Time...for a craft

I haven't done a project in awhile & decided it is because Parker stopped taking naps back in November...taking away my "crafting time"

Ryler finally got on the same schedule as Parker last May. I was SO EXCITED to have some time to myself in the afternoons. It helped since we were in the process of moving. I was able to clean, pack,etc. Then after we moved in, I was able to paint, decorate, clean, build things, etc & we were able to get quite a bit done in the 1st couple of months.

Then Parker decided that when he napped, he wouldn't be tired until midnight that night.
That lasted about a week before we started pulling our hair out & so we did away with his naps. Woohooo for early bedtime...not so wooohooo for no nap in the afternoon:(

Today the boys were BUSY little boys. Playing & playing & playing. We had preschool & then after preschool, I babysat one of the little boys in my class. Lots of playing outside! Later my sis-in-law brought her kids over so she could take her son to the doctor. More outside fun! I think my boys were in heaven.
But they were also
very
worn
out!

So I wasn't too surprised when they both fell asleep in the afternoon. I had to take advantage of the next hour of quiet.

Should I do dishes?
No way.
Laundry?
Yeah right.
Mop?
No thanks.
Take a nap?
That would be nice, but I know if I laid down, one of the boys would wake up. That is just how it works at our house.
Make something?
YES!
But what?
Who knows???

I came up with a simple Valentine's decoration & it only took about 30 minutes...

If interested in the tutorial, I give more specific instructions HERE

How do YOU find time to get things done during the day???

Happy Birthday Mom!

Last night our family got together to celebrate my mom's birthday!

I can't say enough good about my mom. She is one of those people that can do ANYTHING & EVERYTHING(I wish I could have the talent that is just in her pinky toe!) & gives, gives & then gives some more, when you think she has nothing left to give. She is such a great example to me!

All the grandkids(except Tanner who was home sick) with Grandma & Grandpa!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
I LOVE YOU!!!

Dirt Biking

What do you get when you mix our dirt backyard with a bike?

Hours of pure Bliss!

Who needs grass?
These kids are in boy heaven with all that DIRT.

BUT...
I still want grass.
Someday.

Parker's Day

On Parker's actual birthday, we decided to get the cousins together for lunch at my parent's house. We were going to go to a park, but the forecast showed rain.
We met over there at Noon for Pizza & the kids decorated cupcakes with GREEN frosting...per Parker's request.

He had been INSITING all morning that it was NOT his birthday, that he already had his birthday with Tali!(We celebrated on Sunday). He was being grumpy & I was trying to get him excited. I said, "You are going to get presents!" He said, "NO! I already got presents...it is not my birthday!" Nothing was working. The only thing that FINALLY made him excited about his birthday, was my mom calling on the phone & asking him what color of frosting he wanted. He was so excited that he got to choose & picked GREEN:) & was happy the rest of the day!

Crowding around Parker watching him open his presents!
Powell & Mia gave him a shield/cape/helmet/sword
Mason, Tanner & Gemma gave him a ZhuZhu hamster(my kind of pet!)
Hallie & Abby gave him a tool set

He was in HEAVEN. He seriously could not have been happier!
Thank you all SO MUCH!!!

Saturday, Parker got ANOTHER birthday surprise from our good friends, the Hubers.
They brought him by some gifts AND some for Ryler, so he wouldn't feel bad. They are too nice!
He LOVED the books, fire truck & police car & pajamas...THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Matt took Parker to McDonald's for dinner on his birthday & Parker thought it was so fun to go out with just him & dad! Matt said he had a blast & never wanted to leave!

This is the last BIRTHDAY POST for Parker...until next year!

Vegas Baby!

Just wanted to get this picture in for journaling purposes. This is one my mom took that has almost everyone in it that went on our Vegas trip.

This is all the COUSINS that went to Vegas PLUS my Aunt Becky & Helen, my cousin's foreign exchange student. It was such a FUN group!!!
missing from the pic:
Aunt Shenla, Aunt Donna, Aunt Susie & my mom

3 year & 1 year Well-Checks

Took the boys to the Doctor on Wednesday(yes on Parker's birthday...I'm the meanest mom)
But in my defense, when they called to schedule the appt, I asked if Parker had to get any shots & they said NO, so I figured it wouldn't be too bad to go in on his birthday.

Well..he DID have to get 1 shot & I felt bad that I had told him that he didn't have to.
Ryler had to get 2 shots.
They were both troopers about it!

Here are their stats:

Ryler-1 Year Check-up
Weight: 24lbs 12oz - 60%
Height: 32" - 85%
Head-19.5"-97%

Parker - 3 Year Check-up
Weight-33lbs-60%
Height: 38.25" - 75%

They are both healthy & happy!!!
Dr. gave me some paperwork to go & get Ryler's blood drawn for an Allergy Test.
They will be testing him for soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts & wheat.
I'm anxious to get the results, it seems like he is sensitive to almost EVERY FOOD lately! Dr. also gave me a prescription for eczema for both boys. Hopefully it helps!

3 Years Have Come & Gone

shortly after birth...

Blessing Day...

1st Birthday...

2nd Birthday...

Today...

Parker,
I can't believe you are 3 years old!
I can still remember praying...so very hard...to get pregnant with you.
I still remember my 1st Doctor's appointment, when I got to see your heart beating on the ultrasound...how happy I was for you to join our family.
I was so excited to be a mother & the chance was now mine.
I didn't know what I was doing, but you were patient with me as I tried to be a good mom to you.
You had me wrapped around your finger from day one and I would do anything for you.
Your big brown eyes quickly stole my heart...your daddy's too.
You are always looking out for others and show concern for those around you.
You have a hilarious sense of humor and are quick to laugh!
You are a very smart boy and have the most incredible memory.
I love your love for...sports, trains, cars, wrestling,digging in the dirt...anything that goes along with being a BOY.
I love watching you with your little brother(when you are not knocking him down)
You are such a sweetheart and your face lights up when you see him each morning & you miss him when he goes to sleep.
I love watching you grow & the example you are in our family.
Thank you for wrapping your arms around me every day & telling me that you love me & putting a smile on my face...each and every day.
It means the world to me!

I love you, Happy Birthday Parker!
Love, Mom

FREE BOUNCE HOUSE

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THANK YOU!!!

Celebrate...

Good Times!!!

Someone's turning 3 this week...

We had a fun BIRTHDAY NIGHT @ the Allen's on Sunday!
Talia's birthday was last week & Parker & Whitney's birthdays are this week, so we celebrated with cupcakes & icecream Sunday night:)

He LOVES his Buzz Lightyear gloves from Grandma & Grandpa...

and Mom LOVES his new church clothes from Whitney & Aimee...

Whitney got a pie & Parker & Talia got a cupcake & they all blew out their candles together:)

Parker wasted NO TIME before he started digging in!

I can't believe he is almost 3!
I sure love him!

...I also love the one in red...a LOT.
a Lotta Lot a Lot!

I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee

Won't my mommy be so proud of me,
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Ouch! It stung me!

(Not on his face...despite his rash around his eye from eating something dairy...on his middle finger:( Poor boy!)

Perspective

This is my view out my kitchen window right now...

I went outside earlier to check the damage
(Matt had to dig more trenches lastnight, as the rain continued all last night)

I started to complain to myself.

Our backyard looks like a mess.

I just discovered our office carpet was soaked as well.

I was imagining the time and money it is going to take to fix this mess, as I moved heavy furniture & pulled back the carpet to dry.

Then I remembered these pictures I saw earlier today.

I stopped complaining.

Rainy Day Reminder

I do LOVE this house.

A LOT.

But today is one of those days where I need to remind myself that I'm happy we bought an older home.

You see. It rained a lot lastnight
&
this morning
&
pretty much hasn't stopped raining.

I LOVE the RAIN...

but
unfortunately I noticed it was seeping into our playroom this afternoon!!!
I quickly pulled back the carpet so that it could air out & went outside to assess the problem...

One of the previous owners had built this "flower box" along the back of the house. With a rain gutter on each end, draining from the roof.

Today the flower box was acting as a dam & collecting loads of water in one area & it was seeping into the house.
I went to work immediately, trying to save our playroom...
I pulled a brick out & then dug a little trench to allow the water to drain...

and then another
&
another
&
another...

Our backyard is totally torn up.

I'm soaking wet, because the clouds didn't have the decency to stop pouring rain on my head, during my task.

My feet hurt, because I didn't bother to take off my flip flops while using the shovel.

At least the flower box is drained...

& at least I hadn't showered & got all ready for the day yet...




Oh wait, I had.

Outnumbered

Our house may have 3 boys to 1 girl...but I wouldn't trade it for the WORLD!

I LOVE these 3.

a lot.

A WHOLE LOT!

What Happens in Vegas...

Is written about on my blog:)


What happens when you get 19 1st Cousins, 3 girls that were nice enough to marry into our family, 5 aunts, 1 second cousin & 1 German foreign exchange student together for a Fun-Filled Girls Getaway in VEGAS!?!

I will tell you what happens...

You will have 29 GIRLS that have the TIME OF THEIR LIFE!!!

Not many families could pull off getting together that many people for a Girls Trip AND get along the entire weekend with NO DRAMA!

I LOVE MY FAMILY SO MUCH!!!
We had SUCH a BLAST!!!
(this is only HALF of us!)

10 Things We did while in Vegas...
aka..."what to do in Vegas when you don't drink or gamble"...


1. Stayed up way too late, talking & LAUGHING until we almost pee our pants...

2. Went to see a movie (don't let the picture fool you...we saw LEAP YEAR, not Alvin & the Chipmunks...just thought they were cute)

3. Dressed up in costume to go to the gameshow LET'S MAKE A DEAL

4. Watched my cousin Holly(in purple cape & clown hat) WIN a TV & Living Room Furniture as the VERY 1st CONTESTANT of the show! We were FREAKING OUT!
Then...she was chosen for the "Big Deal" & opted to trade in her prize for the shot at the Big Prize valued at 25,000$$! She traded & picked the right curtain & WON a CAR & a TRIP to Antigua!!
It was SOOOOO Fun to Watch! She was INCREDIBLE! Can't wait til it airs!

5. Went to see the Atrium at the Bellagio
It changes by season & it was decked out for Chinese New Year
Had to get a pic with Holly in MEMORY OF living in China together back in 2002!

6. Watched the Bellagio Fountains(LOVE watching these...they need to do a song every 5 minutes instead of every 30!)

7. Went to the Coca Cola Factory
(spelled our names in Magnets...cuz we are cool!)

8. Went to the M&M Factory

9. Went Shopping! Found gifts for my 3 boys waiting at home:)

10. Ate lots & lots of delicious Food...including a midnight stop at Baskin Robbins for icecream cones!


*********************************

I really can't believe we pulled this trip off!!!

We decided that we left 59 little children at home, 2 of my cousins were pregnant, 4 were still nursing, 5 of the 6 aunts were able to come...which meant Grandma's weren't home to babysit & IT STILL HAPPENED!!!



My mother-in-law & husband are AMAZING & watched the kids, so that I could go & have a GREAT weekend with my cousins! I love them so much! I didn't have to worry for a SECOND...with my kids in their hands!

I especially owe my husband!
After finding out that he & Parker were up all night throwing up Friday night/Saturday morning...I just don't know if the Vegas t-shirt I brought him back is going to cut it...

I love you!!!

Just want to Remember...

Top 10 'Laugh out Loud' Moments in Vegas...
(prob not funny to YOU...these are "had to be there" moments, but I want to remember them!)


1. My mom & Aunt Susie sitting at the slot machines pretending to gamble & Aunt Susie making excited faces for the camera, pretending my mom was winning! These 2 could be voted the most "out of place people" in Vegas, so the thought of them gambling was funny to a lot of us!
2. The theatre employee yelling at my mom for taking a picture of us in the movie theatre & my mom arguing back that she was just taking a picture of us in our seats & not the screen & the guy not caring, getting mad & arguing back that it was illegal!
3. My cousin Kambi telling stories in the hotel room that had us in tears!
4. My Aunt Susan ushering us into the shuttle bus, WHILE holding up her hand not letting anyone else on waiting in line, saying "We were here first, we were here first"-our own little Mother Hen:)!
5. Accidently going down & up & down...while laughing...in the Glass Escalator outside of Outback, while my Aunt Shenla watched from the ground, thinking we were a bunch of nuts!
6.Running on stage at Lets Make a Deal when my cousin won a Car/Trip & Wayne Brady's face...as he asked WHO IN THE WORLD these 30 women were that were rushing the stage!
7. Taking a group picture at the Bellagio & everyone leaning in so tight, that we ended up toppling over eachother & ended up on the ground, laughing uncontrollably!
8. The doorman at the Tropicana that opened the door as he saw 20 crazy girls in costume & smiled & asked, "Did you know they are taping Let's Make a Deal here today?" I thought he was pretty funny!
9.My mom POINTING & gasping at the girls outfits that worked in our hotel casino!
10. The flight attendants on our flight TO Vegas were hilarious! The type that LOVE their job & are cracking jokes over the loud speaker every 2 minutes & made it a funny flight!