Isaac Dinner

We're still recovering from our vacation, so tonight as it was getting closer to dinner time, Isaac was telling us that he was hungry and wanted dinner. Chad and I were discussing what to have for dinner when we turned to Isaac and asked, "What do you want for dinner?" He pointed to the kitchen and said, "I want dinner on the table."And then we took too long so he went into the kitchen, got in the fridge and then we heard him yell, "I found dinner." I went to check on him and he held up a soda and repeated, "I found dinner!" And then sat down at the table and tried to open it.

Nice try buddy!

First Swim

The weather was wonderful on Saturday so us moms decided to get a couple little swimming pools out and let the kids cool off a bit. They loved it!Poor Isaac was upstairs taking a nap most of the time, but he got to come down and play for a little while.

(Presley, Michaela, Debbie)
The girls warming up in the sunshine!

Lots of splashing and lots of laughs!

We're looking forward to many more days of fun like this!

What's wrong with these kids?

Debbie is a picky eater, we've discussed this before. Over the past few months we've had a plethora of birthday parties in the neighborhood and have discovered that she doesn't like cake. Ever. She didn't eat the cake at her own birthday party and since then refuses to even try it. She doesn't like licorice, some chocolate, and a myriad of other sweets that most children love. It's often been a consolation to me when she refuses to eat my dinner that she doesn't like many sweet things either. Anyway, we've discovered something that she WILL eat, and she loves it! We were shopping today and as we were walking through the produce department she yells out, "I want carrots!" Okay, I'll put carrots in the basket. "Don't forget the salad mom!" So I grab a bag of salad. We walk on, "I want broccoli!" So I grabbed the broccoli... This girl LOVES her vegetables!! She doesn't really like fruit, but she loves vegetables. Where did she come from?! This is an example of a conversation we've had many times:

We're eating dinner (macaroni and cheese or hot dogs or something) and Debbie says: I don't want to eat this, I want salad.

So I say: Eat two bites of your hot dog and I'll give you some salad

So she eats two bites of her hot dog and then three bowls of salad!

Isaac

Isaac is beginning to talk a lot better. And because he's talking better we're coming to realize just how much he understands. Yesterday we were up at Chad's parents house for Mother's Day (and to talk to his brother Grant, who's on a mission), and we were talking about Isaac's birthday and I made a comment that I wanted to buy Isaac a Spiderman quilt for his birthday. He was over in the corner playing with cars and we totally didn't think he was listening. Then this morning he came running into me asking "Where's my Spiderman birday? Where's my Spiderman birday?" Just to clarify I repeated back to him, "Where's my Spiderman birthday?" He said, "Yep, at Grandma's, you talk." Guess we're going to have to be careful about what we talk about in front of him now too. :)We sure adore this little boy!

And yes, his toenails are painted. That's what happens when you have an older sister. :)

Don't worry, he's all boy. His favorite things are Spiderman, Superman, dinasaurs, cars, and 'builder' trucks!

Women's Conference

I had the opportunity to go to Women's Conference this last week (Because I have a wonderful Husband who is able and willing to take care of the kids so I could go). There are a few quotes that really struck me.

First, Sister Susan Jones said:

"The scriptures will guide us to grow up into ourself and to give up living beneath ourself."

Camille Fronk Olson:

When God comes First in our lives, whatever comes second will always be right."

Sister Julie B. Beck quoted Spencer W. Kimball (Nov. 1980):

"Many of the social restraints which in the past have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are dissolving and disappearing. The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us.

Whether from inadvertance, ignorance, or other causes, the efforts governments often make (ostensibly to help the family) sometimes only hurt the family more. There are those who would define the family in such a nontraditional way that they would define it out of existence."

Sister Beck told a story about when she was younger. A friend of the family was raising Jersey cows and one time when the family was visiting this friend, the friend told Sister Beck's mother that she wanted each of her cows to "produce a superior daughter." Sister Beck likened this to us as mother's, that we need to raise our daughter's to be better than we are.

I'm so grateful that I have a husband who is capable of staying home with the kids and can take good care of them! They enjoyed having him home with them so much! He's such a wonderful father and husband, I don't know what I'd do without him. I love you Chad!

Debbie's Birthday

We celebrated Debbie's birthday last tuesday!
Opening her first present. You can tell this is the first because the kids were actually giving her a little breathing room, shortly after this picture was taken they all swarmed in on her. :)
Eating the giant Hershey's Kiss that her cousin's gave her!

(Michaela, Debbie, and Anthony)

Examining the Beauty and the Beast figurine set we gave her, it was a much bigger hit than I anticipated! Although, she refuses to play with the Gaston figurine, she gave that one to Cosette to chew on. :)

The new sleeping bag that Grandma Westerson got her, she slept in it the next few nights.