Future Missionary

So after dinner last night I wanted to go deliver some bread to someone I visit teach. I had just finished making it before dinner so it was smelling divine. Anyway, I told Cyrena she could ride her bike and we would put Natalie in the stroller. 

She hears the word 'bike' and runs to put on socks and sandals

(such a fashion faux pa but you gotta love a 3 year old).

Then strangely she grabbed her backpack

(which isn't really that strange because she's obsessed with the thing and takes it everywhere).

I tell her she won't want to bring her backpack since she's riding her bike.

She replies, "But that's what the Elders do when they ride their bikes."

How do I argue with that?

p.s.  This bike is about 15 years old.  It belonged to my niece when she was little--when Polly Pocket first came out!  I couldn't believe her endurance though.  She rode her bike the entire way there and the entire way back.  We estimated it was at least a mile round trip.  When this girls puts her mind to something, miracles happen!

Ki 'n El

Last weekend we watched our friend's girls. We had a fabulous time with 4 girls in the house! They had so much fun together playing, screaming, playing, screaming and playing! We spoiled them with homemade pizza, milkshakes, popcorn, skittles, and a movie!! We transformed the guest room into a fun zone and they made a big bed out of the pullout sofa. That's where they lounged and watched the movie. Well.....Ki watched while Cyrena and El jumped, bounced, harassed Ki and locked doors on each other. Too funny. The next morning we had a fun primary activity to attend and then had lunch and our time was over! 

Making the milkshakes.  David made sure everyone had a job.

That blender is LOUD

Sippin' on a milkshake

We had so much fun having the girls over--they are 2 of the 

sweetest, most fun girls and Cyrena LOVES them! 

They're her 'girls' as she likes to say.  The whole time we'd hear....

"Ki 'n El are you sleeping in the guest room?"  

"Ki 'n El are you going to eat breakfast with me?" 

 Ki 'n El let's jump!"

"Ki 'n El you're my best friends!"

I want it!!

An awesome resource site, ABC and 123 is giving away a year's worth of The Itty Bitty Bookworm curriculum.  I would love to have a set for my preschool so I'm entering as many ways as I can! Check it out, it's awesome!

Life Skills

There are times when thinking of Cyrena becoming more independent makes me CRINGE. However, I know it's necessary. I've been thinking it's time to teach her some life skills. She is going to need to pour her own cereal someday so I decided to start working on pouring skills. I opened up a can of food storage (let's be real, I'm never going to use all those pinto beans!) and let her get to work. She scooped them into a pitcher using a measuring cup then used the pitcher to pour into a bowl. Then she served bowls of beans for 'breakfast'. Of course she had to sweep up any stray beans that fell to the floor. After she masters the beans, we'll move to cereal, then rice, then maybe water if I'm feeling really brave. Right now I'm not feeling too brave since I've been stepping on beans all week. :)

Sometimes when Natalie has a bottle, Cyrena wants to feed her.  So I let her-- hey it give me more time to get dinner ready!  Since I'm in the 'life skills for Cyrena' state of mind, I suggested she wash the bottle as well when she was done.  She couldn't have been more excited and she felt so big.  This reaffirms my feelings that I need to start a regular chore schedule for her.  She's ready and able.

Ok, ok I know she looks just like me in this picture, crazy hair and all.

Wanna bite? **EDITED to show recipe link

Come on, you know you do. I can't keep my teeth away from her scrumptiousness! I have this habit of eating my kids. I know it's genetic.  I've seen my mom do it and I've seen my brother do it with his kids. We must be lacking something in our diets. :)  

 

On another note, I made these homemade.....BAKED donuts and oh my goodness, heaven dipped in cinnamon sugar!  Mine were not as pretty as the original, the holes in the middle were a little big because of the cutters I had.  But they were TASTY!  I've never made donuts before but I've always wanted to.  I didn't want to deal with the deep frying so the baked aspect really appealed to me.  This recipe (click here) was super easy!

Just Beautiful

While we completely enjoyed the amazingly cool storms on Saturday, it was great to wake up Sunday to a beautiful, sunny day. What appropriate weather for remembering the incredible resurrection of the Savior. Here are some pictures of our day.

We had some friends over Saturday night and after a yummy dinner the girls had a lot of fun dyeing eggs and playing, playing, playing.

 

Cyrena slept in so David was making breakfast (our traditional Goldenrod..... YUM!) and I was cleaning up a bit and playing with Natalie. When Cyrena got up, she set right to work finding all of our Easter baskets. The Easter Bunny hides the entire basket at our house. With some 'guidance' she was able to find them all. She was pretty darn excited about it. She loved her puzzle, book, bracelet, toothpaste (she loves it) and of course a little bit of candy. She was also excited to show Natalie her basket as well. Natalie was very into playing with it.

We had a beautiful program at church and then a great dinner with cousins and friends.  As I get older and more mature (yeah right) my understanding of Easter grows more and more into a deep respect for all I've been blessed with.  My grasp of the atonement grows more and more into an unquenchable desire to do what's right so the Savior did not die in vain for me.  

There have been a lot of 'thoughts' going on in this little head of mine lately.  And I'm moving forward, working toward who I ultimately want to become.  I'm lucky to have a man by my side with similar desires and goals.   He's a gift I tell you.

The family that sweats together.......you know the rest

Papa Bear.............. Mama Bear............ and baby bear

Since Natalie's birth it's been hard to get to my workout at the church between her napping and teaching preschool, etc.  So I ordered some new Biggest Loser and Jillian Michael dvd's to workout at home.  David said he wanted to do them at night with me.  I never knew how fun it could be to work out with your husband!  We've been having a good time.  

However, one night a sneaky, naughty, cute three year-old came out of her room and observed us jumping and sweating in front of the television.  She was hooked.  She never knew we could do that at our house and she wants to do it all the time!  So now, we work out after Natalie goes to bed but before Cyrena goes to bed.  The three of us have a jolly old time together.  

As you would guess Cyrena talks incessantly the entire time.  Here's a conversation (one-sided as it was) she had with her dad.

Cyrena:  I love your tennis shoes daddy.

David: *grunt

Cyrena:  My tennis shoes are purple and I love them, do you like them?

David: *sigh

Cyrena:  I have black tennis shoes too but I'm wearing my purple ones

David: Cyrena I can't talk right now!

Cyrena:  Yeah, I'm wearing my purple tennis shoes.  I love to exercise.  Her name is Jillian.

David: *chuckle

Cyrena:  I need a break, I'm going to get some water..... (exit right to the kitchen)

please excuse my heavy breathing, I stopped mid- workout to take this