Art Time and a Piano Duet

We got to have some fun this week.  For Story Time this week we were having our Valentine Party, so the kids and I got out paper, pencils, and markers to decorate some valentines.  In the past I've done super cute things with them, but this year I decided to just let them go at it and see how they wanted to decorate.  I learned a few things.  Rachel only wanted to use the pink marker.  I think 1-because it was pink, and 2-it was the only time I was letting her use a marker and not yelling at her for it.  I also learned that Michael is pretty good at drawing hearts, who knew?  Instead of candy to go with their valentines, we made some play dough.  Ever since substituting in the nursery a couple weeks ago, I've been thinking I should make some for us to play with.  There were some extra bags that we got to keep and the kids have had a lot of fun making hearts, beads, and other things with our play dough.

We've also been consistent with our exercising in the mornings.  It's been fun to visit with friends and get a workout in.  We got to do Tae-bo a couple of times this week.  I'm not really into sweating, but it's kinda fun to do all that punching and kicking.  I still am trying to convince the girls to like bellydancing, though.

Thursday for scouts my assistant leader taught us how to make tortillas.  She is from Mexico and her mom used to make them and sell them for a living.  It really wasn't that hard, but I still have trouble making the dough.  I tried to make them a couple days later for breakfast burritoes and the first batch didn't turn out hardly at all, but the second batch was much better.  I just know if I keep practicing I will get it...eventually.  She doesn't use a recipe, which is good, unless I need to figure out what I'm doing differently than her, not enough water?  Did I use too much shortening?  I'm mean, it's only flour, salt, shortening and water, how hard can it be?

Friday we got to go to Twin.  Since Robert ends up there at least once a week for work, I haven't gone in a couple of weeks, I just send him with my list.  It was fun for all of us to go.  I needed to close an account at a bank, and then open another account at a different bank.  Seriously, when a bank starts charging $8.95 to mail you a statement each month, well, that's a bit much.  This is after making me opt out of ever needing to talk to a teller, I have to do everything online or at the atm.  Not cool, I changed banks.  We also went to the library.  One of our most favorite places in the world, I think.  The kids, especially Taylor and Lindsey, love wandering around and picking up books that look interesting.  Lindsey got a book on training your puppy so she can work with her dog, Becky.  Taylor got a couple of mystery books and books on Revolutionary America.  After doing some other running around, I left Lindsey with Robert so that they could go on a little date, and I took the other kids home.

Saturday was Bountiful Baskets and Robert had a training meeting in the morning.  Then, I did some quick sewing for Robert and he split some wood for his parents.  In the evening we went over to dinner with some friends.  One fun thing about going to dinner at someone else's house is that they often make things that I've never tried before.  I tried a new recipe for asparagus that I'm going to have to try at home.  The kids also got to play with their chihuahuas.  They have missed the ones that we were watching.


Today, Taylor and I got to play a piano duet in Sacrament Meeting at church.  It went well.  Taylor did really good.  When we practiced yesterday I asked her how she was feeling.  She told me she was scared, but she did something kind of like this when she played at her recital.  I think she did better than I did.  I'm glad I had her playing with me because then everyone thinks about how cute she is to be going up there, and that takes the focus off of me.