Catch Up

Levi's birthday was on June 22nd. Matt made his famous chocolate cake and we put 3 candles on top. He is just a joyous little guy. He's always got something up his sleeve, and as Papa Bill put it "he's a good little boy, but he's just a little bit mean!" He's perfect as far as I'm concerned. He has a laugh like wild windchimes, and the softest skin I've ever felt. He loves juice, putting his blankie in the freezer so it can be "nice and cold," and he wants to wear overalls everyday just like Max from Max and Ruby, which he watches every morning. Matt and I love him like we love oxygen, and are so happy to have him in our family. We love you, Levi!! Oh, BTW, Levi's favorite present for his birthday is a "Go Diego Go" car that he roars around the house in. You should have seen his face when he saw it for the first time. The boy loves anything with an engine...takes after his Grandpa. Later that month, the Fowler family got together in Pine Valley for our annual family reunion. The kids played on the slip n slide, made fairy houses, dress-up, they hiked, rode 3 wheelers, and just had the times of their lives. Of course the grown-ups had fun, too, but who has more fun than a bunch of cousins!!?? That's right...no one. PS I can never ever get the pictures right! Anyone have any ideas??

Generations

The other day, my Grandpa came to our house for dinner. He is 94 years old, and has been a part of my life since I took my first breath. I have had the unfortunate opportunity to see many people I love dearly fade away, either in death or in strained family relationships. But he is someone I can look to as a constant. He is always kind, patient and loving. He has the sort of stubborn pride and a non-complaing attitude that only people of his generation seemed to possess. He has an amazing sense of humor...one that shined through even after he hurt himself horribly in two separate falls. I love you, Grandpa Owens! This month has been a good one so far. Matt had a week of Vacation, and so we had a STAYCATION!! We had planned to go to Disneyland, but didn't at the last minute....and it was a pretty good time. Of note was our trip to the Hansen Planetarium. Something cool there is a 3D movie about the animals in the ocean. I have never seen anything so cool, and Levi and Clara kept reaching out to try to touch the fish swimming through the air. One of the pictures I have posted here is worth a bit of commentary. Matt came running downstairs last week and told me to come upstairs with him. I went up, and saw my two little angels in bed together cuddled up like a Bougereau painting. Enjoy!

Forever

Today, I was making cheese sandwhiches for lunch, when Levi came up to me and said "Ma, you go to Heaven?" I said "No, I'll stay here with you." Clara piped in, "Mom, you're not gonna get very old, are you? "No, I'll stay with you forever" I said. Then she said "Oh good, because you're just a perfect mom for us." I had to go give them both kisses on their heads. I am the luckiest girl in all the world to be surrounded with such love every day!

Clara was recently in our community production of "The Wizard of Oz" Or, if you happen to be named Levi, it was "The Lizard of Oz." She was in the Lullabye League, and in my opinion was the cutest kid on the stage.

Not a long post today. Everyone's cute, healthy, happy and fine.

Unbirthdays, Birthdays, Parties, Cakes, Presents........

April was a month of celebration for our family. First of all...although it does seem like the White Witch has taken over the land, it IS Springtime, and for that I'm always grateful. At the beginning of the month, we got together with Candy and Bill at Kip and Lynette's house for a huge, combined "Unbirthday" wingding for all the April birthdays in our family. (And, may I say "thank you" to Katie and Joe for adding yet another April miracle to our family. Lottie Kate is gorgeous!!) On April 19th, we had a million little girls at our house for a party. We made pizza, jumped on the trampoline, swung on the swings, played musical chairs, colored princess pictures, opened presents, ate gumdrop cake...what more could you ask for?? Clara is like Duddykins from Harry Potter. She got more presents than any 5-year-old child has a right to. But since she's such a nice little girl, I suppose it's OK. Levi was at the party, too, and he took the musical chairs very, very, very seriously. The look on his face was pure determination, but alas! He lost, and cried for an hour. In about 12 years, he'll wish he wasn't such a baby at the party when all Clara's friends are beautful teenagers!! Heather was darling, and loved all the attention she got from everyone. All in all it was a great month...and I'm so grateful for the lovely microcosm of joy we have here in our yellow house.

Adieu

St. Patrick's, Easter, Cousins, Fun, Sun, WAHOOO

I grew up in a house that had a "Christmas Plant" instead of a Christmas Tree. So, although I love the holidays, I don't really know how to celebrate them. Luckily for me I married a guy who knows just what to do. On St. Patrick's day Clara and Levi both wrote letters to the leprechauns, and set out milk and cookies on top of four-leaf-clover cutouts. When they woke up in the morning, the leprechauns had come and turned the milk and cookies green! Then they made footprints all over the notes and left some gold coins (all right, Sacajawea half dollars!). Clara about flipped out. This is the first year that she really understands the holidays and she is so cute. She ran into my room very early in the morning and said with saucer-eyes, "Mom, I'm very surprised!" "The leprechauns came to our house and turned everything green!" She wouldn't touch either the green milk or cookies because she was afraid that it would make her skin turn green. Levi was thrilled about the green milk, and kept saying, "Uh Oh!!"

Easter followed hard upon, and it was equally as fun. I really am afraid that our kids are growing up with their heads filled with too much "magic." But I also know that they're only young once, and someday they'll remember this perfect world they live in and want it back. We went to St. George over the weekend. Levi and Clara did a lot of hiking and arrowhead hunting with Papa Bill and Aunt Betsy, easter egg decorating and hunting, playing with the Smith cousins, and just having the times of their lives.

After we got home, my sister and her family came to stay for a few days...

There was more playing, going for long walks outside on the first truly warm day of the year, going to Leatherby's for ice cream sundaes, sleepovers, and watching the movie "Enchanted" at least 100 times. Heather was amazingly mellow through all the hoopla. She hardly cried at all, and was passed from one adoring cousin to the next. She was so thrilled to be where all the action was. What a lucky life we lead. I was once asked if I could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? A long time ago, I would have had a long list that included Tahiti, Thailand, Paris, Spain, and the like. Now, I'm perfectly content to be wherever my family is. Love to you all.

Heather's Blessing Day

Heather was blessed yesterday. She is such a dear little baby, who always has a big "2 toothed" smile for anyone she sees. May I just say that I am so relieved that Spring is almost here. We have tulips peeking up, and practically every tree and shrub I planted will flower at one time or another. Since we planted everything last September, it will be a grand surprise. I just found out last Friday from Kjersten at the park (we shivered as our kids played OUTSIDE in the first "warmish day" of season) that there are a bunch of you who blog. To all of you, Hello! Since we are all new here, I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you better. Here are some pictures from yesterday.

Valentine's Day and the rest of February

Matt had the day off on Valentine's Day, so I awoke to find a million yellow roses in a vase, flower petals all over the floor, and the kids shoving their mouths so full of candy that they were drooling. It was a good day. During the past month, Heather has gotten cuter and fatter and pinker. She is developing a personality. If she has a toy and it falls on the floor she cries angrily until she gets it back. She's a dear little baby. Levi is learning to speak a lot better. His favorite things to say are "Whas yer name?" Then he answers "I'm bumblebee" or "I'm Autumn Suman!" (Autumn is Clara's friend from down the street.) His other favorite thing to do is LOAD his diaper and then after I've changed him, and kindly let him know that if he had gone in the potty, he could have had a sucker, he'll run to his potty and squeeze out a chocloate chip....and then he gets a sucker. Clara, as always is funny and smart. She has said three things that I actually had to cover my mouth so she wouldn't think I was laughing at her.

1. We were at Target buying a present for a B-day Party. When we got to the Barbie aisle, she spied something she has been hearing about in commercials nonstop for the last month. She yelled, "LOOK MOM! It's Mariposa!! She's IN STORES NOW!!!"
2. The day before Valentine's Day, I asked her what she would like to have. She said, "I think I'd like to have a ring. And you know where there're lots of rings? At Kay Jewelers!"
3. I've been teaching her the different bones in the body. Yesterday she fell out of her chair onto her bum, and she started to cry. She got up slowly, rubbing her bottom and said, "Oh, Mom, I just fell on my ischial tuberosities!"

So that's it for this time. All is well here. The tulips are beginning to peak out, and even though it snowed a few inches yesterday Spring is almost here!!