alisha's number!

Before it got cold and windy - we had a GREAT time playing outside this week. Ellie and I planted some peas.

Ellie is going to be a GREAT gardener, she has been BEGGING to 'play in the dirt' for days and has dug several holes in the lawn already. David and John - you coming to give her lessons?

Ashley continues to LOVE exploring - look how good she is swinging! She LOVES playing with daddy, jumping up and down, helping us cook and jumping ON daddy (I think he is her favorite - she asked for him when she gets up and after naps).

Hair-fix

I no longer have a mullet - thank heavens. I will take/post a picture.

Ellie has been THREE days in big girl panties. I think we are there. We even went 'out' today for SEVERAL hours and we did pretty good. (One accident at the hair cut#2 and a stinky accident today at Michael's - bless that kind clerk)). She is doing GREAT!

Also - we have decided, after days of research that we are a family who uses....




Happy weekend! Don't forget the Pinewood Derby on Saturday - Josh is making a FABULOUS car for us! Come and see it....

Also this weekend

So we did have a lovely week/weekend and here are some pictures of what we have been doing):

Sunday Daddy and Ellie played Candyland. Ellie got it pretty much, but she didn't like waiting her turn:

Ann and Ashley made cookies for everyone (chocolate chip -Ashley LIKES chocolate chips):

On Tuesday we went to Provo to play with Heather and get a new paddle for the K.itchen Aid (where did that original one GO?) We went to lunch - very cute. We did get a new paddle - only $16!!!!

Wednesday we had our neighbor friends over for coloring and playing:

Also THE FIRST FLOWER of spring came up this week! I like to immortalize it with a picture:

And here is a pic of the girls in their new favorite activity: playing baby. You get wrapped up like a baby and held and cuddled and sometimes mommy feeds you yogurt with a little baby spoon and sometimes she just rolls all over you and makes you giggle like crazy. VERYpopular.

Yes, I have a mullet

Here is my hair TRAUMA of the past week. I had this CUTE haircut this fall. It was short, it looked cute with like 3 minutes of work and it was good - it was a miracle! Then it grew, we went to Arkansas. Anyway, we get back and I need a hair cut, so I went to the girl (we'll call her R for the sake of my mental health). I figured since she cut it in the first place it would be easy to get a trim. WRONG.

This was last Monday. It was just not short enough to curl correctly. So I (after a consult with Heather and LOTS of mental trauma) called and went BACK to get it trimmed more. Apparenlty my "trim it shorter" only meant on the top. So here is what I look like now:

Seriously, I couldn't get out of bed because I knew it looked so horrible this morning. I think this is the worst haircut of my 30s. If I hadn't left my keys in my jacket at the swimming pool last night (and hence coulnd't drive anywhere this morning) I would have been at some hair salon with a PICTURE, CRYING this morning.

Anyway - here is a picture of us on our way to rescue the keys/jacket. Thank HEAVENS we only live 1.5 blocks from the pool. So we loaded up in our one-kid stroller (with Ellie sitting on the food rest) and headed up the hill (it doesn't LOOK like a hill until you try to push 2 - 30 pound toddlers in a one-kid stroller with three flat tires up it). But anyway.

Spring is coming this week!

On FRIDAY is the first day of spring - YAH!! Here is some more news from our weekend:

Friday - we went grocery shopping (a family hobby). I could NOT shop at M.aceys again, so we drove over to a H.armons - SO nice to see new food!

Friday night we had a date. I have ALWAYS wanted one of those popcorn things that you pop on the stove and it pops up in one of those big foil balls? Anyway -they had them at the new store and so Josh bought me one for our date night.I am SO glad there is only one more edition of BSG because the misery had GOT to end soon.

Saturday - I went to the Visiting Teaching workshop and then swam a WHOLE mile! It was great and only took me about 50 minutes. Once you had swum 500 miles at the Tooele pool, they put your name up on the wall. I don't think I will ever get there (my skin will fall off from being water-logged) - but it is good to have a goal.

That night we had out pie/pi (3.14 - March 14) party. It was great fun. The pies were yummy, the math quiz was good and the karaoking was awesome! Here is a picture of two of my favorite Elizabeth's playing harmonicas!

Sunday - church. Ashley did REALLY good at nursery. She is good at saying "No" and "Mine!" this week. Ellie is getting good at saying " No, I can do it MYSELF." Fun fun!

We walked down to the park and then checked out the backyard. There was some snow left - so we had a snowball fight! Happy week with St. Patrick's Day AND Spring!

Jaw surgery

So I went to get more straightened today at the orthodontist. And we had a GREAT chat. Guess what! My teeth are moving 30% FASTER than usual! It usually takes a year for all the gaps in your teeth to close up- and mine are almost done! Most happy! For the next two visits my teeth are getting the roots lined up with the teeth (I have the actual x-ray here -but need to get it scanned in - so wait for Josh to come home), so that the bite will remain sound and true.

Anytime after May 15 I could have my jaw surgery! That is WAY sooner that we originally thought. YAH!!! I'll be straight and long-jawed in no time! I am calling the oral surgeon right now. Happy!!

Pi day party!!

Saturday is yes, 3.14 - again! So we are hosting Pi Party 2. Come on over - Saturday, 6 p.m. , our house. Bring your family and a pie (or favorite treat) to share. We'll 'dig' for diamonds, play karoke, talk and eat! FUN!!!

Also - there WILL be a math test this year - so bring your brain. Prizes!!

HUGE question

Yep, this is our huge question. What kind of flipping TP do you like? Why? We are now on a scientific quest to find the 'right' brand for our family. Input welcomed!

Another nice weekend

I was trying to think of something to write about, since this is our 'new family scrapbook." Here are some of the things I thought of:

1) we sort of stayed home more this weekend and did project. We did try to have a temple date night on Friday. And we did go, and learned a lot about the importance of EARLY Friday night dates. As I am sure you can see here, Josh grouted the tub on Saturday!

2) We finally sent a thank you note to Great-grandma Duncan for her Christmas gift (some new jammies and dresses for the girls, modeled here. I got them on GREAT sale!):

3) Child-development expert Cousin Sally suggested that Ashley might benefit from some therapy called "sensory integration" when occupational therapists help kids become more aware of their body, where it is and using their senses. After all, everything we know or learn comes to us through our sense, if you hadn't had a lot of practice at using your sense to process information, it can be hard to learn. It made a lot of sense. After some research, we have an appointment to for an evaluation in Bountiful on Thursday (hello, no one around here does child O.T.?!?!) We are also excited they can address some of Ashley's speaking problems - not using her mouth muscles to form words correctly. Yah for learning to talk more!

4) And what good is a blog without pictures of our cute girls!?!

Low numbers - this is good!

Here are several updates from the past days:

1) it really was almost 70 degrees this week- and here is a picture from my car to prove it

2) it turns out I am VERY anemic (no iron). The doctor HERSELF called me less than 24 hours later to tell me to go buy iron and eat red meat three times a week (yah yummy cows!) Apprently (this is for my nurse-mom) your iron is suppose to be between 30-160 and I'm a 16. And the other thing - ferritan? - is suppose to be between 12 -160 and I'm a 4. Probably why I am cold, tired and..apparently, not sleeping well! Soon I will be cured! So I am taking LOTS of iron, and eating cows and prunes.

Imagine a cow picture here

3) we had WAY fun in Logan today. Here are the girls and their friend Audrey enjoying some homemade tapoica pudding - yum!! And some more of them playing bikes outside.

4) you can all go back to eating Mrs. Fields Cookies. Here is the story. Many years ago (like 4) I got a gift certificate from the cookie store from my company for my birthday. It waas for $5 which is like 2 cookies - but hey - they are YUMMY and it would be FREE! (two of my favorite things). But NO store would accept my card. NO ONE. I was REALLY pissy. For years. Then this week I thought to try mrsfields.com. And my customer service agent Richard was able to confirm my gift certificate (yes, I had been carrying it around all these years, hoping to find the random cookie store that would accept my card). And I am getting a REAL certificate for cookie! YAH!!! ( do cookies have lots of iron in them?)

5) here is a pic of a bumper sticker we saw in Logan:

It says "Monica Lewinski's ex-boyfriend's wife for president." Josh thought it was really funny. We love Logan.

Citric acid

Apparently our dishwasher is all gummed up. It leave gunk on the insides of the classes and white streaks on everything. (Well it might have been those two big squirts of green stuff I put in the rinsing agent place only to discover two seconds later it was dish SOAP, not J.et dry. Anyway).

Cute Josh looked up the stuff online and it turns out our water is VERY hard (which we knew) and we should be using detergent with at least a 8.0% of posphros in it (FYI - C.ascase does NOT) to combat the hard water. So we got a cleaner (a jar of citric acid you leave in for a wash cycle) and some new soap and hope to be streak-free in 24 hours!

It is WINDY here today - but warm. I had to go out and round up the plastic toys outside several times today - even the ktichen blew over!