Z is for Zoo

Tuesday we ended our year of playschool with a trip to the zoo to learn about the letter Z. We have had such fun this year participating with a great group of kids and their mom's! It's crazy to think that in a few short months Lainey will be starting preschool, and Leecy will have moved onto kindergarten!

We saw hippos, and elephants, and bears! Oh my!

Lainey, Leecy and Lennon

Mr. Lennon, sweet as can be (as always!) just chilled the whole time we were at the zoo! He is such a good baby! He just soaked everything in!

Our little monkey, I mean, cute little Lainey bug was very independent on this trip to the zoo.
She wanted to walk everywhere. She behaved for the most part and only tried to climb in with the rhinoceros.....

Sweet Leecy T was a big help with the younger kids and would hold their hands so we could keep track of everyone. She loves animals and still wants to be a vet when she is older.

Aleece and her friend Hyrum

Checking out the animals....

Taking time to stop and smell the flowers.....

We love the zoo!!!

Leecy T and Lennon

snack time! Zucchini bread muffins (we had to have a snack that started with Z!)

Aleece and Hyrum at the end of our adventure.

Lainey (exhausted from walking all over the zoo!) and Lennon (still chillin'!)

We had so much fun and are grateful to have such good friends!

Cute quips

Sometimes it still surprises me how different Lainey and Leecy can be! They are so similar in so many ways, but there are definitely differences in them that are like night and day! Aleece is TERRIFIED of bugs. The only bugs she has come across that don't bother her are ladybugs and firefly's. Even when she was little if she saw a bug she would shriek "beedle bug, beedle bug!" Well, living in the south we have lots of bugs, and even if she sees an ant she freaks out! Madelaine on the other hand isn't fazed by them at all and will just squash them or let them roam! She came up to me the other day to show me an ant that was on her hand that she had picked up and said, "don't worry, it's just a spider! Just a spider!" I'm glad to know she didn't develop my fear of spiders like her big sister did!

We were at the store this week as a family and Val came across a hat that reminded him of one he wore in high school years ago. He tried it on and then flipped it backwards and informed the kid's that that was how he used to wear it and it was kind of "his thing"; what he was known for. Aleece looked up at him and with a smile on her face said, "Did the kids laugh at you?" Needless to say, we left without buying the hat!

Backwards Thursday

This week's crazy Thursday was backwards day! Aleece has really been getting a kick out of these crazy's days! She wore her shirt and pants backwards and we even did her hair backwards! (Though because it so long, had to be put in a little bun on top!) She is just too cute for words!

And we couldn't forget about little miss Lainey bug! She can't wait to start preschool in the fall!

When we're helping, we're happy.....

Our children seem to be growing up too quickly! I thought this picture was too cute not to post. Lainey watches Aleece a great deal and loves to be just like her big sister! So after she saw Aleece helping the other day, she wanted to help too! And she did a surprisingly good job! I know they will both make amazing mothers someday!
Madelaine has also picked up on another of Leecy T's "doings". We have worked hard to teach the kids to be patient and respectful, and have informed Aleece that when she needs to ask a question, she needs to say "Excuse me, Mom/Dad/etc" instead of interrupting. Well, Lainey has picked up on this also and after she hears Aleece say it, generally shortly thereafter I will here, "Excuse me, Leecy!" And then she will tell Leecy whatever it was that was so important.
I love that they can learn from one another and be the best of friends as well as sisters! And I've already seen how special of a relationship they have with their brother as well. I love the looks that pass between them and can feel of the love they have for each other! My sweet children truly light up my life!

3 beautiful reasons

My three beautiful reasons for celebrating Mother's Day! Life doesn't get any better than this!


Lennon


Madelaine


Aleece

Mother's Day 2009

"All I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother." Abraham Lincoln

This quote is so true. I am who I am because of my sweet parents. My amazing mother instilled in me such a great love and desire of motherhood. I am so grateful to her and all that she has taught me throughout my life that has helped me in the raising of my own children. There is no greater job, no greater calling in life than that of being a mother. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a mom. I am so grateful that my dreams, my happily ever after, have come true. I love my children so very much and thank Heavenly Father every day for allowing me this blessing. They truly teach me something new every day....patience, compassion, generosity, humor...the list could go on and on.

I had an absolutely wonderful mother's day beginning with Leecy T telling me "Happy Mother's Day" to wake me and tell me breakfast was ready. We had some yummy omelets and went to church. The primary children sang "I Often Go Walking" and "Mother Dear". I love to hear Aleece's sing! We heard some really nice talks on mothers and received some delicious cheesecake petit fours made by a family in our ward who own a French bakery. So good! We were also serenaded by a double quartet of brethren (Val included of couse!) and it was beautiful. After church I had the luxury of taking a nap (love them!) and opened some presents--a new wok, some cute capri's, some nice, new makeup (perfect timing after last week's mishap!), a fun cake cookbook, some beautiful roses that the girls picked out and a new luxury shower head(with a promise of at least a couple of non-interrupted showers!). I was definitely spoiled! Dinner was delicious--we had grilled salmon and corn on the cob, whole wheat french bread and, the best part, creme brulee for dessert! It doesn't get any better than that! :) My day was so nice and our children were so sweet. Lainey's sweet voice telling me "Happy Mother's day!" seriously could make any one's heart melt!

Leecy, Lainey and Lennon make my heart smile everyday and they couldn't possibly find a mother who loves her children more than I love them if they searched the world over! (Except for maybe my mom! I'll call it a tie!) :)

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms I know!

Crazy Pajama Day

Aleece was excited all week for Thursday's preschool. Throughout the month of May they will have "Crazy Thursdays". This week's crazy Thursday was crazy pajama day! Aleece made sure to remind at least once a day the entire week prior to pajama day (and she has already informed me that next week's crazy Thursday is crazy backwards day where they get to where their clothes backwards! She is already excited!) Leecy T wore some cute capri jammies and her Zoe slippers and had a great time at preschool! She loved that they got to play Chutes and Ladders and Candyland! Preschool has been a huge help for Aleece in coming out of her shell! She has really come a long way this year! She was so shy at the beginning of the year and she is finally starting to overcome that I think! She has learned so much and we are so proud of the hard work she does at preschool! Aleece is such a smart little girl and it's hard to believe she will be starting kindergarten next year! Where did my baby go?!

Music Showcase

Hey---we need your support! My amazingly talented husband Val has entered a music showcase through Mormon Times, featuring his song "What Would Jesus Have Me Do?" This is an amazing song, as they all are, and the finalists are determined based on votes. So we need your help!
Tell EVERYONE you know! Let's get Val to the finals!
Here's what you do....
FIRST, go to
http://music.mormontimes.com/index.php?ref=mtHomeAD
Next, REGISTER FOR THE SITE (you won't get any spam or anything!) (They make you do this so that they can monitor how many times you can vote--they only allow once a day.)
THEN, go the the Showcase link (in between Most Viewed and User Videos)
NEXT,Scroll down to Val Moore and click on his image. Once you do this there should be a button saying "vote for this song". You can also become his fan! You can vote once per day, per person!!!
PLEASE help us out and tell everyone you can think of! GO BACK AND VOTE EVERY DAY! Thanks everyone!!!! We appreciate all of your support!!!! (He's up against an Osmond, so please, please, please vote!!!)

Beauty Queens

I was nursing Lennon this afternoon and noticed it was particularly quiet. Too quiet. I quickly found the girls content as can be in my bathroom, looking like this.........

Lovely, aren't they?

Beauty queen Leecy T

Beauty queen Lainey bug

Personally I think they are a lot cuter with out all of the "pretty" makeup on, but as mad as I tried to be about it, I have to admit I was having a hard time not smiling!

How do you eat an Oreo?

Val made an amazing chocolate cheesecake from scratch on Sunday and used crushed Oreo cookies as the crust. He had a few left over and gave one to Lainey and I swear I have never before seen anyone eat an Oreo the way she did! She pulled the cookie apart, and while most people usually lick the cream out of the center, she instead pulled the cream off of the cookie in one piece. I still have no idea how she did this. Then she ate it and finished off with her chocolate cookies. I have to admit to being a dipper. I love Oreo's dipped in milk, but I just might have to try this one day to see if I am as talented as my 2 year old! :) So my question for you is, how do you eat your Oreo's?

Finances

Aleece has gotten so good at saying her prayers! She has learned to pray for specific things so her prayers are never exactly the same. She is really growing up! But sometimes things she says still catch us off guard. She was saying our bedtime family prayer the other night and was blessing family members when she said, "please bless our finances, our fine uncles and our fine cousins." I had no idea what she meant, but really had to try to keep from laughing when I finally figured it out.....please bless our "fine auntses, our fine uncles and our fine cousins". She can be so funny sometimes!

FHE

Monday's tend to be a little crazy for us these days, since Val began a new master's class that takes him straight from work to school. So, although we would love to still have our Family Home Evenings on Monday's, for the next couple of weeks we either be doing it on Sunday or Tuesday evenings, depending on what is going on. Well, Val got home from class on Monday night and it was the kid's bed time, but Aleece insisted that we needed to have Family Home Evening, and that she had the lesson prepared. How can you turn that kind of offer down? So we let her teach us and I was astonished! She began with the Articles of Faith and quoted from memory, 10 of the 13! I was sure on the last line of the tenth article of faith that she would be stumped by the word "paradisiacal" but she said it perfectly! We only had to give her a few prompts to help her remember and I seriously couldn't believe how well she did! Then she talked to us about the importance of returning to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She showed us a coin and said, "this is not what is important", then she showed us a picture of our Savior, "this is what is the most important thing, returning to Heavenly Father and Jesus." She told us the story of our Savior's ultimate sacrifice, the atonement, and even had pictures to go along with it. The primary program in our church is amazing! We are so proud that she is learning gospel principles and that she has such unwavering faith! She is growing up so fast and I love watching her grow and evolve into a beautiful little girl! We love her so much!

More Easter pictures

The weather turned bad before we could get a group shot of the kiddos, so we had to settle for the couch inside! Not as pretty as the flowers (but a zillion times better than the old couch!!!!) They were super silly, as usual, but we got some cute pictures of them amidst the silliness! I love that they are all the best of friends and can make each other laugh no matter what! They are the sweetest kids and we love them SO much! How can you resist those sweet faces?!?!?!

Easter baskets

The Easter bunny came while we were at church last Sunday and spoiled the kids rotten! They all got some really fun gifts and they were definitely sugared out by the end of the day!

Mr. Lennon got some fun new toys, which he took to immediately, a soft new blankie and some awesome new babylegs that have skulls on them!

Little Lainey bug got some fun learning toys, a babydoll stroller, a Goofy toy, and lots of candy! Notice how she dug right in! (They are their father's children, what can I say! :) )

Sweet Leecy T to some cute new clothes (she loves dresses!), a princes dancing mat and wand, a new necklace and, of course....candy!

Daddy got some new clothes, Quantum of Solace and candy and mommy got a food processer (yeah! this makes kitchen prep SO much easier!) and a new pasta pot! (Can you tell I love my kitchen and spending time in it? ;) )

Thanks Easter bunny for spoiling us!

Easter Sunday 2009

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday today! We were able to listen to the ward choir perform their Easter cantata in church and we were so proud of Val! He puts so much work into that choir and we love every opportunity we have to listen to him play the piano and sing!
We are so grateful for the opportunity we have to celebrate the sacrifice our Savior made for us, so that we can be together forever. We are so grateful for the Atonement and all that it offers us. The gospel is such a blessing in our lives, and we are so grateful to have the knowledge that we can live again! We know that our Savior lives and that he loves all of us!
We were able to take some cute pictures of our cute kids before the weather turned ugly! One of neighbors has the most beautiful tree and we couldn't resist taking the kids picture in front of it!




Handsome Mr. Lennon



Cute little Lainey bug



Sweet Leecy T

Mommy and Lennon

Happy Easter!

The dyeing of Easter eggs...

We dyed Easter eggs on Saturday afternoon and what an adventure that was. One wobbly table, three crazy kids, 12 different colors and 24 eggs! Amazingly there was no spilling, no stained clothes and no tears! A success!

Waiting patiently for Daddy to bring out the dye!

Sweet Leecy T

Cute little Lainey bug

Mr. Lennon

Val helping the kids.

Me, documenting the day's events (though I did dye 3 eggs! One for each of my cute kids!)

Hard at work!

Look at that concentration!

Our beautiful eggs!!!

Mr. Lennon loving the plastic eggs!

Cheese!