Billy Blind Cleaners I'm Not

I found time today to actually do the some "Spring Cleaning" that's been on my list of things to do for a while now. As much as I dislike cleaning windows and blinds, I really love the end result, just wish it would last longer.
I had to laugh though, as I was cleaning the blinds in my bedroom window, I couldn't believe what I saw. Pulling up to my neighbor's home was this big ol' white truck with "Billy's Blind Cleaner" plastered on the side. For a split moment I thought my dreams had come true and someone else was coming to clean my blinds for me, but alas, it wasn't true. If I wanted to have clean blinds, I was going to have to do it myself. To all those lucky people out there that actually have someone else clean their blinds, "Can you really enjoy your clean blinds as much as I enjoy mine?"


Just because it made me laugh....and I didn't want to forget it!
Yesterday Aaron was outside playing on the playground when he dropped something and exclaimed, "CRAP!"
I quickly turned to him and said, "Aaron, I don't think that's something we should say."
Aaron looked at me and very seriously said, "Okay, how about 'HOLY CRAP?'"

Another fun weekend

Last weekend we were able to go to my parents' and spend time with Cameron and Miranda as well as see Margett and the kids before they all headed back home. Our stay included good food -- of course, playing grandma and grandpa's new wii (thanks to Cameron and Miranda), four-wheelers rides, Car Legos, throwing Easter Eggs up on Giraffe Hill, and stringing beads.

Mom made sure we enjoyed ourselves and let the girls make a beaded watch. They turned out super cute, at least I thought we did pretty well. I didn't even think about getting any photos of most our activites. I think we were just having too much fun.

Alex loved meeting his new cousin. They were born all of 14 days apart. The two boys got all decked out in their matching outfits. They were funny to watch with each other. Get them too close to one another and soon one would be sucking on the other's fingers or one would be pulling on the other. I'm sure they'll be great friends as the grow up.

After weekends like this, I really wish that my siblings lived closer. We are all spread out across the nation...good thing are hearts are knit together with love.

My New Adventure

I flew under the radar for six months and enjoyed just going to church and not having to worry about Sharing Time or if all the Primary Teachers would be there. It was good while it lasted. One Saturday morning about a month ago, I received a call from the Stake President who asked that Mark and I meet with him later that evening. Needless to say, that's not my way to start off a Saturday. The rest of the day was filled with worrying about what it was he wanted to see us for. I was convinced that he was giving Mark a new calling.

As it turned out, the calling was for me. Uggggh! A new program would be implemented for the Young Men and Young Women, and I was asked to help out. Our stake has very few youth, a total of 32 MiaMaids. Our Stake President has asked that we combine the mid-week activities or mutual with the six wards and do this by age-groups. I am the Stake MiaMaid Committee Leader, which in short means I oversee the MiaMaids' weekly mutual activity, and chair a committee of six Young Women 1st Counselors from each ward.

I haven't been in Young Women's for a while now...it's been fun to back. We've only had one activity so far, but I look forward to working with the MiaMaids. Haven't served with them before, always been with the Beehives.

If anyone out there has any great ideas they would love to pass on, I'm all ears!!

6 months old

Is he really 1/2 way to one?
Here's the little guy's 6 month stats...
Height: 27 1/2 inches
Weight: 16.7 pounds



Today I retired his swing and in its place is his highchair. I didn't think the house was ready for one more baby item without getting rid of something first. This little guy is taking over with all his contraptions!
I also fed him some rice cereal for the first time. He wasn't sure about it all at first, but then he seemed to enjoy it more as he continued. All this means to me is that he isn't going to stay my little baby for long...

Playing Tricks

I thought I learned my lesson way back in high school, that some April Fool's jokes are just not that funny. Apparently, I forgot.

I don't remember whose idea it was, Meridee's, Anneke's, or mine. All I remember is that I was the one chosen to talk, or should I say, cry, on the phone to Meridee's mom. After we let her in on the joke, she let me know that we weren't funny at all. I think that was the only time I ever heard Sandra raise her voice. She wasn't impressed by our April Fool's joke.

Today Ethan told me he didn't think my joke was very funny either, and he didn't want me to play jokes on him again next year.

Dinner time rolled around and I told the boys since it was April Fool's Day, we could eat backwards and have dessert first. Yes, we would start with dessert - cupcakes!!! Ethan thought this was GREAT, until he got a closer look. They were very suspicious and soon realized these were not your ordinary cupcakes -- they were "beefcakes." Yes, a yummy meatloaf cake topped with mashed potato icing. I thought they were actually rather tasty!! Ethan just couldn't get over the fact that we really weren't have cupcakes....

I told them they HAD to eat their dessert in order to get their dinner. They thought that was funny! I didn't have any complaints tonight on "dinner." Dinner was complete with mashed potatoes and gravy (ice cream and grandma's caramel sauce) --side note here, Aaron and I pulled this one last year, and Aaron thought it was the best joke ever!!! I had to do it again! -- fish sticks (cream wafer cookies covered with icing and graham cracker crumbs), and peas (Apple AirHeads, shaped into little balls - or what was left of them after Aaron found them and shared them with his friend Isabelle).

Overall, I still think I'm pretty funny, and I had a fun time doing this for the boys, even though I'm beginning to think it was all just for me. Either way, I'm guessing this time next year I'll be trying to think of something else to feed my boys on April Fools Day!!