Friday, May 29, 2009

Reporting from Grand Canyon Railways....

The Christmas Carol train was very interesting and very cool to go to. It had several different cars, each having it's own theme, and we morphed our faces. B entered his email so I'm not sure when I'll get the pics posted. Everyone did one...except C. I know- should I be so disappointed every time? It seems like she just refuses to actually sit back and have a good time every once and a while. It's a hard thing for me to deal with. Someday I hope she opens up and sees the world for how fun it can be and have the time of her life. The 'cast' had carolers, snow machines, a blown up house (that apparently became a disaster with the rains they were having) and we got our picture taken by a lcd window so it looked like a Christmas day feast with snow outside. Amazing!! They showed a sneak peak of the move as a final 'fling thing' and we grabbed 3D glasses and took it all in. It looks amazing, but scary for the girls. They took off their glasses and snuggled close while Marley visited Scrooge. We took an extra step and toured the Grand Canyon- well a small part today. We went to the Yavapai Lookout. It was awesome. Could be better if I could tell dimension (I do have an eye appt coming soon) but I didn't have to look to hard to find highs and lows, etc. The kids were great all day! No meltdowns, and no disappearing acts. We ate at the buffet and there were no spilled drinks or food, or broken dishes. No poopy diapers and no wet pants! It was a great day all around. If only every day could hold such exciting and new adventures to escape to. I think I'm getting spoiled though. The weather was even beautiful... a little chilly. 68 and windy with spits of rain. Poor girls were in t-shirts and shorts (I even forced the cooler clothing because we've been in hot weather). I didn't imagine a day spent at 7000 or so feet. I'll post pics of that some time soon. I heard very little English actually. Interesting day, for sure! We'll have to go back to Williams in the winter for the Polar Express dealy that they put on for the kids.
One good day down, two to go! And that makes two more magnets for our souveniers spot on the fridge!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

This weekend holds...

Ok. So something cool has come up and I thought it was unique enough to post. There is a Christmas Carol movie coming out with Jim Carey....not that I'm a fan of his, but I think the experience will be quite memorable!
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/christmascaroltraintour/

There's one good thing about Brian being laid off one day a week. Chloe has a birthday party to attend on Saturday and then Brian and I are going to a second chance prom. I have thought about this for a while. I didn't think anyone was like... really dressing or anything. I dunnno! The thoughts of a stay-at-home mom that doesn't really like dress up on my time 'off'. Well- I heard some people talking about their dresses and it's gotten my brain juices going. So, I scoured the city of Kingman for a modest, clean, not too dated Prom Dress, and found.....nothing! Nothing but my exauhstion! Eva went with me and it was fun to have just 'us' time.

Life otherwise is going well, a few surprises here and there, but nothing we can't handle, right!?! I'm just really grateful that we as a family are so blessed to have each other and to have the ability to create memories and raise such wonderful, colorful spirits! I just pay my tithing, serve wherever I can, try to remember to read at least 5 verses in the scriptures each day and whatever comes my way I know that I am up to the task. With Christ I can do ALL things! Brian is so smart and is so talented that I know he'll do good with whatever they give him.

I'm reading a book on how to support my husband by John Bytheway and I've discovered I'm a pretty critical person of my husband. So, last night I apologized to him for the criticism I give him, and then after a of course, ''manly-should I say" comment, I smacked him on the head with the book. *sigh* I've got a lot of work ahead of me. Kinda funny though. But really, I want him to know I love him and I know I could show it so much more. It's just difficult after a long day of correcting and directing children to let the hubby do things 'differently'. I'm a little- well a lot of a control freak at times. He's so patient with me, I know I can learn to be more uplifting and be a strength to our marriage more than a drain.

I've pretty much decided on Chloe's schooling curriculum for the fall. She's going to be homeschooled here and then we'll see half way through the year if she can move ahead on some subjects that I think ( and I know I'm biased) she's ahead of the majority of other kids her age. She's reading at a second grade level, spelling at a first, and doing math on a first grade level, albeit her money counting is giving her a run for her 'money'. She's learning the states, and capitals, and I'm kinda running out of the 'same old' stuff that I know. The kindergarten is half day and I'm not feeling like it's that critical to her life to be at a school right now. She likes to be on her own. That's alright with me for right now. When we move, I might reconsider or if she gets into first grade and can move to second grade next year, then we'll see. She's bummed but I hope it will be a good experience.

Eva has found a website she's absolutely gagga over... www.starfall.com- Apparently it's no new thing, but it's freakin' awesome! It catches her attention, makes her feel good and gets the information to her in so many different ways. Chloe likes the website too so I had to post it.

Gabe is babbling and talking and teething and chowing on everything but his baby food. He's getting a big personality of his own... outgoing and loud. Very surprising, I know. ;0)

Our plants are surviving - I think. I'll just keep watering them and if they flower I'll consider myself a success at all this year with the dirt. Thanks too, to my Gpa for his spearlike thing I got to use.

Whew! that's an update of things. Hopefully I'll be writing more often, but yaknow- motherhood calls!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Celebrating a job well done!

We took the girls to Mc'D's for an ice cream cone. They enjoyed it thoroughly!! What happiness a .69 cone brings to their faces!!
Daddy just snitched a lick of her cone. She gives such a sweet smile!! Such a petite thing!

This was a pic that made B gasp! "She's growing up!" I just thought "wedding".


Daintiness meets hunger!!
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Chloe dance recital

We were be-a-u-tiful that day!! And even on time!!
The beginning squishes... They danced to Enchanted's 'happy ever after' song. It was so sweet, and I know she worked so hard. She started out very comfortable.
I think she was realizing in this picture she didn't see us. We were front and center though, poor thing.

This is a picture that breaks me and B's heart!! We'll just call this pic 'All Alone'. She gradually got more and more reserved with her actions until she was just kinda motionless. I know she worked so hard for the dance, and that her nerves got the best of her, but I still am so proud of her going up and dancing so well!! The pictures dont do the whole thing justice for either of them. It was tear-jerking for me.
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Eva's dance recital

She danced to the song about cleaning from Enchanted. It was really cute and she did a superb job!! Yea Eva!! She had no obvious nervousness at all. Just jumping right in there! We love this dance class for her.

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7 months! and Mother's Day

No teeth yet, but he sure loves to chomp on everything!!
More chewing, but sitting in the bath unassisted this month!! He loves to splash and chase the abc's around the tub!
Smiling sweetly!! Brian took this (he always does a 'daddy!' smile for him. What a cheese-r , eh?

His first experience with grass. He didn't like it ONE BIT. He sat there throwin his arms around, and wouldn't touch the stuff. He had this 'ew!' look on him the whole time. What a hoot!

He started crawling or belly flopping on Mother's Day!! It was a wonderful gift from him. The girls gave me some beads and twine so we could make necklaces together, and Brian got me the sweetest card. I felt like it was Mother's Day the whole weekend. Saturday we had breakfast on the patio, eggs and the whole bit. Then we went to a shin-dig in the evening out on the prarie... or something like that. I have a web album for those pics. I'll probably blog one or two later. Sunday I had help making sausage patty whole schpeel breakfast again-out on the patio, again. The girls got dressed in clothes that I got to pick out, and after Eva attacked Chloe with a dry erase, the rest of the day was peaceful. Church, weekly phone calls, and sleepy children that went to bed early!! Wow!! I wish this could happen every weekend!!!
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