Spa Night

At Young Womens the other night, Kelsee, now a laurel, had a spa night.  They first started with a brown sugar and milk mixture to exfoliate.  Next, cucumbers for the eyes and lastly a mashed avocado.  They had fun and her skin did feel extremely smooth and supple when she got home.

After hearing about Kelsee's experience and seeing the pictures, Abby and Madison decided they wanted to get in on the action.  Bailey wasn't too sure about the whole thing but said she wanted her picture with one cucumber on her eye.  After the facials, their skin looked great (not that their skin doesn't already look great at their age), but Madison's face started to break out in a rash and itch like crazy.  I quickly washed her face with soap and water and within 15 minutes her face was back to normal.  I don't think Maddy will be asking for a facial anytime soon.  Plus the fact they were a little grossed out by having gritty and mushy stuff all over the faces.

Kelsee's swim team

Kelsee is a sophmore this year and is on the high school swim team. Last weekend, they went to regions in Cedar City. She swam the 500 free and the 100 breast. She shaved time off her "best" times and took 3rd in the 500 free. She didn't make it to state this year but will be going as an alternate for the relays. Kelsee has been very dedicated to swim. She attends practice every day before school at 5:15 a.m. I have been trying to get some good pictures of her swimming but haven't really captured a great photo. 

Tight streamline!!!

Freestyle

Bailey caught in the act

A few weeks ago, we had been treating Bailey for an ear infection.  I had to bribe her to even take the medicine (desperate times call for desperate measures!)  After a few days, Bailey started reminding me she needed her medicine.  I forgot to give her the medicine one day and the next evening she reminded me.  I told her we would wait for dad to come home from work and check her ears before we started the meds again.  I new she was feeling better but she kept insisting that her ear was hurting again.  Jared came home later that evening and caught Bailey trying to help herself to the medicine.  She had taken the bottle out of the fridge, got the syringe, opened the bottle (how I don't know), and dosed herself a syringe full of the good tasting stuff!  I was amazed my little 3 year old knew how to do all that by herself.  They are little sponges and soak up everything the see and hear.  btw...her ears looked fine.

From the Mouth of Bailey

Bailey is at such a fun age. She will be 4 on March 1st.  The other day she hit one of her sisters and I told her she needed to apologize or she would have to go to a time out.  She refused to say sorry so I put her on the bench.  She immediately said sorry, sorry, sorry....but I made her do the time.  So later that day she wanted to tell me something.  Lately, she always wants to whisper in my ear and "tell me a secret."  She said, "I love you with all my heart."  I then whispered the same thing back to her.  In the next breath she replied, "but you should never put me in time out ever again, okay?"  It made me smile.  

Later that night, we were flipping through channels and I came across something interesting on TV.  I was watching it for a moment and she came over and said, "Mom you need to turn the channel right now...I am not allowed to watch this."  (The show was Medical Mysteries).  She is growing up too fast.  She is my little buddy.  The rest of the kids are in school all day.  She attends preschool 3 mornings a week.  She helps me run errands, fold laundry, mop, make dinner, etc.  I help her put on polly pocket clothes, put together puzzles, read, watch her dance and sing, and make lots of chocolate milk (her favorite drink).  

One of her sisters took this picture.  Her personality can be summed up in three words....

SWEET AND SASSY

We love you, Bailey!

Budding Artists

Kelsee is a sophmore and took a beginning drawing class. Her shading project was to draw a black and white picture. She won 5th place overall for the Desert Hills art competition.

A few years ago (6th grade) Kelsee sketched this picture of Joseph Smith for the Regional Youth Spectacular. She did an amazing job. 

Madison submitted this project for the Reflections program at her school this year. The theme was "Wow." She titled it "Mickey Bubbles." She won in the photography category for her age bracket and her project was sent to District. 

 

Abby submitted this picture for the reflections program at her school this year. She received honorable mention for her photograph of this owl. We were hiking with the Draney family in Zions and we spotted it perched up in the rocks. 

Aunt Karen sent the girls an eraser making kit to keep the entertained during the holidays. They had fun molding and baking them in the oven. Thanks Aunt Karen!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008!

Christmas Morning

Kelsee and Abby waiting their turn to open gifts.

Bailey got Sleeping Beauty sweats and a princess paper doll book.  

She was definitely in princess heaven.

Bailey and Madison are checking out the goods!

Amelia, Kelsee, and Ashley hanging out Christmas day acting like typical 

teenage girls....posing for the camera.  Amelia is trying out her new video recorder.

Christmas Eve

Abby and Madison decided to be Mary and Joseph.  Maddy took her role very seriously!  They asked Bailey to be the angel but she insisted on being the star.  What a very important job.  

Oh boy...pj's for Christmas!

Grandpa and Grandma Speakman gave each of the kids a card with a $5 bill.  Bailey was so excited she kept cheering I got $5 bucks...I got $5 bucks.  Hence the photo with the $5 bucks.  She was smiling from ear to ear.  

THE RUN DOWN OF THE NIGHT

Every year for Christmas Eve, the kids open a present from Grandma Luthi.  Madison has noticed a tradition over the years and instead of getting her pj's on after dinner before we opened presents, she and Bailey got their bathrobes on.  I asked Madison what she had on underneath and she giggled and said she knew what she was getting and didn't want to have to change. 

We were planning to have dinner with our friends on Christmas Eve, but Madison woke up early throwing up.  Jared was also sick with a bad cold and cough.  We had a nice night opening pj's (of course!), reading a new christmas book, playing christmas songs with the bells, and watching the kids put on the nativity play.  

We also had a visitor stop by our house.  It was late but the kids were having a hard time getting to sleep.  Santa stopped by the house and dropped off candy canes and a reminder to hurry off to bed.  It seemed to work because after that, they finally all fell asleep (even though Bailey was scared out of her mind and didn't want to get any where near Santa!)