Delight in Everything

Here are some facts about our darling three-year-old

• She loves Dora, princess stuff, anything pink and sparkly, and beautiful dresses.
  
• It is not uncommon for her to change her outfit 4-5 times a day which isn't always appreciated.
• She is having a hard time adjusting to being home during the day without her brothers and sister.
• Her favorite foods are cheese, chicken and bread.
• She loves the Barbie movie series.
• She loves to snuggle.
• She is incredibly ticklish.

We celebrated her birthday at IHOP. She loved her funny-face pancake although she didn't know what to think about them singing to her. We continued the party at home with cake and presents. The highlight of her birthday was her cake. It was a darling, sparkling-pink castle.


She loved her presents too. She received a princess lunch set, a darling felt and wood cupcake toy for her kitchen, a crown, a beautiful dress, twin baby dolls, and a floor puzzle. Add to that all of the birthday wishes she received and you can see she truly felt like a princess for a day.

Bri took a break from school uniforms today to dress up in this outfit. The theme is "decades" and she picked the 70's. This was as close as we could get to a flower child look with what we had on hand. We glued the flowers on the skirt and used lots of ribbons and yarn. She loved it of course, especially her hair.

It is official, Arick is 9! It is so hard to believe how much this kid is growing up. This past year has been pretty great for him. He is more helpful around the house, his reading has improved, he started working outside with his dad including a bit of mowing the lawn, he completed his wolf badge for Cub Scouts (he earned 6 arrows as well), he played basketball and soccer and loved it, and so much more. It is going to be so much fun to watch him this next year.

As for the birthday details, he is pretty pleased. He had two family celebrations where he was totally spoiled, one at Gigi's and the other at Red Robin where they embarrassed him with their loud singing He was given a really neat collection of rocks that glow under a black light. Arick loves rocks and this set was perfect for him. Another favorite is his wand and Harry Potter gear. This year was the first year I took Arick to the movie theater to see HP when it opens. He also received two Wii games, a finger skateboard, a trio of Bakugan, and a Lego Bionicle. Add to that his birthday money that Papa and Grandma gave him and I am sure we can all agree that he was spoiled.

It is official! Until 2:45 p.m. today, I am home with only one child. That means no sibling squabbles until 2:45 pm, a much cleaner house, easier shopping trips to the store, etc. However, the best part is that when Ella takes a nap, I can too! Oh how I have missed naps in a quiet house. Of course, that doesn't mean that I will have time to take a nap, but the peace that comes from knowing that I can is great too. Woohoo!

1. I absolutely love my salad spinner. This year we planted a garden and it is amazing how much dirt clings to the vegetables. This salad spinner makes the cleaning process so much easier. Click for more details here



2. I purchased the cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone a few months ago and I have loved it. It has really helped me discover that vegetable can actually taste great.



3. Timez Attack the computer game is by far one of the best multiplication games out there. Arick really struggled last year to memorize his multiplication tables. Now that school is in session and he will be learning division, Arick needed a refresher course. Thanks to this game, he has had a lot of fun and he is truly mastering this. If you go to http://www.bigbrainz.com/index.php you can try a free version. You will not regret it. We bought the full version with a coupon and have been very happy with out purchase.



4. My favorite meal right now is Stouffer's Stuffed Green Peppers. Yummy and healthy for you!



5. The television shows Monk and Psych are back on. Yay! If you have not seen either, especially Monk, then you must go out and rent the DVDs. You will be laughing in no time. You can see clips and full episodes at www.usanetwork.com

We are back from vacation and my camera card is full and I have so many stories to tell. While you are waiting you can see this picture of me with the kids. Excuse my hair as the wind in the salt flats of Utah is not kind to short hair.