April!

Winter seems to be losing the battle. Isn't April an interesting and changing month? I read in a new book I received for my birthday that April's Theme is resurrection and the reminders for us are everywhere this month as the world reawakens from winters sleep. I plan to take a little walk outside every day this month in hopes of keeping this idea in mind. Every day of April is different. Yesterday it was so warm, we should have been wearing sunscreen and today it has been raining and overcast all day. But, the world is awakening, and winter is losing. What beautiful reminders.

Mullet Piggies!

On General Conference Sunday we had such a lazy, but fulfilling day. When the broadcasts were over, Mckinley fixed my hair. (And told me that Daddy wouldn't marry me if my hair wasn't fixed. Ha! Too Late!) And I put Dolces hair into pigtails. Her hair is longer in the back than on top and so when we showed Daddy, he said they were Mullet Piggies. We laughed and of course couldn't resist snapping a picture. She's onto the game now though and she is not falling for getting her hair fixed without a fight anytime soon, so we have to be content with her lovely hair that has a strong resemblance to velcro in the morning. We love these little girls!

A chef in the making

After a long break from the movie Ratatouille, Kinley watched it one day and her need to create was given a new venue. She watched it several times in one day and after she had had her fill, she turned it off and told me two things:
1) That's it's really OK to have Rats in your house. (Which I adamantly disagreed with.) and
2) That she is a chef and was going to make some things.
Since that day, she has made breakfast in bed for David and me several times. The first time was such a surprise. She had mixed 2 different types of cereal together, and had clearly stirred it to perfection, and brought it to us on a serving tray that we have no idea how she got a hold of because it was in a very high cupboard. She said she didn't know how to pour the milk, so she gave it to us dry. It was very delicious, nonetheless, and she was so proud as we were eating it. The moment was short lived, however, when we heard the little sister waking up and Kinley frantically ran downstairs to put Dolces breakfast together. She came back with a roll she had found and Dolce very happily snarfed it up. The sweetest part was that Mckinley had completely forgotten to make anything for herself. When I asked her what she was going to have for breakfast, she smiled shyly and said, "I'll just have some of yours, Mommy."
The discoveries continued in the playroom when Mckinley began making 5 star dishes out of socks from the sock matching box. She was absolutely thrilled when her Daddy stuffed an entire sock into his mouth and told her how yummy it was.
As I've been reading a book called Simple Abundance, one recommendation has been to implement a weekly soup night throughout the winter. The idea is to enjoy the entire process of making different comforting soups. I must say that with my little girls help, I have enjoyed this cooking ritual so much. I have paid closer attention to the bright colors of vegetables, the smells as the flavors blend together, even the warmth of standing by the stove cooking, when the weather outside has been so chilly. Our next venture for the month of April is going to be implementing a bread making day once a week together. Banana bread first!