Happy Birthday Whitney

My "Angel" turned EIGHT this weekend.  Here are EIGHT things we love about Whitney....

1.  She really is an "Angel"- she is so sweet and loving to our family, really a calm and peaceful child for the most part. 
2.  She loves fashion- she is so stylish- she loves to accessorize
3.  She is nurturing and loving.  She has a very tender heart and cares about others
4.  She makes friends easily and is very loyal
5.  Each night when she goes to bed she has special symbols that she does to show me that she loves me
6.  She loves chocolate- I don't, but most woman do and she is all girl when it comes to her love of chocolate
7.  She is very willing to help when we need it
8.  She is quick to say I'm Sorry when she has done something wrong

Whitney we love you to the moon and back.  You are the best daughter in the world.  Thank you for choosing to spend your life with our family.  You are the best!  Happy Birthday!

Whitney Faith Baptism

Today was the baptism of Whitney Faith.  Her baptism was originally suppose to be July 31st, then Jeff's parents got called to be mission presidents in the Marshall Islands and they leave July 13th, so with a little effort, patience and permission we were able to move it to today so they could be there.  A special thanks needs to be extended to Scott who graciously hosted the baptism in his stake.  He spent a lot of time on this and we are so grateful.  Also to Erik in our bishopric who presided from our ward and his cute family that attended.  It was a very special day.  Kellie and Malia gave two of the best talks on baptism and the holy ghost that I have ever heard.  Ashtyn, Whitney and Ethan sang If the Savior Stood Beside Me and it melted my heart.  Malia's brother Ian- or Uncle Ian as we now call him played all the music.  Jeff gave the most amazing blessing to Whitney and the spirit was very strong.  I am so proud of Whitney.  I know that the choice she made today will change her life forever.  We passed around a journal for people to sign and leave a little thought for her to read and tonight as she read them she cried because she felt the spirit.  I was happy that we could make today a day that I hope she will always remember.  We love Whitney and she is a very important part of our family.  Eight is GREAT!

Runnin...

Jeff has taken up running on a more consistent schedule.  When he would travel he could run all the time at the hotels.  We both have a goal to get into better shape- he is succeeding at his goal....me...not so much:)  Ethan has been begging to go and we it hasn't worked out because Jeff usually goes too late and Ethan has to go to bed.  Yesterday Jeff went early so I drove Ethan down and met him about half way and he let Ethan run with him for about a half a block.  It was so cute!  Ethan loved every minute of it.  I was a little worried that he might trip Jeff because he hasn't quite mastered straight yet, but you should have seen the huge grin on his face.  I told him maybe if he goes a little bit more each time he will finally be able to run with Dad the whole way.

The Slurpee Meltdown

Today was the last official day of school for the girls.  Yesterday was Ethan's, but he missed it because we went to Lagoon (Love Lagoon- Post about that later).  I decided to take the kids to the 7-11 to get them a Slurpee to celebrate.  To start with Ashtyn was pouting in the back of the car and wouldn't tell me why- so when we got there she was in a bad mood, but I finally got her to tell me that she was sad because she didn't want a Slurpee and didn't think she would get anything else.  I am trying to get my kids to understand that all they have to do is say something and I would be much more rational with them then when I get upset because I can't understand why they are throwing a fit...Anyways we went in and Whitney wanted to get her Slurpee herself so I said OK just be careful when it gets to the top or it will over flow- so what happens- it way over flows and makes a huge sticky mess.  I try to remain calm and clean it up.  Then I proceed to make Slurpee's for our neighbors two girls as a surprise because their party got canceled due to illness that they were looking forward to.  This time Ashtyn really wants to do it- so thinking that because she just witnessed Whitney's over flow she will be much more cautious and able to do it.  NO- the same thing happens and it overflows onto the floor this time.  So again I grab some towels and try to clean it up with out getting hysterical.  Ethan at this point is standing off to the side looking at which donut he wants to purchase instead of a Slurpee and he keeps interrupting me to ask if he can buy the mega pack and I keep telling him no.  While I am in the middle of this Ashtyn decides she does want a Slurpee and takes a cup and fills it herself while my back is turned and once again we are in the middle of a big huge sticky mess.  I am now beyond hysterical- I am ticked and worried that we are about to be thrown out of the place by the the nice employee that is starring us down.  I yell and scream at all three of the kids- telling them that only adults are allowed to touch the Slurpee machine and that if they had listened when I said that the first time we wouldn't be in this mess.  I get it cleaned up, we pay, we leave.  Then I feel like crap- I hate when I get this way with the kids- I do alot.  I hate messes and the fact that in order for kids to learn to do things there are going to be messes.  I am very controlling and I don't provide opportunities for them to learn to do things and I need to.  I should have handled that situation differently and I lost a teaching opportunity in addition to making my kids feel bad.  So I am now calling this the Slurpee principle.  Which means that I need to let them make a few messes now so we can avoid even bigger messes in the future(and I'm not just talking about Slurpee's)  After we got home I apologized profusely and they ran off to play with their friends- that's the best part of kids- they are very forgiving.  The Slurpee's were good.

9 Wish List

Ashtyn recently saw a movie called 16 Wishes on Disney- All about a girl who makes 16 wishes on her 16th birthday for things she thinks she really wants.  It was actually pretty cute and I was hoping that it would make my girls realize that being a grown up isn't as fun as they think.  Ashtyn tells me all the time that her life would be so much better if she could make her own decisions and be an adult.  While I'm not sure if really even made her think- it did inspire her to write her own wish list....

Journals

Ashtyn found some of my old journals the other day and hasn't been able to put them down.  She absolutely loves reading them.  She found one entry where I'd written about how my mother took my coat and how I hate her and she doesn't love me.  Ashtyn feels this way about me sometimes too and I think it made her feel closer to me- knowing that sometimes you don't always love the things your mom does.  It has brought back so many memories for me.  Some I wish I didn't have to remember, but mostly good.  It made me a little nervous for her because growing up is hard and you are bound to have hard days- but good ones too and that's why it is important to write them down so you can remember them.  This blog has become my journal and I love it.  She has now started to really write in her journal.  I hope she continues so someday she can show it to her daughter too.

Back to School and Back to Blogging

We started a new school year this week.  This is a monumental year at our house- all our kids are in school all day!  Another chapter has closed in our family book.  I miss the kids for sure- but this last month I have felt super stressed so I am very happy to have some time with out them.  July was the busiest, craziest month at our house- with Nana and Papa gone, Whit's baptism, 4th and 24th of July, Jeff out of town and school starting we have been busy. 

The first day of school went great- only a small amount of tears from Whitney right when I left and then two melt downs from the girls when they got home the first night.  School is tiring and we haven't had to be on a schedule, so I think they were a little over whelmed.  We went to breakfast at McDonald's to celebrate before school.  Then we met their teachers and off they went.  Today was Ethan's first day.  Yesterday he met his teachers.  He started the Chinese Immersion program this year, so half his day is completely in Chinese.  When we met his teacher she only spoke Chinese to him and he was so wide eyed and bewildered.  He understood what she wanted him to do by her body language and gestures- but when we were walking out he told me that he only understood one word she said and that was "Ethan"..ha ha.  I almost burst out laughing because Chinese is so hard to understand and I know we don't really know what we are getting into. 

Summer has been fun and hot.  Really hot.  Our garden is doing great- we have a huge pumpkin plant growing on one side and then cucumbers, cantaloupes and watermelon on the other.  I so hope they work!  We have loved having a garden and I hope to try more things in the future.  We have seen lots of friends, family, fireworks and food.  Here are a few pictures of things we've been up to:

Ready to watch fireworks for the 4th

First day of school pictures

Saying goodbye to Nana and Papa

My crazy brother being dumb with fireworks

My little Jedi (he never takes off that dishrag cape)

A gorgeous flower outside the Denver Temple at my Dad's wedding

  My Dad's wedding in Denver- Love his new wife

Cute Whitney in her baptism dress

Ashtyn and Whitney in their baptism dresses

  Love those girls to death!

Art Show and Lemonade Social

One Friday morning we woke up and thought "Hey let's have an art show" so we did.  Ashtyn and I made invitations.  We passed them out to all of the kids on our street- there are over 20 kids on are street.  We asked each child to bring an original piece of art.  Then we moved all of our living room furniture out of the way and set up our kitchen chairs with strings strung between them and clothespins for hanging the art.  When the kids arrived we hung up all of the art work and then each child took a turn showing their piece and talking about why they chose to draw it and why they like it, etc.  All of the kids were allowed to ask the artists questions.  When we were done we had cookies and lemonade.  It only lasted about an hour- but it was one of the most fun things we have ever done.  We will definitely be doing it again.