Top 10

Top 10 Things about our Trip to San Diego

1. We stayed in a hotel that served breakfast and dinner

2. Unlimited chocolate milk at breakfast and dinner

3. Grass that was green and we could play in

4. Got to go to San Diego Zoo and see hippos up close

5. This cute picture taken and the botanical garden in Balboa Park



6. Getting lost everytime I left the hotel because the roads, freeways and Garmin gps were out to get me!

7. Watching the girls get so excited to see daddy every night when we went to pick him up for class.

8. Dads boss paying for our room and gas to get there!!!!!

9. Watching the beluga whales and puranas at Sea World.

10. Bailey FINALLY being able to see Shamu two times!!!

We did it!

Today I finally got up the nerve to have Baileys hair cut. I was way more stressed and sad about it than she was, she didn't even care. Now 10 inches of Bailey hair will be donated to Lock of Love so they can make "twig" for a little girl with no hair. I think she looks really cute with her new little A-line cut., what do you think?!?

What they taught me in Primary is TRUE!

The other night I was in a really bad mood. I had tons of things to do, none of which I really wanted to do, I was tired and I was really whinny. I finally decided to forget everything and just go to bed when Scott reminds me that I had volunteered to sew a blanket to put in a newborn kit for stake humanitarian night this week and it need to be turned in tomorrow. I moaned, rolled my eyes, grabbed the fabric and started sewing.
As I was sewing I began to think about the sweet little baby that will be wrapped in the pastel heart blanket I was making. I thought of the dear mom who will rock her new little one in her arms. I wondered where in the world this blanket will end up. As I was thinking these things, I really wasn't tired anymore and the bad mood I was so determined to stay in, gradually left. I then laughed at myself.
Ever since I was in Primary I have been taught that when you serve others you are not only blessing theirs lives but you will be happier too. I don't think I have ever noticed this principle work in my life as much as I did that night. I guess they really are teaching us the truth in Primary.
But the main reason I wanted to post about this is to pull at a few heart strings. Last fall I went to the local humanitarian building by the temple. While I was there the woman in charge of the place told me that in developing countries and even sometimes in our own, it is more common than not for a mom to bring her new baby home from the hospital wrapped in newspaper or a rag found on the street. My heart broke Think about when you bring your baby home wrapped in 2-3 blankets and lay it in a bed with a few more blankets and soft sheet, about the mother wrapping her baby in a newspaper. Here is a link to the instructions for newborn kits in case you have never made one. Lets all try and make one so one less baby will go home in newspaper.
http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/multimedia/files/pdf/20943_humanitariankit_pdf.pdf

Wonders of Summer

When you are little, there are many glorious and wonderful things about summer. No school, swimming all day long, feet burning when you walk outside, eating popsicles every meal and mom not getting as grumpy when you refuse to wear clothes. For my girls, the mom not getting grumpy about the lack of clothes is especially important because it means BELLYBUTTONS!

My girls love their bellybuttons (or Baileybuttons as Bailey calls them) and everyone elses! Summer is a wonderful time for them because people show off their bellybuttons. What makes it even better is they think they get to stick their fingers in any available belly button.

No bellybutton is safe with Claire around. She believes that they were put on our bodies so she can stick her finger in it. She will even spends long periods of time doing nothing but sticking her finger in her own button. So if you ever feel like a good Pillsbury poke, come on over and Claire will help you.
But WARNING: Bailey is a bellybutton connoissuer. I was informed that my button is yucky because it has a mole in it. Which by the way, I never had until I was pregnant with Bailey, so my ugly button was of her own making.

WARNING: LOTS OF PICTURES!

For Grandma Sherwood! Here are a few pictures of the girls from the last few weeks! Hope you enjoy!

Bailey is FOUR!!!

Claire singing happy birthday while playing the piano

The paper latterns each girl made at the Polka Dot Party

I am a little behind in my posting because I wanted to celebrate my baby turning four with gusto and didn't have time to post. We had three days of nothing but birthday fun!!!!

Sunday was Baileys actual birthday and she was so excited to stand up in primary, on her actual birthday mind you, and have everyone sing to her. She chose out her favorite dress for the occasion and even planned where she was going to put her scriptures while she was up front getting sung to. But when the moment arrived she so excited she bolted out of her seat, completely forgetting all her scripture plans and was rather upset about it afterwards.

That night we had dinner at my parents house with my grandparents. We had Bailey favorite dinner complete with grapes and brownies. Then she opened her presents from the family, a cinderella dress, art easel and Little People play set, nothing could be better. The night ended with hugs for everyone and a very tired and happy princess.

Fast forward to the crowning event of the whole birthday extravaganza (well besides getting sung to) the POLKA DOT PARTY!!!!!!!! Bailey invited 12 of her closest "girl friends" to her party and as you could probably guess everything was polka dots. The invites had polka dots on them (and were "stinkin' cute" I might add) the walls were covered in polka dots, everyone wore polka dots, the games were based around polka dots (Don't Eat Pete, and musical dots) even the food was polka dots (mini pizzas, grapes, cheese ball puffs, cupcakes). Bailey had so much fun, or at least I think she did, she has been holed up in her room since the party playing with all her new toys so Claire won't get them. I am a little upset with myself though, I got so into the party that I hardly took any pictures, oh well what can you do.

I can't believe the my baby is FOUR. I love my sweet, sensitive, shy, talented little girl with all my heart. I am honored to be her mother and know that she is going to teach me so much as she grows up, she is already way ahead of my in so many things. She is the light of my life and at night I sometimes cry just thinking about how much I love her and how I can't wait to see what my precious girl will do with her life because I know she will be amazing.

I LOVE YOU BAILEY!!

To cut or not to cut?

I have a problem that I need some help with. First background info:

As you can see, since birth, Bailey has had a ton of hair. I admit that I have been a very vain mother about it and haven't cut it to much other than trims and two real haircuts. Her hair is now so ridiculously long (the picture above was taken in February so it is even longer now.) For forever, she wouldn't let me cut it but I finally have her convinced. I told her about the organization Locks of Love, and now she is excited to donate her hair so it can be made into a "twig" for another little girl.

My problem is: I now need others to give this vain mother permission to cut Baileys hair. I know it needs cut, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Should I cut it a little, maybe to the middle of her back or should I cut it to her shoulders, or shorter, so she can donate it? What to do?

Oh the freedom!

Wouldn't it be awesome to KNOW that you look so good, that you could sport around in nothing but your monkey backpack, singing! What a life!

Thankful Thursday

Bailey just an hour after she was born

Today I am thankful for extended family. I am so blessed to have extended family that love me and share what they have with me.

Four years ago right now I was in Utah, at my amazing Uncle Vance and Aunt Lisas house, pregnant with Bailey and about to pop. Due to problems with insurance, I had to have Bailey in Utah even though we lived in Arizona.

Every month I had to go to Ut for my check ups and then the last month of pregnancy I moved in with my cousins. They were so kind to let me take over their basement, eat their food and treated me like I was part of their family while I was there and Scott was in AZ.

Not only did they let me stay while I was pregnant but they let us live with them for 2 weeks after Bailey was born. We interupted their lives so much but they never said a word and treated us with so much kindness.

I love my extended family and am so thankful they play an active part in my life.

Come on now!

I don't know what I am have done, but some how I have created children that will not sleep with out their socks on. They could care less about sleeping with a blanket or toy, but they MUST have their socks on.

I can't count the number of times I have been woken up to screams of terror, only to find out that someones sock has fallen off. Today I put Claire down for her morning nap and about 20 minutes after putting her down I hear her cry. I ignore it because she always cries in her sleep. I few minutes later she lets out a blood curdling cry. I run into the room to find her standing, with her sock in hand, nose running from crying, stinky diaper (she always does that when she gets upset), and throw up in her bed. All that, because one sock came off. GIRLS!!!

Yet she wakes up with half her clothes hanging off her and couldn't care less.