New Blog

I am sorry to be changing blogs but I have been having a little trouble with this one since it won't let me change e-mail addresses. I have started a new blog for our family that I will be able to update a little more often because of the better e-mail.
To see our blog, go to:
http://simply-sanders.blogspot.com

Jim-the-fix-it-man

I love having an engineer for a husband!!! I also love that he enjoys fixing things and can figure out what is wrong generally.

We have had more problems with our swamp cooler. The water pump shorted out so he spent some time and fixed that. The next day, we noticed water coming through the ceiling again. He was able to figure out what was wrong and fixed that, also. He has also changed the oil in both cars and has done a lot of other things around the house! I really appreciate him!

Violatte's Speech

I have been worried about Violatt'es speech for quite a while. She doesn't say most words clearly and that really concerns me. She knows what she is saying and we can usually figure it out because a couple of words in each sentence are clear, but in general, she struggles some. She has done better since she started preschool. Her language has come a long way, but I am still worried.

Today her teacher did an evaluation on her and talked to me. She was concerned also and wanted to know what I thought about having Violatte referred to a specialist. I think it is a good idea. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I really hope it helps.

Her teacher also commented over and over how incredibly smart Violatte is. For example, the teacher always gives the class a five minute warning before it is time to clean up the toys. As the kids were playing Violatte went up to her teacher and said, "Teacher, five more minutes." Sure enough, it was five minutes until clean up time -- the same time when the teacher would have said that to the class.

Violatte also knows her shapes, colors, months of the year, she can count, etc. Her teacher said that once she could talk better, she wouldn't be surprised if Violatte could explain that she knew even more. What a smart girl! I am so proud of her!

yahoo!!!

Something so fantastic and wonderful happened today!!!!!
Annalee has been wanting to sit on the potty for a long time as she has seen Violatte use the bathroom. We would put her on the big potty, but nothing ever happened and it was pretty frustrating how often she would ask to be held up there.

Well, I decided to pull out the little potty chair for her. Each time Violatte has gone to the bathroom Annee goes and sits on her little potty chair fully clothed. Today, she was very insisted that we undress her so she could sit on the potty the right way. Well, we did . . . and she went potty!!!!!!!

But, wait . . . it gets even better. A little later on, Annalee came running up to me and told me she needed to go potty. I was right in the middle of something and took an extra couple of minutes to get to the bathroom to help her. By then, she wasn't so excited to sit on the potty because she had just wet her diaper! When I saw that I realized that she had known when she needed to go!!!!!! Yay!! Although it may be a few months until we can actually potty train her, each step is exciting!

August Update

It's been quite a while since I have written about what we have all been up to, so I thought I'd do a quick update of everybody.

Violatte is loving preschool! She has made friends, she is learning lots, and she loves that they eat at school. In fact, that is usually the main thing that she tells me about school.

Annalee has been having a really hard time with Violatte being gone. She has gotten really cuddly (which I love!) We have been having some good times together in the mornings while Violatte's at school. I think she is starting to enjoy the one-on-one time with Mommy.

The pregnancy is going well. I am not quite as sick as I used to be, so that is a nice break. I have started to have trouble with the migranes again now that I am in the second trimester. I'm not quite sure what I can do about that. I have an appointment on September 19 and I am really hoping we'll be able to see what gender the baby is.

Jim has been working on some really exciting things for his job. He is just loving it!

We had been having some trouble with the tire on our van. During out trip we had to keep filling it up with air. We didn't think there was a big problem, but since we got back it got really bad. Jim took it to a tire place and got it fixed yesterday. It is such a relief to have that done.

We have been putting in some time walking for Proposition 8. We hand out flyers and talk to people about supporting the Proposition. It's a good feeling knowing that we can help some!

Yesterday I was able to can 12 jars of peaches. A friend of ours was going down to a orchard and offered to get us some. They are huge peaches and soooo yummy! We saved a bunch and then I canned the rest. It is wonderful to have bottled fruit again!!!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Here is another example of how Violatte is getting so big. She really wanted to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner, so we decided that would be fine. She got out everything (bread, jelly, knives, peanut butter) and started making the sandwiches by herself. She did a pretty good job, too. She is so independent and grown-up!

Oh, and she couldn't resist licking the knife off

First Day of Preschool

So, I'm a couple of days late on this, but Violatte had her first day of preschool on Monday. She was so excited! She was proud of her backpack, she dressed herself, and she wanted her hair done in a special way -- in braids like her Aunt Elliana. I also have to say, that I did not cry! I won the bet with Jim. It sure was hard for me to drop her off, but I actually think it was harder for Annalee. She cried out Violatte's name for ten minutes. She was so upset that we weren't taking her home with us.


Violatte did enjoy her first day. She seemed tired when it was done, but she was so excited to tell me about what they did and what they ate. She always asks if she gets to go again tomorrow. She sure is growing up!

Proposition 8

Right now, in California, there is a big controversy going on concerning Proposition 8 which would create an ammendment to our State Consitution concerning marriage. "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." This exact wording was passed in 2000 as Proposition 22, but four judges overturned it recently. To reestablish this definition, this measure has to be passed in the November 4th vote.

Our Stake has set a goal to raise $50,000 to donate to this cause. We have also been asked to donate of our time and means to support this ammendment. They are even encouraging us to enlist the help of relatives outside of California to help support this coalition. Please e-mail me or call me if you would be able to help. The donations cannot go to the church, they need to go to the coalition. However, they need to go through the stake so instead of donating on the website, please call or e-mail me and I can give you information on how to send that in.

If you would like some more information on this go to www.ProtectMarriage.com. We have been asked by the prophet to do all we can to support this cause. We ask the help of anyone who can. We will be blessed for every sacrifice.

More Trip Fun

There were a lot of things that happened on our trip that didn't have pictures to go with the stories.

First of all, Annalee and Violatte were so good on this trip. I was very surprised! They rode so well in the car. (It helped that we had a DVD Player with us.) They were so patient with all the driving that we did. They were really good to play with toys and to read books and keep each other company, also. It made the trip a lot of fun.

In Idaho, we got to see my Dad play the main role of Harold Hill in "The Music Man." He did such a good job and Violatte loved watching, but every now and then she just couldn't hold in anymore and would yell out, "Hello, Grandpa!" Annalee didn't quite have the patience to sit through it all but she loved the music and wanted to dance to it. Both girls loved the popcorn the most. They would share it (with some reminding) and just munched away happily on both the regular popcorn and the carmel popcorn. It was so fun to do that as a family.

Another fun thing we got to do together was the 24th of July parade in St. Anthony. It's such a great parade with lots of beautiful floats, and horses, and all sorts of things to see. The girls' favorite part is that most people in the parade through candy. She loved scooping it up and putting it in her bag. She would get so excited, too, each time she added to her collection. The girls really loved the horses, too, especially the miniature horses. My favorite part was that they handed out chocolate milk (another great tradition!)

Jim took Violatte on a canoe trip with a lot of my cousins and relatives as part of the Howard family reunion. Violatte had a really good time and Jim enjoyed it, too.

Jim and I were also able to go up to Macks' Inn (where I worked for a summer) and spend some time up there -- including a canoe trip. It was beautiful! It was so relaxing just floating along and looking at the scenery. Two different times we came upon moose that were just at the edge of the water -- a few feet away from us. It was so fun. We both ended up getting pretty sunburned, especially Jim, but I loved it anyway.

One of the other fun things we did in Idaho was going to a farm to see some of the farm animals. My Dad was milking the cow for the farm owner while they were away on vacation so Violatte was able to see a cow be milked. We also saw chickens, and a mommy and baby pigs, and a dog and her new puppies. I absolutely loved those puppies! They were Golden Retrievers and the most beautiful golden-red color I have ever seen! I would have taken one home right away if I could have!

I have to say that this trip has given me a great appreciation for some things. The first is cold tap water! It is so yummy and I just love it!!! We don't have cold tap water in Ridgecrest most of the year because it is so hot that the water just can't get cold. If you want cold water, you have to get it out of a pitcher from the fridge. The other thing I have a great appreciation for is the dry weather in Ridgecrest because there are no mosquitos!! After being eaten alive in Idaho I was very grateful to return back to dry-as-a-bone Ridgecrest!

A really cute thing the girls did on this trip was that they loved to sleep together. In Idaho, where we first stayed, we were sleeping in a tent trailer and the girls had a big queen bed that they slept in. They would drive each other crazy and fight for space (even though it was huge) and fight, but if we tried to separate them they would get so mad at us. Even when we slept at my Grandma's condo where they could have slept in different parts of the room, they still wanted to sleep by eachother, even though they were so squished. They sure do love eachother.

Violatte was probably the person who loved the trip the most. Each day, she would ask if we were going on a trip! She just loved to travel!

At my parents' house, we had pancakes with whipped cream and fruit. Instead of pancakes and whipped cream, she called it "cakes and ice cream." That is her new favorite breakfast. She thinks she is luckiest girl in the world.

We had such a great time on the trip. The girls really miss their Grandpas and Grandmas.

Colorado Vacation

So, I found out that I didn't take very many pictures of our vacation in Colorado. I sure wish I had, but the pictures I did get turned out to be some of my very favorites, ever!

As part of Jim's family reunion on the Tyler side (his Mother's side) we were able to go up Estes Park in the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was beautiful! We had a picnic by a stream that had baby ducks and adult ducks. It was so relaxing and beautiful.

This picture is of Jim and Annee looking out at the stream. She snuggled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She sure loves her Daddy!
After we had the picnic, we took a short hike around a lake. After that hike we drove up to another lake and took a short hike around that lake also. Violatte loved it and walked pretty much the whole way on both hikes. We carried Annee for the first hike and then halfway through the second one she decided she wanted to walk. Annee and Violatte started walking together and even held hands. It made me so happy! I sure do love our sweet girls!

Vacation in Idaho

I decided that I needed to split up the pictures of our vacation since we did so many fun things together. So, first I am writing about our vacation to Idaho where we visited my family. Violatte and Annalee got a whole bunch of farm experiences on this trip. I loved watching them pick raspberries and peas but, sadly, I did not think to get pictures of it. It was so fun. Mostly Annalee just sat there and ate the fresh berries, but Violatte loved helping to pick. She was always so proud of how full she could get her bucket.

Another experience the girls got to do for the first time was to ride a horse. Annee was ok with it and liked it ok . . .
. . . but Violatte just couldn't get enough of it. She could have ridden the horses all day if we would have let her.
It was fun to ride with her and hear her say, "Giddyup cowboy," and "EE-hah." She is such a fun girl!

At my parents' house there is a tire swing that my dad made for us when I was little. The two girls were able to sit in it together. They loved swinging. Aren't they so cute?!

For her very first time, Violatte got to try marshmallows roasted over a fire at her Great-Grandma Howard's house when we had a barbecue. I don't know what Violatte liked more -- the marshmallow or the fact that she got to get all sticky!

My parents had just gotten some baby calves, so we were able to pet them and even feed them! First thing in the morning, we would find Violatte outside petting the calves. Annee wasn't quite sure what to think of them.



And, last, but certainly not least, I had to put a picture of me with my brand-new niece. It is the first baby of any of my siblings, and I was so excited that I got to have a picture with her. She is so darling and it was fun knowing it is my neice! She is so sweet.

PRESCHOOL?!?!?!

I got a rude awakening this week when I got the papers for Violatte's preschool and realized that she starts on Monday. I am excited for her, but I am really having a hard time with this.

I always thought I would be soooooo excited when my kids started school, but I am a mess. She will be gone for 3 1/2 hours, four days a week!!! That seems like so much to me. I keep trying to convince myself that she isn't ready for it and that she would probably hate it, but I know that she is so excited to go and that she will love to learn and be more social.

My little girl is just growing up so much and getting so big! I can't believe it!! She was just a baby and now she talks in full sentences and does all sorts of big girl things. She is really independent, too, and has always been, so I didn't think this next step would be such a big problem. Jim and I have a abet about wether or not I am going to cry on the first day. He is sure I will. *sigh* It's so sad to have her take a new step. I think Annee and I are really going to miss her each morning. My one consolation is knowing that she is going to enjoy every minute of it.

Washing the Car

Now that we have the minivan and Jim uses the our car we decided to make a family fun day of cleaning it for him so he could enjoy it now that there are no carseats or fruit loops in it. The girls had so much fun and they really enjoyed helping.

Count Your Many Blessings

A few days ago here in Ridgecrest we had a very big rainstorm. It was the biggest I have seen in Ridgecrest so far. I was so excited for the rain that Jim, Violatte, and I all went and played in it. It was really pouring, though, so we got soaked really quickly. I was loving it.

Then, yesterday I was looking at the newspaper and saw the pictures of the flash flooding that happened. I had heard there was some flash flooding, but I didn't realize how horrible the flooding was until I saw the pictures. In many places the water was up to some peoples' knees. They had to pry open doors of some places to get the people out because the water was so high they couldn't open the doors.

Many, many cars were stalled along the roads because the water was so high it stalled all the engines. Both Jim and I were home at the time, so we didn't have to worry about problems with our cars. The thing that surprised me the most is that one of the picture in the newspaper that showed people stalled and having really bad trouble with the water on the roads was just three blocks from our house.

As I've seen all that and realized what has happened, I have realized that I have so many blessings to be grateful for. Our house was not affected much by the water. We had a little water gather in our garage. It was a very little puddle. Then, in our backyard, a big puddle gathered, but it was back by our back corner fence. It didn't get near the house.

We are so blessed because so many people had big flooding problems in their homes. Some were up all night pumping or vacuuming the water out of their homes. Many businesses also had a whole lot of water damage. We are so blessed. We have had no problems. I really have had many blessings to count.

Jo-Jo

So, we have had our dog, Jo-Jo, for quite a few months, now, and I finally am getting some pictures of her up. She is such a sweet dog. She is a Chow/Corgi mix. She is reddish in color. The girls really love to play with her, as you can see, and she is really good with them.


I don't know if you can tell in this picture or not, but her tongue is both black (from the Chow) and red. It is pretty cool looking -- all patchy.

Violatte's Dance Recital

I am finally getting around to putting the pictures from Violatte's dance recital on my blog. Her recital was at the beginning of June. They performed "Lion King" and all the girls in Violatte's class were all little lion cubs. They all looked sooo cute!

Violatte had gotten this little dance teddy bear from her dance teacher and she just loves it!




Isn't she absolutely beautiful! She has such stunning eyes!

Rain!

It is raining here! I have learned this past year that I love rain so much! It's amazing that when you don't have something you really learn to appreciate it.

It rained a week ago or so, also. It was the first time it had rained this year, I think. When it started thundering I thought that there were some really big explosions happening on base. I was very surprised to find out that it was thunder! The only problem, though, is that when it does rain, it doesn't rain for very long -- 10 minutes or so.

Each time it rains I love to stand outside with my face up and just let it fall on me. (I stand out in the backyard so my neighbors don't think I'm too crazy.) I just love the feel of water. Water seems like such a rariety anymore that I can't ever seem to get enough of the feel and smell and look of it.
I guess that's what I get for living in a desert!

'So You Think You Can Dance' thoughts

I don't write much about TV shows (mostly because I don't watch much), but I love the show "So You Think You Can Dance." I love dance and I love the variety they have on this show. Most weeks I can understand what the reasons are for someone leaving the show. This week, though!!! I am in shock!!!!


I am so not happy that Gev was sent home! He was an amazing dancer! I really wish Mark had been sent home instead. They have so many contemperary dancers and Gev really was unique and phenomenal -- I especially was so impressed with his solos! He seemed all quiet and reserved and then we did his solos . . . WOW! He could stun anybody!

Also, I was pretty surprised the Kerrington was sent home. She was pretty good. She had amazing technique! Comfort was awesome at hip-hop but her technique could not compare to Kerrington's. I do understand, though, that his week Kerrington wasn't at the top of her game, but I think she has proved herself these other weeks. Comfort did phenomenal at the hip-hop routine this week, but that is her genre.

Well, at least both Kerrington and Gev will be touring with the top ten. I loved the group dances last night -- very cool!

One more note, I feel so bad for Jessica! I really was rooting for her! I wonder how long she had danced with the broken ribs. I am so sad she is out! I will miss her!

So many things happening

Sorry I'm posting two very long blogs on the same day, but I was behind on my posts.

The most exciting thing for us this week was that we went car shopping yesterday for a larger vehicle since we are expecting and our small car won't hold five. We found one that we loved and the dealer actually offered a really low price to us since we were not quite sure we wanted to buy at the price it was at. Since it is the end of the month, they dropped the price a lot! It was funny, too, because we had walked out of the building after they dropped the price the first time because we wanted to think about it. They chased after us and offered to drop it lower if we will buy this month. We were really blessed. We are going to pick up the car and sign the papers tomorrow. I am so excited! It is a Dodge Grand Caravan. It is really nice!

Violatte has learned so much lately. She is learning her shapes. Her favorite shape is the triangle. She is also learning a lot of Spanish words. It's amazing what she picks up. She has also in this stage where she wants to sleep on her floor in her room. She just decided one day that was what she wanted, so we've been letting her sleep there. We gave her a sleeping bag, so that she stays on something instead of rolling off a blanket. I don't know whether or not that was a mistake but she sure loves it and doesn't seem to have any intention of going back to her bed.

This week we found out that Violatte won't be going to the preschool that I was hopeful she could go to. I really loved it and was disappointed, but there are lots of good preschools here, so it'll be good.

The funniest thing this week with Violatte started with the missionaries. They were at our house one night and one of them did a simple magic trick where he put something in his hand and waved a pencil over it and made it disappear. The next day Violatte was so sure that she could do it, too. First, she had me hold the small toy in my hand and when she waved the pencil and the toy could disappear from my hand, too. She was so proud of herself. Then, she had me wave the pencil and she held the toy. For some reason, it wouldn't disappear. (She just couldn't figure out why not.) She thought, for sure, the problem was with me. She tried the exact same thing with her Daddy later on and it disappeared when she was waving the pencil, but not when Daddy was and she was holding the toy. It was pretty funny. She played that game all day. She would get so mad when she was waving the pencil and holding the toy and she couldn't get it to disappear. I kept hearing her in the other room saying, "Ok, try again" . . . "Ok, try again" . . . It really made me laugh.

Today we were trying to put the girls down for a nap and when we asked Violatte to climb in bed for a nap she said, "No nap, I'm happy." Usually, I tell her when she is really cranky that she is feeling yucky and sad because she is tired. She was trying so hard to get out of taking a nap.

Violatte has also had a hard time eating lately. She gets so distracted during dinner time that she doesn't eat anything and then wants to eat when we are putting her down for bed. We have been strict with her because we want her to learn that she has to eat what is for dinner at dinnertime. It has been a real struggle lately.

Annalee has learned some really cute phrases. I have taught her how to say, "I love you soooooo much!" She does it so cute. Today, she was looking for her blanket (which was in the wash) and she kept wandering around the house saying, "Blanket, where are you?" Another phrase she has said a lot is "Help me." Every time she is stuck or can't reach something I'll hear a little voice saying,"Mommy, help me!"

We put up our swimming pool this week and the girls had such a good time playing in it. She just wanted to be in there all day. The water was pretty cool in the morning but by about noon it was really warm. It's been a fun thing to do together. The weather has been around 110 degrees lately, so the water has been such a relief to all of us. There was a smoke covering this past week because of a fire nearby so it has been cooler than it would have been. Today, the smoke covering was gone and the sun seemed so much more intense. It sure can get miserable. One night it felt cool and really nice and we saw a sign that said it was 98 degrees. We've adapted pretty well.

This week we also got some plants for our yard. We got some grapes and we were also given some branches from an olive tree that we planted and are trying to get to grow. They are not working so well, but we are trying. There are so many amazing plants that we can grow here. We can grow almonds and nectarines and grapes. We can't wait to be able to get our yard full of fruits and vegetables.

We are expecting!

Well, I want to start off with the most exciting news . . . we are pregnant! I am soooo excited! I feel amazing, too, and I think that is in huge part due to the anti-depressants I have been taking. Plus, all my headaches have gone away. I feel incredible. It's such a neat feeling not to have migranes and headaches every single day! I have been a little sick, but not too bad. It's wonderful. We are due around February 17.

Our girls are getting bigger by the minute, it seems. Annalee talks so much and actually talks really well. She learns so many new words a day that I can't list them all here. Some of them, though, are "popsicle," "cheese," "potty," and lots others. Annalee has gotten a lot more playful lately. She and Violatte chase each other around the house and the girls and Jimmy have lots of fun with pillow fights and tag and things like that. Annee seems to enjoy it more and get involved more all the time.

On Friday we went to a pool birthday party for a friend of mine. There were a lot of our friends there and all their kids and we all had such a good time. Violatte swam every free minute she could up until we left at about 9:30 pm. She had such a great time. Annalee loved it, too. Annee learned to swim on her back and was so mad when we got her out of the water.

This week the girls have had a lot of playdates. They are fabulous because I have been switching babysitting times with other moms and I can get what I need to done and the girls have a wonderful time playing with their friends. Violatte asks every day to have a friend over. She loves playing with other kids. Violatte and Annalee both get along really well with other kids, too. I rarely have to break up a fight.

Violatte had her dance recital a couple of weeks ago. She was a little lion cub in the Lion King. She seemed a little nervous before they went on stage, but once she got on stage, she did good. She really seemed to enjoy herself. She kept reminding me that I should clap for her, and was so happy to hear that I did. This week we have been preparing Violatte for her pre-school. I really love the Montessori methods of teaching and I really have wanted her to go the Montessori here, but it is pretty expensive. I found out that they do scholarships, so I applied for it. Now, we are waiting to find out if we got in the school and if we got a scholarship. I really hope she gets in. She loved it there when we went to visit.

Violatte has gotten so independent lately. One day I was showering and I got out of the shower and Violatte had pulled the leftover pancakes out of the fridge, heated up the pancakes, gotten the jam out and spread it on the pancakes and then was in the process of trying to cut up the pancakes for her and Annalee. She also prepared hot dogs for her and Annalee one day while I was folding laundry. It scares me that she doesn't ask for help, but it is really neat to see that she is learning and growing and being independent. Some of Violatte's new phrases are, "Oh, cool!," "No, thanks," and "No way." Another cute thing she does is that at prayer time she fold her doll's arms. She really has gotten attached to her baby doll since we told her that we are going to have a new baby at our house.

This week, when we were at the Montessori school, I got some really neat ideas about how to organize the girls' toys. (If any of you know me really well, you'll know that I have an obsession with things being organized.) I was so excited about it that the next day I went and got the things that I needed and organized the girls' toys. Now, we have eight small bins that they keep similar groups of toys in, for example: puppets, cars, blocks, etc. Then, they have a couple of big toys that they can keep out. Everything fits perfectly on some shelves we have. They can't get anything else out until they put the first thing away. Then, we will switch out what is in the bins every month or so. The girls have been really excited about it, and the way everything is set up makes it really easy for the girls to put things away. Everything has been so much neater, also. Violatte just seems to love having things organized. Since we did that, she has been wonderful at picking up any other clutter she sees around the house. She is one amazing girl!

Jim has had a very interesting couple of weeks. Last weekend he went on a camping trip. It was supposed to be a scout camping trip, but no scouts ended up showing up, so it was just three of the guys in our ward. They had a really great time. They had some scary moments because they could hear some bears outside of their camp. They ended up taking turns keeping watch. They hiked into the camp site and fished and camped back out. They were tired by the time it was over, but they had a good time.

Today Jim had a really fun moment. He was asked to give a talk (again) and then last week they told him that instead of talking today (the 22nd) they were going to have him talk next week (the 29th). We got to church a couple of minutes late today and didn't get a program. After sacrament Jim started walking out to walk around with Annee and they announced that he would be the first one to speak on the program. The look on our faces clearly showed how surprised we were. So, he went up and spoke about temples and how to prepare and go. He did a really good job. He was so scared, but he did a really good job.

As for me, things have been going well. Our dishwasher is working (finally!). That, alone, is fabulous! It was about three weeks that we didn't have a dishwasher. I didn't realize how many dishes we use until I had to do them by hand. One of the missionaries here described it perfectly. He said, "Dishes are like rabbits, you put two in the sink, and all the sudden they've multiplied!" How true it is!

This past week I had a dentist appointment and I am so impressed with how far dentistry has come! I was in the dentist's office less than half an hour to be checked in, prepared, and have a cavity taken care of. It was the most pleasant dentist experience I have ever had. It hardly hurt!

Another wonderful thing this past while is with my business. I have been working very consistently and I have had a lot of sales. It has been a huge blessing to us, especially now that we are expecting. We are so blessed. We have so many wonderful things happening in our lives.

One Fun Week

We have had a very fun week. On Wednesday my friend, Mary, and I took all of our kids down to Sea World and spent the day there. Her husband was on travel for work so we thought it would be a fun thing to do. We had such a great time. It was cool there and sprinkling a little bit. It was nice, though, because it wasn't miserably hot. It started to rain pretty good around 4:30 so that's when we decided to leave. We got to see a lot of shows and we even took the girls on an amusement park ride for young kids. They loved it and wanted to go back. I even enjoyed it and I don't like amusement park rides.

On Saturday we went as a family to a pool party/barbecue with some friends. We had such a great time. The girls wanted to play in the pool the whole time but it got cold and we eventually had to take them out to warm them up. Annalee was fearless, she didn't want any floaty toys, she just wanted to swim. It was cute. The food was good, there, and it was a really relaxing day for us.

Annalee has been fascinated with the toilet lately. She likes to put things into it and she loves to flush it. She has even asked to go potty a lot. We put her on there but she hasn't quite figured out what to do. She seems disappointed that nothing is happening yet. We're hopeful, though. She gets on a few times a day, so it should sometime.

This week they split the nursery so Violatte and Annalee are in different classes. I thought Annalee would have a hard time with it but she did great again! I'm so proud of her!

Violatte is doing well, keeping busy. She seems more independent every single day. She always asks to have friends over and really looks forward to park days.

Jim is loving his job. He is involved in some very amazing projects and he is learning so much. He is looking forward to his campout this week and is really excited to go fishing!

On Saturday I was invited to a game night with some of the women in our ward. I had the most wonderful time and I laughed more there than I have laughed in such a long time. It was great getting to know the women better. We play two different games, one was where you make up definitions to words and the second is called ImagineIff. They were both so much fun. We also had a chocolate cake with cherries in it. It was yummy! I've never had anything like it!

On Thursday I was asked to teach the Relief Society lesson today. I am so glad they did. The lesson was on prayer and personal revelation and I think it was the lesson that I needed to really study and I learned so much from it. It was wonderful!

I've also been working a lot with my business. I have had a lot of great parties lately, a lot of sales, and a lot of bookings. We are being really blessed with it.

Lots of pics

I decided it was time I added some pictures onto my Blog. Here are some recent ones.









This one is of us at Sea World. The girls loved it!







Aww, she looks like an orphan. . . (Notice the highlighter on her hand. . . )

















This is Violatte with the dresses that her Grandpa and Grandma Sanders gave her for her birthday.












Violatte with the scooter that she got for her birthday.

























Look at that smile!

























We had such a great time visiting Grandpa and Corky. The girls were so sad when we had to go.










This is our family with Elder McGahee, one of the missionaries that served in our ward.

Dishwasher troubles . . . and more

Can you believe it is already June?!? Time sure goes by fast! This week has been pretty slow for us. It was wonderful because Jim had Monday off for Memorial Day and Friday was a Flex Friday so he only worked three days this week. We went swimming on Monday and had a really great time. It was fun to be able to just relax and enjoy ourselves. For Family Home Evening we got a new movie and had a movie, popcorn party with the girls. It was fun to all cuddle on the couch and laugh with the movie. Our new family favorite movie is Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. It was such an amazing movie and the girls have watched it quite a few times this week. I absolutely loved it!!!! I highly recommend it if anybody wants to see something really good and really inspiring.

Annee has started doing little things that she has learned from Violatte. She always wants to take her dishes to the sink. It makes me so happy!!! Sometimes, we have to help her, like if she has milk in her cereal bowl, but she does really well. Annee also went to nursery again this week. She did good again. I'm so proud of her. The nursery is being split, though, next week so Violatte and Annalee won't be in the same class. That makes me sad. They really enjoyed being in there together. They also love playing together on the swingset in the backyard. They love to play on all the swings and toys that can hold two people. It's so wonderful!

Violatte only has one more week until her Lion King performance. It is coming up! She does so well at it and I am really excited for her. They got their costumes on Saturday and it is so darling! She is just so excited to dance.

Jim's involved in some great projects at work and he is really loving it. He got invited to go on a campout this coming week with the Teachers' Quorum because the Quorum adviser knows how much Jim likes camping and fishing. Jim is really excited to go. It will be for two and a half days. I'm excited to see him go. I know that it means a lot to him.

As for me, this week has been a little wild. Our dishwasher is having quite a few troubles. We have tried a few things to help it, but it has just gotten worse. After a couple of days we gave up and started using paper plates. There are a lot of dishes to wash by hand for four people. It sure makes me appreciate my dishwasher.

Also, this week I was asked to substitute teach in Primary. I taught the Valiant 9 class. It went ok. It was harder than I thought, though. I admire every Primary teacher.

Crazy Weather and Crazy Gas Prices

These past two weeks have been pretty slow-going for me. Jim has worked a fair amount of overtime and has been gone with mutual also, so I feel like I haven't seen him much this past week. On Thursday night they worked until after 10:00. They had a big project they had to finish. The overtime pay will be nice, but it is so hard to have him gone so much. The girls and I really miss him.

I feel like Annee has grown so much these past two weeks and made a lot of changes. She graduated from the high chair to a booster seat this past week. She is so happy to be at the table. Annee also went to nursery today. They let her stay(Yeah!) and it was so wonderful to listen to the lessons. Annee did awesome and all of the nursery leaders adored her. She didn't cry and played with the other kids. I can't believe she is getting so big! She has also learned a lot of words these last few weeks. Some of her new words are "thank you," "you're welcome," "you ok" (when we sneeze), and "good girl" (especially to JoJo). She talks so much now and if she whines I ask her whether she is supposed to whine or talk and she says, "talk." Another cute thing she does, is when she wants to answer yes she nods usually. But, she doesn't just nod her head, it is a whole-body nod. It is so funny to watch.

This past week was beautiful and the girls spent a lot of time outside. Two weeks ago, though, we had horribly hot weather. The weather broke the records for heat on that day from any of the years before. It was pretty miserable, but this week has been wonderful. We even had it rain a couple of days! It was so exciting! I really miss rain.

Each week Violatte seems to be getting more beautiful. I cut her hair a couple of weeks ago to even it out and help it to look better. It looks much better, now. It is just past her shoulders and looks really good. Violatte asks every day if a friend can come over. She loves having someone to play with and really looks forward to park day and dance classes to see her friends. We also got Violatte's paperwork in for preschool. I can't beleive she is that old already. She is really excited to start in the fall. I have found quite a few summer activities that I am going to sign her up for. She really needs some things to do to help her intellectually. She loves things like that. Violatte is also playing more pretend than I've seen her do before. She tied a handkerchief around her shoulders and played "Super Violatte." Tonight she and Annee were sitting on her bed pretending that it was a car. She is so fun to watch.

Jim ended up not going to the other tour that he was really excited about. So, now he is settled in Solid Propultion. He is pretty excited to be settled down and not moving again, so that is good. He is already involved in some fun projects. He really seems to be enjoying it. I love the group of people that he works with. They are a wonderful group. Jim is loving his calling. He teaches the lessons on Sunday, now, and that is so great for him. He really enjoys the young men he works with and they have some great times together. They even have a young man that is investigating the church. It is exciting to see how that is working out.

As for me, I love my calling, but it is discouraging at times for me. They still have not called another sister to be a ward missionary so there is still not much I can do. We have a lot of discussions with people at our home, so that is one way that I can help. It's fun to have this calling because we are meeting so many people. The girls and I have been biking quite a few places lately because gas is now at $4.30 around here. It is so bad. This week I have been able to talk with my sister, Annicka, who had a baby. It is so weird for me that a younger sibling of mine is now a mother. It is hard for me to believe. I love it, though, because now we have more in common and we have been able to talk more recently. It's been great and I've gotten to know her so much better. I love it!

Sea World and Mothers' Day

Happy Mothers' Day to all you women! I hope each of you had a wonderful day!

Since I had missed writing about last week I will write about these last two weeks. We've had a lot going on and it has been so much fun!

On the past weekend we were able to go down and spend some time with my Grandpa and Grandma. The girls were so excited to see them and Violatte, especially, was so happy to spend time with them. We went to Sea World on Friday and had a great time. The girls were so excited to see all the fish and to pet the different animals like the sea stars. My favorite was getting to pet the manta rays. They feel so cool. I was surprised by how strong they are. I thought they would be flimsy and thin feeling.

We got to watch the dolphin show, the whale show, and the sea lion show. We had so much fun and we were all worn out by the time it was done.

Grandma and Grandpa were wonderful to us and took good care of us. They made all the meals and always made sure we were comfortable. We had fun talking with them and Violatte was so mad when we left.

We were also able to go to the Los Angeles temple. It was so beautiful and we were able to walk around with the girls and talk to them about it. We really enjoyed it. Violatte wanted to push Annalee's stroller the whole time, so I was able to hold hands with Jim as we walked around. I loved it!

This past week has been good. I have realized that I love the smell of water. Our swamp cooler wasn't working almost the entire week and it has been up in the 90's. When Jim got it working that smell of moist air was wonderful! Any time I smell water from a sprinkler being on, or somebody washing their car, I just love it!

This week was a little difficult because Violatte came down with croup on Thursday. She has been so miderable! I feel so bad for Jim,too, because he has been the one she has wanted in the middle of the nights and he has been up with her so much. He is such a wonderful father and the girls really love him.

This weekend has been a good Mothers' Day for me. On Friday there was an Elders' Quorum Activity. The men made a dinner for all the women and took care of the kids so we could eat and talk, and they would take turns coming in to serve it to us. It was so nice not to have to worry about dinner and to have a fun time with some of the other women in our ward.

On Saturday we had the big dinner for Mothers' Day. I made baked chicken, my favorite sweet potatoes, rolls, and brownies for desert. It was so delicious and everything turned out perfectly. Today was great, too, because Violatte drew me a picture on the computer with Jim and they gave it to me this morning. I copied it and put it on here so you can all see it. It was so sweet, and she has been so proud that she has been carrying it everywhere today.

Annalee is learning about 4-6 new words a day. It's amazing to watch her. She has really hit a learning spurt. It is so fun. She says, "Mommy, I love you," quite a few times in the day and it really makes me happy. She has been teething the last couple of days, and that has been really hard. It's nice to know that it means one more tooth is in and it is one more time that is over.

Violatte has been so sad about missing her dance classes because she has been sick. It makes me so sad to have her miss them, too. I know she loves them so much. Violatte is such a big help. She is really growing up. We are looking for a pre-school to put her in -- and maybe even a program during the summer. I think she would love it. I feel like I have gotten close with Violatte these last couple of weeks. I've always felt bad because I don't feel like I have as good of a relationship with her as I do with Annee so I wanted to fix that. We've now gotten into the habit that when Annalee goes down for a nap, Violatte and I work together to make dinner and get it in the fridge so it is ready to go in the oven when it is time. I have really enjoyed those times together. She is such a fun little girl.

Jim has had an offer for another tour. He would really like to take it and the guy offering it to him sounds like he really wants Jim there. Jim is trying to decide whether to take it or to go to his main group and start working there finally. It's a hard decision for him. I think it's exciting both ways, knowing that so many people would love to have him work for them.

This week I was able to go with the missionaries to visit a lady who is coming back to the church after 15 years. We had a wonderful discussion and she is an amazing woman! We have become good friends, and I feel so grateful for my calling and the chance I have to work with people and to teach. While I was there I met someone that my sister, Trissa, knows. It is a small world. I am not going to say this person's name because there is a surprise for Trissa later and I don't want to spoil it. (Sorry, Trissa, you are just going to have to wait.)

That's about it for us. Have a wonderful day!

Children's Fair and more

So, now I am trying weekly updates again and seeing how that works. This time I will do better at writing every single week than I did last time.

This week has been a whirlwind for us. The most fun thing that we did was a Children's Fair that was yesterday. There were so many free crafts and things for kids to do. It was really windy but the girls still had such a great time. They made bracelets and necklaces and visited some learning stations where they got to see different kinds of rocks and where they got to feel different kinds of sand and snow and things. It was great! Annee even did a really good job of making the bracelets and necklaces. I would put the bead on and then she would pull the string. She was so proud of herself. At one station we were at they had a whole bunch of plastic beads on trays for the girls to use. A big gust of wind suddenly came and blew one of the trays over spilling beads everywhere. Jim and I started to help pick up the beads and Annee wanted to help, too. She started picking up the beads and wouldn't stop until she was sure that she had gotten all of them. She would clap for herself, too, every now and then. She was so proud! We were so proud of her, too!

Annee now has the cutest, most devious laugh I have ever heard. It is so cute and I want to record it and keep it forever!

This week we have been working on remodeling our house a lot. I've been working on painting the trim in the girls' room. Jim has painted and put the trim up in our family room. It looks really good. I am so excited! We have been working really hard because we have our housewarming party on Saturday. I am really nervous but it should be a lot of fun.

This week I have also gotten a lot of orders with my business. We have been really blessed lately. These orders have come at a critical time and I know that the Lord is watching out for us.

Violatte has been doing so good with her potty training. The most exciting thing was that one night she got up all by herself and went to the bathroom in the middle of the night! It was a very exciting milestone for us. She hasn't had accidents for a while and she is making it all the way through the night. I am so proud of her! Violatte has also been so much better at obeying lately. She loves to help (sometimes too much.) She watches out for Annee and takes such good care of her. If Violatte gets a snack, she insists and taking one to Annee. They sure do love each other. Also, in the mornings, if they wake up before I do, Violatte keeps Annee happy until I get up. She reads to her and sings to her. They both are so cute!

Jim got his rocket painted this week. Now, we are just waiting for it to stop being so windy . . . we'll let you know how it goes when we launch it . . . in three months. He can't wait.

I gave my talk today in Stake Conference. It was kind of scary but I was so excited to share what I had prepared. I also had a surprise. Mary Albro, my friend who was baptized, had been asked to share her experience and her testimony. It was so wonderful to hear her talk. She is an amazing person. If you want to read my talk, I posted it on my blog at www.simply-celese.blogspot.com.

Jim had his first mutual this week. It went good and he is really impressed with the boys that are in that quorum. I think he is going to be such a great adviser! This is a great calling for him.

update

It is official. I need a lot more discipline to write every day. It has been more than two weeks! Yikes! So, for those of you who have been wondering, I have taken the pictures of everything I promised but our camera is on the blitz and we can't get some of the pictures off of it. It's crazy. I'll keep working on that.

Jim got a calling this week. He was sustained as the Priests' Quorum Adviser. He is soooo excited for his calling. He is mostly excited for the campouts and the hikes. (The part I'm least excited about.) He says the Young Men are amazing and very strong young men. I think this will be so great for him!

Today it got up to 91 degrees. The cool thing (bad pun :0) ) is that it really didn't seem that bad for us. We are all adapting to the heat really well. We haven't even de-winterized our swamp cooler yet. (It is time, though!) Today the girls and I went outside and played in the sprinklers. We had such a great time.

So, for the not so good news. I spilled a huge amount of paint in the carpet in the girls' room. It was an accident and it was not good! Jim and I cleaned forever and it came out pretty well. I have to say, though, that I am absolutely impressed with how patient Jim was. He didn't even get frustrated at me! What a guy!

I've been working a lot on my talk for Stake Conference. I wish that I had more than five minutes, but it will be good. I have really enjoyed studying and preparing for this.

Annalee is learning new animal sounds every day. Her new ones are lamb, cow, and pig. Her favorite is still a lion though. She does the cutest laugh when she is especially happy. She laughs with a little growl in it and it is so funny! I need to record it and put it on my blog. I want to keep it forever!

Violatte asks every single morning abou the events for the day. She looks forward to the workout groups at the church where she can play with other kids and also to her dance classes. I wish we could have more things for her to do. I think preschool is going to be such a good thing for her in the fall.

Well, that's what's going on here. I hope you are all well.

Church and a new calling

I was out of town this weekend so I wasn't able to write an entry. I sure did miss my family while I was gone. I eneded up calling Jim every couple of hours just to hear him and the girls. I loved talking to Violatte and Annalee on the phone. It's so hard to be gone. Even if it is just for 30 hours. I just love them all so much that I don't like to be away.

They had fun while I was gone. First of all, they did a lot of work on the house and getting things done that meant a lot to me. (Jim is so awesome!) They also went swimming. The girls (and Jim) love to swim! Jim said that Annalee liked being in the water toys ok, but she really loved to be on her belly in the water and swim by kicking her legs. I think we are going to have to take them swimming a lot this year.

My conference that I went to was good. It was for Mary Kay and it made me do a lot of thinking. I've been trying to decide what my goals are. It is really hard for me to figure out what is the best way to balance my family, my job, and my callings.

Speaking of callings, I got a new calling in church today. I was called and sustained as a ward missionary. I am so excited about this calling! I have been so anxious for them to call me so I can start working. I love missionary work and I love teaching. I think it is going to be wonderful! It is going to take quite a bit of time, though, and that is why I am not sure what to do with my business. I know that we need the money and I know that I need something to do that helps me in the ways Mary Kay helps me. I'm just not sure what level I should be working at.

Violatte is now officially three years old! Where did my baby go? It's so hard for me to see her grow up like this. It happens so fast. (When people would say that I would just roll my eyes, but now I see that it really is true!)

Annalee learned a new word today. She said "missionaries." Violatte and Annalee are always so happy to see the missionaries. In Sunday School class Annalee loves to share her toys and books with the missionaries. It's so cute! I love my girls!

Fun the Sun

Today was such a wonderful day. Violatte's friend, Meghan, and Mary (Meghan's mom) came over for a couple of hours. It was great to spend time with them and we had a lot of fun.

The girls and I also spent a lot of time outside enjoying the perfect weather. I love to be outside and I love working in the yard and in the garden and I love spending time with my girls. Doing both together is the best!

Today we also celebrated Violatte's birthday since I am leaving town tomorrow. We got her an ice cream cake and we got her a little push scooter. She really seemed to enjoy it. Her Grandma and Grandpa Sanders got her some socks and some darling dresses. She was so excited about it being her birthday. We practiced saying that she is 3 years old and it's so cute how she says it.

I'm dreading leaving tomorrow. I'm going to miss everybody soooo much! I love my family!

My commitment

In a talk by Henry B. Eyring in the October 2007 General Conference he talked about writing every night in a journal about the things that happened with him and his family. I have felt very strongly that it is important that I do that also but I have not done very well with writing. I also do better with typing so I decided to make a commitment to write on both my personal blog and our family blog every night -- even if it is just a few lines to say how our day went. I feel like keeping a personal record is important for me and my family. For those of you who read our blogs, you don't have to read everything -- I have a feeling it will end up being quite a bit.

These last two days have been extremely frustrating with Violatte's potty training. She was doing perfect but these last two days she has only gone in the toilet once or twice and the rest of the times she has had accidents. I have had to have a lot of patience and she has been good about helping me to clean is up and to take care of the dirty clothes but it is just discouraging for me. I can't figure out why she is now falling back so suddenly and so much.

Annalee's new words are "hot dog," and "chocolate." (And for those people out there who think I'm a bad mom . . . yes, I do feed those to my kids.) Annalee's attachment today was a whole bunch of plastic cups. She carried them with her everywhere. When she lost some to the wind she was dramatically upset. It was great, though, because restacking them over and over kept her busy for a long time while I worked out at the aerobics group.

I love going to aerobics. Most days it takes everything that I've got to get there but by the time I leave I feel energized and ready to take on my day. Exercise makes a day/night difference in the amount of energy I have throughout the day. I need to be more disciplined to go to aerobics every single time. I think the fact that I went to aerobics actually is the reason I dropped another 1.5 pounds today from yesterday. It makes such a big difference.

One thing that I really enjoy with my girls is reading. They love being read to and I enjoy reading with them. There are, of course, the arguments about what book to read first but we really do enjoy it. Annalee, especially, seems to enjoy books. She is entertained just reading through them for a long time. Violatte is a little more active and can only sit through a couple of books before she is up and moving. I love to see her enjoy physical activities so much. It's great, too, because she gets me involved in what she is doing and we have a great time together.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

We are getting so close to finishing the room that we have been remodeling. It has taken so much work but we have almost all the painting done. We just have to finish texturing one wall and then prime and paint it and it will be done. Then, we just have the little things like painting the door frames and putting up the trim. I can't wait to have it done!

Next, we are going to paint the girls' room and I am really excited for that. I have such a great picture in my mind of how I want it to look and I can't wait to get started. We are going to do the main walls a very light pink color. I want the room to be pinks and browns. I think it'll be great. It's nice to see our house become more of ours as we put in the work to make it our own.

I can't wait to do the master bedroom, either. It almost looks yellow with the light and paint on the walls and it drives me crazy! It'll be nice to have that changed!

Annalee is walking all over the place now. She crawls every now and then but she prefers walking. (It's nice for us becaue now the knees of her pants aren't wearing out as quickly.) Annalee loves Jo-Jo (our dog) and really looks forward to playing outside with her. We have all spent a lot of time outside. It has been so nice. We have gotten a lot of work done on our yard and our garage and it feels so good. Annalee is also talking a lot. Today I met a lady at our church that is a speech pathologist and she said that she is absolutely amazed by how well Annalee talks and that she is leaps and bounds past children her age. That was fun to hear. Annee also loves books and will look at books for quite a while without getting tired of it. I love to hear her talk to herself as she looks at all the books. This past week Annee has learned to say "Grandma and Grandpa." It is so fun to hear!

Violatte is slowly doing better with tantrums. It seems that once a day we have a major breakdown but other than that she does well. I think she is going through a growth spurt or something because she has really needed a nap every day these past two weeks. When she does nap, everything is a million times better.

Easter was fun today. The girls were so excited to see what the Easter Bunny left them. We had the missionaries over for dinner and Violatte showed them all the things that were in her basket. Holidays are so much fun with kids.

And. . . more runny noses. . .

These last couple of days have been pretty rough at our house. Annalee is teething, both girls have had runny noses (yuck!), and Violatte has been testing limits continuously. This week was also a week where Jim worked Friday so it seemed to go on forever. I really look forward to the time when Jim gets home. Everything seems better when he is around.

As for the runny noses, I'm just not sure why the girls have them. I'm worried that it's an allergy or that it has been from all the dust because of the remodling on the house. Thankfully, we are almost done with the dusty part. I think I got pretty much all of the sanding done, so I'm just going to look over it one more time and touch up if there are any spots I missed.

Violatte has really tested my limits a lot. I assume that it's just a stage that she is going through, but it sure has been rough. It seems that she has been purposely doing whatever she can to put me right at my breaking point and then pushing it one step further to see what I do. I've had to really put my temper in check and learn a lot more patience. I read an article in the Ensign on tempers that helped me strengthen my resolve to do better having patience. It was really good for me. I don't understand why she is doing this all the sudden but if I can stay persistent with our discipline and keep showing her love I hope that she will pull out of this stage.

The girls (Violatte, especially) have really enjoyed playing outside. Violatte really loves to play with Jo-Jo (the dog) and looks forward to playing with her every day. Right now our backyard is mostly dirt so the girls just dig and get really dirty and have the time of their life. It's so wonderful to have a house of our own!

Family Update

It's been a while since I have written at all and I thought I would update you on everything that has been happening with us.

We are all doing well. We are all moved into our new home and we absolutely love it! I know that most of you saw it and can have an idea of what it's like. I just have to say that it is better than I ever imagined. The girls have so much room to play and we just love everything about it! We had a little fun time with the room that has the fireplace in it. We had decided to take the wallpaper off before we moved in but it turned into a huge job (that is still in the works . . .) It turns out that the wallpaper was somehow on a pressed board and those boards were both glued and nailed to the wall. A really nice lady from our ward came to help me and we pulled down all those boards, scraped the glue off the walls, re-spackled the walls, and now we are in the process of sanding them all down so we can re-texture the walls before we paint. I have learned a whole lot from this project and as frustrating as it is, I really do love home repairs. It's been fun to see the change and know that I did it!

Another big news is that we got a dog. To be honest, I was not excited about it. I don't like all that comes with a dog, like the shedding, the work, the barking, the mess, etc. but Jim and the girls really wanted one and we heard of one that the lady wanted to give away and we went to see the dog. She is a chow/corgi mix, with red hair and she is super cute. She is a medium size dog so I am happy. (I could not do a big dog!) The thing that won me over to let the family have a dog is that she is very well behaved. She knows how to sit, she doesn't bark hardly at all, she is gentle with the kids, and a very calm dog. We got her the day after we moved and have thoroughly enjoyed her. We re-named her Jo-Jo (Violatte's choice) and the girls absolutely adore her. We love to take her for walks and the girls love to play with her and can't wait each morning until it is warm enough to go outside.

Right now the weather has been pretty nice. It still gets a little chilly at nights but by mid-afternoon it is too hot to play outside. It is perfect in the late mornings and in the evenings, though. We spend a lot of time outside. It feels so good and we are enjoying it as much as we can before it gets really hot.

Jim is still loving his job. He is in a new branch for the next couple of months and he really has enjoyed it there. He learns so much and gets to see some really cool things.

The girls are getting soooo big! Annee is walking really well know and she says so many words! She knows, "dog," "yes," "outside," "please," "eat," "bath," and so many more. She also knows the animal sounds for a dog, snake, monkey, and (my favorite) the horse. For the horse sound she buzzes her lips like horses do. It's so darling!

Violatte is getting so big, too. She has started dance lessons and loves to show us what she learned. She is taking a ballet/tap class and she is doing so good in it. She loves to dance at home and has learned names for some of her favorite steps. She loves to arabesque and knows her first position and she loves to shuffle/step from tap. I love watching her learn. Both girls also love to come with me to my ballet class and both of them like to dance with me. It's a fun thing that all of us like to do together.

We signed our papers!

Today was so exciting! We signed our papers for the house and we did the final walk-through. I am so ecstatic that I can hardly stand it. The girls really seemed to love the house, too. They loved being able to have space and they really loved playing in the backyard. It makes me so happy and I think we are really going to love it there.

Now, there are 5 days until the sellers move out and we have 9 days until we move in. I think the girls and I are going to spend a lot of time over there until we move in maybe taking wallpaper down and even just playing over there so the girls can get used to it. It is going to be such a wonderful change from where we are living now that I don't think they are going to mind it too much. I am worried about Violatte regressing with her potty training and Annalee regressing with her walking but I know they'll be ok once we get settled in.

The girls are both getting so big! Annalee is talking more and more. She now says "home," "uh-oh," "dog," "please," and so many more words. She is walking better too. She decided, yesterday, that she wanted to walk and she just started practicing every chance she got. It is so cute to see this little tiny girl walking. It makes me sad, though, to know that she is growing up.

Violatte is getting so big, too. She is really great about using the potty and only has accidents every now and then. She loves to help more than anything, though. She wants to help with packing boxes, making meals, cleaning, taking care of Annee, and anything else we do. It's fun to have her help. It makes her so proud.

I love our girls so much. They are such sweet girls and I am excited for all the memories we are going to make in our new home.

Potty Training and Duckies

I am very, very pleased to announce that Violatte is now completely potty trained. She doesn't even wear a diaper to bed anymore. It is so wonderful! Jim pretty much did all the work, so I can't take any credit but I must say that I am incredibly grateful just that it's all done. Today Violatte emptied the dishwasher and set the table all by herself without even being asked! She is getting so big! She helps out so much around the house and her favorite thing is to help cook. It makes her day when we involve her.

Annee is getting bigger by the day. Her new favorite word is "more" and she says it constantly! It drives us crazy but it is pretty cute how she says it. She does sign language really good for "please" and "bed." She also picks up new words every day. Her very two favorite things right now are the picture of Jesus by her bed and the duck that sits on her dresser. She loves ducks and even knows how to say, "Quack, quack" when we ask her what a duckie says. She still isn't walking, though. She just prefers to crawl too much to care about walking.

We have 26 days until we move and counting. I am getting really nervous about everything working out just right for closing day but I know that I just have to have faith or I'll go crazy worrying about things that could happen. I know that is the house that we are supposed to be in so it will somehow workout.

Our sweet girls

Violatte and Annalee have grown so much! I can't believe how big they are getting. First of all, Violatte has been learning her letters and colors and numbers lately. She's been learning them from puzzles and from the books that she likes. She is getting really good at knowing the sounds that letters make, too. I can't believe how smart she is!

The most exciting thing with Violatte, though, is that she is pretty much potty-trained! Yeah!!!! I am so thrilled with it I can hardly stand it! These last couple of days Jim has worked with her so much and she has really caught on and ran with it. It is so wonderful. She goes by herself and even gets up in the middle of the night if she has to go. It is a big relief for me and I am so grateful to Jim for helping so much. We have tried everything through this last year and a half. Now that she was ready it was pretty easy. We rewarded her with chocolates and also she got to call one of her grandparents and tell them that she went potty. She would be so proud of herself that she wanted to call them each time she went. Then, with the chocolates, she was so funny. She shared with Annalee almost every single time. Then, when either Jim or I would use the bathroom she would run and get us a chocolate and give it to us and cheer for us. It made us smile each time.

Annalee is growing up so fast, too. Her new word is "Jesus." She saw a couple pictures of Jesus at church and there is one hanging in her room near her bed and when she gets up from a nap or in the morning she is so excited to see the picture of Jesus. It is so wonderful to see her recognize the picture and be so happy.

Annalee is also really close to walking. Yesterday and today she took three steps at a time without falling down. She is going to be walking all over the place before long.

Today Violatte and I spent some time together and made a scrapbook page. It turned out pretty cute, too. I love to scrapbook and Violatte loves to help with whatever she can. I think it made her day and I had a wonderful time. I think we are going to make a tradition of putting together a scrapbook page every Sunday.

Jim's loving work and is sad to be leaving the group that he is with at the end of this month. He's going to try to work things out to stay a little longer because he loves it so much.

As for me, I've made lots of progress with my dancing. My teacher was very complimentary this week and said that if I keep going at this rate I will be able to have my pointe shoes by December. That is so exciting for me! I can't wait to see what happens.