Speaking of the Giggles

Of insects and strawberries and the FHE giggles

I got the giggles during Family Home Evening last night. The kinda giggles that make your eyes water and leave you gasping for air.

I was doomed from the beginning, really. Brynlee had informed me first thing Monday morning that she would be heading that evenings FHE. She had it all under control and I was to do nothing to prepare. We are going to learn about insects, do a craft and dip strawberries in chocolate for dessert, she said. Will you tell dad he’s in charge of the lesson? It needs to be about how God gave us bugs, okay mom.

Okay, Brynlee.

Later that day she brought in a canning jar full of leaves and Rollie Pollies. There for tonight’s FHE lesson, she told me. And I was to keep an eye on them – to make sure they didn’t “escape”.

Come FHE time the giggles were already swelling in my chest. Jace requested that we sing the Iron Man theme song to get things started. Again. It’s sort of become our little families weekly FHE tradition. Next up, Scripture Power. Except none of us could really remember the words. So you know, it sounded really good. Jace’s next song choice was The Hulk – sang to the same tune as the Iron Man theme song. Spencer made up the words and we all sang along. Trapped in the body of Bruce Ban-ner, He’s The-Green-Hulk! By the sixth superhero song {all sang to the same tune as the Iron Man theme song} I was fighting to swallow the giggles.  

When Brynlee decided to compose her own song {with hand movements and body gestures} on the spot, I lost it. Mainly because Spencer was standing right beside her swaying like a flower and trying to recite her made-up words. I caught his eyes, sensed that he was fighting his own urge to break out in laughter and could no longer control myself.

I laughed through the rest of the songs, straight through the prayer and through Spencer’s lesson – God created bugs because he loves us!

By the time that Brynlee dumped a canning jar of Rollie Pollies out on the coffee table for us to observe and touch, I could barely breathe. Especially when one of the exhibit insects was a little slow in its Rollie Pollie movements {read: dead-ish}.

Add in the strawberries + chocolate {that Brynlee served on top of the kitchen counter out of a family shared bowl} and the insect cards that Brynlee had us make and it really was one of my favorite FHE nights to date. Kids are the coolest thing ever.

Speaking of the insect cards. Brynlee's craft was to draw a card with bugs and insects and give it to somebody we love.

Jace drew his for daddy. He told us it says, I love my daddy with ants and flies on the front:

Spencer returned the favor and gave his to Jace:

Brynlee made hers for Aunt Katie. {P.S. Kate: She put it in an envelope, added a two cent stamp on it and wrote KATE in big pink letters across the front and put it in the mailbox. You should be expecting mail}.

I made mine for Jami. Because out of all my siblings she’s my favorite:

12 on the 12th [05.12.12]

Dude! I’ve been a total rockstar at crossing things off my to-do list lately. Things that have been sitting unaccomplished for – I don’t know – NINE MONTHS are finally getting done. I even finished the last of mom and dad’s photo albums that I had gifted to them for Christmas, TWO CHRISTMAS’ ago. Over the weekend I finished recovering a chair that has been 89% complete since September. And I’m this close to crossing off the remainder of the finishing touches on all three of the kid’s rooms. I’ve cleaned out every closet, cabinet, drawer and have taken a ridiculous amount of crap to the thrift store. Today I vacuumed and cleaned the van and buckled a vacant baby carseat in the seat behind mine. Not because I feel labor pending, but because the energy – I must put it to use. Nesting? Probably. And it feels good.

This week will mark my 36^th week and we are all getting anxious for our little family to officially grow. My kids are so excited for a new bundle of baby sister and the fact that they get to go stay with Kate and Jake for a day when I go to the hospital to “bring the baby home” is like frosting on the cake. They can’t wait!

Saturday was the 12^th. The day was spent getting things done: grocery shopping, yard work, wrapping gifts and cleaning house. It left me absolutely exhausted for Mother’s Day the next day - which fit well with my afternoon Mother’s Day nap that I had put in an early request for.

Anyway, my 12 on the 12^th:

01.   Cupcakes. Brynlee woke up before the rest of us and served herself breakfast. Cupcakes! The proof was left all over the toy room floor. When I asked her about her breakfast choice she tried to convince me she had eaten a bowl of cereal and leprechauns had helped themselves to the cupcakes. I totally fell for it.

02.  Chef. Spencer made breakfast burritos for the rest of us.

03.  Punk. I usually text my sisters a 12 on the 12^th reminder. Just because I’m sweet like that. This is Jami’s response – isn’t she such a charmer.

04.  Tis’ the season. So far this month I’ve received eight wedding announcements, two graduation announcements, two bridal shower invitations and a baby shower invite. I’ve decided to rob a bank and split the earnings equally between them.

05.  Haircuts. I opened the in-house hair salon for a few Saturday morning haircuts. My boys are now sportin’ summer do’s.

06.  Freshly cut.  And so is the lawn.

07.  Loaded up.  A thrift store load that filled the van in its entirety. Did I tell you that I may be nesting?

08.  Costco. I think 90% of my 12 on the 12^th include a Costco run.

09.  Strawberry Lemonade. Brynlee decided that my Saturday errands were going to be a “Mommy and Me” date. And since Costco, Winco, Fred Myers and a thrift store drop off makes for a pretty lame Mommy and Me date I treated her to lunch at her choice. She requested shrimp at Sizzler + a Strawberry Lemonade.

10.  Boys. And while we were gone our other half had a quote, unquote man party. Crazy boys. Oh and speaking of my crazy boys, Jace can now do a front flip on the trampoline. Which reminds me, I need to get video of that.  

11.  Gifts. Jake and Kate were headed mom’s direction for Mother’s Day so I loaded the back of their car with gifts for all the upcoming wedding/baby showers/bridal showers that I will not be attending. I have deemed myself to pregnant to travel.

12.   Thank You Gifts. The cute Young Women in my ward threw a surprise mutual night baby shower in my honor. Brynlee and I assembled a little thank you gift for their kindness.

And with that I’m off to bed. Night.

Color me THIRTY!

**Pregnant and 30 photo taken the day after my 30th birthday by Brynlee.  Lil' punk! I thought that the stuffed animal she put on my lap before the photo shoot was a nice touch though.