Signs Grant Might Be Bad

grant talking to zach and ella
(background: cory is zach's favorite, i am grant's favorite, ella is an equal opportunity child which is fine because everything is equal)
grant: ella - is mom your favorite?
ella: no. i don't have a favorite.
grant: but mom should be your favorite - you are both girls
ella: ya but i like dad the same as mom
grant: great. i like dad best now, zach likes dad best. no one is left to like mom best.

(should i give him points for at least trying to find a replacement?)

walking through the mall with the family - i try to hold grant's hand . . .
grant: mom, why do you always try to hold my hand?
mom: sorry - do you not want to hold my hand?
grant: no. i'm kinda old and it is kinda embarrassing.
mom: ok, that is fine.
grant walks five steps forward and grabs dad's hand.

???

* but my favorite quote of the week *
i set out a cardigan sweater for grant to wear to school. he comes up to breakfast and exclaims (eyes red from stress):
why am i wearing my sunday best?!?

i've never used the term sunday best and i haven't got a clue where he got it but i thought it was awesome - even if the sweater did end up back in the closet.

Ella's Eighth

my favorite things about ell this year -
cleaning out her room (bear with me) and finding an entire garbage bags worth of notes and pictures
the way she spells her friend sophie's name "sope"
when she begs grant to let his webkinz marry her webkinz
the way she sings happy birthday to people when they visit her pretend restaurant

New York

Sick Days

past two months - five people

sore throat cough runny nose congested head fever body aches amoxicillan augmenten tamiflu albuterol breathing machines chills more aches cough drops two bottles of tylenol cold and flu

we miss summer

Excellent Chinese

i went to ella's class to correct papers right after the kids went back to school from christmas break. ella came running up to me and said . . .

mom, you are going to have the best birthday ever - you know why? I got principal's pride!

{with mimi}

she was recognized for . . .

{and i quote}
speak a lot of chinese always happy

if i could say * great job * in chinese i would. but since i can't, i'll just quote strongbad and say . .

great jorb ramrod

Resolution for 2011

I am really bad at resolutions. I think because there is so much I really need to resolve to accomplish, I become paralyzed with the depth of the ever growing list. Unlike my highly organized, efficient husband who sets goals and actually works toward them, I sort of just do what needed to be done 5 minutes ago. This year I changed tactics.

No resolutions - not specifically anyway. I chose a word from a talk by Elder Uchtdorf:

Create

That is my word for this year. I can do a lot with it. I can create order (organize all those dumb closets in my house). I can create health (get back in shape). I can create memories (trips and time with the family). Lots to do with this word. And it doesn't matter how much or how little I do, I can still accomplish.

In Elder Uchtdorf's words:

improve
beautify
extend
smile
cultivate
develop
CREATE