Color them Hickens'

A few weeks ago we went to the Color Me Mine studio in Provo for Family Night. It was tons of fun and we turned out some really great pieces!


Gage painted a fish, Emma - of course she painted a princess (its a money bank too!), Bill painted a plate that resembles a pizza and I painted a mug. Below, you will find the finished master pieces! Enjoy!
Doesn't Bill's pizza look amazing? For those of you that didn't know, Bill is actually very artistic. Please don't think ill of me for taking a picture of a dirty plate; those are really crumbs he painted on...so clever! He invited me to go back to Color Me Mine on a date - just him & I - sans littles. I knew he would love it!

Here is the mug I painted.....it didn't turn out too badly - although I must admit; it did look differently in my mind! I was holding Maya the whole time because she didn't love the experience as much as we did - shocking - I know!

Dear Mr. Hicken,

I know how you have loved every minute of the last 11 years with me. And how you appreciate all the cooking and cleaning I do around the house. All the sewing (um hello Boy Scout shirt) and the canning and the food storage I keep track of. Come on, you have to admit I am sort of like a domestic goddess these days; not to mention a sweet piece of eye candy (do I need to poll all the students at CST? and lose the last 40lbs I gained while pregnant with Maya). I have borne your children (and they are good looking & healthy). I have saved you bundles of money with all my sale stalking. I have been tolerant with all your crazy hair/beard/goatee styles and here is what I want in return;

Tonight we took the Young Women's group to Veronica's Bridal in Spanish Fork. We had a lovely lesson on modesty and getting married in the temple. Then "Mrs. Veronica" let us try on the wedding dresses! And I found one screaming my name. Now I realize we have already been married twice, and weddings can be rather expensive, but you know how hard I work around here (please re-read all the beautiful attributes I have listed in paragraph 1). The bottom line is - I must have this dress. I also need somewhere to wear it and so I propose we get married (again); and have a lovely wedding reception (again). Now, I can't promise inexpensive because well.... this is really not that kind of dress but I can tell you - it will be grand & magnificent & the kind of third wedding all couples long for. And you have been working so hard and deserve a party....so please?

Love,

Your Eternal Companion (Keep this in mind because, after all, eternity is a VERY long time!)

PS - Don't say no - I know where you sleep!
PPS - I will wear make-up & fix my hair for this wedding/reception (because I did not in these pics!) & lose those dreaded 40lbs(please see paragraph 1)

The Agreement

Maya and I had a discussion and came to an agreement; or so I thought. She wasn't going to do any more whining! I really thought she understood and then this happened....

I suppose she kept her end of the agreement since this is more of a cry and not a whine.

In other news, Mother's Day was an uneventful day. I have grown accustom to Bill forgetting about it. In all fairness, he did remember it but we were in Eagle Mountain helping some friends install a sprinkler system all day on Saturday. Apparently, somewhere in his mind, Saturday is the only day to buy things. A few years ago I thought I would "teach him a lesson" when he forgot Mother's Day and I booked a trip to Disney World. Today, I think I will buy a laptop........

Actually, I didn't have a horrible Mother's Day. Emma told me "Happy Mother's Day" every 3 minutes while I was getting ready for church. Gage made me some paper flowers and a card at school. Maya didn't even cry as much as she normally does; and I get to be a mother each and every day to 3 of the most precious littles I have ever known.

Maybe Bill has realized he can never top that?

And to all you wonderful ladies out there - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

DR or ER?

If you follow my blog, or even read it occasionally you are probably thinking "What has Emma done now?" Well, I will tell you!

It was going so well today. We woke up on time, got Gage to school on time, we met Bill in Pleasant Grove to grab my ipod that he took on "accident" (secretly, I think he LOVES my playlist!). We ate lunch in the McDonald's Playland (shh don't tell Bill). Then we shopped a few fabric stores for new pillows (I found some - thank you). We left Orem around 2:15 - just in time to pick up Gage from the bus at 2:40 with time to spare. And then it happened! On I-15 she starts crying.

Mom: "What are you crying about"
Emma: "I lost my ball WAAAAHAAAA"
Mom: "What ball?"
Emma: "That one I found WAAAAA"
Mom: "Where did it go?"
Emma: "WAAAAA I lost it in my ear"
Mom: "WHAT?!?!?!"

The problem was that I was on I-15. I didn't feel like it was completely necessary to pull over but yet, I feel the panic coming on. I mean really? What is a mom to do at a time like this? So I continued to drive.

Mom: "Does it hurt?"
Emma: "No"
Emma: "Mom, I want my ball"

At this point I am thinking "great, just great!" (can you type in sarcasm?). The next step was calling Bill. So I called him to ask him if he thinks I should go to the doctors office or the emergency room.

Bill: "Why did she put a ball in her ear?"
Beth: "Emma, Why did you put that ball in your ear?"
Emma: "Well, I was just playing with it and I put it in my ear."

I am so glad we got that cleared up! At this point, we arrived at the bus stop. Lucky for me, Jennifer Tanner pulled up (her husband is an RN). So I asked her to call him; for his opinion of course. He suggested going to the doctor first.

After an unsuccessful try to retrieve the ball with a straw taped to a vacuum; I give up and called the doctors office. They got her in within minutes (I live 4 blocks away). We saw the doctor and he managed to pull it out with some tool I thought was too big to fit in her little ear. All while the office girls were laughing their heads off.

Emma, Emma, Emma! (To get the full effect, shake your head!)

Diaper Changes

Tonight, as we were trying to get ready for bed; Bill got a diaper and wipes to change Emma's diaper (yes she is still in diapers). She was playing and talking and dancing about but wouldn't stop for a diaper change. And so this gem of a conversation took place!

Mom: "Go get your diaper changed!"
Emma: "But Mom, I don't change diapers!"

And there you have it! 5 minutes in the life of the Hicken's.