Primary Picture

This is a picture of our primary kids all wearing their shirts that say "I know the scriptures are true." Can you spot Jared and Kamryn?

Getting a Jump on it

This is a letter Jared wrote to Santa yesterday during church.

This is what he wrote:

"Dear Santa, How is Rudolph doing? I want a pillow pet or more super squad and spiderman. Santa How many reindeer do you have?

From Jared To Santa"

I had to sneak a picture of this before he mailed it.

The Tooth Fairy

Kamryn with her first lost tooth

We were over at our friends' house and Kamryn came up to me, near tears, and had a little blood on her cheek and her fingers. I asked what was wrong and thought she'd gotten hurt. She opened her mouth and showed me the gap in her mouth. She'd had a tooth fall out and she had no idea where it was. I didn't even know it was loose! I looked more closely and saw that the new tooth is through the gums and right there ready to come in. I still have no idea what really happened. Kamryn said she thought she bit on something but I never really got a clear picture from her. I think she swallowed the tooth. She was definitely upset about that and was worried about the tooth fairy coming. I told her its happened before in our family and we'd just leave the tooth fairy a note. She perked up at that.

So before she went to bed we wrote a note and put it under her pillow. In the morning she found the tooth fairy left her a gold dollar. Her comment to that "I wish the tooth fairy left us a toy or a present."

Yesterday's Project

Jared and Kamryn's room has been quite a disaster for awhile and I finally tackled the big clean up project. And for once I remembered to take a before picture (thanks to my cousin Amanda's post on her blog that day).

BEFORE

AFTER

I was hoping to create a little more free space for them by moving the dressers around but I'm not sure I really succeeded. It is at least clean and lot of clutter is gone. I did most of this while they were home but they were playing and not really in the room while I was throwing stuff away and making piles for the DI.

Jared did come in while I was in the middle of it and wanted to help. Luckily it was time to take them to school so I told him he could finish up some of it after school. He specifically wanted to take stuff out of the DI pile and put it somewhere. I didn't tell him that stuff would be gone when he got home. I didn't want to deal with the trauma right then and was hoping he would forget about the stuff.

Right when I picked him up from school he asked about the cars and where did I put them. I just avoided the question and let them go in and see their newly cleaned room. Luckily he saw the new piggy bank I got him and then I never heard about the cars again.

Hopefully it can stay clean at least for a few days.

I was Outraged

Last night I was checking out my kids grades on Skyward (what a great thing for parents, a terrible thing for students and i'm glad it wasn't around when I was a student) and noticed this note in red on Brooke's calendar page:

Physics/Carlson

Brooke shows a bad attitude in Physics and should be punioshed at home for this. She is a disruptive influence, and very disrespectful. I couldn't believe it! Who would ever write that about Brooke? I was so mad and I told Paul he had to go in to the school and talk to that teacher and/or principal because if I went in I was going to lose it. He said I should go in. I couldn't figure it out - who would write that about Brooke? That should have been my first clue. This teacher has had run ins with Justin last year but never Brooke. I could believe it if she wrote it about Justin but not Brooke. So this morning I got up and showed the note on skyward to Brooke. She was totally puzzled and all she said was "I don't even remember that day." I told her I was going in to talk to the teacher and she said "Ok, just not while I'm there." Then I showed it to Justin. He just started laughing. I thought because it was so ironic that Carlson would write that about Brooke. He just kept laughing. I said why do you think this is so funny? He said, "I don't think its funny for the reason you think I think its funny." (what??) Then he proceeds to explain how he wrote it! WHAT?? He hacked into Skyward. Not really hacked but somehow figured out he could write a note like he was a teacher. Ends up to be very funny, a great April Fools day joke early.

I'm married to an old man

So last night Paul mentioned that he probably needs to get some reading glasses. I'd noticed.

When we read scriptures at night, he puts his scriptures pretty far away from him. And I've noticed that he kind of struggles to see the words. I told him to try my mom's reading glasses that she keeps here. He was able to read much better and didn't have to hold his scriptures so far away.

What you've been waiting for ...

I've hesitated to put these pictures up because we're not all done but we've at least reached "substantial completion"

The above picture is on the first day the furniture was delivered. Right when they brought it in I saw 2 problems - they brought the floor models instead of the new set we were supposed to get.

And, the furniture didn't contrast at all with the main paint color. We'd tried so hard to pick just the right paint.

When Paul got home that night we decided we had to paint again and the very next day he painted the 2 corner walls a chestnut brown and it looks so much better. I love the color and sometimes think we should paint the rest of the walls that color too.

This is with the new brown walls, the green accent wall and the new TV installed on the wall.

The brown recliner is from the old living room and we are leaving it there until we get the new chairs we've ordered. We're still not sure how we're going to arrange the furniture for sure - again waiting for the other 2 chairs to be finished.

the chair and ottoman are my favorite, along with everyone else, and its a fight to get to the living room first when we're having prayers and scriptures to get that chair.

I'm still hunting for the right corner table. and accessories.

The chair in the corner by the window is new and was on debate for a couple of weeks but we've decided to keep it. Its very comfortable and reclines. We're just not sure we're going to have room for 3 chairs and if they all will go together. oh well, if it doesn't work maybe i'll put it in my room.

This has been the greatest project and its so nice to be getting to the end. Last night Paul finished painting the entry and put it in a new light which we've never had in there so that will be really great. I did buy some plants to add some greenery to the room and I really like them (sorry no pictures of them yet).

We still need to get the piano moved back into the room and figure out where to put my rocking chair and recliner until we finish the family room downstairs.

Sleeping Beauty

this is how we found Kamryn one evening, asleep in my new chair.

Parent Payoff

Today was testimony meeting. After the counselor in the bishopric finished and turned it over to the congregation Brooke was the first one to get up. I was kind of shocked to see her walk up there, only because she's pretty quiet and a little shy.

She shared the most beautiful testimony and her dad was beaming with pride sitting up there on the stand and I was bawling. She talked about deciding to gain her own testimony and really started reading the scriptures and say her own prayers. She talked about how she felt doing this and how she personally changed over the 6 months. She recognized how much happier she is and she knows Heavenly Father loves her and that Jesus Christ died for her and for all of us.

She was so composed up there and confident and full of the spirit. She really set the tone for a beautiful meeting.

I am SO blessed!