Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Emma's Pre-School Thanksigiving Luncheon

Emma's Pre-School teacher held a fun Thanksgiving luncheon the week before Thanksgiving. There was a full-fledged turkey dinner with all the fixins. When Ross heard that, he arranged to take the day off so he could come and join us. It was a lot of fun seeing Emma with all the little friends she always talks about, and to converse with some of the other parents there.

This is Emma and her little class mates singing the songs they had prepared for our entertainment. Notice Sara there in the front row. She just had to be a part of it all. She is so ready to go to Pre-School next year! We made sure to sit at the table featuring Emma's handiwork. On a side note- there are two Emmas in her class, thus necessitating the affixed G for designation between the two. She now feels that her name is not at all complete if she does not add a G and a dot. Cute girl.
This is the best picture I got of her at her little banquet table.
I am so grateful for Miss Mandy and everything she does for her little pre-schoolers. She really loves her students and tries her hardest to give them a fun and educational experience. Emma just loves her to death, and I think this has been the perfect introduction for her to a classroom setting.
~~~
At the beginning of the lunch before everyone was settled, Emma asked to take the camera so she could take some pictures. I let her do this not knowing that it was still set on the camcorder setting. I probably should just delete these, but I found the little clips from her persepctive rather darling. That is all just to say that I fully realize that nobody else will really value this motion sickness causing collection except her uber-sappy mother. I'm cool with it.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Just Something I Didn't Want to Forget

This morning has been all about my Sara. She hopped into bed with me shortly after Ross left for work and just chatted at my half-sleeping form. She told me all about her dreams that night, her cold toes, her Christmas wishes, and her favorite baby.

Some cute quotations from my Sara morning:

Sara: Mom, Jack is pulling my hair.
Mom: Oh, honey, he is just trying to say hello.
Sara: Can you make him say goodbye?

Sometimes I love you, and sometimes I really love you, and sometimes I am sleepy.

Sara: I had a dream about having some ice cream.
Mom: Ooh- I guess we will have to have some ice cream today.
Sara: Yeah! Oh, I also had a dream that I had a kitten. . .

I like my baby Jack and I am glad he is a baby who smiles and not a baby who is all grown up.


Sadly, there were more that I just can't recall at the moment. I should have written this sooner. I love my little Sara-Bear!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Some Hopefully Not Reduant Thoughts on Repetiton

I am a mother, which means a great deal of my daily dialogue consists of statements, reprimands, and reminders that are nauseatingly familiar. I repeat myself a lot as I am guiding these little munchkins through life, and sometimes that can get discouraging.

Wash your hands, please.
Where do your socks go?
Make your bed before breakfast?
Pull up your pants?
Where does your plate go?
Put your toys away.
Don't fight with your sister.
Please brush your teeth.

On and on and on. I hate feeling like I am nagging them because that is no fun, and who really wants to be that mom. Not me.

I am though. I think all good moms are whether or not they want to be. Children have to learn things, and repetition coupled with patience seems to be the main keys in effective parenting.

The last few days, however, I have tried to back away from the constant repetetive statements and instead have asked the girls one simple question in those everyday situations that bring on the hated nagging. That question is 'What do you think I am going to say?'

For example when Emma asked if she could have breakfast, instead of instantly listing off all the things she needed to do first I asked her what she thought my response to that question would be. I wasn't sure how this experiment would work out, but to my delight she responded with the correct answer of changing into her clothes, putting her PJs away, and making her bed.

Sara: Can I play with my Barbies now?
Mom: What do you think I am going to say?'
Sara: You are going to say I have to clean up my learning cards and say please.
( That was a lovely response as I was only expecting the toy comment. I am glad they have picked up on the politeness as well. )

It worked for almost all of the similar situations that popped up. Of course, there were situations where my redundant instructions were still needed, but I felt so much less discouraged knowing that most of that redundancy has weaseled its way into their adorable little skulls.

* * * *

Yesterday I was having a rough day. I was frustrated with my progress in certain areas and was just all around tired and exasperated with myself, my life, my family, and myself.

While in the shower (don't judge- its my thinking spot) I had one of my regular chats with Heavenly Father, explained to him my feelings, and pled with him to know what it was I needed to do to reverse and replace some of these feelings.

Imagine my surprise and amusement when he related to me a question I had asked my girls at least 10 times that day already.

"Amanda, what do you think I am going to say?"

And I knew. I knew what he was going to say because He has been repeating these instructions to me my entire life through the means of Sunday school lessons, Scripture Study, hymns, spiritual whisperings, and many, many other sources.

I knew exactly what I needed to do, and I knew that I had known those things before I had even begun my prayer.

I also felt worlds better knowing that I, as a mother, had been inherently following the teaching example of my most trusted and All-Knowing mentor.

I am grateful for repetition, and that is not something I would have ever thought to say.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Self Adoration

We moved the furniture in our room around, and in this process, my tri-fold mirror was removed from atop my dresser and got put on the floor in the corner while we figure out where her next home will be.

Jack discovered it today, and much cuteness ensued as he tried to figure out how to get to all those deliciously handsome little guys.

He was squealing and laughing and baby-chatting so much. It was adorable.
Ross says he looks like his name-sake in this one.
I can't blame him for not being able to resist his cuteness.
Vanity never was quite so entertaining. . .

Friday, November 12, 2010

Ross Defined. . . Almost


Meg Fee posted this Liz Lemon quote, and I loved it. I remember loving it when I heard it on the show, but seeing it typed out was a little strange. I loved it just the same, and found it interesting that it pretty much described Ross. . .


"I want someone who will be monogamous and nice to his mother. And I want someone who likes musicals, but knows to just shut his mouth when I’m watching “Lost.” And I want someone who thinks being really into cars is lame, and strip clubs are gross. I want someone who will actually empty the dishwasher instead of just taking out forks as needed - like I do. I want someone with clean hands and feet and beefy forearms, like a damned Disney prince. And I want him to genuinely like me. Even when I’m old. And that’s what I want."


. . . Except that instead of Lost it is Grey's Anatomy, and he does like cars, but not to the extreme.



(pictures taken by Heather Jones in November, 2007.)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

A Dose of Cuteness

Emma: Mom, will you read a book with me for a really big bit? (as opposed to 'for a little bit')

Sara: When I grow up I want to be Emma!

Emma: Mom, I cleaned my closet all nice, and you don't even have to look at it.
Mom: Well if it looks so good, I want to see it.
Emma: OK, then just look at it in 10 minutes. (she then ran to clean it up)

Sara: (I had a disc of a season of Friends playing while I was working.) Mom, you already watched 2 shows- The Cat and the Hat, and Word Girl. We have to turn the TV off now!

Emma: Mom, why don't your books have pictures in them.
Mom: Because the words tell me what would be in the pictures.
Emma: Oh, and your pictures look prettier?
Mom: Sometimes.
Emma: When I read, my pictures will always be very wonderful and pretty.

Sara keeps coming up to me with random bags and purses and saying "Trick or Treat?!" Sometimes she gets a treat, but most times she gets tickles.

Emma: (right after waking up) Mom, what is for dessert?
Mom: Ummm, don't you need to have breakfast first?
Emma: Yes. Breakfast and lunch and a snack and another snack and dinner too. What's for dessert?
Mom: Probably ice cream and brownies.
Emma: YES!

Sara: Mom can you give me some Daddy snuggles?
Mom: Sure. What are Daddy snuggles?
Sara: You have to snuggle and be Daddy.
Mom: Oh, then probably not. How about some Mommy snuggles.
Sara: Ummm, how about you read me a book. (I guess my snuggles are inferior. . .)

Sunday, November 07, 2010

Emma's First Talk

This is a little video of Emma's first talk in Primary. I thought about filming her giving the actual talk in church, but thought that might be frowned on. She did a wonderful job.

Saturday, November 06, 2010

On We Went to Vanquish the Foe

We went to the BYU vs Wyoming game. They (barely) won. It was fun. I took pictures when the rain stopped pouring.

This was after the game. We got stopped just as the team was running back out from the field. I tried to get a picture with a player in the backgrounsd, but my camera hates me. Our tickets were in the student section, which I love because they are the most excited fans, and we are still young enough to be mistaken for students.
OK- grad students maybe. . .
Also, I am a band geek. I love me some rotating grid patterns.
See- there's the players. We could smell the sweat and gatorade!
I'm not sure why my mouth is wide open in every picture. . .
It was a very fun surprise, and I am grateful for my mom and sisters for watching the kids while we were away rising and shouting!

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Halloween Cuteness

Please tell me someone gets this costume. . . please. . . I am not a very good mom.

So many of my mom friends spent hours sewing and glueing, and glittering, and standing in line for their kids's costume needs.

I did not.

And very likely never will.

Since their aunts gave the girls a giant and amazing box of costumes and dress-up materials for their birthdays, I told them they could be whatever they wanted as long as I didn't have to do anything.

I think they chose well.

Since Emma was Belle, we told everyone that Sara was Tiana. The truth is, Sara doesn't know who Tiana is, but we thought it was a funny anecdote. . . Are we weird?

I think maybe we are, because nobody at the Trunk or Treat understood Jack's costume.


I was so proud of it.

He really liked it too.
The Trunk or Treat went super fast because it started raining pretty hard.
They got a pretty good haul in a short amount of time.
Jack and I just hung out in the van and passed out candy. We stayed warm and dry.
After the Trunk or Treat, the girls changed out of their damp costumes, and we went and got a take and bake pizza. When we got home, this is what the girls looked like, so we skipped Trick or Treating, which was fine by me!
Ross, Jack and I just hung out eating yummy pizza and giving candy to trick or treaters.
Girls in cute costumes, rain and wind to keep away skankiness, pizza that I mostly didn't have to make, napping girls (they NEVER nap!), free candy, and lots of cute neighbors at my door. It was a good day. And a good night.

Pumpkin Carving with the Wallaces

We were the only family to show up for the annual carving fest at Grandma and Grandpa Wallace's house this year. I can't remember that ever happening! While we missed many people, I have to admit that it was kind of nice to spend time together without such a crowd.

My mom helped Sara empty out her pumpkin and then told her to draw a face on it that they could cut out. She chose not to cut anything out as her design was too pretty. I was just fine with that as it means I get to use her pumpkin for breads and pies later. The Jones Girls

Hard at work!
My moom drew a kitty face as per Emma's request, and then Emma cut it out almost by herself. I was very proud of her- almost as proud as she was of herself.
I made an owl inspired by Heather's awesome necklace which I was silly to not get a picture of. I also tried to carve in the words to a little poem about a wise old owl. I'm not sure how decipherable it ended up being. . .
Dana carved a lovely rendition of the Red Baron.
Emma's kitty is on the left. Heather's Dr. Who telephone booth is in the middle, and Caulene's cannibalistic pumpkin is on the right.
Dad carved a cat in a boot that ended up being an owl in the end. Please note the guts coming out of Caulene's victimized pumpkinette. It's all in the details!
She really is so happy with herself. Thanks, Mom, for making her so happy!
They tried putting glow sticks in my dad's pumpkin because he refused to clean it out. He just skipped that step. I think it added a cool effect in the end. I was just happy he came. It is the first time I ever remember him being a part of any pumpkin carving ever!
Just one more shot, because it took a beasty long time even if it didn't quite turn out.
The evening was complete with fried bread, fresh peach jam, and amazingly fresh sparkling apple cider. My Grandpa's apple juice with dry ice. Amazing. Emma called it witches brew which made it that much more appropriate for the occasion.
I love this tradition, but I missed my cousins!

Sara's Strange Sensation

Sara's foot fell asleep yesterday. She was so enamored with an episode of Curious George that she went a good 20 minutes without moving.

When she tried to stand up, she found it harder than anticipated as she had no feeling in her foot past her ankle.

She was terrified.

It was cute- don't judge me.

She started crying and poking at it, screaming about how her foot wasn't working.

She was certain it was broken and she needed a cast. This hypothesis was quite possibly drawn from the fact that the episode of Curious George she had just watched featured the little monkey with a broken leg and a cast.

I held her and told her it would feel better in a minute and had her wiggle her toes.

That's when the tingling started. It must have been a painful variety of tickling to her because she kept switching back and forth between laughing and crying.

It was a funny moment to witness my little girl's first sleepy apendage.

Monday, November 01, 2010

Something That Helped On This Manic Monday

It has been a strange morning, bouncing back and forth between gratitude and desperation and love and annoyance and remembering and forgetting and and and. . .

It didn't help that all of that bouncing, (and all of this typing, for that matter) has been done one handed as little Jack is a bit clingy today. He is teething, and is deeply offended when I make any move that he perceives to be an attempt to put him down/ be productive.

This helped.

http://travelinoma.blogspot.com/2010/10/mummified.html