A Whole Heap

I have felt buried the last month! I have had the stomach flu twice in December! How cruel is that? I don't remember getting the flu for a long time. And to get it once and then again 2 weeks later is NOT FUN.
Hopefully we are all out of the woods. I count my blessings that the rest of the family didn't get it and that Curtis is such a great husband and father to take over running the household when I have been down and out!

I have had things to post, but haven't done it in SO long. So, this will probably be a LONG post to catch up.

Have you ever taken your child to the store looking like this?

One day Lydia asked if she could wear her bucket to Walmart. I told her it was fine. You can tell who has ever had kids or likes them because they just smile. In fact, one man in the parking lot said, "Oh, that brings back such great memories! Our son used to wear a bucket everywhere!" I am glad that it made his day! I just kept smiling at people and got some pretty weird looks. :) You know, you pick your battles! There is no reason why you can't wear a bucket hat to Walmart. I will think back on those days and smile, too.

The other day Lydia had made a contraption from a box, a foam pipe insulator and pretend food. She said it was a SNOWFLAKE MACHINE. If you fed it pretend food it would make you hot and warm snowflakes to eat! They were DELICIOUS! I love her imagination! I never know what will come next!

On Monday, I went into Salt Lake and Katie and Braden watched my girls for me while I went to an appointment. Katie took the girls to the Salt Lake City Cemetery to see Pres. Hinckley's headstone. They talked about the separation of body and spirit. Lydia told me later, "Mom, I saw headstones!"

Katie said that Lydia said to her, "Do you know what? Babies can talk!" Katie agreed and Lydia went on, "Maren can talk. She speaks Spanish. That's why we can't understand her!" Then went back to Katie's place and Katie told Braden the story. Lydia listened carefully and added her, "Yeah!" and "She does!" If I knew Spanish a little better, maybe Maren would have fewer tantrums! :)

When we were at Katie and Braden's another day Lydia was playing with Katie's tea set. Braden asked her what she was making.
L:"Something."
B: "Is it Jello?"
L: "Yeah."
B: "What flavor?"
L: "Water flavor with spicy ice cubes!"
I have never tried that recipe!

While I have been sick laying in bed, I have heard the girls and Curtis downstairs and missed being with them! Curtis has relayed some funny stories. Our neighbors brought us some delicious bonbons. I had cut one in fourths the night before to share. I guess while Curtis was distracted Lydia found the bonbons! She is always good to take 2 treats, cause she needs to share with Maren! So this is what he found:
Guess what? Later that day, they found them AGAIN! They enjoyed them! Curtis said there was only one left! Gotta love holiday treats!

Maren is our climber! She gets on anything! We she can climb on the kitchen chairs, then to the table. She enjoys making messes and scaring me! After she has poured pepper all over the table, I decided it was time to remove all the kitchen chairs. Now, we have the pleasure of sitting on folding chairs to eat and put away before our little climber gets into trouble! She seems pretty fearless.

When we were decorating the Christmas tree for the first time, Lydia would put the ornaments on and Maren would follow right behind with exasperated sounds, "Ugh." "Ooh." She was taking them off as fast as Lydia could put them on! She very systematically threw each one down on the floor. Needless to say, our tree is pretty much naked 2 1/2 feet down! :)