Southern Send Off

This Friday is going to be the saddest day at our house. Our dear friends the Blaus will be moving. Whenever I think about it I get all teary…so I just haven’t been thinking about it. Now that it is here, the sadness has sunk in.

Here’s a tribute to one of the greatest families we know. Who made our move her a breeze with instant friendship and love.

Abby, you are my very best friend. I talk about you at least 3 times a day, which means I have said your name more than 1,000 times. I include you and Sarah in ALL my prayers. I will miss borrowing your Barbie movies, swimming at your house, playing Polly pockets, going for walks with our strollers, thinking every white car is your car, seeing you wave at your window and playing in nursery. I hope you make lots of new friends in Provo. I will miss you.
Love, Eden

Sarah, you are my best friend. You have “saved my life” (as Sarah saids) on many occasions. When I was too little to go up the stairs you would carry me and help me down. You help me up the slide and are always there to catch me. You love to show me new things and get excited when I talk. You would always notice when I am trying to say something and tell my mom. You are going to be a great big sister to your little brother. I will miss you. Love, David

Lisa, you are my dear friend. I have learned the magic of coupons, meal planning, community activities, reading and motherhood from you. Lisa has so many talents. She is awesome with a budget, arts and crafts, listening to others, leading by example, and accepting everyone. She is one of my role models. After the Christmas holiday Sarah had a hard time going back to Pre-K. She told Lisa, “ During school I would just think of your face and start crying. I just missed your face mom.” I think that is the sweetest thing. All my great recipes come from Lisa. She has seen me at my worse (practically every morning in my jammies and messy house) and sometimes at my best. I will miss our chats while the kids play, visiting teaching walks, riding to church and enrichment activities and yummy treats. You have been my go-to Mom for everything. Who can replace you? I wish you all the best in Provo. Love, Cyndi

Ben, you are my best bud. It was nice to have a fellow Mitt supporter. I enjoy talking/arguing about finances and any other crazy topics. You are a wonderful dad and devoted husband. I admire how you never put anything above your family. You are a gifted teacher and an unwavering servant of the Lord. You are one who leads with love. I wish I could be more like you. You just might become a Cougar fan!

Best of luck, PaulWe Love you guys! Have safe travels.

Crib tent

I know you are so sick of seeing my kids sleep. I promise this is the last picture. Since sleeping is top prioirty in our house, it is a really big deal when schedules change. The crib tent came this week. How do you think it is working? It only took one day for them to figure out how to unzip it from the inside ( I think a safety pin fit that). Tonight David unzipped it and Eden climbed in. The tent might not be serving it's purpose. However, two sleeping children is always a good outcome.

Picker

Eden is a picker....her nose, nails, pine needles, and garden!

She just LOVES to go and pick veggies out of the garden. Today she was over anxious and picked our little baby watermelon. Paul let out a scream and was so sad. She had no idea what the big deal was and tried to take a bite. Gardens are a good way to teach children patience...maybe next year.

Day-Day

The sleeping arrangements have been switched this week. Eden has decided the "white bed" (twin) isn't as cool as she thought and wants back in her crib. So David has been testing it out. This is how we found him the other night.


Can you believe he is old enough for this? He looks so old standing there...being punished. After it was all said and done I don't know if he was really sorry but his cries melted my heart.

Paul said he looks like me? I don't see it, however I do think he is VERY handsome.

Thank you for the princess dress

It twirls perfect!

A few good words

Sleeping...

in different places this week. The transition is still underway. This is the second night Eden has slept in her new twin bed. Since David knows no bounds, he has been getting up at 6am to play in the closet with blocks. Around 10am he can't keep his eyes open anymore...even if he is playing with his truck.

Bad Day

Today started out with nothing major…I mean typical toddler fiascoes. Eden peed on the carpet (which I discovered after stepping in it) and wrote on the TV and closet door. I have no idea where she got the crayon and still can’t find it! Around lunch time everything fell apart. I started laundry and finished loading the dishwasher. Meanwhile Eden had got into my purse and found some fingernail polish. I turned the corner to discover David holding the open bottle. I ran to him; in reaction he screamed & ran as I picked him up he waved the bottle wildly splashing nail polish everywhere and eventually threw it on the carpet (just past the rug…so on the actual carpet). I scooped them both up and headed to the bathroom. Soon discovering nail polish covering their arms and on Eden’s brand new princess dress Gigi made for her. As I was cleaning up David, Eden knocked down the baby gate into the kitchen and got a pitcher of apple juice out of the fridge. She was attempting to go upstairs and spilled the WHOLE THING on the carpet stairs. I put the kids in their room for naps and attempted to clean up. If you have ever cleaned dark nail polish from any carpet…you know it doesn’t really clean up well. Then I go and check on them (supposedly taking a nap) and find them playing…I mean actually playing in a bunch of poop! Also Eden broke a necklace…while David tried to eat all the beads. Did I mention our ceiling has a wet spot from the upstairs toilet…which I think is leaking from not being properly sealed after laying tile. The wet spots are attracting fruit flies…so those are squirming my laundry room.

Oh boy, I know everyone has had these days. I am not really looking for sympathy (although a little doesn’t hurt :))…just complaining. Maybe reading this will help your day. Sometimes I get sick of reading everyone’s perfect life. I’m just keeping it real!

When the day was all said and done I ate a mini chocolate pie (probably 50 grams of fat), watched a movie and went shopping. All these things didn’t bring as much comfort as getting on my knees and praying. As a mother I don’t do this enough. When I pray for my children the Holy Spirit pours over my body and I know that this job is the most important one I could be doing.



Cute outfits Gigi made for them.

The day I have been dreading

David can get out of his bed...and Eden's. It all started on Thursday morning. Eden was fully dressed sitting in her crib and the room was covered in diapers and clothes. David was squealing with delight. He had brought Eden some clothes and she had gotten dressed and was ready for the day.

I thought David's climbing ability would provoke Eden to also venture out of her crib. I was wrong, she is perfectly content watching him and telling him what to do through the bars of the crib. Yesterday David climbed up into her crib and they both were jumping with delight. So now what to do? I am torn because I REALLY don't want to take Eden out of the crib...but put David in a bed before Eden? He would never stay put. I ordered a crib tent online. Which means David will go in the crib and Eden will have to be put in a bed. While waiting for the tent to arrive I guess we will shop for a bed and try to stay sane with crazy naps.

Green thumb

Paul's garden is a success! He didn't know if anything would grow in the clay dirt and survive the bugs! We are thrilled to have enjoyed some zuchini, squash, peas and bell peppers. The tomatos are almost ready.
Eden enjoying a bell pepper.

A flop

Warning: These are GROSS! I took a gamble by purchasing this new flavor thinking it would be tasty. Have you tried them? Do you like them? I wish someone would have warned me.

1 1/2

This month David is 18 months old. Which is pretty much the happiest month of our lives! All you parents know what I'm talking about. That's right- NURSERY!!! We have actually snuck him in a few times when both Paul and I teach, but now it is official and he is eligible for nursery. Notice anything different on David? Well, NURSERY can also be a battle field! I guess he was trampled. It didn't bother David as he refused to leave the Nursery when they tried to take him to Paul. If that wasn't enough he was clocked right in the eye by a swing today at Miss Sherry's house. Poor little guy.

We went to the Driggers today for playgroup. They have the coolest backyard. The picture doesn't do it justice...sandboxes, trikes, bikes, swings, mud and of course the blow up water slides and pool (not pictured). If you look really close you can see Sherry giving the kids a ride on the tracker...what a cool country backyard.