Fantastic February

After a rather uneventful January I was very glad to move onto February.  The girls have been healthy for the most part so I have no complaining to report - okay well maybe some but not as much as when they aren't feeling well.

This year Chris and I decided not to buy presents for Valentine's Day or do anything like go out to dinner at a fancy place so that we could keep some money in our pockets and save for some of our summer vacations.  We don't really have vacations planned we just know that the second home parked on the side of our house takes a few bucks to get moved to our home away from home, the mountains, and we'd like to go camping more than once the entire summer.

Well low and behold what to my wondering eyes did appear but a super, sweet husband bearing gifts for all the girls in his house.  Chris surprised me with a wonderful and delicious breakfast sandwich from Kneader's Bakery and my new all-time favorite dessert, chocolate filled croissant.  I was in heaven and as you should well know by now any surprise is a treat for me - I'm hard to fool.  I had previously purchased some candy, a book and a game for the girls (FYI our latest and favorite game is called Feed the Kitty).  The game is very simple to play but still a lot of fun - even for Chris who doesn't exactly love games.

However, Chris went out and purchased the girls something they'd actually enjoy like a Mylar Balloon and a stuffed Hippo.  The balloons hung around for a while and some how Elizabeth managed to snag both hippos.  Boy can't I hardly wait for the day when Olivia gets old enough to realize that her older sister has been hogging all the toys, some of which are rightfully hers.

And while we are on Valentine's I have to stick this in here - we already gave away our super, top secret idea for funny valentine's but I really, really like this idea for next year so I'm putting it here so I don't lose it in the vastness that is the Internet.  Valentine, You Make My Heart Bounce. To be dreamt of for another year.

Elizabeth has been acting her age this month and been getting into trouble on several occasions.  One day while I was gone to work she left her bedroom and went into her sister's room during nap time.  Chris still works from home so the girls are supposed to nap when I leave for work and then Chris goes upstairs and takes care of them when he's done with work.  Well on this particular day Elizabeth decided it would be fun to squirt Baby Lotion and Hand Sanitizer all over in Olivia's room - poor Chris.  

One of our most favorite activities for the month has been using homemade play dough (Recipe).  We've been making animals and on this particular night we made an Elizabeth.  Fit with hair, pony tail and E emblazoned sweater.


We send Elizabeth to her room for time out - she has to sit in there and hopefully think about why she is in time out - well Olivia has started to notice when Elizabeth is kicking and screaming her way to her room.  The other day I told Olivia that sister was being naughty so she had to go to time out.  So Olivia starts repeating naughty over and over again.  One of those things I'm not supposed to laugh at but I couldn't help it.  Olivia points at Elizabeth and says naughty to her at random and she does the same thing to the dog but she says sit and stay.

There was one day this month we were able to go outside and enjoy some sunshine and warmer temperatures.  Olivia took full advantage and encountered her first ride on the trike bike, or as she affectionately calls it - her car.  

And if you can't find Olivia or are having trouble understanding what she is saying - pretty much it is most likely something to do with this gang of friends.  They have become inseparable.

Seems like we ended the month doing pretty well.  I gave a talk in sacrament meeting at our church about compassion - no laughing that is really the topic.  On the same day Elizabeth was in charge of giving the scripture in her primary (children's class).  She was able to repeat from memory the words to Article of Faith #8. I wasn't able to be there since I was teaching my own class (12-14 year old Sunday School) but Chris was her helper and he said she did an awesome job.  Every day I'm realizing more and more that the girls are growing up very quickly.  Elizabeth is learning new things every day.  And Olivia is right on pace.  As the saying goes...time flies when you are having fun.  Sometimes it flies way too fast!