Just for Fun

Happy Friday!

Pre-Term Nesting

I've had a little "bug" lately to do some creative projects. Nothing too big mind you. Just little things that make me feel happy to have accomplished something.

Here are some of what I have done the past few weeks:

This is our little craft dresser. It's a mess inside of paper, paints, etc. The whole thing could use a nice white-wash painting job, but like I said, I didn't want any really big project. Just small ones. So I decided to paint the knobs.

A close-up. Daisies, of course, for the "daisy room."

I also did some remaking of our outlet covers and switch-plates in the playroom. Just some craft paper I had around and Mod Podge.

A close-up.

This is a storage bench I bought months ago - it was pretty ugly and gross. So I painted it white and then we "reupholstered" the seat with some fabric and vinyl covering. We'll put our outside shoes, etc., in it.

My kitchen curtains. I like how it turned out - I've never done grommets before and really love how it looks.

So that's it for now. Now we are working on outside projects - watering our newly-planted peas, setting up a wildflower section in our yard, etc.

Fun times.

Heard of this one???

Ovarian cystic fibrosis cancer.

Apparently it can develop suddenly in female sales-girls upon realizing that I am not going to purchase whatever it is they are selling.

Very interesting. . .

Brown versus. . .

Quote of the Week:

Background: We were playing in the playroom a few days ago and were playing with play-dough. Miles was making all sorts of food. He kept asking for the brown play-dough because he wanted to make bread. I told him I guess we didn't have brown and that he'd just have to pretend with another color. No, that wouldn't do for Miles - he is too much of a realist.

So then he asked me, "What other color of bread is there?"

I replied: "White."

His reply: "Really, there is white bread?"

(now, yes, we do have white bread on occasion - like french bread, etc. but i love that we don't have it often enough that it struck him as wonderment that there is such a thing as white bread.)

Oh We Love Her (plus one other picture for fun)

Oh she's crazy, too. She can drive me insane. But oh I wouldn't trade this girl for the world.

Here she is literally running away from a roly-poly. Yes, that's right - a roly poly. (which is very unlike her - she is not girly-girly very much)

Looking down. . . where the bugs are.

And happy she is "so tall!" (i.e, so far from the roly-poly bugs)

Here's she is not running from the bugs. She loves to "race." Race herself, mom, Jonas, etc. "Ready, set, go!" she exclaims. Love it.

Ben just getting home from work. . . and picking up some tag-a-longs for the last part of his ride. (I don't think I've ever shown Ben's bike. It's awesome. We got it about 6 months ago? He's oh so handsome on it.)

Scout

Scout is the newest member of our family. I don't have time to go in to all the details, but you can find out why we wanted a new dog here. We weren't planning on getting one super soon, but a free dog was advertised in the paper and so we took a chance.

He's very much a puppy. A big puppy. The kids are scared of him, yet like him a whole lot. They just hide in their rooms when I bring him in the house - except Emmy, she is the brave one. But Scout needs to learn to not jump up - that's what scares the kids. I have to tie him up outside when we are all out there. The kids can't calm down and that excites Scout, even more, and so we have to tie him up until he and the kids can calm down. I don't blame any of them - dogs or kids!

I have taken him on several 10-minute "jogs" in the morning and he still has a lot to learn - but I love going with him already.

Anyways, that's more than I thought I would write.

Pictures:

He's cute, huh? A chocolate-lab and "something" mix. The previous owners are unsure exactly of the paternal side. But they think Australian Shepard.

He's a big puppy, that is for sure. My mom asked if he was going to get bigger than Wilson, our beagle. Um, he already is.

He is already pretty good at playing fetch.

But since he is big, I think I am going to fork over the big-bucks and get him into obedience classes. He's definitely smart enough to do great.

So we'll see. . .

Why My Boys Won't Be Getting Married Too Soon

background:

So as I was bathing my children last Saturday evening I was talking to them about good hygiene. As they were washing up I told them how it's important to clean under their armpits. I told them that one day they'll stink and then no girls or boys will want to play with them (all in good fun, of course). And I told them girls wouldn't date a stinky boy.

So then I asked them what they would do on a date.

Jonas' reply:

"I would toot."

Excuse me? Sheesh.

Miles' reply:

"I would go to the forest and eat a bear."

To which Jonas then said:

"I would eat the girl!"

Easter Sunday

I really enjoyed our day today. We had a fun "general conference tradition" breakfast: baked pancakes. They are so delicious with lemon juice, powder sugar, and fresh strawberries. Yum.

Then we all went to watch conference at church this morning and that was really nice. The kids mainly just colored. Emmy had to leave twice due to tantrums, but other than that, it was pretty nice.

In the afternoon the boys got to do some painting of their wood craft - while Emmy was napping (perfect timing). We also got our resurrection rolls ready (which turned out pretty fun and exciting. It's kind of a silly idea, but the kids ate it up - literally. Ha. But seriously, they really did like it and got to help with the marshmallows, etc.)

When conference started at 2 we had the boys come in and watch with us. I had found some "conference bingo" cards in a binder my mom had given me awhile back and so we did that. The boys got MnMs to place on their cards every time they heard a certain phrase, etc. It went very well. They stayed for an hour. It was great. Then they went back and finished up their craft while Ben and I (and sometimes Emmy) finished up the great conference.

After dinner we did these "spiritual eggs" I found online. It was great to do with our young kids, I think. Next year I'll change the scripture references, though, as I found some of them not totally linked to the object inside the egg. Then we watched this video and was requested by Jonas to watch it again. I take that as a good sign. So it was a nice day.

I took a few pictures before church, just for fun. I didn't buy anything or make anything special for Easter, but I wanted to get some pictures anyways:

So adorable in my most humble of mother's opinion.

And I just really liked these pictures of Emmy (I tried to get the boys by themselves, too, but they didn't turn out good).

Happy Easter everyone.

Easter Saturday

Our Easter fun started early Saturday morning. Well technically it started Friday as I was able to head out by myself up to Grand Junction - we had to get our car looked at. After the car was looked at, I shopped around a bit. I found the best 2nd-hand store ever. Especially for little girls. I bought Emmy 4 pairs of short - all 3 dollars and under, and super cute. I also made it over to Michaels and loved it there - buying all sorts of little craft-toys for the kids (all $1 and under). Things like wood puzzles, bead things, painted wooden kits, etc. I was super excited about it as my kids like crafts and we just don't have those things in this town. OH, but my favorite buy at Michaels - the scratch-n-sniff stickers! As soon as Ben and I sniffed them, we were back in the 1st grade. It was awesome.

That nite Ben and I got the baskets arranged and hidden. Then Saturday bright and early, before my run, I hid the easter eggs in the backyard.

I had gotten back just before everyone else was waking up. Miles was the first to come into our room and he was just so excited about it all. He had to peek out our window to see if he could see any eggs. Then he had to run downstairs to see if the Easter Bunny had eaten the egg we left for him (he had). He was so sweet. Anyways, we couldn't wait for breakfast and had to go and find the eggs. . .

Jonas finding an egg in a dirty shoe next to the smelly garbage can. Sweet.

Emmy having fun.

Miles loving Every. Minute.

Then we ate eggs (by the day's end the kids had each eaten 3 eggs) and cereal. Then off to find the baskets. . .

Emmy on the prowl.

Striking gold (and a funny face).

Jonas got his, too!

And of course, Miles. So happy about the little chicks in there, too.

A fun morning - and a yummy one, too (if you like Peeps. I certainly don't.).

Getting Ready for the Bunny. . .

(p.s. we used a dozen brown eggs and 4 white eggs. i am sold on the brown eggs. i love the deep colors it produces. neat-o.)

Happy Easter Weekend!!