Thankful Thursday

1. It is finally Thursday which means Thanksgiving will be over.  I am just not one of those Thanksgiving Day people.  I just want to get to Christmas.

2. My husband's honesty.  He will tell me the truth even if he shouldn't.   He thinks a thankful thursday is lame.  He thinks I should quit doing it.  Maybe I will.  Thanksgiving seems like an appropriate day to end it.

3. Riley made it back to my mom.

4. Iron Man.  We have been catching up on new movies that we haven't had time to watch.  After a disappointing Leatherheads, Twilight, Indiana Jones and Fred Clause (I did like parts of that one) it was nice to watch a good movie.  

5. The prospect of eternity.  When I was younger the idea of eternity was frightening.  I always pictured floating into the abyss like those bad guys on Superman did.  But now, when I am far away from home and from people I would like to hang out with eternity sounds nice.  Whenever I feel sad about the time I haven't gotten to spend with them I think to myself, "I have all eternity to hang out!  We will never end and we will get to spend all the rest of eternity just hanging and having fun.  The time we are apart now will be nothing when we eons of time ahead of us."

What a Day!

The girls were playing so nicely this morning.  They woke around 6 but we were able to sleep in longer because they were getting along so well.  I should have known something was wrong.  I got up and found that they had gotten into the shed and brought in a box of styrofoam peanuts.  They were dumped on the floor and smashed to bits from them running back and forth on them.  There is also a lot of static right now so the pieces that had been thrown around were sticking all over the walls and furniture.  

Then we worked outside raking the leaves. I love that Kaylee is wearing her ladybug boots.

She wasn't really any help because I raked them to the curb, Heidi then raked those into a giant pile and Kaylee raked the giant pile back onto the sidewalk.  

We also spent the day cleaning and decorating.  I am not great at home decor but I tried.  I don't have anything hanging on my walls that isn't a picture of some sort.  And most of those pictures are my kids.  

I love that I can hang our stockings on something.  Thanks to Kaylee for the mirror.

Once we got the girls in bed Ben and I watched a movie while I finished up Scotty's Christmas present.  Here is a little preview...I can't put a picture of the whole thing because my nieces and nephew are also getting the same thing.  I made a car mat thing for them to drive their cars on.  But they are a little more personalized just for each family.  It was a busy but productive day.

Hey Mom, there is a video at the bottom.

Thankful Thursday

Well that was a tough competition!  I am going to close the competition.  I have narrowed it down to two winners because I can't decide between them.  One award goes to my sister and Baby Olive for being absolutely disgusting and eating her own poop!  The other winner is Linna Blair!  Only Tessa would be able to get her self drunk by the age of two.  While eating poop is disgusting, Linna's story wins for being as bad as it gets as a parent.  Her story just demonstrates that sometimes you just have to suck it up as a parent and sit in vomit.  I will be getting the prizes to you soon.

I have a lot to be thankful for this week.

1. Tomorrow starts Ben's Thanksgiving break!  Yea!!  I told Ben that I just want to sleep in with him tomorrow.  We can just put a movie on for the girls and then snuggle in the bed together.  I can't wait!

2. My visiting teachers-They babysit for us once a month so that Ben and I can attend the temple together.  

3. A GOOD book.  I am so involved in this book I am reading that I don't want to do anything else.  I love having a book that I just can't put down.  

4. Gas Prices.

5. Mamma Mia Soundtrack.  My girls love it.  We sing it in the car and in the house.  We turn it up and dance along.  Yesterday Heidi set up a 'show' in her bedroom.  She hung blankets everywhere, moved the kitchen chairs in, and then set up her audience. 

This was the stage.
Daisy loved watching while I danced and sang.

It took a while for Kaylee to get into it.  She knows the words better than Heidi, I love it.

Competition

We woke up this morning at 5:40 to Kaylee telling me that she had pooped in her pants.  Turns out she is sick, tried to get to the bathroom but ended up pooping right by her bed.  Then you can see that she walked straight to my side of the bed and tried to clean herself up with a baby wipe (isn't that sweet that she tried to clean it up herself).  However that was when she woke us because, being two, it is hard to clean up your own diarrhea.  As I was cleaning the floor, trying not to throw up and thinking "I am definitely cleaning my carpets before Peggy comes!" a thought came to me-This is as bad as it gets.  But then I wondered: Is this REALLY as bad as it gets?  So I am wondering what your parenting horror stories are.  Or even just any story you have (doesn't have to be your own kids) where you were just so grossed out but you had to deal with it.  Tell me your stories and then I will pick a winner.  Maybe I will make no bake cookies for the winner (those looks like little piles of poop and would be appropriate for the theme of the competition).

She did it!

I just had to post that Heidi read her first book, cover-to-cover, by herself!  I was pretty proud of her.  It was a Mercer Mayer Little Critter book.  I could tell that she guessed a few of the words, too.  Still, I was proud of her glad that she is learning how to read because she wants to.

This was from preschool last week.  I thought they would enjoy reading some stories and then acting them out (I got the idea from a friend who sends her daughter to a real preschool).  They are dressed for little red riding hood.  Kaylee made a cute granny!  Turns out they didn't like the idea.  They smiled for the picture but didn't want to do anything else.  Kaylee was the only one excited to do it.

This was Kaylee for the Three Little Pigs.  Here's a question: Kaylee wants a kitty and a doggy for Christmas.  How do we pull that off when we can't have animals in our place?  Any ideas?  I wouldn't care so much but Heidi is getting what she asked for so I feel bad that Kaylee isn't.  

Coincidence? Or Retribution?

Do you remember this past summer when the California judges took the law into their own hands and allowed homosexual couples to be married?  Remember what happened after that?  Wildfires spread through the state!  It was crazy.  It was right as my parents were out visiting us with Daisy and I remember the fires multiplied each day.  My Dad liked to joke that it was California's punishment for allowing the gays and lesbians to be married.  

Well, guess what.  After Prop 8 passed there has been a lot of anger towards the church.  Protestors have been targeting our church, specifically the Los Angeles Temple.  And now look.  A wildfire, spreading from Hurricane-like winds is burning in Los Angeles.  I am starting to think that this is much more than just a coincidence. 

Thankful Thursday

Here is my list for today:

1. The men in my life.  Ben is my #1 man.  There is no way to adequately describe my love for him.  My Dad, he called yesterday and I liked it.  Joe makes me think outside the Mormon box. I feel like I learn something new each time I talk to him.  Than is who I can turn to when I have a problem.  He always knows what to do/say.  Sam is like me; I wish he lived closer so I could make him waffles.  Scotty is a blessing and gives me a heads up of things to watch out for in my own kids.  He is my brother from a different mother.  Oh yeah, and grandpa.  Who doesn't like grandpa?  He looks like Alf.

2. Music and the way different types inspire you in different ways.

3. My JCPenney's portrait studio membership.

4. Cell phones-what would I do without it?  And I am thankful that all the people I talk to the most are on Verizon! (Except for Erica)

5. Hot water.

The cure to a bad morning

I had a horrible morning after going to court for a traffic ticket (tears were involved and I feel like the system is against you from the beginning!)  So, when I got home crying Heidi had an idea that would make me feel better.  What was her idea?  Putting up Christmas decorations!

They had fun working on the tree.  You can see how there is nothing on the top, the bulbs are all along the bottom.

Her idea worked.  I feel much better.  I pass on the suggestion when you are having a bad day.

She causes contention She=Kaylee

Here are some more conversations out of Kaylee

Kaylee (in a whisper to Heidi): Daisy doesn't like you.

Me (laughing at Heidi's crushed face): Why does she do that to you?

Heidi: Because she is mean.

Heidi: Hey, that used to be my dress when I was little.

Kaylee: No it wasn't.

Heidi: Yes it was.  When I was little.

Kaylee: You weren't little.

Heidi: Yes I was.  I was little and then I grew.

Kaylee: No, you didn't.

Heidi: Yes.  I was little and then I grew.  I am growing now.

Kaylee: You're not growing.

Kaylee: Heidi, you are a boy.

Heidi: I am not a boy.

Kaylee: You are a BOY!

Heidi: I am not a boy!  I have long hair.  Girls have long hair!

Kaylee: You don't have long hair.

Heidi: Yes, I do.  I have long hair!

Kaylee: Heidi, are you mad at me?

Heidi: Yes.

Kaylee: You don't like me?

Heidi: No.

Kaylee: Why?

Heidi: Because you call me a boy.

Kaylee: You are a boy.

Heidi: Don't talk to me!

Kaylee: Heidi...I'm talking to you.

What is wrong with her?  Why does she do that to Heidi?  What is it going to be like in five years?  I can just see the journal entry now....

The other thing I don't understand is why Heidi even cares.  Obviously she is not a boy so why does it matter if Kaylee calls her a boy or not?  Heidi is the older one.  You would think she would realize that.

Tagged Twice!

How weird that I was tagged by two different people within the same hour?? I have a tag from Raeanne to leave 7 random facts. And then a tag from Kathryn to say what I was doing 10, 5, 3, and 1 year ago (Pictures included). So I will do them together for one long post.

10 YEARS:

Nice, huh? This is actually my junior year picture but my senior picture looks the same. 10 years ago I was a Senior with no real plans for my future. I was dating Ben and had told him that I loved him for the first time. It felt so nice we said it all the time (we didn't tell our parents that, though). I worked cleaning a dirty house for $10 an hour. I wanted to lose ten pounds. And I drove a white Dodge cargo van that only had two seat in the front. I was so embarrassed by it that I parked by the special Ed section of the school where only teachers parked. My sister and I would play James Bond with the car-I would drive and she had to jump in the side door while I was going. She would throw her backpack in first and then sprint to get herself in the car.

Random Fact #1: I once got pulled over driving that van for my registration not been current. However, I had over 15 people shoved into the cargo par of the van, all of them in pajamas, and half of them blindfolded. Luckily the cop didn't ticket me for 15 seatbelt violations!

Random Fact #2:My sister and I raced in swimming for the 100 free. She was always faster than me but we had bet on it. If I won I got a kiss from Ben. I BARELY touched her out to win my kiss!

5 YEARS:
I was pregnant with Heidi and busy with a long-term sub job. Ben and I lived in a townhouse that our bishop owned. My sister lived with us.
Random fact #3: While living with us, my sister would watch scary movies and then come sleep in our bed. I was smashed in between Ben and Kaylee.
I don't have a picture of me but this is one of my favorite pictures of Ben. Kaylee and I were just hanging out on the couch one Sunday when Ben grabbed the camera and started taking funny pictures.

Ben and I spent our days not doing much. I worked while he was still in school. We played cribbage and chess a lot. Here is where I finally beat Ben at chess (he smiled like that so it would look like he won). I was worried about the 30 pounds I would have to lose after I had the baby.

Random Fact #4: My family loves to play cribbage. You can even win a trophy at the Harper Family Reunion.
Random Fact #5: I knew I was having a girl from the beginning. We called her Heidi right when we found out I was pregnant.

3 YEARS: I got a new brother. He is my cutest brother, my funniest brother, and I love him! He was sealed to us on June 11th, which was the same day my other brother Sam took out his endowments prior to his mission, and the same day I found out I was pregnant with Kaylee.

Sam left on his mission three years ago and we stopped at the airport to see him at 3 in the morning. He's a cute kid! We had just moved back to Rexburg and lived in University Village. Ben was still in school. I was again thinking of the weight I would have to lose after having another kid.

1 YEAR:
We had finally made it to Optometry school! We moved to Memphis and Ben started his graduate school. I was still just being a mom. I thought (and still think) that I have the cutest kids. I spent my time cleaning, reading and cooking food my kids don't like. I was trying to be a good mom and blaming all their behavioral problems on my bad parenting.

I still had two pounds to lose to get to my pre-pregnancy weight from Kaylee but, guess what, I found out I was pregnant with Daisy!  I started running with Micaela at the park.  I was also addicted to the Twilight series.
Random Fact #6: I am the type that will get my book at midnight and read until I am done.  I don't even get tired.
We had our Christmas decorations up by Nov 1st and the girls loved it. They have been asking me to put them up already this year but I am waiting a little longer.
Random Fact #7: I love to sleep on the couch when we have Christmas lights. When I was younger my dad would wait until I fell asleep and then turn the lights off. Christmas lights are my favorite part of the season.
After writing this I have decided that I am always concerned about my weight and always pregnant!
Ok, for the 7 Random Facts Tag I will tag: Jana Hair, Micaela Thomas, Katie Hale, Tina Carlsen, Rachel Hubbard, Kathryn Lees, and Heather Hamm
For the 10, 5, 3, and 1 years I will tag: Raeanne Barth, Angelee Petersen, Erica Hancock, and Erin Papa. (Don't forget pictures!)

The Stroller Picture

Every summer I get a picture of the girls asleep in the stroller. This was when Kaylee was about 6 months. This was the following year when Kakes was about 18 months.
I didn't think I would get a picture this year because they were no longer falling asleep on the walks. But, we got one today!
Kaylee laid down on the seat part and Heidi slept down on the floor scrunched up in a ball. She is going to a birthday party today and is supposed to be dressed in a princess dress. The party wasn't until two but she was ready to go by 9. I'm glad I was able to get one more of them. I don't think they will even fit in the stroller together next year. Heidi will have to ride her bike while Daisy rides inside.

Daisy the chubbalub

Daisy is just a fatty.  She is only four months but I am having to squeeze her into her 6-9 month clothes.  I pulled out these jeans for the first time and the are too small!

She looks like she can hardly move.  It reminds me of the Christmas Story except that she can't put her legs down.
The face on this one is weird but I like it for the pants.  Look at her stomach  You can tell the jeans are too tight because her fat roll is hanging over.  Needless to say, I have put these pants away.
I took the girls on a little walk so I could call Kathryn and they would still be entertained.  Daisy must have been bored by the conversation (I thought it was a fun and slightly embarrassing conversation...maybe one day it will all be down on paper!)
She looks so cute.

2008 Election

In Heidi's little preschool that my friend and I do we had our own elections.  It was on Tuesday and I let the girls vote for who they wanted.  Heidi hadn't heard anything about the candidate before but she voted Republican (I really do think it is a part of our DNA).

However her friend, who is an avid Obama fan, picked the winner.  Heidi was pretty sad that her guy lost but Jayden was very excited about the outcome.  (Even though the McCain is blackened in, she put the X in the Obama box)

We Don't Say That!

STUPID: ignorant, dense, dim witted, idiotic, foolish, slow, thick, obtuse, imbecile, dumb, dopey, dozy, moronic, pea-brained, half-witted, soft in the head, doltish, boneheaded, thickheaded, muttonheaded, daft, silly, unintelligent, scatterbrained, absurd, ludicrous, senseless, nutty, batty, cuckoo, loopy, cockeyed, harebrained, lame brained.

HATE: detest, despise, abhor, execrate, loathe, dislike, be repelled by, can't bear/stand, find intolerable, shrink from, recoil from.

We have told the girls that "We don't say stupid".  And then while talking to Ben I will say that something is stupid and the girls (Kaylee especially) will quickly remind me that "we don't say that!"  We have also outlawed 'hate'.  I get tired of hearing cooking dinner all day just have them say, 'I hate this.'  Or have them say that they hate their sibling.  But, if Ben and I are talking about things and I say I hate something then I have to hear it from the girls.  So I decided that I should expand my vocabulary.  

Today is also Thankful Thursday.   I am thankful for the Dashboard setting on the computer that lets me look up words so easily.  I am thankful for wonderful weather...wearing a t-shirt in November is so nice!  I am also thankful for my mom.  She puts up with a lot from me.  I am thankful for The Office.  It gives me something to look forward to on Thursdays.  I am thankful that Ben is taking tonight off from studying.  FINALLY a night with just him!  

Pancake Update

Daisy has been meeting a few milestones this week.  

She rolled over on Saturday.  Just her front to back but she is getting close to going back to front.

She also has started laughing at people.

She is also eating-she is a pig.  She eats a ton and then cries in between bites because she wants the food to be constant.  She loves food though.  She even loved her peas the other day. 

She now weighs 16.6 lbs.