Rankings

Today was a monumental day in the history of our family.  I think this video says it all:

Go Cougs!

Let the Madness begin.

 3/02/2011  Post Script - Well, that was fun while it lasted.  Arrrrghhhhh!

An Ordinary Miracle

Once Christmas is over, there is one day that I look forward to every winter.   Yesterday, that day finally arrived and it brought joy and hope and the promise of good things to come.

What was this long awaited event, you ask?  Well, yesterday was the day I walked outside and noticed that our tulip bulbs are starting to peek up through the cold ground.  Even though it happens every winter, I am thrilled at the sight every year.  It is one of the miracles of spring that I look forward to at this time each year.

That means that in just a few more weeks (okay maybe a couple of months,) our tulips will go from looking like this:

to looking like this:

Or, knowing the weather in Utah, they may actually look like this:

But either way, I can't wait.  

So, even though, the weather forecasters are calling for heavy snow all weekend, there is sunshine in my soul today.

A Dancing Machine

On Saturday night, my sister Laura took our four oldest kids to a rodeo in Heber.  The main attraction at this rodeo was bull riding but in between riders, there were activities to entertain the crowd.

The highlight for my kids was the dance competition.  Isaac (and his uncle David) were selected out of the crowd to go down in the arena and take part in a dance-off  between several other contestants.  The person who got the most cheers, won the competition.

It was a heated contest.  The dancers used their best moves to wow the crowd - but in the end, it was Isaac who was the grand prize winner.  (Grand prize = a churro, a rootbeer and Snickers from the snack bar.)  He danced his little heart out and from all reports, the crowd loved it.

One look at this video and you can see why Isaac won.  The other dancers didn't stand a chance -  not even Uncle Dave who shows his stuff at the end of the video.  I wish I could say I taught him everything he knows, but seriously, I don't think you can teach a person some of the moves he was coming up with.

Congratulations on your big win Isaac.  We love you, we love your dance moves, and we love your courage to get out there and show all of Heber what you've got.

Our Resident Funny Man

There are few people in this world that make me laugh harder than my Peter.  The way his mind works, and the things he says to me leave me laughing daily.  Three-year-old boys are so funny and Peter is downright hilarious.

Here are a few of Peter's recent comments:

During a recent family "dance party" in our kitchen, I picked up Peter and gave him a big juicy kiss right on his cheek.  "Ummm Mom," Peter said.  "There's a sign on this stage that says 'No Kissing.'  So, you'd better stop."

A few weeks ago, Peter was complaining that he "had something stuck in the drain at the end of his mouth." (aka - his throat.)

One day Abby was teasing Peter about something.  Finally, Peter had had enough and said, "Abby, don't do that to Mommy's Peter-boy!"

While Peter and I were at a school assembly, out of the blue, Peter asked, "Why do we need cheeks?" As I thought about how to answer that question, he looked at me and said, "I'm glad I'm not you."  I sat there feeling very confused about what he had just said,  but the woman sitting next to me had a hard time stifling her laughter.

Maybe it's just that I'm his mom, but Peter makes me laugh - a lot.  These are just a few of his statements, but truthfully, he makes me laugh several times a day.  I feel pretty lucky to have him for our in-house comedian. He is a source of constant entertainment.  We sure love this darling, tenderhearted and hilarious boy.

Family Ski Day

A few weeks ago, we got the kids out of school a little early on a short day, and headed up to Solitude for a family ski day - and by "family," I mean The Whole Family.  Lucy was in on the action and we even met my dad up there.  What a great day.

Over the past several years, I haven't been much of skier.  Something about having five kids in eight years kind of slowed me down in the skiing department.  However, over the past two winters, since Lucy was born, I have re-discovered skiing and I especially love skiing with my kids.  (It's pretty helpful that we're all on about the same level.)

Abby and Grandpa ready to ski down the hill.

Abby and Isaac are great little skiers.  They have so much fun flying down the hill at breakneck speeds and then finding little passages through the trees.  This year Henry has gotten really good at skiing.  He makes awesome turns and can get down any of the green or  blue hills all on his own.  Peter has a great sense of balance and is a good little skier - we just need him to figure out how to SLOW DOWN!  (Seriously, the kid scares me.)

Peter left to his own devices - and loving every minute of it.

Lucy was amazing on the slopes.  She spent the whole day in a backpack riding on Andrew's back.  It took us a few runs before we realized that she was much happier wearing goggles -  ones that covered her entire face.  I think they must have helped her face stay warm and it didn't hurt that they kept her binky securely in place.

It was such a fun day.  I love the exhilaration of racing my kids down the mountain - and I love that we have time on the chair lift to sit and talk without interruption.  Skiing definitely makes winter more bearable and  I am really enjoying these days while my kids are young and will ski with me. It won't be long before they are way better skiers than I am and they just leave me in their dust - I mean snow.

The New Barber in Town

Of all our children, Henry has always been the most mischievous.  There are several posts on this blog detailing his adventures that have kept us on our toes and scratching our heads.  For the most part, over the past year or so, it has appeared that Henry has outgrown this phase.  He has found new outlets for his creativity and energy.  We may have even breathed a sigh of relief....

Until earlier this week.

A couple of weeks ago, Henry's kindergarten teacher slipped on some ice and broke her arm.  (Coincidently, she did the same thing two years ago when she was Isaac's teacher.) Anyway, the arm required surgery and she has been out of school for the past two weeks.  I have no doubt that the substitute is a good teacher and does her best to maintain order in the classroom, but as we all know, when a substitute is there, mayhem tends to rule the classroom.

Henry has always had a buzz.  With his cowlick, it's the only hair style we have been able to make work on him.  However, the other day, he came home from school with a new "do."

See that short little section front and center on his head?  Well apparently, while the teacher wasn't looking, Henry and two girls he sits by, thought it would be fun to cut their hair.  WHAT?  Henry was unfazed by what he had done until Andrew told him he looked bald - and then he started bawling.

I can only hope the girls fared better in their attempts than Henry did - and I can only hope that Henry's teacher comes back soon before he and his little friends get any other ideas.  

Oh, that Henry.  I never know what he'll come up with next.  Luckily for him, he has those big brown eyes that tend to melt his mom's heart in a hurry.  I sure love this boy.

Our Girly-girl 2.0

From the minute Lucy was born, she has been a girly-girl.  One of the first things I noticed about her was how delicately, she held her hands and how dainty and feminine her newborn movements seemed.  At only a few months old, she would study details on the clothes I was wearing - gingerly touching a button, or rubbing lace in between her fingers as if she were inspecting the handiwork.  From the beginning, she has had an innate femininity about her.

Recently she has become more deliberate in her girliness. She has discovered Abby's treasure trove of jewelry and will often emerge from Abby's room wearing a necklace or a bracelet.  She has also discovered baby dolls and a whole maternal side has come out.  I'll often find her "taking care of her babies," cleaning them off with a wipe or kissing them gently (usually right before throwing them on the floor.)

I have loved observing these new developments in Lucy.  Somehow, even with three older brothers who love legos, light sabers, big cars and dinosaurs, Lucy is all girl.

Earlier today, she came out of Abby's room wearing Abby's new headband.  She looked so pleased with herself, I had to take some pictures.

Oh, how I love this girl - her girliness, the way she mimics everything she sees and hears, the way she stands in front of the ipod dock and dances - swaying back and forth.  I love her strong-will and her sweetness.  She is such a bright light in our family.  We love our Lucy-girl.  

A Work of Fiction

After we got home from Hawaii, I was going through papers that had piled up while we'd been away.  Tucked between spelling tests and corrected math papers, I came across a story that Isaac had written.  It had been typed on our computer.  It was short, but with only a few words, Isaac had told a great story - and it left me wanting more.

And so I present Isaac's story; unabridged and without spell check:


I zapped through lightning and attacked kingdom prededers.


I bowed in front of kings and princesses.


As I grew up I became famous.


I was even in the morning paper.


When the girl I love saw it she was thrilled with excitement.


She was the king's daughter.


She had been wanting to marry me for a verry long time.


Later on we marryed.


And it was pretty easy when she was a princess and I could freeze time.


What do you think?  A future best-seller?  I've said it before, but I love Isaac's imagination and creativity - and now, I love his writing skills.