Is it a girl thing?

Okay - so we are getting ready for lunch today and I asked Abby what she wanted to eat. Her reply was spagetti, which we have in the fridge from a couple nights ago - easy, right? So, I got out the spagetti and warmed it up and got Abby up to the table. We had just finished the blessing when Abby burst into tears - got down from the table and ran to her room crying because she didn't like spagetti. I was still at the table - completely bewildered - what had just happened. Not knowing what to do, I ignored her and went to play with the twins (they smile at me, unlike Abby these days). Well, next time I turned around, Abby was back at the table eating her spagetti - with a big frown on her face. She finished what I had given her and asked for seconds (still frowning), cautiously I got her more and watched as she finished that bowl as well. I am no stranger to the terrible two's, the boys were stubborn, independent and tested me on all the rules, but this is different - I have no idea how to combat these emotional outbursts. This has to be a phase right - I mean, she WILL go back to being my happy, go-lucky girl soon, right?
I had to get a picture of this - this is the same girl who loves to have her picture taken, it had to be really hard for her not to smile!

I figured it out - give her chocolate and the smile comes back. Thanks Grandma, for sending the leftover cookies from Miles's soccer party home with us - I have a happy child again! Now off to put her down for a nap - yeah, I don't think I will be winning any popularity contests today.

Yeah Me!!!

I know it is not polite to brag, and most people probably don't brag about a B, but I am going to!!! I GOT A "B" ON MY ADVANCED CALCULUS TEST!!!!!!! For the first time in the six weeks since the class started - I have began to think that I could maybe pass this class. I was crazy to even take this class right now, but SUU only offers certain classes during certain semesters, so if I didn't take it now it would postpone me finishing school one whole year. However, as soon as the class started, I began preparing myself for the possibility that I wouldn't be able to get a C (needed for the class to count) and would have to take the class over. Not only is the class hard to begin with, but the last calculus class I had was 12 years ago. I know Heavenly Father is helping me "remember" (I am not so sure that I even knew some of the stuff I have "remembered" to begin with:)) what I learned so long ago. So anyway - I am on cloud 9 right now - yeah me, I got a B!!!!

Fall???

It sure didn't feel like fall today - it was 80 degrees at least, but the calendar says it is fall, so we drove up Cedar Mountain this evening for FHE. The kids loved it - Abby would shout out everytime we saw a tree with red leaves (which was pretty much constantly). I tried to get the boys to admit how beautiful it was - they wouldn't use the word beautiful, but they had fun playing in the leaves and climbing the mountain. I have been pretty uptight with the kids this last weekend, thanks to a big test I had this morning, so it was really nice to be able to relax and have fun as a family. Here are (quite) a few pictures of our trip.

"Mommy Clayton Gilmore"

I got the middle name today - by my 2 year old. She wanted candy for desert - after breakfast - and she wouldn't listen to my explanation that we have desert after dinner, not breakfast. It wasn't the right middle name though, so instead of taking her serious, I burst into laughter - which in turn, made her even more angry with me. Miles's middle name is Clayton, and yes - he is my child that gets called by his full name the most (sometimes it seems that my children don't even listen until they hear their middle name), so when Abby was upset with me - she did what she has heard me do when I am upset with the boys - she used a middle name. I wish I could put into words her expression and tone when she used "my" middle name - I guess you will have to use your imagination. She was an early talker and has quite a vocabulary - so I sometimes forget that she is only 2 years old - but then she will come up with something as cute as this and realize how lucky I am to be her mom!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Look what my sweet sister-in-law helped the kids do. She watches the kids while I have class every Tuesday afternoon, and I came home to a surprise party!!! Not only had she helped the kids write me cute notes, but she had also made me a cake - carrot cake (which next to Red Food Cake that I can't eat right now (Piper asked me not to eat chocolate while I am nursing her) is my very favorite). Is that even legal to put parenthesis inside parenthesis? Anyway, the dishes that I have been trying not to wash were also washed and put away - she is an angel!