Ridiculous

So this week there was a sale at a local grocery store called Smiths. You could by all these great cereals, like Raisin Bran, Frosted Mini-wheats, Honey Bunches of Oats, for a dollar a box. I mean, that's an incredible deal, right? You just had to buy 8 boxes in one transaction, and only eight to get that price. So I did it of course. I love my bowl of cereal every morning. I just went back a few more times to get more. And I was in there yesterday, the last day of the sale, and I just couldn't pass it up. So now we shouldn't need any cereal until at least January. Maybe April. There are 24+ boxes of cereal in my pantry. So that's ridiculous item #1. But food storage, right?

Now, what, you are all wondering, is this? I will explain. I found a plum tree at the edge of our apartment complex, chock-full of ripe plums. They are yummy, and the girls love them. Evelyn loves them so much that yesterday, while I was doing bills on the computer, I turn around and see this. I said,"What in the world, Evelyn?" and she said, "What?" like it was completely normal for her to walk around like this. I asked her what she was packing around and she pulled out a plum. She had 8 plums in there! This is a first for her, using panties to carry things around. And I don't remember little girls doing it. Just little boys. So we took out the plums and she helped me wash them off very well. I just wish she would have held still for a better picture than this. She kept wanting to see the camera screen, instead of posing for a shot.

In other news, Jilly started talking this week. And actually it's pretty normal for them to start talking around her age, but whereas Evelyn didn't talk until she was 20 months, this is a bit shocking to me. Her favorite word is "Hiiiiii" and she says it when I pop around the corner, or from underneath something. She also says it to Ben when he comes home from school. She's also said "Ohhh" a couple of times. And in her little high-pitched voice, it's pretty cute.

Sisters

Not much to report here on the home front. I've mostly been organizing the house, and the business end of things. Ben's been really busy with teaching and taking classes, the girls and I only really have him to ourselves for a couple hours every day when he comes home from class. Then he shuts himself in the office to study until midnight. He's enjoying school so far, more than he did as an undergrad. He really likes teaching, and interacting with the students who seem serious about their schooling.

If it wasn't for our much larger living space, I don't think I could keep my sanity having the girls to myself most of the day. They play together a lot more these days, and like to sit together.

They are okay with toys, Evelyn is usually the one to take something away. Jilly's getting more defensive about it, so the screeching and crawling over to take it back have begun.

Evelyn is talking more everyday, and refers to herself and her belongings in the third person: She also loves to introduce: Me: "Can you say hi, Evelyn?"

Evelyn: " Dis is Evelyn. Dis is Jilly. Dis is Mommy. Dis is Daddy. Dis is Evelyn's bed. Dis is Evelyn's baby." Etc., Etc.

She also says, "No mommy. Evelyn do it." A LOT.

Jilly's favorite toy right now is the cell phone, and she pretends to talk on it. She's also turned into my little climber, and loves this purple chair. Her thing is to point. She'll point at anything she wants, especially daddy and trees. She loves the trees outside. Well, I really don't have too much else to say, other than life is good and I love my girls. Hope you're enjoying the last of summer!

A new place to call home

Hello from south Provo. I am still alive, though tired. The girls are still adjusting to the new place and sleep has been in short supply some nights. I love our new apartment, it's three bedrooms with two bathrooms, and on the first floor. That's a big improvement for us, where as we've always lived on the third floor. I don't have to lug my huge stroller or groceries up the stairs anymore. The other things I most enjoy about it are the dishwasher, the washer and dryer, a kitchen table, and the extra room Ben calls his office. I figured after 3 years of living without the above mentioned amenities, I could spoil myself and have them. In Wymount, we had a card table, no dishwasher, and coin-op laundry. Which is fine and all if you don't have kids, but lacking them became painfully obvious once I had to take kids with me to the laundry facility, and doing dishes took 45 minutes while Evelyn was screaming for attention. And Ben can lock himself in his office to study and the girls still have free rein over the rest of the place. The only drawbacks I've found so far is the bad TV signal (no cable), and the train being only 8 blocks away or so. I don't know why they have to blow a train whistle five times in the middle of the night, hopefully I get used to it soon.

This THANK YOU goes out to both sets of parents, who let us eat their food, take over the house, make messes, and helped us move our mountain of stuff. I really like having the piano, the only thing about it is Evelyn won't ever let me finish playing a song before she turns the page to find another one. So I'm not the only one enjoying it. Evelyn and Jilly were both spoiled this summer, and we enjoyed living with family and seeing everyone. I don't know how we will ever return the favor. We love you!