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What To Do When You’re Stuck Indoors for Weeks January 7, 2011

Posted by Emily in : Daily Life, Princess Hannah , 1 comment so far

For the last several weeks, our house has big one big petri dish.  Everyone in this house has been sick with bronchitis (adults) and bronchiolitis (kids) at some point and that has meant A LOT OF TIME AT HOME.

Being quarantined for more than a few days gets old FAST.

My little people have seen more than enough shows on Sprout and Nick Jr. to last them all year, but hey, when your sick, what else is there to do?

In an effort to not fry my kids minds on too much TV, I found a fun website with quick and easy crafts they could do.

Hannah made this darling wreath and she loved it so much, we hung it on her door.  (You can find the craft instructions here.)

We’re starting a little early for Christmas 2011, but we couldn’t help ourselves . . .

These ornaments were so easy and fun to make!  (Find the recipe and instructions here.)

Schooled by My Four Year Old January 5, 2011

Posted by Emily in : Parenthood, Princess Hannah, Thoughts , 9comments

After every studio shoot, Hannah requests that I take her picture.  It doesn’t matter how late it is, how sick she is, what she is wearing, or how messy her hair is . . .

A few days ago after a bridal shoot, Hannah grabbed this dress from her wardrobe and added a white cardigan to make it “mostly white” so she could also be photographed in a “wedding dress.”  She then copied the bride’s poses, like she always does after everybody’s shoot.

She is such a sass and entirely too observant for her own good (or maybe for my own good).  The other night I was putting her to bed and while she was picking out book for me to read to her, I put a little piece of candy cane in my mouth.

I knew it was a mistake as soon as that hard candy hit my mouth, but what was I to do?  Spit out a perfectly good piece of candy?  No!  Obviously not!

I concealed the mysterious small piece of candy quite well up until I sang Hannah her good night song and gave her a kiss on the check.

Bad move.

Instantly, she sat up and said, “MOMMY!  What is that smell?  It smells good . . .”  Her eyes were wide and searching around the dimly lit room.   For a moment, I thought about denying the smell, acting oblivious and confused, but decided to take the honest route.

“Honey, I’m eating a piece of candy cane.”

“Let me see mommy.  Open your mouth.  Is is it blue?”

WHAT THE HECK?!  Is this child clairvoyant or just keeping major tabs on me?  She then looked at me with her big brown eyes and with a stern voice said, “MOMMY!  Are you eating the candy cane Rosie gave me!?”

OK, honestly, I was caught RED HANDED.  Roles completely reversed, I realized I had behaved like a child, eating a piece of her candy without permission and she was ready to lay down the LAW.

This child can give lectures like a pro, so you never, never, ever want her to give you a lecture.

But . . . there I was, ready for the lecture of a lifetime . . .

“MOMMY!  YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO ASK!  THAT WAS MY CANDY!  ROSIE GAVE IT TO ME (OK, in my defense, she got it like two weeks ago and saw it once.  ONCE!) AND THAT IS NOT NICE!  YOU SHOULD NEVER EAT MY CANDY WITHOUT ASKING!  NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER!  MOMMY!  WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”

Being reprimanded by my daughter is not on the top of my favorite list, so as I began to apologize, she stopped me.  She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and and started counting, “One, two, three, four, five, six . . .” until she reached ten (something she learned from Fairy Mary on Tinkerbell) and then she said, “OK, I’m calm now.  It’s OK.  I forgive you.  Mommy, all you had to do was ask and I would have given it to you.”

And with that, I was schooled by my four year old.

That’ll teach me to never sneak her candy again and get caught!  :)

This sassy little thing has been fighting a bad cold (isn’t everyone in Utah?) and last week I took her to the Doctor to get a Strep test done.  I took her to a clinic we don’t visit very often, so as I was half listening to her questions in the car (and trying to answering them), I was actively looking for the clinic.

You see, the problem with national chains, stores, and Insta-care Clinics is they ALL LOOK ALIKE.  That is obviously necessary for brand recognition nationwide, but very problematic for a gypsy like me.  Eventually, EVERY intersection looks the same, and EVERY national chain looks the same.  Just when you think the business you are looking for is on the next corner, you reach the corner and realize the intersection you envisioned belongs in Texas, or Kansas, or New York.  Then you feel like a lost idiot, with a child in the backseat, asking too many questions that require an IQ higher than 120.

When I failed at both finding our destination, and answering important four year old questions, Hannah asked me, “Are you lost mommy?” I told her I was just looking really hard for the Doctor’s office but couldn’t find it.

Brace yourself for this next part because this is the part of Hannah I wish I could bottle up and freeze FOREVER.   She said, “Mommy, did you get distracted because you were thinking about how much you love me?”

“Of course honey.  That is exactly why I can’t find the clinic.”

Oh my.  I want that kind of innocence.  That is 100% self esteem right there folks.  How can I preserve that forever?!

2011 FINALLY Arrived January 3, 2011

Posted by Emily in : Thoughts , 5comments

We had a nice, quiet evening as we rang in the new year drinking Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice™ and watching Persuasion by Jane Austen.  The temperature outside was in the teens, so we were glad we didn’t have any big outdoor plans.

Although, I would like to spend New Year’s Eve at Times Square sometime.  Just once even.  It’s on my bucket list, but most certainly not on David’s list, so we’ll see if/how/when that ever happens.  :)

As the end of a year closes and a new one begins, I find myself reflecting on my past and future.  Things I want to do differently, behaviors and situations I want to change, and ways in which I want to improve myself as a person, a mother, and a wife.  This can be daunting, depressing, and exciting at the same time as I look forward to a future that is not yet written, full of hope.

I’m happy to see the “2010 chapter” in my life close.  Like the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities, “It was best of times, it was the worst of times . . . ” and honestly, I think I would be happy with a very uneventful, mundane year.  :)

The high points for 2010:

I’ll spare the low points because even I don’t need to be reminded of them. As I start out 2011, I have set several personal goals for this year, but since they are personal, I’ll leave them that way and share a few that are not so personal:

So, there you have it.  Out with the old, in with the new.

Happy New Year to all of you!