Cortney's Crew

So while I'm in the blogging mode, I figured I'd update on all that Scarlett's up to. Her vocabulary continues to grow. She loves to chatter and it's fun figuring out what she means. She also understands A LOT more then she can say. I constantly find myself laughing at her. The other day she was walking around holding the tip of her nose and then she would blow out through her nose and she would say "It's snot!!" Which it was. It was so gross, yet so funny at the same time. She calls both of her sisters "Riley". It doesn't matter how much we try, we can't get her to say Alexandra. Some day she will.... She loves to stick her lower lip out and wiggle her jaw back and forth. It is hilarious, but she has yet to do it while I'm videotaping her. She loves to "Go!Go!" but absolutely hates her stroller. So when she has to go on walks with me, it's horrible. But the more we do it the better she gets. Plus when we'...

So even though I actually started working on these starting in December I'm just going to call them my New Year's Goals. I really feel like I'm going to accomplish a lot this year. In December one of the moms at school decided she was going to go walking every morning at a mall near my house. I jokingly told her that I could join her because then I could walk and wouldn't be out in the cold breaking out in hives. So the next day she asked if I was serious about coming and I told her only a little bit. But I decided to try it out and I love it! We walk around this mall twice which equals about 3 miles. There are usually 2 of us but sometimes we are up to 4 moms! We just go right after we drop the kiddos off at school. It's kinda funny because it's an old mall and almost all of the shops are closed, but yet I remember when it was the only mall around and THE cool place to go. It's been great having the other mom's to talk to while we walk. Yester...

So silly me. I kept thinking I had tons of photos to upload so I kept putting off blogging. Boy was I wrong! Apparently I forgot I was supposed to be taking pictures. Although I think Dean had the camera during the Christmas present part...... A few weeks before Christmas my mom usually makes sugar cookies with the girls. This year they did it at my house. Aric usually helps with the cookies, but he had to work that morning so I did the cookies and he came over later to decorate. The girls had a blast! Although Alexandra had to keep washing her hands over and over because she'd lick them anytime she got frosting or sprinkles on them. Scarlett got to join in the fun too. Although she liked when we were making the cookies better. Mom gave her a piece of dough and at first she touched it and said "Yucky!" but then Mom shoved a little bit in her mouth and from then on she kept wanting more "Yum!Yum!" It was cute you'd give her a little piece and she...

Today was awards day for the first trimester at school. They do this for 3rd - 6th grade. (It was also pajama day....who's idea was that???) The kids can receive an Academic Award for having B's or better on their report card, or a Principals Honor Roll Award for having all A's. Also the teachers have a few nomination awards for their class. And the specials teachers have nominations for the grades. Riley received an Academic Award. She also received a Teacher Nomination from her teacher for "showing excellent acts of kindness, good citizenship, and classroom behavior". There were only 3 kids from her class chosen for this award. She also received a Teacher Nomination from the Art teacher for "Outstanding citizenship and achievement in Art". Only 2 4th graders received an award for Art. I'm very proud of my Riley! This report card was the best I've seen from her and I'm so glad that her teachers recognized her for all her hard work ...

Riley and Alexandra receive allowance twice a month (when Dean gets paid). They get an amount equal to their age, so Riley gets $9 and Alexandra gets $6. They have banks with 3 separate sections that I got from Deseret Book. So when I get their allowance from the bank I get it all funky with lots of change so they can do tithing and savings. I'm sure the bank people love to see me come in! They have to put 10% in tithing and 10% in savings and the rest is theirs to use however they want. When we first started this, I had been buying little things from the $1 spot at Target or just little toys for them. So once we started their allowance I stopped buying little things for them and they had to do it for themselves. This greatly helped our budget and we found that I spent less giving them allowance. Also we decided not to have allowance tied to their chores. The chores and work around the house they do because they are a part of the family. Also, just in case we couldn...

In November we had Enrichment for our Ward's Relief Society. It was an awesome holiday party. I had a great time visiting with some of the awesome sisters in our ward while I learned how to make a "Gingerbread Nativity". It was super fun and I loved making it! And the girls loved eating it!

Okay so I was horrible with taking Halloween pictures this year. Mostly because I spent every Halloween activity that we went to chasing Scarlett. So these are two of the very few pictures I have. Alexandra wanted to be a black cat. Scarlett was a peacock. And Riley was Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. (And yes I feel absolutely horrible that I have no pictures of Riley....) Alexandra couldn't wear her mask at school, but when she had it on, it had this catwoman pleather look to it. And Scarlett is up in the first picture throwing a fit in the corner.