The Macaroni

Abbie told us she wanted to do the Macaroni tonight. We all sort of sat there then I realized she meant the Macarayna (not certain how you spell that)...you know, that crazy dance people were doing like 12 years ago. Kyle tried to teach it to her a few weeks ago. You saw the original Macaroni up top...below is the dance with Kyle's help.

We Love Signing

We started signing with Abbie when she was about 13 or 14 months old. It took a few months for her to really catch on and become a master. She could sign all kinds of things...colors, animals, people, foods, actions, you name it. Once she started really talking well, she sort of dropped the signing because we could understand her.

We've been signing with Daisy since she was 6 months old and and started signing back a few months ago. She signs more, doggy and milk and is working on mommy, daddy, please, thank you, etc. Abbie has been loving relearning the signs and enjoys doing them with her sister. I think she forgot how she used to sign the songs from an entire CD. We are looking forward to breaking out that CD (I never thought I would say that) so that Daisy and Abbie can start signing with it together.

Nater Tater is a pretty fine signer himself. We gave him Abbie's favorite signing DVD for Christmas a couple of years ago and I don't think he is addicted to it like Abbie was but he is turning a mighty fine signer in his own right.

Sick Girlies

We've had a couple of sick girlies over the weekend. Abbie went to her first Primary activity Friday night where she got to wear her pajamas and eat pancakes. She had a great time but complained of a stomach ache when she got home. She went to bed fine but about 90 minutes later started puking. It lasted most of the night (with mom sleeping on the floor - just got too tough to run into the room to try and catch the puke...easy to just sleep under it). We thought it was food poisoning from the activity (many of you know how I feel about church food) and moved on.

Well, last night about 90 minutes after Daisy went to bed we heard her crying and sure enough puking everywhere. I thought seeing my little 3 yr. old sick was the saddest thing I've ever witnessed until it became the 1 yr. old. She was sick all night long. Poor little guy. It must be some type of bug that found it's way to our house and luckily it only lasts one night but wow, what a mess. I have a tired little girlie upstairs sleeping in after her long night.

Let's just hope the rest of the house remains well.

Peter Pan

Thank goodness for Peter Pan. Although Cars is still Abbie's favorite movie of all time, and we listen to the soundtrack at least 6 or 7 times a day, she has finally agreed to start watching something new and that, my friends, is Peter Pan.

She saw the preview while watching Cars and finally let me talk her into giving it a try. She loves it. Not Cars love but enough to watch it for the last week instead of Cars so I'm good with that.

This morning while walking JAWS at Kyle's school, she asked some fifth grade girls we know to play Peter Pan with her and then assigned parts: Abbie = Tinkerbell; Julia = Wendy; Alora = Michael. Then she threw pixie dust on everyone and told them to fly. They are good sports and played along with her.

I have to say that I love Cars. Of all the "New" Disney or Pixar movies I definitely think it is by far the best. But I have a love for the older Disney movies which probably explains why Abbie's other favorites have been (in order) Winnie the Pooh, 101 Dalmatians, The Aristocats, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp and now Peter Pan. She has never been into the princess movies. I tried Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella but she wasn't interested. So although I know Cars will be a permanent part of our lives, I'm thankful for break, however short it might be.

Our Cutie Nephew Trey

If you need a little lift, check out our nephew Trey's missionary blog. It is located just under "Elizabeth" in our list. If you go to the letters or mail portion of the blog you can read a letter or email he sent his family recently. It's pretty great. I loved hearing how well he is doing and how he is receiving the inspiration he needs to help the folks in South America (story about an old man in the hospital). What a cool kid he is.

I Heart 11 a.m. Church

11 a.m. church is great. We had enough time to get up and get ready without being up at the crack of dawn but still had time after church for a rest (and blog update). Tripp snapped these photos before we sped out the door.

Tomorrow we start back into our routine. Tripp begins traveling again, Kyle is back in school, piano, scouts and basketball and I have work. Thankfully, Abbie doesn't get back into dance, storytime and school for two more weeks.

The only time Kyle smiles for photos is when he is with his sisters...
Daisy, before her three hour reign of terror...

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam. That's right...Abbie started Sunbeams today! She has two darling teachers and is very excited to be in Primary. I can't believe that by September, I'll have one child in Primary, one in Young Mens and one in Nursery. How fast these last five years (our wedding anniversary was yesterday) have gone. Man have I been blessed.

New Years in Cedar City & Red Rock Hike

That's right...we spent New Years in snowy Cedar City. We left Tuesday for a few days with Mama & PapaThom. Abbie & Kyle enjoyed their sleepovers with their grandparents while Daisy coughed all night in the hotel room down the street. Kramer loved being spoiled by his grandparents as well.

We spent the days and evenings hanging out at their house playing games, playing in the snow, decorating a gingerbread train and eating all of daddy's favorites that MamaThom made for him (blackberry jam, lasagna, Italian sausage, cherry delight). New Years Day we watched bowl games with PapaThom while keeping track of everyone's standings in Uncle Charles' football pool. We even had time to swim in the hotel pool a couple of times.

All in all, a wonderful trip. Thanks to Tripp's parents for their hospitality including allowing their grandpuppy to stay, making all of Tripp's favorite MamaThom food and allowing two tiny ones to spend the night (Abbie was only enticed to sleep in the hotel one night).

We returned to Vegas Friday for Kyle & Abbie's first primary activity of the year. Unfortunately, when we arrived home and opened our email we found out it had been cancelled while we were away. O'well, Kyle's Blazer Scout hike was still on for Saturday so the boys (Tripp & Kyle) went up to Red Rock for Kyle's hike today. According to both, it was a success.