good girl

M made these treats for us last week for FHE.  I was pleased with her ability to ask me to buy peeps 2 weeks before it was her turn to do the treat.  Then she didn't ask to eat them for 2 weeks!

Tonight M went put-put golfing with the activity day girls.  They were short on time so they had to skip a hole.  All the girls complained, but M said Thank you to the leader.  Way to go little girl.  I'm so pleased that you're learning to be grateful.  You're even learning how easy it is to get a reputation for being sweet, be sweet!

I love you.

I'm making cookies all by myself

I had a video of M from 4 years ago mixing up some cookies.  As she mixes them she starts to sing "I'm making cookies, all by myself.  I'm not needing help! No...."  It's an awesome video.

Today M made a batch of cookies, using a recipe!  I never use recipes and the kids understand that that isn't actually a good thing.  Or so dad gently prods...  The recipe was gigantic so we had to divide it by 4.  M did all the calculations.  I had to help her with dividing 5 cups by 4.  She got impatient and said "We just need to make them!"  I informed her that if she wasn't going to learn, she wasn't going to make cookies.

They were really good.

This is M having a good time cleaning out a pumpkin.  This girl is awesome.  She also loves to pick a chicken.  I enjoy that too, we're strange like that.

We have a cooking station set up now for the kids.  It's pretty awesome. 

You can change your mind

We had a nice valentines celebration with the co-op we attend.  I tried to help the kids have a positive experience.  On Monday we built mail boxes that P got for the girls at the hardware store.  We painted them.  M got in trouble for playing around with a paint brush and her deaf brother who couldn't hear her joking.  We made valentines for all the kids we hoped would be there.

Last night M decorated a nice paper bag at church.  It was a nice bag.

This morning we wrote their names on the boxes with glue and put glitter on it.  It was awesome.  10 minutes before we get in the car M says she wants to use the bag instead.  Unlike the Halloween costume drama, I just said "No".  I put the mail box in the car, and we went to group.

I spend a lot of time talking to M and lP about choosing a husband worthy of them.  We discuss things they don't like in friends, that are mean, and how they don't have to hang out with people who are mean to them.  I really, really, want them to understand that if they are not being treated well, they do not have to marry someone. 

I don't like it when the kids change their minds at the last minute over things that are not life and death.  Halloween costumes, Valentines boxes, change your mind, fine we aren't going to the party.  But in love and eternity, be very careful where you heart rest.  I hope they have the courage to try and try again to find someone who loves them enough to have an eternal marriage.  Saying you love someone is not enough.  The Savior said; "If you love me, keep my commandments."  Similarly, I hope my children will learn that they must not marry someone who will not keep God's commandments.  That is such a basic foundation for trust.

such a sweet girl

M was able to sing with the combined ward choir last week for a Stake Conference broadcast.  She takes her role as a growing musician very seriously.  I love singing warm-ups and harmonies with her.  lP started piano this month and M started figuring out the teacher accompaniments.  Brava to her.  She's such a delight!

Dreams

M loves animals.  She goes over to my friend's house weekly to sweep bunny poop, change bird bedding, etc... so she can have time with pets.  I love her work ethic.  She does get to play with the animals, and the work gets done. 

I recently realized that there is something called a Veterinarian Technician.  It's a 2 year path to a job working with animals.  I'm a vocationalist.  So I'm always thinking "What can the kids do in a few years that will get them to a job."  I'm not so interested in them going into debt to learn something that they won't necessarily use as a job.  I know that many degrees lead toward opportunities that are nice...  I've just known a few women that graduated with debt, and no job.  And I like being a mom.  I'm grateful that my degree led to a job, and that I didn't have to go into debt for school.  My parents helped pay for school, and I always had scholarships and a part time job.  Getting bad grades was never an option because then I would loose my funding.

M wants to work with animals when she grows up.  So we'll be keeping a look out for volunteer opportunities while she's young.  Maybe someday she can work in a pet store.  And I hope she can study something she loves.  I hope she can also be a mom.  I love being a mom.  Many women work and have kids.  I love being with the kids and teaching them.  I hope M has that opportunity.

the costume that never was

M doesn't decide what she'll be for Halloween.  About a week before the date, she'll suggest something.  Then the day of, she'll change her mind 5 times.  Actually, all this process is spaced even further out from the day.  There are a lot of festivities here for Halloween.  We had a carnival at the Library and trick or treating at the local college on Wednesday.  M dressed up like this on Tuesday.  Then on Wednesday, she wore a horse costume that was too small. 

Friday night we had Trunk-er-treat at church.  M wore a lion costume that is too small. 

Tonight is Halloween.  We're going out in about 30 minutes and she's talking about riding bikes around the block.  Not riding bikes for trick-er-treating.  Just going on a bike ride.

animal lover

M loves animals.  We are not the sort of parents to let her have a pet.  But we try to seek out opportunities for her to be with animals.  This weekend she got to feed a cow named Penny.  On Fridays she goes over to a friends house and cleans cages to get some pet time.  The friend has 10+ bunnies of various ages.  She also has 3 birds, a frog, fish and snake.  My friend has MS, and her 10 and 7 year old boys aren't into cleaning cages.  My friend loves how M says "This is the best day of my week." as she sweeps rabbit poop.