Lately

As you can imagine things over here have been crazy...yet in the middle of it we still have been having fun. Here is a taste of what has been going on lately...

Thomas is the proud owner of his very own first tooth. (His second one just cut through today--I just hope the top teeth are far away...nursing and teeth...not a fun thing to have together.)

It has been 3 years since my baby girl was born. 3 years I have loved the fact that she has had so much hair. I finally took the plunge and went and got it cut! We cut off about 4 inches, but it is still below her shoulders.

On Friday we 'surprised' one of my best friends Robbie or 'Rob' for his 30th birthday! Today is his actual birthday, but Julie tricked him by having the party early. Robbie is such a great example to me. I am so thankful that he and Julie got married. I have always admired him, and I am so thankful that I am blessed to have met him. I hope that he has had a wonderful birthday because if anyone deserves it...it is him.

Saturday started early... I went and did this...

I am really happy with it....so much for growing it out. I needed a change. I just wish I could style it as well as she did...instead I get this.

Not bad, just not the same as she styled it on Saturday. Maybe one day I will be rich, and someone else can style my hair daily. :)

Caden had his last soccor game that afternoon. He was so proud of his trophy that he snuck it in his church bag today to show to people.

I don't have any pictures of my evening (I had my camera, but forgot to take it out for a pic)...but I was able to meet up with friends for a matinee showing of Twilight, and dinner! I was excited to see the film. I have to say I liked it, but don't know if I loved it. Books are almost ALWAYS better than movies. I thought parts were a bit cheesy. I never pictured Edward being so awkward. But overall I liked it, and hope that they make the subsquent movies. If you have seen it what did you think?

7 random facts/happenings

I was tagged by Tammy, Andrea & Lindsey to tell 7 random/weird facts about me! I guess that was a subtle way of getting me to post something! :) Since I seemed to take a blogging hiatus the month of September I thought I would cheat a little and use this meme to tell you 7 random things I did while not blogging. But to make things fair, and since I was tagged three times...I will actually do another post in the near future that follows the rules better...so you can look for that in the near future.
The weekend of Labor Day there was a fireworks show at a local church. We have great a great view from our house...so some friends came and joined us. Here is Sydney, Eldon, & Gemma enjoying some creamsicles. (I had to laugh at this photo because Sydney is the oldest, yet also the shortest of the three. I love my little runt. :)
September is always a crazy month because Caden's birthday is on the 13th, and two weeks later is Sydney's birthday on the 29th. We started the birthday festivities early at FHE with the Shawn's family. (We get together on the first Sunday of every month for dinner) I will have more details about their individual birthdays later.

Shawn had a work conference at a ritzy resort across town. They paid for a room so I dropped Caden & Sydney off at Nancy's, and joined Shawn for the evening. I didn't get any pictures of the two of us, but Thomas enjoyed the room. We tried using rollers on Syd's hair for the first time. They ended up falling out on one side of her head, but they sure looked cute when we first put them in. Hopefully we will get them to stay in next time.
My good friend Melanie had her cute baby Madysen! Kim and I got to go visit her in the hospital. It always amazes me at how small newborns are (even though Mel's was almost 10lbs...she was still small). It is a constant reminder at how fast my Thomas is growing!
Betsy, my sis-in-law (Shawn's brothers wife) had her baby 3 weeks early! It was a surprise for us all. Baby Cody got a little sick and had to stay in the hospital for about a week, but is finally home. I can't wait to actually see the cute kid!
On October 1st we celebrated the coming of Halloween by watching a scary movie and eating some chocolate sprinkled donuts. This was a tradition that I got from Nie Nie, and the kids LOVED it! We might change it up a little bit next year, but I think it is a great thing for the family to look forward to each year on the 1st of October.

All I have to say is I am glad that September is over!! I still need to post about Caden & Sydney's birthdays, and I am waaaaaay behind on my blessings...but hopefully I will be back into the swing of things shortly!

Quirks

I was tagged a few weeks ago by Tiffanie over at Three Peas in a Pod. I finally got the post finished...sorry it took so long.

The Rules:
1. Link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

My Quirks:
1.Up until I was a sophomore in High School, I topped my burritos & tacos with KETCHUP. I thought people who put salsa on them was gross. I haven't eaten them like that in years. I wonder if I would still like it.

2.I was in a Baton Twirling group for about 3 years. We performed alot in parades and such. I looked lovely in my navy blue sequined leotard. I actually still have my batons, but haven't taken them out for awhile. They had to go into hiding because the kids used them as weapons.

3. I LOVE "Vinegar Green Beans"! Growing up, my grandma had a special recipe that she made at every family gathering. It consists of vegetable oil, salt, garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, Lawry's Seasoning & of course vinegar. (Yes...lots of sodium...I am clogging my arteries) I didn't even know there were other ways to season green beans. I remember when I started school, and the cafeteria served them with butter. I didn't want to even touch them. I now will eat them either way, but really prefer them with vinegar...oh,and they are better a day old and COLD.

4. I prefer hardbound books versus paperback. I know they are more expensive, and not as easy to tote around, but there is something about them that I just like better.

5. I remember some of the strangest things. Shawn claims that I have a photographic memory. I think having children has made it not so photographic, but I still seem to remember alot of things. It can sometimes be embarrassing because I will see someone who is way in my past...and they will have no idea who I am. I could tell you each and everyone of my teachers, and most of the kids names in each of my classes. I also can remember many phone numbers, and birthday's of people I don't ever see anymore. I think it stems back to my Franklin days (my elementary school) where we would have to memorize a new poem to recite in front of the class each month. I think it really help to strengthen my memorization skills.

6. I rarely wear shorts. I hate my legs, and always have...so even though it is sweltering outside...I usually am in pants/jeans. I think I have one or two pairs of shorts/capris that I wear on occasion.

I tag Brooke, Kim, Michelle, Holly, Kathryn, & Rosie. If anyone else wants to do it...feel free...let me know so I can learn more about 'cha!

Our past week...

It amazes me at how fast time seems to go by...then I log on and realize that I haven't posted in over a week! We have been having loads of fun. Here is a recap of our week...

We celebrated Memorial Day by going to the pool. We split a season pass with some friends, and decided to 'break it in'. The water was still a little cold, but not too bad. The kids didn't seem to mind. While we were there we ran into our friends, the Olson's. Since I have had Thomas we haven't been doing our kids swap...so the kids have missed each other. We invited them over to BBQ, and then we just hung out while the kids played. They had a blast together.

We spent some time with my sister Nancy. She lured us over with a 'pretend' house that was for sell just around the corner. heehee...It was just a mistake that we both overlooked. I haven't mentioned it on here, but we may or may not move. (I thought I would never move again!) Shawn has decided that he would like for us to have a pool. I am kinda on the fence about the whole thing. We figure if it is meant to be then we will find one in the right price range, and in the area that we would like to be.

Summer Movie Fun started on Friday. The kids were so excited about going to the movies. We got there right when it was starting so I had a hard time finding a seat in the dark. Luckily some lady showed me where some were together. Shortly after we sat down, Sydney decided that she needed to pee. I took her to the potty. When we came back Thomas decided to unload...then I felt my leg get warm. He had exploded out the side of his diaper and then leaked all over my pants and shirt! Lovely! Luckily Julie was sitting behind me and kept an eye on my kids while I took Thomas to the bathroom to strip him down and clean him up. I finally got back in time for the last few minutes of the show! Needless to say...I was exhausted! I hope to get there earlier this Friday.

After the movie we decided to cash in on the FREE lunches that the school system provides for kids 1-18. The kids were stoked about getting pizza, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much they got. They had alot of fun.



On Saturday, I got a much needed date with my honey. We did our usual dinner and a movie. We got to see Indiana Jones. It has a little bit of an odd plot line, but we still enjoyed it. It is just nice to get away and have some time with Shawn.

On Sunday we managed to get to church in time (I still don't understand why they allow 8 am church!). I finally got a calling to be the Primary Secretary. It has been a strange 9 months since our ward got dissolved. We have always been in wards that needed alot of help. It was kinda nice not having any responsibilities each week, but I am glad to have a calling now. It makes me feel like I am actually contributing something. There is still alot I have to learn, but I look forward to it.

Monday was really productive. The kids were up bright and early, so I decided to go to the gym earlier than I usually do. It was actually kinda nice to get that done and out of the way. It opened up the day to get some errands done. When Thomas was just a little under 2 weeks old, my cousin Ashley graciously obliged to take some photos of him. It has taken me forever to get over to her house to pick up the disc with all of his pics, but I finally did! They are sooooo great! I will be posting about that soon, but here is a little sneak peek. She is amazing! After we picked up the disc we went by the library to sign up for their summer reading program. The kids are excited for the prizes they will win, and picked out a bunch of books to read over the next week. We left the library just in time to stop by the school again for a FREE meal. The kids are really enjoying going to the school, and it saves me time and money because I don't have to make them anything! I love it!

We ended our day by going to the pool with the whole fam. The kids are loving the water, and I am looking forward to the rest of the summer.

Shawn left for Georgia. He will be back on Thursday, but it just isn't the same without him around! Hopefully I can get some stuff done around the house while he is away.

Anyway...I just am babbling away! Hopefully I didn't bore you too much!

(If you are interested in knowing about any of the things I talked about in this post just email me!)

Random Happenings

I was tagged a few weeks ago by Tonya to do 7 random facts about me. Since I ended up taking a blogging break I figured I would tweak it a little bit, and post 7 random things we did while I wasn’t posting. So here it goes.

1.The kids took swim lessons from “Miss Courtney”. It was really fun because the other two kids in the class were from my old ward (before it was dissolved). It was nice to be able to see them 3 times a week for a few weeks, and catch up on what has been going on in their lives. Courtney is a great teacher, and the kids absolutely loved it. Sydney couldn’t get enough of the water….I think we will end up swimming quite a bit this summer.

2.Went to Broadway Palms Children’s Play – Mulan. We have loved doing this. My sister always reserves the front part of the theatre. We get an okay lunch, and get to see a good show. It was nice this time because we actually knew most of the songs. We dressed Sydney in a cute little kimono (I think that is what they are called) She matched Maya and looked so cute. I will be posting soon about the upcoming show in July…if you want to reserve seats –I will have the details.

3.Went to Julie’s house for Cinco de Mayo. It was a lot of fun. Julie had made a trip to Food City (the local Mexican grocery store), and we had lots of yummy Mexican food. It is always great to see Sydney and Gemma together. They always crack me up, and are so cute. I snapped a few photos of them while we were there. (BTW - notice the lovely small strand of hair in the middle of Syd's forehead...yeah...she cut her hair. I guess I should be thankful it wasn't really butchered, but every time I see it...it makes me cringe. I hope that it doesn't happen again. I think I will cry if he gets it really bad.)

4.Had a picnic outside in our backyard. It isn’t something we really do very often, but the day was beautiful…so we brought a blanket outside, and enjoyed the weather. The kids pointed out all the planes that flew over us, and we 'listened' for the different animals.

5.My friend Tammy “tagged” people to take a picture of the view from their front and back door. I took the pictures and then never posted them….so here they are.

6.Taking turns trying to make Thomas smile. In the last few weeks Thomas has been smiling more and more. The kids always ask “Who is he smiling at?” I always say them. He is also starting to coo, and gurgle more. It is adorable!

7.Tonight I am enjoying a quiet night all ALONE (except for Thomas)! I know crazy! Shawn & Caden are at a Father’s and Son’s Campout. Since I had Bunko tonight, I arranged to have Sydney spend the night at my sister Nancy’s. So now I am home just chillin with little Thomas. It is a nice little break, but weird all at the same time!

So there is a random sampling of what has been going on. If you would like to join in…feel free…Tag you are it!

Randomness

*The other day after the kids took their baths...I was drying off Thomas. Caden and Sydney were hovering over...as usual...watching me get Thomas dressed again. The next thing that came out of Caden's mouth had me rolling. "Hey, Mom...Why doesn't Thomas have a neck?"

*Last Friday I got to sub for a Bunko group. The last time I had played Bunko was in H.S. I have always been secretly jealous of my friends that are actually part of a group. It always seemed like a fun way to get together with friends. I am so glad that I went. I had so much fun & I got to meet two of my 'bloggin buddies' Andrea and Julie (aka crazymama). What is even better is they asked me to be part of the 'group' ...I feel so cool now. :)

*I also went and picked up tickets for the Summer Movie Fun at Harkins. Now we get to go to a movie every Friday morning over the summer...so that is 10 movies for only 7 dollars! What a deal. Caden picked up a flyer they had at the theatre, and every day he has been looking at all the "cool movies" he is going to get to watch. I giggle everytime I hear him try to explain them Sydney. "Sydney, The first one we get to watch is 'The Pirates with no feet'(Veggietales - Pirates Who Don't do Anything), then the 'Bad Turtles'(TMNT), third 'Penguins'(Surfs up), fourth 'Shrek the King'(Shrek the Third), 5th 'Bee Movie', 6th 'Friends'(Mr Magoriums), 7th 'Chipmunks'(Alvin & the Chipmunks), 8th 'Flushed Away', 9th 'Girl'(Nancy Drew), 10th 'Rabbit Hunter' (Wallace & Gromit)

*I go back and forth during seasons of actually watching American Idol. This year I have been really into for a couple of reasons. One Brooke White is from Arizona...I actually know people that know her. I think she is a cutie, and it has been fun to watch her. I don't personally think that she will win, but I still like her. I have always been a fan of David Archuleta. I think he has a voice that is so smooth, and beautiful. I had always that he is the one that would win. That is until last week. I had never actually been a fan of David Cook. I thought he was cocky, and full of himself. I always ended up fast forwarding through his performances. But OH MY GOSH...I was so amazed by his rendition of Mariah Carey's "You will always be my baby." I think I am officially converted, and I feel like a giddy teenager with a crush. This guy is so talented, and I could listen to this song over and over again. If you didn't have a chance to see it...or are not into AI...you HAVE to watch this. You won't be dissapointed!

*I really hate this between phase of my body. I am not a big as a whale anymore, but so not what I was before I was pregnant. I think I change my clothes 5 or 6 times before I find something that I kinda like. I can't bring myself to get anything new...yet I have nothing to wear!!

*On a happy note...I did get to go back to the gym today! Yippee!!