THE JONESES

8 is GREAT!

2012-01-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we celebrated Kobe's 8th birthday. We just did the usual....blew out candles on a cake and ENJOYED ;) I remember the first few years after his death that I felt like I had to do something big & special or else I would be a bad mother. Is it weird that I don't feel like that anymore. I mean....I know where he is and I know he is doing great things and he is certainly not worried about wether or not we have a big celebration for him. So am I a bad mother??

I just can't believe it's been 8 years. Kobe would be getting baptised this year...a milestone that I should be sad to miss right? But I have a silver lining. My son is already perfect. That gives me joy.

There were a few really difficult months that I wondered how I would ever move on...but I did. Does it mean I forgot? Certainly not. But it's not a tragedy anymore, his life was & is a miracle that I am really grateful for! How often do you get to see God perform such a huge miracle as Kobe was? We are so blessed!!

Happy Birthday Kobe!!!

Snow is fun....when it's warm outside!!

2012-01-17T07:42:00.001-08:00

Since the weather was so amazing during our visit to Utah, we decided to go sledding in Enterprise. It was about 60 degrees and sunny which is definitely my kind of 'sledding weather'. We wore short sleeves shirts and there was no freezing toes or fingers to think about!! Grandma Jones, Mckay & Amanda & Carter, and Kayden & Treyson (cousins) came along for the fun.

I was nervous for Brett and the kids to down the hill. Mostly Brett because it would be really terrible for him to break anything at this point in dental school....we need to graduate in May (it would be terrible at any point, but especially now). Luckily nobody got hurt and we all had a great time. Easton was still sick so he only got in on a few rides, but he seemed to enjoy it. Quinnlyn would go down the hill by herself, but Avery was a little more reserved (I think she takes after me). She would only go if Brett went with her....but she was mostly interested in snowballs anyway.

We had a lot of fun on our Snow Day!!

Healthy Snacking tips….plus a recipe to indulge your sweet tooth (socialmoms)

2012-01-17T07:35:00.001-08:00

It’s been a while since I have done a SocialMoms post and this is a good one for all of us who are making resolutions to eat healthy this year!!

Here are a few things that I plan on doing to keep my New Year resolution:

Keep the junk food out

My family is a huge fan of all things junk!! Unfortunately, I have indulged the cravings by buying lot’s of yummy, but unhealthy treats and snacks. If they are in the house, it’s hard to stay away from them. So my goal is to buy more healthy foods for snack time. I expect a lot of complaining from the kids (and the husband), but hopefully with time, we can all break our sugar addiction!

No depriving

Although I plan on buying more healthy foods, I don’t plan on being the mean mom who doesn’t let my kids indulge a little. In my experience, if I try to cut out all the sugar and fat, all those cravings build up and then I go crazy one day. Everything in moderation right? So grab some pretzels (Snyders of Hanover has several kinds to choose from) and dip them in chocolate or caramel!! Just don’t lick the bowl when you are done.

Limit juices and soda’s

This is such an easy way to cut calories and reduce the amount of sugar you are consuming! My family enjoys juice and soda, but we are far from addicted to it so this one will be quite easy for us. If your kids have to have juice, try diluting with a little bit of water (works better for young children because they don’t notice as much). If you just really dislike water, try adding a few lemon slices (or even other fruit). It’s actually quite refreshing!!

Now even though I plan on eating better this year, I am certainly not going to deprive myself or my family of a treat once in a while. So here is a recipe that is perfect for indulging your sweet tooth.

Pretzel Salad

2 cups crushed pretzels (Synders of Hanover pretzels work well)
3/4 cup margarine, melted
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
4 1/2 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix crushed pretzels, margarine and sugar.
Press crushed pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, and bake in the preheated oven 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Blend together the cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped topping and spread evenly over cooled pretzel mixture.
In a medium bowl, dissolve the strawberry flavored gelatin in boiling water. Mix in strawberries and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
Pour gelatin mixture over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

Enjoy! But try not to eat the whole salad by yourself!!

Like Snyders of Hanover on Facebook

About Snyder’s of Hanover
Our tradition of good taste dates back to 1909 when Harry V. Warehime, founder of Hanover Canning Company, our parent company until 1980, began producing Olde Tyme Pretzels for the Hanover Pretzel Company. In 1963, the Bechtel Pretzel Company, founded by Bill and Helen Bechtel in 1947, was purchased and incorporated into Snyder’s Bakery. Bill developed the original recipe for the Sourdough Hard Pretzel that is still enjoyed by consumers today. More info on Snyder’s of Hanover

*Disclaimer - I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Snyder’s of Hanover blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

More Christmas Eve

2012-01-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

After our Ence party, we headed to my parents house (where we were staying) and the kids opened their traditional P.J's. I know a lot of people do this tradition and it was always one of my favorites growing up. Who doesn't love a new pair of Pajamas???

Grandpa & Grandma Hannig actually bought the Christmas Pj's this year and all the kids got slippers too. Easton loved his car slippers and he looks dang cute in them too! The girls got Hello Kitty Pj's and fuzzy 'boot slippers'. We had a bit of a melt down because there was a size mixup, and one of the girls didn't want to give up her leopard slippers for the pink ones....but we got it all straightened out.

I even got pajamas this year....I live in Pajamas in case you didn't know. Come to my house and I will still be wearing pajamas even if it is afternoon.

Christmas Eve Surprise

2012-01-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

So Brett's family has a tradition of getting together on Christmas Eve at his Grandpa & Grandma Ence's house. It's a' cousin, aunt & Uncle' kind of party so there is usually a pretty big crowd in a very small space. We love this tradition and are always sad when we have to miss it. We decided this was the perfect time to surprise Brett's family with our visit since we hadn't told any of them that we were coming. We didn't do anything elaborate....just sent the kids in first to find Grandma Jones. She saw Easton and had to do a double take on him to realize what was going on. It was fun. We haven't seen most of Brett's siblings since our visit in July of 2010 so everyone's family has changed quite a bit!

During the party we ate, Grandpa Ence read the Nativity story out of the bible while the kids acted it out (a first for our kids at least), sang some songs, listened to some stories, and opened gifts from G & G Ence. It was a great time and we were so glad to be there.

In the pictures (I have to do it this way or it creates a lot of work when I do my blog books):
Easton playing with his magnetic puzzles that he got
The girls got magnetic dress up dolls
Getting ready to open gifts (Easton wanted no part of this)
The kids acting out the nativity (Easton was having no part of this either)
The 'Kids Hallway'. Since the house is so small, the kids get the pleasure of sitting in the hallway while they eat. As I understand it, this is quite the fond memory for Brett and most of the kids who use to eat there ;)

In the past few weeks......

2012-01-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

We drove almost 60 hours from Indianapolis to Utah and back again....
The kids were pretty amazing. Easton had a rough time sleeping in his car seat, but I expected much worse. We drove a night and a day, stayed in a hotel, and then drove the rest of the 10 hours (times two).

We hit up a few holiday family parties

We surprised Brett's family by showing up at the Ence family Christmas Eve party

We got to spend Christmas with our family's (X-mas 2008 was the last time we got to do that)

Most of us had the nasty stomach bug during our trip. Easton first, then Avery, then Brett (on his birthday of all days) and Quinnlyn (and unfortunately my mom picked it up from us). I was the lucky one not to get it because I am a hand washing maniac!!

We ate at all my favorite 'St. George restaurants' that I have been missing so much: Cafe Rio, Taco Time, Marv's (for the fries and fry sauce), Wingers, and Pizza Factory. We didn't hit up In-n-Out so I am still craving it.

I bought a new wedding ring that was entirely out of our budget and I instantly regretted it but they wouldn't cancel my order since it is a 'custom ring'. UGH!!! I am still sick about spending so much money.

We visited with several great friends whom we haven't seen for way too long (unfortunately we weren't able to see everyone we wanted to, but that is what happens when you only have a short amount of time to do so many things)

I got to hang out with some of my sisters who I miss so much. Too bad we can't all be visiting at the same time because we missed Danielle (who lives in Hawaii) and Christie (who lives 2 hours south of Indianapolis)

We celebrated Brett's birthday with a Jones Family get together. He's 31....but still as smokin' hot as ever ;)

We had a boring New Years. Brett stayed awake and watched the ball drop on TV while the rest of us went to bed.

We enjoyed some amazing weather of about 60 to 65 degrees the whole trip!! It was amazing. There were bike rides, and trips to the park, and SUN!

I only took a handful of pictures....like always.
Easton's cousin Burklee was nice enough to share her new trike....somehow I think she got the raw end of the deal :)
Playing with friends at the park
Visiting the brother. I know....he needs some decorations on his headstone.

Some of the Jones grandkids with G'ma Jones at the Christmas Eve party.

We had tons of fun and the drive was totally worth it!! Although I don't want to do it again for a very long time!!

Easton Update....

2011-12-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

He got into the 'pantry' (AKA the corner of my kitchen where all the food is kept) by climbing over the gate. He really wanted those Marshmallows.
Our Fireman on Halloween
Gutting the pumpkin.
Mornings with Dad.

Easton is so much fun these days. He says a new word (or two) everyday and is getting pretty good at communicating with us. He is even starting to put two and three words together. I would list all the words he says, but it could get long and I wouldn't be able to remember all of them. Here are some more things about Easton:

He sleeps with his blanket and Pillow Pet and HAS to carry them downstairs every morning.

He hears the garage open when dad comes home from school and yells: "Daddy" and gets SO excited. Dad can't pick him up fast enough when he walks in the door.

He 'says the prayer' by laying face down on the floor and mumbling something incoherent and then saying Amen! It really is one of the cutest things.

He loves snuggling with his blanket and laughs & giggles when he gets to cuddle up with it.

He likes playing 'puppy'. The girls will put a leash on him and guide him around the room.

He bobs his head and sways to the radio each time we get into the car.

He will copy almost anything we do.

He likes stacking blocks, playing with cars, eating snacks, going down for naps (he will sometimes ask for it), and playing outside.

Still has his binky, and I am probably never taking it away.

He pretends to read by looking at the book and saying a bunch of vowel sounds: 'A-I-O-Eh-E-E-I-A.....' He will also make those sounds when he sees just letters.

He doesn't like nursery if he has to be in there without mom or dad.

He gets super anxious when I start cooking meals and he cries until they are done. He just can't wait!

After family prayer he will hug everybody in the circle....multiple times.

He is the sweetest boy ever!

My Memories Giveaway Winner!-Update-

2011-11-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

The new winner is:

Christie said...

I like the "All I want for Christmas" pack.

November 27, 2011 4:44 AM

And I have her email address so this giveaway is done!

___________________________________________________________________
Since only 6 of you entered, you had an excellent chance to win. I used 'RandomPicker' to choose my winner and it is:

Hilary said...

Definitely the Sundae Scoop Shop:)

November 11, 2011 5:09 AM

Congrats Hilary! You didn't leave an email though so I will give you until Wednesday to claim the prize (email me at chic_style@live.com). If it isn't claimed I will choose another winner.

My Memories Suite Review & My First Giveaway!

2011-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

I have been a ‘Scrapbooker’ for a long time. First it was the typical paper scrapping, then I switched to digital because it was so much easier and a lot less expensive! With three kids, I haven’t been able to do much scrapbooking at all….I just don’t have the time. However, with the MyMemories Suite software, I can sit down for 30 minutes a day and get several pages done!

“My Memories Suite is the #1 rated scrapbook software. Not only is it affordable and fun, it’s also extremely easy. Whether you’re new to digital scrapbooking or a seasoned pro, My Memories Suite is the perfect digital scrapbooking software to use.”

MyMemories Suite makes it easy for me to do all of my digital scrapbooking. They have several ready-made templates that are pretty cute. Of course, I generally choose a blank template so I can add my own background. The great thing about this scrapbook software is that you can add to your collection. The software includes a lot of pre-installed stuff, but if you go online to MyMemories.com, you can purchase even more Digital Kits and templates! And they are automatically installed onto your My Memories Suite Software so you don’t have to worry about it! Already have your own digital kits? No worries! You can use those with the digital scrapbooking software as well!!

I am excited to finally catch up on my kids’ scrapbooks.

Lucky for you, My Memories Suite is giving away MyMemories Software to one of my readers! That means you have an excellent chance because there are only a few of you who read my blog!

How to enter: Visit MyMemories.com and tell me the name of your favorite digital kit in a comment!

Make sure to leave me your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.

That’s it! I made it easy for you!

* The giveaway will end November 28th at 10:00 am. The winner will then be chosen at random, verified and contacted via email. The winner will have 48 hours to email me back and claim the prize, if prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.

*I received the MyMemories Suite Software for the purpose of this review.

Murder at the Circus

2011-10-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Each year that we have been in dental school, the Fortner's have thrown a fun Halloween party. We all dress up, eat yummy food, and enjoy some great company. Since our group has grown about 15 kids since 2008, we decided that during our 4th year, there will be no kids attending parties.

So Bryce and Jenalee threw us an amazing Murder Mystery (at the Circus) party. We all dressed up as circus characters and tried to find out who the Murderer was by talking with all the other characters. It was so much fun and a nice change to the regular 'Hang out and chat' party that we usually have.

The food is always fantastic and nothing is better than spending an evening with some of our closest friends! We had a great time and the only sad part is that this is the last Halloween party we will ever have together (I might cry). I can't even think about that right now!!!

Here are some pictures of our night:

The guys in character.

Just hanging out. Jenna (who is sitting next to me) always wins best costume....and she deserves it every year. Every time I looked at her I laughed :)
The Rowan the Sketchy Midway Director & 'Mystic Mandy' the fortune teller
All the girls in character.

I am going to miss this fun Halloween tradition!!

Ouch.....

2011-10-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

The other day I was out shopping with Easton & Avery. I was holding Easton's hand (yes, I should have just strapped him in a basket) and of course, he was trying to get away, and amid the struggle he fell and hit his mouth on the hard floor.

You can see in the picture that his lip immediately swelled up and there was quite a bit of bleeding. Poor thing.

THE GOOD NEWS: We discovered that the face plant tore his labial frenulum. It was actually connected too far down his gums and his dentist mentioned that it may have to be cut in the future anyway....so at least we don't have to worry about that anymore.

Project...

2011-10-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

The husband whipped this up for me

on Saturday (I painted it).

I kinda like it!

Tips for keeping your family cold and flu-free (SocialMoms)

2011-10-05T12:25:00.001-07:00

I am a self-proclaimed Germ Freak. When Cold & Flu season roll around, I get a lot of anxiety about what kind of sickness my kids will pick up any given week. With both of my girls in school now, it has gotten even worse. Lysol & SocialMoms.com have teamed up with bloggers to get the word out about keeping you & your family safe from all those germs!! Here are a few things that we do in our house:

1. WASH HANDS!! I know this is a pretty typical answer, but it is huge in our house

My kids learn from an early age to wash their hands right after they get home from ANYWHERE…..the store, a friends house, school (especially), or just playing outside.

They also know how long they need to be scrubbing. We sing ‘Twinkle-Twinkle little star’ for the duration of our hand washing. Even Easton who is only 18 months knows this & he sings with us each time we wash his hands.

2. Teach your child to cough and sneeze into their elbow.

I cringe whenever I am around coughers & sneezers. I try not to let it show on my face, but I know I am probably not that good at hiding it. It’s obvious that it is pretty pointless to cough into your hand right? The germs are still going to get around once you touch something. Kids can learn at a pretty young age how to cough into their elbows. Let’s teach ‘em!

3. Hand Sanitizer!!

I love this stuff. I keep a bottle with me wherever I go. If we go to the store, my kids get a little bit to rub on their hands immediately after we get into the car (I do it as well). However, hand sanitizer is certainly not a replacement for washing your hands with soap and water. We use it only if we don’t have access to soap & water. It’s a nice thing to have when you are out and about though!!

4. Sanitize your house.

This is especially important if you have sick family members. I currently have a sick child and have been sanitizing daily. You can use homemade sanitizer (lot’s of recipes on the internet), store-bought sanitizers (Lysol kills 99.9% of bacteria & viruses on hard surfaces), or there are even UV lights that kill germs. Yep, I have all of the above. It doesn’t take too long to wipe down surfaces that are touched daily and it may just be the thing that keeps the rest of the family from getting sick!!

Do you guys have any tips and tricks that keep your family well during the cold & flu season? I am especially interested in vitamins and such that might give us a ‘one-up’ this year. Any suggestions?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Lysol blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Fall Pictures Take one!

2011-10-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

I despise taking pictures of kids. It's rough. However, since I can't afford to pay a photographer, and I don't care for the pictures that studios take (such as JcPenney, Kiddie Kandids, etc.), I have to do it myself. These are just of the kids. My friend agreed to take some photos of our whole family so that is going to happen next week. I figured it was best to split the time up so our kids didn't have a total meltdown halfway through. Just as I suspected, none of the kids were thrilled about pictures and these are the best I got. I am going to make do with what I got, because I am not trying again until next year.

Easton @ 1 1/2

Fall 2011

Avery @ 4 1/2

Quinnlyn @ 6 1/2

Outdoor fun (Social Moms)

2011-09-22T06:34:00.001-07:00

“Do you play outdoors with your family? The Worldwide Day of Play is the centerpiece of Nickelodeon's The Big Help, a program to empower kids and families to make healthy lifestyle choices every day. On September 24, 2011, kids and families are encouraged to participate in the Worldwide Day of Play to turn off the TV and play outside. Physical activity can improve health, self-esteem and the well being of children. Teach kids a healthier lifestyle of limited TV time and a more physical activities.”

I always try to encourage my kids to play outside. Lucky for me, I don’t have to push too hard because they LOVE hanging out in the backyard. Outdoor play is healthy, fun and easy. It helps children stay physically active which boosts energy, lowers anxiety and stress and builds friendships. Of course, outdoor time isn’t just for kids. I always feel so much happier when I get outside and enjoy the sunshine (which is soon to be no more since fall/winter is coming on).

Our family isn’t much of an ‘Organized Outdoor Activity Family’. My kids really just enjoy playing little games outside. Just last week we played a game of tag together. It was so much fun and even Easton got in on the action . We like to play kickball and baseball too.

One of our favorite things to do is take walks. The kids ride their bikes while Brett and I walk behind them (with Easton of course). We do this at least once a week. My girls really look forward to it, and it gives us all a chance to enjoy the weather and get some exercise. If we aren’t up for walks, sometimes Brett and I will just sit in the front yard while the kids ride their bikes in front of the house. They always think it is much more fun to ride bikes when Mom & Dad are watching.

During the summer we like to go swimming, but it isn’t always easy to get to a pool. That is why we have a lot of backyard water toys. Brett built the kids a little ‘water-wash’ this summer which is just a bunch of connected pipes with holes in them so the water could run out. My kids played in it so much this past summer and had a blast! We also have a little pool, fun sprinklers, and of course a slip and slide. My girls practically live in their swimming suits during the warm months.

It’s always more difficult to get outside when the weather is cold. However, we do try to take the kids sledding a few times during the winter. And they always love playing in the snow!

Being outdoors is always an energy booster for me and hopefully my kids will continue to love playing outside!! There are too many ways to be lazy these days so outdoor activities will keep us away from all those things (that unfortunately take up more time than they should)!

In honor of Nickelodeon's 8th Annual Worldwide Day of Play,Clorox encourages you to take the Clorox2® Play 2Day pledge to play outside! Visit http://clorox2play2day.com and take the pledge today!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Getting bigger...and cuter!

2011-09-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Easton is like a little sponge these days. He is at such a fun age and we could seriously watch him for hours without getting bored.

We went to the doctor for his 15 month check-up.....although he is actually 16 months. He weighed in at 21.9 pounds (15 %) and is 31 inches tall 45%. He hasn't gained much weight since his 12 month check-up, but he's been a pretty picky eater lately. I'm sure he will make up for it soon.

He is so talkative.....of course it is mostly gibberish still. He will talk to anybody that will listen and he knows exactly what he is saying. Most of the time, he will end his sentence with a 'HUH?' We just pretend like we understand. He is saying a lot of new words though. Here are some of them (some of them may be repeats):

Cow
Drink
Taste (Tase)
No
YAAAAA!
Cut
Teeth
Brush
Tickle
Apple (Ah-po)
Ball (Bah)
Cracker (acker)
Bug (Buh)
Car (Kah)
Meow! (Mau)
Moo!
Ow!!!!
Hot (ot)
Off ( Ah)
On
Stinky feet
Eyes ( Eye)
Ice ( I )
Binky
Beasty
Duck (Guck)
Baby

Easton hates his car seat, but loves going 'Bye-Bye'. He tells us no if we ask him is he is ready for bed. He really wants to go to nursery, but he isn't old enough. I have been going in with him for the past few weeks though, just because it's either that or pace the halls. He will have no problem staying there by himself and that makes me happy. He likes reading books by himself in his crib. The first thing he does when he wakes up is searches for a drink--most of the time he finds a spray bottle filled with water and that suffices him. He loves stacking toys, pushing buttons, and opening & closing things. We often catch him playing in the toilet (WHO LEFT THE BATHROOM DOOR OPEN!!!) and he thinks the plunger is a fantastic toy. One time he found a cup and dipped it in the toilet....and drank the water. Don't worry, it's been a few weeks and he is ok....I think the water was clean.....well as clean as toilet water can be.

He cut 4 new teeth....both molars basically at the same time. It was rough for a few days there. He takes teething pretty hard. He still doesn't eat very well. Just the past few days he has started getting better. He is ALWAYS pushing his little chair up to the counter so he can reach things. Especially while I am cooking dinner....so he can sample the ingredients. I secretly love it and think it is the cutest thing. Some of his favorite things to eat are: Banana's, Apples, Cookies, Broccoli, Mac & Cheese, & any kind of treats. He doesn't like meat.

And of course he doesn't sit still for pictures so this is the best I got!

Easton drinks from a cup like a pro and he uses forks & spoons pretty well. He understands simple commands (sounds like I am talking about a dog) such as 'Throw it away' and 'Get a diaper'. We cut about a half inch off his hair every month!!! He is completely spoiled by all of us and knows that we will do anything for him.

Chicago Weekend....

2011-08-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

Some of the LDS dental wives decided we needed to take a girls trip before we all move away from each other. Our first thought was a cruise, but that didn't pan out. Our next idea was CHICAGO. Since it is only a 3 hour drive from Indy, it was a lot easier to pull off. So, with the help of our amazing 'travel agent' (coincidentally the most organized girl in our group...but not really a travel agent) we had the best girls weekend in CHITOWN.

We left on a Friday morning, arrived in Chicago at 11:00 am, dropped off our bags, ate lunch along the river, and then hit MAGNIFICENT MILE. Lot's of shopping down that street and it really is magnificent. We actually only hit a few stores and most of us didn't buy anything, but it was a lot of fun just hanging out. After SHOPPING, we walked the mile back to our room (we did a lot of walking during the trip.....and 3 of the girls are pregnant so sometimes it wasn't too fun for them) and got dressed for a fancy Italian dinner at CAFE SPAGGIA. Later we walked down to the beach and just enjoyed the evening. Then of course we walked over a mile back to our hotel.....well some of the girls caught a cab. Back in our hotel room, we stayed up late talking like teenage girls.

Saturday morning some of the girls woke up and ran to MILLENNIUM PARK to do some exercising. They offered a free pilates, yoga, and zumba class for free. The rest of us got ready & meet them at 'HEAVEN AT SEVEN' for a yummy breakfast of Banana's Foster Pecan French Toast. Delicious. Then we relaxed with a pedicure. Back at the hotel we (and by we I mean 'I') took a nap and then we headed to a ARCHITECTURAL RIVER BOAT CRUISE. It took us along the river and we learned about all the different buildings and a lot of history about the town of Chicago. We also went out onto Lake Michigan. It was really interesting and now we all know a lot about Chicago. After the cruise we headed to GINO'S EAST PIZZA so we could try out the famous Chicago Pizza. We had fun dining on the roof top (don't know how we got so lucky, but they let us skip ahead of the whole line of people waiting to eat there) and the food was super yummy. The rest of the evening was spent at NAVY PIER. We just hung out, got dessert, and rode the Ferris Wheel and the Swings. I felt like I was a teenage girl! It was great. We took a fantastic cab ride back to the hotel where we corrected our cab driver on his idea that Mormons had more than one wife. Then we stayed up until 2:00am laughing and talking. So fun.

Sunday morning, half of us woke up early to head home and the other half stayed to get breakfast and spend the morning in Chicago.

The weekend seriously couldn't have been better. These are some of the best girls I know and I will be so sad to move away from them once the guys are out of school. They have become like family and after this trip, I feel like we are all a little bit closer. We have plans to continue our 'Girls Trips' once we have money. As long as we have our 'Trip organizer'....aka Christie F., we will have the best vacations EVER!!! Thanks for all the fun girls (and we missed the 3 girls who couldn't be there!!)

Protecting the Family Nest…(socialmoms)

2011-08-31T14:11:00.001-07:00

This is something I have been thinking a lot about lately. With Brett in Dental school, we haven’t been able to afford a lot of things that would make me feel like my family is secure. Now that he is in his last year, I have been doing a lot of research on a few things that will certainly protect our family. Social Moms and Allstate insurance has asked bloggers to share a few things that they are doing/planning on doing to protect the family nest……

1. First on my list is to purchase some life insurance. I know I been putting this off too long, but it is something I have been looking into. I have found that it really doesn’t cost too much to get life insurance. Sometimes as low as $20. It’s overwhelming to find the right type of life insurance, but it is definitely a worthy purchase!!

2. We also just recently purchased a disability insurance policy for Brett. We have put so much into dental school, and if anything were to happen to him where he couldn’t practice his profession, it would be awful!!! With disability insurance, we have the security knowing we would still get a monthly income even if Brett couldn’t work.

3. We have been trying to teach our children what to do in an emergency. We want them to feel prepared in any situation that arises. By preparing them, I think they will be less scared in what could be a very frightening situation. I also feel better about knowing that I have done all I can to help them be prepared.

4. One of the biggest things that I think will help us in protecting our family financially, is frugality. I have been forced to save money since we don’t have much of an income. It hasn’t been easy, but I am pretty proud of the way I DON’T SPEND. Sometimes I feel cheap….especially when everyone around me is buying fun things, but I know in the long run we will be much better off. Now hopefully once Brett begins making money, I will still be as frugal.

5. Food storage is a huge part of protecting our family. I have to admit that ours isn’t great. We keep finding reasons not to build it. In the event that we needed to do a major financial cut-back, having an adequate storage of food could really help us!

What have you done to protect your family? I probably missed a lot of really important ones!!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Allstate blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

28......

2011-08-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

I had a birthday. Number 28. I have decided to embrace my age this year. I know I look like I am getting older, but I sure don't feel like it. The day before my birthday, someone told me I looked like I was 17. The braces probably had something to do with that one, but it made me feel a little better about turning a year older.

Brett & the girls bought me a Beach Cruiser bike. It's so cute. I also got a Barbie birthday cake from the girls :).
After Brett came home from school, we went out to dinner at a Japenese restaurant (where they cooked the food in front of us). It was yummy and it's always nice to spend time with just my husband where I don't have to worry about making sure my kids are climbing on the table or something. Two girls from Brett's class offered to babysit for us which was so nice of them.

And as you can see in the pictures......

I got my braces off!!!

Honestly, these last 7 months haven't been too terrible. My biggest issue was just that I didn't want any pictures taken of myself. My orthodontist was fantastic and I am so lucky that he was nice enough to offer me free braces. He did a great job on my teeth & I LOVE my smile :) I now get to wear a retainer day & night for 6 more months & then just nights for the rest of my life. I can handle that....I've always wanted a retainer (seriously).

What a great birthday!!

How Did This Happen

2011-08-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Quinnlyn started school yesterday. She's a big first grader which means FULL DAY for us!!! Yipee!! I am still trying to figure out how she grows up so quickly.

Having her go to First grade was harder on me than kindergarten. Our school district has money issues so there are no buses this year and that has made for a very chaotic drop-off & pick-up situation. Kids don't walk to school out here (no sidewalks) so there are hundreds of cars trying to get there kids to school. We weren't allowed to walk our kids to their classroom the first day (although we did go a few days before so she could see where to go) and it just made me sad. Here she is in a big school & she didn't really remember how to get to her classroom and all I could do was tell her to 'Go right & then right again & then look for your teachers name on the door'.

She did great though. Made it to her classroom, made it through lunch, & made a few new friends. I love that she is confident & not afraid to try new things....something that I NEVER was until I was out of high school. She is my favorite 6 year old!!

Our mini-Vacay

2011-08-10T19:26:00.001-07:00

Brett and I are usually pretty frugal. We don't go out very often, we don't spend lots of money on anniversaries or small holidays (or even big holidays) and we hardly ever take vacations. I like to think it means we are pretty logical with our money (or lack thereof) but I am sure most people just think we are boring. Well we decided to splurge a little, and took the girls to

Great Wolf Lodge in Cincinnati, OH.

Brett had a few days off from school and wanted to do something fun. We are always hearing about Great Wolf Lodge, and we decided it was the perfect place to take a mini vacation (and mini it was.....just one night).

We left Thursday morning, checked into our hotel room at about 1:30 pm and headed straight for the water park. It was great. The kids loved it. I am usually pretty grossed out when it comes to water parks, but this one was actually nice and clean and I could walk barefoot without wanting to vomit. There were several slides (only 2 that the girls couldn't go on), a wave pool, a fantastic outdoor pool, a spray ground, and a little area for toddlers.

Quinnlyn LOVED the wave pool and would have preferred to spend all her time there. She is quite the water baby. Avery kept herself busy and only had a few episodes where she BEGGED for a snack or treat. Easton got comfortable enough to where he would stick his head under the water, and he even went down a few baby slides by himself. At one point, he flipped around upside down but still quite thoroughly enjoyed the ride ;).

After a couple of hours swimming, we went back to our room and got dressed so we could go out to dinner. Then we went back to the hotel and all the kids gathered in the lobby for 'Story Time' with Wiley Wolf. Easton loved him & had no problem giving him a hug....and then a punch in the stomach ;).

I was a little worried about the sleeping arrangements since we were all in the same room, but everyone was tired enough that it worked out nicely.

Now rest assured that I did try to make this trip as cheap as possible, and we brought our own food (besides dinner the night before). I even brought my griddle and made french toast in the hotel room. It worked out quite nicely and I don't think anyone missed 'breakfast out'. We hung around in our room for a while and then headed back to the water park once it opened at 10 am. We played until about 3 pm when Easton just couldn't handle it anymore (missing two naps by this time) and then headed home.

We had a great time and I am glad we decided to go even though we spent way more than I normally would have on a hotel stay!!

Keep the ‘Wiggly-Butt’ STILL (SocialMoms)

2011-08-10T14:44:00.001-07:00

Changing diapers is a tough job when your baby is mobile!! Easton is usually all over the place so we definitely have to hold him down when it comes to diaper changing! Often times, we will catch him reaching his hand down ‘there’…..other times we don’t catch him . He likes to twist & turn and generally just be difficult. He is our wiggly butt for sure.

Social Moms & Huggies have asked bloggers to share a few tips and tricks for keeping that squirmy baby STILL for a few seconds.

My number one tip is to learn how to change a diaper in 1.5 seconds. Ok….that probably isn’t possible, but just try to ‘get in & get out’. I make sure to have several wipes already out of the wipe tub so that I don’t have to take time to separate them (which will inevitably happen). I also open the new diaper & lay it next to me so I can grab it quickly and don’t have to spend time messing around with it.

Obviously a toy might do the trick for your wiggler. However, I typically choose something that Easton doesn’t normally play with---something like a spool of ribbon, or my cell phone. He seems to think there is nothing interesting in a toy that he plays with all the time…..so I have to mix it up.

Also, making sure the area where you are changing your baby is free of clutter will do wonders. If you don’t, your baby is going to be tempted to reach, twist, and turn to grab all the fun things around him or her. If he is really interested in something close by, make sure to get it for him BEFORE you start the whole diaper process!

If you have a younger baby who isn’t really strong yet, try a changing pad with a strap to hold the baby in. I would guess that most pads have a strap so why not use it! I use to use mine for Easton and it worked wonders to keep him still for the short amount of time that I needed to get him changed.

The trick that works the best??? FOOD! What baby passes up a chance to have a snack or treat? One little cracker is probably enough to get you through a diaper change. Keep a bag of goodies close by your changing area (not too close ) so they will always be handy!

And here is something fantastic: Huggies has a new diaper that is SLIP-ON! They are called Little Movers Slip On Diapers. I was seriously thinking about inventing these the other day….but I guess I no longer have to. Relief is on the way!!

Any funny stories about your own little “Squirmer”?

About Huggies
The Huggies® community brings parents together so that you and your babies fully enjoy every day, whatever the day presents. Enjoy the ride with Huggies®.

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Huggies blogging program, for a gift card worth $35. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Is it True?

2011-08-09T19:16:00.000-07:00

I am convinced nobody reads my blog anymore.....I hope it isn't because I am blogging for money (you know...all those posts that don't really have anything to do with my family) because I am not going to stop :)

I always try to offset it with a post that would interest all of you.....so don't give up on me just yet!

Ten tips for a Healthy Back-to-School (socialmoms)….

2011-08-08T17:59:00.001-07:00

School is beginning and Social Moms and Transitions Lenses have teamed up with bloggers to give you some healthy tips to get your kids ready for back-to-school!! Here are my healthy tips for BACK TO SCHOOL:

#1 Take your child in for their well child visit. I know a lot of people don’t like to take their kid to the doctor unless there is a clear cut reason (sickness), but those check-ups are important. They allow your doctor to keep tabs on your child and catch any problems while they are small! Also, this is a great time to make sure their immunizations are up to date.

#2 While at the doctor, you can get your child’s eyes checked. Your child may not even realize that he/she can’t see well, and an eye exam might catch a problem before their school work suffers.

#3 Feed your child a well-balanced breakfast EVERYDAY! Nothing is worse than feeling hungry when you are trying to concentrate on something else. The school day is long and your child may not eat lunch until later. Make sure they are eating a healthy breakfast that will keep them feeling full.

#4 Prepare your child for the new school year. This one may seem a bit vague, but I think it is really important to help your child feel comfortable with the new year. Make sure they know where their classroom is. Make sure they feel comfortable at school. I had a really difficult time in elementary school because I was so worried about tiny things that didn’t seem important to anyone else. I want to make sure to alleviate any fears or worries that my child has so she has a great experience in first grade!

#5 Start the bedtime routine BEFORE the first day of school. We all know summertime equals a later more relaxed bedtime. It might be a difficult transition for your child to go to bed early in order for him/her to get enough sleep, so it should be started early so they can get use to it.

#6 Pack a healthy lunch or make sure they know what they can get in the cafeteria that is healthy. I would suggest packing the lunch the night before so you aren’t in a hurry the morning of school. That way you have enough time to include a well balanced meal that your child will eat.

#7 Keep a watch out for signs that your child is distressed. School can be difficult for some children, especially when it is a new year with a new teacher and new friends. Make sure your child knows that they can talk to you anytime about ANYTHING!

#8 Give your child vitamins. In my opinion, vitamins can only be helpful. I know sometimes my kids don’t get all they need from just the food they eat, so vitamins are definitely a must in our house.

#9 Help your kids with germ-awareness . I am a huge germ-a-phobe, and while I don’t want this to rub off on my kids, I do want them to be aware of the many ways germs are shared. Remind them to wash their hands often and to not share drinks and such with their friends.

#10 And while we are at it, PLEASE do not send your child to school when they are sick! It isn’t good for your kid, and it isn’t good for the other people at the school

Give your kids a healthy start and hopefully it will last throughout the whole year!!

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

The Last Fair

2011-07-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

Since the county fair is about 3 minutes down the road from us, we go every year. This will be the last time we go since Brett will be graduating next May (well....we are hopeful that he will have enough clinic points ;) ). I love that we are into our 'lasts' but it kind of makes me sad too.
The girls loved the mini Roller Coaster & swings and Easton loved the carousel. I love the food, but was able to control myself and only got an ice cream cone. The workers were as dirty as ever, but it wouldn't be a fair if they weren't right?

And why do fairs have to be so expensive?????

A style of her own…. (socialmoms post #jcpback2school)

2011-07-27T17:29:00.001-07:00

SocialMoms & Jcpenney invited me to post about my child’s individual sense of style….I immediately thought of Avery!!!

If any of you know Avery, you know she is definitely a Girly-Girl!!! She is very aware of how she dresses and will not let you sway her decision. She thinks it’s summer all year long and only wants to wear dresses and skirts. I must’ve instilled this sense of style in her from the time she was a baby….I just never knew she would never want to wear anything else.

It was the worst this past winter. There we were, having 30 degree weather, and Avery would only wear a dress. It didn’t matter if we had errands to run, she would say “I don’t care if I am cold!”. And it’s true. She didn’t. She rarely complained. I’m sure people thought I was a terrible mom letting my daughter out of the house in summer clothes, but they had no idea the drama that went on every single morning when I begged her to dress in something warm!

The fact that she only wears dresses & skirts means my bargain shopping doesn’t always prove to be a bargain. I will find adorable pants or shorts at a SMOKIN’ HOT deal and buy them, only to discover that Avery refuses to wear them. I try to force them on her and she throws a fit. I have started trying to be realistic when shopping for her now. If I see a great deal on something other than dresses or skirts, I have to forget about it. I know they will just hang in her closet until she can no longer fit into them. It’s unfortunate I know, but that is they way it has to be.

Her ‘Summer Lovin’ Girly-Girl style doesn’t just apply to her clothing, but to her shoes as well. She won’t wear tennis shoes and she won’t wear boots. It’s sandals or flip-flops all year around. Yes we get snow in the winter, but that has never stopped her. The good thing about it is that she walks quickly into the stores and I don’t have wait for her to catch up .

I don’t see Avery’s style changing anytime soon. Her closet is full of skirts and dresses and that is exactly how she likes it. I think it’s great that she is letting her personality show, and as long as I can get her to wear a jacket in the winter, I guess she will be ok. We love our Girly-Girl who always loves to be dressed up.

*“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and jcpenney blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Easton Loves.....

2011-07-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Easton Loves.....

In the order of the pictures:

Climbing into the bathroom sink. He does this every day.
Treats. I think he learned it from Avery, but he is a VERY picky eater but he always has room for sweets. He know where we keep the BLACK BOWL (the candy bowl).
Cars. I love how boys just automatically love cars. Maybe we had something to do with it, but it's so cute when he says: 'Cah. Cah'. He even makes the 'VROOM' sound.
Cars again.
Laptops. LOVES THEM!! Usually he just pushed the buttons when I leave mine open on the couch, but lately he has been getting cozy & setting it on his lap (just like he sees me & Brett do). It's pretty cute, but I can't risk him breaking it so I have to ruin his joy.
And 7. His Sisters. Picture 6 & 7 are when I walked in and caught him just lovin' on Avery while she was watching a movie. It was so sweet. The girls love him back so much! Avery calls him 'SWEETY-BOY' and Quinnlyn will do ANYTHING for him---including giving him her treats, toys, or whatever else she has that he wants.

Other things he loves:

Bugs
Cats & Dogs
Getting his way (and he gets WHATEVER he wants!!)
Drinks. Water, milk, juice.....he is always drinking something
Cell phones...but only ones that work
Feet. Don't ask me why, but he loves hugging our feet and gets so mad when we don't let him. I think it's because we always laugh when he does it.
Jumping and running across the couches
Toothpaste & Toothbrushes. But hates getting his teeth brushed
Apples, plums, or any fruit he can eat while walking around the house. And he eats the whole thing

Things he does:

Throws stuff away in the garbage
Gets diapers for us to change him
Waits quietly in his crib until someone comes to get him up
Still takes a morning & afternoon nap
Stands at the fridge and asks for cheese
Stacks toys
Makes monster sounds
Brushes his own hair....and sometimes ours too
Climbs like no other
Pushes chairs up to the counter or table so he can get whatever is up there. He is always 'helping me' cook dinner while standing on his little chair. He also just discovered that water comes out of the fridge when he pushed the button.....Great.
Races. Himself. He will entertain himself by saying 'Ready. GO!' and then he will run across the room. And then he will start over again.
Gives open mouth kisses....every once in a while

We love this toothy grinned BOY!!!

*Don't judge me because my child is never fully dressed. It's so hot outside, and he is the lucky one who can walk around in a diaper or no shirt. Don't worry, he is dressed whenever we go out in public.

Water Fun......

2011-07-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

Before Brett went to Utah for his Externship, he was kind enough to make the girls a 'KID-WASH'. It was something we saw in a magazine and thought it looked like fun.
It is just made out of pipes. He drilled holes into them so the water would spray out and then we connected it to the hose & Wa-ala!!!!! A KID WASH. It was so quick to put together & it was cheap too! Technically, we were suppose to hang sponges & some kind of cloth so that it looked like a drive-thru car wash, but we all know how long those things would have lasted. We just left it as-is and the kids LOVE it!!

Fourth Festivites...

2011-07-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July was pretty laid back for us. Brett slept in the tent with the girls Sunday night so that was fun for them. We didn't do much during the day on Monday (Brett did hold his own 'Enterprise Races' and all of our kids won), so we decided we had better get off our lazy-you-know-whats and take our kids to watch the fireworks. We drove downtown and found a spot to watch the show. They light them off of the 2nd tallest building so they are easily seen even from far away (which we kind of were). The downside to not being super close, was that they weren't as exciting. I am use to sitting right across the street from the firework show in St. George, but we'll take what we get.
I made Caramel Popcorn to eat while we were there, the kids had lot's of fun rolling down the hill, & it was a great ending to our boring day.

Happy Independence Day!!!

Thumb-Sucker

2011-07-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

Avery is four now, & that is the magical age where thumb-sucking becomes a problem.

So we started our quest to break the habit. They have a couple products on the market that are specially designed for getting a kid to stop, but we are too cheap to invest in something that costs about $100-$150 dollars (I guess we'd rather pay for major dental work when she gets older). Brett decided to concoct his own little device while he was at school.....and this is what he came up with..........

TADA!!!!
Plastic thumb....things with ribbon

Despite all the work put into these aesthetically pleasing contraptions, they weren't working great. They kept coming loose & falling off. So I took matters into my own hands. I requested a review for the 'HANDAID' (through the website I review for). Fortunately, the company obliged and we are on our way to no more thumb-sucking.
This is what the HANDAID looks like:
A couple weeks of wearing this and Avery should be CURED!!! She'll still need braces, because she has been sucking her thumb since she was 2 years old, but her open bite should close quickly.

Tooth.....less

2011-07-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

These 2 pictures were taken one after the other. Can you see what is different between picture one & two?

No, she didn't loose her front teeth, she gained them. Brett decided to waste some time at school making Quinnlyn a 'Flipper' (basically a retainer with fake teeth).

It made me laugh :)

Think Virginia Beach……

2011-07-11T17:58:00.001-07:00

Nothing says SUMMER FUN like a trip to the beach. My kids absolutely love the water & the beach is definitely their top choice for summer play. Unfortunately, we live in Indiana so we don’t get to visit the beach as much as we would like. However, in about 12 hours, we could be in beautiful:

VIRGINIA BEACH

I’ve been doing a little research on this vacation spot and I have 10 reasons why you would want to visit Virginia Beach:

Did you know Virginia Beach is well within a days drive of several American cities. Like I said, it would take us only 12 hours from where we live & that is very do-able. I DO NOT like road trips, but for a destination like Virginia Beach, it would be worth it! Plus, 12 hours is hardly a road trip.
There are 35 miles of beach that you could enjoy. Whether you wanted an action spot or a nice quiet area (yes please), there is a place for everyone!!
Accommodations that you can afford. There are so many options to choose from when finding a place to stay in Virginia Beach. Whether you want to camp…which I don’t, or rent a vacation home, it would be easy to find something perfect for your family.
White, sandy beaches are my favorite. I don’t want sea weed piled on the shore because that just grosses me out. The coastline of Virginia is beautiful and I would definitely be ok with my kids playing in that sand!!
There are a lot of other fun activities for the kids that don’t involve the playing in the ocean. How about the Ocean Breeze Water Park or the Virginia Aquarium. You can’t spend all day of every day at the ocean right? Or can you?
I can’t forget about you & the hubby. While we love catering to our children , we also want to have some grown-up fun don’t we? I would love to go parasailing or kayak with the dolphins (how amazing does that sound?). And while we are there, I might need to learn how to surf.
Shopping! I’m a pretty frugal girl, but sometimes I like to by something nice. Virginia Beach offers a great shopping paradise where I am sure I could find a few deals to fit my budget. There are local boutiques and also one of the largest malls on the East Coast.
My husband enjoys fishing (although I don’t know if he would enjoy it with me & 3 kids) so he could have his fun too! Virginia Beach offers a diverse range of fish & fishing destinations. I could probably handle a couple of hours of holding a fishing pole.
I love seafood, so I would definitely be hitting a restaurant that offers the freshest fish around. I’m pretty sure I would easily find one. We could kayak to our dining spot, reel in our own meal, or just relax and let the chef do his thing. I am getting hungry just thinking about it.
You could enjoy all the events and entertainment that Virginia Beach offers in the summer months. The Family Great Adventures would be awesome for the kids & the Symphony by the Sea sounds like fun! Both are free & open to the public….which is the best kind of entertainment!!!

Beautiful beaches, fun activities, and close to home makes Virginia Beach an excellent place to visit for a Summer getaway!!!

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Virginia Beach Tourism blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Where we are....

2011-06-29T10:11:00.001-07:00

What is going on with the Joneses?

Brett-

He finished his 3rd year of Dental school on June 16th. We are officially on the count down & it is hard to believe. He works with patients everyday now, & will begin a one-week externship in St. George, working in his Cousin. Unfortunately, the rest of us don’t get to go with him….unless someone can loan us a thousand bucks (just shoot me an email). '

He is still serving as Young Men’s president & I’m sure he will hold that calling until we move.

Kim-

…..I feel so boring…..I have nothing to say about myself. I bathe the kids, feed the kids, entertain the kids, check my email, write product reviews, feed the kids (and the husband), and sleep. Don’t worry, it isn’t as bad as it sounds. In fact, I feel pretty lucky that I get to lounge around playing outside with the kids instead of sitting in an office. I really do have the best ‘job’. I was released from my primary calling a few months ago & now I teach Relief Society….and so far I really enjoy it.

Quinnlyn-

Is looking forward to 1st grade (and so am I!!). Her & Avery play together all day….and they also fight together all day. They spend most of their time outside. Remember those days where you wore your swimsuit more than actual clothes? Well they are living those days. I love watching them make fun summer memories.

Quinnie is starting to get bugged by things Avery does or says (even though it’s not really bothering her physically). She is often saying “AVERY!! That is bugging me….you’re bugging me, you’re bugging me, you’re bugging me”. I love being a referee. She LOVES Beasty & is always playing with him.

AVERY-

Still the treat queen. Lies through her teeth. Unconsciously sucks her thumb at night (luckily she has no desire to do it during the day). Is patiently waiting for her hair to grow longer. Teases Quinnlyn mercilessly. Still has to be forced to wear something other than dresses/skirts. Takes an afternoon nap. WHINER.

EASTON-

Still a fantastic sleeper. Loves his blanket & always looks for the corner to rub on his face. Takes a binky at night…..and sometimes during the day (I know. I know. But sometimes it’s more for me than him). Is my PICKIEST eater. Still weighs 20 pounds (because he is a picky eater). Is getting taller. Hair is getting blonder….and of course, longer. Loves dancing to loud music. Says ‘Hi’ to everyone. Finally gives kisses. Rarely gives hugs. Knows that shoes means we are going ‘bye-bye’. LOVES animals & follows the neighborhood cats around. Loves being outside. Gets a lot of attention from the rest of us. Drinks Lactose-free milk. Had 2 fevers in 2 weeks….one because of Strep throat, the other unkown. ‘Talks’ (it sounds like ‘Gobbling’) more than any baby I have know…..and seems to know exactly what he is saying. Ends most of his ‘sentences’ (gobbling) with ‘Huh?’. Fake cries all the time. Loves playing with cars. Loves pushing things….like the grocery cart or stroller.

New words he says-

Pinata
Cookie (Koo-Kee)
Hot
Freezing
Outside (side)
Pop

And that is that!!

The Last Visit.

2011-06-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

My family came to visit (for the last time since we only have a year left here). They stayed at our house for a few days, & then we all went down to my sisters near Louisville, KY and stayed for the rest of their time here.

We had fun boating, eating out, shopping, getting ice cream, riding bikes along the Ohio River & just visiting (and Whitney colored my hair ;) ). My nephew, Ethan got baptized & Danielle got engaged while everyone was here so it was a pretty eventful 10 days! We had a great time. (Get a good look, I actually published pictures of myself smiling with braces.....and I really hate them).

I wasn't sure how Easton would react to all the people who he didn't know (since we haven't seen them since last year when he was only 2 months old) but he warmed up to everyone pretty well. He especially loved Grandpa & Eric (Danielle's fiance'). Quinnlyn & Avery loved having so much attention. I hardly saw them the whole time because they were busy playing!!

Thanks for coming Mom, Dad, Danielle, Taisha, Whitney, & Madison!!! See you soon!!

Ten time-saving tips to make your life as a busy mom easier

2011-06-22T14:06:00.001-07:00

As a mom, I have a to-do list. Sometimes it gets done, most of the time, I do what I absolutely HAVE to and postpone the rest. Here are a few tips that save me time so I can make the most of my To-do list:

Make a list- I enjoy making lists and this tip probably helps me the most. Whether it is a grocery list, a cleaning list, a packing list, or general to-do list, they seem to give me motivation. Crossing things off my list helps me feel like I am making progress. I even have started a binder full of different list papers (blank) so I can always have them available (blank paper isn’t as fun ).
Map it out- If I have a lot of errands to run, I always try to do them all on the same day & I also ‘map-out’ my route. I live in a pretty big city so I always decide which part of town I should go to by what stores are the closest together. To save time (and gas) I can’t drive all over trying to get my errands done. I try not to get picky about which stores I go to…..if I need to go to a craft store & the grocery store, I go to a part of town that has those type of stores close together. I don’t enjoy running errands with 3 kids, so this tip is important so I don’t spend all day trying to get things done.
Cook Extra- I have just recently started doing this one. There are a lot of nights that I don’t get dinner done because I didn’t have time. There are also a lot of nights I don’t get dinner done because I just didn’t feel like cooking. This tip helps with both of those. I just make a double batch of dinner or breakfast & then I freeze the second batch. It’s so easy to pop it into the oven for a quick but still homemade meal.
Wake up early-This one is not fun, but it can really make a difference. If I can drag myself out of bed before my kids wake up, there are a lot of things I can do uninterrupted. I
Avoid peak hours-Hit the stores when they are least likely to be busy. I have found grocery stores to be pretty empty in the morning (before 10 am) so that is when I prefer to go. Ask your cashier when their slowest time is the next time you shop, you will be glad you did.
Delegate- I know it’s sometimes easier to do things yourself, because it gets done right! However, your children can learn how to do things correctly. Give them a responsibility and let them save you some time.
Avoid distractions- You know if you turn on the TV or check your email, you will be stuck there for longer than you expected.
Trade-off- Do you have a friend who would trade-off with baby-sitting? Let them watch your kids while you run errands or clean your house. Your kids will thank you & you will get so much more done.
Shop online-This will save you time & gas money. Just think about it…..no kids, no opening/closing hours, no walking…..it is such a great way to get things done!
Don’t sweat it- I know some of you out there can do EVERYTHING, but I am not that person. I do my best, & I try not to worry about what I didn’t get to. There is always tomorrow and lucky for me, I don’t many unannounced visitors so it isn’t crucial for me to have my floors vacuumed every day!

Being a mom is time-consuming, but hopefully you can find ways to get everything done while still having a little ‘YOU-TIME’!!

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

My cutest Buddy

2011-06-08T20:04:00.001-07:00

Correct me if I am wrong, but It’s OK to have a picture overload of one person if that person is THIS CUTE (He makes my day….everyday)

Easton loves eating when he doesn’t have to sit in his seat. He loves playing outside & walking clear down the side walk until someone has to get hi & bring him back. He loves animals, cars, and scissors (don’t worry…we don’t let him play with the scissors). He says ‘Hi’ to everyone and points at everything. He loves to mop & sweep my floors. He does this fake laugh when he thinks he is funny….and he thinks he is funny quite often (which he is). He throws some cute tantrums where he will run & throw himself onto our laps and cry. He can drink almost a whole juice box without taking a breath.

Kindergarten Graduation!

2011-06-08T19:49:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, Quinnlyn’s school didn’t do a big program for kindergarten graduation. It kind of made me sad….I wanted her to at least wear a graduation cap & show us some of the things they learned this past year.

We did get to attend an assembly for all the kids who were getting an award. She & her best friend Chloe got the academic achievement award. We couldn’t have been more proud!

After the assembly, we went to her classroom where her class sang some songs and received a graduation certificate & a special award from their teacher Mrs. Freeman. Quinnlyn got the ‘Amazing Author’ award because she loves writing letters & stories.

It’s been a great year & Quinnlyn has had so much fun! We had an excellent teacher this year who went above & beyond what I expected and Quinnlyn just adores her! However, she is excited about first grade, & I can’t wait for a full day of school!!!

Indy 500 (and I am a bad blogger)

2011-06-08T19:33:00.001-07:00

Please excuse my bad blogging behavior. My laptop is down, which has my Photoshop program on it, which I use to make my pictures look nice, so I have nothing to post. But I guess I will just post the pictures 'as-is' so here ya go:

The Indy 500 is a BIG DEAL to all these Hoosiers that we live around. Lucky for us, we haven't caught the Redneck bug, but we did decide to take a small part in the festivities leading up to the race....actually, two parts.

#1-Brett ran the the half-marathon which occurred on Avery's birthday. He did quite well running in about 2 hours & 13 minutes. Anybody who can run 13 miles is amazing in my book (which now makes Brett even more amazing....extra points for me?)!

#2- We went to the Indy 500 parade. We've heard great things about this one so we thought we'd better go since this is our last year to do it. We headed downtown & found the best spot ever (and we didn't even pay the 15 dollars for a bleacher seat) on top of a cement pillar. The girls had fun, the weather was good, & we are glad we went. We even saw Jillian Michaels (who looks a lot older in real life), Kelly Pickler (forget about the race car drivers), the Brady Bunch mom ;), and the world’s biggest drum. Nice!!

10 Tips for keeping your family safe on the road

2011-06-01T17:54:00.001-07:00

It’s time for some more Socialmoms.com Blogging .

Taking a vacation this summer?There is probably a good chance that you are driving to your destination so I have several tips to help you & your family stay safe while enjoying (ya right) the drive.

#1 Check Out Your Car:

Sure your vehicle may be running just fine before you leave, but you never know what kind of problem could be waiting for you. Vehicle maintenance should be on your To-do list BEFORE you leave on vacation and it’s quite easy. Checking the oil, the tire pressure, the battery, and the fluids are simple things that you can easily do yourself. Also, most mechanic shops will gladly look over your car & let you know what it may need.

#2 Have a cell phone

Seriously, what did we ever do without cell phones? They are so handy especially when driving. In an emergency, you will be able to call for help. And they are pretty handy for non-emergency use as well!

#3 Don’t Text & Drive

I am trying to adopt this rule myself even when I am not vacationing. Let’s face it, as good as you think you are at texting, it is still taking your mind & probably your eyes off of driving. A lot can happen during those few seconds that you are looking at your phone. If you really can’t wait to text, give the phone to another person in the car that can do it for you. Or if you are desperate, pull over.

#4 Obey the Law

I know that speed limit seems too slow right? And most of the other cars are passing you up. But think twice before you decide to set your own speed limit. First of all, you may be putting everyone in the car in danger. Second, you may be putting other cars on the road in danger. Third, you may get a ticket….then who is going to be mad?? You might get to your destination a little slower than you had hoped, but hopefully following the law will get you their safely!!

#5 Avoid Distractions

If you are the driver, don’t take the responsibility of passing out the treats, toys, & games. Let someone else do that so you can keep your eyes on the road. As a mother of three kids, I know how distracting they can be (with their whining & yelling), so if possible, make sure things are within their reach.

#6 Share your Plans

It is a good idea to let a few people know what your plans are. How far will you be driving that day? Where is your next stop? Keep someone up to date about where you are on the road. However, don’t put your vacation plans on FB or other social media sites. You don’t want strangers knowing where you are headed (or that you aren’t home)

#7 Check the Weather

I know it’s summer, but weather can still be an issue. If you are traveling through the Midwest let me warn you….bad weather comes on suddenly. It could be sprinkling one minute, & hailing the next! And don’t even get me started on Tornados! Check the weather & then decide if you will continue driving, or maybe stop for the night.

#8 Keep a Kit

An Emergency Car Kit that is. Everyone should have one of these in their car regardless of if they are vacationing or not. Have blankets, food, flares, and WATER! You never know when you might get stuck on the road (like if you car breaks down because you didn’t get it checked before you left ).

#9 Have a cell phone

#10 Don’t Drive Tired

Do I even need to explain this one? If you are tired, have someone else drive (assuming you have another person in the car that has a driver’s license & is a safe driver). If you are the only driver, don’t sweat it if you need to take a break. Better to be safe than sorry!

“Did you know that most automotive safety experts rank the windshield as a vehicle’s third most important safety component behind seatbelts and airbags? A properly installed windshield ensures the passenger-side airbag deploys properly and helps maintain a vehicle’s structural integrity in the event of a rollover. An improperly installed windshield could pop out during an accident. Without the windshield, a passenger can be thrown from the vehicle or struck by its collapsing roof - greatly increasing the chance of injury or death.”

Safelite AutoGlass wants your family to be safe while driving this summer as well. If you have a chip in your windshield, here are some things you should know:

Think you can ignore a chip in your windshield? Think again! The windshield provides up to 30% of your vehicles structural integrity, and a chip smaller than 6 inches (or the size of a dollar bill) can easily be repaired by filling it with a special resin.
A chip could turn into a crack at any time, often when you are least expecting it. Windshield repair is often a safe and economical alternative to a full windshield replacement.
Scheduling a windshield chip repair is easy! Companies like Safelite AutoGlass provide mobile service – wherever your car is – often within 24 hours of your initial call.

Have Safe while having Fun!!!!

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Five summer getaways every kid should experience!

2011-05-23T16:14:00.001-07:00

School is almost out & that means Summer Vacations are on the way!!!

There are so many great options when it comes to a family vacation and no matter what you do, they are sure to create fantastic memories that will last a lifetime. Here are some getaways that every kid should experience at least once:

BEACH HOUSE:

Weather it’s the East Coast, the West Coast, or down south, this is one getaway that every kid will LOVE! With a BEACH HOUSE, you don’t really need to worry about planning any extra activities. Kids can spend day after day playing in the ocean, collecting sea shells, and building sand castles. You can find Beach Houses to fit almost any budget and they are a great way to spend some carefree time with those you love!

CAMPING:

Not all getaways have to be extravagant! Some of my favorite vacations were camping in the great outdoors! There are many places to choose from when it comes to camping, but every kid needs to see the amazing scenes that nature can produce! Hiking, fishing, & star-gazing are excellent ways to make great vacation moments!!

DISNEYWORLD:

A child should never have to grow up with out a trip to the World of Disney! Definitely a resort for older children where they can get the full experience and actually remember it . Take 5 days to visit it all including: Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood studios, Blizzard Beach, & Typhoon Lagoon! There is certainly something for everyone at Disney World.

ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS:

These places are so great! You’ve got all you need in one place for one price. Most include several restaurants, free activities, several pools, the beach (if you are near the ocean), and free snacks & drinks. It’s great knowing you don’t have to leave the resort to have fun. Plus, there are several resorts geared specifically toward children which makes it even better!

STAY-CATION:

Because we are on a ‘Dental School’ budget right now, I have to include the ‘Stay-cation’. Find unusual & exciting activities to do right in your own town! You might be surprised at what you have just down the road. Visit some museums, go on a nature walk in a state park, take a trip to the zoo….your kids will appreciate the time you spent with them discovering new places, and you will appreciate the money saved!!!

With a little effort, you can have the perfect getaway that will leave you with memories of Summer fun for years to come!!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Easton @ 1

2011-05-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

-Things he says: Thank You (day-doo), Bite (when he wants something to eat), Bah-bah (for his sippy cup), What is it?, Get it, Hi, Huh?, Um, Ni-Night, Shake, Shake, Shake, Pease (please), Cheese

-Knows what a Horse, Duck, & Puppy says

-Sleeps from 7-7:30 and takes 2 naps a day

-Loves to be chased

-Brushes his own hair

-Rubs his blanket on his face & likes to snuggle on any blanket he sees

-Loves stuffed animals

-Loves real animals

-Has 6 teeth & gets super ornery when he is teething

-Is not a very good eater

-Brings us food when he is hungry

-Has binky at night & Nap time

-Doesn’t like Avery to bother him

-Drinks from a regular cup pretty well

-Loves walking down the sidewalk by himself (with me close behind)

-Likes to play with cars

-Likes playing in the pretend kitchen

-‘Helps’ put things in the dishwasher

-Size 3 diapers, size 3 shoes, Anywhere from 6 to 18 month clothes

-Weighs 20 lbs. (25%), Is 28 1/ 2 inches tall (12%), overall 20%

What a Handsome Dude!!!

Avery @ FOUR

2011-05-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Avery is still the craziest girl around! She has a spunky, determined, sassy little attitude that adds a lot of drama to our family…..but we wouldn’t change her!! Here are a few things about her:

-She thinks she doesn’t have to listen to anything we say (and she has no fear about disobeying)

-She gets so bored the minute Quinnlyn leaves for school

-STILL loves her treats & snacks (this will never change)

-She is scared of the dark, thunder, & lightening

-She likes dressing her stuffed animals in her pajamas

-She wants her hair to be LONG & asks me everyday “Is it long yet?'”

-She REFUSES to wear anything but dresses & skirts. She probably wore pants about 5 times the whole fall/winter season

-Won’t wear tennis shoes or boots either

-Can’t say her ‘R’s’

-Teases Quinnlyn all the time

-Is usually a pretty good helper; getting p.j’s for Easton almost every night, Emptying the silverware in the dishwasher, putting a bag in the garbage can…..BUT she really hates cleaning her room!!!!

-Is a morning person usually waking up around 7 am

-Still takes an afternoon nap

-Weighs 32 pounds ( 20%), is 40 inches tall (55%) and overall is in the 12th% percentile

-Is pretty shy around most people until she gets to know them

We Love You Avery!!!

Another Birthday Post

2011-05-10T17:00:00.001-07:00

Avery started counting down the days until her birthday weeks before the actual day! She was so excited to turn FOUR!!

She requested a Ballerina cake, a ballerina skirt, & ballerina shoes. So that is what she got!

Brett ran the mini-marathon the same day so we started out going downtown to catch a glimpse of him running. We then ate lunch at where else but Mcdonald’s! Afterwards, we went to a swimming pool near our house (she had a choice between that or Chuck-e-Cheese).

After swimming, we came home & had cake & ice cream. Then she got to go to her very first ‘friend birthday party’ for a little girl in our ward. She was so excited for that and the fact that it fell on her birthday made no difference to her. She wasn’t about to miss that!

I think she had a fun day…..and of course she got everything she asked for & more.

Happy Birthday Avery!!

Another Birthday Post

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Baby No More….

2011-04-29T07:17:00.001-07:00

Easton is 1!!!

Where did the time go?? my girls certainly didn’t grow up this fast!

Because Easton earned his nickname BEASTY early on (and rightfully so), it has stuck with him. So for his first birthday it made sense to make him a

‘BEAST’ cake:

We spent his birthday doing all the Easter festivities since it was the day before Easter. It worked out nicely, everyone had a great time but we didn’t really have to plan anything!

Easton definitely got into his cake. It took a little coaxing, but he ended up eating the whole head off his ‘BEAST’

We sure love

this little guy.

Happy Birthday

Easton!!

Watch out…..

2011-04-05T17:07:00.001-07:00

Here he comes!!!!

(or should it be there He goes??)

He’s been trying for a few weeks now (1st steps were on March 7th @ 10 1/2 months), but I don’t believe in making it official until they walk 50% of the time. So today is that day…..

EASTON IS

WALKING!!!

Watch out…..

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It’s that time….

2011-03-25T11:52:00.001-07:00

I hate when I try to look at a blog and it’s private. It bothers me. And even though it may be someone I know, I never feel like I know them well enough to ask for an invite (sometimes I just like to see what is going on with someone I went to high school with ya know?).

HOWEVER, it’s time for our blog to go Private.

So if you are my family, leave me your email. If you are a friend, leave your email. Pretty much if I know you (went to school with you, church, know you from a friend etc.) then I want you to have an invite so leave your email. Even if we have never talked, I don’t care….as long as I know who you are!

I’ll do this in the next few weeks.

He went on a trip

2011-03-23T19:59:00.001-07:00

Thanks to some amazing people who donated money, Brett was able to go on a Service Learning Trip to Ecuador! Even though he was gone over our anniversary (and his Spring Break) we decided it wasn’t an opportunity to pass up----so I sucked it up and let him go .

I was dreading the ten days that he would be gone. Most wives either visited home, or had visitors come out….but I wasn’t lucky enough for that. It was just me and the 3 kids. The girls were so sad to see Daddy go….I’m not sure Avery understood that he would be coming back….and Quinnlyn cried.

So Friday March 11, 2011 was the dreaded day. We drove Brett to the airport at 8:15 am and he was to fly out around ten. Their flight plan was to fly from Indy to Chicago, IL-----Chicago, IL to Miami, FL----Miami, FL to Quito, Ecuador. UNFORTUNATELY, American Airlines (who, consequently, we will never fly with) canceled their first flight about 5 minutes before they were to depart….due to mechanical issues. Initially, AA wasn’t giving them any options for other flights. After a long day and a supervisor later, they split the group in half and booked flights for the next day. Brett’s group flew from Indy to Houston, TX, had an 8 hour layover, and then flew to Quito, Ecuador. The picture is where they were at 8:15pm.

I can’t speak for Brett, but I think he had a great time! This is the first time the students were able to do dental work without having to pass every procedure off to a professor. They were real dentists for a week .

Enjoy lots of

Pictures:

We missed him a lot. I was able to chat with him online several

nights so that was nice, but are happy to have him back.

Detox Results……

2011-03-19T17:00:00.001-07:00

So I wrote myself off too quickly.

I actually lost 5 pounds in 6

days of Detoxing!!!

How much of that will stay off? I guess we will see. The point is….it worked.

As far as feeling great….I don’t feel any different (besides feeling great about losing a few pounds). I was really hoping for more energy….that was my main goal, but it didn’t happen.

Do I recommend this detox? DEFINITELY. It was difficult at times, but only because I am a total snacker and I am addicted to sugar. Plus it gets old eating raw Veggies & fruits day after day, but I could eat as much as I wanted so I was never hungry. Cravings were hard….that’s the way it is.

In fact, I may do it again in the next few months. This time I will exercise and drink water (like I was suppose to).

Still feel like it’s a fluke? My friend lost 7 pounds in 6 days….so it worked for her too.

Pretty little six-year old

2011-03-17T15:25:00.001-07:00

I finally pulled my camera out to take Quinnlyn's Six year pictures.

Questions I asked Quinnlyn

Who is your best friend? Chloe
What is your favorite food? Chicken Crepes(and dessert crepes)
What is your favorite color? Blue & Purple
What do you like to do for fun? Play the computer (starfall.com & barbie.com)
What is your favorite part about school? Learning & math
What is your favorite toy? Leapfrog Explorer
What is your favorite movie? Disney’s Tangled
What is your favorite animal? Duck
What do you want to be when you get older? A Dentist
Where would you like to go on vacation? The Beach…..Oh wait Gracie’s house (her cousin)
What is your favorite Ice cream? Vanilla (same as last year)
What is your favorite cereal? Apple Jacks
What is your favorite primary song? I lived in Heaven
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Play hide & seek
What is your favorite thing to do with Mom? Play Bingo
What is your favorite thing to do with Avery? Play chase

We love you Quinnie!

Detox—Day 4,5,& 6

2011-03-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Day four was great.

Whoever said the first few days are the hardest was WRONG! My day 5 was really hard! I wanted to eat everything in sight. But I didn’t.

Day 6……oh day 6. I hate you day 6 (that’s today). I ate a chocolate chip today. I know….lame. NOTE TO SELF: Don’t go grocery shopping when you are detoxing. It sucks!!!

Because I barely scraped by on day 6, I have come to the conclusion I am done. No day 7 for me. I know, what’s one more day? But honestly, I cannot eat another raw vegetable for a long time. I can barely even look at them. But I have other reasons:

How will I cook fun green food for St. Patricks Day without eating it? There is no way I will be able to resist.
I have NO detox symptoms, which tells me my body is not doing anything. Which frustrates me to no end. I feel like I wasted the last 6 days. Why go another day for nothing?

So there. I am a quitter. But at least I made it 6 days. That’s pretty good right (considering I have never stuck to a diet plan in my life for any amount of time.)

FYI-I don't know if I lost any weight because I don't have a scale.

Lucky girl….

2011-03-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

It’s been 8 years since I married this HOTTIE!!!!

Wowee!! I am one lucky girl!

Love you Brett!! You made me the happiest girl alive when you asked me to marry you.

Happy Anniversary!

Day 3- Going strong

2011-03-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

My Day 3 was awesome. No major cravings, no hunger, even my meals were edible and quite enjoyable. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they were DELICIOUS, but what can one expect?

BREAKFAST-Green Smoothie

LUNCH- Leftover Lettuce Wraps

DINNER- Salad with Cucumbers, corn (raw, cut off the cob), tomatoes, fresh pineapple, apples, and fresh lemon juice. It doesn’t sound great, but it was pretty good. The juice from the fruit made it so I didn’t miss the salad dressing.

DESSERT- Banana ice cream

I feel fine. Some people have side effects from Detoxing like headaches, bloating, mood swings….but I only had a headache the first day (I always get them even if I’m not detoxing). I can’t say I feel better than normal though. I’m still tired…my skin looks the same…etc. But I still have 4 days to go so we’ll see.

I can’t believe I’ve made it this long! I will for sure make it to the end now. The first few days are always the worst.

Day2-Raw Food Detox

2011-03-12T18:28:00.001-08:00

Today was harder than yesterday.

Surprisingly, I woke up not hungry. Later for breakfast I had a GREEN SMOOTHIE with a bunch of spinach, strawberries, peaches, 1/2 a banana, water & ice. That was my best meal of the day. Not because it was amazing (although it was good & made me full), but because my other meals just weren’t great.

For lunch I cut up a bunch of veggies and wrapped them in lettuce. I used cauliflower, zucchini, a radish, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, & pepper. I also added some apples which made it much better.

Here is my ‘Veggie lettuce wrap’

Dinner was totally gross. I cut yellow squash & zucchini into thin strips (like spaghetti noodles) and put a puree of tomatoes, garlic, pepper & avocado. I couldn’t get myself to eat it all, so I dumped it and ate some cantaloupe.

I am not looking forward to the next 5 days. Meal time is not enticing AT ALL! I am still craving carbs, but it’s only REALLY difficult when I make the girls their meals. I am not hungry, but I am totally unsatisfied.

Why am I doing this?

My friend talked me into it
I might lose a few pounds
I might feel great & less tired
It might reduce my sugar addiction

Will I stay on a raw food diet? No way. I already miss warm, cooked food.

I made me some Raw Banana ‘Ice cream’ with walnuts & strawberries for dessert and it was wonderful!! A great end to my so-so day (in the way of food).

7 Days Raw

2011-03-11T17:09:00.001-08:00

I’m doing it! I am going on a 7 day Raw Foods diet. I found an excellent website called The Raw Divas that is going to get me through it.

I have to blog about it so everyone knows I am doing it. Otherwise I could easily quit (like everything else I try). So

I AM DOING IT!!

Day 1-24 hour WATER FAST-

I did pretty well on this one. I started yesterday at 6:00 PM & finished at 6:00 this evening with a meal of Cantaloupe, an apple, some grape tomatoes, & a small handful of nuts. Technically, I was only suppose to choose 1 kind of fruit and eat as much as I wanted….but I wasn’t sure I could sit and eat a whole melon and that is it. The almonds weren’t planned, but I needed something substantial.

I started feeling the cravings when I sat and watched my family eat Mcdonald’s tonight. That was a little difficult. I really really want some carbs-----rolls, biscuits, crackers etc. but I’m not giving in. It’s not too terrible yet.

It is said that whenever I am craving something, it means that type of food is being ‘detoxed’ out of my body. So maybe, just maybe I am getting rid of all those carbs!!??

The next 6 days I will just be eating raw food. Raw meaning Fruits & Veggies that haven’t been cooked. I get to eat as much as I want but only when I am truly hungry. Also I am to limit any fats (oils, avocados, and yes….Nuts ) but preferably none at all. My fridge is full of Fruits and Veggies and I am excited.

Here goes…

10 months CUTE!

2011-03-01T11:16:00.001-08:00

**Pics: 1-Just being cute. 2-Kickin’ his feet up while waiting for dinner. 3- His haircut

I seriously cannot get enough of of this guy……well that’s not true…..I get enough of him but he just makes me happy! Easton had a rough month---with his overdose scare & then he had the flu for 4 days which was miserable for both of us. But he bounced back & is as happy as ever.

Nicknames: Beasty, Easty, Beater, Sweety-Boy, Cutie-Boy, Turtle (originated from terd….but we don’t say that word in our house), Boo-Boo.
Goes to bed around 7 without a peep & sleeps until about 7:15 am
Takes one nap in he morning (for about 1 hour) & one afternoon nap for 1 1/2 –2 hours.
Weighs 19 pounds
Is still quite the whiner especially after his afternoon nap.
Weaned from nursing. Drinks soy formula because he still spits-up.
Got his hair Buzzed (we cut almost 2 inches of the sides & back & 1 inch off his mohawk)
Stands on his own when he decides he wants to.
Says: ‘What is it?’----‘Get it’------‘Freezing’-----‘Shake, Shake, Shake’
Has one bottom (right) tooth that just popped through on 2/23/2011
Loves bananas
Holds the phone to his ear & says ‘uh’ (for ‘HI’)
He loves laying on something soft

Love you Beasty!!!

The Birthday Party

2011-02-27T16:56:00.001-08:00

The Invite…….

The Friends……

The Gumball Necklaces……

The Treat Table……..

The Cake…….

The Decorations……

The Peeps…….

The Birthday GirL………

The gifts………

SHOW

The cutest 6

year oLD in

Indiana…….

I just love this picture of Quinnlyn. It’s not great quality because I cropped her out of a big group picture, but she looks so happy!

The birthday began with presents from mom & dad (Heely’s, a princess castle, clothes, & a new Leapster Explorer game) & Avery (princess shoes). Next was a trip to Mcdonald’s (where else) for the traditional birthday breakfast. Then Mom brought treats (fruit kabobs with fruit dip, & heart suckers) to her kindergarten class.

Today we had her party. She invited some girls from school (Riley, Samantha, & Chloe) some from church( Maylee, Marina, & Cami), the neighbor girl (Anika), her cousins (Mckenna & Gracie) & one little sister (Avery).

We played games, made gumball necklaces, ate lunch, played more games, opened gifts, ate cupcakes & ice cream, & filled candy bags from the ‘Sweet Shoppe’.

I can’t believe Quinnlyn is six! Where does time go? Is this really my dark-haired baby girl who all the nurses oohed & awed over (not to mention her mom & dad)!!?? I remember just crying & crying when she was born because I was SO happy that she was healthy. I loved her so much then, & I LOVE her so much now!

Quinnlyn is:

Sweet (when she wants to be)
Silly (all the time)
Spunky
Smart (loves to learn)
Creative
Artistic (we have piles & piles of artwork)
Independent
Sassy (as in…..talks back)
Shy (around other people)

She loves:

Her sister & brother
Writing letters to her friends & family (she started a letter/artwork exchanging trend among her kindergarten class)
Dressing up (in one particular Arial dress)
Watching movies & TV
Playing her Leapster Explorer
Riding her bike
Dancing
Her Ducky

She hates:

Cleaning her room (or cleaning anything for that matter)
Bedtime
Getting her hair done (I knew the day would come)
Mashed potatoes
Corn off the cob (on the cob is fine)

Happy Birthday

Quinnlyn!

Lovin’

2011-02-14T16:30:00.001-08:00

LVE HER…….

LVE HER TOO……

Can’t help but LVE HIM……

And definitely HIM TOO…….(the dad)

HAPPY VALENTINE’s

DAY!!

Friends

2011-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

These people are the reason Brett was meant to go to school in Indianapolis, IN.

(does it look like I am smiling funny??? That’s because I am. I am trying hide my braces )

We girls get together about once a week for Book Club, Recipe Group, Craft night, Play dates, & just plain old Girls Night (which is anything but PLAIN!). I seriously don’t know what I would do without these girls! It’s so nice to have friends who are in the EXACT same situation as us!

Brett sees these guys more than he sees me . And half of them are his ‘Call of Duty’ buddies (when his games aren’t lost). I am so glad he has so many great friends!

Put this on the list…..

2011-02-09T19:33:00.001-08:00

…….of something I NEVER want to experience again (along with natural labor)!!

Here’s the SHORT story:

Easton Overdosed on Acetaminophen & had to stay in the hospital for 1 1/2 days. He got tortured by many failed attempts to collect blood samples, had an IV for a day, & was such a good boy. He is fine now & his liver is too.

Here is the LONG story:

Thursday morning Brett put Easton down for his morning nap (9:30). He was still whining in his room at 10:00 when I went upstairs to get into the shower. At 10:30 I went in to his room because he was still making noise. When I looked in his crib, I saw Acetaminophen Gelcaps strewn ALL OVER, and some of them had been sucked on. So we walked downstairs to see who gave him the Bottle of medicine. Come to find out, Avery was trying to be helpful so she gave Easton the ‘shaker’ (pill bottle) so he would stop crying during his naptime.

We weren’t mad….but we let her know she couldn’t give him things without us knowing. I called poison control and they told us we should go to the ER just to make sure he didn’t swallow any. So we went. We got there at 1:00 & they took us right back…..overdose must be a TRUE EMERGENCY….I’ve never been seen in the ER so quickly.

(Picture: trying to eat a cracker without bending his IV arm)

So the doctor came in and told us they would be taking a blood sample to check the Acetaminophen level in his blood, but she said most likely he didn’t swallow any because most babies spit them out because they don’t taste good. I, on the other hand, wasn’t too convinced because he can eat anything and not choke or gag. Plus, the gelcaps were tasteless, & slippery so he could have swallowed them with no problems.

At 2:30, a nurse came in to get the sample. She tried on the top of his foot…..no luck----he was SCREAMING. So they sent down 2 NICU nurses who each tried in both wrists…..no luck----he was SCREAMING. So they sent down someone from peds who tried in his arm…..no luck. So she decided to do a heel prick and just squeeze the blood out to fill up the tube. She had to prick both heels and it took at least 10 minutes to fill up the stupid tube (she spilled it twice)----Easton was SCREAMING & I was crying. She finally got enough to send to the lab & Easton immediately fell asleep. It was so hard to hold him down everytime they tried to get blood. I can handle once or twice, but I can’t handle seeing them dig around for several minutes while my baby is shaking his head no & screaming like I have never heard before! His sad eyes would just look at us like: “Why aren’t you saving me??? You’re right there! Just pick me up”. It was so awful.

(picture: playing with dad)

At 6:00 PM the PA came in and told us his Acetaminophen level was at 100. He said 10 is okay for a baby. That doesn’t tell us how many pills he swallowed, just that he did indeed swallow them, & he was in Over-dose. So the next step was to re-check his levels. If they were going down fast enough, that was good & they would just watch them until they were low enough. If they weren’t going down very quickly, he would need to take and antidote of Acetylcisteine (IV injection (Asist,Parvolex, Acetadote) – treatment of paracetamol/acetaminophen overdose) to protect his liver. So at 6:30 the peds lady came back in to torture my baby. She poked him in his arm and got it pretty quickly. The results showed that his levels weren’t going down fast enough. So he needed the Antidote.

At 8:00 a NICU nurse came in to start an IV. So here we go again! Luckily, she got it on the first try. Brett & his friend gave Easton a blessing & then Brett left to go get the girls from my friend who had been watching them all day. They started a 60 minute dose of Acetylcisteine through the IV and we found out he would be admitted to the hospital because he needed to have a continuous drip of the antidote for the next 24 hours. UGH!

We finally moved from the ER up to the pediatric unit at 11:00 pm. I got Easton asleep and finally laid down at 12:30. Unfortunately, they check on children every hour so it wasn’t a great night for either of us.

The next day we just hung out. We did have one incident where I let Easton crawl around the room for a minute(I know…..gross, but he was desperate to get down and play) and he pulled his IV apart. He was bleeding all over. Thankfully he didn’t pull the catheter out of his vein so it was easily reattached. I was so happy that we didn’t have to poke him again. (picture: watching a movie with dad)

Brett came to the hospital that afternoon so I could run home, shower, & take a little nap. I got back to the hospital at 5:00 pm and at 6:00pm we had to get lab work done again. He got poked on the top of his wrist twice…..no luck and in his other arm…..success! I didn’t cry this time, but he did .

At 7:00pm we found out his Acetaminophen level was below one (yippee) and his liver function looked good. WE WERE GOING HOME!!!!

Easton got to ride in a wagon out to our car & he LOVED it! He just sat back & smiled the whole time. It was so cute. We were home by about 8:30pm & couldn’t have been happier!

It was amazing how well-behaved Easton was during this whole incident! He sat on our laps & didn’t really pull at his IV, & was just a happy little guy (minus the blood sample torturing). It was definitely a blessing because I don’t know how we would have handled him if he was being his regular self.

(picture: No more IV!!!)

I never want to have to do that again! We sure love our little Easty & were so happy to have him home with us safe & sound!!

Movin’ up

2011-02-01T17:24:00.001-08:00

At nine months Easton……

Sleeps all night (going on a whole week of this) from about seven to seven
Cries at every meal time (don’t know what is up with that)
Can climb up the stairs
Can stand for several seconds (but he won’t do it very often)
Takes bottles
Likes his face to be tickled (It’s the only time he sits still & relaxes)
Hates wearing socks
Hates hats
Is a busy body & is starting to get into everything
Likes to be ‘chased’
Can ‘gum’ anything (because he has no teeth yet). He never chokes or gags
Likes to hear people talk on the phone
Still weighs 18 pounds & is 26 inches tall (25% in both areas)
Wears size 3 diapers
Has little feet (that I LOVE LOVE LOVE)
Dances to music
Imitates sounds that we make
He’s been very fussy the past few weeks (he does have a cold & may be teething)

I LOVE these Gummy Smiles!!! (try to ignore the dirty face & snotty nose….sometimes we don’t care if our kids look like white trash. Rest assured, we clean them up if we go out in public….usually)

He thinks he gets to stand up in his high chair.

He spends a lot of time under the TV playing with the DVD player. (And yes, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ is his favorite show…..he loves the song at the beginning/end)

And his sisters think it’s fun to dress him up

He is the cutest ORNERY baby I have ever known.

In case you were wondering….

2011-01-17T10:19:00.001-08:00

We did have a great Christmas even though I haven’t posted about it.

We are going to skip the Santa Pictures because…..well…..there aren’t any. The girls had a quick, impromtu visit at the mall in early December and Easton didn’t. That’s it. No ‘First Santa Visit’ for him. Don’t worry though. I am sure he will thank me when he sees all of your children’s pictures with him…..screaming their little heads off. I’m the best mom.

Here’s the short but sweet version:

We spent time together, the kids got everything they had hoped for and more, and it was over just like that!

Decorating

Gingerbread

Houses!!

Visiting my sisters family in Charlestown, IN. We froze our buns off looking at the Christmas lights in town square. Then we had a sleepover

Opening P.j’s Xmas Eve

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We woke up at 7:30 to open presents. Here are the kids waiting to go downstairs.

I was a terrible picture taker. Next year I will be better I promise!

Quinnlyn and Avery got Pillow Pets, Leapfrog Explorers, Clothes, Movies, games, Play-doh, money, a Hopscotch Mat, and the usual stocking stuffers. Easton got Books, a movie, an Elmo puppet, clothes, shoes, money, and little stocking stuffers.

8 months a little late

2011-01-03T16:23:00.001-08:00

Easton

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Let’s Play YES & NO

Pulls to a stand---------------------YES

Eats 3 meals a day----------------YES (Doesn’t like pureed Vegetables so we do 3rd foods & toddler foods)

Sleeps all night---------------------Sometimes (once or twice a week)

Walks around furniture----------YES

Teeth---------------------------------NO

Waves Bye-Bye-------------------YES (he imitates it when we do it)

Haircut this month---------------YES (of course)

Spits-up all the time-------------YES

Takes a bottle---------------------Sometimes

Other things worth mentioning:

Has brown eyes, loves computers, loves books, thinks we are talking to him when we talk on the phone (he smiles so big), had his first ear infection (and still has it after one round of antibiotics),& weighs 18 pounds.

30

2010-12-30T08:45:00.001-08:00

Thirty Years ago this cute little guy was born…

Today he is still a cute little guy……just a bit more manly.

Happy Birthday to the best dad….

And to my best friend & favorite husband

We love you!!!!!

If you didn’t get one….

2010-12-24T15:54:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays!

I wish…..

2010-12-15T19:17:00.001-08:00

I wish I had something cool to blog about….like:

Easton is sleeping through the night……

Or it is 65 degrees and beautiful here………

Or I have all the Christmas shopping done and didn’t spend more than I should have…….

Or that we are getting ready to visit Utah for the holidays…….

Or that I lost all my baby weight……

Or that I don’t have an orthodontist appointment tomorrow…..

Or that my husband is paying attention to me instead of playing Xbox…….

But I don’t. In fact:

Easton isn’t sleeping through the night. He has started waking up at 10:00 pm. But after that I don’t know what he does, because I shut my door and put my earplugs in.

It’s not 65 degrees here. It’s 15 degrees, and there is snow on the ground and more in the forecast.

I don’t have the shopping done either. And I spent entirely too money much already!

We aren’t visiting Utah for the holidays. This is sad….very sad. Next year though.

That baby weight (which I will officially no longer be able to claim as baby weight in 1 1/2 months) is still hanging around. And there is an M&M bag sitting next to me. Excuses…..nope. I am totally LAZY! I don’t want to exercise it off. I want it to fall off. Is that too much to ask?

I’m going to the orthodontist tomorrow and you may soon be able to call me BRACE FACE. That’s right. But it’s free (no not through the dental school) and as you know, I NEVER pass up FREE.

My husband is playing XBOX. He is always playing XBOX. If the XBOX could wash his clothes, I wouldn’t need to stick around ()

Sorry that I don’t have something cool to blog about.

7 months and cute as can be…..

2010-11-29T19:12:00.001-08:00

I’m another month older and I have a few things to tell you:

I’m not crawling yet, but I like to get up on all fours and try. If I want to get around, I use one of my arms to drag myself. I can get anywhere like this.

Don’t feed me baby food because I don’t care for it. Instead, I want Gerber Graduate Ravioli’s….or better yet, just give me table food because I think I am a big enough boy to eat it. (In the picture I am eating a marshmallow….mmmmm!)

I got a flu shot the other day and barely made a whimper. See….I am a big boy!!

I can sit from a ‘laying down position’.

I’m sleeping a little better. I still wake up & cry, but I can usually go back to sleep on my own. Sometimes I sleep all night, but sometimes I can still get mom to feed me.

Mom knows when I am hungry because I do this little ‘GRUNT/SCREAM’.

I still have a plugged tear duct that I have had since birth.

And of course there can’t be a month where I don’t get a haircut…..so I got one.

And that’s all!

Quinnlyn Update...

2010-11-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

I think it is time for an update on this girl!

Quinnlyn is LOVING school. I went to a parent/teacher conference in October and was told that she is excelling in every area and continually meets or exceeds the standards that they have for kindergartners. Her teacher says her handwriting is amazing. I can't say that it is because of ANYTHING I have done. She just picks up on things so quickly. She even got the '7-up' award for always turning in her homework on time & doing such a great job on it. We are pretty proud of her.

The only thing she doesn't like about going to school, is that she has to wake up early. She gets over it pretty quickly, but those first 10 minutes are pretty rough for both of us ;).

I love hearing about the friends she has in school. She & one of her friends draw pictures and write little notes to each other. It's cute. I was walking with her to her classroom one day (so I could help her teacher) and we caught up with one of her friend Chloe and they grabbed hands and walked down the hall. I loved it! It was fun to see the way she acts in school too. She is so sweet & QUIET. Of course, I knew she was like that around other people.

She is a pretty good helper at home (when she isn't fighting with Avery.....or me). She is so sweet to Easton. I hope she continues to treat him so nicely. Now if only she could be so nice to Avery. I am trying to teach her that she should treat her sister even better than she treats her friends. We will be working on that one for a while. But there are times when she will surprise me....so I know she has it in her ;).

Her favorite thing to do these days is still draw & write. I am picking up PAPER after PAPER, and I feel bad that I can't keep them all....but if I did, I would have no where to put them! She also likes doing her homework & never ever complains. We have her reading a few verses of scriptures every night, and she loves that too.

She is growing up. Crazy how time flies! We just love her.

Halloween

2010-11-02T12:10:00.001-07:00

SINCE HALLOWEEN WAS ON SUNDAY THIS YEAR, WE REMINDED THE GIRLS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO TRICK-OR-TREATING FOR US.

THEY WERE TOTALLY FINE WITH IT...WHICH SURPRISED ME.

LUCKILY WE HAD A FEW HALLOWEEN PARTIES TO GO TO, SO WE WERE ABLE TO DRESS-UP AND GET A LITTLE CANDY.

SO HERE YOU HAVE...

HANNAH MONTANA

(our 4 dollar special when costumes went on clearance last year)

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

(Who originally wanted to be a penguin until I told her she could paint her hair red)

AND THE GANGSTER WITH HIS

FLAPPER GIRL

AND THE LIL’ PUNK

(With his gangster Dad)

AND OF COURSE THE WHOLE

FAMILY

On Halloween, we ignored the trick-or-treaters and watched movies upstairs and ate lot’s of candy.

Happy Halloween

1/2 a year!!!

2010-10-28T17:05:00.001-07:00

It’s my half birthday today!!!! Mom says 6 months went by SO FAST…..and that she’s never functioned on so little sleep for so long!

I am growing…..like a baby

& my hair is growing……like a weed.

Mom gave me my 3rd haircut last week. She cut an inch off & I still have this much left!!! People still say I look a lot older than I really am…..because of my hair. I get to sit in front of mom’s mirror and play with toys while she does my Mohawk……just like my sisters. Sometimes I like it…..sometimes I don’t.

Sleep habits???? I don’t have any habits. Mom says I am RANDOM. She never knows what to expect from me. Sometimes I wake up once at night, other times I wake up every 2 hours.

I eat. Every 3 hours. Mom gives me baby food too, but not regularly. I do get Gerber Puffs everyday and I love them. I can even pick them up & feed myself.

I like to ‘BULL-DOZE’ across the room. I can get around pretty good that way. I pick up tiny things off the floor too…..and then I put them in my mouth.

I had my first cold this month. Luckily it wasn’t too bad. Just a little runny nose for about a week.

I weigh 16 pounds 8 ounces (25-50 percent) and I am 26 inches long (25-50 percent).

I sit up and am that makes me a slightly happier baby.

I love splashing in the bathtub.

I love when Dad comes home. He usually gets the biggest smile of the day.

But I am a total

Momma’s boy.

If I can’t see her, than I am usually okay, but the minute she walks past, I start to whine.

I am spoiled. I get held all the time. And I usually get what I want.

Happy Six months BEASTY!!!

She lost it….

2010-10-23T14:24:00.001-07:00

Her tooth that is.

The dentist in Dad couldn’t resist

that first loose tooth, and he ~~pulled~~

Ripped it right out.

Quinnlyn cried. She said it hurt.

I’m sure it did.

After the drama, she decided she had better get to bed so the tooth Fairy could come.

\She got a dollar. . . .

She was hoping for a million. Aren’t we all.

Today her second tooth came out.

We are crossing our fingers for a million tonight.

**Her permanent teeth are already coming up & her left molar is through as well.

Annual October Visitors

2010-10-21T18:49:00.001-07:00

October is a good month for us here in Indianapolis. We get visitors from home. Grandma & Grandpa Jones drive out every year to bring us Pumpkins from their garden & lots of other good stuff! We look forward to it.

The girls drank in all the attention (they got a little CRAZY with it). Grandpa got the worst of the craziness, but I think he brings it on himself with all the teasing he does .

We went to the Zoo, out to eat, and just hung around the house and visited. It was great to see them.

Even Easton Was a pretty good boy….letting Grandma hold him. when we visited Utah a few months ago, he didn’t cooperate very well, so he has redeemed himself.

I can’t believe we will only have one more October visit from them until Brett graduates. Time is FLYING by!!! We will have fun memories of this.

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!!

Easton

2010-10-12T08:16:00.001-07:00

This little guy

is sitting up.

This smile makes me so HAPPY!!!

Easton @ 5 1/2 months.

Fall Photo Shoot

2010-10-11T10:58:00.001-07:00

I got a new camera for my birthday, so I made my girls go with me to do an ‘experimental’ photo shoot. They were totally up for it until we started. And then they were more interested in the SOYBEANS, & the TRAIN TRACKS. But I did manage to get a few good ones (fake smiles are over-rated). And even if I didn’t, the purpose was to figure out my camera settings and such. So it was a semi-successful trip.

Thank goodness for photoshop because I lost my light by the time we made it to the train tracks.

This girl did not want to cooperate. So I finally just let her do her own thing. What I didn’t post were the pictures of her undies showing…..which were about half of the ones I took.

I am still trying to remember how to get my aperture & shutter speed correct. It’s been a good 4 years since I took my photography class. I think it is going to take me a couple tries though. I didn’t want the trees to be as out-of-focus as they are. Oh well.

Avery

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I got a little more cooperation out of this one.

We had a few cars stop & ask us if we were alright. One let me know that we shouldn’t be playing on the train tracks. I don’t think he realized I was an adult until I turned around.

Fun times on a Sunday evening with my new camera & two cute girls.

Quinnlyn

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