For Baby Elena!

Why we are related...

This picture of my two oldest getting dressed was taken in early March, but remarkably similar to a photo of my cousin's darling little girl  (click and scroll down). 

Funny how genes or maybe in this case JEANS work within families!

tAgGEd AgAiN! what FUN!

Here are some things that make our littlest girl 

REALLY  Happy!

1.Hanging out with her sisters!

2.Her Aunt Anne: "I love Aunt Anne, she's the best! She likes me. And her hair is yellow like me and my Daddy."

3.Listening to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Believe it or Not" on the CD from Aunt Becca.

4.Dora the Explorer! And Go Diego Go!

5.Wearing flip flops with everything!  Even with p.j.'s.

6.Wearing her swimsuit when ever she can, she's even worn it to pick up her sisters at school! More than once! Lucky for her  it's warm here! 

7.She is a real Daddy's girl and 

she'd caught her first fish before 

she turned 3!

8. Playing dress up! -but I wonder, if she's so good at dressing up in play clothes....

... why does she always get caught up in her pajamas?!! (click link and scroll a bit. I actually had ANOTHER video of the same p.j. predicament she always gets into, but blogger won't load it today).

Now she is tagging: "Nicole's son, Tanner, Cousin Kate, Uncle N8, Aunt Elisabeth, Aunt Anne and Baylor!"

Happy to be "tagged" by Nicole!!

5 Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago
1. Working at Beneficial while husband attended college.
2. Living in a 500 sq. ft. house made with asbestos shingles.
3. Volunteering at the local Humane Society, cause we couldn't have a dog in our tiny house. Now we have two! I fondly recall the days when I could skip vacuuming without being overrun with pet hair!
4. Dreaming of the day when we could start a family... now I dream of the days when it was just the two of us and no one threw food when they thought it was unpalatable. As in the case with our 3 yr old over the rice and raisins I so foolishly thought would be a nice breakfast (she threw it to the dogs)!
5. Planning our summer trip to Disneyland with Anne, Elisabeth and Laura, that we eventually paid off two years after the fact! <--The true mark of a vacation done right!  5 Things on My To-Do List Today
1. Keep the girls entertained enough to stay in the living room and listen to Conference.
2. Take the kids to the library during the break between sessions, as a reward for sitting nicely through 2 whole talks! <--In a row! 3. Plan a personal progress night for next week. 4. Let the girls run in the sprinklers after conference ends and eat outside after sitting inside all day today. 5. Begin reading the 3rd book in the Twilight Trilogy tonight. 5 Snacks I Enjoy
1. Graham crackers with cream cheese spread (a good little treat).
2. Peaches and cottage cheese.
3. Chips and homemade salsa.
4. Celery with peanut butter
5. Kettle corn from the local farmers market, new fav... yum!

5 Things I'd Do If I Were a Billionaire
I really don't even know...
1. Pay a lot of tithing and be sincerely happy about it.
2. Pay off house and cars.
3. Invest.
4. Help military families with loved ones deployed.
5. Set up a "pay it forward" kind of fund that keeps on giving.

3 Bad Habits (wish I only had 3 to list!)
1. Choosing other diversions other than reading my scriptures daily.
2. Choosing other diversions other than enjoying my little girls.
3. Not treating my daughters and husband with respect when I am angry.

5 Jobs I've Had....
1. Excavation Professional 
2. Coach
3. Medical Diagnostics
4. Transportation Specialist
5. Office Manager
...all within the last few days!

5 Things People Probably Don't Know About Me

This one is hard, I don't think I have many things that people

wouldn't already know about me.  Here are some weird ones...

1. I love to color with crayons.  Maybe it's the smell, I don't know.

2. I am really really afraid of bees, and if you've been following my blog, and saw the trouble we've been having with bees, you would know why I appealed to the "blogging world" for help! It's hard to be brave so my girls think I don't care about the bees flying around, I just don't want them to develop my same irrational scream and run tactic.... I don't think I've fooled them...

3. Remember the Golden Retriever I found, his family sent me a thank you card and a gift certificate to spoil our own dogs at Petco... I haven't told you that yet, it was a neat surprise.

4. I want to sell Brite music, so I can get it all really inexpensively for my own family. I keep going to the site and inquire about selling it, then chicken out! <--for years now.

5. I really do like to play with my kids, who are out playing a soggy sandbox without me and I need to catch up with them in a hurry before we have to come in for bath and bed.


I tag 5 people who've read this and think it may be fun to do with their friends and family.

Our Trip to Santa Fe over Easter Weekend

The Cathedral of Basilica

We had a lot of fun in Santa Fe.  There are so many shops and museums to see, there was no way to fit it all in, but we felt excited about the many things we were able to see and do. But most of all we are happy that Dad is finally home!

In front of the Children's Museum

Getting all dolled up at the museum

Realizing how high above Dad she is!!

Big sister makes it  to the top!

Outside of the Cathedral of the Basilica

Our family at the indoor farmers market.

Maybe a Bird?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Our St. Patrick's Day Post:  

Now that the girls are getting older. 

On Sunday mornings I will often ask them to go choose a dress for themselves so getting ready for church can move faster and more smoothly, since the choice of what they will wear will not be a debate. 

Yesterday morning I went upstairs to check on 

their progress and everyone was 

"Wearin' O' The Green!!"

Our oldest daughter knew that today would be St. Patrick's Day and was helping her little sisters celebrate.  I hadn't realized until then that we had green dresses for everybody. It was a fun idea so we had to capture her initiative in a picture.  To continue the celebration this morning, for breakfast we had green sliced pears, buttered toast, green yogurt, and green milk!  It's not often that they all eat so happily. After choosing out appropriately green attire, I found the green head bands with springs and sparkling green poof balls that wiggle when you move, we used these several years ago for an "Alien Parade" we marched in (Lis will remember). On the way to school, our 5 year old said 

"This is maybe the bestest day of my life!" 

Wishing each of you the "Luck 'O the Irish" today!!  

The Swarm of Bees

One little honeybee by my window flew;

Soon came another - then there were two.

Two happy honeybees in the apple tree;

One more bee came buzzing up

 - then there were three.

Three busy honeybees starting to explore

Another bee came to help - then there were four.

Four laden honeybees flying to the hive;

They were joined by one more bee - then there were five.

Five tired honeybees with the others mix;

Now there's a swarm of them - a hundred times six.

Elsa Gorham Baker

.....they're back.....

We have a bees and lots of them.  The weather here is warm and the flowers are blooming, and the bees are back in business.

We have so many bees swarming in our backyard to sip water from our sprinklers, we can't even go outside during the middle of the day! If anyone knows how to "redirect" the bees to another "watering hole" please share it.  We need advice on how to co exist with them. We had several last year and were just careful, but this year, it seems the word is out and "Mac's Pub House" is buzzing with activity.

"D'you know that bees and dogs can smell fear?" Ray Boyd – Jerry Maguire