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!