Waiting for Spring!

Britnee and Taylor 2.27.2009

Kelly tells me that this is child abuse, I promise Taylor was not even outside long enough to make her little nose red. Britnee made me promise no more than 5 pictures, at 9 she left me alone in the snow with only my camera. We are ready for Montana's beautiful spring weather mixed with snow storms (of course)!

The "H" Word

Today I am making valentine sugar cookies. I really do not like to make cut out cookies. They are way too messy and they get crumbs everywhere. However I remember coming home from school around Valentines Day to stacks of heart shaped cookies and pink frosting and lots of red hots and candy hearts and thought that it was so fun to be able to decorate cookies. That is why I am baking cookies right now. So far I have an undercooked batch that is falling apart and an overcooked batch. Since I have those 2 out of the way the rest should be perfect, right?

I won't say I hate making the cookies although that is the word that has been going through my head. A few days ago Britnee told me that kids were using bad words on the bus. I asked her what they were saying. She told me that a kindergartner was "using the H word" when a 1st grader got on the bus. I asked her if the word was hate, she shook her head yes. Ever since then I have taken notice when I say hate and I am trying not to use the "H" word. If only hate was the worst word they heard on the bus/at school/in movies. I just thought that was a cute pre-valentine story. I will love eating the cookies my kids decorate for me!

Does anyone else have this problem...

in the winter?

I couldn't stop myself from snapping a few pictures of Taylor.

Yes these pictures are from 2 different days. We have had this

hair problem repeatedly this winter. Well after the side view

I saw how much hair she had, I had to try a pony tail,

can you see the little tiny pony tail in the picture below?

Today we went to the free children's concert by the Billings Symphony Orchestra. It was so cold outside but we went anyway. The title was Peter and the Wolf. They do such a good job every year. I really enjoy going, the orchestra plays wonderfully and they throw in humor to keep the kids (and adults) entertained. Jake, Colton, and Britnee were sitting on the edges of their seats either because we were so high up or because they were excited, maybe a little of both. I really wanted to get a picture of them all watching so intently but I didn't want to be the obnoxious person with a camera flash going off while everyone else was watching the show. Taylor was really good too, she clapped at all the appropriate times (so so cute)! After the concert we went to Pizza Hut to use up Book It certificates. I remember how exciting Book It certificates were when I was in grade school. Maybe my kids don't get quite as excited as I USED to for Pizza Hut. I think tonight we will all cozy up on the couch and watch a movie together. Maybe winter isn't so bad after all.

The United States of America, a great country!

Although I have been dreading this day I can't help but be grateful. I really am grateful to live in this great country. I may not agree with all of our political leaders but I pray that they will have wisdom to lead our country in ways that are pleasing to the Lord. I guess we all need to teach what is important in our homes. That is where each of us can make a difference. I am grateful for peaceful succession, not all countries are able to enjoy that. I am grateful for all of the freedoms that we enjoy.

Believe it or not.

When the Hollywood version of Pride and Prejudice came out I convinced Kelly to watch it with me, however I was so disappointed in it and told him how much better the BBC version was. I finally convinced him to watch it (all 6 or so hours of it). Guess what ~ as manly as he is ~ he liked it. Ever since then (about 3 years ago) every winter we spend 4-5 evenings watching it again. I really think every time I watch it I like it even better. Have you seen the long version? Have you convinced your sweetie to watch it with you? Maybe when you see Kelly next don't let him know that I posted about this for all the world to see, or I guess if he teases you about anything you have this in your back pocket.

What a difference a year can make!

Well I should totally be cleaning my bathrooms right now but I will seriously do anything to avoid that task. I already have dinner in the crock-pot so it's O.K. for me to post to my blog rather than clean right? I have just been thinking about 2008 since it is gone now. It was such a busy year for us. It really flew by! In January we had a newborn baby (born in Dec. '07), in February we sheetrocked, in March we sheetrocked, in April we finally finished sheetrocking, in May, June, and July we trimmed, painted, hung doors, stained wood, laid laminate floor, trimmed, and painted more. We really were beginning to think it would never end. In June I told the kids just a few more weeks of hard work and we will be done. Well that turned into a few months. Finally on August 5th we moved in! We were so grateful to be most of the way done. There are still a few pieces of trim left to do and our front door needs to be stained (problem because the instructions make it a 4 day process and it is the only thing between the inside of our house and the outside/dirt/snow/mice) I'm sure we will come up with a solution sometime. Oops I almost typed about spring '09 yard work to be done. Back to 2008. Now we have a beautiful 1 year old, 3 other wonderful children, and are thoroughly enjoying our new home. One of my favorite quotes goes something like this
The days go by slow, but the years go by fast
As I look back over the last year that quote rings so true. We have had some really long days, yet I don't know where the year has gone (make that years). This isn't what I planned on blogging but Kelly and I are the Gospel Principles teachers in our Ward and in the last lesson that we taught part of it was about the trials that we have here on earth. The manual says "We learned that all of us would have trials in our lives: sickness, disappointment, pain, sorrow, and death. But we understood that these would be given to us for our experience and our good. If we allowed them to, these trials would purify us rather than defeat us. They would teach us to have endurance, patience, and charity." (pp. 14-15 Gospel Principles) I pray that I can choose to be purified by my trials, and have the endurance necessary to make it through this life successfully, and gain patience and charity!
I just tried to upload pictures but it won't work for some reason so I guess you just get my thoughts for this posting. I hope that you have a wonderful day, now I have to get back to what I was avoiding.

Christmas

I have been enjoying looking at everyones Christmas posts so I guess I'd better do a quick post before it is too late. The kids have been back in school for 2 days now. I miss being able to sleep in (as much as you can with a 1 year old)! Over Christmas break our family spent lots of time together. We watched Bolt in 3D it was really neat. On Christmas Eve we went to Grandma & Grandpa Stott's house. It was so fun to see everyone who was there.

It took some looking around but I finally found matching dresses for

Britnee & Taylor. I think they look precious.

Christmas morning did not dissapoint.

Jake & Colton both got Castle Lego sets, over 950 pieces each. They both worked on them for about 3 hours on Christmas morning. It was great entertainment.

One of the finished castles.

After Christmas my Parents, McKay, and Tate were in town. It was great to see them. Kellys parents were also here and Grandma Atkinson took Britnee and Taylor to Build-a-Bear. Britnee had so much fun dressing her penguin.