Good news I would like to share...

I recieved the best email the other day, this is what it said...

Dear Darcy (DCINK),

Welcome to iStockphoto the Internet's original member-generated image and design community.

Congratulations! The iStockphoto administrators have determined that your files are commercially and technically ready for iStockphoto.com.

Please begin uploading at your convenience. There is currently a limit of 18 uploads per 168 hour period.

SOOO, it means I got accepted to iStockphoto as one of their contributers. Which means I can upload photos, and then they sell them to ad agencies. I am pretty excited, I don't know if anything will sell, but just to hear an email that says my photos, are commercially and technically sound is a boost of confidence!

I waited 10 days after I turned in my application to find out, and I was so happy when I heard.

Type & Toes

There are just some things that when I witness my heart swells with joy.

Watching my kids flip through pages of a book is one of those things.
Last night while reading the "Friend" I noticed that Kale wasn't with us (which was unusual) I looked over at the loveseat to find him with his own pile of books, turning the pages and reading out loud.

The words weren't read from the page, but came from his imagination. It was one of those moments that I wish I could duplicate daily. I LOVE learning and if I instill that in my children I will be a happy momma.

The Temple Game

We celebrated Eden and Kree's birthdays with family, cake and ice cream. For the "games" this is what we did.

This is one of our favorite games to play on the spot with our family. It's great because it can adapt to any size of group, and it's fun for kids and adults.

Rules of play:
- Each person picks a temple to be. (It doesn't have to be temples, it could be animals, colors, shapes, Presidents, anything).
- Go around the circle and have everyone say what they are.
- Select one person to be "It", they roll up a piece of newspaper.
- Select a temple from the group, then they say another temple from the group.
- The person with the newspaper tries to get the person that was called, before they call someone else.
- If the person accidentally calls the temple that is the person with the newspaper, they must say another one before they get hit.
- If you get hit you are it! Then the game begins again, don't change temples, just the person with the newspaper.

That easy, and tons of fun...

I have emerged

Monday was a great day for me. It was the first time in a week, that I wasn't craving to get on the computer. I cleaned the house in the morning, and then we ALL went out (myself included) and played in the snow. It's sad that this is an accomplishment, but it's true. The actual days I play with my kids are too few. The rest of the day was spent visiting with my mother in law Shirley and my sis in law Jenni. Then we read some books, and played a game. Seriously it was a perfect day. I don't want to be unrealistic and say "we are going to do this everyday" most days we have other things that must be done, so I just want to say that once in awhile it's great to have the sole goal of being together through play.

5 already?

Dear Eden,
I feel like I just wrote your birthday letter. A whole year has gone by. I think this year you turning 5 has a certain finality to it. You have always been my "baby girl", and now to think you are 5 I have to admit you are no longer a baby, you are getting so grown up.
I feel like you are besides being my daughter you're my buddy. I know you will be excited and up for whatever fun event I propose. You love to be with me, and as a mother that is so refreshing. To know that I am constantly loved and looked up by you is such a blessing. I love that you love to cuddle too. Sometimes when I have 4 kids all cuddling it can be a little much, but you will rarely turn me down when I suggest we lay down, cuddle up and read a book.
You are shy and silly. If people talk to you that you aren't comfortable with you will often just give them a cute little smile in hopes they will stop asking you questions. Your smile is beautiful and so it creates more conversation which then you just smile more. It cracks me up when this happens. You love to play with friends, your favorite friends right now, are Mollie, Lilly and Braden.
You love to swim and was just recently inducted to the "Polar Bear Club" for your bravery of rolling in the snow in your swimsuit and then jumping in the hot tub. I tried to save you from the induction but you insisted that you be included. You love watching movies. You are learning your letters really well, and love to color. You love high heels, make-up, and doing your own hair.

You dislike it when I pick out your clothes. You dislike your brown church shoes (this drives me crazy because they are so cute, and NEW). You don't like sleeping alone, and you don't love the classical music radio station, you will ask for the station with the words!
Eden if I could give you one characteristic it would be confidence to go with your beauty. You love to be called pretty, or beautiful, but I want you to KNOW that you are beautiful, and not just on the outside. I want you to know you are loved daughter of Heavenly Father. He loves you and wants you to love yourself. I hope you remember that.
I love you so much Eden. My life would not be the same without you. I am so happy you picked me to be your mom.
love,
mom

Bananas - bunches of fun

I don't do friend birthday parties until my kids turn 5. We always celebrate but it's a small intimate group, typically family. Well this year Eden turned 5. She thought for weeks were she wanted to have her party, she finally settled on Bananas Fun Park. They have lots of attractions, but we choose to stick to the bump n' jump pavilion. It turned out great. So easy, which is always a priority when it comes to planning a party at least for me. The success of the party is typically attached to how easy it was.