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Monday, February 6, 2012

MONOPOLY

As in the game that my oldest son is extremely into these days. He enlisted an accomplice in his efforts to play 24 hours a day (Corbin) and it is pretty much all Trevor can talk or think about. I love when he gets excited about something.

Book of the Week

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
(February 6, 2012)

I love doing a book challenge because people are so willing to give me recommendations. I LOVE this! I find books that I never would have thought to read but really like. This was one of those. Although it took me 150 pages to really get into it, I thought it was charming. I really enjoyed the main character, Major Pettigrew,and his willingness to cross social boundaries and live life the way he wanted to. I would use the word "sophisticated" to describe this book. I loved the dry, intelligent wit. It was slow at times, but it is cute and light.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

DATE OUT!

Dave and I took Corbin on a date out this week. Usually either Dave or I take one of the kids out just to get one-on-one time with them. Corbin coined the phrase "date out" a couple of years ago. I used to call it date night out and Corbin shortened it. The kids love one-on-one time with the rents. Stuff we do:

go out for ice cream
slushies at Target
Go to the Library and read books
Book Fair
Out for hot chocolate
Bike Ride
Movie
To the store to get a treat

They feel special and ask for date outs all of the time. We love it.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Book of the Week

THE PEACEGIVER
(January 30, 2012)

Life-changing. Eye-opening. Mind altering (in a good way). These are all words I have heard used by other people to describe this book. Truthfully, how could you not like a book about the Atonement? This book was recommended to me by several friends and our Bishop is having all our ward church leaders read it because of it's emphasis on the Atonement. It follows a man who is having struggles in his life and the Atonement and all that is promised to us through it becomes even more clear as you relate it to his struggles. It made me look at people and sin in a way that I never have before. THIS QUOTE came from this book.

TALENT SHOW 2012!

I have to say, this is one of my most favorite events of the year. We started this tradition last year.
We had a few family friends come over and participate with us and it was a good time.
Talents included:
playing and singing with the guitar
kartwheel
piano playing
art display
building a lego in 30 seconds or less
telling jokes
hula hoops
a funny skit
a video with a collection of old photographs
spinning and tossing a cookie sheet
blowing a conch shell
a guinea pig running through rings
a handstand
a magic trick

GETTING READY FOR IT TO START--

DAVE IS NOW FAMOUS FOR HIS COOKIE SHEET SPINNING ABILITIES

HE ALSO PLAYED THE GUITAR AND SANG

AND BUSTED OUT HIS CONCH SHELL

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF HIDDEN TALENTS REVEALED--MATT CAN SING! AND LISA CAN PLAY THE GUITAR?! WHO KNEW?!

AND! KOLBY CAN PLAY THE PIANO?!! AMAZING!

ASHLYN INSISTED ON INCLUDING THE GUINEA PIGS (WHICH WAS CUTE). SHE SAID THEY ARE PART OF OUR FAMILY AND SHOULD PERFORM. WE MADE THEM RUN THROUGH HOOPS.

TREVOR DID AN AMAZING MAGIC SHOW.

CORBIN ROLLED A HULA HOOP, SPUN IT AND THEN HULA HOOPED HIMSELF. AFTER EACH ACT HE HELD HIS HANDS OUT LIKE HE WAS SAYING, "TADA!" SO CUTE.

I WAS THE MC AND MY TALENT WAS MY FABULOUS JOKES. JUST ASK THE KIDS. :)

ASHLYN WASN'T FEELING WELL THAT NIGHT AND SHE STILL PERFORMED. I LOVED HER HULA HOOPING CAPABILITIES!

EMMA DID A HANDSTAND! AMAZING!

ANNIE TOLD CUTE AND FUNNY JOKES AND DID A CARTWHEEL! IMPRESSIVE!

JAXSON WAS ABLE TO CONSTRUCT A LEGO IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS!!

KIMBALL AND MATT WERE ACTORS EXTRAORDINAIRE AND PUT ON A REALLY FUNNY COMIC ROUTINE!

JIMMER TOLD A FUNNY JOKE!

ALI MADE AN AMAZING VIDEO OF ALL OF THE PICTURES OUR FAMILIES HAVE TAKEN OVER THE YEARS. IT WAS SO FUN TO WATCH!

DAVE AND I GAVE EACH FAMILY A STAR TROPHY. LISA TRIED TO ATTACK ALI WITH IT. :)

AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, WE FOUND THAT ELLIE HAD PAINTED HER OWN NAILS! CLASSIC

I CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR!!!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

I love to see the Temple

The kids and I went to the Columbus Temple again last weekend. I love to go. Dave had to work. Bummer. I drove with a friend which made the 2 1/2 hour drive each way go by much more quickly!

We got to see our dear friends, the Rynearson's! I love them and miss them. They lived in Cleveland for a little while and then moved to Columbus. It's fun that we still get a chance to see them when we make it out to Columbus.

Ashlyn was in HEAVEN as she got to spend time with Maddie and Bella. She went to their house for a play date while I was at the Temple and then we all met up for ice cream at Graeter's afterwards along with other friends from our ward.