Easter Sunday

The girls with their basket. The Easter Bunny gave them the movie "Tangled."
Last year the secretary in Ben's office told the girls a little secret about the Easter Bunny. She told the girls that the Easter Bunny has a magic watering can. And if you plant jelly beans he can make them grow into Lolly Pops! So We had to try it, and it worked! So this year, when we told Charley Easter was coming up, all she wanted to do was plant jelly beans so she could get lolly pops. We even got her to clean her toy room and bedroom....we said the Easter Bunny wont come to a messy house....it worked like a charm....she literally cleaned it all by herself, and I didn't even have to tell her twice. So each of the girls got to plant 3 jelly beans.
This was taken after Church, but they are still cute as ever! I did have matching pink dresses the girls got from Christmas. But when I asked Charley what she wanted to wear, she wanted to wear her green dress. I didn't want to force them to match if they didn't want to....those days may be over....sad....I really like matching them....but don't worry....I will still try! The dress Gabby is wearing is one of Charley's old dresses. It's a 2T....it is a little big, but it was too cute on her for her not to wear it!
By the end of the day we were zonked! ....Gabby was zonked before then....this was after church. I guess sugar couldn't even keep this girl up!

We hope everyone had a great Easter holiday!

law school grad

Congrats Atuaia Family. They all survived a JD/MPA...I think they all get credit!

Mark & Liz

Ben met Mark his first day of law school. And the rest is history...they are best buds! We even lived across the street from them when we were in Wymount, and his little girl and Charley are really good friends.
The candy easter egg lei's I made for the family....the kids got the easter eggs, and Liz got the chocolate. I figured Mark would get enough, but the family deserved one as well....I think they turned out cute.

Mark at graduation....he's the bald one!!

We have been very lucky to know this amazing family. Mark started law school the same time Ben did, but then after his law school experience, he decided to continue on and get a joint degree, an MPA. He has the sweetest wife, and the cutest kids. We are so excited for them! They have been great friends, and I'm glad we were able to attend his graduation.

Easter Eggs

This is Charley's "hurry & take the picture" smile
Gabby about gave me a panic attack with the dye....and she is so quick. So after a few minutes I gave her a plastic egg with stickers. It held her over until we were done!

Discovery Kids Museum

The girls loved the kids sized house!

We went with these fun people! We love that Charlie and Susan will make time to see us when they come to Utah, even though they already have a booked schedule!

the helicopter they were able to play in

Brianna and Gabby....the new news anchors for KSL Channel 5

dare devils!

On the farm at the discovery!

Playing with water

Cooking in the cute little play kitchen....now if only they could do that for real!

Dinosaur Museum

Schramma told Charley she could pick a fun place for us all to go....where did she pick, but the Dinosaur Museum!....her favorite place of course!

Fancy Little Girls

When we were back home for Christmas, we were going through some old boxes and we found my older sister's and mine regalia from when we were little. They were perfectly Charley and Gabby's size. I meant to bring them back with me so my girls could wear them to the pow wow (don't worry Brooktynn, I wasn't going to keep yours...just borrow it). But I forgot them. I called my mom to have Jordan bring it out with her when she came out. But instead of sending out mine, she surprised the girls with new ones she made them!

My mom made Charley a little fancy shawl dress, and Gabby a Southern cloth traditional. They fit perfect, and they looked adorable! We took the girls to the pow wow to the Friday night and Saturday morning sessions. We had them dance with the Tiny Tots. They were so cute! And they looked so good! My future little Living Legends!

Glory Days

Pictured above: Lohi, Eva, Jordan, Me, Charmay,Channy

Chauma, Me, Jordan
Crystal and I

Michele and I before the DeJong Show

The alumni Fancy girls. Us, along with the current Living Legend girls danced the Women's Fancy during the Heritage Week show.

Las week I relived my college glory days. And I have to tell you, it was fun! When I was in college, I danced for a group called Living Legends. It showcased Native American, Latin American, and Polynesian traditional dances. I danced with them for 3 years. While I was in there I was able to dance all over the US including Alaska, Washington, New Mexico, and Washington DC. I also toured for a month in South Africa, and danced in all the different venues during the SLC 2002 Winter Olympics...including the Opening Ceremonies. This last week was the 40 year reunion of when Laminite Generation (the original name)/Living Legends first started.....in the 1970's. My sister, Jordan, was in it with me one year, and came out during her spring break to join in all the fun. We wanted to go watch the LL show, but by the time we decided to go, it was sold out. The only way for us to watch it was to actually be in it. So that is what we did. We spent Thursday morning of the show running through the fancy routine. We had a lunch break, then spacing at the DeJong. I had the girls with me, and they were great the whole day. I drove them home to stay with Ben before Jordan and I were off for the show. It was a amazing feeling dancing in the DeJong Concert Hall again. I'm glad I was able to experience it again.

After the show they had a little mix & mingle at the Student Center. They reserved the terrace for the event and it was litterally packed with old LL alumn! I loved seeing all my old friends. It was fun to see us all at a different stage in our lives, and being able to reconnect.

The rest of the weekend was full of alumni activities. Saturday morning I took Charley to the alumni showcase. I wanted her to see what it was all about.

We also took the girls to the Pow Wow where both the girls danced in their new regalia, and I danced hoop. It was a great weekend. I can't wait for the 50 year...hopefully we all wont wait that long!

Super Powers

So I have already started to forget bits and pieces of this conversation, but here it is anyway....

For the last little bit, I will catch Charley doing something out of the corner of my eye, and she is in shock when she gets caught! I tell her I have eyes in the back of my head. I can kind of tell she believes me, but she always questions. I just tell her all moms have eyes in the back of their heads.

Well the other day Charley asks Ben a question and he answers her. She tells Ben, "Wow, you know everything! And did you know mom has eyes in the back of her head? she can see everything!"

It's confirmed....Ben knows everything, and I can see everything!

Sisters

Charley has been sick the last few days with a runny nose, cough, and fever. And last night a few hours after Gabby went to sleep, she woke up with the worst sounding cough. It was so bad, she almost couldn't breathe. I was going to be up all night worried about her, so we just decided to take her mattress and put it in our room so I could keep an eye on her all night.

Later in the night Ben wakes me up because he had heard Charley crying, and a light was on. Gabby had fallen off her mattress, so I get up to put her back on, and Ben goes to see where Charley was. She was in the living room, sitting on the couch with the light on crying. She tells Ben, "I don't know where Gabby is, where is my sister? She's not our room, I want her."

It was so sad. So Ben brings her in our room to show her Gabby was okay. And I go and grab a bunch of blankets to make a little pad on the floor and have Charley sleep with us as well.

I know they probably go through their stages of a love/hate relationship as they get older, but it is a good feeling knowing that they really do love each other.

St. Patricks Day

Today I thought I would be a cool mom and make our girls a green breakfast! Well, granted, the girls are smiling in the pictures....they would NOT eat the green eggs or toast. I even pulled out the "Green Eggs and Ham" book and thought I could change their mind. But nope, they just ate the sausage. (For green toast, mix milk with food color and paint on the bread before you toast it....and you get green toast! it is a fun activity with different colors as well....they can "paint" their bread then eat it!...a fun snack idea)

After breakfast we got ready to meet some little friends we are starting to do pre-school with at the Animal Farm...for the Animal unit.

Ummm...Charley is a little diva!

I still can't get over how big these girls are getting....and so pretty!

And we can't go to the animal farm with out ridding the ponies!

Charley wasn't so excited I was videoing her, but Gabby was....girls are funny!

Just pics

We got Charley a new/used bike off KSL. So Gabby inherited Charley's old bike. She hasn't quite figured out that she need to push on the peddles, so we still have to push her.
Ben and I were talking the other day, on how our kids are growing up too fast. Seriously, where did our babies go?

Gamer

Gabby discovered where Dad keeps his controllers & headphones for his XBox. She is trying so hard to keep the headphones on! ....and I think it is hilarious that she had her teeth passy in!