LEGO Temple FHE

Last night just before FHE the kids were playing with their legos. We have been using our imaginations with legos a lot lately. We are pretty limited with our selection, but we have managed to make guns, houses, deer, dogs, birds, castles, towers, and many other things that didn't resemble at all what we said they were.
We have been talking a lot about temples lately to Lydia. Showing her how pretty they are and how important they are. So I had the idea to make lego temples. I started by telling the story about the SLT temple corner stones. And how they had to be buried, then when they were uncovered they found a crack. All the while animating the story with the legos. Then we built the rest of the temple REALLY slow cause it took 40 years to build. Then we even found the PERFECT Angel Moroni lego piece. It was yellow and had a circle coming off the side which we pretended was his trumpet. Worked great.
Then her favorite story was about the Nauvoo temple And the sisters crushing their china to make the walls sparkle. Well I knew Lydia didn't know what China was, so I explained it as really pretty plates. So we made lego plates, pretended to eat off of them, they were VERY pretty you know, then we SMASHED out plates on the ground and used the broken pieces to build the temple walls. She REALLY liked smashing the plates. :) BUt it was fun, and Danton got involved also.

It's about time.

I have been really bad about blogging now that I don't have a camera. Hopefully we will get one soon but it all really depends on what happens with the truck. Basically someone hit our truck a couple weeks ago and we are still waiting on the check from the insurance. Can't decide if we want to fix it or sell it.
Anyway, Marisa just sent me a couple CD's full of pics of my kids from when she was here. So I figured I'd post a few now, and a few later, and get my favorite ones up. I found one of Danton that I'm going to print big and frame it. But we didn't get a good one like that of Lydia. Well maybe we did, I'll have to look again. There are a LOT of pictures.

In OTHER news. Danton went poop on the potty for the first and second time yesterday. BIG STEP. He has only gone pee ONCE and that was several months ago. He was sitting in his high chair and said he was pooey. (He usually tells me after he is done) Then I noticed that he wasn't done, he was just starting, so I asked him if he wanted to go poop on the potty he said "uh-huh" so I ran with him to the bathroom, I wiped him up, but I could tell I was taking too long cause he started to fuss. I realized he was HOLDING IT!!! As soon as I sat him on the potty he finished. He liked flushing the potty (a little too much) and washing his hands, and he REALLY liked his sucker. I was super excited. Then just before bed time he did it again. so he got to stay up cause he was eating a sucker. Which was great, cause that also meant that he slept in till 6:30!!!!! WAHOO!!
This is the picture that is going up on my wall. He is just so CUTE!
Lydia on the other hand still gets up a freakin 5 like clock work. No matter how late I keep her up at night. I really despise day light savings. I have threatened to take her new blanket away if she doesn't stay in bed, she lost it yesterday. But today I asked her to go back to bed cause her body needed more rest, and she did. She didn't sleep but as least I got to stay in bed a little longer. She came out of her room at 6:20, so I told her she could have her blanket back.
Oh and with me I got my new calling in our new ward. I'm the Acitivty Day Leader for the 8 and 9 year olds. I don't even have to teach a class! We have an activity twice a month! It's so fun, and I'm so excited about it. :)

The new house with 2 windows

Here are a few of the pictures I posted on FB. I still haven't found my camera yet, but it doesn't matter, I can't take good indoor pictures anyway cause the flash is broken. But Marisa was here a lot last week and I ganked her camera one day and took some pictures.
This place really is big, but as I put things away and fill up the space I think how in the world did we fit in the other place?
Vacuuming is a whole new chore. It takes a while and since I have new carpet :) it fills my vacuum quickly with the lint. But as I vacuum I think "I'm so grateful for this great big house with lots of space"
I got to see my friend Jessica and meet her boy friend yesterday. She was in town and was able to stop by for about an hour. It was so fun. And it's fun to actually have a place that is big enough to have company over with out sitting on top of each other.

A Damsel in Distress

We got Hercules and the Princess and the Frog recently on Netflix. Found out that as much as Lydia loves princess movies, she didn't really care for The princess and the Frog, but she LOVES Hercules. She learned the phrase "damsel in distress" from Hercules.
Today she wanted a towel dress (sometimes she wants a blanket dress) So I warped the towel around her (fully clothed) and tucked it so it would stay up like a dress. Then she went on to play.
I heard her say "I'm a Damsel in Distress". I smiled and said "Are you a damsel in distress Lydia" she turns to me and said
"No...I'm a damsel in this dress" (but "this dress" was pronounced more like dis-dress) seriously, that girls makes me laugh.

Service Auction

A service auction is by far on of my favorite Relief Society activities. I did on in my student ward in ID and it was a ton of fun. Last week we did one for our Relief Society activity in Springfield 3rd ward. It was a big hit too.
Here is how it works.
Everyone (that wants to) writes down what service you want to donate along with your name and number on a card. Everyone got play money and then the auction started. When you have the winning bid, you turn in your money and you get the card with the service and the number of the one providing the service.
People donated things like a month of free piano lessons, help with sewing, FHE treats, breakfast on Conference morning (that one was popular), babysitting, all sorts of stuff. I donated a batch of cinnamon rolls, a glass etching (to be picked by the buyer), and 3 months of free banjo lessons and rental. And all 3 were more popular then I expected. They went for pretty good prices. The one that EVERYONE was bidding on was the free 1 hour massage. People were pooling their money and splitting the massage, and they ended up donating a few more cause it was in such high demand. It was hilarious to see what everyone did to try and get it, and how excited everyone got about it.
It was a fun way to get to know the sisters in our ward, and we all laughed so much. It got a little crazy at times, but it was so fun.
Me, I got 2 free babysitting. Hoping to cash one in this weekend.

The House with 2 windows

Looks like our move in date is for Monday the 27. That was the origional date we set on our paper work, but then we realized that was a Monday, and we'd rather move on the weekend. I called a few days ago to see if we could change the move in date to Friday the 24, but she said they have already scheduled the cleaning and the working around the 27 and we can't change the date. So we get to move on a MONDAY.... yay. It wont be too bad, I think I have everything all worked out as far as getting help, and having meals to eat. The plan is to be all finished packing early Saturday afternoon (which wont be hard, Ive got most of the packing done already, just have the food we will eat this week, a few dishes, clothes, and bathroom essentials. ) and be able to go on a date Saturday evening to relax and get out. Then Sunday dinner with family, and Monday, MOVING DAY.
Yesterday I took the kids over to the new house. I knew we wouldn't be able to go in, but I thought it would be fun for them to see their new yard. We didn't get out when we got there, we just drove past it then turned around and drove past it again. They were installing carpet I think. I saw 2 trucks and lots of tools. So I didn't let the kids get out. We have a nice medium size tree in the front yard that should shade the kids rooms nicely, and a little tiny back yard, which means less to mow. :)
I have packed just about all that I can to the point that if I pack any more we will have to unpack something before we move, and we would be living out of suit cases for a week and a half. So I guess now I get to start the deep cleaning. ...and finding more boxes...

The Princess Walk

I found a trick to getting Lydia to willingly go to bed. When I was little my Dad use to give us rides. First there was the horsey ride, self explanatory. Later, when we got older and needed more then a horse for entertainment, came the space ship ride. THRILLER. It was awesome. We'd sit on our launch pad (a pillow) with our knees up by our chest. Dad would do the count down then grab under our knees and fly us all around the house (sound effects and all of course). Then it evolved and on his arms were imaginary buttons we could push mid flight to navigate our course to bed. Later in trying to be creative, the girls got broom rides to bed. I think I was probably too big for this one when it came about, but Marisa remembers doing it. Dad grabs your feet and does a sweeping motion with you, and your hair acts as the bristles....got it?

Well we live in a house with stairs. Space ship rides are out of the question, and horsey rides...well they turn into piggy back rides. One day after prayers Lydia asked for a horsey ride up to bed, and in the spirit of not-wanting-to-kill-the-horse, I quickly came up with an easier (but fun) alternative.

"How bout a Princess Walk?" No explanation necessary for Lydia, she was BORN knowing how to walk like, talk like, and BE a princess. Hands are flexed but down at your side and have a swaying motion as you walk. Then as we go up the stairs we get princess names, usually they are Princesses she has seen on movies, but one day I was Princess Malta. (?) So we have a princess walk and we talk about princess things all the way to bed, it is very...princessey.
She loves it. She jumps up and gets excited about going to bed EVERY time. I'll have Daddy get a video of it sometime.