Let it rip!

We had dinner with some friends tonight and during dessert, Michaela let one rip. She was pretty embarrassed and said to me ever so quietly.....

"Mom, now you should fart so I won't be embarrassed anymore!"

They

They make me Crazy! (Check out all the pen ink! I made her wake up at 1am to shower when I found her!)

They remind me of the good old days when Savannah, Richie and I would lay on the floor and watch movies from the Smith's movie Center.

They constantly force me to be innovative! (I had to go to the bathroom soooooo bad at Khols, and Heidi fit perfectly in my purse! Next time I will take my own advice and go before we leave!)

They (She especially) remind me to be patient in all things. Sometimes I have to slow down and realize she doesn't understand me, because she is being a puppy, or a horse, or a fairy and if I want her to do what I am telling her, I need to bark or neigh, or yes, sometimes I talk like a fairy.

They remind me that God is good. Michaela was in awe that she could just pick all the raspberry's that she could fit in her little bucket. On the way home she told me how happy she was that Heavenly Father gave her so many Delicious berried!

They (Her especially) remind me that time is precious. I can't believe that my tiny baby will be one in just a few short weeks. Where did the time go? I love her! I miss her when she sleeps and I can't wait to see who this wonderful little person will become.

They remind me that I am blessed. We seriously do not have it all together folks. Today at ten am my kids were in there jammies and dishes filled the sink and the dog peed on the floor. I was losing it. But at the advice of my very wise three year old who told me to just chill, I did. The dishes weren't going anywhere, but these girls will someday. I want them to remember their time at home as happy and full of dancing in the kitchen.

She's a nocturtle!

Michaela: Mommy can we go to fairytopia today for lunch and to play with my friends?

Mommy: Well honey, I don't think I know where that is

Michaela: Oh mom. that's ok, cause you can just ask the ggs and it will tell you how to get there.

Mommy: Michaela, PLEASE, sit down and wash your hair. I will do it, or you can do it, but it needs to be done before you can get out.

Michaela: No it doesn't please, I said my manners and that should work.

Mommy: Wash your hair.

Michaela: Mommy, calm down, whats the big deal anyway?

Mommy: Okay, get the books we are going to read, its time to go to bed

Michaela: Nope, cause I don't need to sleep at night anymore, I'm a nocturtle.

Mommy: A what?

Michaela: A nocturtle, mom, remember our libaby book? A nocturtle doesn't sleep at night. That's what I am mom, a nocturtle.

I love being a part of their family :)

All the places we've lived.......

Today, Em, (that is what we call Michaela sometimes) and I were having a snack and our conversation went as follows:

Michaela: Mommy, I like my new house.

Mommy: I am so glad, you have lived in a few houses haven't you?

Michaela: Yep, but know what my best house is?

Mommy: What (Expecting it to be her new playhouse outside)

Michaela: My Tummy house that Davea made for me! I love her mommy.

Mommy: Me too, should we write her a letter to tell her we love her?

Michaela: No mom, but you can just call her cause she is your best friend. We can call Ericka too, cause she made Heidi a house in her tummy, and she is your best friend too mom.

What a wonderful blessing to me, to have these two sweet baby girls in my home, to call me mommy, and also, and just as loved and part of the family, their sweet birth mothers whom I have the privilege of calling my BEST FRIENDS! What a blessing it is, and will continue to be to Michaela and Heidi to know their birthmothers, their ANGELS! I love them, truly love them and would not have our relationship be any different. Some people find it odd that we are so close with our girlsbirthfamilies. Why? I have never once felt threatened, or weirded out by the situation. I find itcompletely natural that we went to Davea's wedding so Michaela could be her flower girl and that Ericka is coming to stay at our house for Heidi's birthday. Know who my best and favorite baby sitter was in Iowa? Ericka. Know who I call to vent to? My best Friend Davea. I love these women, and hope and PRAY that we all get together one day, in the same room --- there MUST be a photographer there!

Michaela and Davea at her Wedding in Oct 09

Ericka and Heidi during a visit to Ericka's grandma's house for Easter Dinner April of 10

Picture Overload!

We have not seen either set of grandparents for a while, thus the plea for and gift of pictures!! We have had a pretty busy week here, but I will let the pictures do the story telling :)

Heidi is learning to walk so fast! She has been army crawling for about two months now, with no interest in moving her little legs, but in the last three days, she has started to pull herself up on everything! Usually, this is fine - but for the first day or so, she had NO IDEA how to unlock her legs and get back down. Cut to me flying down the stairs at 3 in the morning to respond to the shrill shriek of a very confused, very stuck baby. She has since learned, thank heavens!

Heidi and her best pal, Simon. They looked out this window and growled and barked (yes, both of them growled and barked!) for about an hour the other morning.

I love that the girls are playing together now! They have a wonderful system where Michaela tells Heidi exactly how it is going to be, Heidi doesn't listen at all and usually knocks down the tower Michaela is building or throws the barbie rather than saying the assigned statement. Michaela usually gets mad, tries again and again, and then finds a different activity.

Beach Anyone? You would never know it from this picture - but she is happy to be having a picnic in the sand!

Just look at that cute little...Ponytail!...did you think I was going to say bummy? Cause that is not appropriate for the Internet, no matter how adorable those buns are!

Heidi baby avoiding a sunburn :)

Very quiet backseat after the sun and sand...(Please note Michaela's choice of "light reading!"

Root beer Float anyone?! To say it correctly in our house though, it comes out a little more like this, Root Ba-reer!

And last but not least, a lesson in child rearing. When you throw two people in a marriage, lets call them Kresge and Fife, you have two different influences available to teach your children, lets call them Kresge and Fife. In this instance you have a perfectly wonderful, sunny, low humidity day, perfect fro two things. One - napping upstairs for three hours with your baby, and Two- washing the cars! Fife absolutely won this influence, as Kresge was upstairs napping for three hours with the baby! His dad would be so proud - and SO WOULD MINE!!

Trip to the Kiddie Park

There is a really fun little kid park right down the street from our house. It's only like 75 cents per ride so it makes for one heck of a family night!

Photo Update!

We got to see Corban! Weeeee!! Last weekend, Amber, Corban and Ethan were in New York, which is way closer to us than their house in Oklahoma - so we road tripped it up there!! We stayed with Amber's wonderful family, and got to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant, And the Palmayra Temple, and The Sacred Grove....basically a wonderful weekend! Michaela had such a great time with Corban, we wish we lived closer!

Corban wasn't really into the whole "kissing cousin" concept quite like Michaela was!

Here is one attempt at our Family Picture, at least Heidi looks adorable!

Attempt number 2.......

Amber and her boys know how to do it!

Snack time in the Sacred Grove

Attempt number three......

My mom calls her granddaughter's her Sunshine Girls, and I saw these jammies, and well, there you go! I tried several times to get a really cute frameworthy picture....

Attempt number 2.....

And three.....

And 4!!

Mommy: Michaela I will make you a deal, you can sleep upstairs if you go potty before you get up there. Or if not, you can sleep down here in your bed.

Michaela: Well, Samantha, I have another deal. I don't like my bed so therefore, I need to go potty. I will be right back!