How to Eat a Banana

Start with a cute 3 year old (preferably one in her jammies). Give her a half banana on a plate with a butter knife and toothpick.

Gingerly slice the banana...

Insert toothpick...

Enjoy!

Repeat.

She keeps us laughing

In the supermarket...
Jennie: (loudly with a pointed finger) "That man looks like a..."
Me: (in a whisper) "Jennie, put your finger down."
Jennie: (this time in a whisper) "I was just going to say fungus"

At home...
Joe: "Mom, Jennie just said a bad word"
Me: "What did she say?"
Joe: "F*%#head"
Me: "Jennie!"
Jennie: (running up the stairs arriving at my side in a pant, but with the look of complete innocence.)
Me: "Jennie what did you just say?"
Jennie: "Well, (then putting her pointer finger on the edge of her mouth and looking away from me.) about that..."

Lying on the office floor in a bed of her own making...
Jennie: "Let's play sleeping beauty mom."
Me: "Okay" (I stroke her hair with a random My Little Pony brush)
Jennie: (eyes closed and just about asleep) "I'm waiting for my true loves first kiss."
Me: "Who is he?"
Jennie: (eyes still closed) "You can be him for today mom" (cutest pucker you've ever seen)
Me: Smooch

As I'm typing...she's painting her toes with a basting brush and her water from lunch quoting Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas.

2010 Photo Shoot

I Wonder...

How long will Dalton let Joe play with his big friends?
How long will he put up with Joe tipping over coffee tables in the middle of a losing game?
How long will he ask me to help him with homework?
How long will he be willing to babysit for $1 an hour?
How long will he be interested in helping me in the kitchen?

How long will Joseph hold my hand in public?
How long will he be willing to distract Jennie with "The Horsey Game" while I'm slipping out the door to Book Club?
How long will he help buckle the girls or give them pegs on his bike?
How long will he come to snuggle next to my bed when he's scared at night?
How long will he believe that he is the strongest 8 year old alive?

How long will Sophia and Jennie play kitten and puppy, carrying on for hours communicating exclusively in yelps and meows?
How long will Sophia beam while showing me her artwork?
How long will she build castles and play dress-up?
How long will she love pink?
How long will she snuggle with me, full bodied, when she hurts?

How long will Jennie look up to Sophia?
How long will she insist on sleeping with her silky blanky?
How long will she let me give her ringlets?
How long will she blame others for everything including who messed her bed/underwear/hair?
How long will she ache to kiss and hug her daddy before he leaves for work?
How long will she color outside the lines?

Jennie is 3!!!

Curls in the morning.

Curls in the afternoon.

Her 1st cavity :(

She wakes up to a NEW KITCHEN!

She loves hers as much as I love mine.

Happy!

Let the party begin!

Story time in her bedroom.

Make-up all around.

Oh, the drama.

A little too experienced.

Pink plates, pink juice, mac & cheese and grapes... the perfect menu.

The Butterfly Cake (Thank you Yolanda for the inspiration!)

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Jennie..."

At play

My girls speak exclusively in gobbeldygook when they play make believe. Is it strange? Is it strange that they understand each other? The only English words they use are pleasantries and titles.
"Ga ba goo da la dee." Then Jennie hands Sophia a pony wrapped in last nights jammies.
"Thank you Miss Gala."
"Bee da ga loo ba doo?"
"Ga la monster goo da lee ga do."
"Help, lava rock!"
"Meeka, you're standing in lava rock!"
Sophia jumps onto the coffee table while protectively clutching her baby, (now a long green block wrapped in an enormous beach towel).

it goes on and on and on...

So Many Firsts!

First time making my sisters AWESOME home made play dough.
First day Sophia didn't wince while I styled her hair around her 3 staples.
First day of preschool for Jennie.
First day of Dance for Sophia, (well in Idaho anyway).
First time I've ever asked one of my children to call me "Miss Sherrie"
First time Sophia shares a seat belt with her friend on the way home from dance.
First day Joseph came home from 3rd grade in a good mood.
First day of PACE for Dalton, (Idaho's accelerated program).
First day of real piano lessons for Dalton.
First time I've been complimented on how advanced Dalton is in piano.
First day Joseph takes a shower on the first time he's asked... EVER.
First time Jennie steals a popsicle right out of the neighbors deep freeze.
First call to the home owners insurance.
First flavorful nectarine of the season.

Is Summer Over???

Spelunking through the lava tubes at Craters of the Moon.






Sometimes it's necessary to transport Dalton illegally, but only when we're picking up a new...


BBQ! Happy Fathers Day Doug!



Willis Water slide.




Idaho Falls Zoo with our friends the Bess girls.


Wild Huckleberry picking after the Ward campout.


A local told us that we weren't finished picking till our hands were stained.


Because Jennie doesn't nap anymore.





Blue Angles.






Swim lessons.





Sometimes the trips to the Zoo, Arizona, Lake Powell, Craters of the Moon, Reeds Dairy, and the Pool were just not enough.


I loved every bit of our summer and already miss my boys, but hey, now I have time to blog. Bring on the school year!

Seas The Day

Mama and Papa Nelson made this whole Lake Powell trip possible, I think they enjoyed themselves too.


Joseph enjoyed the sun a little too much resulting in sun poisoning. It didn't stop him for long though, not this kid.


The kiddos enjoyed cousins, boat rides and...


tubing.


The beach didn't disappoint either. Ice cream? Or bucket of sand?


Isn't my nephew so stinkin' cute!


The captain!


With 3 huge flat screen TV's, the B word (bored) was never spoken.


Cousins! Cousins! Cousins!


Inside was just as enjoyable as the outside, especially for the little ones.


Thank goodness for life jackets!


These girls love their daddy.


I may have married a pirate.


I skied, tubed, and enjoyed my whole family the whole time. Thank you Mama and Papa, and Thank you Brad and Lenora.