New Traditions

Sammi and I had our first "Girls' Night In" while Brent attended the Priesthood session of Conference. I was feeling particularly patient and brave so we pulled out the "fingertails" (fingernail polish as it's more commonly known) and I let Sammi hold the brush and go to town. And she went all the way to town and back! She got all her toes, all her fingers and all my fingers. She was very careful to not miss a single one. It was a lot of fun.

Another Conference tradition we started was an inside picnic for lunch. On Saturday between sessions we put a big picnic blanket down and popped popcorn on the blanket. We took the lid off (which I don't recommend) and popcorn went flying everywhere (which was fine) and so did the kernels (very VERY hot kernels). Sammi thought it was great fun (mostly because she was unscathed by any kernels) while Brent and I cowered in fear (because we were scathed). All day she kept saying "Popcorn came out" while waving her arms in big sweeping, upwards movements showing just how the popcorn came out of the popper. We might have to tweak this tradition so it is more skin-friendly.

Today for dinner we made my favorite--Chicken Victoria (my family's recipe I posted on Recipezaar.com). We were busy with Sammi during sessions and I forgot to start bread for rolls. So I used this 30 minute roll recipe I found on Rachel Ray's site. They are heavenly. I tweaked the directions a little since it calls for rapid rise yeast and I didn't have any. Instead I put the yeast, sugar and water in the bowl and let it sit for a few minutes while I gathered my ingredients and melted the butter and sour cream together. Then I added the sour cream/butter combo to the yeast, then added the dry ingredients and mixed and added the egg while the stuff was mixing. I thought they turned out quite pretty and very delicious.

Sammi Sleeping

This is how I found Sammi during a nap the other day. She loves her new baby doll, but can't quite give up her tiger pillow. (It's tucked there between her knees and feet.)

In fact, she quite likes that tiger pillow. We have a wooden puzzle with animal shapes. The other day we were playing with it. I would pick up a piece and Sammi would tell me which animal it was and then she'd put it in the puzzle (in the right spot, of course!) When I picked up the tiger I knew she knew it because of her pillow. But she didn't say tiger. So I asked again and she said something I didn't quite understand. I asked her if it was a tiger and she said, "Pillow, Mommy." I was so impressed that she knew it was the same animal as her pillow! I wasn't ready for that answer and so I didn't understand her the first two times. But I was so pleased that she stuck with her answer. She knew what she was talking about and was very patient while I caught up to her!

Zoo 2008

We took a family trip to the zoo March 15th. It was an overcast slightly windy day, but it was a perfect day for an outing to the zoo. All of the animals were out and about. It was breakfast time for most of them (or maybe an early lunch) and Sammi loved seeing them eating. We got two pictures before the batteries died in the camera (of course we weren't prepared with extra ones!)

Sammi's favorites were the snakes--she actually touched two!--and the alligator. She was fascinated by the white alligator that is in a house all by itself. She would tell any adult who would look at her, "Alligator! Alligator!" while pointing to it. She also liked the penguins who were walking around. There was a baby giraffe that she thought was pretty cute.

In the reptile house there are two crocodiles and she loved them too. After seeing them the first time, she ran around the whole house again looking for them at every corner. She thought they were pretty awesome. So of course we just had to go see the white alligator again before we left.

I would say that it was a successful outing. The weather was just right for being outside. The animals must have thought it was perfect, too, because they were so active. The two cougars were running all around and up and down on their branches and batting at the big ball in their enclosure. Sammi saw them and said, "Pet them! Pet them!" She also wanted to pet the alligator. So we have a little bit to go before she has animal safety down. But animal enthusiasm is a great start. Maybe she'll be a zoo keeper...

Easter 2008

Easter was a fun holiday this year. Sammi discovered Easter Egg Hunts. She got so in to it that she was even spotting eggs at the grocery store later on Saturday! I think the thing she really liked was the jelly beans she found inside! this is her smiling with all that jelly bean juice trying to creep out of her smile...

For church today she was all dolled up in this cute pink dress from Grandma Devine. It has a cute butterfly on the front of the dress so we added butterfly hair clips and a butterfly bracelet (that you can see in the first picture.) Sammi knew she was pretty and pranced around church saying "Hi" to everyone. She is quite the social butterfly!

Fingertails

Yes, fingertails. This is Sammi's word for fingernails. She says it whenever she sees fingernail polish because she loves to have her "fingertails" painted. I'm not sure when exactly this came about because I do remember a time when she called them fingernails. I don't know when the change occurred, but it may have coincided with her discovery of tails on kitties and doggies.

I love the imagery that our nails are little tails for our fingers. So adorable!