School's Out!

Well, summer vacation has finally started. Cora and JT have successfully completed 1st grade and pre-K. The pictures below are of some of their artwork from this year.

I've looked forward to having all four of my kids home with me. Now that's it's here, I'm wondering what the heck we're going to do. If I think real hard about it though, I know we're going to stay busy. First of all, I officially started potty-training Madelyn today. One of my least favorite things to do, but the end result is sooooo worth it! Cora is actually going to be going to summer school for a few weeks to work on her reading. She is not at all excited about this, but we're trying to put a positive spin on it for her. The three older kids will be getting swimming lessons, and Cora might do a one-week soccer workshop. One of the ladies from our ward has offered her swimming pool for a weekly swimming play-group. We'll be going to the library each week (hopefully), and a scrapbooking/craft club, and maybe volleyball. Yeah, I'm sure we can entertain ourselves well enough. And by the end of it all, I know that Cora and JT will be excited to start school again.

All About Alex

(answered imaginatively by Mom)

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

To reach the tallest building in a single bound.

What is your favorite Movie right now?

I try to not watch TV.

What is your favorite song?

Anything that I can dance to.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

It's really too early to say, but maybe a mountain climber.

Describe your perfect day -

Sitting in Mom's lap the whole day, sucking on my pacifier.

What is your favorite food?

Bananas.

What's the nicest thing you've done lately for someone in your family?

Probably just being born.

What makes you mad?

When somebody takes away what I'm playing with.

Where would you like to go on vacation?

Anywhere in the great outdoors.

How are you the same as your Mom?

We're both pretty easy going.

What one thing is Mom always saying to you?

You're so cute!

What is something you like doing with your Dad?

I like it when he chases me.

How do you know that Dad loves you?

He tells me all the time.

All About Madelyn

(answers provided by Mom and Cora -

picture shows Madelyn's latest shiner)

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Super Strength, and the ability to climb anything and never fall.

What is your favorite Movie right now?
Anything with Barbie

What is your favorite song?
Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A Stuntwoman, or a Princess

Describe your perfect day -
Changing outfits over and over again
while watching Barbie movies over and over again.

What is your favorite food?
Vegetables

What's the nicest thing you've done lately for someone in your family?
I kiss everyone's Ouchies

What makes you mad?
When I don't get my way

Where would you like to go on vacation?
Disneyland to see the Princesses

How are you the same as your Mom?
We have the same eyes.

What one thing is Mom always saying to you?
"Leave Alex alone"

What is something you like doing with your Dad?
Acrobatics

How do you know that Dad loves you?
He let's me sit in his lap for a long time.

All about Cora

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

to be invisible

What is your favorite Movie right now?

Enchanted

What is your favorite song?
Scripture Power

What do you want to be when you grow up?

a teacher and an artist

Describe your perfect day -

to eat at Mr. Gatti's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

(Mr. Gatti's is an all you can eat pizza/past/salad buffet with a game room)

What is your favorite food?

macaroni and cheese, and pizza

What's the nicest thing you've done lately for someone in your family?
I made Mom a Mother's Day book

What makes you mad?

not getting what I want

Where would you like to go on vacation?

Utah

How are you the same as your Mom?

our eyes and hair are the same

What one thing is Mom always saying to you?

not right now

What is something you liked doing with your Dad?

I like it when he comes on a field trip with me

How do you know that Dad loves you?

he says it all the time

All about JT

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

To be good every day

What is your favorite Movie right now?

Spiderman

What is your favorite song?

I am a Child of God

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A Policeman

Describe your perfect day -

Playing on the computer and eating candy

What is your favorite food?

Chicken nuggets and french fries

What's the nicest thing you've done lately for someone in your family?

I didn't play on the computer when Mom asked me not to

What makes you mad?

When somebody bites me or hurts me

Where would you like to go on vacation?

The Beach

How are you the same as your Mom?

We're both ourselves

What one thing is Mom always saying to you?

That she still loves me when she gets angry

What is something you liked doing with your Dad?

jumping on the trampoline

How do you know that Dad loves you?

Because I'm almost good every day

The ABC's of Ruth and Joe

tagged by Amy and Missy -

I'm making Joe do it with me, and he's not happy about it.

A- Attached or Single: We're both married (to each other)

B- Best Friend: we're each other's best friends. Ruth has a lot of other close friends too, but Joe would be lost without Ruth

C- Cake or Pie: Ruth loves the double chocolate chip cake from KFC,

but Joe loves a good cherry pie

D- Day of Choice: Friday, becuase it's usually our Date night,

and it's the last day of work and school

E- Essential Item:for Joe it's a computer (or two or three).

Surprisingly, Ruth says a computer too, because it's how she keeps in touch with her friends who are spread all over the world

F- Favorite Color: Ruth-blue, Joe-"I don't know"

G- Greatest accomplishment: Having 4 amazing children

H- Hometown: Ruth is from American Fork, UT, and Joe is from Manti

I- Indulgence: Ruth likes to go to the movie theatre, just with Joe (no kids), and get some really bad theatre food (i.e. hot dog or nachos, popcorn and soda), and get there early to see the previews and get a good seat (Can't wait for Indiana Jones, X-files, and The Chronicals of Narnia this summer)

Joe likes to eat out.

J- January or July: January is when we got married

K- Kids: Cora, JT, Madelyn, and Alex (we have the same ones)

L- Life is incomplete without: Family

M- Marraige Date: January 8, 2000

N-Number of Siblings: Ruth has 4 younger sisters.

Joe is in the middle with 1 sister and 4 brothers.

O- Oranges or Apples: Ruth-Oranges, Joe-Apples

P- Phobias or Fears: Joe says the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Ruth is scared of anything bad happening to the kids.

Q- Quote: Joe - "It takes a really good meeting to replace no meeting at all" (Our Stake President). Ruth - "If I told you that I loved you, would you have me do so stintingly; or as I feel it, with all my heart?" (the Scarlett Pimpernell - because Joe always says it to her)

R- Reason to smile: our cute kids

S- Season: Fall

T- Tag 3 friends: I'm really sorry to do this, but how about Adreann, Aleath, and Tara (I'll understand if you don't do it)

U- Unknown fact about me: Ruth is obsessed with golf, Joe says he's very mysterious, but he's an open-book to Ruth.

V- Very favorite store: Joe-Best Buy,

Ruth-Walmart (it's convenient and cheap)

W- Worst Habit: drinking diet coke

X- X-ray or Ultra sound: what does this even mean?

Y- Your Favorite Food: Joe-Pizza, Ruth just loves food!

Z- Zodiac: Ruth-Sagitarius, Joe doesn't know about such things.

Me Vs. Mother Nature

Remember my garden flower pots? What's it called if you have the opposite of a green thumb? After two and a half weeks I had given up completely, and stopped watering them. Then one day, about a week later, I go outside and see this cute little zucchini plant sprout. I couldn't believe it. All my love and nurturing did nothing, but a week of neglect was like magic. Well, the others didn't make it, but the zucchini sprout motivated me to try again, so I replanted seeds and hoped for the best. A few days later....

I don't have much hope for the seeds. Another casualty of my love and nurturing is this dead fish. Yep, dead.

We didn't even have it long enough to name the poor thing. My friend gave me this little one gallon fish tank with a filter and light, so we went to the pet store and Cora and JT helped me pick out two little fish. I should have taken it as an omen when Cora said, "Why are we getting fish? They always die. Can't we get a dog?" The other fish died about a week later. Why do I even try? JT found the silver lining and reminded me that there's lots of water in fish heaven, so I guess all is well.

I've decided that when it comes to growing and nurturing things, I should just stick to kids - I'm good at growing cute ones. See for yourself.

Alex is big enough to climb this step ladder and try to help us paint the dining room, which we've been doing this week (he has a brush in his hand). And here's Madelyn showing off her big muscles. She says, "I'm strong". It's cute every time she does it.