Not Your Photo Shoot!

Stella came with me to help some kids smile for a photo shoot and ended up in a few poses herself. Had her flowers matched her outfit, it would have worked out!

Can't Sleep?

Dreams of little (well, not so little) baby brothers and sisters dance in her head . . .

Mud

I believe I asked Stella to water the lawn.

Happy Birthday Tom!

I'm re-posting because this is the picture I was looking for of Tom and Stella from 2005:

Vegetables

I dun growed myself some eats.

Mermaidia . . . er, something

Stella had her friend Cili over to play after school one day. They watched Barbie Mermaidia and ended up in their swimmers doing flips off of the chair into their ocean of pillows. You should have seen them quoting the movie. Five-year-olds are funny.

I apologize. Stella informs me that Cili is not 5, but 6. Forgive my error.

Art Classes

By the way, my friend Liz Hill (whom I was visiting teaching) is an AMAZING ARTIST! Take a gander at her work HERE or on my Lizzy D - Fantasy and Fairy Art link on the right. She is teaching some art classes starting TODAY, so if you're interested, let me know or if you know her number, give her a call! Seriously, I'm commissioning a piece of art from her and also buying 2 (maybe 3 . . . OK, maybe 4) paintings from her fairy collection for Stella's room. She's amazing. Here's her email announcing the art classes:

Summer once again is upon us. And once again I am doing art classes! :D Classes will start on June 7 and end on June 24 and there will only be 4 students in each class.

Kids Crafts $50

This class is all about having fun with various types of crafts and art. There will be: cookie decorating, a unique paper garland, and we are even going to make a sketch book!

Class 1: 1:30-2:00 Monday, Wednesday
Class 2: 1:30-2:00 Tuesday, Thursday

Watercolors $50

This is a class that will be focused on watercolor painting and sketching. (You will have to provide your own pencils and paper, watercolor paints will be provided for you) We'll be learning: basic painting, sketching, and learn different techniques for drawing and painting.

I have this class divided into age groups:
6-8 years: 2:00-3:00 Monday, Wednesday
9 and up (yes, even adults): 2:00-3:00 Tuesday, Thursday

These classes will be done at my home.

If you have question about the classes don't know how to get to my house or just want to say hi be give me a jingle. And for those of you that want to take classes but will be leaving before the classes are done just let me know and we can work something out.

I'm looking forward to a fun start to summer! I'll see you all later.

Feel free to forward this to anyone that might be interested.

Lizzy D.
(aka Elizabeth Hill)

Paparazzi

I usually have to take Stella with me when I go Visiting Teaching. She keeps herself and any other kids occupied during our visit. This one, however, got a little out of hand when Marius found his camera, Stella found mine, and the paparazzi chase ensued! I didn't have the heart to stop them because their giggles were the perfect compliment to my lesson.

Found him.

Chip break.

Marius must have just ducked behind me.

She even got herself!

We're going to star in the next church training video on how to do your visiting teaching.

You underestimate Stella's sneakiness.

Stella exhausts Marius as well.

Sweating his guts out.

Got ya!

Executive Secretary of the Year!

I don't know if Lance knew that accepting the call to be Elliot's Executive Secretary also included babysitting!
Lance and Michelle agreed to babysit for us while we had one of our temple dates several months ago. For a long time afterward whenever I'd ask Stella who she wanted as a babysitter, she'd say, "LANCE!"

They even enjoyed her dramatic side. Thanks Lance and Michelle.

Vacation Detox

We're back from our vacation and Stella thinks that our intestines are ready for a vacation food detox.

Of course, we'll have to eat it all by Monday in order to start.

Hide-N-Seek

Oh, How I Love Thee!

So I accidentally bought some ice cream a while ago and then some Magic Shell fell into my cart as well. Gosh darn I love this stuff. Seriously, it brings happiness.

It reminds me of my old roommate Stephanie who was trying to be helpful and thought the Magic Shell belonged in the refrigerator. Silly Stephanie.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Miss High Maintenance

Stella just got her first French manicure.

Tempe Stake Softball

Our Evergreen Ward has won the ostentatious softball trophy for the last 2 years. I think it spent the first year in the bishop's office, but then he grew extremely tired of looking at it, so it was moved into the clerk's office. I don't think Elliot was sad to relinquish it to the Shalimar Ward this year.

Stella and I didn't make it to the first softball game because I fell asleep watching an infomercial (note to self: buy a Haan steam vacuum). I hoped I would make it on time to bring the cooler full of water, Gatorade, and juice boxes for the players and kids. They were famished.

Apparently I missed Elliot's near homerun from the first game, but I made it in time to take this picture of him striking out. Love you Sweetie.

Daniel Farar

Josh Sigfried was a lefty, so I didn't get him batting because I was too lazy to move to the other side of the field.

Brian Park

Jeremiah Horn

Johnny Reading

Mike Duree

Dennis Farar

Mike Ashby

Clint Bills

The Tempe Ward thrashed them in the first game (the one I missed), then they beat Petersen Park Ward, then they were done with the loss to Alameda Ward. Shalimar ended up beating Alameda for the trophy. Goodbye giant trophy. Seriously, it's bigger than Stella.

The Bat Boy Parker. Stella still thinks that every time Parker goes a little bit away from his mom that she has to pick him up and take him back to her. Parker doesn't seem to mind though.

We missed the end of the last game because Stella suddenly grabbed her stomach and said she needed to go to the bathroom. I asked her how many apple juices she drank. She held up one finger and then slowly added fingers until she got to 4. I don't know about you, but in our family 4 apple juices = not a pleasant bathroom experience.

The question is . . . is that dirt or is he still wearing socks?