Cute

Sammie always puts together the cutest outfits.  I love this one with her BYU shirt and matching shoes and headband.

At least someone is relaxed

The last few minutes before we have to get in the car for school are always a little hectic. "Did you brush your teeth?  Do you have socks?  Pack up your lunches."  As all of this was going on this morning and Sammie and Olivia were going up and down the stairs for last minute things, I noticed Abby was not part of the mix.  "Abby where are you?"  I called.  I opened the door into the garage and found her here.  The inside of the house was a bit crazy as we were getting ready, and here was Abby;  dressed in her nightgown, perfectly content, holding her baby and enjoying the beautiful morning.

A Time Out

Last weekend I got to go to "Time Out for Women" in Pasadena with a few of my friends.  It was a great experience and a wonderful break.  So uplifting. I felt so blessed to be able to do something like this with friends.  It's been a long time.  We stayed in a hotel, went out to dinner and lunch the next day.  It all felt like one big, fun, slumber party.  So glad I was able to go and hear such wonderful messages of faith and strength. 

My kids thought it was so funny that I was going to "Time Out."  They joked that I was in trouble.  Joey handled the weekend just fine but everyone got sunburned at Olivia's track meet.  When I got home I felt so refreshed and ready to face my challenges.  It was a great opportunity.  Definitely going to do it again.

Samantha on a Roll

Sammie got roller skates for her birthday from her Grandma Jackie.  We found out that Grandma Jackie was on a roller skating team when she was about 9.  Aren't grandma's so interesting?  She immediately put them on and started skating around the house.  It was hard to get her to go to bed.  She was skating around in her nightgown.  She was so very excited.  The next morning was a Saturday morning and everyone was still in bed.  As I lay in my bed listening to the quiet house I suddenly hear a clunking downstairs.  It wasn't long before I realized that Sammie was already up and putting her skates on and practicing.   She was very wobbly at first but very determined.  She tried them outside and it took her quite some time before she could go down the driveway.  She would just go a little ways and then stop herself in the grass.  She would put her skates on every chance that she could. 
One day I went to get her from the bus stop.  As soon as she got off the bus, she plopped on the sidewalk in the way of all the kids coming out of the bus and pulled her roller skates out of her backpack.  She changed into them and skated home.  I was wondering why her bag looked so full that morning.
She is much better now and skates down the driveway and up and down the sidewalks.  She still puts them on in the house and skates around the wood floors.  Last night she served us our treat for Family Home Evening on her rollerskates.  I've never seen her so excited about something.
When we were at the BYU Bookstore on our trip we came across this book:

We had to buy it.  It was perfect.  And here is our "Samantha on a roll."

 

 

 

Preschool

It was my last turn to teach these sweet little girls for preschool.  I can't believe the school year is coming to an end in just a few weeks.  We've had so much fun this year.  They would have their funny "3 year old" moments" of being really fun and sweet to tears and a bit of sassy-ness but then right back to being fun and sweet.  I will miss this.  3 year olds are their own little breed.  

Playing

I caught Abby playing quietly this morning.  She was talking to her little toys.  I love the sound of the quiet chatter of children playing on thier own.  It's so peaceful.

Spring Break #4...K dot

(I love Joey's face in this picture)

When K.C. was little we had this thing where we taught him that his name was "K dot C dot."  It's been going for years now.  We were so happy to see K dot.  College students are so much fun.  They get so excited when family comes to visit.  We visited his apartment where it had a familiar smell of a BYU boy's apartment.  Not a bad smell...it just has some kind of smell to it though.  It snowed in Provo when we drove through on our way up to Logan, but we stopped and saw KC for a little bit. The girls managed to get all wet and dirty in the few minutes we walked through the snow. 

We met up with him a few times after when we made it back down to Provo.  We got to eat ice cream, eat at a Thai Restuarant where we were the only customers and my girls were going completely crazy, and we went out to JDawgs.  We got to meet his girlfriend, Lindsey, made funny faces, and Joey even went to one of his history classes with him.  It was great to see him doing well.  This trip was so much fun.  We loved re-connecting with people and seeing campus again.    One of the best vacations ever!!

Spring Break #3

One day of our trip was devoted to BYU.  We went and visited campus.  The girls loved the Wilkinson Center.  A Bookstore, toys, clothes, food, and people dancing in the ballroom, a Karate class, ping pong matches, and people juggling were all going on at the same time as we walked through one evening.  They thought it was the most amazing thing ever.  It happened to be "Club night."  My kids think college is the greatest place to be.
We went to the BYU library and let the kids read some books in the children's books section.  I used to study there when I was a student and it was packed full of students that day.  I love college campuses.  It was great to see all of the places where we used to sit and study.  We passed our old apartments and places where Joey and I dated.   So many wonderful memories are tied to that place. 
We even met up with my neice, Jordan, and she took us to eat at the Cannon Center.  She is a freshman this year.  First of all, the Cannon Center is a MILLION times better than when I ate there as a freshman.  Not fair.
My girls loved hanging out with her and loved that she would twirl them around endlessly because she was too nice to tell them to stop.