Elizabeth's Concerns about Heaven

Lately I've been showing the kids lots of old photos and video clips, some of them from before Elizabeth was born. She keeps asking where she is in the pictures, and I tell her she was in heaven. She does not like that our family existed for a while without her, and I think the whole "you were still in heaven" concept has been a little disconcerting to her. This week we started talking a lot about how we're going to go camping in Big Bend National Park on Saturday, and Lizza's all worried she's going to miss it because we're going to send her back to heaven somehow.

Whenever we mention Big Bend, she gets a worried look on her face and with panic in her voice says "I want to go - I don't want to be in heaven!!" Every day she asks me when we're going to leave and then she won't let it rest until I assure her that we're totally planning on taking her, and she doesn't have to be in heaven for this one.

I guess she figures that if she missed out on fun family activities by being in heaven before, who's to say it's not going to happen again?

I should probably do some sort of FHE lesson on the topic, so she can get a better understanding of The Plan, etc. I've never met a 2-year old so resentful of the time they spent in heaven and so determined to never go back.

Fancy Nancy comes to Pflugerville

We have recently become big fans of Fancy Nancy around here. I had never even heard of her until my mom came to visit and gave the first Fancy Nancy book to Rachel for her birthday. It was a huge hit.

I used to only see Rachel's girly side once in a while, but Miss Nancy has definitely brought out Rachel's inner "fancy".

Here are Elizabeth and Rachel dressed up like Fancy Nancy:





Rachel loves the way her fancy shoes sound on the tile. When she dresses up like Fancy Nancy, she likes me to call her "Rachey Pachey":



Elizabeth has always loved being fancy, and is thrilled that now there's a whole book about it. She prefers to just be called "Fancy". She thinks that's Nancy's first name:

Fancy Nancy: A Reading by Rachel Mott

Here is Rachel "reading" from her new book. I was impressed with how many of the words she actually remembered. (Yes, I am still giving her reading lessons, but no, we are not quite to this level. This is pure memorization):

A little Fancy Nancy dance. But first, a few points:

1) My favorite part is when Lizzy says to Rachel, "Rachey, make sure you don't touch the TV!", and then to me, "Mom, I made sure Rachey don't touch TV!". We recently got a new TV and had a little talk about how the kids should never touch it, and Elizabeth has taken it upon herself to be the TV police. Before Henry was born, she always told me about how when the baby came out of my tummy, she was never going to let him touch the TV. She has kept it very safe.

2) Will somebody please teach my children how to dance?




And the fancy dancers kick it up a notch:

Poor Lizza had to deal with a lot of wardrobe problems. Notice the switching of the shoes at some time during the clip. Lizza never really recovers from the shoe issues, but Rachel kept right on dancing. Or whatever that is she was doing.

Blessing Day - 9/7/08

Daniel blessed Henry a few weeks ago in church.

Here he is in all his finery. Notice how he is holding onto his thumbs for dear life. He has been doing that since he was born - he pretty much never lets go of them. I think it's super cute.




I thought I'd take a nice picture of all five kids together before we left for church:



Silly me - I hadn't learned yet that there's no such thing as a "nice picture of all five kids together." This was the best I could come up with.

Football Season

The boys had their first football games on Saturday. We had to drive down to San Antonio, which is 1 1/2 hours away. I think the rest of our games this season are a little closer to home, thank goodness. We left at 7:00 in the morning and didn't get back until 3:15. And we were sitting in the hot, hot sun from 9:00 until 1:30. (They each had a game, and the games each lasted 1 1/2 hours, and we had to be there early to practice). Luckily, at the last minute before we left, I thought to bring a big umbrella, and I rigged it to the chain-link fence on the edge of the bleachers, so the kids and I could huddle in some shade while we watched the games. I don't think Henry would have survived if I hadn't brought it. And the snacks kept the girls alive. I think they ate the whole time. Does anyone else agree that grapes are just the best thing in the world when you're outside and hot and thirsty and hungry? I love taking grapes to things like this. We ate a whole big huge bag.

The boys had fun playing, but I think it was a bit harder than they thought it would be. And poor Tristan was near tears at the end of his, because he had thought he had gotten 3 tackles and was so excited about it, but then found out that they didn't really count because he was just jumping on the pile at end and wasn't really the guy who did the tackle. It's hard for me to watch both of them out there when I can tell they're trying so hard to do something, but they don't know where they're supposed to be going, so they kind of run around tentatively and then don't end up doing anything. I guess this is how they learn.



Oliver before his game. When I see him out there on the field, he doesn't look like my little chunker anymore, and I realize he's growing up.


Daniel trying to get the kids somewhat organized during the game. Is it just me, or does #88 on the other team seem a little big?


Half-time pep talk from Dad.


Tristan getting ready for his game. He's so happy to be playing tackle this year. I don't think they give them near enough pads. I don't know how he survives out there. I guess they just do.



I know he feels very tough in his helmet and all his gear, and yet, I can still see those gorgeous long eyelashes peeking through. I love this kid!


Tristan in action (#7)


Henry watching the games from his carseat. He wasn't quite sure what to make of all of the excitement, but he was a very good sport. Thanks to the big umbrella I was able to keep him in the shade the whole time.


Ollie decided to give Rachel a little reading lesson during Tristan's game. What fun kids I have!

Holding Henry and Other Things We Did in August

I thought I'd do a big photo update to show what we've been up to lately.

HOLDING HENRY:
We spend a lot of time doing this. Everyone fights for their turn.

Here's our little man at two weeks old:


And again at three weeks:

And by one month old he was ready to watch his first BYU football game. Go Cougars!





OTHER THINGS WE DID IN AUGUST:

*Said goodbye to family and friends

Here the kids are with Grandma Orva and Uncle David before they left to go back to Utah. We had so much fun while they were here!

That same day we also had to say goodbye to our friends the Bates, who moved to Utah. It was a sad day. I'm hoping that someday we will move or they will move and we will miraculously end up next-door neighbors again like we were meant to be. (Note to the Bates: Lizza wants William back. She asks about you guys daily, and has started mentioning your whole family in her prayers. Just so you know.)


*Relaxed at the pool


*Got thrown in the pool by Dad

Rachel much preferred this:

And was not a big fan of this:

Or this:



*Practiced flag football in the backyard

So we could be ready for this (real football practice):




Tristan's playing tackle now. He loves it. I can't watch.

Oliver started flag this year. He loves it. Daniel coaches him.


*Waited for rain



*And waited for rain some more. . .

*And then played in the rain when it finally came