The best days...

are when you have nothing that has to be done and nowhere you have to be. They seem to get fewer and father between but I sure do enjoy them when they come. Remember making birds nests out of play-dough? Meadow and I had a great time making a bird family and worms for them to eat and of course chocolate chip play-dough cookies because they are so fun to poke.








Ever since Easter, she loves to hunt for things. She asks me to hide her dinosaurs, go-fish cards etc. so that she can find them again. She also has roll-plays with her little princess dollies. One conversation that I overheard this week.

Cinderella: "I am going to marry the prince."

Sleeping Beauty: "But I was going to marry the prince first."

Cinderella: "Ok."

Sleeping Beauty: "Let's go play."

Cinderella: "Ok."


hehehe. :)

Parker is really learning and growing too. He likes to tell us that 5 + 5 = 10 and 8 + 8 = 16, etc. He really is a great little reader and I love hearing the inflections that he uses. He came home today with two drawings that two little friends made him. One was of Anakin Skywalker and one of Boba Fett. He was so happy. His favorite thing about school he told us recently is when his class gets to go to "Technologies and play games on the computers." I just can't believe how much growth occurs in such a short time when they are this age. A couple of kids in his Kindergarten class have lost a tooth already. It might seem silly, but I can't believe it's already time to start losing teeth. Woah.

Photoshoot of Parker coming soon. :)

The Statue Game

We used to play this for Family Night when I was little and we played it with our kids last night and had such a fun time that I thought I'd share.

Person who is "it" is the shopper in a statue store. He/she says "I am looking for a statue of...(Fill in the blanks here and get creative): Star Wars Characters, sports figures, ballerinas, disney characters, you choose, alien, creative, weird, sea creatures etc.

Then He/She says "Go statues go" and closes his/her eyes and counts to 10. When he/she says 10, the statues have to freeze. The shopper then walks through the store commenting on the different "statues" and chooses his/her favorite, who then becomes the next shopper. It is really fun and funny and we played it for over an hour and they still didn't want to stop playing.

Good Memories! :) :) And yes! I should have taken pictures! Next time for sure. :)

Also statues are allowed to tell you what they are if they like, which is also very humorous. Also, If you move while the shopper is looking at you, then you are disqualified and can't be bought (be lenient for very young statues).

Have fun!

Easter in the mountains

Over Easter weekend, we went and visited Greg's folks and had a lovely time. We spent one day up in the mountains and went to Grandfather with the kids. They liked crossing the mile high bridge. The wind whipping through the rails sounded like a train whistle at times. They also had fun hiking down the trail from there back to the parking lot. Meadow was very proud of herself and she scrambled over and jumped off rocks. "I'm doing it Dad!" "I am the only one that can do this." ;) It was also fun to check out the animals they have there: bears, deer, an injured eagle, otter, and mountain lion.





































































































On Sunday we drove out to the country to find a pretty place to try to take a nice family picture. Most of us had fun trying most of the time, the others we bribed with candy. :)





























Meadow tickled us to pieces with her lady-like-ness. Her favorite thing from the Easter bunny was her purse and glass slippers. Parker's favorite thing from the Easter bunny was squirt guns. :)

New Moon according to Greg

H: So what did you think?

G: Wow, that was a lot better than the first one.

H: Oh yeah?

G: Yeah, the directing was WAY better. Which one did you like better?

H: I think I like them about the same for different reasons. I like them both. So...are you team Edward or team Jacob?

G: I don't think I want to answer that question.

H: Do you have an answer?

G: Well, If I had to pick one I would pick team Jacob because the wolves are kind of like good ol' boys hanging out in their jean shorts and white sneakers. Also, I'd rather hang out at Grandma's cabin with moss on the front and eat a giant Perkin's muffin than hang out with a bunch of pale people in a Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Quoteable

Meadow just after waking up the other morning:

"Mom, I think I am going to need a lot of cookies today."

"He's a little Fella."

"He fit right in my armpit." Direct quote from Greg after meeting Chris Daughtry last week in Greensboro on a shoot for Sony Music for CD's (Chris Daughtry's) website. He also said that he was an extremely nice guy. Check out some clips from the shoot here! From the website, it looks like they may rebroadcast the entire show tonight at 8pm also.

Disclaimer: Greg wants everyone to know that they shot in a shoe box of a hotel room that had that terrible white curtain that they had to work with so he is disappointed with the way it looks but didn't have much of an option. lol.

What I learned about CD that I didn't know:

1 - He is not really bald.
2 - He likes Reeses Pieces.
3 - He and his drummer (guy in the hat) are very funny together and finish eachother's sentences.
4 - He loves to go to movies when he is not busy touring.
5 - He is a recovering Facebook addict
6 - He is still happily married :)





I think this is the audio guy working from the bathroom also. lol

Vote for my Sister! :)

My Sister Karissa submitted an entry for the Harris Teeter Jingle Contest! Go Karissa! I am proud of her that she took on this project for her daughter's school when she is a busy mom of 3. She produced and filmed this by herself. Greg was the editor. :) Her daughter Laney is "Harry the Dragon."

Harris Teeter donates $2,500 to the school that wins the popular vote and $10,000 to the school that they select. By voting you automatically get entered into a drawing to win one of three $500 Harris Teeter gift cards! You can vote once a day through April 8th. Must have a vic card to register to vote.

Click here to watch and vote! :)

Little Voices

Presenting a new video for families (that Greg and his friend Rob Caldwell made), where children tell stories of Jesus in their own words and with their own artwork. Unique in that it can hold even the youngest child’s interest, this video covers major teachings from the Bible and events in Jesus’ life. Adults and older children will enjoy the unique perspective children bring to these timeless stories, and young children will enjoy hearing about the teachings of Jesus from their peers.

Click here to to be taken to a website where you can watch clips of the video and order one if you like. Makes a great gift too.

Enjoy!

Backstage

Greg filmed and directed a video for the Carolina Ballet through his current job that the ballet showed to the investors at a fundraising gala. It was immensely successful and the director of the ballet told us that they raised 4 x the amount of money that they normally raise. They contributed this to the video and this is the first year that they have shown a video at such an event. GO GREG and Mindworks!!

Here is a portion of the video for your viewing pleasure ;)




Well they were so pleased with it that they gave us tickets to the show and took us backstage to meet the dancers before and after the show. It was a really neat experience and it was fun to watch them warm up and get ready for the show.
I was quite possibly the most excited of the bunch. Here we are checking out Cinderella's costumes. Meadow was a little bit star struck and Parker was Prince Charming in his clone trooper costume.

Meeting one of the Step Sisters


After Cinderella told them that she wore her prettier dress later in the show and that these were just her rags Parker told her "I think they are both beautiful." All of the ladies said "Awwww!"

Touching Cinderella's glass slippers. :)

After the show.
We were leaving around 10:00 pm and Parker was having a major meltdown in front of the auditorium because he didn't want to leave and he was really tired (we were outside thankfully! lol) A super compassionate rickshaw driver and former mountain bike racer from Colorado, who totally understood because he has three kids of his own, offered to give us a ride back to the car for free since there were no other patrons outside at the time. We at least gave him a tip. So here are the kiddos riding to the car in a rickshaw with a warm blanket. What a night!

Questions and Questions and Questions oh my

It is so interesting to be a parent sometimes and to hear what your children are thinking about through their questions (often unrelated to anything that is going on at the current moment). Here are the funniest/most interesting questions that our children asked us this week.

Meadow - "Why is Jabba the Hut green? Next time we go to Disney World, I am going to find Darth Vader and ask him."

Parker - "Will the dinosaurs be resurrected?"

What I have learned

As I reflect on the passing of a dear friend and sister in our ward I am touched by the many lessons she was able to teach us all through her trial with bone cancer. I have learned so much from Catie Stubben. Here are just a few of those things.

1. I have learned from her to be grateful to experience all of the peaks and valleys in life and even enjoy and endure the valleys a little better by having a broader perspective. How quickly life can pass.

2. I have learned not to sweat the small stuff as much and focus on what is truly important. What was important to Catie was her family, her relationship with the Savior and being kind and reaching out to others. I actually received a gluten free cookie recipe in the mail from her that she found in a magazine when she was having terrible pain in her hip that made it difficult for her to walk. I was so touched by that and that she thought of me and was continually thinking of others.

3. I have learned through her example that it is possible to handle even the most difficult trials with such grace, beauty and even happiness on top of it all. Her husband Steve described it so well "I couldn't even begin to describe all the physical pains, discomforts, and annoyances she faced, nor the emotional weight she felt as she saw what was coming and worried about her kids, family, and friends she would leave behind. But despite all of this, though she had every reason to be angry or depressed, she remained positive--publicly and privately. She loved her family and friends, kept her faith in God, and never stopped smiling.

A couple weeks ago I was looking through pictures I have of Catie and something struck me. Even as she was facing cancer and death and everything that entails, I could always see happiness in her eyes and in her smile. all of the pictures of her while she was suffering tremendously. I am striving to be more like that as well. She was so happy for each day and moment that she was able to spend with her children."

4. I have learned to take opportunities to teach every time they present themselves. I had the privilege of serving with Catie in YW and when the YW made her a quilt and dropped it off to her, she talked to them about how grateful she was for the Temple and the knowledge that she was sealed to her family forever no matter what happened. She urged them to make that their goal and to prepare for it. It touched their hearts and there was not a dry eye in the crowd. When the YW wrote her valentines she was too sick to talk to them in person but she asked Sister Packham and I to tell the girls that you never know what life will bring or how short it might be and how important it is to always choose the right and focus on what is really important in life, to keep an eternal perspective.

5. To keep a sense of humor throughout our trials and always smile. :)

Thank you beautiful Catie. For everything. We love you!

A Night Away

So...for the month of love, my sweetie sent me away. ;)



To the beach for the night and it was awesome! I drove down on Friday afternoon and arrived at 5pm in Wilmington. I ran on a trail near the hotel down to the intercoastal waterway and took some pictures.





Then I drove around, found a sub shop, brought one back to the hotel, took a bubble bath in quiet bliss, read my scriptures for quite awhile, and snuggled in. :) I labeled this my mind, body, spirit trip. I woke up with no alarm (hooray!!) at 8 and had breakfast, went to the workout room and made sure every muscle was good and sore and then to the beach to have fun with the camera and the self-timer.







Got back home to the Family by 3pm on Saturday feeling like a new woman with all of my batteries re-charged. :) The kids had a great time playing with Dad and going to the museum.

Thanks Love!!

In my reading in Alma, I followed a footnote and came upon this:

D&C 59:18-20

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used..." :D





P.S. Every muscle is still sore. lol.

Cinderella

Oh y'all, we saw the dress rehearsal for the Carolina Ballet performing Cinderella and it was so fantastic! Take your kids if you can! Feb. 18th - March 7th at the Fletcher Opera Theatre. Seats start at $20 or $25 I think and it is a smaller theatre so all of the seats are pretty good. Greg was filming so we just got in. It was really beautiful and fun to watch and the step sisters were HILARIOUS!! Also, it is only 1 hour long so it is the perfect length for kids and there are usually a lot of kids in the audience as well.

Sleeping Beauty is also coming May 20-23 at RMA.

Love-one-Another

I thought this was lovely. The part where Jesus is picking up the bread always makes me teary-eyed. What a wonderful example we have to look to. Thank you to everyone who has made a difference in my life. :)

Picture Day

It had been awhile since we went to an actual picture place and since Greg got a new job we thought he should display his awesome family on his desk. lol. :D Here are some new pictures of the sweeties.

A Black Belt Birthday

Parker is 6! He had the best time with cousins, grandparents and some friends and got to be a black belt for the day. He got to show off some of his new karate skills and even cut his cake with a sword. What more could a guy ask for? lol. We also made his dreams come true by taking him to the lego store on his actual birthday and letting him spend some birthday money. In the car on the ride home:

Parker: "Mom, can I change my name to Lego?"

Me: "Ummm, you have to be 18 to change your name. If you still want to change your name to Lego when you are 18 we can discuss it, but I think you are a pretty great Parker."

Parker: "Well, I still want to change my name to Lego when I am 18. Maybe I will change it to "Lego Guy."

Happy Birthday "Lego Guy!" We are proud of you and we love you. :)

When you are a Grandma...

Driving in the Car

Parker: "Mom, when you are a Grandma are you going to be nice to my kids?"

Me: (wondering if he honestly thought I wouldn't or if he just wanted me to tell him about the kinds of things I would do when I was a Grandma. I decided it must be #2. Thankfully it was. lol. )

"Oh yes! I am going to love them so much and give them hugs and kisses all of the time and come visit and play with them and take them to the park and sing to them and read them stories and bring them surprises."

Parker: "What kind of surprises will you bring them?"

Me: "Well, that all depends on the kinds of things that they like. If they like Star Wars then I will bring them Star Wars surprises and other treats."

Parker: "I am going give them surprises too."

Me: "They will love that. You are going to be a wonderful Dad someday Parker."

Parker smiling and feeling pleased about the whole situation of the future.

It was a good moment :)