HOUSE and New Pics

First of all, we think we've found our house! Many of you know we've been house hunting in the Salt Lake Valley lately. This is the house we've made an offer on and hopefully everything will be under way by the end of the week. It is in a cute little neighborhood in south-west Kearns. (About 10 minutes from Jordan Landing and only 8 miles from Kevin's work.) We are really excited about it. Here is a link to Utah Real Estate.com to view more photos if you're interested. http://utahrealestate.com/776702 If it doesn't work, go to utahrealestate.com and enter this MLS#: 776702. What I'm REALLY excited about that the pictures don't show are the two bonus rooms off the family room. See the two windows below the upper level? The window next to the garage is a nice size laundry room and the window on the left is a play room! YAY! It also has 2 bedrooms and a bath in the basement that have been framed to be finished. The master bedroom really is pretty big and has its own bathroom and huge walk-in closet. We are thrilled and even think the timing will work out so that we can move-in straight from Wymount! Our move-out date is April 25...yes, that is the day Kevin graduates...I don't know what we were thinking! Oh, well! We are excited for our new beginnings, but will be sad to leave good friends and family in Provo. I know you've seen similar pictures like this before, but just wanted to document that Emery reads her Book of Mormon to her doll almost daily...pretty darn cute!

This is my little "paparazzi" girl. We were on our way out to get the mail and it was pretty cold, so I thought she should wear her big coat. She insisted on having the hat on, then picked up her sunglasses that were laying in the hall and put them on. I thought she looked like a movie star who didn't want anyone to notice her. Quite the diva sometimes, I'm afraid!:)

This is Emery coloring in her little nook under the shelves in our little apartment. Try to ignore the "stuff"! She loves to color and always picks up a crayon and hands it to me while making a snorting sound...I have to draw a pig before she's happy:)

Easter Craft

Just wanted to show the latest crafty thing I've been working on. The "winter blues" are officially over for me...I haven't crafted anything since last fall! It's high-time I did something again. Found this idea on Martha Stewart's website. I did love her show and am sad that they don't show it around here except for at 2 o'clock in the morning on channel 5 - another Trave-sham-mockery I say. Her website has great ideas though. Anyway, here's the link for the easter eggs I tried and a picture of the first one I did. Wish I had a better camera and a better set-up to really show what it's like. (Suzanne, I'm jealous and need you!:)http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/easter-crafts-and-treats?lnc=a489cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=lpg_holiday&currentslide=1&currentChapter=1&chapterCounter=2&lpgStart=1&adnumber=0#lpg


There aren't very good directions on her site, so her'e how I did it if anyone wants to know:

I just started with the basic plastic eater egg that you put candy in, used some white perle cotton thread and Martha's basic craft glue from Michaels. It turned out better than I thought! The light blue of the egg shows through, so it doesn't look like just plain white thread. I just put a big dab of glue at the top with the end of the thread, waited for it to dry then covered the top half of the egg with glue and started wrapping the thread till about half-way down. Then I just flipped it over and started the process again till the whole egg was completely covered in the thread. (You can find perle cotton thread at any craft store near the embroidery floss)

The "Show" Conflict

Thanks to DI, I found some great $1 videos for Emery to watch - one version of the many "Elmo's World"s and a great Disneyland Sing Along. A mistake? I can't decide. They do provide a great "babysitter" when I need to shower or make dinner, but I often feel guilty. I try to only let her see one a day, including the PBS specials: Curious George, Clifford and Super Why. Because the videos are VHS, we took them with us last week to West Jordan to transfer them to DVD using my in-laws new DVD burner-thing. Unfortunately, we neglected to pack them back to Provo. Fortunately, along with her Binky, her "shows" are another thing that console her when she's sad. Unfortunately, the only thing that constitutes a "show" to her are these two videos and the TV shows aforementioned. I got some new videos at DI a couple weeks ago frankly because I was tired of the only two she watches. Nope, they wouldn't take. I even tried The Backyardagans and Wonder Pets with my in-laws cable channels...nothing. It's not like I'm trying to make her watch TV, but if she is going to for just a little while every day, isn't variety good??? She even hands me the remote and says, "show". She won't even say MOM!!! It's then when I feel like a terrible mother...but I always feel better after I've showered and gotten ready for the day, even if it meant she had to watch a "show" for it to happen.

The Binky Conflict

Emery loves her Binky.

And she always has...At about 15 months we took it away during the day. She would only get it for naps and bedtime. She's a champ at taking them out when she wakes up and helps me put them away in the top drawer of her dresser. At 18 months she no longer took it to church (thanks to nursery) or in the car. Occasionally when she's sick or goes on long car rides, we'll give it to her for her comfort and for our sanity. So, she was sick two weeks ago AND we went on a long car ride so she got used to having her Binky again...big mistake. With her ever-increasing tantrums, she thinks her Binky is the only thing in the universe that can console her. Last night she had a fit because she had to come in for dinner and cried all through it and the clean-up. Despite her many attempts at the little pouty "please" and dragging us to the dresser drawer, we didn't give in. I felt triumphant!

I thank the Binky for many sleep-ful nights and cry-less babies, but how old is too old? I'm determined that by the time she's two she'll be rid of the ugly habit...wish me luck!

A Perfect FHE Moment

This is a great little video of Emery at the beginning of our Family Home Evening. Kevin started the tradition of having someone in the family conduct the meeting by standing on a little step stool we have for the kitchen. After Kevin stood on the stool to announce the agenda, Emery climbed up on the stool as we started singing the opening song and started to lead us. With no prompting from us, she then explains that we need to have an opening prayer. What priceless evidence that children are very impressionable. It does my heart good that this is part of the impression she gets from us. We sure love her and feel so blessed to have such a special little spirit in our home.

Emery & Will

The other day, I was watching my nephew Will and I heard he and Emery playing in my bedroom. I could see from the couch that the blinds were moving back and forth and could hear them laughing really loud. I went in to check it out and couldn't resist these pictures:

They climbed up on the Air Conditioner and under the blinds so they could see outside. It'll be great when it's actually warm and dry enough to go out! They love to play together and we're so glad that we're close enough to the Ringgers to play often!

Cute Bath

Isn't that hair just to die for! She sure loves bath time - never met a toddler who didn't!