While my back was turned . . .

Sean thought he would help me out with dinner.

There's nothing like some green sugar sprinkles on chicken.
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, maybe?

Sean's Deviant Behavior Checklist:

• find out exactly how much toilet paper will fit into a toilet
• destroy the piles of folded laundry
• get out of bed multiple times to torment Dallin and Daphne in the other room; get a reaction from them at all costs
• break the child safety latches on the pantry cupboard to regain unrestricted access
• flood the upstairs bathroom until a quarter inch of water has infiltrated each cupboard and drawer, and every towel in the house is needed to mop up the floor
• discover when the tissues stop coming out of the kleenex box
• accomplish each of the above one or more times in a period of three days

Last night, Arthur found me gathering a box worth of tissues off the kitchen floor and said, "What are we going to do with that kid?" to which Dallin replied from the other room, "We should PUT HIM IN JAIL!"

Time for a little diggin'

"Stoop and hear it.  Stop! and feel it.   Spring I say!"  I love this song from the Secret Garden.  I was listening to it today and feeling all the excitement of spring approaching.   I love the cheery daffodils and the trees bursting into bloom.  

And I especially love starting a garden.  I was at Lowe's this morning getting bags of compost, manure and soil amendments, when I noticed a little old man, smaller than me in height and weight.  He wore a brimmed hat and big glasses, and he was hoisting a bag of compost almost as big as him onto his cart.  He turned and noticed me with my bags, and with a twinkle in his eye said, "It's time for a little diggin'."  That's right!  You can't beat the smell of dirt waiting to be turned and filled with seeds.   There's something about getting your hands in the earth that is just so therapeutic.  Spring is here, and it's time for a little diggin'!

The White House

We have recently relocated to The White House. Okay, not the one in D.C. We're still in Albuquerque, but we did buy a new house that happens to be all white on the outside. We've been here about a week and are loving all the extra space. We have plenty of room to grow into, so hopefully this is the final move until Arthur's retired. (What a pain it is to move.) We are soooo grateful for all the help we had from so many people who watched our kids and helped pack and brought meals and for everyone who actually hauled boxes in and out of the truck. I have felt truly overwhelmed with gratitude for all the help and support we have had during this move.  Here are a few pictures for my sisters who have asked to see our new house.  Even better is if you come and visit!!!  

Bobby

For family home evening this week we were talking about some of the things that were brought up in the Worldwide Leadership Training meeting about Building up a Righteous Posterity. I shared this quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks:

The family proclamation asks [fathers] to lead out. Fathers should call their families around them for family prayer. Fathers should make sure that family home evenings are held. . . The Lord holds the father responsible. That's why we read in the family proclamation that "fathers are to preside."

So then I went around and asked the kids, "Dallin, when you are a dad, who's responsible for calling your family together for family prayer?"

Dallin said, " Me!"

Then I asked, "And when Sean's a dad, who's responsible for calling his family for Family Home Evening?" Dallin & Daphne answered for him, "Sean!"

"Okay, here's a tricky one. When Daphne's a mom, who's in charge of calling her family together for scripture reading?"

Daphne thought for a little while and then said, "Umm . . . . Bobby!"

He is pretty cute, huh?

Tagged

Here's lookin' at the kiddos:

Dallin is a real thinker, has a great memory, loves camping, snow skiing & playing games.  Even though every ones else in his kindergarten class is a Lobo fan, he bravely declared to his class that he was a BYU fan this fall when the cougars came to town for the BYU/UNM game.  He is very creative, and is a big help to me.

Daphne is 100% girl.  She loves to dress up, play with lots of girlfriends, have tea parties, watch princess movies, paint fingernails.  She has a tender heart, is easy to get along with and is beloved by all the boys in her sunbeam class.  She loves to sing and has a beautiful little voice.

Sean -- this kid is resourceful.  He doesn't wait for help, or even ask for it most of the time.  If he's hungry, he pulls a stool over to the counter, climbs up and helps himself.  I've caught him carving into brownies I've left on the counter with my Cutco knives.  yikes!  He loves chocolate, cars, and climbing!

Sweet little Hayden loves milk, bath-time and being held.  He is doing awesome at sleeping.  He goes for 6-7 hours at night!  What a champ!  My other children were four months before they did that. 

I tag Natalie, Jenny, Marianne, and Melissa