We have a writer in the family

Kalyana is getting pretty good at learning to write her letters. She get's pretty excited and asks me everyday to help her spell different people's names. I draw little hash marks and spell her name out so she can get used to writing those letters. A few days ago though, she wanted to write a name and have me trace it. Here's what she wrote...(pretty exciting huh!?!) In my name, she did the hash marks on the first letter and I think after that it took too much to remember to do it to each letter. She really did it all this by herself!!

Who'd a thunk it?

I dont know about you, but I look at this picture of Kalyana (eating some of our early Halloween candy) and I can't help but think she looks tall. Well enjoy cause I bet that won't happen often huh? As for this picture of Makayla I can't help but subject my children to the same things I was put through as a child by either my older sisters or more probable my cute mother.

To The Top

We have one large step right when you walk in the front door which is just the right size for Makayla's climbing adventures, but just last week she actually attempted to climb up the stairs, but was only able to put her hands on the first step. Well tonight, she climbed up and managed to stay on them. I guess we really will have to invest in a gate.

School Clothes

This is Kalyana's first official 'new school clothes' year. She put on some of her 2T pants with tennis shoes (instead of sandles) and was already to go to preschool when I realized just how short her pants had gotten over the summer. We took a trip to the store and got her a few staples (a coat, 3 pairs of pants and a few shirts). I'll have to get pictures of the others and post those too!

Crazy Days

I can't believe how crazy busy our days have gotten! This is how a general week looks for us. Preschool on Mon, Wed, & Fri story time at the library on Tues, Scouts on Wed (plus twice a month for planning and pack meeting), babysitting our nephew once a week (and sometimes the neighbors), and generally we get together with different friends 1 or 2 times a week. Not to mention errands, work, and other church activities. It seems like we wake up at 7 and just go until we fall over at night. However we still find time to play! Our girls are just too darn fun, and we're sure glad we get to enjoy it! Some pictures highlights left to right/top to bottom: Pic 1: Little Makayla in all her glory. Who could resist pinching that! Picture 6 Makayla is trying to keep the Coats twins entertained. We watched them while their dad Daniel played in the BYU football game last week Picture 8: Kaly was so great to sing all her favorite songs to Austin. Kalyana asked me "Should I pretend like I'm trying to do some thinking mommy?" --I think she's going to grow up to be a model, at least she just loves to pose!

Grandpa L

I got Kaly this apron several months ago and everytime she wears it she reminds me that she looks like Grandpa Hayden when she puts it on (he wears a green apron when he's painting). I just had to capture it on film. He also ties his in the front too.

Halloween Yummies

It's my turn to teach joyschool this week so I had the kids (we ended up getting a few more kids in our group-a total of 4) make sugar cookie people and then we decorated them with icing. We had lots of cookie dough left over afterwards so when Tarl got home from work he jumped in the kitchen and we started making Halloween sugar cookies (of course!). We had ghosts, pumpkins, witches and bats. It was yum yummy.

Kitchen Created

When we first moved in (back in Dec) we were told during the current 'winter' we'd get a new kitchen. We finally heard back from our landlord in April telling us they'd start in 2 months. Finally in August we heard from them giving us a few days to unload and move out our kitchen. On August 5th (Tuesday) at 8:30 in the morning the cabinet guys came in and ripped out our kitchen. Then they installed our new cabinets and were out by 11:30am, promising that the job should take 1 day to finish. Well apparently after much prodding we learned that the counter top guy wouldn't make it that day....or the next....but came at about 3:00 on Thursday. Little did our landlord know that when they ripped out our cupboards (and original sink) they had to turn off our hot water. We took some really! cold (and quick) showers. By Thursday night at 6 the plumber finished fitting the sink in and we were let loose to clean out (they left sawdust every where when they screwed the cabinets to the wall) and unpack our kitchen. It's now Saturday and we're about 90% done (we have to keep taking breaks because we just dont know where to put things with our new layout). Even though it was a bit more stressful than everyone had hoped, we're thrilled to have a new kitchen (with drawers that dont fall to the floor when you open them, and cupboards that close completely). In the first pic you can see in the background our old ugly gold countertop (that had bleach marks all over it), and our dark brown cupboards. Then our brand new kitchen! And lastly, our wonderful kitchen with no sink/countertops. Our kind neighbors the Coats fed us for 3 days straight!

I can write a name

Today at preschool we made cards. Kalyana wanted to write an "H" all by herself. She asked me to help her spell somone's name (see if you can guess, even though it's right to left) but she wrote it entirely by herself. This is the first time I've seen her do that. I was such a proud mom!

Preschool Paradise

Today was Kalyana's first day of preschool. She's wanted to go to school for so long! There are two other little girls her age and the moms and I are all going to switch off each week. Just this week Kalyana learned something new and big. She learned a whole nother telphone number, grandmas! These two pictures are so crazy. We took the third one when she was just 1 year old, and the others today when she is almost 3 1/2. (Look at her feet in the second picture. When I asked her to stand there for a picture, she asked me, "Mom, should I pretend like I'm walking to the schoolbus?" I just thought it was so darn cute.)

All on a Saturday night

Makayla eating, Tarl playing XBOX, Kalyana playing. Kalyana was helping mommy wash dishes while I fed Makayla some dinner. I went to in the kitchen to check on her and noticed that my brand new bottle of dish soap and been poured out in the bowl and all over the sink. Good think it's only like$1. And she did have ALOT of fun.

Giggle Girls

I love seeing that even though Makayla is still so little the girls can have so much fun together. Kalyana is so good at making Makayla laugh and do her "happy wiggles" which make us all giggle every single time.

Sewing Projects

My mom came down last week and helped me do all sorts of projects I've been trying to find time to do. We made Kalyana a bunch of dressups including 2 hats (one shown here), a skirt, a transformable dress (it can turn into a dress, skirt, shirt, etc), and other things. I also finished a tablecloth, fixed a bedsheet, and made puppets for Kaly's preschool. We also made the girls a gunny bag (a pillowcase with lace edges and accents) so that she wouldn't be afraid of him. We've been reminding her that he's a nice friend that helps us pick up her toys (and keeps them for a week) if she doesn't clean up when she's asked.

It's never too soon.....

Yes, Makayla is sitting in a Halloween cauldron. Tarl got so excited when we went to a craft supply store and saw they were selling Halloween decorations. We made a deal that as soon as he saw it in the stores he could start decorating at home, and boy did he! Who knew that would have been in August! Well at least those who come to my house don't think we're too terribly strange :) Afterall we like Halloween so much we did get engaged on that day 5 years ago!