Game Night

Tonight Corinne and Seth came over for dinner (Trenton got called to do a tow so he couldn't stay).  After ward we played Phase 10.  I really enjoy playing games!  We need to do it more often!  Oh an my Mom was acting like a big baby at the beginning of the game  because she was loosing and stuck on a phase three turns in a row.  Well she won, by over 100 points!

Maxi

My Mom, sister and I spent wayyyy to long at Joann's getting fabric for maxi dresses. I must say I'm pretty stoked. I love maxi dresses and would be thrilled to spend all summer in them. They are so light and comfy and fun! The pink is reversible so it will be like two skirts in one!

Water Fun, Fun for One

It's been one of those days.  Where Croix just made mess after mess after mess.   At lunch he emptied his piggy bank and then zoomed the coins everywhere.  I told him he had to pick them up because it wasn't safe for Maizy.  He had to go potty.  So I left him off the hook while he went potty.  My Mom called and I kind of forgot about him in the bathroom.  When I remembered he had gotten water all over bathroom.  He had also gotten into the soap, which is getting to be all to common an occurrence lately.  I made him mop it up!

Then I made him pick up all his money.  

A little while later I hear him and Maizy laughing.  More soap in the bathroom.  It's a little difficult not to laugh at the bubble beards and hair but I maintained my composure.  We clean up.

A little while later I'm folding laundry and he just starts flinging laundry all over the house.  Time out number ???  for Croix today.

After dinner I HAD to get a shower HAD to. I was sweaty and smelly and gross. Brent had already left for scouts so I said to Croix "Can you play with Maizy for a minute while I shower really fast?" I was in the shower and remembered that I hadn't flipped the top lock on our door when Brent left. and started worrying that he was going to escape out the house. I was in the shower less then 10 minutes and came out to find our kitchen transformed into a pool. He had pressed the water on the fridge until the whole kitchen was flooded. He was rolling around on our floor naked "Swimming". Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad for him to escape out the front door! 

(And my floors had been mopped this morning so it wasn't even a bright side that my floors got a good mopping, they already had!)

I think I need to get a small pool for our patio!

 I'm so glad it's bedtime!  I'm also quite happy tomorrow is preschool!  Hurray!  I love that boy to death but man he can be a handful!

Grilling

We had some friends over for dinner tonight.  We grilled and had corn on the cob, a quinoa couscous Greek salad, fruit salad, corn bread and for dessert homemade key lime pic and coconut ice creams!  Free point for sugar today!  It was heavenly!  Not eating sugar and then having it sure makes you appreciate it even more!  And homemade ice cream is a favorite of mine.  We had the Gunnells over and Heather and Chance Jensen.  All the kids got along great.  It was so so SOOOO nice to have a back  patio to eat on, grass for the kids to play in.  I loved it so much!  Living in a townhouse for 5 years really makes you appreciate a single family detached home.  The weather of course was perfect, love AZ this time of year.  It was so nice to have friends over, who's kids played with ours so we could enjoy adult conversation.  When ever I think about the Gunnells inevitable move I want to cry.  Sigh, it will come way too soon.  Totally going to suck when my best friend and Croix's best friends move away.....but that is not what this post is about, it's about the lovely evening we had with our friends.

Ballet Under the Stars

We went the Ballet Under the Stars last night.  It was such a fun night. The weather was perfect for enjoying a beautiful performance.  We love free family activities that enrich and add culture to our lives!

She was oh so happy to be outside enjoying the beautiful night.

I put the together to try and get a picture. Croix tried to turn Maizy's head.

Which resulted in this.

The he says "You said squeeze, I'm squeezing the ketchup" It was cheese not squeeze.

This is what I end up with.

She makes this funny face all the time. It's almost a smile, almost pain. I think she's stretcheing her mouth/gums since she's teething.

He really was as pained by my taking pictures as his looks...miserable I tell ya.

Then she dug through the diaper bag for a while to entertain herself.

And she found her gluten free little puffs.

Brent and Croix, and Croix and I did a lot of this....(do you spy them way in the background)

Croix fell no less then three times. his knees look pretty beat up today.

 



He survived!

 

She's getting so big

There was dancning on the grass.

And snuggels with Daddy

And Mommy....some forced

And some freely given

The stage was beautiful

And in front of this gorgeous fountain.

Grandma Maldonado came

The ballet was beautiful and made me want to see Swan Lake performed by professionals.

It was a beautiful evening. Croix's preschool teacher showed up and with out even planning it sat right next to us. It was dark after she arrived and she had no clue who she sat next to until Croix started growling like a dinosaur. He continued to be a dinosaur until she left. Then he returned to Brent's lap and watched to performance. Maizy put up a fight but finally fell asleep in the wrap. They are both so tired today, but it was worth it! These are the perfect moments memory's are made of that last a life time.

Rosie

Today Croix had preschool at the park.  They had a sports day and did water balloons and races etc.  We walked over to the park, since it's just in our neighborhood.  On the walk home we Maizy and I passed these lovely roses.  And stopped to smell them, they were heavenly!  I really wished I'd had a paper and pen to leave a note on their door saying how beautiful their yard was.  They had lots of rose bushes that were so beautiful!

Then Croix spent 2.5 hrs of preschool at the park.  While he was at school my nephew Seth came over.  A friend called to see if we wanted to have lunch at the park...we did!  So we had lunch at the park and the kids played.  We headed home around 1:30.  Croix was outside for four hours!  By time we got home we were all rosie.

His cheeks and forehead are so pink!

That's not a white undershirt, that me, my skin where I pulled down my sweater to show off my sunburn!

Then at dinner time I noticed Maizy's knees were all red, from crawling around all day.
And the poor babe.  The top of her head where he hair is still thinner and swirls, it's pink too!

We had a rosie day!

Prayer

Croix was assigned the opening prayer in sharing time one Sunday. We talked about it a couple days a head of time.  Telling him  how he would get to say the prayer.  Asking if he remembered seeing kids say the prayer, and give talks, and scriptures.  How he would get to go to the front of the room. In front of everyone.  We tried to prepare him and help him mentally be ready.  Sunday came and we went into the primary room.  It was a little chaotic as they were trying to rearrange the chairs and Croix just sat down with his class.  After things had settled down a little I took him up to the front.  He sat there, stared straight ahead, deer in the head light look on his face.  Finally he glanced our direction and I folded my arms, he was a good little boy and did the same, still had a deer in the head lights look on his face.  Finally it was time for the prayer.  I walked up and took his hand, I was going to let go and put my arm around him, but he had a death grip on my hand.  So I held his hand in an awakward position.  I said "Go ahead......Dear Heavenly Father.....Croix can you say Dear Heavenly Father.....(he's still staring at everyone so I put my hand over his eyes thinking maybe if he couldn't see everyone it would help him relax and say the prayer).....close your eyes.....Dear Heavenly Father......."  Then I just went ahead and said the prayer.  Even after we were done he still clung to my hand until he was safely in his chair next to Sister Gabby.

In the car on the way home I asked him why he didn't say the prayer in primary.  He said because all those people were there.  I told him they are all his friends.  He told me they are not.  I said oh yes they are they are all nice and your friends.  "Not those big kids, I didn't ask them to be my friend"  Well there ya have it.  It was sweet.  I hope he out grows it.  But over all for a three year old I think he did pretty well.  He sat up there by himself and went up to the podium with me.  That is better then I've seen some kids do :)

Game Night

My brother Ethan is down here for training for a new job he just got.  We had him and his wife Amanda and Trenton, Seth and Abby over for dinner.  Just simple spaghetti with salad and garlic bread.  My homemade dressing was a  hit.  After dinner we played Apples to Apples.  It was lots of fun to laugh and have fun with them.  It's 9:35 and Croix is still up.  I might hate tomorrow.  I hope he sleeps in or else he's going to be so so grumpy!  We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Tote

In sewing class we made a tote.  It took a long time!!  I lost a pocket.  My machine started making a weird noise.  But it is finally finished!  I love it!

It is bright and fun.  And it has twelve pockets!  What Mom doesn't need a bag with twelve pockets!  I think it will be our church bag.  I want to have it ready with stuff just for church, so it's new and interesting in the middle of sacrament.  I also hate that every Sunday I'm scrambling as we're running out the door to find anything that will keep the kids attention.  So if I have this just for Sunday, it will be all ready to go!

Lowes

We seem to end up at Lowes a lot.  This past weekend we were getting a lawn mower for our grass, which will get it's own post.  The worker had to get it from the top.

While he was going up Croix said "wow he's flying"

Then as we were checking out Croix put his arm around Maizy.  

As we were walking out to the car the cart got super bumpy in the parking lot.  Croix quickly reached down and grabbed Maizy's hand and held it.  I've said it before, I'll say it again, and hopefully I'll never stop saying, Croix is a wonderful big brother!

Earthquake

I accepted an assignment for our relief society activity on Thursday to pretend like we had been through an earthquake for 24 hours. Two of the conditions are no electricity and no running water. So I'm posting from my phone. I post more details about it tomorrow, from the computer. Right now it sucks! No AC AND no screens on our windows (thank you crappy landlord) is no fun!

Dishes

This week my personal goal has been to do the dishes every day.  I left it a little vague to be completely realistic.  I thought about saying the sink had to be empty, or no dirty dishes out.  But doing the dishes everyday seemed perfect.  The first day sucked because I hadn't done the dishes for a few days and it took a while.  But ever since then, I must say, it's been pretty easy!  I've just been staying up later.  I've been staying up later almost this entire challenge.  I need to figure out how to fit things INTO my day better.  Right now I'm just cramming in a few things before bed.  Good thing I still have two months left to figure out how to do that.  Which was one of the major reasons I wanted to do the challenge. 

Say What Vol. 2

(this is an old draft)

"Mommy I want to take a nap in the car."  Of course he won't take a nap in the car or at home, even after saying that.


Brent has taught Croix to sing.  Paradise city.  The other day his preschool teacher told me he was singing "take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.  Oh won't you please take me home, yeah yeah."


Croix why is your shirt tucked into your underwear? Because it wants to do that.

Mommy, I need to see if the sky.  Why? So I can see if the sky is falling! I chuckel, Croix the sky isn't falling.  Yes Mommy, it's fall now that means the sky is falling!

We pulled out our old Nintendo, the old one, the original.  Croix lined all the game cartridges up on the tv stand and says "Daddy look at all my apps"

Out of the blue "I love my Daddy, I love Maizy I love my mommy."

We're going to get a big big house. With lots of wood things and lots and lots of flowers.

I Love to See the Temple

I got to go to the temple today!!!  It has been a while, too long.  I swore after I had Maizy I would not take as long to get back to the temple as it had with Croix.  Well it took longer then I would have liked, but I got there sooner then I did with Croix!  A bonus of bottle feeding.  It was so so so wonderful to be there!  To not feel rushed to get home.  Oh how I needed to be in the temple.  The temple is such a wonderful place.  I was overwhelmed by my blessings.  And so grateful for the wonderful life I live.

It was sunny and beautiful as I headed in !

A little cloudy and windy when I came out.  So beautiful!

And the flowers on the temple grounds are beautiful!

Oh how I love the temple!  I also love that Brent not only watched the kids so I could go, but when he came home said, "when are you going to the temple?"  He didn't forget that I wanted to go.  He didn't complain that I was leaving the kids with him.  He didn't try and talk me out of going and staying to do something fun.  He made it possible for me to go and encouraged me to go.  It was actually him who reminded me that he had a little time off if I wanted to go!  Oh how I love that man! 

Love

This little boy fills my heart to overflowing with love! Today I made us green smoothies. Brent got home right as I was finishing making them. He and Croix went into the other room. Croix came back into the kitchen climbed up on a chair and gave me a hug saying "Mommy thank you for making me such delicious green smoothies. I sure love them so so much. I love you" Then he gave me a kiss on the cheek. I smiled and assumed Brent had told him to do that. Brent came out and I asked him if he had told Croix to do that. He didn't know what I was talking about! I about died! How is this kid so sweet and cute! Oh my goodness I love him!!! 

Here is a picture of him with a green smoothie mustache. When did he get so big? He looks like a little man!

I just got done posting this and found him passed out with his Book of Mormon stories in his bed!

The Book of Mornon

Croix and I have been reading The Book of Mormon for a while.  Just the Book of Mormon Stories actually

We have really enjoyed reading the stories together.  We've discussed Gospel principles.  We've reenacted stories for family home evening. He has picked it off the bookshelf on his own, choosing to read it.  Once when I asked him if he wanted to read the Book of Mormon he said "Yeah!  The fighting one"  I laughed and prayed that he was getting something else from the stories besides the fighting.  We finished reading it tonight.  We read of Moroni's promise to know the truthfulness.  I bore my testimony to my sweet boy of it's truthfulness and my gratitude for it in my life.  Then we prayed together and thanked our Heavenly Father for the blessing of the scriptures in our lives.  It was a sweet moment. 

General Conference

General Conference was this weekend.  It is hard to watch, listen, feel, learn with two little children.  But I did my best.  Saturday I plugged in my ear-buds to my phone and listened to both sessions while doing some cleaning.  It was so uplifting to do good in my home and hear good for my soul.  There were so many things that touched my heart.  I cannot wait to go and reread the talks.  I feel so blessed.  I was acutely aware of the wonderful life I am blessed to enjoy.  I felt so much joy listening to Gospel principles reaffirmed through his servants!

Feminist

I consider myself to be a feminist.  I don't know exactly that it means. 

Feminist is described this way.

fem·i·nist

[fem-uh-nist] 

adjective Sometimes, fem·i·nis·tic.

1.  Advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men.

noun

2.  An advocate of such rights.

 

For me I guess it just means that I feel women should be treated with as much respect and dignity, as men and we should be valued the same in the contribution we make to society, including the contributions made in the home.  Maybe especially the contributions made in the home!

 

Yesterday for the first time ever a woman said a prayer I. general conference. I was pretty excited when they announced a woman would be offering the closing prayer.  I posted something on facebook about how much I enjoyed the morning session and how exciting it was that a woman offered a prayer in General Conference.  I had someone comment on my status, a fellow LDS woman, and I felt chastised and as thought I in some way wasn't as faithful as her because I thought this was exciting.  She on the other hand "had never even noticed".  That's great she never noticed, but I was irritated at her comment.   I wasn't saying that women should hold the priesthood, or be bishops, or give blessing or pass the sacrament!  Nor do I think that any of those things should happen.  I don't doubt the Gospel, not for one second!  My testimony was not shaken or lessened because I had noticed that a woman had never prayed in General Conference.  I was excited because a woman did something for the first time in the  history of the world!  To me that is exciting.  I had other women say they didn't really care.  Well that's totally fine that they don't care!  I still think it was exciting.  

 

I have more I could say on this topic.  But I'm not exactly what my feelings are on some things, or how to state things.   But this I do know my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves me and his infinite atonement is the core of my testimony and the driving factor in my life.  My Heavenly Father (and Mother) love me more then I can comprehend and I pray that I can remember their love, my worth, and live up to my potential.  The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and led by a living prophet Thomas S. Monson.  My family and the Gospel are the most important things to me.

 

Bowling

We went bowling in August.  Croix thought it was lots of fun.  Brent and I did too!  Maizy slept through most of it.  I was super impressed at how she slept though the bowling balls dropping on the ground.  She was only 2 months old, it was actually her two month birthday!  We had gone to this place in Gilbert that I heard was really awesome.  We got there and it was packed and really loud.  They had almost an hour wait, so we went to one closer to home, got right in and had lots of fun.

He thought that the control panel was a game he was playing.

We used the little ramp for him, it worked great!

I rocked Maizy with my foot.  She was so little!  Makes me a little sad, she's getting so big so fast!

We got some french fries, the only thing on their menu I could eat.

Because I was still nursing :)

He was having a great time.

Love his little face here.

Never misses an opportunity to be a monkey with this child.

Croix found these footprints on the floor and had to "match" them.

Final score, Brent bowled for me while I fed Maizy, that's the only reason I did so well.

Hurray for a fun family outing.