Priceful Memories

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

March and early April Happenings

Here are some pics I found from the end of March and April that are worth remembering.

Going down the slide with her best friend, Emily

And by herself

Throwing rocks in the river

Our little hair dresser

Conference Weekend - We had the missionaries over for the first session (6pm our time).

About halfway through, Kelsey was done so we let her watch Barney in her room. She was perfectly happy there.

A recent Girls Night Out to Thai- these are some of my fabulous friends in Switzerland.

Kelsey during a prayer (I know, I should have had my eyes closed too...and my shutter).

Peeking to see if anyone else is peeking

During a walk in the park, Kelsey made a friend with a girl that lives nearby.

Mom & Kels running from dad

Running and laughing

She loves to run in wide open spaces

Hide and Seek

Do you think these glasses are too big for me?

Silly Faces

I made Kelsey a fruit (strawberry, banana, rasberry, black berry, spinach, milk) shake and put a bit of Spinach of it. She didn't seem to notice.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Bubbles

For two days now, Kelsey has been telling me, "bubbles." It's very clear, but I had no idea what she was talking about. She dumped out her can of bubbles a few weeks ago and I haven't gotten around to getting another one.

Tonight I found out what she meant - BATH bubbles. Tally was home when she said bubbles and he immediately knew what she was talking about. I guess he started filling her bath with bubbles a few nights ago and now she knows how to ask for it!

She's learned the "I want..." part of the sentence and tells us what she wants. For example, "I want my towel...no PINK towel." "I want milk." "I want my binty (she can't say her 'k' sound, so she subsitutes with a "t." Or my favorite now, "I want to walk." It doesn't usually means she wants to walk, it means she wants to go for a walk. It's amazing how fast she is picking things up. Tonight at dinner, she sits down and clear as a bell, says, "RICE." By the time most of you see her again, she'll be able to carry on a conversation.

She also picks up on what we do. I threw a piece of trash at sink from the couch. Not 10 minutes later, Kelsey picked up a cheerio off the floor and threw it towards the sink. Great.

When we went for a walk the other day, Kelsey was walking and Tal pushed her stroller really hard so it raced ahead of us. Kelsey laughed so Tal kept doing it. Today when we took her doll for a walk in the stroller, she kept pushing the stroller ahead of us or letting the stroller go down the driveway (we live on a busy street so we have to be careful of this one). Monkey see, monkey do.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Easter in Italy

As I typed in the title of this post, I realized two things: 1. I'm not very creative in my Post Titles and 2. We spent last Easter in Germany. I guess Switzerland doesn't appeal to us during Easter :). Or that's when Tally has a few vacation days in a row so we head out to explore.

So back to this year...

We drove down to Italy over Easter weekend and stayed with Jessi's parents in Vicenza. Our first stop: Verona.

Verona, Italy

3. graffiti outside Juliet's house where lovers forever make their stupidity and irreverence for public property known (this doesn't get me like it does on famous churches or architecture - that really gets me). 9. Darling aprons

The amphitheatre or Arena built by the Romans in 30AD and is the 3rd largest in Italy

Love the Italian hills, trees, and villas

Love gelato. Kelsey had to have her own, of course

Verona is the city in which Shakespeare's famous "Romeo & Juliet" takes place.

"Two households, both alike in dignity

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene."
—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, The Prologue

This is the balcony that some falsely claim as historically significant (it was a story based on imagination, not on history)

Below the balcony is Miss Juliet. It's said that if you touch her right breast, you will get lucky.

Playing in Verona

Kelsey loved playing with and hugging baby Chloe

Dear 'ol Dads carrying the kids around

Splash, splash! This dirty fountain in the Piazza delle Erbe was so much fun to play in.

Playing in the Rocks outside the Petty's house

Playing at the park in Piazzola sul Brenta

In the background of the bottom middle pic, you can see the beautiful backdrop of the palace

Isn't it a gorgeous town center!? This is only part of it. I took more pictures of it during our trip 2 years ago.

Yes, that's our child, way off in the distance running away from us. There was a dog out there so I had to run and grab her in case it was a mean dog. She's too trusting of dogs.

Gelato at Piazzola...mmm. Makes my mouth water just remembering. We got Kelsey banana because we thought that would be the least messy. It ended up being SO tasty! I'm usually one for mint or cookie ice cream but this was good enough I think I'd get it again.

Bathtime - triple the fun! The Bergs are watching Kelsey for us for 5 days at the end of May, so it was fun to see them get along so well together. Kelsey really liked having other kids around. Abram to run around with and Chloe to give all her kisses to!

Our very own EVE...

Easter Morning

Look what the Easter Bunny brought!

Easter Sunday - Church in Italian

Everyone was so nice to us and even gave us gifts! They had made these tiny nests with a chick made out of pom-pom things...anyway, very cute and so sweet. We felt so welcome. Tally understood some bits and pieces since he speaks Spanish. They had a musical number in English, which was beautiful. What a neat experience.

Abram holding Kelsey's hand as they crossed the street and walked to the church.

Easter Outfits

Easter Egg Hunt

This one makes me laugh every time!

But dad, I saw one over there

I hope this one's loaded...

Success! Listen to all that candy shake in there!

Mom, look! There's one in the tree! Help please....

Now where can I find more of these...?

YES! It's candy, not money!

I love this - Chloe just picked up Kelsey's shoe and started chowing down on it! Kelsey didn't even mind.

More candy!

I love Abram's face here!

Family Easter Photo

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Sick House

Saturday:

Kelsey did catch what Tally had and the poor thing is miserable. She's up several times a night, just screaming. Luckily, we have children's Motrin b/c the suppositories here don't seem to help. To add insult to injury, she's getting her incisor teeth and it looks like she has blisters where her teeth will be.

Sunday:

I finally caught it today, so we're just laying around, going for walks, and watching lots of movies.

Monday:

Kelsey seems to be getting better, no more fever and Tally went back to work and says he's feeling 85%. I'll manage. I just hope we're all better for this weekend. Tal & I are supposed to drive down to Nice this weekend and Kelsey is staying with Jenna for three days. It will be her first overnight trip without us and I think she'll do great.

Cruisin in Greece

An MSC cruise ship was attacked by pirates - and the crew fended them off! Check out the story here.

Recently in one of the comments, I was asked how we get so many pictures with all three of us in it. Do I trust so many other people with my camera? The answer is this: I've started carrying around a tripod. I have one that is really lightweight and I got a new camera backpack for Christmas so the tripod snaps on and off easily. However, I don't think I used it once this trip even though I brought it around everywhere. The Bergs became our family photogs! Oh, and if we got one of all 7 of us, I usually trusted the camera with a fellow Nikon DSLR owner (better pics and less chance of running off with it). And don't underestimate the sprint of a pregnant lady going after her camera. I think I'd give any thief a good scare. That thing is my most prized material possession. That and my hard drive that safely stores all my pictures.

Jumping from the window - leaving Bari

Each night the kids got vanilla ice cream after dinner. We had to capture Kelsey's reaction on video.

Hide and Seek

Rocks & Explode

The Parthenon

Saying goodbye to Dubrovnik

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Lots to post...

We just came back from our cruise to Greece on Monday afternoon. I have been doing laundry (all done now, suitcases put away - hooray!) and getting things organized. Tal has been sick with a terrible cold so I cancelled a photoshoot of twin newborn boys today (didn't want them to get sick). I'll get them next week. So, we are just laying low right now, hoping Kels & I don't catch this thing. I have over 950 pictures from our trip to sort, organized, delete, edit, download, etc. so don't expect to see pics from our trip anytime soon. Just know we had a blast with our friends, the Bergs and we got to see some cool sites in Greece, Italy & Croatia. And we're home, safe, for now.

Kelsey Speaks

April 14: Advertising works, even for kids. Kels just came up to me with my iPhone and the app "Team Umizoomi" ready to purchase. I asked her how she knew about it and she said, "this mom put team umizoomi on for her kids and it teached her kids and he did it all by himself!" I've seen that commercial too, but never realized how much she soaked in! I'm a sucker, I downloaded it.

March 14:

We were having a new babysitter come and Kelsey wanted her to play a game but wasn't sure she'd know how. "What language does she speak?" I said, "English." Kels said, "Oh no!" I said, "Kelsey, did you know that YOU speak English?" She looked surprised, "I do!?"

October 17:

We had our carpet pad replaced today and the carpet guy was using a heavy duty iron that smelled like burning. Kelsey came in and said, "Mom, is that dinner I smell?" Thanks Kels, thanks. Says a lot about my cooking!

October 11:

So I'm on the phone and the Kelsey does soemthing that makes Aiden cry. I tell Kelsey, PLEASE make it better, say your sorry and make him stop crying. She starts singing, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine..." I started cracking up. I think she's a little too obsessed with Tangled.

February 19:
Family prayer
"Thank you that Aiden is incredible and that he could watch Incredibles with me. And thank you that mommy can change things."

February 9:
Family prayer tonight by Kelsey: "Thank you that mommy could be a good listener (?), thank you that mommy can be so stretchable...in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I laughed and asked her what stretchable meant. She said it meant that I can read Aiden books and change his diaper, put us to bed, play with us, and wiggle us and throw us, stuff like that. Does that mean she's grateful I can do mommy stuff?

January 5:
While at my mom's house in California, she said, "I want to stay at Mimi's forever!" I asked, what about your toys and our home in Utah?" She replied, "I like Mimi's toys downstairs." "But what about your friends back in Utah?" She replied, "they can get in the car and drive really, really far and come see me!" She has it all figured out.

January 4, 2011:
Tally read aloud a sign as we passed a church, "Jesus is making a list." She said, "No, Santa is making a list, and checking it twice."

December 20:
She was sad after I scolded her for taking her brother's food. I asked her why she was sad and she said, "My life hurts right now."
"With Christmas just a few days away?" I said. She perked right up.

December 13:
Tal was going to bed early and we all jumped in bed to give him hugs and say goodnight. Kelsey said, "I like it when our whole family is in bed together. Dad, you're hot. But I like it hot. You're the hottest."

December 9:
I had made a big effort to go to the gym and literally had 30 minutes to work out and then be back before everyone came over for play group. I get Kelsey out of the car and walk around to get Aiden. Kelsey says, "Mom, you can't wear THOSE shoes to the gym!" I looked down and sure enough, I was wearing my Crocs. I'm so glad she saw it before I'd gotten Aiden out of his car seat, gotten the kids checked into day care, and stepped on the treadmill. 10 points for trying, right?

October 22:
"Mom, I don't wanna have a baby in my tummy. I don't want to have a baby doggy come out."

October 3:
"Mom, you shut up and I'll shut down." (playing around with the word shut up to get a reaction from me).

September 30:
"Aiden, you have pretty eyebrows."
August 15
While sitting in our master bathroom, Kelsey said, "You guys have two sinks."
Us: "Yes, we have two sinks, isn't that nice?"
K: "No, I don't like it, you need to take one out. I need more room to sit."
Tal: "When you get married, you can have one sink in your bathroom."
K: "When I marry Aiden?" (who she said she wanted to marry when we were talking about weddings the day before).
Tal: "You can't marry Aiden, he's your brother."
K: "I want to marry DADDY!"
Jess: "He's mine, darlin. Daddy is already married to mommy."
K: "My cousins?"
Us: (Laugh, gave up...we'll have this talk one day when she's ready) She is constantly playing with my bouquet of silk flowers in my room and saying, "I'm getting married mom." I guess she picked that up on her own...I don't think I've ever talked about the flowers with her!

August 11:
As I'm putting her to bed I said, "Kelsey, your little body is so tired because you didn't take a nap today and little bodies need naps."
"And sometimes big bodies do too?" she said.
After the gym today, we caught her doing her hand clasp thing. Tally said, "Don't do that, you're doing it so hard you're getting sweaty."
She replied, firmly, "Well I just back from the gym." (which is true, but she was at the play place at the gym)
May
(While shutting herself inside the kitchen pantry)
K: Alright Aiden, I'm going bye-bye to Lily's house, 2 seconds, and when I come back, I'm going to Zoe's house. Okay? Okay, see ya later.
(about 2 seconds later, she opens the door)
K: Oh, hi Zoe's house!
She has been cracking me up (mixed with a little worry) with her imagination. If you ask her what she did today, she'll say she played with her cousins. We don't play with cousins everyday, but she does, in her imaginary play. She'll tell Libby and Zoe to come downstairs to the playroom or come outside with her. Then I'll hear her telling one of them to go hide or that this doll is for them or that they are nice. She will also throw in Lily and Edie, and an occasional Colton, Carter or Spencer. But that's more rare. Maybe because she sees them the most? Or because they are boys.
She also loves to pretend she's mommy and I'm Kelsey. She'll ask me, "is your pee-pees coming, mommy?" (No, is yours?) She'll also say, "you want a treat Kelsey? Okay. " Or my favorite, "You go in time out mommy, no-no." When I ask what I did wrong she'll say it's because I hit Aiden. Shocking.
She is also such a good sister. When I was reading my friend Mary's blog today who just lost her baby girl and bawling, she came over and gave me a big hug and said, "it's okay mommy." Then, because I wasn't paying attention to the fact that Aiden had run out of Cheerios and was "asking" for more, she fed him her Cheerios. Then she came up to me and said, "mommy, Aiden wants more Cheerios." She's a great little mommy.
5/?- (while Tal is at work)
K: Mom, I want to tell dad I had fun at the doctor today - daddy, I had fun at the doctor today - oh you did - yeah, dr. M was really nice. Yeah? Yeah.
She has little conversations with herself as she imagines the conversation she had or will have. These crack me up. She does it all the time, I just need to remember to write them down.
5/29 -
K: Mom, don't let Swiper come swipe our new house, okay?
M: Okay, I will. I'll tell him, Swiper no swiping, okay?
K: Yeah!
She's on this kick where she says "everytime" or "everday" with almost every sentence. I guess she's learning how to tell time/days?
She also sings all the time, usually "I am a Child of God." How can I ever get mad at that sweet little thing?
February 1, 2010
J: "Kelsey, get up on the stool so we can wash your hands."
K: "Mommy, you need to pull my pants up first."
J: "Okay, sorry"
K: "You don't need to say sorry mami."
She's been saying sorry to EVERYTHING and so I think she's heard that a lot lately from me. It's funny to hear your own words come from the mouths of your little ones.
January 28, 2010
K: "I want to be baptized."
J: "You do? How old are you?"
K: "TWO! Aiden wants to be baptized too."
J: "You have to be 8 to be baptized."
K: "Oh, I EIGHT!"
A little boy was baptized last Sunday and she started noticing it more in her books about Jesus and we talked about it a few times this week. But the subject hadn't come up this day - she said it out of the blue.