catch a fire

uh...

2011-08-25T21:51:00.001-07:00

i know. i'm lame. and lazy.

who knew that 3 months had passed since my last post?
apparently, not i.

but.. like i said. i'm lame. and lazy. and busy.
meh.

here are some pictures because i'm not feeling very eloquent or witty at the moment.

we've been doing this.
i'd like to make my own ice cream, if anyone has an ice cream maker they'd like me to take off their hands.

lol.. what's a pirate's favorite letter? nope, not 'R'.. it's 'P'.
becuase it's missing a leg! haha!

we need to go into modeling.
(and by we i mean he)

and if this doesnt get us into JCrew kids i dont know what will...
i am in LoVE with his hair. swoon.

felines

2011-05-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

she never smiles.
(at least not for the camera)
this is all i ever get..
and its usually because she is in the middle of saying "maaaaaaaoww."
she can say like 6 or 7 words but apparently she's partial to cats.

when she wakes up?
"maaaaaoww."
when she wants a drink?
"maaaaaoww."
when you ask her to say something else?
"maaaaaoww."

it's awfully cute though.
and so is her super curly hair.

homemade

2011-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

have you ever wanted to try something.
and researched it.
and researched it some more.
got a bee in your bonnet
and then just felt too inadequate to do it?

thats how i was.

i wanted to make my own yogurt.
it was supposedly simple.
and easy.
and looked simple AND easy.
and i REALLY wanted to try it.
but,
for some reason i just never did..

until sunday!

and it was AWESOME!!
the savings alone are worth it! and its super delicious.
the only downfall?

we were out of granola.

so, i made some.. meh..
no biggie.
and it is AWESOME too..

so. seriously. try it. its worth it.

instructions and recipe (if you can call it that) found here.. isn't sheena awesome.

and here's my granola recipe

Cranberry Pecan Granola
5 c. rolled oats
(i use the 7 grain mix from Petersons bosch. they might have something similar at kitchen kneads, etc. its in the bulk section.)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. flax seed (ground)
1/2 c. honey (heated)
1/3 c. canola oil
3/4 c. margarine (melted)
1 tsp vanilla
craisins

mix dry ingredients.

mix wet ingredients.

mix together til coated.
add craisins (i just add as many as i think i want.. maybe 2 cups?)
spread onto cookie sheet.
bake 225 for 1.5 - 2 hours stirring once or twice.

serve with your new delicious and tasty yogurt.

* be careful not to overbake.
when you take it out of the oven it will still be wet, but as it dries it gets crunchy like granola.
if you overbake hoping to make it dry, it will just taste burnt.
not that i would know.

**edited: since originally writing this post and saving it until i wasnt lazy enough to upload the photos, i have made 2 more batches of yogurt. its awesome**

whoa

2011-04-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

i just got sucked into a vortex.

a completely hilarious vortex where i almost peed my pants.
dont attempt said vortex unless you have some serious time to kill.
i warned you.

have you been here? or here?

i think these are so funny.
you can submit your own, but i'm not that witty..
im more than happy to just read someone else's.

and i love letterpress. its just so fancy. find the cards here.

echo, echo, echo...

2011-03-09T20:34:00.001-08:00

blah...

i'm lame.
and lazy.
and i have this love/hate relationship with the interwebnet.

i love all the amazing things i find on it.
crafty things.
food things.
fashion things.

but then i get sucked in and it steals my time.

and then i get depressed because ALL THESE PEOPLE are so much more creative than i.
like seriously. why didnt i think of that..
and i wish i had more money to spend on who knows what.

and then i think about how much time i've probably wasted on the computer while i should have been cleaning or playing with my kids.
and that i have all that i need and i am happy about that.

thats why its been like 2+ months since i posted.
restraint, ya'll. thats what i call it.
or the lack of consistent internet capabilities.

meh..

so maybe i'll get another one on here.

one day.

p.s. does anyone else think that facebook is the most narcissistic thing ever?

double trouble

2010-12-31T16:02:00.000-08:00

whew.
i am so glad december is done.
what with crazy post office work schedules (read 12 hour work days), 2 birthdays shortly after christmas, not to mention christmas itself, it gets a little stressful.

and since the girls share their birthday, i tried extra hard to make sure it was special. for BOTH of them.
although, one of them won't even remember it.

we had a small tea-ish party and celebrated turning 3 and 1.

we had
tea sandwiches
adults: turkey and herb cream cheese
kids: peanut butter and banana
soda in lieu of tea
wanna be caramel popcorn
(the kind that uses the corn puff buttery cheeto things instead of popcorn)
cucumber slices
bite sized granola bars
crackers
and chocolate cake/cupcakes

(recipe and super cute ideas mercilessly lifted from sheena)

i made each of the girls their own mini cake.
and then a half dozen cupcakes and even more mini cupcakes.
i let the kids help frost them and they turned out SO cute.

i also came up with these party crowns, just for the birthday girls.
and bought the party hats for everyone else.
i intended to cover all the party hats with super cute paper and ribbon and stuff, but i totally ran out of time and had to bag it.
as well as the birthday banner i've been planning on making for the past 2 birthdays...
maybe i can get it done for the next one.
i thought i was doing really well with the birthday right after christmas preparations.
but alas, i was not. so, next year i'll hopefully do better.
blah blah blah. yadda yadda.
it was still great and the kids loved it.

and of course we used trick candles.. haha.. i love them.

and layla did the exact same thing jonas did with his first birthday.
taking the no hands approach to the cake.
it was hilarious.
i love that she's licking/biting it.
she barely even got her hands dirty.

OH! and those super cute miniature cake stands that i have the mini cakes on?
my mom gave them to me. i'm totally going to make some for myself. or maybe gifts.
links for tutorials here and here and here.

going organic

2010-12-29T23:06:00.004-08:00

so for christmas this year i planned ahead.

and by ahead i mean like 2 months.
hah!
take that time.

i had mentioned to my dad that i wanted to build a kitchen. from this website.
i asked if he thought i could handle it. what with using tools and all.
so like 2 days later, he calls and tells me he has all this leftover wood and will make all the cuts for me.
i tell him, "oh, no big hurry." "thanks so much!" "but you dont really have to."

so 2 more days later he calls and says he has it all done.
and not just one piece. all THREE of them.
sink. stove. fridge.

so i picked up the wood when we went up for thanksgiving and the garage banishment began.
the kids were no longer allowed to play in the garage.
(ok. that sounds bad. it was only when we were working out. not all the time!)

** i take no credit for the creativity here. i'm really good at following other people's brilliance**

(i love that the steak has a raw and a cooked side)

(the red part is a rubber coaster. looks like the burner is hot. i love it.)

and after a bit of work (like 20 hours or so) wah-la! the kitchen is finished!

(i pulled the floss to make the corn pucker like kernals)

but what is that you say?
where did i get all of that amazing felt food?
i stayed up really late at night (mostly at the post office) and sewed most of it by hand.
i figured since i was going to be at work anyways, i might as well take advantage of my break time.
ok. and some of it i did while watching tv. but really. its super easy.
there are a million different patterns out there.
some for sale. but lots for free. and i mean lots.

and now that it's all done, i feel kind of lost. i dont have a purpose.
what am i going to stay up late at night to do now?
well. ok. honestly. there are like a bazillion things of felt food i could make.
i'm sure i can think of something.

(the cantaloupe rind is magnetic! sheer genius. and the bacon has wire to make it bendy.)

here it is in all it's glory! i figured the 70's color scheme would make it gender neutral.
and the kids absolutely LOVE it. and that makes all the late nights worth it.

merry merry

2010-12-15T07:18:00.001-08:00

holy baloney

(i know that's not how you spell Bologna but it just doesnt look right when you are trying to rhyme. you know?)

december is so crazy.. i've been working like crazy and getting home at 4 am. in the morning! wowzers.. it's hard waking up at 730 after that, but hey. it's only til christmas. i know some gals who do it full time, year round... so i'll call myself lucky.

anywho. there probably wont be much posting around here til after then, but in the meantime, here's our christmas card.. and our well wishes for a merry christmas and an awesome new year.

it's so, so.

2010-11-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

this is the necklace i made for mia. i just used some tulle-ish (i dont remember what it is) fabric i had laying around and cut out some bigger and smaller circles. then scalloped the edges, folded them in half and half again. then sewed them all together to a little piece of felt on the back.

i thought it looked really cute, but mia wont keep it on for more than 30 seconds.

oh well. i guess it could be a good Christmas gift!

shhh...

2010-11-27T11:14:00.000-08:00

wanna know a secret?

i didnt think i wanted kids.
and then when i did want them.
i didnt want girls.

i wanted boys.
dirty little monkeys that dont have to look cute.
that wear beanies and skater shoes.
who rock mohawks and temporary tattoos.
and make fart noises and eat worms.

i was terrified of girls.
so much pink. and princess-ness. and drama.

but then i had a girl and i realized the awesomeness that it entails.
the adorable outfits. the squealing and giggles.
even the pink.

and because we had a boy first, there isnt an overabundance of pink or princess-ness at our house.
and my girls are fine with that.
they have just as much fun with Lightning McQueen and Superman.

but occasionaly i let myself go.

i've found that the girls, oddly enough, have WAY more clothes than the boy.
weird.

(and FYI. after i finished the blanket, mia looked at me and said very disappointed, "but mom, it's not pink!" i mean. honestly. how dare i.)

it's the boy scout motto

2010-11-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

i knew it would happen.

one day.

it would be tragic. devastating. disastrous even.

it was inevitable.

(notice: the temple piece didnt break at the hinge, it broke off the FRAME!
wow.. thats some serious impact.)

two (almost three) year olds aren't the best with fragile items.
i know that..
and okay... skating on the tile floor in your socks SOUNDS like a lot of fun.
i mean, tom cruise did it in his underwear.
it HAS to be fun.

until someone gets an eye poked out.
which almost happened.

luckily, there was minimal damage. minor bleeding. a gouge and scrape.
no stitches. no sutures. no casts.

just a spongebob bandaid.
and some tylenol.
and a big hug from mom.

what does this have to do with the boy scout motto you say?
well, like 2 months ago, we decided to get (are you ready for this?)

a SECOND PAIR!!

genius. i know.

be prepared.
(sing it in the hearty voice like Scar from the lion king. you know you want to.)

anywho..
thats about the only thing we are prepared for because our food storage is woefully lacking..
but if push comes to shove we'll just steal food.
it's going to be anarchy anyway, right?

DONE!!!!!!!!

2010-11-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

its done.. and i'm so glad!! (sigh)
it seems like whenever i have a project i'm doing, it hangs over my head until i get it finished.
now that the blanket is done its like a HUGE weight off my shoulders..

i used the Yo-Yo Mama vintage baby quilt pattern, but made it a twin size instead, which increased the difficulty by like a bazillion.
the squares are all 2.5 inches and you make a quilt sandwich and sew everything together.
all at once.
which is nice because it quilts it for you as you go, but sucks because you have to shove the entire blanket through your machine.

AND its hard to keep the squares straight and lined up..
(which mine aren't. dont look too close)

it ended up being a lot harder than i thought, but probably because i made it so big..

and to save moolah, instead of buying fabric by the yard for the top and bottom my mom suggested using a flat twin sheet instead.

these two hooligans are just so excited that its finally done they can't keep their hands off it.

now i can get all hung up on something else.

like, this necklace for mia... or this and this in preparation for a big christmas surprise...

and just because there are never any pictures of me.. jonas took this one the other day and amazingly enough, it actually turned out half decent!

except for my half crazy expression on my face. but thats not his fault.

mia's blanket

2010-11-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

this is the blanket i've been working on FOREVER!! but i'm finally almost done..

bleh

2010-11-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

i feel like i've been so lazy lately.. i have a bazillion projects i want to do and ZERO motivation to do them. paint this room. finish a quilt. paint some watercolors to hang up.. etc.

AND i totally need to be better at scrapbooking because i just realized that i dont have any recent pages of my kids.
like from this year!

so the other night i stayed up late and whipped out one for each kid.. not too shabby for my 12:30 brain. thats when inspiration strikes, right?

most everything came from my favorite designer, paislee press at Oscraps.com. her stuff is simple and clean and i love it.

carnies... big hands

2010-11-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

ok. so this is going to sound weird. but i just finished watching the 2 hour season opener of Circus from PBS that i DVR'd.

and it was AWESOME!!

did anyone else watch it?
was anybody else fascinated?

maybe its the people watcher part of me.
or the freak show that dyed her hair blonde, blue, and pink in high school.
or the teeniest part of me that wishes i had run away and joined the circus.
(why didn't i grow up in a circus family? or have mad balancing, trapeze, or juggling skills?)

but honestly, i loved it.

so much that i got out of bed at 12:30 to blog about it. and i can't fall asleep because its all replaying in my mind.

weird.

it's super

2010-10-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

jonas decided to be superman.
(because his hair can curl in the front like the man of steel's.)

naturally, mia had to be on the same team. her choice was wonder woman.
although, she did flip flop between that and ariel for a while...

and i kind of forgot about layla,
but luckily we had a killer frog costume from when jonas was a baby.
and we always need a villian terrorizing metropolis, right?

terrifying, eh?

(i made jonas and mia's costumes and personally? i think they turned out pretty good for not having a pattern..)

evolution of a spider

2010-10-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

i came up with this brilliant idea all by myself. i know.
i'm amazing.
the first ever to have thought of it, right.

anywho.. it was pretty easy.
water balloons. paper mache paste. black paint. string. and pipe cleaner.

first. almost kill yourself trying to blow up water balloons.
i thought my ears were going to burst. seriously.

second. dip your newspaper in paste and wrap around the balloon.
be careful not to flick paste in your eye as you try to grab the balloon as its rolling off the table.
not that i would know.

third. dry.

fourth. paint.

fifth. (same as third) dry.

sixth. glue legs on.

seventh. scare your hubby with them by hanging it in the shower or closet.

my kids are really getting a kick out of them.
i'm going to paint a red hourglass on one of them and move it around the house for the kids to find.
i'm quite proud of them. if i do say so myself.

2010-10-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

him.
this one? really?
like he couldn't make a cheesier face?
i''m just lucky he didnt give me the heat vision stare.
i'll show it, one of these days.

her #1.
a major goofball.
if i tell her, "don't you dare smile at me"
those ones are the best.

aliases include: ariel, dora, daphne, daisy, and wonder woman

her #2.
finally, FINALLY sitting up.
i've been working on it with her FOREVER!!
and when does she decide to do it?
oh.
at her dr. appointment.
little miss showoff.

gosh. i love my kids.

a little pillow talk...

2010-10-08T13:48:00.001-07:00

so i saw these pillows over here and fell in love!

now that we've finished the family room in the basement i really need some color to pull it all together.

(who am i kidding. i need a lot more than just COLOR!)

i tweaked mine a bit though. more ruffles, closer together. contrasting stitches and background. but overall? i think it turned out pretty cute.

now, i've only got 4 other pillows with different styles and fabrics to make!

ps. isn't her blog just awesome? she's got great ideas and i have SO many projects lined up. now if i can only find the time.

labels

2010-09-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

sometimes i just get a kick out of myself.

these are the labels for the handouts for my lesson on sunday..

guess what it's on?
i'm quite pleased with them.

and guess what the handouts are....

NO.. of course i'm not giving everyone a pie...

but. maybe.
just maybe... one of these!

thaaaaats right.. pie on a stick..
it's AWESOME!!!

really.
they taste SO GOOD!

peach filling. homemade crust.
mmmm.....

nothing but pure deliciousness.
go here for more instructions.

**edited** i rolled my pie crust reeeeeally thin to even out the pastry/filling ratio. i brushed them with a beaten egg before baking to make them all brown and blistery like. then baked them longer (about 18-20 min)... also, to avoid getting the pie filling from running all over the place, i filled a mini muffin tin with the filling and then froze it. so when i put the top crust on it, it wasn't nearly as messy. just an fyi.

brrrrr lake

2010-09-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

so the big family vaca was at bear lake this year. and it was a TON of fun. if you count getting rained on and having to play in the coldest lake on the coldest day, fun.
just kidding. sort of.

but we did have a lot of fun. my brother brought a water ballon slingshot launcher thing and it was AWESOME!! you should've seen those things fly! holy moses. and if you caught one better hope you had some spare clothes.

these are from when i woke up super early and couldnt go back to bed. so i thought i'd walk down to the beach. i find it so funny that they drag the boats out into the water with tractors. i love the hick-ness of it. and my dad was in love with this one. he made me take like 30 pictures of it becuase it was the same exact one they had growing up..
and i heard ALL about how it worked, etc.

this was the treasure hunt we planned for the little kids. it was hilarious and they thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.

and here we are at the beach in our jackets becuase it was FREEZING!! well. 65 degrees, but still cold...

all in all, it was a good time!
thanks mom.

a toast

2010-08-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

to:
summer
ice cream cones
letting watermelon juice drip down your chin
hot days and sleeping with the fan on
ice cream cones
swimming at the pool
getting a tan
outdoor birthday parties
spending time with family
fresh fruit and veggies
being able to work out outside
long days
gorgeous sunsets
staying up late for the demolition derby
and...
more ice cream!

lazy

2010-08-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

so wikipedia says that cats have 30 vertebrate..
(thats 4 more than humans. i think.)
my cat utilizes ALL of them.
everyday.
notice how the front paws are facing a different direction that the back ones?
(he remained in that position for a LOOONG time)
he's quite agile.
perhaps he should have been a gymnast.
but that would require movement.
and exercise.
two things he's not prone to do.

and lets be honest.
sometimes i wish i were a cat.
who lived at my house.

recent eats

2010-07-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

im hungry.
im always hungry.
even after...
no, ESPECIALLY after i eat.
im super hungry.

but alas.. the diet is, what it is.

at least it looks good before it disappears into thin air.

for maybe 30 seconds.

we haven't had hamburgers for 3 weeks and these were AWESOME!!
a little mango and white peach, salad, and cucumbers.

a snack.. no jam allowed, but berries are. and isnt that what jam is made of anyways..
this had A LOT less sugar, thats for sure.

and, steamed fish over rice with avocado, salad, and strawberries.

the best thing about this diet? the dinner prep is so easy.
meals are 30 minutes, tops. nothing bakes in the oven. there isnt any chopping.
the grill takes maybe 20 minutes and veggies steam in less than 10.
im loving that part.
and it doesnt heat up my house.

tonight we're having steaks..
(dont mind my drool)

a summary

2010-07-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

we've been busy.

celebrating.

eating rabbit food.

(ps.. the baked sweet potato was AWESOME!)

acting rather surprised at new foods.

and lots and lots of cleaning!

the tastier leaf

2010-07-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

so. i'm revamping. with a new house, comes a new way of eating. we've been doing the zone/sugarbusters for a while. but to be honest, i've never been a "dieter".. . i never felt i had to. i have a slim build, am athletic, and frankly dont have the desire to limit myself when it comes to what i eat.

and mostly, it was because the man wanted to, not me. but alas, the baby pooch, as i call it, needs to go. and i've been persuaded by my uber health concious hubby, that i would benefit from a lifestyle change. not that i dont eat healthy already, or just stuff my face with crap, but i don't really care to diet either. and the only guidelines i've given myself previously, are if i dont like it, dont eat it. if i do, then look out stomach! (in moderataion, of course).

so here i come body for life. i am officially "dieting".. ugh. i hate that. i feel like there is so much stigma attached to that (mostly self inflicted). it makes me feel old that i "need to diet". but, if it makes me get rid of the baby pooch and look better, then i guess i'll exercise some self control . and the fact that i've agreed to it, should help a bit.

here's one of the first meals.. it was actually easy and so pretty on my NEW PLATES!
i made on prerequisite to agree to the diet.
i would get new plates.
A. because i hate my old ones.
B. so they could be smaller to fit smaller portion sizes but still look full.
and
C. they are simple and classic. mmmm... everything looks good on them. seriously.

(i love that the onion looks like its trying to escape!)

salad never tasted so good!

whew!

2010-06-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

well, we are FINALLY in our house.

but.....

totally living in chaos! i'll be ready to post in a bit. its craaazy around here!

a note goodbye

2010-06-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

moving is such a pain.. really. i hate it. and worse than moving once? oh. moving twice..

thats right. when you are homeless for 2 weeks it feels like moving twice. but at least we were able to sell. and thats a good thing.

so to honor our home of the past 4 years i've composed a list:

Things I'll Miss:

my AMAZING kitchen. (i spend a LOT of time there)
my little garden full of tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro
the flower beds that are finally filling in and looking awesome. (score for the new owner)
living by the best neighbors ever. who watched my kids. and fed them. and fed me.
being able to run to Christina's house when i've run out of something.
which happens more often than you would believe.
my kitchen
my gargantuan bedroom
12 foot ceilings
the walk in pantry
granite countertops
my sweeeeet stainless steel deep sink
did i mention the kitchen?

the kids are tired of packing and cleaning and moving, i can tell.
i've had to promise them a million different things, once we are in the new house.

like, "yes, jonas, we'll ride bikes. but we have to wait til we are in the new house. your bike is in storage." "oh sure! we can make rocket ship cookies. once we move in, promise!" "sorry mia, Cinderella is packed up! but you kept Belle out until we get settled."

but, the time is here! can you believe it? it was just yesterday that people were walking through my house.. and then someone wanted it.. and now, i'm leaving it.

we moved in when jonas was a baby. and now he's FOUR!

but, the new house will be bigger. with more room to grow. and i'll find things to love about the new house.

like, maybe the quarter acre yard.
or the three car garage for somebody's home gym.

and it's only 3 miles away.

so if i run out of something in the middle of a recipe and really, REALLY need it, i know where some great neighbors are.

green?

2010-06-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

so i got a whole lotta this in my Bountiful basket.

first, i didnt even know what it was. i had to do various google searches. i found out its collard greens.

second, i've never eaten collard greens in my life, let alone cooked them.

sooooo... any ideas? recipes? i know they are big in the south.. so i'd love some input. i dont want them to go to waste!

**edited** okay, so it might be swiss chard... any other ideas?

because it's funny

2010-05-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

i laughed out loud.

and i laugh out loud, every time i see it.

(i know you did too..)

they were learning about spiders. and this was his spider hat.

tasty tasty

2010-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

a few weeks back (i'm a bit behind. and lazy) mangoes were on sale for like 50 cents. 50 CENTS!!! really.

so i bought like 20 of them. and they were good too! ripe. juicy. delicious.

but what does one do with 20 ready to use immediately mangoes?

well. i froze some. and we ate the rest. in various forms.

mmmmmm.....

dolly

2010-05-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

we are big on teaching life skills around here.

like mothering.
and caring for infants.

good thing we dont use live subjects.

comfy?

2010-05-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

it was after lunch.

he was done. she wasnt.
i was in the other room.
she was finishing her sandwich.
he was playing in his room.

it was quiet.

REALLY quiet.

parents know what silence means.

only two things.

that can't be comfortable. not even remotely...

but sure enough.

she was asleep.

(laughs)

hello hot stuff.

2010-05-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

oh. the awesomeness that is my neighbor. enjoy.

(you'll be back together before you know it.
and until then, you can sleep with these under your pillow.)

i want to make this!

2010-05-07T16:52:00.000-07:00

isnt this owl adorable? its supposed to just sit there, but i think it would be a great pillow for a certain crib in my house. *wink wink*

if only the price of the designer fabric didnt make me want to vomit.

on my 'to do' list

2010-05-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

photo: smitten kitchen

homemade pop tarts! mmmm. dont these look awesome? and much healthier. one day, when i get around to it..

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/homemade-pop-tarts/

lady bug

2010-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

i made this for layla, but i dont think she likes it much. maybe when she is a little older.
it turned out pretty cute.

i used this tutorial but used the minky/furry fabric for the bottom.
and sewed the body together first, rather than using a blanket stitch.
oh, and i added some krinkle paper (ie. an empty costco wipes package) inside the wings to make noise.

not bad, eh?

purple people eater

2010-05-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

so layla got thrush and we've been battling it for about 2 months. not to fun on my end considering im still breastfeeding. getting a yeast infection in your ta ta's is not fun. at her 4 month appt yesterday they coated her mouth with this dye that is supposed to take care of it and it looked so funny!

and i finally decided to put her crib up. since we only have 2 bedrooms and the other 2 are already sharing a room, we left her in the bassinet as long as possible. but seeming as how she is as long as the bassinet itself, i thought it was time. hopefully our house will sell soon so that she can have some space to herself!

ick

2010-05-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

why does dried oatmeal turn into cement? its so gross.

little lady

2010-04-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

this is miss four months old.
she enjoys eating, sleeping, filling her britches, and bright shiny objects.
her spare time is filled with giving raspberries and eating her hands.

lets all give her a hearty welcome.

blech...

2010-04-29T09:58:00.001-07:00

washing the blinds by hand has got to be the absolute worst household chore.

seriously.

if only my fairy-godmother-cleaning-lady would come and rescue me.

sigh

and just because it looks boring without a picture.
here's yours truly.

welcome. welcome.

2010-04-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

the newest member of our extended family. my brother's cute new little man.. awwww.

oh, yes i did..

2010-04-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

this turned out SO cute. made this one for mia and am planning a matching one for layla..
girl stuff is so cute!!

goofball.

2010-04-19T09:31:00.001-07:00

usually, this is what i get...

but today, i was lucky.. and she gave me a little bit of this..
(along the same lines as the first)

but then i got this and i almost peed my pants.

and lastly this one. i wanted to cry. she's just so cute.

a letter of thanks

2010-04-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Dear miscreants,

thank you.

i whole heartedly appreciate the way you gave purpose to my life this past saturday. for you see, i had no concrete plans to do anything. because you were so giving of your spray paint and minimal artistic abilities, i was able to dedicate a good half hour to washing my fence, BY HAND. well, lets be honest. more like scraping my fence, with my fingernails and a wash rag.

perhaps it was my own fault for installing the fence and interfering with your trespassing upon my property and surveying my home for valuables. i have indeed made the temptation too great and a vinyl fence is such an apt canvas. who could pass it up?

although i must say, if there had been a bit more effort or creative genius involved, i might have even left your "art" up a bit longer, but the lackluster effort and lazy scrawl of "AS" along my fence line just wasn't what i was looking for in my neighborhood art gallery. i'm sure the 7 seconds you dedicated to my fence was well spent in your eyes.

again, a heartfelt thank you for singling us out. we are ever grateful you bestowed your mediocre talents upon us.

love,

me

rewind

2010-04-09T12:43:00.001-07:00

REWIND:

i'm slow. i know.. easter was last weekend. eh. better late than never, right?

we dyed our eggs earlier in the week using good old fashioned food coloring. none of those fancy schmancy egg kits around here. no sireee. we are cheap and easy. food coloring and crayons.

i like to keep it classy.

and its not egg dying if you dont have a few broken and cracked ones right? especially with little hands that just cant wait to help.

voila!

FAST FORWARD:

went to grandma's for the egg hunt and dinner. mmmm... dinner.

our hooligans dressed up like bunnies. or bunny hooligans.

mia immediately opened every egg. we tried to coax her into finding more, but she was very content with the first one. we finally got through to her.

dont you love our high tech easter baskets? i was too cheap to buy any. and my MIL made these cute ones.
but i did get a few on the after easter sale for next year. i'm such a good mom!

it was all fun and games until someone's bunny sack tore.

OH THE HORROR!
seriously.

he RAN in the house, inconsolable and wouldnt stop crying.

until i told him we could fix it. with tape.

see? i wouldnt lie.

he's such a tender heart.

pseudo spring

2010-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

well, if mother nature insists on torturing us
i will retaliate by eating all the fruit i can.

2010-04-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

i've just been in love with the ruffle bum onesies, so i decided to make a few more. the others i put on 18 month sized onesies, so she wont be able to model them for a while, but i did this one on a smaller one. i love it! especially with the leggings!

peter cottontail

2010-03-31T11:11:00.001-07:00

in all his bunny glory...

lizzy..

2010-03-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

oh.. i really want/need new family pics. and i'd prefer to get them for free.. and isnt lizzy's work amazing? check her out.. go. now!

http://www.lizzythebotanist.com/2010/03/liz-anderson-photography.html

windy cindy

2010-03-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

you know how sometimes you get a really great... something?

like say, a KITE.

(i know, i get great kites ALL THE TIME!)

well. sometimes you just dont want to share your totally awesome space shuttle kite.

but, your mom says you have to.

even with your little sister.

its a rough world.

but it's better with a kite.

a totally awesome space shuttle kite.

unless your 3 months old.

then its just a rough world any ole time, kites be dammed.

butter. booger. same thing.

2010-03-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

i was feeding layla in the bedroom.

they were supposed to be eating their dinner.
BBQ beef sandwiches, to be exact.

all was quiet, but a little giggling.

then this:

"mooooom!"

selective avoidance

"mom! mia has a booger."

ok. no big deal. a booger.

"mom! mia's wiping her booger on me!"

ok. no big deal. a booger.

"mom! mia put her hands in the butter!"

hmm.. booger hands in the butter? not ideal, but im still feeding layla.

"MOM! MIA'S WIPING BUTTER ON ME!"

i had better go see what's going on here.

oh boy.

booger. butter. mayo.. its all the same right?

does this happen to anyone else?

2010-03-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

a little story.
a shower story.

(stop imagining me naked.
well, okay.
if you must)

nine times out of ten when i get in the shower,
i get this..

i call it "the nub".

why is it still in the shower?
it's basically useless.

unless you call slipping out of my fingers and going down the drain, just to clog the pipes, useful.
and i never notice it until after im IN the shower, totally soaked, and really warm.
at that point, getting OUT of the shower is the last thing i want to do.

the 4 year old tried to help, but couldnt see the new ones.

hence, the large puddle of water on the floor.

yay.

see why i missed it? oh, its there alright..

the end.

sorry. not a very thrilling story..

the hippity to the hip hip hop..

2010-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

nothing says fun like some good ole' sidewalk chalk.

spring?

2010-03-18T10:41:00.001-07:00

i got rid of a whole lot of that...

to make room for lots of this!

(come on spring... you can do it!)

32 by the blue...

2010-03-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

...or not. that was to be our slogan for this year, but since we haven't made any progress towards any large oceanic bodies of water, we'll have to readjust.

in the meanwhile, we had a pretty awesome birthday for our man-of-the-house.

complete with golf,
mini golf,
papa johns (a rare treat),
whole fruit margaritas (sans tequila),
chocolate applesauce cake,
and sugar free ice cream...

overall, it was a pretty good birthday. at least he said it was!

looky here!

2010-03-13T15:57:00.001-08:00

i made this last night, in about an hour.
(the shirt, that is. not the baby. they take WAAAAAY longer. )

it turned out pretty cute. but so did the baby. ;)

*edited: tutorial for the ruffle bum is here. along with applique instructions and tips*

of girliness

2010-03-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

it's been a long time since i used a purse. and i mean a LONG time. i've been so accustomed to carrying around just a cigarette case with my cards, but it seems like i always need more things/space/etc. so when i saw this sweet little mustard number, i couldnt resist. should be good for diapers, wipes, and a credit card. amongst other things.

jonas insisted on carrying it during the store. at that point, it became a man bag, not a purse.

overheard: Hey! Cinderella, you can marry Belle!
(not by the girl...)

when putting on our shoes to go to the store:
Hey mia! you want to wear your glass slippers?

i too enjoy sleeping with one eye open.

about time..

2010-03-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

i figured it was probably about time for a new header, seeming as how it isnt fall (i bypassed winter entirely) and we have another member in our family. whaddya think?

what i wouldnt give!

2010-03-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

oh, please. purdy please....

http://www.haveanepiphanie.com/home/2010/2/28/epiphanie-give-away.html

party time

2010-03-08T10:05:00.001-08:00

yesterday was layla's blessing so we had a big ole party for her.
even though she slept through most of it. i guess i'll forgive her.

i love her little flower i made. it turned out pretty cute.

my mom crocheted her dress in 2 and a half weeks,
cuz i thought it would be great to give her short notice.

i'm nice like that.

isnt it beautiful?

our family photo, compliments of my dad.

the post party let down.. hope the hangover isnt too bad.

skills to pay the bills...

2010-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

sleep tight...

2010-03-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

so i meant to make this blanket for mia, when she was a baby and just never got around to it.. and now my friend from high school is having her first baby (a girl) and i thought, what a great present!

and, i already have all the stuff! score!
these baby blankets are SO cute. and because it uses so much fabric, they are heavy and warm.

ingredients: 5 different colors of flannel. one for the back and four for the top.

lay the back face down and then the others all face up, in the order you want them. the color you want to show through as the bottom one (the peek-a-boo layer as i call it) and then the others on top of it.. (make sense? not really til you see it.)
i used the ladybug pattern for the back, then the green for the peek-a-boo layer, and then a white polka dot, pink, and light green stripe.

(i've heard a polkadot back is easiest because you sew between the polkadots.. just an fyi)

then you sew diagonally across the entire thing, 1/2 inch apart. (through all 5 layers of fabric).

then on the top, cut through the top 3 layers of flannel, in between the seams you've sewn.
NOT CUTTING the peek-a-boo layer.

*edited* i just used regular scissors to cut through the top 3 layers of fabric (and my hand killed by the time i was done!) but you can buy snippers that zip through it. i did all 3 at the same time as well. just make sure you dont cut the bottom 2 layers.

bind your quilt, wash, and dry.. oh, so cute..

(bind me, BIND ME!)

the finished product!

a little late...

2010-03-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

so i finally got the announcements mailed out.

i had them designed and printed like the week we came home from the hospital, but just havent gotten around to sending them out.

but now they are.. and here it is..
i am in LOVE with it.
seriously.
i love the way it turned out.

just because...

2010-02-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

birthday

2010-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

so i try to make a "fancy" cake for each birthday.
and i make them from scratch.
that way i can avoid unnecessary ingredients that come in boxed cake mixes
and can use wheat flour as well.

so i spent ALL day the day prior to jonas' birthday prepping the cake.
only to find the wheat flour RUINED the cake and i had to start all over. argh!

jonas also made sure to tell people that his cake was all "scrumbled" and
"my mom doesnt know how to make cakes." thanks.

but i did end up with a FABULOUS lemon filling.. mmm. delish!

and jonas was sick all day and ended up just laying about being a slug.
in fact, we've all been sick, laying about being slugs.

jonas picked his birthday dinner which consisted of strawberries, jello, and hot dogs.
yum. dinner of champions.

and it all ended with eating cake and ice cream, opening gifts,
and playing with the new food cutting set.

actually.
i ate like 3 pieces because the kids refused to eat theirs.

after all that work! honestly. the nerve.

ruby red slippers

2010-02-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

"look mom, they fit just PERFECT!"

FORE!

2010-02-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

haha.. but really it should be FOUR.
jonas that is.
my little mandingo.
very cliche, but they grow up so fast!
really!

AND
it makes me feel old. i have a 4 year old. whew!
next year will be even worse!

i'll post more birthday pics later.
right now, i have laundry to do.
and dishes.
and its garbage day. and...

well, you get the point.

rockin' the hawk

2010-02-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

fyi... punk isnt dead. its mainstream.

after numerous BAD haircuts we decided just to make it easy.
and i mean REALLY easy. on him, on us, and whomever is cutting his hair.

this was the sucker he got from cookie cutters.
he demanded it be included in the picture.

no teasing allowed

2010-02-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

so we finally got mia in to the eye doctor (it only took 3 months) and they said that she does need glasses. we have mixed feelings about it. i mean, it could definitely be worse but she's only two! nobody wants to have to wear glasses at two.. bleh. anyways, we took her to pick them out and seriously, she is so cute in her glasses.

and she WANTS to wear them! thats half the battle! but, i guess when your life has been blurry and these 'new sunglasses' magically make things a bazillion times clearer, i can understand her reasoning.

and because i didnt want anyone to think i'd sold the boy, here's a pic.
it's like he was getting ready for his senior pictures! hah.

anatomy of sandwich eating

2010-02-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

does anyone else find it oddly funny the way kids eat sandwiches? they always go right down the middle and then wonder why their sandwich is falling into two pieces?

back by popular demand

2010-02-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

i know.. i'm a total slacker. i havent posted any pics of layla, so here are a few from today. she's gained a lot of weight and is an excellent baby! she's so quiet and sleeps so well at night. she's a dream! and pretty cute too.

check out all her hair!
although, in the front, she's got some pretty sweet male pattern baldness going on!

im pooped!

2010-01-27T20:38:00.000-08:00

it seems that layla has two mothers. one who actually does work and another who likes to think she is extremely helpful.

like, announcing anytime she cries that,

"waywa need hers binky!"

and then she will RUN to the bassinet or chair, find said binky, and then RUN back to wherever layla is and try desperately to insert the binky into her mouth - whether she really wants it or not.

or if layla is lying on the couch or bed, she will come up and lightly kiss her on the head and then ackwardly try to stroke her face or arm, because she isnt quite sure what exactly to do. she just knows that she wants to give her a love of some sort.

its very sweet.

and she gets very excited if in her wild flailing movements one of layla's hands or feet grazes hers and she'll exclaim, "waywa touch me!!"

but, just like any new mom...

...this mothering thing is hard work!

my best

2010-01-26T18:30:00.001-08:00

while *trying* to take a nap

j: mom, i love you.
m: i love you.
j: you're my best girl.
m: you're my best boy.

{silence}

j: mom, is a blimp a spaceship?

well, maybe its snot.

2010-01-17T10:31:00.001-08:00

babies shouldnt get sick. especially when they are brand new. i hate hearing them all stuffy and congested.

i went through 4 - count them FOUR - tissues with the booger sucker.
and she just wailed.. im sure it feels like i'm sucking her brains out, but its nice to NOT hear her breathe.

she'll thank me later, i'm sure.

oh the injustice!

2010-01-09T14:46:00.001-08:00

i dont like cake. i mean, if its really good cake, i'll eat it and enjoy it.

even if its crappy cake, i'll still eat it because i hate seeing stuff go to waste.

but i just dont really dig cake.

pie on the other hand... mmmm...

i love pie.

really.

just about any kind of pie (short of the cow variety).

so for my birthday, i requested a lemon meringue pie.

and good to his word, the hubby came through!

so we put the candles in, sang the well loved song, and all blew out the candles.

together.

this is where tragedy struck.

OH! the HORROR!

how dare you!

LIFE is not F.A.I.R.!

"i was supposed to blow out the green one and you did it instead!"

sad, i know. i mean, i directed all my air AWAY from the green candle, but you know how fickle air can be.. that she devil.

anywho. the wailing finally stopped.

and i enjoyed my birthday pie. mmmmm..

ps.. notice my face?

oh.. not the gorgeous blue eyes or the bright white horse teeth..

its the size.... its back to NORMAL! hooray for me!

2009-12-30T12:59:00.000-08:00

and the wait is over. our bebe is here! and gosh, is she cute!

the labor was HARD but worth it. if you can stomach a natural delivery i recommend it. the recovery is a million times easier!

ho ho ho

2009-12-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

just because they are cute. and all dressed up in christmas church clothes!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-15T13:00:00.000-08:00

i just thought i'd put this out for everyone, whether you get one in the mail or not.

i hope your holidays are filled with love and happiness.

and the new year with many blessings and wonders.

brace yourself

2009-12-11T20:56:00.000-08:00

seriously.. the upcoming pictures are not pretty. if you are faint of heart or have a weak constitution, you might want to consider just turning away now. it ain't good.

i had my 36 week appt and have come to the conclusion that i just may have a baby rather soon. like, BEFORE the end of the year. or SOONER! yikes.

and one tell tale sign? MY FACE! or should i say some other person's face that is somehow stuck on mine but much squishier and rounder than mine usually is. the water retention at the end is ridiculous! i mean, my calves look like big round tube mailers they use to send posters in.

i no longer have calve muscles! what?

not to mention the cankles. ugh... i hate not seeing my ankle bones.

but really.. its like a train wreck, every time i walk past a mirror i cant help but look!

oh well... soon enough i'll be back to normal. and the man will be whipping me back into shape crossfit style.

although, i do wonder why i seem to get more compliments when i'm pregnant than when i dont look like i have a bowling ball stuck under my shirt. odd?

i'll let the evidence speak for itself.

i know, i know.. i look so hot in that hospital gown.. meeee-ow!

metric

2009-12-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

this acoustic version is amazing! i think i like it better than the real one.

adore

2009-11-27T08:55:00.000-08:00

another page for a challenge at three paper peonies. seriously, her papers and stuff are so great! if you want some good stuff for your collection, check her out. plus, she's still doing freebies. i'm sure soon enough, she'll be snatched up by a store and then i'll be spending more money i shouldnt.

hop, skip, and a jump!

2009-11-24T10:54:00.000-08:00

oh, i'd love this... so fantastic for maternity!!

The Hop, Skip and a Jump Maternity Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

because i'm sort of crazy...

2009-11-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

so. maybe its because of this.

or maybe its because i have my mothers brain and i forget EVERYTHING.

either way, i'm easily sidetracked.

i pour a glass of lemonade

have a sip

get called into the bedroom by a 3 year old

end up doing heaven knows what

pick up some toys

decide to clean the counter in the bathroom

have to break up a fight

need to change a diaper

check my email

and go into the kitchen

after an hour and a half to find,

oh yeah! i had a glass of lemonade to drink..

or...

put mia down for a nap

help jonas find buzz lightyear

then end up racing the cars

pick up more toys

wind up laying on the bed with jonas so he'll take a nap

end up falling asleep as well

wake up

walk into the kitchen to do the dishes and find...

the sandwich and all the makings i had started earlier

still sitting on the counter

all warm and not as delicious after being out for 2 hours.

nice stale bread and warm cheese.

does this happen to anyone else?

jingle jingle

2009-11-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

need your christmas cards? i've got a few up my sleeve.. email me for more info on pricing, etc...

Arrrr!

2009-11-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

today is pirate day. and this is my pirate. it has nothing to do with halloween. we have been noticing that her one eye is being sort of weird and we think it might just be weaker than the other. our home dr (aka, web MD) suggested using an eye patch to let the weak eye become stronger. so, we will try it. and then ask the REAL dr. when we go in for her appt in a few months.

this is as she says, "ARRRRR".

i had to promise treats if she would wear the patch.. she calls it her pirate.

(and yes, she is wearing jonas' old lizard pj's! i think its so cute!)

boo... or maybe buzzz.

2009-11-04T11:03:00.001-08:00

happy halloween.. more later, when i have time!

my sweet little bumble bee.

workbook giveaway

2009-10-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

this is from the amazing Skye Hardwick. the workshop i just took. she has amazing advice and knowledge. check it out!

http://www.soulographer.com/blog/2009/10/workshop-workbook-giveaway/comment-page-1/#comment-759

spooky!

2009-10-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

so these were my activity day projects for the girls.. then i figured since i already had all the stuff, i might as well make some for me!

i LOVE them! they were so easy and cute!

(for the instructions go to not so idle hands or our best bites)

by day - seemingly harmless

by night - so spooky!!

a mummy, just in case you couldnt tell.

AND...

my brother usually hosts the halloween party for my family and normally comes up with something grotesque to eat. this year was no exception.

like i said,

grotesque.

and, a little funny. ;)

family

2009-10-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

these are my nieces. arent they so amazing? and just like sisters they cat fight and are each others best friend.

it was so fun seeing the fam and hanging out. halloween party pics to come.

millions of peaches, peaches for me.

2009-10-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

first there were the tomatoes.. LOTS of tomatoes.

then the peaches. oh, the delicious peaches. the sweet, juicy, ripe, decadent peaches...

and lastly, the apples. mmmm.. i love the smell of fresh apples.

i love being able to use the fresh homemade produce. its SO much better.

i feel so domestic!

neighbors

2009-10-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

i really do have great neighbors. and great looking neighbors. check them out!

click the image to see a few more.

{sigh} vacation {sigh}

2009-10-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

{sigh}

i miss you california.

utah is a cold hearted woman.

maybe we'll meet again someday.

{sigh}

oh snap.

2009-10-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

10 gingersnaps left at bedtime.

1 good night's sleep.

2 adults sleeping in while the kids played nicely and quietly at 7:00 am.

1 good morning wake up from jonas and mia.

finding out why they were so quiet...

2009-10-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

here is just one from the workshop. if you want to see more, click over to the photo blog. the link on the right or just click the picture.

isnt she just gorgeous? look at those eyes!

pie head

2009-10-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

on our last night in laguna beach, i shared the bed with jonas. as we were snuggling to go to sleep we shared this whispered conversation:

me: your hair smells like the ocean.
jonas: my hair is NOT the ocean!
m: no, i mean you SMELL like the ocean.
j: I am not the ocean. mom. go to sleep.

*silence*
(seconds pass)

j: mom, the ocean smells like your hair...

that just melted my heart. he is such a sweet, tenderhearted boy.

awol

2009-10-09T07:51:00.001-07:00

these are the pics brody took of the kids on the beach while i was busy with my workshop. pretty cute, for the camera phone. too bad they are such low res!

change

2009-10-08T09:47:00.001-07:00

this is for another challenge over at three paper peonies. her stuff is so great.

(fyi. i'm normally not a purple person, but this was so elegant.)

i {heart} the beach

2009-10-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

well, we're home. it was glorious. really. its nice to go on vacation. but its always nice to come home. but now i wish i were on vacation again. the weather here is crapola. and the beach.... *sigh*... the beach was so nice. the kids had so much fun catching crabs, looking for sea shells, and running away from the waves. i wish we could live in california.

and the workshop was great. images from it to come!

decisions, decisions

2009-09-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

so i've decided to hang the logan temple picture up in our house, but i cant decide which i like best.. any opinions/suggestions?