The Bumpy Slide!

Maddy, Marianne and I were walking back to the car from dropping Scotty and Haley off at school and just before we got in Maddy looks up and asks if we can go to the park. She said, "Grandma Iris takes me to the bumpy slide!" That warmed my heart and we turned from the car and went to the park instead. When my mom was here to take care of us after Marianne was born, everyday she took the kids to school and then her and Maddy would go to the park next to the school and go down the bumpy slide. Maddy loved this time with my mom. And I am always too preoccupied with things I need to get done and so poor Maddy missed that special time going to the park. I am so grateful my kids give me reminders once in while about what is really important in this life. I need them because I always seem to get caught up in the to do lists and unneeded business of life.

A sweet lady on a walk stopped and offered to take a picture of Maddy and I. She said that as a mother she felt sad because she was never in any of the pictures with her kids because she was always the one taking them. Amen to that! Marianne was just content to sit in her car seat in the stroller and soak in the sun!

Why Mormons Build Temples

My sister sent me the link to this video that the LDS church has put out on why we build Temples! I thought is was fabulous and helps to combat the distaste of HBO and their horrific show "Big Love". I invite you all to watch it and feel the spirit the temple brings. I am personally grateful to have a temple on this earth in which to worship and would ask that it remain a sacred and holy place.

Hendricks Family Obsession!

GOLDEN SPOON!

Golden Spoon happens to creep into our house on a weekly basis. Thank goodness it is "HEALTHY!" (hey... it's frozen yogurt, isn't yogurt healthy?) This particular evening we found it amusing to see how long we could make the golden spoon stay on our face! We got pretty good at it!

Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward

Ok... two of my friends Lacy and Mary posted this at about the same time, and I was so excited about it that I commented on both their blogs, so here is how it is supposed to work... the 1st 3 people that will leave a comment on our blog will receive a hand made gift from us during this year. When and what will be a surprise! The only catch is... you have to post this on YOUR blog then leave a comment on ours. FUN HUH!!!

However, I am going to send the first 6 people who comment something, but you only have to do three on your blog! This is only fair since I am getting two things!!!

Valentines Day Traditions!

I did not realize how important traditions are to my children. In the past I have always heart attacked my kids bedroom doors or made a heart path throughout the house for them to follow and find their valentine, but this year since I let them each have a party I thought I was off the hook. I did get them a valentine of course but they did not wake up to a big surprise of hearts and adventures. Haley was very disappointed and came into my room and woke us up to let me know of her disapproval. She was kind enough to let me repent and try again. So she went back to her room and waited. This is what I came up with...
The kids gathered together for a follow the hearts to your treat adventure. You have to love the spit up coming out of Marianne's mouth. This is such a true moment of what stage we are at at our house.
Thank goodness I had a few hearts on the wall still from Haley's party. We had barely enough to make the distance from the bedrooms to the kitchen table!
Here are their Valentines. They each got a stuffed animal and a box of sweethearts (except Marianne of course)!

I love this picture! They get so excited about the smallest gifts. It really is the thought that counts! Kids just need to know they are loved!

Another tradition that Haley reminded me about (or TOLD me we better be doing) is eating heart shaped pancakes for breakfast. I loved having Valentines on a Saturday, so that Scott could join in the festivities! Normally he would have been at work already.
Doesn't Scott make a mean heart shaped pancake? You should be a professional chef honey!! He also makes a mean breakfast burrito. This kids can always count on a breakfast burrito for dinner if their mother fails to cook!

I couldn't resist taking a picture of all the Valentines Haley and Scotty brought home from school. Maddy is not in preschool yet, so she didn't have much, but they were both real generous and shared their candy with her. Scotty even re gifted his valentines to give to Scott, Madeline, and I.

This is what I found on their bedroom floors....

Haley's Loot!

Scotty's Loot!

Valentines Parties, Parties, Parties!!!!

OK...Yes I know that Valentines was a month in the PAST, but please bear with me as I catch up on my blogging. Now don't think that I am any SUPER Mom after this post. I decided that since I have been in Post Par dam Depression for the last 4 months and I have decided that I can be social again and that my children deserved to have some fun, so I let them invite some friends over and have a Valentines Party. Scotty and Maddy had one together and then Haley got her own. Here are the highlights of the events!! It was a busy week....

Tuesday: Maddy and Scotty had their party after kindergarten
Thursday: Haley had her party after school
Saturday: We hosted a High Council Valentines Party
This is how I found the girls after they had eaten and made their craft. Who needs anything else when you are on a princess bed with a pile of MAKEUP!!! Yes, they applied lip gloss for 3 hours and were as content as could be. They spent most of that time in the bathroom looking in the mirror and there was only a minimal amount that had to be cleaned off the bedspread. Pretty good I would say since I have tried to get pink lipstick out of the carpet and off the walls in the past.
This is what the boys did after eating their heart shaped sandwiches! They were a little more noticeable and loud as they chased each other in and out of the house with any type of weapon they could find. With a house full of girls we sure have a lot of weapons. I think one year for Christmas every one of Scott's 5 siblings gave Scotty some sort of weapon or package of them. Boys will be Boys! Scotty is definitely boy enough to handle himself with all his sisters!

Haley's Party!

Haley's party was a little more extensive. We had plenty of yummy after school snacks! My favorite was the heart shaped ice cubes. I froze cran-raspberry juice and put it in sprite. It was very tasty.

The girls made several cards each. Here is the card making table. I have to post this picture because it took Haley seriously 10 minutes to situate every thing exactly right on the table. She is so much like me and stresses out about things that don't really matter. It took the girls .5 seconds to mess up this beautifully laid out table. So why stress out about how it looks beforehand? It is scary when you start seeing your faults come out in your children and realize how many things I still need to overcome.

Here are all the cute girls who came. Haley is very lucky to have so many adorable girl friends. These girls were so fun to watch. All the work to get ready for this party is worth it when you see them giggle and have such a great time together.

They played a game called "don't eat cupid" and made heart bracelets. They had a great time!


Madeline made a bracelet too.... all by HERSELF! She is getting so big, I cannot stand it! She is always wanting to do everything her big sister does. I love this girl!


And...Marianne was an ANGEL, just hanging out in her swing. She slept through most of the party and then was content in her swing for the rest. I couldn't have asked for a better baby!

"Edward Tulane"

Haley's 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Hinrichs, reads them lots of books in class. The most recent was "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo. Instead of homework for the week they were to create Edward. She sent home a white poster board with only one requirement, it had to be 3 feet tall. Well, Haley decided she wanted to sew Edward and make him as real as possible. I said great, I love to create things and she does too. However.... she did not realize how long it would take. So after some excitement, laughs, and many many tears Edward was finally created.

This is a picture of the last few stitches. She was very happy at this point. But don't let this picture fool you, many tears were shed in creating Edward. Haley struggles sometimes when things get hard. She is very smart and almost everything comes easy to her, so when something gets a little hard she tends to want to give up. We have talked about this and are working on it together. That tells you right there how mature she is for a 7 year old.
The finished Edward. It was so fun to see her great satisfaction after completing a big project like this. She did it all herself, with only minimal guidance from me. I will admit it was hard to let her do it. I got very frustrated at times (probably even said some not so nice things), but I let her do it. I think that is one of the hardest parts of being a mom is letting your kids struggle and learn to do things on their own. You so badly want to just do it for them. I have to tell myself to step back sometimes.

She even slept with Edward!

Edward became part of the family. In fact, when I went to read in Haley's class the other day, Maddy went with me and when she saw Edward on the wall in the school, her face lit up and she said, "mom LOOK it's EDWARD!"

This was "Haley and Edwards miraculous journey" to school!