snake and toads video

Here's the video to go with the last post

Every thing that creepeth (or slithers or hops) upon the earth

Our cool home teachers taught the kids about God's creatures and brought a bucket with toads and a snake. The kids had fun watching and holding them. I'm impressed how brave my kids are. Emma loves holding snakes and doesn't get the least bit nervous letting them wrap around her hand. Me, not so much. I'm also surprised no toads got injured from Weston dropping them and jumping around them.

...and they saw that it was good

Consider the caterpillars in the yard.

I found a caterpillar outside and showed it to the kids. It was dead but Emma still wanted to hold it and carry it around the yard, convinced that if she gave it enough love and found it some food it would be alive. A few minutes later this conversation played out:

Emma-"Weston lost that caterpillar. So I can't keep it safe"

Mom- "Sorry Emma, it's dead."

Emma- "Bees have wings. Maybe one can find him and fly him to heaven."

Mom- "uhh"

Emma- "Well, I dont think the bee can find him, do you think God can get him to heaven?"

A Boy and his Trains

Weston's birthday was a month ago but I finally took him to the store to spend his birthday money from Nana & Pop. They had a really cool train set marked 50% off so I took my kids to Toys R' Us for the first time in their lives (and dragged them kicking and screaming out of the train section to take Emma to the bathroom-stupid Thomas). This is not a Thomas track (which was why the price was great) but it is compatible with Thomas tracks so we hooked it up with the Thomas set Grandma gave Weston and I haven't seen Weston since (unless he needs me to fix it after the little boys sit on it). He is quite pleased with the selection! Thanks Nana & Pop!!!

P.S. Pop- Weston also got army men for his birthday so when you come to visit you boys can go to town with the trains and soldiers. Maybe you can even make a visit to the train museum.

Emma's crea-egg-tivity

Now that Easter's over, Emma's got some ideas on what to do with those plastic eggs:

1. Crack them into a pan and make scrambled eggs

-she really was cracking them on the edge of the pot first

2. Make a caterpillar

3. Make worms

And what to do with those baskets/ buckets?

Easter classics

Dr. Emma on why we have Easter

I asked Emma to tell me the Easter Story. She gave a fairly accurate account of the major events, telling me Jesus rode on a donkey and the people had leaves and someone got a sword on their ear and then (mysteriously) there was some red stuff, and Jesus said a prayer. I was feeling pretty good that my daughter was getting the true meaning of Easter in her own 4-year-old way and then she got to the end:

"And the lady was sad, because she thought [Jesus] was dead, but he wasn't dead. They were happy because they went outside and there were eggs. And so it was Easter."

Dr. Emma on why our church is cool

Pointing at an article by Elder Holland, "It says here that you get a super free dessert if you watch conference!"

Looking at the same article and associating Elder Holland with the prophet, "It's okay if the prophet dies 'cause you just get another one."

Ready for School

Emma's been asking me how long until she gets to go to school. She knows it's coming up soon and she's excited because she loves learning and being a big girl. And she's definitely ready. She's reading, writing, counting, and doing addition and subtraction. She's growing up and has a couple missing teeth to give her a big girl smile. And she knows who she is and what's right. The only problem is, I'm not sure I'm ready.

When we go out I tote my three kids and the boy I babysit through the store and library and a lot of people make comments about how I must be excited for her to go to school because one less child will lighten my load. The truth is, having her around lightens my load, literally and figuratively. Emma's a wonderful helper. She wants to be a mommy one day so she's practicing taking care of kids and doing mommy things. She tells this to me all the time as she helps cook, read to the boys, gives hugs, and cleans. One day Weston fell while walking home with the neighbors. He had quite a bump and Emma layed on the couch with him and lovingly held an ice pack on his head (pictured below). She sings and dances for Andrew to make him happy during diaper changes and tries to teach Weston how to read and do other big kid stuff.

Click for larger image

Emma's a happy helper and good at it too. She hangs up the shirts and puts her clothes away, cleans the bathrooms and mirrors, puts dishes away, vacuums, puts up toys and books (the right way), sets the table, and all the while smiles knowing this is good "mommy practice." The only downside is the boys have taken a backseat and allow Emma to clean up for them and have gotten lazy. Scared of what this house will look like when Emma goes to school, I've encouraged Emma to teach the boys to clean rather than clean for them. Now she shows them where the toys go and how to put the books up. She will be a great mother! She's a great friend to the boys and I think Weston especially will be lost and sad without her. She's imaginative and acts out big adventure with him. She often dictates every line for him, including arguments.

Emma makes me happy! Not just because she helps so much but she's just delightful! She's witty and cute and just makes me smile. I'm always impressed and pleased with how much she remembers, how quickly she learns and her love for the gospel. I fear I come across as favoring her over my boys because of the amount of blogspace devoted to her. The boys are cute and fun and I adore them but Emma's quotable and easier to describe in writing.

I'm gonna miss this little girl! But I want her to make friends and learn things from other people and learn how to get along with others and stand up for what's right. Emma has this strength and light about her that I know will make her a great little missionary. How could I deprive the world of that? I think school needs Emma just as much as Emma needs school.

Dr. Emma on encouraging and punishing simultaneously

Emma and Weston went to use the bathroom before bed tonight and were in there quite awhile when Emma came rushing out with her "I'm so priviledged to report my naughty brother's actions" face. "Weston threw his crayons in the potty!" she exclaimed and then rushed back in to watch and reinforce the inevitable punishment. Jamie was kind enough to take this one on and Emma came out to talk. She explains to me that, "Weston did go pee so we have to cheer for him but he threw crayons in it and that's bad so we have to have a mad face when we cheer. We have to be both happy and mad for him. I don't know how to do that, 'cause that's kinda twicky for kids." Then she proceeds to practice the "mad cheer", frowning while yelling "hurray" and pumping her arms.