Garden

We started a little garden patch in our front yard. Since we live on a busy street we rarely spend time out there so we decided to put it to use. Wish us luck. We're growing tomatoes, arugula, spinach and basil. We welcome your advice and affirmations.

Field Trip

Last week I chaperoned a field trip to Red Butte Gardens. It should have been awesome, but it wasn't. Nope, not at all. I was in charge of a very sweet group of 5 girls. We decided our collective field trip name would be Girl Train because we held hands so we were a train of girls. Brilliant, yes? OK , that part was awesome. The not so awesome part commenced when we were introduced to our guide, B, she was O-L-D. I have nothing against old, but come on, these are kindergartners. They need someone with energy; someone who can talk above a whisper; someone who walks, not shuffles and that someone was not B.

B told us about poisonous plants and poisonous snakes. She pointed out the Children's Garden. In fact, she paraded us right past it, but told the children, "No, you can't go in there today. It takes too long and it's too cold." Then she herded us back to the Visitor Center to color pictures of daffodils. In the meantime, the rest of the class not in our group was laughing and cavorting in the garden. We heard tale of a pond with stepping stones, but we cannot confirm that such a thing exists because we had coloring to do. Indoors.

And that photo of Millie above? I'm pretty sure that tree is poisonous and there's a Rattler hiding right behind it.

Bring on the sun

It's Spring break around here and I don't know that anything represents how we're feeling about it better than this photo.

The park + 2 popsicles= 2 smiley girls

Potty Training

We're still working on it and we've made some progress. Stuff is happening in the potty, just not on a regular basis or consistently. We do talk about it A LOT and it's made for some pretty interesting conversation, some of which happens at the dinner table whether we like it or not. For example, last week we're eating and laughing and trying to ignore the fact that we have a plumber in our basement again, in spite of a $10,000 sewer line replacement last year, and out of nowhere Laney yells, "HOT POOP! HOT POOOOP!" We know that laughing at such talk only encourages her, but it's so weird and random and accurate, given the plumber in the basement, that we can't help it. So we laugh and lightly discourage her from saying it again. But you know what? I think we're destined to be a family of poop jokes and bodily humor hilarity and I kind of like that about us.

(POOOOOP!)

Walking report card & some dancing

This trimester instead of a parent-teacher conference Millie's class had a walking report card. This entailed watching her do some class work, grading her on it, and, my favorite part, some singing and dancing.

View dancing portion here:

Laney has a dance too. Please forgive it's unedited quality.

Classic Skating Photos

The real reason Jason wanted kids is so he has an excuse to ride a plasma car.

Jess and Luke Luke & Laney in the bouce around

The big girls

Sleepover!

6 Years Old

Millie, 6 years ago from this very moment I was in full-on labor with you. You kind of took your time making your entrance to the world but once you were here it was like you'd always been here. You, and your giant newborn feet. You've grown up so much this past year. You love school and you've become very independent. Today, when we were doing homework you told me you love to read and that was one of the best things you've ever said to me because I love to read too and I'm excited that you're excited about it.

You love school, your teacher and all your school friends. On the way to school you often talk about what you might play at recess. Will it be mousey game? or hamster climbing the wall? or windy day game? It's strange for me to think that you have this whole part of your life that I'm not involved in. It's strange but it also makes me proud because you are so sure of yourself.

I am very pleased to say that having meals with you has also become a bit easier. You used to throw a fit a couple times a week over your dinner, but lately you've been much more pleasant and willing to try new foods. You love mushrooms, broccoli, cooked carrots and of course the staples, like mac and cheese and grilled cheese. It's a relief to your dad and me that you're no longer surviving on pure carbohydrates.

You are very sensitive to other people's feelings, especially your sister's. I love listening to you talk to Laney when you don't know I'm listening. Most of the time you are very tender with her. You take pride in your ability to translate her 2-year-old talk when we don't understand her, which comes in very handy. Yesterday you told me that Laney is a little angel-devil and then you did an impression of her that involved a sweet squeaky voice and a screechy demon voice. You said sometimes you don't know if she's going to kiss you or bite you but you always hope for a kiss. That's one of the things I love most about you: Your willingness take a chance in hope that what you get will be something good.

I love you,
Mama