.

Fun in a 3ft Swimming Pool

2010-07-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

Ian at Work

2010-07-28T08:24:00.003-07:00

Juliette's 4th Birthday

2010-07-28T08:20:00.006-07:00

Pinewood Derby Race 2010

2010-02-04T08:44:00.005-07:00

This was Alex's first pinewood derby race. We all had so much fun at the races watching each of the boys race their cars. Alex and Josh built a fast car that took second place. I think that is great for his first time racing!

Random Pictures

2010-02-04T08:29:00.015-07:00

9 months

2009-11-30T13:11:00.004-07:00

I love Ian. He started out as a bit of a fussy baby, but his little personality continues to develop and he is just a lot of fun. He has four teeth showing in this picture, but another two had actually already broken through. He army crawls and rolls around faster than any baby I've seen, except for maybe Alex. He loves to be on the move.

American Heritage Festival

2009-11-30T12:56:00.008-07:00

We all had great fun at this American Heritage Festival out in Maricopa. It was a hands on living history exhibit. We got to see a Revolutionary war battle that included real cannons being fired. We visited with trappers, doctors, dress makers and all sorts of people. The kids learned how to play pioneer games, do laundry, identify different animal pelts, write with a quill and ink, and make corn husk dolls. We also met Abraham Lincoln and he gave the kids brand new pennies that had a Lincoln's log cabin on the back.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-30T12:50:00.004-07:00

Alex's Robot

2009-11-24T13:40:00.003-07:00

Alex worked hard on this robot that he made for a school project. He used empty boxes, cans, pvc, and other odds and ends to create it. This picture was taken right before school. We had a hard time fitting it into the car to get it there.

Our First Camping Trip

2009-11-24T13:33:00.003-07:00

This was our first little camping trip. Josh and I are not real outdoorsy people, but we want to at least have our kids experience the great outdoors. We decided since we had all of the equipment we might as well give it a try. I think we all had a fun time. Maybe not so much sleep, but it was definitely worth going.

Too Tired to Eat

2009-11-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

I think this was lunch. I made Juliette a sandwich and then made lunch for Josh and I and when I turned back around she was out cold.

Alex's 8th Birthday

2009-11-24T13:23:00.004-07:00

Alex's 8th birthday. He counted down the days until his birthday and is now counting down the days until his baptism. He wanted a scary birthday cake so I came up with these monster eyes. I thought they were fun.

Just Plain Cute

2009-11-24T13:19:00.001-07:00

Two random pictures. Notice the mohawk?

The Next Generation

2009-11-24T13:14:00.002-07:00

Ian and Juliette are definitely not afraid of technology. Little buttons and gadgets are like magnets, they are drawn to them and have to poke and push.

Dancing

2009-11-24T13:09:00.004-07:00

These two little ballerinas were practicing together while waiting for Genevieve to finish up in her dance class.

Swimsuits and lipstick

2009-09-08T13:38:00.003-07:00

Juliette is all about swimsuits and lipstick lately. She wears a swimsuit pretty much everyday. That's fine with me since it's easy on and off. The lipstick is the newest thing. She likes to put on my lipstick and isn't satisfied unless she can see it (meaning it's not just on her lips.)

Smile, and yes I do have hair

2009-09-08T13:32:00.003-07:00

I love it when Ian smiles. His little dimple is adorable.

This second picture is just to show that he isn't really bald. I don't know why his hair doesn't photograph.

Aleah gets her ears pierced

2009-09-08T13:28:00.002-07:00

Aleah decided that she wanted to get her ears pierced on Saturday. For the longest time she was too afraid, but finally got up the courage to just do it. I think that it was worth it, she looks so cute.

Apple Picking

2009-09-08T13:15:00.008-07:00

Living in Arizona we don't get many chances to do normal fall activities because our seasons really aren't the same. Every year I feel bad that the kids don't get to experience some of these harvest related activities. So, I was excited when I learned that there was an apple orchard where you could go pick apples up near Wickenburg. We left early in the morning and were picking apples by 8 am. It really was a fun family outing.

Karate

2009-09-08T13:12:00.003-07:00

Here is Alex, anxious to start karate.

Genevieve's 5th Birthday

2009-09-08T13:03:00.006-07:00

All of the sudden it seems that Genevieve is a big girl. She looked forward to her birthday for so long, just waiting to turn 5. She had fun opening her gifts and blowing out the candles on her "Princess Cake."

First day of school

2009-08-03T08:21:00.007-07:00

I'm so proud of my kids. They are great kids and great students. They are off on their first day of school right now getting used to new teachers and new routines. Genevieve was a bit nervous about starting kindergarten, but is more than ready. I know they will all do just fine and have so much fun.

Ian almost sitting

2009-08-03T08:15:00.002-07:00

Not really sitting, but he can hold himself up for a second. He seemed so proud of this.

Juliette turns 3

2009-08-03T08:06:00.006-07:00

Juliette turned 3 on July 25th. Her requests for her birthday included swimming, balloons, and ice cream. We went to grandma's house and went for a swim and then cake and ice cream.

New Clothes

2009-07-16T12:51:00.002-07:00

Little Ian has finally grown into some of the clothes that Grandma Zollinger sent months ago. I think he looks like a real little boy.

Big sister, little brother

2009-07-16T12:46:00.002-07:00

I like this picture because you can definitely tell that Aleah and Ian are siblings. They are both so cute!

Max

2009-07-16T12:38:00.004-07:00

As you may know, we have not had much luck in the pet department, but I'm hopeful that our new dog Max will be just right for our family. He is a two year old male German Shepherd mix. I like Max already because he is already house broken, intelligent, very easy going, and gentle.

A Bunch of Firsts for Ian

2009-06-29T13:14:00.004-07:00

At four months Ian has become strong and alert. He is now eating baby food and rolling over. He loves interacting with his siblings. It's also nice to be able to let him entertain himself for a few minutes so that I can get a few things done.

Go Ian

2009-05-28T16:20:00.003-07:00

I know this picture looks kind of strange, but let me explain. Ian has found his thumb. After trying every pacifier known to man, Ian discovered that he prefers his thumb. I have mixed feeling about this. It will be harder to break him of this habit later on, but for now it is wonderful. When he is fussy and tired all that you have to do is to lay him down and he starts sucking his thumb and falls asleep almost immediately.

Memorial Day

2009-05-28T15:58:00.008-07:00

This year on Memorial Day we all jumped in the car and headed across the valley to visit my grandpa's grave. He is buried in the Mesa City Cemetery. It was a nice, sunny, peaceful day to remember loved ones and those that have served our country.

I was glad to have the chance to relate to the kids my few memories of my grandfather. I think I was six when he died. I remember when he and grandma would bring their RV and come visit us, I would be so excited. I also remember sitting on his lap. Even though I wasn't able to get to know him well, I realize now that we are all connected. The choices that he made directly affect me and the person that I have become.

We also went to have ice cream at the old Dairy Queen in Mesa. Josh remembers going to this Dairy Queen after visiting his great grandfather 'Gramps' on Sunday afternoons.

Ian is 12 weeks old

2009-05-04T21:53:00.004-07:00

I just think Ian gets cuter every day. I can't believe he's already 12 weeks old!

Easter 2009

2009-04-14T09:58:00.009-07:00

Nap time

2009-03-30T13:10:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I don't know why I bother with nap time. Juliette does anything but sleep. There are no toys in her room, but she still finds plenty to do. She tries on clothes and this time found candy and stickers in her sister's drawer.(she takes all of her bedding off and stacks it so she can reach up into this drawer) Since she had candy stuck in her hair I had to take her straight to the tub.

Braces

2009-03-30T13:06:00.003-07:00

Aleah just got braces last week. I think she's a real trooper and think she is beautiful with or without braces. She is definitely growing up.

Dad comes to visit, Ian's blessing

2009-03-30T12:49:00.006-07:00

Dad came to visit for the weekend and to participate in Ian's blessing. I really enjoyed him coming and only wished mom could have come too.

We had a long wait before church, so he entertained the kids by playing games and reading them books.

Ian was ready to go but not happy in this picture. Surprisingly, he was very good during the blessing and all through out the meeting.

This is pretty much the best picture of him before church. I think he looks a bit like Alex here.

Here's the whole group. There's our bunch plus Grandpa and Grandma Cook, Great Grandpa Cook, Grandpa Zollinger, and Uncle Adam and Aunt Brittany.

"Happy" Guy

2009-03-23T12:34:00.004-07:00

Josh and I have dubbed Ian "happy" guy, not because he recently learned to smile, but because he is kind of a fussy baby. He doesn't seem to know what to do with himself if he is not eating or sleeping. During the day he spends the majority of the time in a front pack, while I try to cook and clean. In the evening we do a lot of jiggling and walking the floor with him until he finally settles down for the night. He does have his moments though, when he flashes that smile, and it makes it all worth it.

Sandbox

2009-03-07T16:19:00.004-07:00

Josh built a sandbox for the kids to play in on Saturday. Why didn't we do this before? The kids are having a great time.

Little Ian

2009-03-07T16:12:00.004-07:00

Little baby big bed. This is Ian dozing while I'm near by putting on makeup.

Wide awake, it looks like he's waving.

Grandma feeding Ian.

All the kiddos ready for church

2009-03-07T16:05:00.004-07:00

Whether we have church at 8 in the morning or 1 in the afternoon it is always a struggle to get everyone ready and head out the door happy and on time. Poor Ian was already done before we even got to church.

Here he is in his Sunday finest.

More Ian

2009-02-20T16:28:00.007-07:00

Ian at 3 days old.

Adam holding Ian.

Josh multi-tasking.

Ian snoozing, while all around him life is noisy and busy.

Ian holding his head up while Grandma holds him.

WELCOME Baby Ian

2009-02-10T12:47:00.003-07:00

7 lbs 8 oz 20 inches.

Baby and Mom are doing well. Baby was delivered 15 minutes after water broke O.o

Part-time Hairdresser

2009-02-04T07:55:00.004-07:00

In a pinch, Josh can do the girls' hair on a Sunday morning. Who knew he had such talent? These pictures will serve for proof someday when Genevieve and Juliette are teenagers and don't believe me when I tell them that their dad used to do their hair.

Quartzsite '09

2009-02-04T07:45:00.003-07:00

I forgot to take the camera with us this last weekend when we went to Quartzsite, but these are some of the treasures that we found. I got a strand of malachite beads and and a couple of amethyst stones that Aleah and I already used as focal points for the necklaces in this picture.

Quartzsite is an experience. Part flea market, part rock and gem show. The kids really had a lot of fun walking up and down the aisles and spending their money on whatever caught their eye. They even got to "make" rope.

Little Farmer Juliette

2009-01-28T15:20:00.003-07:00

Juliette loves dirt and mud even better (what 2 year old doesn't?). This is what you get if she is outside for any amount of time. I think on this occasion her boots got stuck in the mud, so here she is barefoot.

Grandpa Cook's Birthday

2009-01-28T15:06:00.003-07:00

We celebrated Grandpa Cook's 60th birthday with him recently. I think it was a happy milestone for him. I know that we certainly had a good time. We are thankful to him for being such a great role model and an involved grandpa in the lives of our children.

Homework

2009-01-28T14:58:00.002-07:00

I had to take a picture of my very studious children. Every night they sit up on the bar stools to do their homework, while Josh does the dishes.

I can personalize your Christmas ornaments!

2008-11-24T12:48:00.015-07:00

I have a professional vinyl cutter and can personalize almost anything for you, including Christmas ornaments.

I thought I would post a few ideas. The ornaments pictured here are ones that I purchased at the 99cent store, six for 99 cents. I think that they are about 3 inches across, so they are the bigger ones. I then added a bit of ribbon. I think that they would make excellent, inexpensive Christmas gifts that look very finished and not home made.

Vinyl can also be applied to wood, ceramic, glass, mirrors, etc. Think of the possibilities. You could personalize frames, jars, tiles, and more.

If you are interested, just let me know. You can either call me or leave a comment. The price would be $1.00 per word or phrase. I'm not supplying the ornament, just the vinyl that will be ready to peel and stick onto your ornament.

My vinyl colors that I have are white, off white, black, brown, gold, and a dark red. I have a lot of fonts to choose from also. I would be more that willing to mail orders.

Holiday Baking has begun!

2008-11-17T07:59:00.002-07:00

All of my little chefs like to be in the kitchen to "help" me bake. It can be a bit hectic and crazy to have them all want to participate, but I'm hoping to create some great memories, and maybe cultivate an interest in cooking. Next up on our list of things to make: cathedral window cookies, pumpkin fritters, peanut butter balls.

Two on a Tricycle

2008-11-17T07:53:00.003-07:00

Juliette would love to be able to ride this tricycle by herself, but alas her legs aren't quite long enough. She seems to be content riding on the back of the bike with her sister though.

Weekend Getaway

2008-11-12T12:53:00.012-07:00

Last weekend Josh and I were able to enjoy a little vacation without the kids. We stayed in Cameron, AZ at the old trading post. It is north of Flagstaff and about 45 minutes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, in the middle of nowhere really. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a little peace and quiet in a unique setting.

This was just outside our motel door in Cameron.

This is an old building used for a gallery in Cameron,

Here's an old bridge right in Cameron.

We went to the Grand Canyon and really loved the view and all that there was to see. This is a watch tower that was built in the 1930's. I loved the architecture inside and out. We were able to go all the way to the top and look out over the canyon. (please excuse my "tiny" jacket, it looks funny I know, but it was all that I had)

Inside the watch tower.

My favorite picture of the canyon.

Tiny jacket again!

My favorite picture of Josh at the canyon.

Monday as we were coming home we stopped at Sunset Crater Volcano national park outside of Flagstaff. It had snowed just a little and was already melting, but we got out and did a bit of walking and inhaled the clean mountain air for a bit.

It was a great vacation that I know both of us tried to make the most of, since I really don't know when we'll get the chance to get away again. Happy memories!

Halloween '08

2008-10-31T14:47:00.004-07:00

I saw this idea in Family Fun magazine and thought that I'd give it a try. Vellum placed over the flash makes for some spooky Halloween pictures.

In case you can't tell, Aleah is a witch, Alex is Darth Vader, Genevieve is a bat princess, and Juliette is Tinkerbell. We went to our ward's trunk or treat and had a great time eating chili, parading around in costumes and of course collecting our share of candy.

October Birthdays

2008-10-21T15:18:00.012-07:00

Aleah and I made this cute monkey cake together for her 9th birthday. It was chocolate and peanut butter with cocoa pebbles on the outside.

We had a fun Saturday celebrating Aleah's birthday. We went out for lunch, then to the Science Center downtown. (those pictures are on another camera, hopefully I'll be able to get them downloaded soon) After a couple of hours there we came back to the house for cake and presents.

We celebrated Alex's 7th birthday this last Saturday. We went to a little amusement park downtown that was for younger kids.

He wanted a checker board cake for his birthday.

Here we go again

2008-10-09T14:29:00.002-07:00

Potty training is rough. We are going to get serious about it soon, since I can tell that it is time. Wish me luck!

Just Cute

2008-10-09T14:26:00.002-07:00

Notice the shoes and socks. She put them on herself.

Family time

2008-10-09T14:19:00.002-07:00

Adam and Brittany came to stay with us a couple of weeks ago. The kids absolutely loved being with them. They seemed to have fun just going along doing whatever we did.

Sad Sunday

2008-10-09T14:08:00.003-07:00

I took these pictures of Juliette a couple of Sundays ago when she didn't get to go to church. She looks forward to going to church, but I had to stay home with Aleah since she was sick, so Juliette stayed home too, so that she could take a nap. She was not happy. I thought maybe she would cheer up if I took a few pictures of her, but that didn't work. She did enjoy looking at the pictures of herself after I had taken them though. While she was viewing the pictures, we also watched a few video segments of the family at the beach. She was so funny, she was wanting to put her swimming suit on and literally step into the camera to get into the water.

Fall?

2008-10-09T14:00:00.004-07:00

Finally, I think the weather has changed. I wait for this all summer long. The kids can now play outside and we are certainly enjoying it! This is Alex's first time up on roller blades. He was a little bit discouraged, but hopefully he'll try it again. (Don't mind the hot pink Barbie safety gear, it's all we had.)

Life's Little Blessings

2008-09-12T15:54:00.002-07:00

Josh and I are excited to announce that we will be having a baby boy! I had thought all along that we were having a boy, but I had never guessed right before. We are so pleased. We have already decided on the name of Ian Joshua (for those of you in my book club, I was inspired by a character in one of the books that we read). I feel like this little guy will round out our family.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-02T20:59:00.002-07:00

This pretty much sums up our Labor Day weekend. Nothing much happened around our house, except maybe a little snoozing.

What are you up to Juliette?

2008-09-02T20:46:00.008-07:00

You know your two year old is up to no good when she gives you a face like this. Another sure sign is when things are just a little too quiet.

Yes, this is paint on her face. No, it didn't come off.

We were ready to head out the door for church and discovered that Juliette had tried to make herself some chocolate milk. The chocolate powder was everywhere. Amazingly though, we were still on time for church ofter this little clean up.

What could be more fun than trying on daddy's shorts?

Crafts

2008-09-02T20:32:00.004-07:00

I bought an outfit to wear to church on Sunday and was able to make this necklace and a matching bracelet to go with it Saturday night. The beads were from my "stash," so technically I didn't spend any money which was great. I have so many beads it's ridiculous though.

I'm a knitter dabbling in crochet and I think I'm hooked. This was my first project. It's baby blanket for my sister's baby Max. The gauge wasn't consistent and the yarn was a bit heavy for a baby blanket, but I think it turned out okay.

Does it look like me?

2008-08-18T09:45:00.003-07:00

Alex made this for me and told me that it was me. What do you think? He can be very creative with his legos and other toys. His favorite thing to do lately is to play Rummikub with me, Josh, and Aleah in the evenings. I was doubtful that he would be able to figure out how to play, but he learned quickly and wins his share of the games. Go Alex!

Matching Nightgowns

2008-08-18T09:42:00.002-07:00

Here we are grandma in our matching nightgowns. Pretty cute!

Genevieve's 4th Birthday

2008-08-18T09:28:00.006-07:00

Genevieve was so excited to turn four. She really thought that everything good would happen to her when she turned four, that she would finally be big. I hope she's not disappointed. She goes to school now, but we still have yet to put up her big bed.

It seems like we celebrated her birthday on a couple of different days, so she was a little confused as to when she actually turned four. We went to the movies, went out to lunch where she wanted to go, and also got together with grandpa and grandma and aunt Emily. She helped me decorate her birthday cake(s).

Preschool Projects

2008-08-11T07:45:00.002-07:00

Here's Genevieve showing off her first preschool projects. She absolutely loves preschool and wishes she could go every day ( she goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

New Glasses

2008-08-11T07:40:00.003-07:00

I think Josh looks pretty stylish in his new glasses. His last ones had a silver metal frame, which I thought were nice too, but change is good every once in a while.

My Big Announcement

2008-08-04T08:34:00.002-07:00

Well, I'll just put it out there I guess. Josh and I are expecting our fifth child. Can you believe it! I couldn't at first and it took a while for me to get over the shock. It seems though that it is really happening, we are expecting this little one on Valentine's Day.

Christmas in July (aka Grandma Cook's B-day)

2008-08-04T08:24:00.005-07:00

We have a lot of birthdays in a row around here. This time we celebrated Grandma Cook's birthday with a taco dinner and a "Christmas Tree" birthday cake (the star on top somehow got cut off in the picture).

First Day of School '08

2008-08-04T08:13:00.004-07:00

It's the first day of school around here and the kids are definitely ready to go. They were anxious to head off early this morning with all of their bags of school supplies. Aleah is in third grade and Alex is in first grade this year. I'm nervous for them, but I'm sure they'll do just fine.

Juliette is Two!

2008-07-28T09:08:00.005-07:00

We celebrated Juliette's birthday on Saturday. She's two! She loved being in the spot light. We had cake and ice cream ( she turned her nose up at the cake and would only eat the ice cream), opened gifts, and went swimming. She loved the first present she opened (a tea set) and would have been completely happy with just that one gift. Maybe I should have put the rest away for Christmas.

She is such a sweetie, we love her.

Disneyland

2008-07-17T12:54:00.006-07:00

I'm sorry to say that I didn't get very many good pictures at Disneyland, I was too busy going and doing and keeping track of the kids. We did have a lot of fun and were ready to go home at the end of the day. Aleah and Alex were tall enough to go on the "big rides" this time around. I couldn't believe how adventurous they were. Genevieve and Juliette spent a lot of time with Grandpa and Grandma going on the "little rides."

Laguna Beach

2008-07-17T12:38:00.006-07:00

Laguna Beach was just beautiful. The temperature was perfect. We spent two pleasant afternoons at the beach just enjoying the waves and the sand. The kids learned how to dig for sand crabs and build sandcastles. Juliette couldn't seem to get enough of the water, she was fearless.

Water Baby

2008-06-09T08:23:00.003-07:00

Juliette doesn't seem to know that she is little. She played with the big kids at the splash pad at Goodyear Park and really enjoyed herself. She even held her own at the helm of one of the water guns. She is such a water baby.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-06-09T08:17:00.002-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Zollinger came to visit for Memorial Day Weekend. We enjoyed looking at the Reflections of Christ exhibit at the visitors' center at the temple.

Crocs

2008-06-09T08:13:00.004-07:00

Grandma Zollinger brought the kids each a pair of Crocs when she came to visit. They are so cute and colorful all in a row. The kids love them.

Going to the Park

2008-06-09T08:08:00.002-07:00

I guess I'm a sucker for cute sister pictures. I love it when my kids are actually nice to each other.

Crazy Kitten

2008-05-22T08:36:00.003-07:00

Aleah named our kitten Sebastian. He makes himself known when he is hungry, sometimes by climbing up my pant leg. His favorite spot has become the laundry room where he can nap inside clothes and not have to worry about Juliette randomly picking him up and tossing him.

A Little Dining Entertainment

2008-05-22T08:23:00.007-07:00

I should have captured this on video, so that you can hear that Juliette really does put on a show most nights while we're eating. I'm not sure exactly what she survives on, since she's not too fond of eating dinner lately. While it can be frustrating sometimes, she is happy, and we get to enjoy a little entertainment during our meal.

New Kitty

2008-05-04T13:33:00.004-07:00

We got this little guy (at least we think it's a boy) yesterday. Aleah kept asking if we could get a cat and I happily put her off. Then I started remembering when I was her age and how much I loved my cat. Pretty soon I was obsessed with looking and checking on craig's list for just the right kitten to come along. We thought maybe we wanted to find an orange tiger- striped kitten, but I fell in love with this little one's cute face. We are still trying to come up with just the right name. So far Ollie, Amadeus, Whiskers, Squeaker, and Frankie are on the top of the list. What do you think?

Progress

2008-04-28T08:00:00.005-07:00

We have sprinklers! Saturday was a long day in the sun, running back and forth to the home improvement store and finally succeeding with the sprinkler installation. Our backyard will soon be a thing of beauty.

Aleah

2008-04-28T07:51:00.004-07:00

Aleah usually does her own hair and she likes to wear it in two pigtails. She has always had her own sense of style. I thought that she looked especially cute in this picture.

Hiding

2008-04-28T07:47:00.004-07:00

When you are little you can hide from mommy most any place. These are two of Juliette's favorite places to hang out.

Learning Curve

2008-04-14T13:33:00.003-07:00

On Saturday, I had made some baby bracelets to sell and wanted to quickly take pictures so that I could list them. Have you ever tried to take really close up pictures before? It's as easy as I had imagined it would be. I didn't succeed until Josh and I had gotten out the owner's manual, the tripod, and fiddled around with the camera for about two hours. Talk about a steep learning curve! I am proud of this picture. I like to admire the luster on the pearls.

Little and a Little Bit Bigger

2008-04-14T13:25:00.004-07:00

I don't usually try to dress my girls in look a like clothes (with the exception of Easter). In both of these cases I had bought one or the other of the outfits, and then grandma happened to buy the other without knowing it. The girls think it is fun and I thought I'd better take a few pictures for posterity.

Conference Weekend

2008-04-07T10:58:00.004-07:00

Grandpa Cook snapped these pictures of the kids this last weekend while Jed, Patti, and Riley were in town. They were taken in between conference sessions while the kids had a chance to explore a bit down in the desert area beyond the back yard at Grandpa's house.

Looking Like a Two Year Old

2008-03-31T12:25:00.005-07:00

Juliette is twenty months old, but she is starting to look and act like two year old. This little hair do just makes me smile. She is so sweet and cute. She won't be a baby for much longer.

Necklaces

2008-03-28T13:47:00.006-07:00

What do you think? I recently started making jewelry. These are some of the necklaces that "turned out" all right. I like to experiment with new techniques and color combinations.

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T08:12:00.003-07:00

Well, I try. I've got to go get some professional pictures taken or something. It's just too much work getting everyone all outfitted for Easter and then taking a few lame pictures before quickly hurrying off to church. We did have a nice little Easter though. The weather was perfect and I felt inspired after attending church meetings.

Peeps

2008-03-21T17:12:00.005-07:00

Last year we started a tradition of baking cupcakes and decorating them with Peeps. Yum! The kids like to gobble them up and deliver some to their friends.

T Ball Time

2008-03-20T08:05:00.005-07:00

I know the pictures aren't great, but I had to post something. Alex had his first T ball game last night. He was first up to bat and hit one quite a ways out there. The whole thing was fun to watch. The game was preceded by a parade of all of the teams and an opening ceremony. He is on the Red Sox.

Cute stuff

2008-03-11T08:17:00.004-07:00

Juliette loves to be included in anything that the other kids are doing, so she does get dressed up and "pushed around" a lot.

Ducks

2008-03-11T08:05:00.004-07:00

Spring is here. The girls and I went to feed the ducks yesterday. We tried to get Juliette to say "duck" but she instead called them "puppies" as she does all animals. She did say "quack-quack" though. She wanted to get so near the edge that it made it hard to take pictures.

Cultivating Young Minds

2008-02-13T08:53:00.006-07:00

This picture warms my heart. The love of reading is something that I want to encourage in my children. It seems that even little ones enjoy a good book. Some of my favorite times are when I'm reading a book to one of them.

We bought a little table and chair set at Ikea on a whim. I wondered if it would get used or not, but to my surprise both girls like to sit and play or "work" at the table.

More Book Reviews

2008-01-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Street of a Thousand Dreams by Gail Tsukiyama ****
I think that I have read every book that this author has written. I have never been disappointed by her stories. I have a love for Asian fiction and her writing is very captivating and intimate in it's style. I feel like I am there and can visualize everything that is going on.
This book was interesting since it took place in Japan during and after WWII. I had never considered this point of view before. Her characters were regular people, whose lives changed dramatically though out the course of the book. They were able to navigate and find their way towards their dreams though war and grief. I enjoyed this book for it's story and for the things that I learned about traditional Japanese culture.

March by Gerraldine Brookes ***
The whole idea of this book intrigued me. The author loosely used Little Women as a jumping off point for this book. It was basically the story of what happened to Mr. March when he leaves home during the civil war. It was all very interesting and over all a good story, but in some parts it was hard for me to continue reading since the characters did not act how I wanted them to act. I wanted a hero and did not find one within this book's pages.
As in the author's previous book, A Year of Wonder, I enjoyed all of the careful detail, but thought that the ending was poor. I wanted an ending that matched the rest of the book, not one that seemed that it was slapped on as an after thought. I also thought there were too many topics that were competing for attention - slavery, a nebulous Christian belief, vegetarianism, virtue, war, self-sacrifice, redemption, etc. It did contain a few thoughtful insights like the following that came near the end of the book, "...there is only one thing to do when we fall, and that is to get up, and go on with the life that is set in front of us, and try to do good of which our hands are capable for the people who come in our way." Overall, I guess I would consider this a book worth reading.

Christmas 2007

2008-01-10T08:04:00.001-07:00

These kids are ready to roll. Bring it on! No pictures of trees, lights, or formality. These are the real thing - action shots!

Book Reviews

2008-01-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

I think that I'm going to start doing some book reviews on this blog. Maybe I should just post them on Amazon, but I'd kind of like to keep track and this seems like the best way to do that.

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson ****
This is a book that you will either love or hate. It has no real plot. It is a story of loss and finding your path in life. The path that the main character takes is one that one that crosses the line into insanity or maybe just obliviousness. Is she predisposed to taking the path? Why did the original sisters turn out the way that they did? This story leaves a lot of questions unanswered as it meanders.
The book did capture my attention and grew on me. I loved the writing style that kind of developed as the story went along. The references to death, water, and drowning were absolutely amazing. The author made it easy to see how one can just drift. It is a book to reread for the words alone.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler ***
Anne Tyler books are always nice stories, that's why I read them from time to time. This book centered around two couples that adopted from Korea. As is her style, Anne Tyler told the story from several viewpoints. I enjoyed the story from the mother-in-laws perspective. I kept thinking to myself while reading, that the author must have done a lot of research into Iranian customs or have a close friend who was willing to share. I would have liked a bit more development of the story, instead of just another party. Also, the ending was lame. It was a decent, clean book though.

Master of the Spoon

2007-12-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

Toddlers make such a mess when eating. Juliette did end up with most of this bowl of cereal all over, but she's learning. She still uses both hands, sometimes using the spoon, sometimes just grabbing a fistful when it's easier.

The Sweater

2007-12-20T07:54:00.001-07:00

Finally it's sweater weather around here. As a knitter I feel cheated living in Arizona. There really isn't a whole lot that I can knit that is going to get a lot of use. Anyway, this is one of my finished projects of this year. I actually started it for Genevieve, but got it done in time for Juliette to use it.

Sisters

2007-12-11T12:11:00.001-07:00

Genevieve and Juliette are home with me all day. Sometimes they get along and sometimes they pick on each other, but they really do love each other. Genevieve is always trying to take care of her baby sister. Even though she is only three, she looks out for her and tells me when Juliette is doing something dangerous, so that I can come and rescue her. So, every once in a while it is nice to be able to catch them together and capture a moment of sisterly affection.

Two Babies

2007-11-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Juliette at 15 months is still a baby to me. However she is a "mother" to her babies. She sits on this first step and tries to change the clothes and lays her baby down for a nap. It is the cutest thing.