Just a thought...

I love reading Dr. Seuss books with my kids.

We recently came across this nugget of wisdom...

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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who don't mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

-Dr. Seuss

Day out with daddy...

This is what happened when I said to Alex, "hey, why don't you and Ben get haircuts today while you're out"....

Pretty sure I said HAIRCUT, not BUZZ!!

How many is too many?...

Alex has mentioned more than once that he thinks our children have way too many pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals. My hoarding nature of soft and cozy things tends to disagree. However, when the young women in our ward had a blanket drive a few weeks ago, we asked each child if they would be willing to donate one of their warm blankets to a child who may not have one. They didn't hesitate, and my heart was warm! It was so fun to watch their smiles as they put each blanket in the donation box at church.

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Tonight while kissing them good night, I thought for a moment that they do indeed have too many blankets...but just for a moment. The more blankets you have, the more you can share. They've each started picking the next blanket they want to donate.

Oh to freeze my little ones...safe and warm in bed.

Yesterday was Rachel's 10th birthday!

She ate her favorite for breakfast...eggs and toast. At school, she gave a book report. It always makes me a little nervous when Rachel chooses 'Other: BE CREATIVE' from the options on her assignment. She picked the book 'Judy Moody, The Doctor is In' and acted out a scene when Judy has bugs in her hair and is doing surgery on a zucchini. She said when she was finished everyone clapped really loud and said it was the funniest book report ever! Rachel is a delight and we are so thankful she is in our family.

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Rachel loves elephants! She has studied several books about elephants and knows so much about them. For her birthday, she received several stuffed elephants to add to her HERD. We also went to Funfinity in Springville where she built an elephant she named Lilo. She put wishes, kisses and giggles in Lilo before they closed her up . It was a lot of fun (and much cheaper than Build a Bear). Thanks to Grandma Lynda for the BIG Elephant, Ramoo.

We went to dinner at Cracker Barrel with Grandpa and Grandma Mel and Grandma Venita and then home for cake and ice cream. The kids looove there grandparents!!

~A few pics of the Birthday Girl~

Happy Birthday, Rachel!! We love you!!

No worse for the wear...

As much as I try to skip this day every year, another birthday has come and gone! Thank you, thank you for all the birthday well wishes from family and friends! Thanks to Georgia, Emily and Corinne for being the breakfast kidnappers! No better way to start your birthday than with Eggs Benedict and a Diet Coke from IHOP. If you haven't tried this scrumptious treasure...you must!

Heres to enjoying 42...

Getting ready...

Today is the day!

Ben has been counting the days until the father and son's sledding activity at Jolley's. Putting on a shirt, pants, socks, snow pants, boots, gloves, and a hat can be exhausting...

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I asked Alex if he would take pictures of Ben sledding...says he's allergic to cameras. I've tried, there's no changing the man I love.

Thanks Grandma for the snow pants and gloves!

Ummmm, mom....

I went outside this morning to take a picture of this...

and this...

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Rachel came outside and said, "ummmm....mom...that's an 'interesting' outfit!" I told her that I was going to dress like this for parent teacher conference today. It might help her teacher understand "where she gets it from"!

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Sooo...heres to all my pride going out the window...with each passing year...

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(photos by Rachel)

Did I mention how STINKING COLD it is outside?!!