One Day at a Time

What I Learned This Week ...

2012-02-17T14:02:00.000-08:00

I am taking a language development class. Keep reading ... I promise this post is mildly fascinating.

We were learning about stress syllables this week, and how babies and toddlers use stress syllables to begin learning the rules of the language that they hear. In the English language most two-syllable words are stressed: STRONG, weak ... like AFter or DAddy.

Get the idea ... here comes the cool part ...

When toddlers are learning to talk they take the strong syllable and duplicate it. This means that DAddy becomes DADA and BOttle becomes BABA. Now imagine a three-syllable word like banana- the stress emphasis is: weak, STRONG, weak. So we say it: baNAna. And even with three syllables toddlers still pick up on the strong syllable and duplicate it, turning baNAna into NANA!

Fascinating right!?! Pay attention to the way a toddler talks the next time you are around one- they are learning all kinds of amazing language skills!

TRY

2012-02-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

"She has a lot of TRY!"

Have you ever heard this expression before? I hadn't until a recent conversation with the hubs about a book titled The Try, that he discussed in class. It is an old cowboy saying. Used in this way, TRY is transformed from a verb into a noun. It is a fascinating concept.

A person with TRY gives everything she's got, overcomes the odds, has a work ethic like nothing you have seen before, makes necessary sacrifices to succeed, rises above the grime of the world, turns the ordinary into the magical, has a plan, has integrity, is powerful in a quiet but determined way, feels purpose in every day, is a warrior in her life.

Fascinating right!?! Don't you want to do more than try, but have TRY now? I have been thinking a lot about this idea, and not only do I want to have TRY, I want my children to have TRY. I want them to be warriors, to have a plan that they sacrifice for, to have integrity, to feel purpose in everything they do, and to rise above the grime of the world.

But how do we teach our children to have TRY? How do we teach them that there is more to life than weathering the storm? How do we teach them to thrive and overcome the odds and stretch themselves beyond what they think they are capable of? This is just one of the many challenges of motherhood. How do we become a woman with TRY and then teach our children how they too can become a person who has a lot of TRY?

Just some food for thought ...

Dear "STATS" Tab

2012-01-26T11:49:00.000-08:00

I have been avoiding my blog. Like the plague. I haven't been too busy to blog, and we have even had a few sweet moments at our house this month that I normally would have photographed and blogged about, but I did something terrible a few weeks ago ...

I tried to redesign my blog.

That's not the terrible part. The terrible part came as I was looking at all the "Dynamic" blog designs and thinking to myself, "Yes, I do believe I would like for my blog to be more dynamic. This is going to be fun ..." and then I saw it. A little tab off to the side that said "STATS". I do not recommend that you ever click on this tab ever. Ever. Just take my word for it.

Needless to say, if you are reading this post you are one of two people who will read my blog this week. I don't really have anything witty or cheerful to say about that. In fact, I would like address my despair in a productive way ...

Dear "STATS" tab,
You are worse than my unforgiving full length mirror that adds five pounds to my rear end. You have ruined my blissful disregard for my absolute irrelevance. You have awakened the need in me to have my voice heard. To say something that actually matters. To do more than report the daily comings and goings of the Rice family, but to find some sort of meaning that relates to humanity and draws people to laugh and cry and feel rage and joy ... darn you "STATS" tab. You have ruined blogging for me.

Sincerely,
One Depressed Blogger

So there it is. I have been avoiding my blog. I can't seem to find the words to describe all the things I am learning, all the joy I experience, all the pain I feel, all the people I love ... at least not in a relevant or meaningful way.

Monterey Bay

2012-01-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

Monterey Bay is one of my favorite places on the planet.

I say that about a lot of places, don't I?

I guess any place where I can be with both my loves is my favorite place on the planet.

Our little family took a mini vacation to Monterey to play at the Dennis the Menace Park, visit the aquarium, and play at the beach. It was the perfect way to end 2011 and a nice get-away before this baby makes her debut next month.

Dennis the Menace Park ... Look at the bliss on Larkin's face.

The aquarium ... SO MUCH FUN!

The Children's Museum ... Larkin's favorite was talking on the phone. Seriously.

The beach ... we would feed the birds so that Larkin could chase them. Feed the birds so Larkin could chase them. Feed the the birds so that ... you get the idea ...

I love these two!

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

2011-12-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

(please enjoy my 3rd grade rhyming abilities)

.........

'Twas the week before Christmas and we headed out

To wait to see Santa. To pose and to pout.

The squeals of a toddler were heard through the town

As Grandma got in her car and drove down.

We saw choo choo trains and played till we dropped

We ate pie and drank cocoa until we all popped!

We danced in the street and sang Christmas songs.

We wished for the loved ones we missed to sing 'long.

When Christmas was near we played games all day

We dressed up like reindeer who pull Santa's sleigh.

We dressed up in costumes and put on a play

About baby Jesus who was born Christmas day.

We unwrapped our presents and squealed with delight

As each shiny package revealed a new sight.

Santa came and he went, that jolly old man,

but we are counting days 'till it's Christmas again!

May this new year be full of blessings and family.

May our days all be peaceful and healthy and happy.

Until in 365 days

We can celebrate Christmas again in new ways.

The First "Nowhere" ...

2011-12-20T04:34:00.000-08:00

Larkin loves to sing Christmas songs. I am amazed at all the songs she knows this year. Granted, we have Christmas songs playing every day at our house in December, but still ... she knows the words to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells (she learned this one last year), Deck the Halls, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Silver Bells, Away in a Manger, Up on the Housetop, White Christmas, The Hippopotamus song, and a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

I had to laugh yesterday when The First Noel came on the radio in the car and she belted out the chorus from the back seat, "Nowhere! NOWHERE! Nowhere! NOWHERE!"

I still smile when I think about her singing "Nowhere" instead of "Noel" :)

Christmas Lights

2011-12-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is doing a Christmas lights tour. Some years we drive, some years we walk, but whether they are fancy, over-the-top, or simple, looking at Christmas lights is a magical way to spend an evening during the Christmas season!

This year we made the trip back to Rocklin to spend the evening with our good friends the Mills. It has been WAY too long since we have gotten together, and it was wonderful to spend the evening visiting and driving around spying houses donned in lights.

(These two monkeys LOVED the lights ... the third back-seat-monkey declined to have his photo taken :)

The highlight of the evening for Larkin was holding baby Emmi! She talked about "that sweet baby" all the way home, and has begged every day to go back to our old house so we can walk to baby Emmi's house. (Walking to the Mill's house was a regular thing when we lived in Rocklin, but how she remembers this is beyond me!)

I am so grateful for good friends and family to spend the holidays with!

and as a PS:

Thank you to everyone who will double their PG&E bill for December because of all the lights they hung this month ... I appreciate this pricey but fun tradition!

2011-12-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

What happens when Grandma and Grandpa Rice come to visit?

Grandma reads you lots and lots of books ...

You get your hair done ...

You do a little yard work ...

You get to act like a monkey at the zoo ...

You get to ride on a train ...

You take a carriage ride with all your cousins ...

You play with your food ...

You get to eat treats as big as your head ...

You get to help decorate the Christmas tree ...

Thanksgiving

2011-12-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

I love the holiday season!

How can you not love a holiday that is dedicated to an amazing dinner and acknowledging your blessings?!?

This year we were blessed with a house full of family for Thanksgiving!

Scot made dinner, and it was fantastic!

We had pie coming out our ears! It was out of control!

The whole day was magical!

I always forget to take pictures of the decorations before we dig in and start having fun, so here it is ... our Thanksgiving spread in pictures ...

I am so grateful for the blessings I have received this year. Having family fill our house for the holiday season brings me such joy!

I will post pictures of Grandma and Grandpa Rice's visit soon ... it was a busy ten days filled with lots of adventures!

SuPeR gIrL!

2011-11-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Halloween was a blast this year!

Look at this girl go ... it was her first year trick-or-treating, and she loved every little candy coated moment of it!

... and I have enjoyed helping her eat her fun sized snickers bars ...

I love this funny little super hero!

The Little Things

2011-10-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy week.

I have found myself searching for little things, simple things, to find joy in. This morning it was this ...

The back story: my mom planted some sunflowers in our yard-o-rock this summer. They grew and grew and then died. Scot tied them up and left their dead heads hanging on the fence. It felt like some cruel torture spectacle, and I thought several times about cutting them down and giving them a proper burial.

Then one day I noticed a little bird pecking away at the sunflower head. Larkin and I watched with excitement as big birds and little birds came and ate from our dead sunflowers for weeks ... then daddy brought home this little feeder and helped Larkin fill it up with seeds and hang it on the fence. It has been hanging there for a week with little to no action ... I was starting to think the birds didn't like the new menu.

... then this morning two little birds perched on our bird feeder and ate at our little bird buffet. I squealed, and Larkin and daddy and I watched as the little birds ate and ate.

It was such a little thing, but it made my day!

H-A-Double L-O-W-Double E-N

2011-10-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

We threw a little costume party.

We decorated the whole house.

We dressed up.

We carved pumpkins.

We had so much fun we forgot to take pictures.

(Below is one of the only photos of the evening, and I think Scot took it)

I heart Halloween!

Bangkok Garden

2011-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with Thai cuisine in Salt Lake City of all places. We lived in Sugar House for a few years, right down the street from this tiny little whole in the wall Thai place called Tasty Thai. I was skeptical the first time we walked up to the refurbished gas station turned Thai restaurant, but one bite of my Tamarind Chicken and I was in Thai food heaven!

Since living in California I have hunted and hunted for a good Thai restaurant ... who would have guessed that I would find another fantastic Thai place within walking distance of my house!?!

Bangkok Garden (3230 Arena Blvd. Ste 215) is a fun little whole in the wall that serves up delicious Thai cuisine for a reasonable price! Love this place! This summer I ate at Bangkok Garden regularly. The soups and noodles were just the thing that my pregnant tummy needed.

Saying that I eat at Bangkok Garden is a little misleading. Since I live so close, I always call ahead and order my food, walk to the restaurant, and bring my food home to eat it. I'm a bit of a home-body, so this set up is perfect for me. The restaurant is adorable though. It's a tiny space packed with rich colors and decor, and the staff is always super friendly.

I heart Pad Thai, and Bangkok Garden's pad thai is fabulous! Their Tom Kha soup is delicious, and the Tom Yum soup is to die for! I love the menu at Bangkok Garden because it is broken up to allow you to put any sauce on any meat or vegetable for your entree. Genius!

If you are hungry for Thai food I recommend Bangkok Gardens if you are in Sacramento ... be sure to stop by my house while you are in the neighborhood!

The best Thai food I've had is still Tasty Thai in Salt Lake City, but Bangkok Gardens is a tad closer these days and yummy enough to blog about!

Pumpkin Hunting

2011-10-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin hunting is a tradition at our house. We love to tromp around in the dirt and pick the pumpkins we will adopt and bring home to spend the holidays with us.

Picking a pumpkin is serious business, but we try to have a little fun while we are at it ...

Larkin wanted to sit on every big pumpkin she found.

She told me before we headed to the pumpkin farm that she was going to pick a yellow pumpkin ... she looked at a hundred pumpkins (at least), and finally found the perfect yellow pumpkin, which she promptly traded for my green pumpkin as soon as she saw it.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself ...

First, we did some rocking horse riding ... Yeehaw!

We posed for a family picture.

Take a moment to appreciate this picture ... I never post pictures of myself while I am pregnant. I'm sure you think I look exactly the same, but please don't ever say that to my face. Some women get cute little prego tummies- I get prego EVERYTHING ... prego arms, face, legs ... so appreciate this one. It's a rare gem!

We climbed a few trees ...

well, really Larkin clung to the branch where daddy perched her.

We ran and jumped in the hay!

We rode the train, and fed the goats, and played some more, and finally we found our pumpkins. Larkin stole mine, but I found another one, and Scot picked three, so all in all it was a successful pumpkin hunt!

The Greatest Show on Earth!

2011-09-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

The circus came to town just in time for Scot's birthday this year!

We were a little concerned about how Larkin would like it, so we talked it up all week.

The day of the circus, I don't know who was more excited ... Scot, or Larkin!

Just look at their faces!

Larkin loved the circus! She was entranced by the costumes and lights and music and loved every moment of the night!

Happy Birthday Scot!

Thanks for letting us tag along for such a magical adventure!

A Perfect Day

2011-09-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

Do you know those perfect days? ... the days when everything goes perfectly? ... Yeah, I don't either most of the time, which is why this day is worth pausing to note.

There was nothing all that amazing about the day, but in it's normal unfolding it just turned out perfectly!

We started out by grocery shopping. I made Larkin a shopping list with pictures of milk and eggs and some of the fruit and other food we needed ...

As you can see, she was busy writing on her list while I cruised around the store filling the basket with our goodies. As I would pull something off the shelf I would say, "Okay, we got the olives, cross olives off your list." and she would scribble with her pen on her list. It was the best shopping trip we've had in months!

We spent some time in the afternoon walking over to the park and collecting leaves and swinging and collecting more leaves.

When we got home had dinner and a family home evening on listening. We talked about using our ears to listen and made a silly listening hat with giant ears ...

We played "Mommy Says" and sang "Do as I'm Doing" and had brownies and ice cream for a treat.

Then it was into the bath tub and scriptures and prayers and bed time ...

Doesn't that sound like a perfectly ordinary day. It was. But everyone was happy and as we moved through the day together I was grateful for so many perfectly simple happy moments.

Ernesto's Mexican Food

2011-09-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is the first post of many to come where I will feature restaurants in the Sacramento area that we try and either like, or dislike. I always love a referral for a yummy meal, so if you have a favorite place you think we should try, let me know. I love hole-in-the-wall places that surprise and delight. I love local favorites with a loyal following. I love up-and-coming restaurants with the power to exceed expectations ... I just love good food!

First on my list: Ernesto's Mexican Food at 1901 16th Street in Sacramento. Mexican food is always a crowd pleaser at our house and Ernesto's came through on so many levels. My favorite part about Ernesto's came right as we walked in the door ...

#1 the hostess gave Larkin some little dinosaur toys to play with instead of crayons and a lame placemat maze! If you have ever taken a toddler to a restaurant, you know the power of a simple kid-friendly gesture like this one! Larkin was entertained the entire time we were there with those little guys and even got to take them home with her when we were finished!

{You will have to excuse the lame photos. I had to use my phone to take these since the battery on my good camera was plugged into the charger at home ... yep I walked out the door with a camera minus the battery. Genius!}

Ernesto's had lot's going for it besides the kid-friendly toys.

#2 It was super easy to find. Two turns off the freeway and we were there. I suggest bringing change for metered street parking, but there was plenty of street parking, even on a Saturday evening.

#3 Our food came quickly {as in lightning fast}, and my glass was almost always full.

#4 The food was reasonably priced and the portions were not huge, but large enough to fill me up and then some.

On the FOOD: I ordered chicken enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce {pictured below after a few bites}. The green sauce was a little acidic, but overall the flavors worked well together. Scot ordered a combo plate with carnitas and enchiladas with red sauce. He was a little disappointed in his red sauce as well, but inhaled his carnitas, so it must have been yummy.

On the Ambiance: Ernesto's is on the smaller side, but has a fun atmosphere with paper flags hung from the ceiling, a little outdoor patio for dining and a bar with a big screen for watching the game if that's your thing. The music was modern and quite enough that we could talk over it comfortably {Don't get me wrong, the restaurant was noisy, but it was packed with people who chatted happily, and I kind of like that pleasant background noise- it helped to cover up my daughter's torrential dinosaur roars and screeches!}.

Scot and I both agreed that Enresto's is officially on our list for dining out when friends or family come to town!

Labor Day Time Warp

2011-09-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend was a little bit of a bust at our house. I was deathly ill {that's an exaggeration} and Scot and Larkin had to fend for themselves most of the weekend. Finally on Monday I made myself get out of bed so we could say we did SOMETHING fun for the holiday.

We decided on Gold Rush Days in Old Town Sacramento.

It was so fun! They have people dressed in period costumes who play instruments in the street, act out gun fights and fires, and sell root beer among other goodies ... such fun! I had never been before, and I have to say ... this is a must next year!

This picture's for you Grandpa Rice!

We watched firefighters put out a fire in one of the buildings in Old Town. Of course the fire wasn't real, but I was reminded of how grateful I am for all those who labor to keep us safe and free!

Larkin loved any and all music at Gold Rush Days! She sat and listened to this man play his hurdy gurdy forever. He was very sweet singing "Old Suzanna" and "Yankee Doodle" completely off key!

We had to sit a few times for different musical concerts ... Larkin insisted, and I was grateful for the break. This girl loves to clap and sing along to almost any song!

Sometimes I love to look at the world through her eyes. She is so fascinated by life. I read somewhere recently that wisdom is the result of wonder. If that is true, it should be no surprise that our children give us a run for our money!

Happy Labor Day!

May we each take a moment to wonder at the many freedoms and pleasures we enjoy!

First Day of School

2011-09-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Larkin was so excited to start school this year! She loves everything about school, and I love to hear all about her adventures while she plays and learns with her friends and teachers!

She is in the same classroom as last year, but she has two new teachers who are AMAZING!

{this is what 6am looks like at our house ... Larkin woke up and hour and a half early because she just couldn't wait to get to school!}

Here's to a new year of learning and growing!

Sand and Surf and Seagulls

2011-08-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

Summer has been too short at our house! I am not ready for school to start again! Scot is starting a new degree program at school this coming weekend and will be gone every Saturday for the next year (AAAaaaaHHHHHhhhhh!) so we snagged our last Saturday together and headed to the coast!

Have I mentioned how much I love the beach?

I LOVE the beach! I could spend every day for the rest of my life at the beach!

In truth, the heavy winter coat was a little overkill for this busy girl, but in northern California you have to head to the beach prepared for a snow storm (even in August)!

The water was so cold but Larkin could not stay away from it! She and daddy braved the icy waves, but I steered clear!

Larkin had such a great time chasing and feeding the birds, collecting rocks and sticks, and people watching!

It was a successful day with lots of family time and laughs!

Matching Mania

2011-08-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

We love colors at our house!

Larkin is also getting pretty good at matching games, so we pulled some little toys and trinkets from around the house and played a color matching game this morning.

I wrote the color names on each of the papers for an added literacy component to todays adventure. I always like to combine a few areas of development into one activity to get as much bang for my buck when teaching and playing.

Next up on our list ... counting games. If you know any good counting activities, please share!

At The Car Wash!

2011-08-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

Our cars were in desperate need of a bath!

It has been a little cooler the last few days (lets say 90 instead of 98), so we decided to spend our afternoon playing in some water and bubbles ...

I love washing cars with toddlers. It is always ten times the amount of work but also ten times the fun! Car washes are a great time to break out the bikes and wash them too, but this afternoon we decided to call it good with the cars.

Clean Mud

2011-08-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

This project is not for the faint of heart. Maybe I should post a big WARNING message at the top:

WARNING This project is a big mess, but totally worth the sheer bliss on your child's face!

I love making messes with kids. So much of life is about order, and following directions for kids, that it only makes sense that more mess = more fun in a child's world. When I pick Larkin up from school and she is covered in goo it makes my heart happy because I know she had a blast that day.

Clean Mud is cheap and easy to make:

1 roll of toilet paper {tear into tiny pieces}

1 bar of white dove soap {use a cheese grater to get it into tiny bits}

warm water {add a little at a time until you get a thick mixture, anywhere from 2-3 cups}

The water needs to be warm enough to melt the soap, so in the beginning I do a lot of the mixing so that Larkin wont hurt her hands {she is pretty sensitive to things that are on the warm side, so know what your child is up for}. You want to add enough water so that the mixture is the consistency of thick whipped cream or thick waffle batter. Be careful not to add too much water. A little at a time will help you get the ratio just right.

The cool thing about this stuff is that the more you play with it, the fluffier it gets! The soap bubbles expand and work together to make this goop crazy cool to play with, and like I said before, messy! This goop gets everywhere and when it dries it leaves little toilet paper bits on everything it touched {Larkin's hair had little bits of toilet paper in it when I washed it later that night}. I recommend donning an apron or paint smock, but this stuff washes out of clothes easily and wipes off counters and floors quickly, so no permanent damage done!

This picture was taken after adding most of the water, but not all of it. Larkin wanted to play with it at each stage, and as it changed she got excited and made little observations like, "where the soap go? I smell it but it's all gone." and, "It's getting mushy and mushy and mushy." and, "It's squishy on my hand momma." ... my budding scientist! :)

I love good clean fun ... clean MUD fun!

Pudding Painting

2011-08-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

Do I even have to say anything else!?!

Well, lest you think that pudding paint, or finger painting of any kind, is only for toddlers, think again!

Finger painting is a sensory experience that is crucial for scientific discoveries at a young age, it helps to develop small motor skills, can help children to regulate difficult emotions, and can be a creative outlet for thoughts and ideas at any age.

Depending on the age of your children, you can adapt finger painting activities to include literacy exploration {writing letters, names, spelling words}, science {why does the pudding need milk instead water or juice?}, or even math {measuring milk is tricky business!}, just to name a few valuable reasons to get down and dirty with finger paints throughout childhood!

We made pudding according to the directions on the box and then used aluminum foil to paint on today. Other great options for a drawing medium are wax paper, a baking tray, or heavy cardstock {the pudding will soak through regular paper pretty quickly}.

Have a blast! This project is fun and YUMMY!

Song Can

2011-08-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

I put this Song Can together my second year of teaching. I add and subtract songs as needed depending on the age of children I am teaching, and this little guy has been a hit for at least ten years {you may want to add or subtract based on the age of children at your house. Kindergarten kids are totally over "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" but "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain" is a little too intense for a two-year-old}.

Now that I use the Song Can at home I have added a few church songs for Larkin to learn and sing.

Larkin can sit and sing songs from the Song Can for HOURS! This is a great activity for kids of all ages. Your kids can even help you make the Song Can customized for your family.

I used:

A large coffee can

Stickers

Contact paper

Construction paper

EASY PEASY!

Have your kids help you decide which songs should be added to the Song Can. Have older kids draw pictures to go with the song names for little kids so that even young children can know which song they picked. Any of this can be done on the computer with clip art if you are feeling less than creative ... I totally get that, although my silly little school bus has worked just fine for "Wheels on the Bus" for so many kids I can't even count them all ... kids don't judge our creativity the way we judge ourselves, so just have FUN!

Music is so important in helping children to learn and grow!

Happy Singing!

Homemade Finger Paints

2011-08-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you add sugar, salt, corn starch, and water? The perfect base for finger paints ... for cheap!

The recipe is simple.

3 T sugar

1 T salt

1/2 cup corn starch

2 cups water

food color

Mix everything but the food coloring in a pot and cook while stirring until the mixture becomes thickish. (Don't let the mixture come to a boil or become too thick)

Let the mixture cool and stir in food coloring. One batch of this goo made all the finger paints above.

If you have baby food jars, or small jelly jars, that is the best way to store these paints. We are fresh out of baby food jars these days, so we used tupperware containers today.

Colored Rice

2011-08-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

I have been the "sick-in-bed mom" for too many weeks! It is time to get moving and creating again at our house! I have decided to pull a few tricks out of my bag and have a little fun with what is left of the summer. If you are running low on ideas at your house, feel free to use some of mine! None of them are original. I have found all of them in books, from co-workers, online, or in school. I hope you enjoy the last few weeks of summer at your house!

First up: Colored Rice. You can color just about anything with a little liquid food coloring and some rubbing alcohol ... rice, pasta, bird seed, tapioca ... any or all of these are perfect in a sensory table with some spoons and bowls.

We used 2 cups of rice in each zippy and 2 Tablespoons of rubbing alcohol with a little squirt of food coloring. Close up the bag and let your munchkin shake SHAKE shake!

(We added two bags of tapioca after we finished the rice so we would have a few extra colors.)

Once the rice looks "beautiful" as Larkin says, you set it out on a tray and let it dry out. The rubbing alcohol will evaporate and the color will stick. We set ours out in the sun so it would dry a little faster.

(I always mess with my pictures a little before I post them, but I left this one alone so you could see how vibrant the rice can be. It's the rubbing alcohol that makes the colors so bright! Once it evaporates the rice dulls and little.)

Larkin loves to cook so we set her up with lots of bowls and spoons and spatulas to cook up a storm. We poured in all the colors of rice and tapioca into a bucket and let Larkin mix them all together.

Such fun!

Next up on our list of fun things to do ... "clean mud", homemade finger paints, and the Song Can!

... even as He is

2011-07-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling well this morning. I dozed in bed while my super-human husband fed, clothed, and prepared our daughter for church. Before long I found myself alone in our great big bed in our great big house and felt suddenly very disappointed in myself. "I am better than this." I thought to myself. And then I realized with a measure of sadness that in that moment I wasn't better than anything. To be better I must do better. A talk I heard this last spring came to my mind and I lumbered to my computer to read this. Tears flooded my eyes as I instantly felt the truth of this message and vowed to do better and be better, no matter how my body rebels.

. . . . . .

"May [my] efforts to develop Christlike attributes be successful so that His image may be engraven in [my] countenance and His attributes manifest in [my] behavior. Then, when [my] children or others feel of [my] love and see [my] behavior, it will remind them of the Savior and draw them to Him."

~ Lynn G. Robbins

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

2011-07-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens ...

sisters and cookies and grandmas and temples ....

These are a few of my favorite things!

My parents and sister came to visit this past weekend. The time went too quickly and was filled with too many favorite moments to pick just one.

I loved watching Aunt Lanette help Larkin make cookies for family home evening ... there was a little extra salt in this batch. All I can say is: Larkin is quick!

Grandma and Grandpa and Lanette visited Fairy Tale Town with us. I loved watching Larkin run around showing them all her favorite things.

Yeehaw!

The purpose for the visit was to go with my little sister to the temple on Tuesday. Larkin has been waiting to visit the temple for weeks now. From the moment she could spy it from the car she was over-the-moon excited. I loved her excitement. When we got out of the car she said, "Look. That my temple."

I loved being in the temple with my family. It was a wonderful way to start a day, and an even better way to end a visit together.

2011-07-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

We are expecting!

We should be welcoming baby dos to our family sometime around the 15th of February.

(I try to cite my sources ... I give full credit for this post to my friend Rachel who borrowed the idea from a friend of hers. Thanks for the fun idea ladies! :)

I hEART tAHOE!!!

2011-07-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

We headed up to Tahoe this past week to spend some much-needed time relaxing and playing and soaking up some sun ... among other things.

I love Tahoe. It is {hands down} one of my favorite places on the planet! I love the clear cool water, the trees, the animals, the sweet little towns with over-priced food and antiques. It is so quiet and peaceful. It is like a drink for my soul every time we visit!

As soon as we got to the cabin we saw a little bunny in the front yard. He was tiny and instantly nervous when he saw Tucker, but our rabbit sighting was enough for Larkin to dub the cabin "The Rabbit House" for the remainder of our stay.

{an airplane rocking toy at "The Rabbit House" that Larkin loved to play on}

I am a beach girl. I grew up near the Bodega coast and spent my childhood playing and splashing in the icy ocean water. Tahoe water is in it's own league. The water is cool, but shallow and clear and .......... I could rave about the beaches at Tahoe forever, but moving on, I loved sitting and reading while Scot and Larkin collected rocks and built ....

THIS

{Larkin spent more time smashing than building, which makes the end result even more impressive if you think about it}

Our friends, the Mills, came for a few days to play and relax with us. We loved having Ashley and her boys hang out with us. We were very low key most of the week and endured a little rain one day by curling up to watch movies and roast marshmallows. Larkin loved to help roast the mallows but didn't care to eat a single one of them.

Tahoe and "The Rabbit House" were just what we needed to recharge our batteries and make some great memories!

The New House

2011-07-02T19:10:00.000-07:00

It has taken a TON of work but we are finally getting settled into our new home.

Larkin has taken it all in stride and has loved every minute of the chaos ... her favorite so far has been all the room to run and run and run! She has run at least 5 miles every day in laps around the house.

(Larkin playing and daddy painting)

In addition to painting we replaced the flooring in the living room, kitchen, and family room. My parents came to help, and put in at least a hundred hours of hard work! We were so grateful for the help!

(Larkin writing some abc's while "helping" to lay the floor with paga)

We are having fun unpacking and discovering treasures we have had in storage for quite a while. Larkin found daddy's cowboy boots and took them for a spin ...

... now if we could just find Tucker's toothbrush and nail clippers ...

Only My Child ...

2011-06-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

Only my child ...

Loves to play in the water, but hates to get her face wet.

Will eat broccoli for dinner every night of the week, but wont eat mac & cheese no matter how I dress it up.

Wont let you look at her ouchy, no matter how bad it is.

Runs laps at the grocery store.

Takes her shoes off and throws them every time I put her in her car seat.

Wont wear a sweater, no matter how cold it is outside.

Will only say goodbye to someone after they are long gone.

Has to have at least 12 goodnight kisses before she will finally lay down and close her eyes.

Frowns at anyone who smiles at her in public.

Gets upset when the clouds get "broken" and let the sunshine through.

Cries when it is someone else's turn to say the prayer.

Says, "That's so funny!" whenever she does something goofy.

Loves to do yoga ... no matter where.

bLUE pLAY dOUGH

2011-06-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

A little post-church play dough anyone?

My two crazy loves making play dough noses ... these two are so goofy!

In truth it is a little terrifying isn't it!?!

But cute in a "I heart ghouls and goblins" kind of way ...

Singing in the Rain

2011-06-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

It was a slishy sloshy Saturday at our house!

Who says rain in June has to be a major bummer???

Not this girl!

I used to love splashing in puddles when I was a kid!

I remember collecting earth worms and sitting in the gutters and letting the rain water rush around me.

There is something freeing about splashing and stomping in puddles, like eating breakfast for dinner, or having a pillow fight.

So here's to singing and dancing in the rain!

... because I know you ...

2011-06-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I know you...

~Glinda

I love this man!

Today we celebrate our love for each other, which only seems to grow and change with time.

When I fell in love with him once upon a time, I had no idea what a wild life we would live together.

He is strong, funny, sensitive, creative, and the perfect calm for all my crazy!

I am glad every day that we stumbled on the "fling" of a lifetime!

I truly am who I am today because of the love I share with this incredible man!

Pippi Longstockings

2011-05-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

Larkin loves Pippi Longstockings!

In the spirit of Pippi ... we braided this impossible head of hair!

Larkin has impossibly thin and wispy hair. I cannot do anything with it. I usually just clip it out of her eyes {and she rips the clip out as soon as I turn my back}, so I was skeptical when she said she wanted braids.

It may seem like a small thing ... braids ... big deal right!?!

But if you tried doing this kid's hair every day you would celebrate Pippi pigtails too!

I remember when I was a little girl my mother would stand me in front of the mirror every morning and brush and do my extremely long, thick hair. Pigtails, braids, side ponytails {I was a child of the 80s}, clips, ribbons ... she spent HOURS on my hair every week!

Once she went out of town and my dad was left to try and do my hair every day. I was young, and my mom probably thought we would get along just fine without her, but it was rough! My dad tried to pull my long thick hair into ponytails and barrettes, but it was a disaster! The barrettes would slide out and the ponytails were lumpy and lopsided. I was grateful when my mom came home and took over hair duty again.

Doing Larkin's hair every day is a little like my experience as a child, except I am on the other end of the brush now. Larkin's hair is thin and slips out of the barrettes. It breaks when I put ponytails in. I brush it and spray it and put her in her car seat on Sundays only to show up to church with her hair looking like a rats-nest {and the clip is always MIA!} It is rough. Every day we struggle.

So today I celebrate Pippi pigtails!

Making Faces

2011-05-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

I am in love with these two gals!

Larkin loves having her maga come and visit and she loves spending time outside!

Just look at her face ... it says it all!

And speaking of faces ... I had to add this one. It is classic! Tongue slightly out. Complete concentration.

I am in love with this stinker!

2011-05-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's never too late to be what you might have been.

~ George Eliot

Whew!

2011-05-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

We finished school this week (whew!) and Scot is switching to a later shift at work. Both are worth celebrating because both mean we will get to start sleeping in a little at our house.

How did we spend our first night of freedom?

... sick in bed!

Luft Balloons

2011-04-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant and huge with Larkin, 34 weeks pregnant to be exact, I remember finally finding a car seat that stood up to my scrutiny. As Scot carried the car seat out to the car I jokingly said, "Okay. She can come now. We have a car seat to take her home from the hospital in."

She was born two weeks later.

This week a package came in the mail ... it carried our

Rice-Family-Summer-2011-Special-Addition-Spectacular-Adventure-Shirts!

... and so I not-so-jokingly say, "Okay. Summer can start now. We are ready.

We have our T-shirts. Bring on the sun and the fun!"

(Making silly faces while we model our luft balloons ... it's going to be the best summer yet!)

In other news ... Easter was a BLAST this year! It was so fun to talk with Larkin about spring and Jesus and the Easter Bunny. She loved hunting for eggs. She loved eating the candy. She loved everything about Easter except the pink headband I REALLY wanted her to wear to church. You can't win them all!

I love this time of year. I love when the earth wakes up and stretches it's lazy bones and starts to blossom with life. I love the fluffy white clouds that brush the bright blue sky. I love the warmth and growth that the spring brings.

It is appropriate to celebrate the life of our Savior as the earth begins to buzz and churn with new life!

Day on the Quad

2011-04-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sunshine, toys, friends, grass, bubbles ...

How can you go wrong?

Today was "Day on the Quad" at Larkin's school. It is national week of the young child, and this event is the schools way of getting the kids front and center ...

The school is literally moved to the quad by the library. Art center, blocks center, reading corner, sensory tables ... you name it, they move it. It takes a TON of work from teachers, parents, and volunteers, but it was so much fun!

Larkin loved playing and exploring outside!

(putting a baby to bed is Larkin's favorite thing to do right now!)

(Doing a little grocery shopping ... she said she was shopping for treats :)

(Playing the drums)

(Dot markers and finger painting. With a toddler it's always finger painting :)

What a wonderful way to spend the morning!

Larkin is the love of my life.

I love how she gulps up life like she just can't get enough of it all!

lARKIN 101

2011-04-09T22:31:00.000-07:00

fAMILY tIME iS mY fAVORITE tIME!

lARKIN 101

bUSY = hAPPY

rUNNING, gALLOPING, hOPPING = tHE oNLY wAY tO gET aROUND!

oUTSIDE = sMILES

sLIDES = wAY mORE iNTERESTING tHAN lIONS, tIGERS, bEARS, oR bIRDS

mUSIC = dANCING, eVEN iN pUBLIC

Larkin loves to move in a heard!

She is happiest when she and mom and dad can explore the world together!

Which means ...

tODAY = hAPPINESS

Is It Really April Already?

2011-04-01T08:47:00.001-07:00

How can it be the 1st of April already?

I feel like time is slipping away from me!

I have a confession to make ... brace yourself ....

I have absolutely no self control. No will power. No discipline.

Whatever you want to call it, I completely lack

It.

The It that keeps you on the treadmill even though your body is screaming at you. When my body even grumbles quietly at me I think to myself, "Good try self. Way to try. But you're right, this is uncomfortable, so we will stop and go back to being lazy."

The It that helps you eat an apple instead of a cookie. I want the cookie, and since I have no It, I usually eat the cookie, and if I'm being honest I never stop at just one cookie.

The It that keeps you studying, even though it is gorgeous outside and all you want to do it go sit in the sun and read a trashy novel. I choose the sunburn and the trashy novel every time.

The It that tells you that TV is not a must in your daily schedule, and there are better ways to spend your time ... you guessed it- I am a major TV head. I knew I had a problem when I wanted to Tivo a show about middle-aged men having mid life crises ... how does that even sound like entertainment?

Because I lack It I usually fall short of my goals. I usually loose myself in trashy novels and reality shows and cookies until I don't even recognize myself any more.

But do you know what I wish? I wish I lived in a little house with a big yard. I wish I wore flip flops all year long and only wore makeup on Sundays. I wish I could fit into my skinny jeans but wore skirts because they made me feel pretty. I wish I never ate out ever. I wish I grew my own vegetables and had chickens that my kids could chase around. I wish I could curl up in a sunny spot on my bed and read classics and poetry. I wish I shopped at farmer's markets all year long and drank water instead of soda pop. I wish I curled up with my daughter for naps. I wish I drove to the beach on a whim and skipped school to go pick strawberries. I wish I sang something beautiful every day.

I wish my life was simple.

My mom used to say that when she was younger she wished she could have been a pioneer. I always thought that was crazy. Who would want to give birth in the wilderness and hike in a petticoat? Not it!

But I find myself fantasizing about my own kind of crazy time-altering life-altering switcheroo. I wish I could have lived in the 1950s and lived a simple life full of family and and free from technology. Of course life in the 1950s was far from perfect, but I long for that simplicity.

... so I am trying something new. I want to try simplifying my life and see what is left after I take away all the noise and clutter and distraction. I want to see what kind of peace and joy I can find when I am able to focus on my relationships with my family, my relationship with God, and my relationship with myself.

It is time to find my It.

Our Day Set to Song

2011-03-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

Over the river and through the woods

to Grandmother's house we go!

Sing. Sing a song. Sing out loud. Sing out strong. Sing of good things, not bad. Sing of happy, not sad.

This is the night we've waited for!

Always a treat we have in store!

We love each other more and more

with every Family Night!

I feel pretty. Oh so pretty. I feel pretty and whitty and gay.

And I pitty any girl who isn't me today ...

Spring Fever

2011-03-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

... playing in the mustard flowers in the field across from our house ...

I am so ready for Spring!

Guess What Time It Is?

2011-02-28T20:38:00.000-08:00

In all honesty, I think it's a little early to be potty training, but here we go!

Larkin has expressed a serious interest and I am taking my cues from her on this one ...

Bring it on!

I have stocked up on gloves(two boxes), ziplock bags (the gallon double zip variety), laundry detergent (a big ol' jug), paper towels (purchased at Costco), and plenty of big girl panties (like 20 pairs) to make it through

... the first ten minutes ...

if I'm lucky!

2011-02-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

Breakfast of Champions

Love Looks Like Green Corduroy

2011-02-23T19:51:00.000-08:00

I love this man. He loves this hat.

Together, the three of us make a cute couple, don't you think!?!

TwO tHrOuGh & ThRoUgH

2011-02-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

larkin is two.

on her birthday we did all the things larkin loves to do.

we did sidewalk chalk, and bubbles, and played with shaving cream, and painted, and played in the texture table with water, and went for a walk.

larkin helped daddy make her birthday cake.

she got this beautiful apron from her aunty bren and wore it while she cooked it up in the kitchen.

this two-year-old loves cars and trains, but when it comes to bling, larkin is

aLL gIRL!

Here are some of larkin's big girl favs:

~ anything with buttons to push ~

~ talking on the phone (real or pretend) ~

~ trains ~

~ singing songs (she knows the words to lots of her favs) ~

~ writing ... with crayons, markers, chalk, pencils, highlighters ~

~ baby signing time ~

~ chapstick ~

~ craisins ~

~ her teacher llannie ~

~ washing her hands ~

~ stickers ~

~ playing with mom's jewelry ~

~ digging in the dirt at school ~

~ chocolate milk ~

It is fun to look back at where she was a year ago and see how much she has changed this year while still being the same amazing and quirky little girl!

Happy Birthday L!

"Sheep eat cookies"

2011-02-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite first experiences in Rocklin was seeing the landscaping sheep.

This time of year you can find them all over town grooming meadows and green spaces.

Today they were out grooming the wetland down the street from out house.

We had to stop and check them out.

I asked Larkin: What do sheep say?

Larkin: baaa baaa

Me: That's right. What do the sheep eat?

Larkin: Sheep eat cookies.

Me: Cookies?

Larkin: Yeah. Cookies.

Family Home Evening Adventure

2011-02-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

It was a fabulous family home evening ... we colored pictures and sang songs and read scriptures and played a game with black beans ...

Looks like fun doesn't it!?!

It was. Larkin mixed and "cooked" those beans for well over 30 minutes

and then she shoved one of those beans up her nose ... WAY up her nose.

It happened so quickly Scot wasn't even sure she had done it.

I tried a few tricks to get it out, but nothing worked ...

so we headed to the insta-care to let the doctor get that silly bean out of Larkin's nose.

I was probably more upset about the whole ordeal than Larkin was.

I try so hard to be a good mom, and we still ended up in the insta-care with a bean (which is absolutely not an appropriate toy for a two year old, and I know this!) lodged in my daughters nostril.

This does not speak well for my parenting skills.

Two seconds and a little plastic extractor tool later we were headed home with a popsicle, no worse for the wear.

The end. Well, the end of playing with black beans at our house at least.

CrazY MazeY

2011-02-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this CrAzY mAzEy?

She makes me laugh every day ... and we have had a serious case of the sillies at our house lately!

(Who doesn't love the turban hair-do?!?)

(A little valentine love from Utah ... the crazy straw was oh so appropriate!)

(Shaving cream facial ... yes please!)

(dad's pink socks double as leg warmers ... so fashion forward!)

Stay tuned for a post about our recent insta-care visit. Yup. You heard it here first folks!

All Aboard!

2011-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Larkin is in love with trains.

There is a train that runs across a HUGE open field more than a mile away from our house, but if Larkin hears it's whistle she makes me run outside and down the sidewalk to the place where we can (barely) see it as we stand in the cold in our pajamas and bare feet.

Based on said love affair with choo-choos, it was only natural that on a drizzly cold Saturday we would take a field trip to the train museum in Sacramento.

(our little engineer)

(mommy and L climbing aboard one of the trains)

(L putting her her love of trains to work)

An Experiment in Movement

2011-01-23T03:13:00.000-08:00

We had a busy day of jumping

... tumbling ... crawling ...

running ... sliding ... laughing

Whew!

Visiting Day!

2011-01-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

Larkin walked in to school and immediately went right to work

...

It's hard work to learn and play!

We stayed and played for hours. Larkin played and tested out everything.

The school is everything I could possible want in Larkin's first school experience. It is natural and developmentally appropriate. It is accessible and welcoming. It is ... a dream come true for the whole family!

(Have I mentioned how much I love my new camera!?! I had the hardest time narrowing down the photos because there were at least a hundred good ones ... happy happy day!)

Swiss. Gorgonzola. Fetta ... Cheese

2011-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Momma got herself a new camera!

My old camera was a veteran! An oldie! A dinosaur!

When I bought it, it was top of the line and cost me a good chunk of my student loans one semester. It took pictures of my friends, my wedding, holidays, birthdays, my daughter's birth, trips to the zoo ... oh wait, not the trip to the zoo.

The camera worked one minute, and then it didn't. Posing in front of the monkey house at the zoo this week it just died. It gave up the ghost. It ceased to fulfil its purpose.

My new camera is A.maz.ING!!! I can do a million things and take a bajillion beautiful pictures!

I would be lost without my camera.

I am so grateful for the way pictures allow us to chronicle the simple moments of our life and provide the feeling that what we do matters.

Crabby Patty

2011-01-16T19:08:00.000-08:00

Larkin is going to school!

We have been stocking up on all the supplies she will need for school. We have talked and talked about all the new activities and toys and friends that will be a part of her school experience.

She is so excited to turn all that talking into doing ...

perhaps a little too excited :)

(More photos to follow after visiting day this week)

And in other news ...

Our family weaseled our way into an invite to crab-fest this last weekend. We spent the night eating crab with family and friends. We ate WAY too much and laughed so hard our faces and tummies hurt (in good ways) by the end of the night!

Thanks Aunt Denise for the yummy crab!

Sit. Stay. Shake.

2011-01-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

Tucker is a rude little puppy.

I love him in spite of his very bad manners.

He has been going to school to learn how to listen and behave.

Sometimes he listens.

Sometimes he behaves.

He isn't too different than the rest of us I guess.

Just Another Day in Paradise ...

2011-01-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

CAUTION ... could there be a more appropriate word to foreshadow my year?

Maybe: Love, Family, Change, Happiness, Study, Curiosity, Growth, Discovery ...

... but then again CAUTION seems like it might fit too ...

Have Yourself a Merry Little Chrismas

2010-12-25T22:51:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas day that began where every good Christmas begins, waiting on the stairs.

Santa came while we were asleep ... and we were all so excited we could hardly stand it!

Larkin has learned how to play the recorder ... sort of ...

She walks all over the house playing a one note song that sounds like a soprano choo choo train sounding an SOS

Christmas is magical with a toddler!

Larkin tore into her packages with such anticipation ...

and then we spent the day playing, and napping, and walking, and painting, and playing some more ...

How'd you spend your Christmas day?

Christmas in Alaska Part Two

2010-12-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

The adventures in Alaska never end!

We have had such a wonderful time playing in the snow and visiting with family.

Larkin at the touch tank with Grandma Rice

Larkin's favorite toy at Grandma and Grandpa Rice's house!

Visiting the fire trucks with Grandpa Rice ...

Making gingerbread houses ...

Christmas in Alaska Part One

2010-12-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

My take on our trip to Alaska so far ...

Larkin was so excited to fly on an airplane!

(Dad and Larkin playing the player piano)

(Playing on the swing with dad and Zoe)

(Making snow angels ... with a little help from Isabelle)

(Riding on the sled with Andrew)

Everyone Has At Least One!

2010-12-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

I have been reading Larkin stories about Santa. We have been watching movies about Santa. We even looked up pictures of Santa online and talked all about him in preparation for the big day this year when Larkin would get to go sit on Santa's lap. I know it can be intimidating, and I wanted her to know what was happening.

By the time we loaded up in the car to go see the man in red she could say, "ho ho ho" "snata" (and no, that isn't a typo), "lap" "cheese", and "hello" whenever I would ask her where we were going ... (I told her we were going to go say hello to Santa, sit on his lap and take a picture)

We waited in line for almost two hours to see Santa. I just couldn't understand what was taking so long. The line was longish, but not too long. After about 45 minutes I started to feel like we had already invested so much time, we had to stick it out. As we got closer to the front I started seeing the problem. Santa's little helpers were creepy! And they were so unorganized! They were running all over and yelling loudly at the kids (Festive, photo-related words, but still...). They were letting parents look at every single picture taken ... it was chaos!

When it was our turn I set Larkin on Santa's lap and told her we were going to take a picture. The next 90 seconds were chaos as Santa was primping her, the "elves" were shouting jolly something-or-others at her, Scot and I were trying to get her to smile, and a creepy puppet was tossed all over in front of her.

We got this ...

... it was actually very sweet. I asked Larkin to try and find her happy face and she tried so hard to be brave, but she was genuinely freaked out by the crazy atmosphere. Santa gave her a candy cane and she left with her happy face. She talked fondly about Santa all night after having her picture taken, so it couldn't have been too traumatic.

Everyone has at least one freak-out picture with the jolly old soul, and now Larkin has hers!

Maybe I'm a mean mom, but I think it's kind of sweet!

Rice Family 2010 Flashback

2010-12-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

In lieu of a Christmas letter this year I am going digital.

Welcome to our Christmas flashback.

Happy Holidays!

Our family has had a very busy year. Who hasn't right!?!

Scot has been busy going to school at Sac State and working full time as a culinary instructor at Le Cordon Bleu. He is teaching baking and pastry and is working on starting a bread guild. His mornings start at 3am and he is going going going until late in the evening most days.

Larkin has gone from crawling to twirling this year. She has gone from bottles to waffles this year. She has gone from two naps to one, and has added at least 50 new words to her repertoire this year. Larkin also started nursery this year and she loves it. Larkin loves life! She loves singing songs, dancing, doing art projects, reading stories, going for walks, and playing with friends.

I have been busy this year chasing a very precocious daughter and moving way too much! We have added a dog to our family, and he keeps us all on our toes all day long! Other than that, laundry and toilets don't make for a very interesting read, so we will skip all the mundane and move on.

We have been so blessed this year. It is truly amazing to see how far we have come in reaching our goals this year. I am grateful for the difference a year can make!

I hope this past year has also been wonderful beyond words for you and the people you hold dear to your heart.

Feel free to check up on us now and then as we chronicle our adventures.

A Yummy Rainy Day Project

2010-12-08T10:54:00.000-08:00

I love a rainy afternoon ...

... the stars in the bright sky ...

2010-12-04T21:06:00.000-08:00

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Till morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there

It's Right on the Tip of My Tongue

2010-12-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Larkin is talking up a storm these days. Talking has got to be one of her favorite skills. I love hearing Larkin's ideas, and understanding her needs a little better. Talking is a favorite! Here are a few words in her vocabulary right now:

doggy choo choo down

daddy car outside

mommy wait cook

Tucker Parker wash

ma-ga shirt ouch

pa-ga pants wind

eat shower sun

banana bath bag

shoes diaper blanket

boots dirty off

kicky (foot) clean light

hand socks phone

eye stars hi

nose night arm

button bed leg

ear piggy sign

hair book song

walk stop Jesus

run go write

fast no way red

tummy thank you blue

chair please yellow

jump sky orange

store rain green

buy flower apple

bye-bye grass all done

dance tree more

swing leaf plane

cereal play boat

cracker slide cow

yummy water cat

peas milk bird

watch juice teeth

baby hat trash

bug up cart

bus drink happy

bike sleep sad

again purple ball

bear frog chewy

cheese yogurt berries

And there are more, but you get the idea ... Larkin is a regular chatterbox!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

2010-11-27T20:44:00.000-08:00

hOW dID wE sPEND oUR lAST dAY aT gRANDMA aND gRANDPA'S hOUSE???

having a snow day!

the snow was icey cold ...

but the way you giggled melted my heart.

daddy made a snowman family ...

with a little help from you

you love your "ma-ga"! you would walk anywhere as long as you could hold your ma-ga's hand!

we walked downtown and watched the holiday parade with ma-ga and pa-ga ...

it was freezing cold, but you loved it!

santa. fire trucks. candy. snow. fa la la la la la ...

A little back story: when we were driving up to grandma and grandpa Harmon's house I was telling Larkin all about them. She kept calling them "ma-ga" and "pa-ga". I said "grandma" and "grandpa" all week long, but Larkin would wail for her "MA-GA!!!" any time she would realize she couldn't see her. So sweet.

We are Thankful

2010-11-25T19:38:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving with family ...

We decorated and ate and laughed and reflected on our many MANY blessings!

Larkin made a new friend this week. Aunt Lanette let Larkin eat m&ms before dinner, let her carry around her ipod all week, and taught her how to dance to classical music.

Larkin is grateful for her Aunt Lanette!

I did not include pictures of us eating dinner ... no one likes pictures of them stuffing their face ...

But after dinner it was time for a little "Lazy Dog"

I was so grateful to be together as a family for Thanksgiving. We went for a walk up to the high school after dinner and talked and laughed about how good it is to take time as a family to enjoy the simple things in life. We always have so much fun when we get together ...

I am grateful for these blessings!

Scot is my still place ...

Larkin is my joy ...

Tucker is my adventure ...

Larkin ran the track with us while we walked off our turkey and pumpkin pie ...

How is it possible to feel so full? Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. Stuffed.

I recently heard someone say that gratitude is happiness. If that is true, and I believe it is, then I am one grateful and happy gal!

Sunday Inspiration

2010-11-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

~Harriet Tubman

2010-11-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

Leaves are the new obsession at our house.

Larkin loves to collect them.

Dad loves to crunch in them.

Mom loves to admire them.

Tucker loves to chase them.

We love leaves!

2010-11-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

We are down 44 pounds! That leaves 56 pounds to go until we reach our goal.

Scot is on the last notch of his belt, and I am wearing my skinny jeans again. Even Halloween goodies couldn't keep us from losing weight this last month!

Living the dream!

tRiCk Or tReAt

2010-11-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

I loved everything about Halloween this year. Larkin made the cutest bumble bee! I loved watching her tip toe around in her gigantic wings. She was darling!

The Queen Bee and the Worker Bee ...

The whole family ... We even won a costume contest :)

Taking a break to read a few stories with dad ...

Watching the ghouls and goblins with the cousins ...

It was a perfect Halloween!

Monterey Bay Part II

2010-10-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Firefighter Larkin at the Children's Museum in Monterey.

Larkin's favorite skill right now is climbing. She is getting really good at it too! She climbs everything! Other moms at the park freak out when she climbs to the tippy top of the ladders, but she loves it, and I let her have her fun ...

A close second in the favorite-thing-to-do department is "driving". Larkin has to "drive" our car before she will get in her seat. She pushes all the buttons and turns all the nobs. The Children's Museum had lots of vehicles to drive. Larkin was in automobile heaven!

mini golfing ... and we mean mini!

We couldn't get to the beach due to the pouring rain, but we chartered a private boat and managed not to even get sea sick!

I will admit that I was disappointed that our day at the beach got washed out. I had all these dreams of fun photos and memories to be created.

The theme that runs through my life right now is that sometimes the plan B can be just as fulfilling as the plan A. I guess I need to learn how to let go, and go with the flow!

Lesson learned!

One Day at a Time

What I Learned This Week ...

TRY

Dear "STATS" Tab

Monterey Bay

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

The First "Nowhere" ...

Christmas Lights

Thanksgiving

SuPeR gIrL!

The Little Things

H-A-Double L-O-W-Double E-N

Bangkok Garden

Pumpkin Hunting

The Greatest Show on Earth!

A Perfect Day

Ernesto's Mexican Food

Labor Day Time Warp

First Day of School

Sand and Surf and Seagulls

Matching Mania

At The Car Wash!

Clean Mud

Pudding Painting

Song Can

Homemade Finger Paints

Colored Rice

... even as He is

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I hEART tAHOE!!!

The New House

Only My Child ...

bLUE pLAY dOUGH

Singing in the Rain

... because I know you ...

Pippi Longstockings

Making Faces

Whew!

Luft Balloons

Day on the Quad

lARKIN 101

Is It Really April Already?

Our Day Set to Song

Spring Fever

Guess What Time It Is?

Love Looks Like Green Corduroy

TwO tHrOuGh & ThRoUgH

"Sheep eat cookies"

Family Home Evening Adventure

CrazY MazeY

All Aboard!

An Experiment in Movement

Visiting Day!

Swiss. Gorgonzola. Fetta ... Cheese

Crabby Patty

Sit. Stay. Shake.

Just Another Day in Paradise ...

Have Yourself a Merry Little Chrismas

Christmas in Alaska Part Two

Christmas in Alaska Part One

Everyone Has At Least One!

Rice Family 2010 Flashback

A Yummy Rainy Day Project

... the stars in the bright sky ...

Away in a manger,No crib for His bedThe little Lord JesusLaid down His sweet headThe stars in the bright skyLooked down where He layThe little Lord JesusAsleep on the hay

I love Thee, Lord JesusLook down from the skyAnd stay by my side,'Till morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus,I ask Thee to stayClose by me foreverAnd love me I prayBless all the dear childrenIn Thy tender careAnd take us to heavenTo live with Thee there

It's Right on the Tip of My Tongue

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

We are Thankful

Sunday Inspiration

tRiCk Or tReAt

Monterey Bay Part II

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Till morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there