MAYLIN2007

On Thursday, Nini's preschool went on a field trip to the fire station. She was very nervous about it and kept asking her teacher if I could come along. Once she felt assured I would be there, she relaxed. She had great time, but periodically would run to me and hold onto my leg. It wasn't when the fireman was in his complete uniform, in fact she volunteered to do the "stop-drop-and roll" move with him, it was when we were in the garage looking at the firetrucks. She was quite nervous at that point. Overall, she had a terrific time. She got a fire hat and stickers!         Covering our ears for the siren. Getting a hi-five from the firefighter.

Aus and his friend got asked by two cute girls to go to the sweethearts dance at a local high school. Neither boy could think of an idea of how to answer back. It had been over a week since the girls asked and I could just imagine that they were freaking out about it by this point. So, I offered the boys my help. They gladly took it. For Aus's friend we wrote a note in French, tied it like scroll with fancy gold ribbon, put it on a red pillow, added a rose and a crown and left it on her doorstep. This was perfect because she asked him in a "Princess and the Frog" way. For Aus, the girl asked him with a sign that said, "Don't burst my bubble. Go to sweethearts with me." With it she gave him a gumball machine filled with little gum balls. My idea: answer her back with gum! I had all the kids, me and Jay chew gum and then press the chewed gum on a poster board so it spelled YES! It was so gross and after chewing that much gum we were all sick and I was literall...

Tonight for YW we had a fort night. We built a fort, had a "fire", talked about how Captain Moroni fortified the forts of the Nephites, visited and ate Oreos. After that, we taught the girls the story of Joshua and the city of Jericho. We then had the girls walk around the fort 7 times like the people of Joshua did that last day. Each girl had a horn and after the 7th time, they blew their horns and yelled and knocked the fort down! It was a great way to teach them these scripture stories. I think they will never forget!        

I entitled this post bubble head, not only for the pictures below, but because I feel like my brain is one big bubble. First, I totally thought today was my mom and my friend from our old neighborhood birthdays. Yep, I was going to go to the party tonight for my friend and I was going to call my mom today. At church, I learned last night was the party, therefore I immediately knew I blew it with my mother too because I thought they were on the same day. They were, I just had the wrong day. I guess I can blame it on age, dead brain cells due to kids or stress. I pick stress. Austin has been ill or is still ill. He wore a heart monitor last week. We turned it in and they called us and said it had a corrupted file so they didn't get a thing. They sent us another one and he wore it this weekend. Yesterday was a bad day for him. He lost his vision a few times, was tired, all the crap that I thought we were free of. Anyway, I am sad about missing my friend's party. So many people wer...

Here is my once a month "let's be creative" mother event. Maylin was quite confused at first when I told her I was going to cut her face out and tape it on the paper doll. She kept saying, "No, but I want my whole face on my head." Apparently, she didn't get it was from a picture. We had fun and her siblings had a great laugh at the finished product!        

I am feeling restless. I know it has to do with the weather. Where we live, January is filled with hazy days. Weeks can go by where we have "red days" where driving is discouraged and even being outside is discouraged. You can't even see the mountains. I can tell I have fallen into the hazy days funk. I hate it. I really could go for a splash of sunshine or blue sky. Today, the sky has been a bit clearer. I saw the mountains this afternoon. To spark the hope that it stays, I wrote a list of what the rest of the year holds. If I can make it through January, I will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel....literally. So, here is what is planned for 2010. They are plans. Things could change do to health and money, but this is the plan. March - Austin and Jay are going to Mexico on another humanitarian project. This one is 7 days long. I made the final payment today. This time they are going to Veracruz via Mexico City. They will be building homes, teaching how to ...

Opened my linen closet the other day, not to clean it, but to put something away and look what I found! Every stuffed animal we own, was crammed in the closet. When Maylin saw me looking at it she said, "Wait a minute." Then she wiggled and wriggled her way in the closet too. Isn't that the cutest?    

Need great YW ideas? or just great family home evening activity ideas? Check out the blog Under My Umbrella. She has amazing ideas and things!!! http://undermypolkadotumbrella.blogspot.com/

The last couple of weeks have been stressful. Austin has been having trouble. We ended up in the ER. They couldn't find anything, but he is still having chest pain, left arm pain and other issues. We have had last minute science projects, over flowing toilets, a working around the clock dad, sicknesses (Kenzie, Maylin and me) and just some other crap that I really didn't need. Tonight while having a bath with Maylin and 8 Barbies and 1 GI Joe doll, I realized all that stuff doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that I love my baby and my kids and my hubby. I looked at Maylin and just wanted to hug her. Not only because of the love I felt, but I was hoping that some of her simple joy and her carefree spirit would rub off on me! I need a bit of "carefreeness"...that is not a word, I know, but I hope you get what I mean.   Today, Maylin amazed me with her understanding. Someone asked us today if she was adopted. I answered yes and Maylin proceeded to say, ...

Saw this sign while out shopping. It was hanging on the door of a candy/fudge shop. It gave me a chuckle. Wanted to share.  

The last day of school before Christmas break was the 18th. School ended at noon. We left for our trip later that evening. That day at school is one of my favorites. The kids sing in a fun Christmas concert, they have class parties and do their teddy bear service project. Austin played the piano this year while his 11 grade class sang. I was so proud of him. He looks so handsome. Alex and Kenzie's classes did a great job too. The kids all bring teddy bears to school. On that last day, the students pass all the teddy bears down many long lines and each student gives each bear a hug. The bears are then taken to a homeless childrens hospital in a town about an hour and 20 minutes north of us. I love to see the kids do this. Austin's class, being the oldest, get to bag the bears and prepare them for delivery. After this, each class had a party. I am not sure what I was thinking, but I volunteered to do Kenzie and Austin's parties. They were at the same time. So I spent a lot of...