Leprechaun Trap

All third graders at Alis school got the assignment to make a "Leprechaun Trap" for St. Patricks day. They had to come up with a design and be able to tell how it would catch a leprechaun. Then the younger grades would come through and get to see their traps and how they work. I thought- what are they setting these kids up for!! Ali was pretty convinced her trap would work and she was finally going to catch a leprechaun! So i helped her with her design and sent her off to school to catch a leperchaun.
When she got home she was a little bummed that NO ONE caught a leprechaun and said the whole thing was a LONG story, but that she was sure she would get one that night at home.
Thank goodness that the Leprechaun did come, but we were only able to catch its boots and gold on the sticky paper she lined the bottom of the trap with!! Maybe next year!!

Shark Bob and Blue Moon

For Valentines day we decided that the kids really would love a pet. I am not quite ready to commit to a REAL pet so we decided on the lowest possible responsibility pet. FISH!!

We took Ali and Cam to pick out their VAlentines Gift and it was so fun. We didn't tell them what we were doing only that we had to go get their gifts. As we got closer to the pet store we gave them clues. And when we stopped in front they were so EXCITED! Cam picked out a yellow beta and Ali picked out a blue Beta. As we were checking out the lady asked Cam if the fish was his and he said, "Yes and his name is SHARK BOB!" So that was how it all started. We have Shark Bob and BLUE MOON. They have been a fun addition to the family and the kids can now say they have a pet!!

Amelia Earhart

this month ali had to choose a Biography to read. She thought about it for a little bit and decided on Amelia Earhart. We read books and watched the movie and it was so fun to learn more about her. Ali wanted to type her whole report, and i was so impressed. I don't think I typed a report till middle school. She has to dress up like her and talk about her in front of the class. She is so cute!!

She wanted to make a poster of pictures to show to the class and this was her finished product!!

Another Surgery Down

On Wednesday Fro underwent "hopefully" his last surgery on his wrist. He hasn't been to work since November and it is driving him crazy. Though he states he LOVES family time, he is such a workaholic that this has been such a huge challenge for him. I think he was just getting used to being back to work since his knee injury last year and then bam he is out for another 6+ months.
He is trying to have a good attitude since finding out that one of the screws that was put in his wrist is in the wrong place and has been damaging his wrist joint. So after consulting with a second doctor on his opinion he had a surgery to remove all the metal from the first surgery and start fresh. So he is metal free now and we are just waiting to see if he gets more feeling back and any more movement in his wrist. Keep your fingers crossed!! His doctor counseled him that he should probably start looking into other professions because he won't have the abilities in his wrist that he previously had and he will always have arthritis!! DANG BIKES!!!

All on her OWN

I have been trying and trying to get a feel for what Ali loves. I have signed her up for many things over the years and there is always something she doesn't like about it to keep her doing it. I have tried many different areas but come up with nada! She loves just being home and chillin'. Which is great, but I don't want her to get older and say "why didn't you make me do anything?" so when she finally got a little excited about violin i waited. I didn't want to just jump in and have yet another thing she didn't like after a week. Finally after asking for a few months I agreed.

I lucked out and got a teacher that one of my patients referred me to who teaches at UVU and is also with the tabernacle choir orchestra. She is great and ali really likes her. I have always deep inside wanted ali to like one or two of the things I love but I wanted her to always choose for herself, and I am so excited she is so excited about the violin also.

Finally after 3 years of asking

Since ali was 5 she has asked for a telescope for Christmas and birthdays. I kept thinking she was just going to grow out of it. But then again it hit the list, and another year later still there. I thought it was so funny because what 5 year old GIRL asks for a telescope. Well my 5 year old. I knew she was to little to really enjoy it but this year it moved from top 10 wants to TOP want. So I finally broke down and got her what she wanted.
There is nothing worse than getting a new toy or gadget for christmas and it won't work. Well that was the problem we were having. Fro took it out and couldn't see a thing. After a few days he finally tweeked a few things and changed out a few lenses and BOOM!!

What we saw was the clearest, most beautiful view of the moon. You could see all the craters and everything was in such fine detail. We were so excited and when it was Alis turn to look she said, " Wow mom there is neil armstrongs feet prints and the american flag!"
Pretty sure we had a good view but I didn't get the luck to see that!! She has enjoyed seeing the sky from a different perspective and even jupiter and 3 of it's moons. It is amazing to me how kids come so programmed with what they do and don't love. She has always found space fascinating.

Starting Young

A neighbor of mine took this picture of Cam in one of our sunday school lessons. He thought it was so adorable that he was studying his scriptures at such a young age. I loved it too and wanted to always remember it.

Ali is in a class which is now officially having scripture races so to speak and poor ali has only her little flimsy book of mormon. She came home after church and said, "Mom can I please get those nice scriptures with the tabs. My teachers had to help me find everything." I felt so bad picturing her being "that kid" that has no clue about where to find things in the scriptures. I immediately told her we would have to get her some of her own now that she was old enough to take care of them. So I took her a few days later to get he own scriptures with tabs. She picked out a quad that she liked and told me she would love to have her name in cursive on them. I thought that would be so perfect since she is learning cursive right now in school. They told us it would be an hour wait and to come back. So we went and bummed around and had some mom and ali time. Then we headed back to the store. She was so excited!! I loved seeing her get excited about her own scriptures. I asked the store clerk to get them for us and we waited. As he came back through the door alis face just lit up. She looked at me with the most excited expression ever and said, "there they are!!!" It was so great to realized that in all my efforts to relay my love for the church and the scriptures it has helped her to realize they are special and seeing that excitement was such a great moment for me as a mom!!