Is It Naptime Yet

While growing up my parents would always ask for us kids to do things for them or around the house. It was fine that we had to make dinner once a week, wash dishes, and iron my dad’s work clothes. I was fine with that. Well, maybe I didn’t enjoy ironing so much. What I disliked was picking up my father’s newspapers that he had just piled onto the floor after reading, or fetching him or my mom water when their legs worked just fine. The running joke was they had kids to do things for them.

Yeah, having kids can be helpful and I’m trying to not make them into my slaves, something we called ourselves a time or two growing up. It is hard though. They’re so able bodied, while I’m so old.

I’m still not great at always incorporating the girls into my chores or things I do around the house. They really can’t reach the sink to do dishes, and we have to help them put dishes away that go up high. I don’t always like company as I cook, most often I like to just cook by myself. So I don’t encourage them to be in the kitchen with me, but there are times they insist. Like when I was making jam at the very end of April.

I bought a ton of strawberries, and planned on freezing some and making jam with most of them. One morning I made one batch of freezer jam, but I was in a rush. I made them hang back and watch, but promised they could help when I did the regular jam.

The morning of jam making came, and the girls were very excited. I pulled their hair back, and I put them to work cutting and mashing berries, while I prepped my jars and lids. It was actually very helpful to have them helping, and helped the process go smoothly.
They also had tons of fun, so it was a win win situation. I even offered to contract them out to my friend Sam, but she was already over half way done with her jam making when I offered.

The girls really loved helping, and I liked seeing them help. There were times when one or the other was a little stubborn, but once I got them to try it, things went well. Read: Eden was not wanting to do something, so I made her try it, and she really liked it in the end.

Lilah’s hair is so crazy because I had to pull her long bangs back, so she wouldn’t be tempted to touch her hair.

Later that week Eden and I baked some muffins together. I try to include both of them in the kitchen, but often it becomes an argument in who’s turn it is, or it’s unfair that they get to put this and that in, or they’re stirring for too long. So sometimes I make something with just one of them. The other often pouts, but once we reach the agreement that they can help make something later in the week, they stop bothering us, for the most part. Read: Lilah has a really hard time not being the one helping in the kitchen, and hovers around talking and trying to help.

Eden’s Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. The recipe came from the Highlights magazine. (We changed it to whole wheat and substituted raisins for chocolate chips.)

Lilah chose some cookies for her recipe that we made together. They turned out pretty good, and none of the cookies I ate had any of her hair in them.

Lilah really has taken to doing extra things around the house, and it’s really nice, because usually she’s also very willing to help. Like, their laundry just got put into the wash and I didn’t have to help at all. I was able to sit here and type this up.

Now if only I had a drink of water.

Back in April Andrea came down with Zarina and Poppy for a week. My Aunt Rosena was also in town for one of her semi-annual visits.  We visited the Park girls a few times while they were here and I finally remembered to take pictures on the final day of my Aunts visit.

On this particular day Andrea was running errands and we were watching Zarina and Poppy. Poppy did not like waking up from her nap and her mom being gone, but once outside with the silly girls she was a little happier.

Lilah and Eden were trying to cheer Poppy up with some bubbles we brought.

Poppy did not enjoy touching the grass.

Zarina blowing some bubbles. (She turns five in October!)

We brought a blanket out for Poppy, she enjoyed that a lot more, despite the look on her face.

Here is Poppy with her Great Aunt Rosena and her Grandma Maggie.

We got the girls to come pose with Grandma and Aunt Rosena too. (They look a little grumpy here.)

But here Poppy is covering my mom’s face.

It was fun to see Andrea and her girls. Family visits are always fun especially since Andrea and Brien will be moving farther away, and visits will become less frequent.

There is an ice skating rink in town that does a Homeschool Friday for the first Friday of each month. It costs $5 per child to skate, they get a free hot chocolate, and parents get to skate free. I honestly avoided going for the first few times I had heard about it. I had only skated once in my life, on a a date, when I was in high school, over ten years ago.

It’s a funny story.

I had just gotten home from work and there was a knock on my door. Blake, a young man from my new ward, was at the door. My family had just moved in January and I think this was in May or late April 2001, my final year in high school. (I had flirted with him a little on a General Conference trip with our ward that April.) I open the door and he asks, “You wanna get in that there van with me?” (The way he asked was just hilarious.) Apparently, a few of the guys in my ward had decided to plan a group date that Friday while at school, and he had been calling me that afternoon, but I was not home, so they took a chance and appeared on my doorstep. I was still in a skirt from work, so I asked if I could change first, left a note for my parents that I would be out on a date and with whom, and got in the van. We ate Sonic for dinner and went ice skating. I ended up holding his hand the entire time to keep my balance, and the other two couples speculated about it. It was the only date we went on because summer quickly approached, I went to the singles ward, and when he called me that Fall to go out again, I was already engaged to be Mrs. Jonathan Blake.
Moral of the story: Ice skating is an awesome date to go on if the other person has never been. You might get to hold their hand the entire time.

So back to avoiding ice skating. Since I had only been once in my life, I wasn’t really wanting to take the girls. I’m not an athletic person and I have terrible balance. For the March skating day I decided to take the girls since our park group would be there, and I really did not want to skate. Once there I found out the other parents were going skating, and I was really nervous. Tears welled up in my eyes and my friend Laura noticed. She gave me comfort that I could take it easy and use a trainer, which I did. Eden was kinda my cover, since I tagged along with her at first. Eventually I decided it would be not fun skating hunched over, so I made Eden go out on her own a little. It was hard for her at first, but once Eden got the hang of it, she was very pleased with herself. Lilah used the trainer for part of the time, but started using the wall and going out on her own pretty early. At one point her friend Shelby took her hand and they skated together.
Laura also helped me, and held my hand for a few times around the rink to give me confidence.

So ice skating was a big hit in March, but I forgot to take my camera.

So for the skate day in April, we went once more and I brought my camera along. We all did much better, though none of our friends were there this time. Eden even tried skating by herself while holding onto the wall and with my help. Towards the end I took a terrible fall, straight to my knees, and took Eden down with me. I had a huge bruise on my left knee, and even though it’s mostly yellow now and not noticeable, my knee hurts if I put too much weight on it when kneeling or sit Indian style.

I remembered the camera the second time around and took some pictures of my cute ice skaters.

So this year for Easter I was finally able to make the girl’s Easter dresses. No play is happening, which gives me much more free time to sew, and I just didn’t look too hard at the store’s. I wanted to make something different for the girl’s, but when we went to pick out fabric, they ended up choosing the material they wanted. They each had a different pink for the main dress, but I accidentally cut Eden’s dress out of Lilah’s fabric, and Lilah really wanted her fabric, so they had nearly matching dresses. I think they turned out really cute.

Easter Morning

We dyed eggs at my parents house Saturday night. It was actually their fortieth anniversary! I totally forgot till my mom mentioned my dad would be taking her out, and since he doesn’t do that often, I asked why. I have it on my wall calendar, but was a total airhead when it came to remembering.

Green hands. Grandpa washed Eden’s hands with Shout, and it removed most of the dye.

This year for Easter I also had a goal of buying no candy.
What usually happens in our house at Easter: The girls go to two or three Easter egg hunts, and get tons of candy. I buy three or more different candies to put in the baskets, and end up eating most of it because Jon has more self control than me, and the girls have tons of candy already. I gain a few pounds and indulge my candy addiction, while the children ask for candy every.single.day. for like 2 months.
I decided recently that I would not be purchasing candy or cookies once the goodies in our house were gone. So if we wanted something sweet we’d have to make it. (Ice cream is the exception and they do get candy at other places.)
So I let the girls know that the Easter Bunny would not be bringing candy to our house, and they seemed OK with it. I have my reasons, and we discussed why he would not be bringing it, and why I would no longer be buying it.
So the Easter Bunny put cute socks, a note pad with pencil, glow bracelets, a craft, play dough, and a few cookies in their basket. Eden was also given a game, and Lilah was given some sheets with horses on them.
The cookies were something I had in my freezer and needed to use, so that’s why we enjoyed them in our baskets.

For the Easter Bunny the girls left out some carrots and a bag of candy from candy they had collected at the one egg hunt they went to. This year really was a low candy year for us, but it’s better for us this way.

Easter morning the girls put on their new dresses and we headed to church. After church we had an Easter egg hunt. The Easter Bunny filled the eggs with quarters and small ink stamps. Lilah found 5 of the 6 stamps, so Eden traded one quarter for a stamp. ( I think filling the eggs with small change is actually a really good idea and honestly costs as much as candy, if not less, if you decided to put nickels or dimes in the eggs instead.)

Can you spot the two eggs the girls were not seeing?

The loot!

Lilah’s bangs were trimmed on Monday.

We then enjoyed a nice afternoon with Jon’s parents and an evening meal at my parents.
The cousins enjoyed a fun egg hunt together and ate nearly all their candy while at their grandparent’s house.

The cousin’s waiting to find some eggs. (Adrienne, Eden, Lilah, Howie, and Kaitlyn.)

Lilah was very excited to get some candy.

Enjoying their candy and counting eggs.

Since I’m finally at my computer and editing pictures, I thought I’d edit some from Christmastime.

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Jon and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary last month. Of course I posted something on Facebook, but neglected my blog.

So far we’ve had a little celebration each month. In January we went to The Brad Paisley concert and went out to eat with my sister Carolyn and her husband Derek. Derek got Carolyn Brad Paisley tickets for Christmas, and I decided that’s what I really wanted for Christmas. (Jon had planned on me getting a massage and having a spa day or morning.) Since we were buying tickets just a month before the concert, they were a little more pricey, so we decided that they would be a part Christmas and a part Anniversary present. So now I plan on doing something each month this year to celebrate our ten years together.

The Brad Paisley concert was wonderful. My favorite part was hearing “Whiskey Lullaby” with the lead singer from The Band Perry singing the female part. Whiskey Lullaby is one of my favorite songs, it’s sad, but I love the music. Brad put on an awesome show and it was worth every penny.

Carolyn and Derek.

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I received compliments on my hair by our waitress and by two women behind me as we were leaving the concert. The first started touching my hair and was amazed at how it wasn’t moving. (I admit I have to use a lot of hair spray to get it to stay this way.)

For our actual anniversary, Jon took the day off. This is the first time he’s taken our anniversary day off. He also had two dozen purple and lavender roses delivered. I wanted him to go to the park with the girls and I, but he said he had to stay home, and that’s when my gourmet caramels from Fran’s came. I think it was good that he was home, because I only expect roses on our anniversary, and wouldn’t have known to stay home. We enjoyed a fun meal at home and just had extra time together.

My roses and chocolate.

Saturday night was when we went out to celebrate our anniversary with time away from the girls. We decided to keep it costs moderate and ate dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. We then had my rings inspected, it was that time of the year again, and figured out our current ring sizes. I told Jon I wanted to have him pick out a wedding ring, and he was very hesitant. Once at the store he liked looking at the rings there, but wasn’t sure. Once home, and armed with his size he went on-line and picked out a ring and ordered it. He was pretty happy with himself. The ring came on the 29th and I placed it on his ring finger as I jokingly asked him to marry me again. He really loves it, and it was nice to see him get so excited over it, especially since I first had to coerce him into getting one.

Us once more, but isn’t Jon so cute?

I’m so grateful for Jonathan and the happiness we’ve found. I’ve been in an especially lovey and silly mood lately, and he puts up with it with a smile. I feel like I really have so much joy in my life because of my wonderful husband and two wonderful daughters.

Thank you for ten wonderful years together Jon. I truly love you more today than the day we were married.

With looking at buying a new house, the girls have mentioned how they want their own rooms. Really, Lilah has mentioned this, and usually it’s only been after a fight or because she wants alone time. Jon wants the girls to share a room forever, he’s always had to share a room. (Lived at home and shared with Jason, went on a mission and shared with companions, lived at home and shared with Jason, got married and had to share with me.) I had my own room for a period of time, so once they’re older I’m OK with them having their own room. It might be hard to give up my sewing room, but this child would only have their own room for a few years anyways, with growing up and leaving the house to go to college, right?
But as of right now, I’m pretty sure even if they had their own rooms, they’d be in one room all the time, and would miss each other.
Lately the girls have been playing and talking together extra late into the night, then I’m often woken up to hearing two girls talking or playing in their bedroom. They’ve been playing elaborate games and make believe with My Little Ponies and have been spending more time together than apart.
Seeing them together I can’t help but think of the time I spent in each of my sister’s rooms talking and being together and how I would fall asleep in someone else’s bed. Everyone’s bed was more comfortable than mine and I loved sleeping in my parents and Andrea’s especially. Having space can be nice, but it’s fun to be close with family.

Maybe I will keep my sewing room forever, or maybe if they have their own rooms they’d get to bed earlier and wouldn’t be grumpy on the days I have to wake them up.

Christmas is always fun with family. It’s especially nice to have Jon home before Christmas. I love that he is usually able to have the week before Christmas off and always takes the time between Christmas and New Years, because he could work if he needed to, but it’s a good way for us to use his vacation and relax as a family. Having the time off helps us get things ready around the house, gives us time to help his parents, and spend time doing nothing, which happens a lot because he’s here and I just don’t want to do anything when he’s around. (We spend lots of time cuddling and watching movies.)

Jon went to work on Monday the 19th, then was off for the rest of the week. We were planning on helping my sister move or get settled in hew new house on Tuesday, but it just wasn’t a good day for her, so we went to his parents and set up their Christmas tree. Wednesday we went to Carolyn’s new house, and were not very successful in putting up ceiling fans or doing much of anything, but our ladder did help with putting up an air vent and Jon’s drill came in handy for my dad. We took time on Thursday to clean our house up and get it more prepared for Christmas and went shopping so the girls could choose gifts for one another. Friday we ran a couple errands and baked cookies for Santa. Saturday we visited his parents in the afternoon to drop off presents, then went to my parents for Christmas Eve festivities. After seeing family we came home, put on our new pajama’s, got the treats for Santa and the reindeer on the table, put up the Christmas curtain, and sent two girls to bed.

I was able to get everything prepared before the clock struck 12:30 pm, my only problem was a sleeping husband on the couch. (Last year was the first time he stayed awake the whole night.) I got Jonathan up and us into bed around 12:45 am.

Jon awoke first, did a few last minute touches, and put our breakfast into the oven. Lilah woke up and came and cuddled with me in bed and Eden soon followed. We spent around 10 minutes cuddling and waking up as a family. Lilah loved the small Christmas tree “that Santa must have set up” in the hall way and the Christmas music coming from the living room. We made our way out around 8:30 and the girls began finding their names on gifts and opening presents. We usually have a somewhat small Christmas, especially compared to what seems to be the norm: outlandish go into debt and spoil everyone rotten Christmases. I think we’re somewhat too practical. (Not that I don’t sometimes buy too much or we don’t get nice things.) We buy things for the girls as needed over the year, and have so little room, that buying a lot of new toys or stuff just seems impractical. We got things the girls has asked for, plus some clothes, a couple movies, books, and cool items for school. Lilah loves her new Razor scooter, and Eden loves her Wubble pet and real clay. They both received what they wanted and have enjoyed their new things.

My gift to Jon this year was a book of pictures from our National Parks trip this summer. I ran into problems making it and it was a labor of love on a deadline, but I’m very pleased with how it turned out. My sister Andrea helped me edit the written passages, since it was a surprise for my normal editor. When we took it to Jon’s parents to show it to them on Christmas day his mom thought it was our gift to them! We corrected the misinterpretation, but she would love a copy for herself. I’m planning on ordering a copy for each girl to have so when they’re adults they can have it for their own collection.

Jon bought me the latest Brad Paisley CD and planned on me getting a massage or spa treatment of my choice. He didn’t purchase anything because he wanted me to choose the place and treatment. Later that day Carolyn mentioned that Derek had given her Brad Paisley tickets, and I decided that is really what I wanted. So Jon and I will be going to Brad Paisley, and since it was more than what my original present was going to be, it’s also an early anniversary gift. I’m very excited and looking forward to my third concert.

After presents we ate breakfast and the girls and I rushed off to church. We came home for a short time to eat lunch, then visited Jon’s parents. After that visit we went to my parents to help prepare the Christmas meal and eat. My brother Glenn’s two daughters are in town, so it was the first time we were able to enjoy them being with our family for Christmas since they were babies, or about 7 years. Once the Kemple’s came the cousins had fun playing and the adults enjoyed spending time and being with family.

We came back to our messy home from the earlier festivities, cleaned the couch off and watched a little bit of The Muppet’s Christmas Carol, a gift for the girls since we just finished reading the novel by Dickens as a family, and went to bed.

We’re now preparing for the new year. It’s amazing how time flies.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a very Merry Christmas.

Th girls both had ideas of what they wanted to be earlier this year. Soon after Eden’s birthday she had been beading anklets and decided she would be an Indian and wear all these anklets and bracelets she was making. Unfortunately she couldn’t find them, but decided glow bracelets would work well. She color coordinated the glow bracelets to her outfit, and I got to wear purple and pink on Halloween night. Eden was often mistaken for Pocahontas, but the girls have never seen that movie. I think at one point we just started saying, yes, she’s Pocahontas.

Lilah went back and forth a little more. She was thinking of being a princess, if Eden changed her mind to also be a princess, she has wanted to be a bird since last year, but the fabric for bird costumes is pretty expensive, not to mention stuffing it, so she finally settled on being a mummy. A friend had posted his mummy costume on Facebook and told me what he did, so I was able to make Lilah an pretty cool mummy costume. It was time consuming, but it worked out well and lots of people liked it on Halloween night.

We brought Britta to Carolyn’s Annual Halloween work party, and had her spend the night since she didn’t have school and next day.

Britta as Rapunzel, Eden as an Indian, and Lilah as a mummy.
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The girls checking out their goods after the party.
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Lilah carved this pumpkin at achievement days all by herself, with a little help for scooping out the guts. Because she did it all on her own, she decided she would carve her pumpkin for Halloween also. She drew out the design and figured it all out on her own. I really did very little except give directions on what to do.

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We were carving our pumpkins in our pajamas, with an old shirt over them. Hence the marvelous fashion statements.
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Lilah is actually posing likes she’s carving her pumpkin, because I forgot to get any action shots of her carving the face.
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Eden choose the Bat Cat from our pumpkin carving book, and so I carved hers for her. I’m not ready for both of them to grow up just yet.
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Lilah wanted the traditional Jack O’ Lantern. She did an awesome job on her pumpkin.

I’ll admit it is fun to see them grow up and see them enjoy holiday traditions on a new level of involvement.

This is our front window. Lilah made the decorations on the left, and Eden made the ones on the right. I made the BOO! and the skeleton is from a Science Saturday project. It was headless and missing one foot, and cut out and put together by Eden. Eden colored her ghost light green, so it would look like it would glow in the dark.
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The cousins got to see one another after we trick or treated separately.

Kristi got to my parents before me, and I had told my mom to let her go on without us. We both went over to the popular streets that go all out, but with the crowd it was c.r.a.z.y. My parents never get a lot of trick or treaters, but this year it was dead on their street and area surrounding them. Usually you see a few groups, but this year it was nothing until we crossed over to the popular blocks. Lilah and Eden wanted to go over there, so we did, and they enjoyed themselves and loved seeing all the decorations. I did not let them in the haunted house, but that was mostly because it was a crazy long line and I didn’t want to be out too late.

My dad said Henderson had made rule that trick or treating was just from 6-8pm, because of it being a school night, and I thought that was totally lame. Parents should be able to decide how late to be out with their kids and teenagers will always be out late no matter what. We were in just after 8, and the couple doors we knocked on after 8 gave the girls a lot of candy because they were my parents neighbors and I’m sure wanted to get rid of some candy with the night coming to an end.

We came home and Jon had given out all our candy by 9 pm. We get a fair amount of trick or treaters in our neighborhood. It was also fun because our nice neighbors have moved back, and they decorated and dressed up, because they were having a party, and gave out candy too.

I just love Halloween.

We had our family pictures taken way back in September, and I posted most of them on Facebook, but have added a few for the viewing pleasure of my three readers. I had Eve cut off my hair the day of pictures. I was just so tired of long hair and not being able to do anything with it.

I always send the link out to family, so they can let me know which ones they like best. This might also influence our Christmas Card.
Let me know which pictures you like. You can click on them to see a slightly bigger size.

Family 1
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Family 2
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Family 3
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Family 4
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Girls 1
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Girls 2
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Girls 3
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Couple 1
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Couple 2
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Couple 3
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Lilah 1
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Lilah 2
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Lilah 3
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Lilah 4
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Eden 1
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Eden 2
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Eden 3
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Eden 4