- I have such a hard time remembering what I've put on this blog and what I haven't, and I really can't remember what I did with this little gem of a story. My friend Tamara is in primary and told me that one of the bishopric was teaching sharing time. He asked the kids if they knew anything about some specific kind of reptile (I'll have to ask Mack tomorrow what it was- something like a black-headed frog). Tamara said that McKay's hand kept going up every time he would ask a question about that animal- he knew all about it! She said, "I can tell McKay reads a lot. We were all impressed with his knowledge on the black-headed frog."
- That is not surprising to me because non-fiction animal books are pretty much his favorite. He probably knows a lot about many obscure species. Right now he is also loving Geronimo Stilton books. They are his favorite, along with the Roald Dahl collection Lindy and Al gave us for Christmas. He is on his last book in that whole set- Matilda. It's been fun talking to him about whatever Dahl book he's reading at the time.
- Included in the collection is a sort of auto-biography, although Dahl does not like to call it that. McKay wasn't super into that one, but I picked it up one day and really enjoyed it. He has quite a collection of stories and you can really see that some of the villains in his books come from his own childhood.
- Anyway, what I really want to do is profess my love for the library once more. I know I've done it many times already, but I truly do love it. I love that I can get animal books and chapter books and early readers for my kindergartner. And when I get a late fine, I even feel okay about that sometimes because I am giving back to something that has given us so much. Okay, that's quite enough about the library!
- I am going to be so sad when this pink kitty can no longer fit into the pink kitty costume. For now we are sporting it whenever she gets the feeling to, and I love it.
- This weekend Ellery learned an invaluable skill- one that she will use for the rest of her life! The child can now do pony tails. This has been very big around here. She is willing to show anyone who is interested.
- Today was the first time that I did my girls' hair and Layla's turned out easier and better than Ellery's. Layla's hair is still a lot finer than Elle's, and she just doesn't have as much of it. Usually that is tricky for me to work with, but after doing what we called a "braid crown" on Layla- which turned out so cute I could hardly stand it- I tried it on Elle and she just had WAY too much hair for it to turn out. That, and maybe my skill level on braid crowns is pretty juvenile so there could be hope for her yet. I tried a braid headband on Elle instead and although cute, it did not last much past church.
- Today in sacrament meeting the primary kids sang and Easter song. Layla was so delighted that she got to go up and sing with the kids for the first time. She didn't sing a single word of the song, but her and her braid crown looked adorable hanging over the banister in the front row. My other kids sang great and we could see them both, which is always nice
- That reminds me that one of my favorite things ever as a mom is hearing one of them stuck on a primary song and absentmindedly singing it. It is one of the best sounds I can hear.
- This reminds me that I have come to notice something special about my little Ellery. She is very receptive and drawn to being obedient. Not necessarily to me or Brian- she is a regular kid in that regard- but with spiritual things. She has as strong desire to do what is right in that spiritual sense, and I can tell already that pleasing her Heavenly Father is very important to her.
- Also, Ellery has an imaginary friend named Sammy, and this week Sammy was causing all sorts of problems around here. At Target Layla kept squishing her in the cart, in the car McKay was sitting in her spot, and the tears and fights that come if someone says she is not real- I have just about had it with Sammy. In retaliation to being annoyed with Sammy, Layla invented her own friend name Elsa and boy would Elsa and Sammy get into it.
- It is also necessary to note that Sammy looks just like Ellery, and shows up in the mirror whenever Ellery looks into one. I have no idea what Elsa looks like.
- Brian and his dad are still training for their 50 mile trail race in June. They are running themselves ragged, it seems, and I for the first time I am seriously worried when he doesn't come home when he says he's going to- there are cougars up there! They have had quite the adventures so far.
- This is McKay's animal report he did last week. He chose African Wild Dog. This is a bad picture, but he was running out the door for school when I realized I never got a picture of it. Then a week later he brought it home and I realized that this will live in his room for probably a very long time (finally got rid of the the kindergarten Valentine's box this year!) and I don't really need a picture of it.
- This year for April Fool's I put eyeballs in my girls pb&j, and I sent McKay to school with a home lunch of plastic play food. I knew I would have to bring him his real lunch, so I timed it perfectly and Layla and I stood outside the lunch room until we knew he had started his meal. I think at first he was shocked, wondering what he was going to eat, and then a little embarrassed because he got a lot of attention because of it, and then by the time I came in to deliver his real lunch, he was relieved and was laughing about it. His teacher told me that was the best reaction she's ever seen.
- I did a big declaration last time about St. Patrick's Day and not going overboard, and I'm ashamed to admit, I went a little overboard for April Fool's day. The lunch things were easy and fun, but then I decided to do some stuff for dinner and that was stupid- it took way too much time...but then I'm glad I did it...but then it was too much....I don't even know! We made meatloaf "cupcakes" with mashed potato "frosting", and then I made mini "hamburgers" which were nilla wafers and frosting made to look like the inside stuff. The meatloaf was fine- it was the burgers that took too much time. I was annoyed at myself, but then my kids thought it was great, so that made it a bit better. Always learning...
- The other night I came home from running errands and Brian told me Mack wanted me to check on him. So I went up there to kiss him goodnight and as I entered his room, he sat right up with wide, excited eyes. "I've been waiting for you!" he exclaimed, while scooping two chewed fingernails off of his bedside table. "I wanted to show you these champion fingernails I bit off. Look how big they are! They are champions!" I guess I was a little impressed.
- McKay has been having a very difficult time falling asleep lately. He lays in bed for hours and works himself up to where it's after ten and he is still miserably laying there. We have tried everything- praying, fasting, waking him up earlier (that works pretty good most of the time), and many suggestions like doing math or singing songs in his head. We've told him what we used to do when we were little and nothing really helps. It seems like it is getting more frequent. I feel bad for him, but really it is a problem that I can't fix for him. He calls it his "trial" and frets over it quite frequently, to the point where I think he dreads going to bed. Tonight he witnessed his uncle getting a blessing from my dad, and we explained that it was a blessing for comfort with some stressful things he is going through. McKay didn't skip a beat, and as soon as he said "amen" he asked if Brian could give him a blessing for his trial. We waited until we got home, but he didn't forget and after the girls went to bed, he got a blessing for his trial.
- So I was telling Brian that it really is true that the kids take turns being "the hard one". For the last several months, Layla has been our biggest struggle. She has been kinda terrible. Just in the last two weeks or so, we have noticed a steady decrease of Layla meltdowns and pee accidents (I really thought she might be fifteen and peeing her pants) and a pretty hearty increase in little Mack's behavior. It's not pee accidents and tantrums, but just neediness and whininess and a general "What is going on with you lately?" feeling. I am accepting that this is just the way of raising children- probably always something to work through with at least one of them. Thankfully they are all minor things, and thankfully I know that nearly every hard thing my kids start doing is a phase.
- With that being said, it feels SO good to think Layla is adorable and sweet again. I hope this phase lasts for a long time.
- Tonight we asked her to go brush her teeth and after a few minutes she came back in, holding the tube of toothpaste with the blue paste smeared all over her cheek, her hair and her neck. I took her back to the bathroom and told the others to read scriptures without us. When she was all clean we went back in and were getting ready for prayers when Layla said with panic in her voice, "I want to read the scriptures! I didn't get to read them!" Brian pulled them back out and showed her the picture and told her about it. It was cute that she didn't want to be left out. Also, Ellery is ALWAYS the one to remind us to read scriptures every night.
- The last several months (six maybe?) we have been using the Gospel Art Kit pictures, the ones with the stories printed on the back, for our scripture study. I think it's working well for now, although I know at some point we'll have to change it up.
- I have a new little nephew who was born last week. Jana and Mark welcomed a surprise boy on Saturday during conference.
- Brian got to do Jana's epidural and we all got to watch him to that- which was awesome. We took a lot of pictures (which annoyed him, I'm sure) but it was so neat for me to watch him work. I also got to be there for the birth of baby Roylance and that was amazing as well. Such a cute little guy!
- This one just because I think he's so cute.
- We just finished a week of Spring Break- and since Brian only gets this off every few years, we decided we needed to do something fun. We went to Goblin Valley and stayed in the yurts with Darrell, Jenn, their kids, Marilyn and the grandparents. It was really fun- especially playing night games, and overall favorite for our family. There are more details to write, but not right now because I am ready to be done.
- We then went to Moab, just on our own, and had a fun time there, but learned that our kids would be happy just swimming and sleeping in a hotel, watching movies. More on spring break later...I hope!
Happy Sunday to you!
