How Many Quail are in a Covey?

For this Covey of quail, the answer is 6.

Officially on May 1, 2012, Scott Parrish Covey will make us a 6 member family! We usually wait to be surprised but we chose to peek during today's ultrasound. The ultrasound technician knew that we had a girl name picked out, but not a boy name. So she converted Lucy to a more masculine form - Lucifer. But Jacob already has dibs on that name. We were hanging out as a family, talking about names of nephews and nieces that hadn't been born yet and Jacob was frustrated by being younger than the rest of us. "You guys are going to pick all the good names and there won't be anything left by the time I get a wife and we have kids. All that's left over will be...Lucifer!"

Can't wait to meet you, bro! And I promise not to name you Lucifer...

Happy Birthday Afton!

Camille organized gingerbread house making for Afton's birthday. Of course it was a competition and of course we had amazing entries. My favorite would be the car house by the Mangus family although San Francisco was very beautiful from the Bennetts. Our graham cracker yurt struggled but had all of the things we really want: yurt, plane, horses, ice skating pond, tennis courts and plenty of room to breathe.

Happy Birthday to Afton!

Christmas Bells are Ringing

Hear what they say to you!

Here's what they say to me:

I love being with my family. I love celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Singing through the Nativity is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I was touched by the scripture of Mary keeping all these things in her heart. She had a lot to keep. My heart is full as I learn the lessons Heavenly Father provides for me. Christmas gifts are fun to give and receive. Kids play with the first gifts they open and pretty much don't care about the rest. Kids love the dollar toys as much as the expensive ones. There is nothing like the feeling of flying paper as people are ripping into their stuff. Wrapping paper is tricky - it can end up anywhere. Surprises are fun. Christmas breakfast is delicious and necessary sustenance for all that is required on Christmas morning. Only attending one hour of church is awesome and difficult in a different ward when you choose to sit in the back and kids just want to run around the gym. Extended family adds an additional aspect to Christmas - lots of people, lots of fun. Missionary skype calls are the best. I enjoyed seeing Sister Davis and Elder Covey at peace with what they are doing right now and enjoying their work. Christmas feels good. I'm glad we could be with people we love to celebrate it.

Kitchen Mania!

I was so pleased to get into a land locked kitchen when we got home for Christmas vacation. Evelyn and I threw on our aprons and went to work making delicious treats until we were sick of it. Now I can happily go back to the motor home kitchen. I'm all baked out. For now. I still am very excited for the meals I am in charge of next week - fondue (can't do that very easily in the car house), raspberry pork tenderloin (my favorite birthday meal) and cafe rio (which we actually do quite often in the car house).

First words

Cheese and ball - Davie's first words. Not ever used together, but cheese is to communicate that he wants food, be it a cheese stick or breakfast or anything. Ball is used accurately and watch out, because this kid will throw it right in your face. Davis is eating cheese puffs because that is what the kids picked for their birthday breakfast on my birthday. It was awesome. We were alone on my birthday because our dad was attending Tony Robbins conference, but we made it a great day. Case in point, cheese puffs for breakfast, I got to watch 2 movies that were not animated and did not have talking animals, and I ate an entire pack of Snickers snack size, which at first was depressing because I thought I ate ten, but then I got over it when I figured out there were only eight in the pack. Score!

When we came home for vacation, we had a proper Kneader's cinnamon french toast breakfast along with my favorite - birthday surprises. I did get presents that I knew were coming - I picked them out myself - a white tennis skirt, and two pink tennis tops (thank you, adidas outlet for $10 presents for me!). Then Katie and Van got me the SURPRISE - some boots that Johnny happily modeled. Yay! Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday, Gammie!

We got to stop by and see Grandma LL and Grandpa Rey on our way home for Christmas vacation. And it just happened to be right before my mom's birthday. I love explaining to my kids who everyone is. Gammie is my mommy and Grandma Laura Lee is Gammie's mommy! They are always so shocked at first and then they repeat these geneological facts to me later to confirm that they have understood. "Gammie is your mommy?" "Yes, and Beal is my sister!"

We got Gammie a surprise for her birthday this year. We just gave her the address and the phone number and let her know that even if she picked out the most expensive thing in the store, it was still in our birthday budget. So Gammie texted me to let me know that she googled the address of the place and she was a little bit nervous because it came up as a tattoo parlor and were we really thinking of going that direction for her birthday??? HA! Love it. However, we did NOT get my mother a tattoo for her birthday.

You've got something in your teeth

My kids love to eat raw broccoli. How can I complain about this? Well, because it makes their breath stink, that's how. I'm totally happy they eat something so awesome. But please do not breathe in your mother's face while you are eating it, after you have eaten it or when you are ever thinking about eating it. Thank you! Oh, and that is how the mirror always looks except for the first 15 minutes of Saturday cleaning when Johnny and Evelyn have polished it right before they put their hands on it again.

Seaport Village, San Diego, CA

We enjoyed walking around Seaport Village. My kids go coo-coo for carousels. And hula-hoops decorated with lovely stickers. And cows. And pirates. And dancing metallic spray painted mimes. Especially when their dad breaks it down right along with the street performer. Forget the book tour. I think we really could make it on the streets with our dad, the dancer.

Pie Ohne Ears

We told Johnny we were going to a place to learn about pioneers. And he grabbed his ears and said, "Pie Ohne Ears?" Yes, darlin'.

What a cool visitor center! Kids got to watch great depictions of the history of the 500 members of the battalion and dress up as soldiers and pan for gold. It was inspiring - Heavenly Father provided a way to provide for the pioneers, even though the way looked incredibly risky by sending off lots of their men to go fight. Yet, Brigham Young promised the soldiers if they would remain true to their religion, they would not have to fight. And they didn't! Miraculous. Great stop and glad we went.

TKO

Evelyn head butted me in the middle of the night. She had no idea what she was doing and she said, "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Issokay, issokay." She is adorable. Lethal, but adorable.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Dee!

Thanks to the Davis' for hosting all of us for Grandpa's birthday party. Evelyn loved the cupcakes. Johnny boy loved the pie. And we all got to enjoy being together. Grandpa has 3 boys. I grew up always thinking I would have all boys and always thinking that they would all be blonde. I'm good on the blondies and pretty even on the boys and the girls. It's funny how you picture what you think your family will be and then you actually grow up and have them and you have nothing to say about what they look like or their sweet personalities. Grandpa Dee is a good man. He will sing to you with all he's got on your birthday. He plays peanuckle once a week with his cronies. He is quick to laugh and share a joke. I remember going to his house as a little girl and having cousin gatherings. I remember being shocked when I went to his backyard and his pool was no longer there. I remember his neighbor boy that chased me with dog poo on a shovel because he knew I would run. I remember white trees in his front yard and the skin peeled off in a lovely way. I remember his car that talked to you and said, "Your door is ajar. Your door is ajar." And I thought they meant the door was a jar...

Happy Birthday, Grandpa! Thanks for a fun party.

Happy Birthday, Nana!

We got to be home for the celebration of Nana's birthday. Johnny actually helped Katie to make the cake. He was asleep when we actually cut into the cake but he didn't even notice the big gaping hole when we put candles on it again and had some for breakfast. Happy Birthday, Nana! We love you!