January's Worst Disaster

If you are on facebook you probably saw my mineral makeup

post. While I was at work the mouse came out to play. Yeah, the carpet looks just as bad. Good thing Mike already had the pint of stain accident and Delyana had already had the broken red fingernail polish incident on said carpet, so we could just laugh (when she wasn't looking.) Someday I'm going to find a screaming deal on wood flooring and replace it. Until then, I just shake my head every time I walk over it and wonder what she'll do next. Oh wait, I alreay know. There have been several incidents. Last night she somehow mangaged to take Cailah's five new bottles of fingernail polish to bed with her. Kristin discovered her at 10:30pm with all five open. She had painted her hands and legs and part of her bedding. This morning she was up before us and found the polish in the bathroom where Kristin had tucked them away for safekeeping. Then broke one and used two others to beautify the counter. Honestly. We need eyes in the back of our head for this child. Anyone know where to get one of those tent things that keep kids in bed?

Cheerleading 101

They announce the cheerleaders before the game. They get to run in waving their pompoms and then they line up and cheer the basketball teams as they run in. Kind of fun.

We are learning many new things this year. One is to be cheerleading supporters. It's a little odd going to a game to watch the cheerleaders, but we're getting the hang of it. We put ribbons in hair instead of pony tails and fluff pom poms instead of shooting practice. But she's having a great time and I'm glad for her. We have a mini cheerleader at our house too. Every Saturday Delayna grabs the volume raising cheerleading product, and yells "go upwards, go" through the house until it's time to go. Cracks me up.

The End of Christmas Vacation

Goodbyes are our least favorite time of vacation. Cailah say's "I'm not letting go." Stem the tide Cailah dear!

Just case they are so stinking cute! I think they look a little alike here. What do you think?

Grandma and Grandpa gave the kiddos Little Toot for Christmas. And Grandpa gets to read it. Sorry, no parrots in this one Grandpa :0)

Slightly distracted by the camera. It does it every time. But she'll end up back on Grandpa's lap. I need a lapel camera for this one. I never get in action shots with her. She always sees the camera and poses for me.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve excitement

Visit from Christmas Fairy: Check. (Thanks Christmas fairy. You can see they were more than a little excited.)

Children nestled all snug in beds: Check

Fun Gingerbread puzzle from Doug and Ash completed: Check

BSU Graduation

Me and the kiddos, this is partly theirs, and they deserve some recognition too!

Hip-Hip-Horray! It's official, I am a Master of Literacy :0) Not the first Master in the fam, but glad to join the ranks. Few favorite memories from the ceremony: being the first student to enter the arena, the bagpipes, the honor guard's rentition of the Star Spangled Banner, yes and . . ., confetti (yep, we rated confetti) and sharing it with Mike, ABCD, Mom and Dad, Ryan and Kristin. I'm grateful they made me just finish, listened to me whine, babysat, helped with a scholarship at the end and believed I could do it. Thanks!

Where's Ryan?

A little game we like to call "Where's Ryan?" And yes, he is very proud of the second to the last picture. You'll see why.

Grandma and Grandpa Come to Clean

Mom and Dad came to help Kristin for the day. And yes, we got a lot done on the house. It actually is becoming a place that doesn't gross you out to walk into. :0) The good news is that as filthy as it was it is cleaning up really nicely. It's going to be supremely awesome when she is done with it. One of the benefits to her having a major project is we get to have G&G Bell here for Mom's birthday and a work day.

We fixed a yummy dinner of chimichangas on homemade tortillas (thanks Jaime for the very cool Christmas '08 present.) There was just one left and Dad asked if anyone wanted it. Braydon piped up with an "I do." About that time Mom mentions the chocolates she brought and Braydon's ears perk up, eyes light up and he proclaims, "never mind." Ah, a child after my own heart :0)

After dinner, presents, cake, yummy chocolates and decorating the tree, the kids headed to bed and the 12+ crowd to a game of hand and foot. We were sitting there playing when Dad does something he doesn't like and yells out, "Oh nuts!" A few seconds later we hear a small voice say "Gampa, Ohhh Nuts." Yep, Delayna's door was open :0) Then she proceeded to call for Grandpa until he went in, tucked her back in and closed the door. Ah, we must be careful what we utter around here :0)