Slick Stuff: Wonderful Every day Life!

Saturdays are a special Day at our house.

Not only is a day to get ready for Sunday but it's a day to recover from the busy week and get our house back in order. Sometimes we each work our own assigned "Zone" or sometimes we all work together in one room and move throughout the house getting it all done. Either way we blast our music and try to make it as fun as we can. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try to make it fun or how big the bribe it's a painful experience. It seems like there is ALWAYS one person who has to be grumpy.

I'm not positive, but I think this Saturday in November it might have been this girl. Hmmmmm, what do you think?

On Sundays Ady likes to pick out my outfits for me. Sometimes if she's on the ball in getting herself ready she likes to fix my hair too. I usually welcome the opportunity to have Ady fix my hair. That's my prime opportunity to get her to talk. She's not one for meaningful conversation so I have to catch my moments with her when I can get them. She can do my hair any day if it means we can BE together and chat. She really does have a lot to say if you catch her at the right time.

One family Sunday dinner we celebrated 3 things. Maryn's graduation from her "school," Emmy's birthday and my birthday. Signs, special plates and everything. Love my family who always wants to find any opportunity to have a party.

I had tons of Young Women's stuff to do one Saturday afternoon. I took the kids to the church with me and let them hang out while I worked in the library. When I came out to check on them there were some playing basketball in the gym, some doing theater on the stage and some playing Primary with the microphone. Everyone was happy and I got a lot done. Who knew that empty church buildings could be so delightful for everyone?

I love it when Maryn wants to snuggle. She's my special pal these days. This day she was in a silly tired mood where she plopped right down on my lap and nestled in for some lovin'.

I helped her finish her dinner.

And then she turned into a spaz so she had to get off my lap.

The first week of December we took the Young Women to see the lights on Temple Square. I get speechless sometimes when I talk about these girls. I feel so much love for them. They are wonderful and crazy and so much fun!

This was such a nice activity for all of us. Even though it was freezing, we got our hot chocolate and that warmed us clear down to our toes and carried us through to do some more outdoor walking in the cold.

I LOVE being with my 2 girls during these type of activities.

As we were posing for this picture Taylor Johnson, my cousin walked right up to us and got in the picture. At first we thought he was a rude stranger because I didn't recognize him with his hat on, but when I saw it was Taylor we hugged and jumped up and down. It was a grand reunion.

Our little elf, Zap came to join us during Christmas. Mostly he just sat on the shelf but occasionally he was found doing something clever. He knew that if he was high maintenance he would have to go downstairs in time out for the whole Christmas season.

The kid's school had an art display.

Ady had the most awesomest self-portrait.

She loves her art class and I love that she is developing this great talent of hers.

Emmy did a lovely ocean scene.

Kaden made a jungle scene with a rhinoceros.

We had Jeff over for dinner and Maryn wanted to take a picture. She said it just felt good to have us all together around the table and she wanted to remember it.

I mentioned my good friend Koni a couple of posts back. She took me out to breakfast for my birthday. I love that we can do stuff like this now because heaven knows we couldn't get together when she lived in Virginia and I lived every where else in the country.

Out of the blue one day I got a call from one of my favorite missionary Elder friends, Chris Hughes. He said that his wife, Melissa who reads this blog (Hi Melissa, thanks for reading), told him to get in touch with me so we could go out to dinner together. They tried a few different ways to get a hold of me and their persistence finally paid off. We went to dinner on December 20th to the Garden in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Chris was still the crazy, funny and super nice person that I remember him being. We had fun talking mission memories. I served with him in a VERY small village. It was one of the most boring, overworked places in Portugal. There was his companionship, my companionship and a FUN senior couple. It was probably one of the funnest times in my whole mission. I loved getting to know Chris' wife, Melissa too. She's awesome! Let's get together again.