This Week ...

This week I decided to tackle the boxes of printed pictures in the basement from 2008, 2009 and 2010. I used my stash of sheet protectors and went to work in a few hours Tuesday and Wednesday I got most of the pictures in a book. I am missing pictures from a couple of events that I just need to print. Now I just need to add some paper here and there and we are set.  Lindley and Hayley can look at family albums with them in it. I'm so glad I found Project Life last year and will never have this problem again.

Hayley and her bunny glasses.

Lindley and Hayley waiting to go to the Dinosaur park.

Super fast Dinosaur slide.

Hayley and Stockton gave each other pushes on the swings.  It was a perfect day to go to the Dinosaur Park.  The kids got along really well.

Emily is going to a birthday party today. So we made another T-shirt bag. Second time around things always go a little smoother. I'm pretty sure I am going to be making a lot of these. Emily's friends have been requesting them since I made the first one. Luckily they are easy and inexpensive.

I love how this one turned out. We made the butterflies flutter.

Random February Fun!

We finally chopped 6 inches of Abby's hair off.

She is loving how easy it is to brush.

I love that it looks more healthy and full.

I put together a bug sensory bin.

Less is more.

I cut up some green straws in different lengths, 2 packages of bugs, magnifying glasses, bug houses, nets and some erasers to sort. Then I printed and laminated a couple of pages from 1+1+1=1.

I started potty training Hayley Tuesday morning. It was a nightmare for about 48 hours. I moved the potty into the living room so we wouldn't have to worry about interrupting our play or Mickey Mouse Club House. Wednesday night at 10:00 something clicked. I put a pull up on her the first couple of nights and nap times but she always woke up dry. We've been on a few outings and made it through church accident free. Yea for Hayley!

Emily went to the U of U gymnastic meet on Friday with Grandma Shelley. She came home with lots of freebies and a new shirt. She had a great time.

Lindley wanted to be like the Super Readers and was very excited with her blanket and clothespin cape.

Valentines Day!

Saturday Grandma Shelley, Grandpa Wayne, Cara and Stockton stopped by to drop off some Valentines.

Grandma made these darling shirts for the girls.

I didn't get individual pictures of Emily and Abby's cute shirts.

Monday night we had our traditional Valentine's Dinner.

Individual heart shaped meatloaf.

Here's the fancy table set up.

Menu

Meatloaf

Baked Potatoes

Salad ( I'm not sure anyone ate any)

Red Jello

Sugar Cookies

Strawberries (the most amazing thing on the menu according to Lindley)

Monkey Juice

Love Potion

Emily and Abby's teacher Valentines.

Sticky Notes and Pen with handwritten note from the girls.

Valentines Day Breakfast

Heart Donuts and Strawberry Milk

Emily got a box of chocolates from a boy at school.

She doesn't like him but she does like chocolate.

" Mom. No! Don't take a picture. I don't want a picture."  said Emily

Grandma Rochelle stopped by with Valentines.

Lindley and Grandma put together a puzzle.

Grandma brought Joey with her and when she had to go Lindley was so mad at Grandma she wouldn't give her a hug goodbye. Little Stinker.

Emily and Abby with their Valentines from school.

I need to learn...

When these two are giggling like crazy

something bad is in store for mama.

An enormous can of Nesquik all over the pantry, basket of clean clothes and those two hoodlums.

Grrrrrr!

You wouldn't know the tongue lashing these two just received by the smiles on their faces.

NAUGHTY!

Spelling Bee

I am so proud of this girl.

I would never have the courage to get up on stage in front of any amount of people in a Spelling Bee.

She made it to the fourth and final round and now has another word she will never forget to spell.

GREGARIOUS.

More than half of the kids got out in this round.

The 13 kids that spelled their word right are moving on.

Emily is a little relieved not to have to worry about another Spelling Bee.

This Week ...

The Miamaids in our ward "Heart Attacked" Emily welcoming her to Young Women's this year.

Dad took the girls to the horse races with Auntie Leen.

The girls were more enthusiastic about this than Dad thought they would be.

Grandpa Great is 87!

One little monkey swinging in the tree.

Spelling Bee

Emily participated in the school spelling bee today.
She will never forget how to spell rhythm again.

She took 2nd place and won QWIRKLE.

To celebrate we went to Yogotogo.

Treehouse

We escaped to the Treehouse.

As always it was so much fun for the girls.

I love going where I don't have to worry about the girls climbing on things they are not supposed to.

Lindley loves being able to use scissors and glue sticks.

Dr. Lindley taking care of all the babies.

Dr. Hayley was getting frustrated with the microscope.

She wanted to see the red one and all she could see was black and white squiggles.

Trapped

I heard some cries for help coming from the living room and this is what I found.

"I just locked her in there." said Lindley in her sassiest voice.

Freedom!

Pictures with the Poulson Cousins

Today we went to Target for Cousin Pictures.

They were running late so we checked out the dollar section.

Grandma ended up with some cute lil princesses.

I found some good Valentine sensory bin items.

Then stopped at the Dollar store to find some more.

The girls dug in and had a great time.

Hayley had fun decorating some cupcakes.

Items in our sensory bin:

Mini Heart erasers (50 count) - Target

Heart bracelets- Target and Dollar store

Heart boxes -Target

Valentines erasers- Dollar store

Valentine glasses- Dollar store

Valentines kaleidoscopes- Dollar store

Red and White Rice

All Dressed Up

I love these skirts Grandma Shelley made for Hayley and Lindley.

The girls love them too.

I just had to snap a picture of these cuties all ready for church.

We have been reading the Book Of Mormon together as a family.

I remember why we stopped doing it before.

The reasons start with a L and a H.

Despite the distractions it has been a good thing for our family.

We have had some good discussions with the girls about what we are reading and getting some good feedback from them as well.

When we are done reading Lindley likes to make a scripture sandwich.

Last Day of Winter Break

A little sad and maybe just a little glad that today was the last day of Winter Break. I had a low key, stay at home in my jammies kind of day planned. Then Grandma Shelley called and wanted to take the kids to a movie. The kids were so excited to spend some time with their cousins. We went to see CHIPWRECKED.  Lindley was quite entertaining. She laughed so hard and squealed in delight the whole movie.

There was a park outside the theater so we let the kids play until we were too cold to take it. Then we headed to Cara's house for some more playtime.

Tayler

Hayley

Abby and Tanner

Stockton and Lindley

Peyton

Cousin Swap

My older girls are always begging to have a sleepover with their cousins.

This time we did it a little differently.

Emily went to stay with Kandyce and Kami and Gage came to stay with us.

This worked out really well.

Lindley and Hayley would like Kami and Gage to stay with us permanently.

How many kids can you fit on a queen size air mattress?

Kami, Abby and Gage worked quietly on the LEGO cabin after Steve and the babies went to sleep.  They had so much fun making " lava lamps ", playing kick the can, drawing with sidewalk chalk, LEGOs, Christmas lights, glow sticks and movies. Lindley was mad at Aunt Amy when she came to pick up the kids.

Emily and Kandyce made ROLO pretzels and t-shirt scarves. I am sure Emily enjoyed a break from the little ones getting into everything and driving her nutty. I was sure glad to have her home to leave the little ones with so I could go grocery shopping.