"Little Yellow Tokens of Love"

My friend Emily once wrote a poem.  She posted it on her blog, and it's been in my thoughts for the last week or so.  My little ones LOVE flowers.  They also love to pick flowers.  However, that gets them in trouble - EXCEPT for picking these 'little yellow tokens of love' that they delight in bringing to me.

 Emily and Jensen had another sunny afternoon playdate, and all I could think about was this poem.

 DANDELION

those little yellow tokens of love are just weeds,

to the ignorant.

but in the eyes of a child,

they are priceless, gifts from God

for a loving mother.

-by Emily Haws (April 30, 1995)

Here comes my special bouquet - something Emily can bring as a gift and know I will absolutely love it.  Such purpose and focus in creating these little gifts.  I wish I could capture a picture of each group of yellow bunches - as well as the bright eyes of the giver.



An Overheard Conversation

Setting: Annie did something Emily didn't like (which isn't hard to do)

Emily: I'm not inviting you to my birthday party!
Annie: You have too.  Family gets to come.  Besides I'm your best friend FOREVER.
Emily: No, you're not.
Annie:  Yes, I am.  Mom says that we will be each other's best friend, so you have to invite me to your birthday party because you always invite your best friend to your birthday party.
Emily: Okay; you can come.

*So glad that at least something I'm teaching them is sinking in!!!*

Things...in a list

1. Andy is done with his 2nd year of law school - we are all thrilled and spent this entire day playing.  We just hope he passed all of his classes as two might be tight!
2. I spent a fabulous 3 1/2 days in Utah while watching my niece perform as Belle in Beauty and the Beast - more on this later.
3. While I was gone, Annie got a package from Nonie that was a frilly, girly PURPLE dress that she absolutely loves because it matches her cast.  I will take a picture tomorrow.
4. I went to a Women's Conference today and learned two things in a class: First, my thoughts are not fact.  Second, too much daydreaming is not mentally healthy because looking to the future gets you anxious and looking in the past makes you depressed.  It's all about enjoying the present.
5. Mitchell was the absolute BEST traveler and most flexible baby EVER as I shifted his schedule about 5 hours.  I am paying for that now.  He's become bored with life and reallllllllllly wants to crawl around.  As he is not yet 6 months old, I'm not okay with this.  He has also started to whine in the last few days - not the best.
6. Mitchell doesn't love food yet.  I need to remember he is still not yet 6 months old (next week!), but he just doesn't really enjoy it.  He won't open his mouth for it, yet won't shut his mouth any other time as he's always chewing on toys, toes, or just making noise.
7. Kids are so fabulous right now.  Everyone is being so kind and gracious, with quick apologies and helping hands.  They are excited about Mother's Day tomorrow.
8. I love talking to friendly, helpful people.
9. I'm ready for a road trip - good thing we have 3 of them planned for the summer!!!  (Palmyra, Niagara Falls *US side,* Washington D.C., Dallas, and hopefully Chicago again!  I also want to do an over-nighter in Pittsburgh, but I haven't cleared that one with the boss yet!  I'm trying to figure out how to get us to Boston and Philadelphia...(I really want to retrace steps from National Treasure), but that might have to wait a few months.
10. I'm really tired, so I'm heading to bed.  Good night!

Annie and her Cast...when it was still new and exciting...

So, Annie went on a little bike ride.  She was going too fast, lost control and fell off her bike.  She came in crying.  Andy sat with her on the couch while I got ice.  Being the stellar mother that I am, I just figured we'd put some ice on it and she'd be fine in the morning!  Andy kept giving me funny looks.  I finally said, "What?!?  If you have something to tell me, just say it!  I can't read your funny looks!!!"  He thought it was broken and that we needed to take her to the ER.  We called our resident ER doctor who lives 70 seconds away.  He wasn't home but said it's always better to take kids in for x-rays because they hide pain much better than adults do.  We called another 70 second neighbor over to help Andy give Annie a Priesthood blessing.  Afterwards, we all were much more at peace, and Annie had calmed down quite a bit!  She wanted Dad to take her to the hospital. 

(Eating the Cookie Bouquet Aunt Jamie sent!)

I got a call a few hours later saying her arm was broken.  The person making the diagnosis: Dad.  They hadn't seen the doctor yet, but he saw the x-ray and it was very obvious.  (I would have put the x-ray on here since I got a copy of the cd, but I forgot to get it back from the orthopedic pediatric that we saw!).  We spent the next 2 days cuddling and watching tv...and doing laundry!!!

I took Annie in Wednesday morning to get her cast.  We were a little surprised that it was to go up so high, but she has been such an incredible trooper through this whole process!  We have 5 weeks in the cast (May 18th).  It is waterproof and she's been swimming once, but it takes a long time to dry.  We had to pull her from both softball and soccer.  She's getting very tired of having to go and watch both Ben and Emily have practices while she doesn't get to go, but I keep reminding her that next year she can do them and all will be okay!  Surprisingly, the cast hasn't slowed her down, much to my dismay!!!

Wednesday is another one of Andy's late nights.  I called and told him about her cast and reminded him that he needed to bring her something home to show that he loved her and was proud of her for handling everything so well.  He stopped at Borders and got a coloring activity that has provided many hours of enjoyment!  (Many thanks for Borders for being open so late!)  After he came home, I thought he would come downstairs to talk with me, but I couldn't hear his footsteps, so I went to investigate (and see what treats he was sneaking...and demand equal bites!).  I found him watching Annie sleep...

Gross!!!! But they love it!

Wormy the worm

We had a beautiful beautiful beautiful day.  Emily had her best buddy over to play (and we played outside for 3 hours!).  Mitchell joined us for part of the time.  I read.  It was the most fantastic day of the last several months!

Sweet baby got tired of being outside.  Mitchell might not have been born in Texas, but he does know how to hook those horns!!!  And yes, this is how I find him in his crib most nights.

Jensen is moving...next month...Emily and Jensen play so wonderfully together.  They are 10 days apart; neither are oldest children; they both love to play outside...and dig for worms!  It just about breaks my heart, so, yes, these pictures are PRICELESS and beautiful.  It was a marvelous afternoon...

Outside Adventures

We finalllllly had some decent weather while Grandma and Grandpa Maas were here!  We took advantage and played outside.  Yes, I know Annie is stepping with the incorrect foot; we WERE working on that!

 Big boys playing baseball...

 Ben convinced Grandpa to play "Trains" with us.  Love this new game of ours!!!  The best part is that Ben will hear something about one of the cities and remember which train routes he had to build to get there!  (He's learning geography AND math, right?!?)

 Grandma spent most of her time inside sitting on the floor doing puzzles with Annie and Emily...hour after hour after hour...

 Friday night, Gma and Gpa bought dinner, fed the kids and put them to bed and sent Andy and I out on a date!  FABULOUS!  I can't even tell you the last time we had 3 hours uninterrupted by phone, computer, tv, children, places to be, etc...was amazing!  AND the restaurant we went to gives free dessert to first time customers; then we went furniture shopping and FINALLY choose our new sofa sectional that will fit down our narrow stairwell - only 3 1/2 more weeks until it arrives!!!

 More boys playing ball...

 Ben has been dying to use the fishing poles he and Andy got for Christmas.  So, we took a little time and went fishing at the local park.  Ben was so excited.  I learned that I need to become more proficient at untangling fishing thread!

 We had great dinner plans, but Andy was called away - giving us detailed instructions for grilling our chicken breasts.  Mike and I worked together to get a yummy Sunday dinner on the table!

 Where did Andy go?  He was the chosen parent to take Annie to the Emergency Room.  Poor little one was going to fast on her bike, lost control and fell off.  Yep!  Two broken bones!!!  Cast pictures to follow...

We also spent an afternoon swimming at the hotel!  Mitchell had his first swim!!!  (This was pre-accident!)

Thanks, Maases, for the visit!  We hope you enjoyed Ohio, and we loved the sunshine you brought for a few hours!!!

Two Baseball Boys

As we're hoping Andy's schedule will be a little bit more flexible this spring, he is helping to coach Ben's baseball team.

 Ben is so excited to be playing coach-pitch this year!  FINALLY!  Opening day, the fields were a complete mess, so they set up the fields in the grass.

 He's so excited to play catcher as well.  Oh, the joys of all that equipment!!!

 His two biggest fans, of only he'd realize that!  We did sandwiches while we watched the end of this very cold game!

Moments with Grandpa

Mitchell was introduced to Grandpa's funny sounds, and he loved them!  They spent lots of time cuddling on the sofa and watching the kiddos!

 We took a visit to Andy's office for lunch one afternoon.  Mitchell decided he quite likes computers!  Andy thinks he has it made as he has both a window AND a door! 

 Story time!  Ben picked Grandpa each night to read his story - pages from my World History book.  This kid...he could easily live without the fiction world.  He loves to re-enact all the battles he learns about in books and has an incredible fascination with George Washington.

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians....

Grandma and Grandpa Maas came to visit.  Grandma Maas had a picture with Mitchell.

 Another picture with Mitchell and Ben...Two Little Indians!

 Then Annie jumped in...Three Little Indians!

 Emily was not to be forgotten...Four Little Indians!

Crazy Hat Day

Really, the joy of special days at school...!  In order for the kids to take advantage of these days, they are supposed to bring a dollar to donate to a charity.  On Thursday night, after bedtime because of softball practice, Ben reminded me it was crazy hat day.  So, the three of us stayed up late creating special masterpieces!  Ben's was a multi-eyed frog with a fly caught in it's tongue.  Annie's was the crazy fish from Nemo when Marlin and Dory are down so far in the ocean that it is dark.  She had a 'light' hanging in from to attach fish.  Such creative kiddos!

 Emily needed a cute picture also!  She's such a trooper to still enjoy what Ben and Annie are doing, with the hope that one day her turn will come.

First Eats

Mitchell had a week without living up to his nickname: the poopenator!  The kids and I decided we needed to give him a little prunes to help him move things along.  Despite the picture below, he loved them! 

 I had to hold his hands down as he wanted to help.  We just did about 2 teaspoons full.  Sadly, he hasn't needed it lately, but it's about time for solids.  We are now back to nursing about every two hours, and it's cramping my style...as if I had one!

 Yes, a family event!  Everyone cheered for him with each bite he took! 

St. Paddy's Day

I admit, I don't get my kids new Easter outfits and they only get holiday clothes if I find them on clearance for the next year, but I just couldn't resist this little outfit...

 He is such a charmer!  'Mommy's Little Charmer'  We just all love him to pieces!!!  Pictures don't do Mitchell justice!

Emily is FOUR!

This was Emily's 'off' year to just have a family party.  She was NOT thrilled about the idea since she has gone to so many parties lately.  So, I tried really hard to make it special for her - complete with a tablecloth in her pattern of choice!

 We had chocolate chip pancakes for dinner (Ben's idea that she loved!)  It was a very busy day starting with the doctor's office for both she and Mitchell to get shots, on to playgroup.  Hurry home to meet Dad (with Chipotle for lunch - YUMMY).  He took Emily to Annie's school field trip while I went to my RS meeting.  Then we met back at home to decorate her cake and quickly make dinner because everyone was so hungry!

 After dinner, we played outside for awhile - it was actually a nice day!!!  Annie and Emily explored a downed pine tree while Andy, Ben and I threw a baseball (and I tried not to get my head taken off!).

 Her Hello Kitty Ballerina cake - happy fourth birthday, Ems!  Andy outlined the cake for me and then I worked my mommy-magic!

 We went to Family Night at the local Roller Skating Rink!  Granted, Emily had a great time, even though her face looks a bit put-out here.  She was exhausted by the end of the night!  After a few minutes on roller skates, Andy and I wondered if we were crazy to do this!  We were both 'awesome' in our younger days, but the ankles don't work the same now!  Each time around became more and more comfortable...for all of us!

 There was a 3-some skate that was the best part of the night.  Andy and I took each of the kids around; after, they were all more stable on their feet.  It was so much fun!

 Emily tried the limbo!!!  She didn't know exactly what she was doing but just had fun!

 Such a fun night!  Definitely something we would love to do again!  The best part was we each HAD to take breaks to sit with Mitchell so he wasn't alone.  It was good for tired kiddos and tired parents!  Happy Birthday, Emily!  We love you sooooo much!!!