Rochesterfest

This past week was Rochesterfest. It's a week long celebration throughout which are many different activities and events each day. We participated in a few this week and I wanted to share the highlights with you.

We saw the "moon glow," where colorful hot air balloons lit up the sky. Bryce and I loved it, but the girls weren't so sure. About every 2 minutes fire would be shot up into the balloon and it was a noisy affair. We actually lost Cady for a minute because she ran away when she first heard the noise.







We also went to the "Rochester Has Talent" show on Saturday afternoon. We sat down and enjoyed an afternoon of ballroom dancing, belly dancing (an unexpected surprise), cheer leading, and a surprise performance by...Cady! Well, almost. They ran ahead of schedule for a few minutes and the announcer opened the floor up to anyone in the audience. There were about 100 people there. Jokingly, I asked Claire and Cady if they wanted to go up on stage and sing a song. Simultaneously, Claire said no and Cady said yes. Cady stood up and began walking towards the stage. Slightly stunned, I stood up and followed her. I asked her again and she said she wanted to do it. She took the microphone and went up on stage by herself. The announcer asked her name and she said, "Cady," and then started to giggle. Right after the giggle ended, she covered her face up with her arms. That was the last the crowd saw of Cady's face. The announcer tried to persuade her to sing and eventually suggested that Cady turn her back to everyone and sing, but to no avail. Well, if nothing else, Cady got three minutes of fame along with her picture in the local newspaper. :) Bryce and I are pretty thrilled with the newspaper bit, that's going in her scrap book! Claire is already practicing the song she is going to sing next year, she wants to be in the paper too.

Anything You Can Do...

So, we had a "Provident Living" Talent Show for Enrichment this past month. Molly Johnson and I thought it would be funny to do a slightly unique singing number. We got the sheet music to the song "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun and changed some of the words around. It was a blast to do this number, and Molly was a total delight to perform with. I honestly feel that our roles should have been switched---she is amazing! This video is the last few moments of the song. We have been asked to do this number again at our Stake Relief Society training meeting this fall. :) I'm looking forward to singing it again.

Anything You Can Do (Jean and Molly Style)

Jean: Anything you can do I can do better ......I can do anything better than you Molly: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can, yes, I can

M: Anything you can be I can be greater ......Sooner or later I'm greater than you
J: No, you're not
M: Yes, I am
J: No, you're not
M: Yes, I am
J: No, you're not
M: Yes, I am, yes I am

M: I can tend a baby, one two or 80
J: I can tend a dozen, bring along a cousin
M: I can live on quaker oats
J: That's really nice, I can on rice

M: Any note you can reach I can go higher
J: I can sing anything higher than you
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can

J: Anything you can buy I can buy cheaper ......I can buy anything cheaper than you M: Fifty cents
J: Forty cents
M: Thirty cents
J: Twenty cents
M: No, you can't
J: Savers!! Yes, I can, yes, I can

M: Any friend you can make I can make faster
J: I can make any friend faster than you
...Both start greeting and complimenting the audience
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can, yes, I can

M: I do visit teaching at each month's begining
J: I always sign up fer things in the binder
M: I can clean most anything
J: In skirt and heels?
M: In pearls and rings

M: Any talk you can give I can give longer
J: I can give any talk longer than you
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can, yes, I can
M/J: No, you can't - yes, you can

J: Anything you can make I can make cuter...I can make bows and cards cuter than you M: That's not fair, where'd you learn?
J: At Leah's house
M: When's my turn?
J: Thursday July 2nd at 10 am

M: Anything you can bake I can bake better
J: My bread and rolls taste better than yours
M: No they don't
J: Yes they do
M: No they don't
J: Yes they do
M: No they don't
J: Yes they do Yes they do

M: I can can beans
J: I can sew things
M: I can knit a sweater
J: I can fill it better
M: I can do most anything
J: Can you bake a pie?
M: Yes
J: So can I

M: Anything you can sing I can sing sweeter
J: I can sing anything sweeter than you
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Oh, yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can
M: No, you can't, can't, can't
J: Yes, I can, can, can, can
M: No, you can't
J: Yes, I can

Summer fun!

 

 

 

 

It has finally gotten warm enough to pull out our little wading pool. We bought this thing when Claire was just a few months old. :)We had some friends over and I had the brilliant idea of pulling it out to use. I got a kick out of this, five kids crowding around this little thing. I think it may be time to invest in something bigger...

Our LOOOOOOONG bike ride

Hi guys! We are officially cyclists. It all started when Tyson (Bryce's co-resident) called us Sunday night and left a message asking us if we wanted to pack a picnic and go on a long bike ride on Memorial Day. We called back Monday morning and set a time to meet. I began making sandwiches while Bryce went to the store to buy a bike rack for our car. A few hours later and we were on our way. We drove to the Douglas Trail, about 10 minutes from our house. After the girls were nicely situated in our bike trailer, the journey commenced. It was a perfect day - about 70 degrees, sunny, with a constant light breeze. After about 4 miles we stopped to rest at an old water pump/picnic area in Douglas (a very, very small town). After we finished eating our picnic and the girls stretched their legs for a bit, we continued on the trail. It was a beautiful trail with honeysuckles, wild rhubarb, little farms tucked here and there throughout our path, and greenery everywhere. We rode another 9 more miles until the trail finally ended at Pine Island. Fortunately for us, there was a beautiful park and playground at the end of the trail. The girls were troopers during the ride, but they were more than ready to get out and play. Crazy enough, the 13 miles we had biked didn't seem that long or hard. The trail was very level due to the fact that it was built and paved directly over an old train track route.

The 13 miles back was a different story. The wind was now actively blowing against us the entire way. Poor Bryce, the bike trailer that he was pulling was acting like a "parachute loaded with bricks" as Lindsey so appropriately described it. :) Well, long story short, we made it back to the cars. And yes, we felt pretty proud of ourselves for having accomplished a 26 mile bike ride!!! Despite the fact that we had no idea just how "long" the bike ride would be when we first agreed to go, I would totally do it again! I have discovered that I'm more "outdoorsy" than I once thought. I would take biking over running any day. Bryce and I have talked about trying to get out and do this a little more often now that we have a bike rack. :) However, before I turn pro, my first investment is going to be a padded seat!

Claire's photo shoot

When Claire came home from preschool, I thought it would be fun to have her do the same thing. You'll notice that I have less pictures of Claire in this collage. As a disclaimer, that is not due to a lack of effort on my part. Imagine those few pictures of her pouting I included in here times 50. Evidentally, she did not agree with my idea of fun. Can't imagine why. Who wouldn't love to sit on a bathroom counter (she ended up sitting in the sink), with a clip you do NOT want in your hair (that's what started the pouting), and being told to smile for 5 minutes. :) Poor girl.

 

Cady's Photo Shoot

Hi guys! So, I've been seeing some amazing photography of your children posted on your blogs and decided to give it a try myself. It all started when Claire was at preschool and I decided to curl Cady's hair and put a new hair bow in. I had her up on the counter in the bathroom and thought it would be cute with the mirror behind her. As you can see in her pictures, she was loving it. Cady is the kind of girl who could happily spend the rest of her life in front of a mirror. :)

 

We are prepared!

So, this is a tribute to Claire and her 72 hour kit. My parents gave us 72 hour kits for the girls this past Christmas. It had a few things like coloring books, crayons, ponchos, a compass/whistle, and a flashlight included. Claire has been asking me all kinds of questions about 72 hour kits and why we have them. I told her it was in case there is an emergency (like a flood or fire) and we had to leave our house quickly. She went into her room and emerged about 45 minutes later with her 72 hour kit. Some of the things she had in there were her baby doll, cabbage patch doll and accessories, princess coloring book, stuffed dog, plastic plates from a princess tea set, overalls and shirt, black sunday shoes, a snack baggy filled with goldfish and raisins, among other things. She also figured out how to clip on more bags with a beaner buckle that came with one of her pants. She has kept this 72 hour kit near her at all times for the last week. She sleeps with it next to her bed and carries it from room to room with her. Fear not, this girl is prepared!

It's finished!

Hi guys! I may have told some of you that I was working on a new project, a flower girl dress for Claire. My cousin is getting married this summer and she asked Claire to be her flower girl. Claire is beside herself with excitement over having such an important job in the wedding. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to sew a beautiful fancy dress for my girl! :D Well, after hours of labor (and many more hours of procrastinating sewing the zipper on) I can now say that it is done. :) I've posted pictures for you to enjoy. (Can you tell that I'm pleased with myself?) This is the first formal dress I've sewn. It was actually really enjoyable to make. Now I'm going to start making one for Cady to wear. (Not a flower girl dress, but a nice dress in the blue fabric that Claire's sash was made in).

I won!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited!!! I finally won the dream catch on Ebay!!! After weeks of just barely missing out on my bids for Calico Critter homes, I finally wise up and won! :) Thought I'd share my ebay tips with you in case you're ever tempted to purchase something there.

1. Look at the item daily during the bidding so you REALLY want it and make sure the bidding price hasn't gone out of your price range. :) (but be sure you don't give away your hand by making any bids)

2. Stay by your computer until after midnight on the last night of the auction, waiting for the bidding time to draw to a close.

3. At precisely 1-2 minutes before the bidding window closes, make your offer $1 higher than you would've gone. (For example, $56, or $96, or $101). That way if they counter before time runs out, you are probably still $1 higher than them.

4. Sit back and watch that lovely item become yours.

I must admit, I felt a twinge of guilt doing this last night, that other person was probably pretty bummed because they were lulled by my prior inactivity into thinking they were going to win. However, I also felt justified because that is what has been happening to me repeatedly in my ebay experiences--loosing in the last few minutes by a dollar of two.

Well, this is what I've been loosing sleep over lately. And who says my life isn't hard? :D Truthfully, I'm a bit embarrassed about this entry, but I am excited enough about this to want to share it with you.



This is my haul! Hours of fun, coming my way. Now, if only I could figure out a way to nicely display everything...any ideas? (I'm thinking a low table like the Thomas train tables ones...)

Proud Mamma

Hi guys! Hope you all have been well. We've been having a good time up here, I really can't complain about life. The above picture is Julie Cutts and I, we had a 7 year reunion this last month. (She's now living 1 1/2 hours away from me). I grew up with her and it was so great to talk and catch up on things. It's a wonderfully small world. Here are some updates from this Leavitt family:

1. I gave my dreaded talk this past Sunday. The neat thing was that it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I got my weeks mixed up and prepared my talk a week early, so I had all this past week to review my talk nightly. By the time I was supposed to give it, I was really familiar with the content and able to speak comfortably. It was a really good experience. I think the next time I'm asked to give a talk, I wont stress out. :) I just have to remember to prepare my talk a week early.

2. I'm so proud of my little girls. They are so cute and make me laugh daily. This is my little brag time for Claire. Today I was updating my play list and the girls and I were grooving in the kitchen to Beyonce's irreplaceable song. At the point where she sings in the song, "Can you walk and talk at the same time?" Claire piped up and said, "I can!" :) She was so proud of herself for that. The other funny thing she did happened at her gym explorations class. Claire was in a class with 8 other 4-5 year olds and they were playing the game "Captain May I." (The same game as "mother may I," different name.) The teacher was telling all of the kids to move a certain amount of steps forward, and then it was Claire's turn. The teacher said, "Claire, take three steps backwords." Claire said, "Captain may I?" She then immediately turned her back to the front of the room and took 3 big steps backwards towards the teacher. :D We all laughed about that, and I was so proud of my clever little girl. The funny thing is that that really defines Claire. She is such a practical little thing. She didn't even think about what she was doing, she wanted to move forward and so she made it happen.

Claire playing hockey (so cute!)




Claire playing soccer (I love how she would put her foot on the ball when she was listening to the teacher)


Cady is doing well also. She's taking a ballet class now and is so precious in it! (Her pictures are on Bryce's laptop, I'll add them later). Her favorite moves are making a sailboat with her legs (stands on one leg and lifts the other foot up to the side of her knee) and jumping like a frog. It's exciting seeing her learn and grow. She's still my little bookworm and loves to read to herself.

3. I've started a hobby of collecting...Calico critter things! It all started this past Christmas when my inlaws bought the girls a calico critter house and some animals. Now, I find myself looking on ebay daily and making bids on things I don't need but really want. :D I think I like these things more than my girls. I just have this vision of a huge table (like one of the big train tables) and a whole village of calico critter houses, playgrounds, shops, and families. Doesn't that sound like fun? Fun, but dangerous. I find that I get so caught up on ebay in bidding and wanting to win that by the time I remember to factor in shipping costs, I haven't really gotten as good of a deal as I thought. I've only bought two things so far. :) I'm trying to pace myself.

4. I just finished reading a wonderful book-- Left to Tell, by Imacule Ilibaganza (not sure that's the exact spelling of her name). It's a true story written by a Rwandan holocaust survivor and how her relationship with God helped her through the ordeal of hiding in a bathroom stall for 3 months with 7 other women. It really was an exceptional story, it really changed my perspective on life and made me more grateful. I awoke this morning feeling so thankful to be alive, safe, and living in America with my freedoms and with my beautiful family.

5. We went ice skating as a family this past weekend. It's the first time Claire and Cady have ice skated. They were so cute! They loved it. By the end of the night they both had skated on their own without holding on to us. Bryce and I were so proud of them! We're thinking about signing them up for ice skating classes, as a tribute to their Minnesota heritage. :)





6. I'm doing a preschool co-op with 2 other moms, and I taught this week. One of the days we talked about babies. I went somewhere that I'm now regretting...I let them use baby bottles during snack time. Claire has been asking me to let her drink from the bottle again for the last 3 days now! I forgot how much she loved the bottle, guess she still hasn't outgrown it. :)Sound familiar to anyone else?

Well, that's all of the current events I can think of right now. I guess I'll end this post by saying that life is good and we love and miss you all. It's wonderful to be in touch with all of you. Technology is amazing. Hope you are having a great day, and thanks for checking up on us!