St George Trip: June 2010

Okay, so I just found this post that I never posted.  I never finished writing it!  Sheesh!!  I did have a baby at the end of the summer that year, so probably what part of the problem was along with being SO busy that summer!   Anyway, I thought I might as well post what I had written:

So many fun memories--where to start I don't know and I don't have the time for detail--I think I will just make a list to help me remember and add detail another time.

St. George--one of the highlights of our summer!  

Our first family vacation with just our family that we have taken since Aubrey was a baby.  We left Sunday morning, stopped in Filmore (Jon's families' stomping grounds--they built their first house down there and his dad was the county doctor).  We went to a Sacrament meeting and then visited an old family friend.  Then we headed out to Cove Fort, ate lunch, went on a tour (the missionaries were very excited to do a tour and it was a little too long for 3 little kids, but it was fun and there was some really neat stuff).  I do enjoy old-fashioned things! 
Then off to St. George!!  We checked in, went to dinner and then got in the pool!  The kids LOVED the pool!  I was really surprised how much they enjoyed it and weren't afraid of it in the least!  They had to wear arm floaties of course since they don't know how to swim.  Aubrey and Jonathan would jump in at the deepest parts over and over again.  All three of them would "swim" all around the pool and just had a blast!  The next day we did some touring--Brigham Young Home, DUP, hiked Snow Canyon (the kids are a little too brave and were freaking out their pregnant mother hiking those cliffs!!).  Then we went to the Dinosaur museum--which isn't that exciting, but our kids loved it and enjoyed the little intro-movie thing.  before leaving for St. George I looked up parks and whatnot on-line.  They have a great city website and they have a ton of great parks and several with splash pads.  So we had a picnic ready and we went to a splash park.  We ate and then played.  It was an awesome park!  The kids loved playing in the water, then on the toys, then back to the water.  Jonathan loved the water the most and loved stepping on where the water would be shooting out.  Aubrey was very good with him and helped push him on swings--it was really cute.  We went back to the motel, changed out of the wet clothes and then it was off to the St. George D.I.--they have great summer clothes down there and our main reason for going is pretty funny--the motel room had a really nice huge flat screen tv--but we couldn't hook our DVD player or Nintendo into it--you could only watch cable on it, which we don't waste our time with--commercials and lack of choice on what to watch.  So we decided we would see if DI had a cheap TV to buy and watch what we wanted to and play nintendo (2 things we had really wanted to do as a family in the evenings).  And yes, DI had a pretty decent TV for pretty darn cheap!  Everyone picked out a toy and I got some cute maternity clothes.  Then we went out for dinner and back to the Motel for swimming.  Then popped popcorn and started a movie--The Music Man--which the kids really enjoyed but got too tired to watch the whole thing!

Climbing the Red Rocks

 The Dinosaur Museum

The Splash Park--Aubrey is pushing Jonathan on the swing

The kids being silly

Tuesday--we got ready and got on the road headed to Grafton and Zions National Park.  We went to Grafton on the way there (a small ghost town up a canyon just before you get to Zion's that my anscestors helped settle).   It was fun to see that it is being fixed up and restored.  There were little lizards all over and we almost caught one!
We continued on to Zions--ate lunch, attended a "kids" workshop/class" that was really boring--but Aubrey enjoyed it.  They did have several "Stuffed Animals" that the kids really enjoyed seeing--the highlight for Mariah being a bald eagle--her favorite animal.  Then we got on a shuttle and started a hike.  The kids did an awesome job and I loved how they thoroughly enjoyed nature and the beauty around us.  They even saw a frog, hundreds of tadpoles, lizards, and a mouse!  And they even held the mouse--it was quite cute and they were amazingly brave.  Mariah was especially sad to leave the mouse.  She wanted to go get some food for it and take it home.   Then we went to a museum and headed back to St. George.  We went out for dinner, went swimming, and then back to our room and finished watching "The Music Man".  It was such a fun day!

Valentines Day

I started the day off with a 4 mile run--holding a 8:30 minute mile average--which I was pleased with--I am hoping to be able to start holding 8 minute miles for my average.  My first mile is generally my slowest, unless I am doing more than 6 miles, I sometimes start to slow off and on through longer runs.  Anyway, I got home just in time to make pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast.  The kids loved them and it was really fun to do.  Then it was off to school and back home for strength training since I didn't meet my partner as usual and I need to do it as I am really wanting to get better and stronger at running.  It was intense, hard, and ultimately awesome. 
After getting cleaned up and ready, I decided to go to Jon's work and get lunch together-which I have never done actually.  We went to Subway and I got to see Jon's office, which is really nice.  He's on the 7th floor of the building and he has a nice window view of palm trees, homes, and desert.  Then it was off to do the coupon shopping I had procrastinated and now it was the last day of the sale, but we did awesome and got some great things. 
We got home just in time to meet the girls coming home from school.  They enjoyed opening up their school valentines and some that had come in the mail (they got more in the mail the following day, so that was really nice-and we still haven't sent ours--on my to-do list, I know, so behind.  I am just so good at being behind on things, it really is a talent and I think I haven't hidden that talent and it has really grown-ha ha!). 
Jon got me roses and my favorite treat, "Chocolate Extreme Blizzard" from  DQ, only substituting the brownie chunks with oreos--yum yum yummy!!  What a sweetheart! 
Our Relief Society hosted an 80's prom.  Jon and I really didn't have any 80's clothes-more like 90's, and we meant to go to Savers and find something, but we didn't, so we just wore something close.  Jon wore his high school tuxedo and I wore a dress I had made for graduation that wasn't in style then--more of my own style, but could be looked at as 80's since it was pastel colors, puffy sleeves (not 80's puffy, but some puff to them for sure), and a belt made out of the same fabric.  But it really was fun to get dressed up (even if it wasn't what I would ideally like to have worn) and go on a dance date. 
As we got in the car it made us both feel like we were "dating" again in High school--going to a dance.  They did an amazing job at the church.  They had tables set up on one end with a buffet table to get dinner, a photo booth (which we got some really cute pictures of ourselves), arcade like games set up on tv's, a chocolate fountain table with all kinds of things to dip, and then of course, a DJ and music.  It was really fun and so many people looked so awesome!   Then we came home, got comfy, popped popcorn, cuddled, & watched a Remington Steele (currently our favorite tv show episodes).  It was a really really nice Valentines!

A short story, but a long blog post: "Adjusting to a New Place & Making Friends"

This post is far too long and pretty personal just to warn you.  It's been a hard adjustment in many ways coming here.  I think the hardest thing for me is when I know my kids are struggling.  I want them to be happy and I want them to have friends and do well.  They are doing well, and they are making friends, but it is a struggle.  We have our good days and bad days.  It is hard to be the new person and not really know anyone, and they really don't know you either.  Aubrey especially has been missing her long-time friends that she knew and went to school with for several years.  Mariah also misses her friends and is really trying to make friends, but really having a hard time making consistent friends.  She says that she asks if she can play with them and they say "no" sometimes and let her play with them other times.  As the mother, I just want to help make things right and I want them to find good friends, but I do realize that it takes time to really get to know each other.  I have been realizing that with myself as well.  The people here are really nice, but they really don't know me and I really don't know them yet.  I came to the realization this past week that I too, miss my good friends and family in Utah.
My close friends and family know that I really struggled in my last neighborhood.  I LOVED my home and yard--loved loved loved them.  I made some very special forever friends there as well.  But for some reason I made some enemies.  I haven't figured out exactly what I did or how I made them, but it was like a snow-ball effect.  It just got worse and worse.  It really came down to a few woman in my old neighborhood that gave me hell.  They did pretty much everything they could to tear me down.  They spread rumors about me to other women in the area and those rumors spread.
I am a very strong person.  I have a strong personality.  I do what I feel is right and best for me and my family and generally I really don't care what others think of me.  For some reason they made my life their business and they didn't like my life.  I really struggled with this.  Everywhere I had ever lived before I had lots of friends and felt well-liked.  Have you ever seen "The Music Man"?  The song, "Pick-a Little, Peck a Little" is a perfect description of what was going on.  My husband and I watched that about a year ago and we were just laughing, saying, "River City is just like Riverton!!"  And we really felt that way.  The silly thing is that there are so many good people there and I made so many nice friends there as well.  I just happened to rub some women the wrong way in my direct neighborhood.
I pretty much got used to being prepared for rude comments and being torn down when I would see them.  I would prepare myself mentally and try to keep calm.  I was always on edge around them hoping that they would see that I wasn't this evil villan, but actually a really nice, good person, who actually didn't have a perfect, easy life, as they supposed, and that I had many trials in my life and it wasn't just easy all the time.  The truth is they never tried to really get to know me and I never got to really know them.  They really seemed to only care that they didn't like me and didn't want anyone else to like me for some reason or another.  It sounds so crazy that I felt crazy often.  I would convince myself that they didn't hate me and that I was just being silly when along came another incredibly rude or mean thing from them.  In all honesty, I was getting really used to it and getting really good at ignoring it and just moving on with my life.  I loved my home, the school, our yard, my kids teachers, and I had some of the best friends ever there as well and so did my kids.  I would have been able to stay and be quite happy there.  We had so many happy and fun times and I do miss my home, yard, friends, and family.
So when we moved here I was surprised how anxious I was feeling when we went to church.  After the first week I was friendly, but cautious.  By the next week I realized that I really didn't want to be friendly and that I really didn't want to make friends.  I just wanted to be on the back burner.  I realized that for the first time in many many years, I was actually scared and not the bubbly, friendly person that I thought I was or had been in the past.  I spent some time in the bathroom before it was time for RS.  I went in to RS late.  I sat down.  I felt nervous. I looked around a bit.  I realized I didn't know these women.  The sister giving the lesson gave a really nice lesson & it really brought me peace and I really felt the spirit.  I started crying realizing that I was sitting there without people hating me and that I could just enjoy the lesson.  I didn't have to prep myself for sister so & so to comment on how she had seen me . . . last week and that I was a bad example of what was being taught or to be pulled aside by someone and be asked why I did . . . that so & so had told them I had done.  I realized that nobody was there to hurt me or get after me.  It was a wonderful feeling, but also a warning signal to myself and I left RS with the realization that I had a deep wound that needed healing.
The next morning I went running.  I prayed my guts out as I ran knowing how to let this hurt go.  I just cried and cried as I realized I was so scared of the same thing happening here.  I didn't want people to hate me and talk about all the things I did wrong and continually tear me down.  I came to several realizations about myself on that run.  It was very therapeutic.  I won't go into details about it, but it's one of the things I LOVE about running.
Now just so those that are reading this are wondering what my horrible sins were--let me tell you, they were nothing.  Stupid little petty things that don't matter-mostly little jealousy type things that were blown way out of proportion and ridiculous.  But the first and foremost was running in a tank-top and shorts.  That was the real clincher.  A neighbor actually came over to my house and chewed me out.  She was not the only one that had a problem with this, and not the only one that approached me face to face about it on multiple occasions.  I was humiliated over numerous things starting with this, time and time again.  Seriously, it was unbelievable. 
Let me set the record straight.  I am a runner.  I ran 2 marathons while living in that neighborhood.  When I say I am a runner, I mean it.  I am a runner.  I will run in a tank-top and shorts.  I am an intense runner.  I want to perform and run well.  To do that, I wear actual running clothes.  I am not out to attract other women's husbands.  I am not out strutting my stuff to get attention (as one neighbor asked, "I saw you running yesterday and I was wondering why you like to run where people will see you.  Do you just like to show off your body?".  I LOVE TO RUN.  It is my anti-depressant.  It lifts my soul and helps me get through things emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically.  I have my best "thinking moments" on my runs.  I LOVE IT.   I LOVE TO RUN OUTSIDE.  I hate the treadmill.  I like the wind, the earth, outdoors, going a distance and racing myself back home.  I love it.
I never want to feel how I felt in my last neighborhood again.  I want to learn from it.  I know I have judged others over stupid petty things before.  I never want to do that again.  I catch myself in this snare.  I am working at removing it from my thoughts before it even turns to words or actions.  We are all here striving for the same end goal.  Why don't we build each other up rather than tear people apart?  Why don't we look for the good rather than notice the things that bother us?  It is such a silly thing.  I have come to the decision that this is one of the ways we are "light-minded".  To look at others and make judgments about them in relation to our own background and feelings rather than looking at them as Christ would and realizing that they are a child of God and that they are an amazing person in many ways and then to look for that.
I think we train ourselves to be petty and "light-minded" to make ourselves look good and to feel like we are better than others.  This is not what Heavenly Father would have us do.  He wants us to love each other and to work together in building up each other and building up His kingdom on the Earth.  Satan can't always get to the righteous by making them commit a "big sin", but he can get us tearing others down and thinking we are so good and righteous and everyone must be "righteous" in the same way that we are or they are "sinful".  It's really one of the ways I think he gets us and I know it makes Heavenly Father so sad that we would ever treat our brothers and sisters in such a manner.
I think we all feel like we are exposed or on a show or being judged against others at times and we want people to approve of us.  We want to feel that we are where we should be at and that we are doing a good job.  When we are around the type of people we expect to approve of us, it makes it even harder when they don't.  The problem is, we can also be looking for them to not be approving of us and that can even worsen the problem.  Or once we feel that we aren't being approved of, we start to fail in other ways.  Once you see something "bad" about someone that you really don't know, everything starts to look bad.  Just like when you see good about someone, often the "bad" is muffled, especially if you know them and care for them (which isn't a bad thing).
Think of the kids you played with when you were little.  There was probably one that maybe they stank or had dirty clothes-and you probably thought they were always that way clear until you got to really know them later in life and realized they were a pretty awesome person.  We all make judgments too quickly.  We do it to ourselves and we do it to others.  I think that happened with me.  In the snow-ball effect, the more I heard things and the more I was hurt, the more I saw people hurting me.  So what I need to do is not look for anyone to be hurting me and to not be hurtful myself.  As simple as that sounds, sometimes that's really hard, but it is exactly what I teach my kids to do--to always be kind and thoughtful of others and to never be mean.  So simple and so true. 
I will have to say that it is hard to start again making friends, but I have my best friend with me, Jon.  He is my everything and I love him so much.  He knows me for real and he loves me.  My children are next in line and I love them so much.  I still have my family and I love calling and talking with them or reading their blogs and whatnot.  I love my family and I am pretty much fine not having a bunch of friends.  I have always been a home-body and like to do things at home, but I do enjoy talking with others and whatnot, of course it's nice to have friends that you can talk to and learn from.  My kids do have each other, and we like to be together and do things together.  In-fact we have done many really fun things together always, and have continued doing so here.
We went hiking last weekend, bought a fire-pit and built a fire in our backyard, roasted hot-dogs, and marshmallows and enjoyed the nice evening.  It was really fun.  We have done many really fun things and we do have family down here so that's been really fun as well.  We are adjusting and we really are just fine, it just takes time and of course, we miss what we loved no matter how good things are here.
I have made one really good friend so far, and I am so grateful for her.  I actually ran past her on a run over Christmas break.  She was stretching on a bridge and I remember thinking that she looked like a good runner, and that I ought to stop and talk to her because I wanted a running buddy or at least someone that ran distance that I could get tips on where to run and whatnot, but I felt silly and just kept going.  After I turned and headed back home, I saw her heading the same direction.  I just started talking to her.  After talking a bit, we decided to meet and workout together the following week.  From there we have been working out pretty much twice a week each week.  She is awesome and has similar running goals as me, but we need that core strengthening that we hate to take the time to do, so we do it together.  I am grateful to have another woman to talk to that has kids my kids' ages and in many ways we can relate and learn from each other.  I love staying home with my kids, but I don't get out to talk to other women much, so I really look forward to visiting with her and getting in some good strength-training as well!  I really bond with my workout buddies.  Emily, my dear little sister.  I loved training for my first marathon with her.  We did our long runs together and had so many cherished conversations and exciting adventures together!  She is one of my cherished friends and examples!  My dear friend Heather, who was a blessing to teach me about core-strengthening, will always be a cherished friend.  It was always so awesome talking with and working out with her.  She made training for my first marathon far better and enjoyable and I will always love her and her example in so many ways to me!
So here I am with a new start, making new friends, new memories, and running a new life.  It is a good life and I feel that we were very blessed to come here.  This is such a wonderful area, school, neighborhood, and ward.  We will do our best to make the best of it amongst our idiosyncrasies.

BUSY days!

So much fun and so much we have been doing!  Though by Saturday night I felt all funned out!  Ha ha!  Monday we went and bought baseballs, mits, and a bat.  We have Primary baseball here-so cool!  I never heard of that before!  We walked/rode bikes to a park 1.25 miles away (trying to get my kids really active, so we find new and different parks all of the time--there are tons!).  We practiced hitting the ball and played at the park.  It was a really fun park too-we will have to go to it again!  Another day we went on an adventure walk toward a canal that has HUGE fish in it.  Also there is a backyard with several unique animals (including a giant tortoise).  There are also small seashells along the edge of the canal--way fun and we went 2 miles out (4 miles total--awesome job kids!).  We practiced baseball at another park on Friday and several friends were there, so we got to play with them and I got to visit with their moms.  Saturday we went to Aubrey's game.  It was really fun to watch her play and I was really glad we had practiced through the week.  She actually did pretty good!  She did hit the ball usually within the first couple of throws (in Primary baseball you don't strike out from not hitting the ball.  They keep throwing it until you hit it).  Then we walked to and around the Riparian Reserve (about 4 miles total).  We saw several neat birds, including my first Red Cardinal!  There was a "gang" of geese on the path that about attacked you for food--really quite funny.  Mariah really got scared of them and hid under a blanket in the stroller.  That stroller was the best purchase ever by the way!  I use it EVERY day.  I actually only use the van a couple times a week, if even that.  The garage door opener is connected to my stroller, not in my car.  Pretty funny!  But the truth is we live too close to the school to drive there.  If we try to drive (which we have done twice) there is such a long line of cars to try to cut into that we take way longer than just walking the quarter mile there.  Anyway, I was just thinking about how much we have been going to places--walked places actually-I hate car time and we are loving the weather (yes, I know that will change when the summer comes).  It is really different for me to go so many places and parks; it is just not something I have done a lot of as a mom.  Before we moved here, we had a huge yard, a swingset, a good road to ride bikes up and down, and of course, grandmas house and yard, which are amazing and lots of fun.  We also had the best outside time during the summer when we have tons of family things going on.  So we have great weather in the winter here and are just soaking it in.  But, the kids can't do much at our house (when it comes to being outside).  We did get a trampoline for Christmas-and they love that and it's awesome.  But I want it to stay awesome and not be the only thing they get to do every day.  Good stuff!

A New Year in a New Place

So I just read some of my favorite peoples blogs and it made me think a little more about the new year and what I want to accomplish.  Really my main things that I want to do are things that I am already aspiring to do without the New Year being my inspiration.  But it's here, and you know the saying, "Thoughts, Words, Deeds".  So it's been in my thoughts, I can write it down, and hopefully it will help solidify the deed. 
My first and foremost goal I have really been working on already.  That is spending more time with my most loved ones--my family.  Spending more time with Jon, my dear husband and each of my children.  I really want to feel that I am not only spending time taking care of them and their needs and running the house-keeping it clean, fixing meals, shopping, taking them to school and whatnot, but actually spending more time enjoying them.  I do different things to make them a part of what I have to do (helping with dinner, etc.), but I want to do more fun, random things with them.  I want to go on regular dates with Jon.  We are terrible at that.  I hate having to get a babysitter, but we just need to do it and go out. 
My next goal is to have more meaningful scripture study and to do it daily, no matter what.  I read for 30 minutes no matter what while in High School and College.  I want to start doing that again, no matter what.
I want to start playing the piano again.  I want to practice daily and get pretty good at playing. 
Then the next thing I am also working on is getting in really good shape.  I am working on that pretty well already, but currently, I am adding a challenge to that-helping my kids to be in really good shape as well.  I don't want them to become couch potatoes, computer addicts, or exclusive book worms.  Though there are good things on the computer, and though I do want them to love books a read a lot, I want them to enjoy the outdoors, to love hiking, to feel good enough physically to run around and be active.  So these are the things I am aspiring to accomplish--though really none of them are things that are done--they are continuous, not a year-end and it's over kind of a thing.  Maybe I will make some kind of a year-end goal thing.  I generally don't do that, mostly because I just don't think that much about it.
More than anything I just want to enjoy my family, enjoy life, and do our best at walking this road together as a family.  This past year threw a huge curve ball at us that I am still soaking in and that I NEVER expected or planned on.  We moved from our much loved home in Riverton to a state I always said I would never live in-Arizona.  So here we are.  I am sad to be away from the beautiful mountains, from dear family, from our cute little home, our beautiful huge yard, our fruit trees and garden, and some dear friends.  I miss all those things very much.  I know my kids do as well.  I feel it is my responsibility to help make the most of life and spear-head enjoying our new environment here in Arizona.  So though we do miss Utah and many things about it, we have been enjoying it here and actually I am loving this weather right now!  I think I am getting a tan with all the time we have spent outdoors!  I will not love it in the summer, but I didn't love the cold in the winter in Utah either.  I miss the snow--to have the snow for a couple of months would be perfect, while skipping the other 3 months of freezing cold that surrounds the bits of snow here and there.  I love the fall as well.  I LOVE the mountains.  I love green and I love waterfalls and rivers.  I do miss those things being just 30 minutes away, and in sight at all times.  Fortunately we are in a very nice part of Arizona and there is a lake (yes, man-made, but it's still very nice) just 1 mile from our home.  Also in this particular area the communities grow grass and trees and it's really quite nice.  We are next to some farm-land as well and there are some amazing birds along a trail just 10 minutes from our home.  My yard happens to be all rocks.  That will change when we get a home of our own, or maybe we will rent a different house next year.  The people I have met are super nice as well and our ward is wonderful.  It's not perfect here, but it wasn't perfect in Riverton either.  No place is perfect, but as long as you are with those you love, you cling to the gospel and move forward in life, happiness can be found.  So here we are and what's funny is my goals are pretty much the same as usual--though our environment has changed, we are pretty much the same old Hansen's as we always were--just with a bit more sun.

So I haven't blogged in FOREVER!  But I wanted to quickly make a post.  We are LOVING it here in Gilbert.  I love the school, I love the ward, and I love the people I am getting to know.  I miss my dear friends and family in Utah, very much, and so do my kids.  But all I can really say is that we have been greatly blessed.  We are in such a nice location and around such good people it really is wonderful.  I was nervous to leave Utah, and to leave green grass.  I am sure when the summer comes along I will really really miss Utah, but for now, I am not missing the freezing cold weather and there is green grass all around me (they say it's a Gilbert thing, so I guess this is where we will stay as long as we are here)!  
Anyway, the reason I wanted to blog was to say how much I have been enjoying my family lately.  I think the move has really brought things closer to heart.  I also just feel more like a real mom, not sure what is different exactly.  I have just been enjoying it more.  I don't like getting up ever, but it all starts with getting up early, then on to fix breakfast (sometimes even pancakes!!), fix my kids lunch, walk them to school, help them with schoolwork, make cookies with them, cook dinner with them, go shopping with them, go to the park, watch and listen to them playing, listen to their days, pray for them, fix them dinner, a snack, and kiss them goodnight.  It's a long, exhausting job, motherhood.  But I love those kids so much and I want to do so much more with them.  
I am loving watching Amelia as she gets into that adorable innocent stage of walking, talking, learning, and growing.  I love listening to Jonathan playing legos and singing his own theme music (quite loudly too--hilarious, and yes, I did get it on film!), I love when Mariah smiles at me and gives me a big hug, I love when Aubrey laughs her real laugh and her sweet smile.  I love being their mother and I am grateful for their sweet spirits.  Moving here has been really hard for them.  Mariah started crying as we walked into her new class on the first day of school.  Aubrey was the star of her old class and though she is making lots of new friends, it is really hard for her to not be the leader.  Jonathan gets lonely while his sisters are gone and I am busy unpacking, shopping, and whatnot.  Amelia has finally been weaned and is not happy about it.  But they are such good kids and they are trying so hard and really doing a great job.  They are making new friends and our ward is awesome.  My kids are such good friends as siblings and generally play really well and work really well together.  I really love it and I want our family to be close.  I love doing things as a family-it's a great gift indeed to have a wonderful family!

August 2011

Mariah having a little party with her toys while I was weeding in the front flowerbed.

Amelia helping me weed in the front flowerbed.  She really did bend over and move her hand in the motion I was as if she was weeding too.  It was really cute.

Jonathan & Aubrey playing with their duplo lego guns that they made.  They get pretty creative!

Aubrey building a structure with these sticks.  It's pretty amazing actually.  They are all balanced against each other.

Aubrey's first day of 2nd grade!  I sewed on a letter "A" to help distinguish hers from other kids (since it was the Target sale generic backpack, I figured there would be others just like it at school).  She really liked the "A" on it too!

Mariah's first day of first grade.  She did not want a letter on her backpack--but she may change her mind and decide she wants to personalize hers' a little.

Amelia loves to watch her siblings playing outside.  She squeals and hits the glass and gets so excited watching them!

Jonathan's first morning with his sisters both gone to school.  Dad got out the Star Wars toys for him to play with.  He wanted to take a picture and he actually did take this picture.

Sorry for the side-ways pictures!  I turned them before putting them on my blog, but they turn back.  I am not sure how to turn them on the blog.

Aubrey and Mariah are both enjoying school, though Mariah isn't enjoying that it is all day long.  Her favorite part of school is recess!  Aubrey doesn't have a favorite part--she enjoys it all except for Math (ironic since she is so good at math).

It is different to just have Jonathan and Amelia home during the day, but nice too.  I am glad the girls get out early on Fridays.  I wish school ended just an hour earlier so we had more time together on regular days.  I try to utilize the time they are home and do some fun things or have them participate in what I am doing (like making dinner).  I can't believe how busy I am each day and how quickly time flies.

Some of the cute, sweet, or funny things kids said this week:

Jonathan, "Mom, why do you kiss dad?"

Aubrey put me down on her paper as the person she most admires.

Amelia started clapping a lot and waving.  She also plays with Dad's Star Trek ships and makes cute sounds as she plays (he has been teaching her of course).

Aubrey and I learned how to play "clue" for our special time this week.  That was fun.  I was surprised that she caught on.  We tried to show Jonathan and Mariah but they didn't really get it.

Jonathan and I made cookies together that were super yummy!  He is getting better at cracking the eggs.

Mariah is an amazing helper with Amelia.  She plays very well with her and completely adores her.

Amelia can go down the stairs very good now.  She was so excited the first time and we all clapped and cheered for her.  It was so adorable.

All of my kids are really good kids and I enjoy being their mom and doing things with them.