Rejoicing at the Children's Museum

Spending all day at the Children's Museum was sooo fun for the kids, and sooo fun for us because they were WORN OUT!!!! We were also able to go on a trolley ride along the Platte River after playing and hear about how Denver was founded and see some older areas. The history lover in me rejoiced, and the kids were so tired they sat quietly and seemed super respectful to the guide, so the mom in me rejoiced. Fun all around!

Planting in the garden. Grandma Sharon rejoices.

Eric rejoiced at seeing both kids fishing and catching fish (shhh, don't tell him they're fake).

Ella recently learned how to write "To Mom From Ella," and she loves to write it when ever she can. She made three paintings and her special "To Mom From Ella" signature was on every painting.

Every station had a little kids area so even Livi had something to do.

Taking recycled items and ordering Dad around to attach them where you want them to go. Ethan made a super spaceship with guns, and Ella made a train.


Dress up is always a favorite of the kids. They had royal-esc costumes and we got to dance to music and wave "ribon dancer" type thingys around.

Ethan was so excited to dress up at the tunnel area. He found a costume he loved and pranced around in it. He came over to us and was showing off this awesome costume, when I mentioned what a cute worm he was. Ethan's face fell, and I got this picture before he ripped the costume off. I don't know what he thought it was a costume of, but I guess worms are just too gross.

Luckily opposums are not too gross and both kids dressed up and loved these costumes. They ran all through the tunnels and were not happy when they had to finally go.

Room for 5

I never realized all the challenges that arise from having 5 members in your family, as opposed to the PC family of 4. Eric works for the State of Nebraska so he gets Arbor Day off (Nebraska is home of Arbor Day), so we decided to go down to Denver to the Children's Museum. I didn't feel like driving 3 hours down, playing, and then driving 3 hours back, so I looked into getting a hotel room for the night. Little did I know that hotels have an occupancy limit of 4 for most rooms. The kids are still too little to have a room to themselves, so it took until the day before we went to find a place we could all fit (it had to be a suite). Because life is full of fun little suprises the cribs were either taken or broken so we had to rig a place for Livi to sleep, and the kids thought it was so funny they had to keep going over and checking on her. We had to ban them from going over and peeking because it would disturb her everytime the blanket on top moved and let light in. Poor baby, surrounded by end tables and walls, lying on the floor. No wonder she woke up at 2 am and wouldn't calm down until Eric put her in the bed to sleep. Can't fault a baby for knowing the floor is not the most comfortable bed in the room.

Peepadoodoo

Ethan's class also had eggs/chicks this spring (Living in a farming community has it's advantages). Ethan would come home and talk about "Peepadoodoo" his favorite of the chicks. He drew pictures of this uniquely colored chick with the yellow body and brown stripes. I couldn't wait to take pictures of this cute chick with the unique coloring and unique name. I, stupidly, thought that the name came from the fact that chicks go "peep," although I guess in a way that IS where the name gets its origins, just a different type of peep. I asked Ethan how he came up with the name "Peepadoodoo" and he replied it is because "chicks go peepee and poopoo a lot." Great. I guess living in a farming community has its disadvantages also!

Girly Girl

I've already mentioned how girly Ella is, and today we got to celebrate that. Ella REALLY needed a haircut, but was scared I would make her cut her "princess" hair short. I assured her she could keep it long, but still she was resistant to going to get a trim. I decided to play off her love of all things girly and offered her a trip to the nail salon to get her nails painted if she would get her hair trimmed willingly. Of course she accepted and was SOOOO excited. We got our hair trimmed, and headed to the nail salon, but unbeknownst to us every nail salon in town was booked today. Fortunately Ella is flexible, so we got lunch at Subway together, played ski-ball at the arcade, picked out new fingernail polish, and went home and did our own nails. I loved having a Mommy/Ella day, and I think she had fun too (but sometimes it's hard to tell)!

Eating at Subway (her choice) for lunch.

At the arcade we also double teamed the car game. Ella steered and I worked the pedals.

Showing off our pretty nails. Ella picked out our colors. She has sparkly, pink nails (naturally) and I now have sparkly BLUE nails. She looks unhappy because it took 8 pictures to get one where I didn't look like I had 4 chins, and she thought we had taken enough photos (I still couldn't put one of her smiling and me looking like I weighed 1000 lbs, sorry Ella).

Steamroller Liv

Livi is getting so good at rolling around, it has made me realize how not baby proof my house has become. I guess we are going to have to keep the toys in the playroom (yeah!!!) and I'll have to keep the house picked up (booo!!!!).

Reading Rainbow

Ella is the best big sister in the world. She loves to help take care of Livi. One of her favorite things to do it read to her. Unfortunately Olivia has decided to take part in the readings now, and it is a little frustrating for Ella.

Ella reading to a tiny, compliant, still baby Livi.

Ella reading to a giant, excited, "helpful" baby Livi.

I Love Knitting

Many of you know I recently took up knitting. What you may not know is why. Almost 4 years ago I received the cutest knitted hat in the world from Eric's Aunt Susan as a baby gift for Ella. It is made to look like a watermelon, and you can see it on Ella in the first picture, and Olivia in the snow picture. I have never received as many compliments on an article of baby clothing as I have with this hat. Everyone loves it and constantly asks where I got it. I get to brag that Eric's talented aunt made it, and no they can't get one like it. It made me realize you can make adorable things, that are one of a kind. So, thank you to Susan for inspiring to make my own cute baby things, and for the most adorable hat ever, that everyone loves!

Ella in Aunt Susan's wonderful hat.

Olivia in Aunt Susan's wonderful hat.

The hat I made for Livi while I was in the hospital. It is supposed to look like an upside down flower. Not as good as Susan's, but I still had fun making it!

Easter Eggstravaganza

Yes, cheesy title. There was about 400 adds with that title in the paper this weekend, so I thought I would be #401. The kids had a blast with class parties, the Easter Bunny, church, and having the Bagleys over for dinner. Ella woke up the next morning and asked if it would be Easter again next Sunday. She was very sad to find out that Easter is like Halloween, Christmas, and birthdays, only once a year. Luckily, her birthday is close enough she has something to distract her from the disappointment.
The following video is of the scavenger hunt. It is long and grainy, so probably for Grandmas and Grandpas (Plus, my house was not the cleanest, so the less of you that see my mess, the better I feel).

Showing off their spoils.
Enjoying their spoils.

Livi eating their spoils.

All cleaned up. Ella and Ethan got to help pick out their Easter clothes, and boy did they have fun. Ella is the girliest girl I have ever met. She wanted a pink dress, gloves, a purse, bracelets, tights, and new shoes (Thanks to Grandma Sharon for making her dreams come true!). Ethan really wanted this shirt, and REALLY wanted this tie, no matter how hard I tried to talk him out of the combination. As a side note: It was an awful day in Primary (I'm the new Primary Pianist, yes, my third calling), all the kids had Reece's Peanut Butter Cups for breakfast and where little balls of terror, including my kids.

Not Stoic in the Face of Chickens

Ella's preschool is awesome. One of the things her teacher does is have an incubator in the classroom every spring and the kids get to see the development of the eggs, and in the end they get to hold the chicks. The chicks hatched last Thursday, so today was the day the kids had been waiting for, and talking about all weekend. Ella seemed excited when we set off for school. Below is the story of what happened:

Ella is fine when Mrs. Hessler was holding the chick. She even touched the soft feathers.

Uh oh. The chicks have escaped their 3 year old handlers.

One makes a bee line for Ella, freaking her out a little.

The kids aren't allowed to get up, so the chicks don't get squished, but that one wont leave her alone. Mrs. Hessler has to come to the rescue, since I am busy being a photo nazi, taking pictures of her torment.

Ella is terrified by the 3 oz baby bird, but she likes to be brave. She didn't sob, but the tears came anyways. Poor girl.

Never Been Sledding

I can't believe my poor kids have never been sledding. I guess living in Nebraska offers TONS of snow, but no hills. Eric tried to make it up to Ethan today with this ingenious ride:



We got to play in the blizzard snow today. It didn't leave a ton, but there was quite a drift in our backyard from all the wind.

Livi got to touch snow for the first time. I'm not sure she liked it, but I am determined to expose my kids to enough snow that they want to live in cold places when they grow up, which will eliminate any need for me to ever live in New Mexico.

And, of course, we had to make snowmen. It made me laugh that their hair is made of tumbleweeds. A little piece of Lancaster in my otherwise snowy home. (You can click on the pictures to blow them up).

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful

We are in an actual blizzard right now, where they have warned us not to leave our houses. Really! They have asked everyone to stay indoors, how cool. I only hope our friends who are traveling today are safe! I thought some of you might want to see what a beautiful spring day in Nebraska looks like. I LOVE IT!!!! Hot chocolate here I come.

Stoic in the Face of Chickens

Ethan's kindergarten program was tonight, and it was a blast. He didn't smile, he did minimal actions, but he knew every word, and sang all the songs. I don't think I'd ever seen anyone pull off the Chicken Dance with dignity, but Ethan was surprisingly debonair while preforming one of the silliest dances known to man. The only time in the entire show he showed emotion is at the end of this clip, on the way out!

Ethan is the one on the back row in the white shirt with a red vest. Or just look for the child with minimal movement.

Little Green Balls of Poison

My Dad hates peas. He calls them "little green balls of poison (or death)." Both Ethan and Ella have HATED peas. The first time Ethan had them he refused to put his tongue back in his mouth and sat there with it hanging out until I scraped the peas off (amazing control for a 6 month old, but true). Ella spit them all over me. Surprise, surprise, we get Olivia:



As we pointed out she's been drinking the Nutrimagen formula, so ANYTHING would taste like ambrosia after that. Still, it was more than a surprise that she loved the peas, ate half the container, and started helping the spoon into her mouth!

3-2-1 Implosion

Well, we had 3 ER visits, 1 rush to urgent care, and trip to the regular doctors office in the last week. All three kids have major colds, all three kids have ear-infections, and Ethan has asthma triggered by croup. My poor kids have been so crabby and exhausted all week. The girls and I went out to lunch with Eric yesterday after preschool, and it wore them both out. This is what I saw when I turned around in the car (note the little mirror too).

The Big 3-0

So Eric is the big 3-0. 30 years old. Wow. I guess we are adults. Poor Eric is the only one of us who is not sick, so his birthday was more low key than I would have liked (I normally LOVE to do birthdays). We made his favorite, chicken enchiladas, and had white cupcakes with chocolate icing. We all got up late so Eric decided to open gifts after dinner, which scandalized the kids. Ella actually cried because she was sad FOR Eric that he couldn't open his gifts until after dinner. I guess to a little kid that is the ultimate in tragedies.

The New Beauty Treatment

We are redoing our bathroom, and last night I laid the grout for the tiles. Unfortuanately I didn't really think about what went into grout until after I started using my fingernail to clean up certain places. For those of you not in the know, sand is a big component. My fingernail was basically filed down on one whole side, 50% of the nail, to the quick. Not the most comfortable feeling, but it had me thinking that we could rent our house out as a spa. We could have people doing various home improvement projects and charge them for spa treatments. Grout clean up = mani/pedi. Paint the house = "special" facial (it always gets all over my face). Remove old varnish on wood = chemical peel, etc.

A Taste

Well, Livi finally ate cereal for the first time. This is more a post for the grandparents who actually might want to see her first taste. She does make some weird faces, but for the most part she loves it. I guess cereal isn't a far stretch from formula, but I can tell she's going to make awesome faces when she gets to eat peas!

Sick of being sick

Well, we've been to the ER twice this week. On Monday night I went with Ethan to the ER after he woke up with croup and couldn't breathe. Last night he developed a fever and wouldn't get out of bed, so again we got to visit the ER. Luckily it was not pneumonia, but an ear infection. This poor guy is on 6 medications. After giving them to him last night I had to pray that his poor little body could handle all that medicine. I have never been scared of medicine, in fact I love it, but after the 3rd dose last night I started getting a little scared. He's so little still.
He made it through the night, and seems to be feeling much better. Although most of the medicines taste like they were made in the Candyland sewer, he takes them like a pro. I just hope the girls make it through this cold without the complications that have plagued Ethan.

Liitle Laughing Liv

I just love having Livi in our lives. She is such a joy. She is quick to smile, and easy to make laugh. She really has a sunny disposition, and I am loving spending time with her. If only all babies were like this (expect for the $300 dollars a month we spend on fancy formula and Prevacid for her sensitive stomach).
Enjoy this super sweet video of Ethan and Ella entertaining Olivia.

Stotts On Rye, with a side of chips.

This morning all the kids woke up a little early, so we piled into our bed to have a family cuddle. Ella was on the edge and wanted to get in the middle by Livi. One of us mentioned Livi was "sandwiched:" between us. Ella immediately exclaimed "I'm the Ham!!!!" After we stopped laughing she went on to say Livi was the cheese, and Ethan, who wanted to stay on the side, was the pickle (Eric and I were the bread if anyone didn't get that). What a funny way to think of our family. We are finally a complete Ham and Cheese sandwich.

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, Keep that baby rolling.

I thought it was a fluke, but Livi can definitely roll from front to back!



One of our friends, who will remain nameless, stated he hated big giant flowers and bows on babies. Well after the lady at the mall called Livi "Benito" I ran home and ordered the cutest, girliest, biggest bows I could find. I went to the mall yesterday and EVERY SINGLE PERSON who saw her stopped and commented on what a cute little GIRL I had. I may agree it looks like a spot light on her head, but no one thinks she's a boy. Well worth it!

My Idol, Aunt Diane

My wonderful Aunt Diane took some fabulous pictures of my kids this summer. I just got Ella's and as you can see they are amazing. I can't wait to see the rest of them. I got interested in photography after seeing Diane's talent with photos, and only hope that I can be half as good as her someday. This is a picture of my cousin (yes mine! My cool Aunt Christy, whom I've always adored, had a little girl two months after I had Ella) Anna and Ella. Good thing my kids have second cousins and first cousins once removed to play with.
Scary. I can tell she is going to be too beautiful for her own good as a teenager, and I'm not looking forward to that time.
My beautiful little girl. So quick to laugh, loves to sing, and always tries to spread sunshine everywhere she goes. I'm so lucky.

Oh, and yeah, I lost a tooth today

Ethan came home from school on Tuesday so excited to watch the new "Space Buddies" movie that, that was all he could talk about. The second he got home he and Ella ran in and watched the movie. Eric got home shortly after they finished and asked a simple question that I had asked several times that day "Ethan, what happened at school today?" To my surprise the answer was "I lost a tooth." I was shocked and amazed. This was the first tooth he had lost, and he had talked about how loose it was for days. He even had Eric try and pull it out, he was so excited about it. It turns out the tooth started to bug him and he pulled it out in P.E. He was sent to the office and they gave him a special box to keep the tooth in until he got home. I thought for sure it would have been the first thing he would say to me, but the thought of 5 talking puppies in space was more important, I guess.

Dancing Queen

Ella is so funny. Every time she hears music she starts bobbing her head, moving her arms, and if there is enough room, full on dancing. I love to watch her, with all her enthusiasm and lack of self-consciousness. Oh to be 3 again.

Help, my face is eating my binkie!

As my chubbiest baby, Olivia is just so fun to kiss! Ethan was SOOO skinny and Ella didn't get chubby until she was 6 months old, so this has been a real treat. Livi's face is so round her cheeks start to hang over the edge of her binkie and threaten to envelop it all. Her legs need no comment, they are just awesome!

Livi Speaks

Jealous Much?

Who doesn't love 16 inches of snow? They had to cancel school (snow days are rare in Nebraska since our buses have huge snow tires), so the kids are having a blast playing together and drinking all my hot chocolate. I bet you all wish you could visit and make snow angels in my yard.

Failure is My Option

I guess it's because I have two parents who never seem to fail at anything that makes me feel so horrible when I have to give up on something. I realized 2 weeks ago that I was failing at everything. Ethan was crabby all the time, Ella was acting out, I was stressed beyond belief, my house was a mess, and I had primary teachers letting me know what a bad job I was doing. I always thought failing was not an option for church callings, but I decided better to fail at that, than everything in my life, so I asked to be released as Primary President. I have never asked to be released before, and it was humiliating, but now that it's all over I feel awesome. The Bishopric was very understanding since one of my counselors never showed up and the other is pregnant with her 6th child (and is the Bishops wife). With Olivia being my little tumor (permanently attached to my side) I just couldn't pull the extra weight.
I didn't get off scott free, though. I was called to be the Achievement Day leader for the 8-11 year old girls, which is the calling I had when I first moved here and LOVED it. I was also called to be a Relief Society instructor. Some of my friends think this isn't much of a break, but 3 days a month is WAY better than everyday as Primary President (because of all the craziness here). When you have a ward as small as ours every person has to do double duty, even crazy, overstressed mothers and fathers (Eric is 11 year old scouts leader, and ward emergency preparedness coordinator).

One of the thing that cheered me up this week was this picture. Iwas finally cleaning up and pulled this stuffed animal out from under the table. I guess it was jail, and this poor bunny had broken the law. One of Ethan' favorite games is to have his stuffed animals break the law, and then he is the cop and prosecutor and Eric plays the judge. Ethan laughs so hard when bunnies and bears are sentenced to hard labor making Easter eggs, or collecting honey.
The picture at the top is from the mall. Ella wanted to ride the horse and Ethan tried to ride on the back, but kept sliding off. This is why I am a Mom, I love how silly my kids are.
Another fun thing for me is to look over and see Eric holding Livi. My heart melts evertime I see her tiny body cuddled up in his big strong arms.

The Pirate Ship That Wasn't Meant to be.

Ethan really wanted a pirate themed birthday party this year. It is the first time we have had a "friend" party and I really wanted everything to be special for him. I decided to build a 3-D pirate ship for the cake. I had it all figured out, but forgot about gravity. The sides where too heavy and the ship split into pieces. After a frantic call home, my Dad calmed me down enough I could think about the problem and after consulting my vast cake knowledge (from watching Food Networks "Ace of Cakes") I fixed the problem by tearing the layers apart and putting in platforms. Crisis averted, or so I thought.
I guess this cake offended someone in another life. Maybe it was a rich man, like Mister Burns, and Karma felt that he should be reincarnated as a doomed cake. Maybe I took on too big a project. Maybe life just happens. Whatever it was, this cake had a contract out on its short life. Enjoy watching our disaster.


I have a few more fun pics to add for this birthday post.
Yes, Ella did wear a princess dress to the pirate party. Ethan was less than thrilled, but I had to explain he couldn't dictate what she wore.
We went to Pizza Hut for Ethan's birthday dinner. I was trying to get a nice picture of Eric with the girls, but somebody thought this was the funniest thing ever and did it to 3 more pictures.
The picture I finally got.

Me and the birthday boy. This is my tired face from waiting 45 minutes to order, trying to take pictures that he blocks, and trying to get him to smile. This was the closest thing to a smile we could get, but you know what, I love it.