Trip to MN

The girls and I have had the great opportunity to spend the past week and a half up in Minnesota visiting Granny, Grampy and Trey. Val drove us halfway to Nauvoo (great half way point!) and we did a little sightseeing before Val headed back to Memphis to work and we continued on to MN. It was so nice to be able to show the girls where mommy and daddy got married. It's funny what a difference in temperature there has been. We were prepared for some somewhat spring temperatures, but have had to buy Aleece a new winter coat since we've been here! It even snowed 6 inches one day! We have had a great time visiting and are so glad we have been able to be here! Here are some of our picture highlights.....


the windows in the Nauvoo temple--we love this temple!!!

Leecy T by the Joseph and Hyrum Smith statue

the girls with their Granny and Grampy in front of the Nauvoo temple-having a great time, despite the chilly temperatures

Mommy, Daddy, Leecy T and Lainey bug--where our eternal family started almost six years ago!

Lainey bug and Grampy--she loves hats!!!


Leecy, Lainey and Uncle Trey at one of Trey's prom photo ops!

Leecy T staying busy during some of the prom festivities.

Aunt Patt and the girls having a good time.

Lainey playing peek a boo with her hat.

Trey at his prom, after the grand march, with the girls, Steph, Patty and Eric. In case you couldn't tell, Aleece was done for the evening!

We have experienced a bit of sickness while we have been here, which has provided for some orneryness, but the girls are beginning to feel better and they love every moment they get to share with their Granny and Grampy and aunts and uncles!

We have been having so much fun and we wish Daddy was here with us, but we know he is working hard at home, and we can't wait to see him. We will get to meet again in Nauvoo this coming weekend and still have an exciting week left here in MN! It's always a good time with family and we wish we lived closer so this could happen more often! It's so nice to see the special connection the girls have with their grandparents. They love them SOOO much! We love our family so much!

Amen

Madelaine seems to pick up new words every day. She loves to chatter and has picked up on various funny expressions like "Oh, man!". She even makes the different inflections with her voice. It is too cute. This week she has been listening extra close, and with every prayer that is said, she exclaims a boisterous Amen at the end. This occurred during church yesterday also. Every time amen was said, she would say Amen, just extra loud and cute!
I love to watch my girls grow and learn and it brings a smile to my face every time they do something new. I get to experience such joy on a daily basis and don't know what I would do without my sweet girls! It makes me anxious to meet our little boy and see what he is like!

"Knock, knock"

Aleece's new favorite thing to do is to make phone calls on her own. She likes to call her Granny and Grampy, and usually does this at least once a day. She hasn't quite figured out the answering machine yet and thinks she is being hung up on however! It's amazing to me that she can carry on 20 minute conversations without batting an eyelash! Mind you, there is generally some silliness involved, epecially today. Aleece and Granny were talking on the phone and Granny told her a knock knock joke. I believe it was,
"Knock, knock."
"who's there?"
"Olive"
"Olive who"
"Olive you!" (I love you, for those of you who didn't get it!) :)

Aleece than attempted some of her own which usually had something to do with oranges and banana pants.....who knows! I think she was trying to remember the knock knock joke where you keep saying banana, until you finally say "orange you glad I didn't say banana?" This produced much laughter from all involved and resulted in her laughing hysterically and trying to come up with more jokes. My favorite went like this...
"Knock, knock"
"Who's there"
"I love you, that's who!"

She is too cute! There is not a day that goes by that she doesn't make me smile!

Yesterday we splurged and took the girls to see the movie "Horton Hears a Who". Madelaine even sat through it (she did fall asleep at the end) and loved all of the animals! It was very cute and I loved the message behind it. I loved even more Aleece's comment upon leaving the theater---"You guys are the best mother and father in the whole world!"

My favorite quote in the movie was,
"A person's a person no matter how small."
We like this quote in our house especially! We aren't known for our height, that's for sure! :)
I think this world could be a much better place if we could remember this simple phrase! What a great way to teach children to have respect for everyone around them. I recommend you all go see it!

Projects

Here are the projects I have been working on! The canvases are for the babies room--it will be done in the John Lennon baby collection-- and the princess sign is in the girls room! I think they turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself!

My little Einsteins...

The girls came across a pair of old kid's sunglasses this week, that have in the past been tortured and had the lenses removed. They now look like a red copy of Daddy's glasses. I love to see the two of them running around the house in them. I couldn't resist getting some pics of them like this! Enjoy!




My baby Einstein!


My little Einstein!

Sick and pleasant

How is it possible for such a little girl to be so sick, and yet so pleasant at the same time? Poor little Lainey bug has been sick this week, as has Leecy T. Fortunately Leecy T has gotten better (we were a little worried there for a while with her history) but little Lainey has continued to be sick. She has this horrible cough, which includes wheezing and a runny nose and we found out at the doctor's office, that she also has horrendous ear infections! The doc said they were bright red and that a normal antibiotic wouldn't solve the problem, so she is on a heavy duty one. She is also scheduled to have breathing treatments every four hours to help her lungs. Poor thing! Lainey has also had a fever and amazes us at how little she complains. She doesn't cry much and usually has a big smile for everything! And Leecy T has been such a great helper--she likes to help take Lainey's temperature and she always makes sure Lainey has the blanket, toy, etc that she needs. What a good big sis! So right now, we are crossing our fingers that this antibiotic works! I'll keep you posted!