Paige-Is there a Santa Claus??!!

One of the few moments in my life where I didn't know how to respond or what to say. Yesterday, while driving in the car Paige and I had quite a deep discussion. This is how it began... Paige: "Mom, is Santa Claus real?" Me: "Do you think he is?" Paige: "I don't know. I believe in Christmas magic though." Me: "That's good. Santa lives in your heart as long as you believe." Paige: "Well, who made Santa? Did Heavenly Father make Santa or did Santa make himself?" Me: "Heavenly Father created all of us, so I guess He made Santa too." Paige: "Okay so then did Heavenly Father give Santa the magic too?" Me: "I don't know where the magic comes from. But miracles happen all year round and happen a lot around the Christmas time too. So I would say the magic is called the Christmas spirit or the magic of Christmas so it would come from Heavenly Father." Paige: "So is Santa a REAL person?" Me: me changing the subject...."Oh Paige, what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?!" Paige: "Polly pocket with the dolphins and slide." Me: (by now I'm so flustered I totally almost ruin everything)! "Where would I find that? I've never seen one before." Paige: "Mom, Santa makes all the toys with his elves so he knows already!" Me: "Oh, that's right. Totally." WHO IS THIS CHILD?!?! lol She amazes me and challenges me intellectually already and she's only 5! Do I tell her about Santa already? I guess it's all me, I don't want to ruin it for me and crush her either. She can't question Santa until she's at least 10! I can totally imagine her announcing at school, "Guess what?! Santa is NOT real!" Then I will have a bunch of angry parents after me! lol Any suggsestions on what to do or say? I actually tried to call my mom and have her answer Paige's questions, but couldn't get a hold of her. ahhhhh!

Proud mommy moment

Our amazingly intelligent daughter is pretty darn incredible. She astonishes us on a daily basis. The other day she had to do homework and share something that she is thankful for. She wrote: I am thankful for prayers. Then she proceeded to draw a picture of her kneeling and above her a bunch of angels and to the side of them, Heavenly Father and Jesus. They both had those little talking bubbles above them with words written in them. I asked what it said in the talking bubbles and she said that H.F. and Jesus were telling the angels about her prayer so they could help her. awwwwww She is so sweet and becoming quite sensitive as well. She has been struggling with bad dreams lately. She says her prayers every night and then asks us to say a prayer with her for her. If only we all had as great of faith as our precious children. My kids make me want to be a better mom and person. I have a long ways to go, but I'm grateful that my family still loves me even if I'm not perfect. :) I'm training Hunter to give me positive reinforcements by saying, "you're the best mommy in the whole wife world!" every time he wants something. He's very mischievious but stinkin' adorable. He loves getting into EVERYTHING! When I hear him in the kitchen and then it gets quiet I will ask him what he is doing and he always responds, "I not doing nothing!" or "It's okay momma, I not eatin nothin'." He cracks us up! :)

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Finally got the pics off of my camera so thought I could post some pics from over the past several months.

Kids are AMAZING!!!

I really need to do better about blogging since I've not been very good about writing in my kids' journals. Hunter is definetely 2! He is into everything and throws fits when he doesn't get what he wants. There are days when I really hope her grows out of it...and soon! He is also a crack up. He loves to sing "A Boom Chick-A-Boom" all the time. He learned it at family summer camp. (We LOVE family summer camp)!! He doesn't like to perform in front of people, but then other times he sings up a storm. He is the class clown of our family. I can't believe that a 2 year old can tell a joke, but he actually does, and it's funny too. A couple of weeks ago we were in the car coming home and he said, "Ewwwww! Mommy my finger is stinky with poop!" Me: "What? Did you poop in your diaper and then touch it? Keep your finger up, don't touch anything we are almost home!" Hunter: "Ok, mommy. My finger really stinks. Look Paige I got poop on my finger." Me: "Okay we are home now, let's go wash your hands and change your diaper. Wait! There's no poop on your finger and you don't even have a poopy diaper!" Hunter: "Ha ha mommy! I was just joking you! Just kidding. That funny!" I can't believe that he's trying to trick me. He's is quite the jokester. Now Paige on the other hand is starting to come out of her shell. When she started kindergarten she was too nervous and shy to stand in front of the class and resite her nursery rhymes, but now she will. She LOVES kindergarten!!!! She brings a book almost everyday to class and reads to her classmates. She is now obsessed with dinosaurs and loves to watch Dinosaur train on pbs. Her and Hunter tell everyone about herbavores, carnivores and omnivores and quadripeds, bipeds, etc. She is like a little sponge. Her teacher thinks that she has a photographic memory. The other day she watched the show and by the end of it she memorized the Dinosaur ABC's. That means that she can name a dinosaur for every letter of the alphabet. I watched the same show with her and can name only a few. There are some names that I still can't even pronounce! She is quite amazing. Starting on Monday she is going to be attending a 1st-2nd grade class for reading since she's already reading at a 2nd grade level. As for me, I just got back from Fresno. I was there to help Delight while she gave birth to Moana (Mo-Anna) Abish Lydiate. Delight was amazing and it was such an incredible moment. It was cool to be on the other side of the birthing process. I've never seen a birth, except for my own children. Our bodies are amazing things and birth is such a miracle. That was definetely an experience that I will never forget.

I LOVE Summer!!

So it has already been a fab summer filled with lots of fun activities. We have season passes to Six Flags and have already been 3 times. Hunter wakes up almost every morning asking to go see the dolphins and orcas at Six Flags. What 2 year old knows that a killer whale is an orca! :) Paige is preping for kindergarten and soccer this summer. Her new kindergarten teachers told her that she needed to be able to count to ten and recognize her letters. She responded telling them that she could count to over 100 and can read by herself already! My mom, a reading specialist for elementary school, tested her and said that Paige is already at a 2nd grade reading level! Paige has always loved to read and then one day a few months ago she just started to read to herself. We are going to start chapter books this summer. Hunter is so hilarious and does the funniest things. They both keep me on my toes. Love my little girl and guy!!

My Little Diva!

Tonight was Paige and my monthly mommy/daughter date night and after her school open house she wanted to go to the mall and go shopping. (Yes, I have raised her right)! :) We were trying on tons of clothes and made a yes, no and maybe pile of clothes. Everything she tried on she put in the "yes" pile. I had to finally explain to her that just because they are in the "yes" pile doesn't mean that I'm going to buy them. She asked why and I told her that daddy won't be too happy with us if we spend a lot of money. Her response, "Mommy, is daddy our boss or something?" So funny. Oh is she going to be a fun teenager. :) My training her for shopping is going to probably bite me in the butt!

Hunter! Hunter!!

Hunter is quite the boy! Oh my goodness! He has a very strong personality. :) He is into everything right now and it is exhausting trying to keep up with him! The other day I was getting the kids ready for bed and Paige was getting into her pj's and I Hunter grabbed her panties and ran. I asked him to to put her panties in the dirty clothes basket, but instead he ran down the hall and came back into her room the her underwear on his HEAD!! He was laughing and so were we. He was being so silly that I had to run and get the camera and take a picture of it. I will post it when I get home. He scares us because he doesn't have any fear and is constantly getting hurt! Within the past week he's had his normal bumps and bruises but on top of that he threw my magnetic measuring spoons and the magnet on the back came out and he swallowed it! Then he was playing at our friends house and running towards the stairs and banged his nose on the stair and now has quite the mark on his nose. The poor kid. No matter what I do he seems to always find a way to get in trouble or get hurt! Are all boys like this??!! He's definetely ALL BOY which thrills Matt. It looks like he's going to be lefthanded too, so Matt says that means he's going to have to buy him his own gun and won't be able to share with Hunter. Oh brother! That better be at least another 10 years down the road, although I would prefer it to be 20! :)

Paige is turning 5!!

We are still ALIVE!!

So I have crawled out of my hole now and in case you were wondering, we are still alive! Life is now finally getting back to "normal" and we are doing well. Paige is excited to be turning 5 years old next month. She tells everyone that she is going to be going to kindergarten this year, so she has to get shots! For some reason she is excited about getting shots. Silly girl. Hunter is a talking crazy boy. He is in love with everything hunting and fishing and now Thomas the Train. We just got Paige's pictures taken, she had so much fun striking a pose. The photographer said that she looked like a model and Paige thought that was so cool. She is going to give us a run for our money as she gets older. :) I am now working at Sorenson Video Relay Service as a Video Phone Interpreter and it is lots of fun. We are doing better than ever and feel so blessed. I am now the Relief Society President in the deaf branch and Matt is the Young Mens President. We are still busier than ever, but loving life. Hope to stay in touch a bit more. :)