I Want....

THIS. 

Really really bad

A good friend of mine has one, and every time I see something that she's made with it I turn absoultely green.  You know, with envy.

So I decided that I think that Bryan needs to get me one for my birthday. I am turning the big 30 in oh, I don't know, around 56 days (give or take).  But who's counting.

I'm already dreaming up the shirts I'm going to make and the sayings that I want to adorn my walls with.

Possibilities = endless.

So I'm also going to enter this contest, along with the countless other people who want one, in hopes that I can win it.

We shall see - worth a shot, right??

Dream big!!

7 Years

For those of you who aren't aware, Mya was born on our anniversary.  So , sadly, it kind of gets thrown aside every year.  But we still pick a day to do something extra special - just not on the actual day of our anniversary :)
This year, we somehow conned my awesome little sister to come stay at our house overnight and watch the monsters.  We decided to go up to the cabin and spend some alone time together.  No getting up early, no restarting Peter Pan over and over again while Lo tries to go to sleep.
We decided to eat all things Midway while we were there, since when we have the girls we try to go out as little as possible and save ourselves (and the other diners) the screams and food-throwing.  We went here for dinner.  It was delicious.  But on our way out, in the dessert case in front, I spotted a little apple pie and decided we should take it with us.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  It is heaven in a tin pan.  I love apple pie - it's probably my favorite dessert.  This was the most delicious pie I have ever tasted.  It was like they went into the backyard, picked apples, and had someone's grandma make the best crust you can imagine, full of love and old lady perfection.  I can't stop thinking about it.  Good thing we're going up again tonight for the weekend, because I might be addicted.
So we spent the night alone, no TV, no movies, talking about our kids and the last 7 years.  About how we sometimes can't believe how happy we still are after all this time. 
The back room in the cabin stays really, really dark because of the trees right outside the window.  It makes sleeping there with no kids waking up at the crack of dawn awesome.  We slept until 9:00 - I think it has been actual years since that has happened.  It was glorious.
In the morning we decided to go to breakfast - also something we NEVER do when we have the kids with us.  I can't remember the name of the cafe we went to, but it's right on Main Street - we've been there for lunch (they have amazing pizza AND ice cream) and saw they had bagel sandwiches.  Um, wow.  Can't even believe how good it was.
Then headed back down to SLC and saw Inception (absolutely blew my mind - loved it).
Came home, completely refreshed, to happy girls who had so much fun with their aunt.  McKell even did Lo's hair in pig tails - too cute.  Thanks again, sister of mine - you are a gem :)
It was such a great little getaway.  We held hands constantly and kissed in public a little too much.  Oh well, deal with it.  We are still so crazy in love and every day I'm amazed at how happy we are.
Love you, Bryan - you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, by far.  I can't imagine life without you.

Happy B Day!

Ready for some pictures??  Good.

We had so much fun on B's big #2.  We started off by going to the zoo - riding the carousel was her favorite part.  She changed animals about 4 times before it actually started.

After a nap we went to Build-A-Bear.  I was a little hesitant to take her, because we took Lo when she was 2 1/2 and she didn't really care.  But Mya is way more into stuffed animals than Lauren ever was.

I was not disappointed - she loved it!

After it was done, she just kept holding it out and saying "I love it" and giving it huge kisses and hugs.  It was the hilight of my day, for sure.

There's nothing like getting your child something they love.

And now the the par-tay!

We had our families over for cake & ice cream Sunday night.

I got a bit Martha Stewart this time, complete with homemade birthday banner and tissue paper balls. 

Blood, sweat, and tears, folks.

And, just so you know, it's Tuesday and I just threw the tissue paper balls away this morning and still can't bring myself to take the banner down.  Because it's just. that. cute.

If you couldn't tell, it was an Elmo themed party.  Mya is absolutely OBSESSED with Elmo.  She sleeps with 3 Elmos every night.  It's kind of ridiculous.

Anyway, check out this cake that MY SISTER made.  Incredible, I know!  She is soooo awesome!

It was quite possibly the most diappointing opening of gifts ever.  She just got fixed on one thing and I opened the rest.  But don't worry, people who gave the presents, she has been in heaven with all of the Elmo books and the rest of her new swag.  Thanks everyone!

The decapitated cake.  We had a challenge going to see who could eat a slice of all 3.5 thick layers.  To my disappointment, nobody could do it frosting and all.

I dared Shara to lick Elmo's head.  Since it was covered in yummy buttercream, it only took about 2 seconds for her to accept.

Then Annie did it as well, but got a little surprise from Mat.

Sorry, Annie, you knew this would be going up on here :)  It was just too funny!!

I still can't believe my baby is 2. 

She has turned from this extremely difficult baby to an absolutely adorable toddler over night.

She gets funnier & funnier every day, and constantly surprising us with her adventurous spirit and her unexpected sentences.

Some things I want to remember about B right now:

She could win a record for saying "Elmo" the most times in any given day

"Mo Mo" (more milk)

"I love it! I love it kisses!"

Her chill time at night right before bed when she sits by herself and quietly reads a book

Constantly walking around in anyone's shoes she can get her grubby little mits on

Saying "ooooh" when she wears something she thinks is pretty

STILL no hair (someday.....someday)

How she can't stand to be awake and have Lo be asleep.  They are inseparable.

We love you B!  So happy to have you in our family - can't imagine life without you!

A Little Bit O'Mya

Lovin' her new apron that matches Lo's.

Will now wear a princess dress for about 10 minutes.  I definitely think she's going to be a bit more of a tomboy than her sister.

Funny little story about the dresses - we were going to a friend's wedding last weekend, and when I told Lauren it was time to get a dress on to leave, she came out with this one and one for her.  She was kind of upset that she didn't have a white dress to wear to the event, so she was going to wear the next best thing.  Part of me wishes we would've let her :)

They have grown very fond of watching movies together in Lo's room on her bed.  I discovered them like this the other day and thought it was the cutest thing ever.

Still trying to master a spoon.  This was yogurt.  It.  Was.  Everywhere.

Came in to see her like this the other day - there are few things I love more in this world than seeing a little kid on a big couch reading a book.

And now, to my favorite recent picture of her. 

She is absolutely obsessed with wearing our shoes.  If I could lock up our shoes, I would, because it drives me insane.  I find shoes EVERYWHERE.

But this was too dang cute.

And I just can't believe that this little thing turns 2 on Saturday.  Seriously!  It's like I woke up one day and my baby was gone and I was planning a party for a 2 year old.

Craziness.

A Minor Lo Update

We've had an eventful last few weeks.

Here's a little snippet of what Lo's been up to:

The Bean Jar. 

I have to give credit to BLOOM for this idea.  It's kind of a "good deed" jar, I guess.  Periodically throughout the day, as I notice my kids doing something good, being nice, doing things without needing to be asked, they get a lima bean (they're the biggest beans I could find) in their jar.  When their jar is full, they get a reward.  Lo's first reward (we're going big on the incentive for the first time around) is to go see a movie in the theater.  This has been a great thing for her behavior.  If she starts to get sassy, I remind her that it's not Bean Jar behavior, and she turns it right around (usually).  For really, really good things I give her 2, sometimes 3 beans and let her put them in   herself.  I want it to fill up pretty fast, because I'm afraid it will lose its effectiveness if the reward takes too long.  I highly recommend trying this out.

Bowling for the first time - she loved it!

New favorite game called "going to bed".  This occupies them for at least 45 minutes a day.

Helping me cook (aka, stir things in a bowl) while wearing adorable new apron.

Learning what a milk moustache is.  And showing me one every time she drinks milk.

As you can tell, things are super exciting around here - beans, milk, laying in bed..... 

You wish your life was this exciting!

Drumroll Please.....

Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the long awaited

CROOKED PLAYHOUSE!!

Lo was very particular about the color blue that it was to be painted

We still need to clean up the rubbage around it, but I couldn't wait to put the pictures up. I have been so excited about this and it seems like it took forever!

Needless to say, Bryan is truly amazing.  He did this entire thing using one episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 and some pictures off the internet.  It has been quite the learning experience for him, but it turned out better than I could've imagined.

It totally pays off to marry a guy who's a combination of handy, ambitious, a problem solver, and very good-looking.

Feel free to pop in any time to come check it out in person. 

And if you'd like one for yourself, let me know :)

Did I mention my husband is AMAZING????

I Feel Old

Maybe it's because I have a daughter going into her second year of preschool and starting dance classes soon.
Or because in a mere 18 days my baby turns 2.
Or because I don't have to take a diaper bag with me when I'm going to be leaving the house for an hour or 2.
Whatever it is, I feel old.
I'm turning 30 in 84 days.  But I've been saying that I'm 30 all year.
I can tell if fruit is ripe by the smell of it.
I can hear my specific child's cry in nursery from the primary room, behind 2 sets of closed doors.
I just finished taking a parenting class (which felt like a weekly date night).
I can make a casserole with anything + cream of mushroom/chicken soup, no recipe needed.
I have mom hair.
I wear my "given up pants" more than I like to admit (though NEVER out of the house).
I spend my time on the internet researching the best ways to get out stains and reading consumer reviews on strollers and car seats.
I look at teenage drivers on the road and think "no way that person is old enough to have a license!".
I have a child who is old enough to have actual conversations with.
I can't sleep in past 7:30, regardless of when I went to bed.
I know.
I am offically old.
And I'm OK with it.
I still stay up until the wee hours of the morning with friends on the weekends.
I don't see any wrinkles (maybe I'm not looking close enough)
I'm still not 30.....yet.
I don't know, I guess I'm just becoming more aware of my age these days.
But I still am loving where I'm at in life.
I'm painfully aware every day that my kids are getting older and with it comes excitement and sadness.
I've never been the mom who wants my kids to stay the same, to freeze them where they're at.
But I do get a little sad when I put outgrown clothes in the bin marked 18-24 months - they get so big so fast!
Yesterday I looked at Mya - at the length of her legs and the tan on her arms.  She became a kid overnight.
She says phrases instead of just words, she sings, she dances, she chooses her shirts in the morning and tries to brush her own teeth.
Life is such a trip.
Every day is the same amount of time, every week, every month, and so on.
But some days seem to creep on by at a snail's pace, then the next flies.
Oh well - I'm getting old and my kids are growing up.
Such is life - enjoy it!