Cupcakes

Today was just a fun day. I try to record something about our life each day-here a a few things about today. I made cupcakes to bribe the kids to eat dinner (what can it say it works for me!) I let them frost them by themselves, they were in heaven!

Palmer went nuts with the frosting.

Don't forget the mini chocolate chips!

The frosting piles got higher and higher. These are kids after my own heart.

We play A LOT of "Go Fish" at our house.

Maddy wanted me to take a picture of her looking like a "rabbit."

Poor Savannah was so sick! She had a fever and just sat there all night. I was so worried about her. Even feeling sick she said the cutest things.

Today while we were playing at our friend Sam's house the boys were goofing off on Sam's bunk bed and Lincoln "accidentally" pushed Palmer off the top of the bed. It shocked Lincoln as much as Palmer and Lincoln couldn't stop crying. Luckily they had pulled a matress from under the bed out and it sort of broke his fall-but it shot him right onto the wood floor. If you can see he has a red mark all down the right side of his face.

Palmer decided that he wanted to make a sign to hang on his door today. The kids all thought it was a pretty good idea and everyone made one. Notice the red tie around Palmer's arm. He is way into the idea of breaking a leg or an arm. The other day he came out with a scarf around his leg and let me know it was broken. Today he decided that the break switched to his arm and after "falling" off the bunk bed let me know it was now both arms. He is such a nut ;)

Maddy's finished product. She had me write a huge sentence about how nobody can come in her room except her and her friends. Honestly this little girl is so adorable!

Lincoln's door hanger.

This is the finished product looks like. I think the kids were pretty clever.

In Memory of a Kindred Spirit

When I was in the MTC I met a girl named Angela Liljenquist. She wasn't my companion but she and her companion were my roommates. I felt like I met a long lost friend. I don't think I ever laughed as hard as when I was with Angela. Angela had a passion for life like nobody I have ever met. I love that about her. The MTC was so much fun largely because of her. Angela was in remission from melanoma cancer. While we were in the MTC she found 2 lumps on her head and were were really scared her cancer had come back. They turned out to not be cancer. I really grew close to her at this time. After the MTC we separated she went on her mission to Seattle and I to Spokane Washington. I served at Washington State University while she was serving at University of Washington.

We wrote letters through our missions and when we both got home we continued our friendship. She finished up at BYU, me at USU. I did my internship in Washington D.C., she went to graduate school in D.C. after I went home.

She married Paul Weimer. They were so cute together. I loved being with the two of them. We have stayed in contact over the years and a few years ago her melanoma came back. We talked mostly over the phone for the past few years. A lot of time we would talk after she had finished up another round of chemo. These were such hard times for her but she always tried to stay positive. This was one of Angela's gifts. Whenever we talked or spent time together I would leave completely uplifted and inspired. Angela recently passed away. I found out today and it came a such a shock. I am really struggling with it. I will miss her so much. I really feel like we were kindred spirits.

I love this woman. She has influenced my life forever. Even when we wouldn't talk for a while as soon as we would talk it was like no time passed. Angela is the most selfless, kind, pure and wonderful person.

Palmer Graduates From Preschool

I have been bragging about our preschool for the entire year. Last night was their graduation program that was simply incredible. This is the stage before the kids came out. I would have been impressed with just the rainbow. This program was the icing on the cake for a wonderful year. This preschool doesn't do anything half way. He has learned so much that I would have thought him too young to know. I was teary all night and so glad we found this gem of a preschool.

Anxiously awaiting Palmer's program. It was strange not having our other kids with us. We decided that we wanted this night to only be about Palmer.

Each child was introduced as they came out. The parents were loving it.

All of the 4-5 year old preschool kids.

Singing their safety song.

Palmer being a turkey for their Thanksgiving song.

Palmer got to hold up "December". The kids would hold up a month and would tell what they learned that month in a cute poem and then sing some of the songs they learned that month.

ABC song.

Each of the kids a lots of props that were so cute.

They learned sign language to the rainbow song.

The kids learned "God Bless America." So cute!

Each child was presented with the memory books they have been working on all year and a diploma. Miss Jacque asked each of them what they wanted to be when they grew up. Palmer said he wanted to be a policeman. Some of the answers were so funny. There were kids that wanted to be "Spiderman 3", "vampire" (that one totally threw Jacque off, she was so flustered after he said that!), "mermaid", "princess," (this one was followed by a little boy that had a crush on her and he said he wanted to be a prince, I am guessing more specifically HER prince :), veterenarian (totally mispronounced so Jacque had to say what she meant), a cat doctor and all other sorts of things.

Waiting for the slide show.

Palmer wanted to know what was in this random rolled paper he got.

Palmer adored his teachers this year. He had three. Miss Kris, Miss Carol (shown here) and Miss Jacque.

The extremely proud parents.

Palmer worked on this memory book all year. He is so proud of it. It has parts of everything he learned this year.

Preschool diploma.

Checking out his memory book.

Palmer's preschool is right by a Marie Calendars. Each day when I would pick him up we could smell their yummy food in the air. We surprised him after by taking him to dinner there. At first he was so confused that it was just him that got to go.

So excited we let him get a rootbeer float for his drink.

Palmer was using the table to color until they brought the food. so he moved to the bench.

All tuckered out from all of the excitement.

Feeding the Ducks

We decided to go and see the ducks today as I had some stale bread I thought they would like, they didn't, but we had fun! Lincoln got hungry and started to eat the bread, Yuck!

Hunter developed a pretty good throw.

The ducks weren't all that interested in our bread. Palmer had to chase them trying to get them interested...they weren't. What snobby ducks!

Dear Mother Nature...I am sorry!

I will never write a snotty post to "Mother Nature" again. Today while playing outside with the kids I got BURNED! I guess it serves me right:)

Fort Night

Tonight I had a meeting and Josh and the kids built a fort in the basement and watched movies with popcorn. The kids loved it!

They were way into that movie.

What a great fort!

Best Buddies Citizen's Breakfast at La Caille

I am chairing a fundraiser for Best Buddies of Utah August 20th at La Caille. It is called the "Citizen's Breakfast." We are raising money to get a Best Buddies program in Salt Lake City. It would be similar to the programs that are in the schools but people in the community can be part of it, you don't have to be a student. I am really excited for this program. The breakfast is actually FREE! If you would be interested in coming to this event, I have 10 spots that I need to fill for my table. Email me at emily.7n@gmail.com. The breakfast is from 8-9 am and is just an informative presentation about this wonderful program.