Some Pictures

I finally was able to get a picture of the girls in their matching dresses. Natalie wasn't in a the mood to have her hair curled or her picture taken, so she looks a little helter-skelter. But she's still pretty cute. Claire, it seems, already knows what to do when a camera is in her face. Heaven help us.

Interesting metaphor.

Sunday afternoon we were headed to dinner at the in-law's, and Caleb suddenly brought up an interesting metaphor (or is it a simile that uses like or as? I don't remember). He said, "A runny nose is like the Red Sea because they get apart. Then when they get dried up they turn into boogers." I guess I missed that part in the biblical account. But it made us laugh.

An ode to OxyClean

Isn't it interesting how adding one little tiny person to the family causes laundry to increase ten-fold? My laundry is never ever ever done. Although it isn't taking over my house because I have a really great laundry room. But I honestly don't know what I would do without my bucket of OxyClean. It takes out every stain if you soak the item of clothing long enough. Blood out of a pillowcase, baby poop out of baby clothes, grape juice out of white sweaters.

Actually there is one thing it doesn't work on--ink. I learned this the hard way when I washed a red pen a couple months ago. That was annoying.

I don't know how people survived before the invention of the washing machine. I am just glad I didn't have that trial. Thank Heaven for modern conveniences.

Hoppy Spring

I'm sitting here looking out my kitchen window and watching a little bunny hop around my backyard. I'm sure its looking for something to eat, and all we have to offer is some dried-up sage brush. Maybe I'll throw some carrots out there.

We're really hoping to get our yard in sometime this spring, but its going to be such a HUGE project that its somewhat daunting. Our plot of land isn't huge, but its going to be perfect for the kids once we actually have grass and a sandbox area and a swingset. I'm excited to get some flowers in, and maybe even a few vegetables, but the vegetable garden will probably have to wait until next year. But we'll see how it goes.

Easter was fun. I made the girls matching dresses. I was really proud of myself because I didn't call my mom one single time. Thats an accomplishment. I had borrowed my sister-in-law's machine because I didn't have my own. The next day Chad decided he wanted to buy me one of my own, and that THIS was the one to get me. Its sew nice! (Haha. Look, I was clever). So now I want to make curtains and pillows for my living room. So I have to decide what I want to do.

Anyway back to the dresses. I really wanted to take a picture of the girls, but I just didn't get the chance before church (9:00 church, three kids to get ready, husband at meetings... at least I wasn't late!). Then Claire had a blow-out during church and had to have her clothes changed. So pictures in Easter dresses just didn't happen. But next time they both wear them on the same day I'll get some pictures. But they looked really cute.

Our Easter Egg Hunt was done at Chad's parents house. It was really funny... we had divided the eggs in half and put C or N on each one so they both ended up with the same number. But Natalie kept picking up the same egg--one of Caleb's--and saying "Nope, not this one!" Then she's try giving it to Caleb. But he wanted to find it for himself, so he'd put it back where she'd found it, then walk away. When he finally "found" it for himself he acted completely surprised. It was so funny.

Just a warning.

Do you ever read those blogs that, no matter what they say, its always clever and entertaining? Well, thats not me. I'm pretty much a boring writer. I would have to think LONG and HARD about how to make something sound clever, so I just don't bother. But hopefully I'll be able to share a little of what its like at our house sometimes. Enjoy.

Getting with it.

So everyone has been after me to add more to our blog, so I decided to do it today. I really should be cleaning the bathrooms or doing laundry. But now that I've taken the time to actually do something with it, I'll try to add things periodically. Maybe. I don't LOVE LOVE LOVE this layout, but couldn't figure out how to do much more. If anyone has suggestions, let me know. Thanks!

Natalie (from 1/10/2007)

(Talking to the large, stuffed Mickey Mouse toy, overheard by Yana): "Yes, I know your nose is bigger than my nose… but my mouth is bigger than your mouth, Look! See! (Gaping her mouth in front of Mickey so he can see."