Going's on at the Glenn's

Bird Feeding Frenzy

2012-01-27T15:53:00.000-08:00

So strange to see this in January! Where did the winter go?

This morning the kids were out riding bikes/scooters and coloring with sidewalk chalk. This is not normal. Should I start planting my garden now?

Self Portraits In the Bathroom Mirror

2012-01-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

I was experimenting today with taking some self portraits and decided to try a few in the bathroom mirror. I even took a couple shots of what I looked like while setting up the shot (oops). I then edited each picture in Photoshop with 3 different levels of my "Vintage" action. Played around with color levels and burned edges. It was fun. I probably should have been taking advantage of nap time a bit more and catching some shut eye for myself, but oh well...

FHE Valentine's Day Mailboxes

2012-01-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

Last night for Family Home Evening the kids got excited. For school Kiera is supposed to make a Valentine's Day Mailbox for her kindergarten class party in a few weeks and so we decided to turn the homework assignment into a family activity.

I found a couple of shoe boxes that I was saving in my gift wrapping closet and wrapped the box and the lids separately in aluminum foil. I then cut some hearts out of different colored card-stock and let the kids color, glue, and glitter to their hearts content. It was fun and they turned out pretty cute. The picture below was taken before the glue was dry so you can't really see the clear glitter but now that it is dry it sparkles.

Three Year Old Conversations

2012-01-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday while I was cleaning, Ethan was playing on the floor with Emma. He is such a good big brother. He was being so gentle and soft with her. Then alll of a sudden he turns to me and says, "mom, when Emma grows up I going to marry her!" It was so cute. I explained to him that he couldn't marry his sister and it would probably be someone he didn't know yet. Then he said in a concerned voice, "then who am I going to marry?" I said I don't know. Ethan then chose the next best option, "I think I am going to marry the babysitter."
I love three year old conversations.

Emma's Baby Groove

2012-01-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

The other day I was cleaning with the radio on and I caught Emma dancing! It was the perfect video opportunity.

We FINALLY Have SNOW!!!!

2012-01-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

And it's still coming down. We have over 7 inches out there! The kids are in heaven!

Little Miss Mobile!

2012-01-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Watch out she's on the move now. I'd better go sweep and vacuum!

wood+screws+duct tape+cardboard=?

2012-01-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you take some scrap wood, duct tape, a few screws and a cardboard box?

Snowshoes of course!!

I have been itchin' to play in the snow but we still don't have ANY! Yesterday I decided to take matters in my own hands and am planning on taking the family up where there is some. I'd love to give the kids the experience of snowshoeing and finally decided to go for it when I saw a friend's blog and how she spent a lot of her Christmas vacation. All her boys had their own snowshoes too. I however was not about to spend that kind of money. Those things are expensive! So why not DIY? I googled DIY snowshoes and saw a TON of ideas. The one that got me going was one I found here. When soaking a couple branches in my hot bathtub resulted in two broken sticks I had to come up with something else. So I winged it and made two wooden frames with some scrap wood from the garage. (little did I know I was using some of Dan's hard wood maple, ooops!) Oh well they should last longer that way right? I have 3 more pairs to go. Wish me luck. I think the next pair I will try using some fun duct tape and maybe jazzing the gray pair up with some color too.

Ethanisms

2012-01-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

Today I was looking over some of my little brother's wedding pictures from almost a year ago. Ethan was over at the kitchen table playing with some play-dough with his sister. He must have been watching what was on the computer screen because all of a sudden he says, " I don't want to be married!, I just going to be handsome." Alrighty then...there you have it girls.

Snowman Kits

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to post this project forever! But I didn't want to risk the in-laws seeing it before they received their gifts. For Christmas we take turns doing something for each of Dan's brothers and their families, we just rotate the families each year. This year we had Dan's brother Ryan. I wanted to do something fun and handmade that the whole family could enjoy and came across the idea of snowman kits on someone's blog; so I decided to do my own version. I love how they turned out!

The first thing I did was go out and buy some inexpensive hats and gloves at Walmart. I think they were about $1.50 a piece. I got enough to make 5 kits but when it came to making the rest of the kit pieces I realized that the white hat I purchased wouldn't really work on a white snowman. There weren't any other color choices to make each one different so I ended up dying the white hat with some turquoise RIT dye. I wouldn't recommend it though. The hat got pretty warped in the process. It will work for a snowman though I think.

These are the gloves I was trying to match with the RIT dye.

I also sewed a drawstring bag to store all the kits in using a tutorial from Make It and Love It. I just extended the bag height. The snowman face was done using some felt that I hot glued on the front of the bag. The drawstring is a shoelace that I found in my husband's dresser drawer. I now have a matching stray but plan on making kits for our family as well so it will get used eventually.

I didn't take pictures of all of them but there were 3 other kits. One for Mom, one for Dad and one for Baby. The noses on the kits are all cut to size according to age. Dad's is the longest, then Mom's and so on. The carrot noses were done on the lathe, as well as the buttons. The eyes are just a wooden dowel cut into discs, and the coal mouth pieces were done with Sculpey clay that I baked. All the face pieces were drilled through and a skinny dowel was glued in using some wood glue. Then lastly, the arms were wooden dowels that I cut and painted to match each kit.

They were so much fun to make and I can't wait to see pictures of them on the snowmen. We just need some snow!

Christmas in Oregon

2011-12-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a lot of fun. We spent the holiday at Dan's parent's house this year. It was fun to see cousins from Utah and other extended family that we don't see very often. It was a little strange to have a dry Christmas though. There wasn't a hint of snow anywhere and it didn't even rain until after Christmas. But it was very nice not to have to worry about traveling on icy roads.

We celebrated Christmas Eve at Dan's Great Aunt Carols house. It was fun to see members of Dan's extended family that we haven't seen for awhile. The food was great and the kids had a blast . They were so spoiled since they were the only kids there.

On Christmas morning we opened our stockings and then went to church with Grandma and Grandpa. We waited to open the rest of the gifts until Dan's brother Ryan and his family arrived in the late afternoon. We ate dinner, and everyone got in their PJ's and then it was fun time!

It was fun to see the cousins all together

I concentrated mostly on the kids opening their gifts so I didn't get many shots of the actual unwrapping. But this is a shot of what Santa brought.

Santa sure spoiled us. Both Kiera and Ethan received razor scooters and a remote control car from the Pixar movie Cars. I don't think Ethan hardly ever put that car away. He still plays with it constantly now that we are back at home.

Emma got a ride on car/walker and a cute hippo that shoots out little balls for her to crawl around and chase. They are going to be perfect for those times at the end of the day when mom is trying to start dinner and needs something to keep miss Emma occupied with. Thank you Santa!

Dan got a grill to go over the fire pit. It is perfect for the one we built in our backyard this past summer. We already tested it out. (See what I mean about the weather? Didn't even need a heavy coat! It's January for heaven's sake.)

Santa brought me some fantastic shoes! They are a combination between a casual shoe and dressy heels. I can't wait to wear them! I also got some 12X12 canvases (I have a special project in mind for them), pinking shears, and some food storage bucket lids that twist that I have been wanting forever!

The rest of our stay we enjoyed time with family and went out for bowling and even went to the aquatic center for some swimming! I didn't get any pictures of the swimming trip. I was too busy getting wet. But I did get one of Emma taking a nap in Grandpa's arms after she was done in the water.

Here are a few more of my favorite shots from our trip.

On Christmas Eve we went to the park to play for a bit. It was a beautiful day!

It was amazing to see how much this little guy has grown since the last time we saw him in July

The kids got along great and even talked Dan and I into staying another day so they could get some more play time in. Here's some pictures of them making paper airplanes with Uncle Ryan on the back patio and them testing them out from Grandma's deck. How fun! So simple but those are what make the best memories.

I married into a family that plays a lot of board games when they get together and it is wonderful! Grandma even planned a special game for the kids to play. They got to play Christmas BINGO! Whenever someone got a BINGO you cleared your board of all the candy markers and put them in a goody bag to take home. Then the winner got to pick out two extra pieces of candy. I don't know how many rounds we played but we ended up with full goody bags for everyone. Thanks Grandma!

I love Christmas time! I love the feeling it brings and for the time we get to spend with family. It makes me sad when I see the neighbors start to put away their lights knowing that we too will be doing the same in the next day or so. But it's on to a new year of more exciting Going's on at the Glenn's!

I plan on posting what we made and gave as gifts in the next day or two so stay tuned.

Sibling Gifts

2011-12-21T13:32:00.000-08:00

This year the kids have been working on Christmas gifts for eachother. Growing up it was always a tradition in my home to make a homemade gift for one of the siblings. We usually drew names out of a bowl but since only two of mine are old enough to understand what is going on we just did gifts for Kiera and Ethan. I am sure next year Emma will be able to participate.

I found some really cute ideas online and pinned them on my pinterest account. They both were a success and I can't wait to see the kids open them up on Christmas. The kids are even in charge of wrapping the gift they made. I love to see the pride in their faces and the excitement they have that they were the ones who did it. It is a fun way to teach them the joy of giving and not just the receiving.

Here's what we came up with:

For Ethan
Kiera made a Angry Bird Bowling game for Ethan. I got the idea from the website Blue Cricket Design.
Kiera had so much fun and couldn't wait for "nap time." Nap time meant Ethan was going to bed and she got to stay up to work on his surprise. She painted the empty cans green, cut out most of the pieces of felt (left over from my bunk-bed playhouse), and helped stuff the angry bird ball/pillow. When I was painting the faces of the pigs on all the cans I left the pupils off the eyes and let her do those. The project didn't cost anything! But the best part was seeing Kiera and how pleased she was with herself. She can't wait to see her brother open her gift; and neither can I.

For Kiera
Making Kiera's gift was a bit tricky since she doesn't really nap anymore and is out of school for Winter Break. So to make hers we had to preoccupy her with some watercolors and some constant reminders to stay out of the kitchen.

Ethan's gift is a homemade playdough cookie set (idea from the blog Chasing Cheerios) He put all the ingredients for the homemade playdough in the pot and stirred it up. Ethan is my little baker so this project was perfect for him! He picked the color (pink) just for her and we added glitter to the dough for some added sparkle. When that was done we got some assorted beads from the craft room and put them in an empty baby food jar to be the "sprinkles" for the cookies she makes with her dough. We included a couple cookie cutters and put all the supplies in a mixing bowl. I didn't take as many pictures of Ethan as I did of Kiera. There's something about having a 3 yr old cooking over a hot stove and a potential 5 yr old peeker that made picture taking at the bottom of my list. We did however get a picture of the finished product.

I am just as excited to see the kids open each others gifts as they are. Maybe even more so.

The Grinch Licked My Candy Cane!

2011-12-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

"The Grinch Licked our Candy Canes and my teacher told us to take it home and clean it," Kiera exclaimed when she got off the bus this last week. She'd had her Christmas party at school that day and was so excited to share everything she did as we walked home from the bus stop.

We walked in the door and did the usual. "hang up your coat, and make sure your shoes get put ON the shelf," I reminded her. She asked if she could eat her candy cane that she had gotten from school. "Sure," I said. (I decided to be nice and not ruin the excitement quite yet). I then went on with my usual motherly duties of tending to the baby, and cleaning up the table etc. Kiera ran to the bathroom. "She must have really needed to go," I thought.

The candy cane she got from school was green and had a little note attached to it with a picture of the grinch on it. It said,

"When the Grinch discovered there was no way to keep Christmas from coming on Christmas Day he devised a new plan. Though not quite as mean he licked all the candy canes til he turned them all GREEN!"

"Very cute, but why is Kiera taking so long in the bathroom, and why is the water still running?" I thought.

Turns out she had taken her candy cane in the bathroom and was literally washing it in the sink. It was too cute to handle! It was a sticky mess and she was not to touch ANYTHING until her candy cane was gone. But hey at least it was clean!

Kids are so funny and they take things so literally. When her teacher said to take it home and clean it, Kiera listened!

Nativity Festival

2011-12-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to sit down and post this before I forget. I should be getting ready for our trip later this week but didn't want to miss putting this in before the New Year when I start putting the blog into our annual hard copy "Family Yearbook."

This month we were able to attend the Nativity Festival put on by our Stake (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) We even had 4 of our own nativities displayed there. It was amazing. There were hundreds of nativities! They even had a live nativity. Everything was set up beautifully, and they did a really good job. I really enjoyed it and loved that we could focus on what Christmas is supposed to be about. The kids had fun too. They had a room set up with a bunch of "kid tough" nativities for the kids to play with, a craft project, and even a photo booth with dress up clothes. Although I think Ethan's favorite part was the cookie room :)
I wish I had more pictures but in the rush of the evening I forgot my camera. Luckily the photo booth/stable was manned by two photographers. The photos taken were uploaded to a website for everyone to go on to download their photos from. I think they turned out pretty cute.

I love this one of my little shepherd and angel

Emma played the role of baby Jesus.

I wish I had gotten one of me holding her instead so you could see her face.

Oh well...

Merry Christmas!

Cherishing The Sweet Moments of Parenthood

2011-12-15T14:29:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take a few moments to write down some things about my children that I cherish and hold dear. I want to remember the sweet moments I get with them so that when the not so fun mommy moments come around I can know that "this too shall pass" and the sweet things that make being a mom worth every moment are just around the corner.

At the beginning of the month my mom came up for a visit so that Dan and I could have an extended night out. It was a lot of fun and I wish her stay could have been longer. It is hard being so far away from my family.

Anyway, when I picked my mom up from the airport we had a 45 or so minute drive back home and I had both Ethan and Emma with me (Kiera was at school). We picked her up and went out for some breakfast. When it was time to get back in the car Emma was not happy. She was still very hungry. Being a horrible mother I forgot to bring baby snacks or her bottle. What was I thinking? So on and on we trudged with Emma's sad crying. Just when I almost couldn't handle it anymore I heard Ethan's little voice in the back. It took me a minute to really hear what he was saying over Emma's crying but once I understood I couldn't help but let the tears flow.

My sweet little boy took it upon himself to calm his baby sister down and started to sing to her. He sang the words over and over until Emma's crying stopped and she was fast asleep.
Here are the words he sang. There were a few more lines but I can't quite remember what they were.

I love you, I love you
I want to do something for you
I love you, I love you
I want to do something for you
I love you, I give you my toy
I love you I love you
I going to do something for you
I love you I love you I love yoooou.

It was the sweetest thing ever and it made this mommy's heart smile.

Last night was one of those sweet moments too. We went out as a family to look at Christmas lights and on the way back home Daddy stopped at McDonalds to treat everyone to an ice cream cone. I asked the kids, "what do you say?" and they continued to reply with the usual, "thank you" but then Kiera added a "You are the best parents ever!" Ethan then tried to one-up his sister with, "Mommy you are so pretty." It was totally out of the blue but so sweet. After that Kiera and Ethan continued to compliment everyone in the car including Emma. It was so cute. Maybe we should go out for ice cream more often!

Pinterest Project Success

2011-12-15T11:49:00.000-08:00

This week I completed a project that I have been saving on my Pinterest account, and I am happy to say it was as success. I found these craft stick bracelets on the blog Craft Affection and pinned them to do on a rainy day. But with Christmas on its way I decided that it would be fun for Kiera to have something to give to her friends at school as gifts before the Winter break. She helped pick out the paper to use and I did the rest. After everything was dry I took them out to our band sander and sanded down all the edges. I love how they turned out and just might have to make some more for myself! I could have something for every outfit! Might just have to come up with a bracelet holder too.

Winter Is Ever Near

2011-12-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

It still hasn't snowed over here but I am thinking snow it is just around the corner. It has gotten much colder and it is time to break out the hats gloves and scarves. With that said, Emma is now sporting her new winter boots that I picked up the other day. They are so cute! I really like them because the sole of the boot has a see-through window so I can see how far her tootsies are reaching. There is a "perfect fit" line and a "room to grow" line. I like knowing that I am not cramming her little feet into something too small. But what I love most is how darn adorable she looks!

Oh and don't you love her hat? It came from Peru. My little sister brought it back as a souvenir from a trip she took there for school.

Our Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T22:26:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to post a picture of our tree this year. We put it up the Sunday after Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Glenn. We usually do white and red lights since I am a RED fanatic. (You should see my Santa collection. Maybe that will be another post.) Unfortunately, our red light strings were burnt out and we couldn't fix them. So this year we ended up going white and blue. I actually quite enjoy it. It is a more wintery feel. I still haven't mastered indoor night shots but this was the best one I got.

I just love how the bottom of the tree is pretty ornament heavy compared to the top. It is sometimes difficult for me to let it be when I want so bad to "fix" it. But the kids just love decorating the tree and are so proud of it when it is done. After all, its what Christmas is all about. One day I will miss this.

This is Emma's first Christmas. It was so fun to watch her.

I paid so much attention to Emma and her reaction to everything that I almost forgot to take pictures of the kids putting the decorations on.

Do you have your tree up yet? When do you put it up?

A Day Out with Grandma Tutu

2011-12-05T21:57:00.000-08:00

Well I think the Thanksgiving leftovers are finally gone now. Well, all but the handful of turkey left for sandwiches and 2 slices of cheesecake. I am going to have to really start cooking again. And it is now time to start focusing on Christmas projects. I've finished wrapping most of the gifts already and just have a few more stragglers left that I am doing homemade gifts for.

This past weekend I got to enjoy a mini vacation with my hubby while Grandma Tutu (my mom) came up and watched the kids overnight for us. It was FANTASTIC! It was Dan's work Christmas party at the Holiday Inn where I got to get all dressed up in a formal! I just love parties like that. I love the excuse to make myself pretty. I did my hair, my nails, make-up and wore a formal that I wore the last time Dan took me to the opera. It was a lot of fun, but I think one of my favorite parts was the hotel hot tub. Nothing like hot water and jets to chase away mommy aches and pains.
At the party Dan and I even got our picture taken. I am hoping that it turned out better than the one we took at home. I need to get back into my zumba routine! The Thanksgiving lbs are showing. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and reminded me of prom all over again except my date and I weren't nervous. Dan also commented that this time around his date was much hotter. Isn't he the sweetest?

When we got back the next day we decided to show my mom around town. When we got downtown we were surprised to find that it was the city's Christmas festival. There were free hayrides, a town nativity, victorian carolers, and Santa in the park! It was perfect timing! Also around this time of year the city puts up wooden snowmen at every store front and down the main street. It is really cute. My favorite is probably the bikini snow woman complete with water float.

In the middle of town Santa has his very own mailbox and so the kids also got to send their letters. They were so excited! They wouldn't stop drawing pictures to send and wanted to give Santa the best letter ever. I hope Santa likes feathers. So in the end we had to upgrade to the giant manilla folders. It is something I hope to make a tradition every year.

We also took Grandma Tutu to one of our favorite places to eat. It is one of those places you don't go to for the prices but you go for the atmosphere. It was a very busy day for them and one of their cooks was in the hospital so the wait was quite a bit longer than usual but we still had fun.

When it was time to head back home we stopped by the park where Santa was. They were in the middle of cleaning things up for the day but Santa still let the kids sit on his lap. It was great and Emma even got to sit on Santa's lap for the first time!

It was great to have my mom here for the weekend. I miss her already.

Fanning Family Photo Shoot

2011-11-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Black Friday was a busy day at the Glenn household. The morning was spent holiday shopping with the hubs and my father-in-law while Grandma stayed at home and watched the kids. After all the hunting and gathering was done we came home and put up more Christmas lights on the house. (We finally finished this past Saturday!) It love how it turned out. It is the first year was have been able to officially decorate since last year we had barely moved in were only able to put up a single lighted garland.
Then, later in the afternoon on Friday I got to do a family photo shoot for my neighbor. She was going to have all her children up for the Thanksgiving holiday and wanted to get some shots of everyone together. It was a lot of fun and I hope their experience blossoms into more chances for business. I wanted to share a couple of my favorite shots of their cute family.

Thank You Fanning family for letting me be a part of your holiday fun. I hope to do it again in the future.

Bunk Bed Playhouse Finished!!!

2011-11-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

I did it! I finished the bunkbed playhouse that I have been working on recently. I am so excited to send it! I just wish I could be there when her little girl sees it on Christmas morning. Maybe I can talk her into sending me some pictures. *Hint Hint

I just wanted to post some pictures of the final product. It turned out way cute! And so much better than the original one I made for my kids. I guess I learned some things from the last one.

Here it is without the accessories

cute but not much fun.

And here it is with the accessories!

So cute! And I love the orange and red color scheme she chose.

Now its another run to the fabric store to get some flannel to make some Christmas pajamas.

Bunk Bed Playhouse Accessories

2011-11-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

Sorry the photo isn't all that great.

It was pretty dark and it was taken with my cell phone.

I was hired to sew one of my bunk bed playhouses for someone in time for Christmas. I was able to get started on it today and cut out all the pieces for the attachable accessories. Next step is to sew on the velcro and attach all the corresponding pieces together. I am excited!

What I Have Been Working On

2011-11-12T13:26:00.000-08:00

I don't feel like I have posted many crafty posts lately and I have been working on a few fun things recently. I have started my Christmas projects and even got hired to make one of my bunk bed playhouses that I posted a long time ago. So before I got too busy I wanted to share one of the things I am planning for the kids this year.

On Thursday I had a hankering to do some artwork. I miss drawing and painting like I used to. It is hard to make time with 3 little ones. But this time I decided to "neglect" them for a bit and do something fun. But I didn't feel too bad because the kids got to color at the table with me while I worked. And Emma entertained herself with some fruit puffs and a metal bowl and spoon that I gave her.

I have had these "make a plate" kits that I got from my mom and decided to give them a try. I thought it would be fun to give each of the kids their own personalized plate for Christmas. They may have watched me draw them but I think they'll still be surprised when they see them in plate form. Here's how they came out.

I just took a picture of each of them and changed it to black and white using one of the artistic filters in Photoshop, printed them out, and traced them onto the kit circles using the provided markers.

I am sending them off today and can't wait to see the finished product.

Fall Photo Shoot Almost Complete

2011-11-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

Today I was able to get a couple shots of just Dan and I together to just about complete my Fall family photos. I want to get them all done so I can start working on getting Christmas cards ordered and mail ready. I was literally only able to take two shots of the two of us before Dan said, "good we're done." He's much more difficult than the 5 and 3 year old. Still haven't figured that one out. But I am pretty happy with what I got so I won't complain too much. I just wish I had waited just a bit longer for the sun to go down a little more so the shadows weren't as harsh and the sun in our faces wasn't so bright. We're a little washed out in the first one because of that. But you live and learn. We'll see if I can squeeze in another surprise photo shoot some night.

Which do you like better?

Zumba Party Success!

2011-11-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

Jamie and I in our official instructor get up

(not pictured but also deserves a huge shout out is Debbie)

I can breathe again! Today was the day! We pulled off our Zumba Party fundraiser for Lauren this afternoon. It was sooo much fun and lots of people showed up to show their support. It was such an honor to be part of it all. Yes, I was in charge of it all but I truly feel overwhelming gratitude for the help and support of so many amazing women who did it with me. They did most of the work. We had so many people donate their time and talents to make this a success. I wish I could list every person one by one and thank them for what they did. We were able to raise a little over $500.00 for Lauren and her family to help with her fight with breast cancer! I hope she can use it for some major pampering because she sooo deserves it!

I hope to get copies of some of the pictures that were taken during the event too. I was much to busy shakin' it to think about my camera. If I do, I'll be sure to post them. Now I am off to get a much needed shower and some sleep.

My heart is full!

Another Fall Day Shoot

2011-11-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post some more pictures that I took the other day while the kids had their first experience raking the leaves. I thought it a good picture opportunity. The sunlight was just right and the fall leaves made for a perfect backdrop. Here are some of my favorites.

Tomorrow Is the BIG DAY!

2011-11-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

Just click the image to enlarge.

Tomorrow is IT! I hope some of you can make it. It is going to be so much fun. I am spending a lot of today practicing my routines and making sure everything is checked off the list. And remember to wear pink. I know last month was Breast Cancer awareness month but we're carrying it on into November too.

Party in Pink

2011-10-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

This Past Saturday I had the opportunity to do some more fundraising for my friend Lauren who is in the middle of her fight with breast cancer. This has sort of become what I live and breathe lately.

My own Zumba Party Event for her is coming up next weekend, but this past Saturday I was able to attend another Zumba "Party in Pink" to raise money for the Susan G. Komen association and was allowed to have a booth there to benefit Lauren's cancer fund. It was fun to get away and be a part of the event. I know I have mentioned this before but I am addicted to my Zumba! It is so much fun and there is definitely a sense of family and sisterhood when I am with other zumba fanatics like myself.

Lauren was able to go to the Party in Pink too. She was asked to say a few words about her fight and progress she has made. She is such an amazing woman and I am so honored to be friends with her.
Here are a few shots from the party:

From Left to right: Trevor (Lauren's husband), Lauren, me, and Kristi.

Yes, Emma and I are wearing tutus. I made one for myself that morning and decided if I was going to wear one Emma should too. Don't we look cute? It was a "Party in Pink" after all. Just showing my PINK spirit. We are all wearing our "Lauren's Warriors" or "S.O.S Together we continue Saving Our Sisters" T-shirts that we had made and are selling.

After the event, Lauren, Emma and I went out to get something to eat. It was so much fun to hang out just her and I. Man, I love that girl! Thanks Lauren for an awesome night. None of it would have happened without you.

7 Months! Where Did The Time Go?

2011-10-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

Emma is a growing little girl. On Tuesday we went into the doctors office for her Baby Well Check. She now weighs 18 lbs 2.5 oz., is 27.75" tall, and her head circumference is 45 cm. She is one healthy, happy, baby girl!

She is now sitting up on her own and can bend over to pick up a toy without tipping over. She also has her first tooth coming in on the bottom. It broke through early this week. So far not much fussing about it either. She just had a bit of trouble sleeping the first couple nights and wanted to nurse about every 2 hours. But we are now out of that routine and she is back to her happy self and sleeping through the night again.

We also have been introducing more solid foods with bigger chunks to gnaw on. She does really well and loves her baby puffs, mum mum crackers, tiny pieces of banana, and can even down a graham cracker without any trouble at all. She is also very good at drinking from a straw!

We love our little Emma. And I just wish this stage could last a bit longer.

Halloween Family Picture

2011-10-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

Can you tell what movie we are from?

Peter Pan!

We're three pirates, Tinkerbell, and Nana!

Tinkerbell didn't want her hair done up until the official Halloween night but she is still glowing regardless and has been spreading her pixie dust where ever she goes. I mean that literally too! That set of wings has left magic sparkles all over the living room couch, floor, carpet, and everyone's clothes. But it makes me smile every time I spot a speck of "magic."

Practice Makes Perfect. A Photographer in the Making

2011-10-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked if I'd be willing to take some family photos for a friend of mine over the upcoming Thanksgiving break. I am so excited and honored for the opportunity but at the same time I am TERRIFIED! What if something goes wrong with my camera? What if the pictures turn out grainy? What do we do if it rains? How do I know when to quit? Will the family like them? So many things running through my head.

So to ease my mind a little I have been taking the time to read through my camera's manual again to freshen up on some of the cool features, and have also been soaking in some of the things I read on the photography blogs out there. Hopefully I am not doing too much. I don't want to over think this either. I just want to be prepared.

Practice makes perfect and so that is what I have been doing the most of. I have been taking lots of pictures just for the heck of it and have been messing with the settings on my camera to play with the different types of lighting. I am definitely no pro at this, and with all the pictures I have taken there are a good share of bad ones. I just hope that I can take more good ones than bad when the time comes.

Today I took the kids for a ride on the trail in some early evening light. I hear it is a good time to shoot pictures. These are some that I liked.

I will be practicing as much as I can til Thanksgiving arrives. Practice makes perfect. Wish me luck!

Family Outings are the BEST!

2011-10-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

This past weekend our family took a trip out to Craven's Pumpkin Patch. We had never been and had heard it was fun. We went through the corn maze and enjoyed the baby animal barn. Unfortunately the covered hay ride didn't run on the weekdays but we had fun nonetheless. We didn't get pumpkins since we already got ours from another pumpkin patch trip. I took as many pictures I could while carrying Emma in the sling but it just wasn't the same. So by the time we were out of the corn maze I passed Emma off to daddy so I could make sure I got the pictures I wanted.

This was the kid's first time ever in a corn maze. They were little troopers and although we ended up down the "bunny trail" instead of the "wild hare trail" I think they did pretty darn good. The kids took turns choosing which direction we would take at each fork in the road. It was fun even with the mud! Thank goodness for rain boots and umbrellas.

It was a fun little outing and was so nice to spend time with Daddy on his day off.

Emma Giving Loves

2011-10-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

Emma is growing up soooo fast. This month she started sitting up on her own. She also started to blow bubbles. It is so fun to watch the changes. But the newest thing is her kissing or "giving loves." I love love love it. I had Dan take a video of her in action the other night just so I could have it to watch later. It makes me smile. Enjoy.

One last Hurrah!

2011-10-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we decided to have one last fire in the backyard and take advantage of the decent weather before it gets cold and wet around here. It was actually Dan's idea. It was pretty crisp out but by the fire it was PERFECT! We roasted some homemade marshmallows that I made the other night with some girlfriends of mine and made smores. The peppermint, and root beer flavored marshmallows were the best! I didn't much care for the banana ones, but the kids didn't mind. It's sugar!

Notice my Garden boxes in the background? There are 4 of them. One of the projects I just finished was the covers for them. I stapled some 2X2's at the bottom of the plastic on each side so now they can't blow away. Then we got some plastic clamps to close up the sides to keep the heat in. Now I can start some winter lettuce and carrots. We'll see how that goes. I still need to stake up the raspberry bushes. They were starts that we got from the in-laws. Hoping to get some berries from them next year.

Anyway, back to the fire post. Emma was content sitting in my lap starring at the fire. She gnawed on a grahmn cracker too. She was very happy and pleasant.It was a very nice evening with our little family. I love that my husband does these spur of the moment things for us all the time! He's the best!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

2011-10-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

Today the weather was awesome. It has been really gray and gloomy lately but today it was blue skies and gorgeous. It is pretty chilly out but the sun make it so much better! I think Fall is here to stay.

With the fall comes the changing of colors, cozy nights by the fire, hot chocolate, and one of our favorites, The Pumpkin Patch! The local plant farm here hosts a pumpkin patch every year to raise money for a children's literacy program. It is sooo much fun and the kids look forward to it about just as much as I do. Nothing beats free hayrides, bouncy houses, train rides, animals, dum dum suckers and my favorite...photo opportunites, oh yes...and of course pumpkins.

I didn't want to go by myself with all 3 kids but I decided to take advantage of the weather. Just when I decided to go, my friend Elise called me up and said she'd go too. It was so nice to have her and her girls there with us. It makes things go so much more smoothly with two moms to keep their eyes on things. Thanks Elise for coming with us!

I was able to take lots of pictures while I was there but here are a few of my favorites. I was even in a few! Thanks Elise!

I love outings like this with my babies! We just might have to go back sometime when Dad is around too. On to another memory in the making.

Halloween FHE Craft

2011-10-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

For Family Home Evening last night we did a fun craft for Halloween. I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs Make It and Love It. She got the idea from Martha Stewart. We both put our own twists on the project.

Just put a baby food jar, some watered down craft paint, and some black electrical tape together and you get these really cute mini jack-o-lantern jars. I think they'd be cute with some little candles inside. But for now, we are using ours to bribe the kids to do their chores. We told them if they finish their chores on time they would get a piece of candy in their jar that day and they could eat it "whenever they wanted!" Seems to be working really well too because today both kids rooms were spotless and I even got help folding the laundry! Can't beat that.

Minnie Mouse Window Mural

2011-10-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

For the holidays I enjoy the tradition of doing window murals for my kids. In the past I have done them on the front living room windows. This year I decided it would be fun to give each of them their own mural on their bedroom windows.

This past Saturday I finished Kiera's. I love how it turned out! I was a little worried with the color of the face at first since from the inside it looked VERY PEACH. But that was because of the sun coming through. Outside however is great! Kiera loves it which was my goal. Next up is Ethan's window. It is just really hard to find the time to do it because I don't want to sacrifice his nap time nor do I want to listen to Emma scream at me the whole time since I have to put her down to do it.

Baby Blue Eyes

2011-10-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Where did the time go? She's growing up so fast!

Halloween Goodies

2011-10-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the house suffered! I hardly did any cleaning. Instead I spent the ALL day in the kitchen. I canned some green beans from the garden, made sugar cookies, whipped up some royal icing, and after watching a YouTube video on it I made some meringue ghosts. The house may have suffered but it was worth it!

While baking some sugar cookies I made some eyeballs out of royal icing

Then, once the cookies had cooled I iced them with some thinner colored icing. While the eyeballs dried I watched a YouTube video from the Joy of Baking and learned how to make meringue ghosts. I just had to try it! Here they are baking...

and here they are all done...

Aren't they cute?

Then it was time to add the eyeballs and details to the cookies!

I love how they turned out! We made up some plates for the neighbors and still have a ton! I just may have to send some with Dan to work tomorrow. Now I need to make and can some applesauce and pie filling from the boxes of apples we got from the in-laws last weekend. That is....once Emma decides to let me put her down for more that 5 minutes at a time. :)

Pirates and Rainbow Underwear

2011-10-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

I love my kids and their imaginations. The other day Kiera ran inside and said, "mom do you want to come and see the picture I drew?" She spends A LOT of time drawing and coloring (must be related to her mother) and one of her favorite places to do that is on the sidewalk. I think I might stock up on 5 or 6 boxes of sidewalk chalk while it is on clearance just so it is handy next year. We go through it sooo fast.

Anyway, I went out to admire her artwork and she proceeded to tell me about her masterpieces. But as soon as she told me what one of them were my jaw dropped and I went in for a closer more sincere look. "Its a pirate with rainbow underwear," she said. A what? Yep sure is....

That entire day she colored away and only seemed to break away for lunch, snack time, and the occasional potty break. By the end of the day this is what our cul-de-sac looked like...

I am so pleased that at least one of my children shares the art of creativity with me.

Pink Power!

2011-09-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to do a craft or two. It has been WAY too long since I've had the chance to sit down and do something crafty. In lue of my Zumba "party in pink" fundraiser for my friend Lauren, I made some pink hair feather clips. It is my alternative to dying my hair pink at the head shaving/hair dying party we are throwing for her this weekend. It was pretty easy to do and I like the fact that I can take them out when I want to. I wish I had some of those long skinny hair feathers you see these days but I used what I had. I just picked out the pink ones from the kids craft stash, used some jewelery wire, a few beads, and a couple snappy hair clips. I just played around with them until I liked how they looked and wha la! Pink Power!

I wish I had a better picture but this one from my cell phone will have to do for now. You get to see my short hair finally too.

Helping Out A Friend

2011-09-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have been busy busy lately. I have been in the middle of some fundraising efforts for Lauren who is girlfriend of mine who recently was diagnosed with breast cancer. I felt so useless and wanted to do SOMETHING so I got a bunch of friends together and we are in full fledge fundraising mode. So far we've done really well. We've held two yard sales, had a bake sale, and made breast cancer awareness t-shirts to sell. But this is going to be a long haul and we want to help as much as we can. We are also planning a Zumba fundraiser for this next month as well. I can't wait!

Lauren has started her own little blog to keep everyone updated on her battle HERE. It would be so cool if everyone could send her a little love. She is not feeling so hot this week.

One of the things I am doing is hosting a Scentsy Basket party. I've sold to a couple people so far but would love to make this a big one. The Scentsy consultant is donating her entire commission she would be making to the cause and that is 20% of all sales! If any of you bloggers out there know of or are interested in purchasing any Scentsy products, or would like to donate in any way you can. Lauren has a donation button on her blog and online orders for the scentsy show can be made at this URL https://bevtank.scentsy.us/Home just click on the "Fundraiser for Lauren" party.

Thanks so much!

Kids Fall photo shoot

2011-09-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to take advantage of the overcast sky and get some Fall shots of the kids. I am so lucky to have well trained, photogenic children! They should be used to their paparazzi mother by now.

I love FALL

2011-09-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

Fall is such an awesome time of year! I love the smell of Fall. It smells of fresh applesauce, canned peaches, pumpkin pie and soup for dinner. I will say that Summer is my all time favorite season weatherwise but I love the feeling on Fall.
I recently checked a Fall task off my list. Here it is...

20 Jars of beauty!

I would have had 21 but we had a casualty with one of the jars. But still awesome! I got the peaches from a local farmer for around 18 dollars per a 24 lb box. Not the best price I've seen but still well worth it. The jars sat on my counter top for a couple extra days just so I could enjoy looking at them. I love Fall.

Ethan Starts Preschool

2011-09-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

I got so caught up with Kiera starting Kindergarten that I almost forgot about Ethan. My little buddy started PRESCHOOL last week. He couldn't wait to have his very own "boy school" as he calls it. Although we had to explain that there were girls too. It took a little convincing for him to be alright with the idea.

The first week was my week to teach (I am participating in a preschool co-op where us mom's rotate and take turns teaching each week) so to him it probably just seemed like any other play-date. So when the second week came around I decided to get some shots of my little preschooler on his first official day away. We couldn't find his batman backpack so we made due with his new lunch box.

He is a happy little kid. And it looks like it is about time for another haircut. But I am glad we got a shot of the true Ethan doo. His hair has ALWAYS done that. It just sticks straight up no matter what. Ethan is so excited. I am going to have to find something to keep myself busy for the two and a half hours he is gone. Emma and I will hopefully be able to have some quiet time! Can you say NAP TIME! Ok, probably not every time but maybe this will give me the chance to clean house too.

I love you Ethan!

Kiera's Adventures on The Bus. And a Mother's Worst Fears

2011-09-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

This past Friday was Kiera's second day of Kindergarten. She was particularly excited for this day because it was the day she got to ride the bus for the first time! She was sooo excited and kept asking me if it was time to go that morning. We were told to be at the bus stop that is at the end of our cul-de-sac by 8:20 and the bus should arrive 5 mins later. So when 8:15 or so came around we put on our shoes and headed out the door.

Ethan and Emma were still sleeping so we got to go just the two of us. That alone was a huge blessing because as we got to the bottom of our driveway we saw our neighbors from across the street already heading back up our way. This WAS NOT good! My heart dropped. I thought I had let my baby down on her special day. My neighbors helped me and told me where the bus would pop out on the other street so we RAN to chase down the bus driver. Kiera's poor little legs must have been blessed with a burst of energy this morning because she ran ad kept up with me the whole block maybe two without stopping or complaining.

We did catch the bus driver and he was so understanding. He was even patient enough to tell Kiera to turn around and give me a smile for the picture I so desperately wanted to capture. I looked through the lens but all I saw was a blur so I just clicked and hoped for the best. As she proudly climbed those silvery steps I knew I was in for it. The flood was a comin'. I plastered on the best smile I could and watched my baby through the window as she gave me an excited grin and wave through the window glass. Another blind camera shot and the blur of yellow passed by me. I couldn't help it any more. I bawled. What is it about the bus? I did fine when I dropped her off at her classroom on the first day. But something about letting her go on that bus pulled at my heart.

With all my sniffles and waterworks on full blast my two neighbors who helped me and made sure we got Kiera to the bus were so sweet and walked me home. I have the best neighbors ever! Thanks ladies.

That day Ethan, Emma and I tried to stay as busy as possible but whenever I was still enough to think about that morning I couldn't hold back the tears. By the time 4:15 rolled around I was still weepy. Pathetic I know. . . but a little cold water and some freshening up I was ready. Ethan again, was asleep for his nap so it was just Emma and I for our short walk to the mailboxes to meet our big Kindergartener.

I passed Emma off to one of the neighbors so I could be there to snap a couple shots of her getting off the bus. The kids started filing out and kid after kid after kid got off and I thought to myself "where is she" more kids....still no Kiera...then the last few and FINALLY! Nope My baby was missing! My heart dropped. Where was my little girl!?

I went up to the bus and told the bus driver that my little girl never got off. This had to be the worst feeling ever. He called transportation to let them know and I was given their number to call and get a status update once they had gotten a hold of the school to see what bus they had put her on.

My mind raced with so many horrific possibilites and the worry that my baby was lost and I could do nothing about it was the most awful feeling I have ever experienced. This was every parents worst nightmare.

Turns out she was put on the wrong bus (which we have since cleared up with the school) and we were able to locate her and she was brought home on a very empty bus.

I was so happy to see that she was none the wiser and had no idea she had been lost. It was a very eventful day and I am so happy I don't have to do it again for another 2 years! Kiera had a wonderful day at school and can't wait to do it again on Monday. Oh and Ethan starts preschool that day too! Fun times.

Kiera's Started Kindergarten!!!!

2011-09-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today was my babies first day of Kindergarten! I can't believe this day has come. She was so excited though and mommy did awesome too if I say so myself. The real kicker will be on Friday when the real sha-bang happens with the bus. It was only half-day today. So it was an easy drop off at the classroom and a couple hours later I returned to pick her up. I'll admit though that I started to feel the tears coming if I really thought about what was actually happening. This morning we were a bit more rushed than I would have liked but that's life. I did get some pictures and we'll take more on Friday when the bus comes and she leaves my safe arms for the ENTIRE day. Since she was born I have sheltered, protected, and nurtured her, and she is leaving to experience more of life on her own. I just have to remember that it is part of a mothers job to let her.

I love you Kiera and am so excited for you. Did I mention I am terrified too? But I know you'll do awesome and will learn so much and your light will shine ever brighter.

Kiera and her teacher Ms. Swan

beach trip photo gallery

2011-08-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

I don't have a whole lot of time to write about the amazing trip we had at the Oregon coast last week. The best I can do for now is post pictures that I took while we were there. I am very pleased with how a lot of them turned out. I love my camera! The goal is to get super good and take other people's pictures and get paid for it on occasion. But for now I enjoy sitting back and looking at all the pictures I have taken of my family in the past. Last night when the kids were asleep I went through them on the computer over and over again. Time flies so fast! My baby starts Kindergarten this next week!

Our Beach trip was awesome! I LOVE the Oregon coast! It is such a restful place to escape to. Here are a bunch of pictures I took of our trip.

Nothing like treasure hunts, sandy toes, sunshine, ice cream from the Tillamook Cheese Factory, splashing in the waves and so many fond memories to make you miss it when you get back home. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Glenn for the good times! Can't wait to do it again next year.

Summer Day Photo Shoot

2011-08-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Kiera's birthday! My baby is officially 5! We are planning on celebrating her birthday at the beach this coming week. I can't believe it has already been 5 yrs.

Anyway, we may not be celebrating her birthday til later but Kiera still got a fun birthday surprise yesterday. Grandma Tutu showed up spur of the moment. She drove up while the kids were out front riding on their bikes. She was so excited! Ethan was so cute as well. He was sitting on the sidewalk when the unfamiliar car drove down the cul-de-sac. He asks me, "who's that?" "Its...its...GASP!...Its Grandma TUTU!" It was adorable!

We're so happy to have grandma here, even if it is for just a short visit before we head off to the beach in a couple days. And maybe, just maybe it'll make the chore of packing and preparing for the trip less of a chore.

Today the kids got to play out front with the new sprinkler ring that Grandma Tutu surprised them with. 'Cause you know Grandma can't come without a surprise right? While they played I got in some play of my own and had a photo shoot. Here are some of my favorite shots:

I love slow summer days like this!

Especially when my mom is here to share them with me!

Almost There!!! Well at least until the next project...

2011-08-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

It has been a loooong couple weeks. So glad paint lasts 5 years or so. I don't want to have to do this again for a long time.

Well the house is just about finished. All that is left now is finishing up the back. We had to wait on it for a little bit since we were having that side re-sided. But I thought I could show you what it looks like now.

Here's the not so lovely BEFORE

And now the Beeeeautiful AFTER

It took me forever to decide on the color. I went back and forth, back and forth, over and over. I stared at this wall for days!

But am so glad I chose what I did. I ended up not choosing any of the trim colors I had samples of. Instead I went with white. I love how crisp it looks. As for the whole house I love that you can no longer see the rusty nails in the light colored siding. Every one of those babies was sanded down or power washed and sprayed with Rustoleum primer. Now it is all some delicious red/brown goodness! I am so glad my brother and sister in-law helped us out. We couldn't have done it without them! I don't think Emma or any of the other kids for that matter would have survived.

Now as soon as this project is wrapped up completely, we start work on re-staining and re-covering the back deck! BUSY BUSY! My back aches just thinking about it.

Mommy Daughter Dates

2011-08-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was feeling the need to go out. I just needed to be out of the house and have a change of pace. I however was accepting the fact that it wouldn't happen. We were still in the process of painting the house, and there was a lot that needed to be done at home. But my awesome, wonderful husband told me to go and have some fun so I decided to make it a date with my girls.

As soon as I asked Kiera if she wanted to go on a date with mommy she lit up! She was so excited. Without any questions her shoes were on and she was in the car. She was ready to go! I love mommy daughter dates. The last one we went on was a trip to the movies to see Toy Story 3. To this day Kiera still talks about it.

We went to Burger King and Kiera got to choose whatever she wanted AND got an ice cream cone afterwards. We don't frequent Burger King often and if we do it is only through the drive thru. So when we went inside Kiera was introduced to the fabulous Burger King Kids crowns (see above picture). And being the thoughtful child she is asked the cashier if she could take an extra one home for her brother. So cute.

After Dinner we went across the street to the hair salon. This was Kiera's first experience at a salon as well. I am usually the one cutting her hair, but this time was special.

She talked the entire time asking questions and commenting on EVERYTHING! The hairdresser was a trooper. She was so patient with her and played along. Double thumbs up! My favorite part was watching her get her hair washed in the sink. Kiera thought that was the silliest thing ever. And she was sure to tell the hairdresser "not hot, not hot" over and over.

It was sad to see her hair go. I have babied her hair since she was born. But she is growing up whether I like it or not. I can't believe she is starting Kindergarten in just a couple weeks!

Here's the BEFORE

And the AFTER

You can't really tell from the picture but she cut A TON off. Probably a good 8 inches. This was what the floor looked like when all was said and done. !!!! I can't believe it. Sort of makes me sad but at the same time happy for her. Hair time will take a lot less brushing now too.

Happy Little Girl

After Kiera was done I got my hair chopped off too. We were there til almost closing so we got the whole salon to ourselves. Poor Emma was getting very fussy just as soon as my hair was washed. I didn't think I was going to be able to have mine done and thought I should give up and walk out; but the other hairdresser was such a sweet lady and held her for me AND entertained Kiera for my entire cut! They were the best two people ever! I probably got 7-8 inches off as well. Sorry there is no picture, the one Kiera took of me turned out really blurry.

Catching Up

2011-08-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy month here at the Glenn's. We have been painting and re-siding the back of our house amongst other things. So glad I am not the one doing all the work but it is still tough. It seems like my days are spent running errands back and forth from Lowe's, watching kids, and coordinating meals while at the same time still planning for and attending our ward camp out, women retreat, and other events. And all this while breastfeeding a newborn and chasing down 2 toddlers of my own. Lets just say the house work is suffering. But that will all have to wait.

Lots has happened in the last couple weeks and I needed to write it all down before I forget the details and got caught up in the big events of Ethan starting pre-school and sending my first born to KINDERGARTEN! AAAHHH!

We bought a new computer! No more worrying about the computer crashing and me loosing all my pictures again. Our old one was dying 1-2 times per day and was on its last leg. This one is so much faster and I can now use all my Adobe Creative Suite 3 programs to their full potential! Yay!

Kiera, Emma and I had a girls night out all to ourselves. It was a lot of fun and included some very overdue haircuts for both Kiera and I. Post for that coming up soon.

The kids and I took a day trip to Jetty Island and played at the beach this past Tuesday. The weather wasn't the greatest but at least it wasn't raining. Besides who says you can't play on the beach in a jacket? We still had fun and it was the kid's first time riding a ferry. They thought that was the coolest thing. But the next time we go we're definitely taking daddy with us. Mommy struggled a bit trying to carry the two beach bags of stuff, carrying baby Emma, AND wrangling two others on her own. The last straw was as we were heading back to the car and Ethan said, "mommy I need to go potty." So thankful for friends we met there! Here's a few shots of that trip:

Well I decided I'd give you a sneak peek on some of the house improvements so far. I don't want to show you the finished product until it is all done. But I will show you what I did with the light fixtures.

The light fixtures on the house used to be brass. YUCK! You all know how much I like brass. I was in no way going to put those things back on the house after we did all that work of repainting. It ALL needed an upgrade. However, all my trips to Lowes have been draining the pocket book pretty fast and watching all that money float away made the idea of purchasing new fixtures less than desirable. So I decided to DIY and give the existing fixtures a makeover.

Here's what I did:
First I took apart the pieces and removed all the glass, then I took a wire brush and scraped all the gunk and dirt off, and roughed up the brass a little to prep it for painting.

I then gave all the pieces a couple coats (drying time in between) of white Rustoleum enamel spray paint.

Don't they look better already?

Then I cleaned all the glass pieces with Windex, touched up a few spots and reassembled the fixtures. And Wha La! As good as new!

The neighbors even commented on how they liked our new lights. And what's even better is I only spent $3.98 on the can of spray paint for all three lights! Oh and I used the same can on the numbers for our address. Can't wait to show you!

New Sunday Tradition

2011-08-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

We've started a new tradition here at the Glenn home. Two Sundays ago, church was cancelled due to a broken water pump in the building. There was no running water to have working toilets or drinking fountains. Pretty important with lots of families. So after sacrament meeting we came home. To pass time early in the afternoon, Dad and the kids decided to get out the race car track. We just inherited another set from the neighbor's garage sale (thanks Nicole!) and so we now have lots of track to make many configurations.

Before now this toy rarely saw playtime. It is one of those toys that is just a hassle to set up. It takes so much space, there are lots of pieces, and it's just a pain. But the kids LOVE it! So we decided to make Sunday our track day from now on. So instead of telling the kids you CAN'T do this you CAN'T do that on Sunday and making it a negative experience, this gives them something to look forward to. This past Saturday night we told the kids that the next day was Sunday and we'd be going to church. We then reminded them that after church was over they would be able to play with daddy and the track again. It made for a very pleasant afternoon. And seeing the kids play with their Dad just makes my heart smile. I love our new tradition, and hope it will be one they will cherish and talk about later.

Oh and to just keep things real...Did you notice that huge pile of laundry on the couch in the background? Now, now you don't need to scroll back up to look. I know you will though. That was there for an entire week before it was taken upstairs to be put away! Can you say SAD. It's a good thing we have another set of furniture in the front room to sit on. Or maybe its not such a good thing, I haven't decided. It took a whole other week of laundry to be done before I got the motivation to take it all upstairs. Why is that part so hard for me? But now you all know my dirty secret. Just keeping it real.

Home Improvements Take Over

2011-08-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. We are in the middle of a couple big home improvement projects. I will post as soon as I get the chance.

Beautiful Sunday

2011-07-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

Today was a Beautiful Sunday! The weather was awesome! Our morning schedule was a bit different than usual though. We only stayed at church for sacrament meeting since the water pump at the church building broke and there was no running water for the bathrooms or drinking fountains. So we spent some extra time playing together when we got home and set up the race car track for the kids. That provided hours of fun! We need to get that thing out more often! We then had the missionaries over for dinner, and sat in front of our window air conditioner. Then Dan took Kiera out for an evening walk while Emma, Ethan and I hung out here. It was lovely. Sure hope the sun sticks around!

Oh, and by the way...I got our house colors approved today! We are good to go. Maybe we can start on it this weekend. YAY!

Grabbing a few hours to myself

2011-07-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was feeling the need for some "me" time. I don't get much of that these days; especially with two toddlers and our now 4 month old. But yesterday morning was particularly hard on me. The weather blues had started to set in and I was feeling almost as gloomy as the sky looked. YUCKY! Who know when or if summer will ever show its face here in NW Washington. So I decided I needed to take some time and do something fun just for mommy. Y'all know what I consider fun don't ya? Being crafty!

And to be just that I decided to go with a sewing project. I have been wanting to redo the cover for our baby swing for quite some time. The swing was a hand-me-down from a family friend when I had Kiera almost 5 years ago and it looked pretty sad. I have had the fabric to redo it for almost 5 months now. I believe I bought it before Emma was born. It was about time I put it to use.

The old cover was sun faded and worn but the padding still had a lot of wear left so what I did was remove the old bias tape/binding around the edges and used the entire old pad to fill the new one. I just used the old cover as a pattern, cut out a new one on my new fabric, and sewed it directly on top of the old cover. I then serged around the entire perimeter, and then added my own bias tape/binding. I love how it turned out!

Here's a before picture I took when I was halfway finished tearing the old one apart. You can see how worn it was. It originally was a very dark navy color.

And here's it is when the bright new cover. I absolutely love the fabric! It screamed at me in the store for the longest time and I finally gave in at that last visit to the store and bought some.

Now it's ready to go for 3 more kids! Oh wait... let's just get through this one first shall we.

Fourth of July post #3 and final

2011-07-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Our last night we had a farewell sort of party. We ended the night setting off fireworks we had originally bought in Boise but never got the chance to set off. The kids had fun with the pop-its and sparklers. I tried getting some fun shots with the smoke but am not sure how well I like the way they turned out.

We had so much fun in Utah. It seemed like such a short visit. We are happy to know we'll be seeing our cousins next month in August for our annual Glenn family beach trip.

On our way out of Utah we picked up some books on CD so that our "oh so lovely" ride home would be more pleasant. We ended up listening to the Hobbit. I had never read it and so Dan bought it so I could listen. Or so he says...wink wink. I was actually pretty good.
And since we were already in town we decided to stop by the Bountiful Temple grounds to get some family photos and to fulfill one of our goals for the year. We had made it a goal to take the kids to the temple at the beginning of the year.

We weren't exactly dressed for family portraits, nor did I have my tripod on me but I will take what I can get.

We drove the 6 hours from Utah back to Boise and went to a movie in the park with my mom that evening. We then drove the 10+ hours back to Washington the next afternoon. I am sooo not doing that again until we have a minivan! We're thinking about inviting everyone over here next year for the 4th. Family from both sides. Maybe even doing a multi-site camping trip up here. I wish I could say the trip home went smoothly, but it was one of those, "He's looking at me!" "He's touching me", "She's looking out my window!" sorts. Why couldn't it have been like the drive there and look like this?

Oh well. It was worth it and we now have some fun memories to share. Back to reality.

Fourth of July post #2

2011-07-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

I was so bad at taking pictures while we were in Boise. I must have been busy enjoying my family. We had lots of fun with picnics and family BBQ's, parades, watching fireworks, going to the pool, and teasing my newly wed brother. I just wish I had whipped the camera out a bit more. I did however get some pictures of our trip to watch the parade. In Middleton they have a community carnival type thing with snow cones, bouncy houses, shooting ranges, face painting and eating contests. Its all free and so much fun!

Halfway through our trip we continued on over to Utah to see Dan's brother. We hadn't ever been to his house before and they had recently had a new baby so it was fun to see them and catch up. The kids were so excited to see their cousins. They just played and played and played the entire stay. They got along so well and only had a few little spouts that dealt with sharing. I was impressed.

The weather was great! I was happy to see real summer weather!

The kids played on the slip n' slide and in the kiddiepool.

It made for a great opportunity for some candid shots!

And here's the newest Glenn family addition! Luke is 2 weeks old.

Later in the day Dan's brother got off work for an extra long lunch break. We went out for a picnic lunch at Bridal Veil Falls Park and went for a walk up to the falls to play in the water. It was a HOT day! The water felt so nice.

It was so nice to hang out at the house too.

Here's the boys and Michelle enjoying a puzzle after breakfast.

The next day we had fun at the water park. At first we weren't sure if we were going to pull it off since it looked like a summer thunderstorm was on its way. Luckily the storm just missed us. It was so much fun! There was a splash park, kiddie pool with a little slide, a lazy river, and the kids had their first experience going down a big water slide with mom and dad. Emma even got her feet wet.

Ethan was a little unsure at first. Whenever he is nervous he has the habit of putting his fingers in his mouth while assessing the situation. It didn't take him too long to warm up to the idea though.

Don't really know what was going on in this picture. I think Emma had been crying and Dan put her hat on to block the sun out of her eyes when the wind picked up. Either way I think it is adorable!

After we all had a bit too much sun (for which my shoulders are still paying the price) we headed back to the house to change. Then we were off again on a new adventure. We went to The Mayan in Sandy, UT. If you've never been I highly recommend it. It reminds me of the Indiana Jones ride at Disney Land. While you eat they have divers jumping off cliffs and putting on a show every 30 mins. There is background music and jungle ambiance. It it really cool.

4th of July Trip post #1

2011-07-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

I just have a few minutes before the kids wake up but wanted to at least put up some of my favorite pictures that I took while on our week long trip to Boise and Utah for the Fourth of July. We had so much fun! The drive was NOT my favorite but everything that happened in between was well worth it!

The day we arrived we had a surprise birthday picnic for my mom's 50th birthday. We went to Ann Morrison park which was where we used to go a lot growing up. It was the place of many fun memories, which is why we chose it for this occasion.

Four Generations

My cousin Courtney had her baby girl just a month after Emma was born. It was fun to see the two together.

My sister is so adorable. Sorry boys, she is spoken for.

My family with all my siblings

oops

Still alive

2011-07-11T00:43:00.001-07:00

Don't give up on me just yet. We just got back from a week long vacation. Posts coming soon.

Strawberry Pickin' and Farm Community Entertainment! Gotta Love!

2011-06-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was really fun! On Saturday we decided to go to the Biringer's Strawberry Farm and pick berries. The strawberry growing season has been really slow this year due to the weather but the berries are finally ripening. We loaded everyone up and went. I wore Emma on my back in the hiking pack where she dosed off within the first two minutes of walking. I love this tradition we've started of going berry picking! The berries may not have been their best but it still is fun. And of course the kid's favorite part is eating while you pick. Once we told them they could taste the berries our help in filling up the flat boxes stopped.

This year they had a little trolly (a seated trailer pulled behind a giant tractor) that would pick you up and drop you off at the barn so you didn't have to walk all the way back with your full berry flats. It was really neat and the kids loved it.

The kids also enjoyed climbing up into their Berry-Go-Round. We didn't get to see it in motion but I am sure one of these trips we will.

We bought a little over 9 lbs of strawberries for $16.00. They're yummy, fresh off the vines and well worth the memories!

We also stopped by a little plant nursery that is just across the street from the berry farm and had a mini field trip there. They had a few animals to look at that you could feed carrots to and a little hay maze. It was great fun.

My favorite part of this trip though would probably have to be their goat. Check this out!

An Evening at the Park

2011-06-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

Dan promised the kids that when he got home from work they could go to the park and make airplanes. We went and had a picnic and then played. I love my family!

I love my family!!!

Start of Summer Interviews

2011-06-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to do a beginning of the summer interview with each of the kids. I want to remember the funny things they say and their little personalities before they are influenced by school. I think my favorite part of Kiera's interview was when she was reading the scriptures. So cute! Ethan was second to do his interview and I think he said some of the things he did just because his big sister did. He looks up to her so much. I love it! Oh and all of it was candid. I didn't give any instruction or bribe them in any way. Enjoy.

The Good Life!

2011-06-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning the other day and glanced outside to check on the kids. This is what I found. Isn't he so cute? I just had to grab the camera and sneek a picture through the glass so as not to disturb him. Just precious.

Landscaping Projects Update

2011-06-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

I finally have a minute where I can use both hands to type. Yes, it is midnight, but it is the first time Emma has permitted me to set her down today. All day she'd fall asleep in my arms but as soon as I set her down she'd wake up and want to be picked up and rocked again. My back and arms are so sore. I think if this keeps going I am going to have some major guns here pretty soon.

I have been meaning to do this post for some time now. We've made some more improvements on our backyard recently. And can I just say I have THE BEST husband EVER!

Two weekends ago Dan decided he'd like to make drip areas around the hose bibs. We didn't want to deal with muddy, soggy ground over there and Dan wanted to make it easier for when we edge the lawn. He went to Lowes and bought some cheap black edging, and went and got a load of pea gravel.

We then (or I should say he then) pulled up the sod in a half circle, put the edging in, lined it with black weed barrier, and filled the spot with gravel. It looks pretty nice if I do say so myself. I only took a picture of one of the hose areas but he did it on both sides of the house.

When that was all said and done we still had a TON of gravel left over in the back of the truck. So being the ambitious man my husband is, we decided to go ahead and build the fire-pit we've been talking about (mind you we planned on that being a project far in the future). What we imagined would only take an hour or two turned into the rest of the day and evening! Next time we plan a excavating job I think we should rent a sod cutter. Hindsight is 20/20 right?

Anyway, we cut the sod and moved that to the other side of the yard where it used to be bare. We practically have an entire lawn over there now just from where we tore up sod for the garden boxes, and now the fire-pit. Although I think if that was all we had intended to do, seeding would have been far less effort! But that's beside the point.

We used the left over black edging for our pit circle and laid more weed barrier down. Then it was wheelbarrow time. I had the easy job of pushing and raking the pea gravel. That doesn't even compare to the hard job of shoveling, and pushing a wheelbarrow of heavy rock around! My man is amazing.

For the fire ring we just used rocks from around the yard. They are everywhere! Supposedly our subdivision used to be a rock quarry. You can tell too. No wonder planting our apple and peach trees was such a chore! And hence the garden boxes rather than just tilling a plot. This is what we ended up with...

The following Monday we decided that for Family Night we'd make hobo dinners/foil dinner and have smore's. It was so fun and the kids loved it!

But there was still something missing. . .

From the house the fire pit looked pretty lonely and boring. It needed something 3-D. We went around and played with the idea of building benches or stools or something out there but decided that we preferred the low upkeep route.

So tonight Dan called me on his way home from work telling me he was at the gravel yard and wanted to know if I trusted him to pick out the rocks or if I wanted to be there (what a guy!). I told him to go for it.

So tonight we spent the evening hauling in the boulders. . .

Dan and I managed to get the two smallest ones in ourselves but we needed the bigger guns for the other 3. Dan called up his brother Steven and he came over and helped. Thanks Steve!

The kids had fun playing with the cousins and we sat around the fire on our new seats and roasted smore's again. I love nights like this!

Doesn't it look so much better? We have decided the circle is a tad too small so we plan on bumping the black edging about 8 inches all the way around and then back behind towards the fence is where we will plant some grapes and small shrubs to finish off that corner of the lot. I just love it!

Well I'd better head to bed. The house is soooo quiet.That may be due to the fact that it is after 12:00, or maybe it is because Dan and the kids are camping out in the backyard tonight. That too was Dan's idea! The kids were so excited today knowing they got to camp with daddy tonight. Like I said...Best Husband EVER!

39:23!

2011-06-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

I DID IT!

I SURVIVED MY 5K THIS MORNING!

I RAN THE WHOLE WAY. DIDN'T WALK A SINGLE STEP!

MY LEGS ARE SORE

ACTUALLY MY LEGS ARE KILLING ME

BUT I FEEL SO GOOD!

MAKES ME SO PROUD THAT I PROVED MYSELF WRONG AND TOOK ON SOMETHING BIG JUST 3 MONTHS AFTER HAVING A BABY.

I am even more motivated to keep going with running knowing I can train only 2 days and still pull a 3K (I don't recommend that strategy by any means). My next one I plan on signing up for well in advance though.

What was my time? Well... I did it in under 40 mins! 39:23 to be exact. Sooo proud!
Here are a few shots we took before the race. The ones from after aren't exactly flattering. I was sooo red faced. My friend Marie ran the race with me. It was so fun to have her there rooting me on and keeping me going.

In these ones you can tell we were getting bored while waiting for our race to start.

Now I need to go and take a hot bath and pop a few Tylenol for these poor legs of mine.

Oh and did you see my sweet new Zumba pants? Wait til you see the rest of my get up for my Zumba class.

I'm Dead Meat

2011-06-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am running a 5K. Am I crazy or what? I officially registered for the race this week. I needed something to motivate me to get in shape. . .well as far as that goes...I think I am dead meat! I went running last night and only made it 1.5 miles. I am sooo not in the same shape as I was this time last year. I have to keep telling myself that its ok and to give myself a break. I just had a baby 3 months ago.

Last year I trained just 3 days (mind you I was already working out 3-4 times a week before that). This time around 3 days just aren't going to cut it. But I am still going to do it. Even if I have to walk half the time, I am still going to finish. Wish me luck.

Oh and I am still looking forward to it because my hubby bought me my very own i-pod shuffle! And look! It is the orange one! And it is sooo tiny! It makes me smile.

image courtesy of coveringweb.com

Summer is here whether it feels like it or not!

2011-06-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

It is JUNE! Already!? Wasn't it 3 months ago I was in the hospital with Emma? It has gone by pretty fast! But something around her in the NW that doesn't seem to be moving fast are the seasons. The weather can't make up its mind whether it is Summer, Spring or Winter around here. These past 4 or 5 weeks we've had everything from blue skies, rain, sun and hail. The temperature seems to be on a roller-coaster as well. I just hope it doesn't freeze again or my garden is a goner.

Regardless, we've decided we are going to make the most of the time of year and pretend it is summer now. So today the kids got in their swimsuits and I turned on the sprinkler in the back yard. It wasn't quite sprinkler weather, but who knows if it ever will be. At least the sun was out. You got to take what you can get.

Summer is here whether it feels like it or not! And we're gonna play!

Kiera's Preschool Graduation!

2011-06-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

Can this really be happening?

Yesterday my baby officially graduated from preschool. She's turning 5 this summer and will be in Kindergarten this Fall! Where did the time go?

I think I mentioned before that we've been participating in a preschool Co-Op. It has been great! All the moms have been awesome and Kiera has loved every minute of it! I am looking forward to next year when Ethan gets to participate.

So Yesterday we held our end of the year graduation party. We had a potluck lunch and the kids ran around and played. We also had a mini ceremony with diplomas and graduation caps. The caps were ADORABLE! One of the moms made them out of Styrofoam bowls and Black card-stock, a brad, and some yarn for the tassel. Too Cute!

Kiera's Classmates

Right to Left: Emma, Esther, McKenna, Evie, Kiera, and Mason

(Not pictured: Joseph. He had recently moved)

The Graduates!

Way to Go Kiera! I am so proud of you!

After the ceremony we had refreshments. Chocolate dipped rice crispy treats on a stick!

Then before everyone left the kids got to open a present from their teacher Ms. Melissa. Kiera was SOOO excited! Just look at that face...

This is what she got...

A mini white board, markers, and an eraser!

Now we can practice writing her ABC's all summer.

It will be a good quiet activity to have at church too. Or even the car trip we're taking at the beginning of July. What a great gift! Thanks Melissa!

I am so proud of you Kiera! You are growing up so fast! On to a new adventure!

I'm gonna teach!

2011-06-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

I am way excited! I got an unexpected phone call this morning from our Stake Primary President asking if I'd be willing to help out with the Activity Days for the 8-11 yr old girls in a few weeks. I'm going to be teaching five 30 min Zumba classes in a row. That is 2 1/2 hours of hard work and sweat. But it'll be oh so worth it!

I am also looking forward to the new Zumba gear I ordered the other day. It should be here by next Thursday. I can't wait!

Better go work on my choreography.

Music 101

2011-05-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

Bedtime routines at our house are usually a dual parenting task but recently we decided that while one parent puts the kids down to bed the other takes on the task of cleaning up the kitchen. It is going to help me keep up with the house and have more quality time with the kids during the day (and can I just mention that it was Dan's idea! I love that man!)

Anyways, tonight after singing the song "A Child's Prayer" to Kiera tonight at bedtime she turns and says, "Mommy can you teach that song to daddy?" I love it!

New Favorite Emma Photos

2011-05-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of my new favorite shots of Emma

Memorial Day Weekend. Rain Rain GO AWAY!

2011-05-28T01:21:00.000-07:00

This is sort of a long post but I hope you enjoy laughing at my expense anyway.

Yesterday Dan got off work just a tad early so that we could go camping before the "real" Memorial Day weekend rush hit. I spent ALL day packing and let me tell you that is NOT an easy feat with two toddlers and a newborn pulling and spinning circles around you all day. But I somehow managed. The weather forecast was not promising by any means, but we decided to go for it regardless. We decided that if we waited for the weather to get nice we may not EVER get the chance to go. When is Spring going to decide to stick around?! It's almost June and it is still acting like winter around here!

Anyway, we got everything in the car and were off. I don't know how long it took us to get to the campground but it wasn't too long. The kids didn't have the chance to get restless, which was nice. We chose the Verlot Campground off of the Mountain Loop Highway. We were practically the only people there besides the camp host and one other. It was so nice. Tonight I'm sure is a different story though because every camp spot had a reserved sign on it for the 27th. We may not have had a reservation but the "first come, first serve" sure worked for us this time.

The rain actually held off pretty well for us that evening. We roasted polish hot dogs on the fire and made s'mores. Dan picked up some strawberry flavored marshmallows and they made some AWESOME s'mores! Especially when I am the kind who likes mine without the chocolate (I know, I know, don't judge). But we probably shouldn't have let the kids have more than 2 because their night kept on going, if you know what I mean. But hey at least they had fun.

My night however, was horrible. It was Fffffffrreeeezing! It would have been fine but I was so worried about keeping Emma warm that I couldn't stay tucked away in my sleeping bag. I tried having Emma in the sack with me but she wouldn't have it. Then on top of that our air mattress decided to retire on us. Within 30 mins of laying down, I ended up touching the ground on all parts of my body. And let me tell you...These hips weren't having that. I gave up.

I went to the other tent where Dan, Kiera, and Ethan were sleeping and got the car keys. I slept in the drivers seat pushed all the way back, and leaned as far back as the food gear behind me would allow. Emma was finally satisfied in the upright cradle position and I drifted off a couple times. But let me tell you...there is something about car seats that my body doesn't like for sleeping because, when I woke up for the 3rd, 4th and 12th times in the night my feet and legs were asleep. It HURT! And then Emma sleeping on my right arm caused that limb to go numb as well. Ugh. But at least Emma slept well.

It rained all night. It was sort of creepy sleeping in the car alone, in the middle of nowhere, listening to the pud pud pud of every drop on the car top. Surrounded by towering green giants, dressed in their green coats of moss, swaying in the wind, reaching out to grab me...zzzz... Brittany wake up! Sorry, where was I?

Oh yes, morning finally came and it was still raining. Great! Especially when your car is no longer big enough to fit your canopy AND your family of the now 5. Soggy pancakes and bacon it is! It was a good thing we were the only ones there because I sent the kids to eat their breakfast underneath the bathroom overhang. By the end of breakfast the kids were telling us they wanted to go home.

"I'm right there with you guys!" Oops did I just say that out loud? Who planned this trip anyway. :)

We broke camp and literally stuffed all the wet gear in the trunk. Sorry there are no pictures of our camping adventure. There is something about the rain and hauling your almost 3 month old around that does something to always occupy both hands.

We headed home and what do you know? The rain stopped! Are you serious? Ok maybe this trip didn't have to end so soon. We decided to take a scenic drive and see what else we could see. The view was gorgeous! We had everything from, Gray and rainy, to sunny with blue sky, to...

Snow? See what I mean about spring? Just kidding this was at the top of Mt. Pilchuck. Where are your snowshoes when you need them?

We drove until we couldn't anymore because we ran out of cleared road. The kids wanted to get out so we got out and played in it for a little. Well, Dad and the kids went and played in it. Emma and I stayed in the car. It was short lived though, because we weren't exactly dressed for snow. It was fun while it lasted.

We drove back down the mountain and stopped along the way so I could get some pictures of the scenery that had caught my eye on the way up. Just beautiful! And probably the one thing in nature that actually causes me to cry. These pictures don't do justice.

Thank you sunshine for coming out and letting us enjoy some of the pretty forest. And for allowing us some wonderful family memories.

Hopefully our next trip will be a bit warmer and a lot less wet. But til then I will enjoy my pillow-top mattress. Speaking of which...zzzzz.

Emma Update

2011-05-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

She's Getting so Big! I am loving those rolly polly legs!

Swings, Slide, Sanity!

2011-05-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we got our playground equipment! I have been waiting for this day for a long time! I needed something to keep the kids busy and entertained so I could get more done and be able to take care of Emma. We ended up buying it from a Zumba friend of mine whose daughter had outgrown it. We got a saawwweet deal on it and the kids LOVE it. But probably not nearly as much as I do! It has already helped to keep me sane. Especially between the 4:00-6:00 hours before dinner and when daddy comes home.

Swings + Slide = Sanity!

Now if we could just get the good weather to stick around. . .

He Loved It!

2011-05-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

The desk redo was a huge hit! My nephew absolutely loved it. And his first response when he saw it was "A Desk! Finally!" He quickly ran to his room and brought back a magazine with the same image of Yoda that I had used and said it was just the one he wanted. It was funny since I don't think he had a clue it was even coming. So I done good :)

Here it the Before again just for fun

And the After!

Isn't she lovely?

And Kaleb was very pleased

Happy Birthday Kaleb!

Sling Success

2011-05-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I made this sling. I ended up mading one for a friend too. I thought since there was enough fabric for a second one why not make one for myself? I hadn't posted a picture yet because it took me awhile to adjust it to the right size. Note to self: Don't attempt to get your size yourself while pregnant. Apparently the friend I made it for had the same problem and her mom had to take it in for her. Oops.

Well here it is.
Emma seemed to really enjoy it if you can't tell.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

Blog 2 Print is My New Best Friend

2011-05-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

I am so excited and relieved! Today I finished editing my blog book that I make every year. This is the third one I've done since I started the blog in 2007. I finished it and submitted the order today! I can't wait til I get it. I should have it by early June. The book consisted of all my blog posts from January-December of 2010. Total pages were about 136. That is a tad shorter than my book from the previous year but mostly due to formatting. This time around instead of using Blurb.com I went with Blog2Print. It was so nice and the way it loaded up was great! With blurb it takes up a lot of computer memory and I sit there for days editing and reformatting everything. Blog2Print formatted everything for me and it looked great, so great in fact that I hardly changed a thing!

I am not being compensated for mentioning Blog2Print. I just wanted you all to know in case anyone out there was looking to put their blog into book form. I love doing it so I have a family yearbook for every year without all the time and money it would cost to scrapbook it all. For the 136 pages, 8.5X11" size, soft cover (very cute I might add), on high quality glossy paper, and full color it only cost $55.55! Sure beats the heck out of scrapbooking for sure. I'll have to post a pic or two when it gets here.

Mother's Day Interlude

2011-05-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day! First, my husband woke me up and presented me with a gift, church was filled with talks on mothers and incredible women, I was given handmade gifts made by my children, the sun was out and I got to enjoy a relaxing walk with my incredible family. Dinner was so easy and yummy (I love my crockpot!), and my little Emma slept and let me enjoy a quiet nap. It all made for a GREAT Mother's Day!

Strolling around in blogland tonight I saw lots of posts on mothers, and women who have impacted our lives. It made me think of all the incredible women in my life. I have been so blessed with strong, righteous women in my life. I would not be where I am today without my Grandmother, Mother, Mother-in-law, aunts, cousins, sisters and friends. Each of them have touched my life in one way or another and have made me who I am today.

My Grandmother is an amazing woman. She is the rock of my family. She has been through a lot and no matter the situation she's in, she is optimistic and radiates happiness to those around her. She taught her children to follow the Lord and to rely on him for everything. She raised 6 strong, incredible women who all walk tall and have raised families of their own. I am proud to be her grandaughter.

My Mother also known as Grandma Tutu is an incredible woman. I am so thankful to have been raised by this amazing woman. She taught me how to give of myself, to look at people from the inside and see the potential within, She taught me how to hold my ground and stand up for what was right. NO MATTER WHAT! She not only raised her own 4 children but took over 40 foster children into her home from the time I was 10 till my second year in college. What better example of love is that?! I am proud to be her daughter.

My mother-in-law is a remarkable lady. I will be forever indebted to her for the way she raised her son who is now my husband. She raised a man who honors his priesthood, and knows how to work. She has become a trusted friend and I can always call her up for advice, a recipe, or just to chat. I am proud to be her daughter.

My Aunts are all amazing women who I look up to so much! But one aunt I consider to be my second mom is my Aunt Melanie. She is the aunt I am the closest with. You could say I grew up at her house and it probably wouldn't be that far of a stretch. My family was always at her house. Summer-time sleepovers, birthday parties, holiday dinners, you name it we were there. We were always together. We'd probably get together to celebrate someone loosing a tooth! She taught me selflessness, patience, because her home was and is always open to anyone. And for me she sets the example of what a husband and wife should look like together. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

For all the other women in my life, my cousins, sisters and friends, I wouldn't be what I am without these girls! They have shaped, molded, supported and stood by me through so much and continue to be my strength.

So for all the incredible women in my life. I have been so blessed with strong, righteous women in my life. I would not be where I am today without you! I love you all so much!

Happy Mother's Day!

Desk Update

2011-05-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

It is coming along! I couldn't wait all the way to the end to show you what I've done with the desk so far. It is turning out so good! I am so proud! Here's a little peek at the top of the desk.

Doesn't he look cool?!

I am so glad I had all the colors I needed in my craft paint stash. Just a lot of color mixing and 4 hours of fun! The house is a disaster since the kids ran a muck while I worked, but I think it was worth it. Don't you? I hope my nephew appreciates it. I had fun doing it.

Now I just need to fix one of the drawers, get some plexiglass and fasteners for the top, and put the hardware on.

Take What We Can

2011-05-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

The Sun was out again yesterday! It is gone today but it was WONDERFUL while it lasted. I was inside tending to Emma when I looked out the window and saw this...

Oh to bask in the sunshine! The kids had no idea I was taking pictures of them. I did it all from my dining room window. But once they decided to go lay down in the empty kiddie pool (which is totally dead now) they caught me. Kiera couldn't help but flash a smile.

Also yesterday was so nice that I put the second coat of paint on the desk I am working on. Now to the details!

Oh and before I forget here's a picture of the garden boxes so far. I hope to have the dirt in them this weekend, but we still need to turn them the other direction and level them into place.

I love my baby girl!

2011-05-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share a picture I took of Emma the other day. I love my babies. All of them, but nothing compares to a newborn. Emma makes me so happy. When you hold her as soon as she locks onto your face and sees your eyes she smiles and occasionally coos now. Makes my heart melt every time.

I can't believe she is already outgrowing her clothes! This was the first time she wore this dress and it is already getting too small.

Just an Ordinary Day

2011-05-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Man today has been interesting. Well not really. It is more like what it usually is. It hasn't been all bad, but it hasn't been all good either. Do your days go like this?

It was pouring and gray this morning when I took Kiera to preschool. I am so tired of rain. But then I took Ethan and Emma to playgroup. We just met up at the local McDonalds and let the kids run around on the playground. It was nice to chat with my friend Elise. When we were done with that we headed back over to pick Kiera up and go home. The ride home was pleasant and the kids didn't fight! That was nice. Then we got home. Sigh. What to do what to do....?

I was going to let the kids do a craft that I originally had planned for FHE (Family Home Evening) last night but ran out of time for. But then Kiera started the pouting and whining all because I asked her to stop coloring and hang her coat up on the rack first. Then Ethan started to wear down and had an accident in his pants. Help! So I decided maybe we needed to have nap time ("quiet time") first. Ethan is fighting me all the way. He wanted a story but decided the one we were now half way through wasn't the one he wanted and threw a fit. I wasn't going to have that so I said, "ok no more story" and left. He's been crying and banging on his door ever since. This is not fun. Oh and the sun decided to come out! That is nice...

My New (updated) Photo Wall

2011-05-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Today my package of pictures I sent for arrived in the mail! I was so excited. Can I just say I love Snapfish! I upload the pictures I want, request the various sizes and they ship them to me. I love it! No standing there at the photo kiosks forEVER. Which is great since I can't shop with two toddlers and a baby let alone stare at a kiosk screen with them in tow.
So today when I got my package I opened it up and just had to put them up. My photo wall has been a little out of date and it was about time Emma was on the wall with the rest of us.

What do you think?

I don't know what is wrong with my camera settings. All my pictures have been turning out kinda pixely lately. But you get the idea. All the frames I got at goodwill anywhere from $.50 to $1.00. I just spray painted them all black to match. The "FAMILY" frames are done in vinyl lettering and I took out the back cardboard pieces so the wall shows through. Unfortunately my letter "a" frame broke in the move so right now it is a temporary paper "a" scotch taped to the wall. I just printed it from Word and cut it out.

I love updated pictures! Looks so much better and I so enjoy looking at them. It is probably a good things since I spend a lot of time doing that lately with nursing Miss Em.

My New Favorite Toy!

2011-05-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

Pure Love!

Oh and this too..

These two together are so much fun!

This past weekend Dan and I got to play with our new toys and made four of these...

Doesn't look like much, but once they are all leveled in our freshly cleared garden spot and filled with dirt they will be the cutest little garden boxes. Can't wait to show you. But first I need to finish my other little project (the sad little desk) I showed you earlier.

Something Fun is a Comin'

2011-04-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

I feel something fabulous coming from this...

Don't you? Can't wait to get busy on this. It's gonna be lots of late nights in the garage. But then again when else do I have time to do anything with 2 toddlers and a newborn? Sacrifices have to be made. But it is going to be fun!

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share some of my favorites from our Easter egg hunt. We were hoping for a nice sunny day to do it in, but you learn pretty quick that if you try and wait for the rain to stop over here you may never go out. So needless to say we braved the rain. Didn't seem to phase the kids at all. We is hearty folk! Plus the lighting made for some nice photos.

Easter Photo Shoot

2011-04-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today after church we had a mini photo shoot in our dining room. I just used the back side of my living room curtains (the white liner part) for the backdrop, set up a lamp without the shade on, and my tripod. I set the 10 second timer on my camera and did a couple shots of each pose. The kids loved it and got to take turns taking pictures of each other afterwards. Here's some of my favorites...

Happy Easter!

Princess Hair

2011-04-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

I love having girls! I love dressing them up in frills and super cuteness. But one of my most favorite things about having girls is getting to play with their hair.

We found the blog princesshairsyles.com awhile ago and it is great! If you haven't see it yet you really should. Usually after bath time at night I let Kiera go through their hairstyle gallery and choose a do. Then we turn on a short cartoon or something and I play. The styles usually last 2 days which is great too. Today though was a bit different. It had been awhile since her hair had been done and she was looking pretty shag-a-muffinish. So we did a mid-day style. Today it was mommy's pick (with her consent of course). What do you think? I love it!

Boys

2011-04-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Found this little guy with his head stuck in one of the holes in our collapsible play tent.

I feel like I should feel sorry for him?.. Nah.

Easter Treats

2011-04-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

No FHE is complete without treats. After coloring our eggs that I showed you in my previous post we made some cute nest cupcakes. So easy and yet so cute.

Just take your cupcakes (I am an easy from the box kind of girl when it comes to these).

Frost them with some green tinted buttercream icing (that I do make myself)

Top them with some sweetened coconut flakes that have been tossed with some green food coloring (I just tossed them in the bag).

And finally top them with three egg shaped candies (We used Whoppers Mini Robin Eggs).

YUM!

Double YUM!

So not Cool! Oooo Dan I am sooo going to get you back!

Aren't Family Nights great?!

Easter Family Home Evening

2011-04-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Last night was Family Night. Not just any old Family night...Easter FHE! One of the kid's favorite traditions for Easter is the Decorating of the eggs. It is probably one of my favorites as well.

Dan and I like doing it and each year we like coming up with a silly, quirky, or extravagant egg. This year Dan's quirky egg was Jack the Pumpkin King from Nightmare Before Christmas (Not very Easter related but hey). The kids liked it so much they made one of their own as well.

Ethan's is far left, Dan's is the middle, and Kiera's is on the right.

I didn't do much of one this year but I think that was due to the fact I was expecting to hold Emma the entire time. I did get to do a few though. Here's a shot of all the finished ones.

The way we do our eggs is pretty simple. It is the way I grew up doing it as well.

Step 1

Boil your eggs and let them cool

Step 2

Color cooled eggs with crayons. Crayola is best. Other ones seem to flake off too much.

Step 3

Boil some water and add to individual cocoa mugs (about 1 cup each). Add 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar to each and then add 6-8 drops of desired food coloring. Once the eggs have been drawn on to your satisfaction drop the eggs (one at a time) in colors with a spoon and let them sit until they are fully colored. Once the desired color is achieved, lift them out and let dry on the original packaging. Easy Peasy. *you can reheat your water in the microwave if the coloring process is slowing down.

The kids love it and are so proud of each and every egg that comes out of the coloring solution. I love how simple it is and love not having to purchase those cheap coloring kits every year. Now we just need to figure out how to keep the kids from dropping them and cracking every other one :) So glad these are boiled!

Happy Coloring!

Picture Update

2011-04-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a few of my recent favorite photos of Miss Emma.

And just another one that warms my heart. I love my husband!

My Talk on Obedience

2011-04-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

I was chatting with a friend on FB the other day and we got to talking about our recent moves, and our new wards in church and such and was reminded that I never posted the talk that I gave in late February. I like to have record things that I have spoken on for when I compile this blog into a book at the end of the year so if you want to read it feel free. It is mostly just my notes rather than all written out word for word.So just note it is NOT by any means spell checked or my complete thoughts written down. It is just the notes I took while writing my talk to give me something to go on while I was up front speaking.

Talk on Obedience:

Introduction of us as a couple. . .

Nephi’s Courage (Children’s songbook)

Oft times our obedience to the commandments of God becomes the very armor that protects us from evil (see Ephesians 6:11–17; D&C 27:15)

There are a lot of different levels of obedience or reasons why we choose to obey and some of those are:

First we are obedient because we want a blessing.
Second maybe we fear we will lose the blessing.
Third is simply out of duty.
And the fourth reason to be obedient is for the love of the person that asked us to do it. In this case being Heavenly Father

First we are obedient because we want a blessing.

I think the easiest one for me to understand is when we are obedient we receive a blessing. In the Book of Mormon, Lehi was teaching his sons and he said:
…And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever. (2 Nephi 1:9)
So when we are obedient to the laws of God and keep His commandments, God has a blessing promised to us in return for each act of obedience. And it may be that we say our prayers daily, or partake of the sacrament, attend church, obey the word of wisdom. These commandments help us to keep the Spirit of the Lord with us and those of the things that come from it.

This same advice has been given to us by modern day prophets.

“By following the rules,” said President Packer, “you will never make a serious mistake … either while you are on your mission or thereafter without being warned. You will never take the wrong road, you will never go around the wrong bend, or make the wrong decision without your having been warned. That pattern is the pattern of the Latter-day Saint. You were confirmed a member of the Church, and you had conferred upon you the gift of the Holy Ghost to be a guide and a companion to you.”

So when we are obedient to the laws of God and keep His commandments, God has a blessing promised to us in return for each act of obedience. And it may be that we say our prayers daily, or partake of the sacrament, attend church, obey the word of wisdom. These commandments help us to keep the Spirit of the Lord with us and those of the things that come from it.

Second maybe we fear we will lose the blessing.

Think about our traffic laws. Do you obey the traffic laws because I love WA or is it because you don’t want to part with your $?

What about the things Heavenly Father asks us to do. Do you obey him because you love him or do you obey because you don’t want to schedule a visit with the bishop?

Think of a rear view mirror. If you’re driving along and you run a red light you automatically look in the rear view mirror to see if the police are following. But if you are choosing the right you don’t have to worry about it. You can keep on driving along and enjoy the music. I don’t want to spend my life having to look back in the rear view mirror.

I like the quote that someone has said I don’t know who but it said, “It is better to obey commandments because we fear punishment than to not obey them at all. But we will be much happier if we obey God because we love Him and want to obey Him.” (“Obedience”, Gospel Principles, Chapter 35)

Third is simply out of duty.

Jury duty, a church calling, PTO position. Do you fulfill those responsibilities because you love to do it or is it because you feel responsible while others are counting on you.

And the fourth reason to be obedient is for the love of the person that asked us to do it. In this case being Heavenly Father

I can see this concept with my children. When I ask them to do something I want them to obey. When they don’t do what I ask or put it off until they are good and ready to listen I get frustrated and impatient with them. But when they do what I ask I am so much happier and I am willing to give them more opportunities for fun things. So what does Heavenly Father think of me when he asks me to do something?

Any kind of board game Monopoly rules for the game. It is always fun to go past GO and $200. But there are things in the game that are not so fun such as paying property taxes, income tax, getting sent to jail and so on but there are rules and part of the game. You can try to cheat in a board game and get away with it but there is no cheating in the game of real life.

“From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever”-Chief Joseph

I’d like to change that to, “From where the sun now stands I will sin no more forever.”

There comes a time in your life that you decide enough is enough and you either do what’s right or you don’t. I like to ask myself. Do I play church or do I really live the Gospel? So do I live the Gospel, obey and choose the right or you am I just playing church?

Dan's Lil masterpiece

2011-04-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight our ward and another ward in our stake are battling it out at in an adult pinewood derby competition. Dan has been out in the garage all day working on his baby. The original plan was to have the kids help him paint it but needless to say that didn't happen. Maybe they can make their own cars with him later. Here are some quick shots I took of it before the races tonight.

Wish us luck. I'd like to just say that the stuff/junk hanging out the back was my idea :)

Emma's Hospital Stay

2011-04-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ok I am going to give you all an update of what has been going on with Emma. Starting on Saturday the 2nd I took Emma into our walk-in clinic because she was coughing profusely and seemed to have difficulty breathing comfortably. They took a look at her and sent me to the ER since she was have retraction in her lungs and was working much harder than an infant her age should.

At the ER they hooked a little monitor up to her foot that measured the oxygen levels in her blood. They weren't at their best either. It had an infared light on it and when she was all wrapped up it glowed red through the blanket. It sort of reminded me of a little glow worm toy I had growing up.

They also listened to her lungs and did test for pneumonia, RSV (which it ended up being), Plutusis, and something else I don't remember. They also tried a breathing treatment with albuterol to see if they could get her airways to open up a bit more. Oh, and they also took x-rays of her chest. It was not a fun stay. Poor Emma was so worn out from not only trying to breath but had the other stuff on top of it. I was so worn out too. Not to mention this was my birthday...What a way to celebrate right?

I thought a energetic child could make you tired but MAN! having a sick baby is even worse! We were admitted to a room upstairs in the critical care unit so they could keep a closer eye on her and we could have a private room. There they continued the breathing treatments every 6 hours or so and did lots of suction to keep the excess mucus from getting in her lungs and causing more problems such as pnemonia.

The nurses and staff were so nice and made me as comfortable as a sleep deprived and worried mother could be. The hospital even provided me with complimentary meals 3 times a day. I even got a chocolate brownie the night of my birthday! Occationally the nurses would come in and chat with me about everyday things rather than what was going on with Emma. It really helped to get my mind off of things.

Dan would also come in the evenings to give me a breather and a chance to get out of that room and go home for an hour before I had to be back to feed Emma. It was nice but I still couldn't get myself to fall asleep during those breaks. I think my entire stay over the 3 days there I had a total of 4 hours of sleep.

The chest x-ray results came back the first morning and the radiologist saw a patch on Emma's left lung and so they kept us another night. Then the next morning we were told to stay yet another night because the previous evening Emma had an episode where she kept having coughing spouts with lots of gagging and her oxygen levels kept going below 85%.

So all that day and night I just prayed her Oxygen levels would stay at the 98-100% like they wanted and that there would be no more hiccups. And I can just say that I know Emma's guardian angels were there with us. She had no more episodes. Her levels stayed high, she didn't require any more breathing treatments, and her feeding times increased and she was back on the breast whereas before I had to pump and bottle-feed her to make breathing easier. But the best comfort for me was that Emma smiled.

Our entire stay she would not only smile at me but every once in awhile I'd see her starring off in the distance at something and a huge smile would come across her face. I just know someone was there watching over her.

That following morning the doctor came in to check her over and gave us the green light to go home. She sent us with the rest of the antibiotics that she had taken to prevent any bacterial infections that might come up, and the instructions to continue the albuterol treatments as needed rather than the every 6 hours. It was so nice to go home!

So here we are a few days later. Emma has been back to our pediatrician just to check up on her progress and she is improving all the time. She still isn't out of the woods yet. The doctor could still here some rumbling in her lower lungs while we were there. Which she said she had expected to. And we still have coughing fits and raspy moments here and there, but for the most part she is doing much better.

We had been planning on traveling this next week (Emma and I) to go to Boise and Rexburg, ID for my little brother's wedding/reception. I was sooo looking forward to seeing family and spending time with my little sister, Dan's cousin, and everyone, but I HAVE to do what is best for my baby. I'd do anything for her and she solely relys on me to do what's best for her. So we are staying home and will continue to help her get better. I am so grateful for all the prayers in her behalf and for all the help my mother-in-law has been by coming up here yet again to help out. I seriously don't think I could have done it without her help. Thank you so much Shellie!

Grateful

2011-04-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

I cannot imagine what my life would be like without my children. I am so grateful Heavenly Father has trusted me with these sweet little spirits.

They change so fast! Its all I can do to savor each moment and feel grateful for each and every little breath (more on that later...)

I have a picture frame hanging above my computer that says, "Life is not a matter of counting the years, it is a matter of making the years count." Today I am reminded of how precious each moment really is and how I need to better myself in making the most of the ones I am given.

Pardon the Absence

2011-04-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

Pardon the absence. We've had a long, stressful couple of days spent in the hospital with little Miss Emma. All is well now and I will fill you in on the details soon. I just got to get some SLEEP!

A Day at the Park

2011-03-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was Miss Emma's blessing day. We were lucky to have Dan's parents come up. They came on Saturday and luckily the weather held out for us and we were able to go to the park when Grandma and Grandpa arrived. It was nice to get out. I am sure the kids have had cabin fever these past few weeks since they've been sick and mommy hasn't been up to much.

While we were there Emma slept so I was able to enjoy taking some pictures...

Even Grandpa got in on the action

Now I just wish it would stop raining and the sun would come out for good so we could have some more fun outside!