2010 Wrap up

It has been a long time since I blogged with the holidays and being out of the country I haven't done much of anything lately, except try to manage the chaos.  I think a good way to close out this year is to back track and list my highlights of this last year.

1.  Hooray for Jeff back to work in 2010.  This helped my stress level immensely not just monetarily but my sanity as well.
2. Getting to see Sunday grow through her first year.  Thank goodness we made it.  Was a little hairy in the beginning there.  Looking back I think we/I learned a lot.
3. We got to take a camping vacation this year.  Was good to be out in the fresh air.  Braelee enjoyed it and even jumped off the back of the boat into the middle of the lake.  Her favorite quote from the trip was telling Steve to "Hit it" in the boat.
4. We started some home improvement projects this year due to a fingernail polish mishap :(  However, they are not fully complete.  I am hoping that 2011 will bring these to a close.
5. We had a good time this fall seeing Braelee participate in dance and gymnastics class.
6.  Yeah Zumba.  We are destined to become good friends in 2011.
7.  I enjoy seeing Braelee and Sunday beginning to play with each other.  It is very entertaining and lessens the load on me for constant entertainment :)
8.  The craft group has been a much needed interaction with adults and gives me an outlet to actually be creative.
9. Christmas was good the girls were spoiled.  Fun to see them excited opening their presents.
10.  Participated in my first Portland to Coast race.  Was exhausting and fun at the same time.  Highlight: walking 4 miles at midnight in the pitch black in the middle of nowhere.  Lovely.
11.  Lastly, how could I forget my much needed vacation.  7 days with no children.  Was relaxing, just what I needed after having a rough couple of years.

Some Random Photos of 2010

Catch Up

So I haven't blogged for a little while so here are some random things that have gone on in our household over the last weeks.

1. Halloween has passed.  Braelee had a lot of fun trick or treating and then was dissappointed the next day when people started taking down their decorations.  Now she is looking forward to Christmas.
2. I have tried 2 Zumba classes.  It is a lot of fun and hopefully I don't look completely ridiculous.
3. The other night Braelee walked around the house announcing that "my job is um, I am 3 1/2.  Um, so my job is..."
4. Jeff got a new truck this last weekend.
5. The girls are still coughing, a cloud of sickness has taken up around our house.
6. I had the girls take some pictures in the fall leaves was fun.
7. Braelee is riding her bike without any help. Minus the turning part.
8. Jessica and Chenzi came over to make cakes and Braelee was excited.  Keeps talking about her friend Chenzi.

Just a little tid bit into the last week of our lives...

 P.S.  My grass is in and green... Yeah!

 Jessica and Sunday

 Chenzi and Braelee with their creations

 Sunday napping while dad looks at trucks



Feeling crafty

So I have decided to try and organize a monthly craft group I am hoping that it will be lots of fun for us ladies to be able to join together and get to visit and be creative.  Fabulous.  I am just hoping that it will all work out.  Trying to fit into the schedules of 6-8 busy ladies can be a challenging task.  Well however it turns out I am excited at the idea and I think it could be loads of fun.  Now on to finding the ideas....

Halloween Preview

So I have been wanting to put the girls into their Halloween costumes to see how they look together.  It was so cute Sunday is great as the bunny and Braelee as Alice is very cute.  They only sat still for a few seconds, so I quickly snapped a few pictures in our poorly lit living room shortly before bedtime.  This was the result.  By the way.... Noise level still on high around here.  Had a phone call and the person on the other end asks "What is going on over there?" Me- "Nothing its always like this.  Don't you wish you were here!"

Blogger is giving me issues first the video wouldn't load now I can't upload pictures from my computer.  WTH  I will try again but if I continue to try right now Jeff may come home to a smashed monitor.  Oooops.

Finally I succeed...............

Noise!

The noise level in my house has reached an all time high.  Today was so loud that I could barely stand it.  You would think with only 3 people here that it would not get that ridiculous, but we have found a way.  Braelee and Sunday have decided the best way to communicate with each other is through screaming.  Then for extra fun when they don't get what they want/get hurt/don't share/I walk out of the room the screaming cry comes into play, and it follows me where ever I go.  Are you kidding!  Sunday was in rare form she was whiny pretty much all day until about the last hour where her and Braelee were playing a game (albeit a screaming one).  But at least they were screams of playfulness not whining. 

I tried to upload the video but it was too large apparently.  Annoying!

I succeeded here it goes. However, the noise level diminished once I started recording.  I assure you it was much louder prior.

DaUnTiNg

So I have been haunted by the fact that I tons of pictures that I have never printed and have uploaded to the computer but not backed up.  It seems like an overwhelming task to back up the existing files, upload/order prints, and then actually format my SD card so there is not 800 pictures on my camera at all times.  I just don't even know where to start.  I need someone to do it all for me.  I went from being a very well organized person, to someone who lives in a constant state of chaos.  Nothing of mine has a place or the place is so small that only 50% is able to be crammed in the area.  Leaving the other 50% to be buried somewhere currently not easily accessible.  So annoying.  So as I rant on about the millions of pictures currently taking up residence on my computer hard drive but no where else.  I will look back a randomly select a few that I thought were fun. Daunting as it is....

One more day

I am glad it is Wednesday I am ready for the week to be over. However, that means my other full time job begins.  Arg... never a moment of peace.

Yikes

So, my goal to blog daily is a little rocky.  It was a weekend away at the coast.  Braelee got to run around outside because the weather was nice.  Lovely.  I was able to get some baking done for a birthday cake I said I would make.  It was a rocky process but I think the end result turned out pretty cute. I am going to shoot for blogging more often this week.  Very excited, tomorrow I get my braces off.  After nearly 2 years, yes!  Most people won't wonder what I am talking about because I did the invisalign braces, but I have so many clear notches on my teeth that I can hardly wait until they are gone. 

 Here are a few pictures from the pumpkin patch and the cake that I made.

On a side note Braelee informed me today that she played Hide and Seed at the sitters today with some of the girls and Sunday is getting some new upper teeth.  Laterals or canines, can't quite tell.  Of course she doesn't have the centrals yet, but the timing couldn't be better.  She will look like a vampire for Halloween.  One small problem, I already purchased the bunny costume. Ooops...

Halloween

So I bit the bullet and finally ordered the bunny costume I have been eyeing for the last week.  Braelee will be Alice (courtesy of the Disney store) and Sunday will be the cutest bunny in her Tom Arma costume.  Can't wait to take their pictures.  Now to decide if I should follow my thoughts of dressing as the Queen of Hearts. Hmmmm....

Ok... so it has been a week since my last post.  Nothing terribly exciting has been going on.  Did a photoshoot with Kristen today (fun) will be fun to see the pictures.  Back to work tomorrow. yeah! 

Monday catchup

Last night was tons of fun at the Jack Johnson concert.  5 rows from the stage.  I could actually see the facial expressions of all the band members without having to look on the big screen.  Yes!

Finally got my hair done today.  Went back to brown. A lot less maintenence.  Also, finally purchased a pair of boots I have been looking at for 2 years now.  (and I don't even feel bad about the purchase; we are making progress :)

Back to work tomorrow.  Joy.  Enough for now hopefully tomorrow will be great.

Saturday Run down

Woke up an hour before I needed to get up (thank you Miss Sunday) and of course yesterday when she slept in the other one woke up early. Can't catch a break.

Went to gymnastics class today. Braelee is doing great.  Followed along the whole class got to do the bars today for the first time she enjoyed "swinging like a monkey."

On the way home she requested that we listen to  "the leggings song" which translates to "single ladies" apparently we are a little off.  :) However, I was able to decipher when she told me is was "put a ring on."  We have then heard the song about 10 times thus far; needless to say I am beginning to like it less and less.

I actually started and finished a craft during nap time.  A calender page for the month of October that has a peel away candy corn for each day; so I can demonstrate when it is time to trick or treat and hopefully she will stop asking every day.

Sunday is beginning to get into everything.  Followed Braelee into the bathroom and tried to put her hand in the bowl while Braelee was still sitting there.  Yuck!

I am trying to start my project life album.  So this should be fun to keep track of everything.  However, one major hitch.  I will actually have to get photos printed so that I can put them into the album.  This will be challenging.

Braelee is also into singing Old McDonald, however it goes a little something like this.  "Elmo had a farm e-i-e-i-i and he had a chicken e-i-e-i-i, elmo had a farm, etc...."  It is kinda garbled but the Old McDonald is so smushed together it sounds like elmo.  Wierd kid.

Hopefully tomorrow is a great day.  Evening should be fun Jack Johnson with the girls.  Good times!

Lack luster

I am feeling a little lack luster about blogging today since it is already 10pm.  I will not drag this on, just list some of the interesting parts of the day.

6am me to Braelee "It's time to get up we need to get going." She, with her eyes still closed rolls over and says "I can't get myself down yet, just a minute."

Sunday is on day two of accidental dairy encounter.... Needless to say she has ruined a few out fits and desitin is now a necessity.

Braelee painted me a picture of a tootsie roll and a lollipop while waiting for dinner. 

Sunday waved to the phone when dad was on speaker phone and was talking to her.  Was so cute, she hasn't done it too many times and it was perfect timing.  Growing so fast...

Lastly both girls went to bed without problems, now lets keep the fingers crossed that they stay there...

Goodnight

Snack Time

Tonight I finally gave into my cravings and made the snack that I have been thinking about since the Cheerios have taken up residence all over my house (thank you Sunday).  It is a delicious concoction made of Cherrios, of course... Peanuts, raisins, butter and sugar.  Where could you go wrong, right?  It is like like a distant cousin to the more popular, caramel corn.  Although equally delicious, this particular snack has a lot more crunch-factor.  For those of you who actually read this and are a little intrigued about this I will post the recipe so that you can test it for yourself.  However, you must heed my warning; this delicious, somewhat ;) healthy snack is wickedly addicting and before you know it the whole batch will be gone.  So if you dare to try you may want to be sure that you have someone to share it with, because it is quite possible that you could eat it all completely by yourself.  Trust me!

Cheerios Snack (courtesy of the Cheerios box, circa 1980 something, my mom made this when we were kids)

Not the actual box from 1980 something, just the one I had in the cupboard.  That would be wierd

 Pouring the liquid mixture over the Cheerios

 Extreme close up

1/2 c. Margarine
1 c. Brown sugar
1/4c. Light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp Baking soda
6c. Cheerios
1c. Peanuts
1c. Raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat 1st 4 ingredients in sauce pan until bubbly around the edges.  Cook 2 more minutes after that.  Remover from heat and stir in soda until foamy light color.  Pour over the Cheerios mixture and put into oven for 15 min.  (Side note once you pull the pan out of the oven you may want to stir up the mixture; because if you let it cool completely it will stick to the pan and be very hard to get out. )  Enjoy!

Fall

 Some of the decorations that are around the house, enjoy....

 Braelee and her new found hobby, painting.  She asks to paint all the time.

 She needed the new spider (decorations) to watch her paint.  Every artist needs an audience, I guess.

Sunday having a snack while I decorate the Picasso paints the newest master piece.

As I get older I am beginning to love fall more and more.  When I was younger I like the Christmas holidays (for the obvious reasons: the loot).  I also was a fan of the summer because that meant swimming, sunshine, cute clothes and warm weather. (I still enjoy the summer however, there are a few hiccups in my giddiup now)  I no longer swim with out a water outfit (because I can no longer be seen in a swimsuit; thank you children) and the cute clothes are no longer flattering with some excess me squeezed in, so..... I have been changing my perspective one season at a time.  Now I enjoy the fall: the weather, the clothes (jeans and the occasional sweatshirt), the smells, the colors, and the decorations.  It is official people I am a new found believer in autumn.  And for this I have been very motivated to decorate for the up coming holiday one of my favorites Halloween.  Here is a few photos of the decorations that have recently taken up residence around my house.

Ooops

So my idea to blog daily is already off to a bad start.  For the last two days I have been busy re-doing my front lawn.  Everything was tilled, raked, tilled again.  Finally we were ready to seed.  Hopefully soon we will have a new beautiful lusciously green lawn.  In other words I have been busy during most of the day and then when we finished for the evening I was too tired to even think about logging on to the computer.  So, today marks the end of my hiatus.  Soon to come pictures of the lovely grass.  Fingers crossed.

SImple v. Material

Okay, so today I once again thought about a problem that is brewing in our house.  We are becoming overwhelmed by stuff.   I don't consider myself a hoarder but I always wonder what the neighbors think when they watch me step out of my car with yet another bag.  We have a small house and it is becoming over filled quickly.  This makes me think; what could we do without?  Do I really need the new pair of shoes, the decorations, those jeans for the girls.  I have found myself lately wanting a simpler existence.  One where I am free of  material needs.  You have the essentials and you are perfectly content.  The problem for me is that I want to throw everything out one minute; the next I have spotted the newest technological gadget or latest fashion trend and feel like I should have it.  I am constantly trying to live two lives.  This is something that has been bothering me lately (obviously not enough to change).  Until I figure out a solution I will keep trying to keep my dual personalities at ease.  Hopefully this idea will encourage others to think about what they could live with out.  Until next time.

Here goes nothing

So lately I have become a lot more aware of the world of blogging.  I made a rather weak attempt at it a year ago.  However, recently I have been inspired by many wome who have started a blog as a way to journal/recount their family activities, habits and overall chaos.  Also many of these women are using these blogs to swap ideas, crafts, photos, recipes.  You name it someone probably has a blog about it.  So I thought why not jump in.  I have a always wanted to be a follower of trends :) In addition I (in a previous life) was an avid crafter/scapbooker/creator.  Unfortunately, those activities/times are becoming few and far between so I am thinking pehaps by setting up a blog I will be able to recount our families activities (since I was never much of a journal writer) and at the same time get inspired to actually create something that people may be interested in reading.  Emphasis on MAY.  All in all the idea behind my new project random, is to blog about something (hopefully on a daily basis) that is just a random thought, idea, occurance or whatever my heart desires everyday for the next year and then next fall to look back on how random my life is and what shaninigan's we have gotten ourselves into.  This should be fun.  More to come...