So old, but so cute!

I forgot about these pictures, but I really want to post them even
though they are almost 3 months old!!!

So when we were having Erin's birthday party at the splash pad (in July), Elaina of course managed to make friends with this random boy who was cruising around the park in a red Mustang convertible. A friend caught my attention and I turned around to see that Elaina had just hopped in and was going for a ride through the park with him!!!!!

Check out the look on that kid's face!!!! (don't you be looking at my little girl like that buddy!)

For now, I guess I am fine with only having to worry about pre-K boys in 4-foot plastic cars!
Twelve years from now, it will be a different story...

Elaina's First Motorcycle Ride

Some pictures of Elaina riding Daddy's motorcycle with him. She had to sit facing him so that he could make sure she didn't burn her legs on the engine.

And just for old time's sake...here's a picture of little Mike riding with his Dad on his Dad's motorcycle. I love that it is a milk crate strapped to the bike with bungee cords! Laws have certainly changed in the last 28 years! :)

Here are a couple videos of Mike & Elaina. I was surprised that she wasn't scared. Mike was excited that she liked it so much! They keep talking about their motorcycle ride.

My Batman Birthday Party

For my birthday last month, my wonderful husband gave me what I've always dreamed of....a Batman Birthday Party!!! :) (.... or perhaps living with 3 girly girls is starting to get to Mike?!?....)

There were masks (which we were all required to wear), Batman napkins, Batman plates, and even a Batman cake which said: "This is Not a Ninja Cake" (because all his efforts at convincing Elaina to have a Ninja b-day party were overruled by us girls in the house).

Thank you to all my family for a great Birthday! I even loved the Batman theme. :)

Preschool!

I'm still playing catch-up on the pictures - these are some pictures of Elaina's first day of preschool in September. She attends twice a week for two hours and loves it! The Moms take turns teaching and rotating the location between our houses.

Elaina - first day of school.
My Mom always took a picture of us on the first day of school - always in the same spot - on the front lawn, in front of the same tree in our brand-new "back-to-school outfit." The tradition continues: here's Elaina on the front lawn on her first day of school, in a brand new 'back-to-school" outfit. Am I really old enough to be starting this tradition with my own kids?!? I guess so.

Preschool Group

Preschool kids, and the brave Moms :)

County Fair

For preschool a couple weeks ago I taught a lesson about Farm Animals and then for our next class we went to the Washington County Fair for a field trip to see all the farm animals. It was lots of fun!

Both Elaina & Erin loved the petting zoo, of course. Even Erin was chasing the little piglet around and was laughing so hard when the animals let her touch them. It was adorable!

The kids loved looking at and climbing in and out of the tractors.

General Conference

Conference was great this weekend! My favorite talk was Elder Bednar's on Saturday morning on making more meaningful prayers. I can't wait to read it again when it comes out in the Ensign! I also loved President Monson's talk Sunday morning, particularly when he encouraged the young parents to cherish the moments we have with our kids right now - even with tiny fingerprints everywhere, endless laundry, dishes.... I love these years with my kids but feel like I spend so much at-time cleaning and doing housework rather than really playing with them. We're involved in a lot of activities outside of the house, but when we're at home I know I need to sit down and actually play more.

I also find myself too-often thinking that things will be easier (and mostly, less time consuming) when the girls are more independent - ie. when Elaina can put herself in the car and buckle her seatbelt so that I don't have two kids to get in and out of the car everywhere we go. Or when they can dress themselves or clean up the toyroom with less help/encouragement/nagging from me. But I know that when they are as independent as I sometimes wish they were that they'll be beyond the ages they are right now and I LOVE these ages and the adorable things they are doing & saying right now. The girls are so fun right now and I am glad for the encouragement to enjoy and love these years with them because it already is passing to quickly.

The other fabulous news is that Calgary is getting a temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!! I'm super excited about this!

I hope you all had a great conference weekend too. What were some of your favorite talks/moments?

Catching Up....Summer Water Fun

I'm so behind on posting pictures, but I have a bunch of pictures from the summer that I've been wanting to post. If anything, I know that at least the grandparents will even love pictures that are a couple months old :)

Then these are some pictures/videos of our first time at the splash pad since Erin started walking. This was right after she learned to walk. What a cutie! :)

Conversations I Love....

We borrowed Cinderella from a friend, and so Elaina and I are watching it right now. I love her commentary on the movie, so I have to record it:

"Mommy, Anastasia broke Cinderella's dress!!!! Come, let's tell Anastasia not to break Cinderella's dress." So, she took my hand and had me pause the movie. Then she said to Anastasia (who is paused on the screen): "Anastasia, don't break Cinderella's dress! She just fixed it. It makes me so sad when you do that."

Then when the fairy Godmother came, "oh, it's ok Cinderella...Mom, Cinderella is crying to her Grandma...It's ok Cinderella, your Grandma will fix your dress, don't cry Cinderella."

And then..."Look Mom! Cinderella is going to the temple to dance with her Daddy!" aka Prince Charming :)

"Cinderella danced with the Prince - it was her slipper! Cinderella's slipper doesn't fit me. It only fits Cinderella!"