At the Ballpark

Sorry-this is a picture heavy post.  We went down to the little league game the other night and the lighting was magnificent and I just couldn't stop snapping pictures (this may be becoming and addiction-sometimes Allie says, "are you done taking pictures yet?" NEVER!!!!)  There is no real significance in any of these pictures-just wanted to show off my cute kids.

Allie rode her bike all the way there.  She is getting so good at riding (she kinda gets distracted sometimes and goes all over and she hasn't figured out how to plug her ears so she doesn't have to hear the dogs and steer at the same time)

One of her classic "weird" faces.

It's time to get Allie a new bike with training wheels and let Brai start riding this one.  She always says, "bike" when we go outside.

Getting sissy under the blanket.

"Wait for me"

The Fair

 I try and take the girls on a walk almost daily and so it happened that we were walking by a vacant lot in town as they were setting up "the fair."  Allie was pretty excited about this and quite frustrated that it took them so long to get it set up (like 3 days).  She kept asking if she could go.  She would see the rides and decided that the one with the slide is the one she wanted to try.  Anyway we talked to Daddy and decided we would go down the day it opened and she could try a ride.  The day of came and we were out walking.  We were by the community center (my new place of employment by the way-YAY and BOOO) and we saw Nicholas and Sister Pace.  Allie told them we were going to go and see if the fair was ready.  Nicholas promptly informed us that is was not called a fair but a "Carnival" (sorry Nicholas but where I come from we call it a fair).  Anyway later I was talking to Allie about it and called it the carnival, she said, "you mean the fair," I told her we could call it a fair or a carnival.  She said, "mom, lets just call it the fair."  Well anyway, fair or carnival, we took Allie down.  Now it was overpriced, the workers were fairly scary looking and no adults could go on any of the kiddie rides (hello fair/carnival people-could you try and be a bit more family friendly-plus you would make more money if parents or older siblings could ride with the kids-I'm just sayin), but Allie was so excited that there was no stopping her.

She chose the car ride (she was not so sure once she got started and I think it went around 5 too many rotations, plus she had a come apart when the worker tried to help her down) but we were so proud of her for doing it.  Then she decided she wanted to try the one with the slide.  The plan was really good until she got to the top where she had to crawl through a tunnel and nearly had a nervous breakdown (probably in her genes-carnival rides and I have never been friends) and luckily a little hispanic boy came and helped her through.  After that she was fine and slid down the slide and played in the ball pit (which I am sure is never sanitized and was FILTHY I might add).  I just smiled and cheered for her being brave.  $6.00 well spent I think.  We conveniently couldn't go any of the other days and said we would watch for when the next one comes through.  Have I ever mentioned how she seems to be getting bigger and more mature by the day?

May 28th the girls and I were looking at pictures on the computer and one came up with Allie at this desk that she got for Christmas but that I put in the basement because she never touched it.  She had an immediate melt down that she needed to have that desk back.  After we did some other things and she used the proper voice I went and got it for her.  She was glued to it all evening.  Brailie had to find something equally as studious to do.  Such smart girls.

Girl Time

Allie begged to put on makeup all morning (May 28th) and so I finally said she could while I painted my toes nails.  When Brailie saw me doing that she kept pointed to her toes and saying, "pretty" so I gave in a painted her's too.  We told dad we were having girl time.  Allie let him take a picture and then told him to go to the kitchen.

Track and Field Day

I took the girls up to Greg's track and field day for his school.  It was our first day out in the hot sun for the season and I think we were all heat exhausted by the evening but it was nice to get out of the house.  Track and field day was a huge event when I was in elementary school.  Everyone in shorts and running shoes, parents there, ribbons, coolers of cold drinks and treats.  Half these kids were in their normal shoes, cowboy boots and dresses or hoodies and jeans.  What has happened to track and field days?  Anyway the girls had fun with dad.

This is called "High as the Sky" and Allie would have her daddy do it all day if she could.

 Brailie was not so sure but since Allie was doing it she wanted to to.

Proof I was there-wrangling my cranky, hot children.  

Brailie-Little Miss Observant

This little girl came to me this past week (last week of May) and pointed to her diaper and said, "potty, potty."  I said, "do you have to go potty?" She nodded her head and ran into the bathroom.  I followed and took off her diaper and sat her up on the big toilet where she kept saying "poop."  I finally got her to do a little squat and low and behold the girl pooped in the toilet.  A bit later she was doing it again and I decided that I didn't have time to sit with her at the toilet all morning so I went and grabbed out the potty training potty.  She wanted her diaper off and to be on that potty.  She was so proud of herself.  She sat there for a minute and then said, "done," and got up and went right to the toilet paper.  I gave her a square and she had to wipe and throw it in the toilet.  She went back to the potty to repeat the whole process.  I then realized that she really just wanted to play with the toilet paper because later when I was on the phone and took her diaper off so that she wouldn't scream and she could just do this little game and also couldn't monitor the toilet paper she came out with a huge wad, wiping her bum in the kitchen.  BROTHER!!!  She did however pee in that little potty with Allie's coaching.  She is not ready to potty train and the whole thing was a fluke and all she really wants to do is whatever she sees Allie doing.  I have since put the potty away.  I don't have time to do this potty game 10 times a day.  Sorry little girl-you will have to wait.

This is her wiping-I thought it was so dang cute.  What a smart girl.

 Brailie's other favorite thing to do is put on the clothes that Allie always wants to take off (though I might add that she is getting better about staying dressed).  Brailie will put anything on any part of her body she can get it on.  These pictures are with Allie's pj shirt around her feet and her panties around her arm and trying to get on her head (the panties came from the laundry basket-Allie does always keep those on).

Thank you rain

Watching the rain

Thank you rain for giving us something to do everyday , for giving mommy an endless amount of muddy and wet clothes to wash, for giving us a good reason to get out those rain boots I bought the girls in Canada at the thrift store, and for bringing smiles and delight to two little faces.

Church History Museum

After being home from Canada for 4 days I packed my bags once again to head to Oklahoma with my mom for Time Out for Women sponsored by Deseret Book.  It was fantastic.  Greg stayed home with the girls and I went alone with my mom.  We met in Oklahoma.  It was so great to spend time with her, so great to have time alone, and so great to listen to so many amazing speakers and wonderful music.  It was also great to come home and have my three sweeties meet me at the airport.  Allie and Brailie were so excited to see me.  That was a wonderful feeling.  After they picked me up, which was early in the morning, we went to the Church History Museum because I had read about an exhibit they have for kids all about the Book of Mormon.  The girls loved it.  There was Nephi's boat where you could go fishing and steer it, there was wooden dolls with cloths to recreate stories from the scriptures, there was a replica of the golden plates, blocks to build your own temple, a little recreation of a house in central america where you could sit down for dinner with the missionaries.  It had food, pots and pans and a little kitchen.  This was Allie's favorite part.  There was a section with chickens where you could go and collect the eggs (they were stuffed chickens of course).  There was also a little truck to drive and music and costumes to dress up in and dance to the hispanic music.  It was so fun.  The girls loved it.  After we went and explored the prophets/temples section. 

Grandpa Sam

I posted these pictures on my other blog but I wanted to make sure I had a picture of them here too.  The girls only got to see my dad 2 times during the 3 weeks we were in Canada.  I was so worried they would spend most of their time being shy and wouldn't even want to see him with all the tubes and machines but my prayers were answered and though they were a little shy they talked to him, danced and sang, shared snacks and took a couple of pictures.  It was so cute because the first time they saw him, Allie went right into the room and right up to my dad and gave him a big hug and then after that turned really quiet and shy.  I was greatful for that moment. 

Cutie with a hat on

No reason to post this except to show off my cute Brailie who loves wearing hats.  She usually picks one out of the basket if you even mention the word "outside."  She also will repeat the words "shoes" and "coat" until you acknowledge she is saying them and put them on her.