Quoting the Cute: Page Sixteen

"Ew!" (what my seven-year-old says when she sees her parents kissing).

I asked my four-year-old if she knew how to eat a cherry and she said, "Yup, you just pull out the pin and spit out the beads!"

My two-year-old loves to point to his baby brother and tell people who he is:  "Mine brudder!"  (No, we don't speak German at home.  Just English and Finnish.)

Seven-year-old:  "Today is the worst day of my life."  I have heard this more than once.

Four-year-old:  "Can I have gum?"  It seems like she asks this all the time!

Two-year-old:  He pronounces "cookie" like "hooky" and when he sings the Cookie Monster song, I laugh every time, especially at the last part...or when he says, "Hooky Monster likes hookies."

My friend gave my seven-year-old a cute a-line haircut and styled it for her (it had a nice round shape to it).  Instead of saying thank you when she saw it in the mirror, she said, "I look like an extra-terrestrial."

My four-year-old always says, "axe" instead of "ask."  I'm not ready to correct her mispronunciations because I'm not ready for her to grow up!

Two-year-old:  Every morning he says "Go-morninga, Mom."  During the day it's, "You funny, Mom," and at night it's always, "Go-nighta, Mom."

Nine-month-old:  This kid loves to sit and babble to himself.  He must have interesting stuff to say because he can entertain himself for hours!

When We're Helping We're Happy

My Relief Society made jars full of service ideas and gave them to the women in our ward.  I haven't used it yet, but if I have a hard time thinking of a special service to do on Wednesdays, I plan to draw a paper from the jar and do it if I can!

So here they are.  The idea is to randomly choose one "service mission" for each week:

• Visit the elderly.
• Help a friend with housework.
• Smile at everyone you see this week.
• With your family or friends visit a nursing home.
• Do a secret act of service for every member of your family.
• Take cookies to a neighbor or a friend this week.
• Help an elderly widow with her shopping.
• Send a letter to a missionary.
• Show more patience with others this week.
• Mail an "I'm thinking of you" card to someone.
• Do something for your community this week.
• Bake something for someone.
• Secretly help someone with money or food.
• Only say nice things about others this week.
• Do something for a single parent in your neighborhood.
• Invite someone to your home for dinner.
• Invite a friend or neighbor to church.
• Take a rose to a woman who is struggling.
• Help tidy the chapel as you leave this week.
• Have a more positive attitude this week.
• Take a neighbor's can to the street on garbage day.
• Make dinner for a family in need.
• Volunteer at a local school this week.
• Read to a child.
• Get to know someone new in the neighborhood.
• Pray for someone.
• Show more love and compassion this week.
• Collect items for humanitarian aid.
• This week listen more and talk less.
• Give a mom (or a dad!) a break and babysit free of charge.
• Help a neighbor with yard work.
• Show more gratitude to others this week.
• Donate to your local library.
• Send a thank you card to someone.

There were some things in the jar that I didn't keep because they are things I feel I should already be doing everyday, things like opening doors for people, saying hello, and not gossiping.  However I am going to write this one for the world to put in their jar:  PUT YOUR SHOPPING CART AWAY.

There were also a few I left out because I do them when I can, like walking instead of driving places and donating to charities.  Also there are some in my jar that are specific to my church that I am trying to do (visiting teaching, sharing the Gospel, things like that).

There are 34 things on the list above.  I think it would be fun to think of 18 more and get it up to 52 for a year's worth.  Any ideas?

Here's what I've got:

• Give as many compliments as you can this week.
• Forgive someone or ask forgiveness of someone.
• Donate to a food bank.

I'll bet you have fifteen more in your little pinky, Cindy!  If so, please share.

Now I'm off to make lemon cakes because what could be nicer than that?