Autism Family Day

This Saturday, while the "boys" were at Priesthood session, my Mom and I took the kids to Mesquite High School's 2nd Annual Autism Family Day. We went because it is a fundraiser for Autism Awareness and my Mom is a counselor for Mesquite High School (and was working one of the booths!). This was so much fun. They had all of these inflatable toys for the kids: a bounce house, a huge slide, a maze, and one where you are tied to a bungee cord and you run and then get snapped back. They also had booths where the kids could fingerpaint, play hoola hoops, do a dunk tank, get "tattoos" etc. A good time was had by all. The weather was perfect too. An added bonus for me was adult conversation with my Mom and some of her co-workers. After that we met up with all the "boys" and my parents treated us to dinner at Tia Rosa's. A night like this was just what I needed.

Conference was wonderful too. Didn't you all just love Elder Ballard's talk? I can't wait until Thursday, when lds.org puts the talks up on their site, to print it out and read it over and over again!

Hong Kong Night Night

Todd's parents sent these darling silk pajamas to our kids, from their mission in Hong Kong. It is pretty much a "Mission Impossible" to get a decent picture of both kids together!

"Freckleface Strawberry"

My parents gave Lyssa the cutest book for Valentine's Day, "Freckleface Strawberry" by the lovely and beautiful Julianne Moore. I think the book is semi-autobiographical as it chronicles the life of a 7 year old girl, referred to as Freckleface Strawberry, who has, yep you guessed it, red hair and freckles! Alyssa, and the whole family for that matter, love this book. We read it to her all the time.

I think Lyssa knows that little Freckleface Strawberry looks a lot like her, minus the freckles (although I am sure she will get them sometime). In fact, we now catch ourselves calling little Lyssa "Freckleface Strawberry"!!

One day this week, after reading the book for about the millionth time, Harrison asked me if I had any freckles. I said, "Yes! Everywhere...on my face, arms, legs...You know you could call me Freckleface...(I thought for a moment) Blackberry. You know, because I have black hair instead of red hair." Harrison looked at me for a moment and then said, "Or Freckleface Greyberry".

WHAT??? I think I have found like 2 or 3 greys over the years. Thanks a lot Harrison. With him for a child I should have an entire head of greys in no time.

I have an appointment for a cut and color next week....I am thinking of going red. It would be nice to look more like my own little Freckleface Strawberry.

T-Ball!

Harrison's first T-Ball game of the season was last night. It is surreal to me that we have a kid old enough to be doing things like T-Ball, school, and so forth. Anyways, the game was a lot of fun. I love that there is no score and it is all about the kids learning and having a good time. I really love that the game was only two innings long! I think if we let them go a whole 9 innings we would still be there!

Harrison's Team aka The Cardinals

Harrison, #11, and his teammates waiting to bat!

Harrison up to bat.

Harrison was the "pitcher" for one inning. That is Todd in the yellow, helping in the outfield.

Alyssa did pretty well. She only ran out into the field once! I think she wanted to play with her brother.

Our little All Star!

"All American Girl"

"Since the day they got married

He'd been praying for a little baby boy

Someone he could take fishin'

Throw the football And be his pride and joy

He could already see him

Holding that trophy taking his team to State

But when the nurse came in with a little pink blanket

All those big dreams changed...and

Now he's wrapped around her finger

She's the center of his whole world

And his heart belongs to that sweet little

Beautiful Wonderful Perfect

All American Girl"

from Carrie Underwood's "All American Girl"

We love listening to music over here and whenever this song comes on, we dance, sing along, and laugh. This perfectly describes Todd's feelings towards little Lyssa George!

I Don't Wanna!!

But I have to clean!!

Instead here I am on the Internet looking at all my favorite blogs and checking my email. I need to do some laundry, do the dishes, and my floor would probably appreciate a mopping. Plus I have presidency meeting here in about an hour. Then Harrison (who did some major damage to his room yesterday - he decided his room needed painting!!!) will be getting out of school at 11:55. It is early day. So I need to get my booty moving, but I don't wanna!!

OK - enough whining, I gotta get going.

Have a fabulous day everyone.

"People died so that you could have this right"

was Todd's response to my whining about not wanting to leave the house to vote today.

Well, how do you argue with that? So I voted. Actually, Todd left work, voted, and came home so that I could go and vote without Alyssa at my side.

I am very grateful that my husband is so on top of things like this. I have a feeling that if it were not for his civic mindedness, I wouldn't vote at all. Not to mention even think about our founding fathers or the civil rights activists that made it possible so that I have the blessing of voting for what and who I want.

So, did you vote today?