A Bunch of B.S.

(that's Brent, Shayla, Brighton and Seth)

Jamie's sister Shayla and her hubby Brent sacrificed their sanity and dragged there two lil men on a plane to come out and visit us. It was a treat having them here, even better than the Blue Bell ice cream Shay introduced us to (which was dang good)!

We spent a day with the "bishes" at the Georgia Aquarium! Our family bought season passes so anyone that comes in the next year, we'll take you to the aquarium. Fun place!

We had a day of sunshine and relaxation, enjoying the cousinly love that abounded

(by the way that is NOT Emma in the bikini, that's our neighbor)

Emma fell madly in love with Baby Seth. One look into those blue eyes and she was smitten! She wanted to hold, snuggle, entertain and feed this baby all week. She even offered advice to his parents on why he was upset and what they were doing wrong (amateurs :o) )

The kids loved the playground and fountains at Centennial Olympic Park, well except Andrew. It looked good, but one squirt from that fountain and he ran away crying. Brighton was by far the bravest, jumping through the upcoming sprays. Thatta Boy B!

But alas, all good things must come to the end. Now we're moping around our house in our pjs with mounds of laundry, eating mac n cheese and left-overs, and breaking up fights between siblings missing their cousins...sigh. We miss ya'll! But I guess the summer has just begun and there will be more adventures around the corner.

How sweet it is

What is it about this sleeping babe that makes me sigh sweet motherly sighs of contentment? Is it those chubby cheeks pressed against his dimpled hand? Is it those pouty lips that become misaligned? Is it that fair skin? Is it the way he tucks his knees under and curls into a ball? Is it the way he wraps his little arms around my neck and squeezes when I carry him to bed and he whispers "I love you too mommy" giving me warm slobbery kisses. Or is it just because this is the only time Weston's feet are down and he's lying so still and peaceful? Whatever it is, something brings my lil heart unmeasurable joy every time I see this slumbering sweetheart.

Flat Emmy's Adventures in Albany

Flat Emmy hit the jackpot! Her last (as opposed to old) primary teacher is a flight attendant so Emma's getting in some travels here. We love Sister Annie and she has a fun new take on the Flat Emmy Project. She's been sending stories of Emmy's adventures. Fun! So here's Sister Annie's

"Flat Emmy's Adventures in Albany"

(okay, she didn't actually call it that)

Flat Emmy came to Albany and was surprised to find out how nice it was even though it is one of the oldest cities in the USA. It is more important than New York City because it is the capital of New York

All of the buildings are very old because the Dutch came to live there before the English. Why these people liked Albany because it was close to the river Hudson, and people still like the Hudson River today because they walk and run next to it. They also used the water to get food, they had a farmers market next to it, but the market looks like a castle.

Albany is also important because one of the people who helped make the Declaration of Independence was born there.

Flat Emmy liked the Albany because it was older than anything she has seen so far, and there seal had a pilgram and an "Indian" getting along

Flat Emmy in the desert

The ever-loyal Dr. Emma fans, Ron and Carol, were quick to start off Emma's travels. A week ago I got pictures from Washington, UT. and this week I got one from Mesquite, NV. I thought it was cute the way they did it. I was thinking of having people pose with Em, but I like that it looks like she's actually there. Too cute! Thanks guys!

Feel free to do your pics however you like. Don't worry about printing them, you can just e-mail them to me.

Flat Emmy

There's a children's book called, "Flat Stanley" and in it Stanley gets flattened and mailed in an envelope to California. Emma (Dr. Emma or Emmy) wants to visit her family and friends. If you want to help Dr. Emma with her geography and enjoy a fun activity, print out the picture above and cut out Emma then take a picture with her at a place that represents the area you're from (the Strip, the temple, a farm, whatever). Or if you prefer the more traditional Dr Emma picture, print the head below and put it on a stick figure (which would make for a larger, easier to photograph Emma). Send us your pic (mail, e-mail, or post on your blog) and give us your city/town and if you're feeling extra giving include information about your place. Then, we will pin your location on our map and travel the country vicariously through you. It would also be awesome if you could take Flat Emmy on a trip you take so we can have even more pins on our map ("Uncle Nate with the crazy hair", this is for you). Don't forget to include Emma on your packing list for your trips this summer. Alright, let's hit the road and take this cutie with you!

If you have any problem getting these pics, let me know and I'll work on getting you one that works.

Weston's Words of Wisdom-cookies

We made some cookies and I told the kids we need to save some for dad (after giving some to the neighbors and the kids).

Weston, licking chocolate off his face, says, "Daddy doesn't like those cookies. I like those cookies. Daddy likes mustard cookies."

Baking with Dr. Emma

Emma loves helping me cook, especially baking. We were making some peanut butter cookies and I had to refill my container of flour. I got flour all over my black pants.

Mom- "Oh man, I should have worn an apron too!"

Emma- "Sorry I didn't get another apron, I just thought mom's were careful."

Mom- "Not this mom. This mom's messy."

Emma- "I guess you're not a real mom then."

Darn, I guess I'll have to give up my other blog, entitled "Real Moms."

After the flour had settled we were rolling our dough into balls and rolling the balls in sugar (which reminds me, my neighbor girls, ages 7 & 8 were over today while we were making cookies and asked me how cookie dough tastes because they'd never had cookie dough before. Is that not weird?!). I told Emma I'd roll the balls and she could do the sugar. When we started the second batch she reminded me, "Remember you're going to roll them and I'm going to sparkle-ate them."

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.

Andrew sends kisses

Here's some kisses and smiles for all the friends and family we're missing (and the ones we're fortunate to see regularly)! Because even though I'm the one wanting to send out the love, a video of me doing this wouldn't be nearly as cute! We are so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people! XOXO

P.S. Sorry for my little outburst. I wasn't yelling at Andrew. Weston threw a ball at my head while I was filming. Rude! But if you listen you can hear him say, "Sowy Mommy."

Why We Love Gina

20-something years ago today (yes, I do know how old she is, just thought she might not want her age plastered across the internet), Gina Rochelle Cannon entered the cruel world and instantly changed it into a magical happy fairyland where dreams come true. Cyberspace (don't laugh Brent, the term is making a comeback) isn't nearly large enough to contain the list of reasons we love Gina and are happy she is among us. But that won't stop us from listing a few, will it? Some of the reasons I love and adore her:

*Big brown eyes
*She takes teasings, and dishes them out too
*"The other day ago"
*Puts up with kid craziness all day
*Once she has the kids down, she puts up with Jamie all evening
*When she's laughing really hard, you can't hear a sound
*She inspires me to be a better person
*She has solid faith
*Her faith is not dead. It is accompanied by innumerable good works
*She inspired Jennifer Garner's looks
*She makes me laugh
*She laughs with me
*She laughs at me
*She let's me look at her teeth
*She's smokin' hot
*She falls asleep in two seconds
*She makes snoring sexy

How about you? Why do you love Gina? I know, I know - where to begin? Just list a couple of reasons. Thanks!

Emma's animal lunches

Emma entertains me with her little games and activities. I came in the playroom and found all her animals set up in front of the plastic foods she was feeding them. She knew what each of them would eat. I love the pig smiling at the birthday cake but my favorite is the rooster sitting down to his chicken dinner. hmm.

Anyone want to claim these children...