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Here's my monthly (except I forgot last month!) "12 pictures of the 12th day":

WAFFLES FOR BREAKFAST

PRETTY MOTHER'S DAY FLOWERS FROM MY SWEET MOM

KASIDEE AND MINNIE

FUN AT THE PARK

FINISHING MY BOOK

TAKING MAKENNA TO PRESCHOOL

KASIDEE'S OUTFIT

DINNER

SWEET KASIDEE

KIERA CAUGHT A BOUQUET AT QUENTIN'S NEPHEW'S RECEPTION

CUTE GIRLS!

THE DAY IS DONE...

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! I woke up to 2 little girls (the littlest one was still so sleepy), standing by my bed in their jammies and aprons, taking my breakfast order. Hmmm - Cheerios maybe, or a leftover waffle from yesterday? So nice to have breakfast in bed (Cherrios with soymilk, water and Smarties), plus a cute little gift - a flower made from Legos, one from each girl. I guess last week, Walmart and Lego partnered for a special Lego "event," and the girls have been excited all week to be able to build their flower and give it to me. So sweet! Boy, my life is so blessed because of these sweet girls - and their amazing dad! I guess Mother's Day is like Thanksgiving - giving thanks to those special women who have helped shape our lives, and the little girls that make life worth living!

Moms & Muffins

This morning I got to join Kiera at school for "Moms and Muffins." Kiera read a book to me, then gave me a tissue paper corsage and some flowers that she had colored (with chores written on each one!). Then there was a little class program that the kids put on. Some songs made me laugh, and I was caught off-guard when one song made the tears come! Kiera was so excited to have me there and wanted me to stay for the rest of the day. Oh, how I love my girls!!

Daddy Was In Charge . . .

So I had my yoga class last night, and gave the girls a quick bath before I left. I asked Quentin to get them out of the tub since I was running late, and I mentioned that since their hair was wet, it might be a good time for a trim. We have issues with Kiera's hair every morning - she HATES getting it brushed and it just gets so snarly. And Makenna's preferred hairstyle (braids) has had issues lately, because there is a strand of hair that's shorter than the rest so it makes it hard to do braids. Anyway - I thought a 1 to 2 inch trim would do them both good. So imagine my surprise when I walked into the door after my class and heard excited shreiking. And in ran Kiera and Makenna - with their hair much shorter than I expected! It's what Kiera had requested and when Makenna saw it, she wanted hers done the same way. I must admit that I love it - it's so cute on them!

#7 Continued

So Kiera said she had the "best birthday EVER" yesterday. She went to school, where the kids in the class all made her a little book. Each kid made a page with a drawing and then said, "I like Kiera because ______." Kiera treasures it! Then right after school we had a luau party with some of her friends. We had a hula hoop contest, a tropical relay race (where each member of the team had to don luau attire and run down the yard and back, and coconut bowling (though Kiera didn't want to use her coconut because she didn't want it to get broken, so we used the little plastic balls the set came with). Then presents, cupcakes and ice cream. Then we took a little breather and geared up for more fun with the "family party." More presents, more cupcakes, and more ice cream - and 4-wheeler rides from Quentin. Kiera stayed up late playing with her presents and was excited to get her alarm clock up and running. She's just so amazing and we're so happy to have her in our lives!

Happy #7, Kiera!

Can you believe Kiera's 7 today?! I sure can't - it seems like she was just born! Boy, time sure goes fast. She has been WAY excited for today. She woke up at 7:00 and came bounding into our bedroom saying, "It's my birthday!" (Like we forgot!) She asked if she could open "just one" present before school, so we let her. And she requested a K-shaped pancake for breakfast, on our special "Today's Your Day" plate that Granny gave us awhile ago. And then she headed off to school. Quentin took the day off, thinking Kiera might want to skip school and do something fun - but no, she wanted to go (I guess that's a good thing). So while she's at school and Makenna's at preschool this afternoon, Quentin, Kasidee and I will get ready for Kiera's party!

We are just so blessed to have our Kiera in our lives. She is such a happy girl and finds joy in every situation. She really is "pure light," like her name means. She is sensitive to other's feelings, is very conscientious and responsible, and is simply a good girl. She loves to learn, is very smart, and makes friends easily. She loves to draw and make lists, loves riding her bike, and loves getting absorbed in a book. She's a good big sister and a wonderful daughter. We're blessed because of her! Happy birthday, Sweetie!

I'm a Sucker . . .

I've never really been a big fan of the D.I. or garage sales (why pay for someone else's junk when I'm trying to get rid of my own junk?) Occasionally I think it's fun to browse, but I've never been addicted like I know some people are. However, library book sales are different. I love them. It's crazy, crowded, and people smell like greasy hair and morning breath - but hey, I love the thrill of the hunt. This morning I left my house at 6:20 to go to the library sale at the big library in Salt Lake. After weeding through tons of books (and people!) I think I scored some awesome things - a whole set of yoga videos (and even one for kids), some American Girl books to add to Kiera's collection, some Little House on the Prairie and Little Women stories, and other books that have been on my wish list. 26 practically new things for 28 bucks. Not bad, eh?

Getting to Know You . . .

I guess Quentin and I either know each other a little too well or we are just very much alike. On several occasions, we have given each other the same gift. Like last year on our anniversary, we each got each other a windmill for our yard - and they were exactly the same, even purchased at the same place. So I guess we shouldn't have been surprised that we did it again! For some reason, I have always liked Precious Moments figurines and Quentin has added to my collection over the years. While in Disneyland, he saw a figurine of a couple wearing Mickey Mouse ears. He bought it and hid it from me during the rest of the trip and on the way home. While I was contemplating what to get Quentin for our anniversary, I recalled seeing a Precious Moments figurine wearing Mickey Mouse ears and went to Hallmark to get it. (I know that's kind of a girly thing to get a guy but I figured Quentin would appreciate it anyway). Well, imagine our surprise when we saw that we got each other VERY similar things! So either we know each other too well or we're very much alike - either way, it's a good thing!

Happy #12!

Today is our 12th anniversary (and 15 years to the day that we first met)! Yes, we met and married on Tax Day, which also happens to be my Grandma Johnson's birthday. So it's a good day for a lot of people!

The girls and I are just so incredibly blessed to have Quentin in our lives. He is always thinking about others' feelings and is so thoughtful. He's genuine. He is a great husband and a wonderful dad. He loves his girls more than anything and he works hard to make our lives peaceful, secure, and happy. I respect him and I love him and I thank him! Happy Anniversary, Sweetie!

Disneyland!!

We went to Disneyland for Spring Break last week! Quentin and the girls had never been there before and I hadn't been since I was 7, so it really was a first for all of us. We were so glad we persuaded Mom to go with us, and we were happy to be able to visit with my aunt Loreen (Dad's sister) for awhile since she lives close by.

We had an absolute blast! We checked out a few beaches (the girls LOVED the ocean and finding tons of seashells), swam in the hotel pool, shopped for souvenirs at the Disney Downtown District, spent one day at Disneyland and one day at California Adventures.

Our first ride at Disneyland was "It's a Small World." That's the only thing I really remember about Disneyland when I went as a kid. And as we were riding along, I was surprised by how I was overcome with emotion! I just couldn't stop the tears! I guess when we were planning this trip I kept thinking about the girls and how exciting it would be for them and how much they would like it. But then being there, and seeing the "magic," I realized how much Disneyland is a place for everyone - it really is the Happiest Place on Earth!

(Sorry for all the pics - but considering Quentin took over 400 pictures on our trip, I think I narrowed it down pretty well!)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! I absolutely love Easter. The craziness of Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets and tons of sugary candy seems to disappear when the Sabbath morning rolls around and the house is quiet and still. This morning the sun was softly streaming in and the tulips were gently swaying in the breeze. Easter, for me, is a holiday filled with reflection and humble gratitude toward our sweet Savior and all He's done for us and given us. Everything I believe and hope for hinges on His reality and the gifts He's given us. What thankfulness I have in my heart!

Booby Traps

I think I have somewhat of a split personality when it comes to kid's messes. Most of the time, I want every single thing in my house to be in the right place and to have everything perfect - the bedspreads unwrinkled, the barstools spaced perfectly apart, no water splashes on the counter, etc. Very rarely do I have this house, though it's my ideal. But I realize that's not realistic with kids in the house. Kids have to make messes to learn, to play, and to grow. So I'm okay (for example) when they dig boxes out of the trash and decorate them and gather all kinds of stuff from every single room to put in the boxes and have them sitting out for days, waiting for me to trip on them. I usually am okay with that and somehow make peace with it, though sometimes I have to breathe deep and count to 10.

So tonight when the girls gathered their dozens of stuffed bunnies, made little houses for them with pillows and blankets and rocks and hot pads, and then devised "booby traps" to deter anyone from sneaking in in the middle of the night and taking them, I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry. Another huge mess. But I had to admire their ingenuity and creativeness. On each of their bunny houses, they tied a rattle to the middle of some fishing line, then strung the line across it so that if the "sneaker" tried to grab the bunnies, it would trip the line and sound the rattle. Smart, eh? The girls were so proud of their invention...until Kasidee came in and walked right past the booby trap and laid down with the bunnies!