the reason why I have to clean feet print off my walls…

tumbling.

and it’s not just feet print…  there’s a lot of hand prints on those walls of mine too.

practicing is a good thing, right?

another good thing, they love it.  I certainly helps that it is their aunt mikell kitty-cat jazz hands pitcher (and grandma) who is teaching them.  it is also good that they have this in their genes.

(paternal genetics, not mine.)

they absolutely love it. 

I love watching them.

peyton even gets her own private lesson.  who on earth would want to be left out of this kind of fun?

I have to say she is the best, and I mean that honestly.  not because I have known mikell kitty-cat jazz hands pitcher since she was, like 4, not because she is merrill’s little sis, not because she can rock the fake laugh/hand under the chin pose, but because she is an awesome teacher, great at what she does, and so incredibly motivating and fun.

all of this makes my more frequent wall-washing worth it.

It's Official..

Or little Kitty is really 16!
I can hardly believe it.. I remember her being in diapers, taking her to kindergarten, calming her down during lightning storms, and drawing Pooh Bear on her cast.. and who could forget the cruise with it's crap-tastic chocoholic buffet?! ;)
And now she's growing up..
Happy Birthday Kitty, Spanky, Kells, Kell-Bell!!!!Love ya!

Oh, Edward...

What a delicious movie!
I worked hard on these to have 4 pair done for tonight... thanks for moral support Brooke, and for your cutting skills!
Really, first showing... Kaitlyn and MiKell got the tickets... yay for them! And we had a blast.. I got to be young and carefree for a few hours... after I got 2/3 of my children to sleep ;)
The movie was awesome!!! For those of you going to see it, may I suggest the nachos, diet Coke, popcorn WITH milkduds (Christie taught me this, and it is a must try...) and some sour patch kids, for when you think Edward and Bella are going to kiss, but they don't...
Now I am off to maybe 4 or 5 hours of sleep!
Worth it!!!

What up?!

We've been keeping busy... that's how life is!
We had josh over the other night. Boys sure are fun! I just wonder if he feels the same way about little girls (note Ashley's expression)... our little girls to be more specific.
Last night, Mer's mom and dad took the two older girls to a Bonneville game to watch Kaitlyn and MiKell. We enjoyed dinner at El Matador with Pey. Everyone there missed the girls :(. It was chilly at the game, despite me bundling them up... but they sure had a good time! Love the shirts! Thanks Darlene and Dixon!
We also had a hands on (or should I say mouth on) lesson why we don't leave certain things where Pey can reach... Lynn has a hard time remembering this... her blue marker was the victim.
Today at Super Saturday for our Tri-Ward Relief Society activity, I finished Peyton's scarf. I had finished her beanie a while ago... this was the closest I could get to "Peyton Green"... I wish I could have found something more vibrant... It was fun to sit and visit!
Now she is ready for all of this cold weather and the little bit of snow we got today. Yes, snow.
We had such a darling speaker while we ate lunch today. She was the mission President's wife, Sister Joyce. What a cute lady! She said so many things that I want to remember forever! Christie said it best when she said, "I just wish I had a tape recorder!" I agree.
She talked about how we are all daughters of God. That we should be treated as such. She talked about personal revelation, Atonement experiences, how we shouldn't feel like we should have to do "everything". She also talked about priorities. I learned many important lessons.
One lesson:
"Is there a dog in the room?"
She related an experience she had with a young woman when she was teaching seminary. This girl spoke to her mother in such a disrespectful tone, Sister Joyce asked her, "Is there a dog in the room? Because I know you wouldn't speak to your mother that way." I'm gonna pull that one out on the kids when they get mouthy with me, with one another too.
Another lesson:
"Be Still."
When I am running around as a mother, I need to be still. Sure, there are lots of things that need to be done, many things that I want to do. However, I need to pause, be still, and listen. I need to be able to receive promptings and revelation and I can't make myself too busy to hear.
I was so thankful for this afternoon. I felt like a half-full cup. After going there, I feel full to the brim!
Merrill was so sweet and took such good care of all the girls, holding Peyton and snuggling her as she napped!
I am so blessed!

I told you they were coming..

MiKell, Me, and Kaitlyn, risked life and limb, to get our kicks riding the Skycoaster at Lagoon...
Getting in our jumpsuit apparatus...
Just a wee bit excited...
Wanting to do it again!
Thanks to Brooke for taking the pics on MiKell's cell phone... she didn't come prepared with living batteries in her own... geez, doesn't she know that we all count on her and her camera yet?! ( just kidding ya Brookers :)..)

the rest...

so here's the rest of my day (i am typing this one handed because the other one is busy holding my 12+ pound night owl...):
6 am... peyton is still asleep, go for a run. good timing when i get home, peyton had just woken up! love it when things work out so well.
did laundry most of the day.
waited on pins and needles to hear if mikell made cheerleader...
and she did (i knew she would...)
we went and ate at chili's for dinner with most of the fam. (love you katie!)
we sat at what mer calls "the kids table". we missed out on most of the adult conversation. mer was bummed cause he was looking forward to having austio there to yuk it up with him again... those kids are funny though, that sophie... hallie said, as if we didn't know, "i have a weirdo for a sister." sophie was especially giggly and silly.
ash jumped on my back when we were getting out of the car (lynn and mer drove in the truck after we picked it up from the warehouse...) and had me carry her in. i told her i had a lot of other stuff to carry in too, i.e. my purse, the box of leftovers, peyton... she said, "you can do it mom! you are tuff!" i did it, although i nearly passed-out from her choking me... i don't know which was more exerting, running, or that feat!
peyton is pooping on me now, i guess that's why she didn't want to sleep...