Aren't big sisters the greatest?

Happy Birthday Eli-Belle

We just cannot believe that Eli turned 4 the 2nd of this month. How did that creep up on us so quickly? She is so enjoyable and we don't know how we ever survived without her. We started out the day with a Happy Birthday doughnut.

We were lucky enough to not have school that day. . . a Professional Development Day, so we had all day together! You can be sure that Eli reminded us every several minutes that "Today is my birffday so . . . " and then she would complete that sentence. I have to say, I've never met anyone who ensures that she's treated as the princess for the day like Eli did. She guarded that title very very carefully. We spent the evening at the movies, which is a rarity for us. We saw Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler. That movie is so so so great! We all loved it, Mom and Dad included. If you get the chance go and see it. It's one we'll own, for sure. We had a great day with our Eli-Belle.

We planned her birthday party for later that week, and because of the sheer numbers of those attending, (just cousins, Aunties, Uncles, and Grandpa and Grandma) we've decided that we pretty much do birthday parties at the church in the gym. It makes for great fun, the kids have tons of room to run around, and it makes for easy cleanup. This year Eli had a Valentine's party kind of theme. We had so much fun as a family, making the cupcakes, all the different colors of frosting, and of course decorating them with candy hearts and fun sprinkles. They don't always turn out the way I would do them, considering that I'm a bit of a control freak as far as the amount of sprinkles per cupcake and frosting to cupcake ratios, but I learned a while ago that it is so much more fun this way.
Besides, according to the kiddies surveyed, I don't think they care. A cupcake is a cupcake. Right, Tori?

Our two activities this year were so much fun. We did a craft activity. In planning it sounded fun, but after spreading everything out I wondered if I'd created a potential catastrophe. Each child was painting and decorating wooden plaques that they could take home with them. Everyone did a great job, and all without any incident...especially amazing seeing how I forgot to tell the parents to bring shirts for the kids to paint in. Oops.


Here's the finished products.

Thank you Aunt Katie for occuping Ane for me.

Eva just kinda roamed the gym because I didn't have enough hands to moniter her painting. Had I let her, that would have spelled catastrophe for sure. Look at these two cuties...this is Eva with her cousin Aria.

The other activity we had was a bean bag toss. I don't know anyone who doesn't like to try and get the bag in the hole. . . adults included. Although I have to say, there was a Nazi bean bag moniter. . . no need to mention WHO, just look at the pics.

He wouldn't pass out any treats unless they were able to throw 3 out of like 5, or something. What a stickler. And if they had like 2, and the 3rd almost made it in, he'd turn them away. What a meanie. (Just kidding, babe!) Everyone got treats. Here's Eli with hers.
She got some great presents and we know that it can be a sacrifice to always be buying birthday presents for our family. It seems like there's always a birthday. Thank you, all you loving family members near and far. She felt so loved on her special day. We love you Eli-Belle!

A couple of Maileisms. . .

The other morning I overheard Lose telling Eli, "Hey Eli. . .did you know that Grandfather used to be a gunfighter?"

We were talking to Malia about the 8 yr old and older camp this summer that Grandmother and Grandfather are holding, that Line, and not Malia, will be attending. We realized that she may have misunderstood the way it would work. That in fact, she would not only get to attend the following year, but that all those that had attended the previous year would again be participating. Naki said to her, "Just so you know, Malia, ", and then explained it to her. She quickly followed with, "Just so YOU know, I'll be sneaking in Line's suitcase this summer."

I've been trying to make more healthy-conscious decisions in all of our diets, and have started putting some shredded wheat in with their morning cold cereal. After Eli finished her first bowl, she hollered to me, "Hey Mom! Can I have some more hay?"

Last night we had grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner. As we were eating, Malia said to us, "I know why it's called 'girlled cheese'. Because it's for girls and it has cheese in it." Apparently, we really need some boys around here. Even our food has been overtaken by all the females.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you Crazies from all of us Crazies

Naki and I have never been too huge on celebrating Valentine's Day for each other. We both figure that if you can't show your loved one through out the year how much they mean to you, one day to play catch up just isn't enough time. A couple of years ago we started focusing on the kids instead. It's been so much fun. We pick out a special Valentine's card for each girlie, along with some goodies and this year, a little bracelet. We write a special message in each girls' card specifically for them, which I've really grown to love. It gives me a little time to reflect a little bit more on each little angel and what they mean to me. So we started out the morning with some fun cuddling with all of them in our bed and passing out their cards. Naki then took the girlies down to feed them breakfast, and one of them came upstairs with a glass of strawberry milk and this...

Is he cute, or what? We spent a good portion of the rest of the morning and afternoon making and decorating cookies to deliver to the fam.



Here is the finished product of the girlies' creative cookie geniuses.

Y'all know I have sensory issues. . .you should have seen me trying to remain calm and cheerful while walking on my tiptoes since I couldn't stand the feeling of all the sprinkles sticking to the bottom of my feet. What is WRONG with me?!

After naps we made all the deliveries and then scooted home for baths and a shower for mom, finally!, because our Stake had the adult session of church Stake Conference that evening, for which the Javier's lovingly agreed to babysit. We picked up some heart pizzas at Papa Murphy's for one and all to enjoy. Aunt Candy is way to kind to the girlies. . .she picked off the pepperonies that the girls don't care for and left just a little bit on the corner of the heart for those that do like them.



Ummm... I think our kitchen might be getting a tad bit too small...

While we were gone Auntie surprised the girlies by making chocolate covered strawberries, and for Malia who doesn't care for strawberries, she also made chocolate covered bananas. Whooeeee! They were good. . . Thanks Javiers, for giving us peace of mind while we were enjoying ourselves at Stake Conference. We couldn't have asked for a better place to spend the evening with each other.

We hope you all had as great as a Valentine's Day as we did. . . umas to all of you.

Eli and Ane

If it were possible, Eli would be holding, playing, and singing with this babe every minute of every day. But, Ane is a little too picky about the fact that she wants mom to hold her just about every minute of the day, and she's also getting too big and heavy to hold. But this girl is undaunted. She sure loves her Boo.

Movin' on up

I just wanted to post on here how proud I am of Naki. He handles the responsibility of bread winner without complaint and is constantly looking for ways to improve upon that responsibility. After about 2 years working for the State at Slate Canyon, the Youth Correction Facility, he is moving on to a different job for the State. He is the new Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist for all of the area north of Provo Center Street to the point of the mountain, including Heber and Park City area. He started this week on Monday, and has been making his way around the three offices that he will be working out of and is thrilled at all the new things he is learning about. The people he has met have all been kind and professional, and he is loving the new atmosphere and autonomy that he is now working in. Congratulations, babe. I am so lucky to have a husband who tries so hard. You deserve it.

Fibbing...

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I fibbed to my mom last night...something I haven't done in I don't know how long! I figured by telling all it would be traumatic enough and somewhat therapeutic so that I won't ever do it again. It's been horrible. I found myself blurting said fibb out over the phone to her because I was ashamed of the truth, and without thinking whatsoever, found myself in a horrible place. Anyone who knows my mother knows that there is no reason to lie to her. . . she's the most understanding and compassionate person I know. Then, after finding myself in that spot, didn't quite know how to get myself out of it. I felt actually physically sick all night and didn't sleep very well. I woke up and just knew that somehow I had to make this right. Not really hard to do, actually, but just even all that more embarrassing and shameful than admitting the truth in the first place would have been. You'd think that at 32 I wouldn't have found myself in this spot. But I have to say, it's been a great lesson for me in practicing what I preach to the girlies every day. I called her on her way to Denver and blurted out the truth to her, only to have her tell me that she already knew. Duh. . . I am a mother, afterall. A new mother, but a mother none-the-less. We usually know when our kids are lying to us, right?

I'm telling you all this so that you can learn from my painful experience...don't lie to your moms! I'm also telling this to you to pose the question "Why do we do things we know we shouldn't do?". I'm sure that we've all found ourselves in a place where we didn't want to be because of a poor choice we made. You feel absolutely terrible, you wish you could make the choice over again and do it right the second time around. I'm publicly apologizing to you, Mom. I'm so sorry and I love you.