hale

McKay:  "Elle, Hale is a place where bad guys go and there's only graves there.  So there will be cheetahs there and all animals that are bad.  Every bad person who is bad goes to hale."

Elle:  "Okay, I don’t want to die."

McKay:  "I don’t want to go to hale, I want to go to heaven."

Elle:  "McKay please don’t go to really dark places.  I don’t want you to die."



Just a typical conversation in the car between these two.

Hale sounds pretty scary. . .I definitely want to avoid those cheetahs.

thoughts on a sunday

Three babies in a crib.  Carson, Layla, Gemma.

• I'm here, on a Sunday!  Still trying to keep this up, even though I am quite irregular.

• Summer is almost over and yet I still feel like I'm waiting for it to start.  We have not really slowed down much since we moved in, and I just don't think we will.  By the time the next couple reunions are over, it will be time to start preparing for school to start, so basically this summer has been a wash, as far as summeriness goes.  I know that's not a word.  We've had fun and been busy with good things, but haven't had many of those lazy, outside, summer days.

• Our little Ellie girl is as sweet as can be, but she can turn on you in an instant.  One day Brian sent her to her room for one reason on another and she came unglued- got very upset- and then changed all the words to the little song "My Dad's the Greatest Dad" to reflect how she felt about him at that moment, which was not at all great.  It was quite funny, although she intended for it to cut him deeply.

I rarely brush her hair in the summer, and that is Sparkles, who I don't have the energy to tell you about right now.  She's a guinea pig and here she is wearing one of Barbie's crowns.

• Oh, I remember now why she was in her room.  We were all going down to the church parking lot to ride bikes (we live on a hill) and me and Mack rode ahead on our bikes while Brian pushed Layla on her bike and Elle tried to maneuver down the hill on Starburst (her bike).  Something happened on their way down that made Brian send her to her room and made her turn on the greatest dad.  This is a big long story, but I wanted to share it because I was a little bit happy at how it turned out.  McKay  and I rode our bikes all around the church and our neighborhood and had races and looked at different dogs that we passed.  It reminded me of how important alone time is with each child.  It's hard to make time for that, but I notice how good it feels every time I have alone time with one of them.  They need me and/or Brian all to themselves sometimes, without trying to compete for our attention.  I need to be better at making that happen more often.  It was a sweet little evening with just me and my boy.

• This week was Pioneer Day.  Brian and I got to speak on Sunday about the pioneers.  I am happy that it's over and now we don't have to worry about when we get that phone call, or in this case, that handshake at church.  I don't get nervous like I used to about speaking, but I do hate how preparing for a talk kind of takes over your life for a little while.  

• On Pioneer Day our neighborhood has an annual BBQ/party.  I did not want to go, and surprisingly, Brian had to convince me.  I am so glad we went.  First of all, it was right across the street so it would have been really weird if every house on our street gathered just outside except for the rude new people.  Second, it was really fun.  We got to meet some neighbors that we hadn't met yet, which was really nice.  Our kids had SO much fun making then shooting off rockets, running around with their friends (and making new ones- go Ellery!) and participating in the bike parade.  I am feeling better about our ward and neighborhood and I just know that it will take time. . .and maybe a calling or two :)

• At this little gathering the old owners of our house were there.  That's always just kind of an awkward relationship, I think.  This was actually really good though, because we got to talk to them for a long time and get to know them on more of a friend level instead of a "we live in your house" level.  They are nice people and I'm glad that awkwardness is lessened.

• We had the Whitney family reunion this week.  We camped at Thunder Mountain for a couple days and the kids had an absolute blast.  I honestly feel like I hardly did anything with them because they were so busy with cousins and new friends and their fort.  We all had a good time.

• I have been forgetting my camera all the time lately.  I forgot it when we went camping and so I just had one day of my phone to capture pics.  Layla loved our little house (tent).  

• Today was a good day at church.  The youth in our stake just got back from the pioneer trek.  Today everyone who went wore their pioneer clothes and sat on the stand.  The whole meeting was devoted to hearing their testimonies of trek and the pioneers.  Aside from wrangling our three monkeys, it was a good meeting with a very sweet spirit.  Young people are so impressive sometimes.

• I was also grateful to also feel the Spirit during the last hour of church.  I don't always prepare for church the way I should and sometimes feel so undeserving of any enlightenment or impressions that come when I haven't done my part.  Today was one of those days, but like I said, I'm grateful for them. 

• Layla often puts "ie" on the ends of words.  Drinkie is probably the most regularly used one.  This week I had a bag of crackers and I asked her if she wanted one.  She looked at me and then at the crackers and said, "I want crackie, mommy."  Crackie.  It's a new one and I'm loving it.

• My parents and Nonnie and my one cousin Amanda came over for dinner tonight.  It was fun visiting and the kids sat and read with Nonnie for hours.  I didn't think Nonnie would ever see my house, but I'm so glad she came tonight.  

• Brian is now married to the Olympics.  That is what he will be living and breathing for the next two weeks.  I miss him already.  I have never been a huge Olympic fan.  I don't know why.  I don't not like them, I just don't go crazy about them.  Maybe this year I'll try to get more into it and we can be married to each other, but watching the Olympics.  

Happy Sunday!

thoughts on a sunday (or thursday)

• I've been writing little things down on sticky notes for the last few weeks.  So this is kind of a catch up of all the things I've been meaning to blog about for my thoughts on a sunday.  

• A couple weeks ago the house was buzzing with. . .snails.  It was all about snails around here.  I was weeding early one morning and instead of helping me, the kids busied themselves with snail hunting.  They caught about 25- all in one tiny container- and they were as proud and enthralled as I've ever seen them.  Much to my disgust, they were both quite affectionate with these snails.  Kissing, stroking, smelling.

• McKay wasn't too attached to these snails though, because one day he and his friend Dawson decided to have a lemonade and snail stand.  Snails went for twenty-five cents.  Lemonade for the same.  I think they sold three cups of lemonade, and Ellery bought a snail.  

• I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you about Snaily.  Or Shelley.  Snaily is his name, Shelley is his nickname- the two are interchangeable.  Anyway, Snaily was an empty snail shell. Ellery found it one day and it quickly became her. . .um, pet?  Constant companion?  I don't know exactly what he was to her, but I do know that he was perched on her thumb at all times.  She would make him little beds at night, and then the next morning he would resume his perch on her thumb.  I must admit that I got very tired of seeing Snaily in that position.  Sometimes I would forget he was there, but then I would be quickly reminded when we were out in public, or when Ellery was talking to someone who didn't know about Snaily, and just thought my daughter went around with a snail on her finger.  I guess my daughter did just go around with a snail on her finger.  At any rate, Snaily is lost and forgotten at this point.  But he and Elle had a serious relationship for about two weeks.  I don't miss him.

I can't believe this is the best picture I have of Shelley.  But there he is, stuck on that thumb.

• The other day we were passing the Timpanogos temple.  McKay sat straight up and said with a hint of alarm in his voice, "Elle!  Sit up and put your hand on your heart.  We're passing the temple where mom and dad got married!"  Then they both sat stick straight, hands over hearts, while we drove past, relaxing only after we had passed the parking lot.  It was serious stuff.

• We had some birthdays a couple weeks ago.  Thirty-one.  Our birthdays were pretty low-key this year.  On my birthday, Brian sent me a sweet text every hour telling me what he loves about me. It was the highlight of my birthday.  I love when he does romantic things like that.

• McKay has a new phrase that he's using quite often.  "That's odd."

• Ellery is still not super keen on playing with friends.  Did I just say keen?  She is still quite a homebody and says she doesn't want to miss anything at home.  We've been praying about it with her and we set goals to play with someone every so often, but whenever we've tried, the girls in the neighborhood haven't been home.  She is content just to play or follow me around the house and has declared Layla her best friend.  It is sweet that they are starting to play more, and they sure love each other.

• My favorite thing is hearing Layla call her sister Ellie Jane.  She calls her that, or Elle most of the time, but when she says Ellery, that's pretty cute too.  

• Another thing Layla says "Shhh, quiet," when she doesn't want to hear what you're saying.  

• She is proving to be quite an independent little thing.  We just barely got Ellery to start buckling herself in the car, and here is my not even two year old who loves buckles and tries often to buckle herself in her carseat.  Could not  be more different from her sister in this way.  If it was up to Ellery, I would be buckling her and wiping her bum until she was eleven.

• Layla thinks that any sort of a dessert with frosting is called "happy birthday".  She also thinks anything with a flame is happy birthday too.  

• We get the big bags of pirate booty sometimes and this last time we had it Layla really enjoyed it.  She would continually ask for more "shake your booty," as she called it.

• Here are some actual thoughts that I've been having lately.  It has been hard for me to find my groove in this new home.  Cleaning it takes me FOREVER.  Like if I cleaned the whole thing, it would probably take me seven hours.  I am used to cleaning my whole house in less than two.  What is wrong with me?  I cannot understand why it takes me so long.  Maybe because there's kids to feed and clean up after and entertain in between cleaning, but seriously, I've got to find a better way.  

• Aside from cleaning, I've been in a weird place anyway.  There is a lot to do to get our house how we want it.  A lot to buy.  A lot to plan for.  Then on top of that, it's summer and the kids need my attention more often.  I am finding it hard to find a balance of doing house things and being a fun, attentive mom, and I'm afraid I'm not doing very good at either.  I have decided to relax a little on the house stuff and just enjoy summer.  I can wait until Fall to get things done.

• Ellery told me that instead of being a missionary she would like to be a visiting teacher.

• McKay  was lamenting that he did not have a brother the other night at dinner.  He asked us if we could have another baby so he could have a brother and we said, "Probably not".  Then he said, "If there was one that I liked for sale could we just get him?"  We told him adoption didn't work that way.

Happy Sunday!

pictures on a sunday (phone dump)

I wanted to make skirts for my girls to wear on the 4th of July.  So I did.  I am not a seamstress at all, so I am proud of these little circle skirts.  Maybe I can do more of this sewing thing after all.  Thanks to Adele, Jenn and Missy- definitely needed their help/machines/support to do it! 

I turned 31!  I thought it would be hard to turn 31, but it wasn't.  Instead of a birthday cake, I requested shaved ice.  It was delicious, as always.  I loved being out a little later than usual with my family, eating my favorite treat.  The three kids played under these cool trees while Bri and I watched them let their imaginations go and it was the perfect ending to my birthday.

Brian's sister Jaynann got married two weeks ago.  As we waited outside the temple I suggested we take a picture.  We took about five and each time I asked him to just make a normal face.  He never did, so I hope he's happy with this shot.  

I swear I was still up to my neck in boxes when Brian decided to plant a garden.  Remember, he's the yard man- but I didn't know that the garden fell under his jurisdiction.  It does, apparently. . .which is fine with me. . .except I would have liked a little more thought to go into our garden.  We, and I say this in the most loving way possible (Bri), know nothing about gardening.  So for me it was a little premature.  After about a month, I'm happy to report that tomatoes have made it, some kind of melon or pumpkin is thriving and everything else, including our basil plants, have died.  The weeds are also doing quite well.  That's our garden. 

These guys decided to be triplets one night.  I had to take a picture because it was too cute to not capture.

The kids went to the dentist.  Elle is still in the no cavity club, although at this dentist it's not nearly as big of a deal to be in the club.  Layla's lower jaw is not growing as fast as her upper- it should catch up.   Mack had three little cavities between a few of his teeth, so he had to go back the next week.  I talked up laughing gas like you wouldn't believe and aside from not liking the "pinchy water" he did great.  I'm sorry McKay, for giving you my teeth.  

 And this child?  She wants to be naked ALL the time.  Wherever she is- as soon as the idea strikes- she says to me, "Naked-naked dance?" which means, "Mom,  I would like to remove my clothes get naked now."  I don't always let her, especially when we're out, but at McKay's game this week she found her own way out of her dress.  And she naked danced all over the field.