Lions...Tigers...and Gremlins...OH MY!

I walked into the living room this morning to find...

Last night's left over candy from our date night at the movies.

And...

...one very happy two-and-a-half foot tall gremlin eating it.

Poopy Clouds and Silver Linings

Is it possible to have pride in a catastrophe that surpasses most levels of grossness?

Yes, yes it is possible. In fact, I will prove it.

It all started at 1:30 p.m., Sunday. It was a no-good-horrible kind of day. Sacrament Meeting ended with crying, lunch was starting with screaming, and I was quickly heading for my 2nd timeout of the day (let's not discuss what number Emily was on). Nap time was necessary and both Richard and I had our sights set on achieving it.

1:45 p.m. - Lunch was finished and Emily's face and hands were washed. We appeared to be happy, so I seized the moment and proceeded with nap time. My initial plan was to re-dress her, but today I was feeling lazy. After all, what could be the harm of her going to sleep without any clothes on (I know, what was I thinking).

2:00 p.m. - You can still hear talking in her room. Nap time is obviously going good.

2:30 p.m. - There is finally silence. Yay!

2:35 p.m. - A foggy stench starts to engulf the house. While Richard goes to investigate, I lay on the couch unmotivated to move, basking in the excitement of my soon-to-be nap.

2:36 p.m. - I am summoned to her bedroom where I find an open toilet (her potty chair is currently in her bedroom serving as a stool to her bed), an open diaper, and a bare naked child sleeping on her freshly washed bed.

Oh yes, it was a moment worth remembering and it was a moment worth being excited over. We just couldn't help but be proud as we looked down to find her tiny attempt at putting her own poop into it's proper place. The toilet. Yes, Emily expertly attempted to remove her poop from her diaper and placed it into her very own toilet. The only problem was she didn't have the proper tools or knowledge necessary to complete the job (i.e. clean up), and therefore decided that reading books and climbing all over her bed seemed like logical post-extraction activities. I would have disagreed.

2:37 p.m. - We realized that nap time was over for us and over for the cute bundle of poopy mess lying before us. In it's stead was hosing down body parts and hair, wiping off books, gathering up bedding, and cleaning up furniture and carpet.

3:00 p.m. - Our checklist was assessed for the last time.

Room cleaned. Check.
Stench gone. Check.
Lesson learned. Check.
Extreme pride. Double Check!
Nap time. Only in our dreams...

B is for Blanket...Bedtime...and Birthday Gift Too

Why is everyone so happy?

Well, there's a new blanket in the house and it's perfect for...

Jumping up and down on...

Even walking and running on...

 It's everything a little girl who LOVES letters could ever wish for in a blanket...

And it was well worth waiting for until Grannie Annie and Papaw could come into town.

The Greatest Family Home Evening Cookies

How does one make perfect cookies for Family Home Evening?

Tip #1: For perfectly puffy cookies, use shortening instead of butter.

Tip #2: Always mix "wet" ingredients separately from the "dry" ingredients.

 

Tip #3: Stir...stir...stir...

Tip #4: Large Chocolate Chips are the best.

 

Tip #5: Always congratulate yourself for a job well done by saying a hearty "Alright!" Just don't forget to follow the cheer with a good taste testing!



Tip #6: Enjoy!!

Little Stinker Alert!

Conversation between Emily and I at bedtime.

Emily (just tucked in, touches me as I lean in to kiss her goodnight): "Pretty..."
Me (smiling, feeling really loved): "Ahh, you think I am pretty?"
Emily: "Nooooooo"
Me: "Nooooo???!"
Emily (smiling from ear to ear): "Nooooooo..."

Cooking With Emily

Emily is quite the chef in our house. In fact, she LOVES to help make all kinds of goodies in the kitchen.

She just doesn't always like what she makes...