The Pigs Reappear!

We had the missionaries over for dinner last night and midway through the dinner (which Ava did not stop talking for even one minute) Ava announced that everyone should look at her because she had something so funny to say.  She pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, bent her elbow and started blowing into her elbow, trying to make farting noises.  When that didn't work, she put her hand in her armpit and started pumping her arm up and down.  I asked her what she was doing and she said she was trying to make "flarting" noises like Hannah Montana's dad.  Apparently the manners lesson needs some repeating.  

Pigs at the Table

One night after several weeks of pretty terrible manners at the dinner table, I announced that we would be having a special dinner. I set the table with a white table cloth, dug out the china and even set the fancy goblets on the table. The only thing missing was the silverware. I served spaghetti and peas and told them to go ahead and eat. I explained that I knew they loved to eat like pigs so have at it but do it well because this was the last time pigs would be invited to the table. Ava had a blast and asked if we could have pigs at the table every night. Micaela was a good sport and played along and Isabella (the piggiest of the bunch) got really mad and would not eat. The funniest part about it is she doesn't use her silverware when it's available to use. We topped off the meal with ice cream cake that I served by squishing it in my hand and lobbing it across the room at them. The manners have improved temporarily. We'll see how long it lasts!

Easter Pics

Easter Festivities

Due to some unforseen conflicts in the Easter Bunny's schedule, the Easter Bunny did not make it to Auntie Mel's house until late in the afternoon. The Mom's (Aunt Gretchen, Auntie Mel and I) were in Auntie Mel's bedroom "helping" the Easter Bunny and the Dads were in charge. They sent the kids outside to play. In the midst helping the Easter Bunny, we looked up and 3 or 4 of the kids were watching us through the window. Shockingly, the surprise was not completely ruined and the most gullible of the children can't wait for the 

Easter Bunny to show up next year!

Micaela hunts for the heavy eggs

Sista, Sista, Sista

Ava hams it up for the camera

Family photo

The Whole Fam Damily

Teacher or Mother of the Year

A couple of weeks ago I was trying to figure out what I should use to get the Early Morning Seminary kids excited about their lesson that morning.  (Early Morning Seminary is a scripture study class for 9th to 12th graders that we have Monday through Friday morning at 6:30 a.m.)  I was quoting one liners from movies to see if they could guess the name of the movie the line came from.  We went through about 6 or 7 one liners and they were getting most of them so I thought I could stump them with "It's in the hole".  None of the students knew which movie it was from and I told them it was from a really good movie called "Caddyshack"  that they should all see because it was very funny.  One of the students looked at me and said "Sister Reynolds, that movie is rated R."  I started laughing and revised my suggestion that they see the movie.  I told them that was Brother Reynolds contribution to the one liners.  

Later that day, I picked Ava up from school where she was the star student for the week.  As star student she could take her favorite movie for the class to watch.  She recently has become obsessed with the movie "Annie" which she took to school with her.  Ava told me Miss Jamie needed her to bring a different movie because "Annie" was terrible and the kids couldn't watch it.  I had asked Izzy and Micaela before school that morning if there was anything in the movie that would be inappropriate for 4 and 5 year olds and they said no.  When I talked to Miss Jamie, she said there was some language and Miss Hanigan in the movie was a drunk and did a strip-tease.  I apologized and sent in a different movie for the kids to watch which Miss Jamie said was much better.  Upon further recollection Micaela and Izzy did remember some things that Ava's class might not want to watch.  

I'm expecting to get the awards for mother of the year and teacher of the year very soon!

Cousins

I love my cousins because they love to play

We like to ride bikes even on a rainy day.

Kansas is winning the basketball game-

We know this poem is pretty lame!

Hannah Montana rocks

Almost as much as Uncle Mike talks.

We love our cousins-they are great,

We hope we have eight hundred and ninety eight!  (Auntie Mel and Uncle Rew better get busy!)

By Ava, Micaela, and Auntie Hol

In like a lion. . . out like a hurricane!

What does it take for me to update the blog?  The prospect of having to dig through my pile of receipts to get my tax stuff ready!!  I will avoid that task at any cost!  Micaela is currently reading "A Brief History of Time"  by Stephen Hawking and in that spirit I will provide a brief history of March.  

• We finished up all star basketball with a strong showing in the regional tournament, losing in the semi-final round, and immediately started soccer.   Go sharks! 
  
• Izzy and Ava are taking drama classes (I'm not sure whether they are teaching or participating) at the local historic theater.  We are anxiously awaiting their May performance of Horton Hears a Who where Isabella plays the mayor and Ava was appropriately cast as a monkey.  
• Easter came and went.  The Texas cousins came to visit and we had a blast.  We hunted for eggs-twice (The Dads forgot to hide the candy filled eggs the first time around).  We visited the Georgia Aquarium and were sad to discover that the relaxing effect of the million gallon fish tank is quickly cancelled by being surrounded by 11 children.  We tried to convince the Texas cousins that they would like to become Georgia cousins to hang out and we quickly decided that we should all become Hawaii cousins!
• Spring break came and went and according to Micaela and Isabella they spent it cleaning and working and at the very end got to see a movie.  They are probably correct because I was busy getting ready for a festival in Conyers, GA March 29 and 30.  Brandon got to live my life for a day and called repeatedly to tell me we are quitting whatever activity he was on his way to or from.  Mel and I spent the weekend trying to stay dry in the middle of a freezing, rainy weekend- we discovered bad weather produces bad sales numbers.  Harvard business school has nothing on us!