Forever renters

Well I've had a few blog readers ask if we are in our house yet.....I guess I never followed up on that.  It's too depressing to think about I guess.  We had the inspection and rich decided he didn't like the house.  I never loved it, but I loved the location.   We revoked our offer and got our earnest money back.

The next week we decided we just might not want to buy a house at all because we might not want to live in salt lake forever and, we might not want to continue with our current professions!!   We just want to hang out in limbo.....forever in Ron's basement.......or something......

In other news Anna is reading voraciously at what seems like a second grade level (I'm not a teacher so I don't know, but she is reading those step 3 early reader books)and I worry about whether I should send her to regular kindergarten or not.  I don't want her love of learning to be squashed by a boring kindergarten class (in another year! She is only 3) and I don't want her to think she can just breeze by her whole life.

At the same token I don't want to put a grade ahead or homeschool her because she's on the social level of a kindergartner and she needs friends!  I think learning to be accountable to others and learning to get along with others is probably the most important thing for Anna to grasp in life - so maybe sending her to kindergarten is going to be just fine.  AFTER ALL, ITS ONLY kindergarten!!

That's what's on my mind lately......

U of u gymnastics

Anna didn't like the loud noise.  It was still fun and amazing

Library space ship

We still love it

For aunt joy

She reads cookbooks.  When can she come hangout with you?

Skidamarink

A dinkY dink, skidamarinky doo! I love you!

That song was playing on the sterio, and i looked back to see this...life is good.

wednesday, thursday and friday

 Let see, what did we do Wednesday?  I don't remember now.  I do know that the girls were being quiet and I went back to anna's room to find this.  Anna is reading to Julia (I know, we have a million pictures of this).  It never ceases to warm my heart.

Oh, now I remember.  We went to my friends house over in Sugar house area.  She's way into music, so it's fun to talk with her.  But she did give me an earful about nutrition and milk and all that great stuff that I don't really like to talk about.

 I did Julia's hair in a bunch of braids that day.  They looked bad and I took them out.  Then she looked REALLY awesome! 

 Rach came over wednseday night since her hubby was late getting home.  Look at baby spencer's creepy eyes!  he's a cutie.  WE start babysitting him next week.

 Thursday we went to Aunt Amy's house for some sissy time.  Sometimes I just need my sissy to take care of me.  We went to anna's heaven - the library.  We also had music class and Julia is really getting into it!  I love it!  We did puzzles, drank green smoothies, played an autoharp and played with the gradeschoolers when they got home.  A good day.

 The trip to the library.  That's a van full of kids!  Julia and Jane have a hard time getting along.

 But that's probably because they are both so tired!  unfortunately this nap ended as soon as we got out of the car.

 Fast forward to today, Friday.  Rachel spent the day at our house so we can get used to having spencer around.  It was wonderful.  He is a sweet baby.  I like watching other people's kids.  Then she went home and Rich came home from work.  We went to the park together.  It was wonderful too.  I love playing with my family.

 Julia didn't want me to take her picture.  I wish this shot wasn't blurry!  I cut her some bangs today - I think she looks much cuter with bangs!

 More park pics.

It's amazing I ever get anna out of the house.  this pic was taken about 5 seconds after coming home from the park.  Anytime I suggest going somewhere she says "I JUST WANT TO STAY HOME AND READ ALL DAY."  There you go, I created a book worm.  Julia, on the other hand, gets her shoes and everyone else's shoes and coats and walks out to the car as soon as she hears the word GO.  It's funny how different they are.  From looking at this picture you can see where anna gets her bookworm from - not me........

julia is getting older

 she can sit through an entire library storytime without getting distracted.

 but she still likes to suck her thumb while she stares at people at the park.  This is the first time we've played at the park since probably October.

 It was a beautiful day.  Spring is on it's way!

 when we got in I found this tiger pile that anna made.  Actually all her toys are in this corner under the tigers.  she calls it a "game"  Not sure what game that would be.

here's another dance picture.

Then the Buhlers came (they are on their way to visit steven in Hawaii).  Rich was kind enough to come with me to the symphony tonight.  It was "the magic of Harry Potter"  my favorite piece was the Cinderella Suite "midnight" Rich was kind enough to say he didn't pull his hair out.  It was a good day - library, park, decorating for st. patricks day, dance class, symphony.

we added julia to anna's dance class

she does about as good as Julia.  But sometimes she gets distracted and doesn't want to participate.  I guess that's the difference between a 2 year old and a 4 year old.  But she's darn cute out there.  Anna and Julia always choose their own dance outfits.  Tonight they had some rock'n sunday dresses.  This was the last class for this session.  I think we'll do it again.

sick sick sick (and a little bit of friday)

 Ron (the landlord upstairs) watches his grandkids every Friday.  Loralie is a little older than anna and they love to play together.  She's a little wild, but Anna tones her down.  She has always had the amazing ability to just play well with other kids of all shapes and sizes.  If they are mean she'll just go read a book - but other than that she loves to play.

 they had fun on valentines day putting stickers all over their bodies.  awesome.

 this is their best princess smile!  Hilarious!  You can see her big sister Annabelle in the background.  That was Friday.

 Move forward to today.  Anna woke up super early, so I assumed that was why she was so grouchy!  Richard knew something else was wrong.  He layed her down in bed only to find her, a few minutes later, throwing up.  Poor girl.  Her tummy just hurt.  I cleaned it up, gave her a shower.  Rich checked on her a million times in the shower.  He's so tender.  Then I heard her open the door and I went in to find her laying on the bathroom floor crying, holding her tummy.  Then she started barfing again.  She layed on the couch and Julia just couldn't leave her alone.  She stayed right by anna's side, even when anna was asleep.  I didn't get pictures of it, but when anna dozed off, Julia brought captain hook and tucked him in right next to anna's face.  So nice Julia, so nice.  then - a miracle occurred.  Anna woke up from her nap, ate lunch and was happy the rest of the day.  We went for a long bike ride, played soccer outside and then later took her to the park.  she helped me cook dinner and ate dinner just fine.  It turned out to be a great day.

 Rich and Julia at the park.  Julia is holding him tight because there are dogs nearby.  She is terrified of all animals, especially dogs.  Julia gives THE BEST hugs (and snuggles).

this is the only shot I got of a happy anna before the camera died.  She really came out of that sickness quick!

we had a good family home evening.  rich taught about the plan of happiness.  When he asked anna if she knew what that was she said "yes, It's Jesus' plan."  So we went to different rooms pretending they were earth and heaven.  We had a big dance party on earth.  Rich pretended to baptize the girls, then he asked what we needed to do to get back to heaven - Anna said "we have to die"  wow - she's smart!  Good listening and paying attention anna!  We all made it back to heaven - although - Julia wouldn't hug any of us when we got back there.

a good saturday

We've had a few Saturdays that have been rather blaahhh.  So today we decided to have a good Saturday.  Richard went skiing in the morning.  I did insanity and the girls played.  When rich got home we cleaned off our patio.  It's started to look pretty white-trash lately.  While cleaning out we saw a rat.  That was rather alarming.  But it's nice to rent because Ron will take care of it.

Then we went to the "library fair."  Anna has been looking forward to it all week.  She asks about it every day.  When we got there she and Julia were both TERRIFIED.  there were a lot of people in costume from start wars and Disney.  The girls were really scarred of chewbaca and also the princesses?!  What!  I used to feel bad for not taking them to Disney land because I thought they would love to see the princesses and characters.  I don't feel bad any more.  They would hate it.

 see the princesses in the background.  Yeah, that's as close as the girls would get.  TERRIFIED.

These videos are hilarious of us leaving the library.  We are asking Julia if she wants to go back and see the princesses.  NO no NO.  gO home!!!

So we went home.  We put Julia down for a nap and Anna and I went to "free day" at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.  It was very nice.  I love art.  I need to start drawing & painting again.  We made some little books then went on an Egyptian adventure (you can kind of see the adventure packet layed out on the bench in the pictures, but museums are dark and you aren't supposed to take pics anyways).  Which fit well because we have been learning about and reading about Egypt for the past month.  Anna liked seeing a real sarcophagus and mummy.  We drew pictures of scarab beetles in the notebooks we made at the free art activity.  Who knows if she actually cares, but I thought it was fun.

 At the museum Anna had to take off her boots and DANCE in the big open room.  It's acutally an exhibit of words - which I dont' really get.  But the security said it was okay for her to dance, so I let her have at.  I put in all these pics so I can remember that she went ALL OVER that floor. 

We came home and went for a hike up Millcreek canyon.  Julia got attacked by a friendly dog (aka the dog got somewhat close) and she cried the rest of the hike.  But anna enjoyed playing "mountain hide and seek" and singing "mountain man" (to the tune of aiken drum).  She's really turned into quiet the hiker.  Living so close to the mountains has really paid off.  Rich and I love the mountains and are SO MUCH happier when we spend time up there.  We are thinking about becoming teachers so we can spend our summers in the mountains.

 anna has been doing this dorky smile lately.  she turns her head goofy because she thinks it makes her look pretty like a princess.

 Julia being MAD.

 note, again, the princess head turn.

 we got off the icy trail and headed up in search of big rocks.  rich got Julia to calm down a little.

 anna was really quiet the hiker today!

 anna found a little tiny hole in a rock and put some seashells in there as a secret treasure.  We also found some helicopter seed that had started to germinate.  That was pretty cool too.

 Anna's hiding spot for mountain hide and seek.

 getting good use of the boots at the trail head.

 Julia liked that part.  she cried when we left.

We came home and had an awesome dinner of salad with croutons and avocados.  Yup we are weird. 

Now the girls are in bed and the dreariest time of day begins.  The dark night stuck in the basement.  At least Ron buys cable so we can fast forward through the Olympic commercials. 

Breakfast train

Happy Valentines day.  W had strawberries for breakfast.  And raspberry jam pancakes s shaped like hearts.  Julia is in the stage where she lines stuff up all the time.its great.

our super bowl party

another outdated movie.  I forget to blog videos Richard takes on the ipad, but I am so glad he takes them!  We had a great time watching the girls dance to horrible music during the superbowl.

Snuggling with my girlies.

Nothing better.  Except snuggling with Richard of course.