Spring Break 2011

We drove up to Nashville for spring break. To be quite honest, Mark's new job has got him working most days from 9 to 9. I was feeling tired and a week of free babysitting sounded good to me. My parents were really excited to have us and we had a great time. So, here's the rundown--I slept most of the time while my sister and my mom played with the kids. Sounds fun huh? I snapped some pictures with my phone of the nature park we visited. I love Nashville. I would love to move there someday.

Sooo Lazy!

I have been awful about taking pictures lately. Yes, my camera is still working fine. I am just lazy and negligent because I have the cutest kids in the world and they are growing up way to fast. I am going to give a quick update on them. Excuse the pictures, they are from Christmas.

Avery has lost three teeth now and has another loose one. She is still doing really well in school academically. She did, however, have a run in with a little girl a few weeks ago and got sent to the principal's office!! She's only in first grade and already headed for Juvi.

Sarah is still obnoxiously loud when she is angry but has turned into the best helper ever. She helps me with everything and I only have to ask once. The other day she played with her brother for an hour and a half so I could take a nap! Wow!

Spencer is two and a half and acts like it. For the most part he is sweet and loving but when he is feeling mean, he hits and pulls hair. He drives the girls crazy sometimes. He drives me crazy sometimes. It's a good thing he's so cute!

Influenza A

It's been a long time since we've been sick but here we are stuck in the house feeling miserable. I'll catch you up later.

Scripture Reading

I am definitely not tooting my own horn or anything, but I am really excited that we have been consistently reading our scriptures together as a family for THREE MONTHS. That may very well be a lifetime high for me. I used to think that my kids were too young for the regular Book of Mormon until I read this article.
I was so motivated and inspired that we begin reading together the very next day. I am absolutely loving hearing my children say things like "wherefore", "inasmuch", "mumur", etc. Spencer is especially precious as he repeats the scriptures as Mark reads them to him. It has definitely helped change the Spirit in our home just as we were promised it would.

Condiments

Avery was eating her breakfast this morning--more specifically this...

Special K Cinnamon Pecan

She looks down at her cereal and says, "Mom, my cereal has condiments."
It took me a few minutes to realize that her food did not in fact contain mustard, mayo or some other assortment of condiments.


She was simply referring to the pecans.

That girl is too cute sometimes.

Cannery Fun!

So call me a big nerd, but this past week was my first trip to the cannery! I loved it. I also love that I am lucky enough to live in a place where we have a cannery. I ordered several cans of wheat, a can of potato flakes, dry milk, sugar, and rice. It was by no means a years supply or even 3 months worth but it was at least something. I have been preparing for this trip since before Christmas (the cannery had to shut down for a few months to remodel). I bought an old school Bosch off of Ebay and a wheat grinder off of Craigslist. Those were my Christmas presents. So, I was so excited to have wheat that I immediately started searching for really good wheat bread recipes. I thought the first one was a flop but the hubby loved it. The second recipe, I felt, was sandwich worthy.


But I'm still searching for something perfect. Anyone out there know some good whole wheat recipes?

Post Christmas Blues

I experience the blues this time every year. We had a fantastic Christmas this year. We were able to go up to Nashville the day before Christmas eve. We haven't spent Christmas eve and Christmas day with my parents in a few years.



We were also excited because we woke up Christmas morning with snow covering the ground and falling from the sky. It was a white Christmas in Nashville!


We had the chance to go see the lights and dancing waters at the Opryland hotel this year. They have done a lot of remodling since the floods this spring. It was beautiful.



We came home on the 30th and were able to rest a few more days before life went back to normal. Mark went back to work bright and early Monday morning and Avery went back to school this morning. I guess we wouldn't appreciate the Holidays so much if we could stay on vacation every day.