Heritage Park

Today was park day at Heritage Park. Dallin and Ava came with Madeline and I to the park. They had a great time. We really like Heritage Park.

Madeline and Dallin eating snacks in the tunnel.

Dallin, Ashton, Madeline, Madison, and Ava

Maddy and Dallin racing each other down the slide.

Fun playing on the rope.
Ash and Ashton spinning around.

Madeline with J.V., Ash, and Dallin.

Madeline was such a great helper today. She pushed Dallin and Ava in the swings. I didn't have to do anything but watch. They had so much fun with Madeline pushing them that they were laughing. My favorite was when Maddy was giving them underdog pushes. It was so fun to watch.

All Dressed Up

We have quite the selection of dress-ups and Madeline and her friends love to dress-up. I, of course, love to see the costumes they come up with. I especially love to see them walk around in high heel shoes and walk on the tile. Madeline usually trips with the shoes on.

Madeline the flapper girl and Dallin the Pirate.

Brooke found a shaker and a wand.

Dallin sporting heart-shaped sunglasses (and they kept falling off so he had to tip his head up for a picture).

Play Day at the Sprinkler Park

We had a fun play day at the Sprinkler Park today. It is starting to get so hot and humid in Florida. We are having record breaking temperatures for the month of February. Madeline had fun playing with all of her friends. They especially loved filling cups with water as you can see in some of the pictures.

Maddy and Dallin

Dallin, Maddy, Presley, Dallin, and Ava

Ava, Maddy, Dallin, Avery, and Brooke

Ava and Maddy filling cups with water and Brooke trying to grab the water.

The cups were a hit.
So much fun!

Goofing off at the park.

Madeline and Dallin
Brooke

Sleep Tight

We always go and check on Madeline before we go to bed. Sometimes we take a picture if she is sleeping funny. I don't know how she can sleep like this. It suprises me that she has never fallen off a bed while sleeping.

Pretty in Pink

These are just a few pictures I took of Madeline after church

because she looked so cute dressed up in pink.

Bodies

My friend Heidi's birthday is coming up so her husband, Kevin, flew Leah (Heidi's sister) to Florida for her birthday. He wrapped a large tote with wrapping paper and put Leah in it so Heidi could open it. Kevin woke Heidi up early (like 6:00am) to open her present. Heidi was sure suprised.
Heidi, Leah and I got to go to the Bodies exhibit going on in downtown Ft Lauderdale. I've taken several anatomy classes and was so fascinated by the exhibit. The following is what the exhibit entails:
The museum is set up so that one starts at the skeletal system, and more layers (muscular, nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems; as well as fetal development and the treated body) are added in successive rooms. The exhibition uses real human bodies that have been preserved permanently by a process called "polymer preservation" so that they will not decay. Some of the specimens are arranged so that they are performing activities such as playing basketball or conducting an orchestra. Along the way are other displays showing a human intestine stretched out, the polluted lung of a smoker, and all of the arteries and veins without the body itself. One section includes several fetuses in various stages of development. All of the fetuses died due to miscarriages, and the disorders which caused each are highlighted.
My favorite part of the exhibit was the circulatory system because you can see all the arteries and veins and they are injected with a dye so they are colorful. Our bodies are truly amazing.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I just wanted to post my favorite sugar cookie recipe since it is Valentine's Day. I love making sugar cookies for Valentine's Day.

Soft Sugar Cookies
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add milk and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add to other mixture. Refrigerate dough at least 2 hours. Roll dough about 1/2 inch thick and cut with desired cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool and decorate. For perfect sugar cookies, I love using Silpat mats over my cookie sheets.

Fun day at the Zoo

My friend Jen and I decided to go to the zoo today because we knew that both of our husbands would be studying all day. The kids had a lot of fun. They loved the sprinkler park and we spent most of our time there. It was a perfect day to run through sprinklers because it was so humid!

One of the zoo workers put some peanut butter on this log so the bear would eat it. I think this is the first time i've ever seen the bear awake. On all of my past visits to the zoo, the bear's always asleep.

Madeline and Dallin are making funny faces.

The kids having fun at the park and the sprinkler park.

Madeline and Dallin trying to run away from the sprinkler.

The best way to end a fun day at the zoo is to feed the Giraffes.

Madeline's Favorite Time

Madeline loves taking baths. Her favorite thing to do is line up all of her ducks on the edge of the bathtub (she has about 10 rubber ducks). I like this picture because she is surrounded by bubbles. She loves to lay back and float in the water.

The Three Musketeers

Our friends (the Chisholms) came over for dinner one night this week. I like this picture of Madeline, Dallin, and Brooke because they are all wearing bibs. If one wants a bib on, then the others usually want one on also.

So Creative

Madeline having "quiet time." She lined her little people up.

Her little people are dancing.

Her little people lined up (now if they were numbered right, I would really be worried).

This is a picture of teddy bears holding hands. It is a puzzle we have where you can dress the teddy bears (shirt, pants, shoes and faces with different expressions on them). Madeline did a great job of lining them up so perfectly. Definitely picture worthy.