Save the Tree

Last year we got a snowstorm the Wednesday before Miriam's birthday.  I remember because I was relieved to get out of several obligations while trying to plan a birthday party.  Amazingly enough, we got another significant snowstorm the Wednesday before her birthday this year as well.  It makes me wonder how much of our weather is cyclical like this, or if it is just a coincidence...

Miriam was excited to go out with Dad while he shoveled.  She was planning on just following him around, but instead he got out our little broom and let her go at the tree to help get some of the snow off the small branches.  She did great and had fun, too!

The Aquarium

We decided to take the kids to the aquarium a couple weeks ago.  They were so excited to go and see the fish.  Joseph especially seems to like fish.

When we got there, it seemed that all of Denver also thought this Saturday afternoon was the perfect time to go to the aquarium.  There was a line outside halfway down the street.  We asked the kids if they wanted to do something different, and they were all adamant that they wanted to go to the aquarium.  So we braved the lines and finally made it inside.  Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of space for all these people to disperse...

We had a great time, though.  The kids had fun watching the fish and sharks.  There is one part where they simulate a flash flood, and Rebecca wanted to stand in the 'wet zone' right up until the moment when the water started coming down, and then she scooted back.

There were some big sharks, and even scuba divers in the tanks as we walked through.  The kids thought that was pretty neat, and wanted to take the scuba class so they could swim with the fish.

Leprechaun Trap

For St Patrick's Day, each class worked on coming up with the best leprechaun trap.  Miriam's class won the contest, with a complex trap that included a leprechaun house, footprints of a girlfriend, and a ladder.  Rebecca's class made a cute one as well, with a box with a pot of gold drawn on the inside along with a rainbow, and a stick holding it up to be knocked away at the proper moment.  There were also a few gold coins to lead the leprechaun in.

Rebecca brought home the trap she helped make and the kids all had a great time playing with it.  Miriam decided that she was going to catch a leprechaun, so she taped a gold coin to her headband and wore it around to attract any hiding leprechauns.  Unfortunately none made their way to our home, although I'm not sure what they were planning on doing with one if they caught it...

Instructions for a Two-Year-Old's Prayer

1. Learn the routine and habit of having family prayer morning and evening your whole life.
2. Get excited about family prayer.  Realize that after morning prayer, the big girls leave for school, so you get to watch a movie!  Evening prayer is right before bed, and you learn to get excited for bedtime, too.  As soon as family prayer is over, you run for the stairs yelling, "Bedtime!"
3. Surprise everyone one morning.  As we gather for family prayer, instead of wandering around the room, fold your hands in front of you, bow your head and say, "Heavenly Father, Thank you (mumbling) Bless (mumbling) Amen!"  Then smile and act cute when you are praised.
4. Assert your independence by saying, "Ah, No!" to most requests for you to say the prayer.  But remember to occasionally give in so the parents will keep asking.
5. After you have refused to say the prayer, remember to give cues to the person who is giving the prayer whenever there is a pause by saying, "Food" (for any prayer, not just mealtimes) or "Jesus Christ" if you think the prayer has gone on long enough.
6. Remember that cuteness is a must!

Rebecca's Baptism Day

Saturday, March 6, 2010 was a special day for our family as Rebecca was baptized.  Rebecca was so excited and happy for this opportunity to covenant with her Heavenly Father.  Jack baptized her, and she had to go under twice because the first time Jack was raising his left hand instead of right.  (Oops!)  I asked Rebecca how it felt to be baptized, and she said, "Cold!"  The water had been in there for a while-- another ward baptized several children before Rebecca, and there was another baptism after Rebecca.

We were grateful for all the family that came to support Rebecca at this special time.

Mom, Rebecca, Miriam, Joseph, Dad

Aunt Carri, Samantha, Derik, Uncle Aaron, Rebecca, Maren, Ali

Rebecca & Uncle David

Grandma Michele, Ann, Rebecca, Grandpa Mike

Grandpa Crews, Rebecca, Grandma Crews

Nicole, Brittany, Rebecca, Aunt Christine

Rebecca & Grandma Debbie

New Scriptures

For Rebecca's 8th birthday, she got her own set of scriptures.  Well, she really got a scripture case with a note inside telling her she could pick out her own scriptures.  So we went online and looked at all the options.  One book or two.  Maroon, Forest Green, Black, Blue.  Snap closure or no.  And she decided on what she liked.  One book, Forest Green, Snap closure.  And that's what she got.  But she had to wait a week for it to be shipped to our house.

The Sunday after her birthday, which was also the day before Jack left for London, and also before the new scriptures came, she didn't want to take her old Book of Mormon to church with her.  So Dad proposed a deal.

If she didn't take her scriptures to church, she would have to read the first 50 pages from her new Book of Mormon before Dad got back and then be able to summarize it for him.  She agreed.

Rebecca was so excited when her package came in the mail that Monday.  Miriam was watching on as she opened it.  They were thrilled to see the scriptures and try out the snap.  She started reading right away.

That was a week and a half ago.  Jack returns home tomorrow.  She has read over 50 pages and has copied the chapter heading of each chapter into a notebook to help her remember what the chapter was about.  When she talks to Dad, he asks her about her favorite parts.  She has talked about the Liahona and building the ship.

I hope she keeps this excitement for a long time!

Escalator Escapades

(Or Mom and Joseph go to the Nature and Science Museum)

This morning when I looked at the calendar, I saw that it was a free day at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  And there was nothing else on the calendar.  So I decided that rather than go to the gym and then go grocery shopping, I would take Joseph out for a little one-on-one fun time. 

Rather than try to negotiate the stroller through the museum, I thought this would be a good opportunity for Joseph to have some freedom and get to explore the museum at his own pace and direction. 

He loved it!  Of course, the first thing he noticed was the escalators.  He was fascinated.  He probably would have been thrilled to go up and down them all day.  He did a great job getting on and off them as well-- I remember being nervous about them as a child, but he just stepped right on and then wanted to climb the steps while they moved.  Great fun.

Joseph also enjoyed the animal exhibits.  He called lots of the four-legged animals sheep.  They must all look the same when you are 2...  He also liked the bears and the kangaroos.  He probably especially liked that they were stuffed and didn't move when he came close.  You can see them a lot better than at the zoo!

It is so fun to watch Joseph learn and grow, and really develop his own little personality.  I love seeing his curiosity for the world around him and his happiness at the experiences life brings.