His mind

I love this stage Thomas is at right now. He LOVES to learn, especially about science related things. Cooking,  making fireworks, and a motor being a few of them. :)

He has made about four different "fireworks" and this one was his second one but first one we actually lit off. He was SO proud.

 He loves the "If you give a mouse a cookie" book. We have the book that has the mouse, moose, and pig stories and there are recipes through the book. He has LOVED making the goodies.

These were peanut butter cookies he made that were very yum.

Luckily Grandma and Grandpa Phair were having dinner with us so they could try out his cookies. 

They were delicious.

 The next day he wanted to make the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and pretty much wouldn't leave the kitchen until we made them. :) 

 Our family theme for the school year is "If the Savior Stood beside me" and we talked a lot about doing things as if the Savior was standing with us all the time. 

Anyway, Thomas said "We should take these cookies to some people." I told him that was a great idea and then I heard him start singing,"If the Savior Stood beside me." 

Maybe he is listening and taking in our lessons. :) Sweet boy. 

He took some cookies to our neighbors Larry and Sheila, then to Sister Scott across the street and the Scheubers next door. All in his pajamas, sharing his yummy goodies.

 Then the baking started turning into his own concoctions in a bowl and well...we didn't end up baking this one because I just don't think it would have baked very well.

 Thomas will often tell me of things he heard about with how things work and things he learns from this book called, "The way things work" :) (fancy that) and he LOVES it. It was one of Derek's favorite books growing up. He is SO his father's son. I love it. 

He is "inventing" this motor that he read about from his book.

 Keep the excitement of learning my little buddy.

SHE DID IT!!

Emma girl had her very first piano recital last night. She started piano lessons at the beginning of last school year and the past few months have been pretty hard for her. She's had a hard time feeling motivated in correcting her mistakes in the practices at home. There were lots of moments of optimism but also some moments of lots of whining but SHE DID IT! She pulled through and worked her tail off toward the end and she did a great job. We are so proud of her. She played "Haunted Mouse" and part of "Two Minuets" by Bach. She also gave a great introduction just before she played.

I hope this is a lesson learned for her and all our children that things in life may not come easy but with hard work and dedication, we can DO HARD THINGS. She did it, and we are so proud of her.

 Her piano teacher Jennifer Anderson has been so wonderful. She is so patient and loving with Emma and Emma loves her. We are very pleased at how she teaches these children.

 Emma has had help from Grandma Phair and Oma on her pieces. She has especially spent much time with Oma the last couple weeks working on the piano pieces. Oma has a great way of teaching Emma. Emma listens to her. :) Thank you, Oma and Grandma.

6 month old Amelia!

We blinked and then she turned 6 months old! 

We love our little Amelia so very much. 

I love when I pick her up from her crib after sleeping and she buries her little face into my neck and squeezes me tight.

I love that she kicks, kicks, kicks her little feet when she is so excited to see Mom, Dad or siblings walk into a room.

I love the sweet smell of her breath.

I love her big bright eyes that light up any room.

I love her squeals and laughs.....I could listen to it all day, every day.

I feel so much love for this sweet doll of ours. 

She loves her baby biscuits, her chewy giraffe toy, pink blanky and likes going for car drives but just hates her car seat. :)

We love you Amelia girl. Thank you for lighting up our lives.
Now if we could just work on getting back on a better sleeping schedule at night, that would be fabulous.

 She wouldn't let go of that cucumber to save her life.