A Day in the Life...

Copper made the batter for "flat pancakes" (crepe-like) all by herself and came upstairs to tell me it was ready to be poured on the grill.  She's proud of herself for growing up...  My aunt Penny saw this mask and got it for Micah.  I think it's becoming the very best part of her childhood.  "Take our picture in our Mickey/Minnie Mouse pjs..." She's ridiculously beautiful. Micah being her silly and cute self. Saturday's job day...  Dakota's learning to maneuver the vacuum!  Too bad their room doesn't stay clean more than one minute... "Take a picture of me in my hat and with my puppy..."  Copper convinced Tim to help her make a board game.  Here they are numbering about 50 playing cards.  Last weekend we cleaned out her desk and found 24 homemade chapter books and numerous homemade board games.  It's a cursed and blessed talent.  These happy girls just evaded a nearby neighbor who op...

About a month or so ago I went to a conference for work.  It was on a Saturday, which is the worst time for a work conference.  BUT: 1) I needed CEUs; 2) I could get paid 10 hours on a Saturday; 3) Elder Holland was to be the keynote speaker.  The latter reason won me over. I'm not sure it's a fantastic thing to have a favorite apostle but I do.  His words ring, scream, penetrate my heart and he has a special way of speaking that has been most influential in my life.  So to hear him speak in person (like 50 feet away) was super incredible.  The topic was pornography, which is absolutely heartbreaking and probably one of the most destructive influences of a family.  I see it nearly every day.  I loved Elder Holland's take and one sentence spoke out loudly: What if (the actress) was your beloved daughter or sister... would you think nothing of it then?  Awhile back a friend at work gave me a disc of a talk by Sheri Dew.  I've ...

In preschool Dakota and Micah thought of and wrote down what makes them grouchy.  I LOVE this!  Dakota's reads: "Sometimes I am grouchy when I want to play outside and I have to make my bed." Micah's reads: "Sometimes I am grouchy when no one will play with me."  Often times our bedtime routine includes me telling the girls an adventure story about three girls (who happen to be named Copper, Kota, and Micah).  The adventure always starts with the girls falling down a rabbit hole and their tricky ways of getting back home.  It warmed my heart to see Copper's (Easter-themed) schoolwork come home with this short story...  "First, Kota and Micah were waling in their backyard then fell down a rabbit hole.  Next, they started walking.  Then they saw the Easter bunny..."  Too bad she didn't have time to finish...I'd like to know what happened next!

Detomasi sisters My maternal grandmother has two sisters, one older and one twin to her.  My great aunt Larae, my grandma's oldest sister, is in the white shirt and red cardigan. My grandma Janice is in the white shirt and black cardigan and her sister Janet is next to her.  I have to add that my mom's cousin Luann, next to my great aunt Janet, is the best of my grandma's sibling's children, self proclaimed. So that would make her my first cousin once removed. I had to look that up because I've never known what to call her. But I agree that she's probably the fav first cousin once removed. And I threw that in genuinely so that it's recorded for history. Too bad she does not read this. The three aging sisters obviously have kids and they have kids and they have kids! We used to get together every other year or so and cram a cultural hall with about 300 people. Now we have twice-yearly brunches and whoever can make it is invited.  This is ...

Spring Break came at the perfect time- me sick of work, Copper tired of school (well, not really), and Tim able to take a day off during the week. Monday: Daxton and Maci slept over, although "sleep" is overly stated.  After running around crazy while I worked from home a bit, we went to the movies (dollar theater bargain) and enjoyed the sunshine. Tuesday: I worked and had a not so great morning so I left for a few hours and went to the temple.  I hadn't gone in maybe close to forever so it was pretty cool.  The girls got to spend the day with Oma and water colored, sketched, went to the park, and partied hard. Wednesday: I worked (better day at least!) and the girls spent the day with Oma AND Opa, who took them to the dollar store, McDonald's, the park.  Since it was spring break I cancelled the program I run and got home earlier than nine o'clock at night... nice... Thursday: Originally I asked Tim to stay home so I could get more work done.  Then I deci...

Copper : Loves everything girly...earrings, dresses, painted nails, makeup Loves learning and reading Loves writing books and wants to be an author and illustrator Has a strong spirit of Christ and is a good example to our whole family Loves her sisters and recently said, "Did you tell my class I had them when I was two?" When I say loves her sisters, I mean she loves them, finds great joy in them, teaches them, smiles with them, hugs them, prays for them, really sees them as little stars in her life... She is almost SEVEN!  She is in first grade and reads and writes like she'sin third.  She loves her teacher, who has inspired her to learn to play the piano (four lessons down, years to go) and write her own books.  She spends her time using all of our computer paper to write books to give away- cookbooks, chapter books, picture books, story books, etc. etc.  While I'm thrilled at her love of learning, I am very most proud of her love of C...