Bike Race

My kids love this app.  They have been playing it a lot.  I tell them it is time to do something else and they always tell me, "I'm just trying to earn this one bike."  I guess by passing different challenges you earn different bikes.

Tonight, I found Grant playing this game.  I told him, "Oh, no, not you too!"  And how does he respond, "I'm just trying to earn this bike!"  Ahhhhhh!

Sleepover with my Best Buddy

Accident prone

Brandon sprained his ankle playing basketball today.  He is just barely recovering from a badly sprained toe.  Good thing I have AFLAC - we'll need it.

Crepes

This morning Ali and I decided to make brunch for the kids.  They picked Crepes over pancakes, which was a great choice.  Our 3 favorite toppings are :

They were very delicious.  It's one of the few things that ALL of our kids will eat.  I do the actual making of the Crepes while Ali puts on the toppings for each of the kids and keeps their mouths full.  There's usually enough for everyone to eat as many as they want.  Slowly, each kid will drop off and be done one by one.  Brandon is always last.  He is a growing boy.  At the very end, he likes to have what he calls a Supreme Crepe.  He takes a crepe and loads up all the rest of the Vanilla Pudding - all onto 1 crepe.  Today there was so much pudding on his crepe that he couldn't even roll it up.  So he just topped it off with another crepe.

Each topping separate is good.  We also mix a little of Ali's homemade strawberry freezer jam and nutella on the same crepe which is a great combo.  My favorite is the Vanilla Pudding (like Brandon's).  If you buy it, make sure you don't get the instant box - get the cook and serve.  It's so much better when it's heated up.

What are your favorite toppings?  Give us suggestions so we can try some more.

Oriental Chicken Salad

We had this tonight at the bridal shower.  Everyone loved it.  Here's the recipe if anyone wants to try it.

Science Fair

First of all...I'm thinking of you Dad, I love you!

Tonight I took Brandon to the District Science Fair.  There were 260 kids there.  Thirty kids got Honorable Mentions and sixty move on to the Regional Science Fair at BYU in March.  I did not think that Brandon would move on, or even get an Honorable Mention.  I'm proud to say that I was wrong.  He really wasn't expecting it either.  He goes on to the State Fair.  Congratulations Brandon!

Reading, Reading, Reading

My kids reached half of their reading goals at school, so these pictures are hanging in the hall at school.  Krista's is not very good because hers is hanging up high.  Of course, Ethan isn't here because he goes to a different school.

February 16, 2013

Sledding!  The kids loved it!  Brandon and I stayed home because he came home last night with a really swollen toe.  We thought that he had broken it, but just a really bad sprain.

February 15, 2013

Happy Birthday Krista!  She turned seven today!

February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!  The kids all had a fun day at school.  They had fun at their different Valentine parties.  Ethan was a little disappointed in his.  He asked everyone when he got home if they got to decorate cookies or cupcakes.  He said that when he got to the food station for his party, they were making heart shaped bird seed treats!  Wow, sounds like a fun party!  He was not so happy about it.  We celebrated Alex and Krista's birthdays tonight since we were busy on their actual birthdays.  We celebrated with presents, the water game, cupcakes, and ice cream.  We all had a fun night!

Here is a picture of Alex, I took last week.  He made this poster to celebrate the 100th day of school.  That boy sure loves tootsie rolls!

February 13, 2013

Happy Birthday Alex!  He is six years old today!

Happy Mardi Gras!

I bought this King Cake at Harmon's.  I was so surprised to see one there, that I had to get it.  The King Cake was just okay.  I think next year I will just make my own.  Actually, I think that we will just go to Louisiana for Mardi Gras and get one there!

Invention Convention

Ethan at his Invention Convention.  He showed how to fix a stripped hole using pieces of match sticks.  Parents and other classes came around and they showed everyone their inventions.  He did a great job!

Leadership Opportunity

Brandon got called as 1st Counselor in the Deacon's Quorum Presidency today.  There are only 3 deacons, so he was bound to be something.  We're just glad he gets this leadership opportunity.  It will be good for him to learn more about the priesthood and train to be a leader.  We all need these chances to grow.  He will do a good job.

Grant is going to have Brandon lead the music next week in Priesthood Opening Exercises.  So, we did our FHE tonight and Grant's mom taught all of us how to lead music.  We practiced leading 2, 3, and 4 beat hymns.  Everyone did great.  Just don't ask us to lead in Sacrament Meeting and we'll be ok.

February 9, 2013

Congratulations Bert and Holly!  They came a lot earlier than expected, but Baby A and Baby B were born today around noon.  They weren't due until May, so they were pretty early.  The babies are both doing well, we are so thankful!  When we found out Holly was at the hospital and they were going to have to deliver the babies, we gathered our family and said a prayer for them.  Later, after we found out that Holly and the babies were doing well, Alex said, "Our prayer worked!"  It really does and we are thankful for the privilege to pray and feel close to our Heavenly Father!  They had two girls.  They weighed 1 lb. 12 oz. and 1 lb. 13 oz.  One was 12.5 inches long and the other 13 inches.  They are still deciding on names for the baby girls.  Here is a picture of Baby B...

1000 Workouts

I have to get up earlier this year to go to Curves and it is hard, but I try to go most days.  I go with a good friend of mine from my old ward.  This definitely makes it easier to go.  I enjoy going and I think that it is a good workout, so I'll keep it up.  You get a t-shirt for every hundred workouts, so it's time to order a new one.  I don't remember what day, but one day this week I hit my 1000th workout at Curves!

Parent Teacher Conferences

All of the kids are doing great!  It was fun to meet with their teachers and find out how they are doing.  Here is an entry in Ethan's journal...

Here is one from Alex's, then the picture he drew to go along with it...

Here is a cute picture that Krista drew of herself with her qualities...

Sorry, Brandon and Daniela just don't do these kind of things anymore.

Shopping With Becca Today

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Becca and I made this soup today.  We both liked it.  I was excited to see how my family would like it.  Grant and Brandon really liked it.  The other kids all tried the soup, they didn't hate it, but they only ate a little bit.  I meant to call Becca tonight to see how her family liked it, but I forgot and now it's too late.  Steph came over for a bit.  She tried the soup and liked it as well.  Here's the link to the recipe...Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Silly!

He colored his tummy with m&m's...it all started because he had an itch on his belly.  He had an M&M in his mouth at the time and thought he'd pull it out of his mouth and put it on the itch to make it stop.  He said it worked.  Plus, oh what fun!  He went a little crazy with it.

Decisions, Decisions

Do we buy a "new" car or put over $1000 in to fixing Grant's car?  Which would be better in the long run?  Who knows?!!  I think we will go look around a little bit tomorrow.  Then we'll have to weigh the options and decide.