DREAM 3 FUFILLED, BUILDING A SAND CASTLE

Thankfully my mother-in-law had her camera while we were on the beach in Erie. She sent me these pictures. Thanks mom. Sierra has been asking me for at least six months if she could go to the beach and build a sand castle. She was so excited when she saw Lake Erie. She dove in and played until the sun went down. The sunset was spectcular. We got to see it from our tent. We camped on the beach at Sara's Camp Ground. It was really crowded but the surf drowned out most of the noise. It was really fun to play as long as we wanted in the waves and then jump into bed. What a fun place to visit.

DREAM 2 FUFILLED, SEEING LES MISERABLES

Grandma McKnight and CC on the bridge next to the Benedum Center, where Les Miserables was playing.
Grandma McKnight and CC in front of the digital sign outside the Benedum Center.

Grandma McKnight and CC waiting for the show to begin.

A little know fact about me is that I was a child of the theater. I loved being on stage and hungered to perform whenever the opportunity arouse. I am not a singer or dancer, strictly an actress, but I loved musicals. My favorite play, Les Miserables. I dreamt of seeing the play as a child and learned every song by heart. My favorite character was Eponine and I would sing her parts over and over again. The opportunity never came to go until this past week. Nate gets 1/2 price tickets for up to 4 people, as a student at the University. We took advantage and went to see Les Miserables with Grandma McKnight. I was so excited. It was Sierra's first play. She loved it at first but it got a little long. She sat really still and was only disruptive with the constant questions she was whispering to me. She went to sleep after Gavroche died. She was pretty sad. I kept reassuring her that it was all just pretend. I guess I forgot how dark and morbid Les Miserables was. Not a good choice for a 3 year old. What was I thinking? Not sure.

DREAM 1 FUFILLED, SEEING THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT

Jesus Christ appearing to the people on the American Continent after his death and Resurrection.

Alma the Elder teaching the people and baptising them.

I had several dreams fulfilled this last week. My father served his mission in upstate New York. He use to tell us stories about performing in the Hill Cumorah pageant as a missionary. (I have always wanted to see the pageant.) He played one of the wicked high priests and a warrior in the war scene, if I remember correctly. I thought he would like to see how far the pageant has come since he was a young man. These clips are poor quality and poorly videoed but at least they are something. I love you Dad.

MJ GREW HAIR!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I don't know why I love this so much. HAHHAHAHAHAHAH.

4TH OF JULY

The 4th of July was amazing, as always. We loved every minute of it. The 4th of July is by far my favorite holiday. We had amazing festivities from dawn to dusk and beyond.

The park had a bike parade. They provided all of the 4th of July paraphernalia. Sierra loved decorating her bike and rocketing around the fountain. The parade was great.
Say hello to some of our friends. Here is the Turner family decorating bikes.

Anne Turner, isn't she beautiful. Love the skirt Anne! Your mom is so talented.

Hailey Dinger. She is so cute.

Our new friends, May and Lalo. May is in Sierra's sunbeam class.

We had a great morning playing in the park. Then MJ and I made pies and rolls, (I would have captured a pictures but the batteries died. Too bad, you would have been jealous. YUMMY.) while Nate took Sierra fishing. She had a great time and couldn't stop talking about their adventures when she got back. Then we were off to a friends home for a BBQ, the food and conversation was GREAT. YUMMY. FABULOUS. Then I bribed the night guard with the remainder of the pie to let us on the roof to watch the fireworks. I stayed behind and got MJ to bed but the view was still amazing from the 19th floor. All in all, a fabulous day. Maybe we will get to do it again next year. Fingers crossed.

LOVE BEING A MCKNIGHT, MISS BEING A CRAVEN

I love my family. Aren't my sister's gorgeous? My sister Michelle took these pictures at the ranch a couple of weekends ago.









My sister with the dark hair is still single. If any of my friends know an amazing guy looking to settle down. She might be the one..... :) (I am sure I am going to get a phone call for this. :))

ONLY SIERRA

CC (praying): Heavenly Father, thank you for my mommy that she does silly things and makes me laugh.
CC (While reading Beauty and the Beast): I don't like the Beast mom. He makes me scared when he gets mad, but it's okay, it's just a commercial. Right?

CC loves MJ. She doesn't want to do anything without her. When she is done playing in the living room and wants to go back and play with her in her bedroom, she won't ask MJ or wait until she crawls, she just hoists her up and carries her off to her bedroom. Most of the time MJ is a good sport and even smiles and laughs, but every once and a while she gets tired of being a rag doll and cries out for me to rescue her.

P.S. No she has never dropped her.

PROGRESSION OR DIGRESSION

A picture of our kitchen/laundry room. We got a portable washing machine. I am so elated. I feel like I am flushing money down the drain everytime I put money on my laundry card. My laundry has started to cost close to $35.00 dollars a month and that is just to wash my clothes and hang dry them. I know the new washing machine will cause my electric bill to go up a little, but we don't pay for water so that won't go up. Get this... I bought this beauty off fo Craig's List for $75.00. It is a year and half old. Typically they run anywhere from 500.00 to 600.00 dollars. I think I will be making a profit when I sell this beautiful, life changing device. I have been doing laundry all day and I am so happy.



Because people have been asked, here is a picture of our old house in Morningside. Here is my beautiful kitchen. I know all you Pittsburgh women are coveting. I am sure you are wondering, "Why did she move?" The kitchen and the laudry were amazing. The rest of the house not so much.

MJ, MY BEAUTIFUL SWEET ANGEL

My beautiful MJ!

Don't eat that.

Do you think her hair is going to be curly?

MONKEY

Sierra keeps saying, "My sister looks like a monkey!" and laughing her head off. Maybe... You decide.

SIERRA, MY BESTEST LITTLE FRIEND

Sierra loves to play barbies lately. She could spend all day playing with them. She makes up little story lines all the time. I think it is silly when she talks for her barbies. She uses the word pretty a lot. Example: "I pretty, don't want to that." "Well, I pretty, think that we shouldn't fly." "Well, pretty, I think we should run away." I have tried to play with her. I can't get a good plot of imagination going. She just wants really simple story lines. I will tell her my purple spoon was stolen and hide in the dark under-the-bed castle. She will respond, speaking for her barbie of course, "Well, I pretty don't want to. I pretty think you should just play with me." Maybe next year.

Sierra loves to read. In the morning her bed always look like this. I wonder how she gets comfortable or where she lays in the maze of books. She loves to read to herself. Every night she insists on reading one or more books to me. (Of course she can't read, but she makes up stories with the pictures or rehearses the story from the countless times I have told it to her.) Then I will let her read until she falls asleep.

Sierra is my little artist. She loves to draw and paint. She loves to make up stories about her pictures. She is always asking me to send her pictures to her family in California and in Utah. We finally did a little letter this week. You can look for them in the mail.

My sister Jennifer and I use to come home from work and change into our comfy clothes. We called them Mr. Roger outfits. Sierra's Mr. Roger outfit is her PJ's. She would wear them all the time if I would let her. She will change when we go out but the minute we get back home she runs back to her room and changes back into her PJ's.

CURSE YOU QUILTER SHELLY

A-1 Dear Jane

A-3 Dear Jane

Shelly, a dear friend started a Dear Jane Quilt. You can google "Dear Jane Quilt" to see what this monster is going to look like when it is done. We went to the quilt show in Columbus, Ohio together(See previous post). Maybe I was posioned by inspiration there.

Shelly, I did my first two squares. I am now on a square that has 40 pieces. 40 pieces of fabric in a 4 1/2 inch block? Who was the nut that came up with this idea? Who are the nuts that want to duplicate it?

LET THE BATTLES BEGIN

Ever since MJ's new found mobility there have been battles. I can't say I get too upset. I find it highly comical to Sierra's chagrin. I laugh and laugh. You will love this video. First, because of Sierrs's over-the-top antics to get camera time and second, because of MJ's determination to get the game.

P.S. MJ just started to seriously crawl last week.

TO PROVE A POINT

See Emily. She screamed when I stood up to grab the camera and put it in place. Then she calmed down while I sat by her. Then she screamed when I stood up and walked away. She is addicted to her mother. (I am talking to my sister on the phone, complaining about my leach.) I don't know what to do. I have tried letting her whine and just cleaning house. Then she pathetically crawls after me. Every day it seems to get worse and I feel like I sit while she is awake and run around cleaning and getting everything I can taken care of while she naps. We also take a lot of walks because she is usually content in the stroller. I have complained to Nate but he says, "Just sit there, if she is happy." I don't think he has realized it makes a person crazy to sit in the same spot all day. One day is okay, maybe even relaxing, but by day seven you want to scream.

QUILT SHOW

What we really went to Columbus to see...



Gorgeous! You could help but stop and stare at this beautiful quilt.



I love scrappy quilts.



How do they do that?



Stippling, wow.



Can I make this and give it to my nephews?



Art in a quilt.



A grandmother made a quilt like a portrait of her granddaughter Madison. I had to get a picture because it was MJ's and I's first quilt show.



Don't you love this pattern?



Stippling, Ahhhh. Will I ever do something like this? Highly unlikely on my current machine.

I was so inspired by all of these artists. I do have a blog where I have journeyed a few quilts I have finished this year. If you are interested you can check them out at butterflytrail.blogspot.com.

PRIDE DAY

Shelly and I drove to Columbus to attend the annual quilting show. When we left the main street was blocked off. There were crowds of people gathered. We tapped someone on the shoulder and asked them what was going on. Pride parade? The shorts give away the answer to the question, "What is a pride parade?"

We thought maybe we would see a beautiful float or something MJ might want to see but I guess all there is to a Gay Pride parade is people parading there rainbow flags and clothes through the streets.

SPLASH PARK

MJ sporting Sierra's old bathingsuit. Sierra insisted she wear it even though she refused to even touch the water.

Jennifer, Brooklynn, and CC playing in the park.

The rail is warmed by the sun. The girls would get cold in playing in the water and then run and hug the rail to get warm again. We had a fabulous time.

GOOD FRIENDS

Welcome to the strip district. You can find almost anything you want on the strip. You can find good Mexican food, Seafood, Cheeses, Pastas. The strip district has been operating forever (nice quantifiable number). Anyway, I was really excited about going to the strip on Saturday because we were meeting up with some friends. Rich and Heather Eberle from California. One of the kindest dearest families we have ever been blessed to know.

Sierra loved looking at all the fish in the fish market. Here are two pictures. One of her near a lobster and the other looking at some crabs.

Here is Heather and I. Heather, heather, heather, I could never say enough good about her. She has been so kind to me since I married Nate. She took care of Nate when Zac and he lived over top of her and her husband when he was out at Yuba College. He has told me several stories of her keeping him feed when he was single. She helped us get our first couch. Retrieved from the dumpster at Wymount. I have a funny story about that couch.

When Nate and I were first married we couldn't have anyone over. We didn't have any chairs. We really didn't have any furniture. Heather found this couch someone had thrown in the dumpster and retrieved it for us. It was one of those couches from the late seventies with the rust colored, saw mill, flowered, covered fabric. The cushions just sat on springs connected to a wood bench. I scrubbed the cushions. I was asked to be apart of our ward's relief society presidency. As such, the stake relief society president met me at my apartment. She sat down on the couch and her feet went up and her knees touched her head. She squealed. I still crack up about it. The springs were really stretched out. It gets funnier. We sat the couch by the dumpster when we left. Within hours another unsuspecting couple decided to give it a new home.

BIG SISTER

I can't tell you how proud I have been of Sierra lately. She has been so amazing. She has been unbelievably kind. She says thank you a dozen or so times a day. She will randomly throw her arms around me and say how much she loves me. Lately, when I cook or clean she will exclaim, "Ah, mom you are so nice. Thank you." She has gone through rough periods before, but I am relishing in her kindness lately.

She asked to take her bike to the park. I told her if she took it she would have to share. I suggested she teach Noah how to ride the bike. She helped her put on her new helmet, which Anne gave her, and taught her how to ride. She was so cute as she explained the art of peddling.

Yesterday, baby Asher came to play. MJ and he were sitting on the floor playing with toys. Asher had a plastic hammer in one hand. MJ slid onto her back and Asher started to hammer her head, no intent to hurt her just his cute little muscles at work. Anyway, Sierra ran to the aid of her sister. She helped her sit up and gave Asher a quick tongue lashing. I told her, "Sierra, Asher doesn't now any better." Poor little Asher. He is so cute. However, I was grateful to see her being the protective big sister. I was blessed with two very protective big sisters who have jumped in and rescued me more times than I can count. Yesterday, I felt really blessed that my girls have each other.

ISN'T BEING A MOM THE GREATEST JOB ON EARTH?

Who would have thought blowing a plastic bunch of grapes out of your mouth across the room was this hillarious? I could watch this all day. I love it when she laughs.

Notice:

Baby Einstien playing in the background. MJ finally let me put her down, after a long three days, when I pulled it out.

Mr. Fishy laying out on his own bed Sierra lovingly made for him. He maybe popping up in a lot of my pictures.

INSTEAD OF GOING INSIDE, GO OUT WHEN IT RAINS

Sierra thinks she is WordGirl. She has been flying around the house for days. She was a little disappointed when she realized no matter how many things she jumped off of or how fast she ran she still wasn't going to fly, but she really enjoyed trying.

Meet fishy. Sierra's new best friend. Andrew gave it to her and she thinks, "He is so nice for giving me this fishy." She put a pair of her pajamas on it and has been hauling him around with her all day. Fishy has been seen sleeping with her, taking baths with her, and playing dress ups with her. For the McKnight home it can be said often that, "Someone's trash is another person's treasure." Thanks Andrew you made her week.

Today we went for a walk to our friend Amanda's house. On the way back Sierra insisted on stopping at the park. I pointed up to the clouds and said, "What color are the clouds?" She said, "Black." I said, "That is right, it means it is going to rain soon. Are you sure you want to keep playing?" She wanted to. I thought to myself, "How often do we take our kids to the park and let them play until they are ready to go, instead of us?" I swung Sierra and MJ in the swings. For the first time MJ really liked it. She was giggling so loud. Then, the rain came. We were at least eight blocks from home. When the rain started Sierra was ready to leave. The day wasn't that cold, so I just decided we would skip and dance home.

Sierra watched Cyber Chase yesterday. On the show Hacker was stealing water from this little town, so one of the citizens got these fish to do a rain dance and it started to rain. Anyway, when I encouraged Sierra to dance in the rain she started to cry and said, "No mom, stop it is going to rain harder." Of course it did continue to rain harder and harder. I kept trying to convince her that it wasn't me. She kept yelling, "Stop dancing." Under the trees up ahead the pavement was dry. I told her that I promised if we skip and dance, the rain will let up. She danced until she hit the clearing and then I said, "Look down, we did it. We stopped the rain!" She then got really excited and skipped and danced all the way home.

Under the building where we live, there are really large puddles. Sierra and I jumped around in them. Note: MJ was all snug and dry in her stroller under her little canopy. MJ started to fuss. I picked her up and she fell asleep in my arms, while I was running around chasing Sierra through puddles. We entertained the maintenance people on the building and the security guard. They unabashedly stared at us the entire time we were running through the puddles. All in all, a perfect morning.