Star Student

My beautiful peanut, Abby, got the honor of being the first star student in Mrs. Parra's class this year (only because that is the week I signed up for). She was so excited for me to come in and to be the center of attention. She was especially pumped up because she got to hold the teacher's special pointer stick, the only time all year she'd get that honor. So Annie, Hannah and I all got to visit her class last Friday and watch her use that pointer to show her classmates her poster and pictures. She may have been a teeny bit nervous though, because she looked straight at the poster on the wall, back completely to the kids, and talked about each and every item on her poster.

Abby really is a super star. She is a wonderful older sister and a great example to Hannah and Annie. She is kind, sweet, funny, smart and caring. I never thought I'd get through that first year of life with her, she was a permanent attachment on my hip. Only I could make her happy. But I look back and think how precious she really was and I wish I could go back and just scoop her up and cuddle her sometimes, but she's just too cool now and I'm getting to be too dorky for her (I've always been dorky, but I've had my kids fooled).

Abby I love you and as much as I wish you'd quit growing, I'm excited to see the wonderful young woman you are going to grow to become, because I'm seeing it already - just don't to it too fast.

Silly Bands

So, I really thought we could get through this latest fad without ever buying one single silly band. I didn't feel like I was depriving my kids the fun of the latest trend, they were coming home with new ones that they somehow mooched off their friends, or more likely, that their friends gave them taking pity on them. But that all changed Monday. The kids talked me into going to Wal-mart to buy their own silly bands. I didn't realize so many came in a pack, something like 2000 for a dollar. (Now I don't feel so bad that my kids have been bummin em' off others. I think I now owe some kind kids that took mercy on my kiddos a whoppin' 30 cents). But they all used their own money and we came home with quite a load of Silly Bands.

Now my kids look properly sloppy. They are not good-looking bracelets. They look messy, but as in all fads, this too shall pass.

Of Course I Would (like, duh!)

Here is a little conversation that happened in our car on the way home from St. Johns. First, a little background though. Hannah is a bit of a tormentor to her siblings. Therefore, no one wants to sit by her. They stay as far away from her as possible. For reasons such as: when playing slug bug, Hannah takes her own version of it and starts wailing on everybody saying, "tree, grass, car, stick..." Anything she can see, she hits someone for it. She teases, touches and pesters.

(Notice all the mosquito bites all over Hannah's face. The rest of her body was way worse)

So anyway, as we were on our way home, near Snowflake, Jake had the privilege of sitting by Hannah in the back seat. We were looking out at the sky which was beautiful. Rays of sunshine were breaking through the clouds. It was breathtaking, actually (in a good way, not like in Seinfeld).

(Look at how green it is. The White Mountains are the greenest I have ever seen them)

Jake: That cloud looks like Jesus is coming down.

Hannah: If he was coming down, would you jump out of the car and give him a hug?

Jake: Yes, would you?

Hannah: Of course I would!

It was so matter of fact, so simple and made Jeremy and I look at each other and smile.

I love listening to my kids, though sometimes I wish I drove a limo as the family car. That way when there is arguing I could just roll up the window separating us and drive in peace, but then I'd miss those conversations. And those conversations make the unbearable teasing worth it, I guess.

Cyndi's 60th

This weekend the Platt's all got together to celebrate Cyndi's 60th birthday. And what a great weekend it was! We had the great idea to surprise her in the temple on Friday night. All week long I was just giddy with excitement, unexpectedly clapping or smiling just thinking about how shocked she would be to see us all there. She and Drew work in the Snowflake temple, so all that could, gathered for the 6:30 session. Her coordinator was in on the surprise, bless her heart, and made sure that she would be where we needed her. It was not quite the dramatic effect I had expected since when we entered she didn't see us and we didn't see her. It drew out the drama a little bit more as one by one she saw us all. She cried and cried. It was a great temple experience.

Then on Saturday, we all set about getting ready for the big garden party in their backyard. It was so wonderful. It all came together so perfectly. The food was yummy and Koe was the perfect emcee. Then came the flower ceremony where we all presented her with a flower and told her why we appreciated her or loved her. Her kids all told funny stories. Then we gave her one of my favorite picture books, One in a Billion. It is a great story about a flower who spends his time in a gardener's home where he is loved and cared for. Then comes the day when he is transplanted to the garden where there are billions of other flowers. He suddenly feels so insignificant like he doesn't matter. He eventually learns a life lesson we all need, and that is that we are all important and we are all one in a billion, not just one of a billion.

It was a fun weekend with a lot of laughter, work, smiles and good times.

Happy Birthday Cyndi!

School, Barbies, Gym and School

The kids are off to school! Yay! Abby was super excited for school to start, and Jake, not so much. He could have easily done another 2 months of summer. But we met the teachers and when Jake saw he had a boy teacher, Mr. Ludwig, he suddenly became excited and has come home every single day since happy about school. Abby is loving Mrs. Parra, she says she is funny and super nice.
I love the excitement of the first day: packing all the school supplies, getting blessings the night before, the lunches, and the best - the first day outfit. This year, the craze was skinny jeans. I thought Jake was going to die if he didn't get a pair to start the year. So the night before school started, both kids got their outfits ready including their new skinny jeans, or as Abby calls them, tight pants. As you can see from the pics though, that Jake didn't last long in his. He got ready, got a few pics taken outside and then realize how freakin' hot it was. So at the last minute he ran in to change into shorts, but he came out with his favorite black and red basketball shorts, but still wearing the new plaid button down shirt. Oh Jake, you are such a boy. I made him change again into his last year's first day shorts that I don't think he's worn since, because they were not bball shorts - So much nicer looking, don't ya think?

Hannah started pre-school this week too. I stewed for a long time about if I should spring the big bucks for Discovery Club, and in the end, decided it would be worth the money. She loves her teachers and has happily gone every day (all 3 days that is) - knock on wood. She is so fearful of new situations that I worried she would freak out about going, but good teachers that truly care make such a difference. As the poor middle child, I think she often gets the shaft in many things so I'm indulging her in the great pre-school. Isn't she darling in her new outfit? And look at the mullet, it's practically all grown out!

Barbies - I think they are going to be the death of me! Hannah and Annie are definintely on a Barbie kick. They play with them all the time. But I swear if I had a nickel for every Barbie outfit I've changed, I'd be a millionaire - or at least 5 dollars richer. I think Barbies are 2nd most annoying toy - I'm giving the most annoying award to Transformers. It takes a Phd in engineering to figure those things out. Anyway, I hate Barbie outfits - they are all tight, immodest (which my girls always point out), and frightfully difficult to put on. If it wasn't for the flexed feet, spread out fingers and immovable elbows, they might be a little easier to dress, but wowee, they sure annoy me!

I am officially a sellout. After years of not having a gym membership, I finally got one to the new LA Fitness. After I miscarried, my dad mentioned that I could hike the Grand Canyon with them in Sept. 5 weeks to train, no prob! Now that Alex and I are working out so faithfully everyday, I just might make it out. It's great having a friend to get me to the gym each day, even though most days we end up cursing our insane instructors and the machines that are making us sore every day.

On a final note, I have decided to go back to school. I'm now enrolled at Rio Salado taking classes to get my reading endorsement. I'm also in the process of applying to MCC for their nursing program, but not to worry, the wait list is about 2 years which gives me plenty of time to change my mind, and knowing me, I'll probably change it about 6000 times between now and then.

Summer's Over!

The other day Jake mentioned how quick summer went by and how we did nothing. WHAT? NOTHING you say? So I made him start down the list of everything we did and it seemed quite long, including:

Basketball camp

Summer sports camp

Chores

Reading

Arkansas

Canoeing in Arkansas

Rafting in our side yard after irrigation and rain

Big Time Rush - the new favorite annoying Nickelodeon show of Jake and Abby

Playing Big Time Rush with Jack and Jay R.

Swimming at Stapley pool

Swimming at The Wood's house

Swimming at Maddix and Bronson's - thanks Alex!

Camping

Spending the week at Grandma and Grandpa Platt's house (I haven't blogged about it yet, oops)

Slip'n'sliding

3 Movies - a record for a family that averages one movie every 2 years.

As far as I'm concerned it was a pretty good summer. The kids had fun, got bored at times and that's when ICarly came to the rescue with her same 5 episodes played over and over again. I'd love to say I'm a better mom, but sometimes I needed a break and a nap and ICarly was the perfect babysitter as irritating as the show is and as loud as it can get. But I think the kids enjoyed themselves and had a great summer and their hair didn't even turn green!

here are a few random pics from slip'n'sliding and the rafting in Lake Platt

Annie Makes me Smile

Here are a few things Annie's been saying and doing lately to make me smile:

All summer she has had an obsession with baby dolls. She carries them everywhere wrapped in blankets, towels, t-shirts, you name it. But today she has replaced her babydolls with her new found toy, a stuffed ladybug, (I'm not even quite sure where it came from), and she's been carrying it and cuddling it everywhere calling it her 'lazy bug.'

When I came back from my d&c, my bro Joe was mowing my lawn, which was wonderful, thank you. Annie says to me, "Mom, Joe lawned our grass."

Then a few days later she asked me if I was going to swim with her, I said no and she said, "When you're done sicking can you swim?" "Yes, or course I will when I'm done sicking." Then she wrapped herself around me, hugged me and kissed me and said, "Now you're done sicking, you can go swimming." Oh Annie, I love you.

This year, for at least part time it will be just me and Annie. I'm kinda excited and hoping for a lot more cute Annie-isms.