Black Bean Beard

Daisy is 6!

 It was a Dr. Suess birthday party for our little Daisy girl this year.  Daisy and I looked at Pinterest and  immediately disregarded 99% of the ideas because they were way too labor intensive.   We ended up with Hop on Popcorn, One Fish Two Fish Goldfish, and a variety of book themed gummy covered cupcakes. 

 Hooray for kids  who like to decorate their own cakes!!

The party was fun and crazy and I hardly took any pictures because it was just too wild.    I do know that several kids told me they ate 4 cupcakes.  A perfect success!

 Daisy had so many great friends there and it was a great way to celebrate a sweet little girl.

 Rosy helped out by smashing her head into the side of the door and ending up with a giant goose egg. 

Daisy is a kind and friendly girl.  She loves everything.   She will not pick a favorite in any category because she doesn't want to limit  herself.  For her birthday she asked for a unicorn purse, a music box, a  new dress and a Hello Kitty doll.  She is a strong  athlete and this morning she ran 4 miles with me.  She has a big imagination and loves to draw and ride her bike.  She loves wearing cute clothes, which she has plenty of thanks to the Cummings family.    Her  birthday dinner was a YUMM bowl.  She has a lot of friends and kids are naturally drawn to her.  She has a kind  disposition and a fantastic belly laugh.  She is very helpful in taking care of Ike and the two of them have a special friendship. I love her and I can't imagine what I ever would have done without her. 

Baby Heads...Wait for It

Playgroup

 We have been at Spencer View so long that all the babies we started with are off at school and all their parents have  long since graduated.  Lucky for us new families move in and the playgroup survives. 

We have gotten serious about Star Wars and had to catch the girls up so they were ready to see the new one.  In honor of the first viewing of Return of Jedi we made Jell-O Jigglers in the Star Wars molds that Kathy gave us.   They were a big hit.  Brandon took Rocky and Daisy to the theater and they haven't stopped talking about The Force Awakens since.  They checked out a library book that details all the equipment and now they make light sabers with their Tinker Toys so that they can pretend to be Rey.  They also have a lot of love for BB-8 but who doesn't?

The U of O is a research school and you better believe that I am signing myself, and my kids up as guinea pigs every chance we can get.  Some of them bring in some good cash but the ones in the social sciences usually pay with a T-shirt.  We still go because I like my girls to see science in action.  In the most recent study they were trying to figure out if kids Rosy's age can learn to do a task by looking at pictures on the computer.  The grad students running it were super friendly but she got really annoyed quickly.  "Why do they keep asking me what color I like?"
When it came time to perform the task I figured it would be no problem.  It was easy and looked kind of fun but when the time came she just refused.  She was nice about it.  I mean, she didn't throw a fit or cry or anything but just quietly and firmly said,  "I am not doing that."
I tried to persuade her but there was no budging. 
They gave her the shirt anyway and we left.  I was embarrassed but her response was, "They said it was okay."

Free Shirt Suckas

 And another  Rosebud story. 

She came into my room with a drawing and asked, "Mom do you like my picture?"
Of course I said yes.
"Do you know what it is?" 
This is always a tricky moment.  I remember reading in the Babysitter's Club books that you should always act like you know because you don't want to hurt the kid's feelings.
She isn't one to fall for a lie so I just played it straight, "I don't know."
She fired back with tone that I can only describe as condescending.  "C'mon Mom, you know."

The Babysitter's Club had also provided me with the correct response to this situation which is,
"Can you explain it to me?"
She sort of rolled her eyes and said, "It's a scribble.  A scribble with a kind of a circle in it. I thought you would know."
And I failed again.  She was right.  I did know.

Rocky and her Worm Hotel

 Rocky and her dad put together a science experiment that they presented to her class.  They made hypotheses about what will and will not sink when put into a bin of water.  I wasn't there but I heard that the moment of glory was when they showed a video clip of a hedgehog floating.  It was called 'Hedgehog Boat' and if  Rocky's response was anything like the rest of the class they were all laughing  to themselves about it for a week or so. 
Another kid did a class on how to make a worm hotel out of a mason  jar.  The explanation of why a worm would be interested in checking into a hotel somehow was lost but Rocky remembered all of the steps and put one together when she got home.  So far it has become more of a worm execution chamber but she won't give up.  I only mention it in case any of you know worms in our area.  If you happen to see any, tell them to wiggle as far away from our front door as possible.

 Ike is the only family member that is small enough to fit into the newly created ship so he has to be the one on  the test flight.  They are still working on the logistics but in the meantime it is his favorite place to hang out.  I think it might be because at least while he is actually in there nobody is trying to snuggle (body check) him.   They take a flashlight and aim it into the crack in the top of the box.  After a countdown from 10 they all yell blast off and turn the light on.   He thinks it is hilarious.

Who's a Liar?

 I told my friends that I wouldn't share this photo on the internet because it isn't really the best of any of us but I just have to remember the night that our kids almost got kicked out of Dickie Jo's.  And because I don't have many pictures of these ladies that I love so much. 

Another Day, Another Selfie

 Proof that when Rosy wants to be she is the most adorable and sweet child ever born.  I am serious.  That girl is irrisistable.

 Rocky,  Daisy and I did a little color run at a local church.  I love my little running buddies.

 Daisy took this photo of Rocky hanging out it her tree house.  I was too lazy to take one myself and am glad because she did such a great job.  Rocky decided that she was going to live out there and stayed until she realized it was movie night and came right in.

 Ike was happily gazing out the window for so long that he didn't even realize that his sisters were eating ice cream and strawberries.   Poor little guy, doesn't even know what he's missing.

 A couple of years ago Oma made little crochet bags that were just small enough for tiny baby dolls.  The girls play with them  every Sunday and some of the babies were lost.  Oma sent some new babies to fill the bags and within a minute or two Rosy had popped all their heads off.  They are easy to pop back on but she likes to take them off and wear them on her fingers.  It adds a lot to the spirit of the meeting.  She also likes to do an interpretive dance while the hymns are playing.   For both of these reasons the Rigbys are either the best people to sit behind, or the worst depending on how good a Mormon you are.