New Craft

Since I haven't made even one bow this week, I was feeling kind of at a loss for something to do in the craft department. I just really like having something to keep me busy. A while back I came across instructions on how to make coffee filter roses. So I bought what I needed and went to work. It was really quite easy to make and pretty satisfying as far as the need to do a project goes. I wanted to try it out especially so I could use it on a diaper cake I want to make for someone. I think it turned out great and it almost looks real. The pictures don't really do it justice because it was hard to get a great shot of it.

Time

As I sat across from Lilly at McDonald's I was impressed at how well she ate her lunch and then politely asked to get down to go play. I was impressed by our conversation and by the fact that she can carry one with me now. I was impressed by her smiles and her kindness and her overall personality. I was impressed at how well Molly sat and played while we ate. I was impressed at how much she too talked to me (granted it was cooing - but it's all the same to a parent). I was suddenly overcome with a great joy and love for these two children that Heavenly Father saw fit to send to us. As I sat there I was all too aware of how fast my children are growing. Lilly will be 3 in a few short months and Molly is already 5 months old. All too soon they will be off to school, off to being moody teenagers, off on their first dates, off to college and off to lives that I hope I can continually be a part of. I realized that now is the time that I had better cherish and enjoy each smile, each hug and each I love you. Now is the time that I had better cherish their pure faith in me and the fact that they need me, because I know one day soon they will think that they don't need me anymore. Now is the time to cherish each moment that we have together, because all too soon I am going to have to let go. Time seems to be passing me by and I hope I can always cherish all the time that I have with my young family.

Lava Hot Springs

Today we went swimming with our friends, the Blauers at Lava Hot Springs. Lilly has been talking about it all day and has hardly been able to contain herself with all the excitement coursing through her. We arrived promptly at noon when the doors were set to open and luckily nabbed a spot in the shade. As you can see by the one and only picture we got, Lilly was kind enough to share her sunglasses with Molly. Molly actually kind of liked it and just sat there with them on for quite a while. After we got settled and had lunch we all went swimming. Lilly of course loved it, but Molly wasn't so sure at first (big surprise there!) She got used to it and then everyone had to get out of the pool because apparently a little girl had gone off one of the high dives, hit the water wrong, and then didn't come up. So we all stood on the side of the pool watching as the life guards strapped this girl to a board so they could transport her. I was really happy to see that the lifeguards were doing their jobs, and not just "sittin pretty" up on their stands. We swam for a little while more and then we got out because it looked like rain was on the way. As we were kind of picking things up, the hail storm let loose. I basically ran with the girls for cover while Aaron and Jeff picked up all of our stuff. The guys were drenched and looked like they had taken a dip in the pool with all their clothes on! We decided it was time to go home after only 2 1/2 hours of swimming, but honestly with kids, I think it is plenty of time. When we got home we wrung out the picnic blanket and I swear there was a gallon of water in it! Needless to say, I didn't get many pictures because there just wasn't enough time!

Bow Mania! (again)

This is what I have been doing all week. My house has suffered as a result, but I think that they turned out great. I was really happy with the finished result. I made all these bows because my Mom is going to sell them at the Grangeville Farmer's Market that she has a booth for each week. I am really excited about it and anxious to see if they will sell. I started making them on Monday and Finished on Thursday night. I made a total of 128 individual bows, or 64 sets, and sent them to my Mom's house. I even made cards to display them on and Aaron and I came up with the name Precious Little Bows. I am pretty sure that Aaron is really happy, not only with the bows, but with the fact that now I can clean up all my ribbon that has been trailing me around the house all week.

So Big

I can't believe how big my girls are getting. Lilly is currently going through a growth spurt and every time I look at her I am amazed to see how tall she is getting and how grown up she is looking. I am even talking to Aaron about taking her to see "The Dinosaur Movie" (as Lilly calls it) or Night at the Museum. I think that she will do really well with it. Molly is closing in on 5 months already! She is just such a joy to have at our home.

Summer Is Here!

The start of summer can only mean one thing around our house..... BBQ Time! We have been outside barbecuing a lot already and we can't wait to do it some more. While Aaron was outside grilling he noticed this huge rainbow in the sky. I know the picture isn't that great but we tried. Lilly thought it was really cool. Lilly of course had to get in on the action whenever the camera comes out. Molly is also becoming our newest little cook! Better watch out when she's wielding a spoon!

Meet the Newest Member of our Family!

We got a letter in the mail last week announcing that ISU will be having their piano sale. So Aaron and I called and set up a viewing prior to the open sale on Saturday. We weren't expecting much, but we were lucky enough to find this little piano. It is older and not exactly the new piano that we would have loved to get - if we could afford it - but it plays well and is awesome just the same. We are so excited to have it and Aaron can't seem to stop playing it! I know that this will be a great blessing for our family and it will enable our children to take piano lessons sooner rather than later.

Yummy Time!

Molly has hit another milestone. We decided that it was time to start cereal today. She really wasn't too sure about it all at first and every time she would get a good mouth full she would kind of make a face, but I think that she ultimately liked it. Let's hope that this helps her to sleep through the night once again. I can hardly believe how fast she is growing and how big she is getting.

My Beautiful Daughters

I just took these pictures of the girls and really loved them so I had to share them!

Mother's Day

I hope that you all had a great Mother's Day this year. Here is a picture of my wonderful gifts. The green object with the roses is actually a chandelier that will go perfectly in the girls room. It is so beautiful when it is hanging from the ceiling. I can hardly wait to put it up. Lilly also made this cute little hand print in nursery. This is the first thing that I have gotten that makes me want to keep everything that my kids do. I also got roses. Lilly picked them out all by herself and was so proud of her pink flowers to Mommy. She also kept walking around saying "Happy Mother's Day Mom!" It was such a great day!

Hide and Seek

Lilly has become really exploratory lately and last night was no exception. She discovered a fun new hiding spot. she was getting really good at closing the door and I think she just sat in there for a good 20 minutes before she decided to abandon her fun new spot, and before I put the blankets away.

Duck Duck Goose

The other night we went to Costco to pick up a few things and we ended up grabbing a bite to eat while there. Lilly saw some other little girls playing nearby and decided to join in on their fun. They all ended up playing duck duck goose. As a parent sometimes I forget that our kids don't know all these games that we have been playing for years. Lilly was so incredibly funny while she was playing it. At first she didn't get it and so if they goosed her then she would just sit there for a solid minute and then get up and chase the girl. After a few rounds she really was getting the hang of it. At one point, though, she got goosed and hopped up then she tried to turn around and chase the little girl who had goosed her. The poor little girl was trying to dodge Lilly until all of a sudden Lilly turned around and the little girl started chasing her. But of course Lilly couldn't just run around the circle once and sit down, she had to run around the circle several times while chanting "you can't get me" It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen!

Look How Big I Am!

Lilly has gone from this......


To this....

She is getting so big, I can hardly believe the difference 2 1/2 years makes!

Sisters

I was trying really hard to get a good picture of these two together, but it is really hard. Anytime I would have their heads together, Molly would pull on Lilly's hair and then Lilly would just roll away saying "don't pull my hair Molly." Well I tried and here is what I got.

I just love Molly's smile

right before she was about to pull Lilly's hair

Lilly really wanted to hold Molly, they are practically the same size!

Haunted House?

Lately, anytime I have been in Molly's room changing a diaper or getting her dressed, Lilly has been in there telling me that she just saw a ghost. I am like what, there are no ghosts. All the while I am telling this to Lilly, Molly is staring off into space smiling and cooing at nothing. Or is it nothing?!? I just find it kind of creepy that Lilly is telling me there are ghosts and then Molly is smiling off into space. This is the first I have heard of it and I have to say that at least nothing out of the ordinary has been happening at our house.

Toe Nails

Lilly is such a girlie girl. I have been really working on growing my nails out (and I am doing a fantastic job if I do say so myself!) Anyway, She has decided that she needs to be into grooming her nails as well. The other morning she practically begged to have them painted. She was so good and sat really still. She even chose the same color of nail polish that I currently have on my toes - a sparkly red! Oh how fast she grows.

Salt Lake with The Girls

On Sunday night I had the opportunity to go to Salt Lake and see my old roommate Britni Hansen. I was so excited and could hardly contain myself, but due to weather we didn't arrive until 10:00 pm. Then we ended up talking and laughing until 5:00 am!! I haven't stayed up that late since college! Needless to say we were pretty tired the next morning at 8:30 when our girls decided it was time to get moving. Our girls got along really well with each other and we decided to take them to Temple Square. We called up our friend Brooke and had her meet us there. The girls loved it and especially had fun with the Reflecting Pool. I think they would have gotten into the water if we had let them. We walked around the entire temple, took a million pictures and had a nice picnic outside. The girls were so excited to touch the Temple. Then we sent the girls home with Britni's Mom and we took a tour of Beehive House. I have never done this before and I thought it was really cool to see where Brigham Young used to live. Thanks for having us Britni and Mom, we had a great time and it was so nice to get together again.

Lilly, Heather, Molly, Brooke, Adah, Britni, Tesila and Dalia

Touching the Temple

Lilly would not stand up - oh well

Britni's Mom, Adah, Dalia, Britni, Heather, Molly, Lilly, Brooke and Adah