Abby Turns 7 Today!

First of all, I can't believe that I have a 7 year old!  I mean, I remember being 7.  Where does the time go? Abby had a birthday party last Friday night. She wanted a "late night" party . . . so she had a party until 9pm . . . which is REALLY late for kids to be up at our house. Ben and I are pretty religious about putting them to bed around 7 or 7:30.

Abby wanted to play pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs and have a pillow fight.   We ate homemade pizza,  watched High School Musical and ate popcorn.  What easy requests to please!   

Instead of a birthday cake at the party, Abby picked cupcakes and wanted everyone's initials to be put on them.   Then she picked pink bubble gum ice cream to go along.  At first I thought the ice cream would be kind of gross.  Bubble gum flavor reminds me of flouride they give you at the dentist.  I was pleasantly surprised however and ended up having another serving. 

Once all was said and done, Abby told me that "it was the best party ever!"  

For her birthday breakfast this morning, Abby requested pancakes with strawberries and whip cream, bacon and fried eggs.  The birthday dinner consisted of hamburgers grilled by Daddy, tater tots with fry sauce and corn on the cobb.

Happy Birthday Abby!

Art City Days

Springville, UT has "Art City Days" every year in June. This year Abby was in the parade with her cheerleading clinic group! Check out her wave!  (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, wrist)

I rode in a hot air balloon (with my daughters)!  That is something I never thought I would do.  Not because it is scary . . . just different I guess.  Abby REALLY wanted to go to the hot air balloon fest . . . which is just one of the things they do for Art City Days here.  You have to go at 6:30am (so I thought. Next year we will go at 7) . . . so I was not as enthusiastic as she was.   But we had a really good time and I'm so glad we went!

School's Out!

School has been out  for about 2 weeks now.  I have been so excited about summer for months . . . mainly because I have been tired of the "school routine" for awhile.  I like having my kids home with me!  In the past, when I would hear moms say say that, I thought it was so weird. I mean . . . come on!  It is a dream come true when kids go to school . . . they actually leave the house for awhile!  But I have to say that I like having them home with me and am realizing they won't always want to do things with me . . . so I should take advantage of this now.

During these last two weeks, Abby and Halle have been in swimming lessons, which they LOVE!  Especially Halle . . . sometimes I think she is a fish.   Abby has also been doing a cheerleading clinic with her friend Isabel.  She really liked learning a dance and some cheers . . . and was pretty good at remembering them and performing them!

So far . . . these two weeks into summer have been fun.  There has been a lot more fighting going on however.  I don't know if it is because I have girls . . . or if it is just because they are kids. But they fight about EVERYTHING!  So often I hear comments like "she looked at me!", or "she talked mean to me!".   It is funny how they can fight and be SO mad or have a serious meltdown and then become best friends a short time later.   

Are Monkey's in Real Life?

Okay . . . so last week Halle asked me if "monkey's were in real life".   I told her "yes"and that some of them live in zoos . . . so people can see how they act "in real life".   She then asked me how they can be alive in the zoo "when their heads are attached to the wall!".   It was then that I realized a trip to the zoo was VERY overdue.   We have been to the BYU Bean Life Museum often . . . and that is where Halle is remembering the animals that were once alive . . . but now stuffed and on display.   So Saturday we went to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake.


The weather was great and we all had a really good time.  But most importantly, Halle has now seen "monkey's in real life!"

Ben's Big Toe

[click on the image to see it really big!]

Last Saturday I sprained my ankle playing basketball. Since I was injured and would have to take some time away from the game I decided to have my toenail (that had been a little more than a toenail--for those that have seen it, you know what I mean--thanks to a dumbbell falling on it and breaking the nail growth plate when I was about 15) removed. It will be a long 3 weeks for me to heal . . . basketball, I miss you! (I guess I'll just have to focus on bulking up:)

Mother's Day

My Supermom . . . from Abby

(Abby brought this home from school)

My mom weighs 185 pounds.

My mom is 31 years old.

Mom mom's favorite food is home made maceron.

While I'm at school, my mom takes care of my sisters.

My mom looks prettiest when she goes to a weeding.

Mom mom loves me best when I obey her.

If I could give my mom something special it would be a necklace with a lockit.

My favorite thing about mom is that she loves me.

Response to Questions about Mom . . . from Halle

(Halle brought this home from play group)

What is your Mom's name? Shelley

What does she do? She makes breakfast for us.

How old is she? I forgot, 22.

How does Daddy call Mom? With a cell phone.

What is her favorite color? Brown.

What is her favorite food? French Toast.

What is her favorite movie? Just parent movies.

How many brother and sisters does she have? She only has 2 sisters.

Where does she like to take you for fun? She likes the church park.

What message do you want to send her for Mother's Day? I love, love, love you!

How could I not enjoy being a Mom today? Abby and Halle had made the funniest (and best) presents at school . . . see above. Ben was a wonderful husband (and doesn't just wait until Mother's Day!). I was pampered and showered with gifts and compliments. Being a mom is really hard sometimes . . . okay a lot of times . . . but it definately has it's happy times. I am really happy I chose this path and am grateful for three beautiful little girls. I'm not sure that anything else could be more rewarding. My own mom is wonderful. We sent each other the same Mother's Day cards this year! It was so funny opening the card she sent me and seeing that it was the same one I had picked out for her! She taught me well I guess:)

Rain

I love the rain . . . probably stems from growing up in Washington. Finally we had Washington weather in Utah today.  Abby and Halle were so excited to go out and play in it.  It makes me think they would probably enjoy LIVING in Washington . . . what do you think Ben?  What I don't love?  Water ending up in my house!   After playing outside, the girls were playing downstairs . . . which resulted in extreme excitement to let me know that the laundry/toy room ceiling was dripping!  We had water all over the floor!   AAUGH!   To make this situation even better?  Ben has been out of town on business since Sunday . . . so he isn't here to fix this for me.   Luckily . . . Ben will come home tomorrow . . . and fortunately . . . (in this situation only) I am glad that it does not rain as much here as it does in Washington.