Christmas Projects

I just finished one of the kids' Christmas projects, I made them their own superhero capes and masks! The shield and letters I just printed from a clip art and there was a free pattern for the cape and mask. I was going to do a draw-string type of closure on the cape but then I realized I'd be tying capes all day long and I wanted the kids to be able to do it themselves. So I cut it to go around the neck instead and sewed velcro on. It was super easy, surprisingly. For Cora's birthday I'm going to make some tutus for dress up clothes so I need to start that project next.

Celebratory Ice Cream

Meet Shelby. Shelby is Kimball's speech therapist and after a year of speech he's all done! No more stuttering and no more speech therapy for him.  Yay!

Cleaning and Donuts

Our ward has a serious commitment issue (very few people accept or fulfill their callings) so when it was our turn to clean the church I thought it would be a good idea to take the kids and put them to work. I'm really appreciative of the opportunity to teach them and to help out. After the cleaning was done we thought a donut on a Saturday morning sounded pretty good. All three of us chose chocolate with sprinkles.

New Bunk Beds!

I finally bit the bullet and put Cora in a regular bed. Good bye to the crib and good bye to my sanity! The only way to fit more furniture in their room was to get a bunk bed which the kids LOVE. Cora's sleep patterns are different than Kimball's (she needs less sleep) so it's been a little tricky getting her to stay in bed. I've tried skipping her naps altogether but she ends up falling asleep anyway around 4-5:00 and that's too late in the day. 

So at bed time Kimball falls asleep within 5 minutes and Cora plays and plays for at least two hours before she falls asleep.

Hydrotherapy

Both of the kids have made HUGE strides in their bravery and technique with swimming, all thanks to Cora's hydrotherapy. 

The first week Cora wouldn't even take her shoes off to get in the water. Now she'll put both ears in, her mouth, lay all the way on her back to get her hair wet, and go on her tummy. She'll let Alicia take her into the deep end and she's even learned the blow bubbles through her nose and pinch her nose to keep water out.

Because I'm cheap and won't pay the $8 for myself to swim for 30 minutes, Kimball has to be in the pool on his own. He's also learned to pinch his nose to keep water out, will jump in, put his head under water and float on his tummy, and loves his goggles. It's all self taught but I'm impressed at his progress as well, given that he's had to teach himself.

Bowling For FHE

The Grogan's invited us to go bowling with them for FHE one night. Lance and I haven't gone in a really long time and have never taken the kids. Kimball especially loved it! They both wore the smallest size bowling shoe, size 8, and they're just the cutest little shoes!

Summer Time Swimming

We've had a lot of fun this summer having all kinds of friends over to swim, both in the baby pool and the big pool. Cora's made progress with tolerating the water so even she has fun now.

Squeezing the air out of the beach ball.

Then one day I had the genius idea to put a tarp down and spray the kids with shaving cream. It was a hit! Cora didn't appreciate it at all but we invited friends over to join in the shaving cream fun, well worth the $3.

Lately

Wow, a lot happening the last little while and yet nothing out of the ordinary. Relief society retreat, new bunk beds, swimming, bowling, donuts, shaving cream mess, christmas gift projects, etc. One day I'll journal it all....

Hope in a Poem

"There are stars you haven't seen and loves you haven't loved. There's light you haven't felt and sunrises yet to dawn. There are dreams you haven't dreamt, and days you haven't lived, and nights you won't forget, and flowers yet to grow. And there is more to you that you have yet to know."
- Gaby Compres