What's Better than Butter?

You Are.
Ella has written notes to several different friends and she writes What's Better than Butter? and then she writes her friend's name. Charming...MMM Butter.

It's summer, and its way too hot outside. I had my kids read this afternoon, after swimming lessons. Ford and Gigi ended up snoozing instead. Ella, I'm not sure how, but she managed to read her 5 book requirement so should could go play with cousins.

We have been renovating our house. What started out as oh we'll just replace the carpets has now turned into oh we need to fix the roof, replace part of the wall, paint all the walls, and put up new baseboards, oh and while we're at it lets put new tile in the bathroom. So this summer is not lacking excitement, but the kids are dying for some sort of vacation. Lucky for Ford he gets to go flying with Grandpa, and Ella, is looking forward to going to the movies with Grandma.

(Gigi in her new swimsuit and the new floor)

I'm hoping to have our house back to normal by Christmas, I put that as Mr. Pond's deadline so I will be pleasantly surprised when he finishes everything before school starts. (wink, wink).

Ford earned his orange belt at the end of June. It was cool when he kicked two boards in half.
and Ella's excitement for July, she was lucky to catch a stuffed animal at the fourth of July parade.

SIX

On Sunday, Ella's bug catching ability was definitely underestimated by her aunt and uncle when she set out to capture a grasshopper at Grandma's. They deemed the task impossible, especially for a 5 year old girl. Those of little faith, if Ella sets out to catch a bug consider it caught. She gracefully accomplished the task in under 15 minutes, Gigi even joined in the fun and caught some interesting little flying bug also.
The next day, Elle decided it was time to free grasshopper, and opened the jar. And little grasshopper hopped out of the jar and then right on to Elle's face. She screamed half in horror half in surprise, and then the grasshopper hopped back to the ground and back in the jar. I guess we'll be keeping the bug a little bit longer, it seems the grasshopper has grown fond of its new jar-home and would like to stick around. Elle is a little concerned that grasshopper will not survive long in its new habitat, but so far her prayers for the little bug have been answered.

Simple Pleasures

Mmm cookies & milk, something everyone enjoys at any age. Cookies seem to bring some sanity and happiness back and for some reason makes doing homework easier. So we are sure to make time for COOKIES.

Today Ella, Gigi, and I walked down to feed the horses by our house. Gigi calls them CC's (horsies). Ella carefully fed the horse, by extending her arm out as far from her body as possible and holding the apple with two fingers. Mr. Pond has evoked such fear into her that the horse will bite of her fingers, that she takes all precautions. She was so brave and so proud, that the horse had eaten the apple out of her hand (well 2 fingers anyway) and she didn't loose any fingers, not even a nail. Anyways, I did take some pictures but regretfully they are all over exposed. Better luck next time. Gigi and Ella were so happy after feeding the horses, it kind of brought the same result as eating cookies, and I think the horsies were happy too. Enjoy Simple Pleasures.

After school today we sat down and worked on homework. Ford had to correct some errors he had made on his in class assignment. And then he has to work on spelling. I think when I was in second grade we were given a list of words to learn. Second graders today, at least in his class, must learn to spell all the words in 6 5-7 word sentences and use correct punctuation. WOW. I'm quite impressed. After this we read. And Ella is reading so well!! I love it. She is working from BOB books. I really enjoy being a part of their learning. I think she will be picking up chapter books by next summer!

p.s. If you like pink, you'll love this.

EggCiting Easter Fun

Long Lost Tradition

This is one of my favorite magical childhood memories. Every year Santa Claus would make a surprise visit to my Grandmother's house. This past Christmas, my children got to experience Christmas, Lund Style. Ford and Ella, were so surprised, and impressed that Santa new they would be at Grandma Melva's. It was fun seeing everyone, and having all the kids together. Krista shared with us all some important makeover tips.

Indiana Jones at our house

Weekend Pictures

The kids had fun discovering Layton's "beach". I think it was a little too sunny for these pictures.

Birthday Surprises

Wow!! Ella is 5! We had a fun Birthday weekend full of surprise. On Friday we celebrated Elle's Birthday by taking her and her friends to Build-a-Bear, they were pretty serious, and I think it was more work building those animal friends than play. Her Grandma gave her a hamster, which takes the cake as the best birthday present, followed closely by her mouse shoes.

On Saturday we drove into Gunnison for Great Grandma's Birthday Party, and on the way there, Gigi got here first teeth, that's right she cut two bottom teeth at the same time. Later that afternoon, Gigi took her first step. It was a big day for Gigi. Then that evening Fords first little baby tooth fell out. And as he put it, "the fairy dust made me sneezed" and that's why he woke up in the middle of the night to find the surprise she had left him under his pillow.

Pillow Fight Fun

Bouncing into Summer or Something like That

Summer is never boring around here, with two very creative minds. They haven't played this game for about a year or so, but its still hilarious as they get older. So to give your children some ideas for summer fun...

Easter Eggs

Ok, so I wanted to share these pictures a long time ago, but my computer came down with a virus and it has taken me a good 2 weeks to get photoshop up and running again. So without further ado...Easter Eggs.

Presents Day

I thought everyone would enjoy this story.
Ella said, "How come no-one brought me presents to my house?"
I said, "Well, because its not your birthday."
Ella said, "But it was Presents Day, and no-one brought me any Presents."

Try Explaining, Presidents Day to a 4 year old. Ford on the other hand, thought that we would meet the President on Presidents Day, and this whole week, Ella has thought we were talking about Presents Day, and wondering why she didn't get any presents.

Momma, I want a horse.

Ok, so on the drive home from school yesturday, Ford said that he wanted a pet horse as we drove past the horse stables. I told them well I don't think we have a big enough yard for a horse. And Ella thought that was just the silliest idea, she said, "Momma, the horse would live inside the house." I said, "Where would the horse poop?" and Ella said, "We could get one of those boxes, like what Grandma has, where the kitty poops," Oh what a great idea, a HORSE-SIZED LITTER BOX, to put in the laundry room, for our pet horse, Rosebud.

Inconceivable...

So the kids have been reenacting The Princess Bride. They love to pretend to be Wesley and Buttercup. I know what you are envisioning, Ella would make such a beautiful Buttercup and Ford a charming Farm Boy--I would agree. Its been fun to watch them act out the entire movie but the best part is Ella insists on always playing the part of Wesley, and Ford by default is everyone else. He makes for a beautiful Buttercup, very strong Fezzik, clever Vacinii, and funny Miracle Max, oh and don't forget the albino. Its quite fun, Ella gives Ford his lines and is very much in control of this pretend play. Ella wears her pirate bandanna and my big black boots to achieve the look of the Dreaded Capt. Roberts. Anyways, maybe one of these days I'll catch it on film...And maybe Ella will one day decide to be Buttercup for now, Ford will be my Buttercup, and Ella my Sweet Wesley (as she calls him).

Rock Star

My idea of singing vs Ella's idea of singing.

The Tiny Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

This is Ella's favorite book to read.

It's good to be the Birthday Girl

Ella loved be the birthday girl, and everything that comes with it: party planning and decorating, having all her friends over, birthday cake and ice cream, pinatas, balloons, games and fun, and presents. She had a ball!!