One Proud Mama!

XANDER walks into my room this morning with this creation he made himself. As he walked in the room he declared, "Happy, too, too!" Since Ben's birthday, anytime Xander sees matches or anything that looks like cake, he yells, "Happy, too, too!"

So back to the story. . .the girls and I sing "Happy Birthday" in celebration of his creation and he blows out his candles, as you can see from the picture. (As a side note, yesterday at a birthday party for one of our friend's kids, we are all singing to the birthday boy, and when it is time for the blowing out of the candles, Xander blows it out for the boy!) I love Xander and I love his creativity. He sure makes me ONE PROUD MAMA!




CJ participated in the primary program today. She gave a talk on temples and talked about how she was sealed to her family. She got many compliments on her talk and how they can't believe she is only 9 years old! After her talk, her and a few girls did sign language to "I Love to See the Temple." Watching CJ and seeing how great she did on her talk and with the sign language, made me ONE PROUD MAMA! In this picture, CJ is demonstrating her favorite sign, which means "promise."



MIA is very shy. CJ would tell me after their primary practices for the program that Mia wouldn't say her line. Her line was originally "I know my mom and dad love me because they let me play outside." Today she informed a member of the primary presidency that she wanted to change her line to, "I know my mom and dad love me because my dad let me wear his big shirt to bed." (Last night, Mia wore Ben's giant XL shirt to bed) When Mia got up to give her part, she had her hands formed in a fist by her mouth. She got up to the mic and told the person who was helping with lines that she had changed her line again. She preceded to say her line, but because of her hands by her mouth, we couldn't understand a word of it. I was ONE PROUD MAMA as I watched her do something that very hard for her, yet she had the courage to try.

I am so grateful for each ONE of my children. I enjoy every second, every minute, and every day, I get to watch them learn and grow. I am so PROUD of them and each of their accomplishments. They make my life full and complete and I can't imagine my life without them. I am a better person and a better MAMA because of them!

Hormones, Smormones, Why do we need them?

(Warning Men! This blog is filled with estrogen!)


Some days I hate being a woman and today is one of them. Today I'm depressed. I want to cry, scream, and be mad at the same time. I don't want to pretend that I am happy, because I am not. I don't want to talk to anyone because I feel like I will either explode with emotion or freak out and want to yell.

I'm sure it has to do with hormones, I mean, isn't that always the excuse we women use to make ourselves feel like it is okay to act the way we do. Hey, it works, men believe us and stay away and women everywhere, sympthasize. But what if it's not the hormones, and I'm really crazy?

Well if I'm going crazy, then I'm taking people with me! Okay, that was a little uncalled for, I'm really not that bad. . .

(10 minutes later. . .)

Phew, I'm back. I just downed a gallon of Moose tracks, double chocolate, double delight icecream, topped with a pound of exploding hot fudge and carmel and a giant fluffy cloud of whipped topping surrounded by crushed pecans nestled safely in the corners, and last, but not least,a perfect, sweet, red cherry standing triumphantly on top!

I'm feeling better already.

P.S. If none of this makes sense, that's the point, it doesn't have to because I'm PMS-ing.

Advice from a 9 year old

Mia started preschool this week. On her very first day, big sister CJ helped Mia get dressed and put her belt on. I overheard CJ say to Mia, "Mia, if the boys tell you you're not pretty, they're wrong. . .you are pretty." How precious!

Mia was so excited to go to preschool, that she wore her backpack while we walked CJ to school. When we arrived at her school, she realized she didn't recognize anyone and the smile faded. She began to be shy and worried. I couldn't get her to smile for a picture. Her face says it all!


I left her, wondering if she was going to freak out! Mia sometimes has a hard time with change. When I came back, she had a smile on her face and had a good time.

CJ came home from school and her and Mia played school for hours. CJ even did Mia's hair in several braids.

I'm kinda sad I'm not doing preschool this time around, but it's been good in many ways. Mia has other teachers besides myself and lots of kids to socialize with. I get so excited when my kids to start school, oddly, not because I get a little break (which is great, too), but because I want them to have fun learning and a great school experience. Fun, fun, fun!

Ben's New Blog

Ben's been wanting to make his own blog lately where he can be as random as he wants.

So here it is:
http://www.howyaben.blogspot.com/

4th School, 4th Grade!

CJ and Ben are similar in many ways, to the way they learn, their attention span, to their interests and now, how many elementary schools they have gone to.

CJ is in fourth grade and is at her fourth school. Let me tell you how amazing this girl is. I hung around the first day of school worried enough for the both of us,hoping that she would make new friends easily. CJ had no worries and as I watched her leave with her new class and new teacher, I could see that I shouldn't be worried either.

She has her first male teacher and I am thrilled. My favorite elementary teacher just happened to be a man. There aren't enough men in Education! I am impressed with him already. CJ had a problems with a girl being mean to her and she told her teacher. His reply was, "You are a nice and smart girl. Don't let her bother you." Something to that effect. Anyways, he just seems really nice and I couldn't be happier. CJ came home the first day telling me about all of her new friends.

CJ is blossoming into a beautiful girl. She has really gotten into doing her hair, wearing accessories, and paying attention to what clothes she wears. I had just bought CJ clothes and a week later she says, "Mom when are you going to buy me MORE clothes?" I told her, "When I buy myself some", which I knew was safe to say because. . . it'll be at least a year before her wish comes true!

Announcing. . .

Wii just had twins!


Announcing. . .
Wii Twins
Born on August 29, 2008
at 11:35p.m.
0 pounds, 2ounces
4.5 inches

They are so cute and tiny that I had to blog about them. I found these at Walgreens. They are candy dispensers that look exactly like the Wii remote. They are perfect for Xander who always wants to play and as long as we make his experience seem real, he's a believer!

Sew. . .what do you think?

My mother is an awesome seamstress. When we were younger she would make us clothes. I remember her making these matching skirts for the girls. When I grew out of mine I thought, "Yahoo, goodbye skirt!" -only to be given my older sisters skirt and the life of those skirts doubled.

I don't think I appreciated what my mom did for me as much when I was younger. Now that I look back, I wished I would have asked her to teach me how to sew and make things. My sewing skills aren't the best, they are rather sloppy because I really am impatient and don't take the time to do it right.

Here are a few of my sloppy creations. They look okay from afar, just don't look close up!

APRONS




CURTAINS



SLIP COVER FOR KID"S COUCH
Before. . .

After. . .


Alameda hasn't had a Super Saturday in years and I thought it would be fun to do one (yeah, "fun" isn't quite the perfect word to use for the person planning it!) and I put together a blog for the sisters. It is not completely up and running, but you can check it out at:
http://alamedasupersaturday.blogspot.com/