freeze

Annabelle goes to afternoon preschool on Mondays and Wednesdays and morning preschool on Fridays. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Lou and I come home and do a little lesson, then she naps while I typically work. But on Fridays, Lou and I usually run some errands, and then she's my little sidekick all morning. This morning, we made cookies. Her contributions were solely taste testing. And I looked over and saw this little baby that's not so much of a baby, with her mismatched flip flops because that's how she likes them, her purse of treasures on her arm, and I thought, "Goodness. Just freeze. Freeze it all. Let's stay like this forever."

So I snapped a few pictures. And I froze my baby like this forever, mismatched and goofy and full of all her wild happiness that does my heart so much good.

easter talk

Annabelle gave a talk in Primary yesterday. The topic she was assigned was something long winded like, "Parents have important responsibilities in our families." Which what? On Easter? Yeah right. This is what we came up with:

"Moms and dads have many important jobs in our families, including working, making food, playing with us, and teaching us. One of the most important things they can teach us about is Jesus. A long time ago, Jesus said a special prayer in Gethsemane, and he suffered for our sins. He died on a cross so we could live again. They buried him in a tomb (she sometimes read it as "tube," which was fabulous) that was sealed with a huge (I wrote "big," but she ad libbed to huge and it was also fabulous) stone. Three days later, he was resurrected! Jesus lives again! I'm grateful for my Savior. I love him, and I know he loves me."

And basically, I feel like that tiny talk sums it all up. Because of Him, we will live again. He loves me, and he loves you. And I know He loves these little Easter chicks.

Happy {belated} Easter. :)

lunar light

Jess has never been afraid to suffer for his art. As long as that art is photography. When we go on vacation, he sleeps very little. He stays up for the moon, wakes up for the sun, and then chases photos all day long. So of course, during the lunar eclipse on Monday night, Jess was camped out in our backyard with his camera pointed skyward until 2:30 a.m. And despite several camera malfunctions, it was worth it. For those of you who went to bed on Monday night (like me) instead of saying up til crazy hours like my crazy husband, you're welcome. :)

parting

This sweet girl left us yesterday. After thirteen long dog years, her unbelievably kind spirit finally left her aging - but stubborn - body. We were as ready as we could be for her to go. It was her time. But it doesn't make it any easier. She was just a lover of a dog. She loved us, and she loved the people we loved. She's a special breed (Keeshond) that can smile when they're really happy. Their mouths curl and their teeth show, and it's just the best thing in the world. Every time I'd come home to visit, she'd come bounding out, even in her arthritic last days, beaming. 

I think it's a rather extraordinary thing that Heavenly Father gave us these animals to be our companions. I think that some of them - like Chamine - are super special. They understand us, they take care of us, and they love us to the very tiniest parts of our souls. They are truly a gift and a reminder that God loves us. 

Chamine was the best dog I ever knew. I feel so lucky that she was ours. And I am so grateful for everything she gave to us. Until we meet again, sweet girl. Thank you for loving us. 

I love you Tuss. 

it's been said

{upon examining a toy cow figure}

Lou: Hmm. What's dat? Dat poo?

Me: Um, no. It's the udder. It's how we get milk from a cow.

Lou, picking up the toy horse figure and examining its underside: The horse no get milk?

+

{while Jess attempts to wrestle Lou}

Lou: Get away boy!

+

Belle: Mom, can I wear my Rapunzel dress for just a second?

Me: How about after naps?

Belle: Mommmmm. How about after just half of a second?

+

Lou: Sissy! Dis is terrible!

Annabelle: What is terrible?

Lou: Mommy's in her bed, she say, I tie-wed!

{storms off to find me with her demon face on - 

I was not in bed and heard and witnessed the whole thing -

 it was hilarious}

+

Me: What do you think of the soup?

Belle: It's pretty good, but pretty different. It needs corn. 

{my mini chef}

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{while watching Rise of the Guardians}

Lou: Oh, it's a scary part! Sissy, you keep me safe?

Belle: Yes. Just sit down. You're safe with me. See, is this part okay?

Lou: Yeah. Thank you Sissy, for getting me safe.

{and then my heart broke in a million pieces}

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Lou: Jack and the Frost = Jack Frost

Me: Lou, who do you love? {expecting her to say, "Mommy."}

Lou, whispering: Jesus.

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{after she's been too quiet for too long}

Me: Lou? Where are...oh, what are you...

Lou: I pooping...Leave me alone.

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{while I cut raw chicken}

Lou: Moooommmm! Mommmm!

Me: Belle, will you go see what Lou needs? My hands are all gross.

{Belle runs upstairs}

Belle: Um...Mom? Lou's in her bed...and she can't get out.

{NOTE: I did not put her in the bed.}

+

{while watching Toy Story 3, under her breath}

Belle: Andy's room isn't clean...why does my room always have to be clean?

{for the record, her room is hardly always clean!}

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{while praying}

Lou: Tankful for Daddy and tankful for tattoos...

{awesome - she's referring to temporary ones Annabelle got for Valentine's from preschool}

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{while I laid on the couch with her flu bug}

Lou: Mommy, you sick?

Me: Yeah, I'm not feeling too good.

Lou: Oh, you need medicine? I can't get it. It too high. Lemme see...here lemme feel your belly. Now breathe like dis (huffs and puffs). Dare. Feeling better?

{she was sick so often for so long that she has every diagnosis routine down pat}

Lou: Oh my gosh!

Me: Lou, say, "Oh my goodness."

Lou: No. I can't. OH MY GOSH!

+

{while playing princesses}

Lou: Hi. I Belle.

Me: Oh, hello Belle. How are you?

Lou: Uh...where my prince?

+

{while playing at a friend's house}

Me: Wow! Look at this cute play kitchen!

Little friend: My mom made it.

Me: Wow, your mom is so creative!

Annabelle: I wish you were creative Mom...

+

{on Saturday night}

Belle: I don't wanna go to my class. I'm tired of church!

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Me: Your Daddy is crazy!

Jess: Your Mommy is crazy!

Lou: No...Me is crazy!

{true dat}

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Belle: Oh my goodness grief!

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{as Jess repeatedly kisses my cheek}

Lou: Oh guys. Stop kissing!

{Jess walks over and kisses her}

Lou: Oh, that's much better.

{while hiking in Capitol Reef National Park}

Me: What do you think is in those tiny holes in the rocks?

Belle, without hesitation: Bats and rats and spiders.

+

{while hiking in Capitol Reef, when her shoes filled with sand}

Lou: My foot is dragging!

{over and over}

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{still hiking in Capitol Reef}

Lou: I a hiking guhrl!

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{as Jess attempts to wrestle Lou}

Lou: Daddy stop! I not a baby anymore! I just a kid!

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{while in the back garden (yard)}

Lou: The bugs are in my sun!

+

{while praying, while Daddy is at work}

Lou: Thankful for Daddy...to be in the back garden.

+

Me: I'm trying to find a hotel for us...

Lou: A hotel!? I love hotels!

Belle: Me too. I wish we lived in a hotel and not this house...

{while watching General Conference}

Lou: Hey! That's Tomlinson! (Thomas S. Monson) That's my man!

+

{while watching General Conference}

Lou: Sissy! It's Uchtdorf! I love him! I marry him!

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{after Lou spits a half-chewed banana in my hand}

Belle: When I'm a mom, I don't want to hold slobbery things...

{good luck with that}

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{after her teacher gives her extra homework, per her request, I find her crying}

Me: What's wrong? Do you not want extra homeowork?

Belle: No! It's too easy! And I want MORE. Why didn't Miss Sam give me more!?!

{Miss Sam now gives her two packets per week. It's hilarious.}

+

Annabelle and Lou: hanitizer = hand sanitizer 

{and why not?}

woodworking

So have y'all heard about Home Depot's monthly Kids Workshops? If not, I'm pretty sure it's my duty to spread the word. On the first Saturday of every month, Home Depot hosts a free Kids Workshop. Kids get a little woodworking project and a mini Home Depot apron, and they get to take home both. It's so clever, and so much fun.

Of course, these little projects generally require the assistance of an adult, and we were lucky this week to have an extra grandma, grandpa, uncle, and aunt on hand. I was most grateful as I almost always get at least one step backwards or wrong, and I was happy to hand over the reigns to Tanner to help Lou.

Those are tiny little bird feeders that the girls are holding. They took their jobs so seriously in putting them together and getting the paint job just right (mostly pink). So cute. Next month is a flower planter...you know you want to make one! :)

A Grandpa photo bomb. Epic.

puppy people

So the morning we left St. George after my sister's wedding, Jess noticed it was a wee bit quiet outside in the backyard, so he went out to survey the goings on of our children.

My mom has two dogs. The girls love these dogs, especially as we haven't a single pet in our home (and the older I get, the more I'm really really okay with it). But apparently, they also like to be dogs. When Jess walked out, they looked up with the "Am I in trouble face?" He just laughed and went inside to get the camera. LOOK HOW DIRTY THE DOG CRATE IS. And note that they're wearing their fancy wedding shoes.

Most people get a dog when they don't have babies. We have babies so we don't have to get dogs.

And yes, she got stuck in the dog door. And yes, her father took pictures before retrieving her.