Various Items - November Edition

 Henry had his first haircut - by Dad.

 I will sum up the day after Thanksgiving with this picture of Henry and my Facebook status update from that day:  "It's Christmas decorating day - Stanton is his most in love with me on this day every year.  *snort"  This is the day of a thousand arguments and eyerolls for Stanton and I...but it turns out so pretty when we're done...if you ignore the millions of piles it creates in its wake, so of which don't disappear till January...

 This is how Henry sleeps most of the time.  Left two middle fingers in his mouth and right hand covering his face.  It never stops being adorable.

 Nico Oakeson had another surgery and the kids wore their shirts to school to show him support. 

 The night before we left on our trip to Hawaii, we hosted a shower for April Allen (now Higham).  She married Michael Higham in December.  They're adorable and it was really fun to have this hot chocolate bar for the refreshments.  I will note, however, that the homemade hot chocolate I made was WAY chocolately and rich.  Too much so.  Next time I'll just stick with the cocoa mix from the church cannery -- it's better.  I dipped all of those marshmallows on the sticks (Chloe helped with some of them, too) and bought different things to mix in.  Jen Jensen brought the fun cookies from Pepperidge Farm.  Those Chessmen are making my mouth water.  :)  A super fun night and I didn't take one stinking picture of April and Michael!!!  Where is my brain????

Our friends from Buffalo years have a neat, successful Etsy business called Little Sapling Toys.  They make beautiful wood toys and teethers.  They sent this cute hippo, a few other teethers, and a beautiful engraved star ornament to us for Henry's birth.  I love them!

Stanton is already doing his trick with Henry.  Aack!

Cannon and Henry crashed out by each other.

Henry is adorable even when he's got his cry face on.

(back over to the left, middle row) Henry sat in the saucer for the first time in November - he kept me company while I sewed blankets for each of the kids.  His is stuffed around him in the saucer to help keep him upright.

Stanton reading a story to the kids.  Great face.

(left, bottom row) Henry rolled over and fell asleep in this position.

Lily's "Thankful For" list.  Lollipops, Indians, Letters, You!, the Allens, Learning, Love, Everything, North Pole

Brigham reading a book to Henry.  Love that!

Chloe's poem made it into their class newsletter:

SISTERS

Attractive, loving

Jumproping, singing, happy

Smart, creepy, skateboarding, snoring

Rocking, messy, playing, 

Funny, little

BROTHERS

Pretty cute!

November was a really busy month - I never really felt like I got my heart and mind wrapped around it.  That said, however, it was a lot of fun and we made some really good memories.  Next year I want to be totally done with teacher gifts, friend gifts (we did neither this year, but I stressed plenty about them anyway), and even kid shopping if at all possible.  I never felt like I got caught up this year which made my Thankful For posts non-existent and just made me feel less peaceful all around.  I know that part of that is just this phase of life we're in.  School is busy, piano and gymnastics are busy, church is busy, having a new baby is busy...it's all just new and I'm adjusting to it still, obviously.

The bottom line is this:  November was way more awesome than I ever fully let myself embrace.  I'm glad we took a few pictures so I could remember the good times we had!

December Daily - Tuesday, December 13th

How are these December days going by so quickly???!!!

This morning I kept my commitment and got up to read scriptures and exercise. I'm sure glad I did because I bombed in the food department all stinking day.
The girls got off to school and I got working on the dishes I signed up to bring for the ward Christmas party. I started with the pasta salad and the funeral potatoes. I discovered a seriously dangerous combination when I dipped a cooked bowtie pasta in the funeral potato sauce. That was pretty much my breakfast. That and some pasta salad later. I really enjoyed my own cooking all day. That's pretty vain and horrible, I know, but dang, I like my food!
Okay, so the boys went to school and I finished up the cooking (baked beans). I got to go to Lily's class for an hour. I absolutely love being in their classrooms every few weeks.
Cannon came home from preschool (2 days of excited to go! Woot!) and we did laundry and watched yet another lifetime Christmas movie.
The big kids got home from school, got their homework done, colored their decorations for the Christmas party, and hung out while I folded more laundry (and they put theirs away, too).
At the last second, I decided to have the kids shower before the party (I'm talking like a half hour before the party started). It had been a while since they'd showered and I knew we would be getting home late from the party. SOOO, we quickly showered and got dressed and the girls' hair in pony tails and headed out to the party. Stanton had been there for a while getting set up, so it was nice to finally see him.
The party was fantastic. I am completely in love with our ward and neighborhood. It is just a little slice of Zion. We are so lucky to be here.
I snapped a few pictures from the party.




Brigham was loving the free access to CHIPS!!




Cannot alternated between jumping around showing me how to kick and nearly falling asleep on the floor.




The Whitely family in our ward brought their instruments (bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, violin (fiddle)) and played while the kids danced around the Christmas tree. It was soooo cute and so fun. I get weirdly teary eyed with things like that. I so appreciate their talents and their being so happy to share them. These are the same Whitelys who are Cannon's nursery teachers. We are so lucky to know them!!




All the kids rockin' around the Christmas tree.
Stanton brought the kids home while I helped clean up and here we are now--- time for some lounging in bed watching the tube. :)

Feliz Navidad!

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Visiting Marion

We went to see our awesome neighbor and friend, Marion Hyde at Sunshine Terrace Rehab Center.  He just had his hip replaced. 
Anyway, we took the kids there the Sunday before Thanksgiving and had a fun time.  The kids had a great time and we loved seeing Marion.  He's been such a terrific neighbor and we love him.


I love that picture of Chloe and Cannon holding hands walking in.  Dar.ling.

These were all taken by the kids.  After a while, they needed some extracurricular entertainment to keep them from tearing the place apart.

Thankful For...

Today I'm thankful for...

*Church.  It's really, really great. 

*Choir.  Can't believe I'm saying it right now, but today at least, I really loved my calling.  The people who sing in the choir are so great.  I love them.

*My kids.  They're hilarious and they forgive me when I'm really grumpy at bedtime.

*Stanton's calling.  It makes him a better person and our family a better family.

*The Holy Ghost.  When I listen and obey, really good things happen. 

*Marion, our neighbor.  We got to visit him at his knee rehab place tonight.  What a good man.  We're really lucky to live next to him.

Thankful For...

Today I'm thankful for:

*An especially pleasant morning with Chloe Bird.  She was ready 20 minutes early!!!  She was cheerful, responsible, and enjoyed some time to read her Magic Treehouse book before school.  I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this little treat was.

*A great ward.  We enjoyed a fun craft night thing tonight and I was reminded why we will probably never move -- we are surrounded by the neatest, most down to earth and fun people in our neighborhood.

*A clean house when I got home.  Stanton stayed with the kids while I was gone -- when I got home, the dishes were done, the toys were put away, and the kitchen smelled like Lysol.  It was so awesome.

Ward Halloween Party

Shaynna put together a great party for our ward on Wednesday night.  There was a fun carnival, popcorn, nachos, and homemade root beer, and a costume parade.
The kids loved wearing their costumes and so did Stanton and I.  Chloe was Dorothy, Lily was Spidergirl, Brigham was Iron Man, Cannon was Buzz Lightyear, I was Justin Bieber, and Stanton was a prison inmate.

The young men and young women helped with the carnival games and we all enjoyed great conversation with friends and neighbors.  I didn't see Chloe most of the night, which explains the lack of individual picture of her.
A great night and nice to have another time to wear the costumes, since they're so dang expensive!

Summer Slide Ward Party

Shaynna planned an awesome ward party out at the Little Bear Bottoms Slip & Slide.  They have 2 giant slip & slides set up on big hills and let me tell you, they're fast!  One is smaller, for the younger kids, and the other is big enough for even adults to fly on.  The kids started out on the smaller one, but by the end all 3 of the older kids had gone down the big one at least twice.  Chloe and Lily just kept going over and over and over!  It was a great party -- a lot of fun.

Thanks to LuWana for taking these pictures!  We forgot our camera.

Want to See Something Awesome?

That incredible igloo was built by three awesome teenage boys in our backyard. They hopped the fence and spent 4 1/2 sneaky hours building it. It's so tall, Stanton can stand up in it. The kids love it.

Thanks, Joe D, Nate D, and Jaden W!

Pool Party at Trudy's!

To celebrate Brigham's 3 week post-op mark, we had a fun afternoon at Trudy's swimming our guts out. I love when you can just kill an afternoon doing such a fun, relaxing thing. Trudy had us over (okay, we invited ourselves) to play in their above ground pool. Angie H. and her boys came, too. I'm getting so sad because Angie and Rick move in just a few short weeks. It's been such a great friendship and I will miss them very much.
So, we partied like it was 1999 and played for over 3 hours in the pool. Trudy has the funnest pool -- it's wide, probably 6 ft. or more, yeah, definitely more, and only about 2 1/2 ft. deep. The kids love it so much because they can play and touch the bottom and run around or float or swim.
Nate & Joe were awesome and played with the kids the entire afternoon -- Jared ended up getting home from work, too, about a half hour before we left. I love them for being so great with the kids. It's beginning to freak me out, though, how grown up and buff they're getting. We've only lived here just a few short years, but they've gone from kids to serious hotties lately! They'll love that their old neighbor lady just said that, I'm sure.

So, pics for the day...
Most of the gang here...Lily, Trevor, Chloe, Ethan, Brigham

The girls loved splashing Nate.

Cannon wasn't thrilled about the pool at first, but warmed up to it after I got in with him. And I'm thinking I'm in serious need of a haircut -- got a little mullet mushroom thing going on here.

Oooh, she's just edible. She was in the pool probably 90% of the time. And she and Ethan seemed to have a blast playing together today.

Brigham was trying to throw grapes into Joe's mouth. He finally decided the most effective way was to get really close and hand it to him.
See what I mean? Joe! Trevor loved being jumped on the trampoline. Ethan and Lily loved watching the stunts.
And Nate! When did you guys get this old and cute?! The big tube was a huge hit. The kids loved being pushed from one side of the pool to the other in it. Chloe, however, did not love being pushed into the side of the trampoline by it.
Cannon & Joe -- Family Twins. They love each other.
That's Cannon laughing at Joe...and showing off his awesome belly.
We got to see Chalisa W. and her kids. Angie came over after work -- or AdamandAngie as she's now becoming known. Angie, congratulations!!!!

Trudy thought she was taking a picture of Chloe, but it was on the video mode. So, heeeeeere's Chloe!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Not counting the near drownings of Brigham (Hello! You just survived open heart surgery...You Will NOT Drown, do you hear me?????!!!) and Trevor, it was a perfect afternoon. Thanks for coming with, Ang. And Trudy and boys, THANK YOU!!!

Another Reason to Love My Neighborhood

Two things that regularly greet us on our way in and out of the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Party

We spent the evening at a neighborhood party. Can I just say this was a great event? It wasn't elaborate. There were no planned games or activities. There were no barbeque grills and endless lines of people waiting for potato salad that had been in the sun just a little too long. It was fruit, cookies, a couple of caution cones to block off the street, and a lot of fun and visiting. The kids made up their own games or played in the neighbors' backyard. Adults who normally don't see each other due to callings in various church organizations visited. Neighbors who don't attend our church got to visit and connect with people they hadn't met in the three years they'd been here. I wish I'd thought of it. I get so caught up in the idea of amazing food, perfect decorations (okay maybe not that one so much), well-planned games, etc. that I hardly talk to a single person at any of my parties. This one was low-key -- the organizers put invitations on doors and set up some tables. That's it! Everyone else brought a little dessert and the real treat was the conversation.

I learned a lot from tonight. And not just that my kids can survive staying up past 7:30. Although I may be rethinking that one tomorrow in the midst of temper tantrums due to extreme lack of sleep.....

Various Items

I just signed a check Julie Rose. I do not know the last time I did that.

Flylady is working. I have swept my front porch (in which I was sweeping straw from the bales I had on my porch last fall) and beat my welcome mat (yikes -- 3 years with nary a second look -- it was dirty), cleaned out our kitchen desk (THAT took a while), put kid clothes (that had been randomly strewn about 2 rooms in diaper boxes) into bins with lids and into closets where they belonged, cleaned out my junk/sewing/exercise room, AND finished my apron swap apron and started the appliques for the girls' summer t-shirts. In 3 days time I have accomplished all of this. Stanton came home today and said, "Who is this Flylady and where can I thank her?" Funny. Not at all.

My neighbors whose dog always pooped on our lawn (even after they got the leash) have put in a wireless fence -- it is a slice of heaven and I find myself liking their dog again.

Got a great sale on Cookie Lee jewelry from that same neighbor (nothing over $2.50!). Spent more than I needed to.

Kids played in the new playhouse for 3 1/2 hours this morning. In their pajamas. And tea party dresses from their dress up box (thank you DI). Brigham played the whole time too, but did NOT wear a dress, thank you very much.

I hired a babysitter this afternoon to play with the kids while I worked on the apron/appliques. It was awesome. I also ran a couple of errands; on one of them I found the huge flower pot container things I've wanted for our front porch -- on clearance! Super worth the baby sitter fee.
She played in the playhouse with them, played dress-up, took them for a walk and a bike ride in the rain. No, you can't have her, she's MINE!

Studied my scriptures this morning and found a gem in the first verse I read -- and didn't get any further because of kid interruptions. But it was still a great scripture study because I found something in the first verse that I could totally apply to my life right now. Awesome. Oh, it was Alma 1:1 -- it talks about King Mosiah setting laws, but having them acknowledged and approved by the people. It then says that the people were "obliged to abide by the laws which he made." Ah Hah! So I need to set real rules and help my children to understand and acknowledge them. Then they'll be obliged to follow them! And when they break them, the consequence will naturally follow -- with no room for complaint. I'm not saying I expect them to not complain, but I won't have to feel bad about it.
It's strange to realize, but I've never sat down and "set rules" for our home. I hear myself all day long, though, saying things like, "That's against the rules, Sweety." What rules? They sure don't know. But that's going to change. I'm going to think and pray and work on this this weekend and we'll have a Family Home Evening where we all acknowledge the rules.
What are your rules? What works?

Even with the projects I finished today, I have at least 6 more that I've either started or purchased supplies for. Foolishness.

I haven't felt like cooking lately. But I've forced myself to at least make spaghetti this week. Oh, and Cheryl's little passing reference to a potato/chicken/balsamic vinegar dish -- it was good. And I think it's funny that that is what I came away with from that particular post.


While putting away the kid clothes mentioned above, I felt an urge to get rid of all the baby girl clothes. What?


Pictures of Various Items:






Jill, this counts, right?

The Poop in My Yard or That's Why I Don't Have a Dog

So, it took me about 3 weeks to get up the guts to talk to my great neighbor about her lab mix dog and the poop it so generously leaves in my yard. The final push I needed was when it started digging in my flower beds and tearing at my weed barrier (not a barrier if there's a hole in it!). So, I talked to her this week and she was so awesome about everything. She had her son come over and pick up all of the poop and the next day their dog was on a long leash in their backyard (that's the law anyway, so it was a good thing). It lacked all of the awkwardness I was fearing and turned out very well.
Problem solved, right? No, there's poop on my lawn again and yesterday I noticed a little Jack Russell Terrier running around my backyard...my fenced backyard. I know whose it is and it's going to take a little longer to get up my nerve to talk to this neighbor. Why? It's my bishop. Great. Wish me luck!