Snow Angels

Christmas weekend was spent with Grandma and Grandpa Loveless in North Ogden. Playing in the snow was a fun way to spend time together!

Christmas Time Sledding

A short tribute to the fun we had with Uncle Adam and Grandma and Grandpa Loveless sledding down the hill near their house.

Missionary Letters

My younger sister Amy went into the MTC on December 17th and she has now been there officially over a month and I think that makes her a veteran. (missionaries serving in their native language on stay for 3 weeks) She hasn't complained about the food and said that she is bored in any way. (Really I think they keep a pretty tight schedule so there isn't much room for boredom to sneak in). And she sends a weekly email to mom and letters as she can to those who write her.


It's been a lot of fun corresponding to letter. And here is our first letter/package from Hermana Amy Dianne Loveless! In addition to an awesome letter, she sent a sketch (soon to be posted on her blog) and her memory card so I could upload photos.

Like anyone of us, Ashby loves getting mail. She was realy excited and wanted to 'read' the letter first! So thats what you see in the picture.

We quickly responded and sent that precious Memory keeper card back to her so we can have more photo fun from her! :)

She leaves on the 16th of Feburary (I think) for Chile, Conception South Mission. The Mission Field! And anyone who wants to write her please do. She always writes the letters are only second to her personal scripture study in giving her strength. Here blog also contains her address if you decided to write. :)
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http://www.dearelder.com/ is also free and fantasticly easy way to write to her.

"H" Words

No, this isn't another post about pre-school. That would be really strange to letter "O" and then letter "H".





But really, does anyone know who 'created' Alphabetical Order?? I looked and learned that the longest alphabet has about 51 letters/characters while the shortest has 12. I guess I feel pretty good about our 26. But can you imagine having 51 letters on your cell phone? Man those teenages would have to be AMAZing at texting! (Me, I'm really slow with just our 26, so I probably wouldn't try)

As I was lying in bed trying to pretend I wasn't still awake(before I got up to blog) I realized I was thinking of or creating imaginary blog entries. Thanks to my friend Zina, the origionator of this idea for me, I recognized these thoughts I decided blogging was better alternative to lying uncomfortably in bed. (I mean I can only gaze lovingly at Ryan for so long in the dark okay!)

Now back to "H". So I'm lying there thinking about the many ways to greet another and I realize that I'm creating a list of ways to greet another that all begin with the letter "H":

Hello, Hi, Hey, Howdy, Hola, How are you, using a Handshake, etc.

Can you think of others?

Good Idea, Bad Idea

Good Idea:
Using cell phone during the wee hours of the morning as a flash light to find things in dark bedroom and avoid turning light on, which avoids waking up the sleeping husband.

Bad Idea:
Accidentally pushing the 'auto dial my husbands phone' button while using cell for as a flash light in the wee hours of the morning.

Sam Sheep Can't Sleep

So it's 6AM and I have tried for about 40 minutes to fall asleep with no success. Well 6 in the morning isn't too early you say. Well, it feels to me like it 'should be' when it is a Saturday morning and last night you were up until like midnight making a poster!

Anyway, Ryan is usually the one with insomnia. In fact I think this probably my first real no reasaon to be awake in the dark hours of the day that I can think of. Ryan on the other hand, :( not so lucky. In fact he was up earlier this week for a couple hours one night.

I guess that is the good and bad side of cable TV. Any suggestions for Ryan?

Sam Sheep, the one who can't sleep is a character in a phonics book that I love. In this story the silly sheep also can't sleep and wakes up his dog. His dog tells him of a neighbor that can help. Well, before too long, each neighbor knows who can help and in the end I think Sam Sheep falls asleep from all the late or mid-night walking that they do. hehe

I neither have a talking dog or neighbors I wish to wake up at the hour. So I got up and this the the result.

"O" Words

I am part of a weekly 2 year old (ish) pre-school group. There are 5, now 6 moms that each take a turn=week to teach our kids growing little kids minds a new letter.

Next week is my week. We are learning about the letter "O" I think we are going to focus on "O" things in the Ocean. So far my list reads:

Octopus, Orca, Oyster, Old Boat, Off-shore, Obscure abyss, Otter (? are they ocean dwellers?) and of course Ocean.

Any suggestions for other "O" words or songs that can relate to the ocean?

I'm really excited about our activity. Hopefully it turns out!

Good Day, Bad Day?

Today began in a pretty normal fashion. And normal for me is that I assume we will enjoy a pretty good day. Also normal for me are little surprises or speed bumps if you will that sometimes threaten my "good day attitude" But here is a synopsis of today so far:

Ashby wakes up approx. 20 minutes earlier than usual, but this is nice because she wants to snuggle in bed with me. Due to being up earlier than normal, Ryan was able to cuddle with us for a brief time. Cute. Hugs and we will see him at lunch time.

We Breakfast and cleanup, we practice our numbers,read "Little Quack" (thanks Andrew and Megan!" and get dressed in our snow clothes to go out to play and shovel the drive. (

note to neighbors and other Orem residents: Yes, I know there really wasn't enough snow on the ground to "need" to shovel, but I have discovered it to be an excellent cardio exercise for me that keeps Ashby outside, safe and happy) So we are both excited.

Outside we go to find an immediate "speed bump". Grandpa Ken has seriously like 5 different kinds of snow shovels. (the Bishops are serious shovelers!) 2 of which I really like to use as they are light weight and efficient at moving snow. However, there was only one option that really wasn't even a real "snow" shovel. It's just a big, metal, not wide enough for snow shoveling shovel.

But as mentioned before this activity is good for both Ashby and I. So the old yucky shovel it is.

After the shoveling is finished I ask Ashby if she would like to make her own Snowman! She excitedly responds with a big, "Yes!" Speed bump completely forgotten.

Snowman is given a beanie, Grape eyes, carrot nose, red-licorice smiley, stick arms and scarf! Snowman is named "Frosty the Snowman" (because he is her very first snowman and she really liked reading that book throughout the Christmas season).

Ashby loves Grapes, so seeing Frosty's eyes makes her want some. Excellent. Snack time for her, exercise time for me! Ashby has excellent snack and short video (My Little Ponies) time and I have excellent exercise time.

Shower and get ready for day. Check. That always helps with the makings of a good day.

Sticker Book time!! Let me tell you Usborne knows how to do sticker books! We have the Princess version. I'm not a big advocate of Ashby thinking the she's THE Princess, but princess play time can be fun. This was one of those times! Ashby loves putting all of the clothes on the girls so they match. Then she knows that each girl probably needs a hat, a bracelet, purse, scarf, or something cute to go with her outfit. -okay, so maybe she'll like to shop when she's older- Anyway, another Good day moment.

Lunch. Ryan came home. Yummy food. 'Bishop pizza' wass decided on for dinner yesterday. (another good, I enjoy cooking most when it's planned) I ask Ryan if he would make the dough. He's better at it than I am, really. He agrees. Does all that hard mixing and kneeding and places it on the stove to rise.

He mentions that I should turn the oven on the help it rise. Done. Timer set for 1 1/2 hours. When that time is up I'll place in fridge to cool until needed this evening.

I'm feeling so happy and blessed that my sweet husband would do this for me.

It's time for Ashby's "Quiet Time". My do whatever time. Prepare for next weeks pre school. Blog. Email a friend. All good.

Timer goes off for checking dough.

Seems bigger. Good. Remove towel and dough....BAD. Hot oven melted through plastic bowl. BAD.

I call Ryan. Good. He minds me all the reasons why it's no big deal. I smile. He's right. I decide I wanna remember times like this.

Times that are good. Thanks Ryan. You make lots of days good.

Snow fun

Ryan's youngest brother,

Jordan, came into town from Santa Barbara for the 2 weeks of his Christmas Holiday. He is a really fun and cool and super sweet with Ashby so we love having him with us. He knew that he was getting a snow board for Christmas but it wouldn't be available until post Christmas(when Nana Haskins came to town) so we had to creative in finding things to entertain him with before he could hit the slopes.

We got to go sleding which was lots of fun, we even ran into an old companion from Ryan's mission. It was good to meet you Jason Gough and fam. :) We made a small sleding hill (for the neighbor kids) turned snow house/igloo. Thanks Ryan, Preston and Ryan for all your hard work in making the igloo! It has shrunk and grown some with the warm and snowy weather, but it has been fun. We also made one up at my parents house in North Ogden, Thanks Adam for the help! There has been general snow fun, Ashby has become quite efficient at pulling her snow clothes (jump suit, jacket, gloves, boots and beanie) because she really is a little snow bunny! We went ice skating (once with Jordan, once without). And of course the always enticing fun of shoveling the snow off the drive. Ashby got to enjoy all of these.







Oh, I almost forgot and Ashby even got to meet Santa Claus and Prancer our in the snow!

Growing up, It happens

You know your kid is growing up when:

She changes her own diaper.
compelete with wrapping up and throwing away the old one and putting on the new one.

Or...

She turns the light off b/c it hurts her eyes
"I can't see with the light on" (she had just woken up)

Christmas

Chubby Christmas Thighs

2 1/2 years old and 6 months old

Same hat, same cut kid. She's just finally growing into them.