Introducing Sparkles

Sparkles is our butterfly. We made her for Lexie's Valentine's box at school. It had to be an animal, so after going from a cheetah, to a dolphin, to a cat, to an elephant...she finally decided on a butterfly. Lexie got to stay up late doing her homework (she almost fell asleep in her chair). She was so tired up until it was finished, & suddenly she wasn't tired anymore. She had a great time making decisions on what paper to use, the design, & especially decorating it with all of her sparkles & hearts.

Making Valentines

Super Joseph!

Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes

(We'll try & do a better one later.)

"I am the VIP!"

This week Lexie gets to be VIP in her Kindergarten class. She was so excited to get her pictures all together & decorate her poster.

Here are some of her favorite things.

Food: peas
Color: purple
Shape: triangles & hearts & stars
Friend: Everybody
Song: Twinkle, Twinkle & Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
Flower: Tulips
Subject at School: Math
Number: 3
Place to eat: where I went on my date with Dad (Dairy Queen)
Book: Cinderella & The Three Little Pigs
Things to do: Playing with her dollhouse
Game: Cinderella with my brother
Way to do your hair: Pigtails

Ballerina Sisters

I know this will stop one day, but for now, it is so funny & cute. They decided to play "Ballerina Sisters" & did a great job posing for their pictures.

Lexie even made Joseph put a shirt on underneath his outfit so "he could be modest."

And He Loves You, Too.

Lexie & Joseph love making us notes, invitations, & pictures. But today Lexie surprised us with this...

She's right.

January Bike Riding

Thanks to our new Smartcycle, the kids have gotten really good at pedaling their bikes. And thanks to the gorgeous weather we've been having, there are lots of opportunities for them to practice the real thing.

Hopefully Lexie learned that when you get going too fast, taking your feet off the pedals & screaming doesn't make you stop (at least not the way you want to stop).

Cure for the Hiccups

We had just put the kids in bed & I hear loud growling from Lexie's room. I ask her to be quiet, close eyes, & go to sleep. Her reply, "Mommy, I'm trying to scare my hiccups away!"

Afternoon at the Park

Today was so warm & nice. We couldn't wait for school to be out so we could go play at the park.

We had a great time. Andrew could not get enough of the slide. Lexie could barely leave the swings. And Joseph, he was just everywhere. I love sunny, warm days like this, especially in January!

Family Home Evening

Tonight for FHE we talked about tithing. We decorated banks & their old tithing jars with paper, stamps, & stickers. They enjoyed it so much that now Joseph wants to make lots and lots of tithing jars. We're trying to teach him that one is enough. But, we think that means he had fun.

(Thanks Grandma for the banks.)
We gave them some money & taught them how to count out their tithing. Lexie said she was a "little sad" that she wouldn't have all of her money we gave her but she "felt happy inside that it would help other people." The kids have always loved paying their tithing & giving it to the Bishop. We hope they will always feel that way.

A Sunbeam! A Sunbeam!

Today was Joseph's first day in Primary. He was so excited to be a Sunbeam. He had a great first day & did an excellent job of being reverent. He even got the Star Award because he was so well-behaved. (The Star Award is a coupon for a treat & a handshake from the Bishop.)

One o'clock church is different for the kids. Andrew took a nap before church so he didn't sleep at all there. Joseph, on the other hand, slept through all of Sacrament Meeting. We'll see how long all of this keeps up.