Chloe showed me this picture this afternoon.  It took a long time for me to understand what she was telling me.  But I finally got it.  

She had a cup outside. She placed this piece of paper by the cup outside when she went inside for a little bit. The picture is a diagram to show that she had put a piece of "IS" (ice) in it.  And she was waiting for it to turn into "wodr" (water).

The reason she drew this picture was to tell the cats that hang around, why she had a cup outside and that they should not mess with her cup.

She told me the pictures were for the cats because they can't read read, obviously.  And the words are for the people.  Because they can read, obviously...hopefully.

Apparently she felt the need to leave this sign by her cup outside because we have a problem with cats rummaging through our garbage every night.  (This might be my fault.  I have a very difficult time remembering to take the garbage out to the alley so every morning we awake to the contents of our garbage bag dispersed along our back patio.  You would think that picking up dirty diapers and used kleenex would be enough to convince me to go out to the alley before bed, but no.  It happens every. single. morning.)  

I love chloe.  

Is this not the most beautiful boot ever made?  Too bad they are $239.  And too bad I live in Phoenix.  The injustice of it all! 

http://www.polyvore.com/miz_mooz_acting_coach_boot/thing?id=87384125

Tawni's Shower

A few friends and I threw a shower for our friend Tawni this past weekend. We went with a rain shower theme...because I love rain. And I wish we got more of it.  some might think a rain themed shower is a bit gloomy, but not when you live in AZ.  Rainy days are happy days when you live in the desert.  It was a beautiful and fun filled morning with some pretty great ladies. 

 

 I was very proud of the food.  We had crepes and quiche.  And you could fill the crepes with cream cheese filling and fresh whipped cream and a warm strawberry sauce.  Or nutella and bananas.  The food was divine.  I love cream cheese filled crepes with every fat cell of my being,

Chloe told me this morning as I was driving her to school, "Mom, I'm worried!! I don't know how to be a Mom yet! I don't know how to take care of kids."  And that she has too many things to learn. Like how to cook for them.  "The only thing I know how to make is a burrito."
Poor kid.  Must be a first child, girl thing.  She certainly is my little Mom.
She made this chart the other day for Macie and recorded when she was good and when she was bad.
I'm sure Macie appreciated it.

Palace Pets

 I have to hand it to Disney.  They found yet another way to sucker me into spending more money on princess themed paraphernalia.  I would have liked to have been in that board meeting.
"Okay.  We've made all the princesses...we've turned them all into ballerinas...we've recreated all their clothes...we've miniaturized them into little rubber things that can squeeze down the drain and clog up the bathtub...we've made toddler princesses....and princess heads with hair so they can pretend they are a hairdresser...what else can we make???"
Silence.
A voice from the back, "I know! The Princesses don't have pets yet! Or ponies!"
And thus the Palace Pets were born and marketed every 5 minutes via the Disney Channel.
Since I go to Target like 3 times a week, at least, our wandering has led us past the toy aisles and past the Palace Pets.  I bought a Palace Pet last week for our little friend's birthday party, and Macie just about died at Chuckee Cheese when we gave it away.
She has not forgotten about the Palace Pet.  Thanks to the Disney Channel commercials that play every 5 minutes.
So the last time I was in Target, the girls found the Palace Pets again and manipulated them into my cart.  I had no intention of buying them but let them hold on to them while I finished my shopping.
Well then when it time to check out, I caved, because I have an addiction to spoiling my girls.  And because I was too exhausted to carry both of them out of the store kicking and screaming.  Mostly Macie.  Chloe would have just complained incessantly about it for the next 2 days. So yes.  I failed chapter 1 of my parenting book, the part about being consistent and unmovable.  Well I take that back. I am consistent.  Consistently movable.  When it comes to getting out of a store with minimal arm pit stains and a pleasant demeanor.
So that is how we became the proud owners of 2 mini Palace Pets, Bibbidy, and Treasure (or, "Chrezr" as Chloe likes to spell it).  And the good news is there are 2 other sizes of these Palace Pets I can purchase in the future, as well as a whole stable full of ponies.  See, the pamphlet below lets me know all the available options.
My girls are obsessed with them.  Chloe drew these pictures and asked me to hang them on the ceiling.

Then she hung the pamphlets on the wall and cradled the pets on top.  Then she proceeded to the "show."
Which consists of:
1. I sit down and watch her dance.
2. Time for the petting zoo!  She gives instructions on how to pet the animals and the rules for approaching the pets. ie. no cutting, no running, no taking the pet back to your chair.
3. She tells us facts about the animals.  Chrezr likes to take bubble baths.  And I can't remember what the pony likes to do.
4. We all dance.
5.  We take a bow.

These are the rules to Chloe's Palace Pets talent show.

And Macie got some red shoes.  And I love them.

The kids found Chloe's lost make up case.  They had a hay day with it.
Also, every day Chloe comes home with one of these papers.  And I love them.   

1. Camping
We went camping with our Ward this weekend.  And I have no pictures.  Because we didn't bring a camera.  And our phones were dead.  We also didn't bring working flashlights or an air mattress big enough to fit more than one person.  But we did bring the rest of our house for a "fun" trip that lasted less than 24 hours from start to finish.
Conclusion: Camping is so not worth it.
And today I got to clean the whole mess up.  I love cleaning dutch ovens!  Especially when you realize that you are not cleaning off cobbler cement, but rather taking the "season"off of the dutch oven. I'm sure the guy we borrowed the dutch oven from, will be glad to see his dutch oven looks brand new!
And thank goodness we went on a weekend with record heat, because what is more fun than escaping your air conditioned house to go sweat in a 96 degree forest!
The highlight of the trip was when Macie's chair fell over and she gashed her ear on a rock.  I couldn't figure out why her hair and face were all wet until a few hours later when she mournfully told me how she dropped her "wata boon" (water balloon).  So gathering what information I could from a 2 year old, I gathered that she fell backwards in her chair and the water balloon broke on impact as well as her ear getting sliced by a rock.  I thought she was crying so hard because of her ear, but now I wonder if she was crying out of grief for the loss of her treasured water balloon.  Poor Macie.

2.  Adam's girlfriend made us all mole last night for dinner.  Which was a very sweet thing to do.  I sat next to Chelsey, and she was not happy about her dinner options.  She complained and complained.  And then put about 2 cups of cheese and 1 cup of sour cream on her mole to drown out the taste.  Then she wrapped it up in a tortilla which fell apart when she tried to eat it.  And that's when she gave up and left the table, presumably to go to the bathroom.  We all heard her say, "I can't believe people eat this crap."  It's a good thing Fernanda is not easily offended.

3.  I went to Chloe's school for lunch, and while I was trying to put some ketchup on a hot dog for Macie, the lunch lady came up to me and asked if I was a student.  Well I think she first assumed I was NOT a student, but then she asked just to make sure, but I still can't stop laughing to myself that she even asked.  Is there any possible way I could be confused with a 12 year old? Nobody could seriously think I was an elementary school student, even for a second, could they?  Anyway.  It seems I can't make a trip to Chloe's school without something weird happening.

Chloe and her hair...she kills me.  She has red, curly hair.  And she hates it curly. 

And she also hates when I try to help her pick out her outfit.

She told me the other night, "Mom you want me to do things like you.  But I want to be myself."

 

 We got this toy this week that I hate.  Chloe picked it out online as a prize from Don.  I had no idea it was a mini lego thing.  So it stresses me out trying to keep track of all the minuscule pieces.  Chloe and Macie love it though.  And Macie is the one I can count on to spread out the minuscule pieces throughout the house and on my camouflage carpet.  My carpet is the black hole for all things small.

 

So there's this Barbie with the toy and Chloe begged me to do her hair like the Barbie.  Including the blue bow.  And then she wanted to take a ton of pictures.

Macie is so sad when Chloe goes to school.  Every day she has  a tantrum when Chloe gets out of the car and screams "I wan go wi youuuuuuuuu!!!!!"  So I took her to her own "preschool" yesterday.  we got her little backpack out and she was so excited.  When she walked in the room with all the kids, she waved and said "Hi guys!!"  She was excited to go see her "frens."

Chloe read me a story.  Just like a teacher.

I also really like this crown.  I think she did a pretty awesome job.

1st Day

Chloe started school today.  And I didn't even cry this time!  She was so excited.  She jumped out of bed and got all ready, and you better believe she had her whole look planned out.  I think Macie is sad she doesn't get to go to school too.  And she was pretty ticked she didn't get a Minne backpack too.  I was so proud of Chloe as I watched her go into her classroom and help the other children in their class find their seat.  She is such a 1st child.  And I smiled when I saw her turn to the boy next to her in line and say confidently. "Hi, I'm Chloe Mortensen."  Man I love that kid.   

Me: "Chloe, let's make a goal to be on time every day this school year."
Chloe: "hmmmm....how about just on p.e. days?"

We are really shooting for the stars.

Chloe likes to make treasure maps.  See, here is the map.  Then above that is the "x" that marks the spot.  And when I lifted up the blanket I found some notes for all of us.  I don't know who they are from though...it says frum noBute.  It's a mystery for sure.

Also tonight was meet the teacher.  We are very excited.  Chloe got the teacher she wanted.  And she was able to see some of her friends from last year.  I asked her if she was excited.  She told me, "Yes...but I am also a little nervous.  I am surrounded by boys...and I sit next to Joel.  He's the one with the boogers." 
I'd probably be nervous about that as well.
But we're gross (see below post) so it's all good.

Another Mortifying Shopping Trip

First off, Chloe had her last swim meet of the season.  She beat all her times, or tied them.  She didn't place in the top 8, but we are proud of her for beating her own records.  Poor kid slammed her head into the edge of the pool doing backstroke.  I felt sort of responsible being that I told her to swim her fastest at the end and to not worry about slamming her head at the end, someone would catch her.  Well they didn't.  I guess swimming is a contact sport.  We would like her to keep swimming through the school year but she doesn't seem too keen on the idea.  She told me she wanted to not do swim meets anymore.  Guess she has more important things to do.  Like watch Netflix.  So we'll see.  

 I took the girls back to school shopping today.  Macie found a dog purse, a barbie, and a single lip gloss from heaven knows where (and ate the contents therein).  And Chloe found this outfit.  I strategically purged said purse and Barbie whilst she was distracted by something else shiny and new.
When we were checking out, I put Macie up on the counter while I paid.  Then I grabbed my bag and proceeded to leave.  As soon as I picked up my bag and removed Macie, the cashier got out Kleenex and instant hand sanitizer and proceeded to wipe down the counter where Macie had sat. Well I certainly felt like I belonged with the dregs of society.
I mean I get it, but sheesh it was a little humiliating.  She could have at least waited until I was out of eye sight!  Once again, another shopping trip with my kids where I bow my head in shame and book it to the nearest exit.  Also, it was Kohls.  Not Neiman Marcus.  So ya.  I guess we are gross.

And as soon as summer started...it is ending.  School starts in less than a week.  But lucky for us, the heat will stick around much longer.
Chloe spent the last few days down in St. David with her cousins, having the time of her life. If you've read "These is My Words" than you will be interested in knowing this is the area in which the story takes place.  I just kept picturing Captain Jack Elliot on his horse, and then I would sigh.
  I went and picked Chloe up yesterday and stayed overnight.  We love it down there.  It is much cooler and the kids can play outside all day, riding the pro hauler and talking to the goats and cows. 
They wanted me to do their hair in princess buns, an appropriate hairstyle for life on the farm.
I told them to pose for a picture, and of course I didn't get the hair.  Chloe held up a mirror so that I could be in the picture...it was a nice thought.
Yesterday the kids picked up sticks in the pecan orchard and Grandpa paid them when we were leaving.  Macie was given a dollar, and she ripped it in half less than 5 minutes later.  That kid just doesn't understand the value of a dollar...or maybe she does.
We are so lucky to have fantastic grandparents, both sides.