Trip to the ER

So today while I was in another room, I heard a door slam and Charlotte scream. Then Ava came running in to me saying "mom! Charlotte and I have red all over us!" Red? Yeah, she meant blood. Charlie must have gotten her finger slammed in the hinge side of the door because she ended up with a big gash in the tip of her pinky and we were off to the ER.

X-rays showed that she cracked the tip of the bone but the Dr. said that would heal itself. 4 stitches (and a whole lot of tears) later, we were on our way to get ice cream. Frozen dairy makes everything better.

Charlotte was a trooper and is so sweet. She even said thank you and waved bye bye to the guy who held her arm down and wrapped her finger in gauze while she loudly protested. A little motrin for the pain and she's back to her sweet, silly self.

Family Pictures

In the 6 years we've been married, and the 4 years we've had children, Rob and I have yet to take an actual family picture.  By actual I mean one that is cute enough to display in our home and taken by someone who takes the lens cap off before snapping the picture.  So we finally did it and thanks to my friend LE, we got some pretty great shots of the girls and at least one of all of us I deemed worthy to hang above the fireplace.  (translation: the mom didn't have any glaring pimples, her hair was in place and no double chin was apparent) Success! 

So classic Ava when the camera comes out. 

Almost

The one we liked though Ava is a little squinty but you gotta work with what you got.

Sweet sisters

Um yeah so Charlotte may have just gotten up from a nap and her hair was matted with sweat to her head.  I did the best I could in my rush to beat the setting sun so I present to you "out of control comb-over with giant flower".  You know you love it. 

Yay we're done!  

FHE History

Conducting: Mom
Prayer: Ava 
Song: Dad - he let Ava choose.  She chose a song she made up on the spot called "spin like a fan" which consisted of spinning around in a circle with your hands out like airplane wings while singing "I'm spinning spinning spinning like a fan spinning spinning spinning like a fan, spinning spinning spinning like a fan I spin just like a fan.
Lesson: Mom - we talked about Thanksgiving coming up and all the things we should be grateful for and why we should show gratitude to Heavenly Father for all we've been given.  Then mom taught the story of the first Thanksgiving using the following poem and helping us make bracelets (which counted as the activity by Charlotte):

Thanksgiving Story Bracelet

With this bracelet you will know (Start with a pipe cleaner.)
The first Thanksgiving that was long, long ago.
The Pilgrims set sail from far away
On the Mayflower with tall white sails. (Insert a white bead.)
They sailed many days across the ocean blue. (Add a blue bead.)
The seas were rough, but the ship came through.
At last they spotted land so green. (String on a green bead.)
They were so happy they cheered and screamed.
The first year was so hard and black. (Now a black bead.)
Many died and wished that they could go back.
But the Native Americans gave them a hand
And helped them survive in the strange new land.
They decided to celebrate in a special way
And that became the first Thanksgiving day.
They prepared a feast with turkeys brown (Add a brown bead.)
And red cranberries that they had found. (Time for a red bead.)
Yellow corn that they had learned to grow (Insert a yellow bead.)
And orange pumpkin pies, don’t you know! (Last an orange bead.)
But before they ate the turkey and dressing,
They all held hands for a thankful blessing.
         (Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner to make a bracelet.)

Treats: Dad had treats and he chose to let everyone have a piece of cinnamon roll cake that mom made last night.  Charlotte chose to have gogurt which made Ava choose to have gogurt after she had finished her cake.

Say a little prayer for you

Things have been unbelievably crazy this week at our house. A friend of mine and I are putting on the annual craft night for our ward (church) tomorrow night so I have been up to my eyeballs in that. Today I was driving with the girls running some last minute errands, Charlotte was crying in the backseat and I was lost because my phone gave me wonky directions to where I was going. Ava pipes up from the backseat and says "Mom I'm having kind of a rough day." I told her me too. A few seconds later, very quietly from the backseat I hear ...."and we are both having rough days Heavenly Father so please bless that our days won't be rough anymore. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen. "

And you know what? Things immediately felt a little smoother.

Obviously.....

the "we don't color on our bodies" rule is a work in progress.

The one about makeup

Ava is at that age where she loves to draw and paint and sometimes she just can't resist making her body the canvas. The other day as she was twirling about in the living room, I glanced A-N-D-E written on her leg just above her knee where it would be mostly hidden by her skirt. Ande is the name of her best girlfriend. When I asked why she had written Ande's name on her leg, she replied in a singsong voice "because I love her so much." We've told her several times that we don't want her drawing on her body, mostly because I don't want to be on our way to church or family pictures and look back to realize Avas arm is covered in pink polka dots. So tonight she was in for a surprise when she walked into my bathroom as I was getting ready. "Mom!" she screamed. "Why are you drawing on yourself?! On your eyes? With that pencil?!!!" After Rob and I did our best to suppress our laughter, I explained to her about eyeliner.