Firsts

I love "firsts". They are usually exciting, cause to celebrate or milestones that mean we are learning and enjoying life. This week alone was full of them for our family.

The whole family enjoyed our "first" sledding adventure of the year. It was a ward activity out in Mt. Sterling. The hills were huge. The snow was a bit old so it was quite bumpy, but we still enjoyed the exhilaration of flying down the mountain with snow flying our faces!

Here's Hayden and Carson laughing after a not so gentle landing.
Sadie quickly learned the downside of sledding....climbing back up the hill. She has a way of getting a free ride. Here she is with Austin's friend Jeremy Pugmire. There are times I have to remind her that friends actually come over to see her siblings. This was Sadie's "first" sledding experience ever and she seemed to like it and hanging out with siblings and neighborhood friends.

Austin has a slight lego obsession. His "first" was building a set without actually opening the bag. He'd heard of someone doing this, so he had to give it a try. It's actually a good thing since it slows down the process for him, lengthening the building time, which we all know is a great part of the fun of legos! You can also see his purple cheek from a laser treatment...one of the "first" we've done in a long time. Austin also gave his "first" talk in sacrament meeting. He was complimented by so many people, which he deserved since he really did find information and write most of the talk himself. He was also the least nervous youth speaker I've ever heard. I've heard my grandfather was a great speaker....I wonder if that is a talent that can be passed without even meeting the person. The missionaries also spoke and I wondered how many talks Austin will give over his lifetime, today being just the "first" of many.

Sadie has been asking to go swimming and lesson time finally came around. Sadie and Carson are enjoying their "first" lessons together. That is when the pool isn't freezing cold. Sadie is doing great and seems to enjoy the water, although we are constantly praying her swimsuit doesn't fall off. Seriously, how can tights and swimsuits be baggy? And Carson, well he looks cute in his suit and goggles.

I've offered before without Sadie accepting, but this week she came home and requested her "first" peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She loves peanuts so I explained how peanut butter is squished peanuts. The jelly wasn't a hit, so we've eliminated it. This girl does love to eat, so we are always happy to find a new favorite.

Sadie is also speaking with sentences for the most part, including slang phrases "I just kidding", "Oh my gosh" or "Seriously!" It's very cute. At school, she is sounding out simple words. I am amazed, the teachers are impressed and Sadie is very proud of herself...as she should be. Six months and she's sounding out words, not to mention totally understanding the addition concept.

Sara was passing the time shopping with me and borrowed my cell phone to send her "first" text message to her dad. I'm guessing there will be just a few more of those in her future! A few million! She was also bouncing with excitment when she got to pick out her "first" set of scriptures this week. If her enthusiasm for reading them matches her enthusiasm for getting them then we are in good shape.

Hayden got to enjoy a "first" that all scouts look forward to...jumping in the pool with their clothes on and making floatation devices from them. What kid wouldn't love that!

Carson has decided to get in on computer time and has learned how to get to a few different websites the kids have bookmarked. The "first" time I saw him running the mouse made me laugh out loud. I remember struggling with a mouse in college and he's a pro already.

So now it's the "first" of March....I wonder what this month will bring!

Holding On

I have a song running through my mind today...."hold on to every moment....that you can." This week our friends tragically lost their son and we attended the funeral this morning. It's been a week to hug the kids more often and practice being more patient and wonder how to love those who have lost so much. Life is full of good and bad, and I'm just grateful for a family to share it all with. We are blessed with millions of moments and I love photos that help me remember those moments, that when added together create our lives.

We shared our annual candlelight dinner for Valentines Day. The candlelight adds a little extra peacefulness to a usually loud time of a day. We should try it more often, but then it might loose it's effect.
It's always a little different when a holiday falls on Sunday. We had expected to be in St. George this weekend, but were able to attend church at home. It was fun to dress for the occasion in valentine colors.

The kids were excited about their valentine parties at school. Sadie was a good sport preparing enough valentines for 2 classes. What a girl, to write her name about 50 times! Hayden got to dance with girls, which he secretly enjoyed, but we won't tell.

After already having a friend party and a family party, Sara finally got to open the BIG present on her actual birthday that had been sitting in mom and dad's room for weeks. The box was large enough for Carson to fit inside and she couldn't imagine what it was. To her delight, she will be improving her ripstik skills...and doing it in style with a PINK ripstik!

The family party for both birthday girls was a chocolate fountain night. If you can dip it in chocolate we were eating it! Sara had chocolate from head to toe after about three minutes. Sadie preferred just eating treats chocolate free, which left more chocolate for Sara, and they were both happy.

Carson conquered the diaper free world and earned his Frenzy lego set. This kid spends hours everyday setting up and playing with legos, so his first real set was a big thing. He was so excited that he promptly had an accident a half hour later. Since then, he is has done great and we have left the diaper stage of our lives happily behind as we enter the cookie monster underwear stage. Good bye diapers...we are sorry but we won't be missing you.

We also took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese this weekend (another bribe for potty training). Carson was quite picky about how he spent his tokens, and even had to save his last one. It was a little overwhelming for him and Sadie, but I think Chucky lived up to all the expectations we had for him.

And there you have it.... a few moments worth hanging onto from our lives this week.

Sisters Are For Sharing

Sisters are for sharing.....birthday fun

Sisters are for sharing.....fancy hair-do's
Sisters are for sharing....a hand to hold

Sisters are for sharing....laughter and giggles

Sisters are for sharing....a hug

Just Sadie

I'm wondering if I moved to China and lived with a Chinese family that only spoke a handful of words in English and I had no formal language training if I could do (in 5 months time) what Sadie did yesterday. She answered the phone. Sounds simple enough, but is it really? Could I understand someone speaking at their normal rate enough to answer their questions and take a message? I'm guessing it would be a maybe if I was lucky.

Sadie: Hello
Other: asks for Hayden
Sadie: What you name?
Other: answers her name
Sadie: Hayden no here (which he wasn't)
Other: says goodbye and hangs up
Sadie: (hangs up and gives me the message) That Brynn. She want talk Hayden. I say Hayden no here.

Maybe she could give the boys (ages 10-40) in the house a few lessons.

Sadie was very excited about her birthday. We've counted the days and held up fingers for how many days were left until the actual day. She wanted us to do the same things we'd done for Hayden on his day....wake the birthday person up by being sung to and spanking them later in the day once for each year. She'd requested the singing multiple times, but wasn't so big on the idea when seven in the morning came. She covered her ears. I'm sure it couldn't have been our singing. She got a Kai Lan shirt and pajamas with feet from her Grandma & Grandpa Reeder. She's been wanting "baby pajamas" like Sara has. When I was doing her hair that morning she said "China...no birthdays." Then a few minutes later she said "China, no jamas (pj's), wear shirt to bed." It was so sweet. She isn't sad about things she didn't have in China, but she understands we want to know about her past. I love when she tells me little insights like this. It helps me love this little girl that has accepted us as her family without a single hesitation. She will eat our food and join in our lifestyle and learn our language. I won't ever know hardly anything about her first 6 1/2 years and I realize even her memories of them are fading, so I want to record the few things she does tell us. They feel like saving a lock of hair, or writing down the first spoken word in a baby book.

She also got a blue bike from Mom and Dad that morning and was a little disappointed when she couldn't ride it to the bus stop in the morning. She got to take fruit roll-ups to share with her classes at school. We had to go for a bike ride as soon as she got home--cold but fun. The best was going out for chinese food for dinner. We ordered 4 entrees and ate family style. The kids were all saying which was their favorite. When we ask Sadie what her favorite was she promptly pointed to each thing on her plate. She said "yummy" no less than 5 times during the dinner.

Each milestone we celebrate with children feels important, but Sadie's 7th birthday will always be one that stands out. Happy Birthday Peanut!

My Happy Birthday Party

Sadie has been counting the days until all her friends were coming over her party. While delivering invitations a few friends weren't at home and we had to leave the invites wedged in the door. She questioned if they said "come to my Happy Birthday party"? I reassured her they would know what it was for. Sadie went with the Dora the Explorer theme, one of her favorites. Go figure, the Chinese girl watching a spanish speaking cartoon in America!
We did relay races, hid Dora and her friends around the room, played Duck, Duck, Goose (Dora, Dora, Swiper style), and had a treasure hunt that included Hayden as Swiper trying to steal the clues. He was the hit of the party.

Sadie is now going to both sessions of kindergarten (morning and afternoon) and has plenty of cute friends to invite. The smiles on 5 years old showing up for a party are priceless.

I worried about what Sadie had in mind for her party and what was actually planned wouldn't be the same, but she seemed pleased. She had a great time preparing for the party by filling her goodie bags. I think seeing Hayden's party a month ago helped her understand what we usually do. We all wonder if she's ever had a party before? Did they celebrate her birthday in China?

And we can now say....fun party games....check.

Yummy cake with white ice cream....check.

Great presents we've played with all weekend...check.

First birthday party for Sadie.....check.
Happy 7 year old....check!

Letter To The Future

Dear Kids,

There are many things I hope you become when you are grown, and there is one characteristic I've been thinking of all week. I'll never remember this when I'm asked what I want my kids to be like and I'll probably forget to remind you enough times over the next twenty years, so I'm writing it down for you to find someday.



Of all the great things you can become, one of those that are high on my list is a man/woman of your word. If you say you are going to do something then DO IT! If you know you won't follow through, or even really mean to but know you probably won't, then don't say you will. If you apply for employment and get the job then show up and do the best you can. If you say you'll call somebody do it. It doesn't matter how small or how big the task at hand is, if you say you'll do it, then do it.



I realize life happens, but it's happening for everyone else as well, and they are depending on you. I'm not writing this because of some great let down. I've just realized this is important to me and hope to pass this value on to you, but wonder how you can do this other than by example. I greatly appreciate people I know that value keeping their word. I hope I am one of them.



Love, Mom

Real Life

Remember how I was bragging two days ago about my great kids?

Well Carson summed up our new circumstances....

"This underwear thing is not working!"

Thanks Carson.

I was wondering what the problem was.