Missing Her Friend

A group of us met at the cemetary to celebrate Caroline Hemming. We brought flowers and then went out to dinner together. While we were there we got to see the bench that Crystal and Billy got for Hailey. Delaney loved it. Crystal took this picture of my sweet Laney. It looks like she is having a quite moment thinking about her friend.

I miss your friend too Laney. Hailey you sure are loved.

Lingo gets blessed

Oh what do you do in the Summertime??

So I can tell you that the answer to that question is NOT Blog. I'm sorry to all of my faithful followers (all 2.5 of you) I have not been blogging because well... I don't want to. I could say that it's because I'm "too busy" but in all honesty I still find time to watch Real Housewives of New York so I can't really say that I'm too busy.

What I have been doing this Summer is some pretty fantastical stuff. Probably my favorite part of the Summer has been that my girls were on a swim team. Not just any swim team, MY swim team. The one I used to swim for when I was just a wee tator tot. (No I was not round back then I was just refering to the size of a tator tot).

It started off with a whole lot of prayer. See you have to be able to swim half of a length to be on the swim team and Paige... well she could swim about 2 feet and she knows the universal sign for "Pull me up I'm Drowning".

So I told Paige she would get to go to Swim team for just one week ( I couldn't guarantee that they would actually keep her.) BUT THEY DID!!! (See kiddos prayer works)

So for the months of June and July the girls have been going every morning to practice. They've actually become pretty decent swimmers. That's when they decide to use their arms. A few weeks ago Paige told me that she had discovered that she swims FASTEST when she doesn't use her arms. I of course told her very nicely that she was crazy and that she has to use her arms in the swim meets... Well for her last meet she decided to show off her real skillz.

They shoot off the gun and she goes! Then we realize she's not using her arms. I think that was the first time I have ever heard a coach yell "USE YOUR ARMS" she did the whole length without her arms and NO it was not her fastest time.

So in honor of a fabulous summer filled with swimming here are a few pics

So Here is my newest swimmer... I think she's pretty adorable. Yes I am a mean mother and yes that is a swim cap on her head (and goggles) and NO she did not cry at all. She's used to this kind of abuse, I mean have you seen the bows I put this girl in.

Here is Kelly after she swam in a meet. Pretty darn cute if you ask me.

And then there was Paige. She was able to cut 2 minutes off of her backstroke, and she can now make it all the way across the pool. I would probably say that her favorite part has been the socializing.

When "Aunt Favorite" babysits

So my sister Michelle brought baby Jonny Lingo to town for her 10year highschool reunion. She didn't think it would be the wisest thing to take him with her to the actual "Celebration" (If that's what you want to call reunions.). So she left baby Lingo with me and Nonnie. Since This is the first baby any of my sisters have had I've never really been called any fun nicknames. So I've come up with my own. Aunt Favorite.

Well I didn't want Lingo's experience to be Boring. I mean when you give yourself a nickname like Aunt Favorite you have to live up to all the hype. So I came up with a very busy schedule for us. It went something like this:

First I fed him the good stuff. I'm sure there was Diet Pepsi in there. I mean all he's had is "milk" so far. I mean I am Aunt Favorite.

Next I taught him how to read. Yeah I am that good. I knew that the only real chance he had at being edjumacated was by me. Then I had him read it to Delaney. Just so he could work on his fluency with the words.

What you can't see here is that he is learning how to tie knots in this picture. All boy scouts have to learn this skill so I thought there is no time like the present. I really want him to be an Eagle scout someday and I know that I can't really count on his parents to teach him anything (I mean really they left him with me)

We also played hide and seek, but I am having trouble finding that picture. When I do though you will see how smart Lingo is. I mean he found the perfect place to hide.

We had a blast though. I love having another little nephew. Who dresses so well too. I mean where did he get all of his clothes from?

July 17th 2000

Ten years ago I met my hotty with a body. He was just as handsome then, and I was a smokin catch. I am so happy that I went to FHE that night. I saw him, I claimed him, I dated him then I married him. I love you Adam. Thanks for falling for me just as hard as I fell for you. Love, ME

Utah Bow Size Disorder (UBSD)

So we all kind of know that the size of girls baby bows is a little out of control. Especially in one state.... Utah. We've all seen it. The first time we see it we think "That mom's crazy". Then the next time we see it we think "Well maybe it's helping the baby with neck strength, and her core muscles".

And we continue to lose our own good judgement. Before we know it we are asking "Where did you get that bow", then we are suddenly wanting to learn how to make those ridiculously large bows. At the peak of this we begin to buy the bows from Etsy shops all over. Then one morning we wake up to find that we have about 50 lbs worth of bows.

I call this disease UBSD. Utah Bow Size Disorder. And I too have fallen into this trap. BUT since I am all about keeping up with the newest and greatest trends, I have started my own. It's now not about size, it's about quantity. Laney will be the hippest girl on the block. And yes the first time you look at this picture you will think "Is it safe for Jennifer to be parenting". But before you know it you will be wanting to know how I came up with such a brilliant plan.

It does take awhile to get the bows on just right. This will help teach your child patience and good head control.

She may not lovee it at first, but this helps teach our daughters that Beauty is #1. And as you can see, they eventually love the look. Ahh yes Delaney, your bows will take you far in life. I can see it now!

Aprilness in May

Dearest Blog,

So sorry that I didn't keep up with you in April... It seems that I've been kinda busy. So in case you were wondering what we've been up to.

Kelly: Still being the best big sister around. Although she does this whiney thing in a high pitched voice that seems very unnatural. It is followed with her waving her arms above her head and saying something like "Why Me!"... then she normally storms off to her room (where I have sent her). I will try to videotape it someday. I'm sure I could use it for blackmail at a later point in her life.

On the upside, even when she is in the middle of a tantrum if she sees her 2 year old brother she stops and takes care of him. Hey at least she's got her priorities.

Paige: Paige recently recieved a hand-me-down red polo. When she saw it she was overjoyed! She said "Wow mom! You got me a SPY SHIRT!!" Huh? What is this girl talking about. Anywho. She changes into it often after school and then goes on spy missions around the house. I really hope she doesn't scare off potential friends.

She has also lost half-a-dozen teeth , and the toothfairy and her are BFF. She is still chasing butterflies and her idea of "moving fast" involves dancing and skipping and wondering across a room. She's quite a character.

Tommy: Tommy adores his newborn sister. I see brother and sisterly love on a daily basis, but NOTHING like this. He sits and stares at her, talks and goos at her. He has this obsession with holding her hand whenever he is near. He glows when she is in the room.

Preston: We are just counting down the days till he is no longer 2.

So Delaney.

So Delaney... We've decided to take away all of your hair bows.

APRIL FOOLS!!

Why not?

So while we were in fabulous Kansas City, we did alot of playing with friends! On Friday we met the Burnesons for lunch outside the crown center, by the fountains. Paige couldn't keep her eyes off of the fountains, she was dying to run through them.

Emily and I finally decided, hey why not?

Here is Ms Emily explaining to Paige, that they have to wait for the water to go down to run across the fountain area.

Here is Paigemonster doing it her way!... as usual

I think I have my hand up trying to tell the water to stay down. You know, one of those "talk to the hand" moments

The boys were so good about following directions they ran in a nice single file line.

Okay, is Kelly not beautiful even running through water? Look at these nice patient children waiting for the water to go down.

SUPER FAST Daniel!

Love these monsters

So tiptoeing through the fountains went well. I did not fall and break my leg again. The only fall was Dallin and it just left him a little wet.

So then we sloshed our wet feet and bodies back to our hotel room where Emily used a hairdryer to dry all the monsters off.

Note to Parents out there: Let your children run through the fountain. Water Dries... it really does.

Room Service?

When I first told the monsters that we were going to be staying in a hotel, Paigemonster got really excited and said "DO WE GET ROOM SERVICE?!?!" (Apparently she has watched the movie Eloise too many times)

I told her no way jose!

But she won. yep she sure did. We found that the hyatt had a kids menu, so one morning we decided to get that girl some room service!

They loved the little table and immediatley put on their napkins. Kelly hates jelly, but as soon as she saw the mini containers she made herself a strawberry toast sandwich.

Room service was a success. I loved watching the kids get a kick out of these little things. (But NO they can't have it again)

I was really tempted to put Laney on the table as the meal, but decided that my mother might hurt me.