grateful

FHE

Question:  What are the top three things you are grateful for today?

Robyn

1.  Her new phone.  (Maybe.  We'll see when it comes.  Not sure if she wants the new one.)
2.  Food (Yummy Mac & Cheese)
3.  The volume button on the TV.  We got smart.  After the gajillionth time Quinn asked to watch Dora, we decided to turn the volume all the way OFF!  She's happy, we're happy.  AHHH!  The sweet sound of silence.

Mimi

1.  The snow is melting.

2.  It is getting warmer.
3.  She got to wear her new sneakers to school.

 Eric
1.  Had a good day at school.  Mrs. Coleman read a book that he liked - The 500 Hats.
2.  The Cousin's Chronicle came.
3.  We had a yummy dinner - mac & cheese, peach & strawberry smoothie, veggies.

Kim

1.  Thought of a gift for Addi-Q's birthday.  I hope I don't forget it before I get around to buying it.

2.  Found a mac & cheese we can all agree on.

3.  Started two new books that I think I am going to really enjoy.  It's so nice when it's not a chore!

Haley
1.  Food - specifically dinner.  (She said she was really hungry.  She said she liked the mac & cheese, but she didn't finish it and she added BBQ sauce.  I dunno . . .)
2.  Friends
3.  Being happy (What a nice thing to be grateful for!)

Quinn
1.  Costumes
2.  Burpees
3.  The color purple
(These were divined by my spectacular abilities bestowed upon me as a mother.  She was in bed for FHE.)

Churchy church

Well, the ward here is definitely a little bigger than in Toledo. Today alone, there were two teacher and two deacons ordained. I think you kids will have a much more active YM/YW organizations. What did you all learn at church today? We had some good meetings. I particularly enjoyed the following two points, that I am going to try to focus on this week. One is a phrase coined my President Monson, which is to have an attitude of gratitude. We all have so much to be thankful for. We have a great family, we have a home to live in (well, technically two right now), we have the gospel, and we are all in good health. We live in a free country, we have the opportunity for good education. We have more than we need. This is not the case for many others in this world. If we go throughout life looking at the positives in our lives and trying to help others have the same, we will see the world and even our challenges in a much more positive way. We all have hard things happen to us, but we also all have a lot to thank God for.

The other thing I learned was from a story of a sweet little 7 year old boy. He was playing in his backyard with a favorite ball that belonged to a sibling. Well, in playing with the ball, he bounced it so high that it went over the fence. He couldn't get to the ball so he started praying for help in getting it. He told his mom that when he opened his eyes after the prayer, the ball was sitting high up in a bush next to the fence. He ran over and grabbed it, but he told his mom that he'd looked all over by the fence before the prayer without finding it. His mother asked him what he did when he found the ball. He said he knelt down and said another prayer thanking Heavenly Father for helping him find the ball, then he asked, "What can I do for you now?" This is a question that goes along with the gratitude theme. I am going to try to ask Heavenly Father every morning in prayer, "What can I do for you today?" Then I'm going to listen and see what He says! Hope you all had a great Sunday! See you in 5.9 days!!! Love, Dad

Addi, Quinny, #5, Squeaky, Q-bear, Crazy, Crazy, Crazy

 applies her own makeup

goes swimming in her cereal

insists on "helping" make cookies, while wearing the scarlet dress, while watching dora

 shows us her ABC food

makes an "apple pie"

fills the potty with everything except, well, you know . . .

gives the frog a front row seat to my running - it's certainly better than a back row seat

spends endless hours on the counter

is doing her best to destroy her tent

"cleans" the dishes - how nice of her

butterfly wings - a new addition to the scarlet dress

and my favorite quote from today - as we were walking out of the chapel (5 minutes into the first talk), "I don't want to be at church! I don't want to be at church!"  Thanks for the ticket out of church today, Addi-Q!!

sunday dinner

This doesn't look the most appetizing, but it was quite good.  Green Chile Casserole - an old standby.

Sunday dinner.  So typical of everyone.  Haley - barely tolerating me (get on with it, mom!).  Mimi - smiling, hair a little crazy.  Eric - won't look at the camera, eating.  Robyn - perfect smile, looking great.  Quinny - totally uncooperative.  Phone - that's you!  You're next to the pineapple and sour cream.

surprise, surprise, surprise!

Surprise, surprise, surprise (if you can read that in a Gomer Pyle accent, that would be great) the cookies were super!  I took one bite and said, "Shazam!"

Carrot Cookies

My two happy helpers!!

pure love

Quinn.

As I am getting Quinn out of bed, I say, "Quinny, what happens when you're three? Do you sleep in a big girl bed and go peepee on the potty?" She says, "Yes, and then I will become a butterfly!" Oh, how you've gotta love that kid.

mom's lesson #2

Replace the toilet paper roll.

When you are done doing your business, please be kind and replace the roll.  This is what I found in two different bathrooms this morning.

It is always better to find this!!  Thank you in advance to adhering to this lesson.

wutrwit.

Wutrwit. (Whitewater)

Frst git sum wutr and (First get some water and)

ice in a cuq (ice in a cup)

Then you git sum (Then you get some)

milk in a cuq. (milk in a cup)

Then you git to splenda (Then you get two Splenda)

packets (packets)

I'm trapped inside the headphones

Dear Family,

I thought it was so cute tonight as I was able to talk to Q before she went to bed. She was talking to me on Mom's headphones. She asked something like, "Can I go in there Mommy?" "In where, Quinny?" "In the phone, with Daddy." "You mean in the headphones with Daddy?" "Yes. (said as only Quinn pronounces 'yes')" "Do you think Daddy is really small inside of the speaker in your ear?" "Yes." "And you want me to make you small so you can go in there with Daddy?" "Yes." "Daddy?" "Yes Quinny?" "Can I come in there with you?"

Soooo cute how two year olds think. Just so you know, you were all two once and had similar thoughts. I have loved each and every one of you at that Q's age, and all the funny things you thought and said. Wish I had a perfect memory to capture all of them, just as they happened. I guess that's a 2-year-old's way of saying, "I miss you Dad. Please come home." Well I am...next weekend. Until then, I'll just have to stay about 3mm tall inside of Mom's earphones. And you can all come visit me any time in there!

Love, Dad

p.s. If you are wondering what I look like when 3 mm tall and inside the headphones, I'll bet it's something like this:

Laser beams up! Razzle, dazzle!!!

How Does This Happen In a Hospital of All Places?

Dear Family,

I miss you. Terribly. I am coming home next weekend!! I can't wait. It's been too long already. Seems like ages. As you know, I've been working a lot, and I have spent a good deal of time at the hospital. In my many trips to the cafeteria, I have noticed things like these:

I get the need for bulk food in a large hospital cafeteria. I can see how you can save a lot of money and packaging by putting big condiment pumpers, like mustard, ketchup and BBQ sauce. But what about stuff like this:

Seriously people! Don't these particular items require refrigeration? I just don't understand this at all. Is is a sterile inner container that even though opened, doesn't require the benefit of 40 degrees F? Intriguing, I know. Is it possible that our ever indulging society pumps through enough of this stuff, it doesn't have time to spoil? These are just some of the deeper things I think about while I'm at work!! I miss you all,

Love Dad

mom's lesson #1

Always lift the toilet lid before you pee.

This is bad.

 This is how you will feel.

 It is not good.

 You won't like it.

This is good!

 This is how you will feel!

 This is how I will feel!

We are all winners!

**I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way today, Mia.**

they are never going back to school

 View from our bedroom window  - 8:30am

Front door - 8:30am

Kids in our bed this morning.  Q is still not feeling well.  E and M are very happy there is no school.

Typical snow day for Robynie.

Haley assumes the position.

I got Haley to smile - small miracles.

Can she get any cuter???

I found this on the couch when I got home last night.  Mia is so sweet!

 Quinn's a mess.

As I was posting, this is what Quinny was doing.  Like I said, she's a mess.  Nothing like a chocolate sprinkle booger goatee.

For your reading enjoyment. . .  When you have a minute, check this out:  Birth of a Tantrum.  It is a link to the website I was telling you about.  Or, A Boy Named Sue.  It is another website I told you about.  Be careful, you might get addicted.  Have a great Friday.