The Fullness of My Heart: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

What Am I Supposed to be Doing?

Last Saturday night was Brooklyn's big dance recital. Her teacher, Miss RaQuelle, is amazing and puts so much time and energy into teaching these little dancers. Brooklyn asks me if it's "dance day" every day; and loves going to class. She comes home and teaches me her new dance moves and I just hope she doesn't share my awesome dance moves with her class. Brooklyn did great at her recital, I was so proud of her. We didn't get any great pictures, but there was a photographer hired to do that for us, so Grandmas and Grandpas can expect great pictures later!

Accomplishment of the Day

I don't get much done with my days. Ironically, my days sometimes feel eternally long in the winter. It's amazing how little one can do in an entire day. Today, however, I have proof that I did something other than serve three meals, pick up toys, change numerous diapers, and resolve sibling battles! Tomorrow we are celebrating Ty's b-day. I found this adorable cake on Family Fun's website. Usually when I attempt to replicate a magazine, it ends up looking worse that it would have if I hadn't been trying to make it look like the magazine. That doesn't make sense. Let's just say I often have awesome visions of how my projects will turn out and they're usually not even photo-worthy, unless it's a photo of just how much one can mess up a project. Now, if I can just keep the kids out of it until tomorrow!

Help!

Jake and I have enjoyed making yearly slideshows of our family. However, I've never found software that I love. I made the first one with some free trial online (I don't remember what it was, but it wasn't fabulous). Then I bought Photoshop Premiere Elements, which is some of the least user-friendly software I have ever used. I'm just not patient enough to figure it out and it seems like it has way more functionality than I need. I recently tried Smilebox, which I really liked, but ti didn't have as much functionality as I would like. I just want a slideshow with photos and a few video clips; with our own music. Maybe if someone could show me what I'm doing or if I took a class I could figure out Photoshop. Does anyone have something they like using?

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Mi Vida Loca

Life's funny. Today was the day that of the Oprah taping where I was in the audience. I swear, I set my DVR. Something must have gone wrong. I didn't check it (should have) but I got busy with kids, dinner, and church stuff. I planned on watching it tonight without so many distractions. It's not on my DVR and Oprah is one of few shows on network TV that you can't watch online. Bugged. My one moment of fame...guess I'll have to go to another taping!

Free Food

Go here and sign up to get one of 1 million subs from Quiznos. They're only up to 222,332 so you still have time! Hooray for free food!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Pay It Forward

So, here's how it works-the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise!
The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or be lazy and copy and paste like I did). Maybe this will be an incentive to you "blog lurkers" (blurkers) to setup your own blog because your comments will NOT count. Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! Remember that only the first 3 comments will receive a gift from me, so be quick!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Dining Deal

Use the coupon code "DINE" at checkout at www.restaurant.com and receive a $25 gift certificate to certain restaurants for only $2 each. There are restictions; most require at least a $35 purchase, but it's still a great deal.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

25 Random Things

This tag is running rampant...it took me awhile to come up with that many things about myself, so pathetic. Here's my 25, in no particular order.
1. I love pens -- Free pens are one of the best parts of staying in hotels, visiting new places, or going to trade shows. I have a ready supply dating back to my early teens...I'm so weird.
2. I love cooking, but hate deciding what to make for dinner. It takes me at least an hour to cook Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals. I need a staff that does more than pull on my legs and cry.
3. I love my kids, and kids in general. My kids are my life and I LOVE IT. Every stage is my favorite stage, even when it's really hard to get though. I'm going to cry next year when Brooklyn goes to "junior kindergarten"
4. I couldn't live without dark chocolate and Diet Coke. Although I always love my kids, I still need a way to cope.
5. I love to read. I've found through book clubs that I can enjoy reading a wide variety of books and find some enjoyment in all of them (except Sci-Fi, not so much, except "Ender's Game"
6. I will eat almost anything. I'm not a picky eater, in fact, as an adult I've learned to like a lot of things that I didn't like/hadn't tried earlier in life (mushrooms, curry, buffalo sauce, authentic Mexican food)
7. I am super organized. I like to make lists. I like to make files. A place for everything and everything in it's place. Again, like with the pens, here I border on paranoia.
8. Regarding to do lists, I like to make them AFTER I've done the tasks, just so I can cross off a few things and feel like my day was productive.
9. I HATE WINTER IN WISCONSIN. 'Nuf said there.
10. I wish I used my business degree more often. I feel like my brains are leaking out of my ears or were lost somewhere in the process of childbirth. I plan on going to law school once the kids are in school.
11. As a mom, I am a do-er, not a play-er. I like to take my kids places and show them new things. I like craft projects and putting together puzzles. I like games. I love dancing and chasing and going for walks. I just am not good at playing with dolls or trucks.
12. I wish that I were better at sewing, knitting, and gardening
13. I love cleanliness, and find the process of cleaning mostly rewarding (with the exception of laundry, which I despise, except folding is an excuse to watch TV)
14. I am pretty social. I like to feel like I have friends and somewhere to be and something to do. If I don't get out and spend time with friends, I get super depressed.
15. I enjoy politics and business. I love to talk to people who share my views, and love to hear from those who completely are wrong.
16. I don't do mornings. I'm not happy to wake up to my kids. I just need time to wake up before I'm ready to go, go, go. Give me some time to exercise, then a bowl of cereal, then I'm happy to run.
17. I have never been happy with my weight. There's always something that I want to lose.
18. I love the outdoors...hiking, biking, camping, fishing, climbing, rapelling, boating. I'd like to spend more time there and learn more new things.
19. I'm not into chick flicks. They are predictable by nature and I'm just not entertained by them like I used to be.
20. I live in a very old house. She's almost 80 years old. I have learned what is meant by a house that is described as having "character". It means lots of upkeep and work.
21. I just turned 30 this year and last week bought my first "age-defying" makeup (it was free at Walgreens). I was skeptical, I don't feel old, but it did wonders for those dark circles under my eyes.
22. I don't do puke. I'm very nurturing with my kids and don't mind taking care of them when they're sick. I dread the stomach flu and hate the clean-up and everything that comes with it.
23. I'm incredibly cheap. I love to shop, but hate to spend money. I feel awesome when I find a "good deal". Yup, clipping coupons is for me...I don't buy anything online before I compare several sites and check "retailmenot.com"
24. I'm an absolute perfectionist. It's prevented me earlier in life from learning new things, because I expect to to be super star the first time I try something new and I'm not great at that process of practicing.
25. I am very grateful. I have a pretty darn good life. I'm blessed with the gospel, great health, a loving family and wonderful friends. Things are tough with the economy right now and it's heart-wrenching to see others hurt. I've truly felt the Lord has blessed us and helped us out in that regard.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Can I Start Over?

I'm having one of those days that I just wish I could go to bed early, like now, in the middle of the afternoon. This morning, I found that a beautiful orange crayon had made it all the way though a wash cycle (yup, dryer too) and dyed an entire load of laundry orange. Lucky for me, I wash my clothes separately. However, Jake and the kids would miss the clothes if they had to be thrown away. So, I googled "crayon stains from dryer" and found some expensive concoction with Tide, Borax, Oxiclean, Shout, vinegar...all in quadruple doses. I think someone just tried dumping every stain-removing product that they could buy into a load and it happened to take out the crayon. We'll see what happens...we're soaking (and I still have to use my Magic Erasers to clean out the orange dryer) Ack! Kids are so expensive. I didn't have any of those laundry products...$20+ later, I guess its cheaper than replacing clothes.
Ty has it out for me today. Before he went down for a nap, he pulled off his stinky diaper and made a huge mess. I got him cleaned up and took him up to naptime, only to see that he has completely destroyed his blinds. He plays with them in the morning to see if it's time to wake up yet (he consistently decides it's "time" at 5:30am). Grrrr...good thing for my kids that Jake doesn't have school tonight, otherwise, we'd all be in trouble!

"This Is the One" Recipe--It works if you ever need to get out crayon from clothes!
2 Maximum load scoops of liquid Tide
1 Cup of Mule 20 Borax (powder)
1 Cup of Liquid Shout
2 scoops of OxyClean
1 Cup of White Vinegar

Monday, February 9, 2009

A Few More....

Fall Pictures

Jenni did these photos a few months ago, but I wanted to post some of them to show off these cute kiddos.

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Our Family

As a mother of four beautiful children, I feel like I am often lost in the day to day shuffle of life; while missing the beautiful moments of parenting. I try to remember that even when life isn't easy, life is fleeting. Every "stage" of my children's lives are my favorite. Life is sweet because today will never come again. Although some days, I just want the day to end; I struggle as I realize how quickly time passes and that "babies don't keep". I hope my blog can help me keep this perspective, and help me remember to not take the daily things for granted.

Kids Say...

I was trying to get Jack to go to sleep downstairs for a sleepover with the other kids. We were lying on the floor together, when he'd pull out blanket up over his face. If I ignored it and pretended to sleep, he'd poke me and say "Mama, where's Jack"? I'd then say, "oh, where's Jack?", to which he would scream, "peek a boo!" or "here he is!" and throw off the blanket.

Sadie: "They don't kill girl cows, because they make milk. They just kill boy cows, because they make hamburgers."

Ty: "Mom and Dads have a very important job. They have to make life interesting for their kids. Like scientists."

Ty: "If girl cows make milk, what do boy cows do?"

Our family does a weekly family night. Our church calls it "Family Home Evening". Ty calls it "Family Home Eating". For obvious reasons, he's upset if we don't have a treat as part of our night together.

It bothers Ty that Sadie prefers chocolate milk to plain milk. He told her this morning, "but don't you know, regular milk is just chocolate milk without the ______". He wanted her to guess. She is no more amused with missing out on chocolate opportunities than her mother and refused to answer.

Brooklyn: "Heavenly Father still loves us, even though He makes it cold, right?"

Ty: "Mom, I want to have a Christmas party."

Mom: "Okay, what do we do for a Christmas party?"

Ty: "You know how we usually eat healthy foods? Well, at a party we only eat foods from the sweets and oils group. So, can we eat carrots at a party? No, because they are from the vegetables group. Can we eat cake? Yes, because it's in the oils group...."

Ty: "Daddy, can I come lay in your bed?"

Dad: "Why do you want to lay in my bed?"

Ty: "Because mine is really wet"

I was trying to get Ty to eat some soup before indulging in honey butter laden cornbread for dinner. He looked at me and said matter of factly: "Nope". I went crazy. "You don't tell me NO!" He said, "but Mom, I didn't say 'no', I said 'nope', nope has a 'p' on the end".

Ty: "Mom, do you know what I am SO afraid of? Beautiful girls."

Mom: "Really Ty? Why are you afraid of beautiful girls?"

Ty: "I dunno Mom. They just make me feel...(muttering, stammering, embarrassed)...I don't know, they're just scary."

On cheating: Brooklyn keeps reminding me (as if I'm some crazy huge flirt) that Mom and/or Dad can't kiss someone else, "or else the 'spell' will be broken"

Sadie (my very backseat driver) was frustrated that I was going too slow. I explained that someone was in front of me, I couldn't go faster. She said "Just push him out of the way!"

Sadie: Her explanation as to why we were taking Jackson to the doctor "We need to shot him" (give him his vaccines)

Brooklyn: "Mommy, why do you go the bank? Is it because you don't have a piggy bank?"

Sadie loves Jackson. Mommy loves Jackson to take naps. Sadie keeps going into Jack's room when he is napping and waking him up. Every time I get after her, she sweetly says, "but I was just looking at him".

On $200+ drinks: This past trip to Utah, my kids were very excited about the plane ride. Best part? Having a layover meant we rode on four different planes...and got to choose four different drinks. They all had it mapped out before we ever took off and knew what they would have when.

Brooklyn noticed a black and white TV that was in the movie "Toy Story 2". I explained that a long time ago, before color TV's, all they had were black and white. She thoughtfully asked, "so how old will our TV be when it turns black and white?"

Tyler got into a little scuffle with another boy at the library (who happened to be African-American). As I was explaining sharing and being kind to Ty (in earshot of the child's father), Brooklyn loudly added to the lecture: "Yeah, and we also need to always be nice to people who have a different color of skin".

When we were last visiting St. George, we got into a very hot car after church. The A/C immediately kicked on when I started the car. Before I could even think about shutting off the hot air, Brooklyn said "Mom, are you SERIOUSLY turning on the heater?!" Smart mouth. I'm dead when she's 16.

Ty told both Grandmas when they came to visit: "Grandmas and Grandpas are bigger than Mommies and Daddies" ("bigger" for Ty = older)

On living in the Midwest

Brooklyn: "Mommy, what are those?"

Mommy: "Sprinklers"

Brooklyn: "But why are they just going right there?" (Watering your lawn here is rare; sprinklers are solely for entertainment)

Brooklyn: "Mommy, can we go to the ocean, I want..."
Me: "We can go there on a vacation someday"
Brooklyn: "Why do we have to wait for a vacation?"
Me: "Because it's so far away"
Brooklyn: "Further than the car store?" (about 20 min from home)

Brooklyn got mad at Ty for eating before we said a prayer: "No Ty! If you eat before we say a blessing your food is going to be GROSS!"

Jack HATES baths. After a rare bath when he didn't scream the entire time, I said to him: "see Jack, that wasn't so bad". He proceeded to pee all over me.

Brooklyn came home from church with a paper entitled "I Can Choose the Right By:". Her response (and illustration) was "not screaming when my mom combs my hair".

Jake and I had to switch vehicles for the day, and I gained immense gratitude for my mini-van. Ty sat in the back of Jake's Civic and whined "Mom, my bum is too big; Dad's car is too small!"

I was trying to talk Ty out of wearing a pair of sweat pants today. He just didn't get it, "But Mommy, these pants aren't wet!"

Ty's penchant for waking up early reached a new level. Jake heard him walking around upstairs at about 9:30pm. He went upstairs and told him it was time to go back to bed. Ty had taken off his PJ's and dressed himself for they day, and was very upset, saying: "But I'm already dressed!"

Ty's prayer: "Please bless that we won't be weird ("wee-wud")

Ty saw a cow relieving herself during the fair and shouted, "look Mom, the cow's making milk!"

Ty was having a bad day and came unglued when I pulled out the sunscreen, "NO MOMMY! The sun is not screaming. I don't need sunscream unless the sun is screaming!"

Egotistical? Sadie loves to sing her ABC's, she thinks it says, "A,B, Sadie"...she repeats that a few times, mutters through "next time won't you sing with" then screams "ME!"

After Jake had to leave a lunch date to head back to work, I was trying to explain to Brooklyn why he has to go to work. She asked, "can't we just have someone come to our house and make money for us?". I asked, "who?" Quickly she replied "one of Daddies work friends!". We're still recruiting.

While visiting a friend, Ty saw a buck mounted on the wall. He was so excited and asked, "Can I hold it?"

After a fun Easter Egg hunt on Saturday, with eggs filled with stickers, candy, and prizes; my kids were sorely disappointed to find out what was inside the real eggs that we had dyed.
Ty refuses to give up a fight, and when he is trying to talk back, always screams: "I'm just ASKING!"

Ty is so not potty ready and won't admit even when he needs to be changed. I knew he needed to be changed this past weekend and asked him. He replied, "I'm not sayin' nuthin 'bout that!" I'm blaming his father for the backtalk and the slaughter of the English language.

Ty was being naughty and hit me. Jake saw it and said, "don't hit your mother". Ty laughed at him and said, "she's not 'mudder', she's mommy!"

We were driving in the car and the person behind me wasn't letting me change lanes. I said (kindly), "please, c'mon, let me in". Brooklyn said, "Mommy, who are you talking to?" Me: "The car behind me" B: "Can they hear you?" Me: "Nope." B: "Then why are you talking to them?"

Good thing I don't cuss. We were driving and someone made a crazy move and almost got creamed. I said "good grief!" The entire way home, Sadie sat in the back and repeated, "good gweef, good gweef"

Ty got Easter bunny ears from the big EB at the mall. He was proud to wear them home. When we got home, I told him that Daddy would be excited to see his ears. Ty playfully tugged on his real ears and said, "these ears, or my bunny ears?"

Ty was supposed to be helping clean up some toys, but was doing much more playing than working. He looked up at me and agonizingly asked, "is it time for me to rest yet?". I told him to join a union for more rights...until then, no breaks.

Brooklyn and I were talking about the fact that her daddy and Uncle Jared are brothers. She was quiet for a minute and then said, "but I thought they were daddies".

Of my casserole tonight, Brooklyn said:
"There are potatos in there, I can tell! I don't like potatos" (there were NO pototos)...also, we were talking about chicken again and she reminded me that the chicken we eat is not an animal...the chicken we eat is shaped like dinosaurs and comes from the store.

Sadie is so cute...we all love to dance and tonight she refused to dance with anyone but Ty (who of course, wasn't interested)

Last time we went to the mall, Brooklyn brought several random coins, most of which she lost on the way, and was adamant about 'paying' for herself and her siblings to ride the kiddie rides, she had it all figured out when she left with 9 coins, everyone could ride 3 times...too bad she doesn't understand the differing values of coinage and the fact that each ride costs 3 quarters. It was still so thoughtful!

Brooklyn asked me after church last Sunday. 'We love Jesus, do you know what he did for us? He paid our taxes.' Sweet!

Tonight at dinner, Ty demanded more ketchup. Expecting him to say please, I said, 'what do you need to do if you want more?'. Quickly, he pushed aside all of the food on his plate to make room for the ketchup and looked up at me and smiled.

Ty: "When I turn into a Daddy, then I'm going to go to work"
Mom: "What are you going to do at work?"
Ty: "Play with Thomas (the train). Daddy, do you have Thomas at work? Say 'yes'"

As we were shoveling snow today, Brooklyn said "mommy, we have to hurry and shovel all this snow, cuz we want summer to come and the snow just keeps coming down!"

Ty got in trouble with Daddy last night and exclaimed "you are ruining my whole life!"

Sadie's first sentence..."I want more chicken"...we're contacting Chick Filet.

Ty went to see Grandpa Johnson's trucks when we went to St. George. As he stepped out of the car, the first words he said upon seeing the truck was "it's beautiful".

Brooklyn has a book with a "magic marker" than makes new pictures appear when it is used. Today, the marker failed to work as it ran out of ink. Brooklyn was torn up as I triend to explain she said, "but Mommy! Magic markers don't break!"

Sadie's siblings have her trained. When they ask her "what is your name?" she always says "Cocoa" and they all three erupt into laughter. I'm just concerned cuz the nickname sounds like an exotic dancer's name...

Brooklyn: "Please downzip my pants."

Ty screams "excuse me" anytime I'm not listening to him.

Brooklyn: "Ty is going to ruin my whole life, and I was just going to get a life!"

Ty was throwing a tantrum and I was trying to console him. He sobbed, "mommy, I'm happy now!"

Ty asks me to "move those monkeys" anytime my hair is on my shoulders and he wants to give me a love. He just doesn't like my hair at all and won't touch it.

Brooklyn: "Guess what Mommy? There are two kinds of chickens. The kind at the zoo and the kind you eat!"

Trying to explain, "why church?" to Brooklyn, I told her that church helps mommy be good. She asked me immediately, "maybe church will make you be a good mommy and not put your kids in time out anymore, maybe?" I'm sure there is something in the scriptures about that!

Brooklyn was trying to play "Mommy and Daddy" with Ty yesterday. With a belt wrapped around Ty's waist (so he could be "Daddy", of course); she was insistant that she wear my bra, "cuz that's ALL that mommies wear". I finally talked her into a dress! Whew!

Brooklyn asked me today, "Mommy, why does Ty say why so much just like me?"

We were walking to the mall and passed a Radisson Hotel. Brooklyn had been excited about the big walk from Walgreens to Mayfair mall and was asking me about all the buildings. When we saw the Radisson, she asked, "what is that". I told her it was a hotel. She then asked, "is that where the sun sleeps?". Hmmm...dunno.

While I was dressing Ty, he was showing some resistance. Brooklyn told him, "you have to get dressed, you're naked!". After the incident, Ty came to me a few minutes later and asked, "Mommy, where's my naked?"

We're starting to think about potty training for Ty. Last week, I told him that if he went to the potty, he could have a treat. He asked me "how 'bout the living room?". Guess he's not ready?

Brooklyn was confused this morning when a headache put me on the couch and said: "Moms don't take naps, they just clean!" I'm glad she clarified my purpose in life!

Brooklyn prayed: "Please help Mommy be more nice, so she doesn't put us in time-outs"

"I'm having a hard day! I'm just trying to get all the drama out now so that there is no more drama!" (Brooklyn was in meltdown mode at the end of going to the zoo and not seeing the zebras)

"These shoes, no socks!" (what Ty says every time we put on his sandals)

Brooklyn was upset at Ty again this morning, for some reason or another. I heard her scream "Tyler Jake! You are not T-Bone anymore ("T-Bone" is Ty's favorite nickname...he sometimes refuses to be called anything else)

Brooklyn: "Daddy told me that piggies make forks"
Mom: "Silly Daddy."
Brooklyn: "No, piggies make forks"
Mom: "OK, how do piggies make forks"
Brooklyn: "They just take spoons and use their little piggy hands to make forks"
--After some thought into this conversation, I tried to think where she got confused; I realized that pork rhymes with fork.

Brooklyn: "How did Heavenly Father put on our heads?"
Mom: "I don't know. What do you think?"
Brooklyn: "I think He used a big mixing bowl"
Mom: "Hmmm..."
Brooklyn: "How do you think he made my little head?"

Brooklyn: "How did Heavenly Father make the crocodiles without having the crocodiles bite him?"
Mom: "What do you think?"
Brooklyn: "I think He just made them really small and then put them down on the ground and watched them grow"

Kids say...and do...Sadie cries hysterically when I blow bubbles for the kids. She loves to try to get them and becomes very upset by the fact that as soon as she catches one that it disappears!

Brooklyn has a tendency to hang on the stroller/cart when we're shopping and often gets in the way. I try to be polite and kind to her about it; but I think I'm failing...Jake was talking to her about a trip to the store and asked, "What can you do to help Mommy at the store?" She quickly answered, "Get out of the way!" Rude Mommy!

Rather than saying "NO!" like most two-year-olds, Ty says "NO THANK YOU!" (with just as much vim and vigor)

On a recent trip through Vegas, Brooklyn was anxious to get to the Las Vegas airport after a long drive from St. George. When we were entering the airport, we went through a tunnel and Brooklyn asked, "Mommy, is this Las Vegas? Wow! It's dark here!"

Grandpa Johnson was driving and saw a cop and Brooklyn overheard talk about tickets and driving etc. She LOVES to get "tickets" (receipts) when we go shopping; so she asked Grandpa if she could have his ticket when the cop gave him one. Luckily, we never had to find out if he would give it to her!

On the way to the airport, Brooklyn wanted something loud to "wake up" the airplane. I asked what she wanted to use and she said "don't you have a horn or a drum or something in your bag?"

Brooklyn was praying for family home evening. During the prayer, Ty turned on the TV. Brooklyn ran over to him with her arms folded, hit him and said "NO!", then resumed her prayer in her sweet "prayer voice", completely as if it were uninterrupted and nothing had happened.

Ty kept tugging on his ears and coming to me..."Help Mommy, stuck...help Mommy, stuck". Sorry little man.

Too much emhasis on potty training? Brooklyn uses the word "poop" instead of "pout" when she sings "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".

Brooklyn was splashing in the tub and said, "Look Mom! I'm making the water wiggle!"

Ty is dramatic about eating. Whethers it's something delicious, or a piece of Wonderbread, he smacks his lips and says "mmmmm"...even in the middle of church.

While talking with Brooklyn about Christmas and Jesus'
"birthday" I thought we were getting somewhere until she excitedly said, "Mom, Jesus wants a Mickey Mouse birthday, we need to go to WalMart and get him a cake!..." From then on, we were lost on the Christmas thing with planning Jesus' party.

Ty has a book with mom and baby animals. The first page is a pig/piglet. So, everytime we read that book, he opens it, points to the pig on the first page and says "Mommy!". Gee, thanks Ty.

We talk a lot about the hazards of parking lots. While walking into Target, Brooklyn turned to me and said, "Mommy, if you don't get smashed by a car, I'll give you a smartie!"

"Look Mommy! It's Jesus and the prophet!" (Brooklyn was screaming from the backseat while driving; on my way back I realized she saw statues of Christ and Mary)

Brooklyn and I often have "tea parties" and make "hot cocoa" (Mormon approved, right?). It's been awhile, and yesterday she wanted to have a tea party and make "Diet Coke-O"

Jake likes to "race" Brooklyn as we get from point A to B; she enjoys it and it keeps her moving. They were "racing" out of church today and Brooklyn didn't slow down enough and ran straight into the side of the van and fell back from the impact. It wouldn't have been funny, except before either of us could get to her, she jumped up and yelled "I WON!"

After trick or treating at the ward Halloween party, at the church, Brooklyn said "I like THAT church!...We go to that church again in TWO days."

Brooklyn had something that was too large to carry in her pocket and announced to me "Mommy, I need BIG Mommy pants with BIG Mommy pockets."

Brooklyn came running out of the potty to annouce that we were out of TP. When Jake went in to help, it was obvious she had wasted a lot. He asked, "How much toilet paper did you use?" she said, "Too much!"

After I got dressed in my Halloween costume, a clown with red hair and all, I was lamenting whether or not I really wanted to be dressed up. Brooklyn came up and exclaimed, "Mommy, you look BEAUTIFUL!"

While driving in the car on Sunday, we passed a McDonald's. Brooklyn, of course, wanted to go. We explained, "no, we don't go to McDonald's on Sunday". Simple explanation, right? After some careful thought, Brooklyn asked, "How 'bout Wendy's?"