A Glimpse

My camera caught a glimpse into the teenage years... expressions I probably won't be inclined to post about in 10 or so years-

"Seriously, Mom?  You want me to smile for the camera?  I don't think so."

"This place is so totally lame.  I'm going to the mall with my friends."

Makes me even more grateful for every "You're the bestest mommy in the whole wide world" day that we have together now.

Me and My Baby

The blue-eyed ladies in the family...

Leah's Preschool Graduation

For all of the back and forth that we did over sending Leah to preschool, we couldn't have been happier with her experience at Federated Preschool.  She loved her teachers, Miss Dee and Miss Lori, she made new friends, and she learned, played, and had fun.  The class provided structure to her mornings and our weeks, and she is now weilding scissors like a pro. 

Best of all, we're now able to use the lessons learned from preschool to prepare her for the uncertainties of kindergarten.  Not sure if you'll like your teacher?  We've been there before, and you loved them both!  Worried you won't know anyone in your class?  You felt the same way last year, and look at all of the friends you made! 

Leah's teachers said she was always the girl the other girls flocked to, that everyone wanted to play with.  She never had to sit in the time-out chair, and she eventually got over the tire-swing incident and was able to enjoy the playground again.

Drawings

Leah likes to draw out her feelings- "This is how I felt when you told me no" or "this is a bad guy giving a trophy for the best blister because he is mean."  It's pretty easy to figure out what is going on in her head and in her heart because she will sit down and draw it out. 

I am usually the one who gets drawn with the angry scribble mouth or the one causing tears to fall down sad children's cheeks because I won't give them a fourth cookie, and that's okay.  I'm a tough-skinned mama.  But it warmed my heart a tiny bit to see this picture-

A loud-mouthed daddy saying, "When I'm done!".  Glad to know I'm not the only bad guy around here.

Vertical Ascent

 This little girl is everywhere!  She is taking to pulling up like a fish to water.

When she doesn't have a thrilled-with-herself grin on her face, it's a shocked look of "How did I get here?  I love this!"

Chicago Again

 

We have been trying to decide over the years if it's better to take a day trip to Chicago to attend the temple, or to do an overnight trip.  Going up and back in one day makes for a long day but it saves money on meals and hotel.  Overnight trips mean more packing, but more time to enjoy the city.

This weekend proved that overnighters are the clear champion.

Plenty of time to swim in the pool, enjoy Chicago-style pizza, and run around in the hotel while Jason and I take turns attending the temple (one Friday night, one Saturday morning).  Jason went to the temple on Friday night, which left me to swim with, bathe, and put the kids to bed.  Emma was not at all interested in sleeping in such an unfamiliar place, which resulted in the best part of the night- snuggling up by the fold-out couch with Emma in my arms and telling a bedtime story to Adam and Leah, who quickly dropped off to sleep.

The trip left us with most of Saturday to do something in Chicago.  This weekend we chose the Lincoln Park zoo, which was free and so much fun.  The weather was perfect, the crowds were manageable, and the exhibits were great.

We had to get our traditional family-by-the-giraffe picture-

And the rest of the day went on without a hitch.  I love the lowest right picture here, where Adam told me he was "having some alone time in dis cave," and the picture of the two-fisted cookie monster Emma, who loved her first trip to the zoo and happens to be wearing the same shirt that Leah wore on her first trip to the zoo.  When your older and you really care, Emma, I promise I will buy you your own clothes.  Unless you just want to wear your big sister's hand-me-downs- I know I did!

The best part of this day was sitting on the lawn eating lunch, watching all kinds of families pass us by and letting the kids chase away over-eager seagulls to their heart's content.  There is something magical about those rare moments when time stands still and you can truly enjoy the moment- there is no worry about naps or school or money or the next thing on the to-do list- it's just you and your best friends, being together and loving it.

Remember

*Today Adam and Leah slept in until 8:30 and 8:45, respectively.

*Today we made button necklaces, snipped bits of string, and sorted buttons into color piles.  And made silly button faces.

*Today Leah offered to help get dinner ready today while I put Emma down for a nap.  I instructed, "Get a piece of chicken out of the freezer, put it in a bowl in the sink, and fill the bowl up with water".

She did exactly what I asked, only instead of pulling out a single boneless, skinless chicken breast she grabbed the monstrous bone-in split chicken breasts I bought last week for a new recipe.  She pulled off the plastic wrap with the help of an oven mitt and some dish rags, "so I wouldn't have to touch them".

I laughed for a solid 5 minutes, after I told her how brave she was to touch those giant things!  Such a good helper.

*Today the kids scarfed down raspberries and strawberries at breakfast, oranges at lunch, carrots and kiwi at dinner and bananas at bedtime just as fast as I could slice them up.  We are all loving fresh summer produce.

*Today we sailed on a ship to "Afwica"- Adam's Baby T-Rex (his stuffed stegosaurus) was the fierce dinosaur that scared away the sharks in the water (aka Emma).

*Today Leah and Adam played happily in the backyard, gathering wheat and clover to make pillows for the beds in their outside home.

*Today Adam was thrilled to hurry into his pajamas so he could try out his new "Likikeen" (Lightening McQueen) pull-ups.

*Today Emma broke away from her quiet time baby-sitter (Leah) and tracked me down in Adam's room.  His eyes, and hers, lit up when she pushed open the door and found us!

*Today we acted out the story of Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah for Family Home Evening.  Leah was the angel that commanded them to repent, Adam was the puppy dog that kept licking his little sister, and Emma was the unbeliever who kept pulling up on the stuffed animal basket.