A first

What are you trying to show me, buddy? Smile big for me.

Bigger, smile bigger.

What's that in your hand?

Smile even bigger, dude.

Whatcha got in your hand?

Is that a tooth?

Why, yes, it is!
A very tiny tooth.

Where did it come from?

Oh, yep, there it was!

Cade's bottom tooth was so loose that he and Dad worked on it and got it right out about a week and a half ago. He lost the second one just about a week later. It felt pretty loose to him, so at lunch he just pulled it out. After that, Kellen kept trying to pull his teeth out too. He kept saying, "I can't." Yeah, no kidding, buddy. No more teeth-losing, please. Makenzie and Brandon each lost a tooth last week too. Poor tooth fairy. I hope the recession isn't giving her any trouble!

Laughter

This kid just loves to laugh. I was taking some pictures of some of my quilting projects, and he came and sat down by me and just started laughing and smiling. He actually wanted me to take his picture. He doesn't talk that much, so he didn't say it, but I could see it in the way he held his head and in his eyes. Non-verbal communication is quite effective at times.

What a love! He would have let me keep taking pictures of him for a long time, but I had to go back to my quilting projects. And yes, that gun is almost as big as he is.

Carjacked!

Well, what do we have here? Michael was cleaning out his car and was at the back cleaning out the trunk. When he came out from behind the car, he discovered people in his car.

The driver.

The navigator.

Uh-oh. Busted!

Photographs by Brandon.

She's 14, y'all.

Morgan is 14! I just can't believe it. She can now wear makeup and go to the youth dances. The weekend before her birthday she got to go to youth conference -- a pioneer trek. It was for 14 and up, but they forgave her the couple of days and let her go. What an inaugural experience. She had a blast.

Morgan is my right-hand man. She is always willing to help me, always obedient. She really is. I can't believe how great she is -- how hard she tries to do what's right, how diligent she is at her schoolwork, how smart she is, what a great musician she is, how beautiful she is. She is a great example to her siblings, her friends, even her parents at times. She is so cheerful. The only thing really wrong with her is that she doesn't know how great she is. I love that girl so much!

Yes, cheesecake for her birthday cake -- every year. She loves it! I have to say that I'm not really sad about it. I love it too.

Because Michael works all day Monday (which was her birthday), I took her shopping (just the two of us!) on her actual birthday -- capris, shorts, swimsuit, lunch -- and then we celebrated on Tuesday. The kids always get to pick their birthday meal, and Morgan always chooses chicken Alfredo. I'm not too sad about that choice either. Yum!

Spring Break

I caught a bunch of them playing outside on the trampoline. All crowding in for the picture. I had to tell them to go jump so I could get some more candid shots. "Take a picture of me, Mommy!"

Kellen and Liam have gotten quite good at jumping. They've got little muscles in their legs that the older kids never had when there were that small. It's a good way to start. Kellen can run faster than a lot of the other kids could at their age, and I attribute it to the jumping.

No one was faster (or more daring) than Cade, though. That kid is a bullet -- and no fear.

Check out his air!


And Kellen's air too!

I think we have a gymnast on our hands!

Not to be outdone!

I guess we're going to have to get a new trampoline since this one jumped the stupid fence again a couple of days ago. I haven't assessed it yet, but I don't think it survived. =(

50 Questions

I stole this off of Julia's blog. Thanks, girl.

1.Do you like Blue Cheese? In salad dressing and crumbled in a salad, but not by itself.

2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? My dad gave me a drag when I was in kindergarten so I would know how gross it was and so I would never do it -- well, never do it again.

3. Do you own a gun? Nope.

4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? I add cherry and vanilla to my Coke.

5. Do you get nervous before a doctors appointment? Nervous? No.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I try not to think about them too much, or I can't eat them. Heinz mustard makes them palatable (much better if they're grilled).

7. What is your favorite Christmas song? So many! I really love O, Come Emmanuel and Mary, Did You Know?

8. What do you like to drink in the mornings? I like OJ and hot chocolate (not together!), but most often I just drink water.

9. Can you do push ups? I can do maybe five girl push-ups so far.

10. What is your favorite Movie? Again, so many! I like Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Sense & Sensibility -- any adaptation of Jane Austen books (except I didn't like the Mansfield Park one).

11. What is your favorite piece of Jewelry? I don't wear a lot of jewelry, and right now my wedding ring won't go on my finger. I wear kind of dangly earrings that I make with matching bracelets. I have this one pair that has red flowers and green leaves.

12. Favorite Hobby? Right now I'm on a quilting rampage, but I also love to read, scrapbook, make cards, make jewelry, crochet, knit, cross-stitch, play the piano, sing, lift weights. I'll stop there.

13. Do you work with people who idolize you? I guess so -- my kids do. I think my boss loves me, but I don't know about idolizes.

14. Do you have ADD? When it comes to quilting, I have a sneaking suspicion that I might. Can't focus on just one quilt.

15. What is the trait that you hate about your self? Procrastination, impatience, not finishing stuff.

16. What is your middle name? Reyleen.

17. Name 3 thoughts at this moment. I want to go to bed. Those goldfish were good. Now I need a drink.

18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday: I bought nothing yesterday.

19. Current worries right now. Paying bills, people needing new eyeglasses, will the trampoline blow into the neighbor's yard again.

20. Current hate right now: Don't hate anything.

21. Favorite place to be: In my house -- although I did thoroughly enjoy our trip to Disneyland and the Redwoods.

22. How did you bring in the new year? I think I went to bed at 10:30. Yeah, I'm old.

23. Where would you like to go? To bed. Vacationwise I would like to go to Paris, and then everywhere. I'd really like to go to Israel but not at the risk of death.

24. Name 3 people who will do this? Oh, I don't know.

25- Who's answers do you want to read the most. Everyone's

26. What color shirt you wearing right now? Robin's egg blue t-shirt under a grey and red/white/blue sweatshirt.

27. Do you like sleeping in satin sheets? I don't know if I have any experience with this -- maybe at a hotel one time. Don't remember if I liked it or not. Sounds too slippery to be comfortable.

28. Can you whistle? I can whistle a tune very well, but I'm not so good at the finger-in-the-mouth, earsplitting kind.

29. Favorite color? Salmon, red, chocolate brown

30. Would you be a pirate? No, I like to be able to brush my teeth.

31. What songs do you sing in the shower? Mostly hymns, because I know the lyrics. And "Take the Pieces When You Go" by the Wreckers.

32. Favorite girls name- Well, my next girl was going to be Regan Emma, but that ship has sailed.

33. Favorite boys name-I like Liam a lot -- and I also like Aidan (but I didn't get one of those either).

34. What's in your pocket right now? Empty.

35. Last thing that made you laugh? Reading about how plastic is fantastic on Jill's blog.

36. Bed sheets as a child? I vaguely recall some pink and white striped ones. Maybe some floral ones too.

37. Worst injury you've ever had? Not too many injuries -- maybe just my broken baby toe that hurt for A YEAR (not exaggerating) every time I took a step.

38. Favorite snack. Chocolate, cheese sticks.

39. Favorite thing to do on Sunday: Sleep in when we have afternoon church.

40. Who is your loudest friend? Maybe Angie. Oh, no, it has got to be Suz.

41. How many dogs do you have? None yet.

42. Does someone have a crush on you? Well, Cade tells me every day how beautiful I am. And then his dad seems pretty hooked on me too.

43. What is your favorite book? Oh man...the list could go on and on and on. Similar to my movies -- I like Jane Austen. I read the Twilight series over and over again. I like everything by Terry Brooks. I like Steinbeck a lot.

44. What is your favorite candy? Twix, Peanut Butter cups, Sour patch kids

45. What is your favorite sports team? Pshaw, I don't like sports. None of my kids are playing anything right now. Go BYU!

46. What songs do you want played at your funeral? No funeral, please. I'm gettin' twinkled!

47. What were you doing at midnight last night? Classified.

48. What was the first thing you thought this morning? I'm late for scripture and prayer.

49. What is your favorite meal? Again, so hard to choose. I love to eat salmon scallopine. I also love a beef waterfall dinner at most Thai restaurants (a few notable exceptions!)

50. Where is your happy place? Reading, sewing room.

My little monkey

Yes, it's just a baby eating a banana. Sometimes when Morgan or Brandon get a hold of the camera, these are the little vignettes we get. (This one was Morgan's work.) I think it's cute, but then again, it's my baby. He LOVES bananas.

Uh-oh, now his mouth is empty. That's why he looks ticked! Quick, give him another banana!