The Jenkins: Angela Gets Mentioned More Than Natalie In This One. HA!

Some serious ice cream eatin' going down in the kitchen

Natalie got to go to the zoo with her preschool group. We met for the last time last Monday and our Wednesday group has only 2 weeks left. It's crazy how much I have come to depend on preschool for her stimulation and interest. I worry that she will be very bored this summer and am scrambling for ideas for some regular activities we can do to get out of the house. It's a shame- if she were potty trained, there are a number of cool classes and camps she could do through parks and rec or the ymca, but alas, she continues to resist.

Natalie was NOT that into the splash pads this time. She was upset once she got wet that I wouldn't let her take off all of her clothes.

She likes to make art and makes funny little people with arms and legs, faces, hair and appropriate genitals. All developmentally appropriate, I believe. But I am a little worried that she will point out to her sunbeam teacher how her figure in one of her drawings has " a peanuts" one of these days. Speaking of sunbeams, I am excited for this Sunday, when Natalie will (hopefully) go up to the front for her very first primary song in sacrament meeting. She has been singing the first line of the song and we've mentioned it a few times, so hopefully she doesn't get scared and refuse to go up or something like that.

In other news, Angela is becoming miss PERSONALITY with a capital "P"

Her face is alternately covered with food, sand, drool and snot all throughout the day.

Here she prepares to be an extra in an 80s workout video while Natalie shows off her style for a trip to the park with Grandpa.

My dad and stepmom were in town for a visit. They got to come to our way cool church activity that I helped organize- a provident living themed activity with classes on different preparedness topics and then a really awesome lunch that was a competition over who could make the best dish including an ingredient from the LDS home storage center. There were so many fabulous dishes- a 7-layer dip using refried beans, amazing parmesan breadsticks made with dry milk, a couple of chilis and macaroni and cheese dishes. Someone commented that it was the best meal they had ever had at a church function- probably because it was all homemade from-scratch cooking that everybody brought!

My parents' visit was the week of Angela's birthday, so celebration was in order. The girls "helped" me make a cake:

Yes, this child is sitting in a pot

And yes, this one is wearing nothing but a pull up and a fireman's hat.

Tangent: At the church activity, we had firemen come with a truck for the kids. They got a call and had to go in the middle, so they had to quickly get all the kids off the truck while the firefighters put on their lights and drove off. Exciting, but then they were all left standing in the parking lot not quite sure what to do. Thank goodness for the grassy field between the church and temple where they could play!