Family Home Evening

We have come to really look forward to Monday nights and Family Home Evening! Maddie and William have their "Family Home Evening" seats (they sit in the same place each week). And they both really enjoy the lesson and activity. For me, the best is when one of the children give the lesson-especially Maddie. She is really good at it!

Last week, Maddie gave our lesson about Easter and resurrection. She taught the lesson with the plastic eggs each one containing something regarding the crucifixtion and resurrection of Christ-the last egg is empty representing the empty tomb. Each egg also contained a scripture which we all took turns reading, even William. William loved this lesson and it was perfect for him. He was very curious about the death and resurrection of Jesus. And we could feel the spirit so strong...we took the opportunity to bear our testimonies. William bore a sweet and simple testimony of Jesus and our prophet. And Maddie shared her sweet testimony too. Maddie is at the age where she can truly bear her testimony herself and I can feel that she knows what she is saying is real and that she believes. My heart swells as her mother to know that she has a testimony and that she loves Jesus. What more could I desire as a parent?

I normally don't take pictures during FHE, but these were too sweet to pass up!

The object lesson

A Kid Named "Ralph"

So the other day, Will had one of his friends over to play (a new neighbor named David and they have become INSTANT best buds)! These new neighbors have a son Maddie's exact age too which has been so great. The cul-de-sac is buzzing with kids now-I am lovin it!

Anyway, Will and David were upstairs playing in his room on his bed making a tent with his duvet and generally having a wonderful time! They had just gorged themselves on Twizzlers and Reese's PB eggs (the little foil wrapped mini ones) and they were very happy. I was downstairs in the kitchen and all of a sudden, Will comes down to tell me David threw up on his bed and "good-bye, we're going outside to play now"

"What? He threw up. Let me see (yeah right I'm thinking)." As I walk up the stairs, the smell hits me like, you know what they say....a ton of bricks! And I'm starting to think, oh my gosh, he really did throw up! By the time I get to the top of stairs and poke my head in Will's room, I am unable to take it. I look inside, plugging my nose, and sure enough, there on the bed...

THROW UP!

I run downstairs and catch the boys before they leave...they haven't left yet because they're stuffing their faces with more Reese's eggs! I ask...

"What happened?"

(David) "He wiped a booger on my arm and I threw-up"

(Will) "It was an accident. His arm got on the booger from my nose!"

I'm thinking to myself, how am I going to clean this up...I can't!
(Me) "You two run to your house and get your mom to call me--hurry up!"

Pretty soon, David's mom calls and I tell her the situation. I am so embarassed that I am unable to clean this up, but I can barely clean up my own children's vomit! Anyway, she comes over, cleans up the chunks (barfing in my mouth right now), and offers to wash everything. But, I'm not that much of a whimp..."Oh I can wash it myself, I'm sure." So she folds it up so the throw up is on the inside and I take it down to the laundry room. Let me just say, unfolding the quilt, blanket, and sheet (cuz it had soaked through), was very hard for me. I had to tie a blanket around my nose so I couldn't smell it. I guess I am a whimp!

Now, Chelsea (David's mom) and I are friends forever, bonded by puke! (BTW, David had chocolate milk for lunch!) Oh, and his nickname is "Ralph"...really. Apparantly, he does this often :)

Easter!

This Easter came and went so quickly! I can't believe there's a week left of March and Easter is already come and gone!

Did you know that the earliest Easter can ever be is March 22nd! The last time Easter was this early was 1913 and it won't be this early again until around 2116! Just some interesting facts we learned in Sunday School yesterday! And I never knew how the date of Easter is set: Easter is on the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (closest Sunday).

Anyway, I spoke in Sacrament Meeting yesterday and I am so glad it's over. But to be honest, it wasn't as bad as I was anticipating (and I actually spoke for 14 minutes!-the longest I've ever given a talk for.) I guess I'm maturing! :) Grandma and Grandpa came (because of Easter) and they sat with Maddie and Will. Well, they sat with Maddie anyway...during the Sacrament, Will drank from the water cup and as he was putting it away, he dripped some water from the cup (he hadn't drank every last drop), and it dripped into some other cups. Maddie made a big deal of it and made Will feel bad...he started crying (loud) and Grandma tried to take him out. But he hooked his foot on the pew and was crying out that he didn't want to be taken out. I motioned for him to come and sit with me (I was on the stand just about to give my talk). He came up and sat with me and then went and sat with a friend. All is well that ends well and to repeat...I am so glad it's over!

After church we had an Easter Egg hunt and ate a very yummy dinner of Honey Baked Ham, potato salad, baked beans, green salad, and rolls...followed by

V Chocolate's chocolate dipped strawberries! I am still full!

I love Easter!

Birds and Eggs = SPRINGTIME!

How cute is this. I watched Martha make it on her show today...I'm going to use my cherry tree branches and make this darling arrangment for my coffee table!

Spring cannot get here soon enough for me...the children are outside and I will not let them come in-it's way too nice out there to be spending time indoors!

Go Green!

Not because of global warming, but because it is ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

For St. Patrick's Day we had a green dinner-green clover-shaped pancakes, green buttermilk syrup, green fruit dip (with strawberries :O) and green drink (milk, lemonade, or water-your choice). Maddie and Wills loved this! (especially Will as he thinks there are real leprechauns roaming around that can turn your hair green). No photos of the pancakes because I had turned my camera onto manual focus and forgot...something our teacher warned us about-dangit!

Will was so excited for this holiday...at school they went on a treasure hunt for a pot of gold (rolos) and saw leprechaun footprints-and of course, he wore green! But his teachers told him no pinching at school, you can do that at home-thanks alot (I didn't wear green)!


BUTTERMILK SYRUP RECIPE
1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c buttermilk (or 1 c milk + 1 T vinegar-let sit for about 5 min...voila...buttermilk)

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and add:

1 t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda

Stir to combine and then lick the spoon :O!

If you haven't tried this...you're missing out! It is now the only syrup we will eat.

Kindred Sprits!

I just finished watching Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea...and a part of me wished I had been a friend of Anne's...I know we would have been kindred spirits! Bob teases me that I dream of being Anne and I transport myself right into the movie-yeah right! :)

A few times a year PBS does those telethons to raise money blah blah blah and I DVR'd Anne and have been watching a little every night for the past few nights...I find myself wishing it would never end. I love the way that movie makes feel...it is so idealistic-I laugh and I cry. The relationship between Anne and Gilbert is so romantic-even though Anne is such a ninny sometimes-it drives me crazy that she can't see her true love right in front of her!

I can't wait for Maddie to love these movies as much as I do...so we can daydream together!

And the soundtrack is one of the best CD's I've ever owned. I can listen to it over and over. It can be ordered online here.

Life at the Cluff House...

B.O.R.I.N.G. Yup...nothing going on here! Seriously, for the past three weeks we've all been sick (all except Maddie-the lucky duck missed all the fun)!

It all started with Bob coming down with Influenza and the stomach flu! Within a few days, I was DOWN for a week! It was absolutely the most miserable I have ever felt-death didn't seem too bad! While I was down my house fell apart...and then Will got sick! Now, both Will and I have the worst colds and I'm trying to get my house back in order. Will keeps doing these big, huge snot snuffers..."I have to get my boogers up" he says. I wish he would just get his boogers OUT! We all seem to be on the upside of this disease...however, I'm still so tired!

My parents went to Idaho this weekend for some dental work from my awesome brother and I sent Maddie who had a tooth that was bothering her...Kevin pulled it! He said she was very brave and did great! (maybe I'll take a photo when she gets home). We're missing her around here-but I must say the lack of sibling fighting has been very nice!

Oh, and I'm taking a photography class from this amazing photographer! Check her out! I am learning lots and I'm also majorly confused! I will post some of my photos when they're worthy!

Last night we took Will to see Horton Hears a Who! He really enjoyed it-we had a fun little weekend for him...he's really missing Maddie-too bad she's not missing him!

I'll be back!