Sassy

A few weeks ago I wanted an irate Alli to come up from the basement. When she wouldn't, I started counting slowly. Our rule is that I give her a little time to obey, and if she doesn't I count. Whatever number I get to before she obeys is how many minutes of time out she receives.

The counting made her even more angry. She had a jump rope in her hands, and so she pointed one of the handles at me, squinted as if looking down the barrel of a gun, waved the handle a little, and yelled, "I paint over your mouth so you have no mouth and don't count ANY MORE!" I had to turn away so she wouldn't see my smile (seeing that I still had a mouth would probably have ticked her off even more).

Halloween

At the party.

Getting ready for Mary's school party.

I think they were flattered. Joseph was a hit with the ladies in his outfit.


Getting ready for the costume parade.

He started gnawing on the caramel. Eventually he got to the apple and exclaimed, "Bappo!" (Joseph-speak for "apple") in a surprised voice. Then he set it down.

Licking the sucker on the string during the carnival portion of the Halloween party.

Using our words

Alli was getting frustrated and expressed her frustration.

Sarah: Alli, are you using your words?
Alli: My words are all gone.
Sarah: Where did they all go?
Alli: You... (pause) took them and put them in your voice!

Mary's First Day of Kindergarten

Mary loves Kindergarten! She didn't have a problem going to school from the first day.

In the car

Alli: Are we going home? Are we going to the store?
Daddy: We are just driving around.
Alli: Why? Because we can't find our house?

Alli is 3!

Alli turned 3 on June 26 while we were en route to San Francisco. She had a great birthday with family (see previous post of her birthday party).

How did we get from "Nothing bothers me, not even a hat over my eyes!" to

THIS? (with her beheaded Marie Antoinette Barbie--didn't come that way, she did it herself)

We think she's pretty cool.

Reunion continued

Taking family pictures on the Stanford campus. Alli didn't want to turn around.

Then decided to after all.
Blowing out her candles for her 3rd birthday.

I'm pretty sure I like cake.

Money!!

Reunion

On the swing at the beach house. They thought the whole outside arrangment, with some enclosed flower gardens, etc., was very romantic for four princesses. Usually they had their princess dresses on.
My kids and I at Half Moon Bay, Moss Beach.
Again at Moss Beach.
Joseph and Grandpa on the Golden Gate Bridge. Normally Joseph loves Grandpa, but he was sad 90% of the trip.
The Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Mr. Jim

Mary's beloved bus driver, Mr. Jim. She misses him.

Thtuck (i.e. Stuck)

A monster!

Day 1: Mary woke up during the night crying. She was afraid of a monster. Sarah talked to her and put her back to bed. A half hour later she came to our room and woke up Tamir. He let her get in bed with us for a little bit.

Day 2: After the girls were put to bed, Mary got teared up talking about the monster and how she would be scared again. Sarah talked to her about the monster.

Day 3:
Mary: My mom says I'm not scared of the monster.
Alli: Mary, say, Monster, go away. OK?
Mary: I closed my eyes and monster run away.
Alli: You closed your eyes and monster run away?
Mary: Yeah, I closed my eyes and he run away.
Alli: You open your eyes and monster come. Say go away! I have monkey in my bed with my dream. I close my eyes and monkey no go away.
Mary: I closed my eyes and monster run away.
Alli: Let me tell you something, Mary. You have to close your eyes and monster won’t come, OK? When the monster come, tell go away, this is my dream. OK? (Alli had heard me tell Mary few minutes earlier that she can tell the monster to go away.)

A skit

Mary: Happy ever ever after. Aah-aah-aah.
Mary and Alli twirl around.
Mary: Dong! Dong! It’s time to go home. Run, Alli!
Mary and Alli take one shoe off
Mary: Oh, my glass slipper fell off!
Alli: Oh, my glass slipper fell off too!
Mary and Alli run away

Happy Mother's Day!

For Mother's Day, Mary made a card for Mommy. She colored the flower Daddy drew, copied over "Happy Mother's Day" onto the card from what Daddy wrote on a piece of paper, drew a picture of Mommy, drew a blue heart, wrote her name, and had Alli and Joseph write their names and add some scribbles. On the back of the card she drew another heart and wrote everyone's names (Daddy had to help her how to write Joseph's name).

BTW, Mary still thinks the card is hers. She has taken it to preschool several times and has added some drawings and stickers to it.

After the dinner, the girls made "special cake cups" for Mommy, put pink frosting on them, and put sprinkles. Mary saved her creation for Mommy, but Alli ate hers...


They had lots of fun! Of course, eating the frosting was a side benefit.

Accesorize!

Mary's going to preschool...


Yes, she chose the sweater, tiara, sunglasses, bracelet (Sarah used to play with it when she was little), toy-watch (from grandma), old watch (Sarah's broken watch), and a wand (a.k.a. pencil). Her favorite bus driver, Mr. Jim, had a good laugh seeing Mary in touch with her fashion senses.

Sunglasses galore!

Mary said the other day, "Let's go shopping and buy my sunglasses!"

Easter Pictures

Just catching up on some pictures...

Happy Birthday, Aunt Deanna!

Filmed especially for Deanna's birthday, April 30, 2009. Notice the pause in my singing while I calculated how many years it will take for Deanna to reach 32--I read real good but don't cipher as well.

Old portraits...

After six months of being there, Tamir still didn't have any family pictures in his cubicle at work. Even some coworkers teased him for having empty walls and a clear desk. So he finally put up these "pictures" of the girls back in December.


Mary (by Mary, Dec. 2008)


Aiil - a.k.a. Alli (by Mary, Dec. 2008)

A new star?

This is the youtube video of a song this kid I knew about 7 years ago wrote and performed. He wants exposure and feedback. I actually thought it was pretty good. The song is catchy. His family were our "directors" in Ecuador back in 2001 when he was 15, I think. He was a cool kid. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzl05ZJ4O7s

Etiquette activity

The youth leaders working hard to serve the youth. Men were waiters, women prepared.

They seem to be having fun, don't they?

I was supposed to post the powerpoint presentation and schedule that went with this, but I only see a way to upload movies or pictures. If anyone else has a clue about how to do this, let me know.

Mary's family drawings

A couple of recent family portraits done by Mary. She got a little overwhelmed with all the "m's" in "Mommy" and went overboard. I like how she named Chad and Cherisse.

Snow Angels

Mary


Alli

Walking

It's so cute to see little miniature people trotting around. And that is the space heater he keeps pushing buttons on. He's not supposed to, and he knows it, but, being a boy (albeit a tiny one), he can't resist.

Nauvoo 2009

Since our nearest temple has been closed for a few months for repairs, at the beginning of February we decided to make the 5-hour drive to Nauvoo to attend the temple there and do some sightseeing. Also, we don't know if we'll have another chance. We loved being back at the temple for the first time since our wedding there in 2003. Also, we stayed at a great condo for cheap and had great weather (60 degrees in February!).



Wedding day, August 19, 2003.



February 6, 2009. What a difference 5 1/2 years makes, right? We've had a population explosion!

The kids with the horses after the carriage ride.

Apparently the kids were not into being photographed during the carriage ride.

Joseph is 1!

Here he is in the stages of devouring his birthday cake. Once he got a taste of it, he wouldn't finish until he literally licked the plate clean! We didn't get a picture of him lifting the plate up to his face to eat the frosting.