Get Your Game On!

This crappy job market didn't stop us from celebrating Washington's B-day with the kids out of school... really, we just couldn't take one more cooped-up day, one more kids-at-home-holiday without a memory of anything other than nagging the kids to get their stuff done.

So I found an awesome BOGO coupon, used our teensy emergency fund, and off to the bowling alley we went, cause this was a social emergency for sure.

Can you even tell whose shoes are whom's?

My kids have giant feet...not the most dainty and lovely thing...

The best part was Viviana every five seconds, "It's my turn???" "Mommie, my turn now?"

{with her posed-fake-smile, and yes, that is her pj shirt. She does dress herself and sometimes I choose my battles. It was clean, it's cute, it sorta matches.}

And of course, Izzie's victory dances after each roll down the lane...

The Cheerleaders...

The older kids' competitive nature coming out...

And Lexie's independence because she's just that age...

too little for the big kids, too big for the littler girls.

But the best of all was watching each of the kids cheer one another on.

Oh, and those snazzy shoes... cause it just doesn't get much better than bowling shoes!

The Ma/Dad at the end was really Viviana bowling first round, Mom bowling 2nd.

Embrace the inner-Buddha?

One night I went into the girl's room to tuck them in... and found some miniature meditating Buddhists instead.  They say they saw a frog doing this on an episode of Little Bear...  it was funny enough for a re-inactment. 

Agency Bites Me. And then teaches me.

Yesterday we had the missionaries over and watched the film, The Testaments: Of One Fold & One Shepherd. Powerful teaching tool... we've watched it several times before, but the kids grasp different lessons from it every time. And I bawl like a baby every time when it gets to the part depicting Christ in the Americas loving, talking, and blessing all the children.

Lexie sat there next to Curt the whole time and just soaked the story line in as she fired question after question putting the pieces of it together. She was trying to understand "why that guy, Jacob, would even want to make bad choices and follow Korihor and the adversary." A good lesson in Agency...

Fast forward to tonight....

Curt asked Lexie to say the family prayer. She declined and threw somewhat of a fit. I then went into that little lecture we've all given about obedience... that when Mom & Dad ask them to do something, they don't question, don't argue, and don't throw a fit, but happily say 'yes' {like the obedient little robots we were when we grew up kind of thing}...

So after Monson then says the prayer, (we were gonna be kneeling there for hours if we held her to it) I go upstairs to tuck the girls in and have a little conversation with Lexie.

".....Lexie, when Daddy asks you to do something, you need to make good choices and not follow the adversary" {interrupted}

"Well, Mom, you're the one who is following the adversary by not giving me a choice. He doesn't want us to have choices and you didn't want me to have a choice either." {pinky promise...exactly the words she used}

I've got nothin'.

What do I say to that? She's FIVE. She's one of those kids that just has a keen awareness of simple truths and principles... it's like she remembers things from her pre-mortal existence and grasps and applies them easily. Again and again. It was a special Mommie-moment of gratitude for these special children that have been sent to our family.

At the end of a day full of teaching, correcting, nagging, loving, and often times more than frustrating day of just working... for them, it was a tender moment for me to have this reminder that children have so much light, faith, and truth. And they need to be treated as such. {Not like the little robots that we sometimes think they ought to be}.

She just gets it. And she sure put me in my place with that simple reminder of Agency. Guess what lesson I'm teaching in Relief Society on Sunday? The Freedom to Choose. Thanks for the opener, Senorita Snappy Pants!

Pocket-Full of Posies & A Happy Valentine's Day.

Ama-time is always chock-full of fun & games...

she came last week with a Valentine's craft fit for princesses (& a few boys).

And once she left we put a twist on it and made them in masses

for Lexie's class Valentine's.

Who says we can't recycle last year's Mad Libs idea for McKenzie's new class?

and a homemade Valentine's fit for my rocker boy to share.

Making memories like this for the kids

means my inner-most Diva comes out and takes over. I have no control.

look how elated they were to get flowers from daddy...

that lasted for about 2.0 minutes until they snapped the stems.

how could I resist that face? Sure honey, keep adding the candy...

A messy McLaughlin tradition

Also one that guarantees a belly-ache or four...

Mmmmm... good. Masterpiece? Maybe not, but oohey gooey with all the right stuff.

We had a par-tay all day long (in between church)

and an all day long mess to go along with it.

The kids all received mod-podged journals, but the favorite part was writing on table. Cause how often do they get to do that?

Oh, fresh out of bed.

Forgot to make the heart waffles pink... our teeth probably thanked us.

Yes, I went all out this year. Copycat creativity= inexpensive.

and meaningful.

did I say I burned the midnight oil for the last few days? I mean BUUUUURNED it.

Mod-podge is just maaaagic.

And I had to attempt Bakerelaa's red velvet cake pop yummies dipped in chocolate.

at 3 am.

Heart-shaped pizzas for dinner

I think the day was kid-approved

My little Valentines all dressed up with somewhere to go...

sporting hearts

BIG frou frou hearts

full deck of hearts...

and little hearts fit for a princess.

YUMMY. Happy Valentine's Day, my six little lovers:)

(and big lover)

and now I need a nap.