Aspen Elizabeth 5-Years-Old

Aspen turned 5 this year. I love and hate watching my kids grow-up. As much as I want time to stand still it's so fun to see them in each new stage of life. Aspen loves to be crazy and silly but can also be very obedient and a big helper. She always asks what we are doing today and is never happier than when she's playing with friends. She is still very much a girly girl and still loves wearing skirts and dresses and getting pretty. She has been trying to stop biting her fingernails to earn the privilege to have them painted, something we've never done before.

Aspen is clever and smart. She loves to learn. She has been in Miss Cameon's preschool, The Kinder Cottage, this year and has really enjoyed it, especially the field trip they took to Sweet's Candy Factory because they got to sample the candy! I was able to go with Aspen and her class and although the candy samples were great, the bigger treat for me was seeing how excited Aspen was to have me come along. She said it was her lucky day because her mom got to come on the field trip with her. We drove together in our car, just her and me. Every time I looked back at her in her seat, she looked so happy to be with just the two of us. As we walked through the factory, seeing all the stations, I had imagined she would want to walk with her friends. Not so; she held my hand tightly through the entire tour, only letting go to put candy into her mouth. One day she won't be as excited to hang out with me, so I took several pictures and relished in every moment. I'm so not ready for her to go to Kindergarten. She will be attending Daybreak Elementary and will be riding the yellow bus! I am not looking forward to sending her off, but it will be great for her. I just have to keep telling myself that.

As we built our new home this past year, we lived with Adam's parents. Their ward didn't have any other 4-year olds, so Aspen joined Sister Laurel Simonsen's CTR 5 class. She did just fine being in the older class and loved Laurel. During Christmas, Aspen received a package from Laurel (delivered by the mailman). It was a snowman bank with a little lock on it and a card. Aspen felt so special to receive such a gift and wrote a thank you note to take to Sister Simonsen. Aspen's teachers here in our new ward, where there are plenty of kids for the CTR 4 class, are Sister Amy Larsen and Sister Nicole Walbeck. They seem like a lot of fun and I'm will be great teachers too.

One of the things we miss most about our condo in Bluffdale is the pool. Last summer Adam and the girls went swimming almost every evening. Adam would get home from work, they would all put their suits on and walk over to the clubhouse. Aspen learned how to swim pretty well that summer. She loves to swim. She loves it so much, she even chose to go swimming at the Lehi pool for her birthday this year.

We traded our pool in for a track at Copper Hills Highschool just around the corner from Wayne and Shirley. We didn't use it quite as much as the pool, but it was a great place for Aspen to learn to ride a two-wheeler during the fall. Adam helped her and after about an hour, she was doing awesome. She fell a good number of times but always stayed positive and determined. She wanted to learn and wasn't going home until she did.

One of my favorite stories from this past year happened on a cold day in December while she was playing a guessing game with her Grandma Shirley. It was while we were living with Adam's parents. Adam, his mom, and Aspen were sitting together around the Christmas tree. Shirley told Aspen she was thinking of a someone who had to do with Christmas, and who wears red. Immediately Aspen said, "Jesus!" I love that this was her answer. It was a perfect answer, but not the someone Shirley was thinking of. Adam stepped in to help a little and told Aspen to ask if he had a beard. When Shirley said, "Yes." Aspen answered, "Joseph!" Still a perfect answer, but still not the someone Shirley was thinking of. Adam told Aspen to ask if he came down the chimney. Now, Aspen knew when Shirley said, "Yes", that the person Shirley was thinking of was Santa Claus! I know Aspen loves Jesus. I hope she always remembers Him first, at Christmas and always.

Aspen plays well with Bentley, unless they are fighting, and takes good care of Colter, unless she's making him scream. Actually when Colter was first born, she wanted to hold him all the time. It surprised me because she wasn't so interested in my pregnant belly. I guess she was just waiting to see him in person. She is a great example to both her brother and sister and I hope they follow her example.

Aspen is quick to forgive and to apologize and has such a big heart. When her remote control dog from Santa and her microphone stand from Adam and me both broke on Christmas, she was so gracious and didn't even cry. Neither gift made it through the day, but Aspen didn't get upset with us or with Santa, and just focused on the positive things that were going on and the time she had to play with her cousins. Aspen is loving, kind, and thoughtful. Whenever she can tell that I'm frustrated, she'll say, "I love you, Mom." Which always makes me feel better. She also really tries to do the right thing and say "Yes, Mom" and do what I ask. Aspen is such a sweet girl and we love her so much!

Aspen's Favorite Things...

(I asked Aspen what her favorite things were and these were her answers)

Friends -Camden, Julienne, Isabel, Avaree, Kennedy, Taylor, Reagan, Sabrina, Jocelyn, and Bentley (This was the first thing out of her mouth- She LOVES friends!)
Riding her bike
Animals, espcially kitties
Butterflies
Swimming
Playing with legos at Mamie and Papi's and Dora and Diego Mega Bloks at home (That's what she was doing today)
Playing dress-up
Going to church and is looking forward to getting baptized
Graham crackers and milk
Playing games on the computer
Coloring pictures for others
Wearing skirts or dresses
Her stuffed unicorn, pinky poo, dalmation dog, and robot dog
Making surprises
Getting a song and a back tickle at night

Color: Pink, red, blue, and green (because of the green M&M- it's a girl)

Movie: Princess and the Frog and Princess Bride
Food: Corn(I think because we had it last night). If she could eat anything in the world she would want fruits and candy. Going along with that, her favorite fruit is a banana, because it tastes like candy.
Meal: Breakfast, because she loves cereal
Primary song: A Child's Prayer
Non-primary song: Edelweiss (This is still her song of choice at bedtime)

Aspen Can...

Ride a two-wheeler
Write all her letters and numbers
Write her name
Count to 100
Add (She likes to add the same numbers together, 2+2, 4+4, etc)
Snap really well
Tell you her shapes
Make her bed
Read a little

Bentley Jade 3-Years-Old

My little Bentley isn't so little. She turned 3 this year, although sometimes I forget that she's not older. Maybe it's because she does such a good job keeping up with Aspen, who is two years older, although she’s also a little on the taller side (and skinny side too). She really loves to play with her big sister, and now her little brother too (even though both girls do more bugging than playing with him right now), but can spend hours singing made-up songs and playing on her own.

I am amazed at how busy this girl stays. She whips up your favorite food, including a birthday cake with her play dishes and play food in her play kitchen. (Birthday cake is her favorite to make and present with a birthday song, followed by an invitation to blow out the candles.) She makes a "comfy spot" behind the rocker in Colter’s room- complete with blankets, pillows, and several pairs of her pajamas. She gets out all the Tupperware to continue “cooking”. She pulls out all the shoes I own (which really isn’t that many) from off the shoe shelves in our closet to try on each and every pair. She colors a bit. She paints a few pictures. She fills up the bathroom sink with water to splash and play in and get her hair and clothes a little wet. She brings a chair over to the kitchen sink to “do” the dishes. She returns to my closet to pull all the empty hangers on to the floor. She finds all the cute, little books in the office bookshelf to put in her purse. She finds a baby doll to put in the stroller she’s now using to hold her purse. She fills all the bags and purses she can find with all sorts of toys to add to the purse that’s hanging on the stroller’s handles. And then she takes a bath. You’d think that was her schedule for the day, but she accomplishes all that before 9:00 am. She knows how to play hard, but she also knows how to nap hard. She still loves to put on her “PJs”, unless she already wearing them (which is most of the time), cuddle up with her Dora blanket and some chocolate milk in a sippy cup, and run her collar between her fingers, feeling the decorative edge, all the way to dreamland.

Bentley is well known for "hiding" things in "secret" spots. She is a “collector” and a “stasher”. If you can't find something, there's a good chance Bentley has found a new place for it. The good thing is, if it hasn't been too long, she's starting to remember where she puts things. While we were living with Adam's parent's during the time we were building our home, she found lots of places to stash toys, clothes, kitchen utensils- you name it, all usually in some kind of bag or grocery sac. One place in particular that I discovered at the Wrights was a side table in their family room next to a reclining chair. I'm not sure what I was looking for at the time, or if I found it, maybe a stuffed animal. As I was looking for it, I opened the little door of a side table in their family room. I discovered close to half of Shirley's silverware. Of course I knew immediately who had put it there.

Bentley is such a little helper (except when it comes to picking up the toys). She always wants to be involved in whatever project is at hand. She’s happy to help Dad outside in the yard, Mom with the cooking in the kitchen, or Mamie with the cleaning. With a shovel, whisk, or rag in hand, she’s ready to get the job done.

When it comes to giving hugs and loves, it doesn’t get any better than the ones Bentley can deliver. She is a sweetheart and a cuddler (especially when she’s tired) and still asks, “Hold djou.” She finds joy in giving, is always friendly, and never misses an opportunity to be silly. Her eyes sparkle, her smile is bright, and her laugh will make your heart smile. She still has that toddler voice and way of talking that they all grow out of much too soon. She’s also courageous, strong-minded, and even a bit feisty at times. Bentley has a strong spirit. Even as a newborn baby, not even a day old, I could feel of her strength. We are so blessed to have Bentley in our family and love her with all our hearts.

Bentley's Favorite Things...

Her brown dog and black cat stuffed animals
Feeling her collar
Wearing "PJs" (as she calls them now- they used to be "Pajahon"
Getting a sippy cup of chocolate milk first thing in the morning
Her Dora blanket
Naps
Playing with her play kitchen stuff and babies
Loves collecting things from around the house and stashing them in grocery sacs and/or secret hiding places
Coloring pictures and folding them up
Making pretend birthday cakes and singing happy birthday
Dancing
Singing made up songs
Making messes
Playing in the dirt
Washing her hands and taking baths

Color; Green
Movie: Princess and the Frog
Food: Peanut butter, butter, and cinnamon sandwiches and chips
Primary song: "I am a Child, Are You Really There?" and I Love to See the Temple
Non-primary song: Forever by Chris Brown (and dancing to it)

Bentley Can...

Sing her ABCs (she sings them whenever she washes her hands)
Count to 20 (with only 1 or 2 mistakes)
Dress herself
Remember names really well