Purple/Pinkish/Liney Pictures

Hmmmmm. My camera only takes purple/pinkish/liney pictures now.


I could pretend that I don't notice it.


I could try to get away from it.


No matter, they're still purple/pinkish/liney pictures.


I might have to get a new one.


Until then...

My Reader

Dalton finished his first chapter book this past week. He's attempted the Magic Tree House series, the Magic School Bus series, the Flat Stanley's, and so many others I haven't totally kept track, and the thing is that he didn't finish any of them.

Harry Potter had the allure, or the craze that he wanted out of a book I guess. Plus, I told him he couldn't read them till he was older, and then everyone his age started reading them. I found that he had stolen my copy off the shelf, and smuggled it to his top bunk, he was several chapters into it before I caught him, and from there, what could I do?

I am so proud of my little reader, I've even encouraged him to read the second one, so much for holding my ground. Read on Dalton, read on.

Jennie plays...

Peeka

Boo

Joe lost another tooth

It's the one on the bottom, and this time, he was at school and pretty much yanked it out before it was really ready to come. He just can't let it happen naturally, he has to fiddle, push, wiggle, twist, and pull till it's finally out. I've never known a kid to be so vigilant.


He seems happy enough though. I love this kid!

Sophia's First Ballet Class

This school year has been hard for Sophia. She's the only BIG person (just ask her) who doesn't go to school, and it's not fair (again, just ask her). She begged, and begged, and on the day I bought the boys some new school shoes, and she saw ballet slippers in the same section, she and I knew the answer. Ballet.

She's in with a class of 3-5 year old girls, and the teacher Miss Kim said that the first day would be more like a tryout for her, and that the tuition for this session could be refunded if she wasn't ready.

Sophia did beautifully! She let me style her hair (buns and pony's only).


She carried her slippers till we arrived in the studio.


She followed Miss Kim's every move and request with the slower reflexes of a 2 year old, but to her very best ability.


I could tell the whole time that she was trying her hardest to please her new teacher, and prove that she could be with the older girls, and her efforts pushed her through.


She's happy!


I'm sure you'll see more of her leotard collection.

My Grammy

Grammy died today. She's been sick for quite awhile, and the Alzheimer's had really taken over the past 8 or so years of her life. Today's news is a happy reunion for she and my Grandpa.



I'd like to think that I get my love of celebrations, positive attitude, little boobs, and thick hair from her. I undoubtedly got my stubbornness and high expectations from her as well.

Elizabeth Ann Head Nelson (she went by Betty) came from less than nothing, (with her mother having to board her out because they didn't have a home) but they always had each other. She married my Grandpa when they were still teenagers, and worked hard together every single day possible. With her skills learned as a young child, she managed money and people better than any CEO/CFO this century has ever even seen. Together they traveled the world, parented 3 kids, (it's funny calling my papa a kid, but he once was, and well maybe still is) built, remodeled, and sold so many homes I couldn't count them, and served as Rotarians for decades. They are amazing people who taught me to work hard, love family, be honest, and always strive for a better life. I love my grandparents, their heritage is an honorable one, I am proud to be their granddaughter.

I love you Grammy. Kiss my Grandpa for me.

House of...

We had the amazing experience today of attending our Stake Conference in the Conference Center. The rule for General Conference, (and all of the seasonal and theatrical performances at the Conference Center) is that no children under 8 are allowed. For Stake Conference, however, we were encouraged to bring all of our children! I just couldn't pass up this opportunity. We TRAXed down and arrived right when they were announcing the speakers. I had no idea that we would be hearing the voice of our Prophet! Not for the whole world, but for us, me, Sherrie Crawford, (and 86 other stakes... but still).

President Monson commanded us (me) to be/have a house of prayer, fasting, faith, order, and lastly a house of God. Sister Lant counseled us to beware of over scheduling, and focus on serving our family, and God.

Elder Ballard spoke, but well, this was Stake Conference, and like any other Stake Conference, we did have all four kids with us and there were moments of chaos. I had to spend some time erasing the pencil off of the walls, and putting the hat on the dolly, and separating Sophia's hand from my hair, and Jennie's hand from my -now broken- necklace, find the elusive pacifier, hand pencil and paper to the boys, and answer questions to which I may never have the answer (how big is that TV screen? It's not really a TV screen, it's a projector mom. Is that real gold? Why is the prophet so small I can smoosh him with my fingers? How long till it's over? How long have we been here? Have I been good enough for a cheese stick?) I can't seem to remember what Elder Ballard spoke of.

Walking back to TRAX and home was peaceful, no deadlines, no rush, just a restful Sabbath. We are an eternal family, we love the Lord, and we believe that the Prophet today is Thomas S. Monson, he spoke to us today, and we will do our best to follow his counsel.

Sophia was today's photographer

A quiet moment yeilds

Lots of bubbles.

Don't they look guilty.

I do love a clean baby doll.

FHE

I've wanted to go to the Fair for years, and we seem to always miss it. Last year in particular I was aware that it was going on each day, and with my Jennie bellied sciatica, I could barely manage to walk to the van and back.

This year, we had a blast! We rode the rides, smelled the livestock, saw an 87 pound gourd, and a 2000 pound crocodile.

We enjoyed the Utah Dairy Council's all you can eat ice-cream from 3-9pm, paid way too much for a corn dog, and shared our first ever funnel cake. This video clip still makes me queasy:{

Worth every smokey, dusty, sugary second into the night.

Boot Plea

Dalton plowed through 5 pair of shoes this summer.

My rule is that you can't wear new school shoes till school starts, so, the 3 days before 3rd grade, his only option was two different colored, left, flips, from Old Navy. I wasn't about to budge.

Soph's issue is that she hates them, so she kicks shoes off every chance she gets, and there are 2 darling pair of shoes toddlers size 8 somewhere in Yellowstone, finders keepers I guess.

Experience has taught me that the only thing my boys will wear without soggy socked complaint during the winter is super nice snow boots. For the past several winters I've been able to get them some seriously nice snow boots from DI, but this year, there is nothing in their size, and I suspect it's because my kids are not the only ones that are hard on their shoes.

So what brand of snow boots do you buy? Where do you get them? Do you know of any deals? I'm willing to pay decent money if they'll last through a beating, and keep my kids socks dry till April. Actually I'd like a pair for myself, so give it up, share your secrets, let me know.

Putting the kids to sleep

We put them down around 7:30/8ish, and they talk, and mess around, and then they finally drift off. Around 10 or so when we climb up the stairs, we check on them to find all sorts of things. Soph has usually taken her diaper off. The boys are often together on the bottom bunk, and none of them are covered with a blanket. The other night Sophia had done this...



What a good little mommy.

Proof

Jennie is 11 months old

And so that means that she turned 10 months old without a mention. Poor 4th child. I do remember that on the exact day she turned 10 months old, she stood confidently for at least 10 seconds before gracefully lowering herself to the ground. I also remember that two weeks later, she hit 3 noteworthy milestones on the same day. 1) Jennie signed her first sign, (more, and it actually is more of a clap than the fingers together motion, but she for SURE wanted more of Doug's ice cream, no mistakin'). 2) She took her first step, (two times that day, and many times since, but she has only managed 1 or 2 steps before she lowers to the comfortable crawl). and 3) Jennie officially threw her first major temper tantrum over an unshared water bottle, (I don't like kid backwash). She is our earliest talker by far, she says and knows the meaning of Mama, Dada, baby, ut-oh, bot, (bottle), apple, (really applesauce, but I think it counts), Dalton, out, mo-mo-mo (what she says as she signs more), Addie, and Owen, (our friends).

Crawl, Crawl, Crawl

Standing with Addie

Stair Master

Loves her Daddy

Temper Temper

Cute & Curious

Happy Camper

Reaching

Loves her Sister