I want to be a NINJA!

So what do you do when all three kiddos are dying to improve their lethal skills and are this serious about it? Thing 2 really had her serious face on the entire time. We really lucked out and got some awesome shots of everyone. They crack me up so bad!
My friend M. leans over and whispered to me "sorry i didn't know it was weapons week" hahahha. Are you kidding me there is only one way to really hook kids on martial arts. Let them swing around foam nun-chucks! Then, let them dream about doing everyday, all day, for the rest of their lives. Thing 1 and thing 2 each hit themselves in the face at least twice. And they loved every slightly stingy moment of it!
{This is where I should insert a donate to my children karate fund button from paypal. Ehh maybe later.}
We had an awesome adventure.

Thing 2 turns six!

Six is a big switch. And practicing telling people that you are now a year older. Holding up one more finger. No not really for my little thing 2.... she has been telling everyone she is six for the past four months. Yes, this does include the "Santa" at the Band's Christmas work party.
So now that is out of the way here we go with the celebration!

Thing two came to me about a week before her birthday and said that she wanted a Ninendo DS. I was shocked that she was so keen on it, but she does play her little "game girl" as she has named it. So I told her we could look at one for Christmas. And I said the boys would be sad if she was the only one that had one. She said she is a great "sharer" and would have a good time making sure they all got equal time on the DS. As long as she had it all figured out. She didn't get the DS this year for her birthday but now we know what to get her for Christmas.

Thing 2 loves animals real or stuffed. Ice cream is her favorite desert. She loves playing freeze tag at school. Pancakes are her favorite breakfast. She loves playing soccer in the school yard with all the boys. She has a "stocker boy" in her kinder class named lil D. Yeah that may need to be a whole notha' post.
She loves the little girl group that our community started called "girls for life" cute huh. They get together every week. She hates missing this very official meeting. She loves having friends over for play dates. Loves going to the library and only likes leaving because she can check out the books on the electric scanner. Art is definitely her thing and she still spends oodles of time drawing and having fun making cards and letters for her friends and neighbors.

She can be often found sneaking into our bed at night.

She is not a night owl. 8:30 comes along and she will just ask where she can lie down to go to sleep. She has always been easy about her sleep schedule wish that would transfer over to her brothers :)

The Graham's came over and so did some of the neighborhood crew. She did some opening presents there as well and got new roller blades! Now the only one missing blade action is the Band and the Fish. We will have to wait for family skate pictures I guess.

There be Leprechauns in these parts

Ok Seriously we had so much fun planning all of this and yet we didn't even scratch the surface of what my buddies did. Next year I tell you Next year! And when I went to record the milk I thought I had pushed the button but didn't. Guess it was a wee bit earlier in the am than I had thought.
I couldn't tell who was more excited me or my kiddos.

Knitting is not my favorite.

So I promised my friend some hats for her cutie little boys..... And I thought knitting was a good idea..... I think I'll be sticking to these.

Free cycle you are my hero!

About four years ago we got a dining room table on craigs list, and now it needs some makeover love. I am talking three years of forks, knives, and spoons being etched into it. Not to mention the playdough tools and pencils and pens and fun projects that we all love to do over here.

So I went on to Freecycle and someone had a sander! I am just waiting now for three days of sun in a row :)
It is amazing too when someone actually knows how to refinish furniture. So now for the research while the table waits to be refinished.

The Fish is turning......

Four FOUR how did we get here so fast? I swear I was just getting a handle on him being a baby and now he is a little man.
Who loves:
1. Toy Story Legos
2. School
3. Going Swimming
4. Dancing in the Kitchen to "This is Halloween" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
5. Watching Movies
4. Wearing Hats
5. Digging in the Sand
6. Painting
7. Playgrounds
8. His Puppy
9. Riding his bike
10. Seeing Aunt Lindy
11. Popping Balloons
12. Flip Flops
13. Carousel rides

Sick is the winter theme.

Philm

So I have been messing around with the camera lately.... It is fun and I love it.

Crafting is Therapy until it becomes your drug.

This is the kindergarten project we did for the auction comming up on Feb. 5 at the local art center. We started with photo copies of the little plants had each student color them in. Then taking all the left over scrap booking letter supplies we made the lables. Put about three to five coats of Mod podge on them. Sealed them up and glossed them with a nice acrylic sealer* and stuck them all in a pot.

I had so much fun with the kids and seeing them color so carefully was so much fun.

Finding the 25 different plants was the difficult part.

Oh and the sealer mishap.

**sealer mishap: used sealer outside to spray twenty five spoons. Inhaled enough to not be able to read for about 6 hours.

The Band asked me where I was married as a general knowledge question.... yeah took me a good minute to answer. It was like a cloud was hiding all the thinks I knew I knew. I paniced and started to get a raging headache then I yacked. Felt a bit better. The Band aired out the house and took the "dried" project outside. Then I went to sleep it off. Woke up still a little hazy but could read.

Scary.

Moral of the story: USE acrylic Sealer for a longer periods of time, indoors if you would like to erase all memories of your wedding and children's names.

Southern California Trip

Ok we had a blast! The sand the surf and the trip to knott's were so much fun. It was so fun spending time with the family and seeing the Uncles again.

we are still talking all the time about the Log ride and the cousins jumping over the uncles. It is time to look into moving closer to family. I




Fry throwing contest at In and Out was so funny! So glad I got it on video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBqFdDfogL8

The fish

Need I say more? Well ok there are a couple of things that are necessary. This kid is my loop. He wants something and he puts it on loop til he gets it. Over and over and over again until I have to put him in a totally new world of wonderment to help him for get his loop or give in. I usually give in and thus finding the loop effective he continues. He is so my baby of the family. Still three and turning four soon and still has the "ridiculous Binki"

One evening he was looking for said binki and said, "Mom where is my STUPID binki. Well long ago we had declared Stupid a bad word and so he was being emphatic about it.

I asked him not to say stupid to which he replied,"Moahnnmm! Whewah is my Ri-DIC-uh-lous binki?"

He is so fun loving it is so fun going new places with him. He always thanks us for taking him places that are really fun and even for the not so FUN ones. There is always a good ninja move or ski mask to wear around the house. He loves playing dress up and costumes are his favorite.

We see a new movie and he wants the costume of the main character. Last week it was Mega Mind. I think if I just painted his head blue that would do the trick. He has a most enormous noggin. But it is so cute and he is starting to grow into it-unfortunately.

I love his cute little "do you wemember when" stories and he goes on and on about how we went to the farmer's market or someone's house. He frequently remembers going to Adele's house and feeding the parrot. And talks all the time about the Waites.

He just melts my heart when he slips his little hand in mine and says, "Mom, I love holdin' yow hand." Yes I am a sucker for my little Fish. :)

Play time at our house

We love building things and making things with the things we have:) One afternoon it was a jump park out of books. Then a couple days ago Brady comes in looking like this.

All about Thing 2

We have been fooling around with the camera a bunch and found that Thing2 likes to pose for pictures.

Here is a short list of all the goods on Thing 2

• announcing to everyone she is already six although it isn't official for another couple of months. (yes even Santa at the Band's Work party got the "I am Six line")
• She doesn't like Candy Cookies or anything with a large amount of Sugar. Strangers are not a danger if they come bearing treats!
  
• She is particular about all her clothes (Pajamas yes pajamas too!)
• Is in love with two or more boys at a time. Currently Miguel and Aaron.
• Doesn't want to marry Donovan although he has been professing undying love, and devotion since the beginning of the school year.
  
• Loves to take care of her brothers and her parents when she finds she can help them in some fantastic way.

• loves to make up crazy stories about what happened at school that day! Oh man I have heard about kids kicking teachers, a boy calling her a goblin, and her teacher's cousin getting lost in the city! Today it was that she had a rough day when I came late to pick her up.
  
• Loves animals and cries when they are too cute.
• Loves her hair down or in pigtails. Calls her braids "curlies"
  
• Plays My little ponies
• Dances like a rockstar
• Can't get enough of Soccer since the Fall season ended.
• loves being outside
• Jump ropes up to seven jumps in a row.

Little Thing 1 turns 7

There aren't enough words for the feelings I have on this day.

In one moment I am holding in my arms this wide mouthed screaming little boy. Having him calm down right away as I start to talk to him. And now I have this wonderful little man that is so quick with a compliment for all that he meets. He is gentle and sweet and so protective of the underdog. He is always ready to play and have a "great time" I miss him this year, as it is his first going to six hours of school. He wants so badly to do the right thing and often succeeds. He reminds me constantly of what the gospel teaches and what I need to be doing in order to raise the wonderful gifts I have been given. He always spits out the lessons or morals to what he learned through out the rough experiences he has had.

Season ends with a bang!

Thing 2 really enjoyed playing soccer this year. She has played all the time at recess since. Love of the game is strong and so we finally broke down and bought a soccer ball.

Halloween haunts out memories still

I figure I'd better post these before christmas happens.

Catching up begins

Ok so we have been sick.... Yes again.First it was Halloween with the barfing. Then that lasted until they all got this cold. Green is just our color of choice right now. It has lasted for so long. This time we have fevers, and coughing that lasts all night with or with out cough medicine.

Behind The Awkwardness: Neverland

Behind The Awkwardness: Neverland




This made me laugh. Granted I have gone to bed at 2 am for the past two nights so everything makes me laugh but this made me laugh hard. I love Awkward family Photo. com!!

Photoshop project theme is taken from this Video :)

Ted.com has some seriously cool stuff and ideas on there. I could watch all day long if I could. I am doing some design projects and had to pick a theme it was difficult with so many cool ideas on there. But the one I liked the most was this one. Check it out and I'll post the design ideas from there.

Brandon Flowers Who???

In seventh grade my good friend fell hard for the Phantom of the Opera's lead singer. Micheal Crawford. I think she has repressed all these memories since then. But I have missed this whole obsession with the famous person. UNTIL now...... wow I loved the Killers and all their head bashing songs, slow ones, and everything in between. Then I heard his interview on NPR and hit itunes for the newly released solo album, Flamingo. I can't believe how many songs I am totally obsessed with. And then I saw the Crossfire video! SOLD full on Obsession. Oh and I will be seeing him live in concert. And I will yell "I love you Brandon" like I was in seventh grade.While faithfully holding to my one true love's hand. I think they call this regression.... rhymes with obsession. Nice. Check out "ONLY The YOUNG" and Magdelena on the album.

I remember thinking Brad Pitt was cute when he was young and all it took was some rumor that he stunk like really bad B.O. and I was forever cured from another look. Brandon you can stink all you want and it would be like a room full of roses for me :)

And it begins.... the empty Nest syndrome

So here we go again. It is preschool time for my little tiny baby. The one that still bless him gets a bottle that he calls for, and is rarely seen without his pacifier! I know you should have seen the dentist's face last week when I said he still uses one. I know that socially it is unacceptable thing but really I can't pull it. Thing 1 still has his at night so that he doesn't continually wake up at 4 am and look for one under all and I mean all the beds. I just continually get them all a bink or two at the store when we run out. I may have to change the title of my blog to Tripping over Binkis. We'll see.

It has been crazy seeing this little fish grow. I still am very stuck in him being only ten months old. I known there is a big three year old, but it is so hard to treat him like a big kid when he is my little baby still.

The Baby Hunger is setting in pretty bad. At the soccer game on Saturday I about ran up to a mom just to smell the top of the newborn's crusty crown to catch a sent of that sweet smell. I am glad there are baby producers in church so on Sunday I can get my fill of baby toes, cheeks and over all yummy-ness of the new baby smell. Have they figured out how to bottle the smell and mass produce it and sell it at Target yet? I would buy it!

I am now looking for stuff to fill my time during the time they are in school. I am finding it is not a lot of time. But still a good obsession project may be in order :)

Getting out the angst and frustration

Today like yesterday was supposed to be a get out the pent up energy day. Poor dog and poor JD. We both sat inside all day with sick little kids. Can't wait to see if they are better by tomorrow :) I think two days is good enough for colds to hang out, Right? I am going to create a sick day calendar. It seems every year we are just collectors of all the ailments that are in Davis. So look for another mommy planner design for the school year 2010-2011. That is in the next day or so. I need a calendar that works for me and my specialness.

Another game I do love every six months or so is clean house LOL. New game this year is bookshelf cleansing. Good night we have a lot of non-sense space here in this little apt. I have so much crap in boxes I don't know what is even in there. So this time I have a vision and now it is just getting the shovel out and going through the dirt.

I am working on making the third bedroom into a bedroom not a storage closet. You see we even have a special name for the room of clutter. It's official name is the "Secret Locked Room" all the kids know that there are things in there you don't want to get into but they always do. Like Mommy's special prisma color markers, or scrapbooking odds and ends that I need to find a new home for (like literally a new home), or the stash of books that would put all the hording shows to shame! I really have a hard time with the printed word. I love to read a good solid book with a great binding and soft pages. But it is so nice to curl up to my light and portable iPhone and read as well.

Got TO go Plan and PURGE

Some times it is time for a swing.

With the Band's graduation come and gone searching high and low ways to figure out what are next move is.

At times it is like I have this great monster truck ready to roll over all 36 cars and it has no gas in the engine. We just don't know where focus all the energy. Praying and Searching has been a real challenge when you feel good about all the options in equal measures. The Band is now at Toyota selling cars. He has been applying everywhere but the "just while we find another job" job is going so well.

In the search for answers to the hard questions I have found that returning to the small things really has it's perks.

In high school one of the favorite things my BFF and I would do was go to the swing set in West Point and see how high we could go. We would talk about all the stuff going on.

Still the swings are soothing place for me and luckily my kids love them too. Davis is the perfect place to contemplate as you return to the basics. Bike trails and parks are a plenty and it is still fall not raining too bad yet.

I know there is change coming I am just hoping to accept all that comes with the change.

Until then more prayer, seeking, and a return to the simple pleasures in life.