A Day in the Life...

In an effort to have more fun as a family, I decided to focus on family dinner.  The social worker in me gravitates towards the research behind it- nowhere in one setting can you strengthen parent-child communication, reduce drug/alcohol use, reduce risk of teen pregnancy, increase vocabulary, better school performance, and on and on and on... than you can eating as a family.  The need for a Christ-centered home and repeated encouragement from gospel and church leaders to sit down around the table only strengthens my desire to have dinner as a family as often as we can. Unfortunately, dinner at our home is pretty much like a circus.  And not even a fun circus. Food flying, drinks spilled.  Food chewed and spit out (thank you, Micah).  Acting like cats and only meowing. Tears every dinner.  Refusals to eat.  Crying over who gets the pink plate, who sets the table, who sits in the middle, who sits by mom.  Crying over why were aren't having noodle...

I don't know how people think they look alike.  They could not be more different in looks or personality.  It's very cool to see them play together and love each other.  It's also cool when they wander around the house looking for Copper, who more frequently can be found muttering, "When are the babies going to leave me alone!?"  Haha.

Our Micah.  Who has to stroke my hair and pull me close for a kiss.  Who lives for chocolate.  Who shoves things down the heater vent and in the garbage.  Who rolls her eyes at us when told to do something, then just walks away.  Who gives an excellent stare-down and breaks into giggles.  Sometimes there are no words for our Micah.

Dakota is Copper's walking shadow and wants to do everything like her big sis.  She's our non-stop talker who gabs about everything.  Some of her favorite things to say are, "Hey ma, know what I just said?" (and then repeats it again and again) and also, "Oh that's bad news."  I told her that once when she spilled something and it stuck.  It's pretty cute.

This girl is a crack up!  She's certain she'll be five in a week and was disheartened when I showed her how many days equaled five months. She's counting down to summer, her birthday, and kindergarten.  She's a poser and a ham, loves her picture taken. Still Loves dress-up everywhere she goes!

I picked up Copper from school this week and we went out for a mini-date before I went back to work.  After hitting a hair place to buy her curlers and Deseret Book to get a CTR ring, she says, "Oh mom, my heart is so happy."  I smiled and said, "Yea, I think this was a good idea.  I should sometimes pick up Micah and Dakota too and have little dates."  Without skipping a beat she said, "Well, I don't know, Micah and Kota are very whiney." Yesterday I found a pair of tights with both legs cut off above the knee... Me: Copper, did you cut your tights? Copper:  Well, remember that book about socks?  I told you I wanted some socks like that and you said okay. So... she made herself some knee-high socks...

Despite the chaos of balancing work and everything at home, we find time for fun.  I love that the girls play with each other now.  They love and protect each other.  They are learning they are first each others' best friends.  Maybe because I tell them that all the time!  Haha. They are beautiful, their little spirits and bodies.  They have a closeness to God only felt through a child.  I'm amazed at how very individual they all are.  And I'm abundantly blessed to be their mom.  I'm one lucky gal.  This is Copper's face lately when I tell her I'm taking a picture.  She's quite the poser, always tilting her head to the side.  I'm not sure she ever takes a bad picture!  Is it just me or does she look about 16 in these pictures?  Making pizza for dinner.  Pretend it's not gross to have her feet on the same counter we're making food on.  Ha!  Cops is a great help with dinner, cleanin...