3 Year-Old Requirement: Perfect Penmanship...who knew?

Okay so my kids are the only ones in their preschool class that don't know how to write their own names (whoops...there's one for the "bad mommy" file). But we've started working on it and here are the results:

Isn't that just so adorable?

So far David hasn't been able to sit still long enough to master it yet, but he did paint this today for his grandpa:

Ah, my babies are growing up.

Middle-of-the-Night Confessions

"Hi, my name is Erin and I am an insomniac."

Darn it. I should have taken that Ambien. I thought I was too tired to need it.

Yesterday I started a "diet."
Oh the dreaded "d" word. I can no longer ignore you.

This is coming as a result of deciding that I am starting to look "soft" in pictures. Now don't get me wrong....I'm not one of those people with an obsession over my weight or a distorted body image. I know I'm still a small person. It's just that I'm getting squishy, and squishy isn't good. And after 12 years of not actually being a dance major anymore but still eating like one, I think it's time for some lifestyle changes. Getting older bites.

Lately I have been feeling a little baby hungry.

Shh- don't tell Nate. I'm sure these feelings will subside soon enough.

And one last thing...and only in the middle of the night would I have the courage to admit this:

I am not crafty. Like not at all.

Phew- I feel so much better now that I've gotten that off of my chest.

Progress

I just got an unsolicited, melt-my-heart "I love you Mommy" from Will. Perhaps he read my last post...

Cousin Time

This week we had our niece, Kathryn, and our nephew, Jace, staying with us while their parents (Nate's sis Kristy and her husband Kelly) were away on business. Six kids under one roof and 5 of them between the ages of 2 and 4. Wow- that's a lot of action! It felt a bit like I was running a day care. Luckily I had my "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" techniques ready to go. And even more lucky, all the kids are total sweethearts and do what they are told most of the time. All, that is, except one. One is going through that oh-so-fun "testing his independence" phase...

William...little buddy...you know I love you more than life itself...but if you continue to whine and try to pick a fight with me over every little thing...buddy...I may completely lose my mind...okay buddy...I know that it is just a phase...buddy...and that you are still my sweet, gentle-hearted little guy...somewhere deep down inside...so let's just be friends again...okay buddy??

Here are some pics of our fun (and yes, very exhausting!) week together:

Kat

Jace

(The older girl is our cute neighbor Ellie.)

Daddy's Field Trip to Miller Speedway

The fun bus they got to ride (all except Nora who insisted she didn't want to go only to burst into tears the second it started moving without her).

Where was Mommy during this time?? Well, since you asked, I was at a fabulously relaxing sleep-over retreat with my book club (/playgroup/neighborhood/ward) friends. We do this every year and I look so forward to it. All sorts of girl talk (you could never make me tell!) and yummy food. Oh the vast amount of food consumed in that 24-hour period could feed a small country. Thanks Meghan for another great year at the cabin!

I have no pictures of the sleepover but here is one of some of my cute book club/playgroup/neighborhood/ward friends at the General Relief Society Meeting last night:


me, Marie, Meghan, Jenny, Leslie

3 Year-Old Soccer Game (aka Comedy Hour)

Three year-olds playing soccer is the best entertainment. Ever. David, Will and Nora have joined a team with Nate as coach. Here is video footage of the first game. Please excuse the bumpy filming (somehow I can't hold the camera still while I am laughing) and my annoying, high-pitched, sideline soccer mom voice. (What IS that?)

Highlights:
Nora (#7) deciding that she is fed up with not "getting the ball." Although in her defense, she does rally and get back in the game.

David (#9)- his game left us with one question...when can boys start football??? He seemed more interested in tackling the other players than in actually kicking the ball.

Will (#6)- man, this boy's a hustler. He showed real potential. (So did David...but mostly as a linebacker.)

Pictures:

There are several friends on the team: Noah, Porter, Truman & Sophia and their dad Tom as Asst coach. Can't wait for a fun and entertaining rest of the season!

Sunday dinner

Without a doubt my favorite day of the week is Sunday. Okay, so maybe not the part where Nate is at meetings and I am frantically trying to get all the kids ready and bags packed for 9:00 a.m. church. But once I get to church I love it. And I really love it when I get to take a nap that afternoon. And I really really love it when we go to my parent's house each week for dinner. My cute parents always work so hard to make the evening enjoyable and relaxing for our family. It is the best part of the week. Thanks Rolfie and Pat...what would we do without you??

The evening always starts with an exquisite meal. Seriously, my mom is quite the chef. I can't imagine why my kids don't eat dinner very well on nights that I do the cooking.

The menu this last Sunday:
Grilled Herb Shrimp with Peach Salsa
Marinated Flank Steak
Colosimo's Italian Sausage
Pasta, Pesto and Peas
Pecan Whipped Yams
BLT Salad
Dessert- Apple Crostata with homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Enjoying the meal:
Tyler, Eve, Matt

Tyler was the only one cooperating with my picture-taking at this point, so he deserved a shot all by himself.
Wy, Ty and Chels

Dad on weekly clean-up duty

Once dinner is over, we all head outside.

Tess is ready for hot-tubbing...in her boots

Brian and Cole (Dori's family).

Brian has become our resident babysitter/child entertainer. The kids LOVE him. Will's blessing on the food (with Nate helping him) went something like this:

Nate: We're grateful for grandma and grandpa

Will: We're grateful for gramma and grampa....and Brian!!

The happy couple trying to finalize the guest list for their wedding. Oh the stress.

Cute footprints of the grandkids on my parents' patio

My favorite corner in my parent's house (Many of you are well-aware of the small obsession I have with my parents' piano.)
The best part:
Leftovers!!

Fair, Horses, Fair, Fairies, Zoo, Fair

It's time to play catch up. This week I've experienced some technical difficulties. We got a new camera, which is totally fabulous by the way, but when I went to download the pictures for the first time, I did it all wrong, and then it took a while for the techno-wizard in our family (that would be Nate and unfortunately NOT me) to have a spare second to fix things... so now I am way behind on posting pictures. This just may be the longest post ever. Here goes:

1. Health Fair at Nate's work

Um Dad- what exactly is the snake doing to that mouse? (Click on the picture and look in the cage.)
Tess atop the cheeramid

2. Horseback riding




"Nora, look at the camera."


Oh dear- it looks like someone is allergic to horses.

3. While Nate and the boys went to the state fair, the girls and I went to a Fairy Festival where we made and bought fairy crafts to raise money for Rising Star Outreach.

Looks like Will got a date for this ride

4. Playgroup at the zoo

Film clip of the kids and the SCARY leopard

5. The final fair of the week- the school carnival

I have no pictures of the actual event but here is the result:

This is what my kids would look like as troll dolls

This is what they would look like as trolls on acid.