Rebecca's Birthday Dinner

Rebecca was so tired that she greeted everything she was served at dinner with some complaint. "I don't like beans! I don't like rice! I didn't want you to cut that!" Finally she was put down for a nap, while her food sat untouched on the beautiful red "I Am Special" plate. Katie tried to wake her up at cake time, but she slept on as she was passed from lap to lap and put back to bed, so there was much rejoicing when she finally emerged, blinking, and everybody could eat dessert. She never did eat her dinner.

Happy birthday, little girl!

Substitution

Alex comes out of his bedroom. "I need my clock!"
"I don't have it in here," I tell him. "You'll have to look for it tomorrow."
"But I want to know what time it is!" Alex says. He turns around, grabs up the dead (and replaced) phone from the table, and heads back to bed with him. No batteries, no lights, no beeps--hope he enjoys it!

Whose better deal?

Kids beg for extra candy for dessert. I tell them sure, but they have to help me clean the whole kitchen first. They did, and they ate, and everybody's happy.

When we felt the Spirit

Last Saturday we attended the baptism of a young friend. That is, we sort of attended. In fact, pulling the kids away from their sunny outdoor play to dress for the baptism had taken so long that we missed the baptism part entirely. Instead we come in after the baptisms had taken place, heard the final talk about the Holy Ghost, and then got to hear the blessing in which our friend was confirmed with the Holy Ghost. I'd felt so awkward, slipping in late, that I wondered, had the whole effort been worth it?

A few days later, I read with Katherine and Alex the scripture in Alma 5 in which he asks the people if they have experienced a might change in heart? and if so, have they felt that recently? I asked Katherine if she had felt the Spirit before, and if she had felt it within the last week. At this point Alex jumped into the conversation. "I did," he said. "At Roxy's baptism."

Guess it was worth it after all!

What Rebecca Wants for her Birthday

Princess nail clippers
A princess gun
And a princess football

London bridge

also works when you join hands with your 6-year-old and let your 3-year-old ride her bike under your arched arms.

History Fans

It turns out Alex's enthusiasm for World War II, airplanes in particular, has spread. Tonight Rebecca looked out the van window, saw a passenger jet, and shouted,

"Alex, I saw a bomber plane! It shoots! It's from World War II!"

Visiting Pullman

WSU's natural history museum, where we saw a snowshoe hare like Ralph, as well as (maybe) the bird's nest Dad mailed back from his mission in Argentina

Ice cream at Ferdinand's (watching the movie of how cheese is made).

Apple Cup ice cream rocks!

One of what must be one of the last remaining merry-go-rounds in a public park. Boy, did they work of a lot of energy jumping on and off to take turns pushing it around, until Alex slipped, hung on, and got dragged through a mud puddle.

And enjoying hands-on science at the recently built Palouse Discovery Center, with amazing science displays, including booths for telegraphing each other, which inspired kids to start learning Morse Code on the drive home!

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today!

On this Easter Sabbath, we are grateful for our Savior's sacrifice and love. We have enjoyed today's beautiful music and lessons at church which helped us feel His spirit, and we were able to read with our children a few scriptures about the sacrament and Jesus's resurrection. Even Rebecca came home from church today able to say that Jesus was resurrected.

Christus resurrexit. Alleluia!