california

 
Lincoln and I made some doughnuts on Sunday. They were super yummy.... he did a great job helping me.

 Here are the kids playing at the beach a couple weeks ago. Liv sporting her prescription sunglasses :)

                    These two. They are best friends. On a walk at the park trail in our neighborhood.

                                                               Shirtless star gazing.

                                  Ian has been wearing this dinosaur costume for a few weeks.
                                                   Here he is taking his sister for a ride.

Ian and his preschool co-op friends examining a dead bee that had drown in the pool.

  I took the kids to lincolns school fall festival. They had a great time, despite the really really scary haunted house the 5th graders put on. The youngest 3 kids were pretty scared and Nora and Lincoln were in tears.

                                        Ian really likes our Brady bunch style double front door.

handsome

ian grew a nice new mustache.
we got a donut breakfast during spring break.

spring

Finally we have had some warm.
A friend and I hosted an Easter egg hunt on Monday for the little kids who aren't in school.
It was so cute and fun. Nora was pretty serious about getting as many eggs as possible.
We played games and drew on some eggs, and then had lunch. The grown up quiche, and fruit and veggies and caramels. And Lincoln & me made these cute bunny lunches for all the kids.

ice

ice skating on the river in our little downtown.
nora was super unhappy because it was maybe 13 degrees in this photo.
im glad February is behind us.

a letter from noras nursery teacher

Hi Virginia,
Hopefully you can open the photo of my oldest son so you see why this next statement is true...
I know all too well, the curls get Nora noticed, but maybe people don't always see the person as readily whose head sports such beautiful curls.


I want to share a BIG moment with you that Nora had today. I don't think it was just a mature moment or even a personality moment. I think it was a sweet Christlike moment that is her becoming who she will be.


First, I have to share a hard things so you know why it was a big moment.
Lydia and Nora are the only girls in Nursery. For many months it was obvious if you watched them closely that they didn't care for each other. They actually make mad faces at each other and take toys they may see the other one eyeing. Lydia always goes for the baby stroller and Nora always goes for the grocery cart, thank goodness, but many Sundays one or both of them would purposefully hit the others stroller with theirs.


Such sweet little girls, it was odd yet amusing somehow to witness a territorial thing happening between 18-24 month olds for seemingly no cause. I was careful to intervene quickly and show affection to both equally.


So the big moment today was this....I lost count but I think four different times something went wrong for Lydia today, normal toddler-hood events and NORA quietly and un-intrusively as possible reached out to her. It was so beautiful.
The last instance was so precious and obvious to me that Nora was purposefully trying to be kind to Lydia. 
Lydia was dancing in the bubbles I blew and stumbled and fell. She was holding a little plastic heart and when she fell it pinched her thumb. She cried and ran to Sister Alley (her favorite person) who picked her up. Nora immediately picked up Lydia's ruby shoe that fell off and ran to Sister Alley and placed it by her feet and then quickly almost ran away.


Another time they were coloring their pictures with their own 4 crayons each, when Cam got excited and flung his hands around making Lydia's crayons roll away. Nora quick as a mouse picked them up and placed them by Lydia then went back to her own coloring, but watched to see if Lydia noticed. 


During our lesson we took objects from a bag, one was a plastic heart representing "love". Cam drew it from the bag, and held it, but soon Lydia and Cam were tugging over it. It opens so I pulled it apart and gave a 1/2 to each, before there were pushing or tears. Nora was there expecting a piece, but looked right at Lydia as Lydia's frown turned to a smile now that she had a half and seeing the smile, Nora smiled at Lydia and walked back to her chair. She is so unselfish. I could tell she wanted the heart too, but was happy for Lydia.


What a special little girl you have Virgina!

Lately...

                       Here is Ian painting some masterpieces. He just kept asking for more and more paper.
                       this is him about half way through his painting session.

                     Here is miss nora taking photos of herself with my phone. She thought this was
                     pretty awesome....seeing herself live. It helped keep her little wiggle bottom still
                     on my lap during a weekday meeting at church.

                             

               Playing with some bb guns at my dads house. Lincoln really found his country
               roots thanksgiving weekend. Romping around in the back of old trucks, shooting guns
               and digging up sassafras roots for root beer making.

november please stop being cold.

I have been busy around here getting ready for our next relief society activity. craft night.
I'll be so glad when its over. Here I am sanding a million blocks to make little nativity scene.
I have really grown to love the belt sander. Great invention.

Here is my dad with some kids on his lap. cute crazy kids.
Nora has been so cute, she has started to set the table any time she sees Jonny or I
cooking. She opens the silverware drawer and takes it to the table & places it around the table.
Last night Ian was in the bath and she went to the linen closet got a towel and brought it
to the bath. No one asked her to, she just loves to be helpful. And boy is she observant!

 Ahh. remember summer. I miss you summer time.
come back soon. The kids playing in jonnys truck.

 I made some caramels last week. They were so wonderful. I used this recipe for the caramels
& added coarse sea salt to the top. I think Im giving this to all the teachers for christmas this year.