Wow, it's been a while. Whoops

Emily's graceful moment of the week:
I ran (not walked) full speed into an overhanging metal bar (that'll teach me to run in the dark around my parents' metal carport). It was awesomely painful and I was holding Kylee but was fortunate it was high enough to hit me in the top of the forehead and miss her completely. I put her down and gave myself a minute to make sure I could stand steady and my sweet kiddos were laughing hysterically. Glad I could entertain ;)

So my parents were invited to spend General Conference with my cousin Daniel in his cabin up in Bear Lake.  Jeff had drill so I got to be all alone trying to watch conference with two crazy girls (and actually I was able to catch most of it... thanks to my little ones who were being so patient and willing to quietly play together).

I was a little saddened because my aunt, mom, cousin, girls, and myself usually have a "girl's night (at my mom's) during the priesthood session, but since my mother was gone I feared we'd have to do without that this fall.  My sweet cousin Jessica invited us up to her parents house to have girls night.  It was fun, it's nice to do things like that once in a while.

Anyway, as we know Kylee ADORES my parents.  She will choose either of them over anyone else.  Uncle Dave came home from the priesthood session and Kylee got SO excited.  She walked over to him and wanted him to hold her.  It was very sweet because she rarely lets anyone hold her, excepting only Jeff, myself, my brothers, and my parents.
She thought he was grandpa, so she was quite content to hanging out with uncle Dave (who will be a real grandpa in a few short weeks :) ).

It's funny because I see a family resemblance for sure, but I have never had a problem telling my dad and his twin apart (unless they are on the phone, their voices are EXACTLY alike).  But whenever my dad goes to uncle Dave's ward people hand him their tithing slips and when Dave  comes here people approach him with stake business, or just talk to him as though he were my dad, having no idea until they are told that he is actually his brother (I wonder if sometimes they think it's my dad pretending to have a twin to get out of dealing with them, Ha! Doubt it though... he would never deceive people like that, anyone who knows him, knows that).

Once my parents were babysitting uncle Dave's kids (back in the day when it was just Nate and Rich) and took them to a store and apparently were walking holding my hands at the store (they were living in the same city).
Someone approached my Aunt Fawn a few days later, breaking the news that her husband was having an affair because he was seen holding the hand of another woman.  Ha! Hilarious. Nope, just my dad and my mom.

Kylee is a crazy crazy baby.  That kid has to climb EVERYTHING still... will this stage never end?  So far we've managed to stay injury free (knock on wood). She is picking up a few more words, which is always fun.
She says, "Ya! No no, da (for dog), aduh (for all done), bye bye, hi, mommy, dad, wee... and a few other things.
She never picked up the signing quite like Katie, except that she uses the sign "more" for snacks, even if she hasn't had any yet... it's sort of her "feed me garbage" sign.
If she wants actual food she'll say "Eeee" and point to her opened mouth

Katie is a good big sister to her, she told me she's ready for a brother (NOT another sister, she is quite adamant about that), and his name MUST be Jordan (Jeff must be doing some brainwashing behind my back ;) ). I'm not one who can get pregnant on a whim so we will just wait and see.

I was a little worried when Katie's nursery teacher told me she and a boy in her class are inseparable. She tells me he is her "bestest friend."  Katie seems drawn to play with boys more than the girls. I know she'll play with either but she tends to prefer playing with little boys which struck me odd until I realized my best friend was a boy until the 1st or 2nd grade. I'm ok... not that I'm necessarily "normal" but I function well enough.

I was so proud when today, during General Conference Katie completely unprompted said, "Look mom! Our prophet!" When Thomas S. Monson got up to speak.  I'm glad she recognizes him and knows he is a prophet.

I try REALLY REALLY hard, to literally make the gospel something I teach my kids from infancy.  I worry about going halfway on anything because I know what the world was like when I was a teenager, and the thought that it'll be even worse when my girls become teenagers makes me cringe.   I hope, I hope, that I can give them a good foundation because I know what it's like to stray even a little. It's not pleasant, even though you pretend, or fool yourself into thinking it is.

Ugh... It worries me, I remember how hard it was, how many times I had to say "No!" I remember the mockery I endured (yes even in Utah). It was so hard, and it'll be harder for my kids? I need to prepare them in every possible way.
 Life is much more pleasant when living in accordance to the gospel, trust me.

 I have tried the picture books scriptures, and they are great.  It's a good way to teach Katie scripture stories (Kylee listens too, but lets face it... she's 14 months, it won't stick, not yet).  

Katie wanted to read REAL "scripture books." She found Jeff's military set, which are miniaturized and she LOVES them.  She and Kylee will both tote them around, open them up and pretend to read (we are trying to do one real verse of scripture, but I haven't been good enough to call it a habit yet).

my kid is OBSESSED with swinging.  She'd swing for hours, I'm sure, if I had the energy to push for that long (though I have not tested that, and probably won't) ;)

Kylee is a girly girl

Katie likes to accessorize.  Notice the pink leopard print belt... she puts that over everything (yes even if she's wearing another belt).  I caught her trying to wear it to church over a pink dress.  She also wears it over her jammies... silly girl

Story time at the library.  We LOVE IT!

Kicking back enjoying conference.  Mommy had a few tricks up her sleeves to keep the kids entertained so she could watch

of course we must torment our dog somehow.  Bless her heart

Ever had a 14 month old try to brush your hair?  I have... it's not pleasant.  Not bad for her who does not have much hair.