Mighty Martha

I just love watching these two wrestle. I have to get a video once in a while because they are my favorite to go back to and watch. Eleanor can’t get enough of playing with her daddy. She isn’t nearly as wimpy when they wrestle as she is when she gets hurt other times; she doesn’t want the fun to stop. She has dubbed herself “Mighty Martha” when they wrestle. The Martha is because of the show, Martha Speaks. She loves that show. She tells her daddy he’s a bad guy when they wrestle.

Back to School

Some of you already know that I’ve gone back to school. I’m taking a photography class at our local community college (aka Grant’s work –free tuition!—). I have wanted to take this class forever! Grant’s cousin used to teach the class, and I was really looking forward to pestering him. He got out just in time because now that I’m done nursing baby and we could squeeze it into our busy lives, Grant’s cousin has stopped teaching it.

So, while I really hoped I would enter the classroom and be totally laid back and cool like this guy:

“Jeff Winger” on Community. Man, I love that show.

It turns out that in spite of my best efforts at coolness, I’m much more like this girl: “Annie”

(images from tvfanatic.com)

Oh well. It’s not like I’m there to impress anyone. So who cares if I’m the girl who gets excited for homework and asks any question that pops into my head whether or not it makes me look stupid to ask. I’m having so much fun in the class. I’m so excited to be better at using my camera and to get practice using it in all different ways. If that makes me a nerd, so be it.

So far, I’m fairly familiar with the concepts that we’ve been going over, but I’ve gained a more solid understanding of them. It gives me some confidence to know that I didn’t enter the class completely clueless, and I’m excited for when we get a little more past the basics.

I don’t have any photography masterpieces to show for my work in the class so far. I was trying to get some shots for my homework this week the other day, but it was getting too dark. I didn’t get enough pictures to fulfill the assignment, but I ended up with this.

It’s nothing too amazing, but I think the feel of it is neat.

I can’t wait to share more after I’ve improved a bit. –Squeal!--

Eleanor’s Testimony

I was reading Eleanor a few stories today. When I opened our copy of Noah’s Ark to read to her. I started out by reading the message my Aunt Kathleen wrote to her when she gave her the book. It says, “Dear Eleanor, I hope you always love animals and rainbows and Heavenly Father.”

Eleanor said, “I do love Heavenly Father, and he loves me.”

I said, “You’re right. Heavenly Father does love you, and I’m glad you love Him.”

She continued, “And we follow Him. And not the bad guys.”

Best Seats in Town

The city is replacing a water main on our street. Today was the day they worked out in front of our house. The girls are fascinated. It’s like watching a live Bob the Builder show. I wonder what the workers think of their live audience, staring at them from the window. 

 

 

I had just gotten the girls out of the bath, and I had to keep holding them up to look out their bedroom window as I got them dressed. As soon as they were dressed, they went out to the couch for a better view, wet hair and all. The noise of the machinery isn’t much of a bother when both my kids are happily occupied. It does pose a bit of a challenge for naptime, but after I let Phaedra stay awake a little longer than usual today to watch, she went down for a nap like a champ. She is a girl who needs her sleep. So, it should all work out as long as they don’t go on lunch and come back while she’s still sleeping.

If you have a little boy (or girl) who loves scoops and dump trucks, feel free to drive by our house and let them take a look.

A Family Classic

Grant invented this game with Eleanor when she was just a young toddler, and she has always loved it, begging him to do it again and again. He “staples” her to the wall and then removes the staples and catches her. He started doing it with Phaedra a few months ago, and she enjoys it just as much as Eleanor did. I don’t think I ever got a video of Grant stapling Eleanor, so I’m really glad I got one with him and Phaedra.

This is a picture of Grant stapling Eleanor when she was about 17 months old. Incidentally, she still asks her daddy to staple her, and he does it a few times before she gets too heavy for him. When she asks me to do it, I just have her stand against the wall. There is no way I could hold her up with one arm. I can barely hold Phaedra up like that!