In the last week

The top picture is of our attempt at making raspberry jam. We were supposed to get a full pint out of it, but somehow we only got half... and it was way too thick! We took the jar when it was cool enough and turned it upside down - and nothing inside moved. It's about the consistency of  crystalized honey. Cory says it still tastes good, though. I was too scared to try it. While we were cleaning up, Lear got into the dishes and started licking the whisk we used to stir it. 

Next is Ella wearing my shoes. She loves to get into our closet and try on mommy's shoes - she never tries daddy's. Sometimes she even puts on my clothes, too. I think I'm going to need to get her a dress-up chest soon. Also, since Lear has started preschool, Ella and I have been having girl time, so we painted our toenails together last week. She was very proud of her pretty toes, which I think are adorable with or without polish. Lest you think I'm a glamor mommy, I swear that this was the first time I've painted Ella's fingers or toes (mostly because I very rarely paint my own). 

The last picture was taken after our night at the Midvale City Fire Department's open house. Thanks to a tip from my friend Coryellen, we went there for Family Night, where we saw a Jaws of Life demonstration, a firefighter repelling from a 100-foot ladder, and the firefighters putting out a fire. The kids thought it was great fun, although I think that Lear was a little nervous about the fire - we were standing a good 50 feet away from it, and we could still feel the intense heat. When I asked him his favorite part was, however, he said it was the men putting the fire out. They got firefighter hats for going through a mini fire safety training (which Lear put on backwards at first) and they've been wearing them almost constantly since. I think Lear's life ambition might change from being "a kid doctor and a daddy" to being a firefighter.

Lear quote: "But mommy, Ella uncomfed it! She took all the comf away!" (I was having trouble getting Lear to watch the LDS General Conference with us, so I made a nest of pillows and blankets for them to share and play in. Lear, of course, was hogging all the pillows, and when Ella tried to take some back, he threw a fit. The quote above is what he said when I told him to calm down. For those who are wondering, "comf" is Lear's declension of "comfortable.")

Ella quote: "No, I not a fille, I a girl!" (Daddy was telling everyone the French words for a bunch of random things, and Ella said this after he told her that she is a fille, which is French for girl.)