Brought to you by the number 30, letter B, and trains

So I am finding myself once again having to play catch up on here. Last time we left off, Beckett had started spelling CAT and Anabelle was starting up her photography business. Since then, I have turned 30, Beckett started up school, Belle started teaching an exercise class, and we all have gotten sick.

We will start with Anabelle. She has been very busy. She has traded in her photography business for teaching exercises. Lately she has been taking me to the exercise place (which is Beckett's room), and then has me lay down on the bed. She then has us put our legs up in the air and then we grab our legs and moves them rapidly in and out. The first time we did this, I laughed so hard. I don't know what exercises she has seen me do to give her this idea, but it sure is fun. One time, we had Beckett join us and that was not easy to fit all three of us on there. It was a hoot though.

Anabelle received a tent from my brother's family. His daughters had out grown it and so they passed it along to her. She and Beckett both love it. It is a princess tent in the shape of a castle and it even has little flags you put on top. It is pretty sweet. I probably would have loved it when I was little.

They especially love to watch movies in it. You can see Beckett peeking through the window to watching one.

She is still very much involved in her fashion designs. Here we have a lovely little number:

If you can tell what all is there, she has a pioneer hat on, upside down, a swimsuit that is much too big for her on top of her shirt, accessorized by orange and purple plastic necklaces and a beautiful yellow hand bag.  She is going to be such a famous designer. Maybe Matt can retire early.

The kids have also been into playing with my laundry baskets lately. Belle especially likes to turn them upside down and crawl in and just play in there. Beckett got a picture of her playing in them one time.

It reminds me of when I looked out the holes in the Bridge of Sighs, in Venice.

While they were sick, they made the baskets into little beds and watched movies all snuggled up inside with their blankets and pillows. Such creativity!

Beckett has been super busy. Not only has he been busy taking pictures of his sister (which I discovered was a lot when I put the pictures on the computer from the camera), but he has started school. I found the perfect preschool for him. When I opened the phonebook to start my search for a preschool. I saw one that had a train in its advertisement. I thought to myself, "There is the perfect school for him." I called around to get an idea of how much it would cost for Beckett to start up school and they were all ridiculously expensive (most of them included a meal or two in their prices, but still) and when I called Preschool Express, I was so pleased to find out that they were much cheaper than the rest. Now it really was the perfect school for us. The kids and I went and checked out the school and it was great. The teachers are mother and daughter and they were so kind and fun. They showed me everything they did at their school and how much they teach the children there. I couldn't believe what all they started teaching them (fractions?!). I am really pleased with this school. I have seen some good improvements in the month that he has been going.  Beckett loved his first day. Because it is a train themed school and they have lots of train toys, and he was pretty stoked to play with them. His first day also happened to be the day they had their "Hundred's Day" party. They count every day and each day add another number until they get to 100. Then they have a party. That happened to be Beckett's first day. So it was a fun day with games and cake. The weekend after his first day he got sick though, so he wasn't able to go all the next week. Then that next weekend, he got pink eye, so he wasn't able to go back to school until Wednesday. So he was gone for a week and a half. Luckily, his teachers allowed him to make up those days he missed. He was very excited to go back for his second day, but he hasn't been as excited about going since. I think he realized that he really doesn't get to play with the toys all the time and he has to do work and so he doesn't love it so much anymore. In fact on the way to school for his 3rd day, he asked me, "Mommy, can you go with me?" My heart broke. I hated school as a kid, so I totally felt his pain, but it is so good for him to go. He has learned so much more than I can teach him at home. I have been pleasantly surprised he hasn't had a problem with me dropping him off though. I was so nervous that first day that he would freak out about me leaving him there with a bunch of strangers (we still have a hard time with dropping him off for primary), but he hasn't had any problems at all. He has asked me on the ride to school for me to stay with him, but that is as bad as it has gotten. I am so relieved. 

He has really struggled with writing and coloring. He has never been one to sit down and color. Even in primary, he would give me his little picture they gave them to color and it would barely have been colored on. But I now realizing how important coloring is. It makes total sense now that I see the connection between coloring and writing. So new moms, make sure you take time to sit down and color with your kids (even if they aren't all that interested in it and try to make you do it for them), and help them gain control over that motor skill. He is improving though. Here is a "B" he drew hours before his first time going to school:

You want to know something funny. When I saw him draw this, I thought to myself, "Oh my goodness, his teachers are going to be so surprised at how much he knows without having gone to school yet." Man, was I humbled when his teacher came out with his first worksheet and told me how little he could do. He has improved a bit since then. His last worksheet they gave me, you could see that he tried to color in the right places and even with the right colors. I was so proud of him for his improvement and effort. I have bought a few writing books and things that will help me help him, so I feeling confident that he will catch up with his peers soon.

This is the "first day of school" picture.

The necklace on this beautiful boy is what they made at their 100's party. It has 100 beads on it.

One more thing about Anabelle and Beckett's first day of school. During the morning, after I had talked about Beckett going to school, Belle came up to me and said that she wanted to go to school. I told her that you can't wear diapers when you go to school. A few minutes later, she came in the room without a diaper on. Then I said that she had to use the potty and wear big girl panties. A little while after that, she ran to me and said she had gone potty and was wearing panties. I had to think fast for another excuse. Luckily she isn't three yet, and so I told her she had to wait until after her birthday before she could go. She pouted a bit, but then gave in that she couldn't go with Beckett. It was pretty cute. But I was in a state of shock. I thought, "Is it really going to be this easy? Was school all the motivation I needed for her to want to go potty?" Well, it was short lived. After school, she peed one more time in the potty, but had accidents all the rest of the day. I was a little saddened. I was really hoping we were all done. Alas, we are still in pull-ups. I am thinking about really cracking down after her birthday. Anyways, here is a picture of Anabelle on Beckett's first day:

Notice the long face and the backpack. So sad.

We also have been lucky to babysit for our friend Livia. The children just adore her baby Aspen. Here they are all snuggled up together watching Despicable Me (a very good show if you haven't seen it):

Another cute picture of the kids with some more friends. I couldn't resist snapping this picture.

Beckett had his first field trip last week. We went to Macey's grocery. The kids had a hard time with it at first. Beckett was nervous about going on a field trip all that morning. I think because he just didn't know what they were and didn't know what to expect. Plus, he has always had a hard time with crowds, noise and strangers. And that all was going on and so he was really scared at first. They took us to the dairy section first and into the back to the refrigerator where they stock the dairy. That really made Beckett, and Anabelle, upset. He really refused to go in the butcher shop (which I wasn't too sad about missing). We waited in the front for the group. We looked at the fish and shellfish they have on ice in the display case. I think that helped him calm down because he was willing to continue on with the group and even put on his hairnet. I am sure that the fact that he was going to get a cookie in the bakery had nothing to do with his willingness to participate. He was fine after that and even left my side to go look at things and get samples of food they were giving out. Belle on the other hand was just nervous the whole time. I am sure the next time will be a little easier for both of them. Beckett has even asked if we are going on a field trip again. I wonder if he is going to be disappointed when he doesn't get cookies and cream popsicles on the next one.

Valentines was pretty boring the kids had just started their colds and so we just spent the night at home, which was fun. We watched Red, which was a good movie. I recommend it. And no, it isn't a weird, independent film. It has Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren in it. It is a fun spy/action film. Go rent it if you are in the mood for some laughs and some action.

We also went to the Train Show at the Union Station again this year. It was awesome. They had an entire train set made out of Legos. It was so cool. I couldn't believe all that they had built using Legos. Beckett liked it so much, he just kept moving. He couldn't look at anything for very long because something new would always catch his eye as soon as he stopped. Matt said he was like a crack addict at a needle convention. I think we have just started a new tradition in our family.

I turned 30 in January. I don't feel any different. It wasn't a big deal. I don't think I am old now. The thought that my brother could be a grandpa in 6 years kind of weirds me out, but I don't feel old. It was a pretty low key birthday. I have never been one that enjoys a lot of spotlight, so it was great. I did get to go out with my parents and have frozen hot chocolate at Kneeders in Bountiful. It was pretty good. I rather quite enjoyed it. I got some presents and went on a date. I can't really remember what we did (is that bad?), but I am sure we had a great time. Maybe that is a sign that I am getting old.

I got pink eye with the kids. In fact, twice. That has to be one of THE MOST annoying diseases to have. That burning feeling and you can't itch it or touch it. And it feels like you have a hair poking your eye all the time. Urgg! So annoying. I'm getting all worked up just remembering it.

I have started prepping my flower beds. I am just itching to get started on planting and tending to them. I think this is the first time I have wished that winter would move on its way and let spring move in. Usually I am content to wait until April or May, but this year I can't wait to get my hands dirty.

Matt is doing well. He is still busy with work and school. This week is Spring Break, so that is nice. He is using the time off to read "Two Towers" from the Lord of the Rings. He has been playing a little bit of disc golf with some friends lately. He has really been enjoying that. I can't think of much else to say about him. Things have been pretty quiet for him since last I updated.

I am getting ready for Anabelle's 3rd birthday next week. She wants a princess cake (surprise, surprise), so I am thinking one of those cakes with a Barbie in the middle of it and looks like her dress. Does anyone know how to make one of those? I was thinking of using a bunt pan, but I don't think it will be tall enough to go to the dolls waist. We will have see. Wish me luck!

A way to help

I am sure everyone has heard about the devistation in Japan. I am also sure that a lot of you are feeling helpless, like me. On a friend's blog, he said that he really wished that he could do something, not just watching the tragidy unfold on TV. I feel the exact same way. I have found something we can do and thought I would pass it on. The church is low on blankets for humanitarian aide. DI has kits you can go pick up and make into blankets for the church. Or you could go and buy your own fabric and batting and make some that way. I am going to look into the DI kits next week since they are closed up here in Ogden until Tuesday. Or I would be willing to split the cost of making a few blankets with someone else and help sew them. Let me know if anyone is interested in that.

Yoga and pilates tips

I love Pilates. I have for like 7 or so years (I know, you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at me). It is one of those exercise programs that you can feel you are doing right and feel you are working the muscles. Recently, I have gotten into Yoga as well and I am really starting to enjoy it. I will admit that it was hard for me at first. I am used to aerobics, where you move constantly and your heart is pumping and it is pretty easy to do everything right (maybe not on beat, but I can do it). But Yoga is different. You have to hold your poses for so long.  Your arms burn, you arms feel like they are going to fall off, and your abs kill. But you feel so good when it is over. I can totally see how people say they are addicted to Yoga. And now that I have gotten the flow and feel of Yoga, I am starting to have fun with it.

My friend Livia Taylor has a website that she has created to teach you how to do Yoga and Pilates poses and exercises. She is a certified teacher of Yoga, Pilates, and Pi-Yo (which is just what it sounds, a combination of both Pilates and Yoga), so she knows what she is posting about. She also puts health tips on there. I really like that she puts exercises on there because it helps me think more about how I am supposed to properly perform that exercise. She gives very detailed instructions and makes sure you have lots of options in executing it. I totally recommend you check it out if you do most of your exercising at home (like me), or if you want to read how you are to properly perform the exercises you are doing in your classes.