February Newsletter & Slideshow

February was a difficult month, but a wonderful month as well. We have our trials, but they are nothing compared to our bounteous blessings. Here's what we were up to (in words & pics) last month. Enjoy!

FAMILY: Our adventures this month started in SLC, where Jason was there for a meeting & Heidi was there to see her family & new niece. We got to go to have a sleepover at daddy's hotel & the next night Aunt Cindy watched the older girls and Grandma & Grandpa watched Kezia so daddy & mommy could have a nice night - we went to Martines - a downtown favorite. We drove back on Sunday the 5th. The rest of the month we had fun going to the Children's Symphonic Jubilee, enjoying Valentines Day, swimming at the Aquatic Center, playing in the snow a lot, going to Discovery Park, going out to eat for breakfast & then going sledding with our friends, going for lots of walks/riding bikes along the pathway, and last Saturday night the girls make their own cars out of cardboard boxes (complete with wheels) & we played in them and sat in them while we watched Cars 2 (and ate popcorn). It was a lot of fun. We've also been playing with the dogs a lot this month. We've let them come inside more & they've even slept with the girls a few nights.

From

JASON: Jason has had a lot more on his plate this month since his boss went to SLC for a 4-month detail. He’s been attending a lot of meetings & trying to help a lot of people. Looks like he will definitely be getting some overtime in for the next few months. In addition, he’s been working with real estate agents in trying to get our Legacy Estates lots up for sale. And we’ve started looking again for lots/land. He also got put in charge of making sure the EQ has lessons on Sundays. He has enjoyed his time with his girls, though, and has been one of them with him when he has errands to run. He also took McKinley to Applebees because she earned a free kids meal because of her reading. He enjoyed that date & enjoyed our sledding trip. Also - BIG NEWS!! Jason finally cut his hair at the end of the month!! :)

From

HEIDI: It’s been quite a let-down for Heidi to go back to square 1 with buying/building a home. She was so busy lining up all the sub contractors, it’s like her balloon has been burst L But she knows it’s for the best & will all work out. She has been trying to get out more with the girls on the pathway & spending more 1-on-1 time with each of them this month. There was a change in the YW presidency (new president, new 2^nd counselor), but they kept her in & she is thankful she gets to still be there with the girls J Heidi has also been trying a lot of things off Pinterest this month – LOTS of yummy recipes to add to our favorites!

From

McKINLEY:

-McKinley & mom read “The Secret Garden” this month. We also watched the movie. At first she didn’t want to read the book, but after the first time, she really enjoyed it & wanted more & more. Now she is so excited about having a garden of her own some day.

-McKinley’s Family Home Evening this month was really good. She takes her FHEs very seriously. We watched a movie about the Iron Rod & then McKinley talked about the Iron rod & how it was important to hold on & never let go or we could fall off a cliff. Then she saw one of her golden dollars & she held it up & said “And this is like Heavenly Father because it’s like a dollar and it’s really shiny like Heavenly Father but we are really like pennies. And He is like the dollar. And He’s really shiny”

-Daddy took McKinley to Applebees this month to redeem her coupon for a free kids meal because she was in the sight word club at school. He loved going on this date with her & said they had a great time. We’re so proud of you McKinley!

-One day McKinley asked “Mom – why is there poo in shampoo? That’s just gross.”

-McKinley asked what mom was making for dinner one night. Mom said “Crispy Chiken Wraps.” Apparently, McKinley didn’t hear clearly because she said “Crispy Chicken Rats? Why Rats? Are there rats in them?”

-McKinley still loves to play with her friends at school – and loves her “heart club.” She says Addison is her best friend in Cedar City. They like to play a lot.

-McKinley made a cute holder at school & got LOTS of Valentines from her Kindergarten pals. This year she gave out suckers & Barbie Valentines. She also gave a “special” Valentine to a boy she really likes – Kaden. She says he’s cute & she likes his voice.

-She continues to excel at school and her teacher is now letting her choose her own books every week so they are difficult enough.

-We found out McKinley’s good friend, Parker, is moving next month L

-McKinley was cute with her Barbie this month. She took a tissue holder & made her a “bed” and a piece of material for her blanket & a toothpaste cap for her “cup” and she kept wanting mom to give her food for her Barbie.

-McKinley learned how to braid this month. Way to go McKinley!!

From

IRELAND:

-We were discussing birthdays one day & Ireland said “And MOM! When it’s your birthday you get to crack eggs!” (she’s KIND of excited about getting to crack eggs on her 5^th birthday)

-Ireland wasn’t feeling good one day. She said she swallowed a nail (which, after some questioning, it was a nail on her finger), but she said her tummy hurt really bad & she kept saying she needed protein. Later on we realized she meant Ibprofin J

-One day we were riding on the path & Ireland was riding her bike. She turned a corner & took a pretty bad spill. She wouldn’t get on it for a little while, but after some urging from mom, she got right back on & did really well (though maybe a bit slow J

-Ireland still loves preschool & has learned a lot about birds & animals this month. She loves to play with Shaylee, Adele, and Cabree. For Valentines, Ireland gave out big smarties & princess Valentines. They had a fun preschool party for Valentines & she got LOTS of candy!

-Ireland learned how to zip this month – way to go Ireland!

-Mom asked Ireland what she wanted to put in the newsletter. Here’s what she said “I love you. You and me. We’re a happy family. We love you. I’m in preschool. Like somebody is in charge. And like Hannah babysitted us.”

From

KEZIA:

-One morning for scripture study, reading about Jesus being baptized. Mom asked McKinley: "And the Holy Ghost came down like a...?" McKinley said "Dove!" Kezia said "like a DUCK?" Just brought a humorous picture to mind :)

-Kezia was a pretty sick little girl this month. She had a horrible cough and bed fevers (103 degrees) She went to the doctor’s twice & ended up having an ear infection & her lungs & cough were really bad so she had to do breathing treatments with a nebulizer for about a week. We’re sad she was sick while she was in SLC, but SO glad she finally feeling better.

-If you ask Kezia a question, she will almost always start with “I don’t know…” and then follow up with an answer.

-We were going to say a family prayer & dad said he’d help Kezi say it. So dad said “Dear…” Kezi looked up and said “Daken has a deer dad! Daken has a deer!” Another cute prayer was when Kezia prayed out of the blue “and thank thee for frosty the snowman”

-Kezia LOVES the Kindle. We actually have to hide it from her because knows exactly how to use it & we will find her somewhere watching Netflix movies for hours. She also thinks the laptop works like the Kindle. Mom will be looking at something on her laptop & Kezia will try & “swipe” it to go where she wants it to go.

-Kezia uses the rocking chair in her room to rock to the wall & turn on & off the lights in her room.

-If Kezia has any tiny scrape, she will look at it & say “I have an owie! Ireland pushed me!” Or if she sees an owie on mom, she will say “Ohh… I’m sorry! Did dad push you?”

-Kezia won’t kiss on the lips now. She says “Not on the lips. I got sick lips”

-Kezia has really mastered her tricycle this month. WAY TO GO Kezia!!

-Kezia LOVES to play in the kitchen sink water. Any time her hands are messy at all, she will say “gotta wash my hands mom!” and mom will turn on the water just a little bit & she will sit & play for a while.

-One day mom was on her chair, working on her computer. Kezia kept pulling on her hands & saying “I’m saving you!!” Mom says “from what?” Kezia says “from the chair!”