General Conference Weekend…and then some.

 

During my General Conference weekend, I put the bias binding around this quilt, for my newest little nephew. Little Mathew was born the Thursday before conference. I think that means he’s going to be extra spiritual. Susan’s waited 16 years and had 4 girls before this baby boy arrived, so I made the quilt with an extra dose of masculinity- guitars and boom boxes on the pattern squares, boy colors and a tie-like dark stripes pattern.

 

I love the alternating stripes block pattern and the boxes it creates around the pattern fabric.

The back of the quilt is a Ultra Cuddly throw. It lives up to it’s name.So cuddly.

During Conference the girls colored in these little cartoon versions of the apostles. Should I send them to Salt Lake, give them some wardrobe suggestions? Can you see Elder Ballard in a red suid jacket, or Elder Holland in a green tie and orange jacket? If next conference they look like Willy Wonka’s grandpa, you saw it here first.

This is what my kids wished they were watching during conference. Made them take a break from it for the weekend.

The week after conference I tried out a recipe for homemade donuts. Amazing. New comfort food. Now to figure out which holiday to make it a tradition with- Father’s Day? Priesthood session? Ending P90X session?

 

So that was conference weekend. Since then Leo’s had some exciting times.

First ice cream cone. Good thing he picked and didn’t eat much dinner. Because he ate almost the whole thing. I’m in love with his fishy face when he eats sweet things. I’ve got about 10 other pictures of it. I’m not sure if he can consciously make the face. But he does it all the time when it’s lip smacking good.

He loves to push around his sister’s bike. And spin the pedals. And try to pull the baby basket off. His new balancing act is standing all by himself for over 10 seconds. It’s so miraculous to watch a baby go from a little helpless thing to almost walking.

Last but not least, my girls are so sweet looking, such as when Natalie’s sleeping with her huge BIG BUCK BEAR! And when Sophia’s pretending to be sleeping so she can be in the picture. She can’t hold her smile back when she’s making a joke. Much too many giggles ready to erupt, can barely contain them. I love these kids.

Hooray for quilts, big buck bears, donuts, ice cream cones, and general conference coloring!

April Fools Day

No pranks around here. (Yes I’m like 3 weeks behind on this blog). My Dad was in town, so we went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art with the kids. I convinced them it would be fun if they each had a camera to take pictures of artwork they liked. It worked pretty well, there was less talk of touching them and running around, and more of looking and saying- do you think this is cool enough to take pictures of?

Um, Sophia, cap’s still on there, hon. It’s still too cute to see that big camera over her little face. You know you’re a “camera” family when your 6 year old’s camera is a dslr. 10 years old, yes. But still. I waited 10 years for one, and she gets it when she’s not even in full day school. I’m creating a monster. 

My camera battery promptly died after we entered the museum. So here’s Sophia’s views of the museum.

Sophia loved the impressionist gallery. We talked a little bit about brushstrokes and the feeling behind the artwork rather than what you see. I felt like such an educated mother as I lectured my child.

(no picture of this) Natalie took a picture of a “naked woman painting” and was so pleased with herself for finding somebody “without their clothes on.” She’s gone from the Modesty Nazi in Wal-mart telling people they’re not dressed modestly, to giggling over the paintings in a museum. I’m worried about her teenage years.

Sophia is impressed by anything ornate or including flowers.

So after the museum we went to Chick Fil A, came home to hang out, and then John and I went on a group game date at our friend’s house.

We played a few games, ending up looking like fools the whole time. Perfect games for April Fool’s Day.

We played the Cat and Mouse game, with a NEW plunger and strings, beans and beads. I stink at it. Way too skittish. And I can’t add on the spot.  But still fun.

 

Next we played Minute to Win It games:

Bring the Cotton balls and petroleum jelly on your nose, drop it in the bowl

Pick up the penne with a spaghetti using just your mouth.

Get the cookie off your forehead into your mouth , using only your face.

Brandt was our referee. We quickly learned he is all about the LETTER of the law rules, not the spirit of the law. I was not cheating!

Allison modeling the balanced blocks on her head. She thought she was finished at four and started celebrating. Then found out she needed five. Sad. Still beat her husband!

Sarah balancing dice on a popsicle stick, 5 of those too

The Adams catching pencils off their hands. They were pretty good at it. It gets hard when you get to 8 pencils. The goal is 12 in a minute.

Bounce the ping pong ball one time before it hits and sticks on the open peanut butter sandwich. I thought that was the hardest of all of them. But that’s because I stink at ping pong, I’m glad Sarah had to do it (you did great Sarah and Jeremy!)

Last but not least, we did the m&m transport with straws. My m&m’s kept bouncing out of the bowl, I couldn’t get it to stay in when I let go. So I had like 5 more than John but he won.

Finally we played Guesstures. I think I need to buy it. (Christmas John?). Above is Leo playing with the never-been-used-plunger.

Our date night was great- Look at us! Almost alone! Missing two kids! It’s a miracle! (Shout out to my Dad for babysitting!)

HOORAY for Date Nights, Art Museums and Humiliating games!