Kate' First Talk...

Or should I say Justin's? It is still hard to believe that Kate is a sunbeam now. But sure enough just shy of being two months out of the gate, she gets an assignment to talk in Primary. We practiced for a week, not lying! A week because if she is anything like her momma, she was sure to cry through the entire talk and have her dad end up giving the talk. We practiced and practiced and performed it for Grandma, Dad and Zach. She even got to the point where she had some of it memorized. But of course in the end, her name was called to give the talk, and just with the call of her name she broke down in tears. She wouldn't even hold up the props. Justin ended up giving the talk. Maybe next time, things will be different. But then again, if she is like me, she won't dare give a talk until she turns 16! Why is giving a talk so scary?

Here she is all gussied up, and ready to give her talk a go. I sent her off to church(I had to stay home with Zach, who had a case of the Stomach flu), with high hopes that all would go well. Well it didn't but get this...later that day, 2 hours after she had been home from church, Justin asked her that if mommy had been there to help her, would she have given her talk? She said yes. Great! But then again, she talks a big talk. Just like when I know she has been into something she shouldn't be and I ask her if she has done it?...She blames her baby.

It Finally Snowed...

And more than 2 inches this past Tuesday! The snow didn't really start falling until Zach was off to school, and melted shortly after he came home, so he didn't really get to enjoy it. But Kate and I did! We had so a fun morning building a snowman and trying out the new sled Santa brought for Christmas.


Kate has been quite the little entertainer lately. She is especially into music and dancing.

My Funny Little Valentine...

Well not really mine, as in my own child, but a funny little girl in Zach's class.

Here is the preface...
All the kids in Zach's class had just finished eating their treats from their little party, and his teacher, Mr. McBeth, had them all seated on the carpet to discuss what traditions their family had on Valentine's Day, or what was their family going to do special today, in honor of Valentine's Day.

Here's where it gets good...
The kids talked about going out to eat, or making sandwiches in the shape of a heart, etc. when suddenly one little girl, raised her hand, and said, "My mom and dad are going to have sex!"

We(all the adults in the room) were dying!!! Mr. McBeth chuckled, I busted up laughing, and her poor mom in the back of the room was in denial. Luckily, none of the kids caught on to what she had said, but I tell you, kids say the darnedest things!

Happy Valentine's Day!

On Two Wheels...

The cold wintery month of January seems to be to most unlikely month to learn how to ride a bike, but not for Zach.

Fortunately, we have been having some unusually great weather for January here in Portland. So a couple of weeks ago the kids and I were outside shooting some hoops and Kate was riding Zach's old bike. I decided to grab his big boy bike that he refused to learn how to ride this past summer, and began riding circles around him as he was shooting hoops. I teased him a little about how I could ride his bike and he couldn't, in a nice mommy way of course. But then I thought about it and started to ask him if he wanted to try to ride it. I tried to make him feel confident that he wouldn't get hurt because he could touch the ground without falling over because he has grown a few inches. My teasing payed off because although very nervous, five minutes into his attempt to ride a two wheeler, he became a "pro", as he described his new found skill.

I am so proud of him. And more importantly he is so proud of himself. He has become more daring since he learned two weeks ago, and is now picking up more speed and attempting to stand up on the pedals.