Potential for trouble!

Isn't this so fun to see. I have to thank Russel for taking this video with his new Christmas toy!
While we were attending a fun family party this past holiday week Rachel decided that she could really let go of things. Shortly after this video was taken it became really hard for anyone to just hold her. She decided that was too restricting and wants to be walking.
I can't believe she will be one year old in just a week. It was funny to read through the Christmas letter ( Thank you Derek!) and realize all that has happened in a years time. We really love having this fun little girl in our home.

1 jump.....2 jump.....3 jump......

Spencer just loves to got to the jumping place!
If you didn't know "Jump On It" has a mommy and me time every Wed. at 10:00am until 11:00 am and it is only for children under 5 and it is a great deal. It is so nice not to have the big kids.
This week we have been learning about counting and we had a great time counting how many jumps we could jump on the tramp. Spencer is really getting it all figured out. He now likes to have exactly five chicken nuggets, or 5 pancakes. (I think he has a favorite number already.) He double and triple checks my counting all of the time. What a smart little guy I have!

Wet Onsie Contest

This is Rachel's new favorite activity. It actually isn't that new, but in the past she has only done it in the toilet bowl. (gross!) which is why mommy came up this this new activity, hopefully to curb the crave. She is my water child. It wouldn't matter what else was going on she knew if there was water nearby to splash. She loves her bath!
It doesn't really help that she strives to do anything she has ever caught a glimpse that it is an adult only, or a big no-no. And I know that some of you may be thinking that I just need to watch her better. But as you may have not realized I do not have super powers which is what I would need. I just can't keep up with this one.
For instance the other day I was helping Spencer get dressed when I noticed that Rachel was in the Kitchen and before I could get to her she started to pull the garbage from the can. I quickly moved her to the other end of the house and piled the toys around her as I went to clean up the mess. Before I had the bag tied up I could already hear the splashing of a little girl in the toilet.
And I know that you may be thinking to keep the door closed or use one of those little toilet latches that are so great. But with a toilet trained 3 year old I just don't think that it would work out like that. She knows!
It is amazing to me that these little ones can figure us out so quickly and how much they know about the world around them. Oh, how I love to watch the little wheels turn inside there heads!

"An un-welcome excuse for a Birthday present"

Do you remember your first set of pots and pans? The little ones that made an incredible addition to your little tikes kitchen. They were the best pots and pans, ever! Then came the easy bake oven that you could hardly wait for you birthday to recieve. These things brought hours of enjoyment for me.
As I grew older I still had a love of cooking and pots and pans. I bought my first real pots and pans at 17. They were so much fun to purchase. I researched and looked and looked and researched, and that was almost as much fun as the day I brought home my new, non stick, expensive (because hey, I was single), hand wash only (gee, that was dumb) pots and pans; to add to my hope chest.
That was a very long time ago and since then I have really enjoyed that set of pots and pans. Over time they became a little less non stick, but I suppose that could be attributed to the fact that over time I got a little more in a rush and a little less likely to hand wash (I know, you could have called that one) and the best utensil to use was the one closest that filled the job (not always the wood or plastic). That was how it went until Thursday making pies.
Lemon pie filling is yellow, and it was yellow right down until the very end when it started changing colors. It first just started to look dark and then it looked green (appetizing I know). I couldn't figure out what was going on. I decided to start all over because who would eat a green pie. I washed the pan and then dried it with a paper towel when I noticed the paper towel was grey. I tried again and again the paper towel turned grey (gross!) MY NONSTICK COATING WAS COMING OFF RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES! (Don't worry, all those who ate the lemon pie, I made it in a different kind of pan)
So Saturday (my birthday) we were off to the stores, trying to take advantage of the after Thanksgiving day sales, if possible. And as much as I wanted to I couldn't get excited about getting new pans (they had to be replaced!). Derek was having more fun that I. He really got into the online research and looking at different stores to compare prices. It just wasn't working for me. I knew that I would have to use these pots and pans and they would have to be washed practically everyday. And since it was something I absolutely had to have, and there seemed a sense of urgency (I only have one other pot). I couldn't dream about the pots I couldn't afford or the ones that really were useless but looked so cute just sitting there.
We finally got new pots and pans after many of hours at the store looking and touching and comparing. We decided on the Kirkland pots and pans without any nonstick coating. Eventhough I know that they have improved nonstick coatings in the last ten years I have a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth about it now. I will probably have on or two non stick pans in the future but I know that these pans will last for a really long time and have no problems.
Thank you Derek for putting up with me at all of those stores. I Love You!

The greatest toy we own!

Of all of the toys we own our vacuum causes the most fights. Have you ever experienced the real fun of a vacuum? (me, either)
Spencer loves the vacuum! Much to my dismay, he is constantly asking if we can vacuum. It works as a great motivator to get the toys cleaned up: "I will vacuum as soon as you clean up the toys." I like a clean floor and everything but I have my limits. Once a day is enough, don't you think?
You probably already know this, but the vacuum attachments are almost more fun he the vacuum itself. Spencer can spend hours of fun using the attachments to vacuum the couch. Not to mention that the extender tubes make a great sword.
It is always an interesting argument when you don't want the vacuum out of the closet or you won't vacuum the carpet again. His favorite vacuum is my new carpet cleaner. Did you know that some vacuums are more fun than others? I hope that I am still having these kind of discussions with him when he is 16.

Happy Halloween

So I know that I am a little slow on posting this but don't they look adorable? What would the holidays be without children!
We had such a great time making Spencer's Wall-e Costume, and it turned out better than I could have hoped for. Spencer had the costume on at least once a day. We did have some costume problems later on, Trick-or-Treating, when we discovered it was very difficult for him to walk up stairs with a box on, but it was still very exciting! This was probably the first year he really caught on to the idea of it all. Of course, it is the first year he has really been interested in candy (only Chocolate) so that does help.
Rachel was originally going to be Tinker Bell. We had borrowed a costume from my sister that was a size 12mo Disney Tinkerbell. Unfortunately, we were unable to get it on or off her without tears. It is hard to believe how quickly these little ones grow. Fortunately they still had some adorable costumes left the Saturday before Halloween. I hate cutting things that close, but the position of "Mother" is never without surprises!

What a great stay - cation!

Derek and I both took off work for a weekend to spend some time as a family and to get some things done around the house. We had such a great time! (although Derek's opinion may be different) First we moved the furniture so we cold try out my brand new, very own carpet cleaner! I had so much fun watching the carpets change color. I used to think my mother was crazy for getting excited over silly things like this (her favorite day was garbage day!) but I have inherited this same trait. I think Spencer is catching on too....whenever he uses the swivel sweeper he is always so anxious to see how much dirt he caught. What a funny boy.
We had some fun as a family too. We took daddy to see the aquarium in Sandy, and had a great time. Derek had never been before (I get to have all the fun) so Spencer got to show him the ropes. It was really fun to watch him get his nerve up to touch the Mana Ray, mostly because it reminded me of how nerve racking it was for me the first time too. Have you ever touched one? They feel squishy and slimy and not at all like I would have expected.

Addictions

Which one, which one?

Some people have drugs, others have alcohol, I have frozen yogurt!
There is a new frozen yogurt parlor in American fork called Frozen Yogurt Junction that is fabulous! As many of you know I have been keeping them in business single handed. If it has been a while since you had frozen yogurt you should give it a try. It is different, no, better than ice cream (especially because it doesn't bother my lactose intolerance) I especially like the tart flavors. I have had a thing frozen yogurt since I was a little kid. My Mom would take us to "Paradise Yogurt", a little parlor that is now long gone, for family night. I wonder if my mother had an addiction too. I don't really like to put toppings on top, it ruins the texture for me, but every once in a while I put a few gummy bears on top just for nostalgia.

My Future Missionary

Spencer and I do homeschooling for pre-school. This years theme is "The Legend of Road Atlas". My friend Amber and I got together during the summer to write the curriculum which includes a Family Home Evening lesson, at least one activity, and a field trip each week. Each week has it's own concept to learn that we tie into maps and the world around us. We also emphasize in a three year old sort of way the impact that missionaries have all around the world. So this is my future missionary. He loves his little missionary pin and he is so excited to bring his brand new, very own Book of Mormon to church.
We had so much fun writing the curriculum that it is even more fun to live it. I will post some more pictures, hopefully sooner than later, about the activities we have been involved with so far. You know your having a good time when your three year old constantly asked if it is time for school yet.

My Little Munchkins

Though you all know me and my family I thought I would say a little bit about us.
These are my two angels. (If you have ever heard me call them anything else it was only in a moment of weakness.) They really are the best children anyone could hope for. And I am not even bias.
Spencer is a strong young man with smarts beyond his years. He is obsessed with trains and can't get enough of the computer.
Rachel is a Princess through and through. She also enjoys anything she can't or should not have. She has a very strong willed personality that I know will keep me on my toes for the rest of her years. Something I am looking forward to, I am sure.
I try to keep an open mind but two kids is a lot of work and if you asked me right now I would say that we were never to have anymore children.
As for My Husband and I, besides being parents: I keep my "spare time" occupied with photography; I work for a photographer, Glen Ricks, on the weekends. I honestly can't think of anything else I do in my spare time for fun, luckily taking photos can use up most of it. Derek says that his work is his play, but he also enjoys BYU football and RSL soccer and if he is allowed some time, computer or PlayStation games. He is also caught reading almost all of the time. In fact, just the other day he found some "spare time" to read while walking down the stairs.