Summer Funnin'

Now that our summer is drawing to a close...

I can't believe it!  I guess it's time I shared what we've been up to for the last few months.

In May we visited the BYU museum when they featured the amazing work of Carl Bloch.  I don't think I could really describe what I felt there.  But I do know that I left with a new perspective on some of the events we hear so often in the Savior's life.  What would it have been like to pick up the nails that were covered in His precious blood?  The paintings put you right there.

Kennedy trying to fall off the wall at the museum

Audrey was really reverent inside

 

Kennedy developed an OBSESSION with books.  I have to say I am both thrilled and bugged.  I have always felt like the best gift I could give my kids would be a love of reading.  So I love that they are both so excited about going to the library (one of the first places I wanted to be able to drive to myself at 16).  I love that the minute we get home Audrey doesn't want to eat lunch or play or anything until we've read every single one of the books we checked out.  I love that they both run to my bed to read bedtime stories each night.  But the situation with Kennedy isn't always as exciting.  For one thing, the books she reads are usually less than 20 words so I have them memorized.  Also, she'll want to read it over and over again.  Then it doesn't matter if I just got out of the shower or I'm eating or cleaning--she scoots back into my lap and it's reading time.  Okay, I mostly love it!

Audrey had a dance recital in June.  It was her first big one on stage with makeup.  She was really excited.  Her costume is a cowgirl and this is her "guns" move.

For our 9 year anniversary Ryan and I went with the girls to the pool.  Romantic, right?

There's a really great splash park close to us that we don't visit enough.

 

Salina carnival for the 4th of July and Spanish Fork carnival for the 24th.

 

Lots of visits to lots of parks.

To sum up: we've not been anywhere or done anything exciting or out of the ordinary.  But there have been lots of smiles, laughing, playing, learning and growing and I can't imagine anything better.

The Smell of Jellies

I love being a mother of girls.

I love being able to sing princess songs -word for word- and not feel weird about it.  It's not socially acceptable for me to wear a tutu but I get satisfaction in putting my daughter in one.  I secretly love when Audrey asks me to color with her because I love coloring.

But mostly, I love that it takes me back to being a little girl.  The simplest thing like a scented strawberry shortcake doll or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich remind me of a time when my biggest concern was whether my sister was playing with MY favorite barbie.  I look forward to a trip to the library because we will get some of the books that I was first in love with so many years ago. 

Then a couple of weeks ago I opened up my mailbox to find my Old Navy order had come.  I was excited to show Audrey the shoes I had ordered for her and Kennedy.  I cut it open and there it was...the unforgettable smell of jellies.  Wow, it took me back.

It's good to be a girl!    

I Love Easter!

Halle and Audrey were enjoying their new found treasure.

Lehi easter egg hunt with Grandma Jackie and Papa Craig and cousins Halle, Chase, Elizabeth and Seth.

 

Easter egg hunt in Salt Lake with Grandma Raylene and Papa Randy and cousins Chloe and Gretchen.

 

To say that Kennedy loved this little whistle would be an understatement!

Another big fan of the whistle!

Audrey and I made glitter eggs!  It used to be that you'd go to the store and buy a little egg coloring kit with about five colors and you were good-to-go.  Now there are so many choices!  It's a little bit overwhelming!  There are glitter and tye-dye, pastel and florescent; the possibilities are endless!

Another Easter tradition is to go to Salina to eat in the garage and throw eggs.  Sounds glamorous, right?  Actually, it is so fun.  The garage tradition started one year when the weather wasn't cooperating.  It was so much fun it has stuck with the family for years.  The whole family wouldn't fit in any normal size house anyway.

Kennedy and Audrey both had a ride on the wooden rocking horse.

Ryan's cousin's daughter Ashlyn is Audrey's good friend.

Throwing the eggs was great because those eggs would not break!  (Maybe part of the issue is the girls throw about as well as their mom.)

Audrey on Easter morning.

I didn't get a picture of Kennedy that morning because even though we don't have church until 1, I can't bring myself to get anyone ready until the last minute.

On a more personal note, I loved Easter so much this year.  I think Easter is in some ways better than Christmas because there's a commercial side and a spiritual side and there's much less stress.  This year we had so much fun with the girls.  They were both so cute about the egg hunts.  On the other side, we were able to have a real conversation with Audrey about Jesus and the really amazing story behind the holiday.  On Easter Sunday one of our amazing Young Women leaders gave a beautiful lesson, Kennedy was out with her dad, and I was able to feel the spirit of Christ's life, death and resurrection.  It was a wonderful couple of weeks to think, feel, and enjoy our many blessings. 

The Grocery Store

I'm sorry, but I have to complain.  I don't hate anything more than I hate grocery shopping.  Dante's seven circles didn't specifically mention it, but I know it's in there.

Today was one of those shopping trips where I thought I might just lose it.  

Summary of Audrey's attitude: "Momma, I'm tired.  Can we go home?  Are we almost done?"

Summary of Kennedy's attitude: "I will stand in the basket and crush the food and throw things out or I will push the cart. (Please picture my tiny one year- old hunched over pushing the cart.  She doesn't appreciate me helping and she fusses when it is moving without her.)  If I'm not doing one of those two things, I'm unhappy."

Recap of my favorite moments...

Judgmental woman number 1: "Did you notice your daughter just dropped her pacifier on the      ground?"

I think: "I have a one year- old who's teething, I know where it is at all times and the only person who's more upset than my daughter that it's on the ground is me!"

I say: "Oh, thanks."

Judgmental woman number 2: "Did you know your daughter has a plastic bag in her mouth?"

I think: "Mind your own beesewax.  She's put worse things in her mouth and I am, believe it or not, watching her."

I say: "Oh, no.  Yuck."

Judgmental woman number 3: --Her son had just accidentally swiped his mom's credit/debit card through the card reader on my transaction.  The checkout girl fixed it and I jokingly said to the boy "Thank you.  I'd love for you to pay for my groceries."

She says: "The problem is I spend that much money on my five kids each week to feed them, clothe them, pay for soap, medicine- everything!"

I think: "In other words, I'm spoiled, my kids are spoiled, and I don't know how to manage money."

I say: Nothing

Other favorite moments include Kennedy throwing a glass jar of diced apples on the floor and it broke into a million pieces, Audrey inventing a game where she opened all the doors to the freezers and danced in the cool air, and AS ALWAYS...unloading the bags at home.

P.S. I love my girls, I'm incredibly blessed to be able to pay for groceries, and when Kennedy broke the jar the workers who helped clean it up were really nice.

Free Entertainment.

Note to self: In the future, when Audrey is begging for a new toy at the store, just remind her that we have bowls and empty shopping bags at home.

Funny girls!

Kennedy's First Birthday!!!

Miss Kennedy is 1!

 Loved the presents!  I don't think there was anything she wasn't thrilled to open.  She even loved the clothes because of her odd obsession with hangers! (If you've ever been shopping in a clothing store with her, you'd know what I'm talking about.)

Unlike her sister, she actually enjoyed stuffing her face with frosting.  Audrey cried and cried.  This is something I am now convinced they were born with; Kennedy loves to eat and Audrey has to be forced to eat.  I have worried that I did something wrong to make Audrey so picky.  But from day one, Kennedy was better with eating.
 

 I can't imagine my life without this smile.  

We had such a great day with the whole family there (minus Sam, Chase, and Lizzie- missed you!).  Kennedy has been such a blessing added to our family!  She is so funny, so determined, so stubborn, sooooo angelic.  

I love my girls!

I took the girls to get their pictures taken.  I don't have anything to say about them.  I think they're adorable, but I am totally biased.