Hooray for Bethany!

Grandma Kirk just told us that our cousin, Bethany, particpated in the Special Olympics in Utah. She had the opportunity to carry the torch during the opening ceremony. Below is a picture from Deseret News of her carrying the torch.

Congrats Bethany!

New Developments: May 2008

Sydney:

• Syd's began saying "What's that?" this month. It sounds like "Wath at?";


• Syd's dance moves have become even more creative. She wiggles her shoulders and sometimes, when she's really excited, she will do the twist.


• Sydney now sings "A, B, C, D, E" of her ABCs. It's the only time she repeats the letters. [Updated May 29, 2008]

Zoe:

• May 22: Zoe says "There she is!" when we play peek-a-boo;


• Zoe has begun dancing more this month;


• Zo Zo now mimics animal sounds. Elephants seem to be her favorite.


• Zoe now says "Where Momma?" for "Where's Momma" when we play peek-a-boo. It comes out perfectly clear, and is so much fun. [Updated May 29, 2008]

Recent Pictures

Graduation! (Almost ...)

Well, if not for many life changing events mostly beyond my control, I would have graduated on Sunday, May 18, 2008. I get the pleasure of another year of classes, and will now graduate in 2009. So, I packed up Sydney and we went to Bender Arena to see my fellow evening students graduate -- and to hear Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer speak. It was a great event. Plenty of parking, ample seating, and a crowd of parents pacing behind the bleachers with their kids.

Justice Breyer's speech was honest, humble and inspirational. One point he made hit me hard -- he essentially dared the grads to become public servants and have
families, and to change the culture of the legal world by demanding reasonable pay and a work-life balance. Kudos, Justice Breyer!

Sydney completely enjoyed every minute of the graduation. We cheered for Uncle John, Aunties Jen and Miriam, and the rest of the grads, and walked around almost the entire arena. Then we ran to the car in the rain, singing our ABCs and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". You couldn't wipe the smile off of her face!

Eating out ...

The girls and I went out to eat yesterday. It was a big special day at ... MCDONALD'S! It's great that the little things in life seem like heaven to the twins. They treated a day out with Mommy at a cheap fast food restaurant like it was a personal invitation to the White House. Sydney kept saying "Uh Oh". Zoe kept making faces at the camera.

We laughed hard, made an incredible mess, and took lots of pictures and video. Nothing can beat apple slices, milk, chicken nuggets and over an hour of fun for $3.00.

My biggest complaint about McD's is that they have these healthier options for Happy Meals (apple slices instead of fries, milk instead of soda, etc.), but they will default to the bad stuff if you don't specifically ask for something else. They also give you a caramel dipping sauce for the apples, which is an unnecessary addition of sugary calories, not to mention a waste of plastic. Well, we know better for the next time we "dine out" in style.

The best thing about McD's: The place is kid-friendly. That's especially important with twins. My cashier helped me set up the highchairs (which are the best I've seen in any restaurant), and get my soda and condiments. It's always stressful when Ryan and I decide to take the twins out to a restaurant. Servers tend not to think of childproofing the table, and its hard to keep TWO happy at the same time. But McD's has a bright, energetic atmosphere -- which kept the girls happy and entertained. It was a lot of fun.

Here's a couple of videos of Sydney having a good time:

What a blast! I'm so lucky -- these kids are my life! Law school, schmaw school. Being a Mom rocks.

Congratulations Auntie Jodi!

Auntie Jodi graduated from a very difficult nursing program earlier this month. We are so excited for her. What a great example for Abby, Zoe and Sydney! Congratulations Auntie Jodi!




Abby found her niche in the art world -- as a photographer! Not even three years old yet, and all I had to do was take a minute to explain how to work my camera. The following are some examples of Abby's Art:








Here are some more pictures from Jodi's graduation: