random tidbits

sunshine in the morning Breakfast with a book (usually comics)

New seating arrangement. . . D has decided he doesn't like his chair and wants a big one like the rest of us. The problem is that he can't reach the table sitting and has taken to tipping. So back to his seat he goes (not looking forward to the fits in getting him there).

Her cute new outfit. She insisted on having these pants. You can't see it but they have a cute pink and white polka dot tie belt, and even though they are white they were 50% off , so I relented (afterall it's hard to beat $6).

I knew better than getting her white pants. She came home covered in grass and mud stains. When I asked her how she got them, I got the "no duh" answer: recess with the boys. All I can say is thank goodness for bleach.

When she saw how many weeds AP had pulled (see below) she couldn't be outdone and got right to work! I would have made her change into grubbies, but I figured she couldn't get any dirtier than she already was. Here she is exhausted from her own weed pulling (that's my little drama queen).

Last week I sent AP out to get some fresh air and exercise while I put D down for his nap (not really expecting the exercise to happen, but figuring he'd at lease get some air while digging in the sand). About 45 minutes later he came in red-faced and sweaty. I was pretty impressed and quite pleased to learn he had been picking weeds that whole time. He has been asking for extra jobs to earn money and asked if he could get paid for pulling weeds. The sandbox weeds are generally part of their Saturday chores, but our sideyard is quite overgrown so we decided that he could get paid $5 an hour for pulling those weeds. He got right to work and has done a great job clearing it out. That whole mud/dirt area previously looked like the area to the right.

Of course he has to get the roots for it to count so out comes the shovel! The best part about the whole thing is that he said work isn't so bad and he actually kind of likes doing it (this is coming from the boy who is "allergic" to work). In fact he asked if we could create our own family holiday: work day. I told him we already have that everyday and I'm glad he finally wants to celebrate it with me.

AP's talk

AP gave a talk in Primary last week, but instead of posting that one I have to share the first talk he ever gave (as a 4-year-old Sunbeam), because it cracks me up to this day, and I don't think I ever wrote it down! The child assigned to talk didn't show up so they asked for a volunteer to bear their testimony. AP's hand shot up and he gave the following (just as a note of explanation, he has loved anything space-related since he was tiny):
"Wormholes. I love wormholes. Wormholes happen when a star collapses. Heavenly Father created the stars and us too. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

AJ's testimony

This was AJ's Primary talk a couple of weeks ago:
When I was really little, my best friend was Dakota. We played dinosaurs and horses. It has been a really long time since I played with Kota, and I barely remember her, but I miss her.
When I was in preschool my best friend was Morgan. We loved to climb the rocks in my backyard and pretend we were lions on Pride Rock. We had a lot of fun. It's been a long time since I saw Morgan. I miss her.
When I lived in Hawaii I played with Brynn. We had fun building sandcastles, gathering seashells, and playing in the water. I haven’t seen Brynn for a long time. I miss her.
In Australia I met Mona. Mona and I had fun playing with our Littlest Petshops and our plush cats. Mona and I are a lot alike and we had so much fun together. I miss Mona a lot.
My cat Midnight was my friend longer than any of these friends. We always had a good time together. She played with me in the backyard and I loved to snuggle with her. Midnight died a couple of weeks ago and I miss her so much.
These friends are all very special to me and even though I miss them a lot it makes me happy to remember the good times we had together.

Another person I miss is Heavenly Father. Even though I don’t remember living with him, He remembers. He knows and loves each one of us because we are his children. One day we’ll remember how well we know Him too. President Ezra Taft Benson, who was the prophet when my mom was little said, “Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us.”
I am excited to see my Heavenly Father and Jesus again. I know that if I follow Jesus Christ’s example I will be able to be with them, my family and my friends forever.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

crumbs anyone?

I made 3 dozen muffins figuring we'd eat a dozen for breakfast and the rest could go into the freezer for another day. I took the first 24 out of the oven and set them on the counter to cool while the last 12 went in to bake. When I came back to take out that last batch, all that was left was a neat little stack of empty papers and a few crumbs. . .