Cheese Balls, Coloring, & Bedtime Routines

Yesterday when I was at Target getting Autumn’s birthday present, I found this HUGE (22 oz) container of cheese balls for a little over $4.  I got it so I can send a little baggy of cheese balls in Autumn’s lunch and this will last us through the next few months.  That is unless Nick finds it in the pantry and then it will only last a week.  These are the little teacher gifts Autumn & I put together for her teachers.  We were going to give them to her teachers before Christmas, but Autumn was sick for those 3 days and then daycare was closed the week after Christmas so today was the day.  She was so excited to write her name in their cards and give the presents to her teachers.  She said we had to hide them behind our backs and then surprise her teachers when we gave them the gifts.  We just gave them each a bottle of Paris lotion from Bath & Body Works, a cute little magnetic note pad, and their favorite treat.  The note said something along the lines of, “we wish that we could give you an all expenses paid trip to Paris for all that you do.  But, we hope you enjoy this small gift.  It’s such a “treat” for Autumn to be in your class.

After school we went to Mom & Dad’s for dinner, but we didn’t stay long.  We ate and then I did up the dishes and Autumn & I came home.  We had the Biggest Loser on in the background (I am SO excited that it’s back on for another season so soon) but Autumn & I spent most of our evening coloring this calendar she got for Christmas.  We have been marking off each day so she can have a visual countdown to her birthday.

Every night when she goes to bed, we say prayers and then sing a song.  For the past month she’s been picking the song, “The Shepherd’s Carol”.  I had to take a picture of this b/c she always sings while holding up her fingers.  But it cracks me up b/c she starts w/ her pinkie finger.  And she’ll usually sing the “Mary, Mary hush, see the child” about 3 times before she sings the rest of the song.  It makes me nuts, but I love it at the same time.

A new bedtime routine that we’ve started is to read one chapter a night in this Book of Mormon Reader.  I know that there is a more updated one, but I found this old 1978’s one at Mom & Dad’s house and decided to use it.  We have been challenged to read the Book of Mormon this year and I decided to start out w/ this reader for Autumn since it’s simplified so kids can understand.  We’ve only been doing it since Sunday, but she already LOVES it and reminds me every night that she can’t go to bed unless we’ve read her Book of Mormon.  I’m so glad that we’re getting into this habit of reading in the scriptures every day and ending the day on a spiritual note.