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!

Preschool with Daddy

Makenna was WAY excited that Daddy got to go to preschool with her today and be the "Parent Helper." She's been asking all year if he could go with her, and he thought today would be a good day to go. He got off work at noon and spent 2 1/2 hours at her little preschool - and then took Makenna for ice cream afterword. She kept thanking him over and over for being with her today. I was also glad that he had the opportunity to see how the preschool "functions," especially since I'll be teaching soon! Fun, fun!

Random Pics

What a weekend. Kiera had Monday off for a "Quality Teaching Day," I think they call it. Whatever that is. It has been a pretty quiet weekend, but though we didn't have much planned, we found plenty to do. The girls found my old sponge curlers and wanted them in their hair. Quentin (being the awesome daddy he is) put them in their hair and Kiera was thrilled with the results the next morning. Makenna was not so thrilled. She had a hard time sleeping in them and wanted us to take them out just on one side so she could sleep. I guess I can't blame her. I always hated sleeping in those things as a kid. But when she saw her curly hair, she was worried that her straight hair had gone away forever. She braved it for one day but was relieved after her bath that her hair was back to normal.

On Monday my mom had Kiera and Makenna over for a "playdate." They've been planning this for weeks and the girls couldn't wait. There's just something about having Granny to themselves and having snacks and crafts and cartoons. My mom's just way too nice. The girls made "Pom Pom Bugs" and played with them all day yesterday, slept with them last night, and Makenna is still playing with hers. She likes to put them on my plant and let them "hang out."

Hats....

Well, in addition to being many different things and wearing many different hats, I guess it's finally "official" that I will soon be wearing the "hat" of preschool teacher! I have always loved the process of learning and was specifically drawn to child development when I was completing my psychology degree. In junior high, I used to have the neighborhood kids come over in the summer for a little preschool, just for the fun of it. And I guess in the back of my mind, I've always thought that maybe I would do it "for real" someday.

When Kiera started preschool a few years ago, I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect. In a lot of ways, I thought preschool was just a glorified playgroup and I was unsure of the benefits. In fact, I was hesitant to even enroll Kiera. But during my first time as a "Parent Helper" at preschool, I was enthralled - I was impressed with how professional it seemed and it's focus on acadmics - and making learning fun. Even though the preschool was just held in our neighbor's home, each month when I went to help, I got more and more excited. I just kept thinking, "I love this" - the cute kids, so intent on learning, the fun environment, etc.

So about 6 months ago, Makenna's preschool teacher (the same one Kiera had 2 years before), mentioned that she is going to be going back to school and wondered if I would be interested in teaching a class just once a week. I jumped at the chance! It's taken a few months to get everything settled (her husband was changing jobs and she needed to make sure they could afford hiring out one of the 3 classes, etc.) but I guess it's official - so starting this Fall I will be teaching the Mozart Math class at the preschool. I went today to observe how the class functions and view the lesson plans - and I'm stoked!!

And what's even more, I guess in a year and a half (so Fall 2011), the one teacher wants to quit teaching so she can focus on going back to school - and she won't be able to continue having it in her home. The other teaching partner doesn't have enough space in her home, so she and I have been chatting over the last few months, and I offered to do it here. Quentin and I discussed it and decided we could finish his shop area (he's so supportive in what I want to do, plus I think he's motivated to finish the space because then it can also be used as a future theater room!). So that's the plan - and our goal is to become a licensed preschool. I'm learning so much and feel this is a good opportunity not only for me, but also my family and those cute little preschool kids!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So it's St. Patrick's Day. Kind of a strange holiday, don't you think? But to kids it's a pretty big deal. Kiera slept in her green clothes "just in case," and she put green stickers on her stuffed animals so they wouldn't get pinched. Makenna was concerned that her eyes are blue, not green, and that her hair isn't green either. This morning we made Shamrock waffles (they're green, but it's hard to tell), but the girls freaked out when I wanted to color their milk green. Oh well. There's not much else I can think of doing!

Reading Corner

Ever since the girls got their bunk beds, we've been doing our nightly bedtime stories on the floor. There's not much room on Makenna's bottom bunk, and it gets crazy if we're all up on Kiera's top bunk. So I've been trying to figure out a little Reading Corner in the girls' room. We bought a bed canopy thing from Ikea about 6 months ago but needed something to sit on underneath.... Then lo and behold, my mom mentioned that she was wanting to get rid of a little rocking bench that she has had for 30-plus years. It's the little bench that I used to take naps on as a baby and the bench that Quentin borrowed from my parents when he proposed to me. So in addition to the sentimental value, it's a perfect little bench for our Reading Corner. I'm still trying to decide how to update it - paint it white? Find new cushions and cute pillows? We'll see - but we're just so happy to have it just the way it is (thanks Mom!)