Turns out…

…that putting papa in charge for a few days makes for some really bored kids. I mean, let's face it — Elle isn't one to sleep through a meal, you know?

Quote of the moment

J here, filling in for Christina while she's off to girl's camp for a few days. As a side note, Amber was really excited that I'd be home with her, declaring happily to Christina: "I'll get to watch lots of shows!" Yeah, I rock at parenting.

Amber, as I was getting ready to shower: Wow, Papa — your tummy is really big.
Me: *sigh* Thanks, baby.

I think she's trying to tell me I'm not rockin' the 200 pounds quite like I thought I was.

A great (and somewhat accurate) quote from Amber to her toy:

You don't know how to get dressed because you're a river guide!

What stories has her father been telling her?

stroll, saunter, amble, trudge, plod, dawdle…

Sure, it took nearly 14 months, but Elle decided to get brave and try this whole walking thing. Finally.

Mother's Day

I know that this is a little late in coming, but Happy Mother's Day everyone. I had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. With J having a couple of weeks between semesters, we all spent the weekend together. It started with a fun trip to the Main Street Water Park on Saturday. Elle loves the water — especially our little pool that we got — but she seemed to not like the chlorinated water so much. She was also shivering most of the time so I kept wrapping her up in her towel to warm up. Amber had a blast and would have stayed all day if we would have let her. After some fun we headed home for lunch and naps for all. When everyone was up we decided to go to Denny's for dinner because we thought that picky eater Amber might actually eat something from the kid's menu. Thank heavens she did:) After dinner J and I went to fire J's new gun (as you saw from the video below). On the way home we decided to take the girls to park so they could get all their wiggles out before bed.

On Sunday morning I got to open presents - that is always fun. Amber had made me a present at her Joy school class on Wednesday. She couldn't wait for me to finally get to open it on Mother's Day (she asked me everyday if it was Mother's Day yet). It was an adorable picture frame and a book marker that had flowers on it made using her thumb. J was sweet and wrote me a cute poem that told of my present — 5 hours of house cleaning provided by Angela. It goes as follows if you are interested in reading it:

We appreciate all you do to keep this house clean
And to make the many sinks and floors carry a sheen

But we also know you have two other priorities
That take up your time and demand your authorities

Your love and attention, your care reading them books
The hours of tantrums and angelic sleeping looks

The girls keep you busy and on top of your toes
And sometimes that sheen is the first that goes

Hence we know that for us you work very hard
So on our behalf, we present you this card

Five hours of Angela to come in and do
Any of the cleaning chores as seen fit by you

Be it scrub the tub or sweep the floors,
Clean the windows or dust the drawers

Merle vouches for her and says she's great
So give her a call to set the first date

We love you so much and care about you always
The least we could do is let someone else vacuum the hallways

I thought it was so sweet and just the perfect thing to get on Mother's Day. He went on to make dinner for us that night. It was a great weekend that we all got to spend together - what more could a mother ask for?

Amber in the fountain

Elle in the fountain

Amber playing in the river

Elle trying to decide what to do

Check me out. No really — check me out!



That's right — J best toe the line if he knows what's good for him.

Mother Cookies Update

So remember when I was whining about Mother's Cookies closing up and that they were going to be back in June. Guess what? They came out ahead of schedule, they came out today. How sad is it that I am so excited to have found my Mother's Cookies again? Well, regardless how sad it is I am excited. Today when I was at Harmon's I saw a display backdrop of Mother's Cookies. There weren't any cookies on it so I asked the Harmon's worker that was there stocking other items, if they indeed had the cookies. He said yes, that the Keebler man was going to be stocking it either today or tomorrow. I just happen to know the Keebler man, good old Wayne for the stilts, and I had just talked to him a few minutes before. Just then he came around the corner and said that yes indeed he had the cookies in the boxes next to the display. He was nice enough to open the Taffy and Circus boxes so I could have one of each. He said that I was the first one in all of St. George to get the cookies and possible the first in Utah because today was the first day that they were bringing them back out. What made it even better was that I got them for $2.99 (usually they are $3.99 give or take) because they weren't in the computers yet so they just made up a low ball number on them for me. Sometimes it pays to know and have an in with people. I will have you know that they taste pretty much the same, so I am happy:) Here are some pictures of the girls enjoying a Circus cookie. I am also including some pictures that J took of the girls the other day.

Yum
Amber showing off her cookie
Elle's first circus cookie
Elle kept trying to crawl away to the dandelions
Elle with her dandelion
Now she has two
This is one of my favorite

We couldn't seem to get Elle to smile
I love this one of Amber

April Videos

To compliment the photos (posted monthly to appease the oft-distant grandparents), here are three short videos of the girls from the month of April. Enjoy.


Elle's so close to walking, but she takes after J by being, well, lazy. Hence the hybrid method she's rockin' here.


The girls got a new little pool to play around in. If you look closely, you'll see Amber doing her best to drain it.


For a little girl that is so serious all the time, Elle sure does have a great giggle.