Chinatown

In four months, we will be here- 

But today we are here- 

And I really wanted to be somewhere else.  

So we decided to go here-

using our imaginations, of course.  

Orange chicken was already on the menu for dinner, so I decided to make a trip out of it.  

We made paper lanterns, ate on the floor with chopsticks, and learned a bit about Chinese culture. 

We located China is on our big map- 

and discovered fortune cookies.  

(Important Life BC sidenote- on one of our first dates, Jason took me to P.F. Changs.  My fortune cookie read, "Follow the advice of your heart." A few weeks later, we were engaged.  I have that fortune taped into my journal, which I had to pull out to double check the saying after I stumbled over the words while telling the story to the kids.  That journal will make for great reading-while -nursing material.  Expect many more Life BC stories soon.)

My fortune today read, "You will find luck when you go home."  A timely fortune considering my efforts to stay home today.

We all learned to say "hello" in Chinese ("knee-how!")

and our dragon puppet making efforts were abandoned when we could no long ignore the "put-me-to-bed" screams of Miss Emma.  

Still, the night was a hit, and I'm especially fond of the new decoration in our toy room.  

Since we want to make the very most out of our Disney trip, we are putting all of our extra pennies into our Disney fund.  Part of that means we have decided not to go on as many mini-vacations as we might like to in the next few months. Maybe more nights like this will help us feel like we're going places anyway.  The votes for our next trip's destination?  Mexico (Jason), Italy (me), Candy World (Leah) or Utah (Adam)!

Presidents Day

When we moved here in 2009 we were thrilled to find out that Purdue had a fall break.  We booked a hotel in Chicago and started planning our first trip there.  A few days before we were supposed to leave, Jason's advisor Torbert informed us that graduate students did not get days off for fall break, spring break, or any other break until the day they die, or graduate, whichever comes first.  So we rescheduled our trip for a Saturday/Sunday instead of a Sunday/Monday and still had an awesome time, with the lesson learned that we would not be looking forward to any holidays for the next few years.

Fast forward to 2012, when we received a surprise phone call last Sunday night from Grandma Morales, saying that she was in town visiting a friend for Presidents Day weekend and was coming up to see us!  Of course, Jason had to go to school and couldn't see her, but the kids and I had a great time visiting with her for a few hours.  We embarrassed ourselves over lunch at Camilles (remember how I jinxed myself last week by saying that my kids behave so well in public?  Ha.  Ha ha!), caught up on all of the family goings-on, and I got a glorious 2 hours by myself (with Emma) while Adam and Leah played with Grandma.  One of the hardest parts about coming back from visiting family was the loss of the "quick trip out" while leaving the kids behind to play, so that time out was a real treat for me. 

It was only a few hours, but we had a great time.  Grandma Morales does a wonderful job of minimizing all of the miles that really lay between us by visiting often.  Like Adam said, "We will pick up Leah and then we will go to Grandma's house!"  Not quite that easy, buddy, but on Monday it sure felt like it!

All About Leah

Leah loves to laugh.  

Leah loves to color.  I don't know if this is a pre-cursor to writing and reading, but she has developed the NEED to sit and color for at least 3 hours a day. 

In addition to coloring, she is trying her hand at composing music.  

 Her musical debut is called "Song for Mom".  She was quite impressed with how good it sounded when I played it on the piano for her.

Leah loves to dance.  She takes her ballet class very seriously- this is first position.

She has started learning her recital piece, and is so excited that she will get to perform in the same theater that we went to for the symphony earlier this month. 

She is a fantastic big sister.  She loves to "baby-sit" Emma while I am cooking dinner or taking a shower, and scared the pants off of me the other day when she picked Emma up and stood up with her.  She was disappointed that I wouldn't let her walk around with her.

I found out today that sometimes at night, Adam climbs into Leah's bed so they can snuggle and tell stories to each other about their favorite animals.  Those two play fantastically well together 95 percent of the time- puppy and kitty, babies, trains, cars, kitchen, and explorers are their favorite games.  The rest of the time they can be found arguing over who is really the boss of the Barbie computer.

Leah is so full of love.  The other day she came screaming through the house looking for me.  When she found me, she said, "Mommy!  I just needed to tell you that I love you!"

 Leah got her first progress report from preschool this week.  She is doing fantastically well in all of her letters, numbers, colors, and social skills, so we needed to celebrate.  Leah insisted that we eat cupcakes and drink non-spicy (carbonated) apple juice out of the fancy glasses.  So we did, and she loved it.  She kept saying, "This is the best treat ever.  This is just the best thing ever."

All About Leah (filled out for her church class)

Age: 5

My birthday is December 30th

I have 5 people in my family

My favorite food is macaroni and cheese

My favorite thing about Primary is singing songs

I choose the right by obeying my mommy

One of my favorite things to do is ride my bike

My favorite scripture story is Alma the Younger because he learned to say nice things

The most important thing I've learned in life so far is... 

I have learned about Jesus and how to zip up my coat.

That's What You Get...

... for asking a two-year old and a five-year old to help you find a missing shoe for their baby sister.  At least they were thorough.

All About Jason

Is it any wonder that our kids are so enamored by Jason?  He isn't around very much (read- not many opportunities to lose his temper or scold anyone) and he does really cool things with the kids all the time.

I think it kind of hurt Leah's feelings when she asked me who my "best, best, best, BEST Valentine is" and I said Jason, but it's true.  He does so much for me, so much for our family, and rarely complains.  He is my best Valentine of all.

Jason is always encouraging me to try new things, take myself out of my comfort zone, and give myself a little slack.  He suggested that we start double dating, and, while I think it sounds so fun, I'm right back to my geeky high school self, wondering who we'll go out with and whether or not they'll really like me... er... us.

Right now he's sanding away at my Valentine's Day gift... big reveal coming soon.

He's getting ready to take his prelims this week- the tests that will determine just how much more time we will be here at Purdue before he is ready to graduate.  He's confident, his advisor is confident, so I'll be confident, too.  Not that we are in any rush to leave Indiana, it's just that we're coming up on 10 years of college, so a light at the end of the tunnel would be nice.  Eventually.

All About Adam

Adam... I never imagined my heart would be so full as it is for Mr. Man.

I'm a super-hero!  Super Adam!  To the rescue!

Adam is my tiny little sweetheart.  He is very patient for a two-year old, and spends a lot of his time being put off in the name of a bigger crisis (usually a crying baby sister).  He loves broccoli, red bell peppers, raisins and carrots.  He loves Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear and wearing slippers to bed.  He is learning to ride a big boy bike, and wants to wrestle with his daddy the minute he walks in the door.  He loves figuring things out- how to take things apart or put things together- and loves to pretend he is a doggy- I get lots of licks on my legs every day- or a birdy who nests in the pillows in my bedroom.  He loves to wear "my coot (rhymes with boot) jacket with my name on it".

Adam loves the word "actually", and he actually uses it correctly all the time.  "I want cinnamon sugar toast.  Actually, I want peanut butter toast."  "I want to play with Percy.  Actually, I want to play with Thomas." Or today's favorite- "I'm getting my pajamas on.  I'm Captain Dependable! (then gives up and sits down) "Actually, I'm not."

While talking about our goals for this year, we said that this is the year that Adam will turn three and start using the potty.  He took that to mean this is the year he will turn three and THEN start using the potty.  I've tried to convince him that he can start using the potty any time he'd like, but he is adamant that he needs to turn three first.  "I'm not dis many (holding up three fingers) I'm just dis many (holding up two) so you have to change my poops, Mommy."  I know we'll get there soon enough, and I certainly don't want to push it before he's ready, but I think the ability to articulate your desire to have a clean diaper should be a pretty good indicator that potty training is on the horizon.

Adam loves to go into details.  Whether he's talking about what he did during the day, his favorite part of the museum, or how to play a particular game, he loves to go on and on and on about every detail.  And don't try to interrupt or speed him along, or you will get "shooshed".  This makes for very long prayers when it's Adam's turn.  I think Heavenly Father likes hearing all about his take on the various sizes of sandwiches we all have on our plates, the number of owies he has on his fingers, and what we've done so far each day.

Adam is really good at finding people when we play Hide-and-Seek.  We're still working on the hiding part.

Adam is learning all about good choices and bad choices (indicated by a thumbs up or a thumbs down), and likes to tell me when I have made a bad choice by being mean to him (ie, insisting that he put clothes on instead of wearing pajamas all day).  He tells me, "Mommy, woo get a sumbs down because you made a bad choice.  So woo be nice to me, okay?"  And how can I resist such a sweet face?

He's graduated to the big kid swing.  He loves to be pushed higher and higher, and then giggles, "Dis is so fun!"

He loves Emma.  Oh my, does he love her.  I was trying to take a picture of her the other day and he popped right down next to her, threw his arm around her and smiled for the camera.

I had to take a few, they were so cute.

But for as much as he loves her, he is completely offended by her bodily fluids- namely spit-up and drool.  We were playing with Little People one day and he was trying to get everyone set up, only to have Emma reach over and snatch up the nearest one and pop it into her mouth.  He would then proceed to trade toys with her (another concept we're working on) and say, "Uh-oh, Mommy.  Emma chewed on dis one so we have to go clean it off."  Then we would march over the the bathroom and rinse off the slobbered upon toy and return to the toy room, only to find that she had snatched up another.  So it would repeat.  "Uh-oh, Mommy.  Emma chewed on dis one so we have to go clean it off."  And off we would march again.  Five times we did this before it was time to clean up.

Adam does not like it when I wear my hair in a ponytail.  "Woo put it down so it be's long."  So cute that he has an opinion.

I love having Adam home with me in the mornings while Leah is at preschool.  He is pretty easily entertained- we made a potion at the kitchen sink the other day, which he thought was so fun.

Especially when he figured out how to shoot water through the funnel all over the kitchen.

All About Emma Grace

Tiny enough to fit under the counters (not that I left her there for more than 1.5 seconds to snap a picture)

LOVES her mama- day and night, we are best friends.  Her naps are getting more predictable, as is nighttime sleep.  She gets up in the night more than I would prefer, but that doesn't really change until my babies are weaned and sleeping 12 hours straight... and we're certainly not there yet.  But, oh how I wish we were.

Is only moderately interested in eating solid foods, but likes the two or three bites she's had so far.

Has started "talking"- she has a very distinctive screeeeech when she is saying "Hello!"

Gets so much love from her brother and sister- sometimes even a little too much, but she always handles it well.  She loves all of the attention.

Wants to put everything into her mouth- we've reached the stage where there everything at the table has to be pushed to an arms-reach radius away from her so she doesn't terrorize everyone's dinner.

Has fantastic posture!  She is an suddenly an expert sitter.

Loves to take in all of the action that is going on around her.  I don't ever have to worry about Emma getting enough stimulation with Leah and Adam around.

Gives me great big hugs that only wrap halfway around my neck, but I love them all the same.

She has roaming nursing hands- she likes to feel my face, my shirt, my hair.  The other morning she was nursing in bed and fell asleep with her tiny little hand resting on my heart.  It was adorable.

Emma has such a sweet, sweet spirit.  She lights up the room with her beautiful gummy smile.

Wait a sec...

I thought this combination of Mommy sweater and baby dress looked familiar...

Of course, I didn't really know my baby would be so adorable in the dress when we picked it out!

Buckets of Fun for Everyone!

It took a full four weeks to get the itch to get out of the house after our loooong trip west.  The kids and I went to Indianapolis this week to check out the new Mr. Potato Head exhibit at the Children's Museum.  At $1 a ticket, we visit there often, and always love it.  I wasn't sure what to expect being there alone with my three kids (two hands of mind holding three hands of theirs could have been a recipe for disaster), but the trip went just as well as it could have. 

For some reason I feel more competent as a mother when we are out and about- as long as my kids are behaving well.  "Look!  We're out doing an enriching, fun-filled activity where you can learn and run and laugh and play" speaks to me a whole lot more than "It's another day at home.  I have to do the laundry/cook the meals/clean the house/preserve naptime/fit in having lots of fun with my children while they are still home for the bulk of the day because kindergarten is looming just around the corner and sssshh!  The baby is asleep!"  Of course, I don't have the energy to take everyone out every day, but that makes it all the more special when we do go out.

And it helps that my kids are pretty reserved in public- I rarely have to deal with running off or screaming tantrums on the floor or trying to figure out how to carry more than one child out of a public place because they just won't obey.  I probably just jinxed myself, but so far, so good.  And that's saying a lot, since I have seen the wrath of a certain two-year old of mine, and it is not pretty.

It also helped that we were there on a Thursday afternoon in February.  The museum was as quiet as I've ever seen it, and that made it much more enjoyable for us- and easier for me to keep my two eyes on my three kids... of course, Emma's immobility made it pretty easy, too.  We decided ahead of time which exhibits we would visit in the allotted time we had (Jason was down there working so we only had a few hours to play), and had fun checking out Jacques Coustato and Mr. Potato Head, PhD at the new exhibit.  We also said good-bye to the Barbie exhibit, Leah's favorite.  We hid in a prehistoric cave while a flesh-eating T-rex searched for us, had boat races in the waterworks exhibit, and finished up at the carousel.  Leah was thrilled to finally get to ride on the jeweled horse, while Adam, Emma and I chose the more tame giraffes. 

It was a delightful trip, and with the reality of 5-day-a-week kindergarten ahead of us, even if it's only half-day, I am going to try to squeeze in as many of these "let's have fun just because we can" days as I can.

Family Power!

One of my goals for 2012 is to have more meaningful, deliberate Family Home Evenings on Monday nights.  Jason and I trade weeks for being in charge of teaching a very quick and simple lesson to the kids then having lots of fun with activities and food.  We assigned a gospel topic or theme to every month to help guide our lessons.  I am going to try to blog about some of our FHE successes and I'll probably write about the failures, too.

This month the theme has been "Eternal Families".  We believe that our family lived together in heaven before we came to Earth, that we can love each other and work together as a team while we are on the Earth, and that we can live together when we go back to heaven some day. 

Our first lesson was all about being a family team.  We talked about all of the things that our family has to look forward to in 2012.  We are going to learn more about Jesus Christ, the temple, the scriptures, and prayer.  Jason is graduating, Leah is starting kindergarten and taking ballet lessons, Adam will start Joy School and start using the potty, Emma will learn to walk and maybe even talk, and I will keep us all fed, clean, and sane... hopefully!  We're going on a Disney vacation and moving to a new house.  It's a big year!  We made a family power poster with our handprints on it and pictures of all our goals, then we made homemade ice cream to show how hard work can really pay off!

Our next lesson was all about sticking together as a family.  We showed clips of the LDS musical Saturday's Warrior where the family is in heaven, waiting to come down to Earth.  (And boy, does that movie seem way cheesier than it ever did when I was a kid!) After they sang, "Pullin' together we can work it out" we got into the kitchen and made homemade pretzels.  We had to pull the dough to get the pretzels ready, and the kids had a great time making different shapes with the dough.  I think we ended up with a pretzel 5, 2, snake, and heart in addition to the traditional shape.

Our third lesson was supposed to be this week- all about speaking kindly to each other, giving compliments and using manners.  I wanted to make homemade Valentines, play Sweet Potato (instead of Hot Potato, you toss the ball and give a compliment) and share a story about a boy who used garbage words.  But the night never happened- Monday night Jason took the kids out to buy Valentines gifts for me, Tuesday, we had our romantic family dinner, and by Wednesday, we realized that we needed to use our family night to help Leah write her talk for Primary this Sunday.  Even though we didn't follow the monthly theme, we still had fun playing Choose the Right Memory and acting out Nephi breaking his bow in the wilderness.

Overall, the more deliberate Family Home Evenings have been fun so far.  The kids are much more engaged when we are doing a variety of activities and, of course, when tasty food is involved.  And the themes give Jason and I a chance to really focus on the things that we want to be teaching in our home.

We'll see how we do throughout the year!