Jane is...

5 years old! Jane is happy, imaginative, busy, chatty, friendly, and obedient. Jane loves to play barbies, polly pockets, and cars. She loves to watch movies, color, paint, make bracelets, write the letters, be read to, dance, run, play soccer, carry a purse, and draw on her whiteboard.

Anna is...

9 years old, energetic, friendly, smart, a great soccer player, a pretty singer, a talented piano player, determined, spirited, responsible, fun, creative, an amazing sister, a reader, a dancer, a camper, a bike rider, imaginative, service oriented, thoughtful, a note writer, a hard worker, a thinker, important, and kind.

am I a bad mom?

So... what's worse...

that I supported my 11 year old doing bike tricks? OR

that I allowed my 6 year old to lay smiling underneath said trick? OR

that I was the one taking the pictures?

They're both wearing helmets. Doesn't that count for something?

skechers

Conversation on the way to school this morning:

Me: Zachary, why are you wearing the shoes that have holes in them?

Zachary: Because I can run faster in them.

Me: I wish you'd wear your other shoes.

Zachary: Maybe I should get some running shoes.

Me: Okay, we can do that.

Zachary: Maybe some Nikes.

Griffin: You should get Skechers.

Me: Why Skechers?

Griffin: Because you can run fast in Skechers.

Me: Oh. How do you know that?

Zachary: We saw it on a commercial.

boys with boys, girls with girls

Saturday the boys went to see Avatar on the big screen (in the nice theater which was a special treat (we're pretty much dollar theater goers)) and had some good boy time.

The girls and Lincoln (who always gets to go with me) went to the aquarium. We learned some cool facts and saw some neat exhibits which included sharks, South American animals, poisonous tree frogs, octopus, and loads of fish. We all thought touching the stingrays was a highlight (in the picture the girls are observing the stingrays and patiently waiting for them to swim close enough to touch).

yams

Conversation at breakfast this morning:

Griffin: Yams are yummy.

Me: When did you have yams?

Griffin: I don't remember, I just remember that they're yummy.

Me: Oh.

Griffin: Can we buy some yams?

Me: Uh, sure.

Griffin: Where do you buy them?

Me: Just at the regular grocery store.

Griffin: No, I don't think so. We could probably find out on yams.com.

Red Rocks

Friday night we went with my brother and his family to the University of Utah gymnastics meet. We had a fun time and were amazed at the athleticism and dedication of the gymnasts. The Red Rocks competed against three other top 25 teams and took first place. Lincoln was introduced to Twizzlers and is a fan.

Two of our cousins spent the weekend at our house. We saw Planet 51 (a fun Disney film about aliens), the kids slept in a fort, played soccer, and enjoyed another spring snowstorm. Good times.

being cooperative

Anna was recognized at the Character Ed assembly last Friday for being cooperative.

A few weeks ago when I was volunteering in her classroom, I observed an interesting conversation: one of the tables hadn't gotten papers from the bin for the next project. When the teacher asked who was supposed to get the papers, the kids at the table replied that the student who is responsible for that was not there. The teacher asked what they thought a good solution was and the students grumbled a bit stating that they weren't going to get the papers if it wasn't their job. Anna, who sits at a different table, said "oh, for heaven's sake!" and went and got the papers for their table.

Hickory Dickory Rock

Monday and Tuesday the elementary performed a school play, Hickory Dickory Rock, a darling theatrical production involving fairy tales. Zachary, Anna, and Griffin were in the play and had a great time dancing and singing.

Zachary and Anna were Jack and Jill, Zachary "ran" across the stage during Chariots of Fire, and Griffin was one of the Fiddlers Three.

Jane mentioned, "They're saying it all wrong, it's 'hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.'"

It was fun that Grandma Wright and Midge (neighbor extraordinaire) were able to enjoy the play, too.

kick the can

Sunday evening after most of our family and friends left, the children wanted to play outside. My brother, James, stayed to play kick the can, tag, and newspaper tag. It was SO fun!

My mom, Lincoln, and I mostly just watched.

I don't know what James was saying to

Griffin, but his expression in this picture is funny to me!

Lincoln's blessing

Sunday seemed to me to be such a perfect day.

We went to Zoey's baby blessing first thing Sunday morning. Aside from a moment of panic when Lincoln had a blowout (thank goodness he was wearing an absorbent onesie!) it was a great meeting. Afterwards, we went to our ward for Lincoln's blessing.

Jeremy gave Lincoln an amazing blessing and I felt overwhelmed by the powerful men who participated in the blessing. Lincoln fell asleep. A man who had been baptized the day before was confirmed. It was a spiritual meeting.

We enjoyed our extended family and friends who came to our home afterwards to share lunch together. We had a peaceful feeling in our home.

I feel so grateful for a husband who honors his priesthood and loves me and our children. I feel fortunate to be blessed with five amazing children. I feel appreciative for extended family who make sacrifices for us and who love and support our family. I feel happy.

visitors from St. Louis

This last weekend was nice in so many ways. My dad and Linda flew into town for a few days and we enjoyed playing checkers, going out to lunch, a spring snow storm, visiting, taking pictures, exploring, and a cousin sleepover. It was nice to share time with all the locals at a barbeque at Sarah and Neil's house.

persuasive essay

Zachary had an assignment to write a persuasive essay. In his best cursive, this is the letter I received dated 3/2/10:

Dear Mom,

I think you make a lot of decisions and I'm gonna try to help you make another one. I'd like a cell phone with a full keyboard for texting.

The first few reasons that I have for you should be enough. I think you should get me a cell phone because you and dad might be gone and I might be babysitting and the power goes out and Jane falls down the stairs and is bleeding guts. What would I do? Pull out the imaginary cell phone and call 911?

Another reason is because all my grades are as high as they can go besides one B.

From, Zach