Remember This Simple Thing...

Ellie (and my 1/2 son- Noah) use to not really like PB & J's.
As soon as I started cutting out shapes with cookie cutters... they almost want a sandwich every single day. Somedays they get to pick their shape & some days I surprise them. Either way, they are so excited to eat them!
So note to self: Remember to try & make food fun... THINK "What would look tempting & fun to eat if I were a kid?"
(Pumpkins have been the festive choice lately.)

Elle loves when it is time to get dressed. (MOSTLY on Sundays- ya know- dressing like a princess...) She loves how I set out 2 options for the day. What she hasn't caught on to yet is that if there is something that I really want her to wear, then I put out
OPTION # 1: what I want her to wear
& OPTION #2: an outfit that I know she doesn't care much for. (blue clothes, scrounge clothes, etc.)
BUT for NOW it works & I chuckle everytime.

Ellie is really into getting herself all dressed and ready for dance or gymnastics.
The other day, she was in the bedroom getting dressed for awhile. When she finally came out, she walked in to me all dressed for dance.
She just stopped & starred at me and asked:
"Mom. What do ya think?"
(see outfit below)
The problem was I had to tell her "Oh Ellie, I love it, but today is GYM, NOT DANCE! Sorry.
Her outfit was so random, but she loved it.
We saved it for the next dance day!


Ellie loves crafts. What preschooler doesn't?
Since Halloween was around the corner, I helped Elle & Noah make a cute lil ghost.
(like we all did when we were kids)

It was fun.
Ellie made her face, then added eyelashes & hair.
Noah on the other hand.... like it for about 1 minute & then was annoyed with me & kept asking:
"Suzy, can I just open mine now?"

How are boys & girls so different?
Either way- I love em' both.

Her Love For Babies

Esp. when Elle is alone, she can play "pretend" with babies for hours.
Seriously hours.
She'll dress them up, feed them, love them, even put them in time out for being naughty.
It's so cute.

She always names her babies & usually their names don't change.

BUT on a recent Sunday afternoon, she changed some names.

She was telling me:

"Mom, this family is the Skelton family"

(ha ha, some of our neighbors/ward members)

Then she'd tell me some of the other "groups of babies" names/family.

"Mom, these are the Bloomfields, and Stahles. This one is Amberlee {Bloomfield} & this is Allison {Stahle}.... ha ha .... more friends around here....

BUT THE CHERRY ON TOP was when she said:

"And this one is JHERI!"

I was cracking up.

Jheri is one of my good friends, two of her boyfriends {& little girlfriends} mom, and the MAIN LADY over HIGHER GROUND DANCE. She really loves Jheri (Glover)... so do I!

Silly Elle Belle.

I love you & I wish so bad that I could give us the little {REAL} baby that we dream about.

Some day! I know it will happen, some day.

YOU will be the best oldest sister ever.

In October, Noah & Ellie are still....

ENJOYING the ARIZONA SUN!

These 2 goof balls were supposed to me helping me (mommy/Aunt Suz) clean up the pool area until next summer. INSTEAD, they asked if they could put their swim suits on. That idea was fine..... but soon it meant jumping in the pool & then helping me wash my car!

They have also been loving playing football with some of their favorite missionaries.

(Elder Poole & Elder Welling- who live in my parents guest house/rec room!)

This afternoon, the kids were playing "swords" with BATS against our missionaries.

Funny (and random) story- One Sunday, my mom got a phone call from Elder Poole's mom. She was going to be in town helping her daughter move. She asked if she could come & see where her some is serving, living, etc. OF COURSE SHE COULD COME OVER!

So a couple hours later his mom, sister, brother in-law & their new puppy came over. They were so friendly. They never let Elder Poole know that they were here. They sat inside and watched him & his companion play with the kids, and everything. I even brought out their puppy one time.

Elder Poole asked: "Who's puppy is that?"

I told him (unprepared to answer): "Uhhhh, a neighbors.."

Anyway, later that night my mom & the rest of us let him know he was being watched by his family, & he was so shocked.

They never let him know he was here or anything.