Family birthday party

Everyone was available to come on Sunday to celebrate Ellie's upcoming FIFTH birthday! Yes, my same-age-cousins have missionaries and high school graduates and I have a 5 year old. Aren't I lucky?
We had a fairy castle cake:

There were games: tossing fairy and tag the fairy. Ellie even made gifts for the winners. And all attendees won a decorated popcicle stick! It was fun, even if it was cold and rainy.
The picture-taking fell off during games, too bad: watching Holly play 'tag the fairy' with the girls was awesome. We were glad future-uncle Matt could come too.
Ellie has been saying for a while that she wanted a 'robot' for her birthday, so Josh searched around online and found a robot/remote control/put together robot car.

 Ellie manated to short it out within the first two hours. Replacement part is on its way. Remote/robot car was VERY popular.

 And just to make the weekend so nice and warm, it snowed this morning - yep, Memorial Day.

Thank you veterans out there, and everyone who helps maintain our freedoms. We remember you!

Marvelous Ellie

 This week Ellie "graduated" from preschool. (Ok, know that in theory, Josh and I think lower-grade graduations are silly). Ashley and I went, and it was freaking cute. Here are some bad pictures of the proceedings:

Then on Wednesday Ashley went for her preschool evaulation. She knew all her colors, could pick the shape that was different, could walk heel-to-toe, and stand on each foot for 10 second. We are pretty sure she will get into our lovely, local preschool for the fall. She is so smart!
Then on Wednesday there was a school dance and the preschool did a Hawaiian Dance:

(sorry, the video won't upload - but it was dang cute!)
It has been very allergy-weather here and the girls have had runny noses for more than a week. Then Ash got her little 'barking' cough, so I have been up doing breathings with her and trying to make her more comfortable.
And then I think back on my Grandma Sandberg, who had three little children with WHOOPING cough (back in the day) out on the South Dakota homestead. What did she do? She didn't have a nebulizer, or cough medicine, or even a variety of juices to offer in a sippy cup. Wow, that was a woman. I think of her when I don't want to get out of bed. And I get up and go help.

A random fact about me

When I was like 7 or 8, I started to find four-leaf clovers. LOTS of them. Over the years of my youth, I estimated I found over 600 four-leaf clovers, many five-leaf clovers and a few six-leafers.  I tucked many away in our encyclopedia set and gave them to people who I though needed a little 'luck.'

Then I moved to Utah. Not kidding, I have not found ONE four-leave clover since I moved here.
Today we were walking home from school and I saw a patch of (what I call) "old-school clovers" (which you rarely see here) and I went back and checked it out. We found 4 four-leaf clovers and a five-leafer. I sort of felt like God had not forgotten me!

We have tucked them away in a thick book to dry, so in a week or so, if you feel you are in need of a bit of luck, come on by and you can have one.

Also, look at the beautiful flowers my girls gave me. I am the luckiest momma ever.

Josh and I were thinking about trading-in the van and getting a smaller/smarter-gas car. Do we need  a bigger car? Is two kiddo ok? What should we do with our lives? I am sure you-alll  never had these questions about life. Have a nice, cloudy Monday.

Baby happiness

Because of the bad weather, the big test at Josh's work has been delayed, a LOT. So he had to work Friday, Saturday AND today! Such a hard-working sweetie!
So the girls and I have been entertaining ourselves. Friday we did school, errands, friends, etc.
Satruday we got to go to Holly W's baby shower. Here are the cuties:

We were very happy to be able to celebrate their baby, they waited a long time. Miles looked so cute and he just fit just right into Holly's arms. It was great.  I love celebrating families.
Also Saturday, I worked on the yard (because the sun was acutally OUT!), leveled the garden spot, planted some bulbs and mowed the lawn. After the shower, Josh came home and we went to a 50th wedding anniverary party for some church friends. Busy, busy!
Today we will have a nice Sabbath day and be happy for our daddy to come home tonight. Have a nice week!

Snow, coloring,etc

On Sunday, the girls wore two of my childhood dresses. I don't think I can claim them for myself, because I am sure a few sisters wore them after me, but aren't our girls cute?

Also this week, we drew life-sized pictures of ourselves. Ryder went home on Tuesday. He was a sweet kiddo. I am glad things are working out for his family.

Then on Tuesday, it snowed. A LOT. One of the canyons here has 28 inches of new snow THIS MONTH!!

Ellie built a tower and wanted a picture. She also got to celebrate her 'un-birthday' at school and took fruit snacks. She also went for her kindergarden eval and the teacher said she would be in the Fast Track (highest) reading group because she knew all her sounds and could 'read' (sound out words). So yah!!

Ashley has her preschool eval next week (there are too many kids that apply, so they need a few 'model' kids - we are hoping Ash gets one of those spots - she already knows all her letters/sounds/etc and has very good preschool manners). So we will let you know. Suppose to be warm tomorrow, so hope to level out the garden spot and plant the peas!
A happy adoption story. Remember when I told you about Holly W. and their adoption trauma (including flying to get a baby and getting a call at the airport the birthmom changed her mind - THEN the airline lost all their luggage EXCEPT the suitcase full of baby girl clothes.  ANYWAY......
THEY got a BABY this WEEK!! A cute cute little baby boy named Miles. We are going to the baby shower tomorrow.
Josh has worked all week, and will work Friday, Saturday AND Sunday -because of the weather they haven't been able to do the actual test yet. My poor sweetie.
And in the very exciting news.......Joann's opened in Tooele today!! Yes, Kellie and I were there at like 9:05 a.m. and 15 minutes later, all the carts were gone. Every lady in the store (I did see one guy, who looked a little scared at the crafting ladies) was like "I am SO happy this store is here!" Seriously, it was crazy. Anyway, crafties all summer!!

Cupcakes and stuff

In our church ward, the Young Women do a fundraiser to get money for camp. As usual, we wanted to do some cute cupcakes (to keep up our reputation), so Josh and I made....eggs!

They are mini-cupcakes with lemon curd and white chocolate shells. Josh did the shells, they were hard.
Heather and baby Ben are doing great. He sleeps great at night so far and she had to wake him up to eat! I think we will go see them next week.
On Saturday morning DCSF called and asked if we wanted a 4 year old boy. We said yes and I went to help pick him up. Ryder seems like a typical 4 year old boy. The girls were VERY excited to show him all the toys, etc and play with him. We set up his bed and stuff in the playroom and did some rearranging. Things are going fine.
It has finally been nice for a few days. This week I got more stuff planted and cleaned up in the yard. Last night, Josh got out his water rocket stuff and entertained the plunkos and neighborhood kiddos.

Very fun. Have a nice Sabbath!

Cute little new family

In the cleaning from this busy week, I found my camera! Here are some cute pictures of the beautiful new baby Ben:  (and the adoring cousins)

Best quote: Emma, (holding Ben) to anyone coming in the room, "Do you want to pet him?"

Diabetic ants

You know sometimes you just can't think of a witty title for your blog? And then sometimes you have like 20 good ones? How about:
"Sugar and the four-year-old"
"How NOT to unload groceries"
"I love vaccumming the van twice in a four hour time period"
"Sugar is NOT easy to vaccum up in car carpet"
"Why you should not vaccum up an entire colony of ants and THEN provide them with five pounds of sugar."
As you can guess, after our crazy days in the van this week, it definately needed a vaccum. So this morning the girls and I picked up the house and I tackled the van.  Then, for good measure, I shop-vac-ed the ants living under the side door. I figure all that wind would do them in, right?
So we go run errands and get groceries. Sugar was on sale. When we got home, apparently a 4-year-old girl tried to pick up the sack and the top was not glued very well.
Here it is after I tried to scoop up the biggest piles:

(Yah, try getting sugar out of a car seat - ha!)
Then it occured to me, as I grappling under a seat, that I was delivering like a 20-year-food-supply to the 'dead' ants of this morning. So probably by now they are all diabetic there in the shop-vac (OR they are all super ants from the sugar and will be invading our home any minute now.)
Anyway, here is a picture of our cupcake decorating event yesterday:

And a random picture of the time the girls got to spend 14 minutes at McD's playing (and they did dress themselves, of course).

On happy yard news, I got FOUR blueberry plants yesterday for only $3 each AND they like clay soil!  So tomorrow, when it is actually suppose to stop rain/snowing (yes it is snow slightly Mon and Tues) tomorrow I will be planting more! Yah!!

We're a GO...and welcome baby Ben

Seriously, it is a good thing I have never been in labor because my sister Heather needed labor advice last night... "Dump everything and GO TO THE HOSPITAL." Well, she was afraid of being rejected at the hospital, despite the fact she was a SEVEN when she got there and had Ben 2.5 hours after we left ("We are a GO. GO GO GO to the car," me yelling at the girls. They gleefully jumped in the car.")
Good job Heather! (and Jason)

(Here are the girls brushing their teeth, in anticipation of Heather deciding she was actually in LABOR).

Our big part was to go to get Emma at bring her home with us for a few days. Emma was a little sad as we passed Lehi, so Josh climbed in the back and they laughed and chatted the whole way home. It was cute. And here are the cute big sister/excited cousins. Maybe we will go visit today. Yah babies!!!!

The Days of Our Lives

I think it is pretty interesting that TWO big soap operas are being canceled here soon. Interesting hum? I  remember my mom and Heather watching their soap and being so nervous on Friday, for the big cliff hangers. What will take their places? Talk shows by Katie C? Ugh!

Oh to pleasant news. I harvested my first Tooele rhubarb! Also nine of the 10 raspberries have leaves or buds. Yah! They did not freeze!

Ellie and Ashley blew some bubbles the other day. Here is my favorite: (see the bubble on her nose?)

Also, happy Mother's Day to you all, especially my dear friends who don't have a physical baby yet to hold. A special happy-day-we-love-you to Jules and Gwynn. We love you so much and we love your babies too. Thank you our angels.

Recovered and then exhausted

My arm is better. It was some reaction from the pnemonia vaccine I also got. But I am fine and apparently do not need another such shot until I am 60.

Today was CRAZY! I had like five appointments, all taking about an hour and all like two hours apart. GRRRR. Dropped girls off at Miss Stacee's, went to Excelsior Academy to work with photographer on getting shots for the pamphlet (which by the way, I LOST all the beautiful wording I did last week)/ That took 1.5 hours.

Picked up girls, picked cutsie hair ribbons and bows, went to Mc.D. Allowed girls 14 minutes to play on playland and then we got some lunch for us and the next set of baby-setting kiddos. Hung out with Bugs for 2.7 minutes (ate four yucky-chicken-nuggets pilfered from girls). Got hairs cut. After it calmed down from the salon-teasing, it doesn't look too bad.

Picked up girls while fielding a call from next appointment (needed kid pick-up from school). Found said-kids near correct location. Took kids home. Settled my kids with those kids. We moms went (with our fancy cake) to school-volunteer-thank-you-lunch. Talked to Title 1 director, and much-hyped Mrs. Molgard (Ellie's preschool teacher). Since they are not sure about funding for preschool next year (which hopefully Ashley would attend), I found out I could call the district funding guy and tell him what a great job preschool has done for our girl. Will do that tomorrow. Might recruit a few other parents also. Funding is good!

Went home. Picked up our kiddos. Went to get allergy shot. Girls were widely admired in doctor's office for being cute. Made momma proud, even if they did dress themselves today (and I think that is all I need to say about THAT).

Man, this seems like a lot of complaining. Well it is my blog and this is what I feel like typing.
Returned home. Had 13 minutes to do nothing. Girls got on their bikes and we treked over to friends house to get necklaces fixed. The "non sidewalk pathway" was a bit rougher than I remembered and it took a lot of pushing and pulling to get the bikes there. Got there, got stuff fixed and looking cute. Walked home to get car. Went on emergency car trip (all fine). Put bikes in car. Went home.

Raced up and down sidewalk (introduced concept of "start" and "finish" lines) on plasma car/scooter. Dad came home. We had smoothies for dinner. Yum! Well that was my crazy day. Sorry Heather, no pics. I alive. Tired. See you later. Will try hard for pics.

April 29, 2011 snow, and vacccine ouchies

Yes, it snowed for about two hours here on Friday. Yah?!? This has been a very cold, wet spring to far and they are expecting a lot of flooding very soon. Tooele is on a hill, so we will likely be ok.

Also, we got a new microwave plate (I broke it, there I'll just admit it) and it came in two boxes, each double wrapped. The bubbles and air bags were a great delight:

I got my "final" Hep B shot Thursday. (I say final because they messed up and I had like three hep a shots and now a total of 4 or 5 hep b shots - whatever). And my arm swelled up and there was a red rash and my armpit hurt and I couldn't lift my arm and I had a fever. Now I am better (thanks benedryl!) and let me just tell you, never read a medical mystery book about infectious diseases when you don't feel good!
My wonderful, awesome, hubby Josh took care of the girls tons, and when I was laying in a coma on the bed - read stories, brushed teeth and put the girls to bed. When I woke up 14 hours later, I felt LOTS better! Yah drugs!