...and everything else just didn't matter. Thanks to Beth Ann's wonderful sewing knowledge, we finished up the skirts and shirts for our family photo shoot this Saturday. And I am so much in love with them. They are my favorite project that I've done so far. The girls look adorable in them!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
My Favorite, So Far
Earlier today, I thought about the post I was going to make today. I was going to include the massive meltdowns my children had while we were out shopping. I was going to talk about the store displays that were knocked over, the jewelry that was torn off the wall, and the stuffed animals that were thrown around the store, and then these happened...
...and everything else just didn't matter. Thanks to Beth Ann's wonderful sewing knowledge, we finished up the skirts and shirts for our family photo shoot this Saturday. And I am so much in love with them. They are my favorite project that I've done so far. The girls look adorable in them!!
...and everything else just didn't matter. Thanks to Beth Ann's wonderful sewing knowledge, we finished up the skirts and shirts for our family photo shoot this Saturday. And I am so much in love with them. They are my favorite project that I've done so far. The girls look adorable in them!!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A Very Productive Day!
Saturday is a special day. Its the day we get ready...to shop! Oh yes, I spent the majority of my morning out shopping. With the trip to chilly Kansas and our family pictures rapidly approaching, I felt the need to purchase some necessities. For example, you can't go to Kansas without a coat. I was planning on going to Savers or the Goodwill to check out coats, but when I went to Old Navy today and they had these adorable coats for just $15, I couldn't resist!! I think they'll be heavy enough to withstand a bit of the KS cold, but lightweight enough that they can be used here for the winter.
Seriously...fifteen bucks.
After the little trip to Old Navy, I headed down to Central Music looking to buy some new piano music. On the way over, Beth Ann and I were listening to the fabulous new Glee soundtrack. I had mentioned how AWESOME it would be if they had a piano score of all the songs. And what did I happen upon by accident at the music store? Seriously...I didn't think it even existed and there it was!!
I also purchased the Wicked score and some easy Christmas music. I'm thinking about having a Christmas recital with my piano students. We shall see...
During this whole trip, I was talking to Beth Ann about what in the world I was going to dress my family in for our pictures next weekend. We had sifted through a few ideas and had landed on the possibility of making some skirts for the girls. We remembered some fabric that I already had and then the ideas just started coming! The final decision - tulle makes everything better! Thank goodness for Hobby Lobby. It is the best store in the world.
And just for fun, we found some cheap black shirts for the girls which are going to house some of the little flowers from the fabric.
I keep thinking, "If I just get through this week, things will get better...". I have a feeling I will be saying that exact phrase for the next 8 weeks. Hello holiday season! You are officially here.
Seriously...fifteen bucks.After the little trip to Old Navy, I headed down to Central Music looking to buy some new piano music. On the way over, Beth Ann and I were listening to the fabulous new Glee soundtrack. I had mentioned how AWESOME it would be if they had a piano score of all the songs. And what did I happen upon by accident at the music store? Seriously...I didn't think it even existed and there it was!!
I also purchased the Wicked score and some easy Christmas music. I'm thinking about having a Christmas recital with my piano students. We shall see...
During this whole trip, I was talking to Beth Ann about what in the world I was going to dress my family in for our pictures next weekend. We had sifted through a few ideas and had landed on the possibility of making some skirts for the girls. We remembered some fabric that I already had and then the ideas just started coming! The final decision - tulle makes everything better! Thank goodness for Hobby Lobby. It is the best store in the world.
And just for fun, we found some cheap black shirts for the girls which are going to house some of the little flowers from the fabric.I keep thinking, "If I just get through this week, things will get better...". I have a feeling I will be saying that exact phrase for the next 8 weeks. Hello holiday season! You are officially here.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Love of Kids
I had one of those afternoons today...
...where you look back on and think, "What good came out of anything I did today?" And no matter how hard I look, all I remember doing today was yelling at my kids.
...where I feel like I should be medicated with some kind of anti-psychotic drug for the rest of my life because I feel like I'm that crazy.
...where you look at what is going on around you, and every little thing feels like it is going to push you right over the edge.
And I am thankful for nights like tonight...
...where two loving children kissed me goodnight and told me they loved me, despite the yelling, insane, crazy mommy they had this afternoon.
On a different note, my youngest sister, Linsey, turns 23 today. Happy birthday Lins! We sure love you!!!!!
...where you look back on and think, "What good came out of anything I did today?" And no matter how hard I look, all I remember doing today was yelling at my kids.
...where I feel like I should be medicated with some kind of anti-psychotic drug for the rest of my life because I feel like I'm that crazy.
...where you look at what is going on around you, and every little thing feels like it is going to push you right over the edge.
And I am thankful for nights like tonight...
...where two loving children kissed me goodnight and told me they loved me, despite the yelling, insane, crazy mommy they had this afternoon.
On a different note, my youngest sister, Linsey, turns 23 today. Happy birthday Lins! We sure love you!!!!!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Halloween and Other Happenings
I've been on a bit of a blogging break due to my computer having some major issues (it is broken). Jeff's computer is a little different than mine, and it just took me a little while to figure out how to upload pictures, but I did and here we are! I feel like my life the last few weeks has been a whirlwind and a blur. We have had so much going on, and unfortunately things aren't going to slow down at all until after Christmas.
Hanging out outside Gammage Theatre, waiting for the show to start
The stage
We decided to make our Phantom night into a long break from the kids, and we stayed at the Scottsdale Resort in Scottsdale after the show was over.
There was a beautiful courtyard outside the rooms...Jeff wasn't too happy about having to be in the picture.
We ate breakfast at the restaurant at the hotel...delicious delicious breakfast buffet!
Little Miss Dorothy
The cowardly lion
Maddi and auntie Jenna as a cat
Cute cousins - Ryliegh was the perfect little fairy!
Alex was the trick-or-treating champ! She wanted nothing to do with being carried or helped with anything. She walked the entire time! Maddi wanted to be carried from house to house, having other people carry her candy basket. Just shows how different these two little girls are!
In other news, we're going to KS for Thanksgiving! Andrea and I are driving a minivan, filled with our four children (ages 4, 3, 2, and 1 for anyone wondering) for a total of about 40 hours to get there and back. Crazy? If we aren't now, we will be by the time it is over. The other lucky family members get to fly their way out to KS a few days later. Despite being a little nervous about the drive, I am VERY excited to spend a week in Kansas with my dad and Jenn.
Jeff was such a great husband to remember that I wanted to see Phantom when it came to town. He had bought tickets for us to go for my birthday. I have loved the music from Phantom for a very long time. I hadn't read up much on the story line, so I was very excited to see how the music fit with the story. To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I think I had hyped it up so much. The story was just o.k. for me and almost boring in some places. The effects and scene changes were amazing though!!! I would see Wicked each and every time I could, but I don't know that I'll see Phantom again. I'm glad I got to see it once though, and I still am in love with the music.
Hanging out outside Gammage Theatre, waiting for the show to start
The stage
There was a beautiful courtyard outside the rooms...Jeff wasn't too happy about having to be in the picture.
We ate breakfast at the restaurant at the hotel...delicious delicious breakfast buffet!
After we checked out of the hotel, we ate lunch at Earls. Jeff, apparently, used to eat at that restaurant in Canada a lot on his mission, and we found one in Scottsdale. We then went up to his parent's house for dinner and trick-or-treating. The girls had a blast without us!
Little Miss Dorothy
The cowardly lion
Maddi and auntie Jenna as a cat
Cute cousins - Ryliegh was the perfect little fairy!
Alex was the trick-or-treating champ! She wanted nothing to do with being carried or helped with anything. She walked the entire time! Maddi wanted to be carried from house to house, having other people carry her candy basket. Just shows how different these two little girls are! In other news, we're going to KS for Thanksgiving! Andrea and I are driving a minivan, filled with our four children (ages 4, 3, 2, and 1 for anyone wondering) for a total of about 40 hours to get there and back. Crazy? If we aren't now, we will be by the time it is over. The other lucky family members get to fly their way out to KS a few days later. Despite being a little nervous about the drive, I am VERY excited to spend a week in Kansas with my dad and Jenn.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Pumpkin Patch
We had an opportunity today to go on a little field trip with Maddi's preschool class. For the letter F, we went to Tolmachoff Farms. We went last year with my mom and Charlie, but the girls definitely enjoyed it a lot more this year! I love watching how much they have grown and changed in one year.
Grinding up corn to feed the chickens
Grinding up corn to feed the chickens
Alex was completely in love with the animals! 
Maddi seems to have conquered her fear of animals
Hanging out with some goats and a pig
There were some fun bikes for the kids to ride - Maddi is getting much better at riding them!
Alex, Olivia, and Maddi
Playing in the corn kernals
Alex loved this part! She cried when it was time to get out.
Maddi and Chloe
Playing house
Maddi's preschool class (and a few additional kids)Heidi, Gwen, Talyiah, Olivia, Maddi, Chloe, Isaac, and Cami (Alex and Finley on bottom)
Maddi and Chloe having fun on the tractorSaturday, October 24, 2009
Fall Festival!
We've been busy lately getting ready for Halloween. I loved Halloween as a kid...who doesn't love free candy? I can remember not liking it as much when I was a teenager, due to the fact that we were too "old" to go trick-or-treating. Now that I have two girls to dress up (and the sweet faces of them enjoying the free candy), Halloween has taken on a new meaning for me. I decided to make the kids match with a theme this year. I wanted Maddi to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz last year, but it didn't end up working out. So....this year I made her a little Dorothy costume. I had a few ideas in mind for Alex. Originally, we were going with a flying monkey (from Oz as well). We had a monkey costume Maddi wore a couple of years ago that was going to get an addition of a hat and wings. After tearing my house apart for it, I finally found the top half of it yesterday. Madison still fit in it, leading me to believe that Alex was going to go for a swim in it. Plus, the bottom half of it is still MIA. The girls were wearing it around the house a few months back and I have a sneaking suspicion that they hid it from me...
So, I went on a shopping spree last night trying desperately to find something else for Alex to be. My choices were a monkey, lion, witch, or a pink fairy costume (for Glinda, the good witch). Old Navy - strike one. Target - strike two. Wal-mart - nearly strike three. We found a lion costume, but it was size 12-18 months. Thus, Alex is wearing a high-water lion costume this year. She still looks cute.
My cowardly lion and little Dorothy
Isn't she just perfect for the part? Charlie bought her that adorable candy basket with the dog.
I think she makes as fabulous lion
Now I realize that Dorothy did NOT wear flip-flops. For anyone wondering why she isn't wearing real shoes...my children have insanely wide and tall feet. No regular shoe will fit them. I have basically given up. I tried! I really did. We bought a couple pairs of the classic red, glitter ballet shoe and returned them, and also tried on a few different pairs at stores while we were out. Nothing worked. So, we improvised and bought some red flip-flops, added glitter, and voila. A great pair of Dorothy shoes that are perfect for Arizona Halloweens!
Maddi and her good friend, Carter. They had a blast running up and down the rock hills.
Playing games at the booths
Alex didn't let go of her pumpkin all night long. She loved it!
So, I went on a shopping spree last night trying desperately to find something else for Alex to be. My choices were a monkey, lion, witch, or a pink fairy costume (for Glinda, the good witch). Old Navy - strike one. Target - strike two. Wal-mart - nearly strike three. We found a lion costume, but it was size 12-18 months. Thus, Alex is wearing a high-water lion costume this year. She still looks cute.
My cowardly lion and little Dorothy
Isn't she just perfect for the part? Charlie bought her that adorable candy basket with the dog. 
I think she makes as fabulous lion
Now I realize that Dorothy did NOT wear flip-flops. For anyone wondering why she isn't wearing real shoes...my children have insanely wide and tall feet. No regular shoe will fit them. I have basically given up. I tried! I really did. We bought a couple pairs of the classic red, glitter ballet shoe and returned them, and also tried on a few different pairs at stores while we were out. Nothing worked. So, we improvised and bought some red flip-flops, added glitter, and voila. A great pair of Dorothy shoes that are perfect for Arizona Halloweens!
Maddi and her good friend, Carter. They had a blast running up and down the rock hills.
Playing games at the booths
Alex didn't let go of her pumpkin all night long. She loved it!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
It Wasn't...
I saw a post similar to the one I'm about to do on Jill's blog a while back. I remembered it today and thought it was fitting for how our day has been.
It wasn't MY CHILD who, after finishing up a bowl of cereal and and another bowl of yogurt, threw herself on the tile floor because I wouldn't give her more yogurt (thus making her more angry because she hurt herself. And no, she wasn't starving and we were in a big hurry to get bathed and out the door).
It wasn't MY CHILD that after screaming bloody murder for 10 minutes over yogurt, gripped her shirt so tightly around her head that I couldn't get it off to get her in the bath.
It wasn't MY CHILD who then tried to climb out of the bathtub numerous times, despite nearly slipping and hitting her head and throwing herself into the water head first, taking in a mouthful of tub water.
It wasn't MY CHILD that screamed after being chased down in the garage (due to her running off rather than to the car) and was forced into her carseat, back arched and all...those that have had to buckle a child like this know how difficult it can be.
It wasn't ME that gave my children the benefit of the doubt when I heard paper being torn (seriously, I thought they were just ripping up colored on paper).
It certainly wasn't MY CHILDREN who ripped one of their books to shreds, thus leaving their bookshelf empty and a massive pile of books in my bedroom.
And finally, it wasn't MY CHILD that said (after me explaining how upset I was that she had treated a book the way she did), "Well, I don't feel like that mommy. I feel happy."
Deep breaths. Tomorrow is another day.
It wasn't MY CHILD who, after finishing up a bowl of cereal and and another bowl of yogurt, threw herself on the tile floor because I wouldn't give her more yogurt (thus making her more angry because she hurt herself. And no, she wasn't starving and we were in a big hurry to get bathed and out the door).
It wasn't MY CHILD that after screaming bloody murder for 10 minutes over yogurt, gripped her shirt so tightly around her head that I couldn't get it off to get her in the bath.
It wasn't MY CHILD who then tried to climb out of the bathtub numerous times, despite nearly slipping and hitting her head and throwing herself into the water head first, taking in a mouthful of tub water.
It wasn't MY CHILD that screamed after being chased down in the garage (due to her running off rather than to the car) and was forced into her carseat, back arched and all...those that have had to buckle a child like this know how difficult it can be.
It wasn't ME that gave my children the benefit of the doubt when I heard paper being torn (seriously, I thought they were just ripping up colored on paper).
It certainly wasn't MY CHILDREN who ripped one of their books to shreds, thus leaving their bookshelf empty and a massive pile of books in my bedroom.
And finally, it wasn't MY CHILD that said (after me explaining how upset I was that she had treated a book the way she did), "Well, I don't feel like that mommy. I feel happy."
Deep breaths. Tomorrow is another day.
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