Lacey

Lacey, you just turned two and you so badly want to be like your brothers. In your eyes you are just as big as them. You get frustrated with me when I hold you in the swimming pool, because I think it is too deep for you. In fact, I have even let you go very quickly to show you that it was too deep. Yet, you see Blake and Tyler walking around so you KNOW you can do the same thing.
I love how you say "Whaat?" in falsetto when you think something is silly. It is something we all do now.
Because, you follow two old brothers,you think bodily noises are funny and something to be proud of. The only princess you know of is Princess Lea from star wars. In fact you know a lot about Star Wars. You can imitate Yoda, you go around the house singing the "Darth Vader" song( the one that goes: dun dun dun dun du dun du du dun) and I think you get more excited over a storm trooper than you do about Pooh Bear.
You love your Daddy so much. You always let me read to you at night and put you to bed, but you won't go to sleep unless Daddy comes and sings, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Popcorn popping, and I love to see the Temple".
Your favorite books are "Let's Be Polite" and "Little Quack's Opposites".
I love how you call Fruit Loops, Fruit poops.
You love to play the game where we pretend we are asleep, then you sit up and yell "Mawnin' time" I tickle you and then we do it again, over and over and over.
Your new favorite toys are Raggedy Ann and Baby doll, but Teddy is still your main squeeze.
You loved to get your nails painted. When the polish comes off one of your fingers, you will follow me around holding that finger saying. "polish not working" I know you want me to repaint your nails, but I try to limit it to twice a week.

Intended and Unintended

Before I start this post I know it has been a really long time since I have updated. So to put it in a nutshell we moved to Arizona for a few months and then to Utah were Matt got a job with a tax firm. There, you're caught up. Here are a few pics from then to now.

Cousin Time

Grandma took them to the children's museum where they learned about bats!

At the Tulip festival 

Cinco de Mayo party with the Idaho family

Pinata time. Blake did a lot of the work making this pinata.

Okay, so now to get to the real post. Being a mom of small children you expect messes. I expect my kids will get dirty, in fact I want them to get dirty. You might think I am crazy, but I want them to explore and  play in the dirt or make mud pies. I want them to enjoy being kids. Sometimes, we will do activities that I intend to make a big mess, but it is worth it to me if they are having fun and maybe even learn a little something. I believe little kids learn through playing and having fun. However, with life and small children there are loads of messes that are unintended and frankly catch me of guard. Here are a few examples:

Intended mess: letting the kids cut up paper and glue them into whatever shapes and objects they want. 

Unintended mess: Blake cutting Tyler's hair

Intended mess: Setting the tent up in the living room on a cold day. Bringing every pillow, blanket and stuffed animal to cuddle with. 

Unintended mess: Lacey hidden from view behind the tent, playing in the fire place ashes.

Intended mess: Letting the kids play in shaving cream drawing pictures and letters. Getting hands clothes and table smelling like daddy. 

Unintended mess: Tyler sneaking into the hot pink food coloring and dumping half a bottle into Blake's shaving cream pan. He was hot pink from his fingertips to his elbows for several days.

Then there are the times when you are trying to clean up one mess while unbeknownst to you another one is being made. For example I was having a problem with a slow drain in my bathroom sink. With out getting into the whole story it went from slow to clogged. I tried taking matters into my own hand just to get sprayed with gross water from the pipes.

doesn't that look gross!

While I was dealing with that Lacey was getting creative with the dish washing soap.

This particular day had been a long day. FYI- The ashes, and the clogged pipes happened on this day. When I walked into the kitchen, I had no desire to clean another mess so I poured a little bit of water onto the floor and we had a slip n, slide party. I think Matt was a bit surprised to come home to a tent in the Living room, clogged pipes in the bathroom (fyi- use baking soda and vinegar to unclog), and his wife and kids sliding in the kitchen. I guess life just gets messy whether you plan those messes or not!