New Haircut

Maya got a new haircut today. She once again looks so adorable. It took the stylist a really long time, but she did a good job. Maya was so tired, she almost nodded off in the chair.

Piano Recital

Ethan had a piano recital tonight. He did such a good job, we were so proud. He had both of his pieces memorized, and played them flawlessly. He has advanced so much this year and worked so hard.

Finally Asleep

Maya has been going through a stage that we are ALL anxiously awaiting to end. She throws a huge tantrum everytime it is time to go to sleep. We get to listen to her kick and scream for at least a half hour, and then we get to tell her for another hour to get in her bed as she keeps trying to escape her room. It is exhausting! This is how Troy found her one afternoon, finally asleep!

Baptisms For the Dead

Alex got to go to the temple today and do baptisms for the dead. This is the second time that he has been able to do this. It was a neat experience for him. We are so proud that he is worthy to do this and enjoy the blessings that come from it.

Park Elementary Top Eagle

This week has been Ethan's big week at Park Elementary. We made a poster with pictures of him that has been hanging in his classroom all week, and today we got to go in and tell a little bit about him. Because Ethan loves to build things and do things like science experiments we did the volcano experiment. It was a big hit! An even bigger hit were the donuts that we brought them. It was fun to watch him enjoy this special day.

Maya and Mayci

This is Maya's best friend Mayci. They usually have a pretty good time together. Mayci calls Maya "Mima", which always makes me think of "Aunt Jemima" syrup. When they see each other they give each other a hug and then walk around holding hands. They are starting to have play dates, and I guess that means that Maya is growing up!

Folding Washcloths

Today Maya learned how to fold washcloths! She did a great job. She kept saying, "Thanks for letting me help you fold these washcloths." I enjoyed it while I could, because I know that this attitude won't last.

Grandma's Birthday

Last night we took Grandma some cake and ice cream and helped her celebrate her birthday. She needed a lot of help to blow out her candles.

Strawberry Jam

Is there anything better than homemade strawberry jam? Maya doesn't think so.

A Big Day For Ethan

Today was the day that Ethan has been waiting for since he began the 2nd grade. They FINALLY started learning how to write in cursive. He was so excited! He does a great job, of course, he is great at anything he puts his mind to.

He decided that he wanted to build a hut tonight. Dad and Maya helped, and it was a great one. After all of the hard work he and Maya were in it for about 5 minutes and then they were done.

Good Brothers

Maya is a very lucky girl. She has two brothers who would do anything for her. Sometimes she can be hard to get along with, and can be very demanding, but her brothers still love to play with her and give her lots of hugs and kisses. Though they all have their bad moments, the good times far outweigh them. We feel so blessed to have them.

The Bug Catchers

Ethan and Maya love to look for bugs. We got them some little bug houses and they couldn't wait to go outside. They went out in a rainstorm and had so much fun. Ethan would follow Maya around and keep the umbrella over her. They were pretty successful, but Ethan insists that his bug house needs to be inside our house. I hope he keeps the door shut.

No More Meetings

Today was Mom's last PTA meeting for a few years. After being on the PTA Board since Alex was in the 1st grade, it is time to take a break. I knew that some things needed to go when Maya started singing "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam" and her words went like this:

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam,

To shine for Him each day.

In every way try to please Him,

At home, at school, at meetings.

The poor girl has had more than her share of meetings between Primary and PTA. With no Primary in our lives right now, and now no more PTA, hopefully she can start singing the right words, "At home, at school, at play!"

Pancakes

Lately we have been making A LOT of pancakes around here. Ethan and Maya have wanted them everyday for the last 2 weeks, sometimes even for dinner. Pancakes are one of the few things Ethan will eat, and eat a lot of.

Cutie Pie

This is Cutie Pie. Maya got her for her birthday from Grandpa Joe and Grandma Pam, because she wanted a fish from the ocean that can talk. Cutie Pie doesn't talk, but she does have a lot of personality. She also is VERY resilient. Her diet the last few weeks has consisted of sunflower seeds, dried apple pieces, and even a little fish food thrown in. We hope that she stays with us for a long time, but as long as Maya is in charge of feeding, we're not sure how long she will be here.