Pretty Pillows

First Day of Preschool

He really wanted to go.
"Is it time yet?" he asked 68 times.
He had his Bob the Builder backpack and a twinkle in his brown eyes.

But when it came down to it, he decided he wasn't ready.
And cried the whole time.
Two days in a row.

We need to re-evaluate.

But doesn't he look cute!

My older two had no problem starting preschool. How about your kids?

Smoking Gun, Part 2

More messing around from Kate Rober on Vimeo.

See. They weren't completely unsupervised. I was being a good mom and completely immersed in play with Ty that I didn't realize what the little Spielbergs were up to.

Um... anyone want to buy us a new camera.


Also. Concerning "Lost". Does Ben have a whole deck of cards up his sleeve or what?!

And. The Charlottle thing was kind of cute, but we did the whole playing with time travel thing back in the '80's with Michael J. Fox.

This is why kids need supervision...

Ashlynn and Briggs messing around from Kate Rober on Vimeo.


Briggs took this clip of his sister. They have been told not to play with the camera.

They obviously don't know what a "smoking gun" means.

Let me lay one down for you...

This is why I love my family:

Over breakfast I filled my little ones in on the dream I had last night.

The Jonas Brothers rapping.

I don't know or care what that says about me and my subconscious, I just thought it was funny.

"What is rap music, Mom?"

Oh dear Central Coast- where- we- live- where- there- is- no- cultural -diversity! So what is a girl to do? She must educate her children.

Now, I grew up down-wind of Oakland. I grew up in the '90's. I've heard and enjoyed my fair share of rap music. My children have also been blessed with a mommy who can imitate anything (including her car when the radiator is overheating and the mechanic wants to know exactly what kind of sound the engine was making...) Therefore I planned to enrich their little lives with a small sampling of the rap genre of music.

But could I think of a small excerpt to share with them? No. "Why didn't you just lay one down for them that you made up?" asked my boyee from the white-hood of Orange County. I'm not that good.

When suddenly, from my past crept the biblical strains of Coolio. And they were treated to a moving rendition of "Gangsta's Paradise".

And then they new what rap music was.

The OC boyee joined us soon just in time to hear Briggs lay one down. "We have breakfast made from Kate and we don't wanna be late!" To my utter delight, all five of us were inspired and a little jam session ensued.

Sometimes my children make me so proud.

Missing her teeth, but not her Moxy

I believe her quote was:

"Wow. You sure get technical when your 31."

at which point she was asked to go clean her room.

I shouldn't have to explain myself...

... but just to clear the record...

just because I watched the Presidential Inauguration it doesn't indicate how I vote, my political party, my personal and moral standards or what I like to eat for breakfast.

It means I'm an American.

Americans should stand together and support their leaders. Support doesn't mean "agree" with everything they believe. It means upholding the democratic process.

... ah! Now you got me all monologue-ee!

just read this and 'nuff said, amen and amen.

Deseret News

After participating in two days of U.S. presidential inauguration ceremonies, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' First Presidency, and Elder M. Russell Ballard of the church's Quorum of the Twelve left Washington, D.C., warmed as they witnessed not only a historic national event but examples of graciousness, hope and unity.

The two attended Tuesday's inauguration of President Barack Obama on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and joined him and other new national leaders at Wednesday morning's National Prayer Service in the National Cathedral.

"We could feel the deep emotion around us — we were surrounded by people of all colors, of all creeds and of all languages," said President Uchtdorf in a phone interview with the Deseret News before catching a return flight to Utah. "It was a great experience we had — to see a unity there that I hope will last on and continue throughout the years of this administration."

President Uchtdorf — who was accompanied by his wife, Harriet — and Elder Ballard represented the LDS Church and President Thomas S. Monson in accepting the invitations to attend the inaugural events. They were seated front and center some four-dozen rows from the presidential stage for Tuesday's inauguration and then just a couple of yards away from Obama and his contingent for Wednesday's prayer service.

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"I left with a feeling that the people of America are going to unite behind this new president and his administration and that we need to pray for him," Elder Ballard said. "We need to exercise our prayers and help him accomplish the great objectives that he has set."

Saying "it was wonderful to feel that unity of different faiths" as they joined Muslims, Jews and others of different Christian denominations at the prayer service, President Uchtdorf added: "We felt we were in the right place with all these whom we call brothers and sisters, to pray for this presidency, for this administration, and with them to pray for all the governments around the world to bring again peace and prosperity and unity to all countries."

At Tuesday's inauguration, the Uchtdorfs found themselves seated next to a black couple. "When the oath was taken, this lady next to her (Sister Uchtdorf) just embraced her and gave her a kiss with tears running down," said President Uchtdorf, adding that the emotions he sensed over the two days were not simply the result of the massive numbers witnessing the racially historic moment but rather a sense of graciousness displayed by a free democracy.

"It was for the people of the world to have a chance to follow the wonderful example given by the United States in a transfer of powers in a democracy — the liberties, the freedoms and the justice for all — as it is presented in such a wonderful way from one administration to another."

Movie Night

I love a good movie night with the family.

They say watching TV rots your brain, but Ash seems to be doing o.k.

Before a recent movie night, she made a treasure hunt for the family. We found the treasure, which contained all the necessities for a good movie night: Popcorn, drinks, movie and specially designed 3D glasses for each member of the family. (They weren't really 3D, just cool paper glasses!)

Here we are sporting our movie attire.

We recently viewed Pollyanna...WHICH I LOVE!!!
I guess my little sister is not a fan because I went through a period where I watched it EVERY Sunday... and she didn't like that. Sorry, Mae, but a girls gotta' get her dose of the Glad game!

But the kids liked it and they even got some of the great messages from the movie.

Is it just me, or does watching that movie make you want to go to Disneyland? Harrington is just like Main Street USA. It also looked curiously like the Gilmore Girls set of Stars Hollow.
Any info on that? I don't subscribe to IMdB pro, which would probably give me the answer.

In other movie news...

Briggs is getting old enough that we felt like it was time to introduce him to Star Wars (or Star Whores, as Ty calls it)
I can't say that I have ever really seen any of the original movies, but we watched them as a family the other night and... I LOVE THEM!
So do the kids.
I thought they were silly boy movies (which we didn't do in my house growing up) but they are really good stories, non-formulaic, and well made considering the era they were made in.

Now the kids just need to learn that his name is "Darth" Vader, not "Dark" Vader...
and they are called Light "Sabers" not Light "Savers"
(I'm pretty sure these are common mistakes, but Ashlynn is 7 and a half and still thinks she is getting "Bath-tized" in August.)

Game Day

Briggs: Are we going to watch the Super Pot today?

Mom: It's called the Super Bowl, Briggs.

Maybe we should watch a little more sports in this house.