Thursday Laura, Eden, and I went with Laura's preschool on a fieldtrip to Hamblin Dairy Farm in Syracuse. We got see the milking room, the big cows and their stinky field and the cute baby calfs that were born a day earlier. The girls were both really interested and Laura liked to feed the cows grass. I was glad that there were no 'my mommy must be a cow!' comments from my girls:) Here's Laura's preschool, both classes, she's really going to miss it this summer!

On Wednesday we went with the Kings to the Kaysville Botanical Ponds. We saw tadpoles swimming in the lake, fed the ducks popcorn and stale crackers and threw lots of rocks. Living in the city close to lots of stuff has its upsides. Afterwards we went to a great little park that had lots of room for running. Laura and Warren ran across the soccer field a few times and came back holding hands. It's cute, and innocent and I can definitely see how arranged marriages used to be so popular! I love Warren's face in this picture.

This last week the weather here was absolutely beautiful: about 78 degrees. We took advantage of it Tuesday and headed to one of our favorite parks in Clinton with our good friend Ellen King and her three boys. Ryan loved being outside and I loved being able to put him in really cute boy duds. Laura and Warren made sand castles and Eden even helped some little girls make a sand cake. 'Now we need some sugar, and some more flour...' it was really cute.

I got my garden planted and my back lawn fertilized. Our front tree is in full bloom, my tulips appeared, our little tree we planted last year is looking healthy. Oh, and Mom, the plum tree you gave us is looking good too. I'm really excited to get my lawn looking better and can't wait for the strawberries! We've even got little flowers already for the bees to turn into strawbies! My next project is to plant some more flowers and get some chicken wire to protect said berries from hungry birdies.

Some days are just like this:)

Easter Weekend 2009

The Easter bunny hopped on over to our house on Friday night and left the girls hidden baskets of goodies. Laura woke up early and found her basket first. She was thrilled with her new sparkly butterfly pillowcase and, I must say adorable, hair bows. Eden also loves her kitty pillowcase and flowers barrettes. I'm sure glad because I sacrificed a whole Friday evening to get those silly things done. Lesson: making h tings by hand is not easier than getting a few th ings at the dollar store.

Brent and I were happy with our european chocolate bars. I just ate the last piece.

For our annual 'Easter-Spring Day' this year we continued our tradition of heading to Midway to visit Great Grandma Geniel and Uncle Wayne. We had a big dinner, had an Easter Egg hunt in the backyard, played with bubbles and the girls decorated cupcake easter baskets while Brent and I had a mini date around town.

Unfortunately Laura was getting over a cold and was pretty cranky. And her parents were so fed up that the easter bunny made a second appearance on saturday night to take back Laura's candy. Too much sugar.

Sunday was a lot more stable, probably because of the missing candy, and after church we took a walk on the Kayscreek Parkway. It's a canyon that runs down the middle of Layton, like a mini national park. The girls saw birds, heard the frogs chirping, and kept their eyes out for mountain lions. Laura also insisted she wear her bunny ears. She also showed us how she would duck really fast if an eagle swooped down to take them off. It's always good to be prepared.

April 3-10th
Laura the librarian reading 'Mig the Pig' to a fascinated story time audience.

Eden and my new neato front loading, high efficiency washer. The best part? the entertainment value: the Me-Dolls, Eden and Ryan are all enthralled with the swooshy action.
Our dishwasher also died the day after our washer. It just got installed today (15th)

Laura waiting patiently in her barbie helmet while Brent puts a little more air in her tires and raises the seat up as high as it will go. She's about ready to ditch the training wheels.

Eden's face when I told her we had to leave the park. Dirt is a little girl's best friend.

Excerpts from my Journal: (I do my journal in mostly list style anyway)

March 30th:
*Spent basically the whole day playing and being with the girls.
*Spent about 45 minutes writing a book and having Laura illustrate a book about Kruela the dog who gets saved from her not-very-nice owner by a little girl in an airplane. Hmmm, maybe Laura wants a pet.
*Made the best bread ever. I feel like I've passed some sort of housewifery test:)
*Watched Morgan from across the street and rented 'Bolt'. Cute show, but a little scary for my little girlies.
*Ryan had his shots on Monday and is maybe cutting a tool. He's been sad.
*He weighs 18 pounds 7 ounces and is healthy!

April 1st:
*Will the snow ever go away? Spring Fever
*Got my haircut, love it
*Laura took over cleaning the kitchen today and delegated most of it to me. But she did a great job washing the bread pans, and telling Eden to pick up the dress ups.
*Ryan melts my heart when he lays his head on my shoulder and hums to me.
*His absolute favorite thing to do is have a bath, I've never seen a baby go ballistic like he does. Maybe it's just a boy thing?
*Broken washer. ugh. Even this Brent can't fix.

April 3rd:
*Had a hard time being motivated today.
*The girls had about an hour bath while I goofed off on the internet
*So then of course we had to dance around and clean for an hour.
*Bought a new waher today. glad we have savings
*Laura went to a puppy birthday party today and had a great time dressing up like a dog. She shared all of her reats with Eden when she got home. Eden, Daddy and I had a 'party' while she was gone so Eden wouldn't fee left out When I told Laura on the way home she wailed," Sounds l ike you had more fun than me!" The grass is always greener.
*Tonight when I was putting them to bed Laura asked me not to go to jail, so I'd better obey the laws:)

March 31, 2009

Eden is starting to follow in her sister's princessy footsteps. With one exception, Eden is the always the princess in blue. It is her absolute favorite color and she insists on blue everything. It's really convenient because then we don't have fights over colors because Laura is pink and Eden is blue. Here my blue lady is in her 'carriage', with her 'magic wand' aka the little footstool and a chopstick with a rubber ducky stuck on top. I guess the fairy godmother won't have a problem finding props!

Temple Day- courtesy of Ellen Davenport

Families are Forever

This weekend, March 20, 2009, we had the opportunity to be part of a special time for our family.

Its been a year since my Grandpa Henry passed away. We've all missed him very much over the past year, and I think of him often. Especially as I've had the experience to compile and read over the letters he and my Grandma Ruby wrote when they were engaged.

This weekend we gathered together as a family as my grandpa's temple work was done in the Rexburg Temple. It was an amazing experience, and I am so glad that we were able to be part of it.

Lots of Aunts, Uncles, and cousins were there on Saturday in the temple. We did a session together, which was so very nice. What a feeling to be surrounded all around by family; my husband, my siblings, my parents, my extended family, all in such a holy place. The temple really is all about families.

A little family history: My grandpa was a mountain man, trapper and hunter. He lost his first wife Lois to complications from premature childbirth, as well as their newborn baby girl. A heartache he carried throughout his life. Below: Henry and Lois

Years later, he met, fell in love, and married my Grandma Ruby. And they had a family of 8 including my mom. Their Engagement Picture1946 Family Photo- My mom is the one with the cat eye glasses. : )

It was special in so many ways, to witness the sealings. My grandpa was sealed to his parents. And was sealed to his first wife Lois, and to their baby Evelyn. Something that I think his heart has been yearning for throughout his life. Then, he was sealed to my grandma Ruby. And then their children were sealed to them, my mom and all her siblings. An eternal family at last. What an exciting day for us all in the Jemmett clan.

















After the afternoon at the temple, we all got together at my parent's house for a lunch, visiting, and sharing family memories.

March 14, 2009

This is how we're spending our time waiting for spring! The best way to get the winter wiggles out:

dance!
I can't wait until I can throw them out in the backyard with a few spray bottles of water, and neither can Laura: we have to discuss every day her choice of wearing a skirt with tights or pants. I love this combo she picked:)